their spiritual consciousness. John remained a recluse until he
reached the age of about thirty years, when he emerged from the
wilderness to preach the "Coming of the Lord," in obedience to the
movings of the Spirit. Let us see where he was, and what he did,
during the fifteen years of his life in the wilderness and hidden
places of Judea.

The traditions of the Essenes, preserved among Occultists, state that
while John was an ascetic he imbibed the teachings of that strange
Occult Brotherhood known as the Essenes, and after having served his
apprenticeship, was accepted into the order as an Initiate, and
attained their higher degrees reserved only for those of developed
spirituality and power. It is said that even when he was a mere boy he
claimed and proved his right to be fully initiated into the Mysteries
of the Order, and was believed to have been a reincarnation of one of
the old Hebrew prophets.


THE ESSENES.


The Essenes were an ancient Hebrew Occult Brotherhood, which had been
in existence many hundred years before John's time. They had their
headquarters on the Eastern shores of the Dead Sea, although their
influence extended over all of Palestine, and their ascetic brothers
were to be found in every wilderness. The requirements of the Order
were very strict, and its rites and ceremonies were of the highest
mystical and occult degree. The Neophyte was required to serve a
preliminary apprenticeship of one year before being admitted to even
partial recognition as a member and brother. A further apprenticeship