Encouraged by the liberal policy of Philadelphus, the second Ptolemy, a
body of their learned men, who had been educated in the Greek schools,
founded a college for the education of their own people, which
institution was ultimately known as the University of Alexandria. Under
the auspices of Philadelphus the professors of that institution
rendered their Hebrew sacred records into the Greek language, which
translation is known as the Septuagint, or Alexandrian version of the
Old Testament.

Having acquired from the Egyptian astrologers the arts of healing,
thaumaturgy and necromancy, and teaching them in their school, the
professors of the Jewish college of Alexandria assumed the title of
Essenes, or Therapeutae, the Egyptian and Greek words signifying
Doctors, Healers or Wonder Workers. Possessed of the sad and gloomy
characteristics of their race, they adopted the "Contemplative Life,"
or asceticism of the Oriental Gnosticism, from which they derived the
name of Ascetics. Founding a church for the propagation of their
peculiar tenets, those who were set apart for the ministry assumed the
title of Ecclesiastics. Inculcating rigid temperance and self-denial
among their people, they were known as Enchratites, Nazarites or
Abstainers; and the more devout among them retiring to monasteries, or
to the solitude of caves and other secluded places, were also
designated as Monks, Cenobites, Friars, Eremites, Hermits or
Solitaries.

The time having arrived, according to the cyclic teachings of Astral
worship, for the manifestation of the tenth and last incarnation of God
Sol, or, in other words, to, give a new name to the mythical genius of
the sun, the professors of the Jewish school of Alexandria is resolved
to inaugurate their own form of worship. While retaining the same title