The Index of the Roman Curia

The date of May 1, 1864 will be marked in the annals of Spiritism, like that of October 9, 1861. [Auto-da-fé of the Spiritist works in Barcelona.] It will recall the decision of the sacred congregation of the Index, n concerning our works on Spiritism. If one thing surprised the Spiritists, it is that such a decision was not taken sooner. Moreover, there is but one opinion as to the good effects it is bound to produce, already confirmed by the information reaching us from all sides. At this news, most booksellers hastened to put these works more in evidence. Some, more timorous, believing in a prohibition of their sale, withdrew them from the shelves, but they nonetheless go on selling them furtively. They were reassured when it was pointed out to them that the organic law states that “No bull, brief, decree, mandate, provision, signature serving as a provision, nor any other dispatches of the curia of Rome, even if they only concern private individuals, may be received, published, printed, nor in any way executed without authorization of the government.”

As for us, this measure, which is one of those we expected, is a sign we shall turn to account, and which will serve as a guide for our subsequent labors. [1]

[Index Librorum prohibitorum et expurgandorum. — List of books prohibited by the Church, which began to be compiled from the IV Lateran Council, 1515.]