Baha'u'llah and the New Era (1923 ed)

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J. E. ESSLEMONT

BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
BY
J. E. ESSLEMONT, M.B., CH.B., F.B.E.A.

FOR THE BAHA'I PUBLISHING COMMITTEE
NEW YORK
BRENTANO'S
PUBLISHERS
(All rights reserved)
Printed in England
PREFATORY NOTE
IN December 1914, through a conversation with friends who had met 'Abdu'1-Baha, and the loan of a few pamphlets, I first became acquainted with the Baha'I teachings. I was at once struck by their comprehensiveness, power and beauty. They impressed me as meeting the great needs of the modern world more fully and satisfactorily than any other presentation of religion which I had come across an impression which subsequent study has only served to deepen and confirm.
In seeking for fuller knowledge about the movement I found considerable difficulty in obtaining the literature I wanted, and soon conceived the idea of putting together the gist of what I learned in the form of a book, so that it might be more easily available for others. When communication with Palestine was reopened after the war, I wrote to 'Abdu'1-Baha and enclosed a copy of the first nine chapters of the book, which was then almost complete in rough draft. I received a very kind and encouraging reply, and a cordial invitation to visit him in Haifa and bring the whole of my manuscript with me. The invitation was gladly accepted, and I had the great privilege of spending two and a half months as the guest of 'Abdu'1-Baha during the winter of 19 19-20. During this visit 'Abdu'1-Baha discussed the book with me on various occasions. He gave several valuable suggestions for its improvement and proposed that, when I had revised the manuscript, he would have the whole of it translated into Persian so that he could read it through and amend or correct it where necessary. The revisal and translation were carried out as suggested, and 'Abdu'l- Baha found time, amid his busy life, to correct some three and a half chapters (Chapters I, II, V and part of III) before he passed away. It is a matter of profound regret to me that 'Abdu'1-Baha was not able to complete the correction of the manuscript, as
8 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
the value of the book would thereby have been greatly enhanced. The whole of the manuscript has been carefully revised, however, by a committee of the National Baha'I Assembly of England, and its publication approved by that Assembly.
Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of 'Abdu'1-Baha and " Guardian of the Cause," has also read through the whole of the manuscript (in English) and given it his cordial approval. Although unable to undertake a thorough revision of all the translations, with reference to the original sources, he suggested in many instances improved renderings which I have gladly adopted.
I am greatly indebted to Miss E. J. Rosenberg, Mrs. Claudia S. Coles, Jinab-i-Avarih (the learned Persian historian of the Baha'I Movement), Mirza Lotfullah S. Hakim, Messrs. Roy Wilhelm and Mountford Mills and many other kind friends for valuable help in the preparation of the work.
As regards the transliteration of Arabic and Persian names and words the system adopted in this book is that recently recommended by Shoghi Effendi for use throughout the Baha'I world. In order to economise space and to avoid increasing the cost of publication, however, a horizontal instead of a vertical dash has been used over the long vowels.
Fairford, Cults, J. E. ESSLEMONT.
By Aberdeen.
CONTENTS
PACK
PREFATORY NOTE , 7
CHAPTER
I. THE CLAD TIDINGS II
II. BAB ! THE FORERUNNER 2O
in. BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 31
iv. 'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA . . . . 53
V. WHAT IS A BAHA*I ? JO
VI. PRAYER 83
VII. HEALTH AND HEALING . . . ; .. . -93
VIII. RELIGIOUS UNITY Io6
IX. TRUE CIVILIZATION 121
X. THE WAY TO PEACE 139
XI. VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS 153
XII. RELIGION AND SCIENCE I/O
XIII. PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY THE BAHA'l MOVEMENT . .183
XIV. PROPHECIES OF BAHA'u'lXAH AND 'ABDu'L-BAHA . . . 2O2 XV. RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 214
BIBLIOGRAPHY 227
INDEX 231
BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
CHAPTER I - THE GLAD TIDINGS
" The Promised One of all the peoples of the world hath appeared. All peoples and communities have been expecting a Revelation, and He, Baha'u'Uah, is the foremost teacher and educator of all mankind." '
The Greatest Event in History.
If we study the story of the " ascent of man " as recorded in .the pages of history, it becomes evident that the leading factor in human progress is the advent, from time to time, of men who pass beyond the accepted ideas of their day and become the discoverers and revealers of truths hitherto unknown among mankind. The inventor, the pioneer, the genius, the prophet these are the men on whom the transformation of the world primarily depends. As Carlyle says :
" The plain truth, very plain, we think is, that. . . . One man that has a higher Wisdom, a hitherto unknown spiritual Truth in him, is stronger, not than ten men that have it not, nor than ten thousand, but than all men that have it not ; and stands among them with a quite ethereal, angelic power, as if with a sword out of Heaven's own armoury, which no buckler, and no tower of brass will finally withstand." Signs of the Times.
In the history of science, of art, of music, we see abundant illustrations of this truth, but in no domain is the supreme importance of the great man and his message more clearly evident than in that of religion. All down the ages, whenever the spiritual life of men has become degenerate and their morals corrupt,
ZI
12 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
that most wonderful and mysterious of men, the prophet, makes his appearance. Alone against the world, without a single human being capable of teaching, of guiding, of fully understanding him, or of sharing his responsibility, he arises, like a seer among blind men, to proclaim his gospel of righteousness and truth.
Amongst the prophets some stand out with special pre-eminence. Every few centuries a great Divine Revealer a Krishna, a Zoroaster, a Moses, a Jesus, a Muhammad appears in the East, like a spiritual Sun, to illumine the darkened minds of men and awaken their dormant souls. Whatever our views as to the relative greatness of these religion-founders, we must admit that they have been the most potent factors in the education of mankind. With one accord these prophets declare that the words they utter are not from themselves, but are a Revelation through them, a Divine message of which they are the bearers. Their recorded utterances abound, too, in hints and promises of a great world- teacher who will appear " in the fulness of time " to carry on their work and bring it to fruition, one who will establish a reign of peace and justice upon earth, and bring into one family all races, religions, nations and tribes, " that there may be one fold and One Shepherd " and that all may know and love God " from the least even unto the greatest."
Surely the advent of this " Educator of Mankind," in the latter days, when he appears, must be the greatest event in human history. And the Baha'i Movement is proclaiming to the world the glad tidings that this Educator has in fact appeared, that his Revelation has been delivered and recorded and may be studied by every earnest seeker, that the "Day of the Lord" has a/ready dawned and the " Sun of Righteousness " arisen. As yet only a few on the mountain-tops have caught sight of the Glorious Orb, but already its rays are illumining heaven and earth, and ere long it will rise above the mountains and shine with full strength on the plains and valleys too, giving life and guidance to all.
The Changing World.
That the world, during the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth centuries, has been passing through die death pangs of an old era and the birth pangs of a new, is evident to
THE GLAD TIDINGS 13
all. The old principles of materialism and self-interest, the old sectarian and patriotic prejudices and animosities, are perishing, discredited, amidst the ruins they have wrought, and in all lands we see signs of a new spirit of faith, of brotherhood, of inter- nationalism, that is bursting the old bonds and over-running the old boundaries. Revolutionary changes of unprecedented magni- tude have been occurring in every department of human life. The old era is not yet dead. It is engaged in a life and death struggle with the new. Evils there are in plenty, gigantic and formidable, but they are being exposed, investigated, challenged and attacked with new vigour and hope. Clouds there are in plenty, vast. and threatening, but the light is breaking through, and is illumining the path of progress and revealing the obstacles and pitfalls that obstruct the onward way.
In the eighteenth century it was different. Then the spiritual and moral gloom that enshrouded the world was relieved by hardly a ray of light. It was like the darkest hour before the dawn, when the few lamps and candles that remain alight do little more than make the darkness visible. Carlyle in his Frederick the Great writes of the eighteenth century thus :
"A century which has no history and can have little or none. A century so opulent in accumulated falsities ... as never century before was ! Which had no longer the consciousness of being false, so false had it grown ; and was so steeped in falsity, and impregnated with it to the very bone, that in fact the measure of the thing was full, and a French Revolution had to end it. ... A very fit termination, as I thank- fully feel, for such a century. . . . For there was need once more of a Divine Revelation to the torpid, frivolous children of men, if they were not to sink altogether into the ape condition." Frederick the Great, Book I, Chap. i.
Compared with the eighteenth century the present time is as the dawn after darkness, or as the spring after winter. The world is stirring with new life, thrilling with new ideals and hopes. Things that but a few years ago seemed impossible dreams are now accomplished facts. Others that seemed centuries ahead of us have already become matters of " practical politics." We fly in the air and make voyages under the sea. We send messages around the world with the speed of lightning. Within a few years we have seen the downfall of the great military autocracies,
H BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA (
the admission of women to all kinds of professions from which they were formerly barred, the population of a vast continent abandoning the use of alcohol as a beverage, the birth of a " League of Nations " that bids fair to abolish war, and other miracles too numerous to mention.
The Sun of Righteousness.
What is the cause of this sudden awakening throughout the world ? Baha'is believe that it is due to a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the prophet Baha'u'llah, who was born in Persia just over a century ago and passed away in the Holy Land towards the close of the nineteenth century.
Baha'u'llah taught that the Prophet, or " Manifestation of God," is the Light-bringer of the spiritual world, as the sun is the light-bringer of the natural world. Just as the material sun shines over the earth and causes the growth and development of material organisms, so also, through the Divine Manifestation, the Sun of Truth shines upon the world of heart and soul, and educates the thoughts, morals and characters of men. And just as the rays of the natural sun have an influence which penetrates into the darkest and shadiest corners of the world, giving warmth and life even to creatures that have never seen the sun itself, so also, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the Manifestation of God influences the lives of all, and inspires receptive minds even in places and among peoples where the name of the Prophet is quite unknown. The advent of the Manifestation is like the coming of the Spring. It is a day of Resurrection in which the spiritually dead are raised to new life, in which the Reality of the Divine Religions is renewed and re-established, in which appear " new heavens and a new earth."
But, in the world of nature, the Spring brings about not only the growth and awakening of new life but also the destruction and removal of the old and effete ; for the same sun, that makes the flowers to spring and the trees to bud, causes also the decay and disintegration of what is dead and useless ; it loosens the ice and melts the snow of winter, and sets free the flood and the storm that cleanse and purify the earth. So is it also in the spiritual world. The spiritual sunshine causes similar commotion and change.
THE GLAD TIDINGS 15
Thus the Day of Resurrection is also the Day of Judgment, in which corruptions and imitations of the truth and outworn ideas and customs are discarded and destroyed, in which the ice and snow of prejudice and superstition, which accumulated during the season of winter, are melted and transformed, and energies long frozen and pent up are released to flood and renovate the world.
The Mission of Baha'u'llah.
Baha'u'llah declared, plainly and repeatedly, that he was the long-expected educator and teacher of all peoples, the channel of a wondrous Grace that would transcend all previous outpourings, in which all previous forms of religion would become merged, as rivers merge in the ocean. He laid a foundation which affords a firm basis for Unity throughout the whole world and the in- auguration of that glorious age of peace on earth, goodwill among men, of which prophets have told and poets sung.
Search after truth, the oneness of mankind, unity of religions, of races, of nations, of East and West, the reconciliation of religion and science, the eradication of prejudices and superstitions, the equality of men and women, the establishment of justice and righteousness, the setting up of a supreme international tribunal, the unification of languages, the compulsory diffusion of know- ledge these, and many other teachings like these, were revealed by the pen of Baha'u'llah fifty years ago, in innumerable books and epistles several of which were addressed to the Kings and Rulers of the world.
His message, unique in its comprehensiveness and scope, is wonderfully in accord with the signs and needs of the times. Never were the new problems confronting men so gigantic and complex as now. Never were the proposed solutions so numerous and conflicting. Never was the need of a great world teacher so urgent or so widely felt. Never, perhaps, was the expectancy of such a teacher so confident or so general.
Fulfilment of Prophecies.
Abdu'1-Baha writes : When Christ appeared, twenty centuries ago, although the Jews
1 6 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
were eagerly awaiting His Coming, and prayed every day, with tears, saying : * O God, hasten the Revelation of the Messiah,' yet when the Sun of Truth dawned, they denied Him and rose against Him with the greatest enmity, and eventually crucified that divine Spirit, the Word of God, and named Him Beelzebub, the evil one, as is recorded in the Gospel. The reason for this was that they said : * The Revelation of Christ, according to the clear text of the Torah, will be attested by certain signs, and so long as these signs have not appeared, whoso layeth claim ',- to be a Messiah is an impostor. Among these signs is this, that the Messiah should come from an unknown place, yet we all know this man's house in Nazareth, and can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? The second sign is that He shall rule with a rod of iron, that is, he must act with the sword, but this Messiah has not even a wooden staff. Another of the conditions and signs is this : He must sit upon the throne of David and establish David's sovereignty. Now, far from being enthroned, this man has not even a mat to sit on. Another of the conditions is this : the promulgation of all the laws of the Torah ; yet this man has abro- gated these laws, and has even broken the sabbath day, although it is the clear text of the Torah that whosoever layeth claim to prophethood and revealeth miracles and breaketh the sabbath day, must be put to death. Another of the signs is this, that in His reign justice will be so advanced that righteousness and well-doing will extend from the human even to the animal world the snake and the mouse will share one hole, and the eagle and the partridge one nest, the lion and the gazelle shall dwell in one pasture, and the wolf and the kid shall drink from one foun- tain. Yet now, injustice and tyranny have waxed so great in his time that they have crucified him ! Another of the conditions is this, that in the days of the Messiah the Jews will prosper and triumph over all the peoples of the world, but now they are living in the utmost abase- ment and servitude in the Empire of the Romans. Then how can this be the Messiah promised in the Torah ? '
" In this wise did they object to that Sun of Truth, although that Spirit of God was indeed the One promised in the Torah. But as they did not understand the meaning of these signs, they crucified the Word of God. Now the Baha'Is hold that the recorded signs did come to pass in the Manifestation of Christ, although not in the sense which the Jews understood, the description in the Torah being allegorical. For instance, among the signs is that of sovereignty. The Baha'Is say that the sovereignty of Christ was a heavenly, divine, everlasting sovereignty, not a Napoleonic sovereignty that vanished! in a short time. For well- nigh two thousand years this sovereignty of Christ hath been established, and until now it endureth, and to all eternity diat Holy Being will be exalted upon an everlasting tiarone.
