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Biographies Allan Kardec
Spiritist Group of Born in Educated in the Endowed with a notable intelligence, he was drawn
to teaching, due to his character and his special aptitudes. At fourteen, he had
already started to teach what he had previously studied, to some of his
schoolmates, who had assimilated less than he. It was at that school that the
ideas originated, which would later categorize him in the class of the
progressive and free-thinkers individuals of the day.
Although he had been born under the influence of
the Catholic religion, he was educated in a Protestant country. The acts of
intolerance that he witnessed under these circumstances, led him at an early age
to conceive of the idea of a religious reformation, in which he labored silently
for many years with the ultimate aim of achieving the unification of the faiths.
He lacked, however, the indispensable element for the solution to that immense
problem. Spiritism came to light, at this time, to imprint
in his mind the particular direction for future undertakings.
As soon as he completed his studies, he returned
to He was a member of several societies, one of
which the Royal Academy of Arras, that, in the competition of 1831, awarded him
notable recognition on the following subject: Which is a system of study more
harmonious with the needs of the time? From 1835 to 1840, he established, in his home,
at Sèvres street, free study courses on Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Astronomy,
etc., an accomplishment worthy of commendation at any time, but, above all, at
this time in which only a few illuminated minds dared to follow that path.
Always concerned with making the educational
system more appealing and interesting, he invented the ingenious method of
teaching to count and a mnemonic picture of the History of France, with the
objective of fixating in the memory, the dates of major events and discoveries
that illuminated each reign. Among his numerous works to foster education, we
will mention the following: Proposed Plan for the improvement of Public
Instruction (1828); A practical and theoretical study of Arithmetic, according
to the methods of Pestalozzi, for the use of teachers and mothers (1824);
Classic French Grammar (1831); A Manual of the Examination for the titles of
capacity; Rational solutions to the subjects and problems in Arithmetic and in
Geometry (1846); Grammatical Catechism of the French Language (1848); Program
for the regular courses of Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Physiology, which he
taught in Lyceum Polimático; Normal dictations of the examinations of the
Municipality and of Sorbonne, followed by Special Dictations regarding
Orthographic Difficulties (1849), an accomplishment highly regarded at the time
of its launching and from which new editions are still been published today.
It can be seen that even before Spiritism had
become popularized Allan Kardec through his Celtic pseudonym, had already become
well known, through the varied nature of his accomplishments in the educational
system. His works always had the objective of illuminating the masses and of
uniting them better to their respective families and countries.
About the year 1855, the spotlight focused on the
subject of the manifestations of the Spirits, and Allan Kardec became dedicated
to persevering on the observations of that phenomenon, and cogitating mainly in
deducing its philosophical consequences. He could see, at once, that these
phenomena were the beginning of new natural laws: the ones that govern the
relationships between the visible and the invisible world. He recognized, in the
action of the invisible world, one of the forces of Nature, whose knowledge
would throw light on the immense problems that until then had been considered
insoluble, and he understood its reach, under the religious point of view.
His main works written on this subject are: The
Spirit’s Book, concerning the philosophical part of the doctrine, and whose
first edition appeared on April 18th, 1857; The Mediums’ Book, concerning the
experimental and scientific aspect (January of 1861); The Gospel according to
Spiritism, concerning moral and ethics (April of 1864); Heaven and Hell, or The
Justice of God according to Spiritism (August of 1865); Genesis, the Miracles
and Predictions According to Spiritism (January of 1868); Revue Spirite, a
monthly newspaper of psychological studies, that had begun on January 1st, 1858.
On He demonstrated that the facts, which previously
had erroneously been considered supernatural, were actually subject to the
universal laws. He classified them under the phenomena of Nature, thereby
eliminating the last refuge of the wonder and one of the elements of
superstition. During the first years of the introduction of the
spiritist phenomena, they were considered more an object of curiosity than of
serious meditation. The Spirit’s Book caused the subject to be considered
under a totally different aspect. The turning tables that had merely been a
prelude were discarded, and people started to pay greater attention to the
doctrine, that embraces all the subjects of interest for Humanity.
The date of the launching of The Spirit’s Book,
was the foundation of Spiritism, which until then, had only counted on scattered
elements, without coordination, and whose reach most people could not
understand. Starting from that moment, the doctrine attracted the attention of
the serious-minded people and took a rapid development. In few years, those
ideas overtook numerous followers in all social circles around the world. That
unprecedented success took hold, without a doubt, due to the sympathy that such
ideas inspired; but, it is also largely due to the clarity with which they were
presented, which is one of the characteristics of Allan Kardec's works.
