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The Spiritist review — Journal of psychological studies — 1858 > May
May
Theory of the physical manifestations- first article
It is easy to conceive the moral influence of the spirits and the relationship they may have with our
soul or with the incarnate spirit. It is understandable that two beings of the same nature may
communicate with each other through thought which is one of their attributes, without the support
of the organs responsible for the oral communication. It is, however, more difficult to figure out the
material effect that they produce, such as the raps, the motion of the solid bodies, the apparitions
and, above all, the tangible apparitions.
Let us try to provide the explanation, according to the spirits themselves and according to the observation of the facts.
The idea that we have about the very nature of the spirits makes these phenomena, at first sight, incomprehensible. It is believed that the spirit is the complete absence of matter and as such it cannot act materially. This is, however, wrong.
When questioned about the fact of being immaterial, here is how the spirits responded: “Immaterial is not exactly the term as the spirit is something; otherwise it would be nothing. It is material, if you like, but of such an ethereal matter that it is as if it did not exist to you.” Thus, the spirit is not an abstraction as thought by some; it is a being whose intimate nature escapes our gross senses.
The spirit constitutes the soul that is incarnated in the body. When it leaves the body, with death, it is not deprived from the whole covering. They all tell us that they preserve the shape they used to have when alive; in fact, when they show up to us it is in the form we knew them.
Let us closely observe them at the very moment they depart from life: they are in a state of perturbation, everything is confusing around them; they see their own body, whole or mutilated, depending on the type of death. On another hand, they see themselves and feel alive; something tells them that what they see is their body but they cannot understand how come they are now separated. Thus, the tie that connected them is not completely broken.
Once this first moment of perturbation dissipates, the body becomes an old shell to them from which they were stripped without notice, but are still capable of seeing themselves in their primitive form. Well, this is not a system: it is the result of observations carried out with several mediums.
We can now report what we were told about certain manifestations produced by Mr. Home and by other mediums of the same kind: apparitions of hands, which have all properties of live hands, that we touch, grab and that suddenly disappears.
What can we conclude about this? That the soul does not leave everything in the coffin: it takes something. Therefore, there should be two types of matter in us: a dense matter which forms the external covering and another faint and indestructible matter. Death is the destruction, or even better, the dissolution of the first one, which is left by the soul; the other one detaches and follows the soul, which then always continues to have an covering. That covering is what we call “perispirit”. This subtle matter, so to speak, which was connected to all parts of the body during life, preserves its shape and form. That is how all spirits are seen and why they appear to us, bearing the same appearance as they were in life.
Let us try to provide the explanation, according to the spirits themselves and according to the observation of the facts.
The idea that we have about the very nature of the spirits makes these phenomena, at first sight, incomprehensible. It is believed that the spirit is the complete absence of matter and as such it cannot act materially. This is, however, wrong.
When questioned about the fact of being immaterial, here is how the spirits responded: “Immaterial is not exactly the term as the spirit is something; otherwise it would be nothing. It is material, if you like, but of such an ethereal matter that it is as if it did not exist to you.” Thus, the spirit is not an abstraction as thought by some; it is a being whose intimate nature escapes our gross senses.
The spirit constitutes the soul that is incarnated in the body. When it leaves the body, with death, it is not deprived from the whole covering. They all tell us that they preserve the shape they used to have when alive; in fact, when they show up to us it is in the form we knew them.
Let us closely observe them at the very moment they depart from life: they are in a state of perturbation, everything is confusing around them; they see their own body, whole or mutilated, depending on the type of death. On another hand, they see themselves and feel alive; something tells them that what they see is their body but they cannot understand how come they are now separated. Thus, the tie that connected them is not completely broken.
Once this first moment of perturbation dissipates, the body becomes an old shell to them from which they were stripped without notice, but are still capable of seeing themselves in their primitive form. Well, this is not a system: it is the result of observations carried out with several mediums.
We can now report what we were told about certain manifestations produced by Mr. Home and by other mediums of the same kind: apparitions of hands, which have all properties of live hands, that we touch, grab and that suddenly disappears.
What can we conclude about this? That the soul does not leave everything in the coffin: it takes something. Therefore, there should be two types of matter in us: a dense matter which forms the external covering and another faint and indestructible matter. Death is the destruction, or even better, the dissolution of the first one, which is left by the soul; the other one detaches and follows the soul, which then always continues to have an covering. That covering is what we call “perispirit”. This subtle matter, so to speak, which was connected to all parts of the body during life, preserves its shape and form. That is how all spirits are seen and why they appear to us, bearing the same appearance as they were in life.
But such a faint matter does not have the tenacity neither the rigidity of the compact matter of the
body: it is, if we can say so, flexible and expansive. This is why the assumed shape is not absolute,
although based on the appearance of the body: it shapes up according to the spirit’s will who gives
it, as he wishes, this or that appearance, whereas the solid covering offers an impenetrable
resistance. Disengaging from these compressing obstacles, the perispirit extends or contracts; it
transforms and, in one word, allows all changes to take place, in accordance with the will of the
spirit who acts upon it.
Observation proves – and we insist about the word observation, as our whole theory is a consequence of the studied facts – that subtle matter, which constitutes the second body of the spirit, only step by step disconnects from the body, rather than instantly. Thus, the ties which connect the soul to the body do not suddenly break with death. Well, the state of perturbation that we observe lasts the whole time in which the rupture of the ties takes place. It is only when that rupture is complete that the spirit recovers the entire freedom of his faculties and the clear consciousness of himself.
Experience still proves that the duration of that detachment varies according to the individuals. With some it takes three or four days, whereas with others it does not complete in less than several months. Therefore, the destruction of the body, and its putrid decomposition, is not sufficient to produce the separation. That is the reason why some spirits tell us: I feel the worms corroding me.
With some people the separation starts before death: these are the ones who in life elevated themselves by their thoughts and purity of feelings, above the material things. In those, death only finds weak links between the body and the soul that break almost instantly. The more materialized a man’s life has been and the more absorbed in the pleasures and concerns of personality, the stronger those links. It seems that the faint matter identifies itself with the dense matter and that a molecular cohesion is established between them. That is why they only separate slowly and with difficulty.
In the first instants following death, when there is still a union between the body and the perispirit, this better preserves the impression of the corporeal form from which, so as to say, reflects all nuances and even all alterations. That is why an executed person would tell us a few days after his execution: If you could see me you would see me with my head separated from the body. A man who was murdered told us: See the injury that was inflicted into my heart. He thought we could see him.
Those considerations would conduct us to the examination of the interesting question regarding the sensation and sufferings of the spirits. We shall do that in another article so that here we can restrain ourselves to the discussion of the physical manifestations.
Let us thus imagine the spirit dressed by its semi-material covering (wrapping), or perispirit, having the same form or appearance which he had when alive. Some even use that expression to describe themselves; they say: my appearance is in a given place. Evidently these are the gods of the ancients. The matter of that covering is sufficiently faint to escape our sight in its natural state, but it is not completely invisible. To begin with we see it through the eyes of the soul, in the visions produced during the dreams. But this is not what we want to discuss. In this ethereal matter there can be a modification; the spirit himself can make it pass through a kind of condensation which makes it visible to the bodily eyes. This is what happens in the airy apparitions. The subtleness of that matter allows it to pass through solid bodies, which explains why those apparitions do not encounter obstacles and why so many times they disappear through the walls.
The condensation can reach the point of producing resistance and tangibility. It is the case of hands that we can see and touch. But that condensation – and this is the only word we can use to give an idea, although imperfect, of our thought – or even, that solidification of the ethereal matter is only temporary or accidental, since it is not its natural state. This is why, in a given moment, the tangible apparitions escape us like a shadow. Therefore, by the same mode that a body can present itself in the solid, liquid or gaseous state, according to its degree of condensation, also the ethereal matter of the perispirit may appear in the solid, airy visible or airy invisible state. Next we shall see how that modification takes place.
The apparent, tangible hand, offers a resistance: it exerts pressure, leaves impressions, executes traction on objects that we hold. That hand then has a force. Well, these facts, which are not hypotheses, may take us to the explanation of the physical manifestations.
We must notice, before anything, that this hand obeys an intelligence, as it acts spontaneously; it gives unequivocal signs of a will and obedience to a thought; it thus belongs to a whole being who only shows us that part of himself; the proof is the fact that it produces impressions with the invisible parts; the teeth leave marks on the skin and produce pain.
Among the multiple manifestations, one of the most interesting is, no doubt, the spontaneous playing of musical instruments. The pianos and accordions are, apparently, the favorite instruments. This phenomenon is naturally explained by the above. The hand that is capable of holding an object can also exert pressure on the keyboard and produce the sound. In fact, many times we saw the fingers in action and, when the hand is not seen, the movement of the keys is seen as the bellows of the accordion extend and contract. The keys can only be pressed by invisible hands which show intelligence, playing perfectly rhythmical arias rather than incoherent sounds.
Since that hand can stick its nails in our flesh, pinch us, take whatever we hold in our hands; since we see it grabbing and moving an object, by the same way we would do it, they can also hit us, lift or knock a table down, ring the bell, draw a curtain, and even invisibly slap us in the face.
Some will raise the question of how that hand, in the airy invisible state, can have the same strength as in the visible tangible state. Why not? Don’t we see the air knocking buildings down, gas thrusting projectiles, electricity transmitting signals, the magnetic fluid lifting masses? Why should the ethereal matter of the perispirit be less powerful?
But we should not want to submit it to our laboratory experiences and to our algebraic equations. Particularly because we have taken the gases by term of comparison, let us not attribute identical properties nor compute its strength by the same way we do with the steam. So far it escapes all of our instruments. It is a new order of ideas, outside the competence of the exact Sciences. That is why those Sciences do not offer us with the necessary special aptitude to appreciate those ideas.
We provide this theory about the motion of the solid bodies under the influence of the spirits just to show the problem on all its aspects and to demonstrate that, without distancing too much from the ideas we received, it is possible to figure out the action of the spirits over the inert matter. There is, however, another one of the highest philosophical reach, given by the spirits themselves, which sheds an entirely new light onto this problem. It will be better understood once it has been read. In fact, it is useful to get to know all systems so that they can be compared.
The explanation about the changes in the ethereal substance of the perispirit still remains to be given; by which process the spirit operates and, as a consequence, the role of the mediums of physical influence in those phenomena; what happens to them under those circumstances; the cause and the nature of their faculties, etc.
This is what we shall discuss in the next article.
Observation proves – and we insist about the word observation, as our whole theory is a consequence of the studied facts – that subtle matter, which constitutes the second body of the spirit, only step by step disconnects from the body, rather than instantly. Thus, the ties which connect the soul to the body do not suddenly break with death. Well, the state of perturbation that we observe lasts the whole time in which the rupture of the ties takes place. It is only when that rupture is complete that the spirit recovers the entire freedom of his faculties and the clear consciousness of himself.
