The Revue
Spirite of
1863
Part 4
We continue in
this issue the
study of
the Revue
Spirite corresponding
to the year of
1863. The
condensed text
of the mentioned
volume will
hereby be
presented in
sixteen parts,
based on the
translation of
Julio Abreu
Filho and
published by
EDICEL.
Issues for discussion
A. What was Kardec’s advice regarding the severe attacks
that Spiritism was going through at the time?
B. What problems did Kardec mention when referring to
unqualified Spiritists?
C. What, according to Kardec, distinguishes Spiritism
from all other philosophies?
Text for reading
32. Dedicated to the Editor of the "Renard" of Bordeaux,
Carcassone's tapping Spirit, using typology, wrote the
poem "The Sick and the Physician," in which he satirizes
Mr. Rochefort's skepticism about Spiritism. (Page
65)
33. Kardec opens the March issue of 1863, saying that at
that moment there was a true crusade against Spiritism,
consisting of writings, speeches and even acts of
violence and intolerance. "All Spiritists should rejoice
- says Kardec - because it is clear proof that Spiritism
is not a chimera. Would they make so much noise because
of a fly that flies?" (Page 67)
34. Stating that people could be divided into three
classes: believers, unbelievers and the indifferent,
Kardec recalls that the number of believers had
centuplicated in a few years, but that the Spirits
thought things were not going fast enough. Here,
according to Kardec, is the real reason for so much
noise. (Page 68)
35. At the end of the article, the Encoder invites all
Spiritists to continue their work, working not for a
frenetic and unreflective propaganda, but with patience
and persistence of the one who knows the time left to
sow the idea, and knows how to wait for the harvest.
(Pages 69 to 71)
36. It is better to have "a declared enemy than an
unqualified friend". This thought expressed by Kardec
refers to the confreres who do not think maturely before
acting. Among the problems mentioned by the Encoder the
untimely or eccentric publications are placed in the
first line, because they are facts of greater
repercussion. The inconvenience of these publications is
highlighted by Kardec, who recommends that in such cases
a very strict choice must be made of what will be
published in the name of Spiritism. (Pages 71 to 73)
37. Next, the Encoder addresses an even more serious
issue: the false brothers. There are several “Judas” in
the Spiritist movement too, says Kardec. This is what,
according to him, characterizes them: I) the tendency to
make Spiritism put aside prudence and moderation; II)
the encouragement of eccentric publications; III) the
habit of stirring compromising issues about politics and
religion at meetings; IV) the habit of arguing while
preaching the union between Spiritists; V) the skill of
bringing forward annoying and aggressive issues, capable
of causing disagreement; VI) the development of envy and
the desire for supremacy among the various groups, being
charmed when, by mere differences of opinion, groups
start to stone each other, flag against flag. (Page 74)
38. Some organize or have meetings organized in which
they deal precisely with what Spiritism advises against,
involving the Spiritist meeting in ridiculous practices
of black magic, fortune-telling, cartomancy, palmistry,
reading the buena-dicha and others, the result of
which is the discredit to the Spiritist Doctrine. (Pages
75 to 77)
39. Spiritism is distinguished from all other
philosophies because it is not the fruit of the
philosophical conception of a single man, but the result
of a teaching that each one can receive in every corner
of this Earth. What made the Spiritist Doctrine a
success is the consolations and hopes offered. The anger
it arouses is evidence of the role it has to play and of
the difficulty his detractors find in opposing something
more serious. Having registered this, Kardec concludes:
"Spiritists, rise through your thoughts, and look twenty
years ahead and the present will not trouble you".
(Pages 77 and 78)
40. The Revue reports the death in Lyon of Mr.
Guillaume Renaud, one of the most diligent Spiritists in
that city. A week after his death, the vicar of the
parish of Haute-Saone spoke with disdain about the
deceased, saying that he had refused the sacraments
offered to him by the Church. The truth, according to
Kardec, is that during Mr. Renaud's illness, futile
efforts were tempted for him to to abjure his Spiritist
beliefs, to which he had strictly refused. In reprisal,
the clergy of Lyon did not allow his body to be received
in the local church. (Pages 78 to 80)
41. Evoked in Lyon, thirty-six hours after his death,
Guillaume Renaud referred to the process of his
disincarnating, claiming to have fallen asleep for some
time, after which, upon awakening, he saw beside him,
surrounding him, Spirits who celebrated him with
outpouring joy. (Page 81) (Continues
on next issue)
Answers to the issues
A. What was Kardec’s advice regarding the severe attacks
that Spiritism was going through at the time?
First, he explained the reason for so much noise with
regard to Spiritist ideas. He then invited all
Spiritists to continue their work, not by a frenetic and
thoughtless propaganda, but with patience and
perseverance of the one who knows what time is left to
sow the idea and knows how to wait for the harvest. (Revue
Spirite of 1863, Pages 69 to 71).
B. What problems did Kardec mention when referring to
unqualified Spiritists?
With the word unqualified he was referring to the
confreres who do not reflect maturely before acting.
Among the problems mentioned above, he put the untimely
or eccentric publications in the first line, as they are
facts of greater repercussion. The inconvenience of
these publications was highlighted by Kardec, who
recommended that in such cases a very strict choice of
what will be published in the name of Spiritism must be
made. (Ibid, Pages 71-74).
C. What, according to Kardec, distinguishes Spiritism
from all other philosophies?
Spiritism is distinguished from other philosophies
because it is not the fruit of the philosophical
conception of a single man, but the result of a teaching
that each one can receive in every corner of this Earth.
Moreover, what has made the Spiritist Doctrine a success
are the consolation and hope it offers. (Ibid, Pages 77
and 78).
Translation:
Eleni Frangatos - eleni.moreira@uol.com.br
|