Avoiding the abstract formulas of Metaphysics, he
knew how to attract everyone’s to read about it without becoming tiresome,
which was an essential condition to the dissemination of the idea. On all of the
controversial points, his argument, of pure logic, does not leave room for
dispute and it predisposes the conviction. The material proof that Spiritism
presents of the existence of the soul and of a future life tends to destroy the
materialistic and pantheistic ideas. One of the most fertile principles of that
doctrine is the plurality of the existences, already foreseen by a group of
ancient and modern philosophers, and, during these last times, by João Reynaud,
Carlos Fourier, Eugênio Sue and others. The plurality of existences, however,
had been maintained in a state of hypothesis and of system, while Spiritism had
demonstrated the reality and the proofs that in this principle, one of
Humanity's essential attributes resides. From the plurality of existences
derived the explanation of all the apparent anomalies of human life, of all the
intellectual, moral and social inequalities, allowing man to know whence he
comes, where he is capable of going, why he is upon the earth, why he suffers
temporarily, and can see, above all, the justice of God. The innate ideas displayed in a present
incarnation are explained by the knowledge previously acquired in prior
lifetimes; also, the action of men of ancient times that are relived once again
explains the progress of the individual and of Humanity; the sympathies and
dislikes are naturally going to be a result of the experiences and the nature of
relationships from previous incarnations. Those relationships, that reunite the
great human family of all times, suggests as a base, the advanced principles of
fraternity, of equality, of freedom and of universal solidarity, which are the
very laws of Nature and not mere theory. Instead of the postulate: “Without the Church
there is no Salvation, which fosters separation and animosity between the
different religious sects that have been responsible for so much bloodshed,
Spiritism has as its emblem: Without Charity there is no Salvation, which
enhances equality among men, tolerance, freedom of conscience and mutual
benevolence in the eyes of God. Instead of blind faith, which annuls free
thinking, Spiritism says: Unshakable faith is only that which can meet reason
face to face in every human epoch. In order to have faith a base is necessary;
and, this base is the perfect intelligence of that which one believes. To be a
believer is not enough; above all, it is imperative to comprehend. Blind faith
is no longer a part of this century. It is in fact due to the dogma of blind
faith that today we still have, such a great number of non-believers; as it
tries to impose itself by annulling one of man's most precious abilities, that
of reasoning, and of free-will. A tireless worker, always the first to take on a
task and the last one to leave it, Allan Kardec succumbed on He died as he lived: working. He had suffered a
heart ailment for many years that could only have been counteracted by means of
intellectual rest and lessened physical activity. However, since he was
consecrated to his work, he refused everything that could absorb one single
minute of his time and deviate him from his favorite occupations. What happened
to him occurs to all the souls that have a strong temper: “the sheet dulled
the blade.” His body became numb and could no longer perform
the services intended by his Spirit, while his spirit remained, more and more
active, more energetic, fertile, forever enlarging the circle of its activity.
In such an unequal fight, his physical body could
not subsist eternally. An aneurism ended his life and Allan Kardec died
instantaneously. That left one less individual on Earth; but, a great name took
his place among those that had illuminated this century; a great Spirit had
departed for the Infinite, where all of those souls who he had consoled and
illuminated, were waiting impatiently for his return! Death, I was saying not
too long ago, redoubled its blows in the illustrious arrays! Whom will it now
come to set free? He went, as so many others, to recover in Space,
to seek new elements for the recuperation of his worn-out organism due to a life
of incessant labors. He departed to be among those who would be the luminaries
of the new generation, to return shortly thereafter with them to pursue and to
conclude the task that he had left in dedicated hands.
The individual is no longer here; but his soul,
will remain with us forever. He will be a strong protector, an extra light, a
tireless worker that the phalanges of Space have incorporated. As on Earth,
without interfering with anyone, he will expound his opportune advices; he will
lessen the premature zeal of the ardent ones; he will aid the sincere and the
disinterested ones, and will stimulate the indecisive ones. He now clearly sees
everything that he had foreseen! He is no longer subject to the uncertainties,
nor to the frailties and he will share his convictions making us reach the goal
with his finger, pointing the way for us, in that clear and precise language,
that had consecrated him among the literary annals.
The man no longer exists, we said it; however,
Allan Kardec is immortal and his memory, his works, and his Spirit will always
be with those who stand strong and vigorously wave the flag that he always
respected. An extraordinary individuality set up the task.
He was the guide and the secure port for everyone. On Earth, the work will
outlive the worker. The believers won't congregate around Allan Kardec; but
rather, they will congregate around Spiritism, just as he had structured it, and
with his advice and his influence, we will move forward, with firm steps, to the
blissful phase promised to a regenerated Humanity.
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Endearing
Gems From Francisco C. Xavier And
for the rest of our lives
Heaven
and Hell
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