Note 335 — PART THE SECOND. (continued 2)

In Arabic, ‘el-Ḥawáreeyoon;’ which word they derive from ‘ḥára,’ ‘to be white’ [or rather, ‘to whiten’ clothes], and suppose the apostles were so called either from the candour and sincerity of their minds, or because they were princes and wore white garments, or else because they were by trade fullers.—(B., Jelál.) According to which last opinion, their vocation is thus related: That as Jesus passed by the sea-side, he saw some fullers at work, and, accosting them, said, ‘Ye cleanse these clothes, but cleanse not your hearts;’ upon which they believed on him. But the true etymology seems to be from the Ethiopic verb ‘hawyra,’ ‘to go;’ whence ‘hawârya’ signifies ‘one that is sent,’ a ‘messenger,’ or ‘apostle.’—S.