NOT PROOFREAD; see https://bahai-library.com/tuttle_ullrich_ioas_history PART OF THE BAHA'I HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF CHARLES AND MARIA IOAS. BY THE FIVE LIVING CHILDREN OF CHARLES AND MARIA IOAS. Viola Tuttle Margarite Ioas Ullrich Monroe Ioas Paul Ioas Joseph Ioas N.P., 1978 Abdu'l-Baha with Joseph Ioas (in the Plaza Hotel in Chicago in 1912) HOW IT HAPPENED THAT JOSEPH HAD HIS PICTURE TAKEN WITH 'ABDU'L-BAHA IN 1912 Mother said that when 'Abdul-Baha/ was here in Chicago, staying at the Plaza Hotel, she went a number of times to see Him as He would spend most of His time talking vith:the believers. She said on one of the days she promised Joseph that the next day she would take him along. Unfor- tunately, the same day he fell and cut a gash in his'forehead. It was necessary to call the doctor, who took several stitches in his head. (I remember it well, because I held Joe still while the doctor took the stitches, which called for all my personal fortitude!) The doctor placed the white bandage on Joe's head and told Mother not to let Joe take it off and also that he should be careful not to jar the skin which had been sewed. That night Joe was saying sadly that he would not be able to see 'Abdu'l-Bah'i the next day, but Mother conforted him by saying, "Let's wait and see. Maybe tomorrow you will bemuch better." This proved to be the case, so the next day they both went to see 'Abdu'l-Baha'. They were sitting in one of the rooms of the hotel, along with some other people, waiting for 'Abdu'l-Bahla to make His appearance. When He did so, a young woman with a camera rose quickly, went over to Mrs. Getsinger and requested her to ask 'Abdu'l-Bah'a if He would allow her to take His picture with her little sister. He gave His permission, so the little girl sat down beside Him. He then motioned to Joseph, who was sitting at the opposite side of the room, to come over. Mother said to Joe, "I think 'Abdu'l-Bafira wants you to go to Him." So she brought him to 'Abdu'l-Bah~ and He placed him on His other side. Mother asked 'Abdu'l-Bahi if she had not better take off the bandage from Joe's head, but He said to leave it on. Joe remarked later, "I have a cloth on my head just like 'Abdu'l-Baha. The little girl's name was Rouhieh Jones, and a beautiful little girl she appears to be. The elder Miss Jones had:her(tripod focussed I ~to take in only 'Abdu'l-Bah~a and her sister, so she took that picture first and.then explained that she did not believe it was focussed correctly to take in three. She, therefore, asked for permission to take another one and adjusted her camera to take in the three. Later, the picture appeared in the "Star of the West," without Joseph. Mother was a good friend of Gertrude Buikema, who was on the Spiritual Assembly at the time and also she and Mr. Windust were the editors of the "Star." Therefore, she asked Gertrude how it happened that Joe had been cut off of the picture. Gertrude said she had never seen a picture with Joe in it - that the only one which had beer. submitted to the Spiritual Assembly was the one with the little girl and 'Abdu'l-Bah~a alone, according to her knowledge. Mother felt satisfied, then, as she had been a little hurt, thinking possibly (for what reason she could not imagine) that perhaps the Spiritual Assembly did not want Joseph's picture to appear. She ordered a dozen prints from Miss Jones (one for each of our family), and Miss Jones kindly gave her the enlargement (about 5" x 7"). (sighed) Viola M. Ioas Tuttle Tablet to Miss Margarite R. loas To: Margarite H. Ioas, unto her be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious. c/o Mr. Arthur Redeen. He is God I 0 thou who art attracted to Truthl To the affectionate Lord do I pray to bestow upon thee assistance and confirmation so that thou mayst be occupied in service to the Kingdom of God and like unto a candle mayst thou be enkindled with the fire of the love of God. Unto thee be the Glory of Abhal (signed) Abdul Baha Abbas December 2, 1920. Trans. by Azizullah S. Bahadur Haifa, Palestine Tablet to Miss Viola M. Ioas through Shahnaz Khanum. upon her be Baha'u'llah-El-Abha. To the maid-servant of God, Viola X. Ioas, upon her be Bahatu'llah- El-Abha. Chicago, Illinois He is God! 0 thou who art longing for the Kingdom. Praise be to God that thou art illumined by the light of Guidance and hast partaken of and taken share in the Outpourings of the Kingdom of God. Be assured of the Divine Favors and turn thy face completely unto the Kingdom of Abha. Thus thou wilt gain a part in the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Upon thee be Baha-El-Abha. (signed) 'Abdu'l-Baha Abbas Translated in Mt. Carmel Haifa, Syria, August 14, 1914. 11 Tablet to:Mrs. Charles Ioas Through Mt. Arthur Agnew Maria Ioas Chicago He is God! 0 thou dear maid servant of God. Thy letter was received and through its perusal gladness was obtained. Yime thy dear baby Joseph. I pray for him and ask confirmation for him. I hope thou mayst become so spiritual as to sever and change every soul thou cbancest to meet and consort with. I am ever thoughtful concerning that family and ask the Lord of the Kingdom to confirm your household more and more daily. Thus may it serve the cause of God, move according to its will, spread the Divine fragrances, educate the children, give life to souls and prove the cause of illumination to the world of humanity. Upon thee be El-Baha-El-Abha. (si-ned) E. E. Abdul Baha Abbas a Translated by Dr. Fareed, Haifa, December 13, 1908. Tablet to Mr. Charles Ioas Through the mediation of Mr. Chase To the honorable Mr. Ioas 0 thou who hast advanced toward God. By God, I rejo : iced when reading thy letter which declares thy belief in the Unity of God, and thine acknowledgment of the appearance of the Kingdom of God. This is a matter whereby thy face shall brighten in the Supreme Concourse, and thy forehead shall sparkle amongst the people. Then know the worth of this Gift, the lights of which shone forth unto all directions and indicate the attraction of the Concourse of El-Abha, the Most Glorious. Then be firm in this cause and thou wilt behold thyself in a lofty station having all that is in earth under its shadow. Because, this is verily that Gift which is mentioned in the Gospel. 0 how good is this Bounty in this Day, wherein the commemoration of the true God is published and spread in all directions! El-Baha be upon thee! The tablet was received in 1900. I I PART OF THE BAHA'I HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF CHARLES AND MARIA IOAS August, 1978 ~7'7 lot RATIO oil 6 TH Ala Charles Was Tom A MAY Maria loas We do not in this compilation discuss in any way the work of Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas, and his wife Sylvia, while living in Haifa. For published article about Leroy, see THE BAHA'I WORLD9 Volume XIV, 1963-1968, page 291. This report i's offered by the five living children of Charles and Maria loas, August 1978. Viola Tuttle Margarite Ullrich Monroe, Paul, and Joseph Ioas I P R 0 L 0 G U E For a long time I have felt that someone should record the experiences of the Ioas family with 'Abdu'l-Baha, particularly since the number of people who met Him during His visit to America in 1912 is rapidly decreasing, and the new Baha'is have little opportunity to talk with anyone who lived through those blessed days. 'Abdu'l-Baha' said that He loved our whole family from top to bottom, and Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian, said that ours was the most important family in America. This is repeated in great humility and is explained as follows: When Leroy was living in Haifa, someone in the family wrote him concerning a statement that seemed to be going around about the loas family, and he responded as follows: "Shoghi Effendi's reference to our family in connection with the Bolton family of Australia, was as follows: "When the Boltons were here at dinner one night, they said how wonderful it was to be in the Holy Land and sitting with the Guardian at the same time with the Ioas's from America. The Guardian said that in the Holy Land, the most important family in Australia was united with the most important family in America. He spoke then of the teaching work done by both families, and that is the importance, no other--that they are both families where all are active in the Faith, and accom- plishing much for it. At another time the question.came up of the wonderful work done by the Fozdars in India, and then later on, in pioneering. He spoke of them as the most important family in India. I think, although I am not sure, someone later brought up the matter, and he spoke of these three families as being the most important in the countries where they reside."' The recording task seemed overwhelming, but my daughter Florence.agreed to assist me. We have accordingly recounted briefly some of the incidents with the various members of the family. I Margarite Ioas Ullrich On December 6, 1865, in Passau, Bavaria, twin girls were born to Daniel and Rosa Werlein Reiser, one named Otillia and the other, Maria Bertha. Mr. Reiser was killed in the Franco-Prussian War when the girls were three. Mrs. Reiser died when they were five, and Otillia was soon adopted by a French countess. Although the countess had promised not to take Otillia out of Germany, she soon changed her mind and raised Otillia in Paris and elsewhere. Maria went to Munich to live with her Aunt Theresa and Uncle Joseph Nothaas and her older cousin, Max. This bright, brown-eyed little girl attended a French kindergarten and learned to speak French and English as well as German. It is believed that Maria's uncle was a type of steward to King Ludwig II and had a confidential position with him. When Ludwig was just a prince, Maria had been one of his playmates. Maria in later years related the event of her dancing as a young girl the part of the wicked fairy in Sleeping Beauty in the palace before the King. Maria was so lonely as a child that "when six years of age, she would take all her dolls to bed with her, calling them her brothers and sisters, and often falling on the floor herself because her 'family' took all the room! She vowed then that when she grew up, she would have at least 12 children, so none would ever be lonely." * In 1880 the Nothaas came to visit America and brought Maria with them. She was 15 or 16 years old. With the group was her cousin's college room- mate, Karl Joas, who had just graduated from the University of Munich. In Memoriam,Baha'i WorLd, Vol. XII, page 688. 