During a reception in Peckham, on 5 September 1924, a member of the local committee of the Dulwich Conservative Association met with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. He requested Huzoorra to deliver a lecture in Dulwich. Accepting the invitation, Huzoorra wrote an article, which was read out in English at the Constitutional Hall on East Dulwich Grove. (Safar-e-Europe, pp. 195-196)
Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Dulwich Conservative Association
A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Dulwich Conservative Association was held on 12 September 1924, presided over by Councillor Herbert D. Bott. Giving us proof of preparations taking place in anticipation of Huzoor’sra lecture.
Within the minutes of this meeting, we find the following:
“The Chairman drew attention to the Educational Meeting to be held on Friday, 26th September, at which His Holiness the Khalifat-ul-Masih was to speak on India, and asked for a strong attendance.”
Announcement in press
The South London Observer reported on 24 September under the heading “Dulwich Conservative Association”:
“The first of the season’s educational meetings will take place in the Constitutional Hall, East Dulwich Grove, on Friday next, at 8.30 p.m., when an address on ‘India’ will be delivered by His Holiness the Khilafat-ul-Masih, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad[ra], head of the Ahmadia Movement in Islam, who is on a visit to England in connection with the Conference of Living Religions within the Empire, which is being held at Wembley. At the present time, when Empire and Indian affairs are so much to the fore, this meeting will afford members a rare opportunity to gain, at first hand, authoritative information about our greatest possession from one who is an acknowledged leader of religious thought in his own country.”
On 26 September 1924, Forest Hill, Sydenham and Penge Examiner, wrote:
“The first of the season’s meetings will take place in the Constitutional Hall, Dulwich Grove, tonight (Friday) at 8:30 when an address on ‘India’ will be delivered by His Holiness the Khalifat-ul-Masih, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad[ra], head of the Ahmadia Movement in Islam, who is on a visit to England in connection with the Conference of Living Religions within the Empire which is being held at Wembley.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra arrival at the venue
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra reached the Constitutional Hall via motor car, precisely at 8:30 pm. The attendees were eagerly waiting Huzoor’sra arrival and they all welcomed him with loud ‘cheers’ when they saw him proceeding towards the stage. (Safar-e-Europe, pp. 311-312)
A leader of the Conservative Party, Councillor Herbert D. Bott delivered a welcome speech and introduced Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and requested Huzoorra to deliver the lecture. (Ibid., p. 313)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra then took to the podium and expressed his gratitude to the organisers for arranging this event. Hazrat Sir Zafrulla Khanra read out the paper, since rather than prepared, Huzoorra was accustomed to doing extempore speeches. (Ibid.)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra Urdu article, titled “Hindustan ke halaaat-e-hazirah aur ittehad paida karne ke zara‘ey” — Contemporary circumstances of India and means to foster unity, was read out in English by Hazrat Sir Chaudhry Zafrulla Khanra. In this article, Huzoorra shed light on the ongoing situation of India, and solutions to its problems and granted valuable guidance to the British Government.
After Huzoor’sra lecture, the session president gave a vote of thanks and praised the lecture highly. (Al Fazl, 1 November 1924, p. 3)
Impact of the lecture
Mentioning the impact of the lecture by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, the South London Observer wrote on 1 October:
“The first of the season’s education meetings was held under the auspices of the Dulwich Conservative Association at the Constitutional Hall, East Dulwich Grove, on Friday evening. The announcement that an address on India would be delivered by His Holiness the Khilafat-ul-Masih, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad[ra], head of the Ahmadia movement in Islam, who is on a visit to England in connection with the Conference of Living Religions within the Empire, drew a large audience, pretty equally composed of both sexes. The presence of a number of Hindus [sic., Indians] in their native dress added interest to the proceedings. Cllr. H. D. Bott presided. A vote of thanks was accorded to the speaker upon the proposition of Mr. Geo, Nye, seconded by Capt. H. Bridger, and a similar compliment was paid to the chairman.”
(Prepared by the Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre)