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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863 > February > Sermons against Spiritism
Sermons against Spiritism
A letter from Lyon, dated December 7th, 1862 contains the following passage verbally confirmed to us by a witness:
“We had the presence here of the Bishop of Texas, USA, who preached on Tuesday, 8th December, at 8pm at Saint-Nizier Church, before an auditorium of about two thousand people and a large number of Spiritists. Ah! He does not seem to be well informed about our Doctrine. One can judge from this summary: - The Spiritists do not admit hell or prayer in church. They lock themselves in their bedrooms and pray to God there, who knows which prayers! There are only two types of Spirits: the perfect ones and the thieves; the murderers and the villains…I come from America where these blasphemies began. I can assure you, though, that for a couple of years now nobody is involved with these things there any more…I was told here in this famous city of Lyon that there was a lot of Spiritists here. This cannot be true. I don’t believe it. I am positive, brothers and sisters, that there isn’t a single medium among you for behold the Spirits do not accept marriage or baptism and every Spiritist separates from their spouses, etc.
“Those few statements give you an idea of the rest. What would the preacher say if he had known that a quarter of the audience was made-up of Spiritists? As for his eloquence, I can only say this: at certain times he was frantic; he seemed to have lost his train of thoughts and did not know what he wanted to say. If I was not afraid of using an disrepectful expression, I would say that he floundered. I do believe that he was led to say such absurd things by some Spirits and, so much so, that I assure you that we even forgot that we were in a sacred place. Everybody was laughing. Some of his followers came outside to observe the effect produced by the sermon but may not have been very happy since each person laughed and said what they thought. Several of his friends deplored his attitude and understood that he had not achieved his objective. This is what happened in the next session. A lady that was sitting by a very kind Spiritist friend of mine asked: - What is this Spiritism and these mediums that people speak so much about it and what are these men so furious about? She thought about the explanation and said: - Ah! When I get home I will try to acquire the books and understand.
“I assure you that it is thanks to some of these sermons that there are so many Spiritists in Lyon. Keep in mind that only three years ago we were only a few hundred when I wrote to you about a wrathful sermon against the Doctrine that had excellent results. I surmised that a few sermons more like this one and, in a year, the number of followers would double. Well, as predicted, the number is a hundred fold today thanks also to the false attacks from the press.
Everybody has more common sense than one may think when something is attached with such emphasis. As a result, these individuals wanted to investigate the merits of Spiritism themselves. They soon recognized the untruths of certain ignoallegations that denoted ignorance or malevolence, discrediting the critics and bringing more followers to Spiritism instead of keeping them away. The same happens, we hope, to the Bishop of Texas whose greatest mistake was to say that ‘every Spiritist is separated from their wives’, when we have here before our eyes many couples that were separated before and that found union and concord in Spiritism.
Everyone naturally tells themselves that if the adversaries of Spiritism give it false teachings but yet the the results demonstrated by the facts and by the reading of the books show the opposite, there is then nothing to confirm the truthfulness of their criticism. I do believe that if the Spiritists of Lyon were not afraid of what how the Bishop of Texas would react, they would have sent him and thank you letter. Spiritism, however, makes us charitable, even to our enemies.”
Another letter from a witness contains the following passage:
“The preacher from Saint-Nizier assumed that Spiritism had had its time in the USA and that for two years now nobody talks about it. Hence in his opinion it was a matter of fashion. The phenomena had no consistence and did not deserve further studies. He sought to see and saw nothing. However, he added that the new doctrine was destructive to the links of family, to the property and to the constitution of Society thus he denounced it to the authorities.
The adversaries expected a more shocking effect and not a simple denial presented in such a ridiculous way as the people are not oblivious to what happens in town, to the march of progress, and to the nature of the manifestations. The issue resumed on Sunday 14th in Saint-Jean, this time handled a little bit better. The preacher of Saint-Nizier denied the phenomena. In Saint-Jean he acknowledged them and said: - People hear raps on the walls, in the air, mysterious voices; in reality these are from Spirits but which Spirits? They cannot be good since the good ones are kind and obedient to God’s orders which prohibits the evocation of Spirits. Hence the ones that come can only be the bad ones.
There was about three thousand people in Saint-Jean. Among those at least three hundred will seek the discovery. What will certainly contribute to the thoughts of honest and intelligent people that made the audience are the singular statements of the preacher – I say that out of education. – Spiritism, he said, comes to destroy the family, to degrade women, to preach suicide, adultery and abortion, to promote communism and dissolve society.
