Concerning the election of the president

Mahmud's Diary

October 14, 1912

Pleasanton, CA

In the morning ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke about the election of the president of the republic. He said:

The president must be a man who does not insistently seek the presidency. He should be a person free from all thoughts of name and rank; rather, he should say, ‘I am unworthy and incapable of this position and cannot bear this great burden.’ Such persons deserve the presidency. If the object is to promote the public good, then the president must be a well-wisher of all and not a self-seeking person. If the object, however, is to promote personal interests, then such a position will be injurious to humanity and not beneficial to the public.