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The Spiritist review — Journal of psychological studies — 1858 > January
January
INTRODUCTION
The speed of propagation of the strange spiritist manifestations, all over the world, is a
demonstration of the interest they attract. Starting as a simple object of curiosity they soon drew the
attention of serious investigators who, since the beginning, perceived the inevitable influence they
would have on the moral condition of society. The new ideas which stem from them become more
popular daily and nothing can stop their progress as everybody, or almost everybody can reach out
for these phenomena, and no human power will impede their manifestation. If muffled in one point,
they appear in one hundred others. Those, therefore, who would find any given inconvenient in such
manifestations, would be embarrassed to suffer their consequences by the force of the facts, as the
same happens to new technologies which may hurt particular interests in the beginning but gets
naturally accommodated with time.
What was not said and perpetrated against magnetism! However, every blow against it, every weapon which hurt it, including ridicule, collided with reality and only served to give magnetism more evidence. Magnetism is a natural force and facing natural forces man is like a pygmy, like these little dogs barking against everything that scares them away.
What happens to somnambulism also happens to the spiritist manifestations: if they do not take place in daylight and publicly, nobody will preclude them from happening in the intimacy, as each family may find a medium in the household, from the children to the elderly, as they can also find a somnambulist. Thus, what if the first to be found is a medium and a somnambulist? Who can preclude that? There is no doubt that the skeptics did not think about it. We insist that when a force is part of Nature, it can only be temporarily stopped but never eliminated! Its course, however, may be only deviated. Well, the force revealed in the phenomena of manifestations, whatever its cause may be, is part of Nature, and, like magnetism and its accompanying electric force, will also not be destroyed. It is therefore necessary that those manifestations be observed and studied in all their phases in order to realize their governing laws. If it is an error and an illusion, time will tell; if it is the truth, like compressed steam, will expand the more it is compressed. Is it a surprising fact that, in the Americas, only in the USA, there are seventeen journals dedicated to the subject, not counting a large number of non-periodical publications whereas in France, the European country where the ideas mostly found support, do not have one?* It would be unnecessary to dispute the utility of a special organization to make the public aware of this new science and prevent it against the excesses of credulity, as well as skepticism. This is the blank which we propose to fill out with the publication of this Review, aiming at providing a communication media to those interested in these questions and to connect, through a common bond, those who understand the Spiritist Doctrine, from its true moral point of view: practice of good and evangelical charity towards everyone.
* Up until now there is only one journal in Europe dedicated to the Spiritist Doctrine—the Journal de l’âme—published in Geneve by Dr. Boessinger. In the USA the only journal in French is the Spiritualiste de la Nouvelle Orléans, published by Mr. Barthès.
What was not said and perpetrated against magnetism! However, every blow against it, every weapon which hurt it, including ridicule, collided with reality and only served to give magnetism more evidence. Magnetism is a natural force and facing natural forces man is like a pygmy, like these little dogs barking against everything that scares them away.
What happens to somnambulism also happens to the spiritist manifestations: if they do not take place in daylight and publicly, nobody will preclude them from happening in the intimacy, as each family may find a medium in the household, from the children to the elderly, as they can also find a somnambulist. Thus, what if the first to be found is a medium and a somnambulist? Who can preclude that? There is no doubt that the skeptics did not think about it. We insist that when a force is part of Nature, it can only be temporarily stopped but never eliminated! Its course, however, may be only deviated. Well, the force revealed in the phenomena of manifestations, whatever its cause may be, is part of Nature, and, like magnetism and its accompanying electric force, will also not be destroyed. It is therefore necessary that those manifestations be observed and studied in all their phases in order to realize their governing laws. If it is an error and an illusion, time will tell; if it is the truth, like compressed steam, will expand the more it is compressed. Is it a surprising fact that, in the Americas, only in the USA, there are seventeen journals dedicated to the subject, not counting a large number of non-periodical publications whereas in France, the European country where the ideas mostly found support, do not have one?* It would be unnecessary to dispute the utility of a special organization to make the public aware of this new science and prevent it against the excesses of credulity, as well as skepticism. This is the blank which we propose to fill out with the publication of this Review, aiming at providing a communication media to those interested in these questions and to connect, through a common bond, those who understand the Spiritist Doctrine, from its true moral point of view: practice of good and evangelical charity towards everyone.
* Up until now there is only one journal in Europe dedicated to the Spiritist Doctrine—the Journal de l’âme—published in Geneve by Dr. Boessinger. In the USA the only journal in French is the Spiritualiste de la Nouvelle Orléans, published by Mr. Barthès.
If it were only a simple collection of data the task would be easy. These multiply everywhere with such a speed that it would yield endless subject matter but the facts, on their own, would become tedious by repetition and specially by similarity. What is necessary to the thoughtful person is something that resonates to their intelligence. It was only a few years ago that the first phenomena manifested themselves and already we are far away from the “turning and speaking” tables which represented their infancy. Today it is a Science which uncovers a whole world and exposes the eternal truths that were already sensed within our own spirit. It is a sublime doctrine that shows the path of duty to mankind and uncovers the widest field never presented to the observation of the philosopher. Had we stayed inside the narrow limits of an anecdotal Review our work would be incomplete and sterile, as the interest would have soon passed.
It is possible that the denomination of Science which we gave to Spiritism will be contested. That Science would not have, without a doubt and in any case, the characteristics of an exact Science and it is precisely in this aspect that those who intend to judge and experiment are in error, as if they were dealing with a chemical analysis or a mathematical problem; The fact that it is a philosophical Science is already enough. Every Science must be based on facts but those, by themselves, do not constitute the Science which is born from the coordination and logic inference of the facts: it is the set of laws which govern those facts. Has Spiritism arrived at the state of Science? If that means a completed Science, no doubt it is premature to positively answer that question but the observations are already in large numbers today to allow, at least, the deduction of the general principles and where the Science begins.
The thoughtful examination of the facts and its resulting consequences is, thus, a complement, without which our publication would be of mediocre use and only offer a secondary interest to the thoughtful person and those who want to understand what they see. Nevertheless, as our aim is to get to the truth, we will welcome all observations directed to us and, as much as allowed by the acquired knowledge, we will try to resolve the doubts and clarify the still obscure points. Our Review will thus be a tribune where the discussion will never distance itself from the standards of the strictest conveniences. In one word, we will discuss but will not dispute. Language inconveniences have never been good arguments to the eyes of wise people: it is the weapon of those who do not have something better to offer and which turn against those who use it.
Although the phenomena with which we occupy ourselves have been more recently produced in a broader way, everything demonstrates that they have been occurring since the remotest ages. Natural phenomena do not follow the same path as the inventions which follow the progress of the human spirit, while those are in the order of all things, their cause is as old as the world and their effects must have been produced at all times. Therefore, what we witness today is not a modern discovery. It is the awakening of the ancient times; ancient times cleared from the mystic enclosure that generated superstition; ancient times enlightened by civilization and progress in the field of positive things.
The capital consequence arising from these phenomena is the communication that men can establish with the beings of the incorporeal world and, within certain limits, the knowledge which can be acquired regarding their future state. The communication with the invisible world is a fact, unequivocally found in the biblical books. The Bible, however, on one hand, is not sufficiently authoritative to some skeptics; on another hand, to the believers, these are supernatural facts, given by a special favor of Divinity. Had we not found those manifestations in a thousand of other diverse sources, they would not then represent a proof of generality to everyone. The existence of the spirits and their intervention in the corporeal world is attested and demonstrated, not as an exceptional fact but as a general principle, in St Augustine, St Jerome, St Chrysostome, St Gregory of Nazianzus, and in many other Fathers of the Church. That belief forms, moreover, the basis of all religious systems. The wisest philosophers of the ancient times admitted them: Plato, Zoroaster, Confucius, Apuleius, Pythagoras, Apollonius of Tyana, and many others. We find them in the mysteries and oracles, among Greeks, Egyptians, Hindus, Chaldeans, Romans, Persians, and the Chinese. We see them surviving all vicissitudes of the peoples, to all persecutions, challenging all physical and moral revolutions of humanity.
We find them later among the soothsayers and witches of the Middle Ages; in the Willis and Valquirias of the Scandinavians, the Elves of the Teutonic, the Leschios and Domeschnios Doughi of the Slavs, the Ourisks and Brownies of the Scottish, the Poulpicans and Tersarpoulicts of the Bretons, the Cemis of the Caribbean; in one word: the whole phalanx of nymphs, good and evil geniuses, gnomes, fairies and elves with which all nations have filled the space.
We find the practice of evocation in the peoples of Siberia, Kamchatka, Iceland, among the native Indians of North America and aborigines of Mexico and Peru, Polynesia and even among the primitive savages of New Holland.
The ignorance of a common principle, more or less modified, cannot be due to some absurdities which surrounded or enclosed that belief during various times and places. In truth, a doctrine does not turn universal, survive thousands of generations, implant from one corner of the planet to the next, among widely diverse peoples, from all degrees of the social scale, if it is not based on something positive. What should that be? This is what the recent manifestations show us. Searching for the possible relationships between those manifestations and all those beliefs is to search for the truth.
The history of the Spiritist Doctrine is, somehow, the history of the human spirit. We will have to study it from all angles, providing an inexhaustible source of observations, as much instructive as interesting, about facts that are generally not well known. This will give us the opportunity to explain a number of popular legends and beliefs, which have their part of truth, allegory and superstition.
Concerning the current manifestations, we will report all pertinent phenomena that we witness or those that come to our knowledge, whenever we recognize they deserve the attention of our readers. We will do the same in response to the spontaneous effects, sometimes produced among people ignorant of the spiritist practices from those who may reveal an occult power or the independence of the soul, such are the visions, apparitions, clairvoyance, premonition, intimate warnings, secret voices, etc.
To the reported facts we shall add the explanations, as highlighted from the set of principles. With that respect we shall reinforce the fact that these principles are derived from the teachings of the spirits, always making abstraction of our own ideas. They do not come, therefore, from a personal theory but from what was communicated to us and of which we are simple interpreters.
Large space will also be reserved to the written or oral communications of the spirits, as long as they have a useful purpose, as with the evocations of past or current personalities, well known or unknown, without neglecting the intimate evocations which, many times, are not as instructive. In a word: we will encompass all phases of the material and intelligent manifestations of the incorporeal world. The Spiritist Doctrine finally offers us the possible and rational solution to a number of moral and anthropological phenomena that we witness daily, whose explanation we would uselessly search for in all other known doctrines. In that category we place, for example, the simultaneity of thoughts, the anomaly of certain characters, sympathies and antipathies, the intuitive knowledge, the aptitudes, the tendencies, the destinies which look like hallmarks of fatality and, in a broader picture, the distinctive character of the peoples, their progress or their degeneration, etc.
To the citation of the facts we will add the research on the possible causes which could have produced them. From the appreciation of the actions, useful teachings will naturally sprout regarding the line of conduct mostly in agreement with sound moral. In their instructions the superior spirits always have the objective of awakening in men the love for the good, for the practice of the evangelical precepts; hence they shall guide our thoughts that will preside over the writings of this collection.
Thus, the scope of our work comprehends everything related to the knowledge of the metaphysical side of man. We will study them in their present as well as future states, considering that studying the nature of the spirit is to study man, as man will one day participate of the world of the spirits. That is the reason why we will add to the main title the subtitle “journal of psychological studies”, allowing for the understanding of its comprehensive scope.
NOTE: Despite the abundance of our personal observations and the sources from where we collect the facts, we do not underestimate our difficulties for the task or our insufficiency. In order to supplement them we count on the benevolent support of all of those interested in such problems. We shall thus be thankful for the communications transmitted to us about the several subjects of our studies. With that respect we draw attention to the following ten points about which documents can be provided:
1) Material or intelligent manifestations obtained in meetings where the person was present;
2) Facts about lucid somnambulism or ecstasies;
3) Facts of clairvoyance, predictions, premonitions;
4) Facts relatively to the occult power attributed, with or without reason, to certain persons;
5) Legend and popular beliefs;
6) Facts of visions and apparitions;
7) Particular psychological phenomena that sometimes occur at the moment of death;
8) Moral and psychological problems to be solved;
9) Moral facts, notable acts of devotion and abnegation whose propagation may serve as useful example;
10) Indications of past or modern publications, French or foreign, in which one can find facts relative to the manifestations of occult intelligences, with the designation and, if possible, citation of texts. The same regarding the issued opinions about the existence of the spirits and their relationships with men, from former or contemporary authors, whose names and wisdom give them authority.
