Chapter XXIII
ON OBSESSION
Simple Obsession. — Fascination. — Subjugation. —
Causes of Obsession. — Means of combating it.
237. Of the number of dangers which the practice
of Spiritism presents, in the front rank must be placed
Obsession; that is, the dominion some spirits know
how to take over certain persons. It is never done
except by inferior spirits, who seek to govern ; with
good spirits we experience no restraint ; they advise,
combat the influence of the bad, and if they are not
listened to, withdraw. The bad, on the contrary,
attach themselves to those whom they find exposed ;
if they gain dominion over any one, they identify
themselves with his own spirit, and lead him like a
veritable child.
Obsession presents various characteristics, which it
is very necessary to distinguish, and which result
from the degree of restraint, and the nature of the
effects it produces. The word obsession is, in some
sort, a generic term, by which we designate this kind
of phenomenon, whose principal varieties are, simple
obsession, fascination, and subjugation.
Simple Obsession
238. Simple obsession is when a malicious spirit im
poses himself on a medium, intermeddles, in spite of
him, in the communications he receives, prevents him from communicating with other spirits, and substitutes
himself for those invoked.
It is not obsession to be deceived by a lying spirit :
the best medium is exposed to that, especially in the
beginning, when he still lacks the necessary experience ; the same as, with us, the most honest people
may be duped by rascals. One can be deceived with
out being obsessed ; obsession is in the tenacity of
the spirit, of whom you cannot get rid.
In simple obsession the medium knows very well
that it is a deceiving spirit, and the spirit does not
conceal himself : he disguises none of his bad inten
tions and his desire to thwart. The medium easily
recognizes the imposture, and as he is on his guard, is
rarely deceived. This kind of obsession is simply dis
agreeable, and has no other inconvenience than to
oppose an obstacle to the communications that might
be desired with serious spirits, or with those whom we
love.
Physical Obsession may be ranked in this class ;
those which consist in noisy and obstinate manifesta
tions of certain spirits, who rap and make other noises
spontaneously.
Fascination
239. Fascination has much graver consequences. It
is an illusion produced by direct action of the spirit on
the medium's thought, and which in some measure
paralyzes his judgment in regard to communications.
The fascinated medium does not believe himself to be
deceived ; the spirit has the art to inspire him with a
blind confidence, which prevents him from seeing the
treachery, and from understanding " the absurdity of
what he writes, even when it is patent to everybody's
eyes : the illusion may even go so far as to make him
see sublimity in the most ridiculous language. It would be an error to suppose that this kind of obses
sion could come to only simple, ignorant persons, and
those without judgment ; men the most acute, the
most learned, the most intelligent in other relations,
are not exempt, which proves that this aberration m
is the effect of a foreign cause, to whose influence
they are subjected. We have said that the results of
fascination are much more grave ; for, by means of
the illusion, the spirit leads the one he masters as he
would lead a blind man, can make him accept the
most absurd doctrines, the falsest theories, as being
the sole expression of truth ; still more, he can incite
him to the most ridiculous, compromising, and even
dangerous proceedings.
One can easily comprehend the great difference
existing between simple obsession and fascination ;
as also that the spirits who produce these two effects
must differ in character. In the first, the spirit is a
being troublesome only by his tenacity, and of whom
one is impatient to be rid. In the second, it is quite
another thing: to gain such ends needs an adroit,
subtle, and profoundly hypocritical spirit, for he can
create the delusion, and make himself accepted only
by means of the mask he wears and of a semblance
of virtue ; the grand words, charity, humility, and love
of God, are as letters of credence ; but through all he
shows signs of inferiority, which one must be fascinated not to perceive. He also dreads all people
who see too clearly ; his tactics, therefore, are, almost
always, to inspire his interpreter to withdraw from
every one who could open his eyes : by this means,
avoiding all contradiction, he is sure of being always
right.
Subjugation
240. Subjugation is a bond that paralyzes the will of him who is subjected to it, and makes him act in spite
of himself. In a word, it is a real yoke.
Subjugation may be moral or corporeal. In the
first case, the subjugated is instigated to do things
often absurd and compromising; which he is deluded
into believing sensible : it is a kind of fascination. In
the second case, the spirit acts on the material organs,
and provokes involuntary movements. It shows itself
in the writing medium by an incessant desire to write,
even at the most inopportune moments. We have
seen those who, in default of pen or pencil, would
write with the finger, wherever they might be, even in
the streets, on the doors and walls.
