The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-25

was placed n platter OF rice He began
70 address the young man and woman
We could not hear a word, but we IN
aerstoOd Just as well as If we had
heard. Ever and anon he punctuated
his ceremony BY q handful of rice,
which he picked up from the platter
and flung now toward the groom and
now toward the bride. We wanted to
hear the conclusion, but were told
that the ceremony would go on
for a long while; indeed, that
it would not conclude until 2 o'clock in
the morning, and this was only be-
tween and o'clock in the evening.
There would be q recess after awhile
IN the ceremony. but it would be taken
up again in earnest at half past twelve
We enjoyed what we had seen, but felt
incaps citated for six more hours we'd
ding ceremony. Silently wishing the
couple a happy life in each others
companionship, we pressed our way
through the thrOng Of ongratulatorv
Parsees- All of them seem bright and
appreciative of the occasion The
streets outside joyously sympathized
with the transactions inside.
But, what an afternoon Of contrast
in Bomb bay we experienced. From the
Temple Of Silence to the Temple Of
Hnarityl From the vultures to the
dovesl From mourning to laughter
From gathering shadows to cleaning
Eghtsl From obsequies to weddingsl
But how much of all our lives Is made
up of such opposites- L have carried
IN the same pocket, and read from in
the same hour, liturgy of the dead and
the ceremony Of espousels. And SO
the tears meet the smile, and the
dove meets the vulture.
Thus have set before you the best
of all the religions Of the heather
world. and 7 have done SO in order
that you might come to higher appre-
citation Of the glorious religion which
has put its benedictiOu over US and
over ChristendOm-
Compare the absurdities and mum
meries Of heather marriage with the
plain, 4 will of Christian marriage.
the hands joined in pledge It'll death
do you part. Compare the doctrine
that the dead may not be touched,
with as sacred, and tender and loving
a kiss as is ever given, the last kiss of
lips that never gain will speak to us.
Compare the narrow Bridge Chinvat
over which the departing Parsee soul
must trem blingly cross, to the
wide open gate Of heaven through
WHICH the 0C parting OAL1SLAau soul
may triumphantly enter. Compare
the twenty-one books Of the Zend
Avesta OF the Parsee which even the
scholars Of the earth despair of under
standing, with our Bible, 50 much of
it as is necessary for our salvation in
language so plain that "a wayfaring
man, though a fool need not err there I
in Compare the Tower of Silence
with its vultures of Bombay with the
Greenwood Of Brooklyn with its
sculptured angels Of resurrection. And I
bow yOursel yes in Thanksgiving and I
prayer as you realize that it at the
battles of Marathon and Salamis,
Persia had triumphed over Greece, in
stead Of Greece trium phing over Persia, +
Parseeism, which was the national re-
ligiOn of Persia, might have covered I
the earth, and you and instead OF +
sitting in the monday light of our
glorious Christianity might have been +
cropping IN the depressing shadows Of T
Parseeism, a religion which is as in
ferior to that which is our inspiration
in life, and our hope in death, as
Zoraster of Persia was inferior to our
radiant and suPerhuman Christ, to
whom be honor and glory and dOmin-
ion and victory and song, world with
out end. Amen