, 1873-11-26
PERSIAN TIEE.JVORSHIpERS.

A Charming Lecture Delivered mt tho
E'irat Methodist Church by MRS.
I4cOitN1Ycnys
Mrs. Loonowons, tho talented indy locturor,
whoao namo llaa already become familiar to tho
Chicago public m TINT Of the most finished, abo,
aud agreeable lccturcss 1t Inns listened 10 for
years. delivered lor third address In this city lust
evening at tho First Methodist Church. Tho In
torva botwcon tho arrival Of lor audience a1d lor
appearance on tho platform, wns MI opportunity
for tho organiat to favor tho audience with
dirgo. It was ployers Hymn, mud was doubtless
choaon as appropriate to tho sad cruelty with
Which tho organist's variations drowned 1t to
tloath. Whom tito voluntary Ind Bubsilod, which
It did somo timo nftor Mrs. Lconowcns appeared
OIL tho platform. Mra. sarah N. Hubbard worry
noatly aud gracefully introduced tho lectuross,
who announced tho Hubjoot Of hor lecture to bo
"The Firo-Worshipers Of porBia." With
fow graphic sontonccB sl1o succeeded
in comparing tho exquisite natural boautics
Of The country with tho detostabo manner Of It's
government, bringing out tho lattor foaturo in
strong relief by pioturing tho Sinh on hin travels.
carrying jowols Of untold value on hla porgon,
while his subjects, dying Of poatieuco and
fnmino, wcro indebted for tho nccossarios Of 1ifo
to ntraugora. Tho audience was then led to look
back into their history md geography toxt-
bool,s, md caflod upon to observe how groat n
part fro played iu tho customs Of ceremonies Of
tho modern MS we'll as Of tho ancient
world, from tho Jewa to tho Romans,
tho Chinese, and even tho Catholic
Church. Tho origin of tho vcstal na,no and tie
burning Of candles upon tho altar Of both the
Romsh aud tho ancient Jowish churches woro
distinctly traccablo to tho old Zoroastrian itca
OF sacrifice to MI unknown God: Tho date Of
Zoroastcr's life could not 10 definitely aaccr
taned but beyond oil ,quostio%n he lived ;9;t 2ooo
placed tho period of Ills lfo Heyorai thousand
years before tho birth of .A1oscH. There
could bo no doubt OF tho antiquity Of his toach-
ings. Passing from these facts, tho speaker
entertained her llcnrers with o legend Of the
miraculous birth Of this inspired toachcr, which
was in many respects similar to that Of q still
more sublime md majestic, figure IN history.
This parallel, although not drawn by tho leo
which reminded hor hearers Of somo worry fa-
milsar reraes Of tho Now Testament: "Thoy only
arc htoHHed who nro pure, md noble, aud faithful,
ind gentle" Tho word "Holy," slle said, WINS
by 4 name similar to that word. Indcod, aH allo
proceeded to bhow, tho idoa of fire was
iutorwoyon with all tho history Of tho Jewish
race, as illustrated by tho auswor to Elijah, the
dedication Of solotnou's Tcmplee,, tho tlory
tongues OF the Day of Pontccost. Tho .spcakor
thoi charmed l,er audience with an elaborate
description ct tho ,grandly beautiful r1,ins Of
Persinl temples as tho lccturcsa had Boou tholn,
displaying command Of language rarely equAlcd
by ladies Of tho lycoum.
In tho courBe Of her lecture Mrs. Loonowcns
skctclcd Ho1no of tho most striking rcculiarites
Of tio fire-worshipers of pcraia. The mon B1lo
described us unusually handsome. hoBpitablo.
end gentle, and tho women us singnlarly beauti
fu, chaatc, industrious, aud domestic. Thoy
stand in tho most favorable light as compared
with tho lazy Atnlomctans.