The remains of the Middle Age
BURNING AT THE STAKE OF SPIRITIST BOOKS IN BARCELONA
(Spiritist Magazine, November 1861)
We are not informing our readers about anything that they have not already seen through the press. What is remarkable is that newspapers which are apparently well informed have doubted it. The doubt does not surprise us as the fact itself seems so much strange in the contemporary world; it is so much far from our costumes that however much blindness we admit in fanatism, we seem to be daydreaming on hearing that the burning stakes of the Inquisition are still lighting up in 1861, just next door to France. Under these circumstances, the doubt is a tribute to the European civilization, to the Catholic clergy itself. Today, in the presence of an incontestable reality, what is truly remarkable is the fact that a serious newspaper, that daily bashes the abuse and invasion of the sacerdotal power, in order to highlight this fact had only a few words of censorship, adding: “Nevertheless, it would not be us who would have fun at this moment, by making tables turn in Spain” (Le Siècle, October 14th 1861). Then the Siècle is still seeing Spiritism in the turning tables? Is that paper also sufficiently blinded by skepticism to ignore that a whole philosophical Doctrine, eminently progressive, has come out of those tables, so much mocked about? They still don’t know that such an idea is fermenting everywhere; that all over the place, in the large cities as well as in small towns, in high or low social echelons, in France and abroad, that idea spreads with an extraordinary speed; that everywhere it agitates the crowds that salute the dawn of a social renovation? Isn’t the blow against it, that some judged to have hurt it, isn’t that an indication of its importance? Nobody throws such a blow against something childish and without consequences and Don Quixote has not gone back to Spain to fight the windmills.
What is not less exorbitant, and we are surprised that there has been no strong protest against it, is the strange pretension that the Bishop of Barcelona embodies, of policing France. The request for devolution of the books was answered by a denial justified as follows: “The Catholic Church is universal and as these books are against the Catholic faith, the government must not allow that they may pervert the moral and the religions of other countries”. Thus, there you have a foreign Bishop that entitled himself judge of what is convenient or not convenient to France! Then the sentence was maintained and executed, without even exempting the addressee of the customs’ taxes, which were duly charged.
Here the report that was addressed to us, personally:
“Today, October ninth of eighteen sixty one, at 10 am, at the Barcelona’s esplanade, in the place where criminals condemned to the capital punishment are executed, and by the order of the Bishop of this city, three hundred books and brochures about Spiritism were burned down, as follows:
The Spiritist Magazine, Director Allan Kardec;
The Spiritualist Magazine, Director Piérard;
The Spirits’ Book, by Allan Kardec;
“The MEDIUMS’ BOOK, by same;
“What is Spiritism, by the same;
“Fragments of the sonata, dictated by the spirit of Mozart;
“Letter of a Catholic about Spiritism, by Dr. Grand;
“The story of Joan of Arc, dictated by herself to Ms. Ermance Dufaux;
“The reality of the spirits, demonstrated by direct writing, by Baron of Goldenstubbe.
“Witnessed the burning at the stake:
“A clergy man wearing sacerdotal garments, with a cross in one hand and a torch in the other
“A scrivener in charge of writing the minutes of the event;
“The secretary to the scrivener;
“A high official of the Customs’ administration;
“Three agents of Customs, in charge of tending the fire;
“A Customs’ agent, in charge of representing the owner of the books, condemned by the bishop.
“A huge crowd on the sidewalks and covering the immense esplanade, where the bonfire was lit.
“When the fire destroyed the three hundred Spiritist books or brochures, the priest and his helpers left, followed by the booing and cursing of numerous persons present, who shouted: Down with the Inquisition!
“Then, several people approached the fire and collected the ashes”.
Part of those ashes were sent to us where there is a fragment of the Spirits’ Book, half burned, that we preciously keep as a witness to this authentic act of senselessness.
Despite any opinion, this fact raises grave concern regarding the international law. We acknowledge that the Spanish government has the right to refuse entry into its territory of books that are not convenient, as with all prohibited merchandise. Were the books clandestine or had they entered fraudulently there was nothing to say, but they were ostensively expedited and proofs shown to Customs officials. Then there was permission, legally requested. Customs then found obliged to report to the Episcopal authority that, without any form of legal process, condemned the books to the fire, by the hands of an executioner. Then the addressee’s requests that the books be returned to the place of origin and finally he hears that his requested was denied. We ask if such a destruction of that property, under those circumstances, isn’t an arbitrary act and against common rights.
Having the case examined from the point of view of its consequences, we shall say that there is no doubt that nothing could be more favorable to Spiritism, for starters. The persecution has always been useful to the idea that one is willing to banish. Its importance is exalted by persecution, the attention of those who ignored it is drawn and it becomes known. Thanks to this imprudent zeal everybody in Spain will hear about Spiritism and will wish to know what it is. This is all we want. One can burn books but cannot burn ideas. The flames of the fire super excite rather than asphyxiate them. When an idea is great and generous if finds thousands of hearts ready to aspire for it. Despite what has been done, Spiritism already has profound and numerous roots in Spain. The ashes of that bonfire will make it fructify. But it is not only in Spain that such a result will take place. The whole world will feel its consequences. Several newspapers in Spain stigmatized that backward act, as it deserves to be. The paper Las Novedades de Madrid, from October 19th, carries a remarkable article with that respect, which shall be reproduced in our next issue of the Magazine.
Spiritists of all countries! Don’t forget the date October 9th, 1861. It shall be marked in the calendar of Spiritism. May it be a day of festivity not sorrow to you, since it is the guarantor of your forthcoming triumph!
Among the multiple communications regarding the subject, dictated by the spirits, we shall cite the two following ones, spontaneously given in the Parisian Society. They gather the causes and all consequences of this act.
ABOUT THE BURNING AT THE STAKE OF BARCELONA
“The love of the truth must always be heard. It tears the veil and simultaneously shines everywhere. Spiritism has become known by all. It will soon be considered and practiced. The more persecution there is the faster this sublime Doctrine shall reach the apogee. Its cruelest enemies, the enemies of Christ and progress, behave in such a way that nobody may ignore that God allows those who have left the Earth of exile to return, close to those that they loved. Be assured that the bonfires will extinguish themselves, and if the books are thrown to the fire, the immortal thought outlives that”.
DOLLET
NOTE: This spirit, who manifested spontaneously, said that he was an old book seller of the XVI century.
ANOTHER
“Something was needed to harm with a violent strike certain incarnated Spirits, so that they would decide to engage into this great Doctrine that shall regenerate the world. In that sense nothing is done uselessly on Earth, and we who inspired the “burning at the stake” of Barcelona, we knew well that by so acting we contributed to a large step forward.
This brutal fact, incredible in the current days, was realized so as to attract the attention of journalists who were indifferent before the profound agitation taking place in the cities and Spiritist Centers. They let it be but were adamant on turning their blind eyes, responding with silence to the desire of propaganda from the followers of Spiritism.
Willingly or not they need to speak up now. Some, attesting the historic case of Barcelona, and others denying them, gives rise to a controversy which shall go around the world and from which only Spiritism will benefit. That is why today the back end of Inquisition has practiced its last Auto de Fé. It was because we wanted so.”
Saint Dominic