e companions of Mulla
?usayn when the news of the treachery and massacre of the besieged
companions reached him. He met Baha'u'llah in Kirman_sh_ah and ?ihran
before the latter's banishment to 'Iraq. He was a close companion of the
Bab's amanuensis Mirza A?mad. He subsequently met Baha'u'llah in
Ba_gh_dad, Adrianople and Akka and was commissioned by Baha'u'llah to
journey several times to Persia in order to promote the Cause and
encourage the scattered and persecuted believers. He was present in Akka
when Baha'u'llah passed away in 1892 and soon after was so overcome with
grief that he drowned himself in the sea. His body was found along the
shore and was buried in the cemetery of Akka. 'Abdu'l-Baha is reported to
have been struck with deep sorrow at the manner of his death. He states in
his narration that he met the maternal uncle of the Bab, ?aji Mirza Siyyid
'Ali who had visited his nephew in the Castle of _Ch_ihriq and had
recently returned to ?ihran. He started writing his narrative in 1305 A.H.
four years before the passing of Baha'u'llah. It took him about a year and
half to write it. His chief informants were Mirza A?mad the amanuensis of
the Bab and Mirza Musa the brother of Baha'u'llah. Parts of his narrative
were read in the presence of Baha'u'llah and approved by Him. 'Abdu'l-Baha
also went over sections of his narrative....

Shoghi Effendi has found in the papers of 'Abdu'l-Baha a complete set of
the Bab's Tablets to the 18 Letters of the Living, all written in His own
hand-writing and bearing His seal. In addition to these there are two
other Tablets both written by Himself in exquisite hand-writing, the one
addressed to the 19th Letter who was Himself and the other to "Him whom
God will make manifest", i.e. Baha'u'llah. This last one has three seals
and is written on blue paper....

Regarding the question raised in your letter.... The Baha'is in Persia
avoid political posts and positions, abstain from any interference in
matters pertaining to the policy of the state, but fill the more important
administrative posts that have no political character. They feel that in
this manner they can best serve the interest of their country and prove by
their action their integrity and attachment to Persia....

Shoghi Effendi is enclosing an extremely interesting account given by a
certain Dr. Cormick, an English physician long resident in Tabriz of his
meeting with the Bab. He is apparently the only Westerner who has