Who was Allan Kardec?

ALLAN KARDEC whose real name was HIPPOLYTE LÉON DENIZARD RIVAIL was born in Lyon, France on 3rd October, 1804 into a family who for many generations had been either lawyers or magistrates. He was an intelligent child and was taught high principle of honour and morals by his parents. At an early age he showed strong inclinations towards the sciences and philosophy. When he was ten years of age he was sent to the Institute of Pestalozzi at Yverdun in Switzerland, where he soon acquired the habit of investigation and learnt the art of free thinking. At the age of fourteen he began to give free lessons to school fellows who were less advanced and on occasion was asked to teach officially by Pestalozzi himself in his absence, due to his natural ability in this field. He became a fervent disciple of Pestalozzi and was much loved by the great man.
In 1822 at the age of eighteen, Hippolyte returned to France. A year later he took up
residence in Paris and in 1824 published his first book entitled: 'A Theoretical & Practical
Arithmetic Course.' This was so successful that it continued to be reprinted till as late as 1876. He
had an instinct for methodology and this was only the beginning, for he was to publish many other
books on varying subjects including 'A Classical Grammar of the French Language' (1829). Some
of these were adopted by the French University and the sale of these books rendered him a
sufficient income to live on, while he contined to give free lessons to school children. He taught
chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, physics, rhetoric, comparative anatomy and physiology. He
spoke fluent Italian and Spanish, had a profound knowledge of German, English and Dutch and
some knowledge of Latin, Greek and Gallic. He also translated a number of books, choosing those
which he liked best. These included several by Fénelon which he translated into German.
He opened his first school in 1825. It bore the name 'First Grade School' (École de premier
degré), for superior teaching and the following year he opened 'The Rivail Technical Institute'
whose teaching was based on that of Pestalozzi.
He married Amélie Gabrielle Boudet on 6th February 1832. She was nine years his senior, a
writer, teacher of fine arts, poetess and artist. She was a perfect companion and helper, being
dedicated and uncomplaining. She played an important part in all her husband's activities and
sustained him through many financial difficulties encountered during his life, and greatly assisted
him in his teaching. This extraordinary man could have become renouned and wealthy through his various
talents, but this was not to be. He was a man with a mission! Between 1848 and 1850 an explosion
of spirit phenomena occured in America and even more strongly in Europe. In the last book of the
codification 'Posthumous Works' published by Amélie, Kardec had written: "It was in 1854 that I
heard about 'Table-turning' for the first time." His friend Mr Fortier brought him the initial news of
these extraordinary happenings: "The tables also talk!" Kardec's reply to this was: "I will only
believe when I see it and when it can be proved to me that a table has a brain which can think,
nerves to feel with and can also become somnambulic. Until then, allow me to see nothing more
than fantasy in these stories!" He had always been a disbeliever of such things as ghosts.
After various encounters with Mr Fortier, in 1855 he was finally persuaded to attend a
seance and his curiosity was aroused. He then became a frequent visitor at the seances held in the
house of a certain Mr Baudin. It was in fact here that he began his studies and research. He was never to become a medium, but was highly intuitive. On 30th April 1856 a medium in his group received the first indications from Spirit of his mission. His wife always accompanied him to all the meetings and eventually became his secretary, upholding him in every aspect of his work. He adopted the 'nom de plume' of ALLAN KARDEC at the suggestion of Spirit, so that the works of the codification should not be confused with his own works. The first book of the codificiation (The Spirits' Book), was published in 1857. This same
year he also began meetings in his own home. A year later he founded 'The Parisiene Society for
Spiritist Studies'. The few remaining years of his life were dedicated to his work, the completion of the
Codification, and to lecturing on Spiritism and its philosophy. He also made exhaustive journeys in
order to take the word to as many places as possible, all of which he completed at his own expense.
In 1867 he met Léon Denis, who became his disciple, and who later published a series of classic
works on Spiritism. On March 31st, 1869, having just finished drawing up the constitution and rules of a new
society that he planned to form, while seated in his usual chair at his study-table in the Rue Sainte
Anne, in the act of tying up a bundle of papers, his busy life was suddenly brough to an end. The
passing from Earth into the Spiritual World was instantaneous, a peaceful falling asleep a fitting
end to a life well lived. But although the physical man is no longer with us he lives on in Spirit,
continuing his work by inspiring, stimulating and encouraging us to continue our search for
knowledge.

The belief of spiritualism

In the introduction of the spirit's book, Allan Kardec expresses his opinion that new
ideas need new terms and so he formulated the words spiritist and spiritism to give a clear
and precise meaning to this doctrine. In his day the word Spiritualist meant the opposite to
Materialist, but it did not follow that a Spiritualist believed in the existence of spirits or the
possibility of communiciation with the invisible world. He employed the word Spiritism to stipulate
the fundamental principle of the Spiritist theory which is the relation of the material world with
spirits or the beings of the invisible world. A Spiritist is one who adheres to this doctrine. We
continue to use these terms today as the ideas they represent become more fully understood.
Amongst those ideas is the study of the interrelationship between the two worlds, visible and
invisible; the scientific, philosophical and religious aspects of existence; the ever pressing need for
man to instruct himself, to cast aside all mystery and superstition; to accept responsibility for the
life he leads today and the life he is making for himself in the future by his present actions, or lack
of them, as the case may be.
As life gathers momentum, as the world goes from crisis to crisis at this time, we are more
and more conscious of the reality of the truths contained in Kardec's books. As the world prepares
for a New Epoch, which is already dawning, we realise the need for all humanity to grow towards
this knowledge, to seek enlightenment so as to be prepared. When this time will finally be upon the world then
mankind will be able to appreciate the greatness of this man's vision into the future.
However, we must not forget one important fact, that in order to meet the future we must
make preparations in our today! Each moment that passes cannot be recovered, therefore we
must make use of every instant to grow spiritually! To open up our horizons, to broaden our
minds, to seek and cultivate our spirituality! We are Spiritual Beings, we are all immortal
creatures! If we are to one day find happiness and peace then we must consider our whole being!
While we go on thinking of ourselves as material people, we are only looking at half of ourselves
and here lies the secret of so many mistakes, so many unhappinesses and so many failures. But in
order to recognise these truths we must also be prepared to accept the responsibilities that go with
them. For every person this wider and deeper knowledge of life carries with it the need for selfanalysis,
self-correction and self- improvement. Without these things we are all standing still,
marking time, going nowhere! If this book helps even one person to take just one step forward then
it will have done its work.
God never demands the impossible of any one of us, nor gives us burdens for which we do
not have the strength; so if we try to make a conscious effort to better ourselves then we have
begun our journey into the future, towards the light, where one day victory, peace and joy will
be ours.

London, 1987 Janet Duncan

The greatest of the commandments

                               
4. But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they
were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question,
tempting Him, and saying, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets
(Matthew, 22: 34-40).

5. Charity and humility, such is the only path to salvation. Selfishness and pride are the
paths to ruin. This principle is found to be formulated on the following precise terms: "Love your
God with all your soul and your neighbour as yourself; all the law and the prophets are contained
in these two commandments." And so there would be no mistake in the understanding of the
meaning of the love for God and for our neighbour, He then added: "And there is the second
commandment, which is similar to the first."

This means that it is not possible to truly love God without loving your neighbour, nor to love your neighbour
without loving God. Straightaway, all that you do against your neighbour you also do against God.
Therefore, as it is not possible to love God without practising charity towards one's neighbour. All
of mankind's obligations are resumed in the maxim: without charity there is no salvation.

(The gospel according to spiritism)