OF CHRISTIANITY UPON OTHER RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS. 



51 



In more modern times a great change is taking place among 

 enlightened Jews in reference to our Lord. In their modern 

 editions of some of their older literature, all abuse of Him and 

 slanders about him and His birth are suppressed. This, in itself, 

 is a great proof of Christian influence. The New Testament is 

 widely read, especially in Hebrew and Yiddish. In fact, it is 

 not too much to say that many Jews feel that for them there is 

 no choice between accepting Clnistianity or becoming Atheists. 

 Many who still profess Orthodox Judaism show great respect 

 for our Lord ; some even admit that He was the Messiah, though 

 they deny His Deity. Eeformed Judaism has even gone so far 

 as to recognize Sunday, instead of Saturday, as their Sabbath, 

 and to worship in the vernacular. 



IL—ON NEO-ZOllOASTRIANISM. 



One sect of the Parsis in Bombay accept as inspired a volume 

 entitled " Dasatir-i Asmani," which professes to contain mes- 

 sages divinely given to fifteen prophets of ancient times. It is 

 supposed to be " in the language of Heaven," but is written in 

 the Arabic character, and seems to be a bad attempt to trans- 

 literate the original Pahlavi. It is accompanied by a transla- 

 tion into the Dari form of Persian, and this is said to have been 

 made by the " Fifth Sasan." Possibly the book was composed 

 considerably after Sasanian* times in Persia. It teaches trans- 

 migration and other doctrines very different from those of the 

 Avesta, and its theology bears decided traces of Muslim influ- 

 ence. Many of the titles given to God are those used by 

 Muslims, but even these come originally from Jewish and 

 Christian sources. God is One, Merciful, Just, Loving, " the 

 Giver, the Forgiver," etc. But direct Christian influence is 

 seen, for instance, in the statement that the Archangel Bahman 

 (Vohumano) came into existence by God's command, and is 

 styled " the Word of God," and Eeason is " the medium between 

 God and His creatures."f 



An earlier Pahlavi revelation, dating from early in the sixth 

 century, is the " Arta Yiraf Namak." The story told in this 

 book of how Arta Viraf ascended in spirit into Heaven and 

 brought back an account of what he saw there, confirming 

 Mazdsean teaching, may have been an imitation of the Visio 



The Parsis say the Dari translation dates from Khusrau Par viz 

 time (a.d. 590-595). 



t Original note to II, 70. 



E 2 



