Spiritism in RochefortAn episode from Mr. Allan Kardec’ trip
Rochefort is not yet a stronghold of Spiritism although it has some eager followers and numerous sympathizers of the new ideas. But there, less than anywhere else, there is the issue of courage of opinion and many believers stay on the sideline without committing. When they finally show themselves we will be surprised by their number. Since we were supposed to go there to see a few isolated persons we expected to spend a few hours only. However, a passenger that was in the same train recognized us by a picture that he had seen in Marennes and warned his friends about our arrival. We then received an adamant and very kind invitation from the part of the several Spiritists who wished to get to know us and receive instructions. Our departure was delayed to the following day and we had the pleasure of spending the evening in a meeting with sincere and dedicated Spiritists.
During the session we received another invitation in no less friendly terms from a high level public official and other several notabilities from the city expressing their wishes for another meeting on the following evening, a fact that determined another postponement of our departure. We would not have mentioned such details if they were not necessary to the explanation that we are compelled to provide below with respect to a local newspaper. In this last meeting, we gave the following speech at the beginning of the session:
“Ladies and gentlemen,
Although our intention was only to spend a few hours in Rochefort I was flattered by your desire to hold this session and in particular by the kindness of your invitation so that I could not refuse to attend. I do not know if every person that honors me with their presence in this meeting are already initiated in the Spiritist Science. I suppose many are still neophytes in that matter and I could perhaps even find some who are hostile to Spiritism. Given the false ideas that they may have about Spiritism that is unknown to them or to their imperfect knowledge the outcome of this meeting could cause disappointment in those who would not find here what they are seeking. I must consequently explain my objective very clearly so that there is no misunderstanding. To begin with I must inform you about my objective with the excursions. I am only visiting Spiritist centers and giving them the instructions that they might need. It would be, however, a mistake to believe that I am going to preach Spiritism to the unbelievers. Spiritism is a whole science that requires serious studies like the other sciences plus numerous observations. In order to develop Spiritism, it would be necessary a course about its foundations. Spiritist instruction cannot be done in one or two classes similar to a Physics or Astronomy course. I am force to refer those that avoid learning about the basic foundations to the source, that is, to the study of the works where one can find all the required teachings and the answer to the questions that they might ask and that are often referred to the most elementary principles. That is why in my travels I address those who already know and that do not need the basic notion but need supplemental lessons. I will never hold what is called a session or invite the public for demonstrations and even less make exhibitions of the Spirits. Those here who could be expecting similar things are completely mistaken and I must promptly clarify with them otherwise. Hence the session tonight is exceptional and rather unusual.”
“For the very reasons above I cannot have the pretension of convincing those who would take issue with the bases of my principles. There is only one thing that I want from them: in the absence of conviction, please understand that Spiritism is something serious and worthy of their attention for it also attracts the attention of the most enlightened people in all countries. You may not accept it without examination and that is understandable. But it would be presumptuous to take a false position against an opinion that counts on numerous followers in the elite of Society.”
“Sensible people say: there are so many new things that surprise us and that a century ago would sound absurd; we daily witness the discovery of new laws and the revelation of new forces of nature that it would be illogical to admit that nature would have given us the final word. Hence it is then wise to study and observe before denying.”
“In order to judge something it is necessary to understand it. Criticism is only allowed to those who know what they are talking about. What would we say about a person who criticizes opera not knowing music? Or that criticized a book when ignoring the first notions of literature? The same happens to the majority of the detractors of Spiritism. They judge with incomplete information and sometimes even from what they heard. Hence their objections indicate the most absolute ignorance of the subject. Our only answer is: study before judging.”
“As I had the honor of telling you, ladies and gentlemen, it would be materially impossible to develop here all the principles of Spiritism. As for the satisfaction of curiosity of anyone some of you know me well enough to know that I have never represented such a role. However, given the impossibility of exposing everything in detail, it would perhaps be useful to let you know the objective and the trend. That is my proposal. You will later judge if the objective is serious and if there is space for censorship.”
“I then ask for your permission to read some passages of the speech I gave during the great meetings of Lyon and Bordeaux. For those who only have an incomplete idea about Spiritism there is no doubt that the main principle remains hypothetical since I address the initiated follower. In the hopes, however, that the circumstances have transformed such hypotheses in truth you will be able to see their consequences and the significance of the instructions that I give and from that assess the character of the meetings that I attend.”
“I must, however, say that there is nothing hypothetical about Spiritism. From all principles formulated in The Spirits’ Book, without exception, and in The Mediums’ Book, none is the product of a personal system or opinion. All of them and without exception are the result of observation. I could not claim a single one as the product of my initiative. Those books contain what I have learned and not what I have created. Well, what I have learned others can also learn as I did. But like me they must also work. The only thing I did was to spare them the effort of the first works and the initial research.”
After this introduction we read some passages from the speech given in Bordeaux and Lyon followed by a few explanations necessarily much summarized about the fundamental principles of Spiritism, about the nature of the Spirits and the means they utilize to communicate, particularly concerned with pointing out the importance of the moral influence that results from the manifestations and their implication in our future life and the effects of such a certainty in our present life.”
