"THE NEW JEANNE D'ARC"
Before writing on the above subject, which is proving to-day of
absorbing interest to a very large number of people, Protestant as well
as Catholic, I will point out a curious fact that is occultly connected
with it.
At certain periods in our normal life, certain subjects lying quite
outside our earthly experience begin quite suddenly to be talked of and
written upon. No one knows why, no one, outside occultism, can even form
a conjecture why such subjects should suddenly obsess the brains of a
considerable number of persons, why they should crop up in the most
unexpected places, or why they should form the foundations of a
considerable mass of literature.
It would appear as if they were floating in the air at some particular
time, and masses of people catch them up like germs, and carry them
about until their power is exhausted.
I will give an instance. In the years just before the war "The Great God
Pan" drifted across our mental horizon and was at once drawn into our
aura.
No one knows anything about "The Great God Pan." He is supposed to
belong to mythology, but novelists of distinction at once began to write
upon him, not one after the other, but simultaneously. I read at least
three thrilling novels in which he figured largely, and I myself was
impelled to write a novel upon the same subject.
I began the book knowing nothing of the god, beyond what I could gather
from the London Library, and Frazer's "Golden Bough," but as I proceeded
I was conscious of new information drifting in from without, and on
finishing the book I found that other authors had been at work on the
same subject.
"The Great God Pan" appeared on the stage, and a popular actress sang a
song about him. One heard his name mentioned constantly in society, and
hideous stories were told of him in Bohemian art circles. He was the
bugbear of the seance room, journalists mentioned him in quite serious
articles, and I once heard his name spoken from a pulpit.
The bare fact of this seemingly inconsequent disease (for it almost
amounted to a disease with us) drifting into our stolid British
atmosphere was not curious to the occultist, who is aware that at
certain times, certain subjects are flooded in on us from "the other
side" by those who have our welfare at heart.
I never heard any explanation of why Pan should have come here to play
quite an important part in our mental lives, or why he should have
obsessed so many of us for about a couple of years. The more one
discovered about him the less one liked him, but psychics are led to
believe that there are many schemes of evolution hovering about us, and
interpenetrating our own, though not visible to our normal
consciousness.
It may therefore be that "The Great God Pan" did actually come into our
atmosphere, and thus his individuality impressed itself upon those whose
minds were plastic to such impressions. Possibly he arrived on this
earth much as an aerolite arrives, drawn out of his own orbit by the
superior attraction of this globe.
"The Great God Pan" was, what might be termed, the forerunner of the
devil's reincarnation. The belief in a personal devil was rapidly dying
out amongst us, in spite of "The Sorrows of Satan," and the belief in
"The Prince of this World" so insisted upon throughout the Old and New
Testaments.
There is no more engrossing subject for the occultist to indulge in than
gathering together every verse in the Bible dealing with "The Evil One,"
and trying, with the aid of ancient traditions, to piece a coherent
story together. When one gets a certain distance in the study one comes
to the conclusion that there is a great deal more in it than meets the
eye. It is a vast subject, and I think the most profoundly occult
mystery extant and undeciphered.
The devil now occupies a prominent position in the collective thought of
the nation. An enormous number of people believe now in his existence,
who would have scorned the bare idea before 1916. It was in that year
that he began to loom large in the beliefs of quite materially minded
people, and his advent into actual, active existence at once complicated
matters terribly.
Said a well-known writer to me, "I think there is something in it. It's
very tiresome. I was just beginning to settle down in my beliefs, now
I'm all upset again by this conception of a personal adversary to the
Supreme Ruler."
In the early weeks of 1917 a new impression drifted in on us.
Some angel came down and stirred the pool of the world, and left with us
"The Sacred Heart."
"The Sacred Heart" was the forerunner of "The New Jeanne d'Arc," Claire
Ferchaud.
There is nothing that has more astonished the Catholic world than
hearing "The Sacred Heart" talked of by Protestants, and actually
adopted by them as a sacred symbol. Hitherto it has been exclusively a
part of Catholic worship.
