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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1860 > January
January
Spiritism in 1860The Spiritist Review initiates its third year and we are delighted to announce
that it does so in the most favorable circumstances. We gladly
take the opportunity to express all of our gratitude to the readers for the
daily demonstrations of sympathy that we receive from them. That alone
would give us great encouragement had we not found in nature itself,
and in the objective of our work, enormous moral compensation for the
resulting fatigue. The multiplicity of tasks to which we dedicate entirely is
such that it is physically impossible for us to respond to all letters of congratulation
that come to our hands. Thus, we are forced to respond collectively
to their authors, begging them to accept our appreciation. Those
letters and the large number of people that give us the honor of coming
to us to talk about these serious issues convince us more and more about
the progress of the true Spiritism, and by true Spiritism we mean the one
understood in all its moral consequences. Not eluded by the actual reach
of our work, the simple thought of having contributed by sowing a few
grains onto the scale is a kind satisfaction to us because those seeds would
have served as a wakeup call to people’s thoughts.
The growing prosperity of The Review is an indication of the benevolence
with which it is received. We can only continue our work, following
the same guidelines, since it receives the blessings of time, not distancing ourselves from moderation, prudence and courtesy that have always guided
us. Leaving to the detractors the sad privilege of calumny and personalism,
we shall not follow them in the terrain of hopeless controversy.
We say hopeless because it would not lead them to conviction and it is a
waste of time to discuss a subject with people who ignore the foundations
of what is discussed. We have one thing only to tell them: study first and
then we will see. We have better things to do than speaking to those who
do not want to listen. As a matter of fact, what does it matter, definitely,
the contrary opinion of this or that one? Will such an opinion have so
great an influence capable of precluding the natural progress of things?
The greatest discoveries had to face the fiercest adversaries, fact that has
not discouraged them. Hence, let incredulity hum around us, certain that
nothing can veer us off from the route that has been delineated by the
seriousness of the subject itself.
We said that the spiritist ideas evolve. In fact, since some time now
they have gained immense territory. One would say that they are in the
air. Certainly, this is not due to the noise produced by the broad or the
small press. If those ideas advance despite everything and against everything
else, and despite the ill-will found in certain regions, the fact of
the matter is that they are endowed by sufficient vitality. Anyone who
takes the burden of studying Spiritism will find such a great moral satisfaction;
the future so clear, precise and logically unfolding before them
that they will acknowledge that it would be otherwise impossible, even
feeling impressed for not having understood it earlier, as if coming from
an innermost feeling that had always told them so. Once developed, the
Spiritist Science does nothing more than formulating the ideas, retrieving
them from the darkness of the deepest self where they have always
been.
The future then reveals a clear, precise, perfectly defined objective.
It no longer wanders about since its path is clear. No longer a fortunate
or disgraceful future which one could not understand and repelled for
that very reason. It is a rational future, consequence of the natural laws,
capable of withstanding the strictest scrutiny. The human being then feels happy and relieved from the huge burden of uncertainty, and uncertainty
is a torment. In spite of anything else, the individual probes the deepness
of the future and cannot see it but as eternal. Then comes the comparison
between such a future and the briefness and fragility of this Earthly life.
If the future does not offer any certainty it stuns the person, who then
bows before the present and refuses nothing to make such idea of the future
bearable. His conscience is hopeless when he speaks of good and evil.
He says to himself: Good is what makes me happy. Why should I then
see goodness somewhere else? Why should I support those in misery? The
human being wants to be happy and to be happy one needs to enjoy; enjoy
what the others have. The human being wants gold, a lot of gold, sticking
to that as to his own life, since gold is the means of having all material
pleasures. Why bother with his neighbor’s well-being? What matters is
one’s own well-being before anything else. The human being then seeks
satisfaction in the present since the possibility of any later satisfaction is
unknown in a doubtful future. He then becomes greedy, jealous, selfish,
and even with all those pleasures, the person is not happy, yet for life
seems too short.
A positive future changes everything: the present is just ephemeral;
he sees it goes by with no sadness. He is no longer attracted so much to
the material pleasures as they cannot give him but a transient, evanescent
satisfaction, leaving emptiness in his heart. He then aspires for a lasting
and thus more real happiness. Where can he find it if not in the future?
Spiritism frees the individual from the tortures of uncertainty by showing
and demonstrating such a future, thus making the individual happy.
Well, anything that brings happiness finds followers.
The adversaries of Spiritism attribute its fast propagation to a superstitious
fever that takes humanity over through the passion for the extraordinary.
However, they should be logical before anything else. We will
accept their reasoning, if we can call that reasoning, when they clearly
explain why does such a fever hit precisely the educated layers of society,
more than the uneducated ones. On our end we say that it is because
Spiritism appeals to reason and not to blind faith; that the enlightened classes conduct due diligence, reflect and understand it. Behold, superstitious
ideas cannot withstand examination.
As a matter of fact, all of you who attack Spiritism, do you really understand
it? Have you studied it, scrutinizing its details, maturely considering
all of its consequences? No you did not, a thousand times, you did
not. You talk about something that you don’t know. All of your criticism –
and I don’t talk about the silly, vulgar and gross diatribes, lacking any reason,
bearing no value – I talk about those that at least have the appearance
of seriousness; all of your criticism, I was saying, reveal the most absolute
ignorance of the subject.
In order to criticize it is necessary to oppose reason against reason,
proof against proof. Is that possible without a profound knowledge of the
subject? What would you think of someone who intended to criticize a
piece of artwork not knowing, at least in theory, the basic rules of drawing
and painting; the merits of an opera without knowing music? Do
you know the consequences of an ignorant criticism? It is ridiculous and
a pure demonstration of lack of common sense. The more elevated the
position of the critic; the more he is in evidence, the more his own interest
forces circumspection, avoiding the always easy denial of talking about
something that is unknown.
That is why the attacks against Spiritism short living, favoring its
development instead of precluding it. Those attacks operate as propaganda;
they lead to scrutiny and scrutiny can only favor us because we
appeal to reason. There isn’t a single article against this Doctrine which
has not led to an increase in the number of subscriptions and book sales.
Mr. Oscar Comettant’s article (see Le Siècle from October 27th last, and
our replica in the Spiritist Review, December 1859) produced the sales
of more than fifty samples of the famous Mozart’s Sonata (costs 2 francs
net, according to Mr. Comettant’s important and witty observation).
The articles of the L’Univers from April 13th and May 28th, 1859 (see
our response in the Review in the May and June 1859 issues) oversold
the remainder of the first edition of The Spirits’ Book, as well as others.
Nonetheless, let us go back to less material things. As long as the opposing arguments are not but of the kind mentioned above, Spiritism
shall fear nothing.
We insist that the main source of progress of the spiritist ideas is in
the satisfaction given to those dedicated to their serious study, finding in
the Doctrine something beyond a futile pastime. Well, since all seeks happiness,
it is not surprising that those persons cling to an idea that makes
them happy. We said somewhere else that the time of curiosity is over
with regards to Spiritism, now replaced by the period of reason and philosophy.
Curiosity has its time. Since that time has passed, one objective
must replace the other. The same cannot be said about something related
to serious thought and philosophy. Spiritism has advanced in particular
since the time when people began to understand its reach, in its most
subtle essence, for it touches the most sensitive string of the human being:
happiness, even still in this world. That is the cause of its propagation; the
secret of the strength which shall make it triumph.
All of you who attack Spiritism, do you want a safe way of fighting
it successfully? I will give you one: replace it by something better. Find a
more logical solution to every issue resolved by Spiritism. Give the individual
another assurance, one that makes him happier, but be aware of the
reach of the word assurance since the individual will only accept as certain
something that seems logical. It is not good enough to say that Spiritism
is not that because it is very easy to say so. You must demonstrate not only
by denial but also by facts that Spiritism is not, has never been and cannot
be it. Finally, prove that the consequences of Spiritism don’t make the
individual better through the practice of the purest Evangelical moral, a
much acclaimed but rarely practiced moral.
