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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863 > May > Analysis of mediumistic communications sent to us
Many communications were sent to us by different groups be it to request our opinion about the contents or with the hopes of seeing them published in the Spiritist Review. All were sent with prior consent. We examined and classified them but not surprisingly there is a material impossibility of having them all published since there are more than three thousand and six hundred, in addition to the ones that were already published. These ones alone would have occupied five whole years of the Spiritist Review, not counting the number of manuscripts that we will discuss at a later date. The report of the examination will provide us with food for thought that could benefit the readers.
We found some bad ones among them, both in content and format. These ones were due to general misunderstanding, such as ignorant, obsessing, or mystifying Spirits who swear in the name of more or less renowned names that they use. In this case, if they were published, we would be giving ammunition to the critics. A circumstance that sticks out from almost all of these messages is the fact that they come from individuals rather than groups. Only fascination would allow them to be taken seriously, hindering people from seeing their ridiculous side. As it is well-known, isolation favors fascination whereas the meetings find a control in the plurality of the opinions.
We gladly acknowledge, however, that communications of such a nature form a small minority; most of the others contain good thoughts and excellent advices but that does not imply that they are all good for publication for the reasons that we are going to explain.
The good Spirits teach more or less the same things everywhere because in all places there are the same vices to be reformed and the same virtues to be taught and that is one of the distinctive characters of Spiritism; the difference is only in the more or less correctness and elegance of style. In order to assess the communications that are more convenient for publication, one must not look at them from a personal stand point but form the point of view of the general public. We understand the satisfaction that someone feels when obtaining something good, particularly at the beginning, but besides the fact that certain persons may be deceived with respect to the intrinsic merit, one does not think that in certain others places people may also obtain something similar and that what has a powerful meaning to an individual may be ordinary to the masses. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider that, for some time now, the communications have acquired proportions and qualities that in every aspect leave behind those that were obtained years ago; what was well-regarded in those days seems pale and petty now. In the majority of the truly serious centers the teachings of the Spirits grew with the intelligence of Spiritism. Considering that more or less identical communications are received everywhere their publication may only be of interest when presenting something of special quality both in the format as well as in the educational content; it would then be an illusion to believe that every communication would find numerous and enthusiastic readers. In the past, the simplest Spiritist conversation was a novelty and would attract attention; now that the Spiritists and mediums are in large number what was a rarity is now is an almost common and habitual fact, differentiated by the amplitude and reach of the current communications, like the homework of school days are compared to the works of the adult.
We have before our eyes the collection of a journal published at the beginning of the manifestations with the title La Table Parlante (the talking table), a characteristic title in those days. Some say that the journal had about 1,500 to 1,800 subscribers, a huge number for the time; it contained several small family conversations and mediumistic fact that attracted great interest in those days. We unsuccessfully sought something in that journal to publish in our Review; anything that we could choose today would be puerile and uninteresting. If that journal had not disappeared due to circumstances that are not relevant it could only remain with the condition that it would have followed the progress of the Science and in case it would be published again in the same condition in our time it would hardly count on more than fifty subscribers. The Spiritists count on a much larger number today than in those days, it is true, but they are also more enlightened and want a more substantial teaching.
If the communications would come from a single center there is no doubt that the readers would multiply with the number of followers but one must not lose sight of the fact that the focuses that produce them count on thousands and that wherever superior things are obtained there can no longer be interest for weak and mediocre things.
Our intent is not to discourage people from issuing publications, far from that; but in order to show the need of a rigorous choice, a precondition of success, by elevating their teachings the Spirits made us more difficult and even more demanding. Local publications may have an immense utility from two aspects: first to spread to the masses the teaching that is given at the intimacy, second to show the agreement that there is in that teaching about several points. We will always applaud and encourage it every time that they are done in good conditions.
To begin with, it is appropriate to point out everything that is of private interest, only of the interest of a given person; then everything that is vulgar in style and idea or puerile in the subject. Something may be excellent on itself and very good to serve as an individual instruction but whatever is delivered to the public must obey special conditions.
