Abdul Baha in London (1912)/Greetings from Paris to London

Abdul Baha in London

Greetings by Abdul Baha from Paristo London. October 1911.[edit]

Spoken to Mrs. Enthoven for conveyance to all the friends, and now written from memory.

ABDUL BAHA sent his greetings to all, begging all to go on acquiring strength in their belief and courage in its proclamation.

He spoke much of the pleasure he had felt in the atmosphere of England. He said there was a strength of purpose in the English people and a firmness which he liked and admired. There was honesty and uprightness. They were slow in starting a new idea, but, when they did, it was only because their minds and common-sense had told them that the idea was sound.

The English as a nation had pleased him greatly.

Believers, he added, must show their belief in their daily lives, so that the world might see the light shining in their faces. A bright and happy face cheers people on their way. [Page 131]If you are sad, and pass a child who is laughing, the child, seeing your sad face, will cease to laugh, not knowing why. If the day be dark, how much a gleam of sunshine is prized; so let believers wear smiling happy faces, gleaming like sunshine in the darkness. Let the Light of Truth and Honesty shine from them, so that all who behold them may know that their word in business or pleasure will be a word to trust and depend upon.

Forget self and work for the whole race. Remember always that one is working for the world, not for a town or even for a country; because, as all are brethren, so every country is, as it were, one’s own.

Remember, above all, the teaching of Baha’u’llah concerning gossip and unseemly talk about others. Stories repeated about others are seldom good. A silent tongue is the safest. Even good may be harmful, if spoken at the wrong time, or to the wrong person.

Finally Abdul Baha sent his greetings and blessings to all, and assured me he was constantly thinking and praying for all.

Toa gentleman who was questioning him, he remarked “The beginnings of all great [Page 132]religions were pure; but priests, taking possession of the minds of the people, filled them with dogmas and superstitions, so that religion became gradually corrupt. I come to teach no new religion. My only desire is, through the blessing of God, to show the road to the Great Light.” Touching the gentleman gently on his shoulder, as a loving father might touch a son, he went on to say, “I am no Prophet, only a man like yourself.”