ful wisdom and knowledge. While He was still a youth His
father died, leaving Him responsible for the care of His younger brothers
and sisters, and for the management of the extensive family estates.

On one occasion 'Abdu'l-Baha, the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, related to
the writer the following particulars about His Father's early days:--

From childhood He was extremely kind and generous. He was a great
lover of outdoor life, most of His time being spent in the garden
or the fields. He had an extraordinary power of attraction, which
was felt by all. People always crowded around Him. Ministers and
people of the Court would surround Him, and the children also were
devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen of fourteen years old He
became renowned for His learning. He would converse on any subject
and solve any problem presented to Him. In large gatherings He
would discuss matters with the 'Ulama (leading mullas) and would
explain intricate religious questions. All of them used to listen
to Him with the greatest interest.

When Baha'u'llah was twenty-two years old, His father died, and
the Government wished Him to succeed to His father's position in
the Ministry, as was customary in Persia, but Baha'u'llah did not
accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said: "Leave him to
himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher
aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he
is destined for some lofty career. His thought are not like ours.
Let him alone."

Imprisoned as Babi

When the Bab declared His mission in 1844, Baha'u'llah, Who was then in
His twenty-seventh year, boldly espoused the Cause of the new Faith, of
which He soon became recognized as one of the most powerful and fearless
exponents.

He had already twice suffered imprisonment for the Cause, and on one
occasion had undergone the torture of the bastinado, when in August 1852,
an event occurred fraught with terrible consequences for the Babis. One of
the Bab's followers, a youth named Sadiq, had been so affected by the
martyrdom of his beloved Master, of which he was an eyewitness, that his
mind became deranged, and, in revenge, he waylaid the _Sh_ah and fired a
pistol at him. Instead of using a bullet, however, he charged his weapon
with small shot, and although a few pellets struck the _Sh_ah, no serious
harm was done. The youth dragged