When you have done so, I will be the first to bow before you.
Meanwhile, allow me to see your doctrines, the denial of any future, as
the source of egotism, a worm which corrodes society, and consequently
a true plague. Yes, Spiritism is strong, and it is stronger than you since
it is based on the very foundations of religion: God, the soul, the future
reward and penalties, all based on the good deeds or evil actions which
one may practice. You are supported by incredulity. Spiritism invites the human being to happiness, to hope and true fraternity. You offer people
with the nothingness for perspective and selfishness for consolation.
Spiritism explains everything while you explain nothing. Spiritism demonstrates
through facts, you demonstrate nothing. How would you expect
any hesitation between the two doctrines?
In summary, we attest that – and everyone sees and feels like we do –
Spiritism has treaded a gigantic step this last year and such a step is a guarantee
of the next step for this coming year. It was not only the considerable
increase in the number of followers but a remarkable change has taken place
in the general opinion, even among those who are indifferent. They say
that, bottom line, that there may well be something in Spiritism; that one
should not intend to offer a hastily assessment. Those who shrugged their
shoulders start to fear the ridicule by connecting their names to a precipitated
judgment, which can be denied later. Thus, they prefer to remain silent
and wait. There will still be and for a long time, no doubt, people who will
try to belittle it since they have nothing to lose with the acknowledgement
of posterity, some for their lightheartedness or ill-faith, others out of pure
machination.
Nevertheless, we are okay with the idea of being taken to Charenton since we would get there in good company and such a tasteless joke, like
many others, is a common place which does not bother us, due to the
absolute lack of reason shown by such attacks. The weapon of ridicule,
a supposedly frightening weapon, evidently wears out, falling from the
hands that manipulate them. Has it lost its power? No, as long as it does
not shoot at false targets. Ridicule can only kill what is ridiculous in itself,
only having the appearance of seriousness, stimulating the hypocrite,
removing their masks. Something that is really serious will only receive
minor blows, leaving the battlefield always triumphant. Just observe if
a single great idea, attacked by the ignorant and jealous crowd from its
inception, has fallen, not standing its ground! Well then, Spiritism is
one of the greatest ideas since it touches the most vital issues of human happiness, and one cannot go unpunished for spreading jokes about such
a serious matter.
Spiritism is strong because it is founded on the natural laws; responding
to its adversaries by recruiting people around the world since its infancy.
A few years more and its detractors, impotent to combat it through
reason will be so much out of touch and so much isolated that they shall
be forced to shut up, opening their eyes to the light.
Magnetism before the Academy
Since it was barred at the main door, Magnetism entered through the
window, thanks to a disguise and another name. Instead of saying: I
am magnetism, which was not likely to get it through, it then said: My
name is Hypnotism (from the Greek “Hypnos”, sleep). Thanks to such
a gimmick it finally got in, after twenty long years, but it did not lose
much for the wait because it found a way of being introduced by one of
the greatest luminaries. He was careful enough to avoid its entourage of
passes, somnambulism, and remote visions, and ecstasies which would
have been a betrayal. He simply said: you are good and human; your heart
is broken by the sight of your neighbor’s agony, in his sickness; you must
find a way of mitigating the patient’s pain, hurt by your scalpel; it can be
really dangerous. I bring you a simpler way, yet with no drawbacks. I was
certain that I would be heard, speaking in the name of humanity. He then
wisely added: “I am family; I owe my life to one of you”. He thought, and
not without reason, that such an origin wouldn’t do him any harm.
If we lived in the time of the brilliant and poetic Greece, we would
say: Magnetism, child of nature and of a mere mortal, was banned from
the Olympus because it had hurt Aesculapius privileges, marching by his
side, boasting about the ability of healing without his help. It wandered
around Earth for a long time, teaching human beings the art of healing in new ways. It unveiled a wealth of wonders to the people, mysteriously hidden
in the temples until then, but those whose secrets were revealed, and
whose charlatanism was exposed, stone-chased Magnetism, and it was
then banned by the gods and abused by people. Nevertheless, it continued
to spread its benefits by alleviating humanity, certain that its innocence
would be one day recognized, and that justice would be served. It had a
child called Hypnotism whose birth was carefully hidden for the fear of
persecution. It shared its long exile with the child, a learning period.
When the child was thought to be ready, Magnetism then said:
• Go and present yourself to the Olympus, but be careful not to
say that you are my child. Your name and a disguise will facilitate
your entry. Aesculapius will introduce you.
• How come father! Aesculapius, your most bloodthirsty enemy!
The one who banned you!
• He is the one who will reach out to you!
• But if he recognizes me I shall be expelled.
• Well then! If you are expelled you will come to me and we shall
continue our beneficent work amidst human beings, waiting for
better days. But, easy now. I have a lot of hope. Aesculapius is
not bad. After all, he seeks the progress of Science otherwise he
would not deserve to be the god of medicine. As a matter of fact,
I might have made a few mistakes myself. Since I felt offended for
having my image vilified, I was exalted and insensibly attacked
him: I cursed, insulted and called him ignorant. Well, this is not
a proper way of treating people and the gods. He was upset with
me for a while since his self-love was hurt. Don’t you do what I
did my child. Be more sensible and civil, above all. If others are
not with you it is their problem and you will be on the right side.
Go child and remember that one cannot catch flies with vinegar.
That is how the father spoke. Hypnotism then timidly left to the
Olympus; he could feel his heartbeat when he showed up at the sacred door. But, ah surprise! Aesculapius himself shakes his hand and introduces
him!
There we have Magnetism in its place then. What to do? Oh! Don’t
believe in victory yet; these are still the preliminaries of peace. It is a
first hurdle which was taken down, and that is all. An important step,
no doubt, but don’t you think that the enemy will acknowledge defeat.
Aesculapius himself, the great Aesculapius, who recognized you by your
family traces, would greatly impair your defense; hence they would take
you to the Charenton. They will say that it is something… but for sure
it is not Magnetism… That is fine! We will not play with words. It will
be anything that they want but while we wait, it is a fact which will have
consequences.
Well, here are the consequences. First they shall deal with the anesthetic
point of view only (from the Greek aesthesis, sensitivity, and private,
general or partial loss of the ability to feel), and that as a result of the
predominance of materialistic ideas, because there are still so many people
who insist, for modesty no doubt, to be reduced to the role of a roasting
stick, which when broken, is thrown into the scrap yard, without a trace
left behind! Thus, they will exam the fact from all angles, even if just out
of mere curiosity. They will study the effect of various substances in the
production of catalepsy; then, on a given day, they will acknowledge that
a finger is sufficient. However, that is not all. Observing the phenomenon
of catalepsy there will be the spontaneous occurrence of others. The freedom
of thought during the suspension of the organic faculties has already
been observed. Thus, thought is independent of the organs and there is
in the human being something beyond matter. Strange faculties shall be
observed: the vision will acquire unusual amplitude, beyond the boundaries
of the senses; all perceptions shall be displaced; in short, a vast field of
observations and there will be no lack of observers. The sanctuary is open,
and let us keep up with the hope that light will shine from there, unless
the Celestial Areopagus denies such an honor to anybody else.
May our readers kindly read the remarkable article published by
Mr. Victor Meunier, editor of the Ami des Sciences (Friend of Sciences), about this interesting subject, in the weekly scientific Review Siècle, on
December 16th, 1859:
“Animal magnetism, taken to the Academy by Mr. Broca; introduced
to the illustrious Society by Mr. Velpeau; experimented with by Messrs.
Follin, Verneuil, Faure, Trousseau, Denonvilliers, Nélaton, Azam, Ch.
Robin, etc., all medical surgeons, is the great news of the day.”
