Spiritism asks only to be known.

— It is a proven fact that ever since criticism turned against Spiritism, it has shown the most complete ignorance of its principles, even of the most elementary ones. It has proved this superabundantly, making it say precisely the contrary of what it says, attributing to it ideas diametrically opposed to those it professes. Since, for criticism, Spiritism is regarded as a fantasy, it said to itself: “It must say and think such and such a thing.” In a word, it judged Spiritism by what it imagined it might be, and not by what it really is. No doubt it would have been very easy for criticism to enlighten itself; but for this it was necessary to read, to study, to delve deeply into a thoroughly philosophical doctrine, to analyze the thought, to probe the scope of the words. Now, here is serious work, which is not to everyone’s taste, even very fatiguing for some. The majority of writers, finding in the writings of some of their colleagues a finished judgment in accord with their own sceptical ideas, accepted the substance without further examination, limiting themselves to embellishing it with a few variants in form. It was thus that the most false ideas were propagated, like echoes in the press, and from there to a portion of the public. This, however, could only last for a time. The Spiritist Doctrine, which has nothing hidden, which is clear, precise, without allegories or ambiguities, without abstract formulas, was bound to end up being better known. The very violence with which it was attacked was bound to provoke its examination. That is what happened and provokes the reaction noticed today. This does not mean that all who study it, even seriously, must become its apostles; no, certainly not. But it is impossible that an attentive study, made without preconceived idea, should not at least attenuate the prejudice one had conceived, if it does not dissipate it completely. It was evident that the hostility of which Spiritism was the object was bound to lead to this result. That is why we have never worried in this regard.

— Because Spiritism makes less noise at this moment, some people imagine that there is a stagnation in its progressive march; but do they take into account at all the reversal that is taking place in public opinion? Is it an insignificant conquest to be viewed with less ill will? From the beginning Spiritism gathered together all those in whom these ideas were, so to speak, in a state of intuition; it had only to show itself in order to be accepted with enthusiasm. That is what explains its rapid numerical growth. Today, having harvested what was ripe, it acts upon the refractory mass; the work is more lengthy; the means of action are different and appropriate to the nature of the difficulties, but, by the fluctuations of opinion, one feels that this mass is shaken under the blows of the Spirits, who strike it incessantly in a thousand ways. By being less apparent, the progress is no less real; it is like that of a building which rises rapidly and seems to stop when work is being done on the interior. As for the Spiritists, the first moment was that of enthusiasm. But a state of overexcitement cannot be permanent; to the outward expansive movement there succeeded a calmer state; faith too is alive, but it is colder, more rational, and, for this very reason, more solid. The effervescence gave way to a gentler inner satisfaction, each day better appreciated, by the serenity that unshakable confidence in the future provides.

Today, then, Spiritism begins to be judged from another point of view. People no longer find it so strange and so ridiculous, because they know it better; Spiritists are no longer pointed at with the finger, like curious animals; if many people still reject the fact of the manifestations, which they can reconcile with the idea they form of the invisible world, they no longer contest the philosophical scope of the doctrine; new or old as its morality may be, it is nonetheless a moral doctrine, which can only stimulate to good those who profess it. That is what anyone who judges with knowledge of the case recognizes. Now, all that they reproach in the Spiritists is the latter’s belief in the communication of the Spirits; but they overlook that little weakness in favor of the rest. On this point the Spirits will take it upon themselves to show whether they exist. The article by Mr. Bertram, of Brussels, cited above, seems to us the expression of the sentiment that tends to propagate in the world of mockers and will develop as Spiritism becomes more known. The following article is in the same vein, but reveals a more complete conviction. It is the extract from the Soleil of May 5th.

— “At the same time as The Apostles, by Mr. Ernest Renan, appeared, Mr. J.-B. Roustaing, an enlightened adept of Spiritism, was publishing at the central bookshop a considerable work, entitled The Four Gospels, [cf. The Gospels Explained,] followed by the commandments explained in spirit and in truth by the evangelists, assisted by the apostles.

“The mass of Parisians know almost nothing, in matters of Spiritism, except the swindles of a few conjurers, who tried in vain to abuse the credulity of an incredulous public. These charlatans were jeered, which is well deserved; but the Spiritists, full of ardor and faith, did not fail to continue their experiments and their rapid propaganda.

