Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1865

The destruction of living creatures by one another is one of the laws of nature that, at first sight, seems not to reconcile much with the goodness of God. The question is why would have God established the need for one to destroy the other to be fed as a law. To the one that only sees matter that limits one’s vision to present life it seesm, in fact, an imperfection in the divine work and from that the nonbelievers conclude that since God is not perfect, there is no God. The reason for that is the fact that they judge God’s perfection from their point of view. Their own judgment is the measure of their wisdom, considering that God could not do better than they would do themselves. Since their short sight does not allow them to see the whole, they do not understand that a real good may derive from an apparent harm. It is only the knowledge of the spiritual principle, considered in its true essence, and the great law of unity that constitutes the harmony of creation, that can give mankind the key to that mystery, showing the providential wisdom and harmony where only anomaly and contradiction were seen. It happens to this truth the same that happens to many others for mankind is not ready to probe certain depths but when the Spirit reaches a sufficient level of maturity.

True life of both, man and animal, is not more in the corporeal envelope than on the clothes. It is in the intelligent principle that preexists and outlives the body. That principle needs the body to develop through work that must be realized on the brute matter. The body wears out in the process but not the Spirit; on the contrary it leaves the body stronger, more lucid and capable. What does it matter then if the Spirit changes more or less its envelope? It does not affect the fact that it is still Spirit. It is absolutely like a person that would change the wardrobe a hundred times in one year. The person would still remain the same. Through the unstoppable spectacle of destruction God teaches humanity the little importance of the material envelope and draws the attention to the idea of the spiritual life, persuading mankind to desire it as a compensation. Some will ask if God could not reach the same result by other means, not submitting the living creatures to a mutual destruction. Very smart the one that wanted to penetrate the mysteries of God’s designs! If everything is wisdom in God’s work we must suppose that such wisdom is not more absent in this point than on the others. We should blame our lack of advancement for not understanding it. However, we can try to find the reason for that by following this principle: God must be infinitely just and wise. Let us then seek justice and wisdom in everything. A first utility that stems out of such destruction is this purely physical utility: organic bodies can only feed out of organic matter, the only capable of providing the necessary nutrients to its transformation. Since the bodies, instruments of action of the intelligent principle, must necessarily be renovated, the Providence makes them serve their mutual maintenance. That is why the beings feed one another, that is, that the body is fed by the body. The Spirit, however, is not annihilated or altered. It only loses its envelope.

The struggle is necessary to the development of the Spirit because it is through the struggle that the Spirit exercises the faculties. The one that attacks to find its food as well as the one that defends itself to preserve life exercise their astuteness and intelligence and consequently increasing their intellectual strengths. One of the two falls. But what was in reality taken by the stronger or more capable from the weaker one? The garment of flesh, nothing else. The outliving Spirit will take another one later.

With the inferior beings of creation where there is no moral sense and intelligence is not even in an instinctive state, the only drive of the struggle is the satisfaction of a material need. Feeding is one of the most pressing material needs. Therefore they only fight for their survival or defend a prey since they could not have a more elevated stimulus. It is in that phase that the soul expands and prepares for life. When it reaches the level of maturity necessary to its transformation it receives new skills from God: the free-will and the moral sense, in a word a divine flame that provides the Spirit with new horizons with the new perceptions. But the new moral faculties only develop gradually for nothing is sudden in nature; there is a transition period in which mankind can hardly be distinguished from the brute. In the first ages the animal instinct prevails and the struggle is still driven by the satisfaction of material needs. Later on there is a balance between the animal instinct and moral feeling; people then fight not only to feed themselves but also to satisfy their ambition, pride and the need to dominate. The need for destruction is no longer there; it becomes hateful and fades away. Blood becomes a horror. The struggle, however, is always necessary to the development of the Spirit because, even at that stage that is apparently the top, the Spirit is far from perfect; it is only at the price of a lot of activity that the Spirit acquires knowledge and experience and leaves behind the last vestiges of animality. The fight that was brutal and bloody becomes purely intellectual. People then fight against difficulties rather than their fellow human beings.



Note: As it can be seen, this explanation is related to the serious problem of animals’ future. We will soon treat this matter in depth because it seems to us that it has been sufficiently elaborated and we believe that it can be, in principle, considered resolved at this stage by the agreement of the teachings.

We got the following letter from Montauban:

“A few days back something happened that impressed the population of our town in different ways. Mr. Rewile, a Protestand preacher, Chaplain of the King of Holland, affirmed in a speech before two thousand people that he shared the new ideas. We were happy to hear these sublime truths proclaimed for the first time from a Christian pulpit, and developed with extraordinary talent and eloquence. He must have been brilliant because the fanatics promptly called him the anti-Christ. I am sorry for not being able to transmit the whole sermon but I will try to analyze a few passages.

The speaker used the following text as his theme: - I did not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill it. Love yourself with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your thought, and your neighbor as yourself.

According to Mr. Rewile Christ’s mission among mankind was that of charity and spirituality; his doctrine, therefore, seemed contrary to that of the Jewish people whose principle was: strict observation of the law, a principle that would lead to selfishness. Nonetheless, the expression “fulfill it” explains that apparent contradiction because it means complement, makes more perfect. Replacing egotism by charity and the cult to matter by spirituality was a fulfillment, a complement to the law.

Christ tried in vain to make this nation break the chains of matter, elevating the thoughts and making everyone look at their destinies from a higher point of view. The depth of his moral has never been understood. Hence, when he tried to attack the abuse of all kinds, the exterior practices and to mitigate the rigor of Moses’ law he was accused and cowardly condemned. The Jews expected a conqueror Messiah that would give them the transient power with his iron stick, not understanding what could be great and sublime to humanity in that weak walking stick in his hand, bringing as a gift from his spiritual power the law of love and charity.

But God’s designs always come true, despite the resistances, and if the Jewish, as the workers of bad will, refused to work in his vines it was not enough to deny humanity its advancement, sweeping away in its movement everything that could constitute obstacle to progress. The Christian Church must follow that ascending march or else fail, because humanity was not made for the Church but the Church for humanity. The unfortunate ones that resisted would be smashed by the hand of progress. Wasn’t the past built to respond to the future?

