,god ,passes ,by by ,shoghi ,effendi ,edition #a1 7,september #bjjf7 ,,baha',i ,,terms ,,of ,,use ,you have permission to freely make and use copies of the text and any other information 7,content7 available on this ,site including printing1 emailing1 posting1 distributing1 copying1 downloading1 uploading1 transmitting1 displaying the ,content in whole or in part subject to the following3 #a4 ,our copyright notice and the source reference must be attached to the ,content2 #b4 ,the ,content may not be modified or altered in any way except to change the font or appearance2 #c4 ,the ,content must be used solely for a non-commercial purpose4 ,although this blanket permission to reproduce the ,content is given freely such that no special permission is required1 the ,bah' ,international ,community retains full copyright protection for all ,content included at this ,site under all applicable national and international laws4 ,for permission to publish1 transmit1 display or otherwise use the ,content for any commercial purpose1 please contact us 7http3_/_/reference4bahai4org_/en_/conta ct4html74 ,,contents ,baha'i ,terms of ,use ,foreword ,,first ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,the ,b,b #ahdd-ahec ,chapter ,i3 ,the ,birth of the ,bb ,revelation ,chapter ,,ii3 ,the ,bb's ,captivity in dhirbayjn ,chapter ,,iii3 ,upheavals in ,mzindarn1 ,nayrz and ,zanjn ,chapter ,,iv3 ,the ,execution of the ,bb ,chapter ,v3 ,the ,attempt on the ,life of the ,shh and ,its ,consequences ,,second ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,bah',u',,ll,h #ahec-ahib ,chapter ,,vi3 ,the ,birth of ,the ,bah' ,revelation ,chapter ,,vii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,banishment to #8,irq ,chapter ,,viii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,banishment to #8,irq 7,continued7 ,chapter ,,ix3 ,the ,declaration of ,bah'u'llh's ,mission and ,his ,journey to ,constantinople ,chapter ,x3 ,the ,rebellion of ,mrz ,yay and the ,proclamation of ,bah'u'llh's ,mission in ,adrianople ,chapter ,,xi3 ,bah'u'llh's ,incarceration in ,akk ,chapter ,,xii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,incarceration in ,akk 7,continued7 ,chapter ,,xiii3 ,ascension of ,bah'u'llh ,,third ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of #8,,abdu',l-,,bah #ahib-aiba ,chapter ,,xiv3 ,the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh ,chapter ,,xv3 ,the ,rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al ,chapter ,,xvi3 ,the ,rise and ,establishment of the ,faith in the ,west ,chapter ,,xvii3 ,renewal of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,incarceration ,chapter ,,xviii3 ,entombment of the ,bb's ,remains on ,mt4 ,carmel ,chapter ,,xix3 #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,travels in ,europe and ,america ,chapter ,,xx3 ,growth and ,expansion of the ,faith in ,east and ,west ,chapter ,,xxi3 ,the ,passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah ,,fourth ,,period3 ,,the ,,inception ,,of ,,the ,,formative ,,age ,,of ,,the ,,bah' ,,faith #aiba-aidd ,chapter ,,xxii3 ,the ,rise and ,establishment of the ,administrative ,order ,chapter ,,xxiii3 ,attacks on ,bah' ,institutions ,chapter ,,xxiv3 ,emancipation and ,recognition of the ,faith and ,its ,institutions ,chapter ,,xxv3 ,international ,expansion of ,teaching ,activities ,retrospect and ,prospect ,,foreword ,on the #bcrd of ,may of this auspicious year the ,bah' world will celebrate the centennial anniversary of the founding of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,it will commemorate at once the hundreth anniversary of the inception of the ,bb ,dispensation1 of the inauguration of the ,bah' ,era1 of the commencement of the ,bah' ,cycle1 and of the birth of #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,the weight of the potentialities with which this ,faith1 possessing no peer or equal in the world's spiritual history1 and marking the culmination of a universal prophetic cycle1 has been endowed1 staggers our imagination4 ,the brightness of the millennial glory which it must shed in the fullness of time dazzles our eyes4 ,the magnitude of the shadow which its ,author will continue to cast on successive ,prophets destined to be raised up after ,him eludes our calculation4 ,already in the space of less than a century the operation of the mysterious processes generated by its creative spirit has provoked a tumult in human society such as no mind can fathom4 ,itself undergoing a period of incubation during its primitive age1 it has1 through the emergence of its slowly-crystallizing system1 induced a fermentation in the general life of mankind designed to shake the very foundations of a disordered society1 to purify its life-blood1 to reorientate and reconstruct its institutions1 and shape its final destiny4 ,to what else can the observant eye or the unprejudiced mind1 acquainted with the signs and portents heralding the birth1 and accompanying the rise1 of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh ascribe this dire1 this planetary upheaval1 with its attendant destruction1 misery and fear1 if not to the emergence of ,his embryonic ,world ,order1 which1 as ,he ,himself has unequivocally proclaimed1 has 8deranged the equilibrium of the world and revolutionized mankind's ordered life08 ,to what agency1 if not to the irresistible diffusion of that world-shaking1 world-energizing1 world-redeeming spirit1 which the ,bb has affirmed is 8vibrating in the innermost realities of all created things0 can the origins of this portentous crisis1 incomprehensible to man1 and admittedly unprecedented in the annals of the human race1 be attributed8 ,in the convulsions of contemporary society1 in the frenzied1 world-wide ebullitions of men's thoughts1 in the fierce antagonisms inflaming races1 creeds and classes1 in the shipwreck of nations1 in the downfall of kings1 in the dismemberment of empires1 in the extinction of dynasties1 in the collapse of ecclesiastical hierarchies1 in the deterioration of time-honored institutions1 in the dissolution of ties1 secular as well as religious1 that had for so long held together the members of the human race--all manifesting themselves with ever-increasing gravity since the outbreak of the first ,world ,war that immediately preceded the opening years of the ,formative ,age of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh--in these we can readily recognize the evidences of the travail of an age that has sustained the impact of ,his ,revelation1 that has ignored ,his summons1 and is now laboring to be delivered of its burden1 as a direct consequence of the impulse communicated to it by the generative1 the purifying1 the transmuting influence of ,his ,spirit4 ,it is my purpose1 on the occasion of an anniversary of such profound significance1 to attempt in the succeeding pages a survey of the outstanding events of the century that has seen this ,spirit burst forth upon the world1 as well as the initial stages of its subsequent incarnation in a ,system that must evolve into an ,order designed to embrace the whole of mankind1 and capable of fulfilling the high destiny that awaits man on this planet4 ,i shall endeavor to review1 in their proper perspective and despite the comparatively brief space of time which separates us from them1 the events which the revolution of a hundred years1 unique alike in glory and tribulation1 has unrolled before our eyes4 ,i shall seek to represent and correlate1 in however cursory a manner1 those momentous happenings which have insensibly1 relentlessly1 and under the very eyes of successive generations1 perverse1 indifferent or hostile1 transformed a heterodox and seemingly negligible offshoot of the ,shaykh school of the ,ithn-#8,ash'ryyih sect of ,sh'ah ,islm into a world religion whose unnumbered followers are organically and indissolubly united2 whose light has overspread the earth as far as ,iceland in the ,north and ,magellanes in the ,south2 whose ramifications have spread to no less than sixty countries of the world2 whose literature has been translated and disseminated in no less than forty languages2 whose endowments in the five continents of the globe1 whether local1 national or international1 already run into several million dollars2 whose incorporated elective bodies have secured the official recognition of a number of governments in ,east and ,west2 whose adherents are recruited from the diversified races and chief religions of mankind2 whose representatives are to be found in hundreds of cities in both ,persia and the ,united ,states of ,america2 to whose verities royalty has publicly and repeatedly testified2 whose independent status its enemies1 from the ranks of its parent religion and in the leading center of both the ,arab and ,muslim worlds1 have proclaimed and demonstrated2 and whose claims have been virtually recognized1 entitling it to rank as the fourth religion of a ,land in which its world spiritual center has been established1 and which is at once the heart of ,christendom1 the holiest shrine of the ,jewish people1 and1 save ,mecca alone1 the most sacred spot in ,islm4 ,it is not my purpose--nor does the occasion demand it1--to write a detailed history of the last hundred years of the ,bah' ,faith1 nor do ,i intend to trace the origins of so tremendous a ,movement1 or to portray the conditions under which it was born1 or to examine the character of the religion from which it has sprung1 or to arrive at an estimate of the effects which its impact upon the fortunes of mankind has produced4 ,i shall rather content myself with a review of the salient features of its birth and rise1 as well as of the initial stages in the establishment of its administrative institutions--institutions which must be regarded as the nucleus and herald of that ,world ,order that must incarnate the soul1 execute the laws1 and fulfill the purpose of the ,faith of ,god in this day4 ,nor will it be my intention to ignore1 whilst surveying the panorama which the revolution of a hundred years spreads before our gaze1 the swift interweaving of seeming reverses with evident victories1 out of which the hand of an inscrutable ,providence has chosen to form the pattern of the ,faith from its earliest days1 or to minimize those disasters that have so often proved themselves to be the prelude to fresh triumphs which have1 in turn1 stimulated its growth and consolidated its past achievements4 ,indeed1 the history of the first hundred years of its evolution resolves itself into a series of internal and external crises1 of varying severity1 devastating in their immediate effects1 but each mysteriously releasing a corresponding measure of divine power1 lending thereby a fresh impulse to its unfoldment1 this further unfoldment engendering in its turn a still graver calamity1 followed by a still more liberal effusion of celestial grace enabling its upholders to accelerate still further its march and win in its service still more compelling victories4 ,in its broadest outline the first century of the ,bah' ,era may be said to comprise the ,heroic1 the ,primitive1 the ,apostolic ,age of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 and also the initial stages of the ,formative1 the ,transitional1 the ,iron ,age which is to witness the crystallization and shaping of the creative energies released by ,his ,revelation4 ,the first eighty years of this century may roughly be said to have covered the entire period of the first age1 while the last two decades may be regarded as having witnessed the beginnings of the second4 ,the former commences with the ,declaration of the ,bb1 includes the mission of ,bah'u'llh1 and terminates with the passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,the latter is ushered in by ,his ,will and ,testament1 which defines its character and establishes its foundation4 ,the century under our review may therefore be considered as falling into four distinct periods1 of unequal duration1 each of specific import and of tremendous and indeed unappraisable significance4 ,these four periods are closely interrelated1 and constitute successive acts of one1 indivisible1 stupendous and sublime drama1 whose mystery no intellect can fathom1 whose climax no eye can even dimly perceive1 whose conclusion no mind can adequately foreshadow4 ,each of these acts revolves around its own theme1 boasts of its own heroes1 registers its own tragedies1 records its own triumphs1 and contributes its own share to the execution of one common1 immutable ,purpose4 ,to isolate any one of them from the others1 to dissociate the later manifestations of one universal1 all-embracing ,revelation from the pristine purpose that animated it in its earliest days1 would be tantamount to a mutilation of the structure on which it rests1 and to a lamentable perversion of its truth and of its history4 ,the first period 7#ahdd-ahec71 centers around the gentle1 the youthful and irresistible person of the ,bb1 matchless in ,his meekness1 imperturbable in ,his serenity1 magnetic in ,his utterance1 unrivaled in the dramatic episodes of ,his swift and tragic ministry4 ,it begins with the ,declaration of ,his ,mission1 culminates in ,his martyrdom1 and ends in a veritable orgy of religious massacre revolting in its hideousness4 ,it is characterized by nine years of fierce and relentless contest1 whose theatre was the whole of ,persia1 in which above ten thousand heroes laid down their lives1 in which two sovereigns of the ,qjr dynasty and their wicked ministers participated1 and which was supported by the entire ,sh'ah ecclesiastical hierarchy1 by the military resources of the state1 and by the implacable hostility of the masses4 ,the second period 7#ahec-ahib7 derives its inspiration from the august figure of ,bah'u'llh1 preeminent in holiness1 awesome in the majesty of ,his strength and power1 unapproachable in the transcendent brightness of ,his glory4 ,it opens with the first stirrings1 in the soul of ,bah'u'llh while in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 of the ,revelation anticipated by the ,bb1 attains its plenitude in the proclamation of that ,revelation to the kings and ecclesiastical leaders of the earth1 and terminates in the ascension of its ,author in the vicinity of the prison-town of ,akk4 ,it extends over thirty-nine years of continuous1 of unprecedented and overpowering ,revelation1 is marked by the propagation of the ,faith to the neighboring territories of ,turkey1 of ,russia1 of #8,irq1 of ,syria1 of ,egypt and of ,india1 and is distinguished by a corresponding aggravation of hostility1 represented by the united attacks launched by the ,shh of ,persia and the ,suln of ,turkey1 the two admittedly most powerful potentates of the ,east1 as well as by the opposition of the twin sacerdotal orders of ,sh'ah and ,sunn ,islm4 ,the third period 7#ahib-aiba7 revolves around the vibrant personality of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 mysterious in ,his essence1 unique in ,his station1 astoundingly potent in both the charm and strength of ,his character4 ,it commences with the announcement of the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh1 a document without parallel in the history of any earlier ,dispensation1 attains its climax in the emphatic assertion by the ,center of that ,covenant1 in the ,city of the ,covenant1 of the unique character and far-reaching implications of that ,document1 and closes with ,his passing and the interment of ,his remains on ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,it will go down in history as a period of almost thirty years' duration1 in which tragedies and triumphs have been so intertwined as to eclipse at one time the ,orb of the ,covenant1 and at another time to pour forth its light over the continent of ,europe1 and as far as ,australasia1 the ,far ,east and the ,north ,american continent4 ,the fourth period 7#aiba-aidd7 is motivated by the forces radiating from the ,will and ,testament of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 that ,charter of ,bah'u'llh's ,new ,world ,order1 the offspring resulting from the mystic intercourse between ,him ,who is the ,source of the ,law of ,god and the mind of the ,one ,who is the vehicle and interpreter of that ,law4 ,the inception of this fourth1 this last period of the first ,bah' century synchronizes with the birth of the ,formative ,age of the ,bah' ,era1 with the founding of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh--a system which is at once the harbinger1 the nucleus and pattern of ,his ,world ,order4 ,this period1 covering the first twenty-three years of this ,formative ,age1 has already been distinguished by an outburst of further hostility1 of a different character1 accelerating on the one hand the diffusion of the ,faith over a still wider area in each of the five continents of the globe1 and resulting on the other in the emancipation and the recognition of the independent status of several communities within its pale4 ,these four periods are to be regarded not only as the component1 the inseparable parts of one stupendous whole1 but as progressive stages in a single evolutionary process1 vast1 steady and irresistible4 ,for as we survey the entire range which the operation of a century-old ,faith has unfolded before us1 we cannot escape the conclusion that from whatever angle we view this colossal scene1 the events associated with these periods present to us unmistakable evidences of a slowly maturing process1 of an orderly development1 of internal consolidation1 of external expansion1 of a gradual emancipation from the fetters of religious orthodoxy1 and of a corresponding diminution of civil disabilities and restrictions4 ,viewing these periods of ,bah' history as the constituents of a single entity1 we note the chain of events proclaiming successfully the rise of a ,forerunner1 the ,mission of ,one ,whose advent that ,forerunner had promised1 the establishment of a ,covenant generated through the direct authority of the ,promised ,one ,himself1 and lastly the birth of a ,system which is the child sprung from both the ,author of the ,covenant and its appointed ,center4 ,we observe how the ,bb1 the ,forerunner1 announced the impending inception of a divinely-conceived ,order1 how ,bah'u'llh1 the ,promised ,one1 formulated its laws and ordinances1 how #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the appointed ,center1 delineated its features1 and how the present generation of their followers have commenced to erect the framework of its institutions4 ,we watch1 through these periods1 the infant light of the ,faith diffuse itself from its cradle1 eastward to ,india and the ,far ,east1 westward to the neighboring territories of #8,irq1 of ,turkey1 of ,russia1 and of ,egypt1 travel as far as the ,north ,american continent1 illuminate subsequently the major countries of ,europe1 envelop with its radiance1 at a later stage1 the ,antipodes1 brighten the fringes of the ,arctic1 and finally set aglow the ,central and ,south ,american horizons4 ,we witness a corresponding increase in the diversity of the elements within its fellowship1 which from being confined1 in the first period of its history1 to an obscure body of followers chiefly recruited from the ranks of the masses in ,sh'ah ,persia1 has expanded into a fraternity representative of the leading religious systems of the world1 of almost every caste and color1 from the humblest worker and peasant to royalty itself4 ,we notice a similar development in the extent of its literature--a literature which1 restricted at first to the narrow range of hurriedly transcribed1 often corrupted1 secretly circulated1 manuscripts1 so furtively perused1 so frequently effaced1 and at times even eaten by the terrorized members of a proscribed sect1 has1 within the space of a century1 swelled into innumerable editions1 comprising tens of thousands of printed volumes1 in diverse scripts1 and in no less than forty languages1 some elaborately reproduced1 others profusely illustrated1 all methodically and vigorously disseminated through the agency of world-wide1 properly constituted and specially organized committees and ,assemblies4 ,we perceive a no less apparent evolution in the scope of its teachings1 at first designedly rigid1 complex and severe1 subsequently recast1 expanded1 and liberalized under the succeeding ,dispensation1 later expounded1 reaffirmed and amplified by an appointed ,interpreter1 and lastly systematized and universally applied to both individuals and institutions4 ,we can discover a no less distinct gradation in the character of the opposition it has had to encounter--an opposition1 at first kindled in the bosom of ,sh'ah ,islm1 which1 at a later stage1 gathered momentum with the banishment of ,bah'u'llh to the domains of the ,turkish ,suln and the consequent hostility of the more powerful ,sunn hierarchy and its ,caliph1 the head of the vast majority of the followers of ,muammad--an opposition which1 now1 through the rise of a divinely appointed ,order in the ,christian ,west1 and its initial impact on civil and ecclesiastical institutions1 bids fair to include among its supporters established governments and systems associated with the most ancient1 the most deeply entrenched sacerdotal hierarchies in ,christendom4 ,we can1 at the same time1 recognize1 through the haze of an ever-widening hostility1 the progress1 painful yet persistent1 of certain communities within its pale through the stages of obscurity1 of proscription1 of emancipation1 and of recognition--stages that must needs culminate in the course of succeeding centuries1 in the establishment of the ,faith1 and the founding1 in the plenitude of its power and authority1 of the world-embracing ,bah' ,commonwealth4 ,we can likewise discern a no less appreciable advance in the rise of its institutions1 whether as administrative centers or places of worship--institutions1 clandestine and subterrene in their earliest beginnings1 emerging imperceptibly into the broad daylight of public recognition1 legally protected1 enriched by pious endowments1 ennobled at first by the erection of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of ,ishqbd1 the first ,bah' ,house of ,worship1 and more recently immortalized1 through the rise in the heart of the ,north ,american continent of the ,mother ,temple of the ,west1 the forerunner of a divine1 a slowly maturing civilization4 ,and finally1 we can even bear witness to the marked improvement in the conditions surrounding the pilgrimages performed by its devoted adherents to its consecrated shrines at its world center--pilgrimages originally arduous1 perilous1 tediously long1 often made on foot1 at times ending in disappointment1 and confined to a handful of harassed ,oriental followers1 gradually attracting1 under steadily improving circumstances of security and comfort1 an ever swelling number of new converts converging from the four corners of the globe1 and culminating in the widely publicized yet sadly frustrated visit of a noble ,queen1 who1 at the very threshold of the city of her heart's desire1 was compelled1 according to her own written testimony1 to divert her steps1 and forego the privilege of so priceless a benefit4 ,,first ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,the ,b,b #ahdd-ahec ,chapter ,i3 ,the ,birth of the ,bb ,revelation ,may #bc1 #ahdd1 signalizes the commencement of the most turbulent period of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,era1 an age which marks the opening of the most glorious epoch in the greatest cycle which the spiritual history of mankind has yet witnessed4 ,no more than a span of nine short years marks the duration of this most spectacular1 this most tragic1 this most eventful period of the first ,bah' century4 ,it was ushered in by the birth of a ,revelation whose ,bearer posterity will acclaim as the 8,point round ,whom the realities of the ,prophets and ,messengers revolve10 and terminated with the first stirrings of a still more potent ,revelation1 8whose day10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself affirms1 8every ,prophet hath announced10 for which 8the soul of every ,divine ,messenger hath thirsted10 and through which 8,god hath proved the hearts of the entire company of ,his ,messengers and ,prophets40 ,little wonder that the immortal chronicler of the events associated with the birth and rise of the ,bah' ,revelation has seen fit to devote no less than half of his moving narrative to the description of those happenings that have during such a brief space of time so greatly enriched1 through their tragedy and heroism1 the religious annals of mankind4 ,in sheer dramatic power1 in the rapidity with which events of momentous importance succeeded each other1 in the holocaust which baptized its birth1 in the miraculous circumstances attending the martyrdom of the ,one ,who had ushered it in1 in the potentialities with which it had been from the outset so thoroughly impregnated1 in the forces to which it eventually gave birth1 this nine-year period may well rank as unique in the whole range of man's religious experience4 ,we behold1 as we survey the episodes of this first act of a sublime drama1 the figure of its ,master ,hero1 the ,bb1 arise meteor-like above the horizon of ,shrz1 traverse the sombre sky of ,persia from south to north1 decline with tragic swiftness1 and perish in a blaze of glory4 ,we see ,his satellites1 a galaxy of ,god-intoxicated heroes1 mount above that same horizon1 irradiate that same incandescent light1 burn themselves out with that self-same swiftness1 and impart in their turn an added impetus to the steadily gathering momentum of ,god's nascent ,faith4 ,he ,who communicated the original impulse to so incalculable a ,movement was none other than the promised ,q'im 7,he who ariseth71 the ,shibu'z-,zamn 7the ,lord of the ,age71 ,who assumed the exclusive right of annulling the whole ,qur'nic ,dispensation1 ,who styled ,himself 8the ,primal ,point from which have been generated all created things 444 the ,countenance of ,god ,whose splendor can never be obscured1 the ,light of ,god ,whose radiance can never fade40 ,the people among whom ,he appeared were the most decadent race in the civilized world1 grossly ignorant1 savage1 cruel1 steeped in prejudice1 servile in their submission to an almost deified hierarchy1 recalling in their abjectness the ,israelites of ,egypt in the days of ,moses1 in their fanaticism the ,jews in the days of ,jesus1 and in their perversity the idolators of ,arabia in the days of ,muammad4 ,the arch-enemy who repudiated ,his claim1 challenged ,his authority1 persecuted ,his ,cause1 succeeded in almost quenching ,his light1 and who eventually became disintegrated under the impact of ,his ,revelation was the ,sh'ah priesthood4 ,fiercely fanatic1 unspeakably corrupt1 enjoying unlimited ascendancy over the masses1 jealous of their position1 and irreconcilably opposed to all liberal ideas1 the members of this caste had for one thousand years invoked the name of the ,hidden ,imm1 their breasts had glowed with the expectation of ,his advent1 their pulpits had rung with the praises of ,his world-embracing dominion1 their lips were still devoutly and perpetually murmuring prayers for the hastening of ,his coming4 ,the willing tools who prostituted their high office for the accomplishment of the enemy's designs were no less than the sovereigns of the ,qjr dynasty1 first1 the bigoted1 the sickly1 the vacillating ,muammad ,shh1 who at the last moment cancelled the ,bb's imminent visit to the capital1 and1 second1 the youthful and inexperienced ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 who gave his ready assent to the sentence of his ,captive's death4 ,the arch villains who joined hands with the prime movers of so wicked a conspiracy were the two grand vizirs1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 the idolized tutor of ,muammad ,shh1 a vulgar1 false-hearted and fickle-minded schemer1 and the arbitrary1 bloodthirsty1 reckless ,amr-,nizm1 ,mrz ,taq ,khn1 the first of whom exiled the ,bb to the mountain fastnesses of dhirbayjn1 and the latter decreed ,his death in ,tabrz4 ,their accomplice in these and other heinous crimes was a government bolstered up by a flock of idle1 parasitical princelings and governors1 corrupt1 incompetent1 tenaciously holding to their ill-gotten privileges1 and utterly subservient to a notoriously degraded clerical order4 ,the heroes whose deeds shine upon the record of this fierce spiritual contest1 involving at once people1 clergy1 monarch and government1 were the ,bb's chosen disciples1 the ,letters of the ,living1 and their companions1 the trail-breakers of the ,new ,day1 who to so much intrigue1 ignorance1 depravity1 cruelty1 superstition and cowardice opposed a spirit exalted1 unquenchable and awe-inspiring1 a knowledge surprisingly profound1 an eloquence sweeping in its force1 a piety unexcelled in fervor1 a courage leonine in its fierceness1 a self-abnegation saintly in its purity1 a resolve granite-like in its firmness1 a vision stupendous in its range1 a veneration for the ,prophet and ,his ,imms disconcerting to their adversaries1 a power of persuasion alarming to their antagonists1 a standard of faith and a code of conduct that challenged and revolutionized the lives of their countrymen4 ,the opening scene of the initial act of this great drama was laid in the upper chamber of the modest residence of the son of a mercer of ,shrz1 in an obscure corner of that city4 ,the time was the hour before sunset1 on the #bbnd day of ,may1 #ahdd4 ,the participants were the ,bb1 a twenty-five year old siyyid1 of pure and holy lineage1 and the young ,mull usayn1 the first to believe in ,him4 ,their meeting immediately before that interview seemed to be purely fortuitous4 ,the interview itself was protracted till the hour of dawn4 ,the ,host remained closeted alone with ,his guest1 nor was the sleeping city remotely aware of the import of the conversation they held with each other4 ,no record has passed to posterity of that unique night save the fragmentary but highly illuminating account that fell from the lips of ,mull usayn4 8,i sat spellbound by ,his utterance1 oblivious of time and of those who awaited me10 he himself has testified1 after describing the nature of the questions he had put to his ,host and the conclusive replies he had received from ,him1 replies which had established beyond the shadow of a doubt the validity of ,his claim to be the promised ,q'im4 8,suddenly the call of the ,mu'adhdhin1 summoning the faithful to their morning prayer1 awakened me from the state of ecstasy into which ,i seemed to have fallen4 ,all the delights1 all the ineffable glories1 which the ,almighty has recounted in ,his ,book as the priceless possessions of the people of ,paradise--these ,i seemed to be experiencing that night4 ,methinks ,i was in a place of which it could be truly said3 #8,therein no toil shall reach us1 and therein no weariness shall touch us2' #8no vain discourse shall they hear therein1 nor any falsehood1 but only the cry1 8,peace6 ,peace60'2 #8their cry therein shall be1 8,glory to ,thee1 ,o ,god60 and their salutation therein1 8,peace601 and the close of their cry1 8,praise be to ,god1 ,lord of all creatures60' ,sleep had departed from me that night4 ,i was enthralled by the music of that voice which rose and fell as ,he chanted2 now swelling forth as ,he revealed verses of the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 again acquiring ethereal1 subtle harmonies as ,he uttered the prayers ,he was revealing4 ,at the end of each invocation1 ,he would repeat this verse3 #8,far from the glory of thy ,lord1 the ,all-,glorious1 be that which ,his creatures affirm of ,him6 ,and peace be upon ,his ,messengers6 ,and praise be to ,god1 the ,lord of all beings6'0 8,this ,revelation10 ,mull usayn has further testified1 8so suddenly and impetuously thrust upon me1 came as a thunderbolt which1 for a time1 seemed to have benumbed my faculties4 ,i was blinded by its dazzling splendor and overwhelmed by its crushing force4 ,excitement1 joy1 awe1 and wonder stirred the depths of my soul4 ,predominant among these emotions was a sense of gladness and strength which seemed to have transfigured me4 ,how feeble and impotent1 how dejected and timid1 ,i had felt previously6 ,then ,i could neither write nor walk1 so tremulous were my hands and feet4 ,now1 however1 the knowledge of ,his ,revelation had galvanized my being4 ,i felt possessed of such courage and power that were the world1 all its peoples and its potentates1 to rise against me1 ,i would1 alone and undaunted1 withstand their onslaught4 ,the universe seemed but a handful of dust in my grasp4 ,i seemed to be the voice of ,gabriel personified1 calling unto all mankind3 #8,awake1 for1 lo6 the morning ,light has broken4 ,arise1 for ,his ,cause is made manifest4 ,the portal of ,his grace is open wide2 enter therein1 ,o peoples of the world6 ,for ,he ,who is your promised ,one is come6'0 ,a more significant light1 however1 is shed on this episode1 marking the ,declaration of the ,mission of the ,bb1 by the perusal of that 8first1 greatest and mightiest0 of all books in the ,bb ,dispensation1 the celebrated commentary on the ,srih of ,joseph1 the first chapter of which1 we are assured1 proceeded1 in its entirety1 in the course of that night of nights from the pen of its divine ,revealer4 ,the description of this episode by ,mull usayn1 as well as the opening pages of that ,book attest the magnitude and force of that weighty ,declaration4 ,a claim to be no less than the mouthpiece of ,god ,himself1 promised by the ,prophets of bygone ages2 the assertion that ,he was1 at the same time1 the ,herald of ,one immeasurably greater than ,himself2 the summons which ,he trumpeted forth to the kings and princes of the earth2 the dire warnings directed to the ,chief ,magistrate of the realm1 ,muammad ,shh2 the counsel imparted to j ,mrz ,aqs to fear ,god1 and the peremptory command to abdicate his authority as grand vizir of the ,shh and submit to the ,one ,who is the 8,inheritor of the earth and all that is therein02 the challenge issued to the rulers of the world proclaiming the self-sufficiency of ,his ,cause1 denouncing the vanity of their ephemeral power1 and calling upon them to 8lay aside1 one and all1 their dominion10 and deliver ,his ,message to 8lands in both the ,east and the ,west0--these constitute the dominant features of that initial contact that marked the birth1 and fixed the date1 of the inception of the most glorious era in the spiritual life of mankind4 ,with this historic ,declaration the dawn of an ,age that signalizes the consummation of all ages had broken4 ,the first impulse of a momentous ,revelation had been communicated to the one 8but for whom10 according to the testimony of the ,kitb-i-qn1 8,god would not have been established upon the seat of ,his mercy1 nor ascended the throne of eternal glory40 ,not until forty days had elapsed1 however1 did the enrollment of the seventeen remaining ,letters of the ,living commence4 ,gradually1 spontaneously1 some in sleep1 others while awake1 some through fasting and prayer1 others through dreams and visions1 they discovered the ,object of their quest1 and were enlisted under the banner of the new-born ,faith4 ,the last1 but in rank the first1 of these ,letters to be inscribed on the ,preserved ,tablet was the erudite1 the twenty-two year old ,qudds1 a direct descendant of the ,imm asan and the most esteemed disciple of ,siyyid ,kzim4 ,immediately preceding him1 a woman1 the only one of her sex1 who1 unlike her fellow-disciples1 never attained the presence of the ,bb1 was invested with the rank of apostleship in the new ,dispensation4 ,a poetess1 less than thirty years of age1 of distinguished birth1 of bewitching charm1 of captivating eloquence1 indomitable in spirit1 unorthodox in her views1 audacious in her acts1 immortalized as ,thirih 7the ,pure ,one7 by the 8,tongue of ,glory10 and surnamed ,qurratu'l-#8,ayn 7,solace of the ,eyes7 by ,siyyid ,kzim1 her teacher1 she had1 in consequence of the appearance of the ,bb to her in a dream1 received the first intimation of a ,cause which was destined to exalt her to the fairest heights of fame1 and on which she1 through her bold heroism1 was to shed such imperishable luster4 ,these 8first ,letters generated from the ,primal ,point10 this 8company of angels arrayed before ,god on the ,day of ,his coming10 these 8,repositories of ,his ,mystery10 these 8,springs that have welled out from the ,source of ,his ,revelation10 these first companions who1 in the words of the ,persian ,bayn1 8enjoy nearest access to ,god10 these 8,luminaries that have1 from everlasting1 bowed down1 and will everlastingly continue to bow down1 before the ,celestial ,throne10 and lastly these 8elders0 mentioned in the ,book of ,revelation as 8sitting before ,god on their seats10 8clothed in white raiment0 and wearing on their heads 8crowns of gold0--these were1 ere their dispersal1 summoned to the ,bb's presence1 ,who addressed to them ,his parting words1 entrusted to each a specific task1 and assigned to some of them as the proper field of their activities their native provinces4 ,he enjoined them to observe the utmost caution and moderation in their behavior1 unveiled the loftiness of their rank1 and stressed the magnitude of their responsibilities4 ,he recalled the words addressed by ,jesus to ,his disciples1 and emphasized the superlative greatness of the ,new ,day4 ,he warned them lest by turning back they forfeit the ,kingdom of ,god1 and assured them that if they did ,god's bidding1 ,god would make them ,his heirs and spiritual leaders among men4 ,he hinted at the secret1 and announced the approach1 of a still mightier ,day1 and bade them prepare themselves for its advent4 ,he called to remembrance the triumph of ,abraham over ,nimrod1 of ,moses over ,pharaoh1 of ,jesus over the ,jewish people1 and of ,muammad over the tribes of ,arabia1 and asserted the inevitability and ultimate ascendancy of ,his own ,revelation4 ,to the care of ,mull usayn ,he committed a mission1 more specific in character and mightier in import4 ,he affirmed that ,his covenant with him had been established1 cautioned him to be forbearing with the divines he would encounter1 directed him to proceed to ihrn1 and alluded1 in the most glowing terms1 to the as yet unrevealed ,mystery enshrined in that city--a ,mystery that would1 ,he affirmed1 transcend the light shed by both ijz and ,shrz4 ,galvanized into action by the mandate conferred upon them1 launched on their perilous and revolutionizing mission1 these lesser luminaries who1 together with the ,bb1 constitute the ,first ,vahd 7,unity7 of the ,dispensation of the ,bayn1 scattered far and wide through the provinces of their native land1 where1 with matchless heroism1 they resisted the savage and concerted onslaught of the forces arrayed against them1 and immortalized their ,faith by their own exploits and those of their co-religionists1 raising thereby a tumult that convulsed their country and sent its echoes reverberating as far as the capitals of ,western ,europe4 ,it was not until1 however1 the ,bb had received the eagerly anticipated letter of ,mull usayn1 ,his trusted and beloved lieutenant1 communicating the joyful tidings of his interview with ,bah'u'llh1 that ,he decided to undertake ,his long and arduous pilgrimage to the ,tombs of ,his ancestors4 ,in the month of ,sha'bn1 of the year #abfj ,a4,h4 7,september1 #ahdd7 ,he ,who1 both on ,his father's and mother's side1 was of the seed of the illustrious ,ftimih1 and ,who was a descendant of the ,imm usayn1 the most eminent among the lawful successors of the ,prophet of ,islm1 proceeded1 in fulfillment of ,islamic traditions1 to visit the ,kaaba4 ,he embarked from ,bshihr on the #aith of ,ramadn 7,october1 #ahdd7 on a sailing vessel1 accompanied by ,qudds whom ,he was assiduously preparing for the assumption of his future office4 ,landing at ,jaddih after a stormy voyage of over a month's duration1 ,he donned the pilgrim's garb1 mounted a camel1 and set out for ,mecca1 arriving on the first of ,dhi'l-,hjjih 7,december #ab74 ,qudds1 holding the bridle in his hands1 accompanied his ,master on foot to that holy ,shrine4 ,on the day of rafih1 the ,prophet-pilgrim of ,shrz1 ,his chronicler relates1 devoted ,his whole time to prayer4 ,on the day of ,nahr ,he proceeded to ,mun1 where ,he sacrificed according to custom nineteen lambs1 nine in ,his own name1 seven in the name of ,qudds1 and three in the name of the ,ethiopian servant who attended ,him4 ,he afterwards1 in company with the other pilgrims1 encompassed the ,kaaba and performed the rites prescribed for the pilgrimage4 ,his visit to ijz was marked by two episodes of particular importance4 ,the first was the declaration of ,his mission and ,his open challenge to the haughty ,mrz ,muht-i-,kirmn1 one of the most outstanding exponents of the ,shaykh school1 who at times went so far as to assert his independence of the leadership of that school assumed after the death of ,siyyid ,kzim by j ,muammad ,karm ,khn1 a redoubtable enemy of the ,bb ,faith4 ,the second was the invitation1 in the form of an ,epistle1 conveyed by ,qudds1 to the ,sherif of ,mecca1 in which the custodian of the ,house of ,god was called upon to embrace the truth of the new ,revelation4 ,absorbed in his own pursuits the ,sherif however failed to respond4 ,seven years later1 when in the course of a conversation with a certain j ,nyz-i-,baghdd1 this same ,sherif was informed of the circumstances attending the mission and martyrdom of the ,prophet of ,shrz1 he listened attentively to the description of those events and expressed his indignation at the tragic fate that had overtaken ,him4 ,the ,bb's visit to ,medina marked the conclusion of ,his pilgrimage4 ,regaining ,jaddih1 ,he returned to ,bshihr1 where one of ,his first acts was to bid ,his last farewell to ,his fellow-traveler and disciple1 and to assure him that he would meet the ,beloved of their hearts4 ,he1 moreover1 announced to him that he would be crowned with a martyr's death1 and that ,he ,himself would subsequently suffer a similar fate at the hands of their common foe4 ,the ,bb's return to ,his native land 7,safar #abfa7 7,february- ,march1 #ahde7 was the signal for a commotion that rocked the entire country4 ,the fire which the declaration of ,his mission had lit was being fanned into flame through the dispersal and activities of ,his appointed disciples4 ,already within the space of less than two years it had kindled the passions of friend and foe alike4 ,the outbreak of the conflagration did not even await the return to ,his native city of the ,one ,who had generated it4 ,the implications of a ,revelation1 thrust so dramatically upon a race so degenerate1 so inflammable in temper1 could indeed have had no other consequence than to excite within men's bosoms the fiercest passions of fear1 of hate1 of rage and envy4 ,a ,faith ,whose ,founder did not content ,himself with the claim to be the ,gate of the ,hidden ,imm1 ,who assumed a rank that excelled even that of the ,shibu'z-,zamn1 ,who regarded ,himself as the precursor of one incomparably greater than ,himself1 ,who peremptorily commanded not only the subjects of the ,shh1 but the monarch himself1 and even the kings and princes of the earth1 to forsake their all and follow ,him1 ,who claimed to be the inheritor of the earth and all that is therein--a ,faith ,whose religious doctrines1 ,whose ethical standards1 social principles and religious laws challenged the whole structure of the society in which it was born1 soon ranged1 with startling unanimity1 the mass of the people behind their priests1 and behind their chief magistrate1 with his ministers and his government1 and welded them into an opposition sworn to destroy1 root and branch1 the movement initiated by ,one ,whom they regarded as an impious and presumptuous pretender4 ,with the ,bb's return to ,shrz the initial collision of irreconcilable forces may be said to have commenced4 ,already the energetic and audacious ,mull #8,aly-i-,bastam1 one of the ,letters of the ,living1 8the first to leave the ,house of ,god 7,shrz7 and the first to suffer for ,his sake10 who1 in the presence of one of the leading exponents of ,sh'ah ,islm1 the far-famed ,shaykh ,muammad asan1 had audaciously asserted that from the pen of his new-found ,master within the space of forty-eight hours1 verses had streamed that equalled in number those of the ,qur'n1 which it took its ,author twenty-three years to reveal1 had been excommunicated1 chained1 disgraced1 imprisoned1 and1 in all probability1 done to death4 ,mull diq-i-,khursn1 impelled by the injunction of the ,bb in the ,khas'il-i-,sab#8ih to alter the sacrosanct formula of the adhn1 sounded it in its amended form before a scandalized congregation in ,shrz1 and was instantly arrested1 reviled1 stripped of his garments1 and scourged with a thousand lashes4 ,the villainous usayn ,khn1 the ,nizmu'd-,dawlih1 the governor of ,frs1 who had read the challenge thrown out in the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 having ordered that ,mull diq together with ,qudds and another believer be summarily and publicly punished1 caused their beards to be burned1 their noses pierced1 and threaded with halters2 then1 having been led through the streets in this disgraceful condition1 they were expelled from the city4 ,the people of ,shrz were by that time wild with excitement4 ,a violent controversy was raging in the masjids1 the madrisihs1 the bazaars1 and other public places4 ,peace and security were gravely imperiled4 ,fearful1 envious1 thoroughly angered1 the mulls were beginning to perceive the seriousness of their position4 ,the governor1 greatly alarmed1 ordered the ,bb to be arrested4 ,he was brought to ,shrz under escort1 and1 in the presence of usayn ,khn1 was severely rebuked1 and so violently struck in the face that ,his turban fell to the ground4 ,upon the intervention of the ,imm-,jum'ih ,he was released on parole1 and entrusted to the custody of ,his maternal uncle j ,mrz ,siyyid #8,al4 ,a brief lull ensued1 enabling the captive ,youth to celebrate the ,naw-,rz of that and the succeeding year in an atmosphere of relative tranquillity in the company of ,his mother1 ,his wife1 and ,his uncle4 ,meanwhile the fever that had seized ,his followers was communicating itself to the members of the clergy and to the merchant classes1 and was invading the higher circles of society4 ,indeed1 a wave of passionate inquiry had swept the whole country1 and unnumbered congregations were listening with wonder to the testimonies eloquently and fearlessly related by the ,bb's itinerant messengers4 ,the commotion had assumed such proportions that the ,shh1 unable any longer to ignore the situation1 delegated the trusted ,siyyid ,yayy-i-,darb1 surnamed ,vahd1 one of the most erudite1 eloquent and influential of his subjects--a man who had committed to memory no less than thirty thousand traditions--to investigate and report to him the true situation4 ,broad-minded1 highly imaginative1 zealous by nature1 intimately associated with the court1 he1 in the course of three interviews1 was completely won over by the arguments and personality of the ,bb4 ,their first interview centered around the metaphysical teachings of ,islm1 the most obscure passages of the ,qur'n1 and the traditions and prophecies of the ,imms4 ,in the course of the second interview ,vahd was astounded to find that the questions which he had intended to submit for elucidation had been effaced from his retentive memory1 and yet1 to his utter amazement1 he discovered that the ,bb was answering the very questions he had forgotten4 ,during the third interview the circumstances attending the revelation of the ,bb's commentary on the srih of ,kawthar1 comprising no less than two thousand verses1 so overpowered the delegate of the ,shh that he1 contenting himself with a mere written report to the ,court ,chamberlain1 arose forthwith to dedicate his entire life and resources to the service of a ,faith that was to requite him with the crown of martyrdom during the ,nayrz upheaval4 ,he who had firmly resolved to confute the arguments of an obscure siyyid of ,shrz1 to induce ,him to abandon ,his ideas1 and to conduct ,him to ihrn as an evidence of the ascendancy he had achieved over ,him1 was made to feel1 as he himself later acknowledged1 as 8lowly as the dust beneath ,his feet40 ,even usayn ,khn1 who had been ,vahd's host during his stay in ,shrz1 was compelled to write to the ,shh and express the conviction that his ,majesty's illustrious delegate had become a ,bb4 ,another famous advocate of the ,cause of the ,bb1 even fiercer in zeal than ,vahd1 and almost as eminent in rank1 was ,mull ,muammad-#8,aly-i-,zanjn1 surnamed ,hujjat4 ,an ,akhbar1 a vehement controversialist1 of a bold and independent temper of mind1 impatient of restraint1 a man who had dared condemn the whole ecclesiastical hierarchy from the ,abvb-i-,arb'ih down to the humblest mull1 he had more than once1 through his superior talents and fervid eloquence1 publicly confounded his orthodox ,sh'ah adversaries4 ,such a person could not remain indifferent to a ,cause that was producing so grave a cleavage among his countrymen4 ,the disciple he sent to ,shrz to investigate the matter fell immediately under the spell of the ,bb4 ,the perusal of but a page of the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 brought by that messenger to ,hujjat1 sufficed to effect such a transformation within him that he declared1 before the assembled #8ulams of his native city1 that should the ,author of that work pronounce day to be night and the sun to be a shadow he would unhesitatingly uphold his verdict4 ,yet another recruit to the ever-swelling army of the new ,faith was the eminent scholar1 ,mrz ,amad-i-,azghand1 the most learned1 the wisest and the most outstanding among the #8ulams of ,khursn1 who1 in anticipation of the advent of the promised ,q'im1 had compiled above twelve thousand traditions and prophecies concerning the time and character of the expected ,revelation1 had circulated them among ,his fellow-disciples1 and had encouraged them to quote them extensively to all congregations and in all meetings4 ,while the situation was steadily deteriorating in the provinces1 the bitter hostility of the people of ,shrz was rapidly moving towards a climax4 usayn ,khn1 vindictive1 relentless1 exasperated by the reports of his sleepless agents that his ,captive's power and fame were hourly growing1 decided to take immediate action4 ,it is even reported that his accomplice1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 had ordered him to kill secretly the would-be disrupter of the state and the wrecker of its established religion4 ,by order of the governor the chief constable1 #8,abdu'l-amd ,khn1 scaled1 in the dead of night1 the wall and entered the house of j ,mrz ,siyyid #8,al1 where the ,bb was confined1 arrested ,him1 and confiscated all ,his books and documents4 ,that very night1 however1 took place an event which1 in its dramatic suddenness1 was no doubt providentially designed to confound the schemes of the plotters1 and enable the ,object of their hatred to prolong ,his ministry and consummate ,his ,revelation4 ,an outbreak of cholera1 devastating in its virulence1 had1 since midnight1 already smitten above a hundred people4 ,the dread of the plague had entered every heart1 and the inhabitants of the stricken city were1 amid shrieks of pain and grief1 fleeing in confusion4 ,three of the governor's domestics had already died4 ,members of his family were lying dangerously ill4 ,in his despair he1 leaving the dead unburied1 had fled to a garden in the outskirts of the city4 #8,abdu'l-amd ,khn1 confronted by this unexpected development1 decided to conduct the ,bb to ,his own home4 ,he was appalled1 upon his arrival1 to learn that his son lay in the death-throes of the plague4 ,in his despair he threw himself at the feet of the ,bb1 begged to be forgiven1 adjured ,him not to visit upon the son the sins of the father1 and pledged his word to resign his post1 and never again to accept such a position4 ,finding that his prayer had been answered1 he addressed a plea to the governor begging him to release his ,captive1 and thereby deflect the fatal course of this dire visitation4 usayn ,khn acceded to his request1 and released his ,prisoner on condition of ,his quitting the city4 ,miraculously preserved by an almighty and watchful ,providence1 the ,bb proceeded to ,ifhn 7,september1 #ahdf71 accompanied by ,siyyid ,kzim-i-,zanjn4 ,another lull ensued1 a brief period of comparative tranquillity during which the ,divine processes which had been set in motion gathered further momentum1 precipitating a series of events leading to the imprisonment of the ,bb in the fortresses of ,mh-,k and ,chihrq1 and culminating in ,his martyrdom in the barrack-square of ,tabrz4 ,well aware of the impending trials that were to afflict ,him1 the ,bb had1 ere ,his final separation from ,his family1 bequeathed to ,his mother and ,his wife all ,his possessions1 had confided to the latter the secret of what was to befall ,him1 and revealed for her a special prayer the reading of which1 ,he assured her1 would resolve her perplexities and allay her sorrows4 ,the first forty days of ,his sojourn in ,ifhn were spent as the guest of ,mrz ,siyyid ,muammad1 the ,sulnu'l-#8,ulam1 the ,imm-,jum'ih1 one of the principal ecclesiastical dignitaries of the realm1 in accordance with the instructions of the governor of the city1 ,manchihr ,khn1 the ,mu ,tamdu'd-,dawlih1 who had received from the ,bb a letter requesting him to appoint the place where ,he should dwell4 ,he was ceremoniously received1 and such was the spell ,he cast over the people of that city that1 on one occasion1 after ,his return from the public bath1 an eager multitude clamored for the water that had been used for ,his ablutions4 ,so magic was ,his charm that ,his host1 forgetful of the dignity of his high rank1 was wont to wait personally upon ,him4 ,it was at the request of this same prelate that the ,bb1 one night1 after supper1 revealed ,his well-known commentary on the srih of ,va'l-#8,asr4 ,writing with astonishing rapidity1 ,he1 in a few hours1 had devoted to the exposition of the significance of only the first letter of that srih--a letter which ,shaykh ,amad-i-,ahs' had stressed1 and which ,bah'u'llh refers to in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas--verses that equalled in number a third of the ,qur'n1 a feat that called forth such an outburst of reverent astonishment from those who witnessed it that they arose and kissed the hem of ,his robe4 ,the tumultuous enthusiasm of the people of ,ifhn was meanwhile visibly increasing4 ,crowds of people1 some impelled by curiosity1 others eager to discover the truth1 still others anxious to be healed of their infirmities1 flocked from every quarter of the city to the house of the ,imm-,jum'ih4 ,the wise and judicious ,manchihr ,khn could not resist the temptation of visiting so strange1 so intriguing a ,personage4 ,before a brilliant assemblage of the most accomplished divines he1 a ,georgian by origin and a ,christian by birth1 requested the ,bb to expound and demonstrate the truth of ,muammad's specific mission4 ,to this request1 which those present had felt compelled to decline1 the ,bb readily responded4 ,in less than two hours1 and in the space of fifty pages1 ,he had not only revealed a minute1 a vigorous and original dissertation on this noble theme1 but had also linked it with both the coming of the ,q'im and the return of the ,imm usayn--an exposition that prompted ,manchihr ,khn to declare before that gathering his faith in the ,prophet of ,islm1 as well as his recognition of the supernatural gifts with which the ,author of so convincing a treatise was endowed4 ,these evidences of the growing ascendancy exercised by an unlearned ,youth on the governor and the people of a city rightly regarded as one of the strongholds of ,sh'ah ,islm1 alarmed the ecclesiastical authorities4 ,refraining from any act of open hostility which they knew full well would defeat their purpose1 they sought1 by encouraging the circulation of the wildest rumors1 to induce the ,grand ,vizir of the ,shh to save a situation that was growing hourly more acute and menacing4 ,the popularity enjoyed by the ,bb1 ,his personal prestige1 and the honors accorded ,him by ,his countrymen1 had now reached their high watermark4 ,the shadows of an impending doom began to fast gather about ,him4 ,a series of tragedies from then on followed in rapid sequence destined to culminate in ,his own death and the apparent extinction of the influence of ,his ,faith4 ,the overbearing and crafty j ,mrz ,aqs1 fearful lest the sway of the ,bb encompass his sovereign and thus seal his own doom1 was aroused as never before4 ,prompted by a suspicion that the ,bb possessed the secret sympathies of the ,mu'tamd1 and well aware of the confidence reposed in him by the ,shh1 he severely upbraided the ,imm-,jum'ih for the neglect of his sacred duty4 ,he1 at the same time1 lavished1 in several letters1 his favors upon the #8ulams of ,ifhn1 whom he had hitherto ignored4 ,from the pulpits of that city an incited clergy began to hurl vituperation and calumny upon the ,author of what was to them a hateful and much to be feared heresy4 ,the ,shh himself was induced to summon the ,bb to his capital4 ,manchihr ,khn1 bidden to arrange for ,his departure1 decided to transfer ,his residence temporarily to his own home4 ,meanwhile the mujtahids and #8ulams1 dismayed at the signs of so pervasive an influence1 summoned a gathering which issued an abusive document signed and sealed by the ecclesiastical leaders of the city1 denouncing the ,bb as a heretic and condemning ,him to death4 ,even the ,imm-,jum'ih was constrained to add his written testimony that the ,accused was devoid of reason and judgment4 ,the ,mu'tamd1 in his great embarrassment1 and in order to appease the rising tumult1 conceived a plan whereby an increasingly restive populace were made to believe that the ,bb had left for ihrn1 while he succeeded in insuring for ,him a brief respite of four months in the privacy of the ,imrat-i-,khurshd1 the governor's private residence in ,ifhn4 ,it was in those days that the host expressed the desire to consecrate all his possessions1 evaluated by his contemporaries at no less than forty million francs1 to the furtherance of the interests of the new ,faith1 declared his intention of converting ,muammad ,shh1 of inducing him to rid himself of a shameful and profligate minister1 and of obtaining his royal assent to the marriage of one of his sisters with the ,bb4 ,the sudden death of the ,mu'tamd1 however1 foretold by the ,bb ,himself1 accelerated the course of the approaching crisis4 ,the ruthless and rapacious ,gurgn ,khn1 the deputy governor1 induced the ,shh to issue a second summons ordering that the captive ,youth be sent in disguise to ihrn1 accompanied by a mounted escort4 ,to this written mandate of the sovereign the vile ,gurgn ,khn1 who had previously discovered and destroyed the will of his uncle1 the ,mu'tamd1 and seized his property1 unhesitatingly responded4 ,at the distance of less than thirty miles from the capital1 however1 in the fortress of ,kinr-,gird1 a messenger delivered to ,muammad ,big1 who headed the escort1 a written order from j ,mrz ,aqs instructing him to proceed to ,kulayn1 and there await further instructions4 ,this was1 shortly after1 followed by a letter which the ,shh had himself addressed to the ,bb1 dated ,rab'u'th-thn #abfc 7,march #ai-;,april #ag1 #ahdg71 and which1 though couched in courteous terms1 clearly indicated the extent of the baneful influence exercised by the ,grand ,vizir on his sovereign4 ,the plans so fondly cherished by ,manchihr ,khn were now utterly undone4 ,the fortress of ,mh-,k1 not far from the village of that same name1 whose inhabitants had long enjoyed the patronage of the ,grand ,vizir1 situated in the remotest northwestern corner of dhirbayjn1 was the place of incarceration assigned by ,muammad ,shh1 on the advice of his perfidious minister1 for the ,bb4 ,no more than one companion and one attendant from among ,his followers were allowed to keep ,him company in those bleak and inhospitable surroundings4 ,all-powerful and crafty1 that minister had1 on the pretext of the necessity of his master's concentrating his immediate attention on a recent rebellion in ,khursn and a revolt in ,kirmn1 succeeded in foiling a plan1 which1 had it materialized1 would have had the most serious repercussions on his own fortunes1 as well as on the immediate destinies of his government1 its ruler and its people4 ,chapter ,,ii3 ,the ,bb's ,captivity in dhirbayjn ,the period of the ,bb's banishment to the mountains of dhirbayjn1 lasting no less than three years1 constitutes the saddest1 the most dramatic1 and in a sense the most pregnant phase of ,his six year ministry4 ,it comprises ,his nine months' unbroken confinement in the fortress of ,mh-,k1 and ,his subsequent incarceration in the fortress of ,chihrq1 which was interrupted only by a brief yet memorable visit to ,tabrz4 ,it was overshadowed throughout by the implacable and mounting hostility of the two most powerful adversaries of the ,faith1 the ,grand ,vizir of ,muammad ,shh1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 and the ,amr-,nizm1 the ,grand ,vizir of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh4 ,it corresponds to the most critical stage of the mission of ,bah'u'llh1 during ,his exile to ,adrianople1 when confronted with the despotic ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz and his ministers1 #8,al ,psh and ,fu'd ,psh1 and is paralleled by the darkest days of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry in the ,holy ,land1 under the oppressive rule of the tyrannical #8,abdu'l-amd and the equally tyrannical ,jaml ,psh4 ,shrz had been the memorable scene of the ,bb's historic ,declaration2 ,ifhn had provided ,him1 however briefly1 with a haven of relative peace and security2 whilst dhirbayjn was destined to become the theatre of ,his agony and martyrdom4 ,these concluding years of ,his earthly life will go down in history as the time when the new ,dispensation attained its full stature1 when the claim of its ,founder was fully and publicly asserted1 when its laws were formulated1 when the ,covenant of its ,author was firmly established1 when its independence was proclaimed1 and when the heroism of its champions blazed forth in immortal glory4 ,for it was during these intensely dramatic1 fate-laden years that the full implications of the station of the ,bb were disclosed to ,his disciples1 and formally announced by ,him in the capital of dhirbayjn1 in the presence of the ,heir to the ,throne2 that the ,persian ,bayn1 the repository of the laws ordained by the ,bb1 was revealed2 that the time and character of the ,dispensation of 8the ,one ,whom ,god will make manifest0 were unmistakably determined2 that the ,conference of ,badasht proclaimed the annulment of the old order2 and that the great conflagrations of ,mzindarn1 of ,nayrz and of ,zanjn were kindled4 ,and yet1 the foolish and short-sighted j ,mrz ,aqs fondly imagined that by confounding the plan of the ,bb to meet the ,shh face to face in the capital1 and by relegating ,him to the farthest corner of the realm1 he had stifled the ,movement at its birth1 and would soon conclusively triumph over its ,founder4 ,little did he imagine that the very isolation he was forcing upon his ,prisoner would enable ,him to evolve the ,system designed to incarnate the soul of ,his ,faith1 and would afford ,him the opportunity of safeguarding it from disintegration and schism1 and of proclaiming formally and unreservedly ,his mission4 ,little did he imagine that this very confinement would induce that ,prisoner's exasperated disciples and companions to cast off the shackles of an antiquated theology1 and precipitate happenings that would call forth from them a prowess1 a courage1 a self-renunciation unexampled in their country's history4 ,little did he imagine that by this very act he would be instrumental in fulfilling the authentic tradition ascribed to the ,prophet of ,islm regarding the inevitability of that which should come to pass in dhirbayjn4 ,untaught by the example of the governor of ,shrz1 who1 with fear and trembling1 had1 at the first taste of ,god's avenging wrath1 fled ignominiously and relaxed his hold on his ,captive1 the ,grand ,vizir of ,muammad ,shh was1 in his turn1 through the orders he had issued1 storing up for himself severe and inevitable disappointment1 and paving the way for his own ultimate downfall4 ,his orders to #8,al ,khn1 the warden of the fortress of ,mh-,k1 were stringent and explicit4 ,on ,his way to that fortress the ,bb passed a number of days in ,tabrz1 days that were marked by such an intense excitement on the part of the populace that1 except for a few persons1 neither the public nor ,his followers were allowed to meet ,him4 ,as ,he was escorted through the streets of the city the shout of 8,allh-u-,akbar0 resounded on every side4 ,so great1 indeed1 became the clamor that the town crier was ordered to warn the inhabitants that any one who ventured to seek the ,bb's presence would forfeit all his possessions and be imprisoned4 ,upon ,his arrival in ,mh-,k1 surnamed by ,him ,jabl-i-,bast 7the ,open ,mountain7 no one was allowed to see ,him for the first two weeks except ,his amanuensis1 ,siyyid usayn1 and his brother4 ,so grievous was ,his plight while in that fortress that1 in the ,persian ,bayn1 ,he ,himself has stated that at night-time ,he did not even have a lighted lamp1 and that ,his solitary chamber1 constructed of sun-baked bricks1 lacked even a door1 while1 in ,his ,tablet to ,muammad ,shh1 ,he has complained that the inmates of the fortress were confined to two guards and four dogs4 ,secluded on the heights of a remote and dangerously situated mountain on the frontiers of the ,ottoman and ,russian empires2 imprisoned within the solid walls of a four-towered fortress2 cut off from ,his family1 ,his kindred and ,his disciples2 living in the vicinity of a bigoted and turbulent community who1 by race1 tradition1 language and creed1 differed from the vast majority of the inhabitants of ,persia2 guarded by the people of a district which1 as the birthplace of the ,grand ,vizir1 had been made the recipient of the special favors of his administration1 the ,prisoner of ,mh-,k seemed in the eyes of ,his adversary to be doomed to languish away the flower of ,his youth1 and witness1 at no distant date1 the complete annihilation of ,his hopes4 ,that adversary was soon to realize1 however1 how gravely he had misjudged both his ,prisoner and those on whom he had lavished his favors4 ,an unruly1 a proud and unreasoning people were gradually subdued by the gentleness of the ,bb1 were chastened by ,his modesty1 were edified by ,his counsels1 and instructed by ,his wisdom4 ,they were so carried away by their love for ,him that their first act every morning1 notwithstanding the remonstrations of the domineering #8,al ,khn1 and the repeated threats of disciplinary measures received from ihrn1 was to seek a place where they could catch a glimpse of ,his face1 and beseech from afar ,his benediction upon their daily work4 ,in cases of dispute it was their wont to hasten to the foot of the fortress1 and1 with their eyes fixed upon ,his abode1 invoke ,his name1 and adjure one another to speak the truth4 #8,al ,khn himself1 under the influence of a strange vision1 felt such mortification that he was impelled to relax the severity of his discipline1 as an atonement for his past behavior4 ,such became his leniency that an increasing stream of eager and devout pilgrims began to be admitted at the gates of the fortress4 ,among them was the dauntless and indefatigable ,mull usayn1 who had walked on foot the entire way from ,mashad in the east of ,persia to ,mh-,k1 the westernmost outpost of the realm1 and was able1 after so arduous a journey1 to celebrate the festival of ,naw-,rz 7#ahdh7 in the company of his ,beloved4 ,secret agents1 however1 charged to watch #8,al ,khn1 informed j ,mrz ,aqs of the turn events were taking1 whereupon he immediately decided to transfer the ,bb to the fortress of ,chihrq 7about ,april #aj1 #ahdh71 surnamed by ,him the ,jabl-i-,shadd 7the ,grievous ,mountain74 ,there ,he was consigned to the keeping of ,yay ,khn1 a brother-in-law of ,muammad ,shh4 ,though at the outset he acted with the utmost severity1 he was eventually compelled to yield to the fascination of his ,prisoner4 ,nor were the kurds1 who lived in the village of ,chihrq1 and whose hatred of the ,sh'ahs exceeded even that of the inhabitants of ,mh-,k1 able to resist the pervasive power of the ,prisoner's influence4 ,they too were to be seen every morning1 ere they started for their daily work1 to approach the fortress and prostrate themselves in adoration before its holy ,inmate4 8,so great was the confluence of the people10 is the testimony of a ,european eye-witness1 writing in his memoirs of the ,bb1 8that the courtyard1 not being large enough to contain ,his hearers1 the majority remained in the street and listened with rapt attention to the verses of the new ,qur'n40 ,indeed the turmoil raised in ,chihrq eclipsed the scenes which ,mh-,k had witnessed4 ,siyyids of distinguished merit1 eminent #8ulams1 and even government officials were boldly and rapidly espousing the ,cause of the ,prisoner4 ,the conversion of the zealous1 the famous ,mrz ,asadu'llh1 surnamed ,dayyn1 a prominent official of high literary repute1 who was endowed by the ,bb with the 8hidden and preserved knowledge10 and extolled as the 8repository of the trust of the one true ,god10 and the arrival of a dervish1 a former navvb1 from ,india1 whom the ,bb in a vision had bidden renounce wealth and position1 and hasten on foot to meet ,him in dhirbayjn1 brought the situation to a head4 ,accounts of these startling events reached ,tabrz1 were thence communicated to ihrn1 and forced j ,mrz ,aqs again to intervene4 ,dayyn's father1 an intimate friend of that minister1 had already expressed to him his grave apprehension at the manner in which the able functionaries of the state were being won over to the new ,faith4 ,to allay the rising excitement the ,bb was summoned to ,tabrz4 ,fearful of the enthusiasm of the people of dhirbayjn1 those into whose custody ,he had been delivered decided to deflect their route1 and avoid the town of ,khy1 passing instead through ,urmyyih4 ,on ,his arrival in that town ,prince ,malik ,qsim ,mrz ceremoniously received ,him1 and was even seen1 on a certain ,friday1 when his ,guest was riding on ,his way to the public bath1 to accompany ,him on foot1 while the ,prince's footmen endeavored to restrain the people who1 in their overflowing enthusiasm1 were pressing to catch a glimpse of so marvelous a ,prisoner4 ,tabrz1 in its turn in the throes of wild excitement1 joyously hailed ,his arrival4 ,such was the fervor of popular feeling that the ,bb was assigned a place outside the gates of the city4 ,this1 however1 failed to allay the prevailing emotion4 ,precautions1 warnings and restrictions served only to aggravate a situation that had already become critical4 ,it was at this juncture that the ,grand ,vizir issued his historic order for the immediate convocation of the ecclesiastical dignitaries of ,tabrz to consider the most effectual measures which would1 once and for all1 extinguish the flames of so devouring a conflagration4 ,the circumstances attending the examination of the ,bb1 as a result of so precipitate an act1 may well rank as one of the chief landmarks of ,his dramatic career4 ,the avowed purpose of that convocation was to arraign the ,prisoner1 and deliberate on the steps to be taken for the extirpation of ,his so-called heresy4 ,it instead afforded ,him the supreme opportunity of ,his mission to assert in public1 formally and without any reservation1 the claims inherent in ,his ,revelation4 ,in the official residence1 and in the presence1 of the governor of dhirbayjn1 ,niri'd-,dn ,mrz1 the heir to the throne2 under the presidency of j ,mull ,mamd1 the ,nizmu'l-#8,ulam1 the ,prince's tutor2 before the assembled ecclesiastical dignitaries of ,tabrz1 the leaders of the ,shaykh community1 the ,shaykhu'l-,islm1 and the ,imm-,jum'ih1 the ,bb1 having seated ,himself in the chief place which had been reserved for the ,val-#8,ahd 7the heir to the throne71 gave1 in ringing tones1 ,his celebrated answer to the question put to ,him by the ,president of that assembly4 8,i am10 ,he exclaimed1 8,i am1 ,i am the ,promised ,one6 ,i am the ,one ,whose name you have for a thousand years invoked1 at ,whose mention you have risen1 ,whose advent you have longed to witness1 and the hour of ,whose ,revelation you have prayed ,god to hasten4 ,verily1 ,i say1 it is incumbent upon the peoples of both the ,east and the ,west to obey ,my word1 and to pledge allegiance to ,my person40 ,awe-struck1 those present momentarily dropped their heads in silent confusion4 ,then ,mull ,muammad-i-,mamaqn1 that one-eyed white-bearded renegade1 summoning sufficient courage1 with characteristic insolence1 reprimanded ,him as a perverse and contemptible follower of ,satan2 to which the undaunted ,youth retorted that ,he maintained what ,he had already asserted4 ,to the query subsequently addressed to ,him by the ,nizmu'l-#8,ulam the ,bb affirmed that ,his words constituted the most incontrovertible evidence of ,his mission1 adduced verses from the ,qur'n to establish the truth of ,his assertion1 and claimed to be able to reveal1 within the space of two days and two nights1 verses equal to the whole of that ,book4 ,in answer to a criticism calling ,his attention to an infraction by ,him of the rules of grammar1 ,he cited certain passages from the ,qur'n as corroborative evidence1 and1 turning aside1 with firmness and dignity1 a frivolous and irrelevant remark thrown at ,him by one of those who were present1 summarily disbanded that gathering by ,himself rising and quitting the room4 ,the convocation thereupon dispersed1 its members confused1 divided among themselves1 bitterly resentful and humiliated through their failure to achieve their purpose4 ,far from daunting the spirit of their ,captive1 far from inducing ,him to recant or abandon ,his mission1 that gathering was productive of no other result than the decision1 arrived at after considerable argument and discussion1 to inflict the bastinado on ,him1 at the hands1 and in the prayer-house of the heartless and avaricious ,mrz #8,al-,aghar1 the ,shaykhu'l-,islm of that city4 ,confounded in his schemes j ,mrz ,aqs was forced to order the ,bb to be taken back to ,chihrq4 ,this dramatic1 this unqualified and formal declaration of the ,bb's prophetic mission was not the sole consequence of the foolish act which condemned the ,author of so weighty a ,revelation to a three years' confinement in the mountains of dhirbayjn4 ,this period of captivity1 in a remote corner of the realm1 far removed from the storm centers of ,shrz1 ,ifhn1 and ihrn1 afforded ,him the necessary leisure to launch upon ,his most monumental work1 as well as to engage on other subsidiary compositions designed to unfold the whole range1 and impart the full force1 of ,his short-lived yet momentous ,dispensation4 ,alike in the magnitude of the writings emanating from ,his pen1 and in the diversity of the subjects treated in those writings1 ,his ,revelation stands wholly unparalleled in the annals of any previous religion4 ,he ,himself affirms1 while confined in ,mh-,k1 that up to that time ,his writings1 embracing highly diversified subjects1 had amounted to more than five hundred thousand verses4 8,the verses which have rained from this ,cloud of ,divine mercy10 is ,bah'u'llh's testimony in the ,kitb-i-qn1 8have been so abundant that none hath yet been able to estimate their number4 ,a score of volumes are now available4 ,how many still remain beyond our reach6 ,how many have been plundered and have fallen into the hands of the enemy1 the fate of which none knoweth60 ,no less arresting is the variety of themes presented by these voluminous writings1 such as prayers1 homilies1 orations1 ,tablets of visitation1 scientific treatises1 doctrinal dissertations1 exhortations1 commentaries on the ,qur'n and on various traditions1 epistles to the highest religious and ecclesiastical dignitaries of the realm1 and laws and ordinances for the consolidation of ,his ,faith and the direction of its activities4 ,already in ,shrz1 at the earliest stage of ,his ministry1 ,he had revealed what ,bah'u'llh has characterized as 8the first1 the greatest1 and mightiest of all books0 in the ,bb ,dispensation1 the celebrated commentary on the srih of ,joseph1 entitled the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 whose fundamental purpose was to forecast what the true ,joseph 7,bah'u'llh7 would1 in a succeeding ,dispensation1 endure at the hands of one who was at once ,his arch-enemy and blood brother4 ,this work1 comprising above nine thousand three hundred verses1 and divided into one hundred and eleven chapters1 each chapter a commentary on one verse of the above-mentioned srih1 opens with the ,bb's clarion-call and dire warnings addressed to the 8concourse of kings and of the sons of kings20 forecasts the doom of ,muammad ,shh2 commands his ,grand ,vizir1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 to abdicate his authority2 admonishes the entire ,muslim ecclesiastical order2 cautions more specifically the members of the ,sh'ah community2 extols the virtues1 and anticipates the coming1 of ,bah'u'llh1 the 8,remnant of ,god10 the 8,most ,great ,master20 and proclaims1 in unequivocal language1 the independence and universality of the ,bb ,revelation1 unveils its import1 and affirms the inevitable triumph of its ,author4 ,it1 moreover1 directs the 8people of the ,west0 to 8issue forth from your cities and aid the ,cause of ,god20 warns the peoples of the earth of the 8terrible1 the most grievous vengeance of ,god20 threatens the whole ,islamic world with 8the ,most ,great ,fire0 were they to turn aside from the newly-revealed ,law2 foreshadows the ,author's martyrdom2 eulogizes the high station ordained for the people of ,bah1 the 8,companions of the crimson-colored ruby ,ark20 prophesies the fading out and utter obliteration of some of the greatest luminaries in the firmament of the ,bb ,dispensation2 and even predicts 8afflictive torment10 in both the 8,day of ,our ,return0 and in 8the world which is to come10 for the usurpers of the ,imamate1 who 8waged war against usayn 7,imm usayn7 in the ,land of the ,euphrates40 ,it was this ,book which the ,bbs universally regarded1 during almost the entire ministry of the ,bb1 as the ,qur'n of the people of the ,bayn2 whose first and most challenging chapter was revealed in the presence of ,mull usayn1 on the night of its ,author's ,declaration2 some of whose pages were borne1 by that same disciple1 to ,bah'u'llh1 as the first fruits of a ,revelation which instantly won ,his enthusiastic allegiance2 whose entire text was translated into ,persian by the brilliant and gifted ,thirih2 whose passages inflamed the hostility of usayn ,khn and precipitated the initial outbreak of persecution in ,shrz2 a single page of which had captured the imagination and entranced the soul of ,hujjat2 and whose contents had set afire the intrepid defenders of the ,fort of ,shaykh ,tabars and the heroes of ,nayrz and ,zanjn4 ,this work1 of such exalted merit1 of such far-reaching influence1 was followed by the revelation of the ,bb's first ,tablet to ,muammad ,shh2 of ,his ,tablets to ,suln #8,abdu'l-,majd and to ,najb ,psh1 the ,val of ,baghdd2 of the ,sahfiy-i-baynu'l-,harmayn1 revealed between ,mecca and ,medina1 in answer to questions posed by ,mrz ,muht-i-,kirmn2 of the ,epistle to the ,sherf of ,mecca2 of the ,kitb'r-,rh1 comprising seven hundred srihs2 of the ,khas'il-i-,sab#8ih1 which enjoined the alteration of the formula of the adhn2 of the ,risliy-i-,fur-i-#8,adlyyih1 rendered into ,persian by ,mull ,muammad-,taqy-i-,harat2 of the commentary on the srih of ,kawthar1 which effected such a transformation in the soul of ,vahd2 of the commentary on the srih of ,va'l-#8,asr1 in the house of the ,imm-,jum'ih of ,ifhn2 of the dissertation on the ,specific ,mission of ,muammad1 written at the request of ,manchihr ,khn2 of the second ,tablet to ,muammad ,shh1 craving an audience in which to set forth the truths of the new ,revelation1 and dissipate his doubts2 and of the ,tablets sent from the village of ,syh-,dihn to the #8ulams of ,qazvn and to j ,mrz ,aqs1 inquiring from him as to the cause of the sudden change in his decision4 ,the great bulk of the writings emanating from the ,bb's prolific mind was1 however1 reserved for the period of ,his confinement in ,mh-,k and ,chihrq4 ,to this period must probably belong the unnumbered ,epistles which1 as attested by no less an authority than ,bah'u'llh1 the ,bb specifically addressed to the divines of every city in ,persia1 as well as to those residing in ,najaf and ,karbil1 wherein ,he set forth in detail the errors committed by each one of them4 ,it was during ,his incarceration in the fortress of ,mh-,k that ,he1 according to the testimony of ,shaykh asan-i-,zunz1 who transcribed during those nine months the verses dictated by the ,bb to ,his amanuensis1 revealed no less than nine commentaries on the whole of the ,qur'n--commentaries whose fate1 alas1 is unknown1 and one of which1 at least the ,author ,himself affirmed1 surpassed in some respects a book as deservedly famous as the ,qayymu'l-,asm4 ,within the walls of that same fortress the ,bayn 7,exposition7--that monumental repository of the laws and precepts of the new ,dispensation and the treasury enshrining most of the ,bb's references and tributes to1 as well as ,his warning regarding1 8,him ,whom ,god will make manifest0--was revealed4 ,peerless among the doctrinal works of the ,founder of the ,bb ,dispensation2 consisting of nine ,vahds 7,unities7 of nineteen chapters each1 except the last ,vahd comprising only ten chapters2 not to be confounded with the smaller and less weighty ,arabic ,bayn1 revealed during the same period2 fulfilling the ,muammadan prophecy that 8a ,youth from ,ban-,hshim 444 will reveal a new ,book and promulgate a new ,law20 wholly safeguarded from the interpolation and corruption which has been the fate of so many of the ,bb's lesser works1 this ,book1 of about eight thousand verses1 occupying a pivotal position in ,bb literature1 should be regarded primarily as a eulogy of the ,promised ,one rather than a code of laws and ordinances designed to be a permanent guide to future generations4 ,this ,book at once abrogated the laws and ceremonials enjoined by the ,qur'n regarding prayer1 fasting1 marriage1 divorce and inheritance1 and upheld1 in its integrity1 the belief in the prophetic mission of ,muammad1 even as the ,prophet of ,islm before ,him had annulled the ordinances of the ,gospel and yet recognized the ,divine origin of the ,faith of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it moreover interpreted in a masterly fashion the meaning of certain terms frequently occurring in the sacred ,books of previous ,dispensations such as ,paradise1 ,hell1 ,death1 ,resurrection1 the ,return1 the ,balance1 the ,hour1 the ,last ,judgment1 and the like4 ,designedly severe in the rules and regulations it imposed1 revolutionizing in the principles it instilled1 calculated to awaken from their age-long torpor the clergy and the people1 and to administer a sudden and fatal blow to obsolete and corrupt institutions1 it proclaimed1 through its drastic provisions1 the advent of the anticipated ,day1 the ,day when 8the ,summoner shall summon to a stern business10 when ,he will 8demolish whatever hath been before ,him1 even as the ,apostle of ,god demolished the ways of those that preceded ,him40 ,it should be noted1 in this connection1 that in the third ,vahd of this ,book there occurs a passage which1 alike in its explicit reference to the name of the ,promised ,one1 and in its anticipation of the ,order which1 in a later age1 was to be identified with ,his ,revelation1 deserves to rank as one of the most significant statements recorded in any of the ,bb's writings4 8,well is it with him10 is ,his prophetic announcement1 8who fixeth his gaze upon the ,order of ,bah'u'llh1 and rendereth thanks unto his ,lord4 ,for ,he will assuredly be made manifest4 ,god hath indeed irrevocably ordained it in the ,bayn40 ,it is with that self-same ,order that the ,founder of the promised ,revelation1 twenty years later--incorporating that same term in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas--identified the ,system envisaged in that ,book1 affirming that 8this most great ,order0 had deranged the world's equilibrium1 and revolutionized mankind's ordered life4 ,it is the features of that self-same ,order which1 at a later stage in the evolution of the ,faith1 the ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant and the appointed ,interpreter of ,his teachings1 delineated through the provisions of ,his ,will and ,testament4 ,it is the structural basis of that self-same ,order which1 in the ,formative ,age of that same ,faith1 the stewards of that same ,covenant1 the elected representatives of the world-wide ,bah' community1 are now laboriously and unitedly establishing4 ,it is the superstructure of that self-same ,order1 attaining its full stature through the emergence of the ,bah' ,world ,commonwealth--the ,kingdom of ,god on earth--which the ,golden ,age of that same ,dispensation must1 in the fullness of time1 ultimately witness4 ,the ,bb was still in ,mh-,k when ,he wrote the most detailed and illuminating of ,his ,tablets to ,muammad ,shh4 ,prefaced by a laudatory reference to the unity of ,god1 to ,his ,apostles and to the twelve ,imms2 unequivocal in its assertion of the divinity of its ,author and of the supernatural powers with which ,his ,revelation had been invested2 precise in the verses and traditions it cites in confirmation of so audacious a claim2 severe in its condemnation of some of the officials and representatives of the ,shh's administration1 particularly of the 8wicked and accursed0 usayn ,khn2 moving in its description of the humiliation and hardships to which its writer had been subjected1 this historic document resembles1 in many of its features1 the ,law-i-,suln1 the ,tablet addressed1 under similar circumstances1 from the prison-fortress of ,akk by ,bah'u'llh to ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 and constituting ,his lengthiest epistle to any single sovereign4 ,the ,dal'il-i-,sab#8ih 7,seven ,proofs71 the most important of the polemical works of the ,bb1 was revealed during that same period4 ,remarkably lucid1 admirable in its precision1 original in conception1 unanswerable in its argument1 this work1 apart from the many and divers proofs of ,his mission which it adduces1 is noteworthy for the blame it assigns to the 8seven powerful sovereigns ruling the world0 in ,his day1 as well as for the manner in which it stresses the responsibilities1 and censures the conduct1 of the ,christian divines of a former age who1 had they recognized the truth of ,muammad's mission1 ,he contends1 would have been followed by the mass of their co-religionists4 ,during the ,bb's confinement in the fortress of ,chihrq1 where ,he spent almost the whole of the two remaining years of ,his life1 the ,law-i-,hurfat 7,tablet of the ,letters7 was revealed1 in honor of ,dayyn--a ,tablet which1 however misconstrued at first as an exposition of the science of divination1 was later recognized to have unravelled1 on the one hand1 the mystery of the ,mustaghth1 and to have abstrusely alluded1 on the other1 to the nineteen years which must needs elapse between the ,declaration of the ,bb and that of ,bah'u'llh4 ,it was during these years--years darkened throughout by the rigors of the ,bb's captivity1 by the severe indignities inflicted upon ,him1 and by the news of the disasters that overtook the heroes of ,mzindarn and ,nayrz--that ,he revealed1 soon after ,his return from ,tabrz1 ,his denunciatory ,tablet to j ,mrz ,aqs4 ,couched in bold and moving language1 unsparing in its condemnation1 this epistle was forwarded to the intrepid ,hujjat who1 as corroborated by ,bah'u'llh1 delivered it to that wicked minister4 ,to this period of incarceration in the fortresses of ,mh-,k and ,chihrq--a period of unsurpassed fecundity1 yet bitter in its humiliations and ever-deepening sorrows--belong almost all the written references1 whether in the form of warnings1 appeals or exhortations1 which the ,bb1 in anticipation of the approaching hour of ,his supreme affliction1 felt it necessary to make to the ,author of a ,revelation that was soon to supersede ,his own4 ,conscious from the very beginning of ,his twofold mission1 as the ,bearer of a wholly independent ,revelation and the ,herald of ,one still greater than ,his own1 ,he could not content ,himself with the vast number of commentaries1 of prayers1 of laws and ordinances1 of dissertations and epistles1 of homilies and orations that had incessantly streamed from ,his pen4 ,the ,greater ,covenant into which1 as affirmed in ,his writings1 ,god had1 from time immemorial1 entered1 through the ,prophets of all ages1 with the whole of mankind1 regarding the newborn ,revelation1 had already been fulfilled4 ,it had now to be supplemented by a ,lesser ,covenant which ,he felt bound to make with the entire body of ,his followers concerning the ,one ,whose advent ,he characterized as the fruit and ultimate purpose of ,his ,dispensation4 ,such a ,covenant had invariably been the feature of every previous religion4 ,it had existed1 under various forms1 with varying degrees of emphasis1 had always been couched in veiled language1 and had been alluded to in cryptic prophecies1 in abstruse allegories1 in unauthenticated traditions1 and in the fragmentary and obscure passages of the sacred ,scriptures4 ,in the ,bb ,dispensation1 however1 it was destined to be established in clear and unequivocal language1 though not embodied in a separate document4 ,unlike the ,prophets gone before ,him1 ,whose ,covenants were shrouded in mystery1 unlike ,bah'u'llh1 ,whose clearly defined ,covenant was incorporated in a specially written ,testament1 and designated by ,him as 8the ,book of ,my ,covenant10 the ,bb chose to intersperse ,his ,book of ,laws1 the ,persian ,bayn1 with unnumbered passages1 some designedly obscure1 mostly indubitably clear and conclusive1 in which ,he fixes the date of the promised ,revelation1 extols its virtues1 asserts its pre-eminent character1 assigns to it unlimited powers and prerogatives1 and tears down every barrier that might be an obstacle to its recognition4 8,he1 verily10 ,bah'u'llh1 referring to the ,bb in ,his ,kitb-i-,bad'1 has stated1 8hath not fallen short of ,his duty to exhort the people of the ,bayn and to deliver unto them ,his ,message4 ,in no age or dispensation hath any ,manifestation made mention1 in such detail and in such explicit language1 of the ,manifestation destined to succeed ,him40 ,some of ,his disciples the ,bb assiduously prepared to expect the imminent ,revelation4 ,others ,he orally assured would live to see its day4 ,to ,mull ,bqir1 one of the ,letters of the ,living1 ,he actually prophesied1 in a ,tablet addressed to him1 that he would meet the ,promised ,one face to face4 ,to ,syyah1 another disciple1 ,he gave verbally a similar assurance4 ,mull usayn ,he directed to ihrn1 assuring him that in that city was enshrined a ,mystery ,whose light neither ijz nor ,shrz could rival4 ,qudds1 on the eve of his final separation from ,him1 was promised that he would attain the presence of the ,one ,who was the sole ,object of their adoration and love4 ,to ,shaykh asan-i-,zunz ,he declared while in ,mh-,k that he would behold in ,karbil the countenance of the promised usayn4 ,on ,dayyn ,he conferred the title of 8the third ,letter to believe in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest10 while to ,am ,he divulged1 in the ,kitb-i-,panj-,sha'n1 the name1 and announced the approaching advent1 of ,him ,who was to consummate ,his own ,revelation4 ,a successor or vicegerent the ,bb never named1 an interpreter of ,his teachings ,he refrained from appointing4 ,so transparently clear were ,his references to the ,promised ,one1 so brief was to be the duration of ,his own ,dispensation1 that neither the one nor the other was deemed necessary4 ,all ,he did was1 according to the testimony of #8,abdu'l-,bah in 8,a ,traveller's ,narrative10 to nominate1 on the advice of ,bah'u'llh and of another disciple1 ,mrz ,yay1 who would act solely as a figure-head pending the manifestation of the ,promised ,one1 thus enabling ,bah'u'llh to promote1 in relative security1 the ,cause so dear to ,his heart4 8,the ,bayn10 the ,bb in that ,book1 referring to the ,promised ,one1 affirms1 8is1 from beginning to end1 the repository of all of ,his attributes1 and the treasury of both ,his fire and ,his light40 8,if thou attainest unto ,his ,revelation10 ,he1 in another connection declares1 8and obeyest ,him1 thou wilt have revealed the fruit of the ,bayn2 if not1 thou art unworthy of mention before ,god40 8,o people of the ,bayn60 ,he1 in that same ,book1 thus warns the entire company of ,his followers1 8act not as the people of the ,qur'n have acted1 for if ye do so1 the fruits of your night will come to naught40 8,suffer not the ,bayn10 is ,his emphatic injunction1 8and all that hath been revealed therein to withhold you from that ,essence of ,being and ,lord of the visible and invisible40 8,beware1 beware10 is ,his significant warning addressed to ,vahd1 8lest in the days of ,his ,revelation the ,vahd of the ,bayn 7eighteen ,letters of the ,living and the ,bb7 shut thee out as by a veil from ,him1 inasmuch as this ,vahd is but a creature in ,his sight40 ,and again3 8,o congregation of the ,bayn1 and all who are therein6 ,recognize ye the limits imposed upon you1 for such a ,one as the ,point of the ,bayn ,himself hath believed in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest before all things were created4 ,therein1 verily1 do ,i glory before all who are in the kingdom of heaven and earth40 8,in the year nine10 ,he1 referring to the date of the advent of the promised ,revelation1 has explicitly written1 8ye shall attain unto all good40 8,in the year nine1 ye will attain unto the presence of ,god40 ,and again3 8,after in 7#fh7 a ,cause shall be given unto you which ye shall come to know40 8,ere nine will have elapsed from the inception of this ,cause10 ,he more particularly has stated1 8the realities of the created things will not be made manifest4 ,all that thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist germ until ,we clothed it with flesh4 ,be patient1 until thou beholdest a new creation4 ,say3 #8,blessed1 therefore1 be ,god1 the most excellent of ,makers6'0 8,wait thou10 is ,his statement to ,am1 8until nine will have elapsed from the time of the ,bayn4 ,then exclaim3 #8,blessed1 therefore1 be ,god1 the most excellent of ,makers6'0 8,be attentive10 ,he1 referring in a remarkable passage to the year nineteen1 has admonished1 8from the inception of the ,revelation till the number of ,vahd 7#ai740 8,the ,lord of the ,day of ,reckoning10 ,he1 even more explicitly1 has stated1 8will be manifested at the end of ,vahd 7#ai7 and the beginning of eighty 7#abhj ,a4,h4740 8,were ,he to appear this very moment10 ,he1 in ,his eagerness to insure that the proximity of the promised ,revelation should not withhold men from the ,promised ,one1 has revealed1 8,i would be the first to adore ,him1 and the first to bow down before ,him40 8,i have written down in ,my mention of ,him10 ,he thus extols the ,author of the anticipated ,revelation1 8these gem-like words3 #8,no allusion of ,mine can allude unto ,him1 neither anything mentioned in the ,bayn4'0 8,i1 ,myself1 am but the first servant to believe in ,him and in ,his signs44440 8,the year-old germ10 ,he significantly affirms1 8that holdeth within itself the potentialities of the ,revelation that is to come is endowed with a potency superior to the combined forces of the whole of the ,bayn40 ,and again3 8,the whole of the ,bayn is only a leaf amongst the leaves of ,his ,paradise40 8,better is it for thee10 ,he similarly asserts1 8to recite but one of the verses of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest than to set down the whole of the ,bayn1 for on that ,day that one verse can save thee1 whereas the entire ,bayn cannot save thee40 8,today the ,bayn is in the stage of seed2 at the beginning of the manifestation of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest its ultimate perfection will become apparent40 8,the ,bayn deriveth all its glory from ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest40 8,all that hath been revealed in the ,bayn is but a ring upon ,my hand1 and ,i ,myself am1 verily1 but a ring upon the hand of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest444 ,he turneth it as ,he pleaseth1 for whatsoever ,he pleaseth1 and through whatsoever ,he pleaseth4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,help in ,peril1 the ,most ,high40 8,certitude itself10 ,he1 in reply to ,vahd and to one of the ,letters of the ,living who had inquired regarding the promised ,one1 had declared1 8is ashamed to be called upon to certify ,his truth 444 and ,testimony itself is ashamed to testify unto ,him40 ,addressing this same ,vahd1 ,he moreover had stated3 8,were ,i to be assured that in the day of ,his manifestation thou wilt deny ,him1 ,i would unhesitatingly disown thee444 ,if1 on the other hand1 ,i be told that a ,christian1 who beareth no allegiance to ,my ,faith1 will believe in ,him1 the same will ,i regard as the apple of ,my eye40 ,and finally is this1 ,his moving invocation to ,god3 8,bear ,thou witness that1 through this ,book1 ,i have covenanted with all created things concerning the mission of ,him ,whom ,thou shalt make manifest1 ere the covenant concerning ,my own mission had been established4 ,sufficient witness art ,thou and they that have believed in ,thy signs40 8,i1 verily1 have not fallen short of ,my duty to admonish that people10 is yet another testimony from ,his pen1 8444,if on the day of ,his ,revelation all that are on earth bear ,him allegiance1 ,mine inmost being will rejoice1 inasmuch as all will have attained the summit of their existence4444 ,if not1 ,my soul will be saddened4 ,i truly have nurtured all things for this purpose4 ,how1 then1 can any one be veiled from ,him80 ,the last three and most eventful years of the ,bb's ministry had1 as we have observed in the preceding pages1 witnessed not only the formal and public declaration of ,his mission1 but also an unprecedented effusion of ,his inspired writings1 including both the revelation of the fundamental laws of ,his ,dispensation and also the establishment of that ,lesser ,covenant which was to safeguard the unity of ,his followers and pave the way for the advent of an incomparably mightier ,revelation4 ,it was during this same period1 in the early days of ,his incarceration in the fortress of ,chihrq1 that the independence of the new-born ,faith was openly recognized and asserted by ,his disciples4 ,the laws underlying the new ,dispensation had been revealed by its ,author in a prison-fortress in the mountains of dhirbayjn1 while the ,dispensation itself was now to be inaugurated in a plain on the border of ,mzindarn1 at a conference of ,his assembled followers4 ,bah'u'llh1 maintaining through continual correspondence close contact with the ,bb1 and ,himself the directing force behind the manifold activities of ,his struggling fellow-disciples1 unobtrusively yet effectually presided over that conference1 and guided and controlled its proceedings4 ,qudds1 regarded as the exponent of the conservative element within it1 affected1 in pursuance of a pre-conceived plan designed to mitigate the alarm and consternation which such a conference was sure to arouse1 to oppose the seemingly extremist views advocated by the impetuous ,thirih4 ,the primary purpose of that gathering was to implement the revelation of the ,bayn by a sudden1 a complete and dramatic break with the past--with its order1 its ecclesiasticism1 its traditions1 and ceremonials4 ,the subsidiary purpose of the conference was to consider the means of emancipating the ,bb from ,his cruel confinement in ,chihrq4 ,the first was eminently successful2 the second was destined from the outset to fail4 ,the scene of such a challenging and far-reaching proclamation was the hamlet of ,badasht1 where ,bah'u'llh had rented1 amidst pleasant surroundings1 three gardens1 one of which ,he assigned to ,qudds1 another to ,thirih1 whilst the third ,he reserved for ,himself4 ,the eighty-one disciples who had gathered from various provinces were ,his guests from the day of their arrival to the day they dispersed4 ,on each of the twenty-two days of ,his sojourn in that hamlet ,he revealed a ,tablet1 which was chanted in the presence of the assembled believers4 ,on every believer ,he conferred a new name1 without1 however1 disclosing the identity of the one who had bestowed it4 ,he ,himself was henceforth designated by the name ,bah4 ,upon the ,last ,letter of the ,living was conferred the appellation of ,qudds1 while ,qurratu'l-#8,ayn was given the title of ,thirih4 ,by these names they were all subsequently addressed by the ,bb in the ,tablets ,he revealed for each one of them4 ,it was ,bah'u'llh ,who steadily1 unerringly1 yet unsuspectedly1 steered the course of that memorable episode1 and it was ,bah'u'llh ,who brought the meeting to its final and dramatic climax4 ,one day in ,his presence1 when illness had confined ,him to bed1 ,thirih1 regarded as the fair and spotless emblem of chastity and the incarnation of the holy ,ftimih1 appeared suddenly1 adorned yet unveiled1 before the assembled companions1 seated herself on the right-hand of the affrighted and infuriated ,qudds1 and1 tearing through her fiery words the veils guarding the sanctity of the ordinances of ,islm1 sounded the clarion-call1 and proclaimed the inauguration1 of a new ,dispensation4 ,the effect was electric and instantaneous4 ,she1 of such stainless purity1 so reverenced that even to gaze at her shadow was deemed an improper act1 appeared for a moment1 in the eyes of her scandalized beholders1 to have defamed herself1 shamed the ,faith she had espoused1 and sullied the immortal ,countenance she symbolized4 ,fear1 anger1 bewilderment1 swept their inmost souls1 and stunned their faculties4 #8,abdu'l-,khliq-i-,ifhn1 aghast and deranged at such a sight1 cut his throat with his own hands4 ,spattered with blood1 and frantic with excitement1 he fled away from her face4 ,a few1 abandoning their companions1 renounced their ,faith4 ,others stood mute and transfixed before her4 ,still others must have recalled with throbbing hearts the ,islamic tradition foreshadowing the appearance of ,ftimih herself unveiled while crossing the ,bridge 7ira7 on the promised ,day of ,judgment4 ,qudds1 mute with rage1 seemed to be only waiting for the moment when he could strike her down with the sword he happened to be then holding in his hand4 ,undeterred1 unruffled1 exultant with joy1 ,thirih arose1 and1 without the least premeditation and in a language strikingly resembling that of the ,qur'n1 delivered a fervid and eloquent appeal to the remnant of the assembly1 ending it with this bold assertion3 8,i am the ,word which the ,q'im is to utter1 the ,word which shall put to flight the chiefs and nobles of the earth60 ,thereupon1 she invited them to embrace each other and celebrate so great an occasion4 ,on that memorable day the 8,bugle0 mentioned in the ,qur'n was sounded1 the 8stunning trumpet-blast0 was loudly raised1 and the 8,catastrophe0 came to pass4 ,the days immediately following so startling a departure from the time-honored traditions of ,islm witnessed a veritable revolution in the outlook1 habits1 ceremonials and manner of worship of these hitherto zealous and devout upholders of the ,muammadan ,law4 ,agitated as had been the ,conference from first to last1 deplorable as was the secession of the few who refused to countenance the annulment of the fundamental statutes of the ,islamic ,faith1 its purpose had been fully and gloriously accomplished4 ,only four years earlier the ,author of the ,bb ,revelation had declared ,his mission to ,mull usayn in the privacy of ,his home in ,shrz4 ,three years after that ,declaration1 within the walls of the prison-fortress of ,mh-,k1 ,he was dictating to ,his amanuensis the fundamental and distinguishing precepts of ,his ,dispensation4 ,a year later1 ,his followers1 under the actual leadership of ,bah'u'llh1 their fellow-disciple1 were themselves1 in the hamlet of ,badasht1 abrogating the ,qur'nic ,law1 repudiating both the divinely-ordained and man-made precepts of the ,faith of ,muammad1 and shaking off the shackles of its antiquated system4 ,almost immediately after1 the ,bb ,himself1 still a prisoner1 was vindicating the acts of ,his disciples by asserting1 formally and unreservedly1 ,his claim to be the promised ,q'im1 in the presence of the ,heir to the ,throne1 the leading exponents of the ,shaykh community1 and the most illustrious ecclesiastical dignitaries assembled in the capital of dhirbayjn4 ,a little over four years had elapsed since the birth of the ,bb's ,revelation when the trumpet-blast announcing the formal extinction of the old1 and the inauguration of the new ,dispensation was sounded4 ,no pomp1 no pageantry marked so great a turning-point in the world's religious history4 ,nor was its modest setting commensurate with such a sudden1 startling1 complete emancipation from the dark and embattled forces of fanaticism1 of priestcraft1 of religious orthodoxy and superstition4 ,the assembled host consisted of no more than a single woman and a handful of men1 mostly recruited from the very ranks they were attacking1 and devoid1 with few exceptions1 of wealth1 prestige and power4 ,the ,captain of the host was ,himself an absentee1 a captive in the grip of ,his foes4 ,the arena was a tiny hamlet in the plain of ,badasht on the border of ,mzindarn4 ,the trumpeter was a lone woman1 the noblest of her sex in that ,dispensation1 whom even some of her co-religionists pronounced a heretic4 ,the call she sounded was the death-knell of the twelve hundred year old law of ,islm4 ,accelerated1 twenty years later1 by another trumpet-blast1 announcing the formulation of the laws of yet another ,dispensation1 this process of disintegration1 associated with the declining fortunes of a superannuated1 though divinely revealed ,law1 gathered further momentum1 precipitated1 in a later age1 the annulment of the ,shar'ah canonical ,law in ,turkey1 led to the virtual abandonment of that ,law in ,sh'ah ,persia1 has1 more recently1 been responsible for the dissociation of the ,system envisaged in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas from the ,sunn ecclesiastical ,law in ,egypt1 has paved the way for the recognition of that ,system in the ,holy ,land itself1 and is destined to culminate in the secularization of the ,muslim states1 and in the universal recognition of the ,law of ,bah'u'llh by all the nations1 and its enthronement in the hearts of all the peoples1 of the ,muslim world4 ,chapter ,,iii3 ,upheavals in ,mzindarn1 ,nayrz and ,zanjn ,the ,bb's captivity in a remote corner of dhirbayjn1 immortalized by the proceedings of the ,conference of ,badasht1 and distinguished by such notable developments as the public declaration of ,his mission1 the formulation of the laws of ,his ,dispensation and the establishment of ,his ,covenant1 was to acquire added significance through the dire convulsions that sprang from the acts of both ,his adversaries and ,his disciples4 ,the commotions that ensued1 as the years of that captivity drew to a close1 and that culminated in ,his own martyrdom1 called forth a degree of heroism on the part of ,his followers and a fierceness of hostility on the part of ,his enemies which had never been witnessed during the first three years of ,his ministry4 ,indeed1 this brief but most turbulent period may be rightly regarded as the bloodiest and most dramatic of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,era4 ,the momentous happenings associated with the ,bb's incarceration in ,mh-,k and ,chihrq1 constituting as they did the high watermark of ,his ,revelation1 could have no other consequence than to fan to fiercer flame both the fervor of ,his lovers and the fury of ,his enemies4 ,a persecution1 grimmer1 more odious1 and more shrewdly calculated than any which usayn ,khn1 or even j ,mrz ,aqs1 had kindled was soon to be unchained1 to be accompanied by a corresponding manifestation of heroism unmatched by any of the earliest outbursts of enthusiasm that had greeted the birth of the ,faith in either ,shrz or ,ifhn4 ,this period of ceaseless and unprecedented commotion was to rob that ,faith1 in quick succession1 of its chief protagonists1 was to attain its climax in the extinction of the life of its ,author1 and was to be followed by a further and this time an almost complete elimination of its eminent supporters1 with the sole exception of ,one ,who1 at its darkest hour1 was entrusted1 through the dispensations of ,providence1 with the dual function of saving a sorely-stricken ,faith from annihilation1 and of ushering in the ,dispensation destined to supersede it4 ,the formal assumption by the ,bb of the authority of the promised ,q'im1 in such dramatic circumstances and in so challenging a tone1 before a distinguished gathering of eminent ,sh'ah ecclesiastics1 powerful1 jealous1 alarmed and hostile1 was the explosive force that loosed a veritable avalanche of calamities which swept down upon the ,faith and the people among whom it was born4 ,it raised to fervid heat the zeal that glowed in the souls of the ,bb's scattered disciples1 who were already incensed by the cruel captivity of their ,leader1 and whose ardor was now further inflamed by the outpourings of ,his pen which reached them unceasingly from the place of ,his confinement4 ,it provoked a heated and prolonged controversy throughout the length and breadth of the land1 in bazaars1 masjids1 madrisihs and other public places1 deepening thereby the cleavage that had already sundered its people4 ,muammad ,shh1 at so perilous an hour1 was meanwhile rapidly sinking under the weight of his physical infirmities4 ,the shallow-minded j ,mrz ,aqs1 now the pivot of state affairs1 exhibited a vacillation and incompetence that seemed to increase with every extension in the range of his grave responsibilities4 ,at one time he would feel inclined to support the verdict of the #8ulams2 at another he would censure their aggressiveness and distrust their assertions2 at yet another1 he would relapse into mysticism1 and1 wrapt in his reveries1 lose sight of the gravity of the emergency that confronted him4 ,so glaring a mismanagement of national affairs emboldened the clerical order1 whose members were now hurling with malignant zeal anathemas from their pulpits1 and were vociferously inciting superstitious congregations to take up arms against the upholders of a much hated creed1 to insult the honor of their women folk1 to plunder their property and harass and injure their children4 8,what of the signs and prodigies10 they thundered before countless assemblies1 8that must needs usher in the advent of the ,q'im8 ,what of the ,major and ,minor ,occultations8 ,what of the cities of ,jablq and ,jabls8 ,how are we to explain the sayings of usayn-ibn-,rh1 and what interpretation should be given to the authenticated traditions ascribed to ,ibn-i-,mihryr8 ,where are the ,men of the ,unseen1 who are to traverse1 in a week1 the whole surface of the earth8 ,what of the conquest of the ,east and ,west which the ,q'im is to effect on ,his appearance8 ,where is the one-eyed ,anti-,christ and the ass on which he is to mount8 ,what of ,sfyn and his dominion80 8,are we10 they noisily remonstrated1 8are we to account as a dead letter the indubitable1 the unnumbered traditions of our holy ,imms1 or are we to extinguish with fire and sword this brazen heresy that has dared to lift its head in our land80 ,to these defamations1 threats and protestations the learned and resolute champions of a misrepresented ,faith1 following the example of their ,leader1 opposed unhesitatingly treatises1 commentaries and refutations1 assiduously written1 cogent in their argument1 replete with testimonies1 lucid1 eloquent and convincing1 affirming their belief in the ,prophethood of ,muammad1 in the legitimacy of the ,imms1 in the spiritual sovereignty of the ,shibu'z-,zamn 7the ,lord of the ,age71 interpreting in a masterly fashion the obscure1 the designedly allegorical and abstruse traditions1 verses and prophecies in the ,islamic holy ,writ1 and adducing1 in support of their contention1 the meekness and apparent helplessness of the ,imm usayn who1 despite his defeat1 his discomfiture and ignominious martyrdom1 had been hailed by their antagonists as the very embodiment and the matchless symbol of ,god's all-conquering sovereignty and power4 ,this fierce1 nation-wide controversy had assumed alarming proportions when ,muammad ,shh finally succumbed to his illness1 precipitating by his death the downfall of his favorite and all-powerful minister1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 who1 soon stripped of the treasures he had amassed1 fell into disgrace1 was expelled from the capital1 and sought refuge in ,karbil4 ,the seventeen year old ,niri'd-,dn ,mrz ascended the throne1 leaving the direction of affairs to the obdurate1 the iron-hearted ,amr-,nizm1 ,mrz ,taq ,khn1 who1 without consulting his fellow-ministers1 decreed that immediate and condign punishment be inflicted on the hapless ,bbs4 ,governors1 magistrates and civil servants1 throughout the provinces1 instigated by the monstrous campaign of vilification conducted by the clergy1 and prompted by their lust for pecuniary rewards1 vied in their respective spheres with each other in hounding and heaping indignities on the adherents of an outlawed ,faith4 ,for the first time in the ,faith's history a systematic campaign in which the civil and ecclesiastical powers were banded together was being launched against it1 a campaign that was to culminate in the horrors experienced by ,bah'u'llh in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn and ,his subsequent banishment to #8,irq4 ,government1 clergy and people arose1 as one man1 to assault and exterminate their common enemy4 ,in remote and isolated centers the scattered disciples of a persecuted community were pitilessly struck down by the sword of their foes1 while in centers where large numbers had congregated measures were taken in self-defense1 which1 misconstrued by a cunning and deceitful adversary1 served in their turn to inflame still further the hostility of the authorities1 and multiply the outrages perpetrated by the oppressor4 ,in the ,east at ,shaykh ,tabars1 in the south in ,nayrz1 in the west in ,zanjn1 and in the capital itself1 massacres1 upheavals1 demonstrations1 engagements1 sieges1 acts of treachery proclaimed1 in rapid succession1 the violence of the storm which had broken out1 and exposed the bankruptcy1 and blackened the annals1 of a proud yet degenerate people4 ,the audacity of ,mull usayn who1 at the command of the ,bb1 had attired his head with the green turban worn and sent to him by his ,master1 who had hoisted the ,black ,standard1 the unfurling of which would1 according to the ,prophet ,muammad1 herald the advent of the vicegerent of ,god on earth1 and who1 mounted on his steed1 was marching at the head of two hundred and two of his fellow-disciples to meet and lend his assistance to ,qudds in the ,jazriy-i-,khadr 7,verdant ,isle7--his audacity was the signal for a clash the reverberations of which were to resound throughout the entire country4 ,the contest lasted no less than eleven months4 ,its theatre was for the most part the forest of ,mzindarn4 ,its heroes were the flower of the ,bb's disciples4 ,its martyrs comprised no less than half of the ,letters of the ,living1 not excluding ,qudds and ,mull usayn1 respectively the last and the first of these ,letters4 ,the directive force which however unobtrusively sustained it was none other than that which flowed from the mind of ,bah'u'llh4 ,it was caused by the unconcealed determination of the dawn-breakers of a new ,age to proclaim1 fearlessly and befittingly1 its advent1 and by a no less unyielding resolve1 should persuasion prove a failure1 to resist and defend themselves against the onslaughts of malicious and unreasoning assailants4 ,it demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt what the indomitable spirit of a band of three hundred and thirteen untrained1 unequipped yet ,god-intoxicated students1 mostly sedentary recluses of the college and cloister1 could achieve when pitted in self-defense against a trained army1 well equipped1 supported by the masses of the people1 blessed by the clergy1 headed by a prince of the royal blood1 backed by the resources of the state1 acting with the enthusiastic approval of its sovereign1 and animated by the unfailing counsels of a resolute and all-powerful minister4 ,its outcome was a heinous betrayal ending in an orgy of slaughter1 staining with everlasting infamy its perpetrators1 investing its victims with a halo of imperishable glory1 and generating the very seeds which1 in a later age1 were to blossom into world-wide administrative institutions1 and which must1 in the fullness of time1 yield their golden fruit in the shape of a world-redeeming1 earth-encircling ,order4 ,it will be unnecessary to attempt even an abbreviated narrative of this tragic episode1 however grave its import1 however much misconstrued by adverse chroniclers and historians4 ,a glance over its salient features will suffice for the purpose of these pages4 ,we note1 as we conjure up the events of this great tragedy1 the fortitude1 the intrepidity1 the discipline and the resourcefulness of its heroes1 contrasting sharply with the turpitude1 the cowardice1 the disorderliness and the inconstancy of their opponents4 ,we observe the sublime patience1 the noble restraint exercised by one of its principal actors1 the lion-hearted ,mull usayn1 who persistently refused to unsheathe his sword until an armed and angry multitude1 uttering the foulest invectives1 had gathered at a farsang's distance from ,barfursh to block his way1 and had mortally struck down seven of his innocent and staunch companions4 ,we are filled with admiration for the tenacity of faith of that same ,mull usayn1 demonstrated by his resolve to persevere in sounding the adhn1 while besieged in the caravanserai of ,sabsih-,maydn1 though three of his companions1 who had successively ascended to the roof of the inn1 with the express purpose of performing that sacred rite1 had been instantly killed by the bullets of the enemy4 ,we marvel at the spirit of renunciation that prompted those sore pressed sufferers to contemptuously ignore the possessions left behind by their fleeing enemy2 that led them to discard their own belongings1 and content themselves with their steeds and swords2 that induced the father of ,bad1 one of that gallant company1 to fling unhesitatingly by the roadside the satchel1 full of turquoises which he had brought from his father's mine in ,nishpr2 that led ,mrz ,muammad-,taqy-i-,juvayn to cast away a sum equivalent in value in silver and gold2 and impelled those same companions to disdain1 and refuse even to touch1 the costly furnishings and the coffers of gold and silver which the demoralized and shame-laden ,prince ,mihd-,qul ,mrz1 the commander of the army of ,mzindarn and a brother of ,muammad ,shh1 had left behind in his headlong flight from his camp4 ,we cannot but esteem the passionate sincerity with which ,mull usayn pleaded with the ,prince1 and the formal assurance he gave him1 disclaiming1 in no uncertain terms1 any intention on his part or that of his fellow-disciples of usurping the authority of the ,shh or of subverting the foundations of his state4 ,we cannot but view with contempt the conduct of that arch-villain1 the hysterical1 the cruel and overbearing ,sa'du'l-#8,ulam'1 who1 alarmed at the approach of those same companions1 flung1 in a frenzy of excitement1 and before an immense crowd of men and women1 his turban to the ground1 tore open the neck of his shirt1 and1 bewailing the plight into which ,islm had fallen1 implored his congregation to fly to arms and cut down the approaching band4 ,we are struck with wonder as we contemplate the super-human prowess of ,mull usayn which enabled him1 notwithstanding his fragile frame and trembling hand1 to slay a treacherous foe who had taken shelter behind a tree1 by cleaving with a single stroke of his sword the tree1 the man and his musket in twain4 ,we are stirred1 moreover1 by the scene of the arrival of ,bah'u'llh at the ,fort1 and the indefinable joy it imparted to ,mull usayn1 the reverent reception accorded ,him by ,his fellow-disciples1 ,his inspection of the fortifications which they had hurriedly erected for their protection1 and the advice ,he gave them1 which resulted in the miraculous deliverance of ,qudds1 in his subsequent and close association with the defenders of that ,fort1 and in his effective participation in the exploits connected with its siege and eventual destruction4 ,we are amazed at the serenity and sagacity of that same ,qudds1 the confidence he instilled on his arrival1 the resourcefulness he displayed1 the fervor and gladness with which the besieged listened1 at morn and at even-tide1 to the voice intoning the verses of his celebrated commentary on the ,sd of ,samad1 to which he had already1 while in ,sar1 devoted a treatise thrice as voluminous as the ,qur'n itself1 and which he was now1 despite the tumultuary attacks of the enemy and the privations he and his companions were enduring1 further elucidating by adding to that interpretation as many verses as he had previously written4 ,we remember with thrilling hearts that memorable encounter when1 at the cry 8,mount your steeds1 ,o heroes of ,god60 ,mull usayn1 accompanied by two hundred and two of the beleaguered and sorely-distressed companions1 and preceded by ,qudds1 emerged before daybreak from the ,fort1 and1 raising the shout of 8,y ,shibu'z-,zamn601 rushed at full charge towards the stronghold of the ,prince1 and penetrated to his private apartments1 only to find that1 in his consternation1 he had thrown himself from a back window into the moat1 and escaped bare-footed1 leaving his host confounded and routed4 ,we see relived in poignant memory that last day of ,mull usayn's earthly life1 when1 soon after midnight1 having performed his ablutions1 clothed himself in new garments1 and attired his head with the ,bb's turban1 he mounted his charger1 ordered the gate of the ,fort to be opened1 rode out at the head of three hundred and thirteen of his companions1 shouting aloud 8,y ,shibu'z-,zamn601 charged successively the seven barricades erected by the enemy1 captured every one of them1 notwithstanding the bullets that were raining upon him1 swiftly dispatched their defenders1 and had scattered their forces when1 in the ensuing tumult1 his steed became suddenly entangled in the rope of a tent1 and before he could extricate himself he was struck in the breast by a bullet which the cowardly ,abbs-,qul ,khn-i-,larjn had discharged1 while lying in ambush in the branches of a neighboring tree4 ,we acclaim the magnificent courage that1 in a subsequent encounter1 inspired nineteen of those stout-hearted companions to plunge headlong into the camp of an enemy that consisted of no less than two regiments of infantry and cavalry1 and to cause such consternation that one of their leaders1 the same ,abbs-,qul ,khn1 falling from his horse1 and leaving in his distress one of his boots hanging from the stirrup1 ran away1 half-shod and bewildered1 to the ,prince1 and confessed the ignominious reverse he had suffered4 ,nor can we fail to note the superb fortitude with which these heroic souls bore the load of their severe trials2 when their food was at first reduced to the flesh of horses brought away from the deserted camp of the enemy2 when later they had to content themselves with such grass as they could snatch from the fields whenever they obtained a respite from their besiegers2 when they were forced1 at a later stage1 to consume the bark of the trees and the leather of their saddles1 of their belts1 of their scabbards and of their shoes2 when during eighteen days they had nothing but water of which they drank a mouthful every morning2 when the cannon fire of the enemy compelled them to dig subterranean passages within the ,fort1 where1 dwelling amid mud and water1 with garments rotting away with damp1 they had to subsist on ground up bones2 and when1 at last1 oppressed by gnawing hunger1 they1 as attested by a contemporary chronicler1 were driven to disinter the steed of their venerated leader1 ,mull usayn1 cut it into pieces1 grind into dust its bones1 mix it with the putrified meat1 and1 making it into a stew1 avidly devour it4 ,nor can reference be omitted to the abject treachery to which the impotent and discredited ,prince eventually resorted1 and his violation of his so-called irrevocable oath1 inscribed and sealed by him on the margin of the opening srih of the ,qur'n1 whereby he1 swearing by that holy ,book1 undertook to set free all the defenders of the ,fort1 pledged his honor that no man in his army or in the neighborhood would molest them1 and that he would himself1 at his own expense1 arrange for their safe departure to their homes4 ,and lastly1 we call to remembrance1 the final scene of that sombre tragedy1 when1 as a result of the ,prince's violation of his sacred engagement1 a number of the betrayed companions of ,qudds were assembled in the camp of the enemy1 were stripped of their possessions1 and sold as slaves1 the rest being either killed by the spears and swords of the officers1 or torn asunder1 or bound to trees and riddled with bullets1 or blown from the mouths of cannon and consigned to the flames1 or else being disemboweled and having their heads impaled on spears and lances4 ,qudds1 their beloved leader1 was by yet another shameful act of the intimidated ,prince surrendered into the hands of the diabolical ,sa'du'l-#8,ulam' who1 in his unquenchable hostility and aided by the mob whose passions he had sedulously inflamed1 stripped his victim of his garments1 loaded him with chains1 paraded him through the streets of ,barfursh1 and incited the scum of its female inhabitants to execrate and spit upon him1 assail him with knives and axes1 mutilate his body1 and throw the tattered fragments into a fire4 ,this stirring episode1 so glorious for the ,faith1 so blackening to the reputation of its enemies--an episode which must be regarded as a rare phenomenon in the history of modern times--was soon succeeded by a parallel upheaval1 strikingly similar in its essential features4 ,the scene of woeful tribulations was now shifted to the south1 to the province of ,frs1 not far from the city where the dawning light of the ,faith had broken4 ,nayrz and its environs were made to sustain the impact of this fresh ordeal in all its fury4 ,the ,fort of ,khjih1 in the vicinity of the ,chinr-,sukhtih quarter of that hotly agitated village became the storm-center of the new conflagration4 ,the hero who towered above his fellows1 valiantly struggled1 and fell a victim to its devouring flames was that 8unique and peerless figure of his age10 the far-famed ,siyyid ,yayy-i-,darb1 better known as ,vahd4 ,foremost among his perfidious adversaries1 who kindled and fed the fire of this conflagration was the base and fanatical governor of ,nayrz1 ,zaynu'l-bidn ,khn1 seconded by #8,abdu'llh ,khn1 the ,shuj'u'l-,mulk1 and reinforced by ,prince ,frz ,mrz1 the governor of ,shrz4 ,of a much briefer duration than the ,mzindarn upheaval1 which lasted no less than eleven months1 the atrocities that marked its closing stage were no less devastating in their consequences4 ,once again a handful of men1 innocent1 law-abiding1 peace-loving1 yet high-spirited and indomitable1 consisting partly1 in this case1 of untrained lads and men of advanced age1 were surprised1 challenged1 encompassed and assaulted by the superior force of a cruel and crafty enemy1 an innumerable host of able-bodied men who1 though well-trained1 adequately equipped and continually reinforced1 were impotent to coerce into submission1 or subdue1 the spirit of their adversaries4 ,this fresh commotion originated in declarations of faith as fearless and impassioned1 and in demonstrations of religious enthusiasm almost as vehement and dramatic1 as those which had ushered in the ,mzindarn upheaval4 ,it was instigated by a no less sustained and violent outburst of uncompromising ecclesiastical hostility4 ,it was accompanied by corresponding manifestations of blind religious fanaticism4 ,it was provoked by similar acts of naked aggression on the part of both clergy and people4 ,it demonstrated afresh the same purpose1 was animated throughout by the same spirit1 and rose to almost the same height of superhuman heroism1 of fortitude1 courage1 and renunciation4 ,it revealed a no less shrewdly calculated coordination of plans and efforts between the civil and ecclesiastical authorities designed to challenge and overthrow a common enemy4 ,it was preceded by a similar categorical repudiation1 on the part of the ,bbs1 of any intention of interfering with the civil jurisdiction of the realm1 or of undermining the legitimate authority of its sovereign4 ,it provided a no less convincing testimony to the restraint and forbearance of the victims1 in the face of the ruthless and unprovoked aggression of the oppressor4 ,it exposed1 as it moved toward its climax1 and in hardly less striking a manner1 the cowardice1 the want of discipline and the degradation of a spiritually bankrupt foe4 ,it was marked1 as it approached its conclusion1 by a treachery as vile and shameful4 ,it ended in a massacre even more revolting in the horrors it evoked and the miseries it engendered4 ,it sealed the fate of ,vahd who1 by his green turban1 the emblem of his proud lineage1 was bound to a horse and dragged ignominiously through the streets1 after which his head was cut off1 was stuffed with straw1 and sent as a trophy to the feasting ,prince in ,shrz1 while his body was abandoned to the mercy of the infuriated women of ,nayrz1 who1 intoxicated with barbarous joy by the shouts of exultation raised by a triumphant enemy1 danced1 to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals1 around it4 ,and finally1 it brought in its wake1 with the aid of no less than five thousand men1 specially commissioned for this purpose1 a general and fierce onslaught on the defenseless ,bbs1 whose possessions were confiscated1 whose houses were destroyed1 whose stronghold was burned to the ground1 whose women and children were captured1 and some of whom1 stripped almost naked1 were mounted on donkeys1 mules and camels1 and led through rows of heads hewn from the lifeless bodies of their fathers1 brothers1 sons and husbands1 who previously had been either branded1 or had their nails torn out1 or had been lashed to death1 or had spikes hammered into their hands and feet1 or had incisions made in their noses through which strings were passed1 and by which they were led through the streets before the gaze of an irate and derisive multitude4 ,this turmoil1 so ravaging1 so distressing1 had hardly subsided when another conflagration1 even more devastating than the two previous upheavals1 was kindled in ,zanjn and its immediate surroundings4 ,unprecedented in both its duration and in the number of those who were swept away by its fury1 this violent tempest that broke out in the west of ,persia1 and in which ,mull ,muammad-#8,aly-i-,zanjn1 surnamed ,hujjat1 one of the ablest and most formidable champions of the ,faith1 together with no less than eighteen hundred of his fellow-disciples1 drained the cup of martyrdom1 defined more sharply than ever the unbridgeable gulf that separated the torchbearers of the newborn ,faith from the civil and ecclesiastical exponents of a gravely shaken ,order4 ,the chief figures mainly responsible for1 and immediately concerned with1 this ghastly tragedy were the envious and hypocritical ,amr ,arsln ,khn1 the ,majdu'd-,dawlih1 a maternal uncle of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 and his associates1 the ,sadru'd-,dawliy-i-,ifhn and ,muammad ,khn1 the ,amr-,tumn1 who were assisted1 on the one hand1 by substantial military reinforcements dispatched by order of the ,amr-,nizm1 and aided1 on the other1 by the enthusiastic moral support of the entire ecclesiastical body in ,zanjn4 ,the spot that became the theatre of heroic exertions1 the scene of intense sufferings1 and the target for furious and repeated assaults1 was the ,fort of #8,al-,mardn ,khn1 which at one time sheltered no less than three thousand ,bbs1 including men1 women and children1 the tale of whose agonies is unsurpassed in the annals of a whole century4 ,a brief reference to certain outstanding features of this mournful episode1 endowing the ,faith1 in its infancy1 with measureless potentialities1 will suffice to reveal its distinctive character4 ,the pathetic scenes following upon the division of the inhabitants of ,zanjn into two distinct camps1 by the order of its governor--a decision dramatically proclaimed by a crier1 and which dissolved ties of worldly interest and affection in favor of a mightier loyalty2 the reiterated exhortations addressed by ,hujjat to the besieged to refrain from aggression and acts of violence2 his affirmation1 as he recalled the tragedy of ,mzindarn1 that their victory consisted solely in sacrificing their all on the altar of the ,cause of the ,shibu'z-,zamn1 and his declaration of the unalterable intention of his companions to serve their sovereign loyally and to be the well-wishers of his people2 the astounding intrepidity with which these same companions repelled the ferocious onslaught launched by the ,sadru'd-,dawlih1 who eventually was obliged to confess his abject failure1 was reprimanded by the ,shh and was degraded from his rank2 the contempt with which the occupants of the ,fort met the appeals of the crier seeking on behalf of an exasperated enemy to inveigle them into renouncing their ,cause and to beguile them by the generous offers and promises of the sovereign2 the resourcefulness and incredible audacity of ,zaynab1 a village maiden1 who1 fired with an irrepressible yearning to throw in her lot with the defenders of the ,fort1 disguised herself in male attire1 cut off her locks1 girt a sword about her waist1 and1 raising the cry of ,y ,shibu'z-,zamn60 rushed headlong in pursuit of the assailants1 and who1 disdainful of food and sleep1 continued1 during a period of five months1 in the thick of the turmoil1 to animate the zeal and to rush to the rescue of her men companions2 the stupendous uproar raised by the guards who manned the barricades as they shouted the five invocations prescribed by the ,bb1 on the very night on which ,his instructions had been received--an uproar which precipitated the death of a few persons in the camp of the enemy1 caused the dissolute officers to drop instantly their wine-glasses to the ground and to overthrow the gambling-tables1 and hurry forth bare-footed1 and induced others to run half-dressed into the wilderness1 or flee panic-stricken to the homes of the #8ulams--these stand out as the high lights of this bloody contest4 ,we recall1 likewise1 the contrast between the disorder1 the cursing1 the ribald laughter1 the debauchery and