Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1912-05, ascending sort newest first

date event tags firsts
1912 1 May `Abdu'l-Bahá laid the cornerstone of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Wilmette. [SYH67-68, CT102; 239D:51; AB186; GPB288, 349; MBW143; Luminous Journey 47:00]
  • Talk at Dedication of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár Grounds. [PUP71]
  • The cornerstone had been offered by Mrs Nettie Tobin, a member of the Women's Teaching Assembly. [AB186]
  • See SYH65-66 for the story of how the Foundation Stone made it to the building site.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá asked delegates from the various Bahá'í communities and Bahá'ís from different backgrounds each to dig the earth to lay the stone. Corrine True, Lua Getsinger and several other women turned the sod. After the stone had been laid 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared that "The temple is already built." [AB186–7; Luminous Journey 47:00]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Nettie Tobin; Foundation stones and groundbreaking; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Life of (chronology); - Basic timeline, Expanded; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Basic timeline; Wilmette, IL; Chicago, IL; USA
    1912 2 May Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois, [PUP72]
    • Talk to Federation of Women's Clubs, Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP74]
    • Talk at Bahá'í Women's Reception, Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP77]
    • Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP78]
    • Talk at Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP79]
    • A funeral was held for Corrine True's son Davis. Two days later 'Abdu'l-Bahá went to the cemetery and prayed for Davis. [Luminous Journey 49:48, SYH67]
    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; Chicago, IL
    1912 3 May Talk at Hotel Plaza in Chicago. [PUP83]
  • In this talk He said, ""Observe what is taking place in Tripoli: men cutting each other into pieces, bombardment from the sea, attacks from the land and the hail of dynamite from the very heaven itself." and denounced imperialism and colonialism by saying that men conquering other territories in our times are considered by Him to be nothing less than "tyrants" and "murderers", and even worse than wolves. [Colonialism, Nationalism and Jewish Immigration to Palestine: Abdu´l-Baha's Viewpoints Regarding the Middle East by Kamran Ekbal p20]
  • Afterward He gave each child an envelope with a rose petal and invited all of them to Lincoln Park for a photograph. He asked for time alone and walked over to a statue of Abraham Lincoln at which He gazed for a while. [PUP84; Luminous Journey 51:25]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; Imperialism/colonialism; Chicago, IL; USA
    1912 4 May Talk to Theosophical Society, Northwestern University Hall, Evanston, Illinois. [PUP87; Luminous Journey 50:00] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; Theosophical Society; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; Evanston, IL; Illinois, USA; USA
    1912 5 May Talk at Children's Meeting, Hotel Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. [PSBW134–5, PUP91]
  • Talk at Plymouth Congregational Church, 935 East Fiftieth Street, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP93; Luminous Journey 50:15]
  • Talk at All-Souls Church, Lincoln Center, Chicago, Illinois. [PUP97]
  • While in Chicago He revealed a special prayer for America, "O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee..... [Luminous Journey 50:25]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at churches; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; Chicago, IL; USA
    1912 6 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Chicago, arriving in Cleveland the same day. [239D:57; AB189]
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave interviews to reporters at the Euclid Hotel. [Luminous Journey 54:00]
  • Talk at the home of Dr. C. M. Swingle to an audience of forty. [PUP104; SoW Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 5-6]
  • Talk at Euclid Hall to an audience of some 500 people. [PUP101; SoW Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 29-32.]
  • "The American continent gives signs and evidences of very great advancement; its future is even more promising, for its influence and illumination are far-reaching, and it will lead all nations spiritually." – Abdu'l-Baha, PUP104.
  • Both the Cleveland News and the Cleveland Plain Dealer carried articles on 'Abdu'l-Bahá's approval of marriage between the races. [SYH60]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Ohio, USA; USA
    1912 7 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Cleveland for Pittsburgh, arriving the same day. [239D:63; AB189]
  • Martha Root arranged for Him to talk at the Hotel Schenley to 400 people followed by private meetings with leaders of thought. The hotel is now the University of Pittsburgh's Student Union building, known as the William Pitt Union. [PUP105; Luminous Journey 55:00; Schenley Hotel]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; Cleveland, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; USA
    1912 8 May `Abdu'l-Bahá took a morning train from Pittsburgh, arriving in Washington DC that night for His second visit to that city. [239D:64; AB189; SBR81]
  • He and His entourage moved into the apartment of William P. Ripley who had vacated it for this purpose. [APD59-60]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; Trains; Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC, USA; USA
    1912 9 May `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a capacity gathering at the Parsons' home. He noted that religious ministers in Washington were denouncing Him and the Cause. [APD61-63] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at homes; Agnes Parsons; Opposition; Washington, DC, USA; USA
    1912 10 May At the instigation of Agnes Parsons, `Abdu'l-Bahá's sat for sketches by prominent English sculptor Theodore Spicer-Simson who made a portrait medallion of the Master. See Medallions for pictures of his work. A second medallion was later designed by another well-known artist, Louis Potter. [Luminous Journey 33:21]
  • In the morning Agnes Parsons took 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the Capitol then to the Washington Monument where they took the elevator to the top.
  • He spoke to a small group in the Parsons' home in the afternoon and at the Studio Hall in the evening. [APD63-66]
  • In The Diary of Juliet Thompson p285 it is reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been horrified by the prejudice He observed against Black people in Washington.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at homes; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at other places; Capitol; Washington Monument; Studio Hall; Agnes Parsons; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Pictures and portraits; Portraits; Racism; Washington, DC, USA; USA
    1912 11 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Washington for New York City, arriving the same day. [239D:64–5, AB190, APD66-67]
  • Talk at the Hudson Apartment House at 227 Riverside Drive, New York. [PUP111, DJT282]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at other places; Washington, DC, USA; New York, USA; USA
    1912 12 May `Abdu'l-Bahá took a ferry to New Jersey then a train to Montclair where He addressed the congregation of the Montclair Unity Church before returning to New York to speak to the International Peace Forum at the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church on West 104th Street, New York where He spoke to 2,000 people. [239D:66; AB191, PUP113, PUP116]