May the children of the nineteenth century, contrary to the behavior of the former Jewish, understand and do their work! Don’t they already experience that involuntary excitement that agitates every distinct intelligence and that spontaneously drive them towards the acquisition of spiritual ideas, the only guarantee of happiness to humanity, since without spirituality there is only matter and without freedom only slavery?

Why then resisting to these noble impulses of the soul by attributing those new signs of modern times to the devil? Why can’t we see there the inspirations from God’s celestial messengers of love and charity, announcing to us the renovation of humanity?

Christian Church must return to the Spirit. In fact what is the Church without the Spirit if not a cadaver, a true corpse in the actual meaning of the word? He who has ears to hear, let him hear! True Church in these critical days has the right to count on its children… Let us go, stand up and hands on! May each one do their job! That is what God wishes! God wishes!

If Jesus came to complement, that is, to fulfil the law by the practice of love towards God and mankind it is because such a precept was the summary of human perfection. The law of love towards God and mankind is, like Jesus himself teaches himself, a greater law to which all others are subordinated. Therefore it is necessary to practice that law in its broadest sense to be closer to him and consequently closer to God that Jesus was the greatest expression on Earth. To love God it is necessary to love the truth, the beauty and the good; it is necessary to internally feel transported to these attributes of moral perfection, but it is also necessary to love one’s brothers and fellow human beings, since they reflect God’s truth, beauty and good.

Why did Jesus love humanity to the point of giving his own life for that? Because since he was also the highest expression of human perfection he felt the effects of that law of love towards God and his neighbors in its highest degree, having to practice it in a sublime way… Practicing charity and love is the same as marching large strides on the path of truth, beauty and good. It is a walk to God! Loving is living and advancing to immortality!

__

From what I learned Mr. Rewile successfully discussed the issue of manifestations in two conferences to students of the Faculty. He would have responded correctly to all objections. I am sorry for not having heard them in such an interesting occasion.”

Observation: The Spirits had told us that Spiritism would find defenders in the ranks of the adversaries. Such a speech from the mouth of a minister of religion and given from the pulpit is a serious event. We should expect to see others because the example of courage of opinion is contagious. The new ideas will not take long to find confess champions in science, literature and in the press. They already have more sympathy there than one may believe. It is only the first step that is difficult. Up until today we can say that with the exception of the special organizations of Spiritism, that do not address the indifferent masses, only our adversaries have been given the word and God knows if they made use of that! Now the struggle takes place. What will they say when they see that honorable and dear names leave their ranks to openly hold the flag of the Doctrine in their own hands? It was said that all will be accomplished.

Suppose that the unfortunate man had believed in a powerful and fair God; since long ago he had understood that such a horrible act would infallibly have punishment on another life. Would you believe that he would not have stepped back before the perpetration of that crime? No, you do not believe so. Like us, you say: yes, the belief, but a strong and unrestricted belief, the absolute belief in a fair God, in the penalties and rewards in another life where each will receive according to their work here, that is the brake that must be the most difficult to destroy and you are still right.

Such beliefs, unfortunately, and to the great majority of people, are the unknowns of the great problem of universal morality. Wait, screams the majority! We are no longer in agreement. Our intelligence and our studies have long ago given us the solution that you indicated. Your pretense new proofs are useless to us. We are and have always be believers.

It is precisely that language that connects us to every martyr. You say that you have always believed, at least that is what you state. Good for your, ladies and gentlemen. If it is necessary to confess it, we do not doubt. Our sincere congratulations. We would be really happy if we could affirm something more.

We frankly agree that despite the favor of all of the good conditions that have contributed to elevate our thoughts, there was still a long way to cover so that we could do as much as you did. How many of your brothers, with even more reason and for their social positions, fell behind for being precluded from the advantages of study and eventually from some good examples?

Yes, faith is dead. Every doctor of the law agrees and moans about it. Despite their efforts, disbelief has never been so profound and more general. For some time follow that long line of people that have just taken one of their own to the last dwelling, as they say, and in ninety five percent of the time you will hear they saying: one more at the end of penalties. Said words, said and at the same time a great proof of the insufficiency of the means employed today for the propagation of the only and true happiness that people could enjoy on Earth, for the propagation of faith.

Praise the Lord! A new light shines to all. Out with privileges! A place to those in good will! Without struggles of the mind, without expensive and difficult studies, the humblest, the least educated, as with all of his brothers, may contemplate, if so wished, the divine light. Only those that do not want to see will not see it. If that is the case, we repeat, the most honest and educated persons, whose names will be cited in phalanxes, give the most authentic testimony. If that is the case, we ask, why venture into placing the light below the lamp? Why, for the simple reason that we feel no need for ourselves, rejecting without examination the phenomena whose knowledge and understanding may, if not always, at least many times stop the person at the border of a fatal cliff, to which she was impelled by doubt and disbelief; if they always and for so little can reassure through hope and courage what is about to succumb to the weight of misery?

These are, for example, the benefits that we can so easily spread around us but whose progress and diffusion may be delayed by indifference as much as opposition.”

Observation: Our prediction given in the preceding article regarding the sermon of Montauban begins to become reality. Here we have a journal that is not an organ of Spiritism and that today accepts would certainly would not have been a year ago, and not the report of events but articles of substance that develop the principles of the Doctrine. And who author them? Someone unknown? An ignorant person? No. They are authored by a doctor that enjoys a deserved reputation of knowledge and consideration in the region for his renowned qualities.

We know more than one journal that would not have problem in speaking favorably about Spiritism; that would even speak out of good-will if not for the fear of displeasing certain readers thus compromising their own interests. Such a fear could have some foundation some time ago but not today. General opinion has changed a lot about Spiritism. It is no longer something unknown. It is talked about everywhere and people no longer laugh at it as much. The idea is so much spread out that if there is something surprising is the fact that the press is indifferent to an issue that concerns the masses and that counts on millions of followers in every country of the world and in the most educated layers of society; the surprise is above all in seeing intelligent people criticizing the idea without knowing its basics. Is it then a futile issue that raises the rage of an entire party? Would that party be touched if found in the idea just a myth without consequences? That party would laugh at it but considering that the party gets upset, that rages against it and that fires up its auto-da-fe in hopes of killing that idea, it means that there is something serious there. Ah! If all those that pretend to be the representatives of progress would have taken the burden of studying the issue and they would likely not treat it with disdain.

