‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the City Temple

Shortly after His arrival in London, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá met the Rev. R. J. Campbell of the City Temple, together with the editor of the Christian Commonwealth newspaper. The editor noted that when Rev. Campbell entered the room, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rose from His chair and advanced to meet him, with smiling face and arms extended. "The elder man grasped both the hands of the younger, and, retaining them, warmly greeted him," he wrote. "Standing face to face, linked hand in hand, in the centre of the room, these two spiritual leaders of world-wide fame—Eastern and Western, but essentially one in their outlook on life—formed an impressive picture."

During the conversation, Rev. Campbell said: "I should like you to visit the City Temple," to which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá responded, saying, "I should like to come. I know that the City Temple is a centre of progress in the religious world, and seeks to promote a universal understanding."

Just a few days later, on Sunday, 10 September, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived at the City Temple during the evening service to give His first public address in the Western world. "The visit was kept secret," wrote Wellesley Tudor-Pole, "but the congregation was as usual very large, probably well over 2,000." ‘Abdu’l-Bahá then spoke animatedly for about nine minutes, in Persian, "in full, vibrant tones," wrote Tudor-Pole, "and the whole congregation was held spellbound." After the Master finished speaking, Wellesley Tudor-Pole read the English translation of His speech.

After the service, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote the following in the pulpit Bible: "This book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the Noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God.—‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abbás."

Source: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, pp. 31–32, 34. Compare the Christian Commonwealth account and the London report in Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 11 (1911), and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London.

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: abdul-bahas-travels).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/abdul-bahas-travels