‘Abdu’l-Bahá stayed, once again, in the Hotel Marquardt

‘Abdu’l-Bahá stayed, once again, in the Hotel Marquardt. During this second visit to Stuttgart, which also lasted a week, He was mostly unwell. The cold contracted in Budapest had persisted and was now affecting His chest. The Bahá’ís of Stuttgart had arranged and advertised a meeting for the evening of the 25th at the Burger Museum. In the afternoon the condition of His chest worsened, causing great concern. Physicians told Him that He should not go out, and should use His voice as little as possible. His attendants, whom He had sent on to the meeting, felt that the large and eager assemblage there would be disappointed and dismayed should they be deprived of meeting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They returned to the hotel with a plan which they thought would both safeguard ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's health and make it possible for the people to meet Him. A saloon car, well-protected from the elements, would take ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Museum where, in a room apart from the main hall, people could be allowed into His presence. As soon as they presented this plan to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and told Him of the eagerness and disappointment of the audience, He arose. Physicians had made Him stay indoors, He said; but His health was for the purpose of serving the Faith. While Wilhelm Herrigel was giving a talk in His stead, He walked into the hall, to the utmost delight and surprise of the audience, and using His full voice delivered a discourse on the need of world peace and the power that can guarantee it. The talk over, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was about to leave and return quickly to His hotel, when a voice was heard, wailing. He  390  stopped and asked His attendants to make enquiries. It was found that a lady who had tried to reach ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and had been kept back by the press of the crowd, was weeping. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stayed to speak to her words of great kindness. The next day, to questions about His health, He answered that the previous night's venture, although considered very risky, had proved the right medicine for Him.

Source: H.M. Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá - The Centre of the Covenant, p. 389

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: health).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/health