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 ques-tions are at the end of
the text for reading.
Questions for discussion
A. Is there a difference between a mechanical medium and
an intuitive medium?
B. Did Kardec consult St. Louis in evocations?
C. Must we publish everything that the Spirits say?
D. What, according to Kardec, was the mistake committed
by the pioneer Swedenborg?
Text for reading
170. Ending this news, Kardec says that the medical
class is divided about magnetism and homeopathy, the
treatment of cholera, phrenology, as well as a lot of
other things.
(P. 290)
171. If magnetism were a utopia, says Kardec, they would
have stopped thinking of it, while its brother Spiritism
is spreading everywhere.
(P. 290)
172. Mr. Brasseur, writing in the "Journal of Salons,"
says that Kardec made a mistake in not admitting the
existence of inert mediums, such as boxes, clipboards,
cards.
(P. 291)
173. Kardec refuted the ideas of Mr. Brasseur,
explaining that boxes, drawing boards and cards are only
appendages of the hand, and that the psychic faculty
resides in the person, not in the object.
(P. 292)
174. If it were enough for the Spirit to have any
instrument, says Kardec, we would see baskets and
drawing boards writing alone, which never happened,
because it takes an individual as a medium.
(P. 292)
175. The medium can be mechanical or intuitive. In the
mechanical medium, the Spirit acts on the hand, which
receives the wholly involuntary impulse and plays the
part of what Mr. Brasseur calls an inert medium.
(P. 293)
176. In the intuitive medium, the Spirit acts on the
brain, transmitting the movement of the nervous system
to the arm.
(P. 293)
177. St. Louis advised that there be no evocation in two
cases: the first concerning the burial of Chancellor
Pasquier in the Church of Saint-Leu, where they found
more than 15 skeletons in different positions. There was
crime there. In the second case, the Spirit was
incarnated.
(Pages 298 and 299)
178. An article in the Illustration, dated 1853,
shows that the phenomenon of spinning tables has been
known and practiced since immemorial time in China,
Siberia and among the Kalmouks of southern Russia. Among
the latter, they used the table to find lost objects.
(Pages 299 and 310)
179. A strange fact regarding an apparition is told by
Mr. D., Doctor of Medicine, in Paris. He treated for a
while a lady who suffered from an incurable disease.
Fifteen days ago he was awakened by blows at the door of
his room. It was the lady, who told him clearly, "I came
to say that I died." She had, in fact, died that night.
(P. 302)
180. Mr. Det., A member of the Spiritist Society of
Paris, recalls that there was a society like this in the
last century, as Mercier reports in his Tableau de
Paris, 1788, volume 12. (P. 303)
181. In a note below the news, Kardec recalls that in
the year 1800 the celebrated Abbot Faria occupied
himself with the evocation and obtained written
communications, long before it was even thought of the
Spirits in America.
(P. 304)
182. Evoked by Kardec, the millionaire of Lyons known by
the nickname of Father Crepin said he missed earthly
life and confesses he still has pleasure in looking at
his gold, which he can no longer touch. His earthly life
was entirely useless, says Father Crepin. (Pages 305 and
306)
183. St. Louis, commenting on this case, says that the
worst miser is the one who is only a miser to others.
(P. 307)
184. A correspondent asked if we should publish
everything that the Spirits say. Kardec replied that to
publish without examining and correcting everything that
comes from this source, is no doubt of little judgement.
A judicious
examination is
therefore fundamental before publishing anything.
(P. 316)
185. Speaking of inspiration, Kardec says that the brain
can produce what is within it; but ideas that are not
ours are suggested to us. When the inspiration does not
come is because the inspirer is not present or thinks it
is appropriate not to inspire; many poets, composers and
writers are thus mediums without knowing it.
(Pages 317, 318 and 378)
186. The Revue copies the poem "Urania" by Mr. De
Porry of Marseilles, in which the author says that the
Earth "is a place of testing where the righteous,
suffering in tears, is thus renewed”. And he adds: "If
you keep a virtuous heart in this world, you will go to
those sumptuous worlds where there is joy, peace,
wisdom, and where eternal happiness radiates".
(P. 324)
187. Kardec writes about the forerunner Emmanuel
Swedenborg (1688-1772) and his work, asserting that the
mistake of the Swedish sensory, for him unforgivable,
was to have blindly accepted everything dictated to him
by the Spirits.
(P. 335)
188. Despite this, Swedenborg will always be linked to
the History of Spiritism, of which he was one of the
first and most zealous pioneers. (P. 337)
189. In a communication in the Spiritist Society of
Paris, Swedenborg admits that his doctrine is not exempt
of great errors and declares that the Spiritist Doctrine
follows a more secure path than his. (Pages 338 and 339)
190. Simon M ..., correspondent of the Revue,
reminds us that man should watch over his minor
malevolent thoughts, even his bad feelings, as these may
attract evil and corrupted Spirits.
(P. 343)
191. Commenting on a fact which occurred during the
Crimean War, in which a young officer was psychical
warned of the death of Miss T., Kardec does not
authenticate this, but considers it possible, adding
that the examples, old and recent, of warnings from
beyond the grave are so numerous, that this is one has
nothing more extraordinary than others. (P. 345)
192. Another warning from beyond the grave, referred to
by the Gazette d'Ard (Hungary) of November 1858,
is reported by the Revue. (P. 345)
Answers to the questions
A. Is there a difference between a mechanical medium and
an intuitive medium?
Yes. In the mechanical medium, the Spirit acts on the
hand, which receives a fully involuntary impulse and
plays the part of what Mr. Brasseur calls an inert
medium. In the intuitive medium, the Spirit acts on the
brain, transmitting the movement of the nervous system
to the arm. (Revue Spirite, page 293).
B. Did Kardec consult St. Louis in evocations?
To consult with
St. Louis in such situations was commonplace, as shown
by the cases of Chancellor Pasquier and that of a Spirit
that was incarnate, in which the spiritual instructor
discouraged evocation. (Ibid, pages 298 and 299).
C. Must we publish everything that the Spirits say?
To a correspondent of the Revue, who asked him
this question, Kardec replied that to publish without
examining or correcting anything that comes from this
source shows little discernment. A judicious
exa-mination, according to him, is fundamental before
publishing anything. (Ibid, page 316.)
D. What, according to Kardec, was the mistake committed
by the pioneer Swedenborg?
The mistake of the great Swedish sensitive was to have
blindly accepted all that had been dictated to him by
the Spirits, a fact admitted by Swedenborg himself in a
communication given at the Spiritist Society of Paris,
in which he acknowledged that his doctrine is not exempt
from great errors and stated that the Spiritist Doctrine
followed a safer path than his. (Ibid, pages 335 to
339).