, 1903-04-09
PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES.


Our mo,lem brethren might OBJ
ject to any definition of Kismet that
could be found in a "Christidn' die
tionary. Nevertheless such II defini-
ton is the only one at hand and
while Students of Thensophy be-
lieve every religion should be viewed
from the vantage point Of the best
and wlsest within its pale. for our
purpose at present such IA definition
will suffice. Kismet means AN iron
destiny-the fate of a life which is
hung around the neck of the child mt
birth and from which he can not
escape. "Kismet." says the moslem
in resignation to the unalterIble de-
cree.
The astrologer will tell you ION
such a day YOU will steal IL watch"
but ''it is n wise man who rules his
own stars
The Shorter Catechi-m of the
Westminster Assembly saws The
DEGREES of God are His eternal pur-
poses according to the ,ounSel of His
will, whereby, for His own glory, He
hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes
to pass Taking mis- from the
standpoint Of the "one-life" theory
of the church and ma~terialism. it is
what might be called the Zone
chance theory as opposed to rein
caruation taught in Theosophy.
If it is true that "whalsuevrr comes
to pass is foreurdained,' then II man
has no more choice in his c,,,irse Of
conduct in the Christian faith than
in the Mohammedan. Even the
thoughts of his heart are the out.
come of Il relentless fate that holds
him i'll IA grip Of iron and he he
elect or cursed from all eternity
his actions are not the result of his
deliberate will. According to this
each soul is Il new creation stamped
at birth with tendencies towards vice
or virtue, aud endowed with ability
or stupidity, as God willed, from be-
fore the "foundation of the world"
h child that was elect comes to
the time when the gates of bliss are
opened to him and they tell us THAI,
as he crosses the river of death, there
comes forgetfulness of the fact that
his brother had at birth been per
cipitated along IA path that would
lead to everlasting misery. But the
brother, too, crosses it, IL so, he
will be in eternal torment without
knowing why. But the DEGREES are
eternal aud he must submit to the
result a deep laid scheme formed
against him millenia Def re his birth
+ EN- If VT modify Predestination
by the assumption that it is fore.
knowledge, still, there is no escape.
Every act aud word is mappeL out
and and man must do and think on.
ly according to the great plan for
thus it is for the glory of God"
The theory of Karma offers ano-
ther explanation to the riddle that
serms 81 hopeless of solution. The
osophN nev goes back of he facts
i'll the case. 1t sees men at all stages
Of intelligence aud morality living
side by side on this great round
world of ours. 1t recognizes the in.
l%luence of birth, and family envi.
Ionmrnt. II acknow lodges that
some are born tn sorrow from the
cradle Ia the grave; that others who
seem not 50 worthy ~ rejoicing
every day They havr physical com.
fort aud happy surroundings The.
osophv SECS u discrepancy aud an in.
rqmtiry il II is Ia rnj y haven and
the other punishment AT ~ death.
1t ais does not hold TODD rrsponsi.
bile for he runditi ms or the choices
of amy life.
The r. l. m eternal law ilnl III kes
ii just and right thai such differences
should he and thai such lives are
sern without op lurtunity or with
c,ippIed possibilities. This law is
thr law ul cause aud effect. Every
5hng in the world, physical aud spir-
itual. comes mdrr the provisions of
this law. The Mnhamme Ian mur.
mrrs "Ki-mrt" while he steals from
hi, vie inns. So might the Christian
say God knew nefurc tie made me:
| am moi r~rspnnSihIc.' when he com.
its a sin. But the student Of Theoso.
phy has heard the word "Knrma' and
he knows that if he does an evil in
this life. it is because he has chosen