Montreal Visitation (3)

Mahmud's Account of the Master's Visit to Canada (3)

from 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

Montreal, Quebec, 1 September - 9 Sept.

This evening a great multitude assembled to hear `Abdu'l-Baha. He unfolded the mysteries of the evolution of humanity, the divine civilization and the new birth so impressively and with such majesty that His taj fell from His head and His hair tumbled down. He continued to speak

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in this state for more than half an hour and at last He passed through the crowd to His room. The longing souls in that meeting did not let the Master rest. Out of respect for the people's wishes, He came out into the crowd and again spoke on spiritual subjects, including the immortality of the spirit, His words diffusing joy and happiness to all.266 As He left for His room, some asked for a private interview with Him. Everyone had a request to make and expressed his sincerity and humility and each received His bounties. One of the ladies said that her young son places the Master's picture in front of him and cries out, `0 Thou, my Beloved.' The Master replied, `It is a proof of your own love.

Later the Master said to us, `Tomorrow we should move to a hotel. A traveler should stay in a hotel.' Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell tried their utmost to dissuade Him but did not succeed.

Monday, September 2, 1912

[Montreal]

After the morning obligatory prayer Mrs. Maxwell came to `Abdu'l-Baha and said that the people were changing and becoming interested. Her neighbor, who had previously reproached her, was so enchanted after visiting `Abdu'l-Baha that she telephoned to request that He visit her home. She also suggested that `Abdu'l-Baha use her carriage every day.

After the Master visited and encouraged this neighbor, He went to the hotel [the Hotel Windsor] and rented three rooms. On the way back to the Maxwell home, the Master bought some valuable rings to give as gifts. A large number of people were waiting for Him and attained new spiritual heights and powers through His discourses.

One of His talks concerned the abandonment of blind

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imitation and the elimination of those customs and dogmas that are contrary to the fundamental truth of the religion of God. He said:

When educated people see the priests taking bread and wine in their hands, blowing a few breaths over them and saying that the bread and wine are now changed into the flesh and blood of Christ, or hear them saying that by making a confession before a priest their sins are pardoned, they will begin to despair of their religion and become totally irreligious.

At lunch time the Master invited a number of people to the table, saying: `Come! We are in Montreal, Canada, in this home, eating Persian rice which has been cooked by Mirza Ahmad. This has a relish all its own; what a tale it makes!' Continuing, He said:

To be grateful for the blessings of God in time of want and trouble is necessary. In the abundance of blessings everyone can be grateful. It is said that Sultan Mahmud cut a melon and gave a portion of it to Ayaz who ate it cheerfully and expressed gratitude. When the Sultan ate a little of the same melon, he found it bitter. He asked, `How did you eat such a bitter melon and show no sign of disliking it?' Ayaz answered, `I had eaten many sweet and palatable things from the hands of the Sultan and I thought it very unworthy of me to express dislike on eating a slightly bitter thing today.' Thus man, who is immersed in the blessings of God, should not be grieved if he experiences a little trouble. He should not forget the manifold divine bounties.

In the afternoon, professors, clergy and press representatives came one after another to visit `Abdu'l-Baha. The samovar was steaming and fruits and sweets were served to all. That His Persian servants in their Eastern attire served the guests was considered a social novelty and was reported in the press.

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One of `Abdu'l-Baha's talks was this:

Because of material civilization, industry has progressed and sciences and arts have burgeoned but at the same time weapons of war and bloodshed designed for the destruction of the edifice of humanity have multiplied and political problems have vastly increased. Hence, this material civilization cannot become the means of comfort and ease for all until it acquires spiritual power and the attributes of a divine civilization. Rather, the difficulties will increase and the troubles will multiply.

Continuing, He said:

The government of the United States of America has recently provided fifteen million dollars toward the cost of building new battleships. Before international peace is established, a great war will in all certainty take place.

`Abdu'l-Baha made many such important addresses and all who heard Him were eloquent in their praise and adoration of Him.

