Transcript:Philip Marangella/Reminiscences of his early years as a Bahá’í

Transcript of: Reminiscences of his early years as a Bahá’í  (1972)  by Philip Marangella

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sonny it loose myself is satellite. Is this the marriage, Ella President, living in Hong Kong. Uh, on now, visiting the home of Mr and Mrs Abbas Katarina in Nishinomiya, Japan. Uh, I'm recording this for I newly found friend and some a believer. Greg Tao of California. This is really the story of the beginning of my by life. How did I become a buy? I was living in New York City after having been employed by the American government for a year and 1\/2 at a shipyard in Staten Island. I resigned that position for various personal reasons. I was I did not approve of some of the methods and procedures, then in vogue and became a member of a partnership in New York City. Was two other young men for about a year until the great stock market crash of 1920 overwhelmed us and I I was then in need of a new relationship or connection Or go. I still retained a small office space on First Avenue 42nd Street when, one day in February 1921. My former supervisor at the shipyard I love you before telephoned me from the Grand Central station, saying he had an hour to wait for his train. I would like to have a talk with me. I joined imminent within 10 minutes and had this conversation in which he disclosed that received a new assignment toe, make certain investigations at a shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, then known as the Atlantic Corporation. And he hadn't He needed some assistance. And he had ask the New York branch office of the U. S. Shipping Board Emergency free cooperation for this assistance, which they did not have available. I thought of the this problem for a minute and then sort of a sudden flash of inspiration, I suggested last. Rather, how would you like me to come and help you? He was so almost shocked by these by the thought and yet delighted at the prospect of my re joining him because he himself was not accounted, Not order had been a Gavin Porter for 15 years and through his family's his father's connections with the U. S. Steel Corporation had obtained this job as a resident or the shipyards down. So I convinced them that I could, uh I could join him when he told me that they? The job would only last two months on, Dhe says. My expenses will be paid. I would consider it a vacation. I left my younger brother in charge of my office, and he said he would notify me the following day by telegram after he had advised the new office I was available following. They have received this telegram requesting me to report at the 45 bloody office in New York City. When I did. After a few minutes conversation, I was given transportation instructions. Is that what I was expected to do to leave that evening? I trained for lampshade, which I did for one day. I arrived and I registered at the Rockingham Hotel, where the other men where then that's it and began my work but leave before leading New York City, I telegraphed my mother in law, Mrs No. Only Break. Guthrie was then housemother at Miss Bennett's School for Girls on the Hudson Advisor. I was rejoining the government service well at that time were considered members of the new Thought Group in New York City. We've been studying metaphysics for 55 years, and, uh, three days after my arrival in bottom it. I would see the telegram for my mother in law saying that G and my wife and two children were arriving on Friday evening of that week when I was so surprised that but delighted of course I joined when they arrive that evening about 9 30 I took him to my hotel and we say that or was that overnight, but advised my life that I could not afford to keep them off the hotel. The government was only paying the expenses for one, not for five, and therefore we went to look for an apartment the following morning and found one a few blocks away, Middle Street to that same apartment a week later. Game a woman known as Mrs Mitchell, which has been with an Italian. It's in the city what when we start a conversation with her in in the apartment building? But it was a private house, really. Or she said that you people talk like your bis and looked at each other. And as what? Baez Who they Oh, she said that they have a colony up the river here is called Green Akka. Ah, they believe a new prophet has come. I have a cottage, a greeny Akka. I was secretary to Miss Sarah Fama, the founder. We make a fellowship and I met the son of the Prophet Abdu'l-Baha when he came there. 1912. But I'm not a Baha'i, Timothy Ozzfest, she said. However, I came to rent a room for my friend Mrs Wilson. It was an artist in New York, and she will be here next week. She too, has a cottage, a greenacre and that of the harvest of her one day and said on Departure for Courage, which is near the Green Acre in She will tell you more about it when she comes in due course, Mrs Wilson arrives, and we became very, very friendly. In fact, my mother in law and this is Wilson were like two long lost sisters rejoining each other. And she told us that she believed Baha'i Ola waas the profit for this age, although she herself was not and roll is Abi or considered by by the others. However, she said, I have a book here I think you like and she gave us our first Baha'i literature. The hidden words of power which fascinated me because it was so much like poetry, which I was keenly interested. And we remained in that location until I completed my assignment two months later and for leading to return to New York. I said to my family, Now we heard about this Basically a green ache out, but they have cottages rent in summer. This is now April. They were re opened in June. Why don't you stay here in this vacation country and go look over when they open? If you like it, rent one of the carriages. If I'm filled with the government Ah, this summer, I'll take a vacation for a few weeks and and rejoin you. This all went as suggested and planned in the summer. When June rolled around, my family went to Green Acre and invented one of the cottages for the season. You want 1921. June 1921. The following month, July I came up to spend a three week vacation, which I obtained from the government office. And, uh, I arrived on the third of July and the following morning at 11 o'clock, lecture meeting was scheduled at what is called Hello. Shit. House should tell about the rain. Yes, all right. When I arrived on the set of July instead of getting off at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I my train, We're going straight through Maine, and it stopped a little at a decision called Eliot Maine. It might have been called South Elliot. I'm not sure. Well, at South Delhi train station, there was no one to meet me, of course. But I inquired. How do I go back to Greenacre? They said I'd have to go up to a little place, a lot of quarter of a mile A little, probably junction called Rosemary Junction. Then a little Charlie. One track Charlie would take me back to Greenacre, which was then approximately a mile and 1\/2 to two miles from the station. So I started walking toward grows very junction with why with one suitcase. Then along came a farm wagon, and, uh, they inclined where I was going. I said good was my junction. And they said, What happened? Uh uh, We'll get you right there. So I hopped on the back of the farm wagon and we hadn't gotten more than probably 100 yards when down came out down a rain downpour of rain out of nowhere. And I got drenched, of course. And his open farm wagon Unexpected rain is I talked to someone shining when I'm glad the ball nevertheless, this was really, uh some people call it an old man. A sign of something of the future. Downpour come. Maybe nevertheless, I rather Rosemary Junction trolley car came along and back. I wrote the green, a calf, and when I I liked it there, I looked around, inquired Mrs Finn came out of our cottage, right? Are right across the from decision. But ask them to my family And she pointed down down the lane the direction of the green acre in the first carriage on the left, I'd find my family. Sure enough, they're everywhere. Engine that I should mention that my children were that only two and 1\/2 years old. Yeah, they were twins. Boy again. Uh, this is the third of July the following morning And say, uh, I attended my first Baha'i meeting at Fellowship House. The chairman of the meeting Waas, William H. Randall of Boston Speaker Waas Janabi. Faizo was under any professor of logic and jurisprudence of university of their own, who had been sent by Abdu'l-Baha one year before to the Western world to teach the American people by faith, especially the behinds then known by to give them more understanding of the teachings of Allah-u-Abha. This was his last talk in America. He had been in America for one year, nature from coast to coast. So I was very fortunate to catch. His last lecture was entitled The Liberators of Mankind. He talked about the Great Liberator. Is that George Washington and Simone Bolivar on duh either? Uh, I got metal level. Uh, then he he talked about the