Baha'ism: An Anti-Christian System
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Samuel Graham Wilson, Baha'ism: An Anti-Christian System, bahai-library.com.
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BIBLIOTHECA SACRA

ARTICLE I.

BAHAISM AN ANTI CHRISTIAN SYSTEM.

BY THE REVEREND SAMUEL GRAHAM WILSON, D.D., TABRIZ,
PERSIA.

ABDUL BAHA ABBAS, the Pontiff of the Bahais, says:
"Some say Abdul Baha is Antichrist. They are not in-
formed of Bahai principles. Baha Ullah 1 established Christ
in the East. He has praised Christ, honored Christ, exalted
Him, called Him the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and
spread His m~ntion." 2 These words could be written with
the name Mohammed substituted for Baha Ullah. But;n
the case of both of them it is the kiss of betrayal. Judas
also made known Jesus. Both Mohammed and Baha write
" ex" before his title "King of Kings." Abdul Baha fur-
ther says: "Baha Ullah will be assailed by those who are not
informed of his principles." Having spent a generation in
contact with Bahais in Persia, and having studied several
.
score volumes and pamphlets setting forth their doctrines and
history, and read their journal the Star of the West for sev-
eral years, I may claim not to be in the class referred to. I
unhesitatingly affirm that Bahaism is an antichristian system.
To accept Baha and Abdul Baha is to deny and forsake
Christ.
But I hear some Christian say: "Of course. What YOll
YoJ. LXXII.   No. 285.    1
2             Bahaism an Antichristian System.           [Jan.

say is self-evident. Bahaism is a new religion whose aim IS'
to sUPl?lant Christianity." This is tl;ue. Yet the claim is
put forth by Bahais, and, more strangely, it is accepted by
some Christians, that the two religions are not antagonistic,
and may be held at one time by the same person. To an
esteemed Christian lady I expressed my regret that a certain
Doctor, forsaking Christ, had gone as a Bahai missionar-y to
Persia. The reply startled me: "Doctor - - - is very
much a Christian." Yet why was I startled? It was simply
hearing an idea with which I was familiar in the writings of
the Bahais. Sydney Sprague says: "The true Bahai is also
the truest Christian." a Charles M. Remey says: "To be
a real Christian in spirit is to be a Bahai, and to be a real
Bahai is to be a Christian," for " Bahai teaching is only th<!
perfection of Christianity.'"    A report of an interview of
Rev. R. J. Campbell, of City Temple, London, with Abdul
Raha, states the claim of Bahaism as follows: "It does not
seek to proS'elyte. One can be a Bahai without ceasing to
be a Christian, a Jew, or a Mohammedan." 5 In accordance
with this idea, Thornton Chase and some Bahais in America
continued to worship and teach in Christian churches, and to
have their dead buried by pastors. Some in London, in con-
nection with the City Temple and St. John's Church (Canon
Wilberforce's), profess both Christianity and Bahaism. Of
southern India, Dr. A. L. Wylie said: " It is said that there
are thirty-five Bahais in our city [Ratnagiri]. Some of     .
these are Christian converts. They continue to be Christians,
saying that they can remain such and are instructed to do
so." Such an erroneous idea, when not due to the misrepre-
sentations of the leaders and Oriental tagiya (" dissimula-
tion "), must arise from' ignorance of or dislike to true
Christianity or ignorance of what Bahaism is.
1915. ]       Bahaism an Antichristian System.                3

There are several classes who look with favor on Bahaism.
1. One class have little or no attachment to Christianity,
or at least no vital relation to it. They ar&. bent on seeking
!'ome novelty. They are well described by the Egyptian Ga-
zette, of Alexandria, in speaking of the recepti~ of Abdul
Baha in London: " About the London meetings there was a
certain air of gush and self-advertisement on the part. of
Baha's friends, which was quite patent to all who are famil-
iar with that kind of religion which will listen to anything so
long as it is unorthodox, new, and sensational." 6
2. Some are believers in the truth of all great religions,
and, with a vague pantheistic notion, recognize all great men
as God-inspired. They are willing to put Baha Ullah and
Abdul Baha on the list of true religious leaders. Such is
Rev. R. J. Campbell, who, in receiving Abdul Baha, spoke of
the "diverse religious faiths that are all aspects of the one
religion," and of the services as "a wonderful manifestation
of the Spirit of God." He said to the congregation: "We as
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is to us and always
will be the Light of the W orId, give greeting to Abdul Baha." 7
Similarly Professor Cheyne, of Oxford, consorted with Abdul
Baha, addressed him as "Guide," and said, "There was no
need for me to be converted," because " I always lived by the
truths you are insisting on." @
3. Another class look on Bahaism as simply an ethical
l"oystem. and Baha and Abdul Baha as world teachers. Their
relation to Christ has been only that of a disciple to a teacher
of morals. They recognize in Baha a new schoolmaster.
Bahaism, to them, con~ists in admiration of certain princi-
ples (eleven more or less) on which Abdul Baha is i~ the
habit of dilating.' But these are not Bahaism any more than
Romans xii.-xv. are Pauline Christianity. Paul's gospel i~
·L           Bahaism an Antichristian System.             lJan.

