Tag: word of god

239 Days in America, Day 194: October 21, 1912 | Los Angeles

October 21, 1912: The Week Ahead 1

IN THE PAST WEEK, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the Hearst estate in Pleasanton, California, where he spent three relaxing days in the company of Phoebe Hearst and her family. Then we traced the final days of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s close friend Thornton Chase, and looked at the profound correspondence that passed between the two men over the years. We followed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, where Chase had recently been laid to rest, and watched as he knelt and kissed the stone.

In the week ahead: conflicting press coverage of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s trip to San Francisco; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addresses the Century Club of California, a prominent women’s organization; and he heads north to Sacramento, where he delivers two major public addresses, the second of which reiterates his fear that Europe is destined for war.

California 2

Abdu’l-Bahá left Los Angeles Monday evening, traveled all night, and arrived in San Francisco the next day.

Monday, October 21, 1912 3

From morning until noon all the rooms in the Master’s suite were filled with people. Even the corridor was filled. The Master moved among the crowd, sometimes in the rooms and sometimes in the corridor, instructing the assemblage in the divine teachings, persuading them to serve the cause of universal peace and encouraging them to develop divine virtues and heavenly perfections in themselves.

When the people were told the Master was leaving, they became saddened and expressed their deep sorrow. Some churches and clubs sent messages inviting the Master to prolong His stay and to speak before their audiences. He was unable to accept their invitations and responded: ‘I have no time, as I must return soon to the East. Nonetheless, I have great love and attachment for each one of you.’

With great eagerness, friends both old and new brought their children to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and to receive His blessings and protection.

As the time of departure grew near, the friends in Los Angeles were in a spiritual and prayerful mood. The Master spoke to them:

“Thank the Lord that you have attained His eternal favors and have been blessed with seeing eyes. All are blind but you are endowed with sight. All are earthly but you are heavenly. Although you live on earth, you soar high in heaven. It is my hope that day by day you will seek assistance and will rise to promote the Word of God. Go every year to visit the grave of Mr Chase on my behalf, for he was a sanctified soul; his station will be known later.

“I have come a long distance to see you; I have traveled 12,000 miles. Praise be to God that I have found you in spiritual joy and happiness. I pray that you may live under the care and protection of God and be assisted by Him in rendering greater service to His mighty Cause, so that each of you may become a fruit-bearing tree in the garden of His favor, full of freshness and life. May you acquire more bounties of the Kingdom and engage yourselves in guiding souls, so that Los Angeles may become a divine city and a center of the lights of the Kingdom. If the friends of God act according to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, they will succeed in guiding the people, will promote the unity of mankind and will strive for universal peace. Heavenly confirmations will descend upon them and they shall attain that station which is the desire of the holy ones and near ones.”

When the Master reached the railway station, it was learned that Mrs Goodall, without telling us, had secured pullman reservations for everyone. Although the Master had a comfortable berth in the train, He was so tired He could not sleep.

12 October 1912, Talk at Temple Emmanu-El, 450 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California 4

Today the Christians are believers in Moses, accept Him as a Prophet of God and praise Him most highly. The Muslims are, likewise, believers in Moses, accept the validity of His Prophethood, at the same time believing in Christ. Could it be said that the acceptance of Moses by the Christians and Muslims has been harmful and detrimental to those people? On the contrary, it has been beneficial to them, proving that they have been fair-minded and just. What harm could result to the Jewish people, then, if they in return should accept Christ and acknowledge the validity of the Prophethood of Muḥammad? By this acceptance and praiseworthy attitude the enmity and hatred which have afflicted mankind so many centuries would be dispelled, fanaticism and bloodshed pass away and the world be blessed by unity and agreement. Christians and Muslims believe and admit that Moses was the Interlocutor of God. Why do you not say that Christ was the Word of God? Why do you not speak these few words that will do away with all this difficulty? Then there will be no more hatred and fanaticism, no more warfare and bloodshed in the Land of Promise. Then there will be peace among you forever.

