Bulletin

Various communications: 1st Reading of a communication received by Mrs. M… on the question: If God created all souls alike, how is it that there is suddenly such a distance between them?

2nd Reading of several communications received by Mr. P…, medium of Sens; one, signed by Homer, presents a remarkable fact, which can be considered as a proof of identity: the spontaneous revelation of the name Melesigenes, under which Homer was originally designated. The name was unknown to the medium.

3rd Analysis of a letter from Mr. L…, of Troyes, in which he relates remarkable facts of spontaneous physical manifestations, occurring in 1856 with a person of that city, and which recall those of Bergzabern.

4th Letter from Dr. Morhéry, relating various singular facts of spontaneous manifestations, occurring in his presence, with Miss Désirée Godu, coinciding with the arrival of a letter from Mr. Allan Kardec.

Studies: 1st Various questions addressed to Saint Louis.

2nd Evocation of the son of Mr. Morhéry, who says he took part in the manifestations that occurred at his father's house.

3rd Spontaneous dictation obtained by Mr. Alfred Didier, on despair, signed by Lamennais.

4th Various questions, addressed to Lamennais, on various particular cases of suicide, on the relations of the Spirits, and on the identity of Homer in the communication from Sens.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1860.

(Private Session.)

Various communications: 1st Reading of a second communication from Homer, received by Mr. P…, medium of Sens, and of various questions and answers on the matter.

2nd Drawings obtained by a medium from Lyon, remarkable for their originality, if not for their execution. Questioned about them, Saint Louis says that the drawings have their value, because they truly are from the Spirit, but they do not have a very precise meaning, for the medium and the Spirit are not yet well identified with one another. He adds that the medium, in time, may become excellent. Studies: 1st Questions addressed to Saint Louis: 1st – on the formula of affirmation for the identity of the Spirits; 2nd – on the role of man in the moralization of imperfect Spirits; 3rd – on the apparition of Spirits in the form of a flame; 4th – on the value of the drawings sent from Lyon; 5th – on the transport of material objects by the Spirits, their elevation from the ground, and their invisibility. 2nd Examination of the question of knowing whether the Spirits can carry out the transport of objects into a closed enclosure and through material obstacles.

Mr. L… points out that such questions relate to the phenomena of physical manifestations, with which the Society ought not to occupy itself.

The president responds that the investigation of causes is an important point, which links directly to the study of the science and falls within the scope of the Society's works; all parts of the science must be elucidated. It is another thing to occupy oneself with these theoretical investigations or to make the production of the phenomena an exclusive object. Besides, he adds, we can refer it to Saint Louis, begging him to tell us whether he considers the discussion that has just taken place as time lost. Saint Louis responds: “I am far from regarding your conversation as useless.” 3rd Evocation of Charles Nodier. He is asked to continue the work begun. He responds that he will continue it the next time; he recalls the solemnity of the day [of All Souls] in a beautiful spontaneous dictation. Acceding to a request, he dictates a brief prayer, suited to the circumstance.

4th A general appeal is made, without special designation, to the suffering Spirits who may be present, inviting them to manifest themselves. The Spirit of a man highly placed in life, deceased two years ago, presents himself spontaneously and, by his language at once simple and dignified, testifies to the good sentiments by which he now finds himself animated and the little regard he holds for human grandeurs; he responds with complacency and benevolence to the questions put to him. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1860.

(General Session.)

Mr. Allan Kardec makes some observations on what was said in the last session, concerning the physical manifestations. In this regard, he recalls the instruction given by Saint Louis, in the month of November 1858, as to the objective of the Society's works. That instruction is formulated thus:

“They mocked the turning tables; they will never mock the philosophy, the wisdom, and the charity that shine in the serious communications. These were the threshold of the science; it is upon entering it that prejudices must be left, as one leaves a coat. I can only encourage you to make your meetings a serious center. Let others elsewhere make physical demonstrations, let them see, let them hear, but among you let there be understanding and love. What do you think you are in the eyes of the superior Spirits when you make a table turn or rise? Schoolchildren. Will the sage spend his time recalling the A-B-C of Science? Whereas, seeing that you investigate the serious communications, they will regard you as men in search of the truth.” Saint Louis.

Is this not, gentlemen – adds Mr. Allan Kardec – an admirable program, traced with that precision, that simplicity of word which characterize the truly superior Spirits? among you let there be understanding, that is, that we must delve deeply into everything, in order to give an account of everything; among you let there be love, that is, that charity and a mutual benevolence be the objective of our efforts, the bond that must unite us, in order to show by our example the true objective of Spiritism. We would be singularly mistaken as to the sentiments of the Society if we judged that it despises what is done in other places. Nothing is useless, and the physical experiments also have their advantage, which no one contests. If we do not occupy ourselves with them, it is not because we have another banner. We have our specialty of studies, as others have theirs, but all this merges into a common objective: the progress and the propagation of the Science. Various communications: 1st Reading of spontaneous dictations received outside the Society.

2nd Letter from Mr. L…, of Troyes, relating facts that occurred in his presence, produced by the obsessing Spirit that was dealt with in the last session. These facts, which had ceased since 1856, have just reproduced themselves in very remarkable circumstances and will be the object of a study on the part of the Society. Studies: 1st Various questions: on obsession; — on the possibility of reproducing, by daguerreotypy, the image of visible and tangible apparitions; — on the physical manifestations of Mr. Squire.

2nd Questions on the Spirit that manifests itself at Troyes, especially on the magnetic effects produced in that circumstance.

3rd Five spontaneous dictations are obtained by four different mediums.

4th Evocation of the disturbing Spirit of Troyes. This Spirit reveals one of the lowest natures.

[1]

Translator's note: Numbered according to the original, that is, with item 2 missing. [Numbering corrected.]