Thepaperreadwas- beenand are beingconverted.In European
Turkey, and morenotablyin AsiaticTurkey,
PERSIA AND THE REGENERATION OF votaries and propagandists ofthe newmove-
ISLAM. mentsare increasing yearly.I conversed with
someof these in Baghdad,and foundthem
By Bernard Temple.
zealousand sanguine. In Egypt,itappears,
A Societywhichseeks,amongotherworthy Bahais are becomingnumerous. Morocco,
objects,"to increasethe tradeof the realm Algeria,Tunisand Tripoli,I am told,arenot
byextending thesphere ofBritish commerce," beingleftunvisited. The northern provincesof
may be presumed to have practical concern India provide a large potential harvest-field,
withthepossibilities of economicprogressin wherethereare alreadymanysowers,and I
backwardcountries. But it is on a higher havemetBahaisin Bombay, Karachi,Quetta,
ground- thoughthat is nota low ground - Peshawar,Rawalpindi,Lahore, Delhi and
thatI venture to submit tothislearnedSociety Lucknow-all proselytes from Islam. Outside
certainoftheresultsof mylongtravelsinthe theMoslemworldBahai missionaries, quietly
East. This Societyis an outcome,and its purposefuland steadfast,are carryingthe
ofthe" Kitab-ul-Aqdas "
multifarious workis an expression, ofan order teachings (theMost
of civilisationhitherto attainedonlyby ad- Holy Book) intomanyunsuspectedregions.
vancedWestern nations; and itis mypresent Converts have been wonamongthe Sikhsof
purpose to show that some Eastern nations Amritsar and the Brahmansof Benares,in
have lately,undercircumstances of romantic whichcities I have met a few of themin
interest,become possessed of a powerfulfriendly converse ; among the Buddhistsof
impulse to ascend to the same superiorplane. Ceylon, Burma and Siam; and amongthe
Not everyacorngrowsintoan oak. This Taoistsof Chinaapd the Shintoists ofJapan.
is trueof otherthingsbesidesbotany. It is Japan,indeed,is said to be provingparticu-
true of religiousmovements.Therefore the larlyresponsiveto the call. Many Persian
worldhas generallybeen heedlessof small Jewsin Tehranhave becomeBahais, and I
beginnings. Sometimesthe worldhas had have beenprivileged to attendsome of their
cause toregret itsinattention.Europe,at the secretorsemi-secret assemblies.TheseJewish
present time,is notshowing itselfregardfulof Bahaistellmethatin Hamadan,inPersia,one
theriseofthenewreligiousmovement, called oftheoldestJewishsettlements in theworld,
"Bahaism," in Persia. Asia is bynomeans where the reputed tombs of Esther and
unmindful ofthephenomenon. Is Europewise Mordecaiare shown,at least a thirdof the
in itsindifference? Jewishcommunity has openlyorsecretly gone
Let us reflect,fora moment, uponthe be- overto thenewmovement.No Christian mis-
ginning ofIslam. When theProphet took to sionaryto the in
Jews any part of theworld
preachingin the wildsof Arabia,to semi- can boasta triumph equal tothis. The Par-
barbaroustribesof idolatrousnomads,Con- sees of Bombay,who have preserved their
stantinople was the capital of Christendom.religiousand racial integrity forcenturies by
Muhammad himself had tofleeforhislifefrom dintofan impenetrable aloofness, arenow,for
hisownkithand kin at Mecca. Yet in less thefirst timeintheirhistory, beginning to show
thana hundredyearsthe SaracenicEmpire signs of doubtingthemselvessince Bahai
extended from Lisbonin Portugalto Karachi influences reachedthem,and manyParsees
in India; and to-daythe Christian cathedral have actuallybecomeBahais,whileothers(I
ofSt. Sophiais a Muhammadan mosque. have been toldby one of theirnumber)are
Europe's unconcern regarding Bahaism in heldback onlyby social restraints.A more
Persia,andbeyond,has noteventhe excuse intellectual formof Bahai proselytism has
that the beginningis small. Alreadythe expandedintoEurope,and has beenfruitful in
numberof Bahais in theworldis statedto Russia, Germany, France,and England. 1
exceedtwomillion, thoughthefounderofthe founda largecommunity ofBahaisflourishing
Faithwas stillpreaching whenMr.Gladstone in Baku. The numberof Bahais in London
was preparingto hurlhis last thunderboltsis appreciable : smallercirclesexistin Man-
at the House of Lords. Not less than one- chester,Liverpool,Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
fifthofthepopulation ofPersiais estimated to The United States of Americapromiseto
haveembracedBahaism. Nor are adherents become a great Western strongholdof
recruited solelyfrom the Shiah sectof Islam. Bahaism,and manyAmericanshavebeenat
SunniMuhammadans in large numbers have the pains of mastering the Persianlanguage


withthe sole object of studying the Bahai to overlookthe truemissionof Persia'snew
scriptures and commentaries in theoriginal. prophet.Accordingto thisundoubtedly well-
I have had the privilegeof manylong and informed authority :-
earnesttalkswithoneof theseAmerican con- BahaUllahhasknown howtotransform Babism
verts- a gentleman ofculture andscholarship - intoa universal which
religion, is presented as the
inhischarming Persianhomein Tehran,who, fulfilment andcompletion ofall theancient faiths.
though enjoying large private means, is de- The Jews await the Messiah, the Christians the
votinglaboriousand even drudging yearsto return ofChrist, theMuslims theMahdi,theBud-
the cause,withthat calm,settledenthusiasm dhiststheFifthBuddha,the Zoroastrians Shah
whichBahai teacherscommonly show. An Bahram, theHindoosthere-incarnation ofKrishna,
- Baha
Americanlady has composeda Bahai hymn andtheAtheistsa better socialorganisation.
Ullah represents all these,and thus destroys the
ingood literary Persian,whichwas shownto rivalries and the enmities ofthedifferent
mebya PersianBahai whenI wasin Isfahan. reconciles religions;
themin theirprimitive purity, andfrees
Canada also is beginning to give friendly ear them fromthecorruption ofdogmas andrites.For
to the newteaching,especiallythe citiesof Bahaismhasno clergy, no religiousceremonial, no
Montreal, Quebec,andToronto. Beforegoing publicprayers ; itsonlydogma is beliefinGodand
further, perhapsI oughtto statethatI am not in His Manifestations Moses,
^Zoroaster, Jesus, &c.,
a Bahai. BahaUllah). Ritualholdsnoplaceinthereligion,
which must beexpressed inalltheactions oflifeand
Significance of Bahaism. accomplished in neighbourly love. Monogamy is
What thenis Bahaism? There are still universally recommended. A universal language, and
people in EuropewhoconfuseBahaismwith thecreation of tribunals between nations, are to
Babism. That is notan unnatural mistake. suppress wars.
The Bab was the firstand the lesserof two Bahaismis thusmade out to be a sortof
teachers,and his followers called themselves spiritualVolapuk or Esperanto - a world
Babis,untilthe secondand greaterteacher, religion. This is the truth. EveryBahai
Baha (or Baha Ullah) appeared,who super- wouldendorseit. The Bahai scriptures would
seded the Bab, as the Bab himself had fore- confirm it. But I ventureto hold that it is
told. The relationbetweenthe twoteachers notthe wholetruth. I would evensuggest
is comparedby Bahais with that between thatit obscureswhat,forpracticalpurposes, is
John the Baptist and Jesus- the former pre- a greater truth. The factis that Bahaism, in
pared the way forthe latter. To call the itsessentialcharacter, as I understand it,is
Bahais " Babis" is, therefore, like calling nota religion, but a religiousmovement.If
Christians" Baptists." Babis, properlyso- itwerea religion itschanceof diffusion would
called- thatis, followers oftheBab, whohave probably be small. Like Theosophy, itmight
notbecomefollowers of Baha Ullah- number captivatehereand therea fewintellectual or
no moreperhapsthana fewhundred.Prac- romantic souls,becomea fashionin salonsof
ticallytheyarean extinct sect. philosophicalunrest,and sink softlyinto
Bahaism,then,is notBabism. Whatis it ? oblivion.Thirteen hundred yearshaveelapsed
I shallnotreferinquirers to Bahai literature,since the youngestof the world'sgreatreli-
whichis now copious and- thanksto the gionswas born,and humanity seemstohave
splendidindustry of thateminent Orientalist,crystallised intotwo main classes: one,too
Professor E. G. Browne - accessible. As an warmly attachedto theoldcreedstobe turned
Asiatic travellerI have learntthat a wide away fromthem; the other,too coldlyin-
differencemaydividethetheory of a religion different to be stirredby any new creed.
fromits practice. For myownpart,I have Bahaismappearsas the complement of reli-
notbeen contentto examineBahaismin the gion. It is, in verybrief,the Protestantism
" but of Islam. It comesto inauguratethe Re-
recondite pagesofthe Kitab-ul-Aqdas,"
have investigated it inthemindsof menwho formation in Asia. Its spiritis anti-papal,
professand preachitstenets,especially in its anti-episcopal, anti-clerical. The Bab was
nativehome. Learned Europeanwriterson the JohnHuss of Persia; Baha Ullah was
thesubjecthave notalwaysappearedto show the MàrtinLuther. Therein,to my mind,
~an adequateappreciation of this distinctionlies the force,the promise,I may say the
•between dead doctrinesand livingimpulses. historical momentousness, of Bahaism.
Thus,even the mostcarefulof the shorter Smallmindsrunlightlyto extravagances of
.summaries of Bahai teaching,whichappears eulogyand of denunciation.Let it appear
in theFrenchencyclopaedia ofLarousse,seems thata nobleandvenerable institution has out-