spiritually liberators of various prophets of God. Down to about. I was greatly impressed by this talk. You ever find that at that time war A very heavy black beard. He had a uh huh, a black turban on black cloak. He really looked what I always could conceived to be the real professor who and, uh, didn't. Then I realize that a year later I would be escorting him from Washington to bottom all to give a talk before the bite. Immunity of Baltimore. The easels is his only his clock. I think I was two years later. Well, go back to greenacre, uh, in the audience. That hellish house that morning. Sunday morning, 11 11 o'clock. I saw it. This unique blending of the races for which the Baha'i faith this is famous. That was in the audience. Louis Gregory and his wife. It was Gregory either became one of the greatest teachers in America, One of two paid teachers. Uh, I learned later for a period of years, gave us full time, was trained as an attorney in the lawyer for the treasure, worked for the Treasury Department in Washington with a graduate of Fisk University, Nashville and have given up his activity will be a full time teacher. The faith he had met Abdu'l-Baha, I think, in Europe first time, uh, and later in 1912 America and in fact, his marriage to release Gregory an Englishwoman, Uh, what recommended by everybody himself as a symbol of the unity of the races. The champion, wary, facto with makes Randall with at that time in the shipping business in Boston. And I did not know that he Waas, then a commissioner of United States. You've been bored. Of which I was an employee. Later I came to know him much better when I was chairman of a greeting committee and, yeah, I was in business. Impossible. They engaged me to make an order of the operation agree naked in which disasters kind of disastrous year of operation under a a professor from the University of Vermont. Uh, that's another story. Uh, so in the audience, I go back. And, uh, I was impressed by Mr Randall, a Boston businessman. Well, at a certain mystical aspect, the fact that he was interested in religion in my men, if it's true me and rings in the New York area, I was overwhelmed by the preponderance of women in their in all of your insight and which I was where I found myself. I was attending a meeting in the Waldorf Astoria under an X a Catholic priest named Reverend John Murray. He called himself the Church of the Healing Christ, and he would have 800 to 1000 people in this audience on a Sunday morning attended lectures by, uh, another ex Christian scientist who founded a mental science movement in in America. Yeah, 19 years with Christian science. It's in England, in the electoral engineer. I tried to call his name now, but it pays me. Then I attended meetings of, Ah, a man named Sears. Nomination to our famous This is, But he calls himself the New Thought Church, and he had as many as 2000 men. Mostly, it's a good contrast of the women in other places the men and women in the Criterion Theater at 40 fourth Street and Broadway, New York, 44 of 44th Street, on a Sunday morning to walk into a place and find 2000 people attending a meeting. He was then, of course, known as a pacifist, but he opened a new dog for me, his baby a stock. You might say it's been a physical researchers. So also in the audience of Greenacre with marrying Jack Abdu'l-Baha called General Jack been a pioneer to Alaska and later, a teacher in Bulgaria for loonies. Gregory. She remained that when he is. And, uh, her service is where a lot of I shall give Andy to the highest point. Uh, there would I v. Edwards are interested in in the very deepest Mr Grass. Specks of the by faith. How many tablets? It was talked about chromosomes and and uh, I think that nature she had many of what happens with me. There was when I mentioned and l a robot's the Aunt of John robots with president of the cars and cannon from Canada. And of course I mentioned was greatly there was the tool. Thompson, sisters Emma and Louise Thompson. Yeah, M o was blind. I lost in sight. They both have been school teachers, and we have in Connecticut. Well, that year, 1921 I learned both ways through Rouhani's both the the sister in law. Maniacs. Well, was there also a time? And I think perhaps May Maxie came Relate Akka That's all. One after a few years after May. Oh, yes, a translator. I also met that year, Alec. All Iqan came that year. No, we came. Came later a chair. So, uh, well, I learned that the New York's and that the behinds had a a center in New York, Baha'i Center in New York, and I got I was given the address somewhere on Madison Avenue near 46th Street by center. Where were my vacation? Came to an end. Three weeks, I should say. In the meantime, they were loaning me books from all sides. Isabel Fraser Chamberlain, the compiler of Paris stocks loaned me her book. You called a divine philosophy. Uh, missus Uh, Flynn, That gourmet book, Mrs Bold and Lonely Sorry of Tyra Dramatic story. And, uh, I remember the only conversation of discussion with my family. Happen. Say one day. Have you noticed my wife? Have you noticed that these people talk about at Duba? The same is the questions about Christ, and, uh, strange. That may sound. My wife was not a buy yet was assisting. Stand would come in teaching the children's Sunday school. That's very first year, of course. The, uh So I'd say the old conservative Baha'i eyes consider an upside that he is not even a behind and teaching it at Sunday school The general that I but served in a student Columbia pageantry, issues and children work guitar pageantry at Hampton Institute in Virginia, where she in Venice. And it really was a test fire because she felt a very unfriendly attitude on the part of personal liketo be prominent and get some publicity and so forth. They're being pushed off in the background for this new newcomer who came in using, However, uh, when I returned to New York, I did come into look into the by feet and, uh, I went toe looking for the by center Max a nephew and I found it. But they said they were not having any meetings that summer because because Tony Ins of the center Mr. And Mrs Booth, do you th even a what had gone to Germany for the summer? And when I come back in the farm and meantime, that gave me the move back issues of the Star of the West, then Baha'i magazine, greed and in the fall, Sure enough, I went looking for I went up to Madison Avenue again to find out of the discussions and meetings have been resumed, and to my great surprise, there was no bias and left there. They had moved, and I'm making career of the some kind of the building, said they had moved to somewhere on 34th Street East 34th Street. He didn't have the number, but he thought they were between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue on his 34. Well, you know one thing about New York buildings one after another, and it isn't so easy to find what you're looking for that you know the exact location number. Well, I was I was still this mine of discovers the average Zika. But I was determined to find it as an Arthur, an accountant. Way probe into things. So I started one in the 34th Street and experiment and I went daughter door looking for by one after the other. They're halfway down the block. You're going to have you. Sure enough there Waas The high library, Second flaw. And there are many people up there. And I found and discovered Mary Handford, for she was ended by 70 years old and she was conducting a fireside discussion group called him every day from six. 27 in the evening. And believe it or not, every day at six o'clock, I was at that fire inside, day after day after day and week after week. And what was she using in her book? The head was of Allah, my favorite book and assisting her. I found that most of time was a Miss Jean Silverberg. She made a cut off the B e r G. And you don't miss Jean Sylva. She was employed by the Jewish Charity Organization doing social work and usually after our discussion meeting about 7 30 in the evening, we would go around the corner on Third Avenue to a Chinese restaurant and have our dinner. And I enjoyed those those evening discussions after I've been attending about a month, I asked one evening. Has Jean show that? Jeanne, you never talk about money. You never take a penny collections. I said, You have expenses. Obey you. Who pays for the rent to brace for the lights? Who puts the refreshments? I'm getting every day here, I said, Well, I'll tell you. Yeah. A few of us privately have pledged to contribute so much permits. Take care of the expenses. Really? I want it. I want a text too. Pay my share. You do so. Of course I'm I'm getting everything giving nothing. A lady came to realize that my offering to contribute was in effect, A declaration of faith was considered a declaration of faith. And from that moment on, I was considered by We have no enrollment card, sensei. In those days, I was invited to attend the next unity feast, which we now know as the 19 day feast. And at that unity feast I met for the first time. Horace Ali, Montford Mills. Roy will have Cooper Harris, uh, Mr Mrs Kinney and a number of others. And I was greatly impressed by the background of these people. Unfit Mills, international lawyer. Harvard man lived at the Harvard Club on West 44th Street. Well, it visit there? Yeah. Hours. Holly with an advertising agency, Baha'i Harris. An official cost photographer. Or I will have a coffee importer where this is all in 21 all in 1921 and, uh, end of 1921 waas around the limb by December. The land apart, right? 