Unfortunately, people are inclined to believe that everything that pleases oneself also pleases others; the most skillful person may be wrong but the key here is that one must be wrong the least. There are Spirits who are happy to feed such an illusion in certain mediums; hence it is never too much to recommend to that they should never trust their own judgment. That is when the groups are useful, by the multiplicity of opinions that may be gathered. The one that in such a case rejected the opinion of the majority by considering oneself more enlightened than the others would be plentifully demonstrating the bad influence that he or she is under.
Applying such principles of eclecticism to the communications that are sent to us, we say that out of those 3,600 there are more than 3,000 that are of a irreproachable nature with excellent content but that out of those there are no more than 300 for publication and only about one hundred of incontestable merit. Considering that those communications came in large number from different places we can infer that the majority of these are more or less of a general nature. Hence the need for not publishing lightheartedly everything that comes from the Spirits if we want to achieve the proposed objective both from a material as well as from a moral point of view and the opinion that those who are indifferent may have about Spiritism.
We still have to say a few words about the manuscripts or lengthy works that were sent to us. Out of thirty, we find five or six of real value. In the invisible world, like on Earth, there is no shortage of writers but the good ones are rare; a given Spirit is good to dictate an isolated communication, to give an excellent private advice but incapable of producing a whole book that is capable of withstanding the examination, whatever it might be; as a matter of fact, their intention and the names that they use do not serve as guarantees; the more elevated the name the more there are obligated to produce. Now, it is easier to take a name than to justify that name. That is why side-by-side, with some good thoughts, we frequently find eccentric ideas and the undisguised signs of the most profound ignorance. It is in this type of mediumistic work that we find more signs of obsession from which one of the most frequent is the order from the part of the Spirit to have the work published and more than one equivocally think that such a demand is enough to find an interested editor willing to go along with that.
It is important that, in similar cases, a scrupulous examination becomes necessary if one does not want to learn the hard way. Besides, it is the best means of keeping the presumptuous and pseudo wise Spirits away that forcibly leave when they do not find docile instruments that can accept their words as articles of faith. The meddling of such Spirits in the communications is – this is a known fact – the greatest obstacle to Spiritism. All the precautions are not enough to avoid regrettable publications; in such cases it is better to fail due to the excess of prudence for the good of the cause.
In short, the publication of worthwhile things is useful. The publication of weak, insignificant or bad material does more harm than good. A not less important consideration is that of the opportunity. There are some whose publications are untimely and for that reason, harmful. Each thing must come at the right time. Several of them that we receive are in this category and despite the fact that they are very good they must be postponed. As for the others, they will find they place according to the circumstances and objective.
We found some bad ones among them, both in content and format. These ones were due to general misunderstanding, such as ignorant, obsessing, or mystifying Spirits who swear in the name of more or less renowned names that they use. In this case, if they were published, we would be giving ammunition to the critics. A circumstance that sticks out from almost all of these messages is the fact that they come from individuals rather than groups. Only fascination would allow them to be taken seriously, hindering people from seeing their ridiculous side. As it is well-known, isolation favors fascination whereas the meetings find a control in the plurality of the opinions.
We gladly acknowledge, however, that communications of such a nature form a small minority; most of the others contain good thoughts and excellent advices but that does not imply that they are all good for publication for the reasons that we are going to explain.
The good Spirits teach more or less the same things everywhere because in all places there are the same vices to be reformed and the same virtues to be taught and that is one of the distinctive characters of Spiritism; the difference is only in the more or less correctness and elegance of style. In order to assess the communications that are more convenient for publication, one must not look at them from a personal stand point but form the point of view of the general public. We understand the satisfaction that someone feels when obtaining something good, particularly at the beginning, but besides the fact that certain persons may be deceived with respect to the intrinsic merit, one does not think that in certain others places people may also obtain something similar and that what has a powerful meaning to an individual may be ordinary to the masses. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider that, for some time now, the communications have acquired proportions and qualities that in every aspect leave behind those that were obtained years ago; what was well-regarded in those days seems pale and petty now. In the majority of the truly serious centers the teachings of the Spirits grew with the intelligence of Spiritism. Considering that more or less identical communications are received everywhere their publication may only be of interest when presenting something of special quality both in the format as well as in the educational content; it would then be an illusion to believe that every communication would find numerous and enthusiastic readers. In the past, the simplest Spiritist conversation was a novelty and would attract attention; now that the Spiritists and mediums are in large number what was a rarity is now is an almost common and habitual fact, differentiated by the amplitude and reach of the current communications, like the homework of school days are compared to the works of the adult.
