Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1865

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Some time ago I announced new explanations about the budget of Spiritism. The start of a new social year naturally offers me such occasion. In the following report I apologize for having to talk about myself, something that I minimize, but in this situation, I could not help it and that is why I apologize in advance.

I will give you a summary of the report about the subject presented to you two years ago.

In February 1860 a donation of 10,000 francs was made available to me to be used at will in the interest of Spiritism. On the occasion the Parisian Society did not have a headquarter and that was of grave concern. The importance that the doctrine was taking gave rise to the idea of finding an adequate place for the sessions and for the reception of visitors whose number grew constantly, making it also necessary to have someone at the office of the Society. I chose this place that had both good condition and central location. As a matter of fact, the choice was not easy given the need for rooms that were appropriate to the objective and expensive rentals. The lease of this place amounts to 2,930 francs. The Society only counted on 1,200 francs with a deficit of 1,130 francs. The application of the donation to cover for the difference was still within the requirements of the donor since it was in the interest of the doctrine and one must acknowledge, particularly today, the importance of having this center of convergence of so many groups and to have my own shelter here. I must emphasize, however, that it is not a personal advantage to me to be able to live here since I have another apartment that costs me nothing and where it would be more enjoyable for me to live and such double residence is to me reason for more expenses instead of a relief, as I will demonstrate soon.

The amount of 10,000 francs was then the first budget of Spiritism and that has always been, as you know, a matter of separate accounting, never mixed up with my personal matters. Such a budget should be enough to account for, give or take, about six years of lease, according to the detailed expense report presented last time. Well, the contract is about to expire in one year and the resources are at the end. It is true that the capital was increased with several sums and it is formed like so:

The last two donations had a special destination and only 11,100 francs were allocated to the rent and are not entirely sufficient. Rent, nonetheless, is not the only expense due to Spiritism. I am not talking about charitable work that we shall comment in due course. I talk about another issue and it is here that I need your indulgence towards myself for the reason that I need to talk about me.

A lot was said about the profit that I had with my books. Not a single serious person believes in my millions, despite those that stated that had good information and that I led a luxurious life; that I had carriages of four horses and that my house was covered in rugs from Aubusson.

Besides all that was said by the author of a brochure that you know well, that demonstrates by hyperbolic calculations that the revenues of my publications were beyond the civil list of the most powerful sovereign of Europe (38 million, Spiritist Review, June 1862 and June 1863) – something that in passing must be said would testify an incredible expansion of the doctrine – there is something more authentic than his calculations: it is the fact that I have never asked for anything to anybody; nobody has even given me anything for my personal use and no collection of a single cent has ever attended my personal needs. In one words, I do not live on anybody else’s expenses and as for the moneys that were entrusted in me for the benefit of Spiritism I have never used a single fraction to my own benefit, besides the fact that one can see the actual numbers that are involved.

My immense fortune then must have come from my Spiritist books. Although those works had an unexpected success one only needs to have a slight knowledge of matters related to publishing that one cannot accumulate millions in five or six years by publishing philosophical books, particularly considering that one only gets a few cents per book in copyrights. Nonetheless, if that is a lot or too little, if that is the result of my own work it is none of anybody’s business how I employ those resources. Even if they were in the millions, considering that both the purchase of the books as well as the subscription to the Spiritist Review are facultative and not imposed to anyone, under any circumstance, not even to attend the sessions at the Society, it is of nobody’s business. Speaking in business terms I am in the position of any person that collects the proceeds of their own work: I take the risk of every writer that is success or failure. Although I do not have to provide any report in that particular, I believe it to be in the very interest of the cause to which I have devoted myself.

To begin with I say that my works are not my exclusive property and that I am forced to purchase them from my editor and pay them, like a bookstore does, with the exception of the Spiritist Review, from which I kept the rights of ownership; that the profits are significantly diminished by the books that are not sold and by the free distributions done in the interest of the doctrine to persons that would otherwise go without them. A very simple calculation demonstrates that the cost of ten donated or lost books that must be paid for are enough to erase the profits of one hundred sold units. This said as information and between brackets. In the end, when it is all settled and done, there is something left. You can imagine the number you like. What I do with that? That is what concerns certain people.

Any person that had shared our intimacy before and sees the way we live today may attest that there has been no change since I started working with Spiritism. It is as simple now as it was before because a luxurious life is not part of our tastes. Then, it is certain that whatever the profits I make they don’t serve to give us the pleasures of luxury. We have no children hence we do not save for them and our indirect heirs are, in their majority, much wealthier than we are. It would be really naïve for me to get exhausted from my work on their behalf. Would I then accumulate treasures to have the pleasure of contemplating my money? I believe that my character and my habits have never allowed such assumption. Those that attribute me with such ideas know very little of my own principles in matter of Spiritism because they believe me to be too attached to the earthly means.

Why are things like that? Considering that I don’t take advantage of that, the more fabulous the amount, more embarrassing is the answer. One day the exact amount will be known as well as its detailed application and those that create stories will be able to spare their own imagination; today I limit myself to some generic data to end ridiculous suppositions. In order to do so I need to give you some personal information for which I count on your forgiveness because they are necessary.

At all times we have led a simple life, it is true, but what would be too little to certain persons was enough to us, thanks to our tastes and habits according to our means. Our small income was added by the proceeds of the books that I published before Spiritism and that of a simple job that I had to leave when the works of the doctrine totally absorbed my time.

My own property is what is left to me from all that could not be taken away from me by ill-faith and we could leave there in peace and far from the turmoil of businesses. Spiritism took me away from obscurity and sent me into a new path. Soon I saw myself dragged by a movement that I could hardly foresee. When I conceived The Spirits’ Book my intention was to remain unknown and not to come out in the open but rapidly overloaded by work that was no longer possible. I had to resign to my own solitude or see the failure of work that I had just initiated and that was already progressing prodigiously. I had to follow the torrent and take the reins.

If now I enjoy some popularity I had not absolutely sought that for it is notorious that such popularity was not due to the press or to the propaganda and I have never taken advantage of my personal relationships to throw myself into the world at a time when such a thing would have been easy for me to do. The more the work progressed, though, a broader horizon unfolded before me and its limits moved further and further away. I then understood the gigantic task I had and the importance of the work that I had to complete to accomplish that.

Far from scaring me away, the obstacles and difficulties doubled my energy; I saw the objective and decided to achieve it with the assistance of the good Spirits. I felt that there was not time to waste and did not waste it in useless visits and ceremonies. It was the works of my life. I dedicated all my time to that; I sacrificed my rest and my own health for that because the future to me was written with irrefutable letters. I did it all out of my own impulse and my wife, who is not more ambitious or more self-serving than I am, totally agreed with my points of view and seconded me with the hard work all the way, as she still does, with tasks that sometimes are beyond her own strength, selflessly sacrificing the pleasures and distractions of the world to which she was used from her family upbringing.