Romans i.-viii. In its moral precepts and social principles,
Bahaism is a borrower from Christ's unique teaching, and
i;ometimes' from Mohammed. However, Bahaism is a re-
ligion, as we shall see.
4. Some adherents regard Bahaism as Christianity con-
tinued or renewed by the Second Coming of Christ, whom
they recognize in Abdul Baha. Most American Bahais are
of this class, with faith in Baha Ullah as the Father.
The development of my theme is adapted to Western Ba-
hais, but the facts are mostly the same with reference to Per-
!'ian Bahais. Some differences in doctrines and rites come
from the Christian or Moslem environment. It is my pur-
pose to show five ways in which Bahaism is an anticllristian
system.

ANTICHRISTIAN IN ASSIGNING CHRISTIANITY A PLACE AS BUT

ONE AMONG THE TRUE RELIGIONS.

Bahaism indorses and accepts in the same category with
Judaism and Christi.anity, as true and divinely revealed re-
ligions, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Brahmanism, Buddh-
ism, Mohammedanism,- Babism, and Bahaism. Abdul Baha
says: "The reality of the religions is one, the difference is
one of imitation." 10 Remey says: "Bahais consider all re-
ligions to be, from a spiritual standpoint, one religion." H
., Every religion has had its birth in the advent of its divine
founder." 12 "The founders of the world religions have been
seers as well as channels of truth to the people." 18 It tries
to build on all the other religions by professing to be the ful-
fillment of each one. "The Bahai propaganda in India,"
says Sprague, "has not the difficulty that besets a Christian
missionary, that of pulling down; his duty is only to build on
what is already there. He sees the Hindu, Buddhist, and
1915.]         Bahaism an Ant;chr;sliall Syst01!.

Mohammedah with the same eye, acknowledges their truth
and shows that a further revelation has come throtlgh Baha
UlIah." 14 It says to each one, Baha fulfills your traditiom
and prophecies. 1G
But this liberality is only apparent. Only original Buddh-
ism, Christianity, etc., was God-given and true. Now all
are corrupted. "The key-note of Bahai teaching is identical
with the Christian, but in Christianity it was so forgotten, that
i~ came almost as a fresh, new illumination from Baha." 16
Christianity refuses to be classed with the ethnic religions.
In its nature it is exclusive. It admits that there is a me~ure
of truth in all religions, but Christ's gospel is the trtlth " once
for all " dclivered to men.
ANTlCHRISTlAN     IN   CLAIMING TO ABROGATE       AND   SUPERSEDE
CHRISTIANITll.

Bahaism in its origin is a Mohammedan sect. It declarc,>
that Islam is from God. Christianity was a divine revelation,
but Islam was :t better one. In the" Ikan," Baha maintains
the validity of Islam, testifies to its truth, defends Mohammed's
vrophetic mission as the fulfillment of the New Testament pro-
phecies, and the Koran as the Book of God.17 Abdul Baha ex-
alts Mohammed, and declares that he "gave more spiritual
education than any of the others," 18 i.e., than Moses or Jesus.
He justifies Mohammed's life and conduct, and defends his
laws and doctrines.19 He declares that " whatever European
and American historians have written regarding His Highness
Mohammed, the Messenger of God, is mostly falsehood .... Tht.!
narrators are either ignorant or antagonistic." 20 Christians
have therefore been in the wrong for thirteen centuries. They
have sinned against God, and were a stiff-necked and per-
verse people in rejecting Mohammerl, as the Jews were in
6             Bahaism an Alltichristian System.              lJan.
o

rejecting Jesus the Christ. "If those who have acc~ptp.d a
revelation, refuse to believe a subsequent revelation, their faith
becomes null and void."
Similarly Babism abrogated Islam. At the Badasht (Shah-
rud) Conference (1858) the law of the Koran was formally
cieclared to be annulled. Baha abrogated Babism in the Riz·
wan at Bagdad in 1864. Bahaism is the New Covenant,
"which confinns and completes all religious teaching which
has gone before." 21
Christianity is, atcording to this, a system of the distant
past.' It was effective in its day, for" the Christian teaching
was illumined by the Sun of Truth: the Christian civilization
'was the best," 22 concedes Abdul Baha. But now, says Remey,
.. Bahaism is not one of many phases of Universal Truth, but
. the Truth, the only Living Truth to-;day, ... the only source
of Divine Knowledge to mankind.... Abdul Baha's word i5
the Truth .... There are those who will say, 'Have we not
Jesus? We want no other.' The Revelation of Jesus is no
longer the Point of Guidance to the world. We are in total
blindness if we refuse this new Revelation which is the end
of the Revelations of the past. . . . All the teachings of the
past are past. ... Only that which is revealed by the Supreme
Pen, Baha Ullah, and that which issues from the Center of
the Covenant, Abdul Baha, is spiritual food." 2S Bahaism in
proclaiming thus the abrogation of Christianity is emphatical-
ly antichristian.

ANTICHRISTIAN IN CASTING CHRIST FROM HIS THRONE AS THF.
UNIQUE MANIFESTATION OF GO~.

