Demonology and Devil Lore. Moncure D. Conway

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Demonology and Devil Lore - Moncure D. Conway

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the good is a rather startling phenomenon when presented baldly; as, for example, in a prayer of the Madagascans to Nyang, author of evil, quoted by Dr. Réville:—‘O Zamhor! to thee we offer no prayers. The good god needs no asking. But we must pray to Nyang. Nyang must be appeased. O Nyang, bad and strong spirit, let not the thunder roar over our heads! Tell the sea to keep within its bounds! Spare, O Nyang, the ripening fruit, and dry not up the blossoming rice! Let not our women bring forth children on the accursed days. Thou reignest, and this thou knowest, over the wicked; and great is their number, O Nyang. Torment not, then, any longer the good folk!’3

      By his light he hath lighted the lamp of the morning.

      I am he that placed Adam in my Paradise.

      I am he that made Nimrod a hot burning fire.

      I am he that guided Ahmet mine elect,

      I gifted him with my way and guidance.

      Mine are all existences together,

      They are my gift and under my direction.

      I am he that possesseth all majesty,

      And beneficence and charity are from my grace,

      I am he that entereth the heart in my zeal;

      And I shine through the power of my awfulness and majesty.

      I am he to whom the lion of the desert came:

      I rebuked him and he became like stone.

      I am he to whom the serpent came,

      And by my will I made him like dust.

      I am he that shook the rock and made it tremble,

      The reverence shown in these sacred sentences for Hebrew names and traditions—as of Adam in Paradise, Marah, and the smitten rock—and for Ahmet (Mohammed), appears to have had its only requital in the odious designation of the worshippers of Taous as Devil-worshippers, a label which the Yezedis perhaps accepted as the Wesleyans and Friends accepted such names as ‘Methodist’ and ‘Quaker.’

      Mohammed has expiated the many deities he degraded to devils by being himself turned to an idol (mawmet), a term of contempt all the more popular for its resemblance to ‘mummery.’ Despite his denunciations of idolatry, it is certain that this earlier religion represented by the Yezedis has never been entirely suppressed even among his own followers. In Dr. Leitner’s interesting collection there is a lamp, which he obtained from a mosque, made in the shape of a peacock, and this is but one of many similar relics of primitive or alien symbolism found among the Mussulman tribes.

Fig. 2.—Handle of Hindu Chalice.

      Fig. 2.—Handle of Hindu Chalice.

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