" In like manner all die otiier signs have been made manifest, but die Jews did not understand. Ahhough nearly twenty centuries have elapsed since Christ appeared with divine splendour, yet die Jews arc
THE GLAD TIDINGS 17
still awaiting the coining of the Messiah and regard themselves as true and Christ as false." Written by 'Abdu'1-Baha for this chapter.
Had the Jews applied to Christ he would have explained to them the true meaning of the prophecies concerning himself. Let us profit by their example, and before deciding that the prophecies concerning the Manifestation of the Latter-Day Teacher have not been fulfilled, let us turn to what Baha'u'llah himself has written regarding their interpretation, for many of the prophecies are admittedly " sealed " sayings, and the True Educator himself is the only One who can break the seals and shew the real meanings contained in the casket of words.
Baha'u'llah has written much in explanation of the prophecies of old, but it is not on these that he depends for proof of his prophet- hood. The sun is its own proof, to all that have the power of perception. When it rises we need no ancient predictions to assure us of its shining. So with the Manifestation of God when he appears. Were all the former prophecies swept into oblivion, he would still be his own abundant and sufficient proof to all whose spiritual senses are open.
Proofs of Prophethood.
Baha'u'llah asked no one to accept his statements and his tokens blindly. On the contrary, he put in the very forefront of his teachings emphatic warnings against blind acceptance of authority, and urged all to open their eyes and ears, and use their own judgment, independently and fearlessly, in order to ascertain the truth. He enjoined die fullest investigation and never concealed himself, offering, as the supreme proofs of his prophet- hood, his words and works and their effects in transforming the lives and characters of men. The tests he proposed are the same as those laid down by his great predecessors. Moses said :
" When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deut. zviii. 22.
Christ put his test just as plainly, and appealed to it in proof of his own claim He said :
iS BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles ? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit ; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. . . . Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. vii. 15-20.
In the chapters that follow, we shall endeavour to shew whether Baha'u'llah's claim to prophethood stands or falls by application of these tests : whether the things that he has spoken have followed and come to pass, and whether his fruits have been good or evil j in other words, whether his prophecies are being fulfilled and his ordinances established, and whether his life-work has contributed to the education and upliftment of humanity and the betterment of morals, or the contrary.
Difficulties of Investigation.
There are, of course, difficulties in the way of the student who seeks to get at the truth about this Cause. Like all great moral and spiritual reformations, the Baha'i Movement has been grossly misrepresented. About the terrible persecutions and sufferings of Baha'u'llah and his followers, both friends and enemies are in entire agreement. About the value of the Move- ment, however, and the character of its founders, the statements of the believers and the accounts of the deniers are utterly at variance. It is just as in the time of Christ. Concerning the crucifixion of Jesus and the persecution and martyrdom of his followers both Christian and Jewish historians are in agreement, but whereas the believers say that Christ fulfilled and developed the teachings of Moses and the prophets, the deniers declare that he broke the laws and ordinances and was worthy of death.
In religion, as in science, truth reveals her mysteries only to the humble and reverent seeker, who is ready to lay aside every prejudice and superstition to sell all that he has, in order that he may buy the " one pearl of great price." To understand the Baha'i Movement in its full significance, we must undertake its study in the spirit of sincere and selfless devotion to truth, per- severing in the path of search and relying on divine guidance. In the writings of its founders we shall find the master-key to
THE GLAD TIDINGS 19
the mysteries of this great spiritual awakening, and the ultimate criterion of its value. Unfortunately, here again there are difficulties in the way of the student who is unacquainted with the Persian and Arabic languages in which the teachings are written. Only a small proportion of the writings has been translated into English, and many of the translations which have appeared leave much to be desired, both in accuracy and style. But despite the imperfection and inadequacy of historical narratives and translations, the great essential truths which form the massive and firm foundations of this Cause stand out like mountains from the mists of uncertainty.
Aim of Book.
The endeavour in the following chapters will be to set forth, as far as possible, fairly and without prejudice, the salient features of the history and more especially of the teachings of the Baha'i Movement, so that readers may be enabled to form an intelligent judgment as to their importance, and perhaps be induced to search into the subject more deeply for themselves.
Search after truth, however, important though it be, is not the whole aim and end of life. The truth is no dead thing, to be placed in a museum when found to be labelled, classified, catalogued, exhibited and left there, dry and sterile. It is some- thing vital which must take root in men's hearts and bear fruit in their lives ere they reap the full reward of their search.
The real object, therefore, in spreading the knowledge of a prophetic revelation is that those who become convinced of its truth may proceed to practise its principles, to "lead the life" and diffuse the glad tidings, thus hastening the advent of that blessed day when God's Will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
CHAPTER II - BAB : THE FORERUNNER
" Verily the oppressor hath slain the Beloved of the worlds that he might thereby quench the Light of God amidst His creatures and withhold mankind from the Stream of Celestial Life in the days of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bountiful." BAHA'U'LLAH, in Tablet to Ra'Js.
Birthplace of the New Revelation.
Persia, the birthplace of the Baha'I Revelation, has occupied a unique place in the history of the world. In the days of her early greatness she was a veritable queen among nations, unrivalled in civilization, in power and in splendour. She gave to the world great kings and statesmen, prophets and poets, philosophers and artists. Zoroaster, Cyrus and Darius, Hafiz and Firdawsl, Sa'di and 'Umar Khayyam are but a few of her many famous sons. Her craftsmen were unsurpassed in skill j her carpets were matchless, her steel blades unequalled, her pottery world- famed. In all parts of the Near and Middle East she has left traces of her former greatness.
Yet, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries she had sunk to a condition of deplorable degradation. Her ancient glory seemed irretrievably lost. Her government was corrupt and in desperate financial straits ; some of her rulers were feeble, and others monsters of cruelty. Her priests were bigoted and intolerant, her people ignorant and superstitious. Most of them belonged to the Shl'ah sect a of Muhammadans, but there were also consider-
* The " a " pronounced as in Shah.
One of the two great factions Shl'ah and SunnI into which Islam fell soon after the death of Muhammad. The Shl'ahs claim that 'All, the son-in- law of Muhammad, was the first legitimate successor of the prophet, and that only his descendants are the rightful caliphs.
20
BAB: THE FORERUNNER 21
able numbers of Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians, of diverse and antagonistic sects. All professed to follow sublime teachers who exhorted them to worship the one God and to live in love and unity, yet they shunned, detested and despised each other, each sect regarding the others as unclean, as dogs or heathens. Cursing and execration were indulged in to a fearful extent. It was dangerous for a Jew or a Zoroastrian to walk in the street on a rainy day, for if his wet garment should touch a Muhammadan, the Muslim was defiled, and the other might have to atone for the offence with his life. If a Muhammadan took money from a Jew, Zoroastrian or Christian he had to wash it before he could put it in his pocket. If a Jew found his child giving a glass of water to a poor Muhammadan beggar he would dash the glass from the child's hand, for curses rather than kindness should be the portion of infidels ! The Muslims themselves were divided into numerous sects, among whom strife was often bitter and fierce. The Zoroastrians did not join much in these mutual recriminations, but lived in communities apart, refusing to associate with their fellow-countrymen of other faiths.
Social as well as religious affairs were in a state of hopeless decadence. Education was neglected. Western science and art were looked upon as unclean and contrary to religion. Justice was travestied. Pillage and robbery were of common occurrence. Roads were bad and unsafe for travel. Sanitary arrangements were shockingly defective.
Yet, notwithstanding all this, tfie light of spiritual life was not extinct in Persia. Here and there, amid the prevailing worldliness and superstition, could still be found some saintly souls, and in many a heart the longing for God was cherished, as in the hearts of Anna and Simeon before the appearance of Jesus. Many were eagerly awaiting the coming of a promised Messenger of God, and confident that the time of his advent was at hand. Such was the state of affairs in Persia when the Bab, the Herald of a new era, set all the country in commotion with his message.
Early Life.
Mirza 'All Muhammad, who afterwards assumed the title of Bab (i.e. Grate), was born at Shlraz, in the south of Persia,
22 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
on the 2oth of October, 1819 A.D.* He was a Sayyid, that is, a descendant of the prophet Muhammad. His father, a well- known merchant, died soon after his birth, and he was then placed under the care of a maternal uncle, a merchant of Shiraz, who brought him up. In childhood he learned to read, and received the elementary education customary for children.* At the age of fifteen he went into business, at first with his guardian, and afterwards with another uncle who lived at Bushire, on the shore of the Persian Gulf.
As a youth he was noted for great personal beauty and charm of manner, and also for exceptional piety, and nobility of character. He was unfailing in his observance of the prayers, fasts and other ordinances of the Mu^ammadan religion, and not only obeyed the letter, but lived in the spirit of the prophet's teaching. He married when about twenty-two years of age. Of this marriage one son was born, who died while still an infant, in the first year of the Bab's public ministry.
Declaration.
On reaching his twenty-fifth year, in response to divine command, he declared that " God the Exalted had elected him to the station of Babhood." In "A Traveller's Narrative" we read that :
1 First day of Muharram, 1235 A.H.
2 On this point Jinab-i-Avarih remarks : " The belief of many people in the East, especially the believers in the Bab (now Baha'ls) was this : that the Bab received no education, but that the Mullas, in order to lower him in the eyes of the people, declared that such knowledge and wisdom as he possessed were accounted for by the education he had received. After deep search into the truth of this matter we have found evidence to shew that in childhood for a short time he used to go to the house of Shaykh Muhammad (also known a* Abid) where he was taught to read and write in Persian. It was this to which the Bab referred when he wrote in the book of Bayan : * O Muhammad, O my teacher ! . . .'
" The remarkable thing is this, however, that this Shaykh, who was his teacher, became a devoted disciple of his own pupil, and the uncle of the Bab who was like a father to him, whose name was Haj! Sayyid "All, also became a devout believer and was martyred as a Babl.
" The understanding of these mysteries is given to seekers after truth, but we know this, that such education as the Bab received was but elementary, and that whatever signs of unusual greatness and knowledge appeared in him were innate and from God."
BAB : THE FORERUNNER 23
" What he intended by the term ' Bab ' was this : that he was the channel of grace from some great Person still behind the veil of glory, who was the possessor of countless and boundless perfections, by whose will he moved and to the bond of whose love he clung." Episode of the Bab, p. 3 .
In those days belief in the imminent appearance of a Divine Messenger was especially prevalent among a sect known as Shaykhis, and it was to a distinguished divine belonging to this sect, called Mulla Husayn Bushru'i, that the Bab first announced his mission. The exact date of this announcement is given in the Baydn, one of the Bab's writings, as two hours and fifteen minutes after sunset on the 5th day of the month of Jamadiyu* 1-Awal, 1260 A.H. 1 (i.e. 23rd May, 1844 A.D.). After some days of anxious investigation and study, Mulla Husayn became firmly convinced that the Messenger long expected by the Shl'ahs had indeed appeared. His eager enthusiasm over this discovery was soon shared by several of his friends. Before long the majority of the Shaykhls accepted the Bab, becoming known as Babis ; and soon the fame of.the young prophet began to spread like wild- fire throughout the land.
Spread of the Babi Movement.
The first eighteen disciples of the Bab (with himself as nine- teenth) became known as " Letters of the Living." These disciples he sent to different parts of Persia and Turkestan to spread the news of his advent. Meantime he himself set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he arrived in December 1844, and there, before a large number of pilgrims from all parts of the Muhammadan world, he openly declared his mission. On his return to Bushire great excitement was caused by the announcement of his Babhood. The fire of his eloquence, the wonder of his rapid and inspired writings, his extraordinary wisdom and knowledge, his courage and zeal as a reformer, aroused the greatest enthusiasm among his followers, but excited a corresponding degree of alarm and enmity among the orthodox Muslims. The Shl'ah doctors vehemently denounced him, and persuaded the Governor of Fars, named Husayn Khan, a fanatical and tyrannical ruler, to undertake the
1 A.H. Anno Hejirae in the year of Hijrat (i.e. the flight of Muhammad from Madlnah to Mecca in 622 A.D.).
24 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
suppression of the new heresy. Then commenced for the Bab a long series of imprisonments, deportations, examinations before tribunals, scourgings and indignities, which ended only with his martyrdom in 1850.
Claims of Bab.