lived its uses,and thereare men who will tothepotentialities of anyhumanmovement-
overwhelm it withvituperation. Of thissort, It is a limitation of present-day fact. You-
as a rule,is theanti-clerical fury.Theremay have onlyto considerthatthe Muhammadan-
naturally comea timeinthedevelopment of a convertsto Bahaismnumbermorethantwo
great religionwhenits priests, who are its million,and the non-Muhammadan converts
teachers, cease to be a helpand evenbecome onlya fewthousand, to perceivethe strength
a drag. It is confessedly so withteachersin of the statement.The Bahai drçam of a
otherdomainsof knowledge.The graduate world-wide propagandais doubtlessa proper,
who goes forthfromhis university to do and may even be a reasonable,object of
intellectual prodigiesin the worldmight,if aspirationand endeavour.My concernhere
compelled to remainforlifeundercollegiate is withwhatis actuallybeingaccomplished.
tutelage,degenerateinto a pedant. But to
say that a religionon arrivingat spiritual Historical Comparisons between
maturity maybe justified, in certaincircum- Eukope and Asia.
stances,in freeingitselffromecclesiastical If the Reformation in Christendom be-
bondsis notto sanction vilification ofall sacer- broughtintoviewforcomparison - so faras
dotal institutions. Probablyno religionhas comparison can go- withthis new Reforma-
been,orcouldbe,rearedthrough theperilsof tionin Islam,someremarkable parallelswilb
unpopularinfancy, and the difficulties of appear. In earliestdays, several centuries
juvenescence, exceptby priests. It is only beforethe Reformation dawnedin Europe,
whenpriestly poweroutstays itsoffice,orover- Christianity divided itself into two great
stepsit,orcorrupts it,thatitincurs justblame. Churches, the Greekand the Roman,which-
History, unfortunately, provides manyexamples neveragaincommingled, andto thisdaydwell
of clericalabuse: buthistory also glowswith apart,the one ruledby its Patriarchs,the
therenown of priestly workswhichhavecon- otherby its Popes. Islam similarly, in its-
tributed totheuplifting ofmankind. youngyears,splitup intotwogreatChurches,
Islam,like otherreligions, owes its growth the Sunniand the Shiah,whichneverafter-
and its greatnessin large measureto its wardsrecombined, and stillremainmutually
priests. Unhappily, it also owesto themits antagonistic, the one underits Caliphs,the
decayand itsdownfall.Thisis no irresponsi-otherunderitsImamsortheirsuccessors. In
ble pronouncement ; it is theverdict of those bothcases priestly zealotrywidenedthegulf
who have,perhaps,the best rightto be the and keptitopen. One ofthe cherished aims
judges- representative Muhammadans. I have of Bahaism is to bringSunnisand Shiahs
movedaboutthe Moslemworldforfourteentogether againin a reformed faithoflove.
years,and everywhere in mytravels-in India, pretensions
Priestly to temporalpower,in
in Persia,andinArabia-earnestMuhamma- Christendom as in Islam,brought Church and
dans (notBahais) have urgedupon me the State intofrequent conflict,and generallyit
same strongconviction.This is far from was thepeople,distracted betweentheircivil'
implying thatthewholeof Islam has become dutiesand theirreligiousfears,whosuffered
consciousof itsdegradation and of thecause. most. Bahaismseekstoreconcile thespiritual
Enlightment is, as yet,limitedalmostentirely andtemporal authoritiesin Islam byshowing
totheinconsiderable literateclasses,and the thateachis a necessary adjunctof theother
uninstructed millions stillpreserve muchofthe theChurchperforms thereligiousfunctions of
old superstitious venerationfor Mujtahids, theState; theStatedischarges thecivilobliga-
Mullahs,Syeds,Dervishes, Pirs,Imamzadehs, tionsoftheChurch.
and otheradorablepeople. Butthenewanti- Abuseof priestly power,in Christendom as
clericalidea is surelyspreading, and it seems in Islam,provoked fromtimeto timesporadic
to be thespecialmissionofBahaismtopropa- outbreaks of whatmaybe called premature
gate it to the ends of the Moslemuniverse. Protestantism, and in both religionsthese
Some ofthe mostlearnedPersianBahaisto revoltswereextirpated byfireand slaughter.
whomI have submitted thisviewof Bahaism The massacreby Pope InnocentIII. of the
at Tehranconferences have acknowledged its hereticalAlbigensesin Languedoc,whose
justness,and haveobjectedonlyto the impli- offending was thattheyanticipated Lutherby
cationthatthe energiesof the newteaching threecenturies, could be matchedby more
arelimited to theregeneration of Islam. This tfyanone agonisingtale fromthe historyof
limitation is notof mymaking. I am thelast earlyIslam.
to presume toseta boundofmyownimagining When we get down to later times, the-


parallelism growscloser. Fromthe twelfthdiffusion of satiricalepigramsand allegories,
century a change appeared in the universal directedagainsttheheadsof theChurchand
acceptanceby the Christiannationsof the againstthemonks.Last summer, whenI was
orthodox faithof Rome. In that age there in Isfahan,the bazaar was excitedby the
brokeupontheChurcha floodofheresy which secretcirculation of a lampoonrepresenting
nopersecution was able thoroughly to stemtill AghaNejefi(one of themostpowerful Mujta-
itfinally overspread halfthesurface ofEurope. hids in the Shiah clergyand the supreme
Men openlybegan to thinkforthemselves in religioushead in CentralPersia) standing
religious to
matters, rejectparticular teachings crestfallen beforethe Throneof Judgement,
of the Papacy, and to protestagainst the whileAllahpouredscornand wrathuponhim»
despotismof the clergy. The Waldensesin Anti-clerical pamphleteering of this sortis
Lombardy, Germany, Flanders, Spain, France, now common in many Persian cities,though
and England,setup theBibleas theirsolerule itis stilltimidand furtive.Christian protests
of faith, and renounced entirely the arbitraryin 1508wereparticularly loudagainstthe use
usagesandtraditions of ecclesiasticism. Like of the Latin tonguein the servicesof the
the Albigenses,theysuffered, but the fireof Church. The religiousreformers in Persia
rebellion was nowtoo bigto be extinguished,are nowbeginning to make a corresponding
thoughfora timeit could no more than grievance oftheuse ofArabicinthemosques»
smoulder.JohnHuss in Bohemia,following But it was MartinLutherwho gave co-
theteachings ofWycliffe in England,sethim- herence, energy and permanenceto the
selftorestore thepurity and simplicity ofscrip- scatteredforcesof ChristianProtestantism.
turalChristianity, ard was excommunicatedAnd- so faras the movement yetextends-it
bythePope. When,undera safeconduct, he is Baha Ullah who has wrought the same
wenttotheCouncilofConstance to defend his wonder for Muhammadan Protestantism.
opinions before theclergyofall thenations, he MartinLutherbeganthecampaignbyassert-
was seized,orderedto recant,and, refusing, ing the rightsof humanreason. The same
burntto death. Similarly,in the twelfth was thefirstplankin Baha Ullah's spiritual
of the Muhammadanera a change platform.Indeed Bahaismdeliberately uses
century
appearedin theuniversal acceptanceby the theweaponagainst itself byinsisting its
that
Moslem nations of the Orthodoxy of Mecca own teaching shall be subjectedby every
andof Kerbela. Similarly, therebrokeupon individual to hisprivatejudgment. Luther's
the MussulmanChurcha floodof heresy firstcollisionwiththePope arose out of the
whichno persecution was able thoroughlysale of " indulgences." The theory ofindul-
to stem. Similarly,the Bab, defyingthe gences in the RomanCatholicsystem, itwill
fanaticism of the Shiah hierarchy, shook by be remembered, was that many saints and
his fieryeloquencethe supportsof whatmay pious men had donemoregood worksand
be called the Papacy of Islam,in seekingto bornemoresuffering thanwas required forthe
restore the of Muham- remission of their sins : the surplus consti-
simplicity Quranic
the
madanism ; and in like mannerwas excom- tuteda treasureforthe Church,which
was authorised to distribute in exchange
municated.Thereafter, beguiledbyperfidious Pope
pledgesofsafety, he delivered himself intothe forpiousgifts. In themindsofthe ignorant
handsofhis enemies, believing thathe would an indulgencebecameequal to a licencefor
be permitted to justify opinionsin open sin. One of the most perniciousreligious
his
from thepretensions of
controversy, as no threatcouldmovehim abuses inPersiaarises sell to
and,
the
to retract, he was some of the priests to people
duringhis imprisonment
executed. places in Heaven; indeedthereare priests
the incrediblelength of issuing
JohnHuss and the Bab, each in his turn, who go
werebutthevoices crying in the wilderness. tickets or passes forParadiseinthe manner
It was notuntilthe sixteenth century thatthe of the booking-office of a theatre. I knowof
waveofpopularfeeling againstabsolutism in one case, in the city of Qum,wheresucha
the Roman Church broke all bounds. Erasmus ticketwas declared transferable. Baha Ullah
started a schoolofFree-thought. Free-thoughtattacked this scandal and
fiercely, thereby
has to-daybecomewidely among the threw down the gauntlet. Luthernextpro-
prevalent
intellectual classesin Persia,and was,indeed, ceededto assail theauthority of thePopeand
one ofthefirstphenomena to kindlethepro-. the doctrines of theRoman Catholic Church ina
fire of Baha Ullah. The Christian succession of printed pamphlets and sermons,
phetic to read.
populacesin Europewereinfluenced by the whichall Europeshoweditselfeager


