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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1860 > February
February
Bulletin of the Parisian Society of Spiritist StudiesFriday, December 30th, 1859
(Private Session)
Minutes of the December 23rd session were read.
The Society decides that in every private session, following the reading of the minutes, the list containing the names of participants of the preceding general session will be read, with an indication of the regular members who have introduced them, and that an exhortation shall be made to point out the inconveniences caused by persons strange to the Society. Hence the list with the names of the attendees of the previous session was read.
(Private Session)
Minutes of the December 23rd session were read.
The Society decides that in every private session, following the reading of the minutes, the list containing the names of participants of the preceding general session will be read, with an indication of the regular members who have introduced them, and that an exhortation shall be made to point out the inconveniences caused by persons strange to the Society. Hence the list with the names of the attendees of the previous session was read.
These are the newly admitted regular members, as from written request
and verbal report:
1st – Mr. Forbes from London, Engineer officer, who was introduced
on December 16th.
2nd – Mrs. Forbes, born Countess Passerini Corretesi, from
Florence, introduced on December 16th *
3 rd – Mr. Soive, a businessman from Paris, introduced on
December 23rd. ** 4th – Mr. Demange, a businessman from Paris, introduced on
December 23rd.
Reading of three new letters requesting admission. Report and decision
adjourned to January 6th.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Letter from Mr. Brion Dorgeval, with the answer sent to Mr. Oscar Comettant, regarding an article from the latter published in the Siècle (see January issue of the Review).
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Letter from Mr. Brion Dorgeval, with the answer sent to Mr. Oscar Comettant, regarding an article from the latter published in the Siècle (see January issue of the Review).
2nd – Letter received from Mr. Jobard, from Brussels, with fair
observations about the moral state of the spirits. He regrets the fact
that the adepts of Spiritism are generally designated by their initials.
He believes that more explicit indications would contribute to the
progress of the Science. As a consequence he invites all adepts to sign
their names, as he does himself (see the January issue).
This last observation from Mr. Jobard is strongly endorsed
by a large number of members, who authorize to mention their
names in all references related to them.
Mr. Allan Kardec states that the fear for what is going to
be said diminishes daily and that there are only a few people
these days that would be afraid of confessing their opinion about
Spiritism. The bad taste epithets given to them become ridiculous
common place, laughed at when so many people from the
elites associate their names to the Doctrine, and one can already
foresee the time when the force of opinion will impose silence to
sarcasm. However, it is one thing to have the courage of opinion in conversations and another thing is to cast their names publicly.
Among the persons who sustain the cause of Spiritism with
more energy there are many who don’t like to have their names
in evidence, for that very reason, rather than anything else. Such
scruples, which don’t imply lack of courage, must be respected.
When extraordinary facts take place anywhere it is understandable
that it would not be very pleasant to the persons involved
to become a target of public curiosity and bothered by the unwelcome.
We should undoubtedly be grateful to those who are
above such prejudices but we should not lightheartedly censor
those who have very legitimate reasons not to expose themselves.
STUDIES:
1st – Questions addressed to St. Louis about the spirits who preside
over the flowers, regarding the communication received by
Mrs. B… An interesting explanation will be published on the
subject.
2nd – Other questions were framed about the spirit of the
animals.
3rd – Two spontaneous and simultaneous communications:
the first one by the Spirit of Truth, through Mr. Roze, with some
advices to the Society; the second, by Fénelon, through Ms. Huet.
Friday, January 6th, 1860
(Private Session)
Minutes of the December 30th session were read.
The following were admitted as regular members after written requests
and verbal report:
1st – Mr. Ducastel, a property owner from Abbéville, introduced
on December 30th.
2nd – Mrs. Deslandes, from Paris, introduced on December 30th.
3rd – Mrs. Rakowska, from Paris, introduced on December 30th.
A request for admission was read.
Letter received from Mr. Poinsignon, from Paris, congratulating the
Society over the New Year’s celebration, and wishing it well for the propagation
of Spiritism.
A letter recently received from Mr. Demange, thanking for his admission.
He ensures the Society about his active cooperation.
Analysis of several issues related to the administrative business of the
Society.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – News received about D. Péra, a prior from Armilly who died
30 years ago. A study shall be carried out about that.
2nd – Letter from Mr. Lussiez, from Troyes, with judicious
reflections about the moralizing influence of Spiritism over the
working classes.
3rd – Letter received from Mrs. P…, from Rouen, informing
to have received remarkable communications, as a medium, in
total agreement with The Spirits’ Book. Besides, the letter contains
reflections which indicate a very healthy appreciation of the
spiritist ideas from the part of the author.
4th – Letter received regarding Ms. Désirée Godu, a healing
medium from Hennebon. It is a known fact that Ms. Godu’s
work is that of devotion and pure philanthropy.
STUDIES:
1st – Several questions addressed to St. Louis for clarification and
development of earlier communications.
2nd – Ms. Dubois, medium and regular member of the Society,
having received a communication from a spirit who calls himself Chateaubriand, requests clarification. Another spirit communicates
with that very name, refusing identification in the name of
God. Confesses his fraud, apologizes and gives curious information
about his life. Then, the true Chateaubriand gives a brief and
spontaneous communication, promising a more elaborated one
in due course.
Friday, January 13th, 1860
(General Session)
Reading of the minutes from the January 6th, session.
Reading of three new requests for membership. Analysis and report
adjourned to the January 20th session.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Letter from Mr. Maurice, from Tell, Ardèche, reporting
extraordinary facts which took place in a house in Fons, near
Aubenas, and that somehow resemble those which happened in
Java.
2nd – Letter from Mr. Albert Ferdinand, from Beziers, reporting
three remarkable personal facts which demonstrate the physical
action that the spirits may exert upon certain mediums.
3rd – Letter from Mr. Crozet, from Havre, a corresponding
member of the Society, informing about a communication received
jointly with Mr. Sprenger, from a mockery spirit. That
spirit, a Navy captain deceased six months prior, explains with
remarkable accuracy and lucidity the tricks of the “besigue”
card game, indicating how the players may win or lose (to be
published).
4th – The spirit of a dancer. Mr. and Mrs. Netz, members of
the Society, since some time now receive communications from
a spirit that shows up dancing constantly, that is, making a table
dance, following the perfectly recognizable rhythm of a polka, a mazurka, a square dance, a waltz in two or three tempos, etc. He
never wanted to write, only responding through raps. He even
said through such a means that he was Peruvian, native Indian,
deceased 56 years ago at the age of 35; that really enjoyed drinking
“spirits” when alive, and who now attends public balls where
he has a lot of fun. He never comes to communicate before 10 pm
and only on certain days. He says that he communicates through
Mrs. Netz but he cannot do it without the support of Mr. D…,
a medium of physical effects, thus he needs both present at the
same time. Therefore, Mr. D… had never attracted him to his
house and Mrs. Netz cannot do it if she is alone.
5th – Reading of a spontaneous communication sent by Mr.
Rabache, from Bordeaux, in continuation of those published under
the title “Family advices”.
6th – Mrs. Forbes reads three spontaneous communications
received by her husband about filial love, paternal love and patience.
Those communications, remarkable by their high morality
and simplicity of language, may be classified in the category
of intimate advices.
STUDIES:
1st – The spirit from Castelnaudary was evoked, who had already
been evoked on December 9th. See the complete report under the
title “Story of a naughty spirit”.
2nd – Evocation of the dancer spirit. He does not wish to write
but raps the rhythm of several rhythms with the pencil, agitating
the medium’s arm in synchronism. St. Louis gives some explanations
about his character and confirms the preceding information.
3rd – Questions about the manifestations of Fons, near
Aubenas. The answer is that there is something truthful about
the facts, but they should not be accepted unconditionally and
that we should prevent against exaggeration above all.
4th – Evocation of D. Péra, prior of Armilly. He provides important
details about his situation and character.
5th – Two spontaneous communications: the first through
Mr. Roze, from a spirit named Estelle Riquier who had led an
unworthy life, failed her duties as a mother and wife; the second
through Mr. Forbes, containing advices about rage.
Friday, January 20th, 1860
(Private Session)
Reading of the minutes of the January 13th session.
Following the written request and verbal reports, the following persons
are admitted as regular members:
1st – Mr. Kratzoff, from Saint Petersburg, introduced on January
13th.
2nd – Mr. Julien, from Belfort, High-Rhine, introduced on
January 13th.
3rd – Mr. Count Alexander Stenbock Fermor, from Saint
Petersburg, introduced on January 6th.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Reading of a spontaneous communication received by
Mr. Pécheur, member of the Society.
2nd – New details about the dancer spirit. Mrs. Netz, writing
medium, having questioned another spirit, received more
information, among them the fact that he was very rich when
alive; that he died in a hunting accident, when completely alone.
