Germany and Reincarnation

Levin Daily Chronicle, 21 April 1917, Page 3

Germany and Reincarnation

(By M. R. St. John.) In the opinion of many people the theory of Reecarnotion has been worn almost threadbare. The stock arguments—that it is the only theory which explains the apparent injustice of things; that it is a necessary coneonitant to the law of cause and effect; that it is believed in by something like twothirds of the human race, and that certain events described in our own scriptures lend support to it—harwjei been used over and over again. But in spite of this, the critical and scientific mind of the West lias, on the I whode, not taken kindly to the teaching although there are number of ipeople who are accepting it.

Yet it does seem that one of the strongest arguments in proof of it has been overlooked; lias in some mysterious way culded the viligance of even its most ardent supporters ;and that argument is one that arises in the mind from a study of Weissmann's theory, Mendelism, and heredity in general; for one cannot fail to be struck rather forcibly by a curions fact in connection with both individual, collective laiui national heredity (as far as a State is concerned) which not only supplies the missing link in the theory so admirably propounded by Weissmann, but nullifies the arguments of those who are opposed to his views regarding the transmission of character to progeny.

Now while it must be admitted that the heredity strain has a very marked influence; there is something appertaining to the individuals comprising a race which is often far stronger, which not only modifies the heredity influence, but frequently actually apposes it; and this is so noticable <a trait, that it seems only capable of explanation bv an admission of the reincarnation of certain egos and groups of egos at the same period in order to produce this phenomenon of national and racial change of temperament which is found pervading different nations. What then of Germany ?

Surely the influence cf law and environment os solely responsible for the characteristic change that has taken place in the ideas, 'aspirations, and habits of its people since the days when a fine philosophy and the poetic and mystic writings of Schiller and Goethe held a place in their hearts and minds. -To a certain extent, yes; but no outside influence could change the "soul of a people" to such a radical extent unless that influence had a very different kind of soil in which to implant its virus, and numbers of ego* now incarnate .in German bodies must be of a very different order -from those of a few generations back, in- whom the philosop.v and poetry of . the time evoked an answering not.