Apostle of Peace Here Predicts an Appalling War in the Old World
Europe Heading Straight for a Terrific Conflict, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Declares.
THE BAHAI LEADER ARRIVES IN MONTREAL
Canadians Should Be Happy in Their Freedom from Great Armaments, Says Eastern Seer.
“Be Happy! Your in Canada, live in a magnificent, peaceful country. Be happy!”
This was the kindly greeting of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, messenger of peace from the Orient to the Occident, who, as head of the Bahá’í movement has a following of three million people in Persia, when he arrived in Montreal from Boston last night, to remain in the city for a week. Accompanying him were two Persian interpreters, Mirza Ahmad Sohrab and Mirza Mahmoud. The party drove at once to 716 Pine Avenue West, where they will remain during their stay. Dr. Ameen Fareed, the chief interpreter, will arrive on Monday.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, whose appearance is that of an eastern patriarch, with white turban and long white robes, expressed himself to a representative of the Star as delighted to be in Canada, whose people should be very happy to live in such a splendid country. He expressed himself as greatly pleased with his mission to the United States, where the message of peace and international unity had been given a splendid welcome. The people of America he had found to be wonderfully keen and alert. In fact we on this side of the Atlantic were a very wonderful people.
PEACE MESSAGE WELCOMED ON THIS SIDE.
The people of the United States, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, he had found to be remarkably receptive to the movement, which was, he declared, making good headway on this side of the Atlantic, in most marked contrast to the condition of affairs he had found to prevail in Europe.
In the old world the inventive genius of man now seemed to be turned almost exclusively to the fabrication of murderous weapons of warfare, and these were turned out on such an enormous scale in all lands that Europe to-day was simply an armed camp.
GREAT WAR BEFORE UNIVERSAL PEACE.
Apparently the era of universal peace would not be ushered in before a war of colossal proportions had been fought. Such a war would be the most appalling in the world’s history. Europe to-day was heading straight for this. The men at the head of affairs in the various countries seemed to have lost all thought of divine things, and they really walked in darkness. Practically the whole of what the people earned was taken away from them to be applied to the forging of weapons of war by which the peoples of various lands were prepared to slay one another. In Great Britain, Russia, Germany, France, Austria, and Italy, it is all the same. Every country in Europe was to-day spending fabulous sums of money in preparations for murderous warfare, and that was why there was so much misery among the masses of the people. The very flower of the manhood was taken from productive employments and trained to slay one another. It was supreme madness.
A GREAT CONTRAST PRESENTED BY CANADA.
“What a contrast,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “is presented in your country. Canada should be a very happy land. So far removed from such a condition of strife. On this side of the Atlantic the peace message is well received; but in Europe, there is an apathy, a listlessness that is distressing.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá will preach at the morning service, 11 a. m., in the Church of the Messiah, Sherbroake street west, on Sunday. During his stay he will welcome all visitors, interested in his movement, if arrangements are made by telephoning Uptown 3015.
[picture caption: AN ORIENTAL PROPHET IN MONTREAL. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, of Persia, leader of the Bahá’í movement, who says Canadians should be happy to live so far from the strife of the Old World.]
