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"'Abdu'l-Bahá":

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1829 29 Mar Birth of Áqá Muhammad-i-Qá'iní (Nabíl-i-Akbar), Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Naw-Firist, near Bírjand. He died on the 5th of July 1892 in Bukhara, Russian Turkistan (now Uzbekistan). He was referred to as a Hand of the Cause by 'Abdu'l-Bahá posthumously. [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project; MoFp1] [key] Naw-Firist; Birjand; Iran Nabil-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammed-i-Qaini); Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha
1844 Jul - Aug The intention of the Báb was to introduce the new Revelation slowly so as not to cause estrangement. He instructed the Letters of the Living to spread out and teach His Faith and to this end He assigned each one a special task, most often to their own native provinces. This is analogous to Christ's instructions to His disciples. He instructed them to record the name of every believer who embraced the Faith and to send their lists to His uncle, Hájí Mírzá 'Alí in Shíráz in a sealed envelope. His intention was to classify these lists once received into 18 sets of names with 19 names each (one Vahid meaning "Unity"). A list with the names of 18 Letters of the Living plus His own name would constitute the 19th set making one Kull-i-Shay (meaning "all things" with a value of 361). Thus fourteen Letters of the Living were dispatched; only Mullá Husayn and Quddús remained with Him. [BBRSM14–16, 36; SWB119; BBR2p36; DB92–4, 123; MH82–6; SBBH1:19]
  • To Mullá Husayn He had given the task of delivering a Tablet to Bahá'u'lláh in Tihrán and going to the court of the Sháh to apprise him of the Báb's cause. Mullá Husayn was not able to gain access to the Sháh. [B48–57; BBRSM15 BKG32–3; CH22–3; DB85-87, 96, 97; MH90–2, 102] He was also directed to send Him a written report on the nature and progress of his activities in Isfáhán, Tehran and in Khurásán. Not until He received this letter from Khurásán would He depart on pilgrimage. [DB123]
  • Mullá Husayn carried a Tablet revealed by the Báb for Muhammad Sháh to Tihrán . This was the first of a number of unsuccessful attempts to make him aware of the Revelation. [BBRSM20–1; MH102; SWB13]
  • Note: MH118-119 and DB127-128 indicate that Mullá Husayn had been in Tehran "between the months of Jámádí and Rajab". The first day of Jámádí, 1260 corresponds to 18 June, and the last day of Rajab to 15 August, 1844.
  • See RB2:303, `The Báb … sent Tablets to only two monarchs of His day — Muhammad Sháh of Persia and Sultán `Abdu'l-Majíd of Turkey.'
  • From Shiraz Mullá Husayn journeyed north to Isfahán where his message was rejected by the 'ulamás. Mullá Ja'far, the sifter of wheat, was the first and only one to embrace the Cause of the Báb in that city. There was however, a disciple of Siyyid Kazim, Mírzá Muhammad-'Alíy-i-Nahrí, who had been instructed to go to Isfahan some five years earlier to prepare the way for the advent of the new Revelation, who was receptive to the message of Mulla Husayn. He was instructed to go to Kirmán and acquaint Hájí Mírzá Karím Khán with the Message and then to travel to Shiraz. (This man's daughter was subsequently joined in wedlock with 'Abdu'l-Bahá.)[DB100]
  • Mullá Husayn then traveled to Káshán, about 130 miles from Isfahán. He had great success in that city but news of his conversion brought the wrath of the official clergy down upon him. [DB101note1; DB123-125]
  • He then went to Qum, another 100 miles from Káshán where he met with no success. After Qum he went to Tihrán. [MH98–101, DB101]
  • In Tihrán he took residence in a madrisih and first met with the leader of the shaykhí community, Hájí Mírzá Muhammad, but he failed to win him over. He did, however, manage to convince a number of souls in private conversations. [DB103note1] This same reference seems to indicate that his well-wishers assisted in delivering the Tablet to Muhammad Sháh and his minister, Hájí Mírzá Àqásí but they did not receive it. " the book was not submitted to thy presence, through the intervention of such as regard themselves the well-wishers of the government." [Selections from the Writings of the Báb page 13]
  • See Bab53–6; DB104–7, MH104–110 for the delivery of the Báb's Tablet to Bahá'u'lláh by the young student, Mullá Huhammad-i-Mu'allim, a native of Núr. Mullá Husayn did not meet Bahá'u'lláh on this occasion.
  • On receiving the Tablet of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh accepted His Cause and asked that a gift of a loaf of Russian sugar and a package of tea be given to Mulla Husayn for delivery to the Báb. [DB106-107] See DB123-125 for his activities in Khán.
  • Mullá Husayn left for Khurásán, as he had been instructed, winning supporters for the Báb's Cause while there he wrote to the Báb regarding these new believers and Bahá'u'lláh's immediate response to the Báb's Revelation. [Bab56, DB128–9, MH118]
  • After Khurásán he travelled to Najaf and Karbilá where he was to wait for further instructions from the Báb. [DB86]
  • See MH121–2 for a discussion of the speed of Mullá Husayn's journey before the letter was dispatched to the Báb. It assumes that Mullá Husayn departed after the Báb met with all the Letters of the Living (date not before 2 July, 1844.) In fact both Mullá Husayn and Mullá 'Alíy-Bastámí had been dispatched before this meeting. [DB85-86, 92, HotD46] [key]
  • Kashan; Shiraz; Isfahan; Tihran; Mazandaran; Khurasan; Qum; Iran; Turkey Bab, Life of; Bab, Writings of; Bab, Speech to the Letters of the Living; Letters of the Living; Mulla Husayn; Bahaullah, Life of; Tablet to Bahaullah; Shahs; Mulla Jafar (sifter of wheat); Muhammad Shah; Sultan Abdul-Majid; First believers; Letters of the Living; Bab, Basic timeline; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Kull-i-Shay First to embrace the Cause of the Báb in the city of Isfahán; first of a number of unsuccessful attempts to enlist aid of Muhammad Sháh
    1846 Sep - Oct On His approach to Isfahan the Báb wrote to Manúchihr Khán, the governor-general of Isfahán, and asked him where He should take shelter. The governor requested that Siyyid Muhammad, the Imám-Jum`ih of Isfahán, accommodate Him. During His stay of 40 days the Báb impressed His host as well as many of the clerics. [Bab109–10, 13; DB199–202, 208]
  • See Bab108–9 for information on Manúchihr Khán.
  • It was during His six-month stay in Isfahán that the Báb took a second wife, Fátimih, the sister of a Bábí from that city. She was the sister of Mulla Rajab-`Alí Isfahání. [RB1:249]
    • She became the 6th wife of Mírzá Yahyá in 1854 - 1856. He married her in Baghdad during Bahá'u'lláh's absence in Sulaymaniyah, and divorced her about a month later, giving her in marriage to Sayyid Muhammad Isfahani. [The Cyprus Exiles by Moojan Momen]
    iiiii
  • See Light of the World: Selected Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Section 28 para 6 for information on this and additional marriages of Mírzá Yahyá while in Baghdad.
  • Isfahan; Iran Bab, Life of; Manuchihr Khan; Governor-generals; Siyyid Muhammad (Imam-Jumih); Fatimih; Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal)
    1847 c. 1 – 17 Apr One night the Báb disappeared and was found the next morning on the road coming from the direction of Tihrán. A look of confidence had settled on Him and His words have a new power. [B120–1; DB228–9]
  • Had He and Bahá'u'lláh met secretly? See SLH51 para96.
  • Also see Indications in the Writings and Historical Records Relative to the Question Whether Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb Met from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. Also published in ‘Andalib Magazine, vol. V, no. 17, pp. 20-21.
  • See DB461 where it is recorded that Bahá'u'lláh told the leading mullá in Amul that He had never met the Báb face-to-face.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá stated that They did not meet. [Bahá'í Org website] [key]
  • Tihran; Iran; Amul; Iran Bab, Life of
    1848 Oct - May 1849 The siege of the Shrine of Shaykh Tabarsí
  • See BBD217, BW18:381, DB345–413 and MH221–85 for chronicle of events.
  • The episode lasted seven months. [BBRSM26; BW18:381]
  • See BBRSM26 for the Bábís' intentions.
  • See DB343–5 for pictures and DB348, MH217–18 for sketches.
  • See MH212 for a diagram of the fortifications.
  • Bahá'u'lláh visited the fortress and approved the fortifications. [BKG51, DB347–9; MH227] See note below.
  • He advised Mullá Husayn to seek the release of Quddús. Mullá Husayn set out immediately and secured the release of Quddús, who had been in detention for 95 days. [Bab173; BKG51; DB349–50; MH227]
  • Quddús arrived towards the end of the year. Some sources say October 20. [Bab173]
  • See DB352–4 for the entry of Quddús into Shaykh Tabarsí. His arrival brought the number of Bábís in the shrine to 313. [DB354]
    • During the siege Quddús composed an extensive commentary on the word "samad" (lit. eternal), which appears in Qur’an 112:2: ‘In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Say: He is God alone; God the eternal! He begetteth not, and He is not begotten; And there is none like unto Him.’ [‘Abdu’l-Baha’s First Thousand-Verse Tablet: History and Provisional Translation by Ahang Rabbani and Khazeh Fananapazir p120]
  • Note: BBRSM26 and MH233–4 say that the number of defendants rose to 500–600 individuals.
    • 37 per cent of the identified participants were of the `ulamá class. [BBRSM50]
  • The siege began with the arrival of `Abdu'lláh Khán's forces on 19 December.
  • it is said that 2,000 soldiers were involved in the siege.
  • See PG116-117 where 'Abdu'l-Bahá recounts the story of the heroism of the defenders of Shaykh Tabarsí.

    Note: Moojan Momen in Two Episodes from the Life of Bahá'u'lláh in Iran (first published in Lights of Irfan, 20, pages 139-160) suggests that Bahá’u’lláh’s itinerary was: "Badasht, Núr, Tehran (where He met with Hujjat); He then set out for Jaz (with Mírzá Masíh Núrí and Mirza Majíd Áhí); in Jaz, Mírzá Masíh Núrí died and Muhammad Sháh’s decree arrived, then Bahá’u’lláh’ set out for Núr, visiting the Bábís at Shaykh Tabarsí on the way. There would just about have been enough time for this sequence of events to occur but it seems contrary to Bahá’u’lláh’s statement that He came to Jaz from Shahrúd (i.e. Badasht), unless we assume two visits to Jaz (one on the way from Badasht and then one coming from Tehran with Mírzá Masíh)."

  • Shaykh Tabarsi, Iran Shaykh Tabarsi; Bahaullah, Life of; Mulla Husayn; Quddus; Letters of the Living; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1852 (In the year) It was sometime when 'Abdu'l-Bahá was seven years old that he contracted tuberculosis and all indications were that there was no hope of recovery. He recounted while in Paris that He was rarely sick and that if He fell sick there was a purpose. Tehran Abdul-Baha, life of; tuberculosis
    1852 16 – 27 Aug The martyrdom of Táhirih (Qurratu'l-'Ayn) in Tihrán. [BBR172–3; BBRSM:30; BW18:382; BKG87; MF203]
  • She was martyred in the Ílkhání garden, strangled with her own silk handkerchief which she had provided for the purpose. Her body was lowered into a well which was then filled with stones. [BBD220; DB622–8; GPB75]
  • See GPB73–5 for a history of her life.
  • See the story of her martyrdom and her life in the article in Radio France International.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said:

      She went to that garden with consummate dignity and composure. Everyone said that they were going to kill her, but she continued to cry out just as she had before, declaring, “I am that trumpet-call mentioned in the Gospel!” It was in this state that she was martyred in that garden and cast into a well. [Talk by Abdu’l-Baha Given in Budapest to the Turanian Society on 14 April 1913 (Provisional)
    iiiii
  • Tihran; Iran Tahirih; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution; Women; Gender; Equality; Letters of the Living; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1853 It was during the Baghdad period that 'Abdu'l-Bahá became conscious to the station of His Father.

    "The Bab states that the first one to believe in a Manifestation of God is the essence of the achievement of the preceding dispensation; and so, 'Abdu'l-Baha, the first to believe with His whole being in the Mission of His Father, was the most eminent representative of the virtues called forth by the Bab." [AB13]

  • See a letter from the Universal Housed of Justice dated 20 June 1991 para 7 where "the first person to recognize Bahá'u'lláh as a Manifestation of God" is discussed.
  • Baghdad; Iraq Abdul-Baha, life of
    1860 (In the year) Birth of Shaykh Muhammad-‘Alíy-i-Qá'iní, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, in Naw Firist, near Bírjand. [EB273]
  • He was a nephew of Nabil-i-Akbar. He traveled to India and later to Haifa . He was sent to Ishqábád by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to take care of the education of children. Along with other believers he helped to complete the unfinished writings of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. [Wikipedia] [key]
  • Naw-Firist; Birjand; Iran Shaykh Muhammad-Aliy-i-Qaini; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Mirza Abul-Fadl
    1861 -1862 Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Kitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude), ‘a comprehensive exposition of the nature and purpose of religion'. In the early days this Tablet was referred to as the Risáliy-i-Khál (Epistle of the Uncle). [BBD134, 162; BKG159; BBD134; BBRSM64–5; GPB138–9; RB1:158]
  • The Tablet was revealed in answer to four questions put to Bahá'u'lláh by Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad, a maternal uncle and caregiver of the Báb (the Greater Uncle, the eldest of the three brothers). He had been persuaded by a devout Bábí, Aqá Mírzá Núru'd-Dín, to make a pilgrimage to the holy Shrines of the Imáms in Iraq and where he could put these questions to Bahá'u'lláh as well as visit his sister, the mother of the Báb, who was not yet herself a Bábí. [BBD134, 162; BKG163–5; RB1:158]
  • It was revealed in the course of two days and two nights in early January. [BBS107; BBD 134; BKG165; GPB238; RB1:158]
  • The original manuscript, in the handwriting of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, is in the Bahá'í International Archives. See Reflections p149 for the story of the receipt of the original tablet, written in the hand of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Shoghi Effendi in the Holy Land. [BKG165; RB1:159]
  • It was probably the first of Bahá'u'lláh's writings to appear in print. [BKG165; EB121]
  • For a discussion of the circumstances of its revelation, its content and major themes see RB1:153–97.
  • BEL1.77 gives the year of Revelation as 1862.
  • Baghdad; Iraq; Tihran; Iran Bahaullah, Writings of; Bahaullah, Life of; Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude); Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad; Bab, Family of; Bab, Uncles of; Uncles; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Interfaith dialogue; Islam; Quran; Christianity; Bible; Prophecies First (probably) of Bahá'u'lláh's writings to appear in print
    1863 22 Apr Thirty–one days after Naw-Rúz, which in this year fell on 22 March, Bahá'u'lláh left His house for the last time and walked to the Najíbíyyih Garden, afterward known as the Garden of Ridván (Paradise). This garden was on an island in the Tigris River and belonged to the governor of Baghdad, Najib Pásha. The river has since changed its course and the island is now a park on the north bank of the Tigris. [C3MT15]
  • See BKG168, GPB149, RB1:260–1 and SA234–5 for details of His walk.
  • For the first time, He wore a tall táj as a symbol of His station. [BBD221; BKG176; GPB152]
  • Bahá'u'lláh entered the Garden just as the call to afternoon prayer was being made. [GPB149; RB1:261]
  • On this day Bahá'u'lláh declared His mission to a few of His disciples. [RB1:260, 262]
  • On the afternoon of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival at the Garden He revealed the Lawh-i-Ayyúb (Tablet of Job) (also known as the Súriy-i-Sabr (Súrat of Patience), Madínatu's-Sabr (City of Patience) and Súrat Ayyúb for Hájí Muhammad-i-Taqíy-i-Nayrízí whom He surnamed Ayyúb (Job). He was a veteran of the battle of Nayríz. The Tablet praised Vahíd and the believers of Nayríz. [SA239; Tablet of Patience (Surih Íabr): Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh and Selected Topics by Foad Seddigh]
  • He also revealed the Tablet of Ridván, an Arabic tablet beginning with "He is seated upon this luminous throne.... [SA239]
  • ...and Húr-i-'Ujáb (The Wondrous Maiden). [SA239]
  • ...as well as Qad atá Rabí'u'l-Bayán, ...The Divine Springtime is come.... [SA240]
  • and an Arabic Tablet that begins...When the gladness of God seized all else. [SA240]
  • ‘Of the exact circumstances … we, alas, are but scantily informed.' [BKG173; GPB153]
  • For such details as are known, see BKG173–5 and GPB153. iiiii
  • For the import of the event, see BKG169–73; G27–35; GBP153–5.
  • This initiated the holy day of the First Day of Ridván, to be celebrated on 21 April. [BBD196]
  • This marked the end of the dispensation of the Báb and of the first epoch of the Heroic or Apostolic Age of the Bahá'í dispensation. [BBD72, 79]
  • On the same day Bahá'u'lláh made three important statements to His followers:
    1. He forbade the use of the sword.
    2. He stated that no other Manifestations will appear before one thousand years. This was later reiterated in the Kitáb-i-Badí‘ and in The Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
    3. He stated that, as from that moment, all the names and attributes of God were manifested within all created things, implying the advent of a new Day. [RB1:278–80]

    During the 12 days in the Ridván Garden Bahá'u'lláh confided to ‘Abdu'l-Bahá that He was ‘Him Whom God shall make manifest'. [CH82]

  • See CH82–3 for the effect of this announcement on ‘Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Baghdad; Iraq Bahaullah, Writings of; Ridvan; Naw-Ruz; Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Declaration of; Ridvan garden; Najibiyyih Garden; Ages and Epochs; Heroic Age; Lawh-i-Ayyub; Haji Muhammad-i-Taqiy-i-Nayrizi; Abdul-Baha, Life of; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Firsts, Other; Taj; Holy days First time Bahá'u'lláh wears tall táj as symbol of His station; First Day of Ridván; first epoch of Heroic or Apostolic Age
    1863 16 Aug Bahá'u'lláh and His party arrived at Constantinople at noon. He was received with great honour by a government official appointed At that time it was a city of about 100,000 inhabitants. [BKG197; GPB157; RB2:1]
  • Picture.
  • The band of exiles had been augmented along the journey and now numbered about 70. At first the Governor allotted them space in an inn that was inadequate for their numbers and then 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked the governor that the family have a house apart. Mírzá Yáhyá and his family were invited to share the house. [CH59]
  • See The Bahá'í Faith in Turkey or Essays and Notes on Babi and Bahá'í History Chapter 4 by John Walbridge.
  • Istanbul (Constantinople); Turkey Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Banishment of; Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal) first time a Manifestation of God had set foot on the European continent.
    1864 (or early in the sojourn in Edirne) ‘Abdu'l-Bahá wrote the Sharh-i Kuntu Kanzan Makhfiyan, the commentary on the well-known Islamic tradition ‘I was a Hidden Treasure …' for ‘Alí Shawkat Páshá.
  • See Commentary on the Islamic Tradition "I Was a Hidden Treasure..." by Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Moojan Momen. In the article, he refers to another provisional translation done by Baharieh Ma'ani in collaboration with Hooper Dunbar.
  • See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Response to the Doctrine of the Unity of Existence by Keven Brown Fourth Section.
  • See as well BNE52. Here, 'Abdu'l-Bahá is described as "about fifteen or sixteen years of age".
  • Mention of this Tablet is made in Messages to Canada, p34-35, where, in a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, it is stated that the Tablet is about 50 pages in length and had been published in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's second volume of His Tablets published in Egypt.
  • A Tablet of Baháʼuʼlláh, recently discovered by Necati Alkan and available in provisional translation by Adib Masumian, indicates that it was written during the sojourn in Edirne. The original text has been published in Safíniy-i-ʻIrfán, vol. 6, p. 10 (2003). In the Tablet Bahá'u'lláh says that Ali (Şevket/Shawkat) Pasha requested 'Abdu'l-Bahá to write His commentary "during the days of stopover/residence in the Land of Mystery" (dar ayyám-i tavaqquf dar Ard-i Sirr).

    And now concerning the extensive commentary on the Islamic tradition which begins, “I was a hidden treasure…” During the days of Our sojourn in the Land of Mystery, ʻAlí Páshá had asked the Most Mighty Branch of God—may My life be a sacrifice for the ground which His most pure footsteps have trodden—to provide a commentary on this hadith. This He did in accordance with the exigencies of the time, and His purpose was that all may benefit from it…

    As per a 1995 article prepared for The Bahá'í Encyclopedia, it was previously believed that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was 17 years old at the time of writing, if so, this would have dated the Tablet at about 1861. Given that this new evidence proves that it was written in Edirne, He would have been 19 years old but more probably in his early twenties. [Thanks to Necati Alkan for providing this correction and to Adib Masumian for doing the translation at his request.] iiiii

  • Edirne (Adrianople); Turkey Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Sharh-i Kuntu Kanzan Makhfiyan (Commentary on the tradition of the Hidden Treasure); Commentaries; Hadith; Islam; Hidden Treasure (Hadith); Philosophy; Ali Shawkat Pasha; Bahaullah, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Necati Alkan; Adib Masumian
    1868 Aug One morning without warning Bahá'u'lláh's house was surrounded by soldiers. The inhabitants were rounded up and taken to government headquarters. They were told to make ready for their departure for Gallipoli. [BKG255; GPB179; RB2:403]
  • The party was given three days to prepare for the journey. It it had been rumoured that they were to be separated, Bahá'u'lláh to one place, 'Abdu'l-Bahá to another and the friends to still another place. [CH62]
  • One of the companions, Karilá'í Ja'far was so grieved by the threatened separation that he attempted to kill himself. He was prevented from do so but was too ill to travel. Bahá'u'lláh refused to leave until the Governor in Adrianople made a promise to care for him until he was well enough to travel. He joined the friends in 'Akká forty days after their arrival. [CH62, RoB1p97-98]
  • The Consuls of European powers offered assistance to Bahá'u'lláh and were prepared to ask the intervention of their governments. Bahá'u'lláh refused these offers. [BKG255, 257–8]
  • Western accounts of this incident suggest that Bahá`u`lláh asked for such assistance. [BBR187–91]
  • The next day the goods of the Bahá'ís were sold or auctioned for very low prices. [BKG255, 258]
  • Group and individual photographs were taken of the Bahá'í and Azalí exiles in Adrianople, including one of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • Edirne (Adrianople); Turkey Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Banishment of; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1868 22 Aug Soon after sunrise the ship arrived at Smyrna. [BKG264]
  • It stays for two days and left at night. [BKG264; GPB182; N&N22]
  • The illness of Mírzá Áqáy-i-Káshání (Jináb-i-Muníb) necessitated his removal to the hospital. He died before 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Mírzá Musá could return to the ship. 'Abdu'l-Bahá maked arrangements with the local funeral director. They held a simple funeral and burial took place in Izmír. [CH65, BKG264–5; GPB182]
  • This young and vibrant man had arrived in Baghdad before the exile and travelled with the party holding the bridle of the horse of Bahá'u'lláh the whole route, often with 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the other side. When the party reached Constantinople he was instructed to go on teaching trip to Persia and to Iraq, a long and an arduous tour. He rejoined the group in Adrianople just prior to the exile and he was in precarious condition but begged Bahá'u'lláh for permission to be included. It is reported in FAA21 that he died two or three days after the departure of the ship.
  • Izmir (Smyrna); Turkey Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Banishment of; Mirza Aqay-i-Kashani
    1868 31 Aug The ship arrived in Haifa in the early morning. [BKG269; GPB182; RB3:11]
  • Bahá'u'lláh and His companions — 70 in all — disembarked and were taken ashore in sailing boats. [RB3:11]
  • One of the Bahá'ís, Áqá `Abdu'l-Ghaffár, one of the four companions of Bahá'u'lláh condemned to share the exile of Mírzá Yahyá, threw himself into the sea when he learned he was to be separated from Bahá'u'lláh. [BKG269; GPB182]
  • A few hours later Bahá'u'lláh's party was put aboard a sailing vessel and taken to `Akká. [RB3:12]
  • Mírzá Yahyá and the four Bahá'ís arrested at Constantinople, including Mishkín-Qalam, were sent on to Famagusta in Cyprus. [BKG268; GPB179]
  • See also The Cyprus Exiles by Moojan Momen.
  • See photo of the sea gate by which the exiles entered the citadel.
  • See CH66 for Bahíyyih Khánum's account of the journey.
  • The exiles landed in `Akká and began a confinement in the citadel that was to last two years, two months and five days. [CH67, BBR205; BKG169; DH12; RB3:11]
  • Photo of the citadel.
  • See BKG277–9 for a list of the exiles. Two others joined them immediately after arrival. [BBR205]
  • See BR205–6 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's account of the journey of exile.
  • See RB32:2 and RB3:21 for prophecies regarding Bahá'u'lláh's exile to `Akká.
  • See DH17–24 for a history of `Akká before the arrival of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • See DH26–8 and GPB186–7 for a description of the exiles' walk to the prison.
  • See GPB186–7 for Bahá'u'lláh's description of the citadel and the conditions there on His arrival.
  • See BKG275–7 for Áqá Ridá's description of the citadel and the conditions there.
  • See DH30–1 for a description of the citadel building and the accommodation used by Bahá'u'lláh.
  • The first night the exiles were refused both food and drink. [GPB187]
  • Afterwards each prisoner was allocated three loaves of stale black bread as a daily food ration plus filthy water. [GBP187]
  • Within two days all fell ill with typhoid but for two, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and another man who was able to help Him nurse and care for the others. [CH234]
  • Three of the exiles died soon after arrival. Soon after their death, Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Lawh-i-Ra'ís, the second Tablet to `Alí Páshá. [BKG283; GPB187; RB3:20, 34]
  • See BKG317–21 and CH250–1 for the story of the Azalís who were confined to `Akká with the exiles.
  • See BBRSM69–70 for details on the system of communications used between the Holy Land and the Bahá'í communities.
  • At first the Governor was disinclined to relax the strict rules of the exiles but eventually allowed Mírzá Ja'far to go into town, accompanied by a soldier, to purchase food. 'Abdu'l-Bahá had sent Mírzá 'Abdu'l-Ahad ahead sometime before with instructions to open a shop. It was six months before the exiles could make contact with him. During this time a Greek, Dr. Petro, became a friend and, after having made investigations, assured the Governor that the exiles were not criminals. [CH67]
  • The King of Martyrs and his brother The Beloved of Martyrs were the first to make contact with the exiles by telegraph. They were able to provide much need assistance. [CH67]
  • After the restrictions had been relaxed somewhat Shaykh Salmán was able to function as a courier carrying Tablets and letters to and from Persia. When he was arrested in Aleppo, carrying a most important supplication from a friend in Persia to Bahá'u'lláh, he swallowed the letter to avoid detection. [CH67-68] [key]
  • Haifa; Famagusta; Akka; Israel; Cyprus Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Banishment of; Mishkin-Qalam; Aqa Abdul-Ghaffar; Mirza Jafar; Citadel; Prophecies; Cyprus exiles; Exile; Firsts, Other; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre First night in citadel in `Akká
    1869 17 Nov The Suez Canal was opened to navigation. At this time the canal was164km (102 miles) long and 8 metres (26 feet) deep, 72 feet wide at the bottom, and 200 to 300 feet wide at the surface. Consequently, fewer than 500 ships navigated it in its first full year of operation. Major improvements began in 1876 and by 1887 night navigation was allowed, a measure that doubled its capacity.
  • In the 1950s the waterway was substantially expanded, deepened and lengthened to accommodate the demands of shipping companies. By 1956 when Egyptian President Nasser nationalised it, the canal was 175km (109 miles long and 14 metres (46 feet) deep and could take takers with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes and a draft of up to 10.7 metres (35 feet)
  • A major expansion in 2015 increased the length to 193km (120 miles) and its depth to 24 metres (79 feet). Ships as large as 240,000 tonnes with a draft of 10 metres (66 feet) could be accommodated. Throughput was increased to 50 ships daily.
  • See 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt pg96 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's "The Spiritual Lesson Drawn from the Material Progress of Port Said and the Suez Canal".
  • Port Said; Egypt Suez Canal; Unity; Teaching
    1870 Oct Bahá'u'lláh was moved to the house of Malik in the Fákhúrah quarter, in the western part of `Akká. [BBRXXIX, 209; BKG315; GPB189; RB3:221]
  • Bahá'u'lláh's occupation of this house lasted three months. BBR209–10; BKG315; GPB189]
  • This occurred approximately four months after the death of the Purest Branch. [BKG315; GPB189; RB3:221]
  • The movement of troops required the use of the barracks and the prisoners were shifted to alternative accommodations. 'Abdu'l-Bahá rented an inn and had it renovated so that it was habitable. [BKG315; RB3:221; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p78]
  • See PG121 where 'Abdu'l-Bahá describes the first seven years of confinement in 'Akká.
  • Akka Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Houses of; House of Malik
    1872 Oct The Reverend James Huber, a missionary from the Church Missionary Society of Germany stationed in Nazareth, in the company of Georg David Hardegg of the Templer settlement in Haifa, tried to pay a visit to Bahá'u'lláh in 'Akká. They were unable to do so due to the fact that He was under police guard at the time. The two men were, however, received by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SBBH1p218] [key] Akka James Huber; Georg David Hardegg; Templer Colony
    1873 or 1874 Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom) was written by Bahá’u’lláh in 'Akká and addressed to Mulla Muhammad-'Alí (Nabíl-i-Qa'iní), a former mujtahid in the Ithna 'Ashari sect of Shi'i Islam and a distinguished Bahá’í scholar and teacher. In this Tablet, Bahá’u’lláh elaborated His teachings on many themes, including the origins and development of "hikmat-i-iláhí” (divine philosophy), discussing a number of philosophers, including the Father of Philosophy (Idris/Hermes), Balinus (Apollonius of Tyana), Empedocles, Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Pliny. As well He explained the influence of the Word of God and the cause and origin of creation and of nature.
  • Ethel Rosenberg questioned 'Abdu'l-Bahá about the fact that Bahá'u'lláh's account of the Greek philosophers differed from historical documents. He answered in a lengthy letter which was translated into Persian and given wide distribution. It became known as the Rosenberg Tablet. [EJR78-81; A Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Explaining Three Verses in the Lawh-i-Hikmat by Abdu'l-Bahá translated by the Bahá'í World Centre.]
  • A copy of the Tablet of Wisdom with numbered paragraphs is available here.
  • See Rizal, Revelation and Revolution: Rizal's Letter to the Women of Malolos and Baha'u'llah's letter to Nabil Akbar Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom) by Stephen Ramo.
  • Akka Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom); Philosophy; Tablets of Bahaullah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas; Bahaullah, Writings of; Ethel Rosenberg
    1878 to 1881 The law of the Huqúqu'lláh was put into practice because the work of teaching the Cause began to expand in Persia and in neighbouring countries and there was a need for funds but Bahá'u'lláh put restrictions on its collection. [ESW56]
  • The first Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Hájí Sháh-Muhammad-i-Manshádí, or Jináb-i-Sháh Muhammad from Manshád, Yazd who had become a believer in Baghdad. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
  • His title was Amínu'l-Bayán (Trustee of the Bayán).
  • He made many journeys between Iran and the Holy Land carrying donations and petitions from the friends and returning with Tablets and news.
  • See SABF47-48 for the story of the lost coin given as a donation by a very poor woman.
  • He was tasked with receiving the casket of the Báb after the location had been discovered by a number of believers. He transferred it to the Mosque of Imámzádih Zayd in Tehran where it was buried beneath the floor of the inner sanctuary of the shrine. It was consequently discovered and moved to a series of private homes in Tehran until 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent for it for the internment. [ISC-1963p32]
  • Hájí Sháh-Muhammad was in 'Akká when Áqá Buzurg, entitled Badí', came to confer with Bahá'u'lláh. He and Badí met on Mount Carmel as directed by Bahá'u'lláh.
  • He was killed as a result of wounds incurred during an attack during a Kurdish revolt. [RoB3p73] [key]
  • Iran; Yazd; Baghdad; Tihran Huququllah; Huququllah, Trustees of; Haji Shah-Muhammad-i-Manshadi (Aminul-Bayan); Bab, Remains of; Mosques; Firsts, Other The First Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh
    1878 (In the year) Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí arrived in Burma with Jamál Effendi.
  • He married into a well-to-do Indo-Burman family of traders and settled in Rangoon, remaining in Burma to build up the Burmese community. [BW10:517; PH23]
  • See BW10:517–18 and MC155 for his conversion of Daidanaw, the first all-Bahá'í village in the world outside Iran.
  • See BW10:517–20 for an account of his life.
  • See RoB4p181-182.
  • He was named a Hand of the Cause of God by the Guardian after his passing. In the village of Daidanaw, Burma (Rangoon) there is a building they call "the Shrine of Siyyid Mustafa Rumí" in his honour. [CBN253Aug-Sep1971p5]
  • Mustafá Rúmí and Daidanaw are mentioned in the film Exemplar (18:50-20:20). 'Abdu'l-Bahá called Daidanaw "My village".
  • See Jamal Effendi and Sayyid Mustafa Rumi in Celebes: The Context of Early Bahá'í Missionary Activity in Indonesia by Jelle de Vries.
  • Daidanaw; Myanmar (Burma) Siyyid Mustafa Rumi; Jamal Effendi; Hands of the Cause; Firsts, Other; Exemplar (film) First all-Bahá'í village outside Iran
    1879 Sep Bahá'u'lláh moved to the empty mansion at Bahjí after two years' residence at Mazra`ih. [BBD42; BKG362]

    Note: The date of Bahá’u’lláh’s first arrival at the Mansion of Bahji is given as September 1879 in Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory, p. 362. However, in a Tablet dated 11 Rabí`u’l-Avval 1298 A.H. [11 February 1881], Bahá’u’lláh tells Núri’d- Dín that it had been only a month since He arrived at the Mansion; see Núri’d- Dín’s Collection, p. 43. [Memories of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and `Abdu’l-Bahá by Mírzá Habíbu’lláh Afnán p32]

  • Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí, Mírzá Badí'u'lláh, Zia'u'llah (Mírzá Díyá'u'lláh) and their mother Mahd-i-'Ulyá along with Gawhar and her daughter, Furúghíyyih Khánum, stayed at Bahji with Bahá'u'lláh. 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His mother, Khadíjih Khánum, and His sister, Bahíyyih Khánum as well as and His own family continued to live in 'Akká.
  • See BBD42 and GPB216 for a list of Tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh during His occupation of the mansion of Bahjí.
  • Mazraih; Bahji House of Bahaullah (Bahji); Bahaullah, Houses of; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre
    1881 to 1928 The second Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Hájí Abu'l-Hasan-i-Ardikání, entitled Amín-i-Iláhí (Trusted of God). He had been a companion of Jináb-i-Sháh until his death in 1881 in a fatal attack. Hájí Sháh-Muhammad and Hájí Abu'l-Hasan had been the first believers to succeed in entering the city of 'Akká and attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh in the public bath in the early days of His confinement in the Most Great Prison. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
  • He travelled to Paris to obtain the presence of 'Abu'l-Bahá. By 1906 he had made 19 pilgrimages to the Holy Land. [AY225]
  • Shoghi Effendi named him a Hand of the Cause of God posthumously (July, 1928) and was he was also named one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. In appreciation of Hájí Amín's services, 'Abdu'l-Bahá named one of the doors of the Shrine of the Báb after him.
  • Upon his death Shoghi Effendi appointed Hájí Ghulám-Ridá (entitled Amín-i-Amín), who for several years had been Hájí Amín's assistant, to succeed him as Trustee of the Huqúq'u'lláh. [RoB3p74-86]
  • See Amin, Haji Abu'l-Hasan by Moojan Momen.
  • Akka; BWC Huququllah; Huququllah, Trustees of; Haji Abul-Hasan-i-Ardikani (Amin-i-Ilahi); Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Apostles of Bahaullah; Haji Shah-Muhammad-i-Manshadi (Aminul-Bayan); Haji Ghulam-Rida (Amin-i-Amin); Public baths
    1887 – 1888 E. G. Browne, the noted Orientalist, spent 12 months in Persia. An important purpose of his journey was to contact the Bábís. [BBR29]
  • For a list of his books and other works and his relationship with the Bahá'í Faith see BBR29–36.
  • Also see BBD47; Balyuzi, Edward Granville Browne and the Bahá'í Faith and Momen, Selections From the Writings of E. G. Browne.
  • While sailing from Naples to New York 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave an account of Mírzá Yahyá and his followers and of the complaints they made to Edward G. Browne: "They tampered with the contents of the history of Hájí Mírzá Jání by removing some of its passages and inserting others. They sent it to the libraries of London and Paris and through such falsehood induced him [Browne] to translate and publish the document. In order to achieve his own selfish desires, he had it printed." [Mahmúd's Diary p21] [key]
  • Iran; United Kingdom Edward Granville Browne; Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Covenant-breakers; Haji Mirza Jani
    1890 Mar Násiri'd-Dín Sháh entered into contract of 50 years duration with British interests that would provide him with an annual payment plus 25% of the profits for the production and sale of tobacco. Prior to this, in the 1870s and 1880s the country's telegraph and mail systems, its fisheries, and many of its mines were sold to Western, mostly British, interests.
  • Opposition, fomented by Britain's rival Russia, came from merchants and shopkeepers who anticipated higher prices and feared being marginalized if the tobacco trade were to pass into the hands of foreigners. Many of the ulama supported the resistance, in part from fear of foreign influence and some because they owned land, either privately of on religious property, that grew tobacco. Articulated as a struggle in defense of Islam against foreign intrusion, the movement quickly became a popular one. At that time about one third of the population of 8 million used tobacco.
  • The movement first flared up in Shiraz, the centre of Iran's main tobacco-growing region and then Tabriz in the north of the country that was under heavy Russian influence. Isfahan and Mashhad soon followed in popular clergy-led agitation. The protest movement culminated when the ulama declared tobacco itself unclean and smoking religiously impermissible. Ordinary Iranians, frustrated at the mismanagement and misery prevalent in the country, massively heeded the call. People throughout the country gave up smoking.
  • In January 1892 the Shah rescinded the concession and was forced to compensate the tobacco company for its losses. The Qajar government had to take out a £500,000 loan to cover the cost.
  • The Tobacco Revolt is considered a landmark event in Iran's modern history. It is often seen as the first episode in which common people showed an awareness of a collective identity and were successful in mobilizing disparate groups around a common cause. [Encyclopedia] [Wikipedia]
  • See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's comments on the insurrection that saw the clergy's involvement in the affairs of state in His Treatise on Politics.
  • Iran Tobacco Revolt; Nasirid-Din Shah; Iran, General history; History (General); Smoking; Risaliy-i-Siyasiyyih (Treatise on Leadership)
    1890 15–20 Apr E. G. Browne was granted four successive interviews with Bahá'u'lláh at Bahjí. [BBD43; BBR225; BKG371; GPB193]
  • See BBR225–32 for Browne's own account of the visit.
  • See BBR229–31, BKG371–3 and DH110 for Browne's pen portrait of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave Browne the manuscript of A Traveller's Narrative: the Episode of the Báb in the handwriting of Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín for him to translate. [EGB54, BW11p510]
  • BFA1:445; Balyuzi, Edward Granville Browne and The Bahá'í Faith and Momen, Selections From the Writings of E. G. Browne.
  • E.G. Browne was also in the presence of Bahá’u’lláh in the Junayn Garden (occurred some time during his five day visit to Bahjí from April 15th to April 20th in 1890). [Reflections on the Bahá'í Writings.] [key]
  • Akka Edward Granville Browne; Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Pen portraits of; Pen portraits; Portraits; Travelers Narrative (book); Zaynul-Muqarrabin (Mulla Zaynul-Abidin); Bahji; Junayn gardens
    1891 27 Jun Bahá'u'lláh visited Haifa for the fourth time. [BKG374; DH109; GPB194; RB4:351]
  • He stayed three months. [BBD94; BKG374; DH109; GPB194; RB4:351]
  • He lived in the house of Ilyás Abyad near the Templar colony, His tent pitched nearby on the foot of Mount Carmel on HaGefen Street. This house was subsequently a boarding school and then became office space for the Mercantile Bank. [BKG374; DH186]
  • Bahá'u'lláh instructed to the Master to arrange the transportation of the remains of the Báb from Persia to the Holy Land and their internment in a mausoleum below the clump of cypress trees at a spot which He indicated with His hand. It is stated that there were 15 tiny cypress trees at that time, each one the size of a finger. See Rob4p363 for a photo of the site indicated. [AB45; BKG374; DH134–5; GPB194]
  • For a story of the difficulties in obtaining land for access to the site of the Shrine of the Báb see SES79-80.
  • One day He pitched His tent a few hundred yards east of the Carmelite monastery and visited the monastery. His tent was also close to the Templar building with the inscription "Der Herr ist nahe" over the door. The spot is now marked by a circle of cypress trees. While there He fell ill and was invited in the Templar home and was seen by a Templar doctor, probably Dr J. Schmidt in the room at the north-west corner of the ground floor [DH186]
  • Bahá'u'lláh visited the cave of Elijah. [BKG375; DH174; RB4:3512]
  • He revealed the Lawh-i-Karmil (Tablet of Carmel), the `Charter of the World Spiritual and Administrative Centres of the Faith' near the site of the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. [BBD1 18–19; BKG375; DH109, 174; MBW63; RB4:352]
  • For the text of this Tablet see BKG376–7, G14–17 and TB3–5.
  • For an analysis of the text see RB4:353–67.
  • See the article "Carmel: The Mountain of God and the Tablet of Carmel" by Zikrullah Khadem, ZK279-300.
  • See PG102-103 for a recounting of a commemoration of Bahá'lláh's visit on the 21st of October 1919. At that time 'Abdu'l-Bahá entertained guests from India, Persia, Kurdistan, Egypt, and England in a tent which had been erected on the same spot where His tent had been pitched.
  • BWC; Haifa; Mount Carmel Zikrullah Khadem; Bab, Shrine of; Carmelite monastery; Cave of Elijah; Elijah; Lawh-i-Karmil (Tablet of Carmel); Charters of the Bahai Faith; Mashriqul-Adhkar; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Haifa; House of Ilyas Abyad; Templer colony; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre; Bahaullah, Writings of; Bahaullah, Life of; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1892 Prior to the passing of Bahá'u´lláh During the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh Muhammad Ali made two trips to India for seditious purposes. With the help of Nazir, he plotted to prepare the way to become the leader of the Cause after the departure of Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh was well aware of these plans as is testified by many Tablets especially by the Revelation of the Book of His Covenant prior to His ascension. In this book, He clearly appointed 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the One to whom all, including the Branches, were to turn for light and guidance. [SUR247] [key] Akka Mirza Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breakers; Nazir
    1892 29 May The Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh

    Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahjí in His seventy–fifth year. [AB47; BBRXXIX, 233; BKG420; CB148; GPB221; RB4:411]

    "The news of His ascension was instantly communicated to Sultán 'Abdu'l-Hamíd by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a telegram which began with the words "the Sun of Bahá has set". [GPB222; AB47; BKG420]

  • He cited these last words, two verses from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas:

    “Say: Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels.”

    “Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of truth. We are truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such determination that the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat his purpose.” [GWB137]

  • For an account by Túbá Khánum see CH105–9.
  • Bahá'u'lláh had spent 23 years, 8 months and 29 (or 30) days in the Holy Land. [DH12]
  • He passed away eight hours after sunset. [GPB221; UD170]
  • Shortly after sunset, on the very day of His passing, Bahá'u'lláh was buried beneath the floor of the northermost room in the house adjacent to the mansion of Bahjí, the house which had served as a dwelling-place for His son-in-law, Háji Siyyid 'Ali Afnán. This became the Qiblih of the Bahá'í Faith. [AB47; BBD211; BKG427; GPB222]
  • See CB149 and RB4:149 for the effect of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension on`Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • See ARG71-72 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's account of His attempt to convince Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí to be faithful to the Covenant.
  • See CoC132-134; AB52–3, CB148–9, 152-153 and RB4:148–9 for the theft of Bahá'u'lláh's cases containing His seals, papers and other items. See as well An Epistle to the Bahá'í World by Mirza Badi'u'llah, page 13, written during his short-life period of confession/redemption.
    • One of the documents in these cases was the original Long Obligatory Prayer that had been mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Bahá'u'lláh had revealed the text but did not release it in order to avoid provoking conflict with Muslims. [Prayer and Worship by John Walbridge]
    • The box also contained a valuable ring and a rosary. "The ring was sold by Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí in the course of his journey in India and spent as travel money. And Mírzá Badi`u’llah wasted the rosary." [MBBA214
  • See AB52–61, CB148–51 and RB4:148–54 for the Covenant-breaking activities of Bahá'u'lláh's family immediately following His death.
  • For 'Abdu'l-Bahá's description of His Father see BWF220-224.
  • See GPB222–3 for the mourning following the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • See BBR234–6 for a list of Europeans who had met Bahá'u'lláh.
  • Bahji Bahaullah, Ascension of; Bahaullah, Life of; Holy days; Sultan Abdul-Hamid; Covenant-breakers; Covenant (general); Qiblih; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bahaullah, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Life of; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Box with Writings; Boxes; Seals; Obligatory prayer
    1892 29 May At the time of His passing Bahá'u'lláh left approximately 50,000 believers scattered in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries (ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ, Majmūʿa-ye makātīb, Tehran, 1975, no. 13, photocopied ms., p. 3)". [BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati]
  • From 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "...at the time of Bahá’u’lláh’s ascension, more than two hundred thousand souls had taken shelter beneath His blessed shadow and had attained the station of certitude." Twelve table talks given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká in the selection entitled (Christ and Bahá'u'lláh).
  • The Faith had spread to 15 countries. [MBW61]
    • These countries were: Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Burma, Egypt, Georgia, India, Israel (Palestine), Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. [Patheos website] [key]
  • Azerbaijan Statistics
    1892 7 Jun On the ninth day after Bahá'u'lláh's passing the Will and Testament of Bahá'u'lláh, the Kitáb-i-`Ahd (The Crimson Book) was read at Bahjí before a large assembly in His Most Holy Tomb. [AB51–2; BBD132; CB150; DH113; GPB238; RB4:419–20, BKG420-425]
  • In it Bahá'u'lláh explicitly appointed `Abdu'l-Bahá His successor, the Centre of the Covenant and the Expounder of the revealed word. [BKG420; GPB239]
  • The Kitab-i-'Ahd (The Book of the Covenant), was only document that explicitly announced 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and the one to whom all must turn after His ascension. It was published among the believers only after Bahá'u'lláh's passing. This historic document was probably written at least one year before His ascension, for it is alluded to in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf as the 'Crimson Book'. Bahá'u'lláh kept His Will and Testament secret, retained it in His own possession and did not share its contents with anyone during His lifetime. But there is evidence to suggest that He had intimated its contents to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CoCp29]
  • See CB150, 164 for the effect this had on the believers.
  • Bahji Kitab-i-Ahd (Book of the Covenant); Bahaullah, Will and Testament of; Bahaullah, Writings of; Bahaullah, Shrine of; Bahaullah, Ascension of; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Covenant (general); Crimson Book; Crimson
    1892 (In the year) Soon after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh the Covenant-breakers led by Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí, on the pretext that he had been unfaithful to Bahá'u'áh, plotted to murder Mírzá 'Aqá Ján. Their real motive however, was to gain control of his property. Mírzá 'Aqá Ján, upon hearing of the plot, went to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, begged for forgiveness for his misdeeds and took refuge in His house. [CoB184] [key] Akka Mirza Aqa Jan; Mirza Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breakers
    1892 3 Sep Nabíl, inconsolable at the death of Bahá'u'lláh, committed suicide by drowning himself in the sea. [AB56; BBD167; BKG265-268, , 427–8; MF32-37; DH81; EB268-270; GPB222; Rob1p201-206]
  • He left a note paying homage to `Abdu'l-Bahá, writing the date of his death in the single Arabic word `Gharíq' (drowned), the numerical value of which is AH 1310 (AD 1892–3). [MF35; RB1:205]
  • See OPOP86 for "Pilgrim's Note" concerning what Jináb-i-Fádil said that 'Abdu'l-Bahá said about Nabil's suicide.
  • See DH81 for his own epitaph.
  • He was buried in the Muslim Cemetery near `Akká. [DH81]
  • He was one of 19 Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh designated by Shoghi Effendi in recognition of distinguished services that those nineteen loyal and devoted Persian Bahá'ís have rendered to their faith. [BW3p80-81]
  • Nabíl was born in the village of Zarand on the 29th of July, 1831. He had become a Bábí around 1847 after over-hearing a conversation between two men about the Báb. He accepted the faith of Bahá'u'lláh in 1858. During his years as a Bábí, Nabil traveled to Lorestan, Kermanshah, Tehran, and Khorasan; he met with the Bábís and Bábí leaders in those provinces to foster the Bábí ideology and inspire the believers to arise, consolidate, and expand the new Bábí communities. He also transcribed and distributed Bábí literature among the rank and file of the society to promote the Bábí faith. He was jailed in Sāva for four months because of his pro-Bábí activities. In September 1854, he set out for Baghdad and Karbala, where he stayed until October 1856. During late 1856 to July 1858, he traveled to Hamadan, his hometown Zarand, and many major Babi communities in the capital province and returned to Baghdad on 19 July 1858.
    Nabil’s life as a Bahá'í is summed up in his extensive travels throughout Iran, Iraq, Turkey, the Caucasus, Egypt, and Palestine. In his early travels as a Bahá'í, he met with the Bábí communities to invite them to the Bahá'í faith; he attracted the Bábi leaders to the recognition of Bahá'u'lláh as the fulfillment of the Báb’s prophecies concerning the promised messianic figure and helped reinforce the belief of the new Bahá'ís in the teachings and principles that were being advanced by Bahá'u'lláh. Through these activities, Nabíl became an outstanding teacher, defender, and promulgator of the Bahá'í faith. [Dawn over Mount Hira, "The Poet Laureate" p19-104, or p85-98, “Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad,” by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica, DB434-435]
  • Although known primarily as an historian in the West he was a gifted and prolific poet who devoted most of his poetry to the historical events in the Bábí and Bahá'í faiths. His most famous poem in couplet form about the history of the Bahá'í faith was published as Maṯnawi-e Nabil Zarandi in Cairo in 1924 in 65 pages and reprinted in Langenhain in 1995. In this poem he describes major historical events from the early days of the Bábí movement to the year 1869. His second poem, in 666 verses, deals with Bahá'u'lláh’s banishment from Edirne to Akka. Other historical poetry of Nabil consists of his poem titled “Maṯnawi-e weṣāl wa hejr” in 175 verses (pub. in Rafati, 2014, Chap. 6; Ḏokāʾi, p. 416) and his poem on the life of Āqā Moḥammad Nabil Akbar Qāʾeni in 303 verses (Ḵušahā-i az ḵarman-e adab wa honar 13, pp. 108-16). In addition to those poems, Nabil left behind a great collection of poetry in different forms, only a fraction of which has been published.
    His other works in prose included a treatise on the Bábí-Bahá'í calendar, a treatise on Bahá'í inheritance laws (Fāżel Māzandarāni, IV pp. 1, 214), and his account on the event of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh (Nabil Zarandi, Maṯnawi-e Nabil Zarandi, Langenhain, 1995, pp. 67-108). But Nabil’s most celebrated work is Maṭāleʿ al-anwār, an extensive historical narrative of the Bábí faith, written in Akka in 1888-90, which was edited and translated into English by Shoghi Effendi as The Dawn-Breakers. The work was first published in the United States in 1932. [“Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad,” by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica; DB434-435] [key]
  • Akka; Zarand; Sava; Baghdad; Karbala; Cairo; Erdine; Turkey Nabil-i-Azam; Suicide; Apostles of Bahaullah; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; In memoriam
    1893 c. `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote Risáliy-i-Siyásiyyih (variously translated as "Treatise on Politics", "A Treatise on Statesmanship" and "Treatise on Leadership"). [ABMM] He wrote it in response to the crisis in Persia known as the Tobacco Revolt which was an insurrection against the Shah for having granted the tobacco monopoly to British interests at the expense of Persian farmers and businessmen.

