Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1868

We received from Syria a very interesting letter on the moral state of the peoples of the East, and the means of cooperating with their regeneration. The particularity of this letter does not allow us to publish it in our Review; we will only say that our honorable correspondent, initiated into the knowledge of the peoples of Europe, considers the question as a profound philosopher, as a man free from all sectarian prejudice, who knows the field and has no illusions about the difficulties presented by such a subject.

He sees in Spiritism, that he has seriously studied, a powerful lever for combating the prejudices that oppose the moral and intellectual emancipation of his compatriots, because of the very ideas that constitute the basis of their beliefs and to which a more rational direction should be given. With a view to contributing to this work, or at least to lay the foundations for that, he conceived a project that he was kind enough to submit to us, asking us to also seek the advice of the Good Spirits.

The communication that was given to us on this subject is instructive to everyone, especially in the current circumstances, being that the reason why we considered appropriate to have it published. It contains a wise appreciation of things, and advice from which others may benefit from time to time, and that by specializing them, they also find their application in the most favorable way of propagating Spiritism.

Paris, September 18^th, 1868

“It is not only the East, it is Europe, the whole world is agitated by a silent fermentation that the smallest cause can transform into universal conflagration, when the moment has arrived. As Mr. X rightly says…, it is on ruins that new things have been built, and before the great renovation is a done deal, human work and the intervention of the elements must complete the clearing of the ground of thought from the mistakes of the past. Everything contributes to this immense work; the time of action is fast approaching, and all intelligences must be encouraged to prepare for the struggle. Humanity leaves its diapers behind to put on the outfits of adulthood; it shakes off the centuries-old yoke; the timing, therefore, could not be more favorable. But we must not hide from ourselves that the task is tough, and that more than one craftsman will be crushed by the machine he has set in motion, for not having known how to discover the brake capable of controlling the enthusiasm of the too abruptly emancipated humanity.

To have reason, to have the truth for oneself, to work for the general good, to sacrifice one's own well-being for the interest of all, is good, but it is not enough. One cannot suddenly give all the freedoms to a slave shaped by a severe burden over the centuries. It is only gradually, and by measuring the extent of the edges to the progress of intelligence, and above all the moral progress of humanity, that regeneration can be accomplished. The storm that dispels the deleterious miasmas with which a region is infected, is a useful cataclysm; but the one that breaks all the dikes, and who, obeying no restraint, takes everything down on its way, is deplorable, and without any useful consequence. It increases the difficulties instead of helping to make them disappear.

All those who wish to usefully contribute to the regenerative work, must therefore, and before anything, be concerned with the nature of the elements on which it is possible for them to act, and combine their actions relatively to the character, habits, and beliefs of those who they want to transform. Thus to achieve, in the East, the goal pursued in America and Western Europe by all superior Spirits, it is necessary to follow an identical course as a whole, but essentially different in the details, that is, by sowing education, developing morality, combating the abuses consecrated by time, we will arrive at the same result, wherever we act, but the choice of means, in particular, should be determined by the individuals to whom we will address.

The spirit of reform is blowing throughout Asia; it left bloody wrecks in Syria, in Persia, and in all the neighboring regions; the new idea germinated there, watered with the blood of martyrs; we must take advantage of the momentum given to the intelligences, but avoid relapsing into the faults that provoked those persecutions. Man is not educated by confronting his prejudices head-on, but by turning them around, by modifying the furnishings of his Spirit in such a measured way that he comes to the point of renouncing, on his own, to the errors for which, not long ago, he would have sacrificed his life. We must not tell him: "This is bad, this is good," but lead him to appreciate everything in its true value, through education and by example. New ideas are not imposed on people; to have them accepted, without regrettable disturbance, they must get used to them little by little, by making them recognize its advantages, and only establish them as a principle when one is certain that they will gain a considerable majority

There is much to do in the East, but the action of man alone would be powerless to bring about a radical transformation. The events we are dealing with will contribute in part to this transformation. They will get the Orientals used to a new kind of existence; they will undermine, in their bases, the prejudices that preside over the legislation of the family. It is only after that that the teaching will swing the last blow on them.

We applaud with all our strength the work of Mr. X…, the spirit in which it is conceived; we promise him, moreover, our assistance, and advise him to consult with us whenever he encounters some embarrassing difficulty. Let him hasten to set to work; events move quickly, and his work will hardly be finished when the right moment arrives! May he waste no time and count on our assistance, which is granted to him as well as to all those who unselfishly pursue the accomplishment of the providential designs.

