Bow to Bahá’í Leader
Followers in Capital Greet High Priest of Sect.
URGES BROTHERHOOD OF MAN
Persian, in Address at Public Library, Tells Fashionable Audience of Advantages to Be Gained by Union of All Religions — New Society Is Organized Here.
When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas, the leader of the Persian Bahá’í movement for a universal religion, the brotherhood of man, and a universal peace, entered the lecture hall of the Public Library last night, nearly half of the 400 members and interested friends of the Persian-American Educational Society stood up and reverently bowed their heads as he passed them, which mark of worship he responded to with a right-handed salute. At the close of his address scores of fashionably gowned women rushed to the front of the hall to fondle his plain light-brown gown, touch the hem of his skirt, or take his hand.
“I am an Oriental,” said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, through his interpreter, Dr. Fareed. “I come to America in hopes of enlisting the aid of the various societies here in the Bahá’í movement founded by my father, which shall result in one religion; one human race, and peace for all time. I predict that Persia will become one of the greatest countries of the East. I desire to see a bond of religion and international peace. Persia has unlimited resources which I hope will be developed by Americans. We earnestly solicite their coming to our country.
For One Huge Brotherhood.
“Cooperattion is what is necessary. The intermingling of the races of the East and the West is needed to bring about this condition which we seek.
“We were placed on this world as one huge brotherhood. The oneness of the world is necessary to the progress of humanity. I was thrown into prison some years ago, and only on the solicitation of a number of crowned heads of Europe dis I obtain my release. I ask assistance of all Persians in America and all others interested in education of our people. Education is what the Persian needs most now. My mission to America is to establish a bond between America and Persia, and I am proud to address a gathering of Americans — the first to establish a conference for international peace.”
Prof. Hermann Schoenfeld, of George Washington University, made a short address outlining the condition of the Persian government at the present day.
Five Resolutions Adopted.
Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, of Isfahan, Persia, spoke on “The Hand of Persia Stayed, but Not Paralyzed.” Five resolutions were adopted, that sympathy be expressed to those who lost relatives and friends in the Titanic disaster; that the society give its cooperation in any movement for friendly relations with Persia; that arbitration will settle all international disputes; that there be commercial treaties between Persia and the United States; that there be a parcels post between Persia and America; and that the succession of the Orient-Occident Unity of the Persian-American Educational Society be ratified.
The new Orient-Occident Unity elected the following officers: President, William H. Hoar; vice presidents, Prof. Hermann Schoenfeld, Hooper Harris, Howard McNutt, Mrs. Fannie F. Andrews, Mrs. Agnes Parsons, and Mrs. Helen Goodall; secretary, Joseph H. Hannen; assistant secretary. Arnauld Belmont; treasurer, Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; librarian, E. H. Young; assistant librarian, Miss Mary Little.
