Greetings By 'abdu'l-baha From Paris To London

Sources: 'abdu'l-baha In London

October 1911.





Spoken to Mrs. Enthoven for conveyance to all the friends, and now written

from memory.



'Abdu'l-Baha sent his greetings to all, begging all to go on acquiring

strength in their belief and courage in its proclamation.



He spoke much of the pleasure he had felt in the atmosphere of England. He

said there was a strength of purpose in the English people a d a firmness

which he liked and admired, There was honesty and uprightness. They were

slow in starting a new idea, but, when they did, it was only because their

minds and common-sense had told them that the idea was sound.



The English as a nation had pleased him greatly.



Believers, he added, must show their belief in their daily lives, so that

the world might see the light shining in their faces. A bright and happy

face cheers people on their way. If you are sad, and pass a child who is

laughing, the child, seeing your sad face, will cease to laugh, not

knowing why. If the day be dark, how much a gleam of sunshine is prized;

so let believers wear smiling happy faces, gleaming like sunshine in the

darkness. Let the Light of Truth and Honesty shine from them, so that all

who behold them may know that their word in business or pleasure will be a

word to trust and depend upon.



Forget self and work for the whole race. Remember always that one is

working for the world, not for a town or even for a country; because, as

all are brethren, so every country is, as it were, one's own.



Remember, above all, the teaching of Baha'u'llah concerning gossip and

unseemly talk about others. Stories repeated about others are seldom good.

A silent tongue is the safest. Even good may be harmful, if spoken at the

wrong time, or to the wrong person.



Finally 'Abdu'l-Baha sent his greetings and blessings to all, and assured

me he was constantly thinking and praying for all.



To a gentleman who was questioning him, he remarked The beginnings of all

great religions were pure; but priests, taking possession of the minds of

the people, filled them with dogmas and superstitions, so that religion

became gradually corrupt. I come to teach no new religion. 'My only desire

is, through the blessing of God, to show the road to the Great Light.

Touching the gentleman gently on his shoulder, as a loving father might

touch a son, he went on to say, I am no Prophet, only a man like

yourself.