BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL; AMBASSADOR TO HUMANITY
AMBASSADOR TO HUMANITY
After the loss of his father the greatest trouble which befell the
authorized successor was the attempt made independently by
Ṣubḥ-i-Ezel and the half-brother of Abdul Baha, Mirza Muḥammad
'Ali, to produce a schism in the community at Akka. Some little
success was obtained by the latter, who did not shrink from the
manipulation of written documents. Badi-'ullah, another half-brother,
was for a time seduced by these dishonest proceedings, but has since
made a full confession of his error (see _Star of the West_).
It is indeed difficult to imagine how an intimate of the saintly Abdul
Baha can have 'lifted up his foot' against him, the more so as Abdul
Baha would never defend himself, but walked straight forward on the
appointed path. That path must have differed somewhat as the years
advanced. His public addresses prove that through this or that
channel he had imbibed something of humanistic and even scientific
culture; he was a much more complete man than St. Francis of Assisi,
who despised human knowledge. It is true he interpreted any facts
which he gathered in the light of revealed religious truth. But he
distinctly recognized the right of scientific research, and must have
had some one to guide him in the tracks of modern inquiry.
The death of his father must have made a great difference to him In
the disposal of his time. It is to this second period in his life
that Mr. Phelps refers when he makes this statement:
'His general order for the day is prayers and tea at sunrise, and
dictating letters or "tablets," receiving visitors, and giving alms to
the poor until dinner in the middle of the day. After this meal he
takes a half-hour's siesta, spends the afternoon in making visits to
the sick and others whom he has occasion to see about the city, and
the evening in talking to the believers or in expounding, to any who
wish to hear him, the Ḳuran, on which, even among Muslims, he is
reputed to be one of the highest authorities, learned men of that
faith frequently coming from great distances to consult him with
regard to its interpretation.
'He then returns to his house and works until about one o'clock over
his correspondence. This is enormous, and would more than occupy his
entire time, did he read and reply to all his letters personally. As
he finds it impossible to do this, but is nevertheless determined that
they shall all receive careful and impartial attention, he has
recourse to the assistance of his daughter Ruha, upon whose
intelligence and conscientious devotion to the work he can rely.
During the day she reads and makes digests of letters received, which
she submits to him at night.'
In his charities he is absolutely impartial; his love is like the
divine love--it knows no bounds of nation or creed. Most of those who
benefit by his presence are of course Muslims; many true stories are
current among his family and intimate friends respecting them. Thus,
there is the story of the Afghan who for twenty-four years received
the bounty of the good Master, and greeted him with abusive
speeches. In the twenty-fifth year, however, his obstinacy broke.
Many American and English guests have been entertained in the Master's
house. Sometimes even he has devoted a part of his scanty leisure to
instructing them. We must remember, however, that of Bahaism as well
as of true Christianity it may be said that it is not a dogmatic
system, but a life. No one, so far as my observation reaches, has
lived the perfect life like Abdul Baha, and he tells us himself that
he is but the reflexion of Baha-'ullah. We need not, therefore,
trouble ourselves unduly about the opinions of God's heroes; both
father and son in the present case have consistently discouraged
metaphysics and theosophy, except (I presume) for such persons as have
had an innate turn for this subject.
Once more, the love of God and the love of humanity--which Abdul Baha
boldly says is the love of God--is the only thing that greatly
matters. And if he favours either half of humanity in preference to
the other, it is women folk. He has a great repugnance to the
institution of polygamy, and has persistently refused to take a second
wife himself, though he has only daughters. Baha-'ullah, as we have
seen, acted differently; apparently he did not consider that the
Islamic peoples were quite ripe for monogamy. But surely he did not
choose the better part, as the history of Bahaism sufficiently
shows. At any rate, the Centre of the Covenant has now spoken with no
uncertain sound.