21. What do you remember? These people will think I got to know real well, All of them. The, uh, where I kept on attending meetings and in New York until 1922 when I was transferred to Washington. So I had that brief period of time, But maybe, uh, year over year, when I was, uh, I was assigned to to go to Washington for a short period of time, but 11 months to investigate the files in Washington of the prices of steel in connection with a lawsuit to the government was raging against what I could ship of this and the film off my bone. My Brandwashed was Montgomery was hide in New York Tau. So when I told my friends in New York I was going to Washington for a month, they gave me a letter of introduction to the Washington buys. And, uh, back into the months I came back. And that fall 1922 22 Uh, a permanent transfer. Washington took place because my office in New York with being disbanded on the employees jars periodically until we were down to seven men. Original staff of 315 and every one of you. Okay. Wow. Ranking 22 FBI, Washington, D. C and, uh, in Washington I met. Don't be McDaniel, supervisory engineer, consulting engineer for the construction of the Temple of Wilmette. And, uh, Madam Dylan. Yo, that is home a week. If I side was held, there were any prominent buys traveling teachers and so on would always come and stop there and give a talk. And among those who came to stop talk was Louis Gregory. And, uh, how would Meghna Brooklyn, New York always greeted me with an Arabic, uh, breaking. Why? I never could understand. Maybe I look like an Arab to him. What he was saying. He impressed me as having a gigantic intellect. I was true in the sea. Impressed by Howard McNutt. He had this appearance. Each year he traveled with Mrs McNutt from Leo Toe Florida in the fall. They came back in the spring. He did this year after year. I met many times until his last trip. When it was down in Florida, I learned very sadly, he was run over by a motorcycle by crossing the street. That's the way he had a veil. I think it was Pierce Arrow when I was a very old one. Big touring car. They have made this trip back and forth till five. And he had you have seen the motion picture of Abdu'l-Baha in New York. But how big? Not there with the straw hat. That was his silver in Brooklyn, where the film was taken. And what about 1912. And everybody said that you wanted Howard to leave a trace behind it. How? It arranged these two of items of the propagation of universal peace recording all the tops of our gave him in America to find the three mature in the case about how it's not. I met Thea, the new Black Sisters Festival in Africa. Fanny and Homa. Uh, I met Mrs Marium Haney. The mother. A poor Paul. He was dead, but 10 years old, frankly, face boy, Uh, I I recall being invited to dinner by this is Haiti. One evening she was in the secretary of the National Teacher Committee and associate editor of the behind magazine with Standard Cop. When I went to dinner at their apartment, she had prepared magnificent roast chicken dinner. And I felt so embarrassed. I had been a vegetarian for two years. I hadn't even in two years and, uh, explain. And she said what? She didn't know. She was very sorry. I never offered the Taliban for me that I was a vegetarian. She lived at Well, that I like to you like that. Then she began very quietly. They tell me, Mrs Potts is Agnes as possible. My also made in Washington had been a vegetarian for 35 years. And when everybody I met her, he said, you must eat meat, Mom. One off. A woman very high up in the social circles of Washington as it was the assistant librarian of Congress. And, uh, I said, but teaches that the food of the future will be foods and nuts. And Mary said, Well, that's the future. I said, when does the future begin? Yeah. What were these? Farmers have begun to realize the only curious after all. Okay, you see that? I should eat chicken. Got always beautiful, those chicken. So I ceased being a vegetarian. From that movie down I was that all the meat in the world were dumped in the ocean. They want to meet that. I'd prefer that there weren't any meat. I know why, but I had this feeling. I guess it was because of me. I would have to be killed was a reversion. My subconscious had been something being killed. But I have this water fly. What? Over Skeeter and lights on me. I was told this story about Abdu'l-Baha being a vegetarian who came to call it a mundane horrified to think that the behinds ate meat for him. Do you drink water? Yes. Bring this gentleman glass of water. So what about the water brought to him? And then I said, Will you please fetch me a a magnifying glass? The head of the magnifying glass to this man. Drink and look at the glass of water. Look at it In his town, he saw this swarm of have animal organisms swimming around in this in this water. This is what he was he was devouring every day. He was not a vegetarian. He using an animal food off time when he drank water. But this is a great listener. So she's being a vegetarian that everything eats or is eaten in the physical world. However, this was Washington D. C. I remained in Washington for three years. Well, I call that they blend me, uh, so librarian to have charge of all the book sales. There was no efficient center at that time. They say the meeting was being held in Baghdad, Daniel's apartment. So I had to kata a suitcase full of books back and forth to my home to the meeting. It's after each meeting. When I came to you mean I spent all my books out on the table and some with bodies, so we're not in that. That that put the books back in this location, called them back to my house that time I live for a while in in Washington. And then we moved to a place called Cherry Down Virginia. But despite the fact I was living in Turkey of Virginia, where they went over hi's I still remember the Washington D. C. Community since I worked in Washington. Yeah, I recall going toe convention in Springfield, Massachusetts, National Convention, and they came to that convention. John Berman Randall, Minister of the Community Church of New York and Boston. He had been, before previously minister of the Mount Morris Baptist Church and which Abdu'l-Baha spoke in New York. I dreaded. I learned this from the book publication in Peace. I recall it speaking to the BIS, telling us we had the most marvelous religion in the world. But the and it was universal in its principles. This that the other thing, lording it with skies. And yet he still remained a minister in the partisan church. Presumably person check you in. The church was considered liberal later on he and Harris Holly, the National Secretary farm. What isn't what came to be known as the World Unity Foundation has going to sound. No. He organized seminars with With university Professors, a system in different cities. They published a magazine, Whole World Unity. It lasted for three years. They were financed by two buys. I know two women up to a total of $250,000. It's found in three years. This whole project was considered the indirect method of teaching by face that for a while on their staff of lecturers, Keith, Friends from Cuba. Finally, they gave up the project when they didn't send me having any success and they merged world of the magazine with the behind magazine, and it was called World Order. That was the best. The World Order, and Harris had it became the editor and marry Holly. I mean, Mariam Hey, Heini cease to be associate out of them. Stanwood Cobb seems to be editor when that's a separate story. And, uh, that that Springfield convention Mrs May mix I mentioned this time. Oh, she had just returned from the Holy Land and she was asked to and nine, but for reds, of all the behinds in the convention, and she went from each by each person, one person, the next or throughout the entire convention room and on the fire with Andrew Grows. I was not a delegate at media and Observer attendant, and I remember the atmosphere became so charged. That's spiritually fragrance, both the inner and the outer wells, that all of us what transported to another world completely. We're not in this well at all at a time. May Mac forgot to the very end the masked person and Jan enough in this group bottle by each one, never to be forgotten experience. Three years later, I moved possible ma'am. It so happened that year after year from 1921 on, the government would send me the same location to continue investigations of one phase of the contractor another because it had not been completely settled. And, uh then by 1925 is all over. We had a housing project toe auction. The sound of people. The government is housing Project entered into a contract with Joseph P. Day, most famous auctioneer in America. Just be day of New York to auction