1 2 Karl Joas (Charles Ioas) was born in Munich, Germany, on March 23, 1859. Little is known of Karl's family except that he had one sister. His uncle, Thomas Kommerzienvat, was one of the twelve wealthiest men in Bavaria, owning steamship lines, a brewery, and The Crown Jewelry Store. This uncle left a sizable inheritance to Karl, who sorely needed the money for his growing family, but he would have had to return to Germany to live (the German government would not allow funds to be taken from the country), and this he would not do. After World War I, the legacy was gone. When the trip to America was drawing to a close, and Maria's aunt and uncle were about to return to Germany, Maria and Charles decided to marry and remain in America. Although Maria had been reared a Catholic and Charles a Lutheran, they were married by a Methodist minister. They wanted to start a new life in a new country, as Charles frequently said "I am a citizen of the world." Charles spoke seven languages and was a brilliant scholar. He studied law with a judge in Kansas (who said that Charles was the most brilliant student he had ever had) and passed his Bar Examination at the age of 21, after which he practiced law. He was also a Certified Public Accountant, and at one time worked with the Civil Service. Later he was offered a Professorship at the University of Illinois, but declined because of his German accent, of which he was always conscious, although it was very slight. Maria had a profession too-- when the need arose, she set up her photography studio to help the family. Charles' and Maria's travels were considerable in this country. They first lived in Russell, Kansas, where he studied law with the judge. George, Arthur, and Rudolph were all born in the vicinity of Wichita, Kansas. Pauline greeted the world in Willow Springs, Missouri. The family also lived in Spring- field, Arkansas (near Little Rock)'. When Charles accepted a position in Chicago, Maria travelled on the train with their four little children, all under the age 3 of seven, to join him. Their last six children were born in the Chicago area. Actually, Maria's vow to have twelve children was fulfilled, as'there were two more children who died either at birth or in early infancy. During these years Otillia, Maria's twin sister, was engaged to a prominent and wealthy Austrian. They were to honeymoon in America and visit Maria. The sisters longed to see each other. However, the valet of Otillia's fiance found him in bed one morning several weeks,before the wedding, dead of an apparent heart attack. In the following years, Otillia married a Parisian and had two children. She never came to America, and the sisters never met again. Otillia died at the age of! 38. Although Charles and Maria joined the Methodist church, they were continually seeking something else to satisfy their spiritual needs. Charles was always buying books dealing with the interpretation of the Book of Revelation and those which might,help in his search for the return of Christ. In 1896 two or three months before Leroy was born, Maria was sound asleep, and a heavy pressure on her chest awakened her. As she awoke and looked up, a woman was leaning over her and had her two hands on Maria's chest. She was a beautiful woman, garbed like an angel, although Maria didn't see any wings. As she leaned over Maria, she said "I come again, I come again," and there were little angels flying all around the room singing. After she said "I come again," everything gradually disappeared. ~Maria was frightened and woke up Charles. Maria dictated this story to one of her daughters in later years: "I was brought up a Catholic, but even as a child of ten years of age, I rebelled against certain things of the Catholic church; for instance, telling of my inmost thoughts; in other words, confessing, to an entirely strange man. Yet I loved to go as a child in a big Catholic church. For instance, in the afternoon when no one else was in the church, I would love to go and just sit and meditate, as there was such a peace in the church, so much so that I wished I could sit there all the time, but I made up my mind that when I could use my own will, I would never be a Catholic. I came to Am6rica, and we were married here by a 'Methodist minister. Later we joined the Methodist church, but I was never satisfied. 4 "From the time I joined the Methodist church---for 17 years, I prayed every day that I might find something that would satisfy me. It seemed that every time I prayed for this light, a curtain hung before my eyes and just behind the curtain was the thing for which I was seeking. So anxious was I in my prayers and in my desire for this thing that oftentimes I would try to push the curtain aside. When Father's Mother was still living, probably at the age of 15 or 16, she would tell him that she would never live to see Christ's return, but that he would. After being told this by his mother, he also was always searching, reading, and looking for Christ's return. "In April, 1898, A friend invited us to some lectures which she had attended. She seemed to be all aflame with the Message she received, although she would not tell us anything about it, but just urged us to go and hear for ourselves. My husband never cared for, as he called them, 'isms' and cults, but seeing her enthusiasm, he promised we would go to hear Mr. Dealy, the gentleman who gave the lectures. "The first lecture~was on the soul, and Father was immediately impressed with it. We both went again and again, and at the third or fourth lesson, a prayer that Dr. Etayru'llah brought was given to each one of us to:use every day, and a certain line in that prayer 'And the curtains were torn asunder and the faithful hurried to the liahts of their God, the Chosen One' seemed to be the direct answer to my prayer, tearing asunder the curtain which was veiling me for so many years from the things I was seeking. Altogether we attended 12 lectures consisting of signs of the time, prophecies about the vineyard, etc. One lesson we were given prophecies to look up. The one in the Bible about Christ preparing a feast and then no~one came,~and He told His disciples to call them in from the highways and by-ways, I was the only one to decipher correctly the meaning that,people were being given the chance to accept this truth, but were not accepting. "It took nearly three months, one lesson a week to go through the course. Mr. Dealy lived on the north side of the city, we on the west side, one hour's ride on the street car, and as I was in a rather delicate condition, it was difficult some of the evenings to go, but the lessons were so interesting and the longing to know what the next lesson would bring and the urge to go were irresistible, that we didn't miss a lesson. And when at the twelfth lesson Mr. Dealy told us that God in His love and mercy for mankind had again manifested His Spirit on earth in a human temple in Bahfi'u'llaih, there was a stillness in that room---it seemed as if everyone's breath had stopped; it seemed as if it was too much for our hearts to bear. I think we all forgot that we were in Mr. Dealy's home. After a little while he told us that Baha'u'llah had ascended to His Kingdom, but He left with us His son, 'Abdu'l-Bahd, as the Exemplar of the Baha'i Faith. "In the early days of this Faith, it was customary for the. friends who accepted the Baha'i Teachings to write a supplication to 'Abdul-Bahg, acknowledging this Truth and also asking for acceptance. I asked 'Mr. Dealy if I might take a copy of the form letter home to write to 'Abdu'l-Bahd, but he said I would have to write the letter at his house, so shortly before midnight (July 6, 1898], my husband and I wrote our letter to 'Abdu'l-Bahi, and then went home, so tired, but oh, so happy. 5 110ne of the most interesting and peculiar incidents in all this was that at the time I was going to these lessons, I was expecting a baby (our ninth child), and at the time, I was quite ill, and I would have to rest all day in order to attend the lecture that evening. Each evening Mr. Dealy would ask me if I thought I would be over for the next one. I always answered, 'If I am able, I certainly will.' I was able to attend all the lessons, and at the last lesson about midnight, we wrote our letter to 'Abdu'l-Baha', as was the custom, accepting this great Truth, and then returned home. Later in the morning I was quite ill and called the doctor, and he informed me~that he was sure my baby would not live when it cn-P as it was turned around the wrong way. I felt dreadful about this, feeling badly all day. About 5:00 that night, I again called the doctor, and after looking at me, he said, 'Something wonderful has happened, and your baby will be all right. It has turned around itself, and it will now be a natural birth.' For a long time after this, the baby (Margarite Hope) was called 'the Dealy baby.' "Only those accepting the Truth in the class were we two and 1,1r. Hoffman. There were also classes on:the south side consisting of Mr. Jones and 'Mr. Chase. "'Abdu'l-Karim told Mr. Ilayru'llah, a Syrian, about the teachings, and he brought them to America and started classes. Now, however, he has turned against 'Abdu'l-Baha', although he really did a wonderful work bringing the Teachings over to America. 