Compare versions: Tea Prepared with Love

The same event, told by different sources. The canonical version below is what we publish; the alternate accounts are preserved for scholarly comparison and for noticing where retellings differ.

Canonical version

Tea Prepared with Love

Secondary RetellingVarious · bahaistories.com archive

During His second stay in Chicago, in September 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá chose to stay in Corinne True's home for a day or two before moving to a hotel. When He arrived with His secretaries, Corinne served them all tea. Unfortunately, it was a type of tea that Persians don't like, and some of them remarked that "there was better tea". But the Master drank it anyway, saying, "This tea is very good because it has been prepared with love."

Source: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 192. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words are recorded in Mahmúd’s Diary, September 13, 1912.

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: forgiveness-others).

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Alternate account · 91% similar

During this second stay in Chicago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá chose to stay in

Various · bahaistories.com archive

During this second stay in Chicago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá chose to stay in Corrine True's home for a day or two before moving to a hotel. When He arrived with His secretaries, Corrine serve them all tea. Unfortunately, it was a type of tea that Persians don't like, and some of them remarked that "there was a better tea". But the Master drank it anyway, saying, "This tea is very good because it is been prepared with love."

Source: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 192

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: hospitality).

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Why are alternate accounts kept? Different retellings of the same event often vary in emphasis, detail, and tone. Scholars and devotional readers can notice these differences and trace the trustworthiness of each retelling.