off that housing project of so many 100 units that year, The National Baha'i convention was being planned. Toby held at Greenacre. They had held a dimension before, before a convention and in Springfield, Massachusetts. They had held a convention in New York, and they held him in other locations. In fact, a few years later, they have one of Montreal, Canada, I think 1926 or 27? Uh, well, the one in clinic was being planned. I therefore plan to attend that convention. Greenacre. A few weeks before leaving about two weeks, my supervisor learned of the need for an auditor to go to, uh, report on the auction sale of the housing project. Atlantic Heights, just outside of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and the housing division of Philadelphia had no water available. And therefore the general actor called on my supervisor as if he had someone said, Yes, I'm a man, really, with that territory goes there regularly and he's is a matter of fact. He's trying to go there for vacation. Fine. So they gave me the assignment and my expenses were paid toe possible and back when I completed by, uh, my review of the auction sale, which took place before the National convention. I was then Frieda at my vacation to the bike inventions Well, and at that convention yeah, action was taken. That commission, over a year later to transfer the Green Akka Fellowship, its properties and resources to the that's suspicious of advised, became known as buy property thereafter and day it is out of my work. With that project, the housing project in August of that year had to go back again and, uh, deliver the deeds, toe all the properties purchased by the various businessman of Portsmouth and take back mortgages on the unpaid portion. But in doing so that the mayor lampshade parts of lamb chef who suggested that I moved the possible and engaged in public accounting that he said that this city needed someone of my type, I said, Well, you already have a public accountant here. Each are city auditor was a total. He doesn't count it way, need someone like you here. Well, he said, I haven't have offices upstairs available for you. I'll get you all the work you can handle. I have a family to support of a house in Chevy Chase, Washington, and, uh, I can't do my job just like that. I must have definitely come. And he arranged. We have an immediate client, which I am I use is a nucleus. And I made increase in city, uh, your next cup of days and found many kinds waiting for me. Potential clients. And I decided to make to make the change and gave my family their choice, uh, to remain in Washington, dispose of the house, go to Florida o r. Come and join me in Hampshire, they chose the latter. And, uh, the first winter we lived in a place called Kittery Point, Maine Viewpoint. And in the spring, we move to green a choir. But the carriage on the hill on land owned by the fires, I paid a rental fee about the cottage. And, um, we had that cottage for several years occupied during the summer. But then I sold it to a friend from Washington. And I've got a new one on the banks of the river just beyond where Mrs Wilson lived. Not cottage, unfortunately, burned to the ground one day. My wife had done up from New York before the season opened. Get the place ready and shattered. Accident with our stove. Yeah. Clothes caught on fire and she was severely burned. Everything the cottage and everything in it was burned to the ground. She was in the hospital for several weeks. Yeah, and then to go entire summer harder the next winter before she recovered completely. That same year, Mother had signed the contract toe operate greenacre in for the National Assembly. Um, without any advance appropriation, there's no cost to the NSA meeting a self supporting operation for the first time, probably in its history. I remember it was really a great capacity. I don't You're supposed to my being in a high that her daughter being abi 15 years, uh, see, finally succumbed that site at 15 year and begin by and move the friends my daughter had, uh, as a matter of fact, she's now buried in friends. She was 90 90 or 91 when she passed away. He's readying the town right next to Orleans, France with the same family name that she had bre. And she felt that she must Her ancestors must have come from from bring out. So I thought you would always British a language. That industry Our name is really brave. Uh, father was business and Virginia. So Greenacre has many memories. My, uh when I decided to engage in public Khanum business in New Hampshire, I was secretary of the idiot we re established the local special sent me. Then it means in 19 26. And I think that same fall phone year National Special Assembly decided tow transfer its national office to Elliot and house. Hi. Moved up from New York For what? One year. Then I saw Officer, also the head at Elliot to in order to free form Iraq. Someone already for him. They're ready for you. And from there we went to that year. We had the convention at Montreal. That gate 2,000,000 Uh, 1927. Convention that. I think the only time you said you knew very inject. Yes, I know. Yet the sectors of the first kind of guy build was directly across the street. Course the golden illegal opposite. Marrying Jax Studio. And I have the Edwardses cottage is right next door to her. And also the Thompson sisters were next door Ivy Edwards. Just little Carly. We had these English on the corner at the, uh, marrying Jack painted my portrait one day on old campus that she had hidden. The studio didn't take a separate canvas, but it was a landscape of some kind. Up in one corner of it, she she painted my portrait, holding a kid in my hand. Yeah, I know where that thing is. I saw later asked to give it to me and during my order thing work in that area. I would visit very surrounding towns at clients and very Salonica. And I recall the man Jack asked me one day said, Fill one of you go on some trips out of town. If your mind take me along, I'll take my paints and drop me off somewhere while I was sketching and then pick me up in the evening. Bring me back which I did a number of occasions and she was a very delightful person, always happy and jolly on. Uh, you never saw Mary Jack dejected or the president Harry, at any moment when I was 24. When have you better? He was always smiling. And Joyce, if you could be FBI. Uh, well, the, uh, also came to Greenacre to Elliot. Actually, about a mile up the road, a man who had been United States counsel in, uh, one of 1000 friends, I think breast friends. His name was Cova. Kind of John Cho. We became very good friends, very much attached to my children. He had bought a house and of the road there, find the road central ingredient until he passed away. He had also been mayor of a account in Ohio. Small town. Stupid. Maybe. Stupid lie in the Elliot. Uh, public library. There was a portrait of the father of the founder of Greenacre. Father Sarah phoned me today was, uh, Moses Farmer, something Moses founder. And he had been a professor, I think, at M i t messages technology. And he was considered to be the first man tohave his home in Salem, Massachusetts, illuminated by electricity. First house in America would be completely liberated by electricity. Maybe invented their core co inventor with Thomas Anderson of the electric lamp. I don't know. It was first, uh, well, I never That sort of farm of clothes. She passed away before I came on the scene. But that first person who mentioned by high tow us this is Mitchell never became a buy all those years. Uh, It was a very interesting experience to be at Greenacre, where all the shining lights of the Baha'i faith came, Uh, at one time or another. Yeah. What? To give talks like. Well, why wouldn't He was a wonderful man. Very charming, man. Yeah, he was a bachelor. They were married. He had a house at green eight at Teaneck, New Jersey was thinking what was called at that time. The amazing thing is that when I was a boy a Channel four, I can recall my father carrying me on his back from West Englewood, New Jersey, toe Bergenfield, which I Z 11 year. That would be the year 18 99. Because we've done up to that part of New Jersey to visit some Italian friends from New York. We've got out there, and sometimes friends living in Mustang. Would lovers living in Bergenfield and human occasion. There were no bus. Bus is in those days in very few automobiles of any, uh, on the trains were infrequent, the which are a word. So the only means of Tabriz panties will be a carriage or a wagon. If you had one horses walking on foot now in those days of nothing but farmlands in that area between West Englewood, New End and Bergenfield. And so my friends had put at purchase farmlands in that area and through that territory, I must have been carried to have same area where Akka, Bob Medicaid, 19 flower And where room had his house and pine grove. Well, I can recall your first year we went up from Washington toe attend the unity feast. And Joan of 19 23 of us, Me three. And we stopped at the attended this feast in the pine grove. And that's all what was then look like a a Swiss log cabin preliminary to its expansion would