In Edinburgh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed the Esperantists
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When in Bahá'í history
In Edinburgh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed the Esperantists. A serious advocate for the establishment of an international auxiliary language, He cited an anecdote to stress how important proper communication between people is: ‘I recall an incident which occurred in Bagdad. There were two friends who knew not each other’s language. One fell ill, the other visited him, but not being able to express his sympathy in words, resorted to gesture, as if to say, “How do you feel?” With another sign the sick [one] replied, “I shall soon be dead”; and his visitor, believing the gesture to indicate that he was getting better, said, “God be praised!”’
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 176
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: universal-language).
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For adults
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
- What does the setting of this account contribute to its meaning?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
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Reflection
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Comprehension quiz
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Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/universal-language
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