Having questioned the dancer spirit about these facts and with
the support of the other medium, she obtained identical answers
through knocks. Behold, Mrs. Netz had not communicated the
first written answers to the other medium. On another hand, she is not the one operating as a medium now. Besides, she had formulated
the questions insidiously, possibly leading to adverse answers.
Hence there was independence of thoughts from one side
to the other, and the agreement of the answers is a characteristic
fact. Another equally curious fact is that the dancer’s favorite medium
one day was taken by involuntary movements in the streets,
making him walk rhythmically. If he wanted to resist he could
stop those movements but as long as he let go, his legs would follow
the flair of a dancer. It was nothing much ostensive, sufficient
to call other people’s attention. This leads to the understanding
that spirits of different orders and not so much well meaning, like
the spirit that just wanted to have fun, could produce more violent
movements over certain human bodies, similar to those seen
in the convulsive and jerky persons.
3rd – Report of a spontaneous communication from the spirit of
a living person, made by Mr. G…, a writing medium, given to him
personally. The spirit described circumstantial details completely ignored
by the medium, whose accuracy was verified. Mr. G… did
not know that person, having seen him only once during a visitation
and never again. He only knew his family name. Well, the spirit
also signed his name, perfectly correct. Such circumstance, added
to other indications of time and place given by the spirit, constitute
evidence of identity. Mr. Count de R… comments that such kind
of communications may sometimes entail some indiscretion, asking
if the person involved would be happy if aware of the conversation.
The following answers were given:
1 – If the communicating person came in spirit it was out of
their own will, considering that Mr. G… was not thinking of him
and did not call him;
2 – Once detached from the body the spirit has free-will, only
responding to what they wish to;
3 – In such a state the spirit is more sensible than in the waking
state, since the spirit sees the reach of things in a broader way.
If that spirit had seen any inconvenience in his words he would
not have said that;
4th – Reading of a communication from Lyon, addressed to
the Society, saying among other things:
“The transformation of humanity is prepared by the incarnation
of better spirits on Earth, those who will form a new generation,
dominated by the love of good; that the wicked people who
keep their eyes closed to the light will reincarnate with a new
phalanx of simple and ignorant spirits, sent by God to the works
of formation of a new world, inferior to planet Earth. They will
not be able to meet their brothers and sisters from Earth but only
after hard work through which they will then reach their level, after
this generation is passed, because the bad spirits will not have
the right to witness such beautiful transformation.”
Mr. Theubet observes that the communication apparently
blesses the principle of a backwards march, contrary to everything
that has been taught.
A long and profound discussion is then established. It can
be summarized as follows: The spirit may fall from the current
position but not with respect to the acquired knowledge and virtues.
The principle of non-retrogress must be understood from
the moral and intellectual standpoint, that is, the spirit cannot
lose what has already been acquired in intelligence and morality
and would not return to the state of spiritual infancy. In other
words, the spirit cannot become more ignorant or worse than before,
fact that does not preclude the spirit from incarnating in a
tougher and inferior position and among more ignorant spirits,
if deserved. A very inferior spirit who would reincarnate among
a civilized people would be out of place and would not be able
to keep up with his class. Returning to the savage in a new existence
such a spirit would only be recovering his own position,
which could have been left a bit too early, but the ideas acquired
during his passage among the enlightened people would not be lost. The same must happen to those individuals who are going
to support the formation of a new world. Finding out of place in
a better Earth they shall then move to a world compatible with
their moral state.
STUDIES:
1st – A black person from the ship Constant is evoked; he had
already been evoked on September 30th, 1859. He gives new explanations
about the circumstances that followed his death.
2nd – Three spontaneous communications: the first from
Chateaubriand, through Mr. Roze; the second from Plato, through
Mr. Colin; the third from Charlet, through Mr. Didier junior, in
continuation of his work about the nature of the animals.
_______________________________________
* The original shows December 23rd as the introduction date but the correct date is
December 16th, according to the respective minutes (see the January 1860 issue) – (NT).
** The original shows December 16th as the introduction date but the correct is December 23rd, according to the respective minutes (see the January 1860 issue) – (NT).
** The original shows December 16th as the introduction date but the correct is December 23rd, according to the respective minutes (see the January 1860 issue) – (NT).
Globule Spirits
The desire to see the spirits is a very natural thing and we know only a
few people who would not like to have such a faculty. Unfortunately
it is one of the scarcest, particularly the permanent one. The spontaneous
apparitions are very frequent but accidental, and almost always motivated
by a totally personal circumstance, based on the relationships that might
have existed between the person that sees and the spirit that shows up.
One thing is to serendipitously see a spirit and another is to see them
habitually and under normal, ordinary conditions. Well, as a matter of
fact, that is what constitutes the faculty of the clairvoyant mediums. It
results from a special aptitude whose cause is still unknown, and that can
be developed but which would be hopelessly provoked in case there is no
natural predisposition. Thus, it is necessary to remain vigilant against the
illusions which can be originated from the desire of having such a faculty,
and which have given place to so many strange systems. We must fight
the scaring theories since these have been the reason for the attacks to the
manifestations, particularly when those theories demonstrate ignorance
with respect to the facts, as much as we must try to destroy ideas which
indicate more enthusiasm than thought, and that for this very reason do
more harm than good by being exposed to ridicule.
The theory of the visions and apparitions is perfectly understood today.
We have developed it in several articles particularly in the December
1858 and February and August 1859 issues of the Review and in our The Mediums’ Book, or experimental Spiritism. We shall not repeat it here but
will remind a few essential points only, before coming to the analysis of
the globule spirits system.
The spirits may be seen in several ways, being the human form the
most common. Their apparition generally happens under a misty and
diaphanous form, sometimes vague and not well defined. It often starts
from a whitish spark whose boundaries are gradually delineated. On other
occasions the lines are more accentuated and the tiniest details of the face
are drawn with such an accuracy which allows their exact description. On
those occasions a painter could portray them as easily as done with a living
person. The attitude and looks are the same that the spirit had when
alive. Since the spirit may give any appearance to the perispirit, which is
the ethereal body, the spirit may show up under the appearance in which
they are more easily recognizable. Therefore, although the spirit no longer
carries any disease which they might have endured as a living person, the
spirit may appear limping, limbless or hunchback if that is considered
suitable for identification. As for their outfit these are generally made of
some sort of floating tunics, at least that is the appearance of the superior
spirits who keep nothing of the worldly things. However, the vulgar spirits,
our acquaintances, almost always wear the type of clothes that they
wore in the last period of their lives. They frequently show the typical
traits of their social classes. The superior spirits always show a beautiful,
noble and serene face whereas the inferior spirits have a vulgar physiognomy,
a mirror which reflects the more or less ignoble passions that moved
them. They sometimes even show traces of their crimes or sufferings. A
remarkable thing is the fact that, exception made to some particular circumstances,
the least defined areas are the inferior limbs while the head,
arms and chest are always clearly outlined.
We said that the apparition has something of diaphanous, despite its
distinctiveness. In some cases one can compare them to the image reflected
on a mirror without tin, which does not preclude us from seeing
the objects behind it. That is how the clairvoyants commonly see them.
They see the spirits come and go, circulate around the living ones, giving the impression, at least the vulgar spirits, that they take active part into
what happens around them, listening and showing interest for what is
being discussed, depending on the subject. Sometimes they can be seen
approaching people, whispering ideas, influencing them, consoling or
showing happiness or sadness, depending on the result. In short, it is the
replica or the reflex of the corporeal world, with its passions, vices or
virtues, many virtues which our material nature would hardly allow us
to understand. Such is this occult world that populates the space that surrounds
us, in which we live unsuspectedly, as we live among the myriads
of the microscopic world.
However, it can also be that the spirit takes an even more distinct
shape with all traces of a solid human body, to the point of producing
a complete illusion and make believe that one is before a corporeal being.
Finally, the tangibility may become real, that is, such body may be
touched; its resistance may be felt and even its temperature, as if from an
animated body, despite the fact that it may disappear with the speed of
light. Although the apparition of these beings, designated by the name
agénères, is very rare, it is always accidental and of short duration. They
could not become habitual guests of a house under such appearance.
It is a well-known fact that among the exceptional faculties irrefutably
demonstrated by Mr. Home there was the appearance of tangible hands,
which can be touched on one side and on the other those hands can hold,
grab and even leave impressions on the skin. We say that the tangible
apparitions are very rare but the ones which occurred lately confirm and
explain those recorded by History, relatively to persons which showed
up after death, showing the same appearance as their corporeal form. As
a matter of fact, however extraordinary such phenomena may seem, the
supernatural aspect disappears as long as the explanation is known and it
is then clear that far from being a derogation of the natural laws, the apparitions
are their application.
When the spirits take the human form it is impossible to be mistaken.