Based on the introduction it would be impossible to make it more transparent with respect to our objectives and to avoid any misunderstanding. We had to take these precautions because we knew that the audience was far from being homogeneous and entirely sympathetic. That, however, did not satisfy those who were waiting for a session like those produced by Mr. Homes. One attendee declared very politely that it was not exactly what he was expecting. We believed that without any effort because instead of satisfying curiosity we were talking about moral things. He was so relentless in asking for proofs of the existence of the Spirits that we were forced to say that we did not have them in our pocket to show. He almost said: “Look again!”
One journalist that was present at the meeting believed that it was adequate to make a report under the pseudo name Tony in the Spectateur, a journal about theaters dated October 12th. He begins like that:
“Seduced by the announcement of a Spiritist party, I was quick to attend and hear one of the most accredited hierophant of that science… that is how the followers classify Spiritism. A packed auditorium anxiously waited for the development of the foundations of such a science… for there is science. Mr. Allan Kardec, author of The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book would initiate us in terrible secrets! Driven by a much understandable feeling of curiosity, which was not hostile at all, we expected to leave the session with half of a conviction if the professor, a man of undeniable skills, would have bothered explaining his doctrine. Mr. Allan Kardec thought different, regrettably. He was not asked to evoke Spirits but to at least provide clear or even elementary explanations of how to facilitate such experimentation.”
This initial text characterizes well the mind frame of certain attendees who saw themselves as viewers. What they wanted were clear explanations to facilitate the experimentation. In other words, a recipe so that each one could have fun at home by evoking Spirits.
Then follows a comment about the basis of Spiritism: charity and other maxims that he says come straight from Christianity, not teaching anything new. If that gentleman one day decide to read, he will know that Spiritism has never intended to bring to humanity any other moral but that of Jesus and that Spiritism does not addresses those who already practice it in its essence. However, as there are many who do not believe in God or in the soul or in the teachings of Jesus Christ or at least doubt them and whose moral is limited to each one concerned with oneself, by demonstrating the existence of a future life Spiritism gives a practical and meaningful sanction to that moral. We want to believe that Mr. Tony does not need it; that his faith is lively and his religion is sincere for the takes on the defense of Christianity against Spiritism given that there is a bad word around accusing him of being a little materialistic. We want to believe, we were saying, that he practices charity as a true Christian; that following the example of Christ he is kind and humble; that he has no pride or vanity or even ambition; that he is good and indulgent to everyone even to his enemies; in a word that he bears all the virtues of the divine role model but at least that he does not bother others.
He goes on by saying:
“Spiritism has the pretension of evoking the Spirits. It is true that they do not submit to caprices and demands. If necessary they can utilize a body that is recognizable, including clothes, and only enter into communication with the mediums on the condition of being surrounded by a layer of fluid of the same kind… and why not an opposing kind like with electricity? The Spiritist science does not explain that.”
Read and you shall see.
“I do not know if the followers left the place satisfied. But there is no doubt that the ignorant ones who wanted lessons got nothing out of that session only the fact Spiritism cannot be demonstrated. Is it the professor’s fault or Spiritism only unveils its secrets to its followers? We will not respond… it is obvious.”
Tony
Conclusion: Spiritism cannot be demonstrated. Mr. Tony should have explained it more clearly – since he likes clear explanations – because Spiritism is demonstrated to millions of people who are not fools and ignorant. Take the burden of studying it and he will know if he is willing to learn as he says. But since he gave himself the right to promote a public trial of a gathering that had nothing of public as if it were a report about a spectacle that people watch after being seduced by ads he should, to be impartial, refer the words we used in the beginning of the meeting.
Nevertheless we must be thankful for the good level of civility that presided over the meeting and take this opportunity to address the eminent Mr. La Maison with our thanks for his warm welcome full of benevolence and cordiality and for his initiative in offering his living room to our service. It seemed useful to demonstrate to him and to the elite that gathered in his house the moral tendencies of Spiritism and the nature of the teachings that we give in the visited centers.
Mr. Tony ignores if the followers were satisfied. From his point of view, the session had no result. As for us we prefer to have left on the attendees the sensation of a boring moralist than that of someone that produces spectacles. It is an unquestionable fact that not everyone shares his opinion. Not to mention the followers that were there and gave us warm testimonies of sympathy. We will mention two gentlemen that at the end of the session asked us if the instructions from the Spirits that were read would be published, adding that they had an entirely different idea about Spiritism but that now they saw it differently, understanding the serious and useful side and that they were prepared to study it in depth. We would already be satisfied if that was the only result. “It is cheap”, says Mr. Tony. He ignores, however, that two grains germinate and multiply. In fact, we are certain that all others that we sowed on that occasion will not be lost and that the wind blew by Mr. Tony will have carried some to a fertile terrain.