Although we did not move away from our life style the new exceptional position created new needs that were still covered by my own resources. It is difficult to imagine the multiplicity of expenses that were generated and without those activities I would have avoided them. The need to live in two places is, as I have already mentioned, additional expenses for the obligation of having double furniture and a number of smaller expenses that are created for such a double residence and the losses that result from the negligence of my own personal interests left aside for a series of activities that absorb my whole time. This is not a complaint since my current activities are voluntary; it is an attested fact in response to those that say that Spiritism is all profit to me. As for the expenses generated by my position it would impossible to list them but if you take into account that I spend more than 800 francs annually in postage, not to mention the travels, and that I need the assistance of someone to help and other small indispensable expenses, you will understand that I do not exaggerate when I say that may annual expenses that have always grown are today more than three times as before. One can estimate the annual addition by considering an annual average of 6,000 francs over the last eight years. Now, the utility of such expenses for the success of the doctrine is unquestionable and that would have been weakened of course had I remained in my personal retreat, not seeing anyone and without the multiples contacts that I make daily. That is what I would have been forced to do if I had not had any additional resource coming in to help.

Well then, ladies and gentlemen, what gave me that supplement was precisely the product of my works. It gives me pleasure to say that it was the result of my own work and long hours of work that I provided for, at least partially, the material needs for the installation of the doctrine. I therefore brought my own contribution to the budget of Spiritism. It was God’s wishes that Spiritism would find its initial means of action in itself. In the beginning I used to feel sorry for the fact that my limited means did not allow me to do what I wanted to do for the good of the cause but today I see the finger of Providence in that and the realization of this prediction so many times repeated by the Spirits: “Do not worry about anything. God knows your needs and they shall be provided for.”

Had I employed the proceeds of my books to my own personal pleasure and that would have resulted in a loss to Spiritism, but nonetheless nobody could have objected to that because the utilization of those resources were entirely up to me and only me; but since I did not have them before I continued not to have them afterwards; I also think that by applying them to the task nobody will see it as a badly employed money and those that help with the propagation of the books cannot say that they work to make me rich.

The provision of the present was not all. It was necessary to think about the future and prepare the foundation that could help the one that will replace me in the great mission to be accomplished after me. The foundation that I cannot disclose yet is linked to my own property and that is why I apply some of my own resources to have it improved. Since I am far for the millions that are attributed to me I sincerely doubt that, despite the savings that I have, my own resources are sufficient to provide that foundation with the complement that I wanted to give it while alive. But considering that If I am not successful in that such target is in the plans of my spiritual guides and it is likely that sooner or later it shall be accomplished. I make the plans on the paper while I wait.

Far from me, ladies and gentlemen, the idea of boasting about what I have just exposed to you. It was the persistence of certain diatribes that pushed me to break the silence about certain facts, against my own will. Later on, all of those facts that were stained by malevolence shall come out and be cleared by authentic documents, but the time of such explanations has not come yet. The only think I wanted you to learn from me now was about the destination of the resources that the Providence brought to my hands, regardless of their origin. I consider myself a simple trustee of those values and even more so of those that are entrusted in me for which I will provide a strict expense report. I summarize by saying that I do not need them for myself meaning that I do not take advantage of them.

I still have to talk about the budget of beneficence, ladies and gentlemen. You know that it was formed without a preconceived destination, with some quantities passed on to me to the works of charity but without any special destination; from time to time I add to these resources some others that do not have specified application. The first donation made in that class was in the amount of 200 francs, delivered on August 20^th, 1863. The same person sent another money order of 200 francs in the following year on August 17^th. On September 1^st another person sent an order of 100 francs during my trip. As for the subscriptions published in the Spiritist Review several persons added smaller contributions to the others also with discretionary application. More recently, on April 28^th last, someone sent me an order of 500 francs. The total donation so far amounts to 1,317 francs. The total expenses in several charitable works, donations and loans not yet repaid amount to 1,060 francs. The balance today is 257 francs.

One day someone asked me, naturally and out of pure interest for the cause, what I would do if I had one million today. I answered that today I would give it a totally different application that I would have in the beginning. In those days I would have made a lot of propaganda through a large network of publicity; now I acknowledge that it would have been useless because our adversaries did it for us on their own. By not bringing a lot of resources to me the Spirits wanted to demonstrate that Spiritism would own its success to itself, to its own strength and not to the application of common resources.

Today, with a wider horizon and an unfolded future, the needs are of a different order. That hypothetical capital could have a more useful application. Not going into premature details I will only say that a portion of that would serve to convert my own property into a Spiritist retreat whose inhabitants would collect the benefits of our moral doctrine; the other portion would be converted into an inalienable resource to be employed: 1) for the maintenance of the establishment; 2) to ensure an independent life to the one that shall succeed me and to those that will help him; 3) to cover current expenses of Spiritism, without the need to reach out to other eventual resources like I am forced to do since the majority of the resources are the result of my own work that shall end. That is what I would do. But if that is not granted to me I don’t care if it is granted to others. As a matter of fact, I do know that in a way or another all needs will be provided on time by the Spirits that supervise the movement. That is why I am not troubled by that and that I dedicate myself to what I believe to be essential: the conclusion of the works that I still have to finish. After that I will depart when God believes to be the right time.

People are surprised by the fact that certain highly placed persons, notoriously sympathetic to the Spiritist cause, do not openly and officially take it in their own hands. Some say that it would be their duty since Spiritism is an essentially moralizing and humanitarian doctrine. They forget that such persons, given their own positions, have to fight more than others against prejudices that only time will erase and that shall fall before the ascendant of general opinion. In addition, let us consider the fact that Spiritism is still in its outlined stage and that the final word has not been said yet. The general principles are established by their consequences are hardly foreseen and they are not and cannot be clearly defined. Up until now it is no more than a philosophical doctrine whose application to the great issues of general interest must still wait. It will be only then that certain persons will understand its true reach and utility. Before Spiritism has completed its mission the good it does is limited; it can only be an individual belief and a general and public adhesion would be premature and impossible. Then yes, many of those that today consider it futile will forcibly change their point of view and be dragged to study it seriously by the force of things. Let us then let it grow and do not request it to be an adult before it is a child; and let us not ask childhood what only adulthood can provide.

A.K.

NOTE: This explanation had only been given to the Society but since there was a unanimous request to have it inserted at the Spiritist Review we thought it would be right to attend the wishes.

We say nothing new to our brothers in belief or to our adversaries when we say that Spiritism invades every echelon of Society. The main objective of the two letters transcribed here is to point out the similarity of feelings driven by the doctrine in the extreme poles of the social scale on individuals that have no contact between them, that we have never met and nonetheless find themselves at the same place, without any other guide but the books. One is an authority of the Russian Empire and the other a simple shepherd of Touraine. Here is the first letter:

“Dear Sir,

A Spiritist group was formed in our town beginning October 23^rd under the protection of St. Peter. Since you are our teacher in Spiritism it is my duty to inform you as a President of that group. Our main objective is to alleviate the pain of the suffering Spirits, incarnate and discarnate. We hold two meetings per week. We strive to reach unity of intent and for that each one of the attendees remains in profound and reverent silence and when a question is addressed to the Spirits out loud each one of us mentally ask their guardian angel for their help to obtain a true answer. In our evocation, frequently dealing with obsessing Spirits of inferior order and knowing the efficacy of a joint prayer, we almost always resource to that to obtain clarification and relief of the unfortunate creatures. Our group counts on many mediums but frequently only two or three write in every session. We have besides a hearing and clairvoyant and a magnetizing medium. We were promised a painting medium but and I cannot appreciate that faculty since I have not seen him yet. We already count on forty members. There are several other Spiritist meetings in St. Petersburg, but they have no regulation. Ours is the first one regularly organized, and we hope that God willing our example will be followed. I am pleased to let you know that the first Spiritist brochure has finally appeared in Russia, printed in St. Petersburg, with the authorization of the censorship. The article that Mr. Debolsky inserted in the journal Radougaf (the rainbow). Up until now censorship would only authorize the publication of articles against Spiritism. I thought your book Spiritism in its simplest expression was the best answer to the article and I had it published in that journal. Kindly allow me, Sir, to send you the most important communications that we obtained, in particular those that came to support the truth and the sublimity of our doctrine.

