A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

The Reconciliation of Races and Religions

T >> Thomas Kelly Cheyne >> The Reconciliation of Races and Religions




This being so, I am strongly of opinion that so far from confirming
the Ezelite view of subsequent events, the Ezelite account of
Subh-i-Ezel's first appearance appreciably weakens it. Something,
however, we may admit as not improbable. It may well have gratified
the Bab that two representatives of an important family in
Mazandaran had taken up his cause, and the character of these new
adherents may have been more congenial to him than the more martial
character of Kuddus.


DAYYAN

We have already been introduced to a prominent Babi, variously
called Asadu'llah and Dayyan; he was also a member of the hierarchy
called 'the Letters of the Living.' He may have been a man of
capacity, but I must confess that the event to which his name is
specially attached indisposes me to admit that he took part in the
so-called 'Council of Tihran.' To me he appears to have been one of
those Babis who, even in critical periods, acted without
consultation with others, and who imagined that they were absolutely
infallible. Certainly he could never have promoted the claims of
Subh-i-Ezel, whose defects he had learned from that personage's
secretary. He was well aware that Ezel was ambitious, and he thought
that he had a better claim to the supremacy himself.

It would have been wiser, however, to have consulted Baha-'ullah, and
to have remembered the prophecy of the Bab, in which it was
expressly foretold that Dayyan would believe on 'Him whom God would
make manifest.' Subh-i-Ezel was not slow to detect the weak point
in Dayyan's position, who could not be at once the Expected One and a
believer in the Expected One. [Footnote: See Ezel's own words in
_Mustaikaz_, p. 6.] Dayyan, however, made up as well as he could
for his inconsistency. He went at last to Baha-'ullah, and discussed
the matter in all its bearings with him. The result was that with
great public spirit he retired in favour of Baha.

The news was soon spread abroad; it was not helpful to the cause of
Ezel. Some of the Ezelites, who had read the Christian Gospels
(translated by Henry Martyn), surnamed Dayyan 'the Judas Iscariot of
this people.' [Footnote: _TN_, p. 357.] Others, instigated
probably by their leaders, thought it best to nip the flower in the
bud. So by Ezelite hands Dayyan was foully slain.

It was on this occasion that Ezel vented curses and abusive language
on his rival. The proof is only too cogent, though the two books which
contain it are not as yet printed. [Footnote: They are both in the
British Museum, and are called respectively _Mustaikaz_
(No. 6256) and _Asar-el-Ghulam_ (No. 6256). I am indebted for
facts (partly) and references to MSS. to my friend Mirza 'Ali Akbar.]


MIRZA HAYDAR 'ALI

A delightful Bahai disciple--the _Fra Angelico_ of the brethren,
as we may call him,--Mirza Haydar 'Ali was especially interesting to
younger visitors to Abdul Baha. One of them writes thus: 'He was a
venerable, smiling old man, with long Persian robes and a spotlessly
white turban. As we had travelled along, the Persian ladies had
laughingly spoken of a beautiful young man, who, they were sure, would
captivate me. They would make a match between us, they said.

'This now proved to be the aged Mirza, whose kindly, humorous old eyes
twinkled merrily as he heard what they had prophesied, and joined in
their laughter. They did not cover before him. Afterwards the ladies
told me something of his history. He was imprisoned for fourteen years
during the time of the persecution. At one time, when he was being
transferred from one prison to another, many days' journey away, he
and his fellow-prisoner, another Bahai, were carried on donkeys, head
downwards, with their feet and hands secured. Haydar 'Ali laughed and
sang gaily. So they beat him unmercifully, and said, "Now, will you
sing?" But he answered them that he was more glad than before, since
he had been given the pleasure of enduring something for the sake of
God.

'He never married, and in Akka was one of the most constant and loved
companions of Baha-'ullah. I remarked upon his cheerful appearance,
and added, "But all you Bahais look happy." Mirza Haydar 'Ali said:
"Sometimes we have surface troubles, but that cannot touch our
happiness. The heart of those who belong to the Malekoot (Kingdom of
God) is like the sea: when the wind is rough it troubles the surface
of the water, but two metres down there is perfect calm and
clearness."'

The preceding passage is by Miss E. S. Stevens (_Fortnightly
Review_, June 1911). A friend, who has also been a guest in Abdul
Baha's house, tells me that Haydar 'Ali is known at Akka as 'the
Angel.'


