Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1911-09-2, descending sort earliest first

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1911 29 Sep The start of the Italo-Turkish war which lasted until the 18th of October 1912 when the Ottoman Empire signed a treaty in Ouchy in Lausanne called the First Treaty of Lausanne, (often also called Treaty of Ouchy to distinguish it from the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne), (the Second Treaty of Lausanne). Italy's victory led to the annexation of the Ottoman Tripolitania Vilayet, including sub-provinces like Fezzan, Cyrenaica, and Tripoli itself. These regions later became Italian colonies known as Italian Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, which eventually merged into Italian Libya. Italy established control over Libya and would govern the region until the end of World War II.

After defeating the Ottoman army they confiscated on large scale the lands of the Arab peasants on which Italian settlements were established and large numbers of Italian settlers were brought in for the cultivation of cash products. The war cost Italy 1.3 billion lire, nearly a billion more than Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti had estimated before the war. This ruined ten years of fiscal prudence.

This war is notable for the introduction of new military technologies including the use of the airplane for reconnaissance and bombing. It also included the first instance of an airplane being shot down by ground fire.

The Italians also used a wireless telegraph network established with the help of the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi.

This war is considered by historians as a precursor of the First World War. Members of the Balkan League, seeing how easily Italy defeated the Ottomans and motivated by incipient Balkan nationalism, attacked the Ottoman Empire in October 1912, starting the First Balkan War a few days before the end of the Italo-Turkish War. [Wikipedia]

The Battle of Benghazi was a preliminary to the fascist invasion of Ethiopia and Italy's ambitions to establish its own colonial empire. [Colonialism, Nationalism and Jewish Immigration to Palestine: Abdu´l-Baha's Viewpoints Regarding the Middle East by Kamran Ekbal p18]

Imperialism/colonialism; History (general); Turkey; Italy; Libya
1911 29 Sep A farewell reception was given for 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the hall mof the Passmore Edwards' Settlement in Tavistock Place. The Settlement movement of the late 19th century was intended to bridge the ever-widening gap between the poor and the middle classes. A purpose-built building would be constructed in a working class area and young solicitors, doctors, architects and other middle class professionals would be encouraged to live there while at the same time the working classes would be free to use the building and mix with them, using the building more or less as a community centre. It was attended by a capacity crowd of some 460 people. [SYH41, ABL31-39, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.18; SoW Vol 2 No 13 November 4, 1911 p4]
  • For more information on this remarkable philanthropist see John Passmore Edwards.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; John Passmore Edwards; Byfleet, England; United Kingdom
    1911 28 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Byfleet for a second time by motorcar. He stayed the night and returned the evening of the next day. [ABL86, 99, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p.17]
  • He committed the poor, saying they were very poor. [SYH39]
  • Mrs Thornburgh Cropper had place her motorcar at His service. She and Ethel Rosenberg who had visited Him in 'Akká were lovingly attentive to Him. [BW4p384]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; Cars; Byfleet, England; United Kingdom
    1911 25 Sep The Master rose early, as was His custom, and from 5 to 8AM dictated letters and cablegrams. He then breakfasted with all the members of the party and guests. Another country drive followed and then He gave several private interviews to friends who had just arrived from London, Edinburgh and elsewhere.
  • After lunch the Master went all over the Guest House blessing and dedicating each room to the service of Bahá'u'lláh and promising that the house would become a centre of peace and rest for pilgrims from East and West. He also blessed the Oratory and all the workers in the house, calling them all into his presence and telling them of the dignity of labour and true service. Again we sat down nineteen to supper, and again the Master blessed the gathering and showed great joy and animation.
  • About mid-day the Master returned to London after expressing the intention of returning again someday. He wrote a beautiful prayer and blessing in the Visitors' book. [SoW Vol 2 No 12 October 12, 1911 p7]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; Clifton Guest House, England; Bristol, England
    1911 23 Sep Abdu'l-Bahá travelled by train from London to Bristol going from Paddington Station to Bristol Temple Meads arriving at mid-day. He stayed at the Clifton Guest House at 17 Royal Crescent which was owned by Major Wellesley Tudor Pole. After a short rest carriages were ordered and an extensive drive was taken through some of the world-renowned beauty spots around Bristol and neighbourhood. After the evening meal 'Abdul-Bahá addressed a gathering of about 80 friends in the Guest House Salon [SoW Vol 2 No. 12 October 16, 1911 p7; AB156, ABL81-84, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p15-16, SYH39-40; Some Sacred Spaces in the United Kingdom Slides 2-21]
  • During His stay in Bristol, He had a photograph taken. [ABF84]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; Wellesley Tudor Pole; Trains; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Pictures and portraits; Clifton Guest House, England; Bristol, England; United Kingdom
    1911 22 Sep 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Misses Marion Jack and Elizabeth Herrick, at 10 Cheniston Gardens, Wright's Lane (sometimes given as 137a High Street, Kensington. About 80 people were present. [ABL48-49, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p14; SoW Vol 2 No 12 October 16, 1911 p5]
  • The talk was stenographically recorded and published as Discourse by 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Unity Meeting of Misses Jack and Herrick. September 22nd, 1911. For full text see NBAD233-234.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at homes; Elizabeth Herrrick; Marion Jack; * Publications; London, England; United Kingdom
    1911 21 Sept During Àbdu'l-Bahá's first visit to Britain, he was invited into churches and welcomed warmly by many Christian clergymen. This outraged more conservative Christian ministers, and an attack on the Bahá'í Faith and its Central Figures was published in the journal Evangelical Christendom by Peter Z Easton. When the article, Bahá'ísm: A Warning, was shown to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, who was at that time in Beirut, he immediately penned a reply and sent a copy to Àbdu'l-Bahá who received the manuscript in New York on June 19, 1912. He had it translated and printed, and called it The Brilliant Proof.
      "Each one of you should have a copy. Read, memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are advanced . . . you will be well armed."[The Brilliant Proof]

