Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-19

but higher in the spiritual scale, where
matter and material tendencies and de-
sires play g far less important part than
here"
It will be perceived that as regards
considerable portion of mankind this doc
trine postulates an outcome between which
and humiliation there appears to De, II
any distinction, not much difference. For
it ia taught that when the seventh princi.
pie. OF pure apirit, is withdrawn from the
combination which survives death, the
eighth principle, or Spiritual Ego, is dis
solved aud ceases to exist; it being, in
fact, merely an effect Of the union between
spirit and matter, and as incapable OF sep
arase existence as the flame of candle Is
when the candle is extipguished. "The
sense of individuality in spirit cannot exist
without combination with matter, say the
OccuIsists. But there remain two princi-
pies, namely the Astral Shape, and the
Animal or Physical Ego, and these remain
as "Shells for time, but ultimately dis
integrate. This must be regarded as prac.
teal annihila.ion but even if it be, there
certainly cannot be demonstrated any suf-
ficient reasons why this destiny should not
be assigned to that largo part of the
human race which, having lived
altogether animal and gross lives,
ia obviously utterly unpTepared for
any further state of being demanding the
exercise of purely spiritual faculties. At
the irss CLEAN theory Of this kind may
appear gloomy and depressing. Certainly
10 such doctrine can be reconciled with
any rational theory of Justice in the con-
troll of the Universe. Bat, as John
Ssuars Mil observes, there ia no
evidence Whatever in Nature for divine
Justice, whatever standard Of justice our
ethical opinions may lead US to recog-
nizs. There is no shadow OF Justice in
the general arrangements of Nature )"
and therefore it must be concluded that
the Universe was certainly not brought
into being for the sole benefit OF man. As
the case stands, however, it is easy to per-
oeive that large percentage Of human
beings are wholly urfit:ed for any form of
existence less material than the present one
that they are completely gross and soreid
in their natures and IN not few cases
there seems reason to believe that they may
have actually lost their Spiritual essence
IA phenomenon declared quite possible 10y
the Occultiets) during life.
The latter, however, are quite st one
with that lucid though skeptical mind of
John Stuart Mill, in regard to the infu-
ence of human conduct upon the human
future. The Adopts thus say: "Itis not
matter of Judgment, of Salvation and
DAmnation, Of Heaven and Hell, but
solely the operation of the Universal Law
of Affinity or Attraction, which makes
the Ego cling in one case to the more ma
terial, in the other TO the spiritual COM
pouents, OF the late, now death-parted,
aggregation" In other words, its destiny
ia determined by its course in life. 1t ia
curious to see now Mill reached the very
same conclusion. He says: Nothing
can be more opposed 10 every estimate we
ca7 form of probability, than the common
idea of the future life as state of rewards
and puniahnents IN any other sense than
that the consequences Of our actions apon our
oaon character and Susceptibilities aciu tolloc
as in the future as they haze done IN the
past and present. Whatever be the proba-
bilities of future life, all the probabilities
in case of future life are that such IS we
have been made or have made ourselves be-
fore the change, such we shall enter into
the life hereafter" That is good occult
doctrine, though uttered by philosopher
who dismissed all such subjects aa mere
fantasies.
The occult philosophy is in many re-
spects analogous to, if not identical with,
the theory of conditional Immortality
which has at different times found favor
among Western thinkers, and which was
very forcibly argued by the late W. R.
Greg, in his g Enigmas of Life. He sug-
gests that "what God bestows at birth is
germ, not finished Entity-not an i'm
mortal soul, but nature capable of being
worked up into soul worthy of immor-
tality, IN organization rich in the strongest
and grsndest potentialities not possess
sion, but an opportunity not an inherit
ance, but the chance of winning one.
Perhaps it May be only such natures as
develop adequately and in the right direc-
ton in this life that will be heirs of
heaven, and that all others may, as i.
were, never pass beyond the embryonic or
earthly stage Of existence" This theory
is strictly in line with the Darwinian by
pothesis, and it affords another illustration
of the manner in which adumbrations of
the same truth often appear to inquirers
who are making their investigations from
the most opposite directions, and appa-
! TSut4y w tuo ulOSb AtISCOnChdDiO uiCehOoss
Reason indeed fails to afford any basis for
the belief in universal Immortality, and
reflection upon that line, in the absence of
scientific knowledge, can scarcely fail to
wreck the belief in any form OF survival.
The Occult doctrine of Metempsychosis
is not identical with that of Pythagoras,
and the difference between the two is ex-
tremely important. The statement that
the consciousness or Personality is ex.in.
guished at the end of each life, while the
Ego survives, has proved stumbling
block to many inquirers. The explana-
ton demands a somewhat broad grasp of
ideas. The doctrine is that every Soul
must pass through long succession of ex-
istences, at the expiration of each of which
Personality is extinguished but that
when all the cycles are complete, when the
full round of existences has been achieved
when at last the soul attains Moksha, or
Nirvana, the state Of absolute and uncon.
ditioned happiness, the whole of the past
will become visible, and st that supreme
period ths unity and identity of the Ego