Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-10

Here perhaps sat Cyrus, the founder Of
the Persian monarchy, and issued orders
to rebuild Jerusalem. Here the son OF
may have brought from Susa, the fair
Esther. For this is the famous Persepolis,
and on the loftier platforms, where only
ruinous heaps Of stone now remain, stood
that other palace, which Alexander burned
in his intoxication, three hundred aud thirty
years before Christ"
SOLITARY in their situation, peculiar in
their character" says Heeren, these ruins
rise above the deluge of years which has
overwhelmed all records OF human grand
eur around them, and buried all traces of
Susa and Babylon"
Diodorus Siculus says that AT Perse-
polls, on the face of the mountain. were
the tombs Of the kings of Persia"
These very tombs are to be seen still
The figures of kings are carved over them.
One stands before an altar en- which Is a
burning fre. ball represents the sun
above the altar. All this points to the re-
ligion Of Zoroaster and to the Avesta, the
sacred book"
Cyrus, therefore, as 4 worshiper Of
Ahura Mazda, recognized in the worship
of Jehovah by the Jews who fell into his
hands at the capture of Babylon, relig-
ion in many particulars resembling his
| own, therefore his Kindness TO them
We find in Ezra, chap. l. that Cyrus
msde proclamation throughout the land
as follows: The Lord God of heaven
hath given me all the kingdom of the
earth; and he hath charged me to build
| him an house at Jerusalem which is in Ju-
dah Also Cyrus the king brought forth
the vessels of the house of the Lord which
Nebuchsdnezzar had brought forth out OF
Jerusalem. And all these did
Sheshbazzar bring up with him from
Babylon to Jerusalem. Aud he command
| ed the children of the captivity to 20 up
to Jerusalem and build the house OF the
| Lord"
! Alter the Mohsmmedan conquest of Per
sia by the armies of Calf Omar, in the
! 7th century, before spoken of. the follow
| ers of Zoroaster were terribly prosecuted
/ and many OF them we're forced to embrace
/ l-lamism. Those who clung TO their old
/ faith under the trying circumstances were
! but remnant. and they were finally allow
ed to settle In one of the most barren parts
/ of the Kingdom. They are now said to
! number about 100 900 souls, dwelling
/ chiefly in the city of Zezd, in the province
of herman. They are an Industrious
I though ignorant people, whom oppression
has made crafty. but who bear a high
character for virtue compared with her
Persans.
Another body of Zoroastrians left Per
sia at the time of the conquest and wan
| dered into Hindostan, where they found
protection under Rajah Of Guzerat. They
are numerous In Western India at the pres
ent time, and are there called Parsees, the
| name being derived from Ears or Pars.
! Persia, the country of their origin. 1t i
of this branch of them of which we shall
! speak hereafter in this paper.
They are honored amt respected by ia
tives and Europeans for their noble quail
tiles and are among the richest and most
influential citizens of Bombay, amounting
to more than 100 600 of the population Of
that city and vicinity.
II was during sojourn Of many months
in Bombay in the years ls5G and 1855.
that fnrpaj hu.ipa.. and social
quaintance with Parsee merchants and
their families which gave me the opportu-
nifty to study their manners. customs and
religion and led to the preparation of this
article. 1t gave me much pleasure TO see
among the names of contributors to the
fund for the sufferers by the great fires in
Chicago and Boston, and also to cur san-
tary commission during the war of the Re
Merwangee Co. my old friends at BON
! bay. The firm of Dassabhoy Merwangee
Co. is we'll known to Americans VINO
| have visited Bombay, and who bear pleas
/ ing testimony to their kindness and gener-
| Gus hospitality. The Loujee family to
| which the members of the firm belong, is
| an old and influential one. One of their
brothers, at the time of my visit, held the
/ important position of head builder in the
! government dock-yard at Bombay. The
! family had fine country seat at Parell,
| live miles from the city. upon land granted
them by the East India Company for the
| great seryica rendered aS shiuhuiitars tn
the company. At that house Bayard Tay-
| lor and VIM. III. Seward We're entertained
when they visited Bombay, both of whom
| pay their entertainers high compliments in
their published books of travels, and at
that house the writer on several occasions
was an honored guest.
Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, who died in
1859 at Bombay, is a striking example Of
commercial success in India linked with
open-handed generosity and benevolence
seldom equaled in any country. That
gentleman by intelligence, prudence and
economy. rose from the humble station of
"bottle- wallah," buyer and seller of old
empty bottles, to be one of Indas mer-
chant princes, and when he died at ripe
old age. left behind him an imperishabe
name for noble charities and a fortune of
81 900 900. His donations 20 public OBJ
jects amounted to $1,000 900! He was
knighted by Queen Victoria in 1912, and
in ls43 a golden image of Victoria, set in
diamonds, was presented him by the Brit
| ish Government, ''in honor of his munif-
cence and patriotism" He was made bar
onet August 6, 1857, he having the marked
distinction of being the first native of In-
dia to receive the honor of knighthood and
he Parsee. An instance of his generosi-
| tv is recorded in the fact that in 1922 he
released all debtors confined in Jail by pay
ing their debts and setting them free
From that time to his death his hand and
purse were ever open to the needs of suf
fering humanity of every class and creed
The great hospital at Bombay which
bears his name, which was opened In lS45.
is one of his noblest charities. Connected
with it, and endowed by him, is the Grant
Medical College, which gives to India a
skilled body Of native medical practition-
ers. He also endowed an institution at
Bombay for the education of poor Parsee
children, at an outlay of $3.50, 900. To
another school he gave Sl50. 900, and for q
school of design, $4,000. Besides these