The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

66 HISTORY OF INITIATION
Every preparation being completed,
Zoroaster caused
a rumour to be propagated
that he had been favoured
with a celestial vision, received up into the abode of the
39
Most High, and permitted to converse with that awful
Being face to face, who, he said, was encircled with a
bright and ever living flame of fire that a ; system of pure
worship had been revealed to him, 40 which he was directed
to communicate to those only who possessed sufficient
virtue to resist the allurements of the world, and were
willing to devote themselves to the study of philosophy,
and the pure and unmixed contemplation of the Deity
and his works.
In the most secret recesses of this hallowed cave, 41 he
now commenced the celebration of those famous rites
which exalted his name to the highest summit of cele-
brity. Every person who wished to attain a knowledge
of the Persian philosophy resorted to the Mithratic cave
for initiation. The fame of Zoroaster spread throughout
the world. Numbers from, the most distant regions 42
which they used with great profusion. The palace of Ecbatana, the
imperial residence, is thus described: "The walls and ceilings were
overlaid with gold, ivory, and amber, exhibiting the noblest designs,
wrought in the most exquisite taste. Its lofty throne of pure gold
was raised on pillars refulgent with jewels of the richest lustre. The
monarch's bed, also of pure gold, was shaded with a golden vine and
palm tree, on whose branches hung clusters of emeralds and rubies. He
reposed his head on a casket containing five thousand talents of gold,
which was called the king's bolster; and his feet rested on another,
containing three thousand talents of the same metal, &c., &c."
(Maur. Ind. Ant., vol. vii., p. 481.)
30 Prid. Con., vol. i., p. 216. This was in imitation of the Jewish
legislator, who was with the Deity forty days in the mount which
burned with fire. Zoroaster had become acquainted with this fact in
Babylon.
40 As the Jewish law was revealed to Moses. All these men, Zoroaster,
Pythagoras, Plato, and others, drew alike
fountain of truth.
from the sacred
41
; ' The
Lucian, describing the Temple of the Syrian goddess, says :
interior temple, or choir, has no gates, but is open in the front. Every'
body may go into the outer temple, but to the inner none are admitted
but the priests and even ;
amongst them, only those who are sup-
and
posed, from their piety and virtue, most to resemble the deities ;
to whom the care of all religious matters is entrusted. Here is the
statue of the deity."
42 The commentary on the book of Zeratiisht in the Desatir, con-
tains many curious instances of these visits, which uniformly ended in
conversion.