We got a letter from V…
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Some time ago a vicar died in our neighborhood. He was an open enemy of Spiritism but not one of those lighthearted adversaries, as there are so many, that replace the lack of good reasons by slander. He was an educated man, of superior intelligence. He fought Spiritism with talent and without bitterness and with civility. Unfortunately for him, and despite all of his knowledge and unequivocal merit, he was only able to oppose it with the ordinary arguments and found none that could inexorably convince the masses. His constant idea, at least the one that he allowed to transpire, was that Spiritism had a limited time; that its fast propagation was only a transient enthusiasm and that like any other utopic idea, it would fall. We had the idea of evoking him in our small circle. His communication seemed to us to be instructive in several aspects and that is why we sent it to you. In our opinion it has an incontestable aspect of identity. Below the communication:Question to the guide of the medium: Can you tell us if we can evoke father D…? A. – Yes. He will come but although convinced of the reality of your teachings, convinced by death, he will still try to demonstrate the uselessness of your efforts to propagate them in a more serious way. He is ready to support his points on the momentary dissensions caused by stray brothers and demonstrate the insanity of your doctrine. Hear him out. His language will give you the lead on how to talk to him.Evocation: Dear Spirit of Mr. D… we hope that with God’s help and the good Spirits you may kindly come to communicate with us. As you can see we bear no feeling of curiosity in our thoughts. By provoking this communication, we wish to take a useful teaching to us and perhaps to you as well. We then appreciate whatever you can tell us. – You are right in calling me but wrong by supposing that I could deny attending your call. Believe me that my title of enemy of Spiritism is not another reason to keep silence. I have good reasons to talk. My life is a confession, an affirmation of your teachings. I know that and I acknowledge that. I am convinced of the reality of manifestations that I experience today but that is not enough to recognize its excellence and to accept the as correct the objectives that you propose. Yes, the Spirits communicate and not only the demons, as we teach, for obvious reasons. It is useless to elaborate on that for you know as well as I do the reasons that lead us to act like that. The Spirits of all categories certainly communicate; I am a proof of that and although I do not pretend to be superior both in morality and knowledge, knowing well my own worth to know that I am above of those categories of Spirits subject to all sorts of atonement for their vile imperfections. I am not perfect. As anybody else I may have done wrong, but I am proud to acknowledge that. Yes, I was an opinionated man, but I was also a good man in the broad meaning of the term. Hear me out then. The priest may be wrong in fighting you. I do not know what the future reserves and will not enter the discussion of their truly systematic position; but carefully examining all the consequences of an acceptance they cannot but acknowledge that you would could their social ruin or, at least, such an absolute transformation that every privilege and separation from humanity would be nulled. But nobody joyfully renounces to a coveted royalty, to an uncommon prestige that places them above the ordinary, to the richness that although material is not less necessary to them as compared to common people. With Spiritism there is no more clerical oligarchy; the priest is nobody and someone; he is the good man that teaches truth to his brothers; he is the charitable worker that reaches out to the fallen human being; his priesthood is faith; his hierarchy is the merit and his salary is God! That is great and beautiful, but one must also say that sooner or later that is the downfall not of the man that can only gain from such teachings but of the clerical family. One cannot gladly renounce, and I repeat, to the honor and respect that is already enjoyed. You are right, I give you that, however I cannot reproach our attitude before your teachings. I say ‘our’ because I still hold it despite all that I see and all that you can tell me. Let us hypothetically believe that your doctrine is accepted, heard and spread everywhere among the people and the wealthy; among the artists and the scholars; the latter will help you the most but what shall come from that? Here is what I think: You have already experienced divisions. There are two sects among you: the spiritualists of the American school and the Spiritists of the French school. Let us, however, concentrate on the last one alone. Is it unified? No. On one side the purists or ‘Kardecists’ that only admit the truth after a careful examination and the general agreement; it is the main core but it is not alone; several branches have learned from the teachings of the center and separated to form particular sects; others, not entirely separated from the trunk, issue subversive opinions. Each chief of opposition has their followers; the fields are not yet delineated but are in formation and the scission will soon take place. I tell you that Spiritism, like the philosophical doctrines, could not live long. It was born and raised but has reached its peak and is now descending. It gathers followers everyday but like the Theosophy, and the doctrines of Saint-Simon and Fourier, it will also fall, perhaps to be replaced, but it will follow, I truly believe. Nonetheless, its principle does exist: the Spirit. But, doesn’t it bring along its own dangers? Inferior Spirits can also communicate and that is its downfall. Mankind is, before anything else, dominated by passions and these Spirits are