Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
in such a manner as to render it intelligible to our countrymen . Our contemporary says that on this occasion there were eight Parsees and Mahometan Brethren present , who afterwards , with their European Brethren , partook of their meals ; and the circumstance afforded them more than ordinary gratification that evening , and no less surprise , to witness the propriety with which they ( the Parsees and Mahometans )
conducted themselves at the ceremony of this pious festival and at the festive board , and that nothing can be more satisfactory than to observe such new order of things when the Parsees and Mahometans joined in partaking of a meal with their Christian Brethren on the occasion of this distinguished festival . Although they fight against each other on the score of religion , yet on the occasion of this St . John ' s festival they cheerfully united as one ; although tbey were brought from their
up infancy in different languages , yet now they are acquainted with and converse with each other in that of Freemasonry . The holy disciples of Zoroaster , the true believers of Mahomet , and the Christians , severall y of a different creed , but united by indissoluble and everlasting ties , as if sons of one Father , met together on the day of St . John ' s festival . " We have not translated the language of our Brother ofthe' Courier verbatimas such translation would be unintelliiblewe have
con-, g ; sequently given , we hope , the figuratively correct version oi our Brother ' s article . "On a careful examination it appears that the ostensible object of our Brother in stating this , was to show that he has been actuated b y nothing but impulse of affection and regard—at the same time to notify that , though the Parsees have been , and are , so hostile to Christianity ,
they have done honour to a Christian festival ; joined a Christian , assembly , and ate and drank with freedom and without prejudice , with their European Brethren , from their glasses and on their plates . Another motive ivhich has actuated our said Brother was to tell the world at large , and the people of Europe in particular , where the Parsee religion has been so eminently praised , and where people are so well conversant with rites and ceremonies of the Mazdesnian religion , which
have excited no small curiosity , and to acquaint those who live so far off , and who believe that a Parsee will neither give water to others to drink , nor drink that which others give , ( except their own tribe ) , that the Parsees think it no disgrace thus to join with Christians with a strong tie , on such occasion . "Those natives who are acquainted with the English language will not be at a loss to make out on reading the ' Bombay Courier' of Friday
, the . 28 th June , 1844 , that between the Parsee Freemasons and Christians their exists no difference . " Previous to the publication of the aforesaid article in the ' Courier , " and when there appeared a notice in the English newspapers inviting Masons to celebrate St . John ' s festival , we declared that the Parsees who have become Freemasons , and . tbe Parsees who had received baptismal water and become Christiansare alikewe reckonno Parseesbecause
, , , , it is nowhere written , and nowhere enjoined in , or by the Parsee religion for the Parsees to join any assembly celebrating a Christian festival , or to join with them in taking their meals . Some say that the ceremony of this festival was made by Freemasons—we ask them on what account was it made ? It was on account of the St . John , nothing but St . John ' s festival , and those who can worship St . John must once , an hundred VOL . 11 3 B
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
in such a manner as to render it intelligible to our countrymen . Our contemporary says that on this occasion there were eight Parsees and Mahometan Brethren present , who afterwards , with their European Brethren , partook of their meals ; and the circumstance afforded them more than ordinary gratification that evening , and no less surprise , to witness the propriety with which they ( the Parsees and Mahometans )
conducted themselves at the ceremony of this pious festival and at the festive board , and that nothing can be more satisfactory than to observe such new order of things when the Parsees and Mahometans joined in partaking of a meal with their Christian Brethren on the occasion of this distinguished festival . Although they fight against each other on the score of religion , yet on the occasion of this St . John ' s festival they cheerfully united as one ; although tbey were brought from their
up infancy in different languages , yet now they are acquainted with and converse with each other in that of Freemasonry . The holy disciples of Zoroaster , the true believers of Mahomet , and the Christians , severall y of a different creed , but united by indissoluble and everlasting ties , as if sons of one Father , met together on the day of St . John ' s festival . " We have not translated the language of our Brother ofthe' Courier verbatimas such translation would be unintelliiblewe have
con-, g ; sequently given , we hope , the figuratively correct version oi our Brother ' s article . "On a careful examination it appears that the ostensible object of our Brother in stating this , was to show that he has been actuated b y nothing but impulse of affection and regard—at the same time to notify that , though the Parsees have been , and are , so hostile to Christianity ,
they have done honour to a Christian festival ; joined a Christian , assembly , and ate and drank with freedom and without prejudice , with their European Brethren , from their glasses and on their plates . Another motive ivhich has actuated our said Brother was to tell the world at large , and the people of Europe in particular , where the Parsee religion has been so eminently praised , and where people are so well conversant with rites and ceremonies of the Mazdesnian religion , which
have excited no small curiosity , and to acquaint those who live so far off , and who believe that a Parsee will neither give water to others to drink , nor drink that which others give , ( except their own tribe ) , that the Parsees think it no disgrace thus to join with Christians with a strong tie , on such occasion . "Those natives who are acquainted with the English language will not be at a loss to make out on reading the ' Bombay Courier' of Friday
, the . 28 th June , 1844 , that between the Parsee Freemasons and Christians their exists no difference . " Previous to the publication of the aforesaid article in the ' Courier , " and when there appeared a notice in the English newspapers inviting Masons to celebrate St . John ' s festival , we declared that the Parsees who have become Freemasons , and . tbe Parsees who had received baptismal water and become Christiansare alikewe reckonno Parseesbecause
, , , , it is nowhere written , and nowhere enjoined in , or by the Parsee religion for the Parsees to join any assembly celebrating a Christian festival , or to join with them in taking their meals . Some say that the ceremony of this festival was made by Freemasons—we ask them on what account was it made ? It was on account of the St . John , nothing but St . John ' s festival , and those who can worship St . John must once , an hundred VOL . 11 3 B