About the Eloists

The Eloists, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax exempt religious organization incorporated in the state of Massachusetts in 1918. The organization was founded by Walter DeVoe, a spiritual healer, at the turn of the last century. “The Eloist Ministry,” as it was originally called, shortened its name to the current form in 1972, primarily for aesthetic reasons that reflected the organization’s movement away from anything that could be construed as proselytizing, which was something the organization preferred to avoid.

Walter De Voe began his ministry after being a participant in the “Parliament of Religions” at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, where he became one of the proponents of the New Thought movement. His ministry started in Cleveland and Battle Creek, before relocating to Brookline, Massachusetts in 1918. The organization maintained a Ministry building there on Francis Street until 1954, when it relocated to Duxbury, Massachusetts.

Even though circumstances have required The Eloists to leave our headquarters in Duxbury after having been based there for nearly 70 years, we do still continue to maintain our 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax exempt corporation status in the state of Massachusetts, nevertheless.

Since New Thought had many principles amenable to the teachings of Oahspe, the organization found itself easily embracing this volume after it was introduced to Walter DeVoe in the 1920’s by an individual who had been associated with Dr. Newbrough’s “Shalam” community. Beginning in the 1930’s, the Eloist organization began to move away from New Thought as its primary guiding “light,” embracing Oahspe as the basis for its teachings instead. It has continued to do so ever since. The Eloists hold Oahspe in the highest esteem and sincerely believe the book to be precisely what it purports to be. The Eloists also believe, however, that all books are maculate and must be balanced with the realization that only the Everpresent Creator is perfect, and only the Creator’s direct inspiration should be our ultimate guide.