used to excite them. Since there is more imperfection than quality in our humanity, it is therefore evident that the evil Spirit shall be victorious, and the only thing Spiritism will be able to do will be to spread disgrace to all. I therefore conclude that Spiritism is good in its essence but bad in its results, hence it is wise to avoid it.The medium: Dear Spirit, if Spiritism were a human conception, I would agree with you but if you cannot deny the existence of the Spirits you must also acknowledge the power hand of divinity, in the movement driven by the invisible. Now, unless you deny your own teaching when on Earth, you cannot admit that the action of men might be an obstacle to the will of God, the creator. It must be one of two: Spiritism is a human creation and as such, like every human work, it is subject to failure or it is the works of God, manifestation of God’s will and in such a case there is not a single obstacle capable of delaying its development. If you then believe that there are Spirits and that those Spirits communicate to instruct us, this cannot be beyond the will of God otherwise there would be, besides God, an independent power and God consequently would no longer be Almighty. Spiritism could not be destroyed by some dissensions, brought about by human interesses within.Answer: You may perhaps be right, my young friend (the medium was a young man) but I keep what I said. I stop any discussion about it. Leaving that aside I am available to any other question that you may have.The medium: Then, considering that you have allowed, and not proceeding with a subject that may be painful to you right now, we beg you to describe your passage from this life to the one you live now, telling us about a possible confusion and if we can be of any service to you, given your current condition.Answer: I cannot but acknowledge the excellence of these principles that you teach mankind, about death and the affection given to totally unknown creatures. But… in any case, my dear young man, I will respond to your question. I will not abuse your time and will satisfy your wishes in a few words. I confess that at the time of death I was uptight. Was it matter that made me be sorry for leaving this life? Was it ignorance of the future? I will not hide it, for I was afraid! You asked if I was disorderly. What do you mean by that? If you mean that the violent action of separation took me to a kind of mental lethargy, from which I came out as if from a painful sleep, yes, I was confused. But if you mean a disturbance in intelligence, memory and self-awareness, no. I did not experience that. Nonetheless, the disturbance does happen to certain creatures; may be to me as well, but I do not believe so. I do believe though that such phenomenon must not occur immediately after death. It is true that I was surprised by seeing the existence of the Spirit as you teach but that is not confusion. Here is how I understand that disturbance and how I experienced that. If I were not sure about of my own beliefs; if I had any doubt in my soul about everything I believed until then; If I had experienced a big change in the way I saw things, that would disturb me. In my opinion such disturbance should not occur just after death. If I believe in my reason tells me, at death the creature remains as before passing… It is only later, when isolation and the changes that gradually take place around us is modify their opinion, when the creature experiences a mental commotion, when the primitive assurances shake, and the real confusion begins. You asked if you could be useful to me in any way. My religion tells me that prayer is good; your belief says that too. Therefore, pray for me and be certain of my gratitude. Despite the differences between us it will be a pleasure to come a few times to talk to you.Father D…”Our correspondent was right when saying that this communication had a useful instruction. In fact, it is instructive in several ways and our readers will easily understand the serious teachings that come out of that, without the need for our highlights. We see a Spirit here that fought our doctrines when alive and had exhausted the arguments carried by his profound knowledge. Recently deceased, as a Spirit, recognizing the fundamental truths that support us, and yet persisting on his position and for the same motives. It is incontestable that if he had found stronger arguments to combat us, in his spiritual and more lucid state, he would have used them. Far from that, he seems to be afraid of seeing things more clearly, he presents changes in his thoughts that are all connected to earthly ideas that he still carries. He is afraid of the future and therefore, he dares not to face it. We will respond as if he were living and written the message he dictated after his death. We address both the man and the Spirit, responding to those that share his thoughts and that could use the same arguments against us. We then say:
Mr. Priest, although you had been our declared and militant adversary on Earth, none of us thinks the same about you and never thought so when you were alive, first because our faith turns tolerance into law and to us every idea is respectable, when sincere. Freedom of conscience is one of our principles; we wish it to others as we wish it to ourselves. Only God can judge the validity of people’s beliefs and no one has the right to say anathema in the name of God. Freedom of conscience does not exclude discussion and refutation but charity commands not to curse anyone. Second, we do not like you less since your opposition caused no harm to the doctrine. You unwillingly served the cause of Spiritism, as every one that attacks it, helping to promote it and demonstrating, especially due to your personal qualifications, the insufficiency of the weapons used to fight it. Allow me now to discuss a few of your propositions.
One seems to fail logic to me. It is when you say that “Spiritism, fundamentally good, is bad for its results.” I believe you must have forgotten when Jesus said this maxim, that became proverbial by the force of truth: “
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.”
[1] One cannot understand that something essentially good would cause any harm. In another passage you say that the danger of Spiritism is in the manifestation of the bad Spirits, that will exploit human passions to serve evil. Here we have one of the theses that you supported when alive. But side by side with the bad Spirits we have the good ones that stimulate good, whereas according to the doctrine of the Church the power of communication is only given to the demons. If you then consider Spiritism dangerous because it admits the communication of the bad Spirits as well as the good ones, then the doctrine of the Church is much more dangerous because it only admits the bad ones.
As a matter of fact, it was not Spiritism that invented the manifestation of the Spirits, nor it is the cause of their communication. It only attests a fact that has occurred in all times for it is in nature. Spiritism can only cease to exist when the Spirits can no longer manifest. If such manifestation brings about any danger, we must blame nature for that and not Spiritism. Is the science that explains electricity responsible for the damages caused by lightning? Certainly not. It explains the causes and provides the means of deviating them. It is the same with Spiritism. It explains the causes of a bad influence that may unsuspectedly act upon a person, indicating the means of protection against it, whereas by ignoring it the person would still suffer the effect and follow unaware of them.
The influence of the bad Spirits is part of the scourge to which mankind is exposed down here, like the diseases and disasters of all kinds, because we are in a planet of atonement and testing, where we must work for our moral and intellectual advancement. Bod God’s benevolence always places the remedy by the illness; God gave mankind intelligence to find it. That is the result of the progress of sciences. Spiritism comes to indicate the medicine to one of those disasters. It teaches that to avoid and neutralize the influence of the bad Spirits, one must become better, dominate one’s bad inclinations and practice the virtues taught by Jesus Christ: humility and charity. Would you call that bad result?
The manifestation of the Spirits is a positive fact, acknowledged by the Church. Experience today demonstrates that the Spirits are the souls of people and that is the reason why there are so many imperfect ones. If that fact comes to contradict certain dogmas, Spiritism is as much to blame as Geology that demonstrates that Earth was not built in six days. The mistake is in the dogmas that are not in agreement with nature. By these manifestations, as by the discoveries of science, God wishes to lead us to more truthful beliefs. Hence, when we deny progress, we ignore God’s will; it is blasphemy against God to attribute all that to the devil. Trying, in good or bad faith, to keep a belief against the evidence and turn a knowingly false principle into the basis of a doctrine is the same as supporting a house on a rotten foundation. The strut breaks gradually, and the house falls apart.
