November 2006 Newsletter

Edgar Crespo, Our Founder

An American Spiritist Pioneer

Written by Yvonne Crespo Limoges

Edgar Crespo comes from a long line of Spiritists. His great grandfather Juan Ramon Crespo (a poet and medium) was imprisoned three times for practicing Spiritism in the 1800s by the Spanish government and, his grandmother was a Spiritist medium as well.

He and his sister Angelica attended a Spiritist Center as children with their parents. His father served once as Treasurer and his mother

always worked as an unconscious trance and healing medium, especially for people with sight problems.

They attended The Center for the Liberty of Spiritism originally established in 1933 in New York City founded by Mrs. Pilar Perez, who was the Director until her death. The Center used the books by Allan Kardec in following the Spiritist Doctrine. They owned their building that had three floors. Each week was held: Sunday classes for children (generally around 30 kids), Monday evening was the mediums class, Wednesday was sessions only for the mediums, and Fridays were open to the public. Of course, all classes and services were free of charge. The approximately 50 to 60 members also participated in many social activities outside the center (tour boat rides down the Hudson River and picnics at state parks). They even held an annual parade down Madison Avenue. The Spiritist Center was still meeting with a few older members as late as the early 1980’s.

Mr. Crespo could sense and see spirits as a child. Later on, after serving in the military, college, and getting married, his mediumship started to develop more strongly so he attended mediumship classes at the center eventually became an excellent full working trance medium. Yet, a better job to support his family lead him to move to St. Petersburg, Florida where there were no Spiritist Centers. Nevertheless, he kept

The Spiritist Society of Florida, October Newsletter 2006studying Spiritism and continued with his inspirational and spirit communication writings.

Over the years, he corresponded with many Spiritists all over the world, attended and lectured at many Spiritist centers, and attended many international Spiritist conferences in various countries. He and his wife Yolanda went to England and visited Janet Duncan and her Spiritist Group, and he was very moved when he visited Allan Kardec’s gravesite in Paris.

He passed on the teachings of the Spiritist Doctrine to his family and close friends. Eventually, after some persuasion by his immediate family that he was worthy and capable enough to do so, he opened up his house in 1978 to family, close friends, and others who through word of mouth were interested in studying the Doctrine. He wrote and passed out articles regarding Spiritism, many times translating as he went along, for there was not much in English at the time. As word got around about the group from attendees, Mr. Crespo was asked to give lectures and classes on Spiritism at Spiritualist and metaphysical churches and he did for years, with some reverends attending our group. He also gave some lectures at parapsychology classes.

President John Zerio, of The Allan Kardec Educational Society visited his home with world famous medium Franco Divaldo during their tours around the USA. My mother made Divaldo, per his request, her black beans for dinner. Mr. Crespo worked in the Allan Kardec Educational Society’s first edition translation project of Allan Kardec’s The Spirits Book.

By 1982, we were The Spiritist Society of Florida and Mr. Crespo was supplying Spiritist material to three Spiritist centers in Texas after making contact with them through his friend David, a member there. Janet Duncan from England visited our group and gave a wonderful talk on Spiritism and her spiritual work. Some members developed into mediums after study and strict training under Mr. Crespo’s instruction and mentoring, including myself. Jacqueline Benenati (and her mother Charlotte) attended our group

since 1978 and Marian Bugasto joined us not much after that (Jackie & Marian have over 30 years experience as mediums). Several mediums have come and gone these many years due to death or they had to move. Many members have been with us since the beginning. Mr. Crespo started our newsletter and later I took over. The group attending at my father’s house grew too large and we needed a place to meet that would accommodate our numbers. We went to see Reverend Fisher at The Temple of Love and Healing and she graciously accepted our request to rent space at her church for our monthly meetings and we still meet there.

Mr. Crespo translated into American English the classic book Memoirs of Father Germain from Spain written by famous Spiritist Amalia Domingo Soler. She had written down the spirit communications of a French priest who lived in 17th century France while she attended her Spiritist Center La Buena Nueva (The Good News) in the 1880s. This book, copyrighted and published this year, and has been a great success. It is in the form of a heart-warming novel yet teaches many morally profound lessons that academics have found inspiring. Father Germain was a medium and believed in reincarnation. It is also an excellent introductory book for people learning about Spiritism and is a pleasant read for teens that may find reading the Kardec books too tedious at first.

He also translated another book into American English entitled Practical Guide for Spiritists by the famous medium Miguel Vives also from Spain (Mr. Vives and Ms. Soler knew each other). Mr. Vives was one of the organizers of the first International Spiritualist Congress in Barcelona, Spain in 1888. Mr. Crespo’s translation of Mr. Vives’ book has been copyrighted and is being edited and should be ready for publishing early next year.

Now, Mr. Crespo steps down as Director yet what he began continues on and he leaves a wonderful spiritual legacy (reaching so many with Spiritist teachings) and his translated

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The Spiritist Society of Florida, October Newsletter 2006books are there for posterity. We are all very grateful and proud of his spiritual work. and accomplishments. If he had not started what he did, we would not be where we are today. He carried out his duties sincerely and faithfully to the best of his ability, in accordance with the Spiritist Doctrine, and we believe he will be greatly rewarded when he returns to the spirit world. Thank you, Dad, on behalf of us all!