The hostility aroused by the claim of Babhood was redoubled when the young reformer proceeded to declare that he was himself the Mihdl (Mahdi) whose coming Muhammad had foretold. The Shi'ahs identified this Mihdi with the I2th Imam 1 who had mysteriously disappeared from the sight of men about a thousand years previously. They believed that he was still alive and would reappear in the same body as before, and they interpreted in a material sense the prophecies regarding his dominion, his glory, his conquests and the " signs " of his advent, just as the Jews in the time of Christ interpreted similar prophecies regarding the Messiah. They expected that he would appear with earthly sovereignty and an innumerable army and declare his revelation, that he would raise dead bodies and restore them to life, and so on. As these signs did not appear, the Shi'ahs rejected the Bab with the same fierce scorn which the Jews displayed towards Jesus. The Babis, on the other hand, interpreted many of the prophecies figuratively. They regarded the sovereignty of the Promised One, like that of the Galilean " Man of Sorrows," as a mystical sovereignty ; his glory as spiritual, not earthly glory ; his conquests as conquests over the cities of men's hearts ; and they found abundant proof of the Bab's claim in his wonderful life and teachings, his unshakable faith, his invincible steadfastness, and his power of raising to newness of spiritual life, those who were in the graves of error and ignorance.
But the Bab did not stop even with the claim of Mihdihood He adopted the sacred title of " Nuqtiyi-ula " or " Primal Point."
* The Imam of the Shi'ahs is the divinely ordained successor of the Prophet whom all the faithful must obey. Twelve persons successively held the office of Imam, the first being 'All the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet. The twelfth was called by the Shi'ahs Imam Mihdl. They hold that he did not die, but disappeared in an underground passage, A.H. 329, and that in the fulness of time he will come forth, overthrow the infidels and inaugurate an era of blessedness.
BAB : THE FORERUNNER 25
This was a tide applied to Muhammad himself by his followers. Even the Imams were secondary in importance to the " Point," from whom they derived their inspiration and authority. In assuming this tide, the Bab claimed to rank, like Muhammad, in the series of great Founders of Religion, and for this reason, in the eyes of the Shi'ahs, he was regarded as an impostor, just as Moses and Jesus before him had been regarded as impostors. He even inaugurated a new Calendar, restoring the Solar year, and dating the commencement of the New Era from the year of his own declaration.
Persecution Increases.
In consequence of these declarations of the Bab and the alarming rapidity with which people of all classes, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, were eagerly responding to his teaching, attempts at suppression became more and more ruthless and determined. Houses were pillaged and destroyed. Women were seized and carried off. In 'J'ihran, Fars, Mazandaran, and other places great numbers of the believers were put to death. Many were beheaded, hanged, blown from the mouths of cannon, burnt or chopped to pieces. Despite all attempts at repression, however, the movement progressed. Nay, through this very oppression the assurance of the believers increased, for thereby many of the prophecies concerning the coming of the Mihdl were literally fulfilled. Thus in a tradition recorded by Jabir, which the Shi'ahs regard as authentic, we read :
" In him shall be the perfection of Moses, the preciousness of Jesus, and the patience of Job ; his saints shall be abased in his time, and their heads shall be exchanged as presents, even as the heads of the Turk and the Deylamite are exchanged as presents ; they shall be slain and burned, and shall be afraid, fearful and dismayed ; the earth shall be dyed with their blood, and lamentation shall prevail amongst their women ; these are my saints indeed." New History of the Bab t translated by Prof. E. G. Browne, p. 132.
Martyrdom of the Bab.
On the gth of July, 1 85O, 1 the Bab himself, who was then in his thirty-first year, fell a victim to the fanatical fury of his
* Friday, 28th Sha'ban, 1266 A.H.
26 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
persecutors. With a devoted young follower named Aqa Muhammad 'All, who had passionately begged to be allowed to share his martyrdom, he was led to the scaffold in the old barrack square of Tabriz. About two hours before noon the two were suspended by ropes under their armpits in such a way that the head of Muhammad 'All rested against the breast of his beloved Master. A regiment of Armenian soldiers was drawn up and received the order to fire. Promptly the volleys rang out, but when the smoke cleared, it was found that the Bab and his companion were still alive. The bullets had but severed the ropes by which they were suspended, so that they dropped to the ground unhurt. They proceeded to a room near by, where they were found talking to one of their friends. About noon they were again suspended. The Armenians, who considered the result of their volleys a miracle, were unwilling to fire again, so another regiment of soldiers had been brought on the scene, who fired when ordered. This time the volleys took effect. The bodies of both victims were riddled by bullets and horribly mutilated, although their faces were almost untouched.
By this foul deed the Barrack Square of Tabriz became a second Calvary. The enemies of the Bab enjoyed a guilty thrill of triumph, thinking that this hated tree of the Babl faith was now severed at the root, and its complete eradication would be easy ! But their triumph was short-lived ! They did not realize that the Tree of Truth cannot be felled by any material axe. Had they but known, this very crime of theirs was the means of giving greater vigour to the Cause. The martyrdom of the Bab fulfilled his own cherished wish and inspired his followers with increased zeal. Such was the fire of their spiritual enthusiasm that the bitter winds of persecution but fanned it to a fiercer blaze. The greater the efforts at extinction, the higher mounted the flames.
Tomb on Mount Carmel.
After the Bab's martyrdom, his remains, with those of his devoted companion, were thrown on the edge of the moat outside the city wall. On the second night they were rescued at mid- night by some of the Babis, and after being concealed for years in secret depositories in Persia, were ultimately brought, with
BAB : THE FORERUNNER 27
great danger and difficulty, to the Holy Land. There they are now interred in a tomb beautifully situated on the slope of Mount Carmel, not far from the Cave of Elijah, and only a few miles from the spot where Baha'u'llah spent his last years and where his remains now lie. Among the thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the world who come to pay homage at the Holy Tomb of Baha'u'llah, none omit to offer prayer also at the shrine of his devoted lover and forerunner, the Bab. 1
Writings of Bab.
The writings of the Bab were voluminous, and the rapidity with which, without study or premeditation, he composed elaborate commentaries, profound expositions or eloquent prayers, was regarded as one of the proofs of his divine inspiration.
The purport of his various writings has been summarized as follows :
" Some of these (the Bab's writings) were commentaries on, and inter- pretations of, the verses of the Koran; some were prayers, homilies, and hints of (the true significance of certain) passages ; others were exhortations, admonitions, dissertations on the different branches of the doctrine of the Divine Unity . . . encouragements to amendment of character, severance from worldly states, and dependence on the inspira- tions of God. But the essence and purport of his compositions were the praises and descriptions of that Reality soon to appear which was his only object and aim, his darling and his desire. For he regarded his own appearance as that of a harbinger of good tidings, and considered his own real nature merely as a means for the manifestation of the greater perfections of that One. And indeed he ceased not from celebrating Him by night or day for a single instant, but used to signify to all his followers that they should expect His arising, in such wise that he declares in his writings : * I am a letter out of that most mighty book and a dew- drop from that limitless ocean, and when He shall appear, my true nature, my mysteries, riddles and intimations will become evident, and the embryo of this religion shall develop through the grades of its being and ascent, attain to the station of " the most comely of forms " and become adorned with the robe of " Blessed be God the Best of Creators ! " ' . . . and so inflamed was he with His flame that commemoration of Him was the bright candle of his dark nights in the fortress of Maku, and remem- brance of Him was the best of companions in the straits of the prison of Chihriq. Thereby he obtained spiritual enlargements ; with His
x The tomb of the Bab has now been further honoured by being made the resting-place of the body of 'Abdu'1-Baha (see Chapter IV, p. 66).
28 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
wine was he inebriated ; and at remembrance of Him did he rejoice." Episode of the Bab, p. 54.
He Whom God shall Make Manifest.
Like John the Baptist, the Bab always insisted that he was but a forerunner sent to prepare the way for One greater than himself who was to come after him. He heralded the advent of a great Manifestation of the Sun of Truth which, in a human frame, would shortly be revealed to men with majesty and glory. With touching humility and reverence he declared that, in the day of " Him whom God shall make manifest " :
" If one should hear a single verse from Him and recite it, it is better than that he should recite the Bayan (i.e. the revelation of the Bab) a thousand times." Episode of the Bab, p. 349.
He counted himself happy in enduring any affliction, if by so doing he could smooth the path, by ever so little, for " Him whom God shall make manifest," who was, he declared, the sole source of his inspiration as well as the sole object of his love.
Resurrection, Paradise and Hell.
An important part of the Bab's teaching is his explanation of the terms Resurrection, Day of Judgment, Paradise and Hell. By the Resurrection is meant, he said, the appearance of a new Manifestation of the Sun of Truth. The raising of the dead means the spiritual awakening of those who are asleep in the graves of ignorance, heedlessness and lust. The Day of Judgment is the Day of the new Manifestation, by acceptance or rejection of whose Revelation the sheep are separated from the goats, for the sheep know the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him. Paradise is the joy of knowing and loving God, as revealed through His Manifestation, thereby attaining to the utmost perfection of which one is capable, and, after death, obtaining entrance to the Kingdom of God and the life everlasting. Hell is simply depriva- tion of that knowledge of God with consequent failure to attain divine perfection, and loss of the Eternal Favour. He definitely declared that these terms have no real meaning apart from this ; and that the prevalent ideas regarding the resurrection of the material body, a material heaven and hell, and the like, are mere
BAB : THE FORERUNNER 29
figments of the imagination. He taught that man has a life after death, and that in the after-life, progress towards perfection is limitless.
Social and Ethical Teachings.
, In his writings the Bab tells his followers that they must be distinguished by brotherly love and courtesy. Useful arts and crafts must be cultivated. Elementary education should be general. In the new and wondrous Dispensation now commencing^ women are to have fuller freedom. The poor are to be provided for out of the common treasury, but begging is strictly forbidden, as is the use of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes.
The guiding motive of the true Babl must be pure love, with- out hope of reward or fear of punishment. Thus he says in the Bayan :
" So worship God that if the recompense of thy worship were to be the Fire, no alteration of thy worship of Him would be produced. If you worship God from fear, that is unworthy of the threshold of the holiness of God. ... So also, if your gaze is on Paradise, and if you worship in hope of that ; for then you have made God's creation a partner with Him." Babis of Persia, II, by Prof. E. G. Browne, J.R.A.S., vol. xii. p. 931.
Passion and Triumph.
This last quotation reveals the spirit which animated the Bab's whole life. To know and love God, to mirror forth His attributes and to prepare the way for His coming Manifestation these were the sole aim and object of his being. For him life had no terrors and death no sting, for love had cast out fear, and martyrdom itself was but the rapture of casting his all at the feet of his Beloved.
Strange ! that this pure and beautiful soul, this inspired teacher of Divine Truth, this devoted lover of God and of his fellow-men should be so hated, and done to death by the professedly religious of his day ! Surely nothing but unthinking or wilful prejudice could blind men to the fact that here was indeed a prophet, a Holy Messenger of God. Worldly greatness and glory he had none, but how can spiritual Power and Dominion be proved
30 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
except by the ability to dispense with all earthly assistance, and to triumph over all earthly opposition, even the most potent and virulent ? How can Divine Love be demonstrated to an unbelieving world save by its capacity to endure to the uttermost the blows of calamity and the darts of affliction, the hatred of enemies and the treachery of seeming friends, to rise serene above all these and, undismayed and unembittered, still to forgive and bless ?
The Bab has endured and the Bab has triumphed. Thousands have testified to the sincerity of their love for him by sacrificing their lives and their all in his service. Kings might well envy his power over men's hearts and lives. Moreover, " He whom the Lord shall make manifest" has appeared, has confirmed the claims and accepted the generous devotion of his forerunner, and made him partaker of his Glory.
CHAPTER III - BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD
** O them who art waiting, tarry no longer, for He is come. Behold His Tabernacle and His Glory dwelling therein. It is the Ancient Glory, with a new Manifestation." BAHA'U'LLAH.
Birth and Early Life.
Mirza IJusayn 'All, who afterwards assumed the tide or Baha'u'llah (i.e. Glory of God), was the eldest son of Mirza * Abbas of Nur, a Vazlr or Minister of State. His family was wealthy and distinguished, many of its members having occupied important positions in the Government and in the Civil and Military Services of Persia. He was born in Tihran (Teheran), the capital city of Persia, between dawn and sunrise on the 1 2th of November, 1817.3 He never attended school or college, and what little teaching he received was given at home. Nevertheless, even as a child he showed wonderful wisdom and knowledge. While he was still a youth his father died, leaving him responsible for the care of his younger brothers and sisters, and for the manage- ment of the extensive family estates.
On one occasion 'Abdu'1-Baha, the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, related to the writer the following particulars about his father's early days :
" From childhood he was exceedingly kind and generous. He was a great lover of outdoor life, most of his time being spent in the garden or the fields. He had an extraordinary power of attraction, which was felt by all. People always crowded around him. Ministers and people
* Pronounced with the accent on the second and fourth syllables, the first syllable being almost mute and both 1's distinctly sounded. J and of Muharram, 1233 A.H.
31
32 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
of the Court would surround him, and the children also were devoted to him. When he was only thirteen or fourteen years old he became renowned for his learning. He would converse on any subject and solve any problem presented to him. In large gatherings he would discuss matters with the 'Ulama (leading mullas) and would explain intricate religious questions. All of them used to listen to him with the greatest interest.
