The Spiritist review — Journal of psychological studies — 1858

Allan Kardec

Back to the menu
Correspondence
Brussels, June 15th, 1858

Dear Mr. Allan Kardec,


I receive and eagerly read your Spiritist Review and recommend it to my friends, not the simple reading but an in depth study of your Spirits’ Book. I greatly regret the fact that my physical concerns do not allow me to spare the time for the metaphysic studies, although I had taken them far enough to feel how close you are to the absolute truth, particularly when I see the perfect agreement between the answers they give us – you and me. The spirits themselves who have personally given you the merit for the writings, remain astonished by the depth and logic of the texts. You have elevated yourself to the level of Socrates and Plato by the moral and esthetic philosophy. As for myself, who know the phenomenon and your loyalty, I do not doubt the accuracy of the explanations given to you and reject all ideas I have previously published about it with Mr. Babinet, when I thought that there was only physical phenomena or foolishness, unworthy of the scholars’ attention. Do not feel discouraged as I do not feel discouraged in the face of indifference of your contemporaries. What is written is written; what is sowed will germinate. The idea that life is a “sharpening” of the souls, a trial and expiation, is great, consoling, progressive and natural.

Those who embrace these facts are happy in all positions. Instead of lamenting the physical and moral sufferings that abate them, they must rejoice or at least withstand it all with a Christian resignation.

To be happy, flee the pleasure
Is the motto of the philosopher;
The effort we made to enter,
Costs more than the goods;
But it comes to us sooner or later, In a form of a surprise;
This is a lackluster game of chance, Worth ten thousand times the bet.

I hope to be in Paris soon where I have many friends and a lot to do but will leave it all to find you and shake your hand.

Jobard

Director of the Royal Museum of the Industry

Such clear, honest statements made by the notable Mr. Jobard is, incontestably, a precious conquest that all adepts of the Spiritist Doctrine will applaud. However, in our opinion, it is even of a greater value to publically recognize a mistake made and deny ideas already published in the past without pressure or interest, particularly when the truth has emerged. This is what one can call the true courage of opinion and more importantly when one holds a well-known name. That attitude is peculiar to the great characters that can remain above all prejudices. All men can be wrong but there is greatness in recognizing one’s own mistakes, whereas there is avarice in sustaining an opinion that one knows to be false, uniquely to show to the eyes of the common ones supreme infallibility. Such prestige could not deceive posterity which relentless removes all traps of pride. It is only posterity that founds reputation; only posterity has the right to inscribe in its temple: “This one was really great by the spirit and by the heart”. How many times has it not written also: “This great man was very small”.

The praises contained in the letter from Mr. Jobard would have prevented us from publishing it if they were addressed to us personally. As he recognizes, however, the work is by the spirits to whom we have only been the humble interpreter, all the credit belongs to them, and our modesty has nothing to suffer with a comparison which would only prove one thing: that this book could not have been dictated by anyone else but the spirits of a higher order.

In response to Mr. Jobard, we had asked him if he would allow us to publish his letter; at the same time we were assigned by the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies the task of offering him the title of honorary and corresponding member. Here is the answer he kindly sent us and that we are happy to reproduce:

Brussels, June 22nd, 1858.

My dear colleague,

You ask me, with spiritual circumlocutions, if I dare publicly confess my belief in spirits and perispirits, by allowing you to publish my letter, and if I accept the title of the Academy of Spiritualism that you founded, which would be, as they say, to have the courage of one’s opinions.

I confess to feel a little humiliated to see you employing the same formulas and the same phrases used with the fools, as you should know that my whole life has been dedicated to the support of the truth and to the testimony in its favor, whenever I found it, be it in Physics be it in Metaphysics. I know well that the role of the adept of the new ideas is not always free from inconveniences, even in the enlightened age, and that he can be ridiculed by saying that it is day light at noon, and the least risk is to be considered mad. However, as Earth rotates and noon’s light will shine for all, it is very necessary that the incredulous get to the evidence. It is also natural to hear the unbelievers denying the existence of the spirits as much as the existence of light is negated by those who are still deprived of their rays.

Is it possible to communicate with them? That is the whole issue. See and observe.

The fool always deny what he cannot understand;To him, wonder is a simple apparatus;
Knows nothing, wants nothing, learns nothing;Such is the trustworthy portrait of the incredulous.

I said to myself: Man is evidently double, as death unfolds him. When half stays here, the other half goes somewhere else and keeps its individuality. Spiritism is then in perfect agreement with the Scriptures, with the dogma and with the religion that believes so much in the bad spirits that exorcises them as well as in the good ones that they evoke. The “vade retro” and the “veni creator” give us a proof of that. Thus evocation is a serious thing and not a devils’ work or charlatanism as some think. I am curious. I deny nothing but I want to see. I did not say: bring me the phenomenon. I went after it, instead of waiting for it in my chair, according to an illogical tradition.

