Bulletin

Reading of the minutes of the session of December 30.

The Society decides that at each private session, following the reading of the minutes, the nominal list of the auditors who attended the preceding general session shall be read, with indication of the members who introduced them, and that a notice shall be given to point out the drawbacks caused by the presence of persons foreign to the Society. Consequently, a list of the auditors at the last session was read. The following are admitted as titular members, in accordance with a written request and after verbal information:

1st Mr. Forbes, of London, engineering officer, introduced on December 16.

2nd Mrs. Forbes, born Countess Passerini Corretesi, of Florence, introduced on December 23.

3rd Mr. Soive, merchant of Paris, introduced on December 23.

4th – Mr. Demange, merchant of Paris, introduced on December 23.

Reading of three new letters of requests for admission. Report and decision postponed to January 6.

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Letter from Mr. Brion Dorgeval, containing the reply addressed to Mr. Oscar Commetant, regarding the latter's article, published in the Siècle. (See the January number).

2nd Letter from Mr. Jobard, of Brussels, with judicious observations on the moral state of the Spirits. He regrets that the partisans of Spiritism are frequently designated by their initials. He thinks that more explicit indications would contribute to the progress of the science, consequently inviting all adherents to sign their names, as he himself does. (See the January number).

This last observation by Mr. Jobard is strongly supported by a great number of members who authorize the placing of their names in all the minutes that may concern them.

Mr. Allan Kardec observes that the fear of what people will say diminishes every day, and that today there are few persons who fear to confess their opinions about Spiritism. The epithets of bad taste, given to its partisans, become ridiculous commonplaces, at which people laugh, when one sees so many people of the elite attach themselves to the doctrine, because one glimpses the moment when the force of opinion will impose silence on the sarcasms. But it is one thing to have the courage to express one's opinion in a conversation and another to deliver one's name to publicity. Among the persons who most energetically sustain the cause of Spiritism, there are many who would not like to be put in evidence, for these and other reasons. These scruples, which absolutely do not imply a lack of courage, must be respected. When extraordinary facts occur anywhere, it is understandable that it would be little agreeable, for the persons who are the object of them, to be transformed into the focus of public curiosity and molested by importunate people. Without a doubt, we must be grateful to those who place themselves above prejudices, but neither should we censure with such levity those who perhaps have very legitimate reasons for not making themselves noticed. Studies: 1st Questions addressed to Saint Louis about the Spirits who preside over flowers, on the subject of the communication obtained by Mrs. de B…. A very interesting explanation was given in this regard. (It will be published).

2nd Other questions on the spirit of animals.

3rd Two spontaneous communications are obtained simultaneously: the first, from the Spirit of Truth, by Mr. Roze, with some counsels to the Society; the second, from Fénelon, by Miss Huet.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6.

(Private Session.)

Reading of the minutes of the session of December 30.

The following are admitted as titular members, by written request, after verbal report: 1st Mr. Ducastel, proprietor in Abbeville, introduced on December 30; 2nd Mrs. Deslandes, of Paris, introduced on December 30; 3rd Mrs. Rakowska, of Paris, introduced on December 30.

Reading of a letter of request for admission.

Letter from Mr. Poinsignon, of Paris, congratulating the Society on the passage of the New Year and making wishes for the propagation of Spiritism.

Letter from Mr. Demange, recently received, thanking for his admission. He assures the Society of his active cooperation.

Examination of various questions relating to the administrative affairs of the Society.

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Notice on D. Péra, prior of Amilly, deceased 30 years ago. A study will be made about it.

2nd Letter from Mr. Lussiez, of Troyes, containing very judicious reflections relating to the moralizing influence of Spiritism on the working classes.

3rd Letter from Mrs. P…, of Rouen, announcing that she has received, as a medium, remarkable communications, in everything conformable to the doctrine set forth in The Spirits' Book. Moreover, the letter contains reflections that denote, on the part of the authoress, a very just appreciation of Spiritist ideas.

4th Letter relating to Miss Désirée Godu, healing medium, of Hannebon. It is known that, on the part of Miss Godu, it is a work of devotion and of pure philanthropy.

