REGULATIONS OF THE PARISIAN SOCIETY OF SPIRITIST STUDIES.

CHAPTER ONE. — Aims and formation of the Society. (Art.

1-7.) — CHAP. II. — Administration. (Art.

8-16.) — CHAP. III. — On the sessions. (Art.

17-22.) — CHAP. IV. — Various provisions. (Art.

23-29.)

Founded on April 1, 1858.

And authorized by decree of the Prefect of Police, dated April 13, 1858, in accordance with the notice of His Excellency the Minister of the Interior and of General Security.

NOTE. Although these regulations are the fruit of experience, we do not present them as an absolute law, but solely to facilitate the formation of societies for those who wish to found them, who will find therein the provisions that seem to them suitable and applicable to the circumstances peculiar to themselves. Although already simplified, this organization could still be much more so when it is a matter not of regularly constituted societies, but of simple intimate gatherings, which need only adopt measures of order, of precaution, and of regularity in their work. We present them likewise for the guidance of those who wish to maintain relations with the Parisian Society, whether as correspondents or in the capacity of members of the Society.

CHAPTER ONE. — Aims and formation of the Society.

Article 1 — The Society has as its object the study of all phenomena relating to spiritist manifestations and their applications to the moral, physical, historical, and psychological sciences. Forbidden therein are political questions, those of religious controversy, and of social economy [organization]. It takes as its title: Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies.

Art. 2 — The Society is composed of titular members, of free associates, and of corresponding members.

It may confer the title of honorary member upon persons residing in France or abroad who, by their position or by their work, may render it notable services.

The honorary members are submitted to reelection every year.

Art. 3 — The Society will admit only persons who sympathize with its principles and with the object of its work, those who are already initiated in the fundamental principles of the spiritist science, or who are seriously animated by the desire to instruct themselves therein. Consequently, it excludes anyone who might bring elements of disturbance to its meetings, whether through a spirit of hostility and systematic opposition, or through any other cause, and thus cause time to be lost in useless discussions. Upon all its associates there falls the duty of reciprocal benevolence and good conduct, it being incumbent upon them, in all circumstances, to place the general good above personal questions and self-love.

Art. 4 — To be admitted as a free associate, the candidate must address to the President a written request, endorsed by two titular members, who become guarantors of the applicant's intentions.

The request must summarily state: 1st, whether the applicant already possesses some knowledge of Spiritism; 2nd, the state of his conviction on the fundamental points of the science; 3rd, the commitment to submit in all things to the regulations. The request will be submitted to the commission spoken of in article 11, which will examine it and propose, if it judges suitable, admission, postponement, or rejection.

Postponement is mandatory with regard to any candidate who as yet possesses no knowledge of the spiritist science and who does not sympathize with the principles of the Society.

The free associates have the right to attend the sessions, to take part in the work and in the discussions that have study as their object, but in no case will they have a deliberative vote in what concerns the affairs of the Society. The free associates will be so only during the year in which they have been accepted, and, in order to remain in the Society, their admission must be ratified at the end of that first year.

Art. 5 — To be a titular member, the person must have been, for at least one year, a free associate, must have attended more than half of the sessions, and given, during that time, notorious proofs of his knowledge and of his convictions in the matter of Spiritism, of his adherence to the principles of the Society, and of the desire to conduct himself, in all circumstances, toward his colleagues in accordance with the principles of charity and of spiritist morality. The free associates who have regularly attended, for six months, the sessions of the Society, may be admitted as titular members if, moreover, they fulfill the other conditions.

The admission will be proposed ex officio by the commission, with the consent of the associate, if it is, in addition, supported by three other titular members. Thereafter, if appropriate, it will be voted upon by the Society, by secret ballot, after a verbal report from the commission. Only the titular members have a deliberative vote and enjoy the faculty granted by article 25.

Art. 6 — The Society will limit, if it judges suitable, the number of free associates and of titular members.

Art. 7 — Corresponding members are those who, not residing in Paris, maintain relations with the Society and furnish it documents useful to its studies. They may be appointed upon the proposal of a single titular member.

CHAPTER II. — Administration.

Art. 8 — The Society is administered by a President-director, assisted by the members of a board and of a commission.

Art. 9 — The board is composed of:

President, 1 Vice-President, 1 principal Secretary, 2 assistant Secretaries, and 1 Treasurer.

In addition to these, one or more honorary Presidents may be appointed.

In the absence of the President and of the Vice-President, the sessions will be presided over by one of the members of the commission.

Art. 10 — The President-director must devote all his care to the interests of the Society and of the spiritist science. To him belong the general direction and the high superintendence of the administration, as well as the preservation of the archives. The President is appointed for three years, the other members of the board for one year, indefinitely reeligible.

