Show Fire Worshippers Wont Won't Bury fury Dead Deac True to Word None Poor Pool P oar EDITORS EDITOR'S NOTE This Is 1 the lie third of 11 a I series ot or I sic articled on the worlds world's vell- vell 11 glons Ion The next nett ne t article trill ill be Dr J W IV T SOs MASON Written for sEA NEA EA Every great religious reformer seeking to create a 0 o ement new movement In the evolution of spiritual pros pro pros ress rem has haa tried to replace the idea of many gods with unified wor wor- wor worship ship Polytheism Is detrimental to human betterment because mans man's helplessness is emphasized emphasised when he believes deities are everywhere e him and must bo ho pla- pla placated pla pIa placated before success can be achieved ed Polytheistic civilizations civilisations do not develop reliance mIt-reliance and creative energy In such measure as evolves un under ler monotheism When hen only one deity Is believed to exist exl t man man- mankind mankind mankind kind moves move forward not ham JUlIn- hampered ham ham- hampered by a creed teaching te that myriad gOds cod are arc lurking to exact tribute or sacrifices from front him or was wa one of or the noblest ot or the religious geniuses In human history who have followed l this rule He lie live lived about 1000 B C perhaps not far from the present Armenia Before him Iranian poll pol domInated Asia Atla Minor checkl checking the peoples people lea creative energy OXE or 01 THE JUg MAGI was as doubtless a mem memo member member ber ber of or a priestly group croup called Magi who ho were early scientists The ord magic comes from them In the tile sense enio of or wonder working The th three thre ree wise men of the east who followed the Star of o Bethle Bethle- Bethlehem Bethlehem hem to the tho birth t stable of or Christ were probably Mail Magi In the tho Mailin Maglan circle circio of or wisdom was waa stimulated to de develop de- de develop elop his Ms doctrine of monotheism lie He taught taug-ht the tho world of or righteous righteous- rig nc ness s was created l by Mazda who was In con constant conflict with the demon of wickedness Angra or In the end Mazda 1 will emerge c victori victorious ous The Idea of Angra spirit of evil II Influenced the tho Ire Ire- Hebrew t He-t brew rew religious conception of satan which was accepted by Christian ChrIstian- Christianity ChrIstianIty ity TilE THE ROW HOLY nOOK DOOR demanded that the ancient gods rods be abandoned lie He urged his followers follower to engage In self development and active wor work finding their salvation In creative action and not In polytheistic pleas leas for omnipotent assistance The Zend end Avesta the holy bo book l of the tho Zoroastrians nay says IIa'S He lie who nho sows ow the tho ground wIth care caro and diligence acquires arreater a l greater stock of religious merit than he could gain by the repe repe- repe- repe I repetition of a a thousand prayers made mado fire a sacred element as a 0 symbol of o purity II 11 also saw aw spiritual holiness In th lh earth out of ot which living sec emerge to fructify He lie made unla ful to bury any dead body because a lifeless corpse syn pollute pollute pollute would woul l the hoar Ito ho-Ito life giving earth The dead vcr vcr-eft left teft In outlying places to be d do d- d Toured by wild lid beasts Thor Th spirits had departed and ant on the on I the dross remained I creed creed spread In 11 Persia then the most progress or of the Near Eastern nations M first it was successful In out the polytheistic priests But Dul love of luxury and a 0 disinclination f q 7 ti L J S tT Hw Hwi i National Lord Chief of the Parsecs or worshipers fire of PersIa followers ers Of Note oto Ids his ro cashmere coat to work were ere not obliterated among the Persians Eventually E a modified form of Zoroastrianism developed In Rt an effort cort to mingle worship of the theold e 1 old deities with pure spiritual conceptions The rhe result was IlS failure Persian declined and In the end the tho Mo Mo- Mo overran Persia aa and crushed the national faith Zoro Zoro- Zoro- Zoro asters aster's followers were killed or converted d to 10 the Koran except fir fr fira fira Do a few of the sturdy ones or of o the tho theold old faith who fled tied to India and there purified their doctrines The descendants or of o these refu refu- refugees refugees gees still exist In India known own as Parsees There are about or of them They are the most pro pro pro- progressive progressive and successful of all In IR India's In- In Indie's dies dias multitudinous peoples They are arc chiefly merchants merchants There are no paupers among amonI amon hem and It would 1 be bo a disgrace to any Parsee Panee to refuse aid to a 0 fellow Zoroastrian They They educate their children according ac- ac according ac cording to western ways says Their women are more liberally treated than anywhere Iso else where ori oriental ori- ori oriental oriental standards of womanhood prevail Their word Is their bond and they are looke looked UI up to as men of or high hith honor by everyone everone There Thore Is a 11 saying In India that L I wherever a 0 Parsee settles pros pros- prosperity prosperity prosperity flourishes They do not invite In- In In Invite vite Ite others to accept their ree creed They practice In this respect what may be bo called spiritual eu- eu eugenics eugenics eu Thus Ihus the Parsees show hat the Near East might have become had Zor asters great treat re reform re- re reform reform form movement been successful In Its own land |