“The discoveries, like the books, have their destinies. The one we are
going to talk about is not new. It is about twenty years old, with no lack
of publicity in England, where it was born, nor in France, where at the
moment they don’t talk about anything else. A Scottish doctor, Dr. Braid,
who discovered it, wrote the book: Neural-hypnotism or the rationale of the
nervous sleep, considered in relation to the animal magnetism.” 3
“A renowned English doctor, Dr. Carpenter, carefully analyzed
Dr. Braid’s findings in the article “Sleep” found in the Encyclopedia of
Anatomy and Physiology. An illustrious French scientist, Mr. Littré, reproduced
Dr. Carpenter’s analysis in the second edition of the Manuel
de Physiologie, by J. Mueller. Finally, we have dedicated one of our newspapers
in the Presse, on July 7th, 1852 to Hypnotism, name given by Dr.
Braid to the set of facts which are discussed. The most recent publication
regarding this subject is then seven years old. When it all seemed forgotten,
it finds this huge repercussion.”
“There are two things in Hypnotism: a group of nervous phenomena
and the process by which they are produced.”
“The process formerly employed by Abbot Faria, if I am not mistaken,
is of great simplicity.”
“It consists of keeping a shiny object before the eyes of the subject,
close to the root of the nose, so that the subject can only see it by crossing
the eyes inwardly; the subject must stare at the object in that way. In the
beginning the pupils will contract, later they dilate significantly and soon
after the cataleptic state is produced. Once the limbs of the subject are raised they remain in that position. This is only one of the phenomena
which are produced. We shall talk about the others in due time.”
“Mr. Azam, a substitute professor at the Surgical Clinic of the
Bordeaux School of Medicine, having successfully repeated Dr. Braid’s
experiments, exchanged ideas with Dr. Paul Broca, who thought that
hypnotized patients would be insensitive to the pain of surgical procedures.
The letter he has just sent to the Academy of Sciences contains the
summary of his experiments in that regard.”
“First he had to be assured about the reality of Hypnotism, which
he did without difficulties. Visiting a patient, a lady about forty years
old, somewhat hysterical, who had fallen ill due to a light indisposition,
Dr. Broca pretended to be examining her eyes, holding a golden flask at
about fifteen centimeters from the root of her nose, asking her to stare at
it. About three minutes later her eyes were reddish, her facial traces immobile,
her answers slow and difficult, but perfectly rational. Dr. Broca
raised the patient’s arm and it remained in that position; he moved her
fingers to the most extreme positions and those fingers would stay there;
he pinched her skin at several points, with certain force, and as it seems
the patient felt nothing. Catalepsy, insensitivity! Dr. Broca did not continue
since he had already learned from that patient what he wanted to know.
A scrub of the eyes and some cold air blown on the forehead brought the
patient back to her normal state. She had no recollection of what had just
happened. The information about the hypnotic insensitivity to surgical
procedures was still missing.”
“Among the patients from Necker Hospital, under Dr. Follin’s responsibility,
there was a 24 year-old poor lady victimized by extensive
burns on her back and on both sides of her inferior limbs, presenting
an extremely painful abscess in one leg. Any minor movement
would produce excruciating pain. Worn out by the pain and afraid of
the treatment, the unfortunate lady was horrified by the prospects of
the required surgery. She was the one, according to Dr. Follin, that
Dr. Broca decided to use as the subject to complement the test of
hypnotism.”
“She was placed on a bed by the window, informed that she would
fall asleep. After two minutes her pupils were dilated. Her left arm was
raised, almost vertically above the bed, remaining still in that position.
After four minutes her responses were slow and almost painful, but perfectly
reasonable. Fifth minute: Dr. Follin pinches the skin of the left arm
and the patient does not react; a new and more profound pinch, leading
to some bleeding, still with no reaction. Then the right arm was lifted, remaining
in the air. The blankets are then removed and her inferior limbs
separated, allowing access to the seat of the abscess. The patient consents,
and calmly says that they are going to hurt her. The abscess is open and
she releases a weak scream. It was the only indication of reaction, lasting
less than a second. Not the slightest shake of facial muscles or limbs, not
a single agitation of arms, always vertically raised above the bed. The eyes
somehow deep, always wide open, the face showing the immobility of a
mask…”
“Once raised, her left foot remains in the air. The shiny object is
removed, and the catalepsy persists. She has her left arm pinched for the
third time, blood runs and she feels nothing. The arm is in that position
for thirteen minutes already.”
“Finally, a rub of the eyes and some fresh air blown or her forehead
and the young lady is almost immediately awake. Once relaxed, her arms
and the left leg immediately fall on the bed. She rubs her eyes, recovers
consciousness, recalls nothing and is surprised for having had gone
through the surgical procedure. The experience had lasted between 18 to
20 minutes. The period of anesthesia lasted between 12 to 15 minutes.”
“These are, in short, the essential facts reported by Dr. Broca to the
Academy of Sciences. Those are no longer isolated facts. A large number
of surgeons from our hospitals had the honor of repeating it, and
have successfully done so. Dr. Broca’s objective and that of his illustrious
colleagues was, and should be, surgery related. We hope that hypnotism
may have every advantage of the anesthetics, not showing their inconveniences.
However, Medicine is not in our domain and to avoid moving beyond its boundaries, our Review should not consider the fact but under
the physiological point of view.”
“After verifying Dr. Braid’s veracity about the essential point, one
must certainly verify everything that may be related to such a singular
state, called Hypnotism. The phenomena attributed to that state might
be classified as:”
“Exaltation of sensitivity – The sense of smell is raised to a degree of
sensitivity at least equal to that observed in animals of best sensitivity.
Hearing also becomes far reaching. The tactile ability, particularly with
respect to temperature, assumes an incredible subtleness.”
“Suggested feelings – Once the face, the body or limbs of the patient are
placed in a given position, adequate to the expression of a particular feeling
and soon the corresponding mental state is induced. Thus, having the
hand of the subject placed on top of the head the subject spontaneously
stretches, inclining the body backwards; the attitude is of pure pride. If at
that point in time the subject’s head is bent forward, slightly bending the
body and the limbs, pride is then replaced by the most profound humbleness.
Slightly spreading the corners of the mouth as in a smile, the subject
quickly shows happiness. Bad mood overcomes all that state immediately
after the eyebrows are made to converge downwards.”
“Provoked ideas – Take the subject’s hand above the head; fold the
fingers over the palm of the hand and the idea of climbing, swinging or
pulling a rope is suggested. If, on the contrary, the fingers are folded but
the arm is let down, the idea of lifting a weight is suggested. If the arm is
stretched horizontally and the fist is made, the idea of boxing is suggested
(the scene takes place in London).”
“Increase in muscular strength – If one wishes to suggest an extraordinary
strength onto a group of muscles it is enough to suggest to the
patient the idea of an action which requires such strength, ensuring the
subject that the action can be easily performed, if the subject so wishes.
Dr. Carpenter says: - We saw a patient hypnotized by Dr. Braid, showing
a remarkable lack of muscular development, lifting a fourteen kilograms weight with his pinky, turning that weight around his head, certain that
it was as light as a feather.”
We stop for now with the indication of that program. Let the facts
speak; the reflections will follow.
Spirit on one Side, Body on the Other
Dialogue with the Spirit of a Living Person
Our distinct colleague, the Count of R…C… sent us the letter below,
dated November 23rd last:
“Mr. President:
I heard that doctors, enthusiasts of their art and willing to contribute
with the progress of Science, thus becoming useful to humanity, have officially
given their bodies in will, to be used by the scalpel of the anatomical
theaters. The experiment that I witnessed of the evocation of a living
person (session of the Society on October 14th, 1859) did not seem very
instructive to me, since it dealt with something very personal: establishing
the communication between a living father with the deceased daughter.
I thought that what the doctors did for the human body a member of
the Society could well do for the soul, of a still living person, being at your
disposal for a test of such a kind. You could perhaps obtain new clarifications
with respect to the isolation of the body and the soul, by preparing
the questions before hand, avoiding personal issues. Taking advantage of
an illness that keeps me at home I herewith offer myself as a subject for
investigation, if you wish to do so. Then, come next Friday and in the absence of any hold up, I will be ready at 9 pm so that you can evoke
me… etc.”