0 "I realized then that my prayers had been answered, and this was what I had always been looking for, and so did Father." The Charles Ioas family was very large. There were twelve children. Two of them died in infancy. The first one was Carl, but he did not live. Then George, Arthur, Rudolph, Esther who died at birth, Pauline, Viola, Leroy, Margarite, Monroe, Paul, and Joseph. Again in Maria's words: "I had to stay pretty close to home taking care of my familyj but my husband would go to the meetings and tell us all about them. One evening he brought home a very small piece of an envelope (the first mail from Acca). The House of Spirituality had,cut the envelope into small pieces and given each one of the friends who were at the meeting a piece--- what a treasure! I still have our piece. How happy the friends were when one of them would receive a Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Baha and share its contents with others. IlFather had always been a Bible student, had read the Bible in Greek, and in the evenings we studied and took up prophecies, but what a difference in reading the Bible after we had the key and could 6 understand---such wonderful evenings. He started a class and the chil- dren would sit and listen, and so they just,grew up with this great Faith." When I was young, I attended the Methodist church. As you know, one of the first teachings of Baha"u'llfih is to investigate religion for yourself. And so when we were children, we attended the various churches in the town where we lived, but at the same time we learned about the Laha"I'Teachings at home. I can still see all of us sittina around our big dining room table listening to my father explaining the Bible. One verse in particular still rings in my ears: 'For I know that my redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." * In 1900 a tablet came to Father from 'Abdu-'l-Baha': "To the honorable Mr. C. Ioas--- "0 thou who hast advanced toward God! By God, I rejoiced when reading thy letter which declares thy belief in the unity of God and thine acknowledgment of the appear- ance of the Kingdom of God. This is a matter whereby thy face shall brighten in the Supreme Concourse, and thy forehead shall sparkle among the people. Then know the worth of this gift, the lights of which shone forth unto all directions and indicate the attraction of the Concourse of El-Abha, the Most Glorious. Then be firm in this Cause, and thou wilt behold thyself in a lofty station, having all that is in earth under its shadow, because, this is verily that gift which is mentioned in the Gospel. 0 how good is this bounty in this day, when the commemoration of the true God is published and spread in all directions! El-Baha be upon thee!" Star of the West, Vol.IX,pp.78-9 Father 'had the great bounty and honor of being on the first Spiritual Assembly, called the House of Spirituality, in Chicago, which was formed in the year 1901. He and Mr. Albert Windust were appointed in 1903 to compose the letter to 'Abdu'l-Baha' asking permission to build a Mashriqu'l- Adhkar: * Job 19:25 7 "ALLAHO'ABHA "0 our beloved Lord and Master! "The members of the House of Spirituality assembled together in His Name on Saturday evening, March 7, 1903, supplicate with humility and submis- siveness before Thy Holy Presence: "We, so unprofitable and unworthy of the great gifts that God, the Merciful, the Generous,,hath showered upon us, could not have hoped for a continuance of His brilliant bounties; but there was read to us at this meeting a beautiful letter of our revered teacher and friend, Mirza Assad'Ullah, holding out that which dilated the hearts with joy and assurance, and caused all to be of one mind and accord. "The Spirit of God became manifest, and we were enkindled with the fire of the Love of God that burnt and melted all other thoughts and desires into one great desire: "That in these parts and regions there may arise a Mashrek-el-Azkar,,* built in the Name of the Glorious God, and that there may go forth from the shelter of its Beauty rays of brilliant Light, diffusing the fra- grances of EL'ABHA over these wide and expectant lands. "Oh, how could we hope for such incomparable favors, - we, the weak, the unworthy, the hesitating, the fearful! "We turn our faces to the HOLY THRESHOLD, and in the dust before the feet of all the Beloved of God we pray to our God, the Merciful, the Generous: "0 GOD, Thou knowest that we are weak and needy; there is no strength, no ability in us! But Thou art He Who doeth what He Willeth, and Choosest the weak, that in his victory may become manifest THY strength and power! "0 GOD! Make Thy Cause arise in these regions, and Thy Glorious Temple in this Western City! "Thou art the Mighty, The Omnipotent! "0 our Gracious Master, The Beloved! "We supplicate before Thee, who art the Servant of God and the Center of His. Covenant: "We implore from Thee the Mashrek-el-Azkar, and from Thy precious lips, on the part of God, the Most Merciful, that Creative Word which is the Command that it BE and it IS! "0 our Lord! Permit us to begin the blessed.undertaking of'the erection of the Mashrek-el-Azkar in Chicago! "We pray for wisdom and strength; we pray for Thy Mighty Assistance, *Later Shoghi Effendi said the spelling should be "Mash iqu'l-Adhkar." .L 8 knowing Thou art the Helper, and in that Help GOD makes us strong! "In joy and hope, that Thou wilt grant our supplication, the eleven members present raised among themselves a starting fund of Eleven Hundred Dollars ($1100.00). "With gratitude abounding and longing for Thee, Humbly Thy servants, THE HOUSE OF SPIRITUALITY" (Drafted by Mr. Charles Ioas and Mr. A. R. Windust) The reply.was as follows: "To the Honored Members of the House of Spirituality, Chicago May the Glory of God be upon them! "Thornton Chase, Charles loas, Oscar S. Hinckley, Byron S. Lane, Chester D. Thatcher, Albert Windust, Rufus Bartlett, Henry Goodale, George Lesch, Arthur Agnew "He is God! "0 ye who are attracted! 0 ye Vho are firm! 0 ye who are zealous in the service of the Cause of God and are sacrificers of possessions and lives for the promotion of the Word of God! "I perused your recent letter dated March 7, 1903, and my heart was filled with joy through its beautiful meanings and its eloquent contents. Truly they were suggested by the breaths of confirmation from the Glorious Lord. "0 friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha and His co-sharers and partners in the servi- tude of the Lord of Hosts! Verily the greatest affair and the most important matter today is to establish a Mashrek-el-Azdar and to found a Temple from which the voices of praise may rise to the Kingdom to the 14a estic Lord. Blessings be upon ye for having thought to do so and intended to erect such an edifice, advancing all in devoting your wealth in this great purpose and in this splendid work. You will soon see the angels of confirmation succeeding you and the hosts'of re-inforcement crowding before you. a "When the Mashrek-el-Azcar is accomplished, when the lights are emanating therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the prayers are performed with supplication towards the Mysterious Kingdom of Heaven, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme; then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and over- flowed with the love of the All-Living and Self-existent (God). The people shall hasten to worship in that heavenly temple, the fragrance of God will be elevated, the Divine Teachings will be established in the hearts like the establishment of the Spirit in mankind, the people will then stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. "Upon ye be greeting and praise~! Abdul Baha Abbas" Tr. by M.A.F. July 2, 1903 9 This, then, was the beginning. The first Baha'i Temple Unity convention was held at the same time that 'Abdu'l-Baha laid the precicus remains of the Bab to rest in His shrine on Mt. Carmel in March, 1909. After the first convention this tablet came from 'Abdu'l-Baha: "Through Dr. Fareed, to the Secretaries of the Convention of Delegates from the Mashrek-el-Azkar, Charles Ioas and Gertrude Buikema Chicago. "HE IS GOD! "0 ye two candles of the Meeting of the Friends! "The secretary in the meeting of the spiritual ones must be shining as candle, for he is the medium for communicating 'thoughts and the explanation of Mysteries. "Praise be to God that the Convention oil the delegates for the Mashrek-el-Azkar was held in perfect order and that the members assembled in that spiritual meeting with radiant faces, heavenly hearts, merciful spirits and the glad tidings of the Kingdom and consulted and deliberated respecting the founding of the Mashrek-el-Azkar. M "Although hereafter thousands of Mashrek-el-Azkars will be founded, yet as this Mashrek-el-Azkar is the first Divine Institute in America, therefore it is very important and its results and fruits are endless. Soon will some of its results become known and evident. "In brief: The delegates who congregated in that lordly Assemblage and engaged in the service of the Divine Kingdom must be thanksgiving night and day, for they were thus aided and confirmed and left a 'footprint' (trace) of which eternality is an inherent quality (or necessity). "Although the importance of this Divine Institute is not very evident now, yet in the future it will be clear and plain as the sun. "Although the letter which details the proceedings of the Convention (the minutes: trans.) has not yet arrived, yet this brief answer is written. "The revered delegates have requested Abdul-Baha to accept the presidency of the Convention for founding the Mashrek-el-Azkar and that amon- the beloved ones of the East honorary members bolecteid for the Convention of the Mashrek-el-Azkar of the West: God willing, from the East,members will be designated for that revered Assemblage, but Abdul Baha's purpose is to be the Servant of that Convention and not its president. He desires to serve and not to obtain membership. This is the cause of My joy and I hope to attain this goal and desire. "Upon ye be Baha-61-ABRA! Translated by His wish by Dr Ameen U. Fareed (signed) Abdul Zaha Abbas" Ealfa, Syria, July 20, 1909. I -- 10 The conventions were held yearly, and work progressed as has been detailed elsewhere. Mother wanted 'Abdu'l-Bahg to namp her last baby, born in 1907. As the mails were very slow, it was frequently six months to one year before a reply was received. She wondered if He had even received her letter. In the meantime the sewing circle to which Mother belonged kept asking why the baby wasn't named. 