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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1864 > February > Bibliographic news
Bibliographic news
A new media about Spiritism has just been inaugurated in Antwerp, since January 1st, 1864. It is well-known that the Spiritist Doctrine makes fast progress in that city where numerous groups were formed by distinguished people for their knowledge and social position. Brussels has been reluctant for a longer period but there the new idea also gains space like in other cities of Belgium. We were invited to accept the title of honorific president of a recently formed society there. That shows the path they want to follow.
The first issue of the new Review contains an appeal to the Spiritists of Antwerp; two supporting articles one about the adversaries of Spiritism and another about Spiritism and madness and a certain number of mediumistic communications, some in Flemish, and we are pleased to say that everything in perfect alignment with the view point and principles of the Parisian Society. That publication must be welcomed in a country that knowingly receives well and propagates new ideas if, as we expect, if these ideas remain at the level of science, an essential condition of success.
Spiritism grows and daily sees new horizons opening before its eyes. It deepens questions and issues that were only blossoming since its origin. The Spirits have followed this upwards movement everywhere by accommodating their teachings to the development of the ideas in their instructions. When compared to the current mediumistic production of today the former ones are faded versions, almost puerile, although they were considered magnificent in their time. It is the difference between the lessons given to an adult as compared to those given to young students. As people grow their intelligence like their body require more substantial nourishment. Every Spiritist publication, periodical or non-periodical that remained back would necessarily find little sympathy and it would be unrealistic to suppose that contemporary readers would be interested in elemental or mediocre things. However good the intention might be every recommendation would be powerless to keep them alive if they did not have a life of their own. There is another condition for the success of such publications, even more important, that is to walk with the opinion of the majority. At the beginning of the Spiritist manifestations the still not fixated ideas gave rise to many divergent opinions that fell before more comprehensive observations or that just count with rare representatives. Everybody knows the flag and the principles followed by the majority of the Spiritists around the world. The one that becomes an echo of backward opinions or that follows the wrong path is heretofore condemned to isolation and abandonment. We are sorry for those that did it in good faith; those that premeditated with the intention of blocking the development and sowing division will only harvest shame. Neither ones nor the others can be encouraged by those that understand from the top of their heads the true interests of Spiritism. As for ourselves, personally, and for the Parisian Society, the sympathies and moral support are conquered by anticipation, as it is widely known, by all the publications and all useful meetings to the cause that we defend.
The first issue of the new Review contains an appeal to the Spiritists of Antwerp; two supporting articles one about the adversaries of Spiritism and another about Spiritism and madness and a certain number of mediumistic communications, some in Flemish, and we are pleased to say that everything in perfect alignment with the view point and principles of the Parisian Society. That publication must be welcomed in a country that knowingly receives well and propagates new ideas if, as we expect, if these ideas remain at the level of science, an essential condition of success.
Spiritism grows and daily sees new horizons opening before its eyes. It deepens questions and issues that were only blossoming since its origin. The Spirits have followed this upwards movement everywhere by accommodating their teachings to the development of the ideas in their instructions. When compared to the current mediumistic production of today the former ones are faded versions, almost puerile, although they were considered magnificent in their time. It is the difference between the lessons given to an adult as compared to those given to young students. As people grow their intelligence like their body require more substantial nourishment. Every Spiritist publication, periodical or non-periodical that remained back would necessarily find little sympathy and it would be unrealistic to suppose that contemporary readers would be interested in elemental or mediocre things. However good the intention might be every recommendation would be powerless to keep them alive if they did not have a life of their own. There is another condition for the success of such publications, even more important, that is to walk with the opinion of the majority. At the beginning of the Spiritist manifestations the still not fixated ideas gave rise to many divergent opinions that fell before more comprehensive observations or that just count with rare representatives. Everybody knows the flag and the principles followed by the majority of the Spiritists around the world. The one that becomes an echo of backward opinions or that follows the wrong path is heretofore condemned to isolation and abandonment. We are sorry for those that did it in good faith; those that premeditated with the intention of blocking the development and sowing division will only harvest shame. Neither ones nor the others can be encouraged by those that understand from the top of their heads the true interests of Spiritism. As for ourselves, personally, and for the Parisian Society, the sympathies and moral support are conquered by anticipation, as it is widely known, by all the publications and all useful meetings to the cause that we defend.
