Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1866

In one of the Spiritist groups of Paris, a medium received recently the following communication from the Spirit of his grandmother:

“My dear son, I am going to speak to you for a moment about the issues of charity that concerned you this morning, on the way to work. The children that are delivered to hired nurses, and the poor women that are forced, in defiance of their pudicity, that is dear to them, to serve in hospitals as experimental material to doctors and medical students, are two great plagues that every good heart must apply themselves to cure, and it is not impossible. May the Spiritists do as the Catholic do. May they save a little bit every week, and capitalizing these resources they will get to serious, great, and truly efficient foundations. The charity that relieves a current illness is a holy charity, that I encourage with all my heart, but the charity that is perpetuated in immortal foundations, like the miseries that they are supposed to alleviate, is an intelligent charity that would make me happy to see it put in practice.

I would like to see a work elaborated with the objective of creating first an establishment of limited proportions. When we see the good result of this first creation, we would then move to another one that would grow gradually, as God wishes it to be, because progress happens in a slow, wise, and calculated march. I repeat that what I am proposing is not difficult; there wouldn’t be a single true Spiritist that would dare fail to respond to the appeal for the relief of their fellow human beings, and the Spiritists are in large number to form, by the accumulation of a weekly amount, a capital that is sufficient for the first establishment to serve the sick women, that would be cared for by women, and who would then no longer hide their sufferings to keep their pudicity.

I deliver these reflections for the meditation of the benevolent persons that attend the session, and I have no doubt that they will bear good fruits. The groups in the country would promptly rally to such a beautiful, and at the same time, so useful and paternal idea. It would, moreover, be a monument to the moral value of Spiritism, so slandered and that will continue to be so for a long time to come.

I said, local charity is good and benefits an individual, but it does not uplift the mind of the masses, like a lasting work. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could repel slander by telling the slanders: “This is what we have done; the tree is recognized by the fruit; a bad tree does not bear good fruits, and the good tree does not bear bad ones.”

Also think of the poor children that leave hospitals to die in mercenary hands, two simultaneous crimes: to give away a weak and helpless child, and the one that sacrificed her mercilessly. May everyone send their prayers to the sad victims of the improvident society and seek a solution to rescue them from their miseries. God wants us to try, giving the means to reach the objective; it is necessary to act. We succeed when we have faith, and faith move mountains. Let Mr. Kardec deals with the matter in his journal, and you will see how it is going to be welcome with dedication and enthusiasm. I said that it was necessary to have a material monument that attested the faith of the Spiritists, like the pyramids in Egypt attest the vanity of the Pharos, but instead of doing foolish things, do works that carry the seal of God Himself. Everybody must understand me, I do not insist.

I leave, my dear child. You good grandmother, as you see, always loves her grandchildren, as I loved you when you were a little child. I want you to love them, as I do, and think about finding a good organization. You can if you wish so, and we will help you, if necessary. I bless you,

Marie G…”



The idea of a central and general relief fund formed among the Spiritist has already been conceived and expressed by persons with excellent intentions, but it is not enough that an idea be great, beautiful and generous; it must, above all, be practical. We have certainly given enough proofs of our devotion to the cause of Spiritism, not to be suspected of indifference about it. Well, it is precisely by force of our very solicitude that we seek to warn against blind enthusiasm. Before undertaking something, it is necessary to assess its pros and cons, avoiding the always unpleasant setbacks, that would certainly be exploited by our adversaries. Spiritism must always march with certainty, and when it sets foot onto something, it must be sure that it is stepping on solid ground. Victory does not always come to the hurried one, but much more surely to the one that waits for the right moment. There are results that can only be the work of time and the infiltration of the idea into the minds of the masses. Let us, therefore, know to wait for the tree to be formed, before demanding an abundant harvest.

For a long time now, we have been proposing that you analyze the question in depth, placing it in its true ground, forewarning against delusions of projects that are more generous than considered, and whose abortion would have unfortunate consequences. The communication given above, about which we were kindly asked to give our opinion, offers a very natural occasion to us. Let us then examine both, the project of centralization of the funds as well as some other institutions and special establishments for Spiritism.

Before anything else, it is appropriate to realize the real state of things. There is no doubt that the Spiritists are in large number, and this number grows incessantly. From that point of view, if offers an unique spectacle, that of an unheard of propagation in the history of the philosophical doctrines, for there isn’t a single one, without exception of Christianity, that has connected so many followers in such a small number of years. This is a notorious fact that confounds even the antagonists. And what is not less characteristic, is the fact that the propagation, instead of taking place in a single center, takes place simultaneously, over the entire surface of the globe, and in thousands of centers. It results that the followers, although in large numbers, still do not form a compact agglomeration anywhere. Such a dispersion, that at first glance seems a sign of weakness, is on the contrary, an element of strength. A hundred thousand Spiritists scattered around a country do more for the propagation of the idea than if they were crowded in a city. Each individuality is a focus of action, a germ that produces offspring; the sprout in turn produces more or less, and the stems that get together little by little, will cover a region more thoroughly than if the action came from a single point. It is as if a handful of seeds were thrown into the wind, instead of all of them been put together in the same hole. Thanks to this number of small centers, the doctrine is less vulnerable than if there were only one, against which its enemies could direct all their power.


An originally compact army that is dispersed by force or by any other cause, is a lost army. Here the case is different. The dissemination of the Spiritists is not a case of dispersion, it is the original state tending to concentration, to form a vast unity. The former is in the end; the latter is in its birth.

To those, therefore, that complain about their isolation in a given place, we say: thank heavens, on the contrary, for having chosen you as the first pioneers of the work in your region. It is up to you to sow the first seeds there; perhaps they will not germinate immediately; perhaps you will not be able to collect the fruits; perhaps you will have even to suffer in your work, but think that one cannot prepare the soil without work, and rest assured that, sooner or later, what you have sown will bear fruits. The harder the endeavor, the more merits you will have, even if you had only cleared the way for those that will come after you.

