< A Debate on Re-Incarnation (continued from page 12-186) >
Tien-Sien-Tie: The question is only a matter of personal conviction that cannot be translated into external evidence.
Dr. A. Kingsford: You ask for proof, and then you deny that the proof can be given.
Tien-Sien-Tie: We say that proof has not been given which satisfies us, and which can be translated into external language. It is a matter of personal opinion; and our opinion in the negative is as good as the other opinion in the affirmative.
Signor Bondi: Tien says that the Spirit will go into some other sphere to learn. If so, is not that Re-Incarnation?
Tien-Sien-Tie: Certainly not. If, when the Spirit leaves the body, it takes with it machinery that will continue the expression of its consciousness, it of necessity takes that Spiritual body which a certain ancient authority spoke of; if it is bereft of that machinery, neither you, nor I, nor anyone possessed of such machinery can comprehend it.
Miss Arundale: There are only a few points upon which I need touch for a moment. We are asked to understand that this earth is the platform only for the acquirement of consciousness. If that were so, would it not be a great advantage to all of us to die off in infancy? because when once the end is gained for which we came here, the further evil experience that so many obtain must be a disadvantage for the next school of life. Our friend, Dr. Nichols, said he wished to go to the grand spheres. That may be all very well for him; he may be glad to go there. But does he think that the Spirit of a murderer would be in a right state of progress to go to the grand spheres? We are told that we know nothing of the justice of God and that we have no business to speak of it; but how are we to use our reason except in the school which experience gives us? We have no other way of judging of the justice of God than from the facts which we see around us. From the school we are put into and from the laws of nature, of which so much has been said, we get the manifestation of Deity to us; and, through those manifestations that we see in humanity, we must judge of the justice of the Deity.
Tien-Sien-Tie, in conclusion, thanked Miss Arundale for the careful and dispassionate manner in which she had raised the question for discussion, and the other speakers who had supported the doctrine of Re-Incarnation.
Spirit Power Over Birds
During the last twelve months I have been residing in this town, and have to walk every morning from my house to my place of business, a distance of about a mile and a-half. The country about here is beautiful in the extreme, with splendid trees, fields, gardens, flowers, and lovely walks, and as you may imagine, abounding with birds of various kinds, among which the common sparrow is very numerous. In the month of May last, while making the morning journey, I was greatly surprised at about a dozen of these latter birds flying close around me, touching me with their wings, and endeavouring to settle on my hat and shoulders. I drove them off, and thought nothing more about it. During the months of August and September, however, similar occurrences again happened, and especially in one case, when I had some difficulty in driving the birds away. Again last month (February), I was surrounded by almost a dozen of these birds, but this time they closed with me at once, without giving me any notice, and three or four came to a standstill upon my shoulders. As the morning was very cold I had on a heavy ulster and thick worsted mittens. I had therefore some difficulty in using my hands and arms, but I did get my hand high enough and took one of the birds off my shoulder, whereupon the others flew away; but had I been more lightly dressed and without gloves, I could have taken three or four. I carried the bird in my hand nearly a mile, and when near my place of business, as I had no cage to put him in, I threw him into a tree to get rid of him, when he immediately took to his wings and apparently flew back to where I had brought him from.
I do not send you this expecting you to give me some probable reason for its occurrence, but to record the fact that a Spirit had previously informed me that he could do this thing with me, viz.: make birds settle on me in the open day; and I hereby pledge you my word as a man who knows and respects the value of truth that he succeeded as I have described.
The Spirit has since explained how this was possible and how it was accomplished.
Croydon.
<Untitled> (Mr. Bennett's path through...)
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<Untitled> (If a Russian...)
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Editor's notes
Sources
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Light, v. 2, No. 62, March 11, 1882, p. 113