94. We will only quote, in illustration of the foregoing
remarks, a conversation in reference to the occurrences in the rue des Noyers, in Paris,
in June 1860. (See the Revue Spirite, for August 1860.)
1. (Question addressed to Saint Louis.) Will you have the kindness to tell us if
the facts reported to have taken place in the rue des Noyers really took place? We have
no doubt as to their possibility.
"Yes, they really occurred; the popular imagination exaggerates them, but they
were really the work of a spirit who likes to amuse himself at the expense of the inhabi-
tants of the house in question."
2. Is there any one in the house who is the cause of these manifestations?
"Such manifestations are always caused by the presence of the person attacked;
they arise from the ill-will of the perturbing spirit towards an inhabitant of the place to
which he conies; and his object is to annoy him, and to drive him out of the house."
3. We would ask if, among tile people of tile house, there is some one who
causes these phenomena by a spontaneous, involuntary, medianimic influence?
"Without such an influence, these occurrences could not have taken place. A
spirit dwells in a place for which lie has a predilection ; lie remains passive, as long as
there is in it no one fitted to be used as a medium; but if such a person comes thither, he
uses his medianimity as much as he can."
4. Is the presence of such a person at the very place itself indispensable?
"It is so usually, and such is the case in the present instance; this is why I said
that, without the presence of such a person, the occurrences could not have taken place.
But it was not lily object to generalise; there are cases in which the immediate presence
of a medium is not necessary."
5. Uproarious spirits being always of an inferior order, is the aptitude for serving
as their auxiliary a presumption of inferiority on the part of the person they use as a
medium, and does it show his sympathy with the beings who thus use him?
"No; not precisely so; for this aptitude results from a physical disposition
nevertheless, it sometimes implies, on the part of the medium, a physical tendency from
which he should endeavour to free himself. The more elevated you are morally, the
higher are the spirits you attract; and these necessarily keep off the lower ones."
6. Where does the spirit find the projectiles he makes use of?
"The different objects thus employed are generally taken from the spot where
the manifestations occur, or in its neighbourhood; a force proceeding from the spirit
impels them into the air, and they fall into the place designed by him."
7. Since these spontaneous manifestations are often permitted, and even
ordered, with a view to convincing the incredulous, it appears to us that, if the latter
were them-selves the objects of these phenomena, they would be compelled to yield to
the evidence of their own perceptions. They sometimes complain that they cannot get
hold of conclusive facts is it not in the power of spirits to give such persons some proof
that they could not deny?
"Do not atheists and materialists witness, every moment, the effects of the
power of God and of thought? But does this hinder them from denying both God and
the soul? Did the miracles of Jesus convert all his contemporaries? Do not those who,
in your time, ask you to let them see some manifestations, too often resemble the
Pharisees who said 'Master, show us a sign'? Those who are not convinced, by the
wonders of the creation, of the existence of beings superior to man, would hardly be
induced to admit the existence of spirits, even if the latter should appear to them in
ways the most convincing. Opportunities of seeing are always to be found by those who seek for them with honesty and sincerity.
Incredulity cannot hinder the accomplishment of the Providential purposes; it will not
hinder the development of the spiritist movement. Do not trouble yourself about
opposition, which is, to the truth, what shadow is to the picture, giving it a higher
relief."
8. Do you think it would be of any use to evoke this spirit, so that we might ask
him some questions?
"Evoke him if you will; but he is a spirit of low degree, who will not be able to
give you much information."
