Allan Kardec-THE Spirit's Book_ The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine (1989)

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THE SPIRITS’ BOOK
To the question, "While awaiting the establishment of doctrinal unity, upon what basis can an
impartial and disinterested inquirer arrive at a judgement as to the relative merits of the
various theories put forth by spirits?" the following reply was given: -
"The purest light is that which is not obscured by any cloud; the most precious diamond is the
one which is without a flaw; judge the communications of spirits, in like manner, by the
purity of their teachings. Do not forget that there are, among spirits, many who have not yet
freed themselves from their earthly ideas. Learn to distinguish them by their language; judge
them by the sum of what they tell you; see whether there is logical sequence in the ideas they
suggest, whether there is, in their statements, nothing that betrays ignorance, pride, or
malevolence; in a word, whether their communications always bear the stamp of wisdom that
attests true superiority. If your world were inaccessible to error, it would be perfect, which it
is far from being; you have still to learn to distinguish error from truth; you need the lessons
of experience to exercise your judgement and to bring you on. The basis of unity will he
found in the body of doctrine among the adherents of which good has never been mixed with
evil; men will rally spontaneously to that doctrine, because they will judge it to be the truth.
"But what matter a few dissidences of opinion, more apparent than real ? The fundamental
principles of Spiritism are every where the same, and should unite you all in a common bond;
that of the love of God and the practice of goodness. Whatever you suppose to be the mode of
progression and the normal conditions of your future existence, the aim proposed is still the
same, viz., to do right; and there is but one way of doing that."
If there be, among spiritists, differences of opinion in regard to some points of theory, all of
them are agreed in regard to the fundamentals of the matter; unity, therefore, already exists
among them, with the exception of the very small number of those who do not yet admit the
intervention of spirits in the manifestations, and who attribute these either to purely physical
causes, which is contrary to the axiom, "Every intelligent effect must have an intelligent
cause," or to a reflex action of our own thought, which is disproved by the facts of the case.
There may, then, be different schools, seeking light in regard to the points of spiritist doctrine
that are still open to controversy; there ought not to be rival sects, making opposition to one
another. Antagonism should