VarietiesYour sons and your daughters will prophesy
Mr. Delanne, known by many readers already, has an eight-year-old son. The boy hears about Spiritism all the time in his family and sometimes attend sessions directed by his father and his mother; he was then initiated in the doctrine since an early age and impresses by his knowledge of the principles of the doctrine. No surprise there since it is an echo of the ideas that cradled him. But that is not the object of the current article. This is just an introduction of the theme that we will report and that fits in the current events.
Mr. Delanne’s meetings are serious and managed in a perfect order, as must be the case to all others that wish to collect fruits. Although the written communications come in first place there, they also utilize as an accessory and complement instruction, physical manifestations and tiptology, but always with a serious teaching objective and never out of curiosity.
Directed with method and reverence and always supported by some theoretical explanations, those gathering are in the desired condition to lead to conviction by the impressions that they cause. These are the conditions in which physical manifestations are really useful; they speak to the soul and impose silence to mockery. We feel in the presence of a phenomenon of profound meaning and that keeps playfulness at a distance. If that kind of frequently abused manifestation was always presented in such a manner, instead of an entertainment and pretext to ask silly questions, the critics would not have called it charlatanism. Unfortunately, this is what people frequently allow to happen.
Mr. Delanne’s son attended those manifestations many times and influenced by the good example, considered them a serious thing. One day he was in the house of an acquainted person, playing with his five-year-old cousin and two boys, one seven and the other four years old. A lady that lived on the ground floor invited them in and offered them chocolate candies. The children did not refuse that, as one can imagine.
The lady then asked Mr. Delanne’s son:
-What is your name, my dear?
-My name is Gabriel, man.
-What does your father do?
-My father is a Spiritist, mam.
-I don’t know that profession.
-But mam, it is not a profession; my father is not payed for that, he does it without self interest and to do good to people.
-My young man, I don’t know what you mean.
-How come? Haven’t you heard of turning tables?
-Well my friend, it would be nice to have your father here to make them turn.
-It is not necessary mam, I can do it and make them turn.
-Can you then do it and show me how to proceed?
-With pleasure mam.
Having said that he sat near a little table and had his three little friends joining him; he seriously had them all placing their hands on the table. Gabriel then made an evocation with a very serious ton and with reverence. He had hardly finished when the table lifted in the air and knocked with energy. You may enquire, man, who is coming to answer through the table. The neighbor asked and the table spelled the following words: Your father. The woman’s face became paled by the emotion. She continued. Then, father, should I send the letter that I have just written? Yes, rightly so, said the table.
-To prove that it is you, my good father, can you tell me how long have you been dead? The table immediately knocked eight marked times. The number eight years was correct.
-Can you tell me your name and the city where you died? The table spelled the two names.
-The lady wept and she could no longer continue, terrified by the revelation and dominated by emotion.
This fact notably defies any suspicion of preparation of an instrument, preconceived idea and charlatanism. The two spelled out names can not be considered the works of chance either. We doubt very much that this lady would have had such an impression in the sessions of the Davenports, or in any other of the same kind. Besides this is not the first time that mediumship reveals in children, in the intimacy of their families. Isn’t that the accomplishment of those prophetic words: Your sons and daughters will prophesy (Acts, II:17)
