ABDU'L-BAHA AT THE "SALVATION ARMY" SHELTER
London, England, Christmas Night, 1912.
By ISABEL FRASER.
(SW, Vol. 3, No. 18, pp. 8-9)
ON Christmas night Abdul-Baha visited the poor of the Salvation Army Shelter, Westminster, where each year a Christmas dinner is provided for those who have no homes and no friends, and but for the shelter would have no lodgings. There were about 1,000 present on this occasion. It was a most impressive scene -- the dinner for the homeless and the Master from the East delivering Christ's message to the poor. As a true test of attention, many of the hungry men forgot to eat and listened intently.
With that wonderful tact Abdul-Baha displays on all occasions, his message to the homeless was simple, direct and short. He said:
"I feel tonight great joy and happiness to be in this place, because my meetings and callings have ever been mostly with the poor, and I call myself one of them. My lot has ever been with those who have not the goods of this world. When we look at the poor of humanity, we behold a world of brothers. All are the sheep of God; God is the real shepherd. The poor have ever been the cause of the freedom of the world of humanity; the poor have ever been the cause of the upbuilding of the country; the poor have ever labored for the world's production; the morals of the poor have ever been above those of the rich; the poor are ever nearer to the threshold of God; the humanitarianism of the poor has ever been more acceptable at the threshold of God.
"Consider his Holiness Christ: He appeared in the world as one of the poor. He was born of a lowly family; all the apostles of Christ were of humble birth and His followers were of the very poorest of the community. This is what Christ states in the Gospels. 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.' This testimony of Christ of the exaltation of the poor ones in the sight of God is sufficient. It is easy for the poor, very easy for them to enter into the Kingdom of God. In another place Christ speaks of the charity of the poor ones of the world as praiseworthy. The poor ones have capacity. They were favored at the threshold of God. If wealth were a necessity, Christ would have wished it for himself. He lived a simple life, and one of the titles of BAHAOLLAH was 'the poor one.' In Persian His title was 'darvish' and that means one who has not a slave.
All the prophets of God were poor, His Holiness Moses was a mere shepherd. This will show you that in the estimation of God, poverty is greater than the accumulation of wealth -- that the poor are more acceptable than the lazy rich. A rich man who spends his wealth for the poor is praiseworthy. Consider that the poor are not born in a state of solvency; they are not tyrannous. All the tyranny and injustice in this world comes from accumulation. The poor have ever been humble and lowly; their hearts are tender. The rich are not so.
"Sorrow not, grieve not. Be not unhappy because you are not wealthy. You are the brothers of Jesus Christ. Christ was poor; BAHAOLLAH was poor. For forty years he was imprisoned in poverty. The great ones of the world have come from a lowly station. Be ever happy; be not sad! Trust in God and if in this world you undergo dire vicissitudes I hope that in the Kingdom of God you will have the utmost happiness!"
At the close of his talk, Abdu'l Baha made a practical demonstration of his tactful love for the poor. In generous conformity with BAHAOLLAH teachings that "our words should not exceed our deeds," he left twenty golden sovereigns and many handfuls of silver with Colonel Spencer of the Army, so that the poor might enjoy a similar dinner New Year's night. Colonel Spencer told the men that they were to have this New Year's dinner in Abdu'l-Baha's honor. The Master was just leaving the hall when this announcement was made. With one accord the men jumped up and waving their knives and forks gave a rousing farewell cheer.
Before leaving Abdul-Baha was shown all over the shelter and at the outer door he said to the attendant officer in charge, "May God prosper you. May you all he tender the protection of the Almighty!
ABDUL-BAHA AT THE CEDAR CLUB, LONDON
BY L. HERON-OLIPHANT.
(SW, Vol. 3, No. 18, pp. 9-10)
THROUGH an insistent rain and blustering wind, the motor bore us across the Albert Bridge to the borough of Battersea. We turned from one of the important highways into a dark, narrow, drizzling street, to stop before an inviting open door. The Cedar Club House is maintained by the Women's Service League, a noble institution of devoted workers, who provide sustaining food to toiling mothers and see to it that their children receive the best nourishment during the first year of their lives. A similar stratum of this poverty is unknown to American communities. In London and other great cities of the Old World a pall of hopelessness seems almost to overshadow human effort that offers alleviation, for there are generations of pauperism with its deep rooted evils. The fine courage of these benefactors and their zeal in preserving life despite the ever hovering discouragement, mark their influence as a spiritual reality.
Here it was that Abdul-Baha chose to spend the remaining hours of an afternoon. We entered a large assembly room, radiant and warm with the spirit of Christmas cheer.
Masses of green and red decoration repeated, as it were, the season's welcome. At two great tables, spread the length of the long walls, were seated nearly sixty women with over a hundred little folk. There were evidences of a substantial high tea, the major part of the feasting being over.
A platform, near the door through which we passed, held the usual paraphernalia for speakers. Abdul-Baha was expected to deliver an address from this formal elevation, but as the real friend of the poor, he walked straight among them, into the body of the room. This, at once established the charm of comradeship.
With light characteristic step, he walked tip and down the center aisle, his eyes and smile beamed happiness. As he mingled with them, his words were translated: "I am very glad to be among you, who are blessed in God's name with children. They are the true signs of his spiritual love. The most divine gifts of God. These little ones will grow to be fruitful trees. We must look to them for the founders of many beautiful families. Let their education be directed in the ways of purity and useful service. Here are the seeds of the future race and upon them may be granted God's blessing."
Abdul-Baha stopped at the end of one table, patted the head of a wan little child in its mother's arms. A tiny hand stretched out and the Master gently closed it over a bright new shilling. Down the long rows of women and children he passed from one to another, pausing a few moments to bless each little upturned face, and bestow a silver coin. The remarkably tender hands caressed a baby's cheek or chin. One could hear him pronounce distinct words of comfort to the tiniest members of the audience. In the arms of one mother were twin children almost completely detached in sleep from the ceremonies of the moment. The Master bent over them, placing two pieces of money under the rosy chins -- two pairs of deep blue eyes opened wide in the spell of wonder.
The absence of tears from the many wee souls, who are not given to complacently accepting strange faces, singularly illustrates the infinite sincerity of the very young, who respond to the same quality that is ever present in matured spiritual character. One noticed, too, the thoughtful gaze of the women as they watched the distinguished visitor in white turban and brown burnous, moving in their midst. It is often too true that the very poor are keenly suspicious of foreigners, especially if their mission is a religious one, but Abdu'l Baha brings into every environment a profound truth and sympathy that seems to crush the barriers, raised by isolated imaginations.
The expression of tolerant, grateful, understanding was in the very faces of these people. No one could have desired a more cordial cooperation than was tendered to the Master by the assembled members of Cedar Club. A vote of thanks, followed by a volume of accordant cheers, marked the departure of `Abdu'l Baha.
As we drove away he said, "I am truly happy when among the gatherings of the poor. It brings full joy to my heart. I come in contact with those in high stations of life, and those rich in worldly possessions, but my joy is in being with those who are in material poverty, for their sufferings draw them nearer to God in spiritual gain."
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John Taylor
badijet@gmail.com
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