Corporeal subjugation sometimes goes further ; it
may urge to the most ridiculous acts. We knew a
man, neither young nor handsome, under the domin
ion of an obsession of this nature, constrained by an
irresistible force to kneel to a young girl whom he had
never before seen, and ask her in marriage. At other
times, he felt on his back and loins a violent pressure,
which forced him, in spite of his opposing will, to kneel
and kiss the ground in public and crowded places.
This man passed for crazy among his friends, but we
were convinced he was not at all so ; for he was per
fectly Conscious of the ridicule of which he was unwill
ingly the cause, and suffered horribly from it.
241. Formerly the name of possession was given to
this dominion exercised by evil spirits, when their
influence extended to the aberration of the faculties.
Possession, for us, would be synonymous with subju- >
gation. We have two reasons for not adopting this
term ; the first, that it implies beings created for, and
perpetually devoted to, evil, while really there are only
beings, more or less imperfect, who can all be made better ; the second, that it also implies the idea of
taking possession of the body by a foreign spirit — a
sort of cohabitation ; while really there is only con
straint. The word subjugation perfectly renders the
thought. Thus, for us, there are no possessed, in the
ordinary sense of the word ; there are only obsessed,
subjugated, and fascinated.
Causes of Obsession
242. Obsession, as we have said, is one of the great
est dangers of mediumship ; it is also one of the most
frequent : so we cannot take too much pains to com
bat it ; for, over and above the personal inconveniences
that may result, it is an absolute obstacle to the good
ness and truth of communications. Obsession, to
whatever degree it may be carried, being always the
effect of a restraint, and this restraint never being
exercised by a good spirit, the result is, that every
communication given by an obsessed medium is of a
suspicious origin, and merits no confidence. If some
times good is found in them, take the good, but reject
all that is even doubtful.
243. Obsession may be known by the following
characteristics : First. Persistence of a spirit in communicating, bon gre, mal gr6, by writing, hearing, typtology,
&c, and in opposing whatever other spirits
may do.
Second. Illusion, which, notwithstanding the intelligence of the medium, prevents him from seeing the
falsity and absurdity of the communications he receives.
Third. Belief in the infallibility and absolute iden
tity of the spirits who communicate, and who, under
respected and venerated names, say false or absurd
things.
Fourth. Confidence of the medium in the eulogiurns the spirits who communicate with him bestow
upon him.
Fifth. A disposition to withdraw from persons who
may give him useful advice.
Sixth. Taking in ill part all criticisms on the sub
ject of the communications he receives.
Seventh. An incessant and inopportune desire to
write.
Eighth. Any physical restraint whatever against
the will, and being forced to act or speak in spite of
one's self.
Ninth. Persistent noises and disturbances about
one, and of which one is the cause, or object.
244. In the face of this danger of obsession it may
be asked if it is not a pity to be a medium ; is it not
this faculty that induces it, and is it not a proof of
the inexpediency of spirit communications ? Our an
swer is easy, and we beg it may be carefully con
sidered. .
Neither mediums nor spiritists created the spirits,
but the spirits have been the cause of there being
spiritists and mediums : spirits being only the souls of
men, there have been spirits as long as there have
been men ; and, consequently, they have, in all time,
exercised their salutary or pernicious influence on
humanity. The medianimic faculty is for them only a
means of manifesting themselves ; in default of this
faculty, they do it in a thousand other ways, more or
less occult. It would be an error to believe that spir
its exercise their influence only by written or verbal
communications ; their influence is incessant, and those
who do not concern themselves about spirits, or who
do not even believe in them, are as exposed to it as
others, and more than others, because they have no counterpoise. Mediumship is for the spirit a means
of making himself known ; if he is bad he always
betrays himself, however hypocritical he may be ; thus
it may be said that mediumship allows one to see his
enemy face to face, if it may be so expressed, and to
fight him with his own weapons ; without this faculty
he acts in the dark, and, under cover of his invisibility,
can do, and does, much harm. To how many actions
have not people been urged, to their misfortune, and
which they might have avoided had they possessed the
means of being enlightened ! The incredulous know
not how truly they speak, when they say of a man who
obstinately goes astray, " It is his evil genius urging
him on to his destruction." Thus the knowledge of
Spiritism, far from giving dominion to bad spirits,
must, sooner or later, when it shall be widely spread,
result in the destruction of that domination by giving
to every one the means of being on his guard against
their suggestions, and then he who yields will have no
one to blame but himself.