'When he was quite a few months old~and still wasn't named, they said they were going to name him, so Mother said they could give him a second name, which they ,did. They selected the name of Clyde, the name of the town where we lived. All the time Mother was-waiting for the name from 'Abdu'l-Baha, she was a little apprehens ive, thinking that in all probability it would be a Persian name. The people in the town liked the Ioas family, but they always spoke of us as the people with the queer religion. If the baby had a Persian uAmp, they would surely think it was queer. Interestingly enough, the women of the Ladiest Aid Society always asked Mother to give the prayer at their meetings a because they loved the Baha'i prayers. The reply eventually came from 'Abdu'l-Baha", and the first thing which Mother saw was, "Name thy dear baby Joseph." The other boys all had "Charles" for a middle name, and Joseph later changed the name of "Clyde" to "Charles." The whole Tablet seemed to be an admonition fo ~he members of the family to work for the Faith. I quote it herewith: "Through Mr. Arthur Agnew Maria loas Chicago "He is God! "0 thou dear maid servant of God. "Thy letter wasreceived-and through its perusal, gladness was obtained. Name thy dear baby Joseph. I pray for him and ask confir- mation for him. I hope thou mayst become so spiritual as to sever and c change every soul thou chan'est to meet and consort with. I am ever thoughtful concerning that family and ask the Lord of the Kingdom to 'confirm your household more and more daily. Thus may it serve the Cause 11 of God, move according to its will,, spread the Divine fragrances, educate the children, give life to souls and prove the cause of illumination to the world of humanity. "tpon thee be El-Baha-El-Abha (Signed) Abdul-Baha Abbas" Translated by Dr. Fareed, Haifa, December 15, 1908 Mother always wished that she might have a little flower which 'Abdu'l-Baha' had held in His hands. When Mr. and Mrs. Agnew went to Acca in 1907, Mother went to say good-bye. She had planned to ask them to bring her a flower which 'Abdu'l-Baha had been holding, but on the streetcar going across town, she changed her mind. How could she be so audacious as to ask for a flower! She felt that 'Abdu'l-Baha' knew how she would treasure a flower from Him, and when she was deserving of it, she would get one. She didn't know how, but she was sure when she was worthy, she would get one. So she did not mention it to Mrs. Agnew. And then in 1912 our Beloved 11aster, 'Abdu'l-Baha, came to Chicago. Can we ever forget those heavenly days? The family went many times to see Him, and these are a few incidents I would like to relate. Mother tells this story: "The first day that 'Abdu'l-Baha was in Chicago, I we . nt with Monroe (one of my children),, then a'small boy, to the Plaza Hotel to see Him. 'Abdu'l-Bahar was out, so we waited for Him all afternoon. We were in the hall when He came out of the elevator, and He greeted us with much love, and then walked toward His room and said, 'Come, come,' beckoning to us as He spoke. I knew He was tired, and so hesitated to follow, but He again turned, and beckoning, said, 'Come, come.1 I said to one of the interpreters, "Abdu'l-Bahi is so tired, and it is enough that we have seen Him.' He replied, 'When 'Abdu'l- Baha says 'Come,' you'd better come.' And so we followed Him to His reception room. In a few minutes He came out of His room with some roses. He walked over to where I was sitting and handed me a rose. He looked at me with those eyes that could read one's very heart. There was no need of His telling me,'This is the flower you have wished for many years.' He then gave Monroe, Mrs. Getsinger, and 'Mr. 1.11ills a rose also." I 12 One day at the home of a Baha'i in Ohio, where Mother was speaking, she told the story of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the rose. Mrs. Robinson, who was a poet, sent Mother this poem which she had composed. BALLAD OF A FLOWER by Gertrude W. Robinson You ask, What gift may you bring to me From that far, eastern Shore Where the dream of nations is cradled? What gift From the Threshold of Beauty's door? Ah --- could you but bring me a little flower That has grown in that far land Where Carmel has known His Presence? A flower That drops from the Master's hand? Yet no! Love asks no gift save this: To cherish the certitude Of living faith that makes one staunch Through every vicissitude. Bring me no gift. The joys I have known In the years of faith I have spent Are the only blossoms I need, my friend. With these I am more than content. The years have passed. The Master is here. From the far, far East He came To bless a western world with the light Of the Glory of God's fair Name! He is here in our midst. He stops at the inn. My heart, beat no so wild! I shall hasten there to i:le Him pass --- I and my little child. Here, my son, we shall take our stand. He comes through the portal door! Ah, heart, bow down --- He is passing near --- How can one ask for more? But the servant pauses. He beckons, "Come!" Yet the Master bears the trace Of weariness. I shall not -o. a Enough to have seen His Face. 13 The Master Himself is beckoning, "Come!" While His eyes are searching mine, And I cannot delay. I yield my will And follow, as to a shrine. Majestic, yet humble, the Master walks Through corridors to His room And pauses in thought before a vase Where varied clusters bloom. He is choosing one --- He turns to me --- How can I bear this hour? In a holy hush, I hear His Voice, I'Beloved, here is your flower!" We have the recent words of Monroe telling about that incident when he met 'Abdu'l-Baha': "I went with Mother one afternoon to the Plaza Hotel to see 'Abdu'l-Bahl. He was out at the time so Mother and I waited in the hall. When He got off the elevator, He greeted Mother and kissed me on the forehead. Of course, I will always remember this as it made a profound impression on me. Naturally I wouldn't remember anything that was said--- even people who were adults at the time mostly do not remember His remarks, but rather impressions and words later published. It is hard to differ- entiate between memories and what we have learned from history and the written word. As you read the Baha"'i" Magazine of Fall '71, you see most of the Baha'is of that time just remember impressions, not words. My greatest impression of Him is as of a Giant, pacing back and forth on the stage, admonishing and teaching mankind. We are and have been a lucky family.11 In talks throughout America Leroy has reported the following incident of the first time he and Father went to see 'Abdu'l-Bada" "The first day 'Abdu'l-Baha' was in Chicago, Hewas staying at the Plaza Hotel on the northiside of Chicago. My father and I, then a boy of 16 years of age, started out the mornina the Bahais had the word that the Master was going to receive the friends. We went to the Hotel on the elevated train, and as we got close to the north side, changed to go on the northside elevated. There were a number of other BahA'I's on the train, and we got off and started to walk. Suddenly I said, 'We've got to hurry or we are going to miss the Master,'and so we started to hurry along, and my father said to me, 'How do you know we are going to miss the Master? Do you know if He has an engagement that we are late for or anything, that He is going somewhere?' I said, 'No, I don't, but I know if we don't hurry, we will miss the Master.' "Then we entered the Plaza Hotel, and I said, 'Let's hurry, the Master is oing out the other side.' Mind you, I had never seen the 9 C, hotel and didn't know where it,was and nothing about its construction. 14 I said, 'The:Master.is going out the other side, let's hurry.' My father said, 'How do vou know He is going out, did you see Him down there?" I said, 'No.' He said, 'Did you see any Persians with their turbans and so on?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Well, how do you know that the Master is going out?' I said, "He is going out the other door, and I know it because I saw the light.' "We hurried down and sure enough, there were two entrances, and we hurried down to the other one - out the other entrance, and the Master was just getting into the automobile to go to deliver His lecture at the Hull House which you have read so many times. "As we stood against the building while He was in there, He suddenly motioned to us to come - come up to the machine, and I recall as we stepped forward the power, the spiritual radiance,the light.- flashes that came emanating from His person were such that I was com- pletely overcome and overpowered and fainted. But after we approached gradually, and I came to, we approached and there was this great light shining through Him and all you saw was a physical structure, outlining as it were a vehicle through which the power of the Spirit was flowing and flowing continuously, and I recalled as I walked up and finally took His hand, I felt it and felt it to see if He was human like the rest of ours. Well, that was a terrific experience." Another day Father and Leroy went to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha' and had another very interesting experience., Again we quote from a talk that Leroy gave, this one at a farewell party given at the Baha'f House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, by the National Spiritual Assembly for the Leroy Ioas family on Saturday, biarch 8, 1952, on the eve of Leroy's departure to take up residence in Haifa (his wife, Sylvia, was to follow at a later date): "I recall another little instance which I shall tell, one experience I had on another visit to the Master in the Plaza Hotel. We were going there, and I decided I would like to buy Him some flowers, so I went in a florist shop. I didn't have much money, but I bought Him a beautiful bouquet of white carnations. I am very partial to carnations, particularly white. I bought this big bouquet of white carnations, and after we approached the hoteland got into the main floor, I said to my father, 'I am just not going to bring the Master these flowers.' He said, 'Why not? I