The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-03
The Bah.

But the most formidable religious
movement the East has known in MANY
years, an impulse which still operates
with increasing energy and of which
tie end cannot be conjectured, was
originated by an obscure fanatic named
Ali Mohammed, but who is known
among his followers as the Bah Tor
gate, and whose faith, now entrenched
and waxing throughout the empire, is
denominated Babism. He was the son
of grocer of Shiraz, and, like Mo
manned, early began to dream dreams
and see visions. He was educated at
Kerbela, at the feet of great Mo-
hammedan doctor who early discovered
in his pupil indications of mystic and
supernatural endowment From Ker-
bella he went to Busbire, where the
spirit OF prophecy fell upon hirn. He
proclaimed the coming of the Twelfth
Jmaun. He essayed miracles. Those
which are recorded of him see m better
calculated to excite ridicule than won
der, but they were sufficient to gathec
round him group of bell evers and
followers. The delusion spre ;ad rapidly.
With each accession of pr osslytes his
prett rs ons of supernatural power and
vision rose. He proclaim ned himself
the Twelfth Imaun. In no long time
he avowed himself to be- Mohamned
returned to earth again, aad claimed
the dominion of all the Mohamnedan
people. Lastly, as il fcpeasing null
titudes thronged 70 and and wor-
shipped him as the orator csf the
holy prophet of &c d, ne advanced
his pretensiOns to the ir Gnalilimit, and
proclaimed himself he earthly incar.
nation of God himself. ii seems strange
that the exorbitancy; Of his successive
claims did not alien ate his ;prOselytes.
but it had, instead, the t fleet of attach
ing them more Iassionately to him.
They were deterT dneG shat his native
city should hear rom his lips of the
! mystic transubsf antiation which had
made OF the or oceI's boy of Shiraz,
| whom the priest ane elders had doubt
less often seen ;ft play with other boys
near the city e; ites at evening, or bare
footed in the mosque kue5ling at his
prayers, portion Gf the -su distance al
the Almighty himself But a prophet
is additionally without honor in his
own country, ard the bastinado was
applied TO the feetrOf the Bah with such
promptitude and energy that he made
a full confession eff his in postures and
was put in prison. This persecution,
however, only served be increase the
number of his believers, who were pen
etTated with the same fiery and warIike
faraticism as tkat which Mohammed
infused into his followers. There were
many proselytes among the priesthood
ard the schisn, hitherto local and OBJ
81 ure, broke out simultaneously in all
PARTS of the empire. In 1850 the chief
priest of Zingar, a city on the road
from Tabriz TO Teheran. publicly
avowed his beliefiin the new faith, and
Gn army was sent against him. With
thousands of followers he took refuge
within the Walls of the city
l:and maintained seige for
many months. but was at last over
| come, and his entire garrison, includ-
| ing the women and children, was slain
Meantime, during the progress of the
seige, the Persians, maddened by the
obstinacy of his followers and alarmed
at the spread of his doctrines, brought
forth the Bah TO execution. He was
bound to a post with ropes, and a file
of musketeers, at the word of command,
discharged vOlley at him. When the
smoke cleared away it was found that
the bullets had cut the ropes which
bound him, and he had disappeared.
The soldiers and the multitudeS assem-
bled to witness the execution were for
a moment awed ct what seemed to
them a miracle. But in few minutes
the fugitive was discovered, I'M
wounded, in the guard house near by,
where he had taken refuge. He was
brought out again, and this time was
shot If he had reached the bazar
near at hand, instead of the guard
house, he would very likely have
escaped, as he had mUltitudes of secret
friends and believers among the people
there, and they would have concealed
him. 1t may be imagined than an
occurrence SO miraculous as his disap-
pearance would have been hailed every
where throughout the East as proof
of his divine mission. As it is, Babism
is a vital and augmenting spiritual
force in Persia, and, having in view
the impassioned and fanatical character
of the people among whom it has struck
it's roots, he would be a bold prophet
who should venture to forecast its
future. Trheraw, (PerSiG). Cor. Brook
IYn Eagle.