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The Spiritist Review - JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES - 1861 > December
December
NoticeThe subscribers who do not want to experience any delay in the delivery
of The Spiritist Review for the year 1862 (5th year) are invited to
renew their subscription before December 31st. Subscribers for the 1862,
can purchase the collection of the four preceding years in one combined
set for 30 francs, instead of 40 francs. Hence, the subscription will entitle
them to have 5 years for the price of 4 with a 20% discount. Individual
years may be purchased for 10 francs each, as in the past. The second edition
of the years 1858, 1859 and 1860 are now sold out. A third edition
has just been printed.
NOTE: The January 1862 issue will contain a very developed article
about the interpretation of the doctrine of the rebel and fallen angels, lost
Paradise and about the Origin and moral condition of the human being
on Earth.
New Books by Mr. Allan Kardec
To be published soon
Spiritism in its Simplest Expression – brochure destined to popularize the
main elements of the Spiritist Doctrine. It will be sold for 25 cents.
Refutation of Criticism against Spiritism, from the point of view of
Materialism, Science and Religion. The latter will contain all necessary
developments. It will contain a response to Father Marouzeau’s brochure.
Several other works and one with a volume more or less similar to that
of The Spirits’ Book will be published during 1862.
Organization of Spiritism
1. Up until now the spiritists have been spreading all over the
world and that is not one of the least characteristic marks of the
Doctrine. Like a seed carried by the wind it has taken root in all
corners of the globe, an evident demonstration that its propagation
is not the result of a clique or a local and personal influence.
Isolated in the beginning, the followers are now surprised by their
large numbers and since the similarity of ideas inspire the desire
for gathering, and they seek to meet and to found societies. Thus,
everywhere we are being asked to provide instructions in this regard,
manifesting within us the desire to unite the central Society
of Paris. It is now time for us to get involved with what we can
call organization of Spiritism. The Mediums’ Book (2nd Edition)
contains important observations about the subject that we refer
to those interested, asking them to give careful thought to that.
Experience daily confirms its application that we will recollect
here, adding more circumstantial instructions.
2. Let us begin by talking about the followers still amidst a hostile
population or ignorant of the new ideas. We receive letters of individuals
in that situation every day, asking what they can do in
the absence of mediums and comrades in Spiritism. They are in
the same situation as the initiators of a large number of centers
only a year ago. The number of followers multiplied gradually and there are cities where they were counted on single isolated
units but today they count on hundreds and thousands. The same
will soon happen everywhere. It is a matter of patience. As for
what they have to do that is very simple. In principle they can
work on their own and get absorbed into the study and meditation
of the special books of the Doctrine. The more they do
an in-depth study the more consoling truths they will find, confirmed
by reason. In their isolation they must feel happy for having
been the first ones to be favored. However, if they only try to
get a kind of personal satisfaction out of the Doctrine it would be
somewhat selfish. They have a beautiful and important mission
to accomplish, given their position: spread the light around them.
The ones who accept such a mission and are not stopped by difficulties
will be largely rewarded by the success and satisfaction of
having done something useful. There is no doubt that they will
find opposition. They will be cause for mockery and sarcasm by
the non-believers and even from those persons interested in combating
the Doctrine, but where would be the merit if there would
not be any obstacle to overtake? Hence, we have nothing to say,
no advice to those who would stop for the fear of what other people
might say. But to those who have the courage to stand up and
sustain their opinion, above the petty human considerations, we
say that what they have to do is to openly speak about Spiritism,
without any concern, as if speaking of something very simple and
natural, not preaching it and particularly not seeking or forcing
conviction or trying to make converts at any price. Spiritism must
not be imposed. People come to Spiritism because it is needed and
because it provides what other philosophies don’t do. It is even
convenient to avoid explanations to stubborn non-believers since
it would be to give them too much importance, leading them to
believe that they are indispensable. The very efforts employed to
attract them is in actual fact, to keep them away and they resist
in their opposition out of selfishness. That is why it is useless
to waste any time with them. When the need knocks at their
door they will come on their own. While waiting, one must leave
them alone, satisfied in their skepticism that frequently, believe
me, weighs more on their shoulders than they would like to transpire,
irrespective of what they say otherwise, because the idea
of nothing after death holds something more terrifying, or more
frightening than death itself. Besides the mockery there will be
those who will ask: What is it? You must then endeavor to satisfy
those, giving them explanations according to the dispositions that
you find. When speaking about Spiritism as a whole, one must
consider the words that are pronounced like seeds thrown in the
air. Many fall on rocks and produce nothing, but if only one seed
has fallen on fertile soil you must feel happy. Cultivate it and be
certain that this plant will be fruitful, producing offshoots. Some
followers have difficulty in responding to certain objections. The
careful study of the books will provide them with the means but
they will certainly benefit in particular from the brochure that
we will publish with that objective under the title: Refutation of
criticism against Spiritism, from the point of view of Materialism,
Science and Religion.
3. Let us now talk about the organization of Spiritism already in
many centers. Of the steady increase in followers demonstrates
the physical impossibility of constituting a single society in a
given city. Besides the number, there are also the distances that
may be an obstacle to many. On the other hand, it is a fact that
meetings with a large number of people are less favorable to good
communications and that the best are obtained in smaller groups.
It is therefore better to increase the number of small groups with
a specific focus. As we said, twenty groups of fifteen to twenty
members will obtain more and do more for the propaganda than
a single society of four hundred members. The groups are formed naturally by affinity of tastes, feelings, habits and social position.
Everyone knows everybody and since these are private meetings
one has the freedom of defining the number of people and select
who should be admitted.
4. In addition the system of multiplication of the groups has the
advantage, as we said on several occasions, to prevent conflicts
and rivalries for supremacy and presidency. Each group is naturally
presided by the head of the house, or by someone that might
have been designated for that purpose. There is not an official
figure or a president, per say, since everything takes place within
the family. The head of the house, as such, has every authority
to maintain good order. With an organized society there is the
need for a special room, administrative staff, budget, in a word, a
complication of inner workings that the ill-will of a few dissidents
with bad intentions could compromise.
5. To these considerations developed at length in The Mediums’
Book, we will add one that is of the essence. Spiritism is not seen
as a good thing for everybody. Before long it will be understood
that we have every interest in fostering a belief that makes people
better and as a guarantor of social order. But until they are convinced
of its positive influence and its moralizing effects upon
the masses, the followers must expect that embarrassments will
arise from it out of pure ignorance with respect to the true objective
of the Doctrine or due to self-serving interests. The followers
will be not only ridiculed but also scorned when the weapons of
ridicule fail. They will be accused of madness, charlatanism, irreligion,
witchery, and everything that incites fanaticism. Accused
of madness! Sublime madness that leads to the belief in God and
in the future of the soul! For those who believe in nothing, it is
really madness to believe in the communication between the dead
and the living, madness that goes around the world and reaches
the most eminent people. Charlatanism! These have a peremptory
answer: altruism, since charlatanism can never be altruistic.