Different forms of manifestation
The spirits attest their presence in multiple ways, according to their aptitude, will and higher or
lower levels. All phenomena that we shall analyze are naturally connected to one or another of those
forms of communication. In order to facilitate the understanding of the facts, we belive it is our duty
to initiate the series of our articles with a broad description of the forms of communication. They
can be summarized as the following:
-
Hidden action: nothing is evident. These are, for example, the inspirations orsuggested thoughts, intimate warnings, influence over events, etc.
-
Obvious action or manifestation: when it is of any demonstrable way.
-
Physical or material manifestations: those translated by noticeable phenomena such as
noises, moving objects. Frequently, these manifestations do not carry any message,
having the only objective of attracting the attention to anything and convince us of the
presence of a super-human power.
-
Visual manifestations or apparitions: when the spirit shows itself under any form,
without bearing any of the known properties of matter.
-
Intelligent manifestations: When the manifestations indicate an intelligent action that is
revealed or exhibited through a thought process. Every manifestation which has a
meaning, even a simple move or noise, indicating some freedom of action,
corresponding to a thought or obeying a will, is an intelligent manifestation. They exist
in all degrees.
- The communications: these are intelligent manifestations aiming at an exchange of ideas between man and the spirits. The nature of these communications varies according to the superiority or inferiority of the manifesting spirit and the nature of the discussed subject. These can be frivolous, rude, serious or instructive.
The frivolous communications are given by mischievous, frisky, and frolicsome spirits
that are more rascal than evil. With these type of communications we give no importance
to what they say.
The rude communications are translated by expressions that shock decorum. They derive from inferior spirits or spirits not yet stripped from the impurities of matter.
The serious communications are grave with respect to the subject and how they are formulated. The language of the superior spirits is always dignified and free of triviality. Every communication that excludes frivolity, rudeness and has a useful objective, even if of particular interest, is therefore serious.
The instructive communications are the serious communications that have the objective of some sort of teaching, given by the spirit about Sciences, Moral, Philosophy, etc. These are the more or less profound and more or less truthful in accordance to the degree of elevation and dematerialization of the spirit. In order to take real advantage of these communications, they must be regular and followed with perseverance.
The serious spirits associate themselves with those who want instruction and help. They leave to the frivolous spirits the task of engaging with those inidividuals who do not see in these manifestations as anything but a pastime. Only through regularity and frequency of communications can one appreciate the moral and intellectual value of the spirits with whom we entertain ourselves, as well as the degree of trust they deserve. If it is necessary to have experience to be able to judge men, it is even more so to judge the spirits.
The rude communications are translated by expressions that shock decorum. They derive from inferior spirits or spirits not yet stripped from the impurities of matter.
The serious communications are grave with respect to the subject and how they are formulated. The language of the superior spirits is always dignified and free of triviality. Every communication that excludes frivolity, rudeness and has a useful objective, even if of particular interest, is therefore serious.
The instructive communications are the serious communications that have the objective of some sort of teaching, given by the spirit about Sciences, Moral, Philosophy, etc. These are the more or less profound and more or less truthful in accordance to the degree of elevation and dematerialization of the spirit. In order to take real advantage of these communications, they must be regular and followed with perseverance.
The serious spirits associate themselves with those who want instruction and help. They leave to the frivolous spirits the task of engaging with those inidividuals who do not see in these manifestations as anything but a pastime. Only through regularity and frequency of communications can one appreciate the moral and intellectual value of the spirits with whom we entertain ourselves, as well as the degree of trust they deserve. If it is necessary to have experience to be able to judge men, it is even more so to judge the spirits.
Different Types of Communication
The intelligent communications between spirits and men may happen through signs, writings and/or
verbal words. The signs consist of significant movement of certain objects and, more frequently, of
noises and vibrating raps. When these phenomena have some meaning there is no doubt about the
intervention of an occult intelligence thus, if every effect has a cause, then every intelligent effect
must have an intelligent cause.
Under the influence of certain persons, designated by the name of mediums, and sometimes spontaneously, any given object may execute agreed movements, strike a number of times and thus respond as yes, no or by a pre-established letter of the alphabet. The raps may be heard without any apparent movement and without a visible cause, on the surface, in the tissues of the inert bodies, on a wall, on a stone, on a piece of furniture or in any other object. From all these objects and for being more comfortable, given its mobility and the facility with which we accommodate around it, the tables are those most frequently utilized, therefore the generic designation of the phenomenon by trivial expressions such as “talking tables”, “dance of the tables”, expressions which should be conveniently banned, first for its ridicule and finally for the possibility of inducing into error, leading to belief that the tables may have any special influence with this respect.
We shall give to this type of communication the name spiritist sematology which is an expression that provides a perfect idea and encompasses all varieties of communications by signs, moving objects, and raps. One of our members proposed that we should designate, especially this last type of communication, by the word typtology.
The second mode of communication is the writing. We shall designate it by the name psychgraphy, also proposed by a member.
In order to communicate through writing, the spirits employ, as intermediaries, certain endowed persons having the ability to write under the influence of the occult force which guides them, obeying a power evidently strange to their control, as they cannot stop neither proceed and, in the majority of the cases, have no clue about their own writings. The hand is agitated by an involuntary movement, almost febrile; they take and dispose of the pencil, irrespective of their own intention. Neither their will nor the desire can force them to continue, in case they were supposed to stop. That is the direct psychgraphy.
Writing is also obtained by the sole superimposition of the hands over an object, conveniently attached to a pencil or any other writing tool. The objects more generally employed are the baskets or planchettes, adequately arranged. The occult force acting on the person transmits itself to the object, which becomes an extension of the hand, yielding a necessary movement to produce the characters. That is the indirect psychgraphy.
The communications transmitted through psychgraphy are more or less extensive, according to the degree of the medianimic faculty. Some obtain only words; with others the faculty is developed through exercise yielding complete written phrases and, sometimes, essays that are developed about proposed subjects or spontaneously produced by the spirits, without the need of any previous enquiry. On occasions the handwriting is clear and legible; some other times it can only be deciphered by the medium who then reads it through a kind of intuition or second-vision. Through the hand of the same person the writing sometimes changes, in general completely, with the occult manifesting intelligence, and the type of writing always replicates for the same communicating entity. This is not, however, absolute.
From time to time the spirits transmit certain written communications without direct intervention. In this case the characters are spontaneously sketched by a super human power, visible or not. As it is useful that all things are properly named, we will call this mode of written communication by the name pneumatography, to distinguish it from psychgraphy or handwriting obtained by a medium. The difference between these two words is easy to understand. In the psychgraphy the medium’s soul performs, necessarily, a role, at least as an intermediary, whereas in the pneumatography it is the spirit who acts directly, on his own.
The third mode of communication is the oral word. Certain persons suffer the influence of an occult power in their vocal cords, similarly to what is felt on the hands of those who write. They transmit by the spoken word everything that others do through the writings. As with the written communications, the oral ones sometimes take place without a corporeal mediation. Spoken words and phrases may reach our ears and brains without an apparent physical cause. The spirits can also show themselves in our dreams or even while awaken and speak to us in order to give us warnings and instructions.
Following the same nomenclature system adopted to the written communications, we should call the voiced word transmitted by the medium by the name “psychology” and those given directly by the spirits by the name “pneumatophony”. However, the word psychology already has a well-known use which we cannot change. We will then name all verbal communications pneumatophony: the first ones constitute the mediated pneumatophony while the last ones form the direct pneumatophony.
The most incomplete type of communication, from all kinds, is sematology. It is too slow and can only be used in a painstaking process of communication.The superior spirits would not willingly employ them due to its slowness or even due to the incompleteness of the “yes” or “no” answers that are subject to error. For the teachings, they prefer the quickest ones: written and oral word. These are certainly the most complete media for the transmission of the spirits’ thoughts due to its precision of answers and the extension of the treated developments.
The writings clearly have the advantage of leaving material traces, being one of the most adequate modes to fight disbelief. Nevertheless, we do not have the freedom of choice: the spirits communicate through the modes they find more adequate and that depends on the aptitudes.
Under the influence of certain persons, designated by the name of mediums, and sometimes spontaneously, any given object may execute agreed movements, strike a number of times and thus respond as yes, no or by a pre-established letter of the alphabet. The raps may be heard without any apparent movement and without a visible cause, on the surface, in the tissues of the inert bodies, on a wall, on a stone, on a piece of furniture or in any other object. From all these objects and for being more comfortable, given its mobility and the facility with which we accommodate around it, the tables are those most frequently utilized, therefore the generic designation of the phenomenon by trivial expressions such as “talking tables”, “dance of the tables”, expressions which should be conveniently banned, first for its ridicule and finally for the possibility of inducing into error, leading to belief that the tables may have any special influence with this respect.
We shall give to this type of communication the name spiritist sematology which is an expression that provides a perfect idea and encompasses all varieties of communications by signs, moving objects, and raps. One of our members proposed that we should designate, especially this last type of communication, by the word typtology.
The second mode of communication is the writing. We shall designate it by the name psychgraphy, also proposed by a member.
In order to communicate through writing, the spirits employ, as intermediaries, certain endowed persons having the ability to write under the influence of the occult force which guides them, obeying a power evidently strange to their control, as they cannot stop neither proceed and, in the majority of the cases, have no clue about their own writings. The hand is agitated by an involuntary movement, almost febrile; they take and dispose of the pencil, irrespective of their own intention. Neither their will nor the desire can force them to continue, in case they were supposed to stop. That is the direct psychgraphy.
Writing is also obtained by the sole superimposition of the hands over an object, conveniently attached to a pencil or any other writing tool. The objects more generally employed are the baskets or planchettes, adequately arranged. The occult force acting on the person transmits itself to the object, which becomes an extension of the hand, yielding a necessary movement to produce the characters. That is the indirect psychgraphy.
The communications transmitted through psychgraphy are more or less extensive, according to the degree of the medianimic faculty. Some obtain only words; with others the faculty is developed through exercise yielding complete written phrases and, sometimes, essays that are developed about proposed subjects or spontaneously produced by the spirits, without the need of any previous enquiry. On occasions the handwriting is clear and legible; some other times it can only be deciphered by the medium who then reads it through a kind of intuition or second-vision. Through the hand of the same person the writing sometimes changes, in general completely, with the occult manifesting intelligence, and the type of writing always replicates for the same communicating entity. This is not, however, absolute.
From time to time the spirits transmit certain written communications without direct intervention. In this case the characters are spontaneously sketched by a super human power, visible or not. As it is useful that all things are properly named, we will call this mode of written communication by the name pneumatography, to distinguish it from psychgraphy or handwriting obtained by a medium. The difference between these two words is easy to understand. In the psychgraphy the medium’s soul performs, necessarily, a role, at least as an intermediary, whereas in the pneumatography it is the spirit who acts directly, on his own.
The third mode of communication is the oral word. Certain persons suffer the influence of an occult power in their vocal cords, similarly to what is felt on the hands of those who write. They transmit by the spoken word everything that others do through the writings. As with the written communications, the oral ones sometimes take place without a corporeal mediation. Spoken words and phrases may reach our ears and brains without an apparent physical cause. The spirits can also show themselves in our dreams or even while awaken and speak to us in order to give us warnings and instructions.
Following the same nomenclature system adopted to the written communications, we should call the voiced word transmitted by the medium by the name “psychology” and those given directly by the spirits by the name “pneumatophony”. However, the word psychology already has a well-known use which we cannot change. We will then name all verbal communications pneumatophony: the first ones constitute the mediated pneumatophony while the last ones form the direct pneumatophony.
The most incomplete type of communication, from all kinds, is sematology. It is too slow and can only be used in a painstaking process of communication.The superior spirits would not willingly employ them due to its slowness or even due to the incompleteness of the “yes” or “no” answers that are subject to error. For the teachings, they prefer the quickest ones: written and oral word. These are certainly the most complete media for the transmission of the spirits’ thoughts due to its precision of answers and the extension of the treated developments.
The writings clearly have the advantage of leaving material traces, being one of the most adequate modes to fight disbelief. Nevertheless, we do not have the freedom of choice: the spirits communicate through the modes they find more adequate and that depends on the aptitudes.
Spirits’ answers to a few questions
Q – How can the spirits act upon matter? This seems contradictory to everything we think about the
very nature of the spirits.
A – Based on your assumptions, a spirit does not consist of anything materially based. This assumption is not correct. We have already told you that the spirit is something and therefore can act on its own. Because your world is materially dense to allow him to communicate without an intermediary. It is this intermediary that serves as the link that attaches the spirit to matter.
