A reconciliation through Spiritism.

— Many times Spiritism has proven its beneficial influence, in reestablishing good harmony within families or between individuals. Of this we have numerous examples, the majority intimate cases that were confided to us, so to speak, under the seal of confession, and which therefore are not ours to reveal. We no longer have the same scruple regarding the following fact, of extraordinary interest:

A captain of a merchant ship from Le Havre, whom we know personally, is at once an excellent Spiritist and a good medium. He had initiated several men of his crew into the Spiritist Doctrine and had only reasons to congratulate himself on the order, discipline, and good conduct. He had aboard his brother of eighteen years and a pilot’s apprentice of nineteen, both good mediums, animated by a living faith and who received with fervor and gratitude the wise counsels of their protecting Spirits. One night, however, they fell into a quarrel; from words they came to blows, so that they set a meeting for the following morning, in order to fight in some corner of the vessel. The decision taken, they separated. At night they felt a desire to write and, each for his part, received from his invisible guides a severe admonition about the futility of their dispute and counsels about the happiness of friendship, with an invitation to reconcile, without prejudices. Moved by the same sentiment, the two young men simultaneously left their place and came weeping to throw themselves into each other’s arms. From then on, no cloud came to trouble the harmony between them. It was the captain himself who gave the account. We saw his notebook of Spiritist communications, as well as the booklet of the two young men, from which we extracted the one we have just spoken of.

The following fact occurred with the same captain, on one of his crossings. We have the pleasure of transcribing it, although it is foreign to the subject. — He was on the high seas, with the finest weather in the world, when he received the following communication: “Take every precaution; tomorrow at two o’clock a squall will break out and your ship will run great danger.” As nothing foretold bad weather, the captain at once thought of a mystification. However, so as not to reproach himself, should the storm burst, he took measures that proved well-advised, for at the foretold hour a violent storm broke out. For three days the ship faced the greatest dangers it had ever passed through; thanks, however, to the precautions taken, it escaped without accidents.

— The case of the reconciliation suggested to us the following reflections.

One of the results of Spiritism well understood — we call attention to the expression: well understood — is to develop the sentiment of charity. But, as is known, charity itself has a very broad meaning, from the simple alms to the love of enemies, which is the very summit of charity. It may be said that it sums up all the noble impulses of the soul toward one’s neighbor. The true Spiritist, like the true Christian, may have enemies — did not the Christ have them? — but is the enemy of no one, for he is always disposed to forgive and to repay evil with good. If two true Spiritists formerly had reasons for reciprocal animosity, their reconciliation will be easy, because the offended one forgets the offense and the offender acknowledges the fault. From then on no more quarrels, for they will be indulgent toward each other and will make mutual concessions. Neither of them will seek to impose upon the other a humiliating pardon, which irritates and wounds instead of calming. If, under such conditions, two individuals can live in good harmony, the greater number can also do so. And then, they will be as happy as it is possible to be on Earth, because the greater part of our tribulations arises from contact with the wicked. Let us suppose an entire nation imbued with such principles: would it not be the happiest in the world? That which is only possible for individuals — some will say — is utopia for the masses, unless a miracle should occur. Well then! Spiritism has already operated that miracle, several times, on a smaller scale, in disunited families, where it reestablished peace and concord. The future will prove that it can do so on a grand scale.