On 5 May, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá met with a group of 35 children in the hotel salon

On 5 May, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá met with a group of 35 children in the hotel salon. After listening to them sing the song "Softly, His Voice Is Calling Now", the Master called each child to him individually. Some He took on His lap, others He kissed or stroked their hair: . . . All with such infinite love and tenderness shining in His eyes and thrilling in the tones of His voice, that when He whispered in English in their ears to tell him their names, they answered joyfully and freely as they would to a beloved father . . . The children's joy in His own happiness seemed to culminate as one dear little tot ran to Him and fairly threw herself into His arms. Afterwards, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave each child an envelope full of rose petals, then invited them all to Lincoln Park, across the road from the hotel for a photograph.

Source: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 117

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: abdul-baha-and-children).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/abdul-baha-and-children