There are so many new Spiritist gatherings that it would be virtually impossible to mention all the good words said about them, giving the testimony of the feelings driven by the doctrine. The new group that has just formed in the Island of Oléron is much worth of our sympathy particularly considering how much opposition Spiritism had in that region. Below we transcribe one of the speeches given under those circumstance to demonstrate how the Spiritist respond to the adversaries.
Speech given by the President of the Spiritist Society of Marennes:
“Ladies and gentlemen, dear Spiritist brothers and sisters of Oléron,
The daily extension taken by Spiritism in our region is the most positive proof of the impotence of the attacks against it. It is like Mr. Allan Kardec says: ‘It is one out of two possibilities; it is a mistake or a truth. If a mistake it will then fall by itself like all other utopias that have a short life since they die for not having a solid foundation that could keep it alive; if it is one of those great truths that must stay in the archives of history and mark an era of progress to humanity by the will of God then nothing can stop its progress.’
Here is the experience demonstrating in which of those categories it must be placed. The easiness of acceptance by the crowds and we say more: the happiness, consolation, courage against adversity found in this belief and the incredible speed of its propagation are not exactly the trademarks of a useless idea. The most eccentric system may form a sect and gather some people around it as followers but like a rootless tree it quickly loses its leaves and dies before producing any fruit. Is that so with Spiritism? No, you know that as much as I do. It has never stopped growing since its appearance despite the attacks and it has now planted its flag in all corners of the globe; its followers are counted by the millions and if we take into account its progress in ten years through the many obstacles laid on its path one can imagine what is going to be in another ten years from now and the more the obstacles are leveled and the number of followers grow. The tree created roots. It now needs to develop and everything seems to be favorable because despite the storms the winds blow favorably to Spiritism. One would need to be blind to not acknowledge that.
Something that powerfully contributed to its development is the fact that it is not exclusive of any religion. Its motto ‘no salvation but through charity’ belongs to all of them; it is simultaneously the flag of tolerance, union and fraternity that can congregate everyone without rejecting any particular belief. People begin to realize that it is an underwriter of security to society. As for myself, dear brothers and sisters, I go beyond and believe that you will agree with me when I say that when all peoples have written in their flags: There is no salvation but through charity, peace will be guaranteed in the world and all peoples will live like brothers. Is that just a beautiful dream? No, ladies and gentlemen, that was promised by Jesus Christ and we are living the times of its realization.
Who are we in the great movement that takes place? We are obscure workers that take our stone to the great edifice but when millions of workers have taken their millions of stones the edifice shall be built. Let us then work with zeal and perseverance, not discouraging before the little things that show around the ditches that we open because there are many of them around us. Allow me a material comparison that corresponds to this thought.
At the beginning of the railroads each small town wanted to have its stretch. Each one of those branches was small on their own but when all were interconnected we then had a huge network that today covers the world and destroys the barriers that separated the peoples. The railroad destroyed material barriers. The motto no salvation but through charity will destroy the moral barriers. It will in particular and above all eliminate religious antagonism, a cause of so much hatred and so many bloody conflicts, for Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims will reach out to one another, each one worshipping their own way the only God of mercy and peace to everyone.
As you see, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, the objective is great. We still have to examine the organization of our little sphere to transform it into a useful gear to the whole. For that our task is facilitated by the instructions found in the works of our master and venerable chief and that, one can say, became the classical works of the doctrine. By strictly following them we are certain to stay on the right path because those instructions are the result of experience. Therefore, may each one carefully meditate about those works and we shall find there everything that is necessary. In fact I am sure that the support and advice of the master will never fail us.
None of us can forget that if hope and faith return to the majority of the hearts; if many of us were yanked from materialism and disbelief, we owe that to his zeal and persevering courage that nor the calumny or diatribes or the attacks from all kinds were capable of diminishing. He was the first one to understand the immense reach of Spiritism and since then he has sacrificed everything to spread its benefits among his brothers on Earth.
We must say that he was evidently chosen to this great undertaking because it is impossible not to acknowledge that he is on a moralizing mission. I propose, ladies and gentlemen, that we all thank him with the same gratitude owned to him by every sincere and true Spiritist. At the same time let us beg that God may continue to support him in the endeavor that only he has the conditions to make fructify in its plenitude.
