Message from the Universal House of Justice re. His Return

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

5 December 2013

When He arrived in the Holy Land, exactly one hundred years ago today, at the conclusion of His "epoch-making journeys" to Egypt and the West, 'Abdu'1-Baha eschewed any ceremony or fanfare just as He had at His departure. But between His going and His return, a defining period in Baha'i history had unfolded—a "glorious chapter", in the words of Shoghi Effendi, during which "seeds ofundreamt-ofpotentialities" had been sown, "with the hand of the Centre ofthe Covenant Himself, in the "fertile fields" to the west.

The accounts of 'Abdu'l-Baha's travels and of the effect He had on those who met Him are legion. Some went to extraordinary lengths to enter His presence—going by boat, by foot, or even under railway trains—and, by the urgency oftheir desire to see Him, imprinted themselves on the consciousness of future generations of adults and children. The testimonies ofthose who were transformed by even a brief, sometimes near wordless encounter with their beloved Master remain deeply stirring. In the wide array ofvisitors He received—rich and poor, black and white, indigenous and emigre—the universal embrace of His Father's Faith was unmistakably in evidence. It is impossible to adequately gauge the full scope ofwhat 'Abdu'1-Baha accomplished within this period. Many ofthe seeds He planted, and which He nurtured towards maturity through an extensive correspondence that He maintained until the end ofHis life, would blossom into a steadfast community capable ofbearing the great weight ofwork in the years to come, supporting the first structures ofnational Baha'i administration and beginning to act on the Master's longing that the divine teachings be brought to every city and shore.

The friends have, of course, called these points to mind during this centenary period, and they have done much more besides. As we hoped, they have given their attention to the tasks before them, drawing inspiration from the Master's potent example and timeless counsels. We have been pleased to see how, in particular, efforts to bring spiritual education to children and young people have flourished. Work to establish the institution ofthe Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the singular significance of which Abdu'1-Baha stressed so pointedly during his visit to the United States, is making progress in eight countries, whilst in every land, devotional meetings—a communal aspect ofthe godly life—are thriving. The Baha'i community's increasing engagement with the life of society, which is enabling it to offer a fresh perspective to formal and informal conversations ofall kinds, carries distinct echoes of Abdu'l-Baha's deep concern for the needs ofthe age. In clusters where the demands created by the scale and intensity of activity are most acutely felt, more complex schemes ofcoordination are emerging through a gradual and patient process of learning. In certain regions of the world where the institutions are overseeing special initiatives, an influx of eager pioneers is helping to strengthen the foundations ofsustained growth and broaden the scope ofwhat can be achieved by a community. The work ofexpansion and consolidation is advancing through the unflagging labours ofcountless devoted souls who have, in numerous ways, followed Abdu'1-Baha in treading the plane of sacrifice. The heightened capacity of a worldwide community to assist populations to move towards the vision conceived by Baha'u'llah was conspicuously evident at the Eleventh International Baha'i Convention. That same capacity was vividly illustrated in the film Frontiers o fLearning and explored in detail in the document Insights from the Frontiers o f Learning, which have stimulated profound reflection not only on the dynamics o f growth but also on the means to treat the roots ofmany a social malady. And in the closing months ofthis three-year period came the most spectacular demonstration o f how the present generation has responded to the call of service to humankind singularly embodied in the Person of the Master: the gathering o f more than eighty thousand youth in a four-month series o f conferences held in well over a hundred far-strewn locations across the globe.

