Bulletin

Reading of the minutes of the session of November 25.

Applications for admission: — Letters from Mr. L. Benardacky, of St. Petersburg, and from Mrs. Elisa Johnson, of London, requesting to join the Society as titular members.

Miscellaneous communications: — Reading of two communications given to Mr. Bouché, former rector of the Academy, a writing medium, by the Spirit of the Duchess of Longueville, concerning the visit that the latter has just made, as a Spirit, to Port-Royal-des-Champs.

These two communications are remarkable for their style and the elevation of their thoughts.

They prove that certain Spirits revisit with pleasure the places where they lived and experience the charm of longing. No doubt, the more dematerialized they are, the less importance they attach to earthly things, but some still remain attached to them for a long time after death, seeming to continue, in the invisible world, the occupations they had in this world or, at least, taking a certain interest in them.

Studies: 1st Evocation of Count Desbassyns de Richmont, who died in June 1859 and who, for more than ten years, had professed Spiritist ideas. This evocation confirms the influence of such ideas on the detachment of the Spirit after death.

2nd Evocation of Sister Martha, who died in 1824.

3rd Second evocation of Count R…. C…., a member of the Society, kept at home by an indisposition, followed by questions addressed to him about the momentary isolation of the Spirit and the body during sleep. (Published in this issue).

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9.

(General Session.)

Reading of the minutes of the session of December 2.

Miscellaneous communications: — Mr. de la Roche transmits news about remarkable manifestations that occurred in a house in Castelnaudary.

The facts are related in the note that precedes the account of the evocation that took place and which will be published.

Studies: 1st Evocation of the king of Kanala (New Caledonia), already evoked on October 28, but who had then written with great difficulty and had promised to practice in order to write more legibly. He gives curious explanations about the method employed to improve himself. (It will be published with the first evocation). 2nd Evocation of the Spirit of Castelnaudary. He manifests himself by signs of intense rage, without being able to write anything; he breaks seven or eight pencils, several of which are thrown forcefully at those present, and he violently shakes the medium's arm. Saint Louis gives interesting information about the state and the nature of this Spirit who, he says, is of the worst kind and is in one of the most unfortunate situations. (It will be published with all the other communications relating to the subject). 3rd Four spontaneous communications are obtained simultaneously: the first, from Saint Vincent de Paul, through Mr. Roze; the second, from Charlet, through Mr. Didier the Younger, continuing the work begun by the same Spirit; the third, from Melanchthon, through Mr. Colin; and the fourth from a Spirit who gave the name of Mikael, protector of children, through Mrs. de Boyer. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1859.

(Private Session.)

Reading of the minutes.

Admissions: — The following are admitted as titular members: Mr. L.

Benadacky, of St. Petersburg, and Mrs. Elisa Johnson, of London, presented on December 2.

Applications for admission: — Mr. Forbes, of London, an engineer officer, and Mrs. Forbes, of Florence, wrote requesting to join the Society as titular members.

Report and decision postponed to December 30.

Designation of six commissioners who are to take turns serving at the general sessions until April 1, without there being any need to designate one of them for each session. They will, in addition, be charged with noting the infractions that outside listeners may commit against the regulations, through ignorance of the Society's requirements, in order to warn the titular members who may have given them letters of introduction. At the proposal of Mr. Allan Kardec, the Society decides that, henceforth, the Society's Bulletin will be published as a supplement to the Review, so that it does not interfere with the journal's usual matters. As a consequence of this addition, each issue will be enlarged by about four pages, the expenses of which will be borne by the Society. Mr. Lesourd proposes that when there are five sessions in a month, the fifth be consecrated to a private session. (Adopted).

The same member also proposes that when a new member is admitted, he be officially presented to the other members of the Society, so that he does not come as a stranger. (Adopted).

Mr. Thiry observes that suffering Spirits often beg for the help of prayer, to ease their pains; but, since they may be lost sight of, he proposes that at each session the President remind them of their names. (Adopted).