Still a few words, ladies and gentlemen, about the character of this meeting. The maxim that guides us must tranquilize those that are afraid of the name Spiritism. As a matter of fact, what is it to be afraid of from people whose principle is the charity to all, friend or foe, as a rule of conduct? And that principle is so serious to us that we must utilize it as the necessary condition to our salvation. Isn’t that the best guarantee that we can give of our peaceful intention? Who could look at us with suspicious eyes, even the ones that do not share our beliefs, people that do not preach but tolerance, union, fraternity and whose sole objective is to redirect to God those that moved away and to combat materialism and disbelief that invade society and threaten its foundation?
Let us therefore address the nonbeliever because the field to harvest there is huge as Mr. Allan Kardec said. Based on the principle of charity that must guide us let us keep from disturbing any conscience; let us welcome those that come to us as brothers and let us not oppose anyone in their religious beliefs. Those that will find our principles good will adopt them; the ones that find them bad will put them aside and even though they will not be lesser brothers. If stones are thrown at us we will ask God to forgive their lack of charity and that they may be reminded of the examples of the Gospel and Jesus Christ, our Lord, that prayed for her executioners.
Thus, my dear brothers and sisters, let us pray so that we may deserve God’s mercy and forgiveness for our faults as we forgive those that caused us harm. Let us all say from the bottom of our hearts:
Almighty God that reads the intimacy of our souls and sees the purity of our intentions, help us in our work and protect our leader. Give us the strength to withstand the miseries that may arise from malevolence with courage and resignation, like tests to our faith and perseverance. Like the first Christian martyrs, allow us to be ready to every sacrifice needed to demonstrate to you our submission to your sacred will. In fact, what are the sacrifices of this world when we are certain, as every sincere Spiritist must be, about the imperishable rewards of a future life! Let not, our Lord, the concerns of this earthly life to veer us off from the righteous path where we were placed by your sacred hand and send us the good Spirits to help us remain there. May charity, God’s law and our law, make us indulgent with the faults of our fellow human beings! May it muffle in all of us any feeling of pride, envy and jealousy, making us good and benevolent to all so that we can preach by the word as much as by the example!”
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Delegates from several nearby groups gathered on the occasion with their new brothers and sisters in faith. Many other speeches were given, all of them testifying a perfect understanding of the true foundation of Spiritism. We regret to say that due to a total lack of space we cannot transcribe them all as with a remarkable communication obtained in that session and signed by François-Nicolas Madeleine that delineates in simple in touching terms the duties of the true Spiritist.
A new group has been just formed in Lyon in special conditions that deserve to be mentioned here to serve as encouragement and example. The group has two objectives: instruction and beneficence. With respect to the instruction the group intends to dedicate a smaller space than what is typically dedicated to mediumistic communications but on another hand and greater portion of their activities to oral instructions aiming at the development and explanations of the principles of Spiritism. With respect to beneficence the new society proposes to help people in need through the donation of personal objects such us clothes, etc. Besides, the ladies also give their contribution with their personal work of sewing and home visitation to patients. A member of that society sent us the following:
“Thanks to the dedication of Mrs. G… Lyon will son count on another Spiritist gathering. Will she achieve the proposed objective? Time will tell. The group may be small but at least it counts on devoted elements full of faith and charity. We may fail in our endeavor but at least the intentions are good. To us it is enough that the Parisian Society under which protection we place ourselves approve and support us with their advices so that we can persevere with their moral support.”
Such support will never fail any work founded on the true Spirit of Spiritism and whose objective is the well-being of everybody. The Parisian Society is always glad to see the doctrine producing fruits. It will not decline solidarity unless to groups and societies that forgetting the principle of charity and fraternity, without which there is no true Spiritist, mistrust other groups and throw stones at them, trying to denigrate their work under any pretext. Charity and fraternity are recognized by the work and not by words. It is a measure of assessment that cannot deceive anybody but those that are blind by their own doing. But that is not the case to selfless third parties. It is the touchstone by which one can recognize the honesty of feelings. One we talk about charity in Spiritism everyone knows that we are not talking about the act of giving only but also and most importantly the charity that forgets and forgives; that is benevolent and indulgent; that rejects any feeling of jealousy and hurt self-love.
Every Spiritist gathering that is not founded on the principle of true charity is more damaging than useful to the cause because it will tend to cast division instead of union. Besides, it will carry its own destructive element.
Our sympathy will always be conquered by all those that demonstrate their good intentions by their actions for the good Spirits cannot inspire but good.
In the next issue we will talk about the Spiritist societies of Brussels, Turin and Smyrna that have placed themselves under the sponsorship of the Parisian Society.
