Early Mention of Bábís in Western Newspapers, Summer 1850

1850

1. From Church and State Gazette, Middlesex, London, 1850-07-19, p. 3

Text

A new religious sect has arisen in Persia in consequence of the preachings of a man named Bab, who has written a new book to take the place of the Koran. He is said to have already made several thousand proselytes; and eighteen of these Babees, as his followers are called, have been publicly beheaded by order of the Shah.

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(An identical paragraph appears to be credited to the Briston Journal as part of coverage of the raising of a cardinal, though the paragraph on the Bab seems inserted and disjoined from the rest. -S.K., 2010)

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2. From Tioga Eagle, Wellsborough, Pennsylvania, 1850-08-21, p. 3

Text (identical to above, other than extra 'b' in 'Babbees')

A NEW religious sect has arisen in Persia, in consequence of the preaching of a man named Bab, who has written a new book, to take the place of the Koran. He is said to have already made several thousand proselytes; and eighteen of these Babbees, as his followers are called, have been publicly beheaded by order of the Shah.

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3. Further reprints of above:

That paragraph was then published August 7, 1850 in the London Nonconformist out of Middlesex, page 21. Then the Tioga Eagle Aug. 21 (as above), then Janesville Gazette, Sept 5, 1850, page 4 and others after. (- S.K., 2010)

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4. From Nevada State Journal, Nevada, 1871-12-23, p. 1

A different, but related, later story.

Text

A sect of Mohammedans has arisen in Persia, now numbering 200,000, which recognizes the Bible as the Word of God, and attempts to reconcile the creeds of Islam and Christianity. The sect is under powerful oppression, and many of its adherents have been slain; but its strength of numbers and influence, and its persistence, is of peculiar significance and hopefulness.

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