That is not the case when they take other appearances. We will not discuss
certain terrestrial images reflected by the atmosphere, which have fed the superstition of ignorant people, but of some other effects about which
even educated people could be mistaken. That is precisely when we have
to be vigilant against the illusion, avoiding exposing ourselves by taking
some purely natural physical phenomena by spirits.
The air does not always present a perfect cleanness, and there are situations
in which the molecular currents and agitation produced by heat are
perfectly visible. The agglomeration of these particles forms small masses
which seem to navigate in space, giving rise to the singular system of spirits
in the form of globules. The cause of such appearance is in the air but it
can also be in the eye. The vitreous humor has imperceptible spots which
may have lost their transparency. These spots are like opaque bodies in
suspension, following the liquid’s motions and undulation. They produce
the effect of small discs in the air and at a distance, due to the phenomenon
of refraction and amplification, varying from 1 to 10 millimeters in
diameter. We saw people absorb those discs by familiar spirits that followed
them everywhere, and they saw figures in the nuances of the optical
formations, out of their own enthusiasm. A simple observation carried out
by these persons will bring them back to the terrain of reality. Those discs
or medallions, they say, not only follow them but track all their moves:
they show up on the right, on the left, up and down, or stop, according to
the motion of the head. Such coincidence proves by itself that the seat of
the appearance is in us and not outside, further demonstrated by the fact
that the wavy like movements are always within a certain angle; however,
as they do not follow the sudden changes in the line of sight, it gives the
impression that they have certain independence. The cause of that effect
is very simple. The opaque or semi-opaque spots of the vitreous humor,
primary cause of the phenomenon as we said, are kept in suspension, with
a constant tendency to drop down. When there is an upward movement
it is because they were required by the ascending motion of the eye; at
that point if the eye stays put the disc is seen to slowly move downwards
and then stop. It has extreme mobility since an imperceptible motion of
the eye is sufficient to make it sweep the full angle of sight, in the region
where the image is projected.
The same can be said about the sparks sometimes produced in more
or less compact rays, by the contraction of the muscle of the eye, which
are likely due to the phosphorescence or natural electricity of the iris,
since these are generally limited to the circular circumference of the organ.
Similar illusions cannot arise but from an incomplete observation.
Those who have seriously studied the nature of the spirits by all means
given by the practical science will understand how puerile these illusions
are. If those airy globules were spirits we would have to acknowledge that
they would be reduced to a purely mechanical role, considering that they
are intelligent and free beings, a role which would be painfully boring to
inferior spirits, let alone the idea that we have about the superior spirits.
The only signs that may really ensure the presence of the spirits are
the intelligent ones. As long as the images which we have just mentioned
above have not demonstrated independent, spontaneous movements,
even if with a human form, we are only seeing physiological or optical
phenomena. The same observation applies to all kinds of manifestations,
particularly the noises, raps, and any uncommon motion of inert bodies,
which can be produced by a thousand and one reasons. We repeat: while
an effect is not intelligent on its own and independent from people’s intelligence,
we must examine it twice before attributing it to the spirits.
Special Mediums
Experience daily demonstrates how large the variety of the mediumship
faculty is. However, it also proves that the multiple nuances of
that faculty are due to special and not yet defined gifts, abstraction made
of the quality and knowledge of the manifesting spirit. The nature of
the communication is always relative to the spirit’s nature, bearing the
hallmark of their elevation or inferiority, their knowledge or ignorance.
However, having equal merit from a hierarchical point of view, there is
an incontestable tendency to dedicate to one thing, rather than the other.
For example, the rapping spirits are almost never away from the physical
manifestations and those who give intelligent manifestations are poets,
musicians, painters, moralists, doctors, wise spirits, etc. We speak of a
middle order of spirits, because when the spirits arrive at a certain level the
skills merge in the unity of perfection. Nevertheless, besides the skills of
the spirit, there is the medium who is more or less an adequate instrument
to the spirit, more or less flexible, to whom the medium offers particular
qualities which we cannot appreciate.
Let us make a comparison: a skillful musician has several violins in
hand which are all good to the public but among which the seasoned
artist sees a great difference; he detects nuances of subtle delicacy which
lead him to pick some and reject others, nuances which he understands
out of pure intuition and that he cannot define. The same happens to the
mediums: among mediums of similar qualities regarding the mediumistic strength, the spirit will prefer this one to the other, according to the type
of communication they want to give. Thus, for example, we see people
writing remarkable poetry as mediums although under ordinary circumstances
they could never write a single verse. Others who are poets, on
the contrary only write prose, despite their wishes. The same applies to
painting, music, etc. There are mediums that without having scientific
knowledge have a very special skill to receive scientific communications;
others to receive historical studies; others operate as interpreters to moralizing
spirits. In short, whatever the flexibility of the medium, the communications
that are more easily received have a particular characteristic.
There are some that even stay close to a given circle of ideas and when they
move away from that circle we then have incomplete, terse and sometimes
false communications. In addition to the medium’s skills, the spirits still
communicate more or less voluntarily through this or the other medium,
according to their sympathies. Thus, despite the equality of skills, the
same spirit will be much more elaborated through certain mediums, by
the simple fact that it is more convenient to them.
It would therefore be a mistake to think that just because there is a
medium that writes very easily that one can obtain good communications
of all kinds through his mediumship. The first condition to obtain good
communications is, no discussion there, to be sure about the source of
the communication, that is, about the qualities of the spirit who transmit
them, but it is not less necessary to be aware of the qualities of the
instrument that is offered to the spirit. Hence, it is necessary to study the
nature of the medium as one studies the nature of the spirit since these
are the two essential elements to obtain satisfactory results. A third condition,
representing an equally important role, is the intention, the intimate
thought, the more or less worthy feeling of the person that interrogates
the spirit. And that makes sense. A good communication can only proceed
from a good spirit. In order to transmit such communication the
spirit requires a good medium. Then a suitable objective is needed so that
the spirit may wish to transmit it. The spirit that can read our thoughts,
judges if the question deserves an answer and if the person who frames the question is worthy of receiving that answer. Otherwise the spirit will
not waste any time by sowing good seeds on stones, and it is then that the
joker spirits and the spirits of levity have fun, since they have no compromise
with the truth and are not very courteous and generally show little
scruples regarding the ends and the means.
From the above, it is clear that there must be spirits specially involved,
by their likes or reason, with alleviating the sufferings of humanity, and
that simultaneously there must be mediums that are more capable than
others to operate as their intermediaries. Well, since those spirits act exclusively
for the general well-being, they must seek certain moral qualities in
their interpreters, besides the skills which may be considered physiological,
among which are the highest devotion and altruism. Greed has been
and will always be a reason for rejection from the good spirits and a cause
of attraction to the others. Will common sense accept that the good spirits
would engage into all sorts of machinations of material interest, being at
the services of the first one to show up with the intention of exploiting
them? The spirits do not want to be exploited, whoever they may be, and
if some seem to agree, even anticipating certain mundane wishes, they
almost always have the intention of carrying out a mystification which
will make them laugh later, like someone who would laugh after having
tricked very credulous people. As a matter of fact, it is useful that some
people may burn their fingers so that they may learn that one should not
make fun of serious things.
Such is the case that we must speak about, one of those privileged mediums
that the healing spirits seem to have taken as their direct protégé.
Ms. Désirée Godu, a resident of Hennebon, in Morbihan, who enjoys a
truly remarkable faculty, in all aspects, that she utilizes with the keenest
abnegation. We have already mentioned a few words in a report of the
sessions of the Society, but the importance of the issue deserves a special
article, that we will have the pleasure of dedicating to her in our next
number. Keeping aside the interest on the study of every rare faculty, we
shall always consider the promotion of goodness as our duty and it is only
fair to those who do it.
Bibliography - Countess Mathilde de Canossa
This is the title of a legendary romance published in Rome in 1858, by
Rev. Father Bresciani, from the Company of Jesus,* author of The Jew
of Verona. The subject of the book is the story of the former Canossa family,
in the style of Walter Scott. That is why the author dedicated the book
to the current descendent from that renowned family, the Marquis Otavio
de Canossa, potentate of Verona and valet of H.M. Emperor of Austria.
The events take place in the middle ages. The witches and wizards represent
great roles in the story and the demoniac scenes are described with
such an accuracy which would make the Scottish romancers jealous. The
author seems less accurate to us in his appreciation of the modern spiritist
phenomena of the talking tables, of magnetism and somnambulism.
Well, here is what can be read in its Chapter X, page 170:
“More than one of my readers, and probably the majority of them,
could be surprised by seeing all these devilish apparatuses in the preceding
chapters, all the exorcism, witchcraft, hallucinations, and fantastic
outbreaks which would fit well in the late night stories and wet-nurse
tales.”