Mr. Florentin Blanchard, a bookseller from Marennes, understood that he had to respond to the article published by Mr. Tony by a letter that was published in the Tablettes des deux Charentes, on October 25th. Mr. Tony replies with the following conclusion:
“Spiritism super excites harmfully the minds of believers; it worsens women nervous irritability, making them mad or killing them if persisting in the aberrations. Spiritism is a disease and must be fought as such. Besides it enters the roll of unhealthy things studied by public moral and hygiene.”
Here we caught Mr. Tony in flagrant mistake and contradiction. In his first article above he said that he came to the session “driven by a very understandable feeling of curiosity and that there was nothing hostile”. How can something that is not hostile be unhealthy, a disease etc.?
Later on he says that he was expecting clear explanations or even elementary to facilitate the experimentation by profane people. How can he have such expectations from something that as he says may make people mad and kill? Why has he come? Why hasn’t he precluded his friends from coming to participate of something so harmful? Why is he sorry for the fact that the teaching did not achieve his expectations or was not as thorough as he wished it would have been? Since he considered it so dangerous he should have congratulated us for being so brief instead of criticizing us.
Another contradiction. If he came to the meeting to learn about what Spiritism can do, what it is and what is its intent; if he criticizes us for not having taught him it means that he does not know Spiritism. Now, if he did not study it how come he knows that it is so dangerous? He then judges without knowing. Thus, in his private authority, he decides that it is something unhealthy and that can kill just after declaring that he does not know what it is about. Is that the language of a serious person?
There is some criticism that contradicts itself so much that one just need to point it out and they should not be given any importance. On other occasions an allegation such as that of killing could have been accused of calumny since it makes an accusation of extreme relevance against us and against a class that today is immensely large of honorable people. That is not all. The second article was followed by others in which he develops his thesis. This is what appeared in the Spectateur on October 26th on the occasion of the first letter by Mr. Blanchard:
The Spectateur received a letter signed by Mr. Florentin Blanchard from Marennes with a response to our first article from the 12th edition. The editor apologizes for the fact that the limited space does not allow for a full write-up on the subject of Spiritism. By specific request from the Spectateur it is published in full in the Tablettes. We abstain from answering by impulse here and decided not to yield, as the author did, to the inspirations of an inconvenient spirit.
Tony”
After a second letter from Mr. Blanchard, this time published in the Spectateur, one reads:
“It is a pleasure to welcome you, Mr. Blanchard. Your letter today accuses me of not having studied Spiritism. How do you know? Why do not you respond to some propositions in my last article instead of accusing me so vaguely? This lengthy correspondence, and without interest, must stop if you allow me. I will soon come back to my series of articles about Spiritism but only from time to time considering that the limited size of the Spectateur does not allow for long engagements on this subject.
Regardless of how much you try, Mr., we will not take the Spiritists seriously and we cannot consider Spiritism a science.
Tony”
Thus it is all clear. Mr. Tony wishes to attack Spiritism, drag it down into the mud, classify it as unhealthy, and say that it would kill without saying how many were killed but he does not want the controversy. His newspaper is large enough for his attacks but too short for replies. Speaking alone is more convenient. He forgot that as a consequence of the nature and character of his attacks the law might force him to allow for a response of double size, despite the limitation of this journal.
With respect to the particulars of our journey, we wanted to show that we do not seek and did not solicit in that meeting, and, consequently, we do not seduce anybody to come to listen to us and that is why we are careful in saying with all letters and from the beginning our intention. Those who did not like it had the freedom to leave. We now congratulate ourselves for the fortuity of the occasion or even providential occasion that made us stay, as it provoked the controversy that only serves the cause of Spiritism allowing it to be known for what it is: something moral and not for the appeal that it does not want to be: a spectacle for the satisfaction of curiosity; and for once more giving the critics an occasion to show the logic of their arguments.
Now, Mr. Tony, a couple of words please. In order to publicly sustain things like those that you wrote it is necessary to be really certain about the facts and you must have the courage to prove them.
It is very convenient to discuss alone, however, I do not intent to establish any controversy with you. I have no time for that and, on the other hand, your periodical is too small to convey criticism and refutation. Hence no offense its influence will not go far. I offer you something better: come visit the Society that I preside in Paris and before a hundred and fifty persons, come to sustain and prove what you are affirming. If you are sure that you are telling the truth you must fear nothing and I promise you, with my word, that through our Spiritist Review your arguments and the effects produced by them will reach from China to Mexico passing by every European capital. You may notice that this is a beautiful proposal since it has no hopes of converting you – something that is not absolutely part of my intentions – and you will be entirely free to keep your convictions. We want to offer you an occasion to provide your ideas with an extensive development.
In order to forewarn you about the audience that you are going to find the Society is composed of lawyers, businessmen, artists, people of arts, scientists, medical doctors, investors, officers, princes, etc., all that surrounded by respectable ladies what gives you assurance of civility; but all of them up to the neck like the five or six millions of followers with this unhealthy thing that must be studied by public hygiene and moral and that you so eagerly wish to cure.