By Father Blot, Company of Jesus[1]
One of our corresponding members, Dr. C…, mentioned this book to us, writing the following:
“For some time now, words that I abstain from using as a Christian and as a Spiritist, have been pronounced many times by persons that have the mission of speaking about charity and mercy. To alleviate it from the painful impression that they may have caused you as to every true Christian, allow me to talk about a small book from Father Blot. I don’t believe him to be a Spiritist but I found in his work that Spiritism lead people to love God and wait for his mercy as there are many other passages that closely resemble what is taught by the Spirits.”
We point out the following passages that confirm the opinion of our correspondent:
“In the VII century Pope St. Gregory, the Great, after having told the story that a religious person saw the prophets before his eyes when he died and designated them by their names, added: - This example clearly shows us how important is the acknowledgement that we will have with respect to one another in the incorruptible life of heavens, for that religious person, still in a corruptible flesh, recognized the sacred prophets that he had never seen before. The saints see one another as required by the unity of the kingdom and the unity of the place where they live in the company of God. The spontaneously reveal to one another their thoughts and feelings like people in the same house that are united by a sincere love. Among their co-inhabitants of heavens they even know those that they did not know down here and the knowledge of the good deeds leads them to a more thorough knowledge of those that carried them out (Berti, De theologicis disciplinis).
Have you lost a son or a daughter? Receive the consolations given by a Patriarch of Constantinople to a heartbroken father. That Patriarch can no longer be counted among the great men or saints. It is Photios the author of the cruel schism that separates the East from the West but his words only demonstrate that the Greek think like the Latin about this point: - If you daughter appeared to you; if she rested her hand on yours and head on your head and if she spoke with you wouldn’t she describe heavens to you? She would then add: - Why suffer oh my father? I am in paradise where happiness is boundless. One day you will join me with my dear mother and you will then acknowledge that I was right about this place of enjoyment for reality is beyond my words.”
The good Spirits can therefore manifest, be seen and touch the living ones, speak with them, describe their own situation, console and strengthen the loved ones. If they can speak and take their hands why wouldn’t they be able to write? Father Blot says: - The Greek think like the Latin about this point. Why the Latin today say that such a power is only given to the devil to deceive people? The following passage is even more explicit:
“St. John Chrysostom said in one of his homilies to his followers about St. Mathews: - Would you like to see those that were taken by death? Follow their lives on the path of virtue and you will soon enjoy that sacred vision. However, would you like to see them here? Well, what is it that blocks you? You are allowed to do that and it is easy to achieve if you are prudent because hopes in future assets is clearer than life itself.”
Flesh cannot see what is purely spiritual. Hence if they can see the Spirits it is because there is a material and accessible part to our senses. It is the fluidic envelope that Spiritism calls perispirit. After a citation by Dante about the state of the blessed ones, Father Blot adds:
“Hence this is the principle of solution to the objections: - In heavens, less of a place than a state, everything is light and love.”
Therefore heavens is not a circumscribe place. It is the state of the happy souls. Wherever they are happy they are in heavens that is everything is light, love and intelligence to them. That is what the Spirits say.
On the occasion of the death of his friend, Duke of Beauvilliers, Fénelon wrote the following to the Duchess: “It is not only feelings and imagination that lost their objective. The one that we can no longer see is amongst us more than ever. We meet him all the time in our common nucleus. He sees us there and helps us. From there he knows better about our diseases, he that no longer has his own; he begs for the remedies to our cure. As for myself that did not see him for a long time I speak with him and open my heart to him.”
Fénelon also wrote to the widow of the Duke of Chevreuse: “Let us unite in our hearts to the one that we cry for. He has not moved away from us because he became invisible. He sees us, he teaches us and he is touched by our needs. He has fortunately arrived at the port and he now prays for us that are still here, exposed to the wreckage. He tells us with a smooth voice: “Hurry up to be able to join us. The pure Spirits see, understand and always love their true friends in their common nucleus. Their friendship is immortal like their source. The non-believer only love themselves. They should be desperate on losing their friends forever. Nonetheless the divine friendship converts the visible society into a society of pure faith. It cries but by crying if finds consolation in the hope of meeting their friends again in the country of truth and at the heart of love itself.”
