The herald., 1895-12-16
Unity Church

The pastor of the Unity church. the Rev.
j. S. Thomson, preached sermon on
Theosophy and the Gospel yesterday
morning, taking for the text the words:
II am come forth from the Father. and am
come unto the world; again l leave the
world and go to the Father. John l6:2s.
The prominent doctrines of all the sects
of theosophy in ancient and modern times
are ,preexistence. rewards and punish
ments, and absorption at the end of the
series of reincarnation. The Jews, in
Christ's time accepted the doctrine of re-
incarnation: for the Baptist was regarded
as reincarnatlon of Elijah. Christ was
supposed by some to be John the Baptist.
The blind man was suffering for sins in
former life, according to Christ's disciples.
Some theosophists claim that the human
spirit must assume all the forms of min
erals, vegetables and animals. Others
say the reincarnations will be confined to
human forms only. And the purposes for
reincarnation are two-eXperienee and
publication. Each reincarnation is deter
mined by the thoughts, feelings and deeds
of the former one. and this is called Rama.
At the end of all the series of reipcarna-
nations the spirit will be swallowed up in
Nirvana, state OF personal unconscious
ness. The good points of theosophy are its
emphasization OF nreeXlstence. Its doctrine
of rewards and punishments and it's
demands for proper qualifications for every
stage and position in life here and here.
after Its weak points seem to be series
of weird and dreary reincarnatioDs, harsh
Judgment for all those who are not well
born, the annihilation of individual con-
seriousness in absorption. Christ denied
that the blind man was suffering for sins in
a prior state of existence. One life in this
earth is sufficient. and the Intermediate
state is process for purification FROM the
stains and corruptions of earthly life. We
have all been sent to this planet Tor the
purpose of gaining experiences that prob
ably no other world could give us, in order
TO be richly qualified to appreciate the
meanings of life and the wisdom and love
of God in the hereafter. 1t is certain that
we carry out of this world into the next
nothing but -onr experiences. We visit
foreign countries for different purposes.
Some 60 to France for music, some for
painting, some for language, some for busi-
ness. some for pleasure: and they stay
few days. or few years as tine case may
be. A child that dies early may have re-
ceived all from this life that it came for.
Christ did not live to be an old man. The
child does not need TO come here again.
The Egyptians believed that they would
come back to this earth after death and that
they would need earthly bodies; and some
Christians believe in reincarnation, as they
intend to come back 10 a new earth, and
for this purpose they will need physical
bodies, and so belief in the resurrection
of the body becomes part of their creed.
That part of their creed is Egyptian, and
not Christian. The doctrine Of a series of
reincariations, like that OF an endless, I'M
possible and unreformatory hell. has been
used to frigdten ignorant people with
strong animal passions. Intellectual, moral
and spiritual people do right without any
fear of hell, reincarnation or any angry
God The soIi of human brotherhood is
Without InVe hrDtlerbOQ1 : IiIt
empty name. Theosophy claims tina. it is
the great defender of the doctrine of uni
versal brotherhood. Why. then, does 1t
seem to be so much afraid of emotion? 1t
is very cheerless message to tell US that
we shall not know each other after death.
II the dearest and strongest affections Of
life are to be annihilated by death. Iher.
the human heart will be broken, indeed.
Life will end in despair. The friendships
of heaven which we left. and the friend
ships of this life, will all come to us after
death, in the reunions that will never end.
Theosophy must, to succeed, make its
message glad. The revelation of truth
brings Joy and not despair. The heart has
just as good a right to attention, honor,
education and confidence, as any other at
tribute of the spirit. The nations which
have been dominated by ancient and mod
ern theosophy are not progressive, except
in so far as they copy western civilization.
India, China, Japan, Thihet, are far be-
hind western nations. The Japanese have
adopted our spirit and methods; and,
therefore, they are becoming prosperous.
The western nations respect individuality,
they assert it. it makes them mighty and
progressive. The peoples who believe in
the annihilation of individual conscious.
ness lack energy and hate action. We are
all here for a purpose. We should not miss
our opportunities.
The New Testament contains all tie