The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1860

Allan Kardec

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Bulletin of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies

Notice:

Starting from next July 15th, the office of The Spiritist Review as well as Mr. Allan Kardec’s residence will be transferred to Rue Sainte-Anne, 59 – Passage Sainte-Anne.

Friday, May 4th, 1860
(Private Session)

Minutes from the April 17th session were read. By suggestion and proposal of the Committee, and after the reading of the minutes, the Society accepts among full members:
1st – Mr. Achille R…, employed in Paris;

2nd – Mr. Serge de W…, from Moscow.


MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:

1st – Letter from Mrs. P…, medium from Rouen, stating that several suffering spirits who were evoked at the Society have spontaneously gone there to say thank you for prayers on their behalf. Since she has recovered her mediumistic faculty, she has only worked with suffering spirits. She was told that her mission is mainly to alleviate their pain.

2nd – A spontaneous essay received by Mrs. L…, a medium member of the Society, about vanity given by a familiar spirit was read. To be published below.

3rd – Letter from Mr. Bénardacky, from Brussels, with a communication received about the formation of Earth by incrustation from several planetary bodies, and the state of catalepsy of Earth’s first inhabitants and other living creatures. This communication occurred regarding a phenomenon of voluntary catalepsy that seemingly took place with some inhabitants of India and Central Africa. The phenomenon consisted of certain individuals being buried alive, in exchange for a payment of a certain amount of money, and after several months they were retrieved from the grave, returning to life.

Mr. Arnauld d’A…, member of the Society and old friends with the counselor to the late King of Abyssinia, who has resided for a long time in that country, mentions two facts of his knowledge, one of which occurred in England and the other in India, that seem to confirm the possibility of voluntary catalepsy of short duration, but he informs us that he has never heard about facts similar to those described by Mr. Bénardacky. Mr. d’A… who was familiar with the habits and language of those countries, and observed them as a scientist, is impressed by the facts and surprised that such information would not have come to his attention; from what one can assume there might have been exaggeration.

STUDIES:

1st – A question is raised about the possible evocation of Mr. JulesLouis C…, who died at the Val-de-Grace hospital, in exceptional circumstances, already evoked on February 24th (see number from April 1860, Bulletin of the Society, February 24th, Studies #2). The question was motivated by the presence of one person of his family who is very interested in the evocation and in the consideration of his current state of progress. St. Louis informs us that the spirit prefers to be called in a more intimate session.

2nd – Questions about the theory of the formation of Earth and about the cataleptic state of the living beings in their origin, regarding the communication from Mr. Bénardacky. A large number of observations are made by several members.

3rd – Study about the phenomenon reported in the previous session, of a dog that recognized his evoked owner. The spirit Charlet intervenes spontaneously in the subject and develops a theory about why this might happen based on the facts. This is published below.

Friday, May 11th, 1860
(General Session)

Minutes of May 4th session were read.

MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:

1st – Letter from Mr. Rabache, sent from Liverpool, in which he reports a spontaneous communication given to him by Adam Smith, without any evocation; he then shows the conversation that follows with answers given in English, while the questions were framed in French. In the conversation Adam Smith criticizes the point of view that served as basis for his economic theory. He says that if he were to write his book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments today, he would give these, as a general principle: innate conscience, having for motive, exceptional love.

2nd – A letter from Mr. Bénardacky, complementing the communications obtained about catalepsy.

Note: St. Louis in a private session and once questioned about the value of such communications, confirms several parts, but adds the following through the medium Mr. T…:

“You can study these things but I advise you not to publish it yet. Several other texts, which will be given to you later, brought by the circumstances, are necessary. You take the risk of making serious mistakes by publishing it now, mistakes that you will have to reconsider later and that would be embarrassing and cause harm to Spiritism. Thus, be very sensible with respect to anything that is related to scientific theories since that is exactly what you have to fear from the pseudo-wise and imposter spirits. Remember what has been often said to you: the spirits do not have the mission of bringing you a finished science or to unveil all things before it is time, something that must result from the individual’s work and ingenuity. Concentrate on your own betterment. God shall take your heart and your humbleness into account rather than a knowledge that is frequently covered by curiosity in its most part. It is by practicing God’s laws, practicing them, understand it well, that you shall deserve to be favored by communications from the truly superior spirits, who are never mistaken.”

