The morning call., 1892-10-03
MYSTERY OF REBIRTH.
Reincarnation Discussed by
Theosophists.
DIR. j. A. ANDERSON'S VIEWS.
Opening Of the Third Annual Convention CT
the Pacific Coast Branches Of
the Society.
DIR. J. A. ANDERSON's VIEWS.

The third annual convention of the
Pacific Coast branches of the theosophieal
societies is being held in this city at present
The meetings commenced on Saturday
morning. and the last gathering will be held
tonight in Red Mems Hall.
+. +. Blodgett Of Seattle is the chairman,
and Abbott Clark the secretary of the con-
ventlon.
Delegates from nearly all the principal
cities on the Pacific Coast are present.
On Saturday the following papers were
read: Relations between theosophy and
Christianity" by Rev. w. E. Copeland
Love as manifested by the principles of
the osophy." by Miss Nj. A. Walsh.
A. II A. NJ. yesterday L. A. Blodgett read
treatise on Practical VS.. theoretical
The0sophy."
Last night was the event OF The session,
and the hall was by far too small to hold all
who wanted to attend.
There was some preliminary singing by a
juvenile choir, and then Dr. Jerome A.
Anderson read paper on the Mystery OF
Rebirtb," or "Reincarnaton."
synopsis Of DR.. AndeIson's scholarly
lecture, which letter was attentiyely
listened to and we'll received, is as follows
RelncarDaton, or the repeated rebirth OF the
same soul In successive bodies. Is Gemonstrable
by logic and reason aud by appeal to the
everyday phenomena In nature about us. it
proceeds under the law OF cause aud effect,
which is an absolute unbfoken law on every
plane and In every Kingdom OF nature, and is,
besides. the one link which connects The un.
movable with the movable.
Souls are the result of invOlution plus eyou-
ton. The latter represents but half the arc of
being. They originate through consciousness or
spirit having clothed Itself IN the lowest matter
In Its endeayor 10 seek expression Ia form. Hav-
ing added any conscious experience. as In the
mineral kingdom, the same consciousness.
uDon being freed by the dissolution of world
cannot again Te-enIer the mineral kingdom.
Thus 1t Is forced TO seek higher expression and
rises 10 the vegetable Kingdom. Here experience
along dlnerlDg lines causes tile formation OF
slightly diyeTging centers OF consciousness. In
the animal kIBgdom when consciousness is forced
10 this plane this ace mutation becomes so pro-
Dounced by continual divergence that embroy
souls are f1dyidudliZed here In the human
Kingdom this NATURALIZATION is completed and
each human being Is possessed Of soul which
Is continually reinealnating In order to widen
Its conscious experience.
The reproduction OF plant from SEED or
bulb Is an actual proof OF The TencarnatiOn OF an
entity. For every form must have synIhesZing
entity at It's base. In man this IS the soul; in
plant or animal an elemental" or conscious
center In process OF becoming soul. Therefore.
when dry seed reptoduces the identical plant
from which IL came IL IL proof that the idea has
felncarnaled and as we cannot conceive OF a
nobentity doing so II follows that conscious
center or elemental has. But the browning proof
OF Teincarnation Is TO be found as might be ex-
pected, IN man himself. BY il alone is IL possible
TO account for the differences in human charac-
from birth; By IL alone Is IL possible TO recon-
Gle The apparently unjust social circumstances
which accompany birth with justice and
born ypuous Another one cn Vicious
parents one OF rich, another OF poor ones. One
Is born Hottentot, another an Aryan; one a
prince. another pauper. All one birth the cries,
whether theological, "spirtualistic' or material
isIic, break hopeessy down in attempting TO ex-
plain this gros and unjust difference which at.
tends birth. Reincdrnaiion affords the only key.
1t declares that each soul Is attracted to that
race. nation, family and individual which affords
for IL The line OF least resistance aud greatest at
traction upon its return TO earth. Thus a child
born OF drunken parents had like character
from IT'S previous livesi one born OF pbllosophic
had evolved similar tendencies. There Is abso-
lutey chance, injustice or favoritism. By
ones own forts does he stand or fail. No
yicarous atoneme1t. no forgiveness upon the
scaflod is OF The slightest avail. Every evil must
have It's consequence; every cause Its effect.
ReincarnatIon offers Infinite opportunity for
progress. No effort Is lost; every action has It's
consequence. III one builds up sterling, honest
character in this life let bin res assured 1t will
follow him to the next; II lie does the reverse he
viii as certainly reap the consequences. There is
no hell except here Oh earth, Here, where the
act was done, must the reaction take place.
Heaven and hell are only states of conscious
ness Both are experienced here aud win con-
tlnue to be here until man has evolved hey oDd
the necessity or living In material bodies. Aud
even then he will still carry his own heaven or
he'll win him. No god condemns him to an
eternity of suffering nor iOrgiyes him al the last
moment for a long life of yeness. In his own
hands is his own salvation or perdiiion. "As We
sow, so shall ye reap" is absolute fact In ma
iure. Only relncarnaton enables rs, II we will,
to live down and ex plate any psef ~tense, how.
ever great. The cause must tl-i The effect
and a finite cause, however dreadful, cannot
produce an infnlie effect. Hence, eterDals hells
are illogical.
il we suffer the exact equivalent OF our acts
nature Is satisfied. She Is absolutely imper-
sona absolutely just. she could not be other
wise, Therefore, reformation Is 2 message of
hope, of encouragement aud OF divine compass
sion 10 the human race. II Is besides logical
philosophical, reasonable. No other hypothesis
can stand a moment when compared with II as
an explanation OF tho facts OF nature. Material.
ism may sail. spritualism babble and theology
plead the "baby act" but all must eventually
fan before this new.old philosophy now being
retaught to Western nations by theosophy.
At o'clock this evening DR.. Alien Grit
fitbs will lecture upon 'Karma VS.. Vicarious
Atonement.