He then invited the parishioners who eventually had Spiritist books to come forward and give it to them so that they could be burnt like St. Paul did to the heretic books in Ephesus. I don’t know if those gentlemen will find people eager enough to take their money and empty our bookshelves. Some Spiritists were furious; the majority rejoiced for understanding that it was a great day.
Hence, from the top of the second cathedra of France they have just proclaimed that the phenomena are true. The whole issue then is reduced to knowing that if these are good or bad Spirits and if the bad ones have God’s permission to come.”
The preacher of Saint-Jean affirms that it can only be the bad ones. He modified a little bit the solution.
We got a letter from Angouleme last Thursday, December 5th telling us that a preacher expressed himself in this way during his sermon: “We all knew that the Spirits could be evoked and since long ago but it can only be done by the Church. Other people are not allowed to try to correspond with them by material means. To me it is a heresy.” The effect it had on people was entirely contrary to the expected.
Thus, it is obvious that the good ones and the bad ones can communicate since if only the bad ones had such a power it is not reasonable that only the Church had the privilege of calling them.
We doubt that two sermons given in Bordeaux in the last October had served better to the cause of our antagonists. Below follows the analysis done by one listener. The Spiritists will be able to see if under this disguise they recognize their Doctrine and if the arguments opposed to them can smother their faith. As for ourselves, we repeat what we have already said somewhere else: While Spiritism is not attacked with better weapons it has nothing to fear.
“I will always regret”, says the narrator, “the fact that I missed the first of these sermons at Margaux Chapel, on October 15th last, if I am not mistaken. According to what I heard from trustworthy witnesses the thesis that was developed was the following: - the Spirits may communicate with mankind. The good ones only communicate with the Church. All those who manifest outside Church are bad because there is no salvation outside Church. The mediums are miserable people who established a pact with the devil obtaining from him manifestations of all sorts at the price of their soul, extraordinary if not miraculous manifestations.”
I give below other citations still stranger than that one. Since I did not hear them I suspect these statements could be exaggerated.
“The following Sunday, October 19th I was lucky enough to hear the sermon below. I tried to learn the name of the preacher and I was told that it was Father Lapeyre.
Father Lapeyre offered insights to his critics of The Spirits’ Book. In order to do so, he certainly tried to raise issues from this remarkable piece of work. I will restrain myself to point out the arguments that were more shocking to me, choosing to stay below the truth rather than assigning to our adversary something that he might not have said or that I might have misunderstood.
According to Father Lapeyre, The Spirits’ Book preaches communism; sharing of assets; divorce; equality among all peoples and in particular between men and women; equality between man and his God since man aspires nothing less than become similar to Jesus Christ taken by a pride that was the loss of the angels. The book drags people to materialism and to sensual pleasures since the works of progress may take place without God’s support and despite God, through the effect of this force that wishes the betterment of everything gradually, promoting the metempsychosis, this insanity of antiquity, etc. Then moving on to the speed with which the new ideas propagate he attests horrified how skillful and smart the devil is, by bringing them about; how well and artfully he was able to elaborate them to strongly vibrate in the perverted hearts of this century of incredulity and heresies. He then states: - this century loves freedom so much and offer him free examination, freedom of choice, freedom of conscience! This century loves equality so much and shows him mankind at the same level of God! This century loves light so much and with a movement of the hand tears off the veil that hid the sacred mysteries.
He then attacks the subject of the eternal penalties and gave magnificent pieces of oratory embedded in emotions. – Believe me, my dear friends; believe me when I tell you where the imprudence of these new philosophers taken them thinking that they have dismantled the sacred religion of Jesus Christ before the weight of their deceptive assertions. Ah! Disgraceful! There is no hell, no purgatory, they say! To them no more blessed relationships connecting the living ones to the souls of those who they lost. No more the sacred sacrifice of the mass! Why would they celebrate it? Wouldn’t their souls purify by themselves without any work and just by the efficacy of that irresistible force that attracts them to perfection non-stop? And do you know who the authorities are that come to proclaim these impious doctrines stamped on their foreheads by the indelible sign of hell that they wanted to annihilate? Ah! Brothers! These are the strongest columns of the Church: St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Luke, St. Vincent de Paul, Bossuet, Fénelon, Lamennais, and all renowned men, true saints that fought for the establishment of the unmovable truth in their time and upon which the Church built its foundations, coming now to declare that their Spirits, detached from matter and more clairvoyant realized that their former opinions were wrong and that people should believe in the opposite.
