The Worthington advance., 1881-02-03
FIRE.WORSHIPERS.

q
.s. FIRE-WORSHIPERS.
A Native Of Zoroaster's Birthplace Talks-An
Interesting Interview Concerning the Relig-
Ion Of Persia.
Near the base of Mount Ararat. in
Persia, where the Good Book says No.
abs ark first rested, stands the ancient
city Of OrOOmiah, the birthplace of
Z0roaster, father of the Fire-worship-
ers. Belieyign that a chat with ma
tive Of that far.Off place would prove
interesting, a reporter yesterday called
upon Rev. Benjamin Eshoo, who is
temporarily residing in Detroit, Mich
igan..
II see that the HISTORIAN church is
often spoken of Us the Assyrian church
Mr.. Eshoo. Why is that!'' lit is the
Assyrian church, properly" replied
the Persian, in his peculiar, rich dia-
lect. "Nestoris was q Bishop Of our
church, and we are called HISTORIANS
by people outside the church.
''You said recently that you, in the
church, speak the language that was
spoken by Jesus Christ-then it must
be that you do not conduct the service
in the Persian language!' mo, we do
not. The language Of the church is
the old Assyrian, which in it's modern
form is still spoken in different parts
of Persia. It the language of Groom.
iah. At the time of our Saviour the
Syrio.C .Chaldaic language was spoken in
Judea, and Jesus preached in that
language, but His utterances to God
were in the language which He learned
from his Assyrian mother, and which
we HISTORIANS use in the church to-
day.
FIRE WORSHIPERS.
''Are there many sun or fire wOr-
shippers in Persia now!'' "A few.
There are a great many in Afghanis-
tan, and some still left in OrOomiah."
''Can you tell me anything about
their wOrship!'' Il know little about
their religion except what have seen
with my own eyes. They worship the
sun as their supreme god, and fire in
any form bears some relation to their
god. Diamonds are holy with them.
Fourteen years ago saw what see Il
correspondent calls a 'Mohammedan
miracle He did not know what he
was writing about. This of which I
speak took place in Oroomiah. Five
members of a society Of Fire Wor.
shippers went into blazing big fire,
and remained several minutes without
being burned or scorched. 4 great
many persons assembled to see the
sight. The sheik, who is priest
among the Fire Worshipers, sat or
knelt upon small piece of carpet, and
mumbled a prayer or incantation in i.
language which no person but himself
could understand. AS soon as he be-
gan, the five men, naked except a girdle
around the waist, walked into tile fire
and stood there, swaying their bodies
to and fro. The fire was made of large
sticks of wood, and was very hot. a
large sheet of copper, which had been
heated red like blood. was in the fire,
and this they took up and put upon
their heads. They remained in the
fire until the sheik stopped praying,
and then they came quickly OUT
MARVELLOUS INDEED.
"Do you not think the men applied
some chemical to the skin which pre-
vented the fire from burning them -
II do not sec how that could be. Not
even their hair or boards were
scorched. We were all astonished.''
did the Ere. Worshipers make
many converts out Of this miracle =
Not onc.''
"Have you many newspapers i'll
Persia! ''Oh! yes. some. Oroomiah
has 10000 inhabitants, and there are
two weekly papers published there.
They sell for pannabat per copy. \
pannabat is equal to between eight
| and ten CENTS"
"Has Oroomiah Mayor or a GOV.
| ernor who is under the Pasl,a?''
''Yes, and his word is law. If he
says, Take off that mans head it
| comes off,.
':How do you punish crimes in
PERSIA
"Well, if you steal something, the
first time they strip your feet bare and
tie them to stick. Then you are
whipped on the naked feet until you
swoon away. The second time one of
your hands will be cut off, and yo,i are
filmed a lot Of money. The third time
another hand comes off, and the fourth
time your head. For some crimes
they lay man in hole in the earth,
and, pressing open his jaws, pour melt.
ed lead down his throat, which kills
him quick
Mr.. Esheo is very interesting and
earnest gentleman. whose mission here
is to secure help for the famishing
people Of Persia. He is about thirty.
five years of age, and acquired his
education at St. AuguStin's S College.