Irreligion! The spiritists who deny the existence of the devil and
only acknowledge God as their Almighty Lord, sovereignly just
and good. Singular witches that would renegade their master and
would act in the name of their enemy! The problem is that the
devil might not be happy with his followers. However, the good
reasons are the least concern of those who want to undermine
discussions. When someone wants to kill a dog it is said that the
dog has rabies. Fortunately what we see is only the last sparks of
the Middle Ages in our century. Since Spiritism comes to swing
the last blow of mercy on them, their attempt of a supreme effort
comes as no surprise. Rest assured, the fight will not be long.
However, we must not become imprudent given the certainty of
victory because carelessness could otherwise compromise or at
least delay success. For the reasons above, the formation of large
societies in certain places might find obstacles whereas the same
would not happen with small groups.
6. Let us add another consideration. The societies as such are prone
to a large number of vicissitudes; a thousand dependent or not
causes beyond their control, may lead to a closure. Suppose that
a given society had gathered every follower of the same town and
that for some circumstance it no longer exists. There you have the
members disperse and disoriented. Now, if instead there are fifty
groups, if some disappear there will always be others and others
will form. These are all hardy perennial plants that will be reborn,
all the same. We must not cultivate a single tree in the field
because lightning may abate it. Have a hundred and the same
lightning will not affect them all, and the smaller they are the
lesser exposed they will be. Hence, it all conspires in favor of the
proposed system; when a given group that is formed somewhere
becomes too big you must do like the bees: swarms that leave the
mother-hive gather other hives and that in turn will form others.
These will be other centers of action, irradiating around their own
circle, more powerful for the propaganda than a single society.
7. The formation of the groups is therefore agreed in principle but
there are still several important issues to be examined. The first
of them is the uniformity of the Doctrine. Such uniformity
could not be better guaranteed by a compact society considering
that dissidents could always easily leave and form groups
aside. Be the society united or fractioned the uniformity will
be the natural consequence of the unity of the adopted foundation.
It will complete in all groups that follow the route traced
by The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book. One contains the
principles of the Philosophy of the Science; the other the rules
of the experimental and practical part. Those books were written
with great clarity to avoid giving rise to different interpretations,
an essential condition to any new doctrine. Up until now
these books have served as regulators to the immense majority
of spiritists and are welcomed everywhere with unequivocal
sympathy. Those who tried to stay away from them had to
acknowledge by their isolation and decreasing number of partisans,
that the general opinion is not on their side. Such consent
given by the majority has great value. It is a judgment that cannot
be accused of personal influence since it is spontaneous and
declared by thousands of people that are completely unknown.
A proof of that general consent is that we were asked to translate
it to several languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, German,
Italian, Polish, Russian and even Tatar. Without presumption
we can then recommend its study and practice in the several
spiritist meetings and with even more reason as they are the only
ones where the Science is up until now treated comprehensively.
Every other one that has been published about the subject has
only touched on a few isolated points. As a matter of fact, we
do not have the pretension of imposing our ideas. We just say
that because it is our right. Those who find them convenient
should then adopt them. The others have the right to reject
them. Hence, the instructions we give are naturally for those
who walk with us; for those who honor us with the title of their
spiritist leader and in no way do we wish to regulate those who
intend to follow another avenue. We deliver the Doctrine that
we profess to the general appreciation. We have in fact found
many adherents that give us confidence and reassurance before
some isolated dissidences. In reality, the future will be the final
judge. The susceptibilities of a offended egos, the ambition and
frustrations for material hopes will disappear in everyone, by
the force of things. No longer considering people, you will only
see the doctrine and the judgment will be impartial. What are
the new ideas that did not have self-serving contradictors when
they came up? Who are the propagators of those ideas that were
not targeted by the attacks of envy, particularly if crowned by
success? Let us now return to our subject.
8. The second point is the formation of the groups. One of the first
conditions is homogeneity without which there could not be a
communion of thoughts. A meeting cannot be stable or serious if
there isn’t sympathy among those who compose it and sympathy
cannot exist among people who have divergent ideas and that
have a hidden or even open opposition. Having said that, it is
far from us the idea that the discussion must be stifled because,
much on the contrary, we recommend a scrupulous examination
of every communication and all phenomena. It must be well
understood that each person can and must issue their opinion
but there are persons who discuss to impose their ideas and not
to clarify. We stand against the spirit of systematic opposition;
against preconceived ideas that don’t yield even before the evidence.
Such persons are incontestably a cause of disruption that
must be avoided. The spiritist meetings, in this respect, are in
exceptional condition; what they require above all is reverence.
Well, how can one show reverence if there is always a distraction
produced by an acrimonious controversy? If there is a bitter
feeling among the attendees and when one feels surrounded by people that are knowingly hostile and in whose faces one can read
sarcasm and disdain regarding everything that is not in agreement
with their opinion?
9. In The Mediums’ Book (#28) we described the character of the
main varieties of spiritists; since that description is important for
the current discussion we will repeat them here. The first line
contains those who only believe in the manifestations. For those,
Spiritism is just a Science of observation; a series of more or less
curious facts; Philosophy and morality are accessories to which
they don’t give much attention and whose reach does not concern
them. We call them experimental spiritists. Then come those
who see something beyond facts in Spiritism. They understand
its Philosophical reach; admire the consequent morals but do not
practice it; are ecstatic before the beauty of some communications,
as when they hear an eloquent sermon but from which they take
no advantage. The influence upon their character is null or insignificant.
They don’t change their habits and are never deprived of
any pleasure: the miser is always stingy, the proud always full of
themselves and the envious and jealous always hostile. Christian
charity to them is just a nice maxim and the assets of this world
prevail against the future world in their appreciation. These are
the imperfect spiritists. Side by side with them there are others in
larger numbers than one may think and that don’t limit themselves
to the admiration of the spiritist moral, but that practice it
and accept it in all its consequences. Convinced that the Earthly
experience is a transient trial they endeavor to take advantage of
these brief moments to advance on the path of progress, striving
to do good and suppress their bad inclinations. Their relationships
are always safe because conviction repels any bad thoughts.
Charity is always their rule of conduct. These are the true spiritists
or the Christian spiritists.
10. If the preceding is well understood then it is clear that a group
formed by elements exclusively from this last class would be in
the best conditions because it is only among those who practice
the law of love and charity that it is possible to establish a serious
fraternal connection. Unions would not be long-lasting among
people to whom moral is a mere theory, since those do not impose
any impediment to their pride, ambition, vanity and selfishness,
they do not impose more advantage to their words either; they
will want to be the first when they should diminish themselves;
will get irritated with contradictions and will not have scruples
to sow disagreement and discord. Among the true spiritists, on
the contrary, there is a feeling of mutual trust and benevolence.
One can relax in such a sympathetic environment whereas there
is stress and anxiety in a mixed environment.
11. All this is in the nature of things and there is no invention here.
Does it follow that one must require perfection in the formation
of the groups? It would be simply absurd, since it would be the
same as demanding the impossible and then nobody would be
able to take part in them. Spiritism aims at the betterment of
humanity, thus it did not come to look for perfection but for
those who strive to become better by practicing the teaching of
the spirits. The true spiritist is not the one that has achieved the
objective but the one who seriously want to achieve it. Whatever
your antecedents may be, you will be a good spiritist just by acknowledging
your imperfections and by being sincere and perseverant
in the purpose of amending yourself. Spiritism is a true
regeneration because it breaks the links with one’s past. One is
indulgent with others as, one would like others to be, and not a
single malevolent or bitter word leaves one’s mouth against anyone.
