Kindness to the Deputy-Governor of Haifa
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When in Bahá'í history
Haifa (today: Haifa, Israel)
There was a time when the Covenant-Breakers “gave away the garments and personal effects of Bahá’u’lláh to government functionaries, to serve as chattels of bribery and to provide as well the means of humiliating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. At their instigation the Deputy-Governor of Haifa would, whilst visiting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ostentatiously wear Bahá’u’lláh's cloak and brazenly use His spectacles. Before long this man was dismissed from his post and fell on evil days. Then he went to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and begged His forgiveness. He had acted, he said, in the manner he did, because he was prompted by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s own relatives. The Master showed him utmost kindness and generosity …”
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, no. 58, “To those who tried to humiliate Him,” p. 84, quoting H. M. Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant, pp. 92–93.
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: forgiveness-others).
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