Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-24

Ol J AtSAtA evening VT III tCNsl l4lt al
nual meeting of the Masonic Temple
Association for the election or Direct
ors for this year, and there should be
a full attendance of the shareholders
promptly so as to get through with the
business early.
MOSES AND ZOROASTER.
The Hebrew Bible informs us that
Moses. when on Mount Sinai, received
from God the ten commandments
which we find copied in the Penta-
teuch; and tradition tells us that he re-
ceived other Instructions which, on
coming down from lie Mount he COM
mUnicated orally to his brother, Aaron,
and they together delivered these to the
Septuagint-seyen elders-and in this
oral method they were handed down
from generation to generation, through
the members of the Septuagint, until
the beginning Of the third century A.
D., when Rabbi Jehuda, surnamed the
Holy" finding the rapid decrease Of
students Of the law and possibility Of
these traditions becoming forgotten
lost. preserved them by writing them in
q book. which he named "Mishna,' in
English meaning repetition
In time the Interpretation Of Mishna
by learned Jews became important and
worthy Of record and were collected
into one book called "Gemara." In En-
glish commentaries the two books just
mentioned are usually contained in one
volume and known as the "Talmud, "
signifying doctrine.
The Jews in Chaldea. where the reli-
gion of ZorOaster prevailed, were not
satisfied with the commentaries COM
piled in Jerusalem, therefore they re-
jected the Jerusalem TalmUd, but re-
tanned the AIishna. and compiled a diff
ferent Gemara, which is known as the
Babylonian Talmud.
The learned Jewish scholars vener-
cted the Talmud high above the He
brew Bible. which they compared to wa
ter. the Mishna to wine and the Gema-
ra to spiced wine The Talmud affords
the best description Of King SOlOmon's
Temple. and the Masonic system is in
debted to the Talmud for some Of its le-
gends and illustrations, and not to the
Bible, as is generally supposed.
We read EXODUS 1870 that He
brew babe was found in an ark made of
bulrushes among the flags on the brink
of the river Nile, by PhaTaOh's daugh-
ter, who. pleased with the innocent
founding. as the babe wept, had COM
passion on him, and employed a He
brew woman (the mother, it happened
to nurse him. and he became a Prin-
cess adopted son, who was named Mo
SEES" Belonging to the royal house
hold. he was educated in all the esoteric
acauirements of Egypts most celebrat-
ed colleges Of learning
The masses of the Egyptians, in
those days. believed in sacred bull,
born of a virgin heifer, and was wor-
shipped. Some worshipped other ami
male as the emblems of their chosen
Gods, Offering sacrifice, which was
conducted by their priests. The He
brews who sojourned in Egypt were ev-
identity impressed with this animal
worship. for Aaron EXODUS XXXii:2-6)
in the absence of Moses procured gold
from the pious Jews and cast of molten
gold a small bull or calf, built an altar,
and the children of Israel offered burnt
offerings. and brought peace offerings,
and danced before it, Moses returning
from the Mount leheld their idolatry,
and became much enraged, as he had
already taught them Of El-Elyon, the
most high God. ana they should have
known better than to do as they did.
We learn from books treating Of the
religions of Egypt that the royal house
hold and the most learned priest of that
country maintained more exalted Opin-
ions of God as the Supreme Ruler, for
they taught that There was one God
without beginning, and would have no
end: who made all things but was not
himself made
1t was quite probable, as we find
therein and are justified in believing
that the learned Egyptian priests were
familiar with the theology Of Zoroaster,
the great Bactrian priest and raformer;
or Noses seemed TO be acquainted with
the Zeud-Avesta, as much OF 1t appears
in the Pentatcuch, and possibly he
learned it in the Egyptian curriculum.
Abram. the great Patriarch of the
Jews. lived some time in MesOpOtamla,
near Rabylonia. O region inhabited by
the Persians. who were indoctrinated
in ZOrOasters religion. But Abram at
first was an idolater. and had vague
ideas of religion. He believed in Lords
like ordinary men, who would appear
10 him i'm human form and walk.
When he was SO years old tGen. XVII,
LIST verse; the Lord appeared and said:
q am God Almighty &c, and Moses,
in his memoir of Abram, modestly pro-
sents him as Il great captain and war
rior. who pursued and encountered the
four kings. who were on the war path
and had already captured his brother
in-law. Lot. with all he possessed.
Abram. after gathering all his trained
men together. followed the robber
l5ines as far as Dan, and smote them,
then Dursuing the vanquished as far as
Hol9b. on the north of Damascus. cap
t1red All their booty. Returning home
Uarde towards the Oaks OF Mamre, in
Habron) from the slaughter of Che
dolaomi. king Of Elam) and the kings
which were with him, this rich. brave
and daring rancher. Abram. halted IN
the Va,lr- Of sharon, known as the
Kings Dale" While there he me- Me-
cbjz3dek. King of Salem, and he was a
nriest of cod Most High (El-Elyon).
He is also mentioned as a priest Of God
Most nigh. as If such priests were well
known in that region and required TO