3.

Some people see in Spiritism a danger for the less enlightened classes, who, being unable to understand it in its pure essence, might distort its spirit and cause it to degenerate into superstition. What should be said to them?

One could say as much of the most useful things. If it were possible to suppress everything of which bad use can be made, I scarcely know what would remain, beginning with the press, with whose aid pernicious doctrines can be spread, with reading, with writing. One could even ask God why He gave a tongue to certain people. Everything is abused, even the most holy things. If Spiritism had come out of the ignorant class, no one doubts that many superstitions would have become mixed with it; but it was born in the enlightened class, and only after having been there elaborated and purified did it penetrate the lower strata, reaching them freed, through experience and observation, of any harmful admixture. What could become truly dangerous for the common people would be charlatanism. Therefore, no care is too great in combating exploitation, the inevitable source of abuses, by every possible means. We are no longer in the time of the pariahs of enlightenment, when it was said: this is good for some, that is good for others. Light penetrates the workshop and even the hut, as the sun of intelligence rises on the horizon and casts its more ardent rays. Spiritist ideas follow the movement; they are in the air and no one has the power to halt them; it suffices to direct their course. The capital point of Spiritism is the moral side; it is there that we must bend all our efforts to make it understood; and, a remarkable thing! it is thus that it is now regarded, even in the less enlightened classes. Therefore its moralizing effect is manifest. Here is one example among thousands: During my stay in Lyon, while attending a Spiritist meeting, a man, by whose clothes I identified a workman, rose at the back of the room and said: “Sir, six months ago I did not believe in God, nor in the devil, nor in my soul; I was convinced that when we die everything ends; I did not fear future punishments, for it seemed to me that everything came to an end with life. I must tell you that I did not pray, and that since my first communion I had not again set foot in a church; moreover, I was violent and hot-tempered. In short, I feared nothing, not even human justice. Six months ago, such was I. It was then that Spiritism arrived; I struggled for two months; but I read, I understood, and I could not evade the evidence. A true revolution took place within me. Today I am no longer the same man; I pray every day and I go to church. As for my character, ask my comrades whether I have changed! Formerly I grew irritated at everything: a trifle exasperated me; now I am calm and happy, blessing God for having sent me the light.” Do you understand of what a man is capable who has reached the point of not even fearing human justice? Will they deny the salutary effect of Spiritism upon him? And there are thousands like him. However unlettered he may be, he has nonetheless understood it; this is because Spiritism is not an abstract theory, addressed only to the learned; it speaks to the heart, and to understand the language of the heart, there is no need of a diploma. Make it penetrate by this path, into the garret and into the hut, and it will work miracles.