Apostle of Universal Peace and Brotherhood to Deliver Series of Lectures

‘ABDU’L-BAHA ABBAS, the Persian teacher and disciple of universal peace, the oneness of humanity, the oneness of God, universal love, the [text missing]adication of prejudice, arrived in San Francisco early yesterday morning. He has been in the United States six months, and though his arrival here had been arranged for and expected for several days by the local assembly of Bahá’ís, no one was at the railroad station to meet him. This was in accordance with the expressed wish of the venerable teacher. He had telegraphed that he desired to enter the … quietly. His train was eight hours … and he with his suit drove to the … se at 1815 California street, which … been prepared for his residence … his three weeks stay here.

Accompanying ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were Dr. … Fareed, Mirza Ahmiel Schrab … Mirza Mahmood of Persia, Mirza … Akbar of Russia and M. Fugata of …. They will act as interpreters to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the series of lectures … will deliver in San Francisco and … transbay cities.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s career is romantic. He … to the prison fortress of Akka, … Mount Carmel, in Palestine, with … father when only 8 years of age. … no schooling, except the teaching … his noble father, he spent forty years in prison. Since his release four years ago he has traveled in Egypt, … atinental Europe and England, pleading for the removal of prejudice and … establishment of universal peace.

At the house were a score of people, … stly women. One woman said she [text missing] not think ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would see a …. orter, as he was going to Oakland … the afternoon. But he did.

IS STRIKING FIGURE.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is of middle stature strongly built, and wears long, light … ored robes. His forehead is high, … and full, his nose slightly aquiline and his beard and mustache gray- …. His eyes are gray and blue, …, soft, penetrating. His gray hair … ts on his shoulders.

My greatest happiness this morn … ,” said he, “is this: That I have … to such a modern and progressive …. Praise be to God, everything is … and there seems to be much … here.”

After a few questions and answers … was shown a copy of the “Chron … containing the full accounts of … preparations in the Balkan states … Turkey. He inquired if actual … ilities had begun and then asked: “Will the “Chronicle” take a … from me to the American people?” … wered in the affirmative, he … an appeal for universal peace.

AN APPEAL FOR PEACE.

Praise be to God: The United States … reality made extraordinary …; day by day they are advanc … oward the ultimate goal. The … virtues of the people are many; … hey must think of the ideal vir … so that the highest of the per … of humanity may illumine the … of America. Among the high … virtues is universal peace, the … of humanity. The chief … of humanity today is international strife; this militates against … advancement of the material and … virtues.

The continent of America is isolated so far as other countries are … cerned; the Government is not … king of making conquests, of en [text missing] ging the circle of colonization. They … not thinking to contend with other … ions so far as financial, commercial [text missing] political supremacy is concerned. … are not the rival of any other …

Their utmost desire is this: That the continent of America be protected.

“They are engaged in the amelioration of internal conditions; they are not engaged in warfare with any nation. Therefore, they have the time and ability to raise the standard of universal peace and spread the doctrine of the oneness of God. May their influence spread and permeate to all parts of the world.

“Other peoples of the world have to contend with international difficulties. First, the nations are rivals with each other so far as commercial advantages are concerned. Second, they are thinking of nationnal self-aggrandizement. Third, they are thinking of planting new colonies. Therefore, it is difficult for them to step into this field, to uphold international peace, because they are contending, warlike, victory-loving people. They cannot be instrumental in promulgating international peace.

PRAISES AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

“But, praise be to God, the American Government is no warlike Government; the American democracy is not founded upon warlike doctrines. Hence it becomes this democracy to uphold international peace and spread it throughout the world. Through the promulgation of this doctrine will be distributed the greatest blessings.

“It will eliminate the darkness of prejudice, the darkness of war, the darkness of rancor and hatred, the darkness of racial prejudice, the darkness of political prejudice. May this darkness be blotted out and the light become widespread, universal. May the oneness of humanity become primordial, supreme.

“His holiness, Bahá O’llah fifty years ago spread broadcast this great movement, proclaimed the benefits of international peace. This took place at a time when the thought was not in the minds of men, nor the words upon the tongues of the people. At the time he summoned people from all parts of the Orient. He addressed letters to the sovereigns of Europe, setting forth the results to accrue from the establishment of universal peace. He invited all to participate in a world’s arbitral court of justice to be composed of representatives of every Government in the world, the delegates thereto to be chosen and ratified by the Governments. Thereto would be referred disputes between nations for settlement. In case any Government or nation should prove rebellious concerning any decision of the court, the other nations should coalesce to force it into obedience.

“A more fervent hope and a fonder desire concerning the American people is that their instrumentality shall be such as to enlarge the scope of this scheme and that earnest concerted action from the nations of the world will result therefrom.

“This great cause, which alone insures the happiness of the world, must receive support throughout the world.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá will remain in the city for two to three weeks. Many of the churches have invited him to fill their pulpits, and his first public appearance will be Sunday morning at 11 o’clock in the Unitarian Church at Franklin and Geary streets. Sunday night he will deliver a sermon in the First Congregational Church in Oakland.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has been invited to deliver a talk at Stanford University by Dr. David Starr Jordan, which he has accepted. Speaking of this yesterday, he said:

“The duty of educated men, especially university presidents of the Nation is this:

“To teach in the universities and schools ideas concerning universal peace, so that the student may be so molded that in after years he may help carry to fruition the most useful [unreadable text] human issue of mankind.”