Chapter 34
THE VOICE WAS, THE GREAT SPIRIT, THE I AM.
Zarathustra, being all pure, taught that to be a Faithist in the Voice, as it comes to the pure, was the highest that man could attain.
Zarathustra, being all pure, taught that to build up one’s own faith in the I AM would produce the highest happiness.
Zarathustra, being all pure, taught that each self must learn to build itself up in love and wisdom, and after them, power, trusting in the I AM.
As the Voice came to Zarathustra, the all pure, Zarathustra perceived that the I AM must have a name in order to be distinguished by men.
Zarathustra said, Or (Light) Mazd (entity of), and he called the HIGHEST KNOWN, Or’mazd, being The Person, The All Master.
Or’mazd spoke to Zarathustra, saying: Some I have created with desire to dance, some with desire to sing, some with desire to pray.
Some I have created with faith in men, some with faith in spirits, some with faith in Me only.
Let those who have faith in men, have faith in men; let those who have faith in spirits, have faith in spirits; let those who have faith in Me, have faith in Me. The last are Mine. What is Mine I will gather together.
Mine shall be a people by themselves, of themselves.
Or’mazd spoke to Zarathustra, saying: Mine have no Gods but Me. Mine have no idols or images of Me. Mine do not bow down before idols. Mine covenant in My name secretly. Mine remember the four sacred days of the moon. Mine honor their parents. Mine kill nothing I have made alive. Mine do not commit adultery. Mine do not steal, tell lies, or covet anything. Mine return good to all men. Zarathustra taught these words, and those who were followers styled themselves Zarathustrians.
Or’mazd spoke to Zarathustra, saying: Take the ten suggestions: What are they?
Zarathustra said: My flesh is not my own substance, but Or’mazd’s. How then can I claim the ten suggestions? These, then, are not the Zarathustrian Law. They are the Or’mazdian Law. All things come from Him. All things are His.
Zarathustra went forth, preaching, and his followers numbered hundreds of thousands.
Zarathustra worked no miracles. He said miracles were the tricks of spirits and mortals. The highest of all good was to do good, and be good.
God did not give to the Zarathustrians as he had to Israel, to move among strangers, but to dwell amid the heathen within their own countries. And the Zarathustrians never established kings of their own. Nevertheless they fell into constant persecution by the worshippers of Gods and Lords.
By the time of Brahma they were nearly destroyed. And again God raised them up and established them as a mighty people. But being non- resistants they were again nearly destroyed. And again God raised them up through Capilya; this was in the time of Moses.
And they prospered and became numerous in all of Vind’yu and Jaffeth. For four hundred years they were a great people.
And about the time the Israelites made Saul their king, darkness came upon the Zarathustrians also.
The Lords and Saviors, through the oracles, inspired the kings and rulers to despoil the Zarathustrians. And for nine hundred years they were persecuted and tortured; and millions of them put to death—so that the name of Zarathustra was forgotten among men. And the great learning, and light and knowledge, of those nations went out, not to return for a long season.
God said: Because they have persecuted and destroyed my chosen, I will turn my face away from them, and they shall go down in darkness. Behold, when they persecuted my chosen in the land of Egupt, I shut out the light from them, and they perished.
Let this be testimony to all peoples, that whoever divides my people or despoils them, shall also be divided and despoiled.
This is a law of Jehovih; whoever goes away from Him shall not find Him; to turn from Him is to curse Him; to curse Him is to curse those that do it, and it shall be answered to them. END CONDENSED HISTORIES SECTION Historical Rites and Ceremonies Section Fonece (THE SEVENTH DEGREE IN THE ORDER OF ISRAEL)