"Persia - or - Mahometan Schism"

As the first then known public mention of the events of the history of the Bahá'í Faith, Hand of the Cause Hasan Balyuzi identified a very early mention of the Babi Faith in the West when he published the biography, The Báb: The Herald of the Day of Days in 1973. He identified the first story then known entitled "Mahometan Schism" from The Literary Gazatte's story of 15 November 1845 which has some strong parallels with the earliest coverage with respect to Jesus in that it was a lead follower who "got in trouble" (see The Báb as a return of Jesus.) This article was repeated in the London Times on November 19 and then in the US in The Eclectic Magazine of Jan/Apr 1846. The Eclectic article was the first of the series found - discovery was credited to Mr. Barry Watson, subsequently leading to the discovery of the Nov 15th and 19th articles by Moojan Momen. Robert Caldwalader announced the Nov 1 Times article in his 1976 article in World Order "Persia": An Early Mention of the Báb which added new information at the beginning and end of the story.

We have been favored with the following letter, dated Bushire, August 10:

A Persian merchant, who has lately returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca, had been for some time endeavoring here to prove that he was one of the successors of Mahomet, and therefore had a right to demand all true Mussulmans to mention him as their profession of faith; he had already collected a good number of followers, who secretly aided him in forwarding his views. On the evening of the 23rd of June last, I have been informed from a creditable source, four person being heard at Shiraz repeating their profession of faith according to the form prescribed by the new impostor…

(continued as below, then distinctly different as follows)…

led the unfortunate fellows to the city gate, and there told them

"The world was all before them where to choose
"Their place of rest, and Providence their guide" (and then continuing as below.)

A probable source of this letter is also printed in the Times nearby on the same page was Mirza Mahomed Roza in Shiraz.

This is also the basis for the 6 Nov Bradford Observer, p. 7. - Note the text adds a couple more words near the beginning :

Among the recent arrivals from India we find a letter dated Bushire, August 10th, from which we make the following curious extract (emphasis added)

This presents the suggestion there might be something that informed India first and account for some of the delay getting to Britain to be published in November.

However in 2017 Amín Egae published a reference to Bábí history a few months earlier - that of the April coverage of the trial of Alí Bastámí.

Trial of Alí Bastámí

The trial of Alí Bastámí is noted in diplomatic exchanges in Momen's Contemporary Western Accounts covering diplomatic messages and accounts in the January-March 1845 period. Amín Egae extends coverage of this via the mentions in a couple newspapers in mid-April, some of whom and others can be seen:

• The German Universal Gazette informs us, under the head of Constantinople, 19th ult, …. By the same article we learn that a dispute has taken place between Turkey and Persia, in consequence of the Pacha of Bagdad having condemned to death a Persian dervisih for sacrilege, for forming a new sect by preaching for an apocraphyl Koran.

• "it is stated from Constantinople, 19th ult., …. By the same article we learn that a dispute has taken place between Turkey and Persia, in consequence of the Pacha of Bagdad having condemned to death a Persian dervish for sacrilege, for forming a new sect by preaching for an apocryphal Koran.

"Mahometan Schism"

On November 15, on the 13th page of the Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles, Letters, Arts, Sciences, etc. we have:

Mahometan Schism. - A new sect has lately set itself up in Persia, at the head of which is a merchant who had returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca, and proclaimed himself a successor of the Prophet. The way they treat such matters at Shiraz appears in the following account (June 23): Four persons being heard repeating their profession of faith according to the form prescribed by the impostor, were apprehended, tried, and found guilty of unpardonable blasphemy. They were sentenced to lose their beards by fire being set to them. The sentence was put into execution with all the zeal and fanaticism becoming a true believer in Mahomet. Not deeming the loss of beards a sufficient punishment, they were further sentenced on the next day to have their faces blackened and exposed throughout the city. Each of them was led by a mirgazah (executioner), who made a hole in his nose and passed through it a string, which he sometimes pulled with such violence that they unfortunate fellows cried out alternatively for mercy from the executioner and for vengeance from heaven. It is the custom in Persia on such occasions for the executioners to collect money from the spectators, and particularly from the shopkeepers in the bazaar. In the evening, when the pockets of the executioners were well filled with money, they led the unfortunate fellows to the city-gate, and there turned them adrift. After which the mollahs at Shiraz sent men to Bushire with power to seize the impostor, and take him to Shiraz, where, on being tried, he very wisely denied the charge of apostasy laid against him, and thus escaped from punishment.