It is impossible to ignore the profoundness and the elevated wisdom of such advice. That language, simultaneously simple and sublime, marked by extreme benevolence, shows a significant contrast to the callous and arrogant or the swagger of spirits who want to impose themselves.

3rd – Reading of news sent by Mr. T…, with the description of a very superior world, to which his spirit was transported during sleep. It seems that such a world has many analogies with those attributed to Jupiter, but to an even higher degree.

STUDIES:

1st – Two spontaneous essays, one received by Ms. Parisse and signed by Louis, and another received by Mr. Didier Junior, signed by Gérard de Nerval.

2nd – Questions related to Mr. T… vision, addressed to St. Louis. The vague and incoherent answers indicate the evident interference of a deceiving spirit.

3rd – Evocation of Adam Smith, regarding his letter to Mr. Rabache. Questions about his current positions compared to those found in his books. He confirms what he said to Mr. Rabache, relatively to the error in the principle which served as basis for his moral considerations.

Friday, May 18th, 1860
(Private Session)

Reading of the minutes and works of previous session.

Under the advice and proposal from the Committee, and after a verbal report, the Society accepted as members: 1st – Mr. B…, merchant in Paris; 2nd – Mr. C…, trader in Paris.

MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:

1st – Reading of the following communication, received in a private session, with respect to the works of the previous session, through the medium Mrs. S…:
• Why didn’t St. Louis communicate last Friday through Mr. Didier, allowing a deceiving spirit to speak?
• St. Louis was present but did not want to speak. As a matter of fact, haven’t you recognized that it was not him? That is enough. You were not deceived since you recognized the imposture.
• Could you ask him? He is here.
• St. Louis, could you give us the reason for your abstention?
• You are upset with what happened but you must know that nothing happens without a reason. Sometimes there are things whose objectives you don’t understand; that seem evil to you, at first sight, because you are very impatient, but you shall acknowledge its wisdom later. Hence, remain calm and do not be upset with anything. We can distinguish those who are sincere and we take care of them.
• If it was a lesson that you wanted to give us I would understand it when we are in our small group; but in the presence of strangers, who then had a bad impression, it seems to me that evil prevails over good.
• You are mistaken by seeing things that way. Evil is not what you think and I assure you that there were people to whom that backlash was a proof of your good faith. In reality, sometimes good comes out of bad. When you see a gardener cutting beautiful branches of a tree you deplore the fact that the greenery has been sacrificed and it seems bad to you. However, once those parasite branches are cut-off, the fruits blossom even more beautiful and tasty. That is the good. You then realize that the gardener was wiser and more cautious than you supposed. By the same token, if a limb is cut-off from a patient, the loss of the member is bad; but, if the patient gets better after the amputation, that is the good since it may have saved a life. Give some serious thought to that and you will understand.
• That is very fair. But how come after we appeal to the good spirits, in order to have the imposter spirits kept away, our appeal is not attended?
• It is attended, have no doubt! However, are you sure that such appeal is originated from the bottom of the heart of all attendees, or that there isn’t someone that out of a less charitable or malevolent thought may attract bad spirits to your environment, by desire? That is why we tell you incessantly: Be united, good and benevolent to one another. Jesus said: Whenever you gather in my name, I will be among you. Do you think that it is good enough to pronounce his name for that? Make no mistake and be convinced that Jesus goes nowhere unless invited by pure hearts, together with those who practice his precepts, because these are the ones who truly gather in his name. He does not go to the proud ones, or the ambitious, or hypocrites, or those who gossip about their brothers. These are the ones that he means when he says: shall not enter the Kingdom of God.
• I understand that the good spirits leave when their advice is not listened too. However, if there are ill-intended people among the attendees, is that a reason to punish the others?
• I am surprised by your persistence. It seems to me that I have explained it very well to someone that wishes to understand. Do I need to repeat that you must not bother with these things which are negligible before the great edifice of the Doctrine under construction? Would you believe that your house is about to collapse because a tile has fallen from the roof? Do you have any doubt about our power, our benevolence? No! Let us then act and rest assured that every thought, good or bad, has an echo in the heart of the Eternal.
• You said nothing about the general invocation we make at the beginning of each session. Could you give us your thoughts?
• You must always appeal to the good spirits; the format, as you know, is insignificant. Thought is everything. You are surprised by what happened. However, have you examined well the faces of those who hear you when you make such invocation? Haven’t you seen a sarcastic smile from certain lips, more than once? Which spirits do you think such persons may carry along? These are spirits that, like them, laugh at the most sacred things. That is why I tell you not to receive the first person to show up; avoid the curious ones and those who do not come to learn. Everything shall happen in due course and nobody can prejudge God’s designs. I truly tell you that those who laugh at these things today shall not laugh much longer.
St. Louis

