Mahmud's Account of the Master's Visit to Canada
Introductory comments; Originally posted here: 5 September, 2004
Mahmud's Diary, The Diary of Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani Chronicling `Abdu'l-Baha's Journey to America, Translated by Mohi Sobhani, with the assistance of Shirley Macias, George Ronald, Oxford, England, 1998
Introductory comments by John Taylor, 5 September, 2004
Friends, the NSA of Canada has asked that we hold events in memory of the Master's visit here, in preparation for the upcoming centennial in 2012. One of the main primary sources for that event was the journal kept by Mahmud, which was recently translated into English. For those who do not have a copy, I have taken a day or two to scan the part of the book relevant to Canada into the computer.
Montreal is my favorite city in the whole world (admittedly, I have only seen a handful of big cities in my time) and now that I have gone through Mahmoud's account in detail I know why, because so many of the sights and attractions there were already visited by the Master. If only I had known when I was a tourist there! I remember visiting that cathedral where He stops in the doorway and talks briefly to the retinue with him about the Disciples of Christ. When I read that He was there, well, I almost fell out of my chair. What a bounty. I had felt a strange spirit in that place, or I would have forgotten it after all these years, and now I know exactly where it was coming from.
In what I have scanned in, I included the Buffalo and Niagara Falls visit as well, since for folks around here that city is a lot closer than Montreal. This checking and scanning, scanning and checking is the sort of tedious job that I would gladly hand over to a personal secretary, research assistant or menial grad student but since I have none I had to do it all by myself. Please let me know if any typos have slipped through.
I happened in cyberspace to run across the translator's helper, Shirly Macias a couple of years ago. I asked her if there was an e-text version of the book available on the net (not to her knowledge) and if the new translation of some of the Master's talks found herein is more or less authoritative than those in Promulgation (she did not know).
The talk that the Master gave in the Church of the Messiah in Montreal is an example, a talk that has been re-translated in this edition of Mahmoud's Diary. I compared it with the version in Promulgation and both translations seem to have problems and advantages over the other. For example, the Master in the Mahmud version says "irreligion" is to be preferred over religion that causes disunity. The Promulgation version adds in, "irreligion or the lack of religion" is preferable. There is a pretty big difference in English, in my opinion, between the lack of religion and irreligion. I hope the House mediates this and decides upon an authoritative version, but in the meantime we can be grateful that, unlike many of the talks recorded in Promulgation, we know for certain that this talk is authoritative scripture, in that a record of the original Persian text is extant.
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Montreal, Quebec, 30 Aug - 1 Sept.
p. 226
Friday, August 30, 1912 [Malden to Montreal]
`Abdu'l-Baha left today for Montreal. The only servants He took with Him were Mirza Ahmad Sohrab and myself. Because He had decided to travel to the Western part of America at the pressing invitation of the friends in California, He said, `We have a long distance to go and must therefore leave as soon as possible.' For this reason, He instructed Mirza Valiyu'llah Khan-i-Varqa, Aqa Mirza `Ali Akbar Nakhjavani, Aqa Siyyid Asadu'llah and Dr Getsinger to remain until His return.
As soon as the friends and a group of Arabs saw `Abdu'l-Baha at the railway station in Boston, they surrounded Him, their faces beaming with joy and enthusiasm. At 9:00 a.m. the train left Boston and reached Montreal at 8:00 p.m. On the way, a Canadian was privileged to speak with `Abdul-Baha. The Master pointed out to him the straight path of truth, and even though this individual had known nothing about `Abdu'l-Baha before this encounter, he was attracted to Him. When we arrived at the station, we saw Mr. [Sutherland] Maxwell hurrying forward to greet the Master. He had two carriages to convey the Master and His companions to his home.
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There a group of friends and a newspaper publisher were waiting to see the Master. At the table, Mrs. [May] Maxwell said, `So many people have telephoned and sent letters about your arrival and I have replied to all. I have become very tired but I consider this fatigue the greatest comfort of my life.' A pastor had telephoned to ask the Master to address his congregation the day after tomorrow. The editor of the newspaper said that he would publish the announcement the next day. When Mrs. Maxwell informed `Abdu'l-Baha of this, He said, `Very well. You were tired, having undergone such trouble today. You must rest for the time being.'
Saturday, August 31, 1912
[Montreal]
In the morning, the pastor of the Unitarian Church came with several others to visit `Abdul-Baha. The Master discussed with them the elimination of religious superstitions and prejudices, which are contrary to science and common sense and which are obstacles to the attainment of the foundation of truth of the divine religions.
A newspaper reporter was then announced. He had come to interview the Master about His life and the history of the Cause. `Abdu'l-Baha gave a detailed account, which was recorded by the reporter.
The Master went to the dinner table. Mr. Maxwell had come from the customs house and said that when the inspector opened the first suitcase and saw a picture of the Master, he asked, `Is this the picture of the prophet of Persia?' When he received an affirmative reply, the inspector said, `There is no need to inspect these goods' and released all the luggage.