    The Treatise was the first policy statement of `Abdu'l-Bahá upon taking the reins of the leadership of the Bahá'í community. It shows His alarm at the increasing involvement of religious leaders and communities in this populist movement against the civil Iranian state and cites the way past such religious populist movements have led to foreign intervention or increased absolutism (e.g. the `Urabi Revolt in Egypt and the 1876 Constitutional Revolution in Istanbul). `Abdu'l-Bahá argues forcefully for a separation of religion and state as a basis for Bahá'í non-involvement in such anti-state violence.

  • See Treatise on Leadership by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as translated by Juan Cole.
  • It was published in Bombay in Farsi in 1893. No English translation has been published to date, apart from the provisional translation referred to above. [CEBF273]
  • Hand of the Cause Ibn-i-Asdaq was the messenger that delivered 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to the Shah and other notables in Iran. [EB176] [key]
  • Akka; Bahji; Iran Risaliy-i-Siyasiyyih (Treatise on Leadership); Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Politics; Tobacco Revolt; Publications; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Church and state
    1894 (In the year) From the day of Bahá’u’lláh’s ascension Bahiyyih Khánum had grown so thin and feeble and was in such a weakened condition from the anguish of her mourning that she was close to breakdown. `Abdu’l-Bahá sent her to Egypt in the care of Hasan-i-Khúrásání. She returned not long after the assassination of the Shah in April 1896. [Memories of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Memoirs of Mírzá Habíbu'lláh Afnán edited and translated by Ahang Rabbani. p61]
  • See BKC14-15 for the Tablet He revealed for her on that occasion.
  • Cairo; Egypt Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Hasan-i-Khurasani
    1896 (In the year) ʻIshqábád was one of the first places (possibly the first) in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave instructions for the setting up of an elected Bahá'í assembly. This was done in 1313 A.H. (1895-6) and was called at first the Spiritual Board of Counsel (Mahfil-i Shawra Rawhani) and later the Spiritual Assembly (Mahfil-i Rawhani). THE BAHA'I COMMUNITY OF ASHKHABAD; ITS SOCIAL BASIS AND IMPORTANCE IN BAHA'I HISTORY by Moojan Momen pg287; Note 11] [key] Ishqabad; Turkmenistan Local Spiritual Assembly, formation first local assembly
    1897 or 1900 Tablets, Communes and Holy Utterances, a collection of writings by Bahá'u'lláh, was published in Chicago. 23p. [BFA2:26]
  • It was the first prayer book and first compilation of Bahá'í writings published in the West. Most of the selections are from Bahá'u'lláh except for pages 18 to 21 which are from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [BFA2:26]
  • It was probably translated by Anton Haddad and published by the Behais Supply and Publishing Board. [BFA2:26]
  • Collins gives the date as 1897. [BEL4.277] [key]
  • Chicago; United States Compilations; Prayer texts; Anton Haddad; Publications; Publishing Trusts; First publications First prayer book and first compilation of Bahá'í writings published in West
    1897 (In the year) The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Shaykh Muhammad-Ridáy-i-Yazdí (Mullá Ridá) while incarcerated in the Síyáh-Cháh. [RoB2p84-91; Bahaipedia; Wikipedia]
  • He was born in Muhammad-Ábád in the province of Yazd into a well-known family in about 1814. He was provided a good education and he became a divine known for his piety, eloquence and courage.
  • Mullá Ridá became a follower of the Báb in the early days of the Revelation. He recognized Bahá'u'lláh as the Promised One of the Bayan some time after 1855 upon reading Qasídiy-i-Varqá'íyyih, "Ode of the Dove". (Bahá'u'lláh had composed this ode while still in Sulaymáníyyih.)
  • He was a fearless teacher who was outspoken and often suffered imprisonment and torture. "Other than seventeen-year-old Badí, no one has surpassed Mullá Ridá's unusual power of endurance. The rare combination of endurance, eloquence, courage and humour made him that unique hero who illuminated the pages of the history of the Bahá'í Faith." [Extract from a Persian book called Masabih-i-Hidayat, Volume I by Azizu'llah-i-Sulaymani]
  • In one story of his courage in teaching and his endurance in withstanding abuse, he was found to be picking his teeth while being bastinadoed and, in another, while a elderly man he withstood a brutal flogging on his bare back in the prison yard. A witness to this flogging, Ghulám-Ridá Khán, a notable of Tehran who happened to be imprisoned at the same time, became a believer upon seeing his steadfastness under the lashing. [RoB1p84-91, EB89-111, LoF21-27]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá referred to a few of the believers posthumously as being Hands of the Cause (see MF5 and BW14p446) Adib Taherzadeh points out that "since there are one or two others by the same name (Shaykh-Ridáy-i-Yazdí) it is not possible to identify him. However, some believe strongly that he is Mullá Muhammad-i-Ridáy-i-Muhammmad-Ábádí. [RoB4p186n] [key]
  • Muhammadabad; Yazd; Tihran; Iran Mulla Rida; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Siyah Chal (Black Pit); Bahaullah, Writings of; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha; Shaykh Muhammad-Riday-i-Yazdi; Mulla Muhammad-i-Riday-i-Muhammmad-Ábadi; Hands of the Cause, referred to as such by Abdul-Baha; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Persecution, Iran
    1897 26 Mar From the time of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá endured significant family opposition to His authority and position as the Centre of the Covenant. For several years He had worked to contain the news of these defections and to prevent any word of them from reaching other Bahá'í communities. By 1896-7 the Bahá'ís of Egypt had heard enough of the details that when Mirza Habibu'llah Afnan was going on a pilgrimage, they asked him to learn as much as he could. To his great shock, the Afnan soon apprised that indeed Abdu'l-Bahá's brothers and the majority of his family had arisen against him in rebellion. They accused Him of claiming to be a manifestation Himself and for the mistreatment of the break-away part of the family. As instructed by 'Abdul-Bahá, he, on his return to Egypt, informed the Bahá'í community of the situation. Mirza Abu'l-Fadl found this hard to accept in view of Bahá'u'lláh instructions regarding the treatment of the Holy Family after His passing. Therefore, he wrote to Abdu'l-Bahá to confirm the truth of this news and received in response a lengthy tablet that has been called The First Thousand-Verse Tablet. [‘Abdu’l-Baha’s First Thousand-Verse Tablet: History and Provisional Translation by Ahang Rabbani and Khazeh Fananapazir]

    In the Tablet He described how He had suffered from the activities of both "the waverers and the rebellious" from among the family and associates. They had deployed others to undermine the authority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Persia (where Jamál-i- Burújirdí was foremost among the Covenant-breakers.) and in other lands and even used the name of steadfast believers to disseminate their messages to undermine His authority. Up until this time 'Abdu'l-Bahá had spent considerable effort in trying to contain the news of their activities and had amassed considerable debt in trying to appease their demands.

    To compound 'Abdu'l-Bahá's woes and difficulties, in addition to opposition from within the Faith, the Azalis were active, particularly in Persia. Opposition also came from the Ottoman government in Istanbul, the local authorities and from the Islam and possibly the Christian communities in Akka. iiiii

  • Sometime later, in 1315 AH (which commenced on 2 June 1897), a similar tablet of the same name was composed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for Mirza Jalíl Khu’í, a coppersmith who lived in the province of Adhirbayjan. He had been influenced by Jamál-i- Burújirdí and had been appointed as his agent in that country. Khu’í had also received correspondence from Muhammad-'Alí. The tablet was read to Khu’i but a copy not given to him at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s instruction. Scholars have labelled this as the Second Thousand-Verse Tablet. [Tablet of Splendors (Lawh-i-Ishráqát): Tablet study outline; CoBp148-9, 157, 158, 229]
  • See how this Tablet became the source of the undoing of Mírzá Muhammad-Ali and Majdu'd-Dín in their plot to deceive the governor of Syria in Damascus, Názim Páshá, into believing that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was planning an insurrection. [CoB226-230]
  • Akka; Iran; Adharbayjan; Egypt; Cairo Covenant-breakers; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Thousand-Verse Tablet; Khalil-i-Khui; Jamal-i-Burujirdi; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Mirza Muhammad Ali
    1897 30 May The Covenant-breakers living at Bahji, realized that Mírzá Àqá Ján would be useful to them in their plot to undermine the authority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. They sent a letter to him purportedly from the Bahá'ís in Iran requesting that he assume leadership. Mírzá Àqá Ján arranged for a feast to be held at the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh on the fifth anniversary of His passing when he planned to announce his intention to the assembled followers. The Covenant-breakers, anticipating that his announcement would cause a disturbance, bribed a local official to have men on hand to take charge of the scene and to discredit 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the process. They had hope that He would be banished and they would be left in complete control of the Shrine. The disturbance did not happen as planned; the the result was that Mírzá Àqá Ján had openly thrown in his lot with the Covenant-breakers. They arranged for him to live in the Shrine until his death in 1901. During this time 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the faithful followers did not enter the Shrine but rather observed their devotions outside. [CoB184-189; MBBA84-90] [key] Bahji Mirza Aqa Jan; Mirza Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breakers
    1896-1897 In a gathering in Akka, 'Abdu'l-Bahá informed the friends of the threats of Siyyid Jamalud-Din-i-Afghani, a sometimes collaborator with Sultán 'Abdu'l-Maníd and an inveterate enemy of the Faith. He had vision of a pan-Islamic Ottoman state with the Sultan as the head of all Muslims. A short time after `Abdu’l-Bahá had spoken about him, a small growth appeared on the Siyyid’s tongue. The Sultan’s special physician was sent to attend him. In a number of operations, his tongue was cut several times until none was left and, soon after, he died. This was the end of a person whose tongue had spoken presumptuously towards the Cause of God and had committed such slander and calumny against the Faith. He has been called the "Protagonist of Pan-Islamism".
  • MBBA158 says his death occurred in 1901 or a short time after. In fact he died in March 1897. Two Azalis who had been associated with him, Shaykh Ahmad and Mírzá Áqá Khan, were caught up in his intrigues to rid Persia of its monarchy and were executed in Tabriz on the 15th of July, 1896 by the then Crown Prince Muhammad-'Alí Mirzá. [EGB23-28] [key]
  • Akka; Tabriz; Iran Jamalud-Din-i-Afghani; Covenant-breakers; Muhammad-Ali Shah
    1898 20 Aug Jamál Effendi passed away in `Akká. [EB128; Momen-Jamal Effendi]

    Note: Baluzi gives the date of August 20th with giving a source. Momen says that Jamál Effendi lived out the last days in Akka. He died on 9 November 1898. He was buried in the Akka cemetery near the grave of Mírzá Músá, the brother of Bahá'u'lláh. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote a tablet of visitation for him and instructed that on his grave be written the following words:

    Verily, Jamál ad-Dín, a traveller famous in every clime, the spreader of the fragrance of the love of God, has now become a traveller in those realms of God which are hidden from the eyes of the people of realm of veils. 1316 AH

    Akka Jamal Effendi; In Memoriam; Births and deaths
    1898 Oct Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany visited Haifa where the Templer colony numbered about 700 souls. His ship docked at what is now Ben Gurion Avenue. (The modern port built during the British Mandate period reclaimed much land altering the shoreline of Haifa beyond recognition and depriving the German colony of direct access to the sea. The Kaiser's visit was the apex of the history of the colony and would be commemorated with a stone marker that today sits just above the entrance at the top of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb.) He, however, chose not to go to Akka where 'Abdu'l-Bahá lived and He did not go to see the Kaiser because he "was proud He was the embodiment of pride." [VAB8; LWS10, 288n20] [key] Haifa Templer colony; Kaiser Wilhelm II
    1898 (Before 10 Dec) During this period, `Abdu’l-Bahá issued instructions that, under no circumstances, was the Cause of God to be proclaimed or propagated in Egypt. The pilgrims who came through Port Said on a monthly basis were told when they arrived not to teach the Cause and, if they were asked about the Faith, not to offer a response. Ibrahim Effendi, who served in the Egyptian Custom Office as an inspector, noticed the coming and going of pilgrims from Persia and pressed for an explanation. One of the pilgrims, a renowned Bahá’í teacher from a Zoroastrian background named Jinab-i-Nush, unaware of the injunction, began to teach him. Mirza Áqá reported the incident to 'Abdu'l-Bahá and He welcomed the new believer with a Tablet. Ibrahim Effendi became an intrepid teacher of the Faith. Port Said; Egypt Jinab-i-Nush; Ibrahim Effendi first first native believer of Port Said.
    1898 11 Nov Kheiralla arrived in `Akká. [BFA1:XXVIII, 141]
  • He had left the party of pilgrims in France and departed for Egypt in early October where he had children. His wife went to England to invite her Bahá'í aunt to accompany them to Akka. [BFA141]
  • During his stay he tried to get approval for his manuscript entitled Behá'U'lláh from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The manuscript had many of his personal beliefs, such as the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá being that of the return of Christ and his concept of reincarnation. [BFA1p230; 161; LWS149]
    • See BFA1p32-33 for a discussion of how the issue of reincarnation affected the American Bahá'í community.
  • During his visit `Abdu'l-Bahá conferred titles on him: `Bahá'ís Peter', the `Second Columbus' and `Conqueror of America'. [BFA1:142; GPB275; SBBH2:112]
  • Dr. Kheiralla, his wife and daughters, Nabiba an Labiba departed Haifa for Port Said on the 21th of March, 1899. Kheiralla arrived in New York on the 10th of May. [LGHC24; 30; BFA1p160;] [key]
  • Akka Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Pilgrimage; First pilgrims; Pilgrims
    1898 10 Dec The first Western pilgrims arrived in `Akká. [AB68; BBD13; BBRXXX; DH214; GPB257; SCU13; Bahá'í Teachings]
  • See MBBA146-152 for a description of how arrangements were made to accommodate the Western visitors in a relatively new city with no hotels and few houses. The city was built to accommodate the construction of the Suez Canal which had been completed in 1869. Other sources indicate that the pilgrims were accommodated in Cairo.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá expressed His appreciation to Mírzá Áqá Nuri'd-Din for his service in accommodating the Western pilgrims. His Tablet seems to indicate that he was kept in place for that purpose. [MBBA152]
  • They divided themselves into three parties, using Cairo as a staging post. [AB68; BFA1:143; SBBH1:93]
  • See AB68–72; BFA2:9; DH61; GPB257, 259 for those included in the pilgrimage group.
  • Included were Mrs Hearst's nieces, a few American friends and, joining in London, Mrs Mary Thornburgh-Cropper and her mother. [SCU13. CH234-236; LDNW15]
  • In Paris the group was joined by two nieces of Mrs Hearst, Mrs Thornburgh, her daughter Miriam Thornburgh-Cropper and May Bolles. [AB68]
  • LDNW15 says that Ella Goodall and Nell Hillyer and May Bolles joined the party in Paris.
  • There were further additions in Egypt. [AB68]
  • See BFA1:143–4 for those included in the first group.
  • Among the group was Robert Turner, the first member of the Black race to become a Bahá'í. For 35 years, Turner faithfully served as butler to Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Senator George Hearst, parents of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. [AB72; BBD227; BFA1:139; GPB259]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá received the pilgrims in the House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá. [BBD13, 108; DH61]
  • See AB68–71; BW16:104–5; CH235–6 and GPB257–9 for the pilgrims' responses to the pilgrimage.
  • Edward Getsinger made a recording of `Abdu'l-Bahá chanting a prayer. [BFA1:160]
  • Getsinger also took photographs that he later tinted and published as an album. [LDNW16]
  • On the 18th of January, 1899, Lua received her first Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in fact, it was the first Tablet addressed to a North American believer. [LGHC23]
  • See TF31-52 for details of Lua Getsinger's pilgrim experience and TF44-46 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's parting remarks to the pilgrims.
  • The Getsingers returned from the pilgrimage with an Arabic copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was later translated by Anton Haddad. They departed on the 23rd of March, 1899. [BFA2:11; LGHC30]
  • See Star of the West, vol. VII, No. 4 or "Lua Getsinger - Herald of the Covenant" By Amine DeMille for a description of how 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave Lua the power to speak eloquently. [LDNW15] iiiii
  • Akka; Cairo; Egypt Pilgrims; Pilgrimage; First pilgrims; Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper; Robert Turner; First believers by background; Edward Getsinger; Lua Getsinger; Anton Haddad; Kitab-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book); House of Abdullah Pasha; Abdul-Baha, Voice recordings of; Abdul-Baha, Life of First Western pilgrims; first group of first Western pilgrims; the first Tablet addressed to a North American believer; first member of black race to become Bahá'í
    1899 31 Jan The Remains of the Báb arrived in the Holy Land. [BBD209; DH66; GPB274; LWS147]
  • They were stored in the room of the Greatest Holy Leaf in the house of `Abdu'lláh Páshá until the Shrine of the Báb was completed. [DH66]
  • In the days before His confinement to Akka was re-imposed, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had rented a house, probably just north of the German Colony on the same street facing the sea. He used this as a base when He came to Haifa a few days each week to supervise the excavation work for the foundation of the Shrine of the Báb. When Ali Kuli Khan came to the Holy Land in 1899-1900 the house was used as an office for the construction as well as a place where 'Abdu'l-Bahá could receive pilgrims. Khan was assigned to this house to do his translation work. The room he used contained the sarcophagus sent by the Bahá'ís of Rangoon and a wooden crate. Years later he was told that the sarcophagus contained the Remains of the Báb. [SUR110-111, 285 (PDF] [key]
  • Akka Bab, Remains of; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Bab, Shrine of; House of Abdullah Pasha
    1899 c. Feb - Mar `Abdu'l-Bahá, accompanied by Kheiralla, laid the foundation stone for the Shrine of the Báb. [BFA1:XXVIII, 142; BBD209; GPB275; SBBH2:112; LWS148]
  • In spite of the honours 'Abdu'l-Bahá had heaped upon him, Kheiralla joined forces with the Covenant-breakers while in 'Akká and started to make false claims causing discord and distress among the Bahá'ís as soon as he returned to America. [LDNW] [key]
  • Haifa Abdul-Baha, Life of; Bab, Shrine of; Foundation stones and groundbreaking; Ibrahim George Kheiralla
    1899 16 Feb The third group of Western pilgrims arrived in the Holy Land after completing their six-week cruise on the Nile.
  • The group consisted of Anne Apperson, Julia Pearson and Robert Turner.
  • As the pilgrims prepared to depart May Bolles and Maryam Thornburgh-Cropper, Mrs Thornburgh's daughter, arrived in Port Said from Marseilles. The two women proceeded directly to Haifa. [BFA1:145]
  • See EP12-13 for May Maxwell's reaction to meeting 'Abdu'l-Bahá for the first time.
  • Haifa; Akka Pilgrimage; Pilgrims; First pilgrims; Anne Apperson; Julia Pearson; Robert Turner; May Maxwell (Bolles); Maryam Thornburgh-Cropper
    1899 12 Mar Margaret Peeke (b. 8 April 1838, d. 2 November 1908) and an unknown companion visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akka. They had two interviews of two and three hours each. Mrs Peeke was a presenter at Green Acre and wrote several books on the Rosicrucians, the occult and psychic phenomena.. [SoW Vol 2 No 14 November 23, 1911 p16; LWS152-158]
  • See My Visit to Abbas-Effendi in 1899.
  • Robert H. Stockman wrote in his book The Baha'i Faith in America, that while Margaret B. Peeke had been raised as a strong Protestant church member, her interests changed, and she became a Martinist. Martinism is a form of mystical Christianity. Margaret was the author of Born of Flame, Numbers and Letters: or The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom, and Zenia the Vestal (online here). [BFA2p156-157]
  • Find a grave.
  • Photo.
  • See a story about a tribute paid to her at her gravesite.
  • Akka Pilgrimage; First pilgrims; Pilgrims; Margaret Peeke; Occultism
    1899 13 Mar Near the end of the first Western pilgrims to Akka (8 December 1898 to 23 March 1899), government officials in Akka received word from Istanbul that they were to prevent all foreigner from visiting 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Only 5 of the group of Western pilgrims remained by this time but a group of Persian pilgrims were required to leave almost immediately after the start of their pilgrimage. [LWS150-151]

    One possible trigger was the conspicuous arrival of two American women and their retinue. One of these women, Margaret Bloodgood Peeke, had altered their travel plans by adding Akka so that she could meet 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [LWS151] [key]

    Akka Pilgrimage; First pilgrims; Pilgrims; Margaret Bloodgood Peeke
    1899 23 Mar Edward and Lua Getsinger departed Akká and arrived in New York City on the 20th of May. [LGHC30]
  • Prior to her leaving 'Abdu'l-Bahá took a piece of bread, put some honey on it and told her to eat it, saying as He did so, "let all of your words be as sweetly flavoured by kindness to al people as this bread is flavoured by honey". She wrote that at that moment she felt as she swallowed that bread as if she had received a great spiritual blessing. LGHC25]
  • For His parting address to them see [LGHC27-28]
  • They brought with them a photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as young man, a copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in Arabic, a calligraphic rendering of the Greatest Name and a phonographic recording of the Master's voice. They left the record player in Akká for the Holy Family. [LGHC30] [key]
  • Akka; New York; United States Edward Getsinger; Lua Getsinger; Pilgrimage; First pilgrims; Pilgrims; Greatest Name; Abdul-Baha, Voice recordings of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Gifts
    1899 c. 1 May (and period following) Kheiralla returned to the United States from `Akká. [BFA1:xxix, 158] (After his departure from Palestine he was abandoned by his British-American wife.) [SBBH1p239]
  • His ambitions to lead the Bahá'í Faith caused a crisis in the American Bahá'í community. [BFA1:158–84; CB247–9, GPB259–260; 319; SBBH194, 239; AY119; WOB82-83]
  • In the following months `Abdu'l-Bahá dispatched successive teachers to heal the rift:
    • Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání, who had taught Kheiralla the Faith, from c. 26 Apr to 5 Aug 1900. [BFA1:173–6; BFA2:17–29]
    • Hájí Hasan-i-Khurásání, from 29 Nov 1900 to Aug 1901. [BFA2:35, 389]
    • Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfahání, from 29 Nov 1900 to 12 May 1902. [BFA2:VI, 35–43ff]
    • Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl, accompanied by the young poet and diplomat, Ali-Kuli Khan, from Aug 1901 to Dec 1904. [BFA2:XV-XVI, 80–7; BW9:855–60]
  • "...four chosen messengers of 'Abdu'l-Bahá who, in rapid succession, were dispatched by Him to pacify and reinvigorate that troubled community. ...were commissioned to undertake, the beginnings of that vast Administration, the corner-stone of which these messengers were instructed to lay... [WOB83-84; AY119]
  • See BFA1:177–8 for lists of believers who sided with Kheiralla, left the Faith or remained loyal to `Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • See SBBH1:98–101 for Kheiralla's teachings.
    • Note: GPB259 says that Kheiralla had returned from the Holy Land in December of 1899 but in fact it was in the month of May. [BFA1pxxix] iiiii
  • United States; Akka Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Covenant-breakers; Haji Abdul-Karim-i-Tihrani; Haji Hasan-i-Khurasani; Mirza Asadullah-i-Isfahani; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Ali Kuli Khan
    1899 Summer Ethel Jenner Rosenberg accepted the Bahá'í Faith, the first English woman to become a Bahá'í in her native land. [AB73–4; ER39; GPB260; SBR20, 33; SEBW55-64, SCU17]
  • For her biography see Rob Weinberg's, Ethel Jenner Rosenberg.
  • She visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá several times in the first decade of the century. [SCU17] [key]
  • United Kingdom Ethel Rosenberg; First Bahais by country or area First English woman to become a Bahá'í in her native land
    1900 (Early part) `Abdu'l-Bahá began to build the foundations of the Shrine of the Báb. [CB223]
  • Note that the number 8 is prominent in the design of the Shrine of the Báb and the gardens. Mr. Giachery noted that Shoghi Effendi reported 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have said that it was because He was the eighth Manifestation of those religions whose followers still exist. [SER84] [key]
  • BWC; Mount Carmel; Haifa Bab, Shrine of; Mount Carmel; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Eight (number); - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1900 8 Mar At a meeting in Kenosha, Kheiralla publicly announced his doubts about `Abdu'l-Bahá's leadership of the Bahá'í community. He also said that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was not the return of Christ has be had been teaching. [BFA1:XXIX; SBBH1:96; SBBH2:117; SBBH1p96]
  • He he had allied himself with Muhammad-`Alí. [SSBH1:96]
  • The Bahá'ís effectively divided into two camps. There had been two to three thousand believers in North America in 1900, by 1902, 1,700 had left the Faith leaving six or seven hundred of whom three hundred were "Behaists" and the rest "Abbasites" or "Behais" (followers of 'Abdu'l-Bahá). By 1906 the US Census of Religions reported that the number of Bahá'ís had risen to 1,280 and the "Behaists" numbered on forty. The Kenosha Behaists continued to exist until the early 1950s. [SSBH1:96-97; WOB82; SBBH14p7] To counter the effects of this, Abdu'l-Baha, in 1900 and 1901, sent teachers to America who were completely loyal to the Center of the Covenant and well-informed on the teachings of Baha'u'llah. They were Mirza Abu'l-Fad1 and Mirza Asad'u'llah. Mr. Chase wrote, with these teachers came the first opportunity for a correct and intimate knowledge of the true Bahá'í teachings...rather than psychic and occult experiments...Many persons who had conceived views imbued with imaginations and superstitions fell away from the Cause, but those who remained discovered such spiritual light,...and power in the teachings, that they were deeply confirmed in their belief, and clung to it.. ." [from a short paper entitled 'A Brief History of the American Development of the Bahá'í Movement,' printed in Star of the West, Volume V, number 17.]
  • For the changes to the Bahá'í community as a result of this schism see SSBH1:96–9 and SSBH2:117–20.
  • Kenosha; Wisconsin; United States Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Mirza Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breakers
    1900 22 or 23 Mar On the 3rd of January, 1990 Sarah Farmer and her friend Maria Wilson boarded the SS Füst Bismark for the Mediterranean. On board they discovered two old friends, Josephine Locke and Elizabeth Knudson who were on their way to pilgrimage. The party sailed to Egypt and while awaiting 'Abdu'l-Bahá's permission to go to Akka, spent time with Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. They arrived in Akka on the 23rd of March, 1900. In preparation Miss Farmer had prepared a list of 15 questions to ask 'Abdu'l-Bahá but forgot them in her accomodations when she was called to meet Him. He answered all of questions in order. [GAP27-29; VAB37-39] [key] Haifa Sarah Farmer; Maria Wilson; Pilgrimage
    1900 26 Apr On the instructions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Egyptian businessman Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání arrived in New York, the first Persian Bahá'í to visit North America. He had taught the Faith to Kheiralla in Egypt. His purpose was to try to bring Kheiralla back into the Faith and to explain the basic teachings of the Faith to the American believers. He was accompanied by Mirza Sinore Raffie, his translator. [BFA173–6; BFA2:17–29]
  • Muhammad-'Ali, having obtained Kheiralla's support, sent his son Shu'a'u'lláh to Kenosha to try to spread opposition to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SBBH1p240]
  • `Abdu'l-Karím and Shu'a'u'lláh apparently met in Kenosha. The point that they disagreed on was Kheiralla's insistence that his teachings be regarded as authoritative. [SBBH!p240]
  • New York; United States Haji Abdul-Karim-i-Tihrani; Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Mirza Sinore Raffie; Covenant-breakers; Shuaullah First Persian Bahá'í to visit North America
    1900 5 Aug Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání left the United States, his efforts to win Kheiralla back to the Faith having failed. [BFA176]
  • Reports of his meetings in which he confronted Ibrahim Kheiralla over Kheiralla's renunciation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and defection to Muhammad-Alí were published under the title Reports of Proceedings of Meetings in New York City and Chicago, Illinois. [BEL 7.2278] [key]
  • New York Haji Abdul-Karim-i-Tihrani; Ibrahim George Kheiralla
    1900 4 Nov The Persian teachers Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfahání (1826-1930) and Hájí Hasan-i-Khurásání, a merchant from Cairo, arrived in America. Their task was to consolidate the American community and to address the effects of Kheiralla's disaffection. [BFA2p35–43]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá provided them with two translators, Mírzá Husayn Rúhí, a young Persian Bahá'í who had learned English in Egypt, and Mírzá Burzurg.
  • They spent three weeks in New York then spent two days in Johnstown, NY then relocated to Chicago where he stayed for eighteen months.
  • Mírzá Asadu'lláh did not accompany 'Abdu'l-Bahá to America, however, shortly after His return, Mírzá Asadu'lláh and his son insisted on going to the West and did so against 'Abdu'l-Bahá's wishes. Both he and his son were expelled from the Faith. [APD143; AY119; SoW Vol 5 # 17 19 Jan 1915 pg 263; 265]
  • The four stayed in New York and then left for Chicago arriving on the 29th of November. Asadu'lláh stayed in Chicago until 12 May 1902, Khurásání, and Rúhí returned to Egypt in mid-July, 1901. [BFA2p38]
  • Johnstown; NY; New York; Chicago; United States Haji Hasan-i-Khurasani; Mirza Asadullah-i-Isfahani; Mirza Husayn Ruhi; Mirza Burzurg; Covenant-breakers
    1901 (In the year) Áqá Siyyid Mustafa [Rumi] sent from Rangoon a sample of the marble that the sarcophagus for the blessed remains of the Primal Point was to be made from. Mishkin-Qalam asked for permission to design a Greatest Name for the sarcophagus, and, as was his custom, he signed the design. In the time of Bahá'u'lláh he signed his work with “The servant of the Threshold of Bahá, Mishkin-Qalam" but for this work his proposal had the signature, “The servant of `Abdu’l-Bahá, Mishkin-Qalam.” 'Abdu'l-Bahá was furious with him. Throughout His ministry, `Abdu’l-Bahá greatly disapproved of believers composing verses about, or glorifying, His Person in any way. He would admonish them to focus their praise on Bahá’u’lláh. [MBBA155-157] [key] Rangoon; Myanmar (Burma); Haifa Bab, Shrine of; Mount Carmel; Bab, Remains of; Bab, Sarcophagus for; Mishkin-Qalam; Siyyid Mustafa Rumi; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1901 (approx 4 yrs after ascension of Bahá'u'lláh) 'Aqá Jamál Burújirdí had been a member of the Islamic clergy in Burujerd and was widely known and revered across Iran as a gifted teacher of the Faith. He was a proud and egotistical man but during the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh, he received much praise and various honorary titles such as Ismu'lláh'u'l-Jamál (The Name of God Jamál) due to his many services. During his visit to 'Akká following the passing of Bahá'u'lláh he made contact with Mírzá Muhammad-Alí with the goal of securing a prominent place in the administration of the faith under his leadership, all the while feigning loyalty to 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • In God Passes By p247-248 Shoghi Effendi says of Mírzá Muhammad-Alí and those who tried to assist him in his nefarious efforts, "Closely-knit by one common wish and purpose; indefatigable in their efforts; assured of the backing of the powerful and perfidious Jamál-i-Burújirdí and his henchmen, Ḥájí Ḥusayn-i-Káshí, Khalíl-i-Khú’í and Jalíl-i-Tabrízí who had espoused their cause; linked by a vast system of correspondence with every center and individual they could reach; seconded in their labours by emissaries whom they dispatched to Persia, ‘Iráq, India and Egypt; emboldened in their designs by the attitude of officials whom they bribed or seduced, these repudiators of a divinely-established Covenant arose, as one man, to launch a campaign of abuse and vilification which compared in virulence with the infamous accusations which Mírzá Yaḥyá and Siyyid Muḥammad had jointly levelled at Bahá’u’lláh."
  • He was publically unmasked after the Covenant-breakers printed letters with falsehoods and misleading statements. believed to be about four years after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh. He became known in the Bahá'í community as "Hyena" or "Old Hyena" (pír-i-kaftár). He died in poverty and disgrace in Iran. The date of his death is not known. [M9YA6-7, 432, RoB2p118-9, 264-267, MMoB104-105, CB165-166, 209-15, Biographies of Jamal-i-Burujirdi]
  • Shogi Effendi described 'Aqá Jamál Burújirdí as being "Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí's tablet lieutenant in Persia, "all trey to a fatal an loathsome disease". ]GPB319]
  • He was the recipient of many tablets from both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, one of which can be found in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh p5-9 and a more complete provisional translation of the original tablet can be found here.
  • See also Tablet to Jamal-i-Burujirdi by Bahá'u'lláh translated by Khazeh Fananapazir.
  • See ARG168 for mention of him relation to a refutation he received from Fádil-i-Shirází.
  • Borujerd; Iran Jamal-i-Burujirdi; Covenant-breakers; Haji Husayn-i-Kashi; Khalil-i-Khui; Jalil-i-Tabrizi; Names and titles; Fadil-i-Shirazi (Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim)
    1901 Aug Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání arrived in North America. [BFA2:XV]
  • Laura Barney financed the visit of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl to the United States in 1901-04 in order to propagate the Faith and to help publish the translation of his Ḥojaj al-bahīya (Cairo, 1342/1925; tr. Ali-Kuli Khan as The Bahá'í Proofs, New York, 1902; 2nd ed., ed. J. R. I. Cole, Wilmette, Ill., 1983) [Wikipedia, Laura Clifford Barney.]
  • See BFA2:80–7 and BW9:855–860 for accounts of his visit.
  • See Wikipedia, Green Acre and Wikipedia, Mary Hanford Ford for accounts of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl at Green Acre.
  • Mirza Ahmad Sohrab was sent to assist him. Sohrab remained and worked at the Iranian Consulate until 1912 and during this time he translated much of the correspondence between 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Western believers. At the conclusion of the American tour he returned to the Holy Land. After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he rejected the authority of Shoghi Effendi and was expelled. [APD155]
  • [LDNW17] says he was accompanied by Ali-Kuli Kahn.
  • New York; United States Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Proofs; Publications; Laura Clifford Barney; Ahmad Sohrab; Covenant-breakers; Green Acre
    1901 12 Sep The publication of tablets revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá "To the House of Justice at Chicago, To the Ladies' Assembly of Teaching, To Mirza Assad'ullah and to other individuals, also one to the Believers in Persia." translated by Ali-Kuli Khan. [BEL3.159; Tablets Revealed by the Master Abdul Beha Abbas.] [key] Chicago; United States Abdul-Baha, writings and talks of
    1901 26 Nov The Day of the Covenant

    The Day of the Covenant is a Bahá'í holy day honouring the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, in particular, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the “Centre of the Covenant" and as such, the successor, the interpreter and the exemplar of the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant also provided for the extension of this covenant to the Guardian and to the Universal House of Justice.
    The first celebration of the Day of the Covenant in North America was marked on this day in Chicago. It was sponsored by "The Chicago House of Justice" and the "Women's Assembly of Teaching". It was attended by both Mírzá Assad'ullah and Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. It can be presumed that they had educated the community in the commemoration of this Holy Day. [BFA2p56-57]

  • Prior to this time some of the believers celebrated the birth of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the 22nd of May. Others marked the 29th of May, the anniversary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and thusly, the day on which He acceded to the leadership of the Bahá'í community. 'Abdu'l-Bahá chose the day November 26th, as reckoned by the Gregorian calendar, as approximately half a year away from the day of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension, to commemorate His appointment of the Centre of the Covenant. This Holy Day is now celebrated on the 25th or 26th of November depending on the date of Naw-Rúz.
  • The day was know as Jashn-i-A'zam (The Greatest Festival) in the East because He was Ghusn-i-A'zam, the Greatest Branch or the "Most Might Branch" [GPB238, BFA2:XV, 56; SA247, Day of the Covenant by Christopher Buck, AB523] [key]
  • Chicago; United States Day of the Covenant; Firsts, Other; Covenant (general); Holy Days; Abdul-Baha, Birth of; Bahaullah, Ascension of First celebration of Day of the Covenant in North America. First Holy Day celebrated in North America.
    1902 (In the year) Since the assassination of the Sháh's father in 1896 the Bahá'í community in Iran had been scapegoated and the oppression was increasing. In 1902 Muzaffar al-Din Sháh and his prime minister were in Paris staying at the Elysèe Palace Hotel. 'Abdu'l-Bahá had a petition for him and Lua Getsinger was asked to deliver it. She and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney requested an audience with the Sháh but they were refused by the prime minister. She was told that he was not receiving anyone as his son was gravely ill and likely to die. Lua asked if he would see her the following day should his son be healed and consent was granted. That night the Bahá'ís of Paris held a prayer vigil till dawn. As promised, Lua was granted access and put the petition directly in the Sháh's hand. She heard him say that he would do all that was within his power but in 1903 a savage rash of persecution broke out and, upon the advice of his prime minister, the Sháh did nothing believing that it was better to let the restless population vent rage on the Bahá'ís then on the rich and powerful foreigners who might have been victimized. The prime minister was replaced in mid-1903 and the persecutions eased. In 1907 the Sháh did intervene on behalf of the Bahá'ís. [Find a grave; LDNW18-19]
  • For other accounts see The Flame p66-70 and LGHC59-60.
  • See article by Mariam Haney entitled In Behalf of the Oppressed. [SoW Vol 15 No 8 November, 1924 p230] [key]
  • Paris; France Persecution, Iran; Lua Getsinger; Muzaffarid-Din Shah; Shahs; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Petitions
    1902 (In the year) Lua Getsinger spent over a year in the household of 'Abdu'l-Bahá teaching English to His grandchildren. During this time she began to wear an outfit that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had designed for her. It consisted of a simple dress and coat and a hat with a a long, cloak-like veil. It was in royal blue. [LDNW20] [key] Akká Lua Getsinger
    1902 - 1903 C. One of the chief promoters of Mírzá Muhammad-'Ali in India was Mírzá Husayn-'Alíy-i-Jahrumí.
  • See LGHC57-58 for his encounter with Lua Getsinger.
  • Reference is made to this man in Memories of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Memoirs of Mírzá Habíbu'lláh Afnán edited and translated by Ahang Rabbani p96.
  • Also see CoB185 for more on the role played by Mírzá Husayn-'Alíy-i-Jahrumí in the plot by the Covenant-breakers to have Mírzá Áqá Ján incite an incident at the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh with a view to having those involved arrested and therefore discredited.
  • Mumbai (Bombay); India; Akka Mirza Husayn-Aliy-i-Jahrumi; Mirza Muhammed-Ali; Covenant-breakers
    1903 Feb Mírzá Badí'u'lláh, the fourth surviving son of Bahá'u'lláh, wrote to the Bahá'ís announcing his break with Muhammad-`Alí and giving his loyalty to `Abdu'l-Bahá. [AB102; GPB264]
  • His letter gave details of the plots of Muhammad-`Alí against `Abdu'l-Bahá. [GPB264]
  • With him came Covenant-breaker Siyyid 'Alí Afnan.
  • His letter entitled An Epistle to the Bahá'í World was translated by Ameen Fareed and published in Chicago by the Bahá'í Publishing Society in 1907. [BEL7.106]
  • The document is important because reference was made to it in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament.

    "What deviation can be greater than breaking the Covenant of God! What deviation can be greater than interpolating and falsifying the words and verses of the Sacred Text, even as testified and declared by Badi'u'llah!"

    "...Ye know well what the hands of the Center of Sedition, Mirza Muhammad `Ali, and his associates have wrought. Among his doings, one of them is the corruption of the Sacred Text whereof ye are all aware, the Lord be praised, and know that it is evident, proven and confirmed by the testimony of his brother, Mirza Badi'u'llah, whose confession is written in his own handwriting, beareth his seal, is printed and spread abroad..."

    This reconciliation was short-lived. Badi'u'llah continued to plot unrepentantly against Abdu'l-Bahá and later, against Shoghi Effendi until his death in Israel 1950. [AB102] Again from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá...

    "Gracious God! After Mirza Badi'u'llah had declared in his own handwriting that this man (Muhammad `Ali) had broken the Covenant and had proclaimed his falsification of the Holy Text, he realized that to return to the True Faith and pay allegiance to the Covenant and Testament would in no wise promote his selfish desires. He thus repented and regretted the thing he had done and attempted privily to gather in his printed confessions, plotted darkly with the Center of Sedition against me and informed him daily of all the happenings within my household. He has even taken a leading part in the mischievous deeds that have of late been committed. Praise be to God affairs recovered their former stability and the loved ones obtained peace. but ever since the day he entered again into our midst, he began afresh to sow the seeds of sore sedition. Some of his machinations and intrigues will be recorded in a separate leaflet."

  • Akka Mirza Badiullah; Mirza Muhammad Ali; Covenant-breakers
    1903 9 Feb Lua Getsinger made an attempt to take a message from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Eugénie, former Empress of France but she refused to meet her just as her husband, Napoleon III, had rejected two messages from Bahá'u'lláh. [LGHC80-81] [key] Paris; France Lua Getsinger; Eugenie de Montijo; Napoleon III; Travel teaching
    1903 Mar Myron H. Phelps completed his work, Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi, when in Cairo in March 1903. The book was published by The Knickerbocker Press in New York in 1903 and in London by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 1912.
  • A review says: "Phelps spent a lengthy period with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akká in 1902 and left this full account of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His family. Inaccurate in many particulars but valuable for its contemporary atmosphere. [BEL 7.2118-7.2119] [key]
  • Cairo; Egypt Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi; Myron Phelps
    1903 7 Mar Inspired by the news of the `Ishqábád Temple project, the Chicago House of Spirituality asked `Abdu'l-Bahá for permission to construct a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. Two days later Mirza Asadu'lláh drafted a petition to be sent to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. His reply was received in late May and three other letters were received over the next several weeks containing statements about the Temple. [BFA2:XVI, 118; BW10:179; GPB348; DH4-5] [key] Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Wilmette; Chicago; United States House of Spirituality; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette; petition
    1903 May Russian poet Isabella Grinevskaya wrote the play "Báb" which was performed in St. Petersburg in 1904 and again in 1914 and once again in 1917. It was translated into French and Tatar (and later into German by Friedrich Fiedler) and lauded by Leo Tolstoy and other reviewers at the time. It is reported to have been Tolstoy's first knowledge of the Faith.
  • In 1910-11 she spent two weeks in Ramleh as a guest of `Abdu'l-Bahá and after she returned to Russia she had several letters and Tablets from Him.
  • Immediately upon her return from Egypt in January of 1911 she began work on the book "A Journey in the Countries of the Sun", an account of her visit with 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This work was not completed until 1914 because in the summer of 1912 she made a trip to Paris to work with the French translator of "Báb", Madame Halperin, and when she returned to Leningrad she began work on the drama entitled Bahá'u'lláh. It was published in Leningrad in 1912 but was never performed. "Journey", a book of some 550 pages did not get published because of the disruption cause by the advent of the war. See BW6p707-712 for the article "Russia's Cultural Contribution to the Bahá'i Faith" by Martha Root.
  • For a photo see BW6p709 or here.
  • Also see Notes on the Bábí and Bahá'í Religions in Russia and its territories by Graham Hassall.
  • Isabella Grinevskaya (the pen name of Beyle (Berta) Friedberg), born in Grodno in 1864, died in Istanbul in 1944. [Revolvy] In His message to Isabella Grinevskaya, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá praised her efforts to stage theatrical performances about the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh but cautioned her that people’s attention at that moment was focused on “war and revolution.” However, He added, “the time for staging it will come” and it will “have a considerable impact” in Europe.

    Ms. Grinevskaya’s play about the Báb was first staged in St. Petersburg in January 1904. Mr. Tolstoy read the play and wrote Ms. Grinevskaya to praise her and share his sympathy with the Baha'í teachings, according to an article by Martha Root in the 1934-1936 edition of The Bahá'í World.

