Bahaism and Its Claims Part 22

Abbas Effendi, influenced by the opposition, put a veil over his high claims and instructed his followers to speak of him as simply Abdul Baha, "the Servant of Baha," which is usually translated by them "the servant of G.o.d." The protesters replied, "Rather let the t.i.tle be Abdul-Hawa, 'the servant of air,'" _i.e._, windy and bombastic. But notwithstanding his disavowals Abdul Baha allows himself to be a.s.signed a position both inconsistent with his own words and with the teachings of Baha. Mr. Phelps, his disciple and biographer, says,[599] "Abdul Baha, styled 'Our Lord,' 'Our Master,' is regarded with a love and a _veneration_ second only, _if indeed second_, to that which they bestow upon Baha Ullah. He is cla.s.sed as the third or last of the Divine Messengers of the present Dispensation." The Bab, Baha and Abbas const.i.tute, as it were, the Bahai trinity. Abdul Baha commended and approved for publication an ode written by Thornton Chase in which he is glorified with the following epithets among many others.

"O Thou Enlightener of the Spirits of Men! Thou Heart of the World!

"Thou Physician of Souls! Thou Prince of Peace!

"Thou Right Arm of the Almighty! Thou Lord of the Sabbath of Ages!

"Thou Mystery of G.o.d!"

Another disciple, Mrs. Grundy,[600] writes, "Abdul Baha is the Bazaar of G.o.d, where everything humanity needs may be found without money and without price." Mr. Remey (a Bahai) writes,[601] "The Divine Spirit is manifested in Abdul Baha--_the Branch_. He is the unique channel through which the Power of G.o.d is conveyed to each individual believer. He is the intermediary. The spiritual well-being of every Bahai depends on his connection with Abdul Baha."

The outcome of this quarrel in America is told in the following chapter.

An interesting sequel is the recantation of Mirza Badi Ullah. Doubtless helped thereto by poverty, he made his submission to Abdul Baha, and published a confession, called "An Epistle to the Bahai World."

Concerning it Doctor Pease told me that Badi Ullah is not the author of the whole of that which is published in English under his name. The Epistle says, I Badi Ullah "turn my face to the appointed station, Abdul Baha--May the life of all existent beings be a sacrifice to Him."

Against M. Mohammed Ali, with whom he had a.s.sociated himself for a decade, he makes accusation of untrustworthiness, of purloining the papers and books of Baha and interpolating and falsifying them, of cursing and execrating Abdul Baha through jealousy. He turns on his former supporters and says, "they (the Nakhazeen) have no G.o.d save pa.s.sion, no object save personal interest."[602] Doctor Jessup says:[603] "Badi not long ago was threatening to kill Abbas, and a.s.sa.s.sination is an old fas.h.i.+on of Persian fanatics.... He has become reconciled but I would not guarantee that his main object is not to gain his share of the money." Better had Badi stuck to his former plan when he pet.i.tioned the Governor of Damascus and the Sultan to be sent as a prisoner to Rhodes. Doubtless then he would have had an independent pension.

FOOTNOTES:

[567] _S. W._, Nov. 4, 1913, p. 230; Phelps, pp. 255, 133.

[568] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 84, note 2.

[569] _S. W._, July 13, 1912.

[570] Abul Fazl's "Bahai Proofs," pp. 109-122.

[571] See "Facts for Behaists."

[572] We can well believe that these accusations are true, in view of what we know from Professor Browne of the way Abbas Effendi perverted facts of the history of the Bab and Subh-i-Azal, in the "Traveller's Narrative" of which he was the author ("New Hist.," pp. xiv., x.x.xi.).

[573] "Facts for Behaists," pp. 8, 9.

[574] "Ten Days in the Light at Acca," p. 63.

[575] Persian Ma.n.u.script.

[576] "Facts, etc.," p. 45.

[577] _Ibid._, p. 59.

[578] _Ibid._, p. 60.

[579] _Ibid._, p. 25.

[580] Persian Ma.n.u.script.

[581] "Facts," p. 54.

[582] Mrs. Templeton was Mrs. Laurence Oliphant and had resided at Acca and in intimate relations with the family of Baha for ten years.

[583] "Facts," pp. 6-7.

[584] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 378.

[585] Mrs. Templeton's letter to Doctor Pease in "Facts," p. 9.

[586] Mrs. Templeton, p. 9.

[587] Pages 116-118.

[588] Mrs. Templeton.

[589] See "Facts, etc.," Khadim's letter.

[590] Page 136.

[591] "An Epistle to the Bahai World," by M. Badi Ullah, p. 19, and Mr.

Howard Mac.n.u.tt's Interview with Badi Ullah, _S. W._, July 13, 1912.

[592] Phelps' "Life," p. 81.

[593] "Letters to the Friends in Persia," pp. 2-3. Comp. "Tablets of Abdul Baha," Vol. I, pp. 45-47.

[594] "Daily Lessons," by Goodall, pp. 27-29 and the "Bahai Movement,"

pp. 106-108.

[595] "Tablets," Vol. I, pp. 4, 94.

[596] Phelps, p. 109.

[597] Abul Fazl, p. 118.

[598] Mrs. Templeton, "Facts, etc.," p. 9.

[599] Page x.x.xiv.

[600] "Ten Days at Acca," p. 105.

[601] _Star_, Sept. 8, 1913.

[602] Page 28.

[603] "Fifty-three Years in Syria," p. 687.

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