A Journalist’s Opinion about The Spirits’ BookIt is a well-known that we don’t get much attention from the press but that
does not preclude Spiritism from advancing fast, a clear demonstration
that it is strong enough to march alone. If the press is mute or hostile there
is no reason to believe that all of its representatives are against Spiritism.
Many, on the contrary, are sympathetic but hold back their positions out
of personal considerations since nobody wants to take the initiative. The
general public is voicing their opinion on a growing scale these days. The
idea is generalizing and when it has reached the masses the progressive
press will be forced to follow suit or pay the price for staying behind with
those who never advance. They will do it particularly when they understand
that Spiritism is the most powerful instrument of propagation of
a grandiose, humanitarian and generous idea that it preaches endlessly.
There is no doubt that its teachings are not lost but how many strikes are
necessary to hit the rock of prejudices before breaking it down? Spiritism
offers a fertile ground and flattens out the last barriers that prevent its
movement. That is what will be learned by those who take the burden of
studying it in-depth, assessing its reach and observing the consequences
that already show their positive results. However, in order to achieve that
there is the need for serious observers rather than superficial ones; people
who don’t write just for the sake of it but who turn their principles into a religion. Have no doubt that such people will be found and sooner than
expected we will see some of those names heading the propagation of the
spiritist ideas, people whose names bear authority and whose memories
will remain in the future as having contributed to the true emancipation
of humanity. The article below, published by the Akhbar journal from
Algeria, on October 15th, 1861 is already a first step in that direction and
it will have followers. Our readers may perhaps recognize the talent of one
of our most eminent journalists under the modest pseudo name Ariel.
“The European press has given a lot of attention to this work. After reading
it one can understand why, regardless of the opinion that one may have
about the collaboration that the author admits to have had from extraterrestrial
intelligences. In fact, suppressing some pages of the introduction
that exposes the modes and means of such collaboration – the contestable
part by the profanes – the remaining is a book of the highest philosophy,
of an eminently pure moral, particularly having a very reassuring effect on
a human soul, dazed between the sufferings of the present and the fears of
the future. In addition, many readers may have exclaimed on reaching the
last page: I don’t know if all this is true but I really wish it were!”
“Who has not heard about the strange communications from a few
years ago, that certain privileged persons were interpreters between the
material and the invisible world? Everyone took sides on that issue and
as is typical, the majority of those who sustained the banner of belief or
the others who retreated to the field of unbelievers who did not bother to
investigate the facts, whose reality some believed and others denied.”
“These are not matters for discussion in a newspaper like ours,
though. Thus, neither contesting nor attesting the post-mortem signatures
of Plato, Socrates, Saint Augustine, Julio Caesar, Charlemagne,
Saint Louis, Napoleon, etc. found at the end of several paragraphs of Mr.
Allan Kardec’s book, we must say that if these great men were returning
to the world to give us explanations about problems of the highest interest
to humanity they would not express themselves with more lucidity, with
a more profound moral sense, in a kinder way, with a greater elevation
in the views and language than they do in the eccentric work which we
are trying to give an idea. These are things that one cannot read without
emotion and that cannot be forgotten immediately after they were read.
In that sense The Spirits’ Book will not suffer, like many others have, the
indifference of the century. It will have eager adversaries, ruthless jesters,
but we would not be surprised if it also found, on the other hand, very
enthusiastic and sincere followers.”
“Since we cannot consciously take sides – given the lack of previous
verification – we remain with our humble task of reporter by saying this:
read that book which totally departs from more of the same contemporary
banalities. If you are not going to be seduced, captivated, you will perhaps
be irritated but, there is no doubt, you will not remain cold or indifferent.”
“We recommend in particular the passage about death. This is a
subject that nobody likes to discuss, even those who consider themselves
strong and courageous. Well then! After having read and given some
thought to that we found ourselves surprised for no longer finding something
horrifying in that supreme crisis. It leads us to a point where death
is no longer feared or desired. Other not less important problems find
equally unexpected and consoling solutions. In short, the time spent reading
this book will be a time well spent for the satisfaction of intellectual
curiosity and will not be lost in terms of moral betterment.”
Ariel