  • St Petersburg; Ramleh (Alexandria); Alexandria; Egypt; Istanbul (Constantinople); Turkey; Grodno; Russia Isabella Grinevskaya; Leo Tolstoy; Publications; Drama; Plays; Arts
    1903 Sep At the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Hájí Mírzá Hadar-'Alí wrote Bahá'í Martyrdoms in Persia in the Year 1903 AD. Yazd; Isfahan; Iran Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution; Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Yazd upheaval
    1904 28 Oct Ali Kuli Khan married Florence Breed, the first marriage between a Persian and a Western Bahá'í. [BFA2:147]
  • For details of this marriage see SUR223–20.
  • When 'Abdu'l-Bahá heard the new of the marriage He said, ‘This is the first sign of union between East and West.’ Then He sent for candies to be brought and said, ‘The event is so joyous that it must be celebrated!’ And He distributed the candy to those present, as is the custom for the parents of the bridegroom to do at a Persian wedding banquet. [AY26]
  • See AY51-53 for the history of the Breed name.
  • See AY53-> for the relationship between Khan and the Hearst family.
  • United States Ali Kuli Khan; Florence Breed; Firsts, Other; Interracial marriage; Weddings; Hearst family; Phoebe Hearst First marriage between a Persian and a Western Bahá'í
    1905 (In the year) Muhammad-'Alí sent his eldest son Shu'á'u'lláh to North America as his representative. It would appear that he did not work with Kheiralla but rather aligned himself with the group of Behaists in Kenosha. [BFA1p180; GPB319]
  • He was the editor of the Behai Quarterly, a periodical published seven times from the Spring of 1934 to 1936 published from 7534 Twenty-sixth Ave in Kenosha. [BFA1p180; AB527n60]
  • When the Master visited Los Angeles in October of 1912 he was living in Pasadena and became a cause of grief for 'Abdu'l-Bahá through his machinations. [MD340-341]
  • It is believed that he stayed in North America until the 1930s or 1940s. [BFA1p180] [key]
  • Kenosha Covenant-breakers; Muhammad-Ali; Shuaullah
    1905 (In the year or later) Following the dispatch of his eldest son Shu'áu'lláh to North America, Muhammad-'Ali sent Mírzá Ghulámu'lláh, son of Áqá Muhammad-Javád-i-Qazvíní, one of the most inveterate adversaries of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Enroute he Ghlámu'lláh visited Professor E G Browne at Cambridge. [AB86]
  • Áqá Muhammad-Javád-i-Qazvíní was with Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad and went to Adrianople some years later to be of service to Him. He was exiled to Akká and served by transcribing Writings. After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh he became an adversary of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and attacked him in his venomous writings. [CoB165; GPB319] [key]
  • Cambridge; United Kingdom Covenant-breakers; Shuaullah; Muhammad Ali; Ghulamullah; Aqa Muhammad Javiad Qazyini
    1905 23 May or 2 Jun A Nineteen Day Feast was celebrated in New York City, the first known to have been held in North America. [BFA2:XVI, 245]
  • It consisted of a devotional portion and a social part. The administrative aspect of the Feast was developed in the 1930s. [BFA2:245; SA208]
  • Howard and Mary MacNutt, along with Julia Grundy, had been on pilgrimage early in the year and had been encouraged to hold Feasts by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • In a meeting of NY Board of Council at the home of Mr. Arthur Pillsbury Dodge on the 19th of May, Mr. Howard MacNutt described a Nineteen Day Feast he had attended in Acca. The Board then planned the First Nineteen Day Feast to be held the following Tuesday, June 2nd at the home of Mr. Fleming. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá’í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p10] [key]
  • New York; United States Nineteen Day Feast; Howard MacNutt; Mary MacNutt; Julia Grundy; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Pilgrims First Nineteen Day Feast celebrated in West
    1905 4 Jul 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been promising visiting pilgrims that He would visit America when the friends became united. A petition was sent to 'Abdu'l-Bahá signed by 422 of the American believers...
      They had covenanted together, so they wrote, to remain at one in all things, and the signatories one and all had pledged themselves to make sacrifices in the pathway of the love of God, thus to achieve eternal life. [SWABp243]
    • See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in a tablet translated by Ali Kuli Khan 3 January 1906 in By Thy Strengthening Grace Appendix I by Duanne Hermann iiiii
    • See an incomplete list of the signatories in Appendix II of the same book. iiiii
    petition
    1906 Mar Mrs Whyte, the wife of a well-known Scottish clergyman, made a pilgrimage to `Akká with Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper. In answer to a letter that Mrs Whyte left for `Abdu'l-Bahá upon their departure, He revealed the Tablet the `Seven Candles of Unity'. [AB361–2, SCU4554]
  • See AB360–2 and SWAB29–32 for text of the Tablet.
  • See AB355–9, BW4396-399 and SBR20–1 for accounts of Mrs Whyte's pilgrimage.
  • See also Anjam Khursheed's, The Seven Candles of Unity pg45-54.
  • Her account of the meeting with 'Abdu'l-Bahá can be found in Seven Candles of Unity: the Story of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991). [Scottish Women: A Documentary History, 1780-1914 by Esther Breitenbach and Linda Fleming p.213] [key]
  • Akka Seven Candles of Unity; Unity; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Jane Whyte; Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper; Pilgrims; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1906 10 Nov Harlan Ober and Hooper Harris sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey for Naples and 'Akká on their teaching trip to India at the behest of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. (Tablet 12 March, 1906) Dr. William Moore, brother of Lua Getsinger, had been chosen to accompany Hooper Harris but he died unexpectedly. Harlan did not have the means for such a trip but Lua Getsinger loaned him the necessary funds. [BW13p868]
  • During their three days stopover in 'Akká 'Abdu'l-Bahá provided no instructions but promised them that "Whenever difficult questions or problems come to you, turn your hearts to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and you will receive help." They found that they were astonished with some of their own answers to questions put to them during the trip. [BW13p869]
  • Later 'Abdu'l-Bahá told Harlan, "Serve the people, speak in the meetings, love them in reality not through politeness, embrace them as I have embraced you. Even if you should never speak great good will be accomplished." This was to become Harlan's creed for teaching the Faith. [BW13p869]
  • They traveled across India, teaching the Faith, with Persian Bahá'ís Ibn-i-Abhar and Mírzá Mahmúd. See BFA266–71 for details of the trip. [Bahaipedia]
  • "Hooper Harris and Harlan Ober traveled, during no less than seven months, in India and Burma, visiting Bombay, Poona, Lahore, Calcutta, Rangoon and Mandalay." [GPB261]
  • ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent the “Tablet of Purity” to America with Hooper Harris on his return from Haifa and India. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá’í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p10] [key]
  • Hoboken; New Jersey; India; Pakistan; Myanmar (Burma); Mumbai (Bombay); Pune (Poona); Kolkata (Calcutta); Lahore; Rangoon; Mandalay Harlan Ober; Hooper Harris; Travel teaching
    1906 29 Nov The publication of Compilation of Utterances from the Pen of Abdul-Baha Regarding His Station . 19p. The compilation was prepared in response to "different opinions and statements" regarding the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It was prefaced by a letter from Mirza Assad'ullah. M. Ahmad Esphahani, credited as translator, is actually Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; this was before he adopted that last name for himself. The document does not state if it was compiled by Assad'ullah as well, but it seems likely from the cover letter. Similarly, it is not stated if the entire collection was translated by Sohrab or just the cover letter. [BEL3.35] [key] Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1907 (In the year) Six rooms of the Shrine of the Báb were completed. [GBF103]
  • See BBD8 and DH103–4 for information on Mullá Abu-Tálib, the master mason from Bákú, Ádharbáyján, who worked on the Shrine.
  • ‘Abdu’l-Bahá named one of the exterior doors to the Shrine of the Báb after Ustad ‘Ali Ashraf, named Báb-i-Ashraf. In years to come, one of the gates leading to the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was named "Ali Ashraf Gate".
  • Two doors, one facing north towards ‘Akka and the other on the eastern side of the Shrine, were named for Ustad Aqa ‘Ali-Ashraf and Ustad Aqa Bala, sons of Mulla Abu-Talib. These two brothers were master-masons who went on pilgrimage from their native town of Baku, Russia, and with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s permission remained for some time in the Holy Land. During this period, they devoted their efforts to the construction of the Shrine and offered financial contributions towards the project.
  • Some members of the Ahmadpùr family had been in the presence of the beloved Master when the Shrine of the Báb had almost been completed. In their longing to have a share in that great and historic enterprise, they asked the Master if they could make a special carpet for the fioor and send it to Haifa. He accepted their request and gave instructions as to what design they should choose for the carpet. The Ahmadpùr family were those in whose silk factory the Báb's body had been kept after being taken from the edge of the moat outside the city of Tabriz. [BN No 403 October 1964 p1] [key]
  • Haifa; Baku; Adharbayjan Bab, Shrine of; Mulla Abu-Talib; Ahmadpùr
    1907 (In the year) The publication of Tablets Containing Instructions 19p. It was translated by Ahmad Sohrab and Ali-Kuli Khan and was published in Washington by the Bahai Assembly. Described by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as a few Tablets revealed for believers in Persia; if they are translated and spread in the West it will not be without effect ... Print them and circulate them amongst the believers in all those parts. (paraphrased from intro) [BEL3.147] [key] Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1907 (In the Year) Edward 'Saffa" Kinney and his wife Carrie "Vaffa" were in pilgrimage during this year. 'Abdu'l-Bahá later described them as being "Pillars of th Faith in the City of the Covenant" for their steadfastness in the Cause. [SYH45] [key] BWC Pilgrimage; Edward Kinney; Carrie Kinney
    1907 Easter Having obtained 'Abdu'l-Bahá's permission to publish in 1906, Laura Barney travelled to Paris to work on Some Answered Question by Easter Ethel Rosenberg come from London had settled into the same hotel and the collaboration began. [AB82; EJR85] [key] Paris, France Some Answered Questions; Ethel Rosenberg; Laura Clifford Barney
    1908 (In the year) Marion Jack was in 'Akká and taught 'Abdu'l-Bahá's children. [FMH45] [key] Akka Marion Jack
    1908 Mar The book Some Answered Questions; Collected and Translated from the Persian of Abdu'l-Baha was published simultaneously in Great Britain in English (Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co in London) and was translated into French by Hippolyte Dreyfus under the title Les Leçons de Saint Jean-d'Acre (Ernest Leroux in Paris) and the Persian edition (Al-Núru’l-Abhá fi Mufavi∂áti-‘Abdu’l-Bahá)(The Light of Bahá Shining in Discourse with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and had the sub-title Talks During Luncheon ( E.J. Brill in Holland). [AB82; BBD212–13; BFA2:238; ABF8; M9YA 314-219, 340-345; LB108-117]
  • See Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler by Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani published in Lights of Irfan, 18, pages 425-452. Some details:
    • Laura Barney's first pilgrimage to met 'Abdu'l-Bahá was in 1900. As with other Western pilgrims the practice was to travel to Cairo and from there, after resting from the long travel and permission had been granted, to make the final leg of the journey to the Holy Land. Mírzá Abu’l-Fadl help prepare the visitors for the experience. He became her beloved teacher and friend.
    • Initially she made notes herself for her personal study but decided to make His answers available to others. During her third visit in 1904, when Western visitors were limited because 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been re-incarcerated, she asked permission to bring Ethel Rosenberg as stenographer. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answers were also recorded in Persian. Mírzá Munír, the son of Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí, the faithful half-brother of Bahá’u’lláh, was given this task. These Persian transcripts were corrected by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, revised and then verified again by HIm and became the basis for the publications that were to follow. Due to this diligence the book can be considered as Bahá'í scripture. [M9YA 340-345; BFA2p238]
    • During this extended visit (winter 1904-1905) the visitors stayed with the Family in the house of ‘Abdu’lláh Páshá. Youness Khán Afroukhteh served as interpreter as well as His daughters Rouha Khánum and Munavar Khánum when no men could be present and after Afroukhteh's departure for Europe.
  • United States; United Kingdom Some Answered Questions; Pilgrims notes; Publications; Translation; Authenticity; House of Abdullah Pasha; Youness Khan Afroukhteh; Laura Clifford Barney; Mirza Abul-Fadl; Ethel Rosenberg; Mirza Munir
    1908 24 Jul In Constantinople, a bomb intended for Sultán 'Abdu'l-Hamíd as he returned from the mosque on Friday, killed and injured a number of people. This event prompted the authorities to recall all the members of the Commission who were gathering evidence against 'Abd'l-Bahá at the time. Some months later the "Young Turk" revolutionaries demanded the release of all political and religious prisoners. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was free by in September. [AB123; BBD4; BBRXXX; CB237; DH71; GPB272]
  • A cable was sent to Constantinople to enquire whether `Abdu'l-Bahá was to be included in the amnesty. `Abdu'l-Bahá was set free. [AB123; GPB272] [key]
  • Istanbul (Constantinople); Turkey Commission of Inquiry; Sultan Abdul-Hamid; Young Turks; History (general); Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1908 30 Aug A "Feast of Rejoicing" was held at the home of Howard MacNutt at 935 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn to celebrate the "freedom of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It had been forty years since the exiles had been sent to Akka. [Bahá'í Bulletin Vol 1 No 1 p6; WMSH58-59] [key] New York; United States Abdul-baha, Life of; Howard MacNutt
    1909 (In the year) The passing of Robert Turner (b. 15 October, 1855 or 1856, Virginia d. 1909 California)
  • the first African-American Bahá'í and a member of the first Western Pilgrimage to Haifa in 1898, led by his employer Mrs. Phoebe Hearst. He was a butler in her household for more than 35 years. He was taught the Bahá'í Faith by Lua Getsinger in the process of serving tea and remained a devoted believer his entire life. "Such was the tenacity of his faith that even the subsequent estrangement of his beloved mistress from the Cause she had spontaneously embraced failed to becloud its radiance, or to lessen the intensity of the emotions which the loving-kindness showered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá upon him had excited in his breast." (GPB259) [A Vision of Race Unity, Ving p101, AZBF475, An Early Pilgrimage by May Maxwell]
  • He received a Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá while on his deathbed and a tribute after his passing. [AY60, 61, 339, AB72]
  • He was one of the nineteen Western Bahá'ís designated as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • A Tablet to him from 'Abdu'l-Bahá can be found in SWABpg114 #78 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America (website).
  • See also Bahaipedia, Bahá'í Chronicles.
  • Find a Grave.
  • Ask a Bahá'í.
  • Virginia; California; United States Robert Turner; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Firsts, Other; Phoebe Hearst; In Memoriam; Births and deaths the first African-American Baha'i
    1909 (In the year) Juliet Thompson made a pilgrimage to 'Akka and met with 'Abdu'l-Bahá., [ABF19] [key] Akka Juliet Thompson; Pilgrims
    1909 21 Mar The first printing of Volume 1 of Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by the Bahá’í Publishing Society in Chicago.
  • Laura Dreyfus-Barney was credited as being one of the translators. [ABF9not53] [key]
  • Chicago; United States Tablets of Abdul-Baha (book); Publications; Laura Clifford Barney
    1909 (Months following Mar) Construction of the Eastern Pilgrim House in Haifa begins. [BBD178]
  • Mírzá Ja`far Rahmání, (also know as Áqá Mírzá Ja’far Shírází) a believer from `Ishqábád, was given permission by `Abdu'l-Bahá to build it. [DH177, SES25-26]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá composed an inscription that was placed above the entrance that read, "This is a spiritual Hostel for Pilgrims, and its founder is Mírzá Ja'far Rahmani. AH 1327."
  • This was the first property to be granted tax exemption by the civil authorities. [GPB307, SES43-47] [key]
  • Haifa Pilgrim House, Eastern; Pilgrim houses; Mirza Jafar Rahmani; Aqa Mirza Jafar Shirazi; Pilgrimage; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre First property granted tax exemption
    1909 Summer Sir Ronald Storrs, then a student of Arabic of Edward Granville Browne, visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akka. [BW10p192; CH226] [key] Akka Ronald Storrs; Edward Granville Browne
    1909 25 Nov Dr Susan Moody, a famed American homeopathist, arrived in Tihrán. She and four Persian Bahá'í doctors start the Sehat Hospital. Because the hospital was only accessible to the wealthy she established a private practice that was open to all women regardless of their ability to pay. [BFA2:359-360]
  • She spent two days in 'Akká en route to Persia and 'Abdu'l-Bahá conferred upon her the title Amatu'l-'Alí (Handmaid of the Most High). [BFA2:358]
  • Dr Sarah A. Clock arrived from Seattle in 1911 to assist her followed by Miss Elizabeth Stewart (nurse). [BFA2:361]
      Dr Sarah Clock sailed from New York for Iran on 8 December 1910. She served the Bahá'í community of Iran with great sacrifice for years. While her main task was treatment of the sick, she never ceased educating the youth. She was an energetic tolerant and contented woman. Very often needy people were not only exempted from paying her meagre honoraria, but also received medicaments fro free. She was highly respected by the Bahá'í community and non-Bahá'í alike. Finally after twelve years of devoted service, she died of pneumonia in Tehran. [OLOMp43-44] [key]
  • Tihran; Iran Susan Moody; Sehat Hospital; Sarah Clock; Elizabeth Stewart; Women; Social and economic development; Homeopathy; Names and titles
    1910 (In the year) Agnes Parsons made a pilgrimage to Akka to see 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [Luminous Journey 30:02] She had become a Bahá'í in 1908. During her pilgrimage Agnes extracted a promise from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that he would stay with them when he came to Washington. On returning from her pilgrimage she had a hourse built especiall for 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SYH57239Days Day 11] [key] Akka Agnes Parsons; pilgrimage
    1910 (In the year) Within a year of her arrival in Persia, Dr. Susan Moody opened the Tarbíyat School for Girls in Tihrán. [BBD221–2; BFA2:360–1]

    Some of those serving at the school were:

  • Miss Lillian Kappes of Hoboken, New Jersey arrived in December of 1911 to serve as a teacher. She stopped in Thonon to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the way. [SoW Vol 2 No 17 Jan 19. 1912 p2] She died on the 1st of December, 1920 of typhus and was buried there.
  • She was replaced by Genevieve Coy, a qualified psychologist, a Ph.D. in 1922 who was followed by Adelaide Sharp in 1929. Her mother, Clara Sharp joined her in 1931. [BFA2p361, AY233]
  • Elizabeth Stewart who served as a nurse at the school accompanied Lillian Kappes on her arrival. Miss Stewart served until 1924 when she returned to Philadelphia where she died in 1926. [ABF43]
  • Munírih Khánum Ayádí, the mother of Dr Karím Ayádí (later famed as the Shah much-trusted doctor) was Persia’s first official Director of the Tarbíyat School for Girls. She was widely recognized as exceptional, at a time when Persia’s Bahá’í women were only gradually emerging from their earlier state under Islam. Much respected by the men, her attitude toward them was one of total equality. Her greatness was in herself, her devotion to the Faith absolute, and she was made a member of such advanced committees as the Bahá’í Women’s Committee. Her views were moderated by her sense of humour, which included self-deprecation so that she never subjected you to her piety. One day during the Bahá’í Fast, she asked Marzieh Gall: ‘Do you think God would notice if I ducked into that room and sneaked a few puffs of tobacco?’ [AY333] [key]
  • Tihran; Iran Tarbiyat School; Bahai schools; Susan Moody; Lillian Kappes; Genevieve Coy; Adelaide Sharp; Clara Sharp; Elizabeth Stewart; Women; Social and economic development; Munirih Khanum Ayadi; Karim Ayadi First Tarbíyat School for Girls
    1910 (In the year) The publication of The Oriental Rose, or, The teachings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá which trace the chart of "The Shining Pathway" by Mary Hanford Finney Ford. [BEL7.983]
  • See page 158-159 for her pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • See SoW Vol 2 No 15 November 23, 1911 p3 for her description of 'Abdu'-Bahá's time in Paris during the two weeks she was there.
  • New York; United States Mary Hanford Ford; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Introductory; Abdul-Baha, Pen portraits; Pen portraits; Portraits; Publications
    1910 21 Mar The first issue of the Bahá'í News was published in Chicago. [BFA2:XVII; BW10:179; BWNS1289]
  • See BFA2:320–2, BW8:927 and SBBH1:116–17 for the magazine's development.
  • It was the first Bahá'í magazine published in the West. [BBD2 14]
  • Star of the West was published as Bahá'í News (Volume 1, Issues 1-19 from 21 March, 1910 until 2 March, 1911) and later under Star of the West /The Bahá'í Magazine (Volume 2 to Volume 25, 21 March, 1911 until 25 March,1935).
  • Its editors were Albert Windust and Gertrude Buikema. Others involved with its publication over its history were Albert and Emily Vail, Dr. Zia Baghdadi, Ahmad Sohrab, Edna M. True; with Horace Holley and Stanwood Cobb being singled out as early contributors. [Duane Troxel]
    Star of the West Published March 1910 to April 1935
              URL   (For cut 'n' paste)  
             Volume # / Dates (links)   
    Vol 1 (Mar 1910) - Vol 10 (Mar 1920)
    Vol 11 (Mar 1920) - Vol 20 (Mar 1930)
    Vol 21 (Apr 1930) - Vol 25 (Apr 1935)

    For an access to the Star of the West archives see http://www.starofthewest.info. This site is not searchable.

  • Chicago; United States Star of the West; Bahai News; - Periodicals; First publications; Publications; BWNS First issue of Bahá'í News; first Bahá'í magazine
    1910 10 May Talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa to some American pilgrims. [SoW1 Vol 8] [key] Haifa Pilgrims
    1910 13 May Talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa to to a number of Jewish, Zoroastrian, Christian and Mohammedan Bahais. Haifa Interfaith dialogue
    1911 (In the Year) The publication of The Mountain of God by E. S. (Ethel Stefana) Stevens (later Mrs E M Drower, Lady Drower) in London by Mills and Boon. The romantic novel is noteworthy for the author's pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and it records impressions of the Bahá’í community as well as life in ‘Akká and Haifa in 1911.
  • See Symbols of Individuation in E. S. Stevens's The Mountain of God by Cal E. Rollins. PDF.
  • See World Order 4:3 (Spring 1970), pages 28-52 together with World Order 4:4 (Summer1970), pages 33-50 for excerpts from the book.
  • Photo of the cover.
  • She also published two articles about the Faith, Abbas Effendi: His Personality, Work, and Followers in The Fortnightly Review, New series vol 95, no 534, 1 June 1911, pp. 1067–1084 and The Light in the Lantern in Everybody's Magazine, vol 24, no 6, Dec 1911, pp. 755– 786.
  • Haifa; Mount Carmel E S Drower (E S Stevens); Abdul-Baha, Pen portraits
    1911 10 Mar 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Lua Getsinger and Dr Ameen Farid to California where they spoke to some 5,000 people delivering lectures on "Bahá'í Reformation" or referring to it in the course of lectures on other subjects. She spent two weeks visiting friends in Chicago and then departed for California on the 10th of March. [LGHC123]
  • Among the groups contacted were the Scottish Rite Masons, the Knights Templar, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, some literary clubs, a Unitarian congregation in Almeda, a large group of Japanese, the "World's Spiritual Congress", the Church of the Golden Rule, the Auxiliary of the Juvenile Court, with Persian, Turkish, Egyptian and Jewish ladies, the Federation of Women's club, the faculty members of the University of California and of Stanford University, the crew of the battleship S.S. California, and prisoners in San Quentin. They also went to Tijuana, Mexico, where a civil war was in progress, and where she served as a volunteer nurse for the Red Cross while Dr Fareed served as surgeon to the wounded. [LDNW25; SBBH1p126; SoW Vol 2 No 13 p6-7; SoW Vol 2 No 14 p13-14; SoW Vol 2 No 16 p12-13]
  • Dr Fareed met President Taft at a luncheon of the Union League Club, and also at the dedication of the ground for the 1915 Panama Exposition. He had an opportunity for a few minutes to speak privately to the President when, as a Bahá'í, he congratulated him upon his efforts for Arbitration Treaties and promotion of Peace between nations. Thus the President was informed of the goal of the Bahá'í Movement, and its sympathy with all efforts far the Unity and Peace of the world. [SoW Vol 2 No 14 p13]
  • Some time before the end of 1911 Dr. Fareed returned to Egypt. See the same reference for a report from Ella Goodall Cooper on the progress of the teaching work in California. [SoW Vol 2 No 16 p12-13]
  • Some of Lua's talks were:
    • December 17th, 1911 at the California Club Hall in San Francisco. [LGHC358]
    • January 6th, 1912 at the Bellevue Hotel in San Francisco. [LGHC373]
    • January 16th, 1912 at the Bellevue Hotel in San Francisco. [LGHC375]
  • Lua Getsinger travelled to Chicago to meet Him and to attend the dedication of the land for the Temple. 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked her to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony by turning over a shovelful of earth. [LDNW26-27] iiiii
  • California; United States; Tijuana; Mexico; San Quentin Lua Getsinger; Travel teaching; Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Abdul-Baha in Egypt
    1911 9 Apr c. Louis Gregory visited Ramleh where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was staying in preparation for His first visit to Europe. During their first conversation ‘Abdu’l-Bahá immediately cut “to the substance of the issue.” “What of the conflict between the white and colored races?” he asked. “Work for unity and harmony between the races,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told him. “The colored people must attend all the unity meetings. There must be no distinctions.” [239Days Day 12; SoW Vol 2 No 10 September 8 1911 p5; SYH6]
  • On pilgrimage at the same time were Neville Meakin and another British Bahá'í, Louise Mathew. On the 16th of April the three set sail for Haifa. [SYH3-8]
  • After visiting the Holy sites Louis returned to Cairo and to 'Abdu'l-Bahá who asked him to visit Stuttgart, Paris and London before returning to America. [SYH12-13] [key]
  • Ramleh (Alexandria); Alexandria; Egypt Louis Gregory; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Louise Gregory; Abdul-Baha in Egypt
    1911 May Louis Gregory travelled to Stuttgart after his visit with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt. There he renewed his acquaintance with Alma Knobloch, he had learned of the Faith in the Hannen household.
  • “When he went to Stuttgart,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote of him, “although being of black color, yet he shone as a bright light in the meeting of the friends.” [239 Days in America]
  • Members of that community, Miss Alma Knobloch, Mr and Mrs Herrigel and Mr Haiges went to London when 'Abdul-Bahá was visiting that city.
  • When He was Paris in October, Mr and Mrs Eckstein and Mr and Mrs Häfner and their child went to that city and were photographed with Him. From the 13th to the 16th of October, Miss Margarethe Döring remained with 'Abdul-Bahá and had the honour of living in the house occupied by Him; from the 19th to the 22nd, Miss Anna Kastlin, Miss Julie Stäbler and Mrs Schweizer were in Paris and during the three days of their visit were received six times in private audience. [SoW Vol 2 No 17 January 19, 1912 p8] [key]
  • Stuttgart; Germany Louis Gregory
    1911 15 May Talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa on the day of the commemoration of the Báb's Declaration. Haifa Bab, Declaration of; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1911 18 May Talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa to to Mr. Charles Mason Remey and Mr. Howard C. Struven on the day of their departure. Haifa Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1911 26 - 29 Jul The First Universal Races Congress was held at the University of London. It was the first important conference in which the British Bahá'ís participated. It was an international symposium on the theme of the brotherhood of humankind and attracted leading politicians, theologians and scholars from the whole of the British Empire and from Europe as well as North America. During the Congress itself there were several presentations from Bahá'ís including the reading of a letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá who was in Egypt at the time. [NBAD45]
  • See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Letter and here.
  • See SoW Vol II No 9 for a report by Wellesley Tudor-Pole, an article by Thorton Chase as well as the letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the conference. See as well Speech for the Universal Races Congress translation and comments by Senn McGlinn.
  • A translation was published in "The Christian Commonwealth" on August 2, 1911.
  • A bibliography of the presentations, papers and contributions and secondary literature by Ralph Dumain can be found here.
  • A paper by Dr W E B DuBois entitled The Negro Race in the United States of America (pp348-364)was also presented at this conference.
  • Alain Locke attended. It may have been where he first heard of the Bahá'í faith. He credits this conference as his inspiration to begin the first of five historic lectures on race relation he delivered at Howard University in 1916. [Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy p43 by Dr Chrisopher Buck]
  • See the website of the National Centre for Race Amity.
    • The long term goal of the National Center for Race Amity is to have a reesoltuin adopted by both the House and the Senate to have the second Sunday in June declared as an annual Day of Observance in the United States, with the President issuing a Proclamation supporting the passage of the Race Amity Day Resolution.
  • London; United Kingdom Conferences, Racial amity; Race amity; Race (general); Race unity; Firsts, Other; Alain Locke; Wellesley Tudor-Pole; Thorton Chase; Abdi'l-Baha, Writings of first important conference in which the British Bahá'ís participated.
    1911 9 Aug When 'Abdu'l-Bahá was about to depart on his first voyage to the West, He wrote to Albert Smiley, host of the annual Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration. On the 22nd of August, 1911 while in Thonon-les-Bains, France, He wrote to H.C. Phillips, secretary of the Mohonk arbitration institution. These letters were unique because He usually didn't initiate correspondence. He was, undoubtedly, making arrangements to speak at their annual conference as Ali Kuli Khan had recently done.
  • The letter. [SoW Vol 2 No 15 December 12, 1911 p3]
  • While crossing the Atlantic on the S.S. Cedric He told a newspaperman, "I am going to America at the invitation of the Peace Congresses of that place, as the fundamental principles of our Cause are universal peace, the oneness of the world of humanity and the equality of the rights of men..." When the ship docked in New York and the plank was lowered, the press clambered aboard to interview him and he told them, "Our object is... the unity of mankind... I have come to America to see the advocates of universal peace..." [Who Will Bell the Cat: The Story of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to Lake Mohonk by Janet Ruhe-Schoen]
  • These meetings at Lake Mohonk were instrumental in the creation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. [Wikipedia] [key]
  • Egypt; Thonon-les-Bains; France; Lake Mohonk Albert Smiley; H.C. Phillips; Ali Kuli Khan; Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 11 Aug The beginning of `Abdu'l-Bahá's first Western tour. [AB139]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá departed from Egypt with a party of four on the S. S. Corsica for Marseilles, Thonon-les-Bains and London. [AB139; GPB280; SBR22, SoW Vol 2 no.10 8 September, 1911 p7]
  • Subsequent research has shown that the ship was not the S.S. Corsica as stated in GPB280 but rather the L'Orenoque. See 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris page 6 note 47.
  • See BW1:130 for a list of cities He visited between 1911 and 1913.
  • It is believed that funds for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s teaching journeys to the West were provided by an oil-rich believer in Baku, Áqa Músá Naqiof (alternate spelling Musa Naghiyev)(yet another alternate spelling Báqirof) (1849-1919). [AY11; ABF295note684]
  • Baku; Alexandria; Egypt; Marseilles; Thonon-les-Bains; France; London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; S. S. Corsica; Orenoque; Ships; Funds; Donations; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Musa Naghiyev; Musa Naqiof First Western tour by `Abdu'l-Bahá'
    1911 16 Aug After four and half days of travel over 2500 kilometres L'Orénoque arrived in Marseilles, France's major port on the Mediterranean. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was met by Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney who had recently married (28 April). He and his wife would be 'Abdu'l-Bahá's constant companions in France and would later be in His company in England and the eastern United States. They had already met 'Abdu'l-Baha in Palestine and Laura stayed there between 1904 and 1906. [ABF8]
  • He stayed at the Hôtel Louvre de la Paix at 53, la Canebière (today a C&A department store). [ABF9]
  • Thus began His first trip to France. It lasted 4 days.
  • Marseilles; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Laura Clifford Barney; Orenoque; Ships
    1911 18 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá had an exchange of telegrams with Wellesley Tudor Pole from the Theosophical Summer School in Derbyshire, England where he had just presented a lecture on the Bahá'í Faith. [ABF9-10, SoW Vol 2 no10 p.7] [key] Marseilles; France; Derbyshire; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Wellesley Tudor Pole; Theosophical Society
    1911 19 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent a telegram to Charles Mason Remey in America inviting him to join Him in Europe. [SoW vol2 no.12 (16 October 1911) p9, ABF10] [key] Marseilles; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Charles Mason Remey
    1911 20 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His party left Marseilles and traveled by train to Geneva, arriving late in the day and checking into the Hôtel de la Paix. Marseilles; France; Geneva; Switzerland Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 21 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His party took a ferry from Geneva to Thonon-les-Bains and were met by Laura Dreyfus-Barney. They stayed at the Hôtel du Parc. He wrote to His sister, Bahíyyih Khánum. It was she that He had placed in charge of the affairs of the Faith in His absence. [ABF12-13, LTDT172-173]
  • About this time He also wrote to His wife, Munírih Khánum. [ABF14]
  • This was His first visit to Switzerland. It lasted just one day.
  • Geneva; Switzerland; Thonon-les-Bains; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Munirih Khanum
    1911 22 Aug The Master sent for Juliet Thompson who had been waiting in London for His permission to join Him. [DJT157, ABF14-15]
  • See LGHC140-142 for Juliet's letter to Lua Getsinger, then teaching in California at 'Abdu'l-Bahá's request.
  • See SoW Vol 2 No 14 November 23 1911 p9 for her account of her time with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Switzerland.
  • Thonon-les-Bains; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Juliet Thompson
    1911 23 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá went for a carriage ride in the nearby hills. ["With 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Switzerland" by Juliet Thompson, SoW Vol 2 no 14 (Nov 23, 1911) p9-13, ABF15]
  • Later that day, by chance, 'Abdu'l-Bahá encountered the Persian prince, Sultán-Mas'ud Mírzá Zillu's-Sultán (1850-1918), the eldest son of Násirid-/dín Sháh, (1850-1918) in the Parc Hotel. He was in voluntary exile in Europe accompanied by his four sons. At various times, he had been the governor or governor-general of various provinces in Iran from 1862 to 1907 and had persecuted the Bahá'ís zealously. He was responsible for ratifying the execution of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs in 1879. Upon meeting 'Abdu'l-Bahá he presented his excuses but 'Abdu'l-Bahá forgave him by saying "All those things are in the past. Never think of them again." [DJT172-3, ABF17; ABW411]
  • Annie Boylan arrived in Thonon-les-Bains from America by way of Lausanne. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have told her that the building of the Shrine of the Báb was the fulfillment of the prophecy that "the Lord would come and rebuild the temple that had been torn down". He added that the Tomb of the Báb and that of Bahá'u'lláh were considered the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkar. [SoW vol 11. no. 1 (March 21, 1920) p1-15, ABF18] iiiii
    • Annie Boylan had been on pilgrimage in October of 1908. [WMSH60]
    .
  • Thonon-les-Bains; France; Isfahan; Iran Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Zillus-Sultan; Annie Boylan; Mirza Muhammad-Hasan (King of Martyrs); Mirza Muhammad-Husayn (Beloved of Martyrs); King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution, Other; Persecution
    1911 22 Aug - 3 Sep `Abdu'l-Bahá took up residence at Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Leman (Lake Geneva). [AB140; GPB280; SBR219]
  • While there He encountered Zillu's-Sultán, the eldest son of the Sháh of the time, Násirid-Dín Sháh. It was he who had ratified the execution of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs and at least 100 others. The whole family was in exile in Geneva at this time. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was very courteous to this man who had been such an inveterate enemy of the Cause. [DJT172, AY19, GPB201] .
  • The Master sent for Juliet Thompson who had been waiting in London for His permission to join Him.
  • During His stay he had a visit from Annie Boylan, a member of the New York community that was experiencing disharmony. Unaware of Bahá'í election procedures, a group that was unhappy with the disunity and ineffectiveness of the Council had organized a vote to be rid of several of its Council members. 'Abdu'l-Bahá had written to the community a short time before recommending that the Council be expanded from 9 to 27 members so that all factions could be represented. He also recommended that women be included on the Council and that the name be changed to "the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York". This apparently addressed the problem of disunity because the New York community went on to contribute significantly to the progress of the Faith on a national level. [DJT181, BFA2p338]
  • Horace Holley, who lived at Quattro Torri, Siena, Italy at the time, along with his wife Bertha Herbert and baby daughter Hertha, visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the 29th and 30th of August. Please see his Religion for Mankind p 232-237 for a pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • He met with Elizabeth Stewart and Lillian Kappes who were on their way to Tehran. [find reference]
  • It would appear that He returned to Marseilles and travelled to London by sea. [SCU22-23] [key]
  • Thonon-les-Bains; Lake Leman; Marseilles; France; Switzerland; Italy; London; United Kingdom; New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; Unity; Zillus-Sultan; Persecution; Mirza Muhammad-Hasan (King of Martyrs); Mirza Muhammad-Husayn (Beloved of Martyrs); King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs; Juliet Thompson; Horace Holley; Elizabeth Stewart; Lillian Kappes; Ships
    1911 24 Aug Tammaddun'ul-Mulk and Juliet Thompson arrived in Thonon-les-Bains from London via Geneva. She had landed in Southampton on board the Lusitania from America on the 25th of July.

    Juliet Thompson had been in Paris in 1899 and had been part of the nascent Bahá'í community there along with May Maxwell and Lua Getsinger. In addition, she had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akká in 1909.

  • She, like many others, was anxious to know when He might come to America. He replied that the unity of the believers would be His invitation. There had been strong differences of opinion among the believers in America and one of those points was in their understanding of the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Some believed Him to be an ordinary man who, through spiritual practice, had attained HIs station, implying that all could do the same. Others insisted that He was the return of Christ. The differences among the believers in New York was such that an election for the New York Bahá'í Board of Council had been influenced to excluded one of the incumbents. 'Abdu'l-Bahá insisted that the Board be increased to 19 members to ensure his re-election. [ABF19] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom; Thonon-les-Bains; France Tammaddunul-Mulk; Juliet Thompson; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 25 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá spent the morning with Juliet Thompson, part of the afternoon with Bahrám Mírzá and then visited the Gorges du Pont du Diable on the Dranse river at Le Jotty some 15 km south of Thonon-les-Bains. He travelled by automobile and was accompanied by Juliet and the Dreyfus-Barneys. [ABF27-28, DJT174-178]
  • See Images of the Gorges du Pont du Diable.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Juliet discussed dreams. He instructed her to write down her dream and said dreams were of three types: (1) those caused by some bodily disorder, (2) symbolic dreams and (3) dreams in which future events are clearly foretold. [ABF32] [key]
  • Thonon-les-Bains; Le Jotty; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Gorges du Pont du Diable; Dreams and visions
    1911 26 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk to those gathered at the hotel on the theme of unity. Present was Annie Boylan, a New York believer who had made the journey to present her case against another New Yorker, Howard MacNutt whom she believed was unfit to serve the Cause. [ABF31-33, DJT180-184] [key] Thonon-les-Bains; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Howard MacNutt; Annie Boylan
    1911 27 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His party took a ferry to Vevey. a resort town on the other side of Lake Geneva (Lake Leman). Vevey was the location of the Dreyfus summer home and it was near here that Lady Blomfield and her daughters finalized the translation of Paris Talks [ABF33-44, DJT186, SoW vol 2 no 14]
  • He took a room at the Park Hôtel Mooser where He took some rest and also met Edith Sanderson and her mother. With the assembled friends He discussed immortality and divorce.
  • The party returned by ferry to Thonon-les-Bains, stopping at Évian-les-Bains. [DJT196-197]
  • In the afternoon He met with Lillian Frances Kappes and Elizabeth Harnill Stewart who had just arrived from America on their way to teach at the Tarbiyát School for girls in Iran. The school for boys had been in operation since 1897 and the school for girls was just being established in. [ABF43, SoW vol 2 no 18, SoW vol 2 no 14] Perhaps it was at this time He delivered the talk that has been entitled, "The oneness of humanity and of religions". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks] [key]
  • Thonon-les-Bains; Vevey; Switzerland; Evian-les-Bains; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Lady Blomfield; Edith Sanderson; Lillian Kappes; Elizabeth Stewart; Tarbiyat School; Bahai schools; Paris Talks (book)
    1911 28 Aug In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá's visitor was Sultán-Husayn Mírzá, the eldest son of Zillu's-Sultán. Between 1879 and 1906 he had served as either governor or deputy governor of Khuzestán, Lorestán, Yazd, Fárs, Burujerd and Kurdistan. He was responsible for the martyrdoms in Yazd in 1891 and again in 1903. He had been exiled with his father in 1908.
  • As a footnote, in his latter years he became a devoted Bahá'í. [DJT206]
  • Later He gave a talk in Arabic that was published in its entirety by the leading Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram. [ABF45-48, SoW vol 5 no 10, Far Stretching River (translation by Mohsen Enayat)] [key]
  • Thonon-les-Bains; France; Yazd; Iran Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Sultan-Husayn Mirza; Mohsen Enayat; Seven martyrs of Yazd; Seven martyrs; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution; Yazd upheaval
    1911 30 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá spent the morning in Thonon-les-Bain and took the ferry to Geneva after dinner. He stayed at the Hôtel de la Paix located at 11, Quai du Mont-Blanc. [ABF5154, DJT208]
  • This marks the end of 'Abdu'-Bahá's second stay in France. It lasted 9 days.
  • Thonon-les-Bains; France; Geneva; Switzerland Horace Holley; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 31 Aug- 4 Sep During His stay in Geneva 'Abdu'l-Bahá most likely returned the visits of Zillu's-Sultán Sultán-Mas'úd Mírzá and his four sons, Sultán-Husayn Mírzá, Bahrám Mírzá, Fírúz Mírzá, and Ismá'íl Mírzá. [DJT214-215, ABF54-60]
  • This marks the end of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's time in Switzerland. He stayed a total of 6 days, 20-21 August, 27 August, and the 30th of August until the 3rd of September.
  • Geneva; Switzerland Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Zillus-Sultan; Sultan-Masud Mirza; Sultan-Husayn Mirza
    1911 4 Sep `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in London accompanied by His secretary, Mírzá Mahmúd and Khusraw, His servant. This marked His first visit to the country and lasted 29 days. [ABL53, AB140; GBP280; SBR22, 148, BW4p378, In the Footsteps of the Master p.5]
  • CH149 says He arrived 8 September and 3 September as per the UK Bahá'í site.
  • Those Bahá'ís who assembled to meet him were listed as: Lady Blomfield (in whose home at 97 Cadogan Gardens He stayed), Mrs Thornburg-Cropper, Miss Ethel Rosenberg, Miss Gamble, Miss Herrick, Mrs Scaramucci, Miss Elsie Lee, Mr Catanach, Mr Cuthbert, Mr and Mrs Jenner, Miss Yandell, Miss Julia Culver, Mrs Stannard, Mr and Mrs Eric Hammond, The Rev Harrold Johnston, The Rev Cooper Hunt, Miss Juliet Thompson, Mrs Louise Waite, Mrs Movius, Mrs Claudia Coles, Mr Mountfort Mills, Mr Mason Remey and Miss Drake Wright. Mr and Mrs Dreyfus-Barney provided translation. In addition there were a number of Persians who took the opportunity to meet Him. [BW4p377]
  • As described by Lady Blomfield those who came to see him were: "Ministers and missionaries, Oriental scholars and occult students practical men of affairs and mystics, Anglican-Catholics and Nonconformists, Theosophists and Hindus, Christian Scientists and doctors of medicine, Muslims, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians. There also called: politicians, Salvation Army soldiers, and other workers for human good, women suffragists, journalists, writers, poets and healers dress-makers and great ladies, artists and artisans, poor workless people and prosperous merchants, members of the dramatic and musical world, these all came; and none were too lowly nor too great to receive the sympathetic consideration of this holy Messenger, who was ever giving His life for others' good." In addition there was a representation from the Bramo-Somaj Society, a Hindu reform group. [CH150-152]
  • See BW4p377 where Lady Blomfield reported that Prince Jalalu'd-Dawlih entreated to be received by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and when in His presence fell prostrate and implored pardon for his crimes. (see 1891 19 May) [BW4p377]
  • Among the list of visitors were: Professor Edward Granville Browne, Mr Tudor-Pole, Emmeline Pankhurst, a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. [BW4p377]
  • See BW4p381 for the story of a homeless, suicidal man who had seen a picture of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a newspaper in a shop window.
  • See BW4p382-383 for the story of the persistent journalist who imposed upon the appointment of two ladies from Scotland who had journeyed all that day and intended to make the return voyage that same evening.
  • For details of His stay in England see AB140–58 and GPB283–5.
  • It is implied that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was attended by Dr Lutfu-lláh Hakím while in London. [BW4p380]
  • During His stay in London 'Abdu'l-Bahá received death threats by anonymous letter and he was advised to give up He planned journey to Egypt. He ignored them. [BW4p 387]
  • During His stay in London He had professional photographs of Himself taken by the Irish photographer, James Lafayette (1853-1923). "...to have a picture of oneself is to emphasise the personality, which is merely the lamp, and is quite unimportant. The light burning within the lamp has the only real significance." [SBR25, BW4p383-384, ABF84] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits; Portraits; Abdul-Baha, Death threats to; Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper; Ethel Rosenberg; Juliet Thompson; Louise Waite; Mountfort Mills; Charles Mason Remey; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Jalalud-Din-Dawlih; Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani; Khusraw; Edward Granville Browne; Wellesley Tudor Pole; Emmeline Pankhurst; Lutfullah Hakim; James Lafayette
    1911 9 Sep ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the home of Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper at 31 Evelyn Mansions, Carlisle Place, Victoria.
  • In the afternoon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the home of Miss Anett Schepel and Miss Alice Buckton, Vanners, Byfleet, Surrey (since demolished), some 20 miles out of London. He spoke with a number of working women from the Passmore Edwards' Settlement who were visiting while on holidays. (The Passmore Edwards' Settlement began in 1890 as one of the first “settlements” run by socially-conscious middle-class educators for the benefit of local working people and their children.) The talk has been entitled, "The small house and the path to true happiness". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks, SYH39]
  • Alice Mary Buckton (1867-1944) wrote many plays and poems. Her play Eager Heart was seen by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on His second visit to England. She became a member of the Froebelian Society which was formed to reform educational methods. She persuaded Anett Schepel who had worked at Pestalozzi-Froebel Haus in Germany to move to England and together they worked to improve child education, opening a school in St John’s Wood. [ABL85-86, In the Footsteps of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá p9-10]
  • Byfleet; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Alice Buckton; Drama; Plays; Education
    1911 10 Sep `Abdu'l-Bahá gave His first public address in the West in the City Temple Church in Holborn, London to an audience of over 2,000 people. He proclaimed that “This is a new cycle of human power…the gift of God in this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion.” [ABL17-20, AB140; BW2:227; GPB283–4, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p11]
  • He spoke at the invitation of The Reverend R J Campbell. Mr. Wellesly Tudor-Pole read the translation. [CH154]
  • Dialogue between Rev Campbell and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SoW Vol 2 No 11 27 September 1911 p3, 4-7]
  • For the text of His talk see AB140–2.
  • For the words He wrote in the pulpit Bible see AB145. The church was bombed in World War II and the pulpit Bible was destroyed. The church was rebuilt in 1958.
  • For a photo see BWNS792.
  • SoW Vol 2 No 11 27 September 1911 p3, 7-8.
  • See A New Cycle of Human Power: Abdu'l-Bahá's Encounters with Modernist Writers and Artists by Robert Weinberg.
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Firsts, Other; BWNS first public address in West by `Abdu'l-Bahá
    1911 12 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at a meeting of the friends at the home of Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper in London. It has been entitled "A Heavenly Meeting". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 13 Sep (or possibly 14 Sep) Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper gave a reception for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at her home 31 Evelyn Mansions, Carlisle Place, Victoria for about 45 people. [ABL46-47, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p12, SYH40]
  • His talk has been entitled, "Persian-English friendship and a brief history". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1911 14 Sep At a meeting at the office of the Editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Freemasons and Theosophists 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk that has been entitled "Abdu’l-Baha sends greetings to the Theosophical Society". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 17 Sep `Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the congregation of St John's, Westminster, His second address to a Western audience. He also met with members of the Salvation Army who were singing outside. [ABL21-25, AB145; SBR8, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p13, SYH38]
  • For text of His talk see AB147–8 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks.
  • He spoke at the invitation of Archdeacon of Westminster, Albert Wilberforce, grandson of famed abolitionist William Wilberforce. The invitation had been extended to Him during a private audience in the home of Lady Blomfield. [CH153-154]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent an invitation to the Archdeacon asking him to meet with Him. He turned Him down with a message, "We are all one behind the veil." 'Abdu'l-Bahá replied, "...and the veil is thinning quite." When Wilberforce met with 'Abdu'l-Bahá he found that there was no separation between them. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary - The Great Tour p99]
  • See also Star of the West Vol. II No. 12, p. 12.
  • Westminster; London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches
    1911 22 Sep ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the home of Misses Marion Jack and Elizabeth Herrick, at 10 Cheniston Gardens, Wright's Lane (sometimes given as 137a High Street, Kensington. About 80 people were present. [ABL48-49, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p14; SoW Vol 2 No 12 October 16, 1911 p5]
  • The talk was stenographically recorded and published as Discourse by 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Unity Meeting of Misses Jack and Herrick. September 22nd, 1911. For full text see NBAD233-234.
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Elizabeth Herrrick; Marion Jack; Publications
    1911 23 Sep Abdu’l-Bahá travelled by train from London to Bristol going from Paddington Station to Bristol Temple Meads arriving at mid-day. He stayed at the Clifton Guest House at 17 Royal Crescent which was owned by Major Wellesley Tudor Pole. After a short rest carriages were ordered and an extensive drive was taken through some of the world-renowned beauty spots around Bristol and neighbourhood. After the evening meal 'Abdul-Bahá addressed a gathering of about 80 friends in the Guest House Salon [SoW Vol 2 No. 12 October 16, 1911 p7; AB156, ABL81-84, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p15-16, SYH39-40; Some Sacred Spaces in the United Kingdom Slides 2-21]
  • During His stay in Bristol, He had a photograph taken. [ABF84]
  • Bristol; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Wellesley Tudor Pole; Trains; Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits; Clifton Guest House
    1911 28 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Byfleet for a second time by motorcar. He stayed the night and returned the evening of the next day. [ABL86, 99, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.17]
  • He committed the poor, saying they were very poor. [SYH39]
  • Mrs Thornburgh Cropper had place her motorcar at His service. She and Ethel Rosenberg who had visited Him in 'Akká were lovingly attentive to Him. [BW4p384] [key]
  • Byfleet; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Cars
    1911 29 Sep A farewell reception was given for 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the hall mof the Passmore Edwards' Settlement in Tavistock Place. The Settlement movement of the late 19th century was intended to bridge the ever-widening gap between the poor and the middle classes. A purpose-built building would be constructed in a working class area and young solicitors, doctors, architects and other middle class professionals would be encouraged to live there while at the same time the working classes would be free to use the building and mix with them, using the building more or less as a community centre. It was attended by a capacity crowd of some 460 people. [SYH41, ABL31-39, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.18; SoW Vol 2 No 13 November 4, 1911 p4]
  • For more information on this remarkable philanthropist see John Passmore Edwards.
  • Byfleet; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; John Passmore Edwards
    1911 30 Sep `Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the Theosophical Society in London, His last talk in England on this visit. He met the Theosophical society at their new Headquarters at the express request of their president Mrs. Annie Besant. After a general history of the movement and sympathetic words of welcome by Mr. A. P. Sinnett, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rose and delivered to the crowded assembly an address upon the distinctive notes of the Bahá’í teaching, warmly commending the eagerness of the Society in its search for Truth. The tenants of the Society were a belief in the brotherhood of man and the equality of all religions. [ABL26-30, 58 AB152, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.19, SYH38] iiiii London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at other places; Theosophical Society; Annie Besant
    1911 1 Oct A young Persian couple asked 'Abdu'l-Bahá to marry them. The union was blessed at the Higher Thought Centre, 10 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington. The bride, Regina Núr Mahal Khánum, had travelled from Baghdad to meet and marry her bridegroom, Mírzá Yuhanna Dáwud. [AB:77, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.20] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 2 Oct Abdu’l-Bahá breakfasted with the Lord Mayor of London at the Mansion House, City of London. The Lord Major of London at the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit was Sir Thomas Vezey Strong (1858-1920). He was a teetotaler and a temperance advocate. He traded in paper and was the holder of a number of honours. [In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.20; SoW Vol 2 No 12 October 16, 1911 p4] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Mayor of London; Mayors
    1911 3 Oct `Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk that has been entitled, "Eleven essentials: the Bahai principles as taught by Abdu’l-Baha in London". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks]