Bahaism recognizes two classes of prophets: (1) The in-
dependent prophets, who were lawgivers and founders of new
cycles. Of this class were Abraham, Moses, Christ, Mo-
191.5. ]       Bahaism an Antichristian System. -                7

hammed, the Bab, and Baha. (2) The others are dependent
propbets, who are as "branches." Such were Isaiah and
Daniel. All the greater prophets, of the first class, were Mani-
festations of God. 24 So Bahaism continues to honor Christ
. as the Incarnate Word, the Spirit of God, God manifest in
the flesh. At the same time it exalts Baha to supreme and
unique dignity and glory above Christ and all prophets. In
order to understand this essential, fundamental doctrine of
Bahaism, we must know its doctrine concerning God and His
Manifestation.
The teaching of Bahaism regarding God is hard to grasp,
because it oscillates between Theism and Pantheism. Myron
Phelps's exposition of it is certainly pantheistic. 25 Baha Ullah
in maQY places bears out his interpretation, as, for example,
" God alone is the one Power which animates and dominates
all things, which are but manifestations of its energy." 26 In
subsequent expositions, as in "Answered Questions," Abdul
Baha repudiates Pantheism, and so does M. Abul Fazl in
"The Brilliant Proof." Kheiralla, while maintaining that
Baha taught Theism, accused Abdul Baha of Pantheism. In
to The Epistle to the Shah" Baha simulates a monotheism al-

most as rigid as Islam: "We bear witness that there is no
God but Him. He is independent of the worlds. No one
hath known him .... God singly and alone abideth in His own
place which is holy, above space or time, mention and utter-
anoe, sign, description, definition, height and depth .... The
way is closed and seeking is forbidden." A favorite text is
that of the Koran, in wbich God says: " I was a hid treasure,
I desired to be known. therefore I created the world." In
this process" the first thing which emanated from God [etern-
ally) was that universal reality which the ancient philosophers
turned the 'First Mind,' and which the people of Baha call
Bahaism an A ntichristian System.            IJan.

the ' Primal Will.' This is without beginning or end, essen-
tially but not temporally contingent, and without power to
become an associate with God." 27 The Primal Will, Holy
Essence, ,"Vord, Spirit, is manifested in perfect men, who an~
the Great Prophets. They are supreme, holy, sinltss souls,
godlike in their attribut'es. They show the perfections (If
God. 28 This reality does not change, but the garment in
which it is clothed' is different. One day it is the garment
of Abraham, who is Zoroaster, then Moses, Buddha, Krishna,
Christ, Mohammed, the Bab, and Baha Ullah. 29 Abul Fazl
says: " All the prophets are respectively the Manifestations of
the single Reality and one Essence." 80 The" Ikan" says:
" All are one, as the sun of yesterday and to-day are one. The
sun is one, the dawning-points of the sun are numerous. One
light, many lanterns." 81 "Baha is the same light in a new
lamp." 32 Yet there are differences in degree. Of the Bab,
Baha says: "His rank is greater than all the prophets, and
His Mission loftier and higher." 33 But he is merely as a
forerunner in comparison with Baha. Baha is superior to
all, greater, more glorious. 34 He is infallible, absolute, uni-
versal. "All the prophets were perfect mirrors of God, but
in Bah-a, in some sense, the Divine Esse/Ice is manifested." 85
" Baha is the consummation of all degrees; the Revelation of
all Truth and Light." ~'AII preceding ones are inferior to him;
all subsequent ones are to be under his shadow." 38 But even
the latter are not to come for a "thousand or thousands of
years," and perhaps not then, for the Kitab-ul-Akdas says: " 0
Pen, write and inform mankind that the Manifestations art!
ended by this luminous and effulgent Theophany."
The Manifestation has two stations: "One is the station of
oneness and the rank of absolute Deity, the second station is
one of temporal conditions and servitude. If the manifesta-
1915.]        Bahaism an Alltichristian System.

tion says, 'Verily I am only a man like you,' or 'Verily I
am God,' each is true aqd without doubt." The Tajallayat
quotes the Bah as saying concerning 'Him whom God shall
~anifest': "Verily he shall utter, 'I am God. There is nc
God but Me, ·the Lord of all things, and all besides is created
by Me! 0 ye, my creatures, ye are to worship me.''' 87 In
Bahai literature such words as the following are not uncom-
mon: " Baha Ullah is the Lord of Hosts, the Heavenly Father,
the Prince of Peace, the Glory of God." 38 "He is the framer
of the whole Universe, the Cause of the life of the world, and
of the unity and harmony of the creatures." 80 "No one of
the Manifestations had such great power of influence as was
with EI-Baha." 40 In passing, it may be noticed how little
ground for such boasting they have. How great in compari-
son was the influence of Moses as leader of Israel, emancipa-
tor, lawgiver, and prophet! How great even was Mohammed's
success and influence, compared with what Baha has accom-
plished! How evidently antichristian is Bahaism in denying
that Christ's name and glory are above all, and that to him
every knee should bow!

,'NTICHRISTIAN IN ITS FALSE ASSUMPTION THAT ITS LEADER
IS CHRIST COME AGAIN.

There is confusion about this claim, for some Bahais repre- .
sent Baha to be Christ, and others make Abdul Baha Abbas to
be Christ come the second time. Confusion also arises from the
fact that Baha is set forth as the Manifestation of all the
IIpromised ones." He is set forth as the Messiah for the
Jews, God the Father, the Word, and the Spirit for the Chris-
tians, Aurora or Shah Bahram for the Zoroastrians, the fifth
Buddha for Buddhists, reincarnated Krishna for Brahmans,
the Mahdi or the twelfth Iman or Husain for the Moslems. 41
10             Baha4m an AI~tichristian S)'stem.          [Jan.

