NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
century in New England, as to popular education and in Germany as to learning.
In the matter of libraries, during the period say between the birth of Jesus Christ and the death of the last of those who figure in the New Testament, one may distinguish at least six kinds or classes of libraries known to have existed in Palestine; the temple libraries, a public central archive in Jerusalem, local public archives in many and various places, outside Jerusalem, a probable public Greek library, the monastic libraries of the Essenes in considerable numbers, hundreds and probably thousands of synagogue and other school libraries, and a great number of private libraries.
Beginning with the public libraries, it appears that among the buildings of Herod are several which throw light on the public library situation, first the magnificent, temple with its porticos, then a forum and between the two a council
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