“Who would still believe these days in necromancers, witches, enchantments,
fascination, potions, and dealings with the devil? Would you
be willing to return to the fairy tales from Martin del Rio,** the gauche
superstitions of the people and the ghetto ladies, from legends which give
the shivers to the chubby peasants who fear the headless mule and keep
the chicken boys awake, in the name of the werewolf? Really, my friend,
this is the time to get rid of these futilities. That is somehow the language
that I seem to hear.”
“I will respond to that before neglecting old beliefs, everyone must
question their own conscience, frankly asking if one is not at least as
much credulous as any of one’s predecessors. Let us make no mistake:
what is the meaning of this swarm of magnetizers, mediums, dancing,
speaking and prophetic tables; somnambulists who see through the walls,
reading through their elbows, who see before them something that is done
twenty, thirty and forty miles away; who read and write without knowing
the alphabet; that not knowing a single word in medicine, describe
pathological cases, indicating their causes and prescribing the medication,
in the right dose, with all Greek-Arabic terms of the scientific vocabulary?
What are those interrogatories of spirits; those answers of dead and buried
people; those prophecies of future events? Who evokes those shadows?
Who makes them speak? Who allows them to see a non-existent future?
Who leads them to blaspheme against God, against the saints from heavens,
against the sacraments of the Church?”
“Now brave people, speak up! Why these distorted and nervous
looks? – Ah! You shall end up telling me, who knows! Mysteries of nature,
unknown laws, power of lucidity, occult sense of the human body!
Subtleness of the magnetic fluid, of the nervous influx, of the optical and
acoustic waves; secret virtues excited by electricity or magnetism in the
brain, blood, muscle fibers, in all vital components; supreme power and
strength of will and imagination.”
“My friends, these are foolish things, meaningless words, empty
phrases, ambiguous deviations, enigmas which you don’t understand
yourselves. The whole difference between us and our predecessors is that
to deny one mystery we forge a hundred of others. While a cat was a cat,
and devil the devil to those good people, we have the pretension of accrediting
nature with powers that nature does not have and cannot have.”
“Our elders, wiser and more sincere, would straight forwardly say that
there were supernatural events and very honestly associated them to the
devil. However, less familiar than we are with the natural phenomena,
they have sometimes and undoubtedly taken for a prodigious effect when
they are in the natural order of things, whereas our contemporary, much
more enlightened, cannot see in a good number of charlatanism from the
magnetizers mysterious effect of the secret laws of nature, and the really
diabolic events as nothing more than magic tricks, more or less subtle.”
“However, the better Christians of the good old times knew very
well that the bad spirits, evoked through certain signs, conjurations,
certain pacts, would show up, answer questions, hallucinating imagination,
impressing people in a thousand ways, and particularly doing
as much harm as possible to those who would speak to them.
You must then confess, in good faith, that even in our days, and in a
larger number than before, we have our necromancers, charmers and
witches, with the difference that our ancestors were horrified by all
that witchcraft; that these were secretly practiced in the darkness of
the caves, in the forests, and that many would regret and then confess,
seeking penance. In our days, instead, they are openly practiced in the
gorgeous theaters of gold and lights, before curiosity, in the presence
of young ladies, children and their mothers, without any scruple, thus
frequently making fun of the superstitions of the middle ages.”
“Believe me. Human beings have wished to deal with the devil at all
times, and that astute spirit conforms to all transformations, although
people would not send him back to the abyss, feeding some sort of commerce.
In the former centuries of idolatry he was with the oracles and
foretellers; he would appear under the form of a dove, magpie, rooster, snake, and even sang fatidic songs. In the middle ages he used to show
up pedantically to the barbarians, under terrible disguises and after monstrous
conjurations.”
“If sometimes he would diminish himself to the point of finding
dwelling in someone’s hair, in little flasks, in potions drunk by the lovers
and given by the witches, he would still inspire great horror. Today,
instead, he is given to civilizing the century. He enjoys the elegant world,
the lively soirees, frequently sleeping over with the somnambulists, using
the planchettes to write. In reality, isn’t he kind? He is careful not to
scare anyone; he dresses like the Americans, the English, the Parisians, the
Germans; he is really kind, with his beard and fine Italian mustache; he is
the real deal of the theaters and it would be really awkward if he did not
present an irreproachable distinction. Behold! He has become such a good
apostle that he talks politely to that lady who still goes to the mass and
if she was told: “- Watch out! There are things which are not natural and
could not be natural. There is something of treacherous in it. The good
Christians do not get into that!” – She would laugh at you and respond
with an air of superiority: “- What the hell! All that is very natural; I am
Christian too but not stupid.”
“Meanwhile, given a proper occasion, he will magnetize your twenty
year old daughter, and out of her magnetic intuition, make her foretell
distant facts and secrets of the future.”
“I leave you to that and to think if that naughty devil is not laughing
his head off at that good Christian!”
We leave to the readers the task of assessing the judgment passed by
Father Bresciani. You will, like us, uselessly look for authoritative arguments
against the spiritist ideas or any demonstration of untruthfulness
of those ideas. He no doubt thinks that those ideas deserve no refutation
and that a breath is sufficient to destroy them. However, it seems to us
that similarly to most adversaries, he arrives to a consequence in opposition
to his expectations, since he does not unequivocally demonstrate
that those things are not possible. Considering that Father Bresciani is
a man of undisputed talent and superior instruction we think that since his objective was to combat the spirits, he should have gathered the most
lethal weapons against them, from what we conclude that if he does not
say much against them the fact is that he has nothing else to say; that if
he does not give proofs it is because he has none to oppose to those ideas,
otherwise he would not have left them in his back pocket.
In all that argumentation, the mostly ridiculed are not the spirits but
the devil himself, who is treated a bit too much gentlemanly, and not like
something that is taken seriously. We are then forced to believe, before
such a polished style, that the author does not believe in the devil more
than in spirits. However, if he is the only agent of all manifestations, as
intended, then it is necessary to acknowledge that he represents a more
entertaining than frightening role, being much more capable of exciting
curiosity than fear. As a matter of fact, up until now this is the result of
everything that has been said and written against Spiritism. Thus, it has
done us more service than harm.
According to the majority of the critics, the fact of the manifestations
has no relevance. It is a short living mania, a game, and the author does not
seem to have faced it in a more serious way. If that is the case, why bother?
Let it be and another pastime will be in fashion tomorrow, and Spiritism will
experience the same that happened to the Potichomania: the duration of two
seasons. By throwing stones at it one gives the impression that it is feared because
one only tries to knock down something that gives reason for fear; if it
is an utopia, an illusion, why then fighting the windmills? It is true, they say,
that the devil sometimes mingles with these things, but then there would be
no need for so many authors, like the one above, painting the devil with such
pinkish colors, and leading the ladies to be willing to get to know him.
Has Father Bresciani thoroughly examined the subject? Has he pondered
the reach of all of his words? Kindly allow us the doubt. When he
says: “What are those answers of dead and buried people? Who allows them
to see a non-existent future?” Our question is if it was a Christian or a materialist
the person who wrote similar things. Even a materialist would speak
of the dead with more respect. – “Who leads them to blaspheme against
God?” – Where are those blasphemies? The author, attributing everything to the devil, has certainly supposed those blasphemies or he would otherwise
know that the most unlimited trust in God’s benevolence is the foundation
of Spiritism; that everything that is done in Spiritism is done so in
the name of God; that even the most perverse spirits speak of God with fear
and respect and the good ones do so with reverence and love. Where is the
blasphemy? – However, how should we interpret these words: “…we have
the pretension of accrediting nature with powers that nature does not have
and cannot have!” – Our more sensible elders would treat them simply as
devilish tricks. Thus it is wiser to attribute the natural phenomena to the
devil than to God. While we proclaim the infinite power of the Creator,
Father Bresciani gives limit to them; nature, which summarizes the Divine
work, does not have and cannot have other powers beyond those that we
know. As for those which we ignore it is wiser to attribute them to the devil
that would then be more powerful than God. One needs to ask on which
side is the blasphemy or the greater respect to the Supreme Being. Finally,
the devil takes all forms. Isn’t he very kind? He dresses like the Americans,
the English, the Parisians; he is really kind with his beard and fine Italian
mustaches and it would be really awkward not to recognizing in him an
almost irreproachable distinction. We don’t know if the Italian gentlemen
will be flattered for being taken by naughty devils. Who are those nice
ladies that turn the kind devils into an attraction and that before the charitable
warning that there may be something treacherous in all this they say:
“What the hell! I am not that stupid!”
If it is a natural flagrant, we then ask in which world, “l’entier ou le
demi monde”,*** those ladies use such beautiful expressions? We regret the
fact that the author had not obtained his knowledge about Spiritism from
more serious sources, for he would not speak so lightheartedly. While
more peremptory arguments are not opposed to Spiritism, its followers
may then sleep in peace.
