The Revue Spirite of 1863

Part 5

We continue in this issue the study of the Revue Spirite corresponding to the year of 1863. The condensed text of the mentioned volume will hereby be presented in sixteen parts, based on the translation of Julio Abreu Filho and published by EDICEL.

Issues for discussion 

A. What is the main purpose of Spiritism?

B. Can the Spirit, from one life to another, go from a brilliant position to a humble and miserable one?

C. Can we say, based on Spiritism, that man is the maker of his own destiny?

Text for reading

42. At a meeting held on 13/2/1863, the Spiritist Society of Paris unanimously decided not to take notice of a request from Tonnay-Charente; he wrote a letter with eight questions addressed directly to the Spirit of Jesus, son of God. The questions dealt with various dogmas of the Church. The publication of this decision in the Revue had the purpose of showing everyone the futility of addressing future questions on such subjects. (Pages 81 and 82)

43. The Spiritist Society of Paris, referring to this case, reminds the author of the letter that the main purpose of Spiritism is man’s moral improvement and to wipe out materialistic ideas; therefore, it is not concerned with discussing the dogmas of each cult, leaving their appreciation to each one's conscience. The Society further clarifies: (1) True Spiritists’ aim is, first of all, to devote themselves to fighting against unbelief and selfishness, which are the true wounds of mankind, and to make prevail - both by example and by theory - the feeling of Charity, which should be the foundation of every rational religion. (II) The fundamental matters must be considered first than the matters of form. III. The fundamental questions are those which aim to make men better, since all social progress can only be a consequence of the improvement of the masses. IV) To want to act in another way is to start the building by the roof, forgetting its foundations; it is to sow before preparing the soil. (Pages 82-84)

44. François-Simon Louvet, who committed suicide on 07/22/1857 in Le Havre, describes in a spontaneous communication, received on 02/12/1863, his sufferings as a consequence of his thoughtless gesture. As the message shows, one of his sufferings was to always see himself falling from the tower - from which he had thrown himself - and hitting the stones beneath, as it had actually occurred six years earlier, as reported by theJournal du Havre of July 23, 1857. (Pages 84 to 86)

45. The Revue transcribes the communication which was given in Paris by the Spirit of Clara Rivier, disincarnated at the age of ten, four months earlier. Sick since the age of four, Clara was a notable example of resignation to pain. "I am not afraid of death," she said, "because afterwards a happy life is reserved for me". In the communication, Clara explained that it was her guardian angel that comforted her throughout the illness and, as her parents faced a slight obsessional process, she added: I) the obsession will end when the time comes. II) Prayer and faith give great strength to dominate the obsession. III) Obsession and subjugation are, in fact, proofs for those who suffer them, but also a path open to new convictions. IV) Distances are to be removed through Charity, introducing the poor in the house, encouraging and raising him, without humiliating him. "Have - concluded Clara, addressing her parents – patience, charity, and love your fellows, and one day you will be happy". (Pages 86 to 89)

46. ​​From Clara Rivier's message, Kardec emphasized two points: I) the information that from one existence to another the Spirit can move from a brilliant social position to a humble and miserable one, thus atoning the bad use of the gifts that God gave him; and, II) the revelation that God punishes people as He punishes individuals. Thus, if everyone practiced the Law of Charity, there would be no more wars, no great miseries, and no calamities in the world. (Page 90)

47. The Courrier du Bas-Rhin, dated 01/03/1863, revealed that in Boston, United States, Mr. William Mumbler had inadvertently revealed the photo of deceased persons. The first picture taken by Mr. Mumbler was from the Spirit of a cousin. Kardec advises, however, to accept this news with prudence, because the Americans are also masters in the art of inventing little stories. In addition, the Encoder mentions the incident with a young English lord, in love with photographic art, who thought he had obtained the photo of a deceased sister, and yet this was nothing more than a misunderstanding. (Editor’s Note: The issue referring to photos of Spirits is approached in detail by Gabriel Delanne in his book "The Spiritist Phenomenon", pages 149 to 163. Kardec's caution is accepted and the lawsuit against the photographer Buguet in 1875 proves that one has to be very careful when dealing with facts supposedly attributed to Spirits). (Pages 90 to 92)

