In this issue, we continue the study of the Revue Spirite of 1859, a monthly newspaper focused on the divulgation of Spiritism, founded and directed by Allan Kardec. This study is based on the translation into the Portuguese language made by Julio Abreu Filho and published by EDICEL. The answers to the ques-tions are at the end of the text for reading.

Questions for discussion 

A. Is there a difference between a mechanical medium and an intuitive medium?
B. Did Kardec consult St. Louis in evocations?
C. Must we publish everything that the Spirits say?
D. What, according to Kardec, was the mistake committed by the pioneer Swedenborg? 

Text for reading 

170. Ending this news, Kardec says that the medical class is divided about magnetism and homeopathy, the treatment of cholera, phrenology, as well as a lot of other things. (P. 290)

171. If magnetism were a utopia, says Kardec, they would have stopped thinking of it, while its brother Spiritism is spreading everywhere. (P. 290)

172. Mr. Brasseur, writing in the "Journal of Salons," says that Kardec made a mistake in not admitting the existence of inert mediums, such as boxes, clipboards, cards. (P. 291)

173. Kardec refuted the ideas of Mr. Brasseur, explaining that boxes, drawing boards and cards are only appendages of the hand, and that the psychic faculty resides in the person, not in the object. (P. 292)

174. If it were enough for the Spirit to have any instrument, says Kardec, we would see baskets and drawing boards writing alone, which never happened, because it takes an individual as a medium. (P. 292)

175. The medium can be mechanical or intuitive. In the mechanical medium, the Spirit acts on the hand, which receives the wholly involuntary impulse and plays the part of what Mr. Brasseur calls an inert medium. (P. 293)

176. In the intuitive medium, the Spirit acts on the brain, transmitting the movement of the nervous system to the arm. (P. 293)

177. St. Louis advised that there be no evocation in two cases: the first concerning the burial of Chancellor Pasquier in the Church of Saint-Leu, where they found more than 15 skeletons in different positions. There was crime there. In the second case, the Spirit was incarnated. (Pages 298 and 299)

178. An article in the Illustration, dated 1853, shows that the phenomenon of spinning tables has been known and practiced since immemorial time in China, Siberia and among the Kalmouks of southern Russia. Among the latter, they used the table to find lost objects. (Pages 299 and 310)

179. A strange fact regarding an apparition is told by Mr. D., Doctor of Medicine, in Paris. He treated for a while a lady who suffered from an incurable disease. Fifteen days ago he was awakened by blows at the door of his room. It was the lady, who told him clearly, "I came to say that I died." She had, in fact, died that night. (P. 302)

180. Mr. Det., A member of the Spiritist Society of Paris, recalls that there was a society like this in the last century, as Mercier reports in his Tableau de Paris, 1788, volume 12. (P. 303)

181. In a note below the news, Kardec recalls that in the year 1800 the celebrated Abbot Faria occupied himself with the evocation and obtained written communications, long before it was even thought of the Spirits in America. (P. 304)

182. Evoked by Kardec, the millionaire of Lyons known by the nickname of Father Crepin said he missed earthly life and confesses he still has pleasure in looking at his gold, which he can no longer touch. His earthly life was entirely useless, says Father Crepin. (Pages 305 and 306)

183. St. Louis, commenting on this case, says that the worst miser is the one who is only a miser to others. (P. 307)

184. A correspondent asked if we should publish everything that the Spirits say. Kardec replied that to publish without examining and correcting everything that comes from this source, is no doubt of little judgement. A judicious examination is therefore fundamental before publishing anything. (P. 316)

185. Speaking of inspiration, Kardec says that the brain can produce what is within it; but ideas that are not ours are suggested to us. When the inspiration does not come is because the inspirer is not present or thinks it is appropriate not to inspire; many poets, composers and writers are thus mediums without knowing it. (Pages 317, 318 and 378)

186. The Revue copies the poem "Urania" by Mr. De Porry of Marseilles, in which the author says that the Earth "is a place of testing where the righteous, suffering in tears, is thus renewed”. And he adds: "If you keep a virtuous heart in this world, you will go to those sumptuous worlds where there is joy, peace, wisdom, and where eternal happiness radiates". (P. 324)

187. Kardec writes about the forerunner Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) and his work, asserting that the mistake of the Swedish sensory, for him unforgivable, was to have blindly accepted everything dictated to him by the Spirits. (P. 335)

188. Despite this, Swedenborg will always be linked to the History of Spiritism, of which he was one of the first and most zealous pioneers. (P. 337)

189. In a communication in the Spiritist Society of Paris, Swedenborg admits that his doctrine is not exempt of great errors and declares that the Spiritist Doctrine follows a more secure path than his. (Pages 338 and 339)

190. Simon M ..., correspondent of the Revue, reminds us that man should watch over his minor malevolent thoughts, even his bad feelings, as these may attract evil and corrupted Spirits. (P. 343)

191. Commenting on a fact which occurred during the Crimean War, in which a young officer was psychical warned of the death of Miss T., Kardec does not authenticate this, but considers it possible, adding that the examples, old and recent, of warnings from beyond the grave are so numerous, that this is one has nothing more extraordinary than others. (P. 345)

192. Another warning from beyond the grave, referred to by the Gazette d'Ard (Hungary) of November 1858, is reported by the Revue. (P. 345) 

Answers to the questions 

A. Is there a difference between a mechanical medium and an intuitive medium?

Yes. In the mechanical medium, the Spirit acts on the hand, which receives a fully involuntary impulse and plays the part of what Mr. Brasseur calls an inert medium. In the intuitive medium, the Spirit acts on the brain, transmitting the movement of the nervous system to the arm. (Revue Spirite, page 293). 

B. Did Kardec consult St. Louis in evocations?

To consult with St. Louis in such situations was commonplace, as shown by the cases of Chancellor Pasquier and that of a Spirit that was incarnate, in which the spiritual instructor discouraged evocation. (Ibid, pages 298 and 299). 

C. Must we publish everything that the Spirits say?

To a correspondent of the Revue, who asked him this question, Kardec replied that to publish without examining or correcting anything that comes from this source shows little discernment. A judicious exa-mination, according to him, is fundamental before publishing anything. (Ibid, page 316.) 

D. What, according to Kardec, was the mistake committed by the pioneer Swedenborg? 

The mistake of the great Swedish sensitive was to have blindly accepted all that had been dictated to him by the Spirits, a fact admitted by Swedenborg himself in a communication given at the Spiritist Society of Paris, in which he acknowledged that his doctrine is not exempt from great errors and stated that the Spiritist Doctrine followed a safer path than his. (Ibid, pages 335 to 339).