Baba Ullahwrotethe" Kitab-ul-Aqdas," the forms of government, withparliamentary con-
" Kitab-ul-Iqan,"and the " Kitab-ul-Ahd,,,troloverlaw,justice,and finance. Can any-
besidesnumerous lettersor "tablets," all of one supposeit to be a merecoincidence that
whichare now being¿steadilydisseminatedin Persia and Turkey the beginnings ofreli-
through Asia. When Pope Leo X. resorted giousreformation, as representedbyBahaism,
to excommunication, Lutherretorted byburn- havebeenfollowed bythefirststepsinpolitical
ingthePapal decreein public. Baha Ullah, reformation, and that the waftingof Bahai
in similarcircumstances, not less scornfullyideas to Egypt,India,Arabia,Morocco,and
deridedhis excommunicators. Graduallyin Algeriais beingaccompaniedbynewforms of
Europenoblesand princes, as well as some Orientalunrest ? Or can anyonebelievethat
priests,beganto supportthe Lutheran cause, the influence of this regenerative spiritwill
untilits suppression byviolenceceasedtobe carryno further thanthat? Let us cast but
eventhinkable.The followers of Baha Ullah onemoreglanceat theReformation in Europe
already include members of the rulingfamily and reflect
upon largerconsequences.The
its
in Persia- Viziers,Parliamentary Deputies, religiousand politicalchangesthatitinaugu-
Governors of Provinces, and severalpriestsor rated were not its end: theywere but the
Mullahs; and although persecution in Persia meansto a moresplendid reformation. "Rich
has notceased,it is nowobligedforthe most indeed,"says one of the soberestof ourhis-
partto resort to quieterand subtlermethods. torians," has been the harvestof thatgreat
One of mymostinfluential Bahai friends was, period. The spiritof inquiry, once set free,
beforehis conversion, an eminent Mujtahidor has changedand blessedthewholeworld.To
Muhammadan prelate. Pope AdrianVI., in thiswe owe in modernliterature someofthe
alarm,calledto his aid the rulersofAustria, noblestcreationsofthe humanintellect.To
France and Germany, and a lastfiercecam- thisare due thediscoveries of science,which
paignagainstheresy was thussetgoing. The havemadelifelonger,easier,brighter. Hence
sonand apostleofBaha Ullah,AbbasEffendi, have comein everylandthetriumphs oftruth
has told how the Ulema (religiousdoctors) and geniusoverprejudiceand power. This it
constrained the PersianGovernment to take is whichhas createdthe greatestof modern
activemeasuresagainsttheReformer and to republics,and has filledthe colonialworld
orderthepillageand massacreofhisfollowers. withflourishing, self-governingpeoples; has
Luthertranslated the Bible intoGerman, and revealedthe secretsof CentralAfricaand
thereby dealtecclesiastical authorityoneofits the isles of the great Pacific; has dimi-
heaviestblows. Baha Ullahhasdirected that nisheddistancebysteam,and destroyed itby
the Bible,the Quran,and his ownscriptureselectricity ; has struckoffthe fetters of the
are tobe translated intoeverylanguageinthe slave,and,lastand best,has madethenations
world. Luther,himselfa monk,assailedthe knoweach other,and in thatknowledge has
principle of monasticism bymarrying a nun. prepared, and is preparing, forthe reignof
Baha Ullah adjuresthepriestsofall religions universal peace." A Reformation onEuropean
to renouncecelibacyand to preachby their soiland a Reformation onAsiaticsoilwillnot
example,mingling in the lifeof the people. necessarilyproduceidenticalharvests.But
This personalparallelismmightbe carried beforeanyoneattemptsto makelightof the
further, butitssignificance mustnowbe suffi- potentialities of an awakenedIslam,let him
ciently apparent. History to-dayis openinga recallthesplendidproofs ofpowerwhichearly
newpage inAsia. Muhammadanism gavetotheworlderepriestly
ButtheReformation in Europe,as all know, abusecorrupted and debasedit. " TheArab
was not a m^rerevoltagainstRome. The Conquerors," weread," at first unletteredfoes
essenceof the movement is thevindication of ofartand science,soonbeganto makea pro-
the principle, independent of time,place, or gressin cultureas rapidas had been that
circumstance, thatman is, in hisverynature, oftheirarms.Theyacquired,andwerezealous
destinedto be free. Fromthereligious free- inpromoting elsewhere, thecivilisationof the
domwonbytheanti-clerical upheavalofthe Greekand Orientalworldwhich they had
sixteenth century came,in a largemeasure, subduedin Egypt,Asia Minor,and Persia.
thepoliticalrightsnowenjoyedbythegreatest Greatcitieswerebuilt,commerceand manu-
and most enlightened peoplesin theworld. facturesflourished, and schoolsarose in all
Indeed,theoutstanding civicfactof thelast partsof theSaracenicEmpire. The resultof
threecenturies is thefirm establishment almost theefforts madewas thattheSaracensplayed
throughout theWestern worldofconstitutionala greatand honourable partin theintellectual


history of theMiddleAges. Theirquickness duredthegreatest torturesfortheir Faith. Herewe
and theirpoeticsensibility wereconspicuous find a record ofheroic devotion, bravery, andself-
in scienceand in literature in thedarkertimes sacrifice,which, asProfessor E. G. Browne says,may
of Europe,and theirserviceswereespecially perhaps be paralleled in history, butcannotbe
valuablein connectionwithmedicalscience surpassed.
and philosophy." So writesa calmand dis- TheBab hadleftbehind hima beautiful hopeas
a legacy to his followers,namely, that" He whom God
passionateCambridgehistorian.When re- shallmanifest " should arrive andcomplete whathe
generated Islamrecovers itslostinheritance in had onlyimperfectly begun.Forseveral
the domainof civilisation and culture, who (theBab) after the death of the Bab, which occurred in
years
shallsetboundsto itsfurther achievements ? 1850,themovement seemed ina precariouscondition.
It hada bad reputation withthePersianGovern-
Origin of Bahaism. ment, it waslookeddownuponwithcontempt by
some nearly all thePersians of wealth andposition, its
It maybeusefulhereto setforth briefly andno
accountoftheoriginand riseofBahaismand followers couldonlymeettogether secretly,
one dared to breathe thehated name ofBabi; indeed,
of the general natureof its teachings,as it seemed fora timeas though theMullahshad
viewedfromthe Bahai standpoint.I am succeeded in crushing outtheyoung Faithentirely.
indebtedto Mr. SidneySprague,a distin- Therewasthegreatest needforthecoming ofthe
guishedAmericanBahai, whomI had the " Piomised One,"tosavethemovement from extinc-
goodfortune to meetin Persia,forthe follow- tion,andtorestore thezealandcourage oftheper-
ingsummary ofleadingevents:- secuted Babis. Theywere notto be disappointed in
]n theyear1844,thereappeared in Persiaa their hope,for, during theearlysixties, there arose
youth, MirzaAli Muhammad byname,whocalled one whosegrandpersonality, wonderful powers of
himself theBab,thatis the"Door" or "Gate," utterance, andinspired writings, proclaimed himto
through which mencouldarrive at theknowledge of be the"Manifestation" forwhich theBabiswere
Truth.Thesignificance ofthistitleina Muhamma-waiting ; and when,indeed,Baha Ullahpublicly
dancountry maybe appreciated whenit is recalled declared thathe wasthe"Promised One,"whose
that, accordingto Muhammadan belief, thedoorof coming theBab hadforetold, thegreatmajority of
knowledge was closed twelve centuries ago, when the the Babis hailed him with joy as theirLord and
Muhammadan Messiah, orMahdi, disappeared from Redeemer.
amongst men, and will not be re-opened the BahaUllahwas bornin 1817,and cameof a
till
Messiah comeagain. TheBabbeganhismission as wealthy andnoblefamily.As a young man,he
a " Door,"byopening thepeople'sminds tothereal became a follower oftheBab,though he hadnever
truths oftheirownreligion. Likeallgreat prophets,seenhim. His prominence as a teacherofthenew
hedidnotcometodestroy, buttofulfil.He didnot Faithledto hisimprisonment inTehran.Forsome
tellhisMuhammadan hearers thatthey hadbeende- time hewaskeptin chains, untilfinallyhiswealth
ludedall these years bya falseprophet, buthedid, was confiscated, andhe was exiledto thecityof
however, ratethem soundly - asJesus didtheScribes Baghdad, byarrangement with theSultan ofTurkey.
- fortheir hypocrisy,andfortheir distortion oftrue Whilethere, he continued to teachthepeople, and
religion. He also explained to them the truemean- his influence over them became very great. During
ingoftheirprophecies andtraditions thata Mahdi twoyears hewithdrew himself tothemountains, near
should come;foretelling the advent of Baha Ullah. Baghdad, and lived apart from men, passing histime
ThewordsoftheBab werenaturally greetedwith inprayer andmeditation. Onhisreturn, he publicly
derision'by the Muhammadan "Pharisees," and the proclaimed his mission, which was thatof establish-
Babhadto endure insultandpersecution, culminat- ing peace and religious unity in theworld. He
inginhisimprisonment anddeath.He wasshot, by calledto menof everyraceand creedto assist
order ofthePersian Government, in a publicsquare himin establishing the Kingdomof God and
inTabriz. the brotherhood of man upon^the earth.The
Thelifeoftheyoung reformer wasnotsacrificedMuhammadan Mullahsof Baghdadsoonbecame
invain.During hislifetime,greatnumbers ofearnest alarmed at havinga manof suchinfluence and
menandwomen hadalliedthemselves to hiscause, powerin theirmidst, andpetitioned theOttoman
andhad beendiligent in spreading his teachingsGovernment to remove him. Baha Ullah was
throughout Persia,sothat soonthemovement grew to accordingly summoned toConstantinople, andthence
suchan extent thatthePersian Government andthe banished to Adrianople. In Adrianople BahaUllah
Mullahs, or priests,becamealaimed, seeingin ita wrote thosefamous letters(sentlaterfrom Acre)to
seriousmenace to thesupremacy of Islam,andbe- theKingsofEuropeandto thePope,calling on
lieving thatitmust havesomepolitical aswellas re- themto abandon theirthoughts ofwarfare andto
ligiousmeaning.Orders weregiven to plunder and assistin establishing unity.The letters alsocon-
persecutethefollowers and
oftheBab, during those tained prophetical utterances which were afterwards
daikyears many thousands gaveuptheir oren- fulfilled.
lives, One suchutterance, following upona