shame that characterized the camp of the enemy1 and the atmosphere of reverent devotion that filled the ,fort1 from which anthems of praise and hymns of joy were continually ascending4 ,nor can we fail to note the appeal addressed by ,hujjat and his chief supporters to the ,shh1 repudiating the malicious assertions of their foes1 assuring him of their loyalty to him and his government1 and of their readiness to establish in his presence the soundness of their ,cause2 the interception of these messages by the governor and the substitution by him of forged letters loaded with abuse which he dispatched in their stead to ihrn2 the enthusiastic support extended by the female occupants of the ,fort1 the shouts of exultation which they raised1 the eagerness with which some of them1 disguised in the garb of men1 rushed to reinforce its defences and to supplant their fallen brethren1 while others ministered to the sick1 and carried on their shoulders skins of water for the wounded1 and still others1 like the ,carthaginian women of old1 cut off their long hair and bound the thick coils around the guns to reinforce them2 the foul treachery of the besiegers1 who1 on the very day they had drawn up and written out an appeal for peace and1 enclosing with it a sealed copy of the ,qur'n as a testimony of their pledge1 had sent it to ,hujjat1 did not shrink from throwing into a dungeon the members of the delegation1 including the children1 which had been sent by him to treat with them1 from tearing out the beard of the venerated leader of that delegation1 and from savagely mutilating one of his fellow-disciples4 ,we call to mind1 moreover1 the magnanimity of ,hujjat who1 though afflicted with the sudden loss of both his wife and child1 continued with unruffled calm in exhorting his companions to exercise forbearance and to resign themselves to the will of ,god1 until he himself succumbed to a wound he had received from the enemy2 the barbarous revenge which an adversary incomparably superior in numbers and equipment wreaked upon its victims1 giving them over to a massacre and pillage1 unexampled in scope and ferocity1 in which a rapacious army1 a greedy populace and an unappeasable clergy freely indulged2 the exposure of the captives1 of either sex1 hungry and ill-clad1 during no less than fifteen days and nights1 to the biting cold of an exceptionally severe winter1 while crowds of women danced merrily around them1 spat in their faces and insulted them with the foulest invectives2 the savage cruelty that condemned others to be blown from guns1 to be plunged into ice-cold water and lashed severely1 to have their skulls soaked in boiling oil1 to be smeared with treacle and left to perish in the snow2 and finally1 the insatiable hatred that impelled the crafty governor to induce through his insinuations the seven year old son of ,hujjat to disclose the burial-place of his father1 that drove him to violate the grave1 disinter the corpse1 order it to be dragged to the sound of drums and trumpets through the streets of ,zanjn1 and be exposed1 for three days and three nights1 to unspeakable injuries4 ,these1 and other similar incidents connected with the epic story of the ,zanjn upheaval1 characterized by ,lord ,curzon as a 8terrific siege and slaughter10 combine to invest it with a sombre glory unsurpassed by any episode of a like nature in the records of the ,heroic ,age of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,to the tide of calamity which1 during the concluding years of the ,bb's ministry1 was sweeping with such ominous fury the provinces of ,persia1 whether in the ,east1 in the ,south1 or in the ,west1 the heart and center of the realm itself could not remain impervious4 ,four months before the ,bb's martyrdom ihrn in its turn was to participate1 to a lesser degree and under less dramatic circumstances1 in the carnage that was besmirching the face of the country4 ,a tragedy was being enacted in that city which was to prove but a prelude to the orgy of massacre which1 after the ,bb's execution1 convulsed its inhabitants and sowed consternation as far as the outlying provinces4 ,it originated in the orders and was perpetrated under the very eyes of the irate and murderous ,amr-,nizm1 supported by ,mamd ,khn-i-,kalntar1 and aided by a certain usayn1 one of the #8ulams of ,kshn4 ,the heroes of that tragedy were the ,seven ,martyrs of ihrn1 who represented the more important classes among their countrymen1 and who deliberately refused to purchase life by that mere lip-denial which1 under the name of taqyyih1 ,sh'ah ,islm had for centuries recognized as a wholly justifiable and indeed commendable subterfuge in the hour of peril4 ,neither the repeated and vigorous intercessions of highly placed members of the professions to which these martyrs belonged1 nor the considerable sums which1 in the case of one of them--the noble and serene j ,mrz ,siyyid #8,al1 the ,bb's maternal uncle--affluent merchants of ,shrz and ihrn were eager to offer as ransom1 nor the impassioned pleas of state officials on behalf of another--the pious and highly esteemed dervish1 ,mrz ,qurbn-#8,al--nor even the personal intervention of the ,amr-,nizm1 who endeavored to induce both of these brave men to recant1 could succeed in persuading any of the seven to forego the coveted laurels of martyrdom4 ,the defiant answers which they flung at their persecutors2 the ecstatic joy which seized them as they drew near the scene of their death2 the jubilant shouts they raised as they faced their executioner2 the poignancy of the verses which1 in their last moments1 some of them recited2 the appeals and challenges they addressed to the multitude of onlookers who gazed with stupefaction upon them2 the eagerness with which the last three victims strove to precede one another in sealing their faith with their blood2 and lastly1 the atrocities which a bloodthirsty foe degraded itself by inflicting upon their dead bodies which lay unburied for three days and three nights in the ,sabzih-,maydn1 during which time thousands of so-called devout ,sh'ahs kicked their corpses1 spat upon their faces1 pelted1 cursed1 derided1 and heaped refuse upon them--these were the chief features of the tragedy of the ,seven ,martyrs of ihrn1 a tragedy which stands out as one of the grimmest scenes witnessed in the course of the early unfoldment of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,little wonder that the ,bb1 bowed down by the weight of ,his accumulated sorrows in the ,fortress of ,chihrq1 should have acclaimed and glorified them1 in the pages of a lengthy eulogy which immortalized their fidelity to ,his ,cause1 as those same 8,seven ,goats0 who1 according to ,islamic tradition1 should1 on the ,day of ,judgment1 8walk in front0 of the promised ,q'im1 and whose death was to precede the impending martyrdom of their true ,shepherd4 ,chapter ,,iv3 ,the ,execution of the ,bb ,the waves of dire tribulation that violently battered at the ,faith1 and eventually engulfed1 in rapid succession1 the ablest1 the dearest and most trusted disciples of the ,bb1 plunged ,him1 as already observed1 into unutterable sorrow4 ,for no less than six months the ,prisoner of ,chihrq1 ,his chronicler has recorded1 was unable to either write or dictate4 ,crushed with grief by the evil tidings that came so fast upon ,him1 of the endless trials that beset ,his ablest lieutenants1 by the agonies suffered by the besieged and the shameless betrayal of the survivors1 by the woeful afflictions endured by the captives and the abominable butchery of men1 women and children1 as well as the foul indignities heaped on their corpses1 ,he1 for nine days1 ,his amanuensis has affirmed1 refused to meet any of ,his friends1 and was reluctant to touch the meat and drink that was offered ,him4 ,tears rained continually from ,his eyes1 and profuse expressions of anguish poured forth from ,his wounded heart1 as ,he languished1 for no less than five months1 solitary and disconsolate1 in ,his prison4 ,the pillars of ,his infant ,faith had1 for the most part1 been hurled down at the first onset of the hurricane that had been loosed upon it4 ,qudds1 immortalized by ,him as ,ismu'llhi'l-khir 7the ,last ,name of ,god72 on whom ,bah'u'llh's ,tablet of ,kullu't-,t'am later conferred the sublime appellation of ,nuqiy-i-,ukhr 7the ,last ,point72 whom ,he elevated1 in another ,tablet1 to a rank second to none except that of the ,herald of ,his ,revelation2 whom ,he identifies1 in still another ,tablet1 with one of the 8,messengers charged with imposture0 mentioned in the ,qur'n2 whom the ,persian ,bayn extolled as that fellow-pilgrim round whom mirrors to the number of eight ,vahds revolve2 on whose 8detachment and the sincerity of whose devotion to ,god's will ,god prideth ,himself amidst the ,concourse on high20 whom #8,abdu'l-,bah designated as the 8,moon of ,guidance20 and whose appearance the ,revelation of ,st4 ,john the ,divine anticipated as one of the two 8,witnesses0 into whom1 ere the 8second woe is past10 the 8spirit of life from ,god0 must enter--such a man had1 in the full bloom of his youth1 suffered1 in the ,sabzih-,maydn of ,barfursh1 a death which even ,jesus ,christ1 as attested by ,bah'u'llh1 had not faced in the hour of ,his greatest agony4 ,mull usayn1 the first ,letter of the ,living1 surnamed the ,bbu'l-,bb 7the ,gate of the ,gate72 designated as the 8,primal ,mirror20 on whom eulogies1 prayers and visiting ,tablets of a number equivalent to thrice the volume of the ,qur'n had been lavished by the pen of the ,bb2 referred to in these eulogies as 8beloved of ,my ,heart20 the dust of whose grave1 that same ,pen had declared1 was so potent as to cheer the sorrowful and heal the sick2 whom 8the creatures1 raised in the beginning and in the end0 of the ,bb ,dispensation1 envy1 and will continue to envy till the 8,day of ,judgment20 whom the ,kitb-i-qn acclaimed as the one but for whom 8,god would not have been established upon the seat of ,his mercy1 nor ascended the throne of eternal glory20 to whom ,siyyid ,kzim had paid such tribute that his disciples suspected that the recipient of such praise might well be the promised ,one ,himself--such a one had likewise1 in the prime of his manhood1 died a martyr's death at ,tabars4 ,vahd1 pronounced in the ,kitb-i-qn to be the 8unique and peerless figure of his age10 a man of immense erudition and the most preeminent figure to enlist under the banner of the new ,faith1 to whose 8talents and saintliness10 to whose 8high attainments in the realm of science and philosophy0 the ,bb had testified in ,his ,dal'il-i-,sab#8ih 7,seven ,proofs71 had already1 under similar circumstances1 been swept into the maelstrom of another upheaval1 and was soon to quaff in his turn the cup drained by the heroic martyrs of ,mzindarn4 ,hujjat1 another champion of conspicuous audacity1 of unsubduable will1 of remarkable originality and vehement zeal1 was being1 swiftly and inevitably1 drawn into the fiery furnace whose flames had already enveloped ,zanjn and its environs4 ,the ,bb's maternal uncle1 the only father ,he had known since ,his childhood1 ,his shield and support and the trusted guardian of both ,his mother and ,his wife1 had1 moreover1 been sundered from ,him by the axe of the executioner in ihrn4 ,no less than half of ,his chosen disciples1 the ,letters of the ,living1 had already preceded ,him in the field of martyrdom4 ,thirih1 though still alive1 was courageously pursuing a course that was to lead her inevitably to her doom4 ,a fast ebbing life1 so crowded with the accumulated anxieties1 disappointments1 treacheries and sorrows of a tragic ministry1 now moved swiftly towards its climax4 ,the most turbulent period of the ,heroic ,age of the new ,dispensation was rapidly attaining its culmination4 ,the cup of bitter woes which the ,herald of that ,dispensation had tasted was now full to overflowing4 ,indeed1 ,he ,himself had already foreshadowed ,his own approaching death4 ,in the ,kitb-i-,panj-,sha'n1 one of ,his last works1 ,he had alluded to the fact that the sixth ,naw-,rz after the declaration of ,his mission would be the last ,he was destined to celebrate on earth4 ,in ,his interpretation of the letter ,h1 ,he had voiced ,his craving for martyrdom1 while in the ,qayymu'l-,asm ,he had actually prophesied the inevitability of such a consummation of ,his glorious career4 ,forty days before ,his final departure from ,chihrq ,he had even collected all the documents in ,his possession1 and placed them1 together with ,his pen-case1 ,his seals and ,his rings1 in the hands of ,mull ,bqir1 a ,letter of the ,living1 whom ,he instructed to entrust them to ,mull #8,abdu'l-,karm-i-,qazvn1 surnamed ,mrz ,amad1 who was to deliver them to ,bah'u'llh in ihrn4 ,while the convulsions of ,mzindarn and ,nayrz were pursuing their bloody course the ,grand ,vizir of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 anxiously pondering the significance of these dire happenings1 and apprehensive of their repercussions on his countrymen1 his government and his sovereign1 was feverishly revolving in his mind that fateful decision which was not only destined to leave its indelible imprint on the fortunes of his country1 but was to be fraught with such incalculable consequences for the destinies of the whole of mankind4 ,the repressive measures taken against the followers of the ,bb1 he was by now fully convinced1 had but served to inflame their zeal1 steel their resolution and confirm their loyalty to their persecuted ,faith4 ,the ,bb's isolation and captivity had produced the opposite effect to that which the ,amr-,nizm had confidently anticipated4 ,gravely perturbed1 he bitterly condemned the disastrous leniency of his predecessor1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 which had brought matters to such a pass4 ,a more drastic and still more exemplary punishment1 he felt1 must now be administered to what he regarded as an abomination of heresy which was polluting the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of the realm4 ,nothing short1 he believed1 of the extinction of the life of ,him ,who was the fountain-head of so odious a doctrine and the driving force behind so dynamic a movement could stem the tide that had wrought such havoc throughout the land4 ,the siege of ,zanjn was still in progress when he1 dispensing with an explicit order from his sovereign1 and acting independently of his counsellors and fellow-ministers1 dispatched his order to ,prince amzih ,mrz1 the ,hishmatu'd-,dawlih1 the governor of dhirbayjn1 instructing him to execute the ,bb4 ,fearing lest the infliction of such condign punishment in the capital of the realm would set in motion forces he might be powerless to control1 he ordered that his ,captive be taken to ,tabrz1 and there be done to death4 ,confronted with a flat refusal by the indignant ,prince to perform what he regarded as a flagitious crime1 the ,amr-,nizm commissioned his own brother1 ,mrz asan ,khn1 to execute his orders4 ,the usual formalities designed to secure the necessary authorization from the leading mujtahids of ,tabrz were hastily and easily completed4 ,neither ,mull ,muammad-i-,mamaqn1 however1 who had penned the ,bb's death-warrant on the very day of ,his examination in ,tabrz1 nor j ,mrz ,bqir1 nor ,mull ,murtad-,qul1 to whose houses their ,victim was ignominiously led by the farrsh-bsh1 by order of the ,grand ,vizir1 condescended to meet face to face their dreaded ,opponent4 ,immediately before and soon after this humiliating treatment meted out to the ,bb two highly significant incidents occurred1 incidents that cast an illuminating light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the opening phase of ,his martyrdom4 ,the farrsh-bsh had abruptly interrupted the last conversation which the ,bb was confidentially having in one of the rooms of the barracks with ,his amanuensis ,siyyid usayn1 and was drawing the latter aside1 and severely rebuking him1 when he was thus addressed by his ,prisoner3 8,not until ,i have said to him all those things that ,i wish to say can any earthly power silence ,me4 ,though all the world be armed against ,me1 yet shall it be powerless to deter ,me from fulfilling1 to the last word1 ,my intention40 ,to the ,christian ,sm ,khn--the colonel of the ,armenian regiment ordered to carry out the execution--who1 seized with fear lest his act should provoke the wrath of ,god1 had begged to be released from the duty imposed upon him1 the ,bb gave the following assurance3 8,follow your instructions1 and if your intention be sincere1 the ,almighty is surely able to relieve you of your perplexity40 ,sm ,khn accordingly set out to discharge his duty4 ,a spike was driven into a pillar which separated two rooms of the barracks facing the square4 ,two ropes were fastened to it from which the ,bb and one of his disciples1 the youthful and devout ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al-i-,zunz1 surnamed ,ans1 who had previously flung himself at the feet of his ,master and implored that under no circumstances he be sent away from ,him1 were separately suspended4 ,the firing squad ranged itself in three files1 each of two hundred and fifty men4 ,each file in turn opened fire until the whole detachment had discharged its bullets4 ,so dense was the smoke from the seven hundred and fifty rifles that the sky was darkened4 ,as soon as the smoke had cleared away the astounded multitude of about ten thousand souls1 who had crowded onto the roof of the barracks1 as well as the tops of the adjoining houses1 beheld a scene which their eyes could scarcely believe4 ,the ,bb had vanished from their sight6 ,only his companion remained1 alive and unscathed1 standing beside the wall on which they had been suspended4 ,the ropes by which they had been hung alone were severed4 8,the ,siyyid-i-,bb has gone from our sight60 cried out the bewildered spectators4 ,a frenzied search immediately ensued4 ,he was found1 unhurt and unruffled1 in the very room ,he had occupied the night before1 engaged in completing ,his interrupted conversation with ,his amanuensis4 8,i have finished ,my conversation with ,siyyid usayn0 were the words with which the ,prisoner1 so providentially preserved1 greeted the appearance of the farrsh-bsh1 8,now you may proceed to fulfill your intention40 ,recalling the bold assertion his ,prisoner had previously made1 and shaken by so stunning a revelation1 the farrsh-bsh quitted instantly the scene1 and resigned his post4 ,sm ,khn1 likewise1 remembering1 with feelings of awe and wonder1 the reassuring words addressed to him by the ,bb1 ordered his men to leave the barracks immediately1 and swore1 as he left the courtyard1 never again1 even at the cost of his life1 to repeat that act4 q ,jn-i-,khamsh1 colonel of the body-guard1 volunteered to replace him4 ,on the same wall and in the same manner the ,bb and ,his companion were again suspended1 while the new regiment formed in line and opened fire upon them4 ,this time1 however1 their breasts were riddled with bullets1 and their bodies completely dissected1 with the exception of their faces which were but little marred4 8,o wayward generation60 were the last words of the ,bb to the gazing multitude1 as the regiment prepared to fire its volley1 8,had you believed in ,me every one of you would have followed the example of this youth1 who stood in rank above most of you1 and would have willingly sacrificed himself in ,my path4 ,the day will come when you will have recognized ,me2 that day ,i shall have ceased to be with you40 ,nor was this all4 ,the very moment the shots were fired a gale of exceptional violence arose and swept over the city4 ,from noon till night a whirlwind of dust obscured the light of the sun1 and blinded the eyes of the people4 ,in ,shrz an 8earthquake10 foreshadowed in no less weighty a ,book than the ,revelation of ,st4 ,john1 occurred in #abfh ,a4,h4 which threw the whole city into turmoil and wrought havoc amongst its people1 a havoc that was greatly aggravated by the outbreak of cholera1 by famine and other afflictions4 ,in that same year no less than two hundred and fifty of the firing squad1 that had replaced ,sm ,khn's regiment1 met their death1 together with their officers1 in a terrible earthquake1 while the remaining five hundred suffered1 three years later1 as a punishment for their mutiny1 the same fate as that which their hands had inflicted upon the ,bb4 ,to insure that none of them had survived1 they were riddled with a second volley1 after which their bodies1 pierced with spears and lances1 were exposed to the gaze of the people of ,tabrz4 ,the prime instigator of the ,bb's death1 the implacable ,amr-,nizm1 together with his brother1 his chief accomplice1 met their death within two years of that savage act4 ,on the evening of the very day of the ,bb's execution1 which fell on the ninth of ,july #ahej 7#bhth of ,sha'bn #abff ,a4,h471 during the thirty-first year of ,his age and the seventh of ,his ministry1 the mangled bodies were transferred from the courtyard of the barracks to the edge of the moat outside the gate of the city4 ,four companies1 each consisting of ten sentinels1 were ordered to keep watch in turn over them4 ,on the following morning the ,russian ,consul in ,tabrz visited the spot1 and ordered the artist who had accompanied him to make a drawing of the remains as they lay beside the moat4 ,in the middle of the following night a follower of the ,bb1 j ,sulaymn ,khn1 succeeded1 through the instrumentality of a certain j ,allh-,yr1 in removing the bodies to the silk factory owned by one of the believers of ,miln1 and laid them1 the next day1 in a specially made wooden casket1 which he later transferred to a place of safety4 ,meanwhile the mulls were boastfully proclaiming from the pulpits that1 whereas the holy body of the ,immaculate ,imm would be preserved from beasts of prey and from all creeping things1 this man's body had been devoured by wild animals4 ,no sooner had the news of the transfer of the remains of the ,bb and of ,his fellow-sufferer been communicated to ,bah'u'llh than ,he ordered that same ,sulaymn ,khn to bring them to ihrn1 where they were taken to the ,imm-,zdih-asan1 from whence they were removed to different places1 until the time when1 in pursuance of #8,abdu'l-,bah's instructions1 they were transferred to the ,holy ,land1 and were permanently and ceremoniously laid to rest by ,him in a specially erected mausoleum on the slopes of ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,thus ended a life which posterity will recognize as standing at the confluence of two universal prophetic cycles1 the ,adamic ,cycle stretching back as far as the first dawnings of the world's recorded religious history and the ,bah' ,cycle destined to propel itself across the unborn reaches of time for a period of no less than five thousand centuries4 ,the apotheosis in which such a life attained its consummation marks1 as already observed1 the culmination of the most heroic phase of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,it can1 moreover1 be regarded in no other light except as the most dramatic1 the most tragic event transpiring within the entire range of the first ,bah' century4 ,indeed it can be rightly acclaimed as unparalleled in the annals of the lives of all the ,founders of the world's existing religious systems4 ,so momentous an event could hardly fail to arouse widespread and keen interest even beyond the confines of the land in which it had occurred4 8,c'est un des plus magnifiques exemples de courage qu'il ait t donn l'humanit de contempler10 is the testimony recorded by a ,christian scholar and government official1 who had lived in ,persia and had familiarized himself with the life and teachings of the ,bb1 8et c'est aussi une admirable preuve de l'amour que notre hros portait ses concitoyens4 ,il s'est sacrifi pour l'humanit3 pour elle il a donn son corps et son me1 pour elle il a subi les privations1 les affronts1 les injures1 la torture et le martyre4 ,il a scell de son sang le pacte de la fraternit universelle1 et comme ,jess il a pay de sa vie l'annonce du regn de la concorde1 de l'quit et de l'amour du prochain40 8,un fait trange1 unique dans les annales de l'humanit10 is a further testimony from the pen of that same scholar commenting on the circumstances attending the ,bb's martyrdom4 8,a veritable miracle10 is the pronouncement made by a noted ,french ,orientalist4 8,a true ,god-man10 is the verdict of a famous ,british traveler and writer4 8,the finest product of his country10 is the tribute paid ,him by a noted ,french publicist4 8,that ,jesus of the age 444 a prophet1 and more than a prophet10 is the judgment passed by a distinguished ,english divine4 8,the most important religious movement since the foundation of ,christianity10 is the possibility that was envisaged for the ,faith the ,bb had established by that far-famed ,oxford scholar1 the late ,master of ,balliol4 8,many persons from all parts of the world10 is #8,abdu'l-,bah's written assertion1 8set out for ,persia and began to investigate wholeheartedly the matter40 ,the ,czar of ,russia1 a contemporary chronicler has written1 had even1 shortly before the ,bb's martyrdom1 instructed the ,russian ,consul in ,tabrz to fully inquire into1 and report the circumstances of so startling a ,movement1 a commission that could not be carried out in view of the ,bb's execution4 ,in countries as remote as those of ,western ,europe an interest no less profound was kindled1 and spread with great rapidity to literary1 artistic1 diplomatic and intellectual circles4 8,all ,europe10 attests the above-mentioned ,french publicist1 8was stirred to pity and indignation444 ,among the littrateurs of my generation1 in the ,paris of #ahij1 the martyrdom of the ,bb was still as fresh a topic as had been the first news of ,his death4 ,we wrote poems about ,him4 ,sarah ,bernhardt entreated ,catulle ,mends for a play on the theme of this historic tragedy40 ,a ,russian poetess1 member of the ,philosophic1 ,oriental and ,bibliological ,societies of ,st4 ,petersburg1 published in #aijc a drama entitled 8,the ,bb10 which a year later was played in one of the principal theatres of that city1 was subsequently given publicity in ,london1 was translated into ,french in ,paris1 and into ,german by the poet ,fiedler1 was presented again1 soon after the ,russian ,revolution1 in the ,folk ,theatre in ,leningrad1 and succeeded in arousing the genuine sympathy and interest of the renowned ,tolstoy1 whose eulogy of the poem was later published in the ,russian press4 ,it would indeed be no exaggeration to say that nowhere in the whole compass of the world's religious literature1 except in the ,gospels1 do we find any record relating to the death of any of the religion-founders of the past comparable to the martyrdom suffered by the ,prophet of ,shrz4 ,so strange1 so inexplicable a phenomenon1 attested by eye-witnesses1 corroborated by men of recognized standing1 and acknowledged by government as well as unofficial historians among the people who had sworn undying hostility to the ,bb ,faith1 may be truly regarded as the most marvelous manifestation of the unique potentialities with which a ,dispensation promised by all the ,dispensations of the past had been endowed4 ,the passion of ,jesus ,christ1 and indeed ,his whole public ministry1 alone offer a parallel to the ,mission and death of the ,bb1 a parallel which no student of comparative religion can fail to perceive or ignore4 ,in the youthfulness and meekness of the ,inaugurator of the ,bb ,dispensation2 in the extreme brevity and turbulence of ,his public ministry2 in the dramatic swiftness with which that ministry moved towards its climax2 in the apostolic order which ,he instituted1 and the primacy which ,he conferred on one of its members2 in the boldness of ,his challenge to the time-honored conventions1 rites and laws which had been woven into the fabric of the religion ,he ,himself had been born into2 in the rle which an officially recognized and firmly entrenched religious hierarchy played as chief instigator of the outrages which ,he was made to suffer2 in the indignities heaped upon ,him2 in the suddenness of ,his arrest2 in the interrogation to which ,he was subjected2 in the derision poured1 and the scourging inflicted1 upon ,him2 in the public affront ,he sustained2 and1 finally1 in ,his ignominious suspension before the gaze of a hostile multitude--in all these we cannot fail to discern a remarkable similarity to the distinguishing features of the career of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it should be remembered1 however1 that apart from the miracle associated with the ,bb's execution1 ,he1 unlike the ,founder of the ,christian religion1 is not only to be regarded as the independent ,author of a divinely revealed ,dispensation1 but must also be recognized as the ,herald of a new ,era and the ,inaugurator of a great universal prophetic cycle4 ,nor should the important fact be overlooked that1 whereas the chief adversaries of ,jesus ,christ1 in ,his lifetime1 were the ,jewish rabbis and their associates1 the forces arrayed against the ,bb represented the combined civil and ecclesiastical powers of ,persia1 which1 from the moment of ,his declaration to the hour of ,his death1 persisted1 unitedly and by every means at their disposal1 in conspiring against the upholders and in vilifying the tenets of ,his ,revelation4 ,the ,bb1 acclaimed by ,bah'u'llh as the 8,essence of ,essences10 the 8,sea of ,seas10 the 8,point round ,whom the realities of the ,prophets and ,messengers revolve10 8from ,whom ,god hath caused to proceed the knowledge of all that was and shall be10 ,whose 8rank excelleth that of all the ,prophets10 and ,whose 8,revelation transcendeth the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen ones10 had delivered ,his ,message and discharged ,his mission4 ,he ,who was1 in the words of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the 8,morn of ,truth0 and 8,harbinger of the ,most ,great ,light10 ,whose advent at once signalized the termination of the 8,prophetic ,cycle0 and the inception of the 8,cycle of ,fulfillment10 had simultaneously through ,his ,revelation banished the shades of night that had descended upon ,his country1 and proclaimed the impending rise of that ,incomparable ,orb ,whose radiance was to envelop the whole of mankind4 ,he1 as affirmed by ,himself1 8the ,primal ,point from which have been generated all created things10 8one of the sustaining pillars of the ,primal ,word of ,god10 the 8,mystic ,fane10 the 8,great ,announcement10 the 8,flame of that supernal ,light that glowed upon ,sinai10 the 8,remembrance of ,god0 concerning ,whom 8a separate ,covenant hath been established with each and every ,prophet0 had1 through ,his advent1 at once fulfilled the promise of all ages and ushered in the consummation of all ,revelations4 ,he the 8,q'im0 7,he ,who ariseth7 promised to the ,sh'ahs1 the 8,mihd0 7,one ,who is guided7 awaited by the ,sunns1 the 8,return of ,john the ,baptist0 expected by the ,christians1 the 8,ushdar-,mh0 referred to in the ,zoroastrian scriptures1 the 8,return of ,elijah0 anticipated by the ,jews1 ,whose ,revelation was to show forth 8the signs and tokens of all the ,prophets01 ,who was to 8manifest the perfection of ,moses1 the radiance of ,jesus and the patience of ,job0 had appeared1 proclaimed ,his ,cause1 been mercilessly persecuted and died gloriously4 ,the 8,second ,woe10 spoken of in the ,apocalypse of ,st4 ,john the ,divine1 had1 at long last1 appeared1 and the first of the two 8,messengers10 ,whose appearance had been prophesied in the ,qur'n1 had been sent down4 ,the first 8,trumpet-,blast01 destined to smite the earth with extermination1 announced in the latter ,book1 had finally been sounded4 8,the ,inevitable10 8,the ,catastrophe10 8,the ,resurrection10 8,the ,earthquake of the ,last ,hour10 foretold by that same ,book1 had all come to pass4 ,the 8clear tokens0 had been 8sent down10 and the 8,spirit0 had 8breathed10 and the 8souls0 had 8waked up10 and the 8heaven0 had been 8cleft10 and the 8angels0 had 8ranged in order10 and the 8stars0 had been 8blotted out10 and the 8earth0 had 8cast forth her burden10 and 8,paradise0 had been 8brought near10 and 8hell0 had been 8made to blaze10 and the 8,book0 had been 8set10 and the 8,bridge0 had been 8laid out10 and the 8,balance0 had been 8set up10 and the 8mountains scattered in dust40 ,the 8cleansing of the ,sanctuary10 prophesied by ,daniel and confirmed by ,jesus ,christ in ,his reference to 8the abomination of desolation10 had been accomplished4 ,the 8day whose length shall be a thousand years10 foretold by the ,apostle of ,god in ,his ,book1 had terminated4 ,the 8forty and two months10 during which the 8,holy ,city10 as predicted by ,st4 ,john the ,divine1 would be trodden under foot1 had elapsed4 ,the 8time of the end0 had been ushered in1 and the first of the 8two ,witnesses0 into ,whom1 8after three days and a half the ,spirit of ,life from ,god0 would enter1 had arisen and had 8ascended up to heaven in a cloud40 ,the 8remaining twenty and five letters to be made manifest10 according to ,islamic tradition1 out of the 8twenty and seven letters0 of which ,knowledge has been declared to consist1 had been revealed4 ,the 8,man ,child10 mentioned in the ,book of ,revelation1 destined to 8rule all nations with a rod of iron10 had released1 through ,his coming1 the creative energies which1 reinforced by the effusions of a swiftly succeeding and infinitely mightier ,revelation1 were to instill into the entire human race the capacity to achieve its organic unification1 attain maturity and thereby reach the final stage in its age-long evolution4 ,the clarion-call addressed to the 8concourse of kings and of the sons of kings10 marking the inception of a process which1 accelerated by ,bah'u'llh's subsequent warnings to the entire company of the monarchs of ,east and ,west1 was to produce so widespread a revolution in the fortunes of royalty1 had been raised in the ,qayymu'l-,asm4 ,the 8,order10 whose foundation the ,promised ,one was to establish in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and the features of which the ,center of the ,covenant was to delineate in ,his ,testament1 and whose administrative framework the entire body of ,his followers are now erecting1 had been categorically announced in the ,persian ,bayn4 ,the laws which were designed1 on the one hand1 to abolish at a stroke the privileges and ceremonials1 the ordinances and institutions of a superannuated ,dispensation1 and to bridge1 on the other1 the gap between an obsolete system and the institutions of a world-encompassing ,order destined to supersede it1 had been clearly formulated and proclaimed4 ,the ,covenant which1 despite the determined assaults launched against it1 succeeded1 unlike all previous ,dispensations1 in preserving the integrity of the ,faith of its ,author1 and in paving the way for the advent of the ,one ,who was to be its ,center and ,object1 had been firmly and irrevocably established4 ,the light which1 throughout successive periods1 was to propagate itself gradually from its cradle as far as ,vancouver in the ,west and the ,china ,sea in the ,east1 and to diffuse its radiance as far as ,iceland in the ,north and the ,tasman ,sea in the ,south1 had broken4 ,the forces of darkness1 at first confined to the concerted hostility of the civil and ecclesiastical powers of ,sh'ah ,persia1 gathering momentum1 at a later stage1 through the avowed and persistent opposition of the ,caliph of ,islm and the ,sunn hierarchy in ,turkey1 and destined to culminate in the fierce antagonism of the sacerdotal orders associated with other and still more powerful religious systems1 had launched their initial assault4 ,the nucleus of the divinely ordained1 world-embracing ,community--a ,community whose infant strength had already plucked asunder the fetters of ,sh'ah orthodoxy1 and which was1 with every expansion in the range of its fellowship1 to seek and obtain a wider and still more significant recognition of its claims to be the world religion of the future1 had been formed and was slowly crystallizing4 ,and1 lastly1 the seed1 endowed by the ,hand of ,omnipotence with such vast potentialities1 though rudely trampled under foot and seemingly perished from the face of the earth1 had1 through this very process1 been vouchsafed the opportunity to germinate and remanifest itself1 in the shape of a still more compelling ,revelation--a ,revelation destined to blossom forth1 in a later period into the flourishing institutions of a world-wide administrative ,system1 and to ripen1 in the ,golden ,age as yet unborn1 into mighty agencies functioning in consonance with the principles of a world-unifying1 world-redeeming ,order4 ,chapter ,v3 ,the ,attempt on the ,life of the ,shh and ,its ,consequences ,the ,faith that had stirred a whole nation to its depth1 for whose sake thousands of precious and heroic souls had been immolated and on whose altar ,he ,who had been its ,author had sacrificed ,his life1 was now being subjected to the strain and stress of yet another crisis of extreme violence and far-reaching consequences4 ,it was one of those periodic crises which1 occurring throughout a whole century1 succeeded in momentarily eclipsing the splendor of the ,faith and in almost disrupting the structure of its organic institutions4 ,invariably sudden1 often unexpected1 seemingly fatal to both its spirit and its life1 these inevitable manifestations of the mysterious evolution of a world ,religion1 intensely alive1 challenging in its claims1 revolutionizing in its tenets1 struggling against overwhelming odds1 have either been externally precipitated by the malice of its avowed antagonists or internally provoked by the unwisdom of its friends1 the apostasy of its supporters1 or the defection of some of the most highly placed amongst the kith and kin of its founders4 ,no matter how disconcerting to the great mass of its loyal adherents1 however much trumpeted by its adversaries as symptoms of its decline and impending dissolution1 these admitted setbacks and reverses1 from which it has time and again so tragically suffered1 have1 as we look back upon them1 failed to arrest its march or impair its unity4 ,heavy indeed has been the toll which they exacted1 unspeakable the agonies they engendered1 widespread and paralyzing for a time the consternation they provoked4 ,yet1 viewed in their proper perspective1 each of them can be confidently pronounced a blessing in disguise1 affording a providential means for the release of a fresh outpouring of celestial strength1 a miraculous escape from imminent and still more dreadful calamities1 an instrument for the fulfillment of age-old prophecies1 an agency for the purification and revitalization of the life of the community1 an impetus for the enlargement of its limits and the propagation of its influence1 and a compelling evidence of the indestructibility of its cohesive strength4 ,sometimes at the height of the crisis itself1 more often when the crisis was past1 the significance of these trials has manifested itself to men's eyes1 and the necessity of such experiences has been demonstrated1 far and wide and beyond the shadow of a doubt1 to both friend and foe4 ,seldom1 if indeed at any time1 has the mystery underlying these portentous1 ,god-sent upheavals remained undisclosed1 or the profound purpose and meaning of their occurrence been left hidden from the minds of men4 ,such a severe ordeal the ,faith of the ,bb1 still in the earliest stages of its infancy1 was now beginning to experience4 ,maligned and hounded from the moment it was born1 deprived in its earliest days of the sustaining strength of the majority of its leading supporters1 stunned by the tragic and sudden removal of its ,founder1 reeling under the cruel blows it had successively sustained in ,mzindarn1 ihrn1 ,nayrz and ,zanjn1 a sorely persecuted ,faith was about to be subjected through the shameful act of a fanatical and irresponsible ,bb1 to a humiliation such as it had never before known4 ,to the trials it had undergone was now added the oppressive load of a fresh calamity1 unprecedented in its gravity1 disgraceful in its character1 and devastating in its immediate consequences4 ,obsessed by the bitter tragedy of the martyrdom of his beloved ,master1 driven by a frenzy of despair to avenge that odious deed1 and believing the author and instigator of that crime to be none other than the ,shh himself1 a certain diq-i-,tabrz1 an assistant in a confectioner's shop in ihrn1 proceeded on an ,august day 7,august #ae1 #aheb71 together with his accomplice1 an equally obscure youth named ,fatu'llh-i-,qum1 to ,nyvarn where the imperial army had encamped and the sovereign was in residence1 and there1 waiting by the roadside1 in the guise of an innocent bystander1 fired a round of shot from his pistol at the ,shh1 shortly after the latter had emerged on horseback from the palace grounds for his morning promenade4 ,the weapon the assailant employed demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt the folly of that half-demented youth1 and clearly indicated that no man of sound judgment could have possibly instigated so senseless an act4 ,the whole of ,nyvarn where the imperial court and troops had congregated was1 as a result of this assault1 plunged into an unimaginable tumult4 ,the ministers of the state1 headed by ,mrz q ,khn-i-,nr1 the ,i'timdu'd-,dawlih1 the successor of the ,amr-,nizm1 rushed horror-stricken to the side of their wounded sovereign4 ,the fanfare of the trumpets1 the rolling of the drums and the shrill piping of the fifes summoned the hosts of ,his ,imperial ,majesty on all sides4 ,the ,shh's attendants1 some on horseback1 others on foot1 poured into the palace grounds4 ,pandemonium reigned in which every one issued orders1 none listened1 none obeyed1 nor understood anything4 ,ardishr ,mrz1 the governor of ihrn1 having in the meantime already ordered his troops to patrol the deserted streets of the capital1 barred the gates of the citadel as well as of the city1 charged his batteries and feverishly dispatched a messenger to ascertain the veracity of the wild rumors that were circulating amongst the populace1 and to ask for special instructions4 ,no sooner had this act been perpetrated than its shadow fell across the entire body of the ,bb community4 ,a storm of public horror1 disgust and resentment1 heightened by the implacable hostility of the mother of the youthful sovereign1 swept the nation1 casting aside all possibility of even the most elementary inquiry into the origins and the instigators of the attempt4 ,a sign1 a whisper1 was sufficient to implicate the innocent and loose upon him the most abominable afflictions4 ,an army of foes--ecclesiastics1 state officials and people1 united in relentless hate1 and watching for an opportunity to discredit and annihilate a dreaded adversary--had1 at long last1 been afforded the pretext for which it was longing4 ,now it could achieve its malevolent purpose4 ,though the ,faith had1 from its inception1 disclaimed any intention of usurping the rights and prerogatives of the state2 though its exponents and disciples had sedulously avoided any act that might arouse the slightest suspicion of a desire to wage a holy war1 or to evince an aggressive attitude1 yet its enemies1 deliberately ignoring the numerous evidences of the marked restraint exercised by the followers of a persecuted religion1 proved themselves capable of inflicting atrocities as barbarous as those which will ever remain associated with the bloody episodes of ,mzindarn1 ,nayrz and ,zanjn4 ,to what depths of infamy and cruelty would not this same enemy be willing to descend now that an act so treasonable1 so audacious had been committed8 ,what accusations would it not be prompted to level at1 and what treatment would it not mete out to1 those who1 however unjustifiably1 could be associated with so heinous a crime against one who1 in his person1 combined the chief magistracy of the realm and the trusteeship of the ,hidden ,imm8 ,the reign of terror which ensued was revolting beyond description4 ,the spirit of revenge that animated those who had unleashed its horrors seemed insatiable4 ,its repercussions echoed as far as the press of ,europe1 branding with infamy its bloodthirsty participants4 ,the ,grand ,vizir1 wishing to reduce the chances of blood revenge1 divided the work of executing those condemned to death among the princes and nobles1 his principal fellow-ministers1 the generals and officers of the ,court1 the representatives of the sacerdotal and merchant classes1 the artillery and the infantry4 ,even the ,shh himself had his allotted victim1 though1 to save the dignity of the crown1 he delegated the steward of his household to fire the fatal shot on his behalf4 ,ardishr ,mrz1 on his part1 picketed the gates of the capital1 and ordered the guards to scrutinize the faces of all those who sought to leave it4 ,summoning to his presence the kalantar1 the darghih and the kadkhuds he bade them search out and arrest every one suspected of being a ,bb4 ,a youth named ,abbs1 a former servant of a well-known adherent of the ,faith1 was1 on threat of inhuman torture1 induced to walk the streets of ihrn1 and point out every one he recognized as being a ,bb4 ,he was even coerced into denouncing any individual whom he thought would be willing and able to pay a heavy bribe to secure his freedom4 ,the first to suffer on that calamitous day was the ill-fated diq1 who was instantly slain on the scene of his attempted crime4 ,his body was tied to the tail of a mule and dragged all the way to ihrn1 where it was hewn into two halves1 each of which was suspended and exposed to the public view1 while the ihrns were invited by the city authorities to mount the ramparts and gaze upon the mutilated corpse4 ,molten lead was poured down the throat of his accomplice1 after having subjected him to the torture of red-hot pincers and limb-rending screws4 ,a comrade of his1 j ,qsim1 was stripped of his clothes1 lighted candles were thrust into holes made in his flesh1 and was paraded before the multitude who shouted and cursed him4 ,others had their eyes gouged out1 were sawn asunder1 strangled1 blown from the mouths of cannons1 chopped in pieces1 hewn apart with hatchets and maces1 shod with horse shoes1 bayoneted and stoned4 ,torture-mongers vied with each other in running the gamut of brutality1 while the populace1 into whose hands the bodies of the hapless victims were delivered1 would close in upon their prey1 and would so mutilate them as to leave no trace of their original form4 ,the executioners1 though accustomed to their own gruesome task1 would themselves be amazed at the fiendish cruelty of the populace4 ,women and children could be seen led down the streets by their executioners1 their flesh in ribbons1 with candles burning in their wounds1 singing with ringing voices before the silent spectators3 8,verily from ,god we come1 and unto ,him we return60 ,as some of the children expired on the way their tormentors would fling their bodies under the feet of their fathers and sisters who1 proudly treading upon them1 would not deign to give them a second glance4 ,a father1 according to the testimony of a distinguished ,french writer1 rather than abjure his faith1 preferred to have the throats of his two young sons1 both already covered with blood1 slit upon his breast1 as he lay on the ground1 whilst the elder of the two1 a lad of fourteen1 vigorously pressing his right of seniority1 demanded to be the first to lay down his life4 ,an ,austrian officer1 ,captain ,von ,goumoens1 in the employ of the ,shh at that time1 was1 it is reliably stated1 so horrified at the cruelties he was compelled to witness that he tendered his resignation4 8,follow me1 my friend10 is the ,captain's own testimony in a letter he wrote two weeks after the attempt in question1 which was published in the 8,soldatenfreund10 8you who lay claim to a heart and ,european ethics1 follow me to the unhappy ones who1 with gouged-out eyes1 must eat1 on the scene of the deed1 without any sauce1 their own amputated ears2 or whose teeth are torn out with inhuman violence by the hand of the executioner2 or whose bare skulls are simply crushed by blows from a hammer2 or where the bazaar is illuminated with unhappy victims1 because on right and left the people dig deep holes in their breasts and shoulders1 and insert burning wicks in the wounds4 ,i saw some dragged in chains through the bazaar1 preceded by a military band1 in whom these wicks had burned so deep that now the fat flickered convulsively in the wound like a newly extinguished lamp4 ,not seldom it happens that the unwearying ingenuity of the ,oriental leads to fresh tortures4 ,they will skin the soles of the ,bb's feet1 soak the wounds in boiling oil1 shoe the foot like the hoof of a horse1 and compel the victim to run4 ,no cry escaped from the victim's breast2 the torment is endured in dark silence by the numbed sensation of the fanatic2 now he must run2 the body cannot endure what the soul has endured2 he falls4 ,give him the coup de grce6 ,put him out of his pain6 ,no6 ,the executioner swings the whip1 and--,i myself have had to witness it--the unhappy victim of hundredfold tortures runs6 ,this is the beginning of the end4 ,as for the end itself1 they hang the scorched and perforated bodies by their hands and feet to a tree head downwards1 and now every ,persian may try his marksmanship to his heart's content from a fixed but not too proximate distance on the noble quarry placed at his disposal4 ,i saw corpses torn by nearly one hundred and fifty bullets40 8,when ,i read over again10 he continues1 8what ,i have written1 ,i am overcome by the thought that those who are with you in our dearly beloved ,austria may doubt the full truth of the picture1 and accuse me of exaggeration4 ,would to ,god that ,i had not lived to see it6 ,but by the duties of my profession ,i was unhappily often1 only too often1 a witness of these abominations4 ,at present ,i never leave my house1 in order not to meet with fresh scenes of horror444 ,since my whole soul revolts against such infamy 444 ,i will no longer maintain my connection with the scene of such crimes40 ,little wonder that a man as far-famed as ,renan should1 in his 8,les ,aptres0 have characterized the hideous butchery perpetrated in a single day1 during the great massacre of ihrn1 as 8a day perhaps unparalleled in the history of the world60 ,the hand that was stretched to deal so grievous a blow to the adherents of a sorely-tried ,faith did not confine itself to the rank and file of the ,bb's persecuted followers4 ,it was raised with equal fury and determination against1 and struck down with equal force1 the few remaining leaders who had survived the winnowing winds of adversity that had already laid low so vast a number of the supporters of the ,faith4 ,thirih1 that immortal heroine who had already shed imperishable luster alike on her sex and on the ,cause she had espoused1 was swept into1 and ultimately engulfed by1 the raging storm4 ,siyyid usayn1 the amanuensis of the ,bb1 the companion of ,his exile1 the trusted repository of ,his last wishes1 and the witness of the prodigies attendant upon ,his martyrdom1 fell likewise a victim of its fury4 ,that hand had even the temerity to lift itself against the towering figure of ,bah'u'llh4 ,but though it laid hold of ,him it failed to strike ,him down4 ,it imperilled ,his life1 it imprinted on ,his body indelible marks of a pitiless cruelty1 but was impotent to cut short a career that was destined not only to keep alive the fire which the ,spirit of the ,bb had kindled1 but to produce a conflagration that would at once consummate and outshine the glories of ,his ,revelation4 ,during those somber and agonizing days when the ,bb was no more1 when the luminaries that had shone in the firmament of ,his ,faith had been successively extinguished1 when ,his nominee1 a 8bewildered fugitive1 in the guise of a dervish1 with kashkl 7alms-basket7 in hand0 roamed the mountains and plains in the neighborhood of ,rasht1 ,bah'u'llh1 by reason of the acts ,he had performed1 appeared in the eyes of a vigilant enemy as its most redoubtable adversary and as the sole hope of an as yet unextirpated heresy4 ,his seizure and death had now become imperative4 ,he it was ,who1 scarce three months after the ,faith was born1 received1 through the envoy of the ,bb1 ,mull usayn1 the scroll which bore to ,him the first tidings of a newly announced ,revelation1 ,who instantly acclaimed its truth1 and arose to champion its cause4 ,it was to ,his native city and dwelling place that the steps of that envoy were first directed1 as the place which enshrined 8a ,mystery of such transcendent holiness as neither ijz nor ,shrz can hope to rival40 ,it was ,mull usayn's report of the contact thus established which had been received with such exultant joy by the ,bb1 and had brought such reassurance to ,his heart as to finally decide ,him to undertake ,his contemplated pilgrimage to ,mecca and ,medina4 ,bah'u'llh alone was the object and the center of the cryptic allusions1 the glowing eulogies1 the fervid prayers1 the joyful announcements and the dire warnings recorded in both the ,qayymu'l-,asm and the ,bayn1 designed to be respectively the first and last written testimonials to the glory with which ,god was soon to invest ,him4 ,it was ,he ,who1 through ,his correspondence with the ,author of the newly founded ,faith1 and ,his intimate association with the most distinguished amongst its disciples1 such as ,vahd1 ,hujjat1 ,qudds1 ,mull usayn and ,thirih1 was able to foster its growth1 elucidate its principles1 reinforce its ethical foundations1 fulfill its urgent requirements1 avert some of the immediate dangers threatening it and participate effectually in its rise and consolidation4 ,it was to ,him1 8the one ,object of our adoration and love0 that the ,prophet-pilgrim1 on ,his return to ,bshihr1 alluded when1 dismissing ,qudds from ,his presence1 ,he announced to him the double joy of attaining the presence of their ,beloved and of quaffing the cup of martyrdom4 ,he it was ,who1 in the hey-day of ,his life1 flinging aside every consideration of earthly fame1 wealth and position1 careless of danger1 and risking the obloquy of ,his caste1 arose to identify ,himself1 first in ihrn and later in ,his native province of ,mzindarn1 with the cause of an obscure and proscribed sect2 won to its support a large number of the officials and notables of ,nr1 not excluding ,his own associates and relatives2 fearlessly and persuasively expounded its truths to the disciples of the illustrious mujtahid1 ,mull ,muammad2 enlisted under its banner the mujtahid's appointed representatives2 secured1 in consequence of this act1 the unreserved loyalty of a considerable number of ecclesiastical dignitaries1 government officers1 peasants and traders2 and succeeded in challenging1 in the course of a memorable interview1 the mujtahid himself4 ,it was solely due to the potency of the written message entrusted by ,him to ,mull ,muammad ,mihdy-i-,kand and delivered to the ,bb while in the neighborhood of the village of ,kulayn1 that the soul of the disappointed ,captive was able to rid itself1 at an hour of uncertainty and suspense1 of the anguish that had settled upon it ever since ,his arrest in ,shrz4 ,he it was ,who1 for the sake of ,thirih and her imprisoned companions1 willingly submitted ,himself to a humiliating confinement1 lasting several days--the first ,he was made to suffer--in the house of one of the kad-khuds of ihrn4 ,it was to ,his caution1 foresight and ability that must be ascribed her successful escape from ,qazvn1 her deliverance from her opponents1 her safe arrival in ,his home1 and her subsequent removal to a place of safety in the vicinity of the capital from whence she proceeded to ,khursn4 ,it was into ,his presence that ,mull usayn was secretly ushered upon his arrival in ihrn1 after which interview he traveled to dhirbayjn on his visit to the ,bb then confined in the fortress of ,mh-,k4 ,he it was ,who unobtrusively and unerringly directed the proceedings of the ,conference of ,badasht2 ,who entertained as ,his guests ,qudds1 ,thirih and the eighty-one disciples who had gathered on that occasion2 ,who revealed every day a ,tablet and bestowed on each of the participants a new name2 ,who faced unaided the assault of a mob of more than five hundred villagers in ,nyl2 ,who shielded ,qudds from the fury of his assailants2 ,who succeeded in restoring a part of the property which the enemy had plundered and ,who insured the protection and safety of the continually harassed and much abused ,thirih4 ,against ,him was kindled the anger of ,muammad ,shh who1 as a result of the persistent representations of mischief-makers1 was at last induced to order ,his arrest and summon ,him to the capital--a summons that was destined to remain unfulfilled as a result of the sudden death of the sovereign4 ,it was to ,his counsels and exhortations1 addressed to the occupants of ,shaykh ,tabars1 who had welcomed ,him with such reverence and love during ,his visit to that ,fort1 that must be attributed1 in no small measure1 the spirit evinced by its heroic defenders1 while it was to ,his explicit instructions that they owed the miraculous release of ,qudds and his consequent association with them in the stirring exploits that have immortalized the ,mzindarn upheaval4 ,it was for the sake of those same defenders1 whom ,he had intended to join1 that ,he suffered ,his second imprisonment1 this time in the masjid of mul to which ,he was led1 amidst the tumult raised by no less than four thousand spectators1--for their sake that ,he was bastinadoed in the namz-khnih of the mujtahid of that town until ,his feet bled1 and later confined in the private residence of its governor2 for their sake that ,he was bitterly denounced by the leading mull1 and insulted by the mob who1 besieging the governor's residence1 pelted ,him with stones1 and hurled in ,his face the foulest invectives4 ,he alone was the ,one alluded to by ,qudds who1 upon his arrival at the ,fort of ,shaykh ,tabars1 uttered1 as soon as he had dismounted and leaned against the shrine1 the prophetic verse 8,the ,baqyyatu'llh 7the ,remnant of ,god7 will be best for you if ye are of those who believe40 ,he alone was the ,object of that prodigious eulogy1 that masterly interpretation of the ,sd of ,samad1 penned in part1 in that same ,fort by that same youthful hero1 under the most distressing circumstances1 and equivalent in dimensions to six times the volume of the ,qur'n4 ,it was to the date of ,his impending ,revelation that the ,law-i-,hurfat1 revealed in ,chihrq by the ,bb1 in honor of ,dayyn1 abstrusely alluded1 and in which the mystery of the 8,mustaghth8 was unraveled4 ,it was to the attainment of ,his presence that the attention of another disciple1 ,mull ,bqir1 one of the ,letters of the ,living1 was expressly directed by none other than the ,bb ,himself4 ,it was exclusively to ,his care that the documents of the ,bb1 ,his pen-case1 ,his seals1 and agate rings1 together with a scroll on which ,he had penned1 in the form of a pentacle1 no less than three hundred and sixty derivatives of the word ,bah1 were delivered1 in conformity with instructions ,he ,himself had issued prior to ,his departure from ,chihrq4 ,it was solely due to ,his initiative1 and in strict accordance with ,his instructions1 that the precious remains of the ,bb were safely transferred from ,tabrz to the capital1 and were concealed and safeguarded with the utmost secrecy and care throughout the turbulent years following ,his martyrdom4 ,and finally1 it was ,he ,who1 in the days preceding the attempt on the life of the ,shh1 had been instrumental1 while sojourning in ,karbil1 in spreading1 with that same enthusiasm and ability that had distinguished ,his earlier exertions in ,mzindarn1 the teachings of ,his departed ,leader1 in safeguarding the interests of ,his ,faith1 in reviving the zeal of its grief-stricken followers1 and in organizing the forces of its scattered and bewildered adherents4 ,such a man1 with such a record of achievements to ,his credit1 could not1 indeed did not1 escape either the detection or the fury of a vigilant and fully aroused enemy4 ,afire from the very beginning with an uncontrollable enthusiasm for the ,cause ,he had espoused2 conspicuously fearless in ,his advocacy of the rights of the downtrodden2 in the full bloom of youth2 immensely resourceful2 matchless in ,his eloquence2 endowed with inexhaustible energy and penetrating judgment2 possessed of the riches1 and enjoying1 in full measure1 the esteem1 power and prestige associated with an enviably high and noble position1 and yet contemptuous of all earthly pomp1 rewards1 vanities and possessions2 closely associated1 on the one hand1 through ,his regular correspondence with the ,author of the ,faith ,he had risen to champion1 and intimately acquainted1 on the other1 with the hopes and fears1 the plans and activities of its leading exponents2 at one time advancing openly and assuming a position of acknowledged leadership in the forefront of the forces struggling for that ,faith's emancipation1 at another deliberately drawing back with consummate discretion in order to remedy1 with greater efficacy1 an awkward or dangerous situation2 at all times vigilant1 ready and indefatigable in ,his exertions to preserve the integrity of that ,faith1 to resolve its problems1 to plead its cause1 to galvanize its followers1 and to confound its antagonists1 ,bah'u'llh1 at this supremely critical hour in its fortunes1 was at last stepping into the very center of the stage so tragically vacated by the ,bb--a stage on which ,he was destined1 for no less a period than forty years1 to play a part unapproached in its majesty1 pathos and splendor by any of the great ,founders of the world's historic religions4 ,already so conspicuous and towering a figure had1 through the accusations levelled against ,him1 kindled the wrath of ,muammad ,shh1 who1 after having heard what had transpired in ,badasht1 had ordered ,his arrest1 in a number of farmns addressed to the khns of ,mzindarn1 and expressed his determination to put ,him to death4 j ,mrz ,aqs1 previously alienated from the ,vazr 7,bah'u'llh's father71 and infuriated by his own failure to appropriate by fraud an estate that belonged to ,bah'u'llh1 had sworn eternal enmity to the ,one ,who had so brilliantly succeeded in frustrating his evil designs4 ,the ,amr-,nizm1 moreover1 fully aware of the pervasive influence of so energetic an opponent1 had1 in the presence of a distinguished gathering1 accused ,him of having inflicted1 as a result of ,his activities1 a loss of no less than five kurrs upon the government1 and had expressly requested ,him1 at a critical moment in the fortunes of the ,faith1 to temporarily transfer ,his residence to ,karbil4 ,mrz q ,khn-i-,nr1 who succeeded the ,amr-,nizm1 had endeavored1 at the very outset of his ministry1 to effect a reconciliation between his government and the ,one ,whom he regarded as the most resourceful of the ,bb's disciples4 ,little wonder that when1 later1 an act of such gravity and temerity was committed1 a suspicion as dire as it was unfounded1 should at once have crept into the minds of the ,shh1 his government1 his court1 and his people against ,bah'u'llh4 ,foremost among them was the mother of the youthful sovereign1 who1 inflamed with anger1 was openly denouncing ,him as the would-be murderer of her son4 ,bah'u'llh1 when that attempt had been made on the life of the sovereign1 was in ,lavsn1 the guest of the ,grand ,vizir1 and was staying in the village of ,afchih when the momentous news reached ,him4 ,refusing to heed the advice of the ,grand ,vizir's brother1 ,ja'far-,qul ,khn1 who was acting as ,his host1 to remain for a time concealed in that neighborhood1 and dispensing with the good offices of the messenger specially dispatched to insure ,his safety1 ,he rode forth1 the following morning1 with cool intrepidity1 to the headquarters of the ,imperial army which was then stationed in ,nyvarn1 in the ,shimrn district4 ,in the village of ,zarkandih ,he was met by1 and conducted to the home of1 ,his brother-in-law1 ,mrz ,majd1 who1 at that time1 was acting as secretary to the ,russian ,minister1 ,prince ,dolgorouki1 and whose house adjoined that of his superior4 ,apprised of ,bah'u'llh's arrival the attendants of the ajbu'd-,dawlih1 j #8,al ,khn1 straightway informed their master1 who in turn brought the matter to the attention of his sovereign4 ,the ,shh1 greatly amazed1 dispatched his trusted officers to the ,legation1 demanding that the ,accused be forthwith delivered into his hands4 ,refusing to comply with the wishes of the royal envoys1 the ,russian ,minister requested ,bah'u'llh to proceed to the home of the ,grand ,vizir1 to whom he formally communicated his wish that the safety of the ,trust the ,russian government was delivering into his keeping should be insured4 ,this purpose1 however1 was not achieved because of the ,grand ,vizir's apprehension that he might forfeit his position if he extended to the ,accused the protection demanded for ,him4 ,delivered into the hands of ,his enemies1 this much-feared1 bitterly arraigned and illustrious ,exponent of a perpetually hounded ,faith was now made to taste of the cup which ,he ,who had been its recognized ,leader had drained to the dregs4 ,from ,nyvarn ,he was conducted 8on foot and in chains1 with bared head and bare feet10 exposed to the fierce rays of the midsummer sun1 to the ,syh-,chl of ihrn4 ,on the way ,he several times was stripped of ,his outer garments1 was overwhelmed with ridicule1 and pelted with stones4 ,as to the subterranean dungeon into which ,he was thrown1 and which originally had served as a reservoir of water for one of the public baths of the capital1 let ,his own words1 recorded in ,his 8,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf10 bear testimony to the ordeal which ,he endured in that pestilential hole4 8,we were consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison4444 ,upon ,our arrival ,we were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor1 from whence ,we descended three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to ,us4 ,the dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness1 and ,our fellow-prisoners numbered nearly one hundred and fifty souls3 thieves1 assassins and highwaymen4 ,though crowded1 it had no other outlet than the passage by which ,we entered4 ,no pen can depict that place1 nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell4 ,most of those men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on4 ,god alone knoweth what befell ,us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place60 ,bah'u'llh's feet were placed in stocks1 and around ,his neck were fastened the ,qar-,guhar chains of such galling weight that their mark remained imprinted upon ,his body all the days of ,his life4 8,a heavy chain10 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself has testified1 8was placed about ,his neck by which ,he was chained to five other ,bbs2 these fetters were locked together by strong1 very heavy1 bolts and screws4 ,his clothes were torn to pieces1 also ,his headdress4 ,in this terrible condition ,he was kept for four months40 ,for three days and three nights1 ,he was denied all manner of food and drink4 ,sleep was impossible to ,him4 ,the place was chill and damp1 filthy1 fever-stricken1 infested with vermin1 and filled with a noisome stench4 ,animated by a relentless hatred ,his enemies went even so far as to intercept and poison ,his food1 in the hope of obtaining the favor of the mother of their sovereign1 ,his most implacable foe--an attempt which1 though it impaired ,his health for years to come1 failed to achieve its purpose4 8#8,abdu'l-,bah10 ,dr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,esslemont records in his book1 8tells how1 one day1 ,he was allowed to enter the prison yard to see ,his beloved ,father1 where ,he came out for ,his daily exercise4 ,bah'u'llh was terribly altered1 so ill ,he could hardly walk1 ,his hair and beard unkempt1 ,his neck galled and swollen from the pressure of a heavy steel collar1 ,his body bent by the weight of ,his chains40 ,while ,bah'u'llh was being so odiously and cruelly subjected to the trials and tribulations inseparable from those tumultuous days1 another luminary of the ,faith1 the valiant ,thirih1 was swiftly succumbing to their devastating power4 ,her meteoric career1 inaugurated in ,karbil1 culminating in ,badasht1 was now about to attain its final consummation in a martyrdom that may well rank as one of the most affecting episodes in the most turbulent period of ,bah' history4 ,a scion of the highly reputed family of j ,mull li-i-,baraqn1 whose members occupied an enviable position in the ,persian ecclesiastical hierarchy2 the namesake of the illustrious ,ftimih2 designated as ,zarrn-,tj 7,crown of ,gold7 and ,zakyyih 7,virtuous7 by her family and kindred2 born in the same year as ,bah'u'llh2 regarded from childhood1 by her fellow-townsmen1 as a prodigy1 alike in her intelligence and beauty2 highly esteemed even by some of the most haughty and learned #8ulams of her country1 prior to her conversion1 for the brilliancy and novelty of the views she propounded2 acclaimed as ,qurrat-i-#8,ayn 7solace of my eyes7 by her admiring teacher1 ,siyyid ,kzim2 entitled ,thirih 7the ,pure ,one7 by the 8,tongue of ,power and ,glory20 and the only woman enrolled by the ,bb as one of the ,letters of the ,living2 she had1 through a dream1 referred to earlier in these pages1 established her first contact with a ,faith which she continued to propagate to her last breath1 and in its hour of greatest peril1 with all the ardor of her unsubduable spirit4 ,undeterred by the vehement protests of her father2 contemptuous of the anathemas of her uncle2 unmoved by the earnest solicitations of her husband and her brothers2 undaunted by the measures which1 first in ,karbil and subsequently in ,baghdd1 and later in ,qazvn1 the civil and ecclesiastical authorities had taken to curtail her activities1 with eager energy she urged the ,bb ,cause4 ,through her eloquent pleadings1 her fearless denunciations1 her dissertations1 poems and translations1 her commentaries and correspondence1 she persisted in firing the imagination and in enlisting the allegiance of ,arabs and ,persians alike to the new ,revelation1 in condemning the perversity of her generation1 and in advocating a revolutionary transformation in the habits and manners of her people4 ,she it was who while in ,karbil--the foremost stronghold of ,sh'ah ,islm--had been moved to address lengthy epistles to each of the #8ulams residing in that city1 who relegated women to a rank little higher than animals and denied them even the possession of a soul--epistles in which she ably vindicated her high purpose and exposed their malignant designs4 ,she it was who1 in open defiance of the customs of the fanatical inhabitants of that same city1 boldly disregarded the anniversary of the martyrdom of the ,imm usayn1 commemorated with elaborate ceremony in the early days of ,muharram1 and celebrated instead the anniversary of the birthday of the ,bb1 which fell on the first day of that month4 ,it was through her prodigious eloquence and the astounding force of her argument that she confounded the representative delegation of ,sh'ah1 of ,sunn1 of ,christian and ,jewish notables of ,baghdd1 who had endeavored to dissuade her from her avowed purpose of spreading the tidings of the new ,message4 ,she it was who1 with consummate skill1 defended her faith and vindicated her conduct in the home and in the presence of that eminent jurist1 ,shaykh ,mamd-i-ls1 the ,muft of ,baghdd1 and who later held her historic interviews with the princes1 the #8ulams and the government officials residing in ,kirmanshh1 in the course of which the ,bb's commentary on the ,srih of ,kawthar was publicly read and translated1 and which culminated in the conversion of the ,amr 7the governor7 and his family4 ,it was this remarkably gifted woman who undertook the translation of the ,bb's lengthy commentary on the ,srih of ,joseph 7the ,qayymu'l-,asm7 for the benefit of her ,persian co-religionists1 and exerted her utmost to spread the knowledge and elucidate the contents of that mighty ,book4 ,it was her fearlessness1 her skill1 her organizing ability and her unquenchable enthusiasm which consolidated her newly won victories in no less inimical a center than ,qazvn1 which prided itself on the fact that no fewer than a hundred of the highest ecclesiastical leaders of ,islm dwelt within its gates4 ,it was she who1 in the house of ,bah'u'llh in ihrn1 in the course of her memorable interview with the celebrated ,vahd1 suddenly interrupted his learned discourse on the signs of the new ,manifestation1 and vehemently urged him1 as she held #8,abdu'l-,bah1 then a child1 on her lap1 to arise and demonstrate through deeds of heroism and self-sacrifice the depth and sincerity of his faith4 ,it was to her doors1 during the height of her fame and popularity in ihrn1 that the flower of feminine society in the capital flocked to hear her brilliant discourses on the matchless tenets of her ,faith4 ,it was the magic of her words which won the wedding guests away from the festivities1 on the occasion of the marriage of the son of ,mamd ,khn-i-,kalntar--in whose house she was confined--and gathered them about her1 eager to drink in her every word4 ,it was her passionate and unqualified affirmation of the claims and distinguishing features of the new ,revelation1 in a series of seven conferences with the deputies of the ,grand ,vizir commissioned to interrogate her1 which she held while confined in that same house1 which finally precipitated the sentence of her death4 ,it was from her pen that odes had flowed attesting1 in unmistakable language1 not only her faith in the ,revelation of the ,bb1 but also her recognition of the exalted and as yet undisclosed mission of ,bah'u'llh4 ,and last but not least it was owing to her initiative1 while participating in the ,conference of ,badasht1 that the most challenging implications of a revolutionary and as yet but dimly grasped ,dispensation were laid bare before her fellow-disciples and the new ,order permanently divorced from the laws and institutions of ,islm4 ,such marvelous achievements were now to be crowned by1 and attain their final consummation in1 her martyrdom in the midst of the storm that was raging throughout the capital4 ,one night1 aware that the hour of her death was at hand1 she put on the attire of a bride1 and annointed herself with perfume1 and1 sending for the wife of the ,kalantar1 she communicated to her the secret of her impending martyrdom1 and confided to her her last wishes4 ,then1 closeting herself in her chambers1 she awaited1 in prayer and meditation1 the hour which was to witness her reunion with her ,beloved4 ,she was pacing the floor of her room1 chanting a litany expressive of both grief and triumph1 when the farrshes of ,azz ,khn-i-,sardr arrived1 in the dead of night1 to conduct her to the lkhn garden1 which lay beyond the city gates1 and which was to be the site of her martyrdom4 ,when she arrived the ,sardr was in the midst of a drunken debauch with his lieutenants1 and was roaring with laughter2 he ordered offhand that she be strangled at once and thrown into a pit4 ,with that same silken kerchief which she had intuitively reserved for that purpose1 and delivered in her last moments to the son of ,kalantar who accompanied her1 the death of this immortal heroine was accomplished4 ,her body was lowered into a well1 which was then filled with earth and stones1 in the manner she herself had desired4 ,thus ended the life of this great ,bb heroine1 the first woman suffrage martyr1 who1 at her death1 turning to the one in whose custody she had been placed1 had boldly declared3 8,you can kill me as soon as you like1 but you cannot stop the emancipation of women40 ,her career was as dazzling as it was brief1 as tragic as it was eventful4 ,unlike her fellow-disciples1 whose exploits remained1 for the most part unknown1 and unsung by their contemporaries in foreign lands1 the fame of this immortal woman was noised abroad1 and traveling with remarkable swiftness as far as the capitals of ,western ,europe1 aroused the enthusiastic admiration and evoked the ardent praise of men and women of divers nationalities1 callings and cultures4 ,little wonder that #8,abdu'l-,bah should have joined her name to those of ,sarah1 of syih1 of the ,virgin ,mary and of ,ftimih1 who1 in the course of successive ,dispensations1 have towered1 by reason of their intrinsic merits and unique position1 above the rank and file of their sex4 8,in eloquence10 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself has written1 8she was the calamity of the age1 and in ratiocination the trouble of the world40 ,he1 moreover1 has described her as 8a brand afire with the love of ,god0 and 8a lamp aglow with the bounty of ,god40 ,indeed the wondrous story of her life propagated itself as far and as fast as that of the ,bb ,himself1 the direct ,source of her inspiration4 8,prodige de science1 mais aussi prodige de beaut0 is the tribute paid her by a noted commentator on the life of the ,bb and ,his disciples4 8,the ,persian ,joan of ,arc1 the leader of emancipation for women of the ,orient 444 who bore resemblance both to the mediaeval ,heloise and the neo-platonic ,hypatia10 thus was she acclaimed by a noted playwright whom ,sarah ,bernhardt had specifically requested to write a dramatized version of her life4 8,the heroism of the lovely but ill-fated poetess of ,qazvn1 ,zarrn-,tj 7,crown of ,gold7 4440 testifies ,lord ,curzon of ,kedleston1 8is one of the most affecting episodes in modern history40 8,the appearance of such a woman as ,qurratu'l-#8,ayn10 wrote the well-known ,british ,orientalist1 ,prof4 ,e4 ,g4 ,browne1 8is1 in any country and any age1 a rare phenomenon1 but in such a country as ,persia it is a prodigy--nay1 almost a miracle4 444,had the ,bb religion no other claim to greatness1 this were sufficient 444 that it produced a heroine like ,qurratu'l-#8,ayn40 8,the harvest sown in ,islamic lands by ,qurratu'l-#8,ayn10 significantly affirms the renowned ,english divine1 ,dr4 ,t4 ,k4 ,cheyne1 in one of his books1 8is now beginning to appear 444 this noble woman 444 has the credit of opening the catalogue of social reforms in ,persia4440 8,assuredly one of the most striking and interesting manifestations of this religion0 is the reference to her by the noted ,french diplomat and brilliant writer1 ,comte de ,gobineau4 8,in ,qazvn10 he adds1 8she was held1 with every justification1 to be a prodigy40 8,many people10 he1 moreover has written1 8who knew her and heard her at different periods of her life have invariably told me 444 that when she spoke one felt stirred to the depths of one's soul1 was filled with admiration1 and was moved to tears40 8,no memory10 writes ,sir ,valentine ,chirol1 8is more deeply venerated or kindles greater enthusiasm than hers1 and the influence which she wielded in her lifetime still inures to her sex40 8,o ,thirih60 exclaims in his book on the ,bbs the great author and poet of ,turkey1 ,sulaymn ,nazm ,bey1 8you are worth a thousand ,niri'd-,dn ,shhs60 8,the greatest ideal of womanhood has been ,thirih0 is the tribute paid her by the mother of one of the ,presidents of ,austria1 ,mrs4 ,marianna ,hainisch1 8444 ,i shall try to do for the women of ,austria what ,thirih gave her life to do for the women of ,persia40 ,many and divers are her ardent admirers who1 throughout the five continents1 are eager to know more about her4 ,many are those whose conduct has been ennobled by her inspiring example1 who have committed to memory her matchless odes1 or set to music her poems1 before whose eyes glows the vision of her indomitable spirit1 in whose hearts is enshrined a love and admiration that time can never dim1 and in whose souls burns the determination to tread as dauntlessly1 and with that same fidelity1 the path she chose for herself1 and from which she never swerved from the moment of her conversion to the hour of her death4 ,the fierce gale of persecution that had swept ,bah'u'llh into a subterranean dungeon and snuffed out the light of ,thirih also sealed the fate of the ,bb's distinguished amanuensis1 ,siyyid usayn-i-,yazd1 surnamed ,azz1 who had shared ,his confinement in both ,mh-,k and ,chihrq4 ,a man of rich experience and high merit1 deeply versed in the teachings of his ,master1 and enjoying ,his unqualified confidence1 he1 refusing every offer of deliverance from the leading officials of ihrn1 yearned unceasingly for the martyrdom which had been denied him on the day the ,bb had laid down ,his life in the barrack-square of ,tabrz4 ,a fellow-prisoner of ,bah'u'llh in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 from ,whom he derived inspiration and solace as he recalled those precious days spent in the company of his ,master in dhirbayjn1 he was finally struck down1 in circumstances of shameful cruelty1 by that same ,azz ,khn-i-,sardr who had dealt the fatal blow to ,thirih4 ,another victim of the frightful tortures inflicted by an unyielding enemy was the high-minded1 the influential and courageous j ,sulaymn ,khn4 ,so greatly was he esteemed that the ,amr-,nizm had felt1 on a previous occasion1 constrained to ignore his connection with the ,faith he had embraced and to spare his life4 ,the turmoil that convulsed ihrn as a result of the attempt on the life of the sovereign1 however1 precipitated his arrest and brought about his martyrdom4 ,the ,shh1 having failed to induce him through the ajbu'd-,dawlih to recant1 commanded that he be put to death in any way he himself might choose4 ,nine holes1 at his express wish1 were made in his flesh1 in each of which a lighted candle was placed4 ,as the executioner shrank from performing this gruesome task1 he attempted to snatch the knife from his hand that he might himself plunge it into his own body4 ,fearing lest he should attack him the executioner refused1 and bade his men tie the victim's hands behind his back1 whereupon the intrepid sufferer pleaded with them to pierce two holes in his breast1 two in his shoulders1 one in the nape of his neck1 and four others in his back--a wish they complied with4 ,standing erect as an arrow1 his eyes glowing with stoic fortitude1 unperturbed by the howling multitude or the sight of his own blood streaming from his wounds1 and preceded by minstrels and drummers1 he led the concourse that pressed round him to the final place of his martyrdom4 ,every few steps he would interrupt his march to address the bewildered bystanders in words in which he glorified the ,bb and magnified the significance of his own death4 ,as his eyes beheld the candles flickering in their bloody sockets1 he would burst forth in exclamations of unrestrained delight4 ,whenever one of them fell from his body he would with his own hand pick it up1 light it from the others1 and replace it4 8,why dost thou not dance80 asked the executioner mockingly1 8since thou findest death so pleasant80 8,dance80 cried the sufferer1 8,in one hand the wine-cup1 in one hand the tresses of the ,friend4 ,such a dance in the midst of the market-place is my desire60 ,he was still in the bazaar when the flowing of a breeze1 fanning the flames of the candles now burning deep in his flesh1 caused it to sizzle1 whereupon he burst forth addressing the flames that ate into his wounds3 8,you have long lost your sting1 ,o flames1 and have been robbed of your power to pain me4 ,make haste1 for from your very tongues of fire ,i can hear the voice that calls me to my ,beloved40 ,in a blaze of light he walked as a conqueror might have marched to the scene of his victory4 ,at the foot of the gallows he once again raised his voice in a final appeal to the multitude of onlookers4 ,he then prostrated himself in the direction of the shrine of the ,imm-,zdih asan1 murmuring some words in ,arabic4 8,my work is now finished10 he cried to the executioner1 8come and do yours40 ,life still lingered in him as his body was sawn into two halves1 with the praise of his ,beloved still fluttering from his dying lips4 ,the scorched and bloody remnants of his corpse were1 as he himself had requested1 suspended on either side of the ,gate of ,naw1 mute witnesses to the unquenchable love which the ,bb had kindled in the breasts of ,his disciples4 ,the violent conflagration kindled as a result of the attempted assassination of the sovereign could not be confined to the capital4 ,it overran the adjoining provinces1 ravaged ,mzindarn1 the native province of ,bah'u'llh1 and brought about in its wake1 the confiscation1 the plunder and the destruction of all ,his possessions4 ,in the village of ,tkr1 in the district of ,nr1 ,his sumptuously furnished home1 inherited from ,his father1 was1 by order of ,mrz ,ab-,talb ,khn1 nephew of the ,grand ,vizir1 completely despoiled1 and whatever could not be carried away was ordered to be destroyed1 while its rooms1 more stately than those of the palaces of ihrn1 were disfigured beyond repair4 ,even the houses of the people were leveled with the ground1 after which the entire village was set on fire4 ,the commotion that had seized ihrn and had given rise to the campaign of outrage and spoliation in ,mzindarn spread even as far as ,yazd1 ,nayrz and ,shrz1 rocking the remotest hamlets1 and rekindling the flames of persecution4 ,once again greedy governors and perfidious subordinates vied with each other in despoiling the innocent1 in massacring the guiltless1 and in dishonoring the noblest of their race4 ,a carnage ensued which repeated the atrocities already perpetrated in ,nayrz and ,zanjn4 8,my pen10 writes the chronicler of the bloody episodes associated with the birth and rise of our ,faith1 8shrinks in horror in attempting to describe what befell those valiant men and women4444 ,what ,i have attempted to recount of the horrors of the siege of ,zanjn 444 pales before the glaring ferocity of the atrocities perpetrated a few years later in ,nayrz and ,shrz40 ,the heads of no less than two hundred victims of these outbursts of ferocious fanaticism were impaled on bayonets1 and carried triumphantly from ,shrz to bdih4 ,forty women and children were charred to a cinder by being placed in a cave1 in which a vast quantity of firewood had been heaped up1 soaked with naphtha and set alight4 ,three hundred women were forced to ride two by two on bare-backed horses all the way to ,shrz4 ,stripped almost naked they were led between rows of heads hewn from the lifeless bodies of their husbands1 sons1 fathers and brothers4 ,untold insults were heaped upon them1 and the hardships they suffered were such that many among them perished4 ,thus drew to a close a chapter which records for all time the bloodiest1 the most tragic1 the most heroic period of the first ,bah' century4 ,the torrents of blood that poured out during those crowded and calamitous years may be regarded as constituting the fertile seeds of that ,world ,order which a swiftly succeeding and still greater ,revelation was to proclaim and establish4 ,the tributes paid the noble army of the heroes1 saints and martyrs of that ,primitive ,age1 by friend and foe alike1 from ,bah'u'llh ,himself down to the most disinterested observers in distant lands1 and from the moment of its birth until the present day1 bear imperishable witness to the glory of the deeds that immortalize that ,age4 8,the whole world10 is ,bah'u'llh's matchless testimony in the ,kitb-i-qn1 8marveled at the manner of their sacrifice4444 ,the mind is bewildered at their deeds1 and the soul marveleth at their fortitude and bodily endurance4444 ,hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings80 ,and again3 8,hath the world1 since the days of ,adam1 witnessed such tumult1 such violent commotion8444 ,methinks1 patience was revealed only by virtue of their fortitude1 and faithfulness itself was begotten only by their deeds40 8,through the blood which they shed10 ,he1 in a prayer1 referring more specifically to the martyrs of the ,faith1 has significantly affirmed1 8the earth hath been impregnated with the wondrous revelations of ,thy might and the gem-like signs of ,thy glorious sovereignty4 ,ere-long shall she tell out her tidings1 when the set time is come40 ,to whom else could these significant words of ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god1 quoted by ,qudds while addressing his companions in the ,fort of ,shaykh ,tabars1 apply if not to those heroes of ,god who1 with their life-blood1 ushered in the ,promised ,day8 8,o how ,i long to behold the countenance of ,my brethren1 my brethren who will appear at the end of the world6 ,blessed are ,we1 blessed are they2 greater is their blessedness than ours40 ,who else could be meant by this tradition1 called ,hadth-i-,jabr1 recorded in the ,kf1 and authenticated by ,bah'u'llh in the ,kitb-i-qn1 which1 in indubitable language1 sets forth the signs of the appearance of the promised ,q'im8 8,his saints shall be abased in ,his time1 and their heads shall be exchanged as presents1 even as the heads of the ,turk and the ,daylamite are exchanged as presents2 they shall be slain and burned1 and shall be afraid1 fearful and dismayed2 the earth shall be dyed with their blood1 and lamentation and wailing shall prevail amongst their women2 these are ,my saints indeed40 8,tales of magnificent heroism10 is the written testimony of ,lord ,curzon of ,kedleston1 8illumine the blood-stained pages of ,bb history4444 ,the fires of ,smithfield did not kindle a nobler courage than has met and defied the more refined torture-mongers of ihrn4 ,of no small account1 then1 must be the tenets of a creed that can awaken in its followers so rare and beautiful a spirit of self-sacrifice4 ,the heroism and martyrdom of ,his 7the ,bb7 followers will appeal to many others who can find no similar phenomena in the contemporaneous records of ,islm40 8,bbism10 wrote ,prof4 ,j4 ,darmesteter1 8which diffused itself in less than five years from one end of ,persia to another1 which was bathed in #aheb in the blood of its martyrs1 has been silently progressing and propagating itself4 ,if ,persia is to be at all regenerate it will be through this new ,faith40 8,des milliers de martyrs10 attests ,renan in his 8,les ,aptres10 8sont accourus pour lui 7the ,bb7 avec allegress au devant de la mort4 ,un jour sans pareil peut-tre dans l'histoire du monde fut celui de la grande boucherie qui se fit des ,bbs ,teheran40 8,one of those strange outbursts10 declares the well-known ,orientalist ,prof4 ,e4 ,g4 ,browne1 8of enthusiasm1 faith1 fervent devotion and indomitable heroism 444 the birth of a ,faith which may not impossibly win a place amidst the great religions of the world40 ,and again3 8,the spirit which pervades the ,bbs is such that it can hardly fail to affect most powerfully all subjected to its influence4444 ,let those who have not seen disbelieve me if they will1 but1 should that spirit once reveal itself to them1 they will experience an emotion which they are not likely to forget40 8,j'avoue mme10 is the assertion made by ,comte de ,gobineau in his book1 8que1 si je voyais en ,europe une secte d'une nature analogue au ,babysme se prsenter avec des avantages tels que les siens1 foi aveugle1 enthousiasme extrme1 courage et devoument prouvs1 respect inspir aux indiffrents1 terreur profonde inspire aux adversaires1 et de plus1 comme je l'ai dit1 un proslytisme qui ne s'arrte pas1 et donc les succs sont constants dans toutes les classes de la societ2 si je voyais1 dis-je1 tout cela exister en ,europe1 je n'hsiterais pas predir que1 dans un temps donn1 la puissance et le sceptre appartiendront de toute necessit aux possesseurs de ces grands avantages40 8,the truth of the matter10 is the answer which ,abbs-,qul ,khn-i-,larjn1 whose bullet was responsible for the death of ,mull usayn1 is reported to have given to a query addressed to him by ,prince ,amad ,mrz in the presence of several witnesses1 8is that any one who had not seen ,karbil would1 if he had seen ,tabars1 not only have comprehended what there took place1 but would have ceased to consider it2 and had he seen ,mull usayn of ,bushryih1 he would have been convinced that the ,chief of ,martyrs 7,imm usayn7 had returned to earth2 and had he witnessed my deeds1 he would assuredly have said3 #8,this is ,shimr come back with sword and lance444' ,in truth1 ,i know not what had been shown to these people1 or what they had seen1 that they came forth to battle with such alacrity and joy4444 ,the imagination of man cannot conceive the vehemence of their courage and valor40 ,what1 in conclusion1 we may well ask ourselves1 has been the fate of that flagitious crew who1 actuated by malice1 by greed or fanaticism1 sought to quench the light which the ,bb and ,his followers had diffused over their country and its people8 ,the rod of ,divine chastisement1 swiftly and with unyielding severity1 spared neither the ,chief ,magistrate of the realm1 nor his ministers and counselors1 nor the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the religion with which his government was indissolubly connected1 nor the governors who acted as his representatives1 nor the chiefs of his armed forces who1 in varying degrees1 deliberately or through fear or neglect1 contributed to the appalling trials to which an infant ,faith was so undeservedly subjected4 ,muammad ,shh himself1 a sovereign at once bigoted and irresolute who1 refusing to heed the appeal of the ,bb to receive ,him in the capital and enable ,him to demonstrate the truth of ,his ,cause1 yielded to the importunities of a malevolent minister1 succumbed1 at the early age of forty1 after sustaining a sudden reverse of fortune1 to a complication of maladies1 and was condemned to that 8hell-fire0 which1 8on the ,day of ,resurrection10 the ,author of the ,qayymu'l-,asm had sworn would inevitably devour him4 ,his evil genius1 the omnipotent j ,mrz ,aqs1 the power behind the throne and the chief instigator of the outrages perpetrated against the ,bb1 including ,his imprisonment in the mountains of dhirbayjn1 was1 after the lapse of scarcely a year and six months from the time he interposed himself between the ,shh and his ,captive1 hurled from power1 deprived of his ill-gotten riches1 was disgraced by his sovereign1 was driven to seek shelter from the rising wrath of his countrymen in the shrine of ,shh #8,abdu'l-#8,am1 and was later ignominiously expelled to ,karbil1 falling a prey to disease1 poverty and gnawing sorrow--a piteous vindication of that denunciatory ,tablet in which his ,prisoner had foreshadowed his doom and denounced his infamy4 ,as to the low-born and infamous ,amr-,nizm1 ,mrz ,taq ,khn1 the first year of whose short-lived ministry was stained with the ferocious onslaught against the defenders of the ,fort of ,tabars1 who authorized and encouraged the execution of the ,seven ,martyrs of ihrn1 who unleashed the assault against ,vahd and his companions1 who was directly responsible for the death-sentence of the ,bb1 and who precipitated the great upheaval of ,zanjn1 he forfeited1 through the unrelenting jealousy of his sovereign and the vindictiveness of court intrigue1 all the honors he had enjoyed1 and was treacherously put to death by the royal order1 his veins being opened in the bath of the ,palace of ,fn1 near ,kshn4 8,had the ,amr-,nizm10 ,bah'u'llh is reported by ,nabl to have stated1 8been aware of ,my true position1 he would certainly have laid hold on ,me4 ,he exerted the utmost effort to discover the real situation1 but was unsuccessful4 ,god wished him to be ignorant of it40 ,mrz q ,khn1 who had taken such an active part in the unbridled cruelties perpetrated as a result of the attempt on the life of the sovereign1 was driven from office1 and placed under strict surveillance in ,yazd1 where he ended his days in shame and despair4 usayn ,khn1 the governor of ,shrz1 stigmatized as a 8wine-bibber0 and a 8tyrant10 the first who arose to ill-treat the ,bb1 who publicly rebuked ,him and bade his attendant strike ,him violently in the face1 was compelled not only to endure the dreadful calamity that so suddenly befell him1 his family1 his city and his province1 but afterwards to witness the undoing of all his labors1 and to lead in obscurity the remaining days of his life1 till he tottered to his grave abandoned alike by his friends and his enemies4 ajbu'd-,dawlih1 that bloodthirsty fiend1 who had strenuously hounded down so many innocent and defenseless ,bbs1 fell in his turn a victim to the fury of the turbulent ,lurs1 who1 after despoiling him of his property1 cut off his beard1 and forced him to eat it1 saddled and bridled him1 and rode him before the eyes of the people1 after which they inflicted under his very eyes shameful atrocities upon his womenfolk and children4 ,the ,sa'du'l-#8,ulam'1 the fanatical1 the ferocious and shameless mujtahid of ,barfursh1 whose unquenchable hostility had heaped such insults upon1 and caused such sufferings to1 the heroes of ,tabars1 fell1 soon after the abominations he had perpetrated1 a prey to a strange disease1 provoking an unquenchable thirst and producing such icy chills that neither the furs he wrapped himself in1 nor the fire that continually burned in his room could alleviate his sufferings4 ,the spectacle of his ruined and once luxurious home1 fallen into such ill use after his death as to become the refuse-heap of the people of his town1 impressed so profoundly the inhabitants of ,mzindarn that in their mutual vituperations they would often invoke upon each other's home the same fate as that which had befallen that accursed habitation4 ,the false-hearted and ambitious ,mamd ,khn-i-,kalntar1 into whose custody ,thirih had been delivered before her martyrdom1 incurred1 nine years later1 the wrath of his royal master1 was dragged feet first by ropes through the bazaars to a place outside the city gates1 and there hung on the gallows4 ,mrz asan ,khn1 who carried out the execution of the ,bb under orders from his brother1 the ,amr-,nizm1 was1 within two years of that unpardonable act1 subjected to a dreadful punishment which ended in his death4 ,the ,shaykhu'l-,islm of ,tabrz1 the insolent1 the avaricious and tyrannical ,mrz #8,al ,asghar1 who1 after the refusal of the bodyguard of the governor of that city to inflict the bastinado on the ,bb1 proceeded to apply eleven times the rods to the feet of his ,prisoner with his own hand1 was1 in that same year1 struck with paralysis1 and1 after enduring the most excruciating ordeal1 died a miserable death--a death that was soon followed by the abolition of the function of the ,shaykhu'l-,islm in that city4 ,the haughty and perfidious ,mrz ,ab-,talb ,khn who1 disregarding the counsels of moderation given him by ,mrz q ,khn1 the ,grand ,vizir1 ordered the plunder and burning of the village of ,tkr1 as well as the destruction of the house of ,bah'u'llh1 was1 a year later1 stricken with plague and perished wretchedly1 shunned by even his nearest kindred4 ,mihr-#8,al ,khn1 the ,shuj'u'l-,mulk1 who1 after the attempt on the ,shh's life1 so savagely persecuted the remnants of the ,bb community in ,nayrz1 fell ill1 according to the testimony of his own grandson1 and was stricken with dumbness1 which was never relieved till the day of his death4 ,his accomplice1 ,mrz ,na'm1 fell into disgrace1 was twice heavily fined1 dismissed from office1 and subjected to exquisite tortures4 ,the regiment which1 scorning the miracle that warned ,sm ,khn and his men to dissociate themselves from any further attempt to destroy the life of the ,bb1 volunteered to take their place and riddled ,his body with its bullets1 lost1 in that same year1 no less than two hundred and fifty of its officers and men1 in a terrible earthquake between ,ardibl and ,tabrz2 two years later the remaining five hundred were mercilessly shot in ,tabrz for mutiny1 and the people1 gazing on their exposed and mutilated bodies1 recalled their savage act1 and indulged in such expressions of condemnation and wonder as to induce the leading mujtahids to chastise and silence them4 ,the head of that regiment1 q ,jn ,big1 lost his life1 six years after the ,bb's martyrdom1 during the bombardment of ,muammarih by the ,british naval forces4 ,the judgment of ,god1 so rigorous and unsparing in its visitations on those who took a leading or an active part in the crimes committed against the ,bb and ,his followers1 was not less severe in its dealings with the mass of the people--a people more fanatical than the ,jews in the days of ,jesus--a people notorious for their gross ignorance1 their ferocious bigotry1 their willful perversity and savage cruelty1 a people mercenary1 avaricious1 egotistical and cowardly4 ,i can do no better than quote what the ,bb ,himself has written in the ,dal'il-i-,sab#8ih 7,seven ,proofs7 during the last days of ,his ministry3 8,call thou to remembrance the early days of the ,revelation4 ,how great the number of those who died of cholera6 ,that was indeed one of the prodigies of the ,revelation1 and yet none recognized it6 ,during four years the scourge raged among ,sh'ah ,muslims without any one grasping its significance60 8,as to the great mass of its people 7,persia710 ,nabl has recorded in his immortal narrative1 8who watched with sullen indifference the tragedy that was being enacted before their eyes1 and who failed to raise a finger in protest against the hideousness of those cruelties1 they fell1 in their turn1 victims to a misery which all the resources of the land and the energy of its statesmen were powerless to alleviate4444 ,from the very day the hand of the assailant was stretched forth against the ,bb 444 visitation upon visitation crushed the spirit out of that ungrateful people1 and brought them to the very brink of national bankruptcy4 ,plagues1 the very names of which were almost unknown to them except for a cursory reference in the dust-covered books which few cared to read1 fell upon them with a fury that none could escape4 ,that scourge scattered devastation wherever it spread4 ,prince and peasant alike felt its sting and bowed to its yoke4 ,it held the populace in its grip1 and refused to relax its hold upon them4 ,as malignant as the fever which decimated the province of ,gln1 these sudden afflictions continued to lay waste the land4 ,grievous as were these calamities1 the avenging wrath of ,god did not stop at the misfortunes that befell a perverse and faithless people4 ,it made itself felt in every living being that breathed on the surface of that stricken land4 ,it afflicted the life of plants and animals alike1 and made the people feel the magnitude of their distress4 ,famine added its horrors to the stupendous weight of afflictions under which the people were groaning4 ,the gaunt spectre of starvation stalked abroad amidst them1 and the prospect of a slow and painful death haunted their vision4444 ,people and government alike sighed for the relief which they could nowhere obtain4 ,they drank the cup of woe to its dregs1 utterly unregardful of the ,hand which had brought it to their lips1 and of the ,person for ,whose sake they were made to suffer40 ,,second ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,bah',u',,ll,h #ahec-ahib ,chapter ,,vi3 ,the ,birth of ,the ,bah' ,revelation ,the train of dire events that followed in swift succession the calamitous attempt on the life of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh mark1 as already observed1 the termination of the ,bb ,dispensation and the closing of the initial1 the darkest and bloodiest chapter of the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,a phase of measureless tribulation had been ushered in by these events1 in the course of which the fortunes of the ,faith proclaimed by the ,bb sank to their lowest ebb4 ,indeed ever since its inception trials and vexations1 setbacks and disappointments1 denunciations1 betrayals and massacres had1 in a steadily rising crescendo1 contributed to the decimation of the ranks of its followers1 strained to the utmost the loyalty of its stoutest upholders1 and all but succeeded in disrupting the foundations on which it rested4 ,from its birth1 government1 clergy and people had risen as one man against it and vowed eternal enmity to its cause4 ,muammad ,shh1 weak alike in mind and will1 had1 under pressure1 rejected the overtures made to him by the ,bb ,himself1 had declined to meet ,him face to face1 and even refused ,him admittance to the capital4 ,the youthful ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 of a cruel and imperious nature1 had1 both as crown prince and as reigning sovereign1 increasingly evinced the bitter hostility which1 at a later stage in his reign1 was to blaze forth in all its dark and ruthless savagery4 ,the powerful and sagacious ,mu'tamd1 the one solitary figure who could have extended ,him the support and protection ,he so sorely needed1 was taken from ,him by a sudden death4 ,the ,sherif of ,mecca1 who through the mediation of ,qudds had been made acquainted with the new ,revelation on the occasion of the ,bb's pilgrimage to ,mecca1 had turned a deaf ear to the ,divine ,message1 and received ,his messenger with curt indifference4 ,the prearranged gathering that was to have taken place in the holy city of ,karbil1 in the course of the ,bb's return journey from ijz1 had1 to the disappointment of ,his followers who had been eagerly awaiting ,his arrival1 to be definitely abandoned4 ,the eighteen ,letters of the ,living1 the principal bastions that buttressed the infant strength of the ,faith1 had for the most part fallen4 ,the 8,mirrors10 the 8,guides10 the 8,witnesses0 comprising the ,bb hierarchy had either been put to the sword1 or hounded from their native soil1 or bludgeoned into silence4 ,the program1 whose essentials had been communicated to the foremost among them1 had1 owing to their excessive zeal1 remained for the most part unfulfilled4 ,the attempts which two of those disciples had made to establish the ,faith in ,turkey and ,india had signally failed at the very outset of their mission4 ,the tempests that had swept ,mzindarn1 ,nayrz and ,zanjn had1 in addition to blasting to their roots the promising careers of the venerated ,qudds1 the lion-hearted ,mull usayn1 the erudite ,vahd1 and the indomitable ,hujjat1 cut short the lives of an alarmingly large number of the most resourceful and most valiant of their fellow-disciples4 ,the hideous outrages associated with the death of the ,seven ,martyrs of ihrn had been responsible for the extinction of yet another living symbol of the ,faith1 who1 by reason of his close kinship to1 and intimate association with1 the ,bb1 no less than by virtue of his inherent qualities1 would if spared have decisively contributed to the protection and furtherance of a struggling ,cause4 ,the storm which subsequently burst1 with unexampled violence1 on a community already beaten to its knees1 had1 moreover1 robbed it of its greatest heroine1 the incomparable ,thirih1 still in the full tide of her victories1 had sealed the doom of ,siyyid usayn1 the ,bb's trusted amanuensis and chosen repository of ,his last wishes1 had laid low ,mull #8,abdu'l-,karm-i-,qazvn1 admittedly one of the very few who could claim to possess a profound knowledge of the origins of the ,faith1 and had plunged into a dungeon ,bah'u'llh1 the sole survivor among the towering figures of the new ,dispensation4 ,the ,bb--the ,fountainhead from whence the vitalizing energies of a newborn ,revelation had flowed--had ,himself1 ere the outburst of that hurricane1 succumbed1 in harrowing circumstances1 to the volleys of a firing squad leaving behind1 as titular head of a well-nigh disrupted community1 a mere figurehead1 timid in the extreme1 good-natured yet susceptible to the slightest influence1 devoid of any outstanding qualities1 who now 7loosed from the controlling hand of ,bah'u'llh1 the real ,leader7 was seeking1 in the guise of a dervish1 the protection afforded by the hills of his native ,mzindarn against the threatened assaults of a deadly enemy4 ,the voluminous writings of the ,founder of the ,faith--in manuscript1 dispersed1 unclassified1 poorly transcribed and ill-preserved1 were in part1 owing to the fever and tumult of the times1 either deliberately destroyed1 confiscated1 or hurriedly dispatched to places of safety beyond the confines of the land in which they were revealed4 ,powerful adversaries1 among whom towered the figure of the inordinately ambitious and hypocritical j ,mrz ,karm ,khn1 who at the special request of the ,shh had in a treatise viciously attacked the new ,faith and its doctrines1 had now raised their heads1 and1 emboldened by the reverses it had sustained1 were heaping abuse and calumnies upon it4 ,furthermore1 under the stress of intolerable circumstances1 a few of the ,bbs were constrained to recant their faith1 while others went so far as to apostatize and join the ranks of the enemy4 ,and now to the sum of these dire misfortunes a monstrous calumny1 arising from the outrage perpetrated by a handful of irresponsible enthusiasts1 was added1 branding a holy and innocent ,faith with an infamy that seemed indelible1 and which threatened to loosen it from its foundations4 ,and yet the ,fire which the ,hand of ,omnipotence had lighted1 though smothered by this torrent of tribulations let loose upon it1 was not quenched4 ,the flame which for nine years had burned with such brilliant intensity was indeed momentarily extinguished1 but the embers which that great conflagration had left behind still glowed1 destined1 at no distant date1 to blaze forth once again1 through the reviving breezes of an incomparably greater ,revelation1 and to shed an illumination that would not only dissipate the surrounding darkness but project its radiance as far as the extremities of both the ,eastern and ,western ,hemispheres4 ,just as the enforced captivity and isolation of the ,bb had1 on the one hand1 afforded ,him the opportunity of formulating ,his doctrine1 of unfolding the full implications of ,his ,revelation1 of formally and publicly declaring ,his station and of establishing ,his ,covenant1 and1 on the other hand1 had been instrumental in the proclamation of the laws of ,his ,dispensation through the voice of ,his disciples assembled in ,badasht1 so did the crisis of unprecedented magnitude1 culminating in the execution of the ,bb and the imprisonment of ,bah'u'llh1 prove to be the prelude of a revival which1 through the quickening power of a far mightier ,revelation1 was to immortalize the fame1 and fix on a still more enduring foundation1 far beyond the confines of ,his native land1 the original ,message of the ,prophet of ,shrz4 ,at a time when the ,cause of the ,bb seemed to be hovering on the brink of extinction1 when the hopes and ambitions which animated it had1 to all human seeming1 been frustrated1 when the colossal sacrifices of its unnumbered lovers appeared to have been made in vain1 the ,divine ,promise enshrined within it was about to be suddenly redeemed1 and its final perfection mysteriously manifested4 ,the ,bb ,dispensation was being brought to its close 7not prematurely but in its own appointed time71 and was yielding its destined fruit and revealing its ultimate purpose--the birth of the ,mission of ,bah'u'llh4 ,in this most dark and dreadful hour a ,new ,light was about to break in glory on ,persia's somber horizon4 ,as a result of what was in fact an evolving1 ripening process1 the most momentous if not the most spectacular stage in the ,heroic ,age of the ,faith was now about to open4 ,during nine years1 as foretold by the ,bb ,himself1 swiftly1 mysteriously and irresistibly the embryonic ,faith conceived by ,him had been developing until1 at the fixed hour1 the burden of the promised ,cause of ,god was cast amidst the gloom and agony of the ,syh-,chl of ihrn4 8,behold10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 years later1 testified1 in refutation of the claims of those who had rejected the validity of ,his mission following so closely upon that of the ,bb1 8how immediately upon the completion of the ninth year of this wondrous1 this most holy and merciful ,dispensation1 the requisite number of pure1 of wholly consecrated and sanctified souls has been most secretly consummated40 8,that so brief an interval10 ,he1 moreover has asserted1 8should have separated this most mighty and wondrous ,revelation from ,mine own previous ,manifestation is a secret that no man can unravel1 and a mystery such as no mind can fathom4 ,its duration had been foreordained40 ,st4 ,john the ,divine had himself1 with reference to these two successive ,revelations1 clearly prophesied3 8,the second woe is past2 and1 behold the third woe cometh quickly40 8,this third woe10 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 commenting upon this verse1 has explained1 8is the day of the ,manifestation of ,bah'u'llh1 the ,day of ,god1 and it is near to the day of the appearance of the ,bb40 8,all the peoples of the world10 ,he moreover has asserted1 8are awaiting two ,manifestations1 ,who must be contemporaneous2 all wait for the fulfillment of this promise40 ,and again3 8,the essential fact is that all are promised two ,manifestations1 ,who will come one following on the other40 ,shaykh ,amad-i-,ahs'1 that luminous star of ,divine guidance who had so clearly perceived1 before the year sixty1 the approaching glory of ,bah'u'llh1 and laid stress upon 8the twin ,revelations which are to follow each other in rapid succession10 had1 on his part1 made this significant statement regarding the approaching hour of that supreme ,revelation1 in an epistle addressed in his own hand to ,siyyid ,kzim3 8,the mystery of this ,cause must needs be made manifest1 and the secret of this ,message must needs be divulged4 ,i can say no more4 ,i can appoint no time4 ,his ,cause will be made known after in 7#fh740 ,the circumstances in which the ,vehicle of this newborn ,revelation1 following with such swiftness that of the ,bb1 received the first intimations of ,his sublime mission recall1 and indeed surpass in poignancy the soul-shaking experience of ,moses when confronted by the ,burning ,bush in the wilderness of ,sinai2 of ,zoroaster when awakened to ,his mission by a succession of seven visions2 of ,jesus when coming out of the waters of the ,jordan ,he saw the heavens opened and the ,holy ,ghost descend like a dove and light upon ,him2 of ,muammad when in the ,cave of ,hira1 outside of the holy city of ,mecca1 the voice of ,gabriel bade ,him 8cry in the name of ,thy ,lord02 and of the ,bb when in a dream ,he approached the bleeding head of the ,imm usayn1 and1 quaffing the blood that dripped from his lacerated throat1 awoke to find ,himself the chosen recipient of the outpouring grace of the ,almighty4 ,what1 we may well inquire at this juncture1 were the nature and implications of that ,revelation which1 manifesting itself so soon after the ,declaration of the ,bb1 abolished1 at one stroke1 the ,dispensation which that ,faith had so newly proclaimed1 and upheld1 with such vehemence and force1 the ,divine authority of its ,author8 ,what1 we may well pause to consider1 were the claims of ,him ,who1 ,himself a disciple of the ,bb1 had1 at such an early stage1 regarded ,himself as empowered to abrogate the ,law identified with ,his beloved ,master8 ,what1 we may further reflect1 could be the relationship between the religious ,systems established before ,him and ,his own ,revelation--a ,revelation which1 flowing out1 in that extremely perilous hour1 from ,his travailing soul1 pierced the gloom that had settled upon that pestilential pit1 and1 bursting through its walls1 and propagating itself as far as the ends of the earth1 infused into the entire body of mankind its boundless potentialities1 and is now under our very eyes1 shaping the course of human society8 ,he ,who in such dramatic circumstances was made to sustain the overpowering weight of so glorious a ,mission was none other than the ,one ,whom posterity will acclaim1 and ,whom innumerable followers already recognize1 as the ,judge1 the ,lawgiver and ,redeemer of all mankind1 as the ,organizer of the entire planet1 as the ,unifier of the children of men1 as the ,inaugurator of the long-awaited millennium1 as the ,originator of a new 8,universal ,cycle10 as the ,establisher of the ,most ,great ,peace1 as the ,fountain of the ,most ,great ,justice1 as the ,proclaimer of the coming of age of the entire human race1 as the ,creator of a new ,world ,order1 and as the ,inspirer and ,founder of a world civilization4 ,to ,israel ,he was neither more nor less than the incarnation of the 8,everlasting ,father10 the 8,lord of ,hosts0 come down 8with ten thousands of saints02 to ,christendom ,christ returned 8in the glory of the ,father10 to ,sh'ah ,islm the return of the ,imm usayn2 to ,sunn ,islm the descent of the 8,spirit of ,god0 7,jesus ,christ72 to the ,zoroastrians the promised ,shh-,bahrm2 to the ,hindus the reincarnation of ,krishna2 to the ,buddhists the fifth ,buddha4 ,in the name ,he bore ,he combined those of the ,imm usayn1 the most illustrious of the successors of the ,apostle of ,god--the brightest 8star0 shining in the 8crown0 mentioned in the ,revelation of ,st4 ,john--and of the ,imm #8,al1 the ,commander of the ,faithful1 the second of the two 8witnesses0 extolled in that same ,book4 ,he was formally designated ,bah'u'llh1 an appellation specifically recorded in the ,persian ,bayn1 signifying at once the glory1 the light and the splendor of ,god1 and was styled the 8,lord of ,lords10 the 8,most ,great ,name10 the 8,ancient ,beauty10 the 8,pen of the ,most ,high10 the 8,hidden ,name10 the 8,preserved ,treasure10 8,he ,whom ,god will make manifest10 the 8,most ,great ,light10 the 8,all-,highest ,horizon10 the 8,most ,great ,ocean10 the 8,supreme ,heaven10 the 8,pre-,existent ,root10 the 8,self-,subsistent10 the 8,day-,star of the ,universe10 the 8,great ,announcement10 the 8,speaker on ,sinai10 the 8,sifter of ,men10 the 8,wronged ,one of the ,world10 the 8,desire of the ,nations10 the 8,lord of the ,covenant10 the 8,tree beyond which there is no passing40 ,he derived ,his descent1 on the one hand1 from ,abraham 7the ,father of the ,faithful7 through his wife ,katurah1 and on the other from ,zoroaster1 as well as from ,yazdigird1 the last king of the ,ssnyn dynasty4 ,he was moreover a descendant of ,jesse1 and belonged1 through ,his father1 ,mrz ,abbs1 better known as ,mrz ,buzurg--a nobleman closely associated with the ministerial circles of the ,court of ,fat-#8,al ,shh--to one of the most ancient and renowned families of ,mzindarn4 ,to ,him ,isaiah1 the greatest of the ,jewish prophets1 had alluded as the 8,glory of the ,lord10 the 8,everlasting ,father10 the 8,prince of ,peace10 the 8,wonderful10 the 8,counsellor10 the 8,rod come forth out of the stem of ,jesse0 and the 8,branch grown out of ,his roots10 ,who 8shall be established upon the throne of ,david10 ,who 8will come with strong hand10 ,who 8shall judge among the nations10 ,who 8shall smite the earth with the rod of ,his mouth1 and with the breath of ,his lips slay the wicked10 and ,who 8shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth40 ,of ,him ,david had sung in his ,psalms1 acclaiming ,him as the 8,lord of ,hosts0 and the 8,king of ,glory40 ,to ,him ,haggai had referred as the 8,desire of all nations10 and ,zachariah as the 8,branch0 ,who 8shall grow up out of ,his place10 and 8shall build the ,temple of the ,lord40 ,ezekiel had extolled ,him as the 8,lord0 ,who 8shall be king over all the earth10 while to ,his day ,joel and ,zephaniah had both referred as the 8day of ,jehovah10 the latter describing it as 8a day of wrath1 a day of trouble and distress1 a day of wasteness and desolation1 a day of darkness and gloominess1 a day of clouds and thick darkness1 a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities1 and against the high towers40 ,his ,day ,ezekiel and ,daniel had1 moreover1 both acclaimed as the 8day of the ,lord10 and ,malachi described as 8the great and dreadful day of the ,lord0 when 8the ,sun of ,righteousness0 will 8arise1 with healing in ,his wings10 whilst ,daniel had pronounced ,his advent as signalizing the end of the 8abomination that maketh desolate40 ,to ,his ,dispensation the sacred books of the followers of ,zoroaster had referred as that in which the sun must needs be brought to a standstill for no less than one whole month4 ,to ,him ,zoroaster must have alluded when1 according to tradition1 ,he foretold that a period of three thousand years of conflict and contention must needs precede the advent of the ,world-,savior ,shh-,bahrm1 ,who would triumph over ,ahriman and usher in an era of blessedness and peace4 ,he alone is meant by the prophecy attributed to ,gautama ,buddha ,himself1 that 8a ,buddha named ,maitreye1 the ,buddha of universal fellowship0 should1 in the fullness of time1 arise and reveal 8,his boundless glory40 ,to ,him the ,bhagavad-,gita of the ,hindus had referred as the 8,most ,great ,spirit10 the 8,tenth ,avatar10 the 8,immaculate ,manifestation of ,krishna40 ,to ,him ,jesus ,christ had referred as the 8,prince of this world10 as the 8,comforter0 ,who will 8reprove the world of sin1 and of righteousness1 and of judgment10 as the 8,spirit of ,truth0 ,who 8will guide you into all truth10 ,who 8shall not speak of ,himself1 but whatsoever ,he shall hear1 that shall ,he speak10 as the 8,lord of the ,vineyard10 and as the 8,son of ,man0 ,who 8shall come in the glory of ,his ,father0 8in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory10 with 8all the holy angels0 about ,him1 and 8all nations0 gathered before ,his throne4 ,to ,him the ,author of the ,apocalypse had alluded as the 8,glory of ,god10 as 8,alpha and ,omega10 8the ,beginning and the ,end10 8the ,first and the ,last40 ,identifying ,his ,revelation with the 8third woe10 he1 moreover1 had extolled ,his ,law as 8a new heaven and a new earth10 as the 8,tabernacle of ,god10 as the 8,holy ,city10 as the 8,new ,jerusalem1 coming down from ,god out of heaven1 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband40 ,to ,his ,day ,jesus ,christ ,himself had referred as 8the regeneration when the ,son of ,man shall sit in the throne of ,his glory40 ,to the hour of ,his advent ,st4 ,paul had alluded as the hour of the 8last trump10 the 8trump of ,god10 whilst ,st4 ,peter had spoken of it as the 8,day of ,god1 wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved1 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat40 ,his ,day he1 furthermore1 had described as 8the times of refreshing10 8the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy ,prophets since the world began40 ,to ,him ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god1 had alluded in ,his ,book as the 8,great ,announcement10 and declared ,his ,day to be the ,day whereon 8,god0 will 8come down0 8overshadowed with clouds10 the ,day whereon 8thy ,lord shall come and the angels rank on rank10 and 8,the ,spirit shall arise and the angels shall be ranged in order40 ,his advent ,he1 in that ,book1 in a srih said to have been termed by ,him 8the heart of the ,qur'n10 had foreshadowed as that of the 8third0 ,messenger1 sent down to 8strengthen0 the two who preceded ,him4 ,to ,his ,day ,he1 in the pages of that same ,book1 had paid a glowing tribute1 glorifying it as the 8,great ,day10 the 8,last ,day10 the 8,day of ,god10 the 8,day of ,judgment10 the 8,day of ,reckoning10 the 8,day of ,mutual ,deceit10 the 8,day of ,severing10 the 8,day of ,sighing10 the 8,day of ,meeting10 the ,day 8when the ,decree shall be accomplished10 the ,day whereon the second 8,trumpet blast0 will be sounded1 the 8,day when mankind shall stand before the ,lord of the world10 and 8all shall come to ,him in humble guise10 the ,day when 8thou shalt see the mountains1 which thou thinkest so firm1 pass away with the passing of a cloud10 the ,day 8wherein account shall be taken10 8the approaching ,day1 when men's hearts shall rise up1 choking them1 into their throats10 the ,day when 8all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth shall be terror-stricken1 save him whom ,god pleaseth to deliver10 the ,day whereon 8every suckling woman shall forsake her sucking babe1 and every woman that hath a burden in her womb shall cast her burden10 the ,day 8when the earth shall shine with the light of her ,lord1 and the ,book shall be set1 and the ,prophets shall be brought up1 and the witnesses2 and judgment shall be given between them with equity2 and none shall be wronged40 ,the plenitude of ,his glory the ,apostle of ,god had1 moreover1 as attested by ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 compared to the 8full moon on its fourteenth night40 ,his station the ,imm #8,al1 the ,commander of the ,faithful1 had1 according to the same testimony1 identified with 8,him ,who conversed with ,moses from the ,burning ,bush on ,sinai40 ,to the transcendent character of ,his mission the ,imm usayn had1 again according to ,bah'u'llh1 borne witness as a 8,revelation whose ,revealer will be ,he ,who revealed0 the ,apostle of ,god ,himself4 ,about ,him ,shaykh ,amad-i-,ahs'1 the herald of the ,bb ,dispensation1 who had foreshadowed the 8strange happenings0 that would transpire 8between the years sixty and sixty-seven10 and had categorically affirmed the inevitability of ,his ,revelation had1 as previously mentioned1 written the following3 8,the ,mystery of this ,cause must needs be made manifest1 and the ,secret of this ,message must needs be divulged4 ,i can say no more1 ,i can appoint no time4 ,his ,cause will be made known after in 7#fh70 7i4e41 after a while74 ,siyyid ,kzim-i-,rasht1 ,shaykh ,amad's disciple and successor1 had likewise written3 8,the ,q'im must needs be put to death4 ,after ,he has been slain the world will have attained the age of eighteen40 ,in his ,sharh-i-,qsidiy-i-,lmyyih he had even alluded to the name 8,bah40 ,furthermore1 to his disciples1 as his days drew to a close1 he had significantly declared3 8,verily1 ,i say1 after the ,q'im the ,qayym will be made manifest4 ,for when the star of the former has set the sun of the beauty of usayn will rise and illuminate the whole world4 ,then will be unfolded in all its glory the #8,mystery' and the #8,secret' spoken of by ,shaykh ,amad4444 ,to have attained unto that ,day of ,days is to have attained unto the crowning glory of past generations1 and one goodly deed performed in that age is equal to the pious worship of countless centuries40 ,the ,bb had no less significantly extolled ,him as the 8,essence of ,being10 as the 8,remnant of ,god10 as the 8,omnipotent ,master10 as the 8,crimson1 all-encompassing ,light10 as 8,lord of the visible and invisible10 as the 8sole ,object of all previous ,revelations1 including ,the ,revelation of the ,q'im ,himself40 ,he had formally designated ,him as 8,he ,whom ,god shall make manifest10 had alluded to ,him as the 8,abh ,horizon0 wherein ,he ,himself lived and dwelt1 had specifically recorded ,his title1 and eulogized ,his 8,order0 in ,his best-known work1 the ,persian ,bayn1 had disclosed ,his name through ,his allusion to the 8,son of #8,al1 a true and undoubted ,leader of men10 had1 repeatedly1 orally and in writing1 fixed1 beyond the shadow of a doubt1 the time of ,his ,revelation1 and warned ,his followers lest 8the ,bayn and all that hath been revealed therein0 should 8shut them out as by a veil0 from ,him4 ,he had1 moreover1 declared that ,he was the 8first servant to believe in ,him10 that ,he bore ,him allegiance 8before all things were created10 that 8no allusion0 of ,his 8could allude unto ,him10 that 8the year-old germ that holdeth within itself the potentialities of the ,revelation that is to come is endowed with a potency superior to the combined forces of the whole of the ,bayn40 ,he had1 moreover1 clearly asserted that ,he had 8covenanted with all created things0 concerning ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest ere the covenant concerning ,his own mission had been established4 ,he had readily acknowledged that ,he was but 8a letter0 of that 8,most ,mighty ,book10 8a dew-drop0 from that 8,limitless ,ocean10 that ,his ,revelation was 8only a leaf amongst the leaves of ,his ,paradise10 that 8all that hath been exalted in the ,bayn0 was but 8a ring0 upon ,his own hand1 and ,he ,himself 8a ring upon the hand of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest10 ,who1 8turneth it as ,he pleaseth1 for whatsoever ,he pleaseth1 and through whatsoever ,he pleaseth40 ,he had unmistakably declared that ,he had 8sacrificed0 ,himself 8wholly0 for ,him1 that ,he had 8consented to be cursed0 for ,his sake1 and to have 8yearned for naught but martyrdom0 in the path of ,his love4 ,finally1 ,he had unequivocally prophesied3 8,today the ,bayn is in the stage of seed2 at the beginning of the manifestation of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest its ultimate perfection will become apparent40 8,ere nine will have elapsed from the inception of this ,cause the realities of the created things will not be made manifest4 ,all that thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist-germ until ,we clothed it with flesh4 ,be patient until thou beholdest a new creation4 ,say3 ,blessed1 therefore1 be ,god1 the ,most ,excellent of ,makers60 8,he around ,whom the ,point of the ,bayn 7,bb7 hath revolved is come0 is ,bah'u'llh's confirmatory testimony to the inconceivable greatness and preeminent character of ,his own ,revelation4 8,if all who are in heaven and on earth10 ,he moreover affirms1 8be invested in this day with the powers and attributes destined for the ,letters of the ,bayn1 whose station is ten thousand times more glorious than that of the ,letters of the ,qur'nic ,dispensation1 and if they one and all should1 swift as the twinkling of an eye1 hesitate to recognize ,my ,revelation1 they shall be accounted1 in the sight of ,god1 of those that have gone astray1 and regarded as #8,letters of ,negation4'0 8,powerful is ,he1 the ,king of ,divine might10 ,he1 alluding to ,himself in the ,kitb-i-qn1 asserts1 8to extinguish with one letter of ,his wondrous words1 the breath of life in the whole of the ,bayn and the people thereof1 and with one letter bestow upon them a new and everlasting life1 and cause them to arise and speed out of the sepulchers of their vain and selfish desires40 8,this10 ,he furthermore declares1 8is the king of days10 the 8,day of ,god ,himself10 the 8,day which shall never be followed by night10 the 8,springtime which autumn will never overtake10 8the eye to past ages and centuries10 for which 8the soul of every ,prophet of ,god1 of every ,divine ,messenger1 hath thirsted10 for which 8all the divers kindreds of the earth have yearned10 through which 8,god hath proved the hearts of the entire company of ,his ,messengers and ,prophets1 and beyond them those that stand guard over ,his sacred and inviolable ,sanctuary1 the inmates of the ,celestial ,pavilion and dwellers of the ,tabernacle of ,glory40 8,in this most mighty ,revelation10 ,he moreover1 states1 8all the ,dispensations of the past have attained their highest1 their final consummation40 ,and again3 8,none among the ,manifestations of old1 except to a prescribed degree1 hath ever completely apprehended the nature of this ,revelation40 ,referring to ,his own station ,he declares3 8,but for ,him no ,divine ,messenger would have been invested with the ,robe of ,prophethood1 nor would any of the sacred ,scriptures have been revealed40 ,and last but not least is #8,abdu'l-,bah's own tribute to the transcendent character of the ,revelation identified with ,his ,father3 8,centuries1 nay ages1 must pass away1 ere the ,day-,star of ,truth shineth again in its mid-summer splendor1 or appeareth once more in the radiance of its vernal glory40 8,the mere contemplation of the ,dispensation inaugurated by the ,blessed ,beauty10 ,he furthermore affirms1 8would have sufficed to overwhelm the saints of bygone ages--saints who longed to partake for one moment of its great glory40 8,concerning the ,manifestations that will come down in the future #8in the shadows of the clouds1' know verily10 is ,his significant statement1 8that in so far as their relation to the source of their inspiration is concerned they are under the shadow of the ,ancient ,beauty4 ,in their relation1 however1 to the age in which they appear1 each and every one of them #8doeth whatsoever ,he willeth4'0 ,and finally stands this1 ,his illuminating explanation1 setting forth conclusively the true relationship between the ,revelation of ,bah'u'llh and that of the ,bb3 8,the ,revelation of the ,bb may be likened to the sun1 its station corresponding to the first sign of the ,zodiac--the sign ,aries--which the sun enters at the vernal equinox4 ,the station of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation1 on the other hand1 is represented by the sign ,leo1 the sun's mid-summer and highest station4 ,by this is meant that this holy ,dispensation is illumined with the light of the ,sun of ,truth shining from its most exalted station1 and in the plenitude of its resplendency1 its heat and glory40 ,to attempt an exhaustive survey of the prophetic references to ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation would indeed be an impossible task4 ,to this the pen of ,bah'u'llh ,himself bears witness3 8,all the ,divine ,books and ,scriptures have predicted and announced unto men the advent of the ,most ,great ,revelation4 ,none can adequately recount the verses recorded in the ,books of former ages which forecast this supreme ,bounty1 this most mighty ,bestowal40 ,in conclusion of this theme1 ,i feel1 it should be stated that the ,revelation identified with ,bah'u'llh abrogates unconditionally all the ,dispensations gone before it1 upholds uncompromisingly the eternal verities they enshrine1 recognizes firmly and absolutely the ,divine origin of their ,authors1 preserves inviolate the sanctity of their authentic ,scriptures1 disclaims any intention of lowering the status of their ,founders or of abating the spiritual ideals they inculcate1 clarifies and correlates their functions1 reaffirms their common1 their unchangeable and fundamental purpose1 reconciles their seemingly divergent claims and doctrines1 readily and gratefully recognizes their respective contributions to the gradual unfoldment of one ,divine ,revelation1 unhesitatingly acknowledges itself to be but one link in the chain of continually progressive ,revelations1 supplements their teachings with such laws and ordinances as conform to the imperative needs1 and are dictated by the growing receptivity1 of a fast evolving and constantly changing society1 and proclaims its readiness and ability to fuse and incorporate the contending sects and factions into which they have fallen into a universal ,fellowship1 functioning within the framework1 and in accordance with the precepts1 of a divinely conceived1 a world-unifying1 a world-redeeming ,order4 ,a ,revelation1 hailed as the promise and crowning glory of past ages and centuries1 as the consummation of all the ,dispensations within the ,adamic ,cycle1 inaugurating an era of at least a thousand years' duration1 and a cycle destined to last no less than five thousand centuries1 signalizing the end of the ,prophetic ,era and the beginning of the ,era of ,fulfillment1 unsurpassed alike in the duration of its ,author's ministry and the fecundity and splendor of ,his mission--such a ,revelation was1 as already noted1 born amidst the darkness of a subterranean dungeon in ihrn--an abominable pit that had once served as a reservoir of water for one of the public baths of the city4 ,wrapped in its stygian gloom1 breathing its fetid air1 numbed by its humid and icy atmosphere1 ,his feet in stocks1 ,his neck weighed down by a mighty chain1 surrounded by criminals and miscreants of the worst order1 oppressed