Omaha

‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived in Omaha late on the 20th and went directly to His hotel. The purpose of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s stop in Nebraska was to visit William Jennings Bryan, the future US Secretary of State. Bryan had visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akka in 1906. He had tried to make a second visit, getting as far as Haifa, but was unable to see Him due to the activities of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s enemies. Now ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was attempting to return his visit.

Arriving at the station ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his entourage had just missed the train for Lincoln and had to wait for the next one to come. A man ran up and said that the Bahá’í’s of Omaha had received a telegram from Minneapolis and had been looking for Him. He quickly went to bring the other Omaha Bahá’í’s and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke with them about the calamities that had afflicted the Cause. Because ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had missed the train, the local Bahá’í’s had the bounty of His company all evening until midnight when the next train left.