A Thank You to Us!

My Dear friend Yvonne, Mike, and all the Friends at the SS of FL,

We would like to thank you, Yvonne, for the great and unforgettable weekend we spent in the pretty town of St. Petersburg, and especially for your kindness and love. We had hoped for a while for these moments and it finally came as a blessing for all the friendship, love, and kindness we received from you, your son Mike, and all the dedicated friends of The Spiritist Society of Florida.

The experience of participating in the meeting of the SS of FL was a great one and we could feel deep in our hearts the harmonious ambience that prevails in your activities, which certainly affords you all with a great support from the spiritual realm and can endow anyone who takes part in them with a great sense of fraternal love and understanding. This was the feeling that completely invaded our souls and we certainly learned a lot from the experience.

May God and the good spirits give you always the support you all need for the continuation of such a sacred and important task of spreading the teachings of this Doctrine, which is able to fill many hearts with love and hope for a better world and happiness on the road ahead.

Love you all,Marcia and Antonio

(Antonio Leite is one of the Editors of the virtual group of The Advanced Study Group of Spiritism, www.geae.inf.br/en/ - Come back soon! Y.L.)

Be Dignified

Written by Angelica Masiar

Quite by chance I turned on the TV and I listened intently to a wonderful man speak about his life and how his terrible traumas could have led him into a life of crime or decadence but instead he made the best lemonade out of very sour lemons. His name is Tavis Smiley and he wrote a book called What I Know for Sure. His talk about his life was inspiring. After listening to him, the following are thoughts that came to me.  

Life has many defining moments, they are crossroads in our lives and looking back on them we realize that at these crucial times we define ourselves by doing the right thing or not. The essential lesson is “even when you are justified you must be dignified.” This is a very profound statement, not mine but expressed by the above named author. It certainly gave me much food for thought. 

How many times are we offended at something someone says or does and how do we respond to it?  Do we think this individual is ignorant and needs to be spoken to in a kindly manner or do we strike out to offend back or to get even? Many of us will orally or even physically strike out when we are offendedbut is that a dignified way? Is that a loving way to respond? Sometimes, the best thing to do is ignore the person and dismiss them from our lives andjust leave. The other more difficult way is to try to talk to the person in a kindly and respectful way and try to make them see that there are other ways and words to use when we are offended or upset. 

Another thought that this author kept saying is that love is the only way we can make friends of enemies. This is a very profoundstatement that we have all heard before but that most of us don't really live by. We must all in our every day lives try harder to be kind, thoughtful, forgiving and most of all loving, in our interactions with all those that cross our lives every day. If we did live in this way always

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The Spiritist Society of Florida, October Newsletter 2006thinking of how others feel and how we would like to be treated, just think  “What a Wonderful World this could be!"

Age Written by Jacqueline Benenati

Age 60! This past October, I turned 60! Oh my, the BIG SIX O!!!!! More than once I was asked how did it feel to be 60 now. My answer was always the same. I don’t feel any different being 60 than I did when I turned age 59.

Age or the aging process has never mattered to me. Unless we died young, we’re all going to grow old. I have never dreaded birthdays and always have said that age doesn’t matter. If you don’t mind it, than it won’t matter.

I know people who struggle with each birthday and actually retreat from society until the day is over. How absurd!

The only things I do now on my birthday is give thanks to God for allowing me to stay here and try to accomplish what I set out to do coming here. Each day affords me the opportunity to be a better person morally and spiritually. In my heart I know that I will have to return to this planet to learn more and I pray that I am better equipped to handle life and its trials and tribulations.

Past Year Review

Spirit communication received by Y. Limoges

Let each one look back upon this year and review their lives. Did you overcome the trials you had and did they make you stronger or did you succumb to despair? Were you a better person this year than last year? Are there things you would have done differently in your life now that you have had time to think about them? Are there some not-so-nice habits or traits you wish to rid yourself of?

Know thyself. Think before you speak or act. Try to live more cautiously regarding your thoughts, words, and deeds. Let each year that goes by, be a year wherein you tried harder to be at least a little bit better of a person than the last.

You material life is shorter than you realize and every day counts.

Pray, When You Don’t Know What Else To Do

Spirit Communication Received by Y. Limoges

When you do not know what to do in an important situation, stop and just pray. This is an evocation to those who love you, your spirit guides and God. Life is full of anguish, suffering, pain of all kinds, and there are many daily decisions to be made as well. When you are upset and confused, knowing what to do can be very difficult.

That is the time to look up to the heavens and ask for inspiration from Up High. Your humility will be rewarded and help will always come. It may not be in the way you think or want, but be sure that action brings about a good result. So pray when you need assistance because this can be better than asking help from those just as full of human weaknesses and prejudices as yourself.

The spirits who love you, inspire in you good ideas, they bring their beneficial fluids and energies to bathe you in the light that comes from God. They assist by influencing situations that you believe come about only through coincidence. They can affect circumstances in your life in which you have no idea because their moral authority is superior to the will of humans.

