‘Abdu’l-Bahá Has Creed He Declares Will Finally Eliminate Criminal
Persian Does Not Believe in Capital Punishment and Thinks That, in Education, Woman Should Have Preference Over Mere Man.
“No, I do not believe in capital punishment,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, founder of the new Bahá’í religious movement, today in an interview with the Traveler.
“If the Bahá’í movement is widely successful it will hold such sway over the moral, intellectual and physical character of the race that there will not be a criminal to be found.”
When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was questioned regarding his views on capital punishment and the recent electricution at the Charlestown state prison he would only say, “Some other punishment more humane ought to be instituted. We should forgive. There is a distinction between retribution and revenge.”
Although the Oriental leader has been in Boston but a few days he is thorough acquainted with the religions of all parts of the country and thinks that Boston has more denominations and sects than any other city in the United States.
“Boston Like a Rose Garden.”
“Boston is like a rose garden,” he said, “made up of variegated colors, all lending a charm and attraction to the various elements in that garden. The many religions of this city form the component parts of the garden. If you go into a garden where there is but one kind of flower, but of different colorings, the effect is much more beautiful than if it is made up of many different varieties.
“This sums up the religous stuation of Boston. ‘Boston’ means ‘garden’ in the Persian language, and, as regards religion, lives up to its Persian tradition. There are many fruitful flowers and trees of religion here. There are many different sentiments and new thoughts of religion; there are many creeds and denominations, but no mat-how many of them exist, there is bound to bea spark of good in each one which will contribute to the general good.”
When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks before the Free Religious Association in Ford Hall this afternoon he is expected to touch on his favorite theme, that of woman suffrage. He is a most enthusiastic supporter of woman’s rights, one of the prncipal laws in his religion embodying the rule of the equality of sexes.
“Woman should be [text missing] ence to [text missing] ulvalent to saying in this [text missing] potism is better than Re [text missing]
Should Educate Mothers.
“Girls are to be the mothers of our race and they are the ones who should be educated. The result will be the education of the whole race. The father is only educated for himself, and he cannot teach his children. Of course I believe in woman suffrage. The women should have their freedom. We are all servants of God and he has blended men and women alike with the idea of equality, although unhappily this has not been demonstrated to any high degree as yet. That is the true religious atmosphere — equally of the sexes. I do not mean by that statement that womankind is better than men.
“Universal peace and international arbitration are impossible without universal suffrage. Women will eventually abolish war when they get the ballot and will accordingly refuse to let their sons go on the battlefield. Why don’t you free the women?
“One of the most essential things of God’s work is the future life. I believe strongly in the immortality of the soul. Bahá’ísm does hot differ materially from other religions in this respect. Death is the result of composition just as life is.
“Eventually humanity will advance [text missing] such a perfection that people will [text missing] commit any crime. When that [text missing] e comes we will love our neighbors [text missing] ourselves, in fact as well as in me.”
[picture caption: ‘Abdul Bahia. Picture by Traveler staff photographer.]
