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The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1860 > September
September
Bulletin of the Parisian Society of Spiritist StudiesFriday, July 27th, 1860
(General Session)
Committee meeting. The works and minutes of the July 20th session were read.
(General Session)
Committee meeting. The works and minutes of the July 20th session were read.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Report given by Ms. P… about the poem sent to the Society
by Mr. Pory from Marseille, with the title Linda, Gallic legend.
Ms. P… analyzes the subject of the work and acknowledges the
presence of thoughts of great elevation and expressed very well;
however, with the exception of the Christian ideas, she does not
see much or she sees very little that is related to Spiritism. To her
the author seems to be more spiritualist than spiritist. That does
not make his work less remarkable, she says, and every poetry
lover shall read it with great interest.
2nd – A letter from Mr. X… with a summarized analysis of Mr.
Rigolot’s doctrine, from Saint-Étienne. According to that doctrine
the spiritual world does not exist; the spirits are immediately reunited with God after death of the body. Only three spirits may
communicate with human beings through mediums, they are:
Jesus, mentor and protector of our globe; Mary, his mother and
Socrates. Every communication, whatever their nature, comes
from them. They are the only ones, he says that they manifest
to him and when they tell him coarse things he thinks that it is
a test. A discussion was established about it that can be summarized
as follows:
The Society unanimously declares that reason refuses to admit
that the Spirit of good, by excellence, model of the most sublime
virtues, may dictate bad things and that there is a kind of
profanation in the supposition that communications with revolting
nastiness and even obscenities, as seen sometimes, may come
from such a pure source. On another hand, the admission that
every soul reunites with God after death is the same as denying
punishment to the guilty ones since one could not admit that by
God’s side we are taught to envisage as the supreme reward, there
could simultaneously be a focus of pain to those who led a bad
life. If in such divine fusion where the spirit loses its individuality,
we then have a variation of pantheism. In either case, according
to this doctrine, the sinner has no reason to stop in the avenue of
errors since the efforts to do good are superfluous. That is at least
what sticks out from the general principles that seem to constitute
its foundation.
The Society does not know Mr. Rigolot’s system well enough
to assess it in details.
The Society ignores how he explains a number
of patent facts, such as: the apparitions, for example, through
which the evoked spirit of a relative gives material demonstration
of identity. Would it be Jesus then taking all these roles? Would
it still be Jesus to play the drums or the rhythmic arias, in the
case of the rapping spirits? After having played the hateful role of
tempter, would he come to serve as an entertainer? There is moral incompatibility between the trivial and the sublime, between the
absolute evil and the absolute good.
Mr. Rigolot has always kept himself isolated from other spiritists,
which is a mistake. In order to get to know something well,
it is necessary to see everything, to study everything, comparing
opinions, hear the pros and cons, hear all objections and finally
only accept what the strictest logic may admit.
That is what the spirits that guide us incessantly recommend;
and that is the reason why the Society has taken the name Society
of Studies, a name that implies the idea of analysis and research.
It is licit to think that if Mr. Rigolot had followed this path he
would have acknowledged in his theory the existence of points
in manifest contradiction with the facts. His separation from the
other spirits only allow him communications of the same kind,
naturally impeding him from seeing what could clarify him about
the insufficiency of those spirits to solve all these questions. That
is what happens with the majority of the mediums who isolate
themselves: they are in the position of someone that by hearing
the bell ring only hear a sound. Such is the impression that the
Society has about that doctrine that seems incapable of explaining
the reason for all those facts.
3rd – Reference is made to a letter from Dr. Morhéry, bringing
new details about Ms. Godu and with the continuation of his
observations about the obtained cures. Another letter is also mentioned,
this time from Dr. de Grand-Boulogne, about the role of
the rapping spirits. Given the extension of the letter the reading
was postponed to the next session.
4th – Mr. Allan Kardec reports an interesting fact that took
place in a private session, in his house. The excellent medium Mr.
Rabache was present in that session, through which Adam Smith
had spontaneously communicated in a London café. Having been
evoked through another medium, Mrs. Costel, Adam Smith responded simultaneously in French, through that lady, and in
English, through Mr. Rabache. Several answers showed perfect
identity and even the literal translation of each other.
5th –Facts showing a connection to several physical manifestations
that occurred with Mr. B…, were presented to the meeting.
Among other facts, the transport of a cap thrown into a bedroom
and a flask of magnetized water with a strong musky smell, so
strong that it impregnated the whole apartment.
STUDIES:
1st – Evocation of the Muslim Séih-ben-Moloka, deceased at the
age of 100 years, in Tunisia, and whose life was characterized by
acts of benevolence and generosity. His answers reveal an elevated
spirit but who was not exempt from sectarian prejudices when
alive.
2nd – Two spontaneous essays were received, the first through
Mr. Didier, about the conscience, signed by Lamennais; the second
by Mrs. Lu…, with multiple advices, signed by Paul.
Friday, August 3rd, 1860
(Private Session)
Committee meeting.
Reading of the minutes and works of the July 27th session.
A letter from Mr. Darcol is read, in which he proposes to the Society
a subscription to the Christians from Syria. He bases his proposal on the
principles of humanity, charity and tolerance, which are the very essence
of Spiritism and must guide the Society.
Having examined the proposal and in all fairness to Mr. Darcol’s
good intentions, the Committee thinks that the Society must abstain
from any manifestation strange to the objective of its studies and that it
must allow each member to freely act on an individual basis.
The Society does not see anything harmful in the proposal, much to
the contrary. However, given the absence of the majority of the members
in the vacation period, it postpones the analysis of the subject to a session
after the current season.
By suggestion of the Committee, the Society decides to go on vacation
during the month of September.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Letter received from Dr. Morhéry.
2nd – Letter received from Mr. Indermuhle, member of the
Society, speaking about the good reception given to the spiritist ideas
among persons in the rural areas. He mentions the case of a German
brochure under the title Die Ewigkeit kein geheimniss mehr (No more
secrets about eternity) that he proposes to send to the Society.
3rd – Letter from Dr. de Grand-Boulogne about physical
manifestations as a means of conviction. He thinks that it would
not be correct to consider every rapping spirit as from an inferior
order, since he has received himself communications from a very
elevated order through raps.
Mr. Allan Kardec responds that typtology is a means of communication
like any other and which can be used by the most
elevated spirits, when there is no availability of a faster means.
Not all spirits that communicate through raps are rapping spirits
and most of them repudiate such classification, only adequate to
those who could be called professional rapping spirits.
Common sense rejects the idea that superior spirits would
come to spend their time entertaining an assembly by the exhibition
of their skills. As for the physical manifestations themselves,
he has never denied their utility but persists in the opinion
that those are incapable of leading to conviction on their own.
Furthermore, he says, the more extraordinary the facts the more
they excite disbelief. What is needed, before anything else, is the understanding of the principle behind the phenomena. To someone
that knows those principles, the phenomena have nothing of
supernatural, and come to support the theory.
Dr. de Grand-Boulogne says that the letter that was just read
is a little bit old and that his ideas have changed significantly
since then. He agrees entirely with Mr. Allan Kardec since experience
has showed him how important it is to understand the
principle before seeing things. Hence he only admits in his house
persons who are familiar with the theory, thus avoiding objections
and useless questions. He acknowledges that he has made
more proselytes by such a system than by the exhibition of facts
that are not understood.
STUDIES:
1st – Evocation of James Coyle, alienated, deceased at the age of
106 years, in the Saint-Patrick hospital of Dublin, where he was
since 1802. The evocation offers an interesting subject for study
about the condition of the spirit during mental alienation.
2nd – Appeal, without a special evocation, to the spirits what
have requested assistance. Two of them manifested spontaneously:
the Great Françoise and the spirit of Castelnaudary, who
thank those who have prayed in their favor.
3rd – A spontaneous essay is obtained by Mr. D…, signed by
Sister Jeanne, one of the victims of the Syrian massacres.
Friday, August 10th, 1860
(General Session)
Committee meeting.
Reading of the minutes and works of the previous session.
Mr. Allan Kardec announces that a lady member of the Society has
sent the amount of 10 francs to be used in favor of the Syrian Christians
or towards any other charity that the Society finds adequate to apply.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – A letter from Mr. Jobard, from Brussels, about Thilorier, his
former friend, who was evoked on June 15th, 1860. He provides
interesting details about his discovery, his life and habits, and rectifies
several statements given in the news coverage about him,
published in the newspaper la Patrie. Among other particulars
he tells the story of how his hearing was reestablished through
magnetism. To be published in the sequence.