OBSERVATION: Considering that the link uniting the spirit to matter is immaterial or at least intangible this answer would not have addressed the issue if we did not have the example of other equally intangible forces that act upon matter: take the case of our thoughts, the primary cause of every voluntary movements and electricity that lifts up, knocks down and transports innert matter. Just because the cause is unknown it is illogical to conclude that it does not exist. The spirit may have levers unknown to us. Nature demonstrates every day that its power is not limited to what is witnessed by our senses. The immediate cause, in the spiritist phenomena, is inarguably a physical agent but the primary cause is intelligence acting upon this agent as our thought acts upon our members. When we want to knock something it is our arm that knocks; it is not our thought that hits, but it is the thought that guides the arm.
Q – Among the spirits who produce the material effects, there are those we commonly call the “rapping-spirits”. Are these spirits from a special class or are they the same who produce the movements and noises?
A – Based on your assumptions, a spirit does not consist of anything materially based. This assumption is not correct. We have already told you that the spirit is something and therefore can act on its own. Because your world is materially dense to allow him to communicate without an intermediary. It is this intermediary that serves as the link that attaches the spirit to matter.
OBSERVATION: Considering that the link uniting the spirit to matter is immaterial or at least intangible this answer would not have addressed the issue if we did not have the example of other equally intangible forces that act upon matter: take the case of our thoughts, the primary cause of every voluntary movements and electricity that lifts up, knocks down and transports innert matter. Just because the cause is unknown it is illogical to conclude that it does not exist. The spirit may have levers unknown to us. Nature demonstrates every day that its power is not limited to what is witnessed by our senses. The immediate cause, in the spiritist phenomena, is inarguably a physical agent but the primary cause is intelligence acting upon this agent as our thought acts upon our members. When we want to knock something it is our arm that knocks; it is not our thought that hits, but it is the thought that guides the arm.
Q – Among the spirits who produce the material effects, there are those we commonly call the “rapping-spirits”. Are these spirits from a special class or are they the same who produce the movements and noises?
A – Certainly the same spirit may produce multiple effects but there are those associated more
particularly with certain things, like among you there are the blacksmiths and the couriers.
Q – Does the the spirit who acts upon a solid object, in order to move or rap, penetrates inside the substance of the body or acts from the outside?
A – One and the other. We have already said that matter is no obstacle to the spirits as they can penetrate everything.
Q – Are the material manifestations, such as noises, movements of objects and all other phenomena, which we provoke, indistinctly produced by superior as well as inferior spirits?
A – It is only the inferior spirits who occupy themselves with such manifestations. The superior spirits, sometimes, employ them, as you would do with a courier, in order to attract attention. Would you believe that spirits of a superior category are at your service to please you with their tricks? This is the same as asking if, in your world, the serious and wise men are the ones who play the role of clowns and jesters.
Observation: The spirits who reveal themselves through material effects are, generally, of inferior order. These spirits amuse or scare away those individuals who are attracted to the visual spectacles, opposed to the desire to learn and to practice intelligent exercises. Sometimes, however, they act spontaneously, on other occasions, under the orders of superior spirits. If the communications of the superior spirits offer a more serious interest, the physical manifestations also have utility to the observer; they reveal unknown forces of nature and provide us with means of studying the character and, so to speak, the customs of all classes of the spiritual population.
Q – How can one prove that the occult power, acting in the spiritist manifestations, is outside of man? Couldn’t we think that they reside in ourselves, that is, we act under the impulse of our own spirit?
R – When something is done against your will and desire it means that it is not you who is producing it, although many times you are the lever used by the spirit to act and your will would come to help. In this case, you can serve as a convenient tool to the spirit.
Observation: It is, above all, the intelligent communications that marks the intervention of a strange power. When spontaneous and alien to our own thoughts and control and when answering questions to which a solution that is unknown to the audience, we have to search outside ourselves for the cause of such communications. This becomes evident to whoever wants to observe the facts with attention and perseverance. The nuances of details escape the superficial observer.
Q – Are all spirits capable of giving intelligent manifestations?
A – Yes, as all of them are intelligent. However, because there are spirits of all degrees, as among you, some say senseless or stupid things and others shrewd things.
Q – Are all spirits capable of understanding the questions addressed to them?
R – No. The inferior spirits are incapable of understanding certain questions, which does not impede them from answering right or wrong. It is still the same among you.
Observation: Consequently one can see how essential it is to be alert against the belief in the endless knowledge of the spirits. They are like men and it is not enough to question the first that shows up to obtain a wise answer. It is necessary to know to whom we are directing our attention. Someone interested in knowing the customs of a people has to study them from one extreme to the other side of the scale. Investigating only one class is to have a false idea, as judging the whole by the part. The spiritual population is like ours; there is everything; the good, the evil, the sublime, the trivial, the knowledgeable and the ignorant. Those who have not observed them seriously, on all levels, cannot boast of knowing them. The physical manifestations reveal to us the spirits of lower levels; these are the street and the shanty. The instructive and wise communications bring us in contact with the superior spirits; they are the social elite: the castle, the institute.
Q – Does the the spirit who acts upon a solid object, in order to move or rap, penetrates inside the substance of the body or acts from the outside?
A – One and the other. We have already said that matter is no obstacle to the spirits as they can penetrate everything.
Q – Are the material manifestations, such as noises, movements of objects and all other phenomena, which we provoke, indistinctly produced by superior as well as inferior spirits?
A – It is only the inferior spirits who occupy themselves with such manifestations. The superior spirits, sometimes, employ them, as you would do with a courier, in order to attract attention. Would you believe that spirits of a superior category are at your service to please you with their tricks? This is the same as asking if, in your world, the serious and wise men are the ones who play the role of clowns and jesters.
Observation: The spirits who reveal themselves through material effects are, generally, of inferior order. These spirits amuse or scare away those individuals who are attracted to the visual spectacles, opposed to the desire to learn and to practice intelligent exercises. Sometimes, however, they act spontaneously, on other occasions, under the orders of superior spirits. If the communications of the superior spirits offer a more serious interest, the physical manifestations also have utility to the observer; they reveal unknown forces of nature and provide us with means of studying the character and, so to speak, the customs of all classes of the spiritual population.
Q – How can one prove that the occult power, acting in the spiritist manifestations, is outside of man? Couldn’t we think that they reside in ourselves, that is, we act under the impulse of our own spirit?
R – When something is done against your will and desire it means that it is not you who is producing it, although many times you are the lever used by the spirit to act and your will would come to help. In this case, you can serve as a convenient tool to the spirit.
Observation: It is, above all, the intelligent communications that marks the intervention of a strange power. When spontaneous and alien to our own thoughts and control and when answering questions to which a solution that is unknown to the audience, we have to search outside ourselves for the cause of such communications. This becomes evident to whoever wants to observe the facts with attention and perseverance. The nuances of details escape the superficial observer.
Q – Are all spirits capable of giving intelligent manifestations?
A – Yes, as all of them are intelligent. However, because there are spirits of all degrees, as among you, some say senseless or stupid things and others shrewd things.
Q – Are all spirits capable of understanding the questions addressed to them?
R – No. The inferior spirits are incapable of understanding certain questions, which does not impede them from answering right or wrong. It is still the same among you.
Observation: Consequently one can see how essential it is to be alert against the belief in the endless knowledge of the spirits. They are like men and it is not enough to question the first that shows up to obtain a wise answer. It is necessary to know to whom we are directing our attention. Someone interested in knowing the customs of a people has to study them from one extreme to the other side of the scale. Investigating only one class is to have a false idea, as judging the whole by the part. The spiritual population is like ours; there is everything; the good, the evil, the sublime, the trivial, the knowledgeable and the ignorant. Those who have not observed them seriously, on all levels, cannot boast of knowing them. The physical manifestations reveal to us the spirits of lower levels; these are the street and the shanty. The instructive and wise communications bring us in contact with the superior spirits; they are the social elite: the castle, the institute.
Physical manifestations
We read the following in the “Le Spiritualiste de la Nouvelle-Orléans”, from February 1857:
“Lately we asked if all spirits, irrespective of their level,, make the tables move, produce noises, etc, and grab the hand of a lady, serious enough not to joke with these things. In response, they violently sketched these words: ‘Who makes the monkeys dance in the streets? Would that be the superior men?’”
“A spiritualist friend, of Spanish origin, who died last summer, gave us several communications, having one of those the following passage: The manifestations you are looking for are not among those more pleasant to the serious and elevated spirits. Nevertheless, we agree that they have their utility, as they can perhaps serve more than any other to convince contemporary men.’
“In order to obtain such manifestations it is absolutely necessary to develop certain mediums whose physical constitution is in harmony with the spirits who produce them. We do not doubt that you will see them developing among us, then, they will not be these little knocks which you hear but noises similarly to the shot of the musket intertwined by the roar of the cannon.”
“In a corner of the city there is a house inhabited by a German family. One can hear strange noises in the house, while certain objects are displaced. This is what we were told as we did not verify it. Thinking that the owner of the house might be able to clarify it to us, we invited him to participate in some sessions dedicated to this kind of manifestations and, later, the wife of this honorable gentleman did not want him around us, he said, as the noise had increased in his house. About this subject this is what was written by the hand of Mrs.....:”
“We cannot deter imperfect spirits from making noise or other upsetting or even scary things; the fact that they are in contact with us, who have good intent, does not diminish the influence they exert on the medium in question.”
We call your attention to the perfect agreement between what was said by the spirits in New Orleans, regarding the source of physical manifestations, and what was said to us. With effect, nothing would color this origin with more vigor than this answer, at the same time spiritual and profound: “Who make the monkeys dance in the streets? Would that be the superior men?”
“Lately we asked if all spirits, irrespective of their level,, make the tables move, produce noises, etc, and grab the hand of a lady, serious enough not to joke with these things. In response, they violently sketched these words: ‘Who makes the monkeys dance in the streets? Would that be the superior men?’”
“A spiritualist friend, of Spanish origin, who died last summer, gave us several communications, having one of those the following passage: The manifestations you are looking for are not among those more pleasant to the serious and elevated spirits. Nevertheless, we agree that they have their utility, as they can perhaps serve more than any other to convince contemporary men.’
“In order to obtain such manifestations it is absolutely necessary to develop certain mediums whose physical constitution is in harmony with the spirits who produce them. We do not doubt that you will see them developing among us, then, they will not be these little knocks which you hear but noises similarly to the shot of the musket intertwined by the roar of the cannon.”
“In a corner of the city there is a house inhabited by a German family. One can hear strange noises in the house, while certain objects are displaced. This is what we were told as we did not verify it. Thinking that the owner of the house might be able to clarify it to us, we invited him to participate in some sessions dedicated to this kind of manifestations and, later, the wife of this honorable gentleman did not want him around us, he said, as the noise had increased in his house. About this subject this is what was written by the hand of Mrs.....:”
“We cannot deter imperfect spirits from making noise or other upsetting or even scary things; the fact that they are in contact with us, who have good intent, does not diminish the influence they exert on the medium in question.”
We call your attention to the perfect agreement between what was said by the spirits in New Orleans, regarding the source of physical manifestations, and what was said to us. With effect, nothing would color this origin with more vigor than this answer, at the same time spiritual and profound: “Who make the monkeys dance in the streets? Would that be the superior men?”
We will have the occasion to transcribe numerous examples of that type of manifestations from
American journals, even more extraordinary than those we have just cited. No doubt we shall be
responded with the proverb: “The good lie comes from far away”. When such marvelous things
come to us from 2,000 leagues away but that we cannot verify them, the doubt is admissible;
however, these phenomena have crossed the oceans with Mr. Home, who gave us proof of them. It
is true that Mr. Home did not go to a theater to show his prodigies and not everybody, having paid
for a ticket, could see them. Hence, many see him as a clever conjuror, not considering that the top
notch of society, who witnessed these phenomena, would not willingly serve him as partners. If Mr.
Home were a charlatan, he would not have refused the magnificent offers from many public
playhouses and would have accumulated fortunes. His disinterest is the strongest answer that one
can give to his detractors. An uninterested charlatanism would be unwise and a monstrosity. Later
we will talk in detail about Mr. Home and the mission that brought him to France. Meanwhile here
is a fact of spontaneous manifestation, reported to us by a trustworthy and distinct physician, even
more authentic as he was the personal witness to those manifestations.
A distinct family had a fourteen-year-old orphan maid whose character, naturally good and delicate, granted her the affection of her masters. In the same neighborhood lived a family whose lady of the house, nobody knows why, had created aversion against the young maid, turning her into an object of all sorts of harassments. One day, as she was getting home, the neighbor lady showed up infuriated at her doorstep, holding a broom in her hands, wanting to spank her. Terrified the young maid ran to the door, trying to ring the doorbell but, unfortunately, the bell cord was broken so that she could not reach it.
