The subject here is not, like some might suppose, the probative demonstration of the Doctrine but, on the contrary, a new form of attack with an attractive a bit deceiving title because someone that believed in the propaganda and thought to find lessons about Spiritism there would be greatly disappointed.
The sermons are far from having achieved the expected results. In fact they address faithful people only. Besides they require a very solemn format, exclusively of the religious type, whereas the teaching pulpit allows for more freedom of speech, more common to all. Here the ecclesiastic speaker makes abstraction of his priesthood and becomes a teacher. Will it achieve the desired result? Future will tell.
Father Barricand, professor at the Faculty of Theology of Lyon, started a series of public lessons about, or better against, Magnetism and Spiritism at the Petit-College. The Vérité in its April 10th, 1864 issue analyzes a session dedicated to Spiritism and raises several questions to the speaker. It promises to keep the readers posted about the continuation and at the same time takes the opportunity to refute them what we have no doubt will be wonderfully done considering the first part. The honesty and moderation that they have so far demonstrated in the controversy give us assurance that will remain unchanged even if the contradictor does not follow suit. As long as Father Barricand remains in the terrain of the discussion of the principles of the Doctrine it will be his own right. We cannot criticize him for not sharing our opinion, for saying it and for trying to demonstrate that he is right. We just would like the clergy to be in general as much in favor of free examination as we are. What is beyond the scope of a civil discussion are the personal attacks and above all malicious personal comments when, to justify their points, an adversary blemishes the facts and principles that are fought against as well as the words and actions of those that defend them. Such means are a proof of weakness and testify about the lack of confidence that they have on their own arguments. These deviations of truth must be raised on the spot but everything within the limits of respect and civility.
Here is how the Vérité summarizes part of Father Barricand’s argumentation:
“As for the Spiritists that are in large number I equally endeavor to demonstrate that they step down from their pretentious pedestal today on which Mr. Allan Kardec enthroned himself in 1862. In 1861 Mr. Allan Kardec traveled around France a trip that he complacently brought to public knowledge. Well, everything was great since the followers in Lyon alone counted about thirty thousand, two or three thousands in Bordeaux, etc. Spiritism seemed to have invaded the whole of Europe. What happens in 1863 then? Mr. Alan Kardec did not travel any more… nor did he provide fantastic reports! The may have likely attested a good number of desertions and in order not to discourage the number of Spiritists that there still remains due to an unfortunate situation he then judged it to be wise and correct to abstain. Forgive me, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Allan Kardec dedicates some pages of his Spiritist Review (January 1864) to give us some general information about the 1863 campaign. But here it is no longer about ambitious numbers! He avoids them and not without reason! Mr. Allan Kardec is satisfied to announce that Spiritism is always flourishing and more flourishing than ever! As a demonstration of support he mentions the creation of two supporting journals, the Ruche in Bordeaux and La Vérité in Lyon and in particular the Vérité in Lyon that says come to position itself as a fearful athlete for its articles of such a hermetic logic that allows no criticism. I hope, ladies and gentlemen, to be able to demonstrate to you on Friday that the Vérité is not that terrible as they pretend to be. It is easy, Mr. Allan Kardec, to state the following: “Spiritism is stronger than ever” and then mention the appearance of Ruche and Vérité as proof of that! That is a comedy, ladies and gentlemen!
Couldn’t those two journals exist without the conclusion that Spiritism has moved one step ahead? If you tell me that they have costs and that is the reason why they need subscribers or that they need great sacrifices I will still tell you: It is a comedy! Mr. Allan Kardec’s budget is very good from what I hear. Isn’t that fair and rational to expect him to help his disciples?”
The Vérité’s Editor, Mr. Edoux, added the following note to the citation above: “At the end of the course we had a quick talk with Father Barricand that as a matter of fact was very courteous to us. Our intent was to offer him a collection of the Vérité so that he could talk about it as much as he wished.”