We took the offer from Mr. Count de R…C…, with as much enthusiasm
as we thought that he would be at our disposal, helping with our
investigations out of his own admission. On another hand, his education,
his superior intelligence – which one must say in-passing that it did
not preclude him from being an excellent spiritist – and the experience
he had acquired in his journeys around the world as a Captain of the
Imperial Navy, justified our expectations of a more judicious appreciation
of his condition. The wait did not let us down. We then established
two dialogues with him as follows, one on November 25th, the second on
December 2nd, 1859.
Society, November 25th, 1859
1. Evocation – A. I am here.
2. At this moment are you aware of your desire to be evoked? – A.
Perfectly.
3. Where are you here? – A. Between you and the medium.
4. Do you see us as well as when you attend our sessions in person? –
A. More or less, but a bit vague. I am not totally asleep.
5. How can you be conscious of your individuality here now when
your body is in bed? A. At this moment my body is just an accessory.
It is me who is here.
OBSERVATION: It is me who is here is a remarkable answer. For
him the body is not the essential part of his being. The essential
part is the spirit that constitutes him, and his spirit and the body
are two distinct things.
6. Can you move back and forth from here to the house at will and
instantaneously? - A. Yes.
7. Going back home and returning here are you aware of the distance
that is covered? Do you see the objects in your path? – A. I
could but I neglect that since it would be of no interest.
8. Is your state now similar to that of a somnambulist? – A. Not
entirely. My body sleeps, meaning that it is more or less inert. The
somnambulist does not sleep. His organic faculties are modified
but not eliminated.
9. The spirit of a living person when evoked, could that spirit prescribe
medications, like that of a somnambulist? – A. If that spirit
knows the medication or is in contact with another spirit that
does know the medication, yes; on the contrary, no.
10. The recollection of your corporeal life, is that clearly present in
your current memory? A. Very clear.
11. Could you mention one of your most important activities of the
day? – A. I could but I will not do that. I am sorry for having
proposed such a question (he had requested that such a question
be framed, as a proof).
12. Is it as a spirit that you regret having requested such a question? – A.
As a spirit.
13. Why do you regret that? – A. Because I understand better how fair
it is, in the majority of the cases, that such revelations be made.
14. Can you describe your bedroom? – A. I certainly can; and also
the porter’s.
15. Then, kindly describe one of them. – A. I said I could but it
doesn’t mean that I want.
16. What is the disease that keeps you at home? – A. The gout
17. Is there a remedy for gout? If there is could you prescribe it considering
that you would do a great service? – A. I could but I will
not do that. The remedy would be worse than the disease.
18. Worse or not, could you prescribe it with the condition that
it would not be used? – A. There are several, among them the
colchicum.
OBSERVATION: Once he was awake the Count acknowledged
to have never heard about the use of that plant as a specific medication
for gout.
19. In your present state would you see a friend in harms’ way and
could you go to help him? – A. I could. I would give him inspiration
if he were able to hear that and even with more reason if he
were a medium.
20. Considering that we evoked you based on your own desire, and
that you placed yourself at our disposal for the investigation,
kindly describe to us, in the best possible and comprehensible
way, the state in which you find yourself now. – A. I am in the
happiest and most satisfactory state that one can experience. Have
you had a dream one day in which the warmth of the bed made
you believe that you were smoothly swinging in air, or on the
peak of a lukewarm wave, without any concern with the movements;
unaware of your heavy and cumbersome limbs, moving or
dragging around; In short, without any need to satisfy, not feeling
the spur of hunger or thirst? I am in such a state near you, and I
only gave you a tiny sample of what I feel.
21. Does your body suffer any physiological modification now due to
the absence of the spirit? – A. No way. I am in the state that you
call first dream, a deep and heavy sleep that we all experience,
when we move away from the body.
OBSERVATION: The sleep, which was not complete at the beginning
of the evocation, had been gradually established as a consequence
of the detachment of the spirit, leaving the body in a
profound resting state.
22. If your body were suddenly awake at the time when your spirit
is here, what would happen? – A. What is sudden to the human
being is too slow to the spirit, who has always time to be warned.
23. The happiness which you describe and that you enjoy in your free
state, would that keep any relationship with the pleasant sensations
experienced at the initial moments of asphyxia? Mr. S…,
who involuntarily had the satisfaction of experiencing that, is addressing
this question to you. – A. He is not entirely wrong. In
the death by asphyxia there is an instant analogous to the one that
he describes, with the difference that the spirit loses its lucidity,
whereas here lucidity is considerably amplified.
24. Is your spirit connected to your body by any kind of link? – A.
Yes, and I am perfectly aware of that.
25. What can you compare such a link to? – A. Nothing that you
know. It would have the appearance of a phosphorescent light to
you, in case you could see it, but which causes no sensation.
26. Does such a light affect you in the same way? Would that have the
same shades that you see through the eyes? – A. Absolutely since
the eyes operate as windows to the mind.
27. Do you hear the sounds with the same distinction? – A. More
distinctly since I hear sounds which escape you.
28. How do you transmit your thought to the medium? – A. I act
upon his hand, to give it direction, facilitated by an action on the
brain.
29. Are you served by the words that the medium has in his brain or
do you indicate the words that he writes. – A. One and the other,
according to the conveniences.
29.a In case you were served by a medium who ignores your language
and his language were foreign to you, like for example Chinese,
how could you transmit your message? – A. That would be more difficult
and perhaps impossible. At any rate it would only be possible
with a flexibility and malleability which are difficult to find.
30. A spirit whose body was dead would experience the same difficulty
to communicate through a medium that was completely
strange to his language when alive? – A. Perhaps less, although it
might always exist. I can assure you that depending on the case
the spirit provides the medium with his expressions or employs
theirs.
31. Does your presence here cause fatigue to your body? – A.
Absolutely.
32. Does your body dream? – A. No. That is why it does not experience
fatigue. The person that you talked about experienced sensations
through the organs which were transmitted to the spirit.
That is what caused fatigue. I experience nothing like that.
OBSERVATION: He refers to a person that was spoken about
at the moment when in a similar situation she said that the body
experienced fatigue, comparing the spirit to a captive balloon,
whose jolts are transmitted to the supporting pole.
The day after Count de R…C… said that he had a dream
in which he was at the Society, between the medium and us.
It is evidently a memory of the evocation. It is likely that he
was not dreaming at the time of the question, since he responded
negatively. It is also possible, and more likely, that as
the dream is a recollection of the spirit’s activities, in reality
it is not the body that dreams since the body does not think.
He then responded negatively, not knowing that when awake
his spirit would remember. If the body had dreamed while the
spirit was absent the spirit would have had a double action.
Well, he could not be simultaneously at the Society and at his
house.
33. Is your spirit in the same state as it will be when you are dead? –
A. More or less the same thing, with the exception of the link that
attaches it to the body
34. Are you aware of your previous existences? – A. Vaguely. That is
another difference that I forgot. After the complete disconnection
which follows death, the recollections are much more precise. At
this moment they are more complete than in the waking state but
not sufficient for me to specify them in a more intelligible way.
35. In case your writings were shown to you when you wake up would
you be aware of the answers that you have just given? – A. I could
identify some of my thoughts but many others would not find
any echo in my mind when awake.
36. Could you exert such a powerful influence over the body to the
point of waking him up? – A. No.
37. Could you respond to a mental question? – A. Yes.
38. Do you see us in spirit or physically? – A. One and the other.
39. Could you visit your father’s brother who they say is in an island
of the Oceania, and as a seaman precisely identify the position of
the island? – A. I can’t do any of that.
40. What do you think now of your endless work and its objective?
A. I think that I must continue the work, with the same objective.
It is all I can say.
OBSERVATION: He had asked to have this question addressed
to him, with respect to an important task he had initiated about
the Navy.
