Mystifications.

A letter from Locarno contains the following passage:

“…For me doubt would be impossible, for I have a daughter who is an excellent medium, and my own son writes. But, alas! he has received such cruel mystifications that his discouragement has somewhat infected me, without, however, shaking our belief, so pure and consoling, despite the sorrows we experience when we find ourselves deceived by disappointing answers. Why, then, does God permit the well-intentioned to be thus deceived by those who ought to enlighten them?…”

Answer – The corporeal world returning to the spirit world through death, and the spirit world making the reverse journey through reincarnation, it results that the normal population of the space surrounding the Earth is composed of Spirits coming from terrestrial Humanity. This Humanity being one of the most imperfect, it can give only imperfect products, which is why evil Spirits swarm around it. For the same reason, in the more advanced worlds, where good reigns without limit, there are only good Spirits. Admitting this, it will be understood that the so frequent intrusion of evil Spirits into mediumistic relations is inherent in the inferiority of our globe; here one runs the risk of being a victim of deceiving Spirits, as in a land of thieves one runs the risk of being robbed. Could one not also ask why God permits honest persons to be stripped by robbers, to be victims of malevolence and the target of all sorts of miseries? Ask rather why you are on Earth, and you will be answered that it is because you did not merit a better place, save for the Spirits who are here on a mission. One must, then, suffer its consequences and make efforts to leave it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, it is necessary to strive to preserve oneself from the assaults of evil Spirits, which is achieved only by closing to them all the breaches that might give them access to our soul, by imposing oneself upon them through moral superiority, courage, perseverance, and an unshakable faith in the protection of God and of the good Spirits, in the future which is everything, while the present is nothing. But since no one is perfect on Earth, no one can boast, without pride, of being absolutely sheltered from their malices. Purity of intentions is no doubt important; it is the route that leads to perfection, but it is not perfection, and, moreover, there may be, at the bottom of the soul, some old leaven. This is why there is not a single medium who has not been more or less deceived. Simple reason tells us that the good Spirits can do only good, for otherwise they would not be good, and that evil can come only from imperfect Spirits. Therefore, mystifications can come only from frivolous or lying Spirits, who abuse credulity and, very often, exploit pride, vanity, or other passions. Such mystifications have the aim of putting perseverance and firmness in faith to the test and of exercising the judgment. If the good Spirits permit them on certain occasions, it is not from impotence on their part, but to leave us the merit of the struggle. The experience acquired at one's own expense being more profitable, if courage diminishes, it is a proof of weakness that leaves us at the mercy of the evil Spirits. The good Spirits watch over us, assist us, and help us, but on the condition that we help ourselves. Man is on Earth for the struggle; he must conquer in order to leave it, otherwise he remains in it.