ZOROASTRIANISM.

3

"I will now tell you, who are assembled here, the wise sayings of the most Wise, the praises of the living God. In the beginning there was a pair of twins, two spirits, each of a peculiar activity; these are the good and the base in thought, and word, and deed. Choose one of the two spirits, be good, not base!

"And these two Spirits united, created the first (the material things;) one the reality, the other, non-reality. To the liars, (the worshippers of the devas, i. e. base,) existence will become bad, whilst the believer in the true God enjoys prosperity. Of these two spirits you must choose one, either the evil, the originator of the worst actions, or the true holy spirit. You cannot belong to both of them (i. e. you cannot be worshippers of the one true God, and of many gods at the same time.) Thus let us be such as help the life of the future. The wise-loving spirits are the greatest supporters of it. The prudent man wishes only to be there where wisdom is at home. He (Ahuramazda) first created through his inborn lustre the multitude of celestial bodies, and through his intellect the good creatures, governed by the inborn good mind. When my eyes beheld Thee, the essence of truth, the creator of life, who manifests his life in his works, then I knew Thee to be the primeval spirit, thou Wise, so high in mind as to create the world, and the father of the good mind."

He

Zoroaster claims to have received instructions from a supreme Being about the highest matters of human speculation. appears as a prophet before a large assembly of his countrymen to propound to them his new doctrines.

The Magi (or priests) of Persia were at one time split into several sects, one of which was called the Mazda Kyahs, who believed in the transmigration of souls, like the Brahmans, (a doctrine which is altogether strange to the Zend Avesta, the sacred book of the Parsees.) The other sect believed in a revelation mia by God to the first man, called Gayomart by the Parsees, corresponding to the Adam of the Bible.

"He therefore who, sacrificing his own selfish interests, devotes himself to the divine will, to goodness, shall receive earthly power, strength, possessions. This earth with her gifts, is the heritage of the good, or is destined to become so. This view pervades all the sayings of Zoroaster.

The Zoroastrian sacred Book furthermore exhibits the following teachings, which will compare advantageously with those of the

Bible. Lying is regarded as the most discreditable thing by them; next to it is the incurring of debt, chiefly for this reason, that the debtor is often compelled to tell lies. Zoroaster acknowledged only one God. "You cannot be worshippers of the one true God, and of many gods at the same time."

"The prudent man wishes only to be there where wisdom is at home.

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Wisdom is the shelter from lies, the annihilation of the destroyer (the evil spirit.) All perfect things are garnered up in the splendid residence of the good mind, the Wise, and the True, who are known as the best beings.

'Therefore, perform ye the commandments which, pronounced by the Wise (God) himself, have been given to mankind; for they are a nuisance and perdition to liars; but prosperity to the believer in the truth; they are the fountain of happiness.

"He first created through his inborn lustre the multitude of celestial bodies, and through his intellect the good creatures, governed by the inborn good mind. Thou living spirit, who art everlasting, makes them (the good creatures) grow.

Do not listen to the sayings and precepts of the wicked.

"Who are opposed in their thoughts, words and actions to the wicked, and think of the welfare of creation, their efforts will be crowned by success.

"Blessed is he, blessed are all men, to whom the living wise god of his own command should grant those two everlasting powers (wholesomeness and immortality.) For this very good I beseech Thee. (Ahuramazda.) Mayest thou give me happiness, the good true things, and the possession of the good mind!

I believe Thee to be the best being of all, the source of light for the world. Every body shall choose Thee (believe in thee) as the source of light, Thee, Thee, holiest spirit Mazda! Thou createst all good true things by means of the power of thy good mind at any time, and promisest us (who believe in Thee) a long life.

"I will believe Thee to be the powerful holy (god.) For thou givest with thy hand, filled with helps, good to the pious man, as well as to the impious by means of the warmth of the fire strengthening the good things. From this reason the vigor of the good mind has fallen to my lot.

ZOROASTRIANISM.

5

"Thus I believe in Thee, as the holy God, thou living Wise! Because I beheld Thee to be the primeval cause of life in the creation. For thou hast made (instituted) holy customs, and words, thou hast given a bad fortune (emptiness) to the base, and a good to the good man.

I believed in Thee, living Wise! in that thou camest with wealth and with the good mind through the actions of which our manners thrive. The everlasting laws, given by thy intellect, nobody may abolish.

"I will be mindful of the truth (to improve all good things) as long as I shall be able. Mayest thou grant me the truth, tell me the best to be done.

"That I will ask Thee, tell me it right, thou living God! By what means are the present things to be supported? That spirit, the holy one, is the guardian of the beings to ward off from them every evil, he is the promoter of all life.

