Kardec’s farewell and Spiritism’s constitution

In October 1868, the Spiritist Magazine (SM) published a "Materialist Profession of Faith", signed by A. Regnard, who defends such a position, supported by ancient ideas, from Aristotle and "Epicurus to Bacon, Diderot, Virchow, Moleschoff, and Büchner, not to mention the contemporaries and compatriots [...]” (KARDEC, 1868, page 425).

In a demonstration that he is not afraid of such ideas, which he considers to be harmful to the human Spirit, the Encoder of Spiritism, after making some remarks about Regnard's text, concludes with this propheticphrase:

Materialism is a consequence of the transition period in which we are; it is not progress, far from it, but an instrument of progress. It will disappear, proving its insufficiency for the maintenance of the social order and for the satisfaction of the serious Spirits, who seek the reason of each thing; for this it was necessary that they saw it in action. Mankind, who has to believe in the future, will never be content with the emptiness it leaves behind, and will seek something better to compensate for it (KARDEC, 1868, page 427).

By accepting the spiritual truth of the immortality of the soul, what must concern us becomes the purpose of life, that is, duty and not just pleasure, which must exist in its relative importance and fugacity here on Earth. The psychics’ role is to prove through experience what theory claims.

In December 1868 (Page 504), Kardec proposed a "Transitional Constitution of Spiritism," also published in Posthumous Works. In it, the Spiritist Encoder explains that only when the Spiritist Doctrine is fully developed would it be fully defined (Page 505). For this reason, he classified the Spiritist constitution as "transitory" (Page 507).

In his "preliminary considerations," Kardec explains that, in consolidating its main points, Spiritism would form a harmonized body; and only then could one have an idea formed about the Doctrine. He then went on to discuss some of the topics of his report to the Spiritist Society of Paris, published in the June 1865 Review, and he considered the following preliminaries essential (Page 507):

When I conceived the idea of ​​The Book of Spirits, it was my intention not to put myself in any way in evidence and remain unknown [...]. If my name is now of some popularity, I certainly did not seek it, for it is well-known that I owe it neither to propaganda nor to the comradeship of the press, and that I never took advantage of my relations to launch myself into the world, when this would have been so easy. But as the work grew, a wider horizon unfolded before me, pushing back its limits; I understood then the immensity of my task and the importance of the work that I had to do to complete it. Far from terrifying me, difficulties and obstacles redoubled my energies; I saw the goal and decided to attain it with the assistance of the good Spirits. I felt that I had no time to lose, and I did not lose it in useless visits or idle ceremonies; it was the work of my life: I gave it all my time, I sacrificed my rest, my health, because the future was written before me in irrefutable characters (SM, 1868, pages 509-510).

Another great concern of Kardec was with the "schisms" that could arise among the Spiritists. After some considerations, he informs that this aspect concerns the "essentially progressive" side of the Spiritist Doctrine.

Because it did not let itself be taken by unfulfilled dreams, it does not mean that it is immobilized in the present. Relying only on the Laws of Nature, it cannot change more than these laws; but if a new law is discovered, it must be brought into conformity with that law. It does not have to close the door to any progress, under penalty of destroying itself. By assimilating all the admittedly just ideas of whatever order, whether physical or metaphysical, it will never be surpassed, constituting one of the principal guarantees of its perpetuity. (SM, 1868, page 514).

The Encoder is concerned, then, with the "higher central direction, vigilant guardian of the progressive unity and of the general interests of the Doctrine". It took a "moral authority" to conduct the work and preserve the union of the Spiritists and the unification of their basic postulates. It should be someone endowed with "self-denial," "devotion," "disinterest," and "humility" (Ibid, 518). With this purpose he considered the need for a "central commission". And so he explains his opinion on the subject:

During the period of preparation, the direction of Spiritism had to be individual; it was necessary that all the constituent elements of the Doctrine, emitted in the state of embryos, from a multitude of outbreaks, should go to a common center, to be examined and compared there, so that a single thought presided over their coordination, to establish the unity in the set and the harmony between all the parts. Otherwise, the Doctrine would have resembled these hybrid buildings, designed by various architects, or a mechanism whose wheels do not mesh precisely with one another (SM 1868, page 521).

This "central committee or higher council" would have the leadership, now no more of a single person, but a collective leadership, which should have the agreement of the majority and, in some cases, the approval of a "general" representative, but not very extensive, in order to avoid any turmoil in the deliberations of the central commission. It also provided for the setting up of "congresses" formed by delegates of private societies, regularly constituted and placed under the patronage of a commission" that joined it and conformed to its principles.

The decision of a group characterized by its moral suitability and high knowledge has greater authority than that of a single person, whose personal opinion would be outweighed by that of the group in the case of disagreements. Kardec deduces that "It is common for a person to reject the opinion of another one, because he understands that he would humble himself if he were to submit to that opinion, and would easily agree and follow the opinion of many without difficulty" (SM, 1868, page 523).

Regarding the fundamental works of the Spiritist Doctrine, the Encoder clarifies that he agrees with the people who propose low cost editions in order to popularize Spiritism. He also reports on the construction of the Spiritist Museum, which had been waiting for a convenient place for its construction and would have already received eight great paintings, "true masterpieces of art" donated by its author, an artist renowned at the time. He then informs:

When organized by the constitution of the central commission, our works will become the property of Spiritism, in the person of the same commission, who will manage them and take care of their publication by the most appropriate means to popularize them. It should also ensure that they are translated into the major foreign languages. The Magazine was, until now, and could not fail to be, a personal work, since it was part of our doctrinal works, constituting the annals of Spiritism. Through it all the new principles were elaborated and given to study. It was therefore necessary that it retain its individual character, so that unity could be established (SM, 1868, page 527).

