ception of the Immortality of the Soul," as contrasted with
the "pagan and heathen" doctrine of Reincarnation--it is not a
"conception of the Immortality of the Soul" at all, but a flat
contradiction of it. It is a doctrine of the "Immortality of the Body,"
which bears plain marks of a very lowly "pagan and heathen" origin. And
as to the "later" Christian conception, it may be seen that there is
nothing in the idea of Re-birth which is inconsistent therewith--in
fact, the two ideas naturally blend into each other.

In the above discussion our whole intent has been to answer the argument
against Reincarnation which charges that the latter is "derived from
pagan and heathen sources, and is not in accord with the highest
conceptions of the immortality of the soul." And in order to do this we
have found it necessary to examine the opposing theological dogmas as we
find them, and to show that they do not come up to the claims of being
"the highest conception," etc. We think that the strongest point against
the dogmas may be found in the claims of their advocates. That the
Church is now growing away from them only proves their unfitness as "the
highest conception." And Reincarnationists hold that as the Church grows
in favor of the Immaterial Immortal Soul, so will it find itself
inclining toward the companion-doctrine of Pre-existence and Re-birth,
in some of its varied forms, probably that of the Early Fathers of the
Church, such as Origen and his followers--that the Church will again
claim its own.

CHAPTER XII.

THE LAW OF KARMA.

"Karma" is a term in general use among the Hindus, and the Western
believers in Reincarnation, the meaning of which is susceptible of
various shades of definition and interpretation. It is most important to
all students of the subject of Reincarnation, for it is the companion
doctrine--the twin-truth--to the doctrine of Metempsychosis. Strictly
speaking, "Karma" is the Law of Cause and Effect as applied to the life
of the soul--the law whereby it reaps the results of its own sowing, or
suffers the reaction from its own action. To the majority of
Reincarnationists, however, it has a larger meaning, and is used in the
sense of the Law of Justice, or the Law of Reward and Punishment,
operating along the lines of personal experience, personal life, and
personal character.

Many authorities hold that the original idea of Karma was that of a
great natural law operating along exact lines,