    The Brilliant Proof was first translated by Ali Kuli Khan and published by the Bahá'í News Service in Chicago in 1912 in which it said: "Written in response to published attacks on the Bahá'í Religion by the British clergyman Peter Z Easton" (1846-1915). [Collins7.15 p41]

    Peter Easton (1846-1915) was a Presbyterian in the Synod of the Northeast in New York who had been stationed in Tabriz from 1873 to 1880. While Àbdul'Bahá was in England Easton attempted to meet and challenge him. He made those around him uncomfortable and 'Abdu'l-Bahá withdrew him to a private conversation and then after which he left. Later he was able to have printed a polemic attack on the religion, Bahaism — A Warning, in the Evangelical Christendom newspaper of London (Sept.-Oct. 1911 edition.) It was published in the Appendix of The Brilliant Proof (p70-80) [Bahaipedia]

    Lady Blomfield in her book The Chosen Highway (p183) described such a visit and the affect it had on Àbdu'l-Bahá.

    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, First Western tour; London, England; United Kingdom
    1911 21 Sept Reverend Peter Z Easton called on Àbdu'l-Bahá. Apparently he wanted a sparring match but Àbdu'l-Bahá did not give him the satisfaction. Shortly after he published an article "Bahaism: A Warning," in the September and October, 1911, issue of the British magazine Evangelical Christendom. Easton characterized Bahá'u'lláh as a "betrayer, assassin, and blasphemer — a worthy successor of that long line of Persian antichrists from the beginning of its history down to the present day." [AB149-151]

    By December the article found its way to Mirzá Abu'l-Fazl in Beirut who wrote a fitting response to the attack on the Faith. Abu'l-Fazl signed it, and mailed it to 'Àbdu'l-Bahá, "so that He can, in his wisdom, decide what to do with it."

    Àbdu'l-Bahá received the manuscript in New York on June 19, 1912. He had it translated and printed, and called it The Brilliant Proof. "Each one of you should have a copy," he told the Americans. "Read, memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are advanced . . . you will be well armed." [239 Days Website]

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