slight putuponBahaUllah'smission, foretold the itsprogress in theWestern world, all these things
downfall of Napoleon III. at a timewhenthis compel at leastinterest. TheyoungPersian Bab
adventurer, afterthefamous coupdétat , heldabsolute gave to his followers certainforms and doc-
poweras Emperor of theFrench.Another such trines,and somerulesdrawn up in a bookknown
utterance, following upona gracious letter sentby as the" Bayan"; butat the sametimehe con-
QueenVictoria to Baha Ullah,foretold forHer tinually proclaimed thathewasbutthéherald of
Majesty a phenomenally longandprosperous reign, onegreater whoshouldcomeafterhim,andhe
at a timewhenthemonarchy in England couldstill toldhisdisciples to be in constant expectation of
besaidtobeunder theremains ofa cloud. After a " Himwhom Godshall manifest." TheBab,indeed,
fewweeksi-pent in Adrianople, Baha Ullahwas inaugurated a greatreform, but his movement
againbanished to a stillmore inaccessiblespot,the remained moreor less Persian and Muhammadan,
littlefortress
town ofAcre,orAkka,onthecoastof andonefeelsthatit never couldhavebecome uni-
Syria. Here,with hislittle bandoffollowers, Baha versal.It remained forBahaUllah,whocameafter
Ullahpassedsomeofthemostterrible years ofthe theBab,togiveto themovement itstruly broad,
•exile,forAcrecouldonly bedescribed aspestilential, catholicanduniversal spirit.Inthe" BookofLaws,"
anditseems probable thatBahaUllahwassentthere BahaUllahtellshisfollowers thatthesword must for
in thehopethatfever wouldsoonquietly ridthe ever beputaway : initsplacethe" Word " must arise.
woildofhim. BahaUllahspentmostofhistime He proclaims universal peace,andcallsuponthe
while inAcreinteaching thenewfaith tothosefew nations tosettletheir differencesbya boardofarbi-
lollowers whocouldholdcommunication withhim, tration. He pleadsfora broadspirit offriendship
in writing hisinstructions andadmonitions to the andtolerance, tobe shown to all thepeoples ofthe
Tvorld, insending epistles,or" Tablets," to followersearth : " Ye areallthefruits ofonetree," asheex-
in differentparts, andin writing a book,known as presses it. He enjoins his followers to seekfora
theBookofLaws. In 1892, after fortyyears ofexile universal language.He says: " Thisis themeans ot
and imprisonment, Baha Ullah'searthly ministryunion, ifyeknew it,andthegreatest source ofcon-
•came toan end. He leftwordto hisdisciples that cordandcivilisation, didyerecognise it." He tells
afterhisdeparture they should looktohiseldestson, parents thatthey must educate theirchildren,boyand
AbbasEffendi, as their leaderandteacher - theone girlalike,giving themthebestinstruction theycan
on whoseshoulders his mantleshouldfall,the afford, andthepoormust beeducated bya boardof
exponent andpromulgator of histeachings to the councillors tobeelected ineachcity, forheconsiders
world. thatuntil ignorance beuprooted there canbenotrue
Since1892Abbas Effendi, whothereafter as- progress. All mustlearnandpractise somecraft,
sumedthetitleofAbdulBaha(theServant ofGod), trade, orproféssion, which,ifpractised conscientiously
hasbeentheleader oftheBahaimovement, andunder anddiligently, willbe considered as thehighest act
his guidance it has grown andexpanded untilits ofworship. There arenopriests connected with this
influence hasbecome felt inallquarters oftheglobe. religion, andthosewhoteachthisFaithshouldnot
A striking example ofthiswaswitnessed bymewhen receive anypay,butsupport themselves by other
I visitedAcrein1906, andmetmenthere from India, means.Theacquisition oftheartsandsciences is
Burma,Persia,Arabia,Egypt,Turkey, Russia, recommended. Marriage is advised, and celibacy
France, England andAmerica, allassembled tolisten and asceticismare condemned.Baha Ullah
to theteaching oftheMaster (thenamebywhich wishes his religion to be one of joyand glad-
AbdulBahaisuniversally called).Thesemen, belong ness. He strongly condemns gambling, theuse
ingtovarious races,creeds andsects,weregatheredof opium,intemperance, and othervices,and
Tound onetable, breaking bread together,andgreet- he laysdownsomeinteresting hygienic laws. A
ingeachotheras brothers. Cansucha scenebe lawis givenadvocating kindness to animals, and
paralleled inanyother spotonearth ? beastsofburden arenot to be ill-treated or over-
loaded.BoththeBab and Baha Ullahpreached
Teachings of Bahaism. theemancipation ofwomen.Underthisteaching,
I am further indebted toMr.SidneySprague woman assumes herrightful position as theequalof
for the following of the principal man. In the following words,Baha Ullah tells
summary hisfollowers howthenewreligion should betaught
teachingsof Bahaism. It seems to mepre- to theworld:" Beware lest make the Wordof
ferableto give an authoritative Bahai exposi- God thecauseof ye
opposition and stumbling, or
tionlikethis,ratherthanan exposition ofmy the sourceof hatred If have a
own:- among you. ye
wordoran essence which another havenot,sayit
TheBahai movement claimsto be theDivine to himwiththetongueofloveand kindness.If
instiument forbringing religious unityintothe it be accepted andimpressed, theendis attained;
world.Thelongrollofitsmartyrs, thewonderful ifnot,leavehimto himself, andprayforhim,but
livesofits founders, its regenerating influence in do notmolest him." It willthusbe seenthatthe
Persia,thefactthatpeopleofnearly every race, message oftheBahaimovement is oneofpeaceto
creedandsecthavebeenattracted toit,andfinallytheworld, andthattheBahaisconsider this" Mani-


