In December 1898, with the kindness and graciousness of Phoebe, she invited Robert (as her butler) to assist her, along with Lua and others to visit the Holy Land.

He became a Baha'i in 1921 and in 1926 he acted as the literary adviser to Shoghi Effendi, reading through and editing all of the Guardian's major publications. At Shoghi Effendi's request he wrote