July 26, 2025 • 14 mins
Delve into the fascinating life and journey of Thornton Chase, widely acknowledged as the first person of Western descent to embrace the Baháí Faith. Chase was a pivotal figure in organizing Baháí activities in Chicago and Los Angeles, making him a well-respected figure within the Baháí community. His 1907 pilgrimage to Akka profoundly impacted him, particularly his three-day encounter with `Abdul Bahá. So taken was `Abdul Bahá by Chases character, he bestowed upon him the title of Thábit, meaning steadfast. Upon his return, Chase penned his pilgrimage experiences, producing a richly detailed and emotive depiction of `Abdul-Bahás home, family, and personal demeanor in Akka. Published in 1908 as In Galilee, this insightful account stands as a notable contribution to the genre known as pilgrims notes.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section five of In Galilee by Thornton Chase. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater. In Galilee by Thornton Chase.
(00:23):
Section five Universal love, All difference, all lack of harmony,
All disunity in the universe is due to lack of love,
or to changing universal love into individual love, putting self
(00:45):
interest in the place of the welfare of the whole.
But in abdul Baha is never a trace of self interest.
Each thought, each word of his is for the universal love,
the divinity of man in his oneness with mankind. He
(01:07):
speaks not from the self, but from the spirit. Yet
his speech is that of the man, simple direct, as
of a father to his son. Are you well? Are
you happy? This would be an oft repeated greeting. You
have come in a good time. Since you have come,
(01:31):
the weather has been beautiful. Such simple remarks as these
would prelude an instructive discourse of ten or fifteen minutes,
or possibly three or four minutes. We took no note
of time. About half past nine in the evening, he
came to mister Agnew's room where we were gathered. He
(01:55):
was very tired, and after greeting us, he sat on
the divine and called mister Scheffler and this servant to
sit on either side. He took our hands and for
fifteen minutes or more he held them in his often
grasping them with a rapid, strong, vibrating grip. While he talked.
(02:21):
He said he had been sorely tried that day by strangers,
but that for the sake of love, he had been
most kind to them, as we must ever be, showing
the greatest kindness to those who opposed. He said he
was now happy in the company of friends, and then
(02:41):
he talked again of decomposition and composition, showing that one
accompanied disunion, disagreement, and separation and caused death, but the
other brought unification and life. Then abruptly he arose and
left us, going to his room, and we also retired
(03:06):
for our first night's sleep in the prison city of Acca,
in that house where had lived the great manifestation of God,
the blessed Perfection Baha'u'llah with saints and martyrs in the
Holy Cause in the adjoining room rested the servant of God,
(03:28):
Abdul Baha, the faithful, patient, establisher of the New Kingdom
of Heaven in the hearts of men. For a while
we listened to the sentry on duty at the guarded
wall by the sea, chanting his sacred supplications in darkness.
(03:48):
And then we slept dawn in Aka. It seemed not
an hour when I was awakened by a clear, high
voice proclaiming between the earth and Heaven the oneness of God,
chanting the Koran from the high balcony of the nearby minaret.
(04:12):
The long, sweet, quivering tones rang through the silent air,
invoking worship from the faithful. The bell like notes invited
the dawn, the first ray of which may have been
visible from the tower height, as it heralded the victory
of light over the dark and sleeping world. Soon, a
(04:35):
voice farther away declared another watchman, calling the sleepers to
awake and greet the morn. The sweet, vibrant chance continued
until day looked in at our window, and the birds
chirped and fluttered around the open court, singing their songs
of welcome to the light. We two with joyful heart
(05:00):
praised God for his great light of revelation and truth.
What wonder that the Moslem cannot be swerved from his
worship and loyalty to the One God and to his
great prophet, Mohammed. His first baby lispings were praises and
affirmations of him from the sacred Koran. His first consciousness
(05:25):
in every day of his life is the voice of
man proclaiming there is no God but God, and Mohammed
is his prophet. That holy basic principle is inculcated line
upon line, precept upon precept, at each awakening from sleep,
(05:48):
at each beginning of active life, and declared five times
and each day from his cradle to his grave. It
becomes a part of him. From it's established throne in
his brain. It repels all suggestion of a triune God,
and makes his life, whatever it may be in other respects,
(06:11):
a fortress against unfaith. It was Sunday, and soon the
jangle of chimes sounded from the Syrian Church, calling the
Christians to early Mass. The morning was beautiful, fresh and still,
and the tones of opposing mosque and church sounded only
(06:33):
of peace, alas that religion should ever bring aught else
between God's children. But the military cornet's call told us
of the fortified city and of the soldier ready for
attack or defense, for the greed of man and in
the name of God. Across the garden, the blue sea
(06:55):
sparkled with little ripples and washed the base of the
rampart all a few yards away. An old, rusty cannon
lay on the rock in the corner bastion, telling of
war long past, and the guard with his musket, walked
by the narrow gateway between the corner and the court.
