“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The Essenes, as they are known, were a surviving group from a larger and more ancient brotherhood. Some existed in Asia Minor. Efforts were made to infiltrate into national or group cultures. Certain basic ideas united the Essenes, therefore, though often they went by different names. (Pause.) There were three basic groups: the one generally thought of, an offshoot in Africa, and the Asia Minor group mentioned earlier. Little contact existed between these groups, however, and gradually the inner doctrines themselves showed important variations.

(9:46.) There was some jealousy, then, from certain members of the Essenes at John’s progress. At one time John attempted to join various divergent groups together as one brotherhood, but he failed. The failure weighed heavily upon him. Fire is seldom gentle, and John the Baptist was as filled with fire as Paul.

Many of the men involved did lead double lives then, known in their villages by one name, and in their brotherhoods by another. In some cases, their more mundane identities were never divulged but to a few. Later, when the Christians were being persecuted, there were many safeguards taken — particularly by those who believed they had a responsibility to live long enough to see the new creed find fertile ground.