General rule : whoever has bad spirit communica
tions, written or verbal, is under an evil influence ;
this influence is exercised on him, whether he writes
or whether he does not write ; that is; whether he be
a medium or not ; whether he believe or disbelieve.
Writing gives a person the means of knowing the
nature of the spirits who act on him, and of fighting
against them if they are evil, which can be done with
much greater success when the motive which makes
them act is known. If he is too much blinded to
understand it, others can open his eyes.
To recapitulate : the danger is not so much in Spir
itism itself, since it can, on the contrary, serve as a
rontrolling influence, and save from him who incessantly pursues us against our will ; it is in the haughty
propensity of some mediums to believe too easily that
they are the exclusive instruments of superior spirits,
and in the kind of fascination that prevents them from
understanding the foolish things of which they are the
interpreters. Those, even, who are not mediums, may
be exposed to it. Let us make a comparison. A man
has a secret enemy, who disseminates all kinds of
calumnious reports that the blackest wickedness can
invent ; he sees his fortune lost, his friends alienated,
his internal happiness destroyed ; not being able to
discover the hand that strikes him, he cannot defend
himself, and yields ; but one day this secret enemy
writes to him, and, in spite of his strategy, betrays
himself. Now he faces the discovered foe, can put
him to confusion, and recover himself. Such is the
r6le of the evil spirits, whom Spiritism makes it possi
ble to know and unmask.
245. The motives of the obsession vary according
to the nature of the spirit ; sometimes it is a vengeance
he exercises on an individual, against whom he has
cause of complaint, either during his life or in another
existence ; often, also, he has no other reason than the
desire of doing evil ; as he suffers, he wishes to make
others suffer ; he finds a kind of joy in tormenting and
vexing them ; also the impatience they exhibit excites
him, because such is his object, while, by being
patient, we weary him ; in becoming irritated, and
showing vexation, we do exactly what he wishes.
These spirits sometimes act from hatred and jealousy
of good ; this is why they cast their malicious eyes on
the best people. One of them sticks like a leech to
an honorable family of our acquaintance, whom he has
not even the satisfaction of deceiving ; interrogated as to his motive for attacking good people, instead of evil
men like himself, he answered, " They give me no cause
for envy!' Others are guided by a sentiment of cow
ardice, which leads them to profit by the moral weak
ness of those who they know are incapable of resist
ing them. One of these, who subjugated a young
man of very limited intellect, interrogated as to the
motives of his choice, answered, " I have a very great
need of tormenting some one: a sensible person would
repulse me. I attach myself to an idiot, who has no
means of opposing me"
246. There are obsessing spirits without malice, who
even have some good, but who have the pride of false
knowledge ; they have their own ideas, their systems
of- the sciences, social economy, morality, religion,
philosophy ; they want their opinion to prevail, and,
for that purpose, seek mediums credulous enough to
accept them .wkh closed eyes, and whom they fascinate
to prevent them from discerning the true from the
false. They are the more dangerous because sophisms
cost them nothing, and they can gain credit for the
most ridiculous extravagances : as they know the pres
tige of great names, they do not scruple to borrow the
most respected, not even recoiling before the sacrilege
of calling themselves Jesus, or the Virgin Mary, or a
venerated saint. They seek to dazzle by pompous
language, more pretentious than profound, bristling
with technical terms, and adorned with the grand
words of charity and morality ; they are careful not to
give bad advice, because they know they will be re
jected : so those whose confidence they abuse defend
them against every one, saying, " You can see they
say nothing wrong." But morality is to them but a
passport ; it is the least of their care ; what they want is to govern, and to impose on others their ideas, how
ever unreasonable they may be.
247. Spirits who have a system to advance are gen
erally writers : this is why they look for mediums who
write with facility, and of whom they try to make
docile instruments, fascinating them that they may be
enthusiasts. They are almost always verbose, very
prolix, endeavoring to make up in quantity what they
lack in quality. They please themselves by dictating^
to their interpreters voluminous writings, crude and
often nearly unintelligible, which, happily, it is almost
impossible for the masses to read. The really superior
spirits are sober of speech ; they say much in few
words: so this prodigious fecundity should always be
suspected.
One cannot be too circumspect when the question
arises of publishing such writings : the Utopianisms
and eccentricities in which they abound produce a
lamentable impression on novices, by giving them a
false idea of Spiritism, without counting the fact that
they are arms furnished to its enemies to turn it into
ridicule. Among these publications are those which,
without being evil, and without evincing obsession,
may yet be regarded as imprudent, unseasonable, or
maladroit.