(07:17):
In the distance, the dark blue mound of Carmel was
crowned with rosy mists. All nature spoke of peace, and
only man of strife. At seven o'clock I saw Mirza
Asadolla Kashani sweeping the rough and broken stone flight of
(07:37):
outside steps as carefully as though they were of alabaster.
Another of the friends was dipping from the well and
watering the plants of the garden, and others were attending
to the needs of the kitchen. The care, earnestness, and
pleasure with which these things were done showed the spirit
(07:59):
of love in the service. Indeed, it is evident there
that service is esteemed a privilege and is a cause
of happiness. About seven point thirty we had breakfast, bread
and honey in the comb, boiled eggs, and tea. Only
our party of Americans was there. Afterwards, from our window
(08:23):
overlooking the garden, we saw Abdul Baha and Mirza Asadulla
walking back and forth on the paths, sometimes stopping and
conversing earnestly. I could not but think of a lion
pacing in his cage, and a great sympathy and longing
to serve him arose in me. Later a soldier came
(08:47):
carrying his gun, delivered a message and went away. An
old man with a cane came to the garden gate,
about fifty feet from where Abdul Baha sat in the tent.
He bowed low, with his hand on his heart, talked
awhile at that distance, and then with deepest respect, moved
(09:09):
backward through the gate and away. During the days, Abdul
Baha had but little time to himself. Visitors, tourists, and
officials came and went constantly. One afternoon came three black
robed Catholic nuns, one portly woman with a black robe
and no head dress, and several ladies unveiled with olive complexions.
(09:35):
They were directed to the tent by the master from
his room window, and he met them there later. Some
of them spoke French and some English. One exclaimed, oh, madame,
look there. The children, Shogi, Ruhi and others were playing
about the fountain, and all together it was quite a party.
(09:58):
The sabbath visit that was a sabbath long to be
remembered by us. About ten o'clock we were offered the
great privilege of visiting the picture of the manifestation Bahau
a law. How often has imagination tried to outline his face?
(10:21):
How eagerly have those been questioned who had looked upon him?
How earnestly has the wish been that the knowledge of
him and the pilgrimage to his presence might have been
made in his day. The picture is a large photograph
taken of him during the later years of his life.
(10:45):
It is a majestic face, that of a strong, powerful,
stern man, yet filled with an indescribable sweetness. Even in
the photograph, the majestic power shows through the lines of
light and shade. I will not attempt to describe it,
(11:07):
nor the solemnity and influence of that visit, no word
was spoken. It was a time for silence. I will
simply quote the writing of one who saw him in life.
The face of him on whom I gazed I can
never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes
(11:32):
seemed to read one's very soul. Power and authority sat
on that ample brow, while the deep lines on the
forehead and face implied an age which the jet black
hair and beard, flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance, almost to
(11:53):
the waste, seemed to belie. No need to ask in
whose presence I see as I bowed myself before one
who is the object of a devotion and love which
kings might envy and emperors siph in vain. Soon after
(12:14):
we returned to our room, Abdul Baha came and again
expressed his precious love to us, saying that he was
happy that we had seen the picture. He said, this
is a blessed prison the holy land, and you have
seen the picture of the blessed perfection. And also, abdul Baha,
(12:40):
and we love you. You must be very glad, and
we are very glad. I hope the influence of this
great thing will appear, and that when you returned to America,
by you, the Americans will be made happy. The talk
(13:00):
I give you are like the seed which they cultivate
in the ground. I hope that it will grow, and
when it grows up, that it will be very good.
Looking out of the window, he said, some of the
trees in the garden have new leaves and are very beautiful.
(13:23):
And also man, when he comes to have leaves and fruit,
it is very good. Man is like the ground or earth.
