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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2222, 28 October 1907, Page 2

REINCARNATION. A lecture on '‘Reincarnation” was delivered last evening by Miss Browning, M.A., under the auspices of the Theosopbical Society. Mr. J. Whinray presided, and in the course of Ids remarks said it seeaned to him from his reading in tho valuable mugazine, “Progressive Thought,” that Theosopbiats taught tho golden rule, and had a wonderful system of explanation. Tho lecturess said that of late years many persons had taken a keen interest in the question of reincarnation, due to the reasonableness of the doctrine. The query, “Is reincarnation possible to a follower and believer in Christ afid Hiis teachings?” was answered unhesitatingly in the affirmative, Miss Browning adding that many of the clergy were becoming 'believers in it.' Biblical evidence, most conclusive, could be brought to show that John the Baptist was tho reincarnation of Elijah. The belief in reincarnation was common among the Jews ait the time of Christ, and though He did not teach it in the words recorded in the Gospel, there was nothing antagonistic to it in H,is doctrines. The lecturess continued:-—“J3y reincarnation we cun explain the inequalities of mind and conscience among different races and nations, down to different members of the same family ; it explains the exceptions to the la wof heredity: it completes the doctrine of evolution ; i.t tells us why infant prodigies are born in commonplace families; it gives us some understanding why social conditions are so unequal; it gives us content in the present and hope for tho future; above all it reconciles the belief of a iiist God with a belief in a loving God.” Miss Browning mentioned that tho number of those who remembered parts of their past lives was not inconsiderable, but their experience was only valuable to those who believed in their truthfulness and powers of discriminating between memory and imagination. A number of questions were put and replied to at the close of the lecture.