festation" as butanother ofdivine truth energy.Yet they arenottwosuns. Norhasthe
outpouring
<upon earth
the ; thatBahaisarelovers oftheLight suncomedownfrom itsplacein theheaven inorder
from whatever horizon it mayappear,looking on togointothemirror. To-day I smashthismirror.
thedifferent " Prophets,' ' orfounders ofreligion, as To-morrow I procure another mirror, andfindthe
so manydifferent lampsthrough which thisLight suninthattoo. Thesecondmirror is notthesame
shoneforth, andbywhich all theworld hasbeen as thefirst mirror. Thesunin it is thesamesun.
illumined ; therefore Bahaism considers all religionsMosesandMuhammad arenotthesameman. The
to be divine, andpossessing theessence ofTruth Manifestation inthem is thesameManifestation. It
whichhas sincebecomeobscured by the super- maybeobjected thatthelightthatMosesshedand
stitionsandceremonial practices addedbyman. In thelight thatMuhammad shedseem different. True.
other words, theteaching oftheBahaiFaithis that In mirrors ofdifferently coloured glassthesunpre-
■the Logos,orWord,spoken ofinthefirst chaptersents differentlycoloured appearances. Butwhatis
ofSt.John,hasmanifested itself on thisearth, in colour ? Colouris incomplete light. The seven
wastages, at various times andto various peoples ; prismatic rays, whenall arepresent, givecomplete
those inwhomthisWordhasbeenfully manifested light.The sevenprophetical dispensations,* when
¿»nd aremenknown as the" Prophets " or allarepresent, givecomplete Truth. It is themission
perfected,
■" Manifestations ofGod,"andthrough them wehear ofBahaism tobring aboutsucha combination. Will
thevoiceofGodspeaking to humanity. The dis- it be contended thatsomeor anyoftheProphets
tinctiveclaimoftheBahaiFaithis thattheeternal gaveforth nolight, notevencoloured light ? Con-
Wordhasmanifested itselfin ourday,morepower- sider this: Was there evera prophét whodidnot
fullythaneverbefore, in theperson ofBahaUllah. denounce 'perjury, theft, adultery andmurder; who
Besidesthewritings already mentioned, BahaUllah, didnotenjoin charity,morality, dutifulness andrever-
whilein prison, composed several booksdealing ence? ThatiswhyBahaism contemns no religion,
withmetaphysical, philosophical and socialpro- andreverences all religions. At theworst, evenit
blems.Thesebookswerewritten in Persianand theglassofsomereligions be smoked, it admits a
Arabic, and but three or four of them have been certain quantity oflight. There are some eyes, weak
translated intoWestern tongues.Someofthebest andwatery, whichcannotbearlight at all unless it
translations arein French, namely, " Le Livre de la come through smoked glass.
Certitude " (Kitab-ul-Iqan), " Les ParolesCachées
" "
•enPersanand LesPréceptes deBahaisme " trans- Esoteric Philosophy of Bahaism.^
latedbyM. Hippolyte and
Dreyfus, published by I havenevermettwomen,I haveneverread
Ernest Leroux, Paris. Themost important workof twobooks,whoseaccountsof Bahaiteaching
Baha Ullah,the" Kitab-ul-Aqdas " (MostHoly forme
whollyagree. It wouldnotbe difficult
Book),hasnotyetbeenfully translated. to presentto you manydifferent conceptsof
Mr.SidneySprague'sdescription ofBahaism Bahaism,gatheredin mytravel,each resting
is characterised by calmnessand simplicity. on seemingauthority.This is, perhaps,only
Forgreaterpicturesqueness of exposition one naturalin the case of a religiousmovement
mustturnfrom theWesterner to theEasterner. which,setting outto emancipatethe intellect,
A PersianBahai of highauthority, formerly a turnseach individualmindloose in a new
Muhammadan doctorofdivinity, favoured me worldof vividthoughtto reasonout its own
withthe following graphicexplanation of his faithbyitsownstrength.The following half-
newcreed:- mystical, half-transcendental, play of ideas
Thereis onlyone God. Thereis onlyone proceedsfroma schoolof esotericBahaism
Truth.Godis infinite. Truthis infinite. Man, m Persia,whoseexistenceappearsto be un-
foeingfinite,cannot know God ; cannot know Truth. knownto Europe:-
Manknows something ofGod; something ofTruth. Bahaism teaches thatman,inhis"earliest spiritual
Thisis because there hasbeena finite Manifestation weakness, has to support himselfbyprops.These
ofGod; a finite Revelation ofTruth.TheMani' propsaresevenin number. Theyareindispensable
ofGodis one. TheRevelation
festation ofTruth is aidsto man'sspiritual growth.Without them man
one. Moseswas theManifestation ; so wasJesus, wouldfaintandcollapse.Theyputhimuponhis
-sowas Muhammad, so was Baha Ullah.^ All feet, they enable himtowalk,they givehimstrength,
4heseare one. The Pentateuch was theRevela- confidence, courage, andhope. Butstilltheyare
tion,so was the Gospel,so was the Quran, props, andas propsthey areto beusedonlytothe
so was the Kitab-ul-Aqdas.All theseare end thattheymayultimately be dispensed with.
one.Is thishardto understand ? Consider the Man'sspiritual progress, in fact,consists inlearning
sun.Thesunin theheavenis abovemyreach. to discard thesepropsone by one,as a young
Hereinmyhandis a mirror which contains thesun. * - Noah,
To mysenses there isnodifference, indegree, According to oneversion Abraham, Moses,
except David,Jesus, Muhammad, andBahaUllah.According to
between thesunin theheaven and thesunin the another version - Moses, Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha,
mirror.Bothsunsgiveoutlightandheatand Jesus, Muhammad, BahaUllah.

(6o JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS. May27,1910.

swimmer learnsto discard floats,andtö rely more If not,whatis themeaning of thatstrangely re-
and moreon his own God-given powers.The iterated verse intheNewTestament, " He thathathr-
rationale oftheprocess is explained byBahaism as earstohearlethimhear"? Andwhat isthemeaning
follows:- oftheOldTestament Psalm, " Whoshallascend into•
Whenman,after passing successively through the the hill
öf the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy
mental stagesof brutalism, heathenism, and pan^ place? He whohathcleanhands anda pureheart ?"
theism, arrives at lastat theconception ofoneom- Can onlyMoseseverhopeto ascendthespiritual
niscientandomnipotent God,he cannot easilybear Sinai? Can onlyMoseseverhopeto haveclean-
thegreatness ofthethought. He isappalled bythe hands anda pureheart ? Bahaism remarks that when
majesty oftheDeity.He is paralysed byhisown Godfirst calledtothechildSamuel (I. Samuel III. 4)-
insignificance. He darenot approach his terribletheundiscerning boyrantoEli andsaid," HereI am,
Maker, though there is need to for
pray bounty, for forthou didst call me." Thusdoesmancontinually
love,andforlight.To hishelpcomes thefirstprop turn away hisearfrom hisGodtohislawgiver. ButEli
- anintermediary- thePriest.ThePriest, bysepa- answered, "I called thee not. It shall be if He call
rationfrom thecommon people, bydetachment from theethatthoushaltsay,Speak,Lord,forThy
carnalengrossments, by purification of bodyand servant heareth." Thusis thesecond propdiscarded.
sanctificationofmind, mayventure onbehalf ofsinful Therefore, saystheBahai" Logos" inthat same book
to kneel in before God's called" Hidden Words -
humanity supplication great
judgment-seat. Is thisideaofpriestly intercession " O Son of Spirit. The bestofall to Me is
wrong ? askedBahaism.Is itanevilthing thatman justice.Castit notasideifthoudesirest Me,and
should beginthespiritual ascentbyconfessing his neglectit not,thatthoumayest be faithful toMe,
ownlittleness andGod'sgreatness ? Bynomeans. forbyitthouwiltbestrengthened andseeallthings
,Butwhat isa priest ? A goodandholyman.Espe- with thine owneyes, andnotwiththeeyesofmen,
ciallyhe is a man. Cannot thenall menhopeto andknow them bythineownknowledge andnotby
become goodandtomake themselves holy ? When theknowledge ofanyintheworld.Meditate this-
manrealises (ashe is destined torealise)thatheand howthoushouldst be.
thepriest arenottwodifferent orders ofbeing, but "O Son of Man. The Lighthas shoneupon
twomanifestations ofthesameorder ofbeing, the theefromthe Horizonof the Mount,and the
mission of thepriest willbe accomplished, and Spirit ofHoliness hasbreathed in theSinaiofthy
humanity willbecome a raceofpriests.Therefore, heart.Therefore cleansethyself from obstacles and
saystheLogos,through themouth ofBahaUllah, imaginations, and enter into this Mansion, that thou
as recorded in" Hidden Words " :- „ lifeandprepared
" O SonofSpirit.I haveordained mayest befitted fortheeverlasting
forthee, from to meetme,where no death,no trouble and no
theTreeofSplendour, theholiest fruits.Whyhast calamity canbefall thee."
thoulaidthem asideandbeencontented with those Man'sthird needisfora Prophet.The
thatareinferior ? Return, therefore, to thatwhich lawofGod spiritual there is wanting inmanthe
isbestfortheeintheHighest Horizon. being given,
" O Son ofMan. Letthysatisfaction to
spirit honour and obey it ; and a prophet arises
be inMe, whosedivine fervour, and
andnotinthose whoareinferior toMe,andseeknot illumination, eloquence
passionstirtheslumbering hearts ofthepeople.Birt
helpfrom anybesideMe,for nonesaveMewillever
what,asksBahaism again,is a prophet ? What
satisfythee. where DanielandEzekiel ? What
" O Son of Spirit. Myrightto theeis Isaiah, Jeremiah,
great wasthewriter oftheBookofRevelation ? They were
andcannot be denied.Mybounty to theeis over- men. AndhasnotGodmadeall menofthesame
flowing andcannot bewitheld.Mylovefortheeis intothem thesamespirit ? When
andcannot berepulsed. clayandbreathed
existing Mylighttotheeis jealousdisciples complained toMosesthatsomequite
apparent andcannot beobscured."
Whenman's first needhasthus beensatis- ordinary people intheIsraelite campwerepresuming
spiritual to playtheprophet, thegreatHebrew leaderex-
fied, and the prop discarded, a second spiritualneed claimed, " Wouldto God ye wereall prophets."
assertsitself,theneedfora Lawgiver. God,itisfelt, Andso goesthethird Therefore
hasa will; that willexpresses itselfinlaws; those prop. saysthe
laws in" Hidden Words " :-
aretobeheard andobeyed. Butjustasmaninhisfirst " Logos
self-abasement darenotspeak toGodexcept through O Son ofExistence. MyLampthouart,and
themouth ofa priest, so mandarenotat first listen MyLightisinthee;be enlightened byIt,andseek
to Godexcept through theearsofa lawgiver. This notanybeside Me,forI havecreated theerich, and
is themeaning ofthebookofExodus which records bestowed My grace abundantly upon thee.
(XX. 19)thattheChildren ofIsraelsaidtoMoses at "O Son of Existence.By thehandsofpower
thefootofMountSinai,u Speakthouwithus and I madetheeandbythefingers ofstrength I created
wewillhear; butletnotGodspeakwithus,lestwe theeanddeposited intheetheEssence ofMyLight;
die." Butwhat, asksBahaism, is a lawgiver ? A therefore depend uponIt andnotuponanything else,
man. A manwhohasfitted himself to receive the forMyaction isperfect andMycommand haseffect.
WordofGod. Cannot all menso fitthemselves? Doubtnotthisandhavenouncertainty therein.