2nd – Mr. B…, foreign observer, mentions several cases of
spontaneous physical manifestations that took place with one of
his friends. Since that person could not come to the session, that
person will report the facts in more details in a future session.
STUDIES:
1st – Several questions and moral issues addressed to St. Louis,
regarding the death of Jean Luizerolle that substituted and saved
his son’s life, who was condemned to the death penalty in 1793.
2nd – Evocation of Alfred de Marignac, who transmitted a
message to Mr. Darcol about penury, using the name Bossuet.
3rd – Evocation of Bossuet regarding the above and several
other questions. He finishes by a spontaneous dissertation about
the dangers of religious quarrels.
4th – Evocation of Sister Jeanne, victim of the Syrian massacres,
who came spontaneously to the last session, having asked
to be called again.
5th – Appeal in favor of the suffering spirits that requested
assistance. A new spirit shows up by the name of Fortune Privat,
giving details about his condition and his penalties. This communication
gives rise to several interesting explanations regarding
the condition of the suffering spirits.
6th – Spontaneous essay about the Nothingness of Life, signed
by Sophie Swetchine, received by Ms. Huet.
Friday, August 17th, 1860
(Private Session)
Committee meeting.
Reading of the minutes and works of the August 10th session.
By suggestion of the Committee and after a verbal report, the Society
accepts Mr. Jules R… from Brussels and residing in Paris as a member.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – In a letter sent by Countess D…, from Milan, to Mr. Allan
Kardec, there is the following passage: “I recently searched old
magazines from Paris and I found a little story by a charming writer,
Charles Nodier, entitled: Lidia or the resurrection. I found myself
inside The Spiritist Review; it is an intuition of The Spirits’ Book,
though written in 1839. Was Nodier a believer? Was Spiritism discussed
in those days? If possible I would like to have him evoked.
He was a pure heart and a loving soul. I ask you to please, if you can
evoke him. If his moral was so smooth, kind, attractive, how should
he be now that his spirit is unraveled from matter!”
For a long time the Society had wanted to call Charles Nodier.
It shall be done in the next session.
2nd – Two essays obtained by Dr. de Grand-Boulogne are
read, signed by Zenon, the first one about the doubt raised regarding
Bossuet’s identity in the previous session and the second
about the reincarnation, where the spirit demonstrates the need to
view from a moral point and its consistency with religious ideas.
3rd – Two communications received by Mrs. Costel and
signed by Georges are read, the first about the spirits’ progress; the
second about the spirit’s awakening.
4th – Reading of the evocation of Louis XIV, done by Ms.
Huet, and a spontaneous essay received by her about the benefit to
be extracted from the advices given by the spirits, signed by Marie,
a familiar spirit.
STUDIES:
1st – Mr. Ledoyen reminds us that some time ago St. Louis had
initiated a series of essays about capital sins. He asks if St. Louis
would like to continue that work.
St. Louis responds that he shall gladly do that and that next
time he will speak about Envy, since it is too late to do it tonight.
2nd – St. Louis is asked if the Queen of Ouda could be called
again in the next session, the one that was already evoked in
January 1858, so that we can assess the eventual progress that she
might have made. He answers: “It would be charitable to evoke
her, speaking to her in a friendly way and at the same time instructing
her a little bit, since she still falls well behind.”
3rd – Charles Nodier is evoked. After having responded with
extreme benevolence the questions addressed to him he promises
to start a new continuous work in the next session.
4th – Spontaneous essay obtained by Mr. Didier about hypocrisy,
signed by Lamennais. The spirit then responds to several
questions about his situation and the character that is reflected
out of his communications.
Friday, August 24th, 1860
(General Session)
Committee meeting.
Reading of the minutes and works of the previous session.
The President reads the following instruction regarding individuals
outside of the Society, in order to forearm them against false ideas that
they may have about the Society’s objectives.
“We believe it is important to remind those persons who are foreign
to the Society and not informed about our activities, that we don’t
carry out any experimentations and that they would be mistaken if they
thought that this is a place where they would find such distractions. We
are utterly involved with very serious things, but of little interest and not much intelligible to whomever ignores the Spiritist Science. Since
the presence of such persons would be useless to them and cause of
disruption to us, we refuse to grant admission to those who don’t know
at least its basic principles and particularly those who are not sympathetic
to the Doctrine. We are, first of all, a society of scientific studies,
and not a teaching society; we have never invited the public because we
know from experience that true conviction is only formed after a long
series of observations and not for having attended a few sessions that
do not present any methodic continuation. That is why we make no
demonstrations that would repeat every time, hindering the continuation
of our works. If, irrespective of all that, there are persons here only
attracted by curiosity or who don’t share our way of seeing things, we
would remind them that they were not invited and that we expect from
them respect to our convictions, as we respect theirs. All we ask for is
silence and deference. Since respect is one of the most expressed recommendations
from the part of the spirits that in good will communicate
with us, we insistently invite those who are present to abstain from any
private conversation.”
The Committee decided that, although there is a 5th Friday on the
31st of this month, this current session will be the last one before the
holidays, and that the first one will take place on the first Friday in
October.
The Committee was informed about a letter with a request for admission
as a member from Mr. B…, from Paris. However, given the fact that
the present session is general, the decision is adjourned to the session after
the period of vacation.
MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:
1st – Reading of a particular evocation of Père Leroy carried out
by Mr. Jules Rob…, who died not long ago in Beirut. The evocation
is remarkable by the elevation of the spirit who confirms
in absolutely everything the character that he had when alive, that of a true Christian. He manifests his intent of being evoked
at the Society.
2nd – Reading of a spontaneous essay received by Mr. Dacol,
about the mediums and signed by Salles. This essay was delivered
in the previous session and not read yet because there was not
time to have it previously analyzed, an imperiously established
formality by the regulations of the Society.
3rd – Another spontaneous essay received by Mrs. B… about
Moral Charity, signed by Sister Rosalie.
4th – Two other spontaneous essays received by Mrs. Costel,
one about the multiple categories of errant spirits and the other
about the punishments, signed by Georges. Both communications
are regarded amongst the most remarkable by the elevation of
the expressed thoughts, by the truthfulness of the images and the
eloquence in style. To be published along with the other more
important communications.
Mr. President reinforces that the Society is necessarily limited
in time but everything that is received in private by the
members must be considered as a complement of their work, as
long as they wish to bring it over. The Society must not consider
as part of its archives only what is received in its sessions, but
also everything that comes from outside and may be useful to
everyone’s enlightenment. It is the center to which the private
studies converge, to the benefit of all. It is a means of control
to the mediums by helping them to understand the nature of
the received communications, protecting them against deception.
Besides, the spirits frequently prefer to communicate in
the intimacy where there is necessarily more reverence than in
sessions with a large number of people, by the instruments of
their choice, at the time of their convenience and under circumstances
that we cannot always appreciate. By concentrating
those communications, everybody makes use of the advantages
that they can offer.
STUDIES:
1st – St. Louis is asked about the spirit of Georges. He was a painter
when alive and used to teach painting to the person who serves
him as a medium. His life does not offer any special particularity,
but the fact that he was always good and benevolent. As spirit, his
communications always show such an elevation that we would
like to know the position that he occupies in the spiritual world.
St. Louis responds:
“He was a fair spirit on Earth; his whole greatness consists
on his benevolence, charity and faith in God that he professed;
hence, today he is among the superior spirits.”
2nd – Evocation of Charles Nodier, by Ms. Huet. He starts the
work that he promised in the previous session.
3rd – Evocation of Pere Leroy. Since the choice of medium was
left open, we preferred that he did not use the previous medium
in order to avoid any influence and for us to be able to better assess
his identity through his answers. These are in agreement with
the previously expressed feelings, in all points, and are worthy of
an elevated spirit. He finishes with advice of the highest wisdom
through which Christian humility, tolerance of the evangelical
charity and a superiority of intelligence are revealed.
4th – Evocation of the Queen of Ouda, already evoked in
January 1858 (see the March 1858 issue of the Review). Medium
Mr. Rob… A slight disposition towards progress is detected but
in reality her character has not changed much.
OBSERVATION: A lady that had lived in India for a long
time and has known her personally was present at the session.