Without doubt, if the Spiritists were to remain always in isolation, it would be a permanent cause of weakness; but experience proves how much the doctrine is alive, and we know that for each abated branch, ten others are born. Its generalization is, therefore, a matter of time. Well, however fast its march is, there is still the need for sufficient time, and while the work is under way, one must know to wait for the fruit to be ripe before it is picked. This momentary dissemination of the Spiritists, essentially favorable to the propagation of the doctrine, is an obstacle to the execution of collective works of certain importance, given the difficulty, if not the impossibility, of bringing together a large enough number of elements in the same place. It is precisely, some will say, to remove this obstacle, to straighten the links of fraternity among the isolated members of the great Spiritist family, that the creation of central relief fund is proposed. This is certainly a great and generous idea, that seduces at first sight, but have one already thought about the difficulties in the execution?

A first question arises. How far will the action of this fund go? Will it be limited to France, or would it encompass other countries? There are Spiritists in the whole world. Aren’t those of every country, every cast, and every cult our brothers? If the fund, therefore, receives donations from foreign Spiritists, something that would happen infallibly, would it have the right to limit its assistance to only one nationality? Could it conscientiously and charitably ask the sufferer if he is Russian, Polish, German, Spanish or French? Unless it failed in its duty, its objective, it should extend its action from Peru to China. It is enough to think about the complications of such an undertake to see how much chimeric it is.

Suppose it constrained to France, and it would not be a less colossal of an administration, a true ministry. Who would like to take responsibility for the administration of such a fund? For such a management, integrity and devotion would not be enough, it would require a high administrative capacity. Admitting, however, that the first difficulties are overcome, how to exercise an efficient control upon the extent and reality of the needs, over the sincerity about the quality of Spiritist? Such an institution would soon see the surge of millions of followers, or that are said so, but these would not be the ones to fund the budget. From the moment it existed it would be believed to be inexhaustible, and it would soon be incapable of satisfying all the demands of its mandate. Founded upon such a vast scale, we believe it to be impracticable, and from our side we would not lend a hand.

Wouldn’t it also have to fear opposition to its own constitution? Spiritism has just been born, and it does not carry yet an air of holiness everywhere, to be considered shielded from malevolent suppositions. Couldn’t they be mistaken about its intentions in an operation of such a kind? Couldn’t they suppose that it hides another objective, under a cover? In a word, make assimilations that the adversaries could utilize to raise suspicion against it?


Spiritism, by its nature, is not and cannot be either a filiation, or a congregation. It must, therefore, in its own interest, avoid everything that may give it such an appearance. Then, is it necessary that Spiritism remain stationary, out of fear? Isn’t that by acting, they will ask, that Spiritism will show what it is, hence dissipating mistrust and thwarting slander? Not a shade of doubt, but one cannot ask a child for something that requires the strength of adulthood. Far from serving Spiritism, it would compromise and expose it to the blows and mockery of the adversaries and associate its name to chimerical things. It must certainly act, but to the extent of the possible. Let it therefore acquire the necessary forces, and it will then give more than we think. It is not even completely formed in theory yet. How do we want it to give what can only be the result of the complement of the doctrine?

There are, moreover, other aspects that must be considered.

Spiritism is a philosophical belief, and it is enough to sympathize with the fundamental principles of the doctrine to be Spiritist. We speak of true Spiritists, and not those that just put the mask on for interest or other just a little honorable reason. These are not counted since there is not conviction in them. They say they are Spiritists today, in hopes that they will take advantages; they will be adversaries tomorrow, if they do not find what they are looking for, or they will play victims of their fictitious dedication, and will accuse the Spiritists of ingratitude for not supporting them. These would not be the last ones to exploit the fund, to compensate for aborted speculations or to repair disasters caused by their negligence or improvidence and throw stones at it if it did not satisfy them. All that must not seem strange, for every cult counts on similar auxiliaries and witness such comedies playing out.

There is also the considerable mass of Spiritists by intuition; the ones that are Spiritists by tendency and the predisposition of ideas, without a previous study; the indecisive, that still float around, waiting for the necessary elements of conviction. Without exaggeration, we can estimate them in a quarter of the population. It is the great nursery where the followers are recruited, but they cannot be considered yet.

Among the real Spiritists, those that form the true body of followers, there are certain distinctions to be made. In the first line we must put the followers of heart, driven by a sincere faith, that understand the objective and the reach of the doctrine, and accept all the consequences to themselves; their dedication is unfailing and without ulterior motive; the interests of the cause, that are of humanity, are sacred to them, and these will never be sacrificed before an issue of self-love or personal interest. To them, the moral side is not a simple theory; they strive to preach by example; they do not only have the courage of opinion but also take pride on it and know to pay with their person if needed.

Next come those that accept the idea as a philosophy, because it satisfies their reason, but whose moral fiber is not sufficiently touched to comprehend the obligations that the doctrine imposes on those that adopt it. The old man is always there, and the reformation of oneself seems to painstaking a task to them. But since they are nonetheless firmly convinced, propagators and zealous defenders are found among them.

Then there are the lighthearted persons, to whom Spiritism is entirely in the manifestations. To them it is a fact, nothing else. The philosophical side goes unnoticed. The attraction of curiosity is their main drive. They are delighted by the phenomenon and remain cold before a moral consequence.

Finally, there is the very large number of Spiritists, more or less serious, that could not overcome prejudices and the opinions of others, held back by the fear of ridicule, as those whose personal or family considerations and interests, sometimes respectable, are in a way forced to stay away. All those, in short, that for one reason or another, good or bad, do not stand out. Most would ask no better than confessing Spiritist, but they dare not or cannot. This will come later, as they see others doing it and notice that there is no danger. These will be the Spiritists of tomorrow, as others are the Spiritists of the day before. However, we cannot blame them too much since it is necessary a strength of character that not everyone has to defy public opinion, in certain cases. We must then take human weakness into account. Spiritism does not enjoy the privilege of suddenly transforming humanity, and if there is something remarkable is the number of reforms that it has already produced, in such a short time. While with some, where it finds the prepared terrain, it comes in, so to speak, all at once, with others it only penetrates drop by drop, according to the resistance found in character and habits.

