Family Conversations from Beyond the Grave
Mr. Humboldt
Deceased on May 6th, 1859; evoked at the Parisian Society of Spiritist
th th Studies on the 13 and 20 of the same month.
To St. Louis: Could we call the spirit of Mr. Alexander Humboldt who
has just
died?
If you wish so my friend.
1. Evocation
- I am here. This is amazing.
2. Why are you amazed?
- I am far away from what I was just a few days ago.
3. If we could see you, how would we see you?
- As a man.
4. Does our call bother you?
- No, no.
5. Were you aware of your new condition just after death?
- I waited for that for a long time.
NOTE: People like Mr. Humboldt who die of natural causes,
and by the gradual extinction of the vital forces, recognize
themselves in spirit much more promptly than those whose
life is abruptly interrupted by an accident or some sort of vio-
lence, since there is already the initiation of the detachment
before the organic life is over. The superiority of the spirit and
the elevation of Mr. Humboldt thoughts eased the separa-
tion, always slower and more painful in those whose lives are
exclusively material.
6. Do you miss your Earthly life?
- No, absolutely not. I feel happy. I no longer feel in prison. My
spirit is free... What a pleasure! And how nice the moment
that brought me such a grace from God!
7. What is your opinion about the statue that will be erected to you
in France, despite the fact that you are foreign?
- I am thankful to the honor addressed to me. What I do appreciate is the feeling of union and the desire to extinguish all
hatred, through that fact.
8. Have your beliefs changed?
- Yes, a lot. However, I have not revised everything. Wait a
little before you talk to me with more depth.
NOTE: This answer and the word “revise” are characteristic
of the actual state of the spirit. Despite the quick separation
of his spirit there still exists a certain confusion of ideas. Since
he left his body only eight days ago, he did not have time yet
to compare his worldly ideas with those that he may have
now.
9. Are you happy with the way you lived your last existence?
- Yes. I have more or less accomplished the objective proposed
by myself. I served humanity; that is why I am happy now.
10.
When did you propose that objective?
- When I came to Earth.
NOTE: Since he proposed the objective when he came to
Earth it means that he had achieved a prior progress and his
soul was not born at the same time as the body. This sponta-
neous answer couldn’t have been provoked by the nature of
the question or by the thought of the interlocutor.
11. Have you chosen this worldly existence?
- There were many candidates for this mission. I begged the
Being by Excellence to concede it to me and I got it.
12. Do you remember your existence prior to the one that you have
just left?
- Yes. It happened far from Earth, in a world very different
from yours.
13. Is that world equal, inferior or superior to Earth?
- I am sorry. It is superior.
14. We know that our world is far from perfection and hence we don’t
feel humiliated by the fact that there are other worlds above us.
However, how would you have come to a world inferior to yours?
- One does not give to the rich. I wanted to give therefore I came to the poor’s shanty.
15. Could you give us a description of the living beings that inhabit
the world where you lived?
- A little while ago I wanted to tell you that but then I un-
derstood that I would have great difficulty in perfectly ex-
plaining it to you. The beings are good, very good there. You
already know that point, the basis of the whole moral sys-
tem of those worlds. Nothing blocks the development of the
good thoughts there; nothing stimulates the recollection of
bad thoughts; it is complete happiness since everyone is con-
tent with oneself and with those who surround them. With respect to the matter and to the senses any description would
be useless. How much of a simplification in the engines of so-
ciety! Now that I am capable of comparing the two; I am sur-
prised by the distance. Do not think that I say so in order to
discourage you. No. Much to the contrary. It is necessary that
your spirit be very much convinced of the existence of those
worlds. You will then feel an ardent desire to reach them and
your work will pave the way.
16. Is that world part of our planetary system?
- Yes. It is very close to you. However, you cannot see it since
it has no light of its own and does not receive nor reflects the
light from other stars that surround it.
17. A short while ago you said that your prior existence was far away
from us and now you say that world is very close. How can these
two things be conciliated?
