An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

structing them of the hardest materials , and we expose our putrescent bodies in open stone receptacles , resting on fourteen feet of solid granite , not necessarily to be consumed by vultures , but to be dissipated in the speediest possible

manner , and without the possibility of polluting the earth or contaminating a single living being dwelling thereon . God , indeed , sends the vultures , and , as a matter of fact , these birds do their appointed work much more

expeditiously than millions of insects wonld do if we committed our bodies to the ground . In a sanitary point of view , nothing can be more perfect than our plan . Even the

rain water which washes our skeletons is conducted by channels into purifying charcoal . Here in these five towers rest the bones of all the Parsis that havo lived in

Bombay for the last two hundred years . We form a united body in life , and we are united in death . " His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , when in India , visited one of these " dokhmas , " on Malabar Hill , and expressed

" his approbation of the sanitary precautions adopted in the mode of Parsi sepulture . " Returning to the presence of the dead before being taken into the " dokhma , " some very interesting incidents are noticeable . There is no

truth in the theory that a dog is made to lick or eat a portion of the flesh of the corpse before its removal from the house , but the custom prevails of exposing the face of a dead Zoroastrian " to the gaze of a dog three or four times

during the recitation of the funeral sermon or oration . The exact object is not known , but as dogs are considered sacred animals , they are supposed to guide the souls of the dead toward heaven , and to ward off on their way the bad

influence of evil spirits , to which they may be exposed . Our author says , " This belief is not generally shared in by the educated Parsis of the present day . " Certain dogs , too , are supposed to " possess peculiar magnetic power in

annihilating impurities surrounding a dead body . " This fact is as doubtful as the other , and may be taken for just what it is worth . A more important and relevant belief is that contained in the Parsi Scriptures , which

declare that the soul does not leave this world for three days , therefore " a priest prays constantly during that period before a burning fire fed with sandal-wood . " On the morning of the fourth day , when the soul is believed to

enter the other world , a religious ceremony called "Uthamna" is performed , either in the house of the deceased , or at a fire-temple , during which the bequests left in his will are announced . Contributions are made to the

Parsi charitable funds , the lame , halt , and blind are fed , " as an act of charity intended to benefit the soul of the deceased . " The chief acts of mourning consist of washing faces and offering up prayer . It should be stated that

deceased ' s relations are the object of solicitude to the Parsis , who perform ceremonies " on every day during the first year , and on every anniversary of the melancholy event . "

Fruit and flowers form a most essential part of the Parsi ceremonies for either the dead or living , and prayers for the dead are always insisted upon .

It is claimed for the Parsi religion that it is one of the most ancient in the world . For a period of three thousand years it has undergone many fluctuations and vicissitudes . It flourished most during the thousand years between the

reign of Gushtasp and the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great . For nearly six hundred years afterwards the religion declined , but it was revived by Ardeshir Babekan . For over four hundred years this revival was more or less

maintained , until the monarchy was overthrown by the Arabs , when the Kbalif Omar destroyed many of the Parsi reli gious books . Several philosophers of the name of Zoroaster lived at different times and places , but the one

recognised by the Parsis was born at Rae , in Media , about a thousand years before Christ , and flourished in Bactria . Kharshedji Rastamji Kama , a well known Oriental scholar , puts the birth of Zoroaster three hundred years earlier .

The name , he says , means " Old Camel-keeper , " but this has been disputed . Zoroaster was a member of the Spitami family , and descended from King Ferdun of the Peshdedian dynasty of Persia . A miraculous conception is

claimed for him . In one of the later books of the Parsis it is said " that an angel presented Pourushaspa [ Zoroaster ' s lather ] with a glass of wine , soon after drinking which his wife Doghdo conceived and bore a son destined to create a

new era in Eastern history . " The life of the infant was often in jeopardy , but the attempts of the enemy were arrested by divine agency . " His youth was spent in divine meditations and in the study of philosophy , and ultimatel y he left Rae for Balkh , the capital of Gushtasp ,