Behold that the doorbell rang by itself and people came from inside to attend the door. In the heat of the situation she did not realize what had happened but later the bell continued to ring, from time to time, without a known cause, during the day as well as at night. When someone attended the door, there was nobody there. The next-door neighbors were accused of perpetrating bad taste frolics. The complaint was taken to the police commissioner who opened an inquiry and tried to establish if a secret cord would communicate with the exterior, but nothing was found. However, things continued to happen more insistently, interfering with everyone’s rest and particularly with the young maid who was accused of generating the noise. Having being advised, the employers laid her off, moving her into a friend’s house, in the countryside. Since that happened the doorbell went quiet and nothing similar happened in the new home of the young orphan.
This, as many other facts that we have to report, did not happen at the Missouri river banks or in Ohio, but in Paris, at “Passage des Panoramas”. An explanation is now suitable. The young lady, of course, was not ringing the bell. She was terrified with the facts to think about a joke where she would be the first victim. No less positive is the fact that the bell ringing was due to her presence, as the effect ceased when she left. The doctor who witnessed the fact explains it as a powerful magnetic force unconsciously exerted by the young lady. This explanation by no means seems conclusive to us: why would she have lost such a power after leaving the house?
He argues that the terror generated by the neighbor produced a super excitation on the young maid and that the effect would have ceased with the cause when these two connections were severed. We confess that the argument is not convincing to us. If the intervention of an occult power is not clearly demonstrated, at least it is likely, according to similar cases of that we have experienced.
A distinct family had a fourteen-year-old orphan maid whose character, naturally good and delicate, granted her the affection of her masters. In the same neighborhood lived a family whose lady of the house, nobody knows why, had created aversion against the young maid, turning her into an object of all sorts of harassments. One day, as she was getting home, the neighbor lady showed up infuriated at her doorstep, holding a broom in her hands, wanting to spank her. Terrified the young maid ran to the door, trying to ring the doorbell but, unfortunately, the bell cord was broken so that she could not reach it.
Behold that the doorbell rang by itself and people came from inside to attend the door. In the heat of the situation she did not realize what had happened but later the bell continued to ring, from time to time, without a known cause, during the day as well as at night. When someone attended the door, there was nobody there. The next-door neighbors were accused of perpetrating bad taste frolics. The complaint was taken to the police commissioner who opened an inquiry and tried to establish if a secret cord would communicate with the exterior, but nothing was found. However, things continued to happen more insistently, interfering with everyone’s rest and particularly with the young maid who was accused of generating the noise. Having being advised, the employers laid her off, moving her into a friend’s house, in the countryside. Since that happened the doorbell went quiet and nothing similar happened in the new home of the young orphan.
This, as many other facts that we have to report, did not happen at the Missouri river banks or in Ohio, but in Paris, at “Passage des Panoramas”. An explanation is now suitable. The young lady, of course, was not ringing the bell. She was terrified with the facts to think about a joke where she would be the first victim. No less positive is the fact that the bell ringing was due to her presence, as the effect ceased when she left. The doctor who witnessed the fact explains it as a powerful magnetic force unconsciously exerted by the young lady. This explanation by no means seems conclusive to us: why would she have lost such a power after leaving the house?
He argues that the terror generated by the neighbor produced a super excitation on the young maid and that the effect would have ceased with the cause when these two connections were severed. We confess that the argument is not convincing to us. If the intervention of an occult power is not clearly demonstrated, at least it is likely, according to similar cases of that we have experienced.
Thus, admitting such an intervention, we will say that under the circumstances of the facts, since its
first occurrence, a protector spirit wanted to probably protect the young lady from harm’s way. As
such, by leaving the house, despite the affection granted by her employers, could perhaps have been
in her own interest. Once the lady had left, the spirit protecting this young orphan was no longer
required to continue with the noise.
The Goblins
The intervention of incorporeal beings in people’s private interests has been part of popular beliefs
through the ages. Wise people will certainly not accept, literally, all these legends, all evil stories
and ridiculous tales that are pleasantly repeated by the fireplace. However, these phenomena,
witnessed by us, prove that those tales are based on something, as the facts, which take place today,
must also have happened at other times. Remove every marvelous and fantastic aspect which made
them superstitious and we are left with the characters, facts and gestures of our modern spirits:
some good, benefactors, courteous, pleased by serving others, like the good Brownies; others, more
or less malicious, jokers, capricious and even malevolent, like the Goblins of Normandy, the
Boggles in Scotland, the Bogherts in England, the Cluricaunes in Ireland and the Pucks in Germany.
According to each popular tradition, these Goblins enter into people’s homes to prank them with their bad taste jests. “Knock on doors, displaced furniture, taps on barrels, hammered floors and ceilings, whispering whistles, loud sighs, pulling the drapes and bed sheets of people in bed, etc.”
The English Boghert exercises their perversities mostly against children who they seem to hate. “They frequently seize their bread and butter or bowl of milk; agitate the bed sheets at night; move up and down the stairs with great noise; throw dishes and cause damages to the houses.” In certain areas of France, the Goblins are considered to be like species of family demons, which are carefully fed with the most appreciable delicacies as they bring to their masters stolen wheat from someone else’s granaries. It is really curious to find this old tradition from the ancient Gaul among the Borussians of the 10th Century (today’s Prussians). Their Koltkys, or family demons, would also steal wheat from other granaries and bring that to their affectionate associates. Who does not recognize in these devilish tricks – leaving aside the unkindness of the stolen wheat, which the dishonest would use as excuse on transferring the blame to the bad reputation of the spirits – who, we were saying, cannot recognize the rapping spirits and those that, without harm, can be called disturbers? similar fact to the one described above, about the young orphan maid of “Passage des Panoramas”, if it had happened in the country side, no doubt, it would be attributed to the Goblin of the region, later amplified by the gossipers fertile imagination; someone would have even seen the Goblin hanging on the doorbell, laughing, making fun of the fool who would open the door.
According to each popular tradition, these Goblins enter into people’s homes to prank them with their bad taste jests. “Knock on doors, displaced furniture, taps on barrels, hammered floors and ceilings, whispering whistles, loud sighs, pulling the drapes and bed sheets of people in bed, etc.”
The English Boghert exercises their perversities mostly against children who they seem to hate. “They frequently seize their bread and butter or bowl of milk; agitate the bed sheets at night; move up and down the stairs with great noise; throw dishes and cause damages to the houses.” In certain areas of France, the Goblins are considered to be like species of family demons, which are carefully fed with the most appreciable delicacies as they bring to their masters stolen wheat from someone else’s granaries. It is really curious to find this old tradition from the ancient Gaul among the Borussians of the 10th Century (today’s Prussians). Their Koltkys, or family demons, would also steal wheat from other granaries and bring that to their affectionate associates. Who does not recognize in these devilish tricks – leaving aside the unkindness of the stolen wheat, which the dishonest would use as excuse on transferring the blame to the bad reputation of the spirits – who, we were saying, cannot recognize the rapping spirits and those that, without harm, can be called disturbers? similar fact to the one described above, about the young orphan maid of “Passage des Panoramas”, if it had happened in the country side, no doubt, it would be attributed to the Goblin of the region, later amplified by the gossipers fertile imagination; someone would have even seen the Goblin hanging on the doorbell, laughing, making fun of the fool who would open the door.
Private Evocations
Private Evocations - “Mom, I am here!”
Mrs.... had just lost her only fourteen years old daughter a few months ago. The daughter was the object of great affection and tenderness, very worthy of the mother’s regrets for the qualities which would certainly have turned the girl into a perfect lady. The girl died of a long lasting and painful disease. Inconsolable with her loss, the mother saw her own health debilitating daily, endlessly repeating that she would soon meet her daughter.
Informed about the possibility of communicating with the beings from beyond the grave, Mrs. ... decided to look for some relief to her own misery by talking to her daughter. She was acquainted with another lady whom she knew was a medium but both were not much in favor of such evocations, particularly considering the seriousness of the circumstances, so they then asked for my assistance. It was only the three of us: the mother, the medium and I. Here is the result of this first session:
Mother: In the name of the All Mighty God, spirit of Julia, my beloved daughter, I ask you to come, if God thus allows.
Julia: Mom, I am here!
Mother: Is that you my daughter, who answers me? How can I know it is you? Julia: Lili.
OBSERVATION: This was her family childhood nickname; neither the medium nor I knew about it, as she was only known, for many years, by the name Julia. With this sign her identity was evident. Not withholding her emotions, the mother wept.
Julia: Mother, why such affliction? I am happy, very happy. I no longer suffer and always see you. Mother: But I cannot see you! Where are you?
Julia: I am here, just beside you, with my hand over Mrs. X (the medium) so that she can write what I tell you. See my writing (the writing was really hers).
Mother: You say: my hand. Then, you have a body?
Julia: I no longer have the body which had me suffer so much but I have its appearance. Aren’t you happy for I no longer suffer and can talk to you?
Mother: If I saw you I would then be able to recognize you?
Julia: Yes, no doubt; and you have already seen me many times in your dreams.
Mother: I have, indeed, seen you many times in my dreams, but I thought it was just the effect of memories and imagination.
Julia: No. It is me, I am always with you and I try to give you consolation; It was I who inspired you the idea of the evocation. I have so many things to tell you. Do not trust Mr. Z... He is not sincere.
OBSERVATION: This gentleman, only known by the mother, cited in such a spontaneous mode, was even another proof of identity of the manifesting spirit.
Mother: What can Mr. Z do against me?
Julia: This I cannot tell you. It is forbidden to me. I can only warn you not to trust him.
Mother: Are you among angels?
Julia: Oh! Not yet. I am not perfect enough.
Mother: However, I never knew any fault in you. You were good, kind, loving and benevolent to everyone. Then this is not enough?
Julia: To you, my dear, I did not have defects and I believed it as you told me so many times! But now I see how much else I need to be perfect.
Mother: How will you acquire these missing qualities?
Julia: In new existences which will be happier and happier.
Mother: Will your new existences be on earth?
Julia: I know nothing about it.
Mother: Since you have done nothing wrong in your life, why you had to suffer so much?
Julia: Trial! Trial! I withstood it with patience, as from my trust in God. Today I am very happy for that. So long, dear mother!
Facing facts like this, who would dare to talk about the emptiness of the grave, when the future life reveals itself to us in such a touchable way, so to speak? This mother, undermined by her sorrow, experiences today an indescribable happiness on talking to her daughter; between them no more separation; their souls are interconnected in a spiritual intimacy, by the exchanges of thoughts.
Despite the discretion surrounding this fact, we would not have published it had we not had the formal permission to do so. That mother told us: May all those who lost their earthly loved ones experience the same consolation that I do!
We will add only one word to those who deny the existence of the good spirits. How can they demonstrate that the spirit of this young lady was an evil demon?
Informed about the possibility of communicating with the beings from beyond the grave, Mrs. ... decided to look for some relief to her own misery by talking to her daughter. She was acquainted with another lady whom she knew was a medium but both were not much in favor of such evocations, particularly considering the seriousness of the circumstances, so they then asked for my assistance. It was only the three of us: the mother, the medium and I. Here is the result of this first session:
Mother: In the name of the All Mighty God, spirit of Julia, my beloved daughter, I ask you to come, if God thus allows.
Julia: Mom, I am here!
Mother: Is that you my daughter, who answers me? How can I know it is you? Julia: Lili.
OBSERVATION: This was her family childhood nickname; neither the medium nor I knew about it, as she was only known, for many years, by the name Julia. With this sign her identity was evident. Not withholding her emotions, the mother wept.
Julia: Mother, why such affliction? I am happy, very happy. I no longer suffer and always see you. Mother: But I cannot see you! Where are you?
Julia: I am here, just beside you, with my hand over Mrs. X (the medium) so that she can write what I tell you. See my writing (the writing was really hers).
Mother: You say: my hand. Then, you have a body?
Julia: I no longer have the body which had me suffer so much but I have its appearance. Aren’t you happy for I no longer suffer and can talk to you?
Mother: If I saw you I would then be able to recognize you?
Julia: Yes, no doubt; and you have already seen me many times in your dreams.
Mother: I have, indeed, seen you many times in my dreams, but I thought it was just the effect of memories and imagination.
Julia: No. It is me, I am always with you and I try to give you consolation; It was I who inspired you the idea of the evocation. I have so many things to tell you. Do not trust Mr. Z... He is not sincere.
OBSERVATION: This gentleman, only known by the mother, cited in such a spontaneous mode, was even another proof of identity of the manifesting spirit.
Mother: What can Mr. Z do against me?
Julia: This I cannot tell you. It is forbidden to me. I can only warn you not to trust him.
Mother: Are you among angels?
Julia: Oh! Not yet. I am not perfect enough.
Mother: However, I never knew any fault in you. You were good, kind, loving and benevolent to everyone. Then this is not enough?