by the consciousness of the terrible blot that had stained the fair name of ,his beloved ,faith1 painfully aware of the dire distress that had overtaken its champions1 and of the grave dangers that faced the remnant of its followers--at so critical an hour and under such appalling circumstances the 8,most ,great ,spirit10 as designated by ,himself1 and symbolized in the ,zoroastrian1 the ,mosaic1 the ,christian1 and ,muammadan ,dispensations by the ,sacred ,fire1 the ,burning ,bush1 the ,dove and the ,angel ,gabriel respectively1 descended upon1 and revealed itself1 personated by a 8,maiden10 to the agonized soul of ,bah'u'llh4 8,one night in a dream10 ,he ,himself1 calling to mind1 in the evening of ,his life1 the first stirrings of ,god's ,revelation within ,his soul1 has written1 8these exalted words were heard on every side3 #8,verily1 ,we shall render ,thee victorious by ,thyself and by ,thy pen4 ,grieve ,thou not for that which hath befallen ,thee1 neither be ,thou afraid1 for ,thou art in safety4 ,ere long will ,god raise up the treasures of the earth--men who will aid ,thee through ,thyself and through ,thy ,name1 wherewith ,god hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized ,him4'0 ,in another passage ,he describes1 briefly and graphically1 the impact of the onrushing force of the ,divine ,summons upon ,his entire being--an experience vividly recalling the vision of ,god that caused ,moses to fall in a swoon1 and the voice of ,gabriel which plunged ,muammad into such consternation that1 hurrying to the shelter of ,his home1 ,he bade ,his wife1 ,khadjih1 envelop ,him in ,his mantle4 8,during the days ,i lay in the prison of ihrn10 are ,his own memorable words1 8though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed ,me but little sleep1 still in those infrequent moments of slumber ,i felt as if something flowed from the crown of ,my head over ,my breast1 even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain4 ,every limb of ,my body would1 as a result1 be set afire4 ,at such moments ,my tongue recited what no man could bear to hear40 ,in ,his ,sratu'l-,haykal 7the ,srih of the ,temple7 ,he thus describes those breathless moments when the ,maiden1 symbolizing the 8,most ,great ,spirit0 proclaimed ,his mission to the entire creation3 8,while engulfed in tribulations ,i heard a most wondrous1 a most sweet voice1 calling above ,my head4 ,turning ,my face1 ,i beheld a ,maiden--the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of ,my ,lord--suspended in the air before ,me4 ,so rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of ,god1 and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the ,all-,merciful4 ,betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men4 ,she was imparting to both ,my inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced ,my soul1 and the souls of ,god's honored servants4 ,pointing with her finger unto ,my head1 she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth1 saying3 #8,by ,god6 ,this is the ,best-,beloved of the worlds1 and yet ye comprehend not4 ,this is the ,beauty of ,god amongst you1 and the power of ,his sovereignty within you1 could ye but understand4 ,this is the ,mystery of ,god and ,his ,treasure1 the ,cause of ,god and ,his glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of ,revelation and of creation1 if ye be of them that perceive4'0 ,in ,his ,epistle to ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 ,his royal adversary1 revealed at the height of the proclamation of ,his ,message1 occur these passages which shed further light on the ,divine origin of ,his mission3 8,o ,king6 ,i was but a man like others1 asleep upon ,my couch1 when lo1 the breezes of the ,all-,glorious were wafted over ,me1 and taught ,me the knowledge of all that hath been4 ,this thing is not from ,me1 but from ,one ,who is ,almighty and ,all-,knowing4 ,and he bade ,me lift up ,my voice between earth and heaven1 and for this there befell ,me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow4444 ,this is but a leaf which the winds of the will of ,thy ,lord1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised1 have stirred4444 ,his all-compelling summons hath reached ,me1 and caused ,me to speak ,his praise amidst all people4 ,i was indeed as one dead when ,his behest was uttered4 ,the hand of the will of ,thy ,lord1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful1 transformed ,me40 8,by ,my ,life60 ,he asserts in another ,tablet1 8,not of ,mine own volition have ,i revealed ,myself1 but ,god1 of ,his own choosing1 hath manifested ,me40 ,and again3 8,whenever ,i chose to hold ,my peace and be still1 lo1 the ,voice of the ,holy ,spirit1 standing on ,my right hand1 aroused ,me1 and the ,most ,great ,spirit appeared before ,my face1 and ,gabriel overshadowed ,me1 and the ,spirit of ,glory stirred within ,my bosom1 bidding ,me arise and break ,my silence40 ,such were the circumstances in which the ,sun of ,truth arose in the city of ihrn--a city which1 by reason of so rare a privilege conferred upon it1 had been glorified by the ,bb as the 8,holy ,land10 and surnamed by ,bah'u'llh 8the ,mother of the world10 the 8,day-spring of ,light10 the 8,dawning-,place of the signs of the ,lord10 the 8,source of the joy of all mankind40 ,the first dawnings of that ,light of peerless splendor had1 as already described1 broken in the city of ,shrz4 ,the rim of that ,orb had now appeared above the horizon of the ,syh-,chl of ihrn4 ,its rays were to burst forth1 a decade later1 in ,baghdd1 piercing the clouds which immediately after its rise in those somber surroundings obscured its splendor4 ,it was destined to mount to its zenith in the far-away city of ,adrianople1 and ultimately to set in the immediate vicinity of the fortress-town of ,akk4 ,the process whereby the effulgence of so dazzling a ,revelation was unfolded to the eyes of men was of necessity slow and gradual4 ,the first intimation which its ,bearer received did not synchronize with1 nor was it followed immediately by1 a disclosure of its character to either ,his own companions or ,his kindred4 ,a period of no less than ten years had to elapse ere its far-reaching implications could be directly divulged to even those who had been intimately associated with ,him--a period of great spiritual ferment1 during which the ,recipient of so weighty a ,message restlessly anticipated the hour at which ,he could unburden ,his heavily laden soul1 so replete with the potent energies released by ,god's nascent ,revelation4 ,all ,he did1 in the course of this pre-ordained interval1 was to hint1 in veiled and allegorical language1 in epistles1 commentaries1 prayers and treatises1 which ,he was moved to reveal1 that the ,bb's promise had already been fulfilled1 and that ,he ,himself was the ,one ,who had been chosen to redeem it4 ,a few of ,his fellow-disciples1 distinguished by their sagacity1 and their personal attachment and devotion to ,him1 perceived the radiance of the as yet unrevealed glory that had flooded ,his soul1 and would have1 but for ,his restraining influence1 divulged ,his secret and proclaimed it far and wide4 ,chapter ,,vii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,banishment to #8,irq ,the attempt on the life of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 as stated in a previous chapter1 was made on the #bhth of the month of ,shavval1 #abfh ,a4,h41 corresponding to the #aeth of ,august1 #aheb4 ,immediately after1 ,bah'u'llh was arrested in ,nyvarn1 was conducted with the greatest ignominy to ihrn and cast into the ,syh-,chl4 ,his imprisonment lasted for a period of no less than four months1 in the middle of which the 8year nine0 7#abfi71 anticipated in such glowing terms by the ,bb1 and alluded to as the year 8after in0 by ,shaykh ,amad-i-,ahs'1 was ushered in1 endowing with undreamt-of potentialities the whole world4 ,two months after that year was born1 ,bah'u'llh1 the purpose of ,his imprisonment now accomplished1 was released from ,his confinement1 and set out1 a month later1 for ,baghdd1 on the first stage of a memorable and life-long exile which was to carry ,him1 in the course of years1 as far as ,adrianople in ,european ,turkey1 and which was to end with ,his twenty-four years' incarceration in ,akk4 ,now that ,he had been invested1 in consequence of that potent dream1 with the power and sovereign authority associated with ,his ,divine mission1 ,his deliverance from a confinement that had achieved its purpose1 and which if prolonged would have completely fettered ,him in the exercise of ,his newly-bestowed functions1 became not only inevitable1 but imperative and urgent4 ,nor were the means and instruments lacking whereby his emancipation from the shackles that restrained ,him could be effected4 ,the persistent and decisive intervention of the ,russian ,minister1 ,prince ,dolgorouki1 who left no stone unturned to establish the innocence of ,bah'u'llh2 the public confession of ,mull ,shaykh #8,aly-i-,turshz1 surnamed ,am1 who1 in the ,syh-,chl1 in the presence of the ajbu'd-,dawlih and the ,russian ,minister's interpreter and of the government's representative1 emphatically exonerated ,him1 and acknowledged his own complicity2 the indisputable testimony established by competent tribunals2 the unrelaxing efforts exerted by ,his own brothers1 sisters and kindred1--all these combined to effect ,his ultimate deliverance from the hands of ,his rapacious enemies4 ,another potent if less evident influence which must be acknowledged as having had a share in ,his liberation was the fate suffered by so large a number of ,his self-sacrificing fellow-disciples who languished with ,him in that same prison4 ,for1 as ,nabl truly remarks1 8the blood1 shed in the course of that fateful year in ihrn by that heroic band with whom ,bah'u'llh had been imprisoned1 was the ransom paid for ,his deliverance from the hand of a foe that sought to prevent ,him from achieving the purpose for which ,god had destined ,him40 ,with such overwhelming testimonies establishing beyond the shadow of a doubt the non-complicity of ,bah'u'llh1 the ,grand ,vizir1 after having secured the reluctant consent of his sovereign to set free his ,captive1 was now in a position to dispatch his trusted representative1 j #8,al1 to the ,syh-,chl1 instructing him to deliver to ,bah'u'llh the order for ,his release4 ,the sight which that emissary beheld upon his arrival evoked in him such anger that he cursed his master for the shameful treatment of a man of such high position and stainless renown4 ,removing his mantle from his shoulders he presented it to ,bah'u'llh1 entreating ,him to wear it when in the presence of the ,minister and his counsellors1 a request which ,he emphatically refused1 preferring to appear1 attired in the garb of a prisoner1 before the members of the ,imperial government4 ,no sooner had ,he presented ,himself before them than the ,grand ,vizir addressed ,him saying3 8,had you chosen to take my advice1 and had you dissociated yourself from the ,faith of the ,siyyid-i-,bb1 you would never have suffered the pains and indignities that have been heaped upon you40 8,had you1 in your turn10 ,bah'u'llh retorted1 8followed ,my counsels1 the affairs of the government would not have reached so critical a stage40 ,mrz q ,khn was thereupon reminded of the conversation he had had with ,him on the occasion of the ,bb's martyrdom1 when he had been warned that 8the flame that has been kindled will blaze forth more fiercely than ever40 8,what is it that you advise me now to do80 he inquired from ,bah'u'llh4 8,command the governors of the realm10 was the instant reply1 8to cease shedding the blood of the innocent1 to cease plundering their property1 to cease dishonoring their women1 and injuring their children40 ,that same day the ,grand ,vizir acted on the advice thus given him2 but any effect it had1 as the course of subsequent events amply demonstrated1 proved to be momentary and negligible4 ,the relative peace and tranquillity accorded ,bah'u'llh after ,his tragic and cruel imprisonment was destined1 by the dictates of an unerring ,wisdom1 to be of an extremely short duration4 ,he had hardly rejoined ,his family and kindred when a decree from ,niri'd-,dn ,shh was communicated to ,him1 bidding ,him leave the territory of ,persia1 fixing a time-limit of one month for ,his departure and allowing ,him the right to choose the land of ,his exile4 ,the ,russian ,minister1 as soon as he was informed of the ,imperial decision1 expressed the desire to take ,bah'u'llh under the protection of his government1 and offered to extend every facility for ,his removal to ,russia4 ,this invitation1 so spontaneously extended1 ,bah'u'llh declined1 preferring1 in pursuance of an unerring instinct1 to establish ,his abode in ,turkish territory1 in the city of ,baghdd4 8,whilst ,i lay chained and fettered in the prison10 ,he ,himself1 years after1 testified in ,his ,epistle addressed to the ,czar of ,russia1 ,nicolaevitch ,alexander ,,ii1 8one of thy ministers extended ,me his aid4 ,whereupon ,god hath ordained for thee a station which the knowledge of none can comprehend except ,his knowledge4 ,beware lest thou barter away this sublime station40 8,in the days10 is yet another illuminating testimony revealed by ,his pen1 8when this ,wronged ,one was sore-afflicted in prison1 the minister of the highly esteemed government 7of ,russia7--may ,god1 glorified and exalted be ,he1 assist him6--exerted his utmost endeavor to compass ,my deliverance4 ,several times permission for ,my release was granted4 ,some of the #8ulams of the city1 however1 would prevent it4 ,finally1 ,my freedom was gained through the solicitude and the endeavor of ,his ,excellency the ,minister4 444,his ,imperial ,majesty1 the ,most ,great ,emperor--may ,god1 exalted and glorified be ,he1 assist him6--extended to ,me for the sake of ,god his protection--a protection which has excited the envy and enmity of the foolish ones of the earth40 ,the ,shh's edict1 equivalent to an order for the immediate expulsion of ,bah'u'llh from ,persian territory1 opens a new and glorious chapter in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,viewed in its proper perspective it will be even recognized to have ushered in one of the most eventful and momentous epochs in the world's religious history4 ,it coincides with the inauguration of a ministry extending over a period of almost forty years--a ministry which1 by virtue of its creative power1 its cleansing force1 its healing influences1 and the irresistible operation of the world-directing1 world-shaping forces it released1 stands unparalleled in the religious annals of the entire human race4 ,it marks the opening phase in a series of banishments1 ranging over a period of four decades1 and terminating only with the death of ,him ,who was the ,object of that cruel edict4 ,the process which it set in motion1 gradually progressing and unfolding1 began by establishing ,his ,cause for a time in the very midst of the jealously-guarded stronghold of ,sh'ah ,islm1 and brought ,him in personal contact with its highest and most illustrious exponents2 then1 at a later stage1 it confronted ,him1 at the seat of the ,caliphate1 with the civil and ecclesiastical dignitaries of the realm and the representatives of the ,suln of ,turkey1 the most powerful potentate in the ,islamic world2 and finally carried ,him as far as the shores of the ,holy ,land1 thereby fulfilling the prophecies recorded in both the ,old and the ,new ,testaments1 redeeming the pledge enshrined in various traditions attributed to the ,apostle of ,god and the ,imms who succeeded ,him1 and ushering in the long-awaited restoration of ,israel to the ancient cradle of its ,faith4 ,with it1 may be said to have begun the last and most fruitful of the four stages of a life1 the first twenty-seven years of which were characterized by the care-free enjoyment of all the advantages conferred by high birth and riches1 and by an unfailing solicitude for the interests of the poor1 the sick and the down-trodden2 followed by nine years of active and exemplary discipleship in the service of the ,bb2 and finally by an imprisonment of four months' duration1 overshadowed throughout by mortal peril1 embittered by agonizing sorrows1 and immortalized1 as it drew to a close1 by the sudden eruption of the forces released by an overpowering1 soul-revolutionizing ,revelation4 ,this enforced and hurried departure of ,bah'u'llh from ,his native land1 accompanied by some of ,his relatives1 recalls in some of its aspects1 the precipitate flight of the ,holy ,family into ,egypt2 the sudden migration of ,muammad1 soon after ,his assumption of the prophetic office1 from ,mecca to ,medina2 the exodus of ,moses1 ,his brother and ,his followers from the land of their birth1 in response to the ,divine summons1 and above all the banishment of ,abraham from ,ur of the ,chaldees to the ,promised ,land--a banishment which1 in the multitudinous benefits it conferred upon so many divers peoples1 faiths and nations1 constitutes the nearest historical approach to the incalculable blessings destined to be vouchsafed1 in this day1 and in future ages1 to the whole human race1 in direct consequence of the exile suffered by ,him ,whose ,cause is the flower and fruit of all previous ,revelations4 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 after enumerating in ,his 8,some ,answered ,questions0 the far-reaching consequences of ,abraham's banishment1 significantly affirms that 8since the exile of ,abraham from ,ur to ,aleppo in ,syria produced this result1 we must consider what will be the effect of the exile of ,bah'u'llh in ,his several removes from ihrn to ,baghdd1 from thence to ,constantinople1 to ,rumelia and to the ,holy ,land40 ,on the first day of the month of ,rab'u'th-,thn1 of the year #abfi ,a4,h41 7,january #ab1 #ahec71 nine months after ,his return from ,karbil1 ,bah'u'llh1 together with some of the members of ,his family1 and escorted by an officer of the ,imperial body-guard and an official representing the ,russian ,legation1 set out on ,his three months' journey to ,baghdd4 ,among those who shared ,his exile was ,his wife1 the saintly ,navvb1 entitled by ,him the 8,most ,exalted ,leaf10 who1 during almost forty years1 continued to evince a fortitude1 a piety1 a devotion and a nobility of soul which earned her from the pen of her ,lord the posthumous and unrivalled tribute of having been made ,his 8perpetual consort in all the worlds of ,god40 ,his nine-year-old son1 later surnamed the 8,most ,great ,branch10 destined to become the ,center of ,his ,covenant and authorized ,interpreter of ,his teachings1 together with ,his seven-year-old sister1 known in later years by the same title as that of her illustrious mother1 and whose services until the ripe old age of four score years and six1 no less than her exalted parentage1 entitle her to the distinction of ranking as the outstanding heroine of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 were also included among the exiles who were now bidding their last farewell to their native country4 ,of the two brothers who accompanied ,him on that journey the first was ,mrz ,ms1 commonly called qy-i-,kalm1 ,his staunch and valued supporter1 the ablest and most distinguished among ,his brothers and sisters1 and one of the 8only two persons who10 according to ,bah'u'llh's testimony1 8were adequately informed of the origins0 of ,his ,faith4 ,the other was ,mrz ,muammad-,qul1 a half-brother1 who1 in spite of the defection of some of his relatives1 remained to the end loyal to the ,cause he had espoused4 ,the journey1 undertaken in the depth of an exceptionally severe winter1 carrying the little band of exiles1 so inadequately equipped1 across the snow-bound mountains of ,western ,persia1 though long and perilous1 was uneventful except for the warm and enthusiastic reception accorded the travelers during their brief stay in ,karand by its governor ,hayat-,qul ,khn1 of the ,allyu'llh sect4 ,he was shown1 in return1 such kindness by ,bah'u'llh that the people of the entire village were affected1 and continued1 long after1 to extend such hospitality to ,his followers on their way to ,baghdd that they gained the reputation of being known as ,bbs4 ,in a prayer revealed by ,him at that time1 ,bah'u'llh1 expatiating upon the woes and trials ,he had endured in the ,syh-,chl1 thus bears witness to the hardships undergone in the course of that 8terrible journey03 8,my ,god1 ,my ,master1 ,my ,desire6444 ,thou hast created this atom of dust through the consummate power of ,thy might1 and nurtured ,him with ,thine hands which none can chain up4444 ,thou hast destined for ,him trials and tribulations which no tongue can describe1 nor any of ,thy ,tablets adequately recount4 ,the throat ,thou didst accustom to the touch of silk ,thou hast1 in the end1 clasped with strong chains1 and the body ,thou didst ease with brocades and velvets ,thou hast at last subjected to the abasement of a dungeon4 ,thy decree hath shackled ,me with unnumbered fetters1 and cast about ,my neck chains that none can sunder4 ,a number of years have passed during which afflictions have1 like showers of mercy1 rained upon ,me4444 ,how many the nights during which the weight of chains and fetters allowed ,me no rest1 and how numerous the days during which peace and tranquillity were denied ,me1 by reason of that wherewith the hands and tongues of men have afflicted ,me6 ,both bread and water which ,thou hast1 through ,thy all-embracing mercy1 allowed unto the beasts of the field1 they have1 for a time1 forbidden unto this servant1 and the things they refused to inflict upon such as have seceded from ,thy ,cause1 the same have they suffered to be inflicted upon ,me1 until1 finally1 ,thy decree was irrevocably fixed1 and ,thy behest summoned this servant to depart out of ,persia1 accompanied by a number of frail-bodied men and children of tender age1 at this time when the cold is so intense that one cannot even speak1 and ice and snow so abundant that it is impossible to move40 ,finally1 on the #bhth of ,jamdiyu'th-,thn #abfi ,a4,h4 7,april #h1 #ahec71 ,bah'u'llh arrived in ,baghdd1 the capital city of what was then the ,turkish province of #8,irq4 ,from there ,he proceeded1 a few days after1 to ,kazmayn1 about three miles north of the city1 a town inhabited chiefly by ,persians1 and where the two ,kzims1 the seventh and the ninth ,imms1 are buried4 ,soon after ,his arrival the representative of the ,shh's government1 stationed in ,baghdd1 called on ,him1 and suggested that it would be advisable for ,him1 in view of the many visitors crowding that center of pilgrimage1 to establish ,his residence in ,old ,baghdd1 a suggestion with which ,he readily concurred4 ,a month later1 towards the end of ,rajab1 ,he rented the house of j #8,al ,madad1 in an old quarter of the city1 into which ,he moved with ,his family4 ,in that city1 described in ,islamic traditions as 8,zahru'l-,kfih10 designated for centuries as the 8,abode of ,peace10 and immortalized by ,bah'u'llh as the 8,city of ,god10 ,he1 except for ,his two year retirement to the mountains of ,kurdistn and ,his occasional visits to ,najaf1 ,karbil and ,kazmayn1 continued to reside until ,his banishment to ,constantinople4 ,to that city the ,qur'n had alluded as the 8,abode of ,peace0 to which ,god ,himself 8calleth40 ,to it1 in that same ,book1 further allusion had been made in the verse 8,for them is a ,dwelling of ,peace with their ,lord 444 on the ,day whereon ,god shall gather them all together40 ,from it radiated1 wave after wave1 a power1 a radiance and a glory which insensibly reanimated a languishing ,faith1 sorely-stricken1 sinking into obscurity1 threatened with oblivion4 ,from it were diffused1 day and night1 and with ever-increasing energy1 the first emanations of a ,revelation which1 in its scope1 its copiousness1 its driving force and the volume and variety of its literature1 was destined to excel that of the ,bb ,himself4 ,above its horizon burst forth the rays of the ,sun of ,truth1 ,whose rising glory had for ten long years been overshadowed by the inky clouds of a consuming hatred1 an ineradicable jealousy1 an unrelenting malice4 ,in it the ,tabernacle of the promised 8,lord of ,hosts0 was first erected1 and the foundations of the long-awaited ,kingdom of the 8,father0 unassailably established4 ,out of it went forth the earliest tidings of the ,message of ,salvation which1 as prophesied by ,daniel1 was to mark1 after the lapse of 8a thousand two hundred and ninety days0 7#abij ,a4,h471 the end of 8the abomination that maketh desolate40 ,within its walls the 8,most ,great ,house of ,god10 ,his 8,footstool0 and the 8,throne of ,his ,glory10 8the ,cynosure of an adoring world10 the 8,lamp of ,salvation between earth and heaven10 the 8,sign of ,his remembrance to all who are in heaven and on earth10 enshrining the 8,jewel whose glory hath irradiated all creation10 the 8,standard0 of ,his ,kingdom1 the 8,shrine round which will circle the concourse of the faithful0 was irrevocably founded and permanently consecrated4 ,upon it1 by virtue of its sanctity as ,bah'u'llh's 8,most ,holy ,habitation0 and 8,seat of ,his transcendent glory10 was conferred the honor of being regarded as a center of pilgrimage second to none except the city of ,akk1 ,his 8,most ,great ,prison10 in whose immediate vicinity ,his holy ,sepulcher1 the ,qiblih of the ,bah' world1 is enshrined4 ,around the heavenly ,table1 spread in its very heart1 clergy and laity1 ,sunns and ,sh'ahs1 ,kurds1 ,arabs1 and ,persians1 princes and nobles1 peasants and dervishes1 gathered in increasing numbers from far and near1 all partaking1 according to their needs and capacities1 of a measure of that ,divine sustenance which was to enable them1 in the course of time1 to noise abroad the fame of that bountiful ,giver1 swell the ranks of ,his admirers1 scatter far and wide ,his writings1 enlarge the limits of ,his congregation1 and lay a firm foundation for the future erection of the institutions of ,his ,faith4 ,and finally1 before the gaze of the diversified communities that dwelt within its gates1 the first phase in the gradual unfoldment of a newborn ,revelation was ushered in1 the first effusions from the inspired pen of its ,author were recorded1 the first principles of ,his slowly crystallizing doctrine were formulated1 the first implications of ,his august station were apprehended1 the first attacks aiming at the disruption of ,his ,faith from within were launched1 the first victories over its internal enemies were registered1 and the first pilgrimages to the ,door of ,his ,presence were undertaken4 ,this life-long exile to which the ,bearer of so precious a ,message was now providentially condemned did not1 and indeed could not1 manifest1 either suddenly or rapidly1 the potentialities latent within it4 ,the process whereby its unsuspected benefits were to be manifested to the eyes of men was slow1 painfully slow1 and was characterized1 as indeed the history of ,his ,faith from its inception to the present day demonstrates1 by a number of crises which at times threatened to arrest its unfoldment and blast all the hopes which its progress had engendered4 ,one such crisis which1 as it deepened1 threatened to jeopardize ,his newborn ,faith and to subvert its earliest foundations1 overshadowed the first years of ,his sojourn in #8,irq1 the initial stage in ,his life-long exile1 and imparted to them a special significance4 ,unlike those which preceded it1 this crisis was purely internal in character1 and was occasioned solely by the acts1 the ambitions and follies of those who were numbered among ,his recognized fellow-disciples4 ,the external enemies of the ,faith1 whether civil or ecclesiastical1 who had thus far been chiefly responsible for the reverses and humiliations it had suffered1 were by now relatively quiescent4 ,the public appetite for revenge1 which had seemed insatiable1 had now1 to some extent1 in consequence of the torrents of blood that had flowed1 abated4 ,a feeling1 bordering on exhaustion and despair1 had1 moreover1 settled on some of its most inveterate enemies1 who were astute enough to perceive that though the ,faith had bent beneath the grievous blows their hands had dealt it1 its structure had remained essentially unimpaired and its spirit unbroken4 ,the orders issued to the governors of the provinces by the ,grand ,vizir had had1 furthermore1 a sobering effect on the local authorities1 who were now dissuaded from venting their fury upon1 and from indulging in their sadistic cruelties against1 a hated adversary4 ,a lull had1 in consequence1 momentarily ensued1 which was destined to be broken1 at a later stage1 by a further wave of repressive measures in which the ,suln of ,turkey and his ministers1 as well as the ,sunn sacerdotal order1 were to join hands with the ,shh and the ,sh'ah clericals of ,persia and #8,irq in an endeavor to stamp out1 once and for all1 the ,faith and all it stood for4 ,while this lull persisted the initial manifestations of the internal crisis1 already mentioned1 were beginning to reveal themselves--a crisis which1 though less spectacular in the public eye1 proved itself1 as it moved to its climax1 to be one of unprecedented gravity1 reducing the numerical strength of the infant community1 imperiling its unity1 causing immense damage to its prestige1 and tarnishing for a considerable period of time its glory4 ,this crisis had already been brewing in the days immediately following the execution of the ,bb1 was intensified during the months when the controlling hand of ,bah'u'llh was suddenly withdrawn as a result of ,his confinement in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 was further aggravated by ,his precipitate banishment from ,persia1 and began to protrude its disturbing features during the first years of ,his sojourn in ,baghdd4 ,its devastating force gathered momentum during ,his two year retirement to the mountains of ,kurdistn1 and though it was checked1 for a time1 after ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih1 under the overmastering influences exerted preparatory to the ,declaration of ,his ,mission1 it broke out later1 with still greater violence1 and reached its climax in ,adrianople1 only to receive finally its death-blow under the impact of the irresistible forces released through the proclamation of that ,mission to all mankind4 ,its central figure was no less a person than the nominee of the ,bb ,himself1 the credulous and cowardly ,mrz ,yay1 to certain traits of whose character reference has already been made in the foregoing pages4 ,the black-hearted scoundrel who befooled and manipulated this vain and flaccid man with consummate skill and unyielding persistence was a certain ,siyyid ,muammad1 a native of ,ifhn1 notorious for his inordinate ambition1 his blind obstinacy and uncontrollable jealousy4 ,to him ,bah'u'llh had later referred in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas as the one who had 8led astray0 ,mrz ,yay1 and stigmatized him1 in one of ,his ,tablets1 as the 8source of envy and the quintessence of mischief10 while #8,abdu'l-,bah had described the relationship existing between these two as that of 8the sucking child0 to the 8much-prized breast0 of its mother4 ,forced to abandon his studies in the madrisiyi-i-,sadr of ,ifhn1 this ,siyyid had migrated1 in shame and remorse1 to ,karbil1 had there joined the ranks of the ,bb's followers1 and shown1 after ,his martyrdom1 signs of vacillation which exposed the shallowness of his faith and the fundamental weakness of his convictions4 ,bah'u'llh's first visit to ,karbil and the marks of undisguised reverence1 love and admiration shown ,him by some of the most distinguished among the former disciples and companions of ,siyyid ,kzim1 had aroused in this calculating and unscrupulous schemer an envy1 and bred in his soul an animosity1 which the forbearance and patience shown him by ,bah'u'llh had served only to inflame4 ,his deluded helpers1 willing tools of his diabolical designs1 were the not inconsiderable number of ,bbs who1 baffled1 disillusioned and leaderless1 were already predisposed to be beguiled by him into pursuing a path diametrically opposed to the tenets and counsels of a departed ,leader4 ,for1 with the ,bb no longer in the midst of ,his followers2 with ,his nominee1 either seeking a safe hiding place in the mountains of ,mzindarn1 or wearing the disguise of a dervish or of an ,arab wandering from town to town2 with ,bah'u'llh imprisoned and subsequently banished beyond the limits of ,his native country2 with the flower of the ,faith mown down in a seemingly unending series of slaughters1 the remnants of that persecuted community were sunk in a distress that appalled and paralyzed them1 that stifled their spirit1 confused their minds and strained to the utmost their loyalty4 ,reduced to this extremity they could no longer rely on any voice that commanded sufficient authority to still their forebodings1 resolve their problems1 or prescribe to them their duties and obligations4 ,nabl1 traveling at that time through the province of ,khursn1 the scene of the tumultuous early victories of a rising ,faith1 had himself summed up his impressions of the prevailing condition4 8,the fire of the ,cause of ,god10 he testifies in his narrative1 8had been well-nigh quenched in every place4 ,i could detect no trace of warmth anywhere40 ,in ,qazvn1 according to the same testimony1 the remnant of the community had split into four factions1 bitterly opposed to one another1 and a prey to the most absurd doctrines and fancies4 ,bah'u'llh upon ,his arrival in ,baghdd1 a city which had witnessed the glowing evidences of the indefatigable zeal of ,thirih1 found among ,his countrymen residing in that city no more than a single ,bb1 while in ,kazmayn inhabited chiefly by ,persians1 a mere handful of ,his compatriots remained who still professed1 in fear and obscurity1 their faith in the ,bb4 ,the morals of the members of this dwindling community1 no less than their numbers1 had sharply declined4 ,such was their 8waywardness and folly10 to quote ,bah'u'llh's own words1 that upon ,his release from prison1 ,his first decision was 8to arise 444 and undertake1 with the utmost vigor1 the task of regenerating this people40 ,as the character of the professed adherents of the ,bb declined and as proofs of the deepening confusion that afflicted them multiplied1 the mischief-makers1 who were lying in wait1 and whose sole aim was to exploit the progressive deterioration in the situation for their own benefit1 grew ever more and more audacious4 ,the conduct of ,mrz ,yay1 who claimed to be the successor of the ,bb1 and who prided himself on his high sounding titles of ,mir'atu'l-,azalyyih 7,everlasting ,mirror71 of ,subh-i-,azal 7,morning of ,eternity71 and of ,ismu'l-,azal 7,name of ,eternity71 and particularly the machinations of ,siyyid ,muammad1 exalted by him to the rank of the first among the 8,witnesses0 of the ,bayn1 were by now assuming such a character that the prestige of the ,faith was becoming directly involved1 and its future security seriously imperiled4 ,the former had1 after the execution of the ,bb1 sustained such a violent shock that his faith almost forsook him4 ,wandering for a time1 in the guise of a dervish1 in the mountains of ,mzindarn1 he1 by his behavior1 had so severely tested the loyalty of his fellow-believers in ,nr1 most of whom had been converted through the indefatigable zeal of ,bah'u'llh1 that they too wavered in their convictions1 some of them going so far as to throw in their lot with the enemy4 ,he subsequently proceeded to ,rasht1 and remained concealed in the province of ,gln until his departure for ,kirmanshh1 where in order the better to screen himself he entered the service of a certain #8,abdu'llh-i-,qazvn1 a maker of shrouds1 and became a vendor of his goods4 ,he was still there when ,bah'u'llh passed through that city on ,his way to ,baghdd1 and expressing a desire to live in close proximity to ,bah'u'llh but in a house by himself where he could ply some trade incognito1 he succeeded in obtaining from ,him a sum of money with which he purchased several bales of cotton and then proceeded1 in the garb of an ,arab1 by way of ,mandalj to ,baghdd4 ,he established himself there in the street of the ,charcoal ,dealers1 situated in a dilapidated quarter of the city1 and placing a turban upon his head1 and assuming the name of j #8,aly-i-,ls-,fursh1 embarked on his newly-chosen occupation4 ,siyyid ,muammad had meanwhile settled in ,karbil1 and was busily engaged1 with ,mrz ,yay as his lever1 in kindling dissensions and in deranging the life of the exiles and of the community that had gathered about them4 ,little wonder that from the pen of ,bah'u'llh1 ,who was as yet unable to divulge the ,secret that stirred within ,his bosom1 these words of warning1 of counsel and of assurance should1 at a time when the shadows were beginning to deepen around ,him1 have proceeded3 8,the days of tests are now come4 ,oceans of dissension and tribulation are surging1 and the ,banners of ,doubt are1 in every nook and corner1 occupied in stirring up mischief and in leading men to perdition4 444,suffer not the voice of some of the soldiers of negation to cast doubt into your midst1 neither allow yourselves to become heedless of ,him ,who is the ,truth1 inasmuch as in every ,dispensation such contentions have been raised4 ,god1 however1 will establish ,his ,faith1 and manifest ,his light albeit the stirrers of sedition abhor it4 444,watch ye every day for the ,cause of ,god4444 ,all are held captive in ,his grasp4 ,no place is there for any one to flee to4 ,think not the ,cause of ,god to be a thing lightly taken1 in which any one can gratify his whims4 ,in various quarters a number of souls have1 at the present time1 advanced this same claim4 ,the time is approaching when 444 every one of them will have perished and been lost1 nay will have come to naught and become a thing unremembered1 even as the dust itself40 ,to ,mrz q ,jn1 8the first to believe0 in ,him1 designated later as ,khdimu'-llh 7,servant of ,god7--a ,bb youth1 aflame with devotion1 who1 under the influence of a dream he had of the ,bb1 and as a result of the perusal of certain writings of ,bah'u'llh1 had precipitately forsaken his home in ,kshn and traveled to #8,irq1 in the hope of attaining ,his presence1 and who from then on served ,him assiduously for a period of forty years in his triple function of amanuensis1 companion and attendant--to him ,bah'u'llh1 more than to any one else1 was moved to disclose1 at this critical juncture1 a glimpse of the as yet unrevealed glory of ,his station4 ,this same ,mrz q ,jn1 recounting to ,nabl his experiences1 on that first and never to be forgotten night spent in ,karbil1 in the presence of his newly-found ,beloved1 ,who was then a guest of j ,mrz asan-i-,hakm-,bsh1 had given the following testimony3 8,as it was summer-time ,bah'u'llh was in the habit of passing ,his evenings and of sleeping on the roof of the ,house4444 ,that night1 when ,he had gone to sleep1 ,i1 according to ,his directions1 lay down for a brief rest1 at a distance of a few feet from ,him4 ,no sooner had ,i risen1 and 444 started to offer my prayers1 in a corner of the roof which adjoined a wall1 than ,i beheld ,his blessed ,person rise and walk towards me4 ,when ,he reached me ,he said3 #8,you1 too1 are awake4' ,whereupon ,he began to chant and pace back and forth4 ,how shall ,i ever describe that voice and the verses it intoned1 and ,his gait1 as ,he strode before me6 ,methinks1 with every step ,he took and every word ,he uttered thousands of oceans of light surged before my face1 and thousands of worlds of incomparable splendor were unveiled to my eyes1 and thousands of suns blazed their light upon me6 ,in the moonlight that streamed upon ,him1 ,he thus continued to walk and to chant4 ,every time ,he approached me ,he would pause1 and1 in a tone so wondrous that no tongue can describe it1 would say3 #8,hear ,me1 ,my son4 ,by ,god1 the ,true ,one6 ,this ,cause will assuredly be made manifest4 ,heed thou not the idle talk of the people of the ,bayn1 who pervert the meaning of every word4' ,in this manner ,he continued to walk and chant1 and to address me these words until the first streaks of dawn appeared4444 ,afterwards ,i removed ,his bedding to ,his room1 and1 having prepared ,his tea for ,him1 was dismissed from ,his presence40 ,the confidence instilled in ,mrz q ,jn by this unexpected and sudden contact with the spirit and directing genius of a new-born ,revelation stirred his soul to its depths--a soul already afire with a consuming love born of his recognition of the ascendancy which his newly-found ,master had already achieved over ,his fellow-disciples in both #8,irq and ,persia4 ,this intense adoration that informed his whole being1 and which could neither be suppressed nor concealed1 was instantly detected by both ,mrz ,yay and his fellow-conspirator ,siyyid ,muammad4 ,the circumstances leading to the revelation of the ,tablet of ,kullu't-,t'am1 written during that period1 at the request of j ,mrz ,kamlu'd-,dn-i-,narq1 a ,bb of honorable rank and high culture1 could not but aggravate a situation that had already become serious and menacing4 ,impelled by a desire to receive illumination from ,mrz ,yay concerning the meaning of the ,qur'nic verse 8,all food was allowed to the children of ,israel10 j ,mrz ,kamlu'd-,dn had requested him to write a commentary upon it--a request which was granted1 but with reluctance and in a manner which showed such incompetence and superficiality as to disillusion j ,mrz ,kamlu'd-,dn1 and to destroy his confidence in its author4 ,turning to ,bah'u'llh and repeating his request1 he was honored by a ,tablet1 in which ,israel and his children were identified with the ,bb and ,his followers respectively--a ,tablet which by reason of the allusions it contained1 the beauty of its language and the cogency of its argument1 so enraptured the soul of its recipient that he would have1 but for the restraining hand of ,bah'u'llh1 proclaimed forthwith his discovery of ,god's hidden ,secret in the person of the ,one ,who had revealed it4 ,to these evidences of an ever deepening veneration for ,bah'u'llh and of a passionate attachment to ,his person were now being added further grounds for the outbreak of the pent-up jealousies which ,his mounting prestige evoked in the breasts of ,his ill-wishers and enemies4 ,the steady extension of the circle of ,his acquaintances and admirers2 ,his friendly intercourse with officials including the governor of the city2 the unfeigned homage offered ,him1 on so many occasions and so spontaneously1 by men who had once been distinguished companions of ,siyyid ,kzim2 the disillusionment which the persistent concealment of ,mrz ,yay1 and the unflattering reports circulated regarding his character and abilities1 had engendered2 the signs of increasing independence1 of innate sagacity and inherent superiority and capacity for leadership unmistakably exhibited by ,bah'u'llh ,himself--all combined to widen the breach which the infamous and crafty ,siyyid ,muammad had sedulously contrived to create4 ,a clandestine opposition1 whose aim was to nullify every effort exerted1 and frustrate every design conceived1 by ,bah'u'llh for the rehabilitation of a distracted community1 could now be clearly discerned4 ,insinuations1 whose purpose was to sow the seeds of doubt and suspicion and to represent ,him as a usurper1 as the subverter of the laws instituted by the ,bb1 and the wrecker of ,his ,cause1 were being incessantly circulated4 ,his ,epistles1 interpretations1 invocations and commentaries were being covertly and indirectly criticized1 challenged and misrepresented4 ,an attempt to injure ,his person was even set afoot but failed to materialize4 ,the cup of ,bah'u'llh's sorrows was now running over4 ,all ,his exhortations1 all ,his efforts to remedy a rapidly deteriorating situation1 had remained fruitless4 ,the velocity of ,his manifold woes was hourly and visibly increasing4 ,upon the sadness that filled ,his soul and the gravity of the situation confronting ,him1 ,his writings1 revealed during that somber period1 throw abundant light4 ,in some of ,his prayers ,he poignantly confesses that 8tribulation upon tribulation0 had gathered about ,him1 that 8adversaries with one consent0 had fallen upon ,him1 that 8wretchedness0 had grievously touched ,him1 and that 8woes at their blackest0 had befallen ,him4 ,god ,himself ,he calls upon as a ,witness to ,his 8sighs and lamentations10 ,his 8powerlessness1 poverty and destitution10 to the 8injuries0 ,he sustained1 and the 8abasement0 ,he suffered4 8,so grievous hath been ,my weeping10 ,he1 in one of these prayers1 avows1 8that ,i have been prevented from making mention of ,thee and singing ,thy praises40 8,so loud hath been the voice of ,my lamentation10 ,he1 in another passage1 avers1 8that every mother mourning for her child would be amazed1 and would still her weeping and her grief40 8,the wrongs which ,i suffer10 ,he1 in ,his ,law-i-,maryam1 laments1 8have blotted out the wrongs suffered by ,my ,first ,name 7the ,bb7 from the ,tablet of creation40 8,o ,maryam60 ,he continues1 8,from the ,land of ,t 7ihrn71 after countless afflictions1 ,we reached #8,irq1 at the bidding of the ,tyrant of ,persia1 where1 after the fetters of ,our foes1 ,we were afflicted with the perfidy of ,our friends4 ,god knoweth what befell ,me thereafter60 ,and again3 8,i have borne what no man1 be he of the past or of the future1 hath borne or will bear40 8,oceans of sadness10 ,he testifies in the ,tablet of ,qullu't-,t'am1 8have surged over ,me1 a drop of which no soul could bear to drink4 ,such is ,my grief that ,my soul hath well nigh departed from ,my body40 8,give ear1 ,o ,kaml60 ,he1 in that same ,tablet1 depicting ,his plight1 exclaims1 8to the voice of this lowly1 this forsaken ant1 that hath hid itself in its hole1 and whose desire is to depart from your midst1 and vanish from your sight1 by reason of that which the hands of men have wrought4 ,god1 verily1 hath been witness between ,me and ,his servants40 ,and again3 8,woe is ,me1 woe is ,me6444 ,all that ,i have seen from the day on which ,i first drank the pure milk from the breast of ,my mother until this moment hath been effaced from ,my memory1 in consequence of that which the hands of the people have committed40 ,furthermore1 in ,his ,qsidiy-i-,varq'yyih1 an ode revealed during the days of ,his retirement to the mountains of ,kurdistn1 in praise of the ,maiden personifying the ,spirit of ,god recently descended upon ,him1 ,he thus gives vent to the agonies of ,his sorrow-laden heart3 8,noah's flood is but the measure of the tears ,i have shed1 and ,abraham's fire an ebullition of ,my soul4 ,jacob's grief is but a reflection of ,my sorrows1 and ,job's afflictions a fraction of my calamity40 8,pour out patience upon ,me1 ,o ,my ,lord60--such is ,his supplication in one of ,his prayers1 8and render ,me victorious over the transgressors40 8,in these days10 ,he1 describing in the ,kitb-i-qn the virulence of the jealousy which1 at that time1 was beginning to bare its venomous fangs1 has written1 8such odors of jealousy are diffused1 that 444 from the beginning of the foundation of the world 444 until the present day1 such malice1 envy and hate have in no wise appeared1 nor will they ever be witnessed in the future40 8,for two years or rather less10 ,he1 likewise1 in another ,tablet1 declares1 8,i shunned all else but ,god1 and closed ,mine eyes to all except ,him1 that haply the fire of hatred may die down and the heat of jealousy abate40 ,mrz q ,jn himself has testified3 8,that ,blessed ,beauty evinced such sadness that the limbs of my body trembled40 ,he has1 likewise1 related1 as reported by ,nabl in his narrative1 that1 shortly before ,bah'u'llh's retirement1 he had on one occasion seen ,him1 between dawn and sunrise1 suddenly come out from ,his house1 ,his night-cap still on ,his head1 showing such signs of perturbation that he was powerless to gaze into ,his face1 and while walking1 angrily remark3 8,these creatures are the same creatures who for three thousand years have worshipped idols1 and bowed down before the ,golden ,calf4 ,now1 too1 they are fit for nothing better4 ,what relation can there be between this people and ,him ,who is the ,countenance of ,glory8 ,what ties can bind them to the ,one ,who is the supreme embodiment of all that is lovable80 8,i stood10 declared ,mrz q ,jn1 8rooted to the spot1 lifeless1 dried up as a dead tree1 ready to fall under the impact of the stunning power of ,his words4 ,finally1 ,he said3 #8,bid them recite3 8,is there any ,remover of difficulties save ,god8 ,say3 ,praised be ,god6 ,he is ,god6 ,all are ,his servants1 and all abide by ,his bidding60 ,tell them to repeat it five hundred times1 nay1 a thousand times1 by day and by night1 sleeping and waking1 that haply the ,countenance of ,glory may be unveiled to their eyes1 and tiers of light descend upon them4' ,he ,himself1 ,i was subsequently informed1 recited this same verse1 ,his face betraying the utmost sadness4 444,several times during those days1 ,he was heard to remark3 #8,we have1 for a while1 tarried amongst this people1 and failed to discern the slightest response on their part4' ,oftentimes ,he alluded to ,his disappearance from our midst1 yet none of us understood ,his meaning40 ,finally1 discerning1 as ,he ,himself testifies in the ,kitb-i-qn1 8the signs of impending events10 ,he decided that before they happened ,he would retire4 8,the one object of ,our retirement10 ,he1 in that same ,book affirms1 8was to avoid becoming a subject of discord among the faithful1 a source of disturbance unto ,our companions1 the means of injury to any soul1 or the cause of sorrow to any heart40 8,our withdrawal10 ,he1 moreover1 in that same passage emphatically asserts1 8contemplated no return1 and ,our separation hoped for no reunion40 ,suddenly1 and without informing any one even among the members of ,his own family1 on the #abth of ,rajab #abgj ,a4,h4 7,april #aj1 #ahed71 ,he departed1 accompanied by an attendant1 a ,muammadan named ,abu'l-,qsim-i-,hamadn1 to whom ,he gave a sum of money1 instructing him to act as a merchant and use it for his own purposes4 ,shortly after1 that servant was attacked by thieves and killed1 and ,bah'u'llh was left entirely alone in ,his wanderings through the wastes of ,kurdistn1 a region whose sturdy and warlike people were known for their age-long hostility to the ,persians1 whom they regarded as seceders from the ,faith of ,islm1 and from whom they differed in their outlook1 race and language4 ,attired in the garb of a traveler1 coarsely clad1 taking with ,him nothing but his kashkl 7alms-bowl7 and a change of clothes1 and assuming the name of ,darvsh ,muammad1 ,bah'u'llh retired to the wilderness1 and lived for a time on a mountain named ,sar-,gal1 so far removed from human habitations that only twice a year1 at seed sowing and harvest time1 it was visited by the peasants of that region4 ,alone and undisturbed1 ,he passed a considerable part of ,his retirement on the top of that mountain in a rude structure1 made of stone1 which served those peasants as a shelter against the extremities of the weather4 ,at times ,his dwelling-place was a cave to which ,he refers in ,his ,tablets addressed to the famous ,shaykh #8,abdu'r-,rahmn and to ,maryam1 a kinswoman of ,his4 8,i roamed the wilderness of resignation0 ,he thus depicts1 in the ,law-i-,maryam1 the rigors of ,his austere solitude1 8traveling in such wise that in ,my exile every eye wept sore over ,me1 and all created things shed tears of blood because of ,my anguish4 ,the birds of the air were ,my companions and the beasts of the field ,my associates40 8,from ,my eyes10 ,he1 referring in the ,kitb-i-qn to those days1 testifies1 8there rained tears of anguish1 and in ,my bleeding heart surged an ocean of agonizing pain4 ,many a night ,i had no food for sustenance1 and many a day ,my body found no rest4444 ,alone ,i communed with ,my spirit1 oblivious of the world and all that is therein40 ,in the odes ,he revealed1 whilst wrapped in ,his devotions during those days of utter seclusion1 and in the prayers and soliloquies which1 in verse and prose1 both in ,arabic and ,persian1 poured from ,his sorrow-laden soul1 many of which ,he was wont to chant aloud to ,himself1 at dawn and during the watches of the night1 ,he lauded the names and attributes of ,his ,creator1 extolled the glories and mysteries of ,his own ,revelation1 sang the praises of that ,maiden that personified the ,spirit of ,god within ,him1 dwelt on ,his loneliness and ,his past and future tribulations1 expatiated upon the blindness of ,his generation1 the perfidy of ,his friends and the perversity of ,his enemies1 affirmed ,his determination to arise and1 if needs be1 offer up ,his life for the vindication of ,his ,cause1 stressed those essential pre-requisites which every seeker after ,truth must possess1 and recalled1 in anticipation of the lot that was to be ,his1 the tragedy of the ,imm usayn in ,karbil1 the plight of ,muammad in ,mecca1 the sufferings of ,jesus at the hands of the ,jews1 the trials of ,moses inflicted by ,pharaoh and his people and the ordeal of ,joseph as ,he languished in a pit by reason of the treachery of ,his brothers4 ,these initial and impassioned outpourings of a ,soul struggling to unburden itself1 in the solitude of a self-imposed exile 7many of them1 alas lost to posterity7 are1 with the ,tablet of ,kullu't-,t'am and the poem entitled ,rashh-i-#8,am1 revealed in ihrn1 the first fruits of ,his ,divine ,pen4 ,they are the forerunners of those immortal works--the ,kitb-i-qn1 the ,hidden ,words and the ,seven ,valleys--which in the years preceding ,his ,declaration in ,baghdd1 were to enrich so vastly the steadily swelling volume of ,his writings1 and which paved the way for a further flowering of ,his prophetic genius in ,his epoch-making ,proclamation to the world1 couched in the form of mighty ,epistles to the kings and rulers of mankind1 and finally for the last fruition of ,his ,mission in the ,laws and ,ordinances of ,his ,dispensation formulated during ,his confinement in the ,most ,great ,prison of ,akk4 ,bah'u'llh was still pursuing ,his solitary existence on that mountain when a certain ,shaykh1 a resident of ,sulaymnyyih1 who owned a property in that neighborhood1 sought ,him out1 as directed in a dream he had of the ,prophet ,muammad4 ,shortly after this contact was established1 ,shaykh ,ism'l1 the leader of the ,khaldyyih ,order1 who lived in ,sulaymnyyih1 visited ,him1 and succeeded1 after repeated requests1 in obtaining ,his consent to transfer ,his residence to that town4 ,meantime ,his friends in ,baghdd had discovered ,his whereabouts1 and had dispatched ,shaykh ,suln1 the father-in-law of qy-i-,kalm1 to beg ,him to return2 and it was now while ,he was living in ,sulaymnyyih1 in a room belonging to the ,takyy-i-,mawlan ,khlid 7theological seminary7 that their messenger arrived4 8,i found10 this same ,shaykh ,suln1 recounting his experiences to ,nabl1 has stated1 8all those who lived with ,him in that place1 from their ,master down to the humblest neophyte1 so enamoured of1 and carried away by their love for ,bah'u'llh1 and so unprepared to contemplate the possibility of ,his departure that ,i felt certain that were ,i to inform them of the purpose of my visit1 they would not have hesitated to put an end to my life40 ,not long after ,baha'u'llah's arrival in ,kurdistn1 ,shaykh ,suln has related1 ,he was able1 through ,his personal contacts with ,shaykh ,uthmn1 ,shaykh #8,abdu'r-,rahmn1 and ,shaykh ,ism'l1 the honored and undisputed leaders of the ,naqshbandyyih1 the ,qdiryyih and the ,khaldyyih ,orders respectively1 to win their hearts completely and establish ,his ascendancy over them4 ,the first of these1 ,shaykh ,uthmn1 included no less a person than the ,suln himself and his entourage among his adherents4 ,the second1 in reply to whose query the 8,four ,valleys0 was later revealed1 commanded the unwavering allegiance of at least a hundred thousand devout followers1 while the third was held in such veneration by his supporters that they regarded him as co-equal with ,khlid himself1 the founder of the ,order4 ,when ,bah'u'llh arrived in ,sulaymnyyih none at first1 owing to the strict silence and reserve ,he maintained1 suspected ,him of being possessed of any learning or wisdom4 ,it was only accidentally1 through seeing a specimen of ,his exquisite penmanship shown to them by one of the students who waited upon ,him1 that the curiosity of the learned instructors and students of that seminary was aroused1 and they were impelled to approach ,him and test the degree of ,his knowledge and the extent of ,his familiarity with the arts and sciences current amongst them4 ,that seat of learning had been renowned for its vast endowments1 its numerous takyihs1 and its association with ,salhi'd-,dn-i-,ayyub and his descendants2 from it some of the most illustrious exponents of ,sunn ,islm had gone forth to teach its precepts1 and now a delegation1 headed by ,shaykh ,ism'l himself1 and consisting of its most eminent doctors and most distinguished students1 called upon ,bah'u'llh1 and1 finding ,him willing to reply to any questions they might wish to address ,him1 they requested ,him to elucidate for them1 in the course of several interviews1 the abstruse passages contained in the ,futht-i-,makkyyih1 the celebrated work of the famous ,shaykh ,muhyi'd-,dn-i-#8,arab4 8,god is ,my witness10 was ,bah'u'llh's instant reply to the learned delegation1 8that ,i have never seen the book you refer to4 ,i regard1 however1 through the power of ,god1 444 whatever you wish me to do as easy of accomplishment40 ,directing one of them to read aloud to ,him1 every day1 a page of that book1 ,he was able to resolve their perplexities in so amazing a fashion that they were lost in admiration4 ,not contenting ,himself with a mere clarification of the obscure passages of the text1 ,he would interpret for them the mind of its author1 and expound his doctrine1 and unfold his purpose4 ,at times ,he would even go so far as to question the soundness of certain views propounded in that book1 and would ,himself vouchsafe a correct presentation of the issues that had been misunderstood1 and would support it with proofs and evidences that were wholly convincing to ,his listeners4 ,amazed by the profundity of ,his insight and the compass of ,his understanding1 they were impelled to seek from ,him what they considered to be a conclusive and final evidence of the unique power and knowledge which ,he now appeared in their eyes to possess4 8,no one among the mystics1 the wise1 and the learned10 they claimed1 while requesting this further favor from ,him1 8has hitherto proved himself capable of writing a poem in a rhyme and meter identical with that of the longer of the two odes1 entitled ,qsidiy-i-,ta'yyih composed by ,ibn-i-,fard4 ,we beg you to write for us a poem in that same meter and rhyme40 ,this request was complied with1 and no less than two thousand verses1 in exactly the manner they had specified1 were dictated by ,him1 out of which ,he selected one hundred and twenty-seven1 which ,he permitted them to keep1 deeming the subject matter of the rest premature and unsuitable to the needs of the times4 ,it is these same one hundred and twenty-seven verses that constitute the ,qsidiy-i-,varq'yyih1 so familiar to1 and widely circulated amongst1 ,his ,arabic speaking followers4 ,such was their reaction to this marvelous demonstration of the sagacity and genius of ,bah'u'llh that they unanimously acknowledged every single verse of that poem to be endowed with a force1 beauty and power far surpassing anything contained in either the major or minor odes composed by that celebrated poet4 ,this episode1 by far the most outstanding among the events that transpired during the two years of ,bah'u'llh's absence from ,baghdd1 immensely stimulated the interest with which an increasing number of the #8ulams1 the scholars1 the shaykhs1 the doctors1 the holy men and princes who had congregated in the seminaries of ,sulaymnyyih and ,krkk1 were now following ,his daily activities4 ,through ,his numerous discourses and epistles ,he disclosed new vistas to their eyes1 resolved the perplexities that agitated their minds1 unfolded the inner meaning of many hitherto obscure passages in the writings of various commentators1 poets and theologians1 of which they had remained unaware1 and reconciled the seemingly contradictory assertions which abounded in these dissertations1 poems and treatises4 ,such was the esteem and respect entertained for ,him that some held ,him as ,one of the 8,men of the ,unseen10 others accounted ,him an adept in alchemy and the science of divination1 still others designated ,him 8a pivot of the universe10 whilst a not inconsiderable number among ,his admirers went so far as to believe that ,his station was no less than that of a prophet4 ,kurds1 ,arabs1 and ,persians1 learned and illiterate1 both high and low1 young and old1 who had come to know ,him1 regarded ,him with equal reverence1 and not a few among them with genuine and profound affection1 and this despite certain assertions and allusions to ,his station ,he had made in public1 which1 had they fallen from the lips of any other member of ,his race1 would have provoked such fury as to endanger ,his life4 ,small wonder that ,bah'u'llh ,himself should have1 in the ,law-i-,maryam1 pronounced the period of ,his retirement as 8the mightiest testimony0 to1 and 8the most perfect and conclusive evidence0 of1 the truth of ,his ,revelation4 8,in a short time10 is #8,abdu'l-,bah's own testimony1 8,kurdistn was magnetized with ,his love4 ,during this period ,bah'u'llh lived in poverty4 ,his garments were those of the poor and needy4 ,his food was that of the indigent and lowly4 ,an atmosphere of majesty haloed ,him as the sun at midday4 ,everywhere ,he was greatly revered and loved40 ,while the foundations of ,bah'u'llh's future greatness were being laid in a strange land and amidst a strange people1 the situation of the ,bb community was rapidly going from bad to worse4 ,pleased and emboldened by ,his unexpected and prolonged withdrawal from the scene of ,his labors1 the stirrers of mischief with their deluded associates were busily engaged in extending the range of their nefarious activities4 ,mrz ,yay1 closeted most of the time in his house1 was secretly directing1 through his correspondence with those ,bbs whom he completely trusted1 a campaign designed to utterly discredit ,bah'u'llh4 ,in his fear of any potential adversary he had dispatched ,mrz ,muammad-i-,mzindarn1 one of his supporters1 to dhirbayjn for the express purpose of murdering ,dayyn1 the 8repository of the knowledge of ,god10 whom he surnamed 8,father of ,iniquities0 and stigmatized as 8,tght10 and whom the ,bb had extolled as the 8,third ,letter to believe in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest40 ,in his folly he had1 furthermore1 induced ,mrz q ,jn to proceed to ,nr1 and there await a propitious moment when he could make a successful attempt on the life of the sovereign4 ,his shamelessness and effrontery had waxed so great as to lead him to perpetrate himself1 and permit ,siyyid ,muammad to repeat after him1 an act so odious that ,bah'u'llh characterized it as 8a most grievous betrayal10 inflicting dishonor upon the ,bb1 and which 8overwhelmed all lands with sorrow40 ,he even1 as a further evidence of the enormity of his crimes1 ordered that the cousin of the ,bb1 ,mrz #8,al-,akbar1 a fervent admirer of ,dayyn1 be secretly put to death--a command which was carried out in all its iniquity4 ,as to ,siyyid ,muammad1 now given free rein by his master1 ,mrz ,yay1 he had surrounded himself1 as ,nabl who was at that time with him in ,karbil categorically asserts1 with a band of ruffians1 whom he allowed1 and even encouraged1 to snatch at night the turbans from the heads of wealthy pilgrims who had congregated in ,karbil1 to steal their shoes1 to rob the shrine of the ,imm usayn of its divans and candles1 and seize the drinking cups from the public fountains4 ,the depths of degradation to which these so-called adherents of the ,faith of the ,bb had sunk could not but evoke in ,nabl the memory of the sublime renunciation shown by the conduct of the companions of ,mull usayn1 who1 at the suggestion of their leader1 had scornfully cast by the wayside the gold1 the silver and turquoise in their possession1 or shown by the behavior of ,vahd who refused to allow even the least valuable amongst the treasures which his sumptuously furnished house in ,yazd contained to be removed ere it was pillaged by the mob1 or shown by the decision of ,hujjat not to permit his companions1 who were on the brink of starvation1 to lay hands on the property of others1 even though it were to save their own lives4 ,such was the audacity and effrontery of these demoralized and misguided ,bbs that no less than twenty-five persons1 according to #8,abdu'l-,bah's testimony1 had the presumption to declare themselves to be the ,promised ,one foretold by the ,bb6 ,such was the decline in their fortunes that they hardly dared show themselves in public4 ,kurds and ,persians vied with each other1 when confronting them in the streets1 in heaping abuse upon them1 and in vilifying openly the ,cause which they professed4 ,little wonder that on ,his return to ,baghdd ,bah'u'llh should have described the situation then existing in these words3 8,we found no more than a handful of souls1 faint and dispirited1 nay utterly lost and dead4 ,the ,cause of ,god had ceased to be on any one's lips1 nor was any heart receptive to its message40 ,such was the sadness that overwhelmed ,him on ,his arrival that ,he refused for some time to leave ,his house1 except for ,his visits to ,kazmayn and for ,his occasional meeting with a few of ,his friends who resided in that town and in ,baghdd4 ,the tragic situation that had developed in the course of ,his two years' absence now imperatively demanded ,his return4 8,from the ,mystic ,source10 ,he ,himself explains in the ,kitb-i-qn1 8there came the summons bidding ,us return whence ,we came4 ,surrendering ,our will to ,his1 ,we submitted to ,his injunction40 8,by ,god besides ,whom there is none other ,god60 is ,his emphatic assertion to ,shaykh ,suln1 as reported by ,nabl in his narrative1 8,but for ,my recognition of the fact that the blessed ,cause of the ,primal ,point was on the verge of being completely obliterated1 and all the sacred blood poured out in the path of ,god would have been shed in vain1 ,i would in no wise have consented to return to the people of the ,bayn1 and would have abandoned them to the worship of the idols their imaginations had fashioned40 ,mrz ,yay1 realizing full well to what a pass his unrestrained leadership of the ,faith had brought him1 had1 moreover1 insistently and in writing1 besought ,him to return4 ,no less urgent were the pleadings of ,his own kindred and friends1 particularly ,his twelve-year old ,son1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,whose grief and loneliness had so consumed ,his soul that1 in a conversation recorded by ,nabl in his narrative1 ,he had avowed that subsequent to the departure of ,bah'u'llh ,he had in ,his boyhood grown old4 ,deciding to terminate the period of ,his retirement ,bah'u'llh bade farewell to the shaykhs of ,sulaymnyyih1 who now numbered among ,his most ardent and1 as their future conduct demonstrated1 staunchest admirers4 ,accompanied by ,shaykh ,suln1 ,he retraced ,his steps to ,baghdd1 on 8the banks of the ,river of ,tribulations10 as ,he ,himself termed it1 proceeding by slow stages1 realizing1 as ,he declared to ,his fellow-traveler1 that these last days of ,his retirement would be 8the only days of peace and tranquillity0 left to ,him1 8days which will never again fall to ,my lot40 ,on the #abth of ,rajab #abgb ,a4,h4 7,march #ai1 #ahef7 ,he arrived in ,baghdd1 exactly two lunar years after ,his departure for ,kurdistn4 ,chapter ,,viii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,banishment to #8,irq 7,continued7 ,the return of ,bah'u'llh from ,sulaymnyyih to ,baghdd marks a turning point of the utmost significance in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,the tide of the fortunes of the ,faith1 having reached its lowest ebb1 was now beginning to surge back1 and was destined to roll on1 steadily and mightily1 to a new high water-mark1 associated this time with the ,declaration of ,his ,mission1 on the eve of ,his banishment to ,constantinople4 ,with ,his return to ,baghdd a firm anchorage was now being established1 an anchorage such as the ,faith had never known in its history4 ,never before1 except during the first three years of its life1 could that ,faith claim to have possessed a fixed and accessible center to which its adherents could turn for guidance1 and from which they could derive continuous and unobstructed inspiration4 ,no less than half of the ,bb's short-lived ministry was spent on the remotest border of ,his native country1 where ,he was concealed and virtually cut off from the vast majority of ,his disciples4 ,the period immediately after ,his martyrdom was marked by a confusion that was even more deplorable than the isolation caused by ,his enforced captivity4 ,nor when the ,revelation which ,he had foretold made its appearance was it succeeded by an immediate declaration that could enable the members of a distracted community to rally round the person of their expected ,deliverer4 ,the prolonged self-concealment of ,mrz ,yay1 the center provisionally appointed pending the manifestation of the ,promised ,one2 the nine months' absence of ,bah'u'llh from ,his native land1 while on a visit to ,karbil1 followed swiftly by ,his imprisonment in the ,syh-,chl1 by ,his banishment to #8,irq1 and afterwards by ,his retirement to ,kurdistn--all combined to prolong the phase of instability and suspense through which the ,bb community had to pass4 ,now at last1 in spite of ,bah'u'llh's reluctance to unravel the mystery surrounding ,his own position1 the ,bbs found themselves able to center both their hopes and their movements round ,one ,whom they believed 7whatever their views as to ,his station7 capable of insuring the stability and integrity of their ,faith4 ,the orientation which the ,faith had thus acquired and the fixity of the center towards which it now gravitated continued1 in one form or another1 to be its outstanding features1 of which it was never again to be deprived4 ,the ,faith of the ,bb1 as already observed1 had1 in consequence of the successive and formidable blows it had received1 reached the verge of extinction4 ,nor was the momentous ,revelation vouchsafed to ,bah'u'llh in the ,syh-,chl productive at once of any tangible results of a nature that would exercise a stabilizing influence on a well-nigh disrupted community4 ,bah'u'llh's unexpected banishment had been a further blow to its members1 who had learned to place their reliance upon ,him4 ,mrz ,yay's seclusion and inactivity further accelerated the process of disintegration that had set in4 ,bah'u'llh's prolonged retirement to ,kurdistn seemed to have set the seal on its complete dissolution4 ,now1 however1 the tide that had ebbed in so alarming a measure was turning1 bearing with it1 as it rose to flood point1 those inestimable benefits that were to herald the announcement of the ,revelation already secretly disclosed to ,bah'u'llh4 ,during the seven years that elapsed between the resumption of ,his labors and the declaration of ,his prophetic mission--years to which we now direct our attention--it would be no exaggeration to say that the ,bah' community1 under the name and in the shape of a re-arisen ,bb community was born and was slowly taking shape1 though its ,creator still appeared in the guise of1 and continued to labor as1 one of the foremost disciples of the ,bb4 ,it was a period during which the prestige of the community's nominal head steadily faded from the scene1 paling before the rising splendor of ,him ,who was its actual ,leader and ,deliverer4 ,it was a period in the course of which the first fruits of an exile1 endowed with incalculable potentialities1 ripened and were garnered4 ,it was a period that will go down in history as one during which the prestige of a recreated community was immensely enhanced1 its morals entirely reformed1 its recognition of ,him who rehabilitated its fortunes enthusiastically affirmed1 its literature enormously enriched1 and its victories over its new adversaries universally acknowledged4 ,the prestige of the community1 and particularly that of ,bah'u'llh1 now began from its first inception in ,kurdistn to mount in a steadily rising crescendo4 ,bah'u'llh had scarcely gathered up again the reins of the authority he had relinquished when the devout admirers ,he had left behind in ,sulaymnyyih started to flock to ,baghdd1 with the name of 8,darvsh ,muammad0 on their lips1 and the 8house of ,mrz ,ms the ,bb0 as their goal4 ,astonished at the sight of so many #8ulams and ,sfs of ,kurdish origin1 of both the ,qdiryyih and ,khaldyyih ,orders1 thronging the house of ,bah'u'llh1 and impelled by racial and sectarian rivalry1 the religious leaders of the city1 such as the renowned ,ibn-i-ls1 the ,muft of ,baghdd1 together with ,shaykh #8,abdu's-,salm1 ,shaykh #8,abdu'l-,qdir and ,siyyid ,dwd1 began to seek ,his presence1 and1 having obtained completely satisfying answers to their several queries1 enrolled themselves among the band of ,his earliest admirers4 ,the unqualified recognition by these outstanding leaders of those traits that distinguished the character and conduct of ,bah'u'llh stimulated the curiosity1 and later evoked the unstinted praise1 of a great many observers of less conspicuous position1 among whom figured poets1 mystics and notables1 who either resided in1 or visited1 the city4 ,government officials1 foremost among whom were #8,abdu'llh ,psh and his lieutenant ,mamd q1 and ,mull #8,al ,mardn1 a ,kurd well-known in those circles1 were gradually brought into contact with ,him1 and lent their share in noising abroad ,his fast-spreading fame4 ,nor could those distinguished ,persians1 who either lived in ,baghdd and its environs or visited as pilgrims the holy places1 remain impervious to the spell of ,his charm4 ,princes of the royal blood1 amongst whom were such personages as the ,n'ib'l-ylih1 the ,shuja'u'd-,dawlih1 the ,sayfu'd-,dawlih1 and ,zaynu'l-bidn ,khn1 the ,fakhru'd-,dawlih1 were1 likewise1 irresistibly drawn into the ever-widening circle of ,his associates and acquaintances4 ,those who1 during ,bah'u'llh's two years' absence from ,baghdd1 had so persistently reviled and loudly derided ,his companions and kindred were1 by now1 for the most part1 silenced4 ,not an inconsiderable number among them feigned respect and esteem for ,him1 a few claimed to be ,his defenders and supporters1 while others professed to share ,his beliefs1 and actually joined the ranks of the community to which ,he belonged4 ,such was the extent of the reaction that had set in that one of them was even heard to boast that1 as far back as the year #abej ,a4,h4--a decade before the ,bb's ,declaration--he had already perceived and embraced the truth of ,his ,faith6 ,within a few years after ,bah'u'llh's return from ,sulaymnyyih the situation had been completely reversed4 ,the house of ,sulaymn-i-,ghannam1 on which the official designation of the ,bayt-i-#8,aam 7the ,most ,great ,house7 was later conferred1 known1 at that time1 as the house of ,mrz ,ms1 the ,bb1 an extremely modest residence1 situated in the ,karkh quarter1 in the neighborhood of the western bank of the river1 to which ,bah'u'llh's family had moved prior to ,his return from ,kurdistn1 had now become the focal center of a great number of seekers1 visitors and pilgrims1 including ,kurds1 ,persians1 ,arabs and ,turks1 and derived from the ,muslim1 the ,jewish and ,christian ,faiths4 ,it had1 moreover1 become a veritable sanctuary to which the victims of the injustice of the official representative of the ,persian government were wont to flee1 in the hope of securing redress for the wrongs they had suffered4 ,at the same time an influx of ,persian ,bbs1 whose sole object was to attain the presence of ,bah'u'llh1 swelled the stream of visitors that poured through ,his hospitable doors4 ,carrying back1 on their return to their native country1 innumerable testimonies1 both oral and written1 to ,his steadily rising power and glory1 they could not fail to contribute1 in a vast measure1 to the expansion and progress of a newly-reborn ,faith4 ,four of the ,bb's cousins and ,his maternal uncle1 j ,mrz ,siyyid ,muammad2 a grand-daughter of ,fat-#8,al ,shh and fervent admirer of ,thirih1 surnamed ,varqatu'r-,ridvn2 the erudite ,mull ,muammad-i-,q'in1 surnamed ,nabl-i-,akbar2 the already famous ,mull diq-i-,khursn1 surnamed ,ismu'llhu'l-,asdaq1 who with ,qudds had been ignominiously persecuted in ,shrz2 ,mull ,bqir1 one of the ,letters of the ,living2 ,siyyid ,asadu'llh1 surnamed ,dayyn2 the revered ,siyyid ,javd-i-,karbil'2 ,mrz ,muammad-asan and ,mrz ,muammad-usayn1 later immortalized by the titles of ,sulnu'sh-,shuhud and ,mabbu'sh-,shuhad 7,king of ,martyrs and ,beloved of ,martyrs7 respectively2 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,aly-i-,nahr1 whose daughter1 at a later date1 was joined in wedlock to #8,abdu'l-,bah2 the immortal ,siyyid ,ism'l-i-,zavari'2 j ,shaykh ,muammad1 surnamed ,nabl by the ,bb2 the accomplished ,mrz qy-i-,munr1 surnamed ,ismu'llhu'l-,mnb2 the long-suffering j ,muammad-,taq1 surnamed ,ayyb2 ,mull ,zaynu'l-bidn1 surnamed ,zaynu'l-,muqarrabn1 who had ranked as a highly esteemed mujtahid--all these were numbered among the visitors and fellow-disciples who crossed ,his threshold1 caught a glimpse of the splendor of ,his majesty1 and communicated far and wide the creative influences instilled into them through their contact with ,his spirit4 ,mull ,muammad-i-,zarand1 surnamed ,nabl-i-#8,aam1 who may well rank as ,his ,poet-,laureate1 ,his chronicler and ,his indefatigable disciple1 had already joined the exiles1 and had launched out on his long and arduous series of journeys to ,persia in furtherance of the ,cause of his ,beloved4 ,even those who1 in their folly and temerity had1 in ,baghdd1 in ,karbil1 in ,qum1 in ,kshn1 in ,tabrz and in ihrn1 arrogated to themselves the rights1 and assumed the title of 8,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest0 were for the most part instinctively led to seek ,his presence1 confess their error and supplicate ,his forgiveness4 ,as time went on1 fugitives1 driven by the ever-present fear of persecution1 sought1 with their wives and children1 the relative security afforded them by close proximity to ,one who had already become the rallying point for the members of a sorely-vexed community4 ,persians of high eminence1 living in exile1 rejecting1 in the face of the mounting prestige of ,bah'u'llh1 the dictates of moderation and prudence1 sat1 forgetful of their pride1 at ,his feet1 and imbibed1 each according to his capacity1 a measure of ,his spirit and wisdom4 ,some of the more ambitious among them1 such as ,abbs ,mrz1 a son of ,muammad ,shh1 the ,vazr-,nizm1 and ,mrz ,malkam ,khn1 as well as certain functionaries of foreign governments1 attempted1 in their short-sightedness1 to secure ,his support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished1 designs which ,he unhesitatingly and severely condemned4 ,nor was the then representative of the ,british government1 ,colonel ,sir ,arnold ,burrows ,kemball1 consul-general in ,baghdd1 insensible of the position which ,bah'u'llh now occupied4 ,entering into friendly correspondence with ,him1 he1 as testified by ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 offered ,him the protection of ,british citizenship1 called on ,him in person1 and undertook to transmit to ,queen ,victoria any communication ,he might wish to forward to her4 ,he even expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of ,his residence to ,india1 or to any place agreeable to ,him4 ,this suggestion ,bah'u'llh declined1 choosing to abide in the dominions of the ,suln of ,turkey4 ,and finally1 during the last year of ,his sojourn in ,baghdd the governor ,nmiq-,pash1 impressed by the many signs of esteem and veneration in which ,he was held1 called upon ,him to pay his personal tribute to ,one ,who had already achieved so conspicuous a victory over the hearts and souls of those who had met ,him4 ,so profound was the respect the governor entertained for ,him1 ,whom he regarded as one of the ,lights of the ,age1 that it was not until the end of three months1 during which he had received five successive commands from #8,al ,psh1 that he could bring himself to inform ,bah'u'llh that it was the wish of the ,turkish government that ,he should proceed to the capital4 ,on one occasion1 when #8,abdu'l-,bah and qy-i-,kalm had been delegated by ,bah'u'llh to visit him1 he entertained them with such elaborate ceremonial that the ,deputy-,governor stated that so far as he knew no notable of the city had ever been accorded by any governor so warm and courteous a reception4 ,so struck1 indeed1 had the ,suln #8,abdu'l-,majd been by the favorable reports received about ,bah'u'llh from successive governors of ,baghdd 7this is the personal testimony given by the ,governor's deputy to ,bah'u'llh himself7 that he consistently refused to countenance the requests of the ,persian government either to deliver ,him to their representative or to order ,his expulsion from ,turkish territory4 ,on no previous occasion1 since the inception of the ,faith1 not even during the days when the ,bb in ,ifhn1 in ,tabrz and in ,chihrq was acclaimed by the ovations of an enthusiastic populace1 had any of its exponents risen to such high eminence in the public mind1 or exercised over so diversified a circle of admirers an influence so far reaching and so potent4 ,yet unprecedented as was the sway which ,bah'u'llh held while1 in that primitive age of the ,faith1 ,he was dwelling in ,baghdd1 its range at that time was modest when compared with the magnitude of the fame which1 at the close of that same age1 and through the immediate inspiration of the ,center of ,his ,covenant1 the ,faith acquired in both the ,european and ,american continents4 ,the ascendancy achieved by ,bah'u'llh was nowhere better demonstrated than in ,his ability to broaden the outlook and transform the character of the community to which ,he belonged4 ,though ,himself nominally a ,bb1 though the provisions of the ,bayn were still regarded as binding and inviolable1 ,he was able to inculcate a standard which1 while not incompatible with its tenets1 was ethically superior to the loftiest principles which the ,bb ,dispensation had established4 ,the salutary and fundamental truths advocated by the ,bb1 that had either been obscured1 neglected or misrepresented1 were moreover elucidated by ,bah'u'llh1 reaffirmed and instilled afresh into the corporate life of the community1 and into the souls of the individuals who comprised it4 ,the dissociation of the ,bb ,faith from every form of political activity and from all secret associations and factions2 the emphasis placed on the principle of non-violence2 the necessity of strict obedience to established authority2 the ban imposed on all forms of sedition1 on back-biting1 retaliation1 and dispute2 the stress laid on godliness1 kindliness1 humility and piety1 on honesty and truthfulness1 chastity and fidelity1 on justice1 toleration1 sociability1 amity and concord1 on the acquisition of arts and sciences1 on self-sacrifice and detachment1 on patience1 steadfastness and resignation to the will of ,god--all these constitute the salient features of a code of ethical conduct to which the books1 treatises and epistles1 revealed during those years1 by the indefatigable pen of ,bah'u'llh1 unmistakably bear witness4 8,by the aid of ,god and ,his divine grace and mercy10 ,he ,himself has written with reference to the character and consequences of ,his own labors during that period1 8,we revealed1 as a copious rain1 ,our verses1 and sent them to various parts of the world4 ,we exhorted all men1 and particularly this people1 through ,our wise counsels and loving admonitions1 and forbade them to engage in sedition1 quarrels1 disputes or conflict4 ,as a result of this1 and by the grace of ,god1 waywardness and folly were changed into piety and understanding1 and weapons of war converted into instruments of peace40 8,bah'u'llh10 #8,abdu'l-,bah affirmed1 8after ,his return 7from ,sulaymnyyih7 made such strenuous efforts in educating and training this community1 in reforming its manners1 in regulating its affairs and in rehabilitating its fortunes1 that in a short while all these troubles and mischiefs were quenched1 and the utmost peace and tranquillity reigned in men's hearts40 ,and again3 8,when these fundamentals were established in the hearts of this people1 they everywhere acted in such wise that1 in the estimation of those in authority1 they became famous for the integrity of their character1 the steadfastness of their hearts1 the purity of their motives1 the praiseworthiness of their deeds1 and the excellence of their conduct40 ,the exalted character of the teachings of ,bah'u'llh propounded during that period is perhaps best illustrated by the following statement made by ,him in those days to an official who had reported to ,him that1 because of the devotion to ,his person which an evildoer had professed1 he had hesitated to inflict upon that criminal the punishment he deserved3 8,tell him1 no one in this world can claim any relationship to ,me except those who1 in all their deeds and in their conduct1 follow ,my example1 in such wise that all the peoples of the earth would be powerless to prevent them from doing and saying that which is meet and seemly40 8,this brother of ,mine10 ,he further declared to that official1 8this ,mrz ,ms1 who is from the same mother and father as ,myself1 and who from his earliest childhood has kept ,me company1 should he perpetrate an act contrary to the interests of either the state or religion1 and his guilt be established in your sight1 ,i would be pleased and appreciate your action were you to bind his hands and cast him into the river to drown1 and refuse to consider the intercession of any one on his behalf40 ,in another connection ,he1 wishing to stress ,his strong condemnation of all acts of violence1 had written3 8,it would be more acceptable in ,my sight for a person to harm one of ,my own sons or relatives rather than inflict injury upon any soul40 8,most of those who surrounded ,bah'u'llh10 wrote ,nabl1 describing the spirit that animated the reformed ,bb community in ,baghdd1 8exercised such care in sanctifying and purifying their souls1 that they would suffer no word to cross their lips that might not conform to the will of ,god1 nor would they take a single step that might be contrary to ,his good-pleasure40 8,each one10 he relates1 8had entered into a pact with one of his fellow-disciples1 in which they agreed to admonish one another1 and1 if necessary1 chastise one another with a number of blows on the soles of the feet1 proportioning the number of strokes to the gravity of the offense against the lofty standards they had sworn to observe40 ,describing the fervor of their zeal1 he states that 8not until the offender had suffered the punishment he had solicited1 would he consent to either eat or drink40 ,the complete transformation which the written and spoken word of ,bah'u'llh had effected in the outlook and character of ,his companions was equalled by the burning devotion which ,his love had kindled in their souls4 ,a passionate zeal and fervor1 that rivalled the enthusiasm that had glowed so fiercely in the breasts of the ,bb's disciples in their moments of greatest exaltation1 had now seized the hearts of the exiles of ,baghdd and galvanized their entire beings4 8,so inebriated10 ,nabl1 describing the fecundity of this tremendously dynamic spiritual revival1 has written1 8so carried away was every one by the sweet savors of the ,morn of ,divine ,revelation that1 methinks1 out of every thorn sprang forth heaps of blossoms1 and every seed yielded innumerable harvests40 8,the room of the ,most ,great ,house10 that same chronicler has recorded1 8set apart for the reception of ,bah'u'llh's visitors1 though dilapidated1 and having long since outgrown its usefulness1 vied1 through having been trodden by the blessed footsteps of the ,well ,beloved1 with the ,most ,exalted ,paradise4 ,low-roofed1 it yet seemed to reach to the stars1 and though it boasted but a single couch1 fashioned from the branches of palms1 whereon ,he ,who is the ,king of ,names was wont to sit1 it drew to itself1 even as a loadstone1 the hearts of the princes40 ,it was this same reception room which1 in spite of its rude simplicity1 had so charmed the ,shuja'u'd-,dawlih that he had expressed to his fellow-princes his intention of building a duplicate of it in his home in ,kazmayn4 8,he may well succeed10 ,bah'u'llh is reported to have smilingly remarked when apprized of this intention1 8in reproducing outwardly the exact counterpart of this low-roofed room made of mud and straw with its diminutive garden4 ,what of his ability to open onto it the spiritual doors leading to the hidden worlds of ,god80 8,i know not how to explain it10 another prince1 ,zaynu'l-bidn ,khn1 the ,fakhru'd-,dawlih1 describing the atmosphere which pervaded that reception-room1 had affirmed1 8were all the sorrows of the world to be crowded into my heart they would1 ,i feel1 all vanish1 when in the presence of ,bah'u'llh4 ,it is as if ,i had entered ,paradise itself40 ,the joyous feasts which these companions1 despite their extremely modest earnings1 continually offered in honor of their ,beloved2 the gatherings1 lasting far into the night1 in which they loudly celebrated1 with prayers1 poetry and song1 the praises of the ,bb1 of ,qudds and of ,bah'u'llh2 the fasts they observed2 the vigils they kept2 the dreams and visions which fired their souls1 and which they recounted to each other with feelings of unbounded enthusiasm2 the eagerness with which those who served ,bah'u'llh performed ,his errands1 waited upon ,his needs1 and carried heavy skins of water for ,his ablutions and other domestic purposes2 the acts of imprudence which1 in moments of rapture1 they occasionally committed2 the expressions of wonder and admiration which their words and acts evoked in a populace that had seldom witnessed such demonstrations of religious transport and personal devotion--these1 and many others1 will forever remain associated with the history of that immortal period1 intervening between the birth hour of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation and its announcement on the eve of ,his departure from #8,irq4 ,numerous and striking are the anecdotes which have been recounted by those whom duty1 accident1 or inclination had1 in the course of these poignant years1 brought into direct contact with ,bah'u'llh4 ,many and moving are the testimonies of bystanders who were privileged to gaze on ,his countenance1 observe ,his gait1 or overhear ,his remarks1 as ,he moved through the lanes and streets of the city1 or paced the banks of the river2 of the worshippers who watched ,him pray in their mosques2 of the mendicant1 the sick1 the aged1 and the unfortunate whom ,he succored1 healed1 supported and comforted2 of the visitors1 from the haughtiest prince to the meanest beggar1 who crossed ,his threshold and sat at ,his feet2 of the merchant1 the artisan1 and the shopkeeper who waited upon ,him and supplied ,his daily needs2 of ,his devotees who had perceived the signs of ,his hidden glory2 of ,his adversaries who were confounded or disarmed by the power of ,his utterance and the warmth of ,his love2 of the priests and laymen1 the noble and learned1 who besought ,him with the intention of either challenging ,his authority1 or testing ,his knowledge1 or investigating ,his claims1 or confessing their shortcomings1 or declaring their conversion to the ,cause ,he had espoused4 ,from such a treasury of precious memories it will suffice my purpose to cite but a single instance1 that of one of ,his ardent lovers1 a native of ,zavrih1 ,siyyid ,ism'l by name1 surnamed ,dhabh 7the ,sacrifice71 formerly a noted divine1 taciturn1 meditative and wholly severed from every earthly tie1 whose self-appointed task1 on which he prided himself1 was to sweep the approaches of the house in which ,bah'u'llh was dwelling4 ,unwinding his green turban1 the ensign of his holy lineage1 from his head1 he would1 at the hour of dawn1 gather up1 with infinite patience1 the rubble which the footsteps of his ,beloved had trodden1 would blow the dust from the crannies of the wall adjacent to the door of that house1 would collect the sweepings in the folds of his own cloak1 and1 scorning to cast his burden for the feet of others to tread upon1 would carry it as far as the banks of the river and throw it into its waters4 ,unable1 at length1 to contain the ocean of love that surged within his soul1 he1 after having denied himself for forty days both sleep and sustenance1 and rendering for the last time the service so dear to his heart1 betook himself1 one day1 to the banks of the river1 on the road to ,kazmayn1 performed his ablutions1 lay down on his back1 with his face turned towards ,baghdd1 severed his throat with a razor1 laid the razor upon his breast1 and expired4 7#abge ,a4,h47 ,nor was he the only one who had meditated such an act and was determined to carry it out4 ,others were ready to follow suit1 had not ,bah'u'llh promptly intervened1 and ordered the refugees living in ,baghdd to return immediately to their native land4 ,nor could the authorities1 when it was definitely established that ,dhabh had died by his own hand1 remain indifferent to a ,cause whose ,leader could inspire so rare a devotion in1 and hold such absolute sway over1 the hearts of ,his lovers4 ,apprized of the apprehensions that episode had evoked in certain quarters in ,baghdd1 ,bah'u'llh is reported to have remarked3 8,siyyid ,ism'l was possessed of such power and might that were he to be confronted by all the peoples of the earth1 he would1 without doubt1 be able to establish his ascendancy over them40 8,no blood10 ,he is reported to have said with reference to this same ,dhabh1 whom ,he extolled as 8,king and ,beloved of ,martyrs10 8has1 till now1 been poured upon the earth as pure as the blood he shed40 8,so intoxicated were those who had quaffed from the cup of ,bah'u'llh's presence10 is yet another testimony from the pen of ,nabl1 who was himself an eye-witness of most of these stirring episodes1 8that in their eyes the palaces of kings appeared more ephemeral than a spider's web4444 ,the celebrations and festivities that were theirs were such as the kings of the earth had never dreamt of40 8,i1 myself with two others10 he relates1 8lived in a room which was devoid of furniture4 ,bah'u'llh entered it one day1 and1 looking about ,him1 remarked3 #8,its emptiness pleases ,me4 ,in ,my estimation it is preferable to many a spacious palace1 inasmuch as the beloved of ,god are occupied in it with the remembrance of the ,incomparable ,friend1 with hearts that are wholly emptied of the dross of this world4'0 ,his own life was characterized by that same austerity1 and evinced that same simplicity which marked the lives of ,his beloved companions4 8,there was a time in #8,irq10 ,he ,himself affirms1 in one of ,his ,tablets1 8when the ,ancient ,beauty 444 had no change of linen4 ,the one shirt ,he possessed would be washed1 dried and worn again40 8,many a night10 continues ,nabl1 depicting the lives of those self-oblivious companions1 8no less than ten persons subsisted on no more than a pennyworth of dates4 ,no one knew to whom actually belonged the shoes1 the cloaks1 or the robes that were to be found in their houses4 ,whoever went to the bazaar could claim that the shoes upon his feet were his own1 and each one who entered the presence of ,bah'u'llh could affirm that the cloak and robe he then wore belonged to him4 ,their own names they had forgotten1 their hearts were emptied of aught else except adoration for their ,beloved4444 ,o1 for the joy of those days1 and the gladness and wonder of those hours60 ,the enormous expansion in the scope and volume of ,bah'u'llh's writings1 after ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih1 is yet another distinguishing feature of the period under review4 ,the verses that streamed during those years from ,his pen1 described as 8a copious rain0 by ,himself1 whether in the form of epistles1 exhortations1 commentaries1 apologies1 dissertations1 prophecies1 prayers1 odes or specific ,tablets1 contributed1 to a marked degree1 to the reformation and progressive unfoldment of the ,bb community1 to the broadening of its outlook1 to the expansion of its activities and to the enlightenment of the minds of its members4 ,so prolific was this period1 that during the first two years after ,his return from ,his retirement1 according to the testimony of ,nabl1 who was at that time living in ,baghdd1 the unrecorded verses that streamed from ,his lips averaged1 in a single day and night1 the equivalent of the ,qur'n6 ,as to those verses which ,he either dictated or wrote ,himself1 their number was no less remarkable than either the wealth of material they contained1 or the diversity of subjects to which they referred4 ,a vast1 and indeed the greater1 proportion of these writings were1 alas1 lost irretrievably to posterity4 ,no less an authority than ,mrz q ,jn1 ,bah'u'llh's amanuensis1 affirms1 as reported by ,nabl1 that by the express order of ,bah'u'llh1 hundreds of thousands of verses1 mostly written by ,his own hand1 were obliterated and cast into the river4 8,finding me reluctant to execute ,his orders10 ,mrz q ,jn has related to ,nabl1 8,bah'u'llh would reassure me saying3 #8,none is to be found at this time worthy to hear these melodies4' 444,not once1 or twice1 but innumerable times1 was ,i commanded to repeat this act40 ,a certain ,muammad ,karm1 a native of ,shrz1 who had been a witness to the rapidity and the manner in which the ,bb had penned the verses with which ,he was inspired1 has left the following testimony to posterity1 after attaining1 during those days1 the presence of ,bah'u'llh1 and beholding with his own eyes what he himself had considered to be the only proof of the mission of the ,promised ,one3 8,i bear witness that the verses revealed by ,bah'u'llh were superior1 in the rapidity with which they were penned1 in the ease with which they flowed1 in their lucidity1 their profundity and sweetness to those which ,i1 myself saw pour from the pen of the ,bb when in ,his presence4 ,had ,bah'u'llh no other claim to greatness1 this were sufficient1 in the eyes of the world and its people1 that ,he produced such verses as have streamed this day from ,his pen40 ,foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation ranks the ,kitb-i-qn 7,book of ,certitude71 revealed within the space of two days and two nights1 in the closing years of that period 7#abgh ,a4,h4--#ahfb ,a4,d474 ,it was written in fulfillment of the prophecy of the ,bb1 ,who had specifically stated that the ,promised ,one would complete the text of the unfinished ,persian ,bayn1 and in reply to the questions addressed to ,bah'u'llh by the as yet unconverted maternal uncle of the ,bb1 j ,mrz ,siyyid ,muammad1 while on a visit1 with his brother1 j ,mrz asan-#8,al1 to ,karbil4 ,a model of ,persian prose1 of a style at once original1 chaste and vigorous1 and remarkably lucid1 both cogent in argument and matchless in its irresistible eloquence1 this ,book1 setting forth in outline the ,grand ,redemptive ,scheme of ,god1 occupies a position unequalled by any work in the entire range of ,bah' literature1 except the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 ,bah'u'llh's ,most ,holy ,book4 ,revealed on the eve of the declaration of ,his ,mission1 it proffered to mankind the 8,choice ,sealed ,wine10 whose seal is of 8musk10 and broke the 8seals0 of the 8,book0 referred to by ,daniel1 and disclosed the meaning of the 8words0 destined to remain 8closed up0 till the 8time of the end40 ,within a compass of two hundred pages it proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal ,god1 unknowable1 inaccessible1 the source of all ,revelation1 eternal1 omniscient1 omnipresent and almighty2 asserts the relativity of religious truth and the continuity of ,divine ,revelation2 affirms the unity of the ,prophets1 the universality of their ,message1 the identity of their fundamental teachings1 the sanctity of their scriptures1 and the twofold character of their stations2 denounces the blindness and perversity of the divines and doctors of every age2 cites and elucidates the allegorical passages of the ,new ,testament1 the abstruse verses of the ,qur'n1 and the cryptic ,muammadan traditions which have bred those age-long misunderstandings1 doubts and animosities that have sundered and kept apart the followers of the world's leading religious systems2 enumerates the essential prerequisites for the attainment by every true seeker of the object of his quest2 demonstrates the validity1 the sublimity and significance of the ,bb's ,revelation2 acclaims the heroism and detachment of ,his disciples2 foreshadows1 and prophesies the world-wide triumph of the ,revelation promised to the people of the ,bayn2 upholds the purity and innocence of the ,virgin ,mary2 glorifies the ,imms of the ,faith of ,muammad2 celebrates the martyrdom1 and lauds the spiritual sovereignty1 of the ,imm usayn2 unfolds the meaning of such symbolic terms as 8,return10 8,resurrection10 8,seal of the ,prophets0 and 8,day of ,judgment02 adumbrates and distinguishes between the three stages of ,divine ,revelation2 and expatiates1 in glowing terms1 upon the glories and wonders of the 8,city of ,god10 renewed1 at fixed intervals1 by the dispensation of ,providence1 for the guidance1 the benefit and salvation of all mankind4 ,well may it be claimed that of all the books revealed by the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation1 this ,book alone1 by sweeping away the age-long barriers that have so insurmountably separated the great religions of the world1 has laid down a broad and unassailable foundation for the complete and permanent reconciliation of their followers4 ,next to this unique repository of inestimable treasures must rank that marvelous collection of gem-like utterances1 the 8,hidden ,words0 with which ,bah'u'llh was inspired1 as ,he paced1 wrapped in ,his meditations1 the banks of the ,tigris4 ,revealed in the year #abgd ,a4,h41 partly in ,persian1 partly in ,arabic1 it was originally designated the 8,hidden ,book of ,ftimih10 and was identified by its ,author with the ,book of that same name1 believed by ,sh'ah ,islm to be in the possession of the promised ,q'im1 and to consist of words of consolation addressed by the angel ,gabriel1 at ,god's command1 to ,ftimih1 and dictated to the ,imm #8,al1 for the sole purpose of comforting her in her hour of bitter anguish after the death of her illustrious ,father4 ,the significance of this dynamic spiritual leaven cast into the life of the world for the reorientation of the minds of men1 the edification of their souls and the rectification of their conduct can best be judged by the description of its character given in the opening passage by its ,author3 8,this is that which hath descended from the ,realm of ,glory1 uttered by the tongue of power and might1 and revealed unto the ,prophets of old4 ,we have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity1 as a token of grace unto the righteous1 that they may stand faithful unto the ,covenant of ,god1 may fulfill in their lives ,his trust1 and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of ,divine virtue40 ,to these two outstanding contributions to the world's religious literature1 occupying respectively1 positions of unsurpassed preeminence among the doctrinal and ethical writings of the ,author of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 was added1 during that same period1 a treatise that may well be regarded as ,his greatest mystical composition1 designated as the 8,seven ,valleys10 which ,he wrote in answer to the questions of ,shaykh ,muhyi'd-,dn1 the ,qd of ,khniqayn1 in which ,he describes the seven stages which the soul of the seeker must needs traverse ere it can attain the object of its existence4 ,the 8,four ,valleys10 an epistle addressed to the learned ,shaykh #8,abdu'r-,rahmn-i-,krkt2 the 8,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner10 in which ,bah'u'llh prophesies the severe afflictions that are to befall ,him2 the 8,law-i-,huryyih0 7,tablet of the ,maiden71 in which events of a far remoter future are foreshadowed2 the 8,sriy-i-,sabr0 7,srih of ,patience71 revealed on the first day of ,ridvn which extols ,vahd and his fellow-sufferers in ,nayrz2 the commentary on the ,letters prefixed to the ,srihs of the ,qur'n2 ,his interpretation of the letter ,vv1 mentioned in the writings of ,shaykh ,amad-i-,ahs'1 and of other abstruse passages in the works of ,siyyid ,kzim-i-,rasht2 the 8,lawh-i-,madnatu't-,tawhd0 7,tablet of the ,city of ,unity72 the 8,sahfiy-i-,shattyyih02 the 8,musibat-i-,hurfat-i-#8,alyat02 the 8,tafsr-i-,h02 the 8,javhiru'l-#8,asrr0 and a host of other writings1 in the form of epistles1 odes1 homilies1 specific ,tablets1 commentaries and prayers1 contributed1 each in its own way1 to swell the 8rivers of everlasting life0 which poured forth from the 8,abode of ,peace0 and lent a mighty impetus to the expansion of the ,bb's ,faith in both ,persia and #8,irq1 quickening the souls and transforming the character of its adherents4 ,the undeniable evidences of the range and magnificence of ,bah'u'llh's rising power2 ,his rapidly waxing prestige2 the miraculous transformation which1 by precept and example1 ,he had effected in the outlook and character of ,his companions from ,baghdd to the remotest towns and hamlets in ,persia2 the consuming love for ,him that glowed in their bosoms2 the prodigious volume of writings that streamed day and night from ,his pen1 could not fail to fan into flame the animosity which smouldered in the breasts of ,his ,sh'ah and ,sunn enemies4 ,now that ,his residence was transferred to the vicinity of the strongholds of ,sh'ah ,islm1 and ,he ,himself brought into direct and almost daily contact with the fanatical pilgrims who thronged the holy places of ,najaf1 ,karbil and ,kazmayn1 a trial of strength between the growing brilliance of ,his glory and the dark and embattled forces of religious fanaticism could no longer be delayed4 ,a spark was all that was required to ignite this combustible material of all the accumulated hatreds1 fears and jealousies which the revived activities of the ,bbs had inspired4 ,this was provided by a certain ,shaykh #8,abdu'l-usayn1 a crafty and obstinate priest1 whose consuming jealousy of ,bah'u'llh was surpassed only by his capacity to stir up mischief both among those of high degree and also amongst the lowest of the low1 ,arab or ,persian1 who thronged the streets and markets of ,kazmayn1 ,karbil and ,baghdd4 ,he it was whom ,bah'u'llh had stigmatized in ,his ,tablets by such epithets as the 8scoundrel10 the 8schemer10 the 8wicked one10 who 8drew the sword of his self against the face of ,god10 8in whose soul ,satan hath whispered10 and 8from whose impiety ,satan flies10 the 8depraved one10 8from whom originated and to whom will return all infidelity1 cruelty and crime40 ,largely through the efforts of the ,grand ,vizir1 who wished to get rid of him1 this troublesome mujtahid had been commissioned by the ,shh to proceed to ,karbil to repair the holy sites in that city4 ,watching for his opportunity1 he allied himself with ,mrz ,buzurg ,khn1 a newly-appointed ,persian consul-general1 who being of the same iniquitous turn of mind as himself1 a man of mean intelligence1 insincere1 without foresight or honor1 and a confirmed drunkard1 soon fell a prey to the influence of that vicious plotter1 and became the willing instrument of his designs4 ,their first concerted endeavor was to obtain from the governor of ,baghdd1 ,muaf ,psh1 through a gross distortion of the truth1 an order for the extradition of ,bah'u'llh and ,his companions1 an effort which miserably failed4 ,recognizing the futility of any attempt to achieve his purpose through the intervention of the local authorities1 ,shaykh #8,abdu'l-usayn began1 through the sedulous circulation of dreams which he first invented and then interpreted1 to excite the passions of a superstitious and highly inflammable population4 ,the resentment engendered by the lack of response he met with was aggravated by his ignominious failure to meet the challenge of an interview pre-arranged between himself and ,bah'u'llh4 ,mrz ,buzurg ,khn1 on his part1 used his influence in order to arouse the animosity of the lower elements of the population against the common ,adversary1 by inciting them to affront ,him in public1 in the hope of provoking some rash retaliatory act that could be used as a ground for false charges through which the desired order for ,bah'u'llh's extradition might be procured4 ,this attempt too proved abortive1 as the presence of ,bah'u'llh1 ,who1 despite the warnings and pleadings of ,his friends1 continued to walk unescorted1 both by day and by night1 through the streets of the city1 was enough to plunge ,his would-be molesters into consternation and shame4 ,well aware of their motives1 ,he would approach them1 rally them on their intentions1 joke with them1 and leave them covered with confusion and firmly resolved to abandon whatever schemes they had in mind4 ,the consul-general had even gone so far as to hire a ruffian1 a ,turk1 named ,ri1 for the sum of one hundred tmans1 provide him with a horse and with two pistols1 and order him to seek out and kill ,bah'u'llh1 promising him that his own protection would be fully assured4 ,ri1 learning one day that his would-be-victim was attending the public bath1 eluded the vigilance of the ,bbs in attendance1 entered the bath with a pistol concealed in his cloak1 and confronted ,bah'u'llh in the inner chamber1 only to discover that he lacked the courage to accomplish his task4 ,he himself1 years later1 related that on another occasion he was lying in wait for ,bah'u'llh1 pistol in hand1 when1 on ,bah'u'llh's approach1 he was so overcome with fear that the pistol dropped from his hand2 whereupon ,bah'u'llh bade qy-i-,kalm1 who accompanied ,him1 to hand it back to him1 and show him the way to his home4 ,balked in his repeated attempts to achieve his malevolent purpose1 ,shaykh #8,abdu'l-usayn now diverted his energies into a new channel4 ,he promised his accomplice he would raise him to the rank of a minister of the crown1 if he succeeded in inducing the government to recall ,bah'u'llh to ihrn1 and cast ,him again into prison4 ,he despatched lengthy and almost daily reports to the immediate entourage of the ,shh4 ,he painted extravagant pictures of the ascendancy enjoyed by ,bah'u'llh by representing ,him as having won the allegiance of the nomadic tribes of #8,irq4 ,he claimed that ,he was in a position to muster1 in a day1 fully one hundred thousand men ready to take up arms at ,his bidding4 ,he accused ,him of meditating1 in conjunction with various leaders in ,persia1 an insurrection against the sovereign4 ,by such means as these he succeeded in bringing sufficient pressure on the authorities in ihrn to induce the ,shh to grant him a mandate1 bestowing on him full powers1 and enjoining the ,persian #8ulams and functionaries to render him every assistance4 ,this mandate the ,shaykh instantly forwarded to the ecclesiastics of ,najaf and ,karbil1 asking them to convene a gathering in ,kazmayn1 the place of his residence4 ,a concourse of shaykhs1 mulls and mujtahids1 eager to curry favor with the sovereign1 promptly responded4 ,upon being informed of the purpose for which they had been summoned1 they determined to declare a holy war against the colony of exiles1 and by launching a sudden and general assault on it to destroy the ,faith at its heart4 ,to their amazement and disappointment1 however1 they found that the leading mujtahid amongst them1 the celebrated ,shaykh ,murtady-i-,ansr1 a man renowned for his tolerance1 his wisdom1 his undeviating justice1 his piety and nobility of character1 refused1 when apprized of their designs1 to pronounce the necessary sentence against the ,bbs4 ,he it was whom ,bah'u'llh later extolled in the 8,law-i-,suln10 and numbered among 8those doctors who have indeed drunk of the cup of renunciation10 and 8never interfered with ,him10 and to whom #8,abdu'l-,bah referred as 8the illustrious and erudite doctor1 the noble and celebrated scholar1 the seal of seekers after truth40 ,pleading insufficient knowledge of the tenets of this community1 and claiming to have witnessed no act on the part of its members at variance with the ,qur'n1 he1 disregarding the remonstrances of his colleagues1 abruptly left the gathering1 and returned to ,najaf1 after having expressed1 through a messenger1 his regret to ,bah'u'llh for what had happened1 and his devout wish for ,his protection4 ,frustrated in their designs1 but unrelenting in their hostility1 the assembled divines delegated the learned and devout j ,mull asan-i-#8,amm1 recognized for his integrity and wisdom1 to submit various questions to ,bah'u'llh for elucidation4 ,when these were submitted1 and answers completely satisfactory to the messenger were given1 j ,mull asan1 affirming the recognition by the #8ulams of the vastness of the knowledge of ,bah'u'llh1 asked1 as an evidence of the truth of ,his mission1 for a miracle that would satisfy completely all concerned4 8,although you have no right to ask this10 ,bah'u'llh replied1 8for ,god should test ,his creatures1 and they should not test ,god1 still ,i allow and accept this request4444 ,the #8ulams must assemble1 and1 with one accord1 choose one miracle1 and write that1 after the performance of this miracle they will no longer entertain doubts about ,me1 and that all will acknowledge and confess the truth of ,my ,cause4 ,let them seal this paper1 and bring it to ,me4 ,this must be the accepted criterion3 if the miracle is performed1 no doubt will remain for them2 and if not1 ,we shall be convicted of imposture40 ,this clear1 challenging and courageous reply1 unexampled in the annals of any religion1 and addressed to the most illustrious ,sh'ah divines1 assembled in their time-honored stronghold1 was so satisfactory to their envoy that he instantly arose1 kissed the knee of ,bah'u'llh1 and departed to deliver ,his message4 ,three days later he sent word that that august assemblage had failed to arrive at a decision1 and had chosen to drop the matter1 a decision to which he himself later gave wide publicity1 in the course of his visit to ,persia1 and even communicated it in person to the then ,minister of ,foreign ,affairs1 ,mrz ,sa'd ,khn4 8,we have10 ,bah'u'llh is reported to have commented1 when informed of their reaction to this challenge1 8through this all-satisfying1 all-embracing message which ,we sent1 revealed and vindicated the miracles of all the ,prophets1 inasmuch as ,we left the choice to the #8ulams themselves1 undertaking to reveal whatever they would decide upon40 8,if we carefully examine the text of the ,bible10 #8,abdu'l-,bah has written concerning a similar challenge made later by ,bah'u'llh in the 8,law-i-,suln10 8we see that the ,divine ,manifestation never said to those who denied ,him1 #8whatever miracle you desire1 ,i am ready to perform1 and ,i will submit to whatever test you propose4' ,but in the ,epistle to the ,shh ,bah'u'llh said clearly1 #8,gather the #8ulams and summon ,me1 that the evidences and proofs may be established4'0 ,seven years of uninterrupted1 of patient and eminently successful consolidation were now drawing to a close4 ,a shepherdless community1 subjected to a prolonged and tremendous strain1 from both within and without1 and threatened with obliteration1 had been resuscitated1 and risen to an ascendancy without example in the course of its twenty years' history4 ,its foundations reinforced1 its spirit exalted1 its outlook transformed1 its leadership safeguarded1 its fundamentals restated1 its prestige enhanced1 its enemies discomfited1 the ,hand of ,destiny was gradually preparing to launch it on a new phase in its checkered career1 in which weal and woe alike were to carry it through yet another stage in its evolution4 ,the ,deliverer1 the sole hope1 and the virtually recognized leader of this community1 ,who had consistently overawed the authors of so many plots to assassinate ,him1 ,who had scornfully rejected all the timid advice that ,he should flee from the scene of danger1 ,who had firmly declined repeated and generous offers made by friends and supporters to insure ,his personal safety1 ,who had won so conspicuous a victory over ,his antagonists--,he was1 at this auspicious hour1 being impelled by the resistless processes of ,his unfolding ,mission1 to transfer ,his residence to the center of still greater preeminence1 the capital city of the ,ottoman ,empire1 the seat of the ,caliphate1 the administrative center of ,sunn ,islm1 the abode of the most powerful potentate in the ,islamic world4 ,he had already flung a daring challenge to the sacerdotal order represented by the eminent ecclesiastics residing in ,najaf1 ,karbil and ,kazmayn4 ,he was now1 while in the vicinity of the court of ,his royal adversary1 to offer a similar challenge to the recognized head of ,sunn ,islm1 as well as to the sovereign of ,persia1 the trustee of the hidden ,imm4 ,the entire company of the kings of the earth1 and in particular the ,suln and his ministers1 were1 moreover1 to be addressed by ,him1 appealed to and warned1 while the kings of ,christendom and the ,sunn hierarchy were to be severely admonished4 ,little wonder that the exiled ,bearer of a newly-announced ,revelation should have1 in anticipation of the future splendor of the ,lamp of ,his ,faith1 after its removal from #8,irq1 uttered these prophetic words3 8,it will shine resplendently within another globe1 as predestined by ,him who is the ,omnipotent1 the ,ancient of ,days4 444,that the ,spirit should depart out of the body of #8,irq is indeed a wondrous sign unto all who are in heaven and all who are on earth4 ,erelong will ye behold this ,divine ,youth riding upon the steed of victory4 ,then will the hearts of the envious be seized with trembling40 ,the predestined hour of ,bah'u'llh's departure from #8,irq having now struck1 the process whereby it could be accomplished was set in motion4 ,the nine months of unremitting endeavor exerted by ,his enemies1 and particularly by ,shaykh #8,abdu'l-usayn and his confederate ,mrz ,buzurg ,khn1 were about to yield their fruit4 ,niri'd-,dn ,shh and his ministers1 on the one hand1 and the ,persian ,ambassador in ,constantinople1 on the other1 were incessantly urged to take immediate action to insure ,bah'u'llh's removal from ,baghdd4 ,through gross misrepresentation of the true situation and the dissemination of alarming reports a malignant and energetic enemy finally succeeded in persuading the ,shh to instruct his foreign minister1 ,mrz ,sa'd ,khn1 to direct the ,persian ,ambassador at the ,sublime ,porte1 ,mrz usayn ,khn1 a close friend of #8,al ,psh1 the ,grand ,vizir of the ,suln1 and of ,fu'd ,psh1 the ,minister of foreign affairs1 to induce ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz to order the immediate transfer of ,bah'u'llh to a place remote from ,baghdd1 on the ground that ,his continued residence in that city1 adjacent to ,persian territory and close to so important a center of ,sh'ah pilgrimage1 constituted a direct menace to the security of ,persia and its government4 ,mrz ,sa'd ,khn1 in his communication to the ,ambassador1 stigmatized the ,faith as a 8misguided and detestable sect10 deplored ,bah'u'llh's release from the ,syh-,chl1 and denounced ,him as one who did not cease from 8secretly corrupting and misleading foolish persons and ignorant weaklings40 8,in accordance with the royal command10 he wrote1 8,i1 your faithful friend1 have been ordered 444 to instruct you to seek1 without delay1 an appointment with their ,excellencies1 the ,sadr-i-#8,aam and the ,minister of ,foreign ,affairs 444 to request 444 the removal of this source of mischief from a center like ,baghdd1 which is the meeting-place of many different peoples1 and is situated near the frontiers of the provinces of ,persia40 ,in that same letter1 quoting a celebrated verse1 he writes3 8#8,i see beneath the ashes the glow of fire1 and it wants but little to burst into a blaze1'0 thus betraying his fears and seeking to instill them into his correspondent4 ,encouraged by the presence on the throne of a monarch who had delegated much of his powers to his ministers1 and aided by certain foreign ambassadors and ministers in ,constantinople1 ,mrz usayn ,khn1 by dint of much persuasion and the friendly pressure he brought to bear on these ministers1 succeeded in securing the sanction of the ,suln for the transfer of ,bah'u'llh and ,his companions 7who had in the meantime been forced by circumstances to change their citizenship7 to ,constantinople4 ,it is even reported that the first request the ,persian authorities made of a friendly ,power1 after the accession of the new ,suln to the throne1 was for its active and prompt intervention in this matter4 ,it was on the fifth of ,naw-,rz 7#ahfc71 while ,bah'u'llh was celebrating that festival in the ,mazr'iy-i-,vashshsh1 in the outskirts of ,baghdd1 and had just revealed the 8,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner10 whose gloomy prognostications had aroused the grave apprehensions of ,his ,companions1 that an emissary of ,nmiq ,psh arrived and delivered into ,his hands a communication requesting an interview between ,him and the governor4 ,already1 as ,nabl has pointed out in his narrative1 ,bah'u'llh had1 in the course of ,his discourses1 during the last years of ,his sojourn in ,baghdd1 alluded to the period of trial and turmoil that was inexorably approaching1 exhibiting a sadness and heaviness of heart which greatly perturbed those around ,him4 ,a dream which ,he had at that time1 the ominous character of which could not be mistaken1 served to confirm the fears and misgivings that had assailed ,his companions4 8,i saw10 ,he wrote in a ,tablet1 8the ,prophets and the ,messengers gather and seat themselves around ,me1 moaning1 weeping and loudly lamenting4 ,amazed1 ,i inquired of them the reason1 whereupon their lamentation and weeping waxed greater1 and they said unto me3 #8,we weep for ,thee1 ,o ,most ,great ,mystery1 ,o ,tabernacle of ,immortality6' ,they wept with such a weeping that ,i too wept with them4 ,thereupon the ,concourse on high addressed ,me saying3 #8444,erelong shalt ,thou behold with ,thine own eyes what no ,prophet hath beheld4444 ,be patient1 be patient4'444 ,they continued addressing ,me the whole night until the approach of dawn40 8,oceans of sorrow10 ,nabl affirms1 8surged in the hearts of the listeners when the ,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner was read aloud to them4444 ,it was evident to every one that the chapter of ,baghdd was about to be closed1 and a new one opened1 in its stead4 ,no sooner had that ,tablet been chanted than ,bah'u'llh ordered that the tents which had been pitched should be folded up1 and that all ,his companions should return to the city4 ,while the tents were being removed ,he observed3 #8,these tents may be likened to the trappings of this world1 which no sooner are they spread out than the time cometh for them to be rolled up4' ,from these words of ,his they who heard them perceived that these tents would never again be pitched on that spot4 ,they had not yet been taken away when the messenger arrived from ,baghdd to deliver the afore-mentioned communication from the governor40 ,by the following day the ,deputy-,governor had delivered to ,bah'u'llh in a mosque1 in the neighborhood of the governor's house1 #8,al ,psh's letter1 addressed to ,nmiq ,psh1 couched in courteous language1 inviting ,bah'u'llh to proceed1 as a guest of the ,ottoman government1 to ,constantinople1 placing a sum of money at ,his disposal1 and ordering a mounted escort to accompany ,him for ,his protection4 ,to this request ,bah'u'llh gave ,his ready assent1 but declined to accept the sum offered ,him4 ,on the urgent representations of the ,deputy that such a refusal would offend the authorities1 ,he reluctantly consented to receive the generous allowance set aside for ,his use1 and distributed it1 that same day1 among the poor4 ,the effect upon the colony of exiles of this sudden intelligence was instantaneous and overwhelming4 8,that day10 wrote an eyewitness1 describing the reaction of the community to the news of ,bah'u'llh's approaching departure1 8witnessed a commotion associated with the turmoil of the ,day of ,resurrection4 ,methinks1 the very gates and walls of the city wept aloud at their imminent separation from the ,abh ,beloved4 ,the first night mention was made of ,his intended departure ,his loved ones1 one and all1 renounced both sleep and food4444 ,not a soul amongst them could be tranquillized4 ,many had resolved that in the event of their being deprived of the bounty of accompanying ,him1 they would1 without hesitation1 kill themselves4444 ,gradually1 however1 through the words which ,he addressed them1 and through ,his exhortations and ,his loving-kindness1 they were calmed and resigned themselves to ,his good-pleasure40 ,for every one of them1 whether ,arab or ,persian1 man or woman1 child or adult1 who lived in ,baghdd1 ,he revealed during those days1 in ,his own hand1 a separate ,tablet4 ,in most of these ,tablets ,he predicted the appearance of the 8,calf0 and of the 8,birds of the ,night10 allusions to those who1 as anticipated in the ,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner1 and foreshadowed in the dream quoted above1 were to raise the standard of rebellion and precipitate the gravest crisis in the history of the ,faith4 ,twenty-seven days after that mournful ,tablet had been so unexpectedly revealed by ,bah'u'llh1 and the fateful communication1 presaging ,his departure to ,constantinople had been delivered into ,his hands1 on a ,wednesday afternoon 7,april #bb1 #ahfc71 thirty-one days after ,naw-,rz1 on the third of ,dhi'l-,qdih1 #abgi ,a4,h41 ,he set forth on the first stage of ,his four months' journey to the capital of the ,ottoman ,empire4 ,that historic day1 forever after designated as the first day of the ,ridvn ,festival1 the culmination of innumerable farewell visits which friends and acquaintances of every class and denomination1 had been paying him1 was one the like of which the inhabitants of ,baghdd had rarely beheld4 ,a concourse of people of both sexes and of every age1 comprising friends and strangers ,arabs1 ,kurds and ,persians1 notables and clerics1 officials and merchants1 as well as many of the lower classes1 the poor1 the orphaned1 the outcast1 some surprised1 others heartbroken1 many tearful and apprehensive1 a few impelled by curiosity or secret satisfaction1 thronged the approaches of ,his house1 eager to catch a final glimpse of ,one ,who1 for a decade1 had1 through precept and example1 exercised so potent an influence on so large a number of the heterogeneous inhabitants of their city4 ,leaving for the last time1 amidst weeping and lamentation1 ,his 8,most ,holy ,habitation10 out of which had 8gone forth the breath of the ,all-,glorious10 and from which had poured forth1 in 8ceaseless strains10 the 8melody of the ,all-,merciful10 and dispensing on ,his way with a lavish hand a last alms to the poor ,he had so faithfully befriended1 and uttering words of comfort to the disconsolate who besought ,him on every side1 ,he1 at length1 reached the banks of the river1 and was ferried across1 accompanied by ,his sons and amanuensis1 to the ,najbyyih ,garden1 situated on the opposite shore4 8,o ,my companions10 ,he thus addressed the faithful band that surrounded ,him before ,he embarked1 8,i entrust to your keeping this city of ,baghdd1 in the state ye now behold it1 when from the eyes of friends and strangers alike1 crowding its housetops1 its streets and markets1 tears like the rain of spring are flowing down1 and ,i depart4 ,with you it now rests to watch lest your deeds and conduct dim the flame of love that gloweth within the breasts of its inhabitants40 ,the muezzin had just raised the afternoon call to prayer when ,bah'u'llh entered the ,najbyyih ,garden1 where ,he tarried twelve days before ,his final departure from the city4 ,there ,his friends and companions1 arriving in successive waves1 attained ,his presence and bade ,him1 with feelings of profound sorrow1 their last farewell4 ,outstanding among them was the renowned ls1 the ,muft of ,baghdd1 who1 with eyes dimmed with tears1 execrated the name of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 whom he deemed to be primarily responsible for so unmerited a banishment4 8,i have ceased to regard him10 he openly asserted1 8as ,niri'd-,dn 7the helper of the ,faith71 but consider him rather to be its wrecker40 ,another distinguished visitor was the governor himself1 ,nmiq ,psh1 who1 after expressing in the most respectful terms his regret at the developments which had precipitated ,bah'u'llh's departure1 and assuring ,him of his readiness to aid ,him in any way he could1 handed to the officer appointed to accompany ,him a written order1 commanding the governors of the provinces through which the exiles would be passing to extend to them the utmost consideration4 8,whatever you require10 he1 after profuse apologies1 informed ,bah'u'llh1 8you have but to command4 ,we are ready to carry it out40 8,extend thy consideration to ,our loved ones10 was the reply to his insistent and reiterated offers1 8and deal with them with kindness0--a request to which he gave his warm and unhesitating assent4 ,small wonder that1 in the face of so many evidences of deep-seated devotion1 sympathy and esteem1 so strikingly manifested by high and low alike1 from the time ,bah'u'llh announced ,his contemplated journey to the day of ,his departure from the ,najbyyih ,garden--small wonder that those who had so tirelessly sought to secure the order for ,his banishment1 and had rejoiced at the success of their efforts1 should now have bitterly regretted their act4 8,such hath been the interposition of ,god10 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in a letter written by ,him from that garden1 with reference to these enemies1 affirms1 8that the joy evinced by them hath been turned to chagrin and sorrow1 so much so that the ,persian consul-general in ,baghdd regrets exceedingly the plans and plots the schemers had devised4 ,nmiq ,psh himself1 on the day he called on ,him 7,bah'u'llh7 stated3 #8,formerly they insisted upon your departure4 ,now1 however1 they are even more insistent that you should remain4'0 ,chapter ,,ix3 ,the ,declaration of ,bah'u'llh's ,mission and ,his ,journey to ,constantinople ,the arrival of ,bah'u'llh in the ,najbyyih ,garden1 subsequently designated by ,his followers the ,garden of ,ridvn1 signalizes the commencement of what has come to be recognized as the holiest and most significant of all ,bah' festivals1 the festival commemorating the ,declaration of ,his ,mission to ,his companions4 ,so momentous a ,declaration may well be regarded both as the logical consummation of that revolutionizing process which was initiated by ,himself upon ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih1 and as a prelude to the final proclamation of that same ,mission to the world and its rulers from ,adrianople4 ,through that solemn act the 8delay10 of no less than a decade1 divinely interposed between the birth of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation in the ,syh-,chl and its announcement to the ,bb's disciples1 was at long last terminated4 ,the 8set time of concealment10 during which as ,he ,himself has borne witness1 the 8signs and tokens of a divinely-appointed ,revelation0 were being showered upon ,him1 was fulfilled4 ,the 8myriad veils of light10 within which ,his glory had been wrapped1 were1 at that historic hour1 partially lifted1 vouchsafing to mankind 8an infinitesimal glimmer0 of the effulgence of ,his 8peerless1 ,his most sacred and exalted ,countenance40 ,the 8thousand two hundred and ninety days10 fixed by ,daniel in the last chapter of ,his ,book1 as the duration of the 8abomination that maketh desolate0 had now elapsed4 ,the 8hundred lunar years10 destined to immediately precede that blissful consummation 7#acce days71 announced by ,daniel in that same chapter1 had commenced4 ,the nineteen years1 constituting the first 8,vahd10 preordained in the ,persian ,bayn by the pen of the ,bb1 had been completed4 ,the ,lord of the ,kingdom1 ,jesus ,christ returned in the glory of the ,father1 was about to ascend ,his throne1 and assume the sceptre of a world-embracing1 indestructible sovereignty4 ,the community of the ,most ,great ,name1 the 8companions of the ,crimson ,colored ,ark10 lauded in glowing terms in the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 had visibly emerged4 ,the ,bb's own prophecy regarding the 8,ridvn10 the scene of the unveiling of ,bah'u'llh's transcendent glory1 had been literally fulfilled4 ,undaunted by the prospect of the appalling adversities which1 as predicted by ,himself1 were soon to overtake ,him2 on the eve of a second banishment which would be fraught with many hazards and perils1 and would bring ,him still farther from ,his native land1 the cradle of ,his ,faith1 to a country alien in race1 in language and in culture2 acutely conscious of the extension of the circle of ,his adversaries1 among whom were soon to be numbered a monarch more despotic than ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 and ministers no less unyielding in their hostility than either j ,mrz ,aqs or the ,amr-,nizm2 undeterred by the perpetual interruptions occasioned by the influx of a host of visitors who thronged ,his tent1 ,bah'u'llh chose in that critical and seemingly unpropitious hour to advance so challenging a claim1 to lay bare the mystery surrounding ,his person1 and to assume1 in their plenitude1 the power and the authority which were the exclusive privileges of the ,one ,whose advent the ,bb had prophesied4 ,already the shadow of that great oncoming event had fallen upon the colony of exiles1 who awaited expectantly its consummation4 ,as the year 8eighty0 steadily and inexorably approached1 ,he ,who had become the real leader of that community increasingly experienced1 and progressively communicated to ,his future followers1 the onrushing influences of its informing force4 ,the festive1 the soul-entrancing odes which ,he revealed almost every day2 the ,tablets1 replete with hints1 which streamed from ,his pen2 the allusions which1 in private converse and public discourse1 ,he made to the approaching hour2 the exaltation which in moments of joy and sadness alike flooded ,his soul2 the ecstasy which filled ,his lovers1 already enraptured by the multiplying evidences of ,his rising greatness and glory2 the perceptible change noted in ,his demeanor2 and finally1 ,his adoption of the tj 7tall felt head-dress71 on the day of ,his departure from ,his ,most ,holy ,house--all proclaimed unmistakably ,his imminent assumption of the prophetic office and of ,his open leadership of the community of the ,bb's followers4 8,many a night10 writes ,nabl1 depicting the tumult that had seized the hearts of ,bah'u'llh's companions1 in the days prior to the declaration of ,his mission1 8would ,mrz q ,jn gather them together in his room1 close the