There was no single city oi the E., but they were sojourners (utroiiceua;*)\n many, being in number over 4000 (^n(. xviii. i. 5). They eschewed marriage, and, adopting others' children as their own, imbued them with their own tenets (BJ lu viiL 2 ; Ant. xviu. i, 6).
There was, however, another sect (rayua) of E., who made trial of women for three j'ears and tlien married them if they were fruitful (BJ n. viii. 13). They owned no slaves (Ant. XVII. i. 5), and were wholly devoted to agricultural pursuits. They despised wealth and shared their possessions, so th:it a rich man among them had no more enjoj-ment of his own property than had a member who owned nothing (BJ ii. viii 3 and Ant. xvin. i. 5). For in entering their sect (ajpttra) a man made over his property to the institution (tS rctyfxtt.T')(BJ ii. viii. 3). There was no buying and selling between members ; but the elected stewards administered the common fund,* impartially satisfying the needs of all alike (BJ w. ^-iii. 3). In every city a special re- lieving otRcer (xvHtujm*) was appointed to take care of the gar- ments and supplies of the sect and entertain its travelling members.
But though 80 knit together among themselves the Essenes succoured the deserxing, and pitied all men and fed the needy (DJ u. viii. 6). This was a primary duty to be fuI611ed by each on his own responsibility, and without waiting for a hint from the overseer ^\Tiu.^\rTi.i or itirfi^-rrtt) ; without whose authority, however, they might do nothing else, nor even give to their own kinsmen.
Their general mode of life (I'tcurm) Jos. in one place declares to be the same as that which Pythagoras instituted among the (Jreeks ; in another place he compares them to I)a<iatis. pre surnably because of their sijuple and communal mode of Uving (AM. xV. X. 4, XVUI. i. 5). Hethusdescribesaday of an Essenes life inside his brotherhood :—
As for their piety towards God. it is very extraordinarj'. For before the sun rises they speak not a word about profane matters, hut address to the sun certain prayers, which they have re- ceived from their forefathers, as if they supplicated it to rise (BJ II. viii. 6). After this every one of them is sent away by their curators to exercise those arts wherein they are skilled, in which they labour with great diligence till the fifth hour (11 A.M.). After this they assemble together into one place, and when they have clothed themselves in white veils, they bathe their bodies in cold water. And after this purification is over, tliey meet together in an apartment of their own, into which it is not permitted to any one of another persuasion to enter ; and they themselves being pure enter the dining-room as if it were some holy temple, and quietly sit down. Upon which the baker lays them loaves in order, and the cook also brings a single pfate of one sort of food anil sets it before every one of them. But the priest says grace before meat, and It is unlawful for any one to taste of the food before prayer is offered. And when they have made their breakfast, he again prays over thfim. And when they begin and when they end, they praise God as
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Him that bestoweth life. Afl«r which they lay aside their white ^mienta aa holy, and betjike themselves to their laboura a^iti till the eveniDjf. Then Uiey return home to supper after tlio same maimer ; and if Uiere be any Htrun^ers there, they bit down with them. Nor is there ever any clamour or disturlmnce to pollute their house ; hut they give every one leave to speak in their turn. Which silence thus kept in tlieir house appears to outfiidere like some treuienduus mystery ; and tlie same is due to their unswerving; Bobriety, and to this, that their food and drink is measured out to satisfy them and no more.
Like I'hilo, Joeephus is full of praise for their mora) quaL ..<:8, and lauds their self-restraint in an;;er, their faithfulness, their peace-making, their trutlifuJness, which made all oaths to them a mere superfluity.
The lUfKle of Joining the sect was this. The intending member remained outside the order one year, following, however, the same discipline, and invested with ita symbols, namely a spud wherewith to hide bis excrement out of sight of Go<l, the girdJe and white raiment. After the lapse of a year, if he had given good proof of liis continence, he was allowed to join more closely in their way of life and partake of a purer quality of the water* of purification, though not yet to live entirely with them. Two years of moral probation must vet be passed before he was chosen a member of their band (»uj>j>t). And then before he touched the common food he took tremendous oaths to them : first to reverence the Deitv, next to observe justice towards men, to hate the wicked and assist the just. To be loyal ever to all men, but in especial to those in authority, because none hath authority except by God's help. He swore also, if he should ever be in authority, not to abuse the same, nor outshine those subject to him in his ganuents or in any other finery ; to love truth and repel falsehood ; to keep his hands clean from theft and his soul from unholy gain ; to conceal nothing from mem- bem of tile sect, nor reveal aught to others, even at peril of his life. Moreover, he swore to communicate to none tiie dogmas of the sect, otherwise than as he received them himself, to abstain from brigandage, and to preserve with like care the books of their sect and tile names of the angels.