Experience still proves that the duration of that detachment varies according to the individuals. With some it takes three or four days, whereas with others it does not complete in less than several months. Therefore, the destruction of the body, and its putrid decomposition, is not sufficient to produce the separation. That is the reason why some spirits tell us: I feel the worms corroding me.
With some people the separation starts before death: these are the ones who in life elevated themselves by their thoughts and purity of feelings, above the material things. In those, death only finds weak links between the body and the soul that break almost instantly. The more materialized a man’s life has been and the more absorbed in the pleasures and concerns of personality, the stronger those links. It seems that the faint matter identifies itself with the dense matter and that a molecular cohesion is established between them. That is why they only separate slowly and with difficulty.
In the first instants following death, when there is still a union between the body and the perispirit, this better preserves the impression of the corporeal form from which, so as to say, reflects all nuances and even all alterations. That is why an executed person would tell us a few days after his execution: If you could see me you would see me with my head separated from the body. A man who was murdered told us: See the injury that was inflicted into my heart. He thought we could see him.
Those considerations would conduct us to the examination of the interesting question regarding the sensation and sufferings of the spirits. We shall do that in another article so that here we can restrain ourselves to the discussion of the physical manifestations.
Let us thus imagine the spirit dressed by its semi-material covering (wrapping), or perispirit, having the same form or appearance which he had when alive. Some even use that expression to describe themselves; they say: my appearance is in a given place. Evidently these are the gods of the ancients. The matter of that covering is sufficiently faint to escape our sight in its natural state, but it is not completely invisible. To begin with we see it through the eyes of the soul, in the visions produced during the dreams. But this is not what we want to discuss. In this ethereal matter there can be a modification; the spirit himself can make it pass through a kind of condensation which makes it visible to the bodily eyes. This is what happens in the airy apparitions. The subtleness of that matter allows it to pass through solid bodies, which explains why those apparitions do not encounter obstacles and why so many times they disappear through the walls.
The condensation can reach the point of producing resistance and tangibility. It is the case of hands that we can see and touch. But that condensation – and this is the only word we can use to give an idea, although imperfect, of our thought – or even, that solidification of the ethereal matter is only temporary or accidental, since it is not its natural state. This is why, in a given moment, the tangible apparitions escape us like a shadow. Therefore, by the same mode that a body can present itself in the solid, liquid or gaseous state, according to its degree of condensation, also the ethereal matter of the perispirit may appear in the solid, airy visible or airy invisible state. Next we shall see how that modification takes place.
The apparent, tangible hand, offers a resistance: it exerts pressure, leaves impressions, executes traction on objects that we hold. That hand then has a force. Well, these facts, which are not hypotheses, may take us to the explanation of the physical manifestations.
We must notice, before anything, that this hand obeys an intelligence, as it acts spontaneously; it gives unequivocal signs of a will and obedience to a thought; it thus belongs to a whole being who only shows us that part of himself; the proof is the fact that it produces impressions with the invisible parts; the teeth leave marks on the skin and produce pain.
Among the multiple manifestations, one of the most interesting is, no doubt, the spontaneous playing of musical instruments. The pianos and accordions are, apparently, the favorite instruments. This phenomenon is naturally explained by the above. The hand that is capable of holding an object can also exert pressure on the keyboard and produce the sound. In fact, many times we saw the fingers in action and, when the hand is not seen, the movement of the keys is seen as the bellows of the accordion extend and contract. The keys can only be pressed by invisible hands which show intelligence, playing perfectly rhythmical arias rather than incoherent sounds.
Since that hand can stick its nails in our flesh, pinch us, take whatever we hold in our hands; since we see it grabbing and moving an object, by the same way we would do it, they can also hit us, lift or knock a table down, ring the bell, draw a curtain, and even invisibly slap us in the face.
Some will raise the question of how that hand, in the airy invisible state, can have the same strength as in the visible tangible state. Why not? Don’t we see the air knocking buildings down, gas thrusting projectiles, electricity transmitting signals, the magnetic fluid lifting masses? Why should the ethereal matter of the perispirit be less powerful?
But we should not want to submit it to our laboratory experiences and to our algebraic equations. Particularly because we have taken the gases by term of comparison, let us not attribute identical properties nor compute its strength by the same way we do with the steam. So far it escapes all of our instruments. It is a new order of ideas, outside the competence of the exact Sciences. That is why those Sciences do not offer us with the necessary special aptitude to appreciate those ideas.
We provide this theory about the motion of the solid bodies under the influence of the spirits just to show the problem on all its aspects and to demonstrate that, without distancing too much from the ideas we received, it is possible to figure out the action of the spirits over the inert matter. There is, however, another one of the highest philosophical reach, given by the spirits themselves, which sheds an entirely new light onto this problem. It will be better understood once it has been read. In fact, it is useful to get to know all systems so that they can be compared.
The explanation about the changes in the ethereal substance of the perispirit still remains to be given; by which process the spirit operates and, as a consequence, the role of the mediums of physical influence in those phenomena; what happens to them under those circumstances; the cause and the nature of their faculties, etc.
This is what we shall discuss in the next article.
The rapping spirit of Bergzabern - Part I
We had already heard about certain spiritist phenomena, which in 1852 caused enormous uproar
around Speyer, in Bavaria. We even knew that a brochure had been published in German,
containing an authentic report. After long and unsuccessful searches, one lady from Alsace,
subscriber of our Review, showing great interest and perseverance, for which we are mostly
grateful, was able to find and offer us one volume of that brochure.
We provide here its full translation, hoping that it may be read with great interest since it demonstrates once more that these kind of manifestations are from all times and places, considering that the ones given here occurred d when discussions about the spirits were only in the beginning.
We provide here its full translation, hoping that it may be read with great interest since it demonstrates once more that these kind of manifestations are from all times and places, considering that the ones given here occurred d when discussions about the spirits were only in the beginning.
FORWARD
“For the last several months ago a singular event is part of all conversations in our city and its
surroundings. We refer to the Rapper, as it is known, from the tailor Peter Sänger’s house.
So far we have abstained from any report in our daily – Journal of Bergzabern – about the manifestations which since January 1st, 1852 have been taking place in that house. As they have, however, drawn the general attention, to the point of having the authorities requested Dr. Bentner to provide an explanation to the case, and Dr. Drupping from Speyer had even visited the place, in order to observe the facts, we can no longer avoid the duty of publishing them.
We would feel really embarrassed if the readers expected us to pronounce about the facts: we leave that task to those who, by the direction of their studies and their positions, are more equipped to judge, which they will do without difficulties, if they find out the origin of those phenomena.
As for us, we shall limit ourselves to reporting the facts, mainly of those which we have witnessed or heard from trustworthy persons. The readers may decide by themselves.
F. A. BlanckEditor, Journal of Bergzabern
May 1852
On January 1st, this year, in Bergzabern, at the house where the family of Peter Sänger lived, in the room adjacent to the living room, a sound like that from a hammer was heard, in the beginning, as if muffled and coming from far away, then becoming progressively stronger and more distinct. Those knocks seemed to be happening on the wall, near the bed of his twelve year old daughter.
The noise was customarily heard between nine thirty and ten thirty. In the beginning the couple did not give it importance; however, as that singularity repeated every night, they thought it could be coming from the neighbor’s house, where perhaps a trickster could be trying to have some fun by knocking on the wall. They soon realized that there was no one playing tricks. The floor of the house was broken apart and the bed was moved to the opposite side of the room: then, remarkable thing, the noise changed its place and was noticed every time the girl was asleep.
It was obvious that the girl somehow took part in the manifestation of that noise. After unsuccessful searches by the police, people started to think that the noise should be attributed to some sort of disease or some particularity in the anatomy of her body. However, nothing so far has confirmed such a hypothesis. It is still a mystery to the doctors.
The event progressed with time: the noise prolonged for over an hour and the raps vibrated with more intensity. The girl changed bed and bedroom, but the rapper manifested in the other room; under the bed, on the bed and on the wall. The knocks were not identical: sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker and isolated, and finally succeeded rapidly, following the rhythm of the military marches and dances.
The girl was already occupying the room for some time when it was noticed that, during her sleep, she would produce short and incoherent words. The words soon became more distinct and more intelligible; it seemed that the child spoke to another person over whom she had authority. Among the facts produced by the author of this brochure reports one that he witnessed himself:
surroundings. We refer to the Rapper, as it is known, from the tailor Peter Sänger’s house.
So far we have abstained from any report in our daily – Journal of Bergzabern – about the manifestations which since January 1st, 1852 have been taking place in that house. As they have, however, drawn the general attention, to the point of having the authorities requested Dr. Bentner to provide an explanation to the case, and Dr. Drupping from Speyer had even visited the place, in order to observe the facts, we can no longer avoid the duty of publishing them.
We would feel really embarrassed if the readers expected us to pronounce about the facts: we leave that task to those who, by the direction of their studies and their positions, are more equipped to judge, which they will do without difficulties, if they find out the origin of those phenomena.
As for us, we shall limit ourselves to reporting the facts, mainly of those which we have witnessed or heard from trustworthy persons. The readers may decide by themselves.
F. A. BlanckEditor, Journal of Bergzabern
May 1852
On January 1st, this year, in Bergzabern, at the house where the family of Peter Sänger lived, in the room adjacent to the living room, a sound like that from a hammer was heard, in the beginning, as if muffled and coming from far away, then becoming progressively stronger and more distinct. Those knocks seemed to be happening on the wall, near the bed of his twelve year old daughter.
The noise was customarily heard between nine thirty and ten thirty. In the beginning the couple did not give it importance; however, as that singularity repeated every night, they thought it could be coming from the neighbor’s house, where perhaps a trickster could be trying to have some fun by knocking on the wall. They soon realized that there was no one playing tricks. The floor of the house was broken apart and the bed was moved to the opposite side of the room: then, remarkable thing, the noise changed its place and was noticed every time the girl was asleep.
It was obvious that the girl somehow took part in the manifestation of that noise. After unsuccessful searches by the police, people started to think that the noise should be attributed to some sort of disease or some particularity in the anatomy of her body. However, nothing so far has confirmed such a hypothesis. It is still a mystery to the doctors.
The event progressed with time: the noise prolonged for over an hour and the raps vibrated with more intensity. The girl changed bed and bedroom, but the rapper manifested in the other room; under the bed, on the bed and on the wall. The knocks were not identical: sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker and isolated, and finally succeeded rapidly, following the rhythm of the military marches and dances.
