The Gift of a Motor-Car
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
London (today: London, England)
Throughout His journey through the West, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá steadfastly refused to accept money or expensive gifts from anyone, though He greatly enjoyed small gifts such as a box of bon-bons, fruit or flowers. In this scene, reenacted time after time on His travels, Lady Blomfield writes of one attempt to give money to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “One day in my presence a lady said to Him: ‘I have here a cheque from a friend, who begs its acceptance to buy a good motor-car for your work in England and Europe.’” The Master replied: “I accept with grateful thanks the gift of your friend.” He took the cheque into both His hands, as though blessing it, and said “I return it to be used for gifts to the poor.”
Source: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 35, quoting Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway (‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to London, 1911).
Collected from bahaistories.com.
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/gifts
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
Guests at the Master’s Table
Lady Blomfield recalls meals with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in her London home: He served guests with His own hands, shared a poor workman’s gift of dry bread, and seated the humblest guests at His right hand.
A Simpler Table at Lady Blomfield's
At His first dinner in Lady Blomfield's London home, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gently wished the many courses could be shared with the hungry, and afterwards the dinners were greatly simplified.
Christmas Day in London, 1912
On Christmas Day 1912 in London, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called on Lord Lamington, then spoke to some five hundred people at a Salvation Army hostel and paid for their meal and another night’s lodging, as His guests.
Quarters in the Chambermaid's Apron
After His visit to the Bowery Mission in New York, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá emptied the leftover quarters into a hotel chambermaid's apron, and she resolved to give every cent of it away.