" When Baha'u'llah was twenty-two years old, his father died, and the Government wished him to succeed to his father's position in the Ministry, as was customary in Persia, but Baha'u'llah did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said : ' Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher aim in view. I cannot under- stand him, but I am convinced that he is destined for some lofty career. His thoughts are not like ours. Let him alone.' "
Imprisoned as Babi.
When the Bab declared his mission in 1844, Baha'u'llah, who was then in his twenty-seventh year, boldly espoused the Cause of the new Faith, of which he soon became recognized as one of the most powerful and fearless exponents.
He had already twice suffered imprisonment for the Cause, and on one occasion had undergone the torture of the bastinado, when in August 1852, an event occurred fraught with terrible consequences for the Babls. One of the Bab's followers, a youth named Sadiq, had been so affected by the martyrdom of his beloved Master, of which he was an eye-witness, that his mind became deranged, and, in revenge, he waylaid the Shah and fired a pistol at him. 1 Instead of using a bullet, however, he charged his weapon with small shot, and although a few pellets struck the Shah, no serious harm was done. The youth dragged the Shah from his horse, but was promptly seized by the attendants of his Majesty and put to death on the spot. The whole body of Babls was unjustly held responsible for the deed, and frightful massacres ensued. Eighty of them were forthwith put to death in Tihran with the most revolting tortures. Many others were seized and put into prisons, among them being Baha'u'llah. He afterwards wrote :
" We had nothing to do with this odious deed, and our innocence
1 This incident occurred about two hours after sunrise on the 28th of Shawwal, 1268 A.H., i.e. i6th of August, 1852 A.D. (Avarih).
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 33
was indisputably proved before the tribunals. Nevertheless, they arrested us and brought us to the prison in fihran, from Nlyavaran, which was then the seat of the Royal Residence ; on foot, in chains, and with bare head and feet, for a brutal fellow who was accompanying us on horseback snatched the hat from my head, and many executioners and farr2shes (guards) hurried us along with great speed and put us for four months in a place the like of which has not been seen. In reality a dark and narrow cell were far better than the place where this wronged one and his companions were confined.
" When we entered the prison, on arrival, they conducted us along a dismal corridor, and thence we descended three steep stairs to the dungeon appointed for us. The place was pitch dark, and its inmates numbered nearly a hundred and fifty- thieves, assassins and highway robbers. Holding such a crowd as this, it yet had no outlet but the passage through which we entered. The pen fails to describe this place and its putrid stench. Most of the company had neither clothes to wear nor mat to lie on. , God knows what we endured in that gloomy and loathsome place !
" By day and by night in this prison we reflected on the condition of the Babis and their doings and affairs, wondering how, notwithstanding their greatness of soul, nobility and intelligence, they could be capable of such a deed as this audacious attempt on die life of the sovereign. Then did this wronged one determine that, on leaving this prison, he would arise with the utmost endeavour for the regeneration of these souls. . . .
" One night in a dream this all-glorious word was heard from all sides : * Verily we will aid thee to triumph by thyself and by thy pen. Grieve not for that which hath befallen thee, and have no fear. Truly thou art of them that are secure. Ere long shall the Lord send forth and reveal the treasures of the earth, men who shall give thee the victory by thyself and by thy name wherewith the Lord hath revived the hearts of them that know ' " (see Epitre au Fits du Loup, pp. 20-22).
Exile to Baghdad.
This terrible imprisonment lasted four months, but Baha'u'llah and his companions remained zealous and enthusiastic, in the greatest of happiness. Almost every day one or more of them was tortured or put to death and the others reminded that their turn might come next. When the executioners came to fetch one of the friends, the one whose name was called would literally dance with joy, kiss the hands of Baha'u'llah, embrace the rest of his fellow-believers and then hasten with glad eagerness to the place of martyrdom.
It was conclusively proved that Baha'u'llah had no share in
3
34 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
the plot against the Shah, and the Russian Minister testified to the purity of his character. He was, moreover, so ill that it was thought he would die. Instead, therefore, of sentencing him to death, the Shah ordered that he should be exiled to 'Iraq-i-'Arab, in Mesopotamia ; and thither, a fortnight later, Baha'u'llah set out, accompanied by his family and a number of other believers. They suffered terribly from cold and other hardships on the long winter journey, and arrived in Baghdad in a state of almost utter destitution. 1
As soon as his health permitted, Baha'u'llah began to teach enquirers and to encourage and exhort the believers, and soon peace and happiness reigned among the Babls.* This, however, was short-lived. Baha'u'llah's half-brother, Mlrza Yahya, also known as Subh-i-Azal, arrived in Baghdad, and soon afterwards differences, secretly instigated by him, began to grow, just as similar divisions had arisen among the disciples of Christ. These differences (which later, in Adrianople, became open and violent) were very painful to Baha'u'llah, whose whole aim in life was the promotion of unity among the people of the world.
Two Years in the Wilderness.
About a year after coming to Baghdad, he departed alone into the wilderness of Sulaymanlyyih, taking with him nothing but a change of clothes. Regarding this period he writes in the Book of Iqan as follows :
" As this servant, upon his arrival in this land (Baghdad) became aware, in part, of events which would subsequently happen, we took our departure ... to deserts of solitude and spent two years in the wilderness of isola- tion. . . . Many a night we were destitute of food and many a day the body found no rest. Notwithstanding these showering afflictions and successive calamities by the One in Whose Hand is our soul We continued in perfect happiness and exceeding joy. . . . We swear by God that We had no intention of return from this exile, nor hope of reunion after this journey. Our only purpose was to avoid being a cause
1 The party left Tihran in the month of Rabi I, 1269 A.H. (December 1852- January 1853 A.D.), and arrived at Baghdad in the following month, Rabi 11^ the duration of the journey being between forty and fifty days (Avarih).
* This was early in the year 1853, or nine years after the Bab's Declaration, thus fulfilling certain prophecies of the Bab concerning " the year nine."
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 35
of disagreement among the beloved ones, a source of disturbance among the friends, the means of injury to anyone, or the occasion of sorrow to any heart. We had no other intention or object whatever. Yet every individual formed an opinion or surmise according to his own inclination. Finally the decree of return emanated from the Source of Command (i.e. God) and We accordingly obeyed and returned. The pen is unable to record that which befell us after our return. For two years enemies exerted their utmost efforts to destroy this humble servant, as all are aware. . . ."
Opposition of Mullas.
After his return from this retirement, his fame became greater than ever and people flocked to Baghdad from far and near to see him and hear his teachings. Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians, as well as Muhammadans, became interested in the new message. The Mullas (Muhammadan doctors), however, took up a hostile attitude and persistently plotted to effect his overthrow. On a certain occasion they sent one of their number to interview him and submit to him certain questions. The envoy found the answers of Baha'u'llah so convincing and his wisdom so amazing, although evidently not acquired by study, that he was obliged to confess that in knowledge and understanding Baha'u'llah was peerless. In order, however, that the Mullas who had sent him should be satisfied as to the reality of Baha'u'llah's prophethood, he asked that some miracle should be produced as a proof. Baha'u'llah expressed his willingness to accept the suggestion on certain conditions, declaring that if the Mullas would agree regarding some miracle to be performed, and would sign and seal a document to the effect that on performance of this miracle they would confess the validity of his mission and cease to oppose him, he would furnish the desired proof or else stand convicted of imposture. Had the aim of the Mullas been to get at the truth, surely here was their opportunity j but their intention was far otherwise. Rightly or wrongly, they meant to secure a decision in their own favour. They feared the truth and fled from the daring challenge. This discomfiture, however, only spurred them on to devise fresh plots for the eradication of the oppressed sect. The Persian Consul-General in Baghdad came to their assistance and sent repeated messages
36 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
to the Shah to the effect that Baha'u'llah was injuring the Muhammadan religion more than ever, still exerting a malign influence in Persia, and that he ought therefore to be banished to some more distant place.
It was characteristic of BahaVllah that, at this crisis, when at the instigation of the Muhammadan Mullas the Persian and Turkish Governments were combining their efforts to eradicate the Movement, he remained calm and serene, encouraging and inspiring his followers and writing imperishable words of consola- tion and guidance. *Abdu'l-Baha relates how the Hidden Words were written at this time. Baha'u'llah would often go for a walk along the bank of the Tigris. He would come back looking very happy and write down those lyric gems of wise counsel which have brought help and healing to thousands of aching and troubled hearts. For years, only a few manuscript copies of the Hidden Words were in existence, and these had to be carefully concealed lest they should fall into the hands of the enemies*that abounded, but now this little volume is probably the best known of all Baha'u'llah's works, and is read in every quarter of the globe. The Book of Iqan is another well-known work of Baha'u'llah's written about the same period, towards the end of his sojourn at Baghdad (1862-1863 A.D.).
Declaration at Ridvan, 1 near Baghdad.
After much negotiation, at the request of the Persian Govern- ment, an order was issued by the Turkish Government summoning Baha'u'llah to Constantinople. On receipt of this news his followers were in consternation. They besieged the house of their beloved leader to such an extent that the family encamped in the Garden of Najlb Pasha outside the town, for twelve days, while the caravan was being prepared for the long journey. It was on the first of these twelve days (April 21 to May 3, 1863, i.e. nineteen years after the Bab's declaration) that Baha'u'llah announced to several of his followers the glad tidings that he was the one whose coming had been foretold by the Bab- the Chosen of God, the Promised One of all the prophets. The Garden where this memorable declaration took place has become known
? Pronounced Rizwin.
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 37
to Baha'is as the " Garden of Ridvan," and the days Baha'u'llah spent there are commemorated in the " Feast of Ridvan," which is held annually on the anniversary of those twelve days. During those days Baha'u'llah, instead of being sad or depressed, showed the greatest joy, dignity and power. His followers became happy and enthusiastic, and great crowds came to pay their respects to him. All the notables of Baghdad, even the Governor himself, came to honour the departing prisoner.
Constantinople and Adrianople.
The journey to Constantinople lasted between three and four months, and the party, consisting of Baha'u'llah with twelve members of his family and seventy-two disciples, suffered greatly from exposure. Arrived in Constantinople they found themselves prisoners in a small house in which they were very much over- crowded. Later they got somewhat better quarters, but after four months they were again moved on, this time to Adrianople. The journey to Adrianople, although it lasted but a few days, was the most terrible they had yet undertaken. Snow fell heavily most of the time, and as they were destitute of proper clothing and food, their sufferings were extreme. For the first winter in Adrianople, Baha'u'llah and his family, numbering twelve persons, were accommodated in a small house of three rooms, comfortless and vermin-infested. In the spring they were given a more comfortable abode. They remained in Adrianople over four and a half years. Here Baha'u'llah resumed his teaching and gathered about him a large following. He publicly announced his mission and was enthusiastically accepted by the majority of the Babzs, who were known thereafter as Bahais. A minority, however, under the leadership of Baha'u'llah's half-brother, Mirza Yahya, became violently opposed to him and joined with their former enemies, the Shi'ahs, in plotting for his overthrow. Great troubles ensued, and at last the Turkish Government banished both Babis and Baha'Is from Adrianople, exiling Baha'u'llah and his followers to *Akka, in Palestine, where they arrived (according to Nabll) on August 31, 1868, while Mirza Yahya and his party were sent to Cyprus.
38 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Letters to Kings.
About this time Baha'u'llah wrote his famous series of letters to the principal crowned heads of Europe, the Pope, the Shah of Persia and the Government of the United States, announcing , his mission and calling on them to bend their energies to the establishment of true religion, just government and international peace. In his letter to the Shah he powerfully pleaded the cause of the oppressed Babis and asked to be brought face to face with those who had instigated their persecution. Needless to say, this request was not complied with ; Badl', the young and devoted Baha'I who delivered the letter of Baha'u'llah, was seized and martyred with fearful tortures, hot bricks being pressed on his flesh !
In the same letter Baha'u'llah gives a most moving account of his own sufferings and longings :
" O king, I have seen in the way of God what no eye hath seen and no ear hath heard. Friends have disclaimed me ; ways are straitened unto me ; the pool of safety is dried up ; the plain of ease is scorched yellow. How many calamities have descended, and how many will descend! I walk advancing toward the Mighty, the Bounteous, while behind me glides the serpent. My eyes rain down tears until my bed is drenched ; but my sorrow is not for myself. By God, my head longeth for the spears for the love of its Lord, and I never pass by a tree but my heart addresseth it saying, ' O would that thou wert cut down in my name and my body were crucified upon thee in the way of my Lord ! ' Yea, because I see mankind going astray in their intoxication and they know it not : they have exalted their lusts and put aside their God, as though they took the Command of God for a mockery, a sport and a plaything ; and they think that they do well, and that they are harboured in the citadel of security. The matter is not as they suppose : to-morrow they shall see what they now deny.