You say that the opposition of the Church to Spiritism is understandable and that you approve it because it would be the end of clergy, whose separation from the ordinary people would be destroyed. You say: “
With Spiritism there is no more clerical oligarchy; the priest is nobody and someone; he is the good man that teaches truth to his brothers; he is the charitable worker that reaches out to the fallen human being; his priesthood is faith; his hierarchy is the merit and his salary is God! That is great and beautiful, but one must also say that sooner or later that is the downfall not of the man that can only gain from such teachings but of the clerical family. One cannot gladly renounce, and I repeat, to the honor and respect that is already enjoyed. But nobody joyfully renounces to a coveted royalty, to an uncommon prestige that places them above the ordinary, to the richness that although material is not less necessary to them as compared to common people” What now! Would the clergy be motivated by such petty feelings? Would it be ignorance of these words by Jesus: “
My kingdom is not of this world”,
[2] to the point of sacrificing the interest of truth for the satisfaction of pride, ambition and human passions? He then would not believe in that kingdom promised by Jesus since he prefers the earthly one. He therefore would have his supporting point in heavens, just by appearance and to give him prestige, but just to protect his earthly interests. We prefer to believe that it can be the drive of some of their followers but not that of majority. Otherwise his kingdom would be very near its end and his words would be his sentence, because only the celestial kingdom is eternal whereas those on Earth are fragile and unstable. You go to far, Mr. Priest, in your forecasts about the consequences of Spiritism, farther than me and my writings. Not sharing your thoughts on this, I will just say that for the fact that everyone presents it, the inevitable result will be the transformation of society; it will create a new order of things, new habits, new needs; it will modify beliefs, social relationships; it will do, from a moral point of view, what all great discoveries of science and technology do from a material point of view. Such transformation scares you out and that is why, by presenting it, you keep you away from your thoughts; you do not want to believe in that; in one word, you close your eyes so that you cannot see, and shut your ears so that you cannot hear. There are many like that on Earth. However, if such a transformation is in God’s designs, it will take place, do what they will. One would have to accept that in good will or be forced to accept it, like those from the old regimen had to accept the consequences of the Revolution that they also denied and declared impossible, before its realization.
Whoever told them that in less than a quarter of a century every privilege would have been abolished; that a recent born boy would not become a colonel by birth; that an entire regiment could no longer be bought like a herd of oxen, that the soldier could become a general and the last plebeian a minister; that the rights would be the same to everyone, that the peasant would have voice in the important businesses of the country, side by side with the farmer, they would have shaken their heads out of disbelief! However, if you one them had slept for forty years, like Epimenedes,
[3] he would have believed to have awaken in another world. It is the fear of the future that makes you say that Spiritism will only have one turn. You try to create an illusion, trying to prove it to yourself, and you ended up believing in good faith because that calms you down. But what is the reason that you present? The least concluding of all, as it is easy to demonstrate.
Ah if you demonstrated unequivocally that Spiritism is a utopia, that is based on a mistaken fact, on a false basis, illusive and hopeless, you would then be right. But, on the contrary, you affirm the existence of the principle and even the excellence of that principle. You acknowledge, and with you the whole Church, the reality of the material fact that is its foundation: the manifestations. Can such a fact be annihilated? No, as one cannot annihilate the movement of Earth.
Considering that it is part of nature, it shall be always produced. Such a fact, misunderstood in the past, but better studied and understood in our days, brings inevitable consequences. If you cannot annihilate it, you are forced to endure its consequences. Follow it step by step in its ramifications and you will inexorably arrive at a transformation in the ideas. Now, a change in the ideas forcibly brings a change in the order of things. (refer to What is Spiritism).
On another hand, Spiritism do not step on people’s intelligence; it does not impose a blind belief; it wishes faith to be supported by understanding. This is the main point, Mr. Priest, of our disagreement. Spiritism gives total freedom of examination of any point, based on the principle that since truth is one, sooner or later it must prevail upon falsehood, and that a principle based on error falls by the force of things. False ideas, when discussed, show their weak spots and fade away before logic. Divergences like these are inevitable in the beginning; they are even necessary because they help the depuration and the establishment of the fundamental idea. It is preferable that they are produced since the beginning for the true doctrine will disentangle sooner. That is why we always tell the followers: Do not worry about contradicting ideas that are issued or published. See how many have been born dead! How many writings are no longer talked about! What is it that we seek? The success of our ideas at any price? No, but the triumph of truth. If, among the contrary ideas, some are more truthful than ours, they shall succeed, and we must follow them; if they are false, they cannot withstand the decisive control of the universal teachings of the Spirits, the only criteria of the surviving idea. The assimilation that you establish between Spiritism and other philosophical doctrines lacks accuracy. It was not people that made Spiritism what it is and what is going to be later; it is the Spirits by their teachings. People only make it move and coordinate the material that is provided. That teaching is not complete yet and what has been given so far can only be considered as the landmarks of the science. It can be compared to the four rules of math and we are still in the equations of first degree. That is why many people still do not understand its importance and reach. But the Spirits regulate the teachings and depend on nobody to make it move slower or faster than they wish; they neither follow those in a hurry nor they fall behind the slow ones.
