Parsi

Of all existing non-Biblical religions, the one which is closest kin to the Bible is Zoroastrianism.* It is also known as the religion of the Parsis, originally Persians.

The son of the chief Parsi of India is Jal Dastur C. Pavry, himself someday destined to be chief. He is now studying at Columbia University, having come primarily on account of a professor, one A. V. Williams Jackson, Professor of Indo-Iranian languages. Said Parvy: "I think Professor Jackson knows more about Zoroastrianism than anybody anywhere in the world."

Student Parvy is also a teacher. He is giving a course in Zoroastrianism and numbers among his pupils some prospective clergymen from Union Theological Seminary across the street.

Zoroaster was born in Persia, probably about 1,000 B. C--the date is uncertain. It is said that the Glory of God (Ahura Mazda) "came down from the endless light and mingled with the mother of Zoroaster," who was then 15 and unmarried. "At birth he laughed outright." During his infancy, his life was often miraculously preserved.

After ten years of mystical communion with Ahura Mazda, but with no success in getting converts, he finally came to court. There he converted Vista Spa, the King's daughter; then the King's brother, son, Grand Vizier. He married the King's counselor's daughter. Finally the King was won, and Zoroastrianism became a militant nationalistic faith.

It is now nearly extinct in Persia, but has a small, powerful constituency in the vicinity of Bombay, India. Their most highly prized virtue is purity, with which elaborate ceremonies are associated; and they look forward to a Heaven from which all filth is excluded and in which the light (Mazda) shines ever bright.

*Zoroastrians named in the Bible are Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes. The prophet Isaiah speaks of Cyrus as he "anointed" of the Lord. The three "wise men" who came to adore the Child Jesus are supposed to have been Zoroastrians.