Show 4 A persecuted SECT DRIVEN OUT BY THE PRESENT SHAH the rise and fall of bab the mohammedan reformer hla his brave thou though it untimely nely death the greater reba who Is an exile from his native laul land professor browne lecturer in persian at the university of cambridge has written a curious book entitled the episode of the bab ba b probably a few people know who the bab is but mr brownes researches are certain to awaken interest in the man who was the arch heretic of persia in the of the reign of tho the present shah lie he died a violent death at the hands of the government when it was learney learned that the heresy that he ha preached threatened the peace of the national church his followers live lite and are faithful to his memory and teachings their leaders are in exile e and professor brownes book tells fella of his extraordinary exertions to see them and get their story from their own lips they are scattered far and wide some of them are in cyprus others are in palestine safe from the vengeance of the shah all of them would expect to lose their heads if they showed themselves in persia only the humble followers of the bab live unmolested in their own country holding their meetings secretly for fear of the persecution of the angry Mol lahs the bab was a mohammedan reformer who went to mecca and came backwith back with a new commentary on the koran he spoke of himself as superior to mohammed ll 11 and to all other great religious reformers but he announced that a greater than he was coming that greater one is beha who lives in an earthly paradise called behic near tyre where professor browne found him the author says he feels quite un equal to the task of conveying a vivid impression of the faces and forms forms that surrounded him during his visit to this stran strange a retreat headmost he almost runs short of adjectives when he be describes the wondrous and venerable figure of the holy man ho he says he beheld a face which he will never forget although he be cannot describe it the piercing eyes seemed to read his very soul noneen no need to ask in whose presence I 1 stood as I 1 bowed myself my elf before ono ona who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain 11 behas preaching is a prophecy of the most great peace and of the brotherhood and unity of man the brotherhood of the entire race is coming he predicts says knows ia le w t i P n 01 r 1 1 ti and is sorry for the western nations he sees kings and rulers lavishing the their ir treasures in the purchase of means of destruct destruction ioa instead of procuring pro curin coring 9 th the means of happiness meekness concord obedience submission are thees the essentials senti als of his secret in the perfect way he is loved and revered by all his fol lowers wherever may be and many a messa message e from him is read in tho the secret meetings meeting s in persia of the humble followers of the tha bab the bab was not learned in the law like the great doctors of the church and for that reason they held him in contempt it was his habit to dispute with tit i h them in the temples ten ples and altho although ugh lie he was ignorant his wisdom put their knowledge to shame they said he be proved himself an impostor because he talked bad grammar ile he showed them that his grammar was the grammar of the jhb koran and asked them if it was not better it to be wrong with the prophet than right with I 1 lie rest of the world chene whenever ver ho he became too troublesome they beat him with rods at last they had him shot A company of infantry was d yn up and the dab bab and one of ids ida followers were placed before it as targets the first diac Large killed the follower but only broke the cords that bound the prophet he might have converted his executioners execution ers then if he had had time fans to male make the most of the situation but before he could speak the second volley was fired and the bab lied died of many wounds his followers were terribly incensed at the oui outrage rage and tried to assassinate the shah it is said that he fainted with wit h terror at the sight of the conspirators and was only saved by the timely arrival 1 I of his escort for a time he made persia very unsafe for the followers of the bab ile he killed their leaders and to thia lay day those who escaped from their native land have never dared to return among the victims was the one salvation ti oil lass of the movement the beautiful 1 layn who it is said was a mi miracle of learning leaming and of e very every feminine charm she was killed by slow torture and to the very last she declared her supreme faith in the teachings of the bab the mullans mullahs who slew her earne caie near rebelling a few months ago when their lord and master threatened threaten ed to interfere with the tobacco question in persia they made him for his life and throne until the obnoxious ug measures he proposed were rescinded meanwhile beha is waiting patiently in exile confident that the day win will come when his big teachings teaching sWill will triumph in persia and the leaders leader of his faith can return to their land new york S sun |