Then, moving on to a question that the author of a Letter from a Catholic addressed to a Spirit to know if one commits heresy by practicing Spiritism, the preacher adds: - Here is the answer, brothers: - it is curious that despite the devil’s astuteness and skills he always shows his claws by the name of the Spirit that gave this answer. I will tell you in a little while.
“This is followed by the citation of that answer that goes like this: - Are you in agreement with all truths of the Church that empower you in the good that boosts the love for God in your soul and the devotion to your brothers? Yes; hence, you are a Catholic. He then adds: - Signed… Zenon... Zenon! A Greek philosopher, a pagan, an idolater that from the flames of hell where he burns for over twenty centuries comes to tell us that one can be a Catholic and not believe in that very hell that tortures him, waiting for all those who do not die humble and obedient in the heart of the Church… But senseless and blind you are! With all your philosophy you will not have but this proof, this only proof that the doctrine that you promote comes from the devil and that shall be a thousand times enough!
After a lengthy explanation about this and the exclusive privileges of the Church to expel the devil, he adds: - Insensible people that have fun by talking to the Spirits pretending to have any influence upon them! Have no fear like with the one mentioned by St. Luke these rapping and noisy Spirits – and they are very well classified my brothers – will not ask you: Who are you? Who are you to disturb us? Do you really believe that we are going to submit to your sacrilegious caprices? And that taking the tables and chairs that you turn around wouldn’t they take you over like the son of Sceva, bringing pain upon you to the point that you have to run away, harmed and naked, too late to acknowledge the true abomination that is like playing with the dead?
What is left to be done before such positive facts that shout at us? What to do? Ah dear brothers! Watch out and be careful not to be contaminated. Repel all the outrageous attempts of evil to drag you along towards the abyss. However, it is too late for such recommendations. Evilness has progressed rapidly. Those infamous books dictated by the prince of darkness to attract a multitude of ignorant people to his kingdom have spread out so much that like in Ephesus in former times if we added the price of those that circulate in Bordeaux alone it would amount to more than fifty thousand silver denarius (170,000 francs in our currency, repeating the citation made elsewhere in the sermon). I would not be surprised if among the believers that hear me now there wouldn’t be some who have already fallen for the reading of those books. We can only say to these ones: Hurry up! Approach the tribunal of penitence. Hurry up! Come and open your hearts to the spiritual guides. Full of benevolence and kindness and always following the magnificent example of Paul we shall forgive you right away. As with Paul, however, forgiveness shall not be given to you if you do not bring us those books of sorcery that have almost destroyed you. What shall we do to those books, dear brothers? Yes, what shall we do? As St. Paul did we will build a mountain at the main square and we ourselves will set them on fire.”
Just a quick observation about this sermon: the author is mistaken about the date and perhaps, like a new Epimenides of Knossos, he has been asleep since the fourteenth century. Another fact that sticks out is the rapid development of Spiritism. The enemies of another school also attest it in despair, such is the great love that they have for human reason.
The Moniteur de Moselle on November 7th, 1862 reads: “Spiritism makes dangerous progress. It invades the upper, middle and lower classes of society. Magistrates, doctors, serious people also fall in that trap.”
This statement is repeatedly found in the majority of current critics. In the presence of such a positive fact it was necessary to come from the middle of Texas and enter an auditorium with over a thousand Spiritists who have not been practicing for two years. Then, why such a rage if Spiritism is dead and buried? At least Father Lepeyre has no illusions. Given his horror he even exaggerates the extension of the supposed evil for he estimates the Spiritist books in Bordeaux alone to be worth a fortune. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the idea has a great power and nobody will say that we exaggerate when we speak of the fast progress of the Doctrine. Some may attribute this to the devil fighting in a struggle against God, others may say that this is a fit of insanity invading all social classes so much so that the circle of shewed people narrows down continuously to the point that it will soon count on only a few, Others may deplore these things and each one from their own standpoint, asking themselves: - What is going to be, God? It is their own right. The result is that Spiritism wins over every barrier that is placed on its path. Hence, if it is insanity then soon there will only be mad people on Earth. It is a well-known proverb. If it is the work of the devil, then soon there will only be deranged people around and if those only speak in the name of God cannot stop them then the devil is stronger than God.
