At the invitation of Mrs. Thornburgh-Cropper about four hundred and sixty
representative people met in the hall of the Passmore Edwards’ Settlement,
Tavistock Place, last Friday evening to bid farewell to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbás
on the eve of his departure for Paris. Arriving in London on Monday
evening, September the fourth, he has spent a happy and busy four weeks in
our midst. Except for a brief visit to Bristol last week he remained at
97, Cadogan Gardens. His time was mainly occupied in interviews with
people who wish to meet him. These included not a few whose names are
household words in this country, and some travelled long distances to see
him.
A beautiful spirit prevailed on Friday evening. The atmosphere was very
different from that of an ordinary meeting or religious gathering.
Everyone present was enriched by the lofty spiritual tone of the
proceedings; the notes struck were all in the direction of Brotherhood,
Unity, and Peace. While a report of the speeches would give a very
inadequate idea of the effect produced, yet they were so well-conceived,
so sincere, so exquisitely phrased as to be all worthy of reproduction.
Among others Amír Ali Siyyid wrote regretting his inability to be present,
and Archdeacon Wilberforce sent affectionate greetings.
After the Lord’s Prayer and prayers for Unity of Bahá’u’lláh and Gelasius
(fifth Century), Professor Michael Sadler spoke as follows:—
Speech of Professor Michael Sadler
We have met together to bid farewell to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and to thank God for
his example and teaching, and for the power of his prayers to bring Light
into confused thought, Hope into the place of dread, Faith where doubt
was, and into troubled hearts, the Love which overmasters self-seeking and
fear.
Though we all, among ourselves, in our devotional allegiance have our own
individual loyalties, to all of us ‘Abdu’l-Bahá brings, and has brought, a
message of Unity, of sympathy and of Peace. He bids us all be real and
true in what we profess to believe; and to treasure above everything the
Spirit behind the form. With him we bow before the Hidden Name, before
that which is of every life the Inner Life! He bids us worship in fearless
loyalty to our own faith, but with ever stronger yearning after Union,
Brotherhood, and Love; so turning ourselves in Spirit, and with our whole
heart, that we may enter more into the mind of God, which is above class,
above race, and beyond time.
Professor Sadler concluded with a beautiful prayer of James Martineau.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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