Causes of incredulity.

Mr. Allan Kardec, I read with much distrust, I will even say, with a sentiment of incredulity, your first publications concerning Spiritism. Later I reread them with considerable attention, as well as your other publications, as they appeared. I must say without circumlocution that I belonged to the materialist school. The reason? It is that of all the philosophical or religious sects it was the most tolerant, the only one that did not give itself over to demonstrations of force in defense of a God who said through the mouth of the Master: “My disciples shall be recognized by their loving one another much.” Then because the majority of the guides whom society offers to inculcate in the young the ideas of morality and of religion seemed rather destined to cast panic into souls than to teach them to conduct themselves well, to hope for a reward for their sufferings, a compensation for their afflictions. Thus, the materialists of all epochs, and principally the philosophers of the past century, the majority of whom illustrated the arts and the sciences, increased the number of their proselytes, as instruction emancipated creatures. Nothingness was preferred to eternal torments. It is natural that the unfortunate one should compare. If the comparison be disadvantageous to him, he will doubt everything. Indeed, when one sees vice in opulence and virtue in misery, if one has not a doctrine reasoned out and proved by facts, despair will take hold of the soul, and one will ask what is gained by being virtuous, attributing the scruples of conscience to the prejudices and to the errors of a first education.

Not knowing what use you will make of my letter, but, in any case, leaving you entire liberty, I think it will not be useless to make known the causes that worked my conversion.

I had heard vaguely of magnetism. Some considered it a serious and real thing, while others thought it was a folly. Thus, I lost no time with it. Later I heard spoken of everywhere of the turning, talking tables, etc.; but each one employed concerning it the same language as about magnetism, which made me likewise not interest myself in it. However, by an entirely unforeseen circumstance, I had at my disposal the Treatise on Magnetism and on Somnambulism, by Mr. Aubin Gauthier. n I read that work with a disposition of mind in constant rebellion against its contents, so extraordinary and even impossible did what was explained there seem to me. Nevertheless, having arrived at the page where that honest man says: “We do not wish to be believed on our word; experiment, in accordance with the principles that we indicate, and, if you recognize as certain that which we anticipate, all that we ask is that you do it in good faith and that you come to a mutual understanding.” This language of a reasoned certainty, which only the practical man can have, paralyzed all my effervescence, subjected my spirit to reflection and decided it to experiment. I first operated with the son of one of my relatives, of about sixteen years, and obtained results that surpassed my expectations. It would be difficult to tell of the disturbance that took hold of me; I distrusted myself and asked myself whether I was not the victim of that lad who, having divined my intentions, gave himself over to grimaces and simulations in order afterward to mock me. To assure myself, I took certain indicated precautions and sent for a magnetizer. Then I convinced myself that the young man was really under magnetic influence. This first trial was so stimulating that I gave myself over to that science, whose phenomena I had occasion to observe and, at the same time, to ascertain the existence of the invisible agent that produced them. What agent is this? who directs it? what is its essence? why is it not visible? These are questions to which I cannot answer, but which led me to read what has been written for and against the talking tables, because — I said within myself — if an invisible agent could produce the effects of which I was a witness, another agent, or perhaps the same one, could very well produce others. I concluded, thus, that the thing was possible; now I believe, although I have as yet seen nothing.

By their effects, these things are as surprising as Spiritism, which, moreover, is very feebly combated by the critics, in such a way as not to alter any conviction. But what characterizes it differently from the other material effects, are the moral effects. To me it is evident that every man who occupies himself seriously with magnetism, if he is good, will become better; if he is bad, he will necessarily modify his character. Formerly hope was a cord on which the unfortunate hung themselves; with Spiritism hope is a consolation, the sufferings an expiation, and the spirit, instead of rebelling against the decrees of Providence, bears patiently its miseries, curses neither God nor men, and marches ever toward perfection. Had I been nourished by these ideas, I certainly would not have passed through the school of materialism, from which I feel happy to have come out. As you see, sir, however rude were the combats to which I gave myself over, my conversion was worked, and you are one of those who most contributed to it. Register it in your records, for it will not be one of the least, and henceforth, deign to count me in the number of your adherents.

Gayzy.

Former Officer, rue Saint-Louis, 23, Batignolles, (Paris.)

Remark. – This conversion is one more example of the most common cause of incredulity. So long as things that reason repels are given as absolute truths, there will be incredulous persons and materialists. To make people believe, it is necessary to make them understand. Our century wills it thus, and one must march with the century if one does not wish to succumb. But to make people understand, it is necessary that all be logical: principles and consequences. Mr. Gauzy enunciates a great truth in saying that man prefers the idea of nothingness, which puts an end to his sufferings, to the prospect of endless tortures, from which it is so difficult to escape. Thus, he seeks to enjoy as much as possible while he is on the Earth. Ask a man who suffers much what he prefers: to die immediately or to live in pain for fifty years; his choice will not be doubtful. He who wishes to prove too much proves nothing; by dint of exaggerating the penalties, one ends by engendering disbelief. We are certain that there are many people who agree with us, saying that the doctrine of the devil and of the eternal penalties has made the greatest number of materialists; that that of a God who created beings in order to destine the immense majority of them to tortures without hope, for temporary faults, has made the greatest number of atheists. [1]

Traité pratique du magnétisme et du somnambulisme ou résumé de … - Google Books.