Persian Prophet of Bahá’ísm a London Society Cult

[picture caption: First Photograph Ever Takes of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Leader of the Bahá’í Sect.]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Leader of Little Known Religion Founded in 1844, Becomes the Center of a Large Circle of Religious Students in the British Metropolis.

He Declares That All Creeds Are Based on the Same Essential Truths, and That the Founders of All Were Inspired by God Through Different Mediums.

(Special Correspondence to Gazette Times.)

LONDON. Sept. 30 — In England as in America there is always a large number of people looking for a new religion. Some are genuine seekers after truth and some mere searchers for sensation, but both kinds seem to be flocking round ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the “prophet” of the new Persian religion of Bahá’ísm, who is now on his first visit to London. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá insists that he isn’t a prophet at all. He says he is merely “the servant of God,” but his followers insist on giving him the higher title.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the third leader of the religion which was founded in Persia in 1844 by Sayyed Ali Muhammed, who took the name of “Báb” or “gate,” and announced himself as the forerunner of a greater than he. The “Báb” preached the essential unity of all religions, and as this was contrary to the official religion of the country he was executed in 1850 and his followers were persecuted.

They held together, however, and a few years later Mirza Hussayn Ali announced himself as the great one whose coming had been predicted by the Báb. He took the name of Bahá’ u’llah — “The Splendor of God,” and was promptly arrested and exiled first to Constantinople and Adrianople and finally to Akka in Syria, where he died in 1892. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, his son and successor, was compelled also to live in exile until he was freed by the Young Turks three years ago.

Looks Like a Patriarch.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá looks like an Old Testament patriarch. He is a dignified personage with a long white beard and simple manners who strongly [unreadable text] all efforts to make a high priest of him.

This striving after simplify has had its humorous phases in England, where the “prophet” certainly is more honored than in his own country. At Akka he lived in the humblest style and his home there is excellently described by Miss E.S. Stevens in her book, “The Mountain of God.” In England he is the guest of a lady of title and he rides about London in an expensive motor car.

Of course as soon as his arrival was known the house was besieged by newspaper interviewers and photographers. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá consented to be interviewed and expounded his doctrines to the newspaper men, but when it was suggested that he should sit for his photograph he was horrified.

“I have never been photographed,” he said through an interpreter, “and I don’t intend to be. After my death people might make idols of these photographs and worship them and I don’t intend to leave any such relics behind me.”

Haunted by Photographers.

Then ensued an amusing game of hide and seek. Dozens of newspaper photographers haunted the house. They hid in neighboring doorways and areas and tried to snapshot the prophet as he came out. ‘Abdul sent out scouts, and when they reported that the house was beleaguered be refused to come out.

The photographers refused to go away and finally they were invited into the house where his hostess and his secretaries implored them “not to profane the prophet of God by making an image of him” Some of the photographers went away, but others remained on guard and finally ‘Abdul consen [text missing] to give one sitting. The result of that sitting, the first photograph ever taken of the leader of Bahá’ísm, is reproduced herewith.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá attacks none of the established creeds and asks no one to abandon the faith in which he was brought up [text missing] He declares that all are founded on the same essential truth, and that the founders of all were inspired by God. In her book Miss Stevens makes him say of his father:

One Message to All Creeds.

“To the Sunni he spake as a Sunni, ‘to the Sufi as a Sufi, to the Jew as a Jew [text missing] to the Christian as a Christian — even [text missing] God himself hath spoken. What are the different creeds save the different languages of God? The Speaker is the same, but the words differ according to the medium. If the medium be Our Lord Mohammed well, if the medium [unreadable text] His Holiness Jesus, well also.”

This new prophet from the east, where all the great religions come from, has preached one sermon in London. It wa [text missing] a short one and was delivered at the City Temple to which he was invited by the Rev. R.J. Campbell, who bim [unreadable text] is trying to find a basis for uniting the Christian sects. The sermon was [text missing] Persian, but here is a translation of [text missing] that will be found quite well worth reading if only for the luxuriant imagery tha [text missing] reminds one of Omar Khayyam:

O noble friends, seekers after God, praise be to God! Today the light of truth is shining upon the world in its abundance. The breezes of the heavenly garden are blowing throughout all regions. The call of the kingdom is heard in all lands, and the breath of the Holy Spirit is felt in all hearts that are faithful. The Spirit of God is giving life eternal. In this wonderful age the East is enlightened, the West is fragrant, and everywhere the soul inhales the holy perfume. The sea of the unity of mankind is lifting up its waves with joy, for there is real communication between the hearts and minds of men. The banner of the Holy Spirit is uplifted, and men see it, and are assured with the knowledge that this is a new day.

A Plea for Unity.

This is a new cycle of human power. All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a garden and a paradise. It is the hour of unity of the sons of men, and a drawing together of all races and all classes. You are loosed from ancient superstitions, which have kept men ignorant, destroying the foundations of true humanity. The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men shall live as brothers. In the days of old an instinct for warfare was developed in the struggle with wild animals; this is no longer necessary; nay, rather, co-operation and mutual understanding are seen to produce the greatest welfare of mankind. Enmity is now the result of prejudice only.