tions of the above mentioned form of the
doctrine in India is the teaching that the caste of the man in his next
incarnation will be determined by his degree of "good conduct" in the
present life--and that his present caste has been determined by his
conduct in his previous lives. No one who has not studied the
importance of "caste" in India can begin to understand how powerful a
lever this teaching is upon the people of India. From the exalted
Brahman caste, the priestly caste--down to the Sudra caste of unskilled
laborers, or even still further down to the Pariahs or outcasts, the
caste lines are strongly marked; the higher caste person deeming it the
greatest disgrace to be touched by one of an inferior caste, or to eat
food prepared by a lower-caste person, and so on in every act of daily
life. The only comparison possible to the American mind is the attitude
of the old-time Southerner toward the lowest class of negroes, and even
in this case the prejudice does not extend so far as in the case of the
Hindus, for the Southerner will eat food cooked by a negro servant, and
will permit the latter to shave him, act as his valet, etc., something
at which the high-caste Hindu would be horrified on the part of one
below him in caste. This being understood, it is easy to see how careful
a high-caste Hindu would be to avoid performing actions which might rob
him of his caste in his next life, and how powerful an incentive it is
to a low-caste Hindu to strive for birth in a higher caste after many
incarnations. To people holding such a view, birth in a low caste is the
mark of crime and evil action performed in a previous life, and the
low-born is accordingly felt to be worthy of no respect. We understand,
from Hindu acquaintances, that this idea is gradually being dispelled in
India, and an era of common human brotherhood and common interest is
beginning to manifest itself.

In the Western world, the Reincarnationists, without doubt, have been
greatly affected by the prevailing orthodox Hindu conception of Karma,
rather than by the Grecian and general occult conception. Although there
are many who regard Karma as rather a moulder of character, and
consequently a prime factor in the re-birth, rather than as a dispenser
of rewards and punishments--still, there are many who, discarding the
orthodox Devil of their former faith, have found a worthy substitute
for him in their conception of Karma, and manifest the same terror and