PRINCIPLES of FAITH
"This is the King of Days, the Day that hath seen the coming of the Best-Beloved, Him who through all eternity hath been acclaimed the Desired of the world."
"Through the moment of our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidence of this world-wide regeneration."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The mature spirit of man must have adequate channels for its expression. The present world provides only the institutions of adolescence and youth; competitive nationalism, social and economic classes, party politics and sectarian religion. New and universal institutions are needed. A world economic system, world government, a world society, a true corporate state of mankind. Such an order, however, can only be achieved by mature human beings; it can not successfully be imposed on adolescents, moral or intellectual. If men are greedy, selfish, without social conscience, no system will make life worth living.
Who can change a human heart? Who can galvanize a slothful spirit into radiant activity in the path of spiritual growth? Jesus the Christ could. Today the church can not. Muhammad could. Today Islam can not. None of the historic religious systems shows any signs of provoking a world renaissance, or even of producing so great a Cause. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are concerned with preserving their own forms and ceremonies; Buddhism and Hinduism appear lost in the intricacies of their own mysticism. A host of new sects and cults, "violent fires" which "soon burn out themselves", invade the ranks of orthodoxy; atheism and materialism take their toll, from all religions, those who will not accept blindly or bear with apathy. Where then lies salvation? Who can purify religion from its accumulated dust and cobwebs?
Who can answer the cry of the disillusioned millions, those "hungry sheep" who "look up and are not fed"?
"The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, He, the Source of infinite grace.... hath caused those luminous gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence.... All the Prophets of God, His well-favored, His holy and chosen Messengers are, without exception, the bearers of His names and attributes.... These Tabernacles of Holiness, these primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading glory, are but expressions of Him who is the Invisible of the Invisibles."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Bahá'u'lláh is the most extraordinary Spiritual Figure, and the greatest progressive, that the nineteenth century produced. His life story is dramatic. He was born in Teheran, Iran(Persia),in 1817, scion of a noble and wealthy family, a direct descendant of King David. His father was a Minister of State under the Shah of Persia. He was a brilliant youth, with an extraordinary power of attraction that was felt by all. He never attended school or college, receiving the mere rudiments of education in the home. He was, nevertheless, early in life distinguished by extraordinary wisdom and knowledge as well as by a universal kindliness and generosity. Bahá'u'lláh, as the oldest son, was expected to follow the family career of Statesmanship. He chose instead that path of religious and humanitarian reform which eventuated in a great world movement; but which lead also along a thorny path of persecution, exile and life imprisonment.
The corrupt Islamic clergy of Iran did not relish the powerful blasts of reform which Bahá'u'lláh directed toward them; and possessing control both of the church and of the law they were able to effect the banishment of the Prophet first to Baghdad, then Constantinople, then Adrianople. In 1868 Bahá'u'állh and his companions were sent into a yet more distant exile, this time to the Holy Land. The Turkish penal colony of Acre (Akka'), Palestine, at the foot of Mount Carmel, they came by the will of their enemies, thus fulfilling the prophecies of the Bible and the Qur'an. In that city whose pestilential climate few prisoners could long survive, Bahá'u'lláh was held a prisoner from 1868 to 1892, confined at times in a foul dungeon, at times in a residential compound.
When Bahá'u'lláh died in 1892, Ábdu'l-Baha the eldest son, became by Bahá'u'lláh's designation the leader and expounder of the newly born Baha'i World Faith. The teachings of which reached America for the first time in 1893 at the Conference on World Religions held at the World's Fair in Chicago Ábdu'l-Baha remained also a prisoner at Acre, (Akka'), until 1908, when the Turkish Revolution freed him. In 1912 he spent a year in America in a missionary tour from coast to coast.
Bahá'u'lláh gave a Revelation unto mankind that is the foundation which the All-Mightiful Kingdom of God shall be established. Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant and Ábdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament, returned to humanity, the validness of eternal authority and glorious bounty for the New Era of Mankind. Under Bahá'u'lláh's appearance unto humanity, all the prophecies of past religions have been fulfilled and re-established. The return of the Covenant, the Book of Laws, the re-gathering of the twelve Tribes of Israel, the second coming of the Messiah and the re-establishment of the Davidic Kingship. Never has such a Revelation been so completely fulfilled by any Manifestation. The dawn of God's Glorious Kingdom is upon the shores of humanity's civilization.
The establishment of the New World Order, is at the door step of mankind's civilization, unveiled for humanity's grasp. It shall develop into a radiant illumination of the spiritual endowments of God's Will. There are twelve fundamental principles of the Baha'i Faith, which gives humanity the very foundation to establish world unity, peace and oneness in the hearts of all mankind. They are forthcoming in these collective writings.
Truth is the object of search among the principles of finding and gaining new knowledge about the existence of ourselves. Without the gained knowledge, we are but in darkness, unlearned, uncaring and an unimportant animal of creation. However, when mankind is stimulated to even investigate the simplest of items, radiant brilliance of truth of science, religion, knowledge of all things are opened to his understanding. The complex patterns of the intellect, the mind in its functioning capacity, has the ability to comprehend both concrete and abstract thought patterns. Animals think in only terms of concrete visible patterns, while the whole of humanity has both the concrete and abstract thought patterns of tangible physical things as well as the unseen comprehension of intangible thoughts.
To be able to achieve the collected findings of investigated truth, we first must clear our thoughts of traditional concepts unsubstantiated by proofs. Secondly, we have to arise above the prejudices of cultural superstition and small insignificant and trivial notions. Possessing an open receptive mind is essential for positive and untarnished investigation. If we allow our thoughts to prematurely establish our concepts, that we are the only one right and everyone else can only be wrong, we then set before our investigation an obstacle to great to over come. Truth is of one source, foundation and origin. To achieve to the pathway of truth, we must be in unity, which is essential if we are to find the awaiting truth.
