DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22901#0310
294
HISTOR Y OF THE PARSIS.
[CHAP. VI.
to sow disaffection in the public mind towards
the Government. Half a century of education and
increased intercourse with Europeans and a better
understanding of the labours of the missionaries
have brought about a wonderful change in these
views of the Parsis. They now regard their move-
ments with perfect indifference, and many of them
would nowadays say it is better to have the com-
pany of a good Christian than that of a bad
Parsi. They perfectly understand and sincerely
believe that the Government itself does not entertain
the slightest idea of interfering with the religion of
any of its subjects, and that if any Parsi forsakes his
religion it is his own act. They would not even
blame the missionary who, they are willing to be-
lieve, is acting conscientiously and in the service
of his great Master.
The late lamented Dr. Wilson was probably the
best-hated European in India at the time the two
Parsi lads were converted, but during the last few
years of his life no European, whatever may have
been his rank, was more honoured or esteemed than
that venerable missionary. On his death the grief
in the Parsi community was not less marked than
among Christians, a fact which speaks volumes in
favour of the Parsi spirit of toleration and liber-
ality of thought and of appreciation of virtues in the
professors of a creed other than their own.
HISTOR Y OF THE PARSIS.
[CHAP. VI.
to sow disaffection in the public mind towards
the Government. Half a century of education and
increased intercourse with Europeans and a better
understanding of the labours of the missionaries
have brought about a wonderful change in these
views of the Parsis. They now regard their move-
ments with perfect indifference, and many of them
would nowadays say it is better to have the com-
pany of a good Christian than that of a bad
Parsi. They perfectly understand and sincerely
believe that the Government itself does not entertain
the slightest idea of interfering with the religion of
any of its subjects, and that if any Parsi forsakes his
religion it is his own act. They would not even
blame the missionary who, they are willing to be-
lieve, is acting conscientiously and in the service
of his great Master.
The late lamented Dr. Wilson was probably the
best-hated European in India at the time the two
Parsi lads were converted, but during the last few
years of his life no European, whatever may have
been his rank, was more honoured or esteemed than
that venerable missionary. On his death the grief
in the Parsi community was not less marked than
among Christians, a fact which speaks volumes in
favour of the Parsi spirit of toleration and liber-
ality of thought and of appreciation of virtues in the
professors of a creed other than their own.