52 



THE KEV. J. J. B. COLES^ ON THEOSOPHY. 



theosophist, but had left the Society at an early stage because she 

 disagreed with it. Theosophists did not encourage passive medium- 

 ship. Indeed, there had been quite a feud between spiritualists and 

 theosophists ; the theosophists held that instead of drawing down 

 spirits to the earth plane to communicate through mediums, it was 

 better to exalt one's own consciousness into the spiritual sphere, 

 where first-hand knowledge could be gained now as of old. This 

 could be done by training. 



The Chairman, in calling upon Mr. Coles to reply, said: We 

 have before us to-day two rival claims to inspiration ; one, 

 Theosophy, which claims to have inspired communications from 

 above through Mahatmas, and Christianity, which claims that the 

 Eible is inspired by the Spirit of God. He would be glad if 

 Mr. Coles would point out the real distinction between the two 

 subjects of theosophical reincarnation and Christian resurrection. 



Mr. Coles, in reply, said : At the time of the Exodus God 

 revealed Himself to Moses as the God of his fathers, the Patriarchs, 

 as the God of resurrection. 



The Egyptians had changed this truth of resurrection into a 

 doctrine of reincarnation. It was a great calamity to an Egyptian 

 if his body was not preserved b}^ embalming, but allowed to turn 

 to dust. When Moses and Aaron miraculously produced life from 

 the dust of the earth, the magicians failed to do so with their 

 enchantments, and they told Pharaoh that that was " the finger of 

 Ood " — to bring life out of death was not within their power. 



Reincarnation relates to this fallen creation. By resurrection 

 there is a passing into a higher sphere of existence. The Christian 

 who is in his spirit life " risen with Christ " is on a higher plane, 

 and would therefore never accept the doctrine of reincarnation. 

 Christ is the "Resurrection and the Life." He Himself, in His 

 risen human nature, is the " Firstborn from the dead." 



Professor Langhorne Orchard writes : — The imaginative 

 theory known as " Theosophy " originated in the East, probably 

 (as is Mr. Maunder's suggestion) through the corruption of the 

 truth by the Israelites carried into captivity. 



Theosophy is a mixture of good and evil. It appears to hold, in 

 some dim way, the fact that man has fallen and needs to be 

 restored, and that he is responsible for his conduct (karma). It 

 affirms his future existence ; it recognises that selfishness is wrong. 



