soldiery.

There seems to be no doubt regarding the familiarity of the Jewish
people of that time with the general teachings regarding
Metempsychosis. Philo positively states the doctrine as forming part
of the teachings of the Jewish Alexandrian school. And again the
question asked Jesus regarding the "sin of the man born blind" shows
how familiar the people were with the general doctrine.

And so, the teachings of Jesus on that point did not need to be
particularly emphasized to the common people, He reserving this
instruction on the inner teachings regarding the details of Re-birth
for his chosen disciples. But still the subject is mentioned in a
number of places in the New Testament, as we shall see.

Jesus stated positively that John the Baptist was "Elias," whose
return had been predicted by Malachi (4:5). Jesus stated this twice,
positively, i.e., "This is Elijah that is to come" (_Matt. 11:14_);
and again, "But I say unto you that Elijah is come already, but they
knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would.... Then
understood the disciples that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist."
(_Matt. 17:12-13._) The Mystics point out that Jesus saw clearly the
fact that John was Elijah re-incarnated, although John had denied this
fact, owing to his lack of memory of his past incarnation. Jesus the
Master saw clearly that which John the Forerunner had failed to
perceive concerning himself. The plainly perceptible characteristics
of Elijah reappearing in John bear out the twice-repeated, positive
assertion of the Master that John the Baptist was the re-incarnated
Elijah.

And this surely is sufficient authority for Christians to accept the
doctrine of Re-birth as having a place in the Church Teachings. But
still, the orthodox churchmen murmur "He meant _something else_!"
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

Another notable instance of the recognition of the doctrine by Jesus
and His disciples occurs in the case of "the man born blind." It may
be well to quote the story.

"And as he passed by he saw a man blind from his birth. And
his disciples asked him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this
man or his parents, that he should be born blind?' Jesus
answered, 'Neither did this man sin nor his parents.'"
(_John 9:1-3._)

Surely there can be no mistake about the meaning of this question,
"Who did sin, this man or his parents?"--for how could a man sin
before his birth, un