East and West Meet at St. John's

In The Chosen Highway Lady Blomfield records how, soon after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's arrival in London in September 1911, He received Archdeacon Basil Wilberforce — "our dear friend, the Archdeacon," she calls him — at her house in Cadogan Gardens. The Archdeacon sat on a low chair beside the Master. 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to him in Persian, placed His hand on the Archdeacon's head, talked with him long and answered many questions. Both, she writes, were deeply moved. At that meeting the invitation was given for 'Abdu'l-Bahá to speak to the congregation of St. John the Divine, at Westminster, on the following Sunday.

That Sunday was 17 September 1911. A week earlier, at the City Temple, the Master had for the first time in His life addressed a Western audience. Now, after the evening service at St. John's, He passed through the midst of the crowded church hand in hand with Archdeacon Wilberforce, up to the chancel, where, in Lady Blomfield's words, "they stood together, two men of God, one from the East and one from the West."

The contemporary account printed in 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London adds the details. The Archdeacon introduced his guest with a few warm words, as a Messenger from the East who had suffered forty years of captivity and persecution. He had the Bishop's chair placed for 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the chancel steps, and, standing beside Him, read the English translation of the address himself. 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of humanity's search for God, and of how the Reality of Divinity is holy above all understanding.

At the end the congregation, following the Archdeacon's example, knelt to receive 'Abdu'l-Bahá's blessing, while He stood with extended arms, His voice rising and falling in the silence with the power of His invocation. As the Archdeacon said:

Truly the East and the West have met in this sacred place tonight.

The whole assembly stood and sang the hymn "O God our help in ages past" as 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Archdeacon passed down the aisle to the vestry, hand in hand. Outside the church a Salvation Army meeting was being held at the street corner, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá was deeply touched by the sight of the men, women and children gathered there in the night, praying and singing.

Lady Blomfield wrote of the evening: "This was indeed a soul-stirring event, far-reaching in its influence!"

A retelling based on The Chosen Highway, with details from 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London. For the fuller account, see the originals.

Blomfield, L.. (1940). *The Chosen Highway*. Bahá'í Publishing Trust.