on february 23, 1914, at the eve of world war i, baron edmond james de rothschild, a member of the rothschild banking family who was a leading advocate and financier of the zionist movement, attended a general meeting at the home of ʻabdu'l-bahá during one of his early trips to palestine. ʻabdu'l-bahá is recorded saying in part "unless the souls are believers in god and assured in the verses of god, wealth causes the hearts to be hardened and without light."