Mahmúd writes: Wednesday, April 10, 1912 [Thursday, April 11, 1912] `Abdu'l-Bahá's Arrival in New York City
After morning tea, the Master instructed that telegrams be sent to the Assemblies in both the East and the West informing the believers of His safe arrival. Then He said:
No one thought at the time of our departure from Ramleh that this voyage would be so enjoyable, that the great ocean would be crossed so easily and that my health would withstand the voyage in such manner!
One of the companions remarked that the confirmation of the Abhá Kingdom is ever with the Supporter of the Covenant and that all the people on the ship had remarked that the great ocean had never been so calm at this time of the year.
While the Master was having breakfast in the dining room, telegrams were pouring in from the American Bahá'í Assemblies expressing their great joy and congratulating Him upon the safe arrival of the steamer. The Statue of Liberty, standing majestically in mid-water, came into the Master's view. He ordered the luggage to be kept in readiness. As the ship came alongside the wharf, many tall buildings, including two enormous buildings 45 and 35 stories high, loomed into view.
Many Bahá'í friends from New York and surrounding areas were waiting in line on the jetty, waving their hats and handkerchiefs in happiness. The Master, however, did not come out from His cabin.
When the boat anchored, some newspaper reporters came on board to see `Abdu'l-Bahá to ask Him about the purpose of His journey. He replied:
Our object is universal peace and the unity of humankind. I have traveled to Paris and London and now I have come to America to meet with those who seek universal peace and I hope that the peace societies of America will take the lead in promoting this end.
They asked, `How can universal peace be achieved?' `Abdu'l-Bahá answered:
Its realization is through the attraction and support of world public opinion. Today universal peace is the panacea for all human life. They questioned, `What are these ills?' He answered:
One of these ills is the people's restlessness and discontent under the yoke of the war expenditures of the world's governments. What the people earn through hard labor is extorted from them by the governments and spent for purposes of war. And every day they increase these expenditures. Thus the burden on men becomes more and more unbearable and the tribulations of the people become more and more severe. This is one of the great ills of the day. What a great tribulation there is in the countries of Italy and Turkey in these days! The fathers hear of the death of their sons and the sons are distressed on hearing the news of the death of their fathers. What cities are laid to ruin and what rising fortunes are thrown to the winds! The antidote for this great ill is world peace, which is the source of universal tranquillity.
They then asked: `Is it not possible that peace can become the cause of trouble and that war the means of progress?' He replied:
No. It is war which is today the cause of all trouble. If all would lay down their arms, they would be freed from all difficulties and every misery would be changed into relief. However, this cannot be brought about except through education and the development of people's thoughts and ideas.
This sort of exchange continued, the Master giving full and thorough answers to their questions. The reporters then asked for permission to take photographs of the Master for their newspapers, and `Abdu'l-Bahá agreed.
The friends were waiting impatiently to see the Master but He instructed them to go to Mr [Edward] Kinney's house where He would see them in the afternoon. Thus the friends departed, except for a few who had already come on board and were honored to meet Him.
After distributing gifts among the crew, `Abdu'l-Bahá disembarked, thereby blessing American soil, the recipient of everlasting honor, with the footsteps of the Beauty of the Divine Covenant. I wrote an ode in tribute to this blessed voyage:
The Beloved of the East and the Supreme Spirit of Persia
crossed the Atlantic Ocean,
Each second replete with joyful acclamations
exclaiming from the Cedric
That the King of Kings of the Covenant and the Monarch of Devotion
had consented to come to America.
He was welcomed with open arms
and the earth became the envy of heaven.
Existence itself nudged the world of being.
The sea raised its ceaseless voice
that the King of Kings of the Covenant
had consented to come to America.
On the tenth of April 1912 the illustrious and
beauteous Beloved
reached New York to a great and wondrous welcome,
While heavenly angels proclaimed the glad tidings
that the King of Kings of the Covenant
had consented to come to America.
The first meeting between the believers and the Master was that afternoon at Mr Kinney's home.
After leaving the ship the Master went to the Hotel Ansonia. After some tea, He went to the meeting with the friends. And what a wonderful meeting it was! The friends were so full of joy and happiness that it seemed the very walls were immersed in rapture and ecstasy. Because it was so crowded, many had to stand. When the initial excitement abated, the Master gave thanks and gratitude to the Blessed Beauty for His assistance and then spoke about the power and influence of the holy utterances to attract and cement the hearts, unifying the East and West.
Because of the crowded conditions and excessive heat, the Master left the meeting and returned to His hotel. As He left the gathering, each believer approached Him, greeted Him with `Alláh-u-Abhá', shook His hand and took hold of His `abá [cloak], requesting prayers for assistance and confirmation.
They continued to surround Him until He entered His carriage and left for the hotel. Upon His arrival, He again offered thanks for the assistance of the Blessed Beauty and gratitude for the help and protection of the Abhá Kingdom.
The Hotel Ansonia is one of the landmark buildings in New York and is 17 stories high. The Master's suite was on the seventh floor and had two bedrooms, a drawing room, a kitchen and a bathroom, all completely furnished. The rent for the Master's apartment was £4 per day, exclusive of board and incidental expenses.
