We have already mentioned the other retreat installed in Cempuis by Mr. Prévost, member of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, near Grandvilliers, Oise County.
The construction as well as internal installations are now finished. They are adjacent to the facility, although independent, a wonderfully looking chapel in gothic style. It was inaugurated last Sunday, July 19th, St. Vincent de Paul’s day, to whom it is dedicated; it was a charitable ceremony with distribution of bread, wine and meat to the poor of the perish. On the occasion Mr. Prevost gave the speech below that we are glad to publish :
“Ladies and gentlemen,
You know the reason for this gathering thus I will not take long with useless details that will not add anything to what you already know. The physical work is practically done thanks to the evident protection of the Almighty that kindly supported my efforts. We are here as a family and all of us, I have no doubt, are animated by the same feelings of his divine benevolence. Let us then unite in a unique impulse of gratitude asking him to continue to assist us and provide us with the lights that we lack.
God of Earth and Heavens, sovereign Lord of all things, have mercy on our weakness! Raise our hearts to you so that we can learn to do as you wish and so that all of our actions are in agreement with your universal law. Lord, let our soul be fulfilled by your love; may our soul fall in love with the sacred fire of conviction and prove its faith through acts of trough charity. Every creature, regardless of how good they are, must show charity towards their neighbor otherwise will be like a beautiful tree without fruits.
Therefore help us, infinite Power, to overcome the obstacles that could be erected before us, hindering our desire to become useful in our mission that you have assigned to us. Give us the strength to accomplish it with love and sincerity.
God, you are pleased with the assistance to the elderly because that is an act of justice. They were on the way before us. They opened ditches that were watered with their sweat and we harvest the fruits. Their experience today is a worn field but where we can still harvest. It is then fair that we compensate their sacrifice by ensuring their rest after the work. It is a duty to us because that is what we would like for ourselves but to carry that out we need your assistance since we are aware of our weakness.
It is also in your name, Lord, that the orphan will find a new family. The abandoned child will grow among us embedded by the gentle divine fire with which you favored St. Vincent de Paul to whom we ask for assistance so that we can carry out this work following his example.
Infinite Spirit, everything is in you, everything is for you, and nothing is beyond you. Punishments as well as rewards come to us from your blessed hand. You know our needs. We are your children and submit ourselves to your divine Providence.
The good Spirits that preside over the destinies of Earth, before your paternal eyes, the guardian angels of humanity, deserve your trust, Lord. We hope that for you they may help us to keep intact the sublime code of moral promulgated by Jesus Christ, your beloved son. Love your God, he said from the top of the cross, eighteen centuries ago; love one another; love your neighbor as you do to yourself; practice charity to everyone and everything. That is his law, Lord, and that law is yours. May it be printed in our hearts and make us see everyone as our neighbor that are your children like we are. So be it.
My friends, my brothers, let us follow that great example and have a sincere faith in God. He will help us to withstand the consequences of the bad direction imposed on society by forgetting those duties long ago. Many things now follow the path prescribed by the Creator. Despite the egotism that still dominates a large number of people, fraternal love is better understood; the prejudices of cast, sect and nationality fade away gradually; tolerance, one of the children of the evangelical charity, make antagonisms that have for so long divided the children of the same God disappear piece by piece; feelings of humanity infiltrate the hearts of the masses and have already realized great things on several corners of the planet.
The lay-off by several factories in France have not long ago experienced the kind effect of that love to the neighbor. This balsam to the suffering speaks out loud in favor of our country; one does need to see the hand of God there. We are glad to see the first nation of the civilized world taking to the most distant places the fruits of this love to humanity that can only be given by true greatness that found it at the radiant center of the cross, supported by the light of progress that forces mankind to be better to the other thus improving themselves.
My friends, with the help of instructed and educated people I hope to build a library in the future, an instructive and moral library, adjacent to this building, where everyone will be able to find the means of improving themselves with respect to their souls and hearts.
I am most thankful to you who attended my appeal, coming to offer a common thanksgiving in recognition for the foundation of this establishment.
From this day of July 19th, 1863 onwards this chapel dedicated to St. Vincent de Paul whose kind and immortal image is portrayed in its stained glass windows, consecrated by its founder who wishes that it be considered a sacred place, a place of prayer.
Here God must be worshiped and before the symbol of his love for humanity; before this venerable and great figure of the apostle of Christian charity, all must be convinced that the love to the neighbor is to be practiced by actions and must be in people’s hearts rather than lips.
Before we part ways let us say the dominical prayer:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.’ Mathew 6:9:13
On that occasion Mr. Prévost was kind enough to personally send us the amount of 200 francs for the works of charity whose utilization, unfortunately, is not difficult to find.
We reference to the speech above the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies voted unanimously and by acclamation to send him the following letter:
“Sir and dearest colleague,
The Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies of which you are a member heard with great interest the speech that you gave during the inauguration of the chapel at the retreat that you founded in your property in Cempuis. The speech is the expression of the noble feelings that drive you; it is worthy of someone who has given such a good use of the fortune that was acquired by work and that does not wait for death to have it beefing others because it is in life that you impose deprivation on yourself to increase their share.
The Society is honored for having in its ranks a follower that makes such a Christian application of the principles of the Spiritist Doctrine. It has unanimously decided to let you know officially about its vivid gratitude and fraternal sympathy towards the humanitarian work that you have undertaken and towards you in particular.
Yours sincerely…”
Mr. Prevost’s fortune is entirely the result of his work and merit. After having suffered the setback of the revolutions that took it away from him, he rebuilt it with courage and perseverance. He has now gotten to the age of retirement; he could as well use it for the pleasures of life but he is satisfied with the strictly necessary, contrary to many others, expecting not to need anything else so that his brothers in Jesus may share his superfluous. His reward will then be beautiful and he enjoys its taste by the pleasure that results from the good that he does.
To the eyes of certain people, however, Mr. Prévost is very wrong because he is a Spiritist and professes the doctrine of the devil. Yet his speech is not that of an atheist or even that of deist, but the one of a Christian. His moderation itself is a proof of charity because he abstained from any bad word about his neighbors and even from making any reference to those who associate his help to conditions that his conscience cannot accept.