Although each possessed its own unique features, all conferences shared essential attributes in common—the meticulous care that characterized the preparations, the oneness ofmind that was palpable at each gathering, the energy that has surged therefrom. In the strenuous efforts they made to attend can be glimpsed the depth ofcommitment felt by the participants. Some laboured with great sacrifice to raise the necessary funds from meagre resources; in other cases, by explaining the noble purpose and wholesome nature ofthe events, the friends obtained special permission from the authorities for the arrangements. Shipping lines were persuaded to change course to collect participants, while some youth walked for days to reach a venue. Reports ofthe insights generated, the creativity released, the moving testimonies delivered on each occasion and, most of all, the impetus lent to acts of service are evidence that those present were touched by spiritual forces more enduring, more deeply rooted than anything that could be elicited by the thrill of fellowship and large numbers alone. It is most heartening that tens ofthousands ofyouth, unwilling to succumb to triviality or to settle for easy conformity, have now been brought within the widening embrace of a conversation and pattern o f action o f far-reaching consequence regarding how to live a coherent life and be an agentofspiritualandsocialtransformation. Thenewlevelsofcollaborationtheseconferences demanded ofthe institutions to mobilize and guide such large numbers and prepare the host of facilitators to assist them; the wholehearted collective effort required ofthe community as it threw wide open the circle ofparticipation and witnessed the profound effect ofdoing so; the serious commitment evinced by the individual who, drawing on the concepts explored in the conference materials, is joining the tens ofthousands occupied with reaching out to hundreds ofthousands ofothers—these, together, have contributed to a marked rise in capacity in the three protagonists upon whom the success ofthe Five Year Plan depends. And while we acknowledge that the youth are at the forefront ofthis advance, its distinguishing feature is that the community rose as one to support, encourage, and champion this phenomenon, and now rejoices to see itselfprogress as an interdependent, organic whole, readier to meet the imperatives of this day.

Given all this, we have no hesitation in recognizing that what these developments reveal is an advance in the process of entry by troops o f a kind not experienced heretofore. We call upon all to reflect upon the significance of the endeavour in which the community o f the Greatest Name is engaged, the purpose of which the Master strove to underline so often in the course of His travels, and to rededicate themselves to contribute their share to its outcome. "Try with all your hearts", He urged one audience, "to be willing channels for God's Bounty. For I say unto you that He has chosen you to be His messengers of love throughout the world, to be His bearers of spiritual gifts to man, to be the means of spreading unity and concord on the earth." "Perchance,"He remarked on another occasion, "God willing, this terrestrial world may become as a celestial mirror upon which we may behold the imprint of the traces of Divinity, and the fundamental qualities of a new creation may be reflected from the reality of love shining in human hearts." To this end do all your efforts tend. During the second half of the Five Year Plan, the society-building power of the Faith must be released within thousands of clusters where programmes of growth need to be initiated, reinforced, or extended. The challenge for Baha'i institutions and their agencies will be to furnish the means to accompany all those who cherish a pure and earnest desire for a better world, whatever their degree of involvement in the process of spiritual education so far, and help them translate that desire into the practical steps that day by day and week by week accrete to build vibrant, flourishing communities. How fitting that, at this hour, a generation of youth has come into its own, ready to assume growing responsibility, since its contribution to the work at hand will prove decisive in the months and years ahead. In our prayers at the Sacred Threshold, we will entreat the Almighty to sustain all those who would be a part ofthis immense undertaking, who prefer the true prosperity of others over their own ease and leisure, and whose eyes are fixed upon 'Abdu'1-Baha for a flawless pattern o f how to be; all this, that "those who walk in darkness should come into the light" and "those who are excluded should join the inner circle of the Kingdom".

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

Return to Haifa . . . December 5, 1913--A Festival!

Homecoming! The day has come. The journey is finally at an end. 'Abdu'l-Bahá returns.  We cannot imagine the joy of His loved ones.

Earl Redman writes: 

On the afternoon of 5 December He arrived in Haifa.

             Though His ship entered Haifa’s harbour at 2 p.m., ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did not debark until dusk. Emogene Hoagg described His arrival:

Abdul-Baha did not come ashore until dusk, although the steamship entered the harbour at 2 o’clock p.m. (Strange to say, as the steamer bearing the Lord of mankind entered port, two warships – one French, the other German – came in also. The Messenger of Peace was accompanied by ships of war! Quite a strange coincidence.) While waiting for Abdu’l-Baha, the holy ladies, the eleven Persian pilgrims, as many children, four American pilgrims, and many other Bahais – about forty in all – chanted prayers and Tablets, while the faces beamed with the happiness of expectation.