Sincerely yours,

General A. de B.”

The group’s attitude, the proposed objective of charity are the best proofs that Spiritism is understood there in its true essence and seen on its most practical and serious aspect. There is nothing there that is out of pure curiosity or futile requests but the application of the doctrine in its most elevated principle. A person that attended many of those sessions told us that people leave the place feeling enlightened with the seriousness, the reverence and the feeling of true compassion that reign there.

-o-

The letter below was not sent to us but to the President of a Spiritist group of Tours. We transcribe it literally with the exception of the spelling hat was corrected.

“Dear Mr. Rebondin and our brother in God,

Forgive me Sir if I take the liberty in writing to you. I wanted to do that long ago to thank you for your hospitality last year, allowing me to attend two of your sessions. You will surely not remember me, but I will tell you who I am. I visited you with my former boss, Mr. T… I was his Pastor for eleven years. He has just married today and his relatives when noticed that I was involved with Spiritism had him firing me. I suffered a lot with that separation, dear Sir, but I want to follow the precepts of our sacred doctrine; it is my duty to pray for the unfortunate ones that offend the divine master of all of us. Since the time I met the doctrine I do my best to attract followers. I may have found obstacles, but I also had the pleasure of leading many people to get to know Spiritism, that explains every atonement that we endure in this earth of suffering and miseries. Ah the sweetness of being a Spiritist and to practice its virtues! My only happiness. As for you, dear Sir, the most devoted to the sacred cause, I hope you will not deny me with a place in your heart. I am happy for having met you and having felt so welcomed. I have been to Tours twice in the company of my two friends that study Spiritism with the intention of attending your sessions to learn that they no longer happen on Sundays. Please let me know the time of your gathering so that I can attend it with my friends and share the spiritual benefit. It will be a great source of happiness to us. I count on your friendship and remain waiting for the day when we shall get together again to practice the law of love and charity.

Fraternally from your dear friend,

Pierre Houdée, Pastor”

As we can see one does not need a diploma to understand the doctrine. The fact is that despite its elevated reach it is so much clear and logical that it reaches every intelligence effortlessly, a condition without which no idea can spread and popularize. It touches the heart: that is its greatest secret and there is a heart in the chest of the worker as there is one in the noble man. The great, as the little one, has his pains, sufferings and moral ulcers for which requests balms and consolations that one and the other find in the certainty of the future, because one and the other are equal before the pain and the death, that hurts both the rich and the poor. We doubt very much that the doctrine of the demon and the eternal flames will ever get sufficient attraction to overcome that. That same Pastor often walked several miles to get to Tours to attend a Spiritist session and the same on the way back. When we speak of the elevated reach of the doctrine and the consolations that it entails we speak a language that is not understood by those that believe that Spiritism is entirely in the turning tables, or in a more or less authentic phenomenon that attracts curious people, but that is perfectly understood by those that in large number did not stop at the surface and were not led by rumors.

In September 1864 we published an article with the above title in which it was demonstrated by authentic facts that there was no Pyrenees and that they even laughed at the “auto-de-fé”.^[1]Mr. Delanne’s letter published in our previous issue is a new proof of that. It shows the cure of an obsession obtained by the zeal and perseverance of some sincere and devout Spiritists from Barcelona. We got the detailed report of that cure that we thought to be our duty to have it published along with that letter that followed.

“Dear Sir and teacher,

We were lucky to have among us our dear friend and brother in belief Mr. Delanne to whom we provided some news about our weak contributions as well as our efforts to bring relief to some poor patients that God brought to our hands. Among them there was a woman that was trapped by a terrible obsession for fifteen years and that God had her cured through us. We definitely did not want to mention her because we work quietly not attributing any merit to ourselves. Nonetheless, Mr. Delanne convinced us that the report of such a cure would certainly give encouragement to other believers that, like ourselves, are devoted to this work of charity and for that matter we had no hesitation in bringing that to your attention. Blessed be the hand of the Lord that allows us to taste the flavor of the fruit of our works, rewarding us still here on Earth. During the Easter Holidays several sermons were given against Spiritism from which there was one that stuck out for the absurd. The preacher asked the followers if they would be happy if they knew that the souls of their relatives were reborn in the bodies of a cow, a donkey, a pig or any other animal. That is Spiritism, he said, my dear brothers; it is perfect for the lighthearted spirit of the French but not to you, the Spanish, too serious to believe in such a thing.

Yours sincerely,

JMF ”



Rose N... married in 1850, was affected by spasmodic fits just after the wedding that repeated many times and more violently up until the time that she got pregnant. She felt nothing during pregnancy, but the fits returned after she gave birth. The episodes would sometimes last for three or four hours during which she would do all sorts of strange things, requiring three or four persons to control her. Some of the doctors invited to attend her said that it was a nervous disease; others that it was madness. The same phenomenon took place in every pregnancy, stopping during the period and starting again after delivery.

It was all the same for years. The poor husband was tired of consulting with multiple people and applying all sorts of medicine that never worked. The courageous family was at the limit of their patience and resources for the poor woman would remain ill for months, not being able to attend her domestic chores. Sometimes she felt better giving the impression that she was cured but after a few weeks of break the illness would return even more painfully.

Some people convinced them that such a terrible disease was the works of the devil, resourcing to exorcisms and taking her to a sanctuary place located twenty leagues^[2] away, from where she returned apparently tranquil. A few days later, however, the problem returned with renewed intensity. She then went to a small church where she stayed for four months during which she felt so good that people considered her cured. She returned to her happy family that thought her to be free from the cruel disease. A few weeks later, however, their hopes vanished. The episodes returned with increased energy. Husband and wife were desperate.

We heard about this case from one of our friends and brothers in faith in 1864, asking us to try to help alleviate or perhaps cure the poor woman since he believed it to be an obsession of the worst kind. The patient was undergoing a magnetic treatment that had given her some relief but the magnetizer, although Spiritist, had no means of evoking the obsessing Spirit due to the lack of mediums and, despite his wishes, he could not produce the desired effect. We gladly accepted the opportunity of doing a good deed, gathered a number of sincere followers and sent for the patient.

Only a few minutes were enough to recognize the cause of Rosa’s illness. It was, in fact, one of the worst kind of obsession. It was very hard to have the obsessing Spirit attending our call. He was very violent, responded with some meaningless words and furiously attacked his victim, provoking a violent crisis that was soon appeased by the magnetizer.