look like a Swiss chalet. Right? We'll have had built his log cabin. He had a woodworking shop on one end where he treated his logs. I've learned early. He purchased logs he creates sort of them, and he started. He cured them in in the basement for about three years before he finally used them. And, uh, and this fireplace in the block cabin. He had obtained stones from behind and different countries sit with stones and put them in the fireplace. And they had various hobbies. Among them. One year he was creating abalone shells. The Paterson beautifully bring out that beautiful sheen interiors and so on from things another years how he was that some of the young people in the area to come and you cut through walnut shells and made patterns of them and made sort of broke. Brooks is like necklaces. And so our powers of a final, you know, that all sorts of things, maybe the coffee importer and one year environment to visit his office for Wall Street. And he showed me a book, but he had been keeping a book of entries. You know, uh, dealing with sales and cash and so on was very, very fine. Let pencil. He used very clear figures and very small in miniature. A definite Yeah, probably eccentricities the yet. Uh, he was a very modest man. Very modest, retiring there. There's a purity of to a spirit that is so wonderful later on. Oh, he had tremendous big rocks. Move. There's property. He put them around all around the place. You've seen it? He had water flowing over some of them. So yeah, and then this great project. He was a great pet frontier. Probably. I think Mason mean he was the first pamphlet here in America. Giveaway pavers. He put himself your scene until we get seen. Many samples of them where we traveled gave the peppers away with faith. But Roy will be carried a stack of pampered. You also printed pamphlets and travel on trains. A great deal. Talk with Pullman porters. A relay give the very purpose. And then he was getting coffee. So he decided toe improve the goat stop in America. And he bought ah, 100 acres of land and Maine State of Maine. Way up there. Got stuff. Any He had have enormous bond. It cost him $35,000. There's a way, way back. And he had stars. An individual stars each gold. He was making noise. Lainey starts for ghosts. He bought this large property 100 acres. So I visited that goat farm one day, and the took me upto the source of his water supply. Hey said when I came looking for I've been looking for a mountain stream and I found this This water here eso 100 acres were thrown in with it with this mountain stream and use all the pump up there to pump the water down to his good farm on discovers that he built this house. And, uh, he didn't sell the milk that came from cows come from the ghost. I mean, he gave it away, invite anybody of the nearby towns to come and visit. And all of this came and got a sample of his of his milk. If you served them milk and became the rotary club of of it. I think of parkland under a nearby place, which I think I remember that would come up on a occasional visits. No, is a thing to see. And, uh, maybe if he had one of our by friends I recall, I think, was Mrs Stupid. Philadelphia came. And it was his house Mother might. I mean, house housekeeper. I should Khanum housekeeper at that place in Maine. Could've scusi visit several times. Very closer. Right. And, uh, he advertised in the official good magazine. And in this make in this advertisement, you talk about the, uh, Venus Alpine breed into America tau cross breed with the local goods in America and toe to improve the stock. And then he he will wait for a quotation from Baha'i. Ola, It is advertising quotations, e. I don't know. I can't remember. I saw that. Thank you. What's the flags? I saw You have about two lines down there, about from Baha'i. Anyhow, The I'm gonna send that he gave that entire property to the buyers left almost by faith. And they there's assembly, sold that farm, didn't keep it. Even had a marvelous institution. The, uh I mean, a site for teaching is something. It is a land in Maine. Really? Now with something carcinogenic. Properties there. Yeah. Uh, that's what will happen. He lives there with his mother, Jason. Best way. The meeting's at that at that cabin in the Pine Grove. But I gave first Unity feast. I was given a description that first unity feast. Mrs. Kinney of New York. Mrs. Mr Mrs Kinney, where Bobby last of the American programs to visit a group Baha'i in the prison city at Akka. I think I was about 19 9 Just about that you described? Yes, I describe Kitty next. Why? What you are. And one year I met, so I met made Maxwell a greenacre. We're writing in it in the car in parts of a matter of fact, came back from me. They'd get possible. She was staying in a rocky and Motown. We were discussing some something. All right? Yeah, I put pounded. I use the word propounded. A theory of my own about marriages. But people marrying I said something about a person is born in the same latitude at the same time, no matter what part of world there would be in that they would be harmonious with each other. I have not started. Started to your three great phantom Wanna get started association. Normally, when you chocolate Baha'i prepared by the soldier? Well, she said that the thing was so no or something. Never said. Have you talked to Mr Kinney about this? I said it was Kenny. No, I said it. It is in the oxy and we'll find teachers meeting today. What about a year later? Without yeah, trips back and forth. And I met security. What? You This would have been about 19 28 18 1928 27 28 about for seven minutes. Because in 1929 she invited me to come too much Your giving, talking nothing. I'm sorry. So I miss Kinney. We discussed the subject with him. I've had gotten all of modern by that time, but I was really impressed with the kidney as so what? So, uh, you always have become saving them. I came to New York, and, uh, I did late around in 19. In 19. Pretty six. Looking pretty six i after he isn't. She kind of moved to New York again. I lived with them for six months, and Mrs Kinney was a great collector. Pilgrims, notes, and every Tabriz of Abdu'l-Baha in type of form. And I made it. Didn't we talked for hours and hours every day and death? Mr. Kinney had a marvelous fireside meeting every Sunday evening after radio election at the Buy Center in New York with seven Street. Many of us would goto bikinis. I've had that same evening supper captive for gin in the train and then go there. And, uh, he had the a great commitments desire to expound on the scientific aspects of of the teachings the way he got him way down into the hey. Read all the time, taught voice teacher voice. It had been, uh, the organist of 15 years in J. P. J P. Morgan's judge in Mario. And then after that, it's a very ominous and some churches near Harlem around and then gave his full time teaching voice. But he told me that when he was a young man, he was one of four persons selected in America to be taught by Devote a great diversion. And, uh, I met Bork ever the first time when he came to Safa Kinney's studio for vocal lessons. He was no good bye. No, he was waiting for the for real estate firm in town. Really know? Well, don't think Douglas Elliman. And, uh, you serious? I don't think African your juice mito have you been there? But 56 times We have just you always kept that thing behind. Could be separate from the income producing activity from that. But even those Sunday evening meetings were really astonishing. They were tremendously powerful. Uh, and, uh, I would say the cream of the of the youth of New York and the younger element of the behind the arc would come. That's on the evening meeting, and we have a witness rep all together after the skinny spoke. It has to be to speak. Sometimes You want me to speak first? Refused every time. And presently he insisted. So I have to go first. Carson. It was really something to speak even after him. Better or something, because it would build up the thing like a tremendous organ recital. Almost, you know, with the ups and downs. And Dillon will be going up and down the scale of your spiritual emotions. And Mr Seven open up. I have a really wonderful the year in those days. Yeah, well, keep on talking about Kenny. Miss Mrs Kinney, It was a great lover of animals, and she always had a pet monkey or a parrot or both cats and dogs. It is a planet. This is a A a penthouse apartment on the roof of of the woodwork. Hotel apartments joined a Woodrow cow, same ownership and, uh, be 75 persons. Their evening vary from from 50 to 75 with the parrot. In this occasion, the monkey in his cation and dogwood might run around on the cat. Also, the table friends they they got along together. The, uh, a large space to the always about types of sizes right there. He was in his eighties. A lot of reading, and I can't get fast. It feels old that he was wasting time and it says, Huh? He's I don't know why I don't accuse me here. It was getting impatient. I just stick around if you want to go off the catch cold every winter. No, I have the moon. Yeah, yeah. Pneumonia. Three or four times while I was there, but I was getting