Rúhá Asdaq remembered that the main hall of the house was prepared and all of the pilgrims and members of the household had gathered there. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá descended from His carriage, the Greatest Holy Leaf and His daughters all ran forward to embrace and greet Him.

            Emogene Hoagg described the homecoming:

The home coming of Abdul-Baha, after an absence of three years and four months, was a real festival. Such excitement and happiness as reigned in the holy household can only be imagined . . . In Abdul-Baha’s house, there is a very large central room around which are the other rooms, and in it Persian rugs were spread and tables placed upon which were fruits and sweets . . .

When Abdul-Baha’s voice was heard as he entered, the moment was intense – and as he passed through to his room, all heads were bowed. In a few moments he returned to welcome all. He sat in a chair at one end of the room, and most of the believers sat on the floor. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was tired so remained but a short time, and after a prayer chanted by his daughter Zia Khanum, went to his room.

Then the ladies vacated so that the men might enter. To see the faces of those sturdy, earnest men – faces that spoke the fervor of their faith, the earnestness and resoluteness of their purpose – was something to remember. I am sure not an eye was dry; old and young, with happiness filling their hearts, could not refrain from exhibiting their emotion. He welcomed them, and seating himself on the floor, spoke to them a short time, after which he retired . . . 

After an absence of three years and three months, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was finally home. The day after His arrival, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ascended Mt. Carmel and went to the Shrine of the Báb. And the following day, the Centre of the Covenant went to ‘Akká for eight days to commune with His Father and the Source of His Spiritual Being.

            Shoghi Effendi wrote:

A most significant scene in a century-old drama had been enacted. A glorious chapter in the history of the first Bahá’í century had been written. Seeds of undreamt-of potentialities had, with the hand of the Centre of the Covenant Himself, been sown in some of the fertile fields of the Western world. Never in the entire range of religious history had any Figure of comparable stature arisen to perform a labour of such magnitude and imperishable worth. Forces were unleashed through those fateful journeys which even now . . . we are unable to measure or comprehend . . .

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s historic journeys to the West, and in particular His eight-month tour of the United States of America, may be said to have marked the culmination of His ministry, a ministry whose untold blessings and stupendous achievements only future generations can adequately estimate. As the day-star of Bahá’u’lláh‘s Revelation had shone forth in its meridian splendour at the hour of the proclamation of His Message to the rulers of the earth in the city of Adrianople, so did the Orb of His Covenant mount its zenith and shed its brightest rays when He Who was its appointed Centre arose to blazon the glory and greatness of His Father’s Faith among the peoples of the West.

______

Are we the generation who can estimate the blessings and achievements?  I've tried, in some small way, through this blog, through our film, through the Green Acre book, through all of the activities of the centenary, as have many others. . . .  Yet there is so much more to come, through the work and insights of those who are young now and others yet unborn.  May they get even closer to the Mystery of God! 

Anne 

Dec. 2, 1913 Departure for Haifa

Three years and three months, He has been away. . . . Today is the day He leaves Egypt and returns home. He will be on the ship for three days. What is the significance of the 3s? 

I am not sure how to feel. A peaceful end to a large cycle--though He will have much to do at home. The blog journey has tried to reflect His journey, and time and space have bent a little for me in my quest to be present with Him. But there is so much that I do not know! I still yearn for a time machine, and (more significantly) a more spiritually receptive heart. . . . 

Three days left to adjust to this final end of a magnificent sojourn--and to learn more! 

Earl Redman writes: 

At last, on 2 December, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá boarded a ship headed for Haifa. The ship stopped briefly in Port Said and Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, where He met the Bahá’ís. On the afternoon of 5 December He arrived in Haifa.

             Though His ship entered Haifa’s harbour at 2 p.m., ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did not debark until dusk. Emogene Hoagg described His arrival:

Abdul-Baha did not come ashore until dusk, although the steamship entered the harbour at 2 o’clock p.m. (Strange to say, as the steamer bearing the Lord of mankind entered port, two warships – one French, the other German – came in also. The Messenger of Peace was accompanied by ships of war! Quite a strange coincidence.) While waiting for Abdu’l-Baha, the holy ladies, the eleven Persian pilgrims, as many children, four American pilgrims, and many other Bahais – about forty in all – chanted prayers and Tablets, while the faces beamed with the happiness of expectation.

