FIRE AS AN AGENT IN HUMAN CULTURE 129 



may be taken as a good example of a completed later phase which 

 furnishes some explanation of the scattered myriad observances of 

 uncivilized peoples in fire worship. 



"The Parsee are commonly called fire worshippers, as if that ele- 

 ment were itself, like Agni in Vedic times, an object of superstitious 

 regard; but this they specially disclaim, affirming that fire is only 

 the symbol of God, whom alone they worship. Their sacred rites 

 are in great part performed before the consecrated fire in the fire 

 temples, of which there are 7 of the highest grade in India, called 

 Atash-Behrams, and more than 100 of the second grade, called Atash- 

 Adarans. The fire in these temples is fed day and night with san- 

 dalwood and is never allowed to go out; in fact it is said that the 

 Parsee fugitives from India brought fire with them, which has been 

 kept up continuously ever since. When a fire is desired for some new 

 temple it must be specially prepared. A perforated metallic tray con- 

 taining chips and dust of sandalwood is held over a temple fire until 

 they are ignited. Then a second fire is procured from this in the 

 same manner, and so on for nine times, until by successive siftings 

 out of the earthy and baser qualities of the flame a pure and ethereal 

 element is produced. Fire coming directly from heaven, that is, by 

 lightning, is most highly esteemed. The household fire is only in a 

 less degree sacred, and should never be extinguished. In the morn- 

 ing it is saluted by each member of the family with a handful of 

 sandalwood. These fire ceremonies are designed, say the more intel- 

 ligent Parsees, to keep ever present to the mind the duty of preserv- 

 ing the thoughts, words, and deeds from all impurity in sight of the 

 One Supreme Deity, and are in no sense idolatrous. While the priest 

 tends the fire his mouth is covered with a muslin veil that no defile- 

 ment from his breath may reach the flame. He chants prayers at 

 stated intervals, sitting cross-legged before the flame and holding the 

 barsom-beresma, in the Avesta, or bundle of twigs in liis left hand. 

 The prayers are in the old language of the Parsee scriptures, written 

 in the Gujerati character, and are seldom understood by those who 

 repeat them. The chief offering of the Parsees is the homa juice, 

 corresponding to the soma of the Hindus, This should be used 

 twice a day, both in private houses and in the fire temples." '" 



With the worship of fire is com])ined the idea of perpetual fire. 

 The Parsee housed this fire in stately temples. Humboldt, describ- 

 ing the precincts of one of these temples, says: "Around the sacred 

 precincts were planted cypress trees whose forms suggested flames."'^ 



The cypress was said to have been reared in paradi v.\ 



A Parsee fire temple at Suroceliain near Baku made the first use 

 recorded of natural gas. 



"John Avery. American Antiquarian, vol. 9, March, 1887, p. 119. 

 " Cosmos, p. 101, 



