In the centre of the vast tessellated floor is a colossal opalescent human statue, typical of and dedicated to the God of Light, seated on a purple throne bordered with plates of gold--the whole eight hundred feet high, and the figure in a commanding attitude, and as dispensing wisdom and exacting reverence. A space around it is paled by a balustrade of sapphire. Behind it, on the wall to the East, is pictured in marvellous glory the rising sun. In its front, outside the sapphire enclosure and toward an entrance in the West, is a broad low altar of polished granite. On it are piled votive offerings of flowers--creatures of the sun.
Emblematic frescoes of light in varying hues, play over and adorn every portion of the wondrous edifice.
The countless throng pressing from many entrances, with faces turned upward to the Idol, and with odorless flambeaux aloft in their right hands, chanted,
“Fire! Genial Fire! Glorious Fire! Element of light! Hail, Father Sun!”
The flying companions had already taken their station in the space reserved around the Colossus, and near his feet.
_Immortal._--“This has degenerated into Fire Worship--another form of Materialism. The wretches adore the emblems, but know not their meaning. Silence! Attention!!”
The people in awe put their left hands over their eyes, and kneel with bowed heads. All the lights, large and small, become dim and wan; an ominous twilight prevails.
_Immortal._--“Zoroaster, in the name of Light appear!”
The apparition of Zoroaster stands before them.
_Immaterialized American._--“I have heard of him, but what of him?”
_Immortal._--“Zoroaster or Zurdusht was a great thinker, who lived in primeval times; computed by Aristotle to be about six thousand years before the death of Plato. He was born in ancient Bactria. He was the founder of the Magian religion, which prevailed long before the Medo-Persian monarchy. His doctrines are set forth in the book called _Zendavesta_. The _first being_ (according to that transcript) is denominated ‘Time without bounds;’ thus showing on the part of Zurdusht a vague perception of the Eternal One. His creed maintains that from the operation of this ‘infinite Time,’ the two active principles of the universe were produced from all eternity, Ormuzd (representing _good_) and Ahriman, (representing _evil_,) each disposed to exercise his _powers_ of _creation_ in different ways. The first formed man capable of virtue; the latter, changed into _darkness_ from _light_, introduced evil.”