Abdu'l-Baha's First Days in America

ABDUL BAHA'S FIRST DAYS IN AMERICA

FROM THE DAIRY OF JULIET THOMPSON

PRINTED BY THE ROYCROFTERS, EAST AURORA, NEW YORK .April II> I924 ~H~E waited at the pier five radiant hour~. At last, ~ t. •. through t~e haze of the harbor ... a shr~ loomed. c.r,J. ru,l • ( The ship docked, but Abdul Baha did not np- ~ '--~-~ "" pear. SuJJenly I had a great glimpse! In the dim C~~-WC~ interior of the ship, barely visible, striding co and ~.A,- un:ḥ7~fro near the door ... ,vas One ,vith a step that shook youlJust that one Stride, charged ,vith power, the S\Veep of a robe, a majestic head, turban-crowned ... chat ,vas all I saw-but my heart stopped. We saw Him in the afternoon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kinney. When I arrived Abdul Baba was sitting in the center of the dining- room, near the Oower-screwn table. His aba \vas of cream-color. At His knees stood Sanford and Howard Kinney and His arn1s ,,,ere around chcn1. He was very \vhice and shining. No words could describe the ineffable peace of Hi1n. The people stood around Him in rows and circles-several huhdred in the roon1s; many , ..áere sitting on the flo.or in the dining-roo1n. \Ve n1aJc a dark background for His effulgence. Our tears only reOected Hin1; and there ,verc many, many who were weeping just at the sight of 1-lim .... just at t11e sight of that divinencss. For at last we saw divineness-incarnace ... ( Divinely He turned His head from one child to anothcr-fro1n one group to another. I wish I could describe that tum of the he:id. It is ineffable ... an oh, so tender turn, with that indescribable divine grace caught by Leonardo da Vinci in His Christ of the Lase Suppcr- (in the study for the head)--but in Abdul Baba irradiated with smiles and a Ufting of those eyes filled with glory, which even Leonardo, with all his mystery, could not have painted. The very ◄ 5 ):- essence of compassion, the poignancy of tenderness is in that turn of the head ... .April r2.th A t-tESSAGJl fron1 Abdul Daha to my rnother: " Con,áey to thy dear mother the greetings of AbHA. Say to her: • Always ren1ember my advices. It is my hope that thou mayest forget everything save God. Nothing in this world is sufficient for man. God alone is sufficient for hin1. GoJ is the protector of man. AU the world ..viU not protect the soul.á "

eA.priJIJth T OD.t Y Abdul spoke at hlatioric lvfortcn ás. Ag:iin because of D.:zh-a the immense crowd He spoke st:tnJing on the stairway, don1inating :ill the be:iuty of that house by His superlative Dcauty. His theme th:it day ,vas the spiritual seasons, and in the midst of His address a delicious little thing happened ,vhich, slight tho' it was, I ,vant ro keep. In its very sli~htt)c:ss, it "áill dra,v the people of the futurc closer to the !\laster, just as it dre,v us. Those render little touches of His hun1or :inJ si1nplicity-ho,v prec- ious they are!-bridging at the tnomcnt the illimitable space het,veen us and His perfection-making His divinity acccssiblcl The dis- ciples in the past, looking back io those mystctious J;1ys,vith their Lord over the :i.byss of their trngic sep:1r:1tion fro,n Hiin, ,vc:rc, I suppose, a,vcd into silence .tbout the little rhiu.~J-the :11lor.1blelittl, thingJ. So " the Man of Sorro,vs " h;1s been just-the .l\1an of Sorro,vs to us-Love and Sorrow. \Ve h.1ve never fonned any con- ception of the .1\1:inof Love and Joy, grc:it, bouyant joy, a Christ whose love overflowed in little tendernesses and ,vhose joy over- flowed in fun and ,vit-a happy, s1niling, laughing Chrisc. But no,v to tell you of chis little thing: \Vith His celestial elo- quence .Abdul Daha had described the spiritual springtime-the qujckcning ::ind aiv.akcning to Jjfc, .. V.i T .1bcsr:1n,.. He began 2nd paused for the translation-when poor Ahmad (the translator) lost the English word I But while Ahtnad stood, c.onfuscd :ind help- less, .Abdul D.aha, wjrh .2 smile of brjgbt humor, translated for Hirn- ◄ 6):-- self: '' Summer," He laughed. Whereupon a little ripple of delight ran through the audicncc. The charm of Him had captured chen1.all! { Afterwards He went up to rest in Mr. Morten's room. He had seen one hundred and forty people .that n1orning, and was so spent that He see1ncd almost ill. Bis fatigue \Vas evident to all, and yet-the people had no pity I \Vhen I returned from an errand to the kitchen, I found that His rest was being cruelly intruded on. Literally hun- dreds of people were streaming tow;irds Hjs room. A dozen ivcre in the room; at the door ,vere many eager faces, and behind them, coming up the stairs-a procession! "Oh, can't we shut the door?" I asked the interpreter. But Abdul Baba heard my question. " Let them come now,'' He said, gently. The disciples' attitude and-the ~1ascer's attitude! \\'hat a differ- ence there has always been between chem Iáá Suffer rhe liccle children to come unto me! " And the disciples \Vere such little children themselves that He had to put it that way-" suffer them! " Tenderly He pressed a baby to His breast, smiling and fondling it. " DeautifuJ b.abyJ LjttJc chicken! " He said, in His dear English~ then explained that " little chicken " was the Turkish pet name: for child. A young single taxer began to question Him, •• What message shall I take to my friends? " " Tell them," laughed the Master, with that wonderful spice of keen hun1or in His face, " to come into the Kingdom of God. There they will find plenty of land-and there are no taxes on it! " ..A.prilI8th THIS morning the Master agreed to go to the Bowery Mission, and He began to speak about it. á" I want to give them some money," He said to me, " I am i11love with the poor. How many poor men go to the Mission? .. •• .About three hundred," •• Take this bill to the bank, Juliet, and change it into quarters," He said, and He drew from His breast a thou.sandfranc note. " Keep the money," He further instructed me,áá and meet me at the Mission ..;(1 ► with it in a bag." And He gave the same instructions to Edward Getsinger, with a second thousand franc note. As I lefc the room, with son1e lilies of the valley in my hand, che pretty little chambermaid stopped me. " Did He give you those? "she asked . .. y cs. .. " He gave me some flowers yesterday-some roses. I think He is a Saint." The next night ,ve met the M:ister at the Bo,very Mission. Of the scene there ) ,vrote to J\áIr.... • th:tt fine person so strangely with- held from giving his life to the Master, ,vhosc principles he serves. through some blindness of the inrcllect. To him ,vho seems to roe the type of that rich young m:tn who, though he came to Jesus loving him, still ,vould not sell all to follow Him, I quoted the words of the Master to the poor. Hoi.v He had begun: •á Christ said, • Dlesseclare the poor.á He never said, Dlcsscd are the rich." How He had gone on: •• Ther.efore, you musl be thankful to God that although in this world you are indigent, yet the treasures of God arc within your reach; and although in the material realm you arc poor, yet in the Kingdom of God you arc precious. " His Holiness, Jesus Himself, was poor. He did not belong to the rich! He passed His time in the d~scrt, traveling among the poor and Jived upon the herbs of the Jield. He had no place to lay His head- no home. He was exposed io the open to heat, cold and frost" (how descriptive of the lives of those who }jsccnedl), " to inclement weather of all kinds; yet He chose this rather than riches. If riches were considered a glory, the Prophet Moses would have chosen them, Jesus ,vould have chosen them. ~ 7hcn Jesus appeared, it w:ts the poor who accepted Him fust,not the rich. Thercfore,yo11 arc the disciples of Christ; you arc His comrades, for He, outwardly, was poor, not rich. "Even earthly happiness does not depend upon wealth. You will find many of the wealthy i:xposed to dangers and troubled by difficulties, and in their last moments upon the bed of cleath there remains the ◄ 8 ):- regret that they must be separated from that to which their hearts arc so attached. They come into this ,vorld naked and they must go fro1n it naked. All they possess they must leave behind and pass away solitary, alone. Often at the time of death their souls arc (iJlcJ with ren1orse, and, worst of all, their hope in the mercy of God is less than ours. Praise be to God, our hope is the mercy of God, and there is no doubt rhat the Divine Coinp:1ssion is bestowed upon the poor; His Holiness Jesus Christ said so. His Holiness Bah:i'o'- llah said so ... The poor are very dear to God. The mercies and bounties of God are with the1n. The rich are mostly negligent, in- attentive, steeped in worldliness, depending upon their means, whereas the poor arc dependent upon God, and their reliance is upon Him-not upon themselves. Therefore, the poor are nearer to the threshold of God and co His throne. •• Jesus was a poor man. One night when He was out in the fields the rain began to fall. He had no place to go for shelter, so He lifted His eyes toward Heaven, saying: ' 0 Father! áFor the birds of the air Thou hast created nests, for the sheep a fold, (oráthe animals dens, for the (tshcs places of refuge, but for me Thou hast provide-I no shelter. There is no place where I can lay my head. My bed is the cold ground. My lamps at night arc the stars and n1y food the herbs of the field. Yet who upon earth is richer than I ? For the greatest blessing Thou hast not given to the rich and mighty, but unto me Thou hast given the po()r! '' ' To me Thou hast granted this blessing. They ate 111ine!Therefore, am I the richest one on earth.' " (Ah, can you not feel the divine love in the words ... the yearn- ing . . . the ptofundicjes of tenderness-the unspeakable consola- tion? It was Jike a song of love-a deeply s,.,,elling anthem.) " So, my cdtnfades, you arc following in Ebe foocsccps of Jesus Christ. Your lives are similar to His Jife. Your attitude is Jike unto His. You resemble Him more than the rich resemble Him. Therefore we will thank God that we have been so blessed wich real tichcs. ( '' And in conclusion I asJc you to accept Abdul Bah a as your serv~nt. •• I then tried to describe chat wonderful sccoc in which Abdul Baba -;(9):- proved His servitude to them: How He had stood at the church door to greer the men as they passed out, and to more than greet them-to add to those tender words of His a gift. Ah, the pitiful procession-the bread-line-the hon1eless, the hun- gry, the moral failures-broken figures, blurred faces, sunken nten. \Vhy should I attempt to paint such a scene! Of course, I am not equal to it. Only ... here was a forlorn army o( men in the depths of life-in the very " mud and scum of things," where, nevertheless, as the poet so greatly says: •• al,vays, al,vays, son1eching sings," and here stood One who looked Divine, receiving them like-prodi- gal sons?-strayed sheep-No!-like His dear and unblemished children! Ah, how can I say it more truly than in this way-here stood the Eternal Christ, in His reGection -on the shining mirror of the Scrv.1nt, Abdul Da-ha-the Eternal Christ and His beloved poor, ,vho, ,vrecks though they seemed, rese111bledHim " more th,10 the rich resen1bled Hirn I " Into each poor palm as He clasped it He pressed His little gift of two, three or four qu;1rters-just a symbol-anc! the price of a bed I Not a m:111,vas shelterlcss that night! 1\nd n1:1ny, I could see, found a spiritual shelter, a hon1e in His heart. I couJd see it by the faces lifted to His-and in His face bent on theirs. It was ,vonderf ul to ,vitncss the looks interchanged. First, the look in the poor, lifted f;1ce of grateful surprise at the gift found in the pal1n; then the lifted eyes ,videning ,vith ,vonder, as they 111ctthe divine gaze bent upon the,n; then a Oash of revelation from the eyes of Abdul Daha-a Oash of mysterious love, while His hand closed tightly again over that other hand with the clasp that saves. Who can teJI the effect of that im1nortal glance through the lives, and even at the moment of death, perhaps, of each of these men? Who can tell what the !vfastcr tl'''e that night? I write and \vrite, but I can not express His love-the divine pro- fundity of it, the poignancy of it, the divine wealth and ,varmth, the consolation of it ... These can only be felt; there are no human words to convey them. This record is a futile one-it is wholly in- expressive-it is an external thing. I can not make it simple enough, nor great . . . l started to say, &r(at enough t Who could? llut I least ◄ 10)=,- of all! But tny words seem ill-chosen. I can not find the right ones. I realize, too, as I write, that I am a babe in such things .... that I am just on the surface ... that I have not apprehended. Yet, perhaps, if I write of the app,ara11ceI no\v, I-or others-may use then1 as symbols, seeing n1ore of their significance later. I can only try. My pen has run away with me. I have not in the Jc:ist quoted ,vhat I wrote to Mr .... I said none of these things to him. I told him, however, of an incident after our return from the hotel. In the upper hall, on our way to the l-.iaster's apartment, ,ve had met the little chan1bcr1naid-the girl who the day before had told me of the roses He had given her. In the bag there were about eighty quarters left over from the Mission, and all these the i\Iaster emp- tied into the little maid's apron. Then He passed s,viftly into His aparuncnt, we following-all but Mr. Grundy, ,vhom the 1n:1id stopped. "Oh, sec what He has given me," she said. And when Mr. Grundy told her of His gifts to the men at the Mission: .. I ,vill do the same with this money," she exclain1cd, " I, coo, ,viii give it." Later, as we sat in a group around the Master, \vho was at that moment saying with a laugh (in reply to some question as to the advisability of charity), "assuredly, give to the poor! If you give them only words, when they put their h:inds into their pockets they ,viii find thetnselves none the richer for you! •á there canie a light tap at the door and there on the threshold stood the Jittle chambcro1aid. Her eyes were glistening with tears and in a sort of wonder, and obl•vious of the rest of us, she walked scraight up to the Master: " I came to say good-bye, sir," she said, timidly anJ brokenly, " and to thank you {or all your goodness to me . . . I never expected such goodness. And to ask you-to pray for me!" Her head drooped, her voice broke . . . she turned and went out quickly. There were many things I saw, and many things I heard, too, that night which I did not mention in my leccer. The Master took me back to supper with Him. As we drove up ..:(11)> l3road\'vay (imagine beii1g ,vith Hi1n on the " Great White \Vay,") as ,v.e drove up the crudely glittering screet, flashing with electric advercisetncnts, He spoke of chem sn1ilingly. l3ahaáo'llah, He told us, had loved light. •á He could never get enough light. He taught us to economize in everything else, but to use light freely." •• Ir is ro;1rvelous," I said, " co be driving through this glitter of ligbc "vich the real Light-tbe Light of lights! " •á This is nothing," He answered. " This is only the beginning. We will be cogechc:r in all the worlds of God. You can not realize here whac thac means. You can not imagine it. You can form no concep- tion here-here in the elemental world-of what it will be to be wich me in che Eternal \Vorlds I " c5Hay22nd. On, those mornings at the Hotel Ansonia, in the f19wer-61ledrooms I { The Master would invariably keep me all morning, calling flle again and again to Him. People thronged there; sometimes o~e hundred and nfty in a morning. He would become exhausccd arid teceive them in bed. Sitting in cbe outer room I would watch chem go in and come out- all different ... as if they had had a bath of life-freshened- (tuickened-or like candles that had been lighted. leonard .Abbott came out with flushed cheeks and brightened eyes. { •• That beautiful bead against the pillo ...vs ! " he said to me. ( Charles Rann Kennedy exclaimed: " I was in the Presence of God!" One dear woman-a Mrs. Angel, till that moment a stranger to me, tame from the Master's room straight to me. Her whole being was áin agitation. •á Oh," she sobbed, with her he:td on my shoulder, "He told me I would be blessed . . . that I would beco1nc all I wished to be. lie told me I would be blessed I " Nancy ShoJJ wenr in with me. \Vhen we left she said: " J could not have stood the vibrations in there one moment longer. Power en- circles chat bed.'á -.{11 ► ~~t(~ASHINGTON Was beautiful, the banners of the . .., t.. spring floating out evef}"vhere. The a venues \Vere /~ • leafy botvers, the parks gay and fragrant \Vith . ~ flower-beds and blossoming bushes, and the grass- ( )..~l""W~) plots of the houses also afire ,vith the color of 2(L;A,.........-u:h_;__,w flower-beds. The day after I arrived, Tuesday, April 1-3rd, I met the :r,.1asterat luncheon at the Persian embassy. The table was scre\.vn ,vith rose- leaves, as the Master's table al,vays is in Acea, and Orienta.I dishes were served ... A colored man was present and che 1'1aster gave a wonderful talk on the subject of race-prejudice, which, ho,vever, I will not quote. here, as it has been kept ... and besides I am long- ing to catch up with these days-rhese days ,vhosc significances ate unfolded to me as those in \Vashington were not. These days ,vhen lam feeling with all my capacity for feeling .. , these days when all the portals of my heart arc fiung ,vide open and the fire of the Beyond is sweeping through n1y heart-these days ,vhen the veils are torn from my eyes and I am seeing through the cryst:ils of tears the Manifest Gloryf Somehow I .don"t feel much like writing abOIJt Washington. This heart was not .awakened then! But He said a lovely thing at Khan's table, which I m11.rt keep. There had been a Jong conversation about material and spiritual diseases- their separate origins and separate cures. Consumption h;id a spiritual cause; it often originated in grief; the cure therefore must be spiritual. The cause of insanity was spiritual. A dear woman present, '"'áho had been a Christian Scientist, brought up the question of healing extreme physical cases, such as broken bones, through the power of mental • suggestion. " If all the spirits in the air," laughed Abdul Daha, " were to con- gregate together, they could not create a salad{ Nevertheless, the spirit of tnan is powerlul. For the spirit of man can soar in the firmament of knowledge, can discover realities, can confer life, can r<:ceivethe Divine glad tidings. Is not chis greater than rnaking a salad? "-,vith anotl1er happy laugh. One more s,vccr thing. The .servants were rather late bringing in one of the coutses. Florence Khaoun1 made so1ne laughing apology for keeping every one waiting, whereupon little Rahim spoke up. " Even the King of Persia has to wait, does n't He, mother? " (" Rahim, dear," said Florence:, "Abdul Baha is the King of the whole world." .. Oh I " said Rahim, very much abashed, " I forgot." After the luncheon a meeting had been arranged for three o'clock, to ,vhich a number of very distinguished people came, among thern Zia Pasha (the Turkish minister) and his entire family, Duke Lita and his ,vi(c, Peary, Alexander Grahan\ Dell, and a nu1nber of other wc:11-known people. The h,f:isttr, when at J;ist He came do,vnstairs, after having rested a litclc: and given several private intervie,vs, addressed the people, standing in the doorway in the sin1plest and freest of attitudes and speaking wirh a captivating sweetness, a startling clarity, and the un:tnswcrable logic and app:1lling sin1plicity of the Prophet's basic te;1ching. Zia Pasha stood near Hi,n, his eyes fued in an intent regard lull of deep wonder on chac pure and noble figure. \Vhen the discourse was ended he turned to me. " This is irrefutable:. This is pure logic," he said ... After the meeting at the Persian embassy, one was itnmcdiately held at Mrs. Parsons', in her beautiful Georgian house. It is a house of rare rcfinenicnt and dignity, and there, in a toom designed specially for this purpose (since the house has been recently built), Abdul Daha held daily meetings, receiving all the notables of \Vashington. l think I must describe: that room: A long and lofty hall, imtnacu- lateJy white, its ceiling, paneled walls and high mantel carved delicately and ornamented with white garlands; pale, green curtains of Jun1inous silk :lt the many windows, and in front of the mantel a -e( 14 ):- platform always banked high with criuison roses-wonderful American beauties, in tall glass vases . . . And . . . the M4.rltr . . . entering that room of studied simpli- city and conventional elegance with the free step of One ,vho ,vas king and yet Friend of all; walking with His natural majesty, yet with the simplicity of His great realness, to one of the ,vindo,vs, standing by the fluttering silk curtains and, ,vhile He talked ,vith that matchless case to the asse1nblcd people, gazing out into the light. Turning fro1n the window, striding to and fro (still pouring forth His heart-stirring utterances) with a seep so vibrant it shook you; piercing our souls with those strange eyes-uplifcin.g His eyes till glory streamed upon the1n-talkjng-talking-moving back and forth incessantly with restless gestures-pushing hack His turban, revealing the sweep of the line of His forehead-chat great donie; pushing it forward again almost do,vn to His eyebrows-which gave Him a peculiar majesty; charging, filJing the room ,vith m:igoetic currents, with a 1nysterious energy. Once He burst into the room, a chiJd upon His shoulders. For a moment He held her, caressing her wich radiant love. Then He sec her down :unidst che roses. ( On Thursday Abdul Baha dined at the Turkish embassy and it was my privilege to be there. To give you the picture:-Ncver, I think, have I seen a table so beautiful. It was like a rose-garden. Roses lay in melting loveliness its whoJe length, rising in a great rose-pink mound in the center- where sat Abdul Baba, facing Zia Pasha. Florence Khanum and Carey, Mada1nc Ibrahim Zia Bey (daughter-in-la,v ofZia Pasha), the American wives of Oriental diplomats, were placed on either side of the Master and I sat next to Carey. 'fhere are times when Abdul Baha looks colossal-when His holi- ness shines dazzfiogfy. That night He was in white, wich a pale, honey-colored aha. Zia P:isha, opposite Him, watched Him ,vith heightened color and tear-filled eyes, his keen, old face strangely softened. Abdul Baha gave a great address on the civilizations built on the basic teachings of the Prophets; then He spoke of the dinner as -::( l5 )> " a \vonderful occasion." "'the East and the \Vest," He said, " arc met in perfect love tonight." There was a something in His words as He spoke them-a some- thing so poignant, so revealing of the realities of things-so creative of fla,nt, that rears rushed to my eyes and for a 111omentI was over- come. Later He spoke of the deep significance of the two international marriages represented there. Ca.cey rnade me very happy by saying: "Juliet Thompson told tne long ago of your teachings, when I was only fifteen years old." \Vhat fruit that seed had borne-sown in a child! Zia Pasha made a great address. Turning the face of a lover to the Master, as he stood before that wonderful seated Figure, across the mound of roses, he caJled Abdul Baba " the Unique One of the age, who had come to spread His glory and perfection amongst us." ( á• I am not worthy of this," said the Master, simply. Oh, the meekness! I used to hate that word meekness, espcciaJly in connection ,vith Christ-tiJI I saw the ~laster. Then l realized this: that it is one of the essential attributes of God'ás Manifesta- tions-and a ray of intense and unique power ... of such power, indeed, that l have seen it changtthe a11110Jph,re.I am not speaking at random. This happened at Acea, when the Master said: "Jesus ,vas the Bread that came do,vn from Heaven., but I am the Food prepared by the Blessed Beauty,Baha 'o'Jlah. '' A Something celestial,affecting me like Ji/v,r light, fiJled the rooni. Perhaps I sbould put it in this way-chat it is one of the attributes of the Servant, and when the Manifestation in the Station of the Servant shows forth this attri- bute, which is identical with self-effacement-and all traces of the Servant disappear ... then the Station of the Glory alone is seen. •• There was God and there was nothing with Him.•• As I bade Zia Pasha good night, loolcing at me through a mist of tears, he said: á• Truly, He is a Saint." ONn day Mrs ... invited the Master to drive \vich her, and ,vas good enough to ask me, too. \Ve drove to the Soldiers' Home. The family of Mrs ... have been terribly persecuted by the newsp:1pers -though prior to Abdul Baha's visit to this country. Oh, the wonderful Mascerl Scarcely had He taken His seat in the mocor ,vhen He said to Mrs ... " How the newspapers here: persecute one I " It was such a sympathetic subjcct!-at once Mrs ... opened her heart. "Come away!" said Abdul Baha. "Elude these journalists! Come to Haifa, where there is peace. Juliet will tell you there is pc.ace in Haifa." Then He gave a wonderful talk. He spoke of how I loved her and of my praise of her. He clothed my 11n11tltrtd 1ho11gh1.r in His words. Think how sweet to be exprt.r.rtdby Hi,11!He spoke of her philan- thropic deeds and prayed that these might increase. "Nothing endures," He said, taking her dear, but conventional hand-seizing and keeping it-while she covered the joined hands with her cloak-" nothing save the Love of God endures. Look at these trees, all in blossom no,v I .. And, in words v,hich I ,vill not attempt to quote, He described the inevitable coming of autumn. " This is a symbol of human life," He said." Remember Babylon." He drew vividly for us a picture of the former Babylon, its stateli- ness and splendor; then of Babylon today ... the ruins of today, e1npty of life save for the hyena, " pro,vliog among its crumbling stones," silent, except for the vioce of the O\Vlby night, or the lark in the lonely sunshine. "Remember Tyre," He continued ... Here, too, was beauty and splendor and pomp. Think of Tyre now! I have been there- I have seenl " He spoke of my mother that day. "She is good-very good. Her heart is very pure. When we met her face became radiant." ... 1 was so thankful to be in Washington I At the daily meetings at Mrs. Parsons• there would be glimpses of many dear faces and, to my unspeakable joy, I found hoses of the friends of my childhood -:( 17 ► there. The dear friend with who,n I was staying went with me to áthe mt.t.\ings nt:).t\)' t.áit.t)' O::t)'-!.t::tn~ing 'i>Ometime-s '/.Dtoug'n tbe who\e afternoon, iJl though she was, because of her intense interest. ( One day, however, ~he was not with me. She was giving a dinner that night and we were going to the opera afterward and she had to rest for this, so; being free for an hour or so, ;1.fterthe meeting I staid to have a 'lisit with Edna, who was serving the Master at the telephone upstairs. \Vhile Edna and 1 \Vere talking, suddenly the Master came into the room. "I was just going out for a drive," He said, " but stay till I return, Edna, and you too, Juliet, stay. I will see yoll when I return." ( So I waited; J waited-and waited! Half-pas~ six came seven. Our dinner, on account of the opera, was to be at half-t>ast seven- My hostess lived a Jong way off, rather indirect on the car-line, and I had not kept the motor. •á Go, Juliet, I will explain," urged Edna. But I could not. He had told me co stay. And now I am going to digress and tell you what stems another story. l was certainly no more than ten years old when a ~ery presumptuous aspiration took _possessionof my infant brain. I f:>cganto dream of some day paintiflg the Christ. I even prayed for itl Child though I was, I violently bated the accepted conceptions of the Christ-sweet, effeminate, ineffc-ctual. " I will paint a Kint.I " l said, "The King of Love I" .And I never lost this hope till I saw the Master. Then I knew thilt 110 one could everpaint the Christi The life of the Spirit of life-th11t animation !-the endless reveaHng-rhe Glory-how could these be captuted in mate,ial? Can you pai.at the lightning? Imagine my wonder-my almost dismay-my mingled Tear aod rapture at the news that was given rne by Mrs. Gibbons when the Master fuse arrived in America. The night before .He landed she had received a Tablet, in which He had said: "On my arrival in Ame~- ica Miss Juliet Thompson shall paint a wonderful portrait of me." ( It was a little after seven when the Master catne baclc from His -tf18)>- drive. Entering the room where He had left me, and where, of course, I was still waiting, He said: ... Ah, Juliet! For your sake I returned. Mrs. Hemm.ick wanted co keep me, but I had asked you to wait. Therefore, I returned." After a slight pause He added: •á \Vould you like to come up and paint me to1norrow? " So I learned the reward of obedience. \Vhat a re,.vard for such simple obedience I Once in Haifa He said to me: •á Keep my words; obey my commands and you \viii marvel at the results." By a miracle I was not late for my dinner engagement. The dinner -at the last moment-was postponed, by another guest, a half-hour I ( The next morning I went to Him early with my box of pastels, but, though it was only eight o'clock, quite a cro\vd had already garherc:d and I felt that our morning was doomed to be a broken one. Not only that, but the light in all the roo1ns ,vas vtly poor ancl,veak, and the delicate wall-papers with bunches of flo,vers on them you could not think of putting behind His head! For a while I \Vas in despair, for I dared not offer the suggestion that was in my mind. In the end, however, the artist overca1ne the disciple in me and, beg- ging the Master to forgive me if I were doing a wrong thing, I asked if He would pose in New York instead. This He consented to do so freely and sweetly that I had no more qualms :ibout it ... The next day I went to Mrs. Parsons, having promised to meet Lee McClung there-the treasurer of the United States, ,.vho had asked me to arrange an interview with A.bdu1 Baha for him. 1 arrived a little in advance of hin1, and \vhile I was waiting in the hall to be announced, a door opened and there stood the Master, beckoning to we. He w.ts alone, so we had to fall baclc.on His English and my Persian! h precious little talk it was! ... When the transJaror appeared: .. Tell Juliet," began rhe t-.i:iscer at once, '' that she teaches well." (I repeat this praise only because it is Ilisl) " I have met many people who have been affected by you, Juliet. You arc not eloquent; you are not fluent, bur your h,art teaches. You speak with an emotion-a feeling ,vhich makes people ask, • What is this that she has'? • Then they inquire-they seek and -:(19)> /ind. It is so, too, with Lua. You never find Lua speaking with dry eyes! You will be confirmed; a great bounty will descend upon you. You will become eloquent. Your tongue ,vill be loosed. Teach- always teach. The confirmations of the Holy Spirit descend upon those ,vho teach constantly. Neverfeel fear. .The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say, Never/ear.You will grow stronger and stronger." { His vibrant power as He spoke thrilled me and fear wa.s forever banished from my mind. The great courage of that erect head aod uplifted hand-the absolute confidence in God for mel I ;im sure I shall always sec this when in the future I begin to speak.

WeEN Lee McCJung dined with us that night I asked him: ( .. ln what way did Abdul .Baba impress you~ " He began shyly: " f seemed to be in the presence of one of the great old prophets-Isaiah-Eliiah-Moi;es. And yet-it was more th.r.n that-He was like Christ . . . No-now I have itl-Hc seemed ,o me like my Divine Father."*

•Two years later~ Mc0u11gdied. -c( 10 ):- ~'lf"-"o/:}}gN Saturday the Master returned to Ne\v York- -.,,&~K) Saturday, May 11th-jusc one month from the n-,,,,,._ ~ day of His first arrival. ~ ,,;<..a. A few of us prepared His rooms and filled them t>i~~~J with flowers for Hi1n-Carrie Kinney. Lua Gc:t- ;ḥ7~.A,---uh,~ singer, rvtay Maxwell, Kate Ivc:s, Gr:ice Roberts and I. lvlr. Mills and Mr. \Voodcock ,vere also there ,vaicing. His little apa.rc1nenc (at the Hudson Apartment House, on River- side Drive) was high above the world; ics windo,vs framed the sky. Now they were all open and the breeze blc:w in freshly from the . river. About five o'clock He came. Oh, the Coming of that Presence! If only-only I could convey co the future the great vibration of it! The hearts arc almost suffocated with joy-the eyes burn ,vich tears at that step! It is futile to cry co express it. Sometimes when the sun breaks through clouds and spreads a great glo\v, like a pouring ouc of fire from its be:,.rt, I get so1nething of that feeling. Taking a seat by the windo\v the Master began to talk to us, with supreme love and gladness-witti\y-eloqucnt\y-tenderly---carr)'- ing us up on wings of lire to the apex of sublin1e feeling; then turn- ing our tears to sudden little ripples of laughter as an unexpected gleam of wit flashed out; then melting our hearts with His yearning affection. Lua, May and I, the three closest sisters I believe in chis Cause, bound together by our rapturous memories of chose early days of che Cause in Paris. when the Faith, the Knowledge and che Lo,áe of Abdul Baha were just dawning on the three of us-Lua, r.fay and I, for the first time together in the glory of His Presence, sat in a cor- ◄ 1.1 ):- ner oo the floor, gazing through tears at Him, and whenever we could tear our eyes from the sorrowful yet radiant beauty of that Face, silhouetted against the sky, gazing at each other, speechless, in wonder too deep {or words ... still through tears.

Day after day I was with Him there. Lua and I had permission to be always with Him. He would seod for me agaio and agaio. "My Lord," I would plead, .. I should not cake your tin1e. I do not want to take your time. I am only too thankful to be here-serving at a distance-somewhere in your atmosphere." " I know you are content with whatever I do; therefore I send for you." He said. On the 13th of May a meeting of the Peace Conference was held at the Hotel Astor, at wbich Abdul Baba was the Guest of Honor and the chief speaker. Dr. Grant was one of the speakers. He sat at the right of Abdul Baha, Rabbi \Vise at the left. The Jewish rabbi, the Christian clergyman IAh,the symbolism of tlut trio sitting together in the foreground of the platform of the World-Peace Conference, with the Center of the Covenant for its center! He who had come to unite the Je,vs and the Christians! Abdul Baba was really too ill to have gone to that meeting. He bad been in bed all day, suffering from complete exhaustion. I had been ,vith Him all day. Once during the day I asked Him: " Must you go to the Hotel Astor when you are so ill?" á• I ,vork by the confirmations of the Holy Spirit," He answered. " l do not work by hygienic laws. If I did I would get nothing done.á• ( On Friday, May 14th, a native of Indi.a came to sec me, sent by Mr. Barakat-'Ullah,-Kahn Bahadur Allah Bahksk of Lahore. I asked him to return to my meeting that night. He did so and beá came enchanted with the teachings. Immediately he went to the ?vfaster. Three days later he wrote to me: " Abdul Baba is the Divine Light of today." A few perfect days, thco the Master went to Boston. Io the meanwhile He spoke at the Church of the Divine Paternity. This was unbearably beautiful. My impres$ioo, as I look back, is that the Church was Byzantine, -c( 2.1.)> recalling the worship of early Christians. The interior was of gray stone. Ah, the look of Him that day I Then, more vividly than ever before, He shone out as the Divine Shepherd, come at .last to His flocks. I have said this before-I had felt it before, but never so overwhelmingly as now. I ,vept through- out tlie service. In front of tne sac Lua, her eyes fixed in rapt regard on the Master, her face stilled and immeasur:ibly greatened by ics look of recognition-of profound re:ilizacion. Soon I caught a glimpse of another face-a man's. He was a friend of mine, Mt. Bailey, a dear Mid-Victorian, inordinately proud of his nineteenth century acheism and in mortal terror of his inevitable twentieth century conversion I And now-his hour had come! Never have I seen a face more couched I It was very wistful-very soft, the eyes, curiously limpid and with a sort of shy reverence in them, fastened on the Mas_ter. He met me at the Master's apartment that µternoon, making •his entrance with these words: " I have been thinking since this morning that the way to the at- tainment of greatness is through elimination." (This was his opening remark-uoprefaced-don't you love it?) ( " You felt," I ventured, •• the simplicity of the Master? •• "One would naturally feel the simplicity of Niagara! " almost resentfully. '' Did you feel-the beauty of His face?áá " The patriarchal grandeur of His face can not be denied." Later, how his eyes hung on that face!

ONthe 1.1st of May Mrs. Tatum• had a reception, co ,vhich the Master came. The people who were there were of thefashionable,vorld wicha sprinklingoftheartistsand the literary set. Mrs. Sheridan ,vas • Io December of that ycáar Mrs. Tatum came to sec me. "The !',f:istcr," she told me. " said such a s~raoge tbjog to me just before H_eleft _America.I_ had bcco ci,:prcssiog my regret to Him that l liad noc my automobile this autumn 1n Ne,v Yori.: to put at His disposal again, and He answered, 'Sooo you will have oo use for ao automo- bile, Mrs. Tatum, for sooo you will be ri<liog in a chariot of 6rc. • l wonder what He meaot?" Withio a vay kw weeks dear Mrs. Tatum passed suddeoly from this world. -:(2.3 ► pouring tea. Louis Potter was there-dear Louis Potter.• " Oh, a11gu11 Juliet! "he exclaimed when he caught sight of me and at once attached himself to Lua and me. The house was very large, airy and beautiful !-with a great white staircase in the center and big rooms branching out from this central hall. Suddenly there \Vas a stir an1ong the people ... and ... Abdul Daha ,vas in our midst. He walked over to a big, yellow couch in the bow window and sat do,vn. I think I must tell you how He looked there. His s.urroundings were all wbire; sunlight streamed in; the shadows on His face were transparent; His profile \vas outlined with a lun1inous penciling; His background was the crystal of the wide central window pane-the sky beyond. Behind Him stood the Persians. •• Come, Louis,'' I. said to Louis Potter, 11 let us go to the Master." Louis had never seen the Master till then and he went skipping fonvard like a little, buoyant faun, his head on one side and his hands outstretched, "Ah-h-h," he s2id, as if he could not help it,-it was a little cry {rom his soul-as though be were just tornint ho,n,-and ,vas so t,laJ. And the t.1ascer too, said, " Ah-h-h! " His voice thrilling with love beyond our understanding-with a recognition-a welcome beyond our understanding-His arms open wide. Soon Dr. Gr.ant arrived. As soon as He appeared in the room the Master rose almost eagerly, smiling and holJiog out His hand. £ááAh! Dr. Graotl" He said. I fclt in Dr. Grant a great Jcf..:rcncc-ycs, even 1norc-affcction, real affection. They stood for some ti1ne, their bands clasped in one another's. Dr. Grant is taller than the Master and that so erect head of his ,vas bo,ved with great gencfcness-tcnderness, even- -to\\•arJ the t-.1aster, ,vhose vibrant Presence dominated the whole scene. A Persian was translating, but tbe \vords ,Ycrc so low that I could not catch them. The greeting at an end, D,. Grant sat down close to the Master on the curved white window seat. ---- • Louis Pocrcr, a great sc11lptor,died very tragica.lly in August of that year, 1911. He had nor y.ct accepted the 111:istcr,but he loved Hin1 and was beginning to study the Tc-2chin,:s. The last thing fro111his gifted hand was a tiny bas-relief of Abdul Bah.a-a medal. Soon Abdul Baha began to speak. He \Vas very happy to be with us, He said. "Think of the contrast I For years criminals had been His associares and now He ,vas asso- ciating ,vith us (how sweet to 11scriminals!). His ouclook for years had been from :t prison window and He had been conttncJ ,vithin the litnits of :t fortress; now He found Hirnsel( in spacious honics ... ( His talk, at first appa.rently desultory, gradually shaped itself toward some distinct point, which, ho,vever, He kept veiled until the end. l wondered ,vhat was corning. \Vhcn it came it was like a thunderclap. " Think of itl " He said, " T,vo kings ,vere dethroned in order chat I might be freedI This is naught bur pure destiny." I looked toward Dr. Grant. Instead of the skeptical expression I had expected to find, l s;tw th:ic he ,vas strangely moved. He had been listening, still with that expression of tender dc(.:rencc, his head slightly tipped to one side, looking, as he has each time I have seen him in the Master's presence, singularly young, singularly softened-but now there was a ,,isibJe stirring of his souJ through his face. " And now," ended the ~-laster, rising to His feet with che action of a king, " you here in America must ,vork with me for the peace of the world and the oneness of humanity." And with this He left us-the roo1n seeming strangely empty after He had gone. the next morning early I had a ,velcome visitor, dear Ho,vard MacNutt. He greeted me with a radiant face. I knc,v he had good news! Then he told me. He bad just bec:n breakfasting w,ich Dr. Grant and the Master was to speak again in the Church of the .Ascension-in the Forum I The meeting had been arranged for June 1.nd. They had a deep talk-Howard tvfacNutt and Dr. Grant. Dr. Grant had talked freely about the day before. He had spoken of the Master's address and of its great climax. " As I listened," he said, " I realized profoundly that this \Vas a historical moment; that before me sat One who, imprisoned for the ..;(1.5)> cause of humanity, had been freed by the power of God alone, through che dethroning of two kings," t 1nust paint one word-picture-a morning in-how curious, I started to say " the Rizwan I " I mean-Riverside Drivel-in that hallowed little strip of a parkwhich.\ve all love cocall" His garden," into which He escaped so often to rest-,vhich is holy with His prayers; or where we sometimes walked with Him in the evenings, or He took his daily exercise. Just a gravel p:ith, some benches and young trees and a low stone walJ shutting off the slope co the river far below-but unspeakably beautiful forever to me. Morning, as I started co say, in our Riz~van; Abdul Bah a in the sunJight, His turban glistening white in it, pouring attat of rose on our hands and heads, pouring it out lavishly and with an incense of love breathing frorn Him as I-le did it, which it is impossible to describe, a very rapture of love, as though love indeed were the one detect• able thing in the univetsc and the soutcc of all joy. Oh, that lovel- the pale, sparkling, early n1orning sunshine, the perfume, th.it figure in the graceful flowing robes and the glistening turban . . . the Center of a Force which made everything around Him u noná existent! There is something almost miraculous in the way the Master takes the sunlight. No one else looks so bright in it. It makes Him trans• lucent, like. a shining mirror. Yesterday Jnorning Qune 11, 1911.,) I went up early to the Master's housc-th;it house ,vhose door was opened about eight in the n)Ornin~, or earlier, and kept open all day, ,vich no one to guard it, till midnight. He had been away and I h:id not seen Him for three days. I had brought my p:istcls, thinking He might want to sit for me, but I found Him looking utterly spent. He was in the lower reception room, or hall, the English basemeni of the house, and Valiolah Khan was with Hi1n. He looked up with brilliant eyes. " \Vhat do you want of us, Juliet? á• he smHed. "Only to he near you! áá-(1 had hidden my pastels). " You must excuse me from sitting for the portrait today. I am not able today," Then He talked to us a little, but soon went out alone, to " the garden," leaving Ruth, Valiolah and me together. " It is Wonderful, .. said Ruth, as Abdul Baha went, " co see ho,v the world is quickened today in all directions." "And to know," I nddcd," that the voice rbat is quickening it, so .. powerfully quickening it, is that tender voice that s1,oke to us just now. Toda:y-(June 11.)I went up early to His house, but not early enough. As I turned into 78th street I saw Him at the other end of the b\ock on His way to the garden, His turban a dazzling spot in the sunlight, His robes floating out ,vith great grace as He ,valkcd. ( Lltcr he returned. ~fiss Duck ton had arrived by that tin1e and a poor little waif of humanity, a Jewess. She was all in black, this poor child, with a little, pale face, careworn and teanvorn. I had been in the kitchen \Vith Lu:1. I carne out upon a scene domin- ated by the Master. He ,vas sitting, as usual, at the ,vindo,v, the strong carving of bis (ace thro,vn into rclic:f by masses of shado,v, his turban and white aba bright in the sunlight. On one side sat Miss Buckton, on the other, this poor, stricken child. While the biggest tears I have ever seen splashed from her eyes she told him her hopelessly dismal story. ••Don• t grieve no,v, don' c grieve," he said. He ,vas very, very still, and I think he was calming her. "My brother has been in prison for three years. He was imprisoned unjustly. It ,vas not his fault; he ,vas led; he ,vas ,veak, a victim of others. He has four n1orc years to serve. My father and mother arc depressed all the time. ~1y brother-in-Jaw who ,vas our support h:is just died." There it was, the sum of human misery: poverty, weakness, disgrace, sorro,v, desp:iir and the maddening pall of gloom. •• You must trust in God," said Abdul Daha. á• Dut the more I trust the worse things become! " she sobbed. ( " You have never trusted." " But my mother is reading the psalms all the time. She does not deserve that God should so abandon her! I read the psalms myself, -:( 1.7):- the ninety-first psalm and the twenty-third psalm every night before \ go to bed. \ pr.ay, too." " To pray is not to read psalms. To pray is to trust in God and to be submissive in all things to Hi1n. Be submissive, then things will change for you. Put your family in God's hands. Love God's will. Strong ships are not conquered by the sea; they ride the waves! Now be a strong ship, not a battered one." At noon 1 took Dr. Grant co Hirn. A,5we sat alone in the library, waiting for Abdul Ba.ha to return from the garden, I said: " I think what He said at Mr. Gifford Pinchot's last week was very interesting, that the people were rising like a great tide, wave upon wave, and unless the capitalists realized soon, they would be driven out ,.,ich violence; that the people in the future would not work for wages, but for an interest in the concern." Just then Lua appeared at the door of the room where she had been sitting, bending toward the stairway with beautiful reverence. " The !