The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863

There is right now a real crusade against Spiritism as we have been informed. Articles are produced everywhere containing speeches and even acts of violence and intolerance. Every Spiritist must rejoice for this is a positive proof that Spiritism is not a farce. Would they make such a noise for a flying insect? The prodigious speed with which the new idea propagates is what drives such a rage, despite everything they did to stop it. Our adversaries, forced by the evidence to acknowledge that such progress invades the most enlightened layers of society and even the persons of science, are now reduced to deplore this fatal attraction that leads the whole society to the psychiatric hospitals.

Mockery has run out of jokes and sarcasm in its arsenal and their weapon, which is believed to be so terrible, has failed to attract more jesters to their side of the fence, proving that, in this case, there is no matter for laughter. It is no less evident that not a single follower of the Doctrine was converted but, much to the contrary, their numbers increased visibly. There is a very simple reason: people promptly recognized the profound religious principles of this Doctrine that touches the most sensitive fibers of the heart; that elevates the soul to infinity; that brings those who had forgotten to acknowledge God. It has rescued so many people out of despair, it has mitigated so much pain, healed so many moral ulcers that the silly and vulgar jokes against it inspire more disgust than sympathy. The scoffers unsuccessfully struggled to make people laugh at it. There are things that we instinctively feel that should not be laughed at without profanation.

If there are people, however, who only know the Doctrine from what they hear pranksters of bad taste hence believing that it is no more than a useless dream, no more than elucubrations of a sick mind, then it is too bad that they are deceived. After hearing so many furious declamations, they must say to themselves that it is more serious than they thought.

The population may be divided in three classes: the believers, the unbelievers and the indifferent. If the number of believers is hundreds of times higher in a few years, they must have come out of these two other categories. However, the Spirits who oversee the movement still believed that it was not fast enough. There is still, they say, a lot of people who have not even heard of Spiritism, particularly in the country. It is time for the Doctrine to get there. Besides, it is necessary to wake up the torpid indifferent ones.

Scorn has played its role in the involuntary propaganda but it has used up all the arrows from the quiver and the only darts left now are harmless. Now it is just a little faded flame. Something more powerful is needed, something noisier than small comments printed in the newspapers ; something that is heard even in solitude. It is necessary that the last hamlet hears about Spiritism. When they hear the uproar of the artillery they will ask: What is it about? They will be willing to see.

When we wrote the brochure “Spiritism in its simplest expression” we asked our spiritual guides what would be the effect that it would have. They responded: it will have an effect that you do not expect, that is, your adversaries will be furious when they see a low cost publication spreading within the masses, penetrating everywhere. You have already been announced large scale hostilities and the brochure shall be the sign. Don’t worry, you know the end. They are upset due to the difficulty to refute your arguments. – If that is the case, we say, the brochure that should be sold for 25 cents will now be 2 cents cheaper. The events justified the forecast and we congratulate ourselves for that.

As a matter of fact, everything that is happening was foreseen and was to be for the good of the cause. When you see some great hostile demonstration, far from scaring you, rejoice-in, because it was said: the rumbling of thunder will signal the approach of the predicted time. Pray then, my brothers; especially pray for your enemies, for they shall be taken by a true vertigo.

But it is not all done yet; the flames of the pyre of Barcelona did not rise high enough. If it happens again somewhere else refrain from putting it out for the more it rises the more it can be seen from afar, like a lighthouse, and it will remain in the memory of the ages. Let it be and do not oppose violence with violence in any way. Remember what Christ said to Peter to put his sword back in the scabbard. Do not imitate the sects that destroyed one another in the name of a God of peace, that each invoked to support their own fury.

Truth is not proven by persecution, but by reasoning; the persecutions have always been the weapon of bad causes, and by those who take the triumph of brute force by that of reason. Persecution is a bad way of persuasion; it may temporarily bring the weakest down but it can never convince because even when plunged in distress he will cry, like Galileo in prison: “e pur si muove!”^[1] Resorting to persecution is to prove that one does not rely much on the power of logic. Retaliation, never! Oppose violence with kindness and unalterable peace; pay back the bad actions of your enemies with good; you will then belie their calumnies, and force them to recognize that your beliefs are better they what they say.

Slander! You will say. Without emotion can you see our doctrine unworthily stained by lies? Accused of saying what it does not say, of teaching the opposite of what it teaches, producing evil while it does so much good? Can’t the authority of those who hold such a language distort the opinion and delay the progress of Spiritism?

That is, undoubtedly, their objective. Will they achieve it? That is another issue and we do not hesitate to say that they meet a completely opposite result: discredit themselves and their own cause.

Without contradiction calumny is a dangerous and perfidious weapon but it cuts both ways and always hurts the one that employs it. Resorting to lies is the strongest proof that they do not have good reasons to provide otherwise they would not go without showing their arguments.

If you believe that something is bad, say it; scream from the rooftops if you can. It is up to the public to judge if you are right or wrong. However, altering something to support your feeling is unworthy of any self-respect.

In the criticism of literary works, it is common to see opposing views. One critic praises what is attacked by another. It is one’s right. But what do think of someone that made believe that the author said what he did not say and attribute bad words to him just to sustain his attacks and demonstrate that the poetry is horrible?

That is how the detractors of Spiritism proceed; through their calumnies they demonstrate the weaknesses of their own cause and discredit it showing the regrettable extremes that they are forced to get at to sustain it. What weight can an opinion founded on clear mistakes have? It is one of two possibilities: either the errors are voluntary and the ill-faith is proven or they are involuntary and the author demonstrates inconsequence by speaking of something that is ignored. Either way there is no case for trust.

Spiritism is not a work that hides in the shadow. It is known; its principle is clearly stated with precision and without ambiguities. Hence, calumny could not harm it. To convince of the imposture it is enough to say: Go and look for yourself. There is no doubt that it is useful to unmask calumny. But it is necessary to do that with calm, without the acrimony of recrimination, limiting to oppose without superfluous words, showing what it is and what it is not. Leave range and injury to the adversaries and keep the role of the true force to yourself: dignity and moderation.