really coming. He was He was a little bit stout. He had a little cooperation from He said You said Baha'i. Tell me when he was in Akka but his life with three boys. I promised him when he came to New York, you'd be their guests. Their home that time. What did come in 1912 said that shot that house on West End Avenue had five sevens and before you say they were wealthy and he said a short time with them. Many men, most hotel. Vittorio done pretty carried out his promise to be my guest. And, uh, when I left New York down fly. Thank you. 33. I told Carrie, please let me know whenever the time came for passed away telegram wherever I was, that come, come back. It so happened when I was in Florida. That was 19. But that 1949 I got a telegram and I went back to resign. My job I haven't fired a Miami and went up to Bianca. And service is because cancer, even China. So, uh, in 19 three, following that forsake beginning to proceed convention in Chicago, I went back to New York. I come from Jamaica and Cindy's that time and say, but carrying all that summer until my job with the government jail, right? Rejoined the government came back from that, but, uh, docked with the years I kept meeting with Maxwell. Come on, John. 29. That's great. Very great charm of the kidneys she never came up with every day she came to the house every day on, uh, they have been very, very closely that every Baha'i together, anybody have any that was anybody in the faith? Always came to see the kidneys when they gave me up that bacon. Yeah. Now Mrs Kitty did with Donald Son in New Jersey after afterwards. What's that? Trips back to me off she was. That was the day when she passed away. Did you ever meet the crooks in New York? What, Today? Dr. Group in Florence. The hospital, but the head of the hospital. I'm Betty. I thought when I met at with his son, we lived in Yonkers, New York. Yeah. I didn't meet the other crew. No, I met his son. Yes, he did. The younger New York. I think that that Yeah, for once, Cease. I think one with you know too well, But I liked it. Very well. Let's see. I think, uh, you'd be interested in this story. My first visit, my second visit to Montreal. My first visit was when they had the convention in 1927. Uh, my second visit in 1929 me, Mexico that's somewhat be naked And asked me if I would come to Montreal in the fall to give a talk there. I spend a few days. So it was a raise. I would go there in October of that year. I recall what afternoon? The day before I was set to leave parts of New Hampshire to drive him to Montreal, going into a habit battery store bought food by Mukai, which I expected to wear in Montreal. It was it was always that color. As fellow Mick, I came in this case of this habit actually stall and I saw this road covered necktie on the rack and I went over and picked off the rack in the moment I touched it. I started dancing around that I'm on the star that matter for gun crazy vibration of that rose colored as attention. It affected me. So they have the light of young. I was sort of Baghdad. What? I know it was a Jewish man I know quite about. So I took along with me. Tow away months you're with with a gray suit. That is really something I did wear that meant that the following evening. I mean, no Sunday evening I spoke in the largest Negro church in Montreal or 1000 people, and you're in the congregation. And I want this Rose Khanum necktie. Great suit. The Minister had billed me and his notice to the congregation, Uh, with 1\/2 a dozen names or something or my name's and marriage. Ella spelled way out like that from from Italy and so on on and faces pact with God. Blue wall. No way that, uh the following afternoon, five o'clock, I got my chi I think the crash the road's bad. No classical pay. I got in my car and I go Saturday off Montreal alone Five o'clock in the evening I got longer then somewhere for Mike about 10 o'clock. And I was a thick forest. I don't wanna sound you heard before All of a sudden the entire area became white But at that sky completely white Stop the car immediately. My first thought Am I in this world? Well, that passed up into next, So I hope you don't get out of the ground. Put my foot in the ground has on terra firma I convinced myself Yes, I'm still in this world So I got back in the car and I kept driving and took about minutes before this life business disappeared. I am just Doc. Fire's going along the nearest city. I came to Saint Johnsbury and I stayed overnight in a hotel. The next morning I start off again around 15 7 13 8 o'clock in the morning, I was due to speak at Montreal three o'clock that afternoon and I crossed over the into Canada a couple hours later and I decided to telephone me Max, so much Iqan Just where are you fit? I was getting worried about you. All right? Yeah. I'll be along around about 1 30 I'll be I should arrive in Montreuil by 1 30 Have time. I'll be there, Don't worry. And so sure enough, I continue. I was about 80 miles away the time, and I arrived in Montreal and, uh, he went over to the Baha'i Library Center. Yeah, from our home. And she had to be the program or a print program October 19 titled Subject Spiritually and Practical Harmonies A J R M O N Yes, connected with something like this Unless but he So time came for the meeting and we had a meeting. We talk that's on the audience, sitting next to me next battle about their fourth row. A very tall, statuesque woman. He looked very glamorous with the expression on her face. I want you to buy things with May and, uh, in the car we go. I don't know what I said. I have a fairly good memory. You see, a lot of things, but that they have No What? What? What? I say. Immediately after the top was finished, that tall woman rushed to the front. You can't ring on her finger. And she introduced herself to me Bye. Pushing our hand under my notice aware they showing me a ring with these words? She said, Does this mean anything to you? I said, Oh, there's a question. Yes, I thought surely some of the things you said in your talk You must be one. I don't know. I'm not, but I have friends who are how If I said, uh, have you read Abdu'l-Baha Abbas talk on the inner light? She almost fainted. Actually told us she was almost fell back in the same short of breath. No, that's what I've been looking for. I said that I have here by scriptures have a stalker that turn to the index and underpaid visually. I mean, I just casually this way Who she said I must have a feather talk with you. Could you come for tea tomorrow through my studio? Goodbye, everybody speak with Miss Maxwell. Gee, she's making all the arrangements. And she hates you too, Miss Max a knife. You forgot about my second priority. Talk to other people around. And then when I got home to Miss Maxwell's homestead, you know that that woman was sitting next to me. The name was plenty. She has invited us for tea tomorrow afternoon at her studio is in the same building with sudden Maxwell studio directly over over would go that one afternoon. Okay, Land, then the evening We get bad there then and we have carefully even meeting at this Nico church. His name began pany minister Very favor of a friend of my faith. And, uh, Mary went I mean me Maxwell had a daughter, Mary, and our good byes this fast audience there meet with my Rose Garden. And it was wonderful meeting Very wonderful meeting. The spirit was really powerful. So much so that the end get ready to leave After the minister made a suit, the mops and so far and come back the following something Give another talk. I don't plan to stay three days in jail. I was going back. Yeah, So may sit. I was wondering about wincing Only that whether you are tor the thing to suddenly called. I came directly out and no beating around the bush about bowel out with me and with Dorian at home, we wasn't. So you know, the Christian Church anyhow. So the fact that had an effect on the ministry when we come back the next day, next Sunday and I did go back to say I didn't I didn't I didn't go to be back. I haven't agreed back to this day. Instead of staying three days in Montreal, I said in three weeks and not at all what things happen. So because of this woman the following afternoon, we went for tea to met him today and before going May said to me, You came back. She had a box. Yes, I have you The groom one by Baha'i given to me by Lord gets ago given to her by the greatest relief given to the greatest relieved about. I thought we would take it with us today and show it to this one. Conceive It has any effect. That's a good idea. So we went to see she showed up. It's about a room then exceptional to place myself in a moment. Didn't so long around you have five thing right? About five o'clock or so they said. I think that, uh, I will leave you here, handle anti to continue discussions. And I will go home with Sutherland. In that six o'clock, I will send Mary Effectual. Ben, go home for them. Okay, fine. So she left. And I resume my discussion on this matter. And before we're finished, Yes. I wouldn't. Please come back the evening to continue and cheering. It was following him on the phone. I said, We'll go. We'll leave in three days. So