Art. 11 — The commission is composed of the members of the board and of five other titular members, chosen preferably from among those who have given active assistance to the work of the Society, rendered services to the cause of Spiritism, or shown that they possess a benevolent and conciliatory disposition. These five members are, like those of the board, elected for one year and reeligible. The commission is, by right, presided over by the President-director, or, in his absence, by the Vice-President, or by whichever of its other members is designated for this purpose.

The commission has in its charge the prior examination of all administrative and other questions and proposals that are to be submitted to the Society; the oversight of the latter's revenues and expenditures and of the Treasurer's accounts; the authorization of ordinary expenses and the adoption of all measures of order that it judges necessary. It is incumbent upon it, moreover, to examine the works and subjects of study proposed by the various members, to formulate them itself, in its turn, and to determine the order of the sessions, in agreement with the President. The President may always oppose certain subjects being treated and placed on the agenda, it being incumbent upon him to appeal his decision to the Society, which will decide in the end.

The commission will meet regularly before the sessions, for the examination of cases arising, and also whenever it judges suitable.

The members of the board and of the commission who, without notice, absent themselves for three consecutive months are deemed to have renounced their functions, it being necessary to make arrangements for their replacement.

Art. 12 — The decisions, whether of the Society or of the commission, will be taken by an absolute majority of votes of the members present; in case of a tie, the vote of the President will prevail.

The commission may deliberate when four of its members are present.

The secret ballot will be obligatory if five members demand it.

Art. 13 — Every three months, six members, chosen from among the titular members and the free associates, will be designated to perform the functions of commissioners.

The commissioners are charged with watching over the good order and regularity of the sessions and with verifying the right of entry of every person who presents himself to attend them.

For this purpose, the designated members will arrange among themselves so that one of them is present at the opening of the sessions.

Art. 14 — The social year begins on April 1.

The appointments to the board and to the commission will be made at the first session of the month of May. The members of both, then in office, will continue in their functions until that time.

Art. 15 — To provide for the expenses of the Society, the titular members will pay an annual due of 24 francs and the free associates that of 20 francs.

The titular members, upon being admitted, will pay, in addition, in a single payment, as an entrance fee, 10 francs.

The due is paid in full for the current year.

Those who are admitted will have to pay, for the year in which the admission takes place, only the quarters not yet elapsed, including the one in which that admission occurs.

When husband and wife are accepted as free associates, or titular members, only one and a half dues will be required for the two.

Every six months, on April 1 and October 1, the Treasurer will render to the Commission accounts of the use and of the situation of the funds.

The ordinary expenses of rent and other obligatory ones having been paid, if there is a balance the Society will determine the use to be made of it.

Art. 16 — To all those admitted, free associates or titular members, an admission card will be conferred, attesting their category. This card remains with the Treasurer, from whose possession the new member may withdraw it, paying his due and the entrance fee. He may not attend the sessions until after having withdrawn his card. Not having done so within one month after his admission, he will be considered as having resigned.

Likewise considered as having resigned will be any member who has not paid his annual due in the first month of the renewal of the social year, provided that a notice which the Treasurer will send him remains without result.

CHAPTER III. — On the sessions.

Art. 17 — The sessions of the Society will take place on Fridays, at 8 o'clock in the evening, save for modification, should it be necessary.

The sessions will be private or general; they will never be public.

All who form part of the Society, under any title, must, at each session, sign their names on an attendance list.

Art. 18 — Silence and recollection are rigorously required during the sessions, and, principally, during the studies. No one may take the floor without having obtained it from the President.

All questions to the Spirits must be made through the President, who may refuse to formulate them, according to the circumstances.

Especially forbidden are all futile questions, of personal interest, of mere curiosity, or that have the object of submitting the Spirits to tests, as well as all those that do not have a general aim, from the standpoint of the studies. Likewise forbidden are all discussions capable of diverting the session from its special object.

Art. 19 — Every member has the right to demand that whoever departs from propriety in the discussions, or disturbs the sessions in any manner, be called to order. The demand will be immediately put to a vote; if it is approved, it will be recorded in the minutes. Three calls to order, within the space of one year, entail, by right, the elimination of the member who has incurred them, whatever his category may be.

Art. 20 — No spiritist communication, obtained outside the Society, may be read before being submitted, whether to the President, or to the commission, which may admit or refuse the reading.

In the archives there must remain deposited a copy of every external communication whose reading has been authorized.

All communications obtained during the sessions belong to the Society, the mediums who took them being able to make a copy of them.

