Pilgrim Notes

Ethel J. Rosenberg

1921

Copy of Notes of Miss Rosenberg the reading of the will of ‘Abdu’l-Baha as given in a talk at the meeting
of the London Spiritur1 Assembly. Feb. 2nd 1929 at the home of Mrs. Homer 2 Sloane Terrece
Sloane Square, London, 

Miss Rosenberg said, that the Will was left sealed up in a packet and addressed in ‘ABDU’L-BAHA’S own hand to Shoghi Effendi end nothing could be done until Shoghi Effendi came end opened the packet. A very solemn meeting was appointed for the reading of the Will. There were old gray-headed men present who had been in the Movement for many years, and if there had been the slightest doubt of the authenticity of the Will, they would have known it. The whole document was in Dig own hand-writing. There were at least 200 people present at the reading of the Will, and it was most impressive ceremony every time Shoghi Effendis name was mentioned, the whole assembly arose and made obeisance.

The original appointment of Shoghi Effendi was made when he was only 9 and ‘ABDU’L-BAHA was in great danger. The three parts of the Will have different dates .There was not the slightest question at the time as to the validity end the very oldest members there acknowledged It. They had the Will photographed, Miss Rosenberg examined the Will and could see, that it was old as it was stained from the dampness ,as it had been put in a strong box and buried.

Monsieur Dreyfus-Barney was there and he translated many things of ‘ABDU’L-BAHA’S.

A Persian believer who had been with ‘ABDU’L-BAHA for many years said that he was sitting by the Master at one time, when he was writing a Tablet for this believer to take to Persia, and he began to think how everything depended upon the Master and it came into his mind “Whom can we have to succeed Him?” and ‘ABDU’L-BAHA called aloud. Shoghi Effendi and he came running very quickly to the Master and the Master said to Shoghi Effendi “Here is a friend who very such wishes to see you – He said that after ‘ABDU'L-BAHA's death he understood this incidents. The reading of the Will was a most solemn affair .The Will is in his own hand-writing. At the solemn gathering no one of all the old Persian believers assembled questioned It.

Copied in London, England from the Official Minute Book. February 20th 1931 by Annie B. Homer, Secretary London Baha’i Assembly.

re-copied by H. G. Pauli. New York N.Y. March 6th 1931....