Studies: 1st Various questions addressed to Saint Louis, as clarification and development of several previous communications.

2nd Miss Dubois, medium, member of the Society, having received a communication from a Spirit who says he is Chateaubriand, desires clarification in this regard. Another Spirit presents himself under his name, but refuses to identify himself in the name of God. He confesses his fraud, asks pardon, and gives curious indications about his person. Thereupon, the true Chateaubriand gives a short spontaneous communication, promising, in due course, another more explicit one. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13.

(General Session.)

Reading of the minutes of January 6.

Reading of three new requests for admission. Examination and report postponed to the session of January 20.

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Letter from Mr. Maurice, of Teil, Ardèche, relating extraordinary facts that occurred in a house at Fons, near Aubenas and which, in certain respects, recalls those that took place in Java.

2nd Letter from Mr. Albert Ferdinand, of Béziers, containing three notable facts, personal to him, proving the physical action that Spirits can exert upon certain mediums.

3rd Letter from Mr. Crozet, of Havre, corresponding medium of the Society, giving an account of a communication received jointly with Mr. Sprenger, from a jesting Spirit. It concerns the Spirit of a Navy captain, dead at Marseilles six months ago, explaining with remarkable precision and lucidity the hands in the game of “bésigue” and the manner in which he makes the partners lose or win. (It will be published). 4th A dancing Spirit – Mr. and Mrs. Netz, members of the Society, for some time have been receiving communications from a Spirit who manifests himself by constantly dancing, that is, by making a table dance, which marks the perfectly recognizable rhythm of a polka, a mazurka, a quadrille, a waltz in two or three beats, etc. He never wished to write and does not respond except by knocks. By this means he came to say that he was Peruvian, of indigenous race, dead fifty-six years ago, at 35 years of age; that in life he was very fond of brandy and that at present he frequents the public balls, where he feels much pleasure. He presents the peculiarity of never arriving before ten o'clock at night and on certain days. He says he comes for Mrs. Netz, but communicates only through the concurrence of Mr. D…, medium of physical effects, so that he requires the presence of both. Thus, Mr. D… has never managed to get him to come to his house, and Mrs. Netz could not receive him if she were alone. 5th Reading of a spontaneous communication, sent by Mr. Rabache, of Bordeaux, in continuation of those that were published under the title of Family Counsels.

6th Mrs. Forbes proceeds with the reading of three spontaneous communications, obtained by her husband, on filial love, paternal love, and patience. Remarkable for their elevated morality and simplicity of language, these communications may be classified in the category of intimate counsels.

Studies: 1st Evocation of the Spirit of Castelnaudary, already evoked on December 9. (See the complete account, under the title of Story of a damned soul).

2nd Evocation of the dancing Spirit. He does not wish to write, but beats the rhythm of several dances with the pencil and moves the medium's arm rhythmically. Saint Louis gives some explanations about his character and confirms the preceding information.

3rd Questions on the manifestations of Fons, near Aubenas. It is answered that there is something true in these facts, but that they must not be accepted without control and, above all, that we must keep ourselves on guard against exaggeration.

4th Evocation of D. Péra, prior of Amilly [Dom Peyra, Prior of Amilly]. He furnishes important details about his situation and his character.

5th Two spontaneous communications are obtained: the first, by Mr. Roze, from a Spirit who designates herself under the name of Estelle Riquier, and who had led a disorderly life and failed in all her duties as wife and mother; the second, by Mr. Forbes, containing counsels on anger.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1860.

(Private Session.)

Reading of the minutes of January 13.

The following are admitted as titular members, in accordance with a written request, and after verbal report:

1st Mr. M. Krafzoff, of Saint Petersburg, introduced on January 13; 2nd Mr. Julien, of Belfort (Haut-Rhin), introduced on January 13; 3rd Mr. Count Alexandre Stenbock Fermor, of Saint Petersburg, introduced on January 6.

Miscellaneous communications: 1st Reading of a spontaneous communication, received by Mr. Pêcheur, member of the Society.

