‘Abdul Expounds Bahá’í Doctrine

‘ABDUL EXPOUNDS BAHAI DOCTRINE

Venerable Persian Addresses Large Congregation at Church of Our Father.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas, the head of the Bahá’í religious cult of Persia, addressed a large congregation in the Church of Our Father yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by his interpreter, Dr. Fareed, Mirza Seid Asseid Ullah, and two others.

The venerable Persian, with flowing white beard, his slender form enveloped in a long tan garment reaching to the floor, and his snow-white hair surmounted with a white turban-like head covering, made an impressive picture. All arose when, accompanied by Rev. Dr. Van Schaick, he ascended the platform. The pastor introduced Bahá, and read to him first the confessions and tenets of his own church, which were translated to the patriarchal teacher of Bahá’ísm, who nodded his head in silent assent.

Pacing the platform, ‘Abdul expounded his doctrine, which was translated by Dr. Fareed. He defined Bahá’ísm as the single expression of faith in God.

“It declares for the unity of all the present religions, so that they rest on a common basis of faith in the creator,” said ‘Abdul. “So Bahá’ísm proceeds to call for the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. It is a very simple religion; it is merely the faith of God fre[e] from misrepresentations.”

After the sermon the aged teacher held informal reception, after which he was driven to the residence of Mrs. Arthur Jesse Parsons, Eighteenth and R streets, where he is a guest during his stay in Washington.