The girl was already occupying the room for some time when it was noticed that, during her sleep, she would produce short and incoherent words. The words soon became more distinct and more intelligible; it seemed that the child spoke to another person over whom she had authority. Among the facts produced by the author of this brochure reports one that he witnessed himself:
The child was in bed, lying on her left side. She had just fallen asleep when the noises started and
this is how she began to speak: “You, you! Knock a march!” And the rapper played something which
resembled a Bavarian march. The rapper stopped when a command to stop was given by the girl.
Then she ordered: “Knock three, six, nine times”. The rapper executed the orders. After giving a
new order for 19 knocks, 20 were produced, which made the girl rebut: “This is not right: it was 20
knocks.” This was followed by the count of 19 knocks. She then requested 30 knocks and 30 were
heard. Then to the order of 100 knocks only 40 were counted, given the speed which they were
produced. Once the 100th knock was heard the girl said: “Well done! Now I want 110.” We could
only count up to 50. After the last knock the sleepyhead said: “It is not right. You only did 106”.
This was soon followed by another 4 knocks to complete the 110. Then she asked: “One thousand!”
Only 15 knocks were heard. “Come on!” She said. The rapper still knocked 5 times and stopped.
Then those who were present had the idea of giving orders directly to the rapper, who executed them. He stopped on hearing the command: “Halt! Silence! Enough!” Then, on his own and without a command, he restarted to knock. One of the individuals present said in a low voice, in one corner of the room, that he would like to command only by his thought, and his wish was 6 knocks. Then the experimenter positioned himself near the bed and did not say a word. The six knocks were heard. Still through his thought 4 knocks were requested and heard. The same experiment was carried out by others, but not always successfully.
The girl soon woke up, stretched, pushed the bed sheets away and stood up.
Once asked about what had happened she said that she had seen a large, scary faced man by her bed, and that he would have squeezed her knees! She fell asleep again and the manifestations proceeded until eleven o’clock. Suddenly the rapper stopped, the girl regained her normal sleep, recognized by the regularity of her breathing, and nothing else was heard that night.
We observed the fact that the rapper obeyed the order to produce military marches. Several people acknowledged the accuracy that the Russian, Austrian and French marches were produced.
On February 25th, in her sleep, the girl said: “Now you no longer want to knock. You want to scratch. Okay, let us see how you are going to do that.” In fact, on the very next day, instead of knocks it was possible to hear something like scraping, coming from the bed, which still happens today. The knocks were mixed with the scratches, sometimes alternately sometimes simultaneously, so that on playing marches and dance rhythms, the scratches would spot the strong times and the knocks the weak ones. According to the requests, the time of the day or people’s ages, they were indicated by dry knocks or scratches. With respect to people’s ages sometimes there were mistakes, soon corrected in the second or third attempt, as long as someone said that the number was wrong. Sometimes, instead of indicating the requested age, the rapper would execute a march.
Day by day the child’s language becomes clearer, during her sleep. What was, in the beginning, only words or rapid commands to the rapper, with time transformed into a meaningful conversation with her parents. Therefore, one day she would entertain a conversation with her older sister, speaking in a directive, lecture-like voice, saying that her sister should go to the Church’s mass, pray every day and show submission and obedience to their parents. Later at night she returned to the subject. Her teachings had nothing to do with theology but simply had some of those notions that one learns in school.
Knocks and scratches were heard for about at least an hour before the conversations, not only during the girls’ sleep, but even while she was awake. We saw her eating and drinking while the knocks and scratches were heard as we also heard orders given to the rapper, who executed them, while she was not sleeping.
On the evening of Saturday, March 6th, several people gathered at Mr. Sänger’s house as the girl, who was wide awake, had predicted that the rapper would show up at nine o’clock.
Then those who were present had the idea of giving orders directly to the rapper, who executed them. He stopped on hearing the command: “Halt! Silence! Enough!” Then, on his own and without a command, he restarted to knock. One of the individuals present said in a low voice, in one corner of the room, that he would like to command only by his thought, and his wish was 6 knocks. Then the experimenter positioned himself near the bed and did not say a word. The six knocks were heard. Still through his thought 4 knocks were requested and heard. The same experiment was carried out by others, but not always successfully.
The girl soon woke up, stretched, pushed the bed sheets away and stood up.
Once asked about what had happened she said that she had seen a large, scary faced man by her bed, and that he would have squeezed her knees! She fell asleep again and the manifestations proceeded until eleven o’clock. Suddenly the rapper stopped, the girl regained her normal sleep, recognized by the regularity of her breathing, and nothing else was heard that night.
We observed the fact that the rapper obeyed the order to produce military marches. Several people acknowledged the accuracy that the Russian, Austrian and French marches were produced.
On February 25th, in her sleep, the girl said: “Now you no longer want to knock. You want to scratch. Okay, let us see how you are going to do that.” In fact, on the very next day, instead of knocks it was possible to hear something like scraping, coming from the bed, which still happens today. The knocks were mixed with the scratches, sometimes alternately sometimes simultaneously, so that on playing marches and dance rhythms, the scratches would spot the strong times and the knocks the weak ones. According to the requests, the time of the day or people’s ages, they were indicated by dry knocks or scratches. With respect to people’s ages sometimes there were mistakes, soon corrected in the second or third attempt, as long as someone said that the number was wrong. Sometimes, instead of indicating the requested age, the rapper would execute a march.
Day by day the child’s language becomes clearer, during her sleep. What was, in the beginning, only words or rapid commands to the rapper, with time transformed into a meaningful conversation with her parents. Therefore, one day she would entertain a conversation with her older sister, speaking in a directive, lecture-like voice, saying that her sister should go to the Church’s mass, pray every day and show submission and obedience to their parents. Later at night she returned to the subject. Her teachings had nothing to do with theology but simply had some of those notions that one learns in school.
Knocks and scratches were heard for about at least an hour before the conversations, not only during the girls’ sleep, but even while she was awake. We saw her eating and drinking while the knocks and scratches were heard as we also heard orders given to the rapper, who executed them, while she was not sleeping.
On the evening of Saturday, March 6th, several people gathered at Mr. Sänger’s house as the girl, who was wide awake, had predicted that the rapper would show up at nine o’clock.
At 9 o’clock sharp, four violent knocks were heard on the wall, scaring those around them. Soon
and for the first time, the knocks happened in and around the wood of the bed. The bed was
completely shaken. Those bangs took place on all sides of the bed, first in one place, then in
another. Knocks and scratches alternated. Following the girl’s and the participants’ orders, the
knocks were heard from the inside of the bed, or from the outside. Suddenly the bed was lifted,
moving in different directions, while strong knocks were made. About five people unsuccessfully
tried to return the bed to its original place; as they had given up the bed still swung for a few
moments before returning to the original position. This event had already happened once before this
public occurrence.
Every night the girl would give a kind of speech, which we shall succinctly comment.
First of all it is necessary to note that as soon as the girl lowered her head, she would immediately fall asleep and the knocks and scratches would start. She would moan and get agitated with the knocks and seemed to feel unwell. This did not happen with the scratches. When she was about to speak, she would lie down, belly up, showing a pale face, as was her hands and arms. She would wave her right hand and say: “Come on! Come close to the bed and join your hands. I will talk about the Savior of the world.” Then, the knocks and scratches would go silent and everybody would respectfully listen to the speech of the sleeping girl.
She would speak slowly, in a very intelligible way, in pure German, a surprising fact as everybody knew that she was behind in school, which certainly was related to a problem with her eyes which caused great difficulty in her learning. Her speech was about Jesus’ life and his actions, since he was twelve years old; his presence in the temple, among the Scribes; his miracles and benefits to humanity. Then she would describe his sufferings and sternly censored the Jews for having crucified him, despite his good deeds and blessings.
At the end the girl would say a passionate prayer to God, asking him to give her the “grace to withstand the sufferings He had sent her with resignation, as He had chosen her to enter into communication with the spirit”. She would say that she did not want to die yet as she was still a child and she did not want to go down to the dark grave. Finishing her prayers she would solemnly recite the “pater noster” and then say: “Now you can come”. The knocks and scratches would then immediately restart. She still spoke twice to the spirit and in each of them the rapper stopped. She would say a few words and add: “Now you can go, in the name of God”. She would then wake up.
During those lectures the girl’s eyes remained tightly closed but her lips moved. Those closer to the bed could observe her gestures. Her voice was pure and harmonious. Once awaken, she was asked about what she had seen and what had happened. She said:
It is easy to understand that such manifestations have found many skeptical. Some even thought that this story was a pure mystification. But her father was incapable of any buffoonery, particularly of the type that requires the professional skills of a conjurer. He enjoys the reputation of a serious and honest man.
Every night the girl would give a kind of speech, which we shall succinctly comment.
First of all it is necessary to note that as soon as the girl lowered her head, she would immediately fall asleep and the knocks and scratches would start. She would moan and get agitated with the knocks and seemed to feel unwell. This did not happen with the scratches. When she was about to speak, she would lie down, belly up, showing a pale face, as was her hands and arms. She would wave her right hand and say: “Come on! Come close to the bed and join your hands. I will talk about the Savior of the world.” Then, the knocks and scratches would go silent and everybody would respectfully listen to the speech of the sleeping girl.
She would speak slowly, in a very intelligible way, in pure German, a surprising fact as everybody knew that she was behind in school, which certainly was related to a problem with her eyes which caused great difficulty in her learning. Her speech was about Jesus’ life and his actions, since he was twelve years old; his presence in the temple, among the Scribes; his miracles and benefits to humanity. Then she would describe his sufferings and sternly censored the Jews for having crucified him, despite his good deeds and blessings.
At the end the girl would say a passionate prayer to God, asking him to give her the “grace to withstand the sufferings He had sent her with resignation, as He had chosen her to enter into communication with the spirit”. She would say that she did not want to die yet as she was still a child and she did not want to go down to the dark grave. Finishing her prayers she would solemnly recite the “pater noster” and then say: “Now you can come”. The knocks and scratches would then immediately restart. She still spoke twice to the spirit and in each of them the rapper stopped. She would say a few words and add: “Now you can go, in the name of God”. She would then wake up.
During those lectures the girl’s eyes remained tightly closed but her lips moved. Those closer to the bed could observe her gestures. Her voice was pure and harmonious. Once awaken, she was asked about what she had seen and what had happened. She said:
-
- G: It is the man who comes to see me.
-
- Q: Where is he?
-
- G: Close to my bed with the other persons.
-
- Q: Did you see the other persons?
It is easy to understand that such manifestations have found many skeptical. Some even thought that this story was a pure mystification. But her father was incapable of any buffoonery, particularly of the type that requires the professional skills of a conjurer. He enjoys the reputation of a serious and honest man.