Julia: To you, my dear, I did not have defects and I believed it as you told me so many times! But now I see how much else I need to be perfect.
Mother: How will you acquire these missing qualities?
Julia: In new existences which will be happier and happier.
Mother: Will your new existences be on earth?
Julia: I know nothing about it.
Mother: Since you have done nothing wrong in your life, why you had to suffer so much?
Julia: Trial! Trial! I withstood it with patience, as from my trust in God. Today I am very happy for that. So long, dear mother!
Facing facts like this, who would dare to talk about the emptiness of the grave, when the future life reveals itself to us in such a touchable way, so to speak? This mother, undermined by her sorrow, experiences today an indescribable happiness on talking to her daughter; between them no more separation; their souls are interconnected in a spiritual intimacy, by the exchanges of thoughts.
Despite the discretion surrounding this fact, we would not have published it had we not had the formal permission to do so. That mother told us: May all those who lost their earthly loved ones experience the same consolation that I do!
We will add only one word to those who deny the existence of the good spirits. How can they demonstrate that the spirit of this young lady was an evil demon?
Private evocations - a conversion
The following evocation will not be of lower interest, although from a different point of view.
A gentleman, here named Georges, a pharmacist from a southern city, had lost his father some time ago, to whom he was tenderly affectionate and to whom he devoted profound veneration. The late Mr. Georges – the father – added to his higher education, all qualities of a good man, although he embraced materialistic views. With that regard, his son shared the same ideas, if not even beyond those of his father; he doubted everything: God, soul, future life. Spiritism did not adapt to those thoughts. On reading “The Spirits’ Book”, however, he felt a certain reaction, reinforced by a direct conversation we had with him. He would say: “If my father could answer me, I would no longer doubt.” It was then that the following evocation was carried out, in which we encounter numerous lessons.
1. In the name of the All Mighty, spirit of my father, I request that you manifest yourself. Are you by my side?
- Yes.
2. Why don’t you manifest directly to me, considering our mutual love?
- Later.
3. Can we meet one day?
- Yes, soon.
4. Shall we love each other as in this life?
- More.
5. In which condition you find yourself?
- I am happy.
6. Have you reincarnated or are you wandering (errant)?
- Wandering for a short time
7. What was your sensation on leaving the corporeal involucre (wrapping)?
- A perturbation.
8. How long did the perturbation last?
- Ten years for you, ten minutes for me.
9. But it was not long ago that I lost you. Was not that only four months ago?
- If you, as a living being, were in my place, you would have felt that time. 10. Do you now believe in a good and fair God?
- Yes
11. When living on earth did you also believe?
- I had the prior knowledge but did not believe. 12. Is God All Mighty?
- I have not gone up to him to know his power. It is only him who knows the limits of his power as it is only him who is his equal.
13. Is he occupied with men? - Yes.
14. Shall we be punished or rewarded according to our actions? - If you do evil things, you will suffer.
15. If I act in the right way, will I be rewarded? - You will advance in your path.
16. Am I in the right path?
- Do the good things and you will be.
17. I believe I am good but it would be better if I could find you one day, as a reward.
- May this thought sustain you and give you courage. 18. Will my son be good as his grandfather?
- Develop his virtues and eliminate his wickedness.
19. This is so wonderful that it is hard for me to believe that we are communicating now.
- Where does the doubt come from?
20. On sharing your philosophical ideas, I was led to believe that everything can be attributed to matter.
- Do you see at night what you do at daytime?
21. Oh my father! Then am I in the dark? - Yes.
22. What do you see today that is exceedingly marvelous? - Explain yourself better.
23. Have you met my mother, my sister and Ana, the good Ana? - I saw them.
24. Do you see them again whenever you want? - Yes.
25. Is my communication with you painful or enjoyable?
- It is happiness to me if I can lead you to the right path.
26. What can I do to communicate with you, on returning home, given that it gives me real
pleasure? This help would serve to guide me better and help me to educate my children. - Every time something leads you to do the right thing, follow it. I will inspire you.
27. I am quiet now as I am afraid I can bother you. - Speak still if you so wish.
28. Given that you allow, I shall make a few more questions. Which disease killed you? - My trial had come to an end.
29. Where did you acquire the manifested pulmonary disorder? - Never mind. The body is nothing. The spirit is everything.
30. What is the nature of the disease that so often wakes me up at night? - You will know later.
31. I consider my disease serious and wanted to live longer for my children. - It is not. Man’s heart is a life engine. Let nature follow its course.
32. Considering that you are present here, under which form do you show yourself? - The same appearance as my corporeal form.
33. Are you in a determined spot?
- Yes: behind Ermance (the medium).
34. Could you make yourself visible?
- It is not worth it. You would be frightened.
35. Do you have an opinion about each one of us present here?
- Yes.
36. Would you like to say something to each one of us?
- In which sense do you ask me this? 37. From the moral point of view.
- Another time. Let us call it a day.
The effect that this communication had on Mr. Georges was immense and an entirely new light seemed to clarify his ideas. In a session, which he attended the next day, in the home of Mrs. Roger, a somnambulist, he ended up eliminating the few doubts he would still have. Here is a summary of the letter he sent us:
“That lady spontaneously shared with me such precise details about my father, my mother, my children and my health; she described all circumstances of my life with such accuracy, even reminding me about facts that I had long forgotten; in one word, gave me patent proof of this marvelous faculty which the lucid somnambulists have that, since then, I had undergone a complete change of ideas. In the evocation, my father had revealed his presence. In the session of somnambulism I was, so to speak, the visual witness of the extra corporeal life, the life of the soul.”
In order to describe, with such details, two hundred leagues away, something that only I knew, it was necessary to be able to physically see. Well, as it was not possible with the eyes of the body, there was then a mysterious link, invisible, connecting the somnambulist to the absent people who she had never met! There was, thus, something outside matter. What could that be other than what is called soul, the intelligent being to which the body is only an involucre, but whose action goes much beyond our sphere of activities? Currently Mr. Georges not only is no longer materialist but he is also one of the strongest and most dedicated adepts of Spiritism, what makes him doubly happy by the confidence he now has in the future and by the pleasure he experiments with the practice of good. This evocation, very simple in the beginning, is not less notable from several aspects. The character of the old Mr. Georges reflects well in his brief and sentenced answers, according to his habits. He was a man of few words. Never spoke a useless word. But it was no longer the skeptical speaking. He acknowledges his error; his spirit is freer, more clairvoyant, and portrays the unity and power of God by these admirable words: “Only he is his equal”. He, who in his life, used to attribute everything to matter, now says: “The body is nothing. The spirit is everything.” And another sublime phrase: “Do you see at night what you do at daytime?”
A gentleman, here named Georges, a pharmacist from a southern city, had lost his father some time ago, to whom he was tenderly affectionate and to whom he devoted profound veneration. The late Mr. Georges – the father – added to his higher education, all qualities of a good man, although he embraced materialistic views. With that regard, his son shared the same ideas, if not even beyond those of his father; he doubted everything: God, soul, future life. Spiritism did not adapt to those thoughts. On reading “The Spirits’ Book”, however, he felt a certain reaction, reinforced by a direct conversation we had with him. He would say: “If my father could answer me, I would no longer doubt.” It was then that the following evocation was carried out, in which we encounter numerous lessons.
1. In the name of the All Mighty, spirit of my father, I request that you manifest yourself. Are you by my side?
- Yes.
2. Why don’t you manifest directly to me, considering our mutual love?
- Later.
3. Can we meet one day?
- Yes, soon.
4. Shall we love each other as in this life?
- More.
5. In which condition you find yourself?
- I am happy.
6. Have you reincarnated or are you wandering (errant)?
- Wandering for a short time
7. What was your sensation on leaving the corporeal involucre (wrapping)?
- A perturbation.
8. How long did the perturbation last?
- Ten years for you, ten minutes for me.
9. But it was not long ago that I lost you. Was not that only four months ago?
- If you, as a living being, were in my place, you would have felt that time. 10. Do you now believe in a good and fair God?
- Yes
11. When living on earth did you also believe?
- I had the prior knowledge but did not believe. 12. Is God All Mighty?
- I have not gone up to him to know his power. It is only him who knows the limits of his power as it is only him who is his equal.
13. Is he occupied with men? - Yes.
14. Shall we be punished or rewarded according to our actions? - If you do evil things, you will suffer.
15. If I act in the right way, will I be rewarded? - You will advance in your path.
16. Am I in the right path?
- Do the good things and you will be.
17. I believe I am good but it would be better if I could find you one day, as a reward.
- May this thought sustain you and give you courage. 18. Will my son be good as his grandfather?
- Develop his virtues and eliminate his wickedness.
19. This is so wonderful that it is hard for me to believe that we are communicating now.
- Where does the doubt come from?
20. On sharing your philosophical ideas, I was led to believe that everything can be attributed to matter.
- Do you see at night what you do at daytime?
21. Oh my father! Then am I in the dark? - Yes.
22. What do you see today that is exceedingly marvelous? - Explain yourself better.
23. Have you met my mother, my sister and Ana, the good Ana? - I saw them.
24. Do you see them again whenever you want? - Yes.
25. Is my communication with you painful or enjoyable?
- It is happiness to me if I can lead you to the right path.
26. What can I do to communicate with you, on returning home, given that it gives me real
pleasure? This help would serve to guide me better and help me to educate my children. - Every time something leads you to do the right thing, follow it. I will inspire you.
27. I am quiet now as I am afraid I can bother you. - Speak still if you so wish.
28. Given that you allow, I shall make a few more questions. Which disease killed you? - My trial had come to an end.
29. Where did you acquire the manifested pulmonary disorder? - Never mind. The body is nothing. The spirit is everything.
30. What is the nature of the disease that so often wakes me up at night? - You will know later.
31. I consider my disease serious and wanted to live longer for my children. - It is not. Man’s heart is a life engine. Let nature follow its course.
32. Considering that you are present here, under which form do you show yourself? - The same appearance as my corporeal form.
33. Are you in a determined spot?
- Yes: behind Ermance (the medium).
34. Could you make yourself visible?
- It is not worth it. You would be frightened.
35. Do you have an opinion about each one of us present here?
- Yes.
36. Would you like to say something to each one of us?
- In which sense do you ask me this? 37. From the moral point of view.
- Another time. Let us call it a day.
The effect that this communication had on Mr. Georges was immense and an entirely new light seemed to clarify his ideas. In a session, which he attended the next day, in the home of Mrs. Roger, a somnambulist, he ended up eliminating the few doubts he would still have. Here is a summary of the letter he sent us:
“That lady spontaneously shared with me such precise details about my father, my mother, my children and my health; she described all circumstances of my life with such accuracy, even reminding me about facts that I had long forgotten; in one word, gave me patent proof of this marvelous faculty which the lucid somnambulists have that, since then, I had undergone a complete change of ideas. In the evocation, my father had revealed his presence. In the session of somnambulism I was, so to speak, the visual witness of the extra corporeal life, the life of the soul.”
In order to describe, with such details, two hundred leagues away, something that only I knew, it was necessary to be able to physically see. Well, as it was not possible with the eyes of the body, there was then a mysterious link, invisible, connecting the somnambulist to the absent people who she had never met! There was, thus, something outside matter. What could that be other than what is called soul, the intelligent being to which the body is only an involucre, but whose action goes much beyond our sphere of activities? Currently Mr. Georges not only is no longer materialist but he is also one of the strongest and most dedicated adepts of Spiritism, what makes him doubly happy by the confidence he now has in the future and by the pleasure he experiments with the practice of good. This evocation, very simple in the beginning, is not less notable from several aspects. The character of the old Mr. Georges reflects well in his brief and sentenced answers, according to his habits. He was a man of few words. Never spoke a useless word. But it was no longer the skeptical speaking. He acknowledges his error; his spirit is freer, more clairvoyant, and portrays the unity and power of God by these admirable words: “Only he is his equal”. He, who in his life, used to attribute everything to matter, now says: “The body is nothing. The spirit is everything.” And another sublime phrase: “Do you see at night what you do at daytime?”
To the diligent observer everything has an extension and this is how, step by step, he finds confirmation of the immense truths taught by the spirits.
The Medium’s Trial
The critics of the Spiritist Doctrine eagerly pointed to an article published by Scientific America4 in July 11th of last year under the title “The Tried Mediums”. Several French newspapers replicated the article as an irrefutable argument. We have, ourselves, reproduced it, adding some observation which shows its value.
“Some time ago, through the Boston Courier, an offer of $500 dollars was made to any person who, in the presence of and according to the will of a group of Professors from the University of Cambridge, reproduced some of these mysterious phenomena which, the spiritualists say, frequently take place in the presence of agents named mediums.”