door1 light numerous camphorated candles1 and chant aloud to them the newly revealed odes and ,tablets in his possession4 ,wholly oblivious of this contingent world1 completely immersed in the realms of the spirit1 forgetful of the necessity for food1 sleep or drink1 they would suddenly discover that night had become day1 and that the sun was approaching its zenith40 ,of the exact circumstances attending that epoch-making ,declaration we1 alas1 are but scantily informed4 ,the words ,bah'u'llh actually uttered on that occasion1 the manner of ,his ,declaration1 the reaction it produced1 its impact on ,mrz ,yay1 the identity of those who were privileged to hear ,him1 are shrouded in an obscurity which future historians will find it difficult to penetrate4 ,the fragmentary description left to posterity by ,his chronicler ,nabl is one of the very few authentic records we possess of the memorable days ,he spent in that garden4 8,every day10 ,nabl has related1 8ere the hour of dawn1 the gardeners would pick the roses which lined the four avenues of the garden1 and would pile them in the center of the floor of ,his blessed tent4 ,so great would be the heap that when ,his companions gathered to drink their morning tea in ,his presence1 they would be unable to see each other across it4 ,all these roses ,bah'u'llh would1 with ,his own hands1 entrust to those whom ,he dismissed from ,his presence every morning to be delivered1 on ,his behalf1 to ,his ,arab and ,persian friends in the city40 8,one night10 he continues1 8the ninth night of the waxing moon1 ,i happened to be one of those who watched beside ,his blessed tent4 ,as the hour of midnight approached1 ,i saw ,him issue from ,his tent1 pass by the places where some of ,his companions were sleeping1 and begin to pace up and down the moonlit1 flower-bordered avenues of the garden4 ,so loud was the singing of the nightingales on every side that only those who were near ,him could hear distinctly ,his voice4 ,he continued to walk until1 pausing in the midst of one of these avenues1 ,he observed3 #8,consider these nightingales4 ,so great is their love for these roses1 that sleepless from dusk till dawn1 they warble their melodies and commune with burning passion with the object of their adoration4 ,how then can those who claim to be afire with the rose-like beauty of the ,beloved choose to sleep8' ,for three successive nights ,i watched and circled round ,his blessed tent4 ,every time ,i passed by the couch whereon ,he lay1 ,i would find ,him wakeful1 and every day1 from morn till eventide1 ,i would see ,him ceaselessly engaged in conversing with the stream of visitors who kept flowing in from ,baghdd4 ,not once could ,i discover in the words ,he spoke any trace of dissimulation40 ,as to the significance of that ,declaration let ,bah'u'llh ,himself reveal to us its import4 ,acclaiming that historic occasion as the 8,most ,great ,festival10 the 8,king of ,festivals10 the 8,festival of ,god10 ,he has1 in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 characterized it as the ,day whereon 8all created things were immersed in the sea of purification10 whilst in one of ,his specific ,tablets1 ,he has referred to it as the ,day whereon 8the breezes of forgiveness were wafted over the entire creation40 8,rejoice1 with exceeding gladness1 ,o people of ,bah601 ,he1 in another ,tablet1 has written1 8as ye call to remembrance the ,day of supreme felicity1 the ,day whereon the ,tongue of the ,ancient of ,days hath spoken1 as ,he departed from ,his ,house proceeding to the ,spot from which ,he shed upon the whole of creation the splendors of ,his ,name1 the ,all-,merciful444 ,were ,we to reveal the hidden secrets of that ,day1 all that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die1 except such as will be preserved by ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,such is the inebriating effect of the words of ,god upon the ,revealer of ,his undoubted proofs that ,his pen can move no longer40 ,and again3 8,the ,divine ,springtime is come1 ,o ,most ,exalted ,pen1 for the ,festival of the ,all-,merciful is fast approaching4444 ,the ,day-,star of ,blissfulness shineth above the horizon of ,our ,name1 the ,blissful1 inasmuch as the ,kingdom of the ,name of ,god hath been adorned with the ornament of the ,name of ,thy ,lord1 the ,creator of the heavens4444 ,take heed lest anything deter ,thee from extolling the greatness of this ,day--the ,day whereon the ,finger of ,majesty and ,power hath opened the seal of the ,wine of ,reunion1 and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on earth4444 ,this is the ,day whereon the unseen world crieth out3 #8,great is thy blessedness1 ,o earth1 for thou hast been made the footstool of thy ,god1 and been chosen as the seat of ,his mighty throne' 444,say 444 ,he it is ,who hath laid bare before you the hidden and treasured ,gem1 were ye to seek it4 ,he it is who is the ,one ,beloved of all things1 whether of the past or of the future40 ,and yet again3 8,arise1 and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that ,he who is the ,all-,merciful hath directed ,his steps towards the ,ridvn and entered it4 ,guide1 then1 the people unto the ,garden of ,delight which ,god hath made the ,throne of ,his ,paradise444 ,within this ,paradise1 and from the heights of its loftiest chambers1 the ,maids of ,heaven have cried out and shouted3 #8,rejoice1 ye dwellers of the realms above1 for the fingers of ,him ,who is the ,ancient of ,days are ringing1 in the name of the ,all-,glorious1 the ,most ,great ,bell1 in the midmost heart of the heavens4 ,the hands of bounty have borne round the cups of everlasting life4 ,approach1 and quaff your fill4'0 ,and finally3 8,forget the world of creation1 ,o ,pen1 and turn ,thou towards the face of ,thy ,lord1 the ,lord of all names4 ,adorn1 then1 the world with the ornament of the favors of ,thy ,lord1 the ,king of everlasting days4 ,for ,we perceive the fragrance of the ,day whereon ,he ,who is the ,desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendors of the light of ,his most excellent names1 and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of ,his most gracious favors1 favors which none can reckon except ,him ,who is the ,omnipotent ,protector of the entire creation40 ,the departure of ,bah'u'llh from the ,garden of ,ridvn1 at noon1 on the #adth of ,dhi'l-,qdih #abgi ,a4,h4 7,may #c1 #ahfc71 witnessed scenes of tumultuous enthusiasm no less spectacular1 and even more touching1 than those which greeted ,him when leaving ,his ,most ,great ,house in ,baghdd4 8,the great tumult10 wrote an eyewitness1 8associated in our minds with the ,day of ,gathering1 the ,day of ,judgment1 we beheld on that occasion4 ,believers and unbelievers alike sobbed and lamented4 ,the chiefs and notables who had congregated were struck with wonder4 ,emotions were stirred to such depths as no tongue can describe1 nor could any observer escape their contagion40 ,mounted on ,his steed1 a red roan stallion of the finest breed1 the best ,his lovers could purchase for ,him1 and leaving behind ,him a bowing multitude of fervent admirers1 ,he rode forth on the first stage of a journey that was to carry ,him to the city of ,constantinople4 8,numerous were the heads10 ,nabl himself a witness of that memorable scene1 recounts1 8which1 on every side1 bowed to the dust at the feet of ,his horse1 and kissed its hoofs1 and countless were those who pressed forward to embrace ,his stirrups40 8,how great the number of those embodiments of fidelity10 testifies a fellow-traveler1 8who1 casting themselves before that charger1 preferred death to separation from their ,beloved6 ,methinks1 that blessed steed trod upon the bodies of those pure-hearted souls40 8,he 7,god7 it was10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself declares1 8,who enabled ,me to depart out of the city 7,baghdd71 clothed with such majesty as none1 except the denier and the malicious1 can fail to acknowledge40 ,these marks of homage and devotion continued to surround ,him until ,he was installed in ,constantinople4 ,mrz ,yay1 while hurrying on foot1 by his own choice1 behind ,bah'u'llh's carriage1 on the day of ,his arrival in that city1 was overheard by ,nabl to remark to ,siyyid ,muammad3 8,had ,i not chosen to hide myself1 had ,i revealed my identity1 the honor accorded ,him 7,bah'u'llh7 on this day would have been mine too40 ,the same tokens of devotion shown ,bah'u'llh at the time of ,his departure from ,his ,house1 and later from the ,garden of ,ridvn1 were repeated when1 on the #bjth of ,dhi'l-,qdih 7,may #i1 #ahfc71 accompanied by members of ,his family and twenty-six of ,his disciples1 ,he left ,firayjt1 ,his first stopping-place in the course of that journey4 ,a caravan1 consisting of fifty mules1 a mounted guard of ten soldiers with their officer1 and seven pairs of howdahs1 each pair surmounted by four parasols1 was formed1 and wended its way1 by easy stages1 and in the space of no less than a hundred and ten days1 across the uplands1 and through the defiles1 the woods1 valleys and pastures1 comprising the picturesque scenery of eastern ,anatolia1 to the port of ,smsun1 on the ,black ,sea4 ,at times on horseback1 at times resting in the howdah reserved for ,his use1 and which was oftentimes surrounded by ,his companions1 most of whom were on foot1 ,he1 by virtue of the written order of ,nmiq ,psh1 was accorded1 as ,he traveled northward1 in the path of spring1 an enthusiastic reception by the vals1 the mutisrrifs1 the q'im-maqms1 the mudrs1 the shaykhs1 the mufts and qds1 the government officials and notables belonging to the districts through which ,he passed4 ,in ,krkk1 in ,irbl1 in ,mosul1 where ,he tarried three days1 in ,nisbn1 in ,mardn1 in ,dyr-,bakr1 where a halt of a couple of days was made1 in ,khrpt1 in ,svas1 as well as in other villages and hamlets1 ,he would be met by a delegation immediately before ,his arrival1 and would be accompanied1 for some distance1 by a similar delegation upon ,his departure4 ,the festivities which1 at some stations1 were held in ,his honor1 the food the villagers prepared and brought for ,his acceptance1 the eagerness which time and again they exhibited in providing the means for ,his comfort1 recalled the reverence which the people of ,baghdd had shown ,him on so many occasions4 8,as we passed that morning through the town of ,mardn10 that same fellow-traveler relates1 8we were preceded by a mounted escort of government soldiers1 carrying their banners1 and beating their drums in welcome4 ,the mutisrrif1 together with officials and notables1 accompanied us1 while men1 women and children1 crowding the housetops and filling the streets1 awaited our arrival4 ,with dignity and pomp we traversed that town1 and resumed our journey1 the mutisrrif and those with him escorting us for a considerable distance40 8,according to the unanimous testimony of those we met in the course of that journey10 ,nabl has recorded in his narrative1 8never before had they witnessed along this route1 over which governors and mushrs continually passed back and forth between ,constantinople and ,baghdd1 any one travel in such state1 dispense such hospitality to all1 and accord to each so great a share of his bounty40 ,sighting from ,his howdah the ,black ,sea1 as ,he approached the port of ,smsun1 ,bah'u'llh1 at the request of ,mrz q ,jn1 revealed a ,tablet1 designated ,law-i-,hawdaj 7,tablet of the ,howdah71 which by such allusions as the 8,divine ,touchstone10 8the grievous and tormenting ,mischief10 reaffirmed and supplemented the dire predictions recorded in the recently revealed ,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner4 ,in ,smsun the ,chief ,inspector of the entire province1 extending from ,baghdd to ,constantinople1 accompanied by several pshs1 called on ,him1 showed ,him the utmost respect1 and was entertained by ,him at luncheon4 ,but seven days after ,his arrival1 ,he1 as foreshadowed in the ,tablet of the ,holy ,mariner1 was put on board a ,turkish steamer and three days later was disembarked1 at noon1 together with ,his fellow-exiles1 at the port of ,constantinople1 on the first of ,rab'u'l-,avval #abhj ,a4,h4 7,august #af1 #ahfc74 ,in two special carriages1 which awaited ,him at the landing-stage ,he and ,his family drove to the house of ,shams ,big1 the official who had been appointed by the government to entertain its guests1 and who lived in the vicinity of the ,khirqiy-i-,sharf mosque4 ,later they were transferred to the more commodious house of ,vs ,psh1 in the neighborhood of the mosque of ,suln ,muammad4 ,with the arrival of ,bah'u'llh at ,constantinople1 the capital of the ,ottoman ,empire and seat of the ,caliphate 7acclaimed by the ,muammadans as 8the ,dome of ,islam10 but stigmatized by ,him as the spot whereon the 8throne of tyranny0 had been established7 the grimmest and most calamitous and yet the most glorious chapter in the history of the first ,bah' century may be said to have opened4 ,a period in which untold privations and unprecedented trials were mingled with the noblest spiritual triumphs was now commencing4 ,the day-star of ,bah'u'llh's ministry was about to reach its zenith4 ,the most momentous years of the ,heroic ,age of ,his ,dispensation were at hand4 ,the catastrophic process1 foreshadowed as far back as the year sixty by ,his ,forerunner in the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 was beginning to be set in motion4 ,exactly two decades earlier the ,bb ,revelation had been born in darkest ,persia1 in the city of ,shrz4 ,despite the cruel captivity to which its ,author had been subjected1 the stupendous claims ,he had voiced had been proclaimed by ,him before a distinguished assemblage in ,tabrz1 the capital of dhirbayjn4 ,in the hamlet of ,badasht the ,dispensation which ,his ,faith had ushered in had been fearlessly inaugurated by the champions of ,his ,cause4 ,in the midst of the hopelessness and agony of the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 nine years later1 that ,revelation had1 swiftly and mysteriously been brought to sudden fruition4 ,the process of rapid deterioration in the fortunes of that ,faith1 which had gradually set in1 and was alarmingly accelerated during the years of ,bah'u'llh's withdrawal to ,kurdistn1 had1 in a masterly fashion after ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih1 been arrested and reversed4 ,the ethical1 the moral and doctrinal foundations of a nascent community had been subsequently1 in the course of ,his sojourn in ,baghdd1 unassailably established4 ,and finally1 in the ,garden of ,ridvn1 on the eve of ,his banishment to ,constantinople1 the ten-year delay1 ordained by an inscrutable ,providence1 had been terminated through the ,declaration of ,his ,mission and the visible emergence of what was to become the nucleus of a world-embracing ,fellowship4 ,what now remained to be achieved was the proclamation1 in the city of ,adrianople1 of that same ,mission to the world's secular and ecclesiastical leaders1 to be followed1 in successive decades1 by a further unfoldment1 in the prison-fortress of ,akk1 of the principles and precepts constituting the bedrock of that ,faith1 by the formulation of the laws and ordinances designed to safeguard its integrity1 by the establishment1 immediately after ,his ascension1 of the ,covenant designed to preserve its unity and perpetuate its influence1 by the prodigious and world-wide extension of its activities1 under the guidance of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the ,center of that ,covenant1 and lastly1 by the rise1 in the ,formative ,age of that ,faith1 of its ,administrative ,order1 the harbinger of its ,golden ,age and future glory4 ,this historic ,proclamation was made at a time when the ,faith was in the throes of a crisis of extreme violence1 and it was in the main addressed to the kings of the earth1 and to the ,christian and ,muslim ecclesiastical leaders who1 by virtue of their immense prestige1 ascendancy and authority1 assumed an appalling and inescapable responsibility for the immediate destinies of their subjects and followers4 ,the initial phase of that ,proclamation may be said to have opened in ,constantinople with the communication 7the text of which we1 alas1 do not possess7 addressed by ,bah'u'llh to ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz himself1 the self-styled vicar of the ,prophet of ,islm and the absolute ruler of a mighty empire4 ,so potent1 so august a personage was the first among the sovereigns of the world to receive the ,divine ,summons1 and the first among ,oriental monarchs to sustain the impact of ,god's retributive justice4 ,the occasion for this communication was provided by the infamous edict the ,suln had promulgated1 less than four months after the arrival of the exiles in his capital1 banishing them1 suddenly and without any justification whatsoever1 in the depth of winter1 and in the most humiliating circumstances1 to ,adrianople1 situated on the extremities of his empire4 ,that fateful and ignominious decision1 arrived at by the ,suln and his chief ministers1 #8,al ,psh and ,fu'd ,psh1 was in no small degree attributable to the persistent intrigues of the ,mushru'd-,dawlih1 ,mrz usayn ,khn1 the ,persian ,ambassador to the ,sublime ,porte1 denounced by ,bah'u'llh as ,his 8calumniator10 who awaited the first opportunity to strike at ,him and the ,cause of which ,he was now the avowed and recognized leader4 ,this ,ambassador was pressed continually by his government to persist in the policy of arousing against ,bah'u'llh the hostility of the ,turkish authorities4 ,he was encouraged by the refusal of ,bah'u'llh to follow the invariable practice of government guests1 however highly placed1 of calling in person1 upon their arrival at the capital1 on the ,shaykhu'l-,islm1 on the ,sadr-i-#8,aam1 and on the ,foreign ,minister--,bah'u'llh did not even return the calls paid ,him by several ministers1 by ,kaml ,psh and by a former ,turkish envoy to the court of ,persia4 ,he was not deterred by ,bah'u'llh's upright and independent attitude which contrasted so sharply with the mercenariness of the ,persian princes who were wont1 on their arrival1 to 8solicit at every door such allowances and gifts as they might obtain40 ,he resented ,bah'u'llh's unwillingness to present ,himself at the ,persian ,embassy1 and to repay the visit of its representative2 and1 being seconded1 in his efforts1 by his accomplice1 j ,mrz asan-i-,saf1 whom he instructed to circulate unfounded reports about ,him1 he succeeded through his official influence1 as well as through his private intercourse with ecclesiastics1 notables and government officials1 in representing ,bah'u'llh as a proud and arrogant person1 ,who regarded ,himself as subject to no law1 ,who entertained designs inimical to all established authority1 and ,whose forwardness had precipitated the grave differences that had arisen between ,himself and the ,persian ,government4 ,nor was he the only one who indulged in these nefarious schemes4 ,others1 according to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 8condemned and vilified0 the exiles1 as 8a mischief to all the world10 as 8destructive of treaties and covenants10 as 8baleful to all lands0 and as 8deserving of every chastisement and punishment40 ,no less a personage than the highly-respected brother-in-law of the ,sadr-i-#8,aam was commissioned to apprize the ,captive of the edict pronounced against ,him--an edict which evinced a virtual coalition of the ,turkish and ,persian imperial governments against a common adversary1 and which in the end brought such tragic consequences upon the ,sultanate1 the ,caliphate and the ,qjr dynasty4 ,refused an audience by ,bah'u'llh that envoy had to content himself with a presentation of his puerile observations and trivial arguments to #8,abdu'l-,bah and qy-i-,kalm1 who were delegated to see him1 and whom he informed that1 after three days1 he would return to receive the answer to the order he had been bidden to transmit4 ,that same day a ,tablet1 severely condemnatory in tone1 was revealed by ,bah'u'llh1 was entrusted by ,him1 in a sealed envelope1 on the following morning1 to ,shams ,big1 who was instructed to deliver it into the hands of #8,al ,psh1 and to say that it was sent down from ,god4 8,i know not what that letter contained10 ,shams ,big subsequently informed qy-i-,kalm1 8for no sooner had the ,grand ,vizir perused it than he turned the color of a corpse1 and remarked3 #8,it is as if the ,king of ,kings were issuing his behest to his humblest vassal king and regulating his conduct4' ,so grievous was his condition that ,i backed out of his presence40 8,whatever action10 ,bah'u'llh1 commenting on the effect that ,tablet had produced1 is reported to have stated1 8the ministers of the ,suln took against ,us1 after having become acquainted with its contents1 cannot be regarded as unjustifiable4 ,the acts they committed before its perusal1 however1 can have no justification40 ,that ,tablet1 according to ,nabl1 was of considerable length1 opened with words directed to the sovereign himself1 severely censured his ministers1 exposed their immaturity and incompetence1 and included passages in which the ministers themselves were addressed1 in which they were boldly challenged1 and sternly admonished not to pride themselves on their worldly possessions1 nor foolishly seek the riches of which time would inexorably rob them4 ,bah'u'llh was on the eve of ,his departure1 which followed almost immediately upon the promulgation of the edict of ,his banishment1 when1 in a last and memorable interview with the aforementioned j ,mrz asan-i-,saf1 ,he sent the following message to the ,persian ,ambassador3 8,what did it profit thee1 and such as are like thee1 to slay1 year after year1 so many of the oppressed1 and to inflict upon them manifold afflictions1 when they have increased a hundredfold1 and ye find yourselves in complete bewilderment1 knowing not how to relieve your minds of this oppressive thought4 444,his ,cause transcends any and every plan ye devise4 ,know this much3 ,were all the governments on earth to unite and take ,my life and the lives of all who bear this ,name1 this ,divine ,fire would never be quenched4 ,his ,cause will rather encompass all the kings of the earth1 nay all that hath been created from water and clay4444 ,whatever may yet befall ,us1 great shall be our gain1 and manifest the loss wherewith they shall be afflicted40 ,pursuant to the peremptory orders issued for the immediate departure of the already twice banished exiles1 ,bah'u'llh1 ,his family1 and ,his companions1 some riding in wagons1 others mounted on pack animals1 with their belongings piled in carts drawn by oxen1 set out1 accompanied by ,turkish officers1 on a cold ,december morning1 amidst the weeping of the friends they were leaving behind1 on their twelve-day journey1 across a bleak and windswept country1 to a city characterized by ,bah'u'llh as 8the place which none entereth except such as have rebelled against the authority of the sovereign40 8,they expelled ,us10 is ,his own testimony in the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 8from thy city 7,constantinople7 with an abasement with which no abasement on earth can compare40 8,neither ,my family1 nor those who accompanied ,me10 ,he further states1 8had the necessary raiment to protect them from the cold in that freezing weather40 ,and again3 8,the eyes of ,our enemies wept over ,us1 and beyond them those of every discerning person40 8,a banishment10 laments ,nabl1 8endured with such meekness that the pen sheddeth tears when recounting it1 and the page is ashamed to bear its description40 8,a cold of such intensity10 that same chronicler records1 8prevailed that year1 that nonagenarians could not recall its like4 ,in some regions1 in both ,turkey and ,persia1 animals succumbed to its severity and perished in the snows4 ,the upper reaches of the ,euphrates1 in ,ma'dan-,nuqrih1 were covered with ice for several days--an unprecedented phenomenon--while in ,dyr-,bakr the river froze over for no less than forty days40 8,to obtain water from the springs10 one of the exiles of ,adrianople recounts1 8a great fire had to be lighted in their immediate neighborhood1 and kept burning for a couple of hours before they thawed out40 ,traveling through rain and storm1 at times even making night marches1 the weary travelers1 after brief halts at ,kchk-,chakmchih1 ,buyuk-,chakmchih1 ,salvr1 ,birks1 and ,bb-,isk1 arrived at their destination1 on the first of ,rajab #abhj ,a4,h4 7,december #ab1 #ahfc71 and were lodged in the ,khn-i-#8,arab1 a two-story caravanserai1 near the house of #8,izzat-q4 ,three days later1 ,bah'u'llh and ,his family were consigned to a house suitable only for summer habitation1 in the ,murdyyih quarter1 near the ,takyy-i-,mawlav1 and were moved again1 after a week1 to another house1 in the vicinity of a mosque in that same neighborhood4 ,about six months later they transferred to more commodious quarters1 known as the house of ,amru'llh 7,house of ,god's command7 situated on the northern side of the mosque of ,suln ,salm4 ,thus closes the opening scene of one of the most dramatic episodes in the ministry of ,bah'u'llh4 ,the curtain now rises on what is admittedly the most turbulent and critical period of the first ,bah' century--a period that was destined to precede the most glorious phase of that ministry1 the proclamation of ,his ,message to the world and its rulers4 ,chapter ,x3 ,the ,rebellion of ,mrz ,yay and the ,proclamation of ,bah'u'llh's ,mission in ,adrianople ,a twenty-year-old ,faith had just begun to recover from a series of successive blows when a crisis of the first magnitude overtook it and shook it to its roots4 ,neither the tragic martyrdom of the ,bb nor the ignominious attempt on the life of the sovereign1 nor its bloody aftermath1 nor ,bah'u'llh's humiliating banishment from ,his native land1 nor even ,his two-year withdrawal to ,kurdistn1 devastating though they were in their consequences1 could compare in gravity with this first major internal convulsion which seized a newly rearisen community1 and which threatened to cause an irreparable breach in the ranks of its members4 ,more odious than the unrelenting hostility which ,ab-,jahl1 the uncle of ,muammad1 had exhibited1 more shameful than the betrayal of ,jesus ,christ by ,his disciple1 ,judas ,iscariot1 more perfidious than the conduct of the sons of ,jacob towards ,joseph their brother1 more abhorrent than the deed committed by one of the sons of ,noah1 more infamous than even the criminal act perpetrated by ,cain against ,abel1 the monstrous behavior of ,mrz ,yay1 one of the half-brothers of ,bah'u'llh1 the nominee of the ,bb1 and recognized chief of the ,bb community1 brought in its wake a period of travail which left its mark on the fortunes of the ,faith for no less than half a century4 ,this supreme crisis ,bah'u'llh ,himself designated as the ,ayym-i-,shidd 7,days of ,stress71 during which 8the most grievous veil0 was torn asunder1 and the 8most great separation0 was irrevocably effected4 ,it immensely gratified and emboldened its external enemies1 both civil and ecclesiastical1 played into their hands1 and evoked their unconcealed derision4 ,it perplexed and confused the friends and supporters of ,bah'u'llh1 and seriously damaged the prestige of the ,faith in the eyes of its western admirers4 ,it had been brewing ever since the early days of ,bah'u'llh's sojourn in ,baghdd1 was temporarily suppressed by the creative forces which1 under ,his as yet unproclaimed leadership1 reanimated a disintegrating community1 and finally broke out1 in all its violence1 in the years immediately preceding the proclamation of ,his ,message4 ,it brought incalculable sorrow to ,bah'u'llh1 visibly aged ,him1 and inflicted1 through its repercussions1 the heaviest blow ever sustained by ,him in ,his lifetime4 ,it was engineered throughout by the tortuous intrigues and incessant machinations of that same diabolical ,siyyid ,muammad1 that vile whisperer who1 disregarding ,bah'u'llh's advice1 had insisted on accompanying ,him to ,constantinople and ,adrianople1 and was now redoubling his efforts1 with unrelaxing vigilance1 to bring it to a head4 ,mrz ,yay had1 ever since the return of ,bah'u'llh from ,sulaymnyyih1 either chosen to maintain himself in an inglorious seclusion in his own house1 or had withdrawn1 whenever danger threatened1 to such places of safety as illih and ,basra4 ,to the latter town he had fled1 disguised as a ,baghdd ,jew1 and become a shoe merchant4 ,so great was his terror that he is reported to have said on one occasion3 8,whoever claims to have seen me1 or to have heard my voice1 ,i pronounce an infidel40 ,on being informed of ,bah'u'llh's impending departure for ,constantinople1 he at first hid himself in the garden of ,huvaydar1 in the vicinity of ,baghdd1 meditating meanwhile on the advisability of fleeing either to ,abyssinia1 ,india or some other country4 ,refusing to heed ,bah'u'llh's advice to proceed to ,persia1 and there disseminate the writings of the ,bb1 he sent a certain j ,muammad ,kzim1 who resembled him1 to the government-house to procure for him a passport in the name of ,mrz #8,aly-i-,kirmnshh1 and left ,baghdd1 abandoning the writings there1 and proceeded in disguise1 accompanied by an ,arab ,bb1 named ,zhir1 to ,mosul1 where he joined the exiles who were on their way to ,constantinople4 ,a constant witness of the ever deepening attachment of the exiles to ,bah'u'llh and of their amazing veneration for ,him2 fully aware of the heights to which his ,brother's popularity had risen in ,baghdd1 in the course of ,his journey to ,constantinople1 and later through ,his association with the notables and governors of ,adrianople2 incensed by the manifold evidences of the courage1 the dignity1 and independence which that ,brother had demonstrated in ,his dealings with the authorities in the capital2 provoked by the numerous ,tablets which the ,author of a newly-established ,dispensation had been ceaselessly revealing2 allowing himself to be duped by the enticing prospects of unfettered leadership held out to him by ,siyyid ,muammad1 the ,antichrist of the ,bah' ,revelation1 even as ,muammad ,shh had been misled by the ,antichrist of the ,bb ,revelation1 j ,mrz ,aqs2 refusing to be admonished by prominent members of the community who advised him1 in writing1 to exercise wisdom and restraint2 forgetful of the kindness and counsels of ,bah'u'llh1 who1 thirteen years his senior1 had watched over his early youth and manhood2 emboldened by the sin-covering eye of his ,brother1 ,who1 on so many occasions1 had drawn a veil over his many crimes and follies1 this arch-breaker of the ,covenant of the ,bb1 spurred on by his mounting jealousy and impelled by his passionate love of leadership1 was driven to perpetrate such acts as defied either concealment or toleration4 ,irremediably corrupted through his constant association with ,siyyid ,muammad1 that living embodiment of wickedness1 cupidity and deceit1 he had already in the absence of ,bah'u'llh from ,baghdd1 and even after ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih1 stained the annals of the ,faith with acts of indelible infamy4 ,his corruption1 in scores of instances1 of the text of the ,bb's writings2 the blasphemous addition he made to the formula of the adhn by the introduction of a passage in which he identified himself with the ,godhead2 his insertion of references in those writings to a succession in which he nominated himself and his descendants as heirs of the ,bb2 the vacillation and apathy he had betrayed when informed of the tragic death which his ,master had suffered2 his condemnation to death of all the ,mirrors of the ,bb ,dispensation1 though he himself was one of those ,mirrors2 his dastardly act in causing the murder of ,dayyn1 whom he feared and envied2 his foul deed in bringing about1 during the absence of ,bah'u'llh from ,baghdd1 the assassination of ,mrz #8,al-,akbar1 the ,bb's cousin2 and1 most heinous of all1 his unspeakably repugnant violation1 during that same period1 of the honor of the ,bb ,himself--all these1 as attested by qy-i-,kalm1 and reported by ,nabl in his ,narrative1 were to be thrown into a yet more lurid light by further acts the perpetration of which were to seal irretrievably his doom4 ,desperate designs to poison ,bah'u'llh and ,his companions1 and thereby reanimate his own defunct leadership1 began1 approximately a year after their arrival in ,adrianople1 to agitate his mind4 ,well aware of the erudition of his half-brother1 qy-i-,kalm1 in matters pertaining to medicine1 he1 under various pretexts1 sought enlightenment from him regarding the effects of certain herbs and poisons1 and then began1 contrary to his wont1 to invite ,bah'u'llh to his home1 where1 one day1 having smeared ,his tea-cup with a substance he had concocted1 he succeeded in poisoning ,him sufficiently to produce a serious illness which lasted no less than a month1 and which was accompanied by severe pains and high fever1 the aftermath of which left ,bah'u'llh with a shaking hand till the end of ,his life4 ,so grave was ,his condition that a foreign doctor1 named ,shshmn1 was called in to attend ,him4 ,the doctor was so appalled by ,his livid hue that he deemed ,his case hopeless1 and1 after having fallen at ,his feet1 retired from ,his presence without prescribing a remedy4 ,a few days later that doctor fell ill and died4 ,prior to his death ,bah'u'llh had intimated that doctor ,shshmn had sacrificed his life for ,him4 ,to ,mrz q ,jn1 sent by ,bah'u'llh to visit him1 the doctor had stated that ,god had answered his prayers1 and that after his death a certain ,dr4 ,chupn1 whom he knew to be reliable1 should1 whenever necessary1 be called in his stead4 ,on another occasion this same ,mrz ,yay had1 according to the testimony of one of his wives1 who had temporarily deserted him and revealed the details of the above-mentioned act1 poisoned the well which provided water for the family and companions of ,bah'u'llh1 in consequence of which the exiles manifested strange symptoms of illness4 ,he even had1 gradually and with great circumspection1 disclosed to one of the companions1 ,ustd ,muammad-#8,aly-i-,salmn1 the barber1 on whom he had lavished great marks of favor1 his wish that he1 on some propitious occasion1 when attending ,bah'u'llh in ,his bath1 should assassinate ,him4 8,so enraged was ,ustd ,muammad-#8,al10 qy-i-,kalm1 recounting this episode to ,nabl in ,adrianople1 has stated1 8when apprized of this proposition1 that he felt a strong desire to kill ,mrz ,yay on the spot1 and would have done so but for his fear of ,bah'u'llh's displeasure4 ,i happened to be the first person he encountered as he came out of the bath weeping4444 ,i eventually succeeded1 after much persuasion1 in inducing him to return to the bath and complete his unfinished task40 ,though ordered subsequently by ,bah'u'llh not to divulge this occurrence to any one1 the barber was unable to hold his peace and betrayed the secret1 plunging thereby the community into great consternation4 8,when the secret nursed in his 7,mrz ,yay7 bosom was revealed by ,god10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself affirms1 8he disclaimed such an intention1 and imputed it to that same servant 7,ustd ,muammad-#8,al740 ,the moment had now arrived for ,him ,who had so recently1 both verbally and in numerous ,tablets1 revealed the implications of the claims ,he had advanced1 to acquaint formally the one who was the nominee of the ,bb with the character of ,his ,mission4 ,mrz q ,jn was accordingly commissioned to bear to ,mrz ,yay the newly revealed ,sriy-i-#8,amr1 which unmistakably affirmed those claims1 to read aloud to him its contents1 and demand an unequivocal and conclusive reply4 ,mrz ,yay's request for a one day respite1 during which he could meditate his answer1 was granted4 ,the only reply1 however1 that was forthcoming was a counter-declaration1 specifying the hour and the minute in which he had been made the recipient of an independent ,revelation1 necessitating the unqualified submission to him of the peoples of the earth in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,so presumptuous an assertion1 made by so perfidious an adversary to the envoy of the ,bearer of so momentous a ,revelation was the signal for the open and final rupture between ,bah'u'llh and ,mrz ,yay--a rupture that marks one of the darkest dates in ,bah' history4 ,wishing to allay the fierce animosity that blazed in the bosom of ,his enemies1 and to assure to each one of the exiles a complete freedom to choose between ,him and them1 ,bah'u'llh withdrew with ,his family to the house of ,ri ,big 7,shavval #bb1 #abhb ,a4,h471 which was rented by ,his order1 and refused1 for two months1 to associate with either friend or stranger1 including ,his own companions4 ,he instructed qy-i-,kalm to divide all the furniture1 bedding1 clothing and utensils that were to be found in ,his home1 and send half to the house of ,mrz ,yay2 to deliver to him certain relics he had long coveted1 such as the seals1 rings1 and manuscripts in the handwriting of the ,bb2 and to insure that he received his full share of the allowance fixed by the government for the maintenance of the exiles and their families4 ,he1 moreover1 directed qy-i-,kalm to order to attend to ,mrz ,yay's shopping1 for several hours a day1 any one of the companions whom he himself might select1 and to assure him that whatever would henceforth be received in his name from ,persia would be delivered into his own hands4 8,that day10 qy-i-,kalm is reported to have informed ,nabl1 8witnessed a most great commotion4 ,all the companions lamented in their separation from the ,blessed ,beauty40 8,those days10 is the written testimony of one of those companions1 8were marked by tumult and confusion4 ,we were sore-perplexed1 and greatly feared lest we be permanently deprived of the bounty of ,his presence40 ,this grief and perplexity were1 however1 destined to be of short duration4 ,the calumnies with which both ,mrz ,yay and ,siyyid ,muammad now loaded their letters1 which they disseminated in ,persia and #8,irq1 as well as the petitions1 couched in obsequious language1 which the former had addressed to ,khurshd ,psh1 the governor of ,adrianople1 and to his assistant ,azz ,psh1 impelled ,bah'u'llh to emerge from ,his retirement4 ,he was soon after informed that this same brother had despatched one of his wives to the government house to complain that her husband had been cheated of his rights1 and that her children were on the verge of starvation--an accusation that spread far and wide and1 reaching ,constantinople1 became1 to ,bah'u'llh's profound distress1 the subject of excited discussion and injurious comment in circles that had previously been greatly impressed by the high standard which ,his noble and dignified behavior had set in that city4 ,siyyid ,muammad journeyed to the capital1 begged the ,persian ,ambassador1 the ,mushru'd-,dawlih1 to allot ,mrz ,yay and himself a stipend1 accused ,bah'u'llh of sending an agent to assassinate ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 and spared no effort to heap abuse and calumny on ,one ,who had1 for so long and so patiently1 forborne with him1 and endured in silence the enormities of which he had been guilty4 ,after a stay of about one year in the house of ,ri ,big ,bah'u'llh returned to the house ,he had occupied before ,his withdrawal from ,his companions1 and thence1 after three months1 ,he transferred ,his residence to the house of ,izzat q1 in which ,he continued to live until ,his departure from ,adrianople4 ,it was in this house1 in the month of ,jamdiyu'l-,avval #abhd ,a4,h4 7,sept4 #ahfg7 that an event of the utmost significance occurred1 which completely discomfited ,mrz ,yay and his supporters1 and proclaimed to friend and foe alike ,bah'u'llh's triumph over them4 ,a certain ,mr ,muammad1 a ,bb of ,shrz1 greatly resenting alike the claims and the cowardly seclusion of ,mrz ,yay1 succeeded in forcing ,siyyid ,muammad to induce him to meet ,bah'u'llh face to face1 so that a discrimination might be publicly effected between the true and the false4 ,foolishly assuming that his illustrious ,brother would never countenance such a proposition1 ,mrz ,yay appointed the mosque of ,suln ,salm as the place for their encounter4 ,no sooner had ,bah'u'llh been informed of this arrangement than ,he set forth1 on foot1 in the heat of midday1 and accompanied by this same ,mr ,muammad1 for the afore-mentioned mosque1 which was situated in a distant part of the city1 reciting1 as ,he walked1 through the streets and markets1 verses1 in a voice and in a manner that greatly astonished those who saw and heard ,him4 8,o ,muammad601 are some of the words ,he uttered on that memorable occasion1 as testified by ,himself in a ,tablet1 8,he ,who is the ,spirit hath1 verily1 issued from ,his habitation1 and with ,him have come forth the souls of ,god's chosen ones and the realities of ,his ,messengers4 ,behold1 then1 the dwellers of the realms on high above ,mine head1 and all the testimonies of the ,prophets in ,my grasp4 ,say3 ,were all the divines1 all the wise men1 all the kings and rulers on earth to gather together1 ,i1 in very truth1 would confront them1 and would proclaim the verses of ,god1 the ,sovereign1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,wise4 ,i am ,he ,who feareth no one1 though all who are in heaven and all who are on earth rise up against me4444 ,this is ,mine hand which ,god hath turned white for all the worlds to behold4 ,this is ,my staff2 were ,we to cast it down1 it would1 of a truth1 swallow up all created things40 ,mr ,muammad1 who had been sent ahead to announce ,bah'u'llh's arrival1 soon returned1 and informed ,him that he who had challenged ,his authority wished1 owing to unforeseen circumstances1 to postpone for a day or two the interview4 ,upon ,his return to ,his house ,bah'u'llh revealed a ,tablet1 wherein ,he recounted what had happened1 fixed the time for the postponed interview1 sealed the ,tablet with ,his seal1 entrusted it to ,nabl1 and instructed him to deliver it to one of the new believers1 ,mull ,muammad-i-,tabrz1 for the information of ,siyyid ,muammad1 who was in the habit of frequenting that believer's shop4 ,it was arranged to demand from ,siyyid ,muammad1 ere the delivery of that ,tablet1 a sealed note pledging ,mrz ,yay1 in the event of failing to appear at the trysting-place1 to affirm in writing that his claims were false4 ,siyyid ,muammad promised that he would produce the next day the document required1 and though ,nabl1 for three successive days1 waited in that shop for the reply1 neither did the ,siyyid appear1 nor was such a note sent by him4 ,that undelivered ,tablet1 ,nabl1 recording twenty-three years later this historic episode in his chronicle1 affirms was still in his possession1 8as fresh as the day on which the ,most ,great ,branch had penned it1 and the seal of the ,ancient ,beauty had sealed and adorned it10 a tangible and irrefutable testimony to ,bah'u'llh's established ascendancy over a routed opponent4 ,bah'u'llh's reaction to this most distressful episode in ,his ministry was1 as already observed1 characterized by acute anguish4 8,he who for months and years10 ,he laments1 8,i reared with the hand of loving-kindness hath risen to take ,my life40 8,the cruelties inflicted by ,my oppressors10 ,he wrote1 in allusion to these perfidious enemies1 8have bowed ,me down1 and turned ,my hair white4 ,shouldst thou present thyself before ,my throne1 thou wouldst fail to recognize the ,ancient ,beauty1 for the freshness of ,his countenance is altered1 and its brightness hath faded1 by reason of the oppression of the infidels40 8,by ,god60 ,he cries out1 8,no spot is left on ,my body that hath not been touched by the spears of thy machinations40 ,and again3 8,thou hast perpetrated against thy ,brother what no man hath perpetrated against another40 8,what hath proceeded from thy pen10 ,he1 furthermore1 has affirmed1 8hath caused the ,countenances of ,glory to be prostrated upon the dust1 hath rent in twain the ,veil of ,grandeur in the ,sublime ,paradise1 and lacerated the hearts of the favored ones established upon the loftiest seats40 ,and yet1 in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 a forgiving ,lord assures this same brother1 this 8source of perversion10 8from whose own soul the winds of passion had risen and blown upon him10 to 8fear not because of thy deeds10 bids him 8return unto ,god1 humble1 submissive and lowly10 and affirms that 8,he will put away from thee thy sins10 and that 8thy ,lord is the ,forgiving1 the ,mighty1 the ,all-,merciful40 ,the 8,most ,great ,idol0 had at the bidding and through the power of ,him ,who is the ,fountain-head of the ,most ,great ,justice been cast out of the community of the ,most ,great ,name1 confounded1 abhorred and broken4 ,cleansed from this pollution1 delivered from this horrible possession1 ,god's infant ,faith could now forge ahead1 and1 despite the turmoil that had convulsed it1 demonstrate its capacity to fight further battles1 capture loftier heights1 and win mightier victories4 ,a temporary breach had admittedly been made in the ranks of its supporters4 ,its glory had been eclipsed1 and its annals stained forever4 ,its name1 however1 could not be obliterated1 its spirit was far from broken1 nor could this so-called schism tear its fabric asunder4 ,the ,covenant of the ,bb1 to which reference has already been made1 with its immutable truths1 incontrovertible prophecies1 and repeated warnings1 stood guard over that ,faith1 insuring its integrity1 demonstrating its incorruptibility1 and perpetuating its influence4 ,though ,he ,himself was bent with sorrow1 and still suffered from the effects of the attempt on ,his life1 and though ,he was well aware a further banishment was probably impending1 yet1 undaunted by the blow which ,his ,cause had sustained1 and the perils with which it was encompassed1 ,bah'u'llh arose with matchless power1 even before the ordeal was overpast1 to proclaim the ,mission with which ,he had been entrusted to those who1 in ,east and ,west1 had the reins of supreme temporal authority in their grasp4 ,the day-star of ,his ,revelation was1 through this very ,proclamation1 destined to shine in its meridian glory1 and ,his ,faith manifest the plenitude of its divine power4 ,a period of prodigious activity ensued which1 in its repercussions1 outshone the vernal years of ,bah'u'llh's ministry4 8,day and night10 an eye-witness has written1 8the ,divine verses were raining down in such number that it was impossible to record them4 ,mrz q ,jn wrote them as they were dictated1 while the ,most ,great ,branch was continually occupied in transcribing them4 ,there was not a moment to spare40 8,a number of secretaries10 ,nabl has testified1 8were busy day and night and yet they were unable to cope with the task4 ,among them was ,mrz ,bqir-i-,shrz4444 ,he alone transcribed no less than two thousand verses every day4 ,he labored during six or seven months4 ,every month the equivalent of several volumes would be transcribed by him and sent to ,persia4 ,about twenty volumes1 in his fine penmanship1 he left behind as a remembrance for ,mrz q ,jn40 ,bah'u'llh1 ,himself1 referring to the verses revealed by ,him1 has written3 8,such are the outpourings 444 from the clouds of ,divine ,bounty that within the space of an hour the equivalent of a thousand verses hath been revealed40 8,so great is the grace vouchsafed in this day that in a single day and night1 were an amanuensis capable of accomplishing it to be found1 the equivalent of the ,persian ,bayn would be sent down from the heaven of ,divine holiness40 8,i swear by ,god60 ,he1 in another connection has affirmed1 8,in those days the equivalent of all that hath been sent down aforetime unto the ,prophets hath been revealed40 8,that which hath already been revealed in this land 7,adrianople710 ,he1 furthermore1 referring to the copiousness of ,his writings1 has declared1 8secretaries are incapable of transcribing4 ,it has1 therefore1 remained for the most part untranscribed40 ,already in the very midst of that grievous crisis1 and even before it came to a head1 ,tablets unnumbered were streaming from the pen of ,bah'u'llh1 in which the implications of ,his newly-asserted claims were fully expounded4 ,the ,sriy-i-#8,amr1 the ,law-i-,nuqtih1 the ,law-i-,ahmad1 the ,sriy-i-,ashab1 the ,law-i-,syyah1 the ,sriy-i-,damm1 the ,sriy-i-,hjj1 the ,lawhu'r-,rh1 the ,lawhu'r-,ridvn1 the ,lawhu't-,tuq were among the ,tablets which ,his pen had already set down when ,he transferred ,his residence to the house of ,izzat q4 ,almost immediately after the 8,most ,great ,separation0 had been effected1 the weightiest ,tablets associated with ,his sojourn in ,adrianople were revealed4 ,the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 the most momentous ,tablet revealed by ,bah'u'llh 7,srih of ,kings7 in which ,he1 for the first time1 directs ,his words collectively to the entire company of the monarchs of ,east and ,west1 and in which the ,suln of ,turkey1 and his ministers1 the kings of ,christendom1 the ,french and ,persian ,ambassadors accredited to the ,sublime ,porte1 the ,muslim ecclesiastical leaders in ,constantinople1 its wise men and inhabitants1 the people of ,persia and the philosophers of the world are separately addressed2 the ,kitb-i-,bad'1 ,his apologia1 written to refute the accusations levelled against ,him by ,mrz ,mihdy-i-,rasht1 corresponding to the ,kitb-i-qn1 revealed in defense of the ,bb ,revelation2 the ,munjthy-i-,sym 7,prayers for ,fasting71 written in anticipation of the ,book of ,his ,laws2 the first ,tablet to ,napoleon ,,iii1 in which the ,emperor of the ,french is addressed and the sincerity of his professions put to the test2 the ,law-i-,suln1 ,his detailed epistle to ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 in which the aims1 purposes and principles of ,his ,faith are expounded and the validity of ,his ,mission demonstrated2 the ,sriy-i-,ra's1 begun in the village of ,kshnih on ,his way to ,gallipoli1 and completed shortly after at ,gyawur-,kyuy--these may be regarded not only as the most outstanding among the innumerable ,tablets revealed in ,adrianople1 but as occupying a foremost position among all the writings of the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation4 ,in ,his message to the kings of the earth1 ,bah'u'llh1 in the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 discloses the character of ,his ,mission2 exhorts them to embrace ,his ,message2 affirms the validity of the ,bb's ,revelation2 reproves them for their indifference to ,his ,cause2 enjoins them to be just and vigilant1 to compose their differences and reduce their armaments2 expatiates on ,his afflictions2 commends the poor to their care2 warns them that 8,divine chastisement0 will 8assail0 them 8from every direction10 if they refuse to heed ,his counsels1 and prophesies ,his 8triumph upon earth0 though no king be found who would turn his face towards ,him4 ,the kings of ,christendom1 more specifically1 ,bah'u'llh1 in that same ,tablet1 censures for having failed to 8welcome0 and 8draw nigh0 unto ,him ,who is the 8,spirit of ,truth10 and for having persisted in 8disporting0 themselves with their 8pastimes and fancies10 and declares to them that they 8shall be called to account0 for their doings1 8in the presence of ,him ,who shall gather together the entire creation40 ,he bids ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz 8hearken to the speech 444 of ,him ,who unerringly treadeth the ,straight ,path02 exhorts him to direct in person the affairs of his people1 and not to repose confidence in unworthy ministers2 admonishes him not to rely on his treasures1 nor to 8overstep the bounds of moderation0 but to deal with his subjects with 8undeviating justice02 and acquaints him with the overwhelming burden of ,his own tribulations4 ,in that same ,tablet ,he asserts ,his innocence and ,his loyalty to the ,suln and his ministers2 describes the circumstances of ,his banishment from the capital2 and assures him of ,his prayers to ,god on his behalf4 ,to this same ,suln ,he1 moreover1 as attested by the ,sriy-i-,ra's1 transmitted1 while in ,gallipoli1 a verbal message through a ,turkish officer named ,umar1 requesting the sovereign to grant ,him a ten minute interview1 8so that he may demand whatsoever he would deem to be a sufficient testimony and would regard as proof of the veracity of ,him ,who is the ,truth10 adding that 8should ,god enable ,him to produce it1 let him1 then1 release these wronged ones and leave them to themselves40 ,to ,napoleon ,,iii ,bah'u'llh addressed a specific ,tablet1 which was forwarded through one of the ,french ministers to the ,emperor1 in which ,he dwelt on the sufferings endured by ,himself and ,his followers2 avowed their innocence2 reminded him of his two pronouncements on behalf of the oppressed and the helpless2 and1 desiring to test the sincerity of his motives1 called upon him to 8inquire into the condition of such as have been wronged10 and 8extend his care to the weak10 and look upon ,him and ,his fellow-exiles 8with the eye of loving-kindness40 ,to ,niri'd-,dn ,shh ,he revealed a ,tablet1 the lengthiest epistle to any single sovereign1 in which ,he testified to the unparalleled severity of the troubles that had touched ,him2 recalled the sovereign's recognition of ,his innocence on the eve of ,his departure for #8,irq2 adjured him to rule with justice2 described ,god's summons to ,himself to arise and proclaim ,his ,message2 affirmed the disinterestedness of ,his counsels2 proclaimed ,his belief in the unity of ,god and in ,his ,prophets2 uttered several prayers on the ,shh's behalf2 justified ,his own conduct in #8,irq2 stressed the beneficent influence of ,his teachings2 and laid special emphasis on ,his condemnation of all forms of violence and mischief4 ,he1 moreover1 in that same ,tablet1 demonstrated the validity of ,his ,mission2 expressed the wish to be 8brought face to face with the divines of the age1 and produce proofs and testimonies in the presence of ,his ,majesty10 which would establish the truth of ,his ,cause2 exposed the perversity of the ecclesiastical leaders in ,his own days1 as well as in the days of ,jesus ,christ and of ,muammad2 prophesied that ,his sufferings will be followed by the 8outpourings of a supreme mercy0 and by an 8overflowing prosperity02 drew a parallel between the afflictions that had befallen ,his kindred and those endured by the relatives of the ,prophet ,muammad2 expatiated on the instability of human affairs2 depicted the city to which ,he was about to be banished2 foreshadowed the future abasement of the #8ulams2 and concluded with yet another expression of hope that the sovereign might be assisted by ,god to 8aid ,his ,faith and turn towards ,his justice40 ,to #8,al ,psh1 the ,grand ,vizir1 ,bah'u'llh addressed the ,sriy-i-,ra's4 ,in this ,he bids him 8hearken to the voice of ,god02 declares that neither his 8grunting10 nor the 8barking0 of those around him1 nor 8the hosts of the world0 can withhold the ,almighty from achieving ,his purpose2 accuses him of having perpetrated that which has caused 8the ,apostle of ,god to lament in the most sublime ,paradise10 and of having conspired with the ,persian ,ambassador to harm ,him2 forecasts 8the manifest loss0 in which he would soon find himself2 glorifies the ,day of ,his own ,revelation2 prophesies that this ,revelation will 8erelong encompass the earth and all that dwell therein10 and that the 8,land of ,mystery 7,adrianople7 and what is beside it 444 shall pass out of the hands of the ,king1 and commotions shall appear1 and the voice of lamentation shall be raised1 and the evidences of mischief shall be revealed on all sides02 identifies that same ,revelation with the ,revelations of ,moses and of ,jesus2 recalls the 8arrogance0 of the ,persian ,emperor in the days of ,muammad1 the 8transgression0 of ,pharaoh in the days of ,moses1 and of the 8impiety0 of ,nimrod in the days of ,abraham2 and proclaims ,his purpose to 8quicken the world and unite all its peoples40 ,the ministers of the ,suln1 ,he1 in the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 reprimands for their conduct1 in passages in which ,he challenges the soundness of their principles1 predicts that they will be punished for their acts1 denounces their pride and injustice1 asserts ,his integrity and detachment from the vanities of the world1 and proclaims ,his innocence4 ,the ,french ,ambassador accredited to the ,sublime ,porte1 ,he1 in that same ,srih1 rebukes for having combined with the ,persian ,ambassador against ,him2 reminds him of the counsels of ,jesus ,christ1 as recorded in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john2 warns him that he will be held answerable for the things his hands have wrought2 and counsels him1 together with those like him1 not to deal with any one as he has dealt with ,him4 ,to the ,persian ,ambassador in ,constantinople1 ,he1 in that same ,tablet1 addresses lengthy passages in which ,he exposes his delusions and calumnies1 denounces his injustice and the injustice of his countrymen1 assures him that ,he harbors no ill-will against him1 declares that1 should he realize the enormity of his deed1 he would mourn all the days of his life1 affirms that he will persist till his death in his heedlessness1 justifies ,his own conduct in ihrn and in #8,irq1 and bears witness to the corruption of the ,persian minister in ,baghdd and to his collusion with this minister4 ,to the entire company of the ecclesiastical leaders of ,sunn ,islm in ,constantinople ,he addresses a specific message in the same ,sriy-i-,mulk in which ,he denounces them as heedless and spiritually dead2 reproaches them for their pride and for failing to seek ,his presence2 unveils to them the full glory and significance of ,his ,mission2 affirms that their leaders1 had they been alive1 would have 8circled around ,him02 condemns them as 8worshippers of names0 and lovers of leadership2 and avows that ,god will find naught acceptable from them unless they 8be made new0 in ,his estimation4 ,to the wise men of the ,city of ,constantinople and the philosophers of the world ,he devotes the concluding passages of the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 in which ,he cautions them not to wax proud before ,god2 reveals to them the essence of true wisdom2 stresses the importance of faith and upright conduct2 rebukes them for having failed to seek enlightenment from ,him2 and counsels them not to 8overstep the bounds of ,god10 nor turn their gaze towards the 8ways of men and their habits40 ,to the inhabitants of ,constantinople ,he1 in that same ,tablet1 declares that ,he 8feareth no one except ,god10 that ,he speaks 8naught except at ,his 7,god7 bidding10 that ,he follows naught save ,god's truth1 that ,he found the governors and elders of the city as 8children gathered about and disporting themselves with clay10 and that ,he perceived no one sufficiently mature to acquire the truths which ,god had taught ,him4 ,he bids them take firm hold on the precepts of ,god2 warns them not to wax proud before ,god and ,his loved ones2 recalls the tribulations1 and extols the virtues1 of the ,imm usayn2 prays that ,he ,himself may suffer similar afflictions2 prophesies that erelong ,god will raise up a people who will recount ,his troubles and demand the restitution of ,his rights from ,his oppressors2 and calls upon them to give ear to ,his words1 and return unto ,god and repent4 ,and finally1 addressing the people of ,persia1 ,he1 in that same ,tablet1 affirms that were they to put ,him to death ,god will assuredly raise up ,one in ,his stead1 and asserts that the ,almighty will 8perfect ,his light0 though they1 in their secret hearts1 abhor it4 ,so weighty a proclamation1 at so critical a period1 by the ,bearer of so sublime a ,message1 to the kings of the earth1 ,muslim and ,christian alike1 to ministers and ambassadors1 to the ecclesiastical heads of ,sunn ,islm1 to the wise men and inhabitants of ,constantinople--the seat of both the ,sultanate and the ,caliphate--to the philosophers of the world and the people of ,persia1 is not to be regarded as the only outstanding event associated with ,bah'u'llh's sojourn in ,adrianople4 ,other developments and happenings of great1 though lesser1 significance must be noted in these pages1 if we would justly esteem the importance of this agitated and most momentous phase of ,bah'u'llh's ministry4 ,it was at this period1 and as a direct consequence of the rebellion and appalling downfall of ,mrz ,yay1 that certain disciples of ,bah'u'llh 7who may well rank among the 8treasures0 promised ,him by ,god when bowed down with chains in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn71 including among them one of the ,letters of the ,living1 some survivors of the struggle of ,tabars1 and the erudite ,mrz ,amad-i-,azghand1 arose to defend the newborn ,faith1 to refute1 in numerous and detailed apologies1 as their ,master had done in the ,kitb-i-,bad'1 the arguments of ,his opponents1 and to expose their odious deeds4 ,it was at this period that the limits of the ,faith were enlarged1 when its banner was permanently planted in the ,caucasus by the hand of ,mull ,ab-,talb and others whom ,nabl had converted1 when its first ,egyptian center was established at the time when ,siyyid usayn-i-,kshn and j ,bqir-i-,kshn took up their residence in that country1 and when to the lands already warmed and illuminated by the early rays of ,god's ,revelation--#8,irq1 ,turkey and ,persia--,syria was added4 ,it was in this period that the greeting of 8,allh-u-,abh0 superseded the old salutation of 8,allh-u-,akbar10 and was simultaneously adopted in ,persia and ,adrianople1 the first to use it in the former country1 at the suggestion of ,nabl1 being ,mull ,muammad-i-,furgh1 one of the defenders of the ,fort of ,shaykh ,tabars4 ,it was in this period that the phrase 8the people of the ,bayn10 now denoting the followers of ,mrz ,yay1 was discarded1 and was supplanted by the term 8the people of ,bah40 ,it was during those days that ,nabl1 recently honored with the title of ,nabl-i-#8,aam1 in a ,tablet specifically addressed to him1 in which he was bidden to 8deliver the ,message0 of his ,lord 8to ,east and ,west10 arose1 despite intermittent persecutions1 to tear asunder the 8most grievous veil10 to implant the love of an adored ,master in the hearts of ,his countrymen1 and to champion the ,cause which his ,beloved had1 under such tragic conditions1 proclaimed4 ,it was during those same days that ,bah'u'llh instructed this same ,nabl to recite on ,his behalf the two newly revealed ,tablets of the ,pilgrimage1 and to perform1 in ,his stead1 the rites prescribed in them1 when visiting the ,bb's ,house in ,shrz and the ,most ,great ,house in ,baghdd--an act that marks the inception of one of the holiest observances1 which1 in a later period1 the ,kitb-i-,aqdas was to formally establish4 ,it was during this period that the 8,prayers of ,fasting0 were revealed by ,bah'u'llh1 in anticipation of the ,law which that same ,book was soon to promulgate4 ,it was1 too1 during the days of ,bah'u'llh's banishment to ,adrianople that a ,tablet was addressed by ,him to ,mull #8,al-,akbar-i-,shhmrzd and ,jaml-i-,burjird1 two of ,his well-known followers in ihrn1 instructing them to transfer1 with the utmost secrecy1 the remains of the ,bb from the ,imm-,zdih ,ma'm1 where they were concealed1 to some other place of safety--an act which was subsequently proved to have been providential1 and which may be regarded as marking another stage in the long and laborious transfer of those remains to the heart of ,mt4 ,carmel1 and to the spot which ,he1 in ,his instructions to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 was later to designate4 ,it was during that period that the ,sriy-i-,ghusn 7,srih of the ,branch7 was revealed1 in which #8,abdu'l-,bah's future station is foreshadowed1 and in which ,he is eulogized as the 8,branch of ,holiness10 the 8,limb of the ,law of ,god10 the 8,trust of ,god10 8sent down in the form of a human temple0--a ,tablet which may well be regarded as the harbinger of the rank which was to be bestowed upon ,him1 in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and which was to be later elucidated and confirmed in the ,book of ,his ,covenant4 ,and finally1 it was during that period that the first pilgrimages were made to the residence of ,one ,who was now the visible ,center of a newly-established ,faith--pilgrimages which by reason of their number and nature1 an alarmed government in ,persia was first impelled to restrict1 and later to prohibit1 but which were the precursors of the converging streams of ,pilgrims who1 from ,east and ,west1 at first under perilous and arduous circumstances1 were to direct their steps towards the prison-fortress of ,akk--pilgrimages which were to culminate in the historic arrival of a royal convert at the foot of ,mt4 ,carmel1 who1 at the very threshold of a longed-for and much advertised pilgrimage1 was so cruelly thwarted from achieving her purpose4 ,these notable developments1 some synchronizing with1 and others flowing from1 the proclamation of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 and from the internal convulsion which the ,cause had undergone1 could not escape the attention of the external enemies of the ,movement1 who were bent on exploiting to the utmost every crisis which the folly of its friends or the perfidy of renegades might at any time precipitate4 ,the thick clouds had hardly been dissipated by the sudden outburst of the rays of a ,sun1 now shining from its meridian1 when the darkness of another catastrophe--the last the ,author of that ,faith was destined to suffer--fell upon it1 blackening its firmament and subjecting it to one of the severest trials it had as yet experienced4 ,emboldened by the recent ordeals with which ,bah'u'llh had been so cruelly afflicted1 these enemies1 who had been momentarily quiescent1 began to demonstrate afresh1 and in a number of ways1 the latent animosity they nursed in their hearts4 ,a persecution1 varying in the degree of its severity1 began once more to break out in various countries4 ,in dhirbayjn and ,zanjn1 in ,nishpr and ihrn1 the adherents of the ,faith were either imprisoned1 vilified1 penalized1 tortured or put to death4 ,among the sufferers may be singled out the intrepid ,najaf-#8,aly-i-,zanjn1 a survivor of the struggle of ,zanjn1 and immortalized in the 8,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf10 who1 bequeathing the gold in his possession to his executioner1 was heard to shout aloud 8,y ,rabbya'l-,abh0 before he was beheaded4 ,in ,egypt1 a greedy and vicious consul-general extorted no less than a hundred thousand tmans from a wealthy ,persian convert1 named j ,abu'l-,qsim-i-,shrz2 arrested j ,mrz aydar-#8,al and six of his fellow-believers1 and instigated their condemnation to a nine year exile in ,khrtm1 confiscating all the writings in their possession1 and then threw into prison ,nabl1 whom ,bah'u'llh had sent to appeal to the ,khedive on their behalf4 ,in ,baghdd and ,kazmayn indefatigable enemies1 watching their opportunity1 subjected ,bah'u'llh's faithful supporters to harsh and ignominious treatment2 savagely disemboweled #8,abdu'r-,rasl-i-,qum1 as he was carrying water in a skin1 at the hour of dawn1 from the river to the ,most ,great ,house1 and banished1 amidst scenes of public derision1 about seventy companions to ,mosul1 including women and children4 ,no less active were ,mrz usayn-,khn1 the ,mushru'd-,dawlih1 and his associates1 who1 determined to take full advantage of the troubles that had recently visited ,bah'u'llh1 arose to encompass ,his destruction4 ,the authorities in the capital were incensed by the esteem shown ,him by the governor ,muammad ,pshy-i-,qibris1 a former ,grand ,vizir1 and his successors ,sulaymn ,psh1 of the ,qdiryyih ,order1 and particularly ,khurshd ,psh1 who1 openly and on many occasions1 frequented the house of ,bah'u'llh1 entertained ,him in the days of ,ramadn1 and evinced a fervent admiration for #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,they were well aware of the challenging tone ,bah'u'llh had assumed in some of ,his newly revealed ,tablets1 and conscious of the instability prevailing in their own country4 ,they were disturbed by the constant comings and goings of pilgrims in ,adrianople1 and by the exaggerated reports of ,fu'd ,psh1 who had recently passed through on a tour of inspection4 ,the petitions of ,mrz ,yay which reached them through ,siyyid ,muammad1 his agent1 had provoked them4 ,anonymous letters 7written by this same ,siyyid and by an accomplice1 q ,jn1 serving in the ,turkish artillery7 which perverted the writings of ,bah'u'llh1 and which accused ,him of having conspired with ,bulgarian leaders and certain ministers of ,european powers to achieve1 with the help of some thousands of ,his followers1 the conquest of ,constantinople1 had filled their breasts with alarm4 ,and now1 encouraged by the internal dissensions which had shaken the ,faith1 and irritated by the evident esteem in which ,bah'u'llh was held by the consuls of foreign powers stationed in ,adrianople1 they determined to take drastic and immediate action which would extirpate that ,faith1 isolate its ,author and reduce ,him to powerlessness4 ,the indiscretions committed by some of its over-zealous followers1 who had arrived in ,constantinople1 no doubt1 aggravated an already acute situation4 ,the fateful decision was eventually arrived at to banish ,bah'u'llh to the penal colony of ,akk1 and ,mrz ,yay to ,famagusta in ,cyprus4 ,this decision was embodied in a strongly worded ,farmn1 issued by ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz4 ,the companions of ,bah'u'llh1 who had arrived in the capital1 together with a few who later joined them1 as well as q ,jn1 the notorious mischief-maker1 were arrested1 interrogated1 deprived of their papers and flung into prison4 ,the members of the community in ,adrianople were1 several times1 summoned to the governorate to ascertain their number1 while rumors were set afloat that they were to be dispersed and banished to different places or secretly put to death4 ,suddenly1 one morning1 the house of ,bah'u'llh was surrounded by soldiers1 sentinels were posted at its gates1 ,his followers were again summoned by the authorities1 interrogated1 and ordered to make ready for their departure4 8,the loved ones of ,god and ,his kindred10 is ,bah'u'llh's testimony in the ,sriy-i-,ra's1 8were left on the first night without food444 ,the people surrounded the house1 and ,muslims and ,christians wept over ,us444 ,we perceived that the weeping of the people of the ,son 7,christians7 exceeded the weeping of others-- a sign for such as ponder40 8,a great tumult seized the people10 writes q ,ri1 one of the stoutest supporters of ,bah'u'llh1 exiled with him all the way from ,baghdd to ,akk1 8,all were perplexed and full of regret444 ,some expressed their sympathy1 others consoled us1 and wept over us444 ,most of our possessions were auctioned at half their value40 ,some of the consuls of foreign powers called on ,bah'u'llh1 and expressed their readiness to intervene with their respective governments on ,his behalf--suggestions for which ,he expressed appreciation1 but which ,he firmly declined4 8,the consuls of that city 7,adrianople7 gathered in the presence of this ,youth at the hour of ,his departure10 ,he ,himself has written1 8and expressed their desire to aid ,him4 ,they1 verily1 evinced towards ,us manifest affection40 ,the ,persian ,ambassador promptly informed the ,persian consuls in #8,irq and ,egypt that the ,turkish government had withdrawn its protection from the ,bbs1 and that they were free to treat them as they pleased4 ,several pilgrims1 among whom was j ,muammad ,ism'l-i-,kshn1 surnamed ,ans in the ,law-i-,ra's1 had1 in the meantime1 arrived in ,adrianople1 and had to depart to ,gallipoli1 without even beholding the face of their ,master4 ,two of the companions were forced to divorce their wives1 as their relatives refused to allow them to go into exile4 ,khurshd ,psh1 who had already several times categorically denied the written accusations sent him by the authorities in ,constantinople1 and had interceded vigorously on behalf of ,bah'u'llh1 was so embarrassed by the action of his government that he decided to absent himself when informed of ,his immediate departure from the city1 and instructed the ,registrar to convey to ,him the purport of the ,suln's edict4 j ,ja'far-i-,tabrz1 one of the believers1 finding that his name had been omitted from the list of the exiles who might accompany ,bah'u'llh1 cut his throat with a razor1 but was prevented in time from ending his life--an act which ,bah'u'llh1 in the ,sriy-i-,ra's1 characterizes as 8unheard of in bygone centuries10 and which 8,god hath set apart for this ,revelation1 as an evidence of the power of ,his might40 ,on the twenty-second of the month of ,rab'u'th-,thn #abhe ,a4,h4 7,august #ab1 #ahfh7 ,bah'u'llh and ,his family1 escorted by a ,turkish captain1 asan ,effendi by name1 and other soldiers appointed by the local government1 set out on their four-day journey to ,gallipoli1 riding in carriages and stopping on their way at zn-,kpr and ,kshnih1 at which latter place the ,sriy-i-,ra's was revealed4 8,the inhabitants of the quarter in which ,bah'u'llh had been living1 and the neighbors who had gathered to bid ,him farewell1 came one after the other10 writes an eye-witness1 8with the utmost sadness and regret to kiss ,his hands and the hem of ,his robe1 expressing meanwhile their sorrow at ,his departure4 ,that day1 too1 was a strange day4 ,methinks the city1 its walls and its gates bemoaned their imminent separation from ,him40 8,on that day10 writes another eye-witness1 8there was a wonderful concourse of ,muslims and ,christians at the door of our ,master's house4 ,the hour of departure was a memorable one4 ,most of those present were weeping and wailing1 especially the ,christians40 8,say10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself declares in the ,sriy-i-,ra's1 8this ,youth hath departed out of this country and deposited beneath every tree and every stone a trust1 which ,god will erelong bring forth through the power of truth40 ,several of the companions who had been brought from ,constantinople were awaiting them in ,gallipoli4 ,on his arrival ,bah'u'llh made the following pronouncement to asan ,effendi1 who1 his duty discharged1 was taking his leave3 8,tell the king that this territory will pass out of his hands1 and his affairs will be thrown into confusion40 8,to this10 q ,ri1 the recorder of that scene has written1 8,bah'u'llh furthermore added3 #8,not ,i speak these words1 but ,god speaketh them4' ,in those moments ,he was uttering verses which we1 who were downstairs1 could overhear4 ,they were spoken with such vehemence and power that1 methinks1 the foundations of the house itself trembled40 ,even in ,gallipoli1 where three nights were spent1 no one knew what ,bah'u'llh's destination would be4 ,some believed that ,he and ,his brothers would be banished to one place1 and the remainder dispersed1 and sent into exile4 ,others thought that ,his companions would be sent back to ,persia1 while still others expected their immediate extermination4 ,the government's original order was to banish ,bah'u'llh1 qy-i-,kalm and ,mrz ,muammad-,qul1 with a servant to ,akk1 while the rest were to proceed to ,constantinople4 ,this order1 which provoked scenes of indescribable distress1 was1 however1 at the insistence of ,bah'u'llh1 and by the instrumentality of ,umar ,effendi1 a major appointed to accompany the exiles1 revoked4 ,it was eventually decided that all the exiles1 numbering about seventy1 should be banished to ,akk4 ,instructions were1 moreover1 issued that a certain number of the adherents of ,mrz ,yay1 among whom were ,siyyid ,muammad and q ,jn1 should accompany these exiles1 whilst four of the companions of ,bah'u'llh were ordered to depart with the ,azals for ,cyprus4 ,so grievous were the dangers and trials confronting ,bah'u'llh at the hour of ,his departure from ,gallipoli that ,he warned ,his companions that 8this journey will be unlike any of the previous journeys10 and that whoever did not feel himself 8man enough to face the future0 had best 8depart to whatever place he pleaseth1 and be preserved from tests1 for hereafter he will find himself unable to leave0--a warning which ,his companions unanimously chose to disregard4 ,on the morning of the #bnd of ,jamdiyu'l-,avval #abhe ,a4,h4 7,august #ba1 #ahfh7 they all embarked in an ,austrian-,lloyd steamer for ,alexandria1 touching at ,madell1 and stopping for two days at ,smyrna1 where ,jinb-i-,munr1 surnamed ,ismu'llhu'l-,mnb1 became gravely ill1 and had1 to his great distress1 to be left behind in a hospital where he soon after died4 ,in ,alexandria they transhipped into a steamer of the same company1 bound for ,haifa1 where1 after brief stops at ,port ,said and ,jaffa1 they landed1 setting out1 a few hours later1 in a sailing vessel1 for ,akk1 where they disembarked1 in the course of the afternoon of the #abth of ,jamdiyu'l-,avval #abhe ,a4,h4 7,august #ca1 #ahfh74 ,it was at the moment when ,bah'u'llh had stepped into the boat which was to carry ,him to the landing-stage in ,haifa that #8,abdu'l-,ghaffr1 one of the four companions condemned to share the exile of ,mrz ,yay1 and whose 8detachment1 love and trust in ,god0 ,bah'u'llh had greatly praised1 cast himself1 in his despair1 into the sea1 shouting 8,y ,bah'u'l-,abh10 and was subsequently rescued and resuscitated with the greatest difficulty1 only to be forced by adamant officials to continue his voyage1 with ,mrz ,yay's party1 to the destination originally appointed for him4 ,chapter ,,xi3 ,bah'u'llh's ,incarceration in ,akk ,the arrival of ,bah'u'llh in ,akk marks the opening of the last phase of ,his forty-year long ministry1 the final stage1 and indeed the climax1 of the banishment in which the whole of that ministry was spent4 ,a banishment that had1 at first1 brought ,him to the immediate vicinity of the strongholds of ,sh'ah orthodoxy and into contact with its outstanding exponents1 and which1 at a later period1 had carried ,him to the capital of the ,ottoman empire1 and led ,him to address ,his epoch-making pronouncements to the ,suln1 to his ministers and to the ecclesiastical leaders of ,sunn ,islm1 had now been instrumental in landing ,him upon the shores of the ,holy ,land--the ,land promised by ,god to ,abraham1 sanctified by the ,revelation of ,moses1 honored by the lives and labors of the ,hebrew patriarchs1 judges1 kings and prophets1 revered as the cradle of ,christianity1 and as the place where ,zoroaster1 according to #8,abdu'l-,bah's testimony1 had 8held converse with some of the ,prophets of ,israel10 and associated by ,islm with the ,apostle's night-journey1 through the seven heavens1 to the throne of the ,almighty4 ,within the confines of this holy and enviable country1 8the nest of all the ,prophets of ,god10 8the ,vale of ,god's unsearchable ,decree1 the snow-white ,spot1 the ,land of unfading splendor0 was the ,exile of ,baghdd1 of ,constantinople and ,adrianople condemned to spend no less than a third of the allotted span of ,his life1 and over half of the total period of ,his ,mission4 8,it is difficult10 declares #8,abdu'l-,bah1 8to understand how ,bah'u'llh could have been obliged to leave ,persia1 and to pitch ,his tent in this ,holy ,land1 but for the persecution of ,his enemies1 ,his banishment and exile40 ,indeed such a consummation1 ,he assures us1 had been actually prophesied 8through the tongue of the ,prophets two or three thousand years before40 ,god1 8faithful to ,his promise10 had1 8to some of the ,prophets0 8revealed and given the good news that the #8,lord of ,hosts should be manifested in the ,holy ,land4'0 ,isaiah had1 in this connection1 announced in his ,book3 8,get thee up into the high mountain1 ,o ,zion that bringest good tidings2 lift up thy voice with strength1 ,o ,jerusalem1 that bringest good tidings4 ,lift it up1 be not afraid2 say unto the cities of ,judah3 #8,behold your ,god6 ,behold the ,lord ,god will come with strong hand1 and ,his arm shall rule for ,him4'0 ,david1 in his ,psalms1 had predicted3 8,lift up your heads1 ,o ye gates2 even lift them up1 ye everlasting doors2 and the ,king of ,glory shall come in4 ,who is this ,king of ,glory8 ,the ,lord of ,hosts1 ,he is the ,king of ,glory40 8,out of ,zion1 the perfection of beauty1 ,god hath shined4 ,our ,god shall come1 and shall not keep silence40 ,amos had1 likewise1 foretold ,his coming3 8,the ,lord will roar from ,zion1 and utter ,his voice from ,jerusalem2 and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn1 and the top of ,carmel shall wither40 ,akk1 itself1 flanked by the 8glory of ,lebanon10 and lying in full view of the 8splendor of ,carmel10 at the foot of the hills which enclose the home of ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 had been described by ,david as 8the ,strong ,city10 designated by ,hosea as 8a door of hope10 and alluded to by ,ezekiel as 8the gate that looketh towards the ,east10 whereunto 8the glory of the ,god of ,israel came from the way of the ,east10 ,his voice 8like a noise of many waters40 ,to it the ,arabian ,prophet had referred as 8a city in ,syria to which ,god hath shown ,his special mercy10 situated 8betwixt two mountains 444 in the middle of a meadow10 8by the shore of the sea 444 suspended beneath the ,throne10 8white1 whose whiteness is pleasing unto ,god40 8,blessed the man10 ,he1 moreover1 as confirmed by ,bah'u'llh1 had declared1 8that hath visited ,akk1 and blessed he that hath visited the visitor of ,akk40 ,furthermore1 8,he that raiseth therein the call to prayer1 his voice will be lifted up unto ,paradise40 ,and again3 8,the poor of ,akk are the kings of ,paradise and the princes thereof4 ,a month in ,akk is better than a thousand years elsewhere40 ,moreover1 in a remarkable tradition1 which is contained in ,shaykh ,ibnu'l-#8,arab's work1 entitled 8,futht-i-,makkyyih10 and which is recognized as an authentic utterance of ,muammad1 and is quoted by ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl in his 8,far'd10 this significant prediction has been made3 8,all of them 7the companions of the ,q'im7 shall be slain except ,one ,who shall reach the plain of ,akk1 the ,banquet-,hall of ,god40 ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 as attested by ,nabl in his narrative1 had1 as far back as the first years of ,his banishment to ,adrianople1 alluded to that same city in ,his ,law-i-,syyah1 designating it as the 8,vale of ,nabl10 the word ,nabl being equal in numerical value to that of ,akk4 8,upon ,our arrival10 that ,tablet had predicted1 8,we were welcomed with banners of light1 whereupon the ,voice of the ,spirit cried out saying3 #8,soon will all that dwell on earth be enlisted under these banners4'0 ,the banishment1 lasting no less than twenty-four years1 to which two ,oriental despots had1 in their implacable enmity and shortsightedness1 combined to condemn ,bah'u'llh1 will go down in history as a period which witnessed a miraculous and truly revolutionizing change in the circumstances attending the life and activities of the ,exile ,himself1 will be chiefly remembered for the widespread recrudescence of persecution1 intermittent but singularly cruel1 throughout ,his native country and the simultaneous increase in the number of ,his followers1 and1 lastly1 for an enormous extension in the range and volume of ,his writings4 ,his arrival at the penal colony of ,akk1 far from proving the end of ,his afflictions1 was but the beginning of a major crisis1 characterized by bitter suffering1 severe restrictions1 and intense turmoil1 which1 in its gravity1 surpassed even the agonies of the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 and to which no other event1 in the history of the entire century can compare1 except the internal convulsion that rocked the ,faith in ,adrianople4 8,know thou10 ,bah'u'llh1 wishing to emphasize the criticalness of the first nine years of ,his banishment to that prison-city1 has written1 8that upon ,our arrival at this ,spot1 ,we chose to designate it as the #8,most ,great ,prison4' ,though previously subjected in another land 7ihrn7 to chains and fetters1 ,we yet refused to call it by that name4 ,say3 ,ponder thereon1 ,o ye endued with understanding60 ,the ordeal ,he endured1 as a direct consequence of the attempt on the life of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 was one which had been inflicted upon ,him solely by the external enemies of the ,faith4 ,the travail in ,adrianople1 the effects of which all but sundered the community of the ,bb's followers1 was1 on the other hand1 purely internal in character4 ,this fresh crisis which1 during almost a decade1 agitated ,him and ,his companions1 was1 however1 marked throughout not only by the assaults of ,his adversaries from without1 but by the machinations of enemies from within1 as well as by the grievous misdeeds of those who1 though bearing ,his name1 perpetrated what made ,his heart and ,his pen alike to lament4 ,akk1 the ancient ,ptolemais1 the ,st4 ,jean d',acre of the ,crusaders1 that had successfully defied the siege of ,napoleon1 had sunk1 under the ,turks1 to the level of a penal colony to which murderers1 highway robbers and political agitators were consigned from all parts of the ,turkish empire4 ,it was girt about by a double system of ramparts2 was inhabited by a people whom ,bah'u'llh stigmatized as 8the generation of vipers02 was devoid of any source of water within its gates2 was flea-infested1 damp and honey-combed with gloomy1 filthy and tortuous lanes4 8,according to what they say10 the ,supreme ,pen has recorded in the ,law-i-,suln1 8it is the most desolate of the cities of the world1 the most unsightly of them in appearance1 the most detestable in climate1 and the foulest in water4 ,it is as though it were the metropolis of the owl40 ,so putrid was its air that1 according to a proverb1 a bird when flying over it would drop dead4 ,explicit orders had been issued by the ,suln and his ministers to subject the exiles1 who were accused of having grievously erred and led others far astray1 to the strictest confinement4 ,hopes were confidently expressed that the sentence of life-long imprisonment pronounced against them would lead to their eventual extermination4 ,the farmn of ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz1 dated the fifth of ,rab'u'th-,thn #abhe ,a4,h4 7,july #bf1 #ahfh71 not only condemned them to perpetual banishment1 but stipulated their strict incarceration1 and forbade them to associate either with each other or with the local inhabitants4 ,the text of the farmn itself was read publicly1 soon after the arrival of the exiles1 in the principal mosque of the city as a warning to the population4 ,the ,persian ,ambassador1 accredited to the ,sublime ,porte1 had thus assured his government1 in a letter1 written a little over a year after their banishment to ,akk3 8,i have issued telegraphic and written instructions1 forbidding that ,he 7,bah'u'llh7 associate with any one except ,his wives and children1 or leave under any circumstances1 the house wherein ,he is imprisoned4 ,abbs-,qul ,khn1 the ,consul-,general in ,damascus 444 ,i have1 three days ago1 sent back1 instructing him to proceed direct to ,akk 444 confer with its governor regarding all necessary measures for the strict maintenance of their imprisonment 444 and appoint1 before his return to ,damascus1 a representative on the spot to insure that the orders issued by the ,sublime ,porte will1 in no wise1 be disobeyed4 ,i have1 likewise1 instructed him that once every three months he should proceed from ,damascus to ,akk1 and personally watch over them1 and submit his report to the ,legation40 ,such was the isolation imposed upon them that the ,bah's of ,persia1 perturbed by the rumors set afloat by the ,azals of ,ifhn that ,bah'u'llh had been drowned1 induced the ,british ,telegraph office in ,julf to ascertain on their behalf the truth of the matter4 ,having1 after a miserable voyage1 disembarked at ,akk1 all the exiles1 men1 women and children1 were1 under the eyes of a curious and callous population that had assembled at the port to behold the 8,god of the ,persians10 conducted to the army barracks1 where they were locked in1 and sentinels detailed to guard them4 8,the first night10 ,bah'u'llh testifies in the ,law-i-,ra's1 8all were deprived of either food or drink444 ,they even begged for water1 and were refused40 ,so filthy and brackish was the water in the pool of the courtyard that no one could drink it4 ,three loaves of black and salty bread were assigned to each1 which they were later permitted to exchange1 when escorted by guards to the market1 for two of better quality4 ,subsequently they were allowed a mere pittance as substitute for the allotted dole of bread4 ,all fell sick1 except two1 shortly after their arrival4 ,malaria1 dysentery1 combined with the sultry heat1 added to their miseries4 ,three succumbed1 among them two brothers1 who died the same night1 8locked10 as testified by ,bah'u'llh1 8in each other's arms40 ,the carpet used by ,him ,he gave to be sold in order to provide for their winding-sheets and burial4 ,the paltry sum obtained after it had been auctioned was delivered to the guards1 who had refused to bury them without first being paid the necessary expenses4 ,later1 it was learned that1 unwashed and unshrouded1 they had buried them1 without coffins1 in the clothes they wore1 though1 as affirmed by ,bah'u'llh1 they were given twice the amount required for their burial4 8,none10 ,he ,himself has written1 8knoweth what befell ,us1 except ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing444 ,from the foundation of the world until the present day a cruelty such as this hath neither been seen nor heard of40 8,he hath1 during the greater part of ,his life10 ,he1 referring to ,himself1 has1 moreover1 recorded1 8been sore-tried in the clutches of ,his enemies4 ,his sufferings have now reached their culmination in this afflictive ,prison1 into which ,his oppressors have so unjustly thrown ,him40 ,the few pilgrims who1 despite the ban that had been so rigidly imposed1 managed to reach the gates of the ,prison--some of whom had journeyed the entire distance from ,persia on foot--had to content themselves with a fleeting glimpse of the face of the ,prisoner1 as they stood1 beyond the second moat1 facing the window of ,his ,prison4 ,the very few who succeeded in penetrating into the city had1 to their great distress1 to retrace their steps without even beholding ,his countenance4 ,the first among them1 the self-denying j ,abu'l-asan-i-,ardikn1 surnamed ,amn-i-,ilh 7,trusted of ,god71 to enter ,his presence was only able to do so in a public bath1 where it had been arranged that he should see ,bah'u'llh without approaching ,him or giving any sign of recognition4 ,another pilgrim1 ,ustd ,ism'l-i-,ksh1 arriving from ,mosul1 posted himself on the far side of the moat1 and1 gazing for hours1 in rapt adoration1 at the window of his ,beloved1 failed in the end1 owing to the feebleness of his sight1 to discern ,his face1 and had to turn back to the cave which served as his dwelling-place on ,mt4 ,carmel--an episode that moved to tears the ,holy ,family who had been anxiously watching from afar the frustration of his hopes4 ,nabl himself had to precipitately flee the city1 where he had been recognized1 had to satisfy himself with a brief glimpse of ,bah'u'llh from across that same moat1 and continued to roam the countryside around ,nazareth1 ,haifa1 ,jerusalem and ,hebron1 until the gradual relaxation of restrictions enabled him to join the exiles4 ,to the galling weight of these tribulations was now added the bitter grief of a sudden tragedy--the premature loss of the noble1 the pious ,mrz ,mihd1 the ,purest ,branch1 #8,abdu'l-,bah's twenty-two year old brother1 an amanuensis of ,bah'u'llh and a companion of ,his exile from the days when1 as a child1 he was brought from ihrn to ,baghdd to join his ,father after ,his return from ,sulaymnyyih4 ,he was pacing the roof of the barracks in the twilight1 one evening1 wrapped in his customary devotions1 when he fell through the unguarded skylight onto a wooden crate1 standing on the floor beneath1 which pierced his ribs1 and caused1 twenty-two hours later1 his death1 on the #bcrd of ,rab'u'l-,avval #abhg ,a4,h4 7,june #bc1 #ahgj74 ,his dying supplication to a grieving ,father was that his life might be accepted as a ransom for those who were prevented from attaining the presence of their ,beloved4 ,in a highly significant prayer1 revealed by ,bah'u'llh in memory of ,his son--a prayer that exalts his death to the rank of those great acts of atonement associated with ,abraham's intended sacrifice of ,his son1 with the crucifixion of ,jesus ,christ and the martyrdom of the ,imm usayn--we read the following3 8,i have1 ,o my ,lord1 offered up that which ,thou hast given ,me1 that ,thy servants may be quickened1 and all that dwell on earth be united40 ,and1 likewise1 these prophetic words1 addressed to ,his martyred son3 8,thou art the ,trust of ,god and ,his ,treasure in this ,land4 ,erelong will ,god reveal through thee that which ,he hath desired40 ,after he had been washed in the presence of ,bah'u'llh1 he 8that was created of the light of ,bah10 to whose 8meekness0 the ,supreme ,pen had testified1 and of the 8mysteries0 of whose ascension that same ,pen had made mention1 was borne forth1 escorted by the fortress guards1 and laid to rest1 beyond the city walls1 in a spot adjacent to the shrine of ,nab li1 from whence1 seventy years later1 his remains1 simultaneously with those of his illustrious mother1 were to be translated to the slopes of ,mt4 ,carmel1 in the precincts of the grave of his sister1 and under the shadow of the ,bb's holy sepulcher4 ,nor was this the full measure of the afflictions endured by the ,prisoner of ,akk and ,his fellow-exiles4 ,four months after this tragic event a mobilization of ,turkish troops necessitated the removal of ,bah'u'llh and all who bore ,him company from the barracks4 ,he and ,his family were accordingly assigned the house of ,malik1 in the western quarter of the city1 whence1 after a brief stay of three months1 they were moved by the authorities to the house of ,khavvm which faced it1 and from which1 after a few months1 they were again obliged to take up new quarters in the house of ,rab'ih1 being finally transferred1 four months later1 to the house of d ,khammr1 which was so insufficient to their needs that in one of its rooms no less than thirteen persons of both sexes had to accommodate themselves4 ,some of the companions had to take up their residence in other houses1 while the remainder were consigned to a caravanserai named the ,khn-i-#8,avmid4 ,their strict confinement had hardly been mitigated1 and the guards who had kept watch over them been dismissed1 when an internal crisis1 which had been brewing in the midst of the community1 was brought to a sudden and catastrophic climax4 ,such had been the conduct of two of the exiles1 who had been included in the party that accompanied ,bah'u'llh to ,akk1 that ,he was eventually forced to expel them1 an act of which ,siyyid ,muammad did not hesitate to take the fullest advantage4 ,reinforced by these recruits1 he1 together with his old associates1 acting as spies1 embarked on a campaign of abuse1 calumny and intrigue1 even more pernicious than that which had been launched by him in ,constantinople1 calculated to arouse an already prejudiced and suspicious populace to a new pitch of animosity and excitement4 ,a fresh danger now clearly threatened the life of ,bah'u'llh4 ,though ,he ,himself had stringently forbidden ,his followers1 on several occasions1 both verbally and in writing1 any retaliatory acts against their tormentors1 and had even sent back to ,beirut an irresponsible ,arab convert1 who had meditated avenging the wrongs suffered by his beloved ,leader1 seven of the companions clandestinely sought out and slew three of their persecutors1 among whom were ,siyyid ,muammad and q ,jn4 ,the consternation that seized an already oppressed community was indescribable4 ,bah'u'llh's indignation knew no bounds4 8,were ,we10 ,he thus voices ,his emotions1 in a ,tablet revealed shortly after this act had been committed1 8to make mention of what befell ,us1 the heavens would be rent asunder and the mountains would crumble40 8,my captivity10 ,he wrote on another occasion1 8cannot harm ,me4 ,that which can harm ,me is the conduct of those who love ,me1 who claim to be related to ,me1 and yet perpetrate what causeth ,my heart and ,my pen to groan40 ,and again3 8,my captivity can bring on ,me no shame4 ,nay1 by ,my life1 it conferreth on ,me glory4 ,that which can make ,me ashamed is the conduct of such of ,my followers as profess to love ,me1 yet in fact follow the ,evil ,one40 ,he was dictating ,his ,tablets to ,his amanuensis when the governor1 at the head of his troops1 with drawn swords1 surrounded ,his house4 ,the entire populace1 as well as the military authorities1 were in a state of great agitation4 ,the shouts and clamor of the people could be heard on all sides4 ,bah'u'llh was peremptorily summoned to the ,governorate1 interrogated1 kept in custody the first night1 with one of ,his sons1 in a chamber in the ,khn-i-,shavird1 transferred for the following two nights to better quarters in that neighborhood1 and allowed only after the lapse of seventy hours to regain ,his home4 #8,abdu'l-,bah was thrown into prison and chained during the first night1 after which ,he was permitted to join ,his ,father4 ,twenty-five of the companions were cast into another prison and shackled1 all of whom1 except those responsible for that odious deed1 whose imprisonment lasted several years1 were1 after six days1 moved to the ,khn-i-,shavird1 and there placed1 for six months1 under confinement4 8,is it proper10 the ,commandant of the city1 turning to ,bah'u'llh1 after ,he had arrived at the ,governorate1 boldly inquired1 8that some of your followers should act in such a manner80 8,if one of your soldiers10 was the swift rejoinder1 8were to commit a reprehensible act1 would you be held responsible1 and be punished in his place80 ,when interrogated1 ,he was asked to state ,his name and that of the country from which ,he came4 8,it is more manifest than the sun10 ,he answered4 ,the same question was put to ,him again1 to which ,he gave the following reply3 8,i deem it not proper to mention it4 ,refer to the farmn of the government which is in your possession40 ,once again they1 with marked deference1 reiterated their request1 whereupon ,bah'u'llh spoke with majesty and power these words3 8,my name is ,bah'u'llh 7,light of ,god71 and ,my country is ,nr 7,light74 ,be ye apprized of it40 ,turning then1 to the ,muft1 ,he addressed him words of veiled rebuke1 after which ,he spoke to the entire gathering1 in such vehement and exalted language that none made bold to answer ,him4 ,having quoted verses from the ,sriy-i-,mulk1 ,he1 afterwards1 arose and left the gathering4 ,the ,governor1 soon after1 sent word that ,he was at liberty to return to ,his home1 and apologized for what had occurred4 ,a population1 already ill-disposed towards the exiles1 was1 after such an incident1 fired with uncontrollable animosity for all those who bore the name of the ,faith which those exiles professed4 ,the charges of impiety1 atheism1 terrorism and heresy were openly and without restraint flung into their faces4 ,abbd1 who lived next door to ,bah'u'llh1 reinforced the partition that separated his house from the dwelling of his now much-feared and suspected ,neighbor4 ,even the children of the imprisoned exiles1 whenever they ventured to show themselves in the streets during those days1 would be pursued1 vilified and pelted with stones4 ,the cup of ,bah'u'llh's tribulations was now filled to overflowing4 ,a situation1 greatly humiliating1 full of anxieties and even perilous1 continued to face the exiles1 until the time1 set by an inscrutable ,will1 at which the tide of misery and abasement began to ebb1 signalizing a transformation in the fortunes of the ,faith even more conspicuous than the revolutionary change effected during the latter years of ,bah'u'llh's sojourn in ,baghdd4 ,the gradual recognition by all elements of the population of ,bah'u'llh's complete innocence2 the slow penetration of the true spirit of ,his teachings through the hard crust of their indifference and bigotry2 the substitution of the sagacious and humane governor1 ,amad ,big ,tawfq1 for one whose mind had been hopelessly poisoned against the ,faith and its followers2 the unremitting labors of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 now in the full flower of ,his manhood1 ,who1 through ,his contacts with the rank and file of the population1 was increasingly demonstrating ,his capacity to act as the shield of ,his ,father2 the providential dismissal of the officials who had been instrumental in prolonging the confinement of the innocent companions--all paved the way for the reaction that was now setting in1 a reaction with which the period of ,bah'u'llh's banishment to ,akk will ever remain indissolubly associated4 ,such was the devotion gradually kindled in the heart of that governor1 through his association with #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and later through his perusal of the literature of the ,faith1 which mischief-makers1 in the hope of angering him1 had submitted for his consideration1 that he invariably refused to enter ,his presence without first removing his shoes1 as a token of his respect for ,him4 ,it was even bruited about that his favored counselors were those very exiles who were the followers of the ,prisoner in his custody4 ,his own son he was wont to send to #8,abdu'l-,bah for instruction and enlightenment4 ,it was on the occasion of a long-sought audience with ,bah'u'llh that1 in response to a request for permission to render ,him some service1 the suggestion was made to him to restore the aqueduct which for thirty years had been allowed to fall into disuse--a suggestion which he immediately arose to carry out4 ,to the inflow of pilgrims1 among whom were numbered the devout and venerable ,mull diq-i-,khursn and the father of ,bad1 both survivors of the struggle of ,tabars1 he offered scarcely any opposition1 though the text of the imperial farmn forbade their admission into the city4 ,muaf ,dy ,psh1 who became governor a few years later1 had even gone so far as to intimate that his ,prisoner was free to pass through its gates whenever ,he pleased1 a suggestion which ,bah'u'llh declined4 ,even the ,muft of ,akk1 ,shaykh ,mamd1 a man notorious for his bigotry1 had been converted to the ,faith1 and1 fired by his newborn enthusiasm1 made a compilation of the ,muammadan traditions related to ,akk4 ,nor were the occasionally unsympathetic governors1 despatched to that city1 able1 despite the arbitrary power they wielded1 to check the forces which were carrying the ,author of the ,faith towards ,his virtual emancipation and the ultimate accomplishment of ,his purpose4 ,men of letters1 and even #8ulams residing in ,syria1 were moved1 as the years rolled by1 to voice their recognition of ,bah'u'llh's rising greatness and power4 ,azz ,psh1 who1 in ,adrianople1 had evinced a profound attachment to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and had in the meantime been promoted to the rank of ,val1 twice visited ,akk for the express purpose of paying his respects to ,bah'u'llh1 and to renew his friendship with ,one ,whom he had learned to admire and revere4 ,though ,bah'u'llh ,himself practically never granted personal interviews1 as ,he had been used to do in ,baghdd1 yet such was the influence ,he now wielded that the inhabitants openly asserted that the noticeable improvement in the climate and water of their city was directly attributable to ,his continued presence in their midst4 ,the very designations by which they chose to refer to him1 such as the 8august leader10 and 8his highness0 bespoke the reverence with which ,he inspired them4 ,on one occasion1 a ,european general who1 together with the governor1 was granted an audience by ,him1 was so impressed that he 8remained kneeling on the ground near the door40 ,shaykh #8,aly-i-,mr1 the ,muft of ,akk1 had even1 at the suggestion of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 to plead insistently that ,he might permit the termination of ,his nine-year confinement within the walls of the prison-city1 before ,he would consent to leave its gates4 ,the garden of ,na'mayn1 a small island1 situated in the middle of a river to the east of the city1 honored with the appellation of ,ridvn1 and designated by ,him the 8,new ,jerusalem0 and 8,our ,verdant ,isle10 had1 together with the residence of #8,abdu'llh ,psh1--rented and prepared for ,him by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and situated a few miles north of ,akk--become by now the favorite retreats of ,one ,who1 for almost a decade1 had not set foot beyond the city walls1 and ,whose sole exercise had been to pace1 in monotonous repetition1 the floor of ,his bed-chamber4 ,two years later the palace of d ,khammr1 on the construction of which so much wealth had been lavished1 while ,bah'u'llh lay imprisoned in the barracks1 and which its owner had precipitately abandoned with his family owing to the outbreak of an epidemic disease1 was rented and later purchased for ,him--a dwelling-place which ,he characterized as the 8lofty mansion10 the spot which 8,god hath ordained as the most sublime vision of mankind40 #8,abdu'l-,bah's visit to ,beirut1 at the invitation of ,midht ,psh1 a former ,grand ,vizir of ,turkey1 occurring about this time2 ,his association with the civil and ecclesiastical leaders of that city2 ,his several interviews with the well-known ,shaykh ,muammad #8,abdu served to enhance immensely the growing prestige of the community and spread abroad the fame of its most distinguished member4 ,the splendid welcome accorded him by the learned and highly esteemed ,shaykh ,ysf1 the ,muft of ,nazareth1 who acted as host to the vals of ,beirut1 and who had despatched all the notables of the community several miles on the road to meet ,him as ,he approached the town1 accompanied by ,his brother and the ,muft of ,akk1 as well as the magnificent reception given by #8,abdu'l-,bah to that same ,shaykh ,ysf when the latter visited ,him in ,akk1 were such as to arouse the envy of those who1 only a few years before1 had treated ,him and ,his fellow-exiles with feelings compounded of condescension and scorn4 ,the drastic farmn of ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz1 though officially unrepealed1 had by now become a dead letter4 ,though 8,bah'u'llh was still nominally a prisoner1 8the doors of majesty and true sovereignty were10 in the words of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 8flung wide open40 8,the rulers of ,palestine10 ,he moreover has written1 8envied ,his influence and power4 ,governors and mutisrrifs1 generals and local officials1 would humbly request the honor of attaining ,his presence--a request to which ,he seldom acceded40 ,it was in that same mansion that the distinguished ,orientalist1 ,prof4 ,e4 ,g4 ,browne of ,cambridge1 was granted his four successive interviews with ,bah'u'llh1 during the five days he was ,his guest at ,bahj 7,april #ae-bj1 #ahij71 interviews immortalized by the ,exile's historic declaration that 8these fruitless strifes1 these ruinous wars shall pass away and the #8,most ,great ,peace' shall come40 8,the face of ,him on ,whom ,i gazed10 is the interviewer's memorable testimony for posterity1 8,i can never forget1 though ,i cannot describe it4 ,those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul2 power and authority sat on that ample brow4444 ,no need to ask in whose presence ,i stood1 as ,i bowed myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain40 8,here10 the visitor himself has testified1 8did ,i spend five most memorable days1 during which ,i enjoyed unparalleled and unhoped-for opportunities of holding intercourse with those who are the fountain-heads of that mighty and wondrous spirit1 which works with invisible but ever-increasing force for the transformation and quickening of a people who slumber in a sleep like unto death4 ,it was1 in truth1 a strange and moving experience1 but one whereof ,i despair of conveying any save the feeblest impression40 ,in that same year ,bah'u'llh's tent1 the 8,tabernacle of ,glory10 was raised on ,mt4 ,carmel1 8the ,hill of ,god and ,his ,vineyard10 the home of ,elijah1 extolled by ,isaiah as the 8mountain of the ,lord10 to which 8all nations shall flow40 ,four times ,he visited ,haifa1 ,his last visit being no less than three months long4 ,in the course of one of these visits1 when ,his tent was pitched in the vicinity of the ,carmelite ,monastery1 ,he1 the 8,lord of the ,vineyard10 revealed the ,tablet of ,carmel1 remarkable for its allusions and prophecies4 ,on another occasion ,he pointed out ,himself to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 as ,he stood on the slopes of that mountain1 the site which was to serve as the permanent resting-place of the ,bb1 and on which a befitting mausoleum was later to be erected4 ,properties1 bordering on the ,lake associated with the ministry of ,jesus ,christ1 were1 moreover1 purchased at ,bah'u'llh's bidding1 designed to be consecrated to the glory of ,his ,faith1 and to be the forerunners of those 8noble and imposing structures0 which ,he1 in ,his ,tablets1 had anticipated would be raised 8throughout the length and breadth0 of the ,holy ,land1 as well as of the 8rich and sacred territories adjoining the ,jordan and its vicinity10 which1 in those ,tablets1 ,he had permitted to be dedicated 8to the worship and service of the one true ,god40 ,the enormous expansion in the volume of ,bah'u'llh's correspondence2 the establishment of a ,bah' agency in ,alexandria for its despatch and distribution2 the facilities provided by ,his staunch follower1 ,muammad ,muaf1 now established in ,beirut to safeguard the interests of the pilgrims who passed through that city2 the comparative ease with which a titular ,prisoner communicated with the multiplying centers in ,persia1 #8,irq1 ,caucasus1 ,turkistn1 and ,egypt2 the mission entrusted by ,him to ,sulaymn ,khn-i-,tanakbn1 known as ,jaml ,effendi1 to initiate a systematic campaign of teaching in ,india and ,burma2 the appointment of a few of ,his followers as 8,hands of the ,cause of ,god02 the restoration of the ,holy ,house in ,shrz1 whose custodianship was now formally entrusted by ,him to the ,bb's wife and her sister2 the conversion of a considerable number of the adherents of the ,jewish1 ,zoroastrian and ,buddhist ,faiths1 the first fruits of the zeal and the perseverance which itinerant teachers in ,persia1 ,india and ,burma were so strikingly displaying--conversions that automatically resulted in a firm recognition by them of the ,divine origin of both ,christianity and ,islm--all these attested the vitality of a leadership that neither kings nor ecclesiastics1 however powerful or antagonistic1 could either destroy or undermine4 ,nor should reference be omitted to the emergence of a prosperous community in the newly laid out city of ,ishqbd1 in ,russian ,turkistn1 assured of the good will of a sympathetic government1 enabling it to establish a ,bah' cemetery and to purchase property and erect thereon structures that were to prove the precursors of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world2 or to the establishment of new outposts of the ,faith in far-off ,samarqand and ,bukhr1 in the heart of the ,asiatic continent1 in consequence of the discourses and writings of the erudite ,fdil-i-,qa'in and the learned apologist ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl2 or to the publication in ,india of five volumes of the writings of the ,author of the ,faith1 including ,his 8,most ,holy ,book0--publications which were to herald the vast multiplication of its literature1 in various scripts and languages1 and its dissemination1 in later decades1 throughout both the ,east and the ,west4 8,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz10 ,bah'u'llh is reported by one of ,his fellow-exiles to have stated1 8banished ,us to this country in the greatest abasement1 and since his object was to destroy ,us and humble ,us1 whenever the means of glory and ease presented themselves1 ,we did not reject them40 8,now1 praise be to ,god10 ,he1 moreover1 as reported by ,nabl in his narrative1 once remarked1 8it has reached the point when all the people of these regions are manifesting their submissiveness unto ,us40 ,and again1 as recorded in that same narrative3 8,the ,ottoman ,suln1 without any justification1 or reason1 arose to oppress ,us1 and sent ,us to the fortress of ,akk4 ,his imperial farmn decreed that none should associate with ,us1 and that ,we should become the object of the hatred of every one4 ,the ,hand of ,divine power1 therefore1 swiftly avenged ,us4 ,it first loosed the winds of destruction upon his two irreplaceable ministers and confidants1 #8,al and ,fu'd1 after which that ,hand was stretched out to roll up the panoply of ,azz himself1 and to seize him1 as ,he only can seize1 ,who is the ,mighty1 the ,strong40 8,his enemies10 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 referring to this same theme1 has written1 8intended that ,his imprisonment should completely destroy and annihilate the blessed ,cause1 but this prison was1 in reality1 of the greatest assistance1 and became the means of its development40 8444,this illustrious ,being10 ,he1 moreover has affirmed1 8uplifted ,his ,cause in the ,most ,great ,prison4 ,from this ,prison ,his light was shed abroad2 ,his fame conquered the world1 and the proclamation of ,his glory reached the ,east and the ,west40 8,his light at first had been a star2 now it became a mighty sun40 8,until our time10 ,he1 moreover has affirmed1 8no such thing has ever occurred40 ,little wonder that1 in view of so remarkable a reversal in the circumstances attending the twenty-four years of ,his banishment to ,akk1 ,bah'u'llh ,himself should have penned these weighty words3 8,the ,almighty 444 hath transformed this ,prison-,house into the ,most ,exalted ,paradise1 the ,heaven of ,heavens40 ,chapter ,,xii3 ,bah'u'llh's ,incarceration in ,akk 7,continued7 ,while ,bah'u'llh and the little band that bore ,him company were being subjected to the severe hardships of a banishment intended to blot them from the face of the earth1 the steadily expanding community of ,his followers in the land of ,his birth were undergoing a persecution more violent and of longer duration than the trials with which ,he and ,his companions were being afflicted4 ,though on a far smaller scale than the blood baths which had baptized the birth of the ,faith1 when in the course of a single year1 as attested by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 8more than four thousand souls were slain1 and a great multitude of women and children left without protector and helper10 the murderous and horrible acts subsequently perpetrated by an insatiable and unyielding enemy covered as wide a range and were marked by an even greater degree of ferocity4 ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 stigmatized by ,bah'u'llh as the 8,prince of ,oppressors10 as one who had 8perpetrated what hath caused the denizens of the cities of justice and equity to lament10 was1 during the period under review1 in the full tide of his manhood and had reached the plenitude of his despotic power4 ,the sole arbiter of the fortunes of a country 8firmly stereotyped in the immemorial traditions of the ,east02 surrounded by 8venal1 artful and false0 ministers whom he could elevate or abase at his pleasure2 the head of an administration in which 8every actor was1 in different aspects1 both the briber and the bribed02 allied1 in his opposition to the ,faith1 with a sacerdotal order which constituted a veritable 8church-state02 supported by a people preeminent in atrocity1 notorious for its fanaticism1 its servility1 cupidity and corrupt practices1 this capricious monarch1 no longer able to lay hands upon the person of ,bah'u'llh1 had to content himself with the task of attempting to stamp out in his own dominions the remnants of a much-feared and newly resuscitated community4 ,next to him in rank and power were his three eldest sons1 to whom1 for purposes of internal administration1 he had practically delegated his authority1 and in whom he had invested the governorship of all the provinces of his kingdom4 ,the province of dhirbayjn he had entrusted to the weak and timid ,muzaffari'd-,dn ,mrz1 the heir to his throne1 who had fallen under the influence of the ,shaykh sect1 and was showing a marked respect to the mulls4 ,to the stern and savage rule of the astute ,mas'd ,mrz1 commonly known as ,zillu's-,suln1 his eldest surviving son1 whose mother had been of plebeian origin1 he had committed over two-fifths of his kingdom1 including the provinces of ,yazd and ,ifhn1 whilst upon ,kmrn ,mrz1 his favorite son1 commonly called by his title the ,nayibu's-,saltanih1 he had bestowed the rulership of ,gln and ,mzindarn1 and made him governor of ihrn1 his minister of war and the commander-in-chief of his army4 ,such was the rivalry between the last two princes1 who vied with each other in courting the favor of their father1 that each endeavored1 with the support of the leading mujtahids within his jurisdiction1 to outshine the other in the meritorious task of hunting1 plundering and exterminating the members of a defenseless community1 who1 at the bidding of ,bah'u'llh1 had ceased to offer armed resistance even in self-defense1 and were carrying out ,his injunction that 8it is better to be killed than kill40 ,nor were the clerical firebrands1 j ,mull #8,aly-i-,kn and ,siyyid diq-i-,tabtab'1 the two leading mujtahids of ihrn1 together with ,shaykh ,muammad-,bqir1 their colleague in ,ifhn1 and ,mr ,muammad-usayn1 the ,imm-,jum'ih of that city1 willing to allow the slightest opportunity to pass without striking1 with all the force and authority they wielded1 at an adversary whose liberalizing influences they had even more reason to fear than the sovereign himself4 ,little wonder that1 confronted by a situation so full of peril1 the ,faith should have been driven underground1 and that arrests1 interrogations1 imprisonment1 vituperation1 spoliation1 tortures and executions should constitute the outstanding features of this convulsive period in its development4 ,the pilgrimages that had been initiated in ,adrianople1 and which later assumed in ,akk impressive proportions1 together with the dissemination of the ,tablets of ,bah'u'llh and the circulation of enthusiastic reports through the medium of those who had attained ,his presence served1 moreover1 to inflame the animosity of clergy and laity alike1 who had foolishly imagined that the breach which had occurred in the ranks of the followers of the ,faith in ,adrianople and the sentence of life banishment pronounced subsequently against its ,leader1 would seal irretrievably its fate4 ,in bdih a certain ,ustd #8,al-,akbar was1 at the instigation of a local ,siyyid1 apprehended and so ruthlessly thrashed that he was covered from head to foot with his own blood4 ,in the village of ,tkr1 at the bidding of the ,shh1 the property of the inhabitants was pillaged1 j ,mrz ,ri-,qul1 a half-brother of ,bah'u'llh1 was arrested1 conducted to the capital and thrown into the ,syh-,chl1 where he remained for a month1 whilst the brother-in-law of ,mrz asan1 another half-brother of ,bah'u'llh1 was seized and branded with red-hot irons1 after which the neighboring village of ,dar-,kal was delivered to the flames4 q ,buzurg of ,khursn1 the illustrious 8,bad0 7,wonderful72 converted to the ,faith by ,nabl2 surnamed the 8,pride of ,martyrs02 the seventeen-year old bearer of the ,tablet addressed to ,niri'd-,dn ,shh2 in whom1 as affirmed by ,bah'u'llh1 8the spirit of might and power was breathed10 was arrested1 branded for three successive days1 his head beaten to a pulp with the butt of a rifle1 after which his body was thrown into a pit and earth and stones heaped upon it4 ,after visiting ,bah'u'llh in the barracks1 during the second year of ,his confinement1 he had arisen with amazing alacrity to carry that ,tablet1 alone and on foot1 to ihrn and deliver it into the hands of the sovereign4 ,a four months' journey had taken him to that city1 and1 after passing three days in fasting and vigilance1 he had met the ,shh proceeding on a hunting expedition to ,shimrn4 ,he had calmly and respectfully approached ,his ,majesty1 calling out1 8,o ,king6 ,i have come to thee from ,sheba with a weighty message02 whereupon at the ,sovereign's order1 the ,tablet was taken from him and delivered to the mujtahids of ihrn who were commanded to reply to that ,epistle--a command which they evaded1 recommending instead that the messenger should be put to death4 ,that ,tablet was subsequently forwarded by the ,shh to the ,persian ,ambassador in ,constantinople1 in the hope that its perusal by the ,suln's ministers might serve to further inflame their animosity4 ,for a space of three years ,bah'u'llh continued to extol in ,his writings the heroism of that youth1 characterizing the references made by ,him to that sublime sacrifice as the 8salt of ,my ,tablets40 #8,ab-,bsir and ,siyyid ,ashraf1 whose fathers had been slain in the struggle of ,zanjn1 were decapitated on the same day in that city1 the former going so far as to instruct1 while kneeling in prayer1 his executioner as to how best to deal his blow1 while the latter1 after having been so brutally beaten that blood flowed from under his nails1 was beheaded1 as he held in his arms the body of his martyred companion4 ,it was the mother of this same ,ashraf who1 when sent to the prison in the hope that she would persuade her only son to recant1 had warned him that she would disown him were he to denounce his faith1 had bidden him follow the example of #8,ab-,bsir1 and had even watched him expire with eyes undimmed with tears4 ,the wealthy and prominent ,muammad-asan ,khn-i-,ksh was so mercilessly bastinadoed in ,burjird that he succumbed to his ordeal4 ,in ,shrz ,mrz qy-i-,rikb-,sz1 together with ,mrz ,raf-i-,khayyt and ,mashhad ,nab1 were by order of the local mujtahid simultaneously strangled in the dead of night1 their graves being later desecrated by a mob who heaped refuse upon them4 ,shaykh ,abu'l-,qsim-i-,mazkn in ,kshn1 who had declined a drink of water that was offered him before his death1 affirming that he thirsted for the cup of martyrdom1 was dealt a fatal blow on the nape of his neck1 whilst he was prostrating himself in prayer4 ,mrz ,bqir-i-,shrz1 who had transcribed the ,tablets of ,bah'u'llh in ,adrianople with such unsparing devotion1 was slain in ,kirmn1 while in ,ardikn the aged and infirm ,gul-,muammad was set upon by a furious mob1 thrown to the ground1 and so trampled upon by the hob-nailed boots of two siyyids that his ribs were crushed in and his teeth broken1 after which his body was taken to the outskirts of the town and buried in a pit1 only to be dug up the next day1 dragged through the streets1 and finally abandoned in the wilderness4 ,in the city of ,mashhad1 notorious for its unbridled fanaticism1 j #8,abdu'l-,majd1 who was the eighty-five year old father of the afore-mentioned ,bad and a survivor of the struggle of ,tabars1 and who1 after the martyrdom of his son1 had visited ,bah'u'llh and returned afire with zeal to ,khursn1 was ripped open from waist to throat1 and his head exposed on a marble slab to the gaze of a multitude of insulting onlookers1 who1 after dragging his body ignominiously through the bazaars1 left it at the morgue to be claimed by his relatives4 ,in ,ifhn ,mull ,kzim was beheaded by order of ,shaykh ,muammad-,bqir1 and a horse made to gallop over his corpse1 which was then delivered to the flames1 while ,siyyid q ,jn had his ears cut off1 and was led by a halter through the streets and bazaars4 ,a month later occurred in that same city the tragedy of the two famous brothers ,mrz ,muammad-asan and ,mrz ,muammad-usayn1 the 8twin shining lights10 respectively surnamed 8,sulnu'sh-,shuhud0 7,king of ,martyrs7 and 8,mabbu'sh-,shuhad0 7,beloved of ,martyrs71 who were celebrated for their generosity1 trustworthiness1 kindliness and piety4 ,their martyrdom was instigated by the wicked and dishonest ,mr ,muammad-usayn1 the ,imm-,jum'ih1 stigmatized by ,bah'u'llh as the 8she-serpent10 who1 in view of a large debt he had incurred in his transactions with them1 schemed to nullify his obligations by denouncing them as ,bbs1 and thereby encompassing their death4 ,their richly-furnished houses were plundered1 even to the trees and flowers in their gardens1 all their remaining possessions were confiscated2 ,shaykh ,muammad-,bqir1 denounced by ,bah'u'llh as the 8wolf10 pronounced their death-sentence2 the ,zillu's-,suln ratified the decision1 after which they were put in chains1 decapitated1 dragged to the ,maydn-i-,shh1 and there exposed to the indignities heaped upon them by a degraded and rapacious populace4 8,in such wise10 #8,abdu'l-,bah has written1 8was the blood of these two brothers shed that the ,christian priest of ,julf cried out1 lamented and wept on that day40 ,for several years ,bah'u'llh in ,his ,tablets continued to make mention of them1 to voice ,his grief over their passing and to extol their virtues4 ,mull #8,al ,jn was conducted on foot from ,mzindarn to ihrn1 the hardships of that journey being so severe that his neck was wounded and his body swollen from the waist to the feet4 ,on the day of his martyrdom he asked for water1 performed his ablutions1 recited his prayers1 bestowed a considerable gift of money on his executioner1 and was still in the act of prayer when his throat was slit by a dagger1 after which his corpse was spat upon1 covered with mud1 left exposed for three days1 and finally hewn to pieces4 ,in ,nmiq ,mull #8,al1 converted to the ,faith in the days of the ,bb1 was so severely attacked and his ribs so badly broken with a pick-axe that he died immediately4 ,mrz ,ashraf was slain in ,ifhn1 his corpse trampled under foot by ,shaykh ,muammad ,taqy-i-,najaf1 the 8son of the wolf10 and his pupils1 savagely mutilated1 and delivered to the mob to be burnt1 after which his charred bones were buried beneath the ruins of a wall that was pulled down to cover them4 ,in ,yazd1 at the instigation of the mujtahid of that city1 and by order of the callous ,mamd ,mrz1 the ,jallu'l-,dawlih1 the governor1 a son of ,zillu's-,suln1 seven were done to death in a single day in horrible circumstances4 ,the first of these1 a twenty-seven year old youth1 #8,al-,aghar1 was strangled1 his body delivered into the hands of some ,jews who1 forcing the dead man's six companions to come with them1 dragged the corpse through the streets1 surrounded by a mob of people and soldiers beating drums and blowing trumpets1 after which1 arriving near the ,telegraph ,office1 they beheaded the eighty-five year old ,mull ,mihd and dragged him in the same manner to another quarter of the city1 where1 in view of a great throng of onlookers1 frenzied by the throbbing strains of the music1 they executed q #8,al in like manner4 ,proceeding thence to the house of the local mujtahid1 and carrying with them the four remaining companions1 they cut the throat of ,mull #8,aly-i-,sabzvar1 who had been addressing the crowd and glorying in his imminent martyrdom1 hacked his body to pieces with a spade1 while he was still alive1 and pounded his skull to a pulp with stones4 ,in another quarter1 near the ,mihrz gate1 they slew ,muammad-,bqir1 and afterwards1 in the ,maydn-i-,khn1 as the music grew wilder and drowned the yells of the people1 they beheaded the survivors who remained1 two brothers in their early twenties1 #8,al-,aghar and ,muammad-asan4 ,the stomach of the latter was ripped open and his heart and liver plucked out1 after which his head was impaled on a spear1 carried aloft1 to the accompaniment of music1 through the streets of the city1 and suspended on a mulberry tree1 and stoned by a great concourse of people4 ,his body was cast before the door of his mother's house1 into which women deliberately entered to dance and make merry4 ,even pieces of their flesh were carried away to be used as a medicament4 ,finally1 the head of ,muammad-asan was attached to the lower part of his body and1 together with those of the other martyrs1 was borne to the outskirts of the city and so viciously pelted with stones that the skulls were broken1 whereupon they compelled the ,jews to carry the remains and throw them into a pit in the plain of ,salsabl4 ,a holiday was declared by the governor for the people1 all the shops were closed by his order1 the city was illuminated at night1 and festivities proclaimed the consummation of one of the most barbarous acts perpetrated in modern times4 ,nor were the ,jews and the ,parsis who had been newly converted to the ,faith1 and were living1 the former in ,hamadn1 and the latter in ,yazd1 immune to the assaults of enemies whose fury was exasperated by the evidences of the penetration of the light of the ,faith in quarters they had fondly imagined to be beyond its reach4 ,even in the city of ,ishqbd the newly established ,sh'ah community1 envious of the rising prestige of the followers of ,bah'u'llh who were living in their midst1 instigated two ruffians to assault the seventy-year old j ,muammad-,riy-i-,ifhn1 whom1 in broad day and in the midst of the bazaar1 they stabbed in no less than thirty-two places1 exposing his liver1 lacerating his stomach and tearing open his breast4 ,a military court dispatched by the ,czar to ,ishqbd established1 after prolonged investigation1 the guilt of the ,sh'ahs1 sentencing two to death and banishing six others--a sentence which neither ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 nor the #8ulams of ihrn1 of ,mashhad and of ,tabrz1 who were appealed to1 could mitigate1 but which the representatives of the aggrieved community1 through their magnanimous intercession which greatly surprised the ,russian authorities1 succeeded in having commuted to a lighter punishment4 ,such are some typical examples of the treatment meted out by the adversaries of the ,faith to the newly resurgent community of its followers during the period of ,bah'u'llh's banishment to ,akk--a treatment which it may be truly said testified alternately to 8the callousness of the brute and the ingenuity of the fiend40 ,the 8inquisition and appalling tortures10 following the attempt on the life of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 had already1 in the words of no less eminent an observer than ,lord ,curzon of ,kedleston1 imparted to the ,faith 8a vitality which no other impulse could have secured40 ,this recrudescence of persecution1 this fresh outpouring of the blood of martyrs1 served to further enliven the roots which that holy ,sapling had already struck in its native soil4 ,careless of the policy of fire and blood which aimed at their annihilation1 undismayed by the tragic blows rained upon a ,leader so far removed from their midst1 uncorrupted by the foul and seditious acts perpetrated by the ,arch-,breaker of the ,bb's ,covenant1 the followers of ,bah'u'llh were multiplying in number and silently gathering the necessary strength that was to enable them1 at a later stage1 to lift their heads in freedom1 and rear the fabric of their institutions4 ,soon after his visit to ,persia in the autumn of #ahhi ,lord ,curzon of ,kedleston wrote1 in the course of references designed to dispel the 8great confusion0 and 8error0 prevailing 8among ,european and specially ,english writers0 regarding the ,faith1 that 8the ,bah's are now believed to comprise nineteen-twentieths of the ,bb persuasion40 ,count ,gobineau1 writing as far back as the year #ahfe1 testified as follows3 8,l'opinion genrale est que les ,bbs sont rpandus dans toutes les classes de la population et parmi tous les religionnaires de la ,perse1 sauf les ,nusayris et les ,chrtiens2 mais ce sont surtout les classes claires1 les hommes pratiquant les sciences du pays1 qui sont donns comme trs suspects4 ,on pense1 et avec raison1 ce semble1 que beaucoup de mulls1 et parmi eux des mujtahids considrables1 des magistrats d'un rang lve1 des hommes qui occupent la cour des fonctions importantes et qui approchent de prs la personne du ,roi1 sont des ,bbs4 ,d'aprs un calcul fait rcemment1 il y aurait a ihrn cinq milles de ces religionnaires sur une population de quatre-vingt milles mes a peu prs40 ,furthermore3 8444,le ,bbisme a pris une action considrable sur l'intelligence de la nation persane1 et1 se rependant mme au dl des limites du territoire1 il a dbord dans le pachalik de ,baghdd1 et pass aussi dans l',inde40 ,and again3 8444,un mouvement religieux tout particulier dont l',asie ,centrale1 c'est--dire la ,perse1 quelques points de l',inde et une partie de la ,turquie d',asie1 aux environs de ,baghdd1 est aujourd'hui vivement proccupe1 mouvement remarquable et digne d'tre tudi tous les titres4 ,il permet d'assister des dveloppements de faits1 des manifestations1 des catastrophes telles que l'on n'est pas habitu les imaginer ailleurs que dans les temps rculs o se sont produites les grandes religions40 8,these changes1 however10 ,lord ,curzon1 alluding to the ,declaration of the ,mission of ,bah'u'llh and the rebellion of ,mrz ,yay1 has1 moreover written1 8have in no wise impaired1 but appear on the contrary1 to have stimulated its propaganda1 which has advanced with a rapidity inexplicable to those who can only see therein a crude form of political or even of metaphysical fermentation4 ,the lowest estimate places the present number of ,bbs in ,persia at half a million4 ,i am disposed to think1 from conversations with persons well qualified to judge1 that the total is nearer one million40 8,they are to be found10 he adds1 8in every walk of life1 from the ministers and nobles of the ,court to the scavenger or the groom1 not the least arena of their activity being the ,musulmn priesthood itself40 8,from the facts10 is another testimony of his1 8that ,bbism in its earliest years found itself in conflict with the civil powers1 and that an attempt was made by ,bbs upon the life of the ,shh1 it has been wrongly inferred that the movement was political in origin and ,nihilist in character444 ,at the present time the ,bbs are equally loyal with any other subjects of the ,crown4 ,nor does there appear to be any greater justice in the charges of socialism1 communism and immorality that have so freely been levelled at the youthful persuasion 444,the only communism known to and recommended by ,him 7the ,bb7 was that of the ,new ,testament and the early ,christian ,church1 viz41 the sharing of goods in common by members of the ,faith1 and the exercise of alms-giving1 and an ample charity4 ,the charge of immorality seems to have arisen partly from the malignant inventions of opponents1 partly from the much greater freedom claimed for women by the ,bb1 which in the oriental mind is scarcely dissociable from profligacy of conduct40 ,and1 finally1 the following prognostication from his pen3 8,if ,bbism continues to grow at its present rate of progression1 a time may conceivably come when it will oust ,muammadanism from the field in ,persia4 ,this1 ,i think1 it would be unlikely to do1 did it appear upon the ground under the flag of a hostile faith4 ,but since its recruits are won from the best soldiers of the garrison whom it is attacking1 there is greater reason to believe that it may ultimately prevail40 ,bah'u'llh's incarceration