The writings of Baird T. Spalding are based on fictitious journeys to the Far East where he claims to have encountered immortal beings who gave him insight into their spiritual lives. These “beings” helped to create the concept of “ascended masters” who New Age enthusiasts believe are enlightened beings who were once ordinary people.

There is some discrepancy about the birth of Spalding. His books claim he was born in England in 1857 but other sources say he was born in New York in 1872. Although he was employed as a mining engineer in the American West, Spalding claims to have been part of an eleven person research expedition to India in 1894 to study the “Masters”; however, no evidence of this expedition has ever been found. This is why the six volumes he wrote under the title of Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East are considered to be fictional.

An example of the rather fanciful teachings contained in the books can be found in Volume I where Spalding meets a “Master” named Emil who can appear at will and read his mind. On Christmas Day,  Emil allegedly taught him that “To us this day means more; to us this day not only means the advent into this world of Jesus, the Christ, but also this birth typifies the birth of Christ in every human consciousness.”

Emil explained how he was able to bilocate himself to wherever he pleased: "My appearance in this room tonight may be explained in this way. In the little room where you left me I held my body in the Universal by raising its vibrations and it returned to the Universal or, as we say, returning it to the Universal where all substance exists. Then, through my I AM, my Christ Consciousness, I held my body in my mind until its vibrations were lowered and it took form right here in this room and you could see it.”

As Spalding explains in the foreword of Volume 1: "The Masters accept that Buddha represents the Way to Enlightenment, but they clearly set forth that Christ IS Enlightenment, or a state of consciousness for which we are all seeking – the Christ light of every individual; therefore, the light of every child born into the world."

Later in the book, he describes meeting Emil’s sister, who appeared to them when they were sitting on a roof watching the night sky and talking. She had two children, a boy aged 115 and a daughter aged 128, who also appeared. “Every child born is good and perfect,” she taught them. “There are no bad children. It does not matter whether they are conceived in the perfect or immaculate or through the sense or material way. The one conceived in the perfect way will soon recognize his Sonship with the Father, that he is the Christ or Son of God; then he will develop and unfold quickly and he will see only perfection. . . .”

It's obvious that although his writings are laced with references to Jesus and God the Father, they are not in the least bit Christian but could be considered a New Age-version of the Gospel.

It's also obvious that Spalding didn't step foot in India until 1935 when he went there at the request of his publisher, DeVorss, a well-known publisher of metaphysical and spiritual books.

As this researcher, who admires Spalding admits, the man “did have a lifelong penchant for tall tales.”

It should come as no surprise that Spalding’s books came back into vogue with the advent of the modern New Age movement in the 1970s. In fact, some followers claim to have ghost-written books for him after his death in Arizona in 1953.

Needless to say, Spalding’s writings should not be considered recommended reading for Christians.