Today `Abdu'l-Baha moved into the Hotel Windsor. As He was leaving for a meeting at Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell's home, he took the tram. We asked whether we could call for a carriage. He said: `Oh, it matters little. This saves expense. There is a difference of one dollar in the fare.' He was very careful over this type of personal expense but when He reached the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, He gave one pound to each of their servants.

Although two adjoining rooms had been set with chairs in rows, there was still not enough space. We all felt the absence of the Eastern friends. Everyone wished they were present so they too could witness the excitement and joy that was engendered by the talk of the Master, who spoke on the inherent imperfection of the world of nature and its ultimate perfection through divine education.267 After the Master's talk each guest came to shake His hand and

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received His blessing yet when He went upstairs, the majority followed Him, especially the new seekers.

Tuesday, September 3, 1912

[Montreal]

The morning was cloudy and rainy. At the hotel the Master was presented with some newspaper articles reporting last night's meeting and giving an account of His talk. Dr Farid arrived today from Boston to join us. As some professors and clergymen had come by to visit the Master, He spoke to them on the relationship of human souls, universal peace and the harm caused by prejudices. His words were particularly enjoyed by the professors from the university and the ministers showed their humility. After giving a detailed description of the teachings of the Supreme Pen, He said:

This is the purpose of the people of Baha. Would you not like to serve such an ideal? I hope you will put forth effort in this direction so that the world of men may find real unity, become released from prejudice and be freed from war and bloodshed. Our efforts are for this. Baha'u'llah has opened a broad vista to humanity. For instance, when the people of different religions, races and nations were reviling each other, He addressed the people of the world saying, `0 people! Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch.'

The minister from the black church extended an invitation to the Master to speak at his church. Because of the lack of time, the Master gave His apologies. Although the Master had intended to stay in Montreal for only two or three days, His visit had lengthened into a week. The fame of the Master had spread throughout the vicinity. Newspapers printed accounts of the meetings and many of the tributes to `Abdu'l-Baha. The Master had requested copies of the news stories to be sent to the friends in the East.

The

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response was so generous that one room was completely filled. During the afternoon, while cheering the friends, He also attended to the mail and read petitions from the friends of the East and the West. At one moment He was answering important questions and the next He was dictating words conducive to the betterment of the social status of women and their confirmation in the Kingdom of God.

When the guests had left and the Master was completely exhausted, He went out alone for a walk to refresh Himself. He then boarded a tram which took Him far out of the city, then another tram which went out of the city by another route and finally took a taxi. The driver asked for the name of the hotel but `Abdu'l-Baha did not know. He indicated to the driver to go straight ahead and, suddenly, there was the hotel. With His hair disheveled and His smiling face, He told us how He had gotten lost. `Once in the Holy Land,' He said,

Aqa Faraj lost the way to Yirkih. I advised him to loosen the reins of the animal. When the ass was left to itself it went straight to its destination. Today I pointed to the chauffeur to go straight on and by chance I reached my hotel among all these hotels.

That evening He spoke to a meeting of the Socialist Club with majesty and dignity. The audience lined His way and the chairman, who was speaking as the Master arrived, stepped forward, grasped His hand and led Him to the podium. The president introduced the Master in most glowing terms, concluding, `Now, `Abdu'l-Baha will teach us the principles of brotherhood, prosperity and the upliftment of the poor.' As the Master was delivering His address on economics and the adjustment of society according to the principle of moderation, the audience broke into spontaneous applause, clapping their hands with joy and excitement. At the end, the chairman sought `Abdul-Bahas permission

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for those who had questions to ask them. Every answer evoked further applause and admiration to such an extent that the walls of the building seemed to vibrate to their foundations.