in the prison-fortress of ,akk1 the manifold tribulations ,he endured1 the prolonged ordeal to which the community of ,his followers in ,persia was being subjected1 did not arrest1 nor could they even impede1 to the slightest degree1 the mighty stream of ,divine ,revelation1 which1 without interruption1 had been flowing from ,his pen1 and on which the future orientation1 the integrity1 the expansion and the consolidation of ,his ,faith directly depended4 ,indeed1 in their scope and volume1 ,his writings1 during the years of ,his confinement in the ,most ,great ,prison1 surpassed the outpourings of ,his pen in either ,adrianople or ,baghdd4 ,more remarkable than the radical transformation in the circumstances of ,his own life in ,akk1 more far-reaching in its spiritual consequences than the campaign of repression pursued so relentlessly by the enemies of ,his ,faith in the land of ,his birth1 this unprecedented extension in the range of ,his writings1 during ,his exile in that ,prison1 must rank as one of the most vitalizing and fruitful stages in the evolution of ,his ,faith4 ,the tempestuous winds that swept the ,faith at the inception of ,his ministry and the wintry desolation that marked the beginnings of ,his prophetic career1 soon after ,his banishment from ihrn1 were followed during the latter part of ,his sojourn in ,baghdd1 by what may be described as the vernal years of ,his ,mission--years which witnessed the bursting into visible activity of the forces inherent in that ,divine ,seed that had lain dormant since the tragic removal of ,his ,forerunner4 ,with ,his arrival in ,adrianople and the proclamation of ,his ,mission the ,orb of ,his ,revelation climbed as it were to its zenith1 and shone1 as witnessed by the style and tone of ,his writings1 in the plenitude of its summer glory4 ,the period of ,his incarceration in ,akk brought with it the ripening of a slowly maturing process1 and was a period during which the choicest fruits of that mission were ultimately garnered4 ,the writings of ,bah'u'llh during this period1 as we survey the vast field which they embrace1 seem to fall into three distinct categories4 ,the first comprises those writings which constitute the sequel to the proclamation of ,his ,mission in ,adrianople4 ,the second includes the laws and ordinances of ,his ,dispensation1 which1 for the most part1 have been recorded in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 ,his ,most ,holy ,book4 ,to the third must be assigned those ,tablets which partly enunciate and partly reaffirm the fundamental tenets and principles underlying that ,dispensation4 ,the ,proclamation of ,his ,mission had been1 as already observed1 directed particularly to the kings of the earth1 who1 by virtue of the power and authority they wielded1 were invested with a peculiar and inescapable responsibility for the destinies of their subjects4 ,it was to these kings1 as well as to the world's religious leaders1 who exercised a no less pervasive influence on the mass of their followers1 that the ,prisoner of ,akk directed ,his appeals1 warnings1 and exhortations during the first years of ,his incarceration in that city4 8,upon ,our arrival at this ,prison10 ,he ,himself affirms1 8,we purposed to transmit to the kings the messages of their ,lord1 the ,mighty1 the ,all-,praised4 ,though ,we have transmitted to them1 in several ,tablets1 that which ,we were commanded1 yet ,we do it once again1 as a token of ,god's grace40 ,to the kings of the earth1 both in the ,east and in the ,west1 both ,christian and ,muslim1 who had already been collectively admonished and warned in the ,sriy-i-,mulk revealed in ,adrianople1 and had been so vehemently summoned by the ,bb1 in the opening chapter of the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 on the very night of the ,declaration of ,his ,mission1 ,bah'u'llh1 during the darkest days of ,his confinement in ,akk1 addressed some of the noblest passages of ,his ,most ,holy ,book4 ,in these passages ,he called upon them to take fast hold of the 8,most ,great ,law02 proclaimed ,himself to be 8the ,king of ,kings0 and 8the ,desire of all ,nations02 declared them to be ,his 8vassals0 and 8emblems of ,his sovereignty02 disclaimed any intention of laying hands on their kingdoms2 bade them forsake their palaces1 and hasten to gain admittance into ,his ,kingdom2 extolled the king who would arise to aid ,his ,cause as 8the very eye of mankind02 and finally arraigned them for the things which had befallen ,him at their hands4 ,in ,his ,tablet to ,queen ,victoria ,he1 moreover1 invites these kings to hold fast to 8the ,lesser ,peace10 since they had refused 8the ,most ,great ,peace02 exhorts them to be reconciled among themselves1 to unite and to reduce their armaments2 bids them refrain from laying excessive burdens on their subjects1 who1 ,he informs them1 are their 8wards0 and 8treasures02 enunciates the principle that should any one among them take up arms against another1 all should rise against him2 and warns them not to deal with ,him as the 8,king of ,islm0 and his ministers had dealt4 ,to the ,emperor of the ,french1 ,napoleon ,,iii1 the most prominent and influential monarch of his day in the ,west1 designated by ,him as the 8,chief of ,sovereigns10 and who1 to quote ,his words1 had 8cast behind his back0 the ,tablet revealed for him in ,adrianople1 ,he1 while a prisoner in the army barracks1 addressed a second ,tablet and transmitted it through the ,french agent in ,akk4 ,in this ,he announces the coming of 8,him ,who is the ,unconstrained10 whose purpose is to 8quicken the world0 and unite its peoples2 unequivocally asserts that ,jesus ,christ was the ,herald of ,his ,mission2 proclaims the fall of 8the stars of the firmament of knowledge10 who have turned aside from ,him2 exposes that monarch's insincerity2 and clearly prophesies that his kingdom shall be 8thrown into confusion10 that his 8empire shall pass0 from his hands1 and that 8commotions shall seize all the people in that land10 unless he arises to help the ,cause of ,god and follow ,him ,who is ,his ,spirit4 ,in memorable passages addressed to 8the ,rulers of ,america and the ,presidents of the ,republics therein0 ,he1 in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 calls upon them to 8adorn the temple of dominion with the ornament of justice and of the fear of ,god1 and its head with the crown of remembrance0 of their ,lord2 declares that 8the ,promised ,one0 has been made manifest2 counsels them to avail themselves of the 8,day of ,god02 and bids them 8bind with the hands of justice the broken0 and 8crush0 the 8oppressor0 with 8the rod of the commandments of their ,lord1 the ,ordainer1 the ,all-,wise40 ,to ,nicolaevitch ,alexander ,,ii1 the all-powerful ,czar of ,russia1 ,he addressed1 as ,he lay a prisoner in the barracks1 an ,epistle wherein ,he announces the advent of the promised ,father1 ,whom 8the tongue of ,isaiah hath extolled10 and 8with ,whose name both the ,torah and the ,evangel were adorned02 commands him to 8arise 444 and summon the nations unto ,god02 warns him to beware lest his sovereignty withhold him from 8,him ,who is the ,supreme ,sovereign02 acknowledges the aid extended by his ,ambassador in ihrn2 and cautions him not to forfeit the station ordained for him by ,god4 ,to ,queen ,victoria ,he1 during that same period1 addressed an ,epistle in which ,he calls upon her to incline her ear to the voice of her ,lord1 the ,lord of all mankind2 bids her 8cast away all that is on earth10 and set her heart towards her ,lord1 the ,ancient of ,days2 asserts that 8all that hath been mentioned in the ,gospel hath been fulfilled02 assures her that ,god would reward her for having 8forbidden the trading in slaves10 were she to follow what has been sent unto her by ,him2 commends her for having 8entrusted the reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives of the people02 and exhorts them to 8regard themselves as the representatives of all that dwell on earth10 and to judge between men with 8pure justice40 ,in a celebrated passage addressed to ,william ,i1 ,king of ,prussia and newly-acclaimed emperor of a unified ,germany1 ,he1 in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 bids the sovereign hearken to ,his ,voice1 the ,voice of ,god ,himself2 warns him to take heed lest his pride debar him from recognizing 8the ,day-,spring of ,divine ,revelation10 and admonishes him to 8remember the one 7,napoleon ,,iii7 whose power transcended0 his power1 and who 8went down to dust in great loss40 ,furthermore1 in that same ,book1 apostrophizing the 8banks of the ,rhine10 ,he predicts that 8the swords of retribution0 would be drawn against them1 and that 8the lamentations of ,berlin0 would be raised1 though at that time she was 8in conspicuous glory40 ,in another notable passage of that same ,book1 addressed to ,francis-,joseph1 the ,austrian ,emperor and heir of the ,holy ,roman ,empire1 ,bah'u'llh reproves the sovereign for having neglected to inquire about ,him in the course of a pilgrimage to ,jerusalem2 takes ,god to witness that ,he had found him 8clinging unto the ,branch and heedless of the ,root02 grieves to observe his waywardness2 and bids him open his eyes and gaze on 8the ,light that shineth above this luminous ,horizon40 ,to #8,al ,psh1 the ,grand ,vizir of the ,suln of ,turkey ,he addressed1 shortly after ,his arrival in ,akk1 a second ,tablet1 in which ,he reprimands him for his cruelty 8that hath made hell to blaze and the ,spirit to lament02 recounts his acts of oppression2 condemns him as one of those who1 from time immemorial1 have denounced the ,prophets as stirrers of mischief2 prophesies his downfall2 expatiates on ,his own sufferings and those of ,his fellow-exiles2 extolls their fortitude and detachment2 predicts that ,god's 8wrathful anger0 will seize him and his government1 that 8sedition will be stirred up0 in their midst1 and that their 8dominions will be disrupted02 and affirms that were he to awake1 he would abandon all his possessions1 and would 8choose to abide in one of the dilapidated rooms of this ,most ,great ,prison40 ,in the ,law-i-,fu'd1 in the course of ,his reference to the premature death of the ,suln's ,foreign ,minister1 ,fu'd ,psh1 ,he thus confirms ,his above-mentioned prediction3 8,soon will ,we dismiss the one 7#8,al ,psh7 who was like unto him and will lay hold on their ,chief 7,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz7 who ruleth the land1 and ,i1 verily1 am the ,almighty1 the ,all-,compelling40 ,no less outspoken and emphatic are the messages1 some embodied in specific ,tablets1 others interspersed through ,his writings1 which ,bah'u'llh addressed to the world's ecclesiastical leaders of all denominations--messages in which ,he discloses1 clearly and unreservedly1 the claims of ,his ,revelation1 summons them to heed ,his call1 and denounces1 in certain specific cases1 their perversity1 their extreme arrogance and tyranny4 ,in immortal passages of ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas and other ,tablets ,he bids the entire company of these ecclesiastical leaders to 8fear ,god10 to 8rein in0 their pens1 8fling away idle fancies and imaginings1 and turn then towards the ,horizon of ,certitude02 warns them to 8weigh not the ,book of ,god 7,kitb-i-,aqdas7 with such standards and sciences as are current0 amongst them2 designates that same ,book as the 8,unerring ,balance established amongst men02 laments over their blindness and waywardness2 asserts ,his superiority in vision1 insight1 utterance and wisdom2 proclaims ,his innate and ,god-given knowledge2 cautions them not to 8shut out the people by yet another veil10 after ,he ,himself had 8rent the veils asunder02 accuses them of having been 8the cause of the repudiation of the ,faith in its early days02 and adjures them to 8peruse with fairness and justice that which hath been sent down0 by ,him1 and to 8nullify not the ,truth0 with the things they possess4 ,to ,pope ,pius ,,ix1 the undisputed head of the most powerful ,church in ,christendom1 possessor of both temporal and spiritual authority1 ,he1 a ,prisoner in the army barracks of the penal-colony of ,akk1 addressed a most weighty ,epistle1 in which ,he announces that 8,he ,who is the ,lord of ,lords is come overshadowed with clouds10 and that 8the ,word which the ,son concealed is made manifest40 ,he1 moreover1 warns him not to dispute with ,him even as the ,pharisees of old disputed with ,jesus ,christ2 bids him leave his palaces unto such as desire them1 8sell all the embellished ornaments0 in his possession1 8expend them in the path of ,god10 abandon his kingdom unto the kings1 8arise 444 amidst the peoples of the earth10 and summon them to ,his ,faith4 ,regarding him as one of the suns of the heaven of ,god's names1 ,he cautions him to guard himself lest 8darkness spread its veils0 over him2 calls upon him to 8exhort the kings0 to 8deal equitably with men02 and counsels him to walk in the footsteps of his ,lord1 and follow ,his example4 ,to the patriarchs of the ,christian ,church ,he issued a specific summons in which ,he proclaims the coming of the ,promised ,one2 exhorts them to 8fear ,god0 and not to follow 8the vain imaginings of the superstitious02 and directs them to lay aside the things they possess and 8take fast hold of the ,tablet of ,god by ,his sovereign power40 ,to the archbishops of that ,church ,he similarly declares that 8,he ,who is the ,lord of all men hath appeared10 that they are 8numbered with the dead10 and that great is the blessedness of him who is 8stirred by the breeze of ,god1 and hath arisen from amongst the dead in this perspicuous ,name40 ,in passages addressed to its bishops ,he proclaims that 8the ,everlasting ,father calleth aloud between earth and heaven10 pronounces them to be the fallen stars of the heaven of ,his knowledge1 and affirms that ,his body 8yearneth for the cross0 and ,his head is 8eager for the spear in the path of the ,all-,merciful40 ,the concourse of ,christian priests ,he bids 8leave the bells10 and come forth from their churches2 exhorts them to 8proclaim aloud the ,most ,great ,name among the nations02 assures them that whoever will summon men in ,his ,name will 8show forth that which is beyond the power of all that are on earth02 warns them that the 8,day of ,reckoning hath appeared02 and counsels them to turn with their hearts to their 8,lord1 the ,forgiving1 the ,generous40 ,in numerous passages addressed to the 8concourse of monks0 ,he bids them not to seclude themselves in churches and cloisters1 but to occupy themselves with that which will profit their souls and the souls of men2 enjoins them to enter into wedlock2 and affirms that if they choose to follow ,him ,he will make them heirs of ,his ,kingdom1 and that if they transgress against ,him1 ,he will1 in ,his long-suffering1 endure it patiently4 ,and finally1 in several passages addressed to the entire body of the followers of ,jesus ,christ ,he identifies ,himself with the 8,father0 spoken of by ,isaiah1 with the 8,comforter0 ,whose ,covenant ,he ,who is the ,spirit 7,jesus7 had ,himself established1 and with the 8,spirit of ,truth0 ,who will guide them 8into all truth02 proclaims ,his ,day to be the ,day of ,god2 announces the conjunction of the river ,jordan with the 8,most ,great ,ocean02 asserts their heedlessness as well as ,his own claim to have opened unto them 8the gates of the kingdom02 affirms that the promised 8,temple0 has been built 8with the hands of the will0 of their ,lord1 the ,mighty1 the ,bounteous2 bids them 8rend the veils asunder10 and enter in ,his name ,his ,kingdom2 recalls the saying of ,jesus to ,peter2 and assures them that1 if they choose to follow ,him1 ,he will make them to become 8quickeners of mankind40 ,to the entire body of ,muslim ecclesiastics ,bah'u'llh specifically devoted innumerable passages in ,his ,books and ,tablets1 wherein ,he1 in vehement language1 denounces their cruelty2 condemns their pride and arrogance2 calls upon them to lay aside the things they possess1 to hold their peace1 and give ear to the words ,he has spoken2 and asserts that1 by reason of their deeds1 8the exalted station of the people hath been abased1 the standard of ,islm hath been reversed1 and its mighty throne hath fallen40 ,to the 8concourse of ,persian divines0 ,he more particularly addressed ,his condemnatory words in which ,he stigmatizes their deeds1 and prophesies that their 8glory will be turned into the most wretched abasement10 and that they shall behold the punishment which will be inflicted upon them1 8as decreed by ,god1 the ,ordainer1 the ,all-,wise40 ,to the ,jewish people1 ,he1 moreover1 announced that the ,most ,great ,law has come1 that 8the ,ancient ,beauty ruleth upon the throne of ,david10 ,who cries aloud and invokes ,his ,name1 that 8from ,zion hath appeared that which was hidden10 and that 8from ,jerusalem is heard the ,voice of ,god1 the ,one1 the ,incomparable1 the ,omniscient40 ,to the 8high priests0 of the ,zoroastrian ,faith ,he1 furthermore1 proclaimed that 8the ,incomparable ,friend0 is manifest1 that ,he 8speaketh that wherein lieth salvation10 that 8the ,hand of ,omnipotence is stretched forth from behind the clouds10 that the tokens of ,his majesty and greatness are unveiled2 and declared that 8no man's acts shall be acceptable in this day unless he forsaketh mankind and all that men possess1 and setteth his face towards the ,omnipotent ,one40 ,some of the weightiest passages of ,his ,epistle to ,queen ,victoria are addressed to the members of the ,british ,legislature1 the ,mother of ,parliaments1 as well as to the elected representatives of the peoples in other lands4 ,in these ,he asserts that ,his purpose is to quicken the world and unite its peoples2 refers to the treatment meted out to ,him by ,his enemies2 exhorts the legislators to 8take counsel together10 and to concern themselves only 8with that which profiteth mankind02 and affirms that the 8sovereign remedy0 for the 8healing of all the world0 is the 8union of all its peoples in one universal ,cause1 one common ,faith10 which can 8in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled and all-powerful and inspired ,physician40 ,he1 moreover1 in ,his ,most ,holy ,book1 has enjoined the selection of a single language and the adoption of a common script for all on earth to use1 an injunction which1 when carried out1 would1 as ,he ,himself affirms in that ,book1 be one of the signs of the 8coming of age of the human race40 ,no less significant are the words addressed separately by ,him to the 8people of the ,bayn10 to the wise men of the world1 to its poets1 to its men of letters1 to its mystics and even to its tradesmen1 in which ,he exhorts them to be attentive to ,his voice1 to recognize ,his ,day1 and to follow ,his bidding4 ,such in sum are the salient features of the concluding utterances of that historic ,proclamation1 the opening notes of which were sounded during the latter part of ,bah'u'llh's banishment to ,adrianople1 and which closed during the early years of ,his incarceration in the prison-fortress of ,akk4 ,kings and emperors1 severally and collectively2 the chief magistrates of the ,republics of the ,american continent2 ministers and ambassadors2 the ,sovereign ,pontiff himself2 the ,vicar of the ,prophet of ,islm2 the royal ,trustee of the ,kingdom of the ,hidden ,imm2 the monarchs of ,christendom1 its patriarchs1 archbishops1 bishops1 priests and monks2 the recognized leaders of both the ,sunn and ,sh'ah sacerdotal orders2 the high priests of the ,zoroastrian religion2 the philosophers1 the ecclesiastical leaders1 the wise men and the inhabitants of ,constantinople--that proud seat of both the ,sultanate and the ,caliphate2 the entire company of the professed adherents of the ,zoroastrian1 the ,jewish1 the ,christian and ,muslim ,faiths2 the people of the ,bayn2 the wise men of the world1 its men of letters1 its poets1 its mystics1 its tradesmen1 the elected representatives of its peoples2 ,his own countrymen--all have1 at one time or another1 in books1 ,epistles1 and ,tablets1 been brought directly within the purview of the exhortations1 the warnings1 the appeals1 the declarations and the prophecies which constitute the theme of ,his momentous summons to the leaders of mankind--a summons which stands unparalleled in the annals of any previous religion1 and to which the messages directed by the ,prophet of ,islm to some of the rulers among ,his contemporaries alone offer a faint resemblance4 8,never since the beginning of the world10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself affirms1 8hath the ,message been so openly proclaimed40 8,each one of them10 ,he1 specifically referring to the ,tablets addressed by ,him to the sovereigns of the earth--,tablets acclaimed by #8,abdu'l-,bah as a 8miracle0--has written1 8hath been designated by a special name4 ,the first hath been named #8,the ,rumbling1' the second #8,the ,blow1' the third #8,the ,inevitable1' the fourth #8,the ,plain1' the fifth #8,the ,catastrophe1' and the others #8,the ,stunning ,trumpet-,blast1' #8,the ,near ,event1' #8,the ,great ,terror1' #8,the ,trumpet1' #8,the ,bugle1' and the like1 so that all the peoples of the earth may know1 of a certainty1 and may witness1 with outward and inner eyes1 that ,he ,who is the ,lord of ,names hath prevailed1 and will continue to prevail1 under all conditions1 over all men40 ,the most important of these ,tablets1 together with the celebrated ,sriy-i-,haykal 7the ,srih of the ,temple71 ,he1 moreover1 ordered to be written in the shape of a pentacle1 symbolizing the temple of man1 and which ,he identified1 when addressing the followers of the ,gospel in one of ,his ,tablets1 with the 8,temple0 mentioned by the ,prophet ,zechariah1 and designated as 8the resplendent dawning-place of the ,all-,merciful10 and which 8the hands of the power of ,him ,who is the ,causer of ,causes0 had built4 ,unique and stupendous as was this ,proclamation1 it proved to be but a prelude to a still mightier revelation of the creative power of its ,author1 and to what may well rank as the most signal act of ,his ministry--the promulgation of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas4 ,alluded to in the ,kitb-i-qn2 the principal repository of that ,law which the ,prophet ,isaiah had anticipated1 and which the writer of the ,apocalypse had described as the 8new heaven0 and the 8new earth10 as 8the ,tabernacle of ,god10 as the 8,holy ,city10 as the 8,bride10 the 8,new ,jerusalem coming down from ,god10 this 8,most ,holy ,book10 whose provisions must remain inviolate for no less than a thousand years1 and whose system will embrace the entire planet1 may well be regarded as the brightest emanation of the mind of ,bah'u'llh1 as the ,mother ,book of ,his ,dispensation1 and the ,charter of ,his ,new ,world ,order4 ,revealed soon after ,bah'u'llh had been transferred to the house of d ,khammr 7circa #ahgc71 at a time when ,he was still encompassed by the tribulations that had afflicted ,him1 through the acts committed by ,his enemies and the professed adherents of ,his ,faith1 this ,book1 this treasury enshrining the priceless gems of ,his ,revelation1 stands out1 by virtue of the principles it inculcates1 the administrative institutions it ordains and the function with which it invests the appointed ,successor of its ,author1 unique and incomparable among the world's sacred ,scriptures4 ,for1 unlike the ,old ,testament and the ,holy ,books which preceded it1 in which the actual precepts uttered by the ,prophet ,himself are non-existent2 unlike the ,gospels1 in which the few sayings attributed to ,jesus ,christ afford no clear guidance regarding the future administration of the affairs of ,his ,faith2 unlike even the ,qur'n which1 though explicit in the laws and ordinances formulated by the ,apostle of ,god1 is silent on the all-important subject of the succession1 the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 revealed from first to last by the ,author of the ,dispensation ,himself1 not only preserves for posterity the basic laws and ordinances on which the fabric of ,his future ,world ,order must rest1 but ordains1 in addition to the function of interpretation which it confers upon ,his ,successor1 the necessary institutions through which the integrity and unity of ,his ,faith can alone be safeguarded4 ,in this ,charter of the future world civilization its ,author--at once the ,judge1 the ,lawgiver1 the ,unifier and ,redeemer of mankind--announces to the kings of the earth the promulgation of the 8,most ,great ,law02 pronounces them to be ,his vassals2 proclaims ,himself the 8,king of ,kings02 disclaims any intention of laying hands on their kingdoms2 reserves for ,himself the right to 8seize and possess the hearts of men02 warns the world's ecclesiastical leaders not to weigh the 8,book of ,god0 with such standards as are current amongst them2 and affirms that the ,book itself is the 8,unerring ,balance0 established amongst men4 ,in it ,he formally ordains the institution of the 8,house of ,justice10 defines its functions1 fixes its revenues1 and designates its members as the 8,men of ,justice10 the 8,deputies of ,god10 the 8,trustees of the ,all-,merciful10 alludes to the future ,center of ,his ,covenant1 and invests ,him with the right of interpreting ,his holy ,writ2 anticipates by implication the institution of ,guardianship2 bears witness to the revolutionizing effect of ,his ,world ,order2 enunciates the doctrine of the 8,most ,great ,infallibility0 of the ,manifestation of ,god2 asserts this infallibility to be the inherent and exclusive right of the ,prophet2 and rules out the possibility of the appearance of another ,manifestation ere the lapse of at least one thousand years4 ,in this ,book ,he1 moreover1 prescribes the obligatory prayers2 designates the time and period of fasting2 prohibits congregational prayer except for the dead2 fixes the ,qiblih2 institutes the uqqu'llh 7,right of ,god72 formulates the law of inheritance2 ordains the institution of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr2 establishes the ,nineteen ,day ,feasts1 the ,bah' festivals and the ,intercalary ,days2 abolishes the institution of priesthood2 prohibits slavery1 asceticism1 mendicancy1 monasticism1 penance1 the use of pulpits and the kissing of hands2 prescribes monogamy2 condemns cruelty to animals1 idleness and sloth1 backbiting and calumny2 censures divorce2 interdicts gambling1 the use of opium1 wine and other intoxicating drinks2 specifies the punishments for murder1 arson1 adultery and theft2 stresses the importance of marriage and lays down its essential conditions2 imposes the obligation of engaging in some trade or profession1 exalting such occupation to the rank of worship2 emphasizes the necessity of providing the means for the education of children2 and lays upon every person the duty of writing a testament and of strict obedience to one's government4 ,apart from these provisions ,bah'u'llh exhorts ,his followers to consort1 with amity and concord and without discrimination1 with the adherents of all religions2 warns them to guard against fanaticism1 sedition1 pride1 dispute and contention2 inculcates upon them immaculate cleanliness1 strict truthfulness1 spotless chastity1 trustworthiness2 hospitality1 fidelity1 courtesy1 forbearance1 justice and fairness2 counsels them to be 8even as the fingers of one hand and the limbs of one body02 calls upon them to arise and serve ,his ,cause2 and assures them of ,his undoubted aid4 ,he1 furthermore1 dwells upon the instability of human affairs2 declares that true liberty consists in man's submission to ,his commandments2 cautions them not to be indulgent in carrying out ,his statutes2 prescribes the twin inseparable duties of recognizing the 8,dayspring of ,god's ,revelation0 and of observing all the ordinances revealed by ,him1 neither of which1 ,he affirms1 is acceptable without the other4 ,the significant summons issued to the ,presidents of the ,republics of the ,american continent to seize their opportunity in the ,day of ,god and to champion the cause of justice2 the injunction to the members of parliaments throughout the world1 urging the adoption of a universal script and language2 ,his warnings to ,william ,i1 the conqueror of ,napoleon ,,iii2 the reproof ,he administers to ,francis ,joseph1 the ,emperor of ,austria2 ,his reference to 8the lamentations of ,berlin0 in ,his apostrophe to 8the banks of the ,rhine02 ,his condemnation of 8the throne of tyranny0 established in ,constantinople1 and ,his prediction of the extinction of its 8outward splendor0 and of the tribulations destined to overtake its inhabitants2 the words of cheer and comfort ,he addresses to ,his native city1 assuring her that ,god had chosen her to be 8the source of the joy of all mankind02 ,his prophecy that 8the voice of the heroes of ,khursn0 will be raised in glorification of their ,lord2 ,his assertion that men 8endued with mighty valor0 will be raised up in ,kirmn who will make mention of ,him2 and finally1 ,his magnanimous assurance to a perfidious brother who had afflicted ,him with such anguish1 that an 8ever-forgiving1 all-bounteous0 ,god would forgive him his iniquities were he only to repent--all these further enrich the contents of a ,book designated by its ,author as 8the source of true felicity10 as the 8,unerring ,balance10 as the 8,straight ,path0 and as the 8quickener of mankind40 ,the laws and ordinances that constitute the major theme of this ,book1 ,bah'u'llh1 moreover1 has specifically characterized as 8the breath of life unto all created things10 as 8the mightiest stronghold10 as the 8fruits0 of ,his 8,tree10 as 8the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples10 as 8the lamps of ,his wisdom and loving-providence10 as 8the sweet smelling savor of ,his garment10 as the 8keys0 of ,his 8mercy0 to ,his creatures4 8,this ,book10 ,he ,himself testifies1 8is a heaven which ,we have adorned with the stars of ,our commandments and prohibitions40 8,blessed the man10 ,he1 moreover1 has stated1 8who will read it1 and ponder the verses sent down in it by ,god1 the ,lord of ,power1 the ,almighty4 ,say1 ,o men6 ,take hold of it with the hand of resignation444 ,by ,my life6 ,it hath been sent down in a manner that amazeth the minds of men4 ,verily1 it is ,my weightiest testimony unto all people1 and the proof of the ,all-,merciful unto all who are in heaven and all who are on earth40 ,and again3 8,blessed the palate that savoreth its sweetness1 and the perceiving eye that recognizeth that which is treasured therein1 and the understanding heart that comprehendeth its allusions and mysteries4 ,by ,god6 ,such is the majesty of what hath been revealed therein1 and so tremendous the revelation of its veiled allusions that the loins of utterance shake when attempting their description40 ,and finally3 8,in such a manner hath the ,kitb-i-,aqdas been revealed that it attracteth and embraceth all the divinely appointed ,dispensations4 ,blessed those who peruse it6 ,blessed those who apprehend it6 ,blessed those who meditate upon it6 ,blessed those who ponder its meaning6 ,so vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it4 ,erelong will its sovereign power1 its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth40 ,the formulation by ,bah'u'llh1 in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 of the fundamental laws of ,his ,dispensation was followed1 as ,his ,mission drew to a close1 by the enunciation of certain precepts and principles which lie at the very core of ,his ,faith1 by the reaffirmation of truths ,he had previously proclaimed1 by the elaboration and elucidation of some of the laws ,he had already laid down1 by the revelation of further prophecies and warnings1 and by the establishment of subsidiary ordinances designed to supplement the provisions of ,his ,most ,holy ,book4 ,these were recorded in unnumbered ,tablets1 which ,he continued to reveal until the last days of ,his earthly life1 among which the 8,ishrqt0 7,splendors71 the 8,bishrt0 7,glad ,tidings71 the 8,tarazt0 7,ornaments71 the 8,tajallyt0 7,effulgences71 the 8,kalmt-i-,firdawsyyih0 7,words of ,paradise71 the 8,law-i-,aqdas0 7,most ,holy ,tablet71 the 8,law-i-,duny0 7,tablet of the ,world71 the 8,law-i-,maqsd0 7,tablet of ,maqsd71 are the most noteworthy4 ,these ,tablets--mighty and final effusions of ,his indefatigable pen--must rank among the choicest fruits which ,his mind has yielded1 and mark the consummation of ,his forty-year-long ministry4 ,of the principles enshrined in these ,tablets the most vital of them all is the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the human race1 which may well be regarded as the hall-mark of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation and the pivot of ,his teachings4 ,of such cardinal importance is this principle of unity that it is expressly referred to in the ,book of ,his ,covenant1 and ,he unreservedly proclaims it as the central purpose of ,his ,faith4 8,we1 verily10 ,he declares1 8have come to unite and weld together all that dwell on earth40 8,so potent is the light of unity10 ,he further states1 8that it can illuminate the whole earth40 8,at one time10 ,he has written with reference to this central theme of ,his ,revelation1 8,we spoke in the language of the lawgiver2 at another in that of the truth seeker and the mystic1 and yet ,our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station40 ,unity1 ,he states1 is the goal that 8excelleth every goal0 and an aspiration which is 8the monarch of all aspirations40 8,the world10 ,he proclaims1 8is but one country1 and mankind its citizens40 ,he further affirms that the unification of mankind1 the last stage in the evolution of humanity towards maturity is inevitable1 that 8soon will the present day order be rolled up1 and a new one spread out in its stead10 that 8the whole earth is now in a state of pregnancy10 that 8the day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits1 when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees1 the most enchanting blossoms1 the most heavenly blessings40 ,he deplores the defectiveness of the prevailing order1 exposes the inadequacy of patriotism as a directing and controlling force in human society1 and regards the 8love of mankind0 and service to its interests as the worthiest and most laudable objects of human endeavor4 ,he1 moreover1 laments that 8the vitality of men's belief in ,god is dying out in every land10 that the 8face of the world0 is turned towards 8waywardness and unbelief02 proclaims religion to be 8a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world0 and 8the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world02 affirms its fundamental purpose to be the promotion of union and concord amongst men2 warns lest it be made 8a source of dissension1 of discord and hatred02 commands that its principles be taught to children in the schools of the world1 in a manner that would not be productive of either prejudice or fanaticism2 attributes 8the waywardness of the ungodly0 to the 8decline of religion02 and predicts 8convulsions0 of such severity as to 8cause the limbs of mankind to quake40 ,the principle of collective security ,he unreservedly urges2 recommends the reduction in national armaments2 and proclaims as necessary and inevitable the convening of a world gathering at which the kings and rulers of the world will deliberate for the establishment of peace among the nations4 ,justice ,he extols as 8the light of men0 and their 8guardian10 as 8the revealer of the secrets of the world of being1 and the standard-bearer of love and bounty02 declares its radiance to be incomparable2 affirms that upon it must depend 8the organization of the world and the tranquillity of mankind40 ,he characterizes its 8two pillars0--8reward and punishment0--as 8the sources of life0 to the human race2 warns the peoples of the world to bestir themselves in anticipation of its advent2 and prophesies that1 after an interval of great turmoil and grievous injustice1 its day-star will shine in its full splendor and glory4 ,he1 furthermore1 inculcates the principle of 8moderation in all things02 declares that whatsoever1 be it 8,liberty1 civilization and the like10 8passeth beyond the limits of moderation0 must 8exercise a pernicious influence upon men02 observes that western civilization has gravely perturbed and alarmed the peoples of the world2 and predicts that the day is approaching when the 8flame0 of a civilization 8carried to excess0 8will devour the cities40 ,consultation ,he establishes as one of the fundamental principles of ,his ,faith2 describes it as 8the lamp of guidance10 as 8the bestower of understanding10 and as one of the two 8luminaries0 of the 8heaven of ,divine wisdom40 ,knowledge1 ,he states1 is 8as wings to man's life and a ladder for his ascent02 its acquisition ,he regards as 8incumbent upon every one02 considers 8arts1 crafts and sciences0 to be conducive to the exaltation of the world of being2 commends the wealth acquired through crafts and professions2 acknowledges the indebtedness of the peoples of the world to scientists and craftsmen2 and discourages the study of such sciences as are unprofitable to men1 and 8begin with words and end with words40 ,the injunction to 8consort with all men in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship0 ,he further emphasizes1 and recognizes such association to be conducive to 8union and concord10 which1 ,he affirms1 are the establishers of order in the world and the quickeners of nations4 ,the necessity of adopting a universal tongue and script ,he repeatedly stresses2 deplores the waste of time involved in the study of divers languages2 affirms that with the adoption of such a language and script the whole earth will be considered as 8one city and one land02 and claims to be possessed of the knowledge of both1 and ready to impart it to any one who might seek it from ,him4 ,to the trustees of the ,house of ,justice ,he assigns the duty of legislating on matters not expressly provided in ,his writings1 and promises that ,god will 8inspire them with whatsoever ,he willeth40 ,the establishment of a constitutional form of government1 in which the ideals of republicanism and the majesty of kingship1 characterized by ,him as 8one of the signs of ,god10 are combined1 ,he recommends as a meritorious achievement2 urges that special regard be paid to the interests of agriculture2 and makes specific reference to 8the swiftly appearing newspapers10 describes them as 8the mirror of the world0 and as 8an amazing and potent phenomenon10 and prescribes to all who are responsible for their production the duty to be sanctified from malice1 passion and prejudice1 to be just and fair-minded1 to be painstaking in their inquiries1 and ascertain all the facts in every situation4 ,the doctrine of the ,most ,great ,infallibility ,he further elaborates2 the obligation laid on ,his followers to 8behave towards the government of the country in which they reside with loyalty1 honesty and truthfulness10 ,he reaffirms2 the ban imposed upon the waging of holy war and the destruction of books ,he reemphasizes2 and ,he singles out for special praise men of learning and wisdom1 whom ,he extols as 8eyes0 to the body of mankind1 and as the 8greatest gifts0 conferred upon the world4 ,nor should a review of the outstanding features of ,bah'u'llh's writings during the latter part of ,his banishment to ,akk fail to include a reference to the ,law-i-,hikmat 7,tablet of ,wisdom71 in which ,he sets forth the fundamentals of true philosophy1 or to the ,tablet of ,visitation revealed in honor of the ,imm usayn1 whose praises ,he celebrates in glowing language2 or to the 8,questions and ,answers0 which elucidates the laws and ordinances of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas2 or to the 8,law-i-,burhn0 7,tablet of the ,proof7 in which the acts perpetrated by ,shaykh ,muammad-,bqir1 surnamed 8,dhi'b0 7,wolf71 and ,mr ,muammad-usayn1 the ,imm-,jum'ih of ,ifhn1 surnamed 8,raqsh0 7,she-,serpent71 are severely condemned2 or to the ,law-i-,karmil 7,tablet of ,carmel7 in which the ,author significantly makes mention of 8the ,city of ,god that hath descended from heaven10 and prophesies that 8erelong will ,god sail ,his ,ark0 upon that mountain1 and 8will manifest the people of ,bah40 ,finally1 mention must be made of ,his ,epistle to ,shaykh ,muammad-,taq1 surnamed 8,ibn-i-,dhi'b0 7,son of the ,wolf71 the last outstanding ,tablet revealed by the pen of ,bah'u'llh1 in which ,he calls upon that rapacious priest to repent of his acts1 quotes some of the most characteristic and celebrated passages of ,his own writings1 and adduces proofs establishing the validity of ,his ,cause4 ,with this book1 revealed about one year prior to ,his ascension1 the prodigious achievement as author of a hundred volumes1 repositories of the priceless pearls of ,his ,revelation1 may be said to have practically terminated--volumes replete with unnumbered exhortations1 revolutionizing principles1 world-shaping laws and ordinances1 dire warnings and portentous prophecies1 with soul-uplifting prayers and meditations1 illuminating commentaries and interpretations1 impassioned discourses and homilies1 all interspersed with either addresses or references to kings1 to emperors and to ministers1 of both the ,east and the ,west1 to ecclesiastics of divers denominations1 and to leaders in the intellectual1 political1 literary1 mystical1 commercial and humanitarian spheres of human activity4 8,we1 verily10 wrote ,bah'u'llh1 surveying1 in the evening of ,his life1 from ,his ,most ,great ,prison1 the entire range of this vast and weighty ,revelation1 8have not fallen short of ,our duty to exhort men1 and to deliver that whereunto ,i was bidden by ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised40 8,is there any excuse10 ,he further has stated1 8left for any one in this ,revelation8 ,no1 by ,god1 the ,lord of the ,mighty ,throne6 ,my signs have encompassed the earth1 and my power enveloped all mankind40 ,chapter ,,xiii3 ,ascension of ,bah'u'llh ,well nigh half a century had passed since the inception of the ,faith4 ,cradled in adversity1 deprived in its infancy of its ,herald and ,leader1 it had been raised from the dust1 in which a hostile despot had thrown it1 by its second and greatest ,luminary ,who1 despite successive banishments1 had1 in less than half a century1 succeeded in rehabilitating its fortunes1 in proclaiming its ,message1 in enacting its laws and ordinances1 in formulating its principles and in ordaining its institutions1 and it had just begun to enjoy the sunshine of a prosperity never previously experienced1 when suddenly it was robbed of its ,author by the ,hand of ,destiny1 its followers were plunged into sorrow and consternation1 its repudiators found their declining hopes revive1 and its adversaries1 political as well as ecclesiastical1 began to take heart again4 ,already nine months before ,his ascension ,bah'u'llh1 as attested by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 had voiced ,his desire to depart from this world4 ,from that time onward it became increasingly evident1 from the tone of ,his remarks to those who attained ,his presence1 that the close of ,his earthly life was approaching1 though ,he refrained from mentioning it openly to any one4 ,on the night preceding the eleventh of ,shavval #acji ,a4,h4 7,may #h1 #ahib7 ,he contracted a slight fever which1 though it mounted the following day1 soon after subsided4 ,he continued to grant interviews to certain of the friends and pilgrims1 but it soon became evident that ,he was not well4 ,his fever returned in a more acute form than before1 ,his general condition grew steadily worse1 complications ensued which at last culminated in ,his ascension1 at the hour of dawn1 on the #bnd of ,dhi'l-,qdih #acji ,a4,h4 7,may #bi1 #ahib71 eight hours after sunset1 in the #geth year of ,his age4 ,his spirit1 at long last released from the toils of a life crowded with tribulations1 had winged its flight to ,his 8other dominions10 dominions 8whereon the eyes of the people of names have never fallen10 and to which the 8,luminous ,maid10 8clad in white10 had bidden ,him hasten1 as described by ,himself in the ,law-i-,ru'y 7,tablet of the ,vision71 revealed nineteen years previously1 on the anniversary of the birth of ,his ,forerunner4 ,six days before ,he passed away ,he summoned to ,his presence1 as ,he lay in bed leaning against one of ,his sons1 the entire company of believers1 including several pilgrims1 who had assembled in the ,mansion1 for what proved to be their last audience with ,him4 8,i am well pleased with you all10 ,he gently and affectionately addressed the weeping crowd that gathered about ,him4 8,ye have rendered many services1 and been very assiduous in your labors4 ,ye have come here every morning and every evening4 ,may ,god assist you to remain united4 ,may ,he aid you to exalt the ,cause of the ,lord of being40 ,to the women1 including members of ,his own family1 gathered at ,his bedside1 ,he addressed similar words of encouragement1 definitely assuring them that in a document entrusted by ,him to the ,most ,great ,branch ,he had commended them all to ,his care4 ,the news of ,his ascension was instantly communicated to ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd in a telegram which began with the words 8the ,sun of ,bah has set0 and in which the monarch was advised of the intention of interring the sacred remains within the precincts of the ,mansion1 an arrangement to which he readily assented4 ,bah'u'llh was accordingly laid to rest in the northernmost room of the house which served as a dwelling-place for ,his son-in-law1 the most northerly of the three houses lying to the west of1 and adjacent to1 the ,mansion4 ,his interment took place shortly after sunset1 on the very day of ,his ascension4 ,the inconsolable ,nabl1 who had had the privilege of a private audience with ,bah'u'llh during the days of ,his illness2 whom #8,abdu'l-,bah had chosen to select those passages which constitute the text of the ,tablet of ,visitation now recited in the ,most ,holy ,tomb2 and who1 in his uncontrollable grief1 drowned himself in the sea shortly after the passing of his ,beloved1 thus describes the agony of those days3 8,methinks1 the spiritual commotion set up in the world of dust had caused all the worlds of ,god to tremble4444 ,my inner and outer tongue are powerless to portray the condition we were in4444 ,in the midst of the prevailing confusion a multitude of the inhabitants of ,akk and of the neighboring villages1 that had thronged the fields surrounding the ,mansion1 could be seen weeping1 beating upon their heads1 and crying aloud their grief40 ,for a full week a vast number of mourners1 rich and poor alike1 tarried to grieve with the bereaved family1 partaking day and night of the food that was lavishly dispensed by its members4 ,notables1 among whom were numbered ,sh'ahs1 ,sunns1 ,christians1 ,jews and ,druzes1 as well as poets1 #8ulams and government officials1 all joined in lamenting the loss1 and in magnifying the virtues and greatness of ,bah'u'llh1 many of them paying to ,him their written tributes1 in verse and in prose1 in both ,arabic and ,turkish4 ,from cities as far afield as ,damascus1 ,aleppo1 ,beirut and ,cairo similar tributes were received4 ,these glowing testimonials were1 without exception1 submitted to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,who now represented the ,cause of the departed ,leader1 and ,whose praises were often mingled in these eulogies with the homage paid to ,his ,father4 ,and yet these effusive manifestations of sorrow and expressions of praise and of admiration1 which the ascension of ,bah'u'llh had spontaneously evoked among the unbelievers in the ,holy ,land and the adjoining countries1 were but a drop when compared with the ocean of grief and the innumerable evidences of unbounded devotion which1 at the hour of the setting of the ,sun of ,truth1 poured forth from the hearts of the countless thousands who had espoused ,his ,cause1 and were determined to carry aloft its banner in ,persia1 ,india1 ,russia1 #8,irq1 ,turkey1 ,palestine1 ,egypt and ,syria4 ,with the ascension of ,bah'u'llh draws to a close a period which1 in many ways1 is unparalleled in the world's religious history4 ,the first century of the ,bah' ,era had by now run half its course4 ,an epoch1 unsurpassed in its sublimity1 its fecundity and duration by any previous ,dispensation1 and characterized1 except for a short interval of three years1 by half a century of continuous and progressive ,revelation1 had terminated4 ,the ,message proclaimed by the ,bb had yielded its golden fruit4 ,the most momentous1 though not the most spectacular phase of the ,heroic ,age had ended4 ,the ,sun of ,truth1 the world's greatest ,luminary1 had risen in the ,syh-,chl of ihrn1 had broken through the clouds which enveloped it in ,baghdd1 had suffered a momentary eclipse whilst mounting to its zenith in ,adrianople and had set finally in ,akk1 never to reappear ere the lapse of a full millenium4 ,god's newborn ,faith1 the cynosure of all past ,dispensations1 had been fully and unreservedly proclaimed4 ,the prophecies announcing its advent had been remarkably fulfilled4 ,its fundamental laws and cardinal principles1 the warp and woof of the fabric of its future ,world ,order1 had been clearly enunciated4 ,its organic relation to1 and its attitude towards1 the religious systems which preceded it had been unmistakably defined4 ,the primary institutions1 within which an embryonic ,world ,order was destined to mature1 had been unassailably established4 ,the ,covenant designed to safeguard the unity and integrity of its world-embracing system had been irrevocably bequeathed to posterity4 ,the promise of the unification of the whole human race1 of the inauguration of the ,most ,great ,peace1 of the unfoldment of a world civilization1 had been incontestably given4 ,the dire warnings1 foreshadowing catastrophes destined to befall kings1 ecclesiastics1 governments and peoples1 as a prelude to so glorious a consummation1 had been repeatedly uttered4 ,the significant summons to the ,chief ,magistrates of the ,new ,world1 forerunner of the ,mission with which the ,north ,american continent was to be later invested1 had been issued4 ,the initial contact with a nation1 a descendant of whose royal house was to espouse its ,cause ere the expiry of the first ,bah' century1 had been established4 ,the original impulse which1 in the course of successive decades1 has conferred1 and will continue to confer1 in the years to come1 inestimable benefits of both spiritual and institutional significance upon ,god's holy mountain1 overlooking the ,most ,great ,prison1 had been imparted4 ,and finally1 the first banners of a spiritual conquest which1 ere the termination of that century1 was to embrace no less than sixty countries in both the ,eastern and ,western hemispheres had been triumphantly planted4 ,in the vastness and diversity of its ,holy ,writ2 in the number of its martyrs2 in the valor of its champions2 in the example set by its followers2 in the condign punishment suffered by its adversaries2 in the pervasiveness of its influence2 in the incomparable heroism of its ,herald2 in the dazzling greatness of its ,author2 in the mysterious operation of its irresistible spirit2 the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 now standing at the threshold of the sixth decade of its existence1 had amply demonstrated its capacity to forge ahead1 indivisible and incorruptible1 along the course traced for it by its ,founder1 and to display1 before the gaze of successive generations1 the signs and tokens of that celestial potency with which ,he ,himself had so richly endowed it4 ,to the fate that has overtaken those kings1 ministers and ecclesiastics1 in the ,east as well as in the ,west1 who have1 at various stages of ,bah'u'llh's ministry1 either deliberately persecuted ,his ,cause1 or have neglected to heed the warnings ,he had uttered1 or have failed in their manifest duty to respond to ,his summons or to accord ,him and ,his message the treatment they deserved1 particular attention1 ,i feel1 should at this juncture be directed4 ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 referring to those who had actively arisen to destroy or harm ,his ,faith1 had declared that 8,god hath not blinked1 nor will ,he ever blink ,his eyes at the tyranny of the oppressor4 ,more particularly in this ,revelation hath ,he visited each and every tyrant with ,his vengeance40 ,vast and awful is1 indeed1 the spectacle which meets our eyes1 as we survey the field over which the retributory winds of ,god have1 since the inception of the ministry of ,bah'u'llh1 furiously swept1 dethroning monarchs1 extinguishing dynasties1 uprooting ecclesiastical hierarchies1 precipitating wars and revolutions1 driving from office princes and ministers1 dispossessing the usurper1 casting down the tyrant1 and chastising the wicked and the rebellious4 ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz1 who with ,niri'd-,dn ,shh was the author of the calamities heaped upon ,bah'u'llh1 and was himself responsible for three decrees of banishment against the ,prophet2 who had been stigmatized1 in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 as occupying the 8throne of tyranny10 and whose fall had been prophesied in the ,law-i-,fu'd1 was deposed in consequence of a palace revolution1 was condemned by a fatv 7sentence7 of the ,muft in his own capital1 was four days later assassinated 7#ahgf71 and was succeeded by a nephew who was declared to be an imbecile4 ,the war of #ahgg-gh emancipated eleven million people from the ,turkish yoke2 ,adrianople was occupied by the ,russian forces2 the empire itself was dissolved as a result of the war of #aiad-ah2 the ,sultanate was abolished2 a republic was proclaimed2 and a rulership that had endured above six centuries was ended4 ,the vain and despotic ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 denounced by ,bah'u'llh as the 8,prince of ,oppressors02 of whom ,he had written that he would soon be made 8an object-lesson for the world02 whose reign was stained by the execution of the ,bb and the imprisonment of ,bah'u'llh2 who had persistently instigated his subsequent banishments to ,constantinople1 ,adrianople and ,akk2 who1 in collusion with a vicious sacerdotal order1 had vowed to strangle the ,faith in its cradle1 was dramatically assassinated1 in the shrine of ,shh #8,abdu'l-#8,am1 on the very eve of his jubilee1 which1 as ushering in a new era1 was to have been celebrated with the most elaborate magnificence1 and was to go down in history as the greatest day in the annals of the ,persian nation4 ,the fortunes of his house thereafter steadily declined1 and finally through the scandalous misconduct of the dissipated and irresponsible ,amad ,shh1 led to the eclipse and disappearance of the ,qjr dynasty4 ,napoleon ,,iii1 the foremost monarch of his day in the ,west1 excessively ambitious1 inordinately proud1 tricky and superficial1 who is reported to have contemptuously flung down the ,tablet sent to him by ,bah'u'llh1 who was tested by ,him and found wanting1 and whose downfall was explicitly predicted in a subsequent ,tablet1 was ignominiously defeated in the ,battle of ,sedan 7#ahgj71 marking the greatest military capitulation recorded in modern history2 lost his kingdom and spent the remaining years of his life in exile4 ,his hopes were utterly blasted1 his only son1 the ,prince ,imperial1 was killed in the ,zulu ,war1 his much vaunted empire collapsed1 a civil war ensued more ferocious than the ,franco-,german war itself1 and ,william ,i1 the ,prussian king1 was hailed emperor of a unified ,germany in the ,palace of ,versailles4 ,william ,i1 the pride-intoxicated newly-acclaimed conqueror of ,napoleon ,,iii1 admonished in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas and bidden to ponder the fate that had overtaken 8one whose power transcended0 his own1 warned in that same ,book1 that the 8lamentations of ,berlin0 would be raised and that the banks of the ,rhine would be 8covered with gore10 sustained two attempts on his life1 and was succeeded by a son who died of a mortal disease1 three months after his accession to the throne1 bequeathing the throne to the arrogant1 the headstrong and short-sighted ,william ,,ii4 ,the pride of the new monarch precipitated his downfall4 ,revolution1 swiftly and suddenly1 broke out in his capital1 communism reared its head in a number of cities2 the princes of the ,german states abdicated1 and he himself1 fleeing ignominiously to ,holland1 was compelled to relinquish his right to the throne4 ,the constitution of ,weimar sealed the fate of the empire1 whose birth had been so loudly proclaimed by his grandfather1 and the terms of an oppressively severe treaty provoked 8the lamentations0 which1 half a century before1 had been ominously prophesied4 ,the arbitrary and unyielding ,francis ,joseph1 emperor of ,austria and king of ,hungary1 who had been reproved in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 for having neglected his manifest duty to inquire about ,bah'u'llh during his pilgrimage to the ,holy ,land1 was so engulfed by misfortunes and tragedies that his reign came to be regarded as one unsurpassed by any other reign in the calamities it inflicted upon the nation4 ,his brother1 ,maximilian1 was put to death in ,mexico2 the ,crown ,prince ,rudolph perished in ignominious circumstances2 the ,empress was assassinated2 ,archduke ,francis ,ferdinand and his wife were murdered in ,serajevo2 the 8ramshackle empire0 itself disintegrated1 was carved up1 and a shrunken republic was set up on the ruins of a vanished ,holy ,roman ,empire--a republic which1 after a brief and precarious existence1 was blotted out from the political map of ,europe4 ,nicolaevitch ,alexander ,,ii1 the all-powerful ,czar of ,russia1 who1 in a ,tablet addressed to him by name had been thrice warned by ,bah'u'llh1 had been bidden to 8summon the nations unto ,god10 and had been cautioned not to allow his sovereignty to prevent him from recognizing 8the ,supreme ,sovereign10 suffered several attempts on his life1 and at last died at the hand of an assassin4 ,a harsh policy of repression1 initiated by himself and followed by his successor1 ,alexander ,,iii1 paved the way for a revolution which1 in the reign of ,nicholas ,,ii1 swept away on a bloody tide the empire of the ,czars1 brought in its wake war1 disease and famine1 and established a militant proletariat which massacred the nobility1 persecuted the clergy1 drove away the intellectuals1 disendowed the state religion1 executed the ,czar with his consort and his family1 and extinguished the dynasty of the ,romanoffs4 ,pope ,pius ,,ix1 the undisputed head of the most powerful ,church in ,christendom1 who had been commanded1 in an ,epistle addressed to him by ,bah'u'llh1 to leave his 8palaces unto such as desire them10 to 8sell all the embellished ornaments0 in his possession1 to 8expend them in the path of ,god10 and hasten towards 8the ,kingdom10 was compelled to surrender1 in distressing circumstances1 to the besieging forces of ,king ,victor ,emmanuel1 and to submit himself to be depossessed of the ,papal ,states and of ,rome itself4 ,the loss of 8the ,eternal ,city10 over which the ,papal flag had flown for one thousand years1 and the humiliation of the religious orders under his jurisdiction1 added mental anguish to his physical infirmities and embittered the last years of his life4 ,the formal recognition of the ,kingdom of ,italy subsequently exacted from one of his successors in the ,vatican1 confirmed the virtual extinction of the ,pope's temporal sovereignty4 ,but the rapid dissolution of the ,ottoman1 the ,napoleonic1 the ,german1 the ,austrian and the ,russian empires1 the demise of the ,qjr dynasty and the virtual extinction of the temporal sovereignty of the ,roman ,pontiff do not exhaust the story of the catastrophes that befell the monarchies of the world through the neglect of ,bah'u'llh's warnings conveyed in the opening passages of ,his ,sriy-i-,mulk4 ,the conversion of the ,portuguese and ,spanish monarchies1 as well as the ,chinese empire1 into republics2 the strange fate that has1 more recently1 been pursuing the sovereigns of ,holland1 of ,norway1 of ,greece1 of ,yugoslavia and of ,albania now living in exile2 the virtual abdication of the authority exercised by the kings of ,denmark1 of ,belgium1 of ,bulgaria1 of ,rumania and of ,italy2 the apprehension with which their fellow sovereigns must be viewing the convulsions that have seized so many thrones2 the shame and acts of violence which1 in some instances1 have darkened the annals of the reigns of certain monarchs in both the ,east and the ,west1 and still more recently the sudden downfall of the ,founder of the newly established dynasty in ,persia--these are yet further instances of the infliction of the 8,divine ,chastisement0 foreshadowed by ,bah'u'llh in that immortal ,srih1 and show forth the divine reality of the arraignment pronounced by ,him against the rulers of the earth in ,his ,most ,holy ,book4 ,no less arresting has been the extinction of the all-pervasive influence exerted by the ,muslim ecclesiastical leaders1 both ,sunn and ,sh'ah1 in the two countries in which the mightiest institutions of ,islm had been reared1 and which have been directly associated with the tribulations heaped upon the ,bb and ,bah'u'llh4 ,the ,caliph1 the self-styled vicar of the ,prophet of ,islm1 known also as the 8,commander of the ,faithful10 the protector of the holy cities of ,mecca and ,medina1 whose spiritual jurisdiction extended over more than two hundred million ,muammadans1 was by the abolition of the ,sultanate in ,turkey1 divested of his temporal authority1 hitherto regarded as inseparable from his high office4 ,the ,caliph himself1 after having occupied for a brief period1 an anomalous and precarious position1 fled to ,europe2 the ,caliphate1 the most august and powerful institution of ,islm1 was1 without consultation with any community in the ,sunn world1 summarily abolished2 the unity of the most powerful branch of the ,islamic ,faith was thereby shattered2 a formal1 a complete and permanent separation of the ,turkish state from the ,sunn faith was proclaimed2 the ,shar'ah canonical ,law was annulled2 ecclesiastical institutions were disendowed2 a civil code was promulgated2 religious orders were suppressed2 the ,sunn hierarchy was dissolved2 the ,arabic tongue1 the language of the ,prophet of ,islm1 fell into disuse1 and its script was superseded by the ,latin alphabet2 the ,qur'n itself was translated into ,turkish2 ,constantinople1 the 8,dome of ,islm10 sank to the level of a provincial city1 and its peerless jewel1 the ,mosque of ,st4 ,sophia1 was converted into a museum--a series of degradations recalling the fate which1 in the first century of the ,christian ,era1 befell the ,jewish people1 the city of ,jerusalem1 the ,temple of ,solomon1 the ,holy of ,holies1 and an ecclesiastical hierarchy1 whose members were the avowed persecutors of the religion of ,jesus ,christ4 ,a similar convulsion shook the foundations of the entire sacerdotal order in ,persia1 though its formal divorce from the ,persian state is as yet unproclaimed4 ,a 8church-state10 that had been firmly rooted in the life of the nation and had extended its ramifications to every sphere of life in that country1 was virtually disrupted4 ,a sacerdotal order1 the rock wall of ,sh'ah ,islm in that land1 was paralyzed and discredited2 its mujtahids1 the favorite ministers of the hidden ,imm1 were reduced to an insignificant number2 all its beturbaned officers1 except for a handful1 were ruthlessly forced to exchange their traditional head-dress and robes for the ,european clothes they themselves anathematized2 the pomp and pageantry that marked their ceremonials vanished2 their fatvs 7sentences7 were nullified2 their endowments were handed over to a civil administration2 their mosques and seminaries were deserted2 the right of sanctuary accorded to their shrines ceased to be recognized2 their religious plays were banned2 their takyihs were closed and even their pilgrimages to ,najaf and ,karbil were discouraged and curtailed4 ,the disuse of the veil2 the recognition of the equality of sexes2 the establishment of civil tribunals2 the abolition of concubinage2 the disparagement of the use of the ,arabic tongue1 the language of ,islm and of the ,qur'n1 and the efforts exerted to divorce it from ,persian--all these further proclaim the degradation1 and foreshadow the final extinction1 of that infamous crew1 whose leaders had dared style themselves 8servants of the ,lord of ,saintship0 7,imm #8,al71 who had so often received the homage of the pious kings of the ,safav dynasty1 and whose anathemas1 ever since the birth of the ,faith of the ,bb1 had been chiefly responsible for the torrents of blood which had been shed1 and whose acts have blackened the annals of both their religion and nation4 ,a crisis1 not indeed as severe as that which shook the ,islamic sacerdotal orders--the inveterate adversaries of the ,faith--has1 moreover1 afflicted the ecclesiastical institutions of ,christendom1 whose influence1 ever since ,bah'u'llh's summons was issued and ,his warning was sounded1 has visibly deteriorated1 whose prestige has been gravely damaged1 whose authority has steadily declined1 and whose power1 rights and prerogatives have been increasingly circumscribed4 ,the virtual extinction of the temporal sovereignty of the ,roman ,pontiff1 to which reference has already been made2 the wave of anti-clericalism that brought in its wake the separation of the ,catholic ,church from the ,french ,republic2 the organized assault launched by a triumphant ,communist state upon the ,greek ,orthodox ,church in ,russia1 and the consequent disestablishment1 disendowment and persecution of the state religion2 the dismemberment of the ,austro-,hungarian monarchy which owed its allegiance to the ,church of ,rome and powerfully supported its institutions2 the ordeal to which that same ,church has been subjected in ,spain and in ,mexico2 the wave of secularization which1 at present1 is engulfing the ,catholic1 the ,anglican and the ,presbyterian ,missions in non-,christian lands2 the forces of an aggressive paganism which are assailing the ancient citadels of the ,catholic1 the ,greek ,orthodox and the ,lutheran ,churches in ,western1 in ,central and ,eastern ,europe1 in the ,balkans and in the ,baltic and ,scandinavian states--these stand out as the most conspicuous manifestations of the decline in the fortunes of the ecclesiastical leaders of ,christendom1 leaders who1 heedless of the voice of ,bah'u'llh1 have interposed themselves between the ,christ returned in the glory of the ,father and their respective congregations4 ,nor can we fail to note the progressive deterioration in the authority1 wielded by the ecclesiastical leaders of the ,jewish and ,zoroastrian ,faiths1 ever since the voice of ,bah'u'llh was raised1 announcing1 in no uncertain terms1 that the 8,most ,great ,law is come10 that the ,ancient ,beauty 8ruleth upon the throne of ,david10 and that 8whatsoever hath been announced in the ,books 7,zoroastrian ,holy ,writ7 hath been revealed and made clear40 ,the evidences of increasing revolt against clerical authority2 the disrespect and indifference shown to time-honored observances1 rituals and ceremonials2 the repeated inroads made by the forces of an aggressive and often hostile nationalism into the spheres of clerical jurisdiction2 and the general apathy with which1 particularly in the case of the professed adherents of the ,zoroastrian ,faith1 these encroachments are regarded--all provide1 beyond the shadow of a doubt1 further justification of the warnings and predictions uttered by ,bah'u'llh in ,his historic addresses to the world's ecclesiastical leaders4 ,such in sum are the awful evidences of ,god's retributive justice that have afflicted kings as well as ecclesiastics1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 as a direct consequence of either their active opposition to the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 or of their lamentable failure to respond to ,his call1 to inquire into ,his ,message1 to avert the sufferings ,he endured1 or to heed the marvelous signs and prodigies which1 during a hundred years1 have accompanied the birth and rise of ,his ,revelation4 8,from two ranks amongst men10 is ,his terse and prophetic utterance1 8power hath been seized3 kings and ecclesiastics40 8,if ye pay no heed10 ,he thus warned the kings of the earth1 8unto the counsels which 444 ,we have revealed in this ,tablet1 ,divine chastisement will assail you from every direction444 ,on that day ye shall 444 recognize your own impotence40 ,and again3 8,though aware of most of ,our afflictions1 ye1 nevertheless1 have failed to stay the hand of the aggressor40 ,and1 furthermore1 this arraignment3 8444,we 444 will be patient1 as ,we have been patient in that which hath befallen ,us at your hands1 ,o concourse of kings60 ,condemning specifically the world's ecclesiastical leaders1 ,he has written3 8,the source and origin of tyranny have been the divines444 ,god1 verily1 is clear of them1 and ,we1 too1 are clear of them40 8,when ,we observed carefully10 ,he openly affirms1 8,we discovered that ,our enemies are1 for the most part1 the divines40 8,o concourse of divines60 ,he thus addresses them1 8,ye shall not henceforth behold yourselves possessed of any power1 inasmuch as ,we have seized it from you4440 8,had ye believed in ,god when ,he revealed ,himself10 ,he explains1 8the people would not have turned aside from ,him1 nor would the things ye witness today have befallen ,us40 8,they10 referring more specifically to ,muslim ecclesiastics1 ,he asserts1 8rose up against ,us with such cruelty as hath sapped the strength of ,islm4440 8,the divines of ,persia10 ,he affirms1 8committed that which no people amongst the peoples of the world hath committed40 ,and again3 8444,the divines of ,persia 444 have perpetrated what the ,jews have not perpetrated during the ,revelation of ,him ,who is the ,spirit 7,jesus740 ,and finally1 these portentous prophecies3 8,because of you the people were abased1 and the banner of ,islm was hauled down1 and its mighty throne subverted40 8,erelong will all that ye possess perish1 and your glory be turned into the most wretched abasement1 and ye shall behold the punishment for what ye have wrought4440 8,erelong10 the ,bb ,himself1 even more openly prophesies1 8,we will1 in very truth1 torment such as waged war against usayn 7,imm usayn7 444 with the most afflictive torment4440 8,erelong will ,god wreak ,his vengeance upon them1 at the time of ,our return1 and ,he hath1 in very truth1 prepared for them1 in the world to come1 a severe torment40 ,nor should1 in a review of this nature1 reference be omitted to those princes1 ministers and ecclesiastics who have individually been responsible for the afflictive trials which ,bah'u'llh and ,his followers have suffered4 ,fu'd ,psh1 the ,turkish ,minister for ,foreign ,affairs1 denounced by ,him as the 8instigator0 of ,his banishment to the ,most ,great ,prison1 who had so assiduously striven with his colleague #8,al ,psh1 to excite the fears and suspicions of a despot already predisposed against the ,faith and its ,leader1 was1 about a year after he had succeeded in executing his design1 struck down1 while on a trip to ,paris1 by the avenging rod of ,god1 and died at ,nice 7#ahfi74 #8,al ,psh1 the ,sadr-i-#8,aam 7,prime ,minister71 denounced in such forceful language in the ,law-i-,ra's1 whose downfall the ,law-i-,fu'd had unmistakably predicted1 was1 a few years after ,bah'u'llh's banishment to ,akk1 dismissed from office1 was shorn of all power1 and sank into complete oblivion4 ,the tyrannical ,prince ,mas'd ,mrz1 the ,zillu's-,suln1 ,niri'd-,dn ,shh's eldest son and ruler over more than two-fifths of his kingdom1 stigmatized by ,bah'u'llh as 8the ,infernal ,tree10 fell into disgrace1 was deprived of all his governorships1 except that of ,ifhn1 and lost all chances of future eminence or promotion4 ,the rapacious ,prince ,jallu'd-,dawlih1 branded by the ,supreme ,pen as 8the tyrant of ,yazd10 was1 about a year after the iniquities he had perpetrated1 deprived of his post1 recalled to ihrn1 and forced to return a part of the property he had stolen from his victims4 ,the scheming1 the ambitious and profligate ,mrz ,buzurg ,khn1 the ,persian ,consul ,general in ,baghdd1 was eventually dismissed from office1 8overwhelmed with disaster1 filled with remorse and plunged into confusion40 ,the notorious ,mujtahid ,siyyid diq-i-,tabtab'1 denounced by ,bah'u'llh as 8the ,liar of ihrn10 the author of the monstrous decree condemning every male member of the ,bah' community in ,persia1 young or old1 high or low1 to be put to death1 and all its women to be deported1 was suddenly taken ill1 fell a prey to a disease that ravaged his heart1 his brain and his limbs1 and precipitated eventually his death4 ,the high-handed ,subh ,psh1 who had peremptorily summoned ,bah'u'llh to the government house in ,akk1 lost the position he occupied1 and was recalled under circumstances highly detrimental to his reputation4 ,nor were the other governors of the city1 who had dealt unjustly with the exalted ,prisoner in their charge and ,his fellow-exiles1 spared a like fate4 8,every psh10 testifies ,nabl in his narrative1 8whose conduct in ,akk was commendable enjoyed a long term of office1 and was bountifully favored by ,god1 whereas every hostile ,mutisrrif 7governor7 was speedily deposed by the ,hand of ,divine power1 even as #8,abdu'r-,rahmn ,psh and ,muammad-,ysf ,psh who1 on the morrow of the very night they had resolved to lay hands on the loved ones of ,bah'u'llh1 were telegraphically advised of their dismissal4 ,such was their fate that they were never again given a position40 ,shaykh ,muammad-,bqir1 surnamed the 8,wolf10 who1 in the strongly condemnatory ,law-i-,burhn addressed to him by ,bah'u'llh1 had been compared to 8the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top10 witnessed the steady decline of his prestige1 and died in a miserable state of acute remorse4 ,his accomplice1 ,mr ,muammad-usayn1 surnamed the 8,she-,serpent10 whom ,bah'u'llh described as one 8infinitely more wicked than the oppressor of ,karbil10 was1 about that same time1 expelled from ,ifhn1 wandered from village to village1 contracted a disease that engendered so foul an odor that even his wife and daughter could not bear to approach him1 and died in such ill-favor with the local authorities that no one dared to attend his funeral1 his corpse being ignominiously interred by a few porters4 ,mention should1 moreover1 be made of the devastating famine which1 about a year after the illustrious ,bad had been tortured to death1 ravaged ,persia and reduced the population to such extremities that even the rich went hungry1 and hundreds of mothers ghoulishly devoured their own children4 ,nor can this subject be dismissed without special reference being made to the ,arch-,breaker of the ,covenant of the ,bb1 ,mrz ,yay1 who lived long enough to witness1 while eking out a miserable existence in ,cyprus1 termed by the ,turks 8the ,island of ,satan10 every hope he had so maliciously conceived reduced to naught4 ,a pensioner first of the ,turkish and later of the ,british ,government1 he was subjected to the further humiliation of having his application for ,british citizenship refused4 ,eleven of the eighteen 8,witnesses0 he had appointed forsook him and turned in repentance to ,bah'u'llh4 ,he himself became involved in a scandal which besmirched his reputation and that of his eldest son1 deprived that son and his descendants of the successorship with which he had previously invested him1 and appointed1 in his stead1 the perfidious ,mrz ,hdy-i-,dawlat-bd1 a notorious ,azal1 who1 on the occasion of the martyrdom of the aforementioned ,mrz ,ashraf1 was seized with such fear that during four consecutive days he proclaimed from the pulpit-top1 and in a most vituperative language1 his complete repudiation of the ,bb ,faith1 as well as of ,mrz ,yay1 his benefactor1 who had reposed in him such implicit confidence4 ,it was this same eldest son who1 through the workings of a strange destiny1 sought years after1 together with his nephew and niece1 the presence of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the appointed ,successor of ,bah'u'llh and ,center of ,his ,covenant1 expressed repentance1 prayed for forgiveness1 was graciously accepted by ,him1 and remained1 till the hour of his death1 a loyal follower of the ,faith which his father had so foolishly1 so shamelessly and so pitifully striven to extinguish4 ,,third ,,period3 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of #8,,abdu',l-,,bah #ahib-aiba ,chapter ,,xiv3 ,the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh ,i have in the preceding chapters endeavored to trace the rise and progress of the ,faith associated with the ,bb and ,bah'u'llh during the first fifty years of its existence4 ,if ,i have dwelt too long on the events connected with the life and mission of these twin ,luminaries of the ,bah' ,revelation1 if ,i have at times indulged in too circumstantial a narrative of certain episodes related to their ministries1 it is solely because these happenings proclaim the birth1 and signalize the establishment1 of an epoch which future historians will acclaim as the most heroic1 the most tragic and the most momentous period in the ,apostolic ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,indeed the tale which the subsequent decades of the century under review unfold to our eyes is but the record of the manifold evidences of the resistless operation of those creative forces which the revolution of fifty years of almost uninterrupted ,revelation had released4 ,a dynamic process1 divinely propelled1 possessed of undreamt-of potentialities1 world-embracing in scope1 world-transforming in its ultimate consequences1 had been set in motion on that memorable night when the ,bb communicated the purpose of ,his mission to ,mull usayn in an obscure corner of ,shrz4 ,it acquired a tremendous momentum with the first intimations of ,bah'u'llh's dawning ,revelation amidst the darkness of the ,syh-,chl of ihrn4 ,it was further accelerated by the ,declaration of ,his mission on the eve of ,his banishment from ,baghdd4 ,it moved to a climax with the proclamation of that same mission during the tempestuous years of ,his exile in ,adrianople4 ,its full significance was disclosed when the ,author of that ,mission issued ,his historic summonses1 appeals and warnings to the kings of the earth and the world's ecclesiastical leaders4 ,it was finally consummated by the laws and ordinances which ,he formulated1 by the principles which ,he enunciated and by the institutions which ,he ordained during the concluding years of ,his ministry in the prison-city of ,akk4 ,to direct and canalize these forces let loose by this ,heaven-sent process1 and to insure their harmonious and continuous operation after ,his ascension1 an instrument divinely ordained1 invested with indisputable authority1 organically linked with the ,author of the ,revelation ,himself1 was clearly indispensable4 ,that instrument ,bah'u'llh had expressly provided through the institution of the ,covenant1 an institution which ,he had firmly established prior to ,his ascension4 ,this same ,covenant ,he had anticipated in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 had alluded to it as ,he bade ,his last farewell to the members of ,his family1 who had been summoned to ,his bed-side1 in the days immediately preceding ,his ascension1 and had incorporated it in a special document which ,he designated as 8the ,book of ,my ,covenant10 and which ,he entrusted1 during ,his last illness1 to ,his eldest son #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,written entirely in ,his own hand2 unsealed1 on the ninth day after ,his ascension in the presence of nine witnesses chosen from amongst ,his companions and members of ,his ,family2 read subsequently1 on the afternoon of that same day1 before a large company assembled in ,his ,most ,holy ,tomb1 including ,his sons1 some of the ,bb's kinsmen1 pilgrims and resident believers1 this unique and epoch-making ,document1 designated by ,bah'u'llh as ,his 8,most ,great ,tablet10 and alluded to by ,him as the 8,crimson ,book0 in ,his 8,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf10 can find no parallel in the ,scriptures of any previous ,dispensation1 not excluding that of the ,bb ,himself4 ,for nowhere in the books pertaining to any of the world's religious systems1 not even among the writings of the ,author of the ,bb ,revelation1 do we find any single document establishing a ,covenant endowed with an authority comparable to the ,covenant which ,bah'u'llh had ,himself instituted4 8,so firm and mighty is this ,covenant10 ,he ,who is its appointed ,center has affirmed1 8that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious ,dispensation hath produced its like40 8,it is indubitably clear10 ,he1 furthermore1 has stated1 8that the pivot of the oneness of mankind is nothing else but the power of the ,covenant40 8,know thou10 ,he has written1 8that the #8,sure ,handle' mentioned from the foundation of the world in the ,books1 the ,tablets and the ,scriptures of old is naught else but the ,covenant and the ,testament40 ,and again3 8,the lamp of the ,covenant is the light of the world1 and the words traced by the ,pen of the ,most ,high a limitless ocean40 8,the ,lord1 the ,all-,glorified10 ,he has moreover declared1 8hath1 beneath the shade of the ,tree of ,ans 7,tree of ,life71 made a new ,covenant and established a great ,testament444 ,hath such a ,covenant been established in any previous ,dispensation1 age1 period or century8 ,hath such a ,testament1 set down by the ,pen of the ,most ,high1 ever been witnessed8 ,no1 by ,god60 ,and finally3 8,the power of the ,covenant is as the heat of the sun which quickeneth and promoteth the development of all created things on earth4 ,the light of the ,covenant1 in like manner1 is the educator of the minds1 the spirits1 the hearts and souls of men40 ,to this same ,covenant ,he has in ,his writings referred as the 8,conclusive ,testimony10 the 8,universal ,balance10 the 8,magnet of ,god's grace10 the 8,upraised ,standard10 the 8,irrefutable ,testament10 8the all-mighty ,covenant1 the like of which the sacred ,dispensations of the past have never witnessed0 and 8one of the distinctive features of this most mighty cycle40 ,extolled by the writer of the ,apocalypse as 8the ,ark of ,his 7,god7 ,testament02 associated with the gathering beneath the 8,tree of ,ans0 7,tree of ,life7 mentioned by ,bah'u'llh in the ,hidden ,words2 glorified by ,him1 in other passages of ,his writings1 as the 8,ark of ,salvation0 and as 8the ,cord stretched betwixt the earth and the ,abh ,kingdom10 this ,covenant has been bequeathed to posterity in a ,will and ,testament which1 together with the ,kitb-i-,aqdas and several ,tablets1 in which the rank and station of #8,abdu'l-,bah are unequivocally disclosed1 constitute the chief buttresses designed by the ,lord of the ,covenant ,himself to shield and support1 after ,his ascension1 the appointed ,center of ,his ,faith and the ,delineator of its future institutions4 ,in this weighty and incomparable ,document its ,author discloses the character of that 8excellent and priceless heritage0 bequeathed by ,him to ,his 8heirs02 proclaims afresh the fundamental purpose of ,his ,revelation2 enjoins the 8peoples of the world0 to hold fast to that which will 8elevate0 their 8station02 announces to them that 8,god hath forgiven what is past02 stresses the sublimity of man's station2 discloses the primary aim of the ,faith of ,god2 directs the faithful to pray for the welfare of the kings of the earth1 8the manifestations of the power1 and the daysprings of the might and riches1 of ,god02 invests them with the rulership of the earth2 singles out as ,his special domain the hearts of men2 forbids categorically strife and contention2 commands ,his followers to aid those rulers who are 8adorned with the ornament of equity and justice02 and directs1 in particular1 the ,aghsn 7,his sons7 to ponder the 8mighty force and the consummate power that lieth concealed in the world of being40 ,he bids them1 moreover1 together with the ,afnn 7the ,bb's kindred7 and ,his own relatives1 to 8turn1 one and all1 unto the ,most ,great ,branch 7#8,abdu'l-,bah702 identifies ,him with 8the ,one ,whom ,god hath purposed10 8,who hath branched from this pre-existent ,root10 referred to in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas2 ordains the station of the 8,greater ,branch0 7,mrz ,muammad-#8,al7 to be beneath that of the 8,most ,great ,branch0 7#8,abdu'l-,bah72 exhorts the believers to treat the ,aghsn with consideration and affection2 counsels them to respect ,his family and relatives1 as well as the kindred of the ,bb2 denies ,his sons 8any right to the property of others02 enjoins on them1 on ,his kindred and on that of the ,bb to 8fear ,god1 to do that which is meet and seemly0 and to follow the things that will 8exalt0 their station2 warns all men not to allow 8the means of order to be made the cause of confusion1 and the instrument of union an occasion for discord02 and concludes with an exhortation calling upon the faithful to 8serve all nations10 and to strive for the 8betterment of the world40 ,that such a unique and sublime station should have been conferred upon #8,abdu'l-,bah did not1 and indeed could not1 surprise those exiled companions who had for so long been privileged to observe ,his life and conduct1 nor the pilgrims who had been brought1 however fleetingly1 into personal contact with ,him1 nor indeed the vast concourse of the faithful who1 in distant lands1 had grown to revere ,his name and to appreciate ,his labors1 nor even the wide circle of ,his friends and acquaintances who1 in the ,holy ,land and the adjoining countries1 were already well familiar with the position ,he had occupied during the lifetime of ,his ,father4 ,he it was ,whose auspicious birth occurred on that never-to-be-forgotten night when the ,bb laid bare the transcendental character of ,his ,mission to ,his first disciple ,mull usayn4 ,he it was ,who1 as a mere child1 seated on the lap of ,thirih1 had registered the thrilling significance of the stirring challenge which that indomitable heroine had addressed to her fellow-disciple1 the erudite and far-famed ,vahd4 ,he it was ,whose tender soul had been seared with the ineffaceable vision of a ,father1 haggard1 dishevelled1 freighted with chains1 on the occasion of a visit1 as a boy of nine1 to the ,syh-,chl of ihrn4 ,against ,him1 in ,his early childhood1 whilst ,his ,father lay a prisoner in that dungeon1 had been directed the malice of a mob of street urchins who pelted ,him with stones1 vilified ,him and overwhelmed ,him with ridicule4 ,his had been the lot to share with ,his ,father1 soon after ,his release from imprisonment1 the rigors and miseries of a cruel banishment from ,his native land1 and the trials which culminated in ,his enforced withdrawal to the mountains of ,kurdistn4 ,he it was ,who1 in ,his inconsolable grief at ,his separation from an adored ,father1 had confided to ,nabl1 as attested by him in his narrative1 that ,he felt ,himself to have grown old though still but a child of tender years4 ,his had been the unique distinction of recognizing1 while still in ,his childhood1 the full glory of ,his ,father's as yet unrevealed station1 a recognition which had impelled ,him to throw ,himself at ,his feet and to spontaneously implore the privilege of laying down ,his life for ,his sake4 ,from ,his pen1 while still in ,his adolescence in ,baghdd1 had issued that superb commentary on a well-known ,muammadan tradition1 written at the suggestion of ,bah'u'llh1 in answer to a request made by #8,al-,shawkat ,psh1 which was so illuminating as to excite the unbounded admiration of its recipient4 ,it was ,his discussions and discourses with the learned doctors with whom ,he came in contact in ,baghdd that first aroused that general admiration for ,him and for ,his knowledge which was steadily to increase as the circle of ,his acquaintances was widened1 at a later date1 first in ,adrianople and then in ,akk4 ,it was to ,him that the highly accomplished ,khurshd ,psh1 the governor of ,adrianople1 had been moved to pay a public and glowing tribute when1 in the presence of a number of distinguished divines of that city1 his youthful ,guest had1 briefly and amazingly1 resolved the intricacies of a problem that had baffled the minds of the assembled company--an achievement that affected so deeply the ,psh that from that time onwards he could hardly reconcile himself to that ,youth's absence from such gatherings4 ,on ,him ,bah'u'llh1 as the scope and influence of ,his ,mission extended1 had been led to place an ever greater degree of reliance1 by appointing ,him1 on numerous occasions1 as ,his deputy1 by enabling ,him to plead ,his ,cause before the public1 by assigning ,him the task of transcribing ,his ,tablets1 by allowing ,him to assume the responsibility of shielding ,him from ,his enemies1 and by investing ,him with the function of watching over and promoting the interests of ,his fellow-exiles and companions4 ,he it was ,who had been commissioned to undertake1 as soon as circumstances might permit1 the delicate and all-important task of purchasing the site that was to serve as the permanent resting-place of the ,bb1 of insuring the safe transfer of ,his remains to the ,holy ,land1 and of erecting for ,him a befitting sepulcher on ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,he it was ,who had been chiefly instrumental in providing the necessary means for ,bah'u'llh's release from ,his nine-year confinement within the city walls of ,akk1 and in enabling ,him to enjoy1 in the evening of ,his life1 a measure of that peace and security from which ,he had so long been debarred4 ,it was through ,his unremitting efforts that the illustrious ,bad had been granted his memorable interviews with ,bah'u'llh1 that the hostility evinced by several governors of ,akk towards the exiled community had been transmuted into esteem and admiration1 that the purchase of properties adjoining the ,sea of ,galilee and the ,river ,jordan had been effected1 and that the ablest and most valuable presentation of the early history of the ,faith and of its tenets had been transmitted to posterity4 ,it was through the extraordinarily warm reception accorded ,him during ,his visit to ,beirut1 through ,his contact with ,midht ,psh1 a former ,grand ,vizir of ,turkey1 through ,his friendship with ,azz ,psh1 whom ,he had previously known in ,adrianople1 and who had subsequently been promoted to the rank of ,val1 and through ,his constant association with officials1 notables and leading ecclesiastics who1 in increasing number had besought ,his presence1 during the final years of ,his ,father's ministry1 that ,he had succeeded in raising the prestige of the ,cause ,he had championed to a level it had never previously attained4 ,he alone had been accorded the privilege of being called 8the ,master10 an honor from which ,his ,father had strictly excluded all ,his other sons4 ,upon ,him that loving and unerring ,father had chosen to confer the unique title of 8,sirru'llh0 7the ,mystery of ,god71 a designation so appropriate to ,one ,who1 though essentially human and holding a station radically and fundamentally different from that occupied by ,bah'u'llh and ,his ,forerunner1 could still claim to be the perfect ,exemplar of ,his ,faith1 to be endowed with super-human knowledge1 and to be regarded as the stainless mirror reflecting ,his light4 ,to ,him1 whilst in ,adrianople1 that same ,father had1 in the ,sriy-i-,ghusn 7,tablet of the ,branch71 referred as 8this sacred and glorious ,being1 this ,branch of ,holiness10 as 8the ,limb of the ,law of ,god10 as ,his 8most great favor0 unto men1 as ,his 8most perfect bounty0 conferred upon them1 as ,one through ,whom 8every mouldering bone is quickened10 declaring that 8whoso turneth towards ,him hath turned towards ,god10 and that 8they who deprive themselves of the shadow of the ,branch are lost in the wilderness of error40 ,to ,him ,he1 whilst still in that city1 had alluded 7in a ,tablet addressed to j ,muammad ,ibrhm-i-,khall7 as the one amongst ,his sons 8from ,whose tongue ,god will cause the signs of ,his power to stream forth10 and as the one ,whom 8,god hath specially chosen for ,his ,cause40 ,on ,him1 at a later period1 the ,author of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 in a celebrated passage1 subsequently elucidated in the 8,book of ,my ,covenant10 had bestowed the function of interpreting ,his ,holy ,writ1 proclaiming ,him1 at the same time1 to be the ,one 8,whom ,god hath purposed1 ,who hath branched from this ,ancient ,root40 ,to ,him in a ,tablet1 revealed during that same period and addressed to ,mrz ,muammad ,quly-i-,sabzvar1 ,he had referred as 8the ,gulf that hath branched out of this ,ocean that hath encompassed all created things10 and bidden ,his followers to turn their faces towards it4 ,to ,him1 on the occasion of ,his visit to ,beirut1 ,his ,father had1 furthermore1 in a communication which ,he dictated to ,his amanuensis1 paid a glowing tribute1 glorifying ,him as the ,one 8round ,whom all names revolve10 as 8the ,most ,mighty ,branch of ,god10 and as 8,his ancient and immutable ,mystery40 ,he it was ,who1 in several ,tablets which ,bah'u'llh ,himself had penned1 had been personally addressed as 8the ,apple of ,mine eye10 and been referred to as 8a shield unto all who are in heaven and on earth10 as 8a shelter for all mankind0 and 8a stronghold for whosoever hath believed in ,god40 ,it was on ,his behalf that ,his ,father1 in a prayer revealed in ,his honor1 had supplicated ,god to 8render ,him victorious10 and to 8ordain 444 for ,him1 as well as for them that love ,him10 the things destined by the ,almighty for ,his 8,messengers0 and the 8,trustees0 of ,his ,revelation4 ,and finally in yet another ,tablet these weighty words had been recorded3 8,the glory of ,god rest upon ,thee1 and upon whosoever serveth ,thee and circleth around ,thee4 ,woe1 great woe1 betide him that opposeth and injureth ,thee4 ,well is it with him that sweareth fealty to ,thee2 the fire of hell torment him who is ,thy enemy40 ,and now to crown the inestimable honors1 privileges and benefits showered upon ,him1 in ever increasing abundance1 throughout the forty years of ,his ,father's ministry in ,baghdd1 in ,adrianople and in ,akk1 ,he had been elevated to the high office of ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant1 and been made the successor of the ,manifestation of ,god ,himself--a position that was to empower ,him to impart an extraordinary impetus to the international expansion of ,his ,father's ,faith1 to amplify its doctrine1 to beat down every barrier that would obstruct its march1 and to call into being1 and delineate the features of1 its ,administrative ,order1 the ,child of the ,covenant1 and the ,harbinger of that ,world ,order whose establishment must needs signalize the advent of the ,golden ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,chapter ,,xv3 ,the ,rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al ,the immediate effect of the ascension of ,bah'u'llh had been1 as already observed1 to spread grief and bewilderment among his followers and companions1 and to inspire its vigilant and redoubtable adversaries with fresh hope and renewed determination4 ,at a time when a grievously traduced ,faith had triumphantly emerged from the two severest crises it had ever known1 one the work of enemies without1 the other the work of enemies within1 when its prestige had risen to a height unequalled in any period during its fifty-year existence1 the unerring ,hand which had shaped its destiny ever since its inception was suddenly removed1 leaving a gap which friend and foe alike believed could never again be filled4 ,yet1 as the appointed ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant and the authorized ,interpreter of ,his teaching had ,himself later explained1 the dissolution of the tabernacle wherein the soul of the ,manifestation of ,god had chosen temporarily to abide signalized its release from the restrictions which an earthly life had1 of necessity1 imposed upon it4 ,its influence no longer circumscribed by any physical limitations1 its radiance no longer beclouded by its human temple1 that soul could henceforth energize the whole world to a degree unapproached at any stage in the course of its existence on this planet4 ,bah'u'llh's stupendous task on this earthly plane had1 moreover1 at the time of ,his passing1 been brought to its final consummation4 ,his mission1 far from being in any way inconclusive1 had1 in every respect1 been carried through to a full end4 ,the ,message with which ,he had been entrusted had been disclosed to the gaze of all mankind4 ,the summons ,he had been commissioned to issue to its leaders and rulers had been fearlessly voiced4 ,the fundamentals of the doctrine destined to recreate its life1 heal its sicknesses and redeem it from bondage and degradation had been impregnably established4 ,the tide of calamity that was to purge and fortify the sinews of ,his ,faith had swept on with unstemmed fury4 ,the blood which was to fertilize the soil out of which the institutions of ,his ,world ,order were destined to spring had been profusely shed4 ,above all the ,covenant that was to perpetuate the influence of that ,faith1 insure its integrity1 safeguard it from schism1 and stimulate its world-wide expansion1 had been fixed on an inviolable basis4 ,his ,cause1 precious beyond the dreams and hopes of men2 enshrining within its shell that pearl of great price to which the world1 since its foundation1 had been looking forward2 confronted with colossal tasks of unimaginable complexity and urgency1 was beyond a peradventure in safe keeping4 ,his own beloved ,son1 the apple of ,his eye1 ,his vicegerent on earth1 the ,executive of ,his authority1 the ,pivot of ,his ,covenant1 the ,shepherd of ,his flock1 the ,exemplar of ,his faith1 the ,image of ,his perfections1 the ,mystery of ,his ,revelation1 the ,interpreter of ,his mind1 the ,architect of ,his ,world ,order1 the ,ensign of ,his ,most ,great ,peace1 the ,focal ,point of ,his unerring guidance--in a word1 the occupant of an office without peer or equal in the entire field of religious history--stood guard over it1 alert1 fearless and determined to enlarge its limits1 blazon abroad its fame1 champion its interests and consummate its purpose4 ,the stirring proclamation #8,abdu'l-,bah had penned1 addressed to the rank and file of the followers of ,his ,father1 on the morrow of ,his ascension1 as well as the prophecies ,he ,himself had uttered in ,his ,tablets1 breathed a resolve and a confidence which the fruits garnered and the triumphs achieved in the course of a thirty-year ministry have abundantly justified4 ,the cloud of despondency that had momentarily settled on the disconsolate lovers of the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh was lifted4 ,the continuity of that unerring guidance vouchsafed to it since its birth was now assured4 ,the significance of the solemn affirmation that this is 8the ,day which shall not be followed by night0 was now clearly apprehended4 ,an orphan community had recognized in #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in its hour of desperate need1 its ,solace1 its ,guide1 its ,mainstay and ,champion4 ,the ,light that had glowed with such dazzling brightness in the heart of ,asia1 and had1 in the lifetime of ,bah'u'llh1 spread to the ,near ,east1 and illuminated the fringes of both the ,european and ,african continents1 was to travel1 through the impelling influence of the newly proclaimed ,covenant1 and almost immediately after the death of its ,author1 as far ,west as the ,north ,american continent1 and from thence diffuse itself to the countries of ,europe1 and subsequently shed its radiance over both the ,far ,east and ,australasia4 ,before the ,faith1 however1 could plant its banner in the midmost heart of the ,north ,american continent1 and from thence establish its outposts over so vast a portion of the ,western world1 the newly born ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh had1 as had been the case with the ,faith that had given it birth1 to be baptized with a fire which was to demonstrate its solidity and proclaim its indestructibility to an unbelieving world4 ,a crisis1 almost as severe as that which had assailed the ,faith in its earliest infancy in ,baghdd1 was to shake that ,covenant to its foundations at the very moment of its inception1 and subject afresh the ,cause of which it was the noblest fruit to one of the most grievous ordeals experienced in the course of an entire century4 ,this crisis1 misconceived as a schism1 which political as well as ecclesiastical adversaries1 no less than the fast dwindling remnant of the followers of ,mrz ,yay hailed as a signal for the immediate disruption and final dissolution of the system established by ,bah'u'llh1 was precipitated at the very heart and center of ,his ,faith1 and was provoked by no one less than a member of ,his own family1 a half-brother of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 specifically named in the book of the ,covenant1 and holding a rank second to none except ,him ,who had been appointed as the ,center of that ,covenant4 ,for no less than four years that emergency fiercely agitated the minds and hearts of a vast proportion of the faithful throughout the ,east1 eclipsed1 for a time1 the ,orb of the ,covenant1 created an irreparable breach within the ranks of ,bah'u'llh's own kindred1 sealed ultimately the fate of the great majority of the members of ,his family1 and gravely damaged the prestige1 though it never succeeded in causing a permanent cleavage in the structure1 of the ,faith itself4 ,the true ground of this crisis was the burning1 the uncontrollable1 the soul-festering jealousy which the admitted preeminence of #8,abdu'l-,bah in rank1 power1 ability1 knowledge and virtue1 above all the other members of ,his ,father's family1 had aroused not only in ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 the archbreaker of the ,covenant1 but in some of his closest relatives as well4 ,an envy as blind as that which had possessed the soul of ,mrz ,yay1 as deadly as that which the superior excellence of ,joseph had kindled in the hearts of his brothers1 as deep-seated as that which had blazed in the bosom of ,cain and prompted him to slay his brother ,abel1 had1 for several years1 prior to ,bah'u'llh's ascension1 been smouldering in the recesses of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al's heart and had been secretly inflamed by those unnumbered marks of distinction1 of admiration and favor accorded to #8,abdu'l-,bah not only by ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 ,his companions and ,his followers1 but by the vast number of unbelievers who had come to recognize that innate greatness which #8,abdu'l-,bah had manifested from childhood4 ,far from being allayed by the provisions of a ,will which had elevated him to the second-highest position within the ranks of the faithful1 the fire of unquenchable animosity that glowed in the breast of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al burned even more fiercely as soon as he came to realize the full implications of that ,document4 ,all that #8,abdu'l-,bah could do1 during a period of four distressful years1 ,his incessant exhortations1 ,his earnest pleadings1 the favors and kindnesses ,he showered upon him1 the admonitions and warnings ,he uttered1 even ,his voluntary withdrawal in the hope of averting the threatening storm1 proved to be of no avail4 ,gradually and with unyielding persistence1 through lies1 half-truths1 calumnies and gross exaggerations1 this 8,prime ,mover of sedition0 succeeded in ranging on his side almost the entire family of ,bah'u'llh1 as well as a considerable number of those who had formed his immediate entourage4 ,bah'u'llh's two surviving wives1 ,his two sons1 the vacillating ,mrz ya'u'llh and the treacherous ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 with their sister and half-sister and their husbands1 one of them the infamous ,siyyid #8,al1 a kinsman of the ,bb1 the other the crafty ,mrz ,majdi'd-,dn1 together with his sister and half-brothers--the children of the noble1 the faithful and now deceased qy-i-,kalm--all united in a determined effort to subvert the foundations of the ,covenant which the newly proclaimed ,will had laid4 ,even ,mrz q ,jn1 who for forty years had labored as ,bah'u'llh's amanuensis1 as well as ,muammad-,javd-i-,qasvn1 who ever since the days of ,adrianople1 had been engaged in transcribing the innumerable ,tablets revealed by the ,supreme ,pen1 together with his entire family1 threw in their lot with the ,covenant-breakers1 and allowed themselves to be ensnared by their machinations4 ,forsaken1 betrayed1 assaulted by almost the entire body of ,his relatives1 now congregated in the ,mansion and the neighboring houses clustering around the most ,holy ,tomb1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 already bereft of both ,his mother and ,his sons1 and without any support at all save that of an unmarried sister1 ,his four unmarried daughters1 ,his wife and ,his uncle 7a half-brother of ,bah'u'llh71 was left alone to bear1 in the face of a multitude of enemies arrayed against ,him from within and from without1 the full brunt of the terrific responsibilities which ,his exalted office had laid upon ,him4 ,closely-knit by one common wish and purpose2 indefatigable in their efforts2 assured of the backing of the powerful and perfidious ,jaml-i-,burjird and his henchmen1 j usayn-i-,ksh1 ,khall-i-,kh' and ,jall-i-,tabrz who had espoused their cause2 linked by a vast system of correspondence with every center and individual they could reach2 seconded in their labors by emissaries whom they dispatched to ,persia1 #8,irq1 ,india and ,egypt2 emboldened in their designs by the attitude of officials whom they bribed or seduced1 these repudiators of a divinely-established ,covenant arose1 as one man1 to launch a campaign of abuse and vilification which compared in virulence with the infamous accusations which ,mrz ,yay and ,siyyid ,muammad had jointly levelled at ,bah'u'llh4 ,to friend and stranger1 believer and unbeliever alike1 to officials both high and low1 openly and by insinuation1 verbally as well as in writing1 they represented #8,abdu'l-,bah as an ambitious1 a self-willed1 an unprincipled and pitiless usurper1 ,who had deliberately disregarded the testamentary instructions of ,his ,father2 ,who had1 in language intentionally veiled and ambiguous1 assumed a rank co-equal with the ,manifestation ,himself2 ,who in ,his communications with the ,west was beginning to claim to be the return of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 who had come 8in the glory of the ,father02 ,who1 in ,his letters to the ,indian believers1 was proclaiming ,himself as the promised ,shh ,bahrm1 and arrogating to ,himself the right to interpret the writing of ,his ,father1 to inaugurate a new ,dispensation1 and to share with ,him the ,most ,great ,infallibility1 the exclusive prerogative of the holders of the prophetic office4 ,they1 furthermore1 affirmed that ,he had1 for ,his private ends1 fomented discord1 fostered enmity and brandished the weapon of excommunication2 that ,he had perverted the purpose of a ,testament which they alleged to be primarily concerned with the private interests of ,bah'u'llh's family by acclaiming it as a ,covenant of world importance1 pr-existent1 peerless and unique in the history of all religions2 that ,he had deprived ,his brothers and sisters of their lawful allowance1 and expended it on officials for ,his personal advancement2 that ,he had declined all the repeated invitations made to ,him to discuss the issues that had arisen and to compose the differences which prevailed2 that ,he had actually corrupted the ,holy ,text1 interpolated passages written by ,himself1 and perverted the purpose and meaning of some of the weightiest ,tablets revealed by the pen of ,his ,father2 and finally1 that the standard of rebellion had1 as a result of such conduct1 been raised by the ,oriental believers1 that the community of the faithful had been rent asunder1 was rapidly declining and was doomed to extinction4 ,and yet it was this same ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al who1 regarding himself as the exponent of fidelity1 the standard-bearer of the 8,unitarians10 the 8,finger who points to his ,master10 the champion of the ,holy ,family1 the spokesman of the ,aghsn1 the upholder of the ,holy ,writ1 had1 in the lifetime of ,bah'u'llh1 so openly and shamelessly advanced in a written statement1 signed and sealed by him1 the very claim now falsely imputed by him to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 that his ,father had1 with ,his own hand1 chastised him4 ,he it was who1 when sent on a mission to ,india1 had tampered with the text of the holy writings entrusted to his care for publication4 ,he it was who had the impudence and temerity to tell #8,abdu'l-,bah to ,his face that just as ,umar had succeeded in usurping the successorship of the ,prophet ,muammad1 he1 too1 felt himself able to do the same4 ,he it was who1 obsessed by the fear that he might not survive #8,abdu'l-,bah1 had1 the moment he had been assured by ,him that all the honor he coveted would1 in the course of time1 be his1 swiftly rejoined that he had no guarantee that he would outlive ,him4 ,he it was who1 as testified by ,mrz ,bad'u'llh in his confession1 written and published on the occasion of his repentance and his short-lived reconciliation with #8,abdu'l-,bah1 had1 while ,bah'u'llh's body was still awaiting interment1 carried off1 by a ruse1 the two satchels containing his ,father's most precious documents1 entrusted by ,him1 prior to ,his ascension1 to #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,he it was who1 by an exceedingly adroit and simple forgery of a word recurring in some of the denunciatory passages addressed by the ,supreme ,pen to ,mrz ,yay1 and by other devices such as mutilation and interpolation1 had succeeded in making them directly applicable to a ,brother ,whom he hated with such consuming passion4 ,and lastly1 it was this same ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al who1 as attested by #8,abdu'l-,bah in ,his ,will1 had1 with circumspection and guile1 conspired to take ,his life1 an intention indicated by the allusions made in a letter written by ,shu#8'u'llh 7,son of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al71 the original of which was enclosed in that same ,document by #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh had1 by acts such as these1 and others too numerous to recount1 been manifestly violated4 ,another blow1 stunning in its first effects1 had been administered to the ,faith and had caused its structure momentarily to tremble4 ,the storm foreshadowed by the writer of the ,apocalypse had broken4 ,the 8lightnings10 the 8thunders10 the 8earthquake0 which must needs accompany the revelation of the 8,ark of ,his ,testament10 had all come to pass4 #8,abdu'l-,bah's grief over so tragic a development1 following so swiftly upon ,his ,father's ascension1 was such that1 despite the triumphs witnessed in the course of ,his ministry1 it left its traces upon ,him till the end of ,his days4 ,the intensity of the emotions which this somber episode aroused within ,him were reminiscent of the effect produced upon ,bah'u'llh by the dire happenings precipitated by the rebellion of ,mrz ,yay4 8,i swear by the ,ancient ,beauty610 ,he wrote in one of ,his ,tablets1 8,so great is ,my sorrow and regret that ,my pen is paralyzed between ,my fingers40 8,thou seest ,me10 ,he1 in a prayer recorded in ,his ,will1 thus laments1 8submerged in an ocean of calamities that overwhelm the soul1 of afflictions that oppress the heart444 ,sore trials have compassed ,me round1 and perils have from all sides beset ,me4 ,thou seest ,me immersed in a sea of unsurpassed tribulation1 sunk into a fathomless abyss1 afflicted by ,mine enemies and consumed with the flame of hatred kindled by ,my kinsmen with whom ,thou didst make ,thy strong ,covenant and ,thy firm ,testament4440 ,and again in that same ,will3 8,lord6 ,thou seest all things weeping over ,me1 and ,my kindred rejoicing in ,my woes4 ,by ,thy glory1 ,o my ,god6 ,even amongst ,mine enemies some have lamented ,my troubles and ,my distress1 and of the envious ones a number have shed tears because of ,my cares1 ,my exile and ,my afflictions40 8,o ,thou the ,glory of ,glories610 ,he1 in one of ,his last ,tablets1 had cried out1 8,i have renounced the world and its people1 and am heart-broken and sorely afflicted because of the unfaithful4 ,in the cage of this world ,i flutter even as a frightened bird1 and yearn every day to take ,my flight unto ,thy ,kingdom40 ,bah'u'llh ,himself had significantly revealed in one of ,his ,tablets--a ,tablet that sheds an illuminating light on the entire episode3 8,by ,god1 ,o people6 ,mine eye weepeth1 and the eye of #8,al 7the ,bb7 weepeth amongst the ,concourse on high1 and ,mine heart crieth out1 and the heart of ,muammad crieth out within the ,most ,glorious ,tabernacle1 and ,my soul shouteth and the souls of the ,prophets shout before them that are endued with understanding444 ,my sorrow is not for ,myself1 but for ,him ,who shall come after ,me1 in the shadow of ,my ,cause1 with manifest and undoubted sovereignty1 inasmuch as they will not welcome ,his appearance1 will repudiate ,his signs1 will dispute ,his sovereignty1 will contend with ,him1 and will betray ,his ,cause4440 8,can it be possible10 ,he1 in a no less significant ,tablet1 had observed1 8that after the dawning of the day-star of ,thy ,testament above the horizon of ,thy ,most ,great ,tablet1 the feet of any one shall slip in ,thy ,straight ,path8 ,unto this ,we answered3 #8,o ,my most exalted ,pen6 ,it behoveth ,thee to occupy ,thyself with that whereunto ,thou hast been bidden by ,god1 the ,exalted1 the ,great4 ,ask not of that which will consume ,thine heart and the hearts of the denizens of ,paradise1 who have circled round ,my wondrous ,cause4 ,it behoveth ,thee not to be acquainted with that which ,we have veiled from ,thee4 ,thy ,lord is1 verily1 the ,concealer1 the ,all-,knowing6'0 ,more specifically ,bah'u'llh had1 referring to ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al in clear and unequivocal language1 affirmed3 8,he1 verily1 is but one of ,my servants444 ,should he for a moment pass out from under the shadow of the ,cause1 he surely shall be brought to naught40 ,furthermore1 in a no less emphatic language1 ,he1 again in connection with ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al had stated3 8,by ,god1 the ,true ,one6 ,were ,we1 for a single instant1 to withhold from him the outpourings of ,our ,cause1 he would wither1 and would fall upon the dust40 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself had1 moreover1 testified3 8,there is no doubt that in a thousand passages in the sacred writings of ,bah'u'llh the breakers of the ,covenant have been execrated40 ,some of these passages ,he ,himself compiled1 ere ,his departure from this world1 and incorporated them in one of ,his last ,tablets1 as a warning and safeguard against those who1 throughout ,his ministry1 had manifested so implacable a hatred against ,him1 and had come so near to subverting the foundations of a ,covenant on which not only ,his own authority but the integrity of the ,faith itself depended4 ,chapter ,,xvi3 ,the ,rise and ,establishment of the ,faith in the ,west ,though the rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al precipitated many sombre and distressing events1 and though its dire consequences continued for several years to obscure the light of the ,covenant1 to endanger the life of its appointed ,center1 and to distract the thoughts and retard the progress of the activities of its supporters in both the ,east and the ,west1 yet the entire episode1 viewed in its proper perspective1 proved to be neither more nor less than one of those periodic crises which1 since the inception of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 and throughout a whole century1 have been instrumental in weeding out its harmful elements1 in fortifying its foundations1 in demonstrating its resilience1 and in releasing a further measure of its latent powers4 ,now that the provisions of a divinely appointed ,covenant had been indubitably proclaimed2 now that the purpose of the ,covenant was clearly apprehended and its fundamentals had become immovably established in the hearts of the overwhelming majority of the adherents of the ,faith2 and now that the first assaults launched by its would-be subverters had been successfully repulsed1 the ,cause for which that ,covenant had been designed could forge ahead along the course traced for it by the finger of its ,author4 ,shining exploits and unforgettable victories had already signalized the birth of that ,cause and accompanied its rise in several countries of the ,asiatic continent1 and particularly in the homeland of its ,founder4 ,the mission of its newly-appointed ,leader1 the steward of its glory and the diffuser of its light1 was1 as conceived by ,himself1 to enrich and extend the bounds of the incorruptible patrimony entrusted to ,his hands by shedding the illumination of ,his ,father's ,faith upon the ,west1 by expounding the fundamental precepts of that ,faith and its cardinal principles1 by consolidating the activities which had already been initiated for the promotion of its interests1 and1 finally1 by ushering in1 through the provisions of ,his own ,will1 the ,formative ,age in its evolution4 ,a year after the ascension of ,bah'u'llh1 #8,abdu'l-,bah had1 in a verse which ,he had revealed1 and which had evoked the derision of the ,covenant-breakers1 already foreshadowed an auspicious event which posterity would recognize as one of the greatest triumphs of ,his ministry1 which in the end would confer an inestimable blessing upon the western world1 and which erelong was to dispel the grief and the apprehensions that had surrounded the community of ,his fellow-exiles in ,akk4 ,the ,great ,republic of the ,west1 above all the other countries of the ,occident1 was singled out to be the first recipient of ,god's inestimable blessing1 and to become the chief agent in its transmission to so many of her sister nations throughout the five continents of the earth4 ,the importance of so momentous a development in the evolution of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh--the establishment of ,his ,cause in the ,north ,american continent--at a time when #8,abdu'l-,bah had just inaugurated ,his ,mission1 and was still in the throes of the most grievous crisis with which ,he was ever confronted1 can in no wise be overestimated4 ,as far back as the year which witnessed the birth of the ,faith in ,shrz the ,bb had1 in the ,qayymu'l-,asm1 after having warned in a memorable passage the peoples of both the ,orient and the ,occident1 directly addressed the 8peoples of the ,west10 and significantly bidden them 8issue forth0 from their 8cities0 to aid ,god1 and 8become as brethren0 in ,his 8one and indivisible religion40 8,in the ,east10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself had1 in anticipation of this development1 written1 8the light of ,his ,revelation hath broken2 in the ,west the signs of ,his dominion have appeared40 8,should they attempt10 ,he1 moreover1 had predicted1 8to conceal its light on the continent1 it will assuredly rear its head in the midmost heart of the ocean1 and1 raising its voice1 proclaim3 #8,i am the lifegiver of the world6'0 8,had this ,cause been revealed in the ,west10 ,he1 shortly before ,his ascension1 is reported by ,nabl in his narrative to have stated1 8had ,our verses been sent from the ,west to ,persia and other countries of the ,east1 it would have become evident how the people of the ,occident would have embraced ,our ,cause4 ,the people of ,persia1 however1 have failed to appreciate it40 8,from the beginning of time until the present day10 is #8,abdu'l-,bah's own testimony1 8the light of ,divine ,revelation hath risen in the ,east and shed its radiance upon the ,west4 ,the illumination thus shed hath1 however1 acquired in the ,west an extraordinary brilliancy4 ,consider the ,faith proclaimed by ,jesus4 ,though it first appeared in the ,east1 yet not until its light had been shed upon the ,west did the full measure of its potentialities become manifest40 8,the day is approaching10 ,he has affirmed1 8when ye shall witness how1 through the splendor of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 the ,west will have replaced the ,east1 radiating the light of ,divine guidance40 ,and again3 8,the ,west hath acquired illumination from the ,east1 but1 in some respects1 the reflection of the light hath been greater in the ,occident40 ,furthermore1 8,the ,east hath1 verily1 been illumined with the light of the ,kingdom4 ,erelong will this same light shed a still greater illumination upon the ,west40 ,more specifically has the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation ,himself chosen to confer upon the rulers of the ,american continent the unique honor of addressing them collectively in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 ,his most ,holy ,book1 significantly exhorting them to 8adorn the temple of dominion with the ornament of justice and of the fear of ,god1 and its head with the crown of the remembrance0 of their ,lord1 and bidding them 8bind with the hands of justice the broken10 and 8crush the oppressor0 with the 8rod of the commandments0 of their 8,lord1 the ,ordainer1 the ,all-,wise40 8,the continent of ,america10 wrote #8,abdu'l-,bah1 8is1 in the eyes of the one true ,god1 the land wherein the splendors of ,his light shall be revealed1 where the mysteries of ,his ,faith shall be unveiled1 where the righteous will abide and the free assemble40 8,the ,american continent10 ,he has furthermore predicted1 8giveth signs and evidences of very great advancement4 ,its future is even more promising1 for its influence and illumination are far reaching4 ,it will lead all nations spiritually40 8,the ,american people10 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 even more distinctly1 singling out for ,his special favor the ,great ,republic of the ,west1 the leading nation of the ,american continent1 has revealed1 8are indeed worthy of being the first to build the ,tabernacle of the ,most ,great ,peace1 and proclaim the oneness of mankind40 ,and again3 8,this ,american nation is equipped and empowered to accomplish that which will adorn the pages of history1 to become the envy of the world1 and be blest in both the ,east and the ,west for the triumph of its people40 ,furthermore3 8,may this ,american democracy be the first nation to establish the foundation of international agreement4 ,may it be the first nation to proclaim the unity of mankind4 ,may it be the first to unfurl the standard of the ,most ,great ,peace40 8,may the inhabitants of this country10 ,he1 moreover has written1 8444rise from their present material attainment to such heights that heavenly illumination may stream from this center to all the peoples of the world40 8,o ye apostles of ,bah'u'llh610 #8,abdu'l-,bah has thus addressed the believers of the ,north ,american continent1 8444consider how exalted and lofty is the station you are destined to attain444 ,the full measure of your success is as yet unrevealed1 its significance still unapprehended40 ,and again3 8,your mission is unspeakably glorious4 ,should success crown your enterprise1 ,america will assuredly evolve into a center from which waves of spiritual power will emanate1 and the throne of the ,kingdom of ,god1 will in the plenitude of its majesty and glory1 be firmly established40 ,and finally1 this stirring affirmation3 8,the moment this ,divine ,message is carried forward by the ,american believers from the shores of ,america1 and is propagated through the continents of ,europe1 of ,asia1 of ,africa and of ,australasia1 and as far as the islands of the ,pacific1 this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion444 ,then will the whole earth resound with the praises of its majesty and greatness40 ,little wonder that a community belonging to a nation so abundantly blessed1 a nation occupying so eminent a position in a continent so richly endowed1 should have been able to add1 during the fifty years of its existence1 many a page rich with victories to the annals of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,this is the community1 it should be remembered1 which1 ever since it was called into being through the creative energies released by the proclamation of the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh1 was nursed in the lap of #8,abdu'l-,bah's unfailing solicitude1 and was trained by ,him to discharge its unique mission through the revelation of innumerable ,tablets1 through the instructions issued to returning pilgrims1 through the despatch of special messengers1 through ,his own travels at a later date1 across the ,north ,american continent1 through the emphasis laid by ,him on the institution of the ,covenant in the course of those travels1 and finally through ,his mandate embodied in the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan4 ,this is the community which1 from its earliest infancy until the present day1 has unremittingly labored and succeeded1 through its own unaided efforts1 in implanting the banner of ,bah'u'llh in the vast majority of the sixty countries which1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 can now claim the honor of being included within the pale of ,his ,faith4 ,to this community belongs the distinction of having evolved the pattern1 and of having been the first to erect the framework1 of the administrative institutions that herald the advent of the ,world ,order of ,bah'u'llh4 ,through the efforts of its members the ,mother ,temple of the ,west1 the ,harbinger of that ,order1 one of the noblest institutions ordained in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and the most stately edifice reared in the entire ,bah' world1 has been erected in the very heart of the ,north ,american continent4 ,through the assiduous labors of its pioneers1 its teachers and its administrators1 the literature of the ,faith has been enormously expanded1 its aims and purposes fearlessly defended1 and its nascent institutions solidly established4 ,in direct consequence of the unsupported and indefatigable endeavors of the most distinguished of its itinerant teachers the spontaneous allegiance of ,royalty to the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh has been secured and unmistakably proclaimed in several testimonies transmitted to posterity by the pen of the royal convert herself4 ,and finally1 to the members of this community1 the spiritual descendants of the dawn-breakers of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 must be ascribed the eternal honor of having arisen1 on numerous occasions1 with marvelous alacrity1 zeal and determination1 to champion the cause of the oppressed1 to relieve the needy1 and to defend the interests of the edifices and institutions reared by their brethren in countries such as ,persia1 ,russia1 ,egypt1 #8,irq and ,germany1 countries where the adherents of the ,faith have had to sustain1 in varying measure1 the rigors of racial and religious persecution4 ,strange1 indeed1 that in a country1 invested with such a unique function among its sister-nations throughout the ,west1 the first public reference to the ,author of so glorious a ,faith should have been made through the mouth of one of the members of that ecclesiastical order with which that ,faith has had so long to contend1 and from which it has frequently suffered4 ,stranger still that he who first established it in the city of ,chicago1 fifty years after the ,bb had declared ,his ,mission in ,shrz1 should himself have forsaken1 a few years later1 the standard which he1 single-handed1 had implanted in that city4 ,it was on ,september #bc1 #ahic1 a little over a year after ,bah'u'llh's ascension1 that1 in a paper written by ,rev4 ,henry ,h4 ,jessup1 ,d4,d41 ,director of ,presbyterian ,missionary ,operations in ,north ,syria1 and read by ,rev4 ,george ,a4 ,ford of ,syria1 at the ,world ,parliament of ,religions1 held in ,chicago1 in connection with the ,columbian ,exposition1 commemorating the four-hundredth anniversary of the discovery of ,america1 it was announced that 8a famous ,persian ,sage10 8the ,bb ,saint10 had died recently in ,akk1 and that two years previous to ,his ascension 8a ,cambridge scholar0 had visited ,him1 to whom ,he had expressed 8sentiments so noble1 so ,christ-like0 that the author of the paper1 in his 8closing words10 wished to share them with his audience4 ,less than a year later1 in ,february #ahid1 a ,syrian doctor1 named ,ibrhm ,khayru'llh1 who1 while residing in ,cairo1 had been converted by j #8,abdu'l-,karm-i-ihrn to the ,faith1 had received a ,tablet from ,bah'u'llh1 had communicated with #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and reached ,new ,york in ,december #ahib1 established his residence in ,chicago1 and began to teach actively and systematically the ,cause he had espoused4 ,within the space of two years he had communicated his impressions to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and reported on the remarkable success that had attended his efforts4 ,in #ahie an opening was vouchsafed to him in ,kenosha1 which he continued to visit once a week1 in the course of his teaching activities4 ,by the following year the believers in these two cities1 it was reported1 were counted by hundreds4 ,in #ahig he published his book1 entitled the ,bbu'd-,dn1 and visited ,kansas ,city1 ,new ,york ,city1 ,ithaca and ,philadelphia1 where he was able to win for the ,faith a considerable number of supporters4 ,the stout-hearted ,thornton ,chase1 surnamed ,thbit 7,steadfast7 by #8,abdu'l-,bah and designated by ,him 8the first ,american believer10 who became a convert to the ,faith in #ahid1 the immortal ,louisa ,a4 ,moore1 the mother teacher of the ,west1 surnamed ,liv 7,banner7 by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,dr4 ,edward ,getsinger1 to whom she was later married1 ,howard ,mac,nutt1 ,arthur ,p4 ,dodge1 ,isabella ,d4 ,brittingham1 ,lillian ,f4 ,kappes1 ,paul ,k4 ,dealy1 ,chester ,i4 ,thacher and ,helen ,s4 ,goodall1 whose names will ever remain associated with the first stirrings of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in the ,north ,american continent1 stand out as the most prominent among those who1 in those early years1 awakened to the call of the ,new ,day1 and consecrated their lives to the service of the newly proclaimed ,covenant4 ,by #ahih ,mrs4 ,phoebe ,hearst1 the well-known philanthropist 7wife of ,senator ,george ,f4 ,hearst71 whom ,mrs4 ,getsinger had1 while on a visit to ,california1 attracted to the ,faith1 had expressed her intention of visiting #8,abdu'l-,bah in the ,holy ,land1 had invited several believers1 among them ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,getsinger1 ,dr4 ,khayru'llh and his wife1 to join her1 and had completed the necessary arrangements for their historic pilgrimage to ,akk4 ,in ,paris several resident ,americans1 among whom were ,may ,ellis ,bolles1 whom ,mrs4 ,getsinger had won over to the ,faith1 ,miss ,pearson1 and ,ann ,apperson1 both nieces of ,mrs4 ,hearst1 with ,mrs4 ,thornburgh and her daughter1 were added to the party1 the number of which was later swelled in ,egypt by the addition of ,dr4 ,khayru'llh's daughters and their grand-mother whom he had recently converted4 ,the arrival of fifteen pilgrims1 in three successive parties1 the first of which1 including ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,getsinger1 reached the prison-city of ,akk on ,december #aj1 #ahih2 the intimate personal contact established between the ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant and the newly arisen heralds of ,his ,revelation in the ,west2 the moving circumstances attending their visit to ,his ,tomb and the great honor bestowed upon them of being conducted by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself into its innermost chamber2 the spirit which1 through precept and example1 despite the briefness of their stay1 a loving and bountiful ,host so powerfully infused into them2 and the passionate zeal and unyielding resolve which ,his inspiring exhortations1 ,his illuminating instructions and the multiple evidences of ,his divine love kindled in their hearts--all these marked the opening of a new epoch in the development of the ,faith in the ,west1 an epoch whose significance the acts subsequently performed by some of these same pilgrims and their fellow-disciples have amply demonstrated4 8,of that first meeting10 one of these pilgrims1 recording her impressions1 has written1 8,i can remember neither joy nor pain1 nor anything that ,i can name4 ,i had been carried suddenly to too great a height1 my soul had come in contact with the ,divine ,spirit1 and this force1 so pure1 so holy1 so mighty1 had overwhelmed me444 ,we could not remove our eyes from ,his glorious face2 we heard all that ,he said2 we drank tea with ,him at ,his bidding2 but existence seemed suspended2 and when ,he arose and suddenly left us1 we came back with a start to life2 but never again1 oh6 never again1 thank ,god1 the same life on this earth40 8,in the might and majesty of ,his presence10 that same pilgrim1 recalling the last interview accorded the party of which she was a member1 has testified1 8our fear was turned to perfect faith1 our weakness into strength1 our sorrow into hope1 and ourselves forgotten in our love for ,him4 ,as we all sat before ,him1 waiting to hear ,his words1 some of the believers wept bitterly4 ,he bade them dry their tears1 but they could not for a moment4 ,so again ,he asked them for ,his sake not to weep1 nor would ,he talk to us and teach us until all tears were banished4440 4440,those three days10 ,mrs4 ,hearst herself has1 in one of her letters1 testified1 8were the most memorable days of my life444 ,the ,master ,i will not attempt to describe3 ,i will only state that ,i believe with all my heart that ,he is the ,master1 and my greatest blessing in this world is that ,i have been privileged to be in ,his presence1 and look upon ,his sanctified face444 ,without a doubt ,abbs ,effendi is the ,messiah of this day and generation1 and we need not look for another40 8,i must say10 she1 moreover1 has in another letter written1 8,he is the most wonderful ,being ,i have ever met or ever expect to meet in this world444 ,the spiritual atmosphere which surrounds ,him and most powerfully affects all those who are blest by being near ,him1 is indescribable444 ,i believe in ,him with all my heart and soul1 and ,i hope all who call themselves believers will concede to ,him all the greatness1 all the glory1 and all the praise1 for surely ,he is the ,son of ,god--and #8the spirit of the ,father abideth in ,him4'0 ,even ,mrs4 ,hearst's butler1 a negro named ,robert ,turner1 the first member of his race to embrace the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh in the ,west1 had been transported by the influence exerted by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the course of that epoch-making pilgrimage4 ,such was the tenacity of his faith that even the subsequent estrangement of his