by Antonio Leite (Editor).
After five years of continuing activities, in December 1997, GEAE – Advanced Study Group of Spiritism launched the English version of its newsletter – The Spiritist Messenger. Guided by the simple aim of sharing with others that which has been very beneficial to themselves, the members of the group decided to combine efforts in order to reach out to a new public and humbly convey to them the blessed knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine. While aware of the difficulties of such a task due to the barriers of culture and language, they were all willing to serve at their best with disinterestedness and knew that many would benefit from the initiative.
Allan Kardec, the Spiritism’s codifier, once assured that sharing the teachings of the Spiritist Doctrine would be one of the best way to practice charity. This is indeed what we at GEAE have been striving to achieve throughout these fifteen years. The teachings imparted from superior spirits and comprised in the Spiritist Doctrine is a rational set of principles that naturally appeals to mankind. They can be easily comprehended by anyone who comes across them with an open mind and willingness to reach enlightenment and moral improvement. Therefore, our modest role in the task of spreading Spiritism to the English speaking world through the internet has been one of a moderate medium, detached from all the flaws that so often prevail in the human enterprises. The ambition for preaching or catechization was not what motivated us from the beginning, but rather the intense desire to bring forth a knowledge that has been so greatly motivational in our own lives.
This was clearly stated in our first issue of December 1997, as one can read in the following extract:
“The Spiritist Messenger intends to be a free channel for the Spiritist debate. Our aim is to present, in a coherent way, articles, texts and messages on important Spiritist topics. Since Spiritism deals with the most important questions of the human species, these topics deeply concern everyone, even those who do not accept Spiritist principles, but whose lives are inexorably governed by them. … Let also our humble work be specially useful for all those who, still in the lack of a conscious knowledge, feel there is in life something more than their eyes can perceive, whose spirits understand the whole aim and glory of God’s creation and whose minds are sufficiently open to realize that our existence will continue forever in spite of all negative claims of Materialism.“
We are extremely grateful for what we have achieved in all these years and we thank the Creator and the good spirits for the strength and the assistance that have been rendered to us for the continuity of this work. We pray that this unpretentious effort continues to reach many hearts and minds for years to come, and shall motivate them to continue their path towards enlightenment and spiritual improvement.
This was also the desire of Allan Kardcec, the codifier of the Spiritist Doctrine, which he expressed in the following excerpt of the Introduction of The Spirits’ Book, alluding to the latter as “a guide to those who are desirous of enlightenment”:
“Spiritist philosophy consists of teachings imparted by spirits, and the knowledge thus conveyed is of a character far too serious to be mastered without serious and persevering attention. … We hope that it will achieve yet another result – viz., that of serving as a guide to those who are desirous of enlightenment, by showing them the grand and sublime end of individual and social progress to which the teachings of Spiritism directly tend, and by pointing out to them the road by which alone that end can be reached.“
Source: The Spiritist Messenger, 14th Year, Number 79, October 2006
