The Spirits’ Book — First Edition · Allan Kardec

Chapter 56 of 67

54 and 55.

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Among the objections, there are some more seductive, at least in appearance, because gathered from observation and made by serious persons.

One of these objections is that the language of certain Spirits does not seem worthy of the elevation attributed to supernatural beings.

Whoever refers to the summary of the Doctrine presented above will see that the Spirits themselves teach us that they are not equal in knowledge, nor in moral qualities, and that one must not take literally everything they say.

It belongs to sensible persons to separate the good from the bad.

Assuredly, those who deduce from this fact that we deal only with malevolent beings, whose sole occupation is to mystify, do not know the communications that are given in the gatherings where only superior Spirits manifest themselves; otherwise they would not think so.

It is regrettable that chance has served them so ill, showing them only the bad side of the spiritual world, for we do not wish to suppose that a sympathetic tendency attracts to them, instead of the good ones, the bad Spirits, the lying Spirits, or those whose language is of revolting grossness.

One could, at most, conclude that the solidity of the principles of these persons is not strong enough to drive away the evil and that, finding a certain pleasure in satisfying their curiosity, the bad Spirits take advantage of this to insinuate themselves among them, while the good ones withdraw. If they meditate upon the doctrinal principles contained in this book, they will find in it the conditions necessary to obtain communications of a high order and to free themselves from the obsession of inferior Spirits.

To judge the question of the Spirits by these facts would be as little logical as to judge the character of a people by what is said and done in a gathering of giddy persons or of people of ill repute, in which neither circumspect nor sensible persons take part.

These creatures find themselves in the situation of a foreigner who, arriving at a great capital by the most contemptible of its suburbs, should judge all the inhabitants by the customs and the language of that lowest quarter.

In the world of the Spirits there is likewise a good society and a bad society;

let these persons deign to study what goes on among the Spirits of distinction and they will be convinced that the celestial city does not contain only the popular dregs.

But, they ask, do the Spirits of distinction come to us? To this we shall answer: Do not remain in the suburb; see, observe, and judge; the facts are there for all.

Unless to them apply these words of Jesus: They have eyes and see not; they have ears and hear not.

A variant of this opinion consists in seeing in the Spiritist communications and in all the material facts to which they give rise, nothing more than the intervention of a diabolical power, a new Proteus that would assume all forms the better to deceive us.

We do not judge it worthy of serious examination, which is why we shall not linger over considering it; it is refuted by what we have just said.

We will say only that, if it were so, we would have to agree that the devil is at times quite judicious, very reasonable, and above all, very moral, or else, that there are also good devils. >>>