Someone that behaved in a rude way in one meeting would
be demonstrating not only lack of courtesy and civility but also
lack of charity. Someone shocked by contradiction and who tried
to impose his or her personality or ideas would give demonstrations
of pride. Well, neither one nor the other would be on the
true path of Spiritism, that is, Christian Spiritism. Anybody that believes to have a fairer opinion than another must have it accepted
through gentleness and persuasion; bitterness on one’s part
would be very wrong.
12. Hence simple logic demonstrates to anyone who knows the laws
of Spiritism what are the best elements for the composition of really
serious groups and we do not hesitate to say that these are the
ones that have the greatest influence on the propagation of the
Doctrine. By the esteem with which they control and by the example
they give of its moral consequences they prove its seriousness
and impose silence in mockery, which, when it attacks the
good, is more than ridiculous, it is hateful.. In any case, what do
you expect that an incredulous critic would think when observing
experiments whose attendees are the first ones to consider it a
game? He leaves it more incredulous than when he came in.
13. We have just indicated the best composition of groups; but perfection
is not more likely in groups than in individuals; we indicated
the objective and said that the more you approach it, the
better the results will be. It can eventually be dominated by circumstances
but one must focus every attention onto avoiding the
hurdles. Unfortunately, when a group is created, one is not very
strict in the choices because before anything else one wants to
form the center; in order to be admitted in general one just need
a simple desire or some sort of sympathy to the general ideas of
Spiritism. Later it is observed that such adhesion was too easy.
14. In a group there is always the stable element and the floating element.
The first is composed of hard-working people that form
the base; the second element is composed of those who are admitted
temporarily and accidentally. It is to the composition of
the stable element that one must pay careful attention and in
this case one must not hesitate in sacrificing quantity in favor of
quality since this is the element of impulse and regulation. The
floating element is less important because there is the freedom
of modifying it at will. One must not lose sight of the fact that
the spiritist meetings, like all other meetings in general, have the
source of their vitality in their foundations. With that respect, it
all depends on the starting point. The one who wishes to organize
a group in good conditions must, before anything, ensure that
one counts on the support of some sincere followers who take
the Doctrine seriously and are known for their conciliatory and
benevolent character. Once such a core is formed, even with three
or four people only, the rules will be established for both admission
and the realization of the session rules that must be observed
by the newcomers. These rules may be modified according to the
circumstances but there are some that are essential.
15. Since the unity of principles is one of the fundamental points it
cannot exist in those who did not study and thus cannot have
a formed opinion. The first condition to be imposed is serious
study, to avoid frequent distractions by objections and useless
questions. The second is a categorical declaration of faith and
adhesion to the doctrine of The Spirits’ Book and other special
conditions that may be considered appropriate. This with respect
to the permanent and senior members; to the observers that generally
come to acquire a little bit more of knowledge and conviction
it can be less rigorous; however since there are those who
could cause disturbance with observations that are uncalled for, it
is important to be assured of their dispositions. Before anything
else, it is necessary to keep curious people away and anybody else
that may be attracted by frivolous motives.
16. The order and regularity of the works are equally essential. We
consider eminently useful to open each session by reading some
passages of The Mediums’ Book and The Spirits’ Book. This ensures
that the principles of the Science and the means of avoiding
the hurdles often found in the practice are always fresh in everyone’s
memory. Thus, attention will be concentrated on many
points that may escape a private reading and may give rise to
instructive comments and discussions that may also count on the participation of the spirits. It is just as important to archive every
received communication according to the date with clear indication
of the medium that served as the intermediary. The latter
reference is useful for the study of the type of mediumship of each
one. It often happens that we lose sight of these communications,
which then become obsolete. This discourage the spirits who gave
them aiming at the instruction of the attendees. It is then essential
that the most instructive communications are collected and
read from time to time. It is common that such communications
are of general interest and not given by the spirits for the instruction
of a few and to be left in archives. Therefore it is useful that
they are taken to everybody through publicity. This subject will
be examined in an article in the next issue, indicating the simplest
mode, the most economical and at the same time the most
adequate to achieve the objective.
17. As you can see, our instructions are exclusively addressed to the
groups formed by serious and homogeneous elements; to those
who want to follow the route of moral Spiritism, aiming at everyone’s
progress, the essential and sole objective of the Doctrine;
finally, to those who want to accept our guidance and to take
into account the advice of our experience. It is incontestable that
a group formed according to the indicated conditions will operate
with regularity, without barriers and in an efficient way. What
can be done by a group can also be done by others. Let us then
suppose a given number of groups in a given town all formed
based on the same foundation; there will necessarily be unity of
principles since they hold the same flag; there will be a sympathetic
union for their maxim is love and charity; they are, in a
word, members of the same family among whom there could be
no rivalry of ego since all are driven by the same feelings towards
good.
18. However, it would be useful to have among them a point of connection,
a center of action. According to the circumstances and
places, the several groups leaving aside personal issues could designate
for that a center that for its position and relative importance
would be the most capable to give Spiritism a healthy impulse.
According to the case and if necessary to avoid susceptibilities a
central group, formed by delegates of all others, would take the
name of director group. Given our impossibility to correspond
with all of them, we would keep a more direct communication
with that center. We could also and in certain cases designate a
person to more specifically represent us. Without prejudice to the
relationships that will forcibly establish among the groups of the
same city that walk identical paths, an annual general assembly
could gather the spiritists of the several groups in a familiar party
that would be simultaneously the celebration of Spiritism. In such
occasion there would be speeches given and the most remarkable
communications would be read or those more appropriate to the
occasion. What is possible among the groups of a given city is also
possible among the groups of several cities as long as there is communion
of principles and feelings among them, that is, as long as
they can maintain reciprocal relationships. We will indicate the
means to reach that when we talk about means of publicity.
19. All this, as we said, is of simple execution and without complicated
engines but it all depends on the starting point, that is, of
the composition of the primitive groups. If they are formed by
good elements there will be so many other good roots that they
will give provide fruits to. If, on the contrary, they are formed by
heterogeneous and antipathetic elements; by doubtful spiritists,
more concerned with the form than the substance, who consider
the moral part as accessory and secondary, then one should expect
irritating controversies and a deadlock; personal pretensions;
shocks of susceptibility and consequently conflicts that anticipate
disorganization. Among the true spiritists as defined above,
who see the essential objective of Spiritism in its moral, which
is the same to all, there will always be sacrifice of personality, condescendence and benevolence, and consequently security and
stability in the relationships. That is why we have insisted so
much on the fundamental qualities.
