Howard Ives wrote, ‘In all of my many opportunities of meeting, of listening to
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
When in Bahá'í history

Howard Ives wrote, ‘In all of my many opportunities of meeting, of listening to and talking with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá I was impressed, and constantly more impressed, with His method of teaching souls . He never argued, of course. Nor did He press a point. He left one free. There was never an assumption of authority; rather He was ever the personification of humility. He taught “as if offering a gift to a king.” He never told me what I should do, beyond suggesting that what I was doing was right. Nor did He ever tell me what I should believe. He made Truth and Love so beautiful and royal that the heart perforce did reverence. He showed me by His voice , manner, bearing, smile, how I should be, knowing that out of the pure soil of being the good fruit of deeds and words would surely spring.’
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: teaching).
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/teaching
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
‘Abdu’l-Bahá had such an easy way of leading into a meaningful conversation
‘Abdu’l-Bahá had such an easy way of leading into a meaningful conversation. He would begin ‘with some simple reference to a natural thing, the weather, food, a stone, tree, water, the prison, a garden or a bird, our coming, or some little…
‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas
‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent His early years in an environment of privilege, wealth, and love. ** ‘Abdu’l-Bahá…
‘Alavíyyih Khánum and Mullá ‘Alí Ján
Mullá ‘Alí Ján and ‘Alavíyyih Khánum, not content with the conversion of the inhabitants of Máhfurúzak to the Bahá’í Faith, started to organize the life of the village on a spiritual basis. They encouraged each family to set aside a…
Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Taqi Abhari (Ibn-i-Abhar)
Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Taqi Abhari (Ibn-i-Abhar) received many tablets from Baha'u'llah. For example, Ibn-i-Abhar had posed the question of the well-being and prosperity of the Baha'is of Persia. In a Tablet revealed in 1889 Baha'u'llah in…