appendix — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Appendix I. On Rotating Tables (tables tournantes)
- A few years ago (especially the years 1852-53-54), first in America, then in all Europe, indeed in the whole world, the most astonishing portents of rotating tables became widely known. In the beginning tables, or even any other movable things, were seen to turn in a circle, while they were touched by the joined fingertip of those standing around. But soon tables appeared which, one or the other foot being raised on high, by striking the ground and by other signs exhibited responses to those questioning; and not long afterward they satisfied questions also about things entirely unknown, or future, or even accomplished outside the present life, by writing on paper placed beneath, by the help of an attached pen.
Then astonished pious men, who perhaps at first had thought that in rotating tables there was a merely physical phenomenon, undoubtedly recognized a diabolical work and an infernal divination. Nor was there any delay: that practice of interrogating tables was condemned by several Bishops as full of superstitions and dangers.
- And indeed whatever may be the case concerning the simple motion of tables, which at some time could seem physical 1, provided it is not made at the command of the will, the other effects, so astonishing, are in no way to be attributed to the powers of material nature, but wholly to a cause endowed with intellect. For does anyone propose questions to a wooden or marble table, and expect a response from the same? There is no one who would be so insane; and therefore the common persuasion deservedly prevailed that the matter is conducted with spirits, by whom the tables themselves are moved; and for this reason they were called knocking spirits (esprits frappeurs). Now those spirits cannot be good spirits; for it would be blasphemous to assert that Angels or Saints, enjoying eternal happiness, intervene in these childish games of men, obey their vain will, and satisfy their most foolish curiosity. Moreover it would be asserted entirely impiously that God, who abominates divination and has prohibited it so severely, permits that the citizens of heaven serve it. Therefore spirits of this kind must be called evil spirits, cursed by God eternally, who continually lay snares for men. Now is it not horrendous to have such fellowship with unclean spirits, to invoke them with prayers, and thus to exhibit true worship to them? Is not that the crime of divination, which was prohibited by God as a great abomination?
1 That certain persons wished to inquire, indeed to direct all the powers of their mind to this, that they might assign these phenomena to some natural cause, if any could be found, could perhaps be attributed to praise. But that seriously at last they attributed effects of this kind to powers exerted from the extremity of the fingers, either on account of imperceptible impulses of the nerves, or on account of the motion of an artery, or on account of some imagined magnetic force (all of which indeed were afterward repudiated even by those who first devised them through empty conjectures), and that not a few, otherwise sensible men, seemed to admit these things as in some way plausible - this indeed it is uncertain whether it brings more grief or shame to our age. To these vain fantasies indeed it is really due that the common people did not receive prestiges of this kind with the horror with which it was fitting, and being childishly delighted with them as with a kind of game, opened wide access to a more notable fraud of the demon, namely of giving responses through tables, more stupid even than the stupid pagans themselves, by as much as it is a grosser stupidity to have expected some response from wooden tables than oracles from Pythian seers.
- Moreover, how many terrors of soul, how many detractions and calumnies concerning the neighbor, how many dissensions and disgraces of families, how many errors and apostasies from the true Faith, how many dangers of eternal salvation have arisen from this impious and pestiferous divination! Yet it must be acknowledged that not absolutely all things which are attributed to tables are true. Sometimes human fraud has crept in for deceiving the simple. But in so great a number of portents of this kind, very many are altogether undoubted, since they have been proved by most approved witnesses worthy of all faith. Although sometimes fraud was present, nevertheless where the thing is conducted as true, this in no way excuses from crime.
Nor is it right to interrogate tables or other things of this kind for the sake of experiment or jest. For it is not lawful to attempt an experiment in a thing evidently evil, nor to amuse oneself concerning it. And to this indeed pertains that excellent saying of St. Peter Chrysologus: He who wishes to jest with the devil will not be able to rejoice with Christ. - V. Casus, n. 271.
Concerning this matter see, among other things, the work of D. de Mirville, whose title is: Des Esprits et de leurs manifestations fluidiques.