    He left London for Paris. [AB154; SBR25, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p22]

  • See ABL113 for details of His last day in London. He left from Victoria Station.
  • He was accompanied by many Bahá'ís from England who attended many of the public meeting at which He spoke in Paris. This group included Marion Jack, Ethel Rosenberg, Lady Bloomfield and her two daughters. [NBAD47, SYH42]
  • He remained in Paris for nine weeks. [AB159; GPB280]
  • For details of His visit see AB159–68.
  • For `Abdu'l-Bahá's talks given in Paris see PT.
  • London; United Kingdom; Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Marion Jack; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1911 4 Oct The start of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's third stay in France. It lasted 2 month and 9 days.
  • It is quite probable that 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed with Hippolyte and Laura Dreyfus-Barney at 15, rue Greuze for a couple of nights before moving to the apartment at 4, avenue de Camoēns which had been prepared for Him by them. The apartment was in a building that was relatively new having been built in 1910. It was one block away from the Trocadéro Gardens and the Eiffel Tower stood just across the River Seine. It had a drawing room that could easily accommodate 75-100 people and came with a French maid who performed the domestic functions and who answered the bell. The apartment was purchase by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of France in 1996. [ABF62, 65, 68-71, 85 Sur les pas de 'Abdu'l-Bahá à Paris by Paul Hakim, SoW Vol 2 No 14 p3-4]
  • Some members of His entourage stayed at the Grand Hötel de Passy (now Hötel Passy-Eiffel) some ten minutes walk away. [ABF84] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Avenue de Camoens
    1911 5 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at 46, avenue de Malakoff (today avenue Raymond Poincaré) at the home of Edith Sanderson and her mother Margaret Sanderson. [ABF62; The Holy Spirit is the source of Life] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Edith Sanderson
    1911 6 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá invited a number of Persian students then in Paris to His apartment. [ABF63-65] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 14 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at the home of Hippolyte and Laura Dreyfus-Barney. This was the first of His Parisian talks which were published. [ABF68] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Paris Talks (book)
    1911 15 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at His apartment at #4 Avenue de Camoens. During the talk Muhammad Qazvíní and Siyyid Hasan Taqízásih entered the room. The former had written an introduction for and was the force behind the publication of Kitáb-i-Nuqtatu'l-Káf, a book that supposedly was an early history of the Faith but in reality was heavily biased to the the views of Mírzá Yahya. 'Abdu'l-Bahá had had Mírzá Abdu'l-Fadl write a refutation to the book. Both men had additional dinner engagements with 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His visit. ['Abdu'l-Bahá's Meetings with Two Prominent Iranians, World Order, Fall 1998 Vol 30, no 1 pp35-46, ABF71-76]
  • In the afternoon all were invited to meet Him at #22 rue Ledru- Rollin pré-Saint-Germais-sur-Seine outside the walls of Paris. The purpose was to visit a project run by Mons. V. Ponsonaille and his wife to provide some comfort to the poor children in an underprividged quarter of the city. For an account of this event see Glimpses of Abdul'Bahá in Paris by Alice Beede.[ABF76-79; SYH45]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Kitab-i-Nuqtatul-Kaf; Criticism and apologetics; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Muhammad Qazvini; Siyyid Hasan Taqizasih
    1911 16 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk before a group of English Bahá'ís which was given the title The Duty of Kindness and Sympathy towards Strangers and Foreigners. [PT15-17]
  • In the evening He spoke at the Dreyfus-Barney home. [ABF79-82] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 17 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke in HIs apartment about doing the will of God and not just speaking about it. [SoW Vol 2 no 16 December 31, 1911 p3]
  • In the afternoon He met again with some students and others at the Hôtel de Passy. [ABF84-85] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 18 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk entitled, The Power and Value of True Thought Depend upon Its Manifestation in Action. [PT17-19, ABF85-87, SoW Vol 2 no 16 December 31, 1911 p3-4] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 19 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of healing. God is the Great Compassionate Physician Who Alone Gives True Healing. [PT19-21, ABF87-89; SoW Vol 2 No 16 December 31, 1911 p4] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 20 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of the relationship between East and West, The Need for Union Between the Peoples of the East and West. [PT21-22,ABF89-90]
  • The evening talk was given at the Dreyfus-Barney home. God Comprehends all: He Cannot be Comprehended. [PT23-27, ABF9295]
  • The talk, The Sun of Truth, shown as being given on the 22nd of October, was perhaps delivered this day. [PT20-33, ABF100-102] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 24 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk, The Universal Love. [PT3539, ABF104-108] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 25 Oct In the morning He spoke of His imprisonment. The Imprisonment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [PT39-41; ABF108-109; SoW Vol 2 No 16 December 31, 1911 p6] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 26 Oct In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at His apartment. God's Greatest Gift to Man. [PT41-43]
  • A different version of the same talk was recorded by Mary Hanford Ford. [ABF111-112]
  • In the evening 'Abdu'l-Bahá was driven to 59, avenue de La Bourdonnais by Hippolyte Dreyfus where He spoke at the Société théosophique of Paris. This talk was reported in a number of French newspapers and was published in Talks by Abdul Baha Given in Paris p117-124. [ABF1113-118] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 27 Oct In the afternoon 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at His apartment on the relation between God and man entitled, The Clouds that Obscure the Sun of Truth. [ABF1118-119, PT43-45]
  • A second talk was given at His apartment, The Benefits of God to Man. [ABF120-121, PT49-51].
  • In the evening He spoke at the Dreyfus-Barney home. He spoke about how religious leaders have mislead their congregations into denying the divinity of other Manifestations. Religious Prejudices. [ABF121-124, PT45-49] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 28 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá's morning talk at His apartment was on the theme that God was the creator of all existence and therefore all men are as brothers. It was named, Beauty and Harmony in Diversity. [ABF125-126, PT51-54] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 29 Oct The title for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's morning talk was Worldly riches do not help Spirit. [ABF133, SoW vol 2 no 16 p4-5]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá was invited to dinner at 29, rue Brézin, the home of Madeleine Jenny Sacy, the widow of French Bahá'í Gabriel Sacy (1858-1903). He had known Sacy in Egypt where he died unexpectedly. Sacy had been a Syrian Christian who, upon becoming a Bahá'í had a remarkable faculty for interpreting the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments.
  • That same day He spoke at the home of the sister of Hippolyte Dreyfus, Yvonne and Paul Mayer May at 21, boulevard Beauséjour. [ABF135] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 31 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at His apartment on the theme of The Holy Spirit, the Intermediary Power between God and Man. [ABF139-141, PT57-59] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 2 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá's morning talk in His apartment concerned Material and Spiritual Progress. [ABF146-149, PT62-64] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 4 Nov In the morning at His apartment 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about The Spiritual Meetings in Paris. [PT67-68, ABF152-153] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 5 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá delivered an address entitled The Two Kinds of Light. [ABF155-156, PT68-70] [key] Paris; France Abdul-Baha, First Western tour
    1911 11 Nov In the morning at His apartment, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on The Second Principle—The Unity of Mankind and the third principle, that religion should be the cause of love and affection. [ABF186-191; PT138-141]
  • In the afternoon He visited the art exhibition Salon d'automne at the Grand Palais. The theme that year was decorative arts. He would have seen the works of some of France's top furniture designers.
  • In the evening he attended a reception at the home of the operatic composer Herman Bemerg. [ABF188-189] [key]
  • Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 12 Nov In His apartment at 4 avenue de Camoëns, 'Abdu'l-Baha gave a talk on The Fourth Principle—The Acceptance of the Relation between Religion and Science. [ABF191-193; SoW Vol 3 No 1 21 March 1921 p5; PT141-146] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 13 Nov In the morning 'Abdu'l-Baha gave a talk in His apartment on The Fifth Principle—The Abolition of Prejudices. [ABF193-195; PT146-151] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 14 Nov In the morning in His apartment 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on The Tenth Principle—Equality of Sex. [PT160-166; ABF196-197; SoW Vol 3 No 2 April 9, 1912 p4-5] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 15 Nov In the morning in His apartment 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about The Sixth Principle—Means of Existence. [PT151-154; ABF198-200]
  • In another talk on this day He spoke about how He wished the friend to progress spiritually. [PT151-154; ABF200; The Desires and Prayers of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá] [key]
  • Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 16 Nov In the morning in His apartment 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke on The Seventh Principle—Equality of Men. [PT154-155ABF201]
  • He spoke again, presumably in the evening but that talk has not been translated. [ABF201] [key]
  • Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 18 Nov In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke in His apartment on The Eleventh Principle—The Power of the Holy Spirit. [PT163-166; ABF209-210; SoW Vol 3 No 2 April 9, 1912 p6-7]
  • In the evening He spoke in the home of Monsieur Dreyfus. The talk has been entitled "Involvement of the faithful in political life, and showing justice in all walks of life. ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 19 Nov In His morning talk 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about spiritual brotherhood and strongly condemned the war then being fought in Tripolitania. [The Bahá’ís Must Work with Heart and Soul to Bring About a Better Condition in the World; PT99-101] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 19 or 20 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá's talk on this day may have been a response to the attack on the Faith made three days earlier at the meeting of the French Anti-Masonry League. In 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris Jan Jasion suggests (p. 213) that this talk was a response to an attack on the Bahá'í Faith by Antoine Baumann at the meeting of the French Anti-Masonry League (La Ligue antimaçonnique) on Friday, November 17, 1911, but this supposes that Baumann’s words were published at the time or reached 'Abdu’l-Bahá by report. They were later published in La Revue Antimaçonnique for December 1911 – February 1912. [Opposition and its beneficial effects; ABP213-216] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 21 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about material and spiritual progress and the tragedy of war. [ABF216-218] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 22 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on Pain and Sorrow. [ABF218-220; PT109-112] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 23 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on spiritually and virtues. [The Perfect Human Sentiments and Virtues; PT112] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 24 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the press coverage given to a train accident that claimed the lives of some 20 people in Paris the previous day. He compared this to the apparent indifference to the news that 5,000 people had been killed in the bombing in Tripoli as the Turkish-Italian war raged on there. [ABF221-223; The Cruel Indifference of People towards the Suffering of Foreign Races]
  • Later in the day He spoke at the home of Mademoiselle Gastea, An Address on Truth. It was published in SoW Vol 2 No 18 February,1912 p3-6.
  • Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 25 Nov Further to the criticism that had been directed toward the Faith, 'Abdu'l-Bahá offered words of encouragement. [ABF227-229; We Must Not Be Discouraged by the Smallness of Our Numbers; PT116-118] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 27 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke in His own apartment in the morning and in the evening at the residence of Edwin and Josephine Scott. Neither of these talks has been translated into English. [ABF235-237] [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Edwin Scott; Josephine Scott
    1911 29 Nov In the morning he gave a talk in His apartment. It has not been translated into English.
  • It is possible that the following incident took place that day. A woman came from America to seek out 'Abdu'l-Bahá because her young daughter had told her that Jesus had returned. [ABP238-239; [key]
  • Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 30 Nov - 7 Dec It was about this time that 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent four Bahá'ís to Germany to assist with the teaching and the consolidation of the Faith. They were: Lady Blomfield, a Mrs Earl, Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfáhaání and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. They remained in Stuttgart until the 7th of December.
  • Lady Blomfield then travelled to Vevey, Switzerland to be with her daughters and to continue working on the collected talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá for publication. They stayed at the Hôtel Belvedere. [ABF255-256, 275] [key]
  • Paris; Stuttgart; Germany; Vevey; Switzerland Lady Blomfield; Mrs Earl, Mirza Asadullah-i-Isfahaani; Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1911 1 Dec In the evening in the home of Hippolyte and Laura Dreyfus Barney at 15 Rue Greuze 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave His last talk in Paris for this trip. [PT168-172; ABF240-243; SoW Vol 2 No 16 December 31, 1911 p6]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the future of Paris. He said that He could see the day when Paris is "bathed in the light of the Holy Spirit". [SYH48] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Laura Clifford Barney
    1911 2 Dec `Abdu'l-Bahá left Paris for Marseilles by train from the Gare de Lyon arriving late in the day. Little is known about His stay in that city save for one talk. [ABF246]
  • See ABF256-260 for some of the places that 'Abdu'l-Baha visited while in Paris for which the visits are undated. Included in the list is His visit to the Senat of the French Republic [PUP72].
  • There are also a number of undated talks and fragments of talks the have been published in a variety of sources. [ABF261-264]
  • See ABF264-268 for a list of persons with whom 'Abdu'l-Bahá had undocumented visits.
  • Paris; Marseilles; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1911 6 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on materialism at a meeting of theosophists, possible at 25, Boulevard Baille. For the text of this talk see ABF247-254. Marseilles; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Theosophical Society
    1911 7 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá departed Marseilles for Egypt on board Le Portugal. It travelled to Beirut via Alexandria and Port Said and reached Alexandria on the 12th of December. [ABF255-256; AB167; GPB280; SBR25]
  • Letter from Ahmad Sohrab. [SoW Vol 2 No 16 December 31, 1911 p9] [key]
  • Marseilles; France; Alexandria; Egypt Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Ships
    1911 12 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Egypt for His second stay in the country. This sojourn lasts 3 months and 14 days. Eqypt C
    1912 (In the year) The publication of The Brilliant Proof by Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl Gulpáygání in Chicago by the Bahai News Service, 1912. The first edition notes state that it was written December 28, 1911, in Syria, "by the pen of Mirza Abul Fazl Gulpaygan."
  • 239D93 says this book was written by Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl in answer to a London minister's criticism of the Cause.
  • The publication of this book marked the end of an early era of Bahá'í teaching in the West. As 'Abdu'l-Bahá continued his journeys in the United States and Canada, He delivered hundreds of public talks and private addresses which were tailored to Western audiences. The fresh outpouring of teachings which resulted from these encounters produced a new Bahá'í literature of the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the West. Examples include the following: The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by `Abdu'l-Bahá During His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, compiled by Howard MacNutt, (Wilmette, Ill.: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1922-25); Paris Talks: Addresses Given by `Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912 (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1912); 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London.
  • Chicago; United States Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Criticism and apologetics; Proofs; Publications; Abdul-Baha, Travels of
    1912 In the year The first publication of the book that has come to be titled Paris Talks initially called Talks by Abdul Baha Given in Paris. Prior to this, in the autumn of 1911, Mornings Spent with Abdul Baha Abbas in London and Paris had been published which, of course, did not include information from His visit the following year.
  • In 1924 the title was changed to The Wisdom of Abdul Baha from Addresses delivered in Paris 1910-1911. Talks by Abdul Baha Given in Paris...with supplementary historical note and introduction was printed in 1936 with the following editions starting in 1945 using the title that is currently used Paris Talks: Addresses Given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912
  • Counting the initial publication, there have been 19 editions in English including one in Braille and an audio recording. In addition, there have been multiple editions in some 25 other languages. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in France 1911 to 1913 p726-730] [key]
  • Paris Talks (book); First publications; Publications; Translation first publications of Paris Talks.
    1912 20 Mar 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on the festival of Naw-Rúz at the Hotel Victoria in Ramleh, a suburb of Alexandria. This translation was released by the Research Department in 2016. In His talk 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the importance of the day for the Persian people and for mankind in general. ['Abdu'l-Bahá's Talks] [key] Alexandria; Ramleh (Alexandria); Egypt Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha in Egypt
    1912 25 Mar 'Abdu'l-Bahá ended His second stay in Egypt which lasted 3 months and 14 days. Egypt Abdul-Baha in Egypt
    1912 11 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in New York. [AB172; GPB281; APD3-5; SoW Vol 3 No 3 p3; Mahmúd's Diary p38-39]

    As the ship that finally brought "‘Abdu'l-Bahá to the shores of the American continent passed by the Statue of Liberty, He threw His arms wide open in greeting, saying ”There is the new world’s symbol of liberty and freedom. After being 40 years a prisoner I can tell you that freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition. Unless one accept dire vicissitudes he will not attain. When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed a release.” [‘Abdu'l-Bahá in Their Midst p.56; SYH54]

  • He remained on board doing interviews with a number of newspapermen. Edward Kinny was called to come on the ship and the rest of those awaiting were told to leave the pier, proceed to the Kinney residence and wait for Him. [Mahmúd's Diary p38-39; DJT233-234]
    • See World Order Summer 1973 p45 for the story of disobedient Juliet Thompson and her friend Marjory Morton who remained behind on the quay to get a glimpse of Him.
  • One of the newspapermen to interview Him was Wendell Phillips Dodge who boarded the SS Cedric at quarantine and interviewed 'Abdul-Bahá coming up the bay. The article he wrote was given to all of the New York newspapers, and, through the Associated Press, was sent, though boiled down considerably, to newspapers throughout the world. See SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p3 for the article.
  • When asked why He had come to America He said that He had come at the invitation of the peace congresses. [SYH53; MD8]
  • He stayed at the Ansonia Hotel at 2109 Broadway. [Luminous Journey 14:37, SYH55]
  • Talk at the home of Mr. Edward B. (Saffa, or Serenity) Kinney and his wife, Carrie (Vaffa, or Certitude), 780 West End Avenue, New York to some 200 people. This was the first private home in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on His American tour. [PUP3]
  • One of the Persians in the Master’s suite had cabled Alice Ives Breed in New York City, about the Master’s arrival date. Thus alerted, Ali-Kuli Khan directed the Persian Consul, Topakian (an Armenian businessman), to officially greet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with full courtesies. Mr Topakian carried this out, and the Master was much pleased with his services. [AY85]
  • During His tour `Abdu'l-Bahá visited 49 cities and made approximately 400 addresses of which 185 were recorded. The combined audience for His talks is estimated to be 90,000 people. [SBBH1:110; Luminous Journey 1:37; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America 1912-2012]
  • For a chronological list of talks given by `Abdu'l-Bahá while in North America see PUP473–8 or Index.
  • For details of His journey see AB171–339.
  • Ward, 239 Days; Balyuzi, `Abdu'l-Bahá; The Diary of Juliet Thompson; many editions of Star of the West and numerous biographies of Bahá'ís of the time as well as other books carry information about `Abdu'l-Bahá travels and talks.
    He was accompanied by:
    • Sayyid Asadu'lláh Qumí
    • Dr Fareed Amin Ullah, He was a nephew of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and served as his translator during His tour of the West. Because of his disobedience, both he and his father were expelled from the Faith. See AY102-103 and AB230.
    • Mírza Mahmúd-i Zarqání. He was a member of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's entourage for both the Western and European tours. He wrote an account of the travels in a book entitled Kitáb-i Badáyi'u'l-Áthár and called "Mahmúd's Diary" in the English translation. [APD151]
    • Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. He had originally come to the West to assist Mírzá Abú'l-Fadl Gulpaygání in 1901. He remained and worked at the Iranian Consulate until 1912 and during this time he translated much of the correspondence between 'Abdu'l-Bahâ and the Western believers. After the American tour, he returned to the Holy Land. After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he rejected the authority of Shoghi Effendi and was expelled. [APD155]
  • See video entitled 'Abdu'l-Bahá and New York City.
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Ali Kuli Khan; Edward Kinney; Topakian, Mr; Consuls; Mahmuds Diary; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline first private home where he gave a talk was at the Kinney’s
    1912 11 Apr Hippolyte and Laura Dreyfus Barney sailed on the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria from Cherbourg for New York to be with 'Abdu'l-Bahá for a few months. [ABF285]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá had invited Louisa Mathew to come to America and accompany Him. [Documentary: 'Abdu'l-Baha's Initiative on Race from 1921: Race Amity Conferences 34:00] [key]
  • Cherbourg; France; New York; United States Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney
    1912 14 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke from the pulpit of the Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street, New York at the invitation of Percy Stickney Grant who was later reprimanded by his bishop, Bishop Burch, for inviting 'Abdu'l-Bahá, unbaptized, to sit in the red plush Bishop's Chair behind the alter rail. This was in violation of church protocol and created a great controversy. [ABF22, 239D:21–3, PUP11, 239 Days in America Day52; Mahmúd's Diary p43-44; SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p6]
  • Talk at Union Meeting of Advanced Thought Centers, Carnegie Lyceum, West Fifty-seventh Street, New York. [PUP14] [key]
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Percy Grant first public address given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in North America.
    1912 19 Apr Talk at Earl Hall, Columbia University, New York. [PUP29; Mahmúd's Diary p47-48]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited The Bowery Mission accompanied by Edward Getsinger and Juliet Thompson as noted in her unpublished Diary. They arrived with two heavy bags of quarters to distribute to the poor and spoke with hundreds of impoverished men. [OPOP165-168, PUP32]
  • He invited Mary William, a rare female journalist who wrote under the name of "Kate Carew". Her signature style was one of scepticism.
  • Bowery; New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Columbia University; Abdul-Baha, Talks at universities; Charity and relief work; Social and economic development; Wealth and poverty; Edward Getsinger; Juliet Thompson; Bowery Mission; John Good
    1912 11 - 19 Apr During His time in New York 'Abdu'l-Bahá saw a play by Charles Rann Kennedy called The Terrible Meek about the crucifiction of Christ. He later came to His hotel room to see Him. [Luminous Journey 21:42]
  • At some point Juliet Thompson introduced him to Lebanese poet and artist Khalil Gibran who created a portrait of HIm. [Luminous Journey 22:07]
  • Howard Colby Ives met with Him at His hotel. His description of the account ends with "But life has never been quite the same since." [Portal to Freedom Chapter 2] [key]
  • New York The Terrible Meek (play); Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Kahlil Gibran
    1912 20 Apr During `Abdu'l-Bahá's eleven days in New York He gave 15 formal talks and countless informal one in homes and private studios. He left New York and arrived in Washington DC after a five hour train. He was accompanied by Dr Getsinger, Dr Fareed, Mírzá Valiyu'lláh Nakhjavání and Mahmúd-i-Zarqání. [239D:37–8; AB178; SBR78, APD9; Luminous Journey 18:48]
  • See AY85 for the welcome He received from the Kahn family and others including Mrs Agnes Parson, Mason Remy and Joseph Hannen.
  • John Bosch had travelled from California specifically to see Him. He was given a Persian name by the Master, Núrání (The Luminous). John and Edward Getsinger travelled with the party on the train from New York to Washington. [Mahmúd's Diary p48-49. SYH57]
  • He stayed at the Parsons' home, 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, for eight days and gave a talk every afternoon at 5PM. Agnes Parsons had had this home built to accommodate 'Abdu'l-Bahá complete with a room that could hold 150 people. It was unusual for Him and His interpreter to stay in private homes. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in America: 1912-2012; FMH47-48]
  • He gave a talk at Orient-Occident-Unity Conference at the Carnegie Library on Massachusetts Avenue before an audience of 3,000. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá encouraged commercial ties between the United States and Persia. ‘For the Persians there is no government better fitted to contribute to the development of their natural resources and the helping of their national needs in a reciprocal alliance than the United States of America; and for the Americans there could be no better industrial outlet and market than the virgin … soil of Persia. The mineral wealth of Persia is still latent and untouched. It is my hope that the great American democracy may be instrumental in developing these hidden resources and that a bond of perfect amity and unity may be established between the American republic and the government of Persia. May this bond—whether material or spiritual—be well cemented.’ [AY48; PUP35; Luminous Journey 31:06; SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p7, SYH82]
  • Washington DC; New York; United States; Iran Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; Trains; Business; Agnes Parsons
    1912 23 Apr Talk at Howard University, Washington, D.C. Howard University had been founded in 1867 to educate the newly freed slaves and by 1912 it was one of the foremost black universities in the country. It is reported that well over a thousand students, faculty members, administrators and guests jammed into the Rankin Chapel as 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke with Louis Gregory standing beside Him. The Howard University Journal, 26 April 1912, published His entire address. [PUP44, APD29, 239Dp40; Mahmúd's Diary p50-54; SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p14]
    • To recapitulate His talk, `Abdu’l-Bahá emphasized the personal sacrifice of Northern whites for southern blacks in the course of the Civil War, and that African Americans (as the descendants of emancipated slaves) should therefore be grateful to whites in kind. In so saying, `Abdu’l-Bahá invoked history (or a certain view of it) in order to make history—by completing the unfinished work of the Emancipation Proclamation. ['Abdu’l-Bahá’s 1912 Howard University Speech: A Civil War Myth for Interracial Emancipation by Dr Christopher Buck p134]
    • See as well TMTW51.
  • Coralie and George Cook arranged for 'Abdu'l-Bahá to speak at Howard University. Both were professors at Howard,, she the Chair of Oratory and he was professor of Commercial and International Law and later the Dean of the School of Commerce and Finance. [AWD70, 165]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá attended a reception at the Khan residence in the Persian embassy where He met Admiral Robert Peary. In the words of Juliet Thompson `Abdu'l-Bahá had told the Admiral, "That `for a very long time the world had been much concerned about the North Pole, where it was and what was to found there. Now he, Admiral Peary, had discovered it and that nothing was to [be] found there; and so, in forever relieving the public mind, he had rendered a great service." [DJT272-273]
  • It was on this occasion, at a dinner for the elite of Washington, that 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked, "Where is Mr Gregory? Bring me Mr Gregory!" when He saw that a place had not been set for him at the dinner table. Khan fetched Mr Gregory and 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a place for him on His right. 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on the oneness of humankind and Agnes Parsons, who was seated on His left, asked a question about spiritual healing. [SYH59]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons, 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. about the Titanic disaster. [PUP46; SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p12; YouTube 'Abdu'l-Bahá - Life After Death]
  • Talk to Bethel Literary Society, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. [PUP49; SoW Vol 3 No 3 pg5] [key]
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at universities; Howard University; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Admiral Peary; Ali Kuli Khan; Agnes Parsons first time 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the race issue in America
    1912 Apr At some point during his stay in Washington, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was invited to tea by nine year-old Rene Hooper, her widowed mother Marie and their cook, Eurirhra. (In 1908 Herbert Hooper, an architect who had studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris and who had accompanied Thomas Breakwell when he returned from his pilgrimage to Paris, died of tuberculosis.) 'Abdu'l-Bahá accepted the invitation on the condition that they invite Black friends as well. They were not from Washington and so the only such person they knew was Louis Gregory so they invited him. As it happened, Eurirhra's family was able to attend and so they had the bounty of serving them as well. [BW20p916; SYH61 Washington DC; United States Herbert Hooper; Rene Hooper; Rene Welsh; Marie Hooper; Eurirhra
    1912 24 Apr Talk at Children’s Reception, Studio Hall, 1219 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C. [PUP54; Sow Vol 3 No3 pg7; Mahmúd's Diary p56-59]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons, 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. [PUP56, APD37-45] iiiiii
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Alexander Graham Bell. The day before he had visited the Master and invited Him to attend the meeting of the Scientific Society. He then spoke of the importance and the results of science, the greatness of this age and the interdependence of society. The meeting was also attended by Ali Kuli Khan who was asked to relate the history of the Faith by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. At about midnight the table was spread with bread, meat, candies, cookies, fruit and beverages. Although the Master had not yet had dinner, He spoke through Mr Bell to his wife and daughter. [239Days Day 12] [key]
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; Alexander Graham Bell; Ali Kuli Khan
    1912 25 Apr Talk to Theosophical Society, Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. [PUP58; SoW Vol 3 No3 pg22-23, ]
  • Message to Esperantists, Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons, 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. [PUP60; APD47; SoW Vol 3 No5 Pg7-8]
  • The Turkish Ambassador Díyá Páshá hosted a "royal feast" for 'Abdu'l-Bahá and a number of dignitaries. He gave a short talk afterward. [Mahmúd's Diary p60-61]
  • He gave a talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons. [PUP62, APD46-49; SoW Vol 3 No 5 P7-8, Mahmúd's Diary p59-62]
  • Theodore Roosevelt visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Parsons' home on this date. He was not the President at this time. [MD464n59] [key]
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Theosophical Society; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Arthur Parsons; Esperanto; Theodore Roosevelt
    1912 26 Apr 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at President Taft's All Saints Unitarian Church to the Women's Alliance on the subject of the varieties of light, the effulgence of the Sun of Reality in its original essence, and of the waiting souls with pure hearts who are like unto clear spotless mirrors, whose eyes and ears become enlightened by the appearance of the Sun of Reality. [APD50; 239D45; MD62-64]
  • Before lunch He spoke in the home of John J. White at the invitation of Mrs White. Lunch was taken at the Parsons home with the Turkish Ambassador as a guest.
  • On this day He spoke with the US Treasurer, Lee McClung. [Luminous Journey 30:24]
  • In the early evening He addressed a gathering in the Parsons' home. The subject of the talk was the interpretation of the Old Testament statement concerning the creation of man in the image of God. After the meeting, `Abdu'l-Bahá went for a stroll in a park to recuperate. [APD51]
  • In the evening 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke ing the Memorial Continental Hall in the new national headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution on 17th Street, NW, between C and D Streets. He shared the podium with Samuel Gompers, the President of the American Federation of Labor. Gompers made a plea for the women of the working classes and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá drew a parallel between the advancement of women in the West and in the East citing the new building as an example of the power of women.
  • None of His talks for this day has been recorded in The Promulgation of Universal Peace.
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; John J. White; Agnes Parsons; Lee McClung; Orient-Occident Unity
    1912 27 Apr During lunch at the Parsons' home 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the proper method of taxation. [APD53-57]
  • For His discourse on taxation see FWU38-43.
  • In the evening there was a grand reception for some 300 people in honour of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on behalf of the Orient-Occident Unity Society. Among the guests and dignitaries are General Adolphus Greely, Admiral Wainwright, a Washington judge, Admiral Peary, a bishop, the chargé d'affaires of Switzerland, a member of Congress, the head of the United States Patent Office, the General Consul, the President of the Peace Congress and others. [MD64-65]
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; General Adolphus Greely; Wainwright, Admiral; Peary, Admiral; Agnes Parsons; Taxation
    1912 28 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá gave private interviews in the morning then called on the Turkish Ambassador, Diya Pasha. [APD56-59] . He spent considerable time with the Turkish ambassador, Zia Pasha while in Washington. [AY86-87; Luminous Journey 36:45]
  • For a list of some of the well-known individuals whom the Khans brought into ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s presence see AY88.
  • During His time in Washington He toured the Library of Congress with the Parsons. He went to the Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to the graves of the parents of Agnes Parsons. [Luminous Journey 31:56]
  • At some point during His stay in Washington former president Theodore Roosevelt came to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Parsons' residence. Mahmud reports that this took place on April 25, after the reception at the Turkish Embassy. [Luminous Journey 34:26; MD]
  • Alice Pike Barney, the influential artist and thespian and an important member of the Washington arts scene, hosted a luncheon and two evening receptions at her studio for 'Abdu'l-Bahá. She had met Him earlier when she accompanied her daughter Laura to Akka in 1905. [Luminous Journey 34:59]
  • Ali Kuli Khan, one of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's former secretaries in Akka and who, by this time was the chargé d'affairs at the Persian Legation, tried to arrange a meeting for 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the White House and for Him to speak to the Congress but scheduling did not work out. He hosted receptions for 'Abdu'l-Bahá and arranged for prominent diplomats to met Him. [Luminous Journey 36:00]
  • At a meeting at the Persian Legation where a meal was being served, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and arranged for the place of honour on His right for African-American lawyer Louis George Gregory. At this time he was a thirty-seven-year-old, Fisk- and Howard-educated African American lawyer from Charleston, South Carolina. He was president of the Bethel Literary and Historical Association, the oldest African American organization in Washington and he was one of the most prominent members of the capital’s African American community. Even so, at this time in Washington where one third of the population was Black, it was expected that he would not eat with Whites. [Luminous Journey 38:36; 239Days Day 12]
  • At this time there were only about 15 Black Bahá'ís in the Washington Community and events were not fully integrated following the example in the segregated city. Pauline and Joseph Hannen held integrated gatherings and became proponents of racial integration. [Luminous Journey 42:00]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá left Washington for Chicago. [239D:46; AB184; SBR81]
    • Accompanying Him were Louise Mathew and Mrs Moss, a stenographer. [SYH62]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Chicago some 12 hours late due to mechanical failure. [239D:47] [key]
  • Washington DC; Chicago; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Ambassadors; Arlington National Cemetery
    1912 29 Apr Mírzá Yahyá died in Famagusta. [BBD243; BBR312]
  • He had been deserted by most of his followers and was given a Muslim funeral. [BKG426; GPB233]
  • Years later the sons of Mírzá Yahya and their relatives reconciled themselves to the authority of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CH237-238] [key]
  • Famagusta; Cyprus Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Covenant-breakers; Cyprus exiles; Births and deaths
    1912 1 May `Abdu'l-Bahá laid the cornerstone of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Wilmette. [SYH67-68, CT102; 239D:51; AB186; GPB288, 349; MBW143; Luminous Journey 47:00]
  • Talk at Dedication of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár Grounds. [PUP71]
  • The cornerstone had been offered by Mrs Nettie Tobin, a member of the Women's Teaching Assembly. [AB186]
  • See SYH65-66 for the story of how the Foundation Stone made it to the building site.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá asked delegates from the various Bahá'í communities and Bahá'ís from different backgrounds each to dig the earth to lay the stone. Corrine True, Lua Getsinger and several other women turned the sod. After the stone had been laid 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared that "The temple is already built." [AB186–7; Luminous Journey 47:00] [key]
  • Wilmette; Chicago; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette; Nettie Tobin; Foundation stones and groundbreaking; Abdul-Baha, Life of; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline
    1912 2 May Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois, [PUP72]
    • Talk to Federation of Women’s Clubs, Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP74]
    • Talk at Bahá’í Women’s Reception, Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP77]
    • Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP78]
    • Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP79]
    • A funeral was held for Corrine True's son Davis. Two days later 'Abdu'l-Bahá went to the cemetery and prayed for Davis. [Luminous Journey 49:48, SYH67] [key]
    Chicago Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places
    1912 6 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Chicago, arriving in Cleveland the same day. [239D:57; AB189]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave interviews to reporters at the Euclid Hotel. [Luminous Journey 54:00]
  • Talk at the home of Dr. C. M. Swingle to an audience of forty. [PUP104; SoW Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 5-6]
  • Talk at Euclid Hall to an audience of some 500 people. [PUP101; SoW Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 29-32.]
  • "The American continent gives signs and evidences of very great advancement; its future is even more promising, for its influence and illumination are far-reaching, and it will lead all nations spiritually." – Abdu’l-Baha, PUP104.
  • Both the Cleveland News and the Cleveland Plain Dealer carried articles on 'Abdu'l-Bahá's approval of marriage between the races. [SYH60] [key]
  • Chicago; Cleveland; Ohio; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1912 10 May At the instigation of Agnes Parsons, `Abdu'l-Bahá's sat for sketches by prominent English sculptor Theodore Spicer-Simson who made a portrait medallion of the Master. See Medallions for pictures of his work. A second medallion was later designed by another well-known artist, Louis Potter. [Luminous Journey 33:21]
  • In the morning Agnes Parsons took 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the Capitol then to the Washington Monument where they took the elevator to the top.
  • He spoke to a small group in the Parsons' home in the afternoon and at the Studio Hall in the evening. [APD63-66]
  • In The Diary of Juliet Thompson p285 it is reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been horrified by the prejudice He observed against Black people in Washington.
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks at other places; Capitol; Washington Monument; Studio Hall; Agnes Parsons; Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits; Portraits; Racism
    1912 14–16 May `Abdu'l-Bahá attended the eighteenth annual Conference on International Peace and Arbitration at Lake Mohonk, presenting the first address during the second session of the conference. [239D:67–9; AB193; ABF15; MD101]
    "His early public references in North America to the purpose of His visit there placed particular emphasis on the invitation of the organizing committee of the Lake Mohonk Peace Conference for Him to address this international gathering." [BWNS1297]
  • The Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration was founded in 1895 and was held annually until 1917 for the purpose of creating and directing public sentiment in favour of international arbitration, arbitration treaties, and an international court. For archives see Swarthmore College Peace Collection.
  • These meetings at Lake Mohonk were instrumental in the creation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. [Wikipedia]
  • Picture.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Zia Baghdadi back to the city to obtain a carpet to be used as a gift for the president of the International Peace Society and His host, Mr Smiley. Baghdadi rode a freight train to New York, awoke the sleeping residents at 2 a.m., boarded the first train for Lake Mohonk, begged to ride on the mail run and arrived just as 'Abdu'l-Bahá was shaking Smiley's hand at 10 a.m. [Luminous Journey 58:00] iiiii
  • See Who Will Bell the Cat: 'Abdu'l-Bahá at Lake Mohonk by Janet Ruhe-Schoen.
  • See “The Cause of Universal Peace: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Enduring Impact” by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson. This article looks at the circumstances around ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s participation in the 1912 Lake Mohonk Arbitration Conference and the urgency and timeliness of His message over the subsequent decades. The article also reviews efforts of the Bahá’í community to promote world peace in the decades that followed.
  • See a photo of Lake Mohonk in the article The Cause of Universal Peace; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson.
  • Lake Mohonk; New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; International peace conferences; Conferences, International; Peace; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration; Peace
    1912 31 May At the request of William Hoar, 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a trip to Fanwood, New Jersey. He had been invited for a rest and to escape the oppressive heat of New York but He could not stay just to rest. He addressed a meeting at the Town Hall. He showed how the leaders of religion have contributed to the wakening of it foundations. [AB205-206]
  • Talk at Town Hall, Fanwood, New Jersey. [PUP161] [key]
  • Fanwood; New Jersey Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places
    1912 18 Jun Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York. [PUP205]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a recording of His voice on an "Edison Talking Machine" (a cylinder phonograph). [‘Abdu’l-Bahá's Journey West: The Course of Human Solidarity Fig5.1, AY320]

    An authorized translation of the text of the recording has been made available. See here for more background information.

  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Voice recordings of
    1912 19 Jun `Abdu'l-Bahá clarified His station as the Centre of the Covenant. It is widely believed that He named New York the `City of the Covenant' on this occasion but no substantiation can be found, however, Shoghi Effendi noted that He did call New York City the "City of the Covenant" (CoF158; GPB288 refer). [239D:93; AB220; BBD55, ABNY51; DJT315-316]
  • This proclamation was made to about 125 people gathered in HIs house at West 78th Street.
  • The text of HIs talk can be found at SoW Vol 5 No 15 December 12, 1914 p227-228. The translation of this talk was done by Dr Ameen Fareed. Notes were taken by "E. C. M." and revised by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Fareed at Montclair on the 25th of June, 1912. [LGHC410n82] Also see [LGHC165-166].
  • This same day 'Abdu'l-Bahá named Lua Getsinger "Herald of the Covenant" while in Juliet Thompson's studio for the sixth sitting for His portrait. [LGHC157]
    • See 239D:92–93 for a description of this event.
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Covenant, City of; Covenant (general); Lua Getsinger; Juliet Thompson; portrait; Herald of the Covenant
    1912 23 Jun Talk at Montclair, New Jersey. [PUP210]
  • Lua Getsinger, Juliet Thompson and Georgie Ralston, in defiance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's wishes, joined Him at Montclair. He had asked Lua to go to California again to prepare the ground for His arrival. To delay her departure she removed her shoes and stockings and walked through poison ivy. 'Abdu'l-Bahá prescribed an apple and a pomegranate for her recovery and two days later her feet and legs had returned to normal. Their next ploy was to tell 'Abdu'l-Bahá that she couldn't go because He had asked Juliet to paint her portrait and she had to stay for the sitting. This brought only laughter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [DJT211-312; LGHC159-161] [key]
  • Montclair; New Jersey; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks other
    1912 29 Jun `Abdu'l-Bahá hosted a Unity Feast in the Evergreen Cabin at the Wilhelm properties in West Englewood, New Jersey. [239D:102; AB223, PUP213]
  • For pictures of this event see 239D:100–1.
  • Some years later, in 1953, Curtis Kelsey helped to rebuild and enlarge Evergreen Cabin, built on the spot where 'Abdu'l-Baha was host at the first Unity Feast in America. [BW15p470]
  • See Shoghi Effendi's comments to Roy Wilhelm about West Englewood, 14 November 1932. [BN No 80 January 1934 p5]
  • A Brief History of Roy Wilhelm and the Annual Souvenir Unity Feast of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by Joel Nizin.
  • West Englewood; New Jersey; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Unity Feast; Roy Wilhelm; Evergreen cabin
    1912 1 Jul Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York. [PUP216]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke on the subject of poverty and the alleviation of the discrepancy between the rich and the poor.
  • Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York. [PUP218] [key]
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Wealth and poverty
    1912 5 Jul Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York, the home of Howard MacNutt. [PUP218]
  • Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York. [PUP220]
  • On this occasion 'Abdu'l-Bahá assigned Howard the task of deepening a group of Chicago Bahá’ís on the importance of the Covenant and instructing them not to associate with Covenant-breakers. Howard failed to complete this task and continued correspondence with associates of Kheiralla. For more information see this date.
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Howard MacNutt; Covenant-breakers
    1912 6 Jul In obedience to 'Abdu'l-Bahá Lua Getsinger departed New York for California to prepare for His coming or as "just a bugler in the army of the Lord" as she stated her mission. [LGHC161-162] [key] California; New York; United States Lua Getsinger; Travel teaching
    1912 15 Jul Talk at Home of Dr. and Mrs. Florian Krug, 830 Park Avenue, New York. [PUP236]

    Mahmud has dated this visit to the Krug home at 14 July. [MD169-170]

  • Dr Krug was opposed to the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá however Grace was determined to have 'Abdu'l-Bahá visit their home. Immediately upon meeting 'Abdu'l-Bahá all opposition melted. [WMSH64; AY113]
  • After speaking in the Krug home ‘Abdu’l-Bahá summoned their son Carl Krug (probably Charles) to ride home with Him. Seated in the taxicab, He instructed Carl to write what He was about to say. Then ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “You must be very grateful to your mother—you must appreciate her greatly—you do not realize her station now or what a great honour she has bestowed on your household. She will be one of the famous women of America. You must appreciate and love her very much. All will know of her servitude.” [BW8p676] Note: This reference has dated this event as the 2nd of June. It is likely that it took place on the 15th of July.
  • See AY112-113 for the story of Dr. Florian Krug and his second wife, Grace.
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Florian Krug
    1912 21 Jul 'Abdu'l-Bahá received an invitation from the Consul General of Turkey. He took the ferry then a tram to travel to the Consul General's house. The meeting was attended by a number of prominent men and statesmen. The Consul's brother-in-law requested permission to take His photograph.
  • In the evening he was invited by the Armenian Memorial Society to attend a gathering at which He spoke. The talk was not recorded because Mahmud arrived late to the meeting. [MD175] [key]
  • New York; NY Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks to ethnic groups; Armenians
    1912 4 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a group of 28 black people on the importance of unity and friendship between the races and announced that Louise Mathew and Louis Gregory were to be married. [SYH71]
  • Mahmúd, page 189-190 stated that this event took place on the 2nd of August.
  • Dublin; New Hampshire; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Life of; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Louise Mathew; Louis Gregory
    1912 11 Aug Howard Colby Ives visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá at an inn where He was staying in the mountain summer resort of Dublin, New Hampshire. At this time he was still the preacher of the Brotherhood Church and was studying all available literature on the Faith. Subsequent to the visit he received his first tablet from 'Abdu'l-Baha dated the 26th of August. [PtF124-131; SEBW144] [key] Dublin; New Hampshire Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha; Howard Colby Ives
    1912 22-27 Aug The International Moral Education Congress was an international academic conference held in Europe six times between 1908 and 1934. It convened because of an interest in moral education by many countries beginning a decade before the inaugural event.

    The Second Congress was held at The Hague, August 22–27, 1912. Twenty-three countries sent official government delegates. Over 1,000 members were officially enrolled for the congress. Over 200 papers of some 2,000 words each were contributed and appeared in the five published volumes of more than 1,200 pages. [Wikipedia]

    From Alexandria, Egypt, 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent a paper called Universal Education.