20. Some may say that these severe restrictions constitute an obstacle
to the propagation; that it is a mistake. Don’t believe that by
opening the door to the first that shows up you are going to make
miracles. Experience is there to demonstrate otherwise. You will
face a swarm of curious and indifferent people that will come to
the group as if to a spectacle. Now, the curious and indifferent are
an obstacle and not a support. As for the systematic or proud unbelievers
regardless of how much you show them, they will only
see reason for ridicule because they will not understand and don’t
want to make the effort to understand. We have already said this,
and once again I repeat, that the true propagation, the one that is
really useful and fruitful, that one is done by the moral ascendant
of the serious meetings. Had everyone only known gatherings
of this kind; there would be even more serious spiritists, since it
must be said that many were deviated from the Doctrine because
they only attended futile sessions, without order and seriousness.
Thus, be serious in the true meaning of the word and serious people
will come to you. These are the best propagators because they
speak out of conviction and preach by both word and example.
21. Given the eminently serious character of the meetings it should
not be inferred that one must systematically ban the physical
manifestations. As we said in The Mediums’ Book (#326), these are
of incontestable utility from the point of view of the study of the
phenomena and for the conviction of certain people. Nevertheless,
in order to take advantage of these two aspects, one must exclude
every frivolous thought. A session that counts on a good medium
of physical effects and that would be involved with manifestations
of that kind with order, method and seriousness, whose moral
condition offers every guarantee against charlatanism and fraud
not only can obtain remarkable things from the point of view of
the phenomena, but can also do an abundant good. Hence, we
advise you not to neglect this kind of experience as long as there
are adequate mediums and that special sessions are organized
with that objective, independent of those dedicated to philosophical
and moral communications. The powerful mediums of that
category are rare but there are phenomena that although more
vulgar are not less interesting and concluding because they demonstrate
with evidence the independence of the medium. Among
those, there are the communications of alphabetical typtology
that sometimes give the most unexpected results. The theory of
these phenomena is necessary so that their mode of operation may
be understood since it rarely leads those who don’t understand
them to a profound conviction. It also has the advantage of clarifying
the normal conditions in which these phenomena may occur,
and consequently, avoiding useless attempts thus uncovering
fraud whenever it is the case. It is a mistake to believe that we are
systematically against physical manifestations. We recommend
and will always encourage the intelligent communications and
in particular those that have a moral and philosophical reach because
those are the ones which tend to the essential and definitive
objective of Spiritism. As for the others, we have never contested
their utility but we stand against their deplorable abuse or the
possible abuse it can be made; against the exploitation by charlatanism;
against the bad conditions in which they are frequently
carried out thus entailing ridicule. We have said and repeat, that
the physical manifestations are the beginning of a science and
that nobody advances by only remaining with their a-b-c’s; that if
Spiritism was not born out of the turning tables it would not grow
as it did, and that today perhaps nobody would speak about it.
That is the reason why we strive to make it enter the philosophical
avenue, certain that by addressing more the intelligence than
the eyes, it would touch the heart and no longer be a transient
trend. That is the only way through which it could go around the world and enroot as a doctrine. The result has by far surpassed
our expectation. We only give the physical manifestations a relative
importance rather than absolute. That is our mistake to the
eyes of some people that exclusively dedicate to that and cannot
see anything beyond. If we are not personally involved with them,
it is because they would not teach us anything new and because
we have more essential things to do. Far from criticizing those
involved with that, on the contrary, we encourage them as long
as they do it in beneficial conditions. Every time that we learn
about such kind of trustworthy meetings we will be the first to
recommend them to the attention of new followers. That is our
categorical declaration of faith about this issue.
22. In the beginning we said that several spiritist groups requested to
unite with the Parisian Society. They even used the word affiliation;
an explanation is needed with that respect. The Parisian
Society was the first to be formed regular and legally. For its position
and the nature of its works, it had great participation in the
development of Spiritism, and in our opinion, it justifies the title
Initiating Society that was given by certain spirits. Its moral influence
was felt far away and although numerically restricted there
is an awareness that it did more for the propagation than if it had
open its doors to the general public. It was formed with the only
objective of studying the Spiritist Science in-depth. For that it did
not need to gather in a large auditorium or with a large number
of members since it knows that the true propaganda takes place
through the influence of the principles. Since it is not moved by
any material interest an excessive number of participants would
be more damaging than useful. Thus it will gladly see multiplying
around it private groups formed in good conditions and with
whom it could establish fraternal relationships. It would not be
consistent with its principles and would not be up to its mission
if it could conceive a shadow of envy; anyone who considers the
Society capable of that, doesn’t know it. These observations are
sufficient to show that the Parisian Society could not have the
pretension of absorbing other societies that could be formed in
Paris or elsewhere and keeping the same customary procedures.
In that case the word affiliation would not be improper since it
would suppose a kind of material supremacy, something that is
not absolutely aspired by the Society and that would even have inconveniences.
As an initiating and central Society it can establish
purely scientific relationships with the other groups or societies
but its role stops there. It does not exert any control upon those
societies who have no dependency and are entirely free to form as
they wish without the need to report back anything to anybody
and without any intrusion of the Parisian Society in any kind
of business of the others. Thus, the foreign societies may form
on the same basis; declare that they abide by the same principles
and without any other relationship other than the concentration
of studies and advice that can be asked and that the Parisian
Society will give with pleasure. On the other hand, the Parisian
Society does not boast of being immune to the vicissitudes more
than the others. If, say, it had them under control and for any
reason it disappeared, then the lack of a supporting point would
result in disruption. The groups or societies must seek a supporting
point more solid than a human institution that is necessarily
fragile. They must acquire their resilience on the principles of the
Doctrine that is the same to all and one that outlives all of them
irrespective of having those principles represented by a formed
society.
23. The role of the Parisian Society was clearly defined in order to
avoid any misunderstanding or false interpretation; the relations
it establishes with foreign societies become extremely simplified,
limited to moral, scientific and exchanges of mutual benevolence,
without any hierarchy. They will exchange the results of their
observations through publications and correspondence. In order
that the Parisian Society may establish these relationships, it is necessary that it receives accurate information from the foreign
societies that are supposedly marching on the same route and
holding the same flag. They will then be included in the list of
correspondents. In the case where there are several groups in one
town, a central group as discussed above in paragraph 18 will
represent them.
24. We will now indicate a few works with which the several societies
may collaborate in a useful way; later we will indicate others.
We know that the spirits, not having any sovereign science,
can see certain principles from their personal point of view and
consequently not be always in agreement. The best criterion of
truth is naturally the agreement of the lessons in several points
by different spirits and through mediums that do not know one
another. That is how The Spirits’ Book was composed. However
there are still many important questions that can be resolved in
that way and whose solution will have more authority the more
it is obtained in its large majority. Hence, the Parisian Society
may occasionally address questions of this kind to every corresponding
group that will then request the position of their spiritual
guides through their mediums. Another task is related to the
bibliographic search. There is a large number of old and modern
books where we can find more or less direct testimonials of the
spiritist ideas. A collection of those testimonials would be a very
precious work but this is almost impossible to be carried out by a
single person. Nonetheless it becomes easier if each group is prepared
to gather a few elements out of their readings and studies,
and transmit them to the Parisian Society that will coordinate
the work.