The meeting continued to such a late hour that the audience itself began to realize that to continue would not only be impolite but might also be injurious to `Abdu'l-Baha's health. As the Master moved towards His carriage, the people surrounded Him, demonstrating their heartfelt reverence and humility. `Abdul-Baha, often moved to express His thankfulness for the help and assistance of the Blessed Beauty, said, `Praise be to God that the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha are descending continually. Mr. Woodcock used to say that Montreal was a city of Catholics and the center of intolerance. Now let him come and see what has transpired here. Not a sound can be heard from the Catholics.'

Wednesday, September 4, 1912

[Montreal]

An account of the Master's talk at the Socialist Club and its influence was published in glowing terms in the newspapers. The force of His explanations and the persuasiveness of His proofs were the talk of the day. Many newcomers came to visit Him. The friends told the Master how happy they were to see the extent to which the Cause of God had penetrated the hearts. `Abdu'l-Baha said in reply:

The greatness of the teachings of Baha'u'llah will be known when they are acted upon and practiced. Not one of a hundred has as yet come into force. All of your thoughts should be turned toward bringing these blessed teachings into practice.

When the translations of some of the newspaper articles

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were read to `Abdu'l-Baha, He said, again, `This is all through the confirmations of the Blessed Beauty. Otherwise, even if the king of Persia had come here he would not have been able to bring about even one such meeting.'

In the afternoon, for a change of routine, the Master took the elevator down from the seventh floor and went for an automobile ride to the foot of a mountain outside the city limits. It is a fine place where people go for recreation. It has a cable car, which took the Master and His companions up the mountain. The side of the mountain was perpendicular like a wall. The Master said, `This cable car is like a balloon flying in the air.' It made one nervous to look down. When we reached the top, the Master walked around. It was a magnificent sight, with a view of the whole city stretched before us. The canals, streets and orchards of the town were below. It appeared as if a beautifully painted picture had been spread before one's eyes.

While we were here, translations of other accounts of the meetings that had been published in the evening newspapers were read to Him. Suddenly He cried out:

O Baha'u'llah! May I be a sacrifice for Thee. 0 Baha'u'llah! May my life be offered up for Thee. Thou hast spoken the Word which cannot be refuted. What a wonderful Cause Thou hast founded! It satisfies every assemblage! Each group testifies to its greatness. In the churches it shakes the souls; it excites the Theosophists; it imparts spirituality to the spiritualists; it makes the Unitarians aware of the reality of unity; it makes the socialists contented and grateful and inspires joy and happiness in the peace meetings. There is no refuge for any denomination except in submission to it. It is a miracle! It is the greatest force in the world of existence. This is all through the assistance of the Blessed Beauty. If healing the lame and crippled is a miracle, it can also be produced by a dose of medicine. This is no great achievement.

From here the Master and His companions went to the

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home of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell where letters from the East were given to Him. He read the petitions of the friends. Among them was a letter from Mirza Haydar-'Ali, in which he dwelt on the greatness and significance of the journey of the Master. The Master said:

`Yes, the value and greatness of these travels are not known now but will be apparent later on. As we had no other intention except to offer devotion to the Threshold of the One True God, we were assisted and the brightness of divine favor and grace appeared.

Continuing, He said:

At the time of Muhammad's migration to Medina under divine protection, Abu Bakr,

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was with Him. He said to Abu Bakr, `Be not afraid, God is with us.' These very words became afterwards the cause of his succession to the Caliphate because the word `with us' included him also. Many proofs and arguments based on these words have been advanced. The value of this bounty, too, is not known now.

At a meeting in the evening at Mrs. Maxwell's home, `Abdu'l-Baha gave an address on spiritual brotherhood and the economic principles upheld by the teachings of Baha'u'llah which will be the cause of the salvation, prosperity and liberation of the nations of the world. This meeting was very special because the Master's talk was so influential. The audience was invited to light refreshments of sweets and beverages. Among the guests were Americans, as well as Turks and Arabs clothed in their splendid robes, all of whom were attracted to `Abdu'l-Baha and fascinated by His demeanor and words.

