The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1905-01-21


be rich, you think? Once his family
was the wealthiest in all Persia. But
this friend of the lowly, like the Cali
lean, has been oppressed. For fifty
years he and his family have been ex-
lies and prisoners. Their property
has been confiscated and wasted. His
own garments are usually of cotton,
and the cheapest that can be bought.
Often his friends in Persia-for this
man is rich in friends, thousands and
tens of thousands who would eagerly
lay down their lives at his word-send
him costly garments. These he wears
once, out of respect for the sender,
then he gives them away.
"His room is small and bare, with
only a mating on the stone floor.
Yet, while he is prisoner, his jailers
have become his friends. The Gov
ernor of the city, the commander OF
the army corps, respect and honor
him as though he were their own
brother. And how could it be other
wise? For to this man it is the law,
as it was to Jesus of Nazareth, to do
good to those who injure him. Have
we yet heard Of any one in lands
which boast the name OF Christ who
lived that life? Such is Abbas Effen-
d., the Master at Akka."
AS for the history Of the movement
and Babist tenets; Bahaism PROPERLY
began with one Ali 'Mohammed, a
youth of twenty-five years, who in
1914 announced himself to be the Bah,
or Gate, as the name means in Islam.
His father was a cloth seller named
Mira Ria, and the Bah was born at
Shiraz, in Southern Persia, on Oct. 9,
1920. On leaving school Ali Moham-
med for while assisted his father in
business, removing subsequently to
Bushire, on the Persian Gulf. So far
there was nothing particularly notice
able in him save gravity beyond his
years, remarkable. purity of life,
somewhat dreamy temperament-such
as characterizes most Oriental zealots
and a grace of manner which at
tracted to him many friends.
On visit to the town of Kerbela,
Ali Mohammed met and heard GER
tain Hail Seyyid KAHN of Resht, the
disciple and successor of Sheykh All
mad of Ahsa, who had founded sect
called ,Sheykhis. ..u.,>.-.... -.
! kahn d. wing some months after Ali
returned to Bushire, and the news OF
his death reaching the latter city, Ali
Mohammed suddenly amazed his
friends by announcing himself as the
spiritual successor of the departed
KAHN. He gathered disciples as
honey attracts insects in Hybla. His
fame spread He went to Mecca as
Sheykhis leader and came back the
Bah. Prosecutions followed. He was
arrested in 1916, taken to Shiraz, ar
raigned and bastinadoed as hereto
His career for many years was freck
led with trials and tribulations. Sc
far from being discouraged the Bah
continued writing down and codifying
his principles and doctrines with I'M
wearying energy. They underwent
considerable development and grew
as he aged. His son is Abbas Eff
fendi.
Babism or Bahaism may be roughly
condensed as making for perfect com
radeship. He Who Lives at Acre has
personally informed Mesdames Phoe
be Hearst of California and e. L. Get
singer of New York, as we'll as Miss
Birmingham, Attorney Phelps, Chair
man Hoar, and Prof. Edward Granville
Brown of Cambridge University in
England that his teachings arc
evolved from many other and older
religions, from which, be it ventured,
they differ little except in laying
stress upon certain passages of both
the Bible and Koran with regard to
brotherly love.
Briefly, Bahaism teaches that the
universe exists for the purpose of in
dividualizing the Eternal Essence;
that is, for the purpose of creating in
that essence centers of consciousness
and intelligence which shall know
themselves and It. Behai is It.