He is the dust, and in this dust, by the
bounty of God, grow up so many kinds of flowers,
(13:46):
and from him will appear many wonderful things. He then
asked one of those present what he would do when
he returned to America, and then added, it is said
in the b that when Messiah comes, he will come
with many angels and with trumpets. We hope you will
(14:09):
be that voice of the trumpet when you go to America.
End of section five. Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater, recorded
in London, England,
Section five of In Galilee by Thornton Chase. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater. In Galilee by Thornton Chase.
(00:23):
Section five Universal love, All difference, all lack of harmony,
All disunity in the universe is due to lack of love,
or to changing universal love into individual love, putting self
(00:45):
interest in the place of the welfare of the whole.
But in abdul Baha is never a trace of self interest.
Each thought, each word of his is for the universal love,
the divinity of man in his oneness with mankind. He
(01:07):
speaks not from the self, but from the spirit. Yet
his speech is that of the man, simple direct, as
of a father to his son. Are you well? Are
you happy? This would be an oft repeated greeting. You
have come in a good time. Since you have come,
(01:31):
the weather has been beautiful. Such simple remarks as these
would prelude an instructive discourse of ten or fifteen minutes,
or possibly three or four minutes. We took no note
of time. About half past nine in the evening, he
came to mister Agnew's room where we were gathered. He
(01:55):
was very tired, and after greeting us, he sat on
the divine and called mister Scheffler and this servant to
sit on either side. He took our hands and for
fifteen minutes or more he held them in his often
grasping them with a rapid, strong, vibrating grip. While he talked.
(02:21):
He said he had been sorely tried that day by strangers,
but that for the sake of love, he had been
most kind to them, as we must ever be, showing
the greatest kindness to those who opposed. He said he
was now happy in the company of friends, and then
(02:41):
he talked again of decomposition and composition, showing that one
accompanied disunion, disagreement, and separation and caused death, but the
other brought unification and life. Then abruptly he arose and
left us, going to his room, and we also retired
(03:06):
for our first night's sleep in the prison city of Acca,
in that house where had lived the great manifestation of God,
the blessed Perfection Baha'u'llah with saints and martyrs in the
Holy Cause in the adjoining room rested the servant of God,
(03:28):
Abdul Baha, the faithful, patient, establisher of the New Kingdom
of Heaven in the hearts of men. For a while
we listened to the sentry on duty at the guarded
wall by the sea, chanting his sacred supplications in darkness.
(03:48):
And then we slept dawn in Aka. It seemed not
an hour when I was awakened by a clear, high
voice proclaiming between the earth and Heaven the oneness of God,
chanting the Koran from the high balcony of the nearby minaret.
(04:12):
The long, sweet, quivering tones rang through the silent air,
invoking worship from the faithful. The bell like notes invited
the dawn, the first ray of which may have been
visible from the tower height, as it heralded the victory
of light over the dark and sleeping world. Soon, a
(04:35):
voice farther away declared another watchman, calling the sleepers to
awake and greet the morn. The sweet, vibrant chance continued
until day looked in at our window, and the birds
chirped and fluttered around the open court, singing their songs
of welcome to the light. We two with joyful heart
(05:00):
praised God for his great light of revelation and truth.
What wonder that the Moslem cannot be swerved from his
worship and loyalty to the One God and to his
great prophet, Mohammed. His first baby lispings were praises and
affirmations of him from the sacred Koran. His first consciousness
(05:25):
in every day of his life is the voice of
man proclaiming there is no God but God, and Mohammed
is his prophet. That holy basic principle is inculcated line
upon line, precept upon precept, at each awakening from sleep,
(05:48):
at each beginning of active life, and declared five times
and each day from his cradle to his grave. It
becomes a part of him. From it's established throne in
his brain. It repels all suggestion of a triune God,
and makes his life, whatever it may be in other respects,
(06:11):
a fortress against unfaith. It was Sunday, and soon the
jangle of chimes sounded from the Syrian Church, calling the
Christians to early Mass. The morning was beautiful, fresh and still,
and the tones of opposing mosque and church sounded only
(06:33):
of peace, alas that religion should ever bring aught else
between God's children. But the military cornet's call told us
of the fortified city and of the soldier ready for
attack or defense, for the greed of man and in
the name of God. Across the garden, the blue sea
(06:55):
sparkled with little ripples and washed the base of the
rampart all a few yards away. An old, rusty cannon
lay on the rock in the corner bastion, telling of
war long past, and the guard with his musket, walked
by the narrow gateway between the corner and the court.