“In Paris the most serious things are treated in the same way as the most futile things. It is here that, in the majority of cases, one asks whether it is a question of a god, of a table, or of a basin. The primary experiments attempted between two cups of tea, by a few adulterous women and a few pretentious young men, sufficed for the curiosity of the Parisians. If the table pretended to turn, they laughed a great deal; if, on the contrary, the table did not move, they laughed even more. And it is thus that the question was delved into. The thing happened differently among the more sensible population of the provinces. The slightest result animated the proselytes, excited their ardor. The Spirit of their relatives corresponded to their expectation, and each one of them, conversing with the soul of his deceased father and his brother, was convinced of having lifted the veil of death, which henceforth could not terrify them. “If ever there was a consoling doctrine, this is certainly it: individuality preserved beyond the tomb, the formal promise of another life, which is really the continuation of the first. The family subsists, affection does not die with the person; there is no separation. Every night, in the south and the west of France, the attentive Spiritist meetings become more numerous. They pray, they evoke, they believe. People who do not know how to write, write; their hand is directed by the Spirit.

“Spiritism does not represent a social danger, which is why they let it spread without opposing barriers to it. If Spiritism were persecuted, it would have its martyrs, like Babism in Persia.

“Alongside the most serious mediumistic responses are found indications and counsels that provoke laughter. The author of The Four Gospels, Mr. Roustaing, lawyer at the imperial court of Bordeaux, former bar leader, is neither a naïf nor a joker; nevertheless, in his preface is found the following communication:

“The moment has come when you must put yourself in a condition to deliver this work to publicity. We set you no limits; employ your hours with wisdom and measure, in order to spare your strength… The publication may be begun as of next August; from this date, work as promptly as possible, but without exceeding human strength, in such a way that the publication be finished in the month of August 1866.”

Signed: Moses, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Assisted by the Apostles.

“The reader is surprised not to see Moses, Matthew, Luke and John carry their counsel through to the end and add: You shall have the work printed at the house of Lavertujon, 7, rue des Treilles, in Bordeaux, and you shall display it at the Librairie centrale, 24, boulevard des Italiens, in Paris.

“One also pauses for a moment at that passage which tells the author not to exceed human strength. So the author would have exceeded them, without that paternal word of Messrs. Moses, Matthew, Mark and John?

“Mr. Renan, without touching upon Spiritism at the outset, makes numerous allusions to that new doctrine, whose importance he does not seem to be unaware of. The author of The Apostles recalls (p. 8) a capital passage of Saint Paul which establishes: 1st the reality of the apparitions; 2nd the long duration of the apparitions. Only once, in the course of his work, does Mr. Renan give the Spiritists a jolt. He says, on page 22, second note:

“To conceive the possibility of similar illusions, it suffices to recall the scenes of our day, in which assembled persons unanimously acknowledge hearing noises without reality, and this in perfect good faith. Expectation, the effort of the imagination, the disposition to believe, sometimes innocent complaisances, explain some of these phenomena which are not the direct product of fraud. These complaisances, in general, come from convinced persons, animated by a sentiment of benevolence, who do not want the session to end badly and who are desirous of extricating the hosts from embarrassment. When one believes in the miracle, one always helps without perceiving it. Doubt and denial are impossible in these kinds of meetings. It would be painful for those who believe and for those who invited you. That is why such experiments, which yield a result before a small group, generally fail before a paying public and always fail before scientific commissions.” “Here, as elsewhere, good reasons are lacking in Mr. Renan’s book. Of a gentle and charming style, substituting poetry for logic, The Apostles ought to be entitled The Last Abencerrages. The references to useless documents, the false proofs with which the work is overloaded give it all the appearances of the puerility with which it was conceived. There is no mistaking it.

“Mr. Renan recounts that Mary of Magdala, weeping by the tomb, had a vision, a simple vision. — Who told him so? — She believed she heard a voice. — How does he know that she really did not hear it? — All the affirmations contained in the work have more or less the same force.

“If the Spiritists have nothing to offer as explanation but their good faith, Mr. Renan does not even have that recourse. “Here we cannot expound Mr. Roustaing’s book; we have not the right to discuss it, nor that of seeing where it leads us. Besides, this would not be the place to enter into considerations that the reader does not seek in our columns. The work is serious, the style is clear and firm. The author has not committed the ordinary blunder of commentators, who are often more obscure than the very text they wish to clarify.

“Spiritism, which had its catechism, will henceforth have its annotated codes and its course of jurisprudence. It will lack only the proof of martyrdom.”

Aurélien Scholl.

[1] [Les Apôtres - Google Books.]

[2] [Spiritisme chrétien, ou Révélation de la révélation. Les quatre évangiles suivis des commandements, expliqués en esprit et en vérité par les évangélistes assistés des apôtres. - Moïse… Par J.-B. Roustaing,… - Google Books.]