" All are realized in the coming of Baha UIlah." U In accord
with this, Baha declared in his" Epistle to the Pope": " Con-
sider those who turned away from the Spirit [Christ] when
he came to them. Verily he hath come from heaven as he
came the first time. Beware lest ye oppose him as the Phari":
sees opposed Him. Verily the Spirit of Truth has come to
guide you into all truth. He hath come from the Heaven
of Preexistence." "Baha," says the editor of the Star of the
West, "is the fulfilment of the promise of the 'second com-
ing' 'With a new name (Rev. iii. 11-13)."·~
he
It must     remembered that Bahaism, chameleon like, takes
on a different aspect according to the environment of its ad-
herents. In Persia its creed is different from that of Ameri-
ca in regard to the" return." For the most part American
. Bahais regard Baha as God the Father, and Abdul Baha Abbas
a'i the Son of God, Jesus Christ. After the quarrel and
schism following the death of Baha (1892), Abbas became
very wary of assuming titles and dignities, lest he give a
handle to his opponents to accuse him of claiming to be a
"Manifestation." So he assumed the title Abd-ul-Baha, the
"servant of Baha," which his followers translate "Servant
of God." He also calls himsel f the "Center of the Cove-
nant." Baha had entitled him the" Greatest Branch of God"
(Zech. vi. 12) and the "Mystery of God" (1 Tim. iii. 16).
He was commonly called " Agha," an equivalent in Persia of
Effendi or Mister, but his followers translate it "Master,"
and put into it the full New Testament significance. Un-
ioubtedly Western Bahais worship Abdul Baha as Jesus
Christ the Master come again. In spite of all disavowals and
beclouding by words, their faith is plain. Getsinger, a leader
and missionary, says: "Abbas is heir and Master of the
Kingdom: he was on earth 1,900 years ago as the Nazaren~."
1915.]         Bahaism   an A1rtichristian S:yste117.          11

Mrs. Corinne True says: "If this is not the resurrection of
the pure Spirit of the Nazarene of 1',900 years ago, then we
need not look elsewhere." U Mr. Anton Hadad says: "The
Master, Abbas Effendi, the Lord of the Kingdom, is the one
who was to renew and drink the cup with his disciples in the
Kingdom of the Father, the one who taught the world to
pray, , Thy kingdom come,' " i.e. Jesus Christ.'~ Chase says:
" He has come again in the Kingdom of his Father." '6 Mrs.
Brittingham, on pilgrimage to Acca, writes: " I have seen the
King in his beauty, the Master is here and we need not look
for another. This is the return of the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, of the Lamb that once was slain; - the Glory of God
and the Glory of the Lamb." 47
Emphasizing, the side of his divinity, we have such declara-
tions as these: M. Haydar Ali taught Mrs. Goodall, " God i,;
not realized oexcept through his Manifestations. Now you
have recognized Him and have come to see Him," '8 i.e. Abdul
Baha (1908). M. Asad Ullah gave instructions (1914):
.. This world has an owner, and Abdul Baha owns the world
and all that is in it." ,D "He is the Son of God" 50 - the
only Door, "the Lord of Mankind." H A supplication from
Persia, given out for publication, says: "O! Abdul Baha!
Forgiver of sins, merciful, bountiful, compassionate! How
can a sinner like me reach Thee? Thou art through all the
Forgiver of Sins." U
But there is an interpretation to all this for" those of under-
standing." Bahais reject metempsychosis, but they have a
doctrine of "Return," which must be borne in mind. This
principle is expressed by Phelps as follows: "When a charac-
ter with which we are familiar as possessed by some individual
of the past, reappears in another individual of the present, we
12            Bahaism an A Iltichristiml System.            [Jan.

say that the former has returned." 53 Baha states it thus:
"In every succeeding Manifestation those souls who exceed
all in faith, assurance, and self-denial can be declared to be
the return of the former persons who attained to these states
in the preceding Manifestation. For that which appeareo
from the former servants became manifest in the subsequent
ones." 54 Their classic illustration of this is John the Baptist.
Abdul Baha says: "Christ said that John the Baptist was
Elijah. The same perfections which were in Elijah existed
in John, and were exactly realized in him. Not the essence
but the qualities are regarded. As the flower of last year has
returned; so this person, John, was a manifestation of th:-
bounty, perfections, the character, the qualities, and the virtues
of Elias. John said, 'I am not Elias' - not his substance and
individuality." 55 Remey clearly states the idea: "The return
of a prophet does not refer to the return to this world of a
personality. It refers to the return in another personality of
the impersonal Spirit. the Word or Spirit of God, which spoke
through the prophets in the past. . .. People are mistakenly
looking for the personal individual return of their own special
prophet." 56 In accordance with this theory of the" Return,"
Abdul Baha wrote to the Bahai Council of New York: "I am
110t Christ; I am not eternal." 57 To Mrs. Grundy he said:
"Some call me Christ; it is imagination." 58 Yet the final
word of his missionary, Mr. Remey, is: "The same Christ
which was in Jesus is agai~ manifest in the Bahai Revela-
tion. The real Christians are those who recognize the New
Covenant to be the return of the same Christ, - the Word
of God." 59 In like manner, this usurper of Christ's name is
proclaimed to be "the expected one," the " desire of all na-
tions," to the various religions!
HI15.]        Bahaism all Alllichristiall S.vstem.