41. We would be delighted if you wanted to address a few words to
your colleagues, a kind of short speech. – A. Since I have the opportunity
I take it to attest, based on my faith in the future of
the soul, that the gravest mistake that the individual can make is
to search for proofs and more proofs. This is at most forgiving in
those people who initiate in the knowledge of Spiritism. Haven’t
they repeated thousands of times that it is necessary to believe
since one understands and loves justice and truth, and that if we
satisfied one of those puerile questions, the one who intends to make them to be convinced would frame others on the day after
and that you would irremediably waste a precious time, turning
the spirits into foretellers? I understand it now much better than
when awake and can give you a wise advice, for the time when
you wish to obtain such results. Those who want to get involved
with such manifestations much speak to the rapping spirits and
to the turning since they have nothing better to do. Forgive me
for the lecture but I need it as I need others and I am not upset
for giving it to myself.
Second session, December 2nd, 1859
42. Evocation. – A. I am here.
43. Are you deeply asleep? – A. Not much but that will still come.
44. In your particular case now, do you consider it to be useful to
make the evocation in the name of God, as if you were the spirit
of a dead person? – A. Why not? Do you believe that just because
I am not dead God is indifferent to me?
45. If at the moment that you are here your body was pinched, not
strongly enough to wake you up but sufficiently to be felt, would
your spirit feel it? – A. My body would not feel it.
46. Would your spirit be aware of the fact? – A. The spirit wouldn’t
have the slightest idea; but notice that you talk about a light sensation
and without much importance both to the body and to the
spirit.
47. With respect to light, you said that you feel it as if in the waking
state, since your eyes are like windows through which light gets
to the brain. We understand that regarding the light perceived
by the body but at this moment it is not the body that sees. Do
you still see through a specific spot or through the whole being?
A. It is very difficult to explain. The spirit perceives the sensations
without the intermediation of the organs and has no circumscribed
spot to feel them.
48. I insist once more with the question relatively to the objects and space
around you if they present the same colors as when you are awake. –
A. To me, yes, since my organs do not deceive me. However, certain
spirits would find large differences in all that. You, for example, perceive
the sounds and colors in a very different way.
49. Do you feel the smells? – A. Also better than you do.
50. Do you establish a distinction between light and obscurity? – A.
Distinction yes, but for me it is not the same as for you. I see perfectly
well in the darkness.
51. Does your vision penetrate the opaque bodies? – A. Yes.
52. Could you go to another planet? – A. That depends.
53. Depends on what? – A. On the planet.
54. Which planet could you go to? – A. To those on the same level of
evolution as Earth, or similar.
55. Do you see the other spirits? – A. Many and still.
OBSERVATION: Someone that knows him in the intimacy and
that was present at the session said that such expression was very
familiar. Thus, that person saw in this as in the general form of
the language a proof of his identity.
56. Do you see them here? – A. Yes.
57. How do you confirm their presence? By a given form? – A.
Through their form, that is, their perispirit.
58. Do you eventually see your children and can you talk to them? –
A. I see and talk to them very frequently.
59. You said: At this moment the body is a simple accessory to me. It
is me who is here. This me, is it bounded, limited; has it any form?
In a word, how do you see yourself? – A. It is always the perispirit.
60. Then, the perispirit is a body to you? – A. There is no doubt about
it.
61. Does your perispirit imitate the shape of your material body and
does it seem to you that you are here with your body? – A. Yes to the first question, no to the second. I am perfectly aware that I am
here with my luminous fluidic body only.
62. Could you punch me? – A. Yes, but you would feel nothing.
63. Could you do that in a perceptible way? – A. That is possible but
I cannot do it here.
64. If, while you are here, your body died, what would you feel? – A.
I would be there before that.
65. Would you be detached more promptly as if you had died under
normal circumstances? – A. Very much! I wouldn’t go in but to
close the door, after having left.
66. You said you have the gout. Don’t you agree with your doctor
who is present here and seems to believe that you suffer neuralgic
rheumatism? What is your opinion about it? – A. I think that as
long as you are so well informed, that should be enough.
67. (The doctor) What is the basis of your belief in gout? – A. It is
my opinion. I may be wrong, particularly if you are so sure about
your diagnosis.
68. (The doctor) Could it be the case that there is a complication of
gout and rheumatism? – A. Then we would be both right. We
could only embrace one another.
OBSERVATION: The audience laughed at this answer.
69. When you see us laughing, does it make you laugh? – A. To the
laughter. Can’t you hear me?
70. You said that the colchicum is an efficient medication against the
gout. Where did you take such an idea from, if you did not know
it when awake? – A. I used it in former times.
71. Then it was on another existence? – A. Yes, and it harmed me…
72. If you were asked an indiscrete question, would you feel embarrassed
to answer it? – A. Oh! That is strong. Try me.
73. In your state, do you have complete free-will? – A. More than
you do.
OBSERVATION: Experience has demonstrated in many occasions
that the spirits separated from the body have their own will
and only say what they want. Better understanding the reach of
things they are still more sensible than when awake. When they
say something is because they consider that to be useful.
74. Would you have the freedom of not having come to us when we
evoked you? – A. Yes, with the risk of suffering the consequences
of such attitude.
75. What would those consequences be? – A. If I refuse to be useful
to my fellow human beings, particularly when I have perfect
awareness of my actions, I am free but I am punished.
76. Which kind of punishment would you receive? – A. I would have
to explain God’s code to you and this would take a long time.
77. If at this very moment someone insulted you, saying things that
you would not accept if awake, which kind of feelings would you
have? – A. Indifference.
78. Then you would not try to retaliate? – A. No.
79. Do you have any idea of the position you shall have when you are
definitely among the spirits? – A. No. That is not allowed.
80. Do you believe that, in your present state, the spirit may predict
the death of the body? – A. Sometimes, if I had to die suddenly,
there would always be time to return to the body.
Family Advices
Your readers certainly remember the article published last September
under the title A Spiritist Family. The following communications are
very similar to those. In fact, these are advices given in a private meeting,
by an eminently superior and benevolent spirit. They are distinguished by
the kindness and sweetness of the style, by the profoundness of thoughts
and also by nuances of extreme compassion, appropriate to the age and
character of the persons to whom they were addressed. Mr. Rabache, a
businessman from Bordeaux, who served as an intermediary, has kindly
authorized their publication. We can only congratulate the mediums who
received similar communications. It is a demonstration that they have
happy sympathies in the invisible world.
Pechbusque Castle, November 1859
FIRST SESSION
The guardian spirit of the family was asked if he could give a few advices
to the members who were present. He responded:
Yes, may they have trust in God and seek enlightenment in the eternal
and immutable truths taught by the book of nature. It contains the
whole law of God and those who can read and understand only follow the
true path of wisdom. May they never neglect anything that will be seen
since everything has a teaching in itself and must elevate and approach
the soul to God through reason. Try to distinguish the good from the evil in everything that may harm intelligence: the former is to be practiced;
the latter is to be avoided. Before passing any judgment on anything may
they turn their thoughts to God who will then guide them to the good
path and WILL NEVER FAIL THEM!
SECOND SESSION
Good evening my children. If you love me then strive to enlighten yourselves.
Gather frequently with that thought and unite your thoughts. It is
an excellent way since we only exchange things that we believe are good to
you. We are ashamed of the bad things, thus they are kept in secret or they
are only communicated to those who we wish to turn into accomplices.
Good thoughts are distinguished from the bad ones because the former
can be unceremoniously transmitted to everyone whereas the latter could
not be communicated but to a few only. When a given thought crosses
your mind, in order to assess its value, ask yourself if you can make it
public without inconveniences and if it would not cause harm to anyone.
If your conscience authorizes you don’t be afraid for your thought is good.
Give good advices to one another and always think of the well-being of
the one to whom you give the advice and not yours. You will be rewarded
by the satisfaction that you will feel for being useful. The union of hearts
is the most fecund source of happiness. If a large number of people are
unhappy it is because they only seek happiness for themselves. Happiness
escapes them precisely because they think to be able to find it in selfishness
only. I say happiness and not fortune because up until now this has
only served as support to injustice and the objective of life is justice. Well,
if justice were practiced among human beings, the most fortunate one
would be the one who had done the highest number of good deeds. Then,
my children, if you want to become rich, do practice many good actions.
