Thou art called
into that kingdom, son; come with me, for thou art called."
The Boy listened with astonishment. Some of the things that the man
said--for instance, about the sacrifices and about the nearness of
the kingdom--were already in his heart. But other things puzzled
and bewildered him.
"My mother says that I am called," he answered, "but it is to serve
Israel and to help the people. Where do you live, sir, and what
is it that you do for the people?"
"We live among the hills of that wilderness," he answered, pointing
to the south, "in the oasis of Engedi. There are palm-trees and
springs of water, and we keep ourselves pure, bathing before we eat
and offering our food of bread and dates as a sacrifice to God. We
all work together, and none of us has anything that he calls his
own. We do not go up to the Temple nor enter the synagogues. We
have forsaken the uncleanness of the world and all the impure ways
of men. Our only care is to keep ourselves from defilement. If we
touch anything that is forbidden we wash our hands and wipe them
with this towel that hangs from our girdle.
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