By the way one must not exaggerate the consequences of those calumnies that carry the antidote to their own poison and are definitely more advantageous than dangerous. They forcibly provoke the examination by serious people who want to assess things on their own, dragged to them by the importance the matter has achieved. Far from fearing examination Spiritism provokes it and just regrets one thing: that so many people talk about it like the blind talk about colors. But thanks to the efforts employed by our adversaries to make it known soon such inconvenient will no longer exist and that is all we ask. Calumny that results from such examination exalts instead of diminishing Spiritism.

Therefore, Spiritists are not sorry for such falsities. They do not subtract any quality from Spiritism. On the contrary they will make it stick out shinier due to the contrast and will confuse the slanderers.

Such lies can certainly have the immediate effect of abusing and even confusing certain person but so what? What are a few individuals before the masses? You yourself know how insignificant their numbers are. Which influence will it have in the future? You may rest assured of that future: the facts carried out by Spiritism respond to that and bring every day the proof of the uselessness of the attacks of the detractors.

Wasn’t Jesus’ Doctrine slandered, qualified as impious and subversive? Wasn’t Jesus himself treated as mad and impostor? Has it affected him? No because he knew that his enemies would pass and his Doctrine would stay.

That is how it is going to be with Spiritism. Singular coincidence! Spiritism is nothing else but the return to the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ and it is attacked with the same weapons! But its detractors will pass; it is a necessity that cannot be taken from anyone.

The current generation extinguishes every day and with that the persons full of prejudice of another time. The one that blossoms is fed by new ideas and in fact you know that it is composed of more advanced Spirits that in the end must have Earth governed by the law of God.

Hence look at things from above and do not see them from the narrow point of view of the present but stretch your eyes towards the future and say: future belongs to us! What are the personal issues? People pass and the institutions stay.

Keep in mind that we live a transition period; that we watch the struggle between past that pulls back and the emerging future that pushes forward. Which one shall win? The past is old and outdated – we talk about ideas – while future is young and walks towards progress that is in God’s laws. Gone are people of the past; there come those of the future. We must learn, however, to wait and trust and congratulate ourselves for pioneering the ground preparation. If we have work, we shall be compensated. Hence let us work but not through a weak and thoughtless propaganda instead with the patience and perseverance of the worker who knows the time needed to wait for the harvest.

Let us spread the idea but without compromising the crop by an unseasonable sowing and by our own impatience, anticipating the correct season for each thing. Let us cultivate particularly the fertile plants that only need to be planted. They are in numbers large enough to occupy our time without spending our energy with the unyielding rocks that God will shake and remove when the time is right for if he can raise mountains he can also take them down.

Let us speak without dissimulation and clearly state that there are resistances and that it will be useless to try to overcome them that are more adamant due to self-love than conviction. They will not give in but through the power of persuasion of general opinion. Let us recruit followers among people of good will and there are many; let us grow the phalanx will all those who are tired by the doubt and horrified by the materialistic idea of the void and only wish to believe; their number will soon be so great that others will surrender to the evidence. The result can already be seen. Wait and you will soon see in your ranks those that you expected to join in the end.

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[1] Yet, it moves! (TN)

As demonstrated in the preceding article nothing could prevail against the providential destiny of Spiritism. In the same way nobody can stop something from falling that must fall according to the divine laws – persons, peoples or things – nothing can block the progress of something that must advance.

As for Spiritism such a truth sticks out from the facts that have occurred and much more still from another capital point. If Spiritism were a simple theory, a system, it could have been fought by another system but it is founded in a law of nature like the movement of Earth. The existence of the Spirits is inherent to the human race. One cannot preclude it from existing or impede their manifestation in the same way that one cannot impede mankind from progressing. They do not need to ask for permission and laugh at any prohibition. One cannot lose sight of the fact that, beyond the mediumistic manifestations that we observe, there are other natural and spontaneous manifestations that have occurred at all times and that occur daily with lots of people who have never heard about Spirits.

Thus, who could oppose the development of a law of nature? Since it is God’s law, fighting against that law is the same as fighting against God. These considerations explain the uselessness of the attacks against Spiritism. What the Spiritists must do when facing such aggressions is to peacefully continue their work, without presumption, calm and confidently, given the certainty in achieving the objective.

If nothing can bar the general progress, however, there are circumstances that can determine partial obstructions like a small dam that can slow down the course of a river but without impeding its motion. Among such circumstances there are the inconsiderate actions of followers who are more zealous than prudent and that do not evaluate well the consequences of their actions and words. Hence they produce an unfavorable impression upon the non-initiated in matters of Spiritist Doctrine, much more adequate to keep those persons away than the diatribes of the adversaries.

Spiritism is wide spread, no doubt, but it would be even more had all followers always listened to the advices of prudence and kept a wise reservation. One must certainly take their intention into account but it is not less certain that more than one justified the proverb: “Better to have a declared enemy than a clumsy friend.” Their worst contribution is to offer ammunition to the adversaries who know well how to explore faults. It would never be too much to recommend to the Spiritist that they should reflect with maturity before acting. In such cases prudence recommend that one’s personal opinion is not enough. Nowadays where there are groups forming everywhere there is nothing simpler than getting together before acting. The true Spiritist sacrifices self-love for the good of the cause. Believing in one’s infallibility, rejecting the advice of the majority and persisting on a path that reveals itself to be bad and compromising is not the attitude of a true Spiritist. It would be demonstration of pride, if not obsession.

Not a single Spiritist ignores the fact that the Spirits are far from knowing the supreme science for many among them know less and some pretend to know everything. They have their personal opinion about everything and it can be right or wrong. Still, like people, those who have most misguided ideas are the individuals that are the most uniformed. These misguided Spirits talk about everything, create systems, utopias or dictate the most eccentric things and feel pleased when they find complacent interpreters and believers that accept their misinformation.

Such publications have very serious inconveniences because the medium is frequently deceived and seduced by an fake name, taking things as very serious, giving rise to criticism utilized to stain Spiritism whereas, without presumption, it would be sufficient to seek advice from and be enlightened by colleagues. It is very rare that in this case the medium will not yield to the injunctions of a Spirit that, like with certain people, wants to be published at any price. With more experience, the medium would know that the truly superior Spirits give advice but do not impose themselves, flatter people, or make any commanding prescription.

