# My Visit to Temple University

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Martha L. Root, My Visit to Temple University, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> My Visit to Temple University
> 
> Martha L. Root
> 
> published in Bahá'í Magazine22, pp. 265-66
> 
> 1931-09
> 
> Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., a University for the people, was
> founded by Dr. Russell H. Conwell, one of America's most celebrated
> preachers, lecturers and educators. Two hundred students from three
> international relations groups came together on October 28 to hear a
> talk on Bahá'u'lláh's peace principles. Professor Graves, in his talk
> afterwards, expressed thanks for the intimate glimpse of the lives of
> people in other countries that the students otherwise would not have had
> the opportunity to see. He expressed appreciation, also, for the glimpse
> of the world of peace that might be realized through these Universal
> Principles.
> 
> The writer told of her interview a few years ago with Dr. Conwell
> concerning the Bahá'í Movement. He had said to her for publication: "The
> Bahá'í Movement is the biggest Movement in the world today for
> world-wide Christianity, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the Peace Prophet of this
> age. I know because I spent seven months in the orient and I saw that
> millions of Muhammadans, Buddhists, Jews and other Orientals have come
> up beautifully into Christianity through becoming Bahá'ís. I cabled to
> Egypt, asking 'Abdu'l-Bahá to speak in my church (Baptist Temple)--and
> when He came to this country He did speak there on June 9, 1912."
> 
> It may be interesting to know that Dr. Conwell, in introducing
> 'Abdu'l-Bahá on that occasion in the Baptist Temple said: "Our own
> people know well the history of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, visitors are here who
> already know Him, hence there is no necessity of any further
> introduction. We wish to hear of the efforts of those who have gone
> before him and of His own splendid efforts bringing about the unity of
> all mankind. I therefore give the time entirely to our friend and the
> friend of humanity everywhere, 'Abdu'l Baha Abbas of Persia, more
> recently of Palestine."
> 
> Miss Root's lecture in Temple University was on these peace principles
> of Bahá'u'lláh. After the lecture, several of the students of the school
> of journalism asked questions and the speaker told them what
> 'Abdu'l-Bahá had said about newspapers when He had visited Philadelphia.
> 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own words[2] were:
> 
> "Newspapers are the mirrors that reflect the progression or
> the retrogression of the community. We may ascertain the progress or
> retrogression of a nation by its journalism. If journalists should abide
> by their duties, they would be the promoters of many virtues among the
> community. Truth and the virtues would be fostered. This would be so if
> they carried out the duties incumbent upon them. Journalists must serve
> truth. Newspapers must investigate the means for the progress of
> humanity, and publish them. Journalists must write significant articles,
> articles that shall foster the public welfare. If they do so they will
> be the highest promoters for the development of the
> community."
> 
> Miss Root's lecture had been announced in the Temple University News
> Wednesday, October 28, 1931 as "a representative of the Bahá'í Movement,
> an organization designed to promote ideals of peace. "As she was shown
> through the university of the temple afterward, a number of questions
> were asked about the Bahá'í teachings. She commented that Dr. Conwell's
> great project was somewhat like the plan for the Mashriqu'l Adhkar of
> the Bahá'ís in the fact that it was not only an institution of theory
> but an institution of practice. In the center is the Church (the Temple)
> and connected with it is the great people's university where several
> thousand students are enrolled in the year 1931, and connected with
> Temple Church three great hospitals have been built, and Dr. Conwell
> also has done much work for children.
> 
> The words of Dr. Conwell about 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Bahá'í teachings are
> significant because he was one of the very greatest humanitarians of
> America, and though his last days were spent while theological
> controversy was rife, he never descended to it. He did not attempt to
> define Christ but to live like Him.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> [1] Bahá'í Magazine was later renamed Star of the West
> 
> [2] Published in the Philadelphia Ledger, June 10, 1912
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views9460 views since posted 1998-02; last edit 2025-01-30 08:22 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../root_visit_temple_university;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
> Language
> English
> Permission
> public domain
> History
> Scanned 1998 by Sandra Fotos.
> Share
> 
> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/3767
> Citation: ris/3767
> 
> select Collection:
> Archives
> Articles
> Articles-unpublished
> Audio
> Bibliographies
> BIC
> Biographies
> Books
> Chronologies
> Compilations
> Compilations-NSA
> Compilations-personal
> Documents
> East-asia
> Encyclopedia
> Essays
> Etc
> Excerpts
> Fiction
> Glossaries
> Guardian
> Histories
> Introductory
> Letters
> Maps
> Music
> Newspapers
> NSA-documents
> NSA-letters
> Personal
> Pilgrims
> Poetry
> Presentations
> Resources
> Reviews
> Scripts
> Software
> Statistics
> Study
> Talks
> Theses
> Transcripts
> Translations
> UHJ-documents
> UHJ-letters
> Video
> Visual
> Writings
> 
> home
> 
> sitemap
> 
> series
> 
> chronology
> 
> search:
> author
> 
> title
> 
> date
> 
> tags
> 
> adv. search
> languages
> 
> inventory
> 
> bibliography
> 
> abbreviations
> 
> links
> 
> about
> 
> contact
> 
> RSS
> 
> new
>
> — *My Visit to Temple University (Used by permission of the curator)*