Truth is one, of one accord, and can not contradict another truth, for being of the same origin, truth is always of the same radiant vibration. A rose is beautiful and the same, no matter which garden it may bloom in. A star, shining forth constantly in the same radiance, whether from the East or Western horizon, is the same, never is its light opposed to the nature of its reality. In like manner, truth is of one nature and accord, no matter where it is found, or where it may achieve a radiant attraction to any individual.
We must find ourselves willing to clear away all that we have previously learned. Preventing traditional obstacles to clog our steps on the way to truth. We must not allow our love for any one religion or any one personality to blind our eyes and to cloud our thoughts, or we would become fettered by mere superstitions. When we become freed from all these bonds and begin seeking with liberated minds, then shall we be able to arrive at our goal, the radiant light of truth .
" God Himself does not compel the soul to become spiritual. The exercise of the free human will is necessary."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The investigation of truth is not binding upon mankind, rather, it is of a free will of the individual to pursue. For each individual should see and realize for himself the necessary truth manifested in the human temple. God has gifted mankind with the purest gift, the intellect. With such a tool, mankind may discover the realities of his existence, the essence of his creation, its purpose and meaning. The Prophets called onto mankind to open their eyes, not shut them, to use their reason and not to suppress it. "It is clear seeing and free thinking, not servile credulity, that will enable them to penetrate the clouds of prejudice, to shake off the fetters of blind imitation, and attain to the realization of the truth of a new Revelation." Mankind should become use to using all the faculties God has so gloriously given to humanity for the acquisition of truth.
It is essential that individuals should become capable of discerning the true from the false, right from wrong, and of seeing things in their true proportions. Be weary of sayings and purposed truths without valid proofs and sufficient evidence to their credibility. If a heart of the seeker is pure, and their mind is free and escapes the worldly prejudices, the true and earnest seeker will not fail to recognize the divine glory in what ever temple it may become manifested.
"O ye sons of intelligence! The thin eyelid prevents the eye from seeing the world and what is contained therein. Then think of the result when the curtain of greed over the sight of the heart!
O people! The darkness of greed and envy obscures the light of the soul as the cloud prevents the penetration of the sun's rays."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The use of the intellect is the fundamental tool and foundation to search after truth and knowledge. A pure heart and free will to search, to investigate, is the very foundation of a independent Search for Truth. Let it swell in the hearts of all mankind. Once truth is found, then unity can be achieved in its total essence.
Any historical ingenious theories of essential racial superiority, which many people still embrace, can not survive investigation nor the inquisitive examination of a sincere seeker. Foundations of racial superiority prove to be nothing more than expressions of national or racial conceit and pomposity, when considered without egoism or prejudice. There is simply no known fact of human anatomy or physiology which implies that the capacity for culture of civilization inheres in one race or another race of mankind.
The strength of a living society depends upon the unity of its millions of diversified individuals in a common ideology, which must be excellently suited to the needs and conditions of that society. The science of Anthropology has revealed to us our common ancestry. Beyond doubt it has proved totally and conclusively that the human race, though varying in color, size, and feature, is not made up of different kinds and species. Humanity is one, Homo Sapiens, MAN. We are one people from the same origin and with the same history.
"In every dispensation the light of divine guidance has been focused upon one central theme.... In this wondrous Revelation, this glorious center, the foundation of Faith of God and the distinguishing feature of His Law, is the consciousness of the oneness of mankind."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
Long experience is at last convincing men of the truth of the prophetic teaching that selfish views and selfish actions inevitably bring social disaster, and that if humanity is not to perish ingloriously, each must look on the things of his neighbor as of equal importance with his own, and subordinate his own interests to those of humanity as a whole. In this way the interests of each and all will ultimately be best served.
"That which the lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its people in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
We are all fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch, the flowers of one garden. This is most characteristic of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings onto us. The unity of mankind and of all created beings by God is the main theme of his teachings. Every member of the human family, whether of the peoples or of the governments, cities or nations, have become increasingly interdependent. For none, is self sufficiency any longer possible, in as much as political ties unite all people and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every day. Therefore, the unity and oneness of all mankind can in this day be achieved.
The whole of mankind is groaning, yearning to be lead to unity and to terminate its age long martyrdom for oneness. It yet stubbornly refuses to embrace the light and acknowledge the sovereign authority of the one Power that can extricate it from its entanglements. Our human society is now close to approaching the stage which the unification of the whole of mankind can be realized. All of mankind is but of one origin, our Shepherd is the Loving God. Upon us are bestowed His Most Great mercies, for we are considered as one fold. The highest and most excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of 'attaining unto the Presence of God' and of His recognition, which has been promised unto all people. This is the utmost degree of grace vouchsafed unto man by the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days, and the fullness of His absolute bounty upon His Creation.
In human nature, there is a spiritual and intellectual potentiality for development of a higher and higher form of social order. This order itself may reach its ultimate-size and shape with the boundaries of the planet, which is in a world order, but development within that final commonwealth is unlimited. The very nature of things is in the realization of the inner potentialities of man himself towards spiritual evolvement and enlightenment.
Before us is unfolded a principle of oneness among mankind. From family life to tribal life, to city to state, to provinces, kingdoms, and nations, a veil has been lifted from our hearts, that we, all races of mankind, can come together as one, united together. No longer as races of men, but as a race of mankind united in oneness and in brother-hood.
"In that day, saith the lord of Hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree."
'Zechariah 3:10 '
There is only one Religion.
There is but one GOD, by whatever name HE is called. There is but one human race. There can be but one religion. But this one religion has many Speakers, and many expressions.
The life and progress of man are dependent upon the Word of God. In past times the Human race was divided by oceans, mountain ranges, forests, deserts, all the physical barriers which modern inventions have succeeded in surmounting. This is one reason why there have been many Revealers of the Word of God, so that all mankind should receive it.
Baha'u'llah teaches that revelation is progressive, and that each manifestation of God answers the need of his time. This need has two voices. One, crying for spiritual food, satisfaction of the inner life, "knowledge of God", Faith, is always answered in the same way, through spiritual teachings, an outpouring of love, and a renewal of the Soul's vigor. The other voice cries for laws to regulate excesses, abrogation of outworn customs, and organization of daily affairs. Both cries are answered.
"Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation has been vouchsafed to men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually its warmth and potency increases as it approaches its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light. How steadily it declines until it reaches its setting point. Were it all of a sudden to manifest the energies within it, it would no doubt cause injury to all created things.... In like manner, if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men's hearts would neither sustain the intensity of the revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The true educator of man is the Founder of Religion, who trains him in morals and the higher virtues and reveals to him his spiritual reality. All the Prophets have served this purpose. They have trained men in honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, reverence, modesty, civil obedience and self-sacrifice for others. The essential teaching of all Religions the same.
In time, religion becomes corrupt, it loses its early vigor and degenerates into institutions with no spiritual force to energize the inner life of man. Therefore it must be renewed and purified. This is accomplished through the influence of a Messiah, another Speaker.
Man, through successive seasons of civilization and decline, grows in understanding and social capacity. He therefore needs, from time to time, a further measure of that essential, real truth which is both the food of his spirit and the energy of new civilization. This truth is revealed by a Divine Aessenger. Bahá'u'lláh teaches, that religious revelation is progressive, that old forms and institutions must give way to new ones, that revelation is according to the need and capacity of the time.
Jesus the Christ also supports these teachings, religious revelation is according to the capacity and the need. 'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." "You cannot bear it now.' Jesus not only kept the full intensity of God's Revelation from them, but as well spoke the name of a successor, i.e., "The Spirit of Truth", is one of the many literal English expressions to say, 'Bahá'u'lláh'.
The names of the Speakers are different. They apply spiritual truth differently to different conditions, and that is a great source of annoyance to conventional minds. The differences in religion are due to the different requirements of the times in which each revelation was made, and the enmity between religions is due to prejudice and ignorance.
"Know thou assuredly that the essence of all the Prophets is one and the same. Their unity is absolute. God, the Creator saith: There is no distinction whatsoever among the Bearers of My Message. They all have but one purpose; their secret is the same secret. "
"It is clear and evident, therefore, that any apparent variation in the intensity of their light is not inherent in the light itself, but should rather be attributed to the varying receptivity of an ever-changing world. Every Prophet whom the Almighty and Peerless Creator hath purposed to send to the peoples of the earth hath been entrusted with a Message, and charged to act in a manner that would best meet the requirements of the age in which he appeared. "
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Religion is of one common foundation, it comes from God. His messengers speak the same words of unity, harmony and oneness. The Progressive Revelation brought by the Prophets of God, is but the progression of the spiritual evolution and education of mankind's soul, to bring him closer, back unto the pathway of his Creator. There is but one God, there is but one Word, and one Message for mankind.
There exist conflict between science and religion today, which is not new to the chronological records of man's history. The annals of history provides numberless accounts of scientists who have been persecuted in the name of religion and forced with horrible tortures to deny their discoveries. A recent trend, changes the swing of the pendulum the other way, forcing religion now to adapt its theological universe to the realities uncovered by science.
The steady, victorious advance of science has tended not only to technologize but also to secularize the life of humanity. This has proved an advantage from one point of view, in that it has freed man's mind and man's creative activities from the chains and trammels of religious creed and tradition. Human beings are no longer burned at the stake for proclaiming scientific truth.
The secularization of all human activities and affairs on the planet has been fraught also with tragic consequences. Man is a being, differentiated from the animal, with capacity for spiritual perception and spiritual motivation. Science, detouring the life of humanity from these precious and necessary goals, has almost completely stultified man's spiritual powers, so far as daily living is concerned. And despite all the efforts of religionists to infuse life with spiritual zeal and understanding, science continues to increase its devastating hold upon the human mind and soul.
To recapture the imagination and character of man, religion must first make terms with science. Not by surrendering to science one jot of truth or principle, but by restating spiritual truth in terms compatible with the known and accepted truths of science. There must be a reconciliation between science and religion. Both are needed by humanity.
" 'Ali', the son-in-law of Muhammad, said: 'That which is in conformity with science is also in conformity with religion'. Whatever the intelligence of man cannot understand, religion ought not to accept. Religion and Science walk hand in hand and any religion contrary to science is not the truth."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
Both Religion and Science are approaches to truth, and can not be in opposition. Scientists and Priests may disagree, and either may be wrong, but Science, which is knowledge of the universe, can not be opposed to Religion, which is the art of living.
"Put all your beliefs into harmony with science, there can be no opposition, for truth is one. When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world, which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discord and struggles, and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God. "
Ábdu'1-Baha '
Ábdu'l-Baha' says that science and religion are two wings upon which civilization must fly. We may think of science as one wing and religion as the other. A bird needs two wings for flight, one alone would be useless. Any religion that contradicts science, or that is opposed to it, is only ignorance. Religion which consists only of rites and ceremonies of prejudice is not the truth. Much of the discord and disunion of the world is created by these man-made oppositions and contradictions. If religion were in harmony with science, much of the hatred and bitterness now bringing misery to the human race would be at an end.
"Weigh carefully in the balance of reason and science everything that is presented to you as religion. If it passes this test, then accept it, for it is Truth. If, however, it does not so conform, then reject it, for it is ignorance. It is impossible for Religion to be contrary to science, even though some intellects are too weak or too immature to understand truth."
Ábdu'1-Baha '
"Perfect harmony between religion and science is the 'sine qua non' of the higher life for humanity. When that is achieved, and every child is trained not only in the study of the sciences and arts, but equally in love to all man-kind and in radiant acquiescence to the will of God as revealed in the progress of evolution.; the Prophets, then and not till then, shall the Kingdom of God come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven; then and not till then shall the Most Great Peace shed its blessing on the world."