As we have seen, the two schismatic enterprises affected the sensitive
nature of the true Centre of the Covenant most painfully; one thinks
of a well-known passage in a Hebrew psalm. But he was more than
compensated by several most encouraging events. The first was the
larger scale on which accessions took place to the body of believers;
from England to the United States, from India to California, in
surprising numbers, streams of enthusiastic adherents poured in. It
was, however, for Russia that the high honour was reserved of the
erection of the first Bahai temple. To this the Russian Government was
entirely favourable, because the Bahais were strictly forbidden by
Baha-'ullah and by Abdul Baha to take part in any revolutionary
enterprises. The temple took some years to build, but was finished at
last, and two Persian workmen deserve the chief praise for willing
self-sacrifice in the building. The example thus set will soon be
followed by our kinsfolk in the United States. A large and beautiful
site on the shores of Lake Michigan has been acquired, and the
construction will speedily be proceeded with.
It is, in fact, the outward sign of a new era. If Baha-'ullah be our
guide, all religions are essentially one and the same, and all human
societies are linked By a covenant of brotherhood. Of this the Bahai
temples--be they few, or be they many--are the symbols. No wonder that
Abdul Baha is encouraged and consoled thereby. And yet I, as a member
of a great world-wide historic church, cannot help feeling that our
(mostly) ancient and beautiful abbeys and cathedrals are finer symbols
of union in God than any which our modern builders can provide. Our
London people, without distinction of sect, find a spiritual home in
St. Paul's Cathedral, though this is no part of our ancient
inheritance.
Another comfort was the creation of a mausoleum (on the site of
Mt. Carmel above Haifa) to receive the sacred relics of the Bāb and
of Baha-'ullah, and in the appointed time also of Abdul Baha.
[Footnote: See the description given by Thornton Chase, _In Galilee_,
pp. 63 f.] This too must be not only a comfort to the Master, but an
attestation for all time of the continuous development of the Modern
Social Religion.
It is this sense of historical continuity in which the Bahais appear
to me somewhat deficient. They seem to want a calendar of saints in
the manner of the Positivist calendar. Bahai teaching will then escape
the danger of being not quite conscious enough of its debt to the
past. For we have to reconcile not only divergent races and
religions, but also antiquity and (if I may use the word) modernity. I
may mention that the beloved Master has deigned to call me by a new
name.[Footnote: 'Spiritual Philosopher.'] He will bear with me if I
venture to interpret that name in a sense favourable to the claims of
history.
The day is not far off when the details of Abdul Baha's missionary
journeys will be admitted to be of historical importance. How gentle
and wise he was, hundreds could testify from personal knowledge, and I
too could perhaps say something--I will only, however, give here the
outward framework of Abdul Baha's life, and of his apostolic journeys,
with the help of my friend Lotfullah. I may say that it is with
deference to this friend that in naming the Bahai leaders I use the
capital H (He, His, Him).
Abdul Baha was born on the same night in which His Holiness the Bāb
declared his mission, on May 23, A.D. 1844. The Master, however, eager
for the glory of the forerunner, wishes that that day (i.e. May
23) be kept sacred for the declaration of His Holiness the Bāb, and
has appointed another day to be kept by Bahais as the Feast of
Appointment of the CENTRE OF THE COVENANT--Nov. 26. It should be
mentioned that the great office and dignity of Centre of the Covenant
was conferred on Abdul Baha Abbas Effendi by His father.
It will be in the memory of most that the Master was retained a
prisoner under the Turkish Government at Akka until Sept. 1908, when
the doors of His prison were opened by the Young Turks. After this He
stayed in Akka and Haifa for some time, and then went to Egypt, where
He sojourned for about two years. He then began His great European
journey. He first visited London. On His way thither He spent some few
weeks in Geneva. [Footnote: Mr. H. Holley has given a classic
description of Abdul Baha, whom he met at Thonon on the shores of Lake
Leman, in his _Modern Social Religion_, Appendix I.] On Monday,
Sept. 3, 1911, He arrived in London; the great city was honoured by a
visit of twenty-six days. During His stay in London He made a visit
one afternoon to Vanners' in Byfleet on Sept. 9, where He spoke to a
number of working women.
He also made a week-end visit to Clifton (Bristol) from Sept. 23,
1911, to Sept. 25.
On Sept. 29, 1911, He started from London and went to Paris and stayed
there for about two months, and from there He went to Alexandria.