There was such a demand for the little metal "Sacred Heart" images (a
figure of the Christ, with hands outstretched and a flaming heart at His
breast), that can be carried about in the pocket, that they were not to
be bought in England, and were hard to procure abroad. Enormous numbers
had been sent to the front by persons belonging to all denominations,
who treasured one of their own at home. Very suddenly "The Sacred Heart"
became an object of veneration amongst thousands to whom Roman
Catholicism was anathema.
Then came the demand from France that "The Sacred Heart" should be
placed above the tricolor.
I had not heard of Claire Ferchaud before the beginning of 1918, though
her Divine Mission began about six years previously.
Occultists began to speak of her amongst themselves as one who would yet
save France. This hope was never lost sight of in the country's darkest
hours. Now there is a steadily growing demand amongst the educated
British public to learn all that can be known about this girl who has
been called "The New Joan of Arc."
In 1916 she was summoned to appear before an Ecclesiastical Commission
at Poitiers in the same room in which "The Maid of Orleans" was
interrogated, before being placed at the head of the Army of
deliverance.
Both Claire Ferchaud and her communications were subjected to the
strictest scrutiny. The result was entirely in her favor. Her writings
were examined by Father Vaudrious, D.D., M.S.D., who declared them
inspired, and equal to those of St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Teresa.
Finally they were taken to Rome, and submitted to a commission appointed
by the Holy See. The result being that she was ordered to continue her
mission. The writings deal with devotion to "The Sacred Heart" and the
dignity of priesthood.
One is irresistibly reminded of the opening scenes at Lourdes, whilst
Bernadette Soubirons was alive, in 1858. Again, one cannot but recall a
certain similarity betwixt certain events in the life of the Maid of
Orleans and the events taking place now in the life of Claire Ferchaud.
Claire is a girl twenty-two years old, the daughter of a peasant
proprietor in the village of Ranfillieres, a mile from Lublande, Deux
Sevres Dept., France. Her parents are alive, and she has two sisters and
three brothers. The father and one brother fought during the war,
another brother was a prisoner, and the youngest assists on the farm.
One of the sisters works on the farm, and the eldest sister is a
religieuse at the community of La Sagesse.
Claire was tending her father's flocks when the first great revelation
came to her nine years ago; then she was but thirteen years old. She had
crept into a thicket to read, and suddenly the Divine Master appeared to
her and bade her lay down her book. He told her she had been chosen for
a Divine Mission, and that He would guide and instruct her. He showed
her "The Sacred Heart" covered with wounds.
On recounting her vision to her priest, she was treated with coldness
and disbelief, and on her telling him two years later that Our Lord
daily appeared to her in Holy Communion she was treated still more
coldly.
Until he himself received a sign he maintained an attitude of utter
disbelief. What happened soon after whilst he was celebrating Holy Mass,
entirely convinced him.
At that particular part of the Canon when the priest divides the Sacred
Species he saw blood issue from the Sacred Host. Nor was this all. A
week afterwards he observed Claire Ferchaud in a trance in his own
church, and he saw her using a handkerchief as if wiping some object in
front of her, which he could not see. Blood stains appeared on the
handkerchief, and increased as she repeated the action.
Filled with amazement he sought later for an explanation, and she told
him.
"Our Lord appeared before me suffering greatly because of the terrible
sins of the world, and He asked me to do for Him what Veronica did on
the road to Calvary. To wipe away the bloody sweat that trickled down
His face. I saw the Sacred Heart, riddled with wounds, and the deepest
wound of all was inflicted by France, the eldest daughter of the Church,
on whom He had lavished so deep a love. Once before He appeared to me
walking upon ears of corn which He crushed to powder."
The priest after hearing this explanation took the handkerchief to the
bishop, who listened to the wonderful story with sympathetic attention.
He examined the blood-stained handkerchief minutely, and sent for a nun.
"If," he said, "the stains are what they are represented to be they
cannot be washed out."
