Psychiana.
Official Organ of "Psychiana" (The New Psychological Religion).
This Magazine Supports the True and Exposes the False
Other titles: Psychiana Monthly (July 1931-1933), Psychiana Quarterly (1933-1937), Psychiana Weekly (1940), Psychiana Bulletin (1950-1952)
1931—1952 Monthly (1931-1933), quarterly (1933-1937), weekly (1940)
Moscow, ID. Publisher: Psychiana, Inc.. Editor: Frank B. Robinson, D.D./ Ph.D., M.Sc., D.D.; C.W. Tenney, A.M., LL.D.; Rupert S. Burton, business manager.
1/1, July 1931-1940; 1950-June 1952 as Psychiana Bulletin. 8-36 pp., $1.00- $5.00 a year. Volume numbering restarted in 1940 with the beginning of weekly publication.

These journals were the brainchild of Frank B. Robinson (1886-1948), the British-born "Mail Order Prophet" and "Archbishop of Psychiana." In 1929, after a career as an itinerant Christian preacher, pharmacist, and (for a short time) Canadian Mounty, he wrote a series of New Thought lessons on spiritual healing and ways of achieving prosperity and happiness and began to advertise them under the caption "I Talked with God. Yes I Did—Actually and Literally." The first advertisement received 5,300 responses, and Robinson was soon receiving 60,000 pieces of mail a day. The response was so great that the Moscow, Idaho post office was upgraded to first-class status. The movement fell apart on Robinson's death in 1948 though his son continued the journal until June 1952. The business was closed for good in 1953. The journals consisted of short articles by Robinson on topics he was interested in at the time: "Killing the Bible," "Spoofing Conan Doyle," "Did Valentino Send Messages from the Dead?""The Banking Situation," "Jesus Christ, Fact or Fiction?" "Many Pastors Doubt Existence of Hell," etc., but intermingled with this general reading were Robinson's direct counseling messages to his readers, always coupled with a plea for support: "I am far stronger today than ever before. I am happy. We shall win. God's Great Day will be brought in as a result of the simple faith of one man, and, as a result of that faith, God is rewarding us a thousand times. Do your part and make my burden a bit lighter if you can." To this were added regular stories of widows and the indigent who gave their last dollar, or borrowed a dollar, to send to Dr. Robinson. Most issues carried a portrait of a prosperous-looking Robinson. The more official description of the journal and Psychiana (usually presented within quotation marks) was a generic power-of-the-living-spirit exhortation: "'Psychiana is a Movement of the Spirit of God on the earth, and the aim of this Magazine Is to assist 'Psychiana' in making the Spirit of God a vital living Power in the lives of our fellow men. The Movement Is non-denominational. Its Members comprise adherents to every faith In the world. It wants to help them all. We have no 'articles of faith' nor do we have creeds or rituals. We know man exists, and we know the Spirit of God exists. We know man can know the Power of the Spirit of God while on this earth, and through this Movement God is being made a Living Reality to men and women of every race and creed all over the world. Whenever it is necessary, this Magazine speaks very plainly. Many traditions of 'orthodoxy' are shown for what they really are. Whenever we find ancient myth and superstition masquerading as being of the Spirit of God, we bring the facts to the world, kindly but forcefully. We believe the Power of the Spirit of God is abundantly able to step into this desperate and discouraging world picture, and bring a permanent peace. To this end we are striving, and as the Spirit of God reveals Itself to us, we reveal It to others without fear. Members of every church are cordially Invited to come and find and use the Power of the Spirit of God with us. An Infinite love for all Is the motivating Power of this entire Movement. Through this Movement the Spirit of God Is making Its presence known on earth." Robinson's premise was that man's communication with God should have been natural and simple, but that it was hindered by the organized religions for their own ends. The method of talking to God was taught in a series of lessons, which were the core of Psychiana For $28 (with a discount for cash in advance) the student received monthly installments of the original (1932) series of lessons. When that market seemed exhausted, Robinson announced in the journal the formation of the "'Psychiana' Brotherhood" and a further series of "advanced" lessons at $10 or $1.00 a month, with still further series of even more advanced teachings going for $40 and $100, respectively, as the years went by. The Psychiana course remained largely unchanged over the years: read the monthly lesson ("the unseen or the Spiritual Realm is the REAL, and the PERMANENT Realm," etc.); on awakening quietly recognize "the invisible Power of the Spirit" and throughout the day practice mindfulness and cheerfulness; answer examination questions on the lesson (not to be corrected by anyone but to demonstrate to yourself that you've mastered the material); move on gratefully to the next lesson or series of lessons. Robinson guaranteed the success of his lessons, promising return of payment unless the student was satisfied, and never mentions in the journal having to refund any money. In addition to these lessons were Robinson's innumerable books and Psychiana emblems, diplomas and emblems, all for suitable fees. Robinson also published several novels on his themes and in later years added a staunch anti-Communist tinge to his publications. Robinson announced the cessation of the journal with the last issue for 1940: "If I want to commit suicide all I have to do is keep on working like I am now but if you want me with you for many more years I shall have to retrench somewhat." There is some indication that Robinson "re-edited" the journal in the mid-1940, but there are no details. There was a quarterly journal called The Way published in 1951 by an Alfred B. Robinson, Archbishop of Psychiana, who must be Robinson's son trying to pick up the founder's mantle, but it did not succeed. Also, a journal named Psychiana was published in 's-Gravenhage in the Netherlands in 1938 in a short-lived attempt to spread Robinson's gospel to Europe. University of Idaho; Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley; LOC.

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