Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Dr. George Augur
[Tablet Translated November 21, 1913]
O thou dear son!
From thy letter the fragrance of the rose garden of significances was inhaled, that praise be to God, thou art assisted by the Divine confirmations, hast found the way to the Kingdom of God and thy heart and soul are quickened. Arise thou to perform the blessed intention thou art holding and travel thou to Japan and lay there the foundation of the Cause of God, that is, summon the people to the Kingdom of God. Japan has great capacity, but there needs be a teacher who will speak by the confirmations of the Holy Spirit. I hope thou wilt become assisted in this.
(Translated by Ahmad Sohrab, Ramleh, Egypt, November 21, 1913)
[Tablet Translated February 12, 1914]
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received. It indicated, praise be to God, that in the matter of advancing toward the Kingdom of God thou art firm and steadfast and thou hast resolved to go to Japan to spread the Divine Teachings. This lofty magnanimity befits praise. I hope thou mayest become confirmed therein and in the affairs of the Kingdom thou mayest follow the inspiration and the teachings of God and not any human suggestion. Rest assured that thou wilt become assisted.
(Translated by Ahmad Sohrab, Haifa, February 12, 1914)
[Tablet Translated August 12, 1914]
O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was received. A thousand times bravo to thy magnanimity and exalted aim! Trusting in God and while turning thy face toward the Kingdom of Abhá, unfurl thou the divine Flag in Tokyo and cry at the top of thy voice: “O ye people. The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth. The cloud of Mercy is pouring, the zephyr of Providence is wafting and the world of humanity is being stirred and moved. The Divine Spirit is conferring eternal life, the heavenly lights are illumining the hearts, the table of the sustenance of the Kingdom is spread and adorned with all kinds of foods and victuals. O ye concourses of men! Awake! Awake! Become mindful! Become mindful! Open ye the seeing eye! Unstop the hearing ear! Hark! Hark! The soft notes of the Heavenly Music are streaming down, ravishing the ears of the people of spiritual discernment. Ere long this transcendent Light will wholly enlighten the East and West!”
In short, with a resounding voice, with a miraculous power, and with the magnetism of the Love of God, teach thou the Cause of God and rest assured that the Holy Spirit shall confirm thee.
(Translated by Ahmad Sohrab, Haifa, August 12, 1914)
[Photograph with the following caption:]
A group who were studying the Faith with Miss Alexander and Dr. Augur. He is sitting in front. Mr. Fukuta, top left, was the first to become a Bahá’í in Japan. Taken in 1916.
[Tablet of 1919]
On August 8, 1915 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s secretary wrote: “Your beautiful petition ... was read to the Beloved ... as He was walking to and fro in the parlor of the Pilgrim House. His face beamed with a heavenly smile as he heard your name. He said: ‘Write to Dr. Augur to return to Japan as soon as the first opportunity offers itself to him. Great blessings will descend upon the soul who teaches the Cause in that country. Its people are endowed with great capability. Should five or six of them be thoroughly grounded in the teachings of this Cause and attracted with its fire, great results will be forthcoming.’”
O ye the two doves nestling in the garden of the Love of God!
Your detailed letter was received. Your services at this spot are recognized and appreciated, particularly (your services) in Tokyo. Praise be to God that in that region ye have been assisted in diffusing the musk-scented perfume, and this in future is pregnant with remarkable results. These few seeds of corn that ye have sown in that soil shall lead to luxuriant crops, this limited number of souls will be converted into great cohorts, nay, rather into an imposing spiritual army, and that seed, under the Divine Direction, shall yield abundant and heavy clusters.
Praise ye God that ye have been assisted with such Divine Bounty. Ye have sown some seeds and now watering is needed. If souls should undertake a voyage from America or Honolulu to the land of Japan, the teachings of God shall thereby be swiftly propagated and important consequences shall result. You two have fulfilled your roles and have striven within the limits of your capacity. At present ye must rest for a time; the turn of others has arrived, that they may similarly travel to Japan, may water the seeds that have been sown and may serve and take care of the tender shrubs. The days of life are swiftly going by, and eventually man will be confined into subterranean regions and his name shall perish, except those souls who become Divine gardeners and who sow seeds in the soil of hearts. Those shall eternally remain shining and glittering like unto stars from the horizon of Truth.
(1919)
3: Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto
1879–1961
Mr. Kanichi[8] Yamamoto has the distinction of being the first Japanese believer. He immigrated from Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, to Hawaii, where he worked in the home of the family of a believer. Also living there was one of the early Bahá’ís of Hawaii, Miss Elizabeth Muther.
Miss Muther wrote to a friend on September 8, 1902, “After I became a believer I felt that sometime I might tell (Mr. Yamamoto). I prayed that his heart might be prepared to receive the truth. Although it was a little difficult to give him the Message because of his imperfect knowledge of English, yet God helped me so that he understands perfectly and is rejoicing in the Knowledge of His Truth. I have just had a little talk with him and he told me how happy he was and that he expects to write his letter to the Master this evening.”
[Photograph with the following caption:]
Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto, the first Japanese Bahá’í with four of his sons. The three oldest boys were given Persian names by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Taken in Berkeley, California in 1920.
Mr. Yamamoto rewrote his letter four times before he was satisfied. “He felt that he could not write in English, so I told him that I thought it would be all right for him to write in Japanese. I was sure the Master would understand the spirit of his letter. Mr. Yamamoto said that although his letter was written in Japanese, the Master fully answered him.”
Mr. Yamamoto wrote other letters to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Japanese. At the time no one in the Holy Land could read Japanese. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s secretary recorded that He said, “I will turn to Bahá’u’lláh, and He will tell me what to say.” He always answered Mr. Yamamoto’s questions.
Mr. Yamamoto later lived in the Berkeley-Oakland area of California. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited Oakland in 1912, Mr. Yamamoto had the privilege of arranging a meeting for him at the Japanese Independent Church. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talk is quoted in Ch. 6.