beloved mistress from the ,cause she had spontaneously embraced failed to becloud its radiance1 or to lessen the intensity of the emotions which the loving-kindness showered by #8,abdu'l-,bah upon him had excited in his breast4 ,the return of these ,god-intoxicated pilgrims1 some to ,france1 others to the ,united ,states1 was the signal for an outburst of systematic and sustained activity1 which1 as it gathered momentum1 and spread its ramifications over ,western ,europe and the states and provinces of the ,north ,american continent1 grew to so great a scale that #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself resolved that1 as soon as ,he should be released from ,his prolonged confinement in ,akk1 ,he would undertake a personal mission to the ,west4 ,undeflected in its course by the devastating crisis which the ambition of ,dr4 ,khayru'llh had1 upon his return from the ,holy ,land 7,december1 #ahii7 precipitated2 undismayed by the agitation which he1 working in collaboration with the arch-breaker of the ,covenant and his messengers1 had provoked2 disdainful of the attacks launched by him and his fellow-seceders1 as well as by ,christian ecclesiastics increasingly jealous of the rising power and extending influence of the ,faith2 nourished by a continual flow of pilgrims who transmitted the verbal messages and special instructions of a vigilant ,master2 invigorated by the effusions of ,his pen recorded in innumerable ,tablets2 instructed by the successive messengers and teachers dispatched at ,his behest for its guidance1 edification and consolidation1 the community of the ,american believers arose to initiate a series of enterprises which1 blessed and stimulated a decade later by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself1 were to be but a prelude to the unparalleled services destined to be rendered by its members during the ,formative ,age of ,his ,father's ,dispensation4 ,no sooner had one of these pilgrims1 the afore-mentioned ,may ,bolles1 returned to ,paris than she succeeded1 in compliance with #8,abdu'l-,bah's emphatic instructions1 in establishing in that city the first ,bah' center to be formed on the ,european continent4 ,this center was1 shortly after her arrival1 reinforced by the conversion of the illumined ,thomas ,breakwell1 the first ,english believer1 immortalized by #8,abdu'l-,bah's fervent eulogy revealed in his memory2 of ,hippolyte ,dreyfus1 the first ,frenchman to embrace the ,faith1 who1 through his writings1 translations1 travels and other pioneer services1 was able to consolidate1 as the years went by1 the work which had been initiated in his country2 and of ,laura ,barney1 whose imperishable service was to collect and transmit to posterity in the form of a book1 entitled 8,some ,answered ,questions10 #8,abdu'l-,bah's priceless explanations1 covering a wide variety of subjects1 given to her in the course of an extended pilgrimage to the ,holy ,land4 ,three years later1 in #aijb1 ,may ,bolles1 now married to a ,canadian1 transferred her residence to ,montreal1 and succeeded in laying the foundations of the ,cause in that ,dominion4 ,in ,london ,mrs4 ,thornburgh-,cropper1 as a consequence of the creative influences released by that never-to-be-forgotten pilgrimage1 was able to initiate activities which1 stimulated and expanded through the efforts of the first ,english believers1 and particularly of ,ethel ,j4 ,rosenberg1 converted in #ahii1 enabled them to erect1 in later years1 the structure of their administrative institutions in the ,british ,isles4 ,in the ,north ,american continent1 the defection and the denunciatory publications of ,dr4 ,khayru'llh 7encouraged as he was by ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al and his son ,shu#8'u'llh1 whom he had despatched to ,america7 tested to the utmost the loyalty of the newly fledged community2 but successive messengers despatched by #8,abdu'l-,bah 7such as j #8,abdu'l-,karm-i-ihrn1 j ,mrz asan-i-,khursn1 ,mrz ,asadu'llh and ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl7 succeeded in rapidly dispelling the doubts1 and in deepening the understanding1 of the believers1 in holding the community together1 and in forming the nucleus of those administrative institutions which1 two decades later1 were to be formally inaugurated through the explicit provisions of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,will and ,testament4 ,as far back as the year #ahii a council board of seven officers1 the forerunner of a series of ,assemblies which1 ere the close of the first ,bah' ,century1 were to cover the ,north ,american ,continent from coast to coast1 was established in the city of ,kenosha4 ,in #aijb a ,bah' ,publishing ,society1 designed to propagate the literature of a gradually expanding community1 was formed in ,chicago4 ,a ,bah' ,bulletin1 for the purpose of disseminating the teachings of the ,faith was inaugurated in ,new ,york4 ,the 8,bah' ,news10 another periodical1 subsequently appeared in ,chicago1 and soon developed into a magazine entitled 8,star of the ,west40 ,the translation of some of the most important writings of ,bah'u'llh1 such as the 8,hidden ,words10 the 8,kitb-i-qn10 the 8,tablets to the ,kings10 and the 8,seven ,valleys10 together with the ,tablets of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 as well as several treatises and pamphlets written by ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl and others1 was energetically undertaken4 ,a considerable correspondence with various centers throughout the ,orient was initiated1 and grew steadily in scope and importance4 ,brief histories of the ,faith1 books and pamphlets written in its defence1 articles for the press1 accounts of travels and pilgrimages1 eulogies and poems1 were likewise published and widely disseminated4 ,simultaneously1 travellers and teachers1 emerging triumphantly from the storms of tests and trials which had threatened to engulf their beloved ,cause1 arose1 of their own accord1 to reinforce and multiply the strongholds of the ,faith already established4 ,centers were opened in the cities of ,washington1 ,boston1 ,san ,francisco1 ,los ,angeles1 ,cleveland1 ,baltimore1 ,minneapolis1 ,buffalo1 ,rochester1 ,pittsburgh1 ,seattle1 ,st4 ,paul and in other places4 ,audacious pioneers1 whether as visitors or settlers1 eager to spread the new born ,evangel beyond the confines of their native country1 undertook journeys1 and embarked on enterprises which carried its light to the heart of ,europe1 to the ,far ,east1 and as far as the islands of the ,pacific4 ,mason ,remey voyaged to ,russia and ,persia1 and later1 with ,howard ,struven1 circled1 for the first time in ,bah' history1 the globe1 visiting on his way the ,hawaiian ,islands1 ,japan1 ,china1 ,india and ,burma4 ,hooper ,harris and ,harlan ,ober traveled1 during no less than seven months1 in ,india and ,burma1 visiting ,bombay1 ,poona1 ,lahore1 ,calcutta1 ,rangoon and ,mandalay4 ,alma ,knobloch1 following on the heels of ,dr4 ,k4 ,e4 ,fisher1 hoisted the standard of the ,faith in ,germany1 and carried its light to ,austria4 ,dr4 ,susan ,i4 ,moody1 ,sydney ,sprague1 ,lillian ,f4 ,kappes1 ,dr4 ,sarah ,clock1 and ,elizabeth ,stewart transferred their residence to ihrn for the purpose of furthering the manifold interests of the ,faith1 in collaboration with the ,bah's of that city4 ,sarah ,farmer1 who had already initiated in #ahid1 at ,green ,acre1 in the ,state of ,maine1 summer conferences and established a center for the promotion of unity and fellowship between races and religions1 placed1 after her pilgrimage to ,akk in #aijj1 the facilities these conferences provided at the disposal of the followers of the ,faith which she had herself recently embraced4 ,and last but not least1 inspired by the example set by their fellow-disciples in ,ishqbd1 who had already commenced the construction of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world1 and afire with the desire to demonstrate1 in a tangible and befitting manner1 the quality of their faith and devotion1 the ,bah's of ,chicago1 having petitioned #8,abdu'l-,bah for permission to erect a ,house of ,worship1 and secured1 in a ,tablet revealed in ,june #aijc1 ,his ready and enthusiastic approval1 arose1 despite the smallness of their numbers and their limited resources1 to initiate an enterprise which must rank as the greatest single contribution which the ,bah's of ,america1 and indeed of the ,west1 have as yet made to the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh4 ,the subsequent encouragement given them by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and the contributions raised by various ,assemblies decided the members of this ,assembly to invite representatives of their fellow-believers in various parts of the country to meet in ,chicago for the initiation of the stupendous undertaking they had conceived4 ,on ,november #bf1 #aijg1 the assembled representatives1 convened for that purpose1 appointed a committee of nine to locate a suitable site for the proposed ,temple4 ,by ,april #i1 #aijh1 the sum of two thousand dollars had been paid for the purchase of two building lots1 situated near the shore of ,lake ,michigan4 ,in ,march #aiji1 a convention representative of various ,bah' centers was called1 in pursuance of instructions received from #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,the thirty-nine delegates1 representing thirty-six cities1 who had assembled in ,chicago1 on the very day the remains of the ,bb were laid to rest by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the specially erected mausoleum on ,mt4 ,carmel1 established a permanent national organization1 known as the ,bah' ,temple ,unity1 which was incorporated as a religious corporation1 functioning under the laws of the ,state of ,illinois1 and invested with full authority to hold title to the property of the ,temple and to provide ways and means for its construction4 ,at this same convention a constitution was framed1 the ,executive ,board of the ,bah' ,temple ,unity was elected1 and was authorized by the delegates to complete the purchase of the land recommended by the previous ,convention4 ,contributions for this historic enterprise1 from ,india1 ,persia1 ,turkey1 ,syria1 ,palestine1 ,russia1 ,egypt1 ,germany1 ,france1 ,england1 ,canada1 ,mexico1 the ,hawaiian ,islands1 and even ,mauritius1 and from no less than sixty ,american cities1 amounted by #aiaj1 two years previous to #8,abdu'l-,bah's arrival in ,america1 to no less than twenty thousand dollars1 a remarkable testimony alike to the solidarity of the followers of ,bah'u'llh in both the ,east and the ,west1 and to the self-sacrificing efforts exerted by the ,american believers who1 as the work progressed1 assumed a preponderating share in providing the sum of over a million dollars required for the erection of the structure of the ,temple and its external ornamentation4 ,chapter ,,xvii3 ,renewal of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,incarceration ,the outstanding accomplishments of a valiant and sorely-tested community1 the first fruits of ,bah'u'llh's newly established ,covenant in the ,western world1 had laid a foundation sufficiently imposing to invite the presence of the appointed ,center of that ,covenant1 ,who had called that ,community into being and watched1 with such infinite care and foresight1 over its budding destinies4 ,not until1 however1 #8,abdu'l-,bah had emerged from the severe crisis which had already for several years been holding ,him in its toils could ,he undertake ,his memorable voyage to the shores of a continent where the rise and establishment of ,his ,father's ,faith had been signalized by such magnificent and enduring achievements4 ,this second major crisis of ,his ministry1 external in nature and hardly less severe than the one precipitated by the rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 gravely imperiled ,his life1 deprived ,him1 for a number of years1 of the relative freedom ,he had enjoyed1 plunged into anguish ,his family and the followers of the ,faith in ,east and ,west1 and exposed as never before1 the degradation and infamy of ,his relentless adversaries4 ,it originated two years after the departure of the first ,american pilgrims from the ,holy ,land4 ,it persisted1 with varying degrees of intensity1 during more than seven years1 and was directly attributable to the incessant intrigues and monstrous misrepresentations of the ,arch-,breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant and his supporters4 ,embittered by his abject failure to create a schism on which he had fondly pinned his hopes2 stung by the conspicuous success which the standard-bearers of the ,covenant had1 despite his machinations1 achieved in the ,north ,american continent2 encouraged by the existence of a rgime that throve in an atmosphere of intrigue and suspicion1 and which was presided over by a cunning and cruel potentate2 determined to exploit to the full the opportunities for mischief afforded him by the arrival of ,western pilgrims at the prison-fortress of ,akk1 as well as by the commencement of the construction of the ,bb's sepulcher on ,mt4 ,carmel1 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 seconded by his brother1 ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 and aided by his brother-in-law1 ,mrz ,majdi'd-,dn1 succeeded through strenuous and persistent endeavors in exciting the suspicion of the ,turkish government and its officials1 and in inducing them to reimpose on #8,abdu'l-,bah the confinement from which1 in the days of ,bah'u'llh1 ,he had so grievously suffered4 ,this very brother1 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al's chief accomplice1 in a written confession signed1 sealed and published by him1 on the occasion of his reconciliation with #8,abdu'l-,bah1 has borne testimony to the wicked plots that had been devised4 8,what ,i have heard from others10 wrote ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 8,i will ignore4 ,i will only recount what ,i have seen with my own eyes1 and heard from his 7,mrz ,muammad-#8,al7 lips40 8,it was arranged by him 7,mrz ,muammad-#8,al710 he1 then1 proceeds to relate1 8to dispatch ,mrz ,majdi'd-,dn with a gift and a letter written in ,persian to ,nazm ,psh1 the ,val 7governor7 of ,damascus1 and to seek his assistance4444 ,as he 7,mrz ,majdi'd-,dn7 himself informed me in ,haifa he did all he could to acquaint him 7governor7 fully with the construction work on ,mt4 ,carmel1 with the comings and goings of the ,american believers1 and with the gatherings held in ,akk4 ,the ,psh1 in his desire to know all the facts1 was extremely kind to him1 and assured him of his aid4 ,a few days after ,mrz ,majdi'd-,dn's return a cipher telegram was received from the ,sublime ,porte1 transmitting the ,suln's orders to incarcerate #8,abdu'l-,bah1 myself and the others40 8,in those days10 he1 furthermore1 in that same document1 testifies1 8a man who came to ,akk from ,damascus stated to outsiders that ,nazm ,psh had been the cause of the incarceration of ,abbs ,effendi4 ,the strangest thing of all is this that ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 after he had been incarcerated1 wrote a letter to ,nazm ,psh for the purpose of achieving his own deliverance4444 ,the ,psh1 however1 did not write even a word in answer to either the first or the second letter40 ,it was in #aija1 on the fifth day of the month of ,jamdiyu'l-,avval #acai ,a4,h4 7,august #bj7 that #8,abdu'l-,bah1 upon ,his return from ,bahj where ,he had participated in the celebration of the anniversary of the ,bb's ,declaration1 was informed1 in the course of an interview with the governor of ,akk1 of ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd's instructions ordering that the restrictions which had been gradually relaxed should be reimposed1 and that ,he and ,his brothers should be strictly confined within the walls of that city4 ,the ,suln's edict was at first rigidly enforced1 the freedom of the exiled community was severely curtailed1 while #8,abdu'l-,bah had to submit1 alone and unaided1 to the prolonged interrogation of judges and officials1 who required ,his presence for several consecutive days at government headquarters for the purpose of their investigations4 ,one of ,his first acts was to intercede on behalf of ,his brothers1 who had been peremptorily summoned and informed by the governor of the orders of the sovereign1 an act which failed to soften their hostility or lessen their malevolent activities4 ,subsequently1 through ,his intervention with the civil and military authorities1 ,he succeeded in obtaining the freedom of ,his followers who resided in ,akk1 and in enabling them to continue to earn1 without interference1 the means of livelihood4 ,the ,covenant-breakers were unappeased by the measures taken by the authorities against ,one ,who had so magnanimously intervened on their behalf4 ,aided by the notorious ,yay ,bey1 the chief of police1 and other officials1 civil as well as military1 who1 in consequence of their representations1 had replaced those who had been friendly to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and by secret agents who traveled back and forth between ,akk and ,constantinople1 and who even kept a vigilant watch over everything that went on in ,his household1 they arose to encompass ,his ruin4 ,they lavished on officials gifts which included possessions sacred to the memory of ,bah'u'llh1 and shamelessly proffered to high and low alike bribes drawn1 in some instances1 from the sale of properties associated with ,him or bestowed upon some of them by #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,relaxing nothing of their efforts they pursued relentlessly the course of their nefarious activities1 determined to leave no stone unturned until they had either brought about ,his execution or ensured ,his deportation to a place remote enough to enable them to wrest the ,cause from ,his grasp4 ,the ,val of ,damascus1 the ,muft of ,beirut1 members of the ,protestant missions established in ,syria and ,akk1 even the influential ,shaykh ,abu'l-,hud1 in ,constantinople1 whom the ,suln held in as profound an esteem as that in which ,muammad ,shh had held his ,grand ,vizir1 j ,mrz ,aqs1 were1 on various occasions1 approached1 appealed to1 and urged to lend their assistance for the prosecution of their odious designs4 ,through verbal messages1 formal communications and by personal interviews the ,covenant-breakers impressed upon these notables the necessity of immediate action1 shrewdly adapting their arguments to the particular interests and prejudices of those whose aid they solicited4 ,to some they represented #8,abdu'l-,bah as a callous usurper ,who had trampled upon their rights1 robbed them of their heritage1 reduced them to poverty1 made their friends in ,persia their enemies1 accumulated for ,himself a vast fortune1 and acquired no less than two-thirds of the land in ,haifa4 ,to others they declared that #8,abdu'l-,bah contemplated making of ,akk and ,haifa a new ,mecca and ,medina4 ,to still others they affirmed that ,bah'u'llh was no more than a retired dervish1 who professed and promoted the ,faith of ,islm1 ,whom ,abbs ,effendi1 ,his son1 had1 for the purpose of self-glorification1 exalted to the rank of ,god-head1 whilst claiming ,himself to be the ,son of ,god and the return of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they further accused ,him of harboring designs inimical to the interests of the state1 of meditating a rebellion against the ,suln1 of having already hoisted the banner of ,y ,bah'u'l-,abh1 the ensign of revolt1 in distant villages in ,palestine and ,syria1 of having raised surreptitiously an army of thirty thousand men1 of being engaged in the construction of a fortress and a vast ammunition depot on ,mt4 ,carmel1 of having secured the moral and material support of a host of ,english and ,american friends1 amongst whom were officers of foreign powers1 who were arriving1 in large numbers and in disguise1 to pay ,him their homage1 and of having already1 in conjunction with them1 drawn up ,his plans for the subjugation of the neighboring provinces1 for the expulsion of the ruling authorities1 and for the ultimate seizure of the power wielded by the ,suln himself4 ,through misrepresentation and bribery they succeeded in inducing certain people to affix their signatures as witnesses to the documents which they had drawn up1 and which they despatched1 through their agents1 to the ,sublime ,porte4 ,such grave accusations1 embodied in numerous reports1 could not fail to perturb profoundly the mind of a despot already obsessed by the fear of impending rebellion among his subjects4 ,a commission was accordingly appointed to inquire into the matter1 and report the result of its investigations4 ,each of the charges brought against #8,abdu'l-,bah1 when summoned to the court1 on several occasions1 ,he carefully and fearlessly refuted4 ,he exposed the absurdity of these accusations1 acquainted the members of the ,commission1 in support of ,his argument1 with the provisions of ,bah'u'llh's ,testament1 expressed ,his readiness to submit to any sentence the court might decide to pass upon ,him1 and eloquently affirmed that if they should chain ,him1 drag ,him through the streets1 execrate and ridicule ,him1 stone and spit upon ,him1 suspend ,him in the public square1 and riddle ,him with bullets1 ,he would regard it as a signal honor1 inasmuch as ,he would thereby be following in the footsteps1 and sharing the sufferings1 of ,his beloved ,leader1 the ,bb4 ,the gravity of the situation confronting #8,abdu'l-,bah2 the rumors that were being set afloat by a population that anticipated the gravest developments2 the hints and allusions to the dangers threatening ,him contained in newspapers published in ,egypt and ,syria2 the aggressive attitude which ,his enemies increasingly assumed2 the provocative behavior of some of the inhabitants of ,akk and ,haifa who had been emboldened by the predictions and fabrications of these enemies regarding the fate awaiting a suspected community and its ,leader1 led ,him to reduce the number of pilgrims1 and even to suspend1 for a time1 their visits1 and to issue special instructions that ,his mail be handled through an agent in ,egypt rather than in ,haifa2 for a time ,he ordered that it should be held there pending further advice from ,him4 ,he1 moreover1 directed the believers1 as well as ,his own secretaries1 to collect and remove to a place of safety all the ,bah' writings in their possession1 and1 urging them to transfer their residence to ,egypt1 went so far as to forbid their gathering1 as was their wont1 in ,his house4 ,even ,his numerous friends and admirers refrained1 during the most turbulent days of this period1 from calling upon ,him1 for fear of being implicated and of incurring the suspicion of the authorities4 ,on certain days and nights1 when the outlook was at its darkest1 the house in which ,he was living1 and which had for many years been a focus of activity1 was completely deserted4 ,spies1 secretly and openly1 kept watch around it1 observing ,his every movement and restricting the freedom of ,his family4 ,the construction of the ,bb's sepulcher1 whose foundation-stone had been laid by ,him on the site blessed and selected by ,bah'u'llh1 ,he1 however1 refused to suspend1 or even interrupt1 for however brief a period4 ,nor would ,he allow any obstacle1 however formidable1 to interfere with the daily flow of ,tablets which poured forth1 with prodigious rapidity and ever increasing volume1 from ,his indefatigable pen1 in answer to the vast number of letters1 reports1 inquiries1 prayers1 confessions of faith1 apologies and eulogies received from countless followers and admirers in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,eye-witnesses have testified that1 during that agitated and perilous period of ,his life1 they had known ,him to pen1 with ,his own ,hand1 no less than ninety ,tablets in a single day1 and to pass many a night1 from dusk to dawn1 alone in ,his bed-chamber engaged in a correspondence which the pressure of ,his manifold responsibilities had prevented ,him from attending to in the day-time4 ,it was during these troublous times1 the most dramatic period of ,his ministry1 when1 in the hey-day of ,his life and in the full tide of ,his power1 ,he1 with inexhaustible energy1 marvelous serenity and unshakable confidence1 initiated and resistlessly prosecuted the varied enterprises associated with that ministry4 ,it was during these times that the plan of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world was conceived by ,him1 and its construction undertaken by ,his followers in the city of ,ishqbd in ,turkistn4 ,it was during these times1 despite the disturbances that agitated ,his native country1 that instructions were issued by ,him for the restoration of the holy and historic ,house of the ,bb in ,shrz4 ,it was during these times that the initial measures1 chiefly through ,his constant encouragement1 were taken which paved the way for the laying of the dedication stone1 which ,he1 in later years1 placed with ,his own hands when visiting the site of the ,mother ,temple of the ,west on the shore of ,lake ,michigan4 ,it was at this juncture that that celebrated compilation of ,his table talks1 published under the title 8,some ,answered ,questions10 was made1 talks given during the brief time ,he was able to spare1 in the course of which certain fundamental aspects of ,his ,father's ,faith were elucidated1 traditional and rational proofs of its validity adduced1 and a great variety of subjects regarding the ,christian ,dispensation1 the ,prophets of ,god1 ,biblical prophecies1 the origin and condition of man and other kindred themes authoritatively explained4 ,it was during the darkest hours of this period that1 in a communication addressed to the ,bb's cousin1 the venerable j ,mrz ,muammad-,taq1 the chief builder of the ,temple of ,ishqbd1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in stirring terms1 proclaimed the immeasurable greatness of the ,revelation of ,bah'u'llh1 sounded the warnings foreshadowing the turmoil which its enemies1 both far and near1 would let loose upon the world1 and prophesied1 in moving language1 the ascendancy which the torchbearers of the ,covenant would ultimately achieve over them4 ,it was at an hour of grave suspense1 during that same period1 that ,he penned ,his ,will and ,testament1 that immortal ,document wherein ,he delineated the features of the ,administrative ,order which would arise after ,his passing1 and would herald the establishment of that ,world ,order1 the advent of which the ,bb had announced1 and the laws and principles of which ,bah'u'llh had already formulated4 ,it was in the course of these tumultuous years that1 through the instrumentality of the heralds and champions of a firmly instituted ,covenant1 ,he reared the embryonic institutions1 administrative1 spiritual1 and educational1 of a steadily expanding ,faith in ,persia1 the cradle of that ,faith1 in the ,great ,republic of the ,west1 the cradle of its ,administrative ,order1 in the ,dominion of ,canada1 in ,france1 in ,england1 in ,germany1 in ,egypt1 in #8,irq1 in ,russia1 in ,india1 in ,burma1 in ,japan1 and even in the remote ,pacific ,islands4 ,it was during these stirring times that a tremendous impetus was lent by ,him to the translation1 the publication and dissemination of ,bah' literature1 whose scope now included a variety of books and treatises1 written in the ,persian1 the ,arabic1 the ,english1 the ,turkish1 the ,french1 the ,german1 the ,russian and ,burmese languages4 ,at ,his table1 in those days1 whenever there was a lull in the storm raging about ,him1 there would gather pilgrims1 friends and inquirers from most of the afore-mentioned countries1 representative of the ,christian1 the ,muslim1 the ,jewish1 the ,zoroastrian1 the ,hindu and ,buddhist ,faiths4 ,to the needy thronging ,his doors and filling the courtyard of ,his house every ,friday morning1 in spite of the perils that environed ,him1 ,he would distribute alms with ,his own hands1 with a regularity and generosity that won ,him the title of 8,father of the ,poor40 ,nothing in those tempestuous days could shake ,his confidence1 nothing would be allowed to interfere with ,his ministrations to the destitute1 the orphan1 the sick1 and the down-trodden1 nothing could prevent ,him from calling in person upon those who were either incapacitated or ashamed to solicit ,his aid4 ,adamant in ,his determination to follow the example of both the ,bb and ,bah'u'llh1 nothing would induce ,him to flee from ,his enemies1 or escape from imprisonment1 neither the advice tendered ,him by the leading members of the exiled community in ,akk1 nor the insistent pleas of the ,spanish ,consul--a kinsman of the agent of an ,italian steamship company--who1 in his love for #8,abdu'l-,bah and his anxiety to avert the threatening danger1 had gone so far as to place at ,his disposal an ,italian freighter1 ready to provide ,him a safe passage to any foreign port ,he might name4 ,so imperturbable was #8,abdu'l-,bah's equanimity that1 while rumors were being bruited about that ,he might be cast into the sea1 or exiled to ,fizn in ,tripolitania1 or hanged on the gallows1 ,he1 to the amazement of ,his friends and the amusement of ,his enemies1 was to be seen planting trees and vines in the garden of ,his house1 whose fruits when the storm had blown over1 ,he would bid ,his faithful gardener1 ,ism'l q1 pluck and present to those same friends and enemies on the occasion of their visits to ,him4 ,in the early part of the winter of #aijg another ,commission of four officers1 headed by rif ,bey1 and invested with plenary powers1 was suddenly dispatched to ,akk by order of the ,suln4 ,a few days before its arrival #8,abdu'l-,bah had a dream1 which ,he recounted to the believers1 in which ,he saw a ship cast anchor off ,akk1 from which flew a few birds1 resembling sticks of dynamite1 and which1 circling about ,his head1 as ,he stood in the midst of a multitude of the frightened inhabitants of the city1 returned without exploding to the ship4 ,no sooner had the members of the ,commission landed than they placed under their direct and exclusive control both the ,telegraph and ,postal services in ,akk2 arbitrarily dismissed officials suspected of being friendly to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 including the governor of the city2 established direct and secret contact with the government in ,constantinople2 took up their residence in the home of the neighbors and intimate associates of the ,covenant-breakers2 set guards over the house of #8,abdu'l-,bah to prevent any one from seeing ,him2 and started the strange procedure of calling up as witnesses the very people1 among whom were ,christians and ,moslems1 orientals and westerners1 who had previously signed the documents forwarded to ,constantinople1 and which they had brought with them for the purpose of their investigations4 ,the activities of the ,covenant-breakers1 and particularly of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 now jubilant and full of hope1 rose in this hour of extreme crisis1 to the highest pitch4 ,visits1 interviews and entertainments multiplied1 in an atmosphere of fervid expectation1 now that the victory was seen to be at hand4 ,not a few among the lower elements of the population were led to believe that their acquisition of the property which would be left behind by the deported exiles was imminent4 ,insults and calumnies markedly increased4 ,even some of the poor1 so long and so bountifully succored by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 forsook ,him for fear of reprisals4 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 while the members of the ,commission were carrying on their so-called investigations1 and throughout their stay of about one month in ,akk1 consistently refused to meet or have any dealings with any of them1 in spite of the veiled threats and warnings conveyed by them to ,him through a messenger1 an attitude which greatly surprised them and served to inflame their animosity and reinforce their determination to execute their evil designs4 ,though the perils and tribulations which had encompassed ,him were now at their thickest1 though the ship on which ,he was supposed to embark with the members of the ,commission was waiting in readiness1 at times in ,akk1 at times in ,haifa1 and the wildest rumors were being spread about ,him1 the serenity ,he had invariably maintained1 ever since ,his incarceration had been reimposed1 remained unclouded1 and ,his confidence unshaken4 8,the meaning of the dream ,i dreamt10 ,he1 at that time1 told the believers who still remained in ,akk1 8is now clear and evident4 ,please ,god this dynamite will not explode40 ,meanwhile the members of the ,commission had1 on a certain ,friday1 gone to ,haifa and inspected the ,bb's sepulcher1 the construction of which had been proceeding without any interruption on ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,impressed by its solidity and dimensions1 they had inquired of one of the attendants as to the number of vaults that had been built beneath that massive structure4 ,shortly after the inspection had been made it was suddenly observed1 one day at about sunset1 that the ship1 which had been lying off ,haifa1 had weighed anchor1 and was heading towards ,akk4 ,the news spread rapidly among an excited population that the members of the ,commission had embarked upon it4 ,it was anticipated that it would stop long enough at ,akk to take #8,abdu'l-,bah on board1 and then proceed to its destination4 ,consternation and anguish seized the members of ,his family when informed of the approach of the ship4 ,the few believers who were left wept with grief at their impending separation from their ,master4 #8,abdu'l-,bah could be seen1 at that tragic hour1 pacing1 alone and silent1 the courtyard of ,his house4 ,as dusk fell1 however1 it was suddenly noticed that the lights of the ship had swung round1 and the vessel had changed her course4 ,it now became evident that she was sailing direct for ,constantinople4 ,the intelligence was instantly communicated to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,who1 in the gathering darkness1 was still pacing ,his courtyard4 ,some of the believers who had posted themselves at different points to watch the progress of the ship hurried to confirm the joyful tidings4 ,one of the direst perils that had ever threatened #8,abdu'l-,bah's precious life was1 on that historic day1 suddenly1 providentially and definitely averted4 ,soon after the precipitate and wholly unexpected sailing of that ship news was received that a bomb had exploded in the path of the ,suln while he was returning to his palace from the mosque where he had been offering his ,friday prayers4 ,a few days after this attempt on his life the ,commission submitted its report to him2 but he and his government were too preoccupied to consider the matter4 ,the case was laid aside1 and when1 some months later1 it was again brought forward it was abruptly closed forever by an event which1 once and for all1 placed the ,prisoner of ,akk beyond the power of ,his royal enemy4 ,the 8,young ,turk0 ,revolution1 breaking out swiftly and decisively in #aijh1 forced a reluctant despot to promulgate the constitution which he had suspended1 and to release all religious and political prisoners held under the old rgime4 ,even then a telegram had to be sent to ,constantinople to inquire specifically whether #8,abdu'l-,bah was included in the category of these prisoners1 to which an affirmative reply was promptly received4 ,within a few months1 in #aiji1 the ,young ,turks obtained from the ,shaykhu'l-,islm the condemnation of the ,suln himself who1 as a result of further attempts to overthrow the constitution1 was finally and ignominiously deposed1 deported and made a prisoner of state4 ,on one single day of that same year there were executed no less than thirty-one leading ministers1 pshs and officials1 among whom were numbered notorious enemies of the ,faith4 ,tripolitania itself1 the scene of #8,abdu'l-,bah's intended exile was subsequently wrested from the ,turks by ,italy4 ,thus ended the reign of the 8,great ,assassin10 8the most mean1 cunning1 untrustworthy and cruel intriguer of the long dynasty of ,uthmn10 a reign 8more disastrous in its immediate losses of territory and in the certainty of others to follow1 and more conspicuous for the deterioration of the condition of his subjects1 than that of any other of his twenty-three degenerate predecessors since the death of ,sulaymn the ,magnificent40 ,chapter ,,xviii3 ,entombment of the ,bb's ,remains on ,mt4 ,carmel #8,abdu'l-,bah's unexpected and dramatic release from ,his forty-year confinement dealt a blow to the ambitions cherished by the ,covenant-breakers as devastating as that which1 a decade before1 had shattered their hopes of undermining ,his authority and of ousting ,him from ,his ,god-given position4 ,now1 on the very morrow of ,his triumphant liberation a third blow befell them as stunning as those which preceded it and hardly less spectacular than they4 ,within a few months of the historic decree which set ,him free1 in the very year that witnessed the downfall of ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd1 that same power from on high which had enabled #8,abdu'l-,bah to preserve inviolate the rights divinely conferred on ,him1 to establish ,his ,father's ,faith in the ,north ,american continent1 and to triumph over ,his royal oppressor1 enabled ,him to achieve one of the most signal acts of ,his ministry3 the removal of the ,bb's remains from their place of concealment in ihrn to ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,he ,himself testified1 on more than one occasion1 that the safe transfer of these remains1 the construction of a befitting mausoleum to receive them1 and their final interment with ,his own hands in their permanent resting-place constituted one of the three principal objectives which1 ever since the inception of ,his mission1 ,he had conceived it ,his paramount duty to achieve4 ,this act indeed deserves to rank as one of the outstanding events in the first ,bah' century4 ,as observed in a previous chapter the mangled bodies of the ,bb and ,his fellow-martyr1 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 were removed1 in the middle of the second night following their execution1 through the pious intervention of j ,sulaymn ,khn1 from the edge of the moat where they had been cast to a silk factory owned by one of the believers of ,miln1 and were laid the next day in a wooden casket1 and thence carried to a place of safety4 ,subsequently1 according to ,bah'u'llh's instructions1 they were transported to ihrn and placed in the shrine of ,imm-,zdih asan4 ,they were later removed to the residence of j ,sulaymn ,khn himself in the ,sar-,chashmih quarter of the city1 and from his house were taken to the shrine of ,imm-,zdih ,ma'm1 where they remained concealed until the year #abhd ,a4,h4 7#ahfg-ahfh71 when a ,tablet1 revealed by ,bah'u'llh in ,adrianople1 directed ,mull #8,al-,akbar-i-,shhmrzd and ,jaml-i-,burjird to transfer them without delay to some other spot1 an instruction which1 in view of the subsequent reconstruction of that shrine1 proved to have been providential4 ,unable to find a suitable place in the suburb of ,shh #8,abdu'l-#8,am1 ,mull #8,al-,akbar and his companion continued their search until1 on the road leading to ,chashmih-#8,al1 they came upon the abandoned and dilapidated ,masjid-i-,mash'u'llh1 where they deposited1 within one of its walls1 after dark1 their precious burden1 having first re-wrapt the remains in a silken shroud brought by them for that purpose4 ,finding the next day to their consternation that the hiding-place had been discovered1 they clandestinely carried the casket through the gate of the capital direct to the house of ,mrz asan-i-,vazr1 a believer and son-in-law of j ,mrz ,siyyid #8,aly-i-,tafrsh1 the ,majdu'l-,ashraf1 where it remained for no less than fourteen months4 ,the long-guarded secret of its whereabouts becoming known to the believers1 they began to visit the house in such numbers that a communication had to be addressed by ,mull #8,al-,akbar to ,bah'u'llh1 begging for guidance in the matter4 j ,shh ,muammad-i-,manshad1 surnamed ,amnu'l-,bayn1 was accordingly commissioned to receive the ,trust from him1 and bidden to exercise the utmost secrecy as to its disposal4 ,assisted by another believer1 j ,shh ,muammad buried the casket beneath the floor of the inner sanctuary of the shrine of ,imm-,zdih ,zayd1 where it lay undetected until ,mrz ,asadu'llh-i-,ifhn was informed of its exact location through a chart forwarded to him by ,bah'u'llh4 ,instructed by ,bah'u'llh to conceal it elsewhere1 he first removed the remains to his own house in ihrn1 after which they were deposited in several other localities such as the house of usayn-#8,aly-i-,ifhn and that of ,muammad-,karm-i-#8,attr1 where they remained hidden until the year #acaf 7#ahii7 ,a4,h41 when1 in pursuance of directions issued by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 this same ,mrz ,asadu'llh1 together with a number of other believers1 transported them by way of ,ifhn1 ,kirmanshh1 ,baghdd and ,damascus1 to ,beirut and thence by sea to ,akk1 arriving at their destination on the #aith of the month of ,ramadn #acaf ,a4,h4 7,january #ca1 #ahii71 fifty lunar years after the ,bb's execution in ,tabrz4 ,in the same year that this precious ,trust reached the shores of the ,holy ,land and was delivered into the hands of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,he1 accompanied by ,dr4 ,ibrhm ,khayru'llh1 whom ,he had already honored with the titles of 8,bah's ,peter10 8,the ,second ,columbus0 and 8,conqueror of ,america10 drove to the recently purchased site which had been blessed and selected by ,bah'u'llh on ,mt4 ,carmel1 and there laid1 with ,his own hands1 the foundation-stone of the edifice1 the construction of which ,he1 a few months later1 was to commence4 ,about that same time1 the marble sarcophagus1 designed to receive the body of the ,bb1 an offering of love from the ,bah's of ,rangoon1 had1 at #8,abdu'l-,bah's suggestion1 been completed and shipped to ,haifa4 ,no need to dwell on the manifold problems and preoccupations which1 for almost a decade1 continued to beset #8,abdu'l-,bah until the victorious hour when ,he was able to bring to a final consummation the historic task entrusted to ,him by ,his ,father4 ,the risks and perils with which ,bah'u'llh and later ,his ,son had been confronted in their efforts to insure1 during half a century1 the protection of those remains were but a prelude to the grave dangers which1 at a later period1 the ,center of the ,covenant ,himself had to face in the course of the construction of the edifice designed to receive them1 and indeed until the hour of ,his final release from ,his incarceration4 ,the long-drawn out negotiations with the shrewd and calculating owner of the building-site of the holy ,edifice1 who1 under the influence of the ,covenant-breakers1 refused for a long time to sell2 the exorbitant price at first demanded for the opening of a road leading to that site and indispensable to the work of construction2 the interminable objections raised by officials1 high and low1 whose easily aroused suspicions had to be allayed by repeated explanations and assurances given by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself2 the dangerous situation created by the monstrous accusations brought by ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al and his associates regarding the character and purpose of that building2 the delays and complications caused by #8,abdu'l-,bah's prolonged and enforced absence from ,haifa1 and ,his consequent inability to supervise in person the vast undertaking ,he had initiated--all these were among the principal obstacles which ,he1 at so critical a period in ,his ministry1 had to face and surmount ere ,he could execute in its entirety the ,plan1 the outline of which ,bah'u'llh had communicated to ,him on the occasion of one of ,his visits to ,mt4 ,carmel4 8,every stone of that building1 every stone of the road leading to it10 ,he1 many a time was heard to remark1 8,i have with infinite tears and at tremendous cost1 raised and placed in position40 8,one night10 ,he1 according to an eye-witness1 once observed1 8,i was so hemmed in by ,my anxieties that ,i had no other recourse than to recite and repeat over and over again a prayer of the ,bb which ,i had in ,my possession1 the recital of which greatly calmed ,me4 ,the next morning the owner of the plot himself came to ,me1 apologized and begged ,me to purchase his property40 ,finally1 in the very year ,his royal adversary lost his throne1 and at the time of the opening of the first ,american ,bah' ,convention1 convened in ,chicago for the purpose of creating a permanent national organization for the construction of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 #8,abdu'l-,bah brought ,his undertaking to a successful conclusion1 in spite of the incessant machinations of enemies both within and without4 ,on the #bhth of the month of ,safar #acbg ,a4,h41 the day of the first ,naw-,rz 7#aiji71 which ,he celebrated after ,his release from ,his confinement1 #8,abdu'l-,bah had the marble sarcophagus transported with great labor to the vault prepared for it1 and in the evening1 by the light of a single lamp1 ,he laid within it1 with ,his own hands--in the presence of believers from the ,east and from the ,west and in circumstances at once solemn and moving--the wooden casket containing the sacred remains of the ,bb and ,his companion4 ,when all was finished1 and the earthly remains of the ,martyr-,prophet of ,shrz were1 at long last1 safely deposited for their everlasting rest in the bosom of ,god's holy mountain1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,who had cast aside ,his turban1 removed ,his shoes and thrown off ,his cloak1 bent low over the still open sarcophagus1 ,his silver hair waving about ,his head and ,his face transfigured and luminous1 rested ,his forehead on the border of the wooden casket1 and1 sobbing aloud1 wept with such a weeping that all those who were present wept with ,him4 ,that night ,he could not sleep1 so overwhelmed was ,he with emotion4 8,the most joyful tidings is this10 ,he wrote later in a ,tablet announcing to ,his followers the news of this glorious victory1 8that the holy1 the luminous body of the ,bb 444 after having for sixty years been transferred from place to place1 by reason of the ascendancy of the enemy1 and from fear of the malevolent1 and having known neither rest nor tranquillity has1 through the mercy of the ,abh ,beauty1 been ceremoniously deposited1 on the day of ,naw-,rz1 within the sacred casket1 in the exalted ,shrine on ,mt4 ,carmel444 ,by a strange coincidence1 on that same day of ,naw-,rz1 a cablegram was received from ,chicago1 announcing that the believers in each of the ,american centers had elected a delegate and sent to that city 444 and definitely decided on the site and construction of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr40 ,with the transference of the remains of the ,bb--,whose advent marks the return of the ,prophet ,elijah--to ,mt4 ,carmel1 and their interment in that holy mountain1 not far from the cave of that ,prophet ,himself1 the ,plan so gloriously envisaged by ,bah'u'llh1 in the evening of ,his life1 had been at last executed1 and the arduous labors associated with the early and tumultuous years of the ministry of the appointed ,center of ,his ,covenant crowned with immortal success4 ,a focal center of ,divine illumination and power1 the very dust of which #8,abdu'l-,bah averred had inspired ,him1 yielding in sacredness to no other shrine throughout the ,bah' world except the ,sepulcher of the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation ,himself1 had been permanently established on that mountain1 regarded from time immemorial as sacred4 ,a structure1 at once massive1 simple and imposing2 nestling in the heart of ,carmel1 the 8,vineyard of ,god02 flanked by the ,cave of ,elijah on the west1 and by the hills of ,galilee on the east2 backed by the plain of ,sharon1 and facing the silver-city of ,akk1 and beyond it the ,most ,holy ,tomb1 the ,heart and ,qiblih of the ,bah' world2 overshadowing the colony of ,german ,templars who1 in anticipation of the 8coming of the ,lord10 had forsaken their homes and foregathered at the foot of that mountain1 in the very year of ,bah'u'llh's ,declaration in ,baghdd 7#ahfc71 the mausoleum of the ,bb had now1 with heroic effort and in impregnable strength been established as 8the ,spot round which the ,concourse on high circle in adoration40 ,events have already demonstrated through the extension of the ,edifice itself1 through the embellishment of its surroundings1 through the acquisition of extensive endowments in its neighborhood1 and through its proximity to the resting-places of the wife1 the son and daughter of ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 that it was destined to acquire with the passing of the years a measure of fame and glory commensurate with the high purpose that had prompted its founding4 ,nor will it1 as the years go by1 and the institutions revolving around the ,world ,administrative ,center of the future ,bah' ,commonwealth are gradually established1 cease to manifest the latent potentialities with which that same immutable purpose has endowed it4 ,resistlessly will this ,divine institution flourish and expand1 however fierce the animosity which its future enemies may evince1 until the full measure of its splendor will have been disclosed before the eyes of all mankind4 8,haste thee1 ,o ,carmel60 ,bah'u'llh1 significantly addressing that holy mountain1 has written1 8for lo1 the light of the ,countenance of ,god 444 hath been lifted upon thee444 ,rejoice1 for ,god hath1 in this ,day1 established upon thee ,his throne1 hath made thee the dawning-place of ,his signs and the dayspring of the evidences of ,his ,revelation4 ,well is it with him that circleth around thee1 that proclaimeth the revelation of thy glory1 and recounteth that which the bounty of the ,lord thy ,god hath showered upon thee40 8,call out to ,zion1 ,o ,carmel60 ,he1 furthermore1 has revealed in that same ,tablet1 8and announce the joyful tidings3 ,he that was hidden from mortal eyes is come6 ,his all-conquering sovereignty is manifest2 ,his all-encompassing splendor is revealed4 ,beware lest thou hesitate or halt4 ,hasten forth and circumambulate the ,city of ,god that hath descended from heaven1 the celestial ,kaaba round which have circled in adoration the favored of ,god1 the pure in heart1 and the company of the most exalted angels40 ,chapter ,,xix3 #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,travels in ,europe and ,america ,the establishment of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in the ,western ,hemisphere--the most outstanding achievement that will forever be associated with #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry--had1 as observed in the preceding pages1 set in motion such tremendous forces1 and been productive of such far-reaching results1 as to warrant the active and personal participation of the ,center of the ,covenant ,himself in those epoch-making activities which ,his ,western disciples had1 through the propelling power of that ,covenant1 boldly initiated and were vigorously prosecuting4 ,the crisis which the blindness and perversity of the ,covenant-breakers had precipitated1 and which1 for several years1 had so tragically interfered with the execution of #8,abdu'l-,bah's purpose1 was now providentially resolved4 ,an unsurmountable barrier had been suddenly lifted from ,his path1 ,his fetters were unlocked1 and ,god's avenging wrath had taken the chains from ,his neck and placed them upon that of #8,abdu'l-amd1 ,his royal adversary and the dupe of ,his most implacable enemy4 ,the sacred remains of the ,bb1 entrusted to ,his hands by ,his departed ,father1 had1 moreover1 with immense difficulty been transferred from their hiding-place in far-off ihrn to the ,holy ,land1 and deposited ceremoniously and reverently by ,him in the bosom of ,mt4 ,carmel4 #8,abdu'l-,bah was at this time broken in health4 ,he suffered from several maladies brought on by the strains and stresses of a tragic life spent almost wholly in exile and imprisonment4 ,he was on the threshold of three-score years and ten4 ,yet as soon as ,he was released from ,his forty-year long captivity1 as soon as ,he had laid the ,bb's body in a safe and permanent resting-place1 and ,his mind was free of grievous anxieties connected with the execution of that priceless ,trust1 ,he arose with sublime courage1 confidence and resolution to consecrate what little strength remained to ,him1 in the evening of ,his life1 to a service of such heroic proportions that no parallel to it is to be found in the annals of the first ,bah' century4 ,indeed ,his three years of travel1 first to ,egypt1 then to ,europe and later to ,america1 mark1 if we would correctly appraise their historic importance1 a turning point of the utmost significance in the history of the century4 ,for the first time since the inception of the ,faith1 sixty-six years previously1 its ,head and supreme ,representative burst asunder the shackles which had throughout the ministries of both the ,bb and ,bah'u'llh so grievously fettered its freedom4 ,though repressive measures still continued to circumscribe the activities of the vast majority of its adherents in the land of its birth1 its recognized ,leader was now vouchsafed a freedom of action which1 with the exception of a brief interval in the course of the ,war of #aiad-ah1 ,he was to continue to enjoy to the end of ,his life1 and which has never since been withdrawn from its institutions at its world center4 ,so momentous a change in the fortunes of the ,faith was the signal for such an outburst of activity on ,his part as to dumbfound ,his followers in ,east and ,west with admiration and wonder1 and exercise an imperishable influence on the course of its future history4 ,he ,who1 in ,his own words1 had entered prison as a youth and left it an old man1 ,who never in ,his life had faced a public audience1 had attended no school1 had never moved in ,western circles1 and was unfamiliar with ,western customs and language1 had arisen not only to proclaim from pulpit and platform1 in some of the chief capitals of ,europe and in the leading cities of the ,north ,american continent1 the distinctive verities enshrined in ,his ,father's ,faith1 but to demonstrate as well the ,divine origin of the ,prophets gone before ,him1 and to disclose the nature of the tie binding them to that ,faith4 ,inflexibly resolved to undertake this arduous voyage1 at whatever cost to ,his strength1 at whatever risk to ,his life1 ,he1 quietly and without any previous warning1 on a ,september afternoon1 of the year #aiaj1 the year following that which witnessed the downfall of ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd and the formal entombment of the ,bb's remains on ,mt4 ,carmel1 sailed for ,egypt1 sojourned for about a month in ,port ,said1 and from thence embarked with the intention of proceeding to ,europe1 only to discover that the condition of ,his health necessitated ,his landing again at ,alexandria and postponing ,his voyage4 ,fixing ,his residence in ,ramleh1 a suburb of ,alexandria1 and later visiting ,zaytn and ,cairo1 ,he1 on ,august #aa of the ensuing year1 sailed with a party of four1 on the ,s4,s4 ,corsica1 for ,marseilles1 and proceeded1 after a brief stop at ,thonon-les-,bains1 to ,london1 where ,he arrived on ,september #d1 #aiaa4 ,after a visit of about a month1 ,he went to ,paris1 where ,he stayed for a period of nine weeks1 returning to ,egypt in ,december1 #aiaa4 ,again taking up ,his residence in ,ramleh1 where ,he passed the winter1 ,he embarked1 on ,his second journey to the ,west1 on the steamship ,cedric1 on ,march #be1 #aiab1 sailing via ,naples direct to ,new ,york where ,he arrived on ,april #aa4 ,after a prolonged tour of eight months' duration1 which carried ,him from coast to coast1 and in the course of which ,he visited ,washington1 ,chicago1 ,cleveland1 ,pittsburgh1 ,montclair1 ,boston1 ,worcester1 ,brooklyn1 ,fanwood1 ,milford1 ,philadelphia1 ,west ,englewood1 ,jersey ,city1 ,cambridge1 ,medford1 ,morristown1 ,dublin1 ,green ,acre1 ,montreal1 ,malden1 ,buffalo1 ,kenosha1 ,minneapolis1 ,st4 ,paul1 ,omaha1 ,lincoln1 ,denver1 ,glenwood ,springs1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,san ,francisco1 ,oakland1 ,palo ,alto1 ,berkeley1 ,pasadena1 ,los ,angeles1 ,sacramento1 ,cincinnati1 and ,baltimore1 ,he sailed1 on the ,s4,s4 ,celtic1 on ,december #e1 from ,new ,york for ,liverpool2 and landing there ,he proceeded by train to ,london4 ,later ,he visited ,oxford1 ,edinburgh and ,bristol1 and thence returning to ,london1 left for ,paris on ,january #ba1 #aiac4 ,on ,march #cj ,he traveled to ,stuttgart1 and from there proceeded1 on ,april #i1 to ,budapest1 visited ,vienna nine days later1 returned to ,stuttgart on ,april #be1 and to ,paris on ,may first1 where ,he remained until ,june #ab1 sailing the following day1 on the ,s4,s4 ,himalaya from ,marseilles bound for ,egypt1 arriving in ,port ,said four days later1 where after short visits to ,ism'lyyih and ,abqr1 and a prolonged stay in ,ramleh1 ,he returned to ,haifa1 concluding ,his historic journeys on ,december #e1 #aiac4 ,it was in the course of these epoch-making journeys and before large and representative audiences1 at times exceeding a thousand people1 that #8,abdu'l-,bah expounded1 with brilliant simplicity1 with persuasiveness and force1 and for the first time in ,his ministry1 those basic and distinguishing principles of ,his ,father's ,faith1 which together with the laws and ordinances revealed in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas constitute the bed-rock of ,god's latest ,revelation to mankind4 ,the independent search after truth1 unfettered by superstition or tradition2 the oneness of the entire human race1 the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of the ,faith2 the basic unity of all religions2 the condemnation of all forms of prejudice1 whether religious1 racial1 class or national2 the harmony which must exist between religion and science2 the equality of men and women1 the two wings on which the bird of human kind is able to soar2 the introduction of compulsory education2 the adoption of a universal auxiliary language2 the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty2 the institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations2 the exaltation of work1 performed in the spirit of service1 to the rank of worship2 the glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society1 and of religion as a bulwark for the protection of all peoples and nations2 and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind--these stand out as the essential elements of that ,divine polity which ,he proclaimed to leaders of public thought as well as to the masses at large in the course of these missionary journeys4 ,the exposition of these vitalizing truths of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 which ,he characterized as the 8spirit of the age10 ,he supplemented with grave and reiterated warnings of an impending conflagration which1 if the statesmen of the world should fail to avert1 would set ablaze the entire continent of ,europe4 ,he1 moreover1 predicted1 in the course of these travels1 the radical changes which would take place in that continent1 foreshadowed the movement of the decentralization of political power which would inevitably be set in motion1 alluded to the troubles that would overtake ,turkey1 anticipated the persecution of the ,jews on the ,european continent1 and categorically asserted that the 8banner of the unity of mankind would be hoisted1 that the tabernacle of universal peace would be raised and the world become another world40 ,during these travels #8,abdu'l-,bah displayed a vitality1 a courage1 a single-mindedness1 a consecration to the task ,he had set ,himself to achieve that excited the wonder and admiration of those who had the privilege of observing at close hand ,his daily acts4 ,indifferent to the sights and curiosities which habitually invite the attention of travelers and which the members of ,his entourage often wished ,him to visit2 careless alike of ,his comfort and ,his health2 expending every ounce of ,his energy day after day from dawn till late at night2 consistently refusing any gifts or contributions towards the expenses of ,his travels2 unfailing in ,his solicitude for the sick1 the sorrowful and the down-trodden2 uncompromising in ,his championship of the underprivileged races and classes2 bountiful as the rain in ,his generosity to the poor2 contemptuous of the attacks launched against ,him by vigilant and fanatical exponents of orthodoxy and sectarianism2 marvelous in ,his frankness while demonstrating1 from platform and pulpit1 the prophetic ,mission of ,jesus ,christ to the ,jews1 of the ,divine origin of ,islm in churches and synagogues1 or the truth of ,divine ,revelation and the necessity of religion to materialists1 atheists or agnostics2 unequivocal in ,his glorification of ,bah'u'llh at all times and within the sanctuaries of divers sects and denominations2 adamant in ,his refusal1 on several occasions1 to curry the favor of people of title and wealth both in ,england and in the ,united ,states2 and last but not least incomparable in the spontaneity1 the genuineness and warmth of ,his sympathy and loving-kindness shown to friend and stranger alike1 believer and unbeliever1 rich and poor1 high and low1 whom ,he met1 either intimately or casually1 whether on board ship1 or whilst pacing the streets1 in parks or public squares1 at receptions or banquets1 in slums or mansions1 in the gatherings of ,his followers or the assemblage of the learned1 ,he1 the incarnation of every ,bah' virtue and the embodiment of every ,bah' ideal1 continued for three crowded years to trumpet to a world sunk in materialism and already in the shadow of war1 the healing1 the ,god-given truths enshrined in ,his ,father's ,revelation4 ,in the course of ,his several visits to ,egypt ,he had more than one interview with the ,khedive1 ,abbs ilm ,psh ,,ii1 was introduced to ,lord ,kitchener1 met the ,muft1 ,shaykh ,muammad ,bakhit1 as well as the ,khedive's ,imm1 ,shaykh ,muammad ,rashd1 and associated with several #8ulams1 pshs1 ,persian notables1 members of the ,turkish ,parliament1 editors of leading newspapers in ,cairo and ,alexandria1 and other leaders and representatives of well-known institutions1 both religious and secular4 ,whilst ,he sojourned in ,england the house placed at ,his disposal in ,cadogan ,gardens became a veritable mecca to all sorts and conditions of men1 thronging to visit the ,prisoner of ,akk ,who had chosen their great city as the first scene of ,his labors in the ,west4 8,o1 these pilgrims1 these guests1 these visitors60 thus bears witness ,his devoted hostess during the time ,he spent in ,london1 8,remembering those days1 our ears are filled with the sound of their footsteps--as they came from every country in the world4 ,every day1 all day long1 a constant stream1 an interminable procession6 ,ministers and missionaries1 oriental scholars and occult students1 practical men of affairs and mystics1 ,anglicans1 ,catholics1 and ,non-conformists1 ,theosophists and ,hindus1 ,christian ,scientists and doctors of medicine1 ,muslims1 ,buddhists and ,zoroastrians4 ,there also called3 politicians1 ,salvation ,army soldiers1 and other workers for human good1 women suffragists1 journalists1 writers1 poets and healers1 dressmakers and great ladies1 artists and artisans1 poor workless people and prosperous merchants1 members of the dramatic and musical world1 these all came2 and none were too lowly1 nor too great1 to receive the sympathetic consideration of this holy ,messenger1 ,who was ever giving ,his life for others' good40 #8,abdu'l-,bah's first public appearance before a western audience significantly enough took place in a ,christian house of worship1 when1 on ,september #aj1 #aiaa1 ,he addressed an overflowing congregation from the pulpit of the ,city ,temple4 ,introduced by the ,pastor1 the ,reverend ,r4 ,j4 ,campbell1 ,he1 in simple and moving language1 and with vibrant voice1 proclaimed the unity of ,god1 affirmed the fundamental oneness of religion1 and announced that the hour of the unity of the sons of men1 of all races1 religions and classes had struck4 ,on another occasion1 on ,september #ag1 at the request of the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,wilberforce1 ,he addressed the congregation of ,st4 ,john the ,divine1 at ,westminster1 after evening service1 choosing as ,his theme the transcendental greatness of the ,godhead1 as affirmed and elucidated by ,bah'u'llh in the ,kitb-i-qn4 8,the ,archdeacon10 wrote a contemporary of that event1 8had the ,bishop's chair placed for his ,guest on the chancel steps1 and1 standing beside ,him1 read the translation of #8,abdu'l-,bah's address himself4 ,the congregation was profoundly moved1 and1 following the ,archdeacon's example1 knelt to receive the blessing of the ,servant of ,god--,who stood with extended arms--,his wonderful voice rising and falling in the silence with the power of ,his invocation40 ,at the invitation of the ,lord ,mayor of ,london ,he breakfasted with him at the ,mansion ,house2 addressed the ,theosophical ,society at their headquarters1 at the express request of their ,president1 and also a ,meeting of the ,higher ,thought center in ,london2 was invited by a deputation from the ,bramo-,somaj ,society to deliver a lecture under their auspices2 visited and delivered an address on world unity at the ,mosque at ,woking1 at the invitation of the ,muslim ,community of ,great ,britain1 and was entertained by ,persian princes1 noblemen1 ex-ministers and members of the ,persian ,legation in ,london4 ,he stayed as a guest in ,dr4 ,t4 ,k4 ,cheyne's home in ,oxford1 and ,he delivered an address to 8a large and deeply interested audience10 highly academic in character1 gathered at ,manchester ,college in that city1 and presided over by ,dr4 ,estlin ,carpenter4 ,he also spoke from the pulpit of a ,congregational ,church in the ,east ,end of ,london1 in response to the request of its ,pastor2 addressed gatherings in ,caxton ,hall and ,westminster ,hall1 the latter under the chairmanship of ,sir ,thomas ,berkeley1 and witnessed a performance of 8,eager ,heart10 a ,christmas mystery play at the ,church ,house1 ,westminster1 the first dramatic performance ,he had ever beheld1 and which in its graphic depiction of the life and sufferings of ,jesus ,christ moved ,him to tears4 ,in the ,hall of the ,passmore ,edwards' ,settlement1 in ,tavistock ,place1 he spoke to an audience of about four hundred and sixty representative people1 presided over by ,prof4 ,michael ,sadler1 called on a number of working women of that ,settlement1 who were on holiday at ,vanners'1 in ,byfleet1 some twenty miles out of ,london1 and paid a second visit there1 meeting on that occasion people of every condition who had specially gathered to see ,him1 among whom were 8the clergy of several denominations1 a headmaster of a boys' public school1 a member of ,parliament1 a doctor1 a famous political writer1 the vice-chancellor of a university1 several journalists1 a well-known poet1 and a magistrate from ,london40 8,he will long be remembered10 wrote a chronicler of ,his visit to ,england1 describing that occasion1 8as ,he sat in the bow window in the afternoon sunshine1 ,his arm round a very ragged but very happy little boy who had come to ask #8,abdu'l-,bah for sixpence for his money box and for his invalid mother1 whilst round ,him in the room were gathered men and women discussing ,education1 ,socialism1 the first ,reform ,bill1 and the relation of submarines and wireless telegraphy to the new era on which man is entering40 ,among those who called on ,him during the memorable days ,he spent in ,england and ,scotland were the ,reverend ,archdeacon ,wilberforce1 the ,reverend ,r4 ,j4 ,campbell1 the ,reverend ,rhonddha ,williams1 the ,reverend ,roland ,corbet1 ,lord ,lamington1 ,sir ,richard and ,lady ,stapley1 ,sir ,michael ,sadler1 the ,jallu'd-,dawlih1 son of the ,zillu's-,suln1 ,sir ,ameer ,ali1 the late ,maharaja of ,jalawar1 who paid ,him many visits and gave an elaborate dinner and reception in ,his honor1 the ,maharaja of ,rajputana1 the ,ranee of ,sarawak1 ,princess ,karadja1 ,baroness ,barnekov1 ,lady ,wemyss and her sister1 ,lady ,glencomer1 ,lady ,agnew1 ,miss ,constance ,maud1 ,prof4 ,e4 ,g4 ,browne1 ,prof4 ,patrick ,geddes1 ,mr4 ,albert ,dawson1 editor of the ,christian ,commonwealth1 ,mr4 ,david ,graham ,pole1 ,mrs4 ,annie ,besant1 ,mrs4 ,pankhurst1 and ,mr4 ,stead1 who had long and earnest conversations with ,him4 8,very numerous10 ,his hostess1 describing the impression produced on those who were accorded by ,him the privilege of a private audience1 has written1 8were these applicants for so unique an experience1 how unique only those knew when in the presence of the ,master1 and we could partly divine1 as we saw the look on their faces as they emerged--a look as though blended of awe1 of marveling1 and of a certain calm joy4 ,sometimes we were conscious of reluctance in them to come forth into the outer world1 as though they would hold fast to their beatitude1 lest the return of things of earth should wrest it from them40 8,a profound impression10 the aforementioned chronicler has recorded1 summing up the results produced by that memorable visit1 8remained in the minds and memories of all sorts and conditions of men and women4444 ,very greatly was #8,abdu'l-,bah's sojourn in ,london appreciated2 very greatly ,his departure regretted4 ,he left behind ,him many1 many friends4 ,his love had kindled love4 ,his heart had opened to the ,west1 and the ,western heart had closed around this patriarchal presence from the ,east4 ,his words had in them something that appealed not only to their immediate hearers1 but to men and women generally40 ,his visits to ,paris1 where for a time ,he occupied an apartment in the ,avenue de ,camoens1 were marked by a warmth of welcome no less remarkable than the reception accorded ,him by ,his friends and followers in ,london4 8,during the ,paris visit10 that same devoted ,english hostess1 ,lady ,blomfield1 who had followed ,him to that city1 has testified1 8as it had been in ,london1 daily happenings took on the atmosphere of spiritual events4444 ,every morning1 according to ,his custom1 the ,master expounded the principles of the teaching of ,bah'u'llh to those who gathered round ,him1 the learned and the unlearned1 eager and respectful4 ,they were of all nationalities and creeds1 from the ,east and from the ,west1 including ,theosophists1 agnostics1 materialists1 spiritualists1 ,christian ,scientists1 social reformers1 ,hindus1 ,sufis1 ,muslims1 ,buddhists1 ,zoroastrians and many others40 ,and again3 8,interview followed interview4 ,church dignitaries of various branches of the ,christian ,tree came1 some earnestly desirous of finding new aspects of the ,truth4444 ,others there were who stopped their ears1 lest they should hear and understand40 ,persian princes1 noblemen and ex-ministers1 among them the ,zillu's-,suln1 the ,persian ,minister1 the ,turkish ,ambassador in ,paris1 ,rashd ,psh1 an ex-val of ,beirut1 ,turkish pshs and ex-ministers1 and ,viscount ,arawaka1 ,japanese ,ambassador to the ,court of ,spain1 were among those who had the privilege of attaining ,his presence4 ,gatherings of ,esperantists and ,theosophists1 students of the ,faculty of ,theology and large audiences at l',alliance ,spiritualiste were addressed by ,him2 at a ,mission ,hall1 in a very poor quarter of the city1 ,he addressed a congregation at the invitation of the ,pastor1 whilst in numerous meetings of ,his followers those already familiar with ,his teachings were privileged to hear from ,his lips detailed and frequent expositions of certain aspects of ,his ,father's ,faith4 ,in ,stuttgart1 where ,he made a brief but never-to-be-forgotten stay1 and to which ,he traveled in spite of ill-health in order to establish personal contact with the members of the community of ,his enthusiastic and dearly beloved ,german friends1 ,he1 apart from attending the gatherings of ,his devoted followers1 bestowed ,his abundant blessings on the members of the ,youth group1 gathered at ,esslingen1 and addressed1 at the invitation of ,professor ,christale1 ,president of the ,esperantists of ,europe1 a large meeting of ,esperantists at their club4 ,he1 moreover1 visited ,bad ,mergentheim1 in ,wrttemberg1 where a few years later 7#aiae7 a monument was erected in memory of ,his visit by one of ,his grateful disciples4 8,the humility1 love and devotion of the ,german believers10 wrote an eyewitness1 8rejoiced the heart of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and they received ,his blessings and ,his words of encouraging counsel in complete submissiveness4 444,friends came from far and near to see the ,master4 ,there was a constant flow of visitors at the ,hotel ,marquart4 ,there #8,abdu'l-,bah received them with such love and graciousness that they became radiant with joy and happiness40 ,in ,vienna1 where ,he stayed a few days1 #8,abdu'l-,bah addressed a gathering of ,theosophists in that city1 whilst in ,budapest ,he granted an interview to the ,president of the ,university1 met on a number of occasions the famous ,orientalist ,prof4 ,arminius ,vambery1 addressed the ,theosophical ,society1 and was visited by the ,president of the ,turanian1 and representatives of the ,turkish ,societies1 army officers1 several members of ,parliament1 and a deputation of ,young ,turks1 led by ,prof4 ,julius ,germanus1 who accorded ,him a hearty welcome to the city4 8,during this time10 is the written testimony of ,dr4 ,rusztem ,vambery1 8,his 7#8,abdu'l-,bah7 room in the ,dunapalota ,hotel became a veritable mecca for all those whom the mysticism of the ,east and the wisdom of its ,master attracted into its magic circle4 ,among ,his visitors were ,count ,albert ,apponyi1 ,prelate ,alexander ,giesswein1 ,professor ,ignatius ,goldziher1 the ,orientalist of world-wide renown1 ,professor ,robert ,a4 ,nadler1 the famous ,budapest painter1 and leader of the ,hungarian ,theosophical ,society40 ,it was reserved1 however1 for the ,north ,american continent to witness the most astonishing manifestation of the boundless vitality #8,abdu'l-,bah exhibited in the course of these journeys4 ,the remarkable progress achieved by the organized community of ,his followers in the ,united ,states and ,canada1 the marked receptivity of the ,american public to ,his ,message1 as well as ,his consciousness of the high destiny awaiting the people of that continent1 fully warranted the expenditure of time and energy which he devoted to this most important phase of ,his travels4 ,a visit which entailed a journey of over five thousand miles1 which lasted from ,april to ,december1 which carried ,him from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific coast and back1 which elicited discourses of such number as to fill no less than three volumes1 was to mark the climax of those journeys1 and was fully justified by the far-reaching results which ,he well knew such labors on ,his part would produce4 8,this long voyage10 ,he told ,his assembled followers on the occasion of ,his first meeting with them in ,new ,york1 8will prove how great is ,my love for you4 ,there were many troubles and vicissitudes1 but in the thought of meeting you1 all these things vanished and were forgotten40 ,the character of the acts ,he performed fully demonstrated the importance ,he attached to that visit4 ,the laying1 with ,his own hands1 of the dedication stone of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 by the shore of ,lake ,michigan1 in the vicinity of ,chicago1 on the recently purchased property1 and in the presence of a representative gathering of ,bah's from ,east and ,west2 the dynamic affirmation by ,him of the implications of the ,covenant instituted by ,bah'u'llh1 following the reading of the newly translated ,tablet of the ,branch1 in a general assembly of ,his followers in ,new ,york1 designated henceforth as the 8,city of the ,covenant02 the moving ceremony in ,inglewood1 ,california1 marking ,his special pilgrimage to the grave of ,thornton ,chase1 the 8first ,american believer10 and indeed the first to embrace the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh in the ,western world2 the symbolic ,feast ,he ,himself offered to a large gathering of ,his disciples assembled in the open air1 and in the green setting of a ,june day at ,west ,englewood1 in ,new ,jersey2 the blessing ,he bestowed on the ,open ,forum at ,green ,acre1 in ,maine1 on the banks of the ,piscataqua ,river1 where many of ,his followers had gathered1 and which was to evolve into one of the first ,bah' summer schools of the ,western ,hemisphere and be recognized as one of the earliest endowments established in the ,american continent2 ,his address to an audience of several hundred attending the last session of the newly-founded ,bah' ,temple ,unity held in ,chicago2 and1 last but not least1 the exemplary act ,he performed by uniting in wedlock two of ,his followers of different nationalities1 one of the white1 the other of the ,negro race--these must rank among the outstanding functions associated with ,his visit to the community of the ,american believers1 functions designed to pave the way for the erection of their central ,house of ,worship1 to fortify them against the tests they were soon to endure1 to cement their unity1 and to bless the beginnings of that ,administrative ,order which they were soon to initiate and champion4 ,no less remarkable were #8,abdu'l-,bah's public activities in the course of ,his association with the multitude of people with whom ,he came in contact during ,his tour across a continent4 ,a full account of these diversified activities which crowded ,his days during no less than eight months1 would be beyond the scope of this survey4 ,suffice it to say that in the city of ,new ,york alone ,he delivered public addresses in1 and made formal visits to1 no less than fifty-five different places4 ,peace societies1 ,christian and ,jewish congregations1 colleges and universities1 welfare and charitable organizations1 members of ethical cults1 ,new ,thought centers1 metaphysical groups1 ,women's clubs1 scientific associations1 gatherings of ,esperantists1 ,theosophists1 ,mormons1 and agnostics1 institutions for the advancement of the colored people1 representatives of the ,syrian1 the ,armenian1 the ,greek1 the ,chinese1 and ,japanese communities--all were brought into contact with ,his dynamic presence1 and were privileged to hear from ,his lips ,his ,father's ,message4 ,nor was the press either in its editorial comment or in the publication of reports of ,his lectures1 slow to appreciate the breadth of ,his vision or the character of ,his summons4 ,his discourse at the ,peace ,conferences at ,lake ,mohonk2 ,his addresses to large gatherings at ,columbia1 ,howard and ,new ,york ,universities2 ,his participation in the fourth annual conference of the ,national ,association for the ,advancement of the ,colored ,people2 ,his fearless assertion of the truth of the prophetic ,missions of both ,jesus ,christ and ,muammad in ,temple ,emmanu-,el1 a ,jewish synagogue in ,san ,francisco1 where no less than two thousand people were gathered2 ,his illuminating discourse before an audience of eighteen hundred students and one hundred and eighty teachers and professors at ,leland ,stanford ,university2 ,his memorable visit to the ,bowery ,mission in the slums of ,new ,york2 the brilliant reception given in ,his honor in ,washington1 at which many outstanding figures in the social life of the capital were presented to ,him--these stand out as the highlights of the unforgettable ,mission ,he undertook in the service of ,his ,father's ,cause4 ,secretaries of ,state1 ,ambassadors1 ,congressmen1 distinguished rabbis and churchmen1 and other people of eminence attained ,his presence1 among whom were such figures as ,dr4 ,d4 ,s4 ,jordan1 ,president of ,leland ,stanford ,university1 ,prof4 ,jackson of ,columbia ,university1 ,prof4 ,jack of ,oxford ,university1 ,rabbi ,stephen ,wise of ,new ,york1 ,dr4 ,martin ,a4 ,meyer1 ,rabbi ,joseph ,l4 ,levy1 ,rabbi ,abram ,simon1 ,alexander ,graham ,bell1 ,rabindranath ,tagore1 ,hon4 ,franklin ,k4 ,lane1 ,mrs4 ,william ,jennings ,bryan1 ,andrew ,carnegie1 ,hon4 ,franklin ,mac,veagh1 ,secretary of the ,united ,states ,treasury1 ,lee ,mc,clung1 ,mr4 ,roosevelt1 ,admiral ,wain ,wright1 ,admiral ,peary1 the ,british1 ,dutch and ,swiss ,ministers in ,washington1 ,ysf ,dy ,psh1 the ,turkish ,ambassador in that city1 ,thomas ,seaton1 ,hon4 ,william ,sulzer and ,prince ,muammad-#8,al of ,egypt1 the ,khedive's brother4 8,when #8,abdu'l-,bah visited this country for the first time in #aiab10 a commentator on ,his ,american travels has written1 8,he found a large and sympathetic audience waiting to greet ,him personally and to receive from ,his own lips ,his loving and spiritual message4 444,beyond the words spoken there was something indescribable in ,his personality that impressed profoundly all who came into ,his presence4 ,the dome-like head1 the patriarchal beard1 the eyes that seemed to have looked beyond the reach of time and sense1 the soft yet clearly penetrating voice1 the translucent humility1 the never failing love1--but above all1 the sense of power mingled with gentleness that invested ,his whole being with a rare majesty of spiritual exaltation that both set ,him apart1 and yet that brought ,him near to the lowliest soul1--it was all this1 and much more that can never be defined1 that have left with ,his many 444 friends1 memories that are ineffaceable and unspeakably precious40 ,a survey1 however inadequate of the varied and immense activities of #8,abdu'l-,bah in ,his tour of ,europe and ,america cannot leave without mention some of the strange incidents that would often accompany personal contact with ,him4 ,the bold determination of a certain indomitable youth who1 fearing #8,abdu'l-,bah would not be able to visit the ,western states1 and unable himself to pay for a train journey to ,new ,england1 had traveled all the way from ,minneapolis to ,maine lying on the rods between the wheels of a train2 the transformation effected in the life of the son of a country rector in ,england1 who1 in his misery and poverty1 had resolved1 whilst walking along the banks of the ,thames1 to put an end to his existence1 and who1 at the sight of #8,abdu'l-,bah's photograph displayed in a shop window1 had inquired about ,him1 hurried to ,his residence1 and been so revived by ,his words of cheer and comfort as to abandon all thought of self-destruction2 the extraordinary experience of a woman whose little girl1 as the result of a dream she had had1 insisted that ,jesus ,christ was in the world1 and who1 at the sight of #8,abdu'l-,bah's picture exposed in the window of a magazine store1 had instantly identified it as that of the ,jesus ,christ of her dream--an act which impelled her mother1 after reading that #8,abdu'l-,bah was in ,paris1 to take the next boat for ,europe and hasten to attain ,his presence2 the decision of the editor of a journal printed in ,japan to break his journey to ,tokyo at ,constantinople1 and travel to ,london for 8the joy of spending one evening in ,his presence02 the touching scene when #8,abdu'l-,bah1 receiving from the hands of a ,persian friend1 recently arrived in ,london from ,ishqbd1 a cotton handkerchief containing a piece of dry black bread and a shrivelled apple--the offering of a poor ,bah' workman in that city--opened it before ,his assembled guests1 and1 leaving ,his luncheon untouched1 broke pieces off that bread1 and partaking ,himself of it shared it with those who were present--these are but a few of a host of incidents that shed a revealing light on some personal aspects of ,his memorable journeys4 ,nor can certain scenes revolving around that majestic and patriarchal ,figure1 as ,he moved through the cities of ,europe and ,america1 be ever effaced from memory4 ,the remarkable interview at which #8,abdu'l-,bah1 while placing lovingly ,his hand on the head of ,archdeacon ,wilberforce1 answered his many questions1 whilst that distinguished churchman sat on a low chair by ,his side2 the still more remarkable scene when that same ,archdeacon1 after having knelt with his entire congregation to receive ,his benediction at ,st4 ,john's the ,divine1 passed down the aisle to the vestry hand in hand with his ,guest1 whilst a hymn was being sung by the entire assembly standing2 the sight of ,jallu'd-,dawlih1 fallen prostrate at ,his feet1 profuse in his apologies and imploring ,his forgiveness for his past iniquities2 the enthusiastic reception accorded ,him at ,leland ,stanford ,university when1 before the gaze of well nigh two thousand professors and students1 ,he discoursed on some of the noblest truths underlying ,his message to the ,west2 the touching spectacle at ,bowery ,mission when four hundred of the poor of ,new ,york filed past ,him1 each receiving a piece of silver from ,his blessed hands2 the acclamation of a ,syrian woman in ,boston who1 pushing aside the crowd that had gathered around ,him1 flung herself at ,his feet1 exclaiming1 8,i confess that in ,thee ,i have recognized the ,spirit of ,god and ,jesus ,christ ,himself02 the no less fervent tribute paid ,him by two admiring ,arabs who1 as ,he was leaving that city for ,dublin1 ,n4 ,h41 cast themselves before ,him1 and1 sobbing aloud1 avowed that ,he was ,god's own ,messenger to mankind2 the vast congregation of two thousand ,jews assembled in a synagogue in ,san ,francisco1 intently listening to ,his discourse as ,he demonstrated the validity of the claims advanced by both ,jesus ,christ and ,muammad2 the gathering ,he addressed one night in ,montreal1 at which1 in the course of ,his speech1 ,his turban fell from ,his head1 so carried away was ,he by the theme ,he was expounding2 the boisterous crowd in a very poor quarter of ,paris1 who1 awed by ,his presence1 reverently and silently made way for ,him as ,he passed through their midst1 while returning from a ,mission ,hall whose congregation ,he had been addressing2 the characteristic gesture of a ,zoroastrian physician who1 arriving in breathless haste on the morning of #8,abdu'l-,bah's departure from ,london to bid ,him farewell1 anointed with fragrant oil first ,his head and ,his breast1 and then1 touching the hands of all present1 placed round ,his neck and shoulders a garland of rosebuds and lilies2 the crowd of visitors arriving soon after dawn1 patiently waiting on the doorsteps of ,his house in ,cadogan ,gardens until the door would be opened for their admittance2 ,his majestic figure as ,he paced with a vigorous step the platform1 or stood with hands upraised to pronounce the benediction1 in church and synagogue alike1 and before vast audiences of reverent listeners2 the unsolicited mark of respect shown ,him by distinguished society women in ,london1 who would spontaneously curtsy when ushered into ,his presence2 the poignant sight when ,he stooped low to the grave of ,his beloved disciple1 ,thornton ,chase1 in ,inglewood ,cemetery1 and kissed his tombstone1 an example which all those present hastened to follow2 the distinguished gathering of ,christians1 ,jews and ,muslims1 men and women and representative of both the ,east and the ,west1 assembled to hear ,his discourse on world unity in the mosque at ,woking--such scenes as these1 even in the cold record of the printed page1 must still have much of their original impressiveness and power4 ,who knows what thoughts flooded the heart of #8,abdu'l-,bah as ,he found ,himself the central figure of such memorable scenes as these8 ,who knows what thoughts were uppermost in ,his mind as ,he sat at breakfast beside the ,lord ,mayor of ,london1 or was received with extraordinary deference by the ,khedive himself in his palace1 or as ,he listened to the cries of 8,allh-u-,abh0 and to the hymns of thanksgiving and praise that would herald ,his approach to the numerous and brilliant assemblages of ,his enthusiastic followers and friends organized in so many cities of the ,american continent8 ,who knows what memories stirred within ,him as ,he stood before the thundering waters of ,niagara1 breathing the free air of a far distant land1 or gazed1 in the course of a brief and much-needed rest1 upon the green woods and countryside in ,glenwood ,springs1 or moved with a retinue of ,oriental believers along the paths of the ,trocadero gardens in ,paris1 or walked alone in the evening beside the majestic ,hudson on ,riverside ,drive in ,new ,york1 or as ,he paced the terrace of the ,hotel du ,parc at ,thonon-les-,bains1 overlooking the ,lake of ,geneva1 or as ,he watched from ,serpentine ,bridge in ,london the pearly chain of lights beneath the trees stretching as far as the eye could see8 ,memories of the sorrows1 the poverty1 the overhanging doom of ,his earlier years2 memories of ,his mother who sold her gold buttons to provide ,him1 ,his brother and ,his sister with sustenance1 and who was forced1 in her darkest hours1 to place a handful of dry flour in the palm of ,his hand to appease ,his hunger2 of ,his own childhood when pursued and derided by a mob of ruffians in the streets of ihrn2 of the damp and gloomy room1 formerly a morgue1 which ,he occupied in the barracks of ,akk and of ,his imprisonment in the dungeon of that city--memories such as these must surely have thronged ,his mind4 ,thoughts1 too1 must have visited ,him of the ,bb's captivity in the mountain fastnesses of dhirbayjn1 when at night time ,he was refused even a lamp1 and of ,his cruel and tragic execution when hundreds of bullets riddled ,his youthful breast4 ,above all ,his thoughts must have centered on ,bah'u'llh1 ,whom ,he loved so passionately and ,whose trials ,he had witnessed and had shared from ,his boyhood4 ,the vermin-infested ,syh-,chl of ihrn2 the bastinado inflicted upon ,him in mul2 the humble fare which filled ,his kashkl while ,he lived for two years the life of a dervish in the mountains of ,kurdistn2 the days in ,baghdd when ,he did not even possess a change of linen1 and when ,his followers subsisted on a handful of dates2 ,his confinement behind the prison-walls of ,akk1 when for nine years even the sight of verdure was denied ,him2 and the public humiliation to which ,he was subjected at government headquarters in that city--pictures from the tragic past such as these must have many a time overpowered ,him with feelings of mingled gratitude and sorrow1 as ,he witnessed the many marks of respect1 of esteem1 and honor now shown ,him and the ,faith which ,he represented4 8,o ,bah'u'llh6 ,what hast ,thou done80 ,he1 as reported by the chronicler of ,his travels1 was heard to exclaim one evening as ,he was being swiftly driven to fulfil ,his third engagement of the day in ,washington1 8,o ,bah'u'llh6 ,may my life be sacrificed for ,thee6 ,o ,bah'u'llh6 ,may my soul be offered up for ,thy sake6 ,how full were ,thy days with trials and tribulations6 ,how severe the ordeals ,thou didst endure6 ,how solid the foundation ,thou hast finally laid1 and how glorious the banner ,thou didst hoist60 8,one day1 as ,he was strolling10 that same chronicler has testified1 8,he called to remembrance the days of the ,blessed ,beauty1 referring with sadness to ,his sojourn in ,sulaymnyyih1 to ,his loneliness and to the wrongs inflicted upon ,him4 ,though ,he had often recounted that episode1 that day ,he was so overcome with emotion that ,he sobbed aloud in ,his grief4444 ,all ,his attendants wept with ,him1 and were plunged into sorrow as they heard the tale of the woeful trials endured by the ,ancient ,beauty1 and witnessed the tenderness of heart manifested by ,his ,son40 ,a most significant scene in a century-old drama had been enacted4 ,a glorious chapter in the history of the first ,bah' century had been written4 ,seeds of undreamt-of potentialities had1 with the hand of the ,center of the ,covenant ,himself1 been sown in some of the fertile fields of the ,western world4 ,never in the entire range of religious history had any ,figure of comparable stature arisen to perform a labor of such magnitude and imperishable worth4 ,forces were unleashed through those fateful journeys which even now1 at a distance of well nigh thirty-five years1 we are unable to measure or comprehend4 ,already a ,queen1 inspired by the powerful arguments adduced by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the course of ,his addresses in support of the ,divinity of ,muammad1 has proclaimed her faith1 and borne public testimony to the ,divine origin of the ,prophet of ,islm4 ,already a ,president of the ,united ,states1 imbibing some of the principles so clearly enunciated by ,him in ,his discourses1 has incorporated them in a ,peace ,program which stands out as the boldest and noblest proposal yet made for the well-being and security of mankind4 ,and already1 alas6 a world which proved deaf to ,his warnings and refused to heed ,his summons has plunged itself into two global wars of unprecedented severity1 the repercussions of which none as yet can even dimly visualize4 ,chapter ,,xx3 ,growth and ,expansion of the ,faith in ,east and ,west #8,abdu'l-,bah's historic journeys to the ,west1 and in particular ,his eight-month tour of the ,united ,states of ,america1 may be said to have marked the culmination of ,his ministry1 a ministry whose untold blessings and stupendous achievements only future generations can adequately estimate4 ,as the day-star of ,bah'u'llh's ,revelation had shone forth in its meridian splendor at the hour of the proclamation of ,his ,message to the rulers of the earth in the city of ,adrianople1 so did the ,orb of ,his ,covenant mount its zenith and shed its brightest rays when ,he ,who was its appointed ,center arose to blazon the glory and greatness of ,his ,father's ,faith among the peoples of the ,west4 ,that divinely instituted ,covenant had1 shortly after its inception1 demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt its invincible strength through its decisive triumph over the dark forces which its ,arch-,breaker had with such determination arrayed against it4 ,its energizing power had soon after been proclaimed through the signal victories which its torch-bearers had so rapidly and courageously won in the far-off cities of ,western ,europe and the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,its high claims had1 moreover1 been fully vindicated through its ability to safeguard the unity and integrity of the ,faith in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,it had subsequently given further proof of its indomitable strength by the memorable victory it registered through the downfall of ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd1 and the consequent release of its appointed ,center from a forty-year captivity4 ,it had provided for those still inclined to doubt its ,divine origin yet another indisputable testimony to its solidity by enabling #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in the face of formidable obstacles1 to effect the transfer and the final entombment of the ,bb's remains in a mausoleum on ,mt4 ,carmel4 ,it had manifested also before all mankind1 with a force and in a measure hitherto unapproached1 its vast potentialities when it empowered ,him in ,whom its spirit and its purpose were enshrined to embark on a three-year-long mission to the ,western world--a mission so momentous that it deserves to rank as the greatest exploit ever to be associated with ,his ministry4 ,nor were these1 preeminent though they were1 the sole fruits garnered through the indefatigable efforts exerted so heroically by the ,center of that ,covenant4 ,the progress and extension of ,his ,father's ,faith in the ,east2 the initiation of activities and enterprises which may be said to signalize the beginnings of a future ,administrative ,order2 the erection of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world in the city of ,ishqbd in ,russian ,turkistn2 the expansion of ,bah' literature2 the revelation of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan2 and the introduction of the ,faith in the ,australian continent--these may be regarded as the outstanding achievements that have embellished the brilliant record of #8,abdu'l-,bah's unique ministry4 ,in ,persia1 the cradle of the ,faith1 despite the persecutions which1 throughout the years of that ministry1 persisted with unabated violence1 a noticeable change1 marking the gradual emergence of a proscribed community from its hitherto underground existence1 could be clearly discerned4 ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 four years after ,bah'u'llh's ascension1 had1 on the eve of his jubilee1 designed to mark a turning-point in the history of his country1 met his death at the hands of an assassin1 named ,mrz ,ri1 a follower of the notorious ,siyyid ,jamlu'd-,dn-i-,afghn1 an enemy of the ,faith and one of the originators of the constitutional movement which1 as it gathered momentum1 during the reign of the ,shh's son and successor1 ,muzaffari'd-,dn1 was destined to involve in further difficulties an already hounded and persecuted community4 ,even the ,shh's assassination had at first been laid at the door of that community1 as evidenced by the cruel death suffered1 immediately after the murder of the sovereign1 by the renowned teacher and poet1 ,mrz #8,al-,muammad1 surnamed 8,varq0 7,dove7 by ,bah'u'llh1 who1 together with his twelve-year-old son1 ,rhu'llh1 was inhumanly put to death in the prison of ihrn1 by the brutal ajbu'd-,dawlih1 who1 after thrusting his dagger into the belly of the father and cutting him into pieces1 before the eyes of his son1 adjured the boy to recant1 and1 meeting with a blunt refusal1 strangled him with a rope4 ,three years previously a youth1 named ,muammad-,riy-i-,yazd1 was shot in ,yazd1 on the night of his wedding while proceeding from the public bath to his home1 the first to suffer martyrdom during #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry4 ,in ,turbt-i-,haydaryyih1 in consequence of the ,shh's assassination1 five persons1 known as the ,shuhady-i-,khamsh 7,five ,martyrs71 were put to death4 ,in ,mashhad a well-known merchant1 j ,muammad-i-,tabrz1 was murdered and his corpse set on fire4 ,an interview was granted by the new sovereign and his ,grand ,vizir1 the unprincipled and reactionary ,mrz #8,al-,aghar ,khn1 the ,atbik-i-,a'am1 to two representative followers of the ,faith in ,paris 7#aijb71 but it produced no real results whatever4 ,on the contrary1 a fresh storm of persecutions broke out a few years later1 persecutions which1 as the constitutional movement developed in that country1 grew ever fiercer as reactionaries brought groundless accusations against the ,bah's1 and publicly denounced them as supporters and inspirers of the nationalist cause4 ,a certain ,muammad-,javd was stripped naked in ,ifhn1 and was severely beaten with a whip of braided wires1 while in ,kshn the adherents of the ,faith of ,jewish extraction were fined1 beaten and chained at the instigation of both the ,muammadan clergy and the ,jewish doctors4 ,it was1 however1 in ,yazd and its environs that the most bloody outrages committed during #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry occurred4 ,in that city j ,mrzy-i-alab-,sz was so mercilessly flogged that his wife flung herself upon his body1 and was in her turn severely beaten1 after which his skull was lacerated by the cleaver of a butcher4 ,his eleven-year-old son was pitilessly thrashed1 stabbed with penknives and tortured to death4 ,within the space of half a day nine people met their death4 ,a crowd of about six thousand people1 of both sexes1 vented their fury upon the helpless victims1 a few going so far as to drink their blood4 ,in some instances1 as was the case with a man named ,mrz ,asadu'llh-i-,sabbgh1 they plundered their property and fought over its possession4 ,they evinced such cruelty that some of the government officials were moved to tears at the sight of the harrowing scenes in which the women of that city played a conspicuously shameful part4 ,in ,taft several people were put to death1 some of whom were shot and their bodies dragged through the streets4 ,a newly converted eighteen-year-old youth1 named usayn1 was denounced by his own father1 and torn to pieces before the eyes of his mother1 whilst ,muammad-,kaml was hacked into bits with knife1 spade and pickaxe4 ,in ,manshad1 where the persecutions lasted nineteen days1 similar atrocities were perpetrated4 ,an eighty-year-old man1 named ,siyyid ,mrz1 was instantly killed in his sleep by two huge stones which were thrown on him2 a ,mrz diq1 who asked for water1 had a knife plunged into his breast1 his executioner afterwards licking the blood from the blade1 while ,shtr-asan1 one of the victims1 was seen before his death distributing some candy in his possession among the executioners and dividing among them his clothing4 ,a sixty-five year old woman1 ,khadjih-,suln1 was hurled from the roof of a house2 a believer named ,mrz ,muammad was tied to a tree1 made a target for hundreds of bullets and his body set on fire1 whilst another1 named ,ustd ,riy-i-,saffr1 was seen to kiss the hand of his murderer1 after which he was shot and his corpse heaped with insults4 ,in ,banduk1 in ,dih-,bl1 in ,farshh1 in ,abbs-bd1 in ,hanz1 in ,ardikn1 in ,dawlat-bd and in ,hamadn crimes of similar nature were committed1 an outstanding case being that of a highly respected and courageous woman1 named ,ftimih-,bagum1 who was ignominiously dragged from her house1 her veil was torn from her head1 her throat cut across1 her belly ripped open2 and having been beaten by the savage crowd with every weapon they could lay hands on1 she was finally suspended from a tree and delivered to the flames4 ,in ,sar1 in the days when the agitation for the constitution was moving towards a climax1 five believers of recognized standing1 known later as the ,shuhady-i-,khamsh 7,five ,martyrs71 were done to death1 whilst in ,nayrz a ferocious assault1 recalling that of ,yazd1 was launched by the enemy1 in which nineteen lost their lives1 among them the sixty-five year old ,mull #8,abdu'l-amd1 a blind man who was shot and his body foully abused1 and in the course of which a considerable amount of property was plundered1 and numerous women and children had to flee for their lives1 or seek refuge in mosques1 or live in the ruins of their houses1 or remain shelterless by the wayside4 ,in ,sirjn1 in ,dgh-bd1 in ,tabrz1 in vih1 in ,qum1 in ,najaf-bd1 in ,sangsar1 in ,shhmrzd1 in ,ifhn1 and in ,jahrum redoubtable and remorseless enemies1 both religious and political1 continued1 under various pretexts1 and even after the signing of the ,constitution by the ,shh in #aijf1 and during the reign of his successors1 ,muammad-#8,al ,shh and ,amad ,shh1 to slay1 torture1 plunder and abuse the members of a community who resolutely refused to either recant or deviate a hair's breadth from the path laid down for them by their ,leaders4 ,even during #8,abdu'l-,bah's journeys to the ,west1 and after ,his return to the ,holy ,land1 and indeed till the end of ,his life1 ,he continued to receive distressing news of the martyrdom of ,his followers1 and of the outrages perpetrated against them by an insatiable enemy4 ,in ,dawlat-bd1 a prince of the royal blood1 ,habbu'llh ,mrz by name1 a convert to the ,faith who had consecrated his life to its service1 was slain with a hatchet and his corpse set on fire4 ,in ,mashhad the learned and pious ,shaykh #8,al-,akbar-i-,quchn was shot to death4 ,in ,suln-bd1 ,mrz #8,al-,akbar and seven members of his family including a forty day old infant were barbarously massacred4 ,persecutions of varying degrees of severity broke out in ,n'in1 in ,shhmrzd1 in ,bandar-i-,jaz and in ,qamsar4 ,in ,kirmanshh1 the martyr ,mrz ,ya'qb-i-,mutthidih1 the ardent twenty-five year old ,jewish convert to the ,faith1 was the last to lay down his life during #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry2 and his mother1 according to his own instructions1 celebrated his martyrdom in ,hamadn with exemplary fortitude4 ,in every instance the conduct of the believers testified to the indomitable spirit and unyielding tenacity that continued to distinguish the lives and services of the ,persian followers of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,despite these intermittent severe persecutions the ,faith that had evoked in its heroes so rare a spirit of self-sacrifice was steadily and silently growing4 ,engulfed for a time and almost extinguished in the sombre days following the martyrdom of the ,bb1 driven underground throughout the period of ,bah'u'llh's ministry1 it began1 after ,his ascension1 under the unerring guidance1 and as a result of the unfailing solicitude1 of a wise1 a vigilant and loving ,master1 to gather its forces1 and gradually to erect the embryonic institutions which were to pave the way for the establishment1 at a later period1 of its ,administrative ,order4 ,it was during this period that the number of its adherents rapidly multiplied1 that its range1 now embracing every province of that kingdom1 steadily widened1 and the rudimentary forms of its future ,assemblies were inaugurated4 ,it was during this period1 at a time when state schools and colleges were practically non-existent in that country1 and when the education given in existing religious institutions was lamentably defective1 that its earliest schools were established1 beginning with the ,tarbyat1 schools in ihrn for both boys and girls1 and followed by the ,ta'yd and ,mawhibat schools in ,hamadn1 the ,vahdat-i-,bashar school in ,kshn and other similar educational institutions in ,barfursh and ,qazvn4 ,it was during these years that concrete and effectual assistance1 both spiritual and material1 in the form of visiting teachers from both ,europe and ,america1 of nurses1 instructors1 and physicians1 was first extended to the ,bah' community in that land1 these workers constituting the vanguard of that host of helpers which #8,abdu'l-,bah promised would arise in time to further the interests of the ,faith as well as those of the country in which it was born4 ,it was in the course of these years that the term ,bb1 as an appellation1 designating the followers of ,bah'u'llh in that country1 was universally discarded by the masses in favor of the word ,bah'1 the former henceforth being exclusively applied to the fast dwindling number of the followers of ,mrz ,yay4 ,during this period1 moreover1 the first systematic attempts were made to organize and stimulate the teaching work undertaken by the ,persian believers1 attempts which1 apart from reinforcing the foundations of the community1 were instrumental in attracting to its cause several outstanding figures in the public life of that country1 not excluding certain prominent members of the ,sh'ah sacerdotal order1 and even descendants of some of the worst persecutors of the ,faith4 ,it was during the years of that ministry that the ,house of the ,bb in ,shrz1 ordained by ,bah'u'llh as a center of pilgrimage for ,his followers1 and now so recognized1 was by order of #8,abdu'l-,bah and through ,his assistance1 restored1 and that it became increasingly a focus of ,bah' life and activity for those who were deprived by circumstances of visiting either the ,most ,great ,house in ,baghdd or the ,most ,holy ,tomb in ,akk4 ,more conspicuous than any of these undertakings1 however1 was the erection of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world in the city of ,ishqbd1 a center founded in the days of ,bah'u'llh1 where the initial steps preparatory to its construction1 had been already undertaken during ,his lifetime4 ,initiated at about the close of the first decade of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry 7#aijb72 fostered by ,him at every stage in its development2 personally supervised by the venerable j ,mrz ,muammad-,taq1 the ,vaklu'd-,dawlih1 a cousin of the ,bb1 who dedicated his entire resources to its establishment1 and whose dust now reposes at the foot of ,mt4 ,carmel under the shadow of the ,tomb of his beloved ,kinsman2 carried out according to the directions laid down by the ,center of the ,covenant ,himself2 a lasting witness to the fervor and the self-sacrifice of the ,oriental believers who were resolved to execute the bidding of ,bah'u'llh as revealed in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 this enterprise must rank not only as the first major undertaking launched through the concerted efforts of ,his followers in the ,heroic ,age of ,his ,faith1 but as one of the most brilliant and enduring achievements in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,the edifice itself1 the foundation stone of which was laid in the presence of ,general ,krupatkin1 the governor-general of ,turkistn1 who had been delegated by the ,czar to represent him at the ceremony1 has thus been minutely described by a ,bah' visitor from the ,west3 8,the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr stands in the heart of the city2 its high dome standing out above the trees and house tops being visible for miles to the travelers as they approach the town4 ,it is in the center of a garden bounded by four streets4 ,in the four corners of this enclosure are four buildings3 one is the ,bah' school2 one is the traveler's house1 where pilgrims and wayfarers are lodged2 one is for the keepers1 while the fourth one is to be used as a hospital4 ,nine radial avenues approach the ,temple from the several parts of the grounds1 one of which1 the principal approach to the building1 leads from the main gateway of the grounds to the principal portal of the ,temple40 8,in plan10 he further adds1 8the building is composed of three sections2 namely1 the central rotunda1 the aisle or ambulatory which surrounds it1 and the loggia which surrounds the entire building4 ,it is built on the plan of a regular polygon of nine sides4 ,one side is occupied by the monumental main entrance1 flanked by minarets--a high arched portico extending two stories in height recalling in arrangement the architecture of the world famous ,taj ,mahal at ,agra in ,india1 the delight of the world to travelers1 many of whom pronounce it to be the most beautiful temple in the world4 ,thus the principal doorway opens toward the direction of the ,holy land4 ,the entire building is surrounded by two series of loggias--one upper and one lower--which opens out upon the garden giving a very beautiful architectural effect in harmony with the luxuriant semi-tropical vegetation which fills the garden444 ,the interior walls of the rotunda are treated in five distinct stories4 ,first1 a series of nine arches and piers which separate the rotunda from the ambulatory4 ,second1 a similar treatment with balustrades which separate the triforium gallery 7which is above the ambulatory and is reached by two staircases in the loggias placed one on either side of the main entrance7 from the well of the rotunda4 ,third1 a series of nine blank arches filled with fretwork1 between which are escutcheons bearing the ,greatest ,name4 ,fourth1 a series of nine large arched windows4 ,fifth1 a series of eighteen bull's eye windows4 ,above and resting on a cornice surmounting this last story rises the inner hemispherical shell of the dome4 ,the interior is elaborately decorated in plaster relief work444 ,the whole structure impresses one by its mass and strength40 ,nor should mention be omitted of the two schools for boys and girls which were established in that city1 of the pilgrim house instituted in the close vicinity of the ,temple1 of the ,spiritual ,assembly and its auxiliary bodies formed to administer the affairs of a growing community1 and of the new centers of activity inaugurated in various towns and cities in the province of ,turkistn--all testifying to the vitality which the ,faith had displayed ever since its inception in that land4 ,a parallel if less spectacular development could be observed in the ,caucasus4 ,after the establishment of the first center and the formation of an ,assembly in ,bk1 a city which ,bah' pilgrims1 traveling in increasing numbers from ,persia to the ,holy ,land via ,turkey1 invariably visited1 new groups began to be organized1 and1 evolving later into well-established communities1 cooperated in increasing measure with their brethren both in ,turkistn and ,persia4 ,in ,egypt a steady increase in the number of the adherents of the ,faith was accompanied by a general expansion in its activities4 ,the establishments of new centers2 the consolidation of the chief center established in ,cairo2 the conversion1 largely through the indefatigable efforts of the learned ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl1 of several prominent students and teachers of the ,azhar ,university--premonitory symptoms foreshadowing the advent of the promised day on which1 according to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the standard and emblem of the ,faith would be implanted in the heart of that time-honored ,islamic seat of learning2 the translation into ,arabic and the dissemination of some of the most important writings of ,bah'u'llh revealed in ,persian1 together with other ,bah' literature2 the printing of books1 treatises and pamphlets by ,bah' authors and scholars2 the publication of articles in the ,press written in defense of the ,faith and for the purpose of broadcasting its message2 the formation of rudimentary administrative institutions in the capital as well as in nearby centers2 the enrichment of the life of the community through the addition of converts of ,kurdish1 ,coptic1 and ,armenian origin--these may be regarded as the first fruits garnered in a country which1 blessed by the footsteps of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 was1 in later years1 to play a historic part in the emancipation of the ,faith1 and which1 by virtue of its unique position as the intellectual center of both the ,arab and ,islamic worlds1 must inevitably assume a notable and decisive share of responsibility in the final establishment of that ,faith throughout the ,east4 ,even more remarkable was the expansion of ,bah' activity in ,india and ,burma1 where a steadily growing community1 now including among its members representatives of the ,zoroastrian1 the ,islamic1 the ,hindu and the ,buddhist ,faiths1 as well as members of the ,sikh community1 succeeded in establishing its outposts1 as far as ,mandalay and the village of ,daidanaw ,kalazoo1 in the ,hanthawaddy district of ,burma1 at which latter place no less than eight hundred ,bah's resided1 possessing a school1 a court1 and a hospital of their own1 as well as land for community cultivation1 the proceeds of which they devoted to the furtherance of the interests of their ,faith4 ,in #8,irq1 where the ,house occupied by ,bah'u'llh was entirely restored and renovated1 and where a small yet intrepid community struggled in the face of constant opposition to regulate and administer its affairs2 in ,constantinople1 where a ,bah' center was established2 in ,tunis where the foundations of a local community were firmly laid2 in ,japan1 in ,china1 and in ,honolulu to which ,bah' teachers traveled1 and where they settled and taught--in all of these places the manifold evidences of the guiding hand of #8,abdu'l-,bah and the tangible effects of ,his sleepless vigilance and unfailing care could be clearly perceived4 ,nor did the nascent communities established in ,france1 ,england1 ,germany and the ,united ,states cease to receive1 after ,his memorable visits to those countries1 further tokens of ,his special interest in1 and solicitude for1 their welfare and spiritual advancement4 ,it was in consequence of ,his directions and the unceasing flow of ,his ,tablets1 addressed to the members of these communities1 as well as ,his constant encouragement of the efforts they were exerting1 that ,bah' centers steadily multiplied1 that public meetings were organized1 that new periodicals were published1 that translations of some of the best known works of ,bah'u'llh and of the ,tablets of #8,abdu'l-,bah were printed and circulated in the ,english1 the ,french1 and ,german languages1 and that the initial attempts to organize the affairs1 and consolidate the foundations1 of these newly established communities were undertaken4 ,in the ,north ,american continent1 more particularly1 the members of a flourishing community1 inspired by the blessings bestowed by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 as well as by ,his example and the acts ,he performed in the course of ,his prolonged visit to their country1 gave an earnest of the magnificent enterprise they were to carry through in later years4 ,they purchased the twelve remaining lots forming part of the site of their projected ,temple1 selected1 during the sessions of their #aibj ,convention1 the design of the ,french ,canadian ,bah' architect1 ,louis ,bourgeois1 placed the contract for the excavation and the laying of its foundations1 and succeeded soon after in completing the necessary arrangements for the construction of its basement3 measures which heralded the stupendous efforts which1 after #8,abdu'l-,bah's ascension1 culminated in the erection of its superstructure and the completion of its exterior ornamentation4 ,the war of #aiad-ah1 repeatedly foreshadowed by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the dark warnings ,he uttered in the course of ,his western travels1 and which broke out eight months after ,his return to the ,holy ,land1 once more cast a shadow of danger over ,his life1 the last that was to darken the years of ,his agitated yet glorious ministry4 ,the late entry of the ,united ,states of ,america in that world-convulsing conflict1 the neutrality of ,persia1 the remoteness of ,india and of the ,far ,east from the theater of operations1 insured the protection of the overwhelming majority of ,his followers1 who1 though for the most part entirely cut off for a number of years from the spiritual center of their ,faith1 were still able to conduct their affairs and safeguard the fruits of their recent achievements in comparative safety and freedom4 ,in the ,holy ,land1 however1 though the outcome of that tremendous struggle was to liberate once and for all the ,heart and ,center of the ,faith from the ,turkish yoke1 a yoke which had imposed for so long upon its ,founder and ,his ,successor such oppressive and humiliating restrictions1 yet severe privations and grave dangers continued to surround its inhabitants during the major part of that conflict1 and renewed1 for a time1 the perils which had confronted #8,abdu'l-,bah during the years of ,his incarceration in ,akk4 ,the privations inflicted on the inhabitants by the gross incompetence1 the shameful neglect1 the cruelty and callous indifference of both the civil and military authorities1 though greatly alleviated through the bountiful generosity1 the foresight and the tender care of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 were aggravated by the rigors of a strict blockade4 ,a bombardment of ,haifa by the ,allies was a constant threat1 at one time so real that it necessitated the temporary removal of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,his family and members of the local community to the village of ,ab-,snn at the foot of the hills east of ,akk4 ,the ,turkish ,commander-in-,chief1 the brutal1 the all-powerful and unscrupulous ,jaml ,psh1 an inveterate enemy of the ,faith1 through his own ill-founded suspicions and the instigation of its enemies1 had already grievously afflicted #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and even expressed his intention of crucifying ,him and of razing to the ground the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh4 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself still suffered from the ill-health and exhaustion brought on by the fatigues of ,his three-year journeys4 ,he felt acutely the virtual stoppage of all communication with most of the ,bah' centers throughout the world4 ,agony filled ,his soul at the spectacle of human slaughter precipitated through humanity's failure to respond to the summons ,he had issued1 or to heed the warnings ,he had given4 ,surely sorrow upon sorrow was added to the burden of trials and vicissitudes which ,he1 since ,his boyhood1 had borne so heroically for the sake1 and in the service1 of ,his ,father's ,cause4 ,and yet during these somber days1 the darkness of which was reminiscent of the tribulations endured during the most dangerous period of ,his incarceration in the prison-fortress of ,akk1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 whilst in the precincts of ,his ,father's ,shrine1 or when dwelling in the ,house ,he occupied in ,akk1 or under the shadow of the ,bb's sepulcher on ,mt4 ,carmel1 was moved to confer once again1 and for the last time in ,his life1 on the community of ,his ,american followers a signal mark of ,his special favor by investing them1 on the eve of the termination of ,his earthly ministry1 through the revelation of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan1 with a world mission1 whose full implications even now1 after the lapse of a quarter of a century1 still remain undisclosed1 and whose unfoldment thus far1 though as yet in its initial stages1 has so greatly enriched the spiritual as well as the administrative annals of the first ,bah' century4 ,the conclusion of this terrible conflict1 the first stage in a titanic convulsion long predicted by ,bah'u'llh1 not only marked the extinction of ,turkish rule in the ,holy ,land and sealed the doom of that military despot who had vowed to destroy #8,abdu'l-,bah1 but also shattered once and for all the last hopes still entertained by the remnant of ,covenant-breakers who1 untaught by the severe retribution that had already overtaken them1 still aspired to witness the extinction of the light of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant4 ,furthermore1 it produced those revolutionary changes which1 on the one hand1 fulfilled the ominous predictions made by ,bah'u'llh in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and enabled1 according to ,scriptural prophecy1 so large an element of the 8outcasts of ,israel10 the 8remnant0 of the 8flock10 to 8assemble0 in the ,holy ,land1 and to be brought back to 8their folds0 and 8their own border10 beneath the shadow of the 8,incomparable ,branch10 referred to by #8,abdu'l-,bah in ,his 8,some ,answered ,questions10 and which1 on the other hand1 gave birth to the institution of the ,league of ,nations1 the precursor of that ,world ,tribunal which1 as prophesied by that same 8,incomparable ,branch10 the peoples and nations of the earth must needs unitedly establish4 ,no need to dwell on the energetic steps which the ,english believers as soon as they had been apprized of the dire peril threatening the life of #8,abdu'l-,bah undertook to insure ,his security2 on the measures independently taken whereby ,lord ,curzon and others in the ,british ,cabinet were advised as to the critical situation at ,haifa2 on the prompt intervention of ,lord ,lamington1 who immediately wrote to the ,foreign ,office to 8explain the importance of #8,abdu'l-,bah's position20 on the despatch which the ,foreign ,secretary1 ,lord ,balfour1 on the day of the receipt of this letter1 sent to ,general ,allenby1 instructing him to 8extend every protection and consideration to #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,his family and ,his friends20 on the cablegram subsequently sent by the ,general1 after the capture of ,haifa1 to ,london1 requesting the authorities to 8notify the world that #8,abdu'l-,bah is safe20 on the orders which that same ,general issued to the ,general ,commanding ,officer in command of the ,haifa operations to insure #8,abdu'l-,bah's safety1 thus frustrating the express intention of the ,turkish ,commander-in-,chief 7according to information which had reached the ,british ,intelligence ,service7 to 8crucify #8,abdu'l-,bah and ,his family on ,mt4 ,carmel0 in the event of the ,turkish army being compelled to evacuate ,haifa and retreat northwards4 ,the three years which elapsed between the liberation of ,palestine by the ,british forces and the passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah were marked by a further enhancement of the prestige which the ,faith1 despite the persecutions to which it had been subjected1 had acquired at its world center1 and by a still greater extension in the range of its teaching activities in various parts of the world4 ,the danger which1 for no less than three score years and five1 had threatened the lives of the ,founders of the ,faith and of the ,center of ,his ,covenant1 was now at long last through the instrumentality of that war completely and definitely lifted4 ,the ,head of the ,faith1 and its twin holy ,shrines1 in the plain of ,akk and on the slopes of ,mt4 ,carmel1 were henceforth to enjoy for the first time1 through the substitution of a new and liberal rgime for the corrupt administration of the past1 a freedom from restrictions which was later expanded into a clearer recognition of the institutions of the ,cause4 ,nor were the ,british authorities slow to express their appreciation of the rle which #8,abdu'l-,bah had played in allaying the burden of suffering that had oppressed the inhabitants of the ,holy ,land during the dark days of that distressing conflict4 ,the conferment of a knighthood upon ,him at a ceremony specially held for ,his sake in ,haifa1 at the residence of the ,british ,governor1 at which notables of various communities had assembled2 the visit paid ,him by ,general and ,lady ,allenby1 who were ,his guests at luncheon in ,bahj1 and whom ,he conducted to the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh2 the interview at ,his ,haifa residence between ,him and ,king ,feisal who shortly after became the ruler of #8,irq2 the several calls paid ,him by ,sir ,herbert ,samuel 7later ,viscount ,samuel of ,carmel7 both before and after his appointment as ,high ,commissioner for ,palestine2 ,his meeting with ,lord ,lamington who1 likewise1 called upon ,him in ,haifa1 as well as with the then ,governor of ,jerusalem1 ,sir ,ronald ,storrs2 the multiplying evidences of the recognition of ,his high and unique position by all religious communities1 whether ,muslim1 ,christian or ,jewish2 the influx of pilgrims who1 from ,east and ,west1 flocked to the ,holy ,land in comparative ease and safety to visit the ,holy ,tombs in ,akk and ,haifa1 to pay their share of homage to ,him1 to celebrate the signal protection vouchsafed by ,providence to the ,faith and its followers1 and to give thanks for the final emancipation of its ,head and world ,center from ,turkish yoke--these contributed1 each in its own way1 to heighten the prestige which the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh had been steadily and gradually acquiring through the inspired leadership of #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,as the ministry of #8,abdu'l-,bah drew to a close signs multiplied of the resistless and manifold unfoldment of the ,faith both in the ,east and in the ,west1 both in the shaping and consolidation of its institutions and in the widening range of its activities and its influence4 ,in the city of ,ishqbd the construction of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 which ,he ,himself had initiated1 was successfully consummated4 ,in ,wilmette the excavations for the ,mother ,temple of the ,west were carried out and the contract placed for the construction of the basement of the building4 ,in ,baghdd the initial steps were taken1 according to ,his special instructions1 to reinforce the foundations and restore the ,most ,great ,house associated with the memory of ,his ,father4 ,in the ,holy ,land an extensive property east of the ,bb's ,sepulcher was purchased through the initiative of the ,holy ,mother with the support of contributions from ,bah's in both the ,east and the ,west to serve as a site for the future erection of the first ,bah' school at the world ,administrative ,center of the ,faith4 ,the site for a ,western ,pilgrim ,house was acquired in the neighborhood of #8,abdu'l-,bah's residence1 and the building was erected soon after ,his passing by ,american believers4 ,the ,oriental ,pilgrim ,house1 erected on ,mt4 ,carmel by a believer from ,ishqbd1 soon after the entombment of the ,bb's remains1 for the convenience of visiting pilgrims1 was granted tax exemption by the civil authorities 7the first time such a privilege had been conceded since the establishment of the ,faith in the ,holy ,land74 ,the famous scientist and entomologist1 ,dr4 ,auguste ,forel1 was converted to the ,faith through the influence of a ,tablet sent him by #8,abdu'l-,bah--one of the most weighty the ,master ever wrote4 ,another ,tablet of far-reaching importance was ,his reply to a communication addressed to ,him by the ,executive ,committee of the 8,central ,organization for a ,durable ,peace10 which ,he dispatched to them at ,the ,hague by the hands of a special delegation4 ,a new continent was opened to the ,cause when1 in response to the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan unveiled at the first ,convention after the war1 the great-hearted and heroic ,hyde ,dunn1 at the advanced age of sixty-two1 promptly forsook his home in ,california1 and1 seconded and accompanied by his wife1 settled as a pioneer in ,australia1 where he was able to carry the ,message to no less than seven hundred towns throughout that ,commonwealth4 ,a new episode began when1 in quick response to those same ,tablets and their summons1 that star-servant of ,bah'u'llh1 the indomitable and immortal ,martha ,root1 designated by her ,master 8herald of the ,kingdom0 and 8harbinger of the ,covenant10 embarked on the first of her historic journeys which were to extend over a period of twenty years1 and to carry her several times around the globe1 and which ended only with her death far from home and in the active service of the ,cause she loved so greatly4 ,these events mark the closing stage of a ministry which sealed the triumph of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 and which will go down in history as one of the most glorious and fruitful periods of the first ,bah' century4 ,chapter ,,xxi3 ,the ,passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah #8,abdu'l-,bah's great work was now ended4 ,the historic ,mission with which ,his ,father had1 twenty-nine years previously1 invested ,him had been gloriously consummated4 ,a memorable chapter in the history of the first ,bah' century had been written4 ,the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 in which ,he had participated since its inception1 and played so unique a rle1 had drawn to a close4 ,he had suffered as no disciple of the ,faith1 who had drained the cup of martyrdom1 had suffered1 ,he had labored as none of its greatest heroes had labored4 ,he had witnessed triumphs such as neither the ,herald of the ,faith nor its ,author had ever witnessed4 ,at the close of ,his strenuous ,western tours1 which had called forth the last ounce of ,his ebbing strength1 ,he had written3 8,friends1 the time is coming when ,i shall be no longer with you4 ,i have done all that could be done4 ,i have served the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh to the utmost of ,my ability4 ,i have labored night and day all the years of ,my life4 ,o how ,i long to see the believers shouldering the responsibilities of the ,cause6444 ,my days are numbered1 and save this there remains none other joy for me40 ,several years before ,he had thus alluded to ,his passing3 8,o ye ,my faithful loved ones6 ,should at any time afflicting events come to pass in the ,holy ,land1 never feel disturbed or agitated4 ,fear not1 neither grieve4 ,for whatsoever thing happeneth will cause the ,word of ,god to be exalted1 and ,his ,divine fragrances to be diffused40 ,and again3 8,remember1 whether or not ,i be on earth1 ,my presence will be with you always40 8,regard not the person of #8,abdu'l-,bah10 ,he thus counselled ,his friends in one of ,his last ,tablets1 8for ,he will eventually take ,his leave of you all2 nay1 fix your gaze upon the ,word of ,god444 ,the loved ones of ,god must arise with such steadfastness that should1 in one moment1 hundreds of souls even as #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself be made a target for the darts of woe1 nothing whatsoever shall affect or lessen their 444 service to the ,cause of ,god40 ,in a ,tablet addressed to the ,american believers1 a few days before ,he passed away1 ,he thus vented ,his pent-up longing to depart from this world3 8,i have renounced the world and the people thereof444 ,in the cage of this world ,i flutter even as a frightened bird1 and yearn every day to take ,my flight unto ,thy ,kingdom4 ,y ,bah'u'l-,abh6 ,make ,me drink of the cup of sacrifice1 and set ,me free40 ,he revealed a prayer less than six months before ,his ascension in honor of a kinsman of the ,bb1 and in it wrote3 8#8,o ,lord6 ,my bones are weakened1 and the hoar hairs glisten on ,my head 444 and ,i have now reached old age1 failing in ,my powers4'444 ,no strength is there left in ,me wherewith to arise and serve ,thy loved ones444 ,o ,lord1 ,my ,lord6 ,hasten ,my ascension unto ,thy sublime ,threshold 444 and ,my arrival at the ,door of ,thy grace beneath the shadow of ,thy most great mercy4440 ,through the dreams ,he dreamed1 through the conversations ,he held1 through the ,tablets ,he revealed1 it became increasingly evident that ,his end was fast approaching4 ,two months before ,his passing ,he told ,his family of a dream ,he had had4 8,i seemed10 ,he said1 8to be standing within a great mosque1 in the inmost shrine1 facing the ,qiblih1 in the place of the ,imm himself4 ,i became aware that a large number of people were flocking into the mosque4 ,more and yet more crowded in1 taking their places in rows behind ,me1 until there was a vast multitude4 ,as ,i stood ,i raised loudly the call to prayer4 ,suddenly the thought came to ,me to go forth from the mosque4 ,when ,i found ,myself outside ,i said within ,myself3 #8,for what reason came ,i forth1 not having led the prayer8 ,but it matters not2 now that ,i have uttered the ,call to prayer1 the vast multitude will of themselves chant the prayer4'0 ,a few weeks later1 whilst occupying a solitary room in the garden of ,his house1 ,he recounted another dream to those around ,him4 8,i dreamed a dream10 ,he said1 8and behold1 the ,blessed ,beauty 7,bah'u'llh7 came and said to ,me3 #8,destroy this room4'0 ,none of those present comprehended the significance of this dream until ,he ,himself had soon after passed away1 when it became clear to them all that by the 8room0 was meant the temple of ,his body4 ,a month before ,his death 7which occurred in the #ghth year of ,his age1 in the early hours of the #bhth of ,november1 #aiba7 ,he had referred expressly to it in some words of cheer and comfort that ,he addressed to a believer who was mourning the loss of his brother4 ,and about two weeks before ,his passing ,he had spoken to ,his faithful gardener in a manner that clearly indicated ,he knew ,his end to be nigh4 8,i am so fatigued10 ,he observed to him1 8the hour is come when ,i must leave everything and take ,my flight4 ,i am too weary to walk40 ,he added3 8,it was during the closing days of the ,blessed ,beauty1 when ,i was engaged in gathering together ,his papers which