When Spiritism is completely settled then known publications of such a nature will present no more inconveniences than the bad treats of science today. But at the beginning – we repeat – they have a very harmful side. Thus, as far as publications are concerned, every circumspection is not enough and it would be difficult to estimate the effect they would eventually have on the reader.

To summarize, it is a serious mistake to believe that one is obliged to publish everything the Spirits say as if they are all enlightened Spirits. There are also bad and ignorant ones. It is necessary to make a strict selection of their communications and put away everything that is useless, insignificant, false or of such a nature that may produce bad impression. It is certainly necessary to sow but sow a good seed and in the right season.

Let us move on to an even more serious matter, the false brothers. The adversaries of Spiritism, at least some of them because there are some who are in good-faith, are not absolutely scrupulous with respect to the means employed. To them, anything goes in war and if they cannot take the village over they undermine their foundations. In the absence of good reasons and fair weapons we daily see them spreading lies and denigrating Spiritism. To denigrate is hateful, they know that well, and lies may be contradicted. Therefore they look for facts that can justify them. However, how can they find compromising facts among serious people other than the facts produced by themselves or by their partners? The danger is not in the open attacks or in persecution and not even in smear campaigns, as we saw. It is in the hidden ploys used to discredit and ruin Spiritism. Will they succeed? That is what we are going to examine.

We have already drawn the readers’ attention to such maneuver in the report of our journey in 1862; during the trip we received three kisses of Jude, although we had not manifested it. In fact, we had been forewarned about that before departure and about the traps that would be set up. We kept an eye on that certain that one day they would show their nails because it is as much difficult to a false Spiritist to always imitate a good one as it is to a bad Spirit to simulate a superior one. Neither can sustain their role for long.

We are referred to men and women from several places coming from suspicious antecedents and liaisons and whose apparent enthusiasm towards Spiritism just inspire mediocre confidence; it would be no surprise to find the three mentioned above among them; they do exist in the lower and upper ranks of society. It is sometimes more than enthusiasm on their part: it is fanatic admiration. They believe that their devotion goes to the sacrifice of their own interest and despite that they do not attract sympathy; there seems to be an unhealthy ambience around them; their presence casts a mantle of ice upon the meetings. One must add that their bread winning activities are problematic, particularly in the country side where everybody knows everybody.

What characterizes in particular such would-be followers is their tendency in making Spiritism veer off the path of prudence and moderation given their eagerness for the triumph of truth; the stimulus to eccentric publications; the ecstasy of admiration before the most ridicule apocryphal communications that they take care of spreading; the provocation of compromising subjects in the meetings about politics and religion, always concerned with the victory of truth that cannot remain under the bowl.

Their kudos to people and things are insensible: they are the braggarts of Spiritism. Others are sweeter and hypocritical. With a gaze and mellow words, they blow disagreement while preaching union. Skillfully bring up irritating subjects that are prone to generate dissidence. Excite in the several groups envy of domination and rejoice when see them throwing stones at one another, favoring a few differences of opinion about issues that are generally provoked, of formal or trivial matter, raising flag against flag.

Some, as they say, make huge acquisitions of Spiritist books hardly noticed by the booksellers, making intense propaganda. But their choice of followers is serendipitously unfortunate. They are fatally prone to seek exalted people, of strong point of views, or others who have already given signs of aberration. Then, where a case is blown, they deplore it and scream all over the place to be found that they were dealing with Spiritism from which they had not learned a single word. To the Spiritist books, that these eager apostles distribute generously, they frequently add not criticism but other books of wizardry, sorcery, or unorthodox political texts. This enables them to use this information so that when there is a case, eventual or not, everything can be confused during verification.

Since it is more convenient to be in control of things to have more manageable partners, something that is not easy to obtain, some organize or have parties organized where they preferably deal precisely with what Spiritism advises against and where there is special attention in attracting strangers that are not friends. The sacred and profane are intimately confused in such gatherings; the most venerable names are mixed up with the most ridicule practices of black magic, followed by cabalistic terms and signs, talismans, cryptic tripods and other accessories. Some add, as a complement and sometimes seeking profit, fortune telling, chiromancy, tasseography, paid somnambulism, etc. Complacent Spirits that meet not less complacent people there, foresee the future, find hidden treasures and uncles in America, and if necessary indicate the trend of the stock market and give winning lottery numbers. Later on, on a beautiful day, justice is made or we read in the papers the description of a Spiritist session attended by the author who tells his recollection of the events, witnessed in person.

Will you try to bring all those people healthy ideas? I would understandably believe this to be a waste of time: They are not interested in reason and the serious side of the Doctrine; that is what bothers them the most. They are pleased to hear that they harm the cause and that give weapons to the enemies. Their objective is to discredit the Doctrine while supposedly defending it. They are instruments that are not afraid of compromising others sending them to the rigors of the law, not even of compromising themselves since they know how to find compensation.

Their role is not always the same: it varies according to their social position, their aptitudes, their relationships and their driving motive but the objective is always the same. Not everyone employs such gross means but theirs is not less treacherous. Read certain publications that are said to be sympathetic to the idea and even apparently defending it; examine all thoughts and see if sometimes besides an approval put forward as a cover up or out of etiquette you will not find an insidious thought, a sneaked argument of double meaning as if issued by change, or an event reported with double meaning and that can be interpreted unfavorably. Some are less concealed and under the mantle of Spiritism try to divide the followers. We will certainly be asked if all the depravities that we have just mentioned are invariably hidden maneuvers or a comedy of interests and if they would not be a spontaneous movement; in short if all Spiritists are people of common sense and incapable of deceiving.