She says that all her answers are in perfect agreement with her
character and that it is impossible not to acknowledge a proof of
identity in those answers.
5th – Three spontaneous essays are obtained: the first through
Ms. Huet, about Envy and signed by St. Louis; the second received
by Mr. Didier about the Original Sin, signed by Ronsard;
the third by Ms. Stephanie, signed by Gustave Lenormand.
During these last communications Ms. L. J…, a drawing medium,
obtained two pieces of work signed by Jules Romain.
After a few nice thoughts written by an anonymous spirit,
another spirit who had already communicated through Ms. L.J…
interferes, breaking the pencil and making doodles indicative of
rage. The spirits communicates through Mr. Jules Rob… at the
same time, arrogantly responding the questions addressed to him.
It is the spirit of a foreign sovereign, known by his violent
character. Once invited to sign his name he does so in two ways.
One of the attendees, connected to the government of his country
and has frequent access to documents signed by him, recognizes
one as from official documents and the other from private
letters.
Once the general session is over the members were invited to
stay a little bit longer for one communication.
In a very warm address, Mr. Sanson exposes the recognition
that he owes St. Louis for his intervention in the instantaneous
cure of a illness in his leg, which had resisted to every treatment
and would likely lead to amputation. He continues saying that
he owes his truly miraculous cure to his knowledge of Spiritism
and his trust in God’s mercy and power, all that he gave almost
no attention to before. Since he owes the Society for his initiation
in the truth taught here he adds the Society into his recognition.
Since then he offers flowers to the spirit of St. Louis
on the very day consecrated to him, in memory of the received
favor. That tribute is renewed today, August 24th and the eve of
St. Louis’ day.
The Society adds to the testimony of gratitude from Mr.
Sanson, thanking St. Louis for his benevolence and requesting
his continual protection. St. Louis responds:
“I feel three times happy my beloved brothers by what I see
and hear tonight. Your emotion and recognition are still the best
tribute that you could address to me. May the God of benevolence
keep you with those good and generous feelings! I shall continue
to watch over the Society united by the feelings of charity
and a true fraternity.”
Louis
The Marvelous and the Supernatural
I
f the belief in the spirits and their manifestations were an isolated idea,
a product of a given system, it could be considered an illusion, with
a certain dose of reason. However, tell us why such a belief is found so
markedly in all peoples, antique and modern, in all sacred books of every
known religion? The critics say that the reason is in the fact that human
beings have always loved the marvelous, at all times.
• If that is so, what is then marvelous in your opinion?
• What is supernatural?
• What do you understand by supernatural?
• What is against natural laws?
• Do you know so well those laws that you can establish limits to
God’s power? Well, then! You must prove that the existence of the
spirits and their manifestations are contrary to the laws of nature;
that such a thing is not and cannot be one of those laws. Follow
the Spiritist Doctrine and see if that thinking does not have every
indication of an admirable law. Thought is an attribute of
the spirit; the possibility of action upon matter, of impressing the senses, and as a consequence of transmitting the thought results
from its physiological constitution, if we can say so. Hence, there
is nothing supernatural about it, nothing wonderful.
• However, they will say, you admit that a spirit can lift a table,
keeping it in the air, without any support. Isn’t that a breach of
the law of gravity?
• Yes; of the known law. But has nature given the final word? Before
trying the lifting power of certain gases what would have happened
to a heavy craft, carrying several human beings, could it
have surpassed the force of attraction? Shouldn’t it look marvelous
to the eyes of the masses, even devilish? Someone that a century
ago had proposed to send a telegram message 500 leagues away
in a few minutes would have been considered mad; had he been
able to do so wouldn’t he be believed to be in collusion with the
devil, since only the devil could walk so fast in those days? Why
then an unknown fluid wouldn’t have the property, under certain
circumstances, of opposing the effect of gravity, like Hydrogen
does to the balloon? This is, by the way, just a comparison but
not assimilation, and utilized exclusively to show by analogy that
the fact is not physically impossible. Well, it was precisely when
the scientists wanted to proceed by the avenue of assimilation,
in the observation of those kinds of phenomena, that they were
mistaken. In short, the fact is here. No denial may destroy it since
denying something is not the same as demonstrating. To us there
is nothing supernatural and that is all we can say about it by now.
If it is demonstrated – they will say – we will accept. We will even
accept the cause that you have just mentioned, of an unknown
fluid. But what is it that demonstrates the intervention of the
spirits? That is the marvelous, the supernatural.
It would be necessary to demonstrate here, out of context and
repeating ourselves, as a matter of fact, because it sticks out from
every other part of the teaching. However, in order to summarize it in a few words we say that it is theoretically based on the following
principle: every intelligent effect must have an intelligent
cause. In practice, by the observation that the so called spiritist
phenomena gave proof of intelligence, their cause must have
been outside matter; that since the intelligence was not that of
the audience – resulting from experience – it should be alien to
them; and since the agent was not seen, it would be an invisible
creature. It was then that from observation to observation it was
acknowledged that the invisible being to whom it was given the
name spirit is nothing else than the soul of those who lived the
corporeal life and that were undressed of their thick visible wrapping,
keeping only the ethereal body, invisible in its normal state.
There you have the supernatural and the wonderful reduced to
their simplest expression. Once the existence of invisible beings is
attested, their action upon matter results from the very nature of
the fluidic body. Such an action is intelligent because they have
only lost their material body by death but kept their intelligence,
which is their essence. That is the key to every phenomena erroneously
called supernatural. Hence the existence of the spirits is
not a preconceived system or an imaginary hypothesis to explain
the facts. It is the result of observations and natural consequence
of the existence of the soul. Denying such a cause is the same as
denying the soul and its attributes.
May those persons who think that they can give a more rational solution
to those intelligent effects, in particular explaining all facts, may those
persons do that and only then the merit of each one be discussed!
To the eyes of those who consider matter as the only force of nature,
everything that cannot be explained by the laws of matter is then wonderful
and supernatural. Well, wonderful to them is a synonym of superstitious.
From that point of view religion, which is founded on the existence
of an immaterial principle, would be a fabric of superstitions. They dare
not say it out loud but whisper that and pretend to save the appearances by admitting that a religion is needed for the people and that it is good to
keep well-behaved kids.
Either the religious principle is true or false. If it is true then it is to
everyone; if it is false, it is not better for the ignorant than the educated
people.
Those who attack Spiritism based on the marvelous base their opinion,
in general, on a materialistic principle, because by denying any effect
outside matter they deny, as a consequence, the existence of the soul.
Analyze the essence of their thought; scrutinize well the meaning of their
words and you will almost always see this principle, if it is not categorically
formulated, sticking out under the cover of a pretentious rational
philosophy.
If you ask them face to face if they believe to have a soul, perhaps they
will dare not say that they don’t, but they will say that they don’t know
anything about it or are not sure. Since they attribute to the marvelous
everything that results from the existence of the soul they are thus consistent
with themselves; by not admitting the cause they cannot admit
the effects. It results from a preconceived idea that impedes them from
correctly assessing Spiritism, because they start from the principle that
denies everything that is not material. As for ourselves, by the fact that
we admit the effects that are consequences of the existence of the soul,
does it result that we accept all facts classified as supernatural; that we are
the champions of the dreamers; that we are the adepts of all utopias and
systematic eccentricities?
It would be necessary to know almost nothing about Spiritism to
think that way. But our adversaries don’t look so closely into that. The
need to get to know that they talk about it is the least of their concern.
According to them the wonderful is absurd; well then, Spiritism is based
on wonderful facts thus it is absurd. This to them is not a subject for discussion.
They pretend to oppose an argument without replica after having
carried out erudite researches about the convulsionary of Saint-Médard,
the Camisards de Cévennes or the religious ladies of Loudun, and discovering
patent frauds, disputed by nobody.
However, are these stories the Gospel of Spiritism? Have the adepts
of Spiritism denied that certain facts were exploited by charlatanism, in a
self-serving mode; that they were created by imagination; that fanaticism
had exaggerated them? Fanaticism has no more solidarity to the extravagances
committed in its name than true Science has with the abuses of
ignorance, or even true religion with the excesses of fanaticism. Many
critics only assess Spiritism by fairy tales and popular legends, which are
their fictions. This would be the same as assessing history based on romances
or tragedies.
Following elemental logic, in order to discuss something it is necessary
to understand it since the opinion of a critic only has value when he
knows perfectly well what he is talking about. That is the only way that
his opinion may be taken into account, even if wrong. However, what
is the value of his opinion when talking about a subject that he ignores?