All these followers are counted, and however imperfect they might be, they are always useful, although to a limited extent. If they only served, until further notice, to reduce the ranks of opposition, that would already be something. That is one we must not neglect any sincere adhesion, even if partial.

But when it comes to an important collective work, where everyone must bring their contingent of action, such as that of a general fund, for example, it is appropriate to take these considerations into account, because the efficacy of the support that one may expect is proportional to the category to which the followers belong. It is obvious that we cannot rely much on those that do not take the moral side of the doctrine to their heart, and even less on those that dare not show themselves.

There remains, therefore, the followers of the first category. From them, of course, anything can be expected. These are the soldiers of vanguard, those that more frequently do not wait for the call when it comes to give testimonies of abnegation and devotion, but in a financial cooperative, each one contribute according to their means, and the poor can only give their mite. To the eyes of God this mite has a great value, but to the material needs it only has its intrinsic value. Excluding all those whose means of living are limited, the very ones who live on their work, the number of those that could contribute more and in a more efficient way is relatively small.

One observation, at the same time interesting and instructive, is the proportion of the followers according to their categories. Such a proportion has varied significantly and changes according to the progress of the doctrine; but at this moment it could be assessed approximately like this:

1^st category, complete Spiritists of heart and devotion, 10%

2^nd category, incomplete Spiritists, seeking more the scientific than the moral side, 25%

3^rd category, lighthearted Spiritists, only interested in the material facts, 5% (this proportion was the opposite ten years ago)

4^th category, concealed or hidden Spiritists, 60%



Relatively to their social position, two general classes stick out: on one side, those whose fortune is independent; on the other, those that make a living from their work. In 100 Spiritists of the first category there are, on average, 5 rich ones to 95 workers; in the second category, 70 rich to 30 workers; in the third category, 80 rich to 20 workers and in the fourth category, 99 rich ones to 1 worker.


It would therefore be delusional to believe that in such conditions a general fund could satisfy all the needs, while that of the richest banker would not be sufficient. It would not be a few thousand francs that would be needed every year, but millions.


Where does this difference in the proportion of those that are rich, and the others come from? The reason is very simple: the sufferers find in Spiritism a great consolation that helps them to endure the load of the miseries of life; provides them with a reason for such miseries and the certainty of a compensation. Thus, it is not surprising that taking more advantage of the benefits, they appreciate it more and take it more seriously than the happy ones of the world.


People were surprised that, when similar projects came to the public, we did not promptly support and sponsor them. Fact is that we associate ourselves, before anything else, to positive and practical ideas; Spiritism is a very serious thing to us to prematurely engage it in avenues where it could find disappointments. From our side there isn’t carelessness nor cowardice, but prudence, and whenever Spiritism is mature to advance, we will not stay behind. It is not that we believe to have more perspicacity than the others, but that our position, allowing the vision of the whole, allows us to assess the strong and weak points, perhaps better than those that are in a more limited circle. As a matter of fact, we give our opinion and do not pretend to impose it to anybody.


What has just been said about the creation of a general and central relief fund, is naturally applicable to the projects of foundation of hospitals and other outfits. Now, the utopia here is even more evident. If it is easy to sketch a project on paper, it is not the same when it is time for the execution. Building an edifice ad hoc is already huge, and when it would be ready, it would be necessary to provide it with sufficient and capable personnel, and afterwards ensure its maintenance, for such endeavors cost a lot and yield nothing. It is not only large capital that is required but large returns as well.


Let us admit, however, that by force of perseverance and sacrifice, a small model is created, as they say; how small wouldn’t be the needs that it could satisfy, relatively to the masses and the spread of sufferers in a vast territory! It would be a drop of water in the ocean, and if there are so many difficulties to a single project, even in a small scale, it would be much worse if they were to be multiplied. Money employed in such a way, therefore, would benefit only a few individuals, whereas if it were judiciously shared, it would help the lives of many in need.


It would be a model, an example, be it, but why strive to create chimeras when things do exist, ready-made, organized, with powerful means that individuals will never possess? These establishments are not ideal; there is abuse, they do not attend every need, that is evident, however, when they are compared to what they were less than a century ago, we attest an immense difference and a constant progress. One can see improvements every day. We cannot doubt, therefore, that new progresses will take place with time, by the force of things. The Spiritist ideas must infallibly speed up the reform of every abuse, because better than the others, they penetrate mankind with the feeling of duty; wherever they penetrate, abuse will fall and progress stand. Hence, one must strive to propagate them; that is the practical and possible thing to do; that is the true lever, an irresistible lever when it has acquired a sufficient strength by the complete development of the principles, and by the number of serious followers.


Judging the future by the present, we can affirm that Spiritism would have led to the reform of many things long before the Spiritists would be able to finish the first establishment of the kind that we are talking about, if they ever do, even if everyone had to give a penny a week. Why then spending their energy in superfluous efforts, instead of concentrating them on an accessible point, and that can certainly lead to the objective? A thousand followers gained to the cause, spread over a thousand different places, will speed up more the march of progress than an edifice.


The Spirit that dictated the message above says that Spiritism must stand and show what it is by a lasting monument to charity. But what would be the point of a monument to charity if charity were not in the heart? Spiritism carries out a work that is more durable than a monument of stone; it is the doctrine and its consequences to good and humanity. It is for this that everyone must work with all their strengths, for it will last longer than the pyramids of Egypt.


The fact that this Spirit is mistaken about this point, as we believe, does not deprive her from any of her qualities. The Spirit is incontestably driven by excellent feelings, but a Spirit may be very good, without being an infallible assessor of all things; not every good soldier is necessarily a good general.


A project of a less chimerical realization is the formation of mutual aid societies among the Spiritists of the same locality. But, even here, it is not possible to avoid some of the difficulties that we pointed out: the lack of agglomeration and the still small budget of those with whom one may count on for an effective support. Another difficulty stems out of the false assimilation that is made of the Spiritists to certain classes of individuals. Each profession as a perfectly marked delimitation. One can easily establish a society of mutual aid for the individuals of the same profession, among persons of the same cult, because they are distinguished by something characteristic, and because of their position, up to a certain point official and recognized. This is not the case with the Spiritists that are not registered as such anywhere, and whose belief is not attested by any title. There are Spiritists of all social classes, in all professions, in all cults, and nowhere do they constitute a distinct class. Since Spiritism is a belief founded on an intimate conviction, that is not anybody’s business, we only know the ones that stick their heads out or that attend the groups, and not the considerable number of those that, without hiding, do not take part in any regular meeting. That is why, despite the assurance that the number of followers is high, it is difficult to get to the necessary budget, when it comes to a collective operation.