Never mind the worldly things. It is not the satisfaction of flesh that one
must seek but that of the soul. The former is ephemeral; the latter, eternal.
It is enough for now. Mediate about these advices and try to practice
them. Such is the path of salvation.
THIRD SESSION
Yes, my children, here I am. Have trust in God, who never abandons those
who do the good. What you consider wrong-doing frequently is so only with
respect to your prejudices. Also, sometimes the real evil comes from a discouragement
caused by a difficulty, which the calmness of spirit and thought
would have avoided. Thus, think and as I have already told you, report everything
to God. Whenever you experience any grief, far from giving in to
sadness, on the contrary, resist and make all efforts to triumph, thinking that
nothing is achieved without work and that very often success is followed by
difficulties. Invoke the support of the benevolent spirits. As they teach you,
they cannot do the good deeds in your place, nor obtain something to you
from God, since each one must conquer perfection to which we are all destined,
but they can inspire goodness in you, suggest a convenient attitude and
help you with their presence. They don’t manifest ostensively but privately.
Listen to the voice of your conscience, keeping in mind my preceding advices.
Trust in God, be calm and have courage.
FOURTH SESSION
Good evening my children. Yes, it is necessary to continue the sessions,
until a medium shows up replacing the one who is leaving us. His mission
as an initiator among you has been accomplished. Continue what you
have started, because you too shall one day serve to the propagation of
truth, which at this very moment is proclaimed all over the world by the
manifestations of the spirits. Be persuaded, my children, that what is generally
understood as spirit on Earth is only spirit to you. After the separation
of that spirit or soul from the dense body that surrounds it, as you see
it, there is no more body because your material eyes can no longer see it,
but it is still matter to those more elevated than that body. I will make a
very imperfect comparison to you, my children, but which may give you
an idea of the transformation that you improperly call death. Imagine a
caterpillar that you see every day. Once the time is over for its existence in such a state, the caterpillar becomes the chrysalis; spending sometime in
that state and then, when time is up, it leaves the cocoon behind, giving
rise to the butterfly which flies away. Well, the caterpillar, by leaving behind
her gross nature, represents human’s death. The butterfly represents
the soul, which rises up. The caterpillar drags on the ground, the butterfly
flies into the skies. It changed matter but it is still material. If the caterpillar
could think, it would not see the butterfly; however, it would have left
the rotten cocoon of the chrysalis. Thus, the body cannot see the soul, but
the soul, surrounded by matter, is conscious of its existence and even the
materialist sometimes feels it inside. Then, his pride precludes him from
agreeing and he remains with his science without belief, not elevating,
until the doubt arrives. Then, it is not the end, although there is a greater
in-fight, but it is only a matter of time, because my friends don’t you forget,
all children of God were created to achieve perfection. Fortunate are
those who waste no time in their journey. Eternity is made of two periods:
the trials, which could be called incubation, and the emergence or entry
into the real life, that you call the happiness of the elected ones.
FIFTH SESSION
My dear children, I see with satisfaction that you begin to think about the
advices I give you. I know that there is a lot to think about simultaneously,
given the current development of your intelligences. However, I must take
the present opportunity since in a short while it will no longer be available
to me and it was necessary to excite your imagination, suggesting
the means of moving on with the sessions until some of you may replace
the current medium. I hope that these few sessions, which I urge you to
consider carefully, may have been sufficient to awake in you the desire to
acquire a deeper knowledge about this vast field of investigation. As a rule
of thumb you should never try to simply satisfy a vain curiosity, but to
seek enlightenment and improvement. It is useless to try to establish the
difference between what I am going to teach you and what you already
know. Every time you receive teachings ask yourself if it is fair and if it does correspond to the requirements of your conscience and equity. When
the answer is positive don’t bother to find out if it is in agreement with
what you have been told before. What does it matter? What is important
is what is just, thoughtful and impartial. Anything that attends these conditions
comes from God. Obey a good conscience; only do useful things;
avoid everything that is useless, essentially not being a bad person, since
doing something useless is already bad. Avoid scandals, even if in the
path of your own betterment. There may be circumstances in which the
simple observation of your changes may produce a negative effect. That
is why, for example, someone who had been incarcerated in the darkness
of the dungeons cannot afford sudden daylight without harming their
eyes. Hence, may your progress never be a reason for investigation, unless
advised by wisdom. May you improve continually, and may this only be
seen when time is right. Those to whom I give this advice understand it,
without the need for a more explicit explanation. Their consciences will
tell them. Thus, courage and perseverance! These are the only rules of
success.
OBSERVATION: The last advice could not have general application.
It is evident that the spirit had a special objective, as he said it himself.
Otherwise we could be mistaken with respect to the meaning and reach
of his words.
Java Stones
Brussels, December 9th, 1859
“Mr. Director,
I read the report of Ida Pfeiffer in the Spiritist Review about
the fallen stones of Java, in the presence of a Dutch high ranking
officer, to whom I was closely connected in 1817; he had lent
me his pistols and was my witness in my first duel. His name
was Michiels, from Maastricht, who became a general in Java.
The letter describing the fact added that the fallen stones, in the
isolated house belonging to the Chéribon district, lasted not less
than twelve days, and neither the General’s guard nor the general
himself have discovered anything during the time he spent
there. The stones, a kind of pumice stone, seemed to be created in
the air, a few feet away from the ceiling. The general had several
baskets filled up with them. The villagers would come for them,
looking for amulets and remedies. The fact is very well known
in Java since it is frequently repeated, particularly the siri spits.
Several boys were stone-chased in the open field, but were not hit.
One could say that these were mocking spirits who were having
fun by scaring people. Evoke the spirit of general Michiels and he
will perhaps explain the fact. Dr. Vanden Kerkhove, who lived
in Java for a long time, has mentioned to me, as I do to you, that the Review is getting more and more interesting by the day, more
moralizing and in high demand in Brussels.”
Yours, etc…
Jobard
The well-known character of Mrs. Ida Pfeiffer and the trait of veracity
of all of her reports leave no doubt as for the reality of the phenomena
above, but one must understand the importance added to the fact by
the letter sent by Mr. Jobard, and considering the education of the main
witness in charge of verifying the phenomena, who would not have any
interest in accrediting the fact if it were regarded as false. To begin with,
the spongy like nature of that rain of stones could lead to the belief in a
volcanic or atmospheric origin, leading the skeptical to say that superstition
had taken the place of a natural phenomenon. If we only had the testimony
of the Javanese such hypothesis would be founded and the stones,
falling in the open field, would undoubtedly support such hypothesis.
However, general Michiels and Dr. Vanden Kerkhove were not
Malang, and their statements certainly hold value. To this very strong
argument it is necessary to add that the stones would not fall in the open
air only, but in a room where, as it seems, they were formed a few feet
from the ceiling. It is the General that states so. Well, we don’t believe that
atmospheric debris has ever been seen formed in the closed environment
of a room. Even by admitting the volcanic or meteorological cause the
same could not be applied to the siri spiting, never spilled by volcanos, at
least to our knowledge. Keeping this hypothesis aside, by the nature of the
phenomena itself, the amount of substances that were formed remains to
be known. The explanation can be found in our August 1859 issue about
the “Furniture from beyond the grave”.
Correspondence
Toulouse, December 17th, 1859
“Dear Sir,
I have just read your response to Mr. Oscar Comettant, whose
article I had also read. If that skeptical editor and gauche teaser
was not convinced by the good arguments you gave him, he could
at least acknowledge the civility of your style, totally absent in
his prose. The vulgar stresses that he used to color the evocations
seems to have come from the red-tailed spirit; the regrets with
which he mentioned the 2 francs paid for the sonata deserved that
the Society reimbursed him for the 2 francs. Have in mind, Mr.
