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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863 > July > Mediumistic painting at the Constantinople exhibition
The president of the Constantinople Spiritist Society, an honorary member of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, sent us the letter below on May 22nd last:
“Dear Mr. Allan Kardec and Spiritist brother,
Since long ago I intended to send you news from my side but please don’t you believe that we are resting with respect to the Spiritist propaganda. On the contrary, there is more activity than ever before. Believe me that in this entirely fanatical country, already recruited by the sects, Spiritism finds obstacles everywhere that perhaps it would not find in other places, but its roots are so lively and productive that despite the odds they gradually find fertile terrain and will soon sprout vigorously, indestructible by any human power.
Constantinople already counts on several followers of Spiritism and I can attest that they are in the highest ranks of society. I only noticed that they keep it to themselves, afraid of being compromised.
Allow me to mention a fact that is taking place here and that illustrates the rooting of Spiritism: several book stores that import Spiritist books, notably The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book, sell them immediately and to whom? We, the well-known and openly confessed Spiritists don’t know. We are sure about the fact that I just described because when someone among us wants to buy your books the bookseller responds: “I got them but they were sold out immediately”. The question is who has the monopoly on those books at the time they are unpacked to the point that when our people want them they are already sold out…
Here another no less interesting news for you:
Our friend and Spiritist brother Paul Lombardo, a drawing medium, from whom I sent you a few flowers, executed a watercolor painting depicting a beautiful bouquet of flowers among which there is a velvety dahlia in a magnificent effect; all other flowers, roses, carnations, tulips, lilies, camellias, daisies, poppies, cornflowers, etc. show a perfect finishing touch and naturalness. I took him to present the painting at the National Ottoman Exhibition that is open now and the painting was admitted there with the following inscription:
“Dear Mr. Allan Kardec and Spiritist brother,
Since long ago I intended to send you news from my side but please don’t you believe that we are resting with respect to the Spiritist propaganda. On the contrary, there is more activity than ever before. Believe me that in this entirely fanatical country, already recruited by the sects, Spiritism finds obstacles everywhere that perhaps it would not find in other places, but its roots are so lively and productive that despite the odds they gradually find fertile terrain and will soon sprout vigorously, indestructible by any human power.
Constantinople already counts on several followers of Spiritism and I can attest that they are in the highest ranks of society. I only noticed that they keep it to themselves, afraid of being compromised.
Allow me to mention a fact that is taking place here and that illustrates the rooting of Spiritism: several book stores that import Spiritist books, notably The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book, sell them immediately and to whom? We, the well-known and openly confessed Spiritists don’t know. We are sure about the fact that I just described because when someone among us wants to buy your books the bookseller responds: “I got them but they were sold out immediately”. The question is who has the monopoly on those books at the time they are unpacked to the point that when our people want them they are already sold out…
Here another no less interesting news for you:
Our friend and Spiritist brother Paul Lombardo, a drawing medium, from whom I sent you a few flowers, executed a watercolor painting depicting a beautiful bouquet of flowers among which there is a velvety dahlia in a magnificent effect; all other flowers, roses, carnations, tulips, lilies, camellias, daisies, poppies, cornflowers, etc. show a perfect finishing touch and naturalness. I took him to present the painting at the National Ottoman Exhibition that is open now and the painting was admitted there with the following inscription: