'Abdu' l-Baha
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'Abdu'l-Baha was the eldest Son of Baha'u'llah,
the Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith. His claimed
station was the "Servant of Baha," a Servant
of His Father's Cause, a divine revelation from God which initiated
a new age in the evolution of humankind.
Baha'u'llah designated 'Abdu'l-Baha "The
Center of His Covenant" and called Him "The Master,"
a title which was also respectfully used by the followers of the
Faith in the United States when referring to 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Baha'u'llah and His family were dispossessed of
their ancestral properties and exiled from Persia in 1853, when
'Abdu'l-Baha was a child nine years old. They remained
prisoners of the Ottoman Empire in Akka (Akko or Acre, in today
Israel) until the Young Turks' Rebellion of 1908 freed 'Abdu'l-Baha
and His family from prison.
After a period of rest, 'Abdu'l-Baha decided to travel
to the West to spread the message of Baha'u'llah.
The Western Baha'is had been pleading with the Master
to visit America.
An American Baha'i, visiting 'Abdu'l-Baha
in Palestine wrote excitedly to a friend in August 29, 1910: "I
have a very big piece of news to tell you. 'Abdu'l-Baha
has left this Holy Spot for the first time in forty-two years
and has gone to Egypt." The day of His departure He had visited
the pilgrims (other visitors) as usual; they did not suspect that
it was a good-bye visit.
In 1911, 'Abdu'l-Baha made His first historic trip to
Europe, then He returned to Egypt, in Ramleh, a suburb of Alexandria,
until the spring of 1912. On March 25, the Master and His retinue
boarded the S.S. Cedric in Alexandria, heading for the  United
States. The American Baha'is had sent thousands
of dollars for His journey, urging Him to leave the Cedric in
Italy and travel to England to sail on the maiden voyage of the
Titanic. But the Master returned the money for charity and continued
His voyage on the Cedric. (Click
here to see manifest from S. S. Cedric -- see line # 8)
'Abdu'l-Baha's entourage was an unusual mixture of Easterners
and Westerners. The Master usually wore a long robe, white or
light tan, a dark aba (overcoat) and a white turbaned headdress
on His flowing, silky white hair. The Persians in His entourage
wore Western clothing and the red fez. At Naples, a few Americans
and an English believer, Miss Louisa Mathew, joined the traveling
party for the rest of the trip.
At the table, "the intermingling and assembling together
of the Easterners and the Westerners attracted the eyes,"
wrote Mahmud. It also caused misunderstanding and distrust due
to the war between Turkey and Italy at the time. However, during
the voyage, the officers of the ship asked 'Abdu'l-Baha
to address a public meeting which they arranged in the lounge.
Among the large number of people attending were the consuls of
Russia and Italy, who conversed regularly with the Master afterwards.
Twenty five years later, a woman who as a child had traveled
on the Cedric told a Baha'i that she had never forgotten
her personal encounter with the Master. "A glance that burned"
into her soul and frightened her, lest she had displeased Him,
and the kindly smile which released her "from terror."
She recalled that everyone had remarked about "His majestic
bearing, His kingly walk, and above all the strange white light
that followed Him everywhere."
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