Banquet - Offered to Allan Kardec by the several spiritist groups of Lyon on September 19th, 1861Another banquet this year gathered a number of spiritists in Lyon with
the difference that last year there was about thirty guests whereas
this year there was one hundred and sixty persons, representing the several
groups that consider themselves as members of the same family and
among which there isn’t a shadow of jealousy and rivalry, something that
we observed with pleasure. Workers formed the majority of the guests and
everyone noticed the perfect order of the event which was not broken for a
single moment; that is because true spiritists find satisfaction in the joys of
the heart and not in noisy pleasures. Several speeches were made and we
will report them here since they summarize the situation and characterize
a phase of movement in Spiritism. Besides, they show the true spirit of
this population, once regarded with a certain dread having been perhaps
misjudged and poorly guided morally. Unfortunately one of the main
speeches will not be published and that is something that we sincerely
regret. It is the speech given by Mr. Renaud, a remarkable speech in his
appreciations and where there is nothing out of place with the exception
of the praises directed to us. The somewhat lengthy transcript was not
given to us before we left, precluding us from its publication. That does
not make us less thankful to the author for his testimonies of sympathy towards us. It was noted that and by an unforeseen coincidence, since it
depended on the schedule of our arrival, that the banquet this year occurred
on the same day as last year on September 19th.
Speech by Mr. Dijoud, worshop Supervisor,
President of the Brotteaux Spiritist Group, thanking
the good spirits
My dear friends,
I want to thank the good spirits in the name of all of us for having
gathered and initiated us in the divine laws through their manifestations,
laws to which we are all submitted, reason for an immense satisfaction to
us considering that the generous consolations that we are given help us to
withstand the trials and sufferings of this transient life with patience and
resignation, once we no longer ignore the objective of our incarnations of
hard work and the rewards that awaits us, if we endure them with courage
and submission. We also learned through them that if we listen to their
advice and practice their sublime moral we will build ourselves the kingdom
of happiness promised by God through his son. Then egotism, malice
and slander will disappear from around us for we are all brothers and
must love, help and forgive one another like brothers do. Hence we are
responding to the invisible appeal of the superior spiritist coming here to
give them the testimony of our acknowledgement with the unison of our
hearts. Let us pray that they keep us under their protection and love and
continue with their so generous, so consoling and so vivifying teachings
that have done us so much good from the very moment when we were
fortunate to receive their communications. Oh! My friends! How beautiful
was the day when God invited us! Let us all make the resolution to be
good and sincere spiritists and never forget this Doctrine that shall bring
happiness to humanity towards good. Thanks to the good spirits who assist
us and bring us light and thanks to God for having sent them to us!
Toast proposed by Mr. Courtet, businessman
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a member of the Spiritist Group of Brotteaux I would like to propose
a toast in its name to honor Mr. and Mrs. Dijoud.
Madam! I have the pleasant duty of serving as interpreter to our
Society that thanks you for everything you have done in our favor! How
many times you brought consolation to us! How many tears of kindness
and joy you brought to our eyes! Your kind and modest heart was not
proud of your successes which only made you more charitable. We know
well madam that you are just an interpreter of the superior spirits who are
linked to you, but we are also aware of your devotion in carrying out that
task! It was through you that we were initiated in those elevated matters
of moral and philosophy whose solution must bring the kingdom of God
and consequently happiness to Earth. We also thank you ma’am for the
assistance you give to those of us who are ill. Your faith and devotion are
rewarded by the satisfaction you have to do good and alleviate the suffering
of others. We beg you to continue your good service. You must rest
assured of all our gratitude and our eternal recognition.
Mr. Dijoud, we thank you for your intelligence, for the firmness and
complacency that you bring to our meetings. We count on you to continue
this great undertaking with the help of the good spirits.
Toast proposed by Mr. Bouillant, Professor
I have the honor of proposing a toast to Mr. Allan Kardec, a toast with
our whole gratitude and acknowledgment, on behalf of his followers, his
apostles present here. Ah! How happy we are the volunteers of our great
valiant, our beloved leader! If we experience so much happiness, it must
be said, for this special favor done to us today and this cannot ever be
forgotten. Which soldier would not remember with the warmest feeling
the very day when the general came to meet him and sat at the same table
and shared bread with him?
Well then! We are your soldiers, dear master, your voluntary workers
and regardless of how high you have plunged your flag it is not our duty
to defend it because there is no need but it is our duty to make it triumph
through a cautious and devoted propagation. This cause is in reality such
a beautiful and reassuring truth! You demonstrated that so well in your
books so full of erudition, knowledge, and eloquence! Ah! We all recognize
it, those pages of a man inspired by the pure spirit; we have all realized
it when drinking from the fountain of your thoughtful work that all
of your thoughts were emanations of the Almighty!
Besides, dear master, if we add that your mission here is sacred and
blessed it is because we have felt that more than once and were helped by
your enlightenment, the gentle spark that interconnects the visible and
invisible worlds that gravitate the infinity! Hence, our heart beats are in
unison with the same love towards you. Please receive from us the lively,
sincere and profound expression of that love. To you, with all our heart,
to you with all our spirit!