248. It frequently happens that a medium can com
municate only with one single spirit, who attaches
himself to him, and answers for those who are called
by his mediation. This is not always an obsession,
for it may pertain to a certain want of flexibility in the
medium, and to a special affinity on his part for such
or such a spirit. There is no obsession, properly
called, except when a spirit imposes himself on a
medium, and forces away others by his will ; this is never the case with a good spirit. Usually the spirit
who makes himself master of a medium with the view
of governing him, does not suffer the critical examina
tion of his communications ; when he sees they are
not accepted, and that they are discussed, he does not
retire, but he inspires the medium with the thought of
isolating himself ; often he even commands him to do
so. Every medium who is wounded by the criticism
of the communications he obtains, is the echo of the
spirit who governs him, and this spirit cannot be
good if he inspires an illogical thought — that of refus
ing examination. The isolation of the medium is
always a lamentable thing for him, because then he
has no critic for his communications. Not only should
he gain insight by the advice of others, but it is ne
cessary for him to study all kinds of communications
in order to compare them ; in shutting himself up
in those he himself obtains, however good they may
appear to him, he is exposed to delusion as to their
value, without reckoning that he cannot know every
thing, and that they nearly always run in the same
groove. (No. 192, Exclusive Mediums)
Means of combating it
249. The means of combating obsession vary accord
ing to the character it takes. The danger does not
really exist for any thoroughly convinced medium to
be brought into relations with a lying spirit, as in
simple obsession ; it is only a disagreeable thing for
him.
But precisely because it is disagreeable to him,
is a reason the more for the spirit to follow him persis
tently to vex him. There are two essential things to
do in such case : to prove to the spirit that one is not his
dupe, and that it is impossible to deceive us ; secondly
tire his patience by showing ourself more patient than
he ; if he is thoroughly convinced that he will lose his time, he will end by retiring, as importunate persons .
do when we do not listen to them.
But that does not always suffice, and it may be
long, for some of them are very tenacious, and months
and years are but little to them. The medium should
make a fervent appeal to his good angel, also to the
good spirits who are sympathetic to him, and beg them
to assist him. As for the obsessing spirit, however bad
he may be, he should be treated with firmness, but
with kindness, vanquishing him by good in praying
for him. If he is really perverse, he will at first
mock at it ; but in perseveringly moralizing with him,
he will end by amending ; it is a conversion to under
take, a task often painful, ungrateful, even discoura
ging, but whose merit is in the difficulty, and which, if
well accomplished, always gives the satisfaction of
having fulfilled a duty of charity, and often that of
having led a lost soul into the good road.
It is equally expedient to break off all written com
munication as soon as it is known to come from a bad
spirit, who will not listen to reason, in order not to
give him the pleasure of being listened to. In some
cases, even, it might be necessary to cease writing for
a time ; it must be regulated according to circum
stances. But if the writing medium can avoid these
discourses by abstaining from writing, it is not the same
with the hearing medium, whom the obsessing spirit
sometimes pursues every instant with his gross and
obscene remarks, and who has not even the resource
of closing his ears. There are persons who are
amused by the frivolous language of these spirits,
whom they encourage and urge by laughing at their
follies, instead of imposing silence on them, and trying to teach them better. Our advice does not apply to
those who will drown themselves.
250. There is, then, only disgust, and not danger, for
any medium who will not allow himself to be abused,
because he cannot be deceived ; it is entirely other
wise with fascination, for then the dominion the spirit
assumes over him whom he invades has no bounds.
The only thing to do with him is to try to convince
him he is deceived, and to lead his obsession to a case
of simple obsession ; but it is not always easy, if it is
not even sometimes impossible. The ascendency of
the spirit may be such that he makes the one fascinat
ed deaf to every kind of reasoning, and, when the
spirit commits some gross scientific heresy, makes him
go so far as to doubt if science itself is not wrong.
As we have said, he generally takes advice in very ill
part ; criticism annoys, irritates him, and makes him
dislike those who do not partake his admiration. To
suspect his' spirit is almost a profanation in his eyes,
and that is all the spirit asks, for what he wants is,
that we should bend before his word. One of them
exercised on a person of our acquaintance a most
extraordinary fascination ; we invoked him, and after
some romancing, seeing that he could not delude us as
to his identity, he ended by confessing that he was not
the one whose name he had taken. Having asked
why he so deceived this person, he answered in these
words, which very clearly expresses the character of
spirits of this kind : " I lookedfor a man I could lead ;
I havefound him, and here I stay'.' " But if we should
make him see clearly, he will drive you away." " We'll
see about that ! " As there is none more blind than he
who will not see, when we find the uselessness of every
attempt to open the eyes of the fascinated, the best thing to do is, to leave him to his delusions. A patient
cannot be cured who persists in keeping his disease,
and even delights in it.
