History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAPTER V. MONOTHEISM AND FIRE-REVERENCE.

The Parsis are monotheists—Fire-temples—Respect for fire—The best symbol of the Almighty—The purification of fire—Nine times purified—Repudiation of idolatry —The antiquity of fire-reverence—The Roman Flamines—Bishop Meurin’s writings—Dean Prideaux on the ParsisAnquetil du Perron—Further evidence in favour of Parsi religion—The name of fire-worshippers unmerited—aA poet’s opinion—Parsi fidelityFirm ‘but not bigoted—Parsi toleration— A Parsi martyr—InnovationsA Religious Reform Association—A successful essay—Religions booksTranslations into Gujarati—The Parsi priesthood—A hereditary profession—Edueating the priests—The present “dasturs”—The Bareshnum ceremony—The dignity of Navyar—The induction of a priest.

We have already mentioned in the two preceding

chapters a certain number of facts which tend to

prove that the Zoroastrians are and have always been theists. There is no doubt also of their being monotheists. They tolerate no other worship than that of

a Supreme Being; and we are confirmed in this view

not only by European authorities but by the prac-

tices and religious prayers of the Parsis at the present day. That the Parsis are not idolaters has been plain to all Europeans coming into contact with them. Zoroaster raised his powerful voice against the idol-worship prevalent at his epoch in Persia, and active efforts are said to have been made to extinguish heretical

VOL. II. iP.