In this issue, we continue the study of the book, Spiritism in its simplest expression, published in 1862 by Allan Kardec. The present work is based on the translation into Portuguese made by Salvador Gentile. 

Preliminary issues 

A. What is Spiritism based on?

The Spiritist Doctrine is based on the existence, the manifestations and the teaching of the Spirits and is completely disclosed in The Book of Spirits regarding the philosophical part, in The Book of Mediums for the practical and experimental part, and in The Gospel According to Spiritism for the moral part. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).  

B. Is Spiritism a modern discovery?

No. The facts and principles upon which Spiritism rests are lost in time. Its traces are found in the beliefs of all peoples, in all religions, and in the most sacred and the most profane writings. What has happened is that, previously, the facts, not fully observed, were often interpreted according to the superstitious ideas of ignorance, and not all its consequences were inferred. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism). 

C. What is then modern within the Doctrine?

What is modern in Spiritism is the logical explanation of facts, the fully knowledge of the nature of the Spirits, their role, the way they behave, the revelation of our future state, and finally its constitution as Science and as a Doctrine and its various applications. The Ancients knew the principles, the Moderns know the details. In Antiquity, the study of these phenomena constituted the privilege of certain social castes. They only disclosed these mysteries to those that were being initiated by them. However, today, this study is accessible to any person. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).  

Text for reading 

43. The instructions given by the Spirits of a High Order on all matters of interest to Humanity and their answers to the questions presented to them - and which were carefully collected and coordinated - constitute a whole Science, a whole Moral and Philosophy under the name of Spiritism. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism). 

44. Spiritism is therefore the Doctrine founded on the existence, the manifestations and the teaching of the Spirits. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

45. This doctrine is fully disclosed in The Book of Spirits for its Philosophical Part, in The Book of Mediums for the Practical and Experimental Part, and in The Gospel According to Spiritism for the Moral Part. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

46. ​​As we have already seen, Spiritism started with the phenomenon of the rotating tables; but as these facts say more to the eyes than to the intelligence and arouse more curiosity than feeling, when our curiosity is satisfied, we have less interest in them as we do not understand them. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

47. The same did not occur when theory tried to explain the cause; when it became evident that from these whirling tables - with which people were amused for a while - a whole Moral Doctrine was born. This Doctrine spoke to the soul; it became a relief to the anguish of doubt; and it satisfied all the anxiety caused by emptiness due to an imperfect teaching of the future of Humanity. This is the reason why serious people accepted the new Doctrine as a benefit. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

48. Since then, far from fading-out, it grows at an incredible speed; in a few years it has gathered, throughout all countries, and especially among the enlightened, a great number of followers that increase on a daily basis. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

49. Therefore, we can say that Spiritism has won the right to citizenship, because it has strong foundations that challenge the efforts of its opponents, who are more or less interested in fighting it. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

50. As we know, the attacks and criticism to Spiritism did not hamper its development for a single moment. Now, as Spiritists say, if Spiritism spreads in spite of criticism, it is because people think it is good and prefer its logic and reasoning to that of its opponents. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

51. Spiritism, however, is not a modern discovery. The facts and principles upon which it rests are lost in time. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - The History of Spiritism).

52. Their traces are found in the beliefs of all peoples, in all religions, and in the most sacred and the most profane writings. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

53. What happened is that previously the facts, which were not fully observed, were often interpreted according to the superstitious ideas of ignorance, and not all their consequences were implied. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

54. Spiritism is founded on the existence of the Spirits. The conclusion is therefore obvious: since Spirits are the souls of men, then since there are men there are Spirits. Spiritism did not discover the Spirits, nor did they invent them. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

55. If souls or Spirits can manifest to the living, it is because this is part of Nature and certainly they have always proceeded like this; and we find evidence of these many manifestations everywhere and especially in the Bible. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

56. What is modern in Spiritism is the logical explanation of the facts, the most complete knowledge of the nature of the Spirits, their role, the way they behave, the revelation of our future state, and finally its constitution as Science and Doctrine and its various applications. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

57. The Ancients knew the principle, the Moderns know the details. In Antiquity, the study of these phenomena was the privilege of certain castes, which revealed them only to the initiates in their mysteries. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

58. In the middle Ages, those, who openly occupied themselves with it, were looked upon as sorcerers, and therefore carried to the stake; but today there are no mysteries for anyone, no one is burned and everything happens clear and openly, and all can be enlightened and practice it, because there are psychics everywhere. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

59. The Doctrine, taught by the Spirits teach, has nothing new, and it is possible to find it through fragments in most of the philosophers of India, Egypt and Greece, and fully in the teachings of Christ. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

60. What, then, does Spiritism do? It has come to confirm by new testimonies, and to demonstrate through facts, unknown or misunderstood truths, besides reestablishing, in their true sense, those that have been misinterpreted. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

61. It is true that Spiritism teaches nothing new; but no one will contest the importance to prove - in a clear and irrefutable way - the existence of the soul, its survival to the body, its individuality after death, its immortality, and the future penalties and rewards. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

62. How many people believe in these things, however with a vague uncertainty, telling their own selves: "And, if it is not like this”? How many became unbelievers because the future was shown to them in a way that their reason could not accept! (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

63. Through facts and logic, Spiritism puts an end to the anxiety caused by doubt, and brings back to faith those who withdraw from it. In revealing to us the existence of the invisible world that surrounds us - and in the midst of which we live without knowing it – it makes us know, by the example of those who lived, the requirements we have to accomplish for our future happiness or unhappiness, explaining to us the cause of our sufferings in this world and the means of softening them. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).

64. Its spreading will necessarily cause the destruction of the materialistic doctrines, which cannot resist evidence. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – The History of Spiritism).  (To be continued on the next issue).