The Spiritualist Theory of Reincarnation
By Editor
The newest Spiritualist idea is that of "re-incarnation." That is, it is new in the sense that only recently has it been recognized by any great number of Spiritualists. The theory is based upon that of the pre-existence of souls. It is claimed that men now in the flesh have existed in the flesh in ages past, and, having passed into the spirit-land for a time, have once more materialized, and that after their death they may again be born into the world. It is the old Platonic theory revived. According to that theory, the spirit was made to drink of the waters of Lethe, before it came into the world in fleshy form, so that it forgot all that it had previously known. A recent writer in the Golden Gate thus explains how the re-incarnated spirit forgets its previous existence:— "It is a well-known fact that spiritual essences suffer by contact with earthly elements. Often a materialized spirit will forget its very name, when coming within the circle of sitters. As regards an infant having no recollection of events, I knew of an intelligent child of seven years, who had been separated from its mother for ten years. At the end of that time the two were brought in contact, but the child had totally forgotten her parent and the former home life." We don't blame the child for "forgetting" its mother under such circumstances. In spite of the Golden Gate's claim to the contrary, it will have to stand as the champion "funny paper."