Nonetheless our objective here is not to make their apology. We just want to register as an attested fact that the Spiritist idea has taken position among the philosophical doctrines; that it constitutes an opinion whose representatives multiply in such a way that the adversaries are the first to acknowledge that. The natural consequence is that the journals that are openly sympathetic to this cause will be granted the sympathy of its followers and these are in number large enough to compensate for some desertion that could take place, if any.

From the point of view of the Spiritist idea the public is divided in three categories: the followers, the indifferent and the antagonists. It is obvious that the two first ones form the majority. The followers will seek it for their sympathy; the indifferent ones will be satisfied by finding an impartial discussion through which they have the means of learning about what they ignore. As for the adversaries, most will be happy for not reading the articles that are not of their interest but for that they will not renounce to a journal that pleases them in other aspects: its political tendencies, editorial, columns or a variety of multiple types of news. In fact the natural adversaries of Spiritism have their special journals. In short it is certain that in the current state of affairs they would gain more than lose.

People will certainly say, and with reason, that conviction is not imposed and that a journal, much like an individual, cannot embrace ideas that they do not share. This is very true but it does not hamper impartiality. Up until today and with very rare exceptions, the journals have opened up their columns to criticism, as broadly as possible, as well as to the attacks, to the defamation of a large class of citizens, without scruples casting ridicule and neglect onto people, pitilessly closing their ranks to any defense. How many times haven’t the courts granted the right of replica that was ignored before? Would it then be necessary to resource to the courts, filling law suits? These would have accounted for thousands over the last ten years. We ask if there is impartiality, justice from the part of journals that permanently proclaim the freedom of speech, equality of rights and fraternity. It is understandable the refutation of a doctrine that one does not share; the reasoned and in good faith discussion of its principles but what is not fair or loyal is to denature that doctrine and pretend to have it saying the opposite of what it does say with the objective of having it discredited. That is what the adversaries of Spiritism do on a daily basis.

The admission of a defense after the attack, or the rectification of inaccuracies is not the same as sharing the principles. It would only be impartiality and loyalty. A journal could even go further. Without renouncing to its convictions and with full reservation of its personal opinions, it could admit to discuss the pros and cons. It would, therefore, position its readers to be able to discuss an issue that is worthwhile given the repercussion that it finds every day.

We must then praise the journal that welcomes Mr. Chaigeau’s articles for its impartiality. We must also praise the author for being one of the first to enter the arena of official publicity, sustaining our cause there with the authority of a man of science. The article mentioned above is just the introduction to his work. The number 12, March issue, contains the introduction to the subject. It is a wisely founded historical of modern Spiritism. We are sorry for not being able to reproduce it here given its extension.

For better understanding of the main subject we extracted the following passage from a letter sent by a subscriber. Besides, it is a simple and touching expression of the consolations found in Spiritism by those in suffering.

“Allow me to tell you how much relief Spiritism has given me with the certainty of meeting again and in a better world someone that I loved with a boundless love, a dear brother that died in his early days. How reassuring the thought that the one whose death we cry is many times near us, giving us support when we are in pain, making us rejoice when the faith in the future allows us to foresee a certain encounter! Initiated in the remarkable principles of Spiritism a few years back I had accepted all of its truths and had strived to live here in a way that could speed up my advancement. I had made my resolutions very sincerely, however, I confess that since I did not have the necessary elements to fortify and entertain my belief in the communication with the Spirits, I gradually got used not to reject them but to see them with indifference. The fact of the matter is that up until then misfortune was unknown to me. Today God thought appropriate to send me a painful trial and I found in Spiritism the precious consolations and I see the need to thank you very particularly as the first preacher of the sacred Doctrine. Since the doctrine of Spiritism is not a simple hypothesis but stands on positive facts to the reach of everybody, its consolations not only consist on the certainty of meeting again the loved ones but also and above all, on the possibility of corresponding with them and obtaining healthy teachings from them.”

With that conviction the living brother wrote this letter to the dead brother, requesting his answer through a medium.

N… March 14th, 1865

“My beloved brother,

I lack words to tell you about my happiness when I read your letter addressed to me through the medium from C… I forwarded it to our poor parents that suffered a lot because of your unexpected departure. They asked me to write back to you, asking for more details about your current life, so that they can believe by new proofs that you will easily give in the reality of the teaching of the Spirits. But, before anything else, come close to them many times; inspire in them resignation and faith in the future; give them consolation for they need it in their pain, hurt like by an unforeseen blow. As for myself, my beloved brother, I shall be always happy whenever you are allowed to send me news about you. Today once more I ask you for details of your disease, your death and wake up in the world of the Spirits.

Who were the Spirits that came to welcome you at the entry point of the invisible world? Have you seen our grandpa yet? Is he happy? Have you seen again our relatives that died before you, even the ones that you had not met on Earth? Have you watched your own funeral? What was your impression? I ask you for details of that said ceremony that would not allow our parents to doubt your identity. Could you tell us if any member of our family could become a medium? Wouldn’t you like to communicate through someone among us?

I don’t believe you don’t want to continue your studies in music, something that was much dear to you here on Earth. It would be a great consolation to us if you wanted to finish the psalms whose music you began in Paris. You can see the enormous emptiness that your death brought to our hearts. I beg you to inspire in our parents the courage to not fail before such a terrible test. Be often with them and give them news about you. As for myself, God knows how much I suffered. Despite my belief in Spiritism, there are times when I cannot bear the fact that I will no longer see you in this life and that I would give my own life to be able to embrace you in my heart.

Good-bye my honorable friend. Think sometimes of the one whose thoughts are always with you and that would do anything possible to one day be considered worthy of being with you.