In the second session, a few days later, we were able to keep the obsessing Spirit longer that nonetheless was always relentless and cruel toward his victim. The third evocation was better; the Spirit talked to us in an amicable tone. We made him see all the harm he was causing to the poor woman, but he did not want to acknowledge his mistake, saying that he was forcing her to pay an old debt. In the fourth evocation we prayed with us and said he was sorry to have been brought to us against his will. He would rather have come on his own. That is what he did in the following session. Gradually and at each new evocation we developed an ascendency upon him, being then able to have him renouncing to his bad actions, something that was already happening since the fourth session. We were then glad to see that her episodes stopped at the ninth session. A magnetization process of about 12-15min used to totally appease Rose, making her thoroughly tranquil. For nine months now, since August, the patient has not presented any symptom and there was no interruption in her normal daily activity. From time to time, though, she was helplessly shaken as a result of some upsetting situations, but those were like lightning strikes without a storm; they demonstrated to her, in practice, that she should not move away from her commitments with God and her fellow human beings. It must also be said that she gave a powerful contribution to her own cure by her faith, eagerness and trust in God, and by restraining her naturally impulsive character. All that contributed to give the obsessing Spirit control upon himself, since he needed that in order to definitely change; he was afraid of the atonement that he would have to endure to deserve forgiveness. Thank God, however, and with the powerful support of the good spiritual guides, he is now in the good path and does whatever it takes to be forgiven. Today he gives good advices to the very one that he persecuted for such a long time, a person that today is robust and joyful, as if she had never suffered anything. Yet, every week she comes to a magnetization and from time to time we evoke her former persecutor, to reinforce his good resolutions. Here is his last communication given in April 1865: “I am here. I come to thank you for your perseverance in my case. Without you and without these good and benevolent Spirits present here I would have never found the happiness that I feel now; I would still be dragged by bad things, in my misery; yes, misery, since one cannot be more unfortunate than I was; always doing and willing to do harm! How many times have I told you that I was not suffering? It is only now that I can see how much I suffered. Even now I still suffer the consequences of all that, but not as before; today it is regret and not the need to do evil things. No, no! May the God of goodness keep me from that and that I have the strength to not fall in disgrace again. No more those tortures, the acidic feelings that provide no resting place to the soul. That is what hell is about, it is with the evil one, like I was. I did evil things out of resentment, vengeance and ambition. What did I take from that? Oh! I was repelled by the good Spirits that I could not understand when they approached me; I heard their voices, but I was not allowed to see them. Today, thank God, I can see and that is why I experience such good feelings that I had never had before, because even if I suffer a lot I can foresee the future and I withstand my sufferings with patience and resignation, begging for God’s forgiveness and the assistance of the good Spirits to the one that I chased for such a long time. May she forgive me. There will be a time, perhaps soon, that I will be able to useful to her. I finish by thanking your and asking you to persist on your prayers for me and on the good friendship that you showed, forgiving me for all the trouble. Thank you, thank you! I cannot thank you enough for my recognition and all the good you did to me. Pray to God to forgive me and to the good Spirits to stay with me, giving me strength.

So long,

Pedro.

After that communication we received the following from our spiritual guides:

The process of cure is over. Thank God for the honor of having your prayers heard and for using your service to convert a bloodthirsty enemy into a friend, because, rest assured, one day that Spirit will do everything in his power to help the poor family that he tormented for so long. But you, my children, do not abandon the persecutor or his prey. Both still need your assistance; one to remain in the good path that has been found and that will have his courage reinforced by the evocation; the other to completely dissipate the bad fluids that involved her for such a long time; from time to time have her going through magnetization sessions (John, it is about “magnetic pass”) without which she would still fall under the influence of other malevolent Spirits that are unfortunately abundant, as you know. Courage! Finish that and be prepared for the next ones that are still reserved to you. Be strong! Your task is hard, it is true, but if you work hard there will be great compensation to you!

Your guides.

-o-

Just the report of more or less interesting facts is not enough. We need to take a lesson from them otherwise they are useless. It is true the facts that Spiritism becomes a science and a doctrine; but if we had stopped at the observation and registration we would not be more advanced than we were on day one. In Spiritism, as with every science, there is always something to learn; it is then by the observation, by the study and deduction of the facts that one may learn. That is why, when there is a call, we follow the facts with some suggested reflections from our side that either may confirm a known principle or serve to support a new one. It is, in our opinion, a means of attracting the attention of serious persons.

A first observation to make about the letter above is that like in the case of those that understand the doctrine in its purity, its followers make abstraction of any self-love; they make no exhibition or do not seek celebrity; they do good without ostentation and without bragging about the cures that are obtained because they know that they do not come from their own talent or personal merit and that such a favor may be subtracted by God at will; it is not reputation or clientele that they are after. They find compensation in the satisfaction of having relieved a sufferer and not in the vanity of men’s approval. It is a means of reconciling the support of the good Spirits that leave pride to the proud ones.

The cases of cure like the ones here, like those of Marmande and others with no less merit, are undoubtedly an encouragement; they are also excellent practical lessons showing the kind of results that can be achieved by faith, perseverance and by a wise and intelligent direction. However, something that is not less of a teaching is the example of modesty, humility and total material and moral selflessness. Such wonderful results are found in centers that are governed by those feelings because there one is truly strong against bad Spirits. It is not less notable the fact that when proud finds room in those places and when good is not done exclusively for the good and when personal satisfaction of self-love is found there, then force declines.

It is equally remarkable the fact that the majority of serious followers are made in those really serious centers because the new comers are touched by the good impression that they have, whereas in the frivolous and lighthearted centers one is only attracted by a not always satisfied curiosity. The good done to the incarnate as well as the discarnate means the understanding of the true objective of the doctrine. It is not much fun to certain persons, we realize, but it is more meritorious to those that are devoted to that. We therefore gladly see the multiplication of centers that are dedicated to such useful works. There people learn while doing service and there is no lack of material for study. These are the strongest supports of the doctrine.

Isn’t that a characteristic fact when we see in both ends of Europe, Russia in the north and Spain in the south, Spiritist meetings animated by the same desire of doing good, and a charitable feeling towards their fellow human beings? Isn’t that an indication of the irresistible moral strength of the doctrine that overcomes every obstacle and knows no barrier? In fact one must really lack any real point to combat the doctrine in order to appeal to the kind of argument employed by the preacher of Barcelona mentioned above; it would be a lack of time to refute them; one can only feel sorry for those that are led by such aberrations that only demonstrate the blindest ignorance or the most remarkable bad faith. But that still calls for an important teaching. Suppose that Mrs. Rose had believed in the statements of the preacher and had repelled Spiritism. What would have happened? She would not have been cured; she would have fallen in misery since she could not have continued to work; she and her husband could have bad mouthed God whereas now they praise him, and the bad Spirit would not have converted to good. From a theological point of view Spiritism saved three souls that would otherwise have been allowed to go lost by the preacher.

From the initial symptoms is understandable that science could have gone wrong because it had all the features of a pathological case. However, it wasn’t any of that. It was only Spiritism that could have found the true cause and the proof of that is that science was powerless with its medication for many years whereas Spiritism was successful without medicine in a few days only through the moralization of the perverse creature that was behind it all.