Regarding the societies of mutual help, there is another consideration. Spiritism does not form, and must not form a distinct class, since it addresses everybody; from its principle, it must extend its charity indistinctly, without questioning about belief, for all men are brothers. If it creates institutions of exclusive charity to its followers, it will be forced to enquiry the one that seeks assistance: “Are you one of us? What are the proofs? If not, we cannot do anything for you.” It would then deserve the criticism of intolerance that Spiritism addresses to others. No, to do good the Spiritist must not probe the conscience and the opinion, and even when facing an enemy of his faith, but unfortunate, he must reach out to the limit of his capacities. By acting like this Spiritism will show what it is and will prove that it is more worthy than what is opposed to it.


The societies of mutual aid multiply everywhere and in every working class. It is an excellent institution, a prelude to the kingdom of fraternity and solidarity that we are lacking. The benefit the Spiritist members as well as everybody else. Why founding them for the latter only, excluding the former? We must help to propagate them because they are useful; to make them better, have the Spiritist influence permeating there, making them more beneficial to them and to the doctrine. In the name of the evangelical charity inscribed in its flag; in the name of the interests of Spiritism, we incite you to avoid everything that may create obstacles between them and society. Now that moral progress tends to diminish the ones that divide the peoples, Spiritism must not erect them; it essence is to penetrate everywhere; its mission is to better everything that exists; it would fail if it isolated itself. Since the beneficence must be individual, in this case wouldn’t its action be more limited than if it were collective? Collective beneficence has incontestable advantages, and far from criticizing, we encourage it. Nothing easier than practicing it in the groups, collecting the elements of a mutual relief fund through regular contributions of facultative donations. But then, acting within a limited circle, the control of true needs is easy; the knowledge that is possible to have about them allows a fairer and more fruitful distribution. With a small and well distributed budged, given with discernment, more real services may be done than with a large budget that is given without knowledge of cause, and serendipitously, so to speak. It is, therefore, necessary to be aware of certain details, if one does not want to spend its resources pointlessly. It is understandable that such caution would be impossible when operating in large scale. No red tape here, no need for administrative personnel. A few persons of good will, that is all. We can only encourage with all our heart the collective benevolence in the Spiritist groups. We know some of them in Paris, in the country and abroad, that are founded, if not exclusively, at least partially, with that objective, and whose organization is second to none. Dedicated members visit the homes, enquiring about the sufferings and taking what sometimes is more valuable than the material help: consolations and encouragement. May they be honored because they deserve Spiritism! May each group act like this in their sphere of activities, and all together will realize a greater sum of benefits than a central fund four times richer.

The “Moniteur” on April 16^th, 1866 brought the quinquennial report addressed to the Emperor, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce and Public Affairs, about the state of mental alienation in France. The very extensive, wise, and meticulously made report, demonstrates the seriousness of the government when dealing with this serious question of humanity. The precious documents that it contains indicate a careful observation. They are of our interest, even more so when are a formal and authentic contradiction of the accusations raised by the adversaries of Spiritism, designated by them as a preponderant cause of insanity. We extracted the most important passages of the report.



It is true that such documents attest a considerable growth in the number of alienated, but we will see that this has nothing to do with Spiritism. In 1835 this number was 10,539 in special shelters, and 30,229 in 1861; it is an increase of 19,700 cases in 26 years, or 750 cases per year, on average, as it can be seen in the table below, showing January 1^st of each year:

The report attests, moreover, this fundamental point: the increase was progressive, year over year, between 1835 and 1846, and since then it decreased, as illustrated in the table below:



From 1836 to 1841: annual increase of 5.04%

From 1841 to 1846: annual increase of 5.94%

From 1846 to 1851: annual increase of 3.71%

From 1851 to 1856: annual increase of 3.87%

From 1856 to 1861: annual increase of 3.14%



The Minister says:

“Given the deceleration, also verified in the admissions, as I will demonstrate later, it is likely that the really exceptional growth of the population of our mental health institutions will soon end. The number of patients that our institutions could shelter properly was 31,500 in 1860. The effective number of patients admitted in the same period was 30,239. The number of available places, therefore, was only 1,321. From the point of view of the classification of their illnesses, the patients under treatment on January 1^st of each year, from 1856 to 1861 was (only years for which the classification was done):^[1]

It results from these documents, first, that the increase in insanity attested since 1835 is approximately twenty years before the advent of Spiritism in France, where the involvement with the turning tables began in 1852 more of an entertainment than a serious thing, and the philosophical part starting in 1857. Second, that increased followed a regular rate, year over year, from 1835 to 1846; from 1847 to 1861 it decreased year by year, and the reduction was stronger from 1856 to 1861, precisely the period in which Spiritism initiated its development. It was also precisely in this period that brochures were published and that the newspapers hastened to repeat that the institutions of mental illnesses were full of insane Spiritists, to the point that several had to enlarge their footprint; that they accounted for more than forty thousands. How could that be if the report attests a maximum number of 30,339? What was the source of more accurate information used by those gentlemen, other than the official authorities? The provoked an inquiry: here they have it as detailed as possible, and one can see if they are right.

What equally sticks out from the report is the number of idiotic and cretin that account for a considerable part in the general number, and the annual increase of that component, that cannot evidently be attributed to Spiritism.

Regarding the prevalent causes of insanity, they were thoroughly investigated, however, Spiritism does not show in the report neither nominally nor by allusion. Would it have gone unnoticed if, as some pretend, it had filled up the mental institutions?

