We hereby continue the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works of the Kardecian Pentateuch. The first edition was published in April, 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion are at the end of the text below.
Questions for discussion
A. What is our duty in the assignment of spreading Spiritism?
B. If many Spiritists stray from the good path, how can we recognize those who are still on the right path?
C. To whom will God entrust the toughest jobs in the major work of Spiritism regeneration?
D. What means, in the evangelical sense, the word "prophet", and who are the false prophets?
Reading text
271. "Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men to violate them, will be considered last in the kingdom of heaven, but the one who follows and teaches them will be great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew, Chapter V, v. 19.) The words of Jesus are eternal, because they are the truth. They are not only the safeguard to heavenly life, but also the pledge of peace, tranquility, and stability in the things of earthly life. That is why all human, political, social, and religious institutions that base themselves on these words will be stable as the house built on rock. (Chapter XVIII sections 8 and 9)
272. "If you were blind - Jesus said - you would have no sin." By saying this, Jesus meant that guiltiness is in direct proportion to the enlightenment that we possess. Now, the Pharisees, who claimed to be, and were the most enlightened of their nation, were at the eyes of God more blameworthy than the ignorant people. The same applies today. From the Spiritists much will be required, because much was received. In addition, to those who show progress, much shall be given. Spiritism comes to multiply the number of calls. Because of the faith it provides, it shall also multiply the number of the chosen ones. (Chapter XVIII, section 12)
273. "Be very careful with what you hear, because the same measure that you have used to measure others will be used towards you, and unto you shall still be given more. For to him, who already has, shall be given: and to him who has not, from him shall be taken away even what he has." (Mark, Chapter IV, vv. 24 and 25). God does not take away from the one that received little. It is the Spirit itself who, being prodigal and careless, does not know how to keep what it has, and increase the mite that was deposited in its heart. He, who does not know how to cultivate the field that his father left him by inheritance, sees it covered up by herbs parasites. Was his Father, the One, who took from him the crops that he did not care for? (Chapter XVIII, sections 14 and 15, a Spirit Friend)
274. Is it enough to say: "I am a Christian", for someone to be a follower of Christ? Seek the true Christians and you will recognize them by their works. (Chapter XVIII, section 16, Simeon)
275. True and sincere faith is always calm; it provides the patience that knows how to wait, because, being supported by intelligence and understanding of things, it is sure to reach the desired purpose. The wavering faith feels its own weakness. When interest stimulates it, it becomes furious and it believes that it can replace its weak power by using violence. To be calm in a fight is always a sign of confidence and inner strength. Violence, instead, shows weakness and self-doubt. (Chapter XIX, section 3)
276. We must not confuse faith with presumption. True faith is hand in hand with humility. The one who has it deposits more confidence in God than in himself, because he knows that he is a mere instrument of the divine will, and without God, he can nothing. For this reason, the good Spirits come to his rescue. Presumption is less faith than pride, and pride is always punished, due to the disappointment and failures it causes. (Chapter XIX, section 4)
277. It is common to say that faith is not prescribed. No doubt, faith is not prescribed, nor is it imposed. No, it is acquired and everybody is able to possess it, even the most recalcitrant. (Chapter XIX, section 7.)
278. In some people, faith seems somehow innate. A spark is enough to develop it. This ease to assimilate spiritual truths is an obvious sign of previous progress. In others, on the contrary, they hardly penetrate. This is also a sign of a delayed stage. The first have already believed and understood. They bring, when reborn, the intuition of what they previously learned. (Chapter XIX, section 7.)
279. Faith needs a base. This support is the perfect intelligence of what we must believe in. In addition, it is not just enough to see to believe. Above all, we must understand. Blind faith does not belong any longer to this century, and this is so evident that it is precisely the blind faith dogma that produces the largest number of unbelievers, because it seeks to impose itself, demanding the abdication of one of the most precious prerogatives of man: reasoning and free will. (Chapter XIX, section 7.)
280. "Remembering what Jesus had mentioned, Peter said: Master, it looks like the fig tree withered thou cursed. Jesus spoke: Have faith in God. I tell you, in fact, that he who says to this mountain: Get thee hence and cast yourself into the sea, but without hesitation in his heart, rather believing firmly that all that is said to happen, you will see that, in fact, it happens." (Mark, Chapter XI, vv. 20-23.) The withered fig tree is the symbol of those who just appear to be good, but in truth, produce nothing good; speakers that have more brilliance, whose words have a superficial varnish pleasing the ear, without, however, revealing when examined in detail something significant to the heart. (Chapter XIX, sections 8 and 9.)
