John Bosch Gives Up the Wine Trade
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When in Bahá'í history
John David Bosch was a Swiss from Canton St. Gall who emigrated to the United States in 1879. Later he returned to Europe and studied wine-making in Germany, France, and Spain . . . And John became a Bahá’í. On May 29, 1905, he went down to the winery office very early and wrote ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: ‘… may my name be entered in the Great Book of this Universal Life … My watchword will be “Justice.” Humbly Thy servant …’
There were many Tablets and messages for John Bosch, through all the years . . . Early in 1910 (the date on the envelope is May), the Master wrote to John: ‘According to the texts of the Book of Aqdas both light and strong drinks are prohibited. The reason for this prohibition is that it [drink] leads the mind astray and is the cause of weakening the body … I hope thou mayest become exhilarated with the wine of the love of God … The after-effect of drinking is depression, but the wine of the love of God bestoweth exaltation of the spirit.’
John had forty men in four wineries under him. In one year, he crushed up fifteen thousand tons of grapes, which makes over two and a quarter million gallons of wine. ‘I thought it over,’ he said. It was not long before he decided to retire.
Source: Marzieh Gail, Dawn Over Mount Hira and Other Essays (George Ronald, 1976), “‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Portrayals from East and West”, pp. 204–206.
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: obedience).
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