The significance of this journey will become known in the future. Up until the present time, such a thing has not happened before, and has never been witnessed in any age - that a person from the East should travel to the farthest cities of the West, teaching the Cause of God, promulgating its new precepts, and expounding upon questions of theology, in temples and in gatherings of various peoples - with such resolve and conviction chat none is able to reject or object to them. On the contrary, all have been enamoured of and enraptured by these ideas, and express their deepest reverence for them.
In His own land, Jesus Christ visited Jerusalem often, and entered the gatherings of the Israelites many times, offering admonitions and giving sermons. Consider how the Christian divines eventually came to ascribe such great importance to these acts. It is clear, then, what significance this journey - in which we have raised, in ringing tones, the call of Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá in great churches and large gatherings - will acquire in the future, for we have, in most eloquent language and with most convincing proofs, hailed the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God, and enunciated the teachings of the Blessed Beauty. In the synagogues of the Jews, we arose to vindicate the message of Christ and demonstrate the truth of Islam. In the churches of the Christians, we expatiated upon the greatness of Muhammad, the Apostle of God - may the blessings of God and His salutation be upon Him. In gatherings of communists, we explained the laws that will conduce to the establishment of peace and order in the world. In materialist assemblies, we proved and established the extraordinary power of the supernatural. In congregations consecrated to the establishment of peace, and in the conferences of various peoples, we have raised the call of the Ancient Beauty, and have expounded upon that which leads to the advancement of universal peace, and promotes the unity of humankind, in such wise that in every gathering, heads were bowed in humility and tongues were unloosed in praise, hearts were enraptured by the sweet savours of God and souls were rejoiced at His glad-tidings. Behold, now, how great is this thing that has come to pass!
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha en route to Liverpool, on board the Celtic, 5 December 1912; recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)