The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863

Allan Kardec

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The event below was reported by the Patrie last April:

Yesterday the owner of a house at Rue de Cherche-Midi allowed the tenant to move out without paying rent after acknowledging his debt. However, while the furniture was being transported away the owner regretted his decision and demanded payment before the move. The tenant became desperate followed by his sobbing wife and two very young children that were also crying. The scene was observed by a passerby gentleman who had been awarded with the Legion of Honor. He stopped. Touched by the devastating spectacle he approached the miserable debtor and learning about the outstanding rent he reached out with two bills and disappear, followed by the blessings of that family that he had just rescued from despair.”

The journal Opinion du Midi, from Nimes, reported in July another case of similar nature:

A fact that has just happened is as strange for its mystery as touching for its objective and kindness of the author. Three days ago, we were informed that a terrible fire had almost completely destroyed a store and the workshop of a person named Mr. Marteau, a woodworker in Nimes. We told the story of that unfortunate man that meant his ruin since the insurance he had was infinitely lower than the amount necessary to cover the value of the destroyed merchandise.

We learned today that three trucks loaded with woods of several types and tools were unloaded in front of his workshop.. The person in charge of delivery alleged total ignorance with respect to the name of the actual donor. He said that he did not know the person who had assigned him with the task of transporting the wood and tools to Mr. Marteau, knowing nothing beyond that task. He left after unloading the three vehicles.”

“Joy and happiness replaced Mr. Marteau’s abatement that was unchanged since the day of the fire.”

“May the unknown generous person that helped to rescue someone from the misery with such a nobility and without which the situation could have been irreparable, may that person receive here our thank you and the blessings of a family that henceforth owes him the kindest consolation and that may soon owe him their prosperity.”

It is heart soothing to learn about these facts that from time to time come to counter reports of crimes and turpitudes exhibited on newspapers’ columns.

Facts as reported above demonstrate that virtue is not entirely banned from Earth as certain pessimistic people believe. There is no doubt that evil is still dominating but when we look in the shadows we find that there are more violets under the weeds, that is, larger number of good souls than expected. If they look so sparse is due to the fact that true virtue does not seek evidence whilst the vice manifests openly in plain sight. It is a vice because it is proud. Pride and humbleness are the two poles of the human heart. One attracts the whole good, the other the whole evil. One is calm, the other is a storm. Conscience is the compass that shows the path leading to each one of them.

The anonymous sponsor, like the one that does not wait for death to give to the ones that don’t have, is undisputedly the good man by excellence; it is the personification of the modest virtue, the one that does not seek people’s applause.

Do good without ostentation is an unquestionable sign of moral superiority because it requires a lively faith in God and in the future. It is necessary to abstract from present life and identify oneself with a future life to expect the approval of God, renouncing to the present testimony of people.

The unfortunate one blesses the unknown and generous helping hand from the bottom of his heart and such a blessing rises to heavens more than the applause of the crowds. The one who seeks more the cheers of mankind than that of God demonstrate more faith in people than in God and that the present life has more value than a future life. If the person says the opposite acts like someone who does not believe in what they say.

How many people only help in hopes that the helped one will proclaim the benefit from the rooftops; who would give a large amount in day light but would not give a single coin in obscurity! That is why Jesus said: those who do good with ostentation have already received their reward.[1] In act God owes nothing to the ones who seek compensation on Earth. The only missing prize is the price of their pride.

Certain critics may perhaps ask: What does it have to do with Spiritism? How many funnier cases won’t you tell than this boring moral! (Jugement de la morale spirite, by Mr. Figuier, vol. IV, page 369). This has to do with Spiritism in the sense that Spiritism,by providing an unbreakable faith in God’s benevolence and in a future life and thanks to Spiritism, people doing good for the good, the good ones will one day be less scarce than today. The newspapers will then have less crimes and suicides to register and more actions of the kind that gave rise to these considerations.



[1] Mathews 6, 2 - “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.


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