April 13. On this date in 1919, 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote Howard MacNutt approving his idea to publish the compilation of his talks in America and urging him to be most careful to reproduce the exact text. This work became The Promulgation of Universal Peace.

 

April 13. On this date in 1919, 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote Howard MacNutt approving his idea to publish the compilation of his talks in America and urging him to be most careful to reproduce the exact text. This work became The Promulgation of Universal Peace.

From the Foreword to The Promulgation of Universal Peace

To his honor Mr. Howard MacNutt, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.

O thou old friend! 

. . . Thy intention to print and publish the discourses of 'Abdu'l-Bahá which thou hast compiled is indeed very advisable. This service shall cause thee to acquire an effulgent face in the Abhá kingdom and shall make thee the object of praise and gratitude of the friends in the East as well as the West. But this is to be undertaken with the utmost carefulness so that the exact text may be reproduced and that all errors and deviations committed by previous interpreters shall be excluded.

ABDUL BAHA ABBAS

(Haifa, Palestine, 13 April 1919)

On December 26, 1926, Howard MacNutt, a Disciple of 'Abdu’l-Bahá, died. 

On November 18, 1912, as commanded by 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Howard MacNutt, repented before a group of New York Bahá’ís. MacNutt had violated the Covenant when he failed "to break all communication with Ibrahim Kheirallaand other Covenant-breakers." 

Theologically liberal, Howard MacNutt had an extremely high regard for the ability of persons to fulfil their own potential, to the extent of becoming like Christ in one’s spiritual abilities. One consequence was a belief that 'Abdu’l-Bahá had no extraordinary spiritual station; according to Charles Mason Remey, MacNutt did not "regard Him as being different in Spirit from other men. . . that through works and service and overcoming all He attained to this station." His view contrasted sharply with that of most Bahá’ís, and caused the Washington, D.C. Bahá’ís to cease inviting MacNutt to speak at their meetings, about 1906. It resulted in a severe personality clash with Arthur P. Dodge (q. v.), who viewed 'Abdu’l-Bahá as the return of Christ. It also resulted in MacNutt failing to appreciate the Bahá’í teaching that Covenant-breaking is a spiritual disease. When 'Abdu’l-Bahá came to the United States in 1912 He assigned to MacNutt the task of meeting with a group of potential Covenant-breakers in Chicago and warning them. He also ordered MacNutt to break all communication with Ibrahim Kheiralla and other Covenant-breakers. When MacNutt failed to cut his connections with the Covenant-breakers and failed to warn the Chicago group of their actions, 'Abdu’l-Bahá warned Howard MacNutt that he had violated the Covenant himself and commanded him to repent before a group of New York Bahá’ís, which he did on 18 November 1912. But the matter was not resolved; 'Abdu’l-Bahá cabled Ali Kuli Khan on 16 April 1913, "MACNUTT REPENTED FROM VIOLATION OF COVENANT BUT WAS NOT AWAKENED." After several months’ correspondence between MacNutt and 'Abdu’l-Bahá via Ali Kuli Khan, MacNutt satisfied 'Abdu’l-Bahá that he had come to understand and repent for his earlier errors, and 'Abdu’l-Bahá recognized MacNutt as a Bahá’í.