At the close of his talk, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made a practical demonstration of his…
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
At the close of his talk, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made a practical demonstration of his tactful love for the poor. In generous conformity with Bahá’u’lláh's teachings that "our words should not exceed our deeds," he left twenty golden sovereigns and many handfuls of silver with Colonel Spencer of the Army, so that the poor might enjoy a similar dinner New Year's night. Colonel Spencer told the men that they were to have this New Year's dinner in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's honour. The Master was just leaving the hall when this announcement was made. With one accord the men jumped up and waving their knives and forks gave a rousing farewell cheer.
Source: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, v2, p. 8
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: generosity).
Discuss this story
For adults
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
- What might 'Abdu'l-Bahá's example ask of us in our own circumstances?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
For teens
- What is one quality you'd want to carry forward from this account?
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
Reflection
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- How does generosity show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "At the close of his talk, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made a practical demonstration of his…" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/generosity
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