I made the following reasoning about magnetism, more than forty years ago: it is impossible that so honorable men write thousands of books to make me believe in the existence of an inexistent thing. Then I tried for long and in vain, while I did not have the faith to find what I wanted. But I was well rewarded for my perseverance, since I was able to reproduce all the phenomena I had heard about. Then I paused for 15 years. The tables had appeared and I wanted to have a clear idea. Now comes Spiritism and I act still in the same way.

Whenever something new shows up, I will rush with the same fervor that I employ to follow all modern discoveries. It is curiosity that drags me and I regret the fact that the savage are not curious, hence they remain savage. Curiosity is the mother of instruction.

I know well that this learning enthusiasm has caused me harm, and that had I remained in that respectable mediocrity which leads to honor and fortune I would have had my fair share; but long ago I told myself that I was only passing through this ordinary hostel where it is not worth to unpack. What made me painlessly withstand the adversities, the injustices and theft of which I was a privileged victim, was the idea that here there is no such a happiness or disgrace worthy of our joy or affliction.

I worked, worked, worked, and all that gave me the strength to fustigate my most bloodthirsty adversaries and imposed respect onto the others, as now I am happier and more peaceful than the persons who stole from me an inheritance of twenty million. I am sorry for them as I don’t envy their position in the spiritual world. If I regret that fortune it is not for me: I have no stomach to eat twenty million, but for the good that it has prevented me from doing. Similarly to a lever in the hands of a man who could handle it, what an impulse it could have given to Science and progress! Those who have fortune frequently ignore the true enjoyment they could provide themselves.

Do you know what is missing to quickly propagate the Spiritist Science? A rich man who would dedicate his fortune to that by pure devotion, not mixing pride and selfishness; a man would do things with greatness, without parsimony and stinginess. Such a man would make Science advance half a century. Why have I been deprived of the means of doing that?

Such a man will appear. Something tells me so. Honor him!

I saw the evocation of a living person who had syncope until the spirit returned. Evoke me to see what I am going to say. Evoke also the late Dr. Mure, who died in Cairo on June 4th. He was a great spiritist and a Homeopathic Physician. Ask him if he still believes in elves. He is certainly in Jupiter as he was a great spirit, even here on Earth; a true teaching prophet and my friend. Would he be happy with the eulogy I wrote to him?

You may say that this letter is too long but it is not so easy to have me as correspondent. I will read your latest book which I have just received. At first sight I do not doubt that you do well on destroying a lot of prejudices, hence you were able to show the serious side of the matter. The Badet case is very interesting. We shall talk about that later.

Yours truly,
Jobard.

Any comment would be superfluous. Everyone will easily appreciate the depth and sagacity that added to noble thoughts have placed the author in such a commended position among his contemporaries. We can feel honored for being crazy (according to the understanding of our adversaries) whenever we have such companions in misfortune.

To Mr. Jobard’s observation: “Is it possible to communicate with the spirits? That is the whole issue. See and observe.” we can add: The communications with the beings of the invisible world are neither a discovery nor a modern invention. Since the remotest antiquity they were practiced by men who were our masters in Philosophy and whose names we daily invoke as authorities. Why could this happen then and not today?

The following letter was addressed to us by one of our subscribers. As it contains an instructive part which may serve to the majority of our readers and since it is one more proof of the moral influence of the Spiritist Doctrine, we have the duty of publishing it in its totality, answering the questions it raises to everyone.

Bordeaux, June 24th, 1858.
“Dear Sir and Comrade in Spiritism,

You will certainly allow one of your subscribers and keenest readers to give you such a title, because this remarkable Doctrine must be a fraternal link among all those who understand and practice it.

In one of your previous issues you mentioned the notable drawings executed by Mr. Victorien Sardou, representing dwellings in Jupiter. Your description exacerbates in us the desire to get to know them. Can you tell us if that gentleman wishes to publish them? I have no doubt that it would be a success, considering the daily reach of the spiritist belief. It would be the necessary complement to such a seductive description given by the spirits about that happy planet.