(07:17):
In the distance, the dark blue mound of Carmel was
crowned with rosy mists. All nature spoke of peace, and
only man of strife. At seven o'clock I saw Mirza
Asadolla Kashani sweeping the rough and broken stone flight of
(07:37):
outside steps as carefully as though they were of alabaster.
Another of the friends was dipping from the well and
watering the plants of the garden, and others were attending
to the needs of the kitchen. The care, earnestness, and
pleasure with which these things were done showed the spirit
(07:59):
of love in the service. Indeed, it is evident there
that service is esteemed a privilege and is a cause
of happiness. About seven point thirty we had breakfast, bread
and honey in the comb, boiled eggs, and tea. Only
our party of Americans was there. Afterwards, from our window
(08:23):
overlooking the garden, we saw Abdul Baha and Mirza Asadulla
walking back and forth on the paths, sometimes stopping and
conversing earnestly. I could not but think of a lion
pacing in his cage, and a great sympathy and longing
to serve him arose in me. Later a soldier came
(08:47):
carrying his gun, delivered a message and went away. An
old man with a cane came to the garden gate,
about fifty feet from where Abdul Baha sat in the tent.
He bowed low, with his hand on his heart, talked
awhile at that distance, and then with deepest respect, moved
(09:09):
backward through the gate and away. During the days, Abdul
Baha had but little time to himself. Visitors, tourists, and
officials came and went constantly. One afternoon came three black
robed Catholic nuns, one portly woman with a black robe
and no head dress, and several ladies unveiled with olive complexions.
(09:35):
They were directed to the tent by the master from
his room window, and he met them there later. Some
of them spoke French and some English. One exclaimed, oh, madame,
look there. The children, Shogi, Ruhi and others were playing
about the fountain, and all together it was quite a party.
(09:58):
The sabbath visit that was a sabbath long to be
remembered by us. About ten o'clock we were offered the
great privilege of visiting the picture of the manifestation Bahau
a law. How often has imagination tried to outline his face?
(10:21):
How eagerly have those been questioned who had looked upon him?
How earnestly has the wish been that the knowledge of
him and the pilgrimage to his presence might have been
made in his day. The picture is a large photograph
taken of him during the later years of his life.
(10:45):
It is a majestic face, that of a strong, powerful,
stern man, yet filled with an indescribable sweetness. Even in
the photograph, the majestic power shows through the lines of
light and shade. I will not attempt to describe it,
(11:07):
nor the solemnity and influence of that visit, no word
was spoken. It was a time for silence. I will
simply quote the writing of one who saw him in life.
The face of him on whom I gazed I can
never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes
(11:32):
seemed to read one's very soul. Power and authority sat
on that ample brow, while the deep lines on the
forehead and face implied an age which the jet black
hair and beard, flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance, almost to
(11:53):
the waste, seemed to belie. No need to ask in
whose presence I see as I bowed myself before one
who is the object of a devotion and love which
kings might envy and emperors siph in vain. Soon after
(12:14):
we returned to our room, Abdul Baha came and again
expressed his precious love to us, saying that he was
happy that we had seen the picture. He said, this
is a blessed prison the holy land, and you have
seen the picture of the blessed perfection. And also, abdul Baha,
(12:40):
and we love you. You must be very glad, and
we are very glad. I hope the influence of this
great thing will appear, and that when you returned to America,
by you, the Americans will be made happy. The talk
(13:00):
I give you are like the seed which they cultivate
in the ground. I hope that it will grow, and
when it grows up, that it will be very good.
Looking out of the window, he said, some of the
trees in the garden have new leaves and are very beautiful.
(13:23):
And also man, when he comes to have leaves and fruit,
it is very good. Man is like the ground or earth.
He is the dust, and in this dust, by the
bounty of God, grow up so many kinds of flowers,
(13:46):
and from him will appear many wonderful things. He then
asked one of those present what he would do when
he returned to America, and then added, it is said
in the b that when Messiah comes, he will come
with many angels and with trumpets. We hope you will
(14:09):
be that voice of the trumpet when you go to America.
End of section five. Recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater, recorded
in London, England,
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