The Spiritists are more respectful of the Divinity. They do not believe that there is someone capable of fighting God on a level plan and even more to defeat God. Otherwise the roles would be upside-down and the devil would be the true lord of the universe. The Spiritists say that since God is sovereign there is no sharing there and that nothing happens without God’s permission. Consequently, if Spiritism propagates with a lightning speed it does so by the will of God regardless. Since God is sovereignly fair and good he must not expect that his creatures will be lost or allow them to be tempted knowing from his foresight that they will succumb and precipitate in the never ending torments.
The dilemma still stands now. It is submitted to everybody’s conscience and the conclusion is up to the future. If we mention all that there is to demonstrate the position of the adversaries of Spiritism when attacking it. In fact, one does need may excuses to criticize Spiritism by preaching the breakdown of family, adultery, abortion, communism and the destruction of social order. Do we need to rebuff those things? No. It is simply enough to guide them to the Doctrine and its teachings, something that is done all over the place.
Who would believe that we preach communism after the lessons given about the speech published in full in the report of our journey in 1862? Who could see an incitement to anarchy in the same brochure, page 58: “In any case the Spiritists must be the first ones to give the example of submission to the law in case they are drawn.”
Proposing such things in a distant region where Spiritism was totally unknown, where there was no means of controlling that could produce some effect. But saying it from the top of the cathedra of truth, amidst a whole population of Spiritists who permanently contradict it by their teachings and examples, that is real inability and one cannot help it but say that someone must be deluded to the point of not understanding that such speech can only serve the cause of Spiritism. It would be a mistake, however, to believe that that opinion is shared by the entire clergy. Much to the contrary, there are several priests who don’t think that way and we even know some who deplore such deviations that more harmful to religion than to the Spiritist Doctrine. These are personal opinions that do not make law. A proof of the personal appreciations is their contradiction. While one says that all Spirits that manifest are necessarily bad for disobeying God, another one acknowledges that some are good and some are bad but only the good ones go to Church and the bad ones to the masses. One accuses Spiritism of degrading women, another one criticizes it for elevating women to the same level as men. One pretends that Spiritism “drags people to materialism and sensuality” and the other, Mr. Cure of Marouzeau, recognizes that it destroys materialism.
Father Marouzeau says the following in his brochure: “In reality, according to the followers of the communications from beyond the grave, it would be the deliberate intention of the clergy to fight Spiritism at any price. Let us suppose that the clergy has so little intelligence and common sense and a stupid mind? Why believe that the Church that has given so much demonstration of prudence, wisdom and high intelligence to discern the truth from the false at all times would be now incapable of understanding the interest of its children? Why condemning without listening to the Church. If the Church refuses to hold your flag it means that it is not its flag whose colors are essentially hostile; fact is that side by side with the good that you do by fighting materialism the Church sees a real danger to souls and Society.” And in another passage: “Let us conclude from all that that Spiritism must limit itself to fighting materialism and giving people tangible proofs of immortality by means of well-established manifestations from beyond the grave.”
An essential point that results from all of this is the fact that all those gentlemen are in agreement with respect to the reality of the manifestations. The only difference is in the way each one appreciates them. As a matter of fact, denying them would be the same as denying the truth of the Scriptures and the facts themselves upon which the dogmas are founded.
As for the way people look at the thing, it is already possible to verify how the unity is established and how public opinion manifests itself, an opinion that also has its power of vetoing. Another fact sticks out: the Spiritist Doctrine touches profoundly the masses; while some see in the doctrine a terrible ghost others see an angel of consolation and freedom and a new era of moral progress to humanity.
Since we mentioned Father Marouzeau’s brochure we may perhaps be asked why we have not responded to that once it was addressed to us, personally. The reason may be found in the report of our journey we have traveled to refute these assertions. When we discuss a subject, we do so from the general point of view, abstracting from personalities that to our eyes are just individuals attached to their principles.
We shall talk about Mr. Marouzeau and others when the time is right to discuss the ensemble of objections. It was necessary to wait until each one would speak – bragging or not – in order to appreciate the strength of the opposition. Individual and particular responses would have been premature and repeated incessantly.
Mr. Marouzeau’s brochure was a rifle shot. Our apologies for placing him in the category of the rifleman but his Christian modesty shall not be offended.
Protected by a number of shields it seemed convenient to us to let them unload their guns, even the heavy ones, like the one that has just arrived, so that we could assess their power. Well, up until now we cannot lament the clearings in our ranks. On the contrary, their shots ricocheted. On another hand it was not less useful to allow the situation develop and people should appreciate the fact that over the last two years instead of worsening the general state of things we have gathered new strengths every day. Hence we will respond when we understand that the time is right. So far, there has been no waste of time for we have gained terrain constantly and the adversaries themselves facilitate our job. All we have to do is to let them act.