    He used the situation in Libya as an example of the senselessness of war. See Promulgation of Universal Peace p119 and Colonialism, Nationalism and Jewish Immigration to Palestine: Abdu´l-Bahá's Viewpoints Regarding the Middle East by Kamran Ekbal p19-20]

    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at churches; International peace conferences; Peace; Trains; Imperialism/colonialism; Montclair, NJ; New Jersey, USA; New York, USA; USA
    1912 13 May `Abdu'l-Bahá, very unwell, attended a reception and gave a talk to the New York Peace Society at the Hotel Astor where He was the guest of honour. [239D:67; AB192, PUP123, APD67]
  • Various personages paid tribute to Him. The Consul General of Persian, General Topakyan referred to `Abdu'l-Bahá as the Beauty of God and the Glory of the East [Luminous Journey 56:06]
  • In the evening there was a meeting at `Abdu'l-Bahá's residence with people from India and Japan. He spoke to them in detail, saying: "India had a great civilization in former times. That civilization spread from that part of Asia to Syria and Egypt; from Syria it was extended to Greece from whence it found its way to Arabia and Spain. Again, from Spain it spread over most of Europe. The world of man, however, has not yet reached its maturity. The time will come when this material civilization will be infused with divine civilization. Universal peace will be realized and people will become angelic. That will be the time of the world's maturity." [MD]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; Peace; Topakyan; India; New York, USA; USA
    1912 14–16 May `Abdu'l-Bahá attended the eighteenth annual Conference on International Peace and Arbitration at Lake Mohonk, presenting the first address during the second session of the conference. [239D:67–9; AB193; ABF15; MD101]
    "His early public references in North America to the purpose of His visit there placed particular emphasis on the invitation of the organizing committee of the Lake Mohonk Peace Conference for Him to address this international gathering." [BWNS1297]
  • The Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration was founded in 1895 and was held annually until 1917 for the purpose of creating and directing public sentiment in favour of international arbitration, arbitration treaties, and an international court. For archives see Swarthmore College Peace Collection.
  • These meetings at Lake Mohonk were instrumental in the creation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. [Wikipedia]
  • Picture.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent Zia Baghdadi back to the city to obtain a carpet to be used as a gift for the president of the International Peace Society and His host, Mr Smiley. Baghdadi rode a freight train to New York, awoke the sleeping residents at 2 a.m., boarded the first train for Lake Mohonk, begged to ride on the mail run and arrived just as 'Abdu'l-Bahá was shaking Smiley's hand at 10 a.m. [Luminous Journey 58:00] iiiii
  • See Who Will Bell the Cat: 'Abdu'l-Bahá at Lake Mohonk by Janet Ruhe-Schoen.
  • See "The Cause of Universal Peace: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact" by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson. This article looks at the circumstances around 'Abdu'l-Bahá's participation in the 1912 Lake Mohonk Arbitration Conference and the urgency and timeliness of His message over the subsequent decades. The article also reviews efforts of the Bahá'í community to promote world peace in the decades that followed.
  • See a photo of Lake Mohonk in the article The Cause of Universal Peace; 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Enduring Impact by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson.
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; International peace conferences; - Conferences, International; Peace; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration; Peace; Lake Mohonk, NY; New York, USA; USA
    1912 19 May In the morning He spoke at the Church of the Divine Paternity, Central Park West, New York. [PUP126; DJT287]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Jersey City to speak in the Unitarian Church, the Brotherhood Church, Bergen and Fairview Avenues, of which Howard Colby Ives is the pastor. [SEBW143; 239D:70–1; AB194, PUP129]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; Howard Colby Ives; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at churches; Jersey City, NJ; New Jersey, USA; New York, USA; USA
    1912 20 May Talk at Woman's Suffrage Meeting, Metropolitan Temple, Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York. [PUP133] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; New York, USA; USA