were strewn over the sofa in ,his writing chamber in ,bahj1 that ,he turned to ,me and said3 #8,it is of no use to gather them1 ,i must leave them and flee away4' ,i also have finished ,my work4 ,i can do nothing more4 ,therefore must ,i leave it1 and take ,my departure40 ,till the very last day of ,his earthly life #8,abdu'l-,bah continued to shower that same love upon high and low alike1 to extend that same assistance to the poor and the down-trodden1 and to carry out those same duties in the service of ,his ,father's ,faith1 as had been ,his wont from the days of ,his boyhood4 ,on the ,friday before ,his passing1 despite great fatigue1 ,he attended the noonday prayer at the mosque1 and distributed afterwards alms1 as was ,his custom1 among the poor2 dictated some ,tablets--the last ones ,he revealed--2 blessed the marriage of a trusted servant1 which ,he had insisted should take place that day2 attended the usual meeting of the friends in ,his home2 felt feverish the next day1 and being unable to leave the house on the following ,sunday1 sent all the believers to the ,tomb of the ,bb to attend a feast which a ,prs pilgrim was offering on the occasion of the anniversary of the ,declaration of the ,covenant2 received with ,his unfailing courtesy and kindness that same afternoon1 and despite growing weariness1 the ,muft of ,haifa1 the ,mayor and the ,head of the ,police2 and inquired that night--the last of ,his life--before ,he retired after the health of every member of ,his household1 of the pilgrims and of the friends in ,haifa4 ,at #a3ae ,a4,m4 ,he arose1 and1 walking to a table in ,his room1 drank some water1 and returned to bed4 ,later on1 ,he asked one of ,his two daughters who had remained awake to care for ,him1 to lift up the net curtains1 complaining that ,he had difficulty in breathing4 ,some rose-water was brought to ,him1 of which ,he drank1 after which ,he again lay down1 and when offered food1 distinctly remarked3 8,you wish ,me to take some food1 and ,i am going80 ,a minute later ,his spirit had winged its flight to its eternal abode1 to be gathered1 at long last1 to the glory of ,his beloved ,father1 and taste the joy of everlasting reunion with ,him4 ,the news of ,his passing1 so sudden1 so unexpected1 spread like wildfire throughout the town1 and was flashed instantly over the wires to distant parts of the globe1 stunning with grief the community of the followers of ,bah'u'llh in ,east and ,west4 ,messages from far and near1 from high and low alike1 through cablegrams and letters1 poured in conveying to the members of a sorrow-stricken and disconsolate family expressions of praise1 of devotion1 of anguish and of sympathy4 ,the ,british ,secretary of ,state for the ,colonies1 ,mr4 ,winston ,churchill1 telegraphed immediately to the ,high ,commissioner for ,palestine1 ,sir ,herbert ,samuel1 instructing him to 8convey to the ,bah' ,community1 on behalf of ,his ,majesty's ,government1 their sympathy and condolence40 ,viscount ,allenby1 the ,high ,commissioner for ,egypt1 wired the ,high ,commissioner for ,palestine asking him to 8convey to the relatives of the late ,sir #8,abdu'l-,bah ,abbs ,effendi and to the ,bah' ,community0 his 8sincere sympathy in the loss of their revered leader40 ,the ,council of ,ministers in ,baghdd instructed the ,prime ,minister ,siyyid #8,abdu'r-,rahmn to extend their 8sympathy to the family of ,his ,holiness #8,abdu'l-,bah in their bereavement40 ,the ,commander-in-,chief of the ,egyptian ,expeditionary ,force1 ,general ,congreve1 addressed to the ,high ,commissioner for ,palestine a message requesting him to 8convey his deepest sympathy to the family of the late ,sir ,abbs ,bah'40 ,general ,sir ,arthur ,money1 former ,chief ,administrator of ,palestine1 wrote expressing his sadness1 his profound respect and his admiration for ,him as well as his sympathy in the loss which ,his family had sustained4 ,one of the distinguished figures in the academic life of the ,university of ,oxford1 a famous professor and scholar1 wrote on behalf of himself and his wife3 8,the passing beyond the veil into fuller life must be specially wonderful and blessed for ,one ,who has always fixed ,his thoughts on high1 and striven to lead an exalted life here below40 ,many and divers newspapers1 such as the ,london 8,times10 the 8,morning ,post10 the 8,daily ,mail10 the 8,new ,york ,world10 8,le ,temps10 the 8,times of ,india0 and others1 in different languages and countries1 paid their tribute to ,one ,who had rendered the ,cause of human brotherhood and peace such signal and imperishable services4 ,the ,high ,commissioner1 ,sir ,herbert ,samuel1 sent immediately a message conveying his desire to attend the funeral in person1 in order as he himself later wrote1 to 8express my respect for ,his creed and my regard for ,his person40 ,as to the funeral itself1 which took place on ,tuesday morning--a funeral the like of which ,palestine had never seen--no less than ten thousand people participated representing every class1 religion and race in that country4 8,a great throng10 bore witness at a later date1 the ,high ,commissioner himself1 8had gathered together1 sorrowing for ,his death1 but rejoicing also for ,his life40 ,sir ,ronald ,storrs1 ,governor of ,jerusalem at the time1 also wrote in describing the funeral3 8,i have never known a more united expression of regret and respect than was called forth by the utter simplicity of the ceremony40 ,the coffin containing the remains of #8,abdu'l-,bah was borne to its last resting-place on the shoulders of ,his loved ones4 ,the cortge which preceded it was led by the ,city ,constabulary ,force1 acting as a ,guard of ,honor1 behind which followed in order the ,boy ,scouts of the ,muslim and ,christian communities holding aloft their banners1 a company of ,muslim choristers chanting their verses from the ,qur'n1 the chiefs of the ,muslim community headed by the ,muft1 and a number of ,christian priests1 ,latin1 ,greek and ,anglican4 ,behind the coffin walked the members of ,his family1 the ,british ,high ,commissioner1 ,sir ,herbert ,samuel1 the ,governor of ,jerusalem1 ,sir ,ronald ,storrs1 the ,governor of ,phoenicia1 ,sir ,stewart ,symes1 officials of the government1 consuls of various countries resident in ,haifa1 notables of ,palestine1 ,muslim1 ,jewish1 ,christian and ,druze1 ,egyptians1 ,greeks1 ,turks1 ,arabs1 ,kurds1 ,europeans and ,americans1 men1 women and children4 ,the long train of mourners1 amid the sobs and moans of many a grief-stricken heart1 wended its slow way up the slopes of ,mt4 ,carmel to the ,mausoleum of the ,bb4 ,close to the eastern entrance of the ,shrine1 the sacred casket was placed upon a plain table1 and1 in the presence of that vast concourse1 nine speakers1 who represented the ,muslim1 the ,jewish and ,christian ,faiths1 and who included the ,muft of ,haifa1 delivered their several funeral orations4 ,these concluded1 the ,high ,commissioner drew close to the casket1 and1 with bowed head fronting the ,shrine1 paid his last homage of farewell to #8,abdu'l-,bah3 the other officials of the ,government followed his example4 ,the coffin was then removed to one of the chambers of the ,shrine1 and there lowered1 sadly and reverently1 to its last resting-place in a vault adjoining that in which were laid the remains of the ,bb4 ,during the week following ,his passing1 from fifty to a hundred of the poor of ,haifa were daily fed at ,his house1 whilst on the seventh day corn was distributed in ,his memory to about a thousand of them irrespective of creed or race4 ,on the fortieth day an impressive memorial feast was held in ,his memory1 to which over six hundred of the people of ,haifa1 ,akk and the surrounding parts of ,palestine and ,syria1 including officials and notables of various religions and races1 were invited4 ,more than one hundred of the poor were also fed on that day4 ,one of the assembled guests1 the ,governor of ,phoenicia1 paid a last tribute to the memory of #8,abdu'l-,bah in the following words3 8,most of us here have1 ,i think1 a clear picture of ,sir #8,abdu'l-,bah ,abbs1 of ,his dignified figure walking thoughtfully in our streets1 of ,his courteous and gracious manner1 of ,his kindness1 of ,his love for little children and flowers1 of ,his generosity and care for the poor and suffering4 ,so gentle was ,he1 and so simple1 that in ,his presence one almost forgot that ,he was also a great teacher1 and that ,his writings and ,his conversations have been a solace and an inspiration to hundreds and thousands of people in the ,east and in the ,west40 ,thus was brought to a close the ministry of ,one ,who was the incarnation1 by virtue of the rank bestowed upon ,him by ,his ,father1 of an institution that has no parallel in the entire field of religious history1 a ministry that marks the final stage in the ,apostolic1 the ,heroic and most glorious ,age of the ,dispensation of ,bah'u'llh4 ,through ,him the ,covenant1 that 8excellent and priceless ,heritage0 bequeathed by the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation1 had been proclaimed1 championed and vindicated4 ,through the power which that ,divine ,instrument had conferred upon ,him the light of ,god's infant ,faith had penetrated the ,west1 had diffused itself as far as the ,islands of the ,pacific1 and illumined the fringes of the ,australian continent4 ,through ,his personal intervention the ,message1 ,whose ,bearer had tasted the bitterness of a life-long captivity1 had been noised abroad1 and its character and purpose disclosed1 for the first time in its history1 before enthusiastic and representative audiences in the chief cities of ,europe and of the ,north ,american continent4 ,through ,his unrelaxing vigilance the holy remains of the ,bb1 brought forth at long last from their fifty-year concealment1 had been safely transported to the ,holy ,land and permanently and befittingly enshrined in the very spot which ,bah'u'llh ,himself had designated for them and had blessed with ,his presence4 ,through ,his bold initiative the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world had been reared in ,central ,asia1 in ,russian ,turkistn1 whilst through ,his unfailing encouragement a similar enterprise1 of still vaster proportions1 had been undertaken1 and its land dedicated by ,himself in the heart of the ,north ,american continent4 ,through the sustaining grace overshadowing ,him since the inception of ,his ministry ,his royal adversary had been humbled to the dust1 the arch-breaker of ,his ,father's ,covenant had been utterly routed1 and the danger which1 ever since ,bah'u'llh had been banished to ,turkish soil1 had been threatening the heart of the ,faith1 definitely removed4 ,in pursuance of ,his instructions1 and in conformity with the principles enunciated and the laws ordained by ,his ,father1 the rudimentary institutions1 heralding the formal inauguration of the ,administrative ,order to be founded after ,his passing1 had taken shape and been established4 ,through ,his unremitting labors1 as reflected in the treatises ,he composed1 the thousands of ,tablets ,he revealed1 the discourses ,he delivered1 the prayers1 poems and commentaries ,he left to posterity1 mostly in ,persian1 some in ,arabic and a few in ,turkish1 the laws and principles1 constituting the warp and woof of ,his ,father's ,revelation1 had been elucidated1 its fundamentals restated and interpreted1 its tenets given detailed application and the validity and indispensability of its verities fully and publicly demonstrated4 ,through the warnings ,he sounded1 an unheeding humanity1 steeped in materialism and forgetful of its ,god1 had been apprized of the perils threatening to disrupt its ordered life1 and made1 in consequence of its persistent perversity1 to sustain the initial shocks of that world upheaval which continues1 until the present day1 to rock the foundations of human society4 ,and lastly1 through the mandate ,he had issued to a valiant community1 the concerted achievements of whose members had shed so great a lustre on the annals of ,his own ministry1 ,he had set in motion a ,plan which1 soon after its formal inauguration1 achieved the opening of the ,australian continent1 which1 in a later period1 was to be instrumental in winning over the heart of a royal convert to ,his ,father's ,cause1 and which1 today1 through the irresistible unfoldment of its potentialities1 is so marvellously quickening the spiritual life of all the ,republics of ,latin ,america as to constitute a befitting conclusion to the records of an entire century4 ,nor should a survey of the outstanding features of so blessed and fruitful a ministry omit mention of the prophecies which the unerring pen of the appointed ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant has recorded4 ,these foreshadow the fierceness of the onslaught that the resistless march of the ,faith must provoke in the ,west1 in ,india and in the ,far ,east when it meets the time-honored sacerdotal orders of the ,christian1 the ,buddhist and ,hindu religions4 ,they foreshadow the turmoil which its emancipation from the fetters of religious orthodoxy will cast in the ,american1 the ,european1 the ,asiatic and ,african continents4 ,they foreshadow the gathering of the children of ,israel in their ancient homeland2 the erection of the banner of ,bah'u'llh in the ,egyptian citadel of ,sunn ,islm2 the extinction of the powerful influence wielded by the ,sh'ah ecclesiastics in ,persia2 the load of misery which must needs oppress the pitiful remnants of the breakers of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant at the world center of ,his ,faith2 the splendor of the institutions which that triumphant ,faith must erect on the slopes of a mountain1 destined to be so linked with the city of ,akk that a single grand metropolis will be formed to enshrine the spiritual as well as the administrative seats of the future ,bah' ,commonwealth2 the conspicuous honor which the inhabitants of ,bah'u'llh's native land in general1 and its government in particular1 must enjoy in a distant future2 the unique and enviable position which the community of the ,most ,great ,name in the ,north ,american continent must occupy1 as a direct consequence of the execution of the world mission which ,he entrusted to them3 finally they foreshadow1 as the sum and summit of all1 the 8hoisting of the standard of ,god among all nations0 and the unification of the entire human race1 when 8all men will adhere to one religion 444 will be blended into one race1 and become a single people40 ,nor can the revolutionary changes in the great world which that ministry has witnessed be allowed to pass unnoticed--most of them flowing directly from the warnings which were uttered by the ,bb1 in the first chapter of ,his ,qayymu'l-,asm1 on the very night of the ,declaration of ,his ,mission in ,shrz1 and which were later reinforced by the pregnant passages addressed by ,bah'u'llh to the kings of the earth and the world's religious leaders1 in both the ,sriy-i-,mulk and the ,kitb-i-,aqdas4 ,the conversion of the ,portuguese monarchy and the ,chinese empire into republics2 the collapse of the ,russian1 the ,german and ,austrian empires1 and the ignominious fate which befell their rulers2 the assassination of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 the fall of ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd--these may be said to have marked further stages in the operation of that catastrophic process the inception of which was signalized in the lifetime of ,bah'u'llh by the murder of ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz1 by the dramatic downfall of ,napoleon ,,iii1 and the extinction of the ,third ,empire1 and by the self-imposed imprisonment and virtual termination of the temporal sovereignty of the ,pope himself4 ,later1 after #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing1 the same process was to be accelerated by the demise of the ,qjr dynasty in ,persia1 by the overthrow of the ,spanish monarchy1 by the collapse of both the ,sultanate and the ,caliphate in ,turkey1 by a swift decline in the fortunes of ,sh'ah ,islm and of the ,christian ,missions in the ,east1 and by the cruel fate that is now overtaking so many of the crowned heads of ,europe4 ,nor can this subject be dismissed without special reference to the names of those men of eminence and learning who were moved1 at various stages of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 to pay tribute not only to #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself but also to the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh4 ,such names as ,count ,leo ,tolstoy1 ,prof4 ,arminius ,vambery1 ,prof4 ,auguste ,forel1 ,dr4 ,david ,starr ,jordan1 the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,wilberforce1 ,prof4 ,jowett of ,balliol1 ,dr4 ,t4 ,k4 ,cheyne1 ,dr4 ,estlin ,carpenter of ,oxford ,university1 ,viscount ,samuel of ,carmel1 ,lord ,lamington1 ,sir ,valentine ,chirol1 ,rabbi ,stephen ,wise1 ,prince ,muammad-#8,al of ,egypt1 ,shaykh ,muammad #8,abdu1 ,midht ,psh1 and ,khurshd ,psh attest1 by virtue of the tributes associated with them1 the great progress made by the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh under the brilliant leadership of ,his exalted ,son--tributes whose impressiveness was1 in later years1 to be heightened by the historic1 the repeated and written testimonies which a famous ,queen1 a grand-daughter of ,queen ,victoria1 was impelled to bequeath to posterity as a witness of her recognition of the prophetic mission of ,bah'u'llh4 ,as for those enemies who have sedulously sought to extinguish the light of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant1 the condign punishment they have been made to suffer is no less conspicuous than the doom which overtook those who1 in an earlier period1 had so basely endeavored to crush the hopes of a rising ,faith and destroy its foundations4 ,to the assassination of the tyrannical ,niri'd-,dn ,shh and the subsequent extinction of the ,qjr dynasty reference has already been made4 ,suln #8,abdu'l-amd1 after his deposition1 was made a prisoner of state and condemned to a life of complete obscurity and humiliation1 scorned by his fellow-rulers and vilified by his subjects4 ,the bloodthirsty ,jaml ,psh1 who had resolved to crucify #8,abdu'l-,bah and raze to the ground ,bah'u'llh's holy ,tomb1 had to flee for his life and was slain1 while a refugee in the ,caucasus1 by the hand of an ,armenian whose fellow-compatriots he had so pitilessly persecuted4 ,the scheming ,jamlu'd-,dn ,afghn1 whose relentless hostility and powerful influence had been so gravely detrimental to the progress of the ,faith in ,near ,eastern countries1 was1 after a checkered career filled with vicissitudes1 stricken with cancer1 and having had a major part of his tongue cut away in an unsuccessful operation perished in misery4 ,the four members of the ill-fated ,commission of ,inquiry1 despatched from ,constantinople to seal the fate of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 suffered1 each in his turn1 a humiliation hardly less drastic than that which they had planned for ,him4 rif ,bey1 the head of the ,commission1 seeking stealthily at midnight to flee from the wrath of the ,young ,turks1 was shot dead by a sentry4 ,adham ,bey succeeded in escaping to ,egypt1 but was robbed of his possessions by his servant on the way1 and was in the end compelled to seek financial assistance from the ,bah's of ,cairo1 a request which was not refused4 ,later he sought help from #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,who immediately directed the believers to present him with a sum on ,his behalf1 an instruction which they were unable to carry out owing to his sudden disappearance4 ,of the other two members1 one was exiled to a remote place1 and the other died soon after in abject poverty4 ,the notorious ,yay ,bey1 the ,chief of the ,police in ,akk1 a willing and powerful tool in the hand of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 the arch-breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant1 witnessed the frustration of all the hopes he had cherished1 lost his position1 and had eventually to beg for pecuniary assistance from #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,in ,constantinople1 in the year which witnessed the downfall of #8,abdu'l-amd1 no less than thirty-one dignitaries of the state1 including ministers and other high officers of the government1 among whom numbered redoubtable enemies of the ,faith1 were1 in a single day1 arrested and condemned to the gallows1 a spectacular retribution for the part they had played in upholding a tyrannical rgime and in endeavoring to extirpate the ,faith and its institutions4 ,in ,persia1 apart from the sovereign who had1 in the full tide of his hopes and the plenitude of his power1 been removed from the scene in so startling a manner1 a number of princes1 ministers and mujtahids1 who had actively participated in the suppression of a persecuted community1 including ,kmrn ,mrz1 the ,n'ib's-,salanih1 the ,jallu'd-,dawlih and ,mrz #8,al-,aghar ,khn1 the ,atbik-i-,a'am1 and ,shaykh ,muammad-,taqy-i-,najaf1 the 8,son of the ,wolf10 lost1 one by one1 their prestige and authority1 sank into obscurity1 abandoned all hope of achieving their malevolent purpose1 and lived1 some of them1 long enough to behold the initial evidences of the ascendancy of a ,cause they had so greatly feared and so vehemently hated4 ,when we note that in the ,holy ,land1 in ,persia1 and in the ,united ,states of ,america certain exponents of ,christian ecclesiasticism such as ,vatralsky1 ,wilson1 ,richardson or ,easton1 observing1 and in some cases fearing1 the vigorous advances made by the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in ,christian lands1 arose to stem its progress2 and when we watch the recent and steady deterioration of their influence1 the decline of their power1 the confusion in their ranks and the dissolution of some of their old standing missions and institutions1 in ,europe1 in the ,middle ,east and in ,eastern ,asia--may we not attribute this weakening to the opposition which members of various ,christian sacerdotal orders began1 in the course of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 to evince towards the followers and institutions of a ,faith which claims to be no less than the fulfilment of the ,promise given by ,jesus ,christ1 and the establisher of the ,kingdom ,he ,himself had prayed for and foretold8 ,and finally1 he who1 from the moment the ,divine ,covenant was born until the end of his life1 showed a hatred more unrelenting than that which animated the afore-mentioned adversaries of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 who plotted more energetically than any one of them against ,him1 and afflicted his ,father's ,faith with a shame more grievous than any which its external enemies had inflicted upon it--such a man1 together with the infamous crew of ,covenant-breakers whom he had misled and instigated1 was condemned to witness1 in a growing measure1 as had been the case with ,mrz ,yay and his henchmen1 the frustration of his evil designs1 the evaporation of all his hopes1 the exposition of his true motives and the complete extinction of his erstwhile honor and glory4 ,his brother1 ,mrz ya'u'llh1 died prematurely2 ,mrz q ,jn1 his dupe1 followed that same brother1 three years later1 to the grave2 and ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 his chief accomplice1 betrayed his cause1 published a signed denunciation of his evil acts1 but rejoined him again1 only to be alienated from him in consequence of the scandalous behavior of his own daughter4 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al's half-sister1 ,furghyyih1 died of cancer1 whilst her husband1 ,siyyid #8,al1 passed away from a heart attack before his sons could reach him1 the eldest being subsequently stricken in the prime of life1 by the same malady4 ,muammad-,javd-i-,qazvn1 a notorious ,covenant-breaker1 perished miserably4 ,shu#8'u'llh who1 as witnessed by #8,abdu'l-,bah in ,his ,will1 had counted on the murder of the ,center of the ,covenant1 and who had been despatched to the ,united ,states by his father to join forces with ,ibrhm ,khayru'llh1 returned crestfallen and empty-handed from his inglorious mission4 ,jaml-i-,burjird1 ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al's ablest lieutenant in ,persia1 fell a prey to a fatal and loathsome disease2 ,siyyid ,mihdy-i-,dahj1 who1 betraying #8,abdu'l-,bah1 joined the ,covenant-breakers1 died in obscurity and poverty1 followed by his wife and his two sons2 ,mrz usayn-#8,aly-i-,jahrm1 ,mrz usayn-i-,shrzy-i-,khurm and j ,muammad-usayn-i-,kshn1 who represented the arch-breaker of the ,covenant in ,persia1 ,india and ,egypt1 failed utterly in their missions2 whilst the greedy and conceited ,ibrhm-i-,khayru'llh1 who had chosen to uphold the banner of his rebellion in ,america for no less than twenty years1 and who had the temerity to denounce1 in writing1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,his 8false teachings1 ,his misrepresentations of ,bahaism1 ,his dissimulation10 and to stigmatize ,his visit to ,america as 8a death-blow0 to the 8,cause of ,god10 met his death soon after he had uttered these denunciations1 utterly abandoned and despised by the entire body of the members of a community1 whose founders he himself had converted to the ,faith1 and in the very land that bore witness to the multiplying evidences of the established ascendancy of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,whose authority he had1 in his later years1 vowed to uproot4 ,as to those who had openly espoused the cause of this arch-breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant1 or who had secretly sympathized with him1 whilst outwardly supporting #8,abdu'l-,bah1 some eventually repented and were forgiven2 others became disillusioned and lost their faith entirely2 a few apostatized1 whilst the rest dwindled away1 leaving him in the end1 except for a handful of his relatives1 alone and unsupported4 ,surviving #8,abdu'l-,bah by almost twenty years1 he who had so audaciously affirmed to ,his face that he had no assurance he might outlive ,him1 lived long enough to witness the utter bankruptcy of his cause1 leading meanwhile a wretched existence within the walls of a ,mansion that had once housed a crowd of his supporters2 was denied by the civil authorities1 as a result of the crisis he had after #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing foolishly precipitated1 the official custody of his ,father's ,tomb2 was compelled1 a few years later1 to vacate that same ,mansion1 which1 through his flagrant neglect1 had fallen into a dilapidated condition2 was stricken with paralysis which crippled half his body2 lay bedridden in pain for months before he died2 and was buried according to ,muslim rites1 in the immediate vicinity of a local ,muslim shrine1 his grave remaining until the present day devoid of even a tombstone--a pitiful reminder of the hollowness of the claims he had advanced1 of the depths of infamy to which he had sunk1 and of the severity of the retribution his acts had so richly merited4 ,,fourth ,,period3 ,,the ,,inception ,,of ,,the ,,formative ,,age ,,of ,,the ,,bah' ,,faith #aiba-aidd ,chapter ,,xxii3 ,the ,rise and ,establishment of the ,administrative ,order ,with the passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah the first century of the ,bah' era1 whose inception had synchronized with ,his birth1 had run more than three quarters of its course4 ,seventy-seven years previously the light of the ,faith proclaimed by the ,bb had risen above the horizon of ,shrz and flashed across the firmament of ,persia1 dispelling the age-long gloom which had enveloped its people4 ,a blood bath of unusual ferocity1 in which government1 clergy and people1 heedless of the significance of that light and blind to its splendor1 had jointly participated1 had all but extinguished the radiance of its glory in the land of its birth4 ,bah'u'llh had at the darkest hour in the fortunes of that ,faith been summoned1 while ,himself a prisoner in ihrn1 to reinvigorate its life1 and been commissioned to fulfil its ultimate purpose4 ,in ,baghdd1 upon the termination of the ten-year delay interposed between the first intimation of that ,mission and its ,declaration1 ,he had revealed the ,mystery enshrined in the ,bb's embryonic ,faith1 and disclosed the fruit which it had yielded4 ,in ,adrianople ,bah'u'llh's ,message1 the promise of the ,bb as well as of all previous ,dispensations1 had been proclaimed to mankind1 and its challenge voiced to the rulers of the earth in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,behind the walls of the prison-fortress of ,akk the ,bearer of ,god's newborn ,revelation had ordained the laws and formulated the principles that were to constitute the warp and woof of ,his ,world ,order4 ,he had1 moreover1 prior to ,his ascension1 instituted the ,covenant that was to guide and assist in the laying of its foundations and to safeguard the unity of its builders4 ,armed with that peerless and potent ,instrument1 #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,his eldest ,son and ,center of ,his ,covenant1 had erected the standard of ,his ,father's ,faith in the ,north ,american continent1 and established an impregnable basis for its institutions in ,western ,europe1 in the ,far ,east and in ,australia4 ,he had1 in ,his works1 ,tablets and addresses1 elucidated its principles1 interpreted its laws1 amplified its doctrine1 and erected the rudimentary institutions of its future ,administrative ,order4 ,in ,russia ,he had raised its first ,house of ,worship1 whilst on the slopes of ,mt4 ,carmel ,he had reared a befitting mausoleum for its ,herald1 and deposited ,his remains therein with ,his ,own hands4 ,through ,his visits to several cities in ,europe and the ,north ,american continent ,he had broadcast ,bah'u'llh's ,message to the peoples of the ,west1 and heightened the prestige of the ,cause of ,god to a degree it had never previously experienced4 ,and lastly1 in the evening of ,his life1 ,he had through the revelation of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan issued ,his mandate to the community which ,he ,himself had raised up1 trained and nurtured1 a ,plan that must in the years to come enable its members to diffuse the light1 and erect the administrative fabric1 of the ,faith throughout the five continents of the globe4 ,the moment had now arrived for that undying1 that world-vitalizing ,spirit that was born in ,shrz1 that had been rekindled in ihrn1 that had been fanned into flame in ,baghdd and ,adrianople1 that had been carried to the ,west1 and was now illuminating the fringes of five continents1 to incarnate itself in institutions designed to canalize its outspreading energies and stimulate its growth4 ,the ,age that had witnessed the birth and rise of the ,faith had now closed4 ,the ,heroic1 the ,apostolic ,age of the ,dispensation of ,bah'u'llh1 that primitive period in which its ,founders had lived1 in which its life had been generated1 in which its greatest heroes had struggled and quaffed the cup of martyrdom1 and its pristine foundations been established--a period whose splendors no victories in this or any future age1 however brilliant1 can rival--had now terminated with the passing of ,one ,whose mission may be regarded as the link binding the ,age in which the seed of the newborn ,message had been incubating and those which are destined to witness its efflorescence and ultimate fruition4 ,the ,formative ,period1 the ,iron ,age1 of that ,dispensation was now beginning1 the ,age in which the institutions1 local1 national and international1 of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh were to take shape1 develop and become fully consolidated1 in anticipation of the third1 the last1 the ,golden ,age destined to witness the emergence of a world-embracing ,order enshrining the ultimate fruit of ,god's latest ,revelation to mankind1 a fruit whose maturity must signalize the establishment of a world civilization and the formal inauguration of the ,kingdom of the ,father upon earth as promised by ,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,to this ,world ,order the ,bb ,himself had1 whilst a prisoner in the mountain fastnesses of dhirbayjn1 explicitly referred in ,his ,persian ,bayn1 the ,mother-,book of the ,bb ,dispensation1 had announced its advent1 and associated it with the name of ,bah'u'llh1 ,whose ,mission ,he ,himself had heralded4 8,well is it with ,him10 is ,his remarkable statement in the sixteenth chapter of the third ,vahd1 8who fixeth his gaze upon the ,order of ,bah'u'llh1 and rendereth thanks unto his ,lord6 ,for ,he will assuredly be made manifest4440 ,to this same ,order ,bah'u'llh ,who1 in a later period1 revealed the laws and principles that must govern the operation of that ,order1 had thus referred in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 the ,mother-,book of ,his ,dispensation3 8,the world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this ,most ,great ,order4 ,mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique1 this wondrous ,system1 the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed40 ,its features #8,abdu'l-,bah1 its great ,architect1 delineated in ,his ,will and ,testament1 whilst the foundations of its rudimentary institutions are now being laid after ,him by ,his followers in the ,east and in the ,west in this1 the ,formative ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,the last twenty-three years of the first ,bah' century may thus be regarded as the initial stage of the ,formative ,period of the ,faith1 an ,age of ,transition to be identified with the rise and establishment of the ,administrative ,order1 upon which the institutions of the future ,bah' ,world ,commonwealth must needs be ultimately erected in the ,golden ,age that must witness the consummation of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,the ,charter which called into being1 outlined the features and set in motion the processes of1 this ,administrative ,order is none other than the ,will and ,testament of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 ,his greatest legacy to posterity1 the brightest emanation of ,his mind and the mightiest instrument forged to insure the continuity of the three ages which constitute the component parts of ,his ,father's ,dispensation4 ,the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh had been instituted solely through the direct operation of ,his ,will and purpose4 ,the ,will and ,testament of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 on the other hand1 may be regarded as the offspring resulting from that mystic intercourse between ,him ,who had generated the forces of a ,god-given ,faith and the ,one ,who had been made its sole ,interpreter and was recognized as its perfect ,exemplar4 ,the creative energies unleashed by the ,originator of the ,law of ,god in this age gave birth1 through their impact upon the mind of ,him ,who had been chosen as its unerring ,expounder1 to that ,instrument1 the vast implications of which the present generation1 even after the lapse of twenty-three years1 is still incapable of fully apprehending4 ,this ,instrument can1 if we would correctly appraise it1 no more be divorced from the ,one ,who provided the motivating impulse for its creation than from ,him ,who directly conceived it4 ,the purpose of the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation had1 as already observed1 been so thoroughly infused into the mind of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and ,his ,spirit had so profoundly impregnated ,his being1 and their aims and motives been so completely blended1 that to dissociate the doctrine laid down by the former from the supreme act associated with the mission of the latter would be tantamount to a repudiation of one of the most fundamental verities of the ,faith4 ,the ,administrative ,order which this historic ,document has established1 it should be noted1 is1 by virtue of its origin and character1 unique in the annals of the world's religious systems4 ,no ,prophet before ,bah'u'llh1 it can be confidently asserted1 not even ,muammad ,whose ,book clearly lays down the laws and ordinances of the ,islamic ,dispensation1 has established1 authoritatively and in writing1 anything comparable to the ,administrative ,order which the authorized ,interpreter of ,bah'u'llh's teachings has instituted1 an ,order which1 by virtue of the administrative principles which its ,author has formulated1 the institutions ,he has established1 and the right of interpretation with which ,he has invested its ,guardian1 must and will1 in a manner unparalleled in any previous religion1 safeguard from schism the ,faith from which it has sprung4 ,nor is the principle governing its operation similar to that which underlies any system1 whether theocratic or otherwise1 which the minds of men have devised for the government of human institutions4 ,neither in theory nor in practice can the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh be said to conform to any type of democratic government1 to any system of autocracy1 to any purely aristocratic order1 or to any of the various theocracies1 whether ,jewish1 ,christian or ,islamic which mankind has witnessed in the past4 ,it incorporates within its structure certain elements which are to be found in each of the three recognized forms of secular government1 is devoid of the defects which each of them inherently possesses1 and blends the salutary truths which each undoubtedly contains without vitiating in any way the integrity of the ,divine verities on which it is essentially founded4 ,the hereditary authority which the ,guardian of the ,administrative ,order is called upon to exercise1 and the right of the interpretation of the ,holy ,writ solely conferred upon him2 the powers and prerogatives of the ,universal ,house of ,justice1 possessing the exclusive right to legislate on matters not explicitly revealed in the ,most ,holy ,book2 the ordinance exempting its members from any responsibility to those whom they represent1 and from the obligation to conform to their views1 convictions or sentiments2 the specific provisions requiring the free and democratic election by the mass of the faithful of the ,body that constitutes the sole legislative organ in the world-wide ,bah' community--these are among the features which combine to set apart the ,order identified with the ,revelation of ,bah'u'llh from any of the existing systems of human government4 ,nor have the enemies who1 at the hour of the inception of this ,administrative ,order1 and in the course of its twenty-three year existence1 both in the ,east and in the ,west1 from within and from without1 misrepresented its character1 or derided and vilified it1 or striven to arrest its march1 or contrived to create a breach in the ranks of its supporters1 succeeded in achieving their malevolent purpose4 ,the strenuous exertions of an ambitious ,armenian1 who1 in the course of the first years of its establishment in ,egypt1 endeavored to supplant it by the 8,scientific ,society0 which in his short-sightedness he had conceived and was sponsoring1 failed utterly in its purpose4 ,the agitation provoked by a deluded woman who strove diligently both in the ,united ,states and in ,england to demonstrate the unauthenticity of the ,charter responsible for its creation1 and even to induce the civil authorities of ,palestine to take legal action in the matter--a request which to her great chagrin was curtly refused--as well as the defection of one of the earliest pioneers and founders of the ,faith in ,germany1 whom that same woman had so tragically misled1 produced no effect whatsoever4 ,the volumes which a shameless apostate composed and disseminated1 during that same period in ,persia1 in his brazen efforts not only to disrupt that ,order but to undermine the very ,faith which had conceived it1 proved similarly abortive4 ,the schemes devised by the remnants of the ,covenant-breakers1 who immediately the aims and purposes of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,will became known arose1 headed by ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 to wrest the custodianship of the holiest shrine in the ,bah' world from its appointed ,guardian1 likewise came to naught and brought further discredit upon them4 ,the subsequent attacks launched by certain exponents of ,christian orthodoxy1 in both ,christian and non-,christian lands1 with the object of subverting the foundations1 and distorting the features1 of this same ,order were powerless to sap the loyalty of its upholders or to deflect them from their high purpose4 ,not even the infamous and insidious machinations of a former secretary of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 who1 untaught by the retribution that befell ,bah'u'llh's amanuensis1 as well as by the fate that overtook several other secretaries and interpreters of ,his ,master1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 has arisen1 and is still exerting himself1 to pervert the purpose and nullify the essential provisions of the immortal ,document from which that ,order derives its authority1 have been able to stay even momentarily the march of its institutions along the course set for it by its ,author1 or to create anything that might1 however remotely1 resemble a breach in the ranks of its assured1 its wide-awake and stalwart supporters4 ,the ,document establishing that ,order1 the ,charter of a future world civilization1 which may be regarded in some of its features as supplementary to no less weighty a ,book than the ,kitb-i-,aqdas2 signed and sealed by #8,abdu'l-,bah2 entirely written with ,his own hand2 its first section composed during one of the darkest periods of ,his incarceration in the prison-fortress of ,akk1 proclaims1 categorically and unequivocally1 the fundamental beliefs of the followers of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh2 reveals1 in unmistakable language1 the twofold character of the ,mission of the ,bb2 discloses the full station of the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation2 asserts that 8all others are servants unto ,him and do ,his bidding02 stresses the importance of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas2 establishes the institution of the ,guardianship as a hereditary office and outlines its essential functions2 provides the measures for the election of the ,international ,house of ,justice1 defines its scope and sets forth its relationship to that ,institution2 prescribes the obligations1 and emphasizes the responsibilities1 of the ,hands of the ,cause of ,god2 and extolls the virtues of the indestructible ,covenant established by ,bah'u'llh4 ,that ,document1 furthermore1 lauds the courage and constancy of the supporters of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant2 expatiates on the sufferings endured by its appointed ,center2 recalls the infamous conduct of ,mrz ,yay and his failure to heed the warnings of the ,bb2 exposes1 in a series of indictments1 the perfidy and rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 and the complicity of his son ,shu#8'u'llh and of his brother ,mrz ,bad'u'llh2 reaffirms their excommunication1 and predicts the frustration of all their hopes2 summons the ,afnn 7the ,bb's kindred71 the ,hands of the ,cause and the entire company of the followers of ,bah'u'llh to arise unitedly to propagate ,his ,faith1 to disperse far and wide1 to labor tirelessly and to follow the heroic example of the ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ2 warns them against the dangers of association with the ,covenant-breakers1 and bids them shield the ,cause from the assaults of the insincere and the hypocrite2 and counsels them to demonstrate by their conduct the universality of the ,faith they have espoused1 and vindicate its high principles4 ,in that same ,document its ,author reveals the significance and purpose of the uqqu'llh 7,right of ,god71 already instituted in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas2 enjoins submission and fidelity towards all monarchs who are just2 expresses ,his longing for martyrdom1 and voices ,his prayers for the repentance as well as the forgiveness of ,his enemies4 ,obedient to the summons issued by the ,author of so momentous a ,document2 conscious of their high calling2 galvanized into action by the shock sustained through the unexpected and sudden removal of #8,abdu'l-,bah2 guided by the ,plan which ,he1 the ,architect of the ,administrative ,order1 had entrusted to their hands2 undeterred by the attacks directed against it by betrayers and enemies1 jealous of its gathering strength and blind to its unique significance1 the members of the widely-scattered ,bah' communities1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 arose with clear vision and inflexible determination to inaugurate the ,formative ,period of their ,faith by laying the foundations of that world-embracing ,administrative system designed to evolve into a ,world ,order which posterity must acclaim as the promise and crowning glory of all the ,dispensations of the past4 ,not content with the erection and consolidation of the administrative machinery provided for the preservation of the unity and the efficient conduct of the affairs of a steadily expanding community1 the followers of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh resolved1 in the course of the two decades following #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing1 to assert and demonstrate by their acts the independent character of that ,faith1 to enlarge still further its limits and swell the number of its avowed supporters4 ,in this triple world-wide effort1 it should be noted1 the rle played by the ,american ,bah' community1 since the passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah until the termination of the first ,bah' century1 has been such as to lend a tremendous impetus to the development of the ,faith throughout the world1 to vindicate the confidence placed in its members by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself1 and to justify the high praise ,he bestowed upon them and the fond hopes ,he entertained for their future4 ,indeed so preponderating has been the influence of its members in both the initiation and the consolidation of ,bah' administrative institutions that their country may well deserve to be recognized as the cradle of the ,administrative ,order which ,bah'u'llh ,himself had envisaged and which the ,will of the ,center of ,his ,covenant had called into being4 ,it should be borne in mind in this connection that the preliminary steps aiming at the disclosure of the scope and working of this ,administrative ,order1 which was now to be formally established after #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing1 had already been taken by ,him1 and even by ,bah'u'llh in the years preceding ,his ascension4 ,the appointment by ,him of certain outstanding believers in ,persia as 8,hands of the ,cause02 the initiation of local ,assemblies and boards of consultation by #8,abdu'l-,bah in leading ,bah' centers in both the ,east and the ,west2 the formation of the ,bah' ,temple ,unity in the ,united ,states of ,america2 the establishment of local funds for the promotion of ,bah' activities2 the purchase of property dedicated to the ,faith and its future institutions2 the founding of publishing societies for the dissemination of ,bah' literature2 the erection of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world2 the construction of the ,bb's mausoleum on ,mt4 ,carmel2 the institution of hostels for the accommodation of itinerant teachers and pilgrims--these may be regarded as the precursors of the institutions which1 immediately after the closing of the ,heroic ,age of the ,faith1 were to be permanently and systematically established throughout the ,bah' world4 ,no sooner had the provisions of that ,divine ,charter1 delineating the features of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh been disclosed to ,his followers than they set about erecting1 upon the foundations which the lives of the heroes1 the saints and martyrs of that ,faith had laid1 the first stage of the framework of its administrative institutions4 ,conscious of the necessity of constructing1 as a first step1 a broad and solid base upon which the pillars of that mighty structure could subsequently be raised2 fully aware that upon these pillars1 when firmly established1 the dome1 the final unit crowning the entire edifice1 must eventually rest2 undeflected in their course by the crisis which the ,covenant-breakers had precipitated in the ,holy ,land1 or the agitation which the stirrers of mischief had provoked in ,egypt1 or the disturbances resulting from the seizure by the ,sh'ah community of the ,house of ,bah'u'llh in ,baghdd1 or the growing dangers confronting the ,faith in ,russia1 or the scorn and ridicule which had greeted the initial activities of the ,american ,bah' community from certain quarters that had completely misapprehended their purpose1 the pioneer builders of a divinely-conceived ,order undertook1 in complete unison1 and despite the great diversity in their outlook1 customs and languages1 the double task of establishing and of consolidating their local councils1 elected by the rank and file of the believers1 and designed to direct1 coordinate and extend the activities of the followers of a far-flung ,faith4 ,in ,persia1 in the ,united ,states of ,america1 in the ,dominion of ,canada1 in the ,british ,isles1 in ,france1 in ,germany1 in ,austria1 in ,india1 in ,burma1 in ,egypt1 in #8,irq1 in ,russian ,turkistn1 in the ,caucasus1 in ,australia1 in ,new ,zealand1 in ,south ,africa1 in ,turkey1 in ,syria1 in ,palestine1 in ,bulgaria1 in ,mexico1 in the ,philippine ,islands1 in ,jamaica1 in ,costa ,rica1 in ,guatemala1 in ,honduras1 in ,san ,salvador1 in ,argentina1 in ,uruguay1 in ,chile1 in ,brazil1 in ,ecuador1 in ,colombia1 in ,paraguay1 in ,peru1 in ,alaska1 in ,cuba1 in ,haiti1 in ,japan1 in the ,hawaiian ,islands1 in ,tunisia1 in ,puerto ,rico1 in ,balchistn1 in ,russia1 in ,transjordan1 in ,lebanon1 and in ,abyssinia such councils1 constituting the basis of the rising ,order of a long-persecuted ,faith1 were gradually established4 ,designated as 8,spiritual ,assemblies0--an appellation that must in the course of time be replaced by their permanent and more descriptive title of 8,houses of ,justice10 bestowed upon them by the ,author of the ,bah' ,revelation2 instituted1 without any exception1 in every city1 town and village where nine or more adult believers are resident2 annually and directly elected1 on the first day of the greatest ,bah' ,festival by all adult believers1 men and women alike2 invested with an authority rendering them unanswerable for their acts and decisions to those who elect them2 solemnly pledged to follow1 under all conditions1 the dictates of the 8,most ,great ,justice0 that can alone usher in the reign of the 8,most ,great ,peace0 which ,bah'u'llh has proclaimed and must ultimately establish2 charged with the responsibility of promoting at all times the best interests of the communities within their jurisdiction1 of familiarizing them with their plans and activities and of inviting them to offer any recommendations they might wish to make2 cognizant of their no less vital task of demonstrating1 through association with all liberal and humanitarian movements1 the universality and comprehensiveness of their ,faith2 dissociated entirely from all sectarian organizations1 whether religious or secular2 assisted by committees annually appointed by1 and directly responsible to1 them1 to each of which a particular branch of ,bah' activity is assigned for study and action2 supported by local funds to which all believers voluntarily contribute2 these ,assemblies1 the representatives and custodians of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 numbering1 at the present time1 several hundred1 and whose membership is drawn from the diversified races1 creeds and classes constituting the world-wide ,bah' community1 have1 in the course of the last two decades1 abundantly demonstrated1 by virtue of their achievements1 their right to be regarded as the chief sinews of ,bah' society1 as well as the ultimate foundation of its administrative structure4 8,the ,lord hath ordained10 is ,bah'u'llh's injunction in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 8that in every city a ,house of ,justice be established1 wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of ,bah 7#i71 and should it exceed this number1 it doth not matter4 ,it behoveth them to be the trusted ones of the ,merciful among men1 and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of ,god for all that dwell on earth4 ,it is incumbent upon them to take counsel together1 and to have regard for the interests of the servants of ,god1 for ,his sake1 even as they regard their own interests1 and to choose that which is meet and seemly40 8,these ,spiritual ,assemblies10 is #8,abdu'l-,bah's testimony1 in a ,tablet addressed to an ,american believer1 8are aided by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,their defender is #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,over them ,he spreadeth ,his ,wings4 ,what bounty is there greater than this80 8,these ,spiritual ,assemblies10 ,he1 in that same ,tablet has declared1 8are shining lamps and heavenly gardens1 from which the fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions1 and the lights of knowledge are shed abroad over all created things4 ,from them the spirit of life streameth in every direction4 ,they1 indeed1 are the potent sources of the progress of man1 at all times and under all conditions40 ,establishing beyond any doubt their ,god-given authority1 ,he has written3 8,it is incumbent upon every one not to take any step without consulting the ,spiritual ,assembly1 and all must assuredly obey with heart and soul its bidding1 and be submissive unto it1 that things may be properly ordered and well arranged40 8,if after discussion10 ,he1 furthermore has written1 8a decision be carried unanimously1 well and good2 but if1 the ,lord forbid1 differences of opinion should arise1 a majority of voices must prevail40 ,having established the structure of their local ,assemblies--the base of the edifice which the ,architect of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh had directed them to erect--,his disciples1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 unhesitatingly embarked on the next and more difficult stage1 of their high enterprise4 ,in countries where the local ,bah' communities had sufficiently advanced in number and in influence measures were taken for the initiation of ,national ,assemblies1 the pivots round which all national undertakings must revolve4 ,designated by #8,abdu'l-,bah in ,his ,will as the 8,secondary ,houses of ,justice10 they constitute the electoral bodies in the formation of the ,international ,house of ,justice1 and are empowered to direct1 unify1 coordinate and stimulate the activities of individuals as well as local ,assemblies within their jurisdiction4 ,resting on the broad base of organized local communities1 themselves pillars sustaining the institution which must be regarded as the apex of the ,bah' ,administrative ,order1 these ,assemblies are elected1 according to the principle of proportional representation1 by delegates representative of ,bah' local communities assembled at ,convention during the period of the ,ridvn ,festival2 are possessed of the necessary authority to enable them to insure the harmonious and efficient development of ,bah' activity within their respective spheres2 are freed from all direct responsibility for their policies and decisions to their electorates2 are charged with the sacred duty of consulting the views1 of inviting the recommendations and of securing the confidence and cooperation of the delegates and of acquainting them with their plans1 problems and actions2 and are supported by the resources of national funds to which all ranks of the faithful are urged to contribute4 ,instituted in the ,united ,states of ,america 7#aibe7 7the ,national ,assembly superseding in that country the institution of ,bah' ,temple ,unity formed during #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry71 in the ,british ,isles 7#aibc71 in ,germany 7#aibc71 in ,egypt 7#aibd71 in #8,irq 7#aica71 in ,india 7#aibc71 in ,persia 7#aicd7 and in ,australia 7#aicd72 their election renewed annually by delegates whose number has been fixed1 according to national requirements1 at #i1 #ai1 #ie1 or #aga 7#i times #ai71 these national bodies have through their emergence signalized the birth of a new epoch in the ,formative ,age of the ,faith1 and marked a further stage in the evolution1 the unification and consolidation of a continually expanding community4 ,aided by national committees responsible to and chosen by them1 without discrimination1 from among the entire body of the believers within their jurisdiction1 and to each of which a particular sphere of ,bah' service is allocated1 these ,bah' ,national ,assemblies have1 as the scope of their activities steadily enlarged1 proved themselves1 through the spirit of discipline which they have inculcated and through their uncompromising adherence to principles which have enabled them to rise above all prejudices of race1 nation1 class and color1 capable of administering1 in a remarkable fashion1 the multiplying activities of a newly-consolidated ,faith4 ,nor have the national committees themselves been less energetic and devoted in the discharge of their respective functions4 ,in the defense of the ,faith's vital interests1 in the exposition of its doctrine2 in the dissemination of its literature2 in the consolidation of its finances2 in the organization of its teaching force2 in the furtherance of the solidarity of its component parts2 in the purchase of its historic sites2 in the preservation of its sacred records1 treasures and relics2 in its contacts with the various institutions of the society of which it forms a part2 in the education of its youth2 in the training of its children2 in the improvement of the status of its women adherents in the ,east2 the members of these diversified agencies1 operating under the aegis of the elected national representatives of the ,bah' community1 have amply demonstrated their capacity to promote effectively its vital and manifold interests4 ,the mere enumeration of the national committees which1 originating mostly in the ,west and functioning with exemplary efficiency in the ,united ,states and ,canada1 now carry on their activities with a vigor and a unity of purpose which sharply contrast with the effete institutions of a moribund civilization1 would suffice to reveal the scope of these auxiliary institutions which an evolving ,administrative ,order1 still in the secondary stage of its development1 has set in motion3 ,the ,teaching ,committee1 the ,regional ,teaching ,committees2 the ,inter-,america ,committee2 the ,publishing ,committee2 the ,race ,unity ,committee2 the ,youth ,committee2 the ,reviewing ,committee2 ,the ,temple ,maintenance ,committee2 the ,temple ,program ,committee2 the ,temple ,guides ,committee2 the ,temple ,librarian and ,sales ,committee2 the ,boys' and ,girls' ,service ,committees2 the ,child ,education ,committee2 the ,women's ,progress1 ,teaching1 and ,program ,committees2 the ,legal ,committee2 the ,archives and ,history ,committee2 the ,census ,committee2 the ,bah' ,exhibits ,committee2 the ,bah' ,news ,committee2 the ,bah' ,news ,service ,committee2 the ,braille ,transcriptions ,committee2 the ,contacts ,committee2 the ,service ,committee2 the ,editorial ,committee2 the ,index ,committee2 the ,library ,committee2 the ,radio ,committee2 the ,accountant ,committee2 the ,annual ,souvenir ,committee2 the ,bah' ,world ,editorial ,committee2 the ,study ,outline ,committee2 the ,international ,auxiliary ,language ,committee2 the ,institute of ,bah' ,education ,committee2 the ,world ,order ,magazine ,committee2 the ,bah' ,public ,relations ,committee2 the ,bah' ,schools ,committee2 the ,summer ,schools ,committee2 the ,international ,school ,committee2 the ,pamphlet ,literature ,committee2 the ,bah' ,cemetery ,committee2 the ,hazratu'l-,quds ,committee2 the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr ,committee2 the ,assembly ,development ,committee2 the ,national ,history ,committee2 the ,miscellaneous ,materials ,committee2 the ,free ,literature ,committee2 the ,translation ,committee2 the ,cataloguing ,tablets ,committee2 the ,editing ,tablets ,committee2 the ,properties ,committee2 the ,adjustments ,committee2 the ,publicity ,committee2 the ,east and ,west ,committee2 the ,welfare ,committee2 the ,transcription of ,tablets ,committee2 the ,traveling ,teachers ,committee2 the ,bah' ,education ,committee2 the ,holy ,sites ,committee2 the ,children's ,savings ,bank ,committee4 ,the establishment of local and national ,assemblies and the subsequent formation of local and national committees1 acting as necessary adjuncts to the elected representatives of ,bah' communities in both the ,east and the ,west1 however remarkable in themselves1 were but a prelude to a series of undertakings on the part of the newly formed ,national ,assemblies1 which have contributed in no small measure to the unification of the ,bah' world community and the consolidation of its ,administrative ,order4 ,the initial step taken in that direction was the drafting and adoption of a ,bah' ,national constitution1 first framed and promulgated by the elected representatives of the ,american ,bah' ,community in #aibg1 the text of which has since1 with slight variations suited to national requirements1 been translated into ,arabic1 ,german and ,persian1 and constitutes1 at the present time1 the charter of the ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies of the ,bah's of the ,united ,states and ,canada1 of the ,british ,isles1 of ,germany1 of ,persia1 of #8,irq1 of ,india and ,burma1 of ,egypt and the ,sudan and of ,australia and ,new ,zealand4 ,heralding the formulation of the constitution of the future ,bah' ,world ,community2 submitted for the consideration of all local ,assemblies and ratified by the entire body of the recognized believers in countries possessing national ,assemblies1 this national constitution has been supplemented by a similar document1 containing the by-laws of ,bah' local assemblies1 first drafted by the ,new ,york ,bah' community in ,november1 #aica1 and accepted as a pattern for all local ,bah' constitutions4 ,the text of this national constitution comprises a ,declaration of ,trust1 whose articles set forth the character and objects of the national ,bah' community1 establish the functions1 designate the central office1 and describe the official seal1 of the body of its elected representatives1 as well as a set of by-laws which define the status1 the mode of election1 the powers and duties of both local and national ,assemblies1 describe the relation of the ,national ,assembly to the ,international ,house of ,justice as well as to local ,assemblies and individual believers1 outline the rights and obligations of the ,national ,convention and its relation to the ,national ,assembly1 disclose the character of ,bah' elections1 and lay down the requirements of voting membership in all ,bah' communities4 ,the framing of these constitutions1 both local and national1 identical to all intents and purposes in their provisions1 provided the necessary foundation for the legal incorporation of these administrative institutions in accordance with civil statutes controlling religious or commercial bodies4 ,giving these ,assemblies a legal standing1 this incorporation greatly consolidated their power and enlarged their capacity1 and in this regard the achievement of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of the ,united ,states and ,canada and the ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,new ,york again set an example worthy of emulation by their sister ,assemblies in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,the incorporation of the ,american ,national ,spiritual ,assembly as a voluntary ,trust1 a species of corporation recognized under the common law1 enabling it to enter into contract1 hold property and receive bequests by virtue of a certificate issued in ,may1 #aibi1 under the seal of the ,department of ,state in ,washington and bearing the signature of the ,secretary of ,state1 ,henry ,l4 ,stimson1 was followed by the adoption of similar legal measures resulting in the successive incorporation of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,india and ,burma1 in ,january1 #aicc1 in ,lahore1 in the state of ,punjab1 according to the provisions of the ,societies ,registration ,act of #ahfj2 of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,egypt and the ,sudan1 in ,december1 #aicd1 as certified by the ,mixed ,court in ,cairo2 of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,australia and ,new ,zealand1 in ,january1 #aich1 as witnessed by the ,deputy ,registrar at the ,general ,registry ,office for the state of ,south ,australia2 and more recently of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of the ,british ,isles1 in ,august1 #aici1 as an unlimited non-profit company1 under the ,companies ,act1 #aibi1 and certified by the ,assistant ,registrar of ,companies in the ,city of ,london4 ,parallel with the legal incorporation of these ,national ,assemblies a far larger number of ,bah' local ,assemblies were similarly incorporated1 following the example set by the ,chicago ,bah' ,assembly in ,february1 #aicb1 in countries as far apart as the ,united ,states of ,america1 ,india1 ,mexico1 ,germany1 ,canada1 ,australia1 ,new ,zealand1 ,burma1 ,costa ,rica1 ,balchistn and the ,hawaiian ,islands4 ,the ,spiritual ,assemblies of the ,bah's of ,esslingen in ,germany1 of ,mexico ,city in ,mexico1 of ,san ,jos in ,costa ,rica1 of ,sydney and ,adelaide in ,australia1 of ,auckland in ,new ,zealand1 of ,delhi1 ,bombay1 ,karachi1 ,poona1 ,calcutta1 ,secunderabad1 ,bangalore1 ,vellore1 ,ahmedabad1 ,serampore1 ,andheri and ,baroda in ,india1 of ,tuetta in ,balchistn1 of ,rangoon1 ,mandalay and ,daidanow-,kalazoo in ,burma1 of ,montreal and ,vancouver in ,canada1 of ,honolulu in the ,hawaiian ,islands1 and of ,chicago1 ,new ,york1 ,washington1 ,d4,c41 ,boston1 ,san ,francisco1 ,philadelphia1 ,kenosha1 ,teaneck1 ,racine1 ,detroit1 ,cleveland1 ,los ,angeles1 ,milwaukee1 ,minneapolis1 ,cincinnati1 ,winnetka1 ,phoenix1 ,columbus1 ,lima1 ,portland1 ,jersey ,city1 ,wilmette1 ,peoria1 ,seattle1 ,binghamton1 ,helena1 ,richmond ,highlands1 ,miami1 ,pasadena1 ,oakland1 ,indianapolis1 ,st4 ,paul1 ,berkeley1 ,urbana1 ,springfield and ,flint in the ,united ,states of ,america--all these succeeded1 gradually and after submitting the text of almost identical ,bah' local constitutions to the civil authorities in their respective states or provinces1 in constituting themselves into societies and corporations recognized by law1 and protected by the civil statutes operating in their respective countries4 ,just as the formulation of ,bah' constitutions had provided the foundation for the incorporation of ,bah' ,spiritual ,assemblies1 so did the recognition accorded by local and national authorities to the elected representatives of ,bah' communities pave the way for the establishment of national and local ,bah' endowments--a historic undertaking which1 as had been the case with previous achievements of far-reaching importance1 the ,american ,bah' ,community was the first to initiate4 ,in most cases these endowments1 owing to their religious character1 have been exempted from both government and municipal taxes1 as a result of representations made by the incorporated ,bah' bodies to the civil authorities1 though the value of the properties thus exempted has1 in more than one country1 amounted to a considerable sum4 ,in the ,united ,states of ,america the national endowments of the ,faith1 already representing one and three-quarter million dollars of assets1 and established through a series of ,indentures of ,trust1 created in #aibh1 #aibi1 #aice1 #aich1 #aici1 #aida and #aidb by the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly in that country1 acting as ,trustees of the ,american ,bah' ,community1 now include the land and structure of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 and the caretaker's cottage in ,wilmette1 ,ill42 the adjoining ,hazratu'l-,quds 7,bah' ,national ,headquarters7 and its supplementary administrative office2 the ,inn1 the ,fellowship ,house1 the ,bah' ,hall1 the ,arts and ,crafts ,studio1 a farm1 a number of cottages1 several parcels of land1 including the holding on ,monsalvat1 blessed by the footsteps of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in ,green ,acre1 in the state of ,maine2 ,bosch ,house1 the ,bah' ,hall1 a fruit orchard1 the ,redwood ,grove1 a dormitory and ,ranch ,buildings in ,geyserville1 ,calif42 ,wilhelm ,house1 ,evergreen ,cabin1 a pine grove and seven lots with buildings at ,west ,englewood1 ,n4,j41 the scene of the memorable ,unity ,feast given by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 in ,june1 #aiab1 to the ,bah's of the ,new ,york ,metropolitan district2 ,wilson ,house1 blessed by ,his presence1 and land in ,malden1 ,mass42 ,mathews ,house and ,ranch ,buildings in ,pine ,valley1 ,colo42 land in ,muskegon1 ,mich41 and a cemetery lot in ,portsmouth1 ,n4,h4 ,of even greater importance1 and in their aggregate far surpassing in value the national endowments of the ,american ,bah' community1 though their title-deeds are1 owing to the inability of the ,persian ,bah' community to incorporate its national and local assemblies1 held in trust by individuals1 are the assets which the ,faith now possesses in the land of its origin4 ,to the ,house of the ,bb in ,shrz and the ancestral ,home of ,bah'u'llh in ,tkr1 ,mzindarn1 already in the possession of the community in the days of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 have1 since ,his ascension1 been added extensive properties1 in the outskirts of the capital1 situated on the slopes of ,mt4 ,alburz1 overlooking the native city of ,bah'u'llh1 including a farm1 a garden and vineyard1 comprising an area of over three million and a half square meters1 preserved as the future site of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr in ,persia4 ,other acquisitions that have greatly extended the range of ,bah' endowments in that country include the ,house in which ,bah'u'llh was born in ihrn2 several buildings adjoining the ,house of the ,bb in ,shrz1 including the house owned by ,his maternal uncle2 the ,hazratu'l-,quds in ihrn2 the shop occupied by the ,bb during the years ,he was a merchant in ,bshihr2 a quarter of the village of ,chihrq1 where ,he was confined2 the house of j ,mrz ,jn1 where ,he tarried on ,his way to ,tabrz2 the public bath used by ,him in ,shrz and some adjacent houses2 half of the house owned by ,vahd in ,nayrz and part of the house owned by ,hujjat in ,zanjn2 the three gardens rented by ,bah'u'llh in the hamlet of ,badasht2 the burial-place of ,qudds in ,barfursh2 the house of ,kalantar in ihrn1 the scene of ,thirih's confinement2 the public bath visited by the ,bb when in ,urmyyih1 dhirbayjn2 the house owned by ,mrz usayn-#8,aly-i-,nr1 where the ,bb's remains had been concealed2 the ,bbyyih and the house owned by ,mull usayn in ,mashhad2 the residence of the ,sulnu'sh-,shuhud 7,king of ,martyrs7 and of the ,mabbu'sh-,shuhad 7,beloved of ,martyrs7 in ,ifhn1 as well as a considerable number of sites and houses1 including burial-places1 associated with the heroes and martyrs of the ,faith4 ,these holdings which1 with very few exceptions1 have been recently acquired in ,persia1 are now being preserved and yearly augmented1 and1 whenever necessary1 carefully restored1 through the assiduous efforts of a specially appointed national committee1 acting under the constant and general supervision of the elected representatives of the ,persian believers4 ,nor should mention be omitted of the varied and multiplying national assets which1 ever since the inception of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 have been steadily acquired in other countries such as ,india1 ,burma1 the ,british ,isles1 ,germany1 #8,irq1 ,egypt1 ,australia1 ,transjordan and ,syria4 ,among these may be specially mentioned the ,hazratu'l-,quds of the ,bah's of #8,irq1 the ,hazratu'l-,quds of the ,bah's of ,egypt1 the ,hazratu'l-,quds of the ,bah's of ,india1 the ,hazratu'l-,quds of the ,bah's of ,australia1 the ,bah' ,home in ,esslingen1 the ,publishing ,trust of the ,bah's of the ,british ,isles1 the ,bah' ,pilgrim ,house in ,baghdd1 and the ,bah' ,cemeteries established in the capitals of ,persia1 ,egypt and ,turkistn4 ,whether in the form of land1 schools1 administrative headquarters1 secretariats1 libraries1 cemeteries1 hostels or publishing companies1 these widely scattered assets1 partly registered in the name of incorporated ,national ,assemblies1 and partly held in trust by individual recognized believers1 have contributed their share to the uninterrupted expansion of national ,bah' endowments in recent years as well as to the consolidation of their foundations4 ,of vital importance1 though less notable in significance1 have been1 moreover1 the local endowments which have supplemented the national assets of the ,faith and which1 in consequence of the incorporation of ,bah' local ,assemblies1 have been legally established and safeguarded in various countries in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,particularly in ,persia these holdings1 whether in the form of land1 administrative buildings1 schools or other institutions1 have greatly enriched and widened the scope of the local endowments of the world-wide ,bah' community4 ,simultaneous with the establishment and incorporation of local and national ,bah' ,assemblies1 with the formation of their respective committees1 the formulation of national and local ,bah' constitutions and the founding of ,bah' endowments1 undertakings of great institutional significance were initiated by these newly founded ,assemblies1 among which the institution of the ,hazratu'l-,quds--the seat of the ,bah' ,national ,assembly and pivot of all ,bah' administrative activity in future--must rank as one of the most important4 ,originating first in ,persia1 now universally known by its official and distinctive title signifying 8the ,sacred ,fold10 marking a notable advance in the evolution of a process whose beginnings may be traced to the clandestine gatherings held at times underground and in the dead of night1 by the persecuted followers of the ,faith in that country1 this institution1 still in the early stages of its development1 has already lent its share to the consolidation of the internal functions of the organic ,bah' community1 and provided a further visible evidence of its steady growth and rising power4 ,complementary in its functions to those of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr--an edifice exclusively reserved for ,bah' worship--this institution1 whether local or national1 will1 as its component parts1 such as the ,secretariat1 the ,treasury1 the ,archives1 the ,library1 the ,publishing ,office1 the ,assembly ,hall1 the ,council ,chamber1 the ,pilgrims' ,hostel1 are brought together and made jointly to operate in one spot1 be increasingly regarded as the focus of all ,bah' administrative activity1 and symbolize1 in a befitting manner1 the ideal of service animating the ,bah' community in its relation alike to the ,faith and to mankind in general4 ,from the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 ordained as a house of worship by ,bah'u'llh in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 the representatives of ,bah' communities1 both local and national1 together with the members of their respective committees1 will1 as they gather daily within its walls at the hour of dawn1 derive the necessary inspiration that will enable them to discharge1 in the course of their day-to-day exertions in the ,hazratu'l-,quds--the scene of their administrative activities--their duties and responsibilities as befits the chosen stewards of ,his ,faith4 ,already on the shores of ,lake ,michigan1 in the outskirts of the first ,bah' center established in the ,american continent and under the shadow of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,west2 in the capital city of ,persia1 the cradle of the ,faith2 in the vicinity of the ,most ,great ,house in ,baghdd2 in the city of ,ishqbd1 adjoining the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world2 in the capital of ,egypt1 the foremost center of both the ,arab and ,islamic worlds2 in ,delhi1 the capital city of ,india and even in ,sydney in far-off ,australia1 initial steps have been taken which must eventually culminate in the establishment1 in all their splendor and power1 of the national administrative seats of the ,bah' communities established in these countries4 ,locally1 moreover1 in the above-mentioned countries1 as well as in several others1 the preliminary measures for the establishment of this institution1 in the form of a house1 either owned or rented by the local ,bah' community1 have been taken1 foremost among them being the numerous administrative buildings which1 in various provinces of ,persia1 the believers have1 despite the disabilities from which they suffer1 succeeded in either purchasing or constructing4 ,equally important as a factor in the evolution of the ,administrative ,order has been the remarkable progress achieved1 particularly in the ,united ,states of ,america1 by the institution of the summer schools designed to foster the spirit of fellowship in a distinctly ,bah' atmosphere1 to afford the necessary training for ,bah' teachers1 and to provide facilities for the study of the history and teachings of the ,faith1 and for a better understanding of its relation to other religions and to human society in general4 ,established in three regional centers1 for the three major divisions of the ,north ,american continent1 in ,geyserville1 in the ,californian hills 7#aibg71 at ,green ,acre1 situated on the banks of the ,piscataqua in the state of ,maine 7#aibi71 and at ,louhelen ,ranch near ,davison1 ,michigan 7#aica71 and recently supplemented by the ,international ,school founded at ,pine ,valley1 ,colorado ,springs1 dedicated to the training of ,bah' teachers wishing to serve in other lands and especially in ,latin ,america1 these three embryonic ,bah' educational institutions have1 through a steady expansion of their programs1 set an example worthy of emulation by other ,bah' communities in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,through the intensive study of ,bah' ,scriptures and of the early history of the ,faith2 through the organization of courses on the teachings and history of ,islm2 through conferences for the promotion of inter-racial amity2 through laboratory courses designed to familiarize the participants with the processes of the ,bah' ,administrative ,order2 through special sessions devoted to ,youth and child training2 through classes in public speaking2 through lectures on ,comparative ,religion2 through group discussion on the manifold aspects of the ,faith2 through the establishment of libraries2 through teaching classes2 through courses on ,bah' ethics and on ,latin ,america2 through the introduction of winter school sessions2 through forums and devotional gatherings2 through plays and pageants2 through picnics and other recreational activities1 these schools1 open to ,bah's and non-,bah's alike1 have set so noble an example as to inspire other ,bah' communities in ,persia1 in the ,british ,isles1 in ,germany1 in ,australia1 in ,new ,zealand1 in ,india1 in #8,irq and in ,egypt to undertake the initial measures designed to enable them to build along the same lines institutions that bid fair to evolve into the ,bah' universities of the future4 ,among other factors contributing to the expansion and establishment of the ,administrative ,order may be mentioned the organized activities of the ,bah' ,youth1 already much advanced in ,persia and in the ,united ,states of ,america1 and launched more recently in ,india1 in the ,british ,isles1 in ,germany1 in #8,irq1 in ,egypt1 in ,australia1 in ,bulgaria1 in the ,hawaiian ,islands1 in ,hungary and in ,havana4 ,these activities comprise annual world-wide ,bah' ,youth ,symposiums1 ,youth sessions at ,bah' summer schools1 youth bulletins and magazines1 an international correspondence ,bureau1 facilities for the registration of young people desiring to join the ,faith1 the publication of outlines and references for the study of the teachings and the organization of a ,bah' study group as an official university activity in a leading ,american university4 ,they include1 moreover1 8study days0 held in ,bah' homes and centers1 classes for the study of ,esperanto and other languages1 the organization of ,bah' libraries1 the opening of reading rooms1 the production of ,bah' plays and pageants1 the holding of oratorical contests1 the education of orphans1 the organization of classes in public speaking1 the holding of gatherings to perpetuate the memory of historical ,bah' personalities1 inter-group regional conferences and youth sessions held in connection with ,bah' annual conventions4 ,still other factors promoting the development of that ,order and contributing to its consolidation have been the systematic institution of the ,nineteen ,day ,feast1 functioning in most ,bah' communities in ,east and ,west1 with its threefold emphasis on the devotional1 the administrative and the social aspects of ,bah' community life2 the initiation of activities designed to prepare a census of ,bah' children1 and provide for them laboratory courses1 prayer books and elementary literature1 and the formulation and publication of a body of authoritative statements on the non-political character of the ,faith1 on membership in non-,bah' religious organizations1 on methods of teaching1 on the ,bah' attitude towards war1 on the institutions of the ,annual ,convention1 of the ,bah' ,spiritual ,assembly1 of the ,nineteen ,day ,feast and of the ,national ,fund4 ,reference should1 moreover1 be made to the establishment of ,national ,archives for the authentication1 the collection1 the translation1 the cataloguing and the preservation of the ,tablets of ,bah'u'llh and of #8,abdu'l-,bah and for the preservation of sacred relics and historical documents2 to the verification and transcription of the original ,tablets of the ,bb1 of ,bah'u'llh and of #8,abdu'l-,bah in the possession of ,oriental believers2 to the compilation of a detailed history of the ,faith since its inception until the present day2 to the opening of a ,bah' ,international ,bureau in ,geneva2 to the holding of ,bah' district conventions2 to the purchase of historic sites2 to the establishment of ,bah' memorial libraries1 and to the initiation of a flourishing children's ,savings ,bank in ,persia4 ,nor should mention be omitted of the participation1 whether official or non-official1 of representatives of these newly founded national ,bah' communities in the activities and proceedings of a great variety of congresses1 associations1 conventions and conferences1 held in various countries of ,europe1 ,asia and ,america for the promotion of religious unity1 peace1 education1 international cooperation1 inter-racial amity and other humanitarian purposes4 ,with organizations such as the ,conference of some ,living ,religions within the ,british ,empire1 held in ,london in #aibd and the ,world ,fellowship of ,faiths held in that same city in #aicf2 with the ,universal ,esperanto ,congresses held annually in various capitals of ,europe2 with the ,institute of ,intellectual ,cooperation2 with the ,century of ,progress ,exhibition held in ,chicago in #aicc2 with the ,world's ,fair held in ,new ,york in #aich and #aici2 with the ,golden ,gate ,international ,exposition held in ,san ,francisco in #aici2 with the ,first ,convention of the ,religious ,congress held in ,calcutta2 with the ,second ,all-,india ,cultural ,conference convened in that same city2 with the ,all-,faiths' ,league ,convention in ,indore2 with the ,arya ,samaj and the ,brahmo ,samaj ,conferences as well as those of the ,theosophical ,society and the ,all-,asian ,women's ,conference1 held in various cities of ,india2 with the ,world ,council of ,youth2 with the ,eastern ,women's ,congress in ihrn2 with the ,pan-,pacific ,women's ,conference in ,honolulu2 with the ,women's ,international ,league for ,peace and with the ,peoples ,conference at ,buenos ,aires in ,argentina--with these and others1 relationships have1 in one form or another1 been cultivated which have served the twofold purpose of demonstrating the universality and comprehensiveness of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh and of forging vital and enduring links between them and the far-flung agencies of its ,administrative ,order4 ,nor should we ignore or underestimate the contacts established between these same agencies and some of the highest governmental authorities1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 as well as with the heads of ,islm in ,persia1 and with the ,league of ,nations1 and with even royalty itself for the purpose of defending the rights1 or of presenting the literature1 or of setting forth the aims and purposes of the followers of the ,faith in their unremitting efforts to champion the cause of an infant ,administrative ,order4 ,the communications addressed by the members of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of the ,united ,states and ,canada--the champion builders of that ,order--to the ,palestine ,high ,commissioner for the restitution of the keys of the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh to its custodian2 to the ,shh of ,persia1 on four occasions1 pleading for justice on behalf of their persecuted brethren within his domains2 to the ,persian ,prime ,minister on that same subject2 to ,queen ,marie of ,rumania1 expressing gratitude for her historic tributes to the ,bah' ,faith2 to the ,heads of ,islm in ,persia1 appealing for harmony and peace among religions2 to ,king ,feisal of #8,irq for the purpose of insuring the security of the ,most ,great ,house in ,baghdd2 to the ,soviet ,authorities on behalf of the ,bah' communities in ,russia2 to the ,german authorities regarding the disabilities suffered by their ,german brethren2 to the ,egyptian ,government concerning the emancipation of their co-religionists from the yoke of ,islamic orthodoxy2 to the ,persian ,cabinet in connection with the closing of ,persian ,bah' educational institutions2 to the ,state ,department of the ,united ,states ,government and the ,turkish ,ambassador in ,washington and the ,turkish ,cabinet in ,ankara1 in defense of the interests of the ,faith in ,turkey2 to that same ,state ,department in order to facilitate the transfer of the remains of ,lua ,getsinger from the ,protestant ,cemetery in ,cairo to the first ,bah' burial-ground established in ,egypt2 to the ,persian ,minister in ,washington regarding the mission of ,keith ,ransom-,kehler2 to the ,king of ,egypt with accompanying ,bah' literature2 to the ,government of the ,united ,states and the ,canadian ,government1 setting forth the ,bah' teachings on ,universal ,peace2 to the ,rumanian ,minister in ,washington on behalf of the ,american ,bah's1 on the occasion of the death of ,queen ,marie of ,rumania2 and to ,president ,franklin ,d4 ,roosevelt1 acquainting him with ,bah'u'llh's summons issued in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas to the ,presidents of the ,american ,republics and with certain prayers revealed by #8,abdu'l-,bah--such communications constitute in themselves a notable and illuminating chapter in the history of the unfoldment of the ,bah' ,administrative ,order4 ,to these must be added the communications addressed from the world center of the ,faith as well as by ,bah' national and local assemblies1 whether telegraphically or in writing1 to the ,palestine ,high ,commissioner1 pleading for the delivery of the keys of the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh to its original keeper2 the appeals made by ,bah' centers in ,east and ,west to the ,irq authorities for the restoration of the ,house of ,bah'u'llh in ,baghdd2 the subsequent appeal made to the ,british ,secretary of ,state for the ,colonies1 following the verdict of the ,baghdd ,court of ,appeals in that connection2 the messages despatched to the ,league of ,nations on behalf of ,bah' communities in the ,east and in the ,west1 in appreciation of the official pronouncement of the ,council of the ,league in favor of the claims presented by the ,bah' petitioners1 as well as several letters exchanged between the ,international ,center of the ,faith1 on the one hand1 and that archetype of ,bah' teachers1 ,martha ,root1 on the other1 with ,queen ,marie of ,rumania1 following the publication of her historic appreciations of the ,faith1 and the messages of sympathy addressed to ,queen ,marie of ,yugoslavia1 on behalf of the world-wide ,bah' ,community1 on the occasion of the passing of her mother1 and to the ,duchess of ,kent following the tragic death of her husband4 ,nor should we fail to make special mention of the petition forwarded by the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of #8,irq to the ,mandates ,commission of the ,league of ,nations1 as a result of the seizure of ,bah'u'llh's house in ,baghdd1 or of the written messages sent to ,king ,ghz ,i of #8,irq by that same ,assembly1 after the death of his father and on the occasion of his marriage1 or of its condolences conveyed in writing to the present ,regent of #8,irq at the time of the sudden death of that ,king1 or of the communications of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,egypt submitted to the ,egyptian ,prime ,minister1 the ,minister of the ,interior1 and the ,minister of ,justice1 following the verdict of the ,muslim ecclesiastical court in ,egypt1 or of the letters addressed by the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,persia to the ,shh and to the ,persian ,cabinet in connection with the closing of ,bah' schools and the ban imposed on ,bah' literature in that country4 ,mention should1 moreover1 be made of the written messages despatched by the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,persia to the ,king of ,rumania and the ,royal ,family on the occasion of the death of his mother1 ,queen ,marie1 as well as to the ,turkish ,ambassador in ihrn enclosing the contribution of the ,persian believers for the sufferers of the earthquake in ,turkey2 of ,martha ,root's letters to the late ,president ,von ,hindenburg and to ,dr4 ,streseman1 the ,german ,foreign ,minister1 accompanying the presentation to them of ,bah' literature2 of ,keith ,ransom-,kehler's seven successive petitions addressed to the ,shh of ,persia1 and of her numerous communications to various ministers and high dignitaries of the realm1 during her memorable visit to that land4 ,collateral with these first stirrings of the ,bah' ,administrative ,order1 and synchronizing with the emergence of ,national ,bah' communities and with the institution of their administrative1 educational1 and teaching agencies1 the mighty process set in motion in the ,holy ,land1 the heart and nerve-center of that ,administrative ,order1 on the memorable occasions when ,bah'u'llh revealed the ,tablet of ,carmel and visited the future site of the ,bb's sepulcher1 was irresistibly unfolding4 ,that process had received a tremendous impetus through the purchase of that site1 shortly after ,bah'u'llh's ascension1 through the subsequent transfer of the ,bb's remains from ihrn to ,akk1 through the construction of that sepulcher during the most distressful years of #8,abdu'l-,bah's incarceration1 and lastly through the permanent interment of those remains in the heart of ,mt4 ,carmel1 through the establishment of a pilgrim house in the immediate vicinity of that sepulcher1 and the selection of the future site of the first ,bah' educational institution on that mountain4 ,profiting from the freedom accorded the world center of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 ever since the ignominious defeat of the decrepit ,ottoman empire during the war of #aiad-ah1 the forces released through the inception of the stupendous ,plan conceived by ,him could now flow unchecked1 under the beneficent influence of a sympathetic rgime1 into channels designed to disclose to the world at large the potencies with which that ,plan had been endowed4 ,the interment of #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself within a vault of the ,bb's mausoleum1 enhancing still further the sacredness of that mountain2 the installment of an electric plant1 the first of its kind established in the city of ,haifa1 flooding with illumination the ,grave of ,one ,who1 in ,his own words1 had been denied even 8a lighted lamp0 in ,his fortress-prison in dhirbayjn2 the construction of three additional chambers adjoining ,his sepulcher1 thereby completing #8,abdu'l-,bah's plan for the first unit of that ,edifice2 the vast extension1 despite the machinations of the ,covenant-breakers1 of the properties surrounding that resting-place1 sweeping from the ridge of ,carmel down to the ,templar colony nestling at its foot1 and representing assets estimated at no less than four hundred thousand pounds1 together with the acquisition of four tracts of land1 dedicated to the ,bah' ,shrines1 and situated in the plain of ,akk to the north1 in the district of ,beersheba to the south1 and in the valley of the ,jordan to the east1 amounting to approximately six hundred acres2 the opening of a series of terraces which1 as designed by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 are to provide a direct approach to the ,bb's ,tomb from the city lying under its shadow2 the beautification of its precincts through the laying out of parks and gardens1 open daily to the public1 and attracting tourists and residents alike to its gates--these may be regarded as the initial evidences of the marvelous expansion of the international institutions and endowments of the ,faith at its world center4 ,of particular significance1 moreover1 has been the exemption granted by the ,palestine ,high ,commissioner to the entire area of land surrounding and dedicated to the ,shrine of the ,bb1 to the school property and the archives in its vicinity1 to the ,western pilgrim-house situated in its neighborhood1 and to such historic sites as the ,mansion in ,bahj1 the ,house of ,bah'u'llh in ,akk1 and the garden of ,ridvn to the east of that city2 the establishment1 as a result of two formal applications submitted to the civil authorities1 of the ,palestine ,branches of the ,american and ,indian ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies1 as recognized religious societies in ,palestine 7to be followed1 for purposes of internal consolidation1 by a similar incorporation of the branches of other ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies throughout the ,bah' world72 and the transfer to the ,branch of the ,american ,national ,spiritual ,assembly1 through a series of no less than thirty transactions1 of properties dedicated to the ,tomb of the ,bb1 and approximating in their aggregate fifty thousand square meters1 the majority of the title-deeds of which bear the signature of the son of the ,arch-breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant in his capacity as ,registrar of lands in ,haifa4 ,equally significant has been the founding on ,mt4 ,carmel of two international ,archives1 the one adjoining the shrine of the ,bb1 the other in the immediate vicinity of the resting-place of the ,greatest ,holy ,leaf1 where1 for the first time in ,bah' history1 priceless treasures1 hitherto scattered and often hidden for safekeeping1 have been collected and are now displayed to visiting pilgrims4 ,these treasures include portraits of both the ,bb and ,bah'u'llh2 personal relics such as the hair1 the dust and garments of the ,bb2 the locks and blood of ,bah'u'llh and such articles as ,his pen-case1 ,his garments1 ,his brocaded tjes 7head dresses71 the kashkl of ,his ,sulaymnyyih days1 ,his watch and ,his ,qur'n2 manuscripts and ,tablets of inestimable value1 some of them illuminated1 such as part of the ,hidden ,words written in ,bah'u'llh's own hand1 the ,persian ,bayn1 in the handwriting of ,siyyid usayn1 the ,bb's amanuensis1 the original ,tablets to the ,letters of the ,living penned by the ,bb1 and the manuscript of 8,some ,answered ,questions40 ,this precious collection1 moreover1 includes objects and effects associated with #8,abdu'l-,bah2 the blood-stained garment of the ,purest ,branch1 the ring of ,qudds1 the sword of ,mull usayn1 the seals of the ,vazr1 the father of ,bah'u'llh1 the brooch presented by the ,queen of ,rumania to ,martha ,root1 the originals of the ,queen's letters to her and to others1 and of her tributes to the ,faith1 as well as no less than twenty volumes of prayers and ,tablets revealed by the ,founders of the ,faith1 authenticated and transcribed by ,bah' ,assemblies throughout the ,orient1 and supplementing the vast collection of their published writings4 ,moreover1 as a further testimony to the majestic unfoldment and progressive consolidation of the stupendous undertaking launched by ,bah'u'llh on that holy mountain1 may be mentioned the selection of a portion of the school property situated in the precincts of the ,shrine of the ,bb as a permanent resting-place for the ,greatest ,holy ,leaf1 the 8well-beloved0 sister of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 the 8,leaf that hath sprung0 from the 8,pre-existent ,root10 the 8fragrance0 of ,bah'u'llh's 8shining robe10 elevated by ,him to a 8station such as none other woman hath surpassed10 and comparable in rank to those immortal heroines such as ,sarah1 syih1 the ,virgin ,mary1 ,ftimih and ,thirih1 each of whom has outshone every member of her sex in previous ,dispensations4 ,and lastly1 there should be mentioned1 as a further evidence of the blessings flowing from the ,divine ,plan1 the transfer1 a few years later1 to that same hallowed spot1 after a separation in death of above half a century1 and notwithstanding the protests voiced by the brother and lieutenant of the arch-breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant1 of the remains of the ,purest ,branch1 the martyred son of ,bah'u'llh1 8created of the light of ,bah10 the 8,trust of ,god0 and ,his 8,treasure0 in the ,holy ,land1 and offered up by his ,father as a 8ransom0 for the regeneration of the world and the unification of its peoples4 ,to this same burial-ground1 and on the same day the remains of the ,purest ,branch were interred1 was transferred the body of his mother1 the saintly ,navvb1 she to whose dire afflictions1 as attested by #8,abdu'l-,bah in a ,tablet1 the #edth chapter of the ,book of ,isaiah has1 in its entirety1 borne witness1 whose 8,husband10 in the words of that ,prophet1 is 8the ,lord of ,hosts10 whose 8seed shall inherit the ,gentiles10 and whom ,bah'u'llh in ,his ,tablet1 has destined to be 8,his consort in every one of ,his worlds40 ,the conjunction of these three resting-places1 under the shadow of the ,bb's own ,tomb1 embosomed in the heart of ,carmel1 facing the snow-white city across the bay of ,akk1 the ,qiblih of the ,bah' world1 set in a garden of exquisite beauty1 reinforces1 if we would correctly estimate its significance1 the spiritual potencies of a spot1 designated by ,bah'u'llh ,himself the seat of ,god's throne4 ,it marks1 too1 a further milestone in the road leading eventually to the establishment of that permanent world ,administrative ,center of the future ,bah' ,commonwealth1 destined never to be separated from1 and to function in the proximity of1 the ,spiritual ,center of that ,faith1 in a land already revered and held sacred alike by the adherents of three of the world's outstanding religious systems4 ,scarcely less significant has been the erection of the superstructure and the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,west1 the noblest of the exploits which have immortalized the services of the ,american ,bah' community to the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh4 ,consummated through the agency of an efficiently functioning and newly established ,administrative ,order1 this enterprise has itself immensely enhanced the prestige1 consolidated the strength and expanded the subsidiary institutions of the community that made its building possible4 ,conceived forty-one years ago2 originating with the petition spontaneously addressed1 in ,march #aijc to #8,abdu'l-,bah by the 8,house of ,spirituality0 of the ,bah's of ,chicago--the first ,bah' center established in the ,western world--the members of which1 inspired by the example set by the builders of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of ,ishqbd1 had appealed for permission to construct a similar ,temple in ,america2 blessed by ,his approval and high commendation in a ,tablet revealed by ,him in ,june of that same year2 launched by the delegates of various ,american ,assemblies1 assembled in ,chicago in ,november1 #aijg1 for the purpose of choosing the site of the ,temple2 established on a national basis through a religious corporation known as the 8,bah' ,temple ,unity10 which was incorporated shortly after the first ,american ,bah' ,convention held in that same city in ,march1 #aiji2 honored through the dedication ceremony presided over by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself when visiting that site in ,may1 #aiab1 this enterprise--the crowning achievement of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in the first ,bah' century--had1 ever since that memorable occasion1 been progressing intermittently until the time when the foundations of that ,order having been firmly laid in the ,north ,american continent the ,american ,bah' community was in a position to utilize the instruments which it had forged for the efficient prosecution of its task4 ,at the #aiad ,american ,bah' ,convention the purchase of the ,temple property was completed4 ,the #aibj ,convention1 held in ,new ,york1 having been previously directed by #8,abdu'l-,bah to select the design of that ,temple1 chose from among a number of designs competitively submitted to it that of ,louis ,j4 ,bourgeois1 a ,french-,canadian architect1 a selection that was later confirmed by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself4 ,the contracts for the sinking of the nine great caissons supporting the central portion of the building1 extending to rock at a depth of #abj feet below the ground level1 and for the construction of the basement structure1 were successively awarded in ,december1 #aibj and ,august1 #aiba4 ,in ,august1 #aicj1 in spite of the prevailing economic crisis1 and during a period of unemployment unparalleled in ,american history1 another contract1 with twenty-four additional sub-contracts1 for the erection of the superstructure was placed1 and the work completed by ,may #a1 #aica1 on which day the first devotional service in the new structure was celebrated1 coinciding with the #aith anniversary of the dedication of the grounds by #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,the ornamentation of the dome was started in ,june1 #aicb and finished in ,january1 #aicd4 ,the ornamentation of the clerestory was completed in ,july1 #aice1 and that of the gallery unit below it in ,november1 #aich4 ,the mainstory ornamentation was1 despite the outbreak of the present war1 undertaken in ,april1 #aidj1 and completed in ,july1 #aidb2 whilst the eighteen circular steps were placed in position by ,december1 #aidb1 seventeen months in advance of the centenary celebration of the ,faith1 by which time the exterior of the ,temple was scheduled to be finished1 and forty years after the petition of the ,chicago believers had been submitted to and granted by #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,this unique edifice1 the first fruit of a slowly maturing ,administrative ,order1 the noblest structure reared in the first ,bah' century1 and the symbol and precursor of a future world civilization1 is situated in the heart of the ,north ,american continent1 on the western shore of ,lake ,michigan1 and is surrounded by its own grounds comprising a little less than seven acres4 ,it has been financed1 at cost of over a million dollars1 by the ,american ,bah' community1 assisted at times by voluntary contributions of recognized believers in ,east and ,west1 of ,christian1 of ,muslim1 of ,jewish1 of ,zoroastrian1 of ,hindu and ,buddhist extraction4 ,it has been associated1 in its initial phase1 with #8,abdu'l-,bah1 and in the concluding stages of its construction with the memory of the ,greatest ,holy ,leaf1 the ,purest ,branch1 and their mother4 ,the structure itself is a pure white nonagonal building1 of original and unique design1 rising from a flight of white stairs encircling its base2 and surmounted by a majestic and beautifully proportioned dome1 bearing nine tapering symmetrically placed ribs of decorative as well as structural significance1 which soar to its apex and finally merge into a common unit pointing skyward4 ,its framework is constructed of structural steel enclosed in concrete1 the material of its ornamentation consisting of a combination of crystalline quartz1 opaque quartz and white ,portland cement1 producing a composition clear in texture1 hard and enduring as stone1 impervious to the elements1 and cast into a design as delicate as lace4 ,it soars #aia feet from the floor of its basement to the culmination of the ribs1 clasping the hemispherical dome which is forty-nine feet high1 with an external diameter of ninety feet1 and one-third of the surface of which is perforated to admit light during the day and emit light at night4 ,it is buttressed by pylons forty-five feet in height1 and bears above its nine entrances1 one of which faces ,akk1 nine selected quotations from the writings of ,bah'u'llh1 as well as the ,greatest ,name in the center of each of the arches over its doors4 ,it is consecrated exclusively to worship1 devoid of all ceremony and ritual1 is provided with an auditorium which can seat #afjj people1 and is to be supplemented by accessory institutions of social service to be established in its vicinity1 such as an orphanage1 a hospital1 a dispensary for the poor1 a home for the incapacitated1 a hostel for travelers and a college for the study of arts and sciences4 ,it had already1 long before its construction1 evoked1 and is now increasingly evoking1 though its interior ornamentation is as yet unbegun1 such interest and comment1 in the public press1 in technical journals and in magazines1 of both the ,united ,states and other countries1 as to justify the hopes and expectations entertained for it by #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,its model exhibited at ,art centers1 galleries1 state fairs and national expositions--among which may be mentioned the ,century of ,progress ,exhibition1 held in ,chicago in #aicc1 where no less than ten thousand people1 passing through the ,hall of ,religions1 must have viewed it every day--its replica forming a part of the permanent exhibit of the ,museum of ,science and ,industry in ,chicago2 its doors now thronged by visitors from far and near1 whose number1 during the period from ,june1 #aicb to ,october1 #aida has exceeded #acj1jjj people1 representing almost every country in the world1 this great 8,silent ,teacher0 of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 it may be confidently asserted1 has contributed to the diffusion of the knowledge of ,his ,faith and teachings in a measure which no other single agency1 operating within the framework of its ,administrative ,order1 has ever remotely approached4 8,when the foundation of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr is laid in ,america10 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself has predicted1 8and that ,divine ,edifice is completed1 a most wonderful and thrilling motion will appear in the world of existence444 ,from that point of light the spirit of teaching1 spreading the ,cause of ,god and promoting the teachings of ,god1 will permeate to all parts of the world40 8,out of this ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr10 ,he has affirmed in the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan1 8without doubt1 thousands of ,mashriqu'l-,adhkrs will be born40 8,it marks10 ,he1 furthermore1 has written1 8the inception of the ,kingdom of ,god on earth40 ,and again3 8,it is the manifest ,standard waving in the center of that great continent40 8,thousands of ,mashriqu'l-,adhkrs10 ,he1 when dedicating the grounds of the ,temple1 declared1 8444will be built in the ,east and in the ,west1 but this1 being the first erected in the ,occident1 has great importance40 8,this organization of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr10 ,he1 referring to that edifice1 has moreover stated1 8will be a model for the coming centuries1 and will hold the station of the mother40 8,its inception10 the architect of the ,temple has himself testified1 8was not from man1 for1 as musicians1 artists1 poets receive their inspiration from another realm1 so the ,temple's architect1 through all his years of labor1 was ever conscious that ,bah'u'llh was the creator of this building to be erected to ,his glory40 8,into this new design10 he1 furthermore1 has written1 8444is woven1 in symbolic form1 the great ,bah' teaching of unity--the unity of all religions and of all mankind4 ,there are combinations of mathematical lines1 symbolizing those of the universe1 and in their intricate merging of circle into circle1 and circle within circle1 we visualize the merging of all the religions into one40 ,and again3 8,a circle of steps1 eighteen in all1 will surround the structure on the outside1 and lead to the auditorium floor4 ,these eighteen steps represent the eighteen first disciples of the ,bb1 and the door to which they lead stands for the ,bb ,himself40 8,as the essence of the pure original teachings of the historic religions was the same 444 in the ,bah' ,temple is used a composite architecture1 expressing the essence in the line of each of the great architectural styles1 harmonizing them into one whole40 8,it is the first new idea in architecture since the #acth century10 declared a distinguished architect1 ,h4 ,van ,buren ,magonigle1 ,president of the ,architectural ,league1 after gazing upon a plaster model of the ,temple on exhibition in the ,engineering ,societies ,building in ,new ,york1 in ,june #aibj4 8,the ,architect10 he1 moreover1 has stated1 8has conceived a ,temple of ,light in which structure1 as usually understood1 is to be concealed1 visible support eliminated as far as possible1 and the whole fabric to take on the airy substance of a dream4 ,it is a lacy envelope enshrining an idea1 the idea of light1 a shelter of cobweb interposed between earth and sky1 struck through and through with light--light which shall partly consume the forms and make of it a thing of faery40 8,in the geometric forms of the ornamentation10 a writer in the well-known publication 8,architectural ,record0 has written1 8covering the columns and surrounding windows and doors of the ,temple1 one deciphers all the religious symbols of the world4 ,here are the swastika1 the circle1 the cross1 the triangle1 the double triangle or six pointed star 7,solomon's seal7--but more than this--the noble symbol of the spiritual orb 444 the five pointed star2 the ,greek ,cross1 the ,roman cross1 and supreme above all1 the wonderful nine pointed star1 figured in the structure of the ,temple itself1 and appearing again and again in its ornamentation as significant of the spiritual glory in the world today40 8,the greatest creation since the ,gothic period10 is the testimony of ,george ,grey ,barnard1 one of the most widely-known sculptors in the ,united ,states of ,america1 8and the most beautiful ,i have ever seen40 8,this is a new creation10 ,prof4 ,luigi ,quaglino1 ex-professor of ,architecture from ,turin declared1 after viewing the model1 8which will revolutionize architecture in the world1 and it is the most beautiful ,i have ever seen4 ,without doubt it will have a lasting page in history4 ,it is a revelation from another world40 8,americans10 wrote ,sherwin ,cody1 in the magazine section of the ,new ,york ,times1 of the model of the ,temple1 when exhibited in the ,kevorkian ,gallery in ,new ,york1 8will have to pause long enough to find that an artist has wrought into this building the conception of a ,religious ,league of ,nations40 ,and lastly1 this tribute paid to the features of1 and the ideals embodied in1 this ,temple--the most sacred ,house of ,worship in the ,bah' world1 whether of the present or of the future--by ,dr4 ,rexford ,newcomb1 ,dean of the ,college of ,fine and ,applied ,arts at the ,university of ,illinois3 8,this ',temple of ,light' opens upon the terrain of human experience nine great doorways which beckon men and women of every race and clime1 of every faith and conviction1 of every condition of freedom or servitude to enter here into a recognition of that kinship and brotherhood without which the modern world will be able to make little further progress 444,the dome1 pointed in form1 aiming as assuredly as did the aspiring lines of the medieval cathedrals toward higher and better things1 achieves not only through its symbolism but also through its structural propriety and sheer loveliness of form1 a beauty not matched by any domical structure since the construction of ,michelangelo's dome on the ,basilica of ,st4 ,peter in ,rome40 ,chapter ,,xxiii3 ,attacks on ,bah' ,institutions ,the institutions signalizing the rise and establishment of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh did not 7as the history of their unfoldment abundantly demonstrates7 remain immune against the assaults and persecutions to which the ,faith itself1 the progenitor of that ,order1 had1 for over seventy years1 been subjected1 and from which it is still suffering4 ,the emergence of a firmly knit community1 advancing the claims of a world religion1 with ramifications spread over five continents representing a great variety of races1 languages1 classes and religious traditions2 provided with a literature scattered over the surface of the earth1 and expounding in several languages its doctrine2 clear-visioned1 unafraid1 alert and determined to achieve at whatever sacrifice its goal2 organically united through the machinery of a divinely appointed ,administrative ,order2 non-sectarian1 non-political1 faithful to its civil obligations yet supranational in character2 tenacious in its adherence to the laws and ordinances regulating its community life--the emergence of such a community1 in a world steeped in prejudice1 worshipping false gods1 torn by intestine divisions1 and blindly clinging to obsolescent doctrines and defective standards1 could not but precipitate1 sooner or later1 crises no less grave1 though less spectacular1 than the persecutions which1 in an earlier age1 had raged around the ,founders of that community and their early disciples4 ,assailed by enemies within1 who have either rebelled against its ,god-given authority or wholly renounced their faith1 or by adversaries from without1 whether political or ecclesiastical1 the infant ,order identified with this community has1 since its inception1 and throughout every stage in its evolution1 felt severely the impact of the forces which have sought in vain to strangle its budding life or to obscure its purpose4 ,to these attacks1 destined to grow in scope and severity1 and to arouse a tumult that will reverberate throughout the world1 #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself had already1 at the time the outlines of that ,divine order were being delineated by ,him in ,his ,will1 significantly alluded3 8,erelong shall the clamor of the multitude throughout ,africa1 throughout ,america1 the cry of the ,european and of the ,turk1 the groaning of ,india and ,china1 be heard from far and near4 ,one and all1 they shall arise with all their power to resist ,his ,cause4 ,then shall the knights of the ,lord 444 reinforced by the legions of the ,covenant1 arise and manifest the truth of the verse3 #8,behold the confusion that hath befallen the tribes of the defeated6'0 ,already in more than one country the trustees and elected representatives of this indestructible world-embracing ,order have been summoned by civil authorities or ecclesiastical courts1 ignorant of its claims1 or hostile to its principles or fearful of its rising strength1 to defend its cause1 or to renounce their allegiance to it1 or to curtail the range of its operation4 ,already an aggressive hand1 unmindful of ,god's avenging wrath1 has been stretched out against its sanctuaries and edifices4 ,already its defenders and champions have1 in some countries1 been declared heretics1 or stigmatized as subverters of law and order1 or branded as visionaries1 unpatriotic and careless of their civic duties and responsibilities1 or peremptorily ordered to suspend their activities and dissolve their institutions4 ,in the ,holy ,land1 the world seat of this ,system1 where its heart pulsates1 where the dust of its ,founders reposes1 where the processes disclosing its purposes1 energizing its life and shaping its destiny all originate1 there fell1 at the very hour of its inception1 the first blow which served to proclaim to high and low alike the solidity of the foundations on which it has been established4 ,the ,covenant-breakers1 now dwindled to a mere handful1 instigated by ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 the ,arch-rebel1 whose dormant hopes had been awakened by #8,abdu'l-,bah's sudden ascension1 and headed by the arrogant ,mrz ,bad'u'llh1 seized forcibly the keys of the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh1 expelled its keeper1 the brave-souled ,abu'l-,qsim-i-,khursn1 and demanded that their chief be recognized by the authorities as the legal custodian of that ,shrine4 ,unadmonished by their abject failure1 as witnessed by the firm action of the ,palestine authorities1 who1 after prolonged investigations1 instructed the ,british officer in ,akk to deliver the keys into the hands of that same keeper1 they resorted to other methods in the hope of creating a cleavage in the ranks of the bereaved yet resolute disciples of #8,abdu'l-,bah and of ultimately undermining the foundations of the institutions ,his followers were laboring to erect4 ,through their mischievous misrepresentations of the ideals animating the builders of the ,bah' ,administrative ,order2 through the maintenance1 though not on its original scale1 of a subversive correspondence with individuals whose loyalty they hoped they could sap2 through deliberate distortions of the truth in their contact with officials and notables whom they could approach2 through attempts1 made through bribery and intimidation1 to purchase a part of the ,mansion of ,bah'u'llh2 through efforts directed at preventing the acquisition by the ,bah' community of certain properties situated in the vicinity of the ,tomb of the ,bb1 and at frustrating the design to consolidate the foundation of some of these properties by transferring their title-deeds to incorporated ,bah' assemblies1 they continued to labor intermittently for several years until the extinction of the life of the ,arch-breaker of the ,covenant himself virtually sealed their doom4 ,the evacuation of the ,mansion of ,bah'u'llh by these ,covenant-breakers1 after their unchallenged occupancy of it since ,his ascension1 a ,mansion which1 through their gross neglect1 had fallen into a sad state of disrepair2 its subsequent complete restoration1 fulfilling a long cherished desire of #8,abdu'l-,bah2 its illumination through an electric plant installed by an ,american believer for that purpose2 the refurnishing of all its rooms after it had been completely denuded by its former occupants of all the precious relics it contained1 with the exception of a single candlestick in the room where ,bah'u'llh had ascended2 the collection within its walls of ,bah' historic documents1 of relics and of over five thousand volumes of ,bah' literature1 in no less than forty languages2 the extension to it of the exemption from government taxes1 already granted to other ,bah' institutions and properties in ,akk and on ,mt4 ,carmel2 and finally1 its conversion from a private residence to a center of pilgrimage visited by ,bah's and non-,bah's alike--these served to further dash the hopes of those who were still desperately striving to extinguish the light of the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh4 ,furthermore1 the success later achieved in purchasing and safeguarding the area forming the precincts of the resting-place of the ,bb on ,mt4 ,carmel1 and the transfer of the title-deeds of some of these properties to the legally constituted ,palestine ,branch of the ,american ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly1 no less than the circumstances attending the death of the one who had been the prime mover of mischief throughout #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 demonstrated to these enemies the futility of their efforts and the hopelessness of their cause4 ,of a more serious nature1 and productive of still greater repercussions1 was the unlawful seizure by the ,sh'ahs of #8,irq1 at about the same time that the keys of the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh were wrested by the ,covenant-breakers from its keeper1 of yet another ,bah' ,shrine1 the ,house occupied by ,bah'u'llh for well nigh the whole period of ,his exile in #8,irq1 which had been acquired by ,him1 and later had been ordained as a center of pilgrimage1 and had continued in the unbroken and undisputed possession of ,his followers ever since ,his departure from ,baghdd4 ,this crisis1 originating about a year prior to #8,abdu'l-,bah's ascension1 and precipitated by the measures which1 after the change of rgime in #8,irq1 had1 according to ,his instructions1 been taken for the reconstruction of that ,house1 acquired as it developed a steadily widening measure of publicity4 ,it became the object of the consideration of successive tribunals1 first of the local ,sh'ah ,ja'faryyih court in ,baghdd1 second of the ,peace court1 then the court of ,first ,instance1 then of the court of ,appeal in #8,irq1 and finally of the ,league of ,nations1 the greatest international body yet come into existence1 and empowered to exercise supervision and control over all ,mandated ,territories4 ,though as yet unresolved through a combination of causes1 religious as well as political1 it has already remarkably fulfilled ,bah'u'llh's own prediction1 and will1 in its own appointed time1 as the means for its solution are providentially created1 fulfill the high destiny ordained for it by ,him in ,his ,tablets4 ,long before its seizure by fanatical enemies1 who had no conceivable claim to it whatever1 ,he had prophesied that 8it shall be so abased in the days to come as to cause tears to flow from every discerning eye40 ,the ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,baghdd1 deprived of the use of that sacred property through an adverse decision by a majority of the court of ,appeal1 which had reversed the verdict of the lower court and awarded the property to the ,sh'ahs1 and aroused by subsequent action of the ,sh'ahs1 soon after the execution of the judgment of that court1 in converting the building into waqf property 7pious foundation71 designating it 8usaynyyih10 with the purpose of consolidating their gain1 realized the futility of the three years of negotiations they had been conducting with the civil authorities in ,baghdd for the righting of the wrong inflicted upon them4 ,in their capacity as the national representatives of the ,bah's of #8,irq1 they1 therefore1 on ,september #aa1 #aibh1 through the ,high ,commissioner for #8,irq and in conformity with the provisions of ,art4 #bb of the ,covenant of the ,league of ,nations1 approached the ,league's ,permanent ,mandates ,commission1 charged with the supervision of the administration of all ,mandated ,territories1 and presented a petition that was accepted and approved by that body in ,november1 #aibh4 ,a memorandum submitted1 in connection with that petition1 to that same ,commission1 by the ,mandatory ,power unequivocally stated that the ,sh'ahs had 8no conceivable claim whatever0 to the ,house1 that the decision of the judge of the ,ja'faryyih court was 8obviously wrong10 8unjust0 and 8undoubtedly actuated by religious prejudice10 that the subsequent ejectment of the ,bah's was 8illegal10 that the action of the authorities had been 8highly irregular10 and that the verdict of the ,court of ,appeal was suspected of not being 8uninfluenced by political consideration40 8,the ,commission10 states the ,report submitted by it to the ,council of the ,league1 and published in the ,minutes of the #adth session of the ,permanent ,mandates ,commission1 held in ,geneva in the fall of #aibh1 and subsequently translated into ,arabic and published in #8,irq1 8draws the ,council's attention to the considerations and conclusions suggested to it by an examination of the petition444 ,it recommends that the ,council should ask the ,british ,government to make representations to the #8,irq ,government with a view to the immediate redress of the denial of justice from which the petitioners have suffered40 ,the ,british accredited representative present at the sessions of the ,commission1 furthermore1 stated that 8the ,mandatory ,power had recognized that the ,bah's had suffered an injustice10 whilst allusion was made1 in the course of that session1 to the fact that the action of the ,sh'ahs constituted a breach of the constitution and the ,organic ,law of #8,irq4 ,the ,finnish representative1 moreover1 in his report to the ,council1 declared that this 8injustice must be attributed solely to religious passion10 and asked that 8the petitioner's wrongs should be redressed40 ,the ,council of the ,league1 on its part1 having considered this report as well as the joint observations and conclusions of the ,commission1 unanimously adopted1 on ,march #d1 #aibi1 a resolution1 subsequently translated and published in the newspapers of ,baghdd1 directing the ,mandatory ,power 8to make representations to the ,government of #8,irq with a view to the immediate redress of the injustice suffered by the ,petitioners40 ,it instructed1 accordingly1 the ,secretary ,general to bring to the notice of the ,mandatory ,power1 as well as to the petitioners concerned1 the conclusions arrived at by the ,commission1 an instruction which was duly transmitted by the ,british ,government through its ,high ,commissioner to the #8,irq ,government4 ,a letter dated ,january #ab1 #aica1 written on behalf of the ,british ,foreign ,minister1 ,mr4 ,arthur ,henderson1 addressed to the ,league ,secretariat1 stated that the conclusions reached by the ,council had 8received the most careful consideration by the ,government of #8,irq10 who had 8finally decided to set up a special committee 444 to consider the views expressed by the ,bah' community in respect of certain houses in ,baghdd1 and to formulate recommendations for an equitable settlement of this question40 ,that letter1 moreover1 pointed out that the committee had submitted its report in ,august1 #aicj1 that it had been accepted by the government1 that the ,bah' community had 8accepted in principle0 its recommendations1 and that the authorities in ,baghdd had directed that 8detailed plans and estimates shall be prepared with a view to carrying these recommendations into effect during the coming financial year40 ,no need to dwell on the subsequent history of this momentous case1 on the long-drawn out negotiations1 the delays and complications that ensued2 on the consultations1 8over a hundred0 in number1 in which the king1 his ministers and advisers took part2 on the expressions of 8regret10 of 8surprise0 and of 8anxiety0 placed on record at successive sessions of the ,mandates ,commission held in ,geneva in #aibi1 #aicj1 #aica1 #aicb and #aicc2 on the condemnation by its members of the 8spirit of intolerance0 animating the ,sh'ah community1 of the 8partiality0 of the ,irq courts1 of the 8weakness0 of the civil authorities and of the 8religious passion at the bottom of this injustice02 on their testimony to the 8extremely conciliatory disposition0 of the petitioners1 on their 8doubt0 regarding the adequacy of the proposals1 and on their recognition of the 8serious0 character of the situation that had been created1 of the 8flagrant denial of justice0 which the ,bah's had suffered1 and of the 8moral debt0 which the #8,irq ,government had contracted1 a debt which1 whatever the changes in her status as a nation1 it was her bounden duty to discharge4 ,nor does it seem necessary to expatiate on the unfortunate consequences of the untimely death of both the ,british ,high ,commissioner and the ,irq ,prime ,minister2 on the admission of #8,irq as a member of the ,league1 and the consequent termination of the mandate held by ,great ,britain2 on the tragic and unexpected death of the ,king himself2 on the difficulties raised owing to the existence of a town planning scheme2 on the written assurance conveyed to the ,high ,commissioner by the acting ,premier in his letter of ,january1 #aicb2 on the pledge given by the ,king1 prior to his death1 in the presence of the foreign minister1 in ,february1 #aicc1 that the ,house would be expropriated1 and the necessary sum would be appropriated in the spring of the ensuing year2 on the categorical statement made by that same foreign minister that the ,prime ,minister had given the necessary assurances that the promise already made by the acting ,premier would be redeemed2 or on the positive statements made by that same ,foreign ,minister and his colleague1 the ,minister of ,finance1 when representing their country during the sessions of the ,league ,assembly held in ,geneva1 that the promise given by their late ,king would be fully honored4 ,suffice it to say that1 despite these interminable delays1 protests and evasions1 and the manifest failure of the ,authorities concerned to implement the recommendations made by both the ,council of the ,league and the ,permanent ,mandates ,commission1 the publicity achieved for the ,faith by this memorable litigation1 and the defense of its cause--the cause of truth and justice--by the world's highest tribunal1 have been such as to excite the wonder of its friends and to fill with consternation its enemies4 ,few episodes1 if any1 since the birth of the ,formative ,age of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 have given rise to repercussions in high places comparable to the effect produced on governments and chancelleries by this violent and unprovoked assault directed by its inveterate enemies against one of its holiest sanctuaries4 8,grieve not1 ,o ,house of ,god10 ,bah'u'llh ,himself has significantly written1 8if the veil of thy sanctity be rent asunder by the infidels4 ,god hath1 in the world of creation1 adorned thee with the jewel of ,his remembrance4 ,such an ornament no man can1 at any time1 profane4 ,towards thee the eyes of thy ,lord shall1 under all conditions1 remain directed40 8,in the fullness of time10 ,he1 in another passage1 referring to that same ,house1 has prophesied1 8the ,lord shall1 by the power of truth1 exalt it in the eyes of all men4 ,he shall cause it to become the ,standard of ,his ,kingdom1 the ,shrine round which will circle the concourse of the faithful40 ,to the bold onslaught made by the breakers of the ,covenant of ,bah'u'llh in their concerted efforts to secure the custodianship of ,his holy ,tomb1 to the arbitrary seizure of ,his holy ,house in ,baghdd by the ,sh'ah community of #8,irq1 was to be added1 a few years later1 yet another grievous assault launched by a still more powerful adversary1 directed against the very fabric of the ,administrative ,order as established by two long-flourishing ,bah' communities of the ,east1 culminating in the virtual disruption of these communities and the seizure of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world and of the few accessory institutions already reared about it4 ,the courage1 the fervor and the spiritual vitality evinced by these communities2 the highly organized state of their administrative institutions2 the facilities provided for the religious education and training of their youth2 the conversion of a number of broad-minded ,russian citizens1 imbued with ideas closely related to the tenets of the ,faith2 the growing realization of the implications of its principles1 with their emphasis on religion1 on the sanctity of family life1 on the institution of private property1 and their repudiation of all discrimination between classes and of the doctrine of the absolute equality of men--these combined to excite the suspicion1 and later to arouse the fierce antagonism1 of the ruling authorities1 and to precipitate one of the gravest crises in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,as the crisis developed and spread to even the outlying centers of both ,turkistn and the ,caucasus it resulted gradually in the imposition of restrictions limiting the freedom of these communities1 in the interrogation and arrest of their elected representatives1 in the dissolution of their local ,assemblies and their respective committees in ,moscow1 in ,ishqbd1 in ,bk and in other localities in the above-mentioned provinces and in the suspension of all ,bah' youth activities4 ,it even led to the closing of ,bah' schools1 kindergartens1 libraries and public reading-rooms1 to the interception of all communication with foreign ,bah' centers1 to the confiscation of ,bah' printing presses1 books and documents1 to the prohibition of all teaching activities1 to the abrogation of the ,bah' constitution1 to the abolition of all national and local funds and to the ban placed on the attendance of non-believers at ,bah' meetings4 ,in the middle of #aibh the law expropriating religious edifices was applied to the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of ,ishqbd4 ,the use of this edifice as a house of worship1 however1 was continued1 under a five-year lease1 which was renewed by the local authorities in #aicc1 for a similar period4 ,in #aich the situation in both ,turkistn and the ,caucasus rapidly deteriorated1 leading to the imprisonment of over five hundred believers--many of whom died--as well as a number of women1 and the confiscation of their property1 followed by the exile of several prominent members of these communities to ,siberia1 the polar forests and other places in the vicinity of the ,arctic ,ocean1 the subsequent deportation of most of the remnants of these communities to ,persia1 on account of their ,persian nationality1 and lastly1 the complete expropriation of the ,temple itself and its conversion into an art gallery4 ,in ,germany1 likewise1 the rise and establishment of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith1 to whose expansion and consolidation the ,german believers were distinctively and increasingly contributing1 was soon followed by repressive measures1 which1 though less grievous than the afflictions suffered by the ,bah's of ,turkistn and the ,caucasus1 amounted to the virtual cessation1 in the years immediately preceding the present conflict1 of all organized ,bah' activity throughout the length and breadth of that land4 ,the public teaching of the ,faith1 with its unconcealed emphasis on peace and