I hug you now and bring you close to my heart.

From your much devout brother, B…”



Note: In a previous communication given to the parents through another medium it was said that the young man did not want to continue his studies with music in the world of the Spirits.

“I am here, my good brother, but you ask too much. With all good will I cannot answer the multiple questions that you ask me in a single evocation. Don’t you know that sometimes is very difficult to a Spirit to transmit the thoughts through certain mediums that are not much capable of receiving clearly in their brains the photographic impression of the thoughts of certain Spirits, and that by altering those thoughts they give them a certain falsity that leads the majority of the interested parties to the most formal denial of the manifestations, something that is little encouraging and that brings a profound sadness to those that in the absence of more adequate instruments are powerless to provide sufficient signs of identity?

Believe me, good brother, have me evoked in family and you yourself with some good will and persistent trials will be able to speak with me at will. I am always by your side because I know that you are a Spiritist and I have hopes in you. It is true that sympathy attracts sympathy and that we cannot expect much with a medium that we meet for the first time. I will, nonetheless, try to satisfy you.



My death that makes you suffer was the end of captivity to my soul. Your love, support and kindness had soothed my exile on Earth. However, in my most beautiful moments of musical inspiration my eyes were driven to regions where everything is harmony, and I would forget myself by hearing the far away chords of celestial melodies that inundated my soul in their sweet vibrations. How many times was I left in such ecstatic reveries to which I owned the success of my studies in music that I continue here!

It would be a strange mistake to believe that individual aptitudes are lost in the spiritual world. On the contrary, it gets perfected to later on serve other planets where the Spirits are led to inhabit.

Cry no more, all of you my beloved relatives! What are the tears for? To make you upset. To discourage the souls. I departed first but you will meet me. Isn’t that certainty enough to reassure you? The rose that spread its perfume on the oak dies like I did, after having lived for a short while, sowing the soil with its withered petals. The oak, in turn, dies also and meets the fate of the rose for which the oak cried and whose lively colors harmonize with its somber foliage. Still some time and you shall come to me. We will then sing the song of the songs and praise God in his works because together we shall be happy if you resign to the trial that comes to you.

The one that was your brother on Earth and that always loves you.

B…”



Several important teachings stem out of this communication. The first is the difficulty that the Spirit has to express with the help of an instrument that was provided. We personally know that medium that has given proof of strength and flexibility of his faculty, particularly in the case of private evocations; it is what can be called a confident and well assisted medium. What is then the origin of the difficulty? Fact is that the easiness of communication depends on the degree of fluidic affinity between the Spirit and the medium. Each medium is therefore more or less apt to receive the impression or the impulsion of the thought of this or that Spirit. The medium can be a good instrument to one and a bad to another and that does not allow any conclusion with respect to the mediumistic qualities since the condition is more physical than moral. The Spirits therefore preferably seek the instruments with which they vibrate in synchronism. Imposing to the Spirit the first medium that shows up is to believe that they can utilize the instrument irrespectively, like imposing a pianist to play violin with the allegation that he knows music and must therefore play every instrument.

Without such harmony, the only that can produce fluidic assimilation, as much needed in tiptology as in writing, the communications are either incomplete, impossible or false. In the absence of the Spirit that we cannot see, if he cannot communicate freely there will always be others ready to take advantage of the occasion, not much interested in the truth of what they say. That fluidic similarity is sometimes totally impossible between certain Spirits and certain mediums; on other occasions, and that is the more common case, it only occurs gradually and with time, and that is what explains the fact that the Spirits that communicate through a medium do so with more facility and why the first communications almost always attest a certain difficulty and are less explicit.



It is, consequently, demonstrated both by theory and experience that there is no universal medium to the evocations but only by their aptitude to the several kinds of manifestation. The one that pretended to be able to receive at will and at a given set time communications from all Spirits and, consequently, is capable of the legitimate wishes of anyone that wishes to communicate with their loved ones, would be giving proof of radical ignorance of the most elemental principles of the science or of charlatanism, and in all cases proof of a presumption incompatible with the essential qualities of a good medium. We could believe that for some time but today the advances of the theoretical and practical science demonstrate that it is, in principle, impossible. When a Spirit communicates for the first time through a medium, and without any difficulty, that is due to an exceptional or previous fluidic affinity between the Spirit and the interpreter.

It is therefore a mistake to impose a medium to the Spirit that one wishes to evoke. It is necessary to allow the Spirit the freedom of choice of the instrument. However, people will ask, how to proceed when there is only one medium available, something that is very frequent? To begin with accept one we have and what we do not have. It is not in the scope of the Spiritist science to change the normal conditions of the manifestations as it is not in the scope of Chemistry to change the combination of the elements.

Nonetheless, there is here a means of attenuating the difficulties. In principle, when dealing with a new evocation, the medium must always evoke her spiritual guide first and ask if that evocation is possible. If positive, ask the Spirit if the medium provides the necessary aptitude to receive and transmit his thought. If there is any difficulty or if it is impossible then ask the Spirit to do it through the guide of the medium or have the Spirit accepting the guide’s assistance. In such a case the thoughts of the Spirit only arrive as a second hand, in other words, after having transposing two media.

It becomes then clear the importance of the medium to be well guided because if the assistance is given by an obsessing, ignorant or proud Spirit the communication will be altered. Here the moral qualities of the medium forcibly play an important role regarding the nature of the Spirit that the medium attracts to oneself. The most unfit mediums may have powerful faculties but the most confident ones are those that add the best sympathies in the invisible world to that strength. Now, those sympathies are not absolutely guaranteed by the more or less imposing names of the Spirits that sign the communications but by the constantly good nature of the communications that are received. Such principles are founded simultaneously on logic and experience. The very difficulties that they present demonstrate that the practice of Spiritism must not be treated lightheartedly. Another aspect sticks out from the communication above. It is the confirmation of the principle that intelligent Spirits continue in the spiritual world the works and studies that they undertook during their corporeal life. That is why we give preference, in the communications that we publish, to those that may lead to a useful lesson.

