The last morning of `Abdu'l-Bahá's time in NY on the first visit. . . . And journey to Washington DC!
Mahmud writes: "In the early morning after prayers, meditations, morning tea and receiving some of the believers, `Abdu'l-Bahá left the Hotel Ansonia for the railway station [Grand Central Station]. A large group of friends and well-wishers were there to bid Him farewell. One by one they came to Him and in their own ways expressed their respect, attraction and humility.
"When He arrived at the station, `Abdu'l-Bahá walked around the building, praising its beauty and construction. . . . The train began its journey and for the first few miles it traveled by the great river. As well as His usual companions, two American Bahá'ís traveled with the Master. One was Mr John Bosch from California, who had come to New York specifically to see Him. He had asked for a Persian name and was given the name Núrání [`the Luminous'] by the Master. The other American was Dr Edward Getsinger, who begged `Abdu'l-Bahá that he be allowed to be a part of His entourage. . . .
"After a journey of about five hours the train reached Washington DC. Before the journey the Master had sent a telegram to the friends in Washington requesting that a house be rented for Him. Mrs [Agnes] Parsons had invited the Master to stay at her home but He did not at first accept her invitation. However, after He was told by the friends that her home had been especially prepared for His visit, for which she had been anxiously waiting, He agreed to her request; for had her invitation not been accepted, she would have been heartbroken and deeply saddened. The Master and a translator went to Mrs Parsons's home and `Abdu'l-Bahá instructed the other members of His entourage to stay at the house rented for Him. Thus Mrs Parsons's house was the first home in America in which the Master resided; He stayed there for several days.
"That evening `Abdu'l-Bahá attended the annual meeting of the Orient-Occident Unity Conference at the public library. It was a vast gathering and the hall was filled to capacity. As the Master entered the hall, the audience was awe-struck. All stood and remained standing until He bade them be seated. It was amazing to witness how spontaneously these people paid Him their respect, even though most were not Bahá'ís. He spoke on the importance of the relationship between the East and the West, the unity of people and about the Revelation of the Greatest Name. His talk was so moving and inspiring that afterwards everyone wanted to meet Him but because He was too tired to greet everyone, He decided to return home."
I know that I have a hard time traveling and giving a talk on the same day! And He must have been engaged in visiting with people during the entire journey. The mention of the standing ovation that evening reminds me of the day of the dedication of the Terraces. My husband, who was there, said that the entire crowd spontaneously stood up as one (in silence) as the House of Justice members entered--and a sense of profound awe and respect were palpable. He commented on how those who were not Bahá'ís must have been astonished at the level of respect paid to the House of Justice, we can imagine was also true concerning `Abdu'l-Bahá.
John Bosch--the thought of him brings up so many things--Roger White's poem about him, the fact that `Abdu'l-Bahá on one occasion went to sleep on his shoulder in an automobile, saying, "strong shoulder, good shoulder," and then later John helped to carry His casket (in 1921) on that very shoulder.
One wonders how much clairvoyance the Master had--could He foresee in 1912 that John would serve as one of his pall bearers? Could He see into everyone's destiny?
Edward Getsinger must have been quite a person, too. He (and wife Lua) had been on the very first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and they had both cried upon meeting Him, and He put His hands on their bowed heads. In 1900 Edward wrote a moving poem about the Master--pledging his heart and life as an offering, signing it "unworthy servant." (p. 37, "Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant") It must have been extremely satisfying for the Getsingers and others who had been with the Master in Akka to meet Him again on their shores.
As far as the East-West connection, we can anticipate the role of Ali Kuli Khan in Washington D.C. as well as Louis Gregory and all of the aspects of race unity to unfold. . . .
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Excerpt from Marzieh Gail's Arches of the Years, chap. 15: "It was noon, April 20, 1912. Florence and Khan were at luncheon, and like the other Washington Bahá’ís were wondering when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would arrive in the capital. Suddenly there came a phone call from Mason Remey: 'Hurry! The Master is arriving at the station in half an hour!' They dropped forks and knives, collected Rahim and Marzieh, and ran out into the street, breathless, trying to catch a public victoria—their chance of reaching the station on time. With fervent prayers, and urging short cuts on the driver, they made it five minutes before the train pulled in. Florence rushed to the florist's in the station and bought two bouquets for the children to present, violets for Rahim and red roses for Marzieh. Mason Remey and Joseph Hannen were there, and one Persian friend. There had been no time to inform the others, except for Mrs Agnes Parsons. (The Master was to spend His first week at her beautiful home, newly built, and furnished to be ready for His visit. Then He would leave for Chicago to lay the Temple corner-stone.) Three autos drew up outside the station to receive the party, one bringing Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney.