" O SonofMan. Cheerthyheartwith' delight,which everymanmustperform, notvicariously, but
thatthoumayest befitted tomeetMe,andbecome in hisownperson, erehecanenter intotheKingdom
a mirror ofMybeauty." ofHeaven. Andthus thefifth propisdispensed with.
Man'sfourth spiritual needis fora Saviour.Man Therefore itiswritten in " Hidden Words -
cannot viewhisownwickedness without dreading a " O Son ofMan, Thoudesirest gold,andWe
catastrophic penalty, he
which, believes, not himself desire thyseparation from it. Thouhastrealised
butonlya specially appointed redeemer canavert. therichesof-thyself therein, butI knowthatthy
Oppressed bythevisionofthewrath tocome,man riches lieinpurifying thyself from it.
feelsthathe mustthrow himself intothearmsofa " O SonofMan.Distribute Mypossessions among
Saviour.Bahaism hesitates to disturb man'sbelief Mypoor,thatin heaventhoumayest receive front
inthisawful subject.ttThefear oftheLord,"says theboundless treasures ofglory andfrom thestores
theOldTestament, "is thebeginning ofwisdom." ofeternal bliss. ButbyMyLife,thesacrifice ofthe
The beginning, yes,butnottheend. Whatis a spirit is more glorious, couldst thoubutseewith My
a Saviour ? asksBahaism.A man,bornofwoman. eye.
A manwithpowerto save men. The true O Son ofMan. Foreverything thereisa sign.
function ofa Saviour is thusto savebyexample,Thesignofloveispatience through Myordealand
to saveby pointing thewayofsalvation ; inother long-suffering forMysake.
to demonstrate on thespiritual " O Son of Man. The sincere loverlongsfor
words, planewhat
all theworldaccepts on thephysical plane - that sufferingas the rebel craves for forgiveness andthe
(rodhelpsonlythosewho helpthemselves. A sinner prays formercy.
Saviour is a lighthouse, nota lifeboat.Awaythen " O SonofExistence.Keepmycommand because
withthisfourth prop. Therefore says theBahai oftheloveforMe, anddenythyself ifthoulovest
bookof" Hidden Words " :- Mypleasure.
" O SonofPerception. " O SonofSpirit.Ifthoudesirest Me,lovenot
MyFortthouart,there-
fore enter therein thatthoumayest besaved. thyself,andifthouseekest Mypleasure, regard not
" O SonofMan. ThouartMypossession, and thine own,thatthoumayest die in Me andI livein
Mypossession willneverbe destroyed. Whyart thee?"
thouafraid ofthy destruction? ThouartMylight, Man'ssixthspiritual needis fora divine incarna-
and My lightwillneverbe extinguished. Why tion. ManseekstoknowGod,to sse God. Man
dreade&t thouextinction ? ThouartMysplendour,cannot ofhisownfinite power setouttolookforthe
andMysplendour willnever be veiled.Thouart infinite God. He mustwaitpatiently andhumbly
Mygarment, andMygarment willnever be worn tillGodinhisownchosen time bepleased tomani-
out. Therefore dwellin thyloveto Me,thatthou fest Himself.Sucha manifestation, accommodating
mayest find MeintheHighest Horizon." itselfto thehumanlimits of sensory perception,
Man's fifth spiritual need is fora Sacrifice.materialises as an incaination - spirit clothedwith
Whether theunderlying ideabe propitiation orex- flesh- Divinity visiblebyitshumanity - Godinman.
piation, there must be, itis thought, a great atone- Here, then, for once, a man indeed becomes the
ment, to be consummated in thesacrifice of life. mirror of hisMaker.Butwhy onlyforonce? asks
Bahaism approaches thissubject, as it approachesBahaism.According to thebookof Genesis all
thepreceding subjects, withreverence. Butwho, mankind wascreated intheimageandafter thelike-
asksBahaism, is thevictim ofthesacrifice ? A man nessofGod. All mankind is thus,in virtue ofits
offlesh andblood. Theessence of thedoctrine is divine similitude,something morethan"human":
notaffected (forthepresent purpose) bytheassertionit has someelements of thedivine.Andso the
orthedenial ofthedivinity ofthebeing whois sacri- greater incarnation appealsto all lesserincarna-
ficed,because ineither caseitis from a being walkingtions.Or, as the Old Testament marvellously
thisearth ofoursintheoutward form ofa manthat putsit- "Be ye holy,forI am holy." In the
thesacrifice is demanded. Shallman,in thelong New Testament manis adjuredto put offcor-
course of hisspiritual evolution, riseto theheight ruption andto put on incorruption ; to putoff
of striving to embody in his ownlifethegrand mortality andtoputonimmortality. Whatis cor-
examplesof the Priest,the Lawgiver,the ruption butchange,and whatis mortality but
Prophet and the Saviour, and then shrink from catastrophic change ? How shall a man put off
imitating the yet moresublimeexampleof changefulness andputon changelessness unlesshe
theSacrifice?It is recorded thatJesussaid:- attaintoa perfection from which nochange can be
"Excepta manbe bornagainhe cannot enter the betterment - unless hebecome divine ? Anincarna-
Kingdom ofHeaven."To be bornagainonemust tion,then, is perfection descended uponandmani-
first
die,because birth is essentially thebeginning of fested in onemanto showhowall other menmay
a newlife. Whatis thatwhich must dieorbe sacri- hopetoascend toandbecome manifestations ofthe
ficed? Theoldlifeofsin. There is,saysBahaism,likeperiection. Thesupreme purpose, inbrief, is to
a stillhigher view. Thatwhich is merely human turn man'sreverence uponhimself. Hereby departs
inmanmustdie,in orderthatthatwhich is divine man'ssixth prop. Therefore declares the" Logosiy
in manmaybeborn. Thisis thesupreme sacrificein " Hidden Words " :-

'ÓÔ2 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIKTY OF ARTS. May27,1910.