The fact is out there together with thousands of similar other facts. What do the unbelievers say about it? It is chance, it is the force of nature; the patient was to be cured. How about certain preaches? We say “certain preaches” on purpose because not all of them share the same thoughts. The woman was cured by the devil, they would say, and it would have been better to her soul if she had remained sick. Mrs. Rose does not share that opinion. Since she thanks God for her salvation and not the devil, she prays and do good deeds, she absolutely does not believe that her salvation is compromised. Besides, she prefers to have been cured and been able to work to feed her children than seen them die of hunger. In our opinion God is the source of all good.

But if the devil is the true actor in all cases of obsession that how come exorcism is so powerless against it? It is a positive fact that not only exorcism has always failed in similar situations but also that there is a recrudescence of the problem after ceremonies of such a kind. Morzine offered memorable examples of that. Is then the devil more powerful than God since it overcomes God’s ministers with their offerings of sacred things? Who do the Spiritists invoke then? Whose support they request? God’s. But why do they succeed with the same assistance when the others fail? Here the reasons:

To begin with having the obsessing Spirit back to the good side, and consequently the cure of the patient, a material fact, demonstrates that it is not about the devil but a bad Spirit susceptible of improving. Second, in the exorcism they are only offered words and material signs believed to carry virtues by faith, but that are not taken into account by the Spirit. They irritate, curse and threaten the Spirit with the eternal flames of hell; they want to dominate the Spirit by force and since he is unreachable he laughs and wants to prove that he is stronger. Through Spiritism we reach out to the Spirit with kindness; we try to make the cord of feelings vibrate inside that soul; we offer the mercy of God; we help the Spirit to foresee hope and very kindly lead him to good. That is the whole secret.

The fact above presents a particular case, that is the suspension of the crises during pregnancy. Where does it come from? Have science explaining that, if possible. Here is the explanation given by Spiritism:

The disease was neither madness nor a nervous illness. The cure is a proof of that. It was an obsession, no doubt. The obsessing Spirit was acting out of vengeance. God allowed that to serve as an atonement and test to the mother, and also that later on her own cure would lead the Spirit to improve. But the crisis could harm the child during pregnancy. God wanted the mother to be punished for her wrong doing but not the innocent child that she was carrying. That is why any persecution was withdrawn during that time.

The things that Spiritism explains to those that want to observe and study! How many horizons to be opened to science when science takes into account the spiritual element! How far from understanding it are those that only see curious manifestations in that element!

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[1] Ritual of public penance of condemned heretics and apostates by the inquisition in Europe (TN)


[2] About 60 miles (TN)

One of our corresponding members from St. Petersburgh sent us the translation of an article published against Spiritism in a religious journal of that city called Doukhownaia Beceda (religious practices).

It is a report done by two young men from Moscow, Messrs. XX that were introduced to us last November with the appearance of people from the best society, saying that they were sympathetic to Spiritism and that were duly welcomed with the due attention given to foreigners. Nothing in their words and actions betrayed their real intention. This was necessary in their role playing and for the accomplishment of their mission. The adversaries of Spiritism in France have certainly made us used to reports that are not exactly accurate, but truth be said, as far as we know none of them have gone so far with their calumnies. That would have been difficult in a French newspaper given the laws that protect against such abuse and also for the fact that many witnesses would come out with the truth. But hundreds of miles away in a foreign country and in a language that is unknown here it would be easier.

We owe the Russian followers a refutation to that shameful brochure whose authors are much reproachable for having abused people’s trust. They sneaked in in disguise, supposedly sent by a party, into a private home and gathering that is never opened to the general public and that only accepts people with recommendation, then giving publicity to an altered and disgusting report, placing themselves in a lower position when compared to spies because those at least give an accurate account of what they saw.

Besides, it is also regrettable that such things are done in the name of religion and that they are considered to be necessary to the very support of religion. Spiritism shall not be ruined by such means. Their hatred actually helps its growth. That is what happened to Christianity in the beginning. The adversaries worked for its propagation through their persecution. Truth is readily revealed nowadays, and when they maliciously say that something is black everyone can see that it is white and the hatred that is carried by calumny falls upon their own authors. The thoughts in that paper are like those of every detractor that share the same opinion. They have been refuted so many times that it would be useless to go back there. We will, nonetheless, mention the following passage:

“Are the Spiritists, in fact, in direct communication with the world of the Spirits, so much so that the most renowned personalities and the most sacred ones hear their appeals ad libitum, at the mediums’ will, as if attending the bell’s ringing? Isn’t that charlatanism and gross deception, not from the part of the Spirits that Mr. Allan Kardec teaches to distinguish so well, but from the part of the very chief of this new sect, so attractive to the imagination of its inexperienced followers? The two attached letters from Paris, coming from trustworthy persons that wanted to remain anonymous, may give a thorough answer to such a delicate question.”

Spiritism has never said that the Spirits, whoever they are, attend any mediums’ will. On the contrary, it says that the Spirits are not there to obey anyone’s orders; that they come when they wish and can. Spiritism goes further and explains the material causes that oppose the manifestation of a Spirit through the first one that shows up. If the communication of the Spirits is nothing more than a hopeless idea and a role playing, then only one person would have its monopoly. How come it has been attested by thousands of individuals of all social classes and ages and in all countries? Is everybody then play a role in a comedy, from the prince to the pawn, and all that to the benefit of whom? Something that is even more remarkable is that the comedy redirect nonbelievers to God, making those that laughed at prayers pray. A deception with such serious results has never been seen before. As for the letters of the two envoys, it would be superfluous to respond to their gross lies; it would be enough to mention a couple of material mistakes to show the their report about the rest deserves.

“At the scheduled time we met Mr. Allan Kardec. He resides at a passage always taken by a multitude of people. A big billboard announces that the great mysteries of Spiritism take place there.”

At the bottom of the stairs there is a small notice that reads: Spiritist Review, 2^nd floor because that is where the office of the journal stays and since it is accessible to the public it must point to its office. Below it reads: Classroom, because the sessions room was formerly used for several courses that had never taken place since we moved there. That is the first invention of those very trustworthy gentlemen.

“It was 5pm. It was dark and the Spiritist carried no light. We were led to his office through snaking corridors.”

The visitors were never shown to my office but to a reception room that certainly is not that of a palace, but those that do not find it worthwhile are always free not to return there.

“After having invited us to sit down he continued to talk to a young man that was unknown to us. The words said by the latter allowed us to conclude that he was an obsessed rookie medium, under the influence of impure forces that gave him answers under the disguise of pure Spirits; in the beginning the answers were masked by a perfect innocence and soon after the devil would betray himself. Everything in that young man showed agitation, from the voice to the scared face. The Spiritist responded that one needed a pure moral life and moderation to communicate with the Spirits and even more: that in the beginning the medium is commonly persecuted by bad Spirits but later the good ones arrive. The speech had a professorial tone. All that was undoubtedly a comic act played before us.”