    The Hague; Netherlands; Alexandria; Egypt Peace; Education; Moral education; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1912 23 Aug `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Malden, Massachusetts, for a week-long stay, making trips to Boston and Cambridge. He stayed in the home of Miss Marie P. Wilson [239D:131; AB251–2; BW5p84; Abdu'l-Bahá in America 1912-2012]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spent a total of 10 days in the house of Miss Wilson. Upon her passing in 1930 she willed the house to Shoghi Effendi and he asked the National Assembly to manage the property on his behalf. On the 27th of September, 1935 he executed a deed of trust transferring the property to the Trustees for the benefit of the NSA. [BW7p84]
  • At some point during the visit He attended the wedding of Ruby Breed, the younger sister of Florence Breed. The wedding was held in the Breed home and was presided over by an Episcopalian minister. [AY96] [key]
  • Malden; Massachusetts; Boston; Cambridge; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Weddings
    1912 1 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at the Church of the Messiah, corner of Simpson and Sherbrooke Sts in Montreal. (Architects: The Maxwell Bros. Built 1907, destroyed by fire 1937) [PUP297]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland Maxwell, 716 Pine Avenue West, (now 1548 avenue des Pins, ouest) Montreal, Canada. [PUP302]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland Maxwell, 716 Pine Avenue West, (now 1548 avenue des Pins, ouest) Montreal, Canada. [PUP306] [key]
  • Montreal; Quebec; Canada Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; May Maxwell (Bolles); Sutherland Maxwell; Abdul-Baha in Montreal
    1912 13 Sep The True home was inundated with visitors and among them, a group of black believers. 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk in the evening. The three large rooms on the ground floor were filled to capacity and He walked from room to room as He spoke. [MD260-262] [key] Chicago Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Corinne True
    1912 14 Sep In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá walked along the shores of Lake Michigan. In the afternoon He spoke to the Theosophical Society to a rousing response.
  • For pictures of outing in Lincoln Park see the photos between pages 278 and 279 of Mahmúd's Diary.
  • Chicago Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Corinne True
    1912 15 Sep In the morning`Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to Dr. William Frederick Nutt, a friend of Kheiralla. (Nutt later broke the Covenant) Observers say that both Dr. Nutt and the interpreter were left trembling after He made his remarks.
  • Shu'á'lláh, son of Mírzá Muhammad-'Ali was in America at the same time. The previous May he had written to the Kenosha Evening News decouncing 'Abdu'l-Bahá and proposing a meeting between himself and 'Abdu'l-Bahá to settle their differences. In July Kheiralla had written to the same newspaper in support of Shu'á'lláh. [MD264n277]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá, his party of six plus Fujita departed to Kenosha but they missed their train. He told His fellow travellers not to be concerned over this, as there would be a good reason for it; travelling on the next train they come across the wreckage of the first, which has been in a collision. [239D:145; AB267]
  • Upon arrival they were taken to the hall of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár where they were served lunch. After lunch they went to the home of Mrs Henry Goodale.
  • In the evening He spoke at the Congregational Church on the unity of the Manifestations. [MD226] Now called First Congregational Church of Kenosha, 5934 8th Avenue. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in America 1912- 2012] [key]
  • Chicago; Kenosha; Wisconsin; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Trains
    1912 16 Sep In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá departed for Chicago
  • He gave a talk at Home of Mrs. Corinne True, 5338 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The subject of this talk was The Covenant. [PUP320]
  • In the evening He told His party to pack and move to the hotel. [MD268] [key]
  • Kenosha; Chicago; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Corinne True
    1912 22 or 27 Sep The marriage of Louis G. Gregory and Louisa (“Louise”) A. M. Mathew, the first interracial Bahá’í couple, who met while on pilgrimage and whom 'Abdul-Bahá had encouraged to marry. They exchanged Bahá’í vows after the rites performed by Rev. Everard W. Daniel, curate of St. Philip’s Protestant Episcopal Church, perhaps the most prestigious African American church in the country, in a private ceremony in his residence. In a “Tablet” (translated March 14, 1914). She was 46 and he was 8 years younger. [SYH73-75, 91]
  • `Abdu’l-Bahá lauded the Gregorys’ marriage as “an introduction to the accomplishment” of harmony between the races. [`ABDU’L-BAHÁ’ S 1912 HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPEECH: A CIVIL WAR MYTH FOR INTERRACIAL EMANCIPATION p117 by Dr Christopher Buck]
  • See The Journey West.
  • The prayer, "Verily, they are married in obedience to thy command. Cause them to become the signs of unity and harmony until the end of time..." was revealed for their wedding by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [FMH97]
  • ”Intermarriage is a good way to efface racial differences. It produces strong, beautiful offspring, clever and resourceful.” [sYH7]
  • [239D:169] reported this marriage took place on the 27th of September.
  • At this time interracial marriage was legal in Washington but not socially acceptable. It was outlawed in 25 states. It wasn't until 1967 that legislation forbidding interracial marriages was henceforth illegal. In the Washington community at this time there were white Bahá'ís who did not yet understand the principle of racial unity. [SYH80, 85-86]
  • "I made that marriage." 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported having said to Mrs Parsons. "I wish the white and coloured races to marry"
  • New York; United States Marriage; Louis Gregory; Louisa Mathew Gregory; Firsts, Other; Race (general); Unity; Interracial marriage; Weddings; Louise Gregory the first interracial Bahá’í couple
    1912 22 Sep While passing through Lincoln, Nebraska 'Abdu'l-Bahá's intention was to return the visit of William and Mary Bryan who had met Him in Akka in 1906. Upon telephoning they learned that Mr Bryan was not at home but Mrs Bryan invited Him to their home for tea. (Mr Bryan was on a campaign tour for the future president, Woodrow Wilson. Bryan later become his Secretary of State.) [MD281; 239D152; ABW74; SoG221] iiiii Lincoln; Nebraska William Jennings Bryan; Mary Elizabeth Baird; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1912 30 Sep Thornton Chase, the first American Bahá'í, Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away in California before 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í and His retinue arrive. He was buried at Inglewood. He had been named Thábit (Steadfast) by the Master. [BBD71; BFA2:XVII]
  • See SoW Vol 3 No 12 16 October, 1912 p1-7 for a tribute to him upon his passing.
  • For a brief biography see Bahá'í Chronicles.
  • See as well Bahá’í Encyclopedia.
  • See "Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá" . [BW3p84–85; BW4p118–119]
  • See the article Chase, Thornton: The First Bahá'í from the Western Hemisphere by Richard Francis.
  • For a biography see Thornton Chase: First American Bahá'í by Robert H Stockman, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 2002.
  • During the early years of the Faith in North America the Bahá'ís were unclear about the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. There were those who thought Him an ordinary man who had applied the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh flawlessly through His effort. Others believed Him to be the return of Christ. See ABF244-246 for his letter to Wellesly Tudor-Pole on the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • And a draft of a portion of the Stockman book, Love's Odyssey: The Life of Thornton Chase.
  • Upon hearing of his passing 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said, "This revered personage was the first Bahá'í in America. He served the Cause faithfully and his services will ever be remembered throughout ages and cycles." [SoW Vol 4 No 11 p.189]
  • Photos of the grave of Thornton Chase in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
  • Directions to his grave. Find a grave.
  • His publications:
    • A number of pamphlets, See Bibliography of English-Language Works on the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths, 1844–1985 by William Collins, George Ronald, Oxford, 1990 page 66-67.
    • In Galilee and In Spirit and In Truth, first published in 1908. This was a record of his pilgrimage. [BEL7.634]
    • The Bahai Revelation, first published in 1909. This book was an introduction to the Faith intended for a Christian audience. [BEL7.629]
  • See the trailer for a film entitled Steadfast-The Thornton Chase Story by Mithaq Kazimi and produced by Sam Baldoni.
  • See the Thornton Chase Website created by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Inglewood, California and The Thornton Chase Committee to honour the legacy of Thornton Chase.
  • Los Angeles; California; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Thornton Chase; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves
    1912 17 Oct 'Abdu'l-Bahá discovered His signet ring was missing and for the rest of His trip He signed, rather than seal, every Tablet He wrote or dictated. [Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith pg. xxxvii, AY101-102] [key] Oakland; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Rings; Seals
    1912 18 Oct `Abdu'l-Bahá left San Francisco for Los Angeles, arriving the same day. [239D:169; AB309]

    Having heard that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was in Los Angeles, Mabel Rice-Wray took children Edris and Colston to the hotel where the Master was staying. They spent over an hour with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His room. Both Edris and Colston sat on 'Abdu'l-Bahá's knee and were given cookies. Some years later, in response to a letter from their mother, 'Abdu'l-Bahá bestowed the name Rawshan ("brilliance") on Edris, and Ruqi on Colston, and revealed in their honour the well-known prayer for children that begins: "O my Lord! O my Lord! I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy ... " [Find a grave Edris Rawshan Wray] [key]

    Los Angeles; San Francisco; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, prayers of; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives
    1912 19 Oct `Abdu'l-Bahá visited the grave of Thornton Chase in Inglewood. [239D:169; AB309; MD337-339]
  • The purpose of His journey to Los Angeles is to visit the grave of Thornton Chase. [AB309]
  • Upon visiting his grave 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said "This personage is worthy of having the friends visit his grave. The traces of this personage will ever shine. This is a personage who will not be forgotten. For the present his worth is not known but in the future it will be inestimably dear. His sun will ever be shining, his stars will forever bestow the light. The people will honor this grave. Therefore, the friends of God must visit this grave and on my behalf bring flowers and seek the sublimity of the spiritual station for him and have the utmost consideration for the members of his family. This personage will not be forgotten." [SoW Vol 3 No 13 4 November, 1912 p14]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said:
    "As many times as possible-at least once a year-you should make it a point to visit his tomb, for his spirit will be exhilarated through the loyalty of the friends, and in the world of God will it be happy. The friends of God must be kind to one another, whether it be in life or after death." [SoW Vol 4 No 13 p225] [key]
  • Inglewood; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Thornton Chase; Cemeteries and graves
    1912 20 Oct Shu'áu'lláh, who had been living in Pasadena at the time, had persuaded a newspaper editor to write two misleading articles in which he tried to show that because of his biological relationship he was bound to inherit the station of the Prophets. At a public meeting a reporter pressed 'Abdu'l-Bahá about him and His reply was to quote Christ when asked about His relationship with His brothers. [MD339-340, 490n325]
  • In the evening He gave an address on unity to a large crowd assembled in an auditorium. [MD341] [key]
  • Los Angeles Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Covenant-breakers; Shuaullah
    1912 26 Oct Talk at Assembly Hall, Hotel Sacramento, Sacramento, California. [PUP376]
  • In His talk 'Abdu'l-Bahá said that, "the greatest need in the world today is international peace,” and after discussing why California was well-suited to lead the efforts for the promotion of peace, He exhorted attendees: “May the first flag of international peace be upraised in this state.” [The Cause of Universal Peace: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá left Sacramento for Denver. [239D:172; AB316] [key]
  • Sacramento; California; Denver; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places
    1912 31 Oct `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Chicago and gave a talk at the Plaza Hotel. The subject of this talk was The Covenant. [239D:176; PUP381].
  • It is likely that 'Abdu'l-Bahá encountered Rabindranath Tagore who was to become a well-known Bengali poet and musician who would reshape Bengali literature and music and be the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. [Rabindranath Tagore: Some Encounters with Bahá'ís by Peter Terry; Wikipedia] [key]
  • Chicago; United States; India Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; Rabindranath Tagore
    1912 8 Nov Talk at Eighth Street Temple, Synagogue, Washington, D. C. [PUP411]
  • See PG100 where 'Abdu'l-Bahá referred to this talk to illustrate the extraordinary reception He was given during is travels to the West.
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at synagogues
    1912 10 Nov Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons, 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C .[PUP421]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hannen, 1252 Eighth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of Bahá'u'lláh's faithful Ethiopian servant, Isfandiyar, and his service to the family of Bahá'u'lláh's family while He was in prison in the Síyáh-Chál. [PUP425, 239D181-182]
  • Talk at 1901 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. [PUP428] [key]
  • Washington DC; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Abdul-Baha, Talks other; Arthur Parsons; Joseph Hannen; Isfandiyar
    1912 11 Nov `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Baltimore by train and arrived at Camden Station at 11AM. He was accompanied by Dr. Ameen Fareed and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab (interpreters), Mirza Mahmud, Mirza 'Ali Akah, Mirza Valiollah Khan, Dr. Zia Bagdadi, and Saya Assadollah [239D:183; AB329]
  • At noon He spoke at the chapel of the Unitarian Church on the unity of religions and the oneness of God. The chapel was packed with Johns Hopkins University faculty members and many local professional men.
  • After the address he shared lunch at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Struven with more than 50 people.
  • He left Baltimore about 3PM and on his return to New York He passed through Philadelphia, where He met the Bahá'ís on the train platform. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Baltimore by Allison Vaccaro and Edward E. Bartlett] [key]
  • Baltimore; Philadelphia; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at churches; Trains
    1912 26 Nov 'Abdu'l-Bahá had no time to meet with visitors individually in the morning as He was attending to correspondence.
  • In the afternoon at a meeting with some of the friends He spoke about the Covenant and the need for divine Manifestations.
  • In the evening He spoke about man's ability to understand reality using his intelligence. [MD410-411] [key]
  • New York Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1912 2 Dec Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney, 780 West End Avenue, New York. [PUP452]
  • Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney, 780 West End Avenue, New York. The subject of this talk was The Covenant. [PUP453]
  • Star of the West reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of India on this date although there is no mention of such a talk in Mahmúd's Diary. [SoW Vol 5 No 2 April 9, 1914 p20-21] [key]
  • New York; United States Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at homes; Edward Kinney
    1912 14 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed in Liverpool at the Adelphi Hotel. His first talk was to the Theosophical Society. [ABTM274, SoW Vol III No17 9Jan1913 p3] [key] Liverpool; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Theosophical Society
    1912 15 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at Pembroke Chapel and was introduced by Rev Donald Fraser. [ABTM275, SoW Vol III No 17 9Jan1913 p4] [key] Liverpool; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1912 16 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá and his entourage departed Liverpool for London by train from the Lime Street Station. When they arrive at Euston Station they are met by a group of about 50 Bahá'ís. He is taken by motorcar to the home of Lady Blomfield at 97 Cadogan Gardens which she again offered to Him during His stay in London. After resting He gave a talk to newspaper reporters and later gave a talk to the gathering of Bahá'ís. [AB343, ABTM276] [key] Liverpool; London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Trains; Cars; Lady Blomfield
    1912 17 Dec A Bahá'í arrived from Ireland to see 'Abdu'l-Bahá, possibly Joan Waring, after travelling all day and all night.
  • He made comments on the character of the American people.
  • In the afternoon He spoke to a large gathering at Caxton Hall in Westminster. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p3-4, ABTM276-277] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1912 18 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at which E. G. Browne was present. He visited `Abdu'l-Bahá several more times while in London. [SoW Vol III no19 2Mar1913 p4, AB346, ABTM277-278]
  • Hájí Abu'l-Hasan-i-Ardakání (Hájí Amín) arrived in London from Paris with three young Persian. He spoke neither English nor French and had had some difficulty in getting from Paris to London. He crossed the English Channel and then found himself back in Paris. His second attempt was successful. [SoW Vol III no19 2Mar1913 p4, AB346–7, ABTM278] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom; Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Edward Granville Browne; Haji Amin (Abul-Hasan-i-Ardikani)
    1912 19 Dec Hájí Amín, the Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh, presented 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a gift from a poor workman in 'Ishqábád. He had nothing monetary to offer so he gave Hájí Amín his mid-day meal, two small loaves of bread and an apple wrapped in a handkerchief. 'Abdu'l-Bahá took the offering tenderly, ate a small piece of the stale bread and gave the rest to be passed around to the rest of the table. [SoW Vol III No 19 2Mar1913 p5, ABTM278] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Gifts; Huququllah; Haji Amin
    1912 20 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá interviewed E. S. (Ethel Stefana) Stevens (later Lady Drower) who had come from Southhampton to meet Him. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p6]
    • Three years prior she had spent 3 or 4 months (possibly 6 months) in 'Akka and Haifa gathering material for a book. During her stay she had the opportunity to observe both ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Bahá’í community at close quarters. The book, called Mountain of God, was published in 1911. World Order excerpted this book in a two-part serial in 1970. [BEL 7.2476}
    • She also wrote an article for the magazine Fortnightly Review. Excerpts from the article, impressions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. can be found at the US Bahá'í site.
  • In the evening He was driven to Westminster for a meeting at the Palace Hotel, His first public talk since returning to London. [SoW Vol III no 19 2Mar1913 p6; SoW Vol III no 17 19Jan1913 p510] [key]
  • London; Westminster; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Ethel Stevens
    1912 21 or 22 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá witnessed His first dramatic performance. It was a mystery Christmas play entitled Eager Heart written by Miss Alice Buckton and performed at the Church House, Westminster before an audience of 1,200. [SoW Vol III no 19 2March1913 p 7, CH154, AB34]
  • He is reported to have said, perhaps on another occasion, "The stage will be the pulpit of the future". [Quoted by Loulie Mathews in The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom, Vol 4, No. 3 (June 1923, p69]
  • Star of the West, Vol. 19 no. 11 Feb1929, p.341 quotes 'Abdu'l-Bahá as saying: "drama is of the utmost importance. It has been a great educational power in the past; it will be so again,". [BW1994-1995p255] [key]
  • Westminster; London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Drama; Plays; Arts First time `Abdu'l-Bahá attends a theatre performance
    1912 25 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá paid a visit to Lord Lamington who was deeply touched by the message of peace and goodwill. [PG141] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Lord Lamington
    1912 26 Dec 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about prayer, evil, and the progress of the soul in a talk at 97 Cadogan Gardens. [PT176-179] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1912 29 Dec In the morning 'Abdu'l-Bahá received a visit from the Maharajah or Jhalawar. [ABTM283]
  • In the afternoon He spoke at the home of Miss Annie Gamble. [SoW Vol. 9 No 2 9Apr1918 p 24]
  • In the evening He gave a talk at the King's Weigh House Methodist Church hosted by Rev E W Lewis. [SoW Vol. 4 No 17 19Jan1914 p284-285]
  • For a transcript see 'Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks.
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Maharajahs
    1912 31 Dec `Abdu'l-Bahá visited Oxford at the invitation of Dr Thomas Kelly Cheyne to address a meeting at Manchester College. [BW4p384-385, AB352–354, ABIM284, Journey West 20130210; Ahmad Sohrab's Diary - The Great Tour p99; The Dawn Vol 1 No 2 October 1923 p2]
  • In 1886, Cheyne was appointed Oriel Professor of Interpretation of Scripture at Oxford University, and, as an ordained Anglican priest (1864), was installed as Canon of Rochester Cathedral (Church of England) that same year. An advocate of “higher criticism” as applied to biblical scholarship, Professor Cheyne was the first at Oxford University to teach students how to apply the methods and tools of higher criticism to the Hebrew Scriptures. See An Oxford Scholar on the Spirit of Truth by Christopher Buck.
  • For biographical information see a paper by Crawford Howell Toy entitled Thomas Kelly Cheyne.
  • See Hurqalya Publications for a translation by Stephen Lambden of a Tablet to Dr Cheyne as well as the address to Manchester College.
  • After the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá the elderly and infirmed professor, who was unable to walk and had difficulty speaking, went on to write the book, The Reconciliation of Races and Religions. See BWXp483 for an excerpt regarding Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • His second wife was the poetess Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne (1869-1931) whom he married (aged 69) on August 28th [19th] 1911 about four years after the death of his first wife. Elizabeth Gibson was the sister of the `War Poet' Wilfred Wilson Gibson. A paper by Judy Greenway, a grand niece of Elizabeth Gibson entitled "From the Wilderness to the Beloved City: Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne", pays tribute to the woman whom 'Abdul'-Bahá lauded during His visit. This paper was given at the invitation of the Oxford Bahá’í Community in December 2012, as part of the celebration of the centenary of Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Oxford.
  • See an article by Christopher Buck on Cheyne's interpretation of Isaiah's prophecies
  • Oxford; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Thomas Kelly Cheyne (T. K. Cheyne); Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne; Stephen Lambden; Judy Greenway
    1913 4 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about The Four Kinds of Love in an address at 97 Cadogan Gardens. [PT179181] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 6 Jan `Abdu'l-Bahá and His party, Síyyíd Asadu'lláh-i-Qumí, His attendant, Ahmad Sohrab, His interpreter and Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání, His secretary, departed by train and arrive in Edinburgh's Waverly Station in the late afternoon. This marked the start of His only visit to Scotland,. It lasted 4 days. [SCU68]
  • Also with 'Abdul-Bahá during His time in Edinburgh were Lady Blomfield and Alice Buckton and a young Persian student, Lutful'lláh Hakím.
  • On the train He told the story of Miss Wardlaw-Ramsay of the Church Missionary Society who was a missionary in 'Acca for some 40 years. She was antagonistic to the Cause but the Master showed her all manner of kindness because she was very faithful to her Christ. When she left Akka and returned to Scotland He gave a party for her. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913 p5; SBBE1p76]
  • Upon arrival He was taken to the home of Mrs Jane Elizabeth Whyte (neé Barbour) (1857-1944) at 7 Charlotte Square. She had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá before. She and her friend, Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper, had been invited to visit her sister who was on an extended stay in Egypt during the winter of 1905-6. In March they made a visit to 'Akká. By 1912 she had become a member of the "Council" established to promote the Faith in Britain. The Whytes, along with the Theosophical Society, had been instrumental in arranging Abdu'l-Bahá's visit to Edinburgh. ['Abdu'l-Baha in Edinburgh: The Diary of Ahmad Sohrab by Ahmad Sohrab]
  • Mrs Whyte's account of her meeting in 1906 is in her book Seven Candles of Unity, pp 47-49. and in her book entitled Seven Candles of Unity: the Story of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991). [Scottish Women: A Documentary History, 1780-1914 by Esther Breitenbach and Linda Fleming p.213]
  • Her husband, Mr Alexander Whyte (1837-1921) was a Scottish divine; a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, he became colleague and successor of Dr R S Candlish at Free St Georges (now St George's West, 58 Shandwick Place), and then principal and professor of New Testament literature at New College, Edinburgh. [AB355, 363–8; SBR26]
  • Miss Isobel Fraser served as the advance publicity agent for the visit.
  • Edinburgh; Scotland; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Isobel Fraser; Trains
    1913 7 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a crowd of several hundred Theosophists. The Theosophical Society (founded 1875) promoted brotherhood, the importance of Eastern philosophies and the search for spiritual and psychic truths. Edinburgh had one of the most active centres in Europe.
  • In the late morning they had a tour of Outlook Tower, 549 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2ND. Outlook Tower was an educational institution which taught astronomy, natural geography, cartology etc. The tour guide was Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) who was a Scottish biologist and botanist, known also as an innovative thinker in the fields of urban planning and education; as a town-planner in Palestine he had involvement in the cypress avenue leading up to the Shrine of the Báb, and he also planned a Bahá'í House of Worship in India. [AB447, Leroy Ioas, p218, SCU68, 73-82]
  • In the evening 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to the Esperanto Society at Freemason's Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DH. There were 1,000 people in the hall and some 300 outside. This was His first public address in Scotland. [ABTM294, Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913] [key]
  • Edinburgh; Scotland; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Esperanto; Theosophical Society; Patrick Geddes, Sir first public address by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Scotland.
    1913 8 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá was given a tour of the Edinburgh College of Arts conducted by the President. (74 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF) This was followed by a tour of a school in the poorer district, North Canongate School.
  • In the afternoon He spoke to a capacity attendance at Rainy Hall, New College, the Mound, Edinburgh EH1 2LX.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá attended a charity performance of Handel's Messiah at St Giles Cathedral. (Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1RE) St. Giles was also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh. It was Edinburgh's religious focal point for at least 900 years.

    And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5) [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913, ABTM297, SCU85-100] [key]

  • Edinburgh; Scotland; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; St Giles Cathedral; Handels Messiah; Edinburgh College of Arts; North Canongate School
    1913 9 Jan After a morning of receiving visitors 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a woman's group that included those of a wide spectrum of conviction on the role of women from suffragists to suffragettes to those opposed of giving women the vote.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the painter, John Duncan, (1866 Dundee-1945) a foremost Celtic revivalist painter, on the Management Board of the College of Arts, who was guided along by Patrick Geddes. He married Christine Allen in 1912 and immediately moved to 29 Bernard's Crescent as his home and studio, where this visit took place. Both were members of the Theosophical Society. Christine Duncan née Allen (c1886-) was a spiritualist with connections to Wellesley Tudor Pole and Alice Buckton.
  • He was driven north of the city to see the Forth Railway Bridge, Edinburgh EH30 9TB. This engineering marvel, stretching 2.5 km from South to North Queensferry opened on the 4th of March 1890 and has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. [UNESCO]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at the Theosophical Society meeting at 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh EH3 6QN. "Several hundred" attended. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913 p.14, SCU101-107] [key]
  • Edinburgh; Scotland; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Theosophical Society; John Duncan; Christine Duncan
    1913 11 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá was most anxious that follow-up be done in Scotland. In and interview with Miss Buckton and Miss Schepel He encouraged them to go as soon as possible. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary, Edinburgh, 1913, David Merrick p17]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at Caxton Hall in Westminster and after entertained a small crowd of people at His residence where He recounted stories of Bahá'ulláh's suffering. [AB368, ABTM299] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 13 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at Cadogan Gardens on the darkness of superstitions and imitations. [AB369, ABTM299] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Superstition
    1913 14 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke in the East End of London at a Congregational Church. [CH168, AB369, ABTM299] [key] London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Churches
    1913 (Date unknown) At some time during this short stay in London 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at a meeting of the Women's Freedom League. His remarks can be found in BNE121 (1980 edition). London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 19 Jan 'Abdu'l-Bahá was the guest of Rev Dr R J Campbell for luncheon. A number of divines had also been invited. [AB371]
  • Subsequently Rev Campbell made a tour of America and 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a request that the Bahá'í community show him every courtesy. [SoW Vol 2 No 18 February 7, 1912 p10] [key]
  • London; Woking; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 20 Jan Dr Felix Mosscheles held a reception for 'Abdu'l-Bahá in his home that was attended by a number of notable people.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá was the guest of a Rajput prince who gave a dinner party for Him.
  • In the evening He spoke at the Higher Thought Centre, His last engagement in London. [AB371] [key]
  • London; United Kingdom Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 23 Jan The start of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's third visit to France. It lasted 2 months and 9 days.
  • After His morning talk He visited and had lunch with Natalie Clifford Barney, the sister of Laura Dreyfus Barney and the daughter of Alice Pike Barney, probably at her salon at 20, rue Jacob.
  • On this day, or perhaps the next, He met the famous French philosopher and writer, Henri Bergson. (Nobel prize for literature 1928). He was a professor at the College de France. 'Abdu'l-Bahá impressed him with His simple proof for the existence of God. [ABF302-304, Bahá'íes de France] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Natalie Clifford Barney; Henri Bergson
    1913 12 Feb Date of the last of the 12 letters sent to Edward Granville Browne by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The first of these letters was written on the 4th of August, 1890. Edward Granville Browne
    1913 13 Feb 'Abdu'l-Bahá delivered an address to the Paris Theosophical Society at the Theosophical Headquarters, 59 Avenue de la Bourdonnois. ['Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy compiled by Elizabeth Fraser Chamberlain p165] . [key] Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1913 17 Feb For the text of an interview, originally published in Abdul Baha on Divine Philosophy, with Pasteur Monnier during which 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke on the relationship between the Bahá'í Faith and Christianity, see Bahá'í Studies Review, vol. 3:1 (1993), with notes by Khazeh Fananapazir.
  • Pasteur Henri Monnier (b. 1871) was the "Professor á la Faculté libre de théologie protestante de Paris", Vice-president of the Protestant Federation of France and Pastor of the Etoile Church [from International Who's Who, 1st ed.] [key]
  • Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Christianity; Interfaith dialogue; Henri Monnier, Pasteur; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1913 21 Feb 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed "The Spiritual Alliance" at 14 rue de Trevise in Paris. ['Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy compiled by Elizabeth Fraser Chamberlain p175 Paris Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1913 1 Apr 'Abdu'l-Bahá depart for Stuttgart from Gar de l'Est accompanied by Siyyid Ahmad-i-Báqiroff, Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Siyyid Asadu'llah-i-Qumi, and Mahmúd Zarqání. It was His first trip to Germany and it lasted for 7 days. [ABF537-538] [key] Stuttgart; Germany; Paris; France bdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 3 Apr 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a large audience in the City Museum. The talk was translated into English by Ahmad Sohrab and then rendered into German by Herr Eckstein. [AB380-382] [key] Stuttgart; Germany Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 4 Apr See a photo of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a group of friends in Stuttgart. [‘Abdu’l-Bahá Champion of Universal Peace by Hoda Mahmoudi and Janet Khan] [key] Stuttgart; Germany Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 7 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Bad Mergentheim by automobile to visit the hotel and mineral bath owned by Consul Schwarz, (Later named Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá by Shoghi Effendi). [AB383]
  • Later, in 1916 the local Bahá'í community commemorated the visit with the dedication of a monument, a life-sized likeness of the head of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on a granite stone about two metres in height. The Nazis removed it in 1937 but it was replaced in 2007. [BWNS524] [key]
  • Bad Mergentheim; Germany Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Cars; Consul Schwarz; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Monuments; Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits; Portraits; World War II; BWNS
    1913 9 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Budapest and He was met by a delegation at Keleti pu Ostbahnhof (Eastern Train Station). Another welcoming party had been waiting for Him at the Western station where a train had arrived from Vienna. He was escorted to the Ritz Hotel (now called the Hotel Forum) on the Pest side where He was further welcomed by a delegation of citizens. To compensate for the fact that many had missed His arrival at the train station, He held a press conference in the hotel lobby. [AB384, SBBR14p110]
  • For details of His visit see AB384–8 and MRHK362–70 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest by Alice Schwartz-Salivo and 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest by György Lederer found in SBBR14p109.

    “…it was His hope that Budapest might become a centre for the reunion of the East and the West, and that from this city the light might emanate to other places.” ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest p1; BWNS303] [key]

  • Budapest; Hungary Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 11 Apr Julius Germanus from the Eastern Academy called upon 'Abdu'l-Bahá at His hotel accompanied by his Turkish students. [SBBR14p112]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Hungarian Orientalist Professor Ignáz Goldziher in his home. He was the first person of the Jewish Faith to occupy a professional chair in the University of Budapest. and he had previously written about the Bahá'í Faith. Some time later Professor Goldziher received a carpet and a tablet as a gift from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SBBR14p116, AB386]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá delivered a lecture in the old Parliament organized by the Peace Society and the Esperanto Association to an audience estimated to be 500, 800 or 1,000 depending on the source. He was flanked by Catholic prelate Dr Alexander Giesswein and Dr. Goldziher, a Jewish Orientalist. The significance of seeing an eminent Jewish scholar and a Catholic clergyman on the same stage on either side of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was not lost on the audience and they broke into applause. [SBBR14p116-117. MRHK362]
  • After the lecture a dinner was given in His honour at the Hotel Pannonia. [MRHK366] [key]
  • Budapest; Hungary Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Julius Germanus; Ignaz Goldziher; Alexander Giesswein; Gifts; Carpets
    1913 12 Apr 'Abu'l-Bahá received many visitors at His hotel including the president of the Túránian Society, Jewish-born Arminius Vambéry. He was an orientalist and one of the most colourful figures of the nineteenth century. He had some prior knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith. (Ali Kuli Khan had met him as he was travelling near Karbila disguised as a dervish, probably in 1896. [SUR73-74]) Some time later he wrote a much-publicized tribute to the Bahá'í Faith. [AB8, 386–7, SBBR14p114]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Arminius Vambéry. [SBBR14p115]
  • He was invited to speak at the former House of Magnates in the National Museum Building by the founder of the Hungarian Turanian Society, Alajos Paikert. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest p4] [key]
  • Budapest; Hungary Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Arminius Vambery
    1913 14 Apr 'Abu'l-Bahá's plan had been to leave but His departure was delayed due to a request from the president of the Túránian Society, Count Pal Teleki, who later became the Hungarian Prime Minister two times.
  • In the afternoon 'Abu'l-Bahá visited Arminius Vambéry at his home again and some time later sent him a tablet and a carpet by the post. It was reported in "Star of the West" (February 1929) that this tablet was in possession of Arminius's son, Rusztem Vámbéry. [SBBR14p115, 125, AB387, SoW9Vol9p24]
    • See BW5p329 for the testament written by Professor Vámbéry and published in the Egyptian Gazette September 24th, 1913.
    • See SUR73 for the story of Arminius Vámbéry, while travelling with a caravan and disguised as a dervish, encountered another caravan loaded with coffins bound for burial in the vicinity of the Shrines in Karbilá'.
    • See The Dervish of Windsor Castle: The Life of Arminius Vambery by Lory Alder and Richard Dalby.
  • At a meeting of the Túránian Society in the grand hall of the National Museum 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a lecture entitled "Peace Between Nations and Religions" to some 200 people. The talk was translated into Hungarian by Leopold Stark and into English by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. [SBBR14p113; ABM318; Talk by Abdu’l-Baha Given in Budapest to the Turanian Society on 14 April 1913 (Provisional)]
  • 'Alí Abbás Áqá, a Tabrízí carpet merchant, hosted a dinner party in His honour. Among those attending was the Turkish Consul. [AB387, MRHK367, SBBR14p113] [key]
  • Budapest; Hungary; Karbala; Iraq Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Arminius Vambery; Leopold Stark; Count Pal Teleki; Ali Abbas Aqa
    1913 15 Apr 'Abdu'l-Bahá's planned departure was delayed a second time due to a severe cold. He was attended by Mr and Mrs Stark as well as Sirda Omrah Singh. He continued to meet visitors in His hotel during this period. [MRHK369] [key] Budapest; Hungary Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 18 or 19 Apr `Abdu'l-Bahá left Budapest and traveled to Vienna by rail, reaching the city in the evening and taking residence in the Grand Hotel. It is estimated that some 30 people accepted the Faith during His visit. [AB388, SBBR14p120]
      ...it was His hope that Budapest might become a centre for the reunion of the East and West, and that from this city the light might emanate to other places. [MRHK363]
  • This marked the end of His visit to Hungary which lasted 9 days.
  • In 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p80 it is reported that a bust of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was made during His time in Vienna. Two copies were received in Port Said via Stuttgart on the 18th of July, 1913, one intended for Ahmad Sohrab and the other for Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání.
  • Vienna; Austria; Budapest; Hungary; Port Said; Egypt Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Trains; Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits
    1913 1 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Stuttgart and returned to Paris. [AB391]
  • The start of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's fourth and last visit to France. It lasted 1 month and 12 days.
  • Stuttgart; Germany; Paris; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 12 Jun `Abdu'l-Bahá left Paris for Marseilles, arriving the same evening. [AB395]

    In total 'Abdu'-Bahá spent about 171 days in Paris.

    3 October to 2 December 1911 - 60 days          
     21 January to 30 March 1913 - 69 days          
           1 May to 12 June 1913 - 42 days          
                          Total   171 days          
  • See David Merrick's map for the places visited by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris.
  • See PG117-118 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá continuing concern for Paris in 1919.
  • Paris; Marseilles; France Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    1913 16 Jun - 2 Dec 'Abdul-Baha began His third stay in Egypt which lasted 5 months and 16 days.
  • At some time during His stay in Egypt 'Abdu'l-Bahá met with Sir Ronald Storrs who presented Him to Lord Kitchener. [BW10p192,194]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá presented him with a specimen of writing by Mishkín-Qalam and His own Persian pen box. [CH226] [key]
  • Egypt Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Ronald Storrs; Kitchener, Lord; Mishkin-Qalam; Gifts
    1913 Jun - Jul Immediately upon return from the latest trip to the West, Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání began to document 'Abdu'l-Bahá's most recent travels. The work took three parts: 1. His addresses, 2. the diary and 3. the translations of the articles that appeared in newspapers and magazines. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p5] [key] Port Said; Egypt Mahmuds Diary; Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani
    1913 10 Jul `Abdu'l-Bahá went to Ismá`ílíyyah, where the weather is less humid. He took up short-term residence at the Hotel Vaseteef. [AB399–400; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p51] [key] Ismailiyyah; Egypt Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1913 16 - 21 July The 6e Congrès International du Progrès Religieux (Chrétiens Progressifs et Libres-Croyants) [6th International Congress of Religious Progress (Progressive Christians and Free Believers)] was held in Paris. Over twenty of the clergy that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had met in His travels in Britain, Canada, the United States and France attended. 'Abdu'l-Bahá's photograph was published amongst those invited to attend and inserted in the proceedings of the Congress. Hippolyte Dreyfus presented the Bahá'í address. [ABF411note 977] [key] Paris; France International Congress of Religious Progress; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney
    1913 17 Jul `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Ramleh. It was hoped that the drier climate would be more salubrious than the humidity of Fort Said and Ismá`ílíyyah for He was still not well. He and his attendants stayed at the Victoria Hotel initially. The remainder of His party that had remained in Port Said joined Him on the 24th of July and His daughter Touba Khanum with her son Rouhi arrived from Haifa.
    At this time Ramleh was a modern Egyptian town with all the conveniences of western civilization. It was a summer resort for the most important European officials in the service of the Egyptian government and also for the native Pashas. [AB400; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p80] [key]
    Ramleh (Alexandria); Egypt Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1913 23 Jul Lua Getsinger arrived at Port Said and was given permission to join 'Abdu'l-Bahá the following day. [LGHC188; AB400] [key] Port Said; Egypt Lua Getsinger; Abdul-Baha in Egypt; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1913 19 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá took the decision to send Lua Getsinger to India. His words to her were published SoW Vol 4 No 12 p208. [LGHC189] [key] Ramleh (Alexandria); Alexandria; Egypt; India Lua Getsinger; Edward Getsinger; Travel teaching
    1913 28 Aug 'Abdu'l-Bahá revealed a tablet to an unnamed woman saying that only two things were not open to women, front-line military duties and service on the Universal House of Justice. He promised equality to men and "as regards tenderness of heart and abundance of mercy and sympathy" superiority. [PT182-184] [key] Egypt Abdul-Baha, Life of; Women; Equality
    1913 (prior to `Abdu'l-Bahá's departure fm Egypt) "Tamaddunu'l-Mulk caused mischief amongst the friends and perpetrated such disunity that the foundation of the divine Faith was nearly destroyed. On numerous occasions, he repented. And yet, after each contrition, he would cause further mischief. Eventually, I telegraphed that Tamaddun is expelled and association with him is not permissible." [Tablet Concerning Covenant-Breakers: Excerpt by Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Ahang Rabbani]
  • In this Tablet 'Abdu'l-Bahá warned against association with Covenant-breakers because its harm will injure the Cause of God and will enable them to penetrate the community and to completely uproot the Faith from within. Association with Covenant-breakers is the same as a person nurturing a snake in his shirt or giving a home to a scorpion in his sleeve.
  • Egypt; Tihran; Iran Covenant-breakers; Tamaddunul-Mulk; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1914 (In the year) 'Abdu'l-Bahá was forced to expel Tammaddun'ul-Mulk for corrupt behaviour. He was from Shiraz and had been living in Paris for several years. He had been part of His entourage in 1911. [ABF19] [key] Shiraz; Tihran; Iran; Paris; France Tammaddunul-Mulk; Covenant-breakers
    1914 21 Jan Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání, Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh, passed away in Cairo. [AB404; BBD67]
  • He became a believer in 1876.
  • He was named as an Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • For a brief biography see EM263–5, SDH113.
  • His resting place is now next to that of Lua Getsinger in the Bahá'í cemetery in Cairo. [BW9p87]
  • His numerous works include Fará'id (The Peerless Gems) 1898; The Brilliant Proof; 1912; Bahá'í Proofs, 1902; and Al-Duraru'l-Bahíyih (The Shining Pearls, published in English as Miracles and Metaphors), 1900. [BBD7]
  • Find a grave.
  • See AY103, Star of the West, vol. IV, no. 19, pp. 316–7 and Bahá'í Proofs p17-18 for the story of how Ameen Fareed entered and secretly remained in Mírzá’s house, between the time of Mírzá’s death and his burial, and removed precious manuscripts which, slightly changed, he would spread among the believers in an attempt to undermine their unity at a later time.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl in His home in Haifa on 21 and 22 January, 1914 as reported in SoW Vol 9 No 3 April 28, 1918.
  • Among his works are:
    • Borhān-e lāmeʿ, translated and published as The Brilliant Proof (1912),
    • al-Ḥojaj al-bahīya, translated and published as Miracles and Metaphors (1981).
    • A selection of his shorter works, entitled Letters and Essays (1985), is also available in English.
    • His other works such as al-Farāʾed, Šarḥ-e Āyāt-e Mowarraḵa, Kašf al-ḡeṭāʾ, and a few collections of his shorter works exist in Arabic and Persian.
  • See the Wikipedia page for links to his works.
  • Cairo; Egypt Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Apostles of Bahaullah; Lua Getsinger; Cemeteries and graves; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Covenant-breakers
    1914 Jan - Feb 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Lua and Dr. Getsinger on a teaching tour in India. The duration of the tour and the places visited have yet to be confirmed. She lectured at Theosophical Society Hall in Surat on "Purity and Divinity" (22 Jan); in Bombay, she spoke in Pratana Mandir Hall for an hour on "The Bahá’í Movement—Its Rise and Progress." (24Jan) She addressed the students of the Theistic Society on "Individual Spiritual Progress" (4 Feb); and in the Ideal Seminary she spoke on "Service as an Act of Worship." (8 Feb) In addition to the public lectures, to large and enthusiastic audiences, Dr. and Mrs. Getsinger were kept busy meeting people of various creeds. Lua's most important interview, and the one which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke of as a "certain definite result", was with the Maharajah of Jalowar (Jhalawar) whom He had met in London. He wished to acquaint this receptive enlightened person with the Bahá’í teachings, and chose Lua to seek him out. The Maharajah received her most graciously, and afterwards corresponded with her, remaining a staunch friend of the Faith. [SoW vol. V, No. 2, p. 21-22; "Lua Getsinger -Herald of the Covenant" by Amine DeMille; BFA2:353] [key] Surat; Gujarat; Jhalawar; Rajasthan; Mumbai (Bombay); India Maharajah of Jalowar; Lua Getsinger; Edward Getsinger; Travel teaching
    1914 15 Feb Dr Howard Bliss, the president of the Syrian Protestant College, visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá in part, to arrange for the Bahá’í students to spend their upcoming spring break in Haifa in the vicinity of the Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, affording them an opportunity to meet and learn from ʻAbdu’l-Bahá. [AB405]

    By this time, Bahá’í students from Haifa and ‘Akká, as well as Persia, Egypt, and Beirut, had attended SPC (later called the American University at Beirut) for about a decade, in increasing numbers over the previous few years. There were no comparable institutions in their own countries, and attending universities in Europe or America was not yet practical for most. As SPC became a popular choice, the prospect of joining an existing group of Bahá’í students was an additional attraction. A sizable group of students as well attended the Université Saint-Joseph (USJ), also in Beirut. Together, they constituted a single coherent group, meeting together, visiting each other, and collaborating, for example, in the activities of the “Society of the Bahá’í Students of Beirut,” which had been formed in 1906. [‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Bahá’í Students] [key]

    Haifa; Beirut; Lebanon American University of Beirut; Syrian Protestant College; Howard Bliss; Université Saint-Joseph
    1914 Jun George Augur arrived in Japan. [BFA2:53; SBR191]
  • He was the first Bahá'í to reside in the country. [SBR191]
  • For a biography of George Augur see SBR187–98.
  • See PG118 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's comments on Japan.
  • Japan George Augur First Bahá'í to reside in Japan
    1914 (Early to middle of the year) The defection of Dr Amín Faríd, (b. 1882, d. 1953)`Abdu'l-Bahá's translator while in America, became known publicly. His mother was a sister of Munirih Khanum, wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [AB407]
  • For his activities against `Abdu'l-Bahá see AB230, 402, 407–9.
  • Dr. Aminu'lláh Faríd travelled to Europe in defiance of the wishes of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. In the absence of Lady Blomfield in London, a meeting at the Kingsway Hall had been arranged for him. Dr Lutfu'lláh prevented Dr Farid from speaking. Mason Remey and George Latimer were in London at the time. 'Abdu'l-Bahá also sent Dr Habibu'lláh Khudákhsh (later called Dr Mu'ayyad) and 'Azíz'lláh Bahádur to go to Europe to counter his activities. They were in Stuttgart when the war broke out. He recalled all four to the Holy Land (Sep-Oct). [AB407-409; Concerning Covenant-breakers: Excerpt by 'Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Ahang Rabbani] iiiii
  • Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney were dispatched to the United States where Mrs Chevalier had been acting as Dr Farid's emissary. [AB408]
  • See the message from Shoghi Effendi in MBW53-54.
  • For a description of his activities as a young man in 'Akká see M9YA108.
  • United States; London; United Kingdom; Stuttgart; Germany Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Covenant-breakers; Lutfullah Hakim; Charles Mason Remey; George Latimer; Habibullah Khudakhsh; Habib Muayyad; Azizllah Bahadur; Laura Clifford Barney; Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney; Chevalier, Mrs
    1914 Oct Shoghi Effendi returned to Beirut from Haifa to take up his sophomore year of university at the Syrian Protestant College. As a result of the fear of unrest in Beirut, enrollment was down. The College was instrumental in the relief work being done for wounded soldiers or other casualties who were treated free of charge. As a result of this work it became a place of relative safety. The number of Bahá'í students at the Syrian Protestant College increased to 35, many of whom were sent by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [PG15] [key] Beirut; Lebanon; Haifa Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Syrian Protestant College
    1914 15 Oct In a talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Mason Remey and George Latimer in Haifa the Master distanced Himself from anyone who asked for money in His name. [SoW Vol 7 No11 4 November 1916 p122] [key] Haifa; Akka Abdul-Baha, life of
    1914 1 Nov Turkey entered the war on the side of the Central Powers.
  • Palestine was blockaded and Haifa was bombarded. [GPB304]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá sent the Bahá'ís to the Druze village of Abú-Sinán for asylum. [AB411; DH124; GPB304, BWNS1297]
  • For `Abdu'l-Bahá in wartime see CH188–228.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá had grown and stored corn in the years leading up to the war and was now able to feed not only local people but the British army. [AB415, 418; CH210; GPB304, 306]
  • Properties in the villages of Asfíyá and Dálíyá near Haifa were purchased by `Abdu'l-Bahá, and, at the request of Bahá'u'lláh, bestowed upon Díyá'u'lláh and Bahí'u'lláh. Land was also acquired in the villages of Samirih, Nughayb and 'Adasíyyih situated near the Jordan river. 'Adasíyyah was the village occupied by Bahá'ís of Zoroastrian heritage that produced corn for the Master's household. The village of Nughayb is where the relatives of the Holy Family lived. [CH209-210]
    • See 'Adasiyyah: A Study in Agriculture and Rural Development by Iraj Poostchi. This village was purchased by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1901. He paid 400 Turkish gold lira for 920 hectares and then gifted 1/24th of the total area to the family from whom He had made the purchase.
    • Under the guidance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi this village became a model of agriculture and Bahá'í life. The Bahá'ís lost ownership after 1962 when Jordan implemented land reforms.
    • 'Adasiyyah is mentioned in the film Exemplar (17:40-18:50).
  • See as well `Abdu'l-Baha in Abu-Sinan: September 1914 by Ahang Rabbani.
  • See Senn McGlinn's Abdu’l-Baha’s British knighthood for more background.
  • Palestine; Israel; Abu-Sinan; Haifa; Asfiya; Daliya; Samirih; Nughayb; Adasiyyih (Adasiyyah); Jordan World War I; War (general); Druze; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Knighthood (KBE); British; Charity and relief work; Social and economic development; History (General); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Diyaullah; Bahaullah; Exemplar (film)
    1914 6 Nov Agnes Alexander arrived in Japan at the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá en route she stopped in Hong Kong. [TR30; Video Early history of the Bahá'í Faith in China 6min15sec]
  • She lived there for a total of thirty–two years. [PH32]
  • See also W2:42–4 and Sims, Traces That Remain.
  • Japan; Hong Kong Agnes Alexander; China
    1915 (In the year) A plan to fund part-time travelling Bahá’í teachers in the USA and Canada was approved. There had been a great deal of reluctance to take this measure for fear of creating a "clergy" class but the vastness of the country and the fewness of believers of independent means as well as the impetus to teaching sparked by 'Abdu'l-Bahá's visit helped to take the decision. [BBRSM:105, 219] [key] United States; Canada Subsidies; Funds; Travel teaching
    1915 19-25 Apr The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was held in San Francisco and the 24th of April was declared International Bahá'í Congress Day. [BW8:797-808]
  • See PG97-99 for a Tablet by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to James Barr, the director of the Congresses at the Pacific International Exposition, regarding his assistance to the First International Bahá'í Congress.
  • San Francisco; United States Conferences, Other; International Bahai Congress first International Baha'i Congress
    1915 May A third international peace conference was planned by the Central Organization for a Durable Peace in The Hague and to this end, they put out a request for interested specialists to participate. Two Bahá'ís in Tehran, Ahmad Yazdáni and 'Alí Muhammad 'Ibn-i-Asdaq, drew 'Abdu'l-Bahá's attention to the organization's invitation. The Hague; Netherlands International Peace Conferences; Central Organization for a Durable Peace; Lawh-i-Hague (Tablet to The Hague); Ibn-i-Asdaq (Mirza Ali-Muhammad); Peace
    1916 11 Feb In 1915 Ahmad Yazdání and two other Bahá'ís had written a paper on Bahá'í principles in French and submitted it to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace which had been formed in the Hague. After correspondence with Ahmad Yazdáni, the Executive of the Central Organization for a Durable Peace sent a letter to Tehran to be delivered to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Communications were disrupted because of the war and the letter was not delivered to Him in Haifa until the 17th of December, 1919. [Bahaipedia] [key] Tihran; Iran; The Hague; Netherlands Central Organization for a Durable Peace; Ahmad Yazdani
    1916 2 May Louisa Aurora “Lua” Moore Getsinger, (b. 1 November, 1872 in Hume, Allegany County, New York) Disciple of `Abdu'l-Bahá, “Mother teacher of the West” died of heart failure in Cairo. [BBD87; Find a grave; Bahaipedia; GPB257]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá's appointmented of Lua as "Herald of the Covenant" in the June 19, 1912. [LGHC157]
  • For an her obituary see [SoW Vol 7 No 4 May 17, 1916 p29-30].
  • She was buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Cairo. In 1939 a court ruling enabled the Bahá'ís to reinter her in the first Bahá'í cemetery established in Cairo, El Qahira, Egypt. Her grave was now beside that of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. [GPB344]
    • For a photo of the reinterment see BW9p87.
  • See Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant by Amine DeMille. [USBN No489 December 1971 p1-5]
  • See also Sears and Quigley, The Flame.
  • See as well Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant by Velda Piff Metelmann.
  • For a brief biography see 239Days as well as The Shining Lamp and Beyond Foreignness. iiiii
  • Cairo; Egypt Lua Getsinger; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; Cemeteries and graves; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths
    1917 (In the year) At this time there were eleven Persian Bahá'ís in Shanghai. Through the efforts of Aqa Mirza Ahmad and Ridi Tabrizi a Bahá'í pamphlet was published, probably the first Bahá'í publication in the Chinese language. It included 'Abdu'l-Bahá's twelve principles and passages from His explanation of the spiritual significance of the European War. The pamphlet include a picture of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and was also published in Persian. [PH31; Video Early history of the Bahá'í Faith in China 7 min 42 sec] [key] Shanghai, China Publications first Bahá'í publication in China
    1917 3 Apr 'Abdu'l-Bahá's exhortation on China was published in the Star of the West on the 28th of April, 1917. "China, China, China, China-ward the Cause of Baha'o'llah must march! Where is that holy, sanctified Bahai to become the teacher of China! China has most great capability. The Chinese people are most simple-hearted and truth-seeking." and "China is the country of the future." [SotW_Vol-01 (Mar 1910)-Vol-10 (Mar 1919) p2127/2922]
  • See as well PG99-100 for His Tablet to Chen Ting Mo.
  • China Chen Ting Mo; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Pioneering; Travel teaching
    1917 (in the year) A Bahá'í Reading Room was established in Chicago by Luella Kirchner in 1917 or perhaps earlier and became the scene of an incident that exemplified a stage of evolution in the North American Bahá'í community. Because communications with 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been severed due to the war, the community was free to develop as it might. The Reading Room had become host to the "Harmonite Bahá'ís" - those who subscribed to the metaphysical interpretations of the Bahá'í Writings by W. W. Harmon.
          The situation came to a head when both the House of Spirituality and the Reading Room sent delegates to the Boston convention in April 1917. In November, during an event to commemorate the Centenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh in Chicago, the national community took up the affair and appointed an investigative committee consisting of Mason Remey (chair) as well as Emogene Hoagg, George Latimer and Louis Gregory. Their report tabled on the 9th of December found that the Reading Room (now calling themselves the Chicago Bahá'í Assembly), had been in violation for "mingling human ideas with the Word of God".
          The victory over the "dissenters" was not complete however. In addition to those who were attracted by Harmon's interpretations there were those leading Bahá'ís like Agnes Parsons and Joseph Hannen who objected to the way the committee had conducted it's investigation. However, at the April 1918 convention the report was unanimously approved by the delegates albeit with several absent delegates. Thus the balance between liberalism and authoritarianism was shifted to the latter with firm ideas about what constituted the Bahá'í belief. As a result in 1918 there was a proposal to establish a review procedure for Bahá'í publications, both old and new as well as measures to ensure doctrinal control at Green Acre. [SBBH1p189-194] [key]
    Chicago; United States Review
    1917 9 Dec General Allenby entered Jerusalem. [AB425]
  • Major Wellesley Tudor Pole had risked court martial in alerting the British Cabinet of the danger to `Abdu'l-Bahá. [ER169]
  • It was reported by British Intelligence that the Turkish Commander-in-Chief had the intention to "crucify 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His family on Mr. Carmel". [GPB306] [key]
  • Jerusalem General Allenby; Wellesley Tudor Pole; Abdul-Baha, Life of; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline
    1918 Mar The British Military Administration of Palestine began. [BBR488]
  • Sir Ronald Storrs was detached from Jerusalem to organize the British Administration in Haifa. 'Abdu'l-Bahá offered him His staff and a gift of a little Bokkara rug from the Shrine of the Báb. He returned the visit to Sir Ronald at a later date in Jerusalem. [BW10 194-5; CH226] [key]
  • Palestine British history; Ronald Storrs; Gifts; Carpets
    1918 23 Sep "During the early years of World War I, though no longer imprisoned, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá faced repeated threats against His life by authorities who were antagonistic towards Him and the Bahá'ís. The Commander of the Ottoman fourth army corps had even threatened to crucify ‘Abdu’l-Bahá if the Turkish army were ever to be displaced out of Haifa." Lady Blomfield in London had learned of these threats and through her contacts in Cabinet, the British Army was instructed to protect Him and His family. [BWNS69, BWNS1202]

    The British army took the city in the 1st Battle of Haifa: The battle was won due to a courageous uphill assault by the Jodhpur Lancers of the Indian Army who took the German and Turkish artillery and machine gun emplacements on top of Mount Carmel by surprise. This attack is believed to have been one of the last cavalry charge in modern military history. Each year, on this date, the Indian Army commemorates this victory as Haifa Day. [AY104; BBR335; DH148, Scroll In 68095]

  • For details of the battle see BBR335-6.
  • For letters from the British authorities stating that `Abdu'l-Bahá is safe see BBR336-7.
  • For a photos see The Indian Weekender 5 October, 2018 as well as Wikipedia.
  • For videos see India Today, The Battle of Haifa Part 1, The Battle of Haifa Part II.
  • See the story as recounted by Col (Dr) Divakaran Padma Kumar Pillay.
  • See as well Battle of Haifa: The Last Great Cavalry Campaign in History by Ajeet Singh Choudhary. This article provides a comprehensive historical account of the Jodhpur Lancers and Battle of Haifa.
  • See PG85-86, on the 23rd of August, 1919 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in conversation with Major-General Watson, referring to the success of the British army in taking Haifa stated, "God hath wished it to be so, it was His Divine aid and assistance that made it possible." and "It was God that helped you from every standpoint."
  • Mount Carmel; Haifa; Israel World War I; War (general); History (general); Jodhpur Lancers; Indian Army; Armies; Germany; Turkey; Haifa Day; Abdul-Baha, Death threats to; BWNS; Lady Blomfield
    1918 16 Oct During the years of the war the friends in the West had no communications with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and so were concerned for His safety and well-being. After the Battle of Haifa, on the 16th of October, the British Foreign Office in Palestine informed the British Consul-General in New York of His safety with a request that he publish the news. [BBR337 ]

    At a Feast held in the home of Mr and Mrs Leo Perron in Chicago it was decided to write a supplication to 'Abdu'l-Bahá asking Him to come to America. The idea was approved by the Spiritual Assembly and a letter was sent to all other assemblies to solicit signatures for the petition. In the early part of January all the signatures were received and sent to Akka along with the supplication. [SoW Vol 10 No 3 August 1, 1919 p168; p156]

    'Abdu'l-Bahá's response, translated by Shoghi Effendi, can be found on p154-155.

