At the grave of Thornton Chase,
San Francisco, California,
October 19, 1912
This revered personage was the first Bahá'í in America. He
served the Cause faithfully and his services will ever be remembered throughout
future ages and cycles. He has written many books in this Cause and they will
be studied carefully by the coming generations. He travelled once to 'Akká and
there we associated with each other for several days. Indeed he became free
from the troubles of this world. No matter how long he might have remained
here, he would have met nothing else but trouble.
The purpose of life is to get certain results; that is, the
life of man must bring forth certain fruitage. It does not depend upon the
length of life. As soon as the life is crowned with fruition then it is
completed, although that person may have had a short life. There are certain
trees which come to fruition very quickly, but there are other trees which
attain to fruition very late; the aim is fruit. If the tree brings forth its
fruit young, its life is short; it is praiseworthy. How regretful it is that a
man may live a long life and yet his life may not be crowned with success, like
unto the cypress tree which does not give any fruitage.
Praise be to God! the tree of Mr. Chase's life brought forth
fruit. It gave complete fruit, therefore he is free. He attained to eternal
rest. He is now in the Presence of Bahá'u'lláh.
His Holiness Jesus Christ lived only thirty-three years, but the world is filled with the fruits of his life. Others have lived a hundred years, with no result and no fruitage from their lives. There was a rabbi in Tiberius who lived 120 years, but the tree of his life was fruitless. He had great enmity against Jesus Christ. He often used to argue: 'The ephemeral life is subject to many trials and vicissitudes; there is no enjoyment in it.'
The life of Mr. Chase was spiritual in character; his
services will ever he remembered and he has already attained to the desire of
his heart."
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha at the grave of Thornton Chase, San
Francisco, California, October 19, 1912’ Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 13,
November 4, 1912)