We do not believe that the one can attribute to the Minister the idea of having spared the Spiritist, by abstaining of mentioning them, if he had space to do so. Nonetheless, certain figures would refute any preponderance of Spiritism in the state of things. Otherwise the psychological causes would surpass the number of physical causes, whereas it is the opposite that is verified. The number of patients considered incurable would not be four to five times more than the number of those presumably curable, and the report would not say that 4/5 of the patients maintained in the institutions do not offer any chance of cure.

Finally, considering the development carried out by Spiritism every day, the Minister would not have said that, due to the slowdown that was observed, it is likely that the entirely exceptional increase in the population of the institutions will soon end.

In short, this report is the most peremptory answer that can be given to those that accuse Spiritism of being the predominant cause of insanity. Here it is not about hypotheses and reasonings, it is about authentic numbers opposed to imaginary figures; material facts opposed to false allegations of its detractors, interested in discredit Spiritism before public opinion.

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[1] The terms idiot, imbecile, moron, and their derivatives, such as idiotic, were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts. These uses were broadly rejected by the close of the 20th century and are now considered offensive. (Merriam-Webster dictionary, T.N.)


[2] Notice that the sum does not add up. We preferred to keep the numbers as in the original since we do not know if the error is in the total or in the parts. (Translation to Portuguese – Editor).

Death of Joseph Méry


A man of talent, rare intelligence, poet and distinct scholar, Mr. Joseph Méry died in Paris on June 17^th, 1866, at the age of 67 ½. Although he was not a confess follower of Spiritism, he belonged to the large class of those that may be called unconscious Spiritists, that is, who intuitively carry the fundamental ideas of Spiritism. Given that, we can, without veering off from our specialty, dedicate a few lines that will not be useless to our instruction.

It would be superfluous to repeat here the information that most newspaper published on the occasion of his death, about his life and his work. We will only reproduce the following passage from the Siècle (June 19^th), because it is a fair tribute to the character of the man. After having enumerated his literary pieces of work, the author of the article paints him like this:

“Joseph Méry was prodigal in conversation; brilliant talker, improvisor of stances and rhymes, he sowed witty and paradoxical phrases, with a tireless vein; and a particularity that honors him, he had never deprived anyone from a smart comment, a joke, and was always benevolent with everybody. It is one of the most beautiful praises that can be done to a writer.”

We said that Mr. Méry was a Spiritist by intuition. He not only believed in the soul and its survival, in the spiritual world that surrounds us, but also in the plurality of the existences, and such a belief to him was the result of memories. He was persuaded to have lived in Rome, under Augustus, in Germany, in India, etc. Certain details were so much present in his memory that he described accurately places that he had never seen. That is the faculty that is mentioned by the article above when the author says: “His inexhaustible imagination created regions that he had not seen, guessed the social mores, describing the inhabitants with a fidelity all the more marvelous for he possessed it without knowing it.”

We cited the most important facts about him in the Spiritist Review, November 1864, with the title Memories of previous existences, reproducing the biographic article published by Mr. Dangeau, in the Literary Journal, on September 25^th, 1864, followed by some of our thoughts. Such a faculty was perfectly known to his comrades in literature. What did they think about it? To some, it was just a singular effect of imagination, but since Mr. Méry was a well-liked man, of a simple and righteous character, that was knowingly incapable of an imposture (the accuracy of certain local descriptions, as a matter of fact, had been acknowledged), and they could not rationally call him insane, many said that there could be something truthful in all that. Thus, these events were remembered in one of the speeches given in his funeral. Now, if they had considered it as an aberration of his mind, they would have remained quiet about it. It is therefore, in the presence of an immense crowd of colleagues of the elite of literature and press, in a serious and solemn ceremony, one of those that demand much respect, that it was said that Mr. Méry remembered having lived in other times, and proved it by facts. This must give food for thought, particularly considering that it is outside Spiritism, and many people adopt the idea of the plurality of the existences as the most rational. Facts of such a nature, with respect to Mr. Méry, and being of the most remarkable particularities of his life, and having repercussion on the occasion of his death, can only accredit him.

Well, what are the consequences of such a belief, abstraction made of Spiritism? If we admit that he has already lived once, we can and must even have lived several times, and may live again after this life. If we lived many times, it cannot be with the same body, therefore, there is an intelligent principle in us that is independent of matter, that keeps its individuality. It is, as it can be seen, the denial of the materialistic and pantheistic doctrines. Considering that this principle, this soul, by re-living on Earth, may keep the intuition of its past, it must not lose itself in the infinity, after death, as it is commonly believed; he must, in the interval of his corporeal existences, remain in the environment where men live; having to retake new existences in this same humanity, he must not lose sight of that; must continue his experiences. Here we then have acknowledged the spiritual world that surrounds us and amidst which we live.

In this world live, naturally, our relatives and friends who must continue to have an interest in us, as we are interested in them, and that are not lost to us since they exist and may be near us. That is what is forcibly believed and that must be the consequences for those that admit the principle of the plurality of the existences, and that is what Mr. Méry believed. What does Spiritism do more? It calls those same invisible beings Spirits, and says that, since they are around us, they can manifest their presence and communicate with the incarnate. When the rest was admitted, is this so senseless?

As we see, the distance that separates Spiritism from the innermost believe of several people is very small. The fact of manifestations is just an accessory and a practical confirmation of the fundamental principle, admitted in theory. Why then some that admit the basis, reject what must serve as proof? For the false idea that they make of it. But those that take the burden of studying it in depth, soon recognize that they are closer to Spiritism than they thought, and that their majority are Spiritists without knowing; they only need the name. That is why one can see so many Spiritist ideas everywhere by the same ones that impugn the name and why those very ideas are so easily accepted by certain persons. When it is only about a matter of words, one is very close to an understanding.

Spiritism enters the world through an infinite number of doors, by touching everything. Some are brought to it by the fact of manifestations; others by the misfortune that strikes them, and against which they find in this doctrine the only consolation; others by the philosophical and religious idea; others, finally, by the principle of the plurality of the existences. Méry, contributing to give credibility to this principle in a certain environment, perhaps do more for the propagation of Spiritism than if he were a an openly confess Spiritist.