Pretending that all Spiritists are infallible would be as much absurd as the pretension of our adversaries of being the exclusive owners of reason. However, if some are mistaken, it is due to their confusion with respect to the meaning and objective of the Doctrine. In this case, their opinion should not have the weight of law as it is illogical or unfair, according to the intention, to take an individual idea by the general idea and exploit the exception. It would be the same as taking the aberration of some scholars by the general rule of science. We tell them: if you want to know on which side the presumption truly is, you must study the principles that are admitted by the immense majority if not absolute unanimity of the Spiritists of the whole world. Thus the believers of good-faith may make mistakes and we do not judge them if they do not share our ideas. If among the mistakes mentioned above some were just of personal opinion, we would only see isolated, regrettable deviations in that but it would be unfair to claim responsibility of a Doctrine that clearly denies them. But if we say what they result from interested maneuvers the fact is that our picture is made of models. Since this is the only thing really that Spiritism has to fear at the moment we invite every sincere follower to be on guard, avoiding the traps that could be set up on their way.

For that it would never be too much to have circumspection in the choice of elements to be introduced in our meetings as well as the careful denial of any suggestion that would tend to stain the essentially moral character of the Doctrine.

By keeping the order, dignity and righteousness that is proper to serious persons occupied with a serious thing they shall block the access to ill-intended people who shall leave once they acknowledge that they have nothing to do there.

For the same reason they must decline solidarity to any meeting formed outside of the conditions prescribed by a healthy reason and by the true principles of the Doctrine if they cannot lead to the good path.

As seen, there is certainly a great difference between false brothers and inept friends but the result may be unsuspectedly the same: discredit the Doctrine. The nuance that separates them is frequently in the intention something that sometimes would lead to confusion and by watching them serving the interests of the opposing party suppose that they were conquered by them. Circumspection is then and particularly at this time more needed than ever for we must not forget that words, actions and inconsiderate writings are exploited and that the adversaries rejoice when they can say that those things come from the Spirits.

In such a state of affairs it is understandable that they give rise to speculation given the abuse they can generate and may also offer support to the detractors in their accusations of charlatanism. Hence in certain cases it may be a trap that one must suspect. Since there is no philanthropic charlatanism abnegation and absolute selflessness of the mediums subtract the adversaries from one of their most powerful means of denigration, cutting right at the bone any discussion about the subject.

It would be no doubt a serious mistake to take the mistrust to excesses but in times of war and when the tactics of the enemy is known prudence becomes a necessity that exclude neither moderation nor the observation of conveniences from which we must never depart. On another hand we must not make a mistake regarding the character of a true Spiritist whose honesty of attitudes defy any suspicion particularly when reinforced by the practice of the principles of the Doctrine. Even when a flag is raised against flag, as our antagonists do, the future of each one depends on the sum of consolations and moral satisfaction they that people find in them. A system must not supersede the other unless it is more logical, something that only public opinion may judge. At any rate, violence, injuries and acrimony are bad antecedents and constitute an even worse recommendation.

We still need to examine the consequences of such a state of affairs. Those maneuvers can no doubt lead to momentary and partial disturbances and that is the reason why one must put them off as much as possible but they could not endanger the future first because they shall be around for a limited time since they are maneuvers of the opposition that shall fall by the force of things; second because whatever people say or do they will never subtract the distinctive character of the Doctrine, its rational philosophy and its reassuring moral. No matter how much they distort and stain the Doctrine, make the spirits speak at their own will, or collect apocryphal communications to give rise to contradictions, they shall not have an isolated teaching prevailing against the one that is given all over the place.

Spiritism is distinct from all other philosophies for not being a philosophical conception of a single person but a teaching that everyone can receive in all corners of the world and such is the consecration received by The Spirits’ Book. Written without conceivable mistakes and at the reach of all minds that book will always be the clear and accurate expression of the Doctrine that will be transmitted unbroken to those who will come after us.

The rage provoked by the Doctrine is an indication of the role it must play and also of the difficulty in opposing anything serious to that. The rapid success of the Doctrine was driven by the consolations and hopes it brings about. Any system that tried to destroy that source of consolation by the very denial of its fundamental principles could not be welcomed with indulgence.

We must not lose sight of the fact that we live a time of transition, as we have already said, and no transition happens without conflict. One must not be surprised by the agitation of passions at play, the compromised ambitions, and the frustrated wishes; they try to retain what is escaping them by their attachment to the past. It all disappears gradually. The fever is quenched. Peoplee pass and the new ideas stay.

Spiritists, rise up through your thoughts! Look up twenty years ahead and the present will no longer bother you.

The funeral of Mr. Guillaume Renard took place on Sunday February 1^st; he was a former officer, honored with the medal of St. Helen, and one of the oldest and most eager followers of that town, well-known amongst his brothers in faith. Although he professed some points where we disagreed, these points were not significant and did not affect the foundation of the Doctrine. This notwithstanding, he was still liked and respected, given the goodness of his character and his distinguished moral qualities. Had we been in Lyon on that occasion, we would have thrown some flowers on his grave. May he receive here, as well as his family and personal friends, this testimony of our sympathetic memory!

A simple and modest man, Mr. Renaud was almost unknown outside Lyon. His death, however, reverberated even in a Village of Haute-Saone, where on February 8^th the following was said:

If we wanted to rebut all the falsities attributed to Spiritism aiming at the adulteration of its character and objective, we would fill out the Review with that alone. Since that does not bother us, we let them talk limiting ourselves to collect the notes that are sent to us so that they can later take part, if possible, in the history of Spiritism.

Given the circumstances that we have just mentioned, it is a material fact about which the vicar of the parish is undoubtedly misinformed. We do not wish to suppose that he had consciously intended to do this on purpose. He wdould certainly have done better if he had not been so fast and if he had sought more accurate information. Not long ago, someone from the same location had died and there was a bad rumor that started concerning the society of the “rapping brothers”. The rumor asserted that there were seven or eight individuals from the village that wanted to resuscitate the dead by placing a bandage on their foreheads with an ointment prepared by the Spiritist Society of Paris. This society of the rapping brothers would then visit the cemetery every day to reanimate the dead. Women and youngsters of the region were so frightened that dared not leave their houses for being afraid of meeting a corpse.

Nothing else was needed to negatively impress a weak or sick mind and in the event of any accident Spiritism would promptly be blamed.