    Chicago, IL Petition; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline
    1919 (In the year) Ibrahim Kheiralla died, having been abandoned by all of his followers. [CB252]
  • See MD16 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's comment about him.
  • Ibrahim George Kheiralla; Covenant-breakers
    1919 26 Apr-1 May The 14 Tablets of the Divine Plan were unveiled in a dramatic ceremony at the Hotel McAlpin in New York, during the `Convention of the Covenant'. The Tablets had been brought to America by Ahmad Sohrab at the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [ABNYP172Note24, BBD219; PP437; SBBH1:134; SBBH2:135; SBR86; AB434; TDPXI]
  • For details of the convention programme, Tablets and talks given see SW10, 4:54-72; SW10, 5:83-94; SW10, 6:99-103, 111-12 SW10, 7:122-7, 138; SW10, 10:197-203; and SW10, 12:2279.
  • Mary Maxwell (Rúhíyyih Khánum) was among the young people who unveil the Tablets. [PP437]
  • Hyde and Clara Dunn and Martha Root responded immediately to the appeal, the Dunns went to Australia where they open 700 towns to the Faith, and Martha Root embarked on the first of her journeys which are to extend over 20 years. [GPB308; MR88]
  • See also CT138-9.
  • Agnes Parsons arrived from her pilgrimage just before the close of the convention and was able to convey the instructions from `Abdu'l-Bahá to arrange a Convention for `the unity of the coloured and white races'. [BW5:413; SBR87]
  • The book Unveiling of the Divine Plan includes nine talks given by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab to the National Convention.
  • Shoghi Effendi calls the Tablets of the Divine Plan a charter for the propagation and the establishment of the Administrative Order. It has also been called a charter for the teaching of the Faith. [MBW84; LOG1628]
  • For the significance of the Tablets of the Divine Plan see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Champion of Universal Peace by Hoda Mahmoudi and Janet Khan.
  • New York; United States Tablets of the Divine Plan; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Charters of the Bahai Faith; Conventions, National; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; Agnes Parsons; Hyde Dunn; Clara Dunn; Martha Root; Race (general); Race amity; Race unity; Ahmad Sohrab
    1919 18 Nov The periodical entitled "The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom" was published and distributed by Miss Ella Roberts from 1919 to 1924. [Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America: Native American creation stories, edited by Rosemary Skinner Keller, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Marie Cantlon p.782-783]
  • The story of the naming of the magazine...
      Margaret Randall told of the establishment of a Bahá'í Junior Magazine and asked 'Abdu'l-Bahá for a name for it. The Master was told who had charge of it, and His face lighted up with a beautiful smile as He said: "The name is The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom. Who writes it? This (name) is suitable for it. [WHR128-129]
  • See A Compilation on Bahá’í Education #96 for a tablet by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the children of the Bahá’í school, Urbana, Illinois found here.
  • See A Compilation on Bahá’í Education #102 for a tribute to the magazine by Shoghi Effendi found here. He called it "first and only organ of the Bahá’í youth throughout the world".
  • At the American National Convention in 1925 (July 4 - 9) it was reported that "The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom", edited by Ella Roberts and "Bahá’í World Fellowship" edited by Mrs. Victoria Bedikian had merged. ["Bahá’í News Letter" #6 Jul-Aug 1925 p.6]
  • Haifa; United States Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom; Children; Youth; - Periodicals; Publications; First publications first publication for Bahá'í youth.
    1919 21 Nov In the period after the war 'Abdu'l-Bahá was flooded with requests from India and points East for Him to visit. Indian soldiers serving with the British forced stationed in the area were frequent visitors. [PG118-120] [key] India
    1920 (In the year) Agnes Parsons made her second pilgrimage. It was during this visit that 'Abdu'l-Baha charged her with the responsibility to arrange a convention for amity between the the coloured and the white races in Washington. [SYH124-125; TMW136] [key] Haifa; Akka; Bahji Agnes Parsons; pilgrimage; Race Amity
    1920 early Jan The arrival of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's hand-built seven-seater Cunningham touring car made in Rochester NY by James Cunningham and Sons. The automobile probably cost in the range from $7,500 to $8.000 and was a gift from Mrs Ella Goodall Cooper. [Coachbuilt website]
    Mr. Fujita accompanied the shipment from the United States to Haifa where he maintained the car and was one of the drivers. The Master gave Shoghi Effendi instructions to see that it was cleared and delivered to the house after receiving notice of its arrival from Port Said. Although it was not a business day, he succeeded in getting the car delivered by taking the papers to the homes of various officials, asking them to sign the documents and give the necessary orders for the car of Sir ‘Abdu’l-Baha ‘Abbas to be delivered to Him at once.
    Although Abdul-Baha rode in the Cunningham car on occasions, it was predominantly used for transporting the pilgrims. The car has since been restored and pilgrims have the opportunity to see it. [PP28, Reflections on the Bahá'í Writings; PG126] [key]
    Haifa Abdul-Baha, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Ella Goodall Cooper; Saichiro Fujita; Cars; Gifts; Pilgrimage
    1920 27 Jan The passing of Joseph H. Hannen, (b. January 27, 1920, Allegheny, Pennsylvania) Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá a week after he was knocked down by a truck in Washington, DC. [Washington Evening Star 29 Jan 1920]

    It was Joseph Hannen who served as a note-taker for many of the talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His tour in the United States. A number of the entries in Promulgation of Universal Peace have been accredited to him. [The Washington Times 28 January, 1928]

    ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent the first Tablet of the Divine Plan to the southern states in care of Joseph. He and his wife Pauline taught the Faith to African Americans; among those they taught were Louis Gregory and Mrs. Pocahontas Pope. [Bahá'í Chronicles, Alain Locke: Faith and Philosophy pp 38-39 by Christopher Buck, Kalimat Press]

    He was buried with his wife, Pauline Amalie Knobloch Hannen (b. 29 August, 1874 d. 4 October, 1939) in Prospect Hill Cemetery, in Washington, DC. iiiii

    Washington DC; Allegheny; United States Joseph Hannen; Pauline Hannen; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Tablets of the Divine Plan; Promulgation of Universal Peace (book)
    1920 3 Apr The founders of Teheran branch of Societé Nonahalan ‘Children’s Savings Fund’ were Mirza Mohammed Tabib, Miss Lillian F. Kappes, Mirza Nuredin, Doctor Susan I. Moody, and Goodsea Ashraf Khanom. [Women's Worlds in Qajar Iran]

    The Bahá'í Children’s Savings Company, known in Iran as Shirkat-i Nawnahalan, began as a savings bank for Bahá'í children in 1917 and was founded through 'Abdu'l-Bahá's encouragement. [Bahá'í Teachings 4 Oct 2012] [key]

    Tihran; Iran Childrens Savings Fund; Nonahalan Society; Mirza Mohammed Tabib; Miss Lillian Kappes; Mirza Nuredin; Doctor Susan Moody; Goodsea Ashraf Khanom; Nawnahalan
    1920 20 Apr Shoghi Effendi left Haifa for France with the intention of taking up his study of English at Oxford University. As instructed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá he stayed in a sanitarium in Neuilly (Maison d'Hydrothérapie et de convalescence du Parc de Neuilly, 6 Boulevard du Château, Neuilly-sur-Seine) before leaving for England in July. [SEO58]
  • See AY179-186 for and account of Shoghi Effendi's stay in the Paris area. According to Marzieh Gail he was probably in the area from about the 9th of April until the 13th of July.
  • Haifa; Oxford; United Kingdom; Neuilly; France Shoghi Effendi at Oxford; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Balliol College (Oxford University)
    1920 17 May The Tablet to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace was delivered to the Executive Comittee in The Hague.

    Ahmad Yazdáni and 'Alí Muhammad 'Ibn-i-Asdaq learned that the Central Organization had been all but dissolved and that the Executive Committee's objective, to hold a third peace conference, had been surpassed by their country's membership in the recently formed League of Nations in Geneva. [AB438; BBD1 15; GPB308; EB176]

  • See also The Journey of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to The Hague. It is a photographic chronology by Jelle and Adib de Vries of the Netherlands.
  • See BWNS1378 and BWNS1431.
  • It was printed in the Star of the West Vol 11 No 8 1 August 1920.

    On the 12th of June, the Executive Committee of the Central Organization for a Durable Peace in The Hague responded to 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet. Ahmad Yazdani immediately forwarded it to Haifa.

  • Haifa; The Hague; Netherlands Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Lawh-i-Hague (Tablet to The Hague); Ibn-i-Asdaq (Mirza Ali-Muhammad); Peace; World peace (general); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Central Organization for a Durable Peace
    1920 Jul Harlan and Grace Ober made a pilgrimage to visit 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Haifa. They returned via Germany and England where they had the privilege of meeting Shoghi Effendi, then a student at Oxford. In Germany, at the suggestion of 'Abdu'l-Bahá they went to Leipzig where they spoke about the Faith at the Theosophical Society where two persons accepted the Faith. One was future Hand of the Cause Dr Hermann Grossmann and the other was Frau Lina Benke who shared the message with her husband George Adam Benke, the first European martyr. [BW13p869] [key] Haifa; Germany; Leipzig; Oxford Harlan Ober; Grace Ober; pilgrimage; Hermann Grossmann; Lina Benke; George Benke
    1920 1 Jul 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent His second Tablet to The Hague.
  • In this second Tablet `Abdu'l-Bahá defined the Bahá'í peace program and covered a wide spectrum of peace-producing Bahá'í social and spiritual teachings. [BW3:12]
  • It was printed in the Star of the West Vol 11 No 17 19 January, 1921.
  • See as well ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Champion of Universal Peace by Hoda Mahmoudi and Janet Khan.
  • The Hague; Netherlands Lawh-i-Hague (Tablet to The Hague); Second Tablet to The Hague; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Central Organization for a Durable Peace
    1920 19 Jul Shoghi Effendi departed from France two weeks after receiving 'Abdu'l-Bahá's permission to study at Oxford. According to Dr J. Fallscheer, the German woman physician that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had engaged to attend to the ladies of His household, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had decided to send Shoghi Effendi to England while he was still in high school. [PG137-138] [key] Paris; France; Oxford; United Kingdom Shoghi Effendi at Oxford; Balliol College (Oxford University); Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Fallscheer, Dr J.
    1920 Dec The passing of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-Alí Isfaháni known as 'the Angel of Mount Carmel' in Haifa. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery on Mount Carmel. [BBD98; EB250]
  • Acting on the request of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he wrote Bahá'í Martyrdoms in Persia in the Year 1903 AD. It covered the events from March to September and was published in English as a 28-page book in 1904 and 1917.
  • For the story of his life see RB2:438–50.
  • For his biography see EB237-50.
  • His autobiography was published as Stories from the Delight of Hearts - The Memoirs of Hají Mírzá Haydar-Alí, was translated by A Q Faizi and published by Kalimat in 1980.
  • Haifa Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Cemeteries and graves; Angel of Carmel
    1921 - 1944/46 The beginning of The First Epoch of the Formative Age. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 5 February 1986; Mess63-86 p710-716]
  • See the attachment for the above-referenced message entitled The Epochs of the Formative Age prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
  • It began with the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and ended with the conclusion of the first Seven Year Plan pursued by the Bahá'ís of North America under Shoghi Effendi's direction in which the skeleton of the Administrative Order was set up. [Mess86-01p815] [key]
  • Ages and Epochs; Formative Age
    1921 (After Mandate) After the establishment of British control of Iraq and the appearance of religious freedom and greater security, 'Abdu'l-Bahá authorized repairs to begin on the House. The renovations attracted the attention of neighbouring Shi'as and, after the passing of the custodian, Muhammad Husayn Bábí, they sued for possession on the grounds that he had no heirs. [SETPE1p25] [key] Baghdad; Iraq House of Bahaullah (Baghdad)
    1921 mid Mar - 20 Apr Shoghi Effendi at Oxford - Spring Vacation 1921
  • 27 March: He visited his sister Rúhangíz in Scotland during the early part of his spring vacation.
  • In all likelihood, at some point he visited London and stayed at the home of Mírzá Yúhaná Dáwúd. [PG171]
  • Shoghi Effendi and spent the latter part of the vacation period in Sussex where he spent a few days in Fermote Villa for rest following 'Abdu'l-Bahá's instructions to do so. [PG171]
  • He continued to work on translations during this period. [PG171] [key]
  • Oxford; Scotland; Sussex; United Kingdom Shoghi Effendi at Oxford; Shoghi Effendi, Life of
    1921 19-21 May The first Race Amity Conference was held in Washington DC at the old First Congregational Church, 10th & G Streets NW. This church had a reputation for opposition to racial prejudice and had close ties with Howard University. It had a capacity of 2,000. [BW2:281; CoO197; SYH126]
  • Martha Root handled the newspaper publicity for the conference and 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent a message to it via Mountfort Mills. [SYH126]
  • Mabry and Sadie Oglesby and their daughter Bertha from Boston as well as Agnes Parsons and Louis Gregory were involved. Agnes Parsons, during her pilgrimage in 1920, was instructed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "I want you to arrange in Washington a convention for unity between the white and colored people."[SETPE1p141-145, BW2p281]
  • For details of the conference see the article by Louis Gregory entitled "Inter-racial Amity". [BW2:281-2]
  • See article The Bahá'í 'Race Amity' Movement and the Black Intelligentsia in Jim Crow America:Alain Locke and Robert Abbot by Christopher Buck [Bahá'í Studies Review, 17, pages 3-46, 2011] (includes a chronology of 29 Race Amity conferences organized in the United States between 1921 and 1935).
  • The Washington Bee (which, as part of its masthead, billed itself “Washington’s Best and Leading Negro Newspaper”) published the text of the entire speech on May 25, 1912, in an article headlined, “Abdue [ sic] Baha: Revolution in Religious Worship.”
  • Documentary: 'Abdu'l-Baha's Initiative on Race from 1921: Race Amity Conferences.
  • See the film Root of the Race Amiy Movement.
  • See the trailer for the film An American Story: Race Amity and the Other Tradition.
  • See the website for the National Centre for Race Amity.
  • Washington DC; United States Race (general); Race Amity; Race unity; Conferences, Race Amity; First conferences; Mabry Oglesby; Sadie Oglesby; Agnes Parsons; Louis Gregory; Martha Root; Mountfort Mills First Race Amity Conference
    1921 Sep - Apr 1922 Roy Wilhelm had sent three generators to the Holy Land and had asked permission from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have Curtis Kelsey come and install them. His request was granted and Curtis spent from September, 1921 until April, 1922 in the Holy Land. The units were installed at the Shrine of the Báb, (See SETPE1p38) at Bahjí (See SETPE1p55) and at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at #7 Haparsin Street. The work was completed at all three locations on the last day of Ridván, 1922. [BW15p468-473] [key] BWC; Haifa; Bahji Electrification of the Shrines; Bab, Shrine of; Bahaullah, Shrine of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Roy Wilhelm; Curtis Kelsey first lighting of the Holy Shrines.
    1921 21 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá revealed a fascinating and masterful 4,000 word Tablet for Dr Auguste Forel in response to a letter He received from him. The Tablet can be found at bahai.org, as well as in The Bahá’í World Vol. XV, pp. 37–43.

    Shoghi Effendi wrote of this Tablet: [GPB307]

      The famous scientist and entomologist, Dr. Auguste Forel, was converted to the Faith through the influence of a Tablet sent him by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá—one of the most weighty the Master ever wrote.
    Haifa Auguste Forel; Tablet to Auguste Forel; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1921 28 Nov Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá

    `Abdu'l-Bahá passed away at about 1:00 a.m., in Haifa. [AB452; BBD4; BBR347; GPB311; UD170]
  • For details of His passing see DOMH210-216, AB452, BW1:19-23; BW15:113-15 and GPB310-11.
  • Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Ronald Storrs led the funeral procession. [CH226]
  • This marked the end of the Apostolic, Heroic or Primitive Age of the Bahá'í Faith and the beginning of the Transitional Formative or Iron Age. [BBD35-6]
  • For a photograph of the cable sent announcing His passing see SW12, 15:245.
  • See The Passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Shoghi Effendi and Lady Blomfield.
  • For a pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá see The Oriental Rose by Mary Hanford Ford pg 158-159
  • Also see AB452-83; HLS93-100.
  • See GPB309-320 for a summation of the events that took place in the lifetime of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, during the Heroic Age of the Faith.
  • This date marks the beginning of the First Epoch of the Transitional, Formative or Iron Age of the Faith.
  • See an account of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá compiled by David Merrick.
  • See Part IX of The Utterance Project by Violetta Zein.
  • See WMSH26-52 for an account by John and Louise Bosch of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the funeral, the reading if the Will, their subsequent time in the Holy Land and Egypt, and their teaching trip to Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. They arrived in New York on the 23rd of April and proceeded to Chicago to attend the National Convention. Shoghi Effendi had entrusted them with eight passages from the Will to be presented to the North American friends.
  • Haifa Abdul-Baha, Ascension of; Ages and Epochs; Heroic Age; Formative Age; Abdul-Baha, Life of; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Holy days; Covenant (general); Ronald Storrs; Herbert Samuel
    1921 29 Dec Shoghi Effendi arrived in the Holy Land from England by train from Egypt. [GBF14; PP42]
  • An envelope addressed to him from 'Abdu'l-Bahá was waiting for him. It contained the Will and Testament. [Ruhi8.2p2; PP42]
  • He was so worn and grief-stricken that he had to be assisted up the stairs and was confined to bed for a number of days. [CB285] [key]
  • United Kingdom; Egypt; Haifa Abdul-Baha, Ascension of; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Abdul-Baha, Will and Testament of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    1922 (In the year) The publication of The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Compiled by Howard MacNutt. Volume 2 was published in 1922 followed by Volume 2 in 1925. Volume 1 was published by the Bahá'í Publishing Committee in Chicago and Volume 2 by the same committee operating out of New York. [BEL3.98]
  • From the preface to the 1922 edition..."This treasury of His words is a compilation of informal talks and extemporary discourses delivered in Persian and Arabic, interpreted by proficient linguists who accompanied Him, and taken stenographically in both Oriental and Occidental tongue."
  • From the same preface is a letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Howard MacNutt dated 13 April, 1919 approving his idea to publish the compilation of His talks in America and urging him to be most careful to reproduce the exact text as well as promising an "effulgent face" in the Abhá Kingdom as well as the praise and gratitude of the friends.
  • And again from the same source is a letter from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Albert Windust written on the 20th of July, 1919 asking him to name the book The Promulgation of Universal Peace and to direct that the Introduction must be written by Howard MacNutt. Prior to His coming to America the friends were unclear about His station and their differences in understanding was a major source of disunity. On one extreme were those who believed that 'Abdu'l-Baha was a man who, through the application and complete obedience to the Faith, had earned a high station, like Christ's disciple Peter, implying that others could do the same. In the other camp were those who insisted that He was the return of Christ. Little wonder that they were confused because never in religious history had there been someone like 'Abdu'l-Bahá, one Who held the station of "The Mystery of God". Howard's failure to understand 'Abdu'l-Bahá's station and disobedience to Him and taken him precariously close to the company of Covenant-breakers but through 'Abdu'l-Bahá's unfailing love and guidance he was able to come to a true understanding. The Introduction to the 1922 edition was his testament to the station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [DJT369-372]
  • The Promulgation of Universal Peace, although not "scripture", could be compared to Some Answered Questions in that it is a carefully transcribed record of His talks. Unlike that publication where He answered questions, in The Promulgation of Universal Peace it was 'Abdu'l-Bahá who chose the subject. Upon arrival in New York He said, "It is my purpose to set forth in America the fundamental principles of the revelation and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh." [PUPxii] [key]
  • Chicago; New York; United States Promulgation of Universal Peace (book); Howard MacNutt; Publications
    1922 3 Jan The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá was read aloud for the first time, to a group of nine men, mainly senior members of `Abdu'l-Bahá's family. [BBRSM115; CB286; ER194; GBF14; PP45]
  • Shoghi Effendi was not present at the reading. [CB286; ER194]
  • Shoghi Effendi was appointed Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. [WT11]
  • Shoghi Effendi had no fore-knowledge of the institution of the Guardianship nor that he would be appointed Guardian. [CB285; PP423]
  • The fact that Shoghi Effendi was to become 'Abdu'l-Bahá's successor was a well-guarded secret. The person who was privy to this appointment was the Greatest Holy Leaf. Another was a non-Bahá'í woman, Dr J. Fallscheer, a German physician who lived in Haifa and attended the ladies of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's household. When Shoghi Effendi was a child, 'Abdu'l-Bahá clearly stated to her that Shoghi Effendi would be His successor. But this information was not communicated to anybody else. [CoC30; PP1-2]
  • For a list of topics covered by the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá see GPB328.
  • Bahji Abdul-Baha, Ascension of; Abdul-Baha, Will and Testament of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Guardianship; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Abdul-Baha, Basic timeline; Covenant (general)
    1922 Feb-Mar Shoghi Effendi called together a group of well-known Bahá'ís to discuss the future development of the Faith and the possible election of the Universal House of Justice. It was the commonly held opinion of the members of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's family, the British officials in Palestine, many believers and indeed Shoghi Effendi himself as evidenced by his letter to Persia dated 16 January, 1922, that the Universal House of Justice would be elected. [BBRSM:120, 126; EJR207; PP247-8]
  • Those invited to attend were: Major Tudor Pole, Ethel Rosenberg and Lady Blomfield from England; Emogene Hoagg (she had been living in Haifa for some time at this point), Laura and Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney from France, Consul and Alice Schwarz from Germany, Siyyid Mustafá Rúmí of Burma, Roy Wilhelm, Mountfort Mills, Mason Remey, from North America as well as Corinne True and her daughter Katherine. Two well-known Bahá'í teachers from Persia, Avarih and Fazel had been invited to attend but due to complications their arrival was long delayed. [EJR207-8; PP55] .
  • In a letter dated the 5th of March, 1922 Shoghi Effendi urged the Bahá'ís to subordinate firmly and definitely all personal likings and local interests to the interests and requirements of the Cause. He called for the establishment of local spiritual assemblies in every locality where the number of adult believers exceeded nine. He also described the tasks and functions of the assemblies saying that they would evolve int the local and national Houses of Justice. [PP248; SBR66]
  • See UD3-9; BA17-25 for the letter.
  • BWC Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Universal House of Justice; Universal House of Justice, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded
    1922 27 Feb Shoghi Effendi wrote to Professor Auguste Forel, advising him of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's passing and enclosing an English translation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's letter to Dr Forel written on the 21st of September, 1921. [The Life and Times of August Forel by Sheila Banani. [BW15p 37–43.] [key] Auguste Forel
    1922 Apr c. Shoghi Effendi, in a letter to Bahíyyih Khánum, advised her that he would be taking a leave of absence from his duties as the Guardian. He appointed her to administer all Bahá'í affairs in his absence in consultation with the family of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Assembly he had recently appointed. [GBF19; PP57, 276]
  • Those appointed to the Haifa Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly were organized by Bahíyyih Khánum. [SETPE1p50; PP57] Mirza 'Azizu'lláh S. Bahadur was appointed to deal with Shoghi Effendi's correspondence during his absence and again during his second absence in the summer of 1923. [SYH119] [key]
  • BWC Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Haifa Spiritual Assembly; Haifa Bahai Assembly
    1923 Early Sep J. E. Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era was published in Britain by George Allen and Unwin. [DJEE28; RG77]
  • The American edition of the book was published by Brentano's Publilshers of New York.
  • Dr Esslemont had been in invited to Haifa by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to discuss the book he was writing. He spent two and on-half month during the winter of 1919-1920 as a guest of 'Abdu'l-Bahá who amended and corrected four chapters. [UC45]
  • Shoghi Effendi viewed this as a landmark in British Bahá'í history. [UD97]
  • Over the years he encouraged its translation into dozens of languages. [RG77]
  • See DJEE37-8 for the importance of this work.
  • For a list of publications in various languages and formats see The Story of J. E. Esslemont and his Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era: Bibliography by Jan Jasion.
  • United Kingdom Esslemont; Bahaullah and the New Era (book); Introductory; Publications; Translation
    1924 (In the year) The passing of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání (b. c1875).
  • He was 'Abdu'l-Bahá's secretary on his western trip and is the author of Mahmúd's Diary. In his youth he travelled and taught around Iran and from 1903 he began travelling to and in India, learning Urdu. He also made a pilgrimage to Haifa where he transcribed Tablets and from there accompanied 'Abdu'l-Bahá on His journey to Europe and to America. [Ahmad Sohrab's Diary Edinburgh p.5]
  • He was appointed as one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.
  • Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Mahmuds Diary; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Apostles of Bahaullah
    1924 (In the year) The publication of Episodes in the Life of Moneereh Khanum. Moneereh Khanum translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab by the Persian American Publishing Company.
  • It is a short autobiography by the wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. A more complete translation was published in 1986 by Kalimat Press entitled Munirih Khanum, Memoirs and Letters, translation by Sammireh Anwar Smith.
  • Munirih Khanum; Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1925 (In the year) The first book translated into Portuguese by Leonora Armstrong was published, Paris Talks, in the original in English, or Lectures by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris as published today by Editora Bahá'í of Brazil. [Biographical Profile] [key] Belem; Paraguay Paris Talks (book); Portuguese; Translation; Leonora Holsapple Armstrong
    1925 20- 22 Mar The Palace Hotel, the city's first premier luxury hotel, was the site for the first World Unity Conference in San Francisco. The three day event was organized by Leroy Ioas, Ella Goodall Cooper and Kathryn Frankland in cooperation with Rabbi Rudolph Coffee. Dr. David Starr Jordan, founding president of Stanford University, served as the honorary chairman of the conference. Those who addressed the conference were Rabbi Coffee and Dr. Jordan but also the senior priest of the Catholic Cathedral, a professor of religion, a Protestant minister of a large African-American congregation, distinguished academics, and a foreign diplomat. The last one to address the conference was the Persian Bahá’í scholar, Mírzá Asadu’llah Fádil Mázandarání, the only Bahá’í on the program.
  • Ioas provided the National Spiritual Assembly with a report, and he suggested that similar World Unity Conferences be held in other communities. The National Assembly enthusiastically agreed and established a three-person committee, including two of its officers, to assist other localities in their efforts to hold conferences. The committee members were Horace Holley, Florence Reed Morton, and Mary Rumsey Movius. World Unity Conferences were organized for Green Acre-August, Philadelphia-September, Cleveland-October and Chicago in November.

    During 1926 and into 1927, eighteen communities held World Unity Conferences using the San Francisco model. These included Worcester, Massachusetts; New York, New York Oct 10-12; Montreal, Canada; Cleveland, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; New Haven, Connecticut; Chicago, Illinois; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Buffalo, New York. [BN No 12 Jun-Jul 1926 p6-7; The Cause of Universal Peace: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson; LI45-49; BN No 20 Nov 1927 p5]

  • See BA117 for Shoghi Effendi's comments and recommendations.
  • San Francisco; California; United States Conferences, Race amity; Conferences, World unity; Leroy Ioas; Ella Goodall Cooper; Kathryn Frankland
    1925 May Louise Gregory travelled from Graz, Austria to Budapest where she met Frau Szirmai, the president of the Women's League for Peace and Freedom. Frau Szirmai had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá when He visited in 1913. During her time there she made the acquaintance of the Szántó family, who she would meet on subsequent trips.

    After a stay of three weeks she travelled to Wiesbaden in Germany to visit a contact and spent five days at the home of the Schweitzers in Suffenhausen. She visited friends in Esslingen and stayed one night in Frankfurt before sailing from Antwerp on the 17th of June for the United States. During this trip she visited Liverpool in England, Luxembourg, Vienna and Graz in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Zuffenhausen, Esslingen, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Nuremberg in Germany as well as Spa and Brussels in Belgium. [SYH132-134, 240] [key]

    Budapest; Hungary; Wiesbaden; Suffenhausen; Esslingen; Germany Louise Gregory; Teaching
    1926 25 Jan The passing of Professor Edward Granville Browne, (b. on the family estate in Gloucestershire, 7 February, 1862. d. near Cambridge). He is buried at Elswick Cemetery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Find a grave.

    Browne was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value in the areas of Persian history and literature. He had a number of private interviews with Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí in 1890. He was the only Westerner to have met Bahá’u’lláh and to have left a description of the experience (see Scholar Meets Prophet: Edward Granville Browne and Bahá'u'lláh).
    In 1912-13, while `Abdu'l-Bahá was in Europe, Browne visited him in London and Paris. These visits were supplemented by some correspondence between the two. Other Bahá'ís, including Montford Mills, also visited and corresponded with Browne from time to time. When `Abdu'l-Bahá passed away in 1921, Browne penned a sympathetic obituary. He also wrote a pen-portrait of Àbdu'l-Bahá. [Bahá'í Tributes]

  • Charles Melville, Professor of Persian History at Pembroke College in Cambridge headed the Browne Archive Project to digitize Browne's diaries and notes.
  • See Encounter with Bahá'u'lláh, a short video about Browne's life and his famous interview.
  • See MCS529-545 for a discussion of Browne's lack of objectivity and his partisanship as a researcher that lead to his committing some serious errors in his work on the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith.
  • He himself a professor of Arabic, found the Báb's style of writing very difficult and said of his works: "...some are so confused, so full of repetitions, extraordinary works and fantastic derivatives of Arabic roots, that they defy the most industrious and indefatigable reader." [SBBH5p227]

    Browne's Publications

    • Religious Systems of the World: A Contribution to the Study of Comparative Religion (1889)
    • A Traveller's Narrative Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Báb (1891) A history by`Abdu'l-Bahá which Browne translated and extensively annotated.
    • Tarikh-i-Jadid or New History of Mirza`Ali Muhammad the Báb (1893) by Mirza Husayn Hamadani translated by E.G.Browne.
      • Hájjí Mírzá Jani Kashani wrote a substantial history of the Bábi Faith sometime between 1850-1852. (He was martyred in 1852.) These memoirs as they were copied and re-copied and spawned a great many versions which differed particularly in their portrayal of Subh-i-Azál and Bahá'u'lláh, depending on the editor’s loyalty.
      • In about 1880 Mírzá Husayn Hamadani with the support of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl took some version of Mírzá Jani's 1851 account and worked it up into a new history, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd. He did this at the request of a Zoroastrian, Manakji, who then added a preface, an epilogue, and an unknown number of amendments to the text and then published it under his own name.
      • Nabil-i-Akbar, in response to a commission by Bahá'u'lláh, made a revision of this work somewhere between 1880-1883 which is known as The Táríkh-i Badí‘-i Bayání.
      • Browne used two these two manuscripts, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd and The Táríkh-i Badí‘-i Bayání to write the single volume The New History (tarikh-i-jadid) of Mírzá Ali-Muhammed, the Báb. In referring to Mírzá Jani's history throughout the footnotes, he was not aware of the problems of discerning what represents the original memoirs and what others have added.
    • A Year Among the Persians (1893) Vividly describes his adventures, including his encounters with the Bahá'ís and Azalís during his time in Persian from October 1887 to September 1888. The memoir of his sojourn did much to familiarize English readers with the Báb, His gentleness and patience, the cruel fate which had overtaken him, and the unflinching courage wherewith he and his followers, from the greatest to the least, had endured the merciless torments inflicted upon them by their enemies. [Tales of Magnificent Heroism by Robert Weinburg.
    • A chapter from the history of Cannabis Indica (1897)
    • A Literary History of Persia From Firdawsí to Sa'dí (in four volumes) (1902-24)
    • The Persian Revolution of 1905–1909 (1910) About the Persian Constitutional Revolution, of which Browne was an ardent supporter.
    • He published, in Persian, the text of The Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf, being the earliest History of the Bábís compiled by Hájji Mírzá Jání of Kásgán between the years 1850 and 1852, edited from the unique Ms. Suppl. Persan 1071. (1910) This was a work that he had done at an earlier date. It was published at the instigation of Mirza Muhammad Qazvini, a well-known Iranian literary critic and Azalí sympathizer, who wrote the Persian Introduction to this volume. After the publication of this work, `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to a number of Iranian Bahá'ís, urging them to compile material to refute its contents. One such work was Dashf al-Ghitá by Mírzá Abul-Fazl Gulpáyigání. [RR232] [See The History and Provenance of an Early Manuscript of the Nuqtat al-kaf dated 1268 (1851-52) by William F. McCants and Kavian Sadeghzade Milani and Nuqtat al-Káf by Kavian Sadeghzade Milani as well as Nuqtat al-Kaf and the Babi Chronicle Traditions by Juan Cole; The Bab's Stay in Kashan: A Historiographical Analysis of the Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf Based on the Kashan Pericope by Kavian Milani; MCS517; 541]
      • When E.G. Browne published the Nuqtatu'l-Kaf with its Persian and English introductions that contained much material hostile to the Bahá'í Faith, a number of Bahá'í scholars worked on refutations of this book. [Mirza Abu'l-Fadl] Gulpaygani also began to work on such a book, but when heard that work on a similar book in Iran under the guidance of the Hands of the Cause had reached an advanced stage, he suspended work on his book awaiting a manuscript from Iran. Unfortunately he never got back to this book and at his death the manuscript was incomplete. When Mirza Abu'l-Fadl's papers were sent to his cousin Sayyid Mahdi Gulpaygani in Ashkhabad, the latter undertook to complete the work. The final work was published in Ashkhabad. Of the 438 pages of the book some 132 are attributed to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl. The final work, however, has a tone and vehemence completely uncharacteristic of Mirza Abu'l-Fadl and `Abdu'l-Baha instructed that it should not be distributed. [from a post by Adib Masumian to the [bahai-library.com/tarikh] list 25 April 2021]
      .
    • It is reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was "deeply annoyed" with Browne over the publication and dissemination of the Kitáb-i Nuqtatu'l-Káf as reported by Áqáy-i-Taqízádih in ´Ábdu'l-Baha's Meetings with Two Prominent Iranians introduced and translated by Ahang Rabbani. [World Order Vol 30 No 1 Fall 1998 p46]
    • It would appear that Browne loved the Bábi movement however as the religion changed into the Bahá'í Faith, he insisted on calling it the Bábi religion. Browne did not understand the the claims of Baha’u’lláh and the transitional and the historical factors at work. He saw the early Bábi movement as the beginning of the Faith and thought that the Bahá'í Faith was a sect of Bábism. This was largely due to the influence of Bahá’u’lláh’s half-brother, Azal. Browne was disappointed that the Bahá'ís did not take up the cause of constitutional reform but he was well aware that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had forbidden participation in political struggles, and that had they supported the Constitutionalists, it would the brought that wrath of the persecution of the Bahá'ís down upon them.
    • 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said, "They tampered with the contents of the history of Hájí Mírzá Jání by removing some of its passages and inserting others. They sent it to the libraries of London and Paris and through such falsehood induced him [Browne] to translate and publish the document. In order to achieve his own selfish desires, he had it printed." [MD24]
    • Also from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "I wrote to him, saying, `You are the first European teacher and author to have attained His Blessed Presence. Do not lose this distinction.' He did not understand me and his loss will be known when the lights of guidance shine in England with supreme brilliancy." [MD278]
    • From GPB81, Browne's testimony, “One of those strange outbursts,”...“of enthusiasm, faith, fervent devotion and indomitable heroism … the birth of a Faith which may not impossibly win a place amidst the great religions of the world.” And again: “The spirit which pervades the Bábís is such that it can hardly fail to affect most powerfully all subjected to its influence.… Let those who have not seen disbelieve me if they will, but, should that spirit once reveal itself to them, they will experience an emotion which they are not likely to forget.”
    • The Persian Constitutional Movement (1918) [MCS544]
    • Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion (1918) The book represented no great amount of original work on Browne's part since it was mainly documents that he had collected.
    • Arabian Medicine (1921) [Browne, Edward Granville by Moojan Momen] iiiii
    • For scholarly works on the life of Browne see Selections From The Writings of E.G. Browne - On The Babi And Baha'i Religions by Moojan Momen and Edward Granville Browne and the Baha'i Faith by Hasan Balyuzi. Both have been published by George Ronald.
  • Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Cambridge Edward Granville Browne; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Montfort Mills; Hajji Mirza Jani Kashani; Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal); Mirza Husayn Hamadani; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Manikchi Limji Hataria; Nabil-i-Akbar (Aqa Muhammed-i-Qaini); Abdul-Baha, Life of
    1926 1 Oct The office of the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was moved from Green Acre to 48 West 10th Street in New York, in the house that was so richly blessed by the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá many times during His visit. [BN No 12 June - July 1926 p1] [key] Green Acre; New York, NY National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada
    1926 26 Dec Howard MacNutt, Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, (b. 13 July, 1858 in Philadelphia) passed away in Florida after being struck by a motorcycle while walking to a meeting in a "Coloured" area. [Bahaipedia]
  • He died as a result of injuries sustained from a collision with a motorcycle while walking to a meeting in the Coloured section of the city. There was speculation that the traffic mishap was not accidental. See the newspaper article written by Beatrice Cannnady.
  • See AY321-323 for an account of his death and his funeral.
  • He had lost his beloved wife Mary about one month earlier. He had been a student of Ibrahim George Kheiralla in New York and became a Bahá'í in 1898. He had learned both Persian and Arabic to better understand the Writings. Howard MacNutt was elected to the Bahá’í Board of Counsel for New York when it was established on December 7th 1900 and served on the body for many years. [SEBW42]
  • In 1905 Howard and his wife went on pilgrimage and attended a Nineteen Day Feast held by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who encouraged him to establish the practice in America. MacNutt consulted with the New York Board of Counsel after returning and a Feast was held in New York on May 23, 1905.
  • Howard wrote a booklet consisting of what he learned while on Pilgrimage titled Unity Through Love.
  • MacNutt also edited Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl's Bahá'í Proofs before it was first published in 1902 and revised Ali Kuli Khan's manuscript translation of the Kitáb-i-Íqán for publication in 1904.
  • He held a belief that `Abdu'l-Bahá had no extraordinary spiritual station and he did not regard Him as being different in Spirit from other men, that through works and service and overcoming all He attained to His station. This opinion resulted in MacNutt failing to appreciate the Bahá'í teaching that Covenant-breaking is a spiritual disease. When `Abdu'l-Bahá came to the United States in 1912 He assigned to MacNutt the task of meeting with a group of potential Covenant-breakers in Chicago and warning them. He also ordered MacNutt to break all communication with Ibrahim Kheiralla and other Covenant-breakers. When MacNutt failed to do as directed, `Abdu'l-Bahá advised him that he had violated the Covenant himself and commanded him to repent before a group of New York Bahá'ís, which he did on 18 November 1912. The matter was not resolved; `Abdu'l-Bahá cabled Ali Kuli Khan on 16 April 1913, "MACNUTT REPENTED FROM VIOLATION OF COVENANT BUT WAS NOT AWAKENED." After several months of correspondence between MacNutt and `Abdu'l-Bahá via Ali Kuli Khan, MacNutt satisfied `Abdu'l-Bahá that he had come to understand and had repented for his earlier errors. Even though `Abdu'l-Bahá recognized MacNutt as a Bahá'í his reputation in the Bahá'í community remained tarnished. To redeem himself he took on the task of compiling `Abdu'l-Bahá's talks in the United States and Canada and editing them. It was published as The Promulgation of Universal Peace, the name chosen by 'Abdu'l-Bahá himself, in 1922. MacNutt's preface contains a long and important statement about `Abdu'l-Bahá's station. His redemption was complete. [PUPxx]
  • See his "A Statement of Belief" written January 4, 1926 and published in Star of the West Vol 16 No 11 February 1926.
  • His obituary was published in Star of the West Vol 17 No 10 January 1927 p301.
  • For further details of his life and his brush with Covenant-breaking see SEBW35–42.
  • Also see "In Memoriam: Arthur Pillsbury Dodge, 1849-1915", SoW, Vol. 6, No. 19 (2 March 1916) p165 as well as BFA1p125, 168-17, DJT369-372, AOY111-133 and FMH35.
  • See BW2p218 for a photo.
  • HIs crowning achievement was the publication of The Promulgation of Universal Peace (1922) which was a compilation of the public talks given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while in America.
  • See Bahaipedia.
  • He was posthumously appointed as a Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
  • Dade City; Pasco County; Florida; United States Howard MacNutt; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Promulgation of Universal Peace first Nineteen Day Feast in America
    1927 29 Apr - 1 May The third National Convention of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was held at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal, the hotel where 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed during His visit in 1912. [Bahá'í News No. 17 April, 1927]
  • It was attended by 32 of the 95 elected delegates, others voting "by wire".
  • Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Allen McDaniel, chairman; Roy C. Wilhelm, vice-chairman; Horace Holley, secretary; Carl Scheffler, treasurer: Mesdames Florence R. Moron, May Maxwell and Amelia Collins, Messrs. Alfred E. Lunt and Louis G. Gregory. This reference contains a very complete report of the Convention including letters from the Guardian. [BN No 18 June 1927 p2-9]
  • See FMH41-42.
  • A major subject of which was race relations. Edwina Powell spoke on the subject, as she had been asked by Shoghi Effendi. In her address, Sadie Oglesby recalled her conversations with Shoghi Effendi on the subject of race. [TMW178–80] [key]
  • Montreal; Quebec; Canada; United States Conventions, National; Allen McDaniel; Roy C. Wilhelm; Horace Holley; Carl Scheffler; Florence R. Moron; May Maxwell (Bolles); Amelia Collins; Alfred Lunt; Louis Gregory; Edwina Powell; Sadie Oglesby
    1927 Oct Shoghi Effendi entrusted Dr William Slater and his wife Ida Slater, who were visiting Haifa on a 19-day pilgrimage, with carpets from the Shrines of the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá for the House of Worship in Chicago. [SETPE1p149] [key] Haifa; Wilmette; United States William Slater; Ida Slater; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette; Bab, Shrine of; Carpets; Gifts; Shoghi Effendi, Life of
    1928 (In the year) The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Mírzá 'Alí-Muhammad, known as Ibn-i-Asdaq. He was born in Mashhad in 1850/1851. [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project]
  • His father was Mullá Sádiq-i-Muqaddas-i-Khurásání (also known as Ismu'lláhu'l-Asdaq of Khurásán), referred to as a Hand of the Cause of God by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. While still a child he suffered imprisonment with his father in Tehran. [EM19]
  • In 1880 he begged Bahá’u’lláh permission to be a martyr. Bahá'u'lláh said that if one lived right he might attain martyrdom. In 1882 Bahá'u'lláh conferred the station of martyr on him calling him “Shahid Ibn-i-Shahid” (“Martyr, son of the Martyr”).”
      Today, the greatest of all deeds is service to the Cause. Souls that are well-assured should with utmost discretion teach the Faith,lll this martyrdom is no confined to the destruction of life and the shedding of blood. A person enjoying the bounty of life may yet be recorded as a martyr in the Book of the Sovereign Lord. [OLOMP46N12]
    • He was the first of the Hands of the Cause of God named by Bahá'u'lláh.
    • ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave him a special mission to teach members of the “ruling class” the Faith.
    • He was deeply involved in the planning and construction of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in ‘Ishqábád.
    • Ibn-i-Asdaq, Mírzá ‘Alí-Muhammad, Hand of the Cause of God, Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh, passed away in Tihrán. He was one of the few Apostles to live into the time of Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian. [BBD115, EM176, LoF9-12, RoB4p286]
    • For details of his life see RoB1P92-93; RoB2p 293; RoB3p62-63, 253-260, 265-268; EB2-23; MF5-8; DB100-101, 145-148, 185-187; EB171–6; BW6p103; Bahaipedia; LoF9-12.
    • His daughter, Ruha Asdaq wrote a book about her pilgrimage experiences with her father titled One Life One Memory: Memories of Pilgrimage in 1914. The book was translated to English and published by George Ronald in 1999. For a book review by Paul Mantle.
    • For more details of his life see EB171-176; RoB4p 301-304, Tablets to him RoB4 254, 275, 277, 2966,315-328, Photos RoB4 277-278, 281-286, 292.
  • Tihran; Mashhad; Iran In Memoriam; Ibn-i-Asdaq (Mirza Ali-Muhammad); Apostles of Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause; Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Ismullahul-Asdaq (Mulla Sadiq Khurasani); Names and titles; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Ishqabad
    1928 31 Dec Ruth White, who had met 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York in 1912 and who had been on pilgrimage in 1922, wrote to the High Commissioner of Palestine with a charge that the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was a forgery. [SETPE1p157]
  • See AY103 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's reaction to Ruth White in New York in 1912.
  • See FMH64-65 for the story of how her plans to convince Doris and Willard McKay of her theories were thwarted by the sudden arrival of their two dogs who had had a recent encounter with a skunk.
  • Palestine; New York; United States Covenant-breakers; Ruth White; Abdul-Baha, Will and Testament of
    1930 (In the year) The publication of The Garden of the Heart by Francis Esty published by Roycrafters in New York. [BEL4.135]

    A Bahá'í named Inez Greeven went on a prilgrimage. When she returned home she asked permission for two of her friends to go to Haifa and have the bounty of meeting the Master. The friends went and returned, apparently unaffected by the experience. In 1920, during her second pilgrimage, she asked 'Abdu'l-Bahá why her friends had not become Bahá'ís. This was His answer:

      “At the gate of the garden, some stand and look within, but do not care to enter. Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. Still others encircle this garden, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers; and having enjoyed its full beauty, pass out again by the same gate. But there are always some who enter, and becoming intoxicated with the splendour of what they behold, remain for life to tend the garden." [Bahá'í Stories; The Garden of the Heart p14]
    [key]
    New York; United States The Garden of the Heart; Frances Esty; Inez Greeven
    1930 19 Aug Jean-Baptiste Louis Bourgeois, (b. 19 March 1856, Staint-Célestin de Nicolet, QC. d. Wilmette, IL), the architect of the first Bahá’i Temple of Worship in America, passed away. He was buried in East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento, California.[Find a Grave]

    He, like Sutherland Maxwell and Mason Remey, had studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. These three and four others submitted designs for the Wilmette Temple for consideration. Other buildings designed by Louis Bourgeois include the Chicago Tribune Building, Evergreen Cabin in Englewood NJ where 'Abdu'l-Bahá hosted a Unity Feast, the Savoy Hotel in Chicago.