'J.E. Esslemont'
Once harmony is established between Science and Religion, the essence of reality will be recognized among the peoples of the planet. Mankind has for ages fantasized his way through existence, without regard to any recognizable reality. So much has been lost in wasted effort, when there awaited the unveiling of eternal glory. Indeed there are two sides to every item or issue, if they oppose one another there is no harmony or unity, however, if they agree and are supportive, then a harmony of truth is established. If Religion possesses a truth, and Science is able to establish its foundation, a true essence of harmony and truth has become a reality, unto which all of humanity will turn their hearts.
The oneness of Religion, is an essential part of World Order. For until men are united spiritually, there can be no true brotherhood, nor any universally accepted authority. And both are essential to a social order.
Various religious systems developing round the Person of their Founder, come into contact with other "religions" which have grown in the same way, and because they see the outer differences, accentuated by differences of climate, occupation and clothing, conclude that they are actually different religions. The inevitable conclusion is that "ours" is the only true one, thus making superficial differences into impassable barriers.
Baha'u'llah shows how the teaching of a Manifestation of God is divided into two parts. The spiritual principles which do not change, and social ordinances and decrees which vary with the growth of man. He asks none of the established religions to accept the laws and ordinances of one among them. Neither does he leave us to fight it out among ourselves. In his own Revelation he fulfills the hopes and promises of all previous religions, those promises recorded in their own scriptures. His Book of Laws has the same authority as the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount and is acceptably to all religions. Without denying what has gone before and without "lowering" one Manifestation in favor of another, the Truth revealed by Bahá'u'lláh is able to bring religious unity to a torn and divided race.
This new age, this new cycle of human power, revolves around a new principle, the principle of Unity. "Unification of the whole of mankind is the hall-mark of the stage which human society is now approaching. Unity of family, of tribe, of city, state, and nation have been successively attempted and fully established. World unity is the goal towards which a harassed humanity is striving. Nation building has come to an end. The anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving towards a climax. A world, growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human relationship and establish once for all the machinery that can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life."
"A new life, is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none received its motive."
"O ye children of men, the fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race..."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
Religion is the cause of unity. No other source of involvement known to mankind has the inner power to unite all of the world within one family. The very foundation of civilization was brought into existence by Revelations from God, through His Divine Messengers. Without spiritual decree revealed unto man, his existence would still be as the animal, never changing, never able to bring about advancement by his own accord. By the light of the revealed word, all foundation of man's civilization is brought about.
The purpose of religion is to draw the hearts of men together, to form one family, united as one through love and harmony. Even at the start of man's spiritual cycle, an established pattern was revealed that through each age, man-kind comes one step closer to bringing about world peace and unity. We can only achieve such through the spiritual fundamentals of the revealed revelation from the All-Mighty and Loving God.
" That all nations should become one in faith, and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled.... These strife's and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The call for unity is to the hearts of the spiritual creation of the earth. We are all of the same origin, like-wise, religious truths are all from the same source, the Blessed Beauty, the All-Mightiful God . Being of one family, let us recognize the essential need to join together in oneness. This unifying endeavor, will one day achieve its goal, once accomplished, prejudices of all kinds shall be displaced from the minds of mankind. And once for all there shall be an undying love among mankind for his neighbor. For we shall see them as ourselves, one family, one together in unity.
Considering the time and place in which Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed his principles, this one, the equality of men and women, was probably the most revolutionary and startling of them all. And yet it is now the most universally accepted, outwardly at least.
Feminine emancipation has swept the world, both West and East, and women have proved their capacity to enter the professions, trades, and arts, on an equal footing with men. But this is only a superficial equality, concessions extorted from a man's world. Full psychic equality is not yet; men are unwilling to recognize it, and women, owing to thousands of years of inferior education and position, are unable to accept it.
"The world of humanity has two wings; one is woman and the other man. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of woman becomes equal to the world of man in the acquisition of virtues and perfection's, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be."
Ábdu'l-Baha '
Men and women are not the same, they have different functions. But these functions are complementary and both must be equal for a perfect result.
In psychological terms we say there are two principles, Logos the male, and Eros the female. So far, Logos, the active, achieving principle has been dominant in world affairs. Eros, the principle which brings people into relatedness and maintains harmony, has been in the background or confined to the family. But its power and value is unconsciously recognized in the fact that the woman, the hostess, is the important person at a social gathering, the mother in the home. When this force is released into all human affairs, it will accomplish its work between nations, in the human family.
The excesses to which women have been lead by their sudden and-swift emancipation, their attempts to achieve equality through sacrifice of femininity, or through outdoing men in masculine activities, offer no standard of judgment for a truly mature sex. Equality of women does not mean that they must make better males than men, but that they must achieve true maturity of soul. The same obligation rests upon men.
Bahá'u'lláh declared the equality of men and women, expressed through equal responsibilities and equal rights and privileges. And since that declaration, the bonds by which women have been bound for ages have been breaking, and women have rapidly been securing her rightful place as the equal and partner of man.
"Women must go on advancing; they must extend their knowledge of science, literature, history, for the perfection of humanity. Erelong they will receive their Rights. Men will see women in earnest, bearing themselves with dignity, improving the civil and political life, opposed to warfare, demanding suffrage and equal opportunities. I expect to see you advance in all phases of life; then will your brows be crowned with the diadem ofeternal glory."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
Of great importance is that women should be regarded as the total equals of men. It is their right to enjoy all privileges, an equal education and equal opportunities just as men do. Bringing about the emancipation of women relies on universal education. Girls are to receive as good an education as boys. In fact, the education of girls is of greater importance than that of boys. In time girls will become mothers, and as mothers, they will be the first teachers of the next generation.
"Children are like green and tender branches; if the early training is right they grow straight, and if it is wrong they grow crooked; and to the end of their lives they are affected by the training of their earliest years. How important, then, that girls should b e well and wisely educated!"
Ábdu'l-Baha'
Equality is a virtue of right and of principle among the foundation of God's Teachings. No longer are women held back from their full powerful potency of spiritual endowment. It is incumbent upon men to recognize women as their equal and as their partner in the New World Order. Oneness, Unity, and harmony among mankind can not be achieved unless there is equality between men and women. The oneness of mankind is essential for world harmony and peace, as the common foundation of racial origins be the same, this hold true to the origins of woman and man, we are all of God's creation, There are no second class citizens in the Kingdom of God.