It is precisely at the time when this great law of humanity is affirmed through the facts and by the testimony of an honorable man, that the Court of Rome, in turn, has just deauthorized it, putting the Plurality of the Existences of the Soul in the index, by Pezzani (Journal le Monde, June 22^nd, 1866). Such a measure will inevitably have the effect of drawing attention to the issue, provoking its analysis. The plurality of the existences is not a simple philosophical opinion; it is a law of nature that no anathema can preclude from existing, and with which, sooner or later, theology will have to agree with. It is a certain excess to hasten to condemn a law, in the name of the Divinity, a law that like every other that rule the world, is the work of the Divinity.

We are afraid that it will soon happen to this condemnation the same that happened to the ones that were cast upon the movement of Earth and its periods of formation. The following communication was obtained in the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, on June 22^nd, 1866 by the medium Mr. Desliens.

Question – Mr. Méry, we did not have the privilege of knowing you but knew your reputation; your talents and the deserved esteem that surrounded you lead us to the expectation of finding, in the conversations we are going to have with you, one instruction that we will happily take advantage of, every time you want to come to us. The questions that today we would like to address you with, if the short time after your death allows you to respond, are these:

1^st – How did your passage take place from this life to the other, and what were your impression when entering the spiritual world?

2^nd – Did you know Spiritism when alive? What did you think about it?

3^rd – Is what they say about your previous existences correct? Which influence those memories had on your earthly life and your writings? We believe to be superfluous to ask if you are happy in your new position. The goodness of your character and your honorability allow us to expect that.

Answer: Gentlemen, I am extremely touched by the testimony of sympathy that you have just give me, contained in the words of your honorable President. I am happy to attend your call, because my current condition assures me of the reality of a teaching whose intuition I carried from birth, and also because you think about what is left of Méry, the novelist, and in the future of my living and intimate part, in my soul finally, whereas my many friends, when they left me, they thought, above all, in the personality that had just abandoned them. They said their last good-bye, wishing that earth was light to me! What is left of Méry to them? A little bit of dust, and books whose merit I am not called to pronounce about… Not a word about my new life!

They remembered by theories like one of the singularities of my character; the imposition of my convictions like a magnetic effect, an enchantment that would disappear with my absence; but the Méry that survived the body, this intelligent being that today is conscious of his life of yesterday, and that who thinks about his life of tomorrow, what have they said?... Nothing!... He did not even think… The joyful novelist, sometimes so happy, sometimes so sad, departed; they gave him a teardrop, a memory! Eight days from now and they will no longer think of him, and the experiences of war will make them forget the return of the poor exile to his homeland.

Insensible! Long ago they said: “Méry is sick; he is weaking; he is getting old.” How mistaken!... I was moving towards youth, believe me; it is the child that cries when entering life that advances to the old age; the mature man that dies meets again with the eternal youth beyond the grave!

Death was an ineffable sweetness to me! My poor body, worn out by the disease, had a few final convulsions and nothing else, but my Spirit bit by bit left its diapers and floated, still prisoner, already aspiring for the infinity!... I was freed without trouble, disturbance; I had no surprises because the tomb no longer had any veil to me. I got to a known place; I knew that devoted friends were waiting for me in that shore, for it was not the first time that I had travelled that path.

As I used to tell my surprised audience, I knew the Rome of the Caesars; I commanded, as a subordinate conqueror, in this Gaul that I recently inhabited as a citizen; I helped to conquer your country, to enslave your proud predecessors, then I left to recharge my forces in the source of intellectual life, to choose new trials and new means of progress. I have seen the riverbanks of Ganges, and those of the rivers in China; I have assimilated those civilizations, so different from yours, and yet so great, so advanced in their kind. I lived in the scorching hot zone and in the temperate climates, I studied habits here and there, warrior, poet, writer, and philosopher in turn, a dreamer always…



This last life to me was like a summary of all the preceding ones. I recently acquired; just yesterday I was spending the treasures of observations and studies, accumulated over a series of existences. Yes, I was a Spiritist by heart and mind, if not by reason. Pre-existence was a fact to me, reincarnation a law, Spiritism a truth. As for the matters of detail, I confess in good faith to have not cared about much. I believed in the survival of the soul, in the plurality of the existences, but never tried to investigate it the soul could, after having left the mortal body, free, maintain relationships with those that are still bonded to the chain. Ah Victor Hugo said it right: “Earth is nothing other than the galleys of the sky!” We sometimes break our chains, but to take it back. We only get out of here, of course, by leaving it up to our guards to untie the links that bond us to the trial, when the time is right.

I am happy, very happy, because I have the conscience of having lived well!

Forgive me, gentlemen, it is still Méry, the dreamer, speaking with you, and allow me to come back to a meeting in which I feel at ease. There must be something to learn from you, and if you wish to receive me among your invisible listeners, I will be gladly among you, listening, learning, and speaking if the occasion presents itself.

Identity of the Spirits in Private Meetings


Why the Spirits evoked by a feeling of affection, many times refuse to provide with incontestable proofs of their identity? It is understandable the whole value associated to the identity from the part of the Spirits that are dear to us. Such a feeling is very natural, and it seems that for the fact that the Spirits can communicate it must be very easy for them to attest their personality. The lack of material proof, to certain persons and even more so to those that do not know the mechanism of mediumship, that is, the law of relationships between Spirits and men, it is a cause of painful uncertainty. Although we have already treated this question several times, we will examine it again, to respond to some questions that are addressed to us.

We have nothing to add to what has been said about the identity of the Spirits that come exclusive for our instruction, and that had left Earth some time ago. We know that it cannot be attested in absolute terms, and that we must limit ourselves to judging the value of the language.

The identity cannot be verified with certainty except for Spirits that departed recently, whose character and habits reflect from their words. For those, the identity is revealed in a thousand details. The proof, sometimes, sticks out from material, characteristic facts, but more frequently from nuances of the language itself and a number of little details that, although not much evident, are not less significant.