Time will tell if Mr. Barricand will be more successful than his comrades and if he will find what so many others sought unsuccessfully: undisputable arguments against Spiritism. Why worry though and work so much if he is dying? Supposing that Father Barricand believe in that let us leave it up to him to keep such a soothing belief because it will not become more or less than what it is. We are not absolutely interested in persuading him. All we say is that he has no more serious reasons than those that he is pointing out; his arguments are not convincing and if all that he has got has the same impact that we can sleep in peace. It is really astonishing that a serious person may take away such lighthearted consequences of a trip that we did last year and get involved in our private matters guessing the thoughts that crossed our mind and motivated our in doing or not doing something. From a hypothesis he then come to an absolute conclusion, something that is not advisable by a rigorous logic, for if the premises are not correct the conclusion will not be either. Some may say that we are not responding but it is not our intention to satisfy anybody’s curiosity. Spiritism is a humanitarian issue. Its future is in God’s hands and does not depend on the maneuvers of anyone. We regret the fact that Father Barricand sees it from such a restricted point of view.
With respect to his opinion about our bank account balance it seems that he is guessing about what someone is carrying in the pocket when he was not given the right to do so and that could be considered an indiscretion. Now, publicizing that is in violation of the privacy law. Supposing that someone may have used something that is supposed that the person has may, according to the circumstances, go much beyond the borders of calumny. It seems that Mr. Barricand chose to proceed by suppositions and insinuations. With such a system he is exposed to be belied. We can formally answer all of his allegations, suppositions and deductions above. We can discuss as much as he likes the principles of Spiritism but what we do or do not do or what have or do not have is out of question. A course is not a diatribe. It is a comprehensive, complete and serious explanation about the subject that is at hand. If contradictory, loyalty demands the pros and cons so that the public may judge its reciprocal value. One must oppose stronger proofs against the other proofs. What he does is a poor impression of the power of his arguments when trying to discredit other people. That is how we understand a course in particular when it is given by a Professor of Theology that, before anything else, must seek the truth.
Bordeaux also has its course of Spiritism, meaning against Spiritism, by Father Delaporte, Professor at the Faculty of Theology in that city. The Ruche announces it in the following terms:
“Last Wednesday 13th of the current month we attended the public course about the dogma in which Father Delaporte dealt with the following subject: The hypothesis of a new religion revealed by the Spirits, or Spiritism. Since the renowned professor has not finished yet we will follow his lessons attentively and will keep you posted about it with impartiality and moderation that must always characterize a true Spiritist.”
In the April issues number 17 and 24 the Sauveur de peoples reports the two first lessons and provides a comprehensive criticism about them that may have caused some embarrassment to the speaker. There we have two professors of theology of incontestable talent that have started a war against Spiritism in the two most important centers in France and that find themselves entangled by two champions that have answers to them. The fact is that today we find what was rare in the past: people that have studied the Doctrine seriously and are not afraid of exposing themselves. What shall result from that? The first inevitable result: a deeper examination of the subject around the world. Those that have not read it yet will be willing to read it. The second consequence will be that Spiritism will be taken seriously by those that only see mystification since the illustrious professors consider the matter to be the subject of serious public discussion. Finally, a third result will be to stop people from being afraid of ridicule that still holds them back. When something is discussed publicly by important people, in favor or against, one is no longer afraid of talking about it.
From the religious cathedra it will soon move on to the philosophical and scientific cathedra. Such a discussion carried out by the highest intelligences with extenuate the contradictory arguments that will not be able to resist the evidence of the facts.
There is no doubt that the Spiritist idea is still a lot foggy but we can say that it is still in the condition of personal opinion. What happens today tends to give it general acceptance and will soon give it an official place among the acceptable beliefs.
We gladly take the opportunity that we are given to congratulate and send our encouragement to all of those that resolutely and fearlessly take in their hands the cause of Spiritism. We are happy to see their number grow every day. Have perseverance and you will soon see the support multiplying around you but be assured that the struggle is not over yet and that the battle in the open field is not the one that must be feared the most. The fiercest enemy is the one that moves in the shadow and is frequently hiding behind a false mask. We then say: Be suspicious of appearances. Do not judge people by their words but by their actions. Watch out in particular for the traps.