universality1 and its repudiation of racialism1 was officially forbidden2 ,bah' ,assemblies and their committees were dissolved2 the holding of ,bah' conventions was interdicted2 the ,archives of the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly were seized2 the summer school was abolished and the publication of all ,bah' literature was suspended4 ,in ,persia1 moreover1 apart from sporadic outbreaks of persecution in such places as ,shrz1 bdih1 ,ardibl1 ,ifhn1 and in certain districts of dhirbayjn and ,khursn--outbreaks greatly reduced in number and violence1 owing to the marked decline in the fortunes of the erstwhile powerful ,sh'ah ecclesiastics--the institutions of a newly-established and as yet unconsolidated ,administrative ,order were subjected by the civil authorities1 in both the capital and the provinces1 to restrictions designed to circumscribe their scope1 to fetter their freedom and undermine their foundations4 ,the gradual and wholly unexpected emergence from obscurity of a firmly-welded national community1 schooled in adversity and unbroken in spirit1 with centers established in every province of that country1 in spite of the successive waves of inhuman persecution which had1 for three quarters of a century1 swept over and had all but engulfed it2 the determination of its members to diffuse the spirit and principles of their ,faith1 broadcast its literature1 enforce its laws and ordinances1 penalize those who would transgress them1 maintain a steady intercourse with their fellow-believers in foreign lands1 and erect the edifices and institutions of its ,administrative ,order1 could not but arouse the apprehensions and the hostility of those placed in authority1 who either misunderstood the aims of that community1 or were bent upon stifling its life4 ,the insistence of its members1 while obedient in all matters of a purely administrative character to the civil statutes of their country1 on adhering to the fundamental spiritual principles1 precepts and laws revealed by ,bah'u'llh1 requiring them1 among other things1 to hold fast to truthfulness1 not to dissimulate their faith1 observe the ordinances prescribed for marriage and divorce1 and suspend all manner of work on the ,holy ,days ordained by ,him1 brought them1 sooner or later1 into conflict with a rgime which1 owing to its formal recognition of ,islm as the state religion of ,persia1 refused to extend any recognition to those whom the official exponents of that religion had already condemned as heretics4 ,the closing of all schools belonging to the ,bah' community in that country1 as a direct consequence of the refusal of the representatives of that community to permit official ,bah' institutions1 owned and entirely controlled by them1 to transgress the clearly revealed law requiring the suspension of work on ,bah' ,holy ,days2 the rejection of all ,bah' marriage certificates and the refusal to register them at government ,license ,bureaus2 the ban placed on the printing and circulation of all ,bah' literature1 as well as on its entry into the country2 the seizure in various centers of ,bah' documents1 books and relics2 the closing1 in some of the provinces of the ,hazratu'l-,quds1 and the confiscation in some localities of their furniture2 the prohibition of all ,bah' demonstrations1 conferences and conventions2 the strict censorship imposed on1 and often the non-delivery of1 communications between ,bah' centers in ,persia and between these centers and ,bah' communities in foreign lands2 the withholding of good-record certificates from loyal and law-abiding citizens on the ground of their avowed adherence to the ,bah' ,faith2 the dismissal of ,government employees1 the demotion or discharge of army officers1 the arrest1 the interrogation1 the imprisonment of1 and the imposition of fines and other punishments upon1 a number of believers who refused either to cast aside the moral obligation of adhering to the spiritual principles of their ,faith1 or to act in any manner that would conflict with its universal and non-political character--all these may be regarded as the initial attempts made in the country whose soil had already been imbued with the blood of countless ,bah' martyrs1 to resist the rise1 and frustrate the struggle for the emancipation1 of a nascent ,administrative ,order1 whose very roots have sucked their strength from such heroic sacrifice4 ,chapter ,,xxiv3 ,emancipation and ,recognition of the ,faith and ,its ,institutions ,while the initial steps aiming at the erection of the framework of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh were being simultaneously undertaken by ,his followers in the ,east and in the ,west1 a fierce attack was launched in an obscure village in ,egypt on a handful of believers1 who were trying to establish there one of the primary institutions of that ,order--an attack which1 viewed in the perspective of history1 will be acclaimed by future generations as a landmark not only in the ,formative ,period of the ,faith but in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,indeed1 the sequel to this assault may be said to have opened a new chapter in the evolution of the ,faith itself1 an evolution which1 carrying it through the successive stages of repression1 of emancipation1 of recognition as an independent ,revelation1 and as a state religion1 must lead to the establishment of the ,bah' state and culminate in the emergence of the ,bah' ,world ,commonwealth4 ,originating in a country which can rightly boast of being the acknowledged center of both the ,arab and ,muslim worlds2 precipitated by the action1 taken on their own initiative1 by the ecclesiastical representatives of the largest communion in ,islm2 the direct outcome of a series of disturbances instigated by some of the members of that communion designed to suppress the activities of certain followers of the ,faith who had held a clerical rank among them1 this momentous development in the fortunes of a struggling community has directly contributed1 to a considerable degree1 to the consolidation and the enhancement of the prestige of the ,administrative ,order which that community had begun to erect4 ,it will1 moreover1 as its repercussions are more widely spread to other ,islamic countries1 and its vast significance is more clearly apprehended by the adherents of both ,christianity and ,islm1 hasten the termination of the period of transition through which the ,faith1 now in the formative stage of its growth1 is passing4 ,it was in the village of ,kawmu'-a#8yidih1 in the district of ,beba1 of the province of ,beni ,suef in ,upper ,egypt1 that1 as a result of the religious fanaticism which the formation of a ,bah' assembly had kindled in the breast of the headman of that village1 and of the grave accusations made by him to both the ,district ,police ,officer and the ,governor of the province--accusations which aroused the ,muammadans to such a pitch of excitement as to cause them to perpetrate shameful acts against their victims--that action was initiated by the notary of the village1 in his capacity as a religious plaintiff authorized by the ,ministry of ,justice1 against three ,bah' residents of that village1 demanding that their ,muslim wives be divorced from them on the grounds that their husbands had abandoned ,islm after their legal marriage as ,muslims4 ,the ,opinion and ,judgment of the ,appellate religious court of ,beba1 delivered on ,may #aj1 #aibe1 subsequently sanctioned by the highest ecclesiastical authorities in ,cairo and upheld by them as final1 printed and circulated by the ,muslim authorities themselves1 annulled the marriages contracted by the three ,bah' defendants and condemned the mass heretics for having violated the laws and ordinances of ,islm4 ,it even went so far as to make the positive1 the startling and indeed the historic assertion that the ,faith embraced by these heretics is to be regarded as a distinct religion1 wholly independent of the religious systems that have preceded it--an assertion which hitherto the enemies of the ,faith1 whether in the ,east or in the ,west1 had either disputed or deliberately ignored4 ,having expounded the fundamental tenets and ordinances of ,islm1 and given a detailed exposition of the ,bah' teachings1 supported by various quotations from the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 from the writings of #8,abdu'l-,bah and of ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl1 with special reference to certain ,bah' laws1 and demonstrated that the defendants had1 in the light of these statements1 actually abjured the ,faith of ,muammad1 his formal verdict declares in the most unequivocal terms3 8,the ,bah' ,faith is a new religion1 entirely independent1 with beliefs1 principles and laws of its own1 which differ from1 and are utterly in conflict with1 the beliefs1 principles and laws of ,islm4 ,no ,bah'1 therefore1 can be regarded a ,muslim or vice-versa1 even as no ,buddhist1 ,brahmin1 or ,christian can be regarded a ,muslim or vice-versa40 ,ordering the dissolution of the contracts of marriage of the parties on trial1 and the 8separation0 of the husbands from their wives1 this official and memorable pronouncement concludes with the following words3 8,if any one of them 7husbands7 repents1 believes in1 and acknowledges whatsoever 444 ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god 444 has brought from ,god 444 and returns to the august ,faith of ,islm 444 and testifies that 444 ,muammad 444 is the ,seal of the ,prophets and ,messengers1 that no religion will succeed ,his religion1 that no law will abrogate ,his law1 that the ,qur'n is the last of the ,books of ,god and ,his last ,revelation to ,his ,prophets and ,his ,messengers 444 he shall be accepted and shall be entitled to renew his marriage contract4440 ,this declaration of portentous significance1 which was supported by incontrovertible proofs adduced by the avowed enemies of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh themselves1 which was made in a country that aspires to the headship of ,islm through the restoration of the ,caliphate1 and which has received the sanction of the highest ecclesiastical authorities in that country1 this official testimony which the leaders of ,sh'ah ,islm1 in both ,persia and #8,irq1 have1 through a century1 sedulously avoided voicing1 and which1 once and for all1 silences those detractors1 including ,christian ecclesiastics in the ,west1 who have in the past stigmatized that ,faith as a cult1 as a ,bb sect and as an offshoot of ,islm or represented it as a synthesis of religions--such a declaration was acclaimed by all ,bah' communities in the ,east and in the ,west as the first ,charter of the emancipation of the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh from the fetters of ,islamic orthodoxy1 the first historic step taken1 not by its adherents as might have been expected1 but by its adversaries on the road leading to its ultimate and world-wide recognition4 ,such a verdict1 fraught with incalculable possibilities1 was immediately recognized as a powerful challenge which the builders of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh were not slow to face and accept4 ,it imposed upon them a sacred obligation which they felt ready to discharge4 ,designed by its authors to deprive their adversaries of access to ,muslim courts1 and thereby place them in a perplexing and embarrassing situation1 it became a lever which the ,egyptian ,bah' community1 followed later by its sister-communities1 readily utilized for the purpose of asserting the independence of its ,faith and of seeking for it the recognition of its government4 ,translated into several languages1 circulated among ,bah' communities in ,east and ,west1 it gradually paved the way for the initiation of negotiations between the elected representatives of these communities and the civil authorities in ,egypt1 in the ,holy ,land1 in ,persia and even in the ,united ,states of ,america1 for the purpose of securing the official recognition by these authorities of the ,faith as an independent religion4 ,in ,egypt it was the signal for the adoption of a series of measures which have in their cumulative effect greatly facilitated the extension of such a recognition by a government which is still formally associated with the religion of ,islm1 and which suffers its laws and regulations to be shaped in a great measure by the views and pronouncements of its ecclesiastical leaders4 ,the inflexible determination of the ,egyptian believers not to deviate a hair's breadth from the tenets of their ,faith1 by avoiding all dealings with any ,muslim ecclesiastical court in that country and by refusing any ecclesiastical post which might be offered them2 the codification and publication of the fundamental laws of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas regarding matters of personal status1 such as marriage1 divorce1 inheritance and burial1 and the presentation of these laws to the ,egyptian ,cabinet2 the issuance of marriage and divorce certificates by the ,egyptian ,national ,spiritual ,assembly2 the assumption by that ,assembly of all the duties and responsibilities connected with the conduct of ,bah' marriages and divorces1 as well as with the burial of the dead2 the observance by all members of that community of the nine ,holy ,days on which work1 as prescribed in the ,bah' teachings1 must be completely suspended2 the presentation of a petition addressed by the national elected representatives of that community to the ,egyptian ,prime ,minister1 the ,minister of the ,interior and the ,minister of ,justice 7supported by a similar communication addressed by the ,american ,national ,spiritual ,assembly to the ,egyptian ,government71 enclosing a copy of the judgment of the ,court1 and of their national ,bah' constitution and by-laws1 requesting them to recognize their ,assembly as a body qualified to exercise the functions of an independent court and empowered to apply1 in all matters affecting their personal status1 the laws and ordinances revealed by the ,author of their ,faith--these stand out as the initial consequences of a historic pronouncement that must eventually lead to the establishment of that ,faith on a basis of absolute equality with its sister religions in that land4 ,a corollary to this epoch-making declaration1 and a direct consequence of the intermittent disturbances instigated in ,port ,said and ,ism'lyyih by a fanatical populace in connection with the burial of some of the members of the ,bah' community1 was the official and no less remarkable fatv 7judgment7 issued1 at the request of the ,ministry of ,justice1 by the ,grand ,muft of ,egypt4 ,this1 soon after its pronouncement1 was published in the ,egyptian press and contributed to fortify further the independent status of the ,faith4 ,it followed upon the riots which broke out with exceptional fury in ,ism'lyyih1 when angry crowds surrounded the funeral cortge of ,muammad ,sulaymn1 a prominent ,bah' resident of that town1 creating such an uproar that the police had to intervene1 and having rescued the body and brought it back to the home of the deceased1 they were forced to carry it without escort1 at night1 to the edge of the desert and inter it in the wilderness4 ,this judgment was passed as a result of the inquiry addressed in writing1 on ,january #bd1 #aici1 by the ,egyptian ,ministry of the ,interior to the ,ministry of ,justice1 enclosing a copy of the compilation of ,bah' laws related to matters of personal status published by the ,egyptian ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly1 and asking for a pronouncement by the ,muft regarding the petition addressed by that ,assembly to the ,egyptian ,government for the allocation of four plots to serve as cemeteries for the ,bah' communities of ,cairo1 ,alexandria1 ,port ,said and ,ism'lyyih4 8,we are10 wrote the ,muft in his reply of ,march #aa1 #aici1 to the communication addressed to him by the ,ministry of ,justice1 8in receipt of your letter 444 dated ,february #ba1 #aici1 with its enclosures 444 inquiring whether or not it would be lawful to bury the ,bah' dead in ,muslim cemeteries4 ,we hereby declare that this ,community is not to be regarded as ,muslim1 as shown by the beliefs which it professes4 ,the perusal of what they term #8,the ,bah' ,laws affecting ,matters of ,personal ,status1' accompanying the papers1 is deemed sufficient evidence4 ,whoever among its members had formerly been a ,muslim has1 by virtue of his belief in the pretensions of this community1 renounced ,islm1 and is regarded as beyond its pale1 and is subject to the laws governing apostasy as established in the right ,faith of ,islm4 ,this community not being ,muslim1 it would be unlawful to bury its dead in ,muslim cemeteries1 be they originally ,muslims or otherwise4440 ,it was in consequence of this final1 this clearly-worded and authoritative sentence by the highest exponent of ,islamic ,law in ,egypt1 and after prolonged negotiations1 resulting at first in the allocation to the ,cairo ,bah' community of a cemetery plot forming a part of that set aside for free thinkers1 residing in that city1 that the ,egyptian government consented to grant to that community1 as well as to the ,bah's of ,ism'lyyih1 two tracts of land to serve as burial grounds for their dead--an act of historic significance which was greatly welcomed by the members of sore-pressed and long-suffering communities1 and which has served to demonstrate still further the independent character of their ,faith and enlarge the sphere of the jurisdiction of its representative institutions4 ,it was to the first of these two officially designated ,bah' cemeteries1 following the decision of the ,egyptian ,bah' ,national ,assembly aided by its sister-,assembly in ,persia1 that the remains of the illustrious ,mrz ,abu'l-,fadl were transferred and accorded a sepulture worthy of his high position1 thereby inaugurating1 in a befitting manner1 the first official ,bah' institution of its kind established in the ,east4 ,this achievement was1 soon after1 enhanced by the exhumation from a ,christian cemetery in ,cairo of the body of that far-famed mother teacher of the ,west1 ,mrs4 ,e4 ,getsinger1 and its interment1 through the assistance extended by the ,american ,bah' ,national ,assembly and the ,department of ,state in ,washington1 in a spot in the heart of that cemetery and adjoining the resting-place of that distinguished author and champion of the ,faith4 ,in the ,holy ,land1 where a ,bah' cemetery had1 before these pronouncements1 been established during #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 the historic decision to bury the ,bah' dead facing the ,qiblih in ,akk was taken--a measure whose significance was heightened by the resolution to cease having recourse1 as had been previously the case1 to any ,muammadan court in all matters affecting marriage and divorce1 and to carry out1 in their entirety and without any concealment whatever1 the rites prescribed by ,bah'u'llh for the preparation and burial of the dead4 ,this was soon after followed by the presentation of a formal petition addressed by the representatives of the local ,bah' community of ,haifa1 dated ,may #d1 #aibi1 to the ,palestine ,authorities1 requesting them that1 pending the adoption of a uniform civil law of personal status applicable to all residents of the country irrespective of their religious beliefs1 the community be officially recognized by them and be granted 8full powers to administer its own affairs now enjoyed by other religious communities in ,palestine40 ,the acceptance of this petition--an act of tremendous significance and wholly unprecedented in the history of the ,faith in any country--according official recognition by the civil authorities to marriage certificates issued by the representatives of the local community1 the validity of which the official representative of the ,persian ,government in ,palestine has tacitly recognized1 was followed by a series of decisions exempting from government tax all properties and institutions regarded by the ,bah' community as holy sites1 or dedicated to the ,tombs of its ,founders at its world center4 ,moreover1 through these decisions1 all articles serving as ornaments or furniture for the ,bah' shrines were exempted from customs duties1 and the branches of both the ,american and ,indian ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies were enabled to function as 8religious societies10 in accordance with the laws of the country1 and to hold and administer property as agents of these ,assemblies4 ,in ,persia1 where a far larger community1 already numerically superior to the ,christian1 the ,jewish and the ,zoroastrian minorities living in that country1 had1 notwithstanding the traditionally hostile attitude of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities1 succeeded in rearing the structure of its administrative institutions1 the reaction to so momentous a declaration was such as to inspire its members and induce them to exploit1 in the fullest measure possible1 the enormous advantages which this wholly unexpected testimonial had conferred upon them4 ,having survived the fiery ordeals to which the cruel1 the arrogant and implacable leaders of an all-powerful priesthood1 now grievously humiliated1 had subjected it1 a triumphant community1 just emerging from obscurity1 was determined1 more than ever before1 to press1 within the limits prescribed for it by its ,founders1 its claim to be regarded as an independent religious entity1 and to safeguard1 by all available means1 its integrity1 the solidarity of its members and the solidity of its elective institutions4 ,it could no longer1 now that its declared adversaries had1 in such a country1 in such a language1 and on so important an issue1 made so emphatic and sweeping a pronouncement1 and torn asunder the veil that had for so long been drawn over some of the distinguishing verities lying at the core of its doctrine1 keep silent or tolerate without any protest the imposition of restrictions calculated to circumscribe its powers1 stifle its community life and deny it its right to be placed on a footing of unqualified equality with other religious communities in that land4 ,inflexibly resolved to be classified no longer as ,muslim1 ,jew1 ,christian or ,zoroastrian1 the members of this community determined1 as a first step1 to adopt such measures as would vindicate beyond challenge the distinctive position claimed for their religion by its avowed enemies4 ,mindful of their clear1 their sacred and inescapable duty to obey unreservedly1 in all matters of a purely administrative character1 the laws of their country1 but firmly determined to assert and demonstrate1 through every legitimate means at their disposal1 the independent character of their ,faith1 they formulated a policy and embarked in undertakings designed to carry them a stage further towards the goal they had set themselves to attain4 ,the steadfast resolution not to dissemble their faith1 whatever the sacrifices it might entail2 the uncompromising position that they would not refer any matters affecting their personal status to any ,muslim1 ,christian1 ,rabbinical or ,zoroastrian court2 the refusal to affiliate with any organization1 or accept any ecclesiastical post associated with any of the recognized religions in their country2 the universal observance of the laws prescribed in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas relating to obligatory prayers1 fasting1 marriage1 divorce1 inheritance1 burial of the dead1 and the use of opium and alcoholic beverages2 the issue and circulation of certificates of birth1 death1 marriage and divorce1 at the direction and under the seal of recognized ,bah' ,assemblies2 the translation into ,persian of 8,the ,bah' ,laws affecting ,matters of ,personal ,status10 first published by the ,egyptian ,bah' ,national ,assembly2 the cessation of work on all ,bah' ,holy ,days2 the establishment of ,bah' cemeteries in the capital as well as in the provinces1 designed to provide a common burial ground for all ranks of the faithful1 whatever their religious extraction2 the insistence that they no longer be registered as ,muslim1 ,christian1 ,jew or ,zoroastrian on identity cards1 marriage certificates1 passports and other official documents2 the emphasis placed on the institution of the ,nineteen ,day ,feast1 as established by ,bah'u'llh in ,his ,most ,holy ,book2 the imposition of sanctions by ,bah' elective ,assemblies1 now assuming the duties and functions of religious courts1 on recalcitrant members of the community by denying them the right to vote and of membership in these ,assemblies and their committees--all these are to be associated with the first stirrings of a community that had erected the fabric of its ,administrative ,order1 and was now1 under the propelling influence of the historic judicial sentence passed in ,egypt1 intent upon obtaining1 not by force but through persuasion1 the recognition by the civil authorities of the status to which its ecclesiastical adversaries had so emphatically borne witness4 ,that its initial attempt should have met with partial success1 that it should have aroused at times the suspicion of the ruling authorities1 that it should have been grossly misrepresented by its vigilant enemies1 is not a matter for surprise4 ,it was successful in certain respects in its negotiations with the civil authorities1 as in obtaining the government decree removing all references to religious affiliation in passports issued to ,persian subjects1 and in the tacit permission granted in certain localities that its members should not fill in the religious columns in certain state documents1 but should register with their own ,assemblies their marriage1 their divorce1 their birth and their death certificates1 and should conduct their funerals according to their religious rites4 ,in other respects1 however1 it has been subjected to grave disabilities3 its schools1 founded1 owned and controlled exclusively by itself1 were forcibly closed because they refused to remain open on ,bah' holy days2 its members1 both men and women1 were prosecuted2 those who held army or civil service appointments were in some cases dismissed2 a ban was placed on the import1 on the printing and circulation of its literature2 and all ,bah' public gatherings were proscribed4 ,to all administrative regulations which the civil authorities have issued from time to time1 or will issue in the future in that land1 as in all other countries1 the ,bah' community1 faithful to its sacred obligations towards its government1 and conscious of its civic duties1 has yielded1 and will continue to yield implicit obedience4 ,its immediate closing of its schools in ,persia is a proof of this4 ,to such orders1 however1 as are tantamount to a recantation of their faith by its members1 or constitute an act of disloyalty to its spiritual1 its basic and ,god-given principles and precepts1 it will stubbornly refuse to bow1 preferring imprisonment1 deportation and all manner of persecution1 including death--as already suffered by the twenty thousand martyrs that have laid down their lives in the path of its ,founders--rather than follow the dictates of a temporal authority requiring it to renounce its allegiance to its cause4 8,if you cut us in pieces1 men1 women and children alike1 in the entire district of bdih10 was the memorable message sent by the fearless descendants of some of those martyrs in that turbulent center to the ,governor of ,frs1 who had intended to coerce them into declaring themselves as ,muslims1 8we will never submit to your wishes0--a message which1 as soon as it was delivered to that defiant governor1 induced him to desist from pressing the matter any further4 ,in the ,united ,states of ,america1 the ,bah' community1 having already set an inspiring example1 by erecting and perfecting the machinery of its ,administrative ,order1 was alive to the far-reaching implications of the sentence passed by the ,muslim court in ,egypt1 and to the significance of the reaction it had produced in the ,holy ,land1 and was stimulated by the courageous persistence demonstrated by its sister-community in ,persia4 ,it determined to supplement its notable achievements with further acts designed to throw into sharper relief the status achieved by the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in the ,north ,american continent4 ,it was numerically smaller than the community of the ,persian believers4 ,owing to the multiplicity of laws governing the states within the ,union1 it was faced1 in matters affecting the personal status of its members1 with a situation radically different from that confronting the believers in the ,east1 and much more complex4 ,but conscious of its responsibility to lend1 once again1 a powerful impetus to the unfoldment of a divinely appointed ,order1 it boldly undertook to initiate such measures as would accentuate the independent character of a ,revelation it had already so nobly championed4 ,the recognition of its ,national ,spiritual ,assembly by the ,federal authorities as a religious body entitled to hold as trustees properties dedicated to the interests of the ,faith2 the establishment of ,bah' endowments and the exemption obtained for them from the civil authorities as properties owned by1 and administered solely for the benefit of1 a purely religious community1 were now to be supplemented by decisions and measures designed to give further prominence to the nature of the ties uniting its members4 ,the special stress laid on some of the fundamental laws contained in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas regarding daily obligatory prayers2 the observance of the fast1 the consent of the parents as a prerequisite of marriage2 the one-year separation between husband and wife as an indispensable condition of divorce2 abstinence from all alcoholic drinks2 the emphasis placed on the institution of the ,nineteen ,day ,feast as ordained by ,bah'u'llh in that same ,book2 the discontinuation of membership in1 and affiliation with1 all ecclesiastical organizations1 and the refusal to accept any ecclesiastical post--these have served to forcibly underline the distinctive character of the ,bah' ,fellowship1 and to dissociate it1 in the eyes of the public1 from the rituals1 the ceremonials and man-made institutions identified with the religious systems of the past4 ,of particular and historic importance has been the application made by the ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,chicago--the first center established in the ,north ,american continent1 the first to be incorporated among its sister-,assemblies and the first to take the initiative in paving the way for the erection of a ,bah' ,temple in the ,west--to the civil authorities in the state of ,illinois for civil recognition of the right to conduct legal marriages in accordance with the ordinances of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and to file marriage certificates that have previously received the official sanction of that ,assembly4 ,the acceptance of this petition by the authorities1 necessitating an amendment of the by-laws of all local ,assemblies to enable them to conduct ,bah' legal marriages1 and empowering the ,chairman or secretary of the ,chicago ,assembly to represent that body in the conduct of all ,bah' marriages2 the issuance1 on ,september #bb1 #aici1 of the first ,bah' ,marriage ,license by the ,state of ,illinois1 authorizing the aforementioned ,assembly to solemnize ,bah' marriages and issue ,bah' marriage certificates2 the successful measures taken subsequently by ,assemblies in other states of the ,union1 such as ,new ,york1 ,new ,jersey1 ,wisconsin and ,ohio1 to procure for themselves similar privileges1 have1 moreover1 contributed their share in giving added prominence to the independent religious status of the ,faith4 ,to these must be added a similar and no less significant recognition extended1 since the outbreak of the present conflict1 by the ,united ,states ,war ,department--as evidenced by the communication addressed to the ,american ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly by the ,quartermaster ,general of that ,department1 on ,august #ad1 #aidb--;approving the use of the symbol of the ,greatest ,name on stones marking the graves of ,bah's killed in the war and buried in military or private cemeteries1 distinguishing thereby these graves from those bearing the ,latin ,cross or the ,star of ,david assigned to those belonging to the ,christian and ,jewish ,faiths respectively4 ,nor should mention be omitted of the equally successful application made by the ,american ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly to the ,office of ,price ,administration in ,washington1 ,d4,c41 asking that the chairmen and secretaries of ,bah' local ,assemblies should1 in their capacity as officers conducting religious meetings1 and authorized1 in certain states1 to perform marriage services1 be eligible for preferred mileage under the provisions of the ,preferred ,mileage ,section of the ,gasoline ,regulations1 for the purpose of meeting the religious needs of the localities they serve4 ,nor have the ,bah' communities in other countries such as ,india1 #8,irq1 ,great ,britain and ,australia1 been slow to either appreciate the advantages derived from the publication of this historic verdict1 or to exploit1 each according to its capacity and within the limits imposed upon it by prevailing circumstances1 the opportunities afforded by such public testimonial for a further demonstration on their part of the independent character of the ,faith whose administrative structure they had already erected4 ,through the enforcement1 to whatever extent deemed practicable1 of the laws ordained in their ,most ,holy ,book2 through the severance of all ties of affiliation with1 and membership in1 ecclesiastical institutions of whatever denomination2 through the formulation of a policy initiated for the sole purpose of giving further publicity to this mighty issue1 marking a great turning-point in the evolution of the ,faith1 and of facilitating its ultimate settlement1 these communities1 and indeed all organized ,bah' bodies1 whether in the ,east or in the ,west1 however isolated their position or immature their state of development1 have1 conscious of their solidarity and well aware of the glorious prospects opening before them1 arisen to proclaim with one voice the independent character of the religion of ,bah'u'llh and to pave the way for its emancipation from whatever fetters1 be they ecclesiastical or otherwise1 might hinder or delay its ultimate and world-wide recognition4 ,to the status already achieved by their ,faith1 largely through their own unaided efforts and accomplishments1 tributes have been paid by observers in various walks of life1 whose testimony they welcome and regard as added incentive to action in their steep and laborious ascent towards the heights which they must eventually capture4 8,palestine10 is the testimony of ,prof4 ,norman ,bentwitch1 a former ,attorney-,general of the ,palestine ,government1 8may indeed be now regarded as the land not of three but of four ,faiths1 because the ,bah' creed1 which has its center of faith and pilgrimage in ,akk and ,haifa1 is attaining to the character of a world religion4 ,so far as its influence goes in the land1 it is a factor making for international and inter-religious understanding40 8,in #aibj10 is the declaration made in his testament by the distinguished ,swiss scientist and psychiatrist1 ,dr4 ,auguste ,forel1 8,i learned at ,karlsruhe of the supraconfessional world religion of the ,bah's1 founded in the ,orient seventy years ago by a ,persian1 ,bah'u'llh4 ,this is the real religion of #8,social ,welfare' without dogmas or priests1 binding together all men of this small terrestrial globe of ours4 ,i have become a ,bah'4 ,may this religion live and prosper for the good of humanity6 ,this is my most ardent desire40 8,there is bound to be a world state1 a universal language1 and a universal religion10 he1 moreover has stated1 8,the ,bah' ,movement for the oneness of mankind is1 in my estimation1 the greatest movement today working for universal peace and brotherhood40 8,a religion10 is yet another testimony1 from the pen of the late ,queen ,marie of ,rumania1 8which links all creeds 444 a religion based upon the inner spirit of ,god444 ,it teaches that all hatreds1 intrigues1 suspicions1 evil words1 all aggressive patriotism even1 are outside the one essential law of ,god1 and that special beliefs are but surface things whereas the heart that beats with ,divine love knows no tribe nor race40 ,chapter ,,xxv3 ,international ,expansion of ,teaching ,activities ,while the fabric of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh gradually arose1 and while through the influence of unforeseen forces the independence of the ,faith was more and more definitely acknowledged by its enemies and demonstrated by its friends1 another development1 no less pregnant with consequences1 was at the same time being set in motion4 ,the purpose of this was to extend the borders of the ,faith1 increasing the number of its declared supporters and of its administrative centers1 and to give a new and ever growing impetus to the enriching1 the expanding1 the diversifying of its literature1 and to the task of disseminating it farther and farther afield4 ,experience indeed proved that the very pattern of the ,administrative ,order1 apart from other distinctive features1 definitely encouraged efficiency and expedition in this work of teaching1 and its builders found their zeal continually quickened and their missionary ardor heightened as the ,faith moved forward to an ever fuller emancipation4 ,nor were they unmindful of the exhortations1 the appeals and the promises of the ,founders of their ,faith1 ,who1 for three quarters of a century1 had1 each in ,his own way and within the limits circumscribing ,his activities1 labored so heroically to noise abroad the fame of the ,cause ,whose destiny an almighty ,providence had commissioned them to shape4 ,the ,herald of their ,faith had commanded the sovereigns of the earth themselves to arise and teach ,his ,cause1 writing in the ,qayymu'l-,asm3 8,o concourse of kings6 ,deliver with truth and in all haste the verses sent down by ,us to the peoples of ,turkey and of ,india1 and beyond them 444 to lands in both the ,east and the ,west40 8,issue forth from your cities1 ,o peoples of the ,west10 ,he1 in that same ,book1 had moreover written1 8to aid ,god40 8,we behold you from ,our ,most ,glorious ,horizon10 ,bah'u'llh had thus addressed ,his followers in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 8and will assist whosoever will arise to aid ,my ,cause with the hosts of the ,concourse on high1 and a cohort of the angels1 who are nigh unto ,me40 8444,teach ye the ,cause of ,god1 ,o people of ,bah60 ,he1 furthermore1 had written1 8for ,god hath prescribed unto every one the duty of proclaiming ,his message1 and regardeth it as the most meritorious of all deeds40 8,should a man all alone10 ,he had clearly affirmed1 8arise in the name of ,bah and put on the armor of ,his love1 him will the ,almighty cause to be victorious1 though the forces of earth and heaven be arrayed against him40 8,should any one arise for the triumph of ,our ,cause10 ,he moreover had declared1 8him will ,god render victorious though tens of thousands of enemies be leagued against him40 ,and again3 8,center your energies in the propagation of the ,faith of ,god4 ,whoso is worthy of so high a calling1 let him arise and promote it4 ,whoso is unable1 it is his duty to appoint him who will1 in his stead1 proclaim this ,revelation4440 8,they that have forsaken their country10 is ,his own promise1 8for the purpose of teaching ,our ,cause--these shall the ,faithful ,spirit strengthen through its power444 ,such a service is indeed the prince of all goodly deeds1 and the ornament of every goodly act40 8,in these days10 #8,abdu'l-,bah had written in ,his ,will1 8the most important of all things is the guidance of the nations and peoples of the world4 ,teaching the ,cause is of the utmost importance1 for it is the head corner-stone of the foundation itself40 8,the disciples of ,christ10 ,he had declared in that same ,document1 8forgot themselves and all earthly things1 forsook all their cares and belongings1 purged themselves of self and passion1 and1 with absolute detachment1 scattered far and wide1 and engaged in guiding aright the peoples of the world1 till at last they made the world another world1 illumined the earth1 and to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the path of that ,beloved ,one of ,god4 ,finally1 in various lands they suffered martyrdom4 ,let men of action follow in their footsteps40 8,when the hour cometh10 ,he had solemnly stated in that same ,will1 8that this wronged and broken-winged bird will have taken its flight unto the celestial concourse 444 it is incumbent upon 444 the friends and loved ones1 one and all1 to bestir themselves and arise1 with heart and soul1 and in one accord 444 to teach ,his ,cause and promote ,his ,faith4 ,it behoveth them not to rest for a moment444 ,they must disperse themselves in every land 444 and travel throughout all regions4 ,bestirred1 without rest1 and steadfast to the end1 they must raise in every land the cry of ,y ,bah'u'l-,abh 7,o ,thou the ,glory of ,glories7 444 that throughout the ,east and the ,west a vast concourse may gather under the shadow of the ,word of ,god1 that the sweet savors of holiness may be wafted1 that men's faces may be illumined1 that their hearts may be filled with the ,divine ,spirit and their souls become heavenly40 ,obedient to these repeated injunctions1 mindful of these glowing promises1 conscious of the sublimity of their calling1 spurred on by the example which #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself had set1 undismayed by ,his sudden removal from their midst1 undaunted by the attacks launched by their adversaries from within and from without1 ,his followers in both the ,east and in the ,west arose1 in the full strength of their solidarity1 to promote1 more vigorously than ever before1 the international expansion of their ,faith1 an expansion which was now to assume such proportions as to deserve to be recognized as one of the most significant developments in the history of the first ,bah' century4 ,launched in every continent of the globe1 at first intermittent1 haphazard1 and unorganized1 and later1 as a result of the emergence of a slowly developing ,administrative ,order1 systematically conducted1 centrally directed and efficiently prosecuted1 the teaching enterprises which were undertaken by the followers of ,bah'u'llh in many lands1 but conspicuously in ,america1 and which were pursued by members of all ages and of both sexes1 by neophytes and by veterans1 by itinerant teachers and by settlers1 constitute1 by virtue of their range and the blessings which have flowed from them1 a shining episode that yields place to none except those associated with the exploits which have immortalized the early years of the primitive age of the ,bah' ,dispensation4 ,the light of the ,faith which during the nine years of the ,bb ,dispensation had irradiated ,persia1 and been reflected on the adjoining territory of #8,irq2 which in the course of ,bah'u'llh's thirty-nine-year ministry had shed its splendor upon ,india1 ,egypt1 ,turkey1 the ,caucasus1 ,turkistn1 the ,sdn1 ,palestine1 ,syria1 ,lebanon and ,burma1 and which had subsequently1 through the impulse of a divinely-instituted ,covenant1 traveled to the ,united ,states of ,america1 ,canada1 ,france1 ,great ,britain1 ,germany1 ,austria1 ,russia1 ,italy1 ,holland1 ,hungary1 ,switzerland1 ,arabia1 ,tunisia1 ,china1 ,japan1 the ,hawaiian ,islands1 ,south ,africa1 ,brazil and ,australia1 was now to be carried to1 and illuminate1 ere the termination of the first ,bah' century1 no less than thirty-four independent nations1 as well as several dependencies situated in the ,american1 the ,asiatic and ,african continents1 in the ,persian ,gulf1 and in the ,atlantic and the ,pacific oceans4 ,in ,norway1 in ,sweden1 in ,denmark1 in ,belgium1 in ,finland1 in ,ireland1 in ,poland1 in ,czechoslovakia1 in ,rumania1 in ,yugoslavia1 in ,bulgaria1 in ,albania1 in ,afghanistan1 in ,abyssinia1 in ,new ,zealand and in nineteen ,latin ,american ,republics ensigns of the ,revelation of ,bah'u'llh have been raised since #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing1 and the structural basis of the ,administrative ,order of ,his ,faith1 in many of them1 already established4 ,in several dependencies1 moreover1 in both the ,east and the ,west1 including ,alaska1 ,iceland1 ,jamaica1 ,porto ,rico1 the island of ,solano in the ,philippines1 ,java1 ,tasmania1 the islands of ,bahrayn and of ,tahiti1 ,baluchistan1 ,south ,rhodesia and the ,belgian ,congo1 the bearers of the new born ,gospel have established their residence1 and are bending every effort to lay an impregnable basis for its institutions4 ,through lectures and conferences1 through the press and radio1 through the organization of study classes and fire-side gatherings1 through participation in the activities of societies1 institutes and clubs animated by ideals akin to the principles of the ,faith1 through the dissemination of ,bah' literature1 through various exhibits1 through the establishment of teacher training classes1 through contact with statesmen1 scholars1 publicists1 philanthropists and other leaders of public thought--most of which have been carried out through the resourcefulness of the members of the ,american ,bah' community1 who have assumed direct responsibility for the spiritual conquest of the vast majority of these countries and dependencies--above all through the inflexible resolution and unswerving fidelity of pioneers who1 whether as visiting teachers or as residents1 have participated in these crusades1 have these signal victories been achieved during the closing decades of the first ,bah' century4 ,nor should reference be omitted to the international teaching activities of the western followers of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh1 and particularly the members of the stalwart ,american ,bah' community1 who1 seizing every opportunity that presented itself to them1 have either through example1 precept or the circulation of literature carried the ,faith to virgin fields1 scattering the seeds which must eventually germinate and yield a harvest as notable as those already garnered in the aforementioned countries4 ,through such efforts as these the breezes of ,god's vitalizing ,revelation have been blown upon the uttermost corners of the earth1 bearing the germ of a new spiritual life to such distant climes and inhospitable regions as ,lapland2 the ,island of ,spitzbergen1 the northernmost settlement in the world2 ,hammerfest1 in ,norway1 and ,magellanes1 in the extremity of ,chile--the most northerly and southerly cities of the globe respectively2 ,pago ,pago and ,fiji1 in the ,pacific ,ocean2 ,chichen ,itza1 in the province of ,yucatan2 the ,bahama ,islands1 ,trinidad and ,barbados in the ,west ,indies2 the ,island of ,bali and ,british ,north ,borneo in the ,east ,indies2 ,patagonia2 ,british ,guiana2 ,seychelles ,islands2 ,new ,guinea and ,ceylon4 ,nor can we fail to notice the special endeavors that have been exerted by individuals as well as ,assemblies for the purpose of establishing contact with minority groups and races in various parts of the world1 such as the ,jews and ,negroes in the ,united ,states of ,america1 the ,eskimos in ,alaska1 the ,patagonian ,indians in ,argentina1 the ,mexican ,indians in ,mexico1 the ,inca ,indians in ,peru1 the ,cherokee ,indians in ,north ,carolina1 the ,oneida ,indians in ,wisconsin1 the ,mayans in ,yucatan1 the ,lapps in ,northern ,scandinavia1 and the ,maoris in ,rotorua1 ,new ,zealand4 ,of special and valuable assistance has been the institution of an international ,bah' ,bureau in ,geneva1 a center designed primarily to facilitate the expansion of the teaching activities of the ,faith in the ,european continent1 which1 as an auxiliary to the world administrative center in the ,holy ,land1 has maintained contact with ,bah' communities in the ,east and in the ,west4 ,serving as a bureau of information on the ,faith1 as well as a distributing center for its literature1 it has1 through its free reading room and lending library1 through the hospitality extended to itinerant teachers and visiting believers1 and through its contact with various societies1 contributed1 in no small measure1 to the consolidation of the teaching enterprises undertaken by individuals as well as ,bah' ,national ,assemblies4 ,through these teaching activities1 some initiated by individual believers1 others conducted through plans launched by organized ,assemblies1 the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh which1 in ,his lifetime1 had included within its ranks ,persians1 ,arabs1 ,turks1 ,russians1 ,kurds1 ,indians1 ,burmese and ,negroes1 and was later1 in the days of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 reinforced by the inclusion of ,american1 ,british1 ,german1 ,french1 ,italian1 ,japanese1 ,chinese1 and ,armenian converts1 could now boast of having enrolled amongst its avowed supporters representatives of such widely dispersed ethnic groups and nationalities as ,hungarians1 ,netherlanders1 ,irishmen1 ,scandinavians1 ,sudanese1 ,czechs1 ,bulgarians1 ,finns1 ,ethiopians1 ,albanians1 ,poles1 ,eskimos1 ,american ,indians1 ,yugoslavians1 ,latin ,americans and ,maoris4 ,so notable an enlargement of the limits of the ,faith1 so striking an increase in the diversity of the elements included within its pale1 was accompanied by an enormous extension in the volume and the circulation of its literature1 an extension that sharply contrasted with those initial measures undertaken for the publication of the few editions of ,bah'u'llh's writing issued during the concluding years of ,his ministry4 ,the range of ,bah' literature1 confined during half a century1 in the days of the ,bb and of ,bah'u'llh1 to the two languages in which their teachings were originally revealed1 and subsequently extended1 in the lifetime of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 to include editions published in the ,english1 the ,french1 the ,german1 the ,turkish1 the ,russian and ,burmese languages1 was steadily enlarged after ,his passing1 through a vast multiplication in the number of books1 treatises1 pamphlets and leaflets1 printed and circulated in no less than twenty-nine additional languages4 ,in ,spanish and in ,portuguese2 in the three ,scandinavian languages1 in ,finnish and in ,icelandic2 in ,dutch1 ,italian1 ,czech1 ,polish1 ,hungarian1 ,rumanian1 ,serbian1 ,bulgarian1 ,greek and ,albanian2 in ,hebrew and in ,esperanto1 in ,armenian1 in ,kurdish and in ,amharic2 in ,chinese and in ,japanese2 as well as in five ,indian languages1 namely ,urdu1 ,gujrati1 ,bengali1 ,hindi1 and ,sindhi1 books1 mostly through the initiative of individual ,bah's1 and partly through the intermediary of ,bah' assemblies1 were published1 widely distributed1 and placed in private as well as public libraries in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,the literature of the ,faith1 moreover1 is being translated at present into ,latvian1 ,lithuanian1 ,ukrainian1 ,tamil1 ,mahratti1 ,pushtoo1 ,telegu1 ,kinarese1 ,singhalese1 ,malyalan1 ,oriya1 ,punjabi and ,rajasthani4 ,no less remarkable has been the range of the literature produced and placed at the disposal of the general public in every continent of the globe1 and carried by resolute and indefatigable pioneers to the furthermost ends of the earth1 an enterprise in which the members of the ,american ,bah' community have again distinguished themselves4 ,the publication of an ,english edition comprising selected passages from the more important and hitherto untranslated writings of ,bah'u'llh1 as well as of an ,english version of ,his 8,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf10 and of a compilation1 in the same language1 of ,prayers and ,meditations revealed by ,his pen2 the translation and publication of ,his 8,hidden ,words0 in eight1 of ,his 8,kitb-i-qn0 in seven1 and of #8,abdu'l-,bah's 8,some ,answered ,questions0 in six1 languages2 the compilation of the third volume of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,tablets translated into ,english2 the publication of books and treatises related to the principles of ,bah' belief and to the origin and development of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith2 of an ,english translation of the ,narrative of the early days of the ,bah' ,revelation1 written by the chronicler and poet1 ,nabl-i-,zarand1 subsequently published in ,arabic and translated into ,german and ,esperanto2 of commentaries and of expositions of the ,bah' teachings1 of administrative institutions and of kindred subjects1 such as world federation1 race unity and comparative religion by western authors and by former ministers of the ,church--all these attest the diversified character of ,bah' publications1 so closely paralleled by their extensive dissemination over the surface of the globe4 ,moreover1 the printing of documents related to the laws of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 of books and pamphlets dealing with ,biblical prophecies1 of revised editions of some of the writings of ,bah'u'llh1 of #8,abdu'l-,bah and of several ,bah' authors1 of guides and study outlines for a wide variety of ,bah' books and subjects1 of lessons in ,bah' ,administration1 of indexes to ,bah' books and periodicals1 of anniversary cards and of calendars1 of poems1 songs1 plays and pageants1 of study outlines and a prayer-book for the training of ,bah' children1 and of news letters1 bulletins and periodicals issued in ,english1 ,persian1 ,german1 ,esperanto1 ,arabic1 ,french1 ,urdu1 ,burmese and ,portuguese has contributed to swell the output and increase the diversity of ,bah' publications4 ,of particular value and significance has been the production1 over a period of many years1 of successive volumes of biennial international record of ,bah' activity1 profusely illustrated1 fully documented1 and comprising among other things a statement on the aims and purposes of the ,faith and its ,administrative ,order1 selections from its scriptures1 a survey of its activities1 a list of its centers in five continents1 a bibliography of its literature1 tributes paid to its ideals and achievements by prominent men and women in ,east and ,west1 and articles dealing with its relation to present-day problems4 ,nor would any survey of the ,bah' literature produced during the concluding decades of the first ,bah' century be complete without special reference being made to the publication of1 and the far-reaching influence exerted by1 that splendid1 authoritative and comprehensive introduction to ,bah' history and teachings1 penned by that pure-hearted and immortal promoter of the ,faith1 ,j4 ,e4 ,esslemont1 which has already been printed in no less than thirty-seven languages1 and is being translated into thirteen additional languages1 whose ,english version has already run into tens of thousands1 which has been reprinted no less than nine times in the ,united ,states of ,america1 whose ,esperanto1 ,japanese and ,english versions have been transcribed into ,braille1 and to which royalty has paid its tribute1 characterizing it as 8a glorious book of love and goodness1 strength and beauty10 commending it to all1 and affirming that 8no man could fail to be better because of this ,book40 ,deserving special mention1 moreover1 is the establishment by the ,british ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of a ,publishing ,trust1 registered as 8,the ,bah' ,publishing ,co40 and acting as a publisher and wholesale distributor of ,bah' literature throughout the ,british ,isles2 the compilation by various ,bah' ,assemblies throughout the ,east of no less than forty volumes in manuscript of the authenticated and unpublished writings of the ,bb1 of ,bah'u'llh and of #8,abdu'l-,bah2 the translation into ,english of the ,appendix to the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 entitled 8,questions and ,answers10 as well as the publication in ,arabic and ,persian by the ,egyptian and ,indian ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies respectively of the ,outline of ,bah' ,laws on ,matters of ,personal ,status1 and of a brief outline by the latter ,assembly of the laws relating to the burial of the dead2 and the translation of a pamphlet into ,maori undertaken by a ,maori ,bah' in ,new ,zealand4 ,reference should also be made to the collection and publication by the ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ihrn of a considerable number of the addresses delivered by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the course of ,his ,western tours2 to the preparation of a detailed history of the ,faith in ,persian2 to the printing of ,bah' certificates of marriage and divorce1 in both ,persian and ,arabic1 by a number of ,national ,spiritual ,assemblies in the ,east2 to the issuance of birth and death certificates by the ,persian ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly2 to the preparation of forms of bequest available to believers wishing to make a legacy to the ,faith2 to the compilation of a considerable number of the unpublished ,tablets of #8,abdu'l-,bah by the ,american ,bah' ,national ,spiritual ,assembly2 to the translation into ,esperanto1 undertaken by the daughter of the famous ,zamenhof1 herself a convert to the ,faith1 of several ,bah' books1 including some of the more important writings of ,bah'u'llh and of #8,abdu'l-,bah2 to the translation of a ,bah' booklet into ,serbian by ,prof4 ,bogdan ,popovitch1 one of the most eminent scholars attached to the ,university of ,belgrade1 and to the offer spontaneously made by ,princess ,ileana of ,rumania 7now ,arch-,duchess ,anton of ,austria7 to render into her own native language a ,bah' pamphlet written in ,english1 and subsequently distributed in her native country4 ,the progress made in connection with the transcription of the ,bah' writings into ,braille1 should also be noted--a transcription which already includes such works as the ,english versions of the 8,kitb-i-qn10 of the 8,hidden ,words10 of the 8,seven ,valleys10 of the 8,ishrqt10 of the 8,sriy-i-,haykal10 of the 8,words of ,wisdom10 of the 8,prayers and ,meditations of ,bah'u'llh10 of #8,abdu'l-,bah's 8,some ,answered ,questions10 of the 8,promulgation of ,universal ,peace10 of the 8,wisdom of #8,abdu'l-,bah10 of 8,the ,goal of a ,new ,world ,order10 as well as of the ,english 7two editions71 the ,esperanto and the ,japanese versions of 8,bah'u'llh and the ,new ,era0 and of pamphlets written in ,english1 in ,french and in ,esperanto4 ,nor have those who have been primarily responsible for the enrichment of the literature of the ,faith and its translation into so many languages1 been slow to disseminate it1 by every means in their power1 in their daily intercourse with individuals as well as in their official contacts with organizations whom they have been seeking to acquaint with the aims and principles of their ,faith4 ,the energy1 the vigilance1 the steadfastness displayed by these heralds of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh and their elected representatives1 under whose auspices the circulation of ,bah' literature has1 of late years1 assumed tremendous dimensions1 merit the highest praise4 ,from the reports prepared and circulated by the chief agencies entrusted with the task of the publication and distribution of this literature in the ,united ,states and ,canada the remarkable facts emerge that1 within the space of the eleven months ending ,february #bh1 #aidc1 over #ai1jjj books1 #ajj1jjj pamphlets1 #c1jjj study outlines1 #d1jjj sets of selected writings1 and #ahjj anniversary and ,temple cards and folders had been either sold or distributed2 that1 in the course of two years1 #cgf1jjj pamphlets1 outlining the character and purpose of the ,house of ,worship1 erected in the ,united ,states of ,america1 had been printed2 that over #cjj1jjj pieces of literature had been distributed at the two ,world ,fairs held in ,san ,francisco and ,new ,york2 that1 in a period of twelve months1 #ajhi books had been donated to various libraries1 and that1 through the ,national ,contacts ,committee1 during one year1 more than #b1cjj letters1 with over #d1ejj pamphlets1 had reached authors1 radio speakers1 and representatives of the ,jewish and ,negro minorities1 as well as various organizations interested in international affairs4 ,in the presentation of this vast literature to men of eminence and rank the elected representatives1 as well as the traveling teachers1 of the ,american ,bah' community1 aided by ,assemblies in other lands1 have1 likewise1 exhibited an energy and determination as laudable as the efforts exerted for its production4 ,to the ,king of ,england1 to ,queen ,marie of ,rumania1 to ,president ,franklin ,d4 ,roosevelt1 to the ,emperor of ,japan1 to the late ,president von ,hindenburg1 to the ,king of ,denmark1 to the ,queen of ,sweden1 to ,king ,ferdinand of ,bulgaria1 to the ,emperor of ,abyssinia1 to the ,king of ,egypt1 to the late ,king ,feisal of #8,irq1 to ,king ,zog of ,albania1 to the late ,president ,masaryk of ,czechoslovakia1 to the ,presidents of ,mexico1 of ,honduras1 of ,panama1 of ,el-,salvador1 of ,guatemala1 and of ,porto ,rico1 to ,general ,chiang ,kaishek1 to the ,ex-,khedive of ,egypt1 to the ,crown ,prince of ,sweden1 to the ,duke of ,windsor1 to the ,duchess of ,kent1 to the ,arch-,duchess ,anton of ,austria1 to ,princess ,olga of ,yugoslavia1 to ,princess ,kadria of ,egypt1 to ,princess ,estelle ,bernadotte of ,wisborg1 to ,mahatma ,gandhi1 to several ruling princes of ,india and to the ,prime ,ministers of all the states of the ,australian ,commonwealth--to these1 as well as to other personages of lesser rank1 ,bah' literature1 touching various aspects of the ,faith1 has been presented1 to some personally1 to others through suitable intermediaries1 either by individual believers or by the elected representatives of ,bah' communities4 ,nor have these individual teachers and ,assemblies been neglectful of their duty to place this literature at the disposal of the public in state1 university and public libraries1 thereby extending the opportunity to the great mass of the reading public of familiarizing itself with the history and precepts of the ,revelation of ,bah'u'llh4 ,a mere enumeration of a number of the more important of these libraries would suffice to reveal the scope of these activities extending over five continents3 the ,british ,museum in ,london1 the ,bodleian ,library at ,oxford1 the ,library of ,congress in ,washington1 the ,peace ,palace ,library at the ,hague1 the ,nobel ,peace ,foundation and ,nansen ,foundation ,libraries at ,oslo1 the ,royal ,library in ,copenhagen1 the ,league of ,nations ,library in ,geneva1 the ,hoover ,peace ,library1 the ,amsterdam ,university ,library1 the ,library of ,parliament in ,ottawa1 the ,allahabad ,university ,library1 the ,aligarh ,university ,library1 the ,university of ,madras ,library1 the ,shantineketan ,international ,university ,library in ,bolepur1 the ,uthmnyyih ,university ,library in ,hyderabad1 the ,imperial ,library in ,calcutta1 the ,jamia ,milli ,library in ,delhi1 the ,mysore ,university ,library1 the ,bernard ,library in ,rangoon1 the ,jerabia ,wadia ,library in ,poona1 the ,lahore ,public ,library1 the ,lucknow and ,delhi ,university ,libraries1 the ,johannesburg ,public ,library1 the ,rio de ,janeiro ,circulating libraries1 the ,manila ,national ,library1 the ,hong ,kong ,university ,library1 the ,reykjavik public libraries1 the ,carnegie ,library in the ,seychelles ,islands1 the ,cuban ,national ,library1 the ,san ,juan ,public ,library1 the ,ciudad ,trujillo ,university ,library1 the ,university and ,carnegie ,public libraries in ,porto ,rico1 the ,library of ,parliament in ,canberra1 the ,wellington ,parliamentary ,library4 ,in all these1 as well as in all the chief libraries of ,australia and ,new ,zealand1 nine libraries in ,mexico1 several libraries in ,mukden1 ,manchukuo1 and more than a thousand public libraries1 a hundred service libraries and two hundred university and college libraries1 including ,indian colleges1 in the ,united ,states and ,canada1 authoritative books on the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh have been placed4 ,state prisons and1 since the outbreak of the war1 army libraries have been included in the comprehensive scheme which the ,american ,bah' community has1 through a special committee1 devised for the diffusion of the literature of the ,faith4 ,the interests of the blind1 too1 have not been neglected by that alert and enterprising community1 as is shown by the placing of ,bah' books1 transcribed by its members in ,braille1 in thirty libraries and institutes1 in eighteen states of the ,united ,states of ,america1 in ,honolulu 7,hawaii71 in ,regina 7,saskatchewan71 and in the ,tokyo and ,geneva ,libraries for the ,blind1 as well as in a large number of circulating libraries connected with public libraries in various large cities of the ,north ,american continent4 ,nor can ,i dismiss this subject without singling out for special reference her who1 not only through her preponderating share in initiating measures for the translation and dissemination of ,bah' literature1 but above all through her prodigious and indeed unique exertions in the international teaching field1 has covered herself with a glory that has not only eclipsed the achievements of the teachers of the ,faith among her contemporaries the globe around1 but has outshone the feats accomplished by any of its propagators in the course of an entire century4 ,to ,martha ,root1 that archetype of ,bah' itinerant teachers and the foremost ,hand raised by ,bah'u'llh since #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing1 must be awarded1 if her manifold services and the supreme act of her life are to be correctly appraised1 the title of ,leading ,ambassadress of ,his ,faith and ,pride of ,bah' teachers1 whether men or women1 in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,the first to arise1 in the very year the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan were unveiled in the ,united ,states of ,america1 in response to the epoch-making summons voiced in them by #8,abdu'l-,bah2 embarking1 with unswerving resolve and a spirit of sublime detachment1 on her world journeys1 covering an almost uninterrupted period of twenty years and carrying her four times round the globe1 in the course of which she traveled four times to ,china and ,japan and three times to ,india1 visited every important city in ,south ,america1 transmitted the message of the ,new ,day to kings1 queens1 princes and princesses1 presidents of republics1 ministers and statesmen1 publicists1 professors1 clergymen and poets1 as well as a vast number of people in various walks of life1 and contacted1 both officially and informally1 religious congresses1 peace societies1 ,esperanto associations1 socialist congresses1 ,theosophical societies1 women's clubs and other kindred organizations1 this indomitable soul has1 by virtue of the character of her exertions and the quality of the victories she has won1 established a record that constitutes the nearest approach to the example set by #8,abdu'l-,bah ,himself to ,his disciples in the course of ,his journeys throughout the ,west4 ,her eight successive audiences with ,queen ,marie of ,rumania1 the first of which took place in ,january1 #aibf in ,controceni ,palace in ,bucharest1 the second in #aibg in ,pelisor ,palace in ,sinaia1 followed by a visit in ,january of the ensuing year to her ,majesty and her daughter ,princess ,ileana1 at the royal palace in ,belgrade1 where they were staying as guests of the ,king and ,queen of ,yugoslavia1 and later1 in ,october1 #aibi1 at the ,queen's summer palace 8,tehna ,yuva10 at ,balcic1 on the ,black ,sea1 and again1 in ,august1 #aicb and ,february1 #aicc1 at the home of ,princess ,ileana 7now ,arch-,duchess ,anton of ,austria7 at ,mdling1 near ,vienna1 followed a year later1 in ,february1 by another audience at ,controceni ,palace1 and lastly1 in ,february1 #aicf1 in that same palace--these audiences stand out1 by reason of the profound influence exerted by the visitor on her royal hostess1 as witnessed by the successive encomiums from the ,queen's own pen1 as the most outstanding feature of those memorable journeys4 ,the three invitations which that indefatigable champion of the ,faith received to call on ,prince ,paul and ,princess ,olga of ,yugoslavia at the ,royal ,palace in ,belgrade2 the lectures which she delivered in over four hundred universities and colleges in both the ,east and the ,west2 her twice repeated visits to all ,german universities with the exception of two1 as well as to nearly a hundred universities1 colleges and schools in ,china2 the innumerable articles which she published in newspapers and magazines in practically every country she visited2 the numerous broadcasts which she delivered and the unnumbered books she placed in private and state libraries2 her personal meetings with the statesmen of more than fifty countries1 during her three-months stay in ,geneva1 in #aicb1 at the time of the ,disarmament ,conference2 the painstaking efforts she exerted1 while on her arduous journeys1 in supervising the translation and production of a large number of versions of ,dr4 ,esslemont's 8,bah'u'llh and the ,new ,era02 the correspondence exchanged with1 and the presentation of ,bah' books to1 men of eminence and learning2 her pilgrimage to ,persia1 and the touching homage paid by her to the memory of the heroes of the ,faith when visiting the ,bah' historic sites in that country2 her visit to ,adrianople1 where1 in her overflowing love for ,bah'u'llh1 she searched out the houses where ,he had dwelt and the people whom ,he had met during ,his exile to that city1 and where she was entertained by its governor and mayor2 the ready and unfailing assistance extended by her to the administrators of the ,faith in all countries where its institutions had been erected or were being established--these may be regarded as the highlights of a service which1 in many of its aspects1 is without parallel in the entire history of the first ,bah' century4 ,no less impressive is the list of the names of those whom she interviewed in the course of the execution of her mission1 including1 in addition to those already mentioned1 such royal personages and distinguished figures as ,king ,haakon of ,norway2 ,king ,feisal of #8,irq2 ,king ,zog of ,albania and members of his family2 ,princess ,marina of ,greece 7now the ,duchess of ,kent72 ,princess ,elizabeth of ,greece2 ,president ,thomas ,g4 ,masaryk and ,president ,eduard ,benes of ,czechoslovakia2 the ,president of ,austria2 ,dr4 ,sun ,yat ,sen2 ,dr4 ,nicholas ,murray ,butler1 ,president of ,columbia ,university2 ,prof4 ,bogdan ,popovitch of ,belgrade ,university2 the ,foreign ,minister of ,turkey1 ,tawfq ,rushd ,bey2 the ,chinese ,foreign ,minister and ,minister of ,education2 the ,lithuanian ,foreign ,minister2 ,prince ,muammad-#8,al of ,egypt2 ,stephen ,raditch2 the ,maharajas of ,patiala1 of ,benares1 and of ,travancore2 the ,governor and the ,grand ,muft of ,jerusalem2 ,dr4 ,erling ,eidem1 ,archbishop of ,sweden2 ,sarojini ,naidu2 ,sir ,rabindranath ,tagore2 ,madame ,huda ,sha'rav1 the ,egyptian feminist leader2 ,dr4 ,k4 ,ichiki1 minister of the ,japanese ,imperial ,household2 ,prof4 ,tetrujiro ,inouye1 ,prof4 ,emeritus of the ,imperial ,university of ,tokyo2 ,baron ,yoshiro ,sakatani1 member of the ,house of ,peers of ,japan and ,mehmed ,fuad1 ,doyen of the ,faculty of ,letters and ,president of the ,institute of ,turkish history4 ,neither age nor ill-health1 neither the paucity of literature which hampered her early efforts1 nor the meager resources which imposed an added burden on her labors1 neither the extremities of the climates to which she was exposed1 nor the political disturbances which she encountered in the course of her journeys1 could damp the zeal or deflect the purpose of this spiritually dynamic and saintly woman4 ,single-handed and1 on more than one occasion1 in extremely perilous circumstances1 she continued to call1 in clarion tones1 men of diverse creeds1 color and classes to the ,message of ,bah'u'llh1 until1 while in spite of a deadly and painful disease1 the onslaught of which she endured with heroic fortitude1 she hastened homeward to help in the recently launched ,seven ,year ,plan1 she was stricken down on her way1 in far off ,honolulu4 ,there in that symbolic spot between the ,eastern and ,western ,hemispheres1 in both of which she had labored so mightily1 she died1 on ,september #bh1 #aici1 and brought to its close a life which may well be regarded as the fairest fruit as yet yielded by the ,formative ,age of the ,dispensation of ,bah'u'llh4 ,to the injunction of #8,abdu'l-,bah bequeathed in ,his ,will to follow in the footsteps of the disciples of ,jesus ,christ1 8not to rest for a moment10 to 8travel throughout all regions0 and to raise1 8without rest and steadfast to the end10 8in every land1 the cry of #8,y ,bah'u'l-,abh1'0 this immortal heroine yielded an obedience of which the present as well as future generations may well be proud1 and which they may emulate4 8,unrestrained as the wind10 putting her 8whole trust0 in ,god1 as 8the best provision0 for her journey1 she fulfilled almost to the letter the wish so poignantly expressed by #8,abdu'l-,bah in the ,tablets1 whose summons she had instantly arisen to carry out3 8,o that ,i could travel1 even though on foot and in the utmost poverty1 to these regions1 and1 raising the call of #8,y ,bah'u'l-,abh in cities1 villages1 mountains1 deserts and oceans1 promote the ,divine teachings6 ,this1 alas1 ,i cannot do4 ,how intensely ,i deplore it6 ,please ,god1 ye may achieve it40 8,i am deeply distressed to hear of the death of good ,miss ,martha ,root10 is the royal tribute paid to her memory by ,princess ,olga of ,yugoslavia1 on being informed of her death1 8as ,i had no idea of it4 ,we always enjoyed her visits in the past4 ,she was so kind and gentle1 and a real worker for peace4 ,i am sure she will be sadly missed in her work40 8,thou art1 in truth1 a herald of the ,kingdom and a harbinger of the ,covenant10 is the testimony from the unerring pen of the ,center of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant ,himself1 8,thou art truly self-sacrificing4 ,thou showest kindness unto all nations4 ,thou art sowing a seed that shall1 in due time1 give rise to thousands of harvests4 ,thou art planting a tree that shall eternally put forth leaves and blossoms and yield fruits1 and whose shadow shall day by day grow in magnitude40 ,of all the services rendered the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh by this star servant of ,his ,faith1 the most superb and by far the most momentous has been the almost instantaneous response evoked in ,queen ,marie of ,rumania to the ,message which that ardent and audacious pioneer had carried to her during one of the darkest moments of her life1 an hour of bitter need1 perplexity and sorrow4 8,it came10 she herself in a letter had testified1 8as all great messages come1 at an hour of dire grief and inner conflict and distress1 so the seed sank deeply40 ,eldest daughter of the ,duke of ,edinburgh1 who was the second son of that ,queen to whom ,bah'u'llh had1 in a significant ,tablet1 addressed words of commendation2 granddaughter of ,czar ,alexander ,,ii to whom an ,epistle had been revealed by that same ,pen2 related by both birth and marriage to ,europe's most prominent families2 born in the ,anglican ,faith2 closely associated through her marriage with the ,greek ,orthodox ,church1 the state religion of her adopted country2 herself an accomplished authoress2 possessed of a charming and radiant personality2 highly talented1 clear-visioned1 daring and ardent by nature2 keenly devoted to all enterprises of a humanitarian character1 she1 alone among her sister-queens1 alone among all those of royal birth or station1 was moved to spontaneously acclaim the greatness of the ,message of ,bah'u'llh1 to proclaim ,his ,fatherhood1 as well as the ,prophethood of ,muammad1 to commend the ,bah' teachings to all men and women1 and to extol their potency1 sublimity and beauty4 ,through the fearless acknowledgment of her belief to her own kith and kin1 and particularly to her youngest daughter2 through three successive encomiums that constitute her greatest and abiding legacy to posterity2 through three additional appreciations penned by her as her contribution to ,bah' publications2 through several letters written to friends and associates1 as well as those addressed to her guide and spiritual mother2 through various tokens expressive of faith and gratitude for the glad-tidings that had been brought to her through the orders for ,bah' books placed by her and her youngest daughter2 and lastly through her frustrated pilgrimage to the ,holy ,land for the express purpose of paying homage at the graves of the ,founders of the ,faith--through such acts as these this illustrious queen may well deserve to rank as the first of those royal supporters of the ,cause of ,god who are to arise in the future1 and each of whom1 in the words of ,bah'u'llh ,himself1 is to be acclaimed as 8the very eye of mankind1 the luminous ornament on the brow of creation1 the fountainhead of blessings unto the whole world40 8,some of those of my caste10 she1 in a personal letter1 has significantly testified1 8wonder at and disapprove my courage to step forward pronouncing words not habitual for crowned heads to pronounce1 but ,i advance by an inner urge ,i cannot resist4 ,with bowed head ,i recognize that ,i too am but an instrument in greater ,hands1 and ,i rejoice in the knowledge40 ,a note which ,martha ,root1 upon her arrival in ,bucharest1 sent to her ,majesty and a copy of 8,bah'u'llh and the ,new ,era10 which accompanied the note1 and which so absorbed the ,queen's attention that she continued reading it into the small hours of the morning1 led1 two days later1 to the ,queen's granting ,martha ,root an audience1 on ,january #cj1 #aibf1 in ,controceni ,palace in ,bucharest1 in the course of which her ,majesty avowed her belief that 8these teachings are the solution for the world's problems02 and from these followed her publication1 that same year on her own initiative1 of those three epoch-making testimonies which appeared in nearly two hundred newspapers of the ,united ,states and ,canada1 and which were subsequently translated and published in ,europe1 ,china1 ,japan1 ,australia1 the ,near ,east and the ,islands of the seas4 ,in the first of these testimonies she affirmed that the writings of ,bah'u'llh and #8,abdu'l-,bah are 8a great cry toward peace1 reaching beyond all limits of frontiers1 above all dissensions about rites and dogmas444 ,it is a wondrous message that ,bah'u'llh and ,his ,son #8,abdu'l-,bah have given us6 ,they have not set it up aggressively1 knowing that the germ of eternal truth which lies at its core cannot but take root and spread444 ,it is ,christ's message taken up anew1 in the same words almost1 but adapted to the thousand years and more difference that lies between the year one and today40 ,she added a remarkable admonition1 reminiscent of the telling words of ,dr4 ,benjamin ,jowett1 who had hailed the ,faith1 in his conversation with his pupil1 ,prof4 ,lewis ,campbell1 as 8the greatest light that has come into the world since the time of ,jesus ,christ10 and cautioned him to 8watch it0 and never let it out of his sight4 8,if ever10 wrote the ,queen1 8the name of ,bah'u'llh or #8,abdu'l-,bah comes to your attention1 do not put their writings from you4 ,search out their books1 and let their glorious1 peace-bringing1 love-creating words and lessons sink into your hearts as they have into mine444 ,seek them and be the happier40 ,in another of these testimonies1 wherein she makes a significant comment on the station of the ,arabian ,prophet1 she declared3 8,god is all4 ,everything4 ,he is the power behind all beings444 ,his is the voice within us that shows us good and evil4 ,but mostly we ignore or misunderstand this voice4 ,therefore1 did ,he choose ,his ,elect to come down amongst us upon earth to make clear ,his ,word1 ,his real meaning4 ,therefore the ,prophets2 therefore ,christ1 ,muammad1 ,bah'u'llh1 for man needs from time to time a voice upon earth to bring ,god to him1 to sharpen the realization of the existence of the true ,god4 ,those voices sent to us had to become flesh1 so that with our earthly ears we should be able to hear and understand40 ,in appreciation of these testimonies a communication was addressed to her1 in the name of the followers of ,bah'u'llh in ,east and ,west1 and in the course of the deeply touching letter which she sent in reply she wrote3 8,indeed a great light came to me with the ,message of ,bah'u'llh and #8,abdu'l-,bah444 ,my youngest daughter finds also great strength and comfort in the teachings of the beloved ,masters4 ,we pass on the ,message from mouth to mouth1 and all those we give it to see a light suddenly lighting before them1 and much that was obscure and perplexing becomes simple1 luminous and full of hope as never before4 ,that my open letter was a balm to those suffering for the ,cause1 is indeed a great happiness to me1 and ,i take it as a sign that ,god accepted my humble tribute4 ,the occasion given me to be able to express myself publicly was also ,his work1 for indeed it was a chain of circumstances of which each link led me unwittingly one step further1 till suddenly all was clear before my eyes and ,i understood why it had been4 ,thus does ,he lead us finally to our ultimate destiny 444,little by little the veil is lifting1 grief tore it in two4 ,and grief was also a step leading me ever nearer truth2 therefore do ,i not cry out against grief60 ,in a significant and moving letter to an intimate ,american friend of hers1 residing in ,paris1 she wrote3 8,lately a great hope has come to me from one #8,abdu'l-,bah4 ,i have found in ,his and ,his ,father1 ,bah'u'llh's ,message of faith1 all my yearning for real religion satisfied 444,what ,i mean3 these ,books have strengthened me beyond belief1 and ,i am now ready to die any day full of hope4 ,but ,i pray ,god not to take me away yet1 for ,i still have a lot of work to do40 ,and again in one of her later appreciations of the ,faith3 8,the ,bah' teaching brings peace and understanding4 ,it is like a wide embrace gathering all those who have long searched for words of hope444 ,saddened by the continual strife amongst believers of many confessions and wearied of their intolerance towards each other1 ,i discovered in the ,bah' teaching the real spirit of ,christ so often denied and misunderstood40 ,and again1 this wonderful confession3 8,the ,bah' teaching brings peace to the soul and hope to the heart4 ,to those in search of assurance the words of the ,father are as a fountain in the desert after long wandering40 8,the beautiful truth of ,bah'u'llh10 she wrote to ,martha ,root1 8is with me always1 a help and an inspiration4 ,what ,i wrote was because my heart overflowed with gratitude for the reflection you brought me4 ,i am happy if you think ,i helped4 ,i thought it might bring truth nearer because my words are read by so many40 ,in the course of a visit to the ,near ,east she expressed her intention of visiting the ,bah' ,shrines1 and1 accompanied by her youngest daughter1 actually passed through ,haifa1 and was within sight of her goal1 when she was denied the right to make the pilgrimage she had planned--to the keen disappointment of the aged ,greatest ,holy ,leaf who had eagerly expected her arrival4 ,a few months later1 in ,june1 #aica1 she wrote in the course of a letter to ,martha ,root3 8,both ,ileana and ,i were cruelly disappointed at having been prevented going to the holy ,shrines 444 but at that time we were going through a cruel crisis1 and every movement ,i made was being turned against me and being politically exploited in an unkind way4 ,it caused me a good deal of suffering and curtailed my liberty most unkindly444 ,but the beauty of truth remains1 and ,i cling to it through all the vicissitudes of a life become rather sad444 ,i am glad to hear that your traveling has been so fruitful1 and ,i wish you continual success knowing what a beautiful ,message you are carrying from land to land40 ,after this sad disappointment she wrote to a friend of her childhood who dwelt near ,akk1 in a house formerly occupied by ,bah'u'llh3 8,it was indeed nice to hear from you1 and to think that you are of all things living near ,haifa and are1 as ,i am1 a follower of the ,bah' teachings4 ,it interests me that you are living in that special house444 ,i was so intensely interested and studied each photo intently4 ,it must be a lovely place 444 and the house you live in1 so incredibly attractive and made precious by its associations with the ,man we all venerate4440 ,her last public tribute to the ,faith she had dearly loved was made two years before her death4 8,more than ever today10 she wrote1 8when the world is facing such a crisis of bewilderment and unrest1 must we stand firm in ,faith seeking that which binds together instead of tearing asunder4 ,to those searching for light1 the ,bah' teachings offer a star which will lead them to deeper understanding1 to assurance1 peace and goodwill with all men40 ,martha ,root's own illuminating record is given in one of her articles as follows3 8,for ten years ,her ,majesty and her daughter1 ,h4,r4,h4 ,princess ,ileana 7now ,arch-,duchess ,anton7 have read with interest each new book about the ,bah' ,movement1 as soon as it came from the press444 ,received in audience by ,her ,majesty in ,pelisor ,palace1 ,sinaia1 in #aibg1 after the passing of ,his ,majesty ,king ,ferdinand1 her husband1 she graciously gave me an interview1 speaking of the ,bah' teachings about immortality4 ,she had on her table and on the divan a number of ,bah' books1 for she had just been reading in each of them the ,teachings about life after death4 ,she asked the writer to give her greeting to 444 the friends in rn and to the many ,american ,bah's1 who she said had been so remarkably kind to her during her trip through the ,united ,states the year before444 ,meeting the ,queen again on ,january #ai1 #aibh1 in the ,royal ,palace in ,belgrade1 where she and ,h4,r4,h4 ,princess ,ileana were guests of the ,queen of ,yugoslavia--and they had brought some of their ,bah' books with them--the words that ,i shall remember longest of all that her dear ,majesty said were these3 #8,the ultimate dream which we shall realize is that the ,bah' channel of thought has such strength1 it will serve little by little to become a light to all those searching for the real expression of ,truth'444 ,then in the audience in ,controceni ,palace1 on ,february #af1 #aicd1 when her ,majesty was told that the ,rumanian translation of #8,bah'u'llh and the ,new ,era' had just been published in ,bucharest1 she said she was so happy that her people were to have the blessing of reading this precious teaching444 ,and now today1 ,february #d1 #aicf1 ,i have just had another audience with ,her ,majesty in ,controceni ,palace1 in ,bucharest444 ,again ,queen ,marie of ,rumania received me cordially in her softly lighted library1 for the hour was six o'clock444 ,what a memorable visit it was6444 ,she also told me that when she was in ,london she had met a ,bah'1 ,lady ,blomfield1 who had shown her the original ,message that ,bah'u'llh had sent to her grand-mother1 ,queen ,victoria1 in ,london4 ,she asked the writer about the progress of the ,bah' ,movement1 especially in the ,balkan countries444 ,she spoke too of several ,bah' books1 the depths of 8qn10 and especially of 8,gleanings from the ,writings of ,bah'u'llh10 which she said was a wonderful book6 ,to quote her own words3 #8,even doubters would find a powerful strength in it1 if they would read it alone1 and would give their souls time to expand4' 444,i asked her if ,i could perhaps speak of the brooch which historically is precious to ,bah's1 and she replied1 #8,yes1 you may4' ,once1 and it was in #aibh1 ,her dear ,majesty had given the writer a gift1 a lovely and rare brooch which had been a gift to the ,queen from her royal relatives in ,russia some years ago4 ,it was two little wings of wrought gold and silver1 set with tiny diamond chips1 and joined together with one large pearl4 #8,always you are giving gifts to others1 and ,i am going to give you a gift from me1' said the ,queen smiling1 and she herself clasped it onto my dress4 ,the wings and the pearl made it seem #8,light-bearing' ,bah'6 ,it was sent the same week to ,chicago as a gift to the ,bah' ,temple 444 and at the ,national ,bah' ,convention which was in session that spring1 a demur was made--should a gift from the ,queen be sold8 ,should it not be kept as a souvenir of the first ,queen who arose to promote the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh8 ,however1 it was sold immediately and the money given to the ,temple1 for all ,bah's were giving to the utmost to forward this mighty structure1 the first of its kind in the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,mr4 ,willard ,hatch1 a ,bah' of ,los ,angeles1 ,calif41 who bought the exquisite brooch1 took it to ,haifa1 ,palestine1 in #aica1 and placed it in the ,archives on ,mt4 ,carmel1 where down the ages it will rest with the ,bah' treasures4440 ,in ,july1 #aich1 ,queen ,marie of ,rumania passed away4 ,a message of condolence was communicated1 in the name of all ,bah' communities in ,east and ,west1 to her daughter1 the ,queen of ,yugoslavia1 to which she replied expressing 8sincere thanks to all of ,bah'u'llh's followers40 ,the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of ,persia addressed1 on behalf of the followers of the ,faith in ,bah'u'llh's native land1 a letter expressive of grief and sympathy to her son1 the ,king of ,rumania and the ,rumanian ,royal ,family1 the text of which was in both ,persian and ,english4 ,an expression of profound and loving sympathy was sent by ,martha ,root to ,princess ,ileana1 and was gratefully acknowledged by her4 ,memorial gatherings were held in the ,queen's memory1 at which a meed of honor was paid to her bold and epochal confession of faith in the ,fatherhood of ,bah'u'llh1 to her recognition of the station of the ,prophet of ,islm and to the several encomiums from her pen4 ,on the first anniversary of her death the ,national ,spiritual ,assembly of the ,bah's of the ,united ,states and ,canada demonstrated its grateful admiration and affection for the deceased ,queen by associating itself1 through an imposing floral offering1 with the impressive memorial service1 held in her honor1 and arranged by the ,rumanian ,minister1 in ,bethlehem ,chapel1 at the ,cathedral of ,washington1 ,d4,c41 at which the ,american delegation1 headed by the ,secretary of ,state and including government officials and representatives of the ,army and ,navy1 the ,british1 ,french and ,italian ,ambassadors1 and representatives of other ,european embassies and legations joined in a common tribute to one who1 apart from the imperishable renown achieved by her in the ,kingdom of ,bah'u'llh1 had earned1 in this earthly life1 the esteem and love of many a soul living beyond the confines of her own country4 ,queen ,marie's acknowledgment of the ,divine ,message stands as the first fruits of the vision which ,bah'u'llh had seen long before in ,his captivity1 and had announced in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas4 8,how great10 ,he wrote1 8the blessedness that awaits the ,king who will arise to aid ,my ,cause in ,my ,kingdom1 who will detach himself from all else but ,me6444 ,all must glorify his name1 must reverence his station1 and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of ,my ,name1 the ,omnipotent ,protector of all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms4 ,such a king is the very eye of mankind1 the luminous ornament on the brow of creation1 the fountain-head of blessings unto the whole world4 ,offer up1 ,o people of ,bah1 your substance1 nay your very lives for his assistance40 ,the ,american ,bah' community1 crowned with imperishable glory by these signal international services of ,martha ,root1 was destined1 as the first ,bah' century drew to a close1 to distinguish itself1 through the concerted efforts of its members1 both at home and abroad1 by further achievements of such scope and quality that no survey of the teaching activities of the ,faith in the course of that century can afford to ignore them4 ,it would be no exaggeration to say that these colossal achievements1 with the amazing results which flowed from them1 could only have been effected through the harnessing of all the agencies of a newly established ,administrative ,order1 operating in conformity with a carefully conceived ,plan1 and that they constitute a befitting conclusion to the record of a hundred years of sublime endeavor in the service of the ,cause of ,bah'u'llh4 ,that the community of ,his followers in the ,united ,states and ,canada should have carried off the palm of victory in the concluding years of such a glorious century is not a matter for surprise4 ,its accomplishments during the last two decades of the ,heroic1 and throughout the first fifteen years of the ,formative ,age of the ,bah' ,dispensation1 had already augured well for its future1 and had paved the way for its final victory ere the expiration of the first century of the ,bah' ,era4 ,the ,bb had in ,his ,qayymu'l-,asm1 almost a hundred years previously1 sounded ,his specific summons to the 8peoples of the ,west0 to 8issue forth0 from their 8cities0 and aid ,his ,cause4 ,bah'u'llh1 in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 had collectively addressed the ,presidents of the ,republics of the entire ,americas1 bidding them arise and 8bind with the hands of justice the broken10 and 8crush the oppressor0 with the 8rod of the commandments0 of their ,lord1 and had1 moreover1 anticipated in ,his writings the appearance 8in the ,west0 of the 8signs of ,his ,dominion40 #8,abdu'l-,bah had1 on ,his part1 declared that the 8illumination0 shed by ,his ,father's ,revelation upon the ,west would acquire an 8extraordinary brilliancy10 and that the 8light of the ,kingdom0 would 8shed a still greater illumination upon the ,west0 than upon the ,east4 ,he had extolled the ,american continent in particular as 8the land wherein the splendors of ,his ,light shall be revealed1 where the mysteries of ,his ,faith shall be unveiled10 and affirmed that 8it will lead all nations spiritually40 ,more specifically still1 ,he had singled out the ,great ,republic of the ,west1 the leading nation of that continent1 declaring that its people were 8indeed worthy of being the first to build the ,tabernacle of the ,most ,great ,peace and proclaim the oneness of mankind10 that it was 8equipped and empowered to accomplish that which will adorn the pages of history1 to become the envy of the world1 and be blest in both the ,east and the ,west40 ,the first act of ,his ministry had been to unfurl the standard of ,bah'u'llh in the very heart of that ,republic4 ,this was followed by ,his own prolonged visit to its shores1 by ,his dedication of the first ,house of ,worship to be built by the community of ,his disciples in that land1 and finally by the revelation1 in the evening of ,his life1 of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan1 investing ,his disciples with a mandate to plant the banner of ,his ,father's ,faith1 as ,he had planted it in their own land1 in all the continents1 the countries and islands of the globe4 ,he had1 furthermore1 acclaimed one of their most celebrated presidents as one who1 through the ideals he had expounded and the institutions he had inaugurated1 had caused the 8dawn0 of the ,peace anticipated by ,bah'u'llh to break2 had voiced the hope that from their country 8heavenly illumination0 may 8stream to all the peoples of the world02 had designated them in those ,tablets as 8,apostles of ,bah'u'llh02 had assured them that1 8should success crown0 their 8enterprise10 8the throne of the ,kingdom of ,god will1 in the plenitude of its majesty and glory1 be firmly established02 and had made the stirring announcement that 8the moment this ,divine ,message is propagated0 by them 8through the continents of ,europe1 of ,asia1 of ,africa and of ,australasia1 and as far as the islands of the ,pacific1 this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion10 and that 8the whole earth0 would 8resound with the praises of its majesty and greatness40 ,that ,community had already1 in the lifetime of ,him ,who had created it1 tenderly nursed and repeatedly blessed it1 and had at last conferred upon it so distinctive a mission1 arisen to launch the enterprise of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr through the purchase of its land and the laying of its foundations4 ,it had despatched its teachers to the ,east and to the ,west to propagate the ,cause it had espoused1 had established the basis of its community life1 and had1 since ,his passing1 erected the superstructure and commenced the external ornamentation of its ,temple4 ,it had1 moreover1 assumed a preponderating share in the task of erecting the framework of the ,administrative ,order of the ,faith1 of championing its cause1 of demonstrating its independent character1 of enriching and disseminating its literature1 of lending moral and material assistance to its persecuted followers1 of repelling the assaults of its adversaries and of winning the allegiance of royalty to its ,founder4 ,such a splendid record was to culminate1 as the century approached its end1 in the initiation of a ,plan--the first stage in the execution of the ,mission entrusted to it by #8,abdu'l-,bah--which1 within the space of seven brief years1 was to bring to a successful completion the exterior ornamentation of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr1 to almost double the number of ,spiritual ,assemblies functioning in the ,north ,american continent1 to bring the total number of localities in which ,bah's reside to no less than thirteen hundred and twenty-two in that same continent1 to establish the structural basis of the ,administrative ,order in every state of the ,united ,states and every province of ,canada1 and by laying a firm anchorage in each of the twenty ,republics of ,central and ,south ,america1 to swell to sixty the number of the sovereign states included within its orbit4 ,many and diverse forces combined now to urge the ,american ,bah' community to strong action3 the glowing exhortations and promises of ,bah'u'llh and ,his behest to erect in ,his name ,houses of ,worship2 the directions issued by #8,abdu'l-,bah in fourteen ,tablets addressed to the believers residing in the ,western1 the ,central1 the ,north ,eastern and ,southern ,states of the ,north ,american ,republic and in the ,dominion of ,canada2 ,his prophetic utterances regarding the future of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr in ,america2 the influence of the new ,administrative ,order in fostering and rendering effective an eager spirit of cooperation2 the example of ,martha ,root who1 though equipped with no more than a handful of inadequately translated leaflets1 had traveled to ,south ,america and visited every important city in that continent2 the tenacity and self-sacrifice of the fearless and brilliant ,keith ,ransom-,kehler1 the first ,american martyr1 who1 journeying to ,persia had pleaded in numerous interviews with ministers1 ecclesiastics and government officials the cause of her down-trodden brethren in that land1 had addressed no less than seven petitions to the ,shh1 and1 heedless of the warnings of age and ill-health1 had at last succumbed in ,ifhn4 ,other factors which spurred the members of that community to fresh sacrifices and adventure were their eagerness to reinforce the work intermittently undertaken through the settlement and travels of a number of pioneers1 who had established the first center of the ,faith in ,brazil1 circumnavigated the ,south ,american continent and visited the ,west ,indies and distributed literature in various countries of ,central and ,south ,america2 the consciousness of their pressing responsibilities in the face of a rapidly deteriorating international situation2 the realization that the first ,bah' century was fast speeding to a close and their anxiety to bring to a befitting conclusion an enterprise that had been launched thirty years previously4 ,undeterred by the immensity of the field1 the power wielded by firmly entrenched ecclesiastical organizations1 the political instability of some of the countries in which they were to settle1 the climatic conditions they were to encounter1 and the difference in language and custom of the people amongst whom they were to reside1 and keenly aware of the crying needs of the ,faith in the ,north ,american continent1 the members of the ,american ,bah' community arose1 as one man1 to inaugurate a threefold campaign1 carefully planned and systematically conducted1 designed to establish a ,spiritual ,assembly in every virgin state and province in ,north ,america1 to form a nucleus of resident believers in each of the ,republics of ,central and ,south ,america1 and to consummate the exterior ornamentation of the ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr4 ,a hundred activities1 administrative and educational1 were devised and pursued for the prosecution of this noble ,plan4 ,through the liberal contribution of funds2 through the establishment of an ,inter-,america ,committee and the formation of auxiliary ,regional ,teaching ,committees2 through the founding of an ,international ,school to provide training for ,bah' teachers2 through the settlement of pioneers in virgin areas and the visits of itinerant teachers2 through the dissemination of literature in ,spanish and ,portuguese2 through the initiation of teacher training courses and extension work by groups and local ,assemblies2 through newspaper and radio publicity2 through the exhibition of ,temple slides and models2 through inter-community conferences and lectures delivered in universities and colleges2 through the intensification of teaching courses and ,latin ,american studies at summer schools--through these and other activities the prosecutors of this ,seven-,year ,plan have succeeded in sealing the triumph of what must be regarded as the greatest collective enterprise ever launched by the followers of ,bah'u'llh in the entire history of the first ,bah' century4 ,indeed1 ere the expiry of that century not only had the work on the ,temple been completed sixteen months before the appointed time1 but instead of one tiny nucleus in every ,latin ,republic1 ,spiritual ,assemblies had already been established in ,mexico ,city and ,puebla 7,mexico71 in ,buenos ,aires 7,argentina71 in ,guatemala ,city 7,guatemala71 in ,santiago 7,chile71 in ,montevideo 7,uruguay71 in ,quito 7,ecuador71 in ,bogot 7,colombia71 in ,lima 7,peru71 in ,asuncion 7,paraguay71 in ,tegucigalpa 7,honduras71 in ,san ,salvador 7,el-,salvador71 in ,san ,jos and ,puntarenas 7,costa ,rica71 in ,havana 7,cuba7 and in ,port-au-,prince 7,haiti74 ,extension work1 in which newly fledged ,latin ,american believers were participating1 had1 moreover1 been initiated1 and was being vigorously carried out1 in the ,republics of ,mexico1 ,brazil1 ,argentina1 ,chile1 ,panama and ,costa ,rica2 believers had established their residence not only in the capital cities of all the ,latin ,american ,republics1 but also in such centers as ,veracruz1 ,cananea and ,tacubaya 7,mexico71 in ,balboa and ,christobal 7,panama71 in ,recife 7,brazil71 in ,guayaquil and ,ambato 7,ecuador71 and in ,temuco and ,magellanes 7,chile72 the ,spiritual ,assemblies of the ,bah's of ,mexico ,city and of ,san ,jos had been incorporated2 in the former city a ,bah' center1 comprising a library1 a reading room and a lecture room1 had been founded2 ,bah' ,youth ,symposiums had been observed in ,havana1 ,buenos ,aires and ,santiago1 whilst a distributing center of ,bah' literature for ,latin ,america had been established in ,buenos ,aires4 ,nor was this gigantic enterprise destined to be deprived1 in its initial stage1 of a blessing that was to cement the spiritual union of the ,americas--a blessing flowing from the sacrifice of one who1 at the very dawn of the ,day of the ,covenant1 had been responsible for the establishment of the first ,bah' centers in both ,europe and the ,dominion of ,canada1 and who1 though seventy years of age and suffering from ill-health1 undertook a six thousand mile voyage to the capital of ,argentina1 where1 while still on the threshold of her pioneer service1 she suddenly passed away1 imparting through such a death to the work initiated in that ,republic an impetus which has already enabled it1 through the establishment of a distributing center of ,bah' literature for ,latin ,america and through other activities1 to assume the foremost position among its sister ,republics4 ,to ,may ,maxwell1 laid to rest in the soil of ,argentina2 to ,hyde ,dunn1 whose dust reposes in the ,antipodes1 in the city of ,sydney2 to ,keith ,ransom-,kehler1 entombed in distant ,ifhn2 to ,susan ,moody and ,lillian ,kappes and their valiant associates who lie buried in ihrn2 to ,lua ,getsinger1 reposing forever in the capital of ,egypt1 and last but not least to ,martha ,root1 interred in an island in the bosom of the ,pacific1 belong the matchless honor of having conferred1 through their services and sacrifice1 a lustre upon the ,american ,bah' community for which its representatives1 while celebrating at their historic1 their first ,all-,american ,convention1 their hard-won victories1 may well feel eternally grateful4 ,gathered within the walls of its national ,shrine--the most sacred ,temple ever to be reared to the glory of ,bah'u'llh2 commemorating at once the centenary of the birth of the ,bb ,dispensation1 of the inauguration of the ,bah' era1 of the inception of the ,bah' ,cycle and of the birth of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 as well as the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the ,faith in the ,western ,hemisphere2 associated in its celebration with the representatives of ,american ,republics1 foregathered in the close vicinity of a city that may well pride itself on being the first ,bah' center established in the ,western world1 this community may indeed feel1 on this solemn occasion1 that it has1 in its turn1 through the triumphal conclusion of the first stage of the ,plan traced for it by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 shed a lasting glory upon its sister communities in ,east and ,west1 and written1 in golden letters1 the concluding pages in the annals of the first ,bah' century4 ,retrospect and ,prospect ,thus drew to a close the first century of the ,bah' era--an epoch which1 in its sublimity and fecundity1 is without parallel in the entire field of religious history1 and indeed in the annals of mankind4 ,a process1 ,god-impelled1 endowed with measureless potentialities1 mysterious in its workings1 awful in the retribution meted out to every one seeking to resist its operation1 infinitely rich in its promise for the regeneration and redemption of human kind1 had been set in motion in ,shrz1 had gained momentum successively in ihrn1 ,baghdd1 ,adrianople and ,akk1 had projected itself across the seas1 poured its generative influences into the ,west1 and manifested the initial evidences of its marvelous1 world-energizing force in the midst of the ,north ,american continent4 ,it had sprung from the heart of ,asia1 and pressing westward had gathered speed in its resistless course1 until it had encircled the earth with a girdle of glory4 ,it had been generated by the son of a mercer in the province of ,frs1 had been reshaped by a nobleman of ,nr1 had been reinforced through the exertions of ,one ,who had spent the fairest years of ,his youth and manhood in exile and imprisonment1 and had achieved its most conspicuous triumphs in a country and amidst a people living half the circumference of the globe distant from the land of its origin4 ,it had repulsed every onslaught directed against it1 torn down every barrier opposing its advance1 abased every proud antagonist who had sought to sap its strength1 and had exalted to heights of incredible courage the weakest and humblest among those who had arisen and become willing instruments of its revolutionizing power4 ,heroic struggles and matchless victories1 interwoven with appalling tragedies and condign punishments1 have formed the pattern of its hundred year old history4 ,a handful of students1 belonging to the ,shaykh school1 sprung from the ,ithn-#8,ash'ryyih sect of ,sh'ah ,islm1 had1 in consequence of the operation of this process1 been expanded and transformed into a world community1 closely knit1 clear of vision1 alive1 consecrated by the sacrifice of no less than twenty thousand martyrs2 supranational2 non-sectarian2 non-political2 claiming the status1 and assuming the functions1 of a world religion2 spread over five continents and the islands of the seas2 with ramifications extending over sixty sovereign states and seventeen dependencies2 equipped with a literature translated and broadcast in forty languages2 exercising control over endowments representing several million dollars2 recognized by a number of governments in both the ,east and the ,west2 integral in aim and outlook2 possessing no professional clergy2 professing a single belief2 following a single law2 animated by a single purpose2 organically united through an ,administrative ,order1 divinely ordained and unique in its features2 including within its orbit representatives of all the leading religions of the world1 of various classes and races2 faithful to its civil obligations2 conscious of its civic responsibilities1 as well as of the perils confronting the society of which it forms a part2 sharing the sufferings of that society and confident of its own high destiny4 ,the nucleus of this community had been formed by the ,bb1 soon after the night of the ,declaration of ,his ,mission to ,mull usayn in ,shrz4 ,a clamor in which the ,shh1 his government1 his people and the entire ecclesiastical hierarchy of his country unanimously joined had greeted its birth4 ,captivity1 swift and cruel1 in the mountains of dhirbayjn1 had been the lot of its youthful ,founder1 almost immediately after ,his return from ,his pilgrimage to ,mecca4 ,amidst the solitude of ,mh-,k and ,chihrq1 ,he had instituted ,his ,covenant1 formulated ,his laws1 and transmitted to posterity the overwhelming majority of ,his writings4 ,a conference of ,his disciples1 headed by ,bah'u'llh1 had1 in the hamlet of ,badasht1 abrogated in dramatic circumstances the laws of the ,islamic1 and ushered in the new1 ,dispensation4 ,in ,tabrz ,he had1 in the presence of the ,heir to the ,throne and the leading ecclesiastical dignitaries of dhirbayjn1 publicly and unreservedly voiced ,his claim to be none other than the promised1 the long-awaited ,q'im4 ,tempests of devastating violence in ,mzindarn1 ,nayrz1 ,zanjn and ihrn had decimated the ranks of ,his followers and robbed ,him of the noblest and most valuable of ,his supporters4 ,he ,himself had to witness the virtual annihilation of ,his ,faith and the loss of most of the ,letters of the ,living1 and1 after experiencing1 in ,his own person1 a series of bitter humiliations1 ,he had been executed by a firing squad in the barrack-square of ,tabrz4 ,a blood bath of unusual ferocity had engulfed the greatest heroine of ,his ,faith1 had further denuded it of its adherents1 had extinguished the life of ,his trusted amanuensis and repository of ,his last wishes1 and swept ,bah'u'llh into the depths of the foulest dungeon of ihrn4 ,in the pestilential atmosphere of the ,syh-,chl1 nine years after that historic ,declaration1 the ,message proclaimed by the ,bb had yielded its fruit1 ,his promise had been redeemed1 and the most glorious1 the most momentous period of the ,heroic ,age of the ,bah' era had dawned4 ,a momentary eclipse of the newly risen ,sun of ,truth1 the world's greatest ,luminary1 had ensued1 as a result of ,bah'u'llh's precipitate banishment to #8,irq by order of ,niri'd-,dn ,shh1 of ,his sudden withdrawal to the mountains of ,kurdistn1 and of the degradation and confusion that afflicted the remnant of the persecuted community of ,his fellow-disciples in ,baghdd4 ,a reversal in the fortunes of a fast declining community1 following ,his return from ,his two-year retirement1 had set in1 bringing in its wake the recreation of that community1 the reformation of its morals1 the enhancement of its prestige1 the enrichment of its doctrine1 and culminating in the ,declaration of ,his ,mission in the garden of ,najbyyih to ,his immediate companions on the eve of ,his banishment to ,constantinople4 ,another crisis--the severest a struggling ,faith was destined to experience in the course of its history--precipitated by the rebellion of the ,bb's nominee and the iniquities perpetrated by him and by the evil genius that had seduced him1 had1 in ,adrianople1 well nigh disrupted the newly consolidated forces of the ,faith and all but destroyed in a baptism of fire the community of the ,most ,great ,name which ,bah'u'llh had called into being4 ,cleansed of the pollution of this 8,most ,great ,idol10 undeterred by the convulsion that had seized it1 an indestructible ,faith had1 in the strength of the ,covenant instituted by the ,bb1 now surmounted the most formidable obstacles it was ever to meet2 and in this very hour it reached its meridian glory through the proclamation of the ,mission of ,bah'u'llh to the kings1 the rulers and ecclesiastical leaders of the world in both the ,east and the ,west4 ,close on the heels of this unprecedented victory had followed the climax of ,his sufferings1 a banishment to the penal colony of ,akk1 decreed by ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz4 ,this had been hailed by vigilant enemies as the signal for the final extermination of a much feared and hated adversary1 and it had heaped upon that ,faith in this fortress-town1 designated by ,bah'u'llh as ,his 8,most ,great ,prison10 calamities from both within and without1 such as it had never before experienced4 ,the formulation of the laws and ordinances of a new-born ,dispensation and the enunciation and reaffirmation of its fundamental principles--the warp and woof of a future ,administrative ,order--had1 however1 enabled a slowly maturing ,revelation1 in spite of this tide of tribulations1 to advance a stage further and yield its fairest fruit4 ,the ascension of ,bah'u'llh had plunged into grief and bewilderment ,his loyal supporters1 quickened the hopes of the betrayers of ,his ,cause1 who had rebelled against ,his ,god-given authority1 and rejoiced and encouraged ,his political as well as ecclesiastical adversaries4 ,the ,instrument ,he had forged1 the ,covenant ,he had ,himself instituted1 had canalized1 after ,his passing1 the forces released by ,him in the course of a forty-year ministry1 had preserved the unity of ,his ,faith and provided the impulse required to propel it forward to achieve its destiny4 ,the proclamation of this new ,covenant had been followed by yet another crisis1 precipitated by one of ,his own sons on whom1 according to the provisions of that ,instrument1 had been conferred a rank second to none except the ,center of that ,covenant ,himself4 ,impelled by the forces engendered by the revelation of that immortal and unique ,document1 an unbreachable ,faith 7having registered its initial victory over the ,covenant-breakers71 had1 under the leadership of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 irradiated the ,west1 illuminated the ,western fringes of ,europe1 hoisted its banner in the heart of the ,north ,american continent1 and set in motion the processes that were to culminate in the transfer of the mortal remains of its ,herald to the ,holy ,land and their entombment in a mausoleum on ,mt4 ,carmel1 as well as in the erection of its first ,house of ,worship in ,russian ,turkistn4 ,a major crisis1 following swiftly upon the signal victories achieved in ,east and ,west1 attributable to the monstrous intrigues of the ,arch-breaker of ,bah'u'llh's ,covenant and to the orders issued by the tyrannical #8,abdu'l-amd1 had exposed1 during more than seven years1 the ,heart and ,center of the ,faith to imminent peril1 filled with anxiety and anguish its followers and postponed the execution of the enterprises conceived for its spread and consolidation4 #8,abdu'l-,bah's historic journeys in ,europe and ,america1 soon after the fall of that tyrant and the collapse of his rgime1 had dealt a staggering blow to the ,covenant-breakers1 had consolidated the colossal enterprise ,he had undertaken in the opening years of ,his ministry1 had raised the prestige of ,his ,father's ,faith to heights it had never before attained1 had been instrumental in proclaiming its verities far and wide1 and had paved the way for the diffusion of its light over the ,far ,east and as far as the ,antipodes4 ,another major crisis--the last the ,faith was to undergo at its world center--provoked by the cruel ,jaml ,psh1 and accentuated by the anxieties of a devastating world war1 by the privations it entailed and the rupture of communications it brought about1 had threatened with still graver peril the ,head of the ,faith ,himself1 as well as the holiest sanctuaries enshrining the remains of its twin ,founders4 ,the revelation of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan1 during the somber days of that tragic conflict1 had1 in the concluding years of #8,abdu'l-,bah's ministry1 invested the members of the leading ,bah' community in the ,west--the champions of a future ,administrative ,order--with a world mission which1 in the concluding years of the first ,bah' century1 was to shed deathless glory upon the ,faith and its administrative institutions4 ,the conclusion of that long and distressing conflict had frustrated the hopes of that military despot and inflicted an ignominious defeat on him1 had removed1 once and for all1 the danger that had overshadowed for sixty-five years the ,founder of the ,faith and the ,center of ,his ,covenant1 fulfilled the prophecies recorded by ,him in ,his writings1 enhanced still further the prestige of ,his ,faith and its ,leader1 and been signalized by the spread of ,his ,message to the continent of ,australia4 ,the sudden passing of #8,abdu'l-,bah1 marking the close of the ,primitive ,age of the ,faith1 had1 as had been the case with the ascension of ,his ,father1 submerged in sorrow and consternation ,his faithful disciples1 imparted fresh hopes to the dwindling followers of both ,mrz ,yay and ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al1 and stirred to feverish activity political as well as ecclesiastical adversaries1 all of whom anticipated the impending dismemberment of the communities which the ,center of the ,covenant had so greatly inspired and ably led4 ,the promulgation of ,his ,will and ,testament1 inaugurating the ,formative ,age of the ,bah' era1 the ,charter delineating the features of an ,order which the ,bb had announced1 which ,bah'u'llh had envisioned1 and whose laws and principles ,he had enunciated1 had galvanized these communities in ,europe1 ,asia1 ,africa and ,america into concerted action1 enabling them to erect and consolidate the framework of this ,order1 by establishing its local and national ,assemblies1 by framing the constitutions of these ,assemblies1 by securing the recognition on the part of the civil authorities in various countries of these institutions1 by founding administrative headquarters1 by raising the superstructure of the first ,house of ,worship in the ,west1 by establishing and extending the scope of the endowments of the ,faith and by obtaining the full recognition by the civil authorities of the religious character of these endowments at its world center as well as in the ,north ,american continent4 ,a severe1 a historic censure pronounced by a ,muslim ecclesiastical court in ,egypt had1 whilst this mighty process--the laying of the structural basis of the ,bah' world ,administrative ,order--was being initiated1 officially expelled all adherents of the ,faith of ,muslim extraction from ,islm1 had condemned them as heretics and brought the members of a proscribed community face to face with tests and perils of a character they had never known before4 ,the unjust decision of a civil court in ,baghdd1 instigated by ,sh'ah enemies1 in #8,irq1 and the decree issued by a still more redoubtable adversary in ,russia had1 moreover1 robbed the ,faith1 on the one hand1 of one of its holiest centers of pilgrimage1 and denied it1 on the other1 the use of its first ,house of ,worship1 initiated by #8,abdu'l-,bah and erected in the course of ,his ministry4 ,and finally1 inspired by this unexpected declaration made by an age-long enemy--marking the first step in the march of their ,faith towards total emancipation--and undaunted by this double blow struck at its institutions1 the followers of ,bah'u'llh1 already united and fully equipped through the agencies of a firmly established ,administrative ,order1 had arisen to crown the immortal records of the first ,bah' century by vindicating the independent character of their ,faith1 by enforcing the fundamental laws ordained in their ,most ,holy ,book1 by demanding and in some cases obtaining1 the recognition by the ruling authorities of their right to be classified as followers of an independent religion1 by securing from the world's highest ,tribunal its condemnation of the injustice they had suffered at the hands of their persecutors1 by establishing their residence in no less than thirty-four additional countries1 as well as in thirteen dependencies1 by disseminating their literature in twenty-nine additional languages1 by enrolling a ,queen in the ranks of the supporters of their ,cause1 and lastly by launching an enterprise which1 as that century approached its end1 enabled them to complete the exterior ornamentation of their second ,house of ,worship1 and to bring to a successful conclusion the first stage of the ,plan which #8,abdu'l-,bah had conceived for the world-wide and systematic propagation of their ,faith4 ,kings1 emperors1 princes1 whether of the ,east or of the ,west1 had1 as we look back upon the tumultuous record of an entire century1 either ignored the summons of its ,founders1 or derided their ,message1 or decreed their exile and banishment1 or barbarously persecuted their followers1 or sedulously striven to discredit their teachings4 ,they were visited by the wrath of the ,almighty1 many losing their thrones1 some witnessing the extinction of their dynasties1 a few being assassinated or covered with shame1 others finding themselves powerless to avert the cataclysmic dissolution of their kingdoms1 still others being degraded to positions of subservience in their own realms4 ,the ,caliphate1 its arch-enemy1 had unsheathed the sword against its ,author and thrice pronounced ,his banishment4 ,it was humbled to dust1 and1 in its ignominious collapse1 suffered the same fate as the ,jewish hierarchy1 the chief persecutor of ,jesus ,christ1 had suffered at the hands of its ,roman masters1 in the first century of the ,christian ,era1 almost two thousand years before4 ,members of various sacerdotal orders1 ,sh'ah1 ,sunn1 ,zoroastrian and ,christian1 had fiercely assailed the ,faith1 branded as heretic its supporters1 and labored unremittingly to disrupt its fabric and subvert its foundations4 ,the most redoubtable and hostile amongst these orders were either overthrown or virtually dismembered1 others rapidly declined in prestige and influence1 all were made to sustain the impact of a secular power1 aggressive and determined to curtail their privileges and assert its own authority4 ,apostates1 rebels1 betrayers1 heretics1 had exerted their utmost endeavors1 privily or openly1 to sap the loyalty of the followers of that ,faith1 to split their ranks or assault their institutions4 ,these enemies were1 one by one1 some gradually1 others with dramatic swiftness1 confounded1 dispersed1 swept away and forgotten4 ,not a few among its leading figures1 its earliest disciples1 its foremost champions1 the companions and fellow-exiles of its ,founders1 trusted amanuenses and secretaries of its ,author and of the ,center of ,his ,covenant1 even some of those who were numbered among the kindred of the ,manifestation ,himself1 not excluding the nominee of the ,bb and the son of ,bah'u'llh1 named by ,him in the ,book of ,his ,covenant1 had allowed themselves to pass out from under its shadow1 to bring shame upon it1 through acts of indelible infamy1 and to provoke crises of such dimensions as have never been experienced by any previous religion4 ,all were precipitated1 without exception1 from the enviable positions they occupied1 many of them lived to behold the frustration of their designs1 others were plunged into degradation and misery1 utterly impotent to impair the unity1 or stay the march1 of the ,faith they had so shamelessly forsaken4 ,ministers1 ambassadors and other state dignitaries had plotted assiduously to pervert its purpose1 had instigated the successive banishments of its ,founders1 and maliciously striven to undermine its foundations4 ,they had1 through such plottings1 unwittingly brought about their own downfall1 forfeited the confidence of their sovereigns1 drunk the cup of disgrace to its dregs1 and irrevocably sealed their own doom4 ,humanity itself1 perverse and utterly heedless1 had refused to lend a hearing ear to the insistent appeals and warnings sounded by the twin ,founders of the ,faith1 and later voiced by the ,center of the ,covenant in ,his public discourses in the ,west4 ,it had plunged into two desolating wars of unprecedented magnitude1 which have deranged its equilibrium1 mown down its youth1 and shaken it to its roots4 ,the weak1 the obscure1 the down-trodden had1 on the other hand1 through their allegiance to so mighty a ,cause and their response to its summons1 been enabled to accomplish such feats of valor and heroism as to equal1 and in some cases to dwarf1 the exploits of those men and women of undying fame whose names and deeds adorn the spiritual annals of mankind4 ,despite the blows leveled at its nascent strength1 whether by the wielders of temporal and spiritual authority from without1 or by black-hearted foes from within1 the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh had1 far from breaking or bending1 gone from strength to strength1 from victory to victory4 ,indeed its history1 if read aright1 may be said to resolve itself into a series of pulsations1 of alternating crises and triumphs1 leading it ever nearer to its divinely appointed destiny4 ,the outburst of savage fanaticism that greeted the birth of the ,revelation proclaimed by the ,bb1 ,his subsequent arrest and captivity1 had been followed by the formulation of the laws of ,his ,dispensation1 by the institution of ,his ,covenant1 by the inauguration of that ,dispensation in ,badasht1 and by the public assertion of ,his station in ,tabrz4 ,widespread and still more violent uprisings in the provinces1 ,his own execution1 the blood bath which followed it and ,bah'u'llh's imprisonment in the ,syh-,chl had been succeeded by the breaking of the dawn of the ,bah' ,revelation in that dungeon4 ,bah'u'llh's banishment to #8,irq1 ,his withdrawal to ,kurdistn and the confusion and distress that afflicted ,his fellow-disciples in ,baghdd had1 in turn1 been followed by the resurgence of the ,bb community1 culminating in the ,declaration of ,his ,mission in the ,najbyyih ,garden4 ,suln #8,abdu'l-#8,azz's decree summoning ,him to ,constantinople and the crisis precipitated by ,mrz ,yay had been succeeded by the proclamation of that ,mission to the crowned heads of the world and its ecclesiastical leaders4 ,bah'u'llh's banishment to the penal colony of ,akk1 with all its attendant troubles and miseries1 had1 in its turn1 led to the promulgation of the laws and ordinances of ,his ,revelation and to the institution of ,his ,covenant1 the last act of ,his life4 ,the fiery tests engendered by the rebellion of ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al and his associates had been succeeded by the introduction of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh in the ,west and the transfer of the ,bb's remains to the ,holy ,land4 ,the renewal of #8,abdu'l-,bah's incarceration and the perils and anxieties consequent upon it had resulted in the downfall of #8,abdu'l-amd1 in #8,abdu'l-,bah's release from ,his confinement1 in the entombment of the ,bb's remains on ,mt4 ,carmel1 and in the triumphal journeys undertaken by the ,center of the ,covenant ,himself in ,europe and ,america4 ,the outbreak of a devastating world war and the deepening of the dangers to which ,jaml ,psh and the ,covenant-breakers had exposed ,him had led to the revelation of the ,tablets of the ,divine ,plan1 to the flight of that overbearing ,commander1 to the liberation of the ,holy ,land1 to the enhancement of the prestige of the ,faith at its world center1 and to a marked expansion of its activities in ,east and ,west4 #8,abdu'l-,bah's passing and the agitation which ,his removal had provoked had been followed by the promulgation of ,his ,will and ,testament1 by the inauguration of the ,formative ,age of the ,bah' era and by the laying of the foundations of a world-embracing ,administrative ,order4 ,and finally1 the seizure of the keys of the ,tomb of ,bah'u'llh by the ,covenant-breakers1 the forcible occupation of ,his ,house in ,baghdd by the ,sh'ah community1 the outbreak of persecution in ,russia and the expulsion of the ,bah' community from ,islm in ,egypt had been succeeded by the public assertion of the independent religious status of the ,faith by its followers in ,east and ,west1 by the recognition of that status at its world center1 by the pronouncement of the ,council of the ,league of ,nations testifying to the justice of its claims1 by a remarkable expansion of its international teaching activities and its literature1 by the testimonials of royalty to its ,divine origin1 and by the completion of the exterior ornamentation of its first ,house of ,worship in the western world4 ,the tribulations attending the progressive unfoldment of the ,faith of ,bah'u'llh have indeed been such as to exceed in gravity those from which the religions of the past have suffered4 ,unlike those religions1 however1 these tribulations have failed utterly to impair its unity1 or to create1 even temporarily1 a breach in the ranks of its adherents4 ,it has not only survived these ordeals1 but has emerged1 purified and inviolate1 endowed with greater capacity to face and surmount any crisis which its resistless march may engender in the future4 ,mighty indeed have been the tasks accomplished and the victories achieved by this sorely-tried yet undefeatable ,faith within the space of a century6 ,its unfinished tasks1 its future victories1 as it stands on the threshold of the second ,bah' century1 are greater still4 ,in the brief space of the first hundred years of its existence it has succeeded in diffusing its light over five continents1 in erecting its outposts in the furthermost corners of the earth1 in establishing1 on an impregnable basis its ,covenant with all mankind1 in rearing the fabric of its world-encompassing ,administrative ,order1 in casting off many of the shackles hindering its total emancipation and world-wide recognition1 in registering its initial victories over royal1 political and ecclesiastical adversaries1 and in launching the first of its systematic crusades for the spiritual conquest of the whole planet4 ,the institution1 however1 which is to constitute the last stage in the erection of the framework of its world ,administrative ,order1 functioning in close proximity to its world spiritual center1 is as yet unestablished4 ,the full emancipation of the ,faith itself from the fetters of religious orthodoxy1 the essential prerequisite of its universal recognition and of the emergence of its ,world ,order1 is still unachieved4 ,the successive campaigns1 designed to extend the beneficent influence of its ,system1 according to #8,abdu'l-,bah's ,plan1 to every country and island where the structural basis of its ,administrative ,order has not been erected1 still remain to be launched4 ,the banner of ,y ,bah'u'l-,abh which1 as foretold by ,him1 must float from the pinnacles of the foremost seat of learning in the ,islamic world is still unhoisted4 ,the ,most ,great ,house1 ordained as a center of pilgrimage by ,bah'u'llh in ,his ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 is as yet unliberated4 ,the third ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr to be raised to ,his glory1 the site of which has recently been acquired1 as well as the ,dependencies of the two ,houses of ,worship already erected in ,east and ,west1 are as yet unbuilt4 ,the dome1 the final unit which1 as anticipated by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 is to crown the ,sepulcher of the ,bb is as yet unreared4 ,the codification of the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 the ,mother-,book of the ,bah' ,revelation1 and the systematic promulgation of its laws and ordinances1 are as yet unbegun4 ,the preliminary measures for the institution of ,bah' courts1 invested with the legal right to apply and execute those laws and ordinances1 still remain to be undertaken4 ,the restitution of the first ,mashriqu'l-,adhkr of the ,bah' world and the recreation of the community that so devotedly reared it1 have yet to be accomplished4 ,the sovereign who1 as foreshadowed in ,bah'u'llh's ,most ,holy ,book1 must adorn the throne of ,his native land1 and cast the shadow of royal protection over ,his long-persecuted followers1 is as yet undiscovered4 ,the contest that must ensue as a result of the concerted onslaughts which1 as prophesied by #8,abdu'l-,bah1 are to be delivered by the leaders of religions as yet indifferent to the advance of the ,faith1 is as yet unfought4 ,the ,golden ,age of the ,faith itself that must witness the unification of all the peoples and nations of the world1 the establishment of the ,most ,great ,peace1 the inauguration of the ,kingdom of the ,father upon earth1 the coming of age of the entire human race and the birth of a world civilization1 inspired and directed by the creative energies released by ,bah'u'llh's ,world ,order1 shining in its meridian splendor1 is still unborn and its glories unsuspected4 ,whatever may befall this infant ,faith of ,god in future decades or in succeeding centuries1 whatever the sorrows1 dangers and tribulations which the next stage in its world-wide development may engender1 from whatever quarter the assaults to be launched by its present or future adversaries may be unleashed against it1 however great the reverses and setbacks it may suffer1 we1 who have been privileged to apprehend1 to the degree our finite minds can fathom1 the significance of these marvelous phenomena associated with its rise and establishment1 can harbor no doubt that what it has already achieved in the first hundred years of its life provides sufficient guarantee that it will continue to forge ahead1 capturing loftier heights1 tearing down every obstacle1 opening up new horizons and winning still mightier victories until its glorious mission1 stretching into the dim ranges of time that lie ahead1 is totally fulfilled4 ,,end