October 23, 1912

San Francisco -- Oakland; the grief of the Master

Mahmud writes: "Today there was a public meeting in Oakland at the home of Mrs Cooper and Mrs Goodall. The Master spoke kindly about the devotion and steadfastness of His hostesses and praised the firmness and enthusiasm of the California Bahá'ís. As these were the last days of His stay, the friends' hearts were moved and their enthusiasm and affection increased. He had lunch and dinner there.

In the evening the Master spoke of the retirement of the Blessed Beauty and the distress of the believers, speaking at length of Áqá Abu'l-Qásim-i-Hamadání.  `From the circumstances, as reported,' `Abdu'l-Bahá continued,

we surmised that because Áqá Abu'l-Qásim-i-Hamadání had previously been with Bahá'u'lláh and had also set out on a journey when the Blessed Beauty disappeared, then Darvish Muhammad was really the Blessed Beauty and must be in the vicinity of Sulaymáníyyih. Thus it was that we sent the friends to petition Him, implore and supplicate Him to return to Baghdád.

After the meeting the Master went to His room but the friends implored His presence among them. He then returned to the gathering, saying, among other things:

I have now been for some time in these regions. In any city I have entered I have met with the friends and other people. In all the gatherings and most of the churches I have called out to the Abhá Kingdom and invited people to the Cause of the Blessed Beauty. At night I have implored and supplicated and prayed and asked for assistance, so that the rays of the Sun of Reality may shine on this country, illumine all the regions of America, bestow everlasting life; that its citizens may acquire heavenly civilization and that they may be bountifully favored through the teachings of the Blessed Beauty.

Praise be to God! This has come to pass through the grace of the Blessed Beauty and the assistance of the Abhá Kingdom. The call of God has been raised in all the cities of America. Accounts of the greatness of the Cause have been published even in the newspapers.

He also spoke with joy and happiness about the establishment of the Cause in the countries of the East and the firmness and steadfastness of the Persian friends.

One day, as He was strolling, He called to remembrance the days of the Blessed Beauty, referring with sadness to His sojourn in Sulaymáníyyih, to His loneliness and to the wrongs inflicted upon Him. Though He had often recounted that episode, that day He was so overcome with emotion that He sobbed aloud in His grief . . . All His attendants wept with Him, and were plunged into sorrow as they heard the tale of the woeful trials endured by the Ancient Beauty, and witnessed the tenderness of heart manifested by His Son.

The Master remained in Oakland for the night."

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How sad!  The heavy grief of the Master tugs at our hearts. So--what can we do to make Him happy?