Editing Antoinism (section)

====Foundation of a new religion====
In 1906, Antoine discovered a spirituality he called a "new spiritualism", which led him to definitely give up [[Kardecist spiritism|Spiritism]], to decide to heal by faith alone and to perform only collective healing in a temple, and thus started to lay the foundations of a structured religious movement.<ref name="D20">[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 20.</ref> That year, the followers of The Vine Growers of the Lord attended for the last time the national convention of Spiritists in [[Charleroi]], which officially marked the end of their mutual support, and the following year, Antoine publicly abjured any practice of Spiritism.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 122–24.</ref> In addition, the moral dimension became more present in the doctrine,<ref>[[#Roure|Roure,1925]], p. 179.</ref> while the experimental disappeared.<ref name="Debouxhtay126">[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 126, 127.</ref> Given this abandonment of the Spiritist doctrine, the new religious group was criticized in Spiritist journals.<ref name="Debouxhtay128">[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 128, 129.</ref>

At that time, Antoine had a student named Martin Jeanfils,<ref name="Debouxhtay146">[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 146.</ref> an employee at the Corbeau coal.<ref name="Debouxhtay150">[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 150.</ref> A few years ago, Jeanfils was certain to get a gift of healing by treating knee and foot sprains of his wife and himself, and was then consulted by patients in Jemeppe. Antoine and he were sued on 16 January 1907 on the grounds of illegal practice of the art of healing. Jeanfils explained to the court that he just wanted to heal the pain, and that he always sent his patients to doctors.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 147.</ref> For his part, Antoine told the judge that he simply put his hand on the forehead of patients and that he prescribed drugs;<ref name="Debouxhtay146"/> he denied the charge, and all the witnesses heard testified of the altruism of Antoine, who distributed money to the poor. Antoine and Jeanfils appeared before the Criminal Court on 15 June 1907, and the courtroom was entirely filled.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 148.</ref> Dr. Delville and the parents of a child cured by Antoine testified from the witness box; Mr. Dupret then pronounced the indictment.<ref name="Debouxhtay150"/> The judgment was adjourned and finally, on 21 June 1907, President Hamoir acquitted the two men, who were absent from court. Following an appeal by the prosecutor, Antoine and Jeanfils appeared before the Court again on 16 October 1907.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 152,153.</ref> The General Advocate Meyers made the indictment, analyzing the legislation of 1918 on the illegal art of healing, claiming that it was not what Antoine did. On 22 October of the same year, the acquittal was confirmed, and Meyers was deeply thanked by several faithful.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 155–57.</ref>

Mrs. Desart, a stenographer, transcribed the teachings of Antoine in a magazine, ''The Halo of Consciousness'' (''L'Auréole de la conscience''),<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 253.</ref> published from May 1907 to April 1909,<ref name="Debouxhtay137">[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 137–40.</ref> while three books were successively published, works in which the new doctrine was developed and which contained the Antoinist creed, "The Ten Principles of the Father".<ref name="D20"/><ref>{{cite book |title=Les Marges du christianisme: " Sectes ", dissidences, ésotérisme |title-link=Les Marges du christianisme |editor-first=Jean-Pierre |editor-last=Chantin |editor-link=Jean-Pierre Chantin |publisher=Éditions Beauchesne |place=Paris |year=2001 |language=fr |series=[[Dictionnaire du monde religieux dans la France contemporaine]] |pages=4–6 |isbn=2-7010-1418-2}}</ref> At that time, the temple was quickly filled every day and Antoine received daily about 250 letters or telegrams.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 160.</ref> Unlike today, some proselytism was performed by 70 hawkers wearing coats and hats and with briefcases.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 254.</ref> From May 1909 to Easter 1910, Antoine did not appear in public, and lived alone to practice [[fasting]] and [[prayer]], and the worship was assumed by one of his followers,<ref>[[# Begot2|Bégot, 2000]], § 10–11.</ref> Florian Deregnaucourt, who also published the Antoinist literature.<ref>{{cite journal| title=A New Sect and its Prophet&nbsp;— Antoinism Has 160,000 Followers in Belgium |journal=[[The Sun (New York)|The Sun]] |date=25 December 1910 |place=New York}}</ref> On 15 August 1910, Antoine announced that he would no longer do individual consultations,<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 161.</ref> and consecrated the temple of Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, located on rue Bois-de-Mont (later rue Alfred Smeets, at the present rue Rousseau), which cost about 100,000 francs. Antoine presented his wife as his successor and appointed a council composed of followers to manage financial issues of the religion. At the meeting of 11 June 1911, the council proposed the publishing of a newspaper titled ''The Unitive'' (''L'Unitif'') which was released in September of the same year, with a printing of 400,000 copies for the first issue, and 6,000 subscribers.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 181–85</ref> In the context of legal proceedings for the worship registration, secretary of the Antoinist committee Deregnaucourt wrote to the Minister of the Interior on 29 March 1910 and to the Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs on 19 April 1910.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 271–73.</ref> A petition of 160,000 signatures to demand official recognition of the Antoinist religion was sent to the House of Representatives on 2 December 1910, and forwarded to the Minister of Justice on 27 January 1911.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 275.</ref>

Although his predictions were sometimes inaccurate, Antoine was then regarded as a prophet by his followers, and some of them said it could perform supernatural apparitions; for his part, Antoine said nothing about the possible truthfulness of these phenomena.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 176–80.</ref> Named "The Father" by his followers, Antoine died — "disembodied" in Antoinist doctrine —<ref name="Giltay8">[[#Giltay|Giltay, 2011]], p. 8.</ref> on 25 June 1912 as the result of an attack of [[stroke]].<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 197.</ref> Then there were rumors that he would resurrect on the third day, but Debouxhtay believed that they emanated from "jesters" and that Antoinists did not believe this.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], p. 199.</ref> The procession which took place at his funeral on 30 June 1912 was a great event in Jemeppe,<ref>[[# Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 201–04.</ref> and on this occasion, 100,000 faithful came to pray over his body.<ref>[[#Dericquebourg|Dericquebourg, 1993]], p. 21.</ref> Subsequently, Antoinists were allowed to move the body, initially in the [[pauper's grave]], to the town cemetery. In 1920, Antoine's widow asked the country's Queen to allow her to carry the body in the temple garden of Jemeppe where a chapel would be erected, but this request failed.<ref>[[#Debouxhtay2|Debouxhtay, 1934]], pp. 205–06.</ref>

As a legacy, a street in [[Spa (Belgium)|Spa]] was named "Father Antoine Street" ("Rue du Père Antoine") after a decision by the Liberal Party of the city in 1931,<ref>{{cite book |first=Jacques |last=Cécius |title=Une religion de guérison : l'Antoinisme |year=2009 |page=42 |language=fr}}</ref> and a 1952 painted plaster bust of Antoine is exhibited at the Museum of Walloon Life (Musée de la Vie wallonne) in Liège.<ref>{{cite web |title=Musée de la Vie wallonne&nbsp;— Buste du Père Antoine |url=http://www.blogg.org/blog-78129-billet-1271194.html |publisher=antoinisme.blogg.org |language=fr |access-date=31 December 2011}}</ref>