\{aster is coming? " I asked. '' Y cs, He is coining, Juliet." He came into the room with both hands extended, and in a voice lilce a chin1e from His heart He said: " Oh-h, Dr. Grant, Dr. Grant." Such love, such gladness, such sweetness, such welcome! Then I sJippcd out. When 1 re-entered the room Abdul Baba was signing a photograph {or Dr. Grant, rather, ..vriting a prayer on it . .. And now," Abdul Baba said, as He presented it; "you must give me your photograph. I ,vant your face. I have given you mine, now . you roust give me yours. .. " I will pray for you," He added, as He said f~ewell to Dr. Grant. " I will mention you daily in my prayers." Abdul Bah a detained me .i. moment. As l re}oincd Dr. Grant, in the Automobile, VaHolah Kb.in was entering the house. "Do you see that young man going into the house? " I asked. "That is Valiolah Khan. His father was cut into pieces alive while his o,vn little son, V aJioJah •s youngest brother, was forced to look oo at the but<:hery. " • If you will deny Daha'o'llah," the executioners said to the child, • We will take you to the Palace of the Shah and honors and wealth will be heaped upon you!• " • Bue I do not ,vane these things,' the little fello,v answered. " • Then-if you do not deny Him,' they continued, • we will kill you worse than your father (I am expressing this just as V aJiolah Khan did, in his English). " ' You may kill 1ne a thousand times worse,' was the reply, • Is my life of more value than my father's? To die io the parh of Baha'o'llah is my supreme desire! • " Then they fell on the child and choked him co death. "A day or ~vo ago," I continued," Valiolah Khan asked me about the portrait of Abdul Baha-ho,v it was getting on? " • One should paint the soul in a portrait, I think,• he said. { " But who could paint the soul of Abdul Baha? " I asked. " He dre,v himself up, his eyes kindling. " • \Ve can paint it ,vith our blood I • " he replied. The next day, Wednesday,June IJth, as usual,! ,vent very early to the Master's house, so early that no one was there-th:tt is, no callers. Some of the Persians, of course, were ,vith Him-Valiolah Khan and ~lirza Ali Akbar. I found them in the lo,.,.er reception hall, the English basement. Abdul Baba was sitting in the big chair in the corner near the ,vindow. He called me to a scat near Him, then began smilingly-to speak His clear words of divine encouragement to me. "Juliet is absolutely truthful ... For chis I love her very much." After a moment He added: " She tells me everything. She conceals nothing from me I " "My Lord," I said, "it would be useless to try to conceal any- thing from you. I coulJ hide nothing I " "That is true," said the Master, raising one hand, " nothing- nochingl " Soon He rose." Stay here," He bade me and went out with Ahmad. • • • After He had returned and given some private inrervie,vs to those waiting, He talked to the people assembled on the first floor, sitting at the far end of the room, His back half to the window into which -<{2.9)> the sun poured. The strongest i1nage in my memoty is this lu1ninous one of rite M.1scer sitting by the window, the tnaicscic head domina- ting the holy figure, reaching us with smiles and gestures divine. C The meeting over, a few of us we.at upstairs co Mrs. Cliampney's toom, to unite in a healing prayer for Mrs. Hinkle-Smith, but no sooner had Lua begun co chant it than there came-a divine inter- ruption I The Master looked in at the door, calling "Juliet!•á Whereupon I joyously deserted Mrs. Hinkle-Smith and ran out to Hirn. " Bring your things in here," He said, pointing to the front room, the library. Oh, these sittings, so wonderful, yet so difficult! We move from room to room, from background to background, light to light. He has given tne three half-hours, each time in a dilTerent room! And Abdul Ba.ha-who could paint Him? The next morning, Thursday, l went up very early to the house, but did .not see the ~faster. But Lua and I had a wonderful talk with Valiolah Khan. "I\1y father," said VaJiolah Khan," was tnuch with Baha'o'llah. One oighc Baha'o'Jlah, as He strode back and forth in His room, said co my father: • At scared periods souls are sent to earth by che l\lighty God with what we calJ the Power of the Great Ether. And those ,vho possess this Power can do anything; they have all power. Even this walk of mine,' said Daha'o'llah, •has an elfect in the world. His floliness Jesus Chrisc had chis Power. The people of His time thought of Him as a poor youth whom they had cruci.ficJ; but He possessed the Pol,áer of chc Grcac Ether; therefore, He could aoc remain underground. This etheral Power rose and quickened the world. And now look to the Master,' said Baha'o'llah, ' for this Po,ver is His.' ••.Baha'o'llah," added Valiolah Kh:tn, .. taught myfathet much about Agha. Agha (M;ister), yo11know, is one of the titles of Abdul Daha, and the Greatest Branch is another and the Greatest Mystery of God another. By all these we call Him in Persia. The Blessed Perfection (Baha'o'llah) revealed the Station of Abdul Baba to my father. And my father wrote many poems to the Master-though the -<(30):- Master would scold him and say: •You must not write such things to Mel • But the heart of my father could not keep quiec. He once wrote: "0 Dawning Place of the Beauty of God, I know Theef Though Thou sbroudest Thyself in a thousand veils, l know Thee! Though Thou shouldst assume the tatters of a beggar, Still would I know Theel'' In the l:ttc afternoon I returned ,vith my mother. He received us in His room, full of toses and lilies and carnations. •• Ah-hi Mrs. Thompson! Mahraba! M,ahrabal" The intonation of that M,1braha-a ,velcome from a heart deeper than any hutnan heart-:1 ,,,clcome, indeed I Only this generation may kno,v it on earth, but it is before all the world and the future at the threshold of Heaven I ... The next morning I sa,v the Master alone and V\'C spoke of a friend, who h;2d /:ijJcJ to understand Abd uJ .B:1h:1 ás me.ailing the othc.r day, thinking He meant to teach ascctism, that the spirit and the Oesh were t,vo separate things. " That is not ,vh:tt I said;' replied Abdul D:1.ha,•• I said that the spiritual man anJ the materialist wetc two different beings. The spirit is in the flesh," He added. " Yes, I know," I ans,vered, beaming at the beauty of this and its deep significance, for there it all was-everything was s:iid in those six ,vords. j,,ly Jth . . . . . . . Tnosu precious sittings, so few-,vich dear Lua and May praying beside me ,vhile I worked-perceiving and encouraging inc while I painted with a blind aoJ breathless speed, lificd up on a wave of inspiracioa-on!y /((lint. " The Holy Spirit alone can paint this portrait," I s:iid to the M.i.ster one day, "All confum.i.tion comes from Theel Oh, inspir: mel" "You will be inspired," the Master replied, "for you are painting only for che sake of God." Then-I let go I-relying on His promise: and on the prayers of May and Lua, and then a great wave of inspiration ca1ne, lifting me up to unimagined heights of confidence-endowing me with clear, sure perception-above all, filling-thrilling me with feeling so profound and immense that my hand, strangely certain-as direct as though guided by a more powerful one-trembled so it could scarcely execute. In five half-hours the portrait ,vas done (all except a sitting for a fe,v last touches), each day in a different Hght and environment. ( To be painting fron1 the Face of God and realirting this I Oh artists of the future, thi11k,,vhat that n1cans!-and forgive the in- adequate expression I h:1ve left to you. Dec:1useof these difficulties I could not n1ake a studied portrait-it is only an impression. The light was unspeakably weak and poor-everything txternal was against me. But they say it is really like the Master. He says so. He said, " It is the very nature." Due 11othi11gis like Hirn to me! That imrnortal flash of the eyes-that rnouch, supc:rhurnanly 1nobilc- the piercing brilliancy and sweetness of the look-the celestial light of the ever-changing (ace-who clould paint? An emanation of holiness that is almost visible-I find it in none of the photographs -I can find no words for it- .... You will have: to wait-oh, peoplc-,vho are to co1nc-till you sec Hi1n in theSuprcrncConcourse. ( There was that other day, ,vhcn in His address to the believers Abdul B.tha declared Himself the Center of the Covenant. The words are on record, though not all,some He Himself struck out when the notes were presented to Hiln, so that the record is less strong, more guarded than the spoken ,vords were. They were uttered with a great calm. That day was the 19th of June. On June 2.1stAbdul Baha went to Montclair. Two <bys later Lua, Georgie Ralston and I were with Him there. He served at the table chat day. I shall never forget His look of mystery as He entered with a dish of fruit. le was a glass bowl,filled with golden peaches. Without turning His head-His face was set straight before Him and was strangely and majestically still in ex- -cf31)> pressioo-He turned a piercing glance on Lua and myself. It ,vas a glance like a. sword, strangely watchful, as it flashed from the cor- ners of His eyes, while His face ,vas turned aln1ost profile. Before lunch, having banished Lua, Georgie and me to the back porch, He joined us there, striding up and do,vn and talking to us. As He walked He shook us ,virh His po,ver. I felt myself rene\ved in the currents of life eddying fron1 liin1. I felt