Gifts Returned for the Poor
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When in Bahá'í history
‘Abdu’l-Bahá would refuse generous sums of money meant for Himself but would accept a small token of love, such as a handkerchief. In London a lady said to the Master, 'I have here a cheque from a friend, who begs its acceptance to buy a good motor-car for your work in England and Europe.' To this ‘Abdu’l-Bahá replied, 'I accept with grateful thanks the gift of your friend.' He took the cheque into both His hands, as though blessing it, and said, 'I return it to be used for gifts to the poor.'
On another occasion an American lady wished to donate money to the Master '...for his own use or for that of the Cause. He replied that he could not himself accept a gift from her; but that if she wished to do something for him, she should educate the two little girls of a Christian schoolmaster in Haifa, who had recently lost his wife, was very poor, and in much trouble. She accordingly sent these children to a school in Beirut.'
The Bahá’ís in America desired to contribute $18,000 for the Master's projected trip to their shores. When the funds began to reach the Master, He returned them, asking that they donate the money instead to charity.
Source: Annamarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 72.
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: generosity).
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