Allan Kardec, that I am too a very passionate spiritist to just let go
an article in which I am cited and questioned without an answer.
As for myself, I also wrote to Mr. Oscar Comettant. On the very
day I got your journal, he received the following letter:
“Sir,
I had the pleasure of reading your feuilleton Varieties, from
Friday. Since you question me, and as I am cited by name, allow
me to make some observations with that regard, which you
will accept as I have accepted your witty parentheses where you
painted the report about the evocations of Mozart and Chopin.
What is it that you want to mock with such a humorous article?
Is it Spiritism? You will make a big mistake in believing that you can harm it. In France, people mock first, later they assess and
confer the honor of the jokes to the truly serious and great things,
with the freedom of doing so after the required analysis.
If Mr. Ledoyen is as greedy as you wish to make believe, he
must appreciate your intention of ensuring the success of one of his
most modest publications in an 11-column editorial. It is the first
time that such an important article is written about Spiritism in a
great journal. I see by this almost luridly article that Spiritism is
already taken seriously by its enemies, and I tell you in confidence,
that the spirits have said that they have used the enemies for the
triumph of their cause. Thus, the best thing to do is to remain on
guard if you do not wish to become an unintentional apostle.
You cannot see in Spiritism anything different from moral
and commercial charlatanism. As for ourselves, future guests of
Charenton, we found in Spiritism the solution to many problems
that have puzzled humanity for many centuries, as follows:
the thoughtful acknowledgment of God in all His material and
spiritual works; the evident individuality and immortality of the
soul, demonstrated by the manifestation of the spirits; the comprehension
of God’s justice, studied in the multiple incarnations
of the spirits, etc…,. Had one taken the burden of carrying out an
in-depth study of these subjects and one could see that they are
above all sarcasms and mockery. However much you take us by
dreamers and hallucinated people, instead of the “eppur si muove”
from Galileo, we say: Yet, God is there!
Please accept …
Brion Dorgeval
First bass, Comic Opera,
Toulouse Theater
(ex-employee of Mr. Carvalho)”
OBSERVATION: We are not aware if Mr. Oscar Comettant has published
this answer or ours. Nevertheless, attacking without admitting
defense is not a loyal fight.
“Brussels, December 23rd, 1859
My dear colleague,
I want to submit to you some ethnographic reflections about
the world of the spirits, with the intention of reestablishing a
much generalized opinion, very wrong in my view, regarding the
state of the human being after his transition to the spiritual world.
People mistakenly think that an imbecile, an ignorant, a rude
person, becomes immediately a genius, a wise person, a prophet,
once their material envelope is left behind. It is a similar mistake
to someone who would admit that a criminal will become
an honest person when released from the shackles; a silly person
becomes an expert or a fanatic turns into a rational person just
because the frontier has been transposed.
Not at all! We take every moral accomplishment with us, the
character, the knowledge, the vices and virtues. We do not carry
what is related to the material world. The limping, the cross-eyed
and the hunchbacked are no longer so, but the villains, the stingy
and the superstitious, still are. We should not be impressed by the
fact that we hear spirits asking for prayers; willing that others may
do the peregrinations which they had promised and even that
others find the money that they had hidden with the objective of
giving it to the person to whom they wanted to give, pointing to
that person correctly, as long as they are still alive.
In short, the spirit that had a desire, a plan, an opinion, a
belief when on Earth, wants to see them come true. Therefore,
Hahnemann exclaimed: “Courage my friends, my doctrine triumphs.
What a satisfaction to my soul!”
As for Dr. Gall, you know what he thinks of your Science, as
Lavater, Swedenborg and Fourier, who told me that his students
had truncated his doctrine, willing to skip the phase of guarantee,
which he congratulates me to carry over.
In short, all spirits who profess a religion, idolatry or a
schism, out of conviction, persist on the same beliefs until theyare enlightened by the study and by reflection. That is the subject
of my concerns at this point. It is evidently a logical spirit that
dictates it because one hour ago my only thought was to go to bed
and finish the excellent little book by Mrs. Henry Gaugain about
the Bretons’ prejudices against the new inventions.
By keeping up with your studies you will recognize that the
world beyond the grave is not a photographic image of this world,
which as you know has spirits as perverse as the devil and as bad
as the demons. It will come as no surprise that good people may
be deceived of avoiding any dealings with these spirits. This precludes
people from the presence of the good and great spirits, who
are not so rare up there as they are down here, coming from all
times and all places, willing to give good advice and to do good
deeds.
On the other hand you know well how irritably and repulsively
the bad ones respond to a forced appeal. Nevertheless, the
greatest and rarest of them all, the one that comes only three
times during the life time of a globe, the Divine Spirit, the Saint
Spirit, he does not attend the evocations of the pneumatography
mediums: he only comes when he wishes to do so – spiritus flat
ubi vult – which does not mean that others are not sent before
him to pave his way.
Hierarchy is a universal law – everything is like everything –
as a matter of fact, similarly to what happens to us. False human
respect is what mostly delays the progress of the good doctrines,
hindered by persecution.
Magnetism would have triumphed long ago if instead of saying:
Mr. X, Mr. N., if one had only given the name and address of
the persons, with reference, as the English say. Instead, they ask:
who is this hidden Mr. M? He is apparently a liar. How about
this Mr. J? He is a scoundrel. What would one say about this Mr.
F.? He is a faker, or even better, someone unworthy of any trust
since he hides himself and he is masked so as to deceive and to do bad things. Now that the academies admit magnetism and
somnambulism, cousin-brothers of Spiritism, it is necessary that
their adepts be prepared to sign off in total agreement. The fear of
what is going to be said is a coward and bad feeling. The action of
testifying to what one has seen, to what one believes, is no longer
considered a trait of courage. Thus you must advise your followers
to do what I always do: sign off.
Jobard
OBSERVATION: We agree with Mr. Jobard in all points. His initial observations
about the state of the spirits are accurate. Regarding the second
point, like him we wait for the moment when the fear for what is going
to be said will not stop anybody. However, what else to expect? One must
acknowledge human weakness. Some starts, and Mr. Jobard will hold the
merit of having started. Rest assured that others will follow when they
feel that they can expose their feet without the fear of being bitten. Time
is needed for all that. Well, time goes faster than Mr. Jobard may think.
The reservation we keep with respect to the publication of the names
obeys reasons of convenience, for what we so far congratulate ourselves;
but while we wait we attest a fast progress in the courage of opinion.
We daily see people that, not long ago, would hardly declare themselves
spiritists, openly doing it today in social gatherings, sustaining the thesis
of their doctrine, with no concern whatsoever for the rude epithets with
which they are awarded. It is a huge step. The rest will come next. Here
is what I said, to begin with: a few years more and a new change will take
place; very soon the same that happened to magnetism will also happen
to Spiritism. Up until recently one would only acknowledge being a
magnetizer if behind the walls of a closed room. Today it is an honorific
title. When convinced that Spiritism does not burn, people will declare
themselves spiritists with no more fear than those that say they are phrenologists,
homeopaths, etc. We are living in a transient period and the
transitions don’t ever take place suddenly.
Bulletin of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies
Friday, December 2nd, 1859
(Private Session)
The minutes of the November 25th session were read.
REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION:
Letters received from Mr. L. Benardacky, from St. Petersburg and from
Ms. Elisa Johnson, from London, who request to be admitted as regular
members of the Society.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
Reading of two communications carried out by Mr. Bouche, former Rector
of the Academy, a writing medium, given by the spirit of the Duchess of
Longueville, with respect to her presence as a spirit in Port-Royal-desChamps.
These two communications are remarkable by their elevation of
thoughts. They demonstrate that certain spirits have pleasure in revisiting
the places where they lived, feeling delighted by the memories. No doubt
that the more dematerialized, the less they give importance to the worldly
things, but some remain still connected to them for a long time after death, and it seems that they continue their work in this world, or at least
they demonstrate certain interest by that.