25. In the current situation this is the only possible organization of
Spiritism. Later the circumstances may change but one must not
do anything that is untimely. It is already a lot in the short time
where followers have multiplied enough, leading to this result.
There is in this undertaking a horizon that can extend to infinity
given the simplicity of the organization. Therefore let us not complicate
it for being afraid that we will find obstacles. Those who
are kind to demonstrate some trust may be assured that we will
not leave you behind and that everything will come at the appropriate
time. It is only to those that we address our instructions, as
I said, without the pretension of imposing ourselves to those who
don’t walk with us. In order to denigrate our work they said that
we want to make a school out of Spiritism. Well, why wouldn’t
we have that right? Didn’t Mr. de Mirville try to form a devilish
school? Why would we be forced to follow the steps of this or
that? Don’t we have the right of opinion, the right to formulate,
publish and proclaim it? If that idea finds so many followers, apparently
they don’t consider it lacking common sense. But that
is our mistake in the eyes of certain people who don’t forgive us
for having arrived faster than they did and even more so, for our
triumph. Be it a school then if they wish so. For us it will be a
real honor to write on its façade: School of moral, philosophical and
Christian Spiritism. All those who hold the flag love and charity
are invited. Everyone who holds that flag has our deepest sympathies
and will never lack our support.
Allan Kardec
Obituary Mr. Jobard’s death in Brussels
Spiritism has just lost one of its most fervent and enlightened supporters.
Mr. Jobard, Director of the Royal Museum of Industry in
Brussels, officer of the Legion of Honor, member of the Academy of Dijon
and the Promotional Society of Paris, died in Brussels from a stroke on
October 27th, 1861 at the age of 69 years old. He was born in Baissey,
Haute-Marne, on May 14th, 1792. He had worked successively as a land
Surveyor and was also the founder of the first lithographic company in
Belgium; Director of the Industrial and of the Courrier Belge; Editor of the
Bulletin de I’Industrie Belge, Editor of the Presse and lately of the Progrès
International. He was awarded with the title of Honorary President of the
Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies. Here is what was published in the
Siècle:
“Original, prolific spirit, unhesitatingly responsive to paradox and
the system, Mr. Jobard delivered genuine services to industrial technology
and the long abandoned cause of Intellectual Property of
which he was a stubborn and perhaps excessive defender. His theories
about the subject were formulated in a term he called “Maunotopole” based on his book published in 1844. We owe to this tireless lithographer,
several writings and brochures about all sorts of subjects from
oriental psychics to the utility of fools in the social order. He has left
as well, some pungent tables and fables. Among his many inventions
was the ingenious lamp, which was shown at the Universal Expo of
Paris in 1855.”
As far as we know not a single paper spoke about the most remarkable
characteristic of his late years: his total adhesion to the Spiritist
Doctrine, whose cause he had embraced enthusiastically for it is painful
to the adversaries of Spiritism to admit that men of genius adopt these
new ideas, men that cannot be called mad without raising doubts about
the sanity of the accuser. This is in fact one of the most embarrassing
points to them and for which they have never been able to give a satisfactory
explanation, that is the fact that the propagation of these ideas
have been initiated in the most enlightened class of society. Therefore
they hide behind the banal axiom saying that the genius is a cousinbrother
of madness. Some even affirm, in good faith and without a
smile, that Socrates, Plato and all the wise philosophers that professed
similar ideas were nothing but crazy people, particularly Socrates with
his familiar demon.
Now, is it possible to be a person of common sense and still believe
that there is a genius at his service? Then, Mr. Jobard could not find
mercy before this learned assembly that looms as the supreme judge of
reason and of which it intends to be the ideal model.
We were told that they ignored this phase of his spirit to spare Mr.
Jobard’s reputation and as a sign of respect for his memory. Obstinacy
with false ideas has never been a sign of common sense. Besides, it shows
narrow-mindedness when related to pride, and this is more common.
Mr. Jobard demonstrated that he was simultaneously a man of common
sense and spirit when he renounced and without hesitation his first theories
about Spiritism as soon as it was demonstrated to him that he was
mistaken.
Everybody knows that in the early days and before experience had
clarified the issue, there were several systems and that each one explained
the new phenomena in their own way. Mr. Jobard was a supporter
of the collective soul system. According to that system “only the
soul of the medium manifests but it identifies with several other living
creatures, present or absent, so that if forms a collective whole, gathering
aptitudes, intelligence and knowledge of each one.” From all systems created
at that time how many still stand today? We don’t know if this
one still has followers but what we know for a fact is that Mr. Jobard
advocated and amplified it, was one of the first to abandon it when
The Spirits’ Book appeared, to a Doctrine that he openly embraced as
demonstrated by his several letters published by us. In particular the
doctrine of reincarnation which struck him like a beam of light. One
day he said: “If I were so much entangled in the maze of the philosophical
systems the reason is that I lacked a compass. All I found were dead-end
paths that led me nowhere. None took me to a concluding solution of the
most important problems. I racked my brain; I felt I was missing a key to
get to the truth. Well then! That key is reincarnation, it explains everything
in a logical way, according to God’s justice and for that we say naturally:
Yes, it must be so.”
After his death Mr. Jobard neglected certain scientific theories that
he sustained in his life. In our next issue we will talk about it, where we
will then publish some conversations that we had with him. We will say,
in the meantime, that he was very quickly disengaged from his body and
that his disorientation lasted a very short time. Like every spiritist that
preceded him, he confirms every point that was brought to us from the
spiritual world where he is now much better than on Earth but from
where he nonetheless leaves behind sincere sorrow in all those that were
able to admire his eminent knowledge, benevolence and affability. He
was not one of those jealous scholars who stood in the way of newcomers
whose merit they overshadow. On the contrary, all of those are to whom
he reached out to and opened the way would have been sufficient enough
to form a beautiful procession. In summary, Mr. Jobard was a man of progress, tireless worker and supporter of every grand idea, generous and
capable of advancing humanity. If his loss is regrettable to Spiritism it is
no less to the Arts and Industry that will have his name inscribed in their
archives.
Act of Faith of Barcelona
(See the November 1861 issue)
The Spanish newspapers were not as moderate in their assessment as
were the French newspapers about this event. Whatever the opinion
that one may have about the spiritist ideas, there is something so strange
in these events considering the time we live in, that they entice more pity
than rage against people that seem to have slept for centuries and suddenly
woke up with no awareness of how far humanity has already come,
believing it to still be at the starting point. Here is another excerpt from
an article published by the Las Novedades, one of the largest newspapers
in Madrid:
“The act of faith that was carried out a few months ago in A Coruña
where a large number of books were burned at the doorsteps of a
church had left in our spirits and in the spirits of all of those persons
of liberal ideas a very sad impression. Yet, the news of a second act of
faith celebrated in Barcelona was received with even greater indignation
by us and all over Spain, an act of faith carried out in that civilized
capital of Catalonia, amidst an essentially liberal population
that knowingly has great qualities, to whom no doubt this barbaric
insult was addressed.”