His second journey consumed much time, but the fragrance of God
accompanied Him. On March 25, 1912, He embarked from Alexandria for
America. He made a long tour in almost all the more important cities
of the United States and Canada.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, 1912, the Master--Abdul Baha--arrived in
Liverpool from New York. He stayed there for two days. On the
following Monday, Dec. 16, 1912, He arrived in London. There He stayed
till Jan. 21, 1913, when His Holiness went to Paris.
During His stay in London He visited Oxford (where He and His
party--of Persians mainly--were the guests of Professor and Mrs.
Cheyne), Edinburgh, Clifton, and Woking. It is fitting to notice here
that the audience at Oxford, though highly academic, seemed to be
deeply interested, and that Dr. Carpenter made an admirable speech.
On Jan. 6, 1913, Abdul Baha went to Edinburgh, and stayed at
Mrs. Alexander Whyte's. In the course of these three days He
addressed the Theosophical Society, the Esperanto Society, and many of
the students, including representatives of almost all parts of the
East. He also spoke to two or three other large meetings in the bleak
but receptive 'northern Athens.' It is pleasant to add that here, as
elsewhere, many seekers came and had private interviews with Him. It
was a fruitful season, and He then returned to London.
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1912, He paid another visit to Clifton, and in
the evening spoke to a large gathering at 8.30 P.M. at Clifton Guest
House. On the following day He returned to London.
On Friday, Jan. 17, Abdul Baha went to the Muhammadan Mosque at
Woking. There, in the Muhammadan Mosque He spoke to a large audience
of Muhammadans and Christians who gathered there from different parts
of the world.
On Jan. 21, 1913, this glorious time had an end. He started by express
train for Paris from Victoria Station. He stayed at the French capital
till the middle of June, addressing (by the help of His interpreter)
'all sorts and conditions of men.' Once more Paris proved how
thoroughly it deserved the title of 'city of ideas.' During this time
He visited Stuttgart, Budapest, and Vienna. At Budapest He had the
great pleasure of meeting Arminius Vambery, who had become virtually a
strong adherent of the cause.
Will the Master be able to visit India? He has said Himself that some
magnetic personality might draw Him. Will the Brahmaists be pleased to
see Him? At any rate, our beloved Master has the requisite tact. Could
Indians and English be really united except by the help of the Bahais?
The following Tablet (Epistle) was addressed by the Master to the
Bahais in London, who had sent Him a New Year's greeting on March 21,
1914:--
'HE IS GOD!
'O shining Bahais! Your New Year's greeting brought infinite joy and
fragrance, and became the cause of our daily rejoicing and gladness.
'Thanks be to God! that in that city which is often dark because of
cloud, mist, and smoke, such bright candles (as you) are glowing,
whose emanating light is God's guidance, and whose influencing warmth
is as the burning Fire of the Love of God.
'This your social gathering on the Great Feast is like unto a Mother
who will in future beget many Heavenly Feasts. So that all eyes may be
amazed as to what effulgence the true Sun of the East has shed on the
West.
'How It has changed the Occidentals into Orientals, and illumined the
Western Horizon with the Luminary of the East!
'Then, in thanksgiving for this great gift, favour, and grace, rejoice
ye and be exceeding glad, and engage ye in praising and sanctifying
the Lord of Hosts.
'Hearken to the song of the Highest Concourse, and by the melody of
Abha's Kingdom lift ye up the cry of "Ya Baha-'ul-Abha!"
'So that Abdul Baha and all the Eastern Bahais may give themselves to
praise of the Loving Lord, and cry aloud, "Most Pure and Holy is the
Lord, Who has changed the West into the East with lights of Guidance!"
'Upon you all be the Glory of the Most Glorious One!'
Alas! the brightness of the day has been darkened for the Bahai
Brotherhood all over the world. Words fail me for the adequate
expression of my sorrow at the adjournment of the hope of Peace. Yet
the idea has been expressed, and cannot return to the Thinker void of
results. The estrangement of races and religions is only the fruit of
ignorance, and their reconciliation is only a question of
time. _Sursum corda._