Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-01-30

PERSIAN " AORShIPs-OufInE tuc IUtf4
servltnde Of Persia under the Macedon-
ian and the Parthian yoEe, the nations
of Europe and ASIA had mutually sdop-
ted and corrupted each others supersti-
iinns. The memory Of Zoroaster, the
saeient prophet and philosopher Of the
Rcrsians, was still Fevered in the East;
bul ne obsolete and mysterious Ian
eunge. Of the Zendavesta, opened .
feId of dispute to seventy sects, who
yafionsly explained the doctrines Of
their religions. aud we're all deFided By
s4saa IA g 64ze. W1n rniecfed the
d ,kion 0T the prophet. To sup
press The idolaaefs, reunite the schis-
mates, and confute the ambeliem
BY the infaIlible decision of general
council, the pious Artaxerxes summond
the Magi from all parts OF his domin-
ions.
These priests who had so long sighed
in contempt and obscurity obeyed the
summons and appeared on the appoint
ed day to the number of eighty thous-
and. But the debates Of such tumul-
tuous assembly could not be directed
by authority Of reason, so the Persian
Synod was reduced by successive op-
erations TO four thousand, to four hun
dred, to forty, and at lastto seven Magi,
the most respected for their learning
and piety. One of these, Erdaviraph,
young but holy prelate, received from
the hands of his brethren three cups Of
soporiferous wine. He drank them
of and fell into long and profound
sleep.
AS soon as he wakened he related to
the king his journey TO heaven. Ev-
cry doubt was silenced by his evidence;
and the articles of the faith of Zoroas-
ter were fixed with equal authority and
precision.
"A short delineation of that celebra-
ted system will be found useful to dis
play the character of the Persian ma
ton.
The great and fundamental article Of
the system was the celebrated doctrine
of the two principles. The first and
original being, by whom the universe
exists, is denominated in the writing of
Zoroaster, Time wifAOut bounds. From
either the blind or the intelligent oper-
alton of this infinite Time, the two sec
ondary but active principles Of the uni
verse, were from all eternity produced,
Ormisda and Ahriman, each of them
possessed of the powers OF creation, but
each~disposed by his invariable nature,
10 exercfse them With different designs.
ahfignau : \ % formed tR his inyarsa-
ss,re - e evil: he :. Is boyp goofa,
zsfigin be was light; envy rem
I'd him evil; he became jealous OF
'rOrmisda; then light was changed into
darkness and Ahriman was precipita-
ted into the abyss there to take the
character of our devil.
The principle of good is externally
absorbed in light, the principle of evil
buried in darkness. The wise benevo-
lence of OrmIsda formed man capable
of virtue and provided him with hap
piness. BY his providence the motion
Of the planets, the order Of the seas
ons, and temperate mixtures of the ell
ements are preserved. But the malice
of Ahriman has violated the harmony
of Ormisda's works. Since that fatal
eruption, the most minute articles of
good and evil are intimately intermin-
gled and agitated together; the rankest
poisons spring up amidst the most salu-
tary plants; deluges and earthquakes,
and conflagrations attest the conflicts Of
Nature, and the little world Of man is
perpetualIy shaken by vice and misfor-
tune. Whilst the rest of human kind
are led away captive in the chains Of
their internal enemy, the faithful Per-
sian alone reserves his religious adora-
ton for his friend and protector Ormis-
da, and fights under his banner of light,
in the full confidence that he shall, in
the last day, share the glory of his tri-
umph. At that decisive period, the
enlightened of goodness will render the
power of 0rmisda superior to the NAL
ice of his rival.
Ahriman and his followers, disarmed
and subdued, will sink into their native
darkness; and virtue will maintain the
eternal peace and harmony Of the uni
verse.
According to the Zendavesta Ahri-
man will not be aBnIhilated or precipi-
tated forever INTO darkness; at the res
direction of the dead he will be entirely
defeated by Ormisda, his power will be
destroyed, his kingdom overthrown to its
foundation, he will himself be purified
10 torrents OF melting metal; he will
change his heart and bis will, become
holy, heavenly, establish in his domin-
ions the law and word of Ormisda,
unite himself with him in everlasting