ANTICHRISTlAN IN    ITS DEALINGS WITH THE PROPHECIES OF
THE BIBLE.

Derogating from the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and his
Kingdom, Bahaism asserts that " the promises and prophecies
given in the Holy Scriptures have been fulfilled by the appear-
ance of the Prince of the Universe, the great Baha Ullah
and of Abdul Baha." 80 A volume would be necessary to re-
view their treatment of the prophecies. They quote a multi-
tude of verses without proof that their applications are valid.
.
The" messenger" and" Elijah" of the Book of Malachi arc
declared to be the Bab.6l He is also the Angel with the
sound of the trumpet (Rev. iv. 1) and his cycle is the" First
Resurrection." Baha is declared to be the fulfillment of
Isaiah's prophecies. Of chapter ix. 1-6, " unto us a child is
born, . . . the Prince of Peace," Dealy says: "Many mis-
guided people have referred this to Jesus Christ." 62 In verse
1, " Galilee of the nations," land of Zebulun and Naphtali, is
made to mean Acca (Acre in Syria) where Baha lived in ex-
ile, and not the region of Christ's ministry, contradicting
Matthew iv. 13-16. By a great stretch of imagination Acca 6J
becomes Jerus.t!em, "the city of the great king" (Ps. xlviii.
12), and Mount Carmel becomes Mount Zion, and Isaiah ii.
3 refers to them, " for out of Zion shall go forth the law and
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Even" the root out
of Jesse" U and the millennial peace are only partially reo
ferred to Christ. They find the real fulfillment in Baha Ullah,
whom they imagine to be descended from Abraham, through
an imaginary descendant of his named Jesse. 85 The new
covenant and the law written on the heart is again the Bahai
dispensation, contrary to Hebrews viii. 8, 10, 16. When Baha
as a prisoner in chains rode into Acca seated on an ass, he
fulfilled Zechariah ix. 9. 80
14:           Bahaism an Antichristian System.             [Jan.

I attended a Bahai meeting in the Masonic Temple in Chi-
cago. The leader read the following verses as all fulfilled in
Bahaism.oT The" son of man" (Dan. vii.) was Abdul Baha,
and the "Ancient of Days," Baha. The question of Pro-
verbs xxx. 3, "What is his name and what his son's name?"
was answered, Baha and Abdul Baha; similarly in Psalms
lxxii. and ii., "The King" and the "King's Son." The
" Branch" (Zech. vi. 12-13) who shall build the temple was
again Abdul Baha, and the latter is specially urgent that the
Bahai Temple in Chicago should be built in his day, so that
the prophecy may appear to be fulfilled. The dates in Daniel
are juggled with. For example, Abdul Baha explains Daniel
viii. by taking the solar year. He calculates 08 that the 2,300
days were completed at the Bab's manifestation in 1844. In
Daniel xii. 6 the lunar 00 year is resorted 10, and the forty-two
months (1,260 years) are dated from the hegira of Mo-
hammed, but Daniel xii. 11 does not come exactly right, so
the terminus a quo is made to be the proclamation of the pro-
pheth~d of Mohammed, three years after his mission, which
was ten years before the hegira. By this means the date of
Baha's manifestation (1863) is reached. In connection with
Daniel xii. and Revelation xi. we have the startling informa-
tion, so contradictory to history, that "in the beginning of
the seventh century after Christ, when Jerusalem was con-
quered, the Holy of Holies was outwardly preserved, that is
to say, the house which Solomon built. The Holy of Holies
was preserved, guarded, and respected." TO On this alleged
fact Abdul Baha founds an argument. T1 Prophecies referring
to the glory of God or of the Father are applied to Baha, be-
cause his title means" glory of God." The Bab, according to
the custom in Persia, gave many high-sounding titles. Baha's
rival was called" The Dawn of the Eternal." Voliva, the suc-
1915. ]       Bahaism an Antichristian System.               15

cessor of Dowie, might assume some fitting title and claim to
fulfill the prophecies. He has a good foundation for inter-
pretation, he does really live in Zion City (Illinois). Our
Bahais further tell us that the "New Jerusalem," the new
heaven and the new earth, mean the new dispensation, the
new laws of Baha. This is now " the day of God," " the day
of judgment," "the kingdom of God," "the second resur-
rection." 72 The parable of the vineyard is a favorite proof
text. It says I that the Lord of the vineyard will come himself
and will utterly destroy the wicked husbandmen. This, they
say, is a real coming of the Father, even as the Son ~ame. In
that case the destroying must be real, and we should expect
that Baha would have destroyed the religious leaders of Mec-
ca or Kerbela, Jerusalem or Rome. "No," says the Bahai,
" the destroying is figurative, and means simply the abrogation
of their authority." Well, if he escapes to a figurative inter-
pretation, we too can interpret the coming of the Lord of the
Vineyard as his visitation on Jerusalem in the time of Titus.
Baha Ullah's method of interpretation and adaptation of pro-
phecies is best seen in his "Ikan." In it he interprets at
I

length Matthew xxiv. 78 In brief it is as follows: " After the
tribulation of those days" means times of difficulty in under-
standing God's word and attaining Divine knowledge; "the
sun shall be darkened and the moon cease to give light," that
is the teachings and the ordinances of the preceding dispensa-
tion shall lose their influence and efficiency. "The stars shall
fall," etc., means the divines shall fall from the knowledge of
religion, and the powers of science and religion shall be shak-
en. Because of the absence of the Son of Divine Beauty, the
moon of knowledge, and the stars of intuitive wisdom, "all
the tribes of the earth shall mourn." "They shall see the
Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven," that, is Baha
]6           Bahaism an Antichristian System.            [Jan.