Communications of this kind often contain more proofs than one think, and that we discover with more attention and less prevention. Most of the time, unfortunately, people are not satisfied with what the Spirit wants or can give; they want proof their own way; ask them to say this or do that; that they remember a name or a fact, and that in a given time, without thinking about the obstacles that sometimes oppose to that, and paralyze their good will. Then, after obtaining what they wished, they frequently want more. They think that it is not concluding enough; after one fact, they request another, and another. In short, they never have enough to be convinced. It is when the Spirit, often fatigued by such insistence, stops completely communicating, expecting that the conviction will come by other means. But very often also, their abstention is imposed by a superior will, as a punishment to the very demanding claimer, and also as a test to his faith, because if after a few disappointments and the failure to obtain what he wants and by the way he wants, if he ended up abandoning the Spirits, these in turn would abandon him, leaving him overwhelmed by his anguishes and in the tortures of doubt, fortunate when his abandonment does not have more serious consequences.

However, in a number of cases, the material proofs of identity are independent from the will of the Spirit and the desire that the Spirit has to provide them. This is due to the nature or to the state of the instrument through which the Spirit communicates. There is an infinite variety of nuances in the mediumistic faculty that make the medium apt or improper for the obtainment of these or those effects, that at first sight seem identical, but that depend on different fluidic influences. The medium is like an instrument of many strings, who cannot emit sound through missing cords.

Here a remarkable example:

We know a medium that may be placed among those of first order, as much for the nature of the instructions that he receives as for the skills in communicating with almost all Spirits, without distinction. Time and again, in private evocations, he received irrefutable proofs of identity, by reproducing the language and character of persons that he had never known. Some time ago he made an evocation, for a person that had just suddenly lost several children, evoking one of the last ones, a girl. The communication reflected the character of the girl perfectly and was even more satisfactory because it responded to a question of the father about her position as a Spirit. However, those were only psychological proofs, in a way. The father thought that another child could have responded the same thing; he wanted something that only the daughter could say; he was surprised, above all, for the fact that she called him father, instead of the family nickname that she gave him, and that was not a French name, considering that if she said one word she could also say the other. Having the father asked the reason why, here is the response given by the guide of the medium about it:

“Although entirely detached, your little child would not have the conditions to make you understand, because she cannot make the medium repeat the terms that are familiar to you in the transmission. She obeys a law, when communicating, but she does not understand it sufficiently to explain its mechanism. Mediumship is a faculty whose nuances vary to infinity, and the mediums that typically handle philosophical matters, only rarely obtain, and always spontaneously, these particularities that allow the positive identification of the personality of the Spirit. When mediums of that kind request a proof of identity, with the desire of satisfying the evoker, the cerebral fibers of the medium become tense due to the desire and are no longer flexible enough for the Spirit to move them at will. It follows that characteristic words cannot be reproduced. The thought remains, but the form no longer exists. There isn’t, therefore, anything strange in the fact that your daughter called you father, instead of providing you with the familiar qualification that you expected. Through a special medium you will obtain results that will satisfy you. All that is needed is patience.”

After a few days, that gentleman was in a group of one of our members, and obtained by tiptology and in the presence of the first medium, not only the name that he wanted, and without having asked for that in particular, but also other facts of remarkable accuracy. Thus, the faculty of the first medium, however developed and flexible it was, was not adequate to this kind of mediumistic production. He could reproduce the words that are the translation of the transmitted thought, and not the terms that require special work. For that reason, the whole communication reflected the character and the disposition of ideas of the Spirit, but without characteristic material signs. A given medium is not the appropriate mechanism to every effect. As we cannot find two persons that are physically and psychologically identical, there aren’t two mediums whose faculties are identical.

It is noticeable that the proofs of identity almost always come spontaneously, at the time when one thinks the least about it, whereas they are rarely given when requested. A caprice from the part of the Spirit? No; there is a material cause, as follows:

The fluidic dispositions that establish the relationships between the Spirit and the medium offer nuances of extreme subtleness, unappreciable by our senses and that vary from a moment to the next in the same medium. Often, an effect that is not possible at a given time, will be in one hour, one day or a week later, because the dispositions or the energy of the fluidic currents would have changed. It happens here what happens in photography, in which a simple variation of light direction or intensity is enough to favor or preclude the reproduction of the image. Does a poet create verses at will? No. He needs inspiration; if he is not in favorable conditions, however much he digs up the brain nothing will be obtained. Ask him why. In the evocations, when the Spirit is left at ease, he makes use of the disposition that he finds in the medium, taking advantage of the appropriate moment. But when these dispositions do not exist, he cannot do better than the photographer with the absence of light. Despite his desire, therefore, he cannot always instantaneously satisfy a request for proofs of identity. That is why it is preferable to wait for them instead of requesting them.

Besides, one must consider that the fluidic relationships that must exist between the Spirit and the medium never establish completely since the first time, for the assimilation only happens gradually and with time. From that it follows that, initially, the Spirit always has a difficulty that influences the clarity, accuracy and development of the communications, whereas when the Spirit and the medium are used to one another, when their fluids are identified, the communications happen naturally, because there is no more resistance to overcome.

That shows how many considerations must be given to the analysis of the communications. It is for not doing it, and for not knowing the laws that rule those types of phenomena that frequently the impossible is demanded. It is absolutely like someone that did not know the laws of electricity and became surprised that the telegraph could experience variations and interruptions, then concluding that electricity does not exist.

The fact of verification of identity of certain Spirits is an accessory, in the vast universe of results that Spiritism encompasses. If such verification were impossible, it would not pass a prejudgment against the manifestations in general, nor against the moral consequences that derive from them. One would have to feel sorry for those that precluded themselves from the consolations that they give, for the fact that they did not get a personal satisfaction, for this would be the same as sacrificing the whole for the part.

In a provincial group, a Spirit presented with the name “Saint Joseph, saint, three times saint”, giving rise to the following question to be framed:

Can a Spirit, even canonized in life, give oneself the qualification of saint, without failing humility, that is one of the appanages of true holiness, and when invoked, agrees that such a title be given? Shouldn’t a Spirit that takes that name, for this reason, be considered suspect?

