The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-07

The. doctrine Of reincarnation II the one
belief Of the theosophists which the aver
age mind is able to grasp with any degree
of clearness. Other theories advanced by
them are too abstruse and mystical for the
ordinary comprehension, but the notion Of
a series of births is sufficiently definite
and obvious for even the wayfaring man
to understand. 1t is rather an interesting
theory, too-that of coming back to earth
again and again until the gamut Of human
experience has been run and all the nee
essary earth discipline has been obtained.
The conventional heaven has it's attrac-
tons, no doubt, but it may reasonably be
suspected that even the spiritually mind
ed seldom have their hearts so set upon
early admission to the heavenly choirs that
they could not readily see the desirablilty
Of another term of years in world as fair
as this. But one drawback to this pleas
ant thought of a return to earth under con-
ditions more favorable than now enjoyed
invariably presents itself to the practical
Anglo-Saxon mind. The question is at
before, do we not remember the fact?"
And supplementing this comes the further
query, "Of what value are the repeated
experiences and the varied discipline to the
soul imprisoned I'm human form unless that
soul can recall them?" 1t is not sufficient
to say, theosophists do, that some men
and women do remember events in former
lives, or that when the soul is finally free
from the body for good and all it can call
up all the memories of all it's past stages
Of existence and ponder on them. The
seeker after light persists in asking why,
If the person can remember what he was
in a past life, all cannot do so? The ad-
vocates Of the reincarnation doctrine have
recognized this difficulty and at last sought
to adjust 1t. The Metaphysical Publish
ing Company issues a pamphlet entitled
Memory OF Past Births" In which the
writer, Charles Johnston, Of the Bengal
civil service. retired. undertakes to reveal
the secret Of projecting the memory back
into the lives preceding this. Naturally
this pamphlet will be perused with interest
by those who have given the subject any
attention. Here promises to be the key
that will unlock all the mysteries. Who
would not like to know what part he took
in the worlds past history-whether he
was ever king or great soldier. whether
he was once a fair lady, queen over courts
and mems hearts Ohe soul must dwell in
the body of both man and women, say the
Theosophists), whether he was slave a
creature of humble toll and service.
whether he was each of them in turn and
many more?
Then. how to know all this. Summed
up, the process is something like this:
The memory is to be regarded as some
thing like a ribbon to be gradually un-
rolled. beginning with the present day and
going back steadily. day by day and
year by year. until the present life is
spread out like a panorama. Then, says
this authority, II is but q matter Of de-
termination and persistence until the end
Of the ribbon belonging to the life pre-
ceding this can be taken up and the un-
rolling process can continue Indefinitely.
| At the very first attempt the devotee can
| go beyond the present life, but others
| come here to a thick wall OF darkness
| until after repeated trials. And" says the
| writer. "these memories can only be
| reached I'm one way: by rising up above the
physical and animal instincts which limit
us to the material self; and then by as
| cending higher. above all the personal and
| psychic self; by doing this habitually, the
vision of the causal self will be so trained
and strengthened that 1t will be able easily
to overleap the chasm Of death. and ia
] take NJ the memories which lie beyond