232 EEV. S. M. ZWEMEE^ F.R.G.S,, ON 



was prepared. Mandaaism is not only of deep interest as 

 " the only existing religion compounded of Christian, heathen 

 and JoAvish elements " [Kessler] but it affords another proof 

 of the early spread of religious ideas in the East, and the 

 Babylonian origin of much that is supposed to be Alexandrian 

 Gnosticism in a semi-Christian, semi-pagan garb. 



In the English Bible the name Saheans is perplexing, and 

 although used of three different tribes or peoples, none of 

 these are any way related to the present Mandseans unless 

 those mentioned in Job. Sabeans is also the term used in the 

 Koran, and there it undoubtedly applies to them and affords 

 proof that at the time when Islam arose their numbers and 

 settlements were far from unimportant. The Koran recog- 

 nizes them as distinct from idolaters, and places them with 

 Jews and Christians as people of the book (< )\jS^\ Jj&0 • 



Surah ii. 59. " Surely those who believe and those who 

 judaize and Christians and Sabeans, whoever believeth in 

 God and the last day and doth that which is right they shall 

 have their reward with their Lord, no fear on them, neither 

 shall they grieve " ; and so again Surah 22, 17. " The true 



believers and those who Judaize and the Sabeans ( .Ia^H), 



and the Christians and the Magians and the idolaters. God 

 shall judge between them." Compare also v, 73, etc. From 

 these passages it is evident that the so-called Sabeans could 

 not have been, as some allege, a minor Christian sect or 

 identical with the Hemero-baptists. 



According to Gesenius, Sabeans should be Tsahians from 

 tsahoth (niNl!?) the host of heaven, i.e.., the supposed objects 

 of their worship. Noldeke and others say it comes from a 



root suhha ^^^^ to wash, baptise, and refers to the manner 



of their worship. And Gibbon is perhaps correct when, on 

 the authority of Pocock, Hettinger, and D'Herbelot, he states 

 the origin of their other name thus : " A slight infusion of 

 the gospel had transformed the last remnant of the Chaldean 

 polytheists into the Christians of St. John at Bussora." Of 

 the names which they themselves adopt — Mandiiee and 

 Nasoraye we will speak later. SuiRce it here to say that, 

 although giving special honour to John the Baptist, they can 

 in no sense he called Christians. 



Isolated b}^ a creed, cult and language of their own, they 

 love their isolation and do not intermarry with strangers nor 

 accept a proselyte to their faith. Nearly all of them follow 



