American Oriental Society [letter of Austin H. Wright, Oroomiah Feb 10,1851]

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"Among the correspondence read was a letter from Rev. Austin H. Wright, M. D., Missionary to the Nestorians, dated Oroomiah, Persia, Feb. 10, 1851, from which is extracted the following 'notice of a singular character, who has for some years past played a prominent part on the stage of Persian life.' "Eight or ten years ago, a man appeared in the South of Persia, in the neighborhood of Shirâz, and put forth pretensions that the only way of access to God for mankind was by him ; and accordingly he assumed the name of Bâb, the Arabic term for ‘door.’ He found some persons who soon acknowledged his pretensions, and who became his adherents. One of his doctrines was, that all men ought to be subject to him, and that consequently the power exercised by the Shah was a usurpation. This was noised abroad, and reached the ears of the king. He was summoned to the capital, where he was kept a while, and then he was removed to Mâkoo, a remote district, six days’ journey from this place, bordering on Turkey. Here he was kept under guard ; but such persons as desired to see him were admitted to his presence, and he was allowed to forward letters to his friends, who had become somewhat numerous in various parts of Persia. He was visited by several persons from Oroomiah, who became his decided adherents. He was in the habit of dictating to a writer, what he called his Koran ; and so rapidly did the Arabic sentences flow from his tongue, that many of those who witnessed it thought that he must be inspired. It was also reported that he performed miracles, and multitudes readily gave credit to the rumor, as it was known that he was extremely abstemious in his diet, and that he spent most of his time in prayer. You probably know that most Mussulmans believe that a person may by abstinence and prayer attain so high a place in the favor of God as to be empowered to work miracles. Subsequently, he was removed by order of the Government to Charee (sic), near Salmas, only two days’ journey from this place. Here he was almost entirely secluded from the world, but continued to write letters to his friends, who handed them around as the productions of an inspired person, though the only evidence that I ever heard given of it was that they were unintelligible. His disciples became still more numerous, and in some parts of the country they engaged in angry controversy with what was called the orthodox party, which led to a conflict. In Mazanderan some sixty persons, and among them two princes, were killed in a single engagement. The matter became so serious, that the Government issued an order that he should be taken to Tabreez and bastinadoed, and that his disciples wherever found should be fined and punished. On his way to Tabreez he was brought to this place, where he was treated with marked attention by the Governor, and many persons were allowed to visit him. On one occasion a number of persons were in his presence, and as the Governor subsequently told me, they were all mysteriously moved and burst into tears. At Tabreez he was examined as to his doctrines by a high Mollah, who pronounced him a heretic and a madman, and he was publicly beaten. He was removed to Charee, where he was secluded from the world as before. Still he had communication by letter with many persons of influence in various parts of the country ; and strange as it may appear, his pretensions were extensively acknowledged. At Zengân, a large town on the road from Tabreez to the capital, his disciples became numerous and powerful, so that last year they resisted some of the measures of the Government, which was thereby induced to take a decided step for the suppression of the sect. Bâb himself was removed to Tabreez and shot in the public square with one of his principal adherents, and troops were sent to Zengân to bring to terms the Bâbites there. A spirited resistance was made by them. They determined to die rather than renounce their faith, or yield to the Government. Many of them made their shrouds, and, throwing them over their necks, issued forth with sword in hand, bent on victory or death. Having fortified themselves in a strong part of the town, they held out against the troops seven months, and killed several hundred of them, and some of the chief officers. At last the head of the sect in the place, an energetic and shrewd Mollah, was mortally wounded ; and his disciples, many having been already killed, could resist no longer. A hundred of them were taken prisoners, and thrust through with the bayonet. None were left who would venture to offer any resistance, and thus the sect there and elsewhere appears to be extinguished. "I send you specimens of the papers which Bâb wrote during his confinement at Charee. It is said that several horseloads of such papers were found after his removal from that place. The British Counsul, resident at Tabreez, having obtained a number of them, gave to me those I now forward. They have been shown to a Mollah here, who is a good Arabic scholar ; but he is unable to decipher them, or to extract any meaning from them."