In this issue we continue the study of the book Posthumous Works, published after Allan Kardec disembodied and containing texts written by him. The present work is based on the translation made by Dr. Guillon Ribeiro, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation.
Questions for discussion
166. Did the Spirits mention again the Encoder’s mission in the days that followed?
167. Talking about future events, what did the Spirit of Truth say?
168. At the time was there any psychic whose help was not recommended by the Spirits that protected Kardec?
169. When did the Spirit of Truth himself tell Kardec about his mission?
Answers to the proposed questions
166. Did the Spirits mention again the Encoder’s mission in the days that followed?
Yes, on May 7, 1856, again at Mr. Roustan’s, Miss. Japhet intermediated a new dialogue, this time with the Spirit of Hahnemann:
- (To Hahnemann): The other day, the Spirits told me I had an important job to do, and showed me the purpose of it. I wish to know if you confirm this.
Answer: Yes, and if you question your wishes, your tendencies, and the almost constant object of your meditations, this should not surprise you. You must fulfill what you dreamed for a long time; it is necessary that you actively work on it to be ready because the day is closer than you think.
- To fulfill this mission, as I understand it, it is necessary to have means of implementation that I still do not have.
Answer: Let Providence do its work and you will be pleased. (Posthumous Works - Second Part - The first revelation of Kardec's mission).
167. Talking about future events, what did the Spirit of Truth say?
The dialogue with the Spirit of Truth was on May 12, 1856 at Mr. Baudin’s. Then, the Spirit made an important warning stating that we should never determine what is still to come. The sensed events will certainly occur in a near time, but we cannot determine them. Kardec asked him then what is the meaning of the phrase "the times are come", and he explained that certain changes never occur suddenly like a thunderbolt, but are prepared in a long term by partial events that are their forerunners in the same way the rumblings precede the eruption of a volcano. One can therefore say that the times are arriving, without this necessarily meaning that things will happen tomorrow.
Would there be cataclysms? No, neither a flood, nor an excessive heating of our planet, or other things like that, because we cannot call local disturbances a cataclysm. “There will only be a moral cataclysm, and men will be the instruments”, added the Spirit of Truth. (Posthumous Works - Second Part - Future Events).
168. At the time was there any psychic whose help was not recommended by the Spirits that protected Kardec?
Yes, on June 10, 1856, at Mr. Roustan’s, the Spirit of Hahnemann, through Miss. Japhet told Kardec about this matter. Kardec wanted to ask Mr. B ... for his help as a medium, in order to speed up the first part of “The Book of Spirits”, still being prepared. Hahnemann told him it would be better not to make use of it.
Here is the final part of the dialogue that followed:
- If the Spirit, a relative of B, is used to lying, that would not stop a good Spirit to communicate through the psychic, when this other Spirit was not evoked.
Answer: Yes, but here the medium helps the Spirit, and when the Spirit is false, it lends itself to do this type of thing. Aristo and B will end badly.
In a note added later to the dialogue, Kardec says that B… was a young writing psychic, assisted by a proud, arrogant and despot Spirit, which was named Aristo, with a natural tendency to self-love. Hahnemann’s predictions came true. This young man believed he had in his gift a source of wealth through the medical appointments and the profitable discoveries. However, he only received deceptions and mystification and later nobody even heard of him. (Posthumous Works - Second Part - Future Events).
169. When did the Spirit of Truth himself tell Kardec about his mission?
It was on June 12, 1856, at Mr. C’s... and Miss. Aline C. was the psychic. The dialogue that took place there is of an enormous importance to scholars of Spiritism:
- (To the Truth): Good Spirit, I would like to know what do you think of the mission that some Spirits attributed to me; can you please tell me if it is a test for my self-esteem? No doubt, you know, I am willing to contribute to the spreading of the truth, but to go from a simple worker to a missionary as a chief there is a great distance, and I do not see in me anything to justify such a favor of being chosen among so many others that have talent and qualities that I do not have.
Answer: I confirm what was said to you, but I do invite you to a lot of discretion, if you want to win. Later on you will become aware of things that will explain what surprises you today. Do not forget that you can win or you can fail; in this case, someone else would replace you, because the purposes of the Lord do not rest on one man’s head. Therefore, do not talk about your mission, since that would be the way to make it fail. It cannot be justified but for the work done, and you have done nothing yet. If you accomplish it, men will recognize you, sooner or later, because it is by the fruit that one can see the quality of the tree.
- For sure I have no intention of boasting about a mission, in which only I myself believe. If my purpose is to serve as an instrument for the Divine purposes, so let it be; but, in this case, I claim your assistance and of the good Spirits to help and sustain me on this task.
Answer: We will not fail you in our help, but it is useless if you do not do your part. You have your free will; it is up to you to use it as you wish; no man is compelled to necessarily do something.
- What can make me fail? Would it be my lack of ability?
Answer: No, but the reformers’ mission is full of pitfalls and dangers; yours is tough, I warn you, because it is to stir and change the whole world.
Do not believe it is enough to publish one, two, ten books and stay quietly at home; you will have to expose yourself to danger; there will be terrible hatred against you; headstrong enemies will wish you fail; you will have to fight malevolence, slander, betrayal even from those that seem to you the most devoted; your best instructions will be unknown and unnatural; more than once, you will give in to fatigue; in a word, it will be an almost constant struggle that you will have to sustain, with the sacrifice of your rest, your tranquility of your health and even your life, because without all this, you would live much longer. Well, more than one backs off when, instead of a flowery path, he finds but thorns, sharp stones and snakes. For this mission, intelligence is not enough. To please God, you have to be humble, modest, selflessness because if you don’t, this is what slaughters those who are proud, conceited and ambitious. To fight against men you will need courage, perseverance, and unyielding firmness; it is also necessary prudence and tact to handle things the right way, and not compromise its success by inopportune actions or words; you must have devotion, self-denial, and be ready for all sacrifices. As you can see, your mission is subject to things that depend on you. (Posthumous Works - Second Part - Future Events).
