HPB-SB-8-133

T i

vol. 8, p. 133

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

vol. 8 (September 1878 - September 1879)

 

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M. C. Constant on Spiritualism

The Secretary of the British National Association of Spiritualists has received the following letter from Monsieur C. Constant, of Smyrna, which is now published at his own request:—

“Madam,—To give you my opinion on the subject of the title of our Society, I think that it is not in perfect harmony with the end we have in view.

One of two things—either we are Spiritualists or we are not. If we are, how is it that we have not succeeded in proving our theory scientifically, and that we still doubt? If we are not Spiritualists, why take a title so clearly defined as ours for studies which as yet are quite undefined? The fact is that we are “searching for truth,” and therefore why take a name which supposes an established state of things; To speak frankly, this dogmatic title began to displease me at the moment when I first commenced to doubt the existence of spirits. And to-day, with great regret, I am compelled to ask you to take my name off the list of the members of your Society. I should be only too glad to have retained it there if the Society would take a title less dogmatic and above all less anti-scientific. The phenomena which we study enter into the domain of biology, and we need another name which will place us more en rapport with the needs of modern positivism.

If you will allow me to make a further remark, I would say that this definite title serves only to alienate from us all those scientific men who, from principle or prejudice, will have nothing to do with the subject whilst it bears a seemingly religious name. Words have a mighty influence, and we should gain much by a neutral title more in accord with the phenomena which we are studying. In conclusion, kindly state to the council my reason for retiring, and at the same time thank them for the honour they have accorded me until now in making me a colleague and member of their Society. At the same time let me assure you that I am with you in interest, and I shall consider myself only too happy if I can at any time be of service to you.

You ask me what I think of Theosophy, and if the people of the East know more in the matter of Spiritualism than those of the West. Believe me the people of the East cannot be more ignorant than they arc. I was born in the East; I have passed my life among its divers peoples, whose languages I speak. I have had communication with dervishes, magicians, and seers. I have taken lessons in Eastern magic. I have writings and magic formulas, and I assure you that all this is nothing by the side of European Spiritualism; and that Theosophists will only lose time by seeking in Asia for the “explanations of phenomena’ which are only to be found in Europe. I have also studied Eastern antiquities, especially those of the ancient Egyptians; but there also there is no science, and it is loss of time to found societies, such as the Theosophist and others. I do not know the society called Arya Somaj, but here there are plenty of seets of dervishes, who have their secrets (soi-disants), magical and masonic, but the greater part of the phenomena are merely mesmeric and spiritualistic, very badly observed and theologically explained; in a word, there is plenty of superstition in the East, and scarcely a single rational spiritual fact.

As a last word, it seems to me that neither the West, and still less the East, has done what it should do once for all, namely, get rid of these different names, Spiritualist, Theosophist, tec., &c. They might all be united in one great scientific and biological association, and thus study together all the facts, mesmeric, medial, and spiritual, and perhaps arrive at some positive solution. Thus we should utilise our scattered forces, harmonise with modern science, and save future generations an immense amount of labour. In giving you sincerely these free opinions, I beg you, madam, to accept my assurances of my high esteem and regard for you.

C. Constant.

Smyrna, Dec. 6, 1878.

Baron de Palm's Bones Exhibited

...

The Psychological Society of Great Britain

Possessed

At the last meeting of the Psychological Society, before the delivery of an address by Professor Plumptre, Mr. F. K. Munton, the honorary secretary, read the following narrative from the Pall Mall Gazette about psychological phenomena in Italy:—

