The Revue Spirite of 1861

Part 5

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. Is the perispirit penetrable to solid matter?

B. How do Higher Spirits see music?

C. Are there parties in the spiritual world?

Text for reading

73. Analyzing a curious fact in Lithuania, where cholera struck many people, St. Louis mentions the cause of the material plagues, and regarding this matter, Kardec reaffirms that all gods of paganism have their origin in Spiritist manifestations. (Pages 148 and 149)

74. The Revue publishes interesting facts of transport which occurred in Orleans, and informs that such facts can occur with the medium asleep or awake. (Pages 150 to 153)

75. The flowers transported are gathered by the Spirit in the gardens. The candy is taken from where they feel like. In the reported case, the ring was taken from the tomb and handed to the daughter of the deceased woman, to whom it belonged. (Pages 154 and 155)

76. Dr. Glas, a devoted Spiritist, who died at the age of 35, evoked at the request of his father, says that he often was beside his wife, son and father. Even though he was at the Society, he could see them at home with no effort; but Kardec remarks that an inferior Spirit could not do this. "Those who have a certain elevation can see simultaneously from different places", teaches Kardec. "The others are still very much down to earth". (Pages 152 and 153)

77. Dr. Glas confirmed that Spirits pass through everything, as everything passes through them. (Page 159)

78. The Spirit – in the fluidic state – is able to occupy the same seat occupied by an incarnate person; if the spiritual body were to be tangible, it would be necessary to change places. (Page 160)

79. Kardec explains: "In the normal state, i.e., fluid and invisible, the perispirit is perfectly penetrable to solid matter; in the state of visibility, there is already a beginning of condensation which makes it less penetrable; in the state of tangibility, the condensation is complete and the penetrability disappears". (Page 160)

80. Kardec tells Jobard that it is not possible to obtain material evidence of the Spirit's identity from ancient persona. The name in these cases is not relevant and is of minor importance. (Pages 162 and 163)

81. After death - says Kardec - the soul shows the same qualities and imperfections it had in its body life. (Page 166)

82. Thus, all communications – which deny in every respect the Spirit whose name is being used – must be considered questionable. However, it is not fair to condemn them as a whole by some partial discredit. (Page 167)

83. Speaking about the arts, Lamennais states that music, in his view, is art that goes directly to the heart. Painting, architecture, and sculpture first strike the brain. "In a word, music goes from the heart to the spirit; painting goes from thought to the heart", says the Spirit, explaining that serious, religious music lifts the soul and thoughts, while light music only vibrates the nerves and nothing else. (Page 167)

84. Felicia relates that there are frequent festivals in the spiritual world, and they have an indescribable charm. (Page 168)

85. Ferdinand, in a message given in Bordeaux, states that Spiritism is the application of the evangelical morality, preached by Christ in all its purity, and men - who condemn it without knowing it - are unwise. (Pages 168 and 169)

86. Kardec tells us about Channing: William Ellery Channing, born in 1780 in Newport and died in 1842 in Boston; in 1803 he became minister of the unitary chapel - a Protestant sect - of Boston. (Page 173)

87. Reproducing parts of a speech by Channing in 1834, Kardec shows that his description of the future life perfectly agrees with the Doctrine taught by the Spirits two decades later. (Pages 177 and 178)

88. Milton, the great poet mentioned by Channing, has the same opinion about the invisible world, which is also that of modern Spiritists. They were, says Kardec, Spiritists by intuition, and did not know it. (Page 178)

89. Mr. Kardec acknowledges receipt of a letter from Mr Roustaing, a lawyer in Bordeaux. (Page 179)

90. In the letter, Roustaing speaks of his Spiritist studies, he says he understands that the Earth is a place of exile, a world of proof or atonement, and affirms his belief in reincarnation as a reality and not as an allegory. (Pages 179 and 180)

91. Reincarnation, says Roustaing, by showing that there is no king who does not descend from a shepherd, nor a shepherd who does not descend from a king, erases all earthly vanities, frees us from material worship, and morally levels all. (Continued on next issue.)

Answers to the issues

A. Is the perispirit penetrable to solid matter?

According to Kardec's explanations, in the normal state, that is, fluid and invisible, the perispirit is perfectly penetrable to solid matter. However, the state of visibility there is already a beginning of condensation which makes it less penetrable; in the state of tangibility, the condensation is complete and the penetrability disappears. (Revue Spirite, 1861, pages 159 and 160).

B. How do Higher Spirits see music?

Lamennais says that music, in his view, is the art that goes directly to the heart. Painting, architecture, and sculpture first strike the brain. "In a word, music goes from the heart to the spirit, and painting from thought to the heart”. According to the same Spirit, serious, religious music raises the soul and thoughts, while light music only vibrates the nerves, nothing else. (Ibid, page 167).                            

C. Are there parties in the spiritual world?

Yes. The feasts, says the Spirit of Felicia, are frequent in the spiritual world and have an indescribable charm. (Ibid, page 168).