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Last Years |
During the winter of 1919–1920 the writer had the great
privilege of spending two and half months as the guest of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Haifa and intimately observing His daily life.
At that time, although nearly seventy-six years of age, He was
still remarkably vigorous, and accomplished daily an almost
incredible amount of work. Although often very weary He
showed wonderful powers of recuperation, and His services
were always at the disposal of those who needed them most.
His unfailing patience, gentleness, kindliness and tact made
His presence like a benediction. It was His custom to spend a
large part of each night in prayer and meditation. From early
morning until evening, except for a short siesta after lunch, He
was busily engaged in reading and answering letters from many
lands and in attending to the multitudinous affairs of the household
and of the Cause. In the afternoon He usually had a little
relaxation in the form of a walk or a drive, but even then He
was usually accompanied by one or two, or a party, of pilgrims
with whom He would converse on spiritual matters, or He
would find opportunity by the way of seeing and ministering to
some of the poor. After His return He would call the friends to
the usual evening meeting in His salon. Both at lunch and
supper He used to entertain a number of pilgrims and friends,
and charm His guests with happy and humorous stories as well
as precious talks on a great variety of subjects. “My home is
the home of laughter and mirth,” He declared, and indeed it
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was so. He delighted in gathering together people of various
races, colors, nations and religions in unity and cordial friendship
around His hospitable board. He was indeed a loving
father not only to the little community at Haifa, but to the
Bahá’í community throughout the world.
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