Marked Spirits
5. - There are many superior Spirits who will contribute mightily to the reorganizing work, but not all are Messiahs. They must be distinguished as:
1st – Superior Spirits that act freely and out of their own will;
2nd – Marked Spirits, that is, designated for an important mission. They have a luminous radiance that is the characteristic sign of their superiority. They are chosen from among the Spirits capable of fulfilling it; however, since they have their free will, they can fail for lack of courage, perseverance or faith, and they are not immune to accidents that can shorten their days. But as the designs of God are not at the mercy of one man, what one does not do, another is called to do. That is why there are many called, and few chosen. Blessed is he who accomplishes his mission according to the views of God and without failing!
3rd – The Messiahs, superior beings who have reached the highest degree of the celestial hierarchy, after having reached a perfection that henceforth makes them infallible and above human weaknesses, even in the incarnation. Admitted to the counsels of the Highest, they directly receive his word, that they responsible for transmitting and having fulfilled. True representatives of the Divinity, of which they have the mind, it is among them that God chooses his special envoys, or his Messiahs, for the great general missions, whose details of execution are entrusted to other incarnate or discarnate Spirits, acting on their orders and under their inspiration.
Spirits of these three categories must contribute to the great regenerative movement that is taking place. (Somnambulistic ecstasy, Paris, 1866.)
6. - I come, my friends, to confirm the hope of the high destinies that await Spiritism. This glorious future that we announce to you will be accomplished by the arrival of a superior Spirit who will summarize, in the essence of his perfection, all the old and new doctrines and who will, by the authority of his word, rally men to the new beliefs. Like the rising sun, he will dispel all the obscurities piled up on the eternal truth by fanaticism and non-observance of the precepts of Christ.
The star of the new belief, the future Messiah, grows in the shadows; but already his enemies are trembling, and the virtues of heavens are shaken.
You ask if this new Messiah is the very person of Jesus of Nazareth? What does it matter to you if it's the same thought that drives them both! It is imperfections that divide the Spirits; but when the perfections are equal, nothing distinguishes them; they form collective units without losing their individuality.
The beginning of all things is obscure and vulgar; what is small grows; our manifestations, greeted at first by disdain, violence or the banal indifference of idle curiosity, will spread waves of light on the blind and will regenerate them.
All great events have had their prophets, both praised and unrecognized. As Moses led the Hebrews, we will lead you to the promised land of intelligence.
Striking similarity! The same phenomena are produced, no longer in the material sense, intended to strike childish men, but in its spiritual sense. The children have become adults; as the goal raises, the examples no longer appeal to the eyes; Aaron's rod is broken, and the only transformation we make is that of your hearts being attentive to the cry of love that, from heaven, echoes on Earth.
Spiritists! Understand the seriousness of your mission; tremble of joy, for the hour is not far off when the divine envoy will rejoice the world. Hardworking Spiritists, be blessed in your efforts, and be forgiven in your mistakes. Ignorance and turmoil still steal from you a part of the truth that only the heavenly Messenger can fully reveal. (Saint Louis, Paris, 1862).
7. - The coming of Christ has brought your Earth back to feelings that have, for a moment, subjected it to the will of God; but men, blinded by their passions, could not keep in their hearts the love of neighbor, the love of the Master of heaven. The envoy of the Almighty opened to humanity the road that leads to the blessed dwelling; but humanity has retreated from the immense step that Christ had made it take; it has fallen back into the rut of selfishness, and pride has made it forget its Creator.
God allows his word to be preached once again on earth, and you will have to glorify him, for he has been good enough to call you as the first ones to believe in what will be taught later. Rejoice, for the times are near when this word will be heard. Improve yourself by taking advantage of the teachings that he allows us to give you.
May the tree of faith, that is taking such long-lasting roots at this time, bear its fruit; may these fruits ripen as the faith that animates some of you today will ripen!
Yes, my children, the people will follow in the footsteps of the new messenger announced by Christ himself, and all will come to listen to this divine word, for they will recognize in it the language of truth and the way of salvation. God, who has allowed us to enlighten you, to support your walk to this day, will still allow us to give you the instructions you need.
But you, the first favored by the belief, you also have your mission to accomplish; you will have to bring those of you who still doubt these God allowed manifestations; you will have to shine onto their eyes the benefits of what has consoled you so much; for in your days of sadness and dejection, hasn’t your belief sustained you; hasn’t that given birth to that hope in your heart without which you would be left discouraged?
This is what must be shared with those that do not believe yet, not by untimely haste, but with caution and without clashing head-on with prejudices that have long rooted in them. You don't pull up an old tree all at once, like a shoot of grass, but gradually.
Sow now what you want to harvest later; sow the grain that will come to bear fruit on the ground that you will have prepared and from which you will collect the fruits, for God will take into account what you have done for your brothers. (Lamennais, Le Havre, 1862).
