June 30. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had lunch at the Morristown, New Jersey home of the Persian consul-general Topakyan, causing him to be late to his train departing …

 

June 30. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had lunch at the Morristown, New Jersey home of the Persian consul-general Topakyan, causing him to be late to his train departing Montclair, New Jersey, leading to the report in the New York Times that "The departure of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, leader of the Bahá’í cult, from Montclair to-day was attended by excitement...When train time came, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was not in sight. He had been delayed. The baggage of the Persians was aboard the train, and as it moved away they appealed to the trainmen in several Oriental languages to defer the departure for a few minutes. Several of the excited followers of the prophet, when they realized that the train was leaving, jumped to the platforms. One of them, in swinging his arms about, accidentally or otherwise, pulled the bell rope. At the same instant, by a strange coincidence, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá hove in sight in an automobile. To add to the excitement a Persian accidentally knocked off the conductor’s hat. The train came to a halt, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá leaped from the automobile and was hustled aboard the coach by his friends."