2nd – A note addressed by Mr. Jobard, from Brussels, about the evocation of Mr. Ch. de Br…, deceased not long ago.

3rd – Reading of a communication received by the medium Ms. L…, member of the Society, with interesting explanations about the story of the spirit and the little dog. To be published below.

4th – Another spontaneous essay by the same medium about sadness and grief.

5th – Letter from Mr. B…, science professor, about the theory given to him of fixed times for the manifestation of the spirits. Such theory is considered by all, without exception, as the result of an obsession by spirits who are systematic and ignorant. Experience and reason demonstrate to the exhaustion that it does not deserve a serious examination.

6th – Report of a curious fact, related to a portrait painted under the influence of a natural intuitive mediumship. Mr. T…, artist, who had lost his father at an age where he could not have kept any memory of his features. Together with other members of the family he regretted the fact of not having any picture of his father. One day in his studio a vision appeared to him, or even better, an image was formed in his mind; he then reproduced it on the canvas. It took him several sessions to accomplish the execution and the image came back to him on every occasion. He then had the intuition that it was the image of his father but he spoke to no one. When the portrait was finished he showed it to his relatives who recognized his father without hesitation.

STUDIES:
1st – Four spontaneous essays received simultaneously: first by Ms. Huet, from the spirit that began to write his memories; the second by Ms. S…, about The Fantasy, by Alfred de Musset; the third by Ms. Stephanie S…, from a familiar spirit deceased a few years back, whose name when alive was Gustave Lenormand. That is a not much advanced spirit, joyful and witty, but very good and obliging, considered as a friend of the house by several families that he visits. One day he said that he would come to hunt down the bad spirits. The fourth essay by Ms. Parisse was signed by Louis.

2nd – Evocation of Mr. B…, professor of science that we mentioned above, a living person designated by another spirit as capable of providing information about Francois Bayle, a seventeenth century doctor that some people want to write his biography. The result of the evocation tends to demonstrate that Bayle who is dead and Mr. B…, who is alive, are both the same person. In fact the latter gives the required information and provides several explanations of the highest interest. To be published.

Friday, May 25th, 1860
(General Session)

Reading of the minutes and works of previous session.

MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS:

1st – Letter from Dr. Morhéry, with an appreciation, from a scientific point of view, about the medication employed by Ms. Désirée Godu under his supervision. Published below.

2nd – Reading of a spontaneous essay by the medium Ms. L…, about human misery.

3rd – Reading of a series of very remarkable communications received by several members of the Russian W… family in private sessions. To be published.

4th – Reading of a private evocation carried out in a private session from the medium Ms. Duret, deceased on May 1st, in Sétif, Algeria. It contains important consideration about the mediums.

STUDIES:

1st – Evocation of Ms. Duret; series of communications.

2nd – Evocation of Charles de Saint-G…, mentally challenged, age 13. It contains interesting revelations about the state of that spirit, before and during his incarnation. To be published below.

3rd – Study about Mr. V…, a Navy officer, still alive, who has kept a precise memory of his life and death in the period of St. Bartholomew. To be published.

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