ABDUL BAHA (ABBAS EFFENDI)

The eldest son of Baha-'ullah is our dear and venerated Abdul Baha
('Servant of the Splendour'), otherwise known as Abbas Effendi. He
was born at the midnight following the day on which the Bab made his
declaration. He was therefore eight years old, and the sister who
writes her recollections five, when, in August 1852, an attempt was
made on the life of the Shah by a young Babi, disaffected to the
ruling dynasty. The future Abdul Baha was already conspicuous for his
fearlessness and for his passionate devotion to his father. The
_gamins_ of Tihran (Teheran) might visit him as he paced to and fro,
waiting for news from his father, but he did not mind--not he. One day
his sister--a mere child--was returning home under her mother's care,
and found him surrounded by a band of boys. 'He was standing in their
midst as straight as an arrow--a little fellow, the youngest and
smallest of the group--firmly but quietly _commanding_ them not to lay
their hands upon him, which, strange to say, they seemed unable to
do.' [Footnote: Phelps, pp. 14, 15.]

This love to his father was strikingly shown during the absence of
Baha-'ullah in the mountains, when this affectionate youth fell a prey
to inconsolable paroxysms of grief. [Footnote: Ibid. p. 20.] At a
later time--on the journey from Baghdad to Constantinople--Abdul Baha
seemed to constitute himself the special attendant of his father. 'In
order to get a little rest, he adopted the plan of riding swiftly a
considerable distance ahead of the caravan, when, dismounting and
causing his horse to lie down, he would throw himself on the ground
and place his head on his horse's neck. So he would sleep until the
cavalcade came up, when his horse would awake him by a kick, and he
would remount.' [Footnote: Phelps, pp. 31, 32.]

In fact, in his youth he was fond of riding, and there was a time when
he thought that he would like hunting, but 'when I saw them killing
birds and animals, I thought that this could not be right. Then it
occurred to me that better than hunting for animals, to kill them, was
hunting for the souls of men to bring them to God. I then resolved
that I would be a hunter of this sort. This was my first and last
experience in the chase.'

'A seeker of the souls of men.' This is, indeed, a good description of
both father and son. Neither the one nor the other had much of what
we call technical education, but both understood how to cast a spell
on the soul, awakening its dormant powers. Abdul Baha had the courage
to frequent the mosques and argue with the mullas; he used to be
called 'the Master' _par excellence_, and the governor of Adrianople
became his friend, and proved his friendship in the difficult
negotiations connected with the removal of the Bahaites to Akka.
[Footnote: Ibid. p. 20, n.2.]

But no one was such a friend to the unfortunate Bahaites as Abdul
Baha. The conditions under which they lived on their arrival at Akka
were so unsanitary that 'every one in our company fell sick excepting
my brother, my mother, an aunt, and two others of the believers.'
[Footnote: Phelps, pp. 47-51.] Happily Abdul Baha had in his baggage
some quinine and bismuth. With these drugs, and his tireless nursing,
he brought the rest through, but then collapsed himself. He was seized
with dysentery, and was long in great danger. But even in this
prison-city he was to find a friend. A Turkish officer had been struck
by his unselfish conduct, and when he saw Abdul Baha brought so low he
pleaded with the governor that a _hakîm_ might be called in. This
was permitted with the happiest result.

It was now the physician's turn. In visiting his patient he became so
fond of him that he asked if there was nothing else he could do.
Abdul Baha begged him to take a tablet (i.e. letter) to the Persian
believers. Thus for two years an intercourse with the friends outside
was maintained; the physician prudently concealed the tablets in the
lining of his hat!

It ought to be mentioned here that the hardships of the prison-city
were mitigated later. During the years 1895-1900 he was often allowed
to visit Haifa. Observing this the American friends built Baha-'ullah
a house in Haifa, and this led to a hardening of the conditions of his
life. But upon the whole we may apply to him those ancient words:

'He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.'

In 1914 Abdul Baha visited Akka, living in the house of Baha-'ullah,
near where his father was brought with wife and children and seventy
Persian exiles forty-six years ago. But his permanent home is in
Haifa, a very simple home where, however, the call for hospitality
never passes unheeded. 'From sunrise often till midnight he works, in
spite of broken health, never sparing himself if there is a wrong to
be righted, or a suffering to be relieved. His is indeed a selfless
life, and to have passed beneath its shadow is to have been won for
ever to the Cause of Peace and Love.'