“The challenge was accepted by Dr. Gardner and several other people who would brag about being in contact with the spirits. The contestants met in the Albion building, in Boston, in the last week of June, ready to test their super natural powers. Among them were the Fox sisters who were prominent for such events. The examining committee was composed of the Cambridge Professors Pierce, Agassiz, Gould and Horsford, all well-known experts. The spiritualists’ trials lasted several days. The mediums had never before seen such a great occasion to evidence their talent and inspiration. However, as the priests of Baal, in the days of Elijah, in vain they evoked their divinities, as demonstrated by the following passage from the committee’s report:
“The committee declares that Dr. Gardner, not having been able to present an agent or medium who, from the room next door, would reveal a word requested to the spirits; who could read the English word written inside a book or on a folded piece of paper; who could answer one question which only superior minds could answer; who could vibrate the piano strings without touching it or even move a small table without the help of hands; as he was unable to give to the committee a testimony of a phenomenon which, even with the most elastic interpretation and greatest good will, could be considered as equivalent to the required proofs; of a phenomenon requiring the intervention of a spirit to be produced, supposing or at least implying such an intervention; of a phenomenon up until now unknown to Science or whose cause was not touchable and immediately recognized by the committee, he has no right to claim from the Courier of Boston the payment of $500 dollars as offered.”
This experiment reminds us of another one, which took place in France ten years ago, concerning the pro or con lucid somnambulists, who can generate a magnetic field. The Science Academy had the task of awarding 2,500 francs to the magnitized somnambulist who could read blindfolded.
These attempts demonstrate again the absolute ignorance on the part of our critics, with respect to the principles on which the spiritist manifestations are based. They have the idea that such phenomena must obey the will and repeat itself with a mechanical precision. They forget or do not know that the cause of such phenomena is entirely ethical and that the spirits, who are the immediate agents, do not obey anybody’s caprice – medium or otherwise.
The spirits act when they wish to do so and before whom they please. At times, when least expected, their manifestations take place with more energy and, whenever requested, they do not occur.
The spirits behave in ways unknown to us. What is outside matter cannot be controlled by matter. Assessing them from our point of view is to be fooled. If they find it useful to manifest through particular signs, they will do that but never under our command or to satisfy our useless curiosity.
Besides, one must take into account a very well-known cause which pushes spirits away, namely their dislike for certain people who want to submit their discernment to a trial, framing questions about known things. We assume that when something does exist then the spirits have to know it. Just because it is something known to us or that we have means of knowing it would the spirits bother to answer. Such suspicion irritates the spirits and it turns the serious spirits away who, out of their own will, speak to those who trust them, without ulterior motive.
Do we not have a daily example among us? Superior men, who are conscious of their worth, do not like to respond to naïve questions aimed at testing them on elementary things. How would they react if we argued: “But if you do not answer is that you do not know!” They would turn their back to us. This is what the spirits do.
Then you will say: If that is the case, how can you convince us? Considering the interest of the Spiritist Doctrine, shouldn’t the spirits want to make their presence known? We will answer that it is too much pride in someone to consider oneself indispensable to the success of the cause. Well, the spirits do not like arrogant people. They convince whomever they wish and to those who believe in their own importance they show their dislike by not listening to them.
In summry, let us us see their answers given to two questions about the subject:
Q – Can one ask the spirits to give us material proof of their existence and power?
A – No doubt certain manifestations can be provoked but not everyone is able to do that and, many times, what is demanded is not obtained. They do not bend to the caprices of men.
Q – But when someone requests proof in order to be convinced, would not be convenient to have this proof so as to have one more example?
A – The spirits only do what they want and what is allowed to them. Talking to us and answering
your questions, this attests their presence: this should be enough to the serious persons, who seek
the truth in the word.
The Scribes and Pharisees told Jesus: “Master, we would like to see you make some prodigy” to which Jesus answered: “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for miraculous signs! But none will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:39)
We shall even add that it is a great degree of ignorance as to the nature and causes of the manifestations to consider provoking them for any reward. The spirits despise greed as much as pride and selfishness. This only condition can be a reason for them not manifesting themselves. Know this, therefore, that you will obtain one hundred times more from an uninterested medium than from one moved by profit and glamour and that one million would not stop him from doing what he should not do. If there is something strange is the fact of finding mediums capable of submitting themselves to such trials with the purpose of obtaining money.
The Scribes and Pharisees told Jesus: “Master, we would like to see you make some prodigy” to which Jesus answered: “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for miraculous signs! But none will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:39)
We shall even add that it is a great degree of ignorance as to the nature and causes of the manifestations to consider provoking them for any reward. The spirits despise greed as much as pride and selfishness. This only condition can be a reason for them not manifesting themselves. Know this, therefore, that you will obtain one hundred times more from an uninterested medium than from one moved by profit and glamour and that one million would not stop him from doing what he should not do. If there is something strange is the fact of finding mediums capable of submitting themselves to such trials with the purpose of obtaining money.
The Visions
We read in the Courier de Lyon:
In the evening of 27th to 28th of August 1857, a singular case of intuitive vision took place in Croix-
Rouse, under the following conditions:
“Some three months ago the couple B..., dignified weavers, touched by kind commiseration, took
to their home, as a maid, a mentally challenged young lady, who lived near Bourgoing.”
“Last Sunday the couple was woken up by the lancinating screams of the maid who was asleep in a loft adjacent to their bedroom. Mrs. B... went upstairs, put the lights on and found the maid bursting into tears, her spirit in an indescribable state of excitement, twisting her arms in terrible convulsions, calling for her mother who she had just seen dying, she said, before her eyes.”
“After giving the little maid the best consolation she could, Mrs. B... returned to her bedroom. The incident had been almost forgotten when yesterday, Tuesday, in the afternoon, the mail man brought Mrs. B... a letter from the little maid’s tutor, informing her that in the early hours from Sunday to Monday, between 2 and 3 am, her mother had died as a consequence of a fall from the top of a flight of stairs.”
“The poor mentally challenged lady left yesterday, in the morning, for Bourgoing, followed by Mr. B..., her master, in order to receive the inheritance of her mother, whose deplorable end she had sadly seen in her dreams.”
Facts of such a nature are not rare and we will have frequent opportunities to review some of these with incontestable authenticity. These occurrences are sometimes produced during the sleep, as in a dream. This is understandable as dreams are nothing more than an incomplete and natural somnambulistic state. We will designate the visions that take place during that state as “somnambulistic visions” to distinguish them from those which take place while awake called double or second vision. Finally we will call “ecstatic visions” those who take place in ecstasy. These generally recognized by thematic facts and things of the incorporeal world. The following fact belongs to the second category.
In the evening of 27th to 28th of August 1857, a singular case of intuitive vision took place in Croix-
Rouse, under the following conditions:
“Some three months ago the couple B..., dignified weavers, touched by kind commiseration, took
to their home, as a maid, a mentally challenged young lady, who lived near Bourgoing.”
“Last Sunday the couple was woken up by the lancinating screams of the maid who was asleep in a loft adjacent to their bedroom. Mrs. B... went upstairs, put the lights on and found the maid bursting into tears, her spirit in an indescribable state of excitement, twisting her arms in terrible convulsions, calling for her mother who she had just seen dying, she said, before her eyes.”
“After giving the little maid the best consolation she could, Mrs. B... returned to her bedroom. The incident had been almost forgotten when yesterday, Tuesday, in the afternoon, the mail man brought Mrs. B... a letter from the little maid’s tutor, informing her that in the early hours from Sunday to Monday, between 2 and 3 am, her mother had died as a consequence of a fall from the top of a flight of stairs.”
“The poor mentally challenged lady left yesterday, in the morning, for Bourgoing, followed by Mr. B..., her master, in order to receive the inheritance of her mother, whose deplorable end she had sadly seen in her dreams.”
Facts of such a nature are not rare and we will have frequent opportunities to review some of these with incontestable authenticity. These occurrences are sometimes produced during the sleep, as in a dream. This is understandable as dreams are nothing more than an incomplete and natural somnambulistic state. We will designate the visions that take place during that state as “somnambulistic visions” to distinguish them from those which take place while awake called double or second vision. Finally we will call “ecstatic visions” those who take place in ecstasy. These generally recognized by thematic facts and things of the incorporeal world. The following fact belongs to the second category.
A ship-owner of our acquaintance, residing in Paris, told us the following story a few days ago:
“In the last month of April, feeling unwell, I went for a stroll to the Tuileries, with a friend of mine. It was a magnificent day; the gardens were vibrant with people. Suddenly the crowd disappears before my eyes; I no longer feel my body and it is as if I was transported and I distinctly see a ship entering the port of Havre. I recognize it as the “Clémence” which we were waiting for in the Antilles. It approached the wharf and I could clearly identify the mast, sails, sailors, the minimum details, as if I were there. Then I told my partner: “Behold, the Clémence has arrived. We will have news still today. It was a happy trip.”
On returning home a telegram message was then given to me. Before I read it I declared: “It is the news of the arrival of the Clémence, which arrived at the port of Havre at 3 o’clock. The message did really confirm the arrival, exactly at the time we were at the Tuileries.”
When the visions have beings of the incorporeal world, as subjects, one could take them as the result of imagination, classifying them as hallucinations, since nothing that occurred could demonstrate their ligitamacy. But in both cases described above there is a material and positive link to reality. We challenge all physiologists and philosophers to explain them based on the ordinary systems. Only the Spiritist Doctrine can do that through the emancipation of the soul which, momentarily escaping from the material harnesses, is transported beyond the sphere of corporeal activities.
In the first case it is likely that the mother’s soul had come to visit the daughter and warned her about her death but in the second case it is certain that the ship did not come to meet the owner in the Tuileries. One must agree that it was his soul that went to meet the ship at the Havre.
“In the last month of April, feeling unwell, I went for a stroll to the Tuileries, with a friend of mine. It was a magnificent day; the gardens were vibrant with people. Suddenly the crowd disappears before my eyes; I no longer feel my body and it is as if I was transported and I distinctly see a ship entering the port of Havre. I recognize it as the “Clémence” which we were waiting for in the Antilles. It approached the wharf and I could clearly identify the mast, sails, sailors, the minimum details, as if I were there. Then I told my partner: “Behold, the Clémence has arrived. We will have news still today. It was a happy trip.”
On returning home a telegram message was then given to me. Before I read it I declared: “It is the news of the arrival of the Clémence, which arrived at the port of Havre at 3 o’clock. The message did really confirm the arrival, exactly at the time we were at the Tuileries.”
When the visions have beings of the incorporeal world, as subjects, one could take them as the result of imagination, classifying them as hallucinations, since nothing that occurred could demonstrate their ligitamacy. But in both cases described above there is a material and positive link to reality. We challenge all physiologists and philosophers to explain them based on the ordinary systems. Only the Spiritist Doctrine can do that through the emancipation of the soul which, momentarily escaping from the material harnesses, is transported beyond the sphere of corporeal activities.
In the first case it is likely that the mother’s soul had come to visit the daughter and warned her about her death but in the second case it is certain that the ship did not come to meet the owner in the Tuileries. One must agree that it was his soul that went to meet the ship at the Havre.
Acknowledgement of the Existence and Manifestation of the Spirits
Just as the initial manifestations made numerous followers, they also found significant disbelief from aggressive critics and, many times, even people interested in their discredit. Today the facts have spoken so astonishingly that it is now inevitable to acknowledge the evidence. If, however, there is still systematic, incredulous disbelief, we can assure them that in a few years the same thing that happended to all discoveres will happen to the spirits manifestations, namely that good judgment should have made them less skeptical to all things related to progress.
Among those who did not want to investigate these strange phenomena any further we can already see many agreeing that our century is so rooted in extraordinary things and that nature has so many unknown reserves that it would be more than levity to deny things that we cannot understand. Those give proof of wisdom.
Here is an authority against which we could not raise any suspicion of accepting a mystification: it is one of the main ecclesiastic’s journals of Rome, the Civiltà Cattolica. We reprint below an article published by this journal last March, where one can see that it would be difficult to demonstrate the existence and manifestation of spirits by more trustworthy arguments. It is true that we diverge with respect to the nature of the spirits as the article only recognizes the manifestation of the bad ones, whereas we admit those of good and evil.
This is a point that we shall analyze later with all the necessary developments. The acknowledgement of the spiritist manifestations by such a respectable and grave authority is of capital importance. What remains, therefore, is the need for assessment. This is what we will do in the next issue. Reproducing the article “L’Universe” which is preceded by the following judicious reflections:
“With the publication of an article, in Ferrara, about the practice of animal magnetism, we referred our readers to the shrewd publications available in the Civiltà Cattolica, in Rome, about the modern necromancy, keeping us from providing broader explanations. We give today the last of these articles that contains, in a few pages, the conclusions of the Roman Review. Besides the interest, naturally associated to the subject, and the trust inspired by a piece of work found in the Civiltà, the special opportunity of the subject, at this point in time, spares us from calling the attention to an issue which many people, in theory, as well as in practice, have treated so lightheartedly, despite the vulgar rule of prudence which recommends that those facts be examined with more circumspection the more extraordinary they are.”
