Is Spiritism Proven by Miracles?We received the following question from a priest:
“All those who received God given missions of teaching the truth to humanity have given demonstrations of their mission through miracles. Which miracles demonstrate the truth of your teachings?”
This is not the first time that such a question is addressed to us or other Spiritists. As it seems people give great importance to that and the solution may be the sentence that must condemn or acquit Spiritism. In this case, we must acknowledge that our situation is critical, like the poor man without a nickel facing the following: “The wallet or your life”. Thus, we humbly confess the absence of the most insignificant miracle to offer. Even more so, Spiritism is not supported by any miraculous fact. Its followers have not made or do not have the pretension of making any miracle; they do not consider themselves worthy of having God changing the eternal course of things by their request.
A given fact is or isn’t real? That is the question. Now, if a fact is admitted to be true than there is nothing miraculous about it. Manifestations, like visions, apparitions and others, have taken place at all times. This is demonstrated by religious and profane historians and found in books of every religion. Now that the causes are known, however, that they are produced by certain laws, it is also known that they lack the essential character of miraculous events – that of exception to common laws.
Observed in our days more carefully than in ancient times; observed particularly without prevention and with the support of meticulous investigations as much detailed as those carried out during scientific studies, such manifestations demonstrate irrefutably the existence of an intelligent principle beyond matter; its survival to the body; its individuality after death; its immortality; its fortunate or unfortunate future and consequently the basis of every religion.
If the truth was proven only by miracles, one might ask why have the priests of Egypt, who were in error, reproduced before the Pharaoh the miracles of Moses? Why did Apollonius of Tyana, who was a pagan cured by the touch, gave sight to the blind, provided the spoken word to the dumb, predicted the future and was able to see things that happened far away? Wasn’t that Jesus himself who said: “False prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders”?
One of our friends was almost instantaneously cured of a very serious and long lasting disease that had resisted every treatment, after saying a truly heartfelt prayer to his protector spirit. To him it was a truly miraculous event. After telling the story to a priest, as he believes in the Spirits, the priest said that the devil could also make miracles. “In that case” – my friend replied – “if this was done by the devil I must be thankful to him.”
Hence, the prodigies and miracles are not an exclusive privilege of the truth considering that the devil himself can do this. Then, how can one distinguish the good from the bad ones? Every idolater religion – no exception to Mohamed’s – is supported by supernatural facts. This demonstrates one thing: that the founders of those religions knew natural secrets that were ignored by the crowds.
Wasn’t Christopher Columbus considered super human by the savages of America for having predicted eclipses? Couldn’t an envoy of God take him? Does God need to undo what has been done just to demonstrate his power? Making something that turns to the left turn to the right?
Wasn’t Galileo more correct by demonstrating the movement of Earth as part of the laws of nature, than those who pretended that by a breach of those laws the Sun had to be stopped? However, we
know the price he had to pay for that, as many others, for having proven a mistake. We say that God is greater by the immutability of the laws than by their breach and if he has done so under determined circumstances this is not the only sign of truth. We refer the reader to our discussion about the subject of supernatural in our January issue.
Let us go back to the proofs of the truths of Spiritism.
There are two things in Spiritism: the fact of the existence of the Spirits and their manifestations and the doctrine that stems out from that. The first point cannot be questioned but by those who have not seen or did not want to see. As for the second point the issue is to know if the doctrine is just or false. It is a matter of appreciation. If the manifestation of the Spirits only took place through noises, movements, in a word through physical effects, this would not prove much since we would not know if they are good or bad.
Something that is characteristic in the phenomenon to the point of convincing the non-believers is the ability to recognize relatives and friends among the Spirits. Nonetheless, how can the Spirits demonstrate their presence and their individuality, allowing the assessment of their traits but by speaking up? It is a known fact that one of the means employed is writing through mediums. As long as they have the means of expressing their ideas they can say whatever they like. They will say things that are more or less good, fair and profound, according to their advancement. By leaving Earth they have not given up their free will. Like every thinking being they have their own opinions and like among us the most advanced give teachings of high moral content and advices impregnated by a profound wisdom. It is the collection and consolidation of those teachings and advices that form the Spiritist Doctrine.