Rúhá Asdaq remembered that the main hall of the house was prepared and all of the pilgrims and members of the household had gathered there. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá descended from His carriage, the Greatest Holy Leaf and His daughters all ran forward to embrace and greet Him.

            Emogene Hoagg described the homecoming:

The home coming of Abdul-Baha, after an absence of three years and four months, was a real festival. Such excitement and happiness as reigned in the holy household can only be imagined . . . In Abdul-Baha’s house, there is a very large central room around which are the other rooms, and in it Persian rugs were spread and tables placed upon which were fruits and sweets . . .

When Abdul-Baha’s voice was heard as he entered, the moment was intense – and as he passed through to his room, all heads were bowed. In a few moments he returned to welcome all. He sat in a chair at one end of the room, and most of the believers sat on the floor. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was tired so remained but a short time, and after a prayer chanted by his daughter Zia Khanum, went to his room.

Then the ladies vacated so that the men might enter. To see the faces of those sturdy, earnest men – faces that spoke the fervor of their faith, the earnestness and resoluteness of their purpose – was something to remember. I am sure not an eye was dry; old and young, with happiness filling their hearts, could not refrain from exhibiting their emotion. He welcomed them, and seating himself on the floor, spoke to them a short time, after which he retired . . . 

After an absence of three years and three months, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was finally home. The day after His arrival, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ascended Mt. Carmel and went to the Shrine of the Báb. And the following day, the Centre of the Covenant went to ‘Akká for eight days to commune with His Father and the Source of His Spiritual Being.

            Shoghi Effendi wrote:

A most significant scene in a century-old drama had been enacted. A glorious chapter in the history of the first Bahá’í century had been written. Seeds of undreamt-of potentialities had, with the hand of the Centre of the Covenant Himself, been sown in some of the fertile fields of the Western world. Never in the entire range of religious history had any Figure of comparable stature arisen to perform a labour of such magnitude and imperishable worth. Forces were unleashed through those fateful journeys which even now . . . we are unable to measure or comprehend . . .

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s historic journeys to the West, and in particular His eight-month tour of the United States of America, may be said to have marked the culmination of His ministry, a ministry whose untold blessings and stupendous achievements only future generations can adequately estimate. As the day-star of Bahá’u’lláh‘s Revelation had shone forth in its meridian splendour at the hour of the proclamation of His Message to the rulers of the earth in the city of Adrianople, so did the Orb of His Covenant mount its zenith and shed its brightest rays when He Who was its appointed Centre arose to blazon the glory and greatness of His Father’s Faith among the peoples of the West.

The final days in Egypt; the Speech of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

On December 2, 'Abdu'l-Bahá will leave Egypt, after being gone from Haifa for three years and three months.

I wish we had more accounts of what occurred during the sojourn as a whole. Perhaps when the second volume of Mahmúd's Diary is translated, we will learn so much more. . . .

Last night at Feast this passage struck me:

"O thou who art attracted by the Speech of Abdul-Baha!

Verily I speak unto thee through the tongue of my spirit, from the spiritual direction, and explain for thee the mysteries of the kingdom and the meanings of the sacred, heavenly books. Direct thyself unto the Lord of the Supreme World and loosen thy tongue, so that He shall confirm thee by the spirit of Beyan (i. e., explanation) and breathe into thy mouth the Holy Spirit and move thy tongue with the best meanings and mysteries.

Trust in God and rely on His great bounty, because His bounty is overflowing like the seas, brilliant like unto the lights, flowing like currents of water and raining like the clouds. It is incumbent upon thee to be humble, lowly and submissive at the appearance of the lights of the gifts of thy Lord, in every instant. Serve the friends of God under all circumstances and conditions. This is the station of the spiritual ones; this is the honor of the Bahais; this is the glory of the sincere ones. . . ." 

Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha, 173

May we hear His voice and be attracted to the mysteries it can impart. 

Fall 1913, Egypt; His power of adaptability

Between now and December 5, 'Abdu'l-Bahá will still be in Egypt. Various people, including Shoghi Effendi and Bahiyyih Khanum, have and will visit Him there. I can just picture those in Akka yearning for his return--His own wife and daughters, for instance! It's somewhat of a mystery why He chose to stay for so long, but here are some stories from this time: 

From Earl Redman's 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Their Midst:

 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s health slowly improved over the summer, but reversed in the autumn, in part due to the activities of two of His recent travelling companions. Tamaddunu’l-Mulk, who had been with the Master in London and Paris, was attempting to split the Bahá’ís in Tehran while Amin Fareed was defying His orders. By the middle of the next year, Fareed was in open defiance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and was travelling through Europe trying to raise money for himself using the name of the Faith. He arranged one such meeting in London which was prevented by the efforts of Lotfullah Hakim. Mason Remey and George Latimer also toured Europe to counter Fareed’s activities. Fareed’s appetite for money, which began in America with his efforts to pry money from Phoebe Hearst and Agnes Parsons, led to his expulsion from the Faith.

            Slowly, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s health continued to improve. At about 6 o’clock one morning, He went to the house where His secretaries stayed. Even though He had already done considerable work, He arrived to find every one of them still quite asleep.

            On the afternoon of 29 October, ‘Abdul-Bahá went for a walk. When He reached the telegraph office at the Bacos station, He went in to visit with the chief operator, something He did on occasion. Ahmad Sohrab wrote:

How wonderful it seems to me, his power of adaptability to all people . . . how he enjoys the free and unimpeded association of men! Here was Abdul-Baha sitting in a small telegraph office of Ramleh, talking heartily in Arabic with an operator and how he listened to him. First he spoke about the brother of the Khedive, and how he met him in America and France, praising his progressive ideas and intelligence. Then he said:

  ‘When I was in America I was most busy. Often I addressed three meetings a day, and gave innumerable interviews from early morning till midnight. In Europe I spread certain divine teachings which will insure security to the human world, and taught them that the foundation of the religions of God is one and the same. Now I have returned to Egypt in order to rest from the effects of this arduous journey; but while I am here correspondence is uninterrupted with all parts of the West . . . I have done this, not because I expected the praise of men. Far from it! How foolish are some people who may think that we have accepted all these hardships and undergone forty years of imprisonment by Sultan Abdul Hamid, in order to receive the commendations of men! How thoughtless they are! Neither their adulation or blame shall reach me. I have done my work! I have sown my seeds, and leave it to the power of God to cause their growth! You wait a few years longer and you will then hear the notes of this melodious music!’

YES! YES! We are hearing the music now. . . . 

Responses to Luminous Journey

We have been rather overwhelmed by the messages that have poured in, in response to the release into the world of our film, Luminous Journey: 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America, 1912.  I will put some of these below, in case it will inspire anyone!

TRIBUTES re. FILM

“We both think Luminous Journey is BEAUTIFULLY done and are learning so much about ‘Why Baha’i?’ from it!  It definitely conveys ‘Abdul’Bahá’s Mastery and Presence. I’m so proud to be a small part of this wonderful work coming into form!”  Carole Duncan

"With utmost joy, I received a copy of Luminous Journey today and my hands trembled with excitement as I loaded the disc in the DVD player. Oh! what an indescribable experience to watch this long awaited movie about ‘Abdul Bahá's travel to America. It was like I was travelling, too, with the Master and felt the excitement on His arrival in every city and the sadness when He left. The settings and costumes captured the spirit of the 1900s. The music and the narrations are superb. Thank you to all those who made the film Luminous Journey possible!"  Roland Maddela

