The mediumistic
phenomenon
through the ages
We present in this issue
the topic #97 from the
Systematized Study of
the Spiritist Doctrine,
that is being presented
weekly, according to the
programme elaborated by
the Brazilian Spiritist
Federation (FEB),
structured in 6 modules
and 147 topics.
If the reader uses this
program for a study
group, we suggest that
questions proposed be
discussed freely before
the reading of the text
that follows. If you
would like to study
alone, we ask you to try
to answer the questions
at first and only then
read the text that
follows. The answer key
can be found at the end
of the lesson.
Questions
1. Did the mediumistic
phenomenon start with
the Spiritism?
2. What does determine
the attraction of
spirits for the
different people?
3. Which figures of the
Old Testament stood out
for their mediumistic
abilities?
4. Is the mediumistic
phenomenon strange to
Christianity?
5. Mention the names of
some famous mediums that
history recorded.
Text
The prophetism in Israel
was a transcendental
striking phenomenon
1. The mediumistic
phenomenon did not start
with the Spiritism once
we find references about
it in the most remote
times in the history of
mankind. Some of them
were considered
miraculous facts; others
were attributed to
demonic beings.
2. What is worthy of
emphasis is that in all
ages of mankind we have
been assisted by higher
spirits who seek
boosting us to the moral
and intellectual
progress. The ancients,
of course, made these
spirits special gods.
Muses were nothing more
that the allegorical
personification of
Science’s and Arts’
protectors, as the gods
Lares and Penates
symbolized the
protectors of the
families. Even today,
arts, different
industries,
institutions, cities and
countries also have
their patrons, who are
nothing more than higher
spirits under different
names.
3. Regarding to the
peoples, what determines
the attraction of
spirits for them are the
customs, the habits, the
dominant character and
the laws that govern
them. Studying the
habits of the people or
any assembly of people,
it is easy to deduce
what kind of invisible
population interfere in
their way of thinking
and actions.
4. Léon Denis says that
the prophetism in
Israel, from Moses to
Jesus, was one of the
most remarkable
transcendental phenomena
in history. The origin
of the Prophetism was
marked by an impressive
demonstration reported
by the Old Testament.
Moses had chosen 70
elders, and when placed
them around the
tabernacle, Jehovah, one
of the spiritual
protectors of the Jewish
people and of Moses in
particular, revealed his
presence in a cloud.
Several mediumistic
facts occurred on the
Pentecost’s day
5. As no one ignores,
Moses was a seer and
auditive medium, and
thanks to such abilities
he could see and hear
Jehovah in the brier of
the
Horeb
and on the Mount
Sinai. The mediumistic
phenomenas in his life,
because of that, were
numerous and
significant. The leader
of the Hebrews heard
voices when he inclined
in front of the
propitiatory Ark of the
Covenant. He received at
Sinai, written on the
tombstone, the tablets
of law. Powerful
magnetiser, fulminated a
fluidic discharge
against revolted Hebrews
in the desert. Inspired
medium, sang a wonderful
song after the defeat of
the Pharaoh. And
presented a special kind
of mediumship – the
luminous transfiguration
- when, coming down from
the Sinai had on his
forehead a halo of
light.
6. Samuel, another
Jewish prophet, when
sleeping in the temple
was often awakened by
voices calling him; they
spoke to him in the
silence of the night and
announced the things of
the future. Ezra fully
reconstructed the Bible
that had been lost, with
the aid of a spirit. The
entire book of Job is
full of clarifications
and mediumistic
inspirations and his own
life, tormented by
unhappy spirits, is a
subject that deserves
accurate studies. And
beyond these, we can
mention Daniel, Elijah,
Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah
and many others.
7. The history of the
mediumship of Jews
prophets reached its
culmination with the
coming of Jesus. The
passage of the Master on
Earth reveals, in every
moment, the constant
exchange with the
Superior Plan, in talks
with emissaries of high
strain or addresses to
afflicted disincarnated,
in the rescue of the
obsesses of the way, but
also on the team of
companions, to whom he
presented in person,
after death. And the
disciples themselves
would live with the
mediumistic phenomenon,
especially after the
extraordinary events
recorded on the day of
Pentecost which is
celebrated immediately
after the Easter of
resurrection.
8. Emmanuel says that on
that day, and informs
the book of Acts
(Chapter 2, verses 1 to
13), the apostles who
remained loyal to the
Lord became notable
mediums, when they
combined their forces,
the spiritual emissaries
of Jesus produced,
through them, physical
phenomena in large
quantities, as
illuminated signs and
direct voices, and facts
of psicophony
and xenoglossy in which
the teachings of the
Gospel were dictated in
several languages,
simultaneously, to the
Israelis of various
origins.
Mohammed wrote the Koran
aided by a Spirit
9. The mediumistic
phenomenon was not
confined, however, to
the Israeli people. In
old Greece, the great
Socrates, according to
what his disciples
reported, used to talk
to an invisible friend
who accompanied him
constantly. Nero, in the
last days of his reign,
he saw himself out of
his carnal body, with
Agrippina and Ottawa,
both murdered by his
order, to foretell the
fall in the abyss. In
the silence of the
desert, Muhammad, the
founder of Islam, wrote
the Qur'an (or Koran)
under the dictation of a
spirit, who in order to
be heard, took the name
and the appearance of
the angel
Gabriel.
10. In the Middle Ages,
a period known for its
obscurantism, the
mediums - except those
who were raised to the
category of saints -
were persecuted and
maltreated as wizards.
In their adventures,
Christopher Columbus was
guided by an invisible
genius, and because of
this, he was called a
visionary, but at times
of great difficulties,
he used to hear an
unknown voice that
stimulated him to
continue.
11. The life of Joan of
Arc is in the memory of
us all. History reports
that invisible beings
inspired and directed
her. Apparitions
appeared before her,
heavenly voices
whispered in her ears.
Still in the Middle Ages
other important mediums
were revealed. Dante,
under spiritual
influence, wrote "The
Divine Comedy." Tasso,
inspired by the Spirit
of Ariosto, composed the
poem Renaud. Milton
writes "Paradise Lost".
Shakespeare speaks of
apparitions Hamlet.
12. In the eighteenth
century, stands out in
Europe, the psychic
Emmanuel Swedenborg, who
first described in
details the spiritual
world. In the nineteenth
century, when the
Spiritism would be
finally encoded,
remarkable mediums were
reincarnated as Andrew
Jackson Davis, Kate Fox,
Eusapia Paladino, Slade,
Amalia Domingo Soler,
Stainton Moses, Florence
Cook, Madame d'Esperance,
Julie Baudin, Caroline
and Daniel Baudin
Dunglas Home, and many
others, and we don’t
mention here none of the
Brazilian mediums, such
as Chico Xavier, Zé
Ariga, Yvonne A.
Pereira, Peixotinho,
Zilda Range and Divaldo
Franco, which show us
that in the genesis and
in the history of
Judaism, of
Christianity, Islam and
of Spiritism the
mediumship and
mediumistic phenomenon
exerted and still exerts
an important role.
Answer
Key
1. Did the mediumistic
phenomenon start with
the Spiritism?
A.: No, once we find
references about it in
the most remote times in
the history of mankind.
Some of them were
considered miraculous
facts; others were
attributed to demonic
beings.
2. What does determine
the attraction of
spirits for the
different people?
A.: What determines the
attraction of spirits
for them are the
customs, the habits, the
dominant character and
the laws that govern
them. Studying the
habits of the people or
any assembly of people,
it is easy to deduce
what kind of invisible
population interfere in
their way of thinking
and actions.