December 13, 1912 Arrival in Liverpool!

Earl Redman writes:
"When the steamer approached the dock at Liverpool on 13 December 1912, there were a dozen Baha'is from Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds waving handkerchiefs and welcoming 'Abdu'l-Bahá to England. The group, including Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, who had come from Paris, Elizabeth Herrick, Isabel Fraser, E.T. Hall, John Craven and John Downs, watched the Celtic come slowly toward the dock at 9 P.m. Isabel Fraser wrote that they 'watched the great liner come slowly up the steam literally out of the dark night. Suddenly we caught sight of Abdu'l-Baha in the ship's bow, and as she hove to he walked slowly down the long deck till he stood quite alone, in the very center of the center deck. All eyes were riveted upon him as he peered over the ship's side into the rain and gloom of Liverpool.'

"To the Baha'is on shore, it seemed to take forever before 'Abdu'l-Bahá came down the gang-plank. Before He descended, the second and third-class baggage was taken to customs. At last, the group saw His 'white turbaned head' as He came slowly down. One of the Persians carried a tiny Japanese orange tree from California. 'Laden with fruit, it looked like an offering from the tropics. . . .'

"'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed in Liverpool two days, at the Adelphia Hotel, 'the most beautiful hotel in the city.' He gave two talks while in the city, the first to the Theosophical Society and the second to the congregation at the Reverend Donald Fraser's Pembroke Chapel."

No rest at all!  He keeps on going. . . .