Some of the newspapers accounts about the visit of the Master are full of reverence and praise.
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In the afternoon, at the invitation of Mr. Maxwell, the Master went for ride in the town. While in the carriage He remarked:
Every city in which the remembrance of God is raised is a divine city. `Akka was a despised city but when it became the center of the mention of God and the dawning place of His Light, it illumined the world.
When He saw some of the college buildings, `Abdu'l-Baha said:
"As only material education is imparted and only natural philosophy is taught, these universities do not produce highly talented scholars. When both the natural and the divine philosophies are expounded, they will bring forth outstanding souls and evince great advancement. The reason for the success of the Greek schools was that they combined both natural and divine philosophies."
As His carriage passed by the Unitarian Church, He said, `Tomorrow we will raise the Call of God in this place.'
The carriage reached the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame. Everything was quiet and no one was in sight. The Master alighted and went in to see the huge building. With rapt attention, He gazed at the vast cathedral, its ornamentation and numerous statues and spoke of its grandeur and embellishments. Standing in an open space at the entrance, He addressed us saying:
Behold what eleven disciples of Christ have accomplished, how they sacrificed themselves! I exhort you to walk in their footsteps. When a person is detached, he is capable of revolutionizing the whole world. The disciples of Christ met together in consultation on top of a mountain. They pledged themselves to undergo all manner of hardships, to accept every affliction as a bounty and to consider all difficulties easy to overcome. `He who is tied to a family, let him arrange to leave it; he who is not should remain
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single. He should forgo his comfort and his life.' Consulting thus, they descended from the mountain and each one went a different way and never returned. It is for this reason that they were able to leave behind such achievements. After Christ, the disciples truly forgot themselves, and not merely in word. Hence, the Blessed Beauty cited:
Either be like women and indulge in adornment and pleasure Or like men, come out and throw down the gauntlet.263
`Abdu'l-Baha took His seat in the carriage again and told us:
"On our way to Baghdad we had to put up with unbearable hardships. At one time a Turkish soldier of the Ottoman army appeared before us. Mirza Yahya, on seeing the soldier sitting on the horse with majesty and dignity, cried out with great grief and despair, `Oh! Where were we? Where are we now going? They say that all heads will bow. When shall it be?' I said to him in reply, `When the divine bounty attains perfection, persons greater than this soldier will bow their heads under the shadow of the Word of God.' Where is Mirza Yahya now? Let him come and see how the power of Baha'u'llah has so inspired humility in these Americans, who consider the Turks as nothing, that a person like Mr. Maxwell, an American, is with deference serving Mirza Ahmad, a Persian."
In the evening there was a well attended meeting at `Abdul-Bahas residence. He spoke, with good effect, about spiritual progress and the manifestation of divine virtues in human realities. Afterwards many requested private interviews. On receiving satisfactory answers to their questions, they expressed their heartfelt gratitude. Among them was the president of a socialist organization who invited the Master to his group. His request was granted. As it grew late in the evening and other people were waiting for
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private interviews, we suggested that since the Master might be weary it would be better if the rest of those waiting came back in the morning. He replied, `No, this is the time to work. We must not think of our fatigue. Everyone is to be met.'
Sunday, September 1, 1912
[Montreal]
This was a momentous day. From the pulpit of the Unitarian Church, the voice of the Center of the Covenant was broadcast afar. As He prepared to leave for the church, He asked me to sit by Him in the carriage. I said that there was room on the other seat. He replied, `Come and sit here. When I see someone who is ambitious and selfish, I observe these formalities merely for his correction. Otherwise, everyone may sit wherever he wishes. These things are entirely unimportant.' When the carriage arrived, the pastor, who had been waiting at the entrance, came forward, took the Master's arm with the utmost reverence and courtesy, led him to the pulpit and offered Him his own chair. After the music, the pastor stood and read verses from the Book of Isaiah which allude to the appearance of a promised one from the East. Everyone listened with rapt attention to these verses and felt that they had been specifically written for this day.
In introducing the Master, the pastor said:
"We are honored today with the presence of the Prophet of Peace whose message is the Message of God. God has raised Him to exterminate war and bloodshed. His presence in this church is the cause of eternal honor and the fulfillment of our long-cherished hopes and desires. He is the sign of love among the people and the promoter of oneness and brotherhood among the sons of men. His object is to free people from the shackles of imitation and
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to unfurl the banner of the oneness of humanity. He is the temple of kindness, the possessor of the greatest news, the inspirer of the new thoughts and the expounder of the happiness of this great cycle. Although He has suffered violence and affliction for many years and has seen persecutions, His spiritual power is still flowing like the water of life. Although His body has felt the cross, yet His spirit, which is life-giving, has not been crucified. He has journeyed by land and sea to come to these western countries. We extend Him a sincere welcome and offer the incense of gratitude for His teachings which are the cause of the recovery of hearts and are the source of eternal blessings and happiness. Now His Holiness `Abdu'l-Baha will speak to you."
The Master rose and, pacing the stage, gave the following address:
(Continued in part 2)
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