After reporting the facts from the Barcelona paper, it continues:
“This is the revolting spectacle authorized by the men of the Liberal
Union, right here in the XIX century: a bonfire in A Coruña and
another in Barcelona, and many others that will still come in other
places. That is what should happen since it is consequence of the situation
of the minds that currently dominate things and interfere in
everything. Reaction inside regarding the bills of law that were proposed;
reaction abroad support the reactionaries governments of Italy,
before and after its fall, combating the liberal ideas in all occasions,
seeking support to reaction all over the place and obtained to the price
of inept concessions.”
It is then followed by lengthy considerations about the symptoms and
consequences of such act but that due to its essentially political character
don’t belong to the scope of our journal.
The Diário de Barcelona, an ultramontane journal, was the first to announce
the act of faith reporting:
“The titles of the burned books were enough to justify their condemnation.
It is the Church’s right and duty to ensure that its authority
is respected, even more so when the freedom of press is given more
latitude, particularly in countries that enjoy this terrible ulcer of freedom
of religion.”
A Barcelona newspaper, La Corona, then publishes the following thoughts:
“We expected from our colleague (The Diário) who broke the news
that he would be kind enough to satisfy the public’s curiosity, seriously
alarmed by such an act, incredible in our current days, but it was in
vain that we waited for the explanations. Since then we have been
assaulted by questions about that event and to the benefit of truth we
must say that the government’s allies suffer more with this than with
those that make them opposition.”
“With the objective of satisfying the much excited curiosity we
sought the truth and we regret to say that the fact is true and that in
fact the act of faith was celebrated in the following conditions:”
(Following the report given in our last issue)
“The means employed to get to this result could not have been
more expedited or effective. Customs were presented with the above
books and the Commissioner was told that they could not be processed
without the permission of Lord Bishop. Lord Bishop was absent; on
his return he was presented with a copy of each book, and after reading
them or having them read by persons of his trust and according to
the judgment of his conscience, he ordered to have the books to be set
on fire since they were immoral and contrary to the Catholic faith.
An appeal was filed against the sentence and the government asked
to allow the owner to return them to the place of origin considering
that the circulation of such books were prohibited in Spain, but even
that was refused under the allegation that since they were contrary to
the Catholic moral and faith, the government could not consent that
such books would corrupt the moral and religion of other countries.
Despite all that, the owner was forced to pay the legal rights that, as
it seems, should not have been demanded. A large crowd witnessed
the act of faith that does not come as a surprise if taken into account
the place and time of execution and in particular the spectacle.
The effect produced upon the witnesses was that of astonishment to
some, laughter from others and indignation onto the majority, as
they gradually understood what was going on. Words of rage were
pronounced by several, and then the jokes, the mockery and jest of
people who saw with pleasure the blindness of certain men. They are
right about it since they foresee in that reaction the fastest triumph of
their ideas, much deserving of the times of Inquisition. They mocked
so that their ceremony would not increase the prestige of the authority
that so complacently is given to truly ridiculous demands. When the ashes of that new bonfire were cold, it was noticed that some people
who were around or passers-by who heard about it, collected some
ashes as reminders of the act of faith.”
“That is the report of the events that those people cannot stop
talking about among themselves. They are outraged, sorry or even
happy according to their way of seeing things. The honest partisans of
peace, of the principle of authority and religion are afflicted by these
reactive demonstrations because they understand that reactions precede
revolutions and also because they know that whoever sows winds
can only harvest storms. The liberals are annoyed by the fact that
similar spectacles are brought to reality by men who don’t understand
religion without intolerance and that want to impose their religion,
like Mohammed imposed his Koran.”
“Now, abstraction made to the quality of the burned books, let
us examine the fact in itself. Can jurisprudence admit that a diocesan
bishop has the final authority and can prevent the publication and
circulation of a book? People will say that the right of press will control
what must be done in this case. But does such a law determine
that the books, however bad and pernicious they are, must be thrown
on fire to justify a syndicate spectacle? We cannot find in that law
a single article that justifies such act. Besides, the books in question
were declared publically. A Commissary declares the books to Customs
because they could be classified in Article 6 and pass through the diocesan
censorship. The government could have prohibited their circulation
and the matter would have been settled. The priests should
be content in giving their flocks advice as for abstinence of particular
reading if considered contrary to moral and religion but one should
not give them an absolute power that transforms them into judges
and executioners. We abstain from issuing any opinion about the
value of the burned books. What we see is the fact, the tendencies and
the spirit behind it. From now on, which diocese would then abstain
from using and abusing a prerogative that in our opinion the government
itself does not have, if they do that in Barcelona, the liberal
Barcelona? Absolutism is very sagacious. It tries to show authority everywhere.
If successful it dares further. Let us hope, however, that the
struggles of absolutism are useless and that every concession may not
have any other result but to unmask the party that renewing scenes
like those of last Thursday, precipitates even deeper into the abyss onto
which it runs blindfolded. That is what we are led to expect by the
effect produced by the act of faith of Barcelona.”
The Warbler, the Pigeon and the Little Fish
Fable
To Mrs. and Ms. C… from Bordeaux
Love and Charity
(Spiritism)
In the rose bushes bordering the hedge
A warbler had hatched her brood;
All chicks were happily fed;
Misfortune, alas, loomed!
Amidst fires the torments raged
Pouring down the rain
Turning into a vast lake the terrain
The pen already inundated.
Far from the bushes the nest fluctuates
The bird follows its own destiny;
The heart still open to hopes;
The generous star is far away, shiny.
Yet, the water flows.
With the water from the grasslands
The creek receives the floating nest
Which, despite the pitfalls of the water banks
It safely arrives to the riverbed.
A little bank of sand arises,
Sticking out of the river, in the middle;
Helped by a gentle wind, waving a little,
To safe shores our nest browses.
For a moment the warbler feels elated,
With her beak she touches the valuable straw;
Then she feels deeply distraught:
In such a place, what would be her fate?
The chicks the hunger obey,
Should she leave them behind, and fly away?
There on the sand, exposed and abandoned!
They had just been saved
By a good breeze, a friendly wave.
However, if a new surge amazes
Or a dismal gust abrades?
At that moment a large pigeon lands;
“Excuse me”, she says, “my audacious warbler,
My appeal is in your kind hands,
This whole family must be safer.”
Oh! Good pigeon, take back to the calm plains
These little victims of the storm.
Be so kind and my children store
In you vast and generous wings.
It is not so far and your vigorous claws
Have never carried such a light weight.
The pigeon heard and responded straight:
“I deplore your terrible pain,
But I am sorry to say that other concerns claim
My attention, forcing me to fly
But have no worries and try
To follow my good advice:
Trust your luck…
The benefactor sprit
Who saved your life will not be cross
With you, leaving you behind with your loss.”
And happy with herself the pigeon flew away.
Swimming around a little carp heard
Everything, and everything she learned.
“Be reassured, she said, oh desperate mother!
Your pain, I understand well, is bitter
But not everything is lost in your despair,
I have no strength to share
But I hope I can help you ashore.”
And taking a little straw by her mouth,
Plentiful in the nest that had gone south,
She pulled and slid on her way.
The warbler stood, helping with her own sway,
Her wings in the air, the winds blowing,
The uneasy load, the fish pulling,
The nest was balanced, the fear was out,
Avoiding the currents on their route.
