"Pilgrims' Notes" are records of individuals' meetings with the Central Figures of the Baha'i Faith and usually the recorded speech of the Central Figures. As these records can rarely be authenticated, they are considered to be much less reliable than the writings of the Central Figures, and are to be used with caution. Please read a note on the status of these texts. Only the Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith thus far published in English, most of which are online, represent the authentic teachings of the Faith. See also a note from the Universal House of Justice and a brief Compilation on Pilgrims' Notes. Other pilgrims' notes can also be found in some of the older Notable Talks.
Pilgrims' Notes posted and proofread largely through the collaborative efforts of Robert Stauffer, Thellie Lovejoy, Vaughn Sheline, and John B. Cornell.
The Chosen Highway (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1940 & 1967) contains a wealth of pilgrims' notes, interviews with members of the Holy Family, and information from and about the Holy Land.
Salmani, Ustad Muhammad-'Ali
My Memories of Baha'u'llah, trans. Marzieh Gail, is the recollections of Baha'u'llah's longtime companion/follower and barber (Los Angeles: Kalimat Press, 1982).
From the Era of `Abdu'l-Bahá
Agnew, Arthur S.
In Wonderland is a short essay of a pilgrimage to Akka along with Thornton Chase in 1907; essay is appended to Chase's In Galilee.
Table Talks, notes stenographed and edited by Agnew in 1907.
Barrow Newhall, Muriel Ives
Mother's Stories are anecdotes of Abdu'l-Baha recollected by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall, the daughter of Howard Colby Ives.
Abdul Baha on Divine Philosophy, compiled by Isabel Fraser Chamberlain (Boston: The Tudor Press, 1918) is a book-length collection of largely unauthenticated sayings of 'Abdul-Baha.
Chase, Thornton
In Galilee is a lengthy account of four days spent in Akka in 1907.
Coy, Genevieve
A Week in Abdu'l-Baha's Home, notes of a pilgrimage by Mabel Paine, Sylvia Paine, Cora Grey and Genevieve Coy in 1920.
"Ios, the Shepherd Boy" are parables of the Spiritual Life told by Abdu'l-Baha to Getsinger, and later transcribed by May Maxwell.
Gregory, Louis G.
The complete "Pilgrimage of Louis G. Gregory" is the journal of Gregory's visit to 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1911, including statements of 'Abdu'l-Baha, stories of the believers in the Holy Land, and Gregory's experiences at the Shrines. Followed by a selection of tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed to him.
Ten Days in the Light of Akka, first published in 1907, is a lengthy recollection of Grundy's conversations with Abdu'l-Baha and notes of his lectures.
Haddad, Anton
Message from Acca, circa 1900, is a lengthy report of Abdu'l-Baha's teachings to the Baha'is in America. Can be seen as a precursor to Tablets of the Divine Plan.
Portals to Freedom is a collection of anecdotes and history of Abdu'l-Baha's travels to the United States, as told by one observer (Oxford: George Ronald, 1983 [reprint—many earlier editions exist]).
The Light of the World is a 148-page book chronicling Latimer's time in the Holy Land; includes words of Abdu'l-Baha. (Boston: George Orr Latimer [self-published], 1920)
Maxwell, May
An Early Pilgrimage recounts an 1898 pilgrimage by the mother of Ruhiyyih Khanum.
Brown's book Memories of 'Abdu'l- Bahá, Recollections of the Early Days of the Bahá'ís of California contains a few pilgrim's notes about Shoghi Effendi.
"Haifa Notes," by Clara Edge (author of the biographical novel Tahirih [Grand Rapids, MI: Edgeway Publisher, 1964]), taken during her visit to Haifa in 1954. See also another edition of these notes.
French, Nellie
Nellie French's two-page Pilgrim's Notes are from a visit in April, 1952.
Furútan, Ali-Akbar
Message of the World Spiritual Crusade, notes taken by Furútan in the early years of the 10-year plan (1953-63) and distributed at the request of Shoghi Effendi.
The comprehensive Maxwell Notes are published transcriptions of talks given by Shoghi Effendi by May Maxwell and Mary Maxwell (Ruhiyyih Khanum), taken during their pilgrimage in 1937.
Volume One (includes explanatory letter from May Maxwell)
"Conversations with Shoghi Effendi" is a set of "informal notes taken by Mrs. May Maxwell at Haifa in 1924, and reproduced for the information of the Baha'i friends with the permission of the National Spiritual Assembly."
Moffett's three-part notes "Revealing Haifa Notes and Directives by Our Guardian" are from May to September, 1954. Due to some reservations the editors have about these notes, they have not been posted. Individuals needing them for specific research projects can request them privately.
The "Haifa Talks" is a transcription of talks from Shoghi Effendi to Keith Ransom-Kehler and Lorol Schopflocher in 1932.
Revell, Jessie
Two letters from Jessie Revell, secretary to Shoghi Effendi, were written to friends in the United States in 1953.
Sala, Emeric
Shoghi Effendi's Question are recollections of Shoghi Effendi discussing the meaning of the World Order of Baha'u'llah; originally delivered as a talk at the 9th annual ABS conference in Ottawa, 1984, and later published in The Vision of Shoghi Effendi (Ottawa: Baha'i Studies Publications, 1983).
The article Baha'i Pilgrimage to Israel, originally published in Pilgrims and Travelers to the Holy Land (eds. B. F. Le Beau and M. Mor; 1996) is a scholarly article accompanied by numerous photographs of sacred Baha'i sites in the Holy Land.