Instead of a divine revelation, take this doctrine as a personal opinion of this or that spirit, if you like, and the question then is to determine if it is good or bad, true or false, rational or illogical. Who should be sought to help you on that? Should it be a single person or a group? No, since they can be mistaken due to their own prejudices, pre-established ideas or even for their personal interests. The only true judge is public opinion because there is no silo of interests and also because the masses have an innate common sense that is not mistaken. A healthy logic tells us that the adoption of an idea or a principle by the general opinion is a demonstration that there is some truth in it.
This is what the Spiritists do not say: “This is a doctrine sent by God himself, revealed to a single man by marvelous means and that must be imposed upon humanity”. On the contrary, here is what they say: “This is a doctrine that is not ours and whose merit is not claimed by us. We adopt it because we consider it rational. You may attribute its origin to whomever you like: God, the Spirits or anybody else. Analyze it. If it is suitable to you, then adopt it. If not, leave it aside.” One cannot be less absolute than this.
Spiritism does not come to encroach any religion. It does not impose itself. It does not come to force the consciences of the Catholics, Protestants or Jews. It presents itself and says: “Adopt me if you find me good.” Are the Spiritists to blame for finding it good? For receiving consolations that make us happy, that dissipates the horrors of the future that silence the anguishes of doubt and give us courage in the present? Spiritism does not address those to whom the Catholic beliefs or others are enough but to those who are not satisfied by those beliefs or whose beliefs have failed them. Spiritism leads them to believe in something and eagerly so, instead of believing in nothing.
Spiritism does not intend to be a separate group. It brings back the stray ones by its own means. If you repel them they shall be forced to stay out. Now say with your heart and conscience if it would be better to have them as atheists.
We are asked about the miracles that support our judgment of a good Spiritist Doctrine. We judge it to be good not only because that is our opinion but the opinion of millions that think like us; because it leads the nonbelievers to believe; because it turn bad persons into good ones; because it gives courage to endure the miseries of life. The speed of its propagation that is a miracle, never seen in the archives of philosophical doctrines; traveling around the world in a few years, rooting in all countries and in all layers of society; having advanced despite everything that was done to preclude its propagation; knocking down opposing barriers and increasing its strength on surpassing them. Can all that be characterize as utopia?
A false idea might find a few followers but its existence will be ephemeral and restricted; it will lose ground instead of conquering it while Spiritism gains instead of losing it. When we see it sprouting everywhere welcomed as a providential benefit it is for the fact that the finger of Providence is there. This is the true miracle – and we find it sufficient to ensure its future. You may say that to your eyes there is no providential character but a devilish one. You have the freedom of choice. And because it moves on that is the essence. The only thing to say is that if something establishes universally by the devil’s power, despite the efforts of those who pretend to act in the name of God, this could lead certain people to believe that the devil is more powerful than the Providence.
You ask for miracles. Here is what one of our correspondents from Algeria sends us:
“Mr. P…, former officer, was one of the toughest nonbelievers. He had the fanaticism of the irreligion and before Proudhon4 he used to say: ‘God is evil’ or put differently he never admitted any god. He only admitted the void. When I saw him coming and looking for yours The Spirits’ Book I thought that he wanted to decorate the reading with some satirical elucubration as he used to do with the priests and even against Christ. It seemed impossible to me that he could be cured of such a resolute atheism. Ah! The Spirits’ Book made such a miracle, though. If you only knew that man as I do you would be proud of your work and you would see this as your greatest success. Everyone is impressed over here. Nonetheless, after being initiated in the word of truth and after having given some thought, is this outcome really a surprise?”
There is no harm in adding that our correspondent is a journalist and that he himself used to support ideas that were not much spiritualists, let alone Spiritists. Has anyone forcibly imposed upon him the belief in God and in the soul? No, that is unlikely. Was he fascinated by some supernatural phenomena? That is not the case either since he has seen no manifestation. All he did was to read, understand and find logical trains of thought that made him believe. Will you say that this one as many others are the works of the devil? If that is so then the devil has an original policy of providing weapons against himself and by letting go those who were already under his clutches. Why haven’t you done such a miracle? Are you less powerful than the devil to make people believe in God?
Another issue, if you allow me:
While an atheist and blasphemer was that gentleman doomed for eternity?
No doubt.
