From Manual espírita by "Bhima" (Francisco I. Madero), 1911.
English translation by C.M. Mayo, from:
...Metaphysical Odyssey Into the Mexican Revolution:
...Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual
...By C.M. Mayo (Dancing Chiva, 2014)

REINCARNATION (EXCERPT)


Q. Can you tell me something in support of the doctrine of reincarnation?

A.This doctrine has been accepted by the greatest philosophers of antiquity and preached by the great missionaries, as I explained in the historical part, and I should like to underline similarities among the doctrines as taught by Krishna in India, Hermes in Egypt, and Christ in Judea, as with other great philosophers, and, since the middle of the past century,.by the uncounted spirits that have come to communicate with with humanity. This doctrine is noy only supported by revelation in accord with the great missionaries, but it is the most rational philosophical doctrine and for all the problems as yet unexplained by other philosophical doctrines, it presents the most logical explanation.

Q. Can you tell me what those problems are?

A. A great number of issues remain obscure when we analyze them the lense of other doctrines. For example: the very notable inequality among human beings, some rich, others poor, some happy, others melancholy; some born with illnesses that accompany them to the grave and make their life miserable, while others, full of health, seem to enjoy smiling fortune in everything.

In the same way we observe that many men who, during their lives, commit great crimes do not seem to receive punishment before leaving this world, while others are inevitably their victims and suffer all kinds of vexations without seeing justice in their lifetime.

Another problem other philosophical doctrines leave unresolved is the satisfactory explanation for the birth of children who, from earliest infancy, show themselves to be true geniuses and demonstrate extraordinary talents, whether for music, or some branch of science, etc.

Lastly, no religion nor system of philosophy has been able to satisfactorally explain why children of the same parents sometimes have such different characters, ideas and tendencies.

The materialist view does not offer a satisfactory explanation for these phenomena, for, being logical in its principles, it must assume chance determines the qualities of each individual at birth, not only from the moment he begins to have consciousness, but some years after his birth, and so he has a wealth of qualities, good and bad, which he did not acquire himself, nor did his parents attempt to transmit it in the moment of conception.

If chance is what determines each human being's aptitudes, we would not see that very harmonious and concordant similarity among the works and teachings of the great men, who by mysterious and various paths, have accelerated humanity's evolution toward progress and happiness.

Neither would we observe that admirable opportunity by which, in the most propitious moments, superior men have come to earth, whether to save humanity from grave dangers or lead it on a new path.

According to Catholicism and the Protestant sects, human life begins at the moment of birth and the qualities it has are given by the grace of God, who, being omnipotent and creator of all that exists, assigns to each creature its abilities at the moment of birth.

This doctrine is simple and simply monstrous, for it makes God is fundamentally unjust.

In contrast, with the doctrine of reincarnation all the above mentioned difficulties disappear. It is no longer by chance nor divine caprice that qualities of each human being are determined; it is the very same being who brings into each incarnation the qualities and aptitudes it aquired in previous incarnations, whether in the planetary or the interplanetary.