- It is far from you if you take into account your distances, the
worldly measures. However, it is close if you use God’s ruler
and if from a single gaze you try to embrace the whole creation.
NOTE: Evidently if we take by comparison the dimensions of
our globe we can then consider it far away but it is close with respect to other globes that are located at unimaginable distances.
18. Can you be specific about the region in the sky where it is located?
- It would be useless. The astronomers will never find it.
19. Is the density of that planet the same as ours?
- The ratio is of a thousand to ten.
20. Is that planet of the same nature as the comets?
- No, absolutely.
21. If it hasn’t got its own light and if it does not reflect solar light
then it is in eternal obscurity?
- The beings that inhabit it do not absolutely need light. There
is no obscurity to them; they don’t understand it. Since you are
blind you think that nobody else may have the sense of vision.
22. According to certain spirits, planet Jupiter is much superior to
Earth. Is that true?
- Yes. Everything you were told is true.
23. Have you ever seen Arago again, after you returned to the spirits’
world?
- It was him who reached out to me when I left your world.
24. Have you known Spiritism during your life?
- Not Spiritism. Magnetism, yes.
25. What is your opinion about the future of Spiritism among the
scientific organizations?
- Grandiose. But its path will be rough.
26. Do you think that the scientific institutes will one day accept it?
- Certainly. However, do you see that as indispensable? You
must first endeavor to implant its principles in the hearts of
the unfortunate ones that are plentiful in your world. It is the
balsam that mitigates despair and gives hope.
NOTE: François Arago, evoked on May 27th, through another
medium, gave the following answers to similar questions:
Q – When alive, what was your opinion about Spiritism?
A – I hardly knew it and thus did not give it much importance.
You yourself can now judge if I have changed opinion.
Q – Do you think that it may one day be accepted and
recognized by the scientific organizations, that is, by the official
science, since many scholars do personally accept it?
A – I not only think but I am sure. It will follow the fate
of all discoveries that are useful to humanity. Mocked in the
beginning by the proud scholars and by the silly ignorant, it
will be acknowledged by everyone in the end.
27. What is your opinion about the sun that illuminates us?
- I have not learned much here yet in the field of Science.
However, I continue to think that the Sun is no more than a
vast electrical center.
28. Is such opinion the result of the ideas you had as a man or is it
your opinion as a spirit?
- It is my opinion since I was alive, reinforced by what I feel
now.
29. Considering that you came from a world superior to Earth, how
come you did not acquire accurate knowledge about these things,
before your last existence, which you could remember now?
- I certainly had them. Nevertheless, what you have just asked
me has no relationship with all that I was able to learn in my
existences prior to this one that I have just left, so different
from the others. Astronomy, for example, was a completely
new science to me.
30. Many spirits have told us that they inhabited or had inhabited other
planets. None, however, said to have inhabited the Sun. Why?
- The Sun is an electrical center, not a world. It is an instrument,
not a dwelling.
- Then it has no inhabitants?
- Permanent inhabitants, no. Visitors, yes.
31. Is it possible that after some time, when you have been able to
carry out new observations, you may give us better information
about the nature of the Sun?
- Yes, perhaps and with pleasure. However, do not count much
on me since I will not remain roaming for long.
32. Where do you think you are going to when you leave your current
state?
- God allows me to rest for a while. I will take the opportunity
to review very dear friends who wait for me. Then, I know
nothing else.
33. With your permission, we would still like to ask you a few questions
that your knowledge of Natural History will no doubt allow
you to respond.
- The mimosa pudica (sensitive) and the Venus flytrap show
movements that indicate a great sensitivity, and in certain cases a certain will, like in the last one whose leaves catch the
insects that land on them, seeking their juice. It seems that
the plant prepares a trap to later kill the insect. Our question
is that if such plants are endowed by any ability to think; if
they have a will; if they form an intermediary class between
the vegetable and the animal state. In one word, do they represent
a transition from one to the other?