Ullah shall appear from the heaven of the Supreme Will, out·
wardly from his mother's womb. "In the clouds" means in
doubts. which are caused by the human limitations of the
Manifestation, eating, drinking, marrying, etc. " And he shall
send his angels," the spiritual believers sent as preachers of
Baha. The separation of the sheep from the goats, as we
learn subsequently, means the schism at the death of Baha,
when the violators, the brothers of Abdul Baha and their ad-
herents, were exscinded. H Even granting an allegorical in-
terpretation of Christ's words, only a stretch of imagination
can find any reference to ·Baha.
It should be borne in mind that Oriental Bahai writers have
(ead Keith on Prophecy in Persian and the publications of the
Mission Press at Beirut. Abdul Baha said to Dr. H. H.
Jessup, " I am familiar with the books of your press." 70 M.
Abul Fazl refers to and quotes them. Writers in English
(as Kheiralla, Remey, Dealy, and Brittingham) refer to Mil-
ler, Cummings, Seiss, Guinness, and others. Yet with all
their familiarity with apocalyptic literature, they make an ex-
ceedingly weak presentation. Their claims are so baseless
as to require no refutation. They are a mass of unfounded
assertions and assumptions, - vain, bold, and brazen. We
may admit the declarations of Baha and Abul Fazl, which
are but trite principles of hermeneutics, that figurative and
allegorical language abounds in the Scriptures, that many
meanings are "sealed" till after their fulfillment, that the
prophecies of the Old Testament were only partially fulfilled
at Christ's first coming. But their inference does not follow.
There is nothing to prove the assertions that the prophecies
were fulfilled in the Bab and Baha. They furnish no scintilla
of evidence. For example, "the government shall be upon
his shoulders." Was this fulfilled in Baha? He came and
1915.]        Bahaism an Antichristian System.                17

went; the nations and their rulers from 1817 to 1892 were
neither literally nor. figuratively under his sway. He did not
nor does he rule over the nations. He did not reign in Mount
Zion nor in Jerusalem. Jerusalem did not cease to be trodden
down of the Gentiles. Abundance of peace did not attend
him, but great wars. The signs of Christ's Second Advent
have not been fulfilled in Baha, either actually or metaphori-
cally.a As well may Ahmad Quadiani or Dowie assert their
pretensions. Baha's claim is antichristian. The day of
Christ's power through the Holy Spirit has not passed. It
~ still his day. The knowledge of Christ is yet more cover-
ing the earth. Men of diverse races and religions in Asia,
Africa, and the isles of the seas are being joined in the com-
mon faith and fellowship of Jesus Christ as Saviour of Men.
There are more Christians in Korea than Bahais in Persia.
More Jews have become Christian since Baha was born than
have become Bahais from all races and religions outside of
Persia. Christ still goes forth conquering and to conquer.

ANTICHRISTIAN IN ITS TREATMENT OF JESUS CHRIST AS A MAN
IN HIS EARTHLY LIFE.

Bahais belittle Christ by both their denials and their affirma-
tions. In his temptation "the devil signifies the human na-
ture of Christ, through which he was tempted." His miracles
of healing are denied.7T Baha and Abul Fazl admit the possi-
bility of miracles, but deny their evidential value,a but Abdul
Baha denies their reality. He says: "The miracles of Christ
were spiritual teachings, not literal" deeds.TO The raising of
the dead means that the dead (in sin) are blessed with spiri-
tual life. so By blindness (John ix.) is meant ignorance and
error; by sight, knowledge and guidance. 81 The spittle com-
ing from Christ was the meaning of his words, the clay wa~
Vol. LXXII.   No. 285. 2
18            Bahaism an Antichristian System.             [Jan.

the expression he used in accordance with their understand-
ing. 81 At the crucifixion darkness did not prevail, nor the
earthquake, nor was the vail of the temple rent in twain. 81
The. crucifixion was not an atoning sacrifice; Christ quaffed
the cup of martyrdom" to cultivate and educate us." 8' "The
washing away of s!ns by Christ was not by his blood, but was
by the practice of his teachings." 8~ Christ did not rise from
the dead. "Resurrection of the body is an unintel1igible mat-
te'r contrary to natural laws." 86 The body, which signifies his
word, arose when faith in his cause revived in the minds of
the disciples after three days.n Christ's real resurrection wa3
the coming of Mohammed. "Christ by saying that he would
be three days in the heart of the earth meant that he would
appear in the third cycle. The Christian' was one, the Mo-
hammedan the second, and that of Baha the third." "The
ascension of Christ with an elemental body is contrary to sci-
ence." He ascended in the same sense as Baha ascended,
viz. departed to the other world. Thus Bahaism denies the
miracles,88 atonement, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.
Bahaism shows an antichristian spirit in belittling the life
and work of Jestls, in instituting comparisons between Christ
and Baha derogatory to the former. Baha says: "It is not
meet .... to repeat the error of seeking help of . . . . the Son
Jesus. Let thy satisfaction be in my self." Abdul Baha
says: "The difference between Baha and Christ is that be-
tween the sun and moon. The light of the sun [Baha] sub-
sists in itself while the moon gets light from the Sun." "All
the teachings of Christ will not exceed ten pages.Be Those of
the Blessed Perfection exceed sixty or seventy volumes.
Christ's instructions refer to individuals. Those of the
Blessed Perfection are for all nations, although they apply as
well to all individuals. The instructions of Christ were heard
.1 915 .]     Bahaism an Antichristian System .                19