Considering that the child showed a healthy appearance, she should then be taken by an illness
which affected her nerves and involuntary muscles, in case the phenomenon could not be explained
by the manifestations described above. Finally, we shall mention that a few weeks ago the girl was
taken to Dr. Bentner with whom she stayed in order to have those phenomena more closely studied
by the wise doctor. Since then the noises that had by now completely stopped in Mr. Sanger’s
house, were now happening in the house of Dr. Bentner.
These are the facts that happened, with all their authenticity. We deliver them to the public without passing any judgment. We hope that the men of Medicine soon provide a satisfactory explanation.
Blanck
These are the facts that happened, with all their authenticity. We deliver them to the public without passing any judgment. We hope that the men of Medicine soon provide a satisfactory explanation.
Blanck
CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE RAPPING SPIRIT OF BERGZABERN
It is easy to provide the explanation requested by the reporter who we have just mentioned: There is
only one, the one given by the Spiritist Doctrine. These phenomena have nothing of extraordinary
to people familiarized with those to whom the spirits have acquainted us. The role given to the
imagination of some people is also known. Had the girl only had visions, no doubt the partisans of
hallucination would have celebrated the fact. But in this case there were material effects of
unequivocal nature with a large number of witnesses. It would be necessary to admit that everyone
was hallucinated to the point of having heard what they actually did not and seen motions of things
that were stationary. Well, this would be an even more extraordinary phenomenon. To the skeptical
there is only one resource: denial. It is easier and exempts reason.
From the spiritist point of view it becomes evident that the manifesting spirit was inferior to that of the girl, as he obeyed her; he subordinated even to the audience who gave him orders. If we did not know, from the Spiritist Doctrine, that the rapping spirits are at the bottom of the spirits’ scale, the event itself would be a proof to us. In fact one could not conceive an elevated spirit who, as our wise men and philosophers, would have fun on rapping marches and waltzes and, in one word, act like a jester or submit themselves to human caprices. He shows himself with the looks of a scary man, circumstance which only reinforces that opinion. In general, the moral state reflects on the covering. It is then demonstrated to us that the rapper of Bergzabern is an inferior spirit, from the spirits of levity class, who has manifested much like others have done so and still do in our days. But what was the purpose of the manifestations? The news does not mention evocation. Today, that we are more experienced on those things, one would not allow such a strange visitor in, had he not informed about his objectives. We can only make conjectures. It is true that he did nothing revealing evilness or ill intention, as the girl had not suffered any physical or moral damage. Only men could have shocked her moral, harming her imagination with ridicule tales. Luckily they did not.
Then, this spirit, however inferior he might be, was neither evil nor malevolent. It was only one of those many spirits who, many times and despite our will, surround us. He could have acted on his own or been instigated by elevated spirits, with the objective of awakening men’s attention and convince them about the reality of a superior power, outside the corporeal world.
As for the child, it is certain that she was one of those mediums of physical influence, gifted by such a faculty, despite her will, and who are related to the other mediums as the natural somnambulists are to the magnetic somnambulists. Prudently guided by an experienced person in this new Science, that faculty could have produced even more extraordinary things, capable of shedding new light onto these phenomena, which are only considered extraordinary because they are not understood.
From the spiritist point of view it becomes evident that the manifesting spirit was inferior to that of the girl, as he obeyed her; he subordinated even to the audience who gave him orders. If we did not know, from the Spiritist Doctrine, that the rapping spirits are at the bottom of the spirits’ scale, the event itself would be a proof to us. In fact one could not conceive an elevated spirit who, as our wise men and philosophers, would have fun on rapping marches and waltzes and, in one word, act like a jester or submit themselves to human caprices. He shows himself with the looks of a scary man, circumstance which only reinforces that opinion. In general, the moral state reflects on the covering. It is then demonstrated to us that the rapper of Bergzabern is an inferior spirit, from the spirits of levity class, who has manifested much like others have done so and still do in our days. But what was the purpose of the manifestations? The news does not mention evocation. Today, that we are more experienced on those things, one would not allow such a strange visitor in, had he not informed about his objectives. We can only make conjectures. It is true that he did nothing revealing evilness or ill intention, as the girl had not suffered any physical or moral damage. Only men could have shocked her moral, harming her imagination with ridicule tales. Luckily they did not.
Then, this spirit, however inferior he might be, was neither evil nor malevolent. It was only one of those many spirits who, many times and despite our will, surround us. He could have acted on his own or been instigated by elevated spirits, with the objective of awakening men’s attention and convince them about the reality of a superior power, outside the corporeal world.
As for the child, it is certain that she was one of those mediums of physical influence, gifted by such a faculty, despite her will, and who are related to the other mediums as the natural somnambulists are to the magnetic somnambulists. Prudently guided by an experienced person in this new Science, that faculty could have produced even more extraordinary things, capable of shedding new light onto these phenomena, which are only considered extraordinary because they are not understood.
Pride
Moral dissertation dictated by St. Louis to Ms. Ermance Dufaux
(19th and 26th January, 1858)
Moral dissertation dictated by St. Louis to Ms. Ermance Dufaux
(19th and 26th January, 1858)
I
An arrogant man had a few acres of good land. He was proud of the heavy ears of corn that covered
his field as he looked with pity to the empty field of a humble peasant. This man used to get up at
the crack of dawn, spend the whole day working the ungrateful soil, patiently collect the stones to
clear the land, and till the earth to remove the weeds. Well, in his eyes, his hardwork fertilized the
field and he harvested the best corn.
However, the chaff still grew in the field of the arrogant man and choked the corn as the owner bragged about the purity of his land and looked with disdain to the silent efforts of the humble man.
This I tell you that pride is analogous to the chaff that smothers the good grain. The one among you who judges himself better than his brothers and brags about it is senseless. Wise is the one who works by himself, like the simple man in his field, showing no vanity for his work.
However, the chaff still grew in the field of the arrogant man and choked the corn as the owner bragged about the purity of his land and looked with disdain to the silent efforts of the humble man.
This I tell you that pride is analogous to the chaff that smothers the good grain. The one among you who judges himself better than his brothers and brags about it is senseless. Wise is the one who works by himself, like the simple man in his field, showing no vanity for his work.
II
There was a rich and powerful man who enjoyed the prince’s favor. He lived in palaces and had
several servants willing to serve his desires.
One day while hunting, having his pack of dogs surrounding a deer in the deepest forest, he saw a woodcutter carrying a sheaf of firewood. He called the man and said:
One day while hunting, having his pack of dogs surrounding a deer in the deepest forest, he saw a woodcutter carrying a sheaf of firewood. He called the man and said:
-
- Vile slave! How can you pass by without bowing before me? I am like the Lord: my voice
decides between war and peace in the Councils, and the greatest of the kingdom bow in my
presence. Know this that I am a wise among the wisest and powerful amongst the most
powerful, great among the greatest and that my elevation is the works of my own hands.
- - “Sir! – Replied the poor man – I was afraid that my humble greetings would sound offensive to you. I am a poor man having only my arms by property but I do not envy your deceitful greatness. I sleep my sleep and I am not afraid, like you, that the Lord’s pleasure may knock me down into my obscurity.
Well, the prince was upset by his pride and arrogance. The most humiliated ones rose against him,
who was knocked down from the pinnacle of his power, like a dry leaf swept away by the wind,
from the summit of a mountain. But the humble one peacefully continued his tough work, not
worrying about tomorrow.
III
Those who are arrogant, humble yourself, as the Lord’s hand shall bend your pride to the dust!
Listen! You were born where destiny left you; you came weak and naked from your mother’s
womb, like the last man. How come you raise your nose higher than your brother’s, you who were
born to pain and death like the others?
Listen! Your richness and your greatness, vanities of vanities, will escape your hands when the great day comes, like the fickle waters of the torrent, evaporated by the sun. You will not take your richness beyond the lumber of your coffin and the titles engraved on your gravestone, empty words.
Listen! The gravedigger’s dog will play with your bones, which will then mix with the beggar’s; your dust will muddle up with his, since one day both shall be only dust. Then, when you see the beggar dressed in your glory, you will curse the gifts you were given and you shall cry your own pride.
Listen! Your richness and your greatness, vanities of vanities, will escape your hands when the great day comes, like the fickle waters of the torrent, evaporated by the sun. You will not take your richness beyond the lumber of your coffin and the titles engraved on your gravestone, empty words.
Listen! The gravedigger’s dog will play with your bones, which will then mix with the beggar’s; your dust will muddle up with his, since one day both shall be only dust. Then, when you see the beggar dressed in your glory, you will curse the gifts you were given and you shall cry your own pride.
Humble yourself, arrogant, as the Lord’s hand shall bend your pride to the dust.
***
1. Why does St. Louis speak in parables?
- The human spirit likes mystery. The teachings are better incorporated into our hearts when we search.
2. It seems that the teachings should be more direct these days, without resourcing to allegory.
- You will find it in the developments. I want to be read and moral needs a disguise under the attractiveness of pleasure.
Moral issuesQuestions addressed to St. Louis
1. Out of two rich men, the first one was born into opulence and never experienced need; the
second one owes his fortune to his own work. Both employ them exclusively to satisfy their
personal interests. Who is the one mostly to blame?
- The one who met suffering. He knows what suffering means.
2. The one who continuously accumulates, not doing any good to anybody, will he have an acceptable excuse in the idea of saving enough for their children?
- It is a compromise with evil consciousness
3. Out of two greedy persons, the first one deprives himself from the necessary, dying of deprivation over his treasure; the second one is only stingy with the others: he is excessive with himself. While he runs away before the first opportunity to help or of doing something useful, he does not see limits to his personal pleasures. He gets upset when a favor is asked; he wants to surrender to his caprices, which never end. Who is the one mostly to blame and which one will have the worst place in the spiritual world?
- The one who enjoys. The other one has already been punished.
4. The person who has not usefully employed his fortune while alive finds any relief in doing good deeds after death, by the destination given to his fortune?
- No. The good that someone does is worth its cost.
- The one who met suffering. He knows what suffering means.
2. The one who continuously accumulates, not doing any good to anybody, will he have an acceptable excuse in the idea of saving enough for their children?
- It is a compromise with evil consciousness
3. Out of two greedy persons, the first one deprives himself from the necessary, dying of deprivation over his treasure; the second one is only stingy with the others: he is excessive with himself. While he runs away before the first opportunity to help or of doing something useful, he does not see limits to his personal pleasures. He gets upset when a favor is asked; he wants to surrender to his caprices, which never end. Who is the one mostly to blame and which one will have the worst place in the spiritual world?
- The one who enjoys. The other one has already been punished.
4. The person who has not usefully employed his fortune while alive finds any relief in doing good deeds after death, by the destination given to his fortune?