In order to justify the title of his book: We recognize one another in heavens Father Blot cites a large number of passages by holy writers about apparitions and several manifestations that demonstrate reunion of loved ones after death; the existing relationships between the dead and the living ones; the help they provide mutually through prayer and inspiration. It never mentions eternal separation, consequence of eternal condemnation, or devils or even hell. On the contrary it shows the souls of miserable individuals freed by the power of regret and prayer and by the mercy of God. Had Father Blot said anathema against Spiritism it would be against his own book and against all the saints whose testimonies are invoked by him. Whatever his opinion is about this one can say that if they had always preached like that there would be less skeptics.
[1] Paris, 1863, 1 small volume. Price 1fr at Poussielgue-Rusand Bookstore, Rue Cassette, 27.
One of our corresponding members, Dr. C…, mentioned this book to us, writing the following:
“For some time now, words that I abstain from using as a Christian and as a Spiritist, have been pronounced many times by persons that have the mission of speaking about charity and mercy. To alleviate it from the painful impression that they may have caused you as to every true Christian, allow me to talk about a small book from Father Blot. I don’t believe him to be a Spiritist but I found in his work that Spiritism lead people to love God and wait for his mercy as there are many other passages that closely resemble what is taught by the Spirits.”
We point out the following passages that confirm the opinion of our correspondent:
“In the VII century Pope St. Gregory, the Great, after having told the story that a religious person saw the prophets before his eyes when he died and designated them by their names, added: - This example clearly shows us how important is the acknowledgement that we will have with respect to one another in the incorruptible life of heavens, for that religious person, still in a corruptible flesh, recognized the sacred prophets that he had never seen before. The saints see one another as required by the unity of the kingdom and the unity of the place where they live in the company of God. The spontaneously reveal to one another their thoughts and feelings like people in the same house that are united by a sincere love. Among their co-inhabitants of heavens they even know those that they did not know down here and the knowledge of the good deeds leads them to a more thorough knowledge of those that carried them out (Berti, De theologicis disciplinis).
Have you lost a son or a daughter? Receive the consolations given by a Patriarch of Constantinople to a heartbroken father. That Patriarch can no longer be counted among the great men or saints. It is Photios the author of the cruel schism that separates the East from the West but his words only demonstrate that the Greek think like the Latin about this point: - If you daughter appeared to you; if she rested her hand on yours and head on your head and if she spoke with you wouldn’t she describe heavens to you? She would then add: - Why suffer oh my father? I am in paradise where happiness is boundless. One day you will join me with my dear mother and you will then acknowledge that I was right about this place of enjoyment for reality is beyond my words.”
The good Spirits can therefore manifest, be seen and touch the living ones, speak with them, describe their own situation, console and strengthen the loved ones. If they can speak and take their hands why wouldn’t they be able to write? Father Blot says: - The Greek think like the Latin about this point. Why the Latin today say that such a power is only given to the devil to deceive people? The following passage is even more explicit:
“St. John Chrysostom said in one of his homilies to his followers about St. Mathews: - Would you like to see those that were taken by death? Follow their lives on the path of virtue and you will soon enjoy that sacred vision. However, would you like to see them here? Well, what is it that blocks you? You are allowed to do that and it is easy to achieve if you are prudent because hopes in future assets is clearer than life itself.”
Flesh cannot see what is purely spiritual. Hence if they can see the Spirits it is because there is a material and accessible part to our senses. It is the fluidic envelope that Spiritism calls perispirit. After a citation by Dante about the state of the blessed ones, Father Blot adds:
“Hence this is the principle of solution to the objections: - In heavens, less of a place than a state, everything is light and love.”
Therefore heavens is not a circumscribe place. It is the state of the happy souls. Wherever they are happy they are in heavens that is everything is light, love and intelligence to them. That is what the Spirits say.
On the occasion of the death of his friend, Duke of Beauvilliers, Fénelon wrote the following to the Duchess: “It is not only feelings and imagination that lost their objective. The one that we can no longer see is amongst us more than ever. We meet him all the time in our common nucleus. He sees us there and helps us. From there he knows better about our diseases, he that no longer has his own; he begs for the remedies to our cure. As for myself that did not see him for a long time I speak with him and open my heart to him.”