The true critic must not only give proof of erudition but also of profound
knowledge about the discussed subject and of a vigorous reason and total
impartiality, otherwise the first strolling troubadour to show up would
pretend to assess Rossini and any sketcher to criticize Rafael.
Therefore, Spiritism does not accept every fact reputed as wonderful
and supernatural. Far from that, it demonstrates the impossibility of a
large number of those and the ridicule of certain beliefs that constitute
proper superstition. It is true that there are things admitted by Spiritism
that are considered purely marvelous by the incredulous. Be it. However,
let us at least discuss these points and not the others about which there is
nothing to say and you would be preaching to the choir. But, they may
ask, what is the reach of the Spiritist belief? Read, observe and you will
know. Every science can only be incorporated through study and time.
Well then, Spiritism that touches the most serious questions of philosophy
in all branches of the social fabric; that simultaneously embraces the
physical as well as the moral person, it is a science on its own merit, a
whole philosophy that cannot be understood in a few hours, as any other
science, since it would be as childlike to see the whole Spiritism in the
turning tables as it would be to see the whole Physics in certain kid’s toys.
Anyone who does not wish to remain on the surface needs to dedicate not
only hours but months and years to probe all of its arcane.
May this be used to appraise the level of understanding and the value
of the opinion of those who attribute themselves the right of assessing
things, because they saw one or two experiments, most of the time as a
pass time or a distraction!
They will probably say that they have no time to spare and dedicate
the necessary time to such study. Either; nothing obliges them, however,
when there is no sufficient time to learn something one should not speak
about it and even less pass judgment on it as long as one does not want to
take the risk of being accused of levity.
Well then, the higher the position that someone occupies in science
the less forgiving for dealing lightheartedly with an unknown subject.
We stick to the following propositions:
1st – Every spiritist phenomena has, by principle, the existence of
the soul, its survival to the body and its manifestations.
2nd – These phenomena are based on one natural law, there is
nothing wonderful or supernatural about them, in the common
use of those words.
3rd – Many facts are only considered supernatural because
their causes are unknown. Spiritism places them in the domain
of the natural phenomena by the assignment of a cause to them.
4th – Among the facts classified as supernatural there are
many whose impossibility is demonstrated by Spiritism which
places them among the superstitious beliefs.
5th – Although Spiritism acknowledges some traces of truth
in many popular beliefs, in no way does it accepts the solidarity
of every fantastic story created by imagination.
6th – Passing judgment on Spiritism by facts that it does not
accept is a demonstration of ignorance, which neutralizes the
value of the opinion.
7th – The explanation of the facts that have been accepted
by Spiritism, their causes and moral consequences, constitute a
whole science that requires a serious, deep and persevering study.
8th – Spiritism cannot be seen as a serious critic but the one
who has seen and studied everything with the patience and
perseverance of a conscious observer; someone who is as much
confident about the subject as the most enlightened adept; consequently,
someone who had learned outside the novels of science;
to which there would not be a single fact that he had not
known or a single argument to which he had not given serious
thought yet; someone who did not argue just by denial but by
other more peremptory arguments; finally, someone who could
present a more logical cause to the observed facts. Such a critic is
still to be found.
It goes without saying that those who neglect the wonderful,
even with more reason, relegate the miracles to the terrain of illusions
of imagination. Some words about it taken from a preceding
article are found here in their proper place and it would not be
wrong to recall them.
In its primitive meaning and etymology, the word miracle
means “extraordinary thing”, something remarkable to see.
However, and as with many other words, it has lost its original
meaning and today it means, according to the Academy, an act of
divine power, contrary to the common laws of nature. That is in
fact its usual meaning, applied only as a comparison or metaphor
to common things that stun us, whose cause is unknown. It is not
our intent, absolutely, to evaluate if God could consider useful,
under certain conditions, the breach of laws established by God.
Our objective is to demonstrate that the spiritist phenomena,
however extraordinary they may be, that they don’t absolutely
breach those laws and have no miraculous character, as they are
not wonderful or supernatural. A miracle is not explained; the spiritist phenomena, on the contrary, are explained in the most
rational way. Thus, they do not constitute miracles but simple
effects whose causes are in the general laws.
The miracle has yet another character: it is singular and isolated.
Well, as long as a fact repeats, say, at will, and through the intermediary
of several persons, it cannot be a miracle. Science makes
miracles every day, to the eyes of the ignorant. For that reason those
who knew better, in former times, were taken by witches. As it was
believed that every super-human science came from the devil, they
were burnt at the stake. Nowadays that we are much more civilized
we are happy enough to send them to the psychiatric hospitals.
If a person who is actually dead comes back to life by a divine
intervention we would then have a true miracle in that because
it is contrary to the natural laws. However, if such a person has
only apparent death; if he still had the latent life and if science or
a magnetic action can reanimate him, to the educated person this
will be a natural phenomenon but to the eyes of the ignorant this
will be a miracle. If a physicist flies an electrical kite in certain
regions of the countryside, creating a lightning effect upon a tree,
the new Prometheus will certainly be seen as endowed by devilish
power; but when Joshua stopped the Sun, or better, the Earth,
that is a true miracle since we don’t know any magnetizer gifted
by such a great power capable of operating that prodigy.
Among all spiritist phenomena one of the most extraordinary
is, no doubt, that of direct writing, and one that most patently
demonstrates the action of the occult intelligences. Nevertheless,
by the fact that the phenomenon is produced by occult creatures
it is not more miraculous than all other phenomena also produced
by invisible beings, because those hidden creatures that populate
space are one of the forces of nature, force whose action is incessant
upon the material as well as the moral world.
By enlightening us about such a force, Spiritism gives us
the key to a number of unexplained things, inexplicable by any other way and that in remote epochs could have been considered
prodigies. As with magnetism, Spiritism reveals a law that
if it is not unknown it is at least misunderstood, or even better,
from which the effects were known, since they have always been
produced in all times, but the law was unknown and it was the
ignorance that gave rise to superstition. Once the law is known
the wonderful and supernatural disappear and the phenomena
enter into the order of natural things. That is why the spiritists
do not make miracles by making the tables turn, or a deceased
person write, or a doctor make a nearly dead person revive, or
a physicist produce a lightning strike. Anyone who intended to
make miracles with the support of this science would either be
ignorant or a charlatan.
The spiritist phenomena, as with the magnetic phenomena,
had been passed along as miracles before their causes were
known. Like the skeptical, those of strong spirits, that is to say
those who detain the exclusive privilege of reason and common
sense, don’t believe that something is possible if they don’t understand
it. That is the reason why all the so-called prodigious facts
are cause for their mockery. Since religion has a large number of
events of that kind they don’t believe in religion. That is only a
step away from absolute incredulity. By explaining the majority of
those facts, Spiritism gives a reason for their occurrence. It thus
comes in support of religion, demonstrating the possibility of certain
facts that no longer have a miraculous character, although
not less extraordinary; and God is not smaller or less powerful for
not having breached his own laws. How often haven’t the levitations
of St. Cupertino been scorned? Well then, the suspension
of heavy bodies in the air is explained by Spiritism. We have witnessed
that ourselves and Mr. Home, like other persons of our
knowledge, have repeated the phenomenon of St. Cupertino several
times. Thus, the phenomenon becomes part of the order of
natural things.
Among the first lines of facts of that kind are the apparitions,
because they are the most frequent. The apparition of the Lady of
Salette even divided the clergy is nothing unusual to us. In reality
we cannot affirm that the event did happen since we do have
the material proof. For us, however, it is possible because there
are thousands of similar and recent facts to our knowledge. We
believe in those not only because their reality was attested by us
but also because we are aware of how they are produced. Please
refer to the theory that we gave about the apparitions and you will
see that such phenomenon becomes as simple and plausible as a
number of physical phenomena that are considered prodigious
just because there is a missing key. With respect to the person that
appeared in Salette, that is another matter. Her identity was not
demonstrated, absolutely. The only conclusion is that there might
have been an apparition. The rest is not up to us. Everyone may
have his or her own convictions about that, with which Spiritism
has nothing to do. The only thing we can say is that the facts produced
by Spiritism reveal new laws to us, giving us the key to the
understanding of a number of things that seemed supernatural.