Since 1908 Abdul Baha has been free to travel; the political victory
of the Young Turks opened the doors of Akka, as well as of other
political 'houses of restraint.' America, England, France, and even
Germany have shared the benefit of his presence. It may be that he
spoke too much; it may be that even in England his most important work
was done in personal interviews. Educationally valuable, therefore,
as _Some Answered Questions_ (1908) may be, we cannot attach so much
importance to it as to the story--the true story--of the converted
Muhammadan. When at home, Abdul Baha only discusses Western
problems with visitors from the West.

The Legacy left by Baha-'ullah to his son was, it must be admitted, an
onerous educational duty. It was contested by Muhammad Effendi--by
means which remind us unpleasantly of Subh-i-Ezel, but unsuccessfully.
Undeniably Baha-'ullah conferred on Abbas Effendi (Abdul Baha) the
title of Centre of the Covenant, with the special duty annexed of the
'Expounder of the Book.' I venture to hope that this 'expounding' may
not, in the future, extend to philosophic, philological, scientific,
and exegetical details. Just as Jesus made mistakes about Moses and
David, so may Baha-'ullah and Abdul Baha fall into error on secular
problems, among which it is obvious to include Biblical and Kuranic
exegesis.

It appears to me that the essence of Bahaism is not dogma, but the
unification of peoples and religions in a certain high-minded and far
from unpractical mysticism. I think that Abdul Baha is just as much
devoted to mystic and yet practical religion as his father. In one of
the reports of his talks or monologues he is introduced as saying:

'A moth loves the light though his wings are burnt. Though his wings
are singed, he throws himself against the flame. He does not love the
light because it has conferred some benefits upon him. Therefore he
hovers round the light, though he sacrifice his wings. This is the
highest degree of love. Without this abandonment, this ecstasy, love
is imperfect. The Lover of God loves Him for Himself, not for his own
sake.'--From 'Abbas Effendi,' by E. S. Stevens, _Fortnightly
Review_, June 1911, p. 1067.

This is, surely, the essence of mysticism. As a characteristic of the
Church of 'the Abha' it goes back, as we have seen, to the Bab. As a
characteristic of the Brotherhood of the 'New Dispensation' it is
plainly set forth by Keshab Chandra Sen. It is also Christian, and
goes back to Paul and John. This is the hidden wisdom--the pearl of
great price.



PART IV

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL; AMBASSADOR TO HUMANITY


AMBASSADOR TO HUMANITY

After the loss of his father the greatest trouble which befell the
authorized successor was the attempt made independently by
Subh-i-Ezel and the half-brother of Abdul Baha, Mirza Muhammad
'Ali, to produce a schism in the community at Akka. Some little
success was obtained by the latter, who did not shrink from the
manipulation of written documents. Badi-'ullah, another half-brother,
was for a time seduced by these dishonest proceedings, but has since
made a full confession of his error (see _Star of the West_).

It is indeed difficult to imagine how an intimate of the saintly Abdul
Baha can have 'lifted up his foot' against him, the more so as Abdul
Baha would never defend himself, but walked straight forward on the
appointed path. That path must have differed somewhat as the years
advanced. His public addresses prove that through this or that
channel he had imbibed something of humanistic and even scientific
culture; he was a much more complete man than St. Francis of Assisi,
who despised human knowledge. It is true he interpreted any facts
which he gathered in the light of revealed religious truth. But he
distinctly recognized the right of scientific research, and must have
had some one to guide him in the tracks of modern inquiry.

The death of his father must have made a great difference to him In
the disposal of his time. It is to this second period in his life
that Mr. Phelps refers when he makes this statement:

'His general order for the day is prayers and tea at sunrise, and
dictating letters or "tablets," receiving visitors, and giving alms to
the poor until dinner in the middle of the day. After this meal he
takes a half-hour's siesta, spends the afternoon in making visits to
the sick and others whom he has occasion to see about the city, and
the evening in talking to the believers or in expounding, to any who
wish to hear him, the Kuran, on which, even among Muslims, he is
reputed to be one of the highest authorities, learned men of that
faith frequently coming from great distances to consult him with
regard to its interpretation.

'He then returns to his house and works until about one o'clock over
his correspondence. This is enormous, and would more than occupy his
entire time, did he read and reply to all his letters personally. As
he finds it impossible to do this, but is nevertheless determined that
they shall all receive careful and impartial attention, he has
recourse to the assistance of his daughter Ruha, upon whose
intelligence and conscientious devotion to the work he can rely.
During the day she reads and makes digests of letters received, which
she submits to him at night.'