_______________________________________
* One volume, in-8, translated from the Italian – J. B. Pélagaud & Co., Rue des Saints
Pères, 57 – Paris, price 3.5 fr
** Del Rio was a Jesuit scholar born in Anvers, 1551 and deceased in 1608. The author refers
to his work Disquisitiones Magicoe.
*** Expression created by Dumas meaning the underground world (demi-monde), the outlawed
world – Kardec employs a wordplay when counter l’entier (the whole world) to le demi
(the mid world or underground world) – (RT)
Story of a Naughty Spirit
Society, December 9th, 1859 –
First session
Mr. de la Roche, regular member, communicates the following fact of his personal knowledge:
Strange noises and several manifestations took place in a small house near Castelnaudary, leading people to believe that it was haunted by a bad genie. Hence, in 1848 it was exorcized and a large number of images of saints were placed inside the house. Since then, Dr. D…, who wanted to live in the house had some renovations done and requested that the images be removed. He died in that house a few years later, of a sudden death. His son who still lives there or at least who was there up to not long ago, had his face slapped by an invisible hand when entering a bedroom. Since he knew that he was completely alone in the house, he had no doubt that it had come from an occult power. He no longer wishes to stay there and wants to move out for good. There is a story that goes around in the region which says that a terrible crime was committed in that house.
First session
Mr. de la Roche, regular member, communicates the following fact of his personal knowledge:
Strange noises and several manifestations took place in a small house near Castelnaudary, leading people to believe that it was haunted by a bad genie. Hence, in 1848 it was exorcized and a large number of images of saints were placed inside the house. Since then, Dr. D…, who wanted to live in the house had some renovations done and requested that the images be removed. He died in that house a few years later, of a sudden death. His son who still lives there or at least who was there up to not long ago, had his face slapped by an invisible hand when entering a bedroom. Since he knew that he was completely alone in the house, he had no doubt that it had come from an occult power. He no longer wishes to stay there and wants to move out for good. There is a story that goes around in the region which says that a terrible crime was committed in that house.
Once questioned about the possibility of evoking the author of that
slap, St. Louis responded positively. The spirit was then evoked, showing
signs of violence. The medium was taken by great agitation, breaking
seven or eight pencils, throwing some onto the audience, tearing off a
piece of paper on which he had furiously doodled meaningless characters.
All efforts to calm him down resulted useless. Since he was requested to
respond to the questions he wrote with difficulty an almost undecipherable
no.
1. (to St. Louis) – Could you kindly give us some information about
that spirit, since he cannot or he does not wish to give it himself?
– A. It is a spirit of the worst class, a kind of monster. We
made him come here but we cannot force him to write, despite
everything that we told him. He has his free-will, which has been
badly used.
2. Has he died long ago? – A. Look for information. He was the
one who committed the crime whose legend goes around in the
region.
3. Who was he when alive? – A. You shall find out yourself.
4. Is he the one haunting the house these days? – A. No doubt since
that is how I had him coming here.
5. Then the exorcisms have not expelled him? – A. No way.
6. Has he had any participation in the subtle death of Mr. D…? – A.
Yes.
7. How come? – A. Through fear.
8. Was he the one who slapped Mr. D… son’s face? – A. Yes.
9. Could he have done the same on some of us? – A. No doubt. He
wishes he could.
10. Why hasn’t he done so? – A. He was not allowed.
11. Would there be a means of dislodging him from that house?
How? – A. If they want to disentangle from the obsession of
similar spirits it is easy, by praying for them. That is what is
always forgotten. People prefer to scare them away with formulas
of exorcism which greatly entertains them.
12. Passing the idea of praying for this spirit to those involved, and us
praying as well, would it then be possible to dislodge him? – A.
Yes. However, notice that I said pray and not having someone else
praying.
13. Is this spirit susceptible to improvement? – A. Why not? Aren’t
they all, this one like the others? Yet, one must be prepared to face
difficulties. However perverse the spirit may be, the retribution
of evilness by goodness will end up touching him. Let us pray in
principle and then evoke him after a month. You will notice the
changes which will take place.
14. This is an unfortunate and suffering spirit. Could you describe
the kind of sufferings that he endures? – A. He is persuaded that
he shall be in his present condition forever. He constantly sees
himself at the very moment when he committed the crime. Any
other memory has been erased and any communication with another
spirit has been banned. When he is on Earth he can only
be at that house and when he is in space he only has darkness and
loneliness.
15. In which world did he live before his last incarnation? What was
his race? – A. He had an existence among the most ferocious and
savage tribes, and before that he came from a planet inferior to
Earth.
16. In case he reincarnates, which category of individuals will he be
around? – A. That will depend on him and on his regrets.
17. In his next corporeal life could he become a righteous man? – A.
That would be difficult; regardless of his efforts, it will be hard to
avoid a tempestuous life.
OBSERVATION: Mrs. X…, a clairvoyant medium attending
the session, saw that spirit at the moment when he was asked to
write: he shook the medium’s arm; his looks were terrifying; he
was wearing a shirt covered in blood and held a dagger in his
hand. Mr. and Mrs. F… who were present as observers, since
they were not members yet, carried out the recommendation
in favor of the suffering spirit since the first evening, praying
for him. Multiple communications were obtained from him
and from his victims. We present them below in the order that they were received, together with the ones obtained at
the Society about the same subject. In addition to the interest
of this dramatic story there is a teaching which will escape
nobody.
Second session, at the house of Mr. F…
18. (to the familiar spirit) – Can you tell us something about the
spirit of Castelnaudary? – A. Evoke him.
19. Is he evil? – A. You shall see.
20. What should we do? – A. Don’t talk to him if you have nothing
to say.
21. If we talk to him to say that we are sorry for his suffering, will
that do any good to him? – A. Compassion is always good to the
unfortunate ones.
22. Evocation of the spirit of Castelnaudary. – A. What do you want
from me?
23. We called you in order to be useful to you. – A. Oh! Your compassion
is good to me because I suffer… Oh! How much I suffer!
... May God have mercy on me! … Forgive me… Forgive
me…
24. Will our prayers be beneficial to you? – A. Yes. Pray, pray.
25. It is okay then! We will pray for you. – A. Thank you! At least you
do not curse me.
26. Why didn’t you want to write at the Society when you were invited
in? – A. Oh! Malediction!
27. Malediction for whom? – A. For me who ruthlessly atone for the
crimes in which my free-will only had a small participation.
OBSERVATION: By saying that his free-will had a small participation
in his crimes he wants to attenuate them, as it was verified
later.
28. Will you be forgiven if you repent? – A. Oh! Never!
29. Don’t be desperate. – A. Eternal sufferings, such is my destiny.
30. What is it that makes you suffer? – A. What is most horrific! You
cannot understand.
31. Have they prayed in your favor since last night? – A. Yes, but I
suffer even more.
32. How come? – A. How do I know?
OBSERVATION: This circumstance was explained later.
33. Should anything be done regarding the house where you installed
yourself? – A. No! No! Say no more about that…. Forgive me
God! I have suffered enough!
34. Do you have to stay there? – A. That is my penalty.
35. Will that be so as you may have your crimes permanently before
your eyes? – A. That is the case
36. Don’t be desperate. Everything may be forgiven after repentance. –
A. No! There is no forgiveness for Cain.
37. Then you killed your brother? – A. We are all brothers.
38. Why did you want to do harm to Mr. D…? – A. Enough! Please,
that is enough!
39. Good-bye then. Have faith on God’s mercy! – A. Pray!
Third session
40. Evocation – A. I am near you.
41. Do you begin to have hope? – A. Yes, I have a lot of regret.
42. What was your name? – A. You shall know later.
43. For how long have you been suffering? – A. For 200 years.
44. When have you committed your crime? – A. In 1608.
45. Can you repeat the dates to confirm them? – A. It is useless. Once
is enough. Good-bye, I will talk to you tomorrow. A force drags me!
Fourth session
46. Evocation – A. Thanks Hugo! (Mr. F… first name)
47. Would you like to speak about what happened in Castelnaudary? –
A. No. You make me suffer when you speak about it. It is not generous
of you.
48. You know well that if we speak about it, it is with the objective of
clarifying you regarding your condition and not to make it worse.
Then, speak and have no fear. How could you allow yourself to
commit such a crime? – A. A moment of madness.
49. Was there any premeditation? – A. No.
50. This cannot be true. Your sufferings demonstrate that you are
guiltier than you say. You know that only through regret you can
mitigate your fate and not through lies. Come on! Be honest. – A.
Well then! If it is needed, then be it!
51. Was it a man or a woman that you killed? – A. A man.
52. How did you kill Mr. D…? – A. I showed up to him, visibly. My
appearance is so horrifying that the simple sight killed him.
53. Did you do that on purpose? – A. Yes.
54. Why? – A. He wanted to challenge me and I would do it again if
I were tried.
55. If I was supposed to live in that house would you do me any
harm? – A. Oh! No. Certainly not! You have pity on me and wish
me well.
56. Has Mr. D… died instantly? – A. No. He was taken by fear but
only died two hours later.
57. Why have you only slapped Mr. D… son? – A. Having killed two
men was more than enough.
Fifth session, at the Society on December 16th, 1859
58. Questions addressed to St. Louis – The spirit who has communicated
with Mr. and Mrs. F… is really that of Castelnaudary? – A.
Yes.
59. How could he communicate with them so promptly? – A. He
didn’t have any knowledge about the Society yet. He was not
sorry and repentance means everything.
60. Is the information given by him about the crime correct? – A. It is
up to you to verify that and to get along with him.
61. He said that the crime was committed in 1608 and that he died
in 1659. Hence he is in that state for 200 years. – A. That will be
explained to you later.
62. Could you explain his type of penalty? – A. It is atrocious to him.
As you know, he was condemned to stay at the place of the crime,
unable to divert his thoughts to anything else but the crime, always
before him, and he considers himself condemned eternally
to such a torture.
63. Is he immersed in darkness? – A. Darkness when he wants to
move away from the place of exile.
64. What is the most terrible kind of punishment that a spirit can
endure in such a case? – A. It is not possible to describe the moral
tortures as punishment of certain crimes. Even the one who suffers
them would have difficulties to explain. But the most horrible
is the certainty of condemnation without an appeal.
65. He has been in such a condition for two centuries. Does he assess
time as he did when alive, that is, time seems to last longer or
shorter? – A. It seems longer to him. There is no sleep.
66. We were told that there is no time to the spirit and that a century
is a spot in eternity to them. Shouldn’t that be the same to all? –
A. Certainly not. It is like that only to the spirits who have arrived
at a high elevation but to the inferior spirits time is sometimes
longer, especially when they suffer.
67. This spirit is severely punished for his crime. Well, you told us
that before that existence he had lived among barbarians. He must
have done things then at least as atrocious as his latest crime. He
was punished in the same way? – A. He was less punished because
he was more ignorant and did not understand as much the reach
of things.
OBSERVATION: All observations confirm this fact, strictly according
to God’s justice, that the penalties are proportional not to
the nature of the fault but to the level of intelligence of the guilty
one and the ability to understand the harm that has been done.
Hence, an apparently not so serious fault could be more severely
punished on a civilized person than a barbarian act by a savage.
68. Is the state of this spirit what is ordinarily called “damned”? – A.
Certainly, and there are cases even more terrible. The sufferings
are far from being the same to everyone, even on similar crimes,
since they vary depending if the spirit is more or less accessible
to regret. For him the house where he committed the crime is
his hell; others carry it on themselves, tormented by the passions
which cannot be satisfied.
OBSERVATION: In fact we have seen some greedy spirits suffering
before the sight of gold which became a mere illusion to them;
proud spirits tormented by the envy of seeing others awarded by an
honor which should be theirs; people who held positions of command
on Earth, humiliated by the invisible power embarrassing
them to obey and by the vision of their subordinates who no longer
bow before them; atheists suffering the anguishes of uncertainty,
finding themselves completely isolated in the enormity of space,
not finding a single being to clarify them. In the world of the spirits
if there is joy in all virtues, there are penalties to all faults and those
which are not reached by humans’ law will be by those of God.
69. Despite his inferiority this spirit feels the good effect of prayer.
We have seen the same with other spirits equally perverse and
of a brute nature. How come the more enlightened spirits, of a
more developed intelligence, show complete absence of good feelings;
they laugh at most sacred things; In short, nothing touches them and they never give up on their cynicism? – A. The prayer
has effect only on a remorseful spirit. The spirit that is rebellious
against God, just out of pride, and persists on his deviations, still
making them worse like the unfortunate spirits, to them prayer
cannot do and will not be able to do anything, but only when
a ray of regret manifests in them. The inefficacy of prayer is a
punishment to them. The prayer only relieves those who are not
totally hardened.
70. When we see a spirit inaccessible to the effects of prayer, is there
a reason for us to abstain from praying for him? – A. No, not at
all, for sooner or later he will overcome his rudeness and wake up
to healthier thoughts.
Sixth session – at the house of Mr. F…
71. Evocation – A. I am here.
72. Then, now you can leave Castelnaudary at will? – A. I am allowed
because I am taking your good advices.
73. Do you feel any relief? – A. I begin to have hope.
74. If we could see you how would your appearance be? – A. You
would see me with a shirt and without the dagger.
75. Why would you no longer have the dagger? What have you done
to that? – A. I curse it. God spares me from such a vision.
76. If Mr. D… Jr. was to return to the house, would you still cause
him any harm? – A. No because I am regretful.
77. And if he still wanted to challenge you? – A. Oh! Don’t ask
me that. I could not control myself. This would be beyond my
strengths… I am just a wretched one.
78. Mr. D… Jr.’s prayers would be more beneficial than the others to
you? – A. Yes, since it was him that I hurt the most.
79. That is it then, we will continue to do whatever we can for you. – A.
Thank you. At last I found charitable souls in you.
Seventh session
80. Evocation of the murdered man. – A. I am here.
81. What was your name in life? – A. My name was Pierre Dupont
82. What did you do for living? – A. I was a butcher in Castelnaudary,
where my brother murdered me on May 6th, 1608; by Charles
Dupont, my elder brother, with a dagger, in the middle of the
night.
83. What was the cause of the crime? – A. My brother thought
that I was courting a woman that he was fond of and that I saw
often, but he was mistaken since I had never given any thought
to that.
84. How did he kill you? – A. I was asleep. He cut my throat and
then my heart. I woke up, tried to fight but succumbed.
85. Have you forgiven him? – A. Yes, at the time of his death, 200
years ago.
86. How old was he when he died? – A. He was 80 years old.
87. He was not punished when alive? – A. No.
88. Who was accused of your death? – A. Nobody. Over those
confusing times no one would give attention to these things. It
would be useless.
89. What happened to the woman? – A. Soon after she was killed
by my brother, in my house.
90. Why did he kill her? – A. Broken heart. He had married her
before my death.
Eighth session
91. Why he does not speak about the murder of that woman? – A.
Because my death is the worst to him.
92. Evocation of the murdered woman. – A. I am here.
93. What was your name in those days? – A. Marguerite Aeder,
Mrs. Dupont.
94. For how long were you married? – A. For five years.
95. Pierre told us that his brother was suspicious of criminal relationship
between the two of you. Is that true? – A. There was
no criminal relationship between Pierre and I. Don’t you believe
in that.
96. How long after the death of his brother Charles murdered you? –
A. Two years later.
97. What was his motive? – A. Jealousy and his intention of keeping
my money.
98. Could you describe the circumstances of the crime? – A. He
grabbed me and hit me in the head with his butcher’s knife, at
my place of work.
99. How come he was not prosecuted? – A. What for? In those dismal
days it was all chaos.
100. Had Charles’ jealousy any foundation? – A. Yes, but that did
not authorize him to commit such a crime since we are all sinners
in this world.
101. For how long had you been married when Pierre died? – A. For
three years.
102. Could you tell us the exact date of your death? – A. Yes, May
3rd, 1610.
103. What was thought of Pierre’s death? – A. It was made believe
that it was murder after robbery.
OBSERVATION: Whatever may be the authenticity of the
reported facts, which seem difficult to control, there is a remarkable
thing: the precision and accuracy of the dates and
all events. Such a circumstance is in itself a curious subject
for study, if we take into account the fact that the three spirits
were evoked at different times and show no contradiction.
What seemed to confirm their words is the fact that the main
offender in the case, evoked by another medium, gave identical
answers.
Ninth session
104. Evocation of Mr. D… - A. I am here.
105. We would like to ask you about some details of the circumstances
of your death. Could you give us that? – A. In good will.
106. Did you know that a spirit haunted the house you were living
in? – A. Yes, but I wanted to challenge him and I was wrong. It
would have been better if I had prayed for him.
OBSERVATION: One can see from this that the means generally
employed by us to get rid of the unwelcome spirits are not
the most efficient. Our threats excite them more than intimidate.
Benevolence and commiseration have more power than
the use of coercive means, which irritate them, or the use of
formulas which are laughed at.
107. How did that spirit appear to you? – A. When I came home he
was visible, staring at me. I could not escape. He became my
horror and I expired under the horrifying sight of that spirit
which I had neglected and to whom I had shown so little charity.
108. Couldn’t you cry for help? – A. Impossible. My time had come
and that is how I should die.
109. What was his appearance? – A. A furious spirit, ready to devour
me.
