Correspondence – Mr. Jobard

 In this section some matches of interest are presented. The first of these is a letter from Mr. Jobard (Marcellin Jobard), a true proclamation of his beliefs in Spiritism:

I eagerly receive and read your Spiritist Magazine and recommend it to my friends, not the simple reading, but the in-depth study of your Spirits' Book. I am very sorry that my physical concerns do not leave me time for metaphysical studies, although I have taken them far enough to feel how much you are close to the absolute truth, especially when I see the perfect coincidence that exists between the answers they give us – you and me. The very spirits who personally attribute to you the writing of your writings are stunned by the depth and logic they find there..

As for me, who know the phenomenon and your loyalty, I do not doubt the accuracy of the explanations given to you and I abjure all the ideas I published about it, when, with Mr. Babinet, I thought that there were only physical phenomena or antics unworthy of the attention of the sages.

Do not be discouraged, as I am not discouraged, by the indifference of your contemporaries. What is written is written; what is sown will germinate. The idea that life is an attunement of souls, a test and an atonement, is great, consoling, progressive and natural.

In response, Kardec praises Mr. Jobard, being such a recognized man, asks him about the possibility of publishing his “adherence” to the Spiritist Magazine.    

It is important, first, to note Kardec's nature: The compliments contained in Mr. Jobard would have made it impossible for us to publish it if they had been addressed to us personally.    

In response, Jobard would have said he was “humiliated” by Kardec's questions, as if he felt compared to fools. However, consciously informing himself of the difficulties of the supporters of new ideas, he reaffirms his decisions, making an interesting and profound digression.

About magnetism, more than forty years ago, I made this simple reasoning: It is impossible for such worthy men to write thousands of volumes to make me believe in the existence of a non-existent thing.. So I experimented for a long time, but in vain, while I had no faith in obtaining what I sought. I was, however, well rewarded for my perseverance, for I succeeded in producing all the phenomena of which I heard. Then I took a break of fifteen years. The tables had appeared and I wanted to get a clear idea. Today Spiritism appears and I act in the same way.

When something new comes along, I'll run with the same zeal I use to keep up with all modern discoveries. It is curiosity that drives me, and I regret that savages are not curious, for they remain savages. Curiosity is the mother of instruction.

I know perfectly well that this fever to learn has hurt me a lot. and that if I had remained in that respectable mediocrity that leads to honors and fortune, I would have taken my share, but long ago I said, to myself, that I thought I was just passing through this ordinary hostel, where it's not worth packing. What made me painlessly bear the adversities, injustices and robberies of which I was a privileged victim, was the idea that there is no happiness or misfortune here that is worthy of being happy or grieving.

I saw it evoke a living person. She had a syncope until her Spirit returned. Evoke me, to see what I will say to you. Also invoke Dr. Muhr, died in Cairo on 4 June. He was a great spiritist and homeopathic physician. Ask him if he still believes in gnomes. It is certainly in Jupiter, for it was a great Spirit, even here on Earth; a true prophet to teach, and my best friend. Is he happy with the obituary I wrote him?    

Note: Kardec makes the evocation and presents it in the November 1858 edition