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

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ALLAN KARDEC
only exist between those who desire goodness, and those who desire, or do, evil; but no one
who has sincerely adopted the broad principles of morality laid down by Spiritism can desire
evil or wish ill to his neighbour, whatever may be his opinions in regard to points of
secondary importance. If any school be in error, it will obtain light, sooner or later, if it seeks
honestly and without prejudice; and all schools possess, meanwhile, a common bond that
should unite them in the same sentiment. All of them have a common aim; it matters little
what road they take, provided it leads to the common goal. None should attempt to impose
their opinion by force, whether physical or moral; and any school that should hurl its
anathema at another would be clearly in the wrong, for it would evidently be acting under the
influence of evil spirits. The only force of an argument is its intrinsic reasonableness; and
moderation will do more to ensure the triumph of the truth than diatribe envenomed by envy
and jealousy. Good spirits preach only union and the love of the neighbour; and nothing
malevolent or uncharitable can ever proceed from a pure source.
As bearing on the subject of the foregoing remarks, and also as a fitting termination of the
present work, we subjoin the following message from the spirit of Saint Augustine-a message
conveying counsels well worthy of being laid to heart by all who read it:-
"Long enough have men torn one another to pieces, anathematising each other in the name of
a God of peace and of mercy, whom they insult by such a sacrilege. Spiritism will eventually
constitute a bond of union among them, by showing what is truth and what is error; but there
will still be, and for a long time to come, scribes and pharisees who will reject it, as they
rejected Christ. Would you know the quality of the spirits who influence the various sects into
which the world is divided? Judge them by their deeds and by the principles they profess.
Never did good spirits instigate to the commission of evil deeds; never did they counsel or
condone murder or violence; never did they excite party-hatreds, the thirst for riches and
honours, or greed of earthly things. They alone who are kind, humane, benevolent, to all, are
counted as friends by spirits of high degree; they alone are counted as friends by Jesus, for
they alone are following the road which He has shown them as the only one which leads to
Him."
SAINT AUGUSTINE