THEOSOPHY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 June 1907, Page 2

THEOSOPHY.

MISS BROWNING'S LECTURES. Miss Browning, M.A., delivered the second of her course of addresses on Theosophy at the Oddfellows' Hall last evening, dealing with "Reincarnation." Miss Browning said that one of the fundamental teachings of Theosophy was that the souls of man have to return to ths world in order to learn its lessons, and futher their own evolution. We had to face the question whether experience of life on earth if necessary for our future existence ; if it were, then the child cut off in early years, the savage who lives almost like an animal, and the idiot, were losing some experiences they would never be able to have in worlds unlike our own, and they would be handicapped to eternity. If, on the other hand, this experience was not necessary, why did we toil and strive in onr" longing to know and feel moro of this wonderful world? Surely it would be wiser to take matters more easily, and the child who died young was to* be congratulated on escaping from the scene of so much trouble and misery. To many "he theory of many lives explained the difficulties of the one life they knew, but together with this theory we must take the doctrine that every action brings its inevitable result. (This latter aspect will be dealt with on Sunday). Many of the greatest minds had held the doctrine of Reincarnation, and though it was not now taught in the churches, there were evidences that the belief was held in the past by the Gnostics, and traces could be found in ■w Testame.nl>. We had the evidence of Christ that John the Baptist was Elijah. He asked whom he was supposed to be, and the people answered, Some say Elias, some one of the prophets," showing that the general public opinion of that time allowed the reincarnation of souls. This was also known from the writings of Josephus. Max Muller, in a posthumous book, stated his belief in Reincarnation, while Huxley considered it was' a doctrine which could be supported by analogy, and that "like the doctrine of evolution itself, that of transmigration had' its roots in the world of reality." Wordsworth's Ode to Immortality was too well known to need quotation. It distinctly taught the pre-existence of the soul, and many philosophers had given their opinion that any theory of immortaTity required pre-existence as a logical necessity. How the law acted was taught in Eastern Scriptures, and this teaching was given to the West through the Theosophical Society. To-morrow evening Miss Browning wtl speak on "Reincarnation."