As for the letter from the living to the dead brother it is a naive and touching expression of the sincere faith in the survival of the soul, in the presence of the beings who are dear to us, and the possibility of continuing with those relationships of affection that united us to them.

The incredulous, no doubt, will laugh at what, in their eyes, is a puerile credulity. However much they try, the nothingness that they promote will never appeal to the masses because it breaks the heart and the most sacred relationships; it freezes instead of warming up; it brings fear and desperation instead of strength and consolation.



The keystone of their diatribes against Spiritism is this terrifying doctrine of the void and because of that it comes as no surprise its impotence to deviate the crowds form the new ideas. Between a doctrine of desperation and another one of reassurance there could be no doubt about the choice of the majority.

After the astonishing catastrophe of the Church of Santiago del Chile in 1864, they found a box with letters that the followers wrote to Hail Mary. Would there be any similarity between the letter above and the latter ones that have excited the verve of mockery? Certainly not. However, the mistake was not with those that believed in the possibility of communicating with the other world but with those that exploited such belief, giving answers compatible with the payments that were made with the letters of request. There are only a few superstitions that have not started from a truth altered by ignorance. Accused of resurrecting them, Spiritism on the contrary comes to bring them back to their fair value.

In our last month’s article about Dr. Demeure we paid a well-deserved tribute to his eminent qualities of man and Spirit. The following fact is a new proof of his benevolence while, at the same time, it demonstrates the healing power of spiritual magnetization. This letter was sent from Montauban:

“The Spirit of our good father Demeure, coming to join the number of invisible friends that watch over our mind and body, wanted to manifest since the first days through a benefit. The news about his death was not yet known to our brothers in Montauban when he spontaneously and directly produced the cure of one of them through spiritual magnetism just by the fluidic action. Notice that he wasted no time and continued as a Spirit, as you say, his relief work onto the suffering humanity. There is, however, an important distinction to be made here. Certain Spirits remain attached to their earthly activities, unaware of their condition and believing to be still alive. That is typical of little advanced Spirits whereas Mr. Demeure immediately acknowledged himself and as a Spirit he acts voluntarily knowing that he has even more power in that state.

We had kept the information about Mr. Demeure’s death from Mrs. G…, a very lucid clairvoyant and somnambulistic medium, to spare her extreme sensitivity and the good doctor, undoubtedly aware of our intent, avoided the manifestation through her. On the last February 10^th we gathered by the invitation of our guides to, according to them, alleviate Mr. G… from a painful strain that affected her since the day before. That was all that we knew, far from expecting the surprise that would come our way. Immediately after having fallen in a state of trance the lady produced lancinating screams pointing to her foot. Here is what happened: Mrs. G… saw a Spirit leaning onto her leg but she could not distinguish the face. The Spirit massaged the leg and from time to time produced a longitudinal tension on the sick part exactly like a doctor would have done. The operation was so painful that the patient sometimes screamed followed by jerky movements. The episode did not last long though. After ten minutes all traces of sprain had disappeared. There was no inflammation and the foot had gone back to normal appearance. Mrs. G… was healed.

When we think that to heal an injury of such a kind the best and most experienced magnetizers, not to mention the official medicine that has not yet come to a conclusion about such cases, need a long lasting treatment of at least thirty six hours, with three daily sessions of one hour, an compare to the above ten minutes procedure by the spiritual fluid, it can well be considered as an instantaneous cure, even more when in particular we take into account the fact that it was the first experience of the Spirit carried out with the objective of a future application in case this one would be successful, as it is explained by the Spirit in a communication that follows. Nonetheless the Spirit continued to be unknown to the medium and persisted in staying anonymous. The Spirit even gave the impression that he was running away when the patient who could not move one step forward minutes ago suddenly jumps in the middle of the room to shake hands with her spiritual doctor. Still this time the Spirit moved his face away only allowing her to shake hands. At that point in time Mrs. G… screams out and falls on the floor extenuated. She had just recognized the healing Spirit as Mr. Demeure. During her fit she was attended by several sympathetic Spirits. When she finally recovered her somnambulistic lucidity she talked to several Spirits, exchanged warm handshakes particularly with the Spirit of the doctor that was receptive to her demonstrations of sympathy and affection, involving her in a healing fluid. Isn’t that an exciting and dramatic scene in which we see several players representing their roles in human life? Isn’t that one among thousands of proofs that the Spirits are perfectly real, having a body and acting as they did on Earth? We were happy for finding our spiritualized friend with his excellent heart and kindness. In his life he had been the medium’s doctor; he knew her extreme sensitivity and had taken care of her like to a daughter. Isn’t that proof of identity given by a Spirit to a loved one touching, making us see our future life in a reassuring way? Here is the communication given by Dr. Demeure on the day following the above session:

“My good friends I am by your side and love you as I always did in the past. What a happiness to be able to communicate with those that are dear to me! I was really happy last night for being useful and alleviate the pain of our clairvoyant medium. It is an experience that will be useful to me and that will help me out in the future whenever there is a favorable occasion. Today her son is very sick but I hope that we will soon have him cured. All that will serve him to persevere in the study of the development of his faculty (Mrs. G…son was really cured of an inflammatory angina through homeopathic medication prescribed by the Spirit). In the near future we will give you the opportunity to witness phenomena still unknown to you and that shall be of great utility to the Spiritist science. I am happy to be able to personally contribute to those manifestations that would have given me a lot of pleasure when alive; thank God today I witness them in a very particular way that evidently demonstrates to me the reality of what happens among you. Believe me, good friends that I feel real pleasure in being useful to my fellow human beings and in helping them to propagate these beautiful truths that must change the world giving rise to better feelings.

Good bye my friends. So long.

Antoine Demeure.”

Isn’t that interesting to see an already wise soul on Earth to carry out studies and experiments as a Spirit to become more skillful in the relief of people’s pains? There is a commendable modesty in that confession that entails true merit whereas pseudo-wise Spirits are generally presumptuous. The last issue of the Spiritist Review cites a communication given by Mr. Demeure as if given in Montauban on February 1^st. He gave it actually on January 26^th. In my opinion this date is somewhat important because it was the day after his death. He says in the second paragraph: “… I enjoy a rare lucidity for Spirits recently separated from matter.” In fact that lucidity demonstrates a fast separation that is typical of morally well advanced Spirits.