The margins near, now safe grounds!
The warbler was charmed to have found
Good bushes, and woods a ton.
The little fish then said: “From now on
Don’t trust the big ones; the appeal of desperation
Only slightly touches the hearts on vacation;
Their skills are advice and condolences.
However, the fraternal assistance
Is only found with the little ones
!
C. Dombre
The Supernatural - By Mr. Guizot
We extracted a remarkable chapter about the supernatural from the
new book ‘L’Église et la Societé Chrétienne’ 1861, by Mr. Guizot. It
is not a speech for or against Spiritism as one might think because it does
not discuss the new Doctrine, but since Spiritism is inseparable from the
supernatural to the eyes of many, being a superstition according to some
and a truth according to others, it is interesting to get to know the opinion
of a man of the caliber of Mr. Guizot about the subject. There are comments
in this work of indisputable accuracy, but we also believe there are
big mistakes given by the point of view or taken by the author. We will
provide an in-depth analysis in our next issue.
“Every attack against Christianity today, irrespective of how diverse they
are in nature and measure, start from the same point and tend to the same
end, that is the negation of the supernatural in human’s destiny and in the
world, and the abolition of the supernatural element from the Christian
religion, as with every religion, in their history and dogmas.”
“Materialists, Pantheists, Rationalists, Skeptical, Critics, Erudite,
some openly others discretely, all think and speak their ideas that the human being and the world, its moral as its physical nature, they are only
governed by general laws, permanent and necessary, whose course has
never been or will never be suspended or modified. I don’t have the intention
of thoroughly discussing this matter here, essential to all religions.
I just want to submit to the declared or occult adversaries of the supernatural
two observations, or more precisely, two facts that in my opinion
resolve the issue.”
“It is about a natural or supernatural faith, about an instinct inherent
to the supernatural that is the basis of every religion. I don’t mean every
religious idea but every positive religion, practical, powerful, lasting and
popular. Everywhere, in all climates, at all times in History, at all levels of
civilization, the human being carries this feeling that I would rather call
presentiment, and that the world which he sees, the order of things, the
facts that are succeeded regularly around him are not everything. In that
vast reality it is in vain that he finds new discoveries and conquers new
things; it is in vain that he wisely attests the permanent laws that preside
over everything. His thoughts are not bounded by this universe of his science.
Such spectacle is not enough to his soul. His soul goes beyond, seeking.
It foresees something else. It aspires for other destinies and another
master to the universe and to itself.”
“Beyond all these heavens the God of heaven resides, said Voltaire, and
the God who is beyond all heavens, is not the personified nature but the
supernatural itself. To him, this is how religions are addressed; they are
based in the objective of putting the human being in connection with
God. Without the instinctive faith of people in the supernatural, without
its spontaneous and invincible impulse towards the supernatural, there
would be no religion.”
“Among all creatures here, the human being is the only one that prays.
Among his natural instincts there isn’t any that is more natural, more universal,
and more invincible than prayer. The child accepts it with a kind
solicitude. The elderly kneel before it as in a refuge for decadence and
isolation. Prayer reaches the young lips just mumbling God’s name and
the lips of the agonizing that no longer have the strength to say it. Among
all people, luminary or obscure, civilized or barbarians, have their formulas
and prescriptions for invocation. Wherever there is man, in certain
circumstances, at certain times, under certain impressions of the soul, the
eyes look above, hands are united, and knees are bent to implore and to
say grace, to worship or appease.”
“With joy or fear, publically or in the intimacy of the heart, the human
being seeks prayer as the last resort to fulfill the emptiness of his soul
or to carry the heavy loads of his fate. It is prayer that he seeks when everything
else fails, when he doesn’t find support in his weakness, consolation
in his sufferings, hope for his virtue.”
“Nobody ignores the moral and innermost value of prayer, irrespectively
of its effectiveness given its objective. The soul is relieved for the
simple fact that it prays, it stands, calms down, finds strength. Returning
to God the soul experiences that feeling of health and rest that spreads all
over the body, changing from a heavy and troubled appearance to a serene
and pure ambience. God comes in support of those who have implored
before and without knowing if he will answer.”
“Will he listen? What is the definitive and exterior efficacy of prayer?
That is the mystery, the impenetrable mystery of God’s designs and actions
upon each one of us. What we do know is that our life, both the internal
and exterior life, it is not up to us to dispose of that according to our
thoughts and wishes. All names that we can give to that part of our destiny
and that does not belong to us: chance, fortune, star, nature, fatality
these are other veils that cover our ignorance. When we use those words
we refuse to see God where God actually is. God is beyond the limited
sphere of the human being’s actions and power, God that reigns and acts.
There is in the natural and universal act of prayer a natural and universal
faith in that free and permanent action of God upon the human being
and his destiny. We are workers together with God, says St. Paul: workers
with God in the works in general for the destiny of humanity and that of
our own destiny, past and future. That is what allows us to see prayer as
the link between the human being and God. But the light stops there for
us. The paths of God are not our paths. We walk them without knowing them. Belief without seeing and prayer without foreseeing are the conditions
imposed on the human being in this world for everything beyond
his own limits. It is in the awareness and acceptance of that supernatural
order that faith and religious life consist.”
“Thus, Mr. Edmund Scherer is right when he doubts that ‘Christian
rationalism is and can ever be a religion’. And why has Mr. Jules Simon,
who bows so respectfully before God, did he title his book: La Religion
Naturelle? He should have called it Philosophie Religieuse.” Philosophy pursues
and reaches some of the great ideas upon which religion is founded.
However, given the nature of its processes and the limits of its domain, it
has never founded and it could not found a religion. Speaking more accurately,
there is no natural religion, as soon as you abolish the supernatural,
religion disappears.”
“Who would dare deny that this instinctive faith in the supernatural
source of religion can be and has also been a source of an unlimited number
of mistakes and superstitions, a source to their tower of infinite pain,
but to dream of denying it? Here, as in everything else, it is in the human
being’s condition that good and evil are incessantly mixed in the human
being’s destiny and in his works, like in himself, however from that incurable
mixture it does not follow that our great destinies have no meaning
and that do nothing but to set as free in our elevations. Having said that,
and whatever our deviations, it is still certain that the supernatural is part
of the natural faith of the human being, being the sine qua non condition
(essential), the true object, the very essence of religion.”
“Here is a second fact that I believe deserves the thorough attention of
the adversaries of the supernatural.”
“It is acknowledged and attested by Science that our globe has not
always been in the condition that it is today; that at several and undetermined
times it suffered great transformations, transformations that altered
its face, the physical cycles, the population; that the human being,
in particular, has not always existed and that he could not have existed
in several of the progressive states through which Earth was submitted.”
“How has he come into being? How and through which power did
humankind begin on Earth?”
“There could only be two explanations for that origin: it was either
the product of nature’s own work and intimate natural forces of matter or
it was the works of a supernatural power, external and superior to matter.
For the appearance of the human being on Earth, it must have been one
of these two possible causes: spontaneous generation or creation.”