Let us go back to Mr. Renaud. When he was sick, there were useless efforts employed to make him give up his Spiritist beliefs. Nevertheless, a venerable priest received his confession and offered a pardon. Following that there was an effort to withdraw the certificate of confession and null the pardon together with the clergy of Saint-Jean as if it were given lightheartedly. It is a case of conscience that we cannot solve. Hence this very just public reflection that someone who receives the pardon cannot have the guarantee of its validity considering that a priest may have given it lightheartedly despite his good will. The clergy then adamantly refused to receive the body at the Church because Mr. Renaud did not want to retreat from his convictions that had given him so much consolation and helped him to withstand the trial of life with resignation.

For a matter of decency and due to the fact that we would be forced to name people, we will remain silent about the unfortunate maneuvers that were tried and the lies that were told to provoke disorder in this case. We will only say that they were totally contradicted by the common sense and prudence of the Spiritists that, despite it all, deserved the benevolence of the authorities. The leaders of the groups recommended that no answer should be given to any provocation.

Regarding the refusal of the clergy to provide prayers at the Church, the body was taken directly to the cemetery, followed by approximately a thousand people, having the funeral the attendance of about fifty women and young ladies, something that is not typical in Lyon. A special prayer was read at the grave by one of the participants, respectfully and silently heard by everybody. Then the crowd left quietly and everything ended as it had begun in perfect order.

As a contrast, we say that our former colleague, Mr. Sanson, received every sacrament before dying and was taken to the Church, followed by a priest from the cemetery, although he had previously and formally declared that he was a Spiritist and did not deny any of his convictions. The priest said: What would you do, however, if I told you that your pardon would depend on such a denial? - It would bother me but I would persist because your pardon is worth nothing. What do you mean? Don’t you believe in the efficacy of the pardon? – Yes, but I do not believe in the validity of a pardon received under such hypocrisy. Hear me out. Spiritism is not just a simple belief, an article of faith, but it is as positive as life. How would you like me to deny a fact that has been demonstrated to me like the light that illuminates us and to whom I owe the miraculous healing of my leg? If I did so, it would have been with my lips rather than my heart; it would be perjure. Then you would have given the pardon to a perjurer. I say that it would not be worth anything because it would be given in appearance but not in reality. That is why I would rather go without it.

We heard these words from Mr. Sanson himself. Since similar situations may occur here and there we hope that all Spiritists follow the example of Lyon and that in no circumstance may they lose civility that is a consequence of the principles of the Doctrine and the best response to be given to its adversaries that only seek pretext to justify their attacks.

Evoked thirty-six hours after his death at the central group of Lyon Mr. Renaud gave the following communications:



“I am still a bit confused despite the fact that I found here friendly faces and sympathetic hearts, feeling almost ashamed or, better saying, my thoughts are somewhat young. Oh! Mrs… what a difference, what a change in my condition! Thank you very much for your constant kindness. Thank you Mrs. V… for your good visits and for being so welcoming. You would like to know what happened to me since yesterday. I began to detach from the body in the morning. It seemed that I was evaporating. I felt the blood coagulating in my arteries, feeling as if it was about to end. I gradually lost consciousness and slept with a certain compressing pain; I then woke up and saw spirits celebrating around me. I then became confused since I could not separate the dead from the living ones; my head was a bit disturbed by the tears and by the joy; I was called from all sides as right now. Yes, thanks to the true friends that protected and encouraged me, now evoked in this difficult transition since the separation is painful and the pain is truly real, I understand the scream of arrival and the sigh of departure. I was already evoked several times hence I feel fatigued as the traveler who travelled all night long. Before I live would you allow me to return and shake hands with everyone?

G. Renaud”



Mr. Renaud was evoked at the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies. We postpone the publication due to a lack of space.

The sender requests that the Society determine the value of the answers he received and the authenticity of the name of the Spirit that provided those answers.

After discussing the subject, the committee proposed the following resolution be read at the Society, which was unanimously approved, and requested that this be placed in the in the Spiritist Review for the general public. In addition, the committee also wanted to make clear that requests, like these, should make clear the uselessness of future request about similar matters. Had the author limited his letter to the first question, it would have been enough to refer him to The Spirits’ Book where the subject has been analyzed! As a matter of fact, the question is badly formulated. One cannot know if he means eternity as a place of atonement or the penalties imposed upon each individual.

The Parisian Society, after learning about the letter from Mr. M… and the questions that he wishes to have solemnly addressed by the Society, feels that it is its duty to remind the author of the letter that the essential objective of Spiritism is the destruction of materialism and the betterment of mankind; that it is not absolutely in the scope of work of the Society to discuss the particular dogmas of each cult, leaving its appreciation to the individual conscience of each person; that it would be a lack of knowledge of such objective to transform it into an object of religious controversy whose effect would be the perpetuation of an antagonism that the Doctrine tends to eliminate, calling all peoples to the flag of charity, leading them to only see brothers in their neighbors irrespective of their beliefs. If there are controversial dogmas in certain religions one must hand over the care of depuration to the works of time and to the progress of things. The danger of their embedded mistakes shall disappear when mankind converts the principle of charity as the foundation of their conduct. The duty of the true Spiritists, of those who understand the providential objective of the Doctrine, is therefore, and before anything else, to fight disbelief and selfishness that are the true ulcers of humanity, and make the feeling of charity prevail through as much by theory as by actions, for that must be the basis of every rational religion in order to guide social reforms. Questions of real relevance must take priority with respect to questions of form. Relevant questions are those whose objective is to make people better since any social improvement must follow the betterment of the masses. That is the trend of Spiritism thus paving the way to all kinds of moral progress. Willing to act differently is the same as building an edifice from the roof before the foundations are laid out. It is like sowing before preparing the terrain.

By the application of the above principles and based on its bylaws the Spiritist Society of Paris is precluded from discussing any issue of religious and political controversy, as well as social economics, and will not yield to any enticement that may veer if off from such a guideline.

For that very reason the Society would not either officially or unofficially issue a judgement of value to the dictated answers given to the medium Mr. M… considering that those answers are essentially dogmatic and even political, and even less to bring it up as a matter for a solemn discussion as requested by the author of the letter.

