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Re: Newman, Rechabites, and 1922

Jack Phillips asked about the 1922 reference to Newman and Rechabites in the
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.  The citation for Newman in the book was
simply "(Lyra Apostolica, cixix)."  

Concerning Rechabites the book states:  "But if they (1.e. the Essenes) are
an enigma of Hebrew history, they are an insoluble enigma, unless we look
beyond the confines of Judaism.  The Jewish traits of the Essenes, especially
their rigorous care fro purity, their reverence for the Mosaic law, and their
strict sabbatarianism, certainly ally them with the Pharisees rather than
with the Sadducees.  Their passion for an ascetic, simple life, in contrast
to the dangerous comforts of Greek civilization in the cities, might seem to
stamp them as descendants or revivers of a movement like that of the
Rechabites (cf. ERE ii, 63b, 66a); but against this we must set their
avoidance of marriage, their tolerance of wine and agriculture, and their
unnomadic attitude to fixed dwellings.  Essenism was not hereditary. It was a
"ye'vos," in the sense of a gild or corporation, not in the sense of the
older Rechabite clan.  Its ranks were recruited from without, like a monastic
brotherhood, as its ascetic practices were different from those of the
Rechabites . . . . it contains elements which point to a Palestinian
syncretism enriched from some foreign and possibly Oriental sources."

I would point out also that this 1922 work says: "None of their sacred books
has survived. - that is, if these included , as they probably did, more than
the books of Moses.  We do not even know whether they were written in Greek
or Aramaic."  A footnote to this says: "Unless apocalyptic collections like
Enoch and the Sibylline Oracles contain fragments of them."  Another says:
"Hegresippus mentioned them along with Galilaeans, Hemerobaptists, etc. among
the pre-Christian . . .  of Judaism.  The so-called 'Essenic' traits in his
description of James, the Lord's brother, are not specifically Essenic.  Mark
Dunn