“Oh day of days!” Juliet’s words ring in my ears today, as I remember how she went to the harbor with such anticipation. She describes the morning as “crystal clear, sparkling. I had a sense of its being Easter: of lilies, almost seen, blooming at my feet.”
The believers so wanted ‘Abdu'l-Bahá to come to America—they yearned for Him! Yet repeatedly He resisted, saying that His invitation would be the unity of the friends. They had to get "in shape" before they were ready for Him. (Do we need to do this as we ready ourselves for the days to come?)
The excerpt from a tablet below shows just how serious He was about what the friends needed to do. Such a lesson for us now, at this time when things are so difficult in the world!
". . . If the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful long for the visit of Abdu'l-Baha, they must immediately remove from their midst differences of opinion and be engaged in the practice of infinite love and unity. No Bahai must open his lips in blaming another one, he must regard backbiting as the greatest sin of humanity, for it is clearly revealed in all the Tablets of Baha’o’llah that backbiting and faultfinding are . . . the destroyers of the foundation of man. . . . If ye are yearning for my meeting, and if in reality ye are seeking my visit, ye must close the doors of difference and open the gates of affection, love and friendship. Ye must pulsate as one heart, and throb as one spirit. . . . Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 4 (May 17, 1911), pp. 6-7.
On the first day, He met with journalists on the ship, even before setting feet on actual land. He explained that that He had come “to visit the peace societies of America because the fundamental principles of our Cause are universal peace and the promotion of the basic doctrine of the oneness and truth of all the divine religions.”
The S.S. Cedric actually sailed into the NY harbor on the 10th at 9 pm. (This was a few days before the Titanic hit the iceberg. Can you imagine if He had sailed on the Titanic, as suggested by many of the friends?) On the morning of the 11th from the pier Juliet glimpsed the Master on the deck, “charged with power, the sweep of a robe, a majestic head, turban crowned—my heart stopped.” Mr. Kinney was called to come on board and returned with the message that the Master wanted the friends to disperse and meet Him at four pm at the Kinney’s. There is the priceless story of how everyone obeyed, but Juliet, Marjorie Morten, and Rhoda Nichols hid to get a glimpse of Him. To their dismay, the motorcar parked directly in front of them, and as the Master stepped into the car, He turned—and smiled at them!
Later that day there were hundreds at the Kinney’s. Imagine being in that crowd, after so much yearning. . . .
___________________________
The believers so wanted ‘Abdu'l-Bahá to come to America—they yearned for Him! Yet repeatedly He resisted, saying that His invitation would be the unity of the friends. They had to get "in shape" before they were ready for Him. (Do we need to do this as we ready ourselves for the days to come?)
The excerpt from a tablet below shows just how serious He was about what the friends needed to do. Such a lesson for us now, at this time when things are so difficult in the world!
". . . If the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful long for the visit of Abdu'l-Baha, they must immediately remove from their midst differences of opinion and be engaged in the practice of infinite love and unity. No Bahai must open his lips in blaming another one, he must regard backbiting as the greatest sin of humanity, for it is clearly revealed in all the Tablets of Baha’o’llah that backbiting and faultfinding are . . . the destroyers of the foundation of man. . . . If ye are yearning for my meeting, and if in reality ye are seeking my visit, ye must close the doors of difference and open the gates of affection, love and friendship. Ye must pulsate as one heart, and throb as one spirit. . . . Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 4 (May 17, 1911), pp. 6-7.
On the first day, He met with journalists on the ship, even before setting feet on actual land. He explained that that He had come “to visit the peace societies of America because the fundamental principles of our Cause are universal peace and the promotion of the basic doctrine of the oneness and truth of all the divine religions.”
The S.S. Cedric actually sailed into the NY harbor on the 10th at 9 pm. (This was a few days before the Titanic hit the iceberg. Can you imagine if He had sailed on the Titanic, as suggested by many of the friends?) On the morning of the 11th from the pier Juliet glimpsed the Master on the deck, “charged with power, the sweep of a robe, a majestic head, turban crowned—my heart stopped.” Mr. Kinney was called to come on board and returned with the message that the Master wanted the friends to disperse and meet Him at four pm at the Kinney’s. There is the priceless story of how everyone obeyed, but Juliet, Marjorie Morten, and Rhoda Nichols hid to get a glimpse of Him. To their dismay, the motorcar parked directly in front of them, and as the Master stepped into the car, He turned—and smiled at them!
Later that day there were hundreds at the Kinney’s. Imagine being in that crowd, after so much yearning. . . .
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Right--carriage ride at Lake Mohonk with Lua, Persians, and others (horses not visible--director Tim in the shot)
| Is there yet more? |
O Ye Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh. ... know ye the value of this Day ... This the Day of Justice of Glory of Beauty of the Luminous year of the Ninth Vahid of The First Kull-i-Shay of Bahá’u’lláh! ... This is the Day in which we sing He walks with us and talks with us ... This is the Day in which all nations, knees bowed, are overjoyed to know America ... .... This is the Day all are called into service .... ... This is the Day of Glad Tidings .... O Ye Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh. ... know ye the value of this Day ...
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