251. Corporeal subjugation often takes from the
obsessed the energy necessary to rule the bad spirit ;
for this reason the intervention of a thjrd person is
needed, acting either by magnetism or by his strength
of will. In default of any assistance from the ob
sessed, this person should take the ascendency over
the spirit ', but as this ascendency can only be moral, it
is given only to a being morally superior'to the spirit to
exercise it, and his power will be as much greater as
his moral superiority is greater, for he commands the
spirit who is forced to bend before him ; this is why
Jesus had such great power to drive out what were
then called demons, that is, bad obsessing spirits.
We can give here only general advice, for there is
no material process, no formula, nor any sacramental
word that has the power to drive away obsessing spirits.
Sometimes the obsessed lacks fluidic force ; in such case
the magnetic action of a good magnetizer might be a
very useful help. Then it is always well to take, by
a sure medium, the advice of a superior spirit, or of
his guardian angel.
252. The moral imperfections of the obsessed are
often an obstacle to his deliverance. Here is a re
markable example, which may serve as instruction to
every one : —
Several sisters were, for a number of years, victims
of very disagreeable depredations. Their clothing
was constantly thrown about in every corner of the
house, and even upon the roof, cut, torn, and riddled
with holes, whatever care they might take to lock it
up. These ladies, brought up in a small provincial locality, had never heard of Spiritism. Their first
thought, naturally, was, that they were the butt of some
joker's tricks ; but the persistence and their precau
tions destroyed that idea. It was not until a long time
after, that, on some indications, they thought they
ought to address us to know the cause of the trouble,
and the means to remedy it, if possible. The cause
was not doubtful ; the remedy was more difficult.
The spirit who manifested himself by these acts was
evidently malicious. He showed himself, in the invo
cation, of great perversity, and inaccessible to every
good sentiment. Prayer seemed, nevertheless, to exer
cise a salutary influence ; but after a short respite, the
depredations recommenced. The advice of a superior
spirit on this subject is here given.
" What these ladies had better do is, to pray their
spirit protectors not to abandon them ; and I have no
better advice to give them than to look into their con
sciences, and confess to themselves, and examine if
they have always practiced the love of the neighbor
and charity ; I do not mean the charity that gives
and distributes, but the charity of the tongue ; for
unhappily they know not how to control theirs, and
do not justify, by their pious acts, their desire of being
delivered from him who torments them. They like
too well to slander their neighbor, and the spirit who
obsesses them is taking his revenge, for he was their
drudge during his life. They have only to search
their memory, and they will soon see with whom they
have to do.
"At the same time, if they become better, their
guardian angels will return to them, and their pres
ence will suffice to drive away the bad spirit, who
could not have troubled one of them, but that her guardian angel had withdrawn to a distance from her
on account of some reprehensible acts or bad thoughts.
What they must do is, to pray fervently for those who
suffer, and to practice the virtues enjoined by God to
each one according to his condition.
"
On our observing that these words seemed to us a
little severe, and that they ought to be somewhat
softened before transmitting them, the spirit added, —
" I ought to say what I have said, and as I have said
it, because the persons in question have the habit of
believing they do no harm with the tongue, while they
do a great deal. We must, therefore, strike their minds
in such a way that it will be a serious warning."
From this may be drawn instruction of great signi
fication —that moral imperfections give a footing to
obsessing spirits, and that the surest means of ridding
one's self of them is to attract the good by well
doing. The good spirits have, without doubt, more
power than the bad, and their will is sufficient to
remove these last ; but they assist only those who
second them by the efforts they make to become better;
otherwise they withdraw, and leave the field free to the
bad spirits, who thus become, in some cases, instru
ments of punishment, for the good leave them to act
for this purpose.
253. Yet we should beware of attributing to the
direct action of the spirits all the annoyances that may
arise : these annoyances are often the consequence of
negligence or improvidence. A planter wrote to us,
that for twelve years all sorts of misfortunes had
befallen his animals. Sometimes his cows died, or
would give no milk ; sometimes the trouble was with
the horses ; again his sheep or his pigs. He hired new
people, but without remedying the evil, no more than the masses he had said, or the exorcisms he had made.
Then, according to country prejudice, he was per
suaded some one had cast an evil eye on his animals
Believing, no doubt, that we were endowed with greater
power than the priest of his village, he sent to ask our
advice. We obtained the following answer : —
" The mortality or the sickness of this man's beasts
is, because his stables are infected, and that he does not
have them repaired because it costs."
254. We close this chapter with the answers given
by the spirits to some questions supporting what we
have said.
1. " Why cannot certain mediums rid themselves of
bad spirits who are with them, and how is it that the
good spirits they call are not powerful enough to
remove the bad spirits, and communicate directly ? "
" It is not power that is wanting to the good spirits,
it is often the medium who is not strong enough to
second them ; his nature adapts itself better to certain
relations, or rather his fluid identifies itself sooner
with one spirit than with another ; this ig what gives
such great sway to those who wish to take advantage
of it."
2. " Nevertheless, it seems to us that there are very
many meritorious persons, of irreproachable morality,
who yet are prevented from communicating with good
spirits."
" It is a trial ; and, besides, who can tell if the heart
is not stained with an evil thought ? if pride does not
a little govern the appearance of goodness ? These
trials, by showing to the obsessed his weakness, should
turn him to humility.
" Is there any one on the earth who can say he is
perfect ? and he who has all the appearances of virtue may still have hidden defects, an old leaven of imper
fection. Thus, for instance, you say of him who does
no wrong, who is loyal in his social relations, This is a
true and worthy man : but do you know if his good
qualities are not tarnished by pride ; if there is not
within him a fund of egotism ; if he is not avaricious,
jealous, spiteful, slanderous, and a hundred other things
you do not perceive, because your relations with him
have not developed them ? The most powerful means
of striving against the influence of bad spirits is to
make yourself as much as possible like the good."
3. " Is the obsession which prevents a medium's
obtaining the communications he desires always a sign
of unworthiness on his part ? "
" I did not say it was a sign of unworthiness, but
that an obstacle might be there to oppose certain com
munications ; it is to remove the obstacle within him
that all attention should be given ; without that all
his prayers, his supplications, will be of no avail. It is
not enough for a sick person to say to his doctor,
Give me health ; I want to be well : the doctor can do
nothing if the patient does not do what is necessary."
4. " Would the privation, then, be a kind of pun
ishment ? "
" In some cases, this may be a real punishment, as
the possibility of communicating with them is a recom
pense you should endeavor to deserve." (See Loss and
Suspension of Mediumship, No. 220.)
5. " Cannot the influence of bad spirits be also over
come by giving them moral instruction ? "
" Yes ; this is what no one does, but it is what
should not be neglected ; for it is often a task given to
you, and one that you should accomplish charitably and religiously. By wise counsel they may be incited
to repentance, and their advancement hastened."
" How can a man have more influence in this respect
than the spirits themselves ? "
"The perverse spirits are allied rather to men whom
they seek to torment, than to spirits from whom they
withdraw as far as possible. In this' approach to man,
when they find one who talks to them trying to im
prove their morals, they do not listen at first ; they
laugh at it ; then, if you know how to take them, they
will eventually allow themselves to be affected. The
elevated spirits can speak to them only in the name
of God, and that frightens them. Man, certainly, has
not more power than the superior spirits, but his
language is better identified with their nature, and in
seeing the ascendency he can exercise over the inferior
spirits, he comprehends better the solidarity existing
between the heavens and the earth.
"Then, too, the ascendency that man can exercise
over the spirits is by reason of his moral superiority.
He cannot master the superior spirits, nor even those
who, without being superior, are good and benevolent,
but he can master the spirits who are morally inferior
to him."
6. " Can corporeal subjugation carried to a certain
length induce insanity ? "
" Yes ; a kind of insanity whose cause is unknown
to the world, but which has no relation to ordinary
insanity. Among those treated as insane, there are
many who are only subjugated ; a moral treatment is
necessary for them, while they make them really
insane by their corporeal treatments. When doctors
understand Spiritism, they will know how to make a distinction, and will cure more patients than they are
now curing with their shower-baths." (221.)
7. "What may be thought of those who, seeing
danger in Spiritism, think to prevent it by interdicting
spirit communications ? "
" If they can prevent some persons from communi
cating with spirits, they cannot prevent the sponta
neous manifestations made to these same persons, for
they cannot suppress the spirits, nor hinder their
secret influence. It is like children shutting their
eyes and thinking no one can see them. It would be
folly to suppress a thing that offers great advantages
because some imprudent persons might abuse it ; the
way to prevent these abuses is, on the contrary, to
search the thing to the bottom."