See also entries in Collins' Bibliography where they are listed in the order of discovery though Collins didn't systematically list newspaper entries:

• 11.659 "Mohametan Schism", Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science and Art, Jan-Apr 1846
• 11.660 idem., Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc., Nov 15, 1845

[ed-needs revision:] See First newspaper story of the events of the Bábí Faith, compiled by Steven Kolins, 2013, for a side-by-side comparison of several of the early versions.

Chronology as published

1845

Of the trial of Alí Bastámi

• (Unknown), Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce, 12 Apr. 1845, p. 246,
• "The German Universal Gazette…", Morning Advertiser, 16 April, 1845, p3
• "Epitome of News - Foreign and Domestic; It is stated…", Illustrated London News, 19 April 1845, p247

Of the Bábí return to Shiraz

9 Sept there is an article in the Singapore Straits Times praising the governor of Isfahan (where Babis had already reached) (a second from 7 October 1848 mentions the next governor)
1 November, London Times (as mentioned above.)
6 November, Bradford Observer, p. 7, (does not cite but almost exactly text as in Times. (new)
15 November, Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles, Letters, Arts, Sciences, etc., London, England, p. 13(as mentioned above.)
18 November, Morning Post, London, England, p. 4, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
19 Nov, London Times (as mentioned above) and London Standard, p. 2, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
20 Nov, Patriot of London, p. 7 (new)
21 Nov, Stamford Mercury, Lincolnshire, England, p. 2, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
 Newcastle Courant, Tyne and Wear, England, p. 7, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
22 Nov, Leamington Spa Courier, Warwickshire, England, p. 5, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
23 Nov, The Era, p. 8, London, England, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
25 Nov, Kentish Gazette, p. 2, Kent, England, (cites Literary Gazette) (new) and Freeman's Journal Dublin, Republic of Ireland, p. 4, (cites Literary Gazette)(new)
26 Nov, Blackburn Standard, Lancashire, England, p. 4, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
  Hereford Journal, Herefordshire, England, p. 2, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
  London Nonconformist p. 11(new)
27 Nov, Fife Herald, Fife, Scotland, p. 4 (doesn't cite anyone, very abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
28 Nov, Royal Cornwall Gazette, Cornwall, England, p. 5, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
29 Nov, West Kent Guardian, West Yorkshire, England, p. 7, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
  Northern Star, p. 9, (doesn't cite anyone, abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
  repeated of the same issue of Northern Star, same date, on p. 18, (doesn't cite anyone, abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
  repeated of the same issue of Northern Star, same date, on p. 26, (doesn't cite anyone, abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
  Hereford Times, Herefordshire, England, p. 6, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
  Sherborne Mercury, Dorset, England, p. 8, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
  Western Times, Devon, England, p. 3, (doesn't cite anyone, very abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
  Northern Star and National Trades Journal(new)
5 Dec, Liverpool Mercury, Merseyside, England, p. 1, (doesn't cite anyone, very abbreviated text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
27 Dec, "A Mahometan Schism", New-York Observer, December 27, 1845 New York, New York, p. 2
29 Dec, "A Mahometan Schism", Boston Courier (Boston, Massachusetts) Page: 4, (cites the Lit. Gazette)