don't understand you, the Master loves flowers.' I said, 'I know He does, but I am not going to bring them' So under pressure, he asked why, and I said, 'I come to the Master offering Him my heart and I don't want Him to think that I am currying any favors. He knows the condition of a p6rson's heart, and that is all I have to offer.' My father took the flowers and went upstairs, and he handed them to the Master, and the Master sat talking, feeling those flowers, smelling them, putting His face into them, and those of you who remember seeing the Master and how He loved flowers, know how He would always bury His head right into them and smell the fragrance. With this, He gave this beautiful talk.' I don t know very m uch what it was about because I was so fascinated with His person. '15 "As often as I had the opportunity to be in the Master's presence, I didn't know very much about what He talked at the time because His person was so remarkable. Features, His features, His eyes were the most dynamic thing you ever saw. They were always changing color. They never were the same. Sometime they were very patient, other times they were full of fire, and sometimes they were full of vigor. I saw Him once when His eyes were filled with the wrath of God, but His eyes were never the same. Once He turned His eyes on you and looked at you square in the face, you knew He had read your very soul, even before it existed. "In any event, the Master gave this beautiful talk and after He finished, He stood up shaking hands with everyone, and to everyone He gave one of these white carnations. He shook hands with them and gave them a white carnation, shook hands with the next one and gave him a white carnation; shook hands with the next one and gave him a white carnation. These white carnations were getting to be very few, and I was standing: behind 'Abdu'l-Bahg, and He had three or four left, and I thought, 'Gee, I wish HeVould turn around and shake hands with me before those are all gone.' Just as I thought that, He turned around and looked at me, and He had a beautiful red rose. He pulled this red rose off His coat and handed it to me. As He did so, some of the blood of His finger was cut on the pin, so that I have that red rose with the Master's blood on it." Mother or Father or both went to the Plaza Hotel many times, always taking along one or two of the children and sometimes a neighbor's child (none of whom ever accepted the Faith). I was just a girl of 13 when 'Abdu'l- Baha" was in Chicago, and I can remember distinctly the first time my mother took me to a meeting where He was going to speak. The people were all waiting for Him to arrive, and when He entered the room and came close to me, I wanted to fall at His f . eet, but instead I did what all the others did, and that was to arise. On one particular day Mother went, I went along. There were other children there that day, and 'Abdu'l-Baha called us all into His sitting room and seated Himself on the divan. We children grouped ourselves around His knees, and He covered us with His outstretched arms, His mantle falling over us like two wings, shielding and protecting us from all harm. I was 13 at the time and had been attending the Methodist Sunday School. We used to sing a song that impressed me very much. I had thought how wonderful it would be if such a thing 16 happened to me. This song is what came to my mind as we knelt at 'Abdu'l-BahaVs feet, and I thought "It's really happening to me!" "I think when I read that sweet story of old, How when Jesus was here amongst menHow liecalled little children as lambs to His fold; I would like to have been with Him thenI wishthat His hands had been placed on my head, That His arms had been thrown around mAnd that I might have heard His kind words when He said, 'Let the little ones come unto lie."' Mother said it reminded her of a quotation from the Bible, "Suffer the little children to come unto lie, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven." * 0 Paul has written recently: "Yes, I saw 'Abdu'l-Baha". Two incidents stand out in my mind. One was at the Hotel Plaza. We were in a large room, and several other youngsters and myself sat at His feet. As I remember, Ile, 'Abdu'l-Bahl, was sitting on a chair and several youngsters,including me,sat on the floor, about 2 or 3 on each side of Him. Am quite sure a picture was not taken. I don't remember what 'Abdul-Baha said, if anything, but I always remember Ahmad Sohrab as His interpreter. I can see 'Abdu'l-Baha' talking with Ahmad Sohrab at His side. Sohrab always seemed to frighten me a little. "The other incident was in a quite large church. I was sitting up towards the front near the pulpit. I suppose the rest of the family was there also. The church was packed with people. Suddenly there was complete silence. Everyone stood up and 'Abdu'l-Baha came walking down the aisle with His interpreters. The awe and respect were so great, you could have heard,a pin fall as He walked up on the platform with the interpreters. I don't remember anything He said but that incident always stood out in~my mind. The quietness that came over that huge throng of people was really something." Mother was always concerned because she was so busy raising her large family that she didn't have much time to teach, and besides, she didnVt think she was capable of teaching the Faith. One day when in the presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha', she said, "'Abdu'l-BaIng, what can I do to serve the Faith?" He replied, "Teach, teach," and she replied, "'Abdul-Baha, I can't teach." He replied: "The earth brings forth nothing of itself, but God causes the sun to shine and rain to fall upon the earth, and it becomes fruitful, so you too * Luke 13:16 I 17 can tiach." Then He told her there are many ways of teaching the Faith, and one way is to live the life. On another occasion when Mother went to see 'Abdu'l-Bah6. one of her grandchildren, a biby girl, was very sick, and they didn't know what was wrong with her, and so she told 'Abdu'l-Bahd about it. He said to Mother, "The baby will be healed!" And so she was. The doctor finally discovered what was wrong with the baby. When the babysitter had given her the bottle, she hadn't tried the milk to see whether it was too hot. It was, and it scalded the baby's throat. 'Abdu'l-Baha named the baby Mariam. One of the boys, Arthur, took his wife and daughter, Althea, to a gathering where 'Abdu'l-Baha' was. During the course of the evening, 'Abdu'l- Bahi asked Eleanor if she were a Baha'if, and she said that she wasn't. 'Abdu'l- BaYa told her that she was a Baha i, and from that moment on, Eleanor always considered herself as a Baha"i. 'Abdu'l-Baha took Althea on His knee and gave her the name of Shireen (Sweet). The family moved to California after the birth of their son, Arthur Jr., and has done much teachinViola wrote: a ...I attended one of 'Abdu'l-Bah"s lectures and was greatly impressed by Him. All of the stories we used to read about Him, of His loving kindness and patience, came to my mind as I watched Him pace back and forth on the platform while speaking. He seemed to possess great dignity and power, and majesty as well. Could this be the man who offered kindness for twenty-four years to an undeserving one and finally received a show of love and gratitude in return? Or the one who handled the Baha'i affairs so skilfully and faithfully in the Holy Land for the loved ones there? So you see, I did not hear much of His talk, but just kept thinking how wonderful He was! "I do not recall much of Paula's experiences. I know that she was quite active in the young people's group of her time and that she was a firm and fine Baha"it. She believed implicitly that 'Abdu'l- Baha' could cure her baby, Mariam, of her scalded throat. You recall that He told Mother that the baby would be healed." 18 In former years among the Baha'is the Ioas family was likened to the seed of Abraham, and when Leroy was living in Haifa, someone in the family wrote him about this. He responded as follows: "One day Father and I went to the Plaza Hotel to see the Master. As we were ushered into the Master's room, some of the attendants seemed to bow quite low to Father and show him deference, one of them uttering something like Father Abraham. Later I asked Father what it was about, and he said that the Master the day before had talked to him about the Faith, about the teaching work, and about the family. the Master mentioned what a wonderful family he had, and said that because Abraham remained firm in the Faith of God, God caused his seed to increase as the sands of the sea, and from that family came great servants, great teachers, and even Prophets. The Master said that He hoped and would pray that all Father's family would be firm and crow in strength daily, and that his seed would prosper and from it arise many great teachers of the Faith, and great servants of the Cause. He said that through firmness and strong faith, this would be the case. At least, this is what I remember of what Father told me. I don't know but what I told Monroe of it. I told very few, but I have heard it come back from a number of sources- whether it is all from me, or from others who might have heard the Master, I don't know. One day'I'lother promised to take Joseph with her to see 'Abdu'l- Baha . In later years, our sister, Viola, wrote as follows: "Mother said that when 'Abdu'l-Baha was here in Chicago, staying at the Plaza Hotel, she went a number of times to see Him, as He would spend most of His time talking with the believers. She said on one of the days she promised Joseph (whom 'Abdu'l-Baha" named) that the next day she would take him along. Unfortunately, that same day he fell and cut a cash in his forehead.: it was necessary to call the doctor w1ho took several stitches in his head. (I remember it well, because I held Joseph still while the doctor took the stitches in his head, which called for all my personal fortitude.) The doctor placed the white bandage on Joe's head, and told Mother not to let Joe take it off and also that he should be careful not to jar the skin which had been sewed. "That