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Reincarnation - a Study in Human Evolution by Dr Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution by Dr. Théophile Pascal Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution The Resurrection of the Body and The Reincarnation of the Soul by Dr. Théophile Pascal Translated by Fred Rothwell The Theosophical Publishing Society - London 1910 “Were an Asiatic to ask me for a definition of Europe, I should be forced to answer him - It is that part of the world which is haunted by the incredible delusion that man was created out of nothing, and that his present birth is his first entrance into life”. Schopenhauer - (Parerga and Paralipomena, Vol 2, Chap 15) Page 1 Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution by Dr. Théophile Pascal CONTENTS Chapter Page SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE 5 AUTHOR’S PREFACE 11 CHAPTER I THE SOUL AND THE BODIES 15 CHAPTER II REINCARNATION AND THE MORAL LAW 42 CHAPTER III REINCARNATION AND SCIENCE 99 REINCARNATION AND THE RELIGIOUS AND CHAPTER IV 159 PHILOSOPHIC CONSENSUS OF THE AGES CONCLUSION 301 Page 2 Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution by Dr. Théophile Pascal SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE [Page 5] Théophile Pascal was born on the 11th of May, 1860, at Villecroze, a village in the South of France. His childhood was spent amid the pleasant surroundings of a country life. Shortly after his sixteenth birthday, a relative of his, a Catholic priest ministering in Toulon, seeing that the youth showed considerable ability, sent for him and presided over his studies in this large maritime center. Before many years elapsed, he entered the Naval Medical School of the town, which he left at the age of twenty-two, with first-class honors. In his professional capacity, he took several trips on vessels belonging to the Mediterranean squadron. Four years afterwards he married, resigned active naval service, and devoted himself to building up a practice on land, becoming a homeopathic physician in the great seaport itself. It was about this time that the young doctor became interested in Theosophy, owing to the kindly services of a former patient, Commander Courmes. The closest [Page 6] friendship and sympathetic interest in theosophic thought thus began, and continued during their common labors subsequently in Paris. Dr. Pascal entered the Theosophical Society in 1891, and during the course of the following year wrote a series of articles for the Revue Théosophique FranГ§aise. These were continued year after year, and dealt with the most varied subjects: Psychic Powers; The Fall of the Angels; Kâma-Manasic Elementals; Thought Forms; Christianity, Prehistoric Races, and many others. The young doctor had previously made a deep study of human magnetism, which proved a most fertile ground for the sowing of the seed of the Ancient Wisdom. In 1898 attacks of serious nervous depression became frequent, forcing him to cease work of every kind. Mrs. Besant persuaded him to accompany her to India, where his general health was gradually restored, and he was enabled to return to France in the following year. He decided to leave Toulon, where he had built up a considerable practice, and to settle in Paris, hoping to provide for the needs of himself and his family — his wife and only daughter — by the exercise of his profession, and at the same time to fight the good fight for Theosophy in the capital itself.[Page 7] The French Section of the Theosophical Society was founded in 1900, and Dr. Pascal was elected General Secretary. Throughout the next two years a number of thoughtful articles and publications appeared from his pen. The incessant labor and attention, however, which he bestowed on the spreading of theosophic instruction began to have its effect on a naturally delicate constitution, and in July, 1902, when attending the meetings of the British Convention in London, he was prostrated by an attack of congestion of the brain. The most devoted care was lavished on him, both in London and in Paris, the result being that a rapid, though only temporary, recovery took place. Had he relaxed his efforts somewhat, the cure might have been a permanent one, but Dr. Pascal, with the penetrating vision of the mystic, saw how pressing were the needs of the age, and how few the pioneers of this new presentation of the Truth, so that, at whatever cost of personal sacrifice, he plunged once more into the midst of his arduous toil. In 1903 a series of very fine articles on the Laws of Destiny appeared in the Revue Théosophique, to be Page 3 Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution by Dr. Théophile Pascal followed immediately by publication in volume form. Two years afterwards appeared the present volume — REINCARNATION: A STUDY IN HUMAN EVOLUTION; a work considered the most complete of any that have so far appeared in France [Page 8] on