Léon Denis

Infobox Person
name = Léon Denis


image_size = 288px
birth_name = Léon Denis
birth_date = birth date|1846|1|1
birth_place = Foug, Tours, France
death_date = death date and age|1927|3|12|1846|10|1
known_for = Léon Denis, spiritist philosopher and researcher, nominated the Apostle of Spiritism

Léon Denis was the consolidator of Spiritism. He was not just the substitute and continuator of Allan Kardec, as is generally supposed. Denis had a mission practically as significant as the one of the Codifier. To him, was assigned the development of the doctrinaire studies, to proceed with the mediumistic research, to propel the Spiritist Movement in France and all over the world, to deepen the moral aspect of the Doctrine and above all, to consolidate it in the first decades of the Century.

In Spiritism the role of Kardec is that of the wise person and the role of Denis is that of the philosopher. Léon Denis was nominated the Apostle of Spiritism, due to his magnificent work, and the words written and spoken in behalf of the new Doctrine. He can also be denominated its consolidator, the Philosopher of Spiritism. Possessing accentuated moral qualities, he dedicated his entire existence to the defense of the postulates that Kardec had transmitted in the books of the spiritist Pentateuch

Denis himself, summarized the mission that he had come to accomplish in favor of a noble cause: “I have consecrated this existence to the service of a Great cause, Spiritism or Modern Spiritualism that will certainly be the universal faith, and the religion of the future.”

Biography

Léon Denis (January 1, 1846 - March 12, 1927), was born in a village called Foug, located in the surroundings of Tours , in France , on January 1, 1846 , of a humble family. Very early in life out of necessity, he did manual works and had to carry the heavy responsibilities of his family. From his first steps into this world, he sensed that invisible friends assisted him. Instead of participating in plays relating to his youth, he tried to instruct himself as intensely as possible. He read serious works, thus striving through his own efforts, to develop his intelligence, and became a serious and competent self-didactic. At the age of 18, he commenced to work as a sales representative, and because of this he had take frequent trips. This situation continued up to the time of his reformation and beyond. He adored music, and whenever he had a chance, he would attend operas or concerts. He played well-known arias at the piano and also some accords from his own inspiration. He did not smoke, and was almost exclusively a vegetarian, nor did he indulge in fermented drinks. He found water to be his ideal drink. It was his habit to review books with interest, of those displayed in the bookstores, at the age of 18, by “chance” his eyes glanced at a work with an unusual title: The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec. Having in his possession the amount needed to purchase the book, he bought it and rushed to his home immediately surrendering eagerly to the reading. The comments of Denis after reading it: “I found in this book the clear solution, complete and logical, to a universal problem. My conviction became strong and sound. The Spiritist Theory dissipated my indifference and my doubts.”

Notes

* Encyclopedia of Ocultismo and Parapsycology, Vol. A pag. 229

List of Works by Léon Denis

ee also

* Spiritism
* The Spirits Book
* The Book on Mediums
* The Gospel According to Spiritism
* The Genesis According to Spiritism
* Heaven and Hell