u O Son of Spirit.I created theesublime, but long; that Islamic countriesare stranded
thouhastdegraded thyself.Therefore ascend tothat centuriesbehindthe times; that the very
forwhich thouwastcreated. inertnessof the Muhammadan worldin an
a O Son of Spirit. I havecreated theerich. age of strenuous progressprovesits senility ;
Whydostthoumakethyself poor? I madethee that,in fact,Moslemculturestandsto-day
mighty.Whydostthoudegrade thyself? From where it stood in the days of the
theEssence ofKnowledge I manifested thee. Why exactly
" ArabianNights." I shallnotattempt here
seekest thouanother beside Me? Fromtheclayof
loveI kneaded thee. Whysearchest tocontrovert any of those assumptions, because
thouforan-
other ? Turnthysight untothyself thatthoumayestthat wouldinvolveme in a comprehensive
findMestanding within thee,powerful, mighty and surveyof the social,political,and economic
supreme. conditions of 175,000,000 of the humanrace,
" O Son of theThrone. is My spreading into three continents. 1 shallcon-
Thyhearing
hearing ; hearthouwith it. Thysightis Mysight ; tentmyself withpointingout thatevenifall
seethouwith it, thatthoumayest testify to Me in theassumptions be grantedin substance, they
thyinmost soul,a supreme andthatI may countin favourof Islamichopesrather
holiness, than
'testify tothee, inMyself a highposition. against; because they indicatethat the
" O SonofExistence.Thy heartis Myhome ; careerof Islam closelyconforms with the
purify itforMydescent.Thyspirit is Myoutlook ; normalin history.Almosteverygreatreligion
prepare itforMyManifestation. "
has passed througha phase of stagnation.
Man'sseventh and last spiritual needis fora Almost is one
heaven.Theflesh has itsdwelling-place of pain: thousandalwaystheperiodofstagnation
where shallthespirit abidein bliss? It willhave years. For just a thousand years
beenunderstood from thepresent thatthe the infant religion sleeps in the arms of its
exposition Thereafter it is a child and
predominant theme of Babaitheology is thatman priests. grown
hastobetaught tolookwithin forthatwhich hehas runsalone. For a thousandyearsthepriests
allalongbeenseeking without. Whyshould itnot nursedJudaism.In 1491B.c. we haveMoses
besowithman'sneedfora Heaven ? asksBahaism. declaring - " This shall be the priest's due
In thescientific world itwasnotuntil educationalists from thepeople,fromthemthatoffer a sacri-
realised thattheartofeducation is todraw out,not fice,whether it be ox or sheep ; and theyshall
to putin, thatthecurricula of theschools were giveuntothepriestthe shoulder, and thetwo
rationalised. Spiritual education,properly understoodcheeksand the maw. The first-fruit also of
is alsoa drawing outofthatwhich iswithin.This thycorn,ofthywine,and ofthineoil,and the
isthemeaning ofthat wonderfuldeclaration intheNew first of thefleeceof thysheep,shaltthougive
Testament : " TheKingdom ofHeaven iswithin you." him. FortheLordthyGod hathchosenhim
Surrender, thentheseventh and last prop. And outofall in the
itherefore itis written in" Hidden Words " :- thytribes,to standto minister
" O SonofExistence. name ofthe Lord, him and his sons for ever."
ThyParadise is Mylove,
and thyheavenis Mynearness. Therefore enter -In 397B.c.- thatis, one thousandyearslater
thouandtarry not. Thisis whatwasordained for we havetheHebrewprophet Malachisaying
'tlieeinOurhighest kingdom andsupreme - " Andnow,O yepriests, thiscommandment
4tO SonofSpirit.Thefirst majesty.
utterance is- Possess is foryou ... Ye aredeparted outoftheway;
a good,a pureandenlightened heart,thatthou yehave caused manyto stumbleat thelaw;
mayest possessa continual, eternal and immortalyehavecorrupted the covenant of Levi,saith
kingdom." the Lord of Hosts. Therefore have I also
madeyoucontemptible and base before all the
Future of Islam. as yehavenotkeptMyways,
people,according
Timewillnotpermit meon thisoccasionto but have been partialin the law." For a
•enter anyfurther intoa philosophical studyof thousand yearsthepriests nursed Brahmanism.
the teachingsof Bahaism. It willbe suffici-Accordingto authorities, Vedic Brahmanism
entlyapparent, I think, thattherehas arisen established itselfin India about 1600B.c. In
in Islam,thanksto thefreshness and fineness 550 B.c.- thatis, one thousandyearslater-
ofPersianthought, a regenerative influence of Buddhaaroseto overthrow Brahmanic ecclesia
almostincalculableenergy. It onlyremains asticism. For a thousandyearsthe priests
forme, in conclusion, to notice,verybriefly,nursedHellenic Paganism. The siege of
theargument ofthosewhothinkthatIslam,in Troy,which appears to be about the first
fallingfromits proudestate,has fallenlike recordedfact of Greek history, is generally
Lucifer,neverto riseagain. The argument, supposedtohaveoccurred, ifitoccurred at all,
as I understand it,is baseduponthefollowingabout 1200 B.c. In 146 b.c.- that is, one
.assumptions : thatIslamhas laindormant too thousand years later- Greece became a

27,1910.
■May JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS. 663

Roman province,and so lost the powerto protagonist ofPan-Islamism, whowasveryfarfrom
workoutherownindependent destiny. Fora being a Bab,wasundoubtedly oneofthose whohad
thousandyears the priestsnursed Roman done most to inaugurate the national movement.
foundation of Quiteapartfromthequestion as to the dispute
Paganism. The half-mythical between Subh-i-Ezel and Baha as thesuc-
Romeis supposedto date from753B.c. In regards
cession,hehad never succeeded in obtaining satisfac-
324 A.D.- thatis, one thousandyearslater- answers to the following questions: - (1) What
tory
was establishedas the State new doestheBahaidoctrine
Christianity light throw uponmeta-
religionin Rome. For a thousandyearsthe physical orspiritual truth ? (2)In whatrespect is the
priestsnursed Christianity.In the fourth system ofethics which itadvocates superior toChris-
centuryafterChristpriestlyauthority first tianity
? (3) Canitbemaintained that, intheapplica-
asserteditselfsuccessfully in the Christian tionofthose ethics, theBahaisarematerially more
Church. In thefifteenth century - thatis, one consistent thantheChristians or the Moslems ?
thousandyearslater - JohnHuss startedthe
Reformation. Withthesehistorical M. Hippolyte Dreyfus thoughttherewas
parallels no as theChairman seemed toimply,
in mind,letus nowremark thatfora thousand contradiction,
between the fact that Subh-i-Ezel hadbeenin a
yearsthepriests nursedIslam. TheSaracenic andthe
with its datesfrom way appointed bytheBab as hissuccessor,
Empire, powerful hierarchy, factthatJater on BahaUllahclaimed tobea mani-
the eighthcentury, A.D. The spiritwhich festation ofGod,viz.,theoneforetold bytheBab
'begat Babism and Bahaism began to himself, because theBabonly appointed hissuccessor
(manifest itselfin Persia at the close of the in orderto havean organisation ready towaitfor
•eighteenth century, thatis, onethousand years theone whomGod wouldmanifest. BahaUllah
.later. I am farfrompropounding the " one wasmuch more advanced thantheBab; hisreligion
" one,whiletheBab wasmerely a
thousandyears formula as a positive argu- was a universal
ment. I am farfromtryingto read a new Shiah reformer, and that accounted forthe difference
meaninginto the Psalmist'srhapsody,"A between them.Theinfluence oftheBahaisin the
thousandyearsin Thysightis but as yester- revolution could not be denied, a statement he
I would this : the fact that was able to makebecausehe was in Tehran
day." onlysay whentheMoham-
Islam has slumberedfora thousandyears at thetimeof therevolution,
aifords nosufficient forthebelief medan clergy took refuge in Qum. At that
justification time were quite decidednot to return to
they
thattherecan nowbe no awakening. Formy TehranunlesstheShahhimself camethereand
•ownpart,I believethateventsare shapingin anddismissed all theEuropean function-
Asia whichmay end in re-constructing apologised
the aries
employed bytheGovernment. It wasdecidedly
wholefabricof present-day internationalism an anti-foreign movement. TheBahaisthought it
and mayadd a chapterto the world'shistory wasa pitytohavesucha bigmovement degenerating
as dramatic andas momentous as anythathas intoa sectarian and clerical movement, and they
.beenwritten. askedfora constitution
therefore andeducation ; and
infact,
that, wastheprinciple ofBahaism.
Prof.G. Hagopiansaidhe had thehonour of
DISCUSSION. the of Jemal-ud-Din, about 1892,
making acquaintance
TheChairman (Professor Browne) saidthat,while when hewasa refugee from Persia, andwasinstru-
•entertaining a very great affectionandadmiration for mental in enabling himto givea lecture at the
theBabis,he wasnotprepared to admit eitherthat National Liberal Clubonthecondition ofhiscountry.
fthey weretobeconsidered asmere reformers ofIslam, He wouldbedelighted tohearfrom anytravellers in
orthatthey had exercised any great influence in bring- Persiawhether such a regeneration had yet taken
ingabout thepresent national movement inPersia. He placeinthatcountry thatitwouldbepossible in the
out
.pointed that,in a sense, the ideals of the Bahais, futuretofind the same spirit animating the people of
ivhichaimedat a universal religion anda universalthecountry as wasrecently evidenced in Londonby
language, werein sharpcontrast to thoseof the theBritish peoplewhenKingEdward, thePeace-
^Nationalists,which aimed at the maintenance ofthe maker, .wascarried tohislastresting-place - thespirit
integrityofPersiaandofthePersián characteristics.ofprogress andpeace.
He also dissented fromthe author's viewthat
3ahaismwas necessarily tolerant, and he con- Mr.W. A. Moore,in reply to thelastspeaker's
tendedthat the Bab had assigned to him- question,thought the conduct of theTurkish Govern-
than that which ment since the establishment of theConstitution in
selfa moreimportant position that
theBahaisweredisposed to ascribe to him. In Turkey was an absolutely conclusive proof they
bisownview itwasunfair tosaythattheMohamme-desired both peaceandprogress, andalthough things
to the national movement had not gone by any means so far or sowell inPersia,
danshadnotcontributed movement wasa
sinPersia, sinceSay)idJemal-ud-Din, thewellknown todeny that thePersian constitutional


