Our History

At the end of the 1800s, in the middle of the industrial revolution, and the women's suffrage movement, two sisters rose up; Annie Rix Militz and Harriet Hale Rix. The two sisters were educated through the spiritual movements of Emma Curtis Hopkins and Mary Baker Eddy, pioneers in New Thought Metaphysics.

They also were catalysts in the Unity Movement and what was to become the rich spiritual vein of New Thought.

Annie and Harriet held an expansive view of faith and healing. They also knew the value of women as spiritual leaders. In the knowledge of a mother's spiritual home, they founded the Home of Truth and started their life's work.

In 1893, Sister Annie met swami Vivekananda, of the Vedanta tradition, at the Parliament of Religion (sometimes known as the First World Conference on Religion) in Chicago. Later she brought him to Alameda and the San Francisco Bay Area where he stayed a month and spoke to thousands. In the New Thought movement there was a willingness to explore the value of other spiritual traditions. This was a founding principle of the Home of Truth.

In 1905, Sisters Annie and Harriet built the home and sanctuary which now stands on the corner of Grand Street and Alameda Avenue, in the city of Alameda. It is the very same sanctuary where the Home of Truth members gather for services every Sunday.

When World War I broke out, Sister Harriet, with only pen, paper, and postage, successfully built and coordinated a world-wide prayer network for peace. The global reach of her efforts would astound anyone even with today's technology.

The sisters loosely separated their work and outreach. Sister Annie traveled tirelessly, crossing this continent again and again. She was a sought after speaker and a good organizer. For a time spiritual centers with the name the Home of Truth sprouted up and down the West Coast and places across America and Canada.

As this was going on, Sister Harriet was busy here in Alameda. She was the primary teacher and minister at the Home of Truth as Sister Annie traveled. Sister Harriet held services, taught, and most importantly, trained ministers.

They wrote extensively during these years. Both wrote articles for their publication, Master Mind. Sister Annie also served as the editor of the magazine. Books were published by both of them.

Sister Harriet wrote "Christian Mind Healing";. Sister Annie wrote "Both Riches and Honor", "The Renewal of the Body", "Primary Lessons in Christian Living and Healing" and a New Thought commentary of the Sermon on the Mount.

As time passed, after the lives of the two sisters, some of
the writings disappeared from view and dimmed the vision of the Home of Truth. Through disuse and neglect, the healing
light of the sisters almost left this world. In the end, though, the lasting spirit of the two women was unquenchable.

The men and women who ministered at the Home of Truth did well when they held to the founders' principles. There is also the belief that the men and women who will pastor this spiritual center in the future, will do well to hold the principles of Sister Annie and Sister Harriet dear.