- No. The good that someone does is worth its cost.
Eternal halves
The text below is an excerpt from a letter of one of our subscribers.
“A few years ago I lost a good and virtuous wife and, despite the six children she left me with, I felt completely isolated, when I then heard about the spiritist manifestations. I was soon part of a group of good friends who would engage this subject every evening. I then learned, from the communications received, that the true life is not on Earth but in the spiritual world; that my Clemency was happy there, working, like others, for the happiness of those who she had met here.”
“Well, there is a point about which I eagerly wish you can clarify.”
“One evening I said to my Clemency: my dear friend, despite our love, as it happened, we did not always have the same opinion in many things during our life. Why then did we have to make so many reciprocal concessions in order to live a harmonious life?”
“She then answered:”
“My friend, we were good and honest; we lived together and we can say, in the best possible way on this Earth of trials but, we were not our eternal halves. Such unions are rare on Earth. Yet they can be found and do represent a great favor from God. Those who enjoy such happiness experience a delight that you ignore.”
“Can you tell me if you see your eternal half?”
“- Yes, she said. He is a poor man living in Asia; we will be only able to unite in 175 years, according to the way you count.”
“Will the union be on Earth or in another planet?”
“- On Earth! But, listen: I cannot describe well enough the happiness of those united in such a way. I will ask Heloise and Abelard to come to explain to you.”
“Then, Sir, those happy creatures came to talk to us about such an unspeakable happiness.”
“- Attending our will, they said, two don’t do more than one. We travel through space; we enjoy everything; we love each other with an endless love, above which there is only God’s love and that of the perfect beings. Your greatest joys are not worth one of our glances and our handshakes.”
“The thought of the eternal halves pleases me. It seems that God, on creating humanity, made it double, and separating the two halves of the same soul, he said: Go through this world and look for incarnations. If you do good, the trip will be short and I will allow your union. On the contrary, centuries will pass before you can enjoy such happiness. Such is, as it seems to me, the primary cause of the instinctive movement that drags humanity towards happiness, the happiness which we do not understand and do not strive to understand.”
“I eagerly wish, Sir, a clarification about that theory of the eternal halves, and would feel very happy if I had the explanation about this subject in one of the next issues...”
***
Questioned about the subject, Abelard and Heloise gave us the following answers:
1. Were the souls created as a pair?
- Had they been created as a pair, they would be imperfect as single.
“A few years ago I lost a good and virtuous wife and, despite the six children she left me with, I felt completely isolated, when I then heard about the spiritist manifestations. I was soon part of a group of good friends who would engage this subject every evening. I then learned, from the communications received, that the true life is not on Earth but in the spiritual world; that my Clemency was happy there, working, like others, for the happiness of those who she had met here.”
“Well, there is a point about which I eagerly wish you can clarify.”
“One evening I said to my Clemency: my dear friend, despite our love, as it happened, we did not always have the same opinion in many things during our life. Why then did we have to make so many reciprocal concessions in order to live a harmonious life?”
“She then answered:”
“My friend, we were good and honest; we lived together and we can say, in the best possible way on this Earth of trials but, we were not our eternal halves. Such unions are rare on Earth. Yet they can be found and do represent a great favor from God. Those who enjoy such happiness experience a delight that you ignore.”
“Can you tell me if you see your eternal half?”
“- Yes, she said. He is a poor man living in Asia; we will be only able to unite in 175 years, according to the way you count.”
“Will the union be on Earth or in another planet?”
“- On Earth! But, listen: I cannot describe well enough the happiness of those united in such a way. I will ask Heloise and Abelard to come to explain to you.”
“Then, Sir, those happy creatures came to talk to us about such an unspeakable happiness.”
“- Attending our will, they said, two don’t do more than one. We travel through space; we enjoy everything; we love each other with an endless love, above which there is only God’s love and that of the perfect beings. Your greatest joys are not worth one of our glances and our handshakes.”
“The thought of the eternal halves pleases me. It seems that God, on creating humanity, made it double, and separating the two halves of the same soul, he said: Go through this world and look for incarnations. If you do good, the trip will be short and I will allow your union. On the contrary, centuries will pass before you can enjoy such happiness. Such is, as it seems to me, the primary cause of the instinctive movement that drags humanity towards happiness, the happiness which we do not understand and do not strive to understand.”
“I eagerly wish, Sir, a clarification about that theory of the eternal halves, and would feel very happy if I had the explanation about this subject in one of the next issues...”
***
Questioned about the subject, Abelard and Heloise gave us the following answers:
1. Were the souls created as a pair?
-
Is it possible that two souls may unite in eternity, forming one whole?
- No.
-
You and your Heloise make, since the origin, two perfectly distinct souls?
- Yes.
-
Still now are you two distinct souls?
5. Are all men in the same condition?
- It depends if they are more or less perfect.
6. Are all souls destined to unite one day to another soul?
- Each spirit tends to look for another similar spirit. It is what you call sympathy. 7. In such union is there a condition of sex?
- The souls have no sex.
As much to satisfy our correspondent as to our own instruction, we addressed the following
questions to the spirit of St. Louis:
1. Are the souls, who must unite, predestined since their origin, to such a union and each one
of us has, in any part of the Universe, their half, to which will fatally unite one day?
- No. There is no fatal and particular union of two souls. There is the union of all spirits but at different degrees, according to the position they occupy, that is, according to the acquired perfection: the more perfect, the more united. It is from discord that all human evils originate; complete happiness results from concord.
2. How can we understand the word half, sometimes used by the spirits to designate sympathetic spirits?
- The expression is inaccurate. If a spirit were the half of another, once separated they would be incomplete.
3. Once united, do two perfectly sympathetic spirits remain united throughout eternity or can they separate and unite to other spirits?
- All spirits are united among themselves. I speak about those who achieved perfection. In the inferior spheres, when one spirit elevates, they are no longer sympathetic to those they left.
4. Are two sympathetic spirits the complement of one another or is that sympathy the result of a perfect identity?
- The sympathy that attracts one spirit to the other results from the perfect agreement of their instincts and inclinations. If one had to complement the other they would lose their identity.
5. The necessary identity to the perfect sympathy, would it only consist of the similarity of thoughts and feelings or also of uniformity of acquired knowledge?
- In the equality of the degree of elevation.
6. The spirits who are not sympathetic today, can they be later?
- Yes, they will all be. Thus, the spirit who is in an inferior sphere today will reach, by
perfecting, the sphere where another one resides. Their union will happen more promptly
if the more elevated spirit, hardly withstanding the trials of their choice, stays in the
same state.
7. Can two spirits who are sympathetic no longer be? - Certainly if one of them is lazy.
Those answers perfectly resolve the question.
The theory of eternal halves is a figure relative to the union of two sympathetic spirits; it is an expression even used in the common language, referring to a couple, and that should not be taken literally. The spirits who have used them certainly do not belong to the highest order. The scope of their knowledge is necessarily limited. They have expressed their thoughts with the words they would have used in their corporeal life. It is then necessary to reject such an idea that two spirits, created one to the other, should one day unite in eternity, after a more or less lengthy separation.
7. Can two spirits who are sympathetic no longer be? - Certainly if one of them is lazy.
Those answers perfectly resolve the question.
The theory of eternal halves is a figure relative to the union of two sympathetic spirits; it is an expression even used in the common language, referring to a couple, and that should not be taken literally. The spirits who have used them certainly do not belong to the highest order. The scope of their knowledge is necessarily limited. They have expressed their thoughts with the words they would have used in their corporeal life. It is then necessary to reject such an idea that two spirits, created one to the other, should one day unite in eternity, after a more or less lengthy separation.
Family conversations from beyond the grave
Mozart
One of our subscribers sent us the following two interviews with the spirit of Mozart. When
and how they happened is unknown to us; we do not know neither the interviewer nor the
medium; we are completely unaware of all of this. It is remarkable, however, the perfect
agreement between the answers thus obtained and those given by other spirits about several
principal points of the Doctrine, in completely different circumstances, relative to us or to
other people, which we have duly transcribed in previous issues and in the Spirits’ Book.
It is about such similarities that we draw our readers’ attention, and they should then arrive to the conclusion that seems most adequate to them. Those who could still think that the answers to our questions are the result of our own personal opinion will see if, in this case, we were able to have any influence over their answers.
We congratulate those individuals who maintained these conversations by the mode in which the questions were framed. Despite certain faults that demonstrates the inexperience of the interviewers, the questions are generally formulated in order, with clarity and accuracy, and do not move away from the line of seriousness. This framework produce the necessary conditions required to obtain good communications.
FIRST CONVERSATION
1. In God’s name, spirit of Mozart, are you here? - Yes.
2. Why are you Mozart and not another spirit? - You evoked me: then I came.
3. What is a medium?
- The agent who links my spirit to yours.
4. What are the physiological and soul related changes that the medium unwittingly suffers in order to act as an intermediary?
- His body feels nothing but his spirit, partially released from matter, is in communication with mine, bonding myself to him.
It is about such similarities that we draw our readers’ attention, and they should then arrive to the conclusion that seems most adequate to them. Those who could still think that the answers to our questions are the result of our own personal opinion will see if, in this case, we were able to have any influence over their answers.
We congratulate those individuals who maintained these conversations by the mode in which the questions were framed. Despite certain faults that demonstrates the inexperience of the interviewers, the questions are generally formulated in order, with clarity and accuracy, and do not move away from the line of seriousness. This framework produce the necessary conditions required to obtain good communications.
FIRST CONVERSATION
1. In God’s name, spirit of Mozart, are you here? - Yes.
2. Why are you Mozart and not another spirit? - You evoked me: then I came.
3. What is a medium?
- The agent who links my spirit to yours.
4. What are the physiological and soul related changes that the medium unwittingly suffers in order to act as an intermediary?
- His body feels nothing but his spirit, partially released from matter, is in communication with mine, bonding myself to him.
5. What happens at this very moment?
- Nothing with the body; only part of his spirit is attracted to me; I make his hand act by the power my spirit exerts over it.
6. Thus, the medium enters into communication with individualities different from theirs?
- Certainly. You too, without being a medium, you are in touch with me. 7. What are the elements that contribute to this phenomenon?
- The attraction of the spirits, with the objective of instructing men; physical laws of electricity.
8. What are the indispensable conditions? - It is a faculty given by God.
9. What is the determining principle? - I cannot say.
10. Can you reveal the laws?
- No, no, not for now. Later you will know everything.
11. In which positive terms one could announce the synthetic formula of such a wonderful phenomenon?
- Unknown laws that you could not understand.
12. Could the medium communicate with the soul of a living person? In which conditions?
- Easily, if the person is asleep. *- Nothing with the body; only part of his spirit is attracted to me; I make his hand act by the power my spirit exerts over it.
