Do you not remember your sodomies?

Of these times at Adrianople I have heard an interesting narrative from a Persian Mirza, in whose testimony as a witness I have strongest confidence. He was at the time a peesh-Khidmat to the Persian Minister at Constantinople. He was at Samsun when Azal, Baha and their party embarked, and was introduced to them by Haji Rajab Ali Khan. He saw them day by day. Afterwards he went to Adrianople bearing presents to Baha. He found Baha and Azal living in separate rooms of the same house, under guards. The contest for supremacy was active, and the murids (followers) had been won over by Baha. I continue, using the Mirza's language : "I entered one day. I heard words of angry disputation and revilings. Yahya (Azal) said, Oh ! Husain Ali (Baha), you are vile ! Do you not remember your sodomies? You are defiled. Your wife is a bad woman!" Husain Ali answered, "Oh, cursed one! Your son, Nur-i-Kanur (Nur allah), is the son of a certain Sayid - not your own. You are a sodomite, an adulterer." Such and like revilings they hurled at one another. I called Mishkin Kalam, and said to him: "What are these words and doings? If Baha is true, why does he talk so? Why do these brothers revile each other? What a fool I am to have come so many miles to bring presents to and to hear such vile words from a divinity !" I then went to the room of Ishan. My companion said to him, "Why do they revile so?" I said, "I wish to ask you a question." He said, "What is it?" I said, "You say they do not work miracles, but must there not be personal influence and power in their speech?"

This bitter quarreling between Azal and Baha and their followers led to mutual accusations against each other before the Osmani government, and to the transfer of the former to Cyprus and the latter to Acca. It developed into a bitter schism. The two sects in Persia hate each other intensely. Professor Browne found the attitude of the Baha'is towards the Azalis in Persia "unjust and intolerant," and reprimanded them for "their violence and unfairness." They cursed and reviled in the presence of Professor Browne.

-Bahaism, It's failure in Moral Conduct by S.G. Wilson