In his charities he is absolutely impartial; his love is like the
divine love--it knows no bounds of nation or creed. Most of those who
benefit by his presence are of course Muslims; many true stories are
current among his family and intimate friends respecting them. Thus,
there is the story of the Afghan who for twenty-four years received
the bounty of the good Master, and greeted him with abusive
speeches. In the twenty-fifth year, however, his obstinacy broke.

Many American and English guests have been entertained in the Master's
house. Sometimes even he has devoted a part of his scanty leisure to
instructing them. We must remember, however, that of Bahaism as well
as of true Christianity it may be said that it is not a dogmatic
system, but a life. No one, so far as my observation reaches, has
lived the perfect life like Abdul Baha, and he tells us himself that
he is but the reflexion of Baha-'ullah. We need not, therefore,
trouble ourselves unduly about the opinions of God's heroes; both
father and son in the present case have consistently discouraged
metaphysics and theosophy, except (I presume) for such persons as have
had an innate turn for this subject.

Once more, the love of God and the love of humanity--which Abdul Baha
boldly says is the love of God--is the only thing that greatly
matters. And if he favours either half of humanity in preference to
the other, it is women folk. He has a great repugnance to the
institution of polygamy, and has persistently refused to take a second
wife himself, though he has only daughters. Baha-'ullah, as we have
seen, acted differently; apparently he did not consider that the
Islamic peoples were quite ripe for monogamy. But surely he did not
choose the better part, as the history of Bahaism sufficiently
shows. At any rate, the Centre of the Covenant has now spoken with no
uncertain sound.

As we have seen, the two schismatic enterprises affected the sensitive
nature of the true Centre of the Covenant most painfully; one thinks
of a well-known passage in a Hebrew psalm. But he was more than
compensated by several most encouraging events. The first was the
larger scale on which accessions took place to the body of believers;
from England to the United States, from India to California, in
surprising numbers, streams of enthusiastic adherents poured in. It
was, however, for Russia that the high honour was reserved of the
erection of the first Bahai temple. To this the Russian Government was
entirely favourable, because the Bahais were strictly forbidden by
Baha-'ullah and by Abdul Baha to take part in any revolutionary
enterprises. The temple took some years to build, but was finished at
last, and two Persian workmen deserve the chief praise for willing
self-sacrifice in the building. The example thus set will soon be
followed by our kinsfolk in the United States. A large and beautiful
site on the shores of Lake Michigan has been acquired, and the
construction will speedily be proceeded with.

It is, in fact, the outward sign of a new era. If Baha-'ullah be our
guide, all religions are essentially one and the same, and all human
societies are linked By a covenant of brotherhood. Of this the Bahai
temples--be they few, or be they many--are the symbols. No wonder that
Abdul Baha is encouraged and consoled thereby. And yet I, as a member
of a great world-wide historic church, cannot help feeling that our
(mostly) ancient and beautiful abbeys and cathedrals are finer symbols
of union in God than any which our modern builders can provide. Our
London people, without distinction of sect, find a spiritual home in
St. Paul's Cathedral, though this is no part of our ancient
inheritance.

Another comfort was the creation of a mausoleum (on the site of
Mt. Carmel above Haifa) to receive the sacred relics of the Bab and
of Baha-'ullah, and in the appointed time also of Abdul Baha.
[Footnote: See the description given by Thornton Chase, _In Galilee_,
pp. 63 f.] This too must be not only a comfort to the Master, but an
attestation for all time of the continuous development of the Modern
Social Religion.

It is this sense of historical continuity in which the Bahais appear
to me somewhat deficient. They seem to want a calendar of saints in
the manner of the Positivist calendar. Bahai teaching will then escape
the danger of being not quite conscious enough of its debt to the
past. For we have to reconcile not only divergent races and
religions, but also antiquity and (if I may use the word) modernity. I
may mention that the beloved Master has deigned to call me by a new
name.[Footnote: 'Spiritual Philosopher.'] He will bear with me if I
venture to interpret that name in a sense favourable to the claims of
history.

The day is not far off when the details of Abdul Baha's missionary
journeys will be admitted to be of historical importance. How gentle
and wise he was, hundreds could testify from personal knowledge, and I
too could perhaps say something--I will only, however, give here the
outward framework of Abdul Baha's life, and of his apostolic journeys,
with the help of my friend Lotfullah. I may say that it is with
deference to this friend that in naming the Bahai leaders I use the
capital H (He, His, Him).

