Compassion

He had left orders that none were to be turned away, but one who had twice vainly sought his presence, and was, through some oversight, prevented from seeing him, wrote a heartbreaking letter showing that he thought himself rebuffed. It was translated by the Persian interpreter. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at once put on his coat, and, turning towards the door, said, with an expression of unspeakable sadness, "A friend of mine has been martyred, and I am very grieved. I go out alone." and he swept down the steps. One could then see how well the title of "Master" became him.

The demands on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s time were constant. The English Bahá’ís tried to organize the flow of those seeking interviews and instituted a system of official appointments. One day, a woman appeared at the door and asked if she could see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. When asked if she had an appointment, she admitted that she had not and was promptly told, "I am sorry but He is occupied now with most important people, and cannot be disturbed." Sadly, the woman slowly turned away, but before she could reach the bottom of the steps, a messenger from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rushed out and breathlessly said, "He wishes to see you, come back!" From the house came the powerful voice of the Master: "A heart has been hurt, hasten, hasten, bring her to Me."

Two days earlier, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had granted a final interview to Harriet Cline and Henrietta Wagner, who were to leave for California, the following day. They waited for their interview with many others until someone announced, "there will be no more interviews this morning." The two women were crushed and sat there in shock at the thought of going home without seeing the Master one last time. But then came the Master's melodious voice calling, "Mrs. Klein then Mrs. Wagner." When Mrs. Klein entered ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's presence, He put an arm around her and said, "You are my daughter, you are my daughter. I have prayed for you many, many times." Her tears poured out uncontrollably until she looked up into ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's eyes. His smile and happiness suddenly filled her and, she said, "a sense of great inner calmness took possession of my soul."