Prayer is nourishment for the soul that it needs to sustain it while in this material world of yours. It gives it strength, solace, fortitude, a sense of well being; it can give it courage, and assist it in ways that may seem miraculous.

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The Spiritist Society of Florida, October Newsletter 2006In these troubled times, pray for yourself,

your loved ones, and for the planet that you live on. If everyone prayed more, the unity of power of those wonderful sentiments could change your world into a better place much faster.

We may be invisible to the most of you but do not doubt that we are there all around you. So pray, and invite a shower of goodness and purity to rain down upon you and all of humanity, for it so badly needs it.

A Prayer

Spirit communication received by Y. Limoges

Dear God, All Powerful, and my dear guardian angel who has been assigned to me from my birth (a spirit who especially watches over me) and to the other good spirits who also love me, I ask now for your guidance, inspiration, and protection. I greatly need your celestial assistance!

I realize that all people suffer on this backward planet, and each person has their just share of sorrow and tribulations, for nothing happens without just cause, as God is All Just. But, please give me the strength I may lack to support all that I must go through.

I know that prior to incarnating into this lifetime, I made the choice to accept the tests that I would be subjected to, and I decided that I would try and fulfill my duties and pay back any debts I may have incurred in past lives.

If there are any spirits about me who have malicious intent towards me, or, any who are in suffering, I bless them, forgive them, and pray that the good spirits take them to where they can receive the help I cannot provide. If I have wronged any spirits about me, I ask for their forgiveness and pray that God All Powerful and the morally superior spirits will open their eyes to the light of goodness and take them from my side.

If I have been weak, Lord, I know that You are All Forgiving and All Love, and that the door to

redemption is never closed to You. I know my soul lives forever and what cannot be accomplished in this lifetime, I know I can fulfill in another.

But, please help me now to keep my mind clear and my heart open to the suggestions of the good spirits around me who want to help me. I thank you for the blessings that I do have and I am very grateful.

Dear God, may Your Beneficial Blessings pour over me and keep me spiritually strong, serene and tranquil, may I have peace in my home and that I receive the help that will sustain me during the heavy trials of life! May my faith be ever strong in Your Infinite Wisdom.

Please Bless all those family and friends who I care about and I pray also for peace and harmony for this planet.

Since You Know more what is best for my own moral and spiritual betterment (so my soul may progress) I am in Your Most Capable Hands and May Your Will be done! Amen.

Never Lose Hope!

Spirit Communication received by Y. Limoges

No matter how bleak the situation wherein you find yourselves, no matter how downtrodden you may feel, no matter how dire the situation, never lose hope.

You never know what is around the corner, you do not know what assistance may come out of nowhere, you don’t know what action of last resort will appear that could dissolve your problems and put an end to your plight. Be ever hopeful, for you cannot see over the horizon into the future…of what is still yet to come.

Also, you receive merit for your feelings of hopefulness. This force of being positive that all may yet still be well…no matter what, and, that even stronger feeling that in spite of everything,

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The Spiritist Society of Florida, October Newsletter 2006no matter how dire the situation, you still feel that all will be well, is seconded by the good spirits around you that bring to you an inner spiritual strength and an inner serenity that can help see you through to the end of your trial, expiation, or mission, and if permitted, their complete intercession to resolve the dilemma.

Your feelings of positive hopefulness have a direct action upon the Universal Fluid that surrounds everyone in the universe as well. It brings to bear that energy that as has been said, “can move mountains” for Faith is a sister of Hope, and your faith draws from spiritual fluids whose source is Eternal.

The laws of cause and effect are frequently cited to illustrate the consequences of wrong actions but good and positive actions, whether through thoughts, words, or deeds also has a strong effect that you truly have no comprehension of. Do not doubt that this goodness sets into motion help from Up High, for the Creator wants you to progress! You are rewarded tremendously when you have faith and hope.

So, do not hang your head in despair already giving up before the end of your tests and trials having been completed and with negative thoughts that all will take a turn for the worse because things look so dismal.

No! Have positive thoughts and have faith! Be ever hopeful that until the situation has reached its conclusion, there is yet a possibility that things will be set right, that a seemingly miraculous occurrence may dissolve your

problems, that what seems horrible now may still yield something good.

The actions of the Divine Laws are always perfect. Therefore, your strong faith and hope, being a part of the equation within these laws, definitely help you regarding all outcomes in life. God Helps those who help themselves, and this applies to you in also having faith and hope regarding your circumstances upon the earth.

True Thanksgiving

By Jacqueline Benenati

This is the time when most of us gather together with family and friends to give thanks for all our blessings. Few of us give thanks for all of the trials and tribulations that we have experienced. It is those that make us capable of growing morally and spiritually. We are given the opportunity to change our past so that we can look forward to our future.

God so loves us that He gives us an eternity to change ourselves so that we can become more responsible and have the capability of changing not only ourselves but also our world. BLESSINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!***************************************Edited by Yvonne Crespo Limoges, DirectorE-mail: ylimoges@aol.com

Spiritist Society of Florida5042 22 Avenue NorthSt. Petersburg Florida 33710Website: www.spiritistsocietyflorida.com

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