Thursday, September 5, 1912

[Montreal]

The Bishop of Montreal came to visit the Master to express

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his admiration and gratitude for the Master's address concerning the purpose of the appearance of Christ and the other Manifestations. He was pleased to learn about other meetings and talks. The Master said to him, `Tonight I shall speak at the Methodist church. You may come if you wish.' The editor of an illustrated Toronto magazine was announced. He happily recorded a detailed account of the history and teachings of the Cause. Another visitor was a Jewish rabbi who became very enthusiastic when he heard the Master's explanations.

One of `Abdu'l-Baha's talks today was this:

The degree to which these different denominations testify to the greatness of the Cause of God has never been seen in past history. Even socialists say that although so many philosophers have written books on economic questions, the Baha'i Cause has the solution.

When we arrived at the Methodist Church in the evening, we saw an electric illumined sign reading: `This evening the Prophet of the East will speak on the principles of the Baha'i Faith and the salvation of the world of humanity.' When the translation of this announcement was read to the Master, He said, `So, people are calling me a prophet. Oh, would that they had omitted that word!' In order to correct this impression, in the course of His address He emphasized His devotion to Baha'u'llah.

`Abdu'l-Baha went to the vestry where a number of ministers came to greet Him with such reverence and humility that it was really something to be seen. He then went into the auditorium and took a seat on the platform. The minister welcomed Him by motioning the audience to rise, which they immediately did to show their respect. The minister then made an introductory speech about the world's apathy to the commandments of the Gospel and the urgent need for laws of peace and harmony among the

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peoples of the West. Finally he urged the audience to listen carefully to the address and the new teachings given by `Abdu'l-Baha.

The Master stood before the audience and spoke about the continuity of the Divine Bounties, the power and majesty of the Kingdom of God and these wonderful teachings. The audience was awakened to the Faith to such a degree that a judge named Mr. Riger, who had previously heard of the Master and had come for the first time this evening to hear Him speak, stood and said,

`Some have imagined that the succession of the Prophets and the bounties of God were limited. But tonight we have heard with our own ears these divinely ordained teachings from an Eastern prophet who is the successor of the Prophets of God. We will never forget his message. There is no doubt that these teachings of universal peace, the oneness of humanity and the distribution of wealth are in complete accord with the principles of economic law, the equality of rights and the adoption of one universal language. These are the basic principles for the progress of the world of humanity.'

The minister then stood and said,

`It is an error to think that the West has attained perfection and that the East has no bounties or teachings to offer to the West. `Abdu'l-Baha has said many things which we have not heard before or understood.'

The Master then chanted a prayer and publicly thanked the judge. Later, in the vestry, the clergymen were so deferential in His presence, they could not find words to express their gratitude. Of particular note was the judge, who repeatedly expressed his desire to become a Baha'i.

Friday, September 6, 1912

[Montreal]

In the morning `Abdu'l-Baha came into our room. When He saw the pile of newspapers which had been collected to send to the friends in the East, He asked, with surprise,

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`What have you done? What are all these newspapers for?' We replied that they were the signs of the power and influence of the Cause of God.

After leaving the church last night, the Master had caught a cold and His voice was hoarse, so even though He had planned to leave Montreal, His departure was delayed for a few days. During this time He went nowhere except to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell. However, many came to visit Him at the hotel.

Mrs. Maxwell said to Him, `At the time that I visited `Akka I despaired of ever having the blessing of children. Praise be to God! My supplications and your prayers at the Holy Shrine of Baha'u'llah were accepted and I was blessed with a dear baby.'271 Bestowing His grace and kindness upon her and the child, the Master said, `Children are the ornaments of the home. A home which has no children is like one without light.'

Mrs. Maxwell said that her husband used to say to her: `You have become a Baha'i. Very well, you are responsible for this yourself. I have no hand in it. You must not speak to me about it anymore.' But now, she added, he was so proud of the Master's visit that if kings had come to their home he would not have felt so exalted. The room in which the Master stayed was considered by him to be holy and he would not allow anyone to enter it.