Observation: The cure reported above is an example of pure spiritual magnetic action, without any mixture with human magnetism. The Spirits sometimes utilize the help of special mediums as conductors of their fluids. These are the healing Spirits whose faculties present a variety of energy levels, according to their personal aptitudes and the nature of the Spirits that assist them. We met a person eight months ago in Paris who suffered of painful exostosis in the hip and knee, keeping that person slaved to a bed. One of her young friends was a medium of that kind and treated him by the simple imposition of hands for a few minutes and by prayer that was followed by the patient with noble feelings. On the occasion the patient was having a very painful crisis analogous to the one endured by Mrs. G…, soon followed by a perfect calmness. He then had the impression of several hands giving him a massage and straightening his leg that would elongate 10 or 12 centimeters. He then feels a significant improvement and starts to walk but the longevity and seriousness of the disease turn the healing process very difficult and requiring a longer time than a simple sprain. We must emphasize that, as far as we know, the healing mediumship is not yet presented with generic and universal features but, on the contrary, restricted by application, meaning that the medium has a more powerful action upon certain individuals than on others and that not all diseases are cured. This is understandable when considering the fundamental role played by fluidic affinity in all mediumistic phenomena. Some people only enjoy that by accident and for a specific case. Hence it would be a mistake to believe that for the fact that a cure was obtained all others could also be obtained for the reason that the medium’s fluid is refractory to the own fluid of certain patients. The more natural the fluid assimilation the easier the healing process. It is then remarkable that certain fragile and delicate persons may exert a powerful influence upon strong and robust individuals. In such cases the persons are good conductors of the spiritual fluid whereas strong persons may be bad conductors. They only have their personal, human fluid that never has the purity and healing strength of the purified fluid of the good Spirits. From that one can understand the main reasons that oppose transforming healing mediumship into a profession. One would have to be gifted with a universal faculty to make it an occupation. Only incarnate Spirits of the highest order could have it in such a degree. Such presumption, even if employed selflessly and out of pure philanthropy, would be a demonstration of pride that by itself is a demonstration of moral inferiority. True superiority is humble. It does good without ostentation and hides away instead of looking for shine. The noble person seeks that modesty while the arrogant seeks the laurel that frequently escapes. Jesus used to say to those that were cured by him: “Go, thank God and tell nobody.” It is a great lesson to the healing mediums. We remind everyone here that the healing mediumship is exclusively in the fluidic action more or less instantaneous; that it must not be confused with human magnetism or with the faculty that certain mediums have to receive the prescription of medicine from the Spirits. These latter are only “prescriptive mediums” like others are poets or painters.

Pierre Legay, Mrs. Delanne’s relative, offered us with the singular spectacle of a Spirit that considered himself to be alive even two years after his death, taking care of his businesses, traveling by car, paying for the train ticket, visiting Paris for the first time, etc. We give today the conclusion of that case that would be difficult to understand if we did not resource to the details given in the Spiritist Review, November 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Delanne tried unsuccessfully to elucidate his mistake. Their spiritual guide had asked them to wait since the moment had right yet. In the first days of March they addressed the following question to their guide:

Q. – After the last visit of Pierre Legay mentioned in the Spiritist Review we were unable to obtain any answer from him. You told us that when the time was right he would give us his impressions. Do you think he can do it now? A. – Yes, my children. Time has come. He will be able to answer you and provide you with material for study and teachings. God has his own points of view.

Q. – (To Pierre Legay). Dear friend, are you here? A. – Yes, my friend.

Q. – Do you see my point in evoking you today? A. – Yes, for I have by my side friends that have instructed me about everything that is happening right now on Earth. My God! What a strange thing all that!

Q. – You said that you have friends around you that give you instructions. Can you tell us who they are? A. – Yes, they are my friends but I only met them after I woke up. Did you know that I slept? I call sleep what you call death.

Q. – Can you tell the name of some of those friends? A. – I always have by my side a man that I should call an angel because he is so kind, so good and nice that all angels must be like this one. Then there is Didelot (Mrs. Delanne’s father) that is also here; then your parents, my friend. Oh! They are so nice! It is funny the way me meet up; there is also our Abbess. For example, she is always the same; she hasn’t changed. But it is all so strange!

NOTE: The nun mentioned by the Spirit used to live at Treveray commune and had given her first instructions to Mrs. Delanne. She communicated only once, about three years ago.

Mr. Delanne: - My friend, the word die refers to leaving behind on Earth the heavy body, giving the soul the freedom it requires to enter the real life, the great life of the Spirit. Yes, you are there, my dear, in that still unknown world to many people from Earth. There you are leaving the lethargy or numbness that follows the separation of the soul from the body. Look around and see your guardian angel and friends surrounding you. They were the ones that brought you here to demonstrate to you the immortality and individuality of your soul. Be proud and happy because, as you see now, death is life. That is also why you cover spaces with the speed of light and are able to talk to us in Paris as if you had a material body like ours. You no longer have such a body. Now you only have a fluidic and light envelope that no longer attaches you to Earth.

P. Legay: Singular expression: dying! Then you should use another word for the moment when the soul leaves behind its body on Earth for such a moment is not death… I remember… I had just been released from the links that bonded me to the body and my sufferings instead of diminishing only worsened. I saw my children fighting for the piece of what I left them. I saw them not taking care of the inherited land and saw myself working stronger than ever. I was there, sorry for seeing that they did not understand me. I was not dead then. I assure you that I felt the same concerns and fatigue I used to have with my body and yet I had no body any more. Explain that to me. If that is death it is a funny way of dying. Give me your thoughts about that and then I will tell you what I think because now these good friends have the kindness of telling me. Go on, cousin, tell me.

