Calling the entire human race to unity and peace, Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet and Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, proclaimed to the world during the last century that He was the Promised One awaited by the followers of all religions. He appointed His eldest Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá . . .
as the Center of His Covenant with all mankind. Bahá’u’lláh chose this eldest Son to be the sole Interpreter of His Words and the Perfect Exemplar of His Teachings.
Banished from His native land of Persia with His Father at the age of eight, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá suffered fifty-six years of persecution and imprisonment. He accompanied Bahá’u’lláh in exile, first to Baghdád, then to Constantinople and Adrianople, and finally to . . .
‘Abdu’l-Bahá set out for America to proclaim the Message of Bahá’u’lláh and to lay a solid foundation for the Faith in the Western Hemisphere. He embarked from Egypt on the steamship Cedric, which stopped in Europe before proceeding to New York.
Some American Bahá’ís sent ‘Abdu’l-Bahá a large sum of money, urging Him to sail to the United States from London on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, however, refused to accept any money and returned all that was sent, directing that it be used for charity. He continued His journey to America on the Cedric. The Titanic struck an iceberg a few days after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived in New York and sank at sea.
Broken in health by fifty-six years of exile and imprisonment, having received no formal education in His life, speaking only a few words of English and being wholly unfamiliar with Western customs . . .
‘Abdu’l-Bahá yet raised His voice from pulpits and platforms to thousands of eager souls in the leading cities of America—proclaiming the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
He received wide newspaper publicity. Many articles referred to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as a “prophet.” Once He explained to the reporters that He was not a prophet, but a Servant of the servants of God. A headline the next day read: “PROPHET SAYS HE IS NOT A PROPHET”
It had been established in 1895 by Miss Sarah Farmer as a center for unity and fellowship between races and religions. Six years later she turned the school over to the Bahá’ís in the face of fierce opposition from her family.
Louis G. Gregory, who later became the first Negro Hand of the Cause, had been on pilgrimage and had met ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Egypt, where He was then residing, before His visit to America. A devoted English Bahá’í had been in Egypt at the same time.
Her name was Louisa Mathew. Both Louisa and Louis saw the Master again in New York, where He suggested—much to their surprise—that they should be married. They obeyed His wishes, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá married them in New York shortly thereafter.
Howard Colby Ives, a Christian minister, spent some time with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while He was in the United States and later became an outstanding Bahá’í teacher. He has left us a vivid description of his first meeting with the Master in a crowded New York hotel suite:
“His eyes met mine as my fascinated glance was on Him. He smiled and. . . beckoned me. . . . As I approached the door where still He stood, He motioned others away and stretched His hand to me. . . . He drew me in and closed the door. . . . My throat swelled. My eyes filled. . .
“At last He looked right into me. It was the first time that this had happened. . . He looked at me! It seemed as though never before had anyone really seen me. I felt a sense of gladness that I at last was at home, and that one who knew me utterly, my Father, in truth, was alone with me. . . .
“He wiped the tears from my face; admonishing me not to cry, that one must always be happy. And He laughed. . . . He kissed me on both cheeks, laid His arm across my shoulders and led me to the door. That is all. But life has never been quite the same since.”
Juliet Thompson was a devoted Bahá’í who followed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá everywhere while He was in New York. She was an artist, and the Master granted her permission to paint His portrait.
During the fourth sitting for this painting, only she and Lua Getsinger were present with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Juliet later wrote in her diary: “Suddenly—with a great flash—like lightning—He opened His eyes and the room seemed to rock like a ship in a storm with the Power released. . . . Then He spoke to Lua:
“ ‘I appoint you, Lua, the Herald of the Covenant. And I AM THE COVENANT, appointed by Bahá’u’lláh. . . . Go forth and proclaim, “This is THE COVENANT OF GOD in your midst.” ’ ‘Oh, re-create me,’ ” Lua cried.
Juliet Thompson is shown here standing behind May Maxwell. Juliet and Lua often broke into tears in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, overwhelmed by emotion. On one such occasion, Juliet wrote, He laughed and remarked to her: “Your eyes and Lua’s are two rivers of tears.”
The lives of many other Bahá’ís were touched and transformed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His nine months in America. The stories of these meetings would fill many volumes.
Fred Mortensen, a young ex-convict, fearing that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would not visit the Western States, rode the rods on freight trains from Minneapolis to Green Acre. . .
Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, a millionaire Bahá’í of the time, invited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to her huge California castle, where He spent one night. These and hundreds of other moving episodes can be found. . .
It was a cold and windy day when the friends gathered near the shore of Lake Michigan in Wilmette, Illinois. They had come to dedicate the land on which the first Bahá’í House of Worship in the western world was to be built.
A tent had been erected on the site and a special entryway prepared for the dramatic entrance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's carriage on the eastern side. He chose, however, to arrive by taxi, and to walk to the tent from the northern side.
Afterwards, everyone moved outside, where 'Abdu'l-Bahá called for an ax and shovel. Spadefuls of earth were turned by representatives of many races, nations, and kindreds—Persians and Egyptians, Indians and Japanese, Europeans and Africans, the Jews of the world, and North American Indians.
A few days later, while still in Chicago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke in two Christian churches on the same day. In the All-Souls Church, He revealed a prayer for all mankind: “O Thou Kind Lord! . . .
Everyone at the feast was transformed and filled with love by the presence of the Master. All seemed to vie with one another to please Him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “This is a delightful gathering;
“you have come here with sincere intentions and the purpose of all present is the attainment of the virtues of God. . . The desire of all is unity and agreement. . .
“Such gatherings as this have no equal or likeness in the world of mankind where people are drawn together by physical motives or material interest. . . .
“Rejoice, for the angels of Heaven are your assistants and helpers. . . . Rejoice, for Bahá’u’lláh is your protector. Rejoice, for the glory ever lasting is destined for you. . . . ”
A woman whose close friend had attended a meeting in New York where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke remarked to a Bahá’í: “He must be a very wonderful man. . . . She tried to tell me about him and could hardly speak for tears. I said to her, ‘Why, my dear, what was there so wonderful about this man?’
In the last years of His earthly life, the Master wrote these words to the Bahá’ís in America: “Friends! The time is coming when I shall be no longer with you. I have done all that could be done. I have served the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh to the utmost of my ability. . . . O how I long to see the loved ones taking upon themselves the responsibilities of the Cause! . . .
“Ah, me, I am waiting, waiting to hear the joyful tidings that the believers are the very embodiment of sincerity and truthfulness, the incarnation of love and amity, the living symbols of unity and concord.
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