55 and 56.

[XI]

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It is strange, they add, that only the Spirits of well-known personages are spoken of, and they ask why these are the only ones to manifest themselves.

Here is an error, arising, like so many others, from superficial observation. Among the Spirits that come spontaneously, there is a greater number of unknown ones than of illustrious ones, the former designating themselves by some name and often by an allegorical or characteristic name.

As for those who are evoked, unless it be a relative or a friend, it is quite natural that we address ourselves to those we know, in preference to those who are unknown to us.

The name of illustrious personages makes a greater impression, and that is why they are more noticed.

They also find it very singular that the Spirits of eminent men should answer our call familiarly and sometimes occupy themselves with insignificant things, in comparison with the great things they accomplished during life.

This has nothing strange about it for those who know that the power or the consideration that these men enjoyed in this world gives them no supremacy in the spiritual world.

In this, the Spirits confirm these words of the Gospel: “The great shall be brought low and the small shall be raised”; which must be understood as referring to the position that each of us will occupy among them.

It is thus that he who was first on Earth may be one of the last in the spiritual world.

He before whom we bowed our head here may therefore come among us as the humblest workman, because, on leaving life, he left all his greatness behind, and the most powerful monarch may there find himself below the least of his soldiers. >>>