The Candidates For The Benevolent Institution.

particularise;—that of altering the Life Governorship , Life Subscribership , and other qualifications , from pounds to guineas . This , although small in itself , is shown to be of material assistance . We now submit another scheme ,

which we trust will be as readily adopted and as heartily supported . It is , that the Chairman of the year , or some other prominent official at the Festival , should endeavour to secure each Steward becoming an annual subscriber to the

Institution . We venture to think that if the Chairman would make such an appeal to his co-workers at the Festival itself , he would receive unanimous support

from those around him , and ho might thus have the gratification of being able to refer back to the introduction of some two or three hundred or more annual

subscribers as a memento of the work he undertook on behalf of the Institution at the Festival for which he presided . This would be putting the Festivals to a good

use , and ns it would not be encroaching on the liberality of those present for the year , we do not think it could be considered as evidence of " never beinsr satisfied . " The

great need of our Institutions is , an increase of regular income , and such a proposal as that mentioned would go far to secure it . The Benevolent Institution would be the best with which to make the experiment , because for it

an annual subscription of five shillings could be accepted , while the lowest recognised donation to either of the Schools is one guinea . Surely five shillings a year is not much to promise after having so far recognised the merits of an Institution as to undertake a Stewardship on its

behalf . Shall the experiment ere long be tried ? Referring to the eligibility or needs of the candidates

themselves , we think no better evidence of their worthiness to receive assistance can be adduced than the particulars concerning them given on the balloting papers , where we find details as to tho age and circumstances of each

applicant , while coupled with this are the restrictive laws of the Institution , which provide that no male candidate shall be eligible until he has reached the ago of 60 years , and no widow until she has arrived at the age of 55 , or has

been overtaken by such illness or misfortune as renders them incapable of earning a livelihood ; while those in the annual receipt of £ 40 in the case of men , or £ 30 in that

of widows , from any source , are likewise prohibited from seeking relief from the funds of the Royal Masonic Benevolent , Institution .

In conclusion , we again urge on our readers , and on the Craft at large , the necessity for giving all the help that can be afforded in aid of the Funds established to relieve the aged of both sexes , and we trust that such support

may yet be forthcoming as will enable the Governors and Subscribers at the meeting on Friday , the 15 th inst ., to still further increase the number of vacancies to be filled that

day , while we sincerely trust that our suggested method of increasing the number of annual subscribers to our Charities may meet the approval and support we venture to think it deserves .

An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

AN ANCIENT PEOPLE—PAST AND PRESENT . *

Continued from p 258 . EROM birth to marriage is the period of hope , strength , and pleasure . Then follow worldly struggles , and finally death . To the ceremonies observed by the Parsis in

the last extremity we purpose devoting some space . When the patient is moribund , and all hope of life has fled , the " dastur , " or the " mobed , " with other priests , perform religious service , in which the dying man joins if

he is able ; if not , then his son or nearest relative does this duty for him . When dead the body is wrapped in clean clothes and placed on an oblong piece of polished stone

which is laid on the floor . The hands are laid crosswise , and joined upon the chest , and the feet arc crossed and tied , or are kept straight , according to the wish of the head of

An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

the family . The female members of the family and

relations sit down together on a carpet in the room where the dead body is placed , the men sitting on chairs or benches in the verandah . When death occurs at night , the corpse is kept until the following morning ; but if it occurs in the

daytime , the body is removed to its final resting-place in the afternoon . All the time the body is lying in the house a priest is continually reciting prayers and burning sandalwood over a fire . Upon the removal of the corpse , on an

iron bier , two priests facing it recite the seven " has " called "Ahunavaiti Gatha . " It is singular that these " has " contain no reference to the dead , and are intended chiefly " as a sermon upon our transient life in this world . "

It is also noticeable that the " has " are recited before the dead body , and not in the presence of mourners , a proceeding the author says he cannot understand . " Nasesalars " carry the bier on their shoulders to the " dokhma , " or tomb of silence , amid the lamentations of relatives and friends . Immediately tbe bier is out of the house , the strange

custom is observed of throwing cow ' s urine over tbe spot where the corpse has laid , and along the path taken by its bearers . A last look is permitted to be taken of the face of the deceased , and then the body is deposited inside the

tower , and there left exposed to the vultures , who speedily denude it of flesh . Before dealing with some peculiar facts in connection with the Parsi dead , we may just describe the " dokhma . " Our author likens it to a great gasometer

with the top off , only the walls are built of the hardest stone , faced with white " chunam , " or lime plaster . Inside the tower is a circular platform about three hundred feet in circumference , and entirely paved with large stone slabs , and divided into three rows or exposed receptacles , called " pavis " for the bodies of the dead . As there are

the same number of " pavis " in each concentric row , they diminish in size from the outer to the inner ring ; that by the side of the wall is used for the bodies of males , the next for those of females , and the third for those of

children . These receptacles , or " pavis" are separated from each other by ridges called " dandas , " which are about an inch in height above the level of the " pavis , " and channels are cut into the " pavis " for the purpose of conveying the liquid matter flowing from the corpses , and

ram water , into a " chandar , " or a deep hollow in the form of a pit , the bottom of which is paved with stone steps . This pit forms the centre of the tower . When the corpse has been completely stripped of its flesh by the

vultures , which is generally accomplished within one hour , at the outside , and when the bones of the denuded skeleton are perfectly dried up by the powerful heat of a tropical sun , with other atmospheric influences , they are thrown

into this pit , where they crumble into dust , the rich and poor thus meeting together after death on one common level of equality . Four drains are constructed , leading from the body of the pit . They commence from the

surrounding wall of the " chandar " and pass beyond the

outside of the tower down into four wells sunk in the ground , thus observing one of the tenets of the Zoroastrian . religion , that " the mother earth shall not be defiled . " The wells have a permeable bottom , which is covered to a height of five or seven feet . The laying of the foundation

of a new " dokhma " and its consecration are attended

with great and solemn ceremony , to attend which is considered an act of piety . Before consecration , the " dokhma " is open to public view ; afterwards it becomes the holy of the holies , and any attempt to look inside is regarded as

an act of gross sacrilege . The mode of disposing of the dead we have just described may seem revolting to those not used to the practice , but the Parsis regard it as less so even than our own method of committing bodies to the

earth as food for worms . Perhaps the defence of the Parsi system had best be given in the language of a distinguished native . Replying to Professor Morrice Williams , Mr . Nasarvanji Beramji said : " Our prophet ,

Zoroaster , who lived three thousand years ago , taught us to regard the elements as symbols of the Deity . Earth , fire , water , he said , ought never , under any circumstances , to be defiled by contact with putrefying flesh . Naked we

came into the world , and naked we ought to leave it . But the decaying particles of our bodies should be dissipated as rapidly as possible , and in such a way that neither Mother Earth , nor the things she supports , should be

contaminated in the slightest degree . In fact , our Prophet was the greatest of health officers , and following bis sanitary laws we build our towers on the tops of the hills , above all human habitations . We spare no expense in con-