"Humanity is like a bird with two wings- the one is male, the other female. Unless both wings are strong and impelled by some common force, the bird cannot fly heavenwards. According to the spirit of this age, women must advance and fulfill their mission in all departments of life, becoming equal to men, they must be on the same level as men and enjoy equal rights. This is my earnest prayer and it is one of the fundamental principles of Bahá'u'lláh."
Ábdu'l-Baha '
Harmony and fellowship between peoples and nations is a necessary foundation for universal peace and world federation. So important, in fact, is this factor of friendship that Bahá'u'lláh in all preachments concerning the New World Order insisted on the elimination of prejudices of all kinds, whether religious, racial, patriotic, or political.
"All warfare and bloodshed in human history have been the outcome of prejudice. This earth is one home and one nativity. God has created mankind with equal endowment and right to live upon the earth. Racial prejudice or separation into nations proceeds from human motives or ignorance. Why should we be separated by artificial and imaginary boundaries? This is one globe, one land, one country."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
The roots of prejudice are deep seated in man's biological and emotional nature. Primitive man shares with animals the instinctive aversion to everything different and foreign. Civilization has broadened the horizons of men's minds and consciousness and has gradually brought all areas of the world into contact, so that foreigness "per se" is almost a thing of the past. But civilization by merely secular means has not proved itself capable of eliminating prejudice. As one source of prejudice dies down another source may spring up as the interest and desires of various groups come into apparent conflict with one another. Yet if humanity is to attain to organizational unity, to that 'WORLD ORDER' which we are beginning to envision not only a desirable but an inevitable goal if humanity is to survive, then somehow prejudice must be disposed of.
Since prejudice is a negative quality, a weed flourishing in our soils, what is needed is a positive and constructive treatment. Those things which conduce to unity will of themselves drive out prejudice. A fuller understanding of the economic and cultural interrelationship and interdependence of various nations and areas of the world will help to stimulate the awareness of the need of world unity.
"Close your eyes to racial differences and welcome all with the light of oneness. We desire but the good of the world and happiness of nations; that all nations should become one in faith and all men be as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race annulled .... Is not this that which Christ foretold?"
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Bonds of affection and unity are not established governments of legislative agencies of any kind. Even cultural reciprocity, while it nurtures enlightenment and dispels that fog of ignorance which has been stated to be the denest of all matter, does not engender affection. Mere absence of prejudice will not suffice. What is needed is the presence of an ardent constructive force such as only love can contribute. The opposite of hatred is lot the absence of this quality, but the activating presence of Love. Nothing else will suffice .
The natural field for developing a wholesome emotional attitude is in youth. In this field we see not only an increase in effort, but an increase in results. Adults have to be reconverted, reconditioned. It is a slow and difficult process. But youth can more easily be educated into new channels of perception and emotional reaction. And the earlier such education begins the more stable and advantageous the results.
Prejudice consists not only in preconceived ideas, but in obstinate attachment to outworn beliefs, methods, and institutions. Dogmatism and infatuation with our own theories impede the establishment of universal peace just as much as other prejudices. Abandonment of prejudice, therefore, implies not only a change in attitude, but a change in the social, economic and political structure of the world.
"And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is that religious, racial, political, economic and patriotic prejudices destroy the edifice of humanity. As long as these prejudices prevail, the world of humanity will have no rest.... Therefore, even as was the case in the past, the world of humanity cannot be saved from the darkness of nature, and cannot attain illumination, except through the abandonment of prejudices and the acquisition of the morals of the Kingdom."
Ábdu'1-Baha'
Bahá'u'lláh includes among superstitions all those beliefs which have no foundation in fact, such as essential race superiority. It is obvious that their falsehood will be exposed upon investigation. But exposing false ideas is not sufficient to remove prejudice. A prejudice, predisposition or attitude has an emotional content, and emotions react only very slowly to reason. A new emotional stimulus, such as that provided by religion, is required to pry the patient free from his prejudice.
The abandonment of prejudices calls for nothing less than the relinquishing of the emotional attitudes aroused superstitiously in us during childhood. Such a process is painful. Only an utterly "radiant acquiescence" with the principle of Oneness, and all that it implies, can free us from these prejudices.
"This handful of dust the earth is but one home; let it be in unity."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Education is one of the most important factors in the evolution of humanity. Only one department of life is more potent, and that is religion. In epochs characterized by religious zeal and piety, religion and education work hand in hand. Together they constitute a single unifying, inspirational, guiding force which coordinates all human thought and expression within a traditionally accepted pattern. In such periods education serves what is in reality its most basic purpose, the training of character. Education not change characters, which are all different, but it assist them to develop to their utmost capacity.
" The Prophets also acknowledge this opinion, to wit: That education hath a great effect upon the human race, but they declare that minds and comprehension's are originally different. And this matter is self-evident; it cannot be refuted. we see that certain children of the same age, nativity and from the same household, under the tutor ship of one teacher, differ in their minds and comprehension's. No matter how much the shell is polished, it can never become the radiant pearl. The balance stone will not become the world illumining gem.... That is to say, training doth not change the Human substance, but it produces a marvelous effect. By this effective power all that is registered, in latency, of virtues and capacities in the human reality will be revealed. It is for this reason that, in this new cycle, education and training are recorded in the Books of God as obligatory and not voluntary."
Ábdu'1-Baha'
Modern civilization has been stirred to its depths by this new principle. Compulsory education for children, and the extension of education facilities for adults, have become a new primary policy of government. Nations which deliberately seek to restrict the independence of mind and spirit among their citizens, by that very policy have aroused revolution within and suspicion and fear outside their boundaries. Bahá'u'lláh had two great world aims, to build up a spiritually regenerate humanity, and to establish a functionally united world. To both of these aims education is intrinsic.