- Everything in nature is transition by the simple fact that
nothing is the same, despite the fact that it is all interconnected.
Those plants do not think and consequently do
not have a will. The oyster that opens up as well as all zoophytes
absolutely does not think. All they have is a natural
instinct.
34. When the plant is hurt does it feel any pain?
- No.
NOTE: One member of the Society voices an opinion that the movements
of the sensitive plants are similar to those produced by the
digestive and circulatory systems of the animal organism that occur
involuntarily. In fact, don’t we see the pylorus contracting in the presence
of certain bodies, denying entry? The same must happen with
the sensitive and the Venus flytrap plants in which the movements do
not imply the need for a perception and even less the need for a will.
35. Are there fossils of humans?
- Time has gradually destroyed them.
36. Do you admit the fact that there were humans on Earth before
the geological floodwaters?
- It would be better if you had clearer explanations about this
subject before framing the question. There were humans on
Earth before several floods.
37. Adam then was not the first man?
- Adam is a myth. Where do you place Adam?
38. Myth or non-myth I speak about the period that history assigns
to him.
- It is hard for you to assess. It is actually impossible for you to
evaluate the number of years over which the first human being
lived in a savage and animal state, which did not end but
after a long time since their first appearance on Earth.
39. Will Geology one day find the material traces of the existence of
humans on Earth before Adam’s times?
- Not Geology, but common sense.
40. The evolution of the organic kingdom on Earth is marked by
the successive appearance of the acotyledons, the monocotyledons,
and the dicotyledons. Did human beings exist before the
dicotyledons?
- No, their phase followed that.
41. We thank you for your kindness in attending our call, as well as
the teachings.
- It was a pleasure. Good-bye. So long.
NOTE: This communication is distinguished by a general character
of goodness, benevolence and great modesty, a sign of undeniable
superiority of the spirit. There is not one single trace of
vanity, swagger, desire to dominate, to impose, typically present
in the answer of the pseudo-wise spirits, always driven by preconceived
ideas and systems that they try to impose. Everything and
even the most beautiful thoughts breathe simplicity and absence
of pretension in the spirit of Mr. Humboldt.
Goethe
PARISIAN SOCIETY OF SPIRITIST STUDIES
March 25th, 1859
1. Evocation
- I am with you.
2. What is your situation as a spirit: errant or reincarnate?
- Errant.
3. Are you happier than when you were alive?
- Yes, since I am separated from the dense body and I can now
see what I could not before.
4. It seems to me that you were not in an unfortunate condition
when alive. Where thus the superiority of your present situation?
- I have just said that. You, the followers of Spiritism, must
understand such a situation.
5. What is your current opinion about the Faust?
- It is a piece of work whose objective was to show the vanity
and emptiness of human Science and, on another hand, exalt
the feeling of love in its beauty and purity, condemning what
it showed as immoral and evil.
6. Was it a kind of intuition of Spiritism that led you to describe the
influence of the bad spirits over human beings? How could you
have made such a description?
- I had an almost perfect memory of a world where I saw the
spirits exercising their influence over the material beings.
7. Did you then have the recollection of a preceding existence?
- Yes, certainly.
8. Can you tell us if that existence was on Earth?
- No, since one cannot see the spirits in action here. It was really
in another world.
9. However, since you could see the spirits in action it should be in
a world superior to Earth. How come you ended up in an inferior
planet? Have you fallen? Kindly explain.
- It was a superior world to a certain extent, but not as you understand
it. Not all worlds have the same organization and yet
there is no great superiority just because of that. Furthermore,
you know that I had a mission among you that you cannot
ignore, since you still play my works. There was no falling
down considering that I served and still serve to help your
moralization. I applied what I had of superior from that preceding
world, in order to improve the passions of my heroes.
10. Yes, your work is still played. Just recently The Faust was adapted
to an opera. Have you seen that?
- Yes.
11. Can you give us your opinion about the way Mr. Gounod interpreted
your thoughts through music?
