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Excerpted:

At this historic structure, about 3,200 souls gathered on Sept. 9, 2012, for “‘Abdu’l-Baha: Pillar of Peace,” a commemoration of the centenary of the momentous visit to California by the son of the founder of the Baha’i Faith.

The two-hour event incorporated talks, drama, storytelling, music and video to tell the story of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s unwavering message of peace and to challenge Baha’is to harness peace — at home, among friends, in their neighborhood — as an energizing factor as they continue building community and sharing the healing teachings of the Faith.

The program opened with the first of three dramatic vignettes telling the story of how the Faith was introduced in California and established through the counsel of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, venerated by Baha’is as “the Master.”

Actors in period dress portrayed Robert Turner, the first African-American Baha’i; Thornton Chase, the first American believer; Helen Goodall, called “Mother of the Faithful” by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and her daughter Ella Goodall Cooper; and John Bosch, the vintner whose philanthropy would later help establish Bosch Baha’i School in California.

Their moving stories helped the audience to “feel” what it was like to encounter the Faith for the first time, to share its teachings, to correspond and visit with ‘Abdu’l-Baha, to teach the Faith, and to take those first steps in establishing the administration of the Faith.

The audience was then shown a “video time capsule” about turn-of-the-century San Francisco.

Source:

San Francisco program reaffirms ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s vision of peace – Bahai Faith | Baha'i Faith | United States Official Website