, "Her Nazarites were purer than
snow; they were _whiter_ than milk."

In the Apocalypse a _white stone_ was the reward promised by the Spirit to
those who overcame; and in the same mystical book the apostle is
instructed to say, that fine linen, clean and _white_, is the
righteousness of the saints.

In the early ages of the Christian church a _white garment_ was always
placed upon the catechumen who had been recently baptized, to denote that
he had been cleansed from his former sins, and was thenceforth to lead a
life of innocence and purity. Hence it was presented to him with this
appropriate charge: "Receive the white and undefiled garment, and produce
it unspotted before the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may
obtain immortal life."

The _white alb_ still constitutes a part of the vestments of the Roman
church, and its color is said by Bishop England "to excite to piety by
teaching us the purity of heart and body which we should possess in being
present at the holy mysteries."

The heathens paid the same attention to the symbolic signification of this
color. The Egyptians, for instance, decorated the head of their principal
deity, Osiris, with a white tiara, and the priests wore robes of the
whitest linen.

In the school of Pythagoras, the sacred hymns were chanted by the
disciples clothed in garments of white. The Druids gave white vestments to
those of their initiates who had arrived at the ultimate degree, or that
of perfection. And this was intended, according to their ritual, to teach
the aspirant that none were admitted to that honor but such as were
cleansed from all impurities, both of body and mind.

In all the Mysteries and religions rites of the other nations of
antiquity the same use of white garments was observed.

Portal, in his "Treatise on Symbolic Colors," says that "white, the symbol
of the divinity and of the priesthood, represents divine wisdom; applied
to a young girl, it denotes virginity; to an accused person, innocence; to
a judge, justice;" and he adds--what in reference to its use in Masonry
will be peculiarly appropriate--that, "as a characteristic sign of purity,
it exhibits a promise of hope after death." We see, therefore, the
propriety of adopting this color in the masonic system as a symbol of
purity. This symbolism pervades the whole of the ritual, from the lowest
to the highest degree, wherever white vestments or white decorations are
used.

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