    He became a Bahá'í in New York sometime during the winter of 1906. In April of 1909 the National Spiritual Assembly called for design proposals for the first Bahá'í Hours of Worship in the West and he submitted is design proposal in October. It was finally accepted at the National Convention in 1920. [DP76-100] [key]

    Staint-Célestin de Nicolet, QC; Wilmette; Sacrmento, CA; United States In Memoriam; Louis Bourgeois; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette
    1930 7 Oct Ruth White wrote to the High Commissioner of Palestine stating that she had sent a photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament to Dr Ainsworth Mitchell in England who had declared it a forgery. The High Commissioner requested she send that same evidence to him and he forwarded it to the Governor of Haifa who requested to meet with Shoghi Effendi and allow an expert to examine the original. The expert declared the Will authentic. [SETPET1p157]
  • See Mitchell's Mistake for a discussion of Mitchell's analysis of the handwriting of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Senn McGlinn.
  • Haifa; Israel; United Kingdom Covenant-breakers; Ruth White; Abdul-Baha, Will and testament of; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; High Commissioners; Ainsworth Mitchell
    1931 10 Jul The administration in Palestine wrote to Ruth White advising her that they would take no further action with respect to her claim that the will of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was a forgery.
  • "All Mrs White ever achieved was to stir up a temporary and insignificant cloud of dust". [PP119]
  • Mrs White wrote letters to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada as well as to some believers objecting to the directives of Shoghi Effendi and to the administration of the Cause through local and national assemblies. One of her converts was Dr Wilhelm Herrigel, one of the founding members of the German community. Later, Dr Herrigel became conscious of the mistake he had made. [SETPE1p158]
  • Likewise, Ruth White's husband was repentant, was offered a path back into the Faith but failed to take it. [SETPE1p158] iiiii
  • See WOB4 for Shoghi Effendi's thoughts on such an action as taken by Ruth White.
  • Ruth White; Covenant-breakers
    1931 27 Jul Swiss Bahá’í Auguste Forel, (b. 1 September, 1848 Morges, Switzerland, d. 27 July, 1931 Yvorne Switzerland) world-renowned psychiatrist, entomologist, anatomist, social reformer and peace worker, passed away. [FGM2]
  • For the Good of Mankind: August Forel and the Bahá’í Faith by John Paul Vader, (published by George Ronald, Oxford, 1984) was originally written as a doctoral dissertation in the field of the history of medicine at the University of Lausanne on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Dr Forel's passing. The book documents Dr Forel's activities as a Bahá'í.
  • "The famous scientist and entomologist, Dr. Auguste Forel, was converted to the Faith through the influence of a Tablet sent him by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, one of the most weighty the Master ever wrote." [GPB307-308, 316, 375; AB448-449]
  • The Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Dr Forel can also be found in The Bahá’í World Vol. XV, pp. 37–43.
  • See The Life and Times of August Forel by Sheila Banani published in Lights of Irfan, Volume 6, pages 1-20 Wilmette, IL: Irfan Colloquia, 2005
  • See as well Auguste Forel; His Life and Enlightenment by A. M. Ghadirian, M.D.
  • August Forel Defends the Persecuted Persian Bahá'ís: 1925-1927 by John Paul Vader published in Bahá'í World, Vol. 18 (1979-1983), pages 970-974 1986 (the pdf)
  • See Shoghi Effendi's mention of Dr Forel in Lights of Divine Guidance Vol 2 page 5, and his letter to his daughter, Mrs. Marta Brauns-Forel, regarding his status as a believer on pages 18-19.
  • See Auguste Forel and the Bahá'í Faith published by George Ronald in 1978. It was translated from Brief An Forel originally published by Bahá'í Verlag GmbH. It contains Forel's letter to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, His reply, and a commentary by Peter Mühlschlegel.
  • His autobiography, Rückblick auf mein Leben (1935) has been translated as Out of My Life and Work by Bernard Miall and published by Allen & Unwin Ltd in 1937.
  • See the article The World Vision of a Savant by Dr Auguste H Forel. [BW3p284—287]
  • See Wikipedia article.
  • Find a grave.
  • Switzerland Auguste Forel; In Memoriam
    1932 (In the year) Land for a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár was purchased at Ḥadiqa, northeast of Tehran, and a design for this building by Mason Remey was approved by Shoghi Effendi whom 'Abdu'l-Bahá had chosen as the architect. [MAŠREQ AL-AḎKĀR Encyclopaedia Iranica]
  • The construction of the Temple was an unfulfilled goal of the Ten Year Crusade and was made a goal of the Nine Year Plan. Pending the construction, the National Spiritual Assembly built an extensive wall around the property and surveyed the land and located the site of the building.
  • The architect’s elevation of the Temple can be see at BW14p495.
  • Tihran; Iran Mashriqul-Adhkar, Tihran; Mason Remey, architect
    1935 Jul The Archives Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada made an appeal to collect all of the Tablets sent by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to those western believers who had been designated Disciples of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Shoghi Effendi.
  • The Disciples were:

    Dr. J. E. Esslemont, Mr; Thornton Chase, Mr. Howard MacNutt, Miss Sarah Farmer, M. Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, Miss Lillian Kappes‘, Mr. Robert Turner, Dr. Arthur Brauns Mr. W. H. Randall, Mrs. Lua M. Getzinger, Mr. Joseph Hannen Mr. C. I. Thacher, Mr. Charles Greenleaf, Mrs. J. D. Brittingham, Mrs. Thornburgh, Mrs. Helen S. Goodall, Mr. Arthur P. Dodge, Mr. William H. Hoar, Dr. J. G. Augur. [BW3p84] [key]

  • United States Disciples of Abdul-Baha
    1937 2 Feb The passing of Mary Hanford Finney Ford (b. 1 November, 1856, in Meadville, PA) in Clearwater, FL. She was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, MI.
  • She was active in the sufferage movement throughout most of her life.
  • She found the Bahá'í Faith through Sarah Farmer, Green Acre, and Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, and helped form the first community of Bahá'ís in Boston where Louis Bourgeois, future architect of the first Bahá'í House of Worship in the West, then joined the religion.
  • In 1907 she went on pilgrimage where, it is said, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave her access to teachings not universally given and to Tablets that were not to be copied. [FMH72]
  • In 1910 she published The Oriental Rose: The Teachings of Abdul Baha Which Trace the Chart of "The Shining Pathway"
  • She traveled with `Abdu'l-Bahá during some of his journeys in various places in Europe and then in America.
  • She published The World of Abdul Baha first in 1921 and then three subsequent printings.
  • In the latter part of her life she often traveled to Europe for some months of the year and during this period introduced the Faith to Ugo Giachery. [Wikipedia]
  • Find a grave.
  • Meadville PA; Clearwater FL; United States Mary Hanford Ford; In Memoriam
    1921 - 1937 In the period from the inception of the Guardianship to 1937 Shoghi Effendi laid the foundation of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh in conformity with the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Some of the major accomplishments were:
  • Continued the translation work that began while he was still an assistant to 'Abdu'l-Bahá and later as a student at Oxford.
  • Explained the principles and structure of the Administrative Order.
  • Developed the constitutional structure of the local and national spiritual assemblies.
  • Clarified the relationships of these assemblies with the community of believers and elucidate the manner of their election and operation.
  • Emphasized that the Administrative Order was the channel through which the spirit of God would flow and instructed that they be ever watchful lest "the means supersede the end". [Pg209]
  • Imparted the vision of the new world order through his letter which have become to be know as "The World Order Letters". [PG209-215]
  • Shoghi Effendi, Life of; World Order of Bahaullah (book); Administrative Order
    1938 to 1955 The fourth Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh was Jináb-i-Valíyu'lláh Varqá, the third son of Varqá the martyr. He was born in Tabriz and after the death of his father and brother he was raised by his grandmother, a fanatical Muslim. At the age of 16 his uncle removed him from the home and taught him the Faith. He attended the American University at Beirut and spent summers with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and accompanied the Master to America and served as His interpreter. He returned to Iran where he served on local and national assemblies and was made a Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh in 1938 at a time when the observance of the law spread throughout Iran. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 25 March, 1985]
  • He was elevated to a Hand of the Cause of God in 1951 and passed away in Tubingen, Germany in 1955 while taking a treatment for an illness. [BW13p831-834] [key]
  • Tubingen; Germany; Tabriz; Iran; Beirut; Lebanon; Akka Varqa, Valiyullah; Huququllah; Huququllah, Trustees of; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Activities; American University of Beirut; Varqa
    1938 (In the year) Shoghi Effendi remained in Europe for the year owing to terrorist activities in Palestine. [PP219]
  • "The Great Revolt" raged in Palestine from 1936 to 1939. It was a nationalist uprising by Palestinian Arabs in Mandatory Palestine against the British administration of the Palestine Mandate, demanding Arab independence and the end of the policy of open-ended Jewish immigration and land purchases with the stated goal of establishing a "Jewish National Home".
  • An innocent casualty of the unrest was Habib Miskar. He was one of the oldest Bahá'ís in Haifa at the time. On the 6th of March, 1939, while on his way home he was passing the gate of the house of 'Abdu'l-Bahá when he noticed a party of militia pursuing a fleeing man. He hurried towards the entrance of the garden to take refuge but the soldiers, having no way of knowing that he was not the terrorist they were pursuing, shot them both. [BW8p679] [key]
  • Europe; Palestine Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Travels of; History (general)
    1938 (In the year) Felix Maddela became the first Filipino Bahá’í. His first encounter with the Bahá’í Faith was in 1924 when a purchase he made was wrapped in a piece of old newspaper which contained an article by Martha Root about the religion and a picture of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. As the author’s address did not appear in the article, it was another 14 years before he encountered more about the religion. In the early spring of 1937, Loulie Albee Mathews arrived in Manila on board the “Franconia.” As the boat was to dock for only a few hours, she managed to place a few pamphlets in a college library on the shelf of comparative religions. A few months later, on a visit to Manila from Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, Mr. Maddela came across the literature. This started a series of correspondence with the Bahá’í Publishing Committee of the United States. With Madella so fired up, he immediately taught his family and friends. Shortly before World War II, the Bahá’í’s of Solano numbered around fifty. When war broke out all communications ceased. Immediately after the war, contact was re-established thru Alvin Blum, who was attached to the medical unit of the United States Army. Hitch-hiking to Solano, which was in ruins, he located the Maddelas living in impoverished conditions. Of the fifty enrolled Bahá’í’s, twenty-five had been killed or were missing. The others had survived by hiding in rice fields for three years. [WikipediaThe Bahá’í Faith in the Philippines]
  • On the 2nd of December 1946, the Local Spiritual Assembly of Sloano was incorporated. At Ridván 1964 the first National Spiritual Assembly was formed and during the Ten Year Crusade Hand of the Cause Dr Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir led the mass conversion with brought the Faith far and wide throughout the islands. [BW19p798]
  • Travel teachers that had visited the Philippines were: Jamal Effendi, Mirzá Husayn Tútí, Martha Root and Siegfried Schopflocher. [BW19p798] [key]
  • Manila; Solano; Philippines Felix Maddela; Loulie A. Mathews (Loulie Mathews); Alvin Blum; Jamal Effendi; Martha Root; Siegfried Schopflocher first Filipino Bahá’í
    1938 1 May The National Convention was held in Chicago. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Dorothy Baker, Allen McDaniel, Horace Holley, Roy Wilhelm, George Latimer, Seigfried Schopflocher, Amelia Collins, Harlan Ober, and Charles Ioas. [BN Issue 116 June 1938 p4]
  • Grace Roberts Ober, who had just given a report on a travel teaching trip to Louisville KY and on her work in Toronto where she had been the previous Fall, collapsed into the arms of the Convention chairman, Harlan Ober in view of the assembled delegates while ending her address. She was removed from the convention hall and passed away shortly thereafter. See TG75-76 and FMH273-274 for the background to this story.
  • Born in Thorold, ON of Sarah E. Wilson and the Rev Thomas Tempest Robarts, a cannon in the Anglican Church, Grace's life's work was that of a teacher.
  • During 'Abdu'l-Baha's tour of America she served as his household manager, going ahead to secure an apartment for him and acting as His housekeeper and hostess.
  • On July 17, 1912 she married Harlan Ober at 'Abdu'l-Bahá's suggestion. The legal marriage was conducted by Howard Colby Ives. [BW8p656-660] [key]
  • Chicago; United States Grace Robarts Ober; In Memoriam; Dorothy Baker; Allen McDaniel; Horace Holley; Roy Wilhelm; George Latimer; Seigfried Schopflocher; Amelia Collins; Harlan Ober; Charles Ioas; National Convention; National Assembly, election of
    1939 (In the year) Amelia Collins continued to support the spread of the religion in Iceland as she supported the publication of the first translation of Baháʼí literature, John Esslemont's Baháʼu'lláh and the New Era, in Icelandic in 1939. [CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p2Collins, Amelia: The Fulfilled Hope of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Richard Francis] [key] Iceland Amelia Collins; Publications; Publishing
    1940 (In the year) The publication of I, Mary Magdalen by Juliet Thompson. It was a novel with a semi-autobiographical account of her contact with 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [BEL7.2554] [key] New York; United States Juliet Thompson; I, Mary Magdalen
    1940 1 Mar May Bolles Maxwell (b. 14 January 1940 in Englewood, NJ) passed away in Buenos Aires. [BBD153; TG49]

    Shoghi Effendi called her "the spiritual mother of Canada" and Montreal the "mother city of Canada". [OBCC35]

  • Shoghi Effendi awarded her the honour of a ‘martyr’s death’ and designated her as a Disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [BW8:631; MA38]
  • She was the first Bahá'í on European soil and the "mother" of both the French and the Canadian Bahá'í communities. [PP149]
  • For her "In Memoriam" and tribute written by Marion Holley see BW8p631-642.
  • Hooper Dunbar quoted Shoghi Effendi in his cable to the friends in Iran announcing her passing:
      May Maxwell, the severed teacher firebrand of the love of God and spreader of the fragrances of God Mrs Maxwell, forsook her native land and hastened to the most distant countries out of love for her Master and yearning to sound the call to the Cause of her Lord and her inspiration, until she ascended to the highest summit attaining the rank of martyrdom in the capital of the Argentine. The furthermost boundary the countenances of paradise invoke blessings upon her in the glorious apex saying, may she enjoy with healthy relish the cup that is full and brimming over with the wine of the love of God for the like of this should the travaillers travail. Inform all the friends of the announcement of this mighty victory. [A talk] given by Mr Dunbar 28:08]
  • Shoghi Effendi asked her husband, Sutherland Maxwell, to design her tomb, which was to be a ‘historic centre’ for ‘pioneer Bahá’í activity’. [BW8:642]
  • For an account of the erection of the monument to her see PSBW83–6.
  • Buenos Aires; Argentina May Maxwell (Bolles); Births and deaths; Names and titles; Sutherland Maxwell; Architecture; Disciples of Abdul-Baha; First Bahais by country or area First Bahá'í on European soil.
    1941 31 Nov Some members of the National Spiritual Assembly filed suit against Sohrab to try to stop him from using the name Bahá'í. He had opened a Bahá'í bookshop in New York in 1939. This suit was filed in the Supreme Court of New York County. The judge granted a motion to dismiss, stating that "the plaintiffs have no right to a monopoly of the name of a religion. The defendants, who purport to be members of the same religion, have an equal right to use the name of the religion..." The judge mentioned that the complaint could be further amended and the NSA appealed but the Appellate Court affirmed the decision of the lower court.
          The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada distributed a mimeographed statement concerning the New History Society entitled The Basis of the Bahá’í Community, which explained the purpose and outcome of the lawsuit entered against the founders of the New History Society to prevent their misuse of the name "Bahá’í” on which the National Spiritual Assembly had obtained a trademark patent. [The Basis of the Bahá'í Community: A Statement Concerning the New History Society]
  • Also see United States National Spiritual Assembly vs. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab.
  • During the second World War the New History Society put forth an alleged passage from 'Abdu'l-Bahá which would justify citizens in refusing to obey their governments when drafted into the military forces. The National Spiritual Assembly was obliged to explain the true Bahá'í position to the federal authorities as set forth by the Guardian.
  • New York; United States Covenant-breakers; New History Society; Ahmad Sohrab; The Basis of the Bahai Community
    1942 16 Jan The passing of Carole Lombard Gable (b. 6 October 1908 in Ft Wayne, IN) near Las Vegas. She was buried at the Forst Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. She was a second generation Bahá'í, her mother, Elizabeth Peters, had been brought into the Faith my Mrs Orol Platt. Carole, at the age of 14, wrote to 'Abdu'l-Bahá to ask for His permission to pursue a career in Hollywood. His Tablet came, praying for her success. She accepted the Faith in Los Angeles in about April of 1938. Her closest Bahá’í friend was the well-known teacher, Mrs. Beulah Storrs Lewis.
  • She became an icon of cinema, the American Film Institute named her one of the greatest American female screen legends.
  • She died in a plane crash while on a bond-selling tour. [Bahá'í Chronicles; Bahá'í Teachings; Bahá'í Arts Connection; BW9p635-637]
  • Images.
  • Her biography was entitled Carole Lombard: A Bio-Bibliography by Robert D. Matzen.
  • See documentary videos on You Tube, Carole Lombard (Part 1) and Carole Lombard (Part 2).
  • Ft Wayne, IN; Las Vegas, NV; United States Carole Lombard
    1943 16 Aug The passing of Sydney Sprague (b. Oshkosh WI in 1875) in Los Angeles. He was buried in Inglewood Cemetery. His grave is beside that of Tom Collins, husband of Amelia Collins, and lies just across the road from the grave of Thornton Chase, "First Bahá'í of America." [BW9p633-635]
  • During a pilgrimage in late 1904 'Abdu'l-Bahá suggested he visit the Bahá'ís of the East. He toured India and Burma from December 1904 until the summer of 1905 becoming the first Western Bahá'í of go to the far Orient fulfilling Bahá'u'lláh's prophecy the "The East and West shall embrace as lovers". [YBIB6] iiiii
  • See YBIB55-60 For the story of Kai Khosroe, the Zoroastrian Bahá'í from Bombay who gave his life while nursing Sprague in Lahore when he was deathly ill with typhoid fever.
  • In 1908 he became a resident of Tehran, first teaching in the Bahá'í school and, when he returned the following year, he became principal.
  • He married a niece of 'Abdul'-Bahá and became a brother-in-law of Ameen Fareed. When Fareed was expelled from the Faith in 1914 Sprague and his wife as well as his father-in-law followed. Fareed's father was Mírzá Asadu'lláh-i-Isfahání, the emissary who had taken the remains of the Báb from Iran to the Holy Land [Efforts to preserve the remains of the Bab]. Sprague applied to be reinstated in 1931 (or 1937) and was finally accepted in 1941, two years before his passing. [BW9p633-635]
    • He married Farahangiz Khanum on the 20th of July, 1910, a day selected by 'Abdu'l-Bahá so that Stanwood Cobb could attend. The Bahá'í wedding was performed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the legal ceremony was conducted by a mullá four days later. [BN Vol 1 No 12 October 1910 p 7]
  • He made a teaching trip to South America and died soon after his return to the United States. [AB409]
  • He was the author of The Story of the Bahai Movement published in London in 1907 and A Year with the Bahá'ís of India and Burma in May of 1908. [YBIBxi] iiiii
  • Los Angeles; United States; India; Myanmar (Burma); Lahore; Pakistan Sydney Sprague; Covenant-breakers; Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Mirza Asadullah-i-Isfahani; Kai Khosroe; Travel teaching; In Memoriam first Western Bahá'í to visit the Bahá'í communities on the Indian sub-continent. first Occidental Bahá'í for whom an Oriental Bahá'í had sacrificed his life.
    1944 (In the Year) The publication of The Divine Art of Living: Selections from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá by the Chicago Publishing Committee. It was compiled by Mabel Hyde Paine. The book saw four revisions and up until 2006 and is still being reprinted. [BEL 4.114 - 4.117]
  • In 1977 the study guide, Seven Round Table Discussions Based on The Divine Art of Living by Marian Crist Lippitt was published by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Wilmette, IL. [BEL 7.1407 - 7.1410]
  • The book was transcribed by Mary Francis Baral and published by the Bahá'í Service for the Blind in Los Angeles in 1962. [BEL 8.55]
  • The title was borrowed from a previous compilation by Mary M. Rabb that appeared in the Star of the West and then published bound in leather. It was also serialized in World Order in the early 1940's.
  • Chichago, IL Divine Art of Living (book); Mabel Hyde Paine; Marian Crist Lippitt; Mary Francis Baral
    1945 24 Oct The United Nations was formally established.
  • For the relationship of the Bahá’í Faith to the United Nations see BW16:327–52.
  • See SDC64-65 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's prophetic statement, written in 1875, "True civilization will unfurl its banner...".
  • The temporary headquarters for the United Nations was established in Lake Success, NY in a warehouse formerly occupied by the Sperry Gyroscope Company. (1946-1952).
  • See the United Nations Charter.
  • San Francisco; California; United States United Nations; Secret of Divine Civilization (book); Collective security; Prophecies; World War II; War (general); Peace; History (general)
    1946 22 Jul The passing of John David Bosch (named "Núraní by 'Abdu'l-Bahá) at his home near Geyserville, California (b. August 1, 1855 at Neu-St Johann, Canton Gall, Switzerland) He had become a Bahá'í in 1905. His teachers being Mrs Beckwith, Mrs Goodall, Mrs Cooper and Thornton Chase. He was buried in the Olive Hill Cemetery, Geyserville. [BW11p488]
  • He and Louise Stapfer married on the 19th of January 1914 in San Francisco. 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent a Tablet. [WmSh21]
  • He, along with George Latimer and Leroy Ioas, were appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly to find a location to establish a "Western Green Acre". John donated his 35 acre estate.
  • For a pen portrait and biography of John and Louise Bosch see Other People Other Places by Marzieh Gail pages 182-194 or Bahá'í News page 705.
  • For pictures of John and Louise Bosch see the Bosch Bahá'í School site.
  • For Shoghi Effendi's tribute to him see MA106. See When the Moon Set Over Haifa by Angelina Diliberto Allen pages 11-52 for an account of the Bosch's time in Haifa during the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Geyserville; California; United States In Memoriam; John Bosch; Louise Bosch
    1946 13 Dec The passing of Muhammad Taqí Isfahání. He had been born in Persia and was horrified by the behaviour of Mullá Muhammad Báqir (The Wolf) and Imám-Jum'íh who had killed the two brothers Muhammad Husayn and Muhammad Hasan so he left for Egypt and encountered many believers on his way. He passed through Akka and met both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'-Bahá.
  • His name is closely associated with the early progress of the Faith in Egypt. His house was the centre of activity and was were both Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl and Lua Getsinger spent their last days. He received 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His visit to Egypt. He was the chief member of the Publishing Committee and helped to translate many books into Arabic such as the Iqán and Some Answered Questions.
  • The Guardian announced his elevation to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God two days after his passing and donated a sum of money to be used for his tomb. He is buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery. [MoCxxii, BW11p500-502] [key]
  • Egypt Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Hands of the Cause, Activities; In Memoriam; Muhamman Taqi Isfahani; Lua Getsinger; Mirza Abul-Fadl Gulpaygani; Translation
    1947 13 Sep The passing of Haji Mahmúd Qassabchí. In 1933 Qassabchí had suffered a severe attack of paralysis which he narrowly survived and as a result of which he could hardly move or speak for the rest of his life. He was buried at Salman Pak, about thirty miles southeast of Baghdad. [BW11p502-503]
  • He had become a Bahá'í in 1911 after reading accounts of the travels of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the Star of the West. Prior to that he had made the acquaintance of Músá Banání and had been impressed with the young man's honesty. With regard to his service to the Faith, after WWI he undertook the restoration of the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad. A few years later he played a leading part in the purchase and the establishment of the Hazíratu'l-Quds of Baghdad and he participated in no small measure to the erection of the Hazíratu'l-Quds in the village of Avasiq, the first built in Iraq.
  • His most imperishable service was the construction of three rooms at the rear of the Shrine of the Báb that were temporarily used as the International Bahá'í Archives before the construction of its permanent seat. [BW11p502-503] [key]
  • Baghdad; Avashiq; Iraq Haji Mahmud Qassabchi; In Memoriam; House of Bahaullah (Baghdad); Bab, Shrine of; Musa Banani first Hazíratu'l-Quds in Iraq in the village of Avashiq
    1948 24 - 25 Apr The National Spiritual Assembly of the Dominion of Canada was established. [BBRSM:186; BW13:856; MBW143; PP397]
  • See BW11:160, 184 for pictures.
  • The first National Convention was held in the Maxwell's home (in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's home as will be the election of the Universal House of Justice some 15 years hence.) with 13/19 delegates from all the provinces attending. (Six were unable to attend due to a flood.) Those elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly were: Laura Davis, Rowland Estall, Lloyd Gardner, Doris Richardson, John Robarts, Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala, Siegfried Schopflocher, and Ross Woodman. [TG110, OBCC269]
  • For a picture of the first Canadian National Spiritual Assembly see OBCC148.
  • Canada National Spiritual Assembly, formation; National Convention; Laura Davis; Rowland Estall; Lloyd Gardner; Doris Richardson; John Robarts; Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; Siegfried Schopflocher; Ross Woodman first NSA Canada
    1949 16 Aug The passing of Lilian Vaughan McNeill (b.1 December, 1879). In May, 1931 she and her husband, Brigadier General Angus McNeill had taken a lease on the abandoned property at Mazra'ih where they lived until her passing. They had restored the house and property respecting the fact that Bahá'u'lláh and His family had lived there from June 1877 until September, 1879. In 1981 the staff at the Bahá'í World Centre discovered her simple grave in the Commonwealth Cemetery in Haifa and, with the permission of her family, erected a befitting and dignified memorial. She had been a childhood friend of Marie Alexandra Victoria (Queen Marie of Romania). During her latter years at Mazra'ih she wrote a series of short stories, some of which were published in the local English-language newspaper. [BW19p779-782]
  • Brigadier General Angus McNeill died in Cyprus in June 1950, nearly one year after Lilian's passing, and was buried on 21 June 1950 in Wayne's Keep, the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery now located in the buffer zone, under the control of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Anita Graves, archivist for the Cypriot community, discovered he grave in 1994. [from a message from Anita Graves dated November, 2019] iiiii
  • Mazraih; Akka; Cyprus In Memoriam; Lilian Barron McNeill; Angus McNeill; House of Bahaullah (Mazraih); Cemeteries and graves; Queen Marie of Romania; Anita Graves
    1950 1 Nov Mírzá Badí‘u’lláh, the youngest son of Bahá’u’lláh, (b.1867 in Adrianople) described by Shoghi Effendi as the ‘chief lieutenant’ of the ‘archbreaker’ of the ‘divine Covenant’ died. [CB340, 355–6; CF89, BIC162, MSBR63, BBR460, RoB3pg230, CH209, SoB92, CoB340, 355-6, CoF89]
  • A close companion of Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí. [CoB165]
  • All his family became Covenant-breakers. [CoB362]
  • He had a short-lived repentance. [CoB152-3, GPB263, Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith p321, Interview with Badi'u'llah by Howard MacNutt]
  • He opposed both 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. [CoB165] As an example, in 1939 when Shoghi Effendi proposed to relocate the remains of Mirza Mihdí and Ásíyih Khánum from 'Akka to Haifa, it was Mírzá Badí‘u’lláh who led the dissenting faction claiming that as he was more closely related to Mirza Mihdí, it was he, under Moslem law, who had the right to decide as to the disposal of the remains. [BBR460-461] [key]
  • Haifa; BWC Mirza Badiullah; Covenant-breakers
    1951 30 Jul Louis Gregory, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Eliot, Maine, near Green Acre. [CoF163; BW12:666; TMW310, LOF98; SYH236; BN No 247 September 1951 p1]
  • A national memorial service was held for him at the Temple in Wilmette on the 24th of November 1951. [SYH236]
  • Soon after his passing he was designated by Shoghi Effendi the first Hand of the Cause of his race. (On 5 August, 1951) [BBD91; BW12:666, MoCxxii]
  • Louis Gregory was the first person of his race to be elected to any administrative body in the United States. [-from talk by Louis Venters 2min 13sec]
  • See TG114, 117-8 for a description of his passing .
  • For his obituary see BW12:666–70.
  • See a list of his publications.
  • For biographical information on Hand of the Cause Louis Gregory see Gayle Morrison, To Move the World: Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America (Wilmette, IL, USA Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982, 1999 printing).
  • For short biographical information see Bahá'í Encyclopedia]
  • Louis Gregory kept a journal of his visit to 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1911 including statements of 'Abdu'l-Baha, stories of the believers in the Holy Land and his experiences at the Shrines. It includes a selection of tablets 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed to him. A Heavenly Vista: The Pilgrimage of Louis G. Gregory".
  • See Louis Gregory, the Oneness of Humanity, and Highlights in the Development of the African-American Lawyer a presentation by Anthony Vance.
  • Eliot; Maine; United States Louis Gregory; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Firsts, Other first black Hand of the Cause
    1951 20 Dec Hand of the Cause Roy C. Wilhelm, (b.17 September, 1875) passed away in Lovel, Maine. He was buried in the Wilhelm Family Cemetery in Stoneham, Maine. [BW12:662]
  • He became a Bahá’í when he accompanied his mother on her pilgrimage to ‘Akká in 1907. He introduced Martha Root to the Faith in 1908. In 1909 he was elected to the Executive Board of the Bahá’í Temple Unity and served on the American National Spiritual Assembly. A Unity Feast was held at his home in West Englewood, NJ in June of 1912, an event commemorated every year. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá’í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p7]
  • He, along with Stanwood Cobb, and Genevieve Coy, wrote In His Presence: Visits to 'Abdu'l-Bahá These are said to be "three of the most important, and most touching, accounts of pilgrimages to the Holy Land in the time of `Abdu'l-Bahá. These are three classic works of Bahá'í history and literature. Roy Wilhelm's account is from his visit in 1907.
  • On his passing Shoghi Effendi designated him a Hand of the Cause of God. (23 December, 1951) [MoCxxii, BW12:662]
  • For his obituary see BW12:662–4.
  • Find a grave
  • Lovel; Maine; United States Roy Wilhelm; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands appointed posthumously by Shoghi Effendi; Martha Root
    1952 (In the year) Published on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, Dr Yúnis Afrukhtih's Khatirát-i-Nuh-Saliy-i- Akká, has been described as "pre-eminent among those works dealing with the history of Covenant-breaking".

    The English translation was titled, Memories of Nine Years in Akka) by Riaz Masrour and was published by George Ronald in 2004.

    Over those nine years, 1900 to 1909, Jináb-i-Khán (the title by which Dr. Yúnis Afrukhtih was honoured by 'Abdu'l-Bahá) served the Master in Akká as secretary, translator, envoy and physician. These were difficult years when the Master was imprisoned in the city of Akká, His every move subject to misrepresentation by the Arch-breaker of the Covenant and his associates, and even His life was in danger. At the same time the period saw the victories of the construction of the Shrine of the Báb and the House of Worship in Ishqábád, as well as the rise of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh in the West.

    Youness Afroukhteh (Yunis Afrukhtih); Abdul-Baha, Life of; Memories of Nine Years in Akka (book); Riaz Masrour; Covenant-breakers
    1953 (Early in the year) Shoghi Effendi obtained a wrought-iron gate from England with the intention of installing it at the bottom of the terraces on Mount Carmel. Instead, he had it installed on the path radiating out from the entrance to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. The Pyramidal-obelisks and the flower-urns made of lead, border the path on either side. He had originally planned to pave the main path with Carrara marble, the same stone used in the Monument Gardens but abandoned the idea and used pebbles from the Sea of Galilee as he had done on the path between the second and third gates leading to the Shrine of the Báb and at the house of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at 7 Persian Street.
  • It was Amelia Collins who provided the funds for the purchase of the gate and so Shoghi Effendi named it the "Collins Gate" in her honour. [SE129-130]
  • Another account has it that Millie Collins suggested the Guardian take a summer holiday when she saw that the Guardian was working himself into exhaustion. He stalled her several times citing the requirements of his work but finally, when she would not relent, admitted that he did not have the money. She provided the funding for the trip but he spent it on the gate. [Sweet and Enchanting Stories (PDF) p41-42 edited by Aziz Rohani] [key]
  • Bahji Shrine of Bahaullah; Collins Gate; Amelia Collins
    1953 20 Apr The Second Seven Year Plan ended with 2,425 localities, 611 local spiritual assemblies, 100 countries, islands and dependencies opened to the Faith. There were 12 national assemblies to this date; [UC43]
  • From 1921 to this time the Faith had expanded to 128 countries and territories, 15 during the time of Baha'u'llah, 20 during the time of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and an additional 58 under the stewardship of the Guardian. [Patheos website] [key]
  • Teaching Plans; Seven Year Plan, US and CA (1946-1953); Statistics
    1953 Oct The superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb was completed. [BBD210; CB324–5; PP235; ZK85–6]
  • Marble for the Shrine of the Báb came from Chiampo, Italy as did marble for the Archives Building, the Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the Terraces Project, the Monument Gardens and the Houses of Worship in India and Samoa. It was cut and chiseled by a firm called Margraf, formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá described the Shrine of the Báb as the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. [ABF18]
  • In a letter from the International Bahá'í Council dated the 2nd of May 1955, they reported on the great interest that has been taken in the Shrine of the Báb since the completion. [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p1; BN o292 Jun 1955 p4] [key]
  • BWC; Haifa; Mount Carmel; Chiampo; Italy Bab, Shrine of; Marble; BWNS; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre; Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Shoghi Effendi, Works of; Margraf
    1954 10 Jan Dorothy Baker, (b.21 December, 1898) Hand of the Cause of God, was killed in a plane crash in the Mediterranean Sea, near the island of Elba. [BW12:670]
  • In 1921 she married Frank Baker who had two motherless children. They had a girl and a boy of their own. [FMH73]
  • She was the granddaughter of Ellen "Mother" Beecher who took her to see 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York in 1912. An early teacher (unnamed), after seeing the young girl, had a vision and asked Jináb-i-Fazil for an explanation. He replied that "someday she will become on of the great teachers of the Cause" and Mother Beecher began to pray that this would be fulfilled. [FMH73]
  • See FMH76-77 for the story of how Doris McKay was able to help Dorothy deal with her depression in 1929.
  • For the Guardian’s cable see BW12:670, CF161.
  • Shoghi Effendi had appointed her among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
  • For her obituary see BW12:670–4.
  • See also Freeman, From Copper To Gold.
  • See TG229 for a short story about her and a comment from her on the Long Obligatory Prayer.
  • See Remembering Dorthy Baker at Bahá'í Blog.
  • See Bahá'í Chronicles.
  • See article in the Canadian Bahá'í News No 46 February 1954 p1.
  • Find a grave.
  • Mediterranean Sea; Elba; Italy Dorothy Baker; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent
    1954 16 Dec Shoghi Effendi announced the death of Avarih in Iran, "CONDEMNED POSTERITY MOST SHAMELESS, VICIOUS, RELENTLESS APOSTATE ANNALS FAITH, WHO THROUGH CEASELESS VITRIOLIC ATTACKS RECORDED VOLUMINOUS WRITINGS CLOSE ALLIANCE ITS TRADITIONAL ENEMIES, ASSIDUOUSLY SCHEMED BLACKEN ITS NAME SUBVERT FOUNDATIONS ITS INSTITUTIONS.
  • In the same message he announced the death of Ameen Fareed in North America; "HISTORY WILL RECOGNIZE ONE MOST PERFIDIOUS AMONG KINSMEN INTERPRETERS CENTER COVENANT, WHO, DRIVEN BY UNGOVERNABLE CUPIDITY COMMITTED ACTS CAUSING AGONIES GRIEF DESTRESS BELOVED MASTER CULMINATING OPEN ASSOCIATION BREAKERS BAHA'U'LLAH'S COVENANT HOLY LAND."
  • Likewise he announced the death of Falah in Turkey; "CHIEFLY REMEMBERED PRIDE, OBSTINACY INSATIABLE AMBITION IMPELLING HIM VIOLATE SPIRITUAL ADMINISTRATIVE PRECEPTS FAITH."
    • Ne'matullah Falah had left Iran at the time of Baha'u'llah's exile and had finally settled in Iskenderun, Turkey, where he had become a successful businessman. He had been appointed Honorary Iranian Consul in that city, a post he had taken upon the explicit encouragement of the Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Upon his accession to the Guardianship Shoghi Effendi had considered that it would serve the Cause better if Baha'is refrained from all political activities. He therefore asked Falah to resign his post. This Falah refused to do, especially as he had a letter from the Master urging him to take the post. This resulted in the expulsion of Falah and his family from the Cause.
    [Bahá'í History] [key]
  • Iran; Turkey; United States Covenant-breakers; Abdul-Husayn Avarih (Abd al-Hosayn Ayati); Ameen Fareed (Amin Farid); Nematullah Falah
    1955 3 Jun Shoghi Effendi announced to all National Assemblies that Majdi'd-Din, "the most redoubtable enemy of 'Abdu'l-Baha" and "the incarnation of Satan", someone who played a leading role in the kindling of the hostility of 'Abdu'l-Hamíd and Jamál Páshá and who was the instigator of Covenant-breaking and archbreaker of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant, died at the age of one hundred after being struck with paralysis affecting his limbs and his tongue. [MBW87-88, 94]
  • He was the son of Bahá'u'lláh's only full brother Mírzá Músá, also know as Áqáy-i-Kalím. He was married to Samadiyyih, Bahá’u’lláh's daughter from his second wife Fatimih Khanum making him brother-in-law to Mírzá Muhammad `Alí.
  • Both Majdi'd-Dín and Samadiyyih were eventually declared Covenant-breakers for supporting Mírzá Muhammad `Alí. Majdi'd-Din was a scribe for Bahá'u'lláh. It was he who on June 6th or 7th, 1892, read the Kitáb-i-'Ahd to a large crowd in front of the Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh in which Bahá'u'lláh appointed 'Abdu'l-Bahá as his successor. [CBN No69 Oct 1955 p2] [key]
  • Covenant-breakers; Majdid-Din; Abdul-Hamid; Jamal Pasha; Mirza Musa; Samadiyyih Khanum; Fatimih Khanum
    1955 5 Aug In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles he requested that Bahá'ís withdraw from Churches, Synagogues, Freemasonry and other secret societies. A number of letters had been written before and were written after on the same subject. [LoGno.1387; LoGno.1388 (1956); LoGno.1389 (1956); LoGno.1390 (1956); LoGno.1391 (1951)]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá had previously permitted such membership in the Masons. [ABL127] [key]
  • Church Membership; Secret Societies; Masons; Masonry
    1955 15 Nov Shoghi Effendi announced that for the construction of the International Bahá’í Archives thirty of the fifty-two pillars, each over seven metres high, had been raised and that half of the nine hundred tons of stone ordered from Italy had been safely delivered at the Port of Haifa. He also said that a contract for over $15,000 had been placed with the tile factory in Utrecht for over 7,000 green tiles to cover the 500 square metres of the roof. [MBW95]
    He announced as well:
  • the purchase of a plot of land adjacent to the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf for $100,000,
  • the purchase of the dilapidated house situated south of the Mansion at Bahjí in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá used to receive friends, among them the first party of Western pilgrims after Bahá'u'lláh's passing,
  • a plot of land situated in the neighbourhood of the Shrine of the Báb,
  • and that the formalities had been completed in the purchase of the site of the future Mashriqu'lAdhkár on Mt. Carmel. [MBW78-79, 95]
  • The transfer of the deeds for the above plots of land were being transferred to the name of the Israel branches of the United States, The British, the Persian the Canadian and the Australian Baháa'í National Spiritual Assemblies. [MBW95] [key]
  • BWC International Bahai Archives; Bahji; Bab, Shrine of; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Haifa; Abdul-Baha, Tea House of; Arc
    1956 9 Mar The passing of Albert R Windust (b. 28 March 1874 in Chicago) in Berrien County, Michigan. He was buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Chicago.

    Albert, in spite of his meagre education, was a deep student of the Writings, an able speaker, and a profound teacher of the Laws and Ordinances. His classes on the Covenant and Bahá’í Administration were most helpful both to newcomers and Bahá’ís of long association with the Faith. There was a freshness and vigor in his teaching; he radiated a love that reached the hearts. In his every-day life he demonstrated the power of the revealed Word of Bahá’u’lláh.

      “Deeply grieved passing much loved greatly admired staunch ardent promoter Faith, Albert Windust, Herald Covenant, whose notable services Heroic Formative Ages Faith unforgettable. Assure friends relatives fervently supplicating progress soul Kingdom.” – Shoghi [BW13p873-874
    ]

    At the age of fourteen Albert became an apprentice in the printing firm where his father worked. Later he became the first publisher of the Writings of the Faith in America. He printed booklets, early editions of prayers, and the Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh (16 March 1900 BFA2p25). In 1910 he founded and started printing the first Bahá’í monthly publication, Star of the West. He gathered and published the well-known three volumes of Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from Tablets written to the Bahá’ís in North America. He also assisted Howard MacNutt in publishing Promulgation of Universal Peace. Albert also helped in the compilation and publication of the first five volumes of The Bahá’í World for the years 1926 to 1934.

    When his father died on May 21st, 1913 Albert wrote to 'Abdu'l-Bahá and asked Him to pray for him. 'Abdu'l-Bahá responded by sending a Tablet with a prayer. It was published in SoW Vol 11 Issue 19 p219 and has been printed in Spiritual Strength for Men p82-83 published by Kalimat Press and in Family Worship p66 compiled by Wendi Momen and published by George Ronald.

  • See also Prayer for Fathers by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as translated by Ahmad Sohrab.
  • Chicago, IL In Memoriam; Albert Windust
    1956 Apr The publication of Ade-rih-wa-nie-ton On-kwe-on-we Neh-ha: A Message to the Iroquois Indians in the Canadian Bahá'í News. This pamphlet was translated to the Mohawk language by Mr. Charles Cooke of Ottawa and there is reason to believe the translation was commissioned by the Québec Regional Teaching Committee. [Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly to Dr. C Buck 6 January 2021; CBN No69 Oct 1955 p4; CBN 45 April 1956 p.11]
  • See Deganawida, the Peacemaker by Dr Christopher Buck published in American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies Supplement XXVI (2015)
  • See as well Native Messengers of God in Canada?: A Test Case for Bahá'í Universalism by Christopher Buck published in Bahá'í Studies Review, 6, pages 97-133 London: Association for Bahá'í Studies English-Speaking Europe, 1996. Also Native Messengers of God in Canada? A test case for Bahá'í universalism, by Christopher Buck:Commentary by William P. Collins.
  • Also of interest on the same subject is his article Dr. David Ruhe’s Tribute to Indigenous Messengers of God.
  • See as well Messengers of God in North America, Revisited: An Exegesis of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to Amír Khán by Christopher Buck and Donald Addison.
  • For information about the Tablet to Amír Khán see Tablet to Amir Khan and Tablet of the Holy Mariner by / on behalf of Universal House of Justice.
  • Bahá'í Universalism and Native Prophets by Christopher Buck.
  • See the series Indigenous Messengers of God.
  • Canada Indigenous Messengers of God; Iroquois; Native Americans
    1956 20 May Louisa Mathew Gregory, (b. 1 February 1866 in Penge, Kent, England) whose wedding to Hand of the Cause of God Louis Gregory in 1912 was the first interracial western Bahá’í marriage, passed away in Eliot, Maine. [BW13:878; SYH19, 239]
  • She had been introduced to the Faith by Edith Sanderson in Paris in about December of 1909. Edith had been taught by May Maxwell in 1902. [SYH5, 206]
  • For her obituary see BW13:376–8. Error in this article
    • There was no Bahá'í Congress in Prague in 1928
    • She did not attend Cambridge.
    • 'Abdu'l-Bahá did not attend her marriage on the 27 September 1912. He was in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. [SYHvii-viii; 28]
    [key]
  • Eliot; Maine; United States; Penge; Kent Louisa Mathew Gregory; Louise Gregory; Edith Sanderson; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Firsts, Other first interracial western Bahá’í marriage
    1956 9 Dec The passing of Juliet Thompson (b. Washington, DC 1873 - d. December 9th, 1956 New York). [BW13:862-864]
  • For her memorial service at the House of Worship see Bahá'í News p475, 493.
  • After learning of the Bahá'í Faith in Washington DC near 1898 she traveled to Paris at the invitation of Laura Dreyfus-Barney's mother. Later in 1901 in Paris she met Thomas Breakwell, who gave her Arthur de Gobineau's description in French of the Execution of the Báb which confirmed her faith. In Paris she took classes on the religion from Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl. [Wiki]
  • She published her book I, Mary Magdalene in 1940. It is available at bahai-library.com/. The Diary of Juliet Thompson was published by Kalimat Press in 1983 from her 1947 typescript.
  • The restoration of Juliet's grave took place on December 5, 2010. After a 54 year delay, the new gravestone, commissioned by the NSA, was unveiled in the Beechwood Cemetery in New Rochelle, New York, engraved with this moving tribute from Shoghi Effendi:

    "Deplore loss of much-loved, greatly admired Juliet Thompson, outstanding, exemplary handmaid of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Over half-century record of manifold, meritorious services, embracing the concluding years of Heroic and opening decades of Formative Ages of Bahá'í Dispensation, won her enviable position in the glorious company of triumphant disciples of the beloved Master in the Abha Kingdom. Advise hold memorial gathering in Mashriqu'l-Adhkar to pay befitting tribute to the imperishable memory of one so wholly consecrated to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and fired with such consuming devotion to the Center of His Covenant."

