ed one another in
uninterrupted and constant succession to the effect that the deliberate
intention of the court of Persia was the eradication, suppression,
annihilation, and destruction of this sect; that correspondence was
continually being carried on with the local authorities; and that all [the
Babis] in 'Iraq would shortly be delivered over with bound hands to
Persia. But the Babis passed the time in calmness and silence, without in
any way altering their behavior and conduct.

So when Mirza Buzurg _Kh_an failed to effect and accomplish the designs of
his heart by such actions also, he ill-advisedly fell to reflecting how he
might grieve and humiliate [the Babis]. Every day he sought some pretext
for offering insult, aroused some disturbance and tumult, and raised up
the banner of mischief, until the matter came nigh to culminating in the
sudden outbreak of a riot, the lapse of the reins of control from the
hand, and the precipitation of [men's] hearts into disquietude and
perturbation and [their] minds into anguish and agony.

Now when [the Babis] found themselves unable to treat this humor by any
means (for, strive as they would, they were foiled and frustrated), and
when they failed to find any remedy for this disorder or any fairness in
this flower, they deliberated and hesitated for nine months, and at length
a certain number of them, to stop further mischief, enrolled themselves as
subjects of the Sublime Ottoman Government, that [thereby] they might
assuage this tumult. By means of this device the mischief was allayed, and
the consul withdrew his hand from molesting them; but he notified this
occurrence to the Royal Court in a manner at variance with the facts and
contrary to the truth, and, together with the confederate _Sh_ay_kh_s,
applied himself in every way to devices for distracting the senses [of the
Babis]. Finally, however, being dismissed, and overwhelmed with disaster,
he became penitent and sorry.

Let us proceed with our original topic. For eleven years and somewhat
over, Baha'u'llah abode in 'Iraq-i-'Arab. The behavior and conduct of the
sect were such that [His] fame and renown increased. For He was manifest
and apparent amongst men, consorted and associated with all parties, and
would converse familiarly with doctors and scholars concerning the
solution of difficult theological questions and the verification of the
true sense of abstruse points of divinity. As is currently reported by
perso