Societies of Antwerp and of Marseille.

Antwerp, February 27, 1864.

Dear master, we have the honor to inform you that we have just constituted in Antwerp a new society, under the denomination of Spiritist Circle Love and Charity.

As you will see by art. 2 of the regulation, we place ourselves under the patronage of the central society of Paris, as well as under yours. In consequence, we declare ourselves to be congregated to the doctrine contained in The Spirits' Book and in The Mediums' Book.

We have the firm will to tread the path of the true Spiritists; this is to say that charity is the principal objective of our meetings. So that you may be well convinced of the sincerity of our sentiments, deign to consult the spiritual president of your society; however weak our efforts have been until now, these have been sincere and, under such a point of view, we have the conviction that, to him, we are no longer strangers. We have the honor to remit to you, enclosed, one of the communications obtained in our circle, by means of a speaking medium, so that you may judge our tendencies… etc.

Observation. – Indeed, this letter was accompanied by a very extensive communication, which testifies to the good path on which this society finds itself.

In the same sense we received another letter, on the part of the Spiritist Society of Marseille. n Marseille, March 21, 1864.

Mister President, We have the honor to announce to you the formation of our new society, which takes the name of Marseillaise Society of Spiritist Studies, and whose authorization has just been granted by the Senator charged with the administration of the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône.

Aided by your good counsels, dear master, we shall make every effort to march in the footsteps of our brothers of Paris, whose regulation we adopted for the order of our sessions. Placing ourselves under the patronage of the respectable Society of Paris, like it we inscribe on our banner: Outside charity there is no salvation. Dr. C…, our president, will also have the honor to write to you soon after the inauguration.

In the interest of the cause, sir, we beg you to have the kindness to give to our society the publicity that you judge suitable, in order to congregate the sincere adepts.

Receive, etc.

We have already said that among the Spiritist societies, which form as much in France as abroad, the greater number declare that they place themselves under the patronage of the Society of Paris. All the letters addressed to us on this subject are conceived in the same spirit as those published above. These adhesions, given spontaneously, attest to the principles that prevail among the Spiritists, and the Society of Paris cannot help but be touched by these marks of sympathy, which prove the serious intention to march under the same banner. This does not mean that others, which have not made this official declaration, follow another orientation; far from it. The correspondence they maintain with us is sufficient guarantee of their sentiments and of the good direction of their studies. A very great number of meetings, moreover, do not have the character of societies properly speaking and, for the most part, are nothing but simple groups. Outside the societies and the regular groups, the family meetings, where only intimate acquaintances are received, are innumerable and multiply daily, above all in the elevated classes. [1] Translator's note: Bruxelles in the original, although Kardec is referring to Marseille.