Dearest Anne & Tim,

My community wants you both to know that we found the film to be exquisite. To a person, everyone was delighted with all aspects—the script, the pacing, the graphics, the charm and authenticity added by the period actors, the music, the production values, but mostly the dignity of the presentation and its focus on the Master and His words. When it was over, no one stirred—the credits were watched all the way through. You are both brilliant. We feel so honored to have seen it so early. Thank you. We are all excited about showing it at [the Minnesota] summer school.  Ann Jones Kazemzadeh

Dear Anne & Tim & colleagues,

You have done a truly MAGNIFICENT job on this film.  We especially appreciate that so many of the things we thought were "hearsay" are verifiable facts. Thank you so much for your work on this amazing film.  It is so good that you put it together while some of these buildings were still standing! With warmest Baha'i regards & love to all who worked on this remarkable film!  Mary (& Ken) Allen

“I treated myself to this lovely film over the Labor Day weekend. I was transported to that time and experienced what it might have been like to have met 'Abdu'l-Bahá. I experienced joy and tearful emotions—what a heavenly ride! If you're reading this and you haven't seen Luminous Journey, you need to make that change in your life!” Diana Rohrback

Dear Anne and Tim,  In Luminous Journey, you have woven 'Abdu'l-Bahá's travels to the West into a brilliant cloth that shall startle and fill with awe every heart that has the bounty of viewing it. With the highest of artistry and cinematographic craft, you have captured faithfully the stupendous sweep of His achievement. And you have truly raised the bar for all presentations of the Faith to a level that, when matched by others, shall spread Baha's message to tens, if not, millions of thirsty souls. The whole of the Baha'i world, the Great Beings of our Faith, and the attending Concourse thank you, Robert Michell

“It is terrific. Well done. Absolutely well done. A must for a collector and a wonderful tool for teaching.” Annick Elziere

“We just watched the film and are so moved. It is so beautifully done. I'm practically speechless. Everyone should see the film, either buy it or convince your community to get it and put it in their Lending Library. It will be watched again and again for many years to come. Thank you so much, Anne and Tim for having the vision and the fortitude to see it through to completion.  Linda Dunlap Oliva

Dear Anne,

A few nights ago I was peaceful enough to begin the movie and almost immediately began to weep with love for all that ‘Abdul-Baháis and has done and still does for us. I felt so revived and at peace. That night I slept better than I had in months.  In the morning, as I stood at my balcony, ‘Abdul Bahá came to mind and I thought how He was here last night, and instantly knew it was from you glorious presentation of his spirit.  (Movie is too small a word.)  The film is so rich, like eating Baklava or Greek Pesto!  I have to digest and savor the flavors. Something that I noticed as I was watching: ‘Abdul Bahá has blessed so many professions—painting, photography, filmmaking, journalism, and all of the sciences. Never before has a religion blessed professions. . . . I also thought about how you and Tim have integrated, panned, and enlarged the black and white photos and film clips with the color dramatizations, bringing the narration of His Visit to life and bringing the viewer into moments that have long passed in physical reality, yet live in the heartfelt emotions and positive knowing of every Baha'i. With love so much love and admiration for all that you have given to the world, Jalaliyyih Quinn

“If ever there was a Son who loved His Father, and was true and faithful to the teachings of God, and was kind and generous to all, and was a servant to all humanity, and was, according to our beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi, ‘endowed with super-human knowledge,’ and was referred to by Bahá'u'lláh as "this sacred and glorious being," it was Abdu'l-Baha, ‘the Glorious Servant.’ 100 years ago in 1912 Abdu'l-Baha blessed this continent with His presence, called the world to unity, and warned of the outbreak of war in Europe. This movie is a delightful and moving attempt to recreate that special time when the "Mystery of God" walked among us and gave us the means to spiritual transformation, if only we wanted it."  George Farideh Via

“Love and Blessings to you both and my admiration for you dedication to your art.  I am sure the film will inspire hearts around the world for many years to come and encourage many to follow in the Master’s footsteps.” Gordon Kerr

We bought Luminous Journey in Chicago last weekend and watched it tonight. It is a fantastic production; we enjoyed it immensely and learned so much about ‘Abdul-Bahá's trip to the United States and Europe. It moved us and we could not stop watching it. Thank you so much for a fabulous job." Bita Rahmanian