ni-ht Joe was saying sadly that he would not be able 0 to see 'Abdu'l-Bah6 the next day, but Mother comforted him by saying 0' 'Let's wait and see. Maybe tomorrow you will be much better.' This proved to be the case, so the next day they bot4qent to see 'Abdu'l-Baha'. "They were sittina in one of the rooms of the hotel, along with some other people, waiting for 'Abdu'l-Baha to make His appearance. I-Then He did so, a young woman with a camera rose quickly,went over to Mrs. Getsinger and requested her to ask 'Abdu'l-Baha if He would allow her to take His picture with her little sister. He gave His permission so the little girl sat down beside Him. He then motioned to Joseph, who was sitting at the opposite side of the room, to come over. Mother said to Joe, 'I think 'Abdu'l-Baha" wants you to go to Him.' So she 19 1~ brought him to 'Abdu'l-Baha, and He placed him on His other side. Mother asked 'Abdu'l-Baha' if she had not better take off the bandage from Joe's head, but He said to leave it on. Joe remarked later, 'I have a cloth on my head,Just like 'Abdu'l-Baha.' The little girl's name was Musette Jones, and a beautiful little girl she appears to be. "The elder Miss Jones had her tripod focused to take in only 'Abdu'l-Babl and her sister, so she took the picture first and then explained that she did not believe it was focused correctly to take in the three. She therefore asked for permission to take another one And adjusted her camera to take in the three. Later, the picture appeared in the 'rStar of the West' without Joseph. Mother was a good friend of Gertrude Buikema, who was on the Spiritual Assembly at the time, and also she and Mr. Windust were the editors of the 'Star.' Therefore she asked Gertrude how it happened that Joe had been cut off the picture. Gertrude said she had never seen a picture with Joe in it-that the only one which had been submitted to the Spiritual Assembly was the one with the little girl and 'Abdu'l-Baha' alone, according to her knowledge. Mother felt satisfied, then, as she had been a little hurt, thinking possibly (for what reason she:could not imagine) that perhaps the Spiritual Assembly did not want Josephts picture to appear. "She ordered a dozen prints from Iliss Jones (one for each of our family) and Miss Jones kindly gave her,the enlargement (about 5x7 ") . Joe wrote recently: a "I feel that through my experience with 'Abdu'l-Bah' and also,,through our family, I have always felt close to 'Abdu'l-Bahd, as if I really knew Him personally. This closeness has always existed and still does." Leroy speaks of the Temple and the laying of its cornerstone in the same talk he gave at the Temple on March 8, 1952, as follows: "I recall we used to come out here in the early days when the property was bought. Others who know the history will tell you more in detail that we used to come out here and enjoy this wonderful area. We used to come on to the grounds here and sit and pray, and we used to go down to the beach and swim. Finally when the'llfaster arrived, the word came that He was coming to the Temple grounds. "There was nothing here but a prairie with some trees on it, and one thing or another, and a tent had been arranged for a meeting where He was to speak to the Baha'is. We didn't understand, some of us at least, that He was going to lay a cornerstone at that time. I recall that we heard the Master was going to come off on to the Temple grounds over here on the Linden Avenue side, and we were all kind of hovering around there in order to be there to meet Him. Suddenly the word came that He had arrived over on the Sheridan Avenue side, and He was walking across. We rushed to meet Him, and I recall there was a log that had fallen and was in His way, and I didn't see hm; the Master could possibly get over that log, but He just walked right for it. I rushed up and tried to move it, but it was about twice as heavy as I could even think 20 of moving, and the way He stepped over that log was absolutely miraculous, just like it wasn't there at all. As he walked around, there were very, very touching scenes. You have heard so much about Nettie Tobin and the cornerstone which she brought from the near north side and with great difficulty, and had this inspiration to bring a stone and to bring it out here. You read that in ;the Baha'f World, and you can read it in many places, but one little story that you don't know. "I remember when we were,all walking, the Master walked around the grounds,~everyone walked behind Him, and some of the women were taking His robe and kissing it and others were trying to get His hand and hold it, and so on, and so forth, and Nettie ~obin was walking right close up behind Him, and she 'had some shears ' ~'and suddenly He stopped and He pushed His turban over on the side and some of His locks fell down, and she stepped up with the shears and took a few of those locks. Then the Master put the turban back and put His hair underneath just like He had done it on purpose for her. "A little later we gathered under the tent for the laying of the cornerstone, and the Master gave a beautiful talk in which He described the method of the architecture, of the landscaping. After the Master delivered His talk, He sat right next to where the cornerstone is now placed. He called one after the other to come up and dig some s6il from various countries of the world. "I recall Lua Getsinger was there, Roy Wilhelm was there, Dr. Bagdadi was there, most of the older Baha'is whose names you know, if you don't know them personally, were there. They all took the shovel---a common ordinary.spade. Finally it came time for the Master Himself to turn some soil for the entire world. Some of the believers stepped up with a gold trowel---wanted Him to use a gold trowel. "I noticed, I was sitting --- I just squeezed right up in front and sat right there on the ground right next to what was going on, so I could see everything, and the Master seemed to be displeased with this gold trowel. He used it A little bit and set it aside. It seemed from what conversation went on in Persian that there was a little distress, then He called for the spade; and I thought, 'Goodness gracious, 'Abdu'l- Bah9, with that delicate little foot of His, can't possibly press that spade into the ground'because the others were working and pushing, and so on, and they couldn7t do it. The Master had the most delicate features; and as He exposed His foot to put it on the spade, the spade just pushed right down and turned the soil over. Then He called for this famous cornerstone that Nettie Tobin had brought. "After the meeting was over, one or two of us had an idea that we would like to have some of that soil from that turning over and laying of the cornerstone. Young Charlie Greenleaf and I both went up and got a couple of handsful. Young Greenleaf got the idea that he would like to have the Master bless the soil, so he ran and caught the Master, and the Master blessed the soil. You have seen the picture. I got there just after the Master had turned and left, and Charlie said to me,'Well, you got here too!late for the Master to bless your soil, so I will give you half of mine.' That half of mine is now in the Archives. I understand later'Cha,rlie also turned his soil into the Archives so that soil which was turned by the group at that time and which the Hatter blessed is now part of the Archives material of the Faith." 21 To elaborate a little further on this incident, I should like to quote from "The Spell of the Temple," by Allen B. McDaniel, pages 16-17. "Motionless, and in an attitude of waiting, the Master, as 'Abdu'l-Baha was called, stood looking into space. Suddenly He moved, and, as the crowd made way, walked toward a path leading to the street. As the people turned around they saw with amazement a little old woman laboriously pulling a small child's express wagon up the incline. Before the onlookers~could move, the Master had reached the wagon and guided the little woman up the path to the spot where He had stood. With a smile lighting up His face, He placed His hand on the head of the woman as if in blessing,~and then lifted the building stone out of the wagon. "Nettie Tobin related: 'I had heard that the Master was to be at the Temple site on May first, and I thought that He should have a suitable stone to mark the location of the Temple. So I went to a building under construction near my home, and seeing a pile of stones at a wall, I asked the builder if I could aet a stone. He said, "Sure, help yourself, these are rejected." So I went home, got an old, small baby carriage, loaded the stone into it and wheeled it home. Early the next morning, with the help of a Persian friend, I wheeled the carriage to the car line, and, against the protests of the conductor, we got the carriage onto the platform of the car. We made two changes and finally, after endless delays, we got the baby carriage to the corner of Central Street and Sheridan Road. Here, when we pushed the carriage over a broken payement, it collapsed. As we stood despairing of getting the stone to the Temple grounds in time, since the hour had passed for the service, two boys with an express wagon came along. The boys were quickly persuaded to lend their wagon for the transportation, and so we,finally came to the grounds. Imagine my joy when the "stone refusdd~ by the builder" was received and used by the Master."' We read in Psalms 118:22 "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." Another time Mother and Joseph were privileged to be in the presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha was when He was leaving Chicago, and they went to the depot to say good-bye to 'Abdu'l-Baha'. I quote from Mother's words: "I had taught Joseph, my youngest child, from the time he could talk, to say a short evening prayer, adding to it 'Dear 'Abdu'l--Bah;r, help me to be a good boy and make me a good man.' When 'Abdu'l-Baha' left Chicago, we went to the depot to bid Him good-bye. We had little Joseph (whom 'Abdu'l-Baha' had named when he was one year old) with us, and 'Abdu'l- Baha patted his cheek and said: 'He is a good boy, a very good boy; he H11L be a good man, a very good man.' Who can say 'Abdu'l-Baha' did not hear Joseph's prayer?" 