“You must reject him immediately, for the same would apply to a great captain that would introduce to you pompously, exhibiting his many achievement in arms, before providing his name, or a poet that would start by boasting about his talents. You would see in such words a dislocated pride. That is how it must be with men that had some virtues on Earth and that were considered worthy of canonization. If they present themselves to you with humility, believe in them; if they come preceded by their holiness, thank them and you shall not miss anything. The incarnate is not holy for the fact that he was canonized: Only God is saint because only God enjoys all perfections. Look at the superior Spirits that you know by the sublimity of their teachings. They did not dare call themselves saints; they simply use the qualification Spirits of Truth.”

This answer requires some rectifications. Canonization does not imply holiness in the absolute sense, but only a certain degree of perfection. To some, the qualification of saint became a kind of banal title, becoming an integral part of the name, to distinguish them from their homonyms or given to them by habit. Saint Augustin, Saint Louis, Saint Thomas may, therefore, precede the word to their signature without doing it out of pride, that would be much more dislocated in superior Spirits, because, better than the others, they give no importance to the distinctions conferred by men. It would be the same with the titles of nobility or military ranks. Certainly, the one that was a duke, a prince or a general on Earth, is no longer in the world of the Spirits. Nonetheless, they could use those qualifications in their signatures, without any consequence to their character. Some sign like this: the one that was Duke of something on Earth. The feeling of the Spirit is revealed by the whole set of communications and the unequivocal signs in his language. That is how we cannot be mistaken about someone that starts like this: “Saint Joseph, saint, three times saint”. This is enough to reveal an impostor Spirit, decorated with the name of Saint Joseph. Thus, he could see that, thanks to the knowledge of the principles of the doctrine, his roguery did not find believers in the circle where he wanted to sneak in.

The Spirit that dictated the communication above, is therefore too absolute with respect to the qualification of saint, and is not right when saying that superior Spirits simply call themselves Spirits of truth, a qualification that would not be less than disguised pride with another name, and that could lead to error if taken to the letter, because none can boast about having the absolute truth, nor the absolute holiness.

The qualification of Spirit of Truth belongs to only one and may be considered as a name. It is specified in the Gospel. As a matter of fact, that Spirit communicates rarely and only in special occasions. It is necessary to remain vigilant against those that unduly decorate themselves with such a title. They are easy to recognize by the verbosity and vulgarity of their language.

One of our correspondents from Lyon writes the following to us:

“I was surprised with the fact that the Spirit of Dr. Cailleux was taken into a magnetic state to see his several past existences unfolding before him (Spiritist Review, June 1866). This seems to indicate that the Spirit in question did not know them, because in The Spirits’ Book, I read that “after death, the soul sees and embraces in a glance the picture of his past existences (item 243). Doesn’t this fact seem to indicate a contradiction?”

There isn’t any contradiction there, on the contrary, the fact comes to confirm the possibility for the Spirit to get to know their past existences. The Spirits’ Book is not a complete treaty of Spiritism; it presents the foundations and the fundamental points that must be successively developed by the study and observation. It says that, in principle, the soul sees, after death, its past migrations, but it does not say when and how that takes place. Here the details of application that must be subordinated to the circumstances. It is known that in delayed Spirits the vision is limited to the present, or a bit more, like on Earth. It develops with intelligence and as they acquire conscience of their condition. Moreover, we should not believe that, even when considering advanced Spirits, like Dr. Cailleux, for example, as soon as they enter the spiritual world everything is clearly shown to them, as if in a live change of decoration; that would not be the case even if they constantly had the panorama of space and time before their eyes. As for their previous existences, they see them as a memory, as we see through our thoughts what we did in previous years: the scenes of our infancy, the social positions that we had. That memory is more or less accurate and confusing, sometimes null, according to the state of the Spirit, and according to the judgement of the Providence, if it is convenient to fade or revive it, as a reward, punishment or lesson. It is a big mistake to believe that the aptitudes, the faculties, and perceptions are the same to all Spirits. As with the incarnation, they have moral and what we can call material perceptions, that vary according to the individuals.

If Dr. Cailleux had said that the Spirits cannot know their past existences, this would be a contradiction, for it would be the denial of an admitted principle. Far from that, he affirms the fact; it is only that for him things happened in a different way compared to others, undoubtedly by motives of utility to him, and to us it is a motive of teaching, since it shows us one side of the spiritual world. Mr. Cailleux had died recently; his past existences, therefore, could not be pictured clearly yet in his memory. Let us observe, furthermore, that it was not a simple recollection; it was the actual vision of the individualities that he had animated; the image of his former perispiritual forms presented to him. Now, the magnetic state that he found himself in was probably necessary to produce the phenomenon.

The Spirits’ Book was written in the origin of Spiritism, in a time when we were far from having done all the practical studies that were done later. The posterior observations came to develop and complement the principles, whose germs where cast by that book, and it is worth noticing that even today they have only been confirmed, without ever being contradicted in the fundamental points.

Spiritist Poetry

Prayer for the Spirits

Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, May 4^th, 1866 – medium Mr. V…




I am really touched to see you, dear child,

At my submissive orders, pray while evoking me,

And blame the deceptive logic loudly

And the vain arguments of a proud party,

Who claims that the Spirit performs a duty

Coming to your voice, so happy to be able to,

by obeying the law, leave faster and run away

from the world he inhabits, the boring stay.

Flying away at last, to these borderless shores,

May the shadow and lament of the dead sadden no more.

These are big words and phrases, pompous.

But if he comes to reveal the wonderful beauties,

Unknown worlds, open horizons

Of times, teaching it, in long lessons,

The beginning and the end of your immortal soul,

The greatness of your God, His power, eternal,

His infinite justice and His sublime love,

Noble mocker, be frank: Would you say that in return thereof,

If He ever asks you for a short prayer,

He is too demanding, when on earth, frequently,

To have or pay for a small favor,

He is seeing begging, trampling modesty,

And supplicant for a long time, like a poor beggar,

With a sigh, the bread that should nourish his life, eager!

Oh! believe me, dear child, misfortune! three times misfortune!

To the one who always, forgetting the pain

And the tears of blood of this invisible terrain,

Listening to our voices and unmoved remains,

And don't come to his knees,

Pray for us, to the God of his.

Casimir Delavigne