How about now that he has converted to God by the devil, is he still doomed? Suppose that by believing in God, in his soul, in a happy or unhappy future life and as a consequence of such belief he becomes a better person than he was before and that he does not literally adopt the interpretation of every dogma and that even reject some, is he still doomed? If you say ‘yes’ then the belief in God doesn’t do any good to him. If you say ‘no’ then what becomes of the maxim ‘There is no salvation outside of the Church’? Spiritism says: There is no salvation without charity. Do you believe that the gentleman is undecided between the two? Burnt by one, despite everything, and saved according to the other, the choice does not seem to offer doubts. Like every new idea, it harms certain persons, certain habits, and even certain interests, like the railroads harmed the carriage businesses and those who had fear; like a revolution counters certain opinions; like the press harmed the scribes; like Christianity harmed the interests of pagan priests. However, what to do when with our help or despite us something gets established on its own and it is generally accepted? It is necessary to take sides and like Mohamed says what is must be. What will you do if Spiritism becomes a universal belief? Will you reject all those who accept it?
This will not happen; it cannot be – you may say.
However, and once more, if that is the case what are you going to do? Can such a surge be halted? To achieve that one would need to stop not a person but the Spirits; blocking them from speaking; burn down not a book but the ideas; preclude the mediums from multiplying and from writing.
One of our correspondents from a town in Tarn County wrote the following:
“Our Curate makes propaganda for us; he used to shout from the pulpit against Spiritism, that it was nothing more than the works of the devil. Now he appointed me as the supreme priest of the Doctrine in our town, something that I sincerely thank him for. He also gives me the chance of discussing the subject with those who had not heard about it yet and want to know what it is about. Now there is an abundance of mediums among us.”
The result is the same everywhere whenever people decide to scream against. The Spiritist idea is now out; it is welcomed because it pleases people; it goes from the palace to the shanty and the effect of future attempts to suffocate the ones that have already been employed may assess it.
To summarize, Spiritism does not claim the action of any miracle in order to be established; it wants to impose no change in the general order of things; it sought and found the cause of certain phenomena wrongly considered supernatural; instead of find support on the supernatural Spiritism repudiates it outright; it addresses heart and reason. Logic has opened up a path to Spiritism. Logic will take it to the end.
This goes for the answer that we owe to the brochure of Mr. Curate Marouzeau.
Let us give the word to the Spirits. Here is the answer obtained through several mediums following the presentation of the question above:
“I wish to talk to you about the reality of the Spiritist Doctrine from the standpoint of the miracles whose absence seems to provide ammunition to our adversaries. The miracles necessary in the early days of humanity to shock the Spirits who needed to submit; the almost totally explained miracles today thanks to the discoveries of physics and other sciences have now become useless
and I say even dangerous since their manifestations would give rise to disbelief and mockery. The kingdom of intelligence has finally arrived although not triumphantly yet but as a trend. What do you want? Would you like to see the wands transformed into snakes again, the handicapped walking and the bread multiplied? No, you will not see that. However, you will see the nonbelievers touched and bending their rusty knees before the altar. Such a miracle is equivalent to the water springing out of the rocks. You will see a devastated person bending over under the weight of gruesome suffering giving away the charged gun and saying: ‘Praise the Lord for your will raises my trials to the level of love that I owe you.’ Finally, you that explain the facts with texts and the spirit with words, you will see the luminous truth established upon the ruins of your rotten mysteries.”
Lazarus, medium Mrs. Costel
“In one of my latest meditation, I believe that it was read here, I demonstrated that humanity is currently progressing. Up until Jesus humanity had a body; it was certainly splendid; it was plentiful of heroic struggles and sublime virtues. Nonetheless, where was its kindness? Where was its benevolence? Antiquity had many examples of that. Read an old poem: where is the gentleness and the tenderness? You can already find that expressed in the almost entirely Christian poem Dido of Virgil, a kind of melancholic heroine that Torquato Tasso or Ludoviko Ariosto would have made interesting in their songs full of Christian joy. Hence, Christ has come to speak to the heart of humanity; but know this, Jesus said it himself, He came in the flesh in the midst of paganism, and He promised to come in the midst of Christianity. Individuals may get their hearts as well as their intelligences educated. The same applies to humanity. Jesus is then the great educator. His resurrection is the symbol of His spiritual fusion with everyone and you have just started to feel that fusion, the expansion of Himself. Jesus is not coming back to make miracles. He comes to speak directly to the hearts instead of speaking to the senses. He walked passed those who wished a miracle from heavens and a few steps ahead He improvised the magnificent sermon on the mountain. Christ therefore responds to those who still demand miracles and in the name of every wise and enlightened spirit: ‘Do you believe more in your eyes, in your ears and on your hands than in your heart? My ulcers are now healed; the lamb has been sacrificed; the flesh slaughtered; materialism saw it; it is now time for the spirit. I leave the false prophets; I do not introduce myself to the powerful of Earth, like Simon Magus the sorcerer but I come to those who are really thirsty; to those really hungry; to those who suffer in their hearts and not to the non-spiritualist that in fact are the true and pure materialists.’”