Then Allan Kardec makes this statement of the highest importance:

To complete the doctrinal work, we still have to publish several works, which are not the least difficult part, nor less laborious. Although we already have all the elements to carry it out and the program of each one is traced to the last chapter, we could pay more attention to them and activate them if, by establishing the central commission, we were free from other cares that absorb much of our time (RE, 1868, page 528).

We believe that, since it is not possible for the Chief Missionary of Spiritism to continue his work, some of which were published in Posthumous Works by his successors, Spirituality would provide this lacuna, as we hope to demonstrate at the end of this article. In his foresight, however, and already with heart problems that led him to various medical appointments, as he was informed in this work, Kardec had already laid the foundations for the continuation of the great work of his life and of the advent of the Comforter promised by Jesus, as in the Gospel of John 14:16. In this way he proposed several "main attributions" to the central commission, which can be read in Posthumous Works and on pages 528 to 530 of the Spiritist Magazineof December 1868, among which we highlight: to take care of the interests of the Doctrine and its propagation; maintaining its unity, for the preservation of the integrity of the principles agreed to; provide the development of its consequences".

Various other attributions were recommended, such as "[...] the study of new principles, which are likely to enter the body of the Doctrine ...; the maintenance, consolidation and extension of the bonds of brotherhood between the followers and the private societies of the different countries"; the edition of basic works with low prices, promotion of courses, etc. The other important topics - the construction of the Spiritist museum and library, the help to the needy, the Spiritist courses, among others - can be read in the mentioned works.

After discussing the "ways and means" appropriate to the time in which he lived, Kardec concludes:

Such are the main bases of the organization that we propose to give to Spiritism, if circumstances will allow us [...]. The details will be subject to a specific regulation, in which all cases will be predicted in order to overcome all the difficulties of execution.

Consequently with the principles of tolerance and respect for all opinions, which Spiritism professes, we do not intend to impose this organization on anyone, or to constrain anyone to submit to it. Our goal is to establish a first bond between the Spiritists, who long for it and suffer with their isolation. This bond, without which Spiritism, remaining in the state of individual opinions, and without cohesion - can exist only on the condition of being reconnected to a center by a communion of views and principles. This center is not an individual but a focus of collective activity, acting in the general interest and in which personal authority is extinguished (RE, 1868, page 546).

The true Spiritist says Kardec (SM, 1869, January, page 36) is the one who practices his teachings and strives to become better. It is not right to call Spiritist, as it happened in the nineteenth century, people who practiced "black magic" and charlatans, even if such people call themselves Spiritists. In the same way, we do not consider a physician who is not qualified by the academy to exercise this sublime profession. Kardec goes further, says that the Spiritist Doctrine "repudiates all solidarity with magic, witchcraft, sorcery, fortune tellers, Soothsayers, lucky lenders and all those who trade with the Spirits [...] with the intention of having the Spirits at their command [...] "(Ibid, page 37).

Next, the Encoder of the Spiritist Doctrine explains that Spirits, as entities who enjoy free will, because they are men’s souls, like us, "who lived on the Earth", are not subject to our orders. They manifest when and where they want and always for the purpose of instructing us and encouraging us to improve ourselves morally. Of course, this refers to the Higher Spirits. They cannot help us solve our material problems, which we can do personally. Without it, where would our free will and merit be?

Kardec concludes that "[...] ignoring these things is ignoring the ABC of Spiritism". The first Spiritist Law is the "love of neighbor" and its maxim is contained in this sentence: "Outside Charity, there is no Salvation" (page38).

Spiritism enters a solemn phase, but in which it will still have great struggles to sustain; it must be strong by itself and, to be strong, it must be respected. It is up to its dedicated followers to make it respect, initially preaching it by word and example; then, disapproving, in the name of the Doctrine, all that could prejudice the consideration of which it should be surrounded. This is how you can deal with intrigue, mockery, and ridicule. (SM, 1869, page 71)

On March 31, 1869, victim of an aneurism, the giant, Kardec, fell on Earth to be embraced in the Spiritual Plane. His mission was fulfilled. The works he intended to publish would come later from the psychographics of Fernando de Lacerda in Portugal, Amalia Domingos Soler, in Spain, Wera Krijanoswski, in Russia and, mainly, in Brazil, through the illuminated pen of Zilda Gama, Yvonne Pereira, Francisco Candido Xavier, and among us, Divaldo Pereira Franco, among other mediums no less extraordinary of materialization, such as Ana Prado, Para and Peixotinho (Francisco Peixoto Lins), Ceara, among others. Since then, Spiritism has been dismantling Materialism, which has caused so much damage to Humanity, but which has its days counted.

References:

 KARDEC, Allan. Posthumous works. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian Spiritist Federation, 2009.

______. Materialistic Profession of Faith. Spiritist Magazine, 1868. Translation by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. Available at: www.febnet.org.br

 Accessed on Dec 16. 2016.

______. Transitory Constitution of Spiritism. Spiritist Magazine 1868. Translation by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. Available at: www.febnet.org.br

Accessed on Dec 16. 2016.

_______. Process of the Poisoners of Marseilles. Spiritist Magazine, 1869. Translation by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. Available at: www.febnet.org.br

Accessed on 17 Dec 2016.

______. KARDEC, The Power of Ridiculous. Spiritist Magazine, 1869.Translation of Evandro Noleto Bezerra. Available at: www.febnet.org.br Accessed on 17 Dec

  
Translation:
Eleni Frangatos - eleni.moreira@uol.com.br