" We are about to shift from this most remote place of banishment (Adrianople) unto the prison of Acre. And according to what they say, it is assuredly the most desolate of the cities of the world, the most un- sightly of them in appearance, the most detestable in climate, and the foulest in water; it is as though it were the metropolis of the owl; there is naught heard therein save the sound of its hooting. And in it they intend to imprison the servant, and to shut in our faces the doors of leniency and take away from us the good things of the life of the world during what remaineth of our days. By God, though weariness should weaken me, and hunger should destroy me, though my couch should be made of the hard rock and my associates of the beasts of the desert, I will not
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 39
blench, but will be patient, as the resolute and determined are patient, in the strength of God, the King of Pre-existence, the Creator of the nations ; and under all circumstances I give thanks unto God. And we hope of His graciousness (exalted is He) . . . that He will render all men's faces sincere towards Him, the Mighty, the Bounteous. Verily He answereth him who prayeth unto Him, and is near unto him who calleth on Him. And we ask Him to make this dark calamity a buckler for the body of His saints, and to protect them thereby from the sharp swords and piercing blades. Through affliction hath his light shone and His praise been bright unceasingly : this hath been His method through past ages and bygone times." Episode of the Bab, pp. 146, 147.
Imprisonment in 'Akka.
At that time 'Akka (Acre) was a prison-city to which the worst criminals were sent from all parts of the Turkish Empire. On arriving there, after a miserable sea journey, Baha'u'llah and his followers, about eighty to eighty-four in number, including men, women and children, were imprisoned in the army barracks. The place was dirty and cheerless in the extreme. There were no beds or comforts of any sort. The food supplied was wretched and inadequate, so much so that after a time the prisoners begged to be allowed to buy their food for themselves. During the first few days the children were crying continually, and sleep was almost impossible. Malaria, dysentery and other diseases soon broke out, and everyone in the company fell sick, with the exception of five (who became victims later on). Four succumbed to their sickness, and the sufferings of the survivors were indescribable. 1
This rigorous imprisonment lasted for two years, during which time none of the Baha'is were allowed outside the prison door, except four men, carefully guarded, who went out daily to buy food.
During the imprisonment in the barracks, visitors were rigidly excluded. Several of the Baha'is of Persia came all the way on foot for the purpose of seeing their beloved leader, but were refused admittance within the city walls. They used to go to
1 " In order to bury two of those who died, Baha'u'llah gave his own carpet to be sold for the expenses of their burial, but instead of using this money for that purpose the soldiers appropriated it, and thrust the bodies into a hole in the ground." AVARIH.
40 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
a place on the plain outside the third moat, from which they could see the windows of Baha'u'llah's quarters. He would show himself to them at one of the windows, and, after gazing on him from afar, they would weep and return to their homes, fired with new zeal for sacrifice and service.
Restrictions Relaxed.
At last the imprisonment was mitigated. A mobilization of Turkish troops occurred and the barracks were required for soldiers. Baha'u'llah and his family were transferred to a house by themselves and the rest of the party were accommodated in a caravansera in the town. Baha'u'llah was confined for seven more years in this house. In a small room near that in which he was imprisoned, thirteen of his household, including both sexes, had to accommodate themselves as best they could ! In the earlier part of their stay in this house they suffered greatly from insufficiency of accommodation, inadequate food supply and lack of the ordinary conveniences of life. After a time, however, a few additional rooms were placed at their disposal and they were able to live in comparative comfort. From the time Baha'u'llah and his companions left the barracks, visitors were allowed to see them, and gradually the severe restrictions imposed by the Imperial firmans were more and more left in abeyance, although now and then reimposed for a time.
Prison Gates Opened.
Even when the imprisonment was at its worst, the Baha'Is were not dismayed, and their serene confidence was never shaken. While in the barracks at 'Akka Baha'u'llah wrote to some friends, " Fear not. These doors shall be opened. My tent shall be pitched on Mount Carmel, and the utmost joy shall be realized." This declaration was a great source of consolation to his followers, and in due course it was literally fulfilled. The story of how the prison doors were opened had best be told in the words of 'Abdu'l- Baha, as translated by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi :
" Baha'u'llah loved the beauty and verdure of the country. One day he passed the remark : ' I have not gazed on verdure for nine years. The country is the world of the soul, the city is the world of bodies.'
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 41
When I heard indirectly of this saying I realized that he was longing for the country, and I was sure that whatever I could do towards the carrying out of his wish would be successful. There was in 'Akka at that time a man called Muhammad Pasha Safwat, who was very much opposed to us. He had a palace called Mazra'ih, about four miles north of the city, a lovely place, surrounded by gardens and with a stream of running water. I went and called on this Pasha at his home. I said : * Pasha, you have left the palace empty, and are living in 'Akka.' He replied : ' I am an invalid and cannot leave the city. If I go there it is lonely and I am cut off from my friends.' I said : ' While you are not living there and the place is empty, let it to us.' He was amazed at the proposal, but soon consented. I got the house at a very low rent, about five pounds per annum, paid him for five years and made a contract. I sent labourers to repair the place and put the garden in order and had a bath built. I also had a carriage prepared for the use of the Blessed Beauty. 1 One day I determined to go and see the place for myself. Notwithstanding the repeated injunctions given in successive firmans that we were on no account to pass the limits of the city walls, I walked out through the city gate. Gendarmes were on guard, but they made no objection, so I proceeded straight to the palace. The next day I again went out, with some friends and officials, unmolested and unopposed, although the guards and sentinels stood on both sides of the City Gates. Another day I arranged a banquet, spread a table under the pine trees of Bahjl, and gathered round it the notables and officials of the town. In die evening we all returned to the town together.
" One day I went to the Holy Presence of the Blessed Beauty * and said : ' The palace at Mazra'ih is ready for you, and a carriage to drive you there.' (At. that time there were no carriages in 'Akka or Haifa.) He refused to go, saying : ' I am a prisoner.' Later I requested him again, but got the same answer. I went so far as to ask him a third time, but he still said ' No ! ' and I did not dare to insist further. There was, however, in 'Akka a certain Muhammadan Shaykh, a well-known man with considerable influence, who loved Baha'u'llah and was greatly favoured by him. I called this Shaykh and explained the position to him. I said, 'You are daring. Go to-night to His Holy Presence, fall on your knees before him, take hold of his hands and do not let go until he promises to leave the city ! ' He was an Arab. . . . He went directly to Baha'u'llah and sat down close to his knees. He took hold of the hands of the Blessed Beauty and kissed them and asked : ' Why do you not leave the city ? ' He said : ' I am a prisoner.' The Shaykh replied : ' God forbid ! Who has the power to make you a prisoner ? You have kept yourself in prison. It was your own will to be imprisoned, and now I beg you to come out and go to the palace. It is beautiful and
1 Jamal-i-Mubarak (lit. Blessed Beauty) was a title frequently applied to Baha'u'llah by his followers and friends.
42 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
verdant. The trees are lovely, and the oranges like balls of fire ! ' As often as the Blessed Beauty said : * I am a prisoner, it cannot be,* the Shaykh took his hands and kissed them. For a whole hour he kept on pleading. At last Baha'u'llah said, ' Khayll khub (very good) ' and the Shaykh 's patience and persistence were rewarded. He came to me with great joy to give the glad news of His Holiness's consent. In spite of the strict firman of 'Abdu'l-'AzIz which prohibited my meeting or having any intercourse with the Blessed Perfection, I took the carriage the next day and drove with him to the palace. No one made any objec- tion. I left him there and returned myself to the city.
" For two years he remained in that charming and lovely spot. Then it was decided to remove to another place, at BahjI. It so happened that an epidemic disease had broken out at Bahjl, and the proprietor of the house fled away in distress, with all his family, ready to offer the house free of charge to any applicant. We took the house at a very low rent, and there the doors of majesty and true sovereignty were flung wide open. Baha'u'llah was nominally a prisoner (for the drastic firmans of Sultan 'Abdu'l-'Aziz were never repealed), yet in reality he shewed forth such nobility and dignity in bis life and bearing that he was reverenced by all, and the Rulers of Palestine envied his influence and power. Governors and Mutasarrifs, generals and local officials, would humbly request the honour of attaining his presence a request to which he seldom acceded.
" On one occasion a Governor of the city implored this favour on the ground of his being ordered by higher authorities to visit, with a certain general, the Blessed Perfection. The request being granted, the general, who was a very corpulent individual, an European, was so impressed by the majestic presence of Baha'u'llah that he remained kneeling on the ground near the door. Such was the diffidence of both visitors that it was only after repeated invitations from Baha'u'llah that they were induced to smoke the narguileh (hubble-bubble pipe) offered to them. Even then they only touched it with their lips, and then, putting it aside, folded their arms and sat in an attitude of such humility and respect as to astonish all those who were present.
" The loving reverence of friends, the consideration and respect that were shown by all officials and notables, the .inflow of pilgrims and seekers after truth, the spirit of devotion and service that was manifest all around, the majestic and kingly countenance of the Blessed Perfection, the effectiveness of his command, the number of his zealous devotees all bore witness to the fact that Baha'u'llah was in reality no prisoner, but a King of Kings. Two despotic sovereigns were against him, two powerful autocratic rulers, yet, even when confined in their own prisons, he addressed them in very austere terms, like a king addressing his subjects. Afterwards, in spite .of the severe firmans, he lived at Bahjl like a prince. Often he would say : ' Verily, verily, the most wretched prison has been converted into a Paradise of Eden.'
BAHA'U'LLAH: THE GLORY OF GOD 43
" Surely, such a thing has not been witnessed since the creation of the world."
Life at Bahji.
Having in his earlier years of hardship shown how to glorify God in a state of poverty and ignominy, Baha'u'llah in his later years at Bahji showed how to glorify God in a state of honour and affluence. The offerings of hundreds of thousands of devoted followers placed at his disposal large funds which he was called upon to administer. Although his life at Bahji has been described as truly regal, in the highest sense of the word, yet it must not be imagined that it was characterized by material splendour or extravagance. The Blessed Perfection and his family lived in very simple and modest fashion, and expenditure on selfish luxury was a thing unknown in that household. Near his home the believers prepared a beautiful garden called Rid van, in which he often spent many consecutive days or even weeks, sleeping at night in a little cottage in the garden. Occasionally he went further afield. He made several visits to 'Akka and Haifa, and on more than one occasion pitched his tent on Mount Carmel, as he had predicted when imprisoned in the barracks at 'Akka. The time of Baha'u'llah was spent for the most part in prayer and meditation, in writing the Sacred Books, revealing Tablets, and in the spiritual education of the Friends. In order to give him entire freedom for this great work, 'Abdu'1-Baha undertook the arrangement of all other affairs, even meeting the Mullas, poets, and members of the Government. All of these were delighted and happy through meeting 'Abdu'1-Baha, and entirely satisfied with his explanations and talks, and although they had not met Baha'u'llah himself, they became full of friendly feeling towards him, through their acquaintanceship with his son, for ' Abdu'l-Baha's attitude caused them to understand the station of his father.
The distinguished orientalist, Professor Edward G. Browne*, of the University of Cambridge, visited Baha'u'llah at Bahji in the year 1890, and records his impressions as follows :
" My conductor paused for a moment while I removed my shoes. Then with a quick movement of the hand he withdrew, and, as I passed,
44 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
replaced the curtain ; and I found myself in a large apartment, along the upper end of which ran a low divan, while on the side opposite to the door were placed two or three chairs. Though I dimly suspected whither I was going, and whom I was to behold (for no distinct intima- tion had been given to me), a second or two elapsed ere, with a throb of wonder and awe, I became definitely conscious that the room was not untenanted. In the corner where the divan met the wall sat a won- drous and venerable figure, crowned with a felt head-dress of the kind called taj by dervishes (but of unusual height and make), round the base of which was wound a small white turban. The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul ; power and authority sat on that ample brow ; while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which the jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the waist seemed to belie. No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before One who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain !
"A mild dignified voice bade me be seated, and then continued: ' Praise be to God that thou hast attained ! . . . Thou hast come to see a prisoner and an exile. . . . We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations ; yet they deem us a stirrer-up of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment. . . . 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 what harm is there in this ? . . . Yet so it shall be ; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the " Most Great Peace " shall come. ... Do not you in Europe need this also ? Is not this that which Christ foretold ? . . . Yet do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind. . . . These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family. . . . Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country ; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind. . . .'
" Such, so far as I can recall them, were the words which, besides many others, I heard from Baha. Let those who read them consider well with themselves whether such doctrines merit death and bonds, and whether the world is more likely to gain or lose by their diffusion." Introduction to "A Traveller's Narrative," Episode of the Bab, p. 39.
Ascension.
Thus simply and serenely did Baha'u'llah pass the evening of his life on earth until, after an attack of fever, he passed away on the 28th of May, 1892, at the age of seventy-five. Among the last Tablets he revealed was his Will and Testament, which he
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 45
wrote with his own hand and duly signed and sealed. Nine days after his death the seals were broken by his eldest son, in the presence of members of the family and a few friends, and the contents of the short but remarkable document were made known. By this will *Abdu'l-Baha was constituted his father's representative and the expounder of his teachings, and the family and relatives of Baha'u'llah and all believers were instructed to turn to him and obey him. By this arrangement sectarianism and division were provided against and the unity of the Cause assured.
Prophethood of Baha'u'llah.
It is important to have dear ideas of Baha'u'llah's prophethood. His utterances, like those of other divine " Manifestations," may be divided into two classes, in one of which he writes or speaks simply as a man who has been charged by God with a message to his fellows, while in the other class the words purport to be the direct utterance of God Himself.
