nd is buying up all the
surrounding lands.'

"About this time an Italian ship appeared in the harbour sent by order of
the Italian Consul. It had been planned that I was to escape on it by
night. The Baha'is in Akka implored me to go but I sent this message to
the captain: 'The Bab did not run away: Baha'u'llah did not run away; I
shall not run away, so the ship sailed away after waiting three days and
three nights.

"It was while the Sultan's committee of investigation was homeward bound
that the first shell was dropped into 'Abdu'l-Hamid's camp and the first
gun of freedom was fired into the home of despotism. That was God's gun,"
said 'Abdu'l-Baha, with one of his wonderful smiles.

"When the committee reached the Turkish capital, they had more urgent
things to think of. The city was in a state of uproar and rebellion, and
the committee, as members of the government staff, were delegated to
investigate the insurrection. Meanwhile the people were establishing a
constitutional government and 'Abdu'l-Hamid was given no chance to act."

The Release

"With the advent of the Young Turks' supremacy, realized through the
Society of Union and Progress, all the political prisoners of the Ottoman
Empire were set free. Events took the chains from my neck and placed them
about Hamid's; 'Abdu'l-Baha came out of prison and 'Abdu'l-Hamid went in!"

"What became of the committee?" asked someone, breaking the deep silence
that followed the recital of this thrilling page of history. "Arif Bey,"
continued 'Abdu'l-Baha, "was shot with three bullets, the general was
exiled, the next in rank died, and the third ran away to Cairo, where he
sought and received help from the Baha'is."

"Will you tell us how you felt while in prison and how you regard your
freedom?" I asked. "We are glad that you are free."

"Thank you," he said graciously, and continuing--

"Freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition. I was thankful for
the prison, and the lack of liberty was very pleasing to me, for those
days were passed in the path of service, under the utmost difficulties and
trials, bearing fruits and results.

"Unless one accepts dire vicissitudes, he will not attain. To me prison is
freedom, troubles rest me, death is life, and to be despised is honour.
Therefore, I was happy all that time in prison. When one is released from
the prison of self, that is indeed release, for that is the greater
prison. When this release takes