Fénelon also wrote to the widow of the Duke of Chevreuse: “Let us unite in our hearts to the one that we cry for. He has not moved away from us because he became invisible. He sees us, he teaches us and he is touched by our needs. He has fortunately arrived at the port and he now prays for us that are still here, exposed to the wreckage. He tells us with a smooth voice: “Hurry up to be able to join us. The pure Spirits see, understand and always love their true friends in their common nucleus. Their friendship is immortal like their source. The non-believer only love themselves. They should be desperate on losing their friends forever. Nonetheless the divine friendship converts the visible society into a society of pure faith. It cries but by crying if finds consolation in the hope of meeting their friends again in the country of truth and at the heart of love itself.”
In order to justify the title of his book: We recognize one another in heavens Father Blot cites a large number of passages by holy writers about apparitions and several manifestations that demonstrate reunion of loved ones after death; the existing relationships between the dead and the living ones; the help they provide mutually through prayer and inspiration. It never mentions eternal separation, consequence of eternal condemnation, or devils or even hell. On the contrary it shows the souls of miserable individuals freed by the power of regret and prayer and by the mercy of God. Had Father Blot said anathema against Spiritism it would be against his own book and against all the saints whose testimonies are invoked by him. Whatever his opinion is about this one can say that if they had always preached like that there would be less skeptics.
[1] Paris, 1863, 1 small volume. Price 1fr at Poussielgue-Rusand Bookstore, Rue Cassette, 27.
By Mr. Armand Durantin[1]
Spiritism has found its place among the beliefs. If it is still a reason of mockery to some writers one notices that to some of those that ridiculed it in the past mockery has lowered its voice before the antecedent of the general opinion, they now limiting to cite the facts related to Spiritism without comments or with careful restrictions. Others, not positively believing in Spiritism, and even without knowing it in depth, consider the idea too important to find matter of fantasy or imagination. Such is the case, as we see it, of the book mentioned above. It is a simple drama based on the Spiritist belief presented from a serious point of view, but that can have some mistakes reproached by us, undoubtedly originated from an incomplete study of the subject.
The author that wishes to create a fictitious story on top of a historical event must, before anything, get to know the truth of the fact to avoid sidetracking history. That is how every author that wishes to take advantage of the Spiritist idea must proceed, be it for not being accused of ignorance about what they portray or to conquer the sympathy of followers, today in large numbers to tilt the scale of public opinion and concur to the success of every work that, directly or indirectly, is related to their belief.
Made the reservation from the point of view of orthodoxy, the work in consideration will not be less read with great interest by the followers as well as by the adversaries of Spiritism and we thank the author for the gracious tribute made to us in his book that has come to popularize the new idea. We will mention the passages below that mention the Doctrine more specifically.
“At the time when Mr. Boursonne (one of the leading roles in the romance) had lost his wife a mystic doctrine was spreading quietly and slowly in the shadows. It still counted on a low number of followers but it had the great aspiration of replacing the several Christian cults. It still needs persecution to become a powerful religion. That doctrine is Spiritism, so eloquently exposed by Mr. Allan Kardec in his remarkable book The Spirits’ Book. Count de Boursonne was one of its most keen followers. I will only say a few words about that doctrine to allow the non-believers to understand that the Count’s power was entirely natural.
The Spiritists acknowledge God and the immortality of the soul. They believe that Earth is a place of transition and trial. According to them the soul is initially place on an inferior planet by God. The soul lives there in a more or less dense body until it is depurated enough to migrate to a superior world. That is how, after long migrations and several trials, the souls finally get to perfection, then living at the heart of God. It is then up to the human being to abbreviate pilgrimages and arrive more rapidly to the Lord by improving themselves more rapidly.
It is a touching belief of Spiritism that the more perfect souls may communicate with the Spirits. Thus, according to the Spiritists, we can talk to our lost loved ones if our soul is perfected enough to hear them and be heard by them. It is then the more perfected persons among us that can serve as intermediaries between common people and the Spirits. Those agents, as much ridiculed by skepticism as admired by the believers are called mediums in the Spiritist language. Having said that it is important to mention that the Spiritist Doctrine now counts on many thousands followers, in particular in large cities, and that Count de Boursonne was one of their most powerful mediums.”