’Abdu’l-Bahá in America, 1912-2012: Calling America to It’s Spiritual Destiny

As the time of departure from Los Angeles grew near many people wanted to see the Master

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

October 21, 1912

  1. Sockett, Robert. “October 21, 1912: The Week Ahead.” 239 Days in America, 21 Oct. 2012, http://stagingtwo39.wpengine.com/2012/10/21/october-21-1912-the-week-ahead/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 169-170. ↩
  3. ’Abdu’l-Bahá, and Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America. Edited by Shirley Macias. Translated by Mohi Sobhani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1998. https://bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary&chapter=8#section212 ↩
  4. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 368. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/27#623647365 ↩

239 Days in America, Day 160: September 17, 1912 | Minneapolis

Following the Example of America 1

“THE PEOPLE OF THIS land enjoy many blessings,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told a reporter from the Independent, a popular national weekly newspaper. In 1908 the Independent, published from Boston, had printed William English Walling’s account of the Springfield Race Riot. On July 19, 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sat for his interview: it appeared in print on Chicago’s newsstands during the week of September 12, 1912.

“In spite of the lofty position ascribed to him by his followers,” the editor wrote, “his interest in ordinary human affairs is keen. He was dressed in flowing robes and turban, which accorded well with his square-cut grey beard. His blue eyes are frank, lively and humorous, his figure of medium hight sic and slight, but erect and graceful in spite of his sixty-eight years.”

“I am very pleased with America and its people,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá began. “I find religion, high ideals, broad sympathy with humanity, benevolence and kindness widespread here, and my hope is that America will lead in the movement for universal peace.”

Buffalo, Chicago, Kenosha 2

Abdu’l-Bahá and His entourage traveled most of the day of Tuesday, September 17, on the train toward Minnesota. “In these days,” Mahmúd noted, “the Holy Being appeared to be sad and depressed. At one time He said, ‘…The Ark of the Cause is invested with tempests and storms from all sides. But the confirmations of the Pre-existent Beauty are with us.’”

At 9:00 P.M. Mr. Albert Hall and some others got on the train several stops away from Minneapolis and rode with them. Abdu’l-Bahá told the reporters waiting for Him when they arrived that He would see them the following morning and went to the Hotel Plaza. When the friends told Him of many speaking invitations, He replied, “‘Oh no, we cannot stay more than two days. We come to your city to put a fresh spiritual unction into it. We come to sow the seeds, to make the people awake, to deliver to them the greatest news and then to depart from the city. In this short space of time our work is to proclaim the Cause of God, and, Praise be to God, its results are becoming evident, and powerful confirmations are descending upon us day by day.’”

Tuesday, September 17, 1912 3

The Master bade farewell to the friends and promised to come back to Chicago on His return from California. Here are a few of His remarks to the friends:

“I ask the Blessed Beauty to assist you and confirm you. Wherever I go, you will be in my thoughts. I shall not forget any one of you. I beg of God that you may become more enlightened, more severed, more spiritual, more aflame and that you may be humble and submissive, for as long as man does not consider himself to be good but regards himself as weak and deficient, he progresses; but the moment he considers himself good and says, ‘I am perfect’, he falls into pride and retrogresses.”

To another gathering, He spoke about socialism:

“The principles of socialism are outstripped in the religions of God. For instance, God commands, ‘But [they prefer] them [the poor] before themselves, although there be indigence among them’ [Qur’án 59:9]. That is, the believers spend of their substance and share their possessions and prefer others to themselves willingly and with utmost spirituality. Socialists, however, desire to enforce equality and association by compulsion. Although the preference for others which is the exhortation of God is more difficult because the rich are enjoined to prefer others to themselves, this will become common and will be the cause of tranquillity and an aid to the order of the world, because it depends upon the inclination and willingness of the giver. But socialism and egalitarianism, although easier, as those who have are made equal with others, yet such a system will not become widespread and is the cause of disturbance and tumult because it rests on compulsion and coercion.

“In the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh it is mentioned that if a rich man neglects the duty of educating his children, the House of Justice is authorized to compel him to assist financially and to educate them. But this is a matter for the family of that wealthy man and comes under the jurisdiction of the House of Justice. The point is that there are matters greater than equality and socialism in divine religions. In the Cause of God there were persons like the King of Martyrs [Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan] who, in the days of tribulation, expended all their wealth and property to relieve the sufferings of the poor and the weak. In Persia the Bahá’ís were willing to sacrifice themselves for one another to such a degree that once when one of the Bahá’ís was a guest in the home of another believer, and the authorities demanded the arrest of the guest, the host gave the guest’s name as his own and surrendered himself to them, was martyred in his place, thus sacrificing his life for his guest and brother.”

