THE SPIRITIST REVIEW - JOURNAL OF

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES - 1864

Allan Kardec

A new media about Spiritism has just been inaugurated in Antwerp, since January 1st, 1864. It is well-
known that the Spiritist Doctrine makes fast progress in that city where numerous groups were
formed by distinguished people for their knowledge and social position. Brussels has been reluctant
for a longer period but there the new idea also gains space like in other cities of Belgium. We were
invited to accept the title of honorific president of a recently formed society there. That shows the
path they want to follow.

The first issue of the new Review contains an appeal to the Spiritists of Antwerp; two supporting
articles one about the adversaries of Spiritism and another about Spiritism and madness and a certain
number of mediumistic communications, some in Flemish, and we are pleased to say that everything
in perfect alignment with the view point and principles of the Parisian Society. That publication must
be welcomed in a country that knowingly receives well and propagates new ideas if, as we expect, if
these ideas remain at the level of science, an essential condition of success.

Spiritism grows and daily sees new horizons opening before its eyes. It deepens questions and issues
that were only blossoming since its origin. The Spirits have followed this upwards movement
everywhere by accommodating their teachings to the development of the ideas in their instructions.
When compared to the current mediumistic production of today the former ones are faded versions,
almost puerile, although they were considered magnificent in their time. It is the difference between
the lessons given to an adult as compared to those given to young students. As people grow their
intelligence like their body require more substantial nourishment. Every Spiritist publication,
periodical or non-periodical that remained back would necessarily find little sympathy and it would be
unrealistic to suppose that contemporary readers would be interested in elemental or mediocre
things. However good the intention might be every recommendation would be powerless to keep
them alive if they did not have a life of their own. There is another condition for the success of such
publications, even more important, that is to walk with the opinion of the majority. At the beginning
of the Spiritist manifestations the still not fixated ideas gave rise to many divergent opinions that fell
before more comprehensive observations or that just count with rare representatives. Everybody
knows the flag and the principles followed by the majority of the Spiritists around the world. The one
that becomes an echo of backward opinions or that follows the wrong path is heretofore condemned
to isolation and abandonment. We are sorry for those that did it in good faith; those that
premeditated with the intention of blocking the development and sowing division will only harvest
shame. Neither ones nor the others can be encouraged by those that understand from the top of
their heads the true interests of Spiritism. As for ourselves, personally, and for the Parisian Society,
the sympathies and moral support are conquered by anticipation, as it is widely known, by all the
publications and all useful meetings to the cause that we defend.

PROXIMO 