The Last Evening Before the Ship Sailed

A retelling for children, based on Portals to Freedom by Howard Colby Ives (the gathering of December 2, 1912).

It was a cold December evening in New York, and a man named Howard hurried up the stairs to a small room high in a building. The room was crowded with friends, all squeezed in close together. They had come for a reason that made their hearts ache a little: in just two days, 'Abdu'l-Bahá would board a great ship and sail far across the ocean, back to His own land. This was one of the last evenings they would have with Him.

Howard found a seat as close to 'Abdu'l-Bahá as he could get. He had been near Him many times before, but on this night something felt different. Sitting so near, Howard later wrote that it seemed there flowed from Him to me a veritable stream of spiritual energy — like a river of light and strength pouring out, so much that he could almost not bear it.

'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke quietly. He did not talk for very long. But everyone in that little room leaned in, because they knew these were words they would want to keep for the rest of their lives.

And here is the heart of what He told them — the thing Howard would try to remember every single day after that:

You must manifest complete love and affection towards all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others but consider all as your equals.

It was really two simple things to do. The first was to love — to show real love and kindness to every single person, no matter who they were. The second was to never think of yourself as better or more important than anyone else, but to treat every person as your equal, as someone just as precious as you.

That was all. Just two things. But 'Abdu'l-Bahá was telling them that if they truly did these two things, it would be enough — enough to carry on all the good work He was leaving behind.

Two days later the ship sailed away. But Howard never forgot that evening. For the rest of his life he tried to live by those words. And he said the stream of strength he had felt flowing from 'Abdu'l-Bahá that night never really stopped flowing.

You and I can keep those same two things, too. Love everyone with all your heart, and never look down on a single soul. Those two little gifts, given again and again, can change the whole world.

This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "A Stream of Power: Ives at the Master's Farewell, December 1912".

Ives, H. C.. (1937). *Portals to Freedom*. George Ronald. https://bahai-library.com/ives_portals_freedom