6. Thus, the medium enters into communication with individualities different from theirs?
- Certainly. You too, without being a medium, you are in touch with me. 7. What are the elements that contribute to this phenomenon?
- The attraction of the spirits, with the objective of instructing men; physical laws of electricity.
8. What are the indispensable conditions? - It is a faculty given by God.
9. What is the determining principle? - I cannot say.
10. Can you reveal the laws?
- No, no, not for now. Later you will know everything.
11. In which positive terms one could announce the synthetic formula of such a wonderful phenomenon?
- Unknown laws that you could not understand.
12. Could the medium communicate with the soul of a living person? In which conditions?
13. How do you understand the word soul?
- Divine spark.
14. And the word spirit?
- Spirit and soul are one in the same thing.
15. As immortal spirit, has the soul consciousness of the instant of death, consciousness
of itself or of the self immediately after death?
- The soul knows nothing about the past and ignores the future, unless after the death of the body. Then the soul sees its past life and its last trials; chooses its new expiation on a new existence, as the forthcoming trials. Thus, no one should regret their sufferings on Earth, but withstand them with courage.
16. Is the soul disconnected from all elements after death, from all Earthly ties?
- Not from all elements. The soul has a proper fluid, extracted from the atmosphere of its planet, showing the appearance of its last incarnation. The earthly ties are nothing to the soul.
17. Does the soul know where it came from and where it is going to? - The answer to question 15 above solves that.
18. Does the soul carry anything from Earth?
- Nothing other than the memories of the good deeds, the regret for the faults and the desire to move to a better world.
19. Does the soul embrace, in a retrospective glimpse, its entire past life?
- Yes, to serve its future life.
20. Does the soul perceive the objective of the Earthly life and its meaning; the importance of what is done here with respect to a future life?
- Yes, the soul understands the need for depuration to get to the infinite; wishes to purify in order to achieve the blessed worlds. I am happy but I am not yet in the worlds from where one enjoys the vision of God.
21. Is there a hierarchy of spirits in the future life? What is the law?
- Yes. It is the degree of depuration that characterizes it. Goodness and virtues are the titles of glory.
22. Is the intelligence that determines the ascending march, as a progressive power? - Mostly the virtues, by loving thy neighbor.
23. A hierarchy of spirits presumes a hierarchy of residences. Does it exist? How?
- The intelligence, which is God’s gift, is always the reward of the virtues of charity and love to the neighbor. The spirits inhabit different planets, according to their degree of perfection. They enjoy greater or lesser happiness on those planets.
24. What should we understand by superior spirits? - The purified spirits.
25. Is our planet Earth the first of those steps, the starting point, or have we come from an even inferior point?
- There are two globes before yours, which is one of the least perfect.
26. In which world do you live? Are you happy there?
- Jupiter. I enjoy a great calm there; I love everyone around me. There is no hatred.
27. If you have memory of your earthly life then you should remember the couple A... from Vienna. Have you seen them both after your death? In which world and under which condition?
- I do not know where they are. I cannot tell you. One is happier than the other. Why do you ask me about them?
28. Due to one unique word, indicative of a capital fact of your life and which you could not have forgotten; can you provide a positive proof of that memory? I request that you tell me that word.
- Love, appreciation.
SECOND CONVERSATION
The interviewer is no longer the same. By the nature of the conversation, it seems to be a musician, happy for meeting a master. After several questions that we found useless to reproduce, Mozart says:
1. Let us finish G... issues. I will talk to you. I will tell you what we understand by melody in our world. Why haven’t you evoked me earlier? I would have answered.
2. What is melody?
- To you, many times it is like a memory from a past life; your spirit remembers what he has
seen in a better world. In Jupiter, where I live, there is melody everywhere: in the murmur of
the waters, in the whisper of the leaves, in the song of the winds; the flowers mutter and
sing; everything produces melodious sounds. Be good and reach that planet by your virtues.
By singing God’s music you have chosen well. Religious music helps in the elevation of the
soul. How much would I like to inspire in you the desire to see this world where we are so
happy! We are all very charitable here; everything is beautiful! Nature is so admirable! All
things inspire in us the desire to be with God. Courage! Courage! Believe in my spiritist
communication. It is really I here, with you. I enjoy the power of telling you what we
experience. I wish I could inspire you enough to the love of good, so that you could become
worthy of such a reward, which is nothing compared to the ones I seek!
3. Is our music the same in other worlds?
- No. No music can give you an idea of what we have here. It is Divine! Oh happiness! Strive to deserve the enjoyment of such harmonies; fight, have courage! We do not have instruments here: the plants and the birds are the members of the choir. The thought composes and the audience enjoys, without a material hearing, without the help of the word, and all that from an incommensurable distance. That is still more sublime in the superior worlds.
- No. No music can give you an idea of what we have here. It is Divine! Oh happiness! Strive to deserve the enjoyment of such harmonies; fight, have courage! We do not have instruments here: the plants and the birds are the members of the choir. The thought composes and the audience enjoys, without a material hearing, without the help of the word, and all that from an incommensurable distance. That is still more sublime in the superior worlds.
4. What is the life span of an incarnated spirit in another planet other than ours?
- Short in the inferior planets; longer in worlds like in the one I am lucky to be. In Jupiter the average is about three hundred to five hundred years.
5. Would there be great advantage on returning to live on Earth? - No, unless we are on a mission since we then advance.
6. Shouldn’t we be happier remaining as spirits?
- No, no! We would stay stationary. We ask for the reincarnation in order to progress towards God.
7. Is it the first time I am on Earth?
- No. But I cannot talk about your spiritual past.
8. Could I see you in dreams?
- If God allows so, I will take you to my residence in your dreams, of which you shall keep the memory.
9. Where are you here?
- Between you and your daughter. I see you. I have the appearance I had when alive.
10. Could I see you?
- Yes. Believe it and you shall see. If you had a greater faith we could tell you why. Your own profession is a link between us.
11. How did you come inside here? - The spirit penetrates everything.
12. Are you still too far away from God? - Oh! Yes!
13. Do you understand eternity better than us?
- Yes, yes. You cannot understand it in the body.
14. What do you understand by Universe? Was there a beginning and will there be an end?
- According to your thoughts the Universe is your land. Senseless! The Universe did not have a beginning nor will it have an end. Understand that it is entirely God’s work. The Universe is the infinite.
15. What should I do to calm down?
- Do not worry so much about the body. Your spirit is perturbed. Resist to that tendency.
16. Which perturbation is this? - You fear death.
17. What should I do to not fear?
- Believe in God. Above all, believe that God does not deprive the family from a useful father.
18. How can I reach such a state? - By the will.
19. Where should I find such a will?
- Move your thoughts away from that by your work.
20. What should I do to improve my skills?
- You can evoke me. I got the permission to inspire you. 21. When I am working?
- Certainly! Whenever you wish to work I will be sometimes by your side. 22. You will hear my work (a musical piece from the interviewer)?
- You are the first musician to evoke me. I come to you with pleasure and listen to your works.
23. How come you were not evoked?
- I was evoked but not by musicians.
24. By whom?
- By several ladies and amateurs in Marseille.
25. Why does the Ave Maria take me to tears?
- Your spirit detaches, unites to mine and Pergolese’s, who has inspired me that piece of work, but I forgot that part.
26. How could you forget the music that you composed?
- The one I have here is so beautiful! How should I remember what was only material?
27. Do you see my mother?
- She is incarnated on Earth.
28. In which body?
- I cannot tell you anything about it.
29. How about my father?
- He is errant, helping with the good deeds. He will make your mom progress. They will reincarnate together and will be happy.
30. Does he come to see me?
- Many times. You owe him your charitable impulses.
31. Was it my mother who has asked to reincarnate?
- Yes. She really wanted to reincarnate to initiate a new trial to be able to go to a superior world. She has already covered a huge step.
32. What do you mean by that?
- She has resisted all temptations. Her life on Earth was sublime when compared to her past, which was of an inferior spirit. She has thus climbed several steps.
33. She had then chose a trial beyond her strength?
- Yes, that is right.
34. When I see her in my dreams, is that her herself that I see?
- Yes, yes.
35. Had Bichat been evoked on the very day of the inauguration of his statue, would he have responded? Was he there?
- Yes, he was; and I was too.
36. Why were you there?
- As several other spirits who appreciate the good and feel happy when you glorify those concerned with the sufferings of humanity.
37. Thank you Mozart. Good-bye.
- Believe me; believe that I am here... I am happy... Believe that there are worlds above yours... Believe in God... Evoke me more frequently, in the company of other musicians. I will be happy to instruct you, contributing to your progress, helping you to elevate to God. Evoke me. Good-bye.
________________________
* If a person who is alive were evoked in the waking state, he can fall asleep at the time of the evocation or, at least, suffer numbness and a suspension of the sensitive faculties. Many times, however, the evocation does not produce anything if it is not done, above all, with a serious and benevolent intention.
The spirit and the heirs
One of our subscribers, from The Hague, Holland, reports to us the following fact that took place
with a group of friends who were carrying out spiritist manifestations. This demonstrates, he says,
once more, and without possible denial, the existence of an intelligent and invisible element, acting
individually and directly upon us.
“The spirits announce themselves by the movement of a heavy table and by rapping. We asked their names: these are the deceased Mr. and Mrs. G...., very wealthy during their existence. The husband, who actually had the fortune, did not have children, having disinherited his relatives in favor of his wife’s relatives, since she died not long before him. Among the nine people present in this session, there were two of the disinherited persons, as well as the husband of one of them.
Mr. G... was always a poor man and a humble servant to his wife. After her death, her family moved into his house to take care of him. The will was written with a medical testimony, declaring that the moribund man was perfectly aware of his actions.
The husband of the disinherited lady, who we shall call Mr. R... spoke in the following terms: “How dare you show up here, after the scandalous will you left?” Later, exacerbating even further, he ended up swearing at them. The table was then raised and the lamp thrown at the man's head with impact. He then apologized, asking for the reason of their presence at that session.
We came to explain to you the reasons of our conduct. The answers were given by means of hits on specific letters of the alphabet. Knowing the ineptitude of the husband, Mr. R... abruptly asked him to leave, allowing his wife to speak, who he would then listen.
Then the spirit of Mrs. G... said that Mrs. R... and her sister were rich enough and could go without their part in the inheritance; that others were evil and others, in the end, should suffer that trial; that due to those reasons the fortune was more adequate to her own family. Mr. R... was not satisfied with the explanation and threw up his rage with scolding slander. Then the table was violently agitated, jumped, heavily stomped on the floor and once again the lamp was thrown at Mr. R... head.
