The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-09
KarIlla,


TO the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
The Theosoohical doctrines of Re-
incarnation and KarLe are familiar to
many people by name. What the doc
trines are Is of course not so familiar.
Reincarnation is re-birth, and the law
which governs re-hirth is Karma, or
action ana reaction. They are so close
~ associated that it is difficult 20 con-
slder one apart from the other.
The real man (the ego, the individu-
atty is not born again and again upon
the earth for no purpose. The expert
ehce gained in many and varied lives
is necessary to purify the lower nature
SO that 1t may become one with the
hlgher' The heaven-life is long peri
Oh or rest and freedom from suffering
curing which the experience gained in
the earth-l1fe Is assimilated When
thls process is completed the man re-
turns to earth again. He is drawn by
karma to birth among conditions made
by himself in former lives, to learn
new lessons and so advance
harma may be called the law of
cause and effect. The working of this
law is endless. 1t is impossible to
think of an effect which does not be-
come in turn the cause of other effects.
we recognize the fact that effect fol-
lows cause on the physical plane. 1t
is important to remember that this is
the law on every plane
What Is the cause of unhappiness, of
suffering, among men? Sometimes we
can see the cause Of trouble in some
DEED man has done, not so very long
ago. Perhaps the reason for an uphill
struggle during a long life is never APP
parent, but our failure to see it is no
sign there is no reason.
1t is surprising to see how many live
in utter disregard of the fact that by
far the greater number of men are
born into a life of misery. 1t is more
| surprising that when the matter Is con-
sidered they say God has arranged it
| this way. There is always an unsatis-
| factory element in this conclusion, for
| we feel that we have a higher ideal of
| justice than that attributed to God.
These people overlook the doctrines
| of re-birth and Karma. Whoever de-
! MES the doctrine of re-brth forgets ii
| was acknowledged by Jesus. who dis
tinctly asserted that John the Baptist
was Elias If the law of Karma
| whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
| he also reap) is true at all, then some
thing gone before has produced the
conditions among which each man is
born. What a man reaps he must have
| sown.
| Emerson says: '"The soul will moi
have us read any other cipher but thai
| of cause and effect" Who can reaC
this. cipher knows the past, the pres.
ent and the future. The Importance o
any knowledge depends upon it's prac.
teal value. We can see little of tht
past because we do not understand the
present, but the future we control
Here is the application of Karma t.
our daily life.
Can any more practical aid be giver
us than a belief in this law of cause
and effect? Is it not easier to beal
our burdens when we know we deserv,
to bear them, than when we thinl
them undeserved? May we not gathe
new courage to overcome obstacles
4 when we realize that we have mad
them ourselves and that they must b.
conquered?
AS the sorrow and joy of the presen
were gained in the past, so we ar
now earning the sorrow and joy of tn
future. Happiness will have the great
err share in proportion as our faults ar
conquered Above all. let us not forge
that the greatest fault is selfishness
1t not only Injuries others, it obstruct
in ourselves the radiance which woul
otherwise shine forth from that ligh
within each man. 1t is this Ugh
which will help us to read the ciphe
of cause and effect, and to know tina
"Karma, perfect justice, rules GU
lives" b. e. A.