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Letter from Mr. Jobard, of Brussels, confirming, with circumstantial details, the fact of the manifestations of Java, related by Mrs. Ida Pfeiffer and published in the December Review. He obtained them from the Dutch general himself, to whom he was attached and who was charged with watching the house where the things took place, being, consequently, an eyewitness. (Published in this issue). 2nd Reading of a communication from the Spirit of Castelnaudary, obtained by Mr. and Mrs. Forbes, listeners at the last session. Circumstantial and interesting details are furnished about this Spirit, as well as the events that took place in the house in question. Several other communications were given on the same subject and will be gathered together with those obtained at the Society and published when the series is complete. 3rd Reading of a notice about Mrs. Xavier, a seeing medium. This lady does not see at will, but the Spirits present themselves to her spontaneously. Although she is neither in somnambulism nor in ecstasy, at certain moments she falls into a particular state that requires greater calm and much recollection, such that, when questioned about what she sees, that state immediately dissipates and she sees nothing more. As she retains a complete memory, she will later be able to give an account of what she saw. It was thus, for example, that, among others, she saw Sister Martha, on the day she was evoked, and described her in such a way as to leave no doubt about her identity. At the last session she also saw the Spirit of Castelnaudary, wearing a torn shirt, a dagger in his hand, his hands bloodied, violently shaking the medium's arm during his attempts to write, each time Saint Louis appeared and ordered him to write. He had a kind of brutish smile on his lips. Then, when prayer was spoken of to him, at first it seemed he did not understand; but, right after the explanation given by Saint Louis, he threw himself to his knees. The king of Kanala appeared to her with the head of a white man; he had blue eyes, a graying mustache and side whiskers, the hands of a Black man, steel bracelets, a blue costume, his chest covered with a number of objects that she could not clearly distinguish. “This appearance” – he said – “is due to the fact that, between the previous existence, of which he spoke, and the last, he had been a soldier in France, in the time of Louis XV. It was a consequence of his relatively advanced state. He asked to return among his people, in order, as a chief, to introduce there the ideas of progress. The form that he took and the appearance, half savage, half civilized, are intended to show you, under a new aspect, those that the Spirit can give to the perispirit, with an instructive purpose and as an indication of the different states through which it has passed. Mrs. X…. also saw the evoked Spirits come to answer the evocation and the questions, which had nothing reprehensible as to their object, and, at the order of Saint Louis, withdraw so that the Spirits present might answer in their place, as soon as the questions took on an insidious character. “The greatest good faith and the greatest frankness ought to dictate the questions; no concealed intention” – added the Spirit questioned about this by that lady's husband – “escapes us; never seek to attain your object by tortuous paths, for thus you will infallibly lose it.” She saw a fluidic crown encircle the medium's head, as if to indicate the moments during which it was forbidden for the Spirits not called to communicate, because the answers were to be sincere; but as soon as the crown was removed, she saw all the intruding Spirits dispute, as it were, the place that was left to them. Finally, she saw the Spirit of Count R…. in the form of a luminous, inverted heart, joined to a fluidic cord that came from outside. First, he said, it was to teach us that the Spirit can give to its perispirit whatever appearance it wishes, and, second, because there might have been the disadvantage, for the medium, of finding herself face to face with an incarnate Spirit whom she had seen as a detached Spirit. Later this disadvantage will have diminished or disappeared. Studies: 1st Evocation of Charlet.

2nd Three spontaneous communications are obtained simultaneously: The first, from Saint Augustine, through Mr. Roze. He explains the mission of Christ and confirms a very important point, explained by Arago, about the formation of the globe; the second, from Charlet, through Mr. Didier the Younger (continuation of the work begun); and the third, from Joinville, who signs in old spelling: Amy de Loys, through Miss Huet. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1859 (General Session.)

Reading of the minutes and of the proceedings of the session of December 16.

Applications for admission: — Letters from Messrs. Demange and Soive, merchants in Paris, presented as titular members. Report and decision postponed to the session of December 30.

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Reading of a private evocation, made by Mrs. de B…., of the Spirit who communicated spontaneously through her at the Society, under the name of Paul Miffet, at the moment when he was about to reincarnate. This evocation, which presents an interesting picture of reincarnation and of the physical and moral situation of the Spirit in the first moments of its corporeal life, will be published. 2nd Letter from Mr. Paul Netz, about the facts that brought about the possession, by the Carthusians, of the ruins of the castle of Vauvert, situated in the neighborhood of the Observatory of Paris, in the time of Louis IX. It is said that diabolical scenes took place at the castle, which ceased once the monks settled there. Questioned about these facts, Saint Louis answered that he has perfect knowledge of them, but that it was a matter of charlatanry. Studies:

Various moral questions and problems, addressed to Saint Louis about the state of suffering Spirits. (They will be published).

Evocation of John Brown.

Three spontaneous communications: the first, through Mr. Roze, signed by the Spirit of Truth, containing various counsels to the Society; the second, from Charlet, through Mr. Didier the Younger (continuation of the work begun); and the third, about the Spirits who preside over the flowers, through Mrs. de B…. Allan Kardec.

NOTE: The new edition of The Spirits' Book will appear in January.

Paris. — Typ. H. CARION, rue Bonaparte, 64.

[1] Translator's note: The original states the year 1854. It is evident, however, that it is 1859.