The age-herald., 1901-11-10
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both serving the same ged. Spenta-May- nu Is the author of everything good, use full and bright; Angra-Maynu of every thing that is dark and noxious. They are in everlasting conflict, which, how ever, is to end in the triumph of the good principle.
 The modern church is divided into two sects, the "kudmi" and "Shenshahi," each headed by high priest called "Das- toor.' The two sects have no opposing doctrines. and the religious difference consists mostly of forms and ceremonies. Kudrni as well as Shenshabi Mobeds live from the baksheesh of the worshipers.
 Among the four clements, soil, air, water and fire. worshiped by the Par so,s, the latter Is considered the most sacred, and the accidental extinction of the holy fire in the temple would be re- garded as a religious calamity. The Parsee does not smoke because he fears to polute the air. and he does not ere mate or inter his dead, oecouse he deems to deflle thereby fire and soil. He prays, like the Mu5sulrnan, five times daily, dur Ing which time he alternately winds and unwinds the sacred woolen band. the ''kusti," on his body. His prayers are performed standing, and when in the temple in the space allotted to the wor- shpers The sanctuary is separated. and may be entered only by the officiating NODeQS Here the sacred Ife IS burning in a large silver urn. The walls arc decorated with antique arms. and here is also the bell which Is struck from time to time by a Mobed In order to keep away evil spirits and to purify the pollit- ed air with Its sound waves Tn short in- tervals one of the priests repairs to the worshipers with a handful of ashes from the holy fire called "rakhia," who use the same to anoit throat eyelids, and the space between the eyes. The sacred bull is also kept within the temple com pound. This bull does by no means thank his canonzation to a prerogative of birth. but simply to certain ceremonies by which he becomes metamorphosed from an ordinary steer into a sacred animal.
 On four days of the month, of which each contains thirty days, all bearing "Adar," "sarosh." "Behram," etc. the orthodox Parsee Is forbidden the partak- ing of meat The greatest feast day is "Pepati." t.sew Years Day), which falls about the middle of September. The last five days ol the year. which do not be- long to any month. and which are added in order to fill the calendar year, are also holy days.
 Unique Funeral Customs.
 Among all the peculiar religious and social customs and manners of the Par sees, the method of disposing of their dead Is certainly by far the oldest and most interesting, and I believe that mo- where in the world anything similar may be found Most of the readers prob ably have heard or read about the mys- terious Towers of Silence, but it has been the lot of only few travellers to visit the Parsee burial compound on Malabar Hill, the fashionable residence quarter of Bombay, and to see there, by the as- sstance of a Parsee friend, things not intended for the eyes of strangers and non-belevers in the doctrines of Zoroas- ter.
 The Parsee community of Bombas guard with jealous care the secrets of this compound, and. although distinguish fl tourists may, upon request, be allow ed to enter the compound, they are al ways kept at considerable distance from the Towers of Silence by the escorting guard. The taking of snapshots Is ex- cluded, since every camera is relentlessly confscated at the entrance gate. and is only returned to the owner upon his leav- ing the compound. Neither could I. in spite of my influential friend, smusgle my camera in, but it was at least re- turned to me in undamaged condition, contrary to a similar experience which had in Gibraltar. where the English mill itary guard had also taken charge of my photoprahic apparatus during the time of my visit in tho rock galleries. When the camera was returned to me I found that 1t had evidently been tam pered with by the guard, and that it was in pitiful condition. I was informed that the closer examination of the grew some towers was even denied to the Prince of Wales during his Indian travels and that only a wooden model had been prepared for the purpose of enlightening him in this respect. This model, since then, Is also shown to privileged visitors