Here there is a first big mistake. If one needed to be perfect to communicate with the Spirits very few would have such privilege. The Spirits communicate even with those that are seriously behind, precisely to motivate them to improve through their advices, according to these words by Jesus: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick”. (Luke 5:31) Mediumship is a faculty that depends on the physical organization more or less developed, according to the individuals, but that can be given to the least virtuous, then subjected to punishment if the person do not take advantage of that or if the faculty is abused. The moral superiority of the medium ensures the sympathy of the good Spirits, turning the medium apt to receive instructions of a higher level but the facility to communicate with the beings of the invisible world directly or through third party is given to each one for their advancement. That is what the author would know had he carried out a more in-depth study of the Spiritist science.
“Modern science demonstrated that everything is interconnected. Therefore, in the physical world, from the minute aquatic creatures and mankind, that is its highest expression, there is a chain of creatures successively improved, as abundantly demonstrated the discoveries of geologists. Well, the Spiritists ask themselves why such a chaining would not happen in the spiritual world as well; the question why such a blank between man and God, as Mr. Le Verrier asked himself how could it be possible that a single planet would be missing in a given place in the skies, given the harmonious laws that govern our still incomprehensible and unknown world. Guided by the same thought that led the eminent director of the Paris Observatory to his wonderful deduction the Spiritists then recognized immaterial creatures between mankind and God, before having the hard proof that was only acquired later on.”
There is here an equally important mistake. Spiritism was led to its theories by the observation of the facts and not by a preconceived system. The thought mentioned by the author was certainly rational but it was not the way how things happened. The Spiritists concluded that the Spirits existed because the Spirits manifested spontaneously. They indicated the law that governs the relationships between the visible and the invisible world because they observed those relationships. They admitted the progressive hierarchy of the Spirits because the Spirits were presented to them in all levels of advancement. They adopted the principle of the plurality of the existences not only because it was taught by the Spirits but because that principle results, as a law of nature, from the observation of facts that are before our eyes. In short, Spiritism admitted nothing under the assumption of hypothesis. Everything in the Doctrine is the result of experience. That is all that we have repeated many times in our works.
-o-
We find the below warning useful to all interested parties:
Whenever a letter is received our first action is to verify the signature. In the absence of signature or sufficient identification the letter meets the trash can, without being read, even if signed as: one of our subscribers, one Spiritist, etc. The latter having even less reason to remain incognito than the other ones as far as we are concerned, being that the very reason why the origin of the letters becomes suspicious and why we don’t even take notice of their letters since the authentic correspondence is large enough and sufficient to absorb our attention. The person in charge of doing their classification has our explicit recommendation to reject without examination every letter that is in the aforementioned condition.
[1] A 12-in volume. Price 3 francs. Dentu Bookstore and Central Bookstore, Blvd. des Italiens, 24
Spiritism has found its place among the beliefs. If it is still a reason of mockery to some writers one notices that to some of those that ridiculed it in the past mockery has lowered its voice before the antecedent of the general opinion, they now limiting to cite the facts related to Spiritism without comments or with careful restrictions. Others, not positively believing in Spiritism, and even without knowing it in depth, consider the idea too important to find matter of fantasy or imagination. Such is the case, as we see it, of the book mentioned above. It is a simple drama based on the Spiritist belief presented from a serious point of view, but that can have some mistakes reproached by us, undoubtedly originated from an incomplete study of the subject.
The author that wishes to create a fictitious story on top of a historical event must, before anything, get to know the truth of the fact to avoid sidetracking history. That is how every author that wishes to take advantage of the Spiritist idea must proceed, be it for not being accused of ignorance about what they portray or to conquer the sympathy of followers, today in large numbers to tilt the scale of public opinion and concur to the success of every work that, directly or indirectly, is related to their belief.
Made the reservation from the point of view of orthodoxy, the work in consideration will not be less read with great interest by the followers as well as by the adversaries of Spiritism and we thank the author for the gracious tribute made to us in his book that has come to popularize the new idea. We will mention the passages below that mention the Doctrine more specifically.