I must say, dear sir, that about eighteen months ago we evoked, in our small and intimate circle, a former judge and our ancestor, who died in 1756, leading a life, which was the model of all virtues and a very superior spirit, although unnoticed in history. He said he was incarnated in Jupiter and gave us a moral teaching of remarkable wisdom, in total agreement with your precious Spirits’ Book. We naturally had the curiosity of requesting from him some information with respect to the state of the world that he inhabits, to which he responded with great benevolence. Now you may judge our surprise and our joy by reading in your Review a description absolutely identical of that planet, at least the outline, hence we took our questions to the same extents that you did. Everything is identical physically and morally, even relatively to the condition of the animals. Airborne dwellings were mentioned, fact not covered by you.

Considering that there were things that were difficult for us to understand, our relative added the following outstanding words: “It is not surprising that you cannot understand things that were not made for your senses, but as you advance in Science you will understand them better through your thoughts. They will no longer seem extraordinary to you. It is not far the time when you will receive more complete clarifications about this aspect. The spirits are assigned the task of instructing you about it and to give you an objective and to motivate you towards good.” On reading your description and the announcement of the drawings you have mentioned, we naturally thought that the time had come.

The incredulous will, no doubt, criticize that paradise of the spirits, as they criticize everything else, even immortality and the most sanctified things. I know well that nothing materially proves the truthfulness of that description but to those who believe in the existence and revelation of the spirits, wouldn’t such a coincidence bring reflection? We form an idea about countries that we have never seen by the description of the travelers, when there is coincidence among them. Why wouldn’t the same apply to the spirits? Is there anything in their description about Jupiter that denies reason? No. Everything is in agreement with the idea of more perfect existences. I will say more: it is in agreement with the Scriptures, as I will one day demonstrate. It seems so logical and consoling to me that it will be painful to renounce to the hope of inhabiting a fortunate world, where there is no evil, no envy, no enemies, neither selfishness nor hypocrisy. That is why I employ all my energy to deserve to move there. When in our small circles someone seems to have too material thoughts, we say: “Be careful otherwise you won’t go to Jupiter.” And we are happy to think that such a future is reserved to us, if not in the next phase at least in one of the following ones. Thank you my dear brother for having opened to us that new path of hope. As you had precious revelations about that world, you may have also had about the others that form our planetary system. Do you intend to publish them? This would form a very interesting set. Looking to the planets we would rejoice on thinking about the variety of beings that inhabit them; space would seem less empty to us. How can man, who believes in the power and wisdom of God, entertain the thought that these millions of globes are inert and lifeless bodies? That we are the only ones in this miniscule grain of sand which we call Earth? I will say that it is impiety. Such an idea saddens me. If that were true, I would see myself in a desert.

With all my heart, all yours,

Marius M.(retired)

The title that our honorable subscriber wanted to give us is very flattering so that we cannot be anything else but appreciative for his judgment by considering us worthy. Spiritism is in fact a fraternal link which must lead everyone that understands its essence to the practice of the true Christian charity, as it tends to eliminate the feelings of hatred, envy and jealousy that divide men. But that fraternity will not be the one of a sect; to be in perfect agreement with the Divine precepts of the Christ it should encompass the whole humanity, hence all men are children of God. If some are deviated, it commands that we feel sorry for them and prohibits that we hate them. “Love thy neighbor”, said Jesus. He did not say: “Love no one but those who think like you.” That is why when our adversaries throw a stone at us we should not return curses. Such principles will convert those who profess them into men of peace who will not find in chaos and in the practice of evil towards their neighbors the satisfaction of their passions.

The feelings of our honorable correspondent are impregnated by much elevation to persuade us that he understands fraternity, as it must be, in its broadest meaning.

We feel happy for the communication he promises us about Jupiter. The coincidence he indicates is not the only one, as we can see in the article about the subject. Well, whatever the opinion one might have regarding the issue, it is still a material for observation. The spiritual world is full of mysteries that need to be studied with great care. The moral consequences that our correspondent extracts from that are characterized by a logic that will not go unnoticed to anyone.

With respect to the publication of the drawings, several subscribers have indicated the same desire to us. The compilation, however, would be too extensive, as the reproduction by engraving would signify excessive thus impracticable costs. The spirits themselves had said that it was not yet time to publish them, maybe for that reason. Fortunately the difficulty has now being overcome. The drawing medium, Mr. Victorien Sardou, became an engraving medium, although he had never touched a chisel. Now he makes the drawings directly on copper, which will allow the direct reproduction without the support of any strange artist. Hence the financial issue was minimized so that we will be able to provide a remarkable proof in our next number, followed by a technical description which he will kindly write, according to the documentation provided by the spirits. There are a large number of drawings that later will form a true atlas. We know another drawing medium by which the spirits produce not less curious drawings about another world. Regarding the state of the several known globes we have general teachings about some and a few details about others. We have not yet established a convenient time for its publication.

ALLAN KARDEC

Related articles

Show related items