- Gounod evoked me, without knowing it. He understood me
very well. As a German musician I would not have done better.
Perhaps he thinks as a French musician.
12. What do you think about the Werther?
- I now reproach the end part.
13. Wouldn’t such a work have caused a lot of harm, exalting passions?
- It did and caused disgraces.
14. It was the cause of many suicides. Would you be responsible for that?
- Since there was a wicked influence spread by me, it is exactly
for what I suffer and regret.
15. It seems to me that when alive you showed great aversion towards
the French. Do you still have it today?
- I am very patriotic.
16. Are you still more connected to a country than to the others?
- I love Germany for its thoughts and for its almost patriarchal
tradition.
17. Do you want to give your opinion about Schiller?
- We are brothers in spirit and through our missions. Schiller had
a great and noble soul, reflected in his works. He did less harm
than I did. He is my superior for he was simpler and truer.
18. Could you give us your opinion about the French poets in general,
comparing them to the German ones? This is not a vain feeling
of curiosity but the search for our instruction. We consider your
feelings really elevated thus needless to ask for your impartiality,
leaving aside any national prejudice.
- You are curious but I want to satisfy this curiosity. The
modern French frequently write beautiful poems but employ
more nice words than good ideas. They should dedicate
more to the feelings than to the minds. I speak in general but
make exceptions to some: a great poor poet, among others.
19. A name was whispered in the audience. Is that the one you talk about?
- Poor or that simulates poverty.
20. We would like to obtain a dissertation from you about a subject of
your choice, for our instruction. Could you kindly dictate something
to us?
- I will do it later, through other mediums. Evoke me on another
occasion.
Black Father Cesar
Father Cesar was a black free man, deceased on February 8th, 1859, at
the age of 138 years, near the town of Covington, in the USA, born
in Africa and taken to Louisiana at the age of 15. The remains of that patriarch
of the black race were carried to the cemetery by a certain number
of Covington’s inhabitants and a large number of black people.
Parisian Society, March 25th, 1859
1. (to St. Louis) – Could you kindly tell us if we could evoke Father
Cesar that we have just mentioned?
- Yes. I will help him to respond.
NOTE: This start leads to a supposition about the condition
of the spirit that we wanted to interrogate.
2. (Evocation).
- What do you want from me? What can a poor spirit like me
do in a meeting like yours?
3. Are you happier now than when you were alive?
- Yes, because my situation on Earth was not good.
4. However you were free. In which sense you feel happier now?
- Because my spirit is no longer black.
NOTE: This answer is more sensible than it seems at first sight.
The spirit is certainly never black. He means that as a spirit he no
longer suffers the humiliations to which the black race is submitted.
5. You lived a long life. Did you take advantage of that for your
progress?
- I felt upset while on Earth but at a certain age I did not suffer
enough to be fortunate to progress.
6. How do you employ your time now?
- I try to enlighten myself and find out in which body I can
achieve that.
7. What did you think of the white men when alive?
- They are good but lighthearted and proud of a “whiteness”
that is not their call.
8. Do you eventually consider the whiteness as superiority?
- Yes, since I was neglected for being black.
9. (to St. Louis) – Is the black race really inferior?
- The black race will disappear from Earth. It was made for
latitude that is different from yours.
10. (to father Cesar)
– You said that you are looking for a body with
which you could advance. Will you pick a white or black body?
- A white one since the abandonment would hurt me.
11. Did you really live up to the age attributed to you, of 138 years?
- I don’t know exactly for the reason that you mentioned.
NOTE: We had just made considerations about the age of the
black people that could only be calculated approximately since
there was no civil registration, especially for those born in Africa.
12. (to St. Louis) – Is it true that the whites sometimes reincarnate in
black bodies?
- Yes. When, for example, a master has mistreated a slave, he
may ask to live in the body of a black person, as atonement, so
as to suffer the same that he had made suffer, then advancing
and obtaining God’s forgiveness through that.