He writes in the Book of Iqan :
" There are two stations for the Suns rising from the Daysprings of Divinity. One is the station of Unity and condition of Oneness, ' We make no distinction between any of them ' (Qur'an, S. 2). The other station is that of distinction, creation and human limitations. In this station for each one a temple is designated, a mission is indicated, a mani- festation is decreed, and certain limitations are assigned. Each one is named by a certain name, characterized by certain qualities and appointed to a new Cause and Law ; as it is said : ' These are the Messengers ; We have preferred some of them before others. Some of them hath God spoken unto, and hath exalted the degree of others of them. And We gave unto Jesus, the Son of Mary, manifest signs and strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit' (Qur'an, S. 2). . . .
" In the station of Oneness and rank of Singleness, pure Sublimity, Divinity, Unity and absolute Deity have been and are ascribed to those Essences of Existence, because they are all seated upon the throne of the ' Manifestation of God ' . . . that is, the appearance and the beauty of God is revealed by their beauty. ...
" In the second station, which is that of distinction, separation, limitation and temporal conditions and indications, they show forth absolute servi- tude, real need and utter lowliness ; as it is said : ' Verily, I am the servant of God,' and ' Verily, I am only a man like you ' (Qur'an, S. 41).
" If it be heard from the Perfect Manifestations : * Verily I am God, 1 it is true and without doubt, for ... through their Manifestation,
46 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Attributes and Names, the Manifestation of God, the Attributes of God and the Name of God appear upon earth. . . . Likewise if they say : ' We are the servants of God,' this also is confirmed and evident, for outwardly they have appeared with the utmost degree of servitude. No one hath the courage to appear in the world with that manner of servitude.
" Thus those Essences of Existence, when submerged in the seas of Eternal Holiness and when ascending to the summits of the significances of the Ideal King, uttered declarations of Unity and Deity. Were one to consider attentively he will find that even in this state they witnessed in themselves the utmost humility and lowliness in presence of the Absolute Existence and Real Life as though accounting themselves utterly non- existent and deeming mention of themselves in that court as polytheism. . . .
" Therefore, whatever they may say and claim, including Divinity, Deity, Prophetbood, Messengership, Successorship, Imamat or Servi- tude is true and without doubt." Book of Ig&an, pp. 125129.
When Baha'u'llah speaks as a man, the station he claims for himself is that of utter humility, of " annihilation in God." What distinguishes the " Manifestation," in his human personality, from other men is the completeness of his self-abnegation as well as the perfection of his powers. Under all circumstances he is able to say, as did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, " Neverthe- less not my will but Thine be done." Thus in his epistle to the Shah, Baha'u'llah says :
" O King, verily I was as anyone among mankind, slumbering upon my couch. The gales of the All-Glorious passed by me and taught me the knowledge of what hath been. This thing is not from me, but from One who is Mighty and All-knowing. And He bade me proclaim between the earth and the heaven, and for this there hath befallen me that whereat the eyes of those who know overflow with tears. I have not studied those sciences which men possess, nor have I entered the col- leges. . . . This is a leaf which the breezes of the Will of thy Lord the Mighty have stirred. Can it be still when the rushing winds blow ? No, by the Lord of the Names and Attributes ! Rather do they move it as they list, for Being belonged) not to nonentity in presence of the Eternal. His decisive command did come, causing me to speak for His Celebration amidst the worlds. Verily I was not save as one dead in presence of His Command, the hand of thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement, turning me. Can anyone speak on his own part that for which all men, whether high or low, will persecute him ? No, by Him who taught the Pen eternal mysteries, save him who is strengthened by one Mighty and Strong." Episode of the Bab, p. 395.
BAHA'U'LLAH: THE GLORY OF GOD 47
As Jesus washed his disciples' feet, so Baha'u'llah used sometimes to cook food and perform other lowly offices for his followers, He was a servant of the servants, and gloried only in servitude, content to sleep on a bare floor if need be, to live on bread and water, or even, at times, on what he called " the divine nourish- ment, that is to say, hunger ! " His perfect humility was seen in his profound reverence for nature, for human nature, and especially for the saints, prophets and martyrs. To him, all things spoke of God, from the meanest to the greatest.
His human personality had been chosen by God to become the Divine Mouthpiece and Pen. It was not of his own will that he had assumed this position of unparalleled difficulty and hardship. As Jesus said : " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me," so Baha'u'llah said : " Had another exponent or speaker been found, we would not have made ourself an object of censure, derision and calumnies on the part of the people" (Tablet of Ishraqat). But the divine call was clear and imperative and he obeyed. God's will became his will, and God's pleasure, his pleasure ; and with " radiant acquiescence " he declared :
" In truth I say, whatsoever befalleth in the Pathway of the Lord is the well-beloved of the soul and the desire of the heart. Deadly venom, in His Path, is but sweetness itself, and torment, in His Name, but cool and refreshing water " (see Epitre au Fi/s du Loup, p. 17).
At other times, as we have mentioned, Baha'u'llah speaks "from the station of Deity." In these utterances his human personality is so completely subservient that it is left out of ac- count altogether. Through him God addresses His creatures, proclaiming His love for them, teaching them His attributes, making known His will, announcing His Laws for their guidance and pleading for their love, their allegiance and service.
In the writings of Baha'u'llah, the utterance frequently changes from one of these forms to another. Sometimes it is evidently the man who is discoursing, then without a break the writing continues as if God were speaking in the first person. Even when speaking as a man, however, Baha'u'llah speaks as God's messenger, as a living example of entire devotion to God's will.
48 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
His whole life is actuated by the Holy Spirit. Hence no hard and fast line can be drawn between the human and divine elements in his life or teachings. God tells him :
" Say : * Naught is seen in my temple but the Temple of God, and in my beauty but His Beauty, and in my being but His Being, and in myself but Himself, and in my movement but His Movement, and in my acquies- cence but His Acquiescence, and in my pen but His Pen, the Precious, the Extolled.'
" Say : ' There hath not been in my soul but the Truth, and in myself naught could be seen but God.' " Suratifl-Haykal, p. 30.
His Mission.
Baha'u'llah's mission in the world is to bring about Unity Unity of all mankind in and through God. He says :
* " Of the Tree of Knowledge the All-glorious fruit is this eialted word : Of One Tree are all ye the fruits and of One Bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loves his country, but let him rather glory in this that he loves his kind."
Previous prophets have heralded an age of peace on earth, goodwill among men, and have given their lives to hasten its advent, but each and all of them have plainly declared that this blessed consummation would be reached only after the " Coming of the Lord " in the latter days, when the wicked would be judged and the righteous rewarded.
Zoroaster foretold three thousand years of conflict before the advent of Shah Bahrain, the world-saviour, who would over- come Ahrlman, the spirit of evil, and establish a reign of righteous- ness and peace.
Moses foretold a long period of exile, persecution and oppression for the children of Israel, before the Lord of Hosts would appear to gather them from all the nations, to destroy the oppressors and establish His Kingdom upon earth.
Christ said : " Think not that I am come to send peace upon earth : I came not to send peace but a sword " (Matt. x. 34), and he predicted a period of wars and rumours of wars, of tribula- tions and afflictions that would continue till the coming of the Son of Man "in the Glory of the Father."
Muhammad declared that, because of their wrongdoings, Allah had put enmity and hatred among both Jews and Christians
BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD 49
that would last until the Day of Resurrection, when He would appear to judge them all.
Baha'u'llah, on the other hand, announces that he is the Promised One of all these Prophets the Divine Manifestation in whose era the reign of peace will actually be established. This state- ment is unprecedented and unique, yet it fits in wonderfully with the signs of the times, and with the prophecies of all the great prophets. Baha'u'llah revealed with incomparable clearness and comprehensiveness the means for bringing about peace and unity amongst mankind.
It is true that, since the advent of Baha'u'llah, there have been, until now, war and destruction on an unprecedented scale, but this is just what all the prophets have said would happen at the dawn of the " great and terrible Day of the Lord," and is, therefore, but a confirmation of the view that the " Coming of the Lord " is not only at hand, but is already an accomplished fact. According to the parable of Christ, the Lord of the Vineyard must miserably destroy the wicked husbandmen before He gives the Vineyard to others who will render Him the fruits in their seasons. Does not this mean that at the coming of the Lord dire destruction awaits those despotic governments, avaricious and intolerant priests, mullas, or tyrannical leaders who through the centuries have, like wicked husbandmen, misruled the earth and misappropriated its fruits ?
There may be terrible events, and unparalleled calamities yet awhile on the earth, but Baha'u'llah assures us " that ere long, these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away and the Most Great Peace shall come." War and strife have become so intolerable in their destructiveness that mankind must find deliverance from them or perish.
" The fulness of time " has come and with it the Promised Deliverer !
His Writings.
The writings of Baha'u'llah are most comprehensive in their range, dealing with every phase of human life, individual and social, with things material and things spiritual, with the interpreta- tion of ancient and modern scriptures, and with prophetic anticipa- tions of both the near and distant future.
4
50 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
The range and accuracy of his knowledge was amazing. He could quote and expound the Scriptures of the various religions with which his correspondents or questioners were familiar, in convincing and authoritative manner, although apparently he had never had the ordinary means of access to many of the books referred to. He declares, in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf^ that he had never had time or opportunity even to read the writings of the Bab, although in his own writings he shows the most perfect knowledge and understanding of the Bab's Revelation. (The Bab, as we have seen, declared that His Revelation, the Bayan, was inspired by and emanated from " Him whom God shall make Manifest " !) With the single exception of a visit from Professor Browne, with whom in the year 1890 he had four interviews, each lasting twenty to thirty minutes, he had no opportunities of intercourse with enlightened Western thinkers, yet his writings show a marvellous grasp of the social, political and religious problems of the Western world, and even his enemies had to admit that his wisdom and knowledge were incomparable. The well- known circumstances of his long imprisonment render it impossible to doubt that much of the wealth of knowledge shown in his writings must have been acquired from some spiritual source, quite independent of the usual means of study or instruction and the help of books or teachers. 1
Sometimes he wrote in modern Persian, the ordinary language of his fellow-countrymen, which is largely admixed with Arabic At other times, as when addressing learned Zoroastrians, he wrote in the purest classical Persian. He also wrote with equal fluency \ in Arabic, sometimes in very simple language, sometimes in classical style somewhat similar to that of the Qur'an. His perfect mastery of these different languages and styles was remarkable because of his entire lack of literary education.
In some of his writings the way of holiness is pointed out in such simple terms that " the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall
* When asked whether Baha'u'Uah had made a special study of Western writings and founded his teachings in accordance with them 'Abdu'1-Baha said that the books of Baha'u'Uah, written and printed sixty years ago, contained the ideals now so familiar to the West, although at that time these ideas had not been printed or thought of in the West.
BAHA'U'LLAH: THE GLORY OF GOD 51
not err therein " (Isaiah xxxv. 8). In others there is a wealth of poetic imagery, profound philosophy and allusions to Muhammadan, Zoroastrian and other scriptures, or to Persian and Arabic literature and legends, such as only the poet, the philosopher or the scholar can adequately appreciate. Still others deal with advanced stages of the spiritual life and are to be understood only by those who have already passed through the earlier stages. His works are like a bountiful table provided with foods and delicacies suited to the needs and tastes of all who are genuine truth-seekers.
It is because of this that His Cause had effect among the learned and cultured, spiritual poets and well-known writers. Even some of the leaders of the Sufis and of other sects, and some of the political ministers who were writers, were attracted by his words, for they exceeded those of all other writers in sweetness and depth of spiritual meaning.
The Baha'i Spirit.
From his place of confinement in distant 'Akka, Baha'u'llah stirred his native land of Persia to its depths ; and not only Persia ; he stirred and is stirring the world. The spirit that animated him and his followers was unfailingly gentle, courteous and patient, yet it was a force of astonishing vitality and transcendent power. It achieved the seemingly impossible. It changed human nature. Men who yielded to its influence became new creatures. They were filled with a love, a faith, and enthusiasm, compared with which earthly joys and sorrows were but as dust in the balance. They were ready to face life-long suffering or violent death with perfect equanimity, nay, with radiant joy, in the strength of fearless dependence on God.
Most wonderful of all, their hearts were so brimming over with the joy of a new life as to leave no room for thoughts of bitterness or vindictiveness against their oppressors. They entirely abandoned the use of violence in self-defence, and instead of bemoaning their fate, they considered themselves the most fortunate of men in being privileged to receive this new and glorious Revela- tion and to spend their lives or shed their blood in testifying to its truth. Well might their hearts sing with joy, for they believed that God the Supreme, the Eternal, the Beloved, had spoken to them
52 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
N
through human lips, had called them to be His servants and friends, had come to establish His Kingdom upon earth, and to bring the priceless boon of Peace to a war-worn, strife-stricken world.
Such was the faith inspired by Baha'u'llah. He announced his own mission, as the Bab foretold that he would, and, thanks to the devoted labours of his great Forerunner, there were thousands ready to acclaim his Advent thousands who had shaken off superstitions and prejudices, and were waiting with pure hearts and open minds for the Manifestation of God's Promised Glory. Poverty and chains, sordid circumstances and outward ignominy could not hide from them the Spiritual Glory of their Lord nay, these dark earthly surroundings only served to enhance the brilliance of his real Splendour.
CHAPTER IV - 'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA
" When the Ocean of My Presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revela- tion hath been completed, turn your faces towards Him whom God hath purposed, who hath branched from this Ancient Root." BAHA'U'LLAH.
Birth and Childhood.
* Abbas Effendi, who afterwards assumed the tide of *Abdu'l Baha (i.e. Servant of Baha), was the eldest son of Baha'u'llah. He was born in ^JTihran shortly before midnight on the 23rd May, I844, 1 in the very same hour in which the Bab declared his mission.