    [December 6, 1956] (Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 170)

  • New Rochelle; New York Juliet Thompson; In Memoriam
    1957 (In the year) The publication of The Secret of Divine Civilization by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as translated by Marzieh Gail in Wilmette Il by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. It was earlier translated as The Mysterious Forces of Civilization by another translator, this was 'Abdu'l-Bahá's message to the government, clergy and people of Iran on the requirements of true civilization. It applies as well to the present as mankind's traditional political and social philosophies have shown themselves incapable of renewing human civilization. [BEL 3-107 p13]
  • See Bahá'í-library.com for documents related to the work by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Wilmette; IL; USa Abdu'l-Baha, Writings of; Marzieh Gail
    1957 Oct Shoghi Effendi called for the convocation of a series of Intercontinental Conferences to be held successively in Kampala, Uganda (Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Central and East Africa); Sydney, Australia (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia); Chicago, United States (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States of America,; Frankfurt, Germany (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and: Austria); and Djakarta, Indonesia (Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of South-East Asia). [BW13:311–12; MBW125]

    The five-fold purpose of the International Conferences was:

    1. offering humble thanksgiving to the Divine Author of our Faith, Who has graciously enabled His followers, during a period of deepening anxiety and amidst the confusion and uncertainties of a critical phase in the fortunes of mankind,
    2. to prosecute uninterruptedly the Ten-Year Plan formulated for the execution of the Grand Design conceived by 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
    3. of reviewing and celebrating the series of signal victories won so rapidly in the course of each of the campaigns of this world-encircling Crusade,
    4. of deliberating on ways and means that will insure its triumphant consummation,
    5. and of lending simultaneously a powerful impetus, the world over, to the vital process of individual conversion -the preeminent purpose underlying the Plan in all its ramifications - and to the construction and completion of the three Mother Temples to be built in the European, the African, and Australian continents. [CBN No 94 Nov 1957 p1] [key]
    BWC; Kampala; Uganda; Sydney; Australia; Chicago; United States; Frankfurt; Germany; Djakarta; Indonesia Conferences, Bahai; Conferences, Teaching; Conferences, Intercontinental; Ten Year Crusade
    1957 25 Dec The Hands of the Cause announced the destruction of the long, two-storey house previously occupied by Covenant-breakers which was located near the garden wall of the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh and of which Shoghi Effendi had acquired legal possession shortly before his passing. [MC11, 51]
  • The rubble was used to complete the terraces begun by Shoghi Effendi north of the mansion and forcompleting the northern gardens planned by him. iiiii
  • Bahji; BWC; Haifa Bahji; Covenant-breakers
    1957 26 Dec The passing of Mirzā Asad-Allāh, known as Fāżel Māzandarāni (b. Bábol, Persia 1881).
  • He became a Bahá'í in Tehran in 1909. He travelled to Egypt in 1919-1911 where he met with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and was send to India and Burma to promote the Faith.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent him to North America for the period 1920-1921. He arrived in North America with Manúchihr Khán in time to speak at the National Convention. His purpose was to assist and stimulate the Bahá'í communities. He departed for the Holy Land on the 9th of July, 1921. [AB443; SBR88]
  • Mírzá Asadu'lláh Fádil-i-Mázandarání visited North America again in 1923-1925 at the request of Shoghi Effendi. [Fádl Mázandarání, Mírzá Asadu'lláh by Moojan Momen]
  • See Jináb-i-Fádil Mazandarání in the United States by Fadl Mazandarani (published as Jinab-i-Fadil Mazandarani) compiled by Omeed Rameshni for transcripts of his talks.
  • In about 1924 Shoghi Effendi wrote to the Central Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia, asking them to gather materials towards the compilation of a general history of the Bahá'í faith. Initially this work was handed to a committee and Fāżel served as the liaison between this committee and the Assembly, of which he was himself a member at the time. However, after the committee failed to make significant progress, Fāżel took on the responsibility to compile this work himself. His work, Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq (variously also called Tāriḵ-e Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq and Ketāb-e Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq) is said to be the most comprehensive history of the first century of the Bahá'í faith yet written. It records the full biographies of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and ʿAbdu'l-Baháʾ, the Faith’s leading disciples and learned members, poets, martyrs, and other prominent personalities. It covers the history of the persecutions of the Bahá'ís; discusses the internal crises of the faith and, more significantly, contains excerpts from the holy writings and includes documentation and a considerable number of pictures. It was compiled in nine volumes: volumes 1-3 completed in May of 1932, the fourth in February, 1936, and the final volume in 1943. For various reasons it has not been translated into English. [Ẓohur-al-Ḥaqq]
  • Other works of Fāżel include his dictionary of commonly used proper terms and titles in Bahá'í literature, Asrār al-āṯār, which was published in five volumes (1967-72) of more than 1,600 pages.
  • Fāżel’s other major work, Amr wa ḵalq, contains hundreds of selections from the Bahá'í holy writings grouped under topics related to philosophical, theological, religious, and administrative matters. The work was published in Iran (1954-74) in four volumes.
  • The Collected Works of Asadu'llah Fadil Mazandarani.
  • Wikipedia page.
  • Babol; Iran; Tihran; India; Myanmar (Burma); United States Mirza Asadullah Fadil-i-Mazandarani; Amr va Khalq; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahai studies; Bahai history; Zuhur al-Haqq (Zuhurul-Haqq); Translation
    1958 21–28 Nov The Second Conclave of the Hands of the Cause convened at Bahjí. [BW13:347–8; MoC55-125]
  • It was attended by 25 of the 27 Hands of the Cause. [BW13:347; MoC118]
  • The Hands of the Cause called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at the time of the Most Great Jubilee in 1963. [BBRSM129; BW13:351; MoC122]
  • Picture of the Hands gathered in the house of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Akka Hands of the Cause, Conclaves; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Most Great Jubilee; Centenaries
    1960 12 Jul Horace Hotchkiss Holley, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b. 7 April, 1887 in Torrington, CT) [MC226-227, BW13:849-858]
  • See FMH58-59 for the story of how he came to believe in the Faith.
  • He had served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States from 1923 until 1959 and as the secretary from 1924 to 1930 and 1932 until 1959. After the passing of the Guardian he served in the Holy Land. [UN110; BN No 347 January 1960 p1]
  • Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
  • For his obituary see BW13:849–858.
  • For cable from the Hands of the Cause see MC217–18.
  • See also SBR214-247, LoF253-264 and Holley, Horace Hotchkiss by R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram.
      Some of his is publications: See BEL7.1197 to 7.1233]
    • The Bahá'í Religion: Papers Read at the Conference on Some Living Religions Within the British Empire Papers presented by Horace Holley and Ruhi Afnan. 1925 [BEL7.386]
    • Bahaism: The Modern Social Religion, (1913) [BEL7.1203]
    • Religion for Mankind, (1956) [BEL7.1222]
    • World Unity,
    • Bahá'í, The Spirit of the Age, (1921) [BEL7.1201]
    • Bahá'í Scriptures; Selections from the Utterances of Bahaʼuʼllah and Abdul Baha, (1923 and 1928) The first general book-length compilation of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Many passages were early and nonauthoritative translations. The book was superseded by Bahá'í World Faith [BEL4.71]
    • Read-aloud Plays,
    • Divinations and Creation,
    • The World Economy of Baháʼuʼlláh
    • The Inner Garden; A Book of Verse
    • The Reality of Man (1931) [BEL3.103]
    • He was a man of enormous capacity. When asked about it he referred to a "zone of energy" in which he sometimes operated when more than normal strength was available to him. [FMH58]
    • See the biography Infinite Horizons - The Life and Times of Horace Holley by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson published by George Ronald 2022.
  • Haifa; Torrington; Connecticut; United States Horace Holley; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Bahai Scriptures (book); Drama; Plays; Arts
    1960 20 Aug The presentation of the doctoral dissertation of Allan Luctus Ward entitled An Historical Study of the North American Speaking Tour of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and a Rhetorical Analysis of His Addresses Ann Arbor; Michigan An Historical Study of the North American Speaking Tour of Abdul-Baha and a Rhetorical Analysis of His Addresses; Allan Ward; Allan Luctus Ward
    1962 1 Jan Amelia Collins passed away in Haifa. (b. 7 June, 1873) [BW13:399, 840; MC12]
  • For her obituary see BW13:834–41.
  • Shoghi Effendi appointed her (publicly) among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
  • For the cable of the Hands of the Cause see MC333.
  • See also Milly by A Q Faizi and PSBW73–106.
  • For a timeline of her life see Shareable Bahá'í Resources.
  • While serving in Haifa she was given 'Abdu'l-Bahá's room. She was the last person to occupy it. [TG231]
  • See Collins, Amelia: The Fulfilled Hope of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Richard Francis for further details of her life.
  • See Remembering ‘Milly’ – A Tribute to Amelia Collins by Yas Taherzadeh.
  • See Milly: A Tribute to The Hand of the Cause of God Amelia E. Collins by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi.
  • Haifa Amelia Collins; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; In Memoriam; Milly Collins; Abul-Qasim Faizi
    1962 20 Jul The passing of Harlan Foster Ober (b. October 6, 1881 in Beverly, Massachusetts) in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
  • He had graduated from Harvard University in 1905 with a B.A. and later obtained a law degree from Northeastern University in Boston.
  • Harlan Ober became a Bahá'í at Green Acre in 1905. Another source said it was in the spring of 1906 in a room in the Commonwealth Hotel in Boston that he overcame his doubts while using a prayer and other literature given to him by Lua Getsinger. [LDNW23; 100-101; SBR120-121]
  • Hooper Harris and Lua Getsinger's brother, Dr. William Moore, were selected to make a teaching trip to India. When Moore died suddenly Harlan Ober was chosen to replace him. As he had no funds for the trip Lua borrowed the money from Mr Hervey Lunt, the father of Alfred Lunt. [LGHC105]
  • In 1906 he made a visit to 'Abdu'l-Bahá while He was still confined to prison.
  • On the 17th of July, 1912 he married Grace Roberts (aunt of future Hand of the Cause John Robarts) in a ceremony conducted by the Reverend Howard Colby Ives at 209 West 78th Street in New York. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited America in 1912 He had suggested that Grace Robarts and Harlan marry, and they both agreed with the match, with Harlan travelling to New York from Boston and proposing in Central Park after being informed of the suggestion by Lua Getsinger. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá performed the marriage ceremony in the room he was staying in in New York on July 17, 1912, and Howard Colby Ives later performed a legal ceremony. [SoW Vol 3 No 12 p14; Bahaipedia; The Jouney West, July 2012; Mother’s Stories: Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Early Believers told by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall to her son, p. 20]
  • They adopted three children of English, German and Russian background.
  • It was from their home in Cambridge, MA, from the office of the National Teaching Committee, that the first Teaching Bulletin was issued on November 19, 1919. This bulletin evolved to the US Baha'i News.
  • He was closely involved with Race Unity work and made many teaching trips to the southern states with his friend Louis Gregory.
  • He served on the Bahá'í Temple Unity Executive Board as president or secretary from 1918 to 1920. The work of this board was taken over by the National Spiritual Assembly when it was elected in 1922.
  • In 1938 Harlan was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada and he served on it until 1941.
  • Grace passed away in 1938, leaving Harlan widowed.
  • He married his second wife, Dr Elizabeth Kidder Ober in Beverly, MA on the 21st of June, 1941. Shoghi Effendi was pleased with the way the marriage was conducted, without having any church ceremony or minister conduct the service. [BW13p869, 871]
  • After their pilgrimage in 1956 Harlan and Elizabeth Ober travelled to South Africa where they helped form the first all-African Local Spiritual Assembly in Pretoria as had previously been request of them by the Guardian. They returned in December as pioneers. [BW13869]
  • He was appointed to the Auxiliary Board for Protection in Africa in October of 1957 and served on the National Teaching Committee of South and West Africa for two years.
  • He was buried in the Zandfontein Cemetery in Pretoria. [BW13p870; Find a grave] [Bahaipedia; BW13p869]
  • Beverly MA; United States; Pretoria; South Africa Harlan Ober; Grace Robarts Ober; In Memoriam; US Bahai News; Race Unity; Elizabeth Kidder Ober; Elizabeth Ober; Auxiliary Board Members first US Baha'i News;
    1963 31 Jul The passing of Dr Genevieve Coy (b.1886) in Harare, Zimbabwe. [Bahá'í Chronicles, Baha’i Heroes & Heroines, grave]
  • See as well In His Presence: Visits to 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Roy Wilhelm, Stanwood Cobb, and Genevieve L. Coy published by Kalimat Press in 1989.
  • Harare; Zimbabwe Genevieve Coy; In Memoriam
    1965 22 Jul Leroy Ioas, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b.15 February 1896 in Wilmington, IL). He was known as "the Guardian's Hercules" and was praised by Shoghi Effendi for his "tireless vigilance, self-sacrifice, and devotion to the Cause in all its multiple fields of activity, in 'prodigious labours' and his 'stupendous efforts'. [BW14:291-300, VV7]
  • For his obituary see BW14:291–300.
  • Both of his German-born parents had become Bahá'ís, instructed by Paul Dealy who taught Kheiralla's classes when the demand for such classes became overwhelming in Chicago in 1998. [The Bahá'í Faith: Beginning in North America by Robert Stockman, World Order Vol 18 Issue 4 p24]
  • Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
  • For cable of the Universal House of Justice see WG157.
  • For a short biography see LoF265-275.
  • See Leroy Ioas: Hand of the Cause of God by Anita Ioas Chapman, published by George Ronald, 1998
  • Bahaipedia.
  • Shoghi Effendi named the inner front door of the Shrine of the Báb "Báb-i-Ioas".
  • See The Cause of Universal Peace: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson for information on his part in the organization of a Race Amity Conference in San Francisco with Ella Goodall Coop and Kathryn Frankland Rabbi Rudolph Coffee, the head of the largest synagogue in the Bay Area..
  • Haifa; Wilmington, IL; United States Leroy Ioas; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Anita Ioas Chapman
    1970 20 Feb The passing of Curtis Demude Kelsey (b. 6 March, 1894 in Salt Lake City, UT) in Bradenton, FL.
  • He became a Bahá'í in 1917 through the influence of his mother, a talented poetess and writer who learned of the Faith in 1909.
  • Roy Wilhelm had sent three generators to the Holy Land and had asked permission from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have Curtis come and install them. His request was granted and Curtis spent from September, 1921 until April, 1922 in the Holy Land. The units were installed at the Shrine of the Báb, (See SETPE1p38) at Bahjí (See SETPE1p55) and at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at #7 Haparsin Street and the work was completed at all three locations on the last day of Ridván, 1922.
  • On the 6th of August, 1928 he married Harriet Morgan Kelsey (d. 18 March, 1971), a gifted musician and a teacher. They raised four children.
  • In 1953 while on pilgrimage Shoghi Effendi asked him to extend his stay to install a pump and watering system for the grounds at Bahjí.
  • He served on the Spiritual Assembly of West Englewood (now Teaneck) for some 30 years.
  • Curtis spent some time serving as an Auxiliary Board Member and gave talks at summer schools.
  • He passed away while serving at his place of retirement in Bradenton Florida. [BW15p468-473] [key]
  • Bradenton; FL; United States Curtis Kelsey; Harriet Kelsey; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Auxiliary Board Members
    1974 18 Aug Laura Clifford Dreyfus-Barney, (b. 30 Nov 1879, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA) passed away in Paris. [BW16:296]
  • For her obituary see BW16:535–8.
  • She was buried at Cimetiere de Passy, Paris, City of Paris, Île-de-France, France.
  • She is best known for having compiled the Bahá'í text Some Answered Questions from her interviews with `Abdu'l-Bahá during her visit to Akka between 1904 and 1906. [Wikipedia]
  • See Laura Barney’s Discipleship to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tracing a Theological Flow from the Middle East to the United States, 1900–1916 by Layli Maria Miron in The Journal of Bahá’í Studies 28.1-2 2018.
  • She was the only Western woman to have been designated as "Amatu'l-Bahá" (Handmaid of Bahá) by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler by Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani published in Lights of Irfan, 18, pages 445; M9YA314]
  • At the end of the war she placed her faith in the League of Nations and represented the International Council of Women in that body, playing an important role in cultural exchange. She was the only woman named by the League Council to sit on the Sub-Committee of experts on Education, a post which she held for many years, beginning in 1926. On 23 July 1925 she was appointed Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. In that same year she formed under the aegis of the League of Nations the ‘Liaison Committee of Major International Organizations to promote through Education better Understanding between Peoples and Classes’ and became a permanent member of the committee as well as its liaison officer. In 1934 she became a member of the Advisory Committee of the League of Nations on Teaching; she was also a member of the French Committee on Intellectual Co-operation. [BW15p537]
  • See A Glimpse into the Life of Laura Dreyfus-Barney by Mona Khademi for a brief biography of Laura Barney and her family.
  • My Interview with Laura Dreyfus-Barney by Jack McLean (1967)
  • See The Life of Laura Barney by Mona Khademi published by George Ronald in 2022.
    • See page 67-71 for an account of her recording of the "table talks" of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
    • See page399 for her listing in Who's Who in America.
  • Paris; France Laura Clifford Barney; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Amatul-Baha (title); Some Answered Questions
    1976 7 May Saichiro Fujita, (b. 1886) the second Japanese to become a Bahá’í, passed away in Haifa. [BW17:406; Bahá'í Canada No 294 June 1996 p6]
  • For his obituary see BW17:406–8.
  • 1903 came to California for education.
  • 1905 became a Bahá'í (Mrs. Kathryn Frankland)
  • 1912 joined 'Abdu'l-Bahá's party in Chicago as they were near departure for California.
  • 1919 came to the Holy Land after studying electricity and horticulture.
  • 1928 Shoghi Effendi sent him back to Japan with the war impending.
  • 1955 returned to the Holy Land.
  • Was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Haifa.
  • References: Traces That Remain and Japan Will Turn Ablaze
  • Haifa Saichiro Fujita; In Memoriam; Births and Deaths
    1977 5 Jul The passing of Mírzá Ahmad Khán Yazdání Kasrawí (b. April 24, 1891) in Tehran. Born into a Muslim family he learned of the Faith from a peddler and then studied under Hand of the Cause Ibni-Abhár and from the renowned teacher, Aflavén-i’s-Safé and became an avowed believer at the age of twenty-two.
  • In 1919 he was commissioned by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to accompany Hand of the Cause Ibn-i-Abhár to The Hague to take a Tablet addressed to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace along with its English translation.
  • In addition to this service for 'Abdu'l-Bahá he served on the Spiritual Assembly of the Tehran and travelled at the request of Shoghi Effendi to India and Pakistan to teach and to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai to cheer the hearts of the pioneers that had settled in those countries. He also travelled to Iráq and Hijaz as well as Turkey and Afghanistan.
  • He served as editor of the Bahá'í News of Iran for 12 years and contributed articles regularly. He was the founder and a contributor to the Bahá'í Women's Journal and contributed to the Bahá'í Youth Magazine as well as the Year Book of the Iranian Bahá'í youth. [Bahaipedia; BW17p4380439] [key]
  • Tihran; Iran Ahmad Yazdani; In Memoriam; Central Organization for a Durable Peace
    1977 16 Aug The passing of Annamarie Honnold (b. 23 December 1914 in Urbana, Illinois) in Kennet Square, PA, USA. She was an American Bahá'í author, teacher and United Nations representative. Her mother became a Bahá'í a year after her birth and in 1921 the parents and their two daughters, Annamarie and Margaret Rosa, went on pilgrimage and met 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

    Her publications were:

  • 1982 - Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
  • 1986 - Divine Therapy: Pearls of Wisdom from the Bahá'í Writings
  • 1994 - Why They Became Bahá'ís: First Generation Bahá'ís By 1963
  • In 1972 she published Glimpses of Early Bahá'í Pilgrimages, a discussion of early pilgrimages based on the resulting pilgrim's notes. Includes text from a variety of memoirs.
  • Urbana, IL; Kennett Square; Pennsylvania; United States In Memoriam; Annamarie Honnold
    1981 21 Nov The passing of ‘Abdu’l-Missagh Missaghiyeh (b.1880 in Káshán) in Tehran. [BW18p779-781]

    He made a pilgrimage in 1912 and a second one in 1919. Upon his departure he was given a gold coin by 'Abdu'l-Bahá which he interpreted as a sign that he would have great wealth. In addition to the services he rendered as a member of Bahá’í institutions and through the teaching trips he made throughout lran offering encouragement to the friends, he made generous gifts of funds which made possible the acquisition of lands and buildings for the Faith in Asia, Europe and Africa. These gifts were made without ostentation, often without even his family being informed and in many cases in response to Shoghi Effendi's wishes. Although it is impossible to compile a complete record, his munificence can be glimpsed by mentioning that in Africa alone he had up to 1958 purchased no less than forty-four Temple sites, Teaching Institutes, Bahá’í Centres and other sites.

    Another notable contribution was the Missaghiyeh Hospital and Maternity Clinic in Tehran.

    Kashan,Iran; Tehran,Iran In Memoriam; Abdul-Missagh Missaghiyeh
    1982 12 Apr The Universal House of Justice announced the successful achievement of the objective to issue “a compilation of letters to” the Greatest Holy Leaf “and statements about her by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the beloved Guardian, and her own letters” to mark the 50th anniversary of her passing. [BW18p41]
  • Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf: A Compilation from Bahá’í Sacred Texts and Writings of the Guardian of the Faith and Bahíyyih Khánum’s Own Letters
  • BWC Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf)
    1982 29 Dec The passing of Stanwood Cobb, (b. November 6 Newton, Massachusetts, 1881 – d. December 29, 1982) noted Bahá'í lecturer, educator and author at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 101 after 75 years of service to the Cause.
  • His first exposure to the Faith was in 1906 at Green Acre where he attended a conference during his studies at Harvard Divinity School where he was preparing for the Unitarian ministry. [Wikipedia]
  • While serving as a college instructor in Constantinople, disguised as a Turk, he made a visit to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akka while He was still a prisoner. He met Him again in 1910 and while He was in Paris and the United States during His Western travels.
  • He was the author of some 30 books and numerous articles. Some of his publications can be found on Bahá'í Library.
  • He served as an editor of Star of the West until 1939 and was a co-editor of World Order.
  • He founded Avalon Press in 1935 through which he published his works. [Wikipedia]
  • One of his essays entitled The Continuity of Religion was first published in The Bahá’í World Volume VI, 1934-1936.
  • Bahá'í Chronicles.
  • Chevy Chase; United States Stanwood Cobb; In Memoriam; Births and deaths
    1983 (In the year) The Diary of Juliet Thompson with a foreword by Marzieh Gail was published by Kalimat Press. The diary was of one of the earliest Bahá'ís of New York, covering her many hours with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1909, 1911, and 1912. It was a vivid personal account of spiritual love and the tests of her faith. [BEL7.2553] [key] Los Angeles; United States Diary of Juliet Thompson; Juliet Thompson; Marzieh Gail
    1985 18 Oct The “re-interment of the remains of Mirza Muhammad-Quli, the faithful half-brother and companion in exile of Baha'u'llah and of eleven members of his family, in a new Bahá'í cemetery on a hillside looking across Lake Kinnerer and the hills of Galilee towards the Qiblih of the Faith”. [BW19:56]

    He was Bahá'u'lláh's youngest half-brother and was raised by Him because their father, Mírzá Buzurg died two years after his birth. He was greatly devoted to Bahá'u'lláh. He and his family settled on lands in the Jordan valley on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. These lands were later exchanged for land that now comprises a part part of the site at Bahji. He had died in 1887. [SoG112; SE124; MGW45; RoB1p16; DoH31, 207, 228]

    He had been buried on land that had been in the possession of Mirza Muhammad-Quli's family on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, at a place called Nuqayb. He and his family lived there and farmed the land for many years and on his passing, at the instruction of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, his remains were buried there, as were subsequently those of members of his family.

    In 1937 Kibbutz Ein Gev was established just to the north of the farm, and the two groups of settlers lived as amicable neighbors until the war of 1948 forced the family to leave the land which, lying on the troubled frontier of the new State of Israel, was expropriated by the Government. The grandchildren of Mirza Muhammad-Quli gave their rights in the land to the Faith which was received in exchange the much needed land in Bahji. Thus the little cemetery passed out of Bahá'í hands.

    In 1972 the Bahá'ís made plans to embellish the site and maintaining it as a place of historic significance for the Faith. However, plans had already been made for the extension of the plantings of the kibbutz and the eventual development of the land in a way that would not permit the permanent reestablishment of the cemetery in that place. Another plot of land in the immediate neighborhood, but slightly farther from the shore of the Lake on the slope of Tel Susita, was officially designated a Bahá'í cemetery and given over to the Bahá'í Community. The work of fencing it and planting suitable shrubs and trees was then put in hand and preparations were made to reinter the precious remains of this family.

    The ceremony was attended by Hands of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum and 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, members of the Universal House of Justice and of the International Teaching Center, and a large gathering of World Center friends as well as representatives of the Israeli authorities and of Kibbutz Ein Gev. Mrs. Husniyyih Bahá'í, the granddaughter of Mirza Muhammad-Quli, who was pioneering in St. Lucia in the West Indies, accompanied by members of her family, had been especially invited to attend the ceremony in honour of her illustrious forebear. [Mess63-86p698-99] [key]

    Nuqayb; Israel Mirza Muhammad-Quli
    1988 9 Dec The passing of Edna M. True, (b. July 29, 1888, in Grand Rapids, Michigan) She was a daughter of the Hand of the Cause of God Corinne Knight True whose valiant work from 1909-25 as financial secretary of Bahá'í Temple Unity was instrumental in building the House of Worship in Wilmette.
  • She formally enrolled in the Faith as a 15-year-old in 1903.
  • See PG111-113. Edna and her mother had spent 11 days on pilgrimage in November of 1919. On the point of her departure 'Abdu'l-Bahá called her to His side.
  • Like her mother, Miss True became intimately involved in the completion of that magnificent edifice, serving on its construction committee from 1947-53, lending her expertise to interior design, and helping to plan its formal dedication in 1953.
  • From 1940-46 she was a member of the Bahá'í Inter-America Committee, serving as its chairman in 1941-42 and secretary in 1945-46.
  • In 1946 when she was elected to membership on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States. She served as recording secretary for the next 22 years.
  • She served as chairman of the European Teaching Committee for the entire span of its existence (1946-64), her organizational skills to work to help form local Spiritual Assemblies and, later, National Spiritual Assemblies in 11 European countries.
  • In 1968, now 80 years old, Miss True was named by the Universal House of Justice as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas. She served with distinction as a Counsellor and Trustee of the Continental Fund until 1981 when advancing years (she was then 93) forced her to reduce her activities.
  • In 1986, Miss True and and her longtime friend and companion Miss Jackson made a pilgrimage to the World Centre in Haifa, Israel, where they visited the Holy Shrines and were entertained by members of the Universal House of Justice.
  • She was buried in the True family plot at Chicago's Oak-woods Cemetery. [Bahá'í News January, 1989 Issue 694 p.2] [key]
  • Grand Rapids; Wilmette; United States Edna True; Corinne True; Counsellors; National Spiritual Assemblies; European Teaching Committee; In Memoriam
    1992 23 – 26 Nov The Second World Congress was held in New York City to commemorate the centenary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and the completion of the Six Year Plan. It was attended by some 28,000 Bahá'ís from some 180 countries. [BBD240; VV136-141; BW92-93p95-102, 136]
  • Nine auxiliary conferences were held in Buenos Aires, Sydney, New Delhi, Nairobi, Panama City, Bucharest, Moscow, Apia and Singapore. [BINS283:3-4]
  • For pictures see [BINS283:9-10], [BW92-3p100] and [VV136-141]
  • "New York will become a blessed spot from which the call to steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of God will go forth to every part of the world." - 'Abdu'l-Bahá [AWH77-8 90-1 105-6]
  • On the 25th of November a concert was held in Carnegie Hall as a birthday tribute to Dizzy Gillespie called "Celebrating the Bahá'í Vision of World Peace". [VV141]
  • On the 26th of November Bahá'ís around the world were linked together by a live satellite broadcast serving the second Bahá'í World Congress, the nine auxiliary conferences and the Bahá'í World Centre and it was received by those with access to satellite dish antennas. [BINS283:1–5, 8; BINS286:10; BINS287:4]
  • For the message of the Universal House of Justice read on the satellite link see BW92–3:37–4.
  • For accounts of personal experiences by some of the attendees see In the Eyes of His Beloved Servants: The Second Bahá'í World Congress and Holy Year by J. Michael Kafes.
  • The film, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Mission to America, made by Elizabeth Martin, was prepared for the World Congress program and also used in the Theme Pavilion. [HNWE45] [key]
  • New York; United States; Buenos Aires; Argentina; Sydney; Australia; New Delhi; India; Nairobi; Kenya; Panama; Bucharest; Romania; Moscow; Russia; Apia; Samoa; Singapore World Congresses; Carnegie Hall; Centenaries; Bahaullah, Ascension of; Dizzy Gillespie; - Basic timeline, Expanded; film; Abdul-Baha: Mission to America; Elizabeth Martin
    1993 Apr The Bahá'í community of Hungary celebrated the 80th anniversary of the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a conference. In a park near the National Museum in Budapest a plaque was erected to commemorate the talk that 'Abdu'l-Baha gave at that site on the 14th of April, 1913. Some 350 Bahá'ís from 30 countries attended.
  • A tree was planted by Rúhíyyih Kh´num. [www.bahai.hu, SCSC369, 372]
  • At this time there were more than 200 believers in Hungary.
  • Budapest; Hungary Memorials; Abdul-Baha, Travels of
    1993 (Fall) The estimated figures for the total number of individual tablets written by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi were as follows but it is known that many texts were lost, stolen, or destroyed, and many others are still held in private hands.
  • Bahá'u'lláh:
    • 7,160 tablets archived
    • 15,000 total estimated to have been written
    Shoghi Effendi translated about a thousand pages into English in his lifetime. Gleanings contains 166 extracts, Prayers and Meditations 184, but some tablets provided more than one extract, so the total number of tablets that the Guardian used was less than the sum of the extracts in the two books (350). Since this writing the Universal House of Justice has overseen production of The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book (1993), Summons of the Lord of Hosts (2002), Gems of Divine Mystery (2002), The Tabernacle of Unity (2006) and Days of Remembrance (2007), still a relatively small percentage of the total revelation — have been partially translated and published in English.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
    • 15,549 tablets archived
    • 30,800 total estimated to have been written
  • Shoghi Effendi:
    • 16,370 letters archived
    • 30,100 total estimated to have been written
    ["Bahá'í Archives: Preserving and Safeguarding the Sacred Texts," in 'Andalíb magazine, 12.48 (Fall 1993) found at: Numbers of Tablets revealed: notes by Robert Stockman and Juan Cole] [key]
  • Statistics; Bahaullah, Writings of; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; Shoghi Effendi, Works of
    1993 16 Oct The passing of Marzieh Nabíl Carpenter Gail, the second child and eldest daughter of the first Persian-American marriage in the Bahá'í Faith between Persian diplomat Ali-Kuli Khan and Boston debutante Florence Breed. (b. 1 April, 1908) [BW1993-1994p320-321, Find a grave]
  • See AY91 for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s praise of her as a child and confirmation and promises for the future. He commented that she had átish (fire) and namak (salt). [AY93]
  • Photo of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with the children of Ali-Kuli Khan and Florence.
  • A translator (Arabic and Persian into English) and author. Poet Roger White would say of his friend: "She is the first lady of Bahá'í literature and I and many writers are indebted to her for leading the way."
  • Translations include: The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys (1945) and The Secret of Divine Civilization (1957) with her father; Memorials of the Faithful (1971); Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (1976) with a Committee at the Bahá'í World Centre; My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh (1982).
  • Author of a dozen Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í books in addition to countless essays, articles, and short stories. Her remembrances of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are contained in The Sheltering Branch (1959), and those of His Exalted Sister in Khanum: The Greatest Holy Leaf (1981).
  • Many of her essays and pioneering stories are contained in Dawn Over Mount Hira (1976) and Other People, Other Places (1982). As well she wrote “Six Lessons in Islam” (1953), Summon Up Remembrance (1987), Arches of the Years (1991) and, “Bahá'í Glossary” (1955). [Bahá'í Studies Review, Vol 6, 1996]
  • See Obituary: Marzieh Nabil Carpenter Gail (1908-1993): Translator and Author, "Patron Saint" of Women Bahá'í Scholars by Constance M. Chen.
  • Bahaipedia.
  • For a more complete list of her writings and translations see Bahai-library. iiiii
  • San Francisco; United States Marzieh Gail; Ali Kuli Khan; Florence Breed; Bahai scholars; In Memoriam; Births and deaths
    1998 31 Jan The Spiritual Assembly of Budapest set up a marble plaque in the garden of the National Museum at the site where Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhiyyih Khánum planted a tree during her visit in 1993 to commemorate 'Abdu'l-Bahá's visit in 1913. The ceremony opened the National Spritual Assembly's campaign marking the eighty-fifth anniversary of the Bahá'í Faith in Hungary. [BW1997-98 p 103-104] [key] Budapest; Hungary Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; Trees; Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour
    2001 4 Jun The public opening of the terraces surrounding the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel. [BWNS134, BWNS221, BWNS123, BWNS122, BWNS121, BWNS120]

  • For statement from the Universal House of Justice see: BWNS119.
  • Other coverage: BWNS118, BWNS117, BWNS115, BWNS96, BWNS94, BWNS87, BWNS79.
  • Also see: The Bahá’í Gardens.
  • Marble for the terraces in the Bahá'í Gardens was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
  • See YouTube video Not Even a Lamp.
  • See YouTube video Sacred Stairway: Pathway to a Book - A Talk by Michael Day where he talks about his book Sacred Stairway - The Story of the Shrine of the Bab Volume III: 1963–2001. It was published by George Ronald.
  • Mount Carmel was extolled by the prophet Isaiah almost three thousand years ago when he announce that:
    ...it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow until it.
  • BWC; Haifa; Mount Carmel; Chiampo; Italy Terraces; Dedications; Bab, Shrine of; Marble; BWNS; - Bahai World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; World Centre; George Ronald; Sacred Stairway; Michael Day; Margraf
    2003 9 May The passing of David Hofman (b.1908 in Poona, India) in Oxford, England. [BW03-04p234-235]
  • He was one of the nine elected members of the Universal House of Justice when that institution came into being in 1963.
  • He presented the first statement from the supreme Baha'i administrative body in April 1963 to the World Congress in London. Twenty-nine years later, in 1992, he delivered the opening address to the second Baha'i World Congress in New York, an event attended by some 30,000 people.
  • He served as a member of the Universal House of Justice for 25 years, until he left in 1988 at the age of 80. [BWNS209, BW'03-‘04pg234, UK Bahá'í Journal]
  • His published works included:
    • Selections from Bahá'í Scriptures (1941)
    • The Renewal of Civilization (1945)
    • God and His Messengers (1953)
    • George Townshend, A Life (1983)
    • A Commentary on the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (1983)
    • Baha'u'llah, the Prince of Peace: A Portrait (1992)
  • United Kingdom David Hofman; Universal House of Justice, Members of; World Congresses; In Memoriam; BWNS
    2004 29 Jun The passing of Gloria Faizi (b. Gloria Alá'í on 12 March, 1921 in Tehran) in Brisbane, Australia. The Universal House of Justice said they remembered with appreciation "her many contributions to the progress of the Bahá'í communities, including her pioneering in Bahrain with her illustrious husband, her work at the Bahá'í World Centre, and her devoted travels far and wide as a teacher of the Cause."
  • Gloria Faizi was born into the Ala'i family, distinguished for its service to the Faith. She met the head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, when she accompanied her father to the Holy Land as a child. When she was 17, she married Abu'l-Qásim Faizi, and together they assisted Baha'i communities in a remote rural area of Iran before settling in Bahrain in the mid-1940s. Their two children, Naysan and May, were born during their 15 years there. [BWNW318, BW04-05p287]
  • Some of her publications were:
    • The Bahá'i Faith, An Introduction (1971) Lebanon
    • Fire on the Mountain Top (1973) London
    • Flowers of One Garden (1977) Poona, India
    • Stories about 'Abdu'l-Bahá
    • Bahá'u'lláh: The Promised One (2002)
    • Stories About Bahá'í Funds (1993)
  • Brisbane; Australia; Bahrain Gloria Faizi; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Abul-Qasim Faizi
    2005 1 Nov The celebration of the opening of the new Bahá'í Centre at 44 Albany Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. [BWNS347, BWNS395]
  • The weekend's events coincided with the 92nd anniversary of the visit in 1913 by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Edinburgh; Scotland; United Kingdom Bahai centres; BWNS
    2007 7 Apr A memorial removed by the Nazis when the Bahá'í Faith was outlawed in 1937 was restored by municipal authorities in the resort town of Bad Mergentheim in Germany. The stone commemorates the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on April 7-8, 1913. The new memorial was unveiled on 7 April, by Mayor Lothar Barth accompanied by Bahman Solouki, a representative of the Bahá'í community of Germany. Please see the news story for pictures of both the original and the replacement monuments. [BWNS524] [key] Bad Mergentheim; Germany Abdul-Baha, Pictures and portraits; Portraits; Monuments; Opposition; BWNS
    2012 15 Feb Queen Elizabeth II launched the Diamond Jubilee of her reign with a multifaith reception at Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Highlighting the ongoing centenary commemorations of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's travels to Egypt and the West, the Bahá'í community displayed a robe that He had worn. The exhibit also included a framed calligraphic rendering of words from 'Abdu'l-Bahá's first ever public speech, delivered on 10 September 1911 at London's City Temple: "The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion."

    The Bahá'í delegation was lead by Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi and also consisted of Patrick O'Mara – Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom, Nasrin O'Kane from Northern Ireland and Liam Stephens from the Isle of Skye. [BWNS889] [key]

    London; United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II; Shirin Fozdar-Foroudi; Patrick O'Mara; Nasrin O'Kane; Liam Stephens
    2013 31 Aug The release of Luminous Journey: 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America - 1912 produced by Anne and Tim Perry. The feature-length documentary film chroniclied ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s 1912 journey through the United States and Canada. It was some five years in the making. [Part 1; Part 2]
  • The motion picture sound track was made available 14 August 2013 and is available at Amazon.
  • See an interview with the artists at 239 Days.
  • See a review by J A McLean.
  • Luminous Journey; film
    2014 (In the year) The publication of the new, extensively retranslated edition, of Some Answered Questions. It is a collection of transcriptions of table talks given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká between 1904 and 1906 in response to questions posed by Laura Dreyfus-Barney. It was first published in 1908.

    In the Foreward to this edition the Universal House of Justice explained:

      The main objective of this retranslation has been to better represent the substance and the style of the original, in particular by capturing more clearly the subtleties of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá’s explanations, approximating more closely a style that is at once conversational and elevated, and by rendering more consistently the philosophical terms used throughout the text. While not bound by the original translation, this version nevertheless strives to retain many of its elegant expressions and felicitous turns of phrase. [SAQxvi]
    • For a Spanish translation, Contestación A Unas Preguntas of the 1994 edition
    • Some Answered Questions 1990 edition.
    • Some Answered Questions: Study Outline compiled by Brett Zamir.iiiii
    • See the message from the Universal House of Justice dated 21 February 2016 addressed to an individual in response to a question regarding evolution.
    BWC Some Answered Questions; Laura Clifford Barney; Publications; Translation; Evolution; Science
    2019 Ridván In its Ridván Message the Universal House of Justice announced the intention of constructing a Shrine for 'Abdu'l-Bahá near the Ridván Garden on the crescent traced between the Holy Shrines in 'Akká and Haifa. The day after His passing in Haifa on 28 November 1921, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s remains were placed in a vault within the sacred Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel, a temporary arrangement until such time that a separate shrine would be erected in His honor.
  • “...Ridvan messages: As early as 1923 Shoghi Effendi sent a letter of encouragement and greeting to the American national Bahá'í convention at Ridvan. Later it was his regular practice to write a Ridvan letter to the Bahá'ís of the world summarizing the progress of the Faith in the previous year and setting out general directions for the coming year. The Universal House of Justice has continued this practice. Other Bahá'í institutions, especially national spiritual assemblies, also sometimes issue Ridvan letters." [SA241] [key]
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of; Abdul-Baha, Ascension of
    2019 7 May In a letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies, the House of Justice announced the appointment of Hossein Amanat as the architect chosen for the design of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The distinguished Iranian-Canadian architect is best known for his designs of three of the buildings of the Arc on Mount Carmel in Haifa as well as the Azadi Tower in Tehran.
  • They also announced the inauguration of a Fund dedicated to the construction of the Shrine. [BWNS1325]
  • Photo Hossein Amanat.
  • Photo Ridván Gardens 1.
  • Photo Ridván Gardens 2.
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of; Hossein Amanat (Husayn Amanat)
    2019 11 Oct ‘Ali Nakhjavani, (b. 19 September, 1919 in Baku, Azerbaijan) former member of the Universal House of Justice (1963-2003), passed away in Molsheim, Alsace, France. He was 100 years old. The Universal House of Justice requested all National Assemblies that memorial services be held for him. [BWNS1361]
  • After his father's death when he was two years old, his family was advised by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to move to Haifa where he grew up. In 1939 he received the Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from the American University of Beirut, and then in the early 1940s he relocated to Iran, residing first in Tehran, then Tabriz and finally in Shiraz. In 1950 he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís Iran where he served until the following year.
  • In 1951 he and his family moved to Uganda to assist with the development of the Bahá'í community in that country. He made his living as a teacher and lecturer. During his early years there, Enoch Olinga became a Bahá'í, and in 1953 Mr Nakhjavání and his wife Violette, along with Mr Olinga and two other Bahá'ís, travelled from Uganda to Cameroon to help spread the Bahá'í Faith in that country.
  • From 1954-61 he was a member of the Auxiliary Board in Africa, and later from 1956 to 1961 he was served on the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa.
  • In 1961 he was elected to the International Bahá'í Council and so moved to Haifa. In 1963 he was elected to the Universal House of Justice during its inaugural convention, and served as a member of that body until 2003. [Find a grave]
  • For a video tribute to Mr Nakhjavani see YouTube.
  • Baku; Azerbaijan; Beirut; Lebanon; Molsheim; France Ali Nakhjavani; In Memoriam; American University of Beirut; Enoch Olinga; Violette Nakhjavani; International Bahai Council; Auxiliary Board Members
    2020 13 Jan A tree-planting ceremony coinciding with the start of the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was attended by the mayor of Akka, Shimon Lankri, and dignitaries representing the city’s religious communities as well as guests including leaders of the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze communities, officials of local government, and academics from educational institutions in the area. [BWNS1383]
  • Photos.
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2020 23 Sep Progress report on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
  • A tower crane was erected on the site to facilitate the work of laying the foundations for the edifice. Photo.
  • The support piles that had been driven deep at the center of the site were capped with a layer of concrete to provide stability for the structure to be erected above. Photo.
  • The foundations that will support the north and south entrances leading toward the central structure and the walls that will enclose an inner garden area were taking shape. Photo.
  • The detailed designs needed for future work are taking their final shape while preparations for further stages of construction have begun. Initial tests are underway on innovative techniques needed to build the intricate marble-clad trellis and skylights that will stretch out from the central structure to the surrounding gardens. [BWNS1419]
  • An aerial photo of the site.
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2020 6 Dec The presentation of a webinar at the Wilmette Institute by Jan Teofil Jason entitled 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the "Other". In his presentation he discussed the newspaper coverage given 'Abdu'l-Bahá during his Western Tour, the influence of xenophobia on that coverage, and the challenges facing scholars in recovering those publications.
  • A PDF of his speaking notes was been made available.
  • Wilmette; IL Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Talks at public places; Abdul-Baha, Talks to ethnic groups; Xenophobia; Newspapers; Race (general)
    2021 15 Feb In an update on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá it was reported that the first steps had been taken to raise the walls of the central plaza. [BWNS1489]
  • YouTube.
  • Akka Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2021 21 Feb In a message to all National Assemblies the Universal House of Justice advised that about half of the $75m for the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been secured and they estimated that it would take an additional two years to finish the project. [Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada 26 February 2021] [key] BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2021 30 Apr A volume of newly translated tablets (76) penned by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá entitled Light of the World; Selected Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was released online and in print.
  • It was made available in a variety of formats online, PDF, DOCX, and HTML.
  • BWC Light of the World (book); Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    2021 13 May The Bahá'í World Centre published an update on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá advising that the first two columns of the main edifice had been raised. Eight columns of these 11-metre columns will eventually be built forming part of the walls of the main edifice and supporting the trellis that will span the central plaza.

    They reported as well that the first three of the ten segments of the folding walls that will surround the central plaza had been built. Each of these segments must be constructed one by one. [BWNS1509]

  • YouTube.
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2021 6 Jul The Bahá'í World Centre released an update on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Baha:
  • The eight pillars of the central edifice have been completed and scaffolding was being set up in the space between the pillars and the completed folding walls for work on the trellis that will span the central plaza.
  • The folding walls on the west side of the central plaza were also complete and were being joined with one of the portal walls of the south plaza.
  • Preparations were beginning for the work of building an intricate trellis across the central plaza.
  • A semi-circle of folding walls enclosed one side of the central plaza at this time. The second set of folding walls was being built, mirroring the first on the opposite side of the plaza. The completed set of folding walls were being joined with one of the portal walls of the south plaza.
  • The foundations have been constructed for the path encircling the Shrine. The space between the path and the walls will eventually be filled with a sloping garden berm.
  • Progress has been made on garden planters in the north plaza area. The encircling path will intersect the garden planters. [BWNS1517]
  • See an aerial view of the design.
  • YouTube.
  • Bahai World Centre Abdul-Baha, Shrine of; BWNS
    2021 10 Sep The World Centre provided an update on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It was announced that the plaza walls had been completed and the complex process of building the intricate trellis that will span the central plaza had begun. [BWNS1531]
  • YouTube
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, shrine of
    2021 29 Oct In preparation for the commemoration of His passing, the Bahá'í communities around the world released a number of publications honouring 'Abdu'l-Bahá, recounting stories of His life and the principles He espoused. These included new translations of His Will and Testament, illuminated prayer books, stories of His life, and storybooks for children. New translations of His Writings have been made for the first time in a number of languages. [BWNS1544] [key] Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of
    2021 Nov A six-part documentary series about the life of 'Abdu’l-Bahá was produced by Fred Badiyan and Ramin Khadem in honour of the centenary of the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Each of the six parts covers His life in chronological order, from His childhood and imprisonment, to His travels and ascension. The film was made by Badiyan Productions. https://www.badiyan.com/

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 1: Beginnings

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 2: Master of the Prison City

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 3: Tumultuous Years

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 4: Travels in the West

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 5: The End of the Journey

    * Abdu’l-Baha: The Mystery – Part 6: Touching Hearts: Stories of Transformation

    Abdul-Baha: The Mystery; Fred Badiyan; Ramin Khadem; Badiyan Productions; Documentaries; Films
    2021 20 - 27 Nov In its Ridván 2018 and a year previous, in its message of 25 November 2020 (and 15 September 2021), the Universal House of Justice announced that there would be a gathering in the Holy Land by representatives of National Spiritual Assemblies and Regional Bahá’í Councils throughout the world to commemorate the Centenary of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. What transpired was a week of activities.

    Several events that were intended for the public were held in Haifa and ‘Akká to mark the centenary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

      -In Haifa, the mayor of the city, Einat Kalisch-Rotem, and other municipal officials, members of diverse faith communities, and other residents of the city honoured the centenary at a historic building near ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s residence on Haparsim Street in a spirit of fellowship and unity reminiscent of the gatherings He Himself would hold with people of all backgrounds.

      -In ‘Akká, a public reception at the House of ‘Abdu’lláh Páshá, where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá lived and received countless guests from 1896 to 1910, allowed people from around the country to learn about His life and His service to the inhabitants of ‘Akká through an exhibition and a guided visit of the site.

      -In Bahjí, where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had rented a residence for Bahá’u’lláh and His family in 1879, a special program brought together the mayor of ‘Akká, Shimon Lankri, and other government officials, various community and religious leaders—Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze—academics, and civil society representatives to hear stories from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, where many of those gathered also shared their perspectives on His impact on the people of the region. [BWNS1552; BWNS1555]

    Some 600 presentatives of Bahá’í communities from nations and regions around the world began to arrive in Haifa for the historic gathering at the Bahá’í World Centre. In the days following they visited the Holy Places in the Akka/Haifa area. [BWNS1553; BWNS1555]

    On the 25th of November the friends gathered in the concourse of the Universal House of Justice building. A Message from the Universal House of Justice was addressed to the gathering. The program included remarks by a member of the International Teaching Centre, Muna Tehrani with the keynote address given by ITC member Gloria Javid entitles 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of the Covenant. [BWNS1556]

    On the 26th of November Mrs Antonella Demonte, member of the International Teaching Centre, delivered a Keynote Address entitled The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Unfoldment of the Administrative Order.

    The Centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing was marked in the early hours of the 27th of November with the attendees assembled in the courtyard of the Haifa Pilgrim House. A tribute written by the Universal House of Justice for the occasion was read by one of its members. [BWNS1558]

    On the 28th of November representatives of Bahá’í communities throughout the world came together in the concourse of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice for a spiritually charged closing of the centenary gathering. The closing session included addresses delivered by members of the International Teaching Centre, Antonella Demonte, Dr Holly Woodard, and Rachel Ndegwa. Prayers were chanted and spoken in different languages, there was a musical interlude, and Bahá’í writings were sung by a choir. The film Exemplar was shown. [BWNS1559]

  • See the departing message of the Universal House of Justice.
  • See some of the commemorative gatherings that were held around the world.
  • See the documentary Commemorating the Centenary of the Ascension of ʻAbdu'l Bahá.
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Ascension of; Centenaries
    2021 27 Nov An example of a program to mark the Centenary of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is that done by the Bahá'í community of Northern Virginia. [YouTube] [key] Commemoration; Centenary of the Passing of Abdul-Baha
    2021 30 Dec As per the 30 December 2021 message o the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, 22 Local Spiritual Assemblies spread over eight countries were elected using a two-stage electoral process. This follows the same instructions that 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave to the Spiritual Assembly of Ṭihrán. It involved the division of a locality into units from each of which one or more delegates were elected, after which the delegates elected the members of the Local Assembly.

    They said that this process had been approved and adopted over the two previous years. [Paragraph 32]

    Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Local Spiritual Assembly, election; Local Spiritual Assembly; Statistics; Elections
    2022 8 Apr A fire broke out and clouds of black smoke billowed from the construction site of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá when wind-blown sparks from welding on the dome ignited scaffolding and plastic forms being used to mold poured concrete. Firefighters evacuate the nearby suburbs of Giv'at Hatmarim and Afraid. The completed concrete walls and structures were undamaged but the blaze destroyed “several months of work” on the 2,900-square-meter (0.7-acre) circular platform and piazza.
  • YouTube.
  • Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 14 April 2022. iiiii
  • BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2022 4 Jul In a message from the Department of the Secretariat addressed to all National Spiritual Assemblies provided an update on the progress of the construction of the Shrine if 'Abdu'l-Bahá in light of the recent fire. The investigation concluded that the fire was the result of an accident. Expenses will be covered by insurance. Testing will be done to ascertain which parts wither require repair or replacement.

    No date was set for the the conclusion of the project but it was recognized that the accident will cause a substantial delay. No increase in donations to the project will be required. [4 July 2022] [key]

    BWC Abdul-Baha, Shrine of
    2022 16 Aug An update on the progress of the construction on the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was published. It was announced that the cleaning of the fire damage had been completed and the construction had been resumed. [BWNS1611] [key] Abdul-Baha, Shrine of; BWNS
    2022 15 Dec The Bahá'í World Centre announced that work had begun on the 'Akká Visitors' Centre which will accommodate pilgrims and visitors to the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Ridván Garden. The complex will consist of three buildings: a pilgrim reception centre, which will be the largest of the buildings, a public visitors’ centre, which will be located near the northernmost gate to the site, and a utility building located along the east fence. When the project is completed, pilgrims and visitors will enter the grounds through the east gate, where they can visit the ‘Akká Visitor Centre before continuing along the path designed to facilitate stages on a meditative journey toward the Shrine. [BWNS1631] [key] BWC Abdu'l-Baha, Shrine of; Abdul-Baha, shrine of
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