About the Seriousness of the Sessions
Parisian Society, March 17th, 1865 – medium Mr. Desliens
As you have already witnessed, the serious attitude of the members of a group shocks the strangers that attend the sessions with the intention of exposing them to ridicule. It transforms their intent from kidding to involuntary respect to a serious study and consequently their transition to faith is imperceptible. As a matter of fact, the ones that do not leave such meetings convinced at least take away a favorable impression and if they are not immediately associated with you at least they are no longer your bloodthirsty adversaries.
That is the first reason that must persuade you to be serious and reverential. What would you in fact want from people that leave a meeting in which matters worthy of respect are handled carelessly and lightheartedly? Even considering that the Spiritists that act like that are not ill-intentioned they are not less harmful, not to the future but to the rapid development of the doctrine. Had all meetings been serious and carried out in a proper way it would be much more advanced, although it is already significantly advanced. Such action is not that of a true Spiritist or in the true interest of the doctrine because the enemies take advantage of that to ridicule the doctrine. It is therefore a duty of those that understand its importance not to support events of such a frivolous nature. It is not only to the doctrine that they do harm but to themselves because if every good deed carries its reward every bad action leaves a bad impression behind, sometimes followed by a physical punishment whose minor consequence could be the suspension of the mediumship or, at least, the impossibility of the communication with the Spirits.
One must be serious not only with the benevolent and enlightened Spirits that come to give you wise instructions and that would be kept away from your lack of reverence but also with the Spirits in suffering or even the bad ones that come to you to ask for consolations or to mystify you. I even say that the latter ones in particular are the ones that require seriousness, here seasoned by benevolence. That is the best way of imposing yourselves on them and keeping them at a distance, forcing them to be respectful. If you step down to the level of familiarity with those that are inferior to you, from a moral and intellectual stand point, you shall soon give rise to their perverse influence, translated in the beginning by their mystifications and later on by their cruel and tenacious obsessions.
You must then remain on guard. Adapt your language in accordance with the Spirits that communicate in your groups but never exclude seriousness and benevolence. Never send away those that present themselves with an imperfect appearance. You may perhaps always prefer shrewd communications that do not require your feeling and judgement to assess their value but understand that your judgment may only progress through exercise. All communications have their utility for those that know how to take advantage of them.
A mystification that is recognized and demonstrated may act more efficiently upon your souls, helping you to better acknowledge aspects that need to be reinforced, than instructions that you would gladly admire but hardly practice.
Work with courage and honesty and the Spirit of the Lord shall be with you.
MOKI.
