When the Master was on the steamship Celtic, a woman came to Him with her…
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When in Bahá'í history
When the Master was on the steamship Celtic, a woman came to Him with her problem: she was afraid of death. He said to her: 'Then do something that will keep you from dying; that will instead, day by day make you more alive, and bring you everlasting life. According to the words of His Holiness Christ, those who enter the Kingdom of God will never die. Then enter the Divine Kingdom, and fear death no more.' They spoke of the Atlantic Ocean -- it was temporarily quiet. He advised: 'One must ride in the Ship of God; for this life is a stormy sea, and all the people on earth -- that is, over two billion souls -- will drown in it before a hundred years have passed. All, except those who ride in the Ship of God. Those will be saved.'
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 59
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: death).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do devotion and patience meet in this story?
- What does the setting of this account contribute to its meaning?
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
For teens
- Who is someone you know who lives out devotion the way this story describes?
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
Reflection
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- Where in your own life are you being asked to practice devotion?
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "When the Master was on the steamship Celtic, a woman came to Him with her…" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/death
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