ople by the Turkish authorities. While in
Constantinople He ignored every restriction, especially the hostility of
ministers of state and clergy. The official representatives of Persia
again brought their influence to bear upon the Turkish authorities and
succeeded in having Baha'u'llah banished from Constantinople to
Adrianople, the object being to keep Him as far away as possible from
Persia and render His communication with that country more difficult.
Nevertheless, the Cause still spread and strengthened.

Finally, they consulted together and said, "We have banished Baha'u'llah
from place to place, but each time he is exiled his cause is more widely
extended, his proclamation increases in power, and day by day his lamp is
becoming brighter. This is due to the fact that we have exiled him to
large cities and populous centers. Therefore, we will send him to a penal
colony as a prisoner so that all may know he is the associate of
murderers, robbers and criminals; in a short time he and his followers
will perish." The Sultan of Turkey then banished Him to the prison of Akka
in Syria.

When Baha'u'llah arrived at Akka, through the power of God He was able to
hoist His banner. His light at first had been a star; now it became a
mighty sun, and the illumination of His Cause expanded from the East to
the West. Inside prison walls He wrote Epistles to all the kings and
rulers of nations, summoning them to arbitration and universal peace. Some
of the kings received His words with disdain and contempt. One of these
was the Sultan of the Ottoman kingdom. Napoleon III of France did not
reply. A second Epistle was addressed to him. It stated, "I have written
you an Epistle before this, summoning you to the Cause of God, but you are
of the heedless. You have proclaimed that you were the defender of the
oppressed; now it hath become evident that you are not. Nor are you kind
to your own suffering and oppressed people. Your actions are contrary to
your own interests, and your kingly pride must fall. Because of your
arrogance God shortly will destroy your sovereignty. France will flee away
from you, and you will be overwhelmed by a great conquest. There will be
lamentation and mourning, women bemoaning the loss of their sons." This
arraignment of Napoleon III was published and spread.

Read it and consider: one prisoner, single and solitary, without assistant
or defender, a foreigner and stranger imprisoned in the fortress of Akka,