September 7, 1912

 Montreal; the oneness of the fundamental truths of the religions of God

Mahmud writes: "Today `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a group of people who came to visit Him at the hotel. Here is some of what He explained:

As in the physical world there are four seasons, so in the realm of religion there is the season of heavenly and spiritual springtime. When its outpourings gradually diminish, the trees of existence cease to be verdant and creeping torpor spreads, it will become like winter. The souls will become withered and distressed and the soil of the hearts will become full of thorns and thistles. There will be no flowers, no hyacinths, no greenery, no pleasure, no freshness and no cheer. Then, once again, the divine spring will raise its tabernacle. The gardens of the world of humanity will become green and verdant, full of freshness and purity. The flowers of reality will open and the trees of existence will bring forth enduring fruit. This is the law of God and is in accord with the world of creation and this is the cause for the reappearance of holy Manifestations Who effect renewal and change in religious laws and commandments.

In the afternoon the Master spoke about the oneness of the fundamental truths of the religions of God and the vain imaginings and beliefs of various peoples, saying:

The foundation of all religions is one and the aim of all creeds of the world is also one. All are believers in the oneness of God. All believe that a mediator between the Creator and the creatures is needed. The question is that to the Jews Moses is the last, to the Christians it is Christ, to the Muslims it is Muhammad and to the Parsis it is Zoroaster. But their differences are only those of names. If these names are set aside, it is evident that their aim is one. Every divine religious law was complete for its time. The renewal of the laws of God and the appearance of the Manifestations of the bounties of the Lord in each cycle are necessary. Thus the people who seek truth and inner meanings can discover the divine mysteries and become aware of the secrets of the Books of God. They know God to be the Supreme, His bounties infinite and the doors of His mercy unbarred. They believe in all the Prophets and affirm `No difference do we make between any of them' [Qur'án 2:130]. But those who adhere to outer meanings only, who worship outer form, cling to imitations and follow their superstitions. They use the allegories set forth in the verses of God to deny the Cause of the Lord of Signs. Therefore, offer thanks to God that you have attained unto reality, have responded affirmatively to the Call of God, have given up dogmatic imitations and have become cognizant of the mystery of oneness. Offer thanks to God. Be grateful to your Lord."

No more details, Mahmud?  He is leaving Montreal in two days; I feel a little traumatized over this. Surely the Maxwells and others felt this, too. 

May and Sutherland Maxwell

May, some years later, writes about a conversation with the Master during the time He was in Montreal. She had been feeling enormous empathy toward strikers in Dublin and women and children who were starving there.  Her husband tried to get `Abdu'l-Bahá to convince her that her attitude was "wrong." Instead, He turned while and "great beads of perspiration formed on His brow through His own agony and human sufferings; then He said, 'If more people felt as your wife does, the world would not be in this dark and terrible state.' Then He added, 'However, you must strive to overcome these feelings, do everything in your power to help, pray, then leave it with God, because the world will grow steadily much worse, and if you suffer like this you will not be able to survive.'" (Maxwells, 283)
There's more to the story, however! May says that "His words opened a door of help to these strike sufferers. . . . I went to a very wealthy and prominent Irishman here, whom I had never seen, burst into tears in his office, to his astonishment and mine, and asked him what he was going to do about it.  Well, to end the story, he headed a committee to raise a fund which we sent to Dublin through private channels and which came just in time to succour thousands of women and children." (Maxwells, 283)

Juliet & May,
Green Acre

Remember, on the 13th of June in New York `Abdu'l-Bahá had remarked upon May's "kind" heart, Lua's "tender" heart, and Juliet's "emotional" (boiling!) heart. If these three hearts were turned into one heart, what a great heart that would be, He said. 
May's heart during these Montreal days seems especially "kind" in an exquisite way. . . .