As some of those phenomena that were considered miraculous
now find a logical explanation, this is a reason for not so hastily
denying what was once not understood.
The facts of Spiritism are contested by certain people, precisely
because they seem to escape the common law, and they are
not aware of that. Give them a rational basis and the doubt will
cease. In this century in which there is no economy of words, an
explanation is a powerful element of conviction. Hence, we daily
see people who have never witnessed any event, who have not
seen a table turning or a medium writing, who are as much convinced
as we are, just because they have read it and understood.
If we were supposed to believe only in what our eyes have seen we
would then believe in very little things.
The Case of the Marvelous and the Supernatural
By Louis Figuier
(First article)
It happens to the word marvelous the same that happens to the word
soul; there is an elastic meaning in both, given to multiple interpretations.
That is why we consider it useful to establish some general principles
in the preceding article, before entering into considerations of the
story given by Mr. Figuier.
When that work was published the adversaries of Spiritism applauded,
saying that we would undoubtedly have a strong resistance ahead of us. In
their charitable thoughts they saw us inexorably dead. The sad effects of a
passionate and thoughtless blindness, if they had taken the burden of analyzing
what they want to destroy they would have seen that Spiritism will
one day be, and earlier than they might think, the safeguard of society
and perhaps they themselves may owe Spiritism their salvation, we don’t
say in the next world, with which they care little about, but in this very
world! We don’t say these words lightheartedly. It is not time yet to develop
them. There are many people, however, that already understand us.
Coming back to Mr. Figuier, we ourselves thought to have found a truly
serious adversary in him, with peremptory arguments that would deserve
a serious refutation. His work covers four volumes. The two first ones
contain an explanation of principles in a preface and an introduction,
then a list of very well known facts that will nonetheless be read with
interest, given the scholarly research carried out by the author. We believe
it to be the most complete report ever given to the subject. The first volume
is almost entirely dedicated to the story of Urbain Grandier and the
religious of Loudun. After that comes the convulsionary of Saint-Médard,
the story of the protestant prophets, the magic wand and the animal magnetism.
The fourth and just published book deals particularly with the
turning tables and the rapping spirits. We shall come back to this latest
volume later, limiting ourselves for now to the summary of the analysis of
the whole thing.
The critical part of the stories contained in the two initial volumes consists
in the demonstration, by authentic witnesses, that intrigue, human
passions and charlatanism had a significant role in the subject, and that
certain facts have a clear sign of deception, but that is what nobody objects.
Nobody has ever guaranteed the integrity of all these facts, less than
any other, and the spiritists must be grateful to Mr. Figuier for having
collected proof that will avoid many compilations. They have interest that
the fraud is unveiled and all those who find these frauds in the phenomena
falsely qualified, as spiritist will be doing them a favor. Well, nobody
better than the enemies to do such a service. As seen, they have their
utility.
The only problem is that the desire for criticism sometimes drags people
far away, and in the heat of discovering evil they frequently see it where
it is not, for not having examined the subject with the necessary care
and impartiality, which is even rarer. The true critic must stay away from
preconceived ideas, undressed from any prejudice, or otherwise the subject
will be analyzed from a personal point of view, which is not always fair. Let us take an example: let us suppose that the political history of
contemporary events is written with great impartiality, that is, entirely
true, and let us suppose that this story is told by two critics of contrary
opinion. Considering that all facts are absolutely true, this will forcibly
hurt the opinion of one of them. Thus, two contradictory judgments: one
that will elevate the work to the skies; the other that will declare it to be
good enough for the fire. However, the work contains nothing different
from the truth. If that is the case with patent facts like in history, it is
also and with even stronger motive when dealing with philosophical doctrines.
Well, Spiritism is a philosophical doctrine and those who only see
it in the turning tables or who assess it based on absurd stories or the abuse
that confuses Spiritism with sorcery demonstrate that they don’t know it.
Is Mr. Figuier equipped to judge Spiritism with impartiality? That is what
must be evaluated.
Here is how he begins his preface:
“In 1854 when the talking and turning tables appeared in France, imported
from America, they produced an impression here that nobody can
forget. Many wise and sensible people became alarmed by such an unpredictable
development of the passion towards the marvelous. People could
not understand such madness, right now in the nineteenth century, with
an advanced philosophy and amidst this magnificent scientific movement
that drives everything these days to the positive and useful.”
He passed his judgment: the belief in the turning tables is madness. Since
Mr. Figuier is a positive man one must believe that before he published
his book he had seen and studied everything, in depth; in a word, that
he knows what he is talking about. If that were not the case he would
make the same mistake as Mr. Schiff and Mr. Jobert (de Lamballe) with
their theory of the cracking muscle (see The Review issue of June 1859).
We do know, however, that only one month ago he attended a session
where he gave demonstrations of ignoring the most elemental principles of Spiritism. Should he be considered sufficiently enlightened because he
was present in one session? It is true that we don’t question his perspicacity;
however great it is, though, we cannot admit that he can know and
particularly understand Spiritism in one session, as he did not learn physics
in one lesson. If Mr. Figuier were capable of that we would consider the
fact as one of the most marvelous. When he has studied Spiritism with the
same dedication that one does in the study of a science; when he has given
it the necessary moral time; when he has participated into thousands of
experiments; when he has become aware of all facts, without exception;
when he has compared every theory, it is only then that he will be able
to make a judicious criticism. Until then his judgment is only a personal
opinion, without any pro or con weight.
Let us take it from another point of view. We said that Spiritism is thoroughly
founded on the existence of an immaterial principle in us, or in
other words, in the existence of the soul. Someone that does not admit
their own spirit cannot admit a spirit outside. In consequence, by not admitting
the cause the effect cannot be admitted. We would like to know if
Mr. Figuier would place the following principle in his book, as statement
of faith:
1. I believe in God, creator of everything, All-mighty, sovereignly
just and good, and infinite in his perfections;
2. I believe in God’s Providence;
3. I believe in the existence of the soul, that outlives the body and in
its individuality after death. I believe in that not as a probability,
but as something necessary and consequent to the attributes of
the Divinity;
4. By admitting the soul and its survival, I do believe that it would
not be according to the justice or God’s benevolence that good
and evil were treated equally after death, since they rarely receive
the deserved reward or punishment in this life;
5. If the soul of the bad and the good one are not treated in the same
way, then some are happy and others unhappy, that is to say, they
are punished or rewarded according to their deeds.
Had Mr. Figuier made that statement we would tell him: this is
the confession of every spiritist because Spiritism would not make sense
without it, with the only difference that what you believe in theoretically
Spiritism demonstrates through facts, because every spiritist fact is a consequence
of those principles. As the spirits that inhabit the space are nothing
more than the souls of those who lived on Earth or in other worlds, as
soon as the soul, its survival and individuality are admitted, the spirits are
also admitted for that very reason. Now that the basis is acknowledged,
everything depends on the admission that those spirits or souls may communicate
with the living ones; if they can act upon matter; if they have
influence on the physical as well as moral world; or on the contrary, if
they are destined to an eternal inutility, or only to be concerned with
themselves, which is unlikely as long as God’s Providence is admitted and
the remarkable universal harmony is taken into account, where even the
miniscule creatures have their role.
If Mr. Figuier’s answer were negative or only politely doubtful, in order
to avoid shocking very abruptly respectable prejudices, in the words of
certain persons, we would tell him: you are no more competent to judge
matters of Spiritism than a Muslim to judge matters of the Catholic religion;
your judgment could not be impartial and you would unsuccessfully
try to avoid preconceived ideas, considering that those ideas are already in
your opinion, regarding the fundamental principles that you deny a priori
and before knowing the subject.
If one day a board of scientists nominated a secretary to report and examine
the issue of Spiritism and that reporter was not frankly spiritualist,
this would be the same as having a religious council nominating Voltaire
to deal with the subject of dogma. It must be said in passing that people
are surprised by the fact that the scientific corporations have not given their opinion but they forget that their mission is the study of the laws
of matter and not the attributes of the soul, and even less to decide if the
soul does exist. They may have individual opinions about such subject, as
they may have about religion; but they shall never have to pronounce as a
scientific corporation.