The spirit calmed down and tried to persuade the others that after her death she was informed that a superior spirit had dictated the last will and testiment. Mr. R... and the ladies, realizing the futility of arguing any further, forgave one another. Soon the table rose near Mr. R... and smoothly landed on his chest, as if embracing him. The two ladies received the same demonstration of appreciation. The table then presented a strong vibration. Once the understanding was established the spirit said she was sorry for the actual heir, saying that she would end up crazy anyway.
Still, Mr. R... kindly reprimanded her for not having done any good in life, when she was gifted by such a great fortune, adding that she was not missed by anybody. “Yes, said the spirit; there is a poor widow residing at .... street who sometimes thinks of me, as I have from time to time given her food, clothes and heat.”
Since the spirit had not provided the name of the poor woman, one of those present looked for the indicated address. And what is still worthwhile noticing is the fact that after the death of Mrs. G..., the poor lady had changed address. The latest was the one indicated by the spirit.”
“The spirits announce themselves by the movement of a heavy table and by rapping. We asked their names: these are the deceased Mr. and Mrs. G...., very wealthy during their existence. The husband, who actually had the fortune, did not have children, having disinherited his relatives in favor of his wife’s relatives, since she died not long before him. Among the nine people present in this session, there were two of the disinherited persons, as well as the husband of one of them.
Mr. G... was always a poor man and a humble servant to his wife. After her death, her family moved into his house to take care of him. The will was written with a medical testimony, declaring that the moribund man was perfectly aware of his actions.
The husband of the disinherited lady, who we shall call Mr. R... spoke in the following terms: “How dare you show up here, after the scandalous will you left?” Later, exacerbating even further, he ended up swearing at them. The table was then raised and the lamp thrown at the man's head with impact. He then apologized, asking for the reason of their presence at that session.
We came to explain to you the reasons of our conduct. The answers were given by means of hits on specific letters of the alphabet. Knowing the ineptitude of the husband, Mr. R... abruptly asked him to leave, allowing his wife to speak, who he would then listen.
Then the spirit of Mrs. G... said that Mrs. R... and her sister were rich enough and could go without their part in the inheritance; that others were evil and others, in the end, should suffer that trial; that due to those reasons the fortune was more adequate to her own family. Mr. R... was not satisfied with the explanation and threw up his rage with scolding slander. Then the table was violently agitated, jumped, heavily stomped on the floor and once again the lamp was thrown at Mr. R... head.
The spirit calmed down and tried to persuade the others that after her death she was informed that a superior spirit had dictated the last will and testiment. Mr. R... and the ladies, realizing the futility of arguing any further, forgave one another. Soon the table rose near Mr. R... and smoothly landed on his chest, as if embracing him. The two ladies received the same demonstration of appreciation. The table then presented a strong vibration. Once the understanding was established the spirit said she was sorry for the actual heir, saying that she would end up crazy anyway.
Still, Mr. R... kindly reprimanded her for not having done any good in life, when she was gifted by such a great fortune, adding that she was not missed by anybody. “Yes, said the spirit; there is a poor widow residing at .... street who sometimes thinks of me, as I have from time to time given her food, clothes and heat.”
Since the spirit had not provided the name of the poor woman, one of those present looked for the indicated address. And what is still worthwhile noticing is the fact that after the death of Mrs. G..., the poor lady had changed address. The latest was the one indicated by the spirit.”
Death of Louis XIsecond article
(From the manuscript dictated by Louis XI to Ms. Ermance Dufaux)
(From the manuscript dictated by Louis XI to Ms. Ermance Dufaux)
NOTE: We draw the readers’ attention to the observations made about these remarkable
communications in our latest March issue.
Not feeling strong enough to hear the word “death”, I had many times recommended to my officers that they should only ask me “not to speak much” whenever they saw me in any danger, and I would then know the meaning of that signal.
When there was no hope, Olivier le Daim harshly said to me, in the presence of Francisco de Paula and Coitier: Your majesty, it is our duty to tell you. Do not have any hope on this saint man, or on anybody else, as this is the end. Think of your conscience. There is no more remedy.
Following those cruel words, a complete revolution took place inside me. I no longer felt like the same man and actually surprised myself. The past rapidly unveiled before my eyes and I saw things in a new perspective. Something strange happened to me. The steel like stare of Olivier le Daim’s eyes seemed to question me. I responded with apparent calm, trying to avoid that cold and inquisitive look: I hope God helps me. It is possible, perhaps, that I am not as bad as you think.
I then dictated my last wishes and sent all of those who surrounded me to be near the young King. I was left alone, only having my confessor, Francisco de Paula, le Daim and Coitier with me. Francisco gave me a touching exhortation. It seemed that each of his words erased my vices and that nature would have reestablished its course. I felt relieved, starting to reestablish some hope in God’s clemency.
I was given the last sacraments with a resigned and firm piety. I would repeat every time: “Our good Lady of Embrun, my good Lady, help me!”
On Tuesday, August 30th I fell ill again. Everybody left me for dead. Olivier le Daim and Coitier, feeling the public execration, remained by my deathbed, since they had no alternative.
Soon I completely recovered consciousness. I raised, sat down on the bed and looked around. Nobody from my family was there. No friendly hand to hold mine at such a supreme moment, to lessen my agony in a final contact. At that very moment my children might be playing while their father was dying. Nobody thought that the guilty one could still count on an understanding heart. I tried to hear a muffled sobbing but I only heard the laughs of the two miserable ones, still by my side.
In one of the corners of the room I saw my favorite greyhound dog, dying of age. My heart accelerated in happiness as I still had a friend, a being that liked me.
I signaled with my hand. The old hunter dog dragged herself towards my bed, licking my agonizing hand. Olivier noticed the move; he suddenly stood up, cursing and hitting the unfortunate dog with a baton, to see her dead. At death, my only friend gave me a long and painful look.
Olivier violently pushed me back to bed. I let go my body and delivered my guilty soul to God.
Not feeling strong enough to hear the word “death”, I had many times recommended to my officers that they should only ask me “not to speak much” whenever they saw me in any danger, and I would then know the meaning of that signal.
When there was no hope, Olivier le Daim harshly said to me, in the presence of Francisco de Paula and Coitier: Your majesty, it is our duty to tell you. Do not have any hope on this saint man, or on anybody else, as this is the end. Think of your conscience. There is no more remedy.
Following those cruel words, a complete revolution took place inside me. I no longer felt like the same man and actually surprised myself. The past rapidly unveiled before my eyes and I saw things in a new perspective. Something strange happened to me. The steel like stare of Olivier le Daim’s eyes seemed to question me. I responded with apparent calm, trying to avoid that cold and inquisitive look: I hope God helps me. It is possible, perhaps, that I am not as bad as you think.
I then dictated my last wishes and sent all of those who surrounded me to be near the young King. I was left alone, only having my confessor, Francisco de Paula, le Daim and Coitier with me. Francisco gave me a touching exhortation. It seemed that each of his words erased my vices and that nature would have reestablished its course. I felt relieved, starting to reestablish some hope in God’s clemency.
I was given the last sacraments with a resigned and firm piety. I would repeat every time: “Our good Lady of Embrun, my good Lady, help me!”
On Tuesday, August 30th I fell ill again. Everybody left me for dead. Olivier le Daim and Coitier, feeling the public execration, remained by my deathbed, since they had no alternative.
Soon I completely recovered consciousness. I raised, sat down on the bed and looked around. Nobody from my family was there. No friendly hand to hold mine at such a supreme moment, to lessen my agony in a final contact. At that very moment my children might be playing while their father was dying. Nobody thought that the guilty one could still count on an understanding heart. I tried to hear a muffled sobbing but I only heard the laughs of the two miserable ones, still by my side.
In one of the corners of the room I saw my favorite greyhound dog, dying of age. My heart accelerated in happiness as I still had a friend, a being that liked me.
I signaled with my hand. The old hunter dog dragged herself towards my bed, licking my agonizing hand. Olivier noticed the move; he suddenly stood up, cursing and hitting the unfortunate dog with a baton, to see her dead. At death, my only friend gave me a long and painful look.
Olivier violently pushed me back to bed. I let go my body and delivered my guilty soul to God.
Varieties - The False Mr. Home
Some time ago we read the following article in the papers from Lyon, which was also posted on the
city walls: “Mr. Home, the notable medium who had the honor of carrying out experiments before
H.M. the Emperor, from Thursday April 1st, will be giving sessions of spiritualism in the great Lyon
theater. He will produce apparitions, etc... Special seats will be available to doctors and scholars,
so that those can certify that nothing has been prepared. The sessions will vary, containing acts of
the notable clairvoyant Mrs. ..., very lucid somnambulist, who will reproduce all feelings, one by
one, according to the desires of the spectators. Tickets cost 5 francs first class, 3 francs second
class.”
Mr. Home’s antagonist (some people say Hume) did not wish to miss the occasion of exposing him to ridicule. In their passionate intent of finding something to bite, they took this gross mystification with such an enthusiasm that it speaks against their balance and their respect towards the truth, because before throwing stones at others it is necessary to verify if those stones will not hit another target. But passion is blind, does not think and many times, on trying to damage others, it is wrong. “Look at this, they joyfully said, “this so much praised man, now reduced to play on stages, giving spectacles at a price per head!”. And their papers giving credit to the fact, without investigation. Unfortunately to them, their happiness did not last long.
We were soon asked to provide enough information to unmask the fraud, which was not difficult, particularly thanks to the large number of people proficient in Spiritism in that city.
As soon as the theater director knew what was going on, he immediately addressed the following letter to the newspapers: “Mr. Editor, I promptly inform you that the announced spectacle in the great theater, due on April 1st will no longer happen. I thought the theatre would be occupied by Mr. Home and not by Mr. Lambert Laroche, so called Hume. Those who have anticipated the acquisition of their tickets can come to the theater’s box office in order to be duly reimbursed.”
On another hand, the cited Lambert Laroche, from Langres, once questioned about his identity, was obliged to answer in the terms that we reproduce in its entirety, as we do not want to be accused of having introduced the smallest alteration.
Text in very poor French *, as indicated by the original at the end of this article (E.T)
Mr. Home’s antagonist (some people say Hume) did not wish to miss the occasion of exposing him to ridicule. In their passionate intent of finding something to bite, they took this gross mystification with such an enthusiasm that it speaks against their balance and their respect towards the truth, because before throwing stones at others it is necessary to verify if those stones will not hit another target. But passion is blind, does not think and many times, on trying to damage others, it is wrong. “Look at this, they joyfully said, “this so much praised man, now reduced to play on stages, giving spectacles at a price per head!”. And their papers giving credit to the fact, without investigation. Unfortunately to them, their happiness did not last long.