Washington's palatial railroad station was new in 1912 and loomed above those who had come to meet the train. The passengers poured out through the gates, and suddenly, 'like a light from Heaven', there was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, striding along, dressed exactly as in the Holy Land, surrounded by His suite of Persian assistants. Various members of the railroad personnel stood staring. For a moment, to greet the welcomers, the Master paused, and traffic was blocked.
'Move on!' called a guard.
Florence was indignant and about to reprimand the guard but the Master, sensing the meaning of the English words, courteously started forward again. With Khan beside Him, and grasping Rahim Khan by the hand, He said, as usual wasting no time: 'What education are you giving Rahim Khan?'
'He is studying in English,' Khan replied.
'Good,' said the Master. 'And later you must give him a sound Persian education. He must have an even better education in Persian than your own.'
As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá paced along the walk beside the tracks and was about to enter the vaulted station, Marzieh looked above her at His left shoulder, way above, it seemed to her, and saw on that shoulder a silver, almost fully opened curl. She knew about curls—her own were first moistened and then firmly shaped around a curling stick, but the Master's was natural and falling open. This was the only visual memory of Him that she could bring to mind in after years. Most of the rest that she remembered was an atmosphere about Him, an electric feeling of something always going on. In any case, of a number of crowded gatherings where she was in His presence, most of what she could see was the guests' skirt hems, and their trouser legs from the knees down.
The welcomers were distributed among the three autos, and Florence found herself in M. Dreyfus's car, with 'dear Mirza Asadú’lláh'. Marzieh had disappeared. Florence jumped out and ran up to look in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá'í car ahead. Marzieh was on His lap and He pointed to the child and smiled. His smile was so happy and loving that Florence could not believe it was for her, and turned her head, but there was no one else behind, only a blank wall.
Mrs Parsons's house had a large ball-room that would seat around two hundred people, and a crowd of this size would be invited whenever He spoke in her home.
Khan dined there, the evening of the second day of the Master's visit, and at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá'í place were heaped up telegrams and cables of congratulation on His safe arrival in America, sent by friends from across the world, as well as from many welcoming American groups, and even Khan was amazed at the number of them.
As a good will gesture toward Turkey, Florence had earlier arranged a dinner honoring the Turkish Ambassador, Zia Pasha, and told him of the Master's forthcoming visit.
Before dinner was over the Ambassador requested Florence and Khan to ask 'your illustrious friend' to dine one night at the Turkish Embassy, and asked Florence to send him a guest list of some Bahá’í friends of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the capital.
Upon arrival, the Master accepted this invitation, and Florence and Khan had the honor of escorting Him to the dinner. Two gigantic powdered footmen in livery opened the Embassy doors to them, and the Master greeted them kindly in Turkish.
At table Florence found herself on the Master's right, He sitting opposite the Ambassador, across the width of the table. Zia Pasha was beaming.
Florence spoke a little to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in praise of the Bahá’í women of Persia. 'Such humility of spirit,' she said, 'such a great self-sacrificing love. I think they are really the most wonderful women in the world. Do you not consider them the best women on earth?' she persisted.
'The women of Persia are indeed very kind,' He said.
The Master gave a brief talk, interpreted by Khan, in which He referred to Kipling's statement so often repeated (even today) by Occidentals, 'East is East, and West is West and never the twain shall meet.' And He pointed smilingly to Florence and Khan and to the Ambassador's beautiful daughter-in-law from Virginia. 'The East and West have already met,' He said, 'apparently with happy results, and in future these unions will increase.'"
