W.O. III - Station of a True Believer
Martha Roots Notes.
Talk by the Master On Prayer and an Incident

Martha Root

Oct. 1907

"Prayer and supplication are two wings whereby man soars toward the heavenly mansion of the True One. However, verbal repetition of prayer does not suffice. One must live in a perennial attitude of prayer. When man is spiritually free, his mind becomes the altar and his heart the sanctuary of prayer. Then the meaning of the verse “We will lift up from before his eyes the veil” will become fulfilled in him. Whenever I wanted to go to the Palace of Bahji to meet the Blessed Perfection, I walked alone and on foot, in order to be in an attitude of prayer. In the Mosque of Akka for many years I had a simple room all to myself to which no one had access. New and then I would go there and stay one whole day, passing the day time in quiet Contemplation and prayer. But later on the affairs of the Cause became manifold, practically all my time to their dispatch and management. How I would love to be able to arrange now so that I might go away, alone and live in entire seclusion! For this reason I went to Tiberias, but it was not much of a seclusion.

June 18th, 1914

Question: Is it right to address prayer to a Manifestation of God?

Answer: It is difficult for the human mind to understand the essence of God as for a watch to understand His spirit and therefore to draw near It. Otherwise we must form for ourselves a mental conception of God, which may be a false one. The only test of its truth lies in the influence this conception has on our lives; if it makes us kind and loving in our relations with our fellowmen, we may know it is a true one. In other words it must produce in our relations with hearts a love of God, which must be transmitted into love for man.

Oct. 1907 (Akka)

M. Root: “Great patience we must have towards the souls have heard and received this creative seed in the ground of their hearts, causing disturbances at times, even doubts reaching almost to denial. This very often means development, for the earth must he disturbed and ploughed up to bring forth the earth must be disturbed and ploughed up to bring forth. The greatest love and patience are required on our part to assist this development.

‘Abdu’l-Baha: A Baha’i is one in whom all the human perfections are to be found in activity.

‘Abdu’1-Baha: Do not distress others by eating they should not have done this or that. They will see by themselves. Talk about this only, so to speak, one by one with the friends, when you have opportunity.

From my early notes (told by Martha Root)

Baha and the Governor

“Who are you?” asked the governor.

“You have the records and therefore know” replied Baha.

“But who are you?” insisted the governor.

And all present saw a light.

“That is sufficient,” said the Governor.

(Baha said that the Kings and Emperors and 50 million people were his “heralds”, those who persecuted him and the Baha’is)

Mrs. Parsons in Haifa

When Mrs. Parsons first learned of the Faith, she was one of the social arbiters of Washington, very conscious of her wealth and position. She decided to go on a tour of the Mediterranean countries and wouls call on this person ‘Abdu’l-Baha for whom great claims were made.

On arriving there in the Master’s home, she was met with great courtesy but no one seemed aware or conscious of her position. On awaiting for her first interview with the Master, she was kept waiting for what seemed to her an insultingly long period. At last she was summoned to His presence. With lead held high, fully aware of her own dignity, she walked through the doorway to the audience chamber. Immediately, s dazzling, blinding shaft of light seemed to stream from the Master’ eyes to penetrate hers. After a moment of unconsciousness she found herself lying prostrate on the ground and ‘Abdu’l-Baha lifting her up!

On another occasion she asked ‘Abdu’1-Baha if he was the Christ. Immediately the figure of ‘Abdu’1-Baha was replaced by a tree in which stood a blazing fire.

She walked up Mount Carmel to the Bab’s Tomb. She prayed so earnestly that if this Message was the truth for God to send her a sign!

A dove flew to her and nestled on the bosom of her dress.

Mrs. Parsons: ‘Abdu’l-Babe told her to teach the poor; even those she could not reach. Then in a dream, it came to her that the “poor” where those of her own station in life. She won the co-operation of her natural associates in humanitarian work first, then won them for the Faith.

An American pilgrim spent two months in Haifa. There was one humble insignificant soul who never seemed to perform any service or partake of any of the meetings except to pour rose-water over the hands of the visitors as they passed out of the Master’s presence. The American said, “I’ve forgotten the faces of all the other’s present, except his face.”

Marjorie Morten: Mrs. Morton visited Haifa when suffering greatly from ulcers. Sitting at the Master’s table for her first meal, she wondered if she dared eat of the pélau which ‘Abdu’l~Baha had set before her. She struggled through it; then He set a second plate before her and told her to eat. This she felt sure would cause her great suffering, but she wished to obey her Lord. The third time, a plateful was set before her. She thought,”I will surely die obeying my Lord!” In the morning she awoke, free from pain for the first time in months — her ulcers had disappeared!