Zoroastrianism And Freemasonry.

of the pious men aud women , whenever born , of those who have in the past , of those who do now in the present , and of those who shall hereafter in the future , follow the good religions . " Whilst the Zoroastrian recognises his own as the best

religion in the superlative , other religions recognised in the Avesta are called better religions in the comparative degree . Whilst the Zoroastrian reli gion is always mentioned in the singular , the next best ones are always in the plural , indicating that to one to be followed there were

several to be respected and esteemed . It can be reasonably maintainted , then , that the followers of the other next best religions were certainly to be respected , honoured , and fraternised with ; and to them , out of the abundance of our means , we should contribute our surplus to allay

and mitigate their misery and helplessness . If good thoughts , good words , good deeds gain heaven to a Zoroastrian , irrespective of any sectarian doctrines and dogmas , why should we imagine that it can be closed to those possessing these very

virtues in the same degree , merely because they have their own different dogmas ? And are not the inheritors of heaven worthy to be associated , sympathized , aud fraternised with ? But what are these next best religions ? it might be asked .

Surely they are not those which do not require a belief in one God , or in a state of reward aud punishment in after-life according to deeds clone in the flesh ? If we are asked which of the present existing faiths were in mind when the next best

religions were referred to in the Avesta , we must confess to our inability in indicating any one—for the best of reasons , that they were not then known . But this much we could say , that any religion meant by the term better religions must have been monotheistic , with a belief in a

state of reward and punishment according to deeds done in the flesh . Guiding ourselves upon that assumption , we could safely include all existing monotheistic religions , within the area of the better religions , exel tiding all polytheistic , and such other religions as are disbelieving in

rewards and punishments in after life in the measure of our deeds . Now , we know for a certainty that none are admitted into Freemasonry who believe in polytheism ,

in . transmigration of souls , & e ., and hence once being assured that one is a Freemason , a Zoroastrian can freely fraternise with him without waiting to inquire to what faith he belongs . True , Zoroastrians are enjoined not to associate with Darvands ,

and unfortunately , in common parlance , a Darvand is one who is not a Zoroastrian ; and at once a bigotted member of that community exclaims against his co-religionist Freemasons for associating with what are called Darvands , i . e ., Freemasons

of alien reli gions . But a Darvand in the Avesta , let me tell you , is not necessarily a follower of other religious ; he is and can also be a Zoroastrian himself . In tho Avestaic language , a sinner is a Darvand , and a virtuous man is an Ashavan , Asho . Those Zoroastrian sinners whose clue is infernal punishments are ever called Darvands ; those , on the contrary , whose

claim is for heavenly rewards are called Asho . Iu all the relations in the Avesta , the good and the bad are in general terms called Asho and Darvand . Of course , through bigotry people do come to call all opprobious names to the followers of other religions , and in this way in the popular

mind a non-Zoroastriaii is assumed to be a Darvand . But whatever is mentioned against Darvands in the Avesta is no to be supposed to be intended to be all applied to every non-Zoroastrian ; on the contrary , the references' are iu great part to bad ,

sinful Zoroastrians . The particular non-Zoroastrians who are disaeknowledged in the Avesta are called the Devyaenas , believers in Devas , in polytheism , & c . They are not , of course , within the fold of Mazdayaenas ; and all Deveyaenas , irrespective of what their other qualities may be , are not to be associated with . Do the Masons associate with disbelievers in one

God and m the resurrection of the body ? But Darvands are to be found hi every religious community in Freemasonry too , Sometimes , I am ashamed to acknowledge , they are actual sinners , and they unquestionably are to be found in numbers among Zoroastrians .

When it is said that a Zoroastrian should shun a Darvand , it properly means that he is required to shun a sinner , whether he be of his own religion or of any other . ( To be continued . )