 |
| Margaret Mattison and Lex Musta |
This is exciting! Can anyone support his efforts? He is a great researcher / tour guide--an authority, really, on the Master's visits to DC. AP
______________________________________________
"Floating in a sea of happiness"
`Abdu'l-Bahá is still in Washington, D.C., on His second visit there.
Mahmud writes: "Several distinguished people came to visit `Abdu'l-Bahá in the morning. After a private interview involving lengthy questions and answers, He spoke in detail on the preeminence and progress of this century and the decline of the dogmatic formalism of the nations.
In the afternoon `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a gathering of distinguished women on the rights and education of women. Later, after a drive in the park, He visited a home for the poor which had been established through the efforts of Mrs. [Alice Barney-] Hemmick. In the evening, He spoke about the influence of the Cause of God, the spiritual power of Bahá'u'lláh, ending His talk with loving exhortations to the Bahá'ís.
The Master dined at the home of Mrs Hemmick and Mme Dreyfus-Barney. Everyone was delighted to be in His presence and floated in a sea of happiness until late at night listening to His loving admonitions and exhortations."
ah, for more details! Luckily, Agnes Parsons and others provide them. Agnes writes that she sent her carriage to the apartment; `Abdu'l-Bahá and others drove to the office of the "Orient-Occident Unity." Before this, Mr. Theodore Spicer Simon [sic: Spicer-Simpson], medalist, had called at her house to see `Abdu'l-Bahá but not finding Him went to the apartment where `Abdu'l-Bahá gave him a half-hour sitting. She notes that Simon made an excellent likeness from these. Does this solve the mystery of who made this image? Did Agnes Parsons commission this commemorative medal? Isn't there also a round image? (See my post on April 23 for images of another medal and more on this mystery.)
Agnes then describes how she met the party at the Orient-Occident Unity office, where she found the Khans with their two older children, the Hannens, the Belmonts, Mrs. Struven, and others. `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of the importance on consultation in all the work done by the Baha'is. `Abdu'l-Bahá had a cup of coffee, after which Agnes, Dr. Zia Baghdadi (who came from Chicago), and Dr. Fareed drove with `Abdu'l-Bahá to the Capitol. The Master expressed a wish to go inside, "where He examined the statuary and the paintings," then they walked on the grounds and sat for a time near a large tree. They also drove to the Washington Monument and went up to the top in the elevator. "`Abdu'l-Bahá looked with great interest out of each window."
After lunch and a rest, `Abdu'l-Bahá had a 4:00 meeting. Then, He motored with Laura Dreyfus-Barney (who later recorded Some Answered Questions) and was then taken to Studio Hall, where He spoke (again, not to be confused with Studio House, the art gallery and studio of Alice Pike Barney now Hemmick. But He did have dinner at 10:00 with Alice, presumably at Studio House. Agnes reports that she returned home to see Him there, speaking with her husband. He said goodnight, leaving her a draft (check?) to be sent to the Temple fund, in care of Corinne True.
 |
| Alice, self portrait |
Laura and Hippolyte, apparently, had come to Washington in May perhaps especially to see `Abdu'l-Bahá, though Alice's biographer mentions they came in June and went to Bar Harbor with the newlyweds, Alice and Christian. (Alice was 56 I believe and Christian much younger.)
I want to BE in the presence of Alice and Laura today in 1912, to dine in Studio House and see how the Master responds to these unique, gifted, eccentric women. How will it be possible to get closer to this history???? I need to be a time traveler in a way that transcends the words on pages of various accounts. I need to see it through the eyes of those who met the Master, feel their pulses quickening, hear His words to them. . . . Unfair that I was born too late!
I can only go back to the Tablet of Visitation, hoping to meet Him "face to face."
Meanwhile, here's an interesting story about Laura: In 1902 " . . . Alice was treated to a rude shock as she leafed through the latest issue of the Washington Mirror. The object of its ridicule was once more Laura and the Baha'is. The article was not only patronizing, it confused the Bahai faith with occult practices by painting a lurid scene of Laura as a medium leading incense-filled sceances to contact Bahaullah. She was pictured as 'etherealized in the receptive trance, while the exclusive few . . . listen in awe-stricken suspense, while Bab "babbled."' At the end it printed the address of the Bahai meeting place, which caused crowds to gather to gawk and laugh at those who came to hear the teachings of the venerable Fazl." [Mirza Abul Fazl was in Washington at the time, attracting some of the most "prominent and wealthy churchgoers"--to the dismay of "many prominent clergy." (170–71)
 |
| Natalie's portrait, by Alice |
 |
| Laura's portrait, by Alice |
May 11: Leaving D.C. for New York
Mahmud writes: "The Master made preparations to leave for New York. Some people who had not been able to see Him previously came to visit and He spoke to them about His journey and the spreading of universal peace, which is one of the commandments of Bahá'u'lláh.
`Abdu'l-Bahá left for the railway station, where several believers were waiting to bid Him farewell. They were down-hearted at being separated from their Beloved, who had showered them with such kindness and blessings.
In New York, the friends who were waiting for the Master took Him to the Hudson building on Riverside Drive where He was to stay. He said to them:
We went to Chicago and Washington and now we have come back again. Time passed very pleasantly. The people of America are highly accomplished. They desire to acquire understanding and they wish to make progress. When one sees a tree growing, one should feel hopeful that it will give flowers and bring forth fruits. People asked questions and on hearing the answers they contended no more. Most of the ministers who came would express agreement. Those who asked us questions on important topics were delighted on hearing the answers. The religious leaders of other countries are not so inclined but are more bent on contention. We met very good ministers in Chicago. Some invited us to their churches and we had lengthy conversations with them. One of them, Dr Milburn, invited us to supper at his home. My purpose in mentioning all this is to convey that all showed agreement and acceptance.
When the Master spoke the words `all right' in English, the friends were amused and a ripple of laughter went around the room. He then spoke on the unification of the blacks and whites of America. [See Diary of Juliet Thompson for a description of this event.]Just yesterday we spoke in Washington with a number of notable persons, judges, and also a friend of Roosevelt. As we were talking about the unifying influence of different religions, and concord among nations, this friend said that Christ was a source of differences. But when we explained to him the coming together of different nations under the canopy of the word of Christ, he smiled and accepted the point. Others, too, expressed great delight. When I asked him if he had any other question or objection, he replied that he had none at all. When asked if he accepted all these statements, he said, `All right.'
That evening at a public reception at His home, `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the divine favors bestowed on the people of Bahá and encouraged the friends to be grateful for such bestowals and blessings."
No comments:
Post a Comment