We don’t know if Mr. Figuier would respond to the statement of faith
above, but his book allows it to be foreseen. In fact here is how the second
paragraph is formulated:
“A precise knowledge of history would have prevented or at least diminish
such astonishment. In fact it would be a great mistake to imagine
that the ideas that generated the belief in the turning tables and the rapping
spirits have a modern origin. This passion for the marvelous is not
particular to our times: it is present in all countries and at all times, because
it is linked to the very nature of the human spirit. By an instinctive
and unjustifiable mistrust in his own capabilities, the human being is led to
place invisible forces above his head, exerted from an inaccessible sphere. This
congenital disposition has always existed in all periods of human history,
dressed differently according to the time, place and costumes, giving rise
to different manifestations in the form, however having the same principle
in its foundation.”
By saying that “by an instinctive and unjustifiable mistrust in his own
capabilities, the human being is led to place invisible forces above his head,
exerted from an inaccessible sphere” there is an acknowledgement that the
human being is everything, that can do everything, and that there is nothing
above him. If we are not mistaken, this is not only materialism but
atheism. As a matter of fact such ideas stick out from a number of passages
in his preface and introduction, to which we call to the attention of our
readers who we are convinced will share our opinion. Can it be said that
those words are not applicable to the Divinity, but to the spirits? We shall
respond that he then ignores the first word of Spiritism since denying
the spirit is the same as denying the soul. Spirits and souls are the same
thing and the spirits do not exert their influence in an inaccessible sphere
because they are around us, touching us, acting upon the inert matter and every other imponderable and invisible fluid that, irrespectively, are
the most powerful drivers and the most active agents of nature. It is only
God that exerts his influence from a sphere inaccessible to human beings.
Denying such a power is thus denying God. He will finally say that the
effects that we attribute to the spirits are certainly due to some of those
fluids? That would be possible. However, we would then ask how can
unintelligent fluids produce intelligent effects?
Mr. Figuier indicates a capital point when he says that the passion for
the marvelous is in all countries and appeared at all times, since it is in the
very human nature. What he calls passion for the marvelous, simply put,
is the instinctive belief, innate, as he says, in the existence of the soul and
in its survival to the body, a belief that has taken multiple forms according
to the times and places but fundamentally having an identical principle.
Would God have inspired this universal, innate feeling in the individual,
to mock later? That would be the same as denying God’s benevolence, and
even denying God Himself.
Do you want more proof than those above? The following passages
are also from the preface:
“When a new religion transformed Europe in the Middle Ages, the
religion was taken by the marvelous. People believed in diabolic possessions,
in witches and magicians. For several centuries that belief was
sanctioned by a relentless and merciless war against the unfortunate ones
accused of secret trade with demons or with sorcerers who are the demons’
representatives.”
“Towards the end of the seventeenth century, at the dawn of a tolerant
and enlightened philosophy, the devil age and the accusation of sorcery
became a used argument, but that is not enough to deny the marvelous
in its own rights.”
“The miracles spread widely in the churches of the multiple Christian
beliefs; people simultaneously believed in the divining wand, referring to
the movements of a forked stick in order to localize objects of the physical
world and to learn about things of the moral world. Several sciences still
believe in the supernatural influences, formerly introduced by Paracelsus.”
“Despite the fact that the Cartesian theory about philosophical matters
is in fashion in the eighteenth century, whilst all eyes open to the
lights of reason and common sense, in this century of Voltaire and the
encyclopedia, it is only the marvelous that still resists to the downfall of
up until venerated beliefs and the miracles are still plentiful.”
If Voltaire’s philosophy has opened the eyes to the lights of reason and
common sense and shook the foundations of so many superstitions, if that
could not eradicate the innate idea of an occult power, wouldn’t that be
for the fact that such an idea is untouchable?
The philosophy of the eighteenth century shattered the abuse but
stopped before the foundation. If such ideas had triumphed against the
attacks carried out by the apostle of incredulity, would Mr. Figuier expect
to be more successful? Allow us to doubt it.
Mr. Figuier makes a singular confusion with the religious beliefs,
the miracles and the divining rod. To him, they all come from the
same source: the superstition, the belief in the supernatural. We will
not try to defend here that little forked stick which would have the
unique property of serving the research of the physical world, because
we have not studied the subject and because we have by principle only
to praise or criticize something that we know. However, if we wanted
to discuss by analogy we would ask Mr. Figuier if the little pointer
made of steel with which the sailor finds his route, if that pointer
does not have a virtue which is as marvelous as that of the wooden
stick. No, he will say, because we know the cause that acts upon the
needle and that cause is entirely physical. We agree. But who says that
the cause that acts upon the wand is not entirely physical? Before the
theory of the magnetic compass was known, what would you have
thought if you lived in those days, when the sailors had only the stars
as their guides, and that sometimes spoke with them; what would you
have thought of a man who told you: I have in my hands a little box,
the size of a chocolate box, and a little needle, with which the largest
ships can be safely guided; that shows the route in any weather condition
with the precision of a clock?
Still once more, we don’t defend the divining rod, and even less the
charlatanism that has taken that over. Our only point is what would be
more supernatural than a piece of wood, under certain conditions, were
agitated by an invisible earthly flow, like the magnetized needle is by the
magnetic flux that one cannot see either? Wouldn’t that needle also serve
the search for things of the physical world? Wouldn’t it be influenced by
the existence of an underground iron mine? The marvelous is the fixed
idea of Mr. Figuier; it is his nightmare; he sees it wherever there is something
that he cannot understand.
Nevertheless, can he tell us, from his own knowledge, how the tiny
grain germinates and reproduces? What is the force that turns the flower
towards the light source? Who pulls the roots underground towards
a richer and more adequate soil, even through the toughest obstacles?
Strange aberration of the human spirit that thinks to know everything
and in fact knows nothing; that has before their eyes endless wonders but
denies a super-human power!
Since it is based on the existence of God, such super-human power is
exerted on an inaccessible sphere; and since it is based on the existence of
the soul that outlives the body, keeping its individuality and consequently
its influence, religion then has by principle what Mr. Figuier calls the
“marvelous”. Had he limited his comments to saying that there are some
ridicule and absurd among those classified as “supernatural”, a fact supported
by reason, we would applaud him with all our heart, but we could
not agree with his opinion when he mixes the principle and the abuse of
the principle in the same reproach; when he denies the existence of any
power above humanity. As a matter of fact, that conclusion is unequivocally
formulated in the following passage:
“From these discussions we believe that it will result to the reader the
perfect conviction of the non-existence of supernatural agents and the
certainty that all prodigies that have provoked man’s surprise or awe, at all
times, can be explained by the exclusive knowledge of our physiological
organization. Denial of the marvelous, such is the conclusion to be taken
from this book which could be entitled the marvelous explained. If we reach the proposed objective, we are convinced that we would have done
a true service to the benefit of all.”
Shedding light upon the abuses and demystifying fraud and hypocrisy
everywhere, is no doubt the realization of a great service. However,
we do believe that attacking the principle just for the fact that it has been
abused is a disservice to society and to individuals. It is the same as taking
a tree down just because it has produced a bad fruit.
A well understood Spiritism, revealing the cause of certain phenomena,
shows what is possible and what is not possible. Hence, it tends to
destroy the truly superstitious ideas; demonstrating the principle, at the
same time, it gives an objective to good; it fortifies the fundamental beliefs
that incredulity tries to break, under the assumption of abuse; it
fights the disease of materialism which is the negation of duty, moral and
every hope, and that is why we say that it shall one day be the safeguard
of society.
We are in fact far from being sorry for Mr. Figuier’s work. It shall not
have any influence whatsoever upon the adepts for they will immediately
recognize every vulnerable point. Upon the others it will have the same
effect as other criticism: provoke curiosity. Since Spiritism has appeared,
or better saying, re-appeared, a lot has been written about it. There has
been no lack of sarcasm or attacks. It has not been given the honor of one
thing only: a pyre, thanks to the customs these days. Has it blocked its
progress? By no means, since it counts its adepts by the millions already,
in all corners of the world and those numbers increase daily. Criticism has
unwillingly given much contribution to that because its effect, as we said,
is to provoke analysis. People want to see the pros and cons and become
stunned when finding a rational, logical, consoling doctrine that appeases
the anguishes of the doubt, solving what no other philosophy had been
able to solve, when they thought it was just a ridiculous belief.
The more renowned the contradictor is, the more repercussion his
criticism has and more good it can do, calling the attention even of the
indifferent. Mr. Figuier’s work serves that purpose very well. Besides, it
was written as a very serious work, not allowing it to be dragged to the terrain of rude and gross personalism, the only resource of the low level
critics. Considering that he intends to treat the subject from a scientific
point of view, and his position allows him to do so, people will see the last
word of science against this doctrine and the public will then know which
one to choose.