STUDIES:
1st – Evocation of Mr. Count Desbassyns de Richemont, deceased
in June 1859, who professed the spiritist ideas for over ten years.
The evocation confirms the influence of these ideas on the release
of the spirit after death.
2nd – Evocation of Sister Martha, deceased in 1824.
3rd – Second evocation of Count R…C…, member of the
Society, in bed due to an illness, followed by questions addressed
to him about the momentary separation of the spirit from the
body, during the sleep (published in this number).
Friday, December 9th, 1859
(General Session)
Reading of the minutes of the December 2nd session.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
Mr. de la Roche reports remarkable communications that took place at a
house in Castelnaudary. The facts are described in a note which precedes
the report of the evocation, to be published.
STUDIES:
1st – Evocation of the king of Kanala (New Caledonia), already
evoked on October 28th, then writing with some difficulty, promising
to practice and return to write in a more intelligible way. He
gives curious explanations about the utilized mode of improvement
(to be published with the first evocation).
2nd – Evocation of the spirit of Castelnaudary. He manifests
through signs of intense wrath, incapable of writing anything. Seven
or eight pencils are broken, violently thrown onto the audience; the
medium’s arm is brutally shaken. St. Louis provides interesting explanations
about the condition and the nature of this spirit that, he says,
is of the worst kind and in one of the most unfortunate situations (to
be published with all other communications about the subject).
3rd – Four spontaneous communications are simultaneously
obtained: the first from St. Vincent de Paul, through Mr. Roze;
the second, from Charlet, through Mr. Didier junior, which is a
continuation of the work initiated by the same spirit; the third
from Mélanchthon, through Mr. Colin; the fourth from a spirit
who called himself Mikael, protector of children, by Mrs. Boyer.
Friday, December 16th, 1859
(Private Session)
Minutes of the previous session were read.
ADMISSIONS:
Mr. Benardacky from St. Petersburg and Ms. Elisa Johnson, from London,
introduced on December 2nd, are admitted as regular members.
REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION:
Mr. Forbes, from London, Engineering Officer, and Mrs. Forbes, from
Florence, send us letters requesting to be admitted as regular members of
the Society. Report and decision adjourned to the December 30th session.
Six officials are designated to split the works of the general sessions
until April 1st, without the need of designating one per session. In addition
they will have the task of indicating any infraction of the regulations
by the audience, then ignoring the requirements of the Society, so that
their sponsoring members may be warned.
As proposed by Mr. Allan Kardec, the Society decides that the Bulletin of
the sessions will be published in a supplement of the Review from now on, so
that its publication does not interfere with the regular matters of the journal.
As a consequence of that addition, each number will receive an addition of
about four pages, whose costs will be covered by the Society.
Mr. Leourd proposes that when there are five sessions in one
month, the fifth session should be of private character, which was adopted.
The same member further proposes that when a new member
is admitted they should be officially introduced to the other members
of the Society, so that they would not come as strangers, which was
also approved.
Mr. Thiry observes that many suffering spirits request the help of
prayers in order to mitigate their pain, but since we can lose track of them,
he proposes that their names be remembered in each session (adopted).
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – A letter received from Mr. Jobard, from Brussels, confirming
in details the fact of the Java manifestations, described by Mrs.
Pfeiffer and published in the December issue of the Review. He
obtained them from the Dutch general himself, to whom he was
associated, and being in charge of watching the house where those
things happened, and consequently an eyewitness. Published in
this number.
2nd – Reading of a communication of the spirit from
Castelnaudary, obtained by Mr. and Mrs. Forbes, attendees of the
last session. Circumstantial and interesting details of that spirit
are provided and also about the events which took place in the
referred house. Several other communications obtained about the
subject matter will be added and published when ready.
3rd – Reading of some news about Mrs. Xavier, clairvoyant
medium. That lady does not see the spirits at will but only when
they spontaneously present themselves to her, while she is not
in a somnambulistic or ecstatic state. Yet, at certain times she enters into a peculiar state, requiring calmness and reverence, to
the point that when questioned about what she is seeing, such a
state dissipates immediately and she no longer sees anything. In
the meantime, as she keeps a complete memory of everything
she can report it later. That is how she saw Sister Martha on the
very day that she was evoked, not leaving space for any doubt
regarding her identity. She also saw the spirit of Castelnaudary
in the last session, dressing a ragged shirt, holding a dagger in
his bloody hand, violently shaking the medium’s arm during his
writing attempts, as well as each time that St. Louis apparently
commanded him to write. He held a kind of stupid smile on his
face. Then, when told about the prayers it seems that he did not
understand in the beginning but soon after the explanation given
by St. Louis, he fell on his knees. The king of Kanala showed up
but with the head of a white man. He had blue eyes, mustache
and white sideburns, black hands, steel bracelets, a blue outfit
and the chest covered by a number of objects that she could not
distinguish. “Such appearance, someone said, is due to the fact
that before his latest existence he had been a French solider, during
the time of Louis XV. It was a consequence of his relatively
advanced state. He requested to return among his people, so that
as a chief he could bring ideas of progress. His form and the half
civilized, half savage appearance are supposed to show, in a different
way, the forms that the spirit can give to the perispirit, with
an educational objective and as an indication of the several states
he had experienced.”
Mrs. Xavier also saw the evoked spirits coming, responding
to the evocation and to the questions which had nothing negative
in their objective, then following St. Louis orders, and leaving so
that other spirits around could answer in turn, when the questions
then assumed an insidious direction.
“May the greatest of good-faiths and honesty dictate the questions,
and not a single dissimulated thought escape us” – added
the spirit questioned by the lady’s husband. “Never try to achieve your objectives through tortuous paths for you shall infallibly
miss them by doing so.”
She saw a fluidic crown around the medium’s head, as if
blocking the access of uncalled spirits for the communication,
since the answers should be sincere. However, once the crown
was removed, she saw several intruders disputing the vacant place.
Finally, she saw the spirit of Count R… in the form of a luminous
heart, upside-down, attached to a fluidic cord coming from
outside. We were told that it was to teach us that the spirit could
give the perispirit the appearance they wish. Then, it could have
presented her with the inconvenience of meeting an incarnated
sprit. Such inconvenience diminished or disappeared later.
STUDIES:
1st – Evocation of Charlet.
2nd – Three spontaneous communications, received simultaneously:
the first from St. Augustine, through Mr. Roze. It explains
the mission of Christ and confirms a very important point
explained by Arago, about the formation of the globe; the second
from Charlet, through Mr. Didier junior, continuing the work
already initiated; the third, from Joinville, signed in old orthographic
style: Amy de Loys, by Ms. Huet.
Friday, December 23rd, 1859
(General Session)
Reading of the minutes and works of the December 16th session.
REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION:
Letters received from Mr. Demange and from Mr. Soive, both Parisian
traders, requesting to become regular members. Report and decision adjourned
to the December 30th session.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Reading of a private evocation, carried out by Mrs. B…,
from the spirit that communicated spontaneously through her at
the Society, using the name Paul Miffet, at the moment of his
incarnation. This evocation, which presents an interesting picture
of the reincarnation and the physical and moral situation
of the spirit at the initial moments of the corporeal life, will be
published.
2nd – Letter from Mr. Paul Netz, about the facts which determined
the ownership of the ruins of the Vauvert castle, by
Chartreux, a castle located in the neighborhood of the Paris
Observatory, during the times of Louis IX. They say that diabolic
scenes have taken place in that castle, then stopping when
the monks were installed there. Once questioned about it, St.
Louis declares that he knew about the story but that it was pure
charlatanism.
STUDIES:
1st – Several moral questions addressed to St. Louis about the state
of suffering spirits. These will be published.
2nd – Evocation of John Brown.
3rd – Three spontaneous communications: the first by Mr. Roze
and signed by the Spirit of Truth, with several advices to the Society;
the second from Charlet, through Mr. Didier Junior, continuing the
work; the third about the spirits who preside over the flowers, by
Mrs. B…
Allan Kardec