That young man, we remember, was a simple worker that had come to us for advices, as it frequently happens. We continued our conversation with him because to us the humbler the position of an honest worker the more consideration he deserves from us. It is possible that those gentlemen did not share such an opinion, but they will get there when, in another existence, they find themselves in the same conditions as those that they look down today. As for the comedy that undoubtedly was played by them, it is remarkable that it had been prepared for them since their visit was not expected. When they arrived, the young man was alone; we only continued the conversation because we had it initiated already. The comedy was then played by the two of us. In any case that conversation was not very interesting and when a lot is done something better gets done too.

“Thanks to an interesting darkness, the teacher was not visible. He asked us something that wanted to probe our belief in Spiritism, its development in Moscow and so forth. He moved with caution until he realized our intent. A lamp was brought in. We then saw a very big man in front of us, elderly, with a very pleasant expression in his face and singular eyes; one could say that his eyes would go through a person; that was his first look; it then showed a certain nostalgia. I observed those outstanding eyes on a common physiognomy for a long time. I don’t know why I got his attention but for several times he asked me if I was not a medium. After demonstrating our knowledge of Spiritism through the conversation he then became more talkative.”

One can see the kind of knowledge they had about Spiritism. Thinking that they had deceived us with their smart language, they were the ones playing the comedy.

“He started talking in an obscure way about the soul and the Spirits. In the beginning his voice was calm but he finished his speech with a singular emphasis. After we asked him how to distinguish between the bad and good Spirits he said that each Spirit had to go through an examination phase before anything else; if the Spirit was not in contradiction with the moral and religious beliefs of the Spiritists they were considered pure. Following my question why he was only concerned with moral issues and not did not touch scientific and political matters, something that visibly displeased him, he responded something like this: The Spirits do not get involved with these things.”

Politics is generally the danger terrain to which false brothers try to bring the Spiritists. According to them the moral principle is something really banal and vulgar; that is much of the same; something positive is needed. A rewarded individual sneaked into a group of workers in Lyon where there were also some military personnel, proposing the following question: “What do the Spirits think of Henry V?” The answer given by the Spirits and by the followers discouraged him to go back.

“After certain hesitation he allowed us to attend the Spiritist session on Friday. He wanted to question a colonel of the guard, a medium that had died a short while ago. We then left. I am interested in the Friday session and will tell you everything about it. People say, however, that he charges one hundred francs per session. If that is true let it be clear that I will not be able to see or hear anything. I can sacrifice ten francs, no more.

Paris, 2/14 November 1864”

Regardless of our well-known principles, clearly stated in our books with respect to the exploitation of Spiritism in any form or shape, the more than six thousands of attendees that were given access to our sessions at the Spiritist Society of Paris, since its foundation on January 1^st, 1858, may give account to any contribution, compulsory or optional, or even if any condition was imposed for the attendance of the meetings, like the purchase of a single book or subscription to the Spiritist Review. When someone exploits the general public, the choice is not difficult; one aims at the quantity. How to conceive then our hesitation to accept those gentlemen? Instead of allowing them to join we would have invited them. They betray themselves by these words alone but they did not think of that.

From the time they heard that they would be charged a hundred francs per person and would be prepared to pay only ten, how come they did not make a confirmation beforehand? It would have been very natural, even necessary, to have asked us in order to avoid surprises. There is here a perfidious but awkward insinuation. In the report below, they talk about the session that they attended but mention no payment. Well, since they would sacrifice ten francs it means that it costed them nothing. They stepped back before their own statement but then said to themselves: “Let us just throw the idea there; something may come out of it”. But when there isn’t anything then nothing may come out. Yes, there is something, the shame of the liar.

As a matter of fact, this is not the first time that malevolence and envy employ such means to try to belie the Spiritist Society before public opinion. Not long ago a person in Nantes affirmed that the ticket to attend the sessions were sold for five francs per person. It would be remarkable that after eight years in operation people don’t know yet if the Society charges eight francs or one hundred francs. Truly, one must be really blind by the intent of causing harm in order to try to deceive the public about something as material as this and that is belied every day, be it by the persons that do attend the sessions or by the principles that are professed by the Society and that are unequivocally formulated in our writings.

Such a calumny, however, leads to a teaching. Since our adversaries believe to cast shame upon our Society, saying that it demands a contribution from the visitors, it means that they consider to be more honorable not charging anything. Now, considering that the Society demands nothing; that instead of seeking quantity of attendees it restricts that number as much as possible, it means that the Society does not speculate with them; it therefore eliminates any suspicion of charlatanism.

The circumstance involving the colonel that was supposed to be evoked gave us the hint to determine the session that those gentlemen attended. Since their names were not in the list of attendees it means that they utilized false names. This was very easy to confirm because the session on that day was private and only accessible to the members of the Society, and to which only four or five foreigners in visit to Paris had been exceptionally allowed. By sending us their true names our corresponding member reveals that they are the sons of a high commissioner of the Russian clergy.

“At 8pm last Friday we attended the session at the Spiritist Society. We arrived early; there wasn’t many members yet so that we were able to carefully examine the environment. A very large room contained several rows of chairs. Near one of the walls there was a table covered with a green cloth, surrounded by chairs that were to be occupied by the main members of the Society. On table there was a pile of blank paper with a number of sharpened pencils. Nothing else. Above the table there was the image of the blessed Savior.”

Such a detailed analysis, to the point of examining the papers, is very indiscrete from the part of persons that supposedly kind men admitted as a favor in a private place and in a meeting that has nothing of public. There isn’t absolutely nothing above the table. Near the table there is a statue of St. Louis, the spiritual President of the Society, wearing Kings’ garments, and that those gentlemen took by that of Christ.







“The walls were covered by singular paintings. I examined them in detail. The largest is an oil painting, representing a casket with chains falling around; an original site with fantastic plants surrounding the casket. A caption explains that the image was painted by Allan Kardec.”

That allegoric painting is the one we talked about in the Spiritist Review, 1862. There is no chain or plants of any kind. Below there is an explanatory note attached to the painting, saying: “Mediumistic painting. Allegoric image of the beginning and victory of Spiritism; painted by Mr. V…, young Pharmacy student, without any knowledge of painting. Lyon.” We do not know how come those gentlemen could see in those words that the painted was done by Allan Kardec. That gives a measure of the accuracy of their report and the confidence that the remaining deserves.

“Further away all kinds of paintings and drawings, I do not even know how to call them, done by several persons under the influence of the Spirits. I cannot tell you the impression that all those paintings had on me. I examined myself over again and concluded that I was calm at that time, cold blooded, so that the impression that those paintings had on me were independent of my imagination. The paintings or drawings show an INSOLITO set of lines, points, circles, an original gathering, without any resemblance of anything. All have a particular and common style, but entirely indefinable. One could say that there isn’t anything particular about those lines and points, however, they still leave a very unpleasant feeling, like that of a nightmare. In a word, those drawings are not like anything that you have ever seen and to me they are very unpleasant.”

That collection of mediumistic drawings contains: Mozart’s house, published in the Spiritist Review, August 1858, known by everybody; a head of Christ, done in Mexico, of a kind that is admired by the experts; another Christ, crowned with spokes, molded in clay at the Spiritist Society of Madrid, and of a remarkable execution; two incredible heads of women, of a Greek profile, drawn at the Spiritist Society of Constantinople; the portrait of sightseeing drawn with a pen by Mr. Jaubert, Vice President of the Court of Carcassone and that any renowned artist would sign, etc. These are the lines and the points that disturbed the eyes of those gentlemen in such an unpleasant and disgusting way. We would really be tempted to believe that a malignant Spirit fascinated them making them see everything upside down, turning their report picturesque.