As for the book that supposedly deals with those questions and whose publication is prescribed by the Spirit that dictated those answers, the Society does not hesitate in declaring that such publication is inopportune and dangerous since it could feed the adversaries of Spiritism with ammunition. Consequently, the Society believes to be its duty to discourage such publication as it does to every publication that is prone to misguide people with respect to the aim and tendencies of the Doctrine.

With respect to the nature of the Spirit that dictated those communications, the Society believes that it should remind everyone that the name of a Spirit is never a guarantor of his identity; that it is not possible to find proof of superiority in some just ideas that are issued side by side with others that are false.

The truly superior spirits are logical and consistent in everything they say. Well, that is not the case with this Spirit. His pretentious belief that the consequence of his book will be to have the government changing certain areas of politics would be enough to cast doubt upon his elevated position and even more so on the name that he bears. His elevated position also sticks out from no less than these two characteristic facts.

First, it is completely false the idea that Mr. Allan Kardec received the mission of examining and having the book published, as pretended by the Spirit. If he has such a mission, it must only be for the clarification of the inconveniences and to fight against its publication.

Second is how the Spirit exalts the mission of the medium, something that is never done by good Spirits, and something that is on the contrary always done by those who want to impose themselves by capturing the confidence of the mediums through their beautiful words, hoping to be able to accomplish the rest.

In short, it becomes evident to the Society that the name that beautifies the Spirit who pretended to be Christ is not true. The Society believes to be its duty to advise the author of the letter as well as its medium that they should make no mistake about those communications, sticking to the essential objectives of Spiritism.

The communication below was given spontaneously at a Spiritist session in Le Havre on February 12^th, 1863:

“Have mercy on this miserable soul that has been suffering horrendous tortures for many years! Oh the emptiness… the space… I fall, I fall… help! God, I had such a miserable life! A poor devil that sometimes had to endure hunger in his old days. That is why I turned to alcohol and was so much ashamed and disgusted with it all… I wanted to die and so I jumped… Oh God, what a moment? What would I have to terminate it when I was so close to the end? Pray for me so that I can see something different from this emptiness before me… I will shatter myself against the rocks. I beg you all who are familiar with the miseries of those who no longer inhabit Earth, I beg you even those of you who don’t know me because I do suffer so much… Why do you want proof? I suffer, isn’t that enough? If I were hungry instead of going through this terrible but invisible suffering, you would not hesitate in helping me with a piece of bread. I beg you to pray for me. My time is up. Ask one of these happy ones around here and you will learn about me. Pray for me.

Francois-Simont Louvet

Just after this communication the protector Spirit of the medium said: That one that has just communicated with you, my dear, is an unfortunate one that had a test of misery on Earth and who was taken by displeasure, bitterness and lack of courage, instead of looking above and beyond, became a drunk and went down to the lowest possible levels of despair by taking his own life when he jumped from Francis I Tower on July 22^nd, 1857. Have mercy on his poor soul that is not advanced but knows enough about our future life to suffer and seek another test. Ask God to allow him such a grace and you shall do him good. I am happy to see your gathering, my dear children; I shall always be with you when you gather like this. I am always ready to teach you. If you were unable to communicate with a good Spirit I would be your intermediary but you are surrounded by them and let them teach you. Show perseverance on the path of the Lord and you shall be blessed. Be patient in your trials and never deny a good action due to the ingratitude of people. They shall be better soon and the times are near. Good-bye my beloved ones. I am with you in sadness and in happiness. Peace be with you.

Your protector Spirit.





After some research the following article was found in the Journal of Le Havre, dated July 23^rd, 1857:

“At 4pm yesterday the pier’s passerby were painfully exposed to a horrific accident. A man jumped from the tower and his body shattered on the rocks. It was a poor old man whose drinking addiction dragged him to suicide. His name François-Simon Louvet. The body was taken to one of his daughter’s house at Rue de la Corderie. He was sixty-seven years old.”

Note: A skeptical person to whom the mediumistic phenomenon was reported responded: “Who knows if the medium was aware of the Journal of Le Havre then constructing the story with the news?” – As one can see, deception is always the last resort of the deniers when they cannot bear a fact whose material evidence cannot be doubted. To them it is never enough to show empty hands and pockets because, they say, con men do the same when challenging the intelligence of the observer.

From our side, we ask what is the interest of the medium in this case by representing such a role. Not even self-love can be entertained in this case considering that the episode happens in the privacy of a home where one could only deceive herself and her loved ones. As a matter of fact, when people want to have fun it is not through such matters of a little recreational content and one cannot admit the possibility of a good, young lady toying with the name of God in such a tasteless joke. Total selflessness and righteousness are the best guarantors of honesty and the strongest response in such cases.

Besides, one must notice the punishment inflicted on this suicide case. Dead for six years he permanently sees himself shattering on the rocks; is stunned by the emptiness before him for that entire time! How long will that last? He does not have the answer and the uncertainty increases his agony. Isn’t that the equivalent of hell and its flames? Who has revealed such punishments to us? Have we invented them? No. Those who are suffering are the ones that come to reveal them to us like others who come to describe their joy.

The following fact is reported by Mr. J…, a doctor from Gard:

“A working-class family, my country home neighbors, had a 10-year daughter by the name of Clara who was taken badly ill for four years. In her entire life she never moaned or complained or showed any sign of impatience. Although not educated she used to reassure her afflicted family talking about a future life and the happiness that awaited there. She died in September 1862 after four torturing and convulsive days during which she never stopped praying. – I don’t fear death, she said, because a happy life waits for me thereafter. To her sobbing father she would say: – Rest assured I will come back to visit you; my time is up, I feel that but at the right moment I will know and will tell you in advance.

In fact, when the time was right she called her loved ones and said: – I have no more than five minutes to live. Give me your hands. Shed then passed as she had announced.

After that, a rapping Spirit has been visiting the Rivier’s, where nothing remains unturned. There are raps on the table as if someone were using a hammer; the curtains are agitated; the china ticks and balls are played in the cellar. The Spirit showed up to her little five-year-old sister as Clara. According to the girl her sister has spoken to her many times; the fact that the girl screams out of joy or sometimes of regret if the lights and the fire are not put out in the room where she has the visions, while she continuously says: – look at how beautiful Clara is!

