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One of Kansas City’s Finest
Born in poverty as the son of a cotton farmer in Archibald, Louisiana on May 5, 1892
he had outstanding abilities and initiative and became a self-made millionaire at an early age.
He started his career working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company at the age of 14 after he finished grade school. In 1909 at the age of 17 he came to Kansas City where he put himself through high school and law school. He received his law degree in 1914 and became a certified public accountant in 1916.
At the age of 24, he became general manager of the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company
and at the age of 29 he purchased the business from famous Kansas Citian U.S. Epperson.
The business thrived under his direction and expanded into many other business areas
in insurance, as well as oil production, citrus fruits and banking.
The Kansas City Star described him as
“…one of the most sensational American success stories,”
“..one of Kansas City’s most remarkable stories of individual brilliance and achievement,”
“The scope of his activities implies that he is one of the busiest executives
in this part of the United States.”
What Kansas City may not have realized about James J. Lynn is that he was a great yogi.
Saint Lynn he was often called by his spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda.
He was one of Paramahansa Yogananda’s most advanced disciples. He contributed greatly
to the organization of Self-Realization Fellowship and was instrumental in putting it
on a strong financial footing. He became its second President when Paramahansa Yogananda
passed in 1952. He is known by those in the organization as Rajarsi Janakananda.
Self-Realization Fellowship is a worldwide religious organization which emphasizes
the unity of all religions and teaches the fundamental principle of religion, how to commune
personally with God through scientific meditation techniques.
It combines original Yoga as taught by Bhagavan Krishna and original Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ.
Today Self-Realization Fellowship has grown to more than 639 temples and meditation centers
in 62 countries. The famous “Autobiography of a Yogi,” a spiritual classic by Paramahansa Yogananda,
has been published in 26 languages and has changed the lives of millions.
One of Yogananda’s most recently released books is titled “The Second Coming of Christ.”
Bill Tameus of the Kansas City Star recently wrote of this book, "A remarkable new two-volume work...
The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You contains insights
that can help Christians see their faith in fresh ways."
In respect for the great contribution James J. Lynn made to SRF,
the Kansas City Meditation Group places flowers
at his crypt at Forest Hill Cemetery regularly, and four times each year places
flowers on behalf of Sri. Daya Mata and Self-Realization Fellowship.
More information about James J. Lynn can be found on the SRF Web Site.
