Russia
(For early history of occult matters in Russia see Slavs.) Spiritualism was first introduced into Russia by persons who had become interested in the subject whilst abroad through witnessing manifestations of psychic phenomena and acquaintance with the works of Allan Kardec, the French exponent of Spiritualism. From the first the new doctrine found its followers chiefly among members of the professions and the aristocracy, finally including the reigning monarch of that time, Alexander II. Alexander II. with many of his family and entourage as devoted adherents. Because of the immense influence of such converts the progress of Spiritualism in Russia was made smoother than it otherwise would have been in a country where the laws of Church and State are nothing if not despotic and disposed to look upon anything new in matters religious, intellectual or merely of general interest as partaking of a revolutionary character. Even so, much of the spiritualof the spiritualistic propaganda, manifestations and publications were prosecuted under various ruses and subterfuges such as the circulation of a paper entitled "The Rebus," professedly devoted to innocent rebuses and charades and only incionly incidentally mentioning Spiritualism the real object of its being. Chief amongst the distinguished devotees of the subject was Prince Wittgenstein, aide-de-camp and trusted -camp and trusted friend of Alexander II., who not only avowed his beliefs openly but arranged for various mediums to give séances before the Emperor, one of these being the well-known D. D. Home. So impressed was the Czar that, it is said, from that time onwards he consulted mediums and their prophetic powers as to the advisability or otherwise of any contemplated change or step in his life, doubtless helped or driven to such dependence on mediums by the uncertain conditions under which occupants of the Russian throne seem to exist. "Another Russian of high position socially and officially, M. Aksakof, interested himself in the matter in ways many and various, arranging séances to which he invited the scientific men of the University, editing a paper Psychische Studien, of necessity published abroad; translating Swedenborg's works into Russian beside various French, American and English works on the same subject and thus becoming a leader in the movement. Later, with his friends, M. M. Boutlerof and Wagner, professors respectively of chemistry and zoology at the University of St. Petersburg, he specially commenced a series of séances for the investigation of the phenomena in an experimental manner and a scientific committee was formed under the leadership of Professor Mendleyef who afterwards issued an adverse report on the matter, accusing the mediums of trickery and their followers of easy credulity and the usual warfare proceeded between the scientific investigators and spiritual enthusiasts."
M. Aksakof's commission was reported upon unfavourably by M. Mendeleyef, but the former protested against the report.
At the other extreme of the Social scale among the peasantry and uneducated classes generally, the grossest superstition exists, an ineradicable belief in supernatural agencies and cases are often reported in the columns of Russian Papers of wonder-working, obsession and various miraculous happenings, all ascribed, according to their character, to demoniac or angelic influence, or in the districts where the inhabitants are still pagan to local deities and witchcraft.
Ruysbroeck or Ruysbrock: Flemish Mystic (1293-1381). It is probable that this mystic derived his name from the village of Ruysbreck, near Brussels, for it was there that he was born in the year 1293. Even as a child he showed distinct religious leanings, and before he was out of his teens he had steeped himself in a wealth of mystical literature. Naturally, then, he decided to espouse the clerical profession, and in 1317 he was duly ordained, while a little later he became vicar of St. Gudule, one of the parishes of Brussels. During his long term of acting in this capacity he