“At the time when Mr. Boursonne (one of the leading roles in the romance) had lost his wife a mystic doctrine was spreading quietly and slowly in the shadows. It still counted on a low number of followers but it had the great aspiration of replacing the several Christian cults. It still needs persecution to become a powerful religion. That doctrine is Spiritism, so eloquently exposed by Mr. Allan Kardec in his remarkable book The Spirits’ Book. Count de Boursonne was one of its most keen followers. I will only say a few words about that doctrine to allow the non-believers to understand that the Count’s power was entirely natural.
The Spiritists acknowledge God and the immortality of the soul. They believe that Earth is a place of transition and trial. According to them the soul is initially place on an inferior planet by God. The soul lives there in a more or less dense body until it is depurated enough to migrate to a superior world. That is how, after long migrations and several trials, the souls finally get to perfection, then living at the heart of God. It is then up to the human being to abbreviate pilgrimages and arrive more rapidly to the Lord by improving themselves more rapidly.
It is a touching belief of Spiritism that the more perfect souls may communicate with the Spirits. Thus, according to the Spiritists, we can talk to our lost loved ones if our soul is perfected enough to hear them and be heard by them. It is then the more perfected persons among us that can serve as intermediaries between common people and the Spirits. Those agents, as much ridiculed by skepticism as admired by the believers are called mediums in the Spiritist language. Having said that it is important to mention that the Spiritist Doctrine now counts on many thousands followers, in particular in large cities, and that Count de Boursonne was one of their most powerful mediums.”
Here there is a first big mistake. If one needed to be perfect to communicate with the Spirits very few would have such privilege. The Spirits communicate even with those that are seriously behind, precisely to motivate them to improve through their advices, according to these words by Jesus: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick”. (Luke 5:31) Mediumship is a faculty that depends on the physical organization more or less developed, according to the individuals, but that can be given to the least virtuous, then subjected to punishment if the person do not take advantage of that or if the faculty is abused. The moral superiority of the medium ensures the sympathy of the good Spirits, turning the medium apt to receive instructions of a higher level but the facility to communicate with the beings of the invisible world directly or through third party is given to each one for their advancement. That is what the author would know had he carried out a more in-depth study of the Spiritist science.
“Modern science demonstrated that everything is interconnected. Therefore, in the physical world, from the minute aquatic creatures and mankind, that is its highest expression, there is a chain of creatures successively improved, as abundantly demonstrated the discoveries of geologists. Well, the Spiritists ask themselves why such a chaining would not happen in the spiritual world as well; the question why such a blank between man and God, as Mr. Le Verrier asked himself how could it be possible that a single planet would be missing in a given place in the skies, given the harmonious laws that govern our still incomprehensible and unknown world. Guided by the same thought that led the eminent director of the Paris Observatory to his wonderful deduction the Spiritists then recognized immaterial creatures between mankind and God, before having the hard proof that was only acquired later on.”
There is here an equally important mistake. Spiritism was led to its theories by the observation of the facts and not by a preconceived system. The thought mentioned by the author was certainly rational but it was not the way how things happened. The Spiritists concluded that the Spirits existed because the Spirits manifested spontaneously. They indicated the law that governs the relationships between the visible and the invisible world because they observed those relationships. They admitted the progressive hierarchy of the Spirits because the Spirits were presented to them in all levels of advancement. They adopted the principle of the plurality of the existences not only because it was taught by the Spirits but because that principle results, as a law of nature, from the observation of facts that are before our eyes. In short, Spiritism admitted nothing under the assumption of hypothesis. Everything in the Doctrine is the result of experience. That is all that we have repeated many times in our works.
-o-
We find the below warning useful to all interested parties:
Whenever a letter is received our first action is to verify the signature. In the absence of signature or sufficient identification the letter meets the trash can, without being read, even if signed as: one of our subscribers, one Spiritist, etc. The latter having even less reason to remain incognito than the other ones as far as we are concerned, being that the very reason why the origin of the letters becomes suspicious and why we don’t even take notice of their letters since the authentic correspondence is large enough and sufficient to absorb our attention. The person in charge of doing their classification has our explicit recommendation to reject without examination every letter that is in the aforementioned condition.
[1] A 12-in volume. Price 3 francs. Dentu Bookstore and Central Bookstore, Blvd. des Italiens, 24