The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863

Allan Kardec

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That is the title of a brochure published in Alger by a retired officer, former representative of the people at the Constituent Assembly of 1848, in which, by trying to demonstrate that the objective of Spiritism is a gigantic speculation, he shows calculations that result in fabulous fortunes to us, numbers that leave behind the many millions with which we were gratified by a certain priest of Lyon (Spiritist Review, June 1862). We show the whole text with the conclusions of the author so that the reader can appreciate this interesting account. Such excerpt gives an idea about the remainder of the brochure with respect to Spiritism.

Not stopping at the analysis of all articles apparently related to the proofs of neophytism and discipline of the Society, we call the reader’s attention to articles 15 and 16. It is all there. The reader will see that under the pretext of providing resources to the expenses of the Society each member pays: 1st – a down payment of 10 francs; 2nd – an annual fee of 24 francs and each free member pays an annual fee of 20 francs. The fees are pay in total per year that is in advance. Mr. Allan Kardec takes precaution against desertions.

Well, considering the admiration that people have everywhere for Spiritism we believe that a number of 3,000 members in Paris alone to be a conservative figure. The annual contributions then amount to 63,000 francs not including the down payments served to initiate the business.

We will only superficially estimate the proceedings from the sale of The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book. They must be considerable since we are not aware of any other book that is so much in fashion now and that is based on the insatiable desire of man to penetrate the mysteries of future life.

From the preceding, we have not yet shown the greatest source of profit. There is a monthly Spiritist magazine, published by Mr. Allan Kardec, an indigestible publication that goes far beyond the legends of the marvelous from antiquity and the Middle Ages, and whose membership is 10 francs per year in Paris; 12 francs to the provinces and 14 francs abroad.

Well, no follower of Spiritism would miss his share of apparitions, evocations, manifestations of Spirits and legends for 10 francs (about 90 cents per month)? Thus, since there are not less than 30,000 members in France and abroad yielding a total of 300,000 francs that added to the 63,000 francs of membership fees give a total of 363,000 francs. The expenses to be discounted are:



  • Lease of the building for the sessions of the Society and salaries of the secretaries, treasurer, the servants and a good number of mediums. We believe that an estimated 40,000 is above the actual costs.
  • Net cost of the magazine: 32 pages will cost not more than 20 cents. Twelve annual numbers will cost 2.4 francs that multiplied by 30,000 give 72,000.

Total expenses: 112,000 francs. Now subtracting these from the 363,000 yield to Mr. Allan Kardec an annual profit of 250,000 francs not including the sales of The Spirits’ Book and The Mediums’ Book.

Considering the way this epidemic progresses, it will soon have half of France as Spiritist if that is not already the case and since one cannot be a good Spiritist without being a member and a subscriber of the Spiritist Review there is the likelihood that out of 20 million inhabitants, 5 million will subscribe to the magazine. Consequently, the income of presidents and vice-presidents of the Spiritist Societies will be 100 million francs annually and that of Mr. Allan Kardec, the owner of the Spiritist Review and sovereign pontiff, of 38 million.

If Spiritism conquers the other half of France, the income will double and if Europe is allowed to be infested, it will no longer be millions but billions that must be accounted for in profit.

Ah! The naïve Spiritists! What do you think about this speculation based on your simplicity? Would you have ever imagined that such a treasure could have resulted from the game of the dancing tables? Are you now aware of the reason why the propagators of the doctrine are so eager to found societies?

Isn’t there reason to say that human stupidity is a never ending mine to be exploited?

Let us now examine the means utilized by Mr. Allan Kardec and his skills as a speculator is the only thing that cannot be doubted.

He understands that with the universal fashion of the turning tables and without spending a cent the most important thing is done that is publicity.