“Finally, there are about seventy members of the Society gathered. Like in the true societies, they also have a secretary. They began by reading a chapter of the Gospel; then the minutes of the preceding session. I confess that I could not hear everything without taking risk. For example, in Lyon a Spirit was saying silly things because he had been excluded from the group of well-behaved Spirits. They then read the necrology of the Spiritist colonel that should be evoked during that session. Before, he had been a Saint-Simonianist. One of the attendees wanted to ask a few questions but the teacher stated that the others should not get involved with what not of their competence. I thought they would bring the device that was supposed to write but I was mistaken. Allan Kardec rang the bell and a young man with the appearance of a con man came from the adjacent room, ready in a word to say all kinds of memorized absurd for half of a ruble. We were told that he was a medium.”

Here is not only about inaccuracies. It is cynicism and lies. One only needs to mention such words to belie them. In France the authors would have been brought to the courts. Regarding inaccuracies we must only say that since the Society was established there has never been a bell in its office, and consequently, we could not have rung it. The ears of those gentlemen were vibrating like their eyes when they saw the drawings and the statue of St. Louis.

“The public, mostly old persons, was characteristic; almost half of them were mad people. The young ones were high and untidy, focused on the movements of the medium. Some were blind believers that would be a sin to laugh at them. One could only feel sorry for them.”

It seems that lying is a lesser sin. It is true that certain persons believe that any lie told with good intention is excusable. Well, staining Spiritism is an excellent motive to some.

“What did the Spirit respond? The Spirit responded by the chatting box of Mr. Allan Kardec that can be found in his books.”

The Spirit in question here is that of Mr. Bruneau, member of the Spiritist Society, former pupil of the Polytechnic Institute and colonel of the artillery, recently deceased. The minutes of his evocation can be found in the Spiritist Review, December 1864.

“Allan Kardec proposed the evocation of a Saint-Simonianist boy”.

There were eight mediums that day and not one at the table. Since we had just evoked Mr. Bruneau, that had been a Saint-Simonianist, and we had spoken about that doctrine, its former leader Père Enfantin, communicated spontaneously and without an evocation, through one of the mediums, and took part in the discussion. It was therefore Père Enfantin that the faithful reporter toke by a Saint-Simonianist boy.^[1]

“As for ourselves, we were as much bored as displeased with the type of people there. We stood up and left. That is how our Spiritist visit ended. Yet, I cannot say if it is deception or madness. But that is enough!

Paris, 9/21 November 1864”

The editor of the journal adds: “The person that provided us with those interesting letters finishes with this observation: - A conscious report of the witness is very important, although it cannot explain everything. That is why we believe the present summary to be useful to the keen believers in the communication with the Spirits.”

The thoughts that are brought up by events of such a nature are summarized in the following article.

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[1] Saint-Simonianism was a French political and social movement of the first half of the 19th century, inspired by the ideas of Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon (1760–1825)

New Tactics by the Adversaries of Spiritism.

Never has a philosophical doctrine of modern times caused as much emotion as Spiritism. Never has anyone of them been attacked as fiercely as Spiritism has. That is an evident proof that its vitality and more profound roots than the others have been acknowledged, since nobody takes a pickaxe to remove a little grass. Far from being scared by this, the Spiritists must rejoice for it is the demonstration of the importance and truthfulness of the doctrine. If it were just an ephemeral idea and without consistency, like a fly, it would not be attacked so viciously; if it were false it would be attacked with solid arguments that would have already been successful against it. Nonetheless, since none of the opposing arguments could have it stopped, it means that nobody found a hole on its armor. However, there has been no lack of will or talent from the part of the antagonists.

In this vast tournament of ideas where the past fights the future and whose battle field is the whole world, the grand jury is public opinion. It hears the pros and cons; it judges the means of attack and defense and comes out in favor of the one that provides the best reasons. If one of the two champions employs disloyal weapons, he is condemned in anticipation. Well, would there be more disloyal weapons than lies, calumny and treason? When someone reaches out to such means it is a self-proclamation of defeat by logic, and any cause that is reduced to such expedient is a lost cause; it will not be a man or a few men that will pronounce the sentence: it will be humanity, that the force of things and the conscience of good drag to what is more just and rational.

Observe in the history of the world if a single great and true idea has not always succeeded against anything that was tried to stop it. Spiritism shows us something new with that respect: it is the speed of propagation, second to none. That is speed is so significant that the adversaries were stunned; they attack with the blind rage of the combatant that lose their coolness and are hurt by their own weapons.

The struggle, however, is far from reaching its end. Much to the contrary, one needs to wait until it acquires greater proportions and another character. It would be very unusual and incompatible with the current state of humanity that a doctrine that carries the embryo of the whole regeneration would establish itself peacefully in a few years. Once more, let us not regret that. The tougher the fight the more brilliant the triumph. Nobody doubts that Spiritism grew out of the opposition that was brought upon it. Let that opposition exhaust its resources. It will grow even further when its weakness is revealed to everyone. The battle field of the recently born Christianity was restricted whereas that of Spiritism spreads all over the face of Earth. Christianity could not be muffled by the waves of blood; it grew through its martyrs, as did people’s freedom, because it was the truth. Spiritism, that is Christianity adequate to the development of intelligence, and free from the abuse, will grow in the same way under persecution, because it is also the truth.

Brute force is knowingly powerless against the Spiritist idea, even in countries where it is freely applied. Experience is there to demonstrate it. When the idea is compressed in one point it resurges all over the place. A general compression would lead to an explosion. Our adversaries, however, have not resigned. While waiting they appeal to another tactic, that is the quiet maneuvers.

They have tried many times and will try again to compromise the doctrine by leading it through a dangerous or ridiculous path to have it discredited. Today, spreading subliminal division and sparks of disagreement they expect to cast doubt and uncertainty in the minds, lead to true or simulated discouragement and provoke disturbance among the followers. But those that would act like that are not confess adversaries. Spiritism that has so many common points with Christianity must also has its own Judas so that it will also have the glory of coming out victorious of that trial. Money sometimes is the argument that replaces logic. Haven’t we seen a woman confessing having been paid 50 francs to simulate madness after having attended a single Spiritist session?

That is why and not without reason that we published an article about the false brothers, in the Spiritist Review, March 1863. The article did not please everybody and more than one wanted us to see more clearly and that we had the eyes of others opened, shaking our hand as a sign of approval as if we were the victims. Never mind! Our duty is to forewarn the sincere Spiritists against the traps that are set up to them. As for those that have alienated us and to whom those principles were too rigorous, with respect to this point as to several others, their sympathy was only superficial and not from the bottom of their heart, and we have no reason to waste our time with them. We have to deal with things that are much more important than their good or bad will towards us. The present is volatile and tomorrow it will no longer exist. To us, it is nothing. The future is everything to us and it is for the future that we work. We know that the true sympathies will follow us and those that serve any material interest or self-love do not deserve that name.

