Captain Nivrac.

— Mr. Nivrac had a remarkable intelligence and was nourished by serious studies. In vain had Mr. Blou spoken to him of Spiritism and offered him all the works dealing with the matter. He regarded all these things as utopias, and those who put faith in them as dreamers. On the 1st of February he was strolling with one of his comrades, mocking this subject, as was his custom, when, passing before the bookshop, they saw the booklet Spiritism in Its Simplest Expression. A good inspiration, says Mr. Blou, who bought it, which he probably would not have done had I been present. From that day on, Captain Nivrac read The Spirits' Book, The Mediums' Book and a few issues of the Spiritist Review. His spirit and his heart were impressed. Far from ridiculing it, he came to ask me questions, becoming a zealous propagandist of Spiritism among the officers, to such a point that, for eight days, the new doctrine was the subject of every conversation. He greatly desired to attend a session, when death came to surprise him without any apparent cause of illness. On Tuesday, the 11th of February, while in his bath, he expired at four o'clock in the arms of the physician. “Is there not in this the finger of God, permitting my friend to open his eyes to the light before dying?” — asks Captain Blou.

Evocation.

Answer. – I understand why you wish to speak with me. I feel happy with this evocation, and it is with joy that I come to you, for it is a friend who asks me, and nothing could be more agreeable to me.

Remark. – The Spirit anticipates the question that was going to be put, which was the following: “Although we have not had the privilege of having known you, we ask that you come in the name of your friend, Captain Blou, our colleague, and we shall be very glad to converse with you, if you so wish.”

Are you happy… (The Spirit does not let the question be concluded, which ends thus: …to have known Spiritism before dying?)

Answer. – I am happy because I believed before dying. I remember the discussions I had with you, my friend, because I repelled all new doctrines. To tell the truth, I was shaken: I told my wife, my family, that it was madness to lend an ear to such frivolities and that I judged you to be mad; I thought so, but, fortunately, I was able to believe and to hope. My position is happier, because God promises me a much-desired advancement.

How could a small booklet of a few pages exert more influence over you than the words of a friend, in whom you ought to have had confidence?

Answer. – I was shaken, because the idea of a better life lies at the bottom of all incarnations. n I believed instinctively, but the ideas of the soldier had modified my thoughts; that is all. When I read the booklet I was moved; I found in it the enunciation of a doctrine so clear, so precise, that God appeared to me in His goodness. The future seemed to me less somber. I believed, because I had to believe, and the booklet satisfied my heart.

Of what did you die?

Answer. – I died of a cerebral commotion. They gave various reasons; it was an effusion of the brain. The time was marked and I had to depart.

Could you describe the sensations you experienced at the moment of death and after your awakening?

Answer. – The passage from life to death is a painful sensation, but a rapid one. We foresee all that can happen; life presents itself entire, spontaneously, like a mirage, and we feel a longing to take up the whole past again, in order to purify the bad days; and this thought accompanies us in the spontaneous transition from life to death, which is nothing but another life. We remain as if dazed by the new light, and I found myself in a rather singular confusion of ideas. I was not a perfect Spirit; nevertheless, I was able to take account of myself, and I give thanks to God for having enlightened me before dying. Remark. – This picture of the passage from life to death bears a striking analogy to that given by Mr. Sanson. [v.

Funeral rites of Mr. Sanson.] We stress that it was not the same medium.

Would your present situation be different had you not known and accepted the Spiritist ideas?

Answer. – Without doubt. But I was of a frank and good nature, and although I am not very advanced, it is no less certain that God rewards every good decision, even the last one.

It is useless to ask whether… The Spirit does not let the question be concluded, which is conceived thus: “You will see your wife and daughter, but you cannot make yourself heard. Do you wish us to transmit something to them on your part?”

Answer. – Without doubt; I am always near her. I encourage her to have patience and I say to her: Courage, dear friend; wipe away your tears and smile at God, who will strengthen you. Think that my existence is an advancement, a purification, and that I need the help of your prayers. I desire, with all my strength, a new incarnation, and although the earthly separation is cruel, remember that I love you, that you are alone and have need of good health and of resignation to sustain yourself. But I shall be at your side to encourage you, to bless you and to love you.

We are certain that your comrades of the regiment would be very happy if they received a few words from you. To this question I join another that perhaps will find a place in your allocution. Until now Spiritism has hardly spread within the Army, save among the officers. Do you think that its diffusion among the soldiers would also be useful? what would be the result? Answer. – It is necessary that the head become serious, so that the body may follow it, and I understand that the officers should first have accepted these philosophical and sensible solutions, given by The Spirits' Book. Through these readings, the officer understands his duty better; he becomes more serious, less inclined to mock the tranquility of families; he accustoms himself to order within his household, and the habit of eating and drinking ceases to constitute the principal motives of his life. Through them the non-commissioned officers will learn and will propagate; they will know that they can, if they so wish. I say to them: forward! ever forward! It is a new battlefield of Humanity; only without wounds, without grapeshot, but everywhere harmony, love and duty. And the soldier will be a liberal man in the good sense; he will have courage and goodwill, which make of the workman a good citizen, a man according to God. Follow, then, the new course. Be apostles according to God and address yourselves to the indefatigable propagator of the doctrine, author of the opuscule that enlightened me.

Remark – Concerning the influence of Spiritism upon the soldier, on another occasion the following communication was dictated:

The soldier who becomes a Spiritist is easier to govern, more submissive, more disciplined, because submission will be for him a duty sanctioned by reason, whereas, most of the time, it is only the result of constraint. They will no longer brutalize themselves in the excesses that, very frequently, engender seditions and lead them to disregard authority. It is the same with all subordinates, whatever the class to which they belong: workmen, employees and others. They will discharge their tasks more conscientiously when they realize the cause that placed them in such a position on the Earth, and of the reward that awaits the humble in the other life. Unfortunately very few believe in the other life, which leads them to give everything to the present life. If incredulity is a social plague, it is so principally in the inferior classes of society, where there is neither the counterweight of education nor the fear of opinion. When those who are called to exercise an authority, by whatever title it may be, understand what they would gain by having subordinates imbued with the Spiritist ideas, they will exert every effort to aid them along this path.

But patience! This will come. [v. A superior officer killed at Magenta.]

Lespinasse.

[1] T.'s N.: Emphasis ours. A probable lapse of revision. Kardec, to be sure, is referring to the word religions.