_Reincarnation in the Gospels._

_Saint Mark_, Chapter 6.

v. 14. And King Herod heard of him; and he said, That John the Baptist
was risen from the dead....

v. 15. Others said, That it is Elias; and others said, That it is a
prophet, or as one of the prophets.

v. 16. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John whom I
beheaded; he is risen from the dead.

_Saint Matthew_, Chapter 14.

v. 1. At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus.

v. 2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is
risen from the dead....

_Saint Luke_, Chapter 9.

v. 7. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he
was perplexed because it was said of some that John was risen from the
dead.

v. 8. And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of
the old prophets was risen again.

v. 9. But Herod said, John have I beheaded; but who is this of whom I
hear such things?

The account here given proves that the people as well as Herod
believed in reincarnation, and that it applied, at all events, "to the
prophets" and to those like them.

_Saint Matthew_, Chapter 16.

v. 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?

v. 14. And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some,
Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

The same account is given in _Saint Luke_, chapter 9, verses 18, 19.

_Saint Matthew_, Chapter 17.

v. 12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew
him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall
also the Son of man suffer of them.

v. 13. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John
the Baptist.

He continued in _Saint Matthew_, Chapter 11.

v. 7. Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What
went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

v. 8. But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?
Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

v. 9. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you,
and more than a prophet.

v. 14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come.

Here we have a distinct declaration: Reincarnation is a fact; John is
the rebirth of Elias.[169]

Judging from these texts, one might be tempted to think that
reincarnation was confined to the prophets