Wishing to know what Clara wanted, she had her father return the hair that was cut according to the habits of the region. However, even though the parents had satisfied her wishes by taking the hair to her tomb, the Spirit continued the visitation and the noise that I witnessed myself to the point that friends and neighbors were moved by this situation. I then talked to the parents asking them if there was anybody to whom they could have done anything wrong. It was unlikely that the Spirit would stop tormenting them while they did not repair their wrong doing. That was my advice to them.

During my ten days of forced absence the obsession became more violent to the point of Mr. Rivier engaging in a physical fight and was taken down. They were so terrified with the events that they decided to seek advice from a local medium who recommended to them to give support to the poor of the region. They so did this for two days. I will gladly tell you the result and would like to receive your remarks about it.”

Observation: It seems evident that the alms advised to the Rivier couple in this case was at the same time a trial more or less beneficial to them depending on how it was executed and a means of calling the attention to the phenomena to a larger number of people. It is a way of demonstrating that Spiritism is not the works of the devil since it advises charity and good deeds to combat what are called demons. What can the adversaries of Spiritism do against such manifestations? They can prohibit people from dealing with the Spirits but cannot hinder the Spirits from coming. The proof behind this rests with the fact that there are manifestations that take place at homes where people do not wish to have them and, for their very reputation of sanctity, it is as if they wanted to defy them, in case they were demoniac. There is no denial or opposition against the facts. From what we can surmise, Spiritism must follow its course.



Dear parents, pray to God; love one another; practice the law of Jesus Christ; don’t do to others what you don’t want others do to you; beg for the trials of God to show you his sacred will and power. By predicting the future, forearm yourselves with courage and perseverance for you are still called upon to suffer. One does need to earn a good position in a better world where the understanding of the divine justice becomes the punishment of the bad Spirits.



I shall always be by your side, dear parents. Good-bye, or even better, so long. Have resignation, charity, love to your neighbors and one day you shall be happy.

Clara



Observations: That is a nice thought: “suffering reaches the miserable of Earth more than one can imagine”. It is an allusion to the Spirits that move from a brilliant condition to a humble and miserable one from one existence to the next because they frequently atone the abuse of their God given gifts in forgotten places. It is a justice understandable by everyone.



Another, no less profound thought, is that one that attributes the calamities of peoples to the breach of God’s law for God punishes peoples as He punishes individuals. It is certain that if they practiced the law of charity there would be no war or great miseries. Spiritism leads to the practice of that law. Would that be the reason why Spiritism finds such fierce enemies? Can the girl’s words to her parents be the words of a devil?

The Courrier du Bas-Rhin from Saturday, January 3^rd 1863 (German part) brings the following article under the title “Spectral Photography”:

“The Americans that do not advance in many things are certainly ahead of us with respect to the art of photography and the evocation of spirts. Nowadays in Boston dead people are not only called back by mediums but also photographed. The wonderful discovery is attributed to a Mr. William Mumler from that town. He describes it himself – I have been experimenting for some time now in my laboratory with a new photographic device taking pictures of myself. Suddenly I felt a pressure on my right-hand arm and a lethargic sensation took over my whole body. What a surprise when I saw my picture with the image of a second person by my side, the image of nobody else but my dead cousin? The similarity of the image leaves no doubt in the minds of those who knew the lady. As a result and since then Mr. Mumler not only provide his customers with mediumistic sessions but also takes pictures of the evoked souls. These are generally somehow faded and foggy and the outlines difficult to recognize but that does not preclude the enlightened people of Boston from testifying in favor of their authenticity. Who would believe that the spectral images would come so soon?”

In case it was real such a discovery would certainly have huge consequences and would be one of the most remarkable facts of manifestations. However, our recommendation is to take it with careful reservation. The Americans that surpassed us in so many things, in the words of the author of the article, have also moved ahead in the field of deception.

To those who know the properties of the perispirit at first sight, this does not seem materially impossible. So many extraordinary things are discovered that this does not seem to be a big surprise. The Spirits announced manifestations of a new kind, even more remarkable than the ones that we have already seen. This one would then and undoubtedly fit that category. However and once more until there is a more authentic verification than a report from a newspaper it is sensible to remain in doubt.

If it is true it will then become common; while we wait, it is then necessary to avoid believing in all wonderful stories that the enemies of Spiritism rejoice in spreading to bring ridicule upon the doctrine and those who accept it so easily. Besides, one does need to observe things more carefully before attributing every unexplained and remarkable phenomenon to the Spirits. A detailed analysis shows, in the majority of the cases, an entirely material cause that had not been observed yet. It is our clear recommendation in The Medium’s Book.



As a support to what we have just said and with respect to the Spiritist photography we mention the following article extracted from the La Patrie on February 23^rd, 1863. It helped us to forewarn ourselves against hastily judgment.

“A young Lord, bearing one of the oldest and illustrious names of the high chamber, whose love for the art of photography brings to that field great and joyful successes, had just lost his beloved sister. Heartbroken and profoundly sad he left his equipment behind, left England and went on a long journey around the continent, only returning to his almost noble Lancashire home about four years later. Unsurprisingly his desperation moved from an acute to a chronical condition, that is, it had not changed in intensity but only in violence, gradually transforming into resignation. When those in suffering seek consolation they first address God, then work. Later on, the young lord returned to the laboratory and his photographic gadgets. In a kind of transaction with his pain he thought of starting the imagery by the chapel where the remains of his sister were buried. He got the negative and prepared the plate to be exposed to light in order to obtain the revealed picture. When he looked at the plate he almost passed out. The interior of the chapel appeared very clearly but the head of the dead young lady was showing vaguely at the not well lit part of the photography. Her beautiful and kind traces were nicely distinguished including details of her dress. Minor details of the chapel could be seen through the fabric of her dress.

The lord’s initial reaction was to believe in an apparition. He soon nodded his head in sadness. He remembered that some years back he had photographed his sister using the same plate. Since the image was poor he had erased it, now realizing that he might not have done it properly for the outlines of his sister were mixing with the new image impressed upon the plate. Some artists in England exploit this bizarre photographic technique: they produce and sell double images whose assembly leads to strange or funny effects. Among other things one can see the ruins of a castle on top of its park, façade and pavilions as they should have looked like before their destruction. They also prepare the montage of old people through which one can see how they looked like in their good old days when they were young.”

