We hereby continue the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works of the Kardecian Pentateuch. The first edition was published in April, 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion are at the end of the text below.
Questions for discussion
A. As Spiritists, how should we behave regarding those who do not think like us?
B. Is it ethic to charge for healing and for prayers for others?
C. What is the merit of paying for prayers?
D. What is the greatest drawback to pay for prayers?
Reading Text
334. If God exempted man from physical work, his arms and legs would have become atrophied. If he were not to work with his intelligence, his spirit would have remained in the childhood stage, in the state of animal instinct. This is the reason why God made him work as a requirement and said, "Search and you shall find; work and you shall produce. Thus, you shall be a son of what your doings, and you shall have the merit of these and shall be rewarded according to what you have done." (Chapter XXV, section 3.)
335. The Spirits do not free men from labor. They only come to show man his mission and the path that leads to it, saying, "Walk and you will arrive. You will come across stones; look and you yourself remove them. We will give you the necessary strength, if you are willing to use it." (Chapter XXV, section 4.)
336. "Do not cumulate treasures on earth, where the rust and the worms shall eat them and thieves shall dig them up and steal them. Cumulate treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor worms shall eat them, for where your treasure is there is also your heart. This is why I tell you, "Do not worry about where you will find your nourishment, or where you will find clothes to cover your body. Is life not more valuable than food, and the body more important than the clothes?" (Matthew, VI, 19-34.) (Chapter XXV, section 6.)
337. "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? Why do you also worry about your clothes? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow it burns in the fire, will he not much more clothe you, oh men of little faith!" (Mateus, VI, 19 to 34.) (Chapter XXV, section 6.)
338. "Then, do not be anxious saying, "What shall we eat?" or 'What will we drink?" or "What shall we wear? Like the pagans do, and who go looking for these things. For your Father knows that you need them. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you in addition. Thus, do not be concerned about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough evil thereof." (Matthew, VI, 19-34.) (Chapter XXV, section 6.)
339. Providence never abandons those who rely on it. However, it wants us to work in return. If it does not always help with material assistance, it inspires us to overcome the hardships and difficulties that we have ahead of us. (Chapter XXV, section 7.)
340. God knows our needs and provides them as necessary. However, man's wishes are voracious. He does not know how to be happy. What he needs is not enough, and he always wants more. (Chapter XXV, section 7.)
341. Providence then does not abandon man to himself. Often, he becomes unhappy due to his own fault and because he disregards the voice that warns him through his conscience. In these cases, God makes him suffer the consequences, in order that it serves as a lesson for the future. (Chapter XXV, section 7.)
342. When fraternity reigns among the nations, in the same manner as it reigns among the provinces of the same empire, the momentary superfluous of one will supply the momentary need of the other, and each one will have what is necessary. The rich then will consider himself as one that has plenty seeds. If he spreads them, they will produce a hundred times more for himself and for others. If, however, he eats the seeds all by himself, if he misuses and wastes what was left over after he ate, they shall produce nothing and there will not be enough for all. If he accumulates them in his barn, the worms shall eat them. (Chapter XXV, section 8.)
343. This is the reason why Jesus said, "Do not lay up treasures on earth, because they are perishable; accumulate them in heaven, where they are eternal." In other words, material possessions are not as important as the spiritual ones, and must know how to sacrifice the former to the latter. (Chapter XXV, section 8.)
344. Laws do not rule charity and fraternity. If you do not feel them in your heart, selfishness will always reign. It is up to Spiritism to touch peoples' hearts with charity and fraternity. (Chapter XXV, section 8.)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. As Spiritists, how should we behave regarding those who do not think like us?
As for those who would not listen to them, Jesus told his apostles, quite simply, that they should leave and look for people of good will. Spiritism recommends the same to its followers, we shall not force any conscience, or force someone to leave his belief to adopt ours, we shall not anathematize those who do not think like us, we welcome those who come to us and let quiet those who repel us. Let us remember, finally, the words of Christ: Once the sky was taken with violence, today it is taken by mildness. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter XXV, section 11.)
B. Is it ethic to charge for healing and for prayers for others?
No. In this regard, Jesus taught us very clearly: "Give back health to the sick, raise the dead, heal the lepers, cast out demons. Freely give what we have freely ye have received." (Ibid, Chapter XXVI, sections 1 and 2.)
C. What is the merit of paying for prayers?
A prayer is an act of charity, and it is an outburst of the heart. Charging someone to address God in his name is the same as working as a contracted intermediary. God does not sell the benefits He provides. How, then, does one, who is not appointed by God as His representative, who cannot even guarantee its achievement, charge for a prayer that may produce no results? It is not possible that God subordinates an act of mercy, of goodness or justice, where His mercy is requested, to a sum of money. Obviously, this does not apply. There is no virtue in this for the one who pays for it and for the one who receives for it. (Ibid, Chapter XXVI sections 3 and 4.)
D. What is the greatest drawback to pay for prayers?
The greatest drawback to pay for a prayer is the fact that the one who buys a prayer thinks he is excused to pray himself, because he has given his money, and so he considers himself quite. It is known that the Spirits feel touched by the fervor of the one who cares for them. How can there be fervor if one lets a third party pray for him in change of a fee? What is the fervor of this third party when he delegates his mission to another and so on? Does this not diminish the purpose of the prayer by paying an amount for it? (Ibid, Chapter XXVI, section 4.)
