SPIRITISM – (spreads from France to Spain to Puerto Rico and the US) By Yvonne Crespo Limoges In our last issue, our friend from Spain wrote how Kardec’s books on Spiritism (a spiritual science and moral philosophy) in French were translated into Spanish by Colavida (the “Spanish Kardec”) and then (with other Spiritist works) spread to Spanish colonies like Puerto Rico. When PR became part of the US (citizens since 1917) many traveled to the mainland. Below, an article by my father of a couple from PR who moved to New York City, started a Spiritist group which became a very active Spiritist Center. My grandparents attended (were actively involved) and their children - my father/founder Edgar (1929- 2008) of our Society and his sister Angelica Crespo Masiar. SPIRITIST CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY – Center for the Freedom of Spiritism (est. 1933) Written by Edgar Crespo (in 2002) El Centro Libertad del Espiritismo was established in December 11, 1933 by Mr. Luis and Mrs. Pilar Perez, practicing Spiritists from Puerto Rico, who migrated to NYC in the early 1930s. I attended the Center when I was a very young child, and later, as an adult, working as one of the mediums. Around 1933, Mrs. Perez started conducting Spiritist educational classes for mediums in her home. The Group organized and decided to establish their own official Spiritist Center. Mrs. Perez assumed the Directorship of the Center and held it until her demise around 1980. She was the most qualified to hold that position due to her educational background, her knowledge of the Doctrine, was a full working medium of the first caliber and well respected. They eventually bought their own building through membership contributions and was three stories high. 2 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2026 The top floor was where the Spiritist services and classes were held. The second floor was used for Spiritist festivities or rented out for private affairs. The ground floor level had: a candy store, a stationary store, a dry cleaner service which all paid rent to the Center. Upkeep of the building was paid through membership dues and rental income. CHILDREN: (difficult to see, but my father is in the picture above) The Spiritist Center conducted children’s classes on Sunday morning of which approximately thirty children attended. Sunday afternoon at 2PM classes were held for the general public regarding Spiritism. THE MEDIUMS: On Monday, classes were given for beginning mediums. A special meeting only for mediums was held on Wednesdays. On Fridays, the meetings were open to the public, with an attendance of from forty-five to sixty-five people. Attendees were interested in Spiritism, and there were those who came because they felt they were possibly experiencing problems of a spiritual nature. Only fully developed mediums were used at the table at the session. Some of the mediums had a specialty. My mother [an unconscious medium] was a medium for problems of sight, and there was another one used mostly for children. The other mediums gave spirit communications to people in the audience. Most of the time there were at least six mediums at the table working. The mediums provided spirit communications, magnetized water for personal use and for the home, and magnetic passes. 3 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2026 MEMBERS & SERVICES: All classes and services were always free of charge. The Spiritist Center had between fifty-five to sixty- five dues paying members. The majority were of Hispanic descent, as well as the general public that attended. All services and class instructions adhered to Professor Kardec’s works and his books were the ones used. (Upfront & bottom right sit my grandparents and their daughter sitting with a little girl) (parade down Madison Avenue) SOCIAL FUNCTIONS: Every year, during the summer months, the Center held a parade down Madison Avenue. They also rented tour boats for travel down the Hudson River, and buses were chartered so we could attend state park picnics. Holidays were always celebrated with food and festivities. For many families, the Center provided a wonderful social, as well as rich, spiritual environment. 4 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2026 FAMILY PARTICIPATION: I attended the Center when I was about five years old with my mother. Besides attending regular services, my mother and I went weekly on Wednesdays so she could fulfill her mediumship duties while I slept on a bench in the back of the room. Later on, my younger sister attended. At one time my father served as the Center’s Treasurer. I have very fond memories of attending the Center’s classes and activities, which I will always cherish. At age seventeen, I joined the Army for a period of three years and could not attend. After leaving the service and getting married, I started attending the Center around 1954 on holidays and special occasions. Eventually I started my mediumship, attended classes and became a working medium at the Center. In 1961, due to a change in careers, I had to move and take my family to Florida. Many years later, a group of members of the Center moved back to Puerto Rico as a satellite group. In New York City, many families moved and the older members passed away. Although the Center does not have as many members as in the past, it still exists to the present day and I continue to correspond with them [as of year 2002]. - Edgar Crespo SPIRITIST SOCIETY OF FLORIDA (est. 1982) Written by Yvonne Crespo Limoges I feel fortunate that I remember attending the Spiritist Center in NYC once, and going up to the mediums’ table with the other children, lined up to receive passes. Later, when my parents moved to Florida, they kept studying and practicing Spiritism in their home, and us children were taught age-appropriate Spiritist principles. About 1978, friends and relatives became interested in attending meetings in our home. By 1982, we became the Spiritist Society of Florida. Several years afterwards, with more people attending, we had to rent space at a facility to hold our meetings. We feel blessed that next year will be our 45th year. PEACE AND LIBERTY Written by María Luisa Escrich God gave man this beautiful and fertile planet, and said to him: “Go, be fruitful, and multiply!” And man grew in number, and the small settlement transformed into a village, the village into a town, the town into a city, and the city into a nation… But nations grew while territories became ever scarcer; expansion is difficult, the struggle for space became fierce, and territorial ambition seized the people. Ground must be gained, yet it is already occupied, and there remains but one solution: Invasion! The struggle begins—and war ensues! Desolation, destruction, death… The strong subjugate the weak, and the weak perish; never again shall there be true Peace, for all have become enemies to one another. But can there be justice for the weak? Can the weak triumph over the strong? We would surely answer: morally, yes—but not in practice... Yet we are speaking here of human justice; let us not forget that there exists a justice that transcends peoples and nations—the Justice of God! 5 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2026 (Excerpt from article dated 11/25/25, Association for Spiritual Studies-Villena Group in Alicante, Spain. Translated by Y. Limoges. www.amorpazycaridad.org.es ) ********************************************** Edited by Yvonne Crespo Limoges, Director Email: ylimoges@aol.com Society of Florida (est. 1982) 5042 22 Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 Website: www.spiritistsocietyfl.com