"That I will ask Thee, tell me it right, thou living God! Who was in the beginning the father and creator of truth? Who made the sun and stars the way? Who causes the moon to increase and wane, if not thou? This I wish to know except what I already know.

"That I will ask Thee, tell me it right, thou living God! Who made the lights of good effect and the darkness? Who made the sleep of good effect and the activity. Who made morning, noon and night, reminding always the priest of his duties.

"To become acquainted with these things, I approach Thee, wise, holy spirit! Creator of all beings!

Tell me good things to perform, the duties which are enjoined by thyself, thou Wise! Which are communicated for the welfare of all beings by the good mind. What good, intended for the increase of life, is to be had: that may come to me.

"Instruct me right in the faith which, being the best of all, may produce the good things, by means of words, and actions. My heart wishes (it is my lively desire,) that I may know Thee, thou Wise!

"To those among you who do not live according to the sayings (of God,) experience may be a help.

"God is endowed with good actions. Not is the being, who creates all, to be deceived.

"God delivered the word, the best to be heard by men. Wholesomeness and immortality are by means of the good mind's actions in the possession of the living Wise.

"By means of his power and his rule the generations gone by subsisted, and also those to come will subsist on him. The sincere man's mind is aspiring to the everlasting immortality.

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'Him, whom I desire to worship, him, who knows the truth, him, the living Wise, as the source of the good mind, the good action, and the good word.

"Him will I adore with our good mind, him, who is always propitious to us at day and night; he, the living Wise, who through the sublimity of the good mind protects the truth.

"Thou living God! Tell me the power necessary for holding up the religion.

"What man or what woman performs the best actions, known to Thee, for the benefit of this life, promoting thus the truth and spreading thy rule through the good mind.

To you I will speak; because you distinguish right from wrong, the truth, contained in the ancient commandments of the living God. I beseech you to assist me.

"Those who, by their base minds, cause mischief and ruin, those who are devoid of all good works and find delight in evil doings only-such men are punished.

"Every one who is truly noble by means of the good inborn mind will be rewarded.

We praise all good thoughts, all good words, all good deeds, which are and will be (which are being done and which have been done) and we likewise keep clean and pure all that is good.

"We strive to think, to speak, and to do only what of all actions might be best fitted to promote the two lives (that of the body and of the soul.)

"We worship the promotion of all good, all that is very beautiful, shining, immortal, bright, every thing that is good.

"There shall not be overbearance nor low-spiritedness, nor violence, nor deceit. Nor shall there be one of the other signs through which men used to become defiled by the evil spirit."

Zarathustra called into existence a new religious community to be founded on the principle of inviolable faith and truth.

MOHAMMEDANISM.

7

ང་

Ahuramazda, as the only Lord, grants blessings to those who worship him with a sincere heart, by speaking always truth, and performing good actions.

A living faith in a moral order of the world can alone explain the influence, which the Zoroastrian religion has now exercised for three thousand years on the populations of Western Asia.

The Zoroastrian system recognizes one God, omnipotent, invisible, without form, the creator, ruler and preserver of the universe, and the last judge. The worship of idols, and indeed of any being except Ormuzd, is held in abomination; but a reverence for fire and the sun is inculcated, as they are emblems of the glory of the Supreme Deity. It is probably true, however, that the multitude in the course of time have forgotten that discrimination between the symbol and the object of their adoration, which was undoubtedly taught by Zoroaster. To Ormuzd as the source of all good, is opposed Ahriman, the cause of evil. To worship the good spirit and hate the bad, are the two fundamental articles of the Guebre, and Parsee creed. Prayer, obedience, industry, honesty, hospitality, alms-deeds, chastity and truthfulness, are enjoined; and envy, hatred, quarrelling, anger, revenge and polygamy are strictly forbidden. Fasting and celibacy are considered displeasing to Ormuzd.

The Koran of Mohammed is a code of ritual, moral and criminal laws, as well as a rule of faith or theology, and religious duty for a large portion of mankind.

The general religion of the Arabs, before Mohammed, was the Sabian; though there was also great numbers of Christians, Jews, and Magians among the number.

The Sabians believe in one God, and produce many strong arguments for his unity; but they also pay an adoration to the stars, or to the angels, and intelligences which they suppose reside in them, and govern the world under the Supreme Deity. They endeavor to perfect themselves in the four intellectual virtues, and believe that the souls of wicked men will be punished for ages, but will afterwards be received to mercy. Mohammed is said to have been born fifty-three years before the Flight, which happened in the year 622 of the Christian era. His father Abd-Allah was a younger son of Abd-el-Muttalib, the chief of his tribe, and, dying very young and in his father's life-time, left his widow and infant son in very mean circumstances, his whole substance con