281. The withered fig tree also symbolizes all those, who have the means to be useful, and are not, all utopias, all hollow systems, and all doctrines lacking solid foundation. What most often is missing is true faith, productive faith, the faith that strongly shakes our heart, a faith, in a word, that moves mountains. (Chapter XIX, section 9.)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. What is our duty in the assignment of spreading Spiritism?
"Go and preach the word of God," this is the invitation-challenge proposed to the Spiritists. The time has come when we must sacrifice our habits, our work, and our futile occupations to spread Spiritism. High Spirits will be with us in this task. It is necessary to sprinkle with our sweat the land that we shall have to sow. Let us take the word of God to the great, who will despise it, to scholars who will require evidence, to the small and simple who will accept it, especially because among the working martyrs we will find fervor and faith. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter XX, section 4.)
B. If many Spiritists stray from the good path, how can we recognize those who are still on the right path?
Answering this question, Erastus said, "You will recognize them by the principles of true charity that they will teach and practice. You will recognize them by the number of afflicts to whom they take consolation. You will recognize them by their love of neighbor, their abnegation, and unselfishness. Finally, you will recognize them by the success of their principles, because God wants the victory of His law. Those who follow His law are the chosen ones and He will give them victory, but He will destroy those who distort the spirit of this law and make it a step to satisfy their vanity and ambition." (Ibid, Chapter XX, section 4.)
C. To whom will God entrust the toughest jobs in the major work of Spiritism regeneration?
According to the Spirit of Truth, blessed are all those who have worked in the field of the Lord, with disinterest and no other motive than charity! Their working days will be paid a hundred times more than was expected. Blessed are those who have said to their brothers, "Let us work together and unite our efforts, so that when the Lord arrives, He will find the work finished". For the Lord will say to them, "Come unto me, ye that are good servers, you who learnt how to silence your jealousy and to your quarrels so that no harm affected your work!" However, woe to those who, because of their differences, have delayed the harvest time, because the storm will come and they will be taken in the whirlwind! To those, who have not retreated before their task, the Lord will entrust the toughest jobs in the great work of regeneration through Spiritism. These words will then be fulfilled, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first in the kingdom of heaven." (Ibid, Chapter XX, section 5.)
D. What means, in the evangelical sense, the word "prophet", and who are the false prophets?
The gift of predicting the future is usually imputed to the prophets, so that the words prophecy and prediction have become synonymous. In an evangelical sense, the word prophet has a larger meaning. It is said about all sent by God with a mission to educate men and to reveal the hidden things and the mysteries of the spiritual life. Therefore, a man can be a prophet without making predictions.
False prophets are those who call themselves prophets, without conditions to do so. False prophets are not only among the incarnated. They exist too, and in a far greater number, among proud Spirits that pretending love and charity, sow disunity and retard the work of the emancipation of humanity, by sending man absurd methods, after having convinced their mediums to accept them. In addition, to better charm those whom they wish to deceive, to give more importance to their theories, they, with no scrupulous, use names that man only mentions with great respect.
They are the ones, who spread the yeast of the antagonisms among groups, drive them apart, and make them look at one another with suspicious. This would be enough to unmask them, because through this behavior they are the first to give the most formal denial of their true intentions. Therefore, blind are the men that fall into such a coarse mystification.
We must refuse and not comply with all Spirits who present themselves as exclusive advisors, preaching separation and apartness. Most of the times, they are proud and mediocre Spirits, trying to impose themselves on credulous and weak men, lavishing them with exaggerated praise, to charm and master them. Usually, these are thirsty of power Spirits. Having been tyrants, when alive, in public or in their homes, they still want to bully victims after they died. In general, distrust all mystique and singular communications. In these cases, there is always a legitimate reason for suspicion. Let us be sure that when a truth must be revealed to men, it is instantly communicated to all serious groups that work with responsible mediums too, and not to this or that, excluding others. (Ibid, Chapter XXI, sections 4 to 10.)
