October 26. On this date in 1912, the Sacramento California Union newspaper had an article introducing "'Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas, the Persian prophet and world leader of the Bahá’í movement...which already has 12,000,000 followers in the world."

October 26. On this date in 1912, the Sacramento California Union newspaper had an article introducing "'Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas, the Persian prophet and world leader of the Bahá’í movement...which already has 12,000,000 followers in the world."

Persian Prophet, Leader of Bahá Movement, Lectures on Doctrines
‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas, the Persian prophet and world leader of the Bahá’í movement, last night at the Hotel Sacramento expounded the doctrine and principles of his cause to an audience of mixed nationalities. Universal brotherhood, international peace, religious unity and the establishment of an ultimate world tribunal of arbitration make up the chief foundations for the movement which already has 12,000,000 followers in the world.
The venerable prophet, with his long gray beard, cloak and turban, spoke in Persian. His remarks were translated by Dr. Ameen Fareed, a graduate of the University of Illinois, and also of Johns Hopkins university. In appearance he represented a true incarnation of the far Eastern patriarchs and prophets of old.
ON TOUR OF UNITED STATES.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s home is in Mount Carmel, Syria. He arrived in New York April 7, 1912, and is touring the United States. This is his first visit to this country. To a Union reporter, in his apartment at the Hotel Sacramento yesterday afternoon following his arrival from San Francisco, he grave a brief synopsis of what the Bahá’í movement really stands for.
Universal peace is possible, he claims, only through the harmonizing of religious differences among races and nations. Jews, Christians, Mohammedans, Hindus and believers of all Divine religions, he declares, if they go back to the fundamental principles of their respective religions will find a common meeting ground. All religion, he asserts, after a lapse of centuries have been corrupted by dogmas.
EXPOUNDS PRINCIPLES.
Summarizing the Bahá’í idea he dictated the following statement, declaring its purpose to be: To invetsigate reality or truth; the declaration concerning the oneness or solidity of human kind, meaning God is one and humanity is one; international peace among races, among nations and among religions; the comparison of religion with science with a view of conforming the two; the general spread of education; international language as a means of international communication; the adoption of the Bahá’í formula for a definite regime of economics, which although it conserves the social degrees makes it possible for each individual to enjoy fully the resources of the Creator; the equality of rights, spiritual solidity and, heavenly fraternity; the establishment of an international parliamentary tribunal to which all nations shall send authorized representatives to settle by arbitration international disputes.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s party is composed of four other Persians and a Japanese fugitive [should read “Fujita”]. In the party are Dr. Ameen Fareed, Mirzra Ahmad Sahrab, Mizra Mahmood, and Mirza Ali Abkar.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá is 68 years old. He is the third of a trinity of Bahá’í prophets. Until the Young Turks assumed control of the Turkish empire ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a prisoner. At the age of 9 he was sentenced to prison for life by the former Sultan of Turkey, ‘Abdul Hamid.
The Bahá’í religion was conceived by Bahá’u’lláh about 50 years ago. This prophet communicated his ideas to every ruler of the world at the time. U.S. Grant, as President of the United States, received a copy of the prophet’s doctrine for universal peace.
BARS AMERICAN POLITICS.
With regard to the Balkan war, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá merely pronounced it the result of a ferocious state of affairs. He did not care to discuss American politics, although he declared himself interested in the outcome of the coming election.
A few days ago ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke to the students of Stanford university. He is now on his way to Salt Lake. On his return trip across the continent he will speak in Salt Lake, Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Des Moines, and other larger cities of the middle West and East. He will repeat his lecture at the hotel this morning at 9 o’clock. He will leave Sacramento today to continue his journey East.

On December 16, 1953, Shoghi Effendi sent a cablegram stating "Following the successive blows which fell with dramatic swiftness two years ago upon the ring-leaders of the fast dwindling band of old Covenant-breakers at the World Center of the Faith, God's avenging hand struck down in the last two months, Avarih, Fareed and Falah."

Fast-Dwindling Band of Covenant-Breakers
Following the successive blows which fell with dramatic swiftness two years ago upon the ring-leaders of the fast dwindling band of old Covenant-breakers at the World Center of the Faith, God's avenging hand struck down in the last two months, Avarih, Fareed and Falah, within the cradle of the Faith, North America and Turkey, who demonstrated varying degrees, in the course of over thirty years, of faithlessness to 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The first of the above named will be condemned by posterity as being the most shameless, vicious, relentless apostate in the annals of the Faith, who, through ceaseless vitriolic attacks in recorded voluminous writings and close alliance with its traditional enemies, assiduously schemed to blacken its name and subvert the foundations of its institutions.
The second, history will recognize as one of the most perfidious among the kinsmen of the interpreters of the Center of the Covenant, who, driven by ungovernable cupidity, committed acts causing agonies of grief and distress to the beloved Master and culminating in open association with breakers of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant in the Holy Land.
The third will be chiefly remembered by the pride, obstinacy and insatiable ambition impelling him to violate the spiritual and administrative precepts of the Faith.
All three, however blinded by perversity, could not have failed to perceive, as their infamous careers approached their end, the futility of their opposition and measure their own loss by the degree of progress and consolidation of the triumphant administrative order so magnificently celebrated in the course of the festivities of the recently concluded Holy Year.

Avarih (literally "the Wanderer") was a Baha'i missionary, journalist, author and teacher who spent 18 years as missionary. He was a close companion of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, who conferred on him the titles of "Raʾīs-al-moballeḡīn" (Chief of Missionaries) and "Avarih."

Dr. Amínu'lláh Faríd (Ameen U. Fareed) was the nephew of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's wife, Munírih Khánum.

Ne'matullah Falah had left Iran at the time of Baha'u'llah's exile and had finally settled in Iskenderun, Turkey, where he had become a successful businessman. He had been appointed Honorary Iranian Consul in that city, a post he had taken upon the explicit encouragement of the Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Upon his accession to the Guardianship Shoghi Effendi had considered that it would serve the Cause better if Baha'is refrained from all political activities. He therefore asked Falah to resign his post. This Falah refused to do, especially as he had a letter from the Master urging him to take the post. This resulted in the expulsion of Falah and his family from the Cause.