The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-16

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THE PARSEES OF INDIA.
A Strictly Exclusive ana Very Pecu-
lar Pe0ple-Their Traditions ana
The Parsees of India are the descend
ants OF the ancient Persian "fire-wor.
Slippers" They claim history back to
Abraham. The Zendavesta is their holy
book. and tho venerated Zoroaster, who
flourished B. c. $50, is their great proph-
ct. Driven from Persia, q thousand
years ago, they found a refuge in India.
Now there are but 5000 left in their an.
cient home. Of this strange people
there are but abont 2OO, 900 in the world.
Ofthis number 10000 are in India.
Bombay, ''the city of the Parsees," has
$4,000, making one.tenth Of the entire
population. As You walk the streets of
Bombay you cannot help noticing these
disciples of Zoroaster, differing as they
do from both Mohammedans and
Hindoos. The Parsee gentleman
10 tall and erect, with fair complex.
ioa and digni8ed air. His long white
coat OF silk or fine muslin is bnttoned
closely from chin to waist, and hangs in
| full flowing skirt to the knees. He
wears q tall, tapering, Queer.lookinp. in
describable hat, without a brim. inclin-
ing backward fbom the forehead, and
looking very much like section of q
stovepipe. It is apparently of paste
board covered with brown silk or mus
lin: In the top is hole In which he
puts his handkerchief. This hat is one
OF the badges of his religion, and he
must never change 1t for any other
style. The Parsee always keeps his
night, asleep or awake. Around his
waist he wears a silken cord, which he
is to unite when at prayer. No bargain
is binding If this cord is left of when
the contract is made. These people are
among the most intelligent, influential,
and patriotic in the community. Most
OF them are merchants and bankers.
and as such are honest, industrious, and
polite, taking the lead in all the com
mercial enterprises. One-half OF the
wealth aud three-fourths of the business
If Bombay is in their hands. They are
often called the Jews of the east.
The Parsees have an idolatrous rever-
ence for fire. They adore it as the prin.
clpie OF life. To extinguish a fire is
would not put out fire, even if their
house was burning. They keep q lamp
ever burning in their houses. In Par
see temple is holy room in which is a
large vase or censor containing the holy
fire: None but the high priest must en-.
ter this room or approach near this fire.
And when they 90 to replenish it they
must even veil their mouths and nostrils
with fine linen cloth, lest their sinful
breath pollute the holy flames as thew
recite their prayers. The sacred fire is
kept burning with costly woods and fra
grant oils and spices. It must never be
extinguished. day or night, from year to
year and from age to age. Some years
since mob lof 1awless Hindoos broke
out the holy fire. This insult led to a
fearful riot. We were told that their
great teacher, Zoroaster, first brought
the sacred fire from heaven and placed
it on their affairs, and since then, for two
thousand years, amid all their changes.
prosecutions, and dispersions they
hay never let tit go entirely out.
When they came to Hindostan thous.
and years ago thay brought the sacred
fre with them. The Parsees are sun
Eorshipers as we'll as fire. worshipers.
Morning and evening we have seen
them with uplifted hands worship with
great solemnity the rising and setting
sun. The more intelligent of them cay
they do not really worship the sun, hut
adore 1t az a. emblem of God and the
ship az the least Objectionable form of
idolatry, for did we not know the Lord
God to be "Sun and Shield' we might
easily think the sun to be lord and
god. Besides the sacred fire, the Par
see Worship the moon, stars, water, air
earth and ell the elements of nature.
But fire is their greatest object Of adora-
ton. -, 49,"
the Parsees, will not, like the Hindoos,
burn their dead, for fire is too pure to
be polluted by the touch of death. They
Will not, like the rest Of mankind, bury
IN the ground, for earth is the mother
Of mankind, and they viii not defile it
Dy placing corpse in its bosom. So,
WILL neither cremation nor burial, what
can they, do with the remains of their
dead? On Ma]abar Hill the
highest ground in the suburbs of Bonn
Gay, surrounded by a lofty wall, and
terry Of mortnary. Leaving the c iv% We
climbed the hill by winding road lead.
ing. through a charming grove of palms.
and past beautiful bungalows and villas
WIN an enchanting view of the city,
island and sea behind ua, ut length We
reached the abode of death. Over The
great gateway in large letters we read
None but Parsees can el.ter here" For
Two hundred years no European has
ever set foot within that enclosure. Bit
few years since the prince of Wales
'unsealed the entrance, and now bv
proper influence travellers can obtain a
pass. Thus We were privileged to enter
the strange place. Entering the mystic
rlous enclosure, on our right were the
temples where the dead are brought to
pc 6'srobed and amounted with oil.
RAISING these. we followed our guide up
= grand pathway until we were stopped
warming notice: "stop hereT' " We We
were within City rods of the tower now
In use. Looking around, we
counted five great, round stone towers,
known as "Towers of Silence" These
circular structures are built of large
White stones, and are perfectly pla in on
the outside. They vary in diameter
from thirty to sixty feet, and are from
twenty-five to thirty feet high. The
oldest one is 200 years old, and ia in
good repair. They cost about SloO. Geo
apiece. Each tower has an iron door in
the side, from which flight of steps Oh
the inside leads to the top. On the ton
are three circles ofgrooves or open-stone
receptacles Of the dead, the outer one
Iol men: and the middle one for women,
and the inner one for children. In the
center of the tower is deep we'll reach
ing from top to below the bottom.
Around the outer edge OF the top is q
stone parapet, which give greater seclu-
sion to the dead.
At the gate OF the cemetery the fnna-
RAJ PROFESSIONS are met by the priests.
xno take the remains to the temple.
then to the tower. The bodies of The
dead are placed in the stone grooves on |