Christmas Night at a London Shelter
Star of the West Editors, Star of the West, (1913), Bahai News Service · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
Westminster, London (today: London, England)
A retelling based on Isabel Fraser's report "Abdul-Baha at the 'Salvation Army' Shelter," published in Star of the West (vol. 3, no. 18, 7 February 1913). Words in quotation marks are as recorded in that report.
On Christmas night 1912 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the Salvation Army Shelter in Westminster, London. Each year the shelter gave a Christmas dinner to men who had no homes and no friends, and who but for the shelter would have had no lodging. About a thousand men were there that night.
He spoke to them while they ate. Isabel Fraser, who reported the visit, wrote that His message to the homeless was "simple, direct and short." He began:
"I feel tonight great joy and happiness to be in this place, because My meetings and callings have ever been mostly with the poor, and I call Myself one of them. My lot has ever been with those who have not the goods of this world. When we look at the poor of humanity, we behold a world of brothers."
He spoke of Christ, who "appeared in the world as one of the poor," and told them that one of the titles of Bahá'u'lláh was "the poor one." "All the prophets of God were poor," He said. "His Holiness Moses was a mere shepherd. This will show you that in the estimation of God, poverty is greater than the accumulation of wealth." Toward the end He told them: "Sorrow not, grieve not. Be not unhappy because you are not wealthy. You are the brothers of Jesus Christ."
Fraser noted that many of the hungry men forgot to eat and listened intently.
At the close of the talk the Master left twenty gold sovereigns and many handfuls of silver with Colonel Spencer of the Salvation Army, so that the men could have a similar dinner on New Year's night. Colonel Spencer told the men that the New Year's dinner would be given in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's honour. The Master was just leaving the hall when the announcement was made, and the men jumped up, waving their knives and forks, and gave a rousing farewell cheer.
Before leaving He was shown all over the shelter. At the outer door He said to the officer in charge, "May God prosper you. May you all be under the protection of the Almighty!"
This is a retelling. For the full account, see Isabel Fraser, "Abdul-Baha at the 'Salvation Army' Shelter," Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 18.
Cite this story
Editors, S. O. T. W.. (1913). *Star of the West*. Bahai News Service. https://bahai.works/Star_of_the_West/Volume_3/Issue_18/Text
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