Here is the article:
“From all issued theories to naturally explain the multiple phenomena known as American Spiritualism, none reaches the objective and, even less, explains the reason of all those phenomena. If one or another of these hypotheses is enough to explain some, many will remain inexplicable. The deception, the lie, the excess, the hallucinations must, no doubt, have a great participation in those referred facts; but, given the discount, there is still such a quantity of events that in order to negate their reality it would be necessary to negate faith to the authority of the senses and to the human testimony.”
“Among these facts a certain number can be explained by the mechanical theory or mechanic- physiologic; one part remains, however – and much more considerable – which could never be explained by those theories. To this order of facts one associates all those in which, they say, the resulting effect evidently surpasses the intensity of the generating force, which should produce them. These are:
The movements, the violent displacements of heavy and well balanced loads, to the simple pressure or superimposition of hands;
The effects and displacements produced without any contact, consequently without any mediated or immediate mechanical impulse;
Other manifesting intelligent effects, whose intelligence and will are distinct from the experimenters and from those who produce them.”
“In order to make sense of these three orders of multiple facts, we still have the theory of magnetism. But, however extensive the concessions we are prepared to make, and even blindfolded admitting all free hypotheses on which they are based; all errors and absurdities which they contain, as well as the miraculous faculties attributed by them to the human will, to the nervous fluid or any other magnetic agents, this theory will never, with the support of its principles, explain how can a table, magnetized by a medium, manifest by its own movements intelligence and willpower, which are distinct from the medium and, sometimes, contrary and superior to the medium’s intelligence and will.”
“How can one determine the reason for the occurrence of those phenomena? We want also to look for some unknown occult causes; to some still unknown forces of nature; to the new explanations of certain faculties, to certain laws, up until now, maintained in a state of inertia, latent in the heart of Creation. This would be equivalent to openly confess our ignorance and increase the number of mysteries that the poor human spirit cannot decipher today or ever. By the way, we do not hesitate to confess our ignorance regarding many of those phenomena whose nature is so obscure that the most appropriate attitude, as it seems to us, is not to try to explain them. As compensation, there are others that we do not find so difficult to uncover the explanations, as we can find them in natural causes. Why then would we resort to causes belonging to the supernatural order? We would be, perhaps, deviated by the objections counter offered by the skeptical and by those who, negating this supernatural order, tell us that it is impossible to define the limits of the natural order so as to indicate with precision where one ends and where the other begins.”
“The answer to such an objection seems easy to us: admitting that one cannot precisely determine the dividing point of these two opposing orders, the natural and the supernatural, it does not follow that one cannot define, with certainty, if a given effect belongs to this or to that other.
Who can distinguish in the rainbow the exact point where one color ends and the other starts? Who can precisely determine the exact moment when the day ends and the night begins? Nevertheless, nobody is naive enough not to know if the color of a given region of the rainbow is yellow or red, or if at a given time it is day or night. Who does not perceive that in order to know the nature of a fact, by no means it is necessary to determine the delimiting regions of the category to which it belongs, and that it is enough to certify that the effect has the peculiar characters of that category?”
“Let us apply such a simple observation to the following assertion: we cannot say where the limits of the natural forces are; nonetheless, given a fact, many times we can, pending on its characters, tell with certainty that it belongs to a supernatural class. And in order not to run away from our problem, among the phenomena of the talking tables there exist those that, in our opinion, most evidently manifest these characters; such are those in which the agent who move the table acts as a free and intelligent cause, at the same time showing its own will and intelligence, that is superior or contrary to the intelligence and will of the mediums, experimenters, of the assistants; in one word, distinct from those, whatever the means of indicating those distinctions. In such cases, however, we are forced to recognize that the agent is a spirit and it is not a human spirit; and thus it is outside of the causes that we typically call natural, those that we say go beyond men’s forces.”
“These are precisely the phenomena that, as said before, resisted to any theory based on purely natural principles, while in our theory the explanation is easier and clearer, as everyone knows that the power of the spirit over matter goes much beyond men’s forces and that there aren’t marvelous effects, among those cited by modern necromancy, which cannot be attributed to its action.”
“We know very well that some readers, on noticing that we brought the spirits to the explanation, will smile with disbelief? Not to mention those that, as good materialists, do not believe in the existence of the spirits and consider fake all that is not tangible matter, as well as those who admitting the spirits deny any influence or intervention with respect to our world.”
“There are, these days, many creatures who, conceding to the spirits what no catholic could refuse, that is the existence and the ability to interfere with the facts of human life, in an occult or patent way, ordinary or extraordinary, they seem, in practice, to negate their faith, on considering as shameful, as excess of credulity, as superstitions of old women, the recognition of such actions of spirits, in certain special cases, being satisfied by not denying them, in thesis.”
“In actual fact, one century ago, the simplicity of the middle ages was object of mockery when witches and evil spirits were observed all over the place, and it was such the upheaval around the subject that it is not surprising that so many weak minds, wishing to show otherwise, have since then a sort of disgust and shame for believing in the spirits’ intervention. However, this excess of incredulity is not less astonishing than the contrary attitude of other times; and if the excess of credulity drags people towards vain superstitions, on another hand the refusal to admit anything directly leads to the impiety of naturalism. The man of wisdom, the prudent Christian must thus avoid both extremes, steadily staying on the median, since that is where virtue and truth reside. Now, regarding the talking tables, where would a prudent faith incline us to?”
“The first and wisest rule from those imposed by such prudence tells us that, in order to explain the phenomena which show a character of extraordinary nature, we should not resort to supernatural causes, unless those of natural order are not sufficient to explain them. On the other hand, and as a consequence, there is the obligation of admitting the former when the latter are not sufficient. This is exactly our case. With effect, among the phenomena we discuss, there are some for which no theory, no purely natural cause would be sufficient to fully explain them. Thus, it is not only prudent but necessary to look for the explanation in the supernatural order or, put differently, attribute them to pure spirits, considering that outside and above nature there is no other possible cause.”
“Here is a second rule, an infallible criterion to tell, regarding a given fact, if it belongs to the natural or supernatural order: this is to examine well its characters and, according to them, determine its causes. Well, the most marvelous facts of such nature, which nothing else can explain, offer characters that not only demonstrate a free and intelligent cause but also show a will and intelligence that can be nothing but human. In this case, such a cause cannot be anything else other than a pure spirit.”
Therefore we can arrive to the same conclusion via an indirect and negative path, by exclusion, and another direct and positive, based on the very nature of the facts. That is, among the phenomena of modern necromancy there is at least one category of facts that, without any doubt, are produced by the spirits. We are led to that conclusion by such a simple and natural reasoning that, on accepting it, away from the fear of giving in to an imprudent credulity, we would judge, on the contrary, refusing to admit it, to be giving proofs of an unjustifiable incoherence and weakness. There are no missing arguments to confirm our statement; what is missing, however, is space and time to develop them. What we have said so far is enough and can be summarized in the following four propositions:
Among the discussed phenomena, letting aside those that can be reasonably explained by hallucinations, exaggerations and imposture, there are others, in large number, impossible to shed any doubt about their existence, without violating the laws of healthy criticism.
All natural theories discussed and exposed above are insufficient to satisfactorily explain all these phenomena. If they explain some, leave the largest number – and those are the most difficult ones - absolutely unexplained and inexplicable.
Implying the action of an intelligent cause, the phenomena of this last order can only be explained by the intervention of the spirits, whatever the character of these spirits may be, a subject to be handled below.
All these facts can be divided in four categories: several must be rejected for being false or fraudulent. As to the others, the easier and simpler to understand, such as the turning tables, on certain occasions these admit a purely natural explanation, for example, such as in the mechanical impulse. A third class form those phenomena of more extraordinary and mysterious appearance whose nature is doubtful since they seem to go beyond natural forces, although do not present characters which evidently require supernatural causes to explain. Finally, we group in the fourth category the facts that evidently offer those characters, which must be attributed to pure spirits.”
“But how are these spirits? Good or evil? Angels or demons? The answer to this question cannot offer doubts, although insufficiently considered, the nature of the spirits, on the one side, and the character of their manifestations, on the other. This is what remains to be shown.”
Joan of Arc’s story dictated by herself to Ms. Ermance Dufaux
A recurrent question frequently addressed to us is related to the spirits who answer the questions directed to them, with more or less precision, when people would like to know whether the spirits could write a lengthier piece of work. The proof is in the story, like this one, that does not handle a series of questions and answers but is a complete and ordered narrative, similarly to what a historian would do, containing a huge amount of details, more or less already known, with respect to the hero lady’s life.
Those who might believe that Ms. Dufaux was inspired by her personal knowledge of the subject, we answer that she was only fourteen years old when she wrote the book. In addition and not withstanding her stable family background and education, she would not have been able to find intimate documents, hardly found in the archives of those days. We are aware that the doubters will have thousands of objections but for us, who saw the medium in action, the origin of the book is unquestionable.
Given that Ms. Dufaux’s faculty attains to the evocation of any spirit, which we have ourselves demonstrated through personal communications transmitted to us, her specialty is history. She equally wrote the story of Louis XI and Charles VIII that, as with that of Joan of Arc, will also be published. A curious phenomenon happened to her. In the beginning she was a good psychograph medium, writing with facility. Slowly she turned into pneumatophony * and along with the development of this faculty, the first one diminished. Today she hardly writes and does with difficulty. When speaking, however, and this is original, she feels the need to have a pencil in her hand and pretends to be writing. Another person is needed to register her words, similarly to those of Sibyl. As with every medium favored by the good spirits, she has never received communications that are not of an elevated order. We shall return to the story of Joan of Arc to explain the facts of her life, related to the invisible world; we will then cite what she had dictated to her most notable interpreter.
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* 1 vol, in - 12, 3 francs, Dentu, Palais-Royal
The Spirits’ Book
Containing the principles of the Spiritist Doctrine
About the nature of the incorporeal world, their manifestations and relationships with men; the moral laws, present life, future life and the future of humanity.
WRITTEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DICTATED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SUPERIOR SPIRITS
By Allan Kardec
Containing the principles of the Spiritist Doctrine
About the nature of the incorporeal world, their manifestations and relationships with men; the moral laws, present life, future life and the future of humanity.
WRITTEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DICTATED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SUPERIOR SPIRITS
By Allan Kardec
As indicated in the title, this work is not a personal doctrine: it is the result of the direct teachings of
the spirits themselves about the mysteries of the world where we will be one day and about all
questions which concern humanity; they somehow give us a life code, outlining the route to our
forthcoming happiness. As this book is not the result of our own ideas, since we had a diverse way
of seeing things about many important points, our modesty had nothing to suffer with the praises.
We prefer, however, to give the word to those who are completely disinterested of such questions.
The Courrier de Paris, June 11th, 1857 published the following article about the book: “The Spiritist Doctrine”.
Not long ago the editor Dentu has published a really notable book, even curious so to speak, if it weren’t for things that cause repugnance to any banal classification.
The Spirits’ Book, by Mr. Allan Kardec, is a new page of the great book of infinity and, we are persuaded, a mark shall be placed on that page. It would be deplorable to think that we are here to promote bibliographic propaganda: it would be preferred to have our pen broken, had that been admitted. We don’t absolutely know the author of the book but we proclaim out loudly that we would like to know him. Whoever wrote that introduction which forwards The Spirits’ Book must be a soul open to all dignified feelings.
By the way, so as to avoid any doubt with respect to our good faith and the accusation of partisanship, we must say, with all honesty, that we have never carried out a profound study of the supernatural things. If the observed facts caused us admiration, they have not made us shrug them off. We somehow belong to the so-called “dreamers” category, since we do not think as everybody else does. Twenty leagues away from Paris, under the trees, at sunset, surrounded by a few sparse cottages, we naturally think about things very different from the Stock Exchange, the macadamias of the boulevards, the races of Long Champ. Many times we asked ourselves, and for a long time, before having heard about mediums, what happened in the regions conventionally called Heaven. Not long ago we even proposed a theory about the invisible worlds, consciously keeping it to ourselves, thus feeling very happy to have found it, almost entirely, in Mr. Allan Kardec’s book.
The Courrier de Paris, June 11th, 1857 published the following article about the book: “The Spiritist Doctrine”.
Not long ago the editor Dentu has published a really notable book, even curious so to speak, if it weren’t for things that cause repugnance to any banal classification.
