Baha’i Seer 1 The Extraordinary Life and Work of Wellesley Tudor Pole - Baha’i Seer Abstract for ABS Seminar Newcastle Weekend 27/28 th July 2013 This papeƌ seeks to eǀaluate the ƌole of WellesleLJ Tudoƌ Pole iŶ the Bahai MoǀeŵeŶt aŶd edžaŵiŶe the plaĐe of Bahaisŵ iŶ the ǁideƌ ĐoŶtedžt of The Quest ǁhiĐh doŵiŶated Poles spiritual life for several decades. Recent research has brought to light further information suƌƌouŶdiŶg Poles ďeliefs aďout the ďoǁl he disĐoǀeƌed iŶ GlastoŶďuƌLJ aŶd its liŶks to a lost library in Constantinople, his spirit guides and their role in conflicts in different spheres. Poles ƌelatioŶship ǁith the Bahais ƌaises a Ŷuŵďeƌ of ƋuestioŶs, ǁheƌe did it fit ǁith Poles ǁideƌ ďelief sLJsteŵ? WhLJ he ǁas suĐh a doŵiŶaŶt figuƌe iŶ the Bahai MoǀeŵeŶt and what ǁas his legaĐLJ ǁheŶ he ultiŵatelLJ ƌejeĐted the Bahai Faith? Pole remains a significant figure in the alternative spirituality milieu and arguably the single most influential individual in the re-emergence of Glastonbury as a spiritual centre, he was undoubtedly the saviour of Abdul Baha from the advancing Turkish army – but was he a Bahai? Wellesley Tudor Pole, recorded a saying among West Somerset country people, that Jesus once walked the line from St Michael's Mount to Glastonbury, and that one day he will pass that way again. The time and form of his next appearance are unknown, but he must be made welcome, and every traveller should therefore be given hospitality. Introduction In 1911 another great British mystic and religious revolutionary, Aleister Crowley wrote a book called Liber Thisarb, Crowley always keen to demonstrate his intellect and knowledge explained Thisarb is Berashith transliterated backwards. Berashith, ŵeaŶiŶg IŶ the ďegiŶŶiŶg... the opeŶiŶg ǁoƌds of the Biďle. IŶ his ďook Crowley demonstrated a technique for training what he called Magickal Memory, which involved memorising events in reverse chronological order, rather like replaying a video in rewind. I have taken the liberty of using Mƌ CƌoǁleLJs ŵethod iŶ ǁƌitiŶg this paper as I believe it exposes better the rhythms and theŵes of Poles life ďoth iŶ this ǁoƌld aŶd iŶ the ŵLJstiĐal ƌealŵs ǁheƌe he seeŵs to haǀe been more at home. Death and Afterwards 1944 to 1968 On the 13 th September, 1968 Wellesley Pole made his final withdrawal from this plane of edžisteŶĐe, he did Ŷot aĐĐept the ĐoŶĐept of death as life ĐaŶŶot ďe edžtiŶguished ǁe speak a falsehood ǁheŶeǀeƌ ǁe ƌefeƌ to a peƌsoŶs death. “hoƌtlLJ ďefoƌe his passiŶg iŶ the saŵe LJeaƌ, his ďook WƌitiŶg oŶ the GƌouŶd ǁas published. In this book Pole evaluates and ƌefleĐts upoŶ his ƌelatioŶship ǁith the Bahai Faith, it ŵaLJ ďe sigŶifiĐaŶt that he ƌetuƌŶed to this subject so near the end, on the other hand it may simply have been as he says in the book in response to ƌeƋuests fƌoŵ Bahai friends. About a third of the volume is concerned ǁith Poles ƌeŵiŶisĐeŶĐes of Aďdul Baha and the recounting of anecdotes about the Bahais he had ŵet, ǁhat is paƌtiĐulaƌlLJ sigŶifiĐaŶt is that afteƌ a lifetiŵe of ƌefleĐtioŶ Pole clearly states: At that tiŵe oǀeƌ half a ĐeŶtuƌLJ ago, it did Ŷot seeŵ to ŵe that Aďdul -Bahá envisaged the estaďlishŵeŶt of a Ŷeǁ sepaƌate ‘eligioŶ. All the stƌess of his teaĐhiŶg ǁas laid oŶ