The Revue Spirite of 1859
Parte 7

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 questions are at the end of the text for reading.

Questions for discussion 

A. How to overcome the malice of deceiving Spirits?
B. Under what conditions did Voltaire return to the Spiritual World?
C. Is there any kind of hierarchy among the Spirits?
D. Is there any basis in mythology? 

Text for reading

148. Another sign of the presence of evil Spirits is obsession: good Spirits never obsess; the wicked impose themselves at all times. (P. 258)

149. By passing on Spiritist communications for control of the foregoing considerations, we shall readily recognize their origin and may destroy the malice of deceiving Spirits, which are only addressed to those who let themselves be deceived. (P. 258)

150. Add to all this that prayer is a powerful help: by means of it we call God and the Good Spirits’ assis-tance, increasing our own strength. "Help yourself and Heaven will help you," so said Jesus. (P. 259)

151. A correspondent from Boulogne sends a communication from Voltaire copied from a work by Judge Edmonds, published in the United States. In the commu-nication, Voltaire talks to Wolsey, a celebrated English cardinal of the time of Henry VIII. Two mediums were used for the dialogue. (P. 262)

152. Voltaire, confirming that, out of ignorance, he had attacked the Christian religion and he regrets that he did not know Spiritism at the time and how much he could have then done. (P. 263)

153. Voltaire entered the Spiritual World as an unbeliever and hesitant, with no one with whom he could establish relations. (P. 264) 

154. At first, led away from the spiritual dwellings, he went through the immense space. Then he was allowed to see the wonderful buildings inhabited by the Spirits, until his soul was dazzled and crushed before the power that controlled such wonders. (P. 264)

155. With his heart feeling the need to expand, fallen into weariness and humiliation, it was there that he was able to meet some inhabitants and contemplate the position in which he had placed himself on Earth and what resulted from this in the Spiritist world . (Pages 264 and 265)

156. A complete change occurred in him, and as master he was, he then became the most ardent of disciples. He saw, then, how great his errors had been, and how much greater reparation must be, to atone for all that he had done or said to seduce and deceive Mankind. (P. 265)

157. I deeply regretted, he says, my opinions and how they diverted many people; but at the same time he is full with gratitude to the Creator, the infinitely wise, and felt that he had been, an instrument to help the Spirits of men to turn to self-examination and progress.
(P. 265)

158. At the end of the battle of Solferino a violent storm broke out, causing many Austrian soldiers to be saved. A military man from Italy, who witnessed the phenomenon, evoked by Kardec, says that the storm was provoked by God's will, precisely for that purpose. (P. 268)

159. Spirits do not take into consideration earthly differences, which are of no value to them, but there is between them a hierarchy and subordination, based on acquired qualities. (P. 269)

160. The Spirit of General Hoche informs that he will reincarnate in Mercury, a world morally inferior to Earth, in which the inhabitants are more materialized than those who live on our planet. (P. 270)

161. The same General says that from the moment he disincarnated, he visited the Earth entirely, learning the Laws that God employs to conduct all phenomena that contribute to earthly life. Then he did the same in other worlds.
(P. 270)

162. Revue brings a communication given by the Spirit of Mr. J ..., a dealer in the department of La Sarthe, who died in 1859, who, in addition to having made a serious study about Spiritism, was good and charitable without limits. His moment of awakening was, as he said: "I felt cheerful and willing, as if I had breathed fresh air out of a smoke-filled room," said Mr. J ... (Pages 272 ​​and 273)

163. Mythology - says Kardec - is entirely founded on Spiritist ideas; we find in it all the properties of the Spirits, with the difference that the ancients had made them gods.
(P. 277)

164. Kardec speaks of the home of Mrs. G ..., widow, with 4 children, of whom the oldest is 17 and the youngest, 6. Gathered by the Spiritist belief, the family remained united even with the death of the father who, perceiving his close end, gathered his children together and gave them a moving advice, the end of which says: "May peace, harmony and union reign among you, that never let interest separate you, because material interest is the greatest barrier between Earth and Heaven". (Pages. 278 and 279)

165. Brought up in the Spiritist ideas, these children did not consider themselves separated from the father, and one night a week, and sometimes more, they consecrated it to talk with him.
(P. 279)

166. Kardec criticizes the title given by Mr. Mathieu, a former pharmacist of the Army, to a work in which he deals with facts of direct writing. Mathieu called it "A Miracle". Now, says Kardec, the miracle is derogation from the Laws of Nature, which cannot be said of direct writing. (P. 281)

167. Continuing his article, Kardec talks about levitation - the ethereal suspension of solid bodies - a fact demonstrated and explained by Spiritism and of which he was an eyewitness. (P. 283)

168. Another phenomenon mentioned by him, which also falls into the order of natural things, is that of the apparition, quite frequently and perfectly explained by the Spiritist Science. (P. 283)

169. The Revue publishes a judgment of the Douai Correctional Court, dated 8/27/1859, in which the touch and magnetic lying on of hand were recognized by the Court. Kardec criticizes, however, the experts for their ignorance about magnetism and natural sleepwalking. (PP 287 and 288)

Answers to the questions

A. How to overcome the malice of deceiving Spirits?
Analyzing Spiritist communications and submitting them to the control recommended by the Spiritist Doctrine, we will easily recognize its origin and we will be able to destroy the malice of the deceiving Spirits, which are only addressed to those who let themselves be deceived. It is also worth remembering that, in such cases, prayer is a powerful aid, since by it we attract the assistance of God and the good Spirits, increasing our own strength. (Revue Spirite, Pages 258 and 259).

B. Under what conditions did Voltaire return to the Spiritual World?
Unbeliever and hesitant, with no one with whom he could establish relations, that was how Voltaire entered the spiritual world. At first, driven away from the spiritual dwellings, he walked through the immense space. He was then allowed to see the wonderful buildings inhabited by the Spirits, until his soul was dazzled and crushed before the power that controlled such wonders. With his heart feeling the need to expand, fallen into weariness and humiliation, it was there that he was able to meet some inhabitants and contemplate the position in which he had placed himself on Earth and what resulted from this in the world in which he now was. (Ibid, Pages 264 and 265). 

C. Is there any kind of hierarchy among the Spirits?
Yes. There is between them a hierarchy and subordination based on acquired qualities that have nothing to do with earthly distinctions. (Ibid, Page 269).

D. Is there any basis in mythology? 

Yes. Mythology is entirely founded on Spiritist ideas. We find in it, said Kardec, all the properties of the Spirits, except that the ancients had made them gods. (Ibid, Page 277).
 

Translation:

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