10.

On the formation of Spiritist Groups and Societies.

In several localities I have been asked for advice on the formation of Spiritist groups. I have little to say on the matter, beyond the instructions contained in The Mediums’ Book. I will add only a few words.

The first condition is to form a group of serious persons, however restricted it may be. Five or six enlightened members, sincere, imbued with the truths of the Doctrine and united by the same intention, are worth a hundred times more than the inclusion, in that group, of the curious and the indifferent. Next, let these founding members establish a set of rules that will become law for the new adherents.

These rules are very simple and comprise almost solely measures of internal discipline, for they do not require the same details demanded for a numerous and regularly constituted society. Each group may, then, establish itself as it sees fit. Nevertheless, for greater ease and uniformity, I will give a model, which may be modified according to the circumstances and needs of the place. In any case, the essential objective proposed must be contemplation, the maintenance of the most perfect order and the removal of any person who is not animated by serious intentions and might become a cause of disturbance. This is why one could never be too severe regarding the new elements to be admitted. Do not fear that this severity may harm the propagation of Spiritism. Quite the contrary: serious meetings are those that make the most proselytes. Frivolous meetings, those that are not conducted with order and dignity, in which the first curious onlooker who appears may come and pour out his jests, inspire neither attention nor respect, and from them the incredulous leave less convinced than when they entered. These meetings are the delight of the enemies of Spiritism, whereas the others are their nightmare, and I know persons who would gladly see them multiply, provided the others disappeared. Fortunately, it is the contrary that happens. One must, moreover, be persuaded that the desire to be admitted to serious meetings increases in proportion to the difficulty. As for propaganda, it is carried out far less by the number of those attending, whom one or two sessions cannot convince, than by prior study and by the conduct of the members outside the meetings. To exclude women would be to insult their capacity for judgment which, be it said without flattery, often has the advantage over that of certain men and even over that of some illustrious critics. Their presence demands a more rigorous observance of the laws of urbanity and forbids the carelessness common to meetings composed exclusively of men. Besides, why deprive them of the moralizing influence of Spiritism? The sincerely Spiritist woman can only be a good daughter, a good wife and a good mother of a family; by her very position, she often has more need than anyone else of the sublime consolations; she will be stronger and more resigned in the trials of life. Moreover, is it not known that Spirits have a sex only for incarnation? If the equality of woman’s rights is to be recognized anywhere, it must surely be among the Spiritists, and the propagation of Spiritism will infallibly hasten the abolition of the privileges that man has granted himself by the right of the stronger. The advent of Spiritism will mark the era of the legal emancipation of woman. Neither should you dread the admission of the young. The gravity of the assembly will be reflected in their character; they will become more serious and will be able, while still early, to draw from the teaching of the good Spirits this living faith in God and in the future, this sentiment of the duties of the family, which will make them more docile, more respectful, and which moderates the effervescence of the passions.

As for the legal formalities, there are, in France, none to fulfill for meetings that do not exceed twenty persons. Beyond this number, regular and periodic meetings must be authorized, save for a tolerance, which cannot be regarded as a right, enjoyed by the greater part of Spiritist groups, on account of their peaceful, exclusively moral character and, also, because they do not constitute associations or affiliations. In any circumstance, the Spiritists must be the first to give an example of submission to the laws, should they be called upon to do so.

Recently some special groups have formed, the multiplication of which we would never cease to encourage: these are the so-called groups of instruction. In them, they occupy themselves little or not at all with manifestations, but rather with the reading and explanation of The Spirits’ Book, of The Mediums’ Book and of articles from the Spiritist Review. Some devoted persons gather for this purpose a certain number of listeners, supplying for them the difficulties of reading and studying by themselves. We applaud with all our heart this initiative which, we hope, will have imitators and cannot, in developing, fail to produce the happiest results. For this one need not be an orator or a professor; it is a reading in the family, followed by some explanations with no pretension to eloquence, and which is within everyone’s reach. Without making it an object of exclusive occupation, many groups have the habit of beginning their sessions with the reading of some passages from The Spirits’ Book or The Mediums’ Book. We would be glad to see this practice adopted by all of them, the efficacy of which is to draw attention to principles that might be poorly understood or pass unnoticed. In this case, it is useful for the directors, or presidents of the groups, to prepare beforehand the passages that are to constitute the object of the reading, in order to suit this choice to the circumstances.

I hope they will not take it amiss that I indicate these works as the basis of instruction, since they are the only ones in which the Spiritist science is developed in all its parts and in a methodical manner; but anyone would be mistaken who judged me so exclusive as to reject other works, among which many, surely, deserve the sympathies of all good Spiritists. Moreover, in a complete study one must examine everything, even that which is bad. I also consider it very useful to read the criticisms, in order to bring out from them their emptiness and lack of logic; assuredly there is not a single one of them capable of shaking the faith of a sincere Spiritist; they can only strengthen it, for they have often already caused it to be born in the incredulous who took the trouble to compare them. The same holds for certain works which, although made with a serious objective, do not fail to contain manifest errors or eccentricities, which must be pointed out. Here is another habit, the adoption of which is no less useful. It is essential that each group collect and copy out the communications obtained, in order to easily refer to them in case of need. The Spirits who saw their instructions disdained would soon abandon the meetings; but it is necessary, above all, that there be made separately a special collection, organized and clear, of the most beautiful and most instructive communications, and that some of them be reread at each session, in order to profit from them better.