Spiritism is at the same time a science of observation and a philosophical doctrine. As a practical Science, it consists of relationships that can be established with the Spirits; as philosophy, it encloses all moral consequences that stem from these relationships. You can define it as: Spiritism is a science that deals with the nature, origin and destination of the Spirits, and their relations with the physical world. (What is Spiritism, Prologue).
Why, then, declare that Spiritism is not a religion? For the reason that there is only one word to express two different ideas, and, by all accounts, the word religion is inseparable from the cult; it awakens an idea of form only, and that the Spiritism does not. If we say that Spiritism is religion, the public would not see it but a new edition, a variant, if we want to express the absolute principles in matters of faith, a priestly caste hierarchies with a parade, ceremony and privileges, not would separate the ideas of mysticism, and the abuses against which the opinion is often raised "Spiritism, having no character of a religion, in the usual meaning of the word, could not be, or ought to adorn a title on value of which, inevitably, would be despised, that is why it says simply: philosophical and moral doctrine. " (Spiritist Magazine, December 1868)
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