The Algerian newspaper Akhbar from February 10^th, 1863 brings the following article:

“Mr. Bishop of Alger has just published a pastoral instruction about Spiritism for the Lent of 1863, a subject matter that is in fashion these days and about which the African clergy have been quiet so far. Here the passages:

Mr. Home came to Paris where he stayed for a few days only. We were asked from all sides to provide information about the extraordinary phenomena that he had produced in the presence of trustworthy persons and that the papers mentioned only vaguely. Since those things took place in private meetings it is not up to us to reveal what does not have an official character and even less what involves certain names. We will only say that the detractors exploited that circumstance as many others in order to cast ridicule upon Spiritism with absurd stories and without any respect to people or the events.

We must add that Mr. Home’s passage by Paris as well as the respectability of the homes where he was welcomed constitute a formal denial to the shameful calumnies that he had been expelled from Paris like the rumors that circulated some time ago that because he was absent he had been arrested in Mazas for serious matters when in fact he was enjoying his time in Naples where he was taking care of his heath. Calumny! Always calumny! It is about time that the Spirits may come to expurgate them from Earth.

We refer our readers to the detailed articles published about Mr. Home and his manifestations in the February, March and April 1858 issues of The Spiritist Review.

-o-

An article published in the Monde Illustré about the supposed American mediums Mr. and Mrs. Girroodd have also motivated many requests for information. We have nothing to add to what we have already said in the February 1862 issue of the Spiritist Review other that the fact that we saw them in person and that one can also see with Robert Houdin things that are not less unexplainable when the intricacies are not understood. No Spiritist or magnetizer can take those things seriously or waste any time in serious discussions about them when they know the normal conditions in which the phenomena take place.

Certain inept adversaries wanted to exploit those skills against the Spiritist phenomena by saying that if they can be imitated it means that they do not exist and that every medium is a skillful swindler, starting by Mr. Home. They fail to observe that they provide ammunition to discredit themselves for the same argumentation may be used against the majority of the miracles.

Without pointing out the illogical aspect of that conclusion and without discussing the phenomena again we say that the difference between the swindlers and the mediums is the difference between the profit and the selflessness, between imitation and reality, between an artificial flower and a real one. Furthermore, we cannot preclude a con man from pretending to be a medium or a physicist. It is not up to us to defend any exploitation of that kind. Let us leave it up to the critics.

The following proceeds were collected at the office of the Spiritist Review and published in the February issue for 1,491.40 francs. [jcm-need to check this to make sure I assumed the separation correctly]

New contributions until February 28^th:

Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies: Total 740 francs – published in the February list, 423 francs. In this list, 317 francs.

Several Societies and Spiritist groups: Montreuil-sur-Mer, 74 francs (February contribution that was mistakenly left out); Mescher-sur-Girond, 32.5 francs; Carmaux (Tarn), 20 francs; Monterat et Saint-Gemme (Tarn), 40 francs; Chauny (Aisne), 40 francs; Metz, 50 francs; Bordeaux (Society and groups Roux et Petit), 70 francs; Albi (Tarn), 20 francs; Tours, 103.3 francs; Angouleme, 18 francs. Total 467.80 francs.

Several subscribers:

Paris – Messrs.: L… 5 francs; Hobach 40 francs; Nant et Breul (Passy), 100 francs; Doit, 1 franc; Aumont Editor (2^ndcontribution), 5 francs; Dufaux, 5 francs; Mazaroz, 20 francs; Queyras, 3 francs; X…, 25 francs; Dr. Houat, 20 francs; Dufilleul, cavalry officer, 10 francs; X… (Saint-Junien) 1 franc; L.D. 2 francs; Moreau – pharmacist (Niort), 10 francs; Captain Blin (Marseille), 10 francs (included in the February list as 20 francs instead of 10 which were only considered in the total); J.L. (Digne) 3 francs; Dr. Reignier (Thionville), 7.5 francs; Mrs. Wilson Klein (Great Dukedom of Baden), 20 francs; B… (Saint-Jean d’Angely), 2 francs; A…(Versailles), 1 franc; V… (Versailles), 2 francs; S…(Dole), 2 francs; Martner officer of the Joint Chiefs of State, 10 francs; Gevers (Antwerp), 10 francs; C. Babin (Champblanc, by Cognac), 40 francs – Total 369,50 francs.



Spiritists and French nationals from Barcelona (Spain): Messrs. Jaime Ricart and sons, 52.5 francs; Micolier 5 francs; Luis Nuty, 5 francs; Jean Regembat, 5 francs; Alex Wigle, photographer, 5 francs; Ch. Soujol, 2.60 francs; X…, 1.25 francs. Total 76.35 francs. With the amount of 489.35 francs from the February contribution Barcelona totals 565.7 francs.

Grand total: 2,722.05 francs.



Errata: In the February list, instead of Lausat (from Condom) one should read Loubat; Instead of Frothier (from Poitiers) one should read Frottier; Instead of Bodin (from Cognac) one should read Babin.

The subscription is still open.

In addition to that grand total the Spiritist Review contributed on February 6^th through the subscription initiated by the Opinion Nationale with 2,216.4 francs, according to the note published on February 15^th in that periodical, list 14.

We inform that the majority of groups and societies gave their contribution directly in their local lists. We got the following list of contribution from several regions from Lyon, among others:

Group Desprêle, Av. Charlemagne, 57.95 francs; id. of the workers, 93.3 francs; id. Viret, 26 francs; id. from the Red Cross, 31.1 francs; id. Rousset, 48.3 francs; id. Central, 123 francs; private gathering, 15.25 francs; another id., 32.5 francs; another id. (Edoux), 22 francs; isolated subscriptions, 316.5 francs. Grand total 765.9 francs.

The Society from Saint-Jean d’Angely contributed with the city subscription with 100 francs.

Allan Kardec^[1]

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[1] Paris, Typography Cosson & Co., Rue de Four-Saint-Germain, 43