Instructions by the SpiritsAntwerp Society – 1864
I
Acknowledge the greatness and mercy of God towards every creature. The voice of the Almighty has been heard. Bow and be humble because the Lord’s power is great. The whole planet must shake under his merciful hand and those that abide by his laws will be blessed like Abraham of old marching towards an unknown land because the voice of the Eternal spoke to his heart.
The Almighty will support those that march under his paternal eyes, humble and believing. Let them treat you as poor of Spirit and the strong God will gracefully attract you to him. Be firm working in his vineyard and neglect the disdain of the impious because the Eternal has touched you with his protecting hand. Be courageous and move on not knowing where he is leading you. God protects those that support their own weaknesses on his force. The Creator is great. Be impressed by his work. Spiritism spreads around Earth like the soothing dew of the night, refreshing a very dry land. He will spread the celestial dew in your souls and your hearts will produce good fruits by the unction of the divine grace and your work will propagate His glory and greatness. God is Almighty and haven’t the tables of Moses shaken the planet when his force led Moses by the arm? What is it that you fear? Will God abandon you to your weakness when He gave his force to Moses? Hasn’t the Almighty sent the mana to the desert? Will it be the case that God will be less merciful to you than He was to the sons of Israel, allowing your hearts to be driven by ignorance? God is as just as great. Have trust in God and God will inundate you with his grace. Your hearts will expand and become the dwelling of faith and charity because truth has shone upon Earth and you were touched by the benevolent hand of the Almighty. Courage Spiritists! The powerful God watches you. May your souls be the tables on which God writes his laws and may nothing stain the temple of the Eternal so that you become worthy of publicizing the commandments. Have no fear of waking in darkness when the divine light leads you. The times designated by the Almighty have come. Darkness shall be vanished from Earth giving rise to the divine rays that will inundate your souls, if you do not repeal the voice of God. The force of the Almighty will spread over his people and your children will bless him singing praises from the purity of their hearts. May nothing stop you! May nothing discourage you! Be firm in the works of God. Be you all children of a great family and may you be conducted by the eyes of our Celestial Father and may your work be fruitful.
II
The kingdom of Christ is near. The precursors announced that; the quiet fights multiply; the incarnate Spirits agitate to the breath of impure princes of darkness: it is the devil of pride that throws its fire like the crater of a volcano in eruption. The invisible world stands up by the cross and the whole spiritual hierarchy of heavens is at motion towards the divine struggle. Spiritists, stand up; hole your brothers’ hands, the apostles of faith, so that you are strong when facing the terrible army that wants to destroy you. Bow before the cross that is your safeguard in danger, your reward in victory. The fighting field is covered in danger, we do not hide that, but the struggle is needed to make the triumph of faith shinier and stronger and so that these words of Jesus Christ be accomplished: the doors of hell will not prevail.
III
Man is never as strong as when he feels his weakness; he can do everything under the gaze of God. His moral strength grows in proportion to his confidence, because he feels the need to reach out to the Creator to protect his weakness from the failures that he can be led to by human imperfection. He who puts his will into that of God can face the Spirit of evil with impunity without becoming intimidating. If the Supreme Being allows the struggle between the angel and the devil, it is to give the creature the opportunity to triumph and sacrifice oneself in the struggle. When St. Paul felt the voice of God vibrating in him, he said: "I can do everything in Him who strengthens me.” And the greatest sinner became the most zealous apostle of the faith. St. Augustine, abandoned to the weaknesses of his ardent and passionate nature, succumbs; he becomes strong by the eyes of God, who always gives strength to the one who asks to resist evil. But man, in his blindness, believes to be powerful by himself; and in abandoning the support of God, he falls into the abyss that he digs out of self-love. Courage, then, for no matter how strong the Spirit that blocks the way, by leaning on the cross you have nothing to fear; on the contrary, you have everything to gain for your soul, which will grow under the divine ray of faith. Let yourself be led through the storms, and you will reach the end of your journey, where Jesus waits for you.
Every man needs advice. Unfortunate is the one thinks himself strong enough in his own light, for he will have many disappointments. Spiritism is filled with pitfalls even in the groups, and even more so in isolation. The excessive fear of being deceived is good for you because it has been your safeguard in more than one circumstance. Your communications, however, need control; some appreciations alone are not enough. That is why your protecting Spirits advised you to speak to your Spiritist leader, so that you may learn about their worth.
It is necessary to prove, by their union, that all the serious followers work together in the vineyard of the Lord who will extend his branches onto the whole world. The more the workers get together, the faster the great Spiritist chain will be formed, and sooner also the human family will be inundated with the divine fragrances of faith and charity that will regenerate souls under the power of the Creator.
May each of you bring their stone to the edifice to the extent of their strength; but if everyone wants to build as they please, without taking into account the instructions we have given, and that form the foundation; if there is no agreement among you; if you do not have a common ground, then you will build a Babel power. We have shown you this point: let every one of you make it their only goal. We have given you this sign. Let each one inscribe it on their flag and then you will recognize each other and you will hold each other’s hands. But God will scatter the presumptuous ones that have not listened to his voice. He will blind the proud ones that believe to be strong enough by themselves, and those that deviate from the path which he has traced to them will wander in the wilderness.
Spirits, be strong in courage, perseverance and firmness, but humble of heart, according to the precept of the Gospel, and Jesus will lead you through torments and bless your work. Every struggle courageously endured under the gaze of God is an ardent prayer that rises to him like the pure incense of a pleasant aroma. If it were enough to mumble words to address God, the lazy ones would only need to take a book of prayers to satisfy the obligation to pray. Work, the activity of the soul, is the only good prayer that purifies and makes it grow.
Fénelon