22 a Rudy, the third son, was living in New Jersey when 'Abdu'l-Bah"' visited America. He was then 25 years of age. These are copies of letters he wrote home in that period. "Thursday eve., June 20,1912'. "Dear Father, "Well, this has been a very wonderful day for me. I went down to the present home of the Master again about 4:30 this evening; the Master was out but camp back about 5:10 and then talked with an Episcopal preacher until about 5:30. "I had told one of the Persians that I should be very thankful if I might have about a minute with the Master. When He was through with the minister, He came down stairs and passing out, He took my hand and beckoned me to go with Him. Ali Kuli Khan went also, and the Master led the way out into the park. We would walk for a while, and then He would lead the way to a bench, and we would sit down, and after sitting for a while, He would again get upand walk some more. I was very thankful that there happened to be a very refreshing breeze blowing, for 'Abdu'l-Baha seemed to enjoy it very much. It does me so much good to see something that way that He enjoys --- I am always so glad to hear Him laugh for as a general rule, it does seem to me He carries such a wonderfully sad face. Don't you think so? 11 "Do you know it was about 7:30 when we returned to His house and those at the house had gone out in front, having become anxious over the Master's long absence. "Now needless to say, I did not burdenthe Master with a lot of foolish questions; in fact, I had very little to say as I was per- fectly contented to be in the Master's presence, and was grateful to see Him have this little quiet and rest. "I told the Master how happy He had made Mother at home through the love He had shown her and the children, and He replied He loved our whole family from top to bottom. "A little later I said you were working very hard for the Cause---that we were all praying for you and asked that He might confirm and pray for you. The Master replied 'Your father shall be assisted and confirmed.' 'I pray God that your father may be assisted and confirmed to do his work to suit God's own good pleasure.' "When we returned to the house, the Master told me to come in, which I did. Mr. Getsinger, Ameen, Ali Kuli Khan, and that lady that wears the purple gown, also another young Persian were there. At 8:00 1 got up to bid the Master good-bye, all the others arose; I shook each of their hands goodbye; asked Ali Kuli Khan to tell the Master how thankful I was and then departed, a very happy boy. 23 "By the way, the lady in the purple gown wanted to be remem- bered to you and Mother. What is her name? "Tomorrow the Master will go to Montclair, N. J., for a few days and Monday He is going to give a Feast and I hope to have the pleasure of being there. "My He is so good --- I do hope and pray that His health will improve. He does look so worn out. I wish He could be persuaded to take a good rest, but He will work so hard. Occasionally some people would pass us and smile at the Oriental costume --- how sad, and how little they appreciate what,they are doing. How anybody can look at that Face and not feel the deepest reverence is beyond me. "Well I have written long. Will close for this time. "With love to all (signed) Rudy "P.S. After you have read this letter would like it back to keep or you keep it for me, as it is a kind of a little outline of my 'Visit with the Master.' (signed) Rudy" "Orange, New Jersey Deco 8, 1912 "Dear Father, "of course you know that the Master left this country on Thursday on the Steamer "Celtic" as mentioned in my letter to Mother written from the boat. I am mighty happy to have been fortunate enough to see the'Master come into this country and also be there at His departure. I would like for you all to have been there for it was surely wonderful. "I reached the dock about 10:00 a.m. and a.very few minutes later the Master arrived and went into the steamer, and we followed Him into His apartments. Somebody gave Him a basket of fruit, and He distributed it among the,early comers, and I was fortunate enough to have received a large bunch of green grapes. "He then led the way to the sitting room and by this time a great crowd of the Believers had gathered. Here He gave us His last exhortation, and I took notes of His talk. "About fifteen minutes before leaving time the visitors were ordered off the boat, but how some of the Believers did linger and wait until the last moment. The Master stood at the head of the stairs 24 and the Believers bid Him goodbye passing down stairs and off the boat. I stood at the foot of thestairs and it was wonderful to see the emotions of some of the people at parting with the HastEri. Mirza Ali Kuli Khan did not go with Him, and when bidding Him goodbye he cried right out like a boy. It is surely grand the reverence with which Ali Kuli Khan looks at the Master and there is certainly a lesson for the Americans. "The Persian Consul was on the boat to bid the Master goodbye and he arran-ed with the boat management to see that the Master would be 0 given special attention and not want for anything. I do hope that the weather is favorable during His entire journey. "I have sent home a photo taken at a banquet given 'Abdu'l-Bdha at the Great Northern Hotel. You will note the Persian Consul was also at this banquet. Fie made a very nice talk praising the Master very highly. Mrs. Jones has been here with her little daughter for I guess the past two or three weeks. "Well I will close this time with love to all. (signed) Rudy. I I E P I L 0 G U E This briefly, then, is an account of the early days of the Ioas family in relation to 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Faith. It makes no mention of the lectures Father gave, Mother's teaching children's classes in Chicago along with my sister, or any other single service rendered by them, their children, or their grandchildren. Collectively, they have taught and pioneered (three of them being Knights of Baha'u'llah) in many parts of the United States and Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad, South America, the Dutch West Indies, Hawaii, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Italy, Monaco, France, the Balearic Islands, and Spain. They have given many lectures at the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette and have guided there for many years. They have served on Local and National Spiritual Assemblies. In addition to extensive teaching and lecturing in the United States, Leroy, as a Hand of the Cause of God and at the request of Shoghi Effendi, lived in Haifa and took many trips to various parts of the world; i.e., Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as America. (For published article about Leroy, see THE BAHA'I WORLD, Volume XIV, 1963-1968, page 291). We are most grateful to 'Abdu'l-Baha for His words in His letter to Mother of December 15, 1908, in which He wrote: "I am ever thoughtful concerning that family and ask the Lord of the Kingdom to confirm your household more and more daily. Thus may it serve the Cause of God, move according to its will, spread the Divine fragrances, educate the children, give life to souls and prove the cause of illumination to the world of humanity. Upon thee be El-Baha-El-Abha." I thank God continually that we had parents who had such great spiritual insight and also the determination to succeed in their quest for'Truth. In 1898 when they became Baha'is, they were really ahead of their time. Speaking of Father and Mother, Leroy said "They . . . were pioneers and advance guards in the cause of spiritual democracy . . . who loved the principles of the Heavenly Civilization when the world at large did not realize their dynamic power." Ya Bal(a Ul-Abhal 71 _11,7 A LETTER FROM BAHIYYIH KHANUM, THE GREATEST HOLY LEAF# TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LORD AND THE HAND-MATDS OF THE MERCIFUL THROUGHOUT THZ WEST. HAIFA* MARCH 30,, 1924. Beloved Fri6ndot It has been my share ever since the divine call to a better and nobler life was first sounded amid the cities of a heedless and distracted Persial to be a witnes.4 to the stirring and heartrending events that form part of the annals of our dear Cause and that stain its pages throughout with innocent blood, The memory of that youthful and God-sent herald, the Bab, who faced execution with nobility and hero- ism for the uplift and true regeneration of mankind, lies vivid in our thoughts and His blessed remains resting on~the slope of Mount Carmel keep the recollectiol of His short but glorious life still more fresh. The torture and ghastly deaths that the innumerable martyrs of the Cause so willingly chose unto themselves, and the manifestations of an unflinching faith and an undaunted fortitude that arowne6 the life of those blessed souls and that still lie untold to many# haunt me every day, The thought of our Lord Bahalul,llah brought up with the luxury known only to few, and yet choosing to spend many a month in a choking dungeon away from His kindred and loved onea, and then carried as a homeless exile until He was taken to the penal town of Akka and imprisoned there as a religious criminal, fills my heart at once with a deep aff,liction:and an overpowering veneration, And the numberless ordeals and hardships, deprivations and torments that our dear Master Abdu41 Baha so patiently and quletly~bore are vivid before my eyes. After having witnessed all these painful events and after having passed through them all it was again my share and that of the holy mother and the holy leaves to suffer the bitter,bereavement and cast all human bonds away that attached us to our Lord Bahatu'llah. The seperation was too great for our feeble hearts and yet with His help and consolation we patiently bore itj but the effect of His last days on earth and of the bounties that He has showered on every one of us had not yet been wiped away from our hearts when we were afflicted with another calamitous event so great for our frail and feeble frames that wo.thoujht we would surely