Clélie Duplantier.”

“If there are few mediums tonight, it does not mean that there is a shortage of Spirits; they are, on the contrary, a large crowd; some are regulars who come to instruct you or to instruct themselves; the others, in large numbers, are newcomers to you. They came without a letter of reference, it's true, but with the approval and by the invitation of the usual Spirits. Many of these Spirits are happy to attend the session and are especially happy to see here several Spiritists that they love and whom they direct, and who have had the thought of joining you.

There are many Spiritists in the world, but their degree of doctrinal instruction is far from sufficient to qualify them as enlightened Spiritists. They have enlightenment, no doubt, but practice is generally lacking; or if they practice, they need to be seconded, to bring more persuasion and less enthusiasm into the efforts that they attempt. When I speak of practicing Spiritism, I mean the part that concerns propaganda; for this part, more difficult than one thinks, to exercise it with efficiency, it is necessary to be well imbued of the philosophy of Spiritism and of its moral part. The moral part is easy to know; it requires little effort for this; on the other hand, it is the most difficult to practice, because example alone can make it clearly understood. You will make a virtue better understood by setting an example than by defining it. To be virtuous is to make virtue understood and loved. There is nothing to object to whoever does what he urges others to do. So, for the moral part of Spiritism, no difficulty in theory, much difficulty in practice.

The philosophical part presents more difficulties to be understood, therefore, it requires more effort. The followers who try to be militant, must set to work to know it well, because it is the weapon with which they will fight most successfully. It is useful that they do not overjoy with material phenomena, and that they give their explanation without too much development. They must spare these developments for the analysis of the facts of intelligent order, without saying too much, though, because we must not fatigue the minds of people new to Spiritism. Concise explanations, well-chosen examples, well suited to the question being discussed, that is all it takes. But I repeat, to be concise, one must nonetheless know; to give examples or explanations well suited to the subject, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the philosophy of Spiritism. This philosophy is summarized in The Spirits’ Book, and the practical side in The Medium’s Book. If you know well the substance of these two books, that are the work of the Spirits, you will certainly have the happiness of bringing many of your brothers to this so consoling belief, and many of those who believe will be placed on its true ground: that of love and charity.

So, my friends, those of you who desire, and all of you must desire it, to share their beliefs with their brothers, who want to call them to the banquet of consolation that Spiritism offers to all its children, must morally preach Spiritism by practicing its moral, and intellectually by spreading around them the lights that they have drawn or will draw from the communications of the Spirits.

All this is easy; all you need is to wish for it. Well! my dear friends, in the name of your happiness, your peace, in the name of union and charity, I urge you to want it.

A Spirit.”

Parisian Society, October 16^th, 1868 – medium Mr. Bertrand



“If you could see the awareness of Spirits of all kinds who attend your sessions, and this during the reading of your prayers, not only would you be touched, but you would be ashamed to see that your awareness, that I only qualify as silence, is far from approaching that of the Spirits, many of whom are inferior to you. What you call meditation during the reading of your beautiful prayers is to observe an undisturbed silence; but if your lips do not move, if your body is motionless, your Spirit wanders around and leaves aside the sublime words that you should speak from the depths of your heart, by assimilating them through your thought.

Your matter observes silence; it would certainly be an insult to you to say otherwise; but your babbling Spirit does not observe it and disturbs the meditation of the Spirits that surround you at this time. Ah! if you saw them prostrated before the Lord, asking for the fulfillment of every word you read, your soul would be moved, and regretting its little attention in the past, it would turn back on itself, wholeheartedly asking God for the fulfillment of the same words it only spoke with her lips. You would ask the Spirits to make you docile to their advice; and I, the Spirit who speaks to you, after reading your prayers, and the words that I have just repeated, I could point out more than one who will go not much obedient to the advice I have just given, and with equally uncharitable feelings for his neighbor.

I'm probably a bit harsh; but I believe I am only with those who deserve it and whose most secret thoughts cannot be hidden from the Spirits. I therefore address only those who come here thinking of something quite different than the lessons they must come to seek and the feelings they must bring to them. But those who pray from the bottom of their souls will also pray, after reading my communication, for those who come here and leave without praying.

In any case, I ask those who kindly lend me an attentive ear, to continue to put into practice the teachings and the advice of the Spirits; I invite them to do so in their interest, because they do not know how much they can lose by not doing it.

De Courson.”