Mahmud: April 15 - Bishop Expresses Gratitude for Visit to Church
The Master was shown several newspapers that had published His picture and articles about His talks and yesterday’s meetings. So great is the influence of the Cause of God that a zealous clergyman has made objections to Dr [Percy Stickney] Grant, the minister of the Church of the Ascension who had invited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to sit in the chair reserved for the Viceroy of Christ. He asked why the minister had permitted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to sit on the chair. Although he objected to the Master’s talk, he could find no justification for his complaint. Other clergymen replied to his objections in a newspaper article, referring to his discourteous attitude. Thus he was obliged to write an article himself in which he stated that he had no doubt about the knowledge and importance of the teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and that his intention had been only to point out that the church’s rules and regulations had been broken.
The bishop of the church was introduced to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by Mr Mills. The bishop expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the Master’s visit to the Church of the Ascension, saying, ‘I am very optimistic and pleased about the teachings of this Cause. You are the first great visitor from the East who has brought such important tidings to the West. Until now no one could imagine that such a great cause could exist in the East. This blessed journey is the cause of praise and gratitude.’
As the bishop listened to the Master’s remarks about the dangers of blind imitation and prejudice, and on the fundamental unity of all religions, the necessity for universal peace, the agreement between science and religion, and a divine civilization, and so on, he became very respectful, and left with gratitude and humility.
In thanking the Master the bishop said, ‘You are the first great traveler from the East to the West to come with such noble principles.’ I then recalled the statement of the Master on the ship when He said, ‘Up to the present time no one has traveled, with a purpose like ours, from Persia to America … Ours may be said to be the first voyage of Easterners to America.’
