20 / Creating a Precious Relic

20

Creating a Precious Relic

Soon after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá came to New York, He was asked to appear in a motion picture. He answered, “Khaili Khub” (“Very good”).1

Movies were still a fairly new invention at that time. The earliest films were viewed by just one person at a time with a Kinetoscope. This device was developed in 1891 by William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, an assistant of the inventor Thomas Edison. The film was enclosed in a wooden cabinet about four feet high, and the viewer looked through an opening at the top.

A few years later, projectors were made to show movies to larger audiences in Europe and the United States. The films lasted just fifteen to ninety seconds, offering short glimpses of everyday life and real events, as well as acted scenes. Then longer films became popular, including comedies and adventures. The films were silent, though entertainers often performed along with them, adding narration, sound

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effects, and music. Later, sound was recorded on large disks to be played with the movies. By around 1930, movie studios recorded sound directly onto film.

On June 18, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá went to the MacNutt home in Brooklyn to be filmed by Howard MacNutt and J.G. Grundy. Howard and Mary MacNutt became Bahá’ís in 1898. When they visited ‘Abdu’lBahá in ‘Akká in 1905, Howard said to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “I wish it were possible for me to take thy living face back to New York that the believers there might see as I see.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá answered, “My love is my face; take it to them; tell them to see me in their love for each other.”2

Howard and J.G. Grundy made the film. The first scene shows ‘Abdu’l-Bahá riding in a car and then being greeted by the Bahá’ís. Then He is shown walking and speaking to the Bahá’ís:

Observe the power of the Ancient Beauty and the influence of the Greatest Name through which He has united us with the people of America in this way. If all the powers of the world had joined forces, still it would have been impossible that hearts could be attracted to such a degree and that we should be assembled in a meeting such as this with so much love, loving one another heart and soul. See what the power of Bahá’u’lláh has done! He has made the people of the East and of the West love one another. But for His power, the holding of such an assembly would have been impossible. Praise be to God that we are united and that we are of one heart and soul.3

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In one scene of the film, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is seated with children all around Him. In another scene of the film, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says good-bye to the Bahá’ís, and encourages them to be happy, saying:

Rejoice! Rejoice! The Sun of Reality has dawned. Rejoice! Rejoice! The New Jerusalem has descended from heaven. Rejoice! Rejoice! The glad tidings of God have been revealed. Rejoice! Rejoice! The mysteries of the Holy Books have been fulfilled. Rejoice! Rejoice! The Great Day has come. Rejoice! Rejoice! The banner of the oneness of humanity is hoisted. Rejoice! Rejoice! The tent of universal peace is pitched. Rejoice! Rejoice! The Divine Lamp is illumined. Rejoice! Rejoice! The breezes of the Merciful are wafting. Rejoice! Rejoice! The joyful tidings and promises of the Prophets have come to pass. Rejoice! Rejoice! The Glory of Carmel has shed its effulgence on the world. Rejoice! Rejoice! The East and the West have embraced. Rejoice! Rejoice! America and Asia like unto two lovers have joined hands.4

Howard and J.G. Grundy wrote an article about the film, saying, “all these were never-to-be-forgotten scenes, but those who beheld his countenance in the final utterance of the ‘Glad-Tidings’ will treasure the memory of it forever.”5

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá also agreed to have His voice recorded on what was known as the “Edison talking machine,” so His voice could be heard along with the motion picture. Using this device, sound was recorded on a cylinder made of a wax-like material. The article stated, “Consider what this means! The beloved friends one hundred years from now will be able to see the form, face, and actions” of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “and even more, listen to the actual tone of his voice speaking the words which the pictures so eloquently portray.”6

Later that summer, the film was shown in Chicago, New York, and Muskegon, Michigan.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States calls the film “one of the most sacred and precious relics associated with the life and ministry of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.” The Assembly states that “the film must be handled with great dignity and that showings must be very occasional.” The Assembly also shares guidance from the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bahá’í Faith, stating that “this rare archival treasure” will be shown “in an atmosphere of the utmost reverence and sanctity.” The House of Justice will decide on appropriate times to show the film.7

In addition to filming ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Howard MacNutt took notes during at least eighteen of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talks. Later, Howard collected as many of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talks as he could find, and prepared them to be published. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá approved the project and said the book should be called The Promulgation of Universal Peace. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told Howard, “This service . . . shall make thee the object of the praise and gratitude of the friends in the East as well as the West.”8

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