110. Was your death painful? – A. Terribly.
111. Did you die suddenly? – A. No. It was two hours later.
112. What were your thoughts when you felt dying? – A. I could not
think; I was taken by an indescribable horror.
113. Was the apparition visible till the end? – A. Yes, it did not leave
my poor spirit for a single moment.
114. When your poor spirit was freed, were you aware of the cause
of your death? – A. No. It was the end. It was only later that I
understood.
115. Could you tell us the date of your death? – A. Yes, it was August
9th, 1853 (the precise date has not been verified yet but it seems
more or less accurate).
Tenth session, at the Society on January 13th, 1860
When this spirit was evoked on December 9th, St. Louis gave the
advice of having him evoked again after one month, in order to assess
the progress which might have happened in that interval. It has
already been possible to verify, through the communications of Mr.
and Mrs. F…, the changes in his thoughts, thanks to the influence
of prayers and the good advices. After a little bit more than a month
after his first evocation he was evoked again at the Society, on January
13th.
116. Evocation. – A. I am here.
117. Do you remember been called here about a month ago? – A.
How could I forget?
118. Why couldn’t you write on that occasion? – A. I didn’t want to.
119. Why didn’t you? – A. Ignorance and rudeness.
120. Have your ideas changed since then? – A. A lot. Several among
you have been compassionate and prayed for me.
121. Do you confirm all the information given by you and your
victims? – A. If I did not confirm them it would be the same
as saying that it was not me who provided them… and it was
me.
122. Can you foresee the end of your punishment? – A. Oh! Not
yet, but knowing that they will not last forever, thanks to your
intervention, it is already much more than I deserve.
123. Describe your situation before our first evocation. Please understand
that we ask that as a means of our instruction and not as
an item of curiosity. – A. I have already told you that I wasn’t
aware of anything and just had the ability of moving in space
where everything was darkness and solitude. I could not give you an idea of the meaning of all that because I have never understood
it myself. As long as I was elevated in the air it was all
black and empty around me; I don’t know what that was. Today
I experience much more remorse but, as the communications
demonstrate to you, I am no longer forced to stay in that lethal
house; I am allowed to wander around Earth and try to learn
from my observations. Now I understand better the enormity
of my mistakes. If I suffer less on one side, on the other side the
tortures increase through remorse, but at least I have hope now.
124. If you had to take a corporeal existence what would your choice
be? – A. I have not seen enough, nor given enough thought to
know.
125. Do you see your victims? – A. Oh! May God keep me!
OBSERVATION: It has always been said that the presence of
the victims is one of the torments of the offender. This spirit had
not seen them yet because he was in isolation and in darkness,
which was a punishment in itself, but he fears their presence and
that is perhaps a complement to his punishment.
126. During your long isolation, say, your captivity, did you feel any
remorse? – A. Not in the least and that is why I suffered so
much. I only began to feel it, despite my will, when the circumstances
for my evocation were provoked, to which I owe the
beginning of my liberation. Thank you all who had mercy on
me and enlightened me.
OBSERVATION: This evocation was not casual. Since it was
supposed to be useful to that unfortunate creature, the spirits
who cared for him noticing that he was beginning to understand
the enormity of his crimes, judged that the time had come to
provide him with efficient help, and then created the favorable
circumstances. It is an occurrence that we have seen repeated often. On a related matter, we were asked what would have become
of him if we could not have been able to evoke him, as well
as all other suffering spirits that cannot be evoked either, and of
whom nobody thinks. The answer is that God’s avenues for the
salvation of the beings are countless. Evocation may be a means
of supporting it but certainly it is not the only one. God forgets
nobody. As a matter of fact, the collective prayers may also have
influence upon spirits who are accessible to regret.
Spontaneous Communications
Estelle RiquierSociety, January 13th, 1860
I am consumed by boredom, grief, and despair. Guilty wife, cruel mother, I abandoned the sacred joys of my family; the matrimonial dwelling beautified by the presence of two little angels from heavens. Dragged by the paths of addiction, by a limitless egotism, pride and vanity, a woman with no heart, I conspired against the sacred love of the one who God and people had given me as the support of my life. He hopelessly sought the refuge of death against my coward abandonment and dishonor.
Christ forgave the adulterous woman and the regretful Magdalene. The adulterous woman had loved and Magdalene repented. But I, miserable one, I sold dearly a false love which I had never felt. I sowed pleasure and did not harvest but neglect. The horrible misery and cruel hunger brought an end to a hateful life… and I did not regret! And I, miserable and infamous, oh! How often have I employed my influence as a spirit, leading poor women to the vice, women that I saw virtuous and in good health, enjoying the happiness which I had neglected? Will God ever forgive me? Perhaps, if the disgust inspired in you doesn’t prevent you from praying for the unfortunate Estelle Riquier.
OBSERVATION: The following questions were addressed to this uncalled spirit, and unknown to the audience.
1. When have you died? – A. Fifty years ago.
2. Where did you live? – A. In Paris.
3. What was your husband’s social echelon? – A. Middle class.
4. How old were you when you died? – A. I was 32.
5. How have you come spontaneously to communicate with us? – A. It was allowed for your instruction and to serve as an example.
6. Did you have any education? – Yes.
7. We hope that God will take into account the honesty of your confession and your regret. We wish God may be merciful to you and send good spirits to clarify you regarding the means of repairing your past. – A. Oh! Thank you, thank you! May God hear you!
OBSERVATION: Several people informed us that they consider a duty to pray for the suffering spirits that we have indicated and who ask for help. We wish these charitable thoughts may spread among our readers. Some received the spontaneous visit of the spirits to whom they addressed their good wishes, who came to thank them.
I am consumed by boredom, grief, and despair. Guilty wife, cruel mother, I abandoned the sacred joys of my family; the matrimonial dwelling beautified by the presence of two little angels from heavens. Dragged by the paths of addiction, by a limitless egotism, pride and vanity, a woman with no heart, I conspired against the sacred love of the one who God and people had given me as the support of my life. He hopelessly sought the refuge of death against my coward abandonment and dishonor.
Christ forgave the adulterous woman and the regretful Magdalene. The adulterous woman had loved and Magdalene repented. But I, miserable one, I sold dearly a false love which I had never felt. I sowed pleasure and did not harvest but neglect. The horrible misery and cruel hunger brought an end to a hateful life… and I did not regret! And I, miserable and infamous, oh! How often have I employed my influence as a spirit, leading poor women to the vice, women that I saw virtuous and in good health, enjoying the happiness which I had neglected? Will God ever forgive me? Perhaps, if the disgust inspired in you doesn’t prevent you from praying for the unfortunate Estelle Riquier.
OBSERVATION: The following questions were addressed to this uncalled spirit, and unknown to the audience.
1. When have you died? – A. Fifty years ago.
2. Where did you live? – A. In Paris.
3. What was your husband’s social echelon? – A. Middle class.
4. How old were you when you died? – A. I was 32.
5. How have you come spontaneously to communicate with us? – A. It was allowed for your instruction and to serve as an example.
6. Did you have any education? – Yes.
7. We hope that God will take into account the honesty of your confession and your regret. We wish God may be merciful to you and send good spirits to clarify you regarding the means of repairing your past. – A. Oh! Thank you, thank you! May God hear you!
OBSERVATION: Several people informed us that they consider a duty to pray for the suffering spirits that we have indicated and who ask for help. We wish these charitable thoughts may spread among our readers. Some received the spontaneous visit of the spirits to whom they addressed their good wishes, who came to thank them.
Present Time
Society, January 20th, 1860
You are guided by the true Genius of Christianity, as I told you. Christ himself presides over every work in progress, opening up the era of renovation and betterment predicted by your spiritual guides. In fact, if you look to the contemporary events, beyond the spiritist manifestations, you will undoubtedly recognize the precursor signs inexorably demonstrating that the time has come.
Communications are established among all peoples and the material barriers are knocked down. The moral obstacles opposed to their union; the political and religious prejudices will quickly fade away and the kingdom of fraternity will then be definitely established and everlasting. Behold, - something incredible to us - the sovereigns themselves, as if guided by invisible hand, from now on are taking the initiative of the reforms; and the reforms which spontaneously come from the top are faster and more long-lived than those which forcibly come from the bottom. Despite the prejudices of childhood and education, and the cult of the past, I have foreseen the current times. I am happy for that and even more so for having come to tell you: “Courage brothers! Work for you and your family’s future. Work for your personal improvement, before anything else, and you will enjoy in your new existence a happiness which is as much difficult to imagine as it is to me to explain it to you.
Chateaubriand
You are guided by the true Genius of Christianity, as I told you. Christ himself presides over every work in progress, opening up the era of renovation and betterment predicted by your spiritual guides. In fact, if you look to the contemporary events, beyond the spiritist manifestations, you will undoubtedly recognize the precursor signs inexorably demonstrating that the time has come.