1846

1 Jan, "A Mahometan Schism", Christian Intelligencer (New York, New York) Page: 3 (cites Lit. Gazette
5 Jan, Caledonian Mercury, Midlothian, Scotland, p. 4, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette)(new)
6 Jan, Dundee Courier, Angus, Scotland, p. 1, (cites Literary Gazette) (new)
"A Mahometan Schism", Westchester Herald, Tuesday, January 06, 1846 Ossining, New York, p. 3
7, Jan, "A Mahometan Schism", New Hampshire Sentinel (Keene, New Hampshire) p. 2
14 Jan, Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, p. 2, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette) (new)
20 Jan, "Mahometan Schism", Daily National Intelligencer, January 20, 1846 Washington (DC), p. 2
21 Jan, "Mahometan Schism", Boston Evening Transcript (Boston, Massachusetts) Jan 21, p. 4
22 Jan, "Mahometan Schism", Evening Post (New York, New York) Jan 22, 1846, p. 1 (cites Lit. Gazette)
"Mahomedan Schism", Alexandria Gazette, January 22, 1846 Alexandria, VA, p. 4
23 Jan, "Mahommedan Schism", Christian Witness and Church Advocate (Boston, Massachusetts) Page: 2
26 Jan, [Troy Daily Whig], Troy NY, cites Lit. Gazette,
Boston Pilot, p4.
30 Jan, Christian observer of Louisville, Kentucky, (cites London Literary Gazette)(new)
"A Mohammedan Schism", Philadelphian, January 30, 1846 Philadelphia, PA, p. 4
4 Feb, "Mohammetan Schism", Massachusetts Spy, Wednesday, February 04, 1846 Worcester, MA, p. 2 (note repeated below in 1847)
5 Feb, "Mahometan Schism", Milwaukee Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Feb 6, 1846, p. 2 cites London Literary Gazette)
5 Feb. Mahommedan Schism, Christian Journal (Exeter, New Hampshire) Page: 3
6 Feb, "Mahometan Schism", Milwaukee Weekly Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Feb 6, p. 3
18 Feb "Mahometan Schism", Michigan Argus, February 18, 1846, Ann Arbor, Michigan, p. 3
19 Feb, Vermont Watchman and State Journal, Montpelier, Vermont, p. 4, (cites London Literary Gazette)( see Eliakim Persons Walton, History of Washington Co, part three) (new)
21 Feb, "Mohammedan Schism, Gospel Banner, February 21, 1846 Augusta, Maine, p. 4
23 Feb, Signal of Liberty, Ann Arbor, Michigan, p. 3, (cites London Literary Gazette) (new)
Feb (Jan/Feb issue) The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art, p. 142, (cites Literary Gazette) (as mentioned above, see The Eclectic Magazine and its progenitors.)
Mar 24, "Mahometan Schism", Southern Patriot (Charleston, South Carolina) Volume: LV Issue: 8305 Page: 2
31 Mar, Melbourne Australia's Port Phillip Herald(as mentioned above.)
4 Apr, Boon's Lick Times, Fayette, Missouri, p. 1(see this and this for more on the county of Boon's Lick) (new), (cites NY Mirror)
 Morning Chronicle, Sydney, Australia, p. 4, (cites Times, Nov 17if the date is right so far not found, perhaps it was the 19th?) (new)
7 Apr, South Australian, Adelaide, Australia, p. 3, (cites Times, Nov 17if the date is right so far not found, perhaps it was the 19th?)(new)
11 Apr, South Australian Register, Adelaide, Australia, p. 3, (cites Times, Nov 17if the date is right so far not found, perhaps it was the 19th?)(new)
15 July, New Zealand Spectator Cook's Strait Guardian, p. 3, (doesn't cite anyone, text follows Literary Gazette) (new) This find in New Zealand is earlier than the previous noted by Dr. Peter Khan in 1992 where he mentions "It is known that the first mention of the new religion …in an Auckland, New Zealand, newspaper in February 1853."

1847

2 June, "Punishment For Apostacy", Massachusetts Spy (Worcester, Massachusetts) Volume: LXXVI Issue: 22 Page: 3
6 June, "Punishment for Apostasy", Bay State Farmer and Mechanic's Ledger, June 06, 1847 Worcester, MA, p. 2

It is of some curiosity that for all the echoes of the article none are found in Singapore english papers thus far despite coverage of other events in Persia. Not finding results from Canada might be from the difficulty of newspaper scans in Canada.

Aspects of consideration

Events transpired in Bushire and Shiraz which were witnessed and written up as a report in June, a letter summarizing/reporting this was written in August, sent to India from Bushire and that was later sent on to London where it found it's way into print in November. Did it go through Teheran before going to Bushire on its way out of the country? Did it get read and reviewed in India? When was it decided this should go to the newspaper? Diplomatic agents reports occurred earlier. Why did this one go to the newspaper?

Why did this story get picked up "so much"? Was it in fact picked up much more than other stories? Are there any more local echoes of the coverage?

See also

Historical mentions of the Bábí/Bahá'í Faiths

References

Note most of these are to the British Newspaper Archive which doesn't share "clippings" publicly - just search results.