Spiritist Society of ViennaOn announcing a German edition of the brochure “Spiritism in its simplest expression” in Vienna we spoke of the Spiritist Society of that city. We received the following letter from the President of that Society:
“Mr. Allan Kardec,
The Spiritist Society of Vienna has given me the task of informing you that you have just been appointed as its Honorary President, requesting that you accept this title as a symbol of its respectful and elevated consideration towards you. Although unnecessary to add, Sir, I felt an impulse to let you know that, from the bottom of my heart, I am entirely at your service.
Allow me, Sir, and without wasting your precious time, to add a few words about our Society. It has just entered its third year and although with a still limited number of members, I can tell you that in the private circle of its activities it proportionally does a lot of good. I have high hopes that when the time is right for its expansion it will produce abundantly. It is my sincere wish.
Last year, during the celebration of the first year, our protector spirit told me in his profound laconicism: You sowed the good seed. Bless you. This year he said: For the year that is about to start this is the maxim: With God and to God. Last year was a reward to the previous one. This year it is an encouragement to the future. Hence this year I prepared more direct means to face public opinion. To begin with the translation of your excellent brochure has paved the way. I then thought of the publication of a journal in German as a safer way of speeding up the results. There will be no lack of material, particularly if you allow me to utilize the treasures contained in The Spiritist Review when I will then take the necessary and sacred steps of indicating the source of passages and articles that I might have translated.
Finally and to crown the work I intend to bring to the reach of German speakers your precious and indispensable The Spirits’ Book. Thus, Sir, with no fear of bothering you since I am persuaded that every good thought corresponds to your own thought, I come to request your permission to allow me to do the German translation, if that has not yet been granted to someone else. These are, Sir, the projects that I am entertaining to give a greater impulse to the propagation of Spiritism among us. I dare request the healthy advices of your experience which will certainly have a great influence on my decision.
Yours, etc.
C. Delhez
This letter was followed by the following diploma:
Spiritist Society, said charitable, from Vienna, Austria
Commemorative session, May 18th 1862
In the name of the Almighty God and under the divine protection the Spiritist Society of Vienna on the occasion of its second anniversary and willing to give its parent Society of Paris its testimony on the person of its worthy and courageous President, with the reverence and acknowledgment inspired by his permanent efforts and his precious works for the sacred cause of Spiritism and the triumph of a universal fraternity, by proposal of its president and with the approval of the spiritual guides, assigns by acclamation Mr. Allan Kardec, President of the Parisian Spiritist Society, with the title of Honorary President of the Spiritist Society, said Charitable, of Vienna, Austria.
Vienna, May 19th 1862
The President
C. Delhez
After insistent requests we thought to be our duty to publish literally the two pieces above as a demonstration of our profound gratitude for the honor given to us by the Spiritist brothers and sisters of Vienna, an honor that we were far from expecting and because we see in that not a tribute to us personally but to the regenerating principles of Spiritism. It is a proof of the credit it has conquered in France and abroad. Leaving aside the flattering remarks in the letter what is really reassuring is the observation of the eminently serious, religious and humanitarian objectives proposed by the Spiritist Society of Vienna to whom our support and dedication will not fail. The same applies to other societies formed in several other places and that accept the principles of The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book without restriction.
Among the ones that were organized lately we must mention the African Society of Spiritist Studies, in Constantine, that decided to be placed under our sponsorship, and the Parisian Society that already counts on 40 members. We shall come back to this subject with more details.
Given the general movement and unstoppable growth of public opinion, the adversaries of Spiritism will finally understand that any effort to halt it will be useless and that the best thing to do is to accept it, from now on considering it as a fact of life. The weapon of ridicule faded away in its vain struggles for it is impotent. Will the doctrine of the devil, that some try to retrieve at this very moment with some sort of aggravation, will that be more fortunate? The answer is in the effect that it produces: Laughter. In order to be effective the ones who propagate it should be convinced about it. We can certainly affirm that there are many among them that believe in that as much as we do. It is the last blow whose result will be the acceleration of the propagation of the new ideas, first because it makes them widely known, exciting people’s curiosity, and then because it demonstrates the lack of really serious arguments.