succumb to a loss so much beyond our imagination. The farewell days of our master Abdull Baha, His touching yet mysterious goodbye to a family that had had its little share of His brimful cup of a life-long sacrifice and that had stood by Him in the darkest hours ever known; His excessive love for His zealous fellow-workers and followers in every country, and His genuine yearning to see the Cause He adored~on the highway of universal acceptance are all I think beyond human expression. Let us then, affectionate brothers and sisterst ponder for awhile upon the underlying reason that had made Godl'"ivine Messengers prefer a life of tqr- ture to one of ease, and those blessed martyrs,:so m I any of them cut off in the springtime and promise of their youth, I choose death with faces radiant with joy. What did the Bab sacrifice His promising youth for except out of a burning do- sire to have mankind,live in unity and peace; and'what was the spirit that -animated those bold and heroic martyrs but love and adoration to a Cause they wished to triumph? :What made Bahalutllah, born and brought up in opulence, fling away all earthly possessions and choo.s upon Himself unspeakable hardships and deprivation, save for an earnestlappeal to the world at large to turn their hatred for one another,into genuine love'and to make a world seething with blood a peaceful home for God's childrenj and why did Abdull Baha who could have chosen a life of ease and comfort, prefer to lead a crusade against the strongholds of human hearts and make a direct appeal to individuals as well as groups that unless we love one another with all our might and with all our heart we are absolutely doomed., He carried a crusade not with a sword of steel -but with a sword of love and affection. And if *9 dare call ourselves Bahalis it simply means that we have to-follow in their wake, It means that we.must always have the public weal in mind and not give up ourselves wholly to our inclinations and desires, and it:means that we must picture before us the per- severance and self-sacrifice of those early volunteers and make a whole-hearted effort to be like,unto one of th6ml and it shall be only In this way that we can safeguard this great Cause of God4 This in brief# is what our beloved ' Guardian, Shoghi Effendij is patiently and eagerly expecting from every single one of us, This, he says, should mark us from all other men and this should differentiate us from those' to whom religion is something to believe in and not, to inspire to actioAll Our beloved Guardian was away in England when Abdull Bahals glorious life on earth was ended. The news of His departure was deeply felt by Shoghi Rffendi, and to one who was so near and dear to the Master, this separation meant more than to many. Weak in health and over-powered with griet:he arrived In the holy land and the~home wherein his Master lived was now deep in sorrow. And In those darkest hours of bereavement the life-long enemies of our Master, stirred by their idle Ima ningsp started their foretold and illfated activities. This saddened Shoghi sf,fendi'S heart very much and he decided to choose seclusion for some time, Away from his family and his friends all by himself, he thought over the problems that fa:ee the Bahs,01 Movement todays through prayers he sought help from his Lord and Master and he decided'upon the temporary organization that would safeguard the interests ;of the Cause and that would encourage the dear friends to spread this Message and to live the life it teaches, For many months he was thus~ away, when feeling encouraged by the firmness end persever- &nee of the friends throughout the world and over the happy way they proved the activities of God's enemies to be fruitless and of no avail, he returned-book to the Holy Land fresh and hopeful and started helping and guiding us with a marvelous farvor and animation. Finding that the individual letters were too many to answer in person and not wishing the progress of the Cause to be hampered by the slightest thing he sacrificed sending his personal messages of love and encouragement to the indi- vidual friends and he expressed his heart-felt sentiments in general letters to Assemblies and countries. The organization of the Assemblies was thus moving rapidly forward, the Cause was being spread in every country and Shoghi Effendi's heart the happiest for it all. Such were the~oonditions when he received to his utter astonishment letters that he noted showed lack of love and unity among the loved ones of Abdull Babe, It grieved him very much to see some of those whom the Master to dearly loved, bear ill feeling towards one another and through their lack of love and unity and through denial to follow the advice of their Spiritual assemblies, relegate the whole standard of the Cause to a more philos- ophy of life. Such news had great e:ffeot:upon his tender heart and it reflected upon his physical'bealth. Whereupon the wish and desire of the friends then pres- ent in Haifa, and through mine and the familyte, insistent appeal, he consented to take a rest during the hot,summer season. - 9 - All the happy news that we had received from abroad an'd that we had forwarded to him so filled his blessed heart again with encouragement and joy that upon his rest he resumed ~is work with an astonishing zeal and return from his summer activity. His heart was joyful And in his evening meetings with the friends he always shared the news he had received from abroad and through his encouraging words he instilled such a fervor in every single one present that,they all felt they would fly away and share in this noble task, Indeed his love for those earnest workers had grown so-great that he had decided to make on effort and ap- pend to the answer of each letter a short personal message in his own handwriting. Again the unexpected took place and the news reached from some centers that the spirit which Abdutl-taha said should characterize evei~y Bahall community does not prevail and that many have belittled the guidance of the different spiritual assemblies. His heart was thus sore and depressed and he again decided to seek seclusion until the friends'realiied their great responsibilities and make an effort toward rea1unity. I and the members of the holy family- did all in our power to give him the happy news we had receive!.k from some countries and we begged him to change his decision but he oaidt.f['.7My heart is very sensitive to such things. Inasmuch as I am rejoiced when I fiear of true love and fellowship among my brothers and sisters, in an equal measure if not more I am grieved when I hear that ouch is not the case. It is quite true that every Bahali heart swells with love and Adoration at the mention of the Bab, Babalu'llah or the Master's name, and stands firm and:'true to the last Will of Abdull-Baha, and for that I am very thankful to them, but you e6 with me that this alone car- this world Cause, There should be love and sympathy among the individuals of:every group and~true affection for one another should be the stamp for their hearts, Suppose a non-Bahali should ask us as to what should denote a Bahali and to d n Q____h_kq_1rom everybody-Alse, and were we to answerta hero-worship and adoration to the Center of the Cause that makes a Bahali willing to give up his life and propefty' he would be sure to answer you that,,that alone will not bring about the regeneration or the world. That alone will not wipe out international hatred fostered for ages past. and will not solve the economic plight before which the world stands aghast today. And were we to tell him that our reli ion.pi:ocli~i~.certain prinq~ples that no one can challenge or deny, 1~a 1~ould be told thitlrinqiDles alone ar no proof of its effect either, and nro't u htil - the Bahails first translate these principles into their own everyday life a"nTlive according to the standard of the Cause they proclaim,A Qev be oualifie to~invite the whole world to come and follow their teachings, It is whe Baha prove their religion by no greater argument but actions and deeds that we are'sure to be-promulgating the Cause and that men will come and willing;y_121n our r7~n,ks.~AAnd when he said, "Many are carefully watching today the life and behaviour of the Bahalis and many are trying to estimate the true value of the Bahali Movement and the effect that it shall have in future',through the ideas and self-sacrifice of its followers. The friends must therefore be~very careful to wipe out of their ranks all feel- ing of hatred or misunderstanding and to replace it by genuin'e,love. Just as discord among the friends has deeply grieved me, n -everl x4aaWr will their Lx~t and harmony heart with_joy and win over my life' and strength to "A"a';P~hen I see that-Ghe' "'conditions have changed themselves. f shall*~now leave n and that sincere affection is the reigning force in every Baha$i community I shall at once return and cooperate with them with my heart and soul. Send this 4 message to all my friends abroad~" ng remarks, i Aft~r th ese touchi two weeks ago he again left us to ourselves. Now brothers and sisters remember what our Master Abdull-Bahs tells us in Hi s last Will. Let us recollect thepa~sage where He asks us not to do anything that will depress and grieve Shoghi Effendi or mar the shining brightness and radiance of his heart, but always to try to help him in raising this lofty edifice of world-brotherhoodi May we not keep that always in our memory and strive forward toward a unity that shall not only win the heart of every non-Bahali, but shall to a larger and larger measure gladden our own and dear Guardian. My days are numbered and my life is flying to a close and yet I feel certain that those dear ones abroad will accept this eager and humble appeal, and will make me cherish the hope:that before I am called away and ready to separate in body from you, I can see genuine love and unity prevail among those my Master so dearly loved and I can witness with human eyes my Guardian's heart overflow with joy, This is what X:beseech you and may it be fully realized. Your sister and follow-worker, -(sealed) Bahiyyih