God's Heroes.

London/Philadelphia: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner/ J. P. Lippincott, 91910). First edition. Octavo. xii, 106 pp. Produced after the manner of a Persian manuscript, the pages within illuminated borders in soft colors and Oriental patterns. The title page with an elaborate arabesque in blue surrounding the lettering, other pages with an equal amount of color, variety and exuberance. Publisher's cream cloth, front entirely covered in a dense blue arabesque with lettering at the top, same lettering on the spine, rear with a simple blue border. A faultless copy of this beautiful book.At the turn of the century Laura Barney was a leading Bahai teacher in America. She is probably best known forr her having compiled a basic Bahai text entitled "Some Answered Questions" taken from her interviews with the Bahai saint in Acra 'Abdu'l-Baha between 1904 and 1906. This play focuses on one of the leading female figures in the development of the Bahai faith; Tahirih. She was amongst the first group of the Bab's followers, and like he, was executed for her steadfast belief.The Bahá'í faith began to take its present form in 1844 in Iran. It grew out of the Shi'ite branch of the Muslim faith. The faith was proclaimed by a young Iranian, who called himself The Báb. He said that a messenger would soon arrive from God, who would be the latest in a line of prophets including Moses, Muhammad and Jesus Christ. This idea of progressive revelation is of central significance for the Bahá'í faith. The Báb and his followers were persecuted by the Muslim hierarchy and the Báb was eventually executed because his teachings contradicted a central point of Islamic faith - that Muhammad was the final prophet. In 1852, one of the Báb's persecuted followers had a revelation in prison that he was the prophet that the Báb had proclaimed. He called himself Bahá'u'lláh, meaning The Glory of God. Bahá'u'lláh was the founder of the Bahá'í faith. His life as a prophet was spent in a series of exiles that culminated in Acre, where he wrote the Kitab-i-Aqdas, one of the key Bahá'í scriptures, as well as other spiritual works and letters. He died in 1892" (BBC). He was succeeded by 'Abdu'l-Baha. with whom the auor met met times.