“We had the presence here of the Bishop of Texas, USA, who preached on Tuesday, 8th December, at 8pm at Saint-Nizier Church, before an auditorium of about two thousand people and a large number of Spiritists. Ah! He does not seem to be well informed about our Doctrine. One can judge from this summary: - The Spiritists do not admit hell or prayer in church. They lock themselves in their bedrooms and pray to God there, who knows which prayers! There are only two types of Spirits: the perfect ones and the thieves; the murderers and the villains…I come from America where these blasphemies began. I can assure you, though, that for a couple of years now nobody is involved with these things there any more…I was told here in this famous city of Lyon that there was a lot of Spiritists here. This cannot be true. I don’t believe it. I am positive, brothers and sisters, that there isn’t a single medium among you for behold the Spirits do not accept marriage or baptism and every Spiritist separates from their spouses, etc.
“Those few statements give you an idea of the rest. What would the preacher say if he had known that a quarter of the audience was made-up of Spiritists? As for his eloquence, I can only say this: at certain times he was frantic; he seemed to have lost his train of thoughts and did not know what he wanted to say. If I was not afraid of using an disrepectful expression, I would say that he floundered. I do believe that he was led to say such absurd things by some Spirits and, so much so, that I assure you that we even forgot that we were in a sacred place. Everybody was laughing. Some of his followers came outside to observe the effect produced by the sermon but may not have been very happy since each person laughed and said what they thought. Several of his friends deplored his attitude and understood that he had not achieved his objective. This is what happened in the next session. A lady that was sitting by a very kind Spiritist friend of mine asked: - What is this Spiritism and these mediums that people speak so much about it and what are these men so furious about? She thought about the explanation and said: - Ah! When I get home I will try to acquire the books and understand.
“I assure you that it is thanks to some of these sermons that there are so many Spiritists in Lyon. Keep in mind that only three years ago we were only a few hundred when I wrote to you about a wrathful sermon against the Doctrine that had excellent results. I surmised that a few sermons more like this one and, in a year, the number of followers would double. Well, as predicted, the number is a hundred fold today thanks also to the false attacks from the press.
Everybody has more common sense than one may think when something is attached with such emphasis. As a result, these individuals wanted to investigate the merits of Spiritism themselves. They soon recognized the untruths of certain ignoallegations that denoted ignorance or malevolence, discrediting the critics and bringing more followers to Spiritism instead of keeping them away. The same happens, we hope, to the Bishop of Texas whose greatest mistake was to say that ‘every Spiritist is separated from their wives’, when we have here before our eyes many couples that were separated before and that found union and concord in Spiritism.
Everyone naturally tells themselves that if the adversaries of Spiritism give it false teachings but yet the the results demonstrated by the facts and by the reading of the books show the opposite, there is then nothing to confirm the truthfulness of their criticism. I do believe that if the Spiritists of Lyon were not afraid of what how the Bishop of Texas would react, they would have sent him and thank you letter. Spiritism, however, makes us charitable, even to our enemies.”
Another letter from a witness contains the following passage:
“The preacher from Saint-Nizier assumed that Spiritism had had its time in the USA and that for two years now nobody talks about it. Hence in his opinion it was a matter of fashion. The phenomena had no consistence and did not deserve further studies. He sought to see and saw nothing. However, he added that the new doctrine was destructive to the links of family, to the property and to the constitution of Society thus he denounced it to the authorities.
The adversaries expected a more shocking effect and not a simple denial presented in such a ridiculous way as the people are not oblivious to what happens in town, to the march of progress, and to the nature of the manifestations. The issue resumed on Sunday 14th in Saint-Jean, this time handled a little bit better. The preacher of Saint-Nizier denied the phenomena. In Saint-Jean he acknowledged them and said: - People hear raps on the walls, in the air, mysterious voices; in reality these are from Spirits but which Spirits? They cannot be good since the good ones are kind and obedient to God’s orders which prohibits the evocation of Spirits. Hence the ones that come can only be the bad ones.
There was about three thousand people in Saint-Jean. Among those at least three hundred will seek the discovery. What will certainly contribute to the thoughts of honest and intelligent people that made the audience are the singular statements of the preacher – I say that out of education. – Spiritism, he said, comes to destroy the family, to degrade women, to preach suicide, adultery and abortion, to promote communism and dissolve society.
