An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

ancient , or according to the practice of their ancestors . When the Parsis pray , they have to recite the names of the month and dav on which thev offer their petitions . As the

Kadmis year begins on the 19 fch August , and the Shehenshais year a month later , it will easily be seen how important the difference becomes , especially when it is nmAimhnnnfl fnnt /\ rt siV , .-IrtTT L *« r . . 4-r . . » - « -H r . r \ m r . r . nnniMnA / 1 + .-. *« rt / iicm raiuu ucio iua luuuc iui

ixicjxuudcu u- uojf uw waigucu , good or evil . A fierce fight was waged between the contending sects , but finally they agreed to differ . The Shehenshais are the more numerous , bufc not more influential than the Kadmis , to whom belong the Kama family , so well known to commercial Ensrland . although here it is soelled

Cama . The Parsi month is a uniform thirty days ; five days , called Gaihas , are added at the end of the vear , but the odd hours and seconds , amounting ; to a

month , are only added once in one hundred and twenty years . This is called the " kabisa , " and its omission on one occasion has led to the confusion of dates and to the existence of the two sects we have named . There are some points of interest in fche description of the merits or demerits of each day in the Zoroaster month , but as the modern Parsi no longer follows either , we pass on to other

matters . There are several rarsi festivals , the chief aim of which is to promote social harmony , charity , and philanthropy . The description of these can hardly be summarised , but among them may be named the Pateti , or New Year ' s Day , and Bapithvan , a ceremony in honour of the archangel Ardibehesht Ameshaspendj who presides over light and fire . The world , according to the Zoroastrian religion , was created in three hundred and sixty-five

days , at six unequal intervals ; at tne end oi eacn was a day of rest . The intervals themselves are called Gahambars , each of which has its especial functions , such as the mixing together of all classes and feasting , the ingathering of harvest , prayers ( Jasan ) in honour of the sun , the creation of 4 . if \ ^ I ^** rtTAwi n -jyt - * *^ n rt 1 r % «*« v ^ * -J *¦ l- % ^ AMAA ^« *^* A *^ -l > « bu « n * # * * m JJM « ^* L * ^ «* A 1 ^ juYver uitus buv uruutauu ui uiauvvuiuu

uuo a-Lu , auu , IUUK . place at the end of the three hundred and sixty days . The five remaining days are termed the period of Gafchassacred songs—which are recited in honour of the advent of man on the earth . Por a description of the other festivals

we must refer our readers to the work itself , but there is one that demands attention . It is called the " Jamshedi Naoroz , " from King Jamshid . It is also called " Sultani

Naoroz , and " goes back for thousands of years . On this day the sun enters the sign of Aries , and ifc is also the day on which the ancient Persians began their new year , ancl made great rejoicings . The Parsi new year ought to begin

from this date instead of the Pateti day , as it does at present . . . This clay is observed by the Parsis as a great holiday . In Bombay the native Freemason Lodges celebrate this festival . " One of the chief causes of anxiety

among the Parsis was the danger of losing their religion . To avoid this they sent emissaries to Persia , who were successful in bringing back with them much valuable information and works on religion , which enabled them to

preserve their identity . They also brought back a sad account of their brethren in their native land . This knowledge and subsequent information stirred up the Indian Parsis , and in the course of years they had the

gratification of knowing that they had been instrumental in alleviating , if not in removing entirely , the oppression under which their brethren groaned . This feeling of kinship and sympathy is very marked in the case of the Parsis , and affords another instance of how largely the claims of humanity enter into their creed .

There does not appear to be any record of how the Parsis governed themselves in the early period of their sojourn in India , but in theirs , as in most other cases , men arose who were fitted to be leaders . The Hindus governed by what is termed a Panchayet , and the Parsis adopted the

same method after the British had taken possession of the island . The Panchayet of the Parsis was composed of the ciders and influential members of the community . It was a court of justice , and armed with the power of

excommunication ifc enforced obedience , ancl under what may be termed Lynch law offenders were punished by being beaten with a shoe . This practice fell into desuetude from the want of authority to enforce it . In 1778 in

, ^ pl y to the Panchayet of that date , William Hornby , President and Governor of Bombay , writes : " You are hereb y empowered to meet and inquire into all matters

that are committed by your caste , contrary to what has been agreed to by the majority of the caste , ancl to punish the offender agreeably to the rules of your caste , so far as uot permitting them to come to your feasts , or beat them