In a little village away up in the province of Udine, on the borders of Italia Irredenta, there is great alarm and commotion; for the young girls of the place, one after another, are showing outward and visible signs of being possessed by a devil. According to all accounts there are now about thirty young women in this unhappy condition. Why the Evil One should have selected so obscure a village for his operations does not seem quite clear. Indeed, the blame is laid not on him, but on the priests. Inquiries made by the authorities have elicited the fact that in Lent last year a series of discourses were delivered by a priest, in which he described at great length and with much detail the pains of hell; thereby terrifying weak young women that they, were already lost, and that the devil had entered into them. The priests, who at first were rather pleased with the impression their brother made, have since found that though they had raised the spirit they had no power to lay it again. Holy water produces no effect, the most searching exorcisms fail, and even such practical measures as beating the person affected have been found useless. While the fit of madness is on the “possessed” crow like cocks, or mew like cats, or bark and howl like dogs and wolves. What is worse, they shock their neighbours by blasphemous and obscene language; being especially violent against the priests, cursing them for their inability to relieve their suffering by casting out the devil. The prefect of the province has sent a commission to Verzegnis, the name of the village, to see what can be done to stop the progress of this madness; for, by force of example and terror, it threatens to spread. The people of the district are ignorant and uneducated, and cannot be persuaded but that the devil is really at large amongst them. It must be remembered that the rural population in many parts of Italy is no further advanced in civilisation than England was two or three hundred years ago.

A curious incident of the same kind was related to me a few months ago by a friend who had hoard it from the lips of one of the doctors at the lunatic asylum at Siena. At Siena there is a very large asylum in proportion to the number of inhabitants, but it is nearly always full. Among the patients is a man who was formerly servant to a priest in the town, and had been remarkable for his piety and devotion. A year or two ago he began to show signs of religious mania, and his master, in hope of curing him, sent him to a country house for change of air and scene. The man appeared to get better, and after some months returned to the town, but the mania soon began to show itself again. He had an idea that he was a bishop, and used to preach in the streets; so it was resolved to place him in the asylum. Two attendants were sent with a carriage to remove him; and, to get him away quietly, he was told that he was to officiate at a religious function. As he was driving through the streets he blessed the people; and on nearing the asylum he expressed a wish to go in and bless “the poor mad people,” and so was taken in. It was easy to persuade him that the patients were his flock, and he used to preach to them, and to assist the keepers in many little ways; and so, being gentle and harmless, he became a great favourite. Among his flock was a very violent lunatic, who constantly used language so blasphemous and disgusting that it shocked the keepers, and even the other patients; and to this man he specially; devoted his attention, trying to reason with him and bring him to a calmer state, but always in vain. One day, without any warning, he fell on the blasphemer and strangled him, telling the keepers that the man was possessed with a devil, that he had long tried to cast him out but in vain, and so, as the possessed creature was too wicked to live, he had killed him. But now it seemed as if the spirit of the dead man had entered into his murderer. Religion was forgotten, and its place was taken by all the vicious passions of his victim. The most blasphemous language continually issued from lips that hitherto had been pure of evil speaking; his gentle nature gave place to the violence; which had characterised the man he had killed; and from being the most tractable of patients he has now become one of the most dangerous and the one of whom the keepers are most in fear. They all firmly believe that the evil spirit cast out of the murdered man actually did enter into the body of the murderer.

Imitations of Spiritual Phenomena by Jugglery

The blue leaflets which we have had printed for circulation contain the following passages about those jugglers 1 and men of science who deceive the public by telling them I that spiritual phenomena are not real:—

“Inquirers into the phenomena of Spiritualism should begin by forming circles in their own homes, with no Spiritualist or stranger to the family present.

“The assertions of a few newspapers, conjurers, and men; of science that the alleged phenomena are jugglery, are proved to be untrue by the fact that manifestations are readily obtainable by private families, with no stranger present, and without deception by any member of the family. At the present time there are only about half-a-dozen professional mediums for the physical phenomena in all Great Britain, consequently, if these were all tricksters (which they are not), they are so few in number as to be unable to bear out the imposture theory as the foundation of the great movement of modern Spiritualism. Readers p should protect themselves against any impostors who, knowing to the contrary, may hereafter tell them that the phenomena are not real, by trying simple home experiments which cost nothing, thus learning how egregiously those are duped who trust in worthless authorities.”

Editor's notes

Sources

• 

  London Spiritualist, No. 335, January 24, 1879, pp. 46-7

• 

  London Spiritualist, No. 336, January 31, 1879, p. 55