He then invited the parishioners who eventually had Spiritist books to come forward and give it to them so that they could be burnt like St. Paul did to the heretic books in Ephesus. I don’t know if those gentlemen will find people eager enough to take their money and empty our bookshelves. Some Spiritists were furious; the majority rejoiced for understanding that it was a great day.
Hence, from the top of the second cathedra of France they have just proclaimed that the phenomena are true. The whole issue then is reduced to knowing that if these are good or bad Spirits and if the bad ones have God’s permission to come.”
The preacher of Saint-Jean affirms that it can only be the bad ones. He modified a little bit the solution.
We got a letter from Angouleme last Thursday, December 5th telling us that a preacher expressed himself in this way during his sermon: “We all knew that the Spirits could be evoked and since long ago but it can only be done by the Church. Other people are not allowed to try to correspond with them by material means. To me it is a heresy.” The effect it had on people was entirely contrary to the expected.
Thus, it is obvious that the good ones and the bad ones can communicate since if only the bad ones had such a power it is not reasonable that only the Church had the privilege of calling them.
We doubt that two sermons given in Bordeaux in the last October had served better to the cause of our antagonists. Below follows the analysis done by one listener. The Spiritists will be able to see if under this disguise they recognize their Doctrine and if the arguments opposed to them can smother their faith. As for ourselves, we repeat what we have already said somewhere else: While Spiritism is not attacked with better weapons it has nothing to fear.
“I will always regret”, says the narrator, “the fact that I missed the first of these sermons at Margaux Chapel, on October 15th last, if I am not mistaken. According to what I heard from trustworthy witnesses the thesis that was developed was the following: - the Spirits may communicate with mankind. The good ones only communicate with the Church. All those who manifest outside Church are bad because there is no salvation outside Church. The mediums are miserable people who established a pact with the devil obtaining from him manifestations of all sorts at the price of their soul, extraordinary if not miraculous manifestations.”
I give below other citations still stranger than that one. Since I did not hear them I suspect these statements could be exaggerated.
“The following Sunday, October 19th I was lucky enough to hear the sermon below. I tried to learn the name of the preacher and I was told that it was Father Lapeyre.
Father Lapeyre offered insights to his critics of The Spirits’ Book. In order to do so, he certainly tried to raise issues from this remarkable piece of work. I will restrain myself to point out the arguments that were more shocking to me, choosing to stay below the truth rather than assigning to our adversary something that he might not have said or that I might have misunderstood.
According to Father Lapeyre, The Spirits’ Book preaches communism; sharing of assets; divorce; equality among all peoples and in particular between men and women; equality between man and his God since man aspires nothing less than become similar to Jesus Christ taken by a pride that was the loss of the angels. The book drags people to materialism and to sensual pleasures since the works of progress may take place without God’s support and despite God, through the effect of this force that wishes the betterment of everything gradually, promoting the metempsychosis, this insanity of antiquity, etc. Then moving on to the speed with which the new ideas propagate he attests horrified how skillful and smart the devil is, by bringing them about; how well and artfully he was able to elaborate them to strongly vibrate in the perverted hearts of this century of incredulity and heresies. He then states: - this century loves freedom so much and offer him free examination, freedom of choice, freedom of conscience! This century loves equality so much and shows him mankind at the same level of God! This century loves light so much and with a movement of the hand tears off the veil that hid the sacred mysteries.
He then attacks the subject of the eternal penalties and gave magnificent pieces of oratory embedded in emotions. – Believe me, my dear friends; believe me when I tell you where the imprudence of these new philosophers taken them thinking that they have dismantled the sacred religion of Jesus Christ before the weight of their deceptive assertions. Ah! Disgraceful! There is no hell, no purgatory, they say! To them no more blessed relationships connecting the living ones to the souls of those who they lost. No more the sacred sacrifice of the mass! Why would they celebrate it? Wouldn’t their souls purify by themselves without any work and just by the efficacy of that irresistible force that attracts them to perfection non-stop? And do you know who the authorities are that come to proclaim these impious doctrines stamped on their foreheads by the indelible sign of hell that they wanted to annihilate? Ah! Brothers! These are the strongest columns of the Church: St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Luke, St. Vincent de Paul, Bossuet, Fénelon, Lamennais, and all renowned men, true saints that fought for the establishment of the unmovable truth in their time and upon which the Church built its foundations, coming now to declare that their Spirits, detached from matter and more clairvoyant realized that their former opinions were wrong and that people should believe in the opposite.