progressive movement wasa complete denial of fact. thefacts.Persiahadtodealwithherneighbours,
He was rather astonished at theusemadebythe andthequestion 'fcashowshewastogetalongwith
author allthrough hispaper ofthewords " priest" and them,and howtheywereto be prevented from
" priesthood," which hedidnotbelieve werecorrecttaking part in the movement. He thought Persia
wordstoemploy inreference toIslam. He didnot would getthrough if,inherexternal sheled
affairs,
thinkthere wasanything sacerdotal atallinthewhole a quietlife. He wasquitesurethatinthefuture she
ofIslam. Withregard totheauthor's glorification wouldwinonlybytheprocess of moderation, for
oftheBahais, he
personallysupported theChairman's which the modern movement inthe East had such an
contention, becauseduring theactualtroubles in extraordinary capacity.
Persia, he happened to be in Tabriz, andtheword
thathe always heardwasBabi,and thatwasthe TheChairmanentirely agreed withMr.Moore's
stickthatwas used by the reactionists to beat ciiticism of the use of the word"priest"by
theConstitutionalist party.Thetitleofthepaper theauthor.It was22years sincehewasin Persia,
seemedto himto be misleading, becauseifIslam andtheword Bahaiswasthen hardly everusedatall,
wasíegenerated inthewaytheauthor suggested, it theteimBabisbeing usedthroughout
universally the
ceasedto be Islamaltogether. Bahaism was not country. Withregard totolerance, hewasnotquite
reallya religionatall,butmore orlessa philosophy. surewhether, ifBahaismsucceeded in capturing.
It wasa product which camefrom theEast,andwas Persia, itwould beanymoretolerant thanIslamism.
a kindofuniversal toleration. "When, forinstance,Personally, hewasvery much disinclined tothink that
theauthor stated thattruth wasone,hewasutteringthere wasanyconsiderable number ofBabisorBahais
oneof theimmortal platitudes oftheworldwhich amongtheTurks, because, so faras he knew, the
hadbeensaidin every age. It wasa greattrufkYoungTurkish movement was identified witha
which wasalwaysstriking peopleafresh, butitdid literary movement having itsoriginentirelyinFrench
notmakea newreligion to saythattruth wasone. sources, a largeproportion oftheYoungTurks being;
Theanalogy between thesunandthemirror which Free-Thinkers.
hadbeenreferred to hada verydistinct Athanasian
touchaboutit. It reminded himofthenews- Mr.BernardTemple,inreply tothequestion of
paperwhich someyearsago ago started a column whether Bahaism was thecauseoftheawakening
on curios and antiquities, whichwaswritten bya whichwas at present visiblein Persiaand other
manwhohadcomeabsolutely fresh to thesubject,Islamiccountries, saidthatin suchbigdiscussions
andwhowasmaking discoveries every daythathaä itwasdifficult to saywhatwasthecauseandwhat
beenmadebefore, buttheresult wasthathe made theeffect.He didnotclaim forBahaism more than
thesubject muchmoreinteresting thanan expert thatitwasperhaps themost conspicuous andremark-
would havedone. He couldnothelpthinking that ableexpression oftheawakening which, undoubtedly,
someofthephilosophic truths thatwere putforwardwastakingplacein theEast,particularly in the
as representing Bahaism werein muchthesame Islamic East. So faras hehadmadea comparison
category. Theywerea product ofmodern mentality, between theMohammedan religion and Bahaism,
a process ofthought which wasgoing onalloverthe hehopedhe hadmadeit clearthathewasnota
world.He didnotagree withtheauthor thatthe Bahai» noran apologist fortheBahaireligion orits
Turkish movement was in anywayan outcome of teaching ; he merely wished, as a traveller, to give
sucha religion.He thought itwasmuch more true someof hisobservations uponthecourseof the
to saythatthereligion itselfwasa symptom rathermovement in Persiaand its meaning.Although
than a cause.Sucha movement ofthought wastaking he had in manyways a greatadmiration for
placenotonly inIslam,butinJapan, andmany of Bahaism, he was not prepared to rebutevery
theYoungTurk leaders weredistinctly free-thinkers. remark
critical thatcouldbe addressed againstit.
Theforward movement towards universal tolerationRecenttravellers in Persiawereagreedthatthe
and brotherhood tookthe formof a desirefor mostprogressive elements in thatcountry were
international agreement and universal peace,and associated directly or indirectlywiththe Bahai
was a sort of cosmopolitan movement. The movement. He quiteadmitted it wasinappropriate
Chairman had statedthatif Persiawereleft tousetheterm"priest"in connection with Islam,
alone he believed she wouldpull through. In butthedifficulty he experienced in thatconnection
onesensehe wasin complete agreement withthè wasthathe madea comparison between religions
remark. If Persiacouldbeisolated, andherinternalwhich had priests andtheIslamicreligion, which
struggle tookplaceas between theold and new maintained religious functionaries forwhoseoffice
régime , which waspractically between andgood
evil, , andstatustherewasno equivalent in theEnglish
therewasnottheslightest doubt which wouldulti- language.Whenheusedtheterm" priests" inre~
mately win; infact, ifshehadbeenleftalonefrom lation toIslamhemeantthatthere existedinPer*ia
the beginning therewouldhavebeenno doubt andother partsoftheMohammedan world menwho
whichwouldhavewonalready.But.to suppose claimed tohavea monopoly ofknowledge regarding
thatPersiahad been,or was goingto be, left thereligion of Mahomet, andthecommon people
absolutely toherself,seemed tohimutterly toignore wereboundto haverecourse tothose learned people

May27,içio. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS. 665

forthatknowledge, which wasnotobtainable other- which itrelates.SirEldonGorst's narra-
interesting
wise. The Quranwas in Arabic,a languagetionis framed very much afterthemodel oftheIndian
whichevento the Arabswas, in its QuranicAdministration Reports, withthisimportant differ-
form, practically unknown ; and theQuranand ence,thatthelatter areseldomavailable untillong
theliterature encompassing it couldonlybe com- after theexpiry oftheyearunder review.Hencethe
municated to theignorant people bya learned class, Indian reports, through theirbelated appearance, lose
which wascareful to preserve itsmonopoly oflearn- much oftheir significanceandinterest.
ing; andin thatsensehe spokeofthemullahs as The present report is dated26thMarchlast,
priests, notwishing to institute anyclosercom- and its very firstcomments deal withthe
parison between the mullahs of the East and assassination of the late Prime Minister, about
the priests of theWest. He was glad it had a monthpreviously, so it may be con-
beenpointed out thatthe movement in Turkeysidered quiteup-to-date, and'in thisand other
owed,practically, nothing to Bahaism.Whathe respects itmay'serve as anexample which many other
•had wishedto conveyin thatconnection was British official reports in various partsoftheworld
motthat Bahaismhad inspired the revolution woulddowellto emulate.On thesubject of the
in Turkey, though he was prepared to showit murder Mr.Roosevelt hasrecently spoken strongly
toadgonea considerable waytowards inspiring the andfearlessly : SirEldonGorst's remarks arecouched
movement inPersia: he wished to showthatthere inmuch thesamevein. He saysoftheassassin that
was, not in Persiaalone,but more or less throughout he was "one of those miserable creatures offeeble
theIslamic world, a realspirit ofprogress which, so intellect anddisordered ideas,whoareunconscious
faras historical comparisons went, could only be dupes of the greater criminals,whopreach violent
likened tothespirit oftheReformation thatexisted methods which theythemselves areafraid to carry
in Europe.Thatspirit hadvarious manifestations, intoeffect."Ofthevictim, Boutros GhaliPasha,
-oneof the mostmarvellous of whichwas the whofirst entered theMinistry in 1893as Minister of
Bahai movement. Another remarkable manifes-Finance, SirEldonremarks that"his deathis an
tation, if considered separately, was the politicalirreparable lossto Egypt, andthatit willbe long
revolution in Persiaandin Turkey, which hadhad before theKhediveand his country finda more
theextraordinary effectofsweeping away the old- devoted, single-minded, and capable servant."
«fashioned absolutism, the reliçtof centuries, and During1909thePressLaw, whichhad been
substituting in its placethatforwhich peoplehad revised intheearly partoftheyear, wasapplied with
beenstriving in theWestforcountless years, viz., great,perhaps toogreat, moderation. Twopapers
constitutional government withParliamentary insti- werewarned and one was suppressed, the latter
tutions.Howmuch oftheinspiration thathadgiven having beenalready suspended undertheordinary
ribetothose great movements
political wasduetosome lawbythenative tribunals,anditseditor sentenced
particular source ormanwasa mootquestion.His to twelve months' imprisonment. Another editor
:greatobject onthepresent occasion wastoshow from was sentenced to threemonths' imprisonment for
•thepoint of view of a recent travellerhow veryeffec- passing scurrilous libels on the late Boutros Pasha
tivethose various eruptive forces were, andhowinti- andanother highnativeofficial.Thesewarnings,
mately one must be connected with the other. The however, have not been enoughto prevent the
remark which hadbeenmadethatPersia couldbest extreme Nationalist journalsfromattacking the
makeprogress under thenewrégime bygetting along authorities withvirulence andcontempt, andunless
wellwith herneighbours, raised anenormous question.thisattitude is definitelyabandoned it willbtcome
While thatadvice sounded ideal,hewassorry tohave necessary, so Sir Eldonsignificantly remarks, to
-tosaythathisfeeling was,after twelve months' resi- applythePressLawwithgreat-er severitythanhere-
dencein Persia,thatit wasalmost as difficult for tofore.
a country likePersiatogetonwell,atanyratewith Thecotton crop,inspite ofa goodNileandfavour-
oneofitsneighbours, under present circumstances, ableweather, has beenmuchbelowtheaverage of
as fora lambtogetonwith a wolf. recentyears. High prices have.to some extentcom-
pensated forthefalling offoftheyield, but,never-
On themotion of the Chairman,a voteof theless, theresult comesas a great disappointment
thanks wasaccorded to Mr.Templeforhispaper, to thosewhohadhopedforsomeimprovement of
andthemeeting terminated. thefinancial position sincethecrisisof 1907. The

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