been no more than his fore-runner; and he called upon all Babis, including Subh-i-Ezel, to acknowledge him. This the latter refused to do, and Babis were now divided between Ezelis, who acknowledged the original Bab and his successor Subh-i-Ezel, and Bahaʾis, or followers of Bahaʾuʾllah. Meanwhile both sections were again deported by the Turks, Subh-i-Ezel and his family to Famagusta in Cyprus, Bahaʾuʾllah and his followers to Acre. From Acre the Bahaʾi faith has spread over Asia and America and into Europe, and counts two millions of adherents; the Ezelis have dwindled to a handful.
Bahaʾuʾllah died on the 16th May, 1892, leaving, among other children, two sons, ʾAbbas Effendi and Mirza Mohammed ʾAli, who for a while disputed the succession. Ultimately there prevailed the claims of the elder, ʾAbbas Effendi, who took the spiritual title of ʾAbduʾl Baha, meaning 'The Servant of the Glorious.' ʾAbduʾl Baha was born in Teheran on the 23rd May, 1844, the day of the Declaration of the Bab, and died at Acre on the 27th November, I921. His successor is his grandson, Shawki Effendi, who is Life-President of the Council of Nine, which regulates the affairs of the community. The number of Bahaʾis in Palestine is 158. Sir ʾAbbas Effendi ʾAbduʾl Baha had travelled extensively in Europe and America to expound his doctrines, and on the 4th December, 1919, was created by King George V. a K.B.E. for valuable services rendered to the British Government in the early days of the Occupation. For farther information on Babism and Bahaʾism the reader is referred to the works of Professor E. G. Browne, published by the Cambridge University Press.