Turning to the editor of the Police Journal, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said,

“A newspaper must in the first instance be the means of creating harmony among the people. This is the prime duty of the proprietors of newspapers, to eradicate misunderstandings between religions and races and nationalities and promote the oneness of mankind.”

Mírzá ‘Alí-Akbar Nakhjavání, who had been granted permission to accompany ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on His journey to California, arrived from Malden, joining Mr Fujita, the Japanese, and the other servants. The train left Chicago at 10:00 a.m. Many of the friends had gathered at the railway station and surrounded the Master, begging for divine confirmations, blessings and assistance to render services to the Cause of God.

Although the air was cool and the train was clean and free of dust, still ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was tired and weak. In the afternoon we observed a strange phenomenon. We heard moaning from the seat on which the Master was reclining. When we came close to Him we saw that His eyes, like beautiful tulips, were open and that He was chanting a prayer in mournful tones. As we drew even closer, He paid no attention nor looked at us. Although He was awake, He appeared to be sleeping. We tried to understand what He was saying but it was impossible. Meanwhile the train stopped and one of us had the audacity to ask the Master whether He would like to step outside and take a little walk. He came out of His state of reverie and said, ‘No, we won’t go out.’

During this time ‘Abdu’l-Bahá appeared to be sad and depressed. At one time He said, ‘I did not sleep at all last night. The ark of the Cause is beset by tempests and storms on all sides. But the confirmations of the Ancient Beauty are with us.’

At 9:00 in the evening, when the train was but a few stations away from Minneapolis, we were joined by Mr [Albert Heath] Hall and some friends. When we reached Minneapolis another group of friends and journalists received the bounty of seeing the Master. He told them that He was very tired and would see them the following morning to answer their questions and to give them material for their newspaper articles.

He went to the Hotel Plaza which faces a lovely park with a beautiful lake. The friends said that many ministers and other prominent people of the city had tendered invitations to the Master. He said:

“We cannot stay more than two days. We come and in each city we create a stir, scatter some seeds, awaken the people, inform them of the Most Great Call and then leave. In this short space of time our work is to proclaim the Cause of God and, praise be to God, the results are evident day by day and accompanied by great confirmations.”

16 September 1912, Talk at Home of Mrs. Corinne True, 5338 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 4

Therefore, we must strive in order that the power of the Holy Spirit may become effective throughout the world of mankind, that it may confer a new quickening life upon the body politic of the nations and peoples and that all may be guided to the protection and shelter of the Word of God. Then this human world will become angelic, earthly darkness pass away and celestial illumination flood the horizons, human defects be effaced and divine virtues become resplendent. This is possible and real, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Today the greatest need of the world is the animating, unifying presence of the Holy Spirit. Until it becomes effective, penetrating and interpenetrating hearts and spirits, and until perfect, reasoning faith shall be implanted in the minds of men, it will be impossible for the social body to be inspired with security and confidence. Nay, on the contrary, enmity and strife will increase day by day, and the differences and divergences of nations will be woefully augmented. Continual additions to the armies and navies of the world will be made, and the fear and certainty of the great pandemic war—the war unparalleled in history—will be intensified; for armament, heretofore limited, is now being increased upon a colossal scale. Conditions are becoming acute, drawing nigh unto the degree of men warring upon the seas, warring upon the plains, warring in the very atmosphere with a violence unknown in former centuries. With the growth of armament and preparation the dangers are increasingly great.

’Abdu’l-Bahá in America, 1912-2012: Calling America to It’s Spiritual Destiny

The secret to maintaining one’s spiritual progress

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

September 17, 1912

  1. Menon, Jonathan. “Following the Example of America.” 239 Days in America, 17 Sept. 2012, https://239days.com/2012/09/17/following-the-example-of-america/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 147. ↩
  3. ’Abdu’l-Bahá, and Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America. Edited by Shirley Macias. Translated by Mohi Sobhani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1998. https://bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary&chapter=7#section177 ↩
  4. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 321. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/23#577019256 ↩