BABEATHAIS ZWI, one of the most remarkable "messiahs" of modern times, the founder of a wide-spread sect of semi-Christians and semi-Jews throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, was b. at Smyrna in 1641. A boy of extraordinary gifts, he had at the age of 15 already mastered the Talmud, and at 18 was an adept in the mysteries of the Cabbala. Very soon, incited by fantastic dreams and more fantastic friends, he declared himself to be the Messiah, who had been sent to shake off the thralldom both of Christianity and Mohammedanism from the Jews, and to convert all humanity. The supreme rabbinical council thereupon excommunicated him. He, however, continued to preach his "mission" as before. He was now declared an outlaw, and his death was decreed, yet nobody dared to touch him. At last his expulsion from Smyrna was resolved upon by the municipal authorities. Four apostles—one of thedi a reconverted Jew, who had previously turned Christian—followed him on his way to Saloniki, where he arrived in 1659, having gathered a vast number of disciples, mostly wealthy, on his 0 road. His extraordinary personal beauty and his fiery eloquence soon brought the most influential Jewish inhabitants on his side, and his cabbalistic formulas and prayers were adopted into the ritual of their synagogue. Two years later, however, he had to leave Saloniki, where powerful antagonists had risen in the mean time, and went first to Pales tine and soon after to Alexandria, accompanied by several thousand disciples. Here his power and influence grew so rapidly that the revenues of the commonwealth to be founded by the new messiah, and the ways and means of supporting the wars he was going to wage, were seriously taken into consideration. In 1661 no fewer than about 80,000 people belonged to the new empire; and in the following year the beginning of the messianic reign within a few months, and the rebuilding of the temple in the next year, were proclaimed aloud in the streets of Alexandria by Sabbathais and six disciples, all clad in white raiments, with garlands on their heads. Somewhat later he returned to Jerusalem; and the resurrection, to take place within six years, and the deposition of the sultan, whose crown would be placed upon Sabbathais's head, far and near. Upon this all the Jews of Asia, Africa, and Europe were divided into two camps. Those who believed, finding all the predicted signs fulfilled now sold every thing they had in order to get ready money for their journey to and final abode in the new capital, Jerusalem; others, and among them some of the highest spiritual authori ties, declared all the pretended messiah's miracles to be cabbalistic tricks, and himself an impostor. Returned to his native place, SMyrna, he was received with full royal honors.' Meanwhile the attention of the divan was drawn to this movement, and Mohammed IV., then in Adrianople, ordered the grand vizier to secure the person of Sabbathais, and to commit him to prison, until the investigations set on foot should be concluded. Two agas, however, returned with th6ir janizaries, without having effected the order, not having dared "to stretch forth their baud against the sacred man." He
now offered to surrender voluntarily. He was committed as prisoner of state to Kuthajah, where he received visits and deputations from all parts. Being at last brought before the sultan, his courage failed him, and he declared himself to be nothing more than a simple rabbi; it was only his disciples, he averred, who had called him a messiah. The sultan then proposed to test his "mission." Three poisoned arrows were to be shot at him. Did these prove harmless, he, the sultan, would at once range him self under his flag. In speechless terror, Sabbathais, at the instigation of his Jewish interpreter, now took the turban from the head of some official, and placed it upon his own, thereby indicating, as the interpreter declared, that his sole object had been all along to embrace Islam, and to carry over all the Jews with him. The sultan declared himself satisfied, and honored him with the title of an effendi, giving him an honorary post at the same time.
But, extraordinarily enough, the movement was far from having reached its end. The most wonderful stories were circulated among the believers. man was supposed by some to have embraced Islam, while the real Messiah had ascended heaven 'ward. Others believed that Islam was to form part of the new religion; and Sab bathais, countenancing this view, converted many Jews to Mohammedanism. Nathan, one of his most enthusiastic disciples, traveled about, and caused strife without end, even sanguinary revolts. Many, however, had turned from him by this time, and the voices of the rabbis and their excommunications began to tell more forcibly. Finally, the grand vizier was persuaded to imprison Sabbathais once more, and to send him to Bosnia, where he died in a prison in Belgrade—according to some,•in consequence of poison, while according to others he was executed in 1677, ten years after his conver sion. It is very difficult to judge correctly of a character like his. Even his worst ene had a word to say either against his morality or against the extraordinarily . brilliant powers of his mind, and his erudition. Prohabty, he was a self-deceiver, whose plans were not measured by the means in his hands for their execution. His death, however, was only the signal for the re-enforcement of his sect, which even many of his former antagonists now joined, and which now, for the first time, was developed into proper religious system—that of the Saobatbaites or Sabbathians (Shebsen), the chief apostles being Nehemiah, previously a bitter enemy of Sabbathais (1677-90), and Nehe. miah Hajun (170847). The latter taught the dogma of the Trinity as part of the new faith; and it became a principle of this religion to accept and to modify itself to the dominant creed of the country—Islam in the east, Christianity in the west. Remnants of it are still in existence in Poland and Turkey. See JEWISH SECTS.