The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1862

My dear brothers and friends of Lyon,

The collective message that you kindly sent me over the New Year has brought me great satisfaction, demonstrating that you have kept a good memory of me. However, what gave me an even greater pleasure out of your spontaneous act was to find representatives of almost every group among the signatures, since this is a sign of reigning harmony among them. I am happy for you for having understood the objective of that organization whose results you can already appreciate, for it is now evident to you that a single society would have been almost impossible.


I thank you, dear friends, for your good wishes. They are even more valued since I know that they come from the bottom of your hearts, and those are the ones heard by God. You must rejoice because God hears you every day by giving me the unprecedented joy over the establishment of a new doctrine, of seeing the Doctrine, which I devoted, grow and prosper in my days, with a wonderful speed. I see as a great favor from the heavens to be able to observe the good that it does. Such certainty where I receive daily testimonies pays me much more than my penalties and fatigue. I only ask God for the grace of giving me the necessary physical strength to carry on with my duties to the end, a task that is far from being accomplished. Regardless of what happens I shall always have the assurance that the now widely spread seed of the new ideas is imperishable. I feel happier than others who only worked for the future while I was given the opportunity to see the first fruits.


If there is anything to regret is the limitation of my financial resources that do not allow me to execute my plans for its faster development. If God’s wisdom wished it to be different I shall leave this plan to my successors who will undoubtedly be more fortunate. Despite the strong limitation of material resources the movement of opinion that takes place goes beyond any expectation. You may believe brothers that your example has contributed to this.


I congratulate you for the way you understand and practice Spiritism. I know well the magnitude of the trials that some of you have to endure. Here on Earth it is only God that can show you their term. However, how much strength against adversity we get out of our faith in the future? Oh! Be sorry for those who believe in nothing after death since for them there is no compensation for the present evil. The unfortunate non-believer is like the hopeless patient. The Spiritist, on the contrary, is like the patient of today that is certain of a cure tomorrow.


You asked me to keep up with my advices. I gladly do so to those who ask and believe to need them. But only to those. To the others who believe to know enough and that dismiss the lessons of experience I have nothing to say but my wishes that one day they may not regret for having excessively trusted their own strengths. As a matter of fact, such pretension reveals a sentiment of pride that is contrary to the message of Spiritism. Through faulty foundations they demonstrate to be away from the truth. You are not among them, my friends, therefore I take the opportunity to bring you a few words of assurance that near or far away I am all yours.


From where we stand today and considering the march of Spiritism through a path full of obstacles that were laid down on its course, one can say that the major difficulties were overcome. Spiritism now has a place under the Sun and it is founded on bases that from now on challenge the efforts of its adversaries.


The question is how a doctrine that makes people better and happier can find adversaries. This is very natural. In the beginning the establishment of the best things always harm other interests. Hasn’t that be so with all inventions and discoveries that revolutionize industry? Those who are now considered a benefit and that we cannot go without, haven’t they found bloodthirsty adversaries? Doesn’t every law that suppresses abuse find adversaries in those who live on the abuse? How would you then wish that a doctrine that leads to the kingdom of effective charity were not attacked by those who live on selfishness? And you know how large the number is on Earth! In the beginning they thought they could kill it through mockery. Today they see that such a weapon is harmless and that it continued with its unyielding march under the crossfire of sarcasm. Do not think that they have conceded! No, the material interest is more tenacious. Since they acknowledge that it is a more deserving power they will now throw more serious attacks that in turn will serve to better expose their weaknesses. Some will openly attack it in their words and actions and even persecute the followers individually, trying to discourage them by their intrigues, whereas others, more disguised and through indirect ways, will try to undermine them in the shadows. Be warned: the fight is not over. I am convinced that they will try a last resort. Have no fear, though, for the flag of success is in this adage that is that of every true Spiritist: There is no salvation without charity. Raise that flag way up high because to the selfish ones it is the head of Medusa.


The tactics presently used by the enemies of the Spiritists and that will be employed with a renewed fervor is that of trying to divide them, creating divergent systems, giving rise to mistrust and jealousy among them. Do not allow yourselves to fall into that trap and rest assured that regardless of the employed means whoever tries to break the good harmony cannot have good intentions. That is why I warn you to keep the strictest circumspection over the formation of your groups, not only to give you peace of mind but also for the benefit of your own works.


The very nature of the Spiritist works requires calmness and reverence. Well, that is not possible if discussions and expressions of bad feelings distract us. If there is fraternity there will not be malevolent feelings but fraternity is not possible with selfish, proud and ambitious people. The proud ones are shocked and hurt by everything; the ambitious are disenchanted when they do not have supremacy; the selfish who only think of themselves will soon introduce disagreement. With all that comes rupture. This is what our enemies wanted and that is what they will try.


If a group wants to have order, tranquility and stability it is necessary to be governed by an overwhelmingly fraternal feeling. Any group or society that is not formed on the foundation of effective charity will not have vitality; however, those formed according to the true spirit of Spiritism will see one another as members of the same family just living in different homes. Rivalry would be nonsense among them since it could not exist where there is true charity and charity cannot be understood in two different ways.


Hence, you must recognize the true Spiritist by the practice of charity in thoughts, words and actions and say to yourself that anyone who feeds in one’s heart feelings of animosity, grudge, hatred, envy and jealousy is in fact lying to oneself if willing to understand and practice Spiritism.


Selfishness and pride kill private societies as they kill people and society as a whole. Review history and you will see that peoples have succumbed under the weight of these enemies of human happiness. Such happiness will be unbreakable when supported by the foundations of charity and everyone with be at peace with oneself and with one another, each one respecting their neighbors’ properties and rights. That shall be the new foreseen era of which Spiritism is a precursor and for which every Spiritist must work, each one in their own sphere of activities. It is their duty. They shall be rewarded according to their performance and God will distinguish between those who only seek Spiritism for their own satisfaction and the ones who also work for the happiness of their brothers.


