May Bolles Maxwell and daughter Mary

May Bolles Maxwell was one of that first group of pilgrims from the West who, in 1898-99, visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while He was still a prisoner in ‘Akká. She records her memories of the occasion in the following pages.

Those days in the prison-city oriented forever the course of her life. She gave her heart, her entire being to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and served Him and His appointed successor, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith, to the end of her days.  Her first mission, under ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s direction, was to teach the Faith in Europe, particularly France.  She returned to Paris and quickly gathered about her a group, which by 1901-02 numbered some thirty Bahá’ís. Among them were Edith MacKaye (the first convert), Herbert Hopper, Marie Squires, Helen Cole, Laura Barney, Edith Jackson, Thomas Breakwell (first English believer), Hippolyte Dreyfus (first French believer), Agnes Alexander.

The young Canadian architect, Sutherland Maxwell, later to become President of the Royal Academy of Canada and architect of the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb – the golden-domed “Queen of Carmel” – married May Bolles and took her to Canada, where she established the Faith and received ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in her home. She became a radiant light, kindling the souls of countless men and women with the fire which the Master had lit in her own heart.  He Himself wrote of her, “Her company uplifts and develops the soul ...” New and old believers alike, learned from May to “turn unto Shoghi Effendi” as the Will and Testament enjoins, and she constantly upheld and encouraged the youth who crowded her drawing room.  One of the greatest events in her life took place in 1937, in Haifa, when the Guardian of the Faith married her beloved daughter, her only child.

In spite of ill health, she  set out, in January 1940, on a teaching visit to South America and there achieved the longed-for “Priceless honour martyrs death”, as the Guardian cabled her bereaved husband. Her shrine, erected by the Guardian of the Cause and designed by her husband, describes her as “‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s beloved handmaid and distinguished disciple”.  It is a memorial in that southern outpost of the world, to one of the great heroines of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

- David Hofman  (Forward to ‘An Early Pilgrimage’, by May Maxwell)

November 1950: The Guardian invites to Haifa the first members of the International Baha’i Council

In November 1950 the Guardian sent cables inviting the first of that group who later became members of the International Bahá'í Council to come to Haifa. Like almost everything he did, first it began to dawn and later the sun of the finished concept rose above the horizon. When Lutfu'llah Hakim (the first to arrive), Jessie and Ethel Revell, followed by Amelia Collins and Mason Remey were all gathered at table one day in the Western Pilgrim House, with Gladys Weeden and her husband Ben who were already living there, the Guardian announced to us his intention of constituting, out of that group, an International Council, we were all overcome by the unprecedented nature of this step he was taking and the infinite bounty it conferred upon those present as well as the entire Bahá'í world. It was not, however, until January 9, 1951 that he released this news through an historic cable: "Proclaim National Assemblies East West- weighty epoch making decision formation first International Bahá'í Council forerunner supreme administrative institution destined emerge fullness time within precincts beneath shadow World Spiritual Centre Faith already established twin cities 'Akká Haifa." 

- Ruhiyyih Khanum  (‘The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith’)

“National Spiritual Assemblies…to guide and teach the friends in proper Bahá'í administrative procedures… throughout the year”

The conditions of limited manpower, of difficulties in travelling and of illiteracy among the local people are found in varying degrees in other countries of the world, and we have always and everywhere urged the National Spiritual Assemblies concerned to guide and teach the friends in proper Bahá'í administrative procedures, not only during the weeks immediately preceding local elections but indeed throughout the year, so that the friends would await the advent of Ridván with anticipation and determine to observe and uphold correct principles of Bahá'í administration. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 24 September 1973 to a National Spiritual Assembly; The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. III, Sanctity and Nature of Baha’i Elections)

Some Relics of the Báb

 

Body & Spirit

The body is like the crystal and the spirit is like the light. Though the crystal be extremely transparent, its brilliancy and splendor belong to the brightness of the light. To be luminous, the light does not need the crystal, but the crystal to be bright needs the light. Even so the spirit does not live by the body, but the body lives by the spirit. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (From an address to the Alliance Spiritualiste of Paris, November 9th, 1911; Star of the West, vol. II, no. 17)

Story for Children: An example of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s very generous nature when He was seven years old

One lovely day ‘Abdu’l-Baha was enjoying riding His pony over the green fields and up the mountainside. He was on His way to visit some shepherds in the hills. The shepherds lived in a village owned by His Father, Baha'u'llah. All the houses, the fields and the sheep belonged to Baha'u'llah too. The farmers grew the corn and looked after the animals and Baha'u'llah gave them money and food and medicine when they were ill. They all loved Him very much.

‘Abdu’l-Baha was only seven years old and so a servant was looking after Him on His long ride to the hills. They soon saw the shepherds with the sheep and the servant told ‘Abdu’l-Baha that when the owner, or his son, came to visit the shepherds he should thank them for looking after the sheep by giving them a present.

‘Abdu’l-Baha thought hard. He had no money or food to give them. Then He had a lovely idea and smiled at the shepherds. "I'll give to each shepherd all the sheep in his flock," he said.

The shepherds were very surprised at such a generous gift. Later, when Baha'u'llah heard what His Son had done He was very pleased and said that one day ‘Abdu’l-Baha would give Himself away as well.

(Adapted from ‘Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’, by Jacqueline Mehrabi)

Question: What will be the food of the future?

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s answer: "Fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food."

' Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Julia M. Grundy. "Ten Days in the Light of 'Akká"; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I)

Interior of the room occupied by Baha'u'llah in Takur, Mazindaran, Persia

“The canopy of existence resteth upon the pole of justice, and not of forgiveness”

God be praised! The sun of justice hath risen above the horizon of Bahá’u’lláh. For in His Tablets the foundations of such a justice have been laid as no mind hath, from the beginning of creation, conceived…The canopy of existence resteth upon the pole of justice, and not of forgiveness, and the life of mankind dependeth on justice and not on forgiveness. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“the underlying concept of World Religion Day”

Your letter of September 30, with the suggestion that "there should be one day in the year in which all of the religions should agree" is a happy thought, and one which persons of good will throughout the world might well hail. However, this is not the underlying concept of World Religion Day, which is a celebration of the need for and the coming of a world religion for mankind, the Bahá'í Faith itself. Although there have been many ways of expressing the meaning of this celebration in Bahá'í communities in the United States, the Day was not meant primarily to provide a platform for all religions and their emergent ecumenical ideas. In practice, there is no harm in the Bahá'í communities' inviting the persons of other religions to share their platforms on this Day, providing the universality of the Bahá'í Faith as the fulfillment of the hopes of mankind for a universal religion are clearly brought forth. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated October 22, 1968 to a Local Spiritual Assembly)

1909: Some Baha'is in Akka

A suggested quote to memorize: How to attain “the shores of the ocean of true understanding”

No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you… 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’; Ruhi Book 4)

The meaning of the Word of God "can never be exhausted"

Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth for ever, thou must, likewise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted. They who are its appointed interpreters, they whose hearts are the repositories of its secrets, are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom.  

- Baha'u’llah  ('Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah’)

The “purpose” for the coming of the “Prophets and Messengers of God”

The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High.... 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I. Baha’i Education)