018 - Discourse At lalliance Spiritualiste

In her Preface to the Paris Talks, Lady Blomfield notes, “Much has already been written of the visit of Abdul Baha, Abbas Effendi, to Europe.” While in Paris at 4, Avenue de Comoens, he mesmerized diverse audiences each morning with his profound teachings. Listeners included scholars, agnostics, materialists, and spiritualists, all eager for insight. Speaking in Persian, Abdul Bahas words were translated into French, while Lady Blomfield, her daughters, and friends took diligent notes. Initially hesitant to publish their accounts, they found encouragement in Abdul Baha’s urging to share his lofty message. First published in 1912, Talks by `Abdul-Bahá Given in Paris is a compilation of these enlightening discourses. Although the authenticity of the texts may be uncertain, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, affirmed their value for Bahá’ís, with future efforts aimed at identifying authentic content. The extensive notes by Lady Blomfield form the basis of this volume. As a devoted Bahá’í since 1907, she played a pivotal role in the early years of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the British Isles. (Introduction by Nicholas James Bridgewater)