In the past people were chained to the plough; they were sacrificed in gigantic works like the construction of the walls of Babylon where cars marched in line; the edification of the pyramids and the Sphinx that costed more than ten blood battles. Later on the animals were subjugated and we saw in the young Lutetia oxcarts dragging idle kings of the second race. This introduction intends to show to those that listen to us that questions framed in this center sympathetic to the Spirits may obtain their solution from one or another of us. That dear Jacquard, the glory of loom machine, an ingenious artisan that fell on the battle field of honorable work, mentioned one of the economic aspects related to humanitarian work. He kind of put me behind it, talking about the changes that I had implemented in the art of weaving and invited me to take part in this spiritual concert. That is why me, someone that was born in the old town of the Allobroges,
[1] the Queen of the Grésivaudan,
[2] took over the medium with the permission of his customary guides and come here to somehow complement the explanation given by my illustrious friend from Lyon through another medium.
In his dissertation, remarkable in fact, he still mentions a few complaints expressed by the eager bread winning worker, afraid of the disgraceful unemployment. One can feel that the worker fears for the suspension of his work that sustains the loved ones; they feel that disaster looms over the heads of the majority. Such a feeling is noble but shows a kind of narrow point of view. I come to discuss the same subject handled by Jacquard but if not in broader terms than he did at least in a more general point of view. I must attest, however, and paying tribute to those that rightfully deserve so, that the generous conclusion of my friend’s communication amply recovers the faulty side that I mention.
People were not created to remain as in intelligent instrument of production. Their aptitudes, their place in creation and their destiny are called to another function that is not that of the machine; to another role that is not of the horse in the carrousel. People must produce more and more intellectually, to the limit defined by their own advancement and finally emancipate from that state of servitude and intelligent machinery to which they have been enslaved for generations.
The worker is called upon to become an engineer, to see the working arms replaced by more accurate, tireless and active machines.
The artisan must turn into an artist, guiding the mechanical work through thoughts rather than arms. That is the irrefutable demonstration of that broad law of progress that governs all humanities.
Now that you can foresee the truth of human destinies by probing a future life and that you are convinced that this existence is not more than a ring in the chain of your immortal life I can say: what does it matter that a hundred thousand perish when a machine was discovered to do their work? To the philosopher that stands high and above earthly prejudices and interests such an event demonstrates that mankind was no longer walking the path designed by the Providence when dedicating to that kind of work. In fact it is in the field of intelligence that people must now apply the fertilizing plough. It is only through intelligence that progress will come.
I beg you not to attribute a much too revolutionary meaning to my words. No. But allow its broader and superior meaning allowed by a Spiritist essay that addresses the already advanced and ready minds for the thorough understanding of our instructions.
It is certain that if the artisan left overnight the bread winning loom under the pretext that it would be replaced by any sort of mechanism or invention it would be fatal and contrary to every lesson given by Spiritism. All thoughts, however, have the sole objective of demonstrating that nobody should scream against progress that replaces human arms by mechanical devices and gears.
Besides, it must be added that humanity paid high price to misery and that education penetrating further and further into all social layers will make each individual more and more capable of the intelligently called liberal functions.
It is hard to a Spirit that communicates through a medium for the first time to express the thought with enough clarity; I apologize for the disorganization of my communication that I conclude in a few words: man is a spiritual agent that must submit matter in a not too distant time to his own service and only utilizing intelligence that expands in human brains.
Vaucanson
[1] Gallic tribe of ancient Gaul, located between the Rhône River and Lake Geneva (TN – Wikipedia)
[2] A valley of the French Alps (TN – Wikipedia)
