Chapter 9
When Capilya had come to Wes-tu-chaw-aw, Jehovih said to him: Send messengers into twelve colonies which I will name to you, to its chief rab’bahs, summoning them here, for you shall teach them all alike.
The colonies were: Tahdayis, L’wellaat, Ha’darax, Thowaka, Dormstdatta, Ghiballatu, Yhon, Themmista, Vrach’hao, Ebotha, Ewen and Sravat, and each of them sent the high priest (rab’bah) with three accompanying rab’bahs, so that in all, there were thirteen chief rab’bahs, and thirty-nine rab’bahs. And Capilya had them put on red hats, without brims, after the custom of the ancient Zarathustrians.
Jehovih said to Capilya: Choose twenty damsels who are young and well grown; and twenty dames who have borne children. And these you shall adorn with blue hats with earflaps, after the manner of the Daughters of the Zarathustrian law.
When Capilya had them clothed with hats and aprons, he had the rab’bahs and the women go with him to the summit of a mountain, so that they could not be approached by idlers or spectators without due warning. And on the summit of the mountain Capilya said: When you were babes I prayed for you; now that you are mature, you shall worship the Creator with your own words. Bring, therefore, every one a stone, and cast it down, for it shall be an altar before Jehovih for our sacrifice. And as I do, you do.
They all took stones and cast them into a pile; and when they were still standing near, Capilya raised his hands to heaven and said: Father, when I was weak, You provided for me. My mother and my father and my rab’bah prayed for me, and taught me of You. And for that reason I praise You with thanks and glorification. Now that I am strong, I stand upright before You and praise You and pray to You with my own words, and not as the heathen who have priests to pray for them.
Because You made me a man I will labor to prove myself before You. As I have here cast down this stone, let it stand as my covenant to You that I will, from this time forward, cast away earthly passions and desires. And because I have raised up both my hands to You, lead me, O Father, in the right way!
When they had all repeated these words, Capilya walked once around the altar, followed by the others, and he said: Jehovih (Ormazd) Almighty, glory to You forever! You are on the mountaintop and in the valley; Your circle is the circumference of the world. I walk in the circle with You; You are forever by my side; Your light, the glory of my soul. Praise Him, O you mountains and valleys; sing to Him, you moon, and you stars; His hand holds you up; His breath moves all things!
In You I live; of Yourself You made me! O that I may not dishonor Your handiwork; or make myself ashamed before You. Because You are Ever Present, I fear You; because I cannot hide from You, I will be most circumspect in my behavior.
Capilya then sat down on the altar, saying: Go out a little way, and then return, so that I may teach you how to approach the altar of Jehovih. The people did as commanded, and when they came near, Capilya said: Who comes?
Now here are the questions and answers as Jehovih taught His children through Capilya:
A worshipper of Jehovih (Ormazd): Behold the altar of my people, who are known by their piety and good works, and in helping one another.
Who is Jehovih?
The Ever Present. He fills all place and space. He created me alive, and taught me to adore Him and His works.
Why do you come to this place above any other? If He is Ever Present why not worship Him in any other place?
He sends guardian angels to abide with His children who are pure and good. These angels desire certain places and times, in which my soul may be given to Jehovih. Through His holy angels He teaches me in wisdom and love.
Why not worship the angels themselves, since they are your guardians and benefactors?
To not call on the name of any angel who is Lord or God, is my religion; but to call on Jehovih, the Great Spirit. Whoever calls on the name of angels, or Lords, or Gods, will be answered by them, but whoever calls on the Creator will be answered by Him, Who is the All Highest.
How can Jehovih answer you? Does He have lips, and tongue, and mouth?
Jehovih is the Soul of all things; He speaks to soul. His voice has had many names; by the heathen and the idolater He is called Conscience.
What profit do you have in worshipping Him?
I am created so; because of the fullness of Him in me, I desire to express my adoration, and to commune with Him. Whoever does not have this desire is an evil man.
Will He answer your prayers? Turn aside from His usual course and come especially to you more than to another?
As a horse drinks water from a trough and so enlarges himself, so does the soul of the righteous man drink from the everlasting Fountain, Jehovih, and the soul of man thus enlarges and accomplishes in answer to its own prayer; nevertheless, it all comes from Jehovih. Nor does He turn aside from His usual course, for He is Ever Present, and thus answers the prayer of the soul of man.
What prayers does He answer? And what prayers does He not answer?
He answers the prayer for purity, and for love, and wisdom, and virtue. Whoever prays to Him for permission to do good to others, He answers without fail. He does not answer selfishness, or the prayers of the wicked. And for this reason the wicked say: He does not answer prayer. ||
Capilya said: My beloved, when you approach the altar of Jehovih, you shall repeat the wise words I have taught you; but not aloud like the idolaters, but in whisper or low voice.
What is the worship of Jehovih’s chosen? And how does it differ from the heathen’s?
Jehovih’s chosen stand equal before the Father, and every one shall work out his own resurrection, both in this world and the next. Hence they are direct worshippers, being taught to worship Jehovih with their own prayers and songs. The heathen have priests to do worship for the people, who contribute to them in money for the service. The heathen priests worship the spirits of the dead, who call themselves Lord, and God, and Savior. The chosen children do not war, do not resent by violence, but answer evil by good, and practice charity and love. The heathen, the worshippers of God, and of Lord, and of Dyaus, and all other idols, practice war, and maintain armies of soldiers, who are taught the art of killing with great havoc. They build monuments to men, and otherwise blaspheme against Jehovih. They teach that Jehovih is void, but that He made Himself into Dyaus, a large man, and then created all things, after which He retired to His throne, leaving certain laws to govern His works.
What is the Zarathustrian law of life?
To not eat flesh of anything Jehovih created with the breath of life. To bathe once every day. To rise with the morning sun, and be temperate in all things.
What is the Zarathustrian fatherhood and motherhood?
To have only one wife; to have only one husband; to maintain sacred the maternal period.
What was the Zarathustrian compensation?
All things belong to Jehovih; man is only His servant. The fruits of the earth and of all labor shall be cast into the rab’bah’s house, and by him delivered to the needy.
Why were the Zarathustrians persecuted and destroyed?
Because they did not resist by violence, and because they did not worship the idols of the heathens.
Had they no way of saving themselves?
To that end Jehovih gave them certain signs and passwords, by which they could know one another, and in time of distress assist one another to flee away.
Why did Jehovih not preserve His chosen people?
By the laws of the circumcision the Faithists could only marry among themselves, in order to preserve a knowledge of Jehovih (Ormazd) among mortals. Those who were holy were preserved; those who went after earthly things, and after the idolaters, were cut off. But even in this Jehovih profited the seed of the Faithist, by raising up heirs of su’is among the heathen.
Capilya said: Teach these things to your children from their youth up, and enjoin it upon them to teach these to their children.