“Admitting, and that is something that I cannot admit, the spontaneous
generation, such mode of production could not ever have produced
but children, at the first hour and in the beginning of nascent life. I don’t
believe that anybody has ever said that true the virtue of spontaneous
generation a man and a woman, a couple, could have been produced out
of matter, and with their faculties, stature, strength, etc. such as the Greek
Paganism made Minerva out of Jupiter’s brain.”
“That is the only way that the human being could have appeared the
first time on Earth and lived, perpetuating the species. Now imagine the
first man appearing here as a child, alive but inert, unintelligent, powerless,
incapable of sustaining himself, in a single moment, cold and trembling,
without a mother to listen and feed him! That is, however, the first
man that could be produced by the system of spontaneous generation.”
“Evidently the other possible origin of the human species is the only
admissible, the only possible. It is only the supernatural event that can
explain the first apparition of the human being here on Earth.”
“Those who denied or abolished the supernatural would abolish every
religion at the same time. It is useless to triumph upon the supernatural,
so many times wrongly introduced in our world and in our history; they
are forced to stop before the supernatural cradle of humanity, powerless to
produce the human being without the hands of God.”
Guizot
Philosophical and Religious Meditations
Dictated to Mr. Alfred Didier, medium, by the spirit Lamennais
(Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies)
We have already published a certain number of communications
given by the spirit Lamennais and we can observe its elevated
philosophical reach. Sometimes its theme was clearly defined; on other
occasions, however, it was not so distinct to give it a title. We made this
observation to the spirit who then proposed to give a series of dissertations
about multiple subjects under the general title philosophical and
religious meditations, with the freedom for us to give a particular title to
the subjects if needed. We then suspended the publications until we had
a number of messages susceptible of coordination. That is the publication
that we begin today and will continue over the following issues.
We must take into account that the spirits that reached a high degree of
perfection are the only ones capable of assessing things in a way that is totally
correct; until then, whatever the development of their intelligence and
even morality they can be more or less supported by their worldly ideas and
see things from their personal point of view, that explains the contradictions
often found in their assessments. Lamennais seems to be in this category.
There is no doubt that his writings contain many good and beautiful things regarding his ideas and style, but there are evidently the ones that
may be submitted to critics and for which we don’t take any responsibility.
Everyone has the freedom of taking away what they find good and reject
what doesn’t seem correct. It is only the perfect spirits that may produce perfect
things. Well, Lamennais is no doubt a good and elevated spirit and he
does not pretend to be perfect yet and the somber, melancholic and mystical
character of the man is undoubtedly reflected in the spirit and consequently
in his communications. Therefore, from just that point of view, they would
already be interesting material for observation.
I
“Ideas change but God’s ideas and designs never change. Religion that is
faith, hope and charity, one in three things and the symbol of God on
Earth, remains unshaken amidst the struggles and prejudices. Religion exist
primarily in the hearts above all, hence it cannot change. It is at the time
when disbelief reigns and the clash of ideas without benefit to the truth that
the dawn comes up saying: I come in the name of the God of the living
ones and not of the dead; it is matter that perishes since it is divisible but the
soul is immortal given that it is unique and indivisible. When the soul of
the human being is weakened by doubts about eternity it materializes morally;
it divides and consequently is submitted to unfortunate trials in the
new reincarnations. Religion is thus the human being’s strength. Every day
it sees new crucifixions inflicted on Christ. Every day it hears blasphemies
thrown at its face but it remains unshaken like the Virgin that watches the
sacrifice of her own son, sustained by faith, hope and charity. The Virgin
was dispelled by the suffering of the Son of the Man, but she is not dead.”
II
Samson
“After reading the story of Samson in the Bible I saw in my thoughts an
image similar to the powerful artist that France has just lost, Decamps.
I saw a man of colossal stature with muscular limbs as in Michelangelo’s
Day. The strong man sleeping by the side of a woman that was burning
around her, perfumes, like those introduced by the Orientals, in a typically
very luxurious and feminine gesture. The man showed signs of fatigue
and there was a little cat at times jumping on him, other times on
her. The woman came closer to make sure that the giant was deep asleep
and then with a little pair of scissors she had the long hair of the colossal
man cut. You know the rest. Armed men jumped on and arrested him. –
The man imprisoned by the shackles of Delilah was Samson, said a spirit
that I soon saw by my side.
This man represents humanity weakened by corruption, by greed and
hypocrisy. Humanity, when God was with her she raised the gates of Gaza,
like Samson. When Humanity was sustained by freedom, or Christianity,
it crushed its enemies, like the giant crushed the Philistines’ army on his
own. ‘Thus, I answered to the spirit, the woman by his side…’ He did
not allow me to continue and said: ‘She is the one that replaced God; see
that I don’t speak about the corruption of the past centuries but of yours.’
A long time had passed since the image of Samson and Delilah had vanished
from my eyes. I saw the angel, always alone, saying with a smile:
‘Humanity is defeated.’ His expression then became deep and thoughtful,
adding: ‘these are the three things that will give back to Humanity its primitive
strength: Faith, hope and charity. They shall come in a few years and will
be found in a doctrine that human beings will call Spiritism.’
Continuation
Each religious phase of humanity has the divine power materialized in
the figures of Samson, Hercules and Roland. A man who is savvy in logic
would say: ‘I guess you are right, but such comparison seems too subtle
and slow.’ It is true. It is possible that such an idea has not yet crossed
anyone’s mind; in any case, let us examine it. I spoke about Samson, emblem
of power of the divine faith in the early days. The Bible is an oriental
poem; Samson is a material figure of that driving force that knocked
Heliodors down at the Atrium of the Temple and that gathered the waves
of the Red Sea, after having separated them.
This divine power had abated armies and destroyed the walls of
Jericho. The Greek came from Egypt and the East. Samson’s tradition
only existed as part of the Egyptian History and Philosophy. The Greek
flattened the giants of granite from Egypt; Hercules was armed with a
club and brought to life. Hercules carried out his twelve labors, defeated
the Hydra of seven capital sins and became the symbol of divine power
in the pagan world. He was turned into a god. But notice who was the
winner between those two giants. Should we smile? Should we cry? As
Lamartine said.
Eve had two daughters: Delilah and Dejanira. As you see the tradition
of Samson and Hercules is the same as that of Delilah and Dejanira. The
difference was that Delilah had replaced the hair of the Pharaoh’s daughters
by the diadem of Venus. The Afternoon falls on the famous Roncesvalles,
a giant lying in a deep ravine desperately screams Charlemagne’s name.
He was crushed under a huge rock that his weakening hands uselessly
tried to remove. Poor Roland! Your time has come. You are insulted by the
Basques from the top of the rock who still throw big stones at you. There
are women among your enemies. Roland may have perhaps loved one:
always Delilah and Dejanira. History does not say, but it is very likely.
Nevertheless, Roland died like Samson and Hercules. You may now dispute
that gentlemen, but it seems to me that this is not a subtle event.
What will be the personification of Spiritism’s strength in the future?
Time will tell, they say here on Earth. On this side we say: the human
being will see always.
Lamennais
(to be continued in the next issue)
Allan Kardec