The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-07-31
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
the end cannot be conjectured, was
originated by an obscure fanatic named
Ali Mohammed, but who is known
among his followers as the Bah Cor
gate, and whose faith. now entrenched
and waxing throughout the empire, is
denominated Babsm. He was the son
of grocer of Shiraz, and, like Mo-
hammed, early began to dream dreams
and see visions. He was educated at
Kerbela, at the feet of a great Mo-
hammedan doctor who early discovered
in his pupil indications of mystic and
supernatural endowment. From Ker-
bella he went to Bushire, where the
spirit of prophecy fell upon him. He
| proclaimed the coming of the Twelfth
| Imaun. He essayed miracles. Those
which are recorded Of him seem better
| calculated to excite ridicule than won
! der, but they were Sufficient to gather
round him a group Of believers and
followers. The delusion spread rapidly.
With each accession of proselytes his
pretens ons of supernatural power and
vision rose. He proclaimed himself
the Twelfth Imaun. In no long time
he aYowed himself to be Mohammed
/ returned to earth again, and claimed
| the dominion of all the Mohammedan
/ people. Lastly, as increasing null
/ titudes thronged round and wor-
| shipped him as the orator of the
holy prophet of God, he advanced
his pretensions to their final limit, and
| proclaimed himself the earthly inoar-
nation of God himself. 1t seems strange
that the exorbitancy of his successive
claims did not ALLEVIATE his proselytes,
but it had, instead, the effect of attach
ing them more passionately to him.
| They were determined that his native
city should hear from his lips of the
mystic transubstantiation which had
made of the grocer's boy Of Shiraz.
whom the priests and elders had doubt
less often seen at play with other boys
near the city gates at evening. or bare
footed in the mosque kneeling at his
prayers, portion of the substance of
the Almighty himself. But a prophet
is traditionally without honor in his
own country, and the bastinado was
applied to the feetof the Bah with such
promptitude and energy that he made
a full confession of his impostures and
was put in prison. This persecution,
however, only served to increase the
number of his believers, who were PEN
etrated with the same fiery and warlike
!, fanaticism as that which Mohammed
infused into his followers. There were
many proselytes among the priesthood
and the schism, hitherto local and OBJ
scure, broke out simultaneously in al
parts of the empire. In 1850 the chic
priest of Zingan, city on the road
; from Tabriz to Teheran, publicly
avowed his belief in the new faith, and
an armv was sent against him. Will
thousands of followers he took refuge
? within the walls of the city
and maintained seige fo
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 tn,
seige, the Persians, maddened by th'
! obstinacy of his followers and alarmed
| at the spread of his doctrines, brough
forth the Bah to execution. He wa
, bound to a post with ropes, and a fill
of musketeers, at the word of command
discharged volley at him. When tn
smoke cleared away it was found tina
the bullets had cut the ropes whicl
8 bound him, and he had disappeared
5 The soldiers and the multitudes assem-
n bled to witness the execution were fo
s 8, moment awed at what seemed t
1 them a miracle. But in a few minute
9 the fugitive was discovered, un
a wounded, in the guard house near by
n where he had taken refuge. He wa
t brought out again, and this time wa
O shot. IF he had reached the baza
e near at hand, instead of the guar
d house, he would very likely hav
IS escaped, as he hademultitudes of secre
# friends and believers among the peopl
d there, and they would have conceale
g him. 1t may be imagined than a
n occurrence so miraculous as his disaE
d pearance would have been hailed every
C where throughout the East as proc
is of his divine mission. AS it is, Babisl
d is a vital and augmenting spiritus
i, force in Persia, and, having in vie
l. the impassioned and fanatical charactt
% cf the people among whom it has struc
g. its roots, he would be bold proph,
3. who should venture to forecast i
t. future. - Trheran, Persia, Cor. Brool
g Ign Eagle.