Spiritism is not the works of a single Spirit or a single man. It is the work of the Spirits in general. If follows that the opinion of a given Spirit about a principle is only considered, by the Spiritists, as an individual opinion, that can be fair or false and only has value when sanctioned by the teaching of the majority, given in several points of the world. It was this universal teaching that made Spiritism what it is and will make it what it is going to be. Before such a powerful criterion, every false idea necessarily falls, as does every particular theory that is the product of systematic ideas, be it from one person or one isolated Spirit. There is no doubt that a false idea may gather some followers, but it will never prevail against what is taught everywhere. Spiritism that has just been born and raises question of the highest importance, does bring ebullition to several imaginations. Each one sees things their own way. Hence the surge of systems in its infancy, the majority of which have already disappeared by the force of the general teaching. The same applies to those that are not with the truth because the divergent teaching of a Spirit given to a medium will always be opposed to the teaching of millions of Spirits given to millions of mediums. That is why certain exotic theories only lived a few days and never left the small circle where they were produced. Deprived from the general sanction, they do not find echo nor sympathy in the masses, and if they also shock logic and common sense, they then provoke repulsion that precipitates their downfall.
Spiritism, therefore, has an element of stability and unity that comes from its own nature and origin, something that is not proper to any purely human conceived philosophical doctrine; it is the shield that will shatter any attempt to have it destroyed or divided. Such divisions can only be partial, momentary and circumscribed.
You mentioned sects that, in your opinion, divide the Spiritists, then concluding that the ruin of the doctrine is near. But you forgot all that divided Christianity since its inception, that made it bleed and still divide it, and whose number is not less than three hundred and sixty today. However, despite the profound dissidences about the fundamental dogmas, Christianity stood up, a proof that it is independent of those controversies. Why then you wish that Spiritism, connected to Christianity in its foundation, only divided in secondary issues that are daily clarified, would suffer with the divergence of a few personal opinions, when it has such a powerful universal control as an aggregator?
Hence, even if Spiritism today were divided into twenty sects, something that is not and shall not be, this would not have any consequence because it is the work of delivery. If the divisions were driven by personal ambitions, by persons dominated by the idea of becoming heads of sects, or by the exploration of the idea to serve their self-love, or their personal interests, there is not doubt that they would be the least dangerous. Personal ambitions die with the individuals and if the truth was not with those that wanted to rise up, their ideas will die with them and perhaps even before that. Truth, however, cannot die.
You are right, Mr. Priest, when saying that there will be ruins with Spiritism, but not as you think. The ruins will be of every mistaken idea that surges and boils. If they are all wrong, they will all fall, and that is inevitable; but if there is only one that is true, that will infallibly survive.
Two very marked opinions, that we could really call sects, were formed a few years back, from the teachings of two Spirits masked by venerable names, captivating the trust of a few people. Today nobody talks about that. What caused the downfall? The common sense and logic of the masses on one side, the general teachings of the Spirits in agreement with that very logic.
Will you contest the value of such universal control, by the fact that the Spirits are the souls of people, and therefore equally subject to error? You would then be in contradiction with yourself. Don’t you agree that a general council has more authority than that of a particular council, given that it is more numerous and that its opinion prevails onto the opinion of individual priests, each bishop and even that of the Pope? That the majority creates the laws in people’s assemblies? Isn’t that reasonable to expect that the Spirits that govern the world by the order of God also had their councils, their assemblies? Do you deny the Spirits the sanction of truth but you accept that among people? Do you forget the fact that if there are inferior Spirits among them, these are not the ones called upon by God to deliver the interests of Earth, but the superior Spirits, those that overpassed the obstacles of humanity and whose number is incalculable? And how do they bring the instruction of the majority to us? Is it by the voice of a single Spirit, a single person? No, but as I said, by millions of Spirits and millions of people. Does it happen in a single center, in one city, one country, one cast, in a privileged nation as in the past with the Israelites? No, it happens everywhere, in all countries, at the home of the rich as of the poor. How could you expect that the opinion of a few individuals could prevail against such a formidable ensemble of voices? Believe me, Mr. Priest, such a universal sanction is much worth the same as an ecumenic council.
