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

BRooKrYS, Dec. %, 1894 DR. Tai
mage. continuing his series of Round
the World Sermons" through the
press, chose to-day for his subject,
The Fire WorshiPpers," the text
selected being: There came wise men
from the east to Jerusalem.
Thest wise men were the Parsees or
the so called fire vorshippers, and I
found their descendants in India last
October. Their heathenism is more
tOlerable than any of the other false
religions, and has more alterations,
and while in these Round the World"
series I have already shown you the
worst forms Of heathenism, to-day /
show you the least offensive
The prophet OF the Parsees was
FORESTER Of Persia He was poet,
philosopher and reformer, as well as
religionist His disciples thrived at
first ia Persia, but under Mohammedan
persecution they retreated to India
here I met them. and In addition to
what ] saw of them at their head
quarters in Bombay, India. I had two
weeks of association with one Of the
most learned and genial of their
people on ship board from Bombay to
Brindisi-
The Bible Of the Parsees, or fire
worshippers as they are inaccurately
called, is the Zend-Avesta. a collection
of the strangest books that ever came
into my hands. There were originally
twentv-one volumes, but Alexander
the Great, ia a drunken fit set fire to
a palace which contained some of
them, and they went into ashes and
forgetfulness. But there are more Of
their sacred volumes left than most
y a
There are many things in the religion
Of the Parsees that suggest Christian
itv. and some Of its doctrines are IN
accord with our own religion Zoroas-
ter, who lived Z. 400 years before
Christ was a good man, suffered perse-
cution for his faith, and was assassin
ated while worshiping at an altar He
announced the theory He is best who
IS pure Of hearth and that there
are two great spirits in the world,
Ornuzd the good spirit, and Ahriman
the bad spirit. and that all
NJ 40 do right are under the infu-
ence Of Ormuzd. and all who do wrong
are under Ahrinan; that the Parsee
must be born on the ground floor Of
the house. and must be buried from
the ground floor; that the dying man
must have prayers said over him and a
sacred Juice given him to drink; that
the good at their decease GO into eter-
nal light, and the bad into eternal
darkness that having passed ont Of
this light the soul fingers near the
corpse three days ia paradisaic state,
enjoying more than ali the nations on
earth put together could enjoy or in a
pandemoniac state suffering more than
all the nations put together could
possibly suffer, but at the end of three
days departing for its final destiny;
and that there viii be a resurrection /
of the body. They are more careful
than any other people about their (
ablutions. and they wash and wash +
and wash. They pay great attention
10 physical health and it is a rare
thing to see a sick Parsee. They do 4
not smoke tobacco for they consider +
that misuse of fire Al the close /
Of mortal life the soul appears
att the Bridge Chinvat where \
an angel presides, and questions the 7
soul about the thoughts. and words,
and deeds OF its earthly state Moth 4
ing. however, is more intense in the +
Parsee faith than the theory that the 4
dead body is impure. A devil is sup 4
posed to take possession Of the dead /
body All who touch it are unclean +
and hence the strange style of Obse- (
auies- But here / must give three or
four questions and answers from one
Of the Parsee catechisms:
Q.-Who Is the most fortunate man in (
the vvorld2
Ale who il the most innocent.
C-Who is the most innocent man in
the world2
Ale who walks in the path Of God
and shuns that Of the devil
(Which IS the path Of God, and
" hich that Of the devil2
A-virtue is the path of God. and
vice that OF the devil
Q.-What constitutes virtue, and
~ hat vice2
A.-Good thoughts, good words, and
good deeds constitute virtue, and evil
thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds
constitute vice.
Q.-What constitute good thoughts.
good words. and good deeds. and evil
thoughts. evil words, and evil deeds?
A.-Honesty charity, and truthful
ness constitute the former. and dis
honesty. want Of charity, and falsehood
the latter.
And now the better to show you
these Parsees tell you of two things
saw within a short time ia Bonn bay,
India 1t was an afternoon Of con
.rast-
We started for 8Ialabar Hill, on
5 hich the wealthy classes have their
smb0wered homes. and the Parsees
their strange temple Of the dead. As
ve rode along the waters edge the
iun was descending the sky, and a
disciple of L0rcaster. a Parsee. was in
owly posture and with reverential
rae looking into the sky. He would
Al