The promise of unveiling the mysteries of life beyond the grave through the turning tables attracted an immense clientele eager for such mysteries and consequently entirely available to listen to his revelations. Then noticing that the existing cults could subtract from him a significant number of followers he proclaims their failure. One can read in his brochure “Spiritism in its simplest expression (page 15): From a religious point of view Spiritism is based on the fundamental truths of all religions: God, the soul, the immortality, future penalties and rewards; but it is independent of any particular cult.” Such a doctrine made to seduce an ever growing number of people who no longer wish to support any social hierarchy, could not but have its effect.


OBSERVATION: There are then, in your opinion, many to whom the weight of religion is unbearable!

What is really strange to us is the fact that, by authorizing the cult of Spiritism, the government had not seen that such audacious attempt contains the germ of abolition of its own authority. The reason being the fact that when the epidemic has spread even further isn’t that possible that by an injunction of the Spirits the authority that may threaten the existence of Spiritism may be abolished? There would be no harm in allowing the Spiritist societies. However, wouldn’t that be wise to prohibit their publications?



The sect would have been circumscribed to the meeting rooms and probably would not be more successful than the spectacles of Conus or Houdin.

But if the law is atheist, as modern philosophy says, it is due to such paradox that a person may proclaim the defeat of the Church’s authority. This example, we must say in-passing, would demonstrate the wisdom of the legislators of antiquity to the eyes of the less clairvoyant, who did not believe that material order could co-exist with moral disorder, so intimately interconnected in their civil and religious laws.

If the destruction of God’s spiritual creations was up to humanity the first effect of Spiritism would be to remove hope from people’s hearts. What would a person expect here if convinced (not proven) that there would be several corporeal existences after death, at their disposal and indefinitely? Such a dogma that is nothing more than the metempsychosis of Pythagoras, isn’t that supposed to weaken the feeling of duty down here by saying: Leave serious businesses to a later date? Charity, so strongly recommended by Jesus and by the Church, that Spiritism itself utilizes as the cornerstone of its edifice, doesn’t it receive a mortal blow?

Another effect of Spiritism is to transform faith, an act of free-will, into blind belief? Hence in order to entrench the speculation of Spiritism or the turning tables Mr. Allan Kardec preaches a doctrine whose tendency is the destruction of faith, hope and charity!

Nevertheless, if the Christian world would stand up, Spiritism will not prevail. The whole value of a religious principle will be recognized (as Mr. Bishop of Alger says in his letter dated February 13th, 1863) because it is sufficient to succeed over any vacillation, opposition or any resistance.

But are there true Spiritists? We will deny it while there is hope in one’s heart. What is it that Spiritism contains then? It is nothing more than a speculator of deluded people. On the day when the temporal authority understands its bond to the moral authority and just block the Spiritist publications such a moral speculation will fall to no longer stand up.”

A paper from Alger, the Akhbar on March 28th, 1863 in an article, as much benevolent as the brochure reproducing part of those arguments, concluded that it has been perfectly demonstrated that by authentic calculations that Spiritism gives us an annual income of 250,000 francs. The author of the brochure sees things even further since his estimates indicate that in a few years it will lead us to 38 million that is a budget above the richest sovereigns of Europe.

We will certainly not take the time to refute the calculations that are disproved by their own exaggeration but that demonstrates something: the horror that the rapid propagation of Spiritism causes in its adversaries to point of leading them to say absurd things. Admitting effectively for a moment the numbers of the author as real wouldn’t that be the strongest possible protest against the ongoing ideas that would fall down in the whole world before the idea issued by a single man, unknown six years ago? Isn’t that a recognition of the irresistible power of that idea?

You say that it tends to superceed religion and to demonstrate that you present it followed by 20 million people in a short time and later by forty million in France alone. You then shout: “No religion can perish.” But if your predictions do take place what will become of religion? Let us do a simple statistical calculation based on the numbers of the author. In France 36 million inhabitants; Spiritists 40 million; that results in minus four millions of Catholics because, in your opinion, one cannot be Catholic and Spiritist. If the Church is so easily destroyed by one person with the support of an extravagant idea isn’t that the acknowledgement that it is sustained by a very fragile foundation?