Art. 21 — The private sessions are reserved for the members of the Society. They will take place on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month and also on the 5th when there is one.

The Society reserves for the private sessions all questions concerning administrative affairs, as well as the subjects of study that demand more tranquility and concentration, or that it judges suitable to study in depth before treating them in the presence of strangers. Entitled to attend the private sessions, in addition to the titular members and the free associates, are the corresponding members who are temporarily in Paris, and the mediums who lend their assistance to the Society.

No person foreign to the latter will be admitted to the private sessions, save in exceptional cases and with the prior consent of the President.

Art. 22 — The general sessions will take place on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month.

In the general sessions, the Society authorizes the admission of outside listeners, who may attend them temporarily, without taking part in them. It is incumbent upon it to withdraw this authorization whenever it judges suitable. No one may attend the sessions, as a listener, without being presented to the President by a member, who becomes guarantor of his care in not causing disturbance, nor interruption.

The Society admits as listeners only persons who aspire to become its associates, or who sympathize with its work, and who are already sufficiently initiated in the spiritist science to understand it. Admission must be absolutely denied to whoever wishes to be a listener out of mere curiosity, or whose sentiments are hostile to the Society. To the listeners the use of speech is forbidden, save in exceptional cases, at the judgment of the President. Whoever, in any manner, disturbs the order, or manifests ill will toward the work of the Society, may be invited to withdraw and, in all cases, the fact will be noted on the admission list and entry will in future be prohibited to him. The number of listeners having to be limited by the available places, those who are able to attend the sessions must be registered beforehand in a register created for this purpose, with indication of the addresses and of the persons who recommend them. Consequently, every request for entry must be addressed, many days before the session, to the President, who will issue the admission cards until the list is exhausted. The entry cards can serve only for the day indicated and for the persons designated.

Permission of entry cannot be granted to the same listener for more than two sessions, save authorization of the President and in exceptional cases. No member of the Society may present more than two persons at the same time. The entries granted by the President are without limit. The listeners will not be admitted after the session has been opened.

CHAPTER IV. — Various provisions.

Art. 23 — All the members of the Society owe it their entire assistance. Consequently, they are invited to gather, in their respective circles of observation, the facts old or recent that may concern Spiritism, and to point them out. They will take care, at the same time, to inquire, as much as possible, into the notoriety of them. They are likewise invited to bring to its knowledge all the publications that may relate more or less directly to the object of its work.

Art. 24 — The Society will submit to a critical examination the various works that are published on Spiritism, when it judges it opportune.

For this purpose, it will charge one of its members, free associate or titular, to present it a report, which will be printed, if appropriate, in the Spiritist Review.

Art. 25 — The Society will create a special library composed of the works that are offered to it and of those that it acquires.

The titular members may, at the headquarters of the Society, consult either the library or the archives on the days and hours marked for that purpose.

Art. 26 — The Society, considering that its responsibility may find itself morally compromised by the private publications of its associates, prescribes that no one may, in any writing, use the title of member of the Society without being authorized to do so by it and without it having previously had knowledge of the manuscript. To the commission will fall the task of making it a report in this regard. If the Society judges that the writing is incompatible with its principles, the author, after being heard, will be invited either to modify it, or to renounce its publication, or, finally, not to represent himself as a member of the Society. Given that he does not submit to the decision that is taken, his exclusion may be resolved. Every writing that a member publishes under the veil of anonymity and without any indication by which he can be recognized as the author will be included in the category of ordinary publications, the appreciation of which the Society reserves for itself. Nevertheless, without wishing to hinder the free emission of personal opinions, the Society invites those of its members who have the intention of making publications of this kind to ask it beforehand for its unofficial opinion, in the interest of the science. Art. 27 — Wishing to maintain within its bosom the unity of principles and the spirit of reciprocal tolerance, the Society may resolve the exclusion of any of its members who constitutes himself a cause of disturbance, or becomes openly hostile to it, by means of writings compromising for the Doctrine, subversive opinions, or by a manner of conduct that it cannot approve. The exclusion, however, cannot be decreed except after prior unofficial notice, if this remains without effect, and after hearing the accused member, if he deems it suitable to explain himself. The decision will be taken by secret ballot and by a majority of three quarters of the members present.

Art. 28 — The member who voluntarily withdraws, in the course of the year, may not claim the difference of the dues he has paid. That difference, however, will be reimbursed in the case of exclusion decreed by the Society.

Art. 29 — The present regulations may be modified when it is suitable. The proposals for modification cannot be made to the Society except through the organ of its President, to whom they must be transmitted and in the case of their having been admitted by the commission. The Society may, without modifying its regulations on the essential points, adopt all the complementary measures that seem to it necessary.