The isolated outbreaks that do occur are generally produced by personal animosity and greed of gain.  Just as has been known in other countries where a proscribed religion was practised in secret, and protection against persecution and informers secured by means of money, so in many places the Babis have made friends in this manner out of enemies.  Individuals sometimes are troubled by the needy and unscrupulous who affect an excess of religious zeal, but these desist on their terms being met.  Occasionally in a settlement of bazaar trading-accounts, the debtor, who is a Mohammedan, being pressed by his creditor, whom he knows to be a Babi, threatens to denounce him publicly in order to avoid payment.

I witnessed an instance of ‘sanctuary’ asylum being claimed in the stable of one of the foreign legations at Tehran by a well-known Persian merchant, a Babi, who fled for his life before the bazaar ruffians to whom his debtor had denounced him, urging them to smite and slay the heretic.  It was believed that the practice of black-mailing the Babis was such a well-known successful one at Yezd that some of the low Mohammedans of the town tried to share in the profits and were disappointed.  This, it was said, led to the massacre which occurred there in April, 1891.

The Babis, notwithstanding divergence of opinion on many points, yet attend the mosques and the Moulla teachings, and comply with all the outward forms of religion, in order to avert the anger which continued absence from the congregation would draw upon them from hostile and bigoted neighbours.  Two of them were suddenly taxed in the Musjid with holding heterodox opinions, and were then accused of being Babis.  The discussion was carried outside and into the bazaar, the accusers loudly reviling and threatening them.  They were poor, and were thus unable to find protectors at once.  When being pressed hard by an excited mob which had collected on the scene, an over-zealous friend came to their aid, and said, ‘Well, if they are Babis, what harm have they done to anyone?’

On this the tumult began, and the ferocity of the fanatical crowd rose to blood-heat.  The sympathizer was seized, and as the gathering grew, the opportunity to gratify private animosity and satisfy opposing interests was taken advantage of, and three other Babis were added, making six in all who were dragged before the Governor to be condemned as members of an accursed sect.  The Moullas urged them to save their lives by cursing the Bab, but they all refused.  The wives and children of some of them were sent for so that their feelings might be worked upon to renounce their creed and live, but this had no effect in shaking their resolution.  When told that death awaited them, they replied that they would soon live again.  When argued with on this point of their belief, they merely said that they could not say how it was to be, but they knew it would be so.  They were then given over to the cruel mob, and were hacked to death, firm in their faith to the last.