If the wise work carried out by Mr. Figuier is not powerful enough
to cast the last blow onto the doctrine that we doubt that any other
will have a better fate. In order to fight it efficiently he has only one
means that we gladly indicate to him. One cannot destroy a tree by
cutting its branches, but cutting its root. Then, it is necessary to attack
Spiritism in its root and not the branches that are born-again after the
pruning.
Well, Spiritism’s roots, of this madness of the nineteenth century, to
use one of his expressions, its roots are the soul and its attributes. He has
then to demonstrate that the soul does not exist and cannot exist since
there is no spirit without soul. When this is demonstrated Spiritism will
no longer have a reason to exist and we shall acknowledge defeat. If his
skepticism does not go that far may he then demonstrate, and not by
a simple denial, but by a mathematical, physical, chemical, mechanical,
physiological, or any other proof that:
1. The being that thinks during his life no longer does it after his
death;
2. If he does think he no longer wishes to communicate with the
loved ones left behind;
3. If he can go anywhere he cannot be around us;
4. If he is around us, he cannot communicate with us;
5. He cannot act upon matter through his fluidic body;
6. If he can act upon matter he cannot act upon an animated being;
7. If he can act upon an animated being, he cannot direct the medium’s
hand to write;
8. If he can make the medium write he cannot respond to the medium’s
questions and transmit his thought to him.
When the adversaries of Spiritism demonstrate to us its impossibility,
based on reasons as patent as those of Galileo when he demonstrated
that it is not the Sun that moves around Earth, we can then say that their
doubts are founded. Unfortunately, up until now, their argumentation is
reduced to this: I don’t believe, hence it is impossible. They will certainly
say that it is up to us to demonstrate the reality of the manifestations; we
demonstrate them by the facts and through reason. If they don’t admit
one or the other and if they deny even what they see, it is up to them to
prove that our reasoning is faulty and the facts impossible. We will analyze
Mr. Figuier’s theory in another article. We hope it is better than Mr.
Jobert’s theory of the cracking muscle.
Correspondence - To Mr. President of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies
Dear Mr. President,
Allow me some clarifications about Thilorier and his discoveries
(see The Review, August 1860). Thilorier was my friend and
when he showed me the plan of his work in cast iron to liquefy
the carbonic acid gas, I had told him that despite the thickness
of the walls it would explode like cannons after a certain number
of experiments. I stipulated to him to do a strapping in wrought
iron as is done today in brass cannons, but he only added some
grooves.
Such a device had never exploded in his hands for he
would have been killed like the young Frémy. Nonetheless, the
Committee of the Academy remained conservatively on the fence
while he prepared his experiments. He had been deaf for a number
of years, a fact that forced him to quit his position as inspector
of the Post Office. The only explosion provoked by him was that
of a compressed air musket that he had filled with carbonic acid
gas and left under the sun on top of the lawn in the garden.
I had suggested to him, as I did to Mr. Galy Cazala, helping
him to see the effect of high pressure of the Carbonic acid gas
and the danger of employing it as a weapon. Mr. Galy had the idea of replacing the Carbonic acid by Hydrogen, never above
28 atm. It was too little. Had it not been the case, the gun powder
would have been usefully suppressed because its mechanism
was very simple and a small copper cylinder could easily produce
one hundred shots, according to the needs, as a consequence of
the almost instantaneous recovery of the pressure through water
decomposition by the action of Sulfuric acid and Zinc filings. If
our Chemists could be able to find a gas produced over an average
pressure between that of the Hydrogen and the Carbonic acid,
the problem would have been solved. It would be interesting to
ask Lavoisier, Berzélius or Dalton about it.
On the eve of his death, Thilorier spoke to me about a new
device, almost finished, with the aim of liquefying the air through
successive pressures; from 500 to 1000 atm. We would have sold
this beautiful old copper machine.
I told you that Thilorier was extremely deaf and when I came
to his office at Place Vendome, weeks before his death, I had to
scream. He covered his ears with both hands, saying that I was
deafening him, since the magnetizer Lafontaine, now in Geneva,
had cured him. I left in amazement by the cure that I mentioned
to my two friends Galy Cazala and Captain Delvigne, in the same
evening and with whom I was taking a walk with at Place de la
Bourse when we saw Thilorier with his ear glued to the window of
a store where someone was playing piano. He seemed to be ecstatic
for being able to hear the modern music that he couldn’t hear for
many years. Ah! For Goodness sake! I told my incredulous friends:
there you have the proof. Go behind him and call his name in a
normal voice. Thilorier turned astonished, recognizing his friends
with whom he walked around the avenue, talking normally to
them. Delvigne, who is in my office at this very moment, remembers
perfectly well this interesting occurrence of magnetism. I have
been trying to convince our scholars for over a month now, said
Thilorier. They don’t want to believe that I was cured without the
drugs of their pharmacology which do not cure since I have used them all without success, whereas Lafontaine’s fingers reestablished
my hearing completely, in a few sessions. I remember the fact that
Thilorier, impressed by magnetism, had even changed the poles of
a magnetized bar that he kept in his hands by the simple effort of
his will.
The death of such a wise inventor has prevented us from a
number of discoveries that he had mentioned and now taken to
the grave. He was as shrewd as the good Darcet that I had also
seen in good health just before his death, and who had shown his
stained and worn out books to me, saying that it would give him
more pleasure having them in such condition than well covered
with their golden borders on the shelves, in the library. It is interesting,
he said, that we think so much alike, although we have not
been educated in the same school. He then told me that he felt
sorry for having been criticized with respect to his nutritious gelatin
and that it would have been better to have it sold for 1 cent to
the poor people of Pont-Neuf, than having given it to the scholars
who pay 15 francs in the grocery stores and still pretend that it is
not nourishing. You should evoke that good technologist.
Arago teaches us that the pretense sunspots are nothing more
than remains of planets that come here to enrich the electrical
focus with the fluids that they require to turn into a comet and
initiate a course in a century. Those remains, which are the size
of Europe, are more than 500,000 leagues away from the sun.
Once the extreme limit of attraction is reached and when the
Earth has completed around one fourth of its elliptical trajectory,
which takes approximately three months (it was July 6th), those
remains that are inseparable from their constellation, shall have
disappeared from our sight. The Academy is dealing with our
Memory about catalepsy that you mistakenly threw into the basket
of excommunications. Never mind. You will return to that.
Yours sincerely...
Jobard
OBSERVATION:
We thank Mr. Jobard for providing interesting details
about Thilorier, even more precious given their authenticity. It
is always interesting to know the truth about human beings who have left
a mark in their place during their life. Mr. Jobard is mistaken by thinking
that we left in the basket of forgetfulness the news sent by Mr. B… about
catalepsy. To begin with it was read at the Society, as contained in the
minutes of May 4th and 11th, and published in the June 1860 issue of The
Review; and the original, instead of being left aside, is carefully preserved
in the archives of the Society. We did not publish such a large volume of
documents first because if we have to publish everything that is sent to us
we would perhaps need ten volumes per year; second, because everything
has its time. However, for the fact that something was not published, it
must not be considered lost. Nothing sent to us or to the Society is lost
and we can always find it to make the most out of it when the time is
right. That is what must be understood by those who wish to send us
documents. We frequently lack the time to promptly respond to all of
them and as extensively as it would undoubtedly require, but how can we
personally respond to thousands of letters received per year, when forced
to do that without the support of a secretary? The day would certainly
not be enough for everything that needs to be done if we did not dedicate
part of our nights also to that task. Having said that as a personal justification,
we shall add with respect to the theory of the formation of Earth,
contained in the thesis mentioned above, and the cataleptic state of the
living beings in their origin, that the Society was advised to wait for more
authentic documents to be presented, before moving on with such studies.
The Society’s spiritual guides said: “It is necessary to be suspicious
about the systematic ideas of the spirits as much as those of people, and
do not accept them lightheartedly and without control, if we don’t want
to be exposed to see much later the denial of what we so hastily accepted.
Because we care about your work we want you to be on guard against a
hurdle where so many imaginations clash, seduced by deceiving appearances.