Dearest Anne and husband and all the artists who worked on the project, Luminous Journey,

Your work and service to the Cause by producing this film is truly a significant contribution to the field of education in America.  I couldn't agree with you more that this effort is the beginning of a new "chapter of American history destined to change the consciousness of a nation."  You work has far-reaching and wonderful implications!  As an educator, I envision this film and history, along with other current and future develoments (such as Robert Stockman's book on 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America) embedded in a formal curriculum in schools from early childhood to university.  I see development of educational objectives, a diversity of media creations, project ideas, service ideas, and, ultimately, the transformation that it could and would have upon all those who study its content in the spirit of independent investigation of truth.  It is a great service in His path!

May Baha'u'llah lead you from joy to joy and confidence to confidence!  Wishing you and this educational project much success!  Barbra Levine Pakravan

“I saw the film screened at Green Acre on August 12th during the Homecoming Week.  It looked lovely in that huge auditorium and the majestic sized screen.  The sound (which is never good for ears like mine) was just fine.  The evening started out with a jam-packed room - many friends came from the local communities, and they were very demonstrative as they viewed.  There were many smiles exchanged, elbowing each other about this or that vignette, wonder at the beauty of the production itself. . . . It is lush and generous to the audience, filling the senses with what it could have been like to be in New York or Washington or Chicago with ‘Abdu'l-Bahá.  It is a very effective suspension of time and place as the film transports you to the America of 1912 . . . an America engaged with such a special Visitor, delivering such an important and powerful message.

After 100 years we can clearly see that Abdu'l-Baha was warning us about four eternal spiritual laws that should not be ignored or broken. He was so forthright about the equality of women and men, really challenging America to see this basic denial of human and civil rights to half of the world's population.  Newspaper editors were shocked at the plain words He used about women and the right to vote, and the role of women in bringing about world peace. We ignore this law at our own peril, and we have done that for much too long. 

He was also so dramatic in his advocacy for the rights of African Americans, so long in slavery, so long on the tragic road of violence, so long in physical and psychological chains, so long reviled and so long the victims of a modern cruelty that still continues, even if the forms today are more subtle and polite.  He spoke emphatically and without any fear of being contradicted or attacked. The film depicts His bravery at expressing love across the color line beautifully. 

His warnings about imminent war, and more wars that would follow in a world that remains divided in every possible way, in every sphere of human interaction, where nationalism and materialism have taken over hearts and souls, and led to a century of human carnage unparalleled in recorded history.  He told us the antidote was authentic trust and authentic love at every level of life, and the world chose to ignore that.  And we still ignore it.

And finally, His bold and plaintive cry for the value of religion, raised in so many churches, synagogues and places of worship across all separations of color, creed and custom was vivid in the film.  The idea that religion would be a cause for unity was so innovative in our religious tapestry that was so torn and tattered, especially in America, where every individual feels that they can pick and choose what is best for them and then call it a religion  . . . and separate their communities from others.  Some of the clergy understood, most did not. His energetic inter-religious dialogue and fellowship was remarkable, but His warnings fell on so many deaf ears. 

The film is a chronicle of warnings, so perfectly delivered, and so universally ignored.  And we have 100 years of history to prove His message true and His warnings valid.  The film also shows, in exquisite detail, the souls who heard the message and who changed their lives, their orientation, their very purpose in life to carry out the wise and healing teachings proclaimed all over America in 1912.

Everyone at Green Acre was impressed with the attention to detail, the costumes, the cars, the trains, the hotels, the music, the very essence of that 1912 ambiance recreated so that we might become one of those noble souls who were changed by the message and the presence of the wondrous Visitor.

At the end of the Green Acre section of the film there was a break for refreshments . . . an intermission.  The conversations in the café were alive and vibrant . . . no one had ever seen such a production before.  This was a film worthy of the subject matter it conveyed, and the friends were seized with the idea that they were seeing something new. It was an experience of production excellence, a quality script, and a depth of reverence in a presentation that had not been seen before.” Bob Harris