Spiritism is strong precisely because it is based on that sanction and not on isolated opinions. Does it proclaim itself as immutable in its current teachings, saying that there is nothing more to be taught? No, because up until now it has followed, and will follow in the future, the progressive teaching that is appropriate, and that is a source of strength to Spiritism because it will never distant itself from progress.
Wait a little more, Mr. Priest, and before a quarter of a century you will see Spiritism much less divided than Christianity is today, after eighteen centuries.
You mistakenly concluded by the instability of the doctrine based on the fluctuations that you noticed in the society and in the Spiritist gatherings. Spiritism is not a speculative theory, based on a preconceived idea. It is a matter of fact, and consequently, of personal conviction. Anyone that may admit the fact and its consequences is Spiritism without the need to take part in any society. One can be a perfect Spiritist without it. The future of Spiritism is in its own principle, an imperishable principle, because it is in nature and not in the meetings, many times taking place in unfavorable condition, composed of heterogenous elements, and consequently subordinated to several eventualities.
The societies are useful but not is indispensable, and all of them could cease to exist without affecting the march of Spiritism, considering that the largest number of followers are not in their circles. They represent much more the believers that seek sympathetic centers than the non-believers. The serious and well managed societies are particularly important to neutralize the bad impression left by those where Spiritism is badly represented or disfigured. The Spiritist Society of Paris is not an exception to the rule for it does not claim any monopoly. It does not consist on the greater or smaller number of followers but on the idea that it represents. Such idea is independent of any meeting and whatever happens the propagating element will replace it if needed. Therefore, one can say that the Parisian Society is everywhere where the same principles are professed, from the orient to the occident, and that if it disappeared materially the idea would outlive. Spiritism is an infant that grows and whose initial steps are naturally dithering; but like the premature children, it shows signs of strength early on. That is why certain persons are afraid and would like to have it muffled in the crib. If it had arrived as weak as you suppose it would not have caused such resistance, nor would it have raised so much hostility, and you yourself would not have tried to fight against it. Let the child grow then, and you shall see what will become of the adult. You predicted its near end but several incarnate and discarnate made their predictions otherwise. Hear them out and their predictions that have been taking place unstoppably for the last ten years and repeat all over the world.
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Spiritism has come to fight disbelief that is a disaggregating element of society, replacing the blind faith, that fades away, by the reasoned faith, that vivifies. It carries the regenerating element of humanity and will be the compass of future generations. Like all other great renovating ideas, it must fight against the opposition of interests that it will harm and ideas that it will bring down. All kinds of obstacles will be produced; all kinds of weapons will be used against it, loyal and disloyal, that people will believe to be adequate to have it destroyed. Its first steps will be on heathers and thorns. Its followers will be denigrated, ridiculed, betrayed, scorned and persecuted; they shall find disappointment and deception. Happy are the ones whose faith is not shaken in these terrible days; who have fought and suffered for the triumph of truth, because they will be rewarded for their courage and perseverance. Yet, Spiritism will continue its march through traps and hindrances; it is unshakable, like everything else that is in God’s will, because it is supported by the laws of nature that are eternal like God, whereas everything else that is contrary to those laws shall fail. Through the light that it shines upon obscure and controversial points of the Scriptures, it shall lead mankind to the unit of belief. Giving the laws of nature for the basis of the principles of equality, freedom and fraternity, it will lay the foundation of the kingdom of the true Christian charity, the very kingdom of God on Earth, predicted by Jesus Christ. Many still reject it because they do not know it or do not understand it; when they acknowledge that it does realize the dearest hopes for the future of humanity, they will embrace it like St. Paul with Christianity, and it will find defenders among the adversaries of the last hour. From the multitude strong souls will rise and hold in their hands the cause and the authority of their word will bring silence to the detractors. The struggle shall still last a long time, because the super excited human passions by pride and material interests cannot be suddenly appeased. Those passions shall disappear with people, and before this century terminates the new faith will acquire a prominent place among the civilized peoples, and the era of regeneration will mark the next century.”
[1] Matthew 7:18 (T.N.)
[2] John, 18:36 (T.N.)
[3] Epimenides of Cnossos was a semi-mythical 7th or 6th century BC Greek seer and philosopher-poet (Wikipedia, T.N.)