He was eight years of age when his father, to whom even then he was devotedly attached, was thrown into the dungeon in Tihran. A mob sacked their house, and the family were stripped of their possessions and left in destitution. *Abdu'l-Baha tells how one day he was allowed to enter the prison yard to see his beloved father when he came out for his daily exercise. Baha'u'llah was terribly altered, so ill he could hardly walk, his hair and beard unkempt, his neck galled and swollen from the pressure of a heavy steel collar, his body bent by the weight of his chains, and the sight made a never-to-be-forgotten impression on the mind of the sensitive boy.
During the first year of their residence in Baghdad, ten years before the open declaration by Baha'u'llah of his Mission, the keen insight of 'Abdu'1-Baha, who was then but nine years of age, already led him to the momentous discovery that his father was indeed the Promised One whose Manifestation all the Babis were awaiting. Some sixty years afterwards he thus described the
1 Thursday, 5th Jumada I, 1260 A.H. 53
54 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
moment in which this conviction suddenly overwhelmed his whole nature :
cc
I am the servant of the Blessed Perfection. In Baghdad I was a child. Then and there He announced to me the Word, and I believed in Him. As soon as He proclaimed to me the Word, I threw myself at His Holy Feet and implored and supplicated Him to accept my blood as a sacrifice in His Pathway. Sacrifice ! How sweet I find that word ! There is no greater Bounty for me than this ! What greater glory can I conceive than to see this neck chained for His sake, these feet fettered for His love, this body mutilated or thrown into the depths of the sea for His Cause ! If in reality we are His sincere lovers ^if in reality I am His sincere servant, then I must sacrifice my life, my all at His Blessed Threshold." Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, January 1914.
About this time he began to be called by his friends " The Mystery of God," a title given to him by Baha'u'llah, by which he was commonly known during the period of residence in Baghdad.
When his father went away for two years into the wilderness, 'Abbas was heart-broken. His chief consolation consisted in copying and committing to memory the Tablets of the Bab, and much of his time was spent in solitary meditation. When at last his father returned, the boy was overwhelmed with joy.
Youth.
From that time onwards, he became his father's closest companion and, as it were, protector. Although a mere youth, he already showed astonishing sagacity and discrimination, and undertook the task of interviewing all the numerous visitors who came to see his father. If he found they were genuine truth-r seekers, he admitted them to his father's presence, but otherwise he did not permit them to trouble Baha'u'llah. On many occasions he helped his father in answering the questions and solving the difficulties of these visitors. For example, when one of the Sufi leaders, named 'All Shawkat Pasha, asked for an explanation of the phrase : " I was a Hidden Mystery," which occurs in a well- known Muhammadan tradition, 1 Baha'u'llah turned to the
1 The tradition is quoted in a tablet of Baha'u'llah j see Chapter V, p. 73 of this book.
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 55
" Mystery of God," 'Abbas, and asked him. to write the explana- tion. The boy, who was then about fifteen or sixteen years of age, at once wrote an important epistle giving an exposition so illuminating as to astonish the Pasha. This epistle is now widely spread among the Baha'is, and is well known to many outside the Baha'I faith.
About this time 'Abbas was a frequent visitor to the mosques, where he would discuss theological matters with the doctors and learned men. .He never attended any school or college, his only teacher being his father. His favourite recreation was horse- back riding, which he keenly enjoyed.
After Baha'u'llah's Declaration in the Garden outside Baghdad, 'Abdu'l-Baha's devotion to his father became greater than ever. On the long journey to Constantinople he guarded Baha'u'llah night and day, riding by his waggon and watching near his tent. As far as possible he relieved his father of all domestic cares and responsibilities, becoming the mainstay and comfort of the entire family.
During the years spent in Adrianople, 'Abdu'1-Baha endeared himself to every one. He taught much, and became generally known as the " Master." At 'Akka, when nearly all the party were ill with typhoid, malaria, and dysentery, he washed the patients, nursed them, fed them, watched with them, taking no rest, until, utterly exhausted, he himself took dysentery, and for about a month remained in a dangerous condition. In 'Akka, as in Adrianople, all classes, from the Governor to the most wretched beggar, learned to love and respect him.
Marriage.
The following particulars regarding the marriage of 'Abdu'l- Baha were kindly supplied to the writer by Jinab-i-Avarih, the Persian historian of the Baha'I Movement :
" During the youth of 'Abdu'1-Baha the question of a suitable mar- riage for him was naturally one of great interest to the believers, and many people came forward, wishing to have this crown of honour for their own family. For a long time, however, 'Abdu'1-Baha showed no inclination for marriage, and no one understood the wisdom of this. Afterwards it became known that there was a girl who was destined
56 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
to become the wife of 'Abdu'1-Baha, one whose birth came about through the Blessing which the Bib gave to her parents in Isfahan. Her father was MirzS Muhammad 'All, who was the uncle of the ' King of Martyrs * and the * Beloved of Martyrs,' and she belonged to one of the great and noble families of Isfahan. When the Bab was in Isfahan, Mirza" Muhammad 'All had no children, but his wife was longing for a child. On hearing of this, the Bab gave him an apple and told him to share it with his wife. After they had eaten of that apple, it soon became apparent that their long-cherished hopes of parenthood were about to be fulfilled, and in due course a daughter was born to them, who was given the name of Munirih Khanum. 1 Later on a son was born, to whom they gave the name of Sayyid Yahya, and afterwards they had some other children. After a time Munirih's father died, her .cousins were martyred by Zillu's-Sultan and the mullas, and the family fell into great troubles and bitter persecutions because of their being Baha'is. Baha'u'llah then permitted Munirih and her brother Sayyid Yafcya to come to 'Akka for protection. Baha'u'llah and his wife, NawwSb, the mother of 'Abdu'1-Baha", showed such kindness and favour to Munirih that others understood that they wished her to become the wife of 'Abdu'1-Baha. The wish of his father and mother became the wish of 'Abdu'1-Baha, too. He had a warm feeling of love and affec- tion for Munirih which was fully reciprocated, and ere long they became united in marriage."
The marriage proved exceedingly happy and harmonious. Of the children born to them four daughters have survived the rigours of their long imprisonment, and, through their beautiful lives of service, have endeared themselves to all who have been privileged to know them.
Centre of the Covenant.
Baha'u'llah indicated in many ways that 'Abdu'1-Baha was to be his successor. Many years before his death he declared this in a veiled manner in his Kitabitl-Aqdas. He referred to ' Abdu'I- Baha on many occasions as "The Centre of my Covenant," "The Most Great Branch," "The Branch from the Ancient Root." He habitually spoke of him as "The Master" and required all his family to treat him with marked deference ; and in his Will and Testament he left explicit instructions that all should turn to him and obey him.
* It is interesting to compare this story with that of the birth of John the Baptist j see St. Luke's Gospel, Chapter I,
'ABDU'L-BAHA^: THE SERVANT OF B AHA 57
After the death of the " Blessed Beauty " (as Baha'u'llah was generally called by his family and believers) 'Abdu'1-Baha assumed the position which his father had clearly indicated for him as head of tile movement and authoritative interpreter of the teachings, but this was resented by certain of his relatives and others, who became as bitterly opposed to 'Abdu'1-Baha as Subh-i-Azal had been to Baha'u'llah. They tried to stir up dissensions among the believers, and, failing in that, proceeded to make various false charges against 'Abdu'1-Baha to the Turkish Government.
In accordance with instructions received from his father, 'Abdu'1-Baha was erecting a building on the side of Mount Carmel, above Haifa, which was intended to be the permanent resting-place of the remains of the Bab, and also to contain a number of rooms for meetings and services. They represented to the authorities that this building was intended as a fort, and that 'Abdu'1-Baha and his followers meant to entrench themselves there, defy the Government, and endeavour to gain possession of the neighbouring region of Syria.
Strict Imprisonment Renewed.
In consequence of this and other equally unfounded charges, in 1901, 'Abdu'1-Baha and his family, who for more than twenty years had been allowed the freedom of the country for some miles around 'Akka, were again, for over seven years, strictly confined within the walls of the prison city. This did not prevent him, however, from effectively spreading the Baha'i message through Asia, Europe and America. Mr. Horace Holley writes of this period as follows :
"To Abdul Baha, as a teacher and friend, came men and women from every race, religion and nation, to sit at his table like favoured guests, questioning him about the social, spiritual or moral programme each had most at heart ; and after a stay lasting from a few hours to many months, returning home, inspired, renewed and enlightened. The world surely never possessed such a guest-house as this.
" Within its doors the rigid castes of India melted away, the racial prejudice of Jew, Christian and Muhammadan became less than a memory ; and every convention save the essential law of warm hearts and aspiring minds broke down, banned and forbidden by the unifying sympathy of the master of the house. It was like a King Arthur and
58 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
the Round Table . . . but an Arthur who knighted women as well as men, and sent them away not with the sword but with the Word." The Modern Social Religion, Horace Holley, p. 171.
During these years 'Abdu'1-Baha carried on an enormous correspondence with believers and enquirers in all parts of the world. In this work he was greatly assisted by his daughters and also by several interpreters and secretaries.
Much of his time was spent in visiting the sick and the afflicted in their own homes ; and in the poorest quarters of 'Akka no visitor was more welcome than the " Master." A pilgrim who visited 'Akka at this time writes :
" It is the custom of Abdul Baha each week, on Friday morning, to distribute alms to the poor. From his own scanty store he gives a little to each one of the needy who come to ask assistance. This morning about one hundred were ranged in line, seated and crouching upon the ground in the open street of the court where Abdul Baha's house stands. And such a nondescript collection of humanity they were. All kinds of men, women and children poor, wretched, hopeless in aspect, half- clothed, many of them crippled and blind, beggars indeed, poor beyond expression waiting expectant until from the doorway came Abdul Baha. . . . Quickly moving from one to another, stopping sometimes to leave a word of sympathy and encouragement, dropping small coins into each eager outstretched palm, touching the face of a child, taking the hand of an old woman who held fast to the hem of his garment as he passed along, speaking words of light to old men with sightless eyes, enquiring after those too feeble and wretched to come for their pittance of help, and sending them their portion with a message of love and uplift." Glimpses of Abdul Baha, M.J.M., p. 13.
'Abdu'l-Baha's personal wants were few. He worked late and early. Two simple meals a day sufficed him. His ward- robe consisted of a very few garments of inexpensive material. He could not bear to live in luxury while others were in want.
He had a great love for children, for flowers, and for the beauties of nature. Every morning about six or seven, the family party used to gather to partake of morning tea together, and while the Master sipped his tea, the little children of the household chanted prayers. Mr. Thornton Chase writes of these children :
" Such children I have never seen, so courteous, unselfish, thoughtful for others, unobtrusive, intelligent, and swiftly self-denying in the little things that children love." In Galilee, p. 51.
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 59
The " ministry of flowers " was a feature of the life at 'Akka, of which every pilgrim brought away fragrant memories. Mrs. Lucas writes :
" When the Master inhales the odour of flowers, it is wonderful to see him. It seems as though the perfume of the hyacinths were telling him something, as he buries his face in the flowers. It is like the effort of the ear to hear a beautiful harmony a concentrated attention." A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca, p. 26.
He loved to present beautiful and sweet-smelling flowers to his numerous visitors.
Mr. Thornton Chase sums up his impression of the prison life at 'Akka as follows :
" Five days we remained within those walls, prisoners with Him who dwells in that ' Greatest Prison.' It is a prison of peace, of love and service. No wish, no desire is there save the good of mankind, the peace of the world, the acknowledgment of the Fatherhood of God and the mutual rights of men as His creatures, His children. Indeed, the real prison, the suffocating atmosphere, the separation from all true heart desires, the bond of world conditions, is outside of those stone walls, while within them is the freedom and pure aura of the Spirit of God. All troubles, tumults, worries or anxieties for worldly things are barred out there." In Galilee, p. 24.
To most people the hardships of prison life would appear as grievous calamities, but for 'Abdu'1-Baha they had no terrors. When in prison he wrote :
" Grieve not because of my imprisonment and calamity ; for this prison is my beautiful garden, my mansioned paradise and my throne of dominion among mankind. My calamity in my prison is a crown to me in which I glory among the righteous."
" Anyone can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, success, health, pleasure and joy ; but if one be happy and contented in the time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, that is the proof of nobility." ; Tablets of Abdul Baka y vol. ii. pp. 258, 263.
Turkish Commissions of Investigation.
In 1904 and 1907 commissions were appointed by the Turkish Government to enquire into the charges against ' Abdu'1-Baha, and lying witnesses gave evidence against him. * Abdu'1-Baha, while refuting the charges, expressed his entire readiness to submit
60 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
to any sentence the tribunal chose to impose. He declared that if they should throw him into gaol, drag him through the streets, curse him, spit upon him, stone him, heap upon him all sorts of ignominy, hang him or shoot him he would still be very happy.
Between the sittings of the Commissions of Investigation he pursued his ordinary life with the utmost serenity, planting fruit trees in a garden and presiding at a marriage feast with the dignity and radiance of spiritual freedom. The Italian Consul offered to provide him a safe passage to any foreign port he cared to select, but this offer he gratefully but firmly refused, saying that whatever the consequences, he must follow in the footsteps of the Bab and the Blessed Perfection, who never tried to save themselves or run away from their enemies. He encouraged most of the Baha'is, however, to leave the neighbourhood of 'Akka, which had become very dangerous for them, and remained alone, with a few of the faithful, to await his destiny.
