Pamphlets in a Manila Library

In the days when steamships, such as the Mauritania and Franconia, made round-the-world trips, Loulie went several times for the sole purpose of stopping at each port-of-call to make whatever contacts she might to proclaim the coming of Bahá’u’lláh. The Captains of these ships always proved most cooperative, making every possible effort to be of assistance. So one time when the ship was approaching Manila he came to her very disturbed. It seemed that because of various delays the stop at Manila would be very much shortened. In fact, they would dock there only for an hour.

Loulie, who had planned for at least a day or two, at once began to pray for guidance. What, in her precious hour, could she do that would reach some hungry seeking soul in this city? Finally, when the ship docked, Loulie rushed to a library but when she asked permission to place books on the shelves she was refused. There was no place in that library for a new and strange religion. So, in despair - time was passing so swiftly - she begged that she might go into the shelves and tuck a few pamphlets here and there. This was, reluctantly, granted her - so back she went to tuck her pamphlets.

Time passed and Loulie returned to New York. Then months later came a letter from Manila - her pamphlets had been discovered; the man who found them had interested friends and where could he get more literature? Loulie, delighted, sent him more - and more. Then came the war and these new believers were scattered and, Loulie feared, lost. But no - when Peace came, they found each other, they got in touch with Loulie again and, once more the Bahá’í Community of Manila was thriving. All because Loulie had tucked pamphlets in a library during one precious hour of pioneering.

Source: Reginald Grant Barrow, Mother's Stories: Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Early Believers told by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall to her son, p. 10 ("Pamphlets", told by Loulie Mathews at Temerity, c. 1946).

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: teaching).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/teaching