Herald Bahá Speaks in Evening
Appears Fatigued at Huntington Chambers Meeting.
A large and reverent audience gathered at Huntington Chambers last night to hear and see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Mrs. Alice M. Buckston presided and unfolded the significance of the new religion of unity and peace, while awaiting the arrival of the speaker.
The eastern mystic entered late, leaning upon the arm of his secretary and interpreter, Dr. Fareed. He appeared far older than his 68 years, and spoke in a feeble voice, as if talking aloud were a considerable effort. The priest of the Bahá’ís wore a loose caftan of brown linen and a snow-white turban. His face is brown and emaciated and his beard and hear long and straggling. He spoke in short guttural sentences, leaning his head upon the back of the chair, and occasionally pointing upward with one finger.
The Bahá’í told his congregation, through the interpreter, that he was not feeling well but had come out of the great love he bore them and because it was his last evening in Boston. Using considerable repetition he went on to declare that in its achievements the present country was equal to the hundred years that had passed, and as its discoveries were making the theories of the past useless, there was need also of a new religion to take the place of the old dogmas.
“If we, remain fettered by dogmas,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá prophesied, “enmities will increase day by day until they have caused the destructions of the entire human race. If a city, if a family, is filled with the spirit of discord, it scatters and perishes day by day. We must band ourselves together to increase friendship among nations and races and brotherhood among men. God wishes man to establish just equality not to transgress laws; to help each other and live together in love. Do what God asks: be the cause of unity and peace, wipe out the horrors of war and hatred.
“We must be eager to suffer for such an end. Bahá’u’lláh, my father, spent 60 years of his life in prison. In prison he unfurled the banner of universal peace, writing to kings and rulers of the earth. So his face became radiant, and among all the countries of the earth the bond of Bahá’í was established. Be dissolved in love, so that you may, lose conciousness of everything except the good of all.”
The address concluded with a world chant, during which some of the members of the audience knelt in prayer and the Bahá left the hall, giving his benediction right and left and receiving greetings from the faithful.