Lamennais, medium Mr. A. Didier
“We are asked about our miracles. It seems to me that for some time now the proofs are well evident. The progress of the human spirit has changed the face of the civilized world. Everything has advanced and those who wish to stay behind that movement are like the outcast of the new society. Given the society readiness for the events it still lacks anything that may shock reason and bring enlightenment. It is possible that at certain times God may find it useful to communicate through superior minds like in the case of Moses and others. Those great persons mark great times but the spirit of the people progressed later on. The greatest figures of God chosen envoys were like miraculous legends. Then a simple fact becomes wonderful before the sensitive crowds, ready
for emotions that only Mother Nature can bring to its ignorant children. But do you need miracles today? Everything is transformed around you. Science, Philosophy and the industry have developed all that surrounds you. Do you believe that we, the Spirits, have not taken part into those profound changes? By studying and discussing the matter you can learn better. The miracles are no longer of your time and you must overcome the tradition like prejudices stored in your memories. We will always give you the truth and our support. We enlighten you so that you become better and stronger. Love and believe and the aspired miracle shall happen on you. Through the knowledge and better understanding of the objective of this life you shall be transformed without any physical phenomena.”
“Try to touch the truth and the truth will surround and penetrate you. Hence, trust your own strength and the God of goodness that gave you the spirit will give you a formidable power. Through God you will clear the paths of your clouded intelligence and you will understand that the spirit is immortality and power. Once in touch with this divine law of progress you will no longer seek the prestige of the renowned people to give you answers and arguments against Spiritism, this true revelation, this new faith and new science that reassures and strengthens.”
Baluze, medium Mr. Leymarie
“Miracles are demanded as proof of the Spiritist Doctrine. And who is the one that requests such a proof of the truth? It is the one who should believe and teach in the first place…”
“The greatest of all miracles shall take place soon. Listen, Catholic priests. You want miracles and there you have them… The cross of Christ was crumbling before the blows of materialism, of the indifference and egotism; now you see it beautifully re-erected, shiny and sustained by Spiritism! Tell me something: isn’t that the greatest miracle of all to see it erected again, surrounded by hope and charity?”
“ – Truly, priests of the Church, see and believe. The miracles surround you! How would you call this common return to the unblemished and pure belief in the Gospels, through which all philosophies will be connected to Spiritism? Spiritism shall be the glory and the focus that will illuminate the universe. Oh! The miracle will then be real and dazzling since there will be only one family down here.”
“You want miracles! See this poor and starving woman? She trembles in her shanty! The breath that she intends to use to warm up her starving children is colder and more glacial than the wind that penetrates the miserable shelter. Why so much calmness and serenity in her face before such a misery? Ah! She saw a shining star above her head; a celestial light sheds upon her refuge; she cries no more; she waits! She doesn’t curse but only asks God to give her courage to withstand the trial! And there comes charity through the open doors of the hut, bringing over its benefactor hand!”
“Which doctrine will give more support and stimulus to the heart? Christianity planted the flag of equality on Earth and Spiritism raises the flag of fraternity! That is the most heavenly and divine miracle that could happen! Priests, sometimes bearing sacrileges on your own hands, you must not ask for physical miracles for your heads may be shattered on the very stones that you step over to reach the altar!
“No, Spiritism is not attached to physical phenomena; it is not founded on miracles that speak to the eyes, but it gives faith to the hearts. Tell me, isn’t that even the greatest miracle?”
Saint Augustine, medium Mr. Vézy.
NOTE: o have stained the sanctuary, like Verger and others.