`Abdu'l-Baha's advice to Mr. Maxwell and others was this:

You must cling to those things which prove to be the cause of happiness for the world of man. You must show kindness to the orphans, give food to the hungry, clothe the naked and offer help to the poor so that you may be accepted in the Court of God.

Here is a quotation from one of the Tablets that was revealed today:

It is because the friends of California, and particularly those of San Francisco, have so frequently called and

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pleaded, expressed despair and wept and sent incessant supplications, that I have determined to go to California.

Saturday, September 7, 1912

[Montreal]

Today `Abdu'l-Baha spoke to a group of people who came to visit Him at the hotel. Here is some of what He explained:

As in the physical world there are four seasons, so in the realm of religion there is the season of heavenly and spiritual springtime. When its outpourings gradually diminish, the trees of existence cease to be verdant and creeping torpor spreads, it will become like winter. The souls will become withered and distressed and the soil of the hearts will become full of thorns and thistles. There will be no flowers, no hyacinths, no greenery, no pleasure, no freshness and no cheer. Then, once again, the divine spring will raise its tabernacle. The gardens of the world of humanity will become green and verdant, full of freshness and purity. The flowers of reality will open and the trees of existence will bring forth enduring fruit. This is the law of God and is in accord with the world of creation and this is the cause for the reappearance of holy Manifestations Who effect renewal and change in religious laws and commandments.

In the afternoon the Master spoke about the oneness of the fundamental truths of the religions of God and the vain imaginings and beliefs of various peoples, saying:

The foundation of all religions is one and the aim of all creeds of the world is also one. All are believers in the oneness of God. All believe that a mediator between the Creator and the creatures is needed. The question is that to the Jews Moses is the last, to the Christians it is Christ, to the Muslims it is Muhammad and to the Parsis it is Zoroaster. But their differences are only those of names.

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If these names are set aside, it is evident that their aim is one. Every divine religious law was complete for its time. The renewal of the laws of God and the appearance of the Manifestations of the bounties of the Lord in each cycle are necessary. Thus the people who seek truth and inner meanings can discover the divine mysteries and become aware of the secrets of the Books of God. They know God to be the Supreme, His bounties infinite and the doors of His mercy unbarred. They believe in all the Prophets and affirm `No difference do we make between any of them' [Qur'an 2:130]. But those who adhere to outer meanings only, who worship outer form, cling to imitations and follow their superstitions. They use the allegories set forth in the verses of God to deny the Cause of the Lord of Signs. Therefore, offer thanks to God that you have attained unto reality, have responded affirmatively to the Call of God, have given up dogmatic imitations and have become cognizant of the mystery of oneness. Offer thanks to God. Be grateful to your Lord.

Sunday, September 8, 1912

[Montreal]

`Abdu'l-Baha's discourses today consisted of divine exhortations, admonitions and expressions of farewell to the friends. `I have sown the seed,' He said. `You must water it. You must educate the souls in divine morals, make them spiritual and lead them to the oneness of humanity and to universal peace.'

In the afternoon He gave an account of His imprisonment in the Most Great Prison and of His return to the Holy Land. Someone suggested that His return to `Akka might bring trouble to Him and again cause His imprisonment. `Oh no,' He replied,

that organization has been rolled up; that system has been rendered null. Those days were so hard that all had believed that when the Commission of investigation returned

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to Constantinople `Abdu'l-Baha's life and name would be effaced. But God did not will it. As we were imprisoned for the Cause of God and not for political reasons, while in prison we were not perturbed and had no worries. However, the others thought that after I was set free I would raise the banner of independence among the Arabs and unite them with me! See, how ill-informed was such a judgment!

As this was the last day of His stay in Montreal, all the friends, both old and new, expressed their sorrow. `Abdu'l-Baha consoled them with the glad tidings of certitude, spiritual nearness, assistance and heavenly grace.

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