IN9nTUTI0K8 OF TH£ ES8BME8. 815

awfbl mystery. In judicial dedsionSj a congr^ation of at least
a hundred was requisite.
The Essenes only received persons of mature age^ and these
not till after a year of probation. The admission was a gradual
one. After the expiration of the year^ the novice was only ad*
mitted to the holy purifications by water^ but not to the meals.
