The best propaganda.

If there are few mediums this evening, it is not that Spirits are lacking; on the contrary, they are very numerous. Some are habitual, who come to instruct you or to instruct themselves; others, in great number, are newly come to you. They came without a letter of entry, it is true, but with the consent and the invitation of the habitual Spirits. Many of these Spirits feel happy to attend the session, and they are so above all to see here several Spiritists, whom they love and guide, and who had the thought of coming among you.

There are many Spiritists in the world, but their degree of instruction on the Doctrine is far from being sufficient for them to be classed among the enlightened Spiritists. Doubtless they have lights, but they lack practice, or, if they practice, they need to be assisted, in order to bring, in the efforts they attempt, more persuasion and less enthusiasm. When I speak of the practice of Spiritism, I mean the part that concerns propaganda. Well then! for this part, more difficult than one thinks, it is necessary, in order to exercise it effectively, to be well imbued with the philosophy of Spiritism and also with its moral part. The moral part is easy to know; for this it demands little effort; on the other hand, it is the most difficult to practice, because only example can make it well understood. You will make virtue better understood by giving an example of it than by defining it. To be virtuous is to make virtue understood and loved. There is nothing to be said in reply to one who does what he counsels others to do. Thus, for the moral part of Spiritism, no difficulty in theory, much in practice. The philosophical part presents more difficulties to be understood and, consequently, requires more efforts. The adepts who seek to be militant must set themselves to the work in order to know it well, for it is the weapon with which they will fight with the most success. It is useful that they not be enraptured by the material phenomena and that they give their explanation without much development. They must reserve these developments for the analysis of facts of an intelligent order, without, however, saying too much, for one must not fatigue the mind of persons who are novices in Spiritism. Concise explanations, well-chosen examples, adapting themselves well to the question being discussed, that is all that is needed. But, I repeat, in order to be concise, one must know no less; in order to give examples or explanations well suited to the subject, it is necessary to know thoroughly the philosophy of Spiritism. This philosophy is summarized in The Spirits' Book, and the practical side in The Mediums' Book. If you know well the substance of these two works, which are the work of the Spirits, you will certainly have the happiness of bringing many of your brothers to this so consoling belief, and many of those who believe will be set on the true ground: that of love and of charity. Thus, then, my friends, those among you who desire, and all should desire, to make their brothers share in their beliefs, who wish to call them to the banquet of consolation that Spiritism offers to all its children, must morally practice Spiritism by practicing its morality, and intellectually by spreading around them the lights they have gathered or will gather in the communications of the Spirits.

All this is easy, it suffices to will it. Well then! my dear friends, in the name of your happiness, of your tranquility, in the name of union and of charity, I exhort you to will it.

A Spirit.