The Spirits’ Book, by Mr. Allan Kardec, is a new page of the great book of infinity and, we are persuaded, a mark shall be placed on that page. It would be deplorable to think that we are here to promote bibliographic propaganda: it would be preferred to have our pen broken, had that been admitted. We don’t absolutely know the author of the book but we proclaim out loudly that we would like to know him. Whoever wrote that introduction which forwards The Spirits’ Book must be a soul open to all dignified feelings.
By the way, so as to avoid any doubt with respect to our good faith and the accusation of partisanship, we must say, with all honesty, that we have never carried out a profound study of the supernatural things. If the observed facts caused us admiration, they have not made us shrug them off. We somehow belong to the so-called “dreamers” category, since we do not think as everybody else does. Twenty leagues away from Paris, under the trees, at sunset, surrounded by a few sparse cottages, we naturally think about things very different from the Stock Exchange, the macadamias of the boulevards, the races of Long Champ. Many times we asked ourselves, and for a long time, before having heard about mediums, what happened in the regions conventionally called Heaven. Not long ago we even proposed a theory about the invisible worlds, consciously keeping it to ourselves, thus feeling very happy to have found it, almost entirely, in Mr. Allan Kardec’s book.
To all the hopeless of this world; to all those who walk and wash with tears the soil of their fallen
paths, we say: Read the Spirits’ Book. It will make you stronger. We also say to the happy ones, to
those who have only found applause and fortune: study it and it will make you better.
The body of the work, says Mr. Allan Kardec, must be entirely attributed to the spirits who dictated it. It is admirably divided in a system of questions and answers. These are, sometimes, sublime facts which dos not surprise us. However, what should we say about the merit of someone who knew how to provoke them? We challenge the most incredulous to laugh at this work when reading it in silence and solitude. Everyone should honor the one who wrote its preface.
The doctrine is summarized in a simple phrase: do not do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you. We regret that Mr. Allan Kardec did not add: do to others what you would have them do to you. By the way, the book clearly states that, without it the doctrine would not be complete. It is not enough not to do evil things but it is necessary to do the good ones. If you are only a good man you will have completed half of the task. You are an imperceptible atom of this huge engine called world, where nothing is useless. Do not tell us that it is possible to be useful without doing good deeds. We would be forced to write a book to answer that. Reading the admirable answers of the spirits to Mr. Kardec, we told ourselves that there was a beautiful book to be written. We soon noticed, however, our own mistake. The book has already been written. We would only spoil it had we tried to complete it.
You are an educated man and have the good will of those who only need instruction? Then read the Book First, about the Spiritist Doctrine.
You belong to the class of those who are only concerned with themselves and, as they say, take their time to do their business and cannot see beyond their own interests? Read the Moral Laws.
You are ruthlessly hunted by disgrace and, from time to time, tortured by uncertainty embracing you with its cold arms? Study the third book: Hopes and Consolations.
Everyone who entertains noble thoughts in their hearts and believe in the good read the book from start to finish.
Those who only found subject for prank, our lament.
G. DU CHALARD
From the many letters addressed to us, since the publication of the The Spirits’ Book, we will mention only two as they somehow summarize the impression produced by the book and the essentially moral principles contained in it.
Bordeaux, 25th April 1857. Dear Sir,
The body of the work, says Mr. Allan Kardec, must be entirely attributed to the spirits who dictated it. It is admirably divided in a system of questions and answers. These are, sometimes, sublime facts which dos not surprise us. However, what should we say about the merit of someone who knew how to provoke them? We challenge the most incredulous to laugh at this work when reading it in silence and solitude. Everyone should honor the one who wrote its preface.
The doctrine is summarized in a simple phrase: do not do to others what you wouldn’t have them do to you. We regret that Mr. Allan Kardec did not add: do to others what you would have them do to you. By the way, the book clearly states that, without it the doctrine would not be complete. It is not enough not to do evil things but it is necessary to do the good ones. If you are only a good man you will have completed half of the task. You are an imperceptible atom of this huge engine called world, where nothing is useless. Do not tell us that it is possible to be useful without doing good deeds. We would be forced to write a book to answer that. Reading the admirable answers of the spirits to Mr. Kardec, we told ourselves that there was a beautiful book to be written. We soon noticed, however, our own mistake. The book has already been written. We would only spoil it had we tried to complete it.
You are an educated man and have the good will of those who only need instruction? Then read the Book First, about the Spiritist Doctrine.
You belong to the class of those who are only concerned with themselves and, as they say, take their time to do their business and cannot see beyond their own interests? Read the Moral Laws.
You are ruthlessly hunted by disgrace and, from time to time, tortured by uncertainty embracing you with its cold arms? Study the third book: Hopes and Consolations.
Everyone who entertains noble thoughts in their hearts and believe in the good read the book from start to finish.
Those who only found subject for prank, our lament.
G. DU CHALARD
From the many letters addressed to us, since the publication of the The Spirits’ Book, we will mention only two as they somehow summarize the impression produced by the book and the essentially moral principles contained in it.
Bordeaux, 25th April 1857. Dear Sir,
You have submitted my patience to a great test by the delay in the publication of the Spirits’ Book,
announced long ago. Fortunately I did not lose with the wait as the book goes beyond any idea I
might had, based on the prospects. Impossible to describe the effect it had on me. I feel like
someone coming out of the darkness. It feels like a door, closed until now, suddenly opened to me
and my ideas amplified in a few hours. Oh, how much humanity and those miserable concerns seem
greedy and puerile sided by this future, which I envisaged but which was so much masked by
prejudice that I could only imagine. Thanks to the teachings of the spirits, now that very future
seems defined, perceptible, but immense, beautiful and in harmony with the Creator’s majesty.
Those who, on reading this book, meditate, as I did, will find an endless treasure of consolations as it encompasses all phases of the existence. I have suffered, along my life, losses which vividly affected me; today they do not cause me any distress and my only concern is to usefully employ my time and capabilities to accelerate my own progress hence now, for me, good has an objective and I understand that a useless life is an egoistic one, which will not help us to progress in our future life.
If everyone else, who thinks like you and myself, and there are many, I hope, for the glory of humanity, could understand each other, unite and work together, which power wouldn’t that be to speed up the announced regeneration!
When I am in Paris I will have the honor to look for you and, if not an inconvenience, I will request some explanations about certain parts of the book, and a few advices about the application of the moral laws under certain personal circumstances.
You may have, Sir, the expression of my whole gratitude, since you have done me enormous good, showing me the only path to real happiness in this world and thus, hopefully, a better place in the other one.
Yours...
Lyon, 4th July 1857.
Sir,
D...
I do not know how to express my gratitude for the publication of the Spirits’ Book, which I have just read. How much consolation in your teachings to our poor humanity! As for myself, I confess, I feel stronger and more encouraged to withstand the penalties and annoyances of my poor existence.
I have shared the acquired convictions, during the study of your work, with many friends. All feel very happy; they now understand the inequalities of social positions and no longer complain against the Divine Providence; hope, supported by a happier future, as long as behaving accordingly, give them comfort and courage.
I wish, Sir, I could be useful to you. I am a simple person of the people, raised on an insignificant position through work, lacking instruction, as I was obliged to work since childhood. Nevertheless, I have always loved God and done my utmost to be useful to my neighbors. That is why I always look for things that can make them happier. Let us unite, all scattered adepts, and make every effort to help you. You have raised the flag and it is our duty to follow you. We count on your support and advice.
Respectfully, Sir, if you allow me to call you my comrade, your dedicated.... C
We have many times been asked about the modes of communications that constituted the Spirits’ Book. We thus summarize here, with pleasure, the answers we have given to such questions. It is an opportunity to pay tribute of gratitude to so many people who had the good will of supporting us.
As explained, the communications given through raps, earlier called typtology, are too slow and incomplete for a lengthy work; hence such resource was never employed. Everything was obtained in writing by the intermediary of several psychgraphy mediums. We have, ourselves, prepared the questions and coordinated the work in its entirety. The answers are those literally given by the spirits. The majority of those written answers were witnessed by us, others were obtained from communications sent to us by comrades or collected by us here and there, wherever we had been carrying out studies. It seems that for that matter the spirits multiply, in front of us, the reasons for observation.
The first mediums who contributed to our work were Ms. B... whose good will never failed us. The book was almost completely written by their mediation, in the presence of a large audience who attended the sessions in which they had the most vivid interest. Later the spirits recommended a complete revision in private sessions, when all additions and corrections were then implemented, according to their assessment. This essential part of the work had the support of Ms. Japhet 6 who showed enormous good will and disinterest to all demands from the spirits, as they were the ones who precisely scheduled the sessions.
The disinterested would not be here a special merit, since the spirits disapprove of any traffic of interest regarding their presence, but Ms. Japhet, who is also a somnambulist medium, and had her time committed with utility, understood that it would also be a useful application to dedicate it to the propagation of the Doctrine.
As for ourselves, we have already declared, since the beginning, and we have the satisfaction of reinforcing now, that we have never thought of making the Spirits’ Book an object of speculation. Its product will be applied to those things of general interest. That is why we shall be always grateful to those who, from their heart and for the love of good, associated to the work we have dedicated ourselves.
ALLAN KARDEC Those who, on reading this book, meditate, as I did, will find an endless treasure of consolations as it encompasses all phases of the existence. I have suffered, along my life, losses which vividly affected me; today they do not cause me any distress and my only concern is to usefully employ my time and capabilities to accelerate my own progress hence now, for me, good has an objective and I understand that a useless life is an egoistic one, which will not help us to progress in our future life.
If everyone else, who thinks like you and myself, and there are many, I hope, for the glory of humanity, could understand each other, unite and work together, which power wouldn’t that be to speed up the announced regeneration!
When I am in Paris I will have the honor to look for you and, if not an inconvenience, I will request some explanations about certain parts of the book, and a few advices about the application of the moral laws under certain personal circumstances.
You may have, Sir, the expression of my whole gratitude, since you have done me enormous good, showing me the only path to real happiness in this world and thus, hopefully, a better place in the other one.
Yours...
Lyon, 4th July 1857.
Sir,
D...
I do not know how to express my gratitude for the publication of the Spirits’ Book, which I have just read. How much consolation in your teachings to our poor humanity! As for myself, I confess, I feel stronger and more encouraged to withstand the penalties and annoyances of my poor existence.
I have shared the acquired convictions, during the study of your work, with many friends. All feel very happy; they now understand the inequalities of social positions and no longer complain against the Divine Providence; hope, supported by a happier future, as long as behaving accordingly, give them comfort and courage.
I wish, Sir, I could be useful to you. I am a simple person of the people, raised on an insignificant position through work, lacking instruction, as I was obliged to work since childhood. Nevertheless, I have always loved God and done my utmost to be useful to my neighbors. That is why I always look for things that can make them happier. Let us unite, all scattered adepts, and make every effort to help you. You have raised the flag and it is our duty to follow you. We count on your support and advice.
Respectfully, Sir, if you allow me to call you my comrade, your dedicated.... C
We have many times been asked about the modes of communications that constituted the Spirits’ Book. We thus summarize here, with pleasure, the answers we have given to such questions. It is an opportunity to pay tribute of gratitude to so many people who had the good will of supporting us.
As explained, the communications given through raps, earlier called typtology, are too slow and incomplete for a lengthy work; hence such resource was never employed. Everything was obtained in writing by the intermediary of several psychgraphy mediums. We have, ourselves, prepared the questions and coordinated the work in its entirety. The answers are those literally given by the spirits. The majority of those written answers were witnessed by us, others were obtained from communications sent to us by comrades or collected by us here and there, wherever we had been carrying out studies. It seems that for that matter the spirits multiply, in front of us, the reasons for observation.
The first mediums who contributed to our work were Ms. B... whose good will never failed us. The book was almost completely written by their mediation, in the presence of a large audience who attended the sessions in which they had the most vivid interest. Later the spirits recommended a complete revision in private sessions, when all additions and corrections were then implemented, according to their assessment. This essential part of the work had the support of Ms. Japhet 6 who showed enormous good will and disinterest to all demands from the spirits, as they were the ones who precisely scheduled the sessions.
The disinterested would not be here a special merit, since the spirits disapprove of any traffic of interest regarding their presence, but Ms. Japhet, who is also a somnambulist medium, and had her time committed with utility, understood that it would also be a useful application to dedicate it to the propagation of the Doctrine.
As for ourselves, we have already declared, since the beginning, and we have the satisfaction of reinforcing now, that we have never thought of making the Spirits’ Book an object of speculation. Its product will be applied to those things of general interest. That is why we shall be always grateful to those who, from their heart and for the love of good, associated to the work we have dedicated ourselves.