Terrible weather forecast including gale force winds and torrential rain! Planes cancelled, flooding and a ferry from Northern Ireland run aground with passengers stranded for 30 hours. This was the situation. A weekend in Edinburgh at the beginning of January – one of the days to be spent walking from place to place. Most people would have said “no way, I’ll stay at home” Were we mad to consider going? But we are Bahá’ís and we were not going to let a little thing like the weather stop us going on this special visit to commemorate the visit there of the beloved Master, and walk in His footsteps. After all this was the time of year that ’Abdu'l-Bahá visited Edinburgh in 1913.
Some fifteen Bahá’ís from all over Northern Ireland made their way to Edinburgh to join about 200 others from all over the UK as well as overseas. It was well worth the effort, one of these special times to be remembered by all those who took part. Yes it was cold, very windy and wet (Damart did a roaring trade in thermals – yet another link to the visit in 1913!). The strange thing is that most of the time people were walking between venues the rain eased off!
On Friday evening, for those who arrived early there was a social event at St George’s West Church’s arts café. This was the base until Saturday late afternoon. Kamál Ma’ani kept us supplied with hot drinks and snacks and there was also musical entertainment. As part of the first group we arrived before 10 am and after greeting a wide range of NI Bahá’ís we were collected by our guide. Up the stairs we went into the gallery, part of which had been turned into a corner of the drawing room of Mrs Jane Whyte’s residence – the manse of the church we were in*. We were seated and we then enjoyed an interview between a reporter and Mrs Whyte set on the day of the arrival of Abdu’l-Bahá. Mrs Whyte talked about meeting the Master in Akka when He was still a prisoner and about the letters that led to the visit. She also said she was worried whether He would find it too cold and if He’d have warm enough clothes. After about fifteen minutes she made her apologies dashed off taking the reporter with her to meet the train at Waverley Station.
We then set off to our next venuethe “Georgian House” at 7 Charlotte Square. This building belongs to the National Trust for Scotland and they had made it available for us. At the time of the Master’s visit it was home to the Whytes. We were shown into the dining room and given some background about the house and the visit – including the information that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His entourage were taken to Jenners – the Harrods of Edinburgh - to be kitted out with warm under-garments. We then had time to look round the lower floors of the house and examine a letter written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, His spectacles and a robe that belonged to Him. These precious relics had been loaned for the occasion by the National Spiritual Assembly.
We were then shown upstairs to the drawing room where we were greeted by Josie, the parlour maid, who apologised that Mrs Whyte was still busy upstairs. She offered us traditional sweets and started reminiscing about the time ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent in the house and the effect it had on all those there. She told us of being allowed to come into the room and listen when He was speaking about women’s suffrage, about the way His voice affected her and how He spoke to her in English as he left the room telling her women must educate themselves for the tasks ahead. (Josie was recreated by our own Sarah Munro.)
As we prepared to leave the house for the tramp along Princes Street and haul up the Mound I must say I was very pleased to be asked by John Parris if we could walk or if we needed the minibus. Thank you John for your sterling work driving round Edinburgh picking up people and then helping them out the bus where ever they were going. While driving we were told by yet another guide about the Freemasons' Hall, which we would visit the next day.
At the Outlook Tower we waited for the rest of our group and then climbed “a mile of stairs” to quote one of our group to the Camera Obscura. There we watched what was going on round Edinburgh via a set of lenses, rather like a periscope which projects the images onto a white concave table. By using white card we could pick up people and cars. We also got the chance to visit some of the exhibits on the other floors.
We had been told that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá very much enjoyed the Camera Obscura too. We visited the High Kirk of St Giles later in the afternoon and at that time heard the Bahá’í choir sing beautifully.
The evening Ceilidh and entertainment started with a buffet at 7.30 and eventually ended about 12 midnight. We were talked through traditional Scottish dances, including Strip the Willow and the Dashing White Sergeant. Between the two energetic sessions of dancing we watched others dance, young Bahá’ís and also a group who played native drums and danced with so much energy it exhausted us watching.
On Sunday morning we arrived at Freemasons’ Hall in George Street (one of the venues at which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke) and we had a wonderful collection of devotional material, music, audio-visual presentation and inspiring words from the National Assembly members present.
As I said before it was a memorable weekend and I want to thank everybody who was involved and made sure it all ran as smoothly as possible.
ECP
PICTURES (Clockwise from top left)
Northern Ireland Friends at the "Georgian House" where 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed during his 1913 Edinburgh visit
"Mrs Jane Whyte" gives an interview
The Camera Obscura, atop the Outlook Tower
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