this subject, and the most popular of Dr. Pascal's publications. In 1906 some of the nerve centres controlling the organs of speech became affected, but not sufficiently to compel him to remain absent from the International Theosophical Congress held that year in Paris under the presidency of Colonel Olcott. It was on this occasion that Dr. Pascal received from the hands of the President-Founder the Subba Rao medal, awarded to members of the society whose literary labours in the promulgation of the truths of Theosophy have proved eminently useful. Twelve months afterwards he attended the Congress at Munich, under the presidency of Mrs. Besant, but was obliged to leave before the termination of the meetings. This may be regarded as Dr. Pascal's last public appearance as an active theosophist, for his subsequent prolonged stay in the South of France effected no radical improvement in the state of his health. Returning to Paris in March, 1908, and realising how impossible it was for him to fulfil the duties incumbent on a General Secretary, he decided to resign his post. His colleagues, however, insisted on his continuing as Honorary General Secretary. From this time onward his health became gradually worse, and his physical life terminated on the 18th [Page 9] of April, 1909, his body being cremated three days afterwards at the Cemetery of Père Lachaise. What was most striking about Dr. Pascal, in both public and private life, was his intense earnestness — the index of a well-grounded habit of concentration — and the calm strength of his convictions. It was impossible to be in his presence for any length of time without feeling the power that emanated from him, and recognising that here was a mighty soul struggling for expression. Other characteristics were his extreme modesty, and his continual endeavour to accord praise and merit to those working for the cause so dear to his own heart. When questioned on many of the intricate points raised in a lecture or in conversation on some abstruse theosophical subject, he made no pretence at knowledge he did not possess; on such occasions his confession of ignorance would be charming, even touching in its naïveté. But the qualities he seemed to feel it his special object to awaken in the minds of others — as will be acknowledged, I think, by those who knew him best — may be inferred from his continual insistence on the double duty, incumbent on students of Theosophy, of practising on all occasions the utmost tolerance, refusing not only to condemn but even to judge harshly the opinions or actions of others, and of seizing every opportunity to help [Page 10] another because of the recognition of the One Life throughout the world. May we who read the following pages catch somewhat of the deep earnestness and enthusiastic spirit breathing through them, and may the joy of service dissipate all meaner motives, taking as our watchword also the only key to true growth, the very heart of altruism, that exhortation he never wearied of repeating: Aidez! Aidez toujours! F. R. Page 4 Reincarnation - A Study in Human Evolution by Dr. Théophile Pascal AUTHOR’S PREFACE It will soon be 1500 years since the decision of the Council of 543 A.D. [This council came to the following decision - Whosoever shall teach the pre-existence of the soul and the strange opinion of its returns to earth, let him be anathema!] condemned to oblivion sublime teachings which ought to have been carefully preserved and handed down to future generations as a beacon amid social reefs; teachings that would have uprooted that frightful egoism which threatens to annihilate the world, and instilled patience into the hearts of such as were being crushed beneath the wheel of the cosmic law, by showing them the scales of Justice inclining to the side filled with their iniquities of bygone times; teachings which would have been welcomed by the masses, and the understanding of which would not have called for any lofty intellectual culture. It was one of the greatest misfortunes that could have befallen the races of the West, more especially [Page 12] the European, that they were thus deprived for centuries of this indispensable knowledge. We look upon it as a duty, following on so many others, to offer it anew, this time in the clear, logical, illuminating form presented in theosophic teachings. The necessity thereof is all the more imperative when we consider the growth of scepticism and materialism amongst the more intellectual classes, whilst the mass of the people have forsaken their blind faith only to succumb to religious indifference. To every awakened soul the question comes: Why does evil exist ? So long as the enigma remains unsolved, Suffering remains a threatening sphinx, opposing God and ready to devour mankind. The key to the secret lies in Evolution, which can be accomplished only by means of the continual return of souls to earth.
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