Then, moving on to a question that the author of a Letter from a Catholic addressed to a Spirit to know if one commits heresy by practicing Spiritism, the preacher adds: - Here is the answer, brothers: - it is curious that despite the devil’s astuteness and skills he always shows his claws by the name of the Spirit that gave this answer. I will tell you in a little while.
“This is followed by the citation of that answer that goes like this: - Are you in agreement with all truths of the Church that empower you in the good that boosts the love for God in your soul and the devotion to your brothers? Yes; hence, you are a Catholic. He then adds: - Signed… Zenon... Zenon! A Greek philosopher, a pagan, an idolater that from the flames of hell where he burns for over twenty centuries comes to tell us that one can be a Catholic and not believe in that very hell that tortures him, waiting for all those who do not die humble and obedient in the heart of the Church… But senseless and blind you are! With all your philosophy you will not have but this proof, this only proof that the doctrine that you promote comes from the devil and that shall be a thousand times enough!
After a lengthy explanation about this and the exclusive privileges of the Church to expel the devil, he adds: - Insensible people that have fun by talking to the Spirits pretending to have any influence upon them! Have no fear like with the one mentioned by St. Luke these rapping and noisy Spirits – and they are very well classified my brothers – will not ask you: Who are you? Who are you to disturb us? Do you really believe that we are going to submit to your sacrilegious caprices? And that taking the tables and chairs that you turn around wouldn’t they take you over like the son of Sceva, bringing pain upon you to the point that you have to run away, harmed and naked, too late to acknowledge the true abomination that is like playing with the dead?
What is left to be done before such positive facts that shout at us? What to do? Ah dear brothers! Watch out and be careful not to be contaminated. Repel all the outrageous attempts of evil to drag you along towards the abyss. However, it is too late for such recommendations. Evilness has progressed rapidly. Those infamous books dictated by the prince of darkness to attract a multitude of ignorant people to his kingdom have spread out so much that like in Ephesus in former times if we added the price of those that circulate in Bordeaux alone it would amount to more than fifty thousand silver denarius (170,000 francs in our currency, repeating the citation made elsewhere in the sermon). I would not be surprised if among the believers that hear me now there wouldn’t be some who have already fallen for the reading of those books. We can only say to these ones: Hurry up! Approach the tribunal of penitence. Hurry up! Come and open your hearts to the spiritual guides. Full of benevolence and kindness and always following the magnificent example of Paul we shall forgive you right away. As with Paul, however, forgiveness shall not be given to you if you do not bring us those books of sorcery that have almost destroyed you. What shall we do to those books, dear brothers? Yes, what shall we do? As St. Paul did we will build a mountain at the main square and we ourselves will set them on fire.”
Just a quick observation about this sermon: the author is mistaken about the date and perhaps, like a new Epimenides of Knossos, he has been asleep since the fourteenth century. Another fact that sticks out is the rapid development of Spiritism. The enemies of another school also attest it in despair, such is the great love that they have for human reason.
The Moniteur de Moselle on November 7th, 1862 reads: “Spiritism makes dangerous progress. It invades the upper, middle and lower classes of society. Magistrates, doctors, serious people also fall in that trap.”
This statement is repeatedly found in the majority of current critics. In the presence of such a positive fact it was necessary to come from the middle of Texas and enter an auditorium with over a thousand Spiritists who have not been practicing for two years. Then, why such a rage if Spiritism is dead and buried? At least Father Lepeyre has no illusions. Given his horror he even exaggerates the extension of the supposed evil for he estimates the Spiritist books in Bordeaux alone to be worth a fortune. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the idea has a great power and nobody will say that we exaggerate when we speak of the fast progress of the Doctrine. Some may attribute this to the devil fighting in a struggle against God, others may say that this is a fit of insanity invading all social classes so much so that the circle of shewed people narrows down continuously to the point that it will soon count on only a few, Others may deplore these things and each one from their own standpoint, asking themselves: - What is going to be, God? It is their own right. The result is that Spiritism wins over every barrier that is placed on its path. Hence, if it is insanity then soon there will only be mad people on Earth. It is a well-known proverb. If it is the work of the devil, then soon there will only be deranged people around and if those only speak in the name of God cannot stop them then the devil is stronger than God.
The Spiritists are more respectful of the Divinity. They do not believe that there is someone capable of fighting God on a level plan and even more to defeat God. Otherwise the roles would be upside-down and the devil would be the true lord of the universe. The Spiritists say that since God is sovereign there is no sharing there and that nothing happens without God’s permission. Consequently, if Spiritism propagates with a lightning speed it does so by the will of God regardless. Since God is sovereignly fair and good he must not expect that his creatures will be lost or allow them to be tempted knowing from his foresight that they will succumb and precipitate in the never ending torments.
