The Revue
Spirite of
1861
Part 4
We continue in
this issue the study
of the Revue
Spirite of
1861, 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
proposed issues
are at the end
of the text for
reading.
Issues for discussion
A. What meaning did the word God have among the
ancients?
B. Can a person, one week after being disincarnated,
still doubt his own death?
C. Did Kardec approve of the mediumistic meetings in
public?
Text for reading
55. Kardec says that the issue of tables and drawing
boards is accessory and not the main one. They were the
introduction to the great and powerful media, as the
alphabet is the prelude to the current reading. (Pages
114 and 115)
56. Showing the utility of mediumship, Kardec reminds us
that enemies are not lacking in the Spirits’ world.
There, the most dangerous are those we do not know.
Practical Spiritism allows us to know them. (Page 116)
57. The Revue transcribes the analysis that Mr. Escande
made in the journal Mode Nouvelle of the work "History
of the Wonderful" by Louis Figuier.
(Page 117 to 125)
58. Analyzing an article published by the Siècle of
2/4/1861, Kardec says that among the ancients the word
“god” had a great number of meanings: it was a generic
qualification, applied to every being that seemed to
them to rise above the level of Humanity. This is, in
substance, the principle of Mythology. The gods were
nothing more than the Spirits of mere mortals, who
manifested themselves at that time, as it is today.
(Pages 126 and 127)
59. Christianity deprived these gods of their prestige,
and Spiritism reduced them to their present value today,
showing that there is only one God, the Creator of all
things.
(Page 127)
60. Alfred Leroy, 50, of distinguished features, hanged
himself on the way to Charenton. In a letter found in
his pocket, Alfred says he decided to commit suicide
because he had been left to fend for himself. Summoned a
week later, at the Spiritist Society of Paris, his
Spirit said that suicide was a test against which he had
to fight.
(Pages 127 and 128)
61. St. Louis, explaining the Leroy case, said that
atonement and suffering would be the consequence of his
gesture, because guilt is much greater when man is
driven to suicide by succumbing to temptation.
(Pages 130 and 131)
62. Jules Michel, dead at the age of 14 and evoked eight
days after his death, had no doubt that he had died. He
could see his mother and his brothers, and even his
body, lying down, all hard, but he felt he was no longer
in it. (Page 131)
63. Jules Michel explained, speaking of his
disincarnation: "I was numb; I wanted to move and I
could not; my hands were wet with sweat and I felt a
great work on my body; then I felt nothing else and I
awoke much relieved; I was no longer suffering and was
as light as a feather. Then I saw myself on my bed and
yet I was not in it..." (Page 132)
64. Message sent to Kardec by Count X... of Rome, says
that, not being a new law, Spiritism is destined to
reestablish the unity of belief, since it is the
confirmation and clarification of Christianity. (Pages
133 and 134)
65. Speaking of envy among the mediums, the Spirit of
Luos says that there are many mediums that become vain
rather than humble as their gifts develop and thereby
reject important communications. (Page 137)
66. In the medium, concludes Luos, envy is as fearsome
as pride. It is not by being envious of the neighbor's
gifts that the medium will receive similar gifts. (Page
138)
67. Commenting on the message, Kardec says that the
Spirits sympathize with mediums because of their
qualities or their defects; now, the defects that most
distress the Good Spirits are pride, selfishness and
jealousy. (Page 138)
68. In his annual address to the Spiritist Society of
Paris, Kardec rejects the idea of
making
public the sessions of the Society, reaffirming that the
person must first study and then attend the
manifestations. (Page 140)
69. Spiritism is a Science, says Kardec, and like any
science one does not learn it joking. (Page 142)
70. Another criticism of the Society, according to
Kardec, says that it was dealing with insignificant
things, for refraining from dealing with political and
religious matters.
Kardec refuted this criticism in his annual speech.
(Page 143)
71. Kardec thanked in his speech the invitation received
not only from the Spirits but also from the mediums,
stating that the Spirits’ world awaits them and there
all devotions will be compensated, taking into
consideration the detachment, humility and self-denial
shown here.
(Page 144)
72. Mentioning the basic principles of Spiritism, Kardec
says that all the communications that come from outside
have confirmed them, even in relation to reincarnation,
now accepted by the force of evidence.
(Continued on next issue.)
Answers to the issues
A. What meaning did the word God have among the
ancients?
The word god then had a great number of meanings: it was
a generic qualification applied to every being that
seemed to rise above the level of Humanity. This was, in
substance, the principle of Mythology. The gods were
nothing more than the Spirits of mere mortals, who
manifested themselves at that time, as it is today.
Christianity deprived these gods of their prestige and
Spiritism reduced them to their just value, showing that
there is only one God, the Creator of all things. (Revue
Spirite of 1861, pages 126 and 127).
B. Can a person, one week after being disincarnated,
still doubt his own death?
Yes, and this is more common than you think. The
Revue mentions the Jules Michel case, which, at the
age of fourteen and evoked eight days after his death,
was doubtful that he had died. Speaking of his
disincarnation, he said: "I was numb; I wanted to move
and I could not; my hands were wet with sweat and I felt
a great work on my body; then I felt nothing more and I
awoke much relieved; I was no longer suffering and was
as light as a feather. Then I saw myself on my bed and
yet was not in it... "(Ibid, pages 131 and 132).
C. Did Kardec approve of the mediumistic meetings in
public?
No. The Encoder rejected this idea because he understood
that the person must first study and then watch the
manifestations. Kardec said: "Spiritism is a Science
and, like any science, one does not learn joking."
(Ibid, pages 140 to 142).