The Revue Spirite of 1860
Parte 8

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 about those who associate the Spiritist facts with the supernatural and the miraculous?

B. Can we prove the existence of Spiritist manifestations?

C. How did Kardec, in a speech in the city of Lyon, classify the Spiritists?

D. What model does Kardec propose regarding Spiritist meetings?

Text for reading

167. Dr. De Grand-Boulogne sent a letter to the Society saying that it was not right to regard all the rapping Spirits as of a lower order, since by means of raps he himself obtained communications of a very high order. Kardec answers that typology is a means of communication like any other, and the Highest Spirits can use it to communicate. Rapping Spirits are considered as the so-called professionals, who communicate through raps. (P. 272)

168. At the session held on 08/24/1860, Mr. Sanson thanked the Spirit of St. Louis for his intervention in the instant cure of a disease on his leg, which had resisted all treatments and should lead to amputation. (P. 278)

169. In an article on the marvelous and the supernatural, Kardec analyzes the question of criticism, stating that a critic's opinion only has value when he speaks with full knowledge of the matter. (P. 282)

170. Next, the Encoder lists 8 propositions in which he reaffirms that the Spiritist facts, based on a law of nature, have nothing wonderful or supernatural, in the common sense of these words. (P. 283)

171. The miracle cannot be explained; the Spiritist phenomena, on the contrary, are explained in the most rational way. The miracle has yet another character: that of being unusual and isolated. Now, since a fact is repeated, at will and by several people, it cannot be considered a miracle. (P. 284) 

172. How many jokes were made about the lifting in the air of St. Cupertino? Now the suspension in the air of heavy bodies is a fact explained by Spiritism, which Mr. Home and others repeated several times. It is, therefore, a natural phenomenon, not a miracle. (P. 285)

173. Some Spiritist facts are contested by certain people because it seems they do not submit to common law and because these people do not understand them. Give them a rational basis and doubt will cease. (P. 286)

174. Louis Figuier, in his work on the marvelous and supernatural, says that in the eighteenth century all eyes were opened to the light of common sense and reason, but the marvelous and the miraculous resisted. "Miracles still abound," says Mr. Figuier. (P. 292)

175. Kardec concludes his analysis of the work of Mr. Figuier affirming that the Spiritists prove the reality of the manifestations "by the facts and the reasoning". "If they do not admit either one or the other, if they deny what they see, they have to prove that our reasoning is false and that the facts are impossible," concludes the Encoder. (P. 295)

176. Jobard relates that the physicist Thilorier, who was extremely deaf, had healed himself with the magnetizer Lafontaine in a few sessions. (P. 296)

177. Kardec explains why communications about scientific research are of secondary importance: all care is too little to avoid prematurely considering as uncontested truths, what is still hypothetical. (P. 298)

178. Georges (Family Spirit) asks for greater regularity in the sessions of the Society, that is, to avoid all confusion, any divergence of ideas, because divergence favors the interference of evil Spirits. (P. 300)

179. Kardec answers the "Gazette de Lyon", which on 8/2/1860 made harsh criticisms regarding the Spiritists, and says that Spiritism is entirely based on the dogma of the existence of the soul, its survival to the body, its individuality after death, its immortality, its punishments and its future rewards. Its purpose is to prove them in a clear way and its morality is only the development of the maxims of the Christ. (P. 308)

180. Kardec speaks of the Spiritists of Lyon and about the conversions to good, achieved by the Spiritist teachings. (P. 310)

181. Concluding his reply to the "Gazette de Lyon", Kardec reminds us that souls and Spirits are one and the same. Thus denying the existence of the Spirits is denying the soul; to admit the soul, its survival and individuality, is to admit the Spirits. We just have to know if it can manifest after death, a fact which the sacred books and the Fathers of the Church recognized. (Editor’s Note: Frei Bonaventura Kloppenburg also recognized this). (P. 311)

182. The Spiritists of Lyon offered a banquet to Kardec on 9/19/1860, at which Mr. Guillaume gave a beautiful speech which was answered by the Encoder. (Pages 312 to 314)

183. In his speech, Kardec classifies the Spiritists into three categories: those who seek phenomena and simply believe in manifestations; those who see in it more than facts and admire its morals, but do not practice it; and those who admire its morality, practice it and accept all its consequences: the true Spiritists, or rather, the Christian Spiritists. (P. 315)

184. On the Spiritist societies, Kardec recalled that the best communications are obtained in small meetings, in which harmony reigns as well as a communion of feelings; small groups will always be more homogeneous, and it is this model that he suggests. (P. 316)

185. It is not in large gatherings that neophytes can gather elements of conviction, but in intimacy. There is, therefore, a double reason to prefer small groups, which can multiply infinitely, because 20 groups of ten will undoubtedly obtain more and will proselytize more than a single meeting of 200 people. (P. 317)

186. On the identity of communicating spirits, Kardec teaches, as a general rule: that the name is never a guarantee. The only, true guarantee of superiority is thought and the way in which it is expressed. (P. 318) (Continues on next issue). 

Answers to the questions 

A. What about those who associate the Spiritist facts with the supernatural and the miraculous?

In eight very clear propositions, Kardec reaffirms that the Spiritist facts, based on a law of nature, have nothing wonderful or supernatural, in the common sense of these words, since the miracle is not explained, but the Spiritist phenomena, on the contrary, are rationally explained. The miracle has yet another characteristic: that of being unusual and isolated. Now, since a fact is repeated at will and by several people, it cannot be a miracle, and it is what happens with the Spiritist phenomena. (Revue Spirite, pages 283-285.)

B. Can we prove the existence of Spiritist manifestations?

According to Kardec, the Spiritists prove the reality of the manifestations "by facts and reasoning". "If they do not admit either one or the other, if they deny what they see, they have to prove that our reasoning is false and that the facts are impossible," concludes the Encoder. (Ibid, page 295)

C. How did Kardec, in a speech in the city of Lyon, classify the Spiritists?

In his speech on September 19, 1860, Kardec classified the Spiritists into three categories: those who seek phenomena and are limited to believe in manifestations; those who see in it more than facts and admire its morals, but do not practice it; and those who admire its morality, practice it and accept all its consequences: the true Spiritists, or rather, the Christian Spiritists. (Ibid, page 315)

D. What model does Kardec propose regarding Spiritist meetings?

Remembering that the best communications are obtained in small meetings, in which harmony reigns, as well as a communion of feelings, he says that small groups will always be more homogeneous and it is this model that he suggests. (Ibid, pages 316 and 317.)

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