The bishop put the matter to the test, and watched the nun endeavoring
to remove the stains. It was all in vain, and the bishop standing by his
own test declared the mission of Claire Ferchaud to be Divine.
Every night, between eleven and twelve o'clock, Claire beholds
apparitions, and receives the sacred teaching that was promised, and it
was in 1916 that she was ordered to Poitiers to undergo
cross-examination.
Unfortunately the further development of Claire Ferchaud's mission
cannot yet be communicated to the world, but in time it will be, and
very startling and wonderful it will seem.
Meanwhile she encountered very strong opposition. With considerable
difficulty the Deputy of Vendee arranged a meeting between Claire and M.
Poincare. Claire implored him to permit the emblem of the Sacred Heart
to be placed on the Standards of France, as the one condition of
success. Unfortunately M. Poincare had to refuse, owing to political
reasons, though as proof of her mission she disclosed an incident only
known to him which happened after the victory of the Marne.
The same adverse influence operated at her interview with M. Clemenceau.
This appointment was arranged by the Archbishop of Rheims, Cardinal
Lucon. The Archbishop implored M. Clemenceau to fix a day of public
intercession for France. This also the Prime Minister of France had
reluctantly to refuse.
It is openly stated that before the later French successes the emblem of
the Sacred Heart was secretly sewn upon the flags of France, and it is
also affirmed that General Foch is a devoted lover of the Sacred Heart,
and bears its emblem with him wherever he goes.
Great changes have come about in the village where Claire Ferchaud
dwells. Formerly a sleepy, neglected little place, it is now converted
into a scene of the greatest activity.
From all parts of France the pilgrims come--some on foot, having walked
many miles, some in motors and horse-driven vehicles. Hundreds of
soldiers find their way there, and it is estimated that from fifteen to
twenty thousand people pass through Lublande in a month.
With the consent of her bishop, Claire Ferchaud has formed a small
community of nine, and is now established in a temporary convent
adjacent to her parish church at Lublande. It is believed that her
Divine Mission will be accomplished in 1922, and that she will then be
released from earthly life.
Claire has predicted a stormy period for France after peace has been
signed. According to her prophecy there will be violent unrest until
rulers arise who possess firm religious convictions. At the beginning of
the war she affirmed that the French Army would never prosper until the
troops were commanded by a true son of the Church. This affirmation she
claimed to receive from a Divine source. When Marechal Foch took over
the supreme command she was satisfied that victory, so far as the French
arms were concerned, was assured.
As all the world knows, and as all may learn who read Hyndman's life of
his old friend Clemenceau, the Prime Minister of France, like the
majority of his colleagues, is frankly atheistical. Claire Ferchaud
claims to have received the Divine intimation that until this condition
of mind is superseded by a public acknowledgment of a supreme divine
power, a supreme arbiter over the destinies of the world, the affairs of
France can never prosper. She predicts that in 1922 rulers will arise
who will bow before a Power superior to their own human energies.
The first part of her prophecy has come true. A man of God won his way
to the front, and saved France and the Allies at the darkest hour of
their tribulation.
The supreme command was vested in a man of profound religious
convictions, who carried his beliefs and observances openly into the
arena of war.
I translate the words written lately to me by one who has served under
Ferdinand Foch. They throw a brilliant light upon a great soul.
"I can see him now, alone and unattended, at an hour when the Church of
Cassel was deserted, praying and seeking comfort in the great sorrow, of
which he never spoke. He had lost his only son, and one of his daughters
was widowed. In spite of his indomitable energy there was about him an
air of profound melancholy and sadness.
"At certain moments his eyes seemed to say, 'I approach the twilight of
my life in the consciousness of being a good servant who will repose in
the peace of God. My faith in life eternal, in a good God, has sustained
me in my hardest hours. Prayer has illumined my soul. See to it, you
young men of France, who are without a great ideal, without any
conception of the spiritual side of life, there can be nothing for you
but discouragement and feebleness. We demand of you great sacrifices to
the end. Accept those sacrifices as I accept mine, who believe that
spirit must prevail over matter.'"