Why Should I Have Two?
Howard Colby Ives, Portals to Freedom, (1937), George Ronald · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
A retelling based on Portals to Freedom by Howard Colby Ives (George Ronald, 1937), chapter 8. The narrative is retold in our own words; the words in quotation marks are from the book. Read the full text for Ives's own telling.
In the summer of 1912 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed for a time at Dublin, New Hampshire. Howard Colby Ives did not see what follows himself; it was told to him by a woman who was staying at the same inn.
She was dressing one morning when she glanced out of her window and saw 'Abdu'l-Bahá pacing up and down outside, dictating to His secretary. An old man in wretched clothes passed the inn as she watched. 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent His secretary to call him back.
The Master stepped up to the old man and took his hand, smiling into his face as though greeting a welcome friend. The man was very ragged and dirty, and his trousers were filthy and barely covered his limbs. 'Abdu'l-Bahá talked with him for a few moments and seemed to be trying to cheer him. At last the trace of a smile appeared, though a bleak one. 'Abdu'l-Bahá looked him over and laughed gently. He said something to the effect that the old man's trousers were not very serviceable, and that they must remedy that lack.
It was very early and the street was deserted. The woman saw 'Abdu'l-Bahá step into the shadow of the porch and loosen something at His waist under His robe. His trousers dropped to the ground. He gathered His robe about Him, turned, and handed the trousers to the old man. "May God go with you," He said, and went back to His secretary as if nothing unusual had happened.
Ives adds that during the years of imprisonment in 'Akká, 'Abdu'l-Bahá often gave His bed to those who had none, and always refused to own more than one coat. He said:
Why should I have two, when there are so many who have none?
Ives told these things, he wrote, "to show that Abdu'l-Bahá did not tell others the way of Life without walking therein Himself."
A retelling based on Portals to Freedom (Howard Colby Ives, George Ronald, 1937), chapter 8. For the fuller account, see the original.
Cite this story
Ives, H. C.. (1937). *Portals to Freedom*. George Ronald. https://bahai-library.com/ives_portals_freedom
This story shares quotes with 1 other story
“Why should I have two, when there are so many who have none?”
Also in
- Why Keep Two?— Howard Colby Ives, Portals to Freedom
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
The Master Arrives in Denver
After a sleepless night on the train, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reached Denver on 23 September 1912. Within hours He was meeting reporters, and that evening He spoke to a crowded gathering at the home of Mrs. Roberts.
Let Them Come Now
Worn out after seeing a hundred and forty people and speaking at the Mortens’ home in New York, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá went up to rest, but crowds followed. When Juliet Thompson asked to shut the door, He gently said to let them come.
The Chronicler of the Master’s Journey
Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání completed the first volume of his chronicle of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s 1912 journey in America at the end of 1913; at his sudden death the Guardian cabled that his outstanding services would shine evermore.
Blessed Are the Poor
On 19 April 1912 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to three hundred homeless men at the Bowery Mission in New York, then stood at the end of the aisle and pressed coins into the hand of each man as he filed past.