Anyone that places their point of view outside the narrow sphere of the present is no longer disturbed by the petty intrigues that agitate around. That is what we strive to do and it is what we advise to do those that want peace in this world. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, chap. II, item 5).

Like all new ideas, the Spiritist idea could not go without being exploited by people that never had any success in anything given their bad conduct or incompetence and are looking for something new, in hopes of finding a more productive and easier mine. If the success does not correspond to their expectations, they do not accept responsibility but attribute the lack of success to the idea that is then declared bad. These persons only utilize the name Spiritists. We saw such maneuvers better than anyone else, being the target of such exploitations many times, exploitations that we never wanted to support and for that did not grant us many friends.

Let us return to our subject. Spiritism, we repeat, still has to pass tough tests and it is there that God will recognize the true servants, by their courage, firmness and by their perseverance. Those that are shaken by fear or frustration are like those soldiers that only show courage in times of peace and that run away at the first shot. The greatest proof, however, will not be persecution but the conflict of ideas that will come and with which help they intend to break the phalanx of followers and the remarkable unity around the doctrine.

That conflict, although provoked out of ill-intention, may it come from men or bad Spirits, is nonetheless necessary and must bring momentary turmoil to some weak minds, and even if it causes transient disturbance to some, it will have as the definitive result the consolidation of the unity.

As in everything, one must not judge isolated points but look at the broad picture. It is useful that all ideas, even the most contradictories and eccentrics, may come out to day light; it leads to examination and judgement and if they are false, commonsense will a do them justice: they will forcibly fall before the decisive universal control, as have many others already. That was the great criterium that led to the current unity; that is what will conclude it because it is the crucible that must separate the good from the bad grain, and truth shall shine stronger when it is out, free from any attachment. Spiritism is still in ebullition; let then the foam come up to the surface and overflow and then depurate. Leave that to the adversaries the malevolent and puerile joy of blowing the fire to provoke such ebullition because they will unwillingly speed up its depuration and its triumph, and they themselves shall be burnt by their own fire. God wants everything to be useful to the cause, even what is done with the intention of harming it. Let us not forget that Spiritism is not complete. It has only planted the milestones, but to advance safely it must be done gradually, as the terrain is better prepared to receive it and consolidated enough to safely set foot there. The impatient ones that cannot wait the appropriate time compromise the harvest, as they do with the outcome of the battles.

There are certainly among the impatient ones those that are in good faith; they would like to see things moving even faster but they are like those creatures that believe to be able to advance time by advancing the clock. Others, not less sincere, are led by self-love to get there first; the sow before the season and only harvest aborted fruits. There are others, unfortunately, that push the car backwards, expecting to see it overturn.

It is understandable that certain individuals, that would like to have been the first ones, reproach us for having moved too fast; that others, for opposite reasons, censor us for moving slowly; but something that is less explainable, sometimes, is to see that double censorship carried out by the same individual, something that is not proof of much logic. If we are attacked for walking on the right or on the left that will not stop us and we will still move as we have done so far, following the guidelines traced to us, seeking the objective that we want to achieve at the end. We shall move forward or wait; we shall speed up our pace or delay it, according to the circumstances and not according to the opinion of this or that one.

Spiritism marches despite its numerous adversaries that were not capable of taking it down by force and now try to take it down by intelligence; they sneak in everywhere, with all kinds of masks and even in private gatherings, in hopes of spreading a rumor or a word that they many times have provoked and that they expect to exploit to their own benefit. Compromise Spiritism and make it ridiculous, that is the tactic that they believe will discredit it in the beginning for, later on, have a pretext to, if possible, stop its public exercise. That is the trap against which it is necessary to be vigilant because it is set up all around us and to which, unwillingly, follow hand in hand those that allow themselves to be led by the suggestion of deceiving and mystifying Spirits. The means of avoiding such maneuvers is to follow as close as possible the line of conduct traced by the doctrine; its moral teaching, its essential part, is unreachable; by practicing it one does not allow any unfounded criticism and the aggression becomes more hateful. Catching the Spiritists at fault and in contradiction would be a huge strike to its adversaries; just watch how much they do to accuse Spiritism of every aberration and eccentricity for which it could never be blamed. The doctrine is not ambiguous in any of its parts; it is clear, precise, categorical in the minimal details; it is only ignorance and ill-faith that can be mistaken about what the doctrine approves or condemn. It is therefore a duty of every devout and sincere Spiritist to repudiate and openly deauthorize, in their name, the abuse of any kind that may compromise the doctrine, so that it must not accept responsibility; going along with the abuse would be the same as being an accomplice and provide weapons to our adversaries.

Periods of transition are always difficult to go through. Spiritism is in that period; the more the followers are careful the less difficulties one will have to overcome it. We are at war; the enemy is out there, watching, ready to exploit the least misstep in their own benefit and ready to destroy everything if they can.

However, let us not raise suspicion hastily or lightheartedly and based on appearances that may be misleading. Moderation, in fact, is a duty of charity, even with respect to those that are against us. Nonetheless, sincerity will prevail, even in its mistakes, and falsehood can never simulate that because sooner or later they will show their face. God and the good Spirits allow it to be betrayed by its own actions. If a doubt crosses someone’s mind it must only be a reason for cautionary and civil attitude.

Varieties—Letter from Dante to Mr. Thiers.

With the title above, it reads in the Charivari:

“Florence, May 20^th, 1865

Dear Sir and Comrade,

I could not remain indifferent to the celebration parties that would be thrown on my behalf, and for that I requested an eight-day license period so that my shadow could come and attend the inauguration of a monument dedicated to me. It is then from Florence that I send you this letter, still moved by the ceremony that I have just witnessed. If I am at liberty of doing this, dear Sir and comrade, it is for the fact that I consider myself ready to provide you with useful information.

Although deceased five centuries ago, I never stopped following what happens and matters to the future of Italy, always with the same attention and patriotism. You know as much as I do how much pain that has brought to me, and how much my heart has been overloaded you can also have an idea…”

(This is followed by long reflections about the events in Italy and the opinions of Mr. Thiers. We do not publish it here for the double reason of being strange to our objectives and for the fact that politics is alien to the principles of this journal).

The letter ends like this:

“If, as I was told, you are supposed to travel to Italy, please visit Florence and come to talk a few minutes with my statue. It will have very interesting things to tell you.

Your sincerely, etc.”

Dante Alighieri

Faithful copy by: Pierre Véron

We doubt very much that Mr. Pierre Véron is sympathetic to the Spiritist idea, considering his several articles published in the Charivari.

One must not see, therefore, anything more than the product of imagination appropriate to the circumstance, unless the Spirit of Dante had come to dictate such a letter without the knowledge of the author. It is very witty for him not to deny it, but it can only be appreciated as a whole since it loses a lot when partitioned.

It was an ingenious thought to have the Spirit of Dante intervening is such occasion. Except for certain details, a Spirit would not have spoken differently. For us, there is no doubt that Dante attended that powerful manifestation, unless he is reincarnate, attracted by the strong evocation of a whole nation in one only thought. If the veil that hides the spiritual world to the eyes of the incarnate had been lifted, what a huge entourage of great men would have been seen, floating in space and mingled with the multitude, applauding the regeneration of Italy! What a great subject to a painter or a poet inspired by the Spiritist faith!