April 9, 1912 Lights of New York shimmering in the distance!

The last night of the voyage!  Lights in the distance!  No ice berg catastrophe for this ship! 

Interesting (see below) about the American and Italian doctor and the fate of Shoghi Effendi in reference to the journey. . . .

Mahúd writes: Tuesday, April 9, 1912 [aboard the Cedric]

While having His morning tea the Master remarked:

We shall be at sea for another day. Steam power is truly a wonderful thing. If there were no such power, how would the vast oceans have been crossed? What wonderful means God has supplied and what confirmations the Blessed Beauty has conferred. Otherwise, how could we be here? What have we in common with these places?

As the post was being readied to send `Abdu'l-Bahá's letters to the friends in the East from New York, a wireless arrived from the friends in New York congratulating Him on His arrival and welcoming Him.

An American doctor came to visit `Abdu'l-Bahá. The Master spoke with him for about an hour on the history of the Faith, the persecutions and afflictions suffered by the Ancient Beauty, His imprisonment, the teachings and other subjects.

At the breakfast table the Master said, `I will take only a little soup. I have no appetite for the shipboard food.'

In the afternoon the believers and some Western ladies found great spiritual joy in the Master's presence as He told them of the influence of the Cause in promoting unity, love and fellowship among the peoples of the world.

The Italian physician, mentioned above, noticing the devotion of those surrounding the Master, became more respectful and even bowed when passing Him; in the evening He came into `Abdu'l-Bahá's presence with the utmost reverence. When the Master mentioned Shoghi Effendi, Mírzá Munír and Áqá Khusraw, the doctor said that he did not know anything about Shoghi Effendi's eyes, that he had only examined Khusraw's eyes and that the fault lay with the group of doctors from Naples. He begged the Master's pardon.

Later in the evening the Italian Consul and other passengers, group by group, visited `Abdu'l-Bahá. They were pleased with the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and expressed their hope that these principles and doctrines would make great progress in America. Some expressed their faith and asked for `Abdu'l-Bahá's address in New York. As this was the last night of the voyage, one by one they bade farewell to the Master and took their leave. At 9:00 p.m. the lights of New York appeared shimmering in the distance and the steamer anchored offshore near the breakwater to enter the harbor the next morning.

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Today was pretty incredible for us.  We filmed in Riverside Park, with a group of costumed extras.  I got to play Juliet Thompson.  Then, we filmed at 309 W. 78th Street (Mrs. Champney's Townhouse), where Juliet had painted the Master's portrait and He let down the "veils" and declared He was the Center of the Covenant.  We were just standing outside on the steps, but everyone was imagining that that event had just happened, and Juliet was coming out, paint brushes in hand, and telling the story. . . .

It was fun to tell stories during the filming--of the early believers such as Grace Robarts, etc.