myself sparkle with this vi"ific:1tion, this exhilaration. His eyes-chose eyes of light, which seen1 to be, :rnd are, ever look- ing into heaven, into that mysterious plane hidden from our sight, and when they alight for an instant upon earth glance a,vay at once, back to the mysteries-,vere more than ever brillianrly rcsclcss rhat day; l!is '"hole being, indeed, ,v:is restless ,vith a strange force. It scemecl as though the li.f!htning of the Spirit could scarcely endure to re1nain harnessed to the body. His whole bearing "'á:is unusually foreign to earth. He seemed almost out of the body. \Vhile we ,vcrc sitting :,round Him on the porch I told Him that a wotn;,n I knew, ,..,ho h:\J seen Hi,n once but knc,.., nothing of Hitn, had s:iid she would like co á• live nc:tr Him." He laughed, "She does not ,vant to Jive near ~fe. She only ,vaots a good time." . Then He gre,v serious. "To live nc:tr Me," He said, "one n1usc h:tve t.,[y :tin,s and objects. Do you rernenihcr the rich young m:in \\'ho wanted to Jive near Christ, anJ ,,áhen he found out ,vh:1c it cost to live near Hi,n-that it n1eant to give a\vay all his possessions, and to take up a cross and follo,v Christ-then," the Master laughed, " he fled a,vay I " " A1nong the disciples of the Bab," continued Abdul Baba, " ,verc two, his a1nanuensis and a fir1n believer. On the eve of the Bab's martyrdom, the believer prayed, • Oh, let me die with you! ' " The amanuensis said, ' \Vhat shall I do? • " • \Vhat shaJJ I do? • laughed the Master, in gentle mockery, • What do yo1,1want Mc to do? • " The Bab said, ' Protect yourself.' " The disciple died with the Bab, his head upon the breast of the <f33 ):- Bab, and their bodies were mingled in death. The amanuensis died in prisoo, anyway, but think of the difference in their stations I "There was another martyr," continued AbJul Daha, after a moment. "Mirza ... of Shiraz. He saw Daha"o'Jlah only once, but he so loved the Dlc:ssedBeauty that he could not help but follow hitn to Teheran, though Baha'o'llah had told him to remain in Shira.z with his aged parents, who h:1d also beco1ne believers. Still he follo,ved ! And when he reached Tehcran it was just at the time that a great persecution had fallen upon the Dahais because of the attempt on the life of Nassir-id-Din Shah by two fanatical believers. And Baha'o'llah had been cast into a dungeon. And it was in the Jungton that Mirza ... Shira:zi found Him again when he- asking for Daha'o'Jlah-was led to the dungeon to be chained with eleven ocher disciples to his Master! So he found Him again! The disciples were all bound by the san1e chain to Daha'o"llah. Set into the chains were iron collars which were fastened by iron pins around the neck, and each day a believer \.vas unchained and blled, till Baha'o'lJah alone was left, and none kncv, whose turn would be next. The ftrsc intimation one recci\áed that bis time had come was when the gaoler took out the pin from the collar. Then Mirza ... Shirazi stepped joyfully forward. First he kissed the feet of the Blessed Beauty . . . and then. . . . " Suddenly Abdul Baha's whole aspect changed. It was as though the spirit of che martyr had entered into Him ... With His head thrillingly erect, snapping His fingers high in the air, beating on the porch with His foot till we could scarcely endure the vibrations set up-such electric po,ver radiated from Him-Hesangthemartyr's song, ecstatic and tragic beyond anything I had ever he.ard. This was \vhat the Cause meant then I This was what it meant to live near Him! Another realm opened co me-the realm of Divine Tragedy. { " And thus," ended Abdul Baha, " singing and dancing he went to his death-and a hundred executionc:rs fell on him! "And later his old parents came to Baha'o'Jlah, praising God that their son had given his life in the Path of God! " He sank back into His chair. Tears swelled io my eyes, blurring everything. When they cleared I saw a yet stranger look on His.face. ◄ 34 ► His eyes were unmist:ikably fixed on the Invisible. They were as brilliant as jc,vcls and so filled ,vith delight that chey almost m:idc His vision rc:il to us. A s1nilc of exultation played on His lips. \'cry low, so chat it sounded Jikc an echo, 1-lehu1nn1cd the martyr's song. { " See! " I-le exclai rued, " the eCfect that the death of a 1narcyr has in the ,vorld. It h:is changed 111ycondition." There \Vas a rnoment of silence; then He s:1id: " \Vh;tt it is, Juliet, that you arc pondering so deeply? " .. I ,v:1s thinking of the look on your f:1ce ,vhcn you said th:it your condition ,v;is changed. J ,vas chinking I had seen a flash of the joy of God over those who die h:ippily for hun1anity." " There ,v:is one name," He said, " that al,v:iys brought joy to the f:icc of 13:1h:1'o'll:1h.His expression would ch:inge :ic the mention of it. It \Vas l\(;1ry of I\.Iagd:ila." I did not sec the ~faster a.gain till the 2.9th of June, the day of His fc:1st at \Vest Englewood. Then I entered His Presence in Roy \Vil- hc:l1n's house. I had gone to \\fest Engle,vooJ ,vith Silvia. \Ve ,v:ilkcd up fro1n the little sc-ation, dear Berthalin Osgood ,vich us, through the s,,ácct,- wilJ country, p:ist the grove ,vhere che tables ,vere spread for che feast-:1 great circle cleared of underbrush, sh:idy :ind fragrant ,vich tall pine-trees, in the n1idst of tangled ,voods-then on up to the house \.vhcre f-le was-He \.vhose Presence fillcJ our -eyes \.vith light and without whotn our days had been very dim and lifeless! Ah, there He was again I-There in a corner of the porch that unique Figure in the flowing garrnents, which meant che heavenly garment to usl I sped across the lawn-forgetting poor Silvia-forgetting everything! He looked down at me with eyes so grave, so deep in their regard-oh, so wonderful-a profound welcome. Then ,ve sat on the porch with Him for a v.áhile. Later, He led us to the grove. There He talked to the people, sitting beneath a great tree, with a poor, old woman on one side-very poor and humble, but with the most shining faith, and on the other. side Mrs. Krug, With her radiant prettiness and rich cloches. His words have been preserved. I will not repeat them. I remember , ,:( 35 ► them, besides, very imperfectly. But He said one thing v,hich woke all my being: "This is a New Day; a New Hour." At the end of this divine talk the feast was ready; but no sooner had this been announced than a sudden storm blew up; there was a peal of thunder; the clouds rolled very ro,v. Abdul Baha stepped out into the road and ,valkcd to the extren1e cod of it, ,vhcre there was a cross-ro::id. There a chair had been left, and, as I watched Him from a dist.1nce,1 s.1,vHim sic down in jr, while the Persians s~ood around Him. I then sa,v Him lift His face to the sky. 1-lehad gone very far from the house. The thunder was still threat- ening and the clouds were ominously black. Su<ldenly a winád sprang up-the clouds began to flee across the sky-blue patches appeared -and the sun came out. Theo the Master rose and walked baclc to the grove. Thi1 I 11110. Later as ,ve sat at the table He anointed us ,vith rose-water. I ,vas not at a table but sitting on the ground beneath a tree, with one or t\VObelievers. •á Friends here/ " srnilcd che Mascer. In Hi.s voice was a deep and thrilling joy. The union of hearts gives Him such rest. Then with a heart-shaking look, ,vhich bad as it ,vere the musk of love in it, He rubbed my face hard ~vith the rose-perfume. So He p:isscd arnong all the tables anointing all the people-a divine figure in His flowing robes ,vith the gracious and gentle beauty of the Shepherd-touching and caressing with those singu- larly tender yet vital fingers ... all our blind faces! ... But the \vooderfu.1-the indescribably \vonderful time came later. The Master ,vent out alone and ren1aioed away hours, \Vhcn He r.cturned it was dark. A few of us were sitting on the porch, Lua, 1Iay, Silvia, Marjorie anJ myself, and a yo.ung colored n1an, Neval Thomas. Below us on the gi:ass sat the people-that is, those who had lingered-who could not teat themselves away. Their white clothes in the dusk were as soft as n1oth wings, In their hands they held burning tapers-really to keep off the mosquitoesl~but the effect was of tiny wands tipped with red stars and the incense was like some Eastern temple. It w-as a fairy-like picture. The Master -:( 36 ):- took a chair in the center of the step, and delicately holding a ta~r Hin1sclf, He spoke in ,vords of flame! I can sec it all vividly still- and shall through my life-those trcrnbling red stars an1ong che dim \\áhire figures on the gr:iss; behind them a most ,vonderful tall tree, luxurt:tnt, ,vich rolling outlines-now a great black cloud against che silver st:trS. The ~f:tstcr I could not sec, as I stood at His back, but the ,vords ,vere the rnorc po,vcrful to rne for th:it. Often I lose the ,vords in g1zing at the F;ice. He had turned before beginning to speak, and given me a long and unfathomable look. Th:it speech, thank God, is reácorded-othenvise the words could never be rcmcntbcrcd. le ,vas a re,ácrberating call to His disciples to rise in this Day of the Great Resurrection out of the tomb of self and gather around Him to revivify the world. Defore He had finished He rose from His chair and started do,vn the path, passing bet,veen the ,vhite figures ,vith their trembling red st:1rs.. .. Pc:tt-e be ,vith you," He said as He recedetl into the darkness, the rich liquid Persian and the quivering tr:inslation floating back to us from His invisibility, " I will pray for you." Ah, the Divine Figure growing din1mer and dimmet till at last the darkness engulfed it! Ah, the voice that came back even when the figure ,vas beyond our sight I May I remember this in the future- nay, how could I forget it?