Abdul Baha was born on the same night in which His Holiness the Bab
declared his mission, on May 23, A.D. 1844. The Master, however, eager
for the glory of the forerunner, wishes that that day (i.e. May
23) be kept sacred for the declaration of His Holiness the Bab, and
has appointed another day to be kept by Bahais as the Feast of
Appointment of the CENTRE OF THE COVENANT--Nov. 26. It should be
mentioned that the great office and dignity of Centre of the Covenant
was conferred on Abdul Baha Abbas Effendi by His father.

It will be in the memory of most that the Master was retained a
prisoner under the Turkish Government at Akka until Sept. 1908, when
the doors of His prison were opened by the Young Turks. After this He
stayed in Akka and Haifa for some time, and then went to Egypt, where
He sojourned for about two years. He then began His great European
journey. He first visited London. On His way thither He spent some few
weeks in Geneva. [Footnote: Mr. H. Holley has given a classic
description of Abdul Baha, whom he met at Thonon on the shores of Lake
Leman, in his _Modern Social Religion_, Appendix I.] On Monday,
Sept. 3, 1911, He arrived in London; the great city was honoured by a
visit of twenty-six days. During His stay in London He made a visit
one afternoon to Vanners' in Byfleet on Sept. 9, where He spoke to a
number of working women.

He also made a week-end visit to Clifton (Bristol) from Sept. 23,
1911, to Sept. 25.

On Sept. 29, 1911, He started from London and went to Paris and stayed
there for about two months, and from there He went to Alexandria.

His second journey consumed much time, but the fragrance of God
accompanied Him. On March 25, 1912, He embarked from Alexandria for
America. He made a long tour in almost all the more important cities
of the United States and Canada.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, 1912, the Master--Abdul Baha--arrived in
Liverpool from New York. He stayed there for two days. On the
following Monday, Dec. 16, 1912, He arrived in London. There He stayed
till Jan. 21, 1913, when His Holiness went to Paris.

During His stay in London He visited Oxford (where He and His
party--of Persians mainly--were the guests of Professor and Mrs.
Cheyne), Edinburgh, Clifton, and Woking. It is fitting to notice here
that the audience at Oxford, though highly academic, seemed to be
deeply interested, and that Dr. Carpenter made an admirable speech.

On Jan. 6, 1913, Abdul Baha went to Edinburgh, and stayed at
Mrs. Alexander Whyte's. In the course of these three days He
addressed the Theosophical Society, the Esperanto Society, and many of
the students, including representatives of almost all parts of the
East. He also spoke to two or three other large meetings in the bleak
but receptive 'northern Athens.' It is pleasant to add that here, as
elsewhere, many seekers came and had private interviews with Him. It
was a fruitful season, and He then returned to London.

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1912, He paid another visit to Clifton, and in
the evening spoke to a large gathering at 8.30 P.M. at Clifton Guest
House. On the following day He returned to London.

On Friday, Jan. 17, Abdul Baha went to the Muhammadan Mosque at
Woking. There, in the Muhammadan Mosque He spoke to a large audience
of Muhammadans and Christians who gathered there from different parts
of the world.

On Jan. 21, 1913, this glorious time had an end. He started by express
train for Paris from Victoria Station. He stayed at the French capital
till the middle of June, addressing (by the help of His interpreter)
'all sorts and conditions of men.' Once more Paris proved how
thoroughly it deserved the title of 'city of ideas.' During this time
He visited Stuttgart, Budapest, and Vienna. At Budapest He had the
great pleasure of meeting Arminius Vambery, who had become virtually a
strong adherent of the cause.

Will the Master be able to visit India? He has said Himself that some
magnetic personality might draw Him. Will the Brahmaists be pleased to
see Him? At any rate, our beloved Master has the requisite tact. Could
Indians and English be really united except by the help of the Bahais?
The following Tablet (Epistle) was addressed by the Master to the
Bahais in London, who had sent Him a New Year's greeting on March 21,
1914:--

'HE IS GOD!

'O shining Bahais! Your New Year's greeting brought infinite joy and
fragrance, and became the cause of our daily rejoicing and gladness.

'Thanks be to God! that in that city which is often dark because of
cloud, mist, and smoke, such bright candles (as you) are glowing,
whose emanating light is God's guidance, and whose influencing warmth
is as the burning Fire of the Love of God.

'This your social gathering on the Great Feast is like unto a Mother
who will in future beget many Heavenly Feasts. So that all eyes may be
amazed as to what effulgence the true Sun of the East has shed on the
West.

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