April 21, 1912

Washington D.C.   `Abdu'l-Bahá will spend a week of "ceaseless activity" here, just before and during the Ridvan period. 

Allan Ward notes that at the event on April 20, where 600 people were packed into a hall that normally seated 400, reporters asked His opinion of the Titanic disaster (which was only five days earlier). They reported that He said, "Both Americans and Europeans seem to be possessed of the mania for speed. . . . It was a pitiful waste of life that came because of the effort to save a few hours in time--rushing a great vessel at top speed when it was known there was danger from ice." (239 Days, 39)

Ward describes the "ceaseless streams" of people "drawn toward His house" [the home of Agnes and Jeffrey (Arthur) Parsons]. At 11:15 A.M. He went to Studio Hall and spoke to more than 200 people.  At 4:00 P.M. He spoke at the Universalist Church to more than 1000 people.

Agnes Parsons

Mahmud notes:  "The highlight of the day was a very important and well-attended meeting at the Universalist Church. The minister of the church introduced `Abdu'l-Bahá with a most glowing tribute to His life and teachings. Then the Master rose from His seat and delivered an address on the need for cooperation, love, friendship and universal peace. He stressed Christ's statement that `I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth' [John 16:12-13], and added, `And now that time has come and the Divine Spirit has spoken, revealing all truth.'"

Mahmud includes the whole of that address, and of course it is also published in PUP, along with the talk at Studio Hall. 

Ward writes: "Every afternoon at 5:00 P.M., from Monday though Friday, receptions were held at the Parsons' home, to which hundreds of Washington diplomats, scientists,         and socially prominent persons came."

Don't you wish we had a list of these people? But even more, don't you wish you had been among them, even as a fly on the wall? 

 `Abdu'l-Bahá said, in his morning talk, "I have come here to visit you. With the greatest longing I have wished to see you. . . ." He describes the joy of looking at the faces and how the hearts are connected and filled "with the same vibration." 

Perhaps we will experience some of that as we observe the anniversary year and discover and remember how it was when the Master was here! 

Joyful Ridván, all!