ONthe fourth of July my mother had her birthday dinner ,vith the rvfascer. Ho\v sweet He was to 1namma-fle led her to the sofa and with that ,vonderful freedom of 1-lis-frc:eclorn of che King and yet- of the Supren1e Friend-drew her down beside Him. Carrie Kinney, Georgie Ralston and I were sitting at a little distance ... " On the fourth of July three years ago," I remarked to the Master, .. Mrs. Kinney and I were with You in Acea. You took us to the Tomb of Baha'o'llah. I never dreamed I would keep an anniversary with You in New York." . . . At t-he table He joked with mamma because she would not eac. " I perceive you arc angel," He said, •á angels do not eat." ~◄ 37)=- •• The Master sees l am not an angel," I laughed, " because I ea.t everything He puts on my plate." •• I perceive you are a very clever person I Mrs. Thotnpson," He coná tinued, •á is going home to a luscious dinner and is saving her appetite for it! " " You are very 'kind to me," said maruma a little later. " God knO\VSthe degrees of it I " He :111s,vered. . . At another time that evening He spoke of tests. " Even the sword," He saiJ, " is no test to the Persian believers. They are given a chance to recant; they cry out instead,' Ya Baha El Abhal ' Then the sword is raised; they cry out all the more:, ' Ya Baba El Abhal' •• I write ,vords, but nothing can convey the subtle influence of Abdul Baha-the fragrance of His love, falling on our hearts like balm, e,chilarating our spirits, changing even our physical aspect-brightá e11ing the eyes, bringing color to the (aces, freshening all with joy. The fragrance of His Jove, the power of His peace, the currents of Life, streaming out from that strong Center-that calm .and glowá iog Center . . . \n \-\is "Presencewe are in Heaven. " And a man shall be as a shelter from the wind 1 as the shadow of~ great rock in a weary land."

ON Monday, July 9th, I went with the Master and the little banc:l of Persians to the Natural Hiscory Musc:u111.It ,vas a very hot day. \Vben we reached che Ninth Avenue corner of theMuseun1, where the employees' entrance is located, there was still a long stretch of su.11 between us and the main door and Abdul Daha was evidently so weary that I felt we rnust find some nearer entrance for Hin1. So, while He sat down to rest on a ledge of the cn1bankn1ent, 1 started off in search of one. The employees' Joor ,vas Jocked, so I hurried o.flfurther, even veniuring past a sign 1narked " No thoroughfare;'' but, just a.sI succccdcd in passing this, I was stopped by a shrill whistle, and turned to lace the ,vatchman of the grounds. He was a little old Jew, ,vith a kind face. I explained why I was breaking the rules and asked if he could lead us to a door nearer than the n1ain one, He turned and looked at Abdul Baba, it that Figure from the East, <(38)> from the Past-not of this "vorld or this time at all-sitting so quiet on chc ledge of the e1nb.:tnkn1cnt;and His face softened curiously. "Corne with n1e," he s:1iJ. Then, as Abdul Baba, ,-.,ith the rest of us, follo,ved him: " ls He :l Jc,v? " •á No," I said," He is A\x\ul Ilaha, of Persia." The old Jew asked nothing rnorc-rhen-though I sensed that he wished to, but I did not feel at liberty to spc:tk-Abdul Bah:i Himá self was there to speak. \Ve went through the l\1useurn, AbJu) Dab.a.being quite amused with the big ,vhalc, saying: " He could hold seventy Jon:ihsl " In the rvfcxican exhibit, ,vhich interested Hiin very much, He found traces of Persian ;1rt, and :ilso remarked on the close resemblance of the sculpture to \\'h:tt had ncen found in Egpyt. "Only 1hi1 is better," He said. "There is a tr:idition," I said, "of a connection between this country and Asia in the far past." "Assuredly," He answered, " before a great catastrophe there was connection bct,vecn Asia an<l A1ncrica." Though the Masrer had alreacly rested in the ~iuseum He sat down again just outside on a soft little curve of ground beneath a young trc:e. He sat some little time there, we standing behind on the flags of the ,valL:. Was He waiting for some one? .Byand bye the old Je,v stole up to us. " Is He tired? " he whispered softly to me. " \Vho is He? He look.s like a great m:10. " Divining that the Jew was a socialist, I replied that Abdul Baba was a great sufferer Cot the Cause of Brotherhood. Then I told him something of the story of the Master's sufferings. " I would like to speak to Him," said the Jew, so I led him to the Master. The Master loolce~ up, His brilliant eyes full of sweetness. "Come and sit by me," He said. " No, I must not," answered the watchman. •• Is it against the rules for me to sit on the grass?" asked the Master. {"Not for.1011"(with tenderness). " If it is against the rules I will get up." -c(39)> "No,Jou may sit there all day." "You didn't sec the whole of the Museum," continued the old watchman. " \Vould you like to go back after you have rested? There are the fossils and the birds." " No," said the Master smiling, " lam tired of going about looking at the things of this world. I want to go above and travel and see in the spiritual worlds. \\ 1hat do you think about that? " He asked suddenly, with another luminous smile. The old watchman looked puzzled and scratched his head. " Which would you ratber possess," pursued the Master, " the material or the spiritual world? " "Well, I guess the material," the watchman answered seriously. " You 1:nO\Vyou havethat, anyway." " But you do not lose it when you attain the spiritual. When you go upstairs in a house you do not leave the house. The lower floor is 11nder you." "Oh, yes! " All of a sudden light broke from the old man's face. Then the Master rose and standing beneath that young tree, the sun shining on His- robes, taught the old Jew with His irrefutable logic, yet with irresistible smiles and charm, of the spiritual agree- ment of Christ and Moses. Oh, if only I could make you seethat picture-call it into life ag:iin for you-the old Jew and his un- recot,ni~,JMessialJ-tbis One of whotn he had asked, " Is He a Jew? " -who had so strangely magnetized him and inspired him with tenderness and awe; the touched, questioning face of the Jew ... and ... the Radiant Stranger, like a vision of some long past prophet, " the Ancient of Days," aod .. the Divine Youth," in one, by some strange alchemy of the spirit. Surely the Jew must have felt something. Christians had said of this Visitor from the East, " that figure makes me think of the plains of Judea, .. _ .. I seemed to be talking with Moses or Isaiah." Race instinct, deep race-hopes must have stirred within thcjew. (I returned a number of times to the Museum to find the old watch- man, but I never saw bis face again. He must have been called very soon " upstairs in the house." ) 'fIIE S1\N FRANCl~CO llAII,\'I 1\SSI::.\ICLY a111101t11ccs 1áwo S.EllIES OF LECTUHES by OAIIA'I CONVEN'ftON SPEAKEHS

CENER4L SUBJECT-1'/IE El'OLUTJON Of' Rt;LJG/0:V Friday Evenings at the Con1n1on,rcnlthClub, 3-15Sutter Street, ~an Francisco, at 8 o'clock- May 1-The Seven Day!l of Crealiori-lts Spiritual /11terpretatio11 ~Ins. E1,1zAoET11 GnEENLEAF, i\lns. i\-(AY i\L\X\\"ELL, i\IR. Lot;rs G. GntconY "'Jayl'1--Harn1onizi11gthe Bible tt'itli !llodern Science l\á1n.A.tnrr.r ,•A11. M-ay21-The A-lostSucce!ls/ul Persons in Hun1a11llistory i\ln. AtnEnT VAIL May 28-The Greatest Religious Discouery of ,l/ o<ler111'i111es ~IR. ALBERT \I AIL

Wednesday Afternoons al the Ouha'i Library, 2108 Scott Street, San Francisco, nl 3 o'clock- f\1'ay5-A Recent Visit to Palestine l\-lns.ELIZAllF.TII GnEE:'liLEAF May 12-T/i.e Spiritual 111.fluenceof Abdu'l Baha A-Ins.!\1.•1á J\l.-tx1r1::1.L May 19-The C.iy of lmn1ortality a,ul the Gate 1'fiereto l\ln. ALBERT \' AIL 1\-lay26--The Scientific Laius of Prayer ~In. ALBERT VAIL

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