By saying that it can be compromised by simple absurdities is a weak praise to the power of its argumentation and a confession of the secret of its weakness. Where is then its unchangeable basis? We need a stronger and, in particular, more logical defender of the Church than the author of the brochure. There is nothing more dangerous than an unwise friend.

We don’t think about everything. The author did not notice that while trying to denigrate he exalts our importance and the means that he utilizes goes directly against his objective. Since money is the god of our time there is no lack of courtesan to the richest ones, attracted by the hope of cadavers. The billions with which he gratifies us would bring even princes to our feet, far from sending them away. What would the author say if we made him the heir of a few dozens of millions since we have no children? Would he believe that the source is bad? That would make him say that Spiritism is good for something.

In his opinion, the Parisian Society is one of the sources of our huge income and, in his estimates, it must have at least 3,000 members. To begin with we could ask who gives him the right to come to meddle with our private business. But let it be. Since the boast about so much accuracy and that is necessary when one wants to prove with numbers if he had only gone through the trouble of checking the report of the Society, published in the Spiritist Review of 1862 he would have had a more precise idea of its resources and of what he calls the budget of Spiritism.

If he had collected information elsewhere and not only from his imagination, he would have learned that the Society, officially listed among the scientific societies, is not a fraternity or a congregation but a simple gathering of persons that are involved with the in-depth study of a new science; that far from being concerned with the number that is more harmful than helpful, it restricts that number instead of increasing it by making the admission really difficult; that instead of 3,000 members it has never reached the number one hundred; that none of its workers is payed, nor president or vice-president or secretaries; that it does not hire payed mediums and that it has always fought against the exploitation of mediumship; that it has never accepted a single cent from the visitors that are accepted in small numbers and it has never had its doors open to the public; that besides the contributing members there is not a single member that is its tributary; that the honorable members do not pay any fee; that there is no affiliation or material solidarity between this Society and the others; that the fees and proceedings never pass through the hands of the president; that any expenses, however small, is only authorized by the committee; finally that its budget of 1862 was closed with a balance of 429,40 francs.

Does this slim result diminishes the importance of Spiritism? No, much to the contrary for it demonstrates that the Parisian Society is not any sort of personal speculation. When the author tries to excite the animosity against us telling the followers that they are ruined in our favor the will simply respond that it is a calumny since nothing is demanded from them and nothing is paid by them. Can it be said about everybody else and couldn’t the author’s argument be applied to others with more authentic numbers than his own? As for the 30,000 subscribers of the Spiritist Review we wish. “Calumny, calumny, said an author, and there is always something left.” Yes, certainly something will remain sooner or later that will return to the defamer.

Injuries, calumnies, clear inventions up to the moment when a private life is reached so that the individual falls in disgrace before a large number of persons; this brochure that has gone beyond all the published diatribes so far offers all the conditions required to be taken to the court. We did not do it despite the many requests we have received because it is Spiritism’s luck and we would not like that it would not have been published to the price of even worse calumnies. Our adversaries could not have done anything better for their own discredit by showing the sad expedients to which they were reduced so as to attack us and how much they are scared by the success of the new ideas.



We could say that it leads them to lose their minds. The effect of that brochure was to provoke huge laughter in all of those who know us and the number is large. As for those who do not know us, it must have inspired in them a lively desire to get to know this improvised millionaire that collects millions more easily than people collect cents and who just need to release an idea to attract the population of a whole empire. Well, since according to the author he only attracts the stupid ones it follows that the whole empire from top to bottom of the scale is made of silly people.

History of mankind does not offer a single example of similar phenomenon. Had the author been paid to achieve such result he would not have done better. Hence, we cannot complain.[1]







[1] We got a letter from Algeria – received with reservation – indicating that the author belongs to a Spiritist Center; that his eagerness for the cause had led him to the presidency but later for not be willing to renounce to certain projects that were not approved by the other members he was then destituted.


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