THE SEVEN PROPOSITIONS: GOD, THE SOUL, EMBODI- 
MENTS, SPIRIT STATES, FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES, 
FREE WILL, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. 



THE principal elements in the hy- 
pothesis presented in the following 
chapters, consist of seven definite 
propositions. 

1. There is an infinite and universal in- 
telligence permeating and pervading the 
whole material universe, directing and gov- 
erning all physical, mental and spiritual 
growth and development through immutable 
and inexorable laws which are inherently 
beneficent. This supreme consciousness is 
God, and the universe is the expression or 
manifestation of this infinite, omniscient, 
omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal entity, 
i 2. The human soul is an immortal, eternal, 
finite entity, in quality "like unto God" but 
finite instead of infinite in degree and scope. 
The soul is to the human body what God is 
to the universe. 

3. The expressions or manifestations of 
the soul in earth life consist in a series of 

23 



24 Why Are We Here? 

life experiences or successive embodiments. 
This does not mean reincarnation or trans- 
migration as generally understood, but a 
succession of lives for acquiring knowledge 
and experience, each embodiment being an 
advance in soul growth upon the preceding 
one. These successive lives are necessary to 
give exact justice to all souls and to achieve 
victory over all the temptations, trials and 
ordeals of earthly experience. 

4. Between the successive embodiments 
of the soul there are spirit states which are 
states of fruition, where the experiences of 
the preceding life in the body are assimila- 
ted, and the lessons of that life made a part 
of the soul's knowledge. Communication 
between those in the spirit and those in the 
body is possible and common, but communi- 
cation through mediumship is not always to 
be commended and is often harmful, degrad- 
ing and destructive. There is a better way, 
by bringing one's self into direct contact 
and communion with the spirit world, 
through right living and moral and spiritual 
development. 

5. N There are in Nature two great under- 
lying principles always at work. One is con- 



Why Are We Here? 25 

structive and impels ever and always toward 
physical, mental, moral and spiritual per- 
fection. The other is destructive and strives 
unceasingly toward disintegration, disease 
and death. These two principles operate in 
the moral and spiritual world as well as in 
the physical, and man must conform his life 
to Nature's constructive principle if he 
would attain independent spiritual unf old- 
ment, self-control, poise and mastership. 

6. Man is endowed with free wiU and 
choice, within the limits of natural laws. 
While he is governed by these great laws and 
influences, such as heredity, environment and 
compensation, he may by exercise of free 
will and choice modify and surmount them, 
not by breaking through but by conforming 
to them. Man is not therefore the creature 
of fate or circumstances but is potent to be- 
come the master of his own destiny. 

7. Every human being is personally re- 
sponsible to himself and to God, for the use 
he makes of his opportunities to develop his 
spiritual capacities. This responsibility 
cannot be shirked or shifted by any scheme 
of salvation but must be borne by the indi- 
vidual, until in the " fullness of time" he 



26 Why Are We Here*? 

shall achieve the highest degree of spiritual 
unfoldment. 

It is not intended to maintain these propo- 
sitions by argument in these pages, but sim- 
ply to present sufficient reasoning to make 
them clearly understood. 

The reader is invited to divest his mind of 
previous prejudice, if possible, and with an 
open mind, consider the propositions upon 
their merits, and their relations to each other 
upon their consistency. Their value as a 
whole will be determined by their reason- 
ableness and their rational application to 
the explanation of the inequalities of human 
life, the prevalence of evil and the uses of 
pain and sorrow. 



Build on resolve, and not upon regret, 

The structure of the future. Do not grope 
Among the shadows of old sins, but let 

Thine own soul's light shine on the path of hope 
And dissipate the darkness. Waste no fears 
Upon the blotted record of lost years, 
But turn the leaf and smile, oh, smile, to see 
The fair white pages that remain for thee. 

Prate not of thy repentance. But believe 
The spark divine dwells in thee. Let it grow. 

That which the unpreaching spirit can achieve 
The grand and all creative forces know. 

They will assist and strengthen as the light 

Lifts up the acorn to the oak tree's height. 

Thou hast but to resolve, and, lo! God's whole 

Great universe shall fortify thy soul. 

ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.