I every time after I got home, May I tell her what with the place we talked about that you want to come back again? Should I continue report originally, Toe May. Maybe. Yet you become a great asset to the things we don't know you. I get it. Well, I take me down to finance. She was trying to get me when she found out I was not a prosecution. She was trying to get me to join those questions. She and I found out that she had been the master of the lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia. She had traveled around the world once more with you, Jack Chris, You married couple times and she'd visit a llama in the deep end. Her room. She had received the battle. That was simple. Having attained some spiritual status, she had the back showed me that and, uh, should come to a point in our studies where she wants to meet somewhere another level and obtain advanced information. So I'm fine. And maybe no one. Then she would leave the room golf into a side room and don't come back in the course of time. I came to realize that she would go and consult her guide, then explain most of the guy where he is. Maybe they know me. They don't know. But I had a most unusual experience in that studio, which I think about perhaps the most unusual experience of my life. Thes conversations to place every evening. Thank you. You talk about certain things have come, of course, from headway. That court with values she was trying to get me there was collusion. Of course I know what I was starting to mean. Not pointedly. And, uh, well, one evening we weren't meditation, and I suddenly found myself walking down a car of an apartment at the end of the corridor. It was a blank wall and I had to make a choice. I'm going to write or going to tell. I chose the left, does it? It's so a doll shut. It was closed. No, no fight entrance. And I came back Just this on this couch without a word of conversation that took place in between, she said. But that is where you made your mistake. Goes out of wood. That is where you made your mistake left. Well, that is a passion. And then we talked about other things about maybe more than 1\/2 hour later. Resume meditation? Yeah, fine. Without walking on the same corrida this have remembered. When I got down to that bank wall, I turned right instead of left showing up on the right. It was like a party air. They there? Surely I'm daffy I before I don't think you've got no right already. Uh, so, yeah, I found myself walking on the same corrida and this time remembering my previous what she called a mistake, right? And that the right was this question of pills, strains of Toad, about about a dozen of them. I part of the clothes and walk in, and I found myself in a very, very large room. Resembled a courtroom. It could have been, I would say, approximately 75 feet, one direction and 50 to 60 feet in the direction Majid Waas. A man came forward and took me by the arm and this squatted me position. Yeah, not quite in the center of the room, facing the high bench where normally a judge would be sitting, sitting and up there at this high bench was a man, and he began addressing words to me. I could hear him uttering the words, but I don't I couldn't remember a single word. He said. What, what, what? The purpose of the ways work, I mean to the world. And when he finished this, Usher came to me by the arm and escorted me to the other side of the room, faking that direction. And again I look up and there was a person with that high bench. Who was that? But this woman who was sitting beside me in the on the couch. I recognized that and she was up there get you sitting here that you began giving me instructions and after a few minutes are exceptional. Completed. When I came back the consciousness on this couch and she said, Very good, very good. In other words, I was being initiated on the inner plane into the inner circle. You might say at this. Sure, it's a secret society. Whatever the prosecution's believe in, I don't know the They have a combination of science and mysticism and, uh and, uh, spiritualism, perhaps or mixed together. The only the only literature you'll need. Yes, 90 speeds to expiate your experiences. I probably have a good deal out of this business. Yeah. I want to spend you having monkey eyes. They get any crazy ideas about me. You gotta admit city. He's skeptical when I'm sorry that it never became Baha'i. Ugo? Yeah. How would you like some? Uh, I think you're not next week, Sam. Mr. Sharpe. Flaco was very wealthy manufacturer in Canada. Remember? Suspicion Assembly, later Nominated to be a hand because was giving a youth party, I should say a party for the youth of Montreal and he invited me to to attend this party and to bring with me as my guest. This lady, she had a very That's what appearance. Despite her age, she must have been at least 55 between 50 and 55 I would say Go, go, go! Madam. Dont in Montreal my experiences there discussions. Uh, got into a point where I mentioned Mr Siegfried Show Flaca No end of the cause. Uh, we'll head out quite a large home in your own range of youth party and invited me to bring Mrs Durante to this fatty. We entered the door and immediately. Sure. A pantomime. Yeah, I to the younger members, Mayor, members of the community, my job, youth community, uh, doing a dance. And immediately Manimal Auntie said I have work to do with that young man. I had no regular attention toe toe time. But after I had left Montreal And even though I corresponded with Madame Galante for six months thereafter, I learned that six months from that date she had married that young man who wasthe, then the secretary of the local spiritually assembly. He was a Vape, became a very prominent high teacher in Canada. And the marriage, as I have as I recall and was told, lasted about 15 years. I had other experiences Yeah, of an extraordinary nature doing them farming evenings. Yeah, doing our discussions, which I need not call here and, uh, meade say that one day in New York about, uh, probably 20 years makeup. I met the same lady at the New York behind center. She was the guest of the custodian of the by center, Mrs Wolfinger Crumb, for a while, and then was living with some friends on Long Island. But I can definitely say she was not the same lady I knew in my video. She now appeared to be, uh, 30 pounds, 25 30 pounds lighter in weight jet, a sport roadster pop downstairs. And she had a a Russian wolf hound dog in the car with her, uh, gyp parody was moving in a on a sudden within, a certain sickle of New York society was firing toe spiritual things. Probably Baha'i. Anyhow, unless I never saw that after, But while while in mark you all I can definitely say that many things happened. The most noteworthy thing I could mention, uh, the fact that I had seen that robe one by Baha'i Akka became a clue to me when in 1937 I received intimations of the coming of the marriage of jokey effendi with me. Maxwell two months before actually took place and I recorded it and notified right there. I discussed it with Mr Mrs Kinney at the time. I have an indefinite writing and, uh, after marriage to place when I learned of it. Actually, I sent the messages to the Holy Land Tomei, Maxwell and Toe a daughter. And may told me that when my letter arrived with explanations, he she showed it to shield effendi at the table and he read it and he handed back May without a word of comment. The sender's the Montreal Sorry, No. One state. I would now like to record for memory. The story of my first tip into the southern states with took place in the year 1931 beginning in October of that year. Sometime earlier, I was walking down the main street of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with Louis Gregory, who was later named a hand of the cause of God. He was then living in the same city post Abbas, having moved over from Elliot, Maine, where we both had courage is And he told me that once Abdu'l-Baha had said to him, If a white and the black man would go into the seven states together, teach bi phase, it would have great results. Now lose. Gregory was a tall man, very close to six feet, and I am rather shot five feet one. So I looked up at him. Andi said immediately, Why don't you and I go together down south? It was a merry twinkle in his eye. He looked at me and said, Phil, I'm afraid the contrast would not be enough now what he meant by this, of course, that being in Italian of Italian descent, my olive skin was not white enough against his that complexion so that it would not have they would not. They would mistake me probably Uh huh. As one as both of us from the same background. Therefore, the matter arrested there. Well, the following summer they came to Greenacre, a Negro friend of mine from New York City. He was not a buy, but friendly to devise. It was a teacher, a voice, and, uh, he sang for us at a green acre meetings he had sung for us at the at the West Englewood Anual picnic Souvenir. Uh, unity, Peace. His name was Chauncey Northern from Harlem, and he was very, very dark of complexion. I told him that in the fall of that year, I was planning rather, the New York State Regional Teaching Committee had