by but few persons: there were eleven who believed, although
Christians say there were one hundred and twenty. Tht!
teachings of the Blessed Perfecti!?n were spread throughout
the world during his lifetime. The reputation of Christ did
not extend from Nazareth to Acca [22 miles] ; the reputation
of the Blessed Perfection extended throughout the world.
Jesus Christ did not send a letter even to a village chief; the
Blessed Perfection sent letters to alI the kings of the earth." DO
Notice how he repeats ad nauseam the title for Baha, but uses
no title for the Lord Jesus Christ, though the Moslems in-
variably do use a title in speaking of the latter.
There is an evident effort on.the part of Kheiralla and Abul
Fazl to minimize the proofs regarding Christ from prophecy,
miracles, and history, with the idea thereby of magnifying
the proof for Baha in contrast. For example, "The Gospels
contain only a few pages of the true Words of God. Christ's
teachings were not written in the original language nor writ-
ttn in his day, his power was slow in proving effective, and
many even denied his existence." D1 "Even Peter denied him,
but Baha Ullah has educated thousands of souls, faithful un-
c.er the menace of the sword." D2 In explaining the progress
of Bahaism among the Jews and Zoroastrians, Abul Fazl says:
" Christians could not convert even one Jew or Zoroastrian ex-
cept by force or compulsion." He ignores the fact that mil-
lions of Persians had been converted to Christ from Zoroaster
before the sword of Islam smote Persia. This belittling of
Christ - his life and work· and influence - shows that a
spirit antagonistic to Christ really animates the Bahai leaders,
in spite of their professions to the contrary.
This review of Bahaism shows that it is antichristian ill
its spirit and its doctrines, in its treatment of Christ as a man
and as the Son of God, and in its relation to Christianity as
20               Bahaism an Antichristian System.                     [Jan.

a religion. It may be shown, too, that it is antagonistic to
Christianity in its institutions and organization, in its rites and
ceremonies, its sacred seasons, its way of salvation. Enough
has been said to emphasize the fact that Christian ministers
and churches should not give it countenance and assistance
as has been done and is still being done. The church in
Europe, America,
,      and India should be alert to protect its
members from their insidious propaganda, lest, like the Mor-
mon delusion, it " deceive many."

NOTES.

1 In an Interview with Rev. J. T. Bixby, who wrote on Bahaism

In the North American Review, June, 1912, Abdul Baha says: "Baha
Ullah has upraised the standard of Christ In the East in countries
and among peoples where there was formerly no mention of Christ's
name." Not true. Christ was known In Moslem lands, In Indln.
and Burmah.
• Star of the West, Sept. 8, 1913, p. 176.
'Sprague, Story of the Bahai Movement, p. 21.
• Remey, The Bahal Movement, p. 45.
'The Christian Commonwealth (London), Sept. 13, 1911, p. 850.
• Nov. 16, 1911; quoted, in Star of the West, Dec. 11, 1911.
• Mr. Campbell gives opportunity to the Bahal propaganda in the
Christian Commonwealth, and has enllsted Abdul Baha as a con-
tributor.
• Star of the West, Jan. 19, 1914, p. 287. Professor Cheyne Is
claimed as a Bahal.
'Talks In Paris, pp. 132-174; Star of the West, March 21, 1913,
pp.4-5.
11 Wisdom Talks, p. 21.

U Remey, The Bahal Movement, p. M.       .. Ibfd.., p. 39. ,. IbM., p. 2.
"The Story of the Bahai Movement, p. 17.
II So of Persia, Star of the West, April 28, 1914, p. 42.

,. C. E. Maud. Fortnightly Review, April, 1912.
If Pages 68-158.     ,. Table Talks with Abdul Baha, Dec. 2, 1900.
11 Answered Questions, pp. 22-29.

.. Star of the West, Dec. 12, 1911, p. 7.
.. Remey, Tract on the Bahai Movement, p. 8.
.. Talks In PariS, p. 20•
.. Remey, Star of the West, Dec. 31, 1913, pp. 267-271.
1915.]          Bahaism an Antichristian System.                       21

.. In thus regarding the prophets as divine, Bahals are not set-
ters fortb of strange doctrine In Persia, for the AU' AlJabls (Nu-
saireyeh), who number, possibly, twice as many as the Babals in
Persia, have tbe same doctrine, and, In addition, regard the Imam
All and others as divine Incarnations.
• Phelps, Life of Abbas Effendi.
.. Baba's Words of Wisdom, p. 61 .
.. Answered Questions, p. 23.
.. Abdul Baha In Mrs. Grundy's Ten Days In Acca .
.. Ibid., p. 61: .. The Blessed Perfection said In His Tablets that
once He was Abraham, once Moses, once Jesus, once Mohammed
and once tbe Bab. Baba UJlah is all the propbets, no matter by
what name he chooses to call himself."
.. Bahal Proofs, p. 209.             at Pages 14-15.

