THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SPIRITISM

Allan Kardec

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SPIRITIST MEETINGS


4. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew, 18: 20).

5. PREFACE - In order to be gathered together in the name of Jesus, our material presence alone is not enough, because it is indispensable to be assembled in the spiritual sense as well, by means of a communion of intentions and thoughts towards goodness. In this way Jesus will be found in your midst, that is to say either He or those pure Spirits who are His representatives. Spiritism enables us to understand the way the Spirits can be with us. This is by means of their fluidic or spiritual body, and if they should make themselves visible they do so with an appearance that allows us to recognise them. The more elevated in the spiritual hierarchy the greater is their power of radiation, so that on possessing the gift of ubiquity, they may be present in various places simultaneously. In order to achieve this it requires merely the emission of a thought.

With these words Jesus wished to show the effect of union and fraternity. It is not the greater or lesser number of people which attract the Spirits, but the sentiment of charity which animates them reciprocally. If it depended on numbers, He would have said some ten or twenty instead of two or three people. Well, for this purpose two persons are enough. But if these two people pray separately, even if they direct themselves to Jesus, there will be no communion of thought between them, especially if they are not motivated by a mutual sentiment of benevolence. If they are animated by mutual prejudice, hate, jealousy or envy, then the fluidic currents of their thoughts will repel each other instead of uniting them in a harmonious impulse of sympathy. So then they Will not be united in the Name of Jesus. In that case, Jesus will only be the pretext for that meeting and not the true motive (See chapter 27, item 9).

This does not mean to say that Jesus will not listen to only one person. However, if He did not say: "I will attend anyone who calls Me." it is because He demands, above all else, the love of one's neighbour, far which it is possible to give greater proof in a group than in isolation, and because all personalized sentiment denies it. It follows then, that in a large meeting, f two or three people joined themselves through their hearts in a sentiment of true charity, while all the others remained isolated, concentrating their ideas on selfish and worldly things, Jesus would be with the first group and not with the rest. It is not then the simultaneity of the words, the songs or the exterior acts which constitute the gathering together in the name of Jesus, but rather the communion of thought according to the true spirit of charity, of which He is the personification (See chapters 10, items 7 & 8, and 27, items 2 & 4).

This should be the character of all serious Spiritist meetings, in which the assistance of the good Spirits is earnestly desired.

6. PRAYER (For the commencement of a meeting):

We beseech You, O Lord God, the All Powerful, to send us the good Spirits to help us and take away all those who may induce us towards error; give us the necessary light so that we may distinguish truth from falsity.

Remove too, the maleficent Spirits, be they incarnate or discarnate, who may try to launch discord amongst us, and so turn us away from charity and love for our neighbours. If some of these Spirits try to enter our ambient, do not allow them access to any of our hearts.

Good Spirits, you see fit to come and teach us, make us yielding to your counselling, turn us away from all thoughts of selfishness, pride, jealousy and envy. Inspire us to indulgence and benevolence towards our fellow beings, present or absent, friends or enemies; lastly, through the sentiments with which we are animated, make us recognise Your beneficial influence.

To those Mediums You chose as transmitters of Your teaching, give awareness of their mandate and the seriousness of the act they are about to practise, so they may perform this act with the necessary fervour and meditation.

If at our meeting, there be any persons present driven by sentiments other than those of goodness, open their eyes to the light and forgive them Lord, as we forgive them, for any evil intentions they may harbour.

We ask especially that the Spirit of X..., who is our spiritual Guide, assist us and watch over us.



7. PRAYER (For the closing of the meeting):

We give thanks to the good Spirits who have come to communicate with us, and implore them to help us put into practise the instructions they have given, and also, that on leaving this ambient, they may help us to feel strengthened for the practise of goodness and love towards our fellow beings.

We also desire that Your teachings help all those Spirits who are suffering, ignorant or corrupt, who have participated in our meeting and for whom we implore God's mercy.

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