Communications are established among all peoples and the material barriers are knocked down. The moral obstacles opposed to their union; the political and religious prejudices will quickly fade away and the kingdom of fraternity will then be definitely established and everlasting. Behold, - something incredible to us - the sovereigns themselves, as if guided by invisible hand, from now on are taking the initiative of the reforms; and the reforms which spontaneously come from the top are faster and more long-lived than those which forcibly come from the bottom. Despite the prejudices of childhood and education, and the cult of the past, I have foreseen the current times. I am happy for that and even more so for having come to tell you: “Courage brothers! Work for you and your family’s future. Work for your personal improvement, before anything else, and you will enjoy in your new existence a happiness which is as much difficult to imagine as it is to me to explain it to you.
Chateaubriand
The Bells
Obtained by Mr. Pécher Society, January 13th, 1860
Can you tell me why have I always liked the sound of bells? The reason is that the soul of a person who thinks or suffers always tries to withdraw when feeling that mute happiness which awakes in us the vague memories of a past existence. That sound is a translation of Christ’s words that have been vibrating in the air for eighteen centuries. It is the voice of hope. How many hearts has it comforted! How much strength has it given to the believing humanity! The divine voice has terrified those people who were great in their times. They were scared of that because the truth that they had subdued made them tremble. Christ showed that to everyone. They killed the Christ but not the idea. His sacred word had been understood. It was immortal and yet how often has your heart been taken by doubt! How often has the individual accused God of unfairness! He exclaimed: My God, what have I done? Has disgrace followed me since birth? Am I then destined to follow this avenue which breaks my heart? There seems to be a fatality chained to my feet. I feel the strength failing me. I will break this life. At this point in time God shines a ray of hope onto your heart. A friendly hand removes the blindfold of materialism from your eyes and a voice from heavens tells you: Look at that bright light in the horizon. It is a sacred fire from God. That flame must illuminate and purify the world. It must make that light penetrate human’s heart and from there break the darkness that covers his eyes. Some people pretended to have brought you light only to produce a mist which lost you in the straight path. Don’t be blind, you to whom God shows the light. It is Spiritism that allows you to lift the tip of the veil which covered your past. Look at what you were and think. Bow before our Creator’s justice. Glorify God for giving you the courage to persist in your chosen trials. Christ said: “…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Such an absolutely spiritist thought contains the mystery of your sufferings. May hope in God’s benevolence give you courage and faith! Always listen to that voice which vibrates in your hearts. It is up to you to understand with wisdom and elevate your soul with fraternal thoughts. May the wealthy reach out to the unfortunate ones, since the wealth was not given for their personal pleasures, but to be God’s helper and God shall have you reporting to him the use you gave to that richness. Your virtues are the only wealth acknowledged by God; the only one which you shall carry when leaving this world. Let the false scholars talk, those who call you crazy. It may well be that tomorrow they will request your prayers since God will judge them.
From your daughter, who loves you and prays for you.
Can you tell me why have I always liked the sound of bells? The reason is that the soul of a person who thinks or suffers always tries to withdraw when feeling that mute happiness which awakes in us the vague memories of a past existence. That sound is a translation of Christ’s words that have been vibrating in the air for eighteen centuries. It is the voice of hope. How many hearts has it comforted! How much strength has it given to the believing humanity! The divine voice has terrified those people who were great in their times. They were scared of that because the truth that they had subdued made them tremble. Christ showed that to everyone. They killed the Christ but not the idea. His sacred word had been understood. It was immortal and yet how often has your heart been taken by doubt! How often has the individual accused God of unfairness! He exclaimed: My God, what have I done? Has disgrace followed me since birth? Am I then destined to follow this avenue which breaks my heart? There seems to be a fatality chained to my feet. I feel the strength failing me. I will break this life. At this point in time God shines a ray of hope onto your heart. A friendly hand removes the blindfold of materialism from your eyes and a voice from heavens tells you: Look at that bright light in the horizon. It is a sacred fire from God. That flame must illuminate and purify the world. It must make that light penetrate human’s heart and from there break the darkness that covers his eyes. Some people pretended to have brought you light only to produce a mist which lost you in the straight path. Don’t be blind, you to whom God shows the light. It is Spiritism that allows you to lift the tip of the veil which covered your past. Look at what you were and think. Bow before our Creator’s justice. Glorify God for giving you the courage to persist in your chosen trials. Christ said: “…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Such an absolutely spiritist thought contains the mystery of your sufferings. May hope in God’s benevolence give you courage and faith! Always listen to that voice which vibrates in your hearts. It is up to you to understand with wisdom and elevate your soul with fraternal thoughts. May the wealthy reach out to the unfortunate ones, since the wealth was not given for their personal pleasures, but to be God’s helper and God shall have you reporting to him the use you gave to that richness. Your virtues are the only wealth acknowledged by God; the only one which you shall carry when leaving this world. Let the false scholars talk, those who call you crazy. It may well be that tomorrow they will request your prayers since God will judge them.
From your daughter, who loves you and prays for you.
Family Advices
(Continuation – read at the Society on January 20th, 1860 – see January issue of the Review)
My dear children, in my preceding instructions I advised you with calmness and courage; however, not all of you show them as you should. You must consider that apologies do not mitigate pain. On the contrary, it tends to increase it. A good advice, a good word, a smile, a simple gesture gives strength and courage. A drop of tear softens the heart instead of hardening it. Cry, if your heart drives you to that but may it happen in solitude and not in the presence of those who need all of your energy or strength which a single tear or a sigh of sadness may diminish and weaken. We all need encouragement and nothing better than a friendly voice, a benevolent look, and a word from the heart. When I advised you to get together it was not to gather your tears and sufferings; it was not to drive you to the prayers which only demonstrate good intention but to unite your thoughts, your collective endeavors; so that you could mutually advise one another, and as a group you must try to triumph over the obstacles instead of sharing your sadness. A beggar will ask God for his subsistence in vain since it shall not fall from heavens. He must work and however little he may get that will have a greater value than all prayers. Useful work is the most pleasing prayer to God, whatever the work is. I repeat: the prayer only demonstrates a good intention, a good feeling; however it only produces a moral effect, because it is all moral. It is excellent as a consolation to the soul because the soul that sincerely prays finds relief to their moral sufferings. Outside of these effects and those which come from the prayers, as I have explained to you on other instructions, you must wait for nothing, since you will meet deception. Then, follow exactly my advices. Do not be content in asking God to help you. You must help yourselves and that is how you will demonstrate the authenticity of your prayers. In fact, it would be too easy to just ask for something in your prayers to have it granted. It would be the greatest stimulus to laziness and to the neglect of the good deeds. I could elaborate even further about it but it would be too much for you. Your level of advancement does not accommodate it. Think about this instruction, as about the preceding ones, for those are intended to occupy your minds for a long time. They have the embryonic teachings of everything which you shall learn in the future. Follow my previous advices.
Allan Kardec
My dear children, in my preceding instructions I advised you with calmness and courage; however, not all of you show them as you should. You must consider that apologies do not mitigate pain. On the contrary, it tends to increase it. A good advice, a good word, a smile, a simple gesture gives strength and courage. A drop of tear softens the heart instead of hardening it. Cry, if your heart drives you to that but may it happen in solitude and not in the presence of those who need all of your energy or strength which a single tear or a sigh of sadness may diminish and weaken. We all need encouragement and nothing better than a friendly voice, a benevolent look, and a word from the heart. When I advised you to get together it was not to gather your tears and sufferings; it was not to drive you to the prayers which only demonstrate good intention but to unite your thoughts, your collective endeavors; so that you could mutually advise one another, and as a group you must try to triumph over the obstacles instead of sharing your sadness. A beggar will ask God for his subsistence in vain since it shall not fall from heavens. He must work and however little he may get that will have a greater value than all prayers. Useful work is the most pleasing prayer to God, whatever the work is. I repeat: the prayer only demonstrates a good intention, a good feeling; however it only produces a moral effect, because it is all moral. It is excellent as a consolation to the soul because the soul that sincerely prays finds relief to their moral sufferings. Outside of these effects and those which come from the prayers, as I have explained to you on other instructions, you must wait for nothing, since you will meet deception. Then, follow exactly my advices. Do not be content in asking God to help you. You must help yourselves and that is how you will demonstrate the authenticity of your prayers. In fact, it would be too easy to just ask for something in your prayers to have it granted. It would be the greatest stimulus to laziness and to the neglect of the good deeds. I could elaborate even further about it but it would be too much for you. Your level of advancement does not accommodate it. Think about this instruction, as about the preceding ones, for those are intended to occupy your minds for a long time. They have the embryonic teachings of everything which you shall learn in the future. Follow my previous advices.
Allan Kardec