Who was `Abdu'l-Bahá, and why did He come to the West?


Friday, May 18, 2012

May 18, 1912 Bursting into tears . . .

New York, more activity . . . 

Allan Ward writes that the "talks and interviews continued all day long" (70), but he doesn't offer specifics. Mahmud's entry is confused with that of the 19th (Sunday)--so I will split that entry and put part of it in today's post and part in tomorrow's.

Mahmud writes of Saturday the 18th but likely he means Sunday the 19th: "Among those visiting `Abdu'l-Bahá were some New York clergymen. One of them, Dr John H. Randall, while the Master and His retinue had been absent, had spoken to his congregation about the life and teachings of `Abdu'l-Bahá. He expressed the hope that he would follow in the footsteps of the Master. So effective was his talk that many of his listeners burst into tears. He came with great humility to ask `Abdu'l-Bahá to deliver an address in his church. `Abdu'l-Bahá replied that since He had been invited to speak that week at several gatherings in Boston, He was not able to accept the invitation until after He returned. . . ."

Can you imagine members of the congregation bursting into tears, just hearing their pastor's speech about the Master?

Abdu'l-Baha will be going to Boston in 5 days, on the 22nd.  He must have felt torn about His various invitations. . . .

I did not find an image or reference to Dr. John H. Randall on the internet. 

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