The Bahai Revelation

Thornton Chase (1847 - 1912)

Thornton Chase is commonly recognized as the first convert to the Bahá’í Faith of Occidental background. During his life he organized many Bahá’í activities in Chicago and Los Angeles and was considered a prominent Bahá’í. In 1894, Chase met Ibrahim Kheiralla, a Bahá’í from Beirut who had recently come to the United States. Chase and a small group of Chicagoans began to study the Bahá’í Faith with him. By 1895 he had completed the class and become a Bahá’í. In 1907 Chase was able to go on pilgrimage. Though Chase was able to be with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Akka for only three days, the experience transformed him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, highly impressed by Chase’s qualities, conferred on him the title Thábit, "steadfast". On returning home, Chase wrote an account of his pilgrimage, which was published under the title In Galilee in 1908. The short work gives a detailed and poignant description of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's home and family in Akka, as well as a moving description of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá himself. Chase then turned his thoughts to an introductory book on the Bahá’í Faith. Published as The Bahai Revelation in 1909, this work was one of the most comprehensive and accurate introductions to the Bahá’í Faith written by an early American Bahá’í. It continued to be reprinted until the 1920s. The work emphasized the Bahá’í Faith and its teachings as a vehicle for personal spiritual transformation. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, later honoured him as one of the Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (also termed “Heralds of the Covenant”). (Adapted from Wikipedia)

Genre(s): Other religions

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 00 - Preface Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:15:51
Play 01 01 - Chapter 01 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:14:08
Play 02 02 - Chapter 02 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:13:28
Play 03 03 - Chapter 03 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:14:03
Play 04 04 - Chapter 04 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:11
Play 05 05 - Chapter 05 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:07
Play 06 06 - Chapter 06 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:09:57
Play 07 07 - Chapter 07 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:13:38
Play 08 08 - Chapter 08 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:47
Play 09 09 - Chapter 09 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:18
Play 10 10 - Chapter 10 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:06:58
Play 11 11 - Chapter 11 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:28
Play 12 12 - Chapter 12 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:19:41
Play 13 13 - Chapter 13 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:14:44
Play 14 14 - Chapter 14 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:16:29
Play 15 15 - Chapter 15 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:47
Play 16 16 - Chapter 16 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:21:56
Play 17 17 - Chapter 17 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:05:24
Play 18 18 - Chapter 18 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:06:56
Play 19 19 - Chapter 19 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:13:47
Play 20 20 - Chapter 20 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:05:34
Play 21 21 - Chapter 21 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:22:16
Play 22 22 - Chapter 22 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:10:28
Play 23 23 - Chapter 23 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:42
Play 24 24 - Chapter 24 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:17:17
Play 25 25 - Chapter 25 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:08:01
Play 26 26 - Chapter 26 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:13:08
Play 27 27 - Chapter 27 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:10:53
Play 28 28 - Chapter 28 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:11:37
Play 29 29 - Chapter 29 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:06:25
Play 30 30 - Chapter 30 Nicholas James Bridgewater
00:07:19