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| Marzieh Gail |
Excerpt from Marzieh Gail's Arches of the Years, chap. 15: "It was noon, April 20, 1912. Florence and Khan were at luncheon, and like the other Washington Bahá’ís were wondering when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would arrive in the capital. Suddenly there came a phone call from Mason Remey: 'Hurry! The Master is arriving at the station in half an hour!' They dropped forks and knives, collected Rahim and Marzieh, and ran out into the street, breathless, trying to catch a public victoria—their chance of reaching the station on time. With fervent prayers, and urging short cuts on the driver, they made it five minutes before the train pulled in. Florence rushed to the florist's in the station and bought two bouquets for the children to present, violets for Rahim and red roses for Marzieh. Mason Remey and Joseph Hannen were there, and one Persian friend. There had been no time to inform the others, except for Mrs Agnes Parsons. (The Master was to spend His first week at her beautiful home, newly built, and furnished to be ready for His visit. Then He would leave for Chicago to lay the Temple corner-stone.) Three autos drew up outside the station to receive the party, one bringing Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney.
Washington's palatial railroad station was new in 1912 and loomed above those who had come to meet the train. The passengers poured out through the gates, and suddenly, 'like a light from Heaven', there was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, striding along, dressed exactly as in the Holy Land, surrounded by His suite of Persian assistants. Various members of the railroad personnel stood staring. For a moment, to greet the welcomers, the Master paused, and traffic was blocked.
'Move on!' called a guard.
Florence was indignant and about to reprimand the guard but the Master, sensing the meaning of the English words, courteously started forward again. With Khan beside Him, and grasping Rahim Khan by the hand, He said, as usual wasting no time: 'What education are you giving Rahim Khan?'
'He is studying in English,' Khan replied.
'Good,' said the Master. 'And later you must give him a sound Persian education. He must have an even better education in Persian than your own.'
As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá paced along the walk beside the tracks and was about to enter the vaulted station, Marzieh looked above her at His left shoulder, way above, it seemed to her, and saw on that shoulder a silver, almost fully opened curl. She knew about curls—her own were first moistened and then firmly shaped around a curling stick, but the Master's was natural and falling open. This was the only visual memory of Him that she could bring to mind in after years. Most of the rest that she remembered was an atmosphere about Him, an electric feeling of something always going on. In any case, of a number of crowded gatherings where she was in His presence, most of what she could see was the guests' skirt hems, and their trouser legs from the knees down.
The welcomers were distributed among the three autos, and Florence found herself in M. Dreyfus's car, with 'dear Mirza Asadú’lláh'. Marzieh had disappeared. Florence jumped out and ran up to look in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá'í car ahead. Marzieh was on His lap and He pointed to the child and smiled. His smile was so happy and loving that Florence could not believe it was for her, and turned her head, but there was no one else behind, only a blank wall.
Mrs Parsons's house had a large ball-room that would seat around two hundred people, and a crowd of this size would be invited whenever He spoke in her home.
Khan dined there, the evening of the second day of the Master's visit, and at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá'í place were heaped up telegrams and cables of congratulation on His safe arrival in America, sent by friends from across the world, as well as from many welcoming American groups, and even Khan was amazed at the number of them.
As a good will gesture toward Turkey, Florence had earlier arranged a dinner honoring the Turkish Ambassador, Zia Pasha, and told him of the Master's forthcoming visit.
Before dinner was over the Ambassador requested Florence and Khan to ask 'your illustrious friend' to dine one night at the Turkish Embassy, and asked Florence to send him a guest list of some Bahá’í friends of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the capital.
Upon arrival, the Master accepted this invitation, and Florence and Khan had the honor of escorting Him to the dinner. Two gigantic powdered footmen in livery opened the Embassy doors to them, and the Master greeted them kindly in Turkish.
At table Florence found herself on the Master's right, He sitting opposite the Ambassador, across the width of the table. Zia Pasha was beaming.
Florence spoke a little to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in praise of the Bahá’í women of Persia. 'Such humility of spirit,' she said, 'such a great self-sacrificing love. I think they are really the most wonderful women in the world. Do you not consider them the best women on earth?' she persisted.
'The women of Persia are indeed very kind,' He said.
The Master gave a brief talk, interpreted by Khan, in which He referred to Kipling's statement so often repeated (even today) by Occidentals, 'East is East, and West is West and never the twain shall meet.' And He pointed smilingly to Florence and Khan and to the Ambassador's beautiful daughter-in-law from Virginia. 'The East and West have already met,' He said, 'apparently with happy results, and in future these unions will increase.'"
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