We have before our eyes the collection of a journal published at the beginning of the manifestations with the title La Table Parlante (the talking table), a characteristic title in those days. Some say that the journal had about 1,500 to 1,800 subscribers, a huge number for the time; it contained several small family conversations and mediumistic fact that attracted great interest in those days. We unsuccessfully sought something in that journal to publish in our Review; anything that we could choose today would be puerile and uninteresting. If that journal had not disappeared due to circumstances that are not relevant it could only remain with the condition that it would have followed the progress of the Science and in case it would be published again in the same condition in our time it would hardly count on more than fifty subscribers. The Spiritists count on a much larger number today than in those days, it is true, but they are also more enlightened and want a more substantial teaching.
If the communications would come from a single center there is no doubt that the readers would multiply with the number of followers but one must not lose sight of the fact that the focuses that produce them count on thousands and that wherever superior things are obtained there can no longer be interest for weak and mediocre things.
Our intent is not to discourage people from issuing publications, far from that; but in order to show the need of a rigorous choice, a precondition of success, by elevating their teachings the Spirits made us more difficult and even more demanding. Local publications may have an immense utility from two aspects: first to spread to the masses the teaching that is given at the intimacy, second to show the agreement that there is in that teaching about several points. We will always applaud and encourage it every time that they are done in good conditions.
To begin with, it is appropriate to point out everything that is of private interest, only of the interest of a given person; then everything that is vulgar in style and idea or puerile in the subject. Something may be excellent on itself and very good to serve as an individual instruction but whatever is delivered to the public must obey special conditions.
Unfortunately, people are inclined to believe that everything that pleases oneself also pleases others; the most skillful person may be wrong but the key here is that one must be wrong the least. There are Spirits who are happy to feed such an illusion in certain mediums; hence it is never too much to recommend to that they should never trust their own judgment. That is when the groups are useful, by the multiplicity of opinions that may be gathered. The one that in such a case rejected the opinion of the majority by considering oneself more enlightened than the others would be plentifully demonstrating the bad influence that he or she is under.
Applying such principles of eclecticism to the communications that are sent to us, we say that out of those 3,600 there are more than 3,000 that are of a irreproachable nature with excellent content but that out of those there are no more than 300 for publication and only about one hundred of incontestable merit. Considering that those communications came in large number from different places we can infer that the majority of these are more or less of a general nature. Hence the need for not publishing lightheartedly everything that comes from the Spirits if we want to achieve the proposed objective both from a material as well as from a moral point of view and the opinion that those who are indifferent may have about Spiritism.
We still have to say a few words about the manuscripts or lengthy works that were sent to us. Out of thirty, we find five or six of real value. In the invisible world, like on Earth, there is no shortage of writers but the good ones are rare; a given Spirit is good to dictate an isolated communication, to give an excellent private advice but incapable of producing a whole book that is capable of withstanding the examination, whatever it might be; as a matter of fact, their intention and the names that they use do not serve as guarantees; the more elevated the name the more there are obligated to produce. Now, it is easier to take a name than to justify that name. That is why side-by-side, with some good thoughts, we frequently find eccentric ideas and the undisguised signs of the most profound ignorance. It is in this type of mediumistic work that we find more signs of obsession from which one of the most frequent is the order from the part of the Spirit to have the work published and more than one equivocally think that such a demand is enough to find an interested editor willing to go along with that.
It is important that, in similar cases, a scrupulous examination becomes necessary if one does not want to learn the hard way. Besides, it is the best means of keeping the presumptuous and pseudo wise Spirits away that forcibly leave when they do not find docile instruments that can accept their words as articles of faith. The meddling of such Spirits in the communications is – this is a known fact – the greatest obstacle to Spiritism. All the precautions are not enough to avoid regrettable publications; in such cases it is better to fail due to the excess of prudence for the good of the cause.
In short, the publication of worthwhile things is useful. The publication of weak, insignificant or bad material does more harm than good. A not less important consideration is that of the opportunity. There are some whose publications are untimely and for that reason, harmful. Each thing must come at the right time. Several of them that we receive are in this category and despite the fact that they are very good they must be postponed. As for the others, they will find they place according to the circumstances and objective.