II Answered    Questions, pp. 199-201. Mr. Sprague says: .. The
Babal Faith teaches that the Universal Spirit, which Is God, has
manifested Itself to every race at some time or other, and that It
comes again and again, llke tbe spring, to make all tblngs new"
(A Year In India, p. viii).
II Ikan, p. 175.           .. Babai Proofs, pp. 156-100.
·~nswered Questions, pp. 129-131, 199-201.              "I/)id., p. 184.
Of Ikan. pp. 123-127.

II Asad UJIah, Tbe Scbool of the Propbets, p. 109.

.. Mrs. Brittlngbam, Tbe Revelation of Baba mlah, p. 32.
• Star of tbe West, Jan. 19, 1914, p. 283.
.. The Revelation of Baha UJIah, p. 24.
.. C. M. Remey's tract, Tbe Covenant, pp. 14:;15; KhelraJla's Baba
mlah, p. 533; and Lawb-ul-Akdas, translated In Star of tbe West.
vol. iv. p. 15.
.. Star of tbe West, Marcb 21, 1913, p. 13.
.. Notes at Acea, p. 24.
• A Mes~age from Acca .
.... Before Abraham was, I am," p. 46.
41 The Revelation, etc., p. 25 .

.. Dally LeBBons, p. 61.
• Flowers from Rose Garden, p. 5; also, Dealy, Dawn of KnOWl-
edge, cbap. Iv.
10 Asad mlab, Sacred Mysteries, pp. 74, 85.

11 Bahal Proofs, p. 121; Star of the West, Jan. 19, 1914, p. 288 .

.. A Heavenly Vista, p~ 12.         II Life of Abbas EffendI, p. 197.

.. Ikan. p. 113.           .. Answered Questions, p. 152.
.. The Babai Movement, p. 39.              IT Pbelps, p. 99.

.. Ten Days in tbe Light of Acca,
.. Stsr of tbe West, Dec. 31, 1913, p. 269.
.. M. A888d UJlab In M. H. Dreyfus's Universal Religion. p. 63.
22               Bahaism an Antich,.istian System.                     [Jan.

11 Mal. Ill. 1; Iv. 5-6.     See Dealy, The Dawn of Knowledge, pp.
13-15.
• Ibid., pp. 2'5, 30.
• Dealy says: .. To quote all the paBBages of Scripture referring
to Acca would necessitate reading a great' portion of the Bible.
They Identity Accho with Acca (Acre). Even If thls were tro, Accho
was not In the land of Nllphtal1 and Zebulun, but In Asher. Na-
poleon's siege of Acre Is called' the abomination of desolation, stand·
ing In the holy place'" (p. 40) .
.. Isa. xl. 1-10.                    • Answered Questions, pp. 72-75.
.. KhelralIa, p. 419.                   IT Dealy, pp. 31-32, 44.

• Answered Questions, pp. 50--52. • Khelralla (pp. 412, .f8O-488)
also skips from lunar- to solar year and back, to make the dates
~   tally.
to Answered Questions, pp. 54-55.            See Milman's Gibbon, "'01. II.
)   p. 433. "The Emperor Hadrian's plowshare leveled the temple area."
n Answered Questions. pp. 54-{)5 •
.. Bahal Proofs, p. 140. "All In their graves arose spiritually at
his call, for service In his cause."
II Pages 17~7.

"The mlllennium began at the death of Baha (1892), and the
.. Most-Great Peace" will he at the end of the 1,335 days, which
equal!!' 1917 A.D. (Dealy, p. 44; Khelrnlla, p. 483).
"The Outlook (New York), 1901, June, p. 451.
,. In one particular, no doubt, Balla has fulfilled prophecy. At
least the Azalls say that he ('a me "as a thief" and stole the sue-
<'eSslon from Azal.
"New History, p. 321.                  11 Bahal Proofs, pp. 190, 204-207.

"Mrs. Grundy, p. ]3.               .. Answered Questions, pp. 115-118.
OJ Ballal Prooflil, p. 2312.  II M. L. Lucas, My Visit to Acca, p. 20.

II Answered Question.'!, p. 45 •

.. Star of the West, April 9,' 1913, p. 40.
• Ibn Abhar. Thoruton Chase says: "Christianity stands con-
demned because It refmlp.!I to reje('t miracles and the blood atone-
ment and will not confine Itself to the precepts of Jesus" (Bahal
Revelation, p. 158) .
.. Bahal Proofs, p. 155.
"Tablets ot Abdul Raha, vol. I. p. 192; Answered QUestlODl", pp.
120-121.
• Yet Baha Informs us that" copper In seventy years becomes gold
In Its mine It It be protected from Il superabundance of moisture"
(ltan, p. 111).
• Wlnterburn's Table Talks, pp. ]9-20. .. Bahal Proofs, p. 231.
II Answered Questions, p. 42.                 • Bahal Proofs, p. 265.
-- Baha'ism: An Anti-Christian System (Used by permission of the curator)