Remember that you shall not be deceived in one thing only: that
is the moral betterment of people. That is the true mission of the good spirits. Don’t believe that they have the power to unveil God’s secrets; in
particular, don’t believe that they are assigned with the mission of softening
the rough path of Science to you. This can only be achieved through
intense work and constant research. When it is time to present a useful
discovery to humanity we will search for the human being capable of doing
that. We will then inspire in him the idea of how to go about it and he
shall be left with the actual merit. But where would such a work and merit
be if it were enough to effortlessly ask the spirits about the means of acquiring
science, prestige and wealth? Thus, be wise and don’t get into an
avenue where you shall only find deceptions and that would hardly contribute
to your advancement. Those who allow themselves to be dragged
through such a path will one day recognize how wrong they were and will
regret for not having employed their time in a better way.”
That is the summary of the instructions so often given by the spirits,
to us as to the Society. Based on experience we acknowledge their
wisdom. That is why the communications related to scientific research
have a secondary importance to us. We don’t reject them. We welcome
everything that is transmitted to us because there is always a lesson to be
learned but we accept that just as informational, keeping us from accepting
them with a blind and shallow faith. We observe and wait.
Mr. Jobard, who is a positive and sensible man, shall understand that
there is no better way of avoiding the danger of utopias. We certainly will
not be the ones accused of falling behind. We want to avoid false steps and
everything else that can compromise Spiritism’s credibility by prematurely
accepting as incontestable truth something that is still hypothetical.
We believe that other people shall equally appreciate these observations
and that they will undoubtedly understand the inconveniences of
anticipating the time of certain publications. Experience will teach them
the need for not always following the impatience of certain spirits. The
truly superior spirits, (we are not speaking about those who name themselves
as so), are very sensible, and this is in fact one of the characteristics
by which they can be identified.
Spiritist Dissertations - Received or read by several mediums at the Society
The DreamI will tell you a story from the other world, from the one where I am. Imagine a blue sky, a green and calm ocean, curiously cut rocks; no vegetation but only pale lichens clinging to the grooves of rocks. That is the scenery. As a simple romance writer I cannot allow myself to give you the details. Inhabiting that ocean, the rocks, there was only one seated poet, a dreamer, thinking to himself, like in a mirror, about the calm beauty of nature, which spoke to his eyes as much as to his heart. That dream-like poet was I. Where? When does my story happen? Never mind!
Thus, I heard, I saw, I was moved and thoughtful about the profound enchantment of the great solitude. I suddenly saw a woman standing on the summit of the hill. She was tall, brunette, and pale. Her long dark hair waved over her white dress. She looked straight forward, staring in a strange way. I stood up in amazement since that woman, blossoming out of the rock, seemed like a dream to me, the divine dream that had dragged over me so often. I approached. She stood there and extended her arm towards the sea, as if inspired, and sang with a smooth and crying voice. I listened to her, taken by a mortal sadness, mentally repeating the lyrics that flowed from her lips, as if coming from a lively spring.
She then turned to me and I felt myself wrapped by the shadow of her white drapery.
• Listen to me, friend, she said. The shaky waters of the sear are less profound; the rocks are less stiff than love, the cruel love that shatters the poet’s heart. Pay no attention to its voice which brings seduction from the waves, from the air, from the Sun, to constrain, penetrate and burn your soul, a trembling soul that wishes to suffer the illness of love.
That is how she spoke. I listened and felt my heart melt in a divine inebriation. I wish I could destroy myself in the pure breath coming out of her mouth.
• No, she continued. Friend, do not fight against the genius in you. Let yourself be taken by the wings of fire through the bright spheres. Forget the passion which shall drag you down to your knees, you, radiant eagle destined to the highest summits. Listen to the voices inviting you to the celestial concert. Take off your flight, sublime bird. The genius is lonely. You are marked by the divine seal; you cannot become a woman’s slave. She spoke, the shadow moved on and the green sea became dark; the skies overcast and the rocks lined up, strangely. She shone even further, seemingly crowned by twinkling stars, and her dress, white like the foam that lashed at the shore, unfolding into immense layers.
• Don’t leave me, I finally said. Take me in your arms; let your dark hair be the bonds that keep me; allow me to live in your light or die in your shadow.
• Come then, she said in a different voice, which seemed more distant. Come, since you prefer the dream that keeps the genius asleep, the genius that enlightens people. Come. I shall not leave you again and both of us, hurt by the fatal blow, shall follow with Dante’s entourage. Don’t be afraid that I might abandon you, oh my poet! The dream rewards you with disgrace and with men’s disdain, people who will only praise your music when no longer irritated by the shine of your genius.
I then felt a powerful embrace lifting me up from the ground. I saw nothing else but the white dress that surrounded me like a halo. I was then consumed by the power of the dream that forever separated me from people.
Alfred de Musset
Thus, I heard, I saw, I was moved and thoughtful about the profound enchantment of the great solitude. I suddenly saw a woman standing on the summit of the hill. She was tall, brunette, and pale. Her long dark hair waved over her white dress. She looked straight forward, staring in a strange way. I stood up in amazement since that woman, blossoming out of the rock, seemed like a dream to me, the divine dream that had dragged over me so often. I approached. She stood there and extended her arm towards the sea, as if inspired, and sang with a smooth and crying voice. I listened to her, taken by a mortal sadness, mentally repeating the lyrics that flowed from her lips, as if coming from a lively spring.
She then turned to me and I felt myself wrapped by the shadow of her white drapery.
• Listen to me, friend, she said. The shaky waters of the sear are less profound; the rocks are less stiff than love, the cruel love that shatters the poet’s heart. Pay no attention to its voice which brings seduction from the waves, from the air, from the Sun, to constrain, penetrate and burn your soul, a trembling soul that wishes to suffer the illness of love.
That is how she spoke. I listened and felt my heart melt in a divine inebriation. I wish I could destroy myself in the pure breath coming out of her mouth.
• No, she continued. Friend, do not fight against the genius in you. Let yourself be taken by the wings of fire through the bright spheres. Forget the passion which shall drag you down to your knees, you, radiant eagle destined to the highest summits. Listen to the voices inviting you to the celestial concert. Take off your flight, sublime bird. The genius is lonely. You are marked by the divine seal; you cannot become a woman’s slave. She spoke, the shadow moved on and the green sea became dark; the skies overcast and the rocks lined up, strangely. She shone even further, seemingly crowned by twinkling stars, and her dress, white like the foam that lashed at the shore, unfolding into immense layers.
• Don’t leave me, I finally said. Take me in your arms; let your dark hair be the bonds that keep me; allow me to live in your light or die in your shadow.
• Come then, she said in a different voice, which seemed more distant. Come, since you prefer the dream that keeps the genius asleep, the genius that enlightens people. Come. I shall not leave you again and both of us, hurt by the fatal blow, shall follow with Dante’s entourage. Don’t be afraid that I might abandon you, oh my poet! The dream rewards you with disgrace and with men’s disdain, people who will only praise your music when no longer irritated by the shine of your genius.
I then felt a powerful embrace lifting me up from the ground. I saw nothing else but the white dress that surrounded me like a halo. I was then consumed by the power of the dream that forever separated me from people.
Alfred de Musset
About the Works of the Society
I will talk about the need for observation of the strictest possible regularity of your sessions, meaning the avoidance of any confusion and divergence of ideas. Divergence favors the replacement of the good spirits by the bad ones, and these almost always respond to the formulated questions. Besides, how can one avoid contradictory ideas, distractions, or even worse a vague and reproachable indifference in a meeting composed by diverse and mutually unknown elements? I wanted to find a certain and efficient way to avoid that. It is perhaps in the concentration of the fluids scattered around the mediums. These are the only ones, in particular those who are loved, that can retain the good spirits in the session but their influence can barely dispel the horde of mocking spirits. The work of examining the communications is excellent. It would never be too much to do an in-depth study of the questions and even more importantly the answers. It is easy to make mistakes, even to those spirits animated by the best intentions. The sluggish writing, during which the spirit terminates a subject as soon as he has initiated it; the mobility and indifference towards certain conventional forms; all these things and many others are igns for you to trust with caution, always ready for examination, even when dealing with the most authentic communications. With that, may God keep under his sacred protection all true spiritists!
Georges, a familiar spirit
Notice The second edition of The Spirits’ Book, published in March 1860, was sold out in less than four months. A third edition has just been released. Allan Kardec
Georges, a familiar spirit
Notice The second edition of The Spirits’ Book, published in March 1860, was sold out in less than four months. A third edition has just been released. Allan Kardec