Bahá'u'lláh gave great prominence to education in delineating the structure of the future World Society. It is chiefly through educative influences that we must build up an ideology and loyalty consecrated to the goal of world peace. Only through education of youth and adult can the adverse and chaotic elements which now compose human society be guided and fused into that dynamically functioning world unity which we now have come to believe is the keystone of the arch of human progress.
"Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Literacy is only the barest foundations for education, not education itself. First and foremost, as a means towards world unity and world-federation, youth must be trained in wider and nobler values than at present. The loyalties to family, tribe, clan, and nation which have gradually evolved in human society are not enough to satisfy the wider horizons and needs of today. There must be a new and more universal loyalty to mankind itself as a whole, a "one -world" zeal and dedication. Loves of family, of clan, of nation are praiseworthy and will continue to hold their legitimate place in the social pattern. But unless and until a greater love is bred in humans, love of one's world, a United Nations can not successfully function.
Conversely, it may be stated that no system of education in the future will satisfactorily spiritualize its curriculum until it is able to harmonize religion with science . Bahá'u'lláh made it one of the major principles of the New World Order. He envisaged, this harmonization taking place, and the spiritual factors of human existence being taught in a scientific way.
A deep respect for law will be engendered in each citizen by inculcation of spiritual values. In fact, law it-self rests ultimately upon spiritual foundations. Had we no spiritual training we should be unaware of Justices, Mercy and Wisdom. Our juvenile delinquency problem, our divorce problem, our crime problem, all witness the lack of stress in spiritual character building in our educational systems. Through education by such spiritual training, a character would be formed more capable of meeting the strains and temptations of life. Becoming more resolute in enterprise, more fertile in creative imagination, more responsible to the calls of duty, more worthy and capable as a true citizen of world democracy.
We must promote worldly, by every means within our power, the material as well as spiritual enlightenment of the youth. The means for the education of children, to provide the best means for their progress and development, is incumbent upon the world of mankind. It becomes not only progress towards world unity, but is the brightest outlook for the future generations of children. They shall possess a common knowledge of all things, illiteracy shall disappear, moral and spiritual worthiness strengthened, and oneness achieved through the education of all.
There is no cut and dried system of economics. Bahá'u'lláh establishes certain principles and leaves it to us to build the structure. There is a danger of the popular term "new world order" conjuring up a picture of something for nothing, of state supported individuals enjoying all the advantages of prosperity without any adequate contribution of hard work or service. Bahá'u'lláh requires every-one to work, no idle rich and no idle poor.
"The most despised of men before God is he who sits and begs. ... The best men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds."
'Bahá'u'lláh '
The tragic story of modern waste is now commonplace. Fruit rotting on the trees and vines, sugar falling from wharves into the sea, wheat being burned. Millions underfed and in need of these things. Railways and ships being left idle. Producers anxious to sell and workers eager to gather and despatch. But the destruction of food, and starvation, face each other across the world, even across the very same c country! Thus in spite of the fact that 'laissez faire' and unrestricted competition give way to socialization and cooperation, the basis of prosperity is still individual effort, hard work and independence.
" ... it is incumbent on everyone to engage in crafts and professions, for therein lies the secret of wealth to men of understanding! " " Trees that yield no fruit have been and will ever be for the fire."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The weird and wonderful devices advocated to stimulate buying power brings wealth only back onto the wealthy. Future generations looking back at this period, must be forever amazed at a generation which could capture a beam from Arcturus to light the opening of the World's Fair and at the same time tolerate the poverty and misery of millions in the midst of an overwhelming plenty, a generation which spends a huge proportion of its wealth on war.
"The fundamentals of the whole economic structure are Divine in nature and are associated with the world of the heart and spirit."
"Although the body politic is one family, yet because of lack of harmonious relations some members are comfortable and some in direct misery, some members are satisfied and some members are hungry, some members are clothed in most costly garments and some families in need of food and shelter. Why? Because this family (of mankind) lacks the necessary reciprocity and symmetry . This household is not well arranged. This household is not living under a perfect law. All the laws which are legislated do not insure happiness. They do not provide comfort. Therefore a law must be given to this family by means of which all the members will enjoy well being and happiness."
Ábdu'1-Baha'
Reciprocity and symmetry, these are the needs of the new social order. Cooperation must replace unbridled competition and planned economic system must take the place of the present muddle. This is the real economic problem, that in an age when cooperation is needed in human affairs, principles which served mankind successfully during the age of competition, are still upheld and regarded as inviolate. They are lamentably effete as shown by results.
Tariffs, currency manipulation, monopoly of raw materials, low wages, these are the great saboteurs of world prosperity. But they are only agents, the real monster is economic self-sufficiency. Nearly every nation, or groups of nations, has tried to practice this, and has gloried in what it believed to be its ability to be self-supporting. At the same time every effort has been made to keep up "foreign" trade, that is to sell the other man something without buying anything in return.
Economic self-sufficiency is born of fear and selfishness and leads straight to war. In this modern world all people are in need of each other, can supply each other's wants, and by the reciprocal action of buying and selling, contribute to an increasing standard of living. This is provided of course that the results of labor are equitably shared, and not concentrated in the hands of a minority. And the basis of equity must be universal, otherwise some nations will undersell all the others by using cheaper labor, and that will start the same old round again of nations will undersell all the others by labor, and that will start the same old tariffs, and etc.....
The economic problem, like every major difficulty facing us today, is insoluble except on a world scale. We can not have poverty in one country and prosperity in the rest, the Atlantic Charter recognizes this. Neither can we cure poverty and unemployment in one country alone, it is a world problem.
A spiritually united body can solve the economic problem once given the authority to set the world's standards. It can remove the barriers to international trade which result from the attempts of nations to be self-sufficient. It can liberate the energies now devoted to war for service to the arts of peace, and it can provide the necessary machinery for an easier and greater interchange of goods and services. Such things as a world currency, a world bank, a single system of weights and measures would come within its Charter. It must maintain free access to the raw materials of the planet, and protect the rights of all peoples. Maintain a universal minimum standard of living, and limit the economic power of individuals.