48. The Bishop of Algiers published for Lent in 1863 a pastoral instruction dedicated to Spiritism, in which he accuses the devil of dictating to famous philosophers these unhealthy doctrines that preach the existence of two equal principles, good and evil , materialism, skepticism, fatalism, metempsychosis, magic and the evocation of Spirits. The document of the Church was published in the newspaper Akbar, Algiers, on 02/10/1863. In reporting the news, the Algerian newspaper reminded the reader that those who like to hear the two parties in any dispute could clarify their doubts by reading "The Book of Spirits" and "The Book of Mediums" by Mr. Allan Kardec, found in all bookstores in Algiers. (Pages 92 and 93)

49. In the poetry section, the Revuebrings two poems of mediumistic origin: "Why mourn?" and "Mother and son". In the first, the disincarnated poet says that God has made man the author of his own destiny and states that the path that leads to good requires constant effort and constant work, complete vigilance and careful research, brave instinct and a working reason. "Work, fight, now and Heaven will be in you", this is how the poem ends. (Pages 94 and 95)

50. The second poem speaks of a mother who lost her child at an early age and explains why it happened. In a distant past she had killed the baby she was going to give birth and now, regretting what she had done, she was punished in similar circumstances to that she caused before. (Pages 96 and 97)

51. The April issue publishes another article by Kardec - the fourth - about the possessions of Morzine. As we have already seen, Mr. Constant attributed the facts to the rickety constitution of the inhabitants and the unhealthiness of the region, as well as the poor quality and inadequacy of food. Mr. Arthaud, a physician in Lyon, went to Morzine and declared the exact opposite: the constitution of the inhabitants was good and there was only one case of epilepsy and one of imbecility. Kardec reproduces another report in which he also disagrees with the diagnosis made by Mr. Constant and, among various objections to the latter's conclusion, says that if Mr. Constant were correct the observed effect would be endemic rather than epidemic. The first symptoms of the Morzine epidemic - recalls Kardec - occurred in March 1857 in only two adolescent girls. The following November the number of patients was 27, and in 1861 it reached a maximum of one hundred and twenty, much like the episode that struck Judea at the time of Christ. (Editor’s Note: Epidemic: disease that arises fast and simultaneously affects a large numbers of people. Endemic: a disease that exists constantly in a certain place). (Pages 99 to 105)(Continues on next issue)

Answers to the proposed issues

A. What is the main purpose of Spiritism?

The main purpose of Spiritism is to improve man’s moral and put an end to materialistic ideas; this explains why he is not at all concerned with discussing the particular dogmas of each cult, leaving his appreciation to each one's conscience. (Revue Spirite, 1863, pages 82 and 83).

B. Can the Spirit, from one life to another, go from a brilliant position to a humble and miserable one?

B. Can the Spirit, from one life to another, go from a brilliant position to a humble and miserable one?

Yes, as it is said in the message of Clara Rivier, published in the Revue, in which Kardec highlighted two points: 1 - the information that from one existence to another the Spirit can move from a brilliant social position to a humble and miserable one, thereby atoning for the abuse of the gifts which God had bestowed upon him; and 2 - the revelation that God punishes people as punishes individuals. In this way, if everyone practiced the Law of Charity, there would be no more wars, no great miseries, and no calamities in the world. (Cited above, page 90).

C. Can we say, based on Spiritism, that man is the maker of his own destiny?

Of course. God has made man the maker of his own destiny, and this is why the path that leads to good requires constant effort and constant work, complete vigilance and careful research, brave instinct and operative reason. "Work, fight, now and Heaven will be in you", are the words of a beautiful poem on this subject published in the magazine. (Cited above, pages 94 and 95).

Translation:

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