Ramona

The Master in America: Ethnics and Ramona

By John Taylor; 2007 August 05

The Master and Minorities

The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada has written the believers a letter dated the 2nd of August suggesting that we commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Master's time in Canada (late August, early September) in the following manner this year:

"… acknowledging the abundant diversity in the Canadian population, the National Assembly has set the theme for the 2007 commemoration of the Master's visit to be Abdul-Baha's example and conduct in bringing His Father's Faith to people of diverse backgrounds."

Coincidentally, I had just come across the following in Mahmud's narrative, which the Master said to a group of African American believers just after he had arrived in Chicago, having traveled through Canada en route.

"If a man has spiritual characteristics, be he white or black, he is near to God. Some have protested to me, asking why I seek to cultivate love between the whites and the blacks. Yet what a great error they make. You see people who love their dogs because of their faithfulness and the protection they provide. If but one good trait endears a dog to a human, why shouldn't praiseworthy qualities cause a man to be loved and respected? Why should fellowship with an upright person be avoided? When people are prepared to fondle an animal day and night, why should they shun association with an intelligent human being?

"My hope is that you will rid and purify yourselves of imitations so that your thoughts and minds will be broadened and elevated, that you will be seekers of the truth, the lovers of the servants of God and the cause of the oneness of humanity." (261)

I can appreciate this analogy especially since a week or so ago my sister-in-law dragged us out to a dog show. Here is a multi-billion dollar pet supplies industry devoted to nurturing and supporting animals whose virtues we love and appreciate, yet we devote almost nothing to appreciating the virtues of humans, who are far less different from us than dogs, diverse as the breeds of dog may be.

For example, here in this small town of 10,000 souls, Dunnville, we have no fewer than four pet stores, including an "Extreme Pet" store devoted to snakes and lizards. We spend so much money supporting pets, but spend nothing on increasing ethnic diversity. Only in the past year have I started to notice people of color on the streets. For us it is always, like attracts like, especially those we choose to associate with and make our friends. As Baha'is, we are out to change all that.

The Master and Ramona

I am reading the memoir of the Master's visit to California by Ramona Brown. It is inspiring but a little disconcerting to see a different part of the Master through the eyes of each different person who knew Him. Myself, if I met Him I would be overawed, like watching Niagara Falls, I would not even think of participating in or influencing His condition in any way. He influences me, I would think, not the other way around. But this pure hearted young girl, attending every one of His public talks that she possibly could, on one occasion observed tiredness overcome Him. She did what would never enter my head to do, she prayed for Him.

"It was an exiting evening when He spoke in the Congregational Church in Oakland on October 6. The church was crowded. I sat in the balcony above the pulpit where the Master stood. All at once I realized that He was very fatigued. Instead of listening I began to say a healing prayer for Him. Suddenly, Abdu'l-Baha seemed to grow loud and clear. I knew that He had, before our eyes, drawn on the `Power of the Great Ether.' He gave a brilliant talk and later met with the friends, appearing quite rejuvenated." (Memories of Abdu'l-Baha, Recollections of the Early Days of the Baha'i Faith in California, Ramona Allen Brown, Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette, Ill., 1980, pp. 40-41)

Mahmud, one of the Master's secretaries, records that just before, on Saturday, October 5, in the house He had rented in San Francisco, He met with the unnamed pastor of this church. No doubt, this is when this pastor invited the Master to give the talk where Ramona prayed for Him. This pastor evidently impressed Abdu'l-Baha with his sincerity...

"Some clergymen and professors came to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha the morning in His second-floor room. Some of the Master's words to the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Oakland were these: 'If a man is not a clergyman and is unprejudiced, it is not a cause for wonder. But if man is a clergyman and is not prejudiced, he certainly deserves praise and glory.'" (Mahmud, 305)

Mahmud later describes the particular talk where Ramona prayed for the Master:

"In the evening (of October 6th) 'Abdu'l-Baha went to the First Congregational Church in Oakland. The influence of the Cause and the majesty of the Covenant made such an impression and was so widespread that during his introduction the pastor of the church said: 'Tonight the messenger of God will speak in the church of God and you will hear with your own ears.'

"The Master spoke magnificently on the fundamental oneness of the principles of religions and the truth of Islam. His words moved and deeply affected everyone, increasing their joy and eagerness and raising the status of the Cause of God. (Mahmud, 308)

The next morning again the perceptiveness of this unknown pastor were brought up.

"While tea was being served in the morning, the Master recalled the events of last night, saying: The pastor said: 'The messenger of God will speak in the church of God.' No one will believe it unless they see it themselves. No matter to whom you may write these words, they will think it an exaggeration and will not believe it to be true." (Id.)

That tiny, circumstantial remnant, sadly, is all we have of that talk. I wish that, after she had stopped praying for Him, Ramona had written down what was said at that church. My impression from Mahmud's Diary is that at busy times like this, the Master was giving a good three or four talks in less distinguished venues for every one that was recorded in a high profile location, such as Stanford University or the Japanese YMCA.

But Ramona does record an impression that is valuable -- indeed it is one that we might not grasp even if all the talks had been meticulously recorded. Her impression, attending all these talks, was of His motivation and goal in giving the talks. She says that He seemed genuinely concerned with helping his listeners -- not, as one might expect, with pushing any particular platform or idea, although that obviously was part of it. In other words, in the rhetorical terminology we discussed a while ago, He was giving effective as well as good talks. He spoke to the reason people had come out, he did not just give canned spiels.

Ramona, just after one of this spate of talks had ended, noticed the Master standing alone outside, and asked permission to take a snapshot of Him. This is one of the lesser-known portraits, probably because He really does look worn out. No doubt that train trip across America had been a tremendous strain and He was not yet recovered. I have been asked to give a photo presentation of the Master's travels at our local library in September, and I will include that photograph in it. It is one of the few that are traceable to exactly who took it, when and where.

Her book also includes a picture of Ramona in old age, 1965, standing in the park that the Master visited, a ruin from the earthquake that had taken place only a few years before is visible in the background. The Master's comments on that Saturday in October are ominous, in the light of global warming and the rapid decline of this order.

"The Master went to the public park in the afternoon, which He appreciated very much, especially when He went near the lake and saw the remnants of a few marble pillars left over from the destruction caused by the great earthquake of 1906. He remarked, 'The world and its condition will change to such a degree and the Baha'i Cause will prevail to such an extent that nothing but a remnant - like these pillars - will remain of the previous order.'"