What is Spiritualism
Definition
Spiritualism Is the Science, Philosophy and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication, by means of mediumship, with those who live in the Spirit World.
Spirtitualism is a:
science
because it investigates, analyses and classifies facts and manifestations, demonstrated  from the spirit side of life.
philosophy
because it studies the laws of nature both on the seen and unseen sides of life and bases its conclusions drawn therefrom, when sustained by reason and by results of observed facts of the present day.
religion
because it strives to understand and to comply with the Physical, Mental and Spiritual Laws of Nature which are the laws of God.
Spiritualism is the belief that spirits are able to communicate with the living by agency of a medium. The earliest recorded use of the word is 1796 and it was used by the prominent 18th-century spiritualist Emanuel Swedenborg.
Adherents of spiritualism movement believe that the spirits of the dead survive mortal life, and that sentient beings from spiritual worlds can and do communicate with the living. This has ben occurring since ancient times.
Modern Spiritualism is a movement that started in the mid-eighteenth century, sparked by the episode of the Fox Family in Hydesville, New York, in 1848. Margaretta and Kate, later joined by Leah, Fox showed that such contact was possible and inspired thousands to try to renew communication with loved ones who had died.
In its heyday, Spiritualism commanded more than two million followers on both sides of the Atlantic. Many enthusiasts made the movement into a religion, inspiring Spiritualist churches of various types.