Mr. Delanne: My friend, when the Spirits leave their bodies they are covered by a second body as I told you; this is fluidic and always remains with the Spirit. It is, therefore, with that body that you thought you were working like with the other one when you were alive. You can depurate that semi-material body through your moral progress. And if you are not okay with the word “death” to identify that moment you can then call it “transformation, if you wish to do so. If you went through some painful things that is because you might have been too attached to material things in your life, neglecting the spiritual ones that were important to your future. (He was very much interested). It is a slight punishment that God thought convenient for you to recover from your faults, giving you the means of instruction and finding light.

P. Legay: Then, my dear friend, that is not the time that should be called “transformation” because the Spirit does not change so rapidly if not immediately helped to acknowledge oneself through prayer and if the Spirit is not enlightened about the true situation, as I have just mentioned, by prayer and evocation. That is there are so many Spirits like mine that remain stationary. For those of my category there is transition but not transformation; the Spirit is not aware of what is going on. I dragged around, or better, I thought I did, a body with the same illnesses that I had when on Earth. Do you know what I felt when I was separated from my body? Something like a confusion that follows a fall or after someone passes out and people help you come back by inhaling a substance like vinegar. I woke up unaware that I had no body anymore. I came here to Paris thinking that I was still flesh and blood and you would not be able to convince me otherwise if I were not dead since then.

Yes, we die but that is not at the time when the body is left behind; it is when the Spirit acknowledges its true situation and is taken by a vertigo, no longer understanding what is said or seeing what is shown in the same way; it is a state of confusion. The Spirit perceives that he is no longer understood and like the blind person that is suddenly hurt the Spirit wants a guide that does not attend immediately, not at all. A time in darkness is needed where it is all confusion. The Spirit is disturbed and only a keen desire for light can change that but not before the agony is over and the time for freedom is right. Then, cousin, that is the time of death because we can no longer recognize ourselves. We must be helped, I repeat, by prayer and the time of liberation is the one that must be called death to the Spirits of my category.

Thank you for your prayers, my friend. You know how much I loved you and will continue to do so and much more from now on. Continue to send your prayers on my behalf, for my own advancement. Thank you to the man that was capable of bringing to light these true and sacred truths, taken for granted by so many others before him.

Yes, many thanks for having brought up my name together with so many others. They prayed for me reading some lines that I was supposed to give you. Thank you all of those that prayed for me and today, thanks to your prayer, I began to understand their reach. As for myself I will try to be useful to you all. That is what I had to tell you and be cool. Today I no longer have money to worry about but I have all the time to be dedicated to you. Aren’t your surprised by such a change? Well, from now on that is how it is going to be since I can see clearly here and from far away.

Pierre Legay

Observation: The new state in which Pierre Legay is in by no longer seeing himself as part of this world may be considered as a second wake up of the Spirit. This is related to the broader issue of the spiritual death that is under study right now. We thank the Spiritists that followed our report with prayers to the Spirit. They can see that it was noticed and the Spirit feels good.

The Poitiers manifestations are now replicated in Marseille. Should we conclude that the so called jokers that shook the first town without being caught have now moved to the second one where again they are not found? One must realize that these are very skillful con artists to frustrate the investigation carried out by the police and all others that were interested in catching them. The Gazette du Midi carried this short news about the subject on March, 5^th:

“On Friday, during the day, the “Chave” neighborhood was shaken with several groups of people gathered near the house number 80 at the boulevard with the same name. The rumor around was that several strange things happened in that house, scaring away the residents of the spellbound home. Ghosts wandered around there, they said; strange noises are heard at certain times and invisible hands throw pieces of furniture against one another, as they do to kitchen set pieces. The police was called in to control and keep the cool of those groups that grew continually. As a matter of fact it seems that the construction is not to code, built on a terrain that is undermined by water. Some cracks were heard and fear transformed them into rumors of witchcraft that will soon dissipate.”

Cauvière



Below the detailed report sent by Dr. Chavaux, from Marseille, dated March 14^th:

“A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of sending you some details about manifestations that took place for over a month at number 80 of Boulevard Chave. I only reported what I heard; today I will tell you what I witnessed myself.

After being granted permission to visit the home there I was on Friday, March 10^th, at an apartment on the first floor occupied by Mrs. A… and her two daughters, one eight years old and the other sixteen. At 1pm sharp there was a huge noise of detonation at the apartment, followed by nine others every forty five minutes. After the second detonation that seemed to have come from within the facility where we were, I saw the formation of a light mist and then I felt a strong smell of gunpowder. Mrs. R… joined in at about the eighth detonation and said that she could detect a smell of gunpowder. I was pleased to hear that and learn that it was not a product of my imagination.

On Tuesday, the 13^th, I went there again at 8:30 pm. The first detonation was heard at 9 pm, followed by thirty eight others within the hour. Mrs. C… then said: if these noises are produced by Spirits may they produce two more to account for forty. At that very moment two others were heard, one after the other with a frightening sound. We all looked to one another in astonishment, even fear. Mrs. C… still said: I start to understand that there are Spirits behind this thing; to be totally convinced I would like the Spirits to make that sound another ten times, adding up to fifty. The ten detonations took place in less than fifteen minutes. Those noises are sometimes like from a cannon of small caliber, inside a house; doors and windows were shaken, as were walls and the floor; objects hanging on walls were vividly affected; one could say that the house was shaken from all sides and that it would fall but none of that happened. After the shooting there isn’t a single crack, nothing is damaged and everything goes back to normal. The shots sometimes happen at one to five minutes intervals, but on other occasions up to six shots are heard one immediately following the other. The police showed up but nothing was found. There you have, dear Master, the whole and the most accurate truth.

Yours, sincerely…”

Chavaux, D.M.P.

Rue de Petit Saint-Jean, 24.



Another letter dated March 17^th, brings the following:

“Yesterday we spent part of the evening at the home Boulevard Chave, 80. The meeting was attended by seven people. The sounds of detonation started at 11pm and accounted for a total of twenty two in a ten minute interval. It is like the sound of a small cannon. It could be heard from a great distance to the home. Contrary to what the Gazette du Midi says, the building is in very good condition. I was told that four other detonations were heard in another house in the same boulevard and that those were even stronger.

Yours, etc.”