"God is not partial and is no respecter of persons. He has made provisions for all. The harvest comes forth for everyone. The rain showers upon everybody and the heat of the sun is destined to warm everyone. Therefore there should be for all humanity the utmost happiness, the utmost comfort, the utmost well-being."
Ábdu'1-Baha'
"In all the world there is nothing more important than to be understood by your fellow men, for upon this depends the progress of civilization itself."
Ábdu'1-Baha'
One of the major causes of differences today among the peoples and nations of the world is the diversity of their languages. each nation and people have their culture history, territory and language, isolated by boundaries from a neighboring people . Wars, misunderstandings, conflicts and disputes arise from the lack of clear understanding and communication between them. Although they belong to the same race, the lack of a common language is the greatest barrier between them. Were a universal auxiliary language in operation they would all be considered as one.
"Only think how the International Language will facilitate intercommunication among all the nations of the earth. Half of our lives are consumed in acquiring a knowledge of language, for in this enlightened age every man who hopes to travel in Asia and Africa and Europe must learn several languages, in order that he may converse with their peoples. But no sooner does he acquire one language than another is needed. Thus one's whole life may be passed in acquiring those languages which are a hindrance to international communication. The; International Language frees humanity from all these problems."
"Oneness of language will transform mankind into one world, remove religious misunderstandings and unite East and West in the spirit of brotherhood and love. Oneness of language will change this world from many families into one family. This auxiliary international language will gather the nations under one standard, as if the five continents of the world had become one, for then mutual interchange of thought will be. possible for all. It will remove ignorance and superstition, since each child of whatever race or nation can pursue his studies in science and art, needing but two languages his own and the international. The world of matter will become the expression of the world of mind. Then discoveries will be revealed, inventions will multiply, the sciences advance by leaps and bounds, the scientific culture of the earth will develop along broader lines. Then the nations will be enabled. to utilize the latest and best thought,. because expressed in the International Language."
Ábdu'l-Baha'
The greatest means of progress between the East and West, would be to have a union of a common language. It would give the world the strongest impulse to become united for human advancement. It will upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity. It will make the earth one universal commonwealth. It will be the cause of love between the children of men and it shall cause good fellowship between the various races.
Since this principle of 'a universal auxiliary language' was proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, Basic English and a few other world languages have been invented to aid the world in a common means of understanding.
Ludovic Zamenhof, through the result of his devoted labor was the invention and widespread adoption of the language known as 'Esperanto'. Gaining the most popular support throughout the world communities, it has now stood the test of many years and has proved to be encouraging and a very satisfactory medium of international intercourse. New efforts shall always continue to establish a common means of communication between the races of men. The unity of mankind depends upon his abilities to understand the thoughts of his brother's heart.
"The Sixth Ishraq' (Effulgence) is concord and union amongst men. Through the radiance of union have the regions of the world at all times been illumined, and the greatest of all means thereunto is the understanding of one another's writing and speech. Ere this, in our epistles, have We commanded the Trustees of the House of Justice, either to choose one of the existing tongues, or to originate a new one, and in like manner to adopt a common script, teaching these to the children in all the schools of the world, that the world may become even as one land and one home."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
Tablet of Ishraqat
It is not intended that there should be only one language. The international tongue and script is to auxiliary. National culture, literature, art, genius, are to be preserved and developed, but all people must learn at least two languages, i.e., their native tongue and the national tongue. Unity in diversity is the desired result and not uniformity. It is hoped that the world language will be spoken with enthusiasm to understand one's neighbor, many a burr and accent will enhance its beauty.
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh wrote about this international language during the years of his life more than ninety years ago. He says; "That as long as an international language is not adopted, complete union between the various sections of the world will be unrealized, for we observe that misunderstanding keep people from mutual association, and these misunderstandings will not be dispelled except through an international auxiliary language".
The world longs for peace. But none of its respective nations, not even America is prepared to relinquish nationalism to the extent which Bahá'u'lláh pointed out would be necessary in an effective world organization.
Two mandatory considerations are still withheld from fulfillment in the United Nations. The first is the relinquishment of national sovereignty to the point of accepting without right of veto the adjudications of a world court. The second inevitable requirement of stable peace is national disarmament down to the point of internal security only, and the establishment of an international police force. The world is not yet ready for these two momentous steps. Nor can they be accomplished without due caution.
World peace is not merely a matter to be arranged between governments by treaties. It is the concern of every citizen of this one-world home of humanity. This is the point of exercising our free will to avoid that nullification of progress, that race annihilation that threatens us.
"The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The abolition of war is to be only the first step in a colossal plan for a world organized in effective unity. Fully functioning as a federated unit, and dedicated to the establishment of a universal civilization founded on justice and good will. Expressing itself in forms of prosperity, beauty,and joy-of-living more glorious than even the world's great poets and seers have envisioned and conceived.
The miracle of the rapid growth of a will-to-peace throughout the world is directly concomitant with the development of new and terrifying death-dealing military weapons. War on the ground had always been tragically destructive. But war from the air, on the scale recently attained, is too devastating for humanity to endure.
".... instrumentations of warfare would become so deadly and all-destructive as to eventually compel humanity to desist from war entirely."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
There exists today that which did not exist in 1870, therefore the world, in 1870, gave little heed to the proclamations of Bahá'u'lláh. It overlooked one item which would eventually induce a desperate search for permanent peace, changing world events. These world events have proved the truth of this prognostication. Sadly enough, it is not idealism which is at last inducing humanity to outlaw war. It is not the moral sense but the fear of race annihilation which under entirely new and unexpected conditions, forces governments to entertain new and unexpected convictions and goals. Human nature may not greatly change, as the cynics maintain. But the directives of human activity often change, and never are they more potently active than today. So that now there exists a universal will to avoid war which is equivalent to a universal will-to-peace.
"Peace is not something we fall into because we react against war. Peace is a positive achievement involving an organized world community of law and order which we must want so much that we are willing to pay the full price it costs."