2nd New details about the dancing Spirit. Mrs. Netz, who is a writing medium, having interrogated another Spirit in this regard, obtained various pieces of information on her own account, among others that he was quite rich when alive; that he died in a hunting accident, at a moment when he found himself completely alone. Having later interrogated the dancer himself about these facts, with the aid of her medium, by means of knocks, she obtained identical responses. Now, Mrs. Netz had not communicated the first written responses to the medium. On the other hand, it was no longer she who served as medium and, moreover, she had formulated insidious questions that could lead to contrary responses. There was, then, on the one part and the other, independence of thought, and the correlation of the responses is a characteristic fact. Another equally curious fact is that her favorite medium for the dance, one day, on leaving the house, was seized with involuntary movements that made him walk in cadence through the street. By his will and by straightening himself, he could stop this movement; but as soon as he abandoned himself to himself, his legs resumed the dancer's manner of walking. There was nothing ostentatious to arouse the attention of passersby. But, for that very reason, it is understandable that Spirits of another order and more ill-intentioned than the dancer, who, after all, wishes only to amuse himself, may provoke upon certain organisms more violent movements and of the nature of those seen among convulsionaries in crisis. 3rd Account of a fact of spontaneous communication from the Spirit of a living person, made by Mr. de G…, writing medium, and which is personal to him. This Spirit entered into circumstantial details completely unknown to the medium, the exactness of which was verified. Mr. de G… knows this person only by sight, a single time, during a visit, having never met him again afterward. He knew only his family name. Now, the Spirit at the same time signed his baptismal name, which was exactly his own. This circumstance, joined to other indications of time and place, furnished by the Spirit, is an evident proof of identity. Mr. Count de R… observes in this regard that these types of communications may at times be indiscreet and asks whether the person in question would have been satisfied if he came to know of the conversation.

To this it was answered that: 1st – if the person communicated, it is because he willed it, as a Spirit, since he came of his own will, considering that Mr. G…, not thinking of him, had not called him; 2nd – detached from the body, the Spirit always has free will, saying only what he wishes; 3rd – in this state, the Spirit is even more prudent than in the normal state, because he better appreciates the scope of things. If this Spirit had seen any drawback whatever in his words, he would not have said them. 4th Reading of a communication from Lyon, addressed to the Society, in which, among other things, it is said:

“That the reform of Humanity is being prepared by the incarnation on Earth of better Spirits, who will constitute a new generation, dominated by the love of good; that the men devoted to evil and who close their eyes to the light will reincarnate in a new phalanx of simple and ignorant Spirits, sent by God to labor in the formation of a globe inferior to Earth. They will be able to find themselves again with their earthly brothers only after they have, through rude labors, attained the level which these latter are about to enter, after this generation, for it will not be permitted to the evil Spirits to witness the beginning of this brilliant transformation.” Mr. Theubet observes that this communication seems to consecrate the principle of a retrograde march, contradicting all that has been taught to us.

A long and profound discussion is engaged in this regard, which is thus summarized: The Spirit may decline in position, but not in relation to acquired aptitudes. By the principle of non-retrogradation one must understand intellectual and moral progress, that is, the Spirit cannot lose what he has acquired in intelligence and morality and does not return to the state of spiritual infancy. In other words, he does not become more ignorant nor worse than he was, which does not prevent him from reincarnating in an inferior, more painful position and among other Spirits more ignorant than himself, if he has merited it. A very backward Spirit who reincarnated among a civilized people would there be out of place and could not sustain his position; returning to the savages in a new existence, he will merely resume the place he had left too soon; but the ideas he will have acquired during his sojourn among the more enlightened men will not be lost. The same must occur with the men who will concur in the formation of a new world. Finding themselves out of place on the improved Earth, they will go to a world in consonance with their moral state. Studies: 1st Evocation of the Black man of the ship Constant, already evoked on September 30, 1859. He gives new explanations about the circumstances that accompanied his death.

Three spontaneous communications: the first, from Chateaubriand, by Mr. Roze; the second, from Plato, by Mr. Colin; the third, from Charlet, by Mr. Didier the Son, in continuation of the work begun by him on the nature of animals.