The dilemma still stands now. It is submitted to everybody’s conscience and the conclusion is up to the future. If we mention all that there is to demonstrate the position of the adversaries of Spiritism when attacking it. In fact, one does need may excuses to criticize Spiritism by preaching the breakdown of family, adultery, abortion, communism and the destruction of social order. Do we need to rebuff those things? No. It is simply enough to guide them to the Doctrine and its teachings, something that is done all over the place.
Who would believe that we preach communism after the lessons given about the speech published in full in the report of our journey in 1862? Who could see an incitement to anarchy in the same brochure, page 58: “In any case the Spiritists must be the first ones to give the example of submission to the law in case they are drawn.”
Proposing such things in a distant region where Spiritism was totally unknown, where there was no means of controlling that could produce some effect. But saying it from the top of the cathedra of truth, amidst a whole population of Spiritists who permanently contradict it by their teachings and examples, that is real inability and one cannot help it but say that someone must be deluded to the point of not understanding that such speech can only serve the cause of Spiritism. It would be a mistake, however, to believe that that opinion is shared by the entire clergy. Much to the contrary, there are several priests who don’t think that way and we even know some who deplore such deviations that more harmful to religion than to the Spiritist Doctrine. These are personal opinions that do not make law. A proof of the personal appreciations is their contradiction. While one says that all Spirits that manifest are necessarily bad for disobeying God, another one acknowledges that some are good and some are bad but only the good ones go to Church and the bad ones to the masses. One accuses Spiritism of degrading women, another one criticizes it for elevating women to the same level as men. One pretends that Spiritism “drags people to materialism and sensuality” and the other, Mr. Cure of Marouzeau, recognizes that it destroys materialism.
Father Marouzeau says the following in his brochure: “In reality, according to the followers of the communications from beyond the grave, it would be the deliberate intention of the clergy to fight Spiritism at any price. Let us suppose that the clergy has so little intelligence and common sense and a stupid mind? Why believe that the Church that has given so much demonstration of prudence, wisdom and high intelligence to discern the truth from the false at all times would be now incapable of understanding the interest of its children? Why condemning without listening to the Church. If the Church refuses to hold your flag it means that it is not its flag whose colors are essentially hostile; fact is that side by side with the good that you do by fighting materialism the Church sees a real danger to souls and Society.” And in another passage: “Let us conclude from all that that Spiritism must limit itself to fighting materialism and giving people tangible proofs of immortality by means of well-established manifestations from beyond the grave.”
An essential point that results from all of this is the fact that all those gentlemen are in agreement with respect to the reality of the manifestations. The only difference is in the way each one appreciates them. As a matter of fact, denying them would be the same as denying the truth of the Scriptures and the facts themselves upon which the dogmas are founded.
As for the way people look at the thing, it is already possible to verify how the unity is established and how public opinion manifests itself, an opinion that also has its power of vetoing. Another fact sticks out: the Spiritist Doctrine touches profoundly the masses; while some see in the doctrine a terrible ghost others see an angel of consolation and freedom and a new era of moral progress to humanity.
Since we mentioned Father Marouzeau’s brochure we may perhaps be asked why we have not responded to that once it was addressed to us, personally. The reason may be found in the report of our journey we have traveled to refute these assertions. When we discuss a subject, we do so from the general point of view, abstracting from personalities that to our eyes are just individuals attached to their principles.
We shall talk about Mr. Marouzeau and others when the time is right to discuss the ensemble of objections. It was necessary to wait until each one would speak – bragging or not – in order to appreciate the strength of the opposition. Individual and particular responses would have been premature and repeated incessantly.
Mr. Marouzeau’s brochure was a rifle shot. Our apologies for placing him in the category of the rifleman but his Christian modesty shall not be offended.
Protected by a number of shields it seemed convenient to us to let them unload their guns, even the heavy ones, like the one that has just arrived, so that we could assess their power. Well, up until now we cannot lament the clearings in our ranks. On the contrary, their shots ricocheted. On another hand it was not less useful to allow the situation develop and people should appreciate the fact that over the last two years instead of worsening the general state of things we have gathered new strengths every day. Hence we will respond when we understand that the time is right. So far, there has been no waste of time for we have gained terrain constantly and the adversaries themselves facilitate our job. All we have to do is to let them act.