'Harry Emerson Fosdick '
The world order of Bahá'u'lláh is a goal which we can visualize in outline, and towards which we may strive. It is no magic millennium which will result from some particular political or economic action. It is founded on the spiritual concept of the oneness of mankind and raises a structure by which this unity may be preserved and developed. "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens" is its principle.
We can not live under twentieth century conditions guided by eighteenth century concepts. Most of our present day problems can be laid to the door of our unwillingness to make a correspondingly swift change in our thinking and consciousness as citizens of this one world order has 'upset our equilibrium'.
Planetary civilization will emerge from the wreckage of nationalism, just as nationalism emerged from the wreckage of feudalism. Old forms have to break up before new ones can evolve. Nationalism has run its course but is loath to relinquish its prerogatives. Nothing short of experiences such as world wars, world depressions, world revolutions can convert a nationalistic psychology into an international psychology. Under the duress of such events, however, we are witnessing this very change take place before our eyes.
The present picture brings little comfort to most people struggling under this duress. Living through world events today is similar to undergoing major surgery for a critical disease. Now the patient goes through it and how he recovers depends in great measure upon the faith he has in his skilled surgeon. If he doubts that the operation will cure him or that his surgeon has the ability to successfully operate, his fears will put him through a hell of suffering in addition to his physical pains; and the fright is as likely to kill him as the disease itself. Assurance that the operation will cure and that the surgeon is entirely worthy of his confidence will pull him through the crisis on a tide of hope and confidence that actually controls his physical recovery. Psychosomatic science confirms this .
It is apparent that if we are to carry forward civilization today the only development possible in its evolution, a one-world society, we must undergo some surgical operations in our thinking and behavior as citizens .
Bahá'u'lláh did not offer this World Order plan as a philosophic treatise. His viewpoint is not that merely of a sociologist. He spoke with spiritual authority and founded a religion dedicated to the service of a one-world civilization. He had a definite and concrete faith that the necessary spiritual dynamics had been divinely released into the consciousness of humanity to bring about this New World Order.
National rivalries, hatreds and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudices will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and cooperation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear.
The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war whether economic or political, will be consecrated to ends as will extend the range of human inventions technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.
A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising its unchangeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources. Blending and embodying the ideals of both East and West. Liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of the planet. A system in which Force is made the servant of Justice. Whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation. Such is the goal toward which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving.
A Universal House of Justice, with the Guardian as its President. This body is the executive branch of the New World Order. The hearts of all mankind shall willingly turn their trust and loyalty to this world governing body. Already the world has seen two prototypes of this world Parliament. First in the League of Nations and secondly in the form of the United Nation's Organization. These two bodies, however, failed to achieve the unifying force to unite all the peoples and nations of the world They lacked the spiritual endowment of authority to unite the world together as one family, one race of humanity.
The world commonwealth outlined by Bahá'u'lláh is governed by the Universal House of Justice, this is, a World Parliament freely elected by the peoples of the earth. It must have authority to enforce its decisions upon any dilatory or rebellious member of the commonwealth, and such action must be as swift and certain as it would be in the case of an individual who breaks the law. No such world government an succeed unless backed by the authority of the whole human race. This is the principle of unity and oneness of mankind with the complete abandonment of prejudices, on which the future of mankind depends.
This world authority must, in the interests of the whole human race, establish law in the place of war. It must strictly limit the armed forces according to their internal needs. It must plan and put into practice a world system of economics which will prevent the present evils of waste, inferior quality, want in the midst of plenty. It must assume sole control, over tariffs, excise, sources of raw material. It must foster a spirit of world civilization among all the people of the planet.
The Guardian is that promised return of the descendant of the lineage of King David. The Guardian is also the permanent head, President, of the Universal House of Justice.
Together, the Universal House of Justice with the Guardian as its President, will form the nucleus of the New World Order. It will, as its component parts, its organic institutions, begin to function with efficiency and vigor, assert its claims and demonstrate its capacity to be regarded not only as the nucleus but the very pattern of the New World Order destined to embrace in the fullness of time he whole of mankind.
"The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Man-kind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System - the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
The promised new era of mankind is no superstitious illusion, it has been gestating during these troubled years and is now being born in the labor and agony of a universal war. This is the darkest hour before the dawn, a dawn vibrant with power, clear with certainty and fresh with the breath of a newspirit. The dark night of misery and oppression will soon be ended. The reveille has been sounded, calling the human race to brotherhood and peace, and service in a more thrilling Cause than any which past ages could offer.
That Cause is the Cause of Unity, of human solidarity, and it demands a remolding of the attitudes, institutions and customs which have been developed in the era of a divided humanity
Let no one misunderstand the significance of unity. It is the principle of the universe and is opposed to uniformity. Unity requires a difference in all things; uniformity requires congruency. Unity is strong, beautiful, flexible; uniformity is rigid and colorless of personal independence. Unity is achieved through strong bonds of attraction, cooperation, common interest and a realization of the relatedness of all people. It preserves national culture, language and accomplishments; it holds local tradition and custom, and repudiates excessive centralization; it requires no one to relinquish sane local and national loyalties. It sets the standard of a wider vision, a broader scope, of membership in the human family. It demands the contribution of every nation, every part of the world to the greater structure of the temple of mankind. The world is but one country and it will have one language, spoken and understood by every individual of the race, but everybody will speak the language of their own locality as well. Mankind is but one race and the highest loyalty of the new age is loyalty to one's race, but this does not lessen the affection which we will feel for our native land. The Unity of the world is the linking together of all its component parts in a single body, each giving something of beauty and worth, so that the resultant harmony is the expression of each part skillfully blended into the strength and majesty of the full symphony.
" The time fore-ordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting "
"Soon will the present day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead."
'Bahá'u'lláh'
These are days of a titanic spiritual struggle. A new world is coming to birth. As the old one passes, in passion and violence, have no regrets. Be thankful and radiant, confident that the shining day of human brotherhood is here.
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