    1912 22 May `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Boston, arriving the same day. [239D:71; AB198]
  • He stayed at the Hotel Charlesgate (or Hotel Charles). [Luminous Journey 59:32; MD]
  • That evening the first meeting in Boston was held for the American Unitarian Association Conference at the Tremont Temple Baptist Church, the largest of all of the churches in the region and purported to be the first Integrated church in America. The President of the Republic, Mr Taft, was also a member of this important association. Present at the conference were some 800 Unitarian ministers representing the Unitarian churches in America and Canada. In addition, there were nearly two thousand others assembled. The presiding officer of the meeting was the Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts [Robert Luce], who introduced the Master to the audience. [MD]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; New York, USA; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, USA; USA
    1912 23 May The Bahá'ís of Cambridge, Massachusetts, celebrated `Abdu'l-Bahá's birthday at the Breed home with a cake bearing 68 candles. (Significantly, He did not stay for the festivities. He forgave this time, but had forbidden the celebration of His birthday. Six years before He had told Khan and other pilgrims that besides Naw-Rúz, the Holy Days were only for the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, that His birth on the twenty-second/twenty-third of May was 'only a coincidence'.) `Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the group on the importance of the Báb at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Breed, 367 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. [239D:72; AB199, PUP138; AY89]
  • Before arriving in the early evening, He had proceeded to Worcester and addressed Clark University there. [AY95; Luminous Journey 1:00]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Birth of; Day of the Covenant; Holy days; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at homes; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at universities; Báb, Life of (chronology); Clark University; Universities; Worcester, MA; Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts, USA; USA
    1912 24 May Talk at Free Religious Association, or Unitarian Conference, Boston, Massachusetts. [PUP140] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, USA; USA
    1912 25 May Talk at Huntington Chambers, 30 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts. [PUP143] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at other places; Boston, MA; Massachusetts, USA; USA
    1912 26 May `Abdu'l-Bahá left Boston and returned to New York, arriving in the evening. [239D:73; AB201]
  • Talk at Mount Morris Baptist Church, Fifth Avenue and 126th Street, New York. [PUP147]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at churches; Boston, MA; New York, USA; USA
    1912 28 May `Abdu'l-Bahá and His party were evicted from their hotel because of the `coming and going of diverse people' and the `additional labours and troubles' caused to the staff. [239D:74]

    Talk at Reception at Metropolitan Temple, Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York. [PUP150]

    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at churches; New York, USA; USA
    1912 25 May Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney, 780 West End Avenue, New York. [PUP154] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at homes; Edward Kinney; New York, USA; USA
    1912 30 May Talk at Theosophical Lodge, Broadway and Seventy-ninth Street, New York. [PUP156] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; Theosophical Society; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks other; New York, USA; USA
    1912 31 May At the request of William Hoar, 'Abdu'l-Bahá made a trip to Fanwood, New Jersey. He had been invited for a rest and to escape the oppressive heat of New York but He could not stay just to rest. He addressed a meeting at the Town Hall. He showed how the leaders of religion have contributed to the wakening of it foundations. [AB205-206]
  • Talk at Town Hall, Fanwood, New Jersey. [PUP161]
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Second Western tour; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Talks at public places; Fanwood, NJ; New Jersey, USA

    Try also a shorter date like 1912-0 or 1912

    try also the Chronology Canada — 1912-05 or 1912-0 or 1912

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