effectually separated from all outside as if he had lived in another wor ld. Avoiding the

large cities as the centres of immorality,  122 they chose for their settlements chiefly

villages, one of their largest colonies being by the shore of the Dead Sea.123 At the same

time they had also 'houses' inmost, if not all the cities of Palestine,124 notably in

Jerusalem,125 where, indeed, one of the gates was named after them.126 In these 'houses'

they lived in common,127 under officials of their own. The affairs of 'the order' were

administered by a tribunal of at least a hundred members,128 wore a common dress,

engaged in common labor, united in common prayers, partook of common meals, and

devoted themselves to works of charity, for which each had liberty to draw from the

common treasury at his own discretion, except in the case of rela tives.129 It scarcely needs

mention that they extended fullest hospitality to strangers belonging to the order; in fact,

a special official was appointed for this purpose in every city.  130 Everything was of the

simplest character, and intended to purify the soul by the greatest possible avoidance, not

only of what was sinful, but of what was material. Rising at dawn, no profane word was

spoken till they had offered their prayers. These were addressed towards, if not to, the

rising sun - probably, as they wo uld have explained it, as the emblem of the Divine Light,

but implying invocation, if not adoration, of the sun.  131 After that they were dismissed by

their officers to common work. The morning meal was preceded by a lustration, or bath.

Then they put on their 'festive' linen garments, and entered, purified, the common hall as

their Sanctuary. For each meal was sacrificial, in fact, the only sacrifices which they

acknowledged. The 'baker,' who was really their priest - and naturally so, since he

prepared the sacrifice - set before each bread, and the cook a mess of vegetables. The

meal began with prayer by the presiding priest, for those who presided at these 'sacrifices'

were also 'priests,' although in neither case probably of Aaronic descent, but consecrated

by themselves.132 The sacrificial meal was again concluded by prayer, when they put off

their sacred dress, and returned to their labour. The evening meal was of exactly the same

description, and partaken of with the same rites as that of the morning.

Philo, Quod omnis probus liber, 12, 13 (ed. Mangey, ii. 457-459; ed. Par. and Frcf. pp.