I must still point out another ploy of your adversaries that is to try to compromise the Spiritists by trying to keep them away from the true moral objective of Spiritism. They do this through the discussion of matters that are not of its competence thus understandably entailing susceptibilities and mistrust.


Do not allow yourselves to fall into that trap. Carefully keep away from your meetings everything related to politics and controversial matters. Discussions about these themes can only create embarrassment whereas there is nothing to object to a good moral.


Seek in Spiritism what can make you better. That is the essence. When humanity is better the really useful social reforms will follow as a natural consequence. Working towards the moral progress you will be paving the way with the solid foundations to every improvement. Let God decide about the right time for that to happen. In the interest of the still young but fast maturing Spiritism you must build an unshakable fortress against anyone who wishes to drag you along a dangerous route. Some try to discredit Spiritism with the argument that it tends to destroy religion. You are very much aware of the opposite, since most of you hardly believed in God and in the soul and now believe. Those who barely knew what the prayer was now pray with enthusiasm. Those who no longer set foot in churches and now show reverence. As a matter of fact if religion could be destroyed by Spiritism it would mean that religion would be destructible and Spiritism more powerful. By saying so it would be the same as confessing the weakness of one and the strength of the other. Spiritism is a moral doctrine that strengthens religious feelings in general and applies to all religions. It belongs to all of them and to none in particular. For that reason Spiritism does not ask anyone to change his or her religion. Allows everyone to worship God their own way and observe those practices that satisfy their conscience since God gives more attention to the intention than to fact. Each person must attend the temple of their cult, thus demonstrating that it is a calumny when they call you wicked.


Given the physical impossibility of communicating with every group I have asked one of your colleagues to represent me more specifically in Lyon as I have done elsewhere: that person is Mr. Villon whose dedication and enthusiasm are well known as well as the purity of his feelings. Besides, his independent position gives him more freedom to carry out his tasks. It is hard work but he will not yield. I sponsored the group formed in his house during my last trip. You can find there excellent advices and healthy examples. It will be a great satisfaction to see those of you who give me the honor of your trust to gather around him, like in a common center.


If some want to form a separate group do not look at them with prejudice. If stones are thrown at you neither collect nor return them. God shall be the judge of everyone’s feelings. May those who believe to be the better side to prove that with more charity and abnegation of their own self-esteem for truth could not be on the side of anyone who had forgotten the first precept of the Doctrine. When in doubt, do good always. The errors of the mind have less weight in the scale of God than those of the heart.


I will repeat here what I have already said on other occasions: in the case of divergence of opinion the easiest way of resolving the issue is to verify which gathers the majority since the crowds have a kind of unmistaken innate common sense. The error only seduces some Spirits who are blind by their self-love and a false judgment but truth always prevails. Therefore, rest assured that the error defects the enlightening rows and that it is irrational to believe that one is right against everyone else’s opinion. If the principles that I profess had only found isolated echoes and had the majority repelled them, I would have been the first to acknowledge my mistake. However, when I see the number of followers grow incessantly in all layers of society and in all countries of the world I must then believe in the sturdiness of its foundations. That is why I tell you to firmly march on the path that has been delineated to you. Tell the adversaries that if they want your support they must offer you a more reassuring doctrine, more clear and intelligible, that better satisfy reason, and at the same time that provides society with a better guarantee to the social order. Your union is the strength that will frustrate the attacks of those who wish to have you divided. Finally, demonstrate by your example that Spiritism makes us more moderate, kinder, more patient, more indulgent, and that will be the best answer to the adversaries and at the same time the confirmation of the benevolent results is the best means of propaganda.


These are, my friends, the advices I have to give you, adding my good wishes for the New Year. I ignore the trials that God prepares for this year but I know that regardless you shall withstand them with determination and resignation, and like with the soldier, the reward will be proportional to the courage.


As for Spiritism that deserves more attention than that given to yourselves and whose progress I can judge better than anybody else, given my position, I am glad to tell you that the year begins with the most favorable auspices and that the number of followers will undoubtedly be seen rise at an unpredictable rate. A few more years like the ones that have just past and Spiritism will count on three quarters of the population.


Let me tell you about one fact amongst thousands.

In the vicinity of Paris there is a small town that only got to know Spiritism six months ago. In just a few weeks it reached a considerable development. A formidable opposition was soon organized against the followers even threatening their personal interests. They fought back with such a courage and abnegation worthy of the highest praises. They gave themselves in to the Providence that, in turn, has not failed them. The town counts on a large working class population where the Spiritist ideas spread day by day thanks to the opposition that has been found. An interesting fact is that the women waited for their annual bonus to acquire the books necessary to their instruction and one book seller had to send hundreds of those books to that city alone. Isn’t that amazing to see simple workers using their savings for the acquisition of books of philosophy and moral instead of novels and sundries? Isn’t it amazing, as well, to see men favoring such readings instead of the noisy and brutalizing pleasures of the cabarets? Ah! Fact is that men and women that suffer like we do now understand that it is not here that we realize our destiny. The curtains now open and they foresee the magnificent horizons of the future. That little town is Chauny, Aisne County. As the new children of the great family they salute you, brothers of Lyon, as their elder brothers and from now on they form one of the rings of the spiritual chain that units Paris, Lyon, Metz, Sens, Bordeaux and others and that soon will interconnect every city of the world by a feeling of mutual fraternity since Spiritism has sown fruitful seeds everywhere and their children hold hands above the barriers of prejudice of sect, cast and nationality.


Yours truly dedicated brother and friend,

Allan Kardec