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  • The Masonic Magazine
  • Aug. 1, 1876
  • Page 32
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The Masonic Magazine, Aug. 1, 1876: Page 32

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    Article ZOROASTRIANISM AND FREEMASONRY. ← Page 3 of 3
Page 32

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

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 . )

“The Masonic Magazine: 1876-08-01, Page 32” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 6 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01081876/page/32/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 2
Untitled Article 2
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 3
THE DAFFODIL. Article 3
THE EARLY INDICIAE OF FREEMASONRY. Article 4
AN EARLY MASONIC BOOK. Article 5
SONNET. Article 9
MAY MASON. Article 9
SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR PEACEFUL SOLUTION. Article 14
SONNET. Article 19
AN OLD, OLD STORY. Article 19
THE WOMEN OF OUR TIME. Article 21
MASONIC AMATEUR PERFORMANCES AT PLYMOUTH. Article 23
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTES OF BRITISH UNION LODGE, IPSWICH. Article 26
AMERICAN KNIGHTS TEMPLARS Article 27
ZOROASTRIANISM AND FREEMASONRY. Article 30
THE FALLING SNOW. Article 33
FAIRY TALES UTILISED FOR THE NEW GENERATION. Article 33
THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. Article 34
Our Archaological Corner. Article 37
MASONIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 39
SERMON Article 41
REVIEW. Article 43
SOMEHOW OR OTHER. Article 45
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. Article 45
HYMN. Article 50
Untitled Article 51
Untitled Article 52
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

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 . )

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