THERE is more or less said of a sensational nature over Bahaism, which seems to have been developed by one Abdul Baha of Acre, Persia. He claims to be the Christ; his father before him claimed to be the manifestation of the Spirit, while one who preceded him was the herald of a new dispensation. All this they claim is a fulfilment of prophecy. That is, the prophecies referring to Christ at His first advent are all applied to Baha now. They claim that a universal time of peace will begin in 1917, and that then all the world will accept Abdul Baha as the restorer and king. He is spoken of as a very pure man; it is said that he is a persecuted man. The religious teachings of Baha, we are told, "do not at all conflict with those of Judaism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, or any
other of the seven great revelations," all of which is wonderfully taking. It is a sort of philosopher's stone in religion, so to speak, which transmutes all false religions into the true.
It may be said: (1) That all the prophecies which referred to John the Baptist and Christ Jesus at His first advent as persons were then fulfilled, and that fulfilment in time, in character, in place, in tribe, in family, specifically excluded every other fulfilment. The Son of God was manifest as Jesus the Messiah at the very time declared by the prophet Daniel; He bore the very character in life and teaching which the prophets declared He would; He was born at the very place declared by the prophet; He came from the tribe and family of the tribe which the prophets predicted. All these concurrent events and particulars are impossible of duplication. Therefore Abdul Baha is one of the false christs predicted by our Lord, and he is nearly two millenniums too late.
2. His prediction that Acre is the New Jerusalem is a libel upon the Bible prophecy and the hope set before God's children. The New Jerusalem is a city "whose Builder and Maker is God," and which "comes down from God out of heaven."
3. His prediction of a coming conversion of the world is directly contrary to the whole tenor and express teachings of the Scriptures, which positively declare that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived;" that the tares and wheat—the righteous and wicked—will grow together until the harvest, which "is the end of the world;" that then Christ will come, and take His people to the holy city above, the earth will be desolated of her inhabitants, and so remain a thousand years, and then out of its purifying fires Christ will create a new heaven and a new earth, wherein the righteous will reign with Him to all eternity. Then will be the reign of the Prince of peace upon this earth, and not till then.
4. The very statement that Bahaism is in harmony with all great religions is inherent evidence of its falsity. It has been aptly said that Mohammedanism is composed of a great truth and a great lie. The great truth is that there is one God, the great lie that Mahomet was His prophet. The same may be said of Bahaism.
5. It is no evidence of truth that a man looks or acts outwardly as Jesus was supposed to look, dress, or act. There is no evidence of divine mission in his persecution or in a large following. All this has been true of false prophets during all the centuries. It not only may be expected; it must be looked for, that as Christ's coming draws near, there will arise false christs and false prophets, who shall show great signs and wonders, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. In the words of the Master, "Go not after them."
TO SUPREME KNIGHT & NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS - JUNE 5TH 1905
