Sacramento

‘Abdu’l-Bahá left San Francisco by train on Friday morning, October 25, and arrived in Sacramento at noon.

That afternoon, a reporter interviewed Him at the Hotel Sacramento. The Sacramento Union newspaper wrote, “The novelty seeing American women prostrate themselves before the Bahá’í leader, clad in long flowing robe and turban, was a sensation for the patrons of the hotel. They stood in open-mouthed amazement at the proceeding.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself watched people shopping in the hotel boutiques and noted:

“Regard how negligent these people are! All the insignificant objects are considered by them as means of happiness. How negligent they are! Like unto animals, they eat, they sleep, they walk, they sing, they dance, and, according to their belief, they think they are having a good time.”

That afternoon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá took a walk in Capital Park, and in the evening gave a talk about the Faith and His mission to America in the hotel Assembly Hall, following a long introduction and Bahá’í prayer by Christine Fraser. Later yet, He gave an informal talk about materialism.

Next morning, 26 October, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke with the chambermaids, anointing them with violet water and giving them fruit. He then addressed a large audience in the Hotel Sacramento, saying, “Inasmuch as the Californians seem peace loving and possessed of great worthiness and capacity, I hope that advocates of peace may daily increase among them until the whole population shall stand for that beneficent outcome. May the men of affairs in this democracy uphold the standard of international conciliation. Then may altruistic aims and thoughts radiate from this centre toward all other regions of the earth, and may the glory of this accomplishment forever halo the history of this country. May the first flag of international peace be upraised in this state.”

A public meeting was held in the hotel that night, with such a response that another meeting was arranged at the same place for the following morning. At 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 26, He left Sacramento, for Denver.