planned for me a circuit through New York faith beginning at Albany and going through various important cities as far west as Buffalo Rick and Mary Collison, then of New York State, while the members of that committee who had arranged this teaching circuit and they to wanna greenacre at the same time. So when I told Chauncey about this proposed trip, he said, Why don't you go down south instead? I'm sure you'll get a great reception. When I said to him, this might be a good idea. I'll think it over and, uh, tell you my decision tomorrow. So I thought it over, and the following day I met you once again and I told him I've decided to act on your suggestion. I will tell Original Teaching Committee to cancel my trip from New York State, and I will go down south and said, How about you going with me? Oh, it was taken by surprise and he said, Well, I'll have to talk it over with my wife when I go back to New York and I will right you next week, Surely enough. The following week I received a letter from Chauncey telling me that he would join me and go down south with me. And we set a date for about the third, 1\/4 week in October. And when I told my family what I plan to do, they said to me, You will never come back alive If you go down south with Chauncey, the seven people world tar and feather you I said, Well, let him do it. We'll see. So I went to Boston, Massachusetts, and rented an apartment. I moved my family to that apartment the middle of October. I had an old Cadillac coupe. A. At that time, it might have been eight or nine years old and in Boston back basic section. Just before I saw that on the trip to go to New York to pick up Chauncey, I wrote a letter to show you, effendi, and I thought told them what I plan to do. I completed my level, field it but a stamp on it and put it in the mailbox and off it went. In that letter, I also asked for his guidance and protection. I arrived in New York 51 day, met Chauncey and off we started for a 17. We stopped the first date in Division New Jersey, and there we met. If by friend who had lived in Greenville, North Carolina. He gave us very suggestions, gave us some names of contacts in the Carolinas, and then we proceeded Family Day to Baltimore, Maryland. There we visited Morgan College. We went to call on the dean. I told him what we're doing and wondered whether we could talk to the students. He said, If you can talk about football, the students will listen to you because all this week there's no other conversation on this campus accepting about the coming annual football game between Morgan and Howard University of Washington. I suggest that on your return trip you might stop by. Perhaps then you might get a hearing. We thank the Dean and continued on to Washington. It was great in the afternoon when we arrived in Washington, and very naively I would say I stopped in front of the National Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue and went into the from desk, And that's if we could have a room for the night. The receptionist looked at me. He looked at Chauncey. He said, I'm sorry we're all filled up. I asked, Can you make any suggestions where we might find a room? But he said, tryingto, I m c a thank you very much. We went out and I go up to the Y M C A somewhere in me around 21st Street and G. I believe Northwest Side there went in to the lobby front desk. That's the same question. Could we have a room for the night? And the clerk looked me up. The chancy he said, I'm sorry, but all thing that can you make any suggestions where I could find where I could find the room said Hi, the Salvation Army down on Seventh Street, the Pennsylvania Avenue? Uh, I said, thank you very much. So down we went to the Salvation Army, and there again, the same question, the same response, any suggestions? There's a rooming house around the corner that you might find the room we went around the corner. And sure enough, in a sort of 2nd 3rd or fourth rate rooming house, a room was available. But I had no locks on the door on the first floor. We've entered the room and say there for the night for doing the middle of the night. I was awakened and I saw, to my great surprise, a man walk into a room carrying in each hand a jug. Weapons in the jug. I don't know. It was a liquid. Of course I could see it was a great They took the two glass jugs about a gallon each. And he prank them right in the center of the room without a lead. 10 Iran walked out, left the jugs there, assumes he had left the room. I went in a few minutes. I jumped out of bed, took those two jugs and clocked him out in the hall. I wasn't going to be caught with any, maybe moonshine in my room the next morning and get into trouble. Anyhow, uh, this rooming house, as you might suspect, was in that, uh, section of the city where only the, um, people of the minority race where were the occupants. They proceeded the next morning, two, Richmond, Virginia. I had made contact with some local Baha'i friends. And at that time, um, Madam Dylan, yo, one of the very old believers in Washington was very ill, and she was being attended. Bye, Miss Fanny. No Block. Who had been one of the first behind to go to South Africa many years before that she had returned to Washington only the previous year. Believe And here she was kind toe be of service to Madam. That angel I left Word was a local friend. That should man let it pass away. Please notify me by telegraph care of the Y m c A In Richmond, Virginia. We're at patisserie just to say and I would come back with, you know? Yeah. Yes, that's what happened after we arrived in Richmond. Okay? Remembering like our experience in Washington, I said the chancy I will get a room for you at the Lafayette Hotel, and I will say it 28 which is what I did. Uh, I was having trouble with the car time and went toe several garages. One let me one directly toe garage at the garage at the garage. I had a main rice is on on my car. Therefore, they knew immediately that was a Yankee. And, uh, seeing who? My companion waas. They were making it difficult for me, naturally. And, uh, well, very late in the at night. Must have been close. I mean, that is so I finally back the God and went to M. C A to translate it Lafayette Hotel the next morning. Well, it'll at the worm say, I did find a telegram awaiting me saying that Mandarin it passed away and therefore we drove right back to Washington, D. C. And attended the funeral service is offer. Went out to Alexander Virginia to the cemetery. And while in Washington, I called on Professor Hens Berry of How would you investigate? He invited us, remain with him for a few days, three days to be exact and make contacts on the campus of Allard introduced me to various members of the faculty. I talked with him privately and also and also I've met as Mr Hands, Professor Hansberry's house assistant professor of philosophy, Albert Dunn. I knew I mean Iran lot, but I didn't see him there at the time and uh, assistant Professor Denham was This is into Alan Ladd. I remember talking with him for five hours, discussing the seven valleys on my part and then him talking to me about the various philosophy philosophies he had studied at Harvard. I promised send Dunham a copy of the seven Valleys after I return north, on the condition that he would send me his impressions after reading the book. So we left Abbas Hansberry and friends. Abbas. On the fourth day, we went back again to Richmond. There we called on Professor Mitchell Richmond College Festival. We went, uh, yes, but well, indirectly to the to the dean's office. And he directed us to how we could find Professor Mitchell's office and classroom. When we got to the classroom, the door was open and Professor Mitchell was engaged in discussing the, uh, Mohammed an invasion of southern Europe. Well, not to disturb the class. We waited at the door. I failed to recognize the sign that with the door open, we should have gone in. No, that s when the class ended. The students filed out. They pass right by us. Richmond State College. Which college is a pure white so called entirely white college at that time. Maybe So it is. And they saw Chauncey and I waiting in the garden when out past us. And finally Professor Mitchell himself came out and I introduced myself chancy and told him it was the Gregory had given me his name. You remember this Gregory very well, and he invited us into his office. And there we talked for an hour. He told us he had met Abdu'l-Baha in 1912 at the lake More peace conference in New York state. Remembered very well, very vividly Abdu'l-Baha. And then he said, Why didn't you come into the classroom? You could have taking up where, where I left off, exactly what I've been living off about the invasion of Southern Europe. You could've continued right on from there and told about the Baha'i faith. Well, that was a rebuke, of course. However, Ah, we thank them very much and left him for North Carolina. Next stop was at Enfield, North Carolina. There, at Brick Junior College, we met President. It's a member of this Faculty were invited to address the entire student body and also to the class in Oriental history and a very nice visit