The Revue Spirite of 1860
Parte 2

We continue in this issue the study of the Revue Spirite of 1860, 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 questions are at the end of the text for reading.

Questions for discussion

A. What is the most pleasing prayer to God?

B. Does religion gain anything by joining Science?

C. Can Spirits see themselves in a mirror?

D. How to understand the causes of madness?

Text for reading

29. Cupidity has always been and always will be a reason of withdrawal of the good Spirits and a reason to attract other Spirits. (P. 47)

30. Speaking of assisting Spirits that obsess, St. Louis says that prayer for them is valuable, but the formulas of exorcism amuse them. St. Louis, however, added: "... Notice that I said pray and not have someone pray instead”. (P. 53)

31. Charles Dupont, the Spirit of Castelnaudary, who had come from a violent and savage tribe, appeared in the Society with a terrifying aspect: he wore a blood-covered shirt and had a dagger in his hand. (P. 54)

32. Having killed his brother in 1608, he was imprisoned in his own house for 200 years, the place where the barbarous crime occurred, without being able to direct his thoughts to anything other than the crime scene, always before his eyes. (Pages 56 and 57)

33. In the world of the Spirits, says Kardec, if there is joy for all virtues, there are punishments for all faults. (P. 58)

34. The Spirit of Chateaubriand calls us to work for our personal improvement and for our own future; if we succeed, we will enjoy in our very existence happiness so difficult to imagine as difficult for us to describe. (P. 65)

35. The Revue copies the message of the Spirit of a woman to her materialistic father, pleading with him to bow down to the justice of God and be resigned. Quoting the Christ, who said: "He who uses the sword, by the sword will die", the daughter said: "Such a thought, absolutely Spiritist, encloses the mystery of your suffering". (P. 66)

36. The most pleasing prayer to God - says a family Spirit - is useful work, whatever it may be. "Do not be content to ask God to help you: help yourselves, for you will prove the sincerity of your prayer". (P. 67)

37. Mr. Mackenzie, of London, a member of the Royal Society of Antiquarians, writes to the Society saying that he uses a crystal or metallic ball with the assistance of a special seer as a means of obtaining Spiritist communications. The medium reads in this kind of mirror the Spirits’ answers. Kardec proposes to call them psychic mirrors. (Pages 69 and 72)

38. An article published in the "Siècle" on January 22, 1860, says that the dancing tables were already celebrated in Rome in the first centuries of the Christian era, as Tertullian mentions in Chapter XXIII of the "Apologetics". (P. 69)

39. Kardec says that the Society receives the communications of the Spirits as an expression of an individual opinion and reserves the right to judge them by subjecting them to the control of logic and reason. (P. 73)

40. Analyzing the question of the settlement of the Earth from the standpoint of the Bible, Kardec says that religion will always be strong when marching according to Science, because it will be linked to the enlightened part of the population. (P. 77)

41. Revue highlights the psychic Desiree Godu, who spent eight years going through all phases of mediumship, until she reached the gift of healing. (P. 78)

42. The Spirit indicates to her the remedies that she herself prepares and applies, caring for the wounded with the dedication of a sister of charity. On Thursdays and Sundays, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., her house is full of sick people, and remarkable people have attested her cures. (Pages 79 and 80)

43. Wishing that the psychic does not become conceited by such praise, Kardec recalls that pride is the choice of a great number of mediums, and many have demoralized themselves by listening to this tempting demon. (P. 80)

44. Revue recounts the events in Mr. Goubert's bakery in Dieppe, where various objects - pieces of charcoal, a pipe, a candle, and so on - leave their place to be thrown into the mixing bowl. (P. 82)

45. Dr. Vignal, as was the case with Count R., was summoned by Kardec on February 3, 1860, and reported that his Spirit communicated with the body, asleep in Sully, through the fluidic cord. (P. 86)

46. ​​The doctor says that, detached from his body, he could see objects that in the dark he did not see when awake. Conclusion: for the Spirits darkness does not exist. (P. 86)

47. Kardec asked if he could see himself in a mirror. The answer was, "No," because the mirror reflects only material objects. (P. 87)

48. Dr. Vignal confirmed that the body could not die without his suspicion. Before the coup, his soul would be ready. (P. 87)

49. Commenting on Dr. Vignal's information, Kardec says that the Spirit of a sleeping person knows perfectly well what is going on around it: anyone who wishes to take advantage of his sleep to do any harm would be seen by it. (P. 88)

50. Dr. Vignal has confirmed that as a Spirit, he hears perfectly well and perceives odors; and if the body were hungry, he would leave to satisfy an irresistible need. (Pages 88 and 89)

51. The Entity explained that when he returns to the body, he does not enter it as if it entered in a room. Irradiating incessantly outward, it can be said that the Spirit is more often outside than within. (P. 89)

52. Dr. Vignal said that the causes of madness are only an alteration, a perversion of the organs, which no longer receive the impressions in a regular manner, transmitting false sensations and thereby generating acts diametrically opposed to the will of the Spirit. (P. 90)

53. Dr. Cauviere, of Marseilles, who died a year and a half ago, communicates spontaneously and his signature is considered authentic. (P. 91) (Continued on next issue).

Answers to the questions

A. What is the most pleasing prayer to God?

The prayer that pleases the Creator most is useful work, whatever it may be. "Do not settle to ask God to help you: help yourselves, because by doing this you will prove the sincerity of your prayer", says a spiritual protector (Revue Spirite, 1860, page 67).

B. Does religion gain anything by joining Science?

Yes. As per Kardec, religion will always be strong when marching according to Science, because it will be linked to the enlightened part of the population. (Ibid, page 77)

C. Can Spirits see themselves in a mirror?

No, because the mirror only reflects material objects. This was part of the information given in the Society by Dr. Vignal, who was a physician. (Ibid, page 87)

D. How to understand the causes of madness?

According to Dr. Vignal, the causes of madness are only a change, a malfunction of the organs, which no longer receive the impressions in a regular manner, transmitting false sensations and thereby generating acts diametrically opposed to the will of the Spirit. (Ibid, page 90)

Translation:
Eleni Frangatos - eleni.moreira@uol.com.br