There has been a great discussion among the Parsees as to whether they should alter their custom of disposing of their dead. The custom they adopt at present and the one laid down to them in the Vendidud—the "Bible" of the Parsees—is not to bury their dead, but to plice the bodies in a roofless tower called the "Tower of Silence." Here the corpses remain until they are eaten by the vultures. The arguments raised an inst this have been many, but the one that seems to come home to them most is that, this custom being against all sanitary laws, is one calculated to help in spreading the Plague in Bombay. 'This is the Parsees' favourite city in India where they live in thousands, and they have seen and-fully do realise' what terrible havoc the Plague has created among them. 'They do not like to adopt the custom of burial as il is in direct opposition to the tates of the Pendidad. It has been pointed out that if breaking a rule in the Vendidud means giving up" their religion, they have done' ea fong ago, there are a great many customs. which because they have been found to be impracticable have: become obsolete: As, for instance, the curious custont of treating a dog with as much consideration' as a man. If a dog dies the same ritual, according to the dictates wf their religion, is to be observed in disposing of his carcase as would be observed in the case of the death of ahriman being. The punish-iment for serving bad food'to a shepherd dog is greater than for killing a man. For the former.offence 200 stripes is considered a just chastisement whereas the latter offence is only punished with ninety stripes from the priestly whip." This custom has long since been: forgotten and it is very much hoped, therefore, that the Parses, who as a rule are distinguished for common sense, will follow its teachings this more important matter of the disposing of their dead."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.