6.2. Baha’s Correspondences with Gobineau

6.2.2. From Acre
In a letter addressed to Count Gobineau from Acre, as “the submission of this servant at the service of the most great ambassador, and the most noble minister”, Baha once again complains of the sufferings endured by himself and his fellow-exiles “mendicants” dedicated to “commemoration of god, detached from all worldly things”.

“No offence”, Baha pleads, “have been committed by these servants for the past sixteen years”, reckoning from Baha’s arrival, at Baghdad in 1853 upon expulsion from Iran up to his removal to Acre in 1868.
“These servants are the most wronged ones of the earth”, Baha supplicates earnestly, “and it is incumbent upon me to bring the submission of these wronged-ones to the presence of the king of kings of the universe. This much I entreat that a favour be vouchsafed whereby these wronged-ones are treated like other people”.
“The quality of the sun is to shine and shed light. It behoves His imperial majesty the king of kings to afford protection to a group of wronged-ones”, Baha beseeches. About seventy persons are undergoing imprisonment”, Baha ventilates his grievances; all are sick and ill, no one is allowed to go out to procure medicine and food, not a single farthing has so far been paid for expenses. A few days ago the Pasha called and told my son that he had cabled [for authority] to pay some one franc, and to others, half a franc a day. It seems that this is intended to bring disgrace on this servant. Sometimes ago I submitted the matters in detail to the ambassador of the illustrious Austrian government, things may be set right if he were also to pay attention thereto”.

Baha concludes: “Undoubtedly your excellency will take care of the affairs of these servants to the best of your ability. The fact that you have kept this servant in mind in these times is indeed sufficient ..”
“Your supreme command is to be obeyed.”
Sealed by “Husayn Ali”

In this letter from Acre also Baha does not breath a word about his “divine mission”. Baha is engrossed in the amelioration of his lot.
In another letter addressed to Count Gobineau from Acre ”fifty days after his arrival there”, PP. 405-406, as “the submission of this servant at the service of the most great minister and the most noble and most illustrious ambassador may his prosperity endure!”, Baha in a most plaintive tone alludes to “the affairs of this servant which have come to pass in such wise that neither has the tongue strength to describe, nor the pen power to utter them.” Baha then speaks of the sufferings of himself and of his fellow-exiles at the hands of the Ottoman authorities on the eve of their removal from Edirne en route for Acre and of alleged corrupt practice of one Major Omar Effendi, to whom Baha (see Turkey) is stated to have predicted the fate in store for the Sultan and his dominions.

Baha inters a note of protest against the imprisonment of himself and of his fellow-exiles in tumble-down army barracks in Acre.
“That those servants are BÁBis is an open secret”, Baha maintains and pleads his innocence. Baha concludes: The prayer of these servants is that your excellency will pay attention in order that breezes of grace and favour of His imperial majesty are wafted over these servants. The principal object of these servants is that, under the shadow of the most great, the most noble and the most illustrious Emperor, may his high shadows endue! – they are relieved of their treats that do so succeed one another, to engage themselves in offering prayers for the state of perpetual duration, all these servants look forward to the rising of the sun of grace and favour, through your good offices, from the horizon of grace and justice of the king of kings of the times and the most great Emperor of the age.”
Your most eminent and high command is to be obeyed.”
Sealed by “Husayn Ali”.

In this letter from Acre also Baha does not breath a word about his “divine mission”. Baha is absorbed in the amelioration of his lot.

In an another letter addressed to Count Gobineau from Acre Baha writes: (PP. 406): “Your eminent hand-written letter, expressive of the greatest kindness, has arrived. It has caused the utmost cheerfulness, gladness, happiness and rejoicing. It is obvious that your excellency will not fail to do all that is in your power. In fact therein lies the good-will of the king of kings of the age; for a multitude of people shall rise up to offer prayers for the State to endure. Favourable mention of the Monarch of the age and your excellency shall be immortalized throughout the length and breadth of Iran until the day of the resurrection. This servant has not yet submitted any request to any government. Therefore I hope that through your excellency’s good offices this matter will be brought to a conclusion so that all may in perfect tranquillity devote themselves to the commemoration of the permanency of the state. Your high command is to be obeyed.”

“The object of this letter is to express my thanks to your excellency who displayed the utmost kindness and carried and delivered the petition.” “a petition which was carried and “delivered” denote Baha’s epistle addressed to Napoleon III from Edirne and referred to in the covering letter to Gobineau as “the petition of this servant”(Epistle from Edirne). It is alluded to by Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By and by Baha in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (France, epistle 1.).

Count Gobineau’s letter, the receipt of which Baha acknowledges denotes the ‘answer’ referred to by Baha in the Dawn-Breakers, Nabil’s Narrative, and kept by Sir Abbas Effendi (see introduction).
Three more letters addressed to Baha from Acre to Count Gobineau are reproduced in PP. 405-406. They harp on the same note. Baha acknowledges that the receipt of another letter from Count Gobineau and forwards “a friendly missive addressed to the ambassador of the Austrian government.”

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