An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

then King of Iran . In tho thirtieth year of tho reign of this monarch , Zor < aster appeared before him be : ring the sacred fire called " Adar Burzin Mohr , " and a cypress tre >\ At first the religions reformer was persecuted , but ho

performed miracles and was taker into favour . Nothing moro is said of him except that when engaged in prayer Zoroaster was " killed by a sharp instrument thrown at him by a Turbaratnr , a general of RTing Arjasp , who hated

the new monotheistic religion . " In return Zoroaster flung his rosary at his enemy , which killed him on tho spot . The prophet left three sons and three daughters , but whether they ever distinguished themselves , or were

objects of honour , pity , or enmity , we have no means of knowing . Tho more important part of tho Parsi scriptures now remaining are written in the Gatha dialect of the Avestalanguage , five of the Gathas—chapters 27 to 54

of the Zasna—being by the Prophet himself . A few other pieces are in the same dialect , but the rest aro in the ordinary Avesta language , which is the same as that of tho Gatha , only written at a different period . " Zend , " or

" zan , " "to know , " applies to that portion of tho Avesta which is explanatory of the original text . Originally , the Zend Avesta consisted of twenty-one volumes , or " nusks . " It is stated that tho religious words of the Parsis were

destroyed by Alexander or Omar , but a description of their contents has been retained , and the spirit of tho whole , we presume , preserved . The Vcndidad is the only book or chapter that is complete , and contains

" the code of the religious , civil , and criminal laws of tho ancient Iranians . " The Zasna , that forms one of the three books of the Vendidad Sade , includes " prayers that are to be offered with certain rites and ceremonies . " It is now

recited by two priests before a sacred fire , accompanied by consecrated water , consecrated bread , with " glu , " or butter spread over it , goat ' s milk , twigs of the homa plant , and of the pomegranate tree , hair of a purely white ox , and a bundle of metallio wires known as "Barsom . " The

Yispared , the third book , contains " an invocation to all lords , i . e ., to the chiefs of the spiritual and terrestrial creation . " The Khordeh-Avesta , or small Avesta , contains all the remaining portions of the Zend Avesta . The whole

has been given in a German version , which was translated into English , and circulated gratuitously among the Parsis by Mr . Mancherji Harmosji Kama . Somo other religious

books are in the Pehlevi language , to which the Parsis look for most of the details relating to the traditions , ceremonies , and customs of the ancient faith . One of these books criticises the Jewish and Christian doctrines . There are other writings of minor importance , to which wo need not allude . ( To be continued . )

Copies Of "Ancient" "Warrants.

COPIES OF " ANCIENT" "WARRANTS .

ON 27 th May 1876 we began tho publication of Transcripts of Warrants of the " AthoII , " or " Ancient " Lodges , and by dint of perseverance , the kindness of friends , and more especially the energy and determination of Bro . John Constable , we succeeded in obtaining copies of nearly

the whole of these valuable documents , many of which are exceedingly curious and interesting , and some of which were utilised by Bro . Gould in his " Atholl Lodges . " We

are now desirous of completing the series , and therefore solicit the services of our readers to obtain copies of the following charters for publication , when our object will be achieved : —

LONDON LODGES . 1 . Grand Master ' s . 101 . Temple . 3 . Fidelity . 143 . Middlesex . PROVINCIAL .

110 . Loyal Cambrian , Merthyr Tydvil . DISTRICTS . 115 . St , John ' s , Gibraltar . 232 . Marine , Calcutta . 153 . Inhabitants , ditto . 233 . Prince AHed , Bermuda . 196 . Albion , Barbadoes . 234 . Anchor and Hope , Calcutta . 224 . Atlantic , Bermuda . 207 . ) „ . 229 . Humanity , Calcutta , 239 . } Kltl 2 ston > Jamaica .

[ We shall be glad also to receive copies of any extinct warrants , so long as all the numbers thereon are carefully noted . Old Royal Arch warrants would also be acceptable . —Ed . F . C ]