Bezerra de MenezesThe Doctor of the Poor

Let Allan Kardec’s work not only be believed or felt, proclaimed or

manifested in our convictions, but

also be sufficiently lived, suffered,

wept over, and put into practice in our own lives. August 29th, 1831

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• XIX Century:

• Great and significant changes

• The sacred teachings of Spiritism were on the verge of being heard by suffering humankind.

• Era of Inventions• The Mission of the Intelligent Person on the Earth.

“Brilliant minds can cause great suffering –

it is also necessary to educate the heart.

The development of the good heart, the warm heart, and the development of the good brain,

these must go together.“Dalai Lama

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XIX Century Progress:The progress of the typographical art influenced all centers of human effort, allowing for the birth of many magazines and numerous newspapers

The ease of communication via telegraph and railway lines established direct exchange among nations Literature was filled with noteworthy and immortal works

The dry cell battery was developed; magnetic induction was discovered, and the telephone and phonograph were invented

Atomic theory was explored

Arts became alive - painting and music expressed a lofty aspect of advanced spirituality

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“Ardent appeals were addressed to the Divine Master by the guardian spirits

of earth’s nations. Numerous assemblies met in the spirit world in the spheres closest to the earth. One of the most lucid disciples of Christ

descended to the planet imbued with his consoling mission.”

On the way to the LightChico Xavier

By the Spirit: Emmanuel

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Important Facts:

Born on August 29th, 1831 as Adolfo Bezerra de Menezes Cavalcanti in Ceara, Brasil

In November of 1852, he enrolled as an intern at the Mercy Hospital

He graduated from the College of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro, in 1856, presenting a doctorate thesis about: “Diagnosis of Cancer”

On April 27th, 1857, he applied for a position in the the Imperial Academy of Medicine, presenting the work: "Some Considerations on Cancer under its treatment perspective" and won

In 1858 he applied to a position, as substitute, in the Area of Surgery in the College of Medicine – instead - recommended by his teacher Manoel Feliciano Pereira de Carvalho, at the time Chief Surgeon of the Army, Bezerra de Menezes was named his assistant, assuming the position of Surgeon – Lieutenant

In 1861 Bezerra de Menezes was elected the public representative of the Liberal Party

In 1867, he was elected Deputy General Counsel.

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Supposedly, in 1850, Brazil abolished the African trafficking of slaves.

Slavery officially ended in Brazil only on May 13, 1888, with the signature of the Golden Law – Lei Áurea – by Princess Isabel.

“Fulfilling the orders of the Divine Master, his messengers from the

invisible realm labored with governments to facilitate the victory of

freedom”.

On the way to the Light

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Bezerra de Menezes & Spiritism

1st Spirits’ Book translated into Portuguese by Dr. Joaquim Carlos Travassos, arrived in his hands in 1875

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“He gave me the book in the city, and I lived in Tijuca, about an hour away. I was carrying the book with me and

since I did not have anything else to read during the trip I said, well, why not read this! I will certainly not go to hell for reading this... And after all, it will be embarrassing to have to declare

myself ignorant regarding this philosophy, when I have been

dedicating myself to the study of all philosophical schools. With this thought, I opened the book and I

immediately became fascinated by it – as it happened when I first read the

Bible. I kept on reading, but I couldn’t find anything that was new for my

Spirit. And at the same time, it was truly all new to me!...Somehow I felt I had already read or heard everything

that was contained in the "The Spirits’ Book.” I was quite amazed with that

wonderful fact and I said to myself: it seems that I was a Spiritist without

knowing it, or as people usually say, I was born a Spiritist.”

Bezerra de Menezes

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The Brazilian Spiritist MovementIn 1883, those who were in the core of the Brazilian

Spiritist movement, and those who directed the Spiritist society and groups in Rio de Janeiro felt the need of a better structured union and for this very reason a stronger one.

1894 – Automatically, he was called upon to run the Presidency post of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation responsible for the Unification of all other groups and Spiritist Movement.

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“A doctor is not entitled to finish a meal, nor to ask if it is far or near, when an afflicted person knocks on the door.

Those who do not help because they are entertaining guests or because they have

worked long hours and are tired, or because it is too late at night, bad road or bad

weather, because it is far or is on the top of the hill, or above all, those who ask for a car

for those who have not even resources to pay for the prescription, or that say to those

who are crying at their door to seek for another doctor -- those are not doctors, but rather Medical Businessmen, who work for

the income and to pay off their college debts”.

Bezerra de Menezes10

Bezerra de MenezesThe Doctor of the Poor

August 29th, 1831April 11th, 1900

Forever in our hearts!

“Do not accumulate treasures on the earth, where rust and worms

corrupt them and where thieves unbury and steal

them; but create treasures in heaven, where neither

rust nor worms corrupt, for wherever your treasure is, there is your heart also.”

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