An Ancient People—Past And Present.*

with shoes , but no other corporal punishment . " The history of the Parsi Panchayet is a record of good and bad

government , of mildness and tyranny , of honest effort and corruption ; but for the lasfc fifty years " it has not possessed the slightest authority over the people . " The functions of the Panchayet are now limited to those of trustees of certain charitable funds , a by no means unimportant office . The difficulty of government grew with the

increase of the community and their progress in social and civil life , and some of these were of a very important character . The priests ( " Mobeds " ) and the laifcy ( "

Behdins" ) could not agree about the custom of marriage . The priests would take the daughters of the laity and wed them , but they would nofc give their own daughters to the laity in turn . The Panchayet dissolved this monopoly , but

three European Commissioners ultimately intervened , and the " mobeds " were triumphant . The serious and growing evil of bigamy had to be confronted , but the most difficult problems of all were the laws relating to inheritance and to marriage and divorce . These were afterwards solved by two Acts passed in 1865 , which are administered by a judge of the High Court , assisted by Parsi Commissioners . Such are the general outlines of the history of the Parsis . We shall next devote attention to the customs observed on the occasions of births , deaths , and marriages , to the religion of Zoroaster and the Parsi creed , Monotheism and fire-reverence , to the question of education , and refer to some distinguished Parsis , and to the progress and present position of the community . To be continued .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

CONSTANTINE LODGE , No . 145 . THB annnal festival of this Lodge took place on Thursday evening fche 9 th insfc ., when Bro . Thomas Eustace Senior Warden was installed Worshipful Master for the ensuing year , the ceremony being most ably performed by Bro . N . Tracy P . M . 70 , P . G . Secretary East Anglia . The Worshipful Master afterwards appointed and invested his Officers for the year , as follows : —Bros . J . P . Lewin

Prov . G . J . W . I . P . M ., Thos . G . Mills S . W ., Richard Clowes J . W ., J . T . Bailey M . O ., George A . Eustace S . O ., William Sowman J . O ., Eev . E . H . Crate P . M . P . G . Chap . Eng . Chaplain , Frederick A . Cole Treasnrer , Thomas J . Railings P . M . P . G . D . Eng . P . P . G S . O . Secretary , Thomas Rix P . M . P . P . G . S . B . Reg ., J . G . Renshaw S . D .,

R . D . Poppleton J . D ., H . J . Skingley Organist , A . H . Bowles I . G ., S . Munson Tyler , F . Quilter and H . C . Welch Stewards . A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . Tracy for his kindness in attending , and so ably performing the ceramony of i he day ; and to Bro . J . P . Lewin , for the able ancl energetic way he had presided over

the Lodge for the last two years . Afc fche close of the Lodge business , between 20 and 30 brethren dined at the George Hotol , Colchester , an excellent repast being , as usual , provided by tlie Hostes ? , Mrs . Guiver . On the removal of the cloth , the usual Mai * k toasts were given and responded to . Iu returning thank for the Grand Officers ,

Bro . Matier , Assistant Grand Secretary , said the Mark degree never was in a more flourishing condition than now . And it vvas a remarkable fact thafc more certificates had been issued during the first quarter of this year than iu any previous three months since the degree was established . He appealed to the brethren to support fche

Benevolent Fund , as they had just incurred a heavy loss owing to the failure of their bankers . The health of the Installing Master having been heartily drunk , Bro . Tracy returned thanks , and announced that he proposed to represent the Provinco of East ; Anglia at the Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund , on which

occasion he hoped to have a good liafc . He urged upon brethren to support fche Fund , whioh was doing a good work amongst indigent brethren of the Order , and widows and children of Mark Masons . Eventually between seven and eight guineas was subscribed in the room . Several brethren contributed songs , and altogether the whole

meeting passed off most successfully . Among the brethren present were : —Bros . C . F . Matier P . G . W . Assistant Grand Secretary , N . Tracy P . M . 70 P . G . Secretary , S . R . Anness I . P . M . 70 P . G . D . C , Charles T . Tyler , H . J . Wright S . D . 70 , and J . G . Potfcou , and tho following members of No . 145 , in adition to those already mentioned : —Bros . J . E . Wiseman , S . D . Ablitt , J . H . Miller , A . J . Ward , A . F . Ginn , W . Pepper , L . F . Manley , A . F . Harfc , and B . Barber .

Many of our readers will be glad to hear that Bro . T . W . Casburn Bush , whose sudden illness threo weeks tnncc caused his friends serious anxiety , is now almost recovered . We congratulate the Craffc on this fact . Brethren with Bro . Bush's energy are few and far between , and can ill be spared from the duties of active life .