Carrier



They will say that the cause is entirely found out: one can see the smoke and feel the smell of gunpowder, but cannot guess the means employed by the deceivers?

It seems to us that the con artists utilize gunpowder to produce those detonations in the very apartment where the witnesses are; that they are complacent to repeat them at the expressed will. They cannot be far away nor hidden. How come they were not discovered? But then, what is the origin of the smell? That is another issue that will be handled in time. While we wait, the noises are a fact and a fact must have a cause. Will you attribute it to slander? But then find the slanders.

Mrs. Quillet, author of Églantine, has just published as small and charming book with the title “Une heure de poèsie”, that will be certainly appreciated by those that love good verses. Since the work is alien to the Spiritist Doctrine, although absolutely not opposing it, its appreciation is beyond the scope of this Spiritist Review. We limit ourselves to say that the author demonstrates that, contrary to the opinion of some of her comrades in literature, one can have a Spirit and believe in the Spirits. Mrs. Quillet sent us the following words about the communications of Mrs. Foulon published in our March issue: “Mrs. Foulon believes that people would not understand the poetry of Spiritism. She must be right from her enlightened point of view. The winds of the poets certainly feel the weight of our dark atmosphere. But the instinct, the double vision that gifts them, come along to help their intelligence. I believe everyone is called to help the great task of regeneration of humanity according to one’s aptitudes: poets and philosophers, by the inspiration of the Spirits; the martyrs and workers by the invitation of the genius of the philosopher and the songs of the poets. Just sighs, it is true, but the basis and the complement of the concert is formed in the exile of the sighs.”

Mrs. Quillet is right when she says that everybody is called to concur to the works of the terrestrial renovation. Nobody denies the influence of poetry but she is wrong with respect to Mrs. Foulon’s thoughts when she says: “My soul was taken by the enthusiasm and I hope it is a bit too late to entertain you with serious Spiritism and not with poetic Spiritism that is not good to humanity. People would not understand it.”

The Spirit here does not see the poetic Spiritism as the Spiritist ideas translated by poetry but the ideal Spiritism, the product of an enthusiastic imagination; and by serious Spiritism the scientific Spiritism, based on facts and logic, that is best suited to the positive nature of the people of our time and that is the object of our studies.

With that title the Monde Musical of Brussels reports, on March 5^th, 1865, the eulogies of Mrs. Vauchez, mother of one of our excellent brothers in Spiritism, in the following terms:

“Friends and collaborators, our Vauchez’ brothers lost their mother a few days back. The care taken by one and the other in the final days of that respectable lady were the signs of an indescribable love.

Both brothers are Spiritists. They took their mother’s body to the grave followed by brothers in faith. There the oldest Vauches payed tribute to the Spirit of their mother, with as much simple as fair words, and that according to the Spiritists’ belief she was present and heard them. The separation was a cause of sadness although he must have been persuaded that she was entering a better life and that she would still communicate with them and give them inspiration, strengthening them in the path of good. He confirmed that her last wishes would be accomplished by making donations to two charities by the savings on a purely civil funeral, without any pageantry. Her chosen charities were: a foundation in favor of the Saint-Josse-ten-Noode daycare and a contribution towards poor old people’s home.

After that kind of conversation between son and the soul of his mother, Mr. Herezka, one of the Spiritist friends of the family, expressed in verses and with the same simplicity feelings whose transcription here will explain one part of the good that there is in a belief that daily and everywhere embraces a larger number of enlightened people. Here the words of Mr. Herezka to the dead woman’s soul:”

After those words the Vauchez brothers and their friends left quietly, without ostentation, without painful emotion, as if they had come to follow someone that was about the initiate a long journey but every requirement of safety and well-being. Despite the fact that we were not Spiritists we did attend the ceremony. We are just the reporter of the event: an as touching as remarkable ceremony for its simplicity and sincerity of belief and intentions.”

Roselli

Mrs. Vauchez died after thirty two years of a disease that kept her on a sick bed for twenty others. She had gladly accepted the Spiritist beliefs and found great consolation in them in her lengthy and tough suffering. We saw her during our last trip to Brussels and we were touched by her courage, resignation and confidence in God’s mercy. Here her first words given to her sons soon after her last breath:

“The veil that still covers the terrestrial planet has just been lifted for me. I see, I feel and live! Thank you Almighty! Thank you my guides, my guardian angels and protectors! You, my children, you my daughter, resignation for you are Spiritists. Do not cry for me. I live the eternal life, I live in the ethereal light; I live and suffer no more; no more pain, my trial is over. Thank you my friends for having thought of evoking me so early. Do that often. I will assist you and be with you.

God was merciful with my sufferings. Oh my friends, the life of the soul is so beautiful when detached from matter! Good Spirits are watching over you. Be worthy of their protection. At this very moment I count on the assistance of your protector, St. Vincent de Paul.”

Small brochure in-8th with 150 pages. In Angers at Lemesle & Co. In Paris, Palais Royal. Price 2 fr.

Proofs to the religious fanaticism that the Spirits are not demons in response to the conversations about the Spirits by the Jesuit Father Xavier Pailloux. A historic digression provoked by him with the demonstration that Satan and hell of the Satan believers are a myth, followed by Spirits data about the posthumous state of mankind and after death impressions.

We shall discuss this work later.

Spiritist journal published in Marseille under the direction of Mr. Gilet, with circulation every Sunday. Office in Marseille, Boulevard Chave, 81. Price 10 francs per year.

This journal holds the following banner: There is no salvation but through charity. We are glad to see it raising a flag that it the symbol of connection between every sincere Spiritist. Following that route we are certain that it shall not detour. As we said about the evangelic medium of Toulouse, like with nobility, the title obliges. Spiritism therefore counts on another organ in one of the most important cities in France.

This brochure is by the same author of Lettres sur le Spiritisme ecrites a des ecclesiatiques. This more recent work deals more specifically with the religious aspect and we are glad to verify that the author did it with remarkable logic while applying commendable moderation in his refutation. In an elegant and correct style he says the greatest truths without hurting anyone. It is the best means of persuasion. We recommend it to our readers who will find excellent arguments there.