Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-25

on this planet, goes through innumer-
able transformations, from the gaseous
state into that of the solid mineral king
dom, until finally through this refining
process it is taken up by, or in other
words, incarnated in the vegetable
kingdom. Here it is incarnated over
and over again in vegetables until by
habit it becomes perfected enough to
enter the animal kingdom and 80 on.
This is according to the scientific
hypothesis. The theosophical hypothe-
els says: just so with the individuality
called man. An atom of intelligence,
he is incarnated over and over again in
the long course OF his evolution until
by sheer force of habit and experience
wisdom is acquired (and how else than
by experience can wisdom be acquired y
Yet he goes through all without the
least loss of identity. Through all there
is an indestructible individuality which
maintains an absolutely unbroken con-
tinuity of existence, "stringing together
the various earth lives, or personalities,
as pearls upon line." Theosophy is
the broadcast and most comprehensive OF
all systems Of thought. 1t is the syn
thesis OF science, religion and philoso-
ply. Under that name man will COM
bine into one harmonious whole all his
ideas, either of nature, the universe or
of God. Some of the basic principles OF
theosophy are:
"Universal unity and causation, hui
man solidarity, karma and reincarna-
tion."
Universal unity and causation means
that the universal is not the product OF
chance or chaos that it is not governed,
one portion by God, one portion by ma
ture and one portion by something else !;
but that all things physical or spiritual
are caused and governed by one all-pre-
vailing and divine law. One aspect of
that universal law is the law of ''cauee
and effect" and is called in sanscrit,
Karma. 1t is the first law of force
formulated by Sir Isaac Newton, viz :
''Action and reaction are equal and in
opposite directions"
Karma means action. Action causes
reaction. "As ye SOW 30 shall ye reap"
Jesus said, "As ye mete it shall be
measured unto you again." Aud there
is no escape from the natural conse.
quences of any thought, word or deed.
Pure thoughts, gentle speech and deeds
of duty naturally produce harmony,
peace and progress.
Selfish thoughts, harsh speech and
evil deeds are causes which bring about
the mental and moral misery which
mankind endures.
There is no escape from the suffering
except as Sam Jones says to "quit your
meanness." You will attain peace only
when you have quit creating bad karma
long enough for the causes to have
worked themselves out and have been
replaced by nothing but grace and
good
An old Hindu verse says: "There is
no cleft in the rock, there is no depth in
the seas, there is no spot on the earth
or in the heavens where man can hide
from the consequences of his acts," be
they good or evil. Human solidarity is
the great principle which underlies all
political, social, intellectual and spirit
ual welfare.
And no reform can achieve permanent
success except in proportion as it is
based upon human solidarity, or bring
about permanent benefit except it pro-
notes universal Brotherhood.
The world needs these Theosophical
principles
Karma will restore the sense of JUS
tice to mankind; demonstrate that the
law of cause and effect is as certain and
inexorable in the moral, intellectual and
spiritual world as science has demon
strated it to be in the physical, and af.
ford "a scientific basis for ethics"
In short, theosophy will fully satisfy
the religious nature, and at the same
time supply clear and rational solutions
to many, if not most, of the vexing prob
lens of nature and of human life and
& testiny. ABBOTT CLARK, F. T. S.