Advice for the formation of spiritist groups, by Allan Kardec

Paulo Degering R Jr
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We leave below, for the aroused interest, the advice given by Allan Kardec, in 1862, regarding the formation of Spiritist groups, given on the occasion of the Spiritist Journey of 1862.

In several places I was asked for advice on forming spiritist groups. I have little to say about it, other than the instructions contained in The Mediums' Book. I will add just a few words.

The first condition is to form a group of serious people, however restricted it may be. Five or six enlightened, sincere members, penetrated by the truths of the Doctrine and united by the same intention, are worth a hundred times more than the inclusion, in this group, of the curious and indifferent. Then, that these founding members establish a regulation that will become law for the new adherents.

This regulation is very simple and almost only includes measures of internal discipline, as it does not require the same details required for a large and regularly constituted society. Each group can therefore establish itself as it sees fit. However, for greater ease and uniformity, I will give a model, which can be modified according to the circumstances and needs of the place. In any case, the essential objective proposed must be the collection, the maintenance of the most perfect order and the removal of any person who was not animated by serious intentions and could become a cause of disturbance. This is why one would never be too severe with regard to the new elements to be admitted. Do not be afraid that this severity will harm the propagation of Spiritism. Quite the contrary: serious meetings are the ones that make the most proselytes. Frivolous meetings, those that are not conducted with order and dignity, in which the first curious person who appears may come to pour out his cheeks, inspire neither attention nor respect, and unbelievers leave them less convinced than when they enter. These meetings make the enemies of Spiritism happy, while the others are their nightmare and I know people who would gladly see their multiplication, as long as the others disappeared. Fortunately, the opposite happens. One must, moreover, be persuaded that the desire to be admitted to serious meetings increases by reason of difficulty. As for propaganda, it is done much less by the number of attendees, which one or two sessions cannot convince, than by the previous study and the conduct of the members outside the meetings.

[…]

Nor should you fear the admission of young people. The gravity of the assembly will be reflected in its character; they will become more serious and will soon be able to draw, in the teaching of good spirits, this living faith in God and in the future, this feeling of family duties, which will make them more docile, more respectful, and which moderates the effervescence of passions.

[…]

Recently, some special groups were formed, whose multiplication we would never fail to encourage: they are the so-called teaching groups. In them, little or nothing is concerned with the manifestations, but with the reading and explanation of The Book of Spirits, in 'The Mediums' Book and articles from Spiritist Magazine((The study of Revista Espírita, being carried out by this group, can be better understood on here and followed on our channel, on here)).

Some devoted persons gather for this purpose a number of listeners, supplying them with the difficulties of reading and studying for themselves. We wholeheartedly applaud this initiative which, we hope, will have imitators and cannot, as it develops, fail to produce the happiest results.

For that, you don't need to be a speaker or a teacher; it is a family reading, followed by some explanations without any pretense of eloquence, and which is within everyone's reach.

[…]

I hope you don't think it's wrong for me to indicate these works as a basis for teaching, since they are the only ones in which the spiritist science is developed in all its parts and in a methodical((In 1862, these were the existing and published works. Today, with the restoration of the original versions of O Céu e o Inferno and A Gênesis (published by FEAL), it is also recommended to study these, especially to understand the philosophical part of the Spiritist Doctrine. The Spiritism for All Study Group (EPT) is developing a large and rich study of these works (find out more by clicking on here))).

[…]

Here is another habit, the adoption of which is no less useful. It is essential that each group collects and cleans up the communications obtained, in order to easily refer to them in case of need. Spirits who saw their instructions disregarded would soon leave the meetings; but it is necessary, above all, that a special collection, organized and clear, of the most beautiful and instructive communications be set aside, and reread some of them in each session, in order to make better use of them.

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