We were soon asked to provide enough information to unmask the fraud, which was not difficult, particularly thanks to the large number of people proficient in Spiritism in that city.
As soon as the theater director knew what was going on, he immediately addressed the following letter to the newspapers: “Mr. Editor, I promptly inform you that the announced spectacle in the great theater, due on April 1st will no longer happen. I thought the theatre would be occupied by Mr. Home and not by Mr. Lambert Laroche, so called Hume. Those who have anticipated the acquisition of their tickets can come to the theater’s box office in order to be duly reimbursed.”
On another hand, the cited Lambert Laroche, from Langres, once questioned about his identity, was obliged to answer in the terms that we reproduce in its entirety, as we do not want to be accused of having introduced the smallest alteration.
“You have submitted several extra of your correspondence from Paris, indicating that Mr. Home
who gives sessions in a given theater of the capital, is now traveling to Italy and cannot, as a
consequence, be in Lyon. Sir I ignore 1. Knowledge of this Mr. Home, 2. I do not know what his
skills are, 3. I had never had anything in common with this Mr. Home, 4. I have worked and still
work with a pseudo name Hume, justifying this name by the local and foreign newspapers cuttings
that I submit to you 5. I travel with two companions, my type of experience contains spiritualism or
evocation, vision and in one word, reproduction of the ideas of the spectator, my specialty is to
operate that type of process in people, as seen in the papers from Spain and Africa. With this my
Editor, I demonstrate here that I never wanted to take the place of any supposed Mr. Home who you
say has a reputation, mine is sufficiently known by its great notoriety and experience I have.
Receive, Mr. Editor, my cordial greetings.”
It is useless to say that Mr. Lambert Laroche left Lyon with his head up. He will certainly go to other places looking for fools to easily deceive. I wish to say one word still to express our sadness about the deplorable avidity with which certain creatures, who consider themselves serious, use anything that may serve their animosity. Spiritism is very much accredited today and should fear nothing from the buffooneries; it is not more disgraced by the charlatans than the medical science is by the witch doctors of the streets; it finds everywhere – but notably among the enlightened people – zealous and innumerous defenders who know how to face mockery. Far from harming it, the Lyon case only serves its propagation, attracting the attention of the indecisive to the reality. Who knows it was not even provoked by a superior power with that objective? Who can brag about probing Providence’s wishes?
As for the systematic adversaries, they can laugh but not slander. A few years more and we will see who will have the final word. If it is logical to doubt about something unknown, it is always imprudent to falsely manifest against the new ideas that, sooner or later, may oppose a humiliating denial to our perspicacity. History is there to prove it. Those, in their pride, who show disdain to the adepts of the Spiritist Doctrine, would they be as superior as they judge themselves? These spirits that they try to ridicule recommend the good and forbid the evil, even against the enemies; they tell us that we lower ourselves by desiring the evil. Who is then the most elevated: the one who tries to do the evil thing or the one who has neither hatred nor resentment in their heart?
Not long ago Mr. Home returned to Paris but he will soon leave to Scotland and from there to St. Petersburg.
It is useless to say that Mr. Lambert Laroche left Lyon with his head up. He will certainly go to other places looking for fools to easily deceive. I wish to say one word still to express our sadness about the deplorable avidity with which certain creatures, who consider themselves serious, use anything that may serve their animosity. Spiritism is very much accredited today and should fear nothing from the buffooneries; it is not more disgraced by the charlatans than the medical science is by the witch doctors of the streets; it finds everywhere – but notably among the enlightened people – zealous and innumerous defenders who know how to face mockery. Far from harming it, the Lyon case only serves its propagation, attracting the attention of the indecisive to the reality. Who knows it was not even provoked by a superior power with that objective? Who can brag about probing Providence’s wishes?
As for the systematic adversaries, they can laugh but not slander. A few years more and we will see who will have the final word. If it is logical to doubt about something unknown, it is always imprudent to falsely manifest against the new ideas that, sooner or later, may oppose a humiliating denial to our perspicacity. History is there to prove it. Those, in their pride, who show disdain to the adepts of the Spiritist Doctrine, would they be as superior as they judge themselves? These spirits that they try to ridicule recommend the good and forbid the evil, even against the enemies; they tell us that we lower ourselves by desiring the evil. Who is then the most elevated: the one who tries to do the evil thing or the one who has neither hatred nor resentment in their heart?
Not long ago Mr. Home returned to Paris but he will soon leave to Scotland and from there to St. Petersburg.
***
The newspaper L’Independant de la Charente-Inférieure reported, last March, the following fact
that would have taken place in the Civil Hospital of the Saints. **
The most marvelous stories have been told in this town, for eight days, everyone talking about the singular noises that are heard, sometimes imitating a trotting horse, sometimes the walks of a dog or a cat. Bottles placed on top of the fireplace are moved to another place in the room. On a given morning pieces of ragged cloth were found contorted and full of knots, impossible to untie. A piece of paper was once left on top of the fireplace where one could read: “What do you want? What are you asking for?” Next morning there was an answer, written with unknown, indecipherable characters. Matches left on the table would disappear as with magic.
Finally, every object changes place and spreads about all corners of the room. Such sortileges only happen in the obscurity of the night. Once the light is on, it is all silence; once the light is off the noises restart immediately. It is a spirit who is friendly with the darkness. Several people, among them some clergy and retired military, lied down in that bewitched room, unable to explain or discover the origin of the sounds.
A hospital employee, a suspect of being the author of those jokes, has just been fired. Some say, however, that he not only was not the culprit but, on the contrary, was also many times the victim of those phenomena.
It seems that this story has started more than a month ago. For a long time nothing was said as everyone was suspicious of their own senses, afraid of being ridiculed. The comments appeared only a few days later.
OBSERVATION: We have not had time yet to verify the authenticity of the facts shown above. We publish them with the due reservations. Notice, however, that if they are invented, they are not less possible and have nothing of more extraordinary than many others of the same type that were duly attested.
____________________________
The most marvelous stories have been told in this town, for eight days, everyone talking about the singular noises that are heard, sometimes imitating a trotting horse, sometimes the walks of a dog or a cat. Bottles placed on top of the fireplace are moved to another place in the room. On a given morning pieces of ragged cloth were found contorted and full of knots, impossible to untie. A piece of paper was once left on top of the fireplace where one could read: “What do you want? What are you asking for?” Next morning there was an answer, written with unknown, indecipherable characters. Matches left on the table would disappear as with magic.
Finally, every object changes place and spreads about all corners of the room. Such sortileges only happen in the obscurity of the night. Once the light is on, it is all silence; once the light is off the noises restart immediately. It is a spirit who is friendly with the darkness. Several people, among them some clergy and retired military, lied down in that bewitched room, unable to explain or discover the origin of the sounds.
A hospital employee, a suspect of being the author of those jokes, has just been fired. Some say, however, that he not only was not the culprit but, on the contrary, was also many times the victim of those phenomena.
It seems that this story has started more than a month ago. For a long time nothing was said as everyone was suspicious of their own senses, afraid of being ridiculed. The comments appeared only a few days later.
OBSERVATION: We have not had time yet to verify the authenticity of the facts shown above. We publish them with the due reservations. Notice, however, that if they are invented, they are not less possible and have nothing of more extraordinary than many others of the same type that were duly attested.
____________________________
* The original text in French: “Vous m’avez soumis diversse extre de vos correspondance de Paris,
desquellesil résulterez que un M. Home qui donne des séancedans quelque salon de la capítalle se trauve en
ce moment en Itali etne peut par conséquent se trauvair à Lyon. Monsieur gignore 1.o la cannaissance de ce
M. Home, 2.o je nessait quellais son talent 3.o je nais jamais rien nue de commun àveque ce M. Home, 4o jait
tavaillez et tavaille sout mon nom de gaire qui est Hume et dont je vous justi par les article de journaux
étrangers et français que je vous est soumis 5o je voyage à vecque deux sugais mon genre d’experriance
consiste en spiritualisme au évocation vision, et en un mot reproduction des idais du spectateur par un sugais,
ma cepécialité est d’opere par c’est procedere sur les personnes étrangere comme on la pue le voir dans les
journaux je vien despagne et d’afrique. Seci M. le rédacteur vous démontre que je n’ais poin voulu prendre le
nom de ce prétendu Home que vous dites en réputation, le min est sufisant connu par sagrande notoriété et
par les expérience que je produi. Agreez M. le redacteur mes salutation empressait”.
**
“The independent of the inferior Clarent”, title of a newspaper taken from the name of one of the French
Departments, by the Garonne river banks. This river crosses the Angouleme region.
Parisian Society of Spiritist StudiesFounded in Paris, April 1st, 1858
And authorized by the order of the Mayor of Police, on the advice of S. Exc. the Minister of the
Interior and Public Safety, dated April 13th, 1858
The universal reach, so as to say, which is daily achieved by the spiritist beliefs, was vividly missing the creation of a center for regular observations. Such blank has just been filled out. The Society, whose formation we have the pleasure to announce, exclusively formed by serious persons, free from prevention and animated by the sincere desire of enlightenment, has counted, among its associates and since the beginning, on eminent men by their knowledge and social positions. We are certain that the society is called upon to realize countless services towards the authentication of truth. Its organic law ensures a homogeneity without which there will be no possible vitality. It is based on the experiences of men and things and on the knowledge of the necessary conditions to the observations that are the object of its investigations. On coming to Paris, the foreigners who are interested in the Spiritist Doctrine will then find a center where they can visit to obtain information and where they will also be able to report their observations.*
* For information relatively to the Society send to Mr. Allan Kardec, rue Sainte-Anne, 59 from 3 to 5 pm; or to Mr. Ledoyen, book seller, Galery d’Orleans, 31, Palais-Royal.
The universal reach, so as to say, which is daily achieved by the spiritist beliefs, was vividly missing the creation of a center for regular observations. Such blank has just been filled out. The Society, whose formation we have the pleasure to announce, exclusively formed by serious persons, free from prevention and animated by the sincere desire of enlightenment, has counted, among its associates and since the beginning, on eminent men by their knowledge and social positions. We are certain that the society is called upon to realize countless services towards the authentication of truth. Its organic law ensures a homogeneity without which there will be no possible vitality. It is based on the experiences of men and things and on the knowledge of the necessary conditions to the observations that are the object of its investigations. On coming to Paris, the foreigners who are interested in the Spiritist Doctrine will then find a center where they can visit to obtain information and where they will also be able to report their observations.*
* For information relatively to the Society send to Mr. Allan Kardec, rue Sainte-Anne, 59 from 3 to 5 pm; or to Mr. Ledoyen, book seller, Galery d’Orleans, 31, Palais-Royal.