The four corrupt officials who constituted the last investigating commission arrived in 'Akka in the early part of the winter of 1907, stayed one month, and departed for Constantinople, after finishing their so-called "investigation," prepared to report that the charges against 'Abdu'1-Baha had been substantiated and to recommend his exile or execution. No sooner had they got back to Turkey, however, than the Revolution broke out there, and the four commissioners, who belonged to the old regime, had to flee for their lives. The Young Turks established their supremacy, and all political and religious prisoners in the Ottoman Empire were set free. In September 1908 'Abdu'1-Baha was released from prison, and in the following year 'Abdu'l-IJamid, the Sultan, became himself a prisoner.
Western Tours.
After his release, 'Abdu'1-Baha continued the same holy life of ceaseless activity in teaching, correspondence, ministering to the poor and the sick, with merely the change from 'Akka to Haifa and from Haifa to Alexandria, until August 1911, when he started on his first visit to the Western world. During his tours in the West, 'Abdu'1-Baha met men of every shade of opinion and amply fulfilled the command of Baha'u'llah to " Consort with all the
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 61
people with joy and fragrance." He reached London early in September 1911, and spent a month there, during which, besides daily talks with enquirers and many other activities, he addressed the congregations of the Rev. R. J. Campbell at the City Temple, and of Archdeacon Wilberforce at St. John's, Westminster, and breakfasted with the Lord Mayor. He then proceeded to Paris, where his time was occupied in giving daily addresses and talks to eager listeners of many nationalities and types. In December he returned to Egypt, and next spring, in response to the earnest entreaty of the American friends, he proceeded to the United States, arriving in New York in April 1912. During the next seven months he travelled through America, from coast to coast, addressing all sorts and conditions of men University students, Socialists, Mormons, Jews, Christians, Agnostics, Esperantists, Peace Societies, New Thought Clubs, Women's Suffrage Societies, and speaking in churches of almost every denomination, in each case giving addresses suited to the audience and the occasion. On December 5th he sailed for Great Britain, where he passed six weeks, visiting Liverpool, London, Bristol and Edinburgh. In Edinburgh he gave a notable address to the Esperanto Society, in which he announced that he had encouraged the Baha'Is of the East to study Esperanto in order to further better understanding between the East and the West. After two months in Paris, spent as before in daily interviews and conferences, he proceeded to Stuttgart, where he held a series of very successful meetings with the German Baha'Is ; thence to Buda Pesth and Vienna, founding new groups in these places, returning, in May 1913, to Egypt, and on December 5, 1913, to Haifa.
Return to Holy Land.
He was then in his seventieth year, and his long and arduous labours, culminating in these strenuous Western tours, had worn out his physical frame. After his return he wrote the following pathetic tablet to the believers in East and West :
" Friends, the time is coining when I shall be no longer with, you. I have done all that could be done. I have served the Cause of BahaVHah to the utmost of my ability. I have laboured night and day all the years of my life.
62 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" O how I long to see the believers shouldering the responsibilities of the Cause ! Now is the time to proclaim the Kingdom of ABHA (i.e. The Most Glorious !). Now is the hour of union and concord ! Now is the day of the spiritual harmony of the friends of God ! . . .
" I am straining my ears toward the East and toward the West, toward the North and toward the South, that haply I may hear the songs of love and fellowship raised in the meetings of the believers. My days are numbered, and save this there remains none other joy for me.
" O how I yeam to see the friends united, even as a shining strand of pearls, as the brilliant Pleiades, as the rays of the sun, the gazelles of one meadow !
" The mystic nightingale is singing for them ; will they not listen ? The bird of Paradise is warbling ; will they not hear ? The Angel of the Kingdom of ABHA is calling to them ; will they not hearken ? The Messenger of the .Covenant is pleading ; will they not heed ?
" Ah ! I am waiting, waiting to hear the glad news that the believers are the embodiment of sincerity and loyalty, the incarnation of love and amity and the manifestation of unity and concord !
" Will they not rejoice my heart ? Will they not satisfy my yearnings ? Will they not heed my pleadings ? Will they not fulfil my hopes ? Will they not answer my call ?
" I am waiting, I am patiently waiting ! " Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, April 2, 1914.
The enemies of the Baha'l Cause, whose hopes had risen high when the Bab fell a victim to their fury, when Baha'u'llah was driven from his native land and made a prisoner for life, and again at the passing of Baha'u'llah these enemies once more took heart when they saw the physical weakness and weariness of 'Abdu'l- Baha after his return from his Western travels. But again their hopes were doomed to disappointment. In a short time 'Abdu'l- Baha was able to write :
" Unquestionably this physical body and human energy would have been unable to stand the constant wear and tear . . . but the aid and help of the Desired One were the Guardian and Protector of the weak and humble 'Abdu'1-Baha. . . . Some have asserted that 'Abdu'1-Baha is on the eve of bidding his last farewell to the world, that his physical energies are depleted and drained and that ere long these complications will put an end to his life. This is far from the truth. Although in the outward estimation of the Covenant-breakers and defective-minded the body is weak on account of ordeals in the Blessed Path, yet, Praise be to God ! through the providence of the Blessed Perfection the spiritual forces are in the utmost rejuvenation and strength. Thanks be to God
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 63
that now, through the blessing and benediction of Baha'u'llah, even the physical energies are fully restored, divine joy is obtained, the supreme glad-tidings are resplendent and ideal happiness overflowing." Star of the West, vol. v. No. 14, p. 213.
Both during the Great War and after its close 'Abdu'1-Baha, amidst countless other activities, was able to pour forth a series of great and inspiring letters which, when communications were re-opened, roused believers throughout the world to new enthusiasm and zeal for service. Under the inspiration of these letters the Cause progressed by leaps and bounds and everywhere the Move- ment showed signs of new vitality and vigour.
War Time at Haifa.
A remarkable instance of the foresight of * Abdu'1-Baha was supplied during the months immediately preceding the war. During peace times there was usually a large number of pilgrims at Haifa, from Persia and other regions of the globe. About six months before the outbreak of war one of the old Baha'is living at Haifa presented a request from several Persian believers for permission to visit the Master. * Abdu'1-Baha did not grant the permission, and from that time onwards gradually dismissed the pilgrims who were at Haifa, so that by the end of July 1914 none remained. When, in the first days of August, the sudden outbreak of the Great War startled the world, the wisdom of his precaution became apparent.
When the war broke out, 'Abdu'1-Baha, who had already spent fifty-five years of his life in exile and prison, became again virtually a prisoner of the Turkish Government. Communication with friends and believers outside Syria was almost completely cut off, and he and his little band of followers were again subjected to straitened circumstances, scarcity of food and great personal danger and inconvenience.
During the war 'Abdu'1-Baha had a busy time in ministering to the material and spiritual wants of the people about him. He personally organized extensive agricultural operations near Tiberias, thus securing a great supply of wheat, by means of which famine was averted, not only for the Baha'is but for hundreds of the poor of all religions in Haifa and 'Akka, whose wants he liberally
64 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
supplied. He took care of all, and mitigated their sufferings as far as possible. To hundreds of poor people he would give a small sum of money daily. In addition to money he gave bread. If there was no bread he would give dates or something else. He made frequent visits to 'Akka to comfort and help the believers and poor people there. During the time of war he had daily meetings of the believers, and through his help the friends remained happy and tranquil throughout those troublous years.
Sir 'Abdu'l~Baha Abbas, K.B.E.
Great was the rejoicing in Haifa when, on the 23rd day of September, 1918, at 3 p.m., after some twenty-four hours' fighting, the city was taken by British and Indian cavalry, and the horrors of war conditions under the Turkish rule came to an end.
From the beginning of the British occupation, large numbers of soldiers and Government officials of all ranks, even the highest, sought interviews with 'Abdu'1-Baha, delighting in his illuminating talks, his breadth of view and depth of insight, his dignified courtesy and genial hospitality. So profoundly impressed were the Government representatives by his noble character and his great work in the interests of peace, conciliation, and the true prosperity of the people, that a knighthood of the British Empire was conferred on 'Abdu'1-Baha, the ceremony taking place in the garden of the Military Governor of Haifa on the 2yth day of April, 1920.
Last Years.
During the winter of 1919-20 the writer had the great privilege of spending two and a half months as the guest of Abdu'1-Baha at Haifa and intimately observing his daily life. At that time, although nearly seventy-six years of age, he was still remarkably vigorous, and accomplished daily an almost incredible amount of work. Although often very weary he showed wonderful powers of recuperation, and his services were always at the disposal of those who needed them most. His unfailing patience, gentleness, kindliness and tact made his presence like a benediction. It was his custom to spend a large part of each night in prayer and
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 65
meditation. From early morning until evening, except for a short siesta after lunch, he was busily engaged in reading and answering letters from many lands and in attending to the multi- tudinous affairs of the household and of the Cause. In the after- noon he usually had a little relaxation in the form of a walk or drive, but even then he was usually accompanied by one or two, or a party of, pilgrims with whom he would converse on spiritual matters, or he would find opportunity by the way of seeing and ministering to some of the poor. After his return he would call the friends to the usual evening meeting in his salon. Both at lunch and supper he used to entertain a number of pilgrims and friends, and charm his guests with happy and humorous stories as well as precious talks on a great variety of subjects. " My home is the home of laughter and mirth," he declared, and indeed it was so. He delighted in gathering together people of various races, colours, nations and religions in unity and cordial friendship around his hospitable board. He was indeed a loving father not only to the little community at Haifa, but to the Baha'I community throughout the world.
The Passing of *Abdu'lBaha.
'Abdu'l-Baha's manifold activities continued with little abate- ment despite increasing bodily weakness and weariness up till the last day or two of his life. On Friday, November 25, 1921, he attended the noonday prayer at the Mosque in Haifa, and afterwards distributed alms to the poor with his own hands, as was his wont. After lunch he dictated some letters. When he had rested he walked in the garden and had a talk with the gardener. In the evening he gave his blessing and counsel to a loved and faithful servant of the household who had been married that day, and afterwards he attended the usual meeting of the friends in his own salon. Less than three days later, about 1.30 a.m. on Monday, November 28th, he passed away so peacefully that, to the two daughters watching by his bedside, it seemed as if he had gone quietly to sleep.
The sad news soon spread throughout the town and was flashed over the wires to all parts of the world. The next morning (Tuesday, November 29th) the funeral took place :
5
66 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" a funeral the like of which Haifa, nay, Palestine itself, had surely never seen ... so deep was the feeling that brought so many thousands of mourners together, representative of so many religions, races and tongues.
" The High Commissioner, Sir Herbert Samuel, the Governor of Jerusalem, the Governor of Phoenicia, the chief officials of the Government, the Consuls of the various countries, resident in Haifa, the heads of the various religious communities, the notables of Palestine, Jews, Christians, Moslems, Druses, Egyptians, Greeks, Turks, Kurds, and a host of his American, European and native friends, men, women and children, both of high and low degree . . . all, about ten thousand in number, mourning the loss of their beloved one. . . . * O God, our God ! ' the people wailed with one accord, ' Our father has left us, our father has left us ! ' . . .
" They slowly wended their way up Mount Carmel, the vineyard of God. . . . After two hours' walking, they reached the garden of the Tomb of the Bab. ... As the vast concourse pressed around, representatives of the various denominations, Moslems, Christians and Jews, all hearts being ablaze with fervent love of ' Abdu'1-Baha, some on the impulse of the moment, others prepared, raised their voices in eulogy and regret, paying their last homage of farewell to their loved one. So united were they in their acclamation of him, as the wise educator and reconciler of the human race in this perplexed and sorrowful age, that there seemed to be nothing left for the Baha'is to say." The Passing of 'Abcttl-Baha, by Lady Blomfield and Shoghi Effendi.
Nine speakers, all of them prominent representatives of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, bore eloquent and moving witness to their love and admiration of the pure and noble life which had just drawn to its close. Then the casket was slowly passed to its simple and hallowed resting-place.
Surely here was a fitting tribute to the memory of one who had laboured all his life for unity of religions, of races, of tongues a tribute, and also a proof, that his life-work had not been in vain, that the ideals of Baha'u'llah, which were his inspiration, nay, his very life, were already beginning to permeate the world and to break down the barriers of sect and caste that for centuries had alienated Muslim, Christian, Jew, and the other diverse factions into which the human family has been riven.
Writings and Addresses.
The writings of 'Abdu'1-Baha are very numerous and are mostly in the form of letters to believers and enquirers. A great many of his talks and addresses have also been recorded and many
'ABDU'LrBAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 67
have been published. Of the thousands of pilgrims who have visited him at *Akka and Haifa a large number have written descriptions of their impressions, and many of these records are now available in printed form.
His teachings are thus very completely preserved, and they cover a very wide range of subjects. With many of the problems of both East and West he dealt more fully than his father had done, giving more detailed applications of the general principles laid down by Baha'u'Uah. A number of his writings have not yet been translated into any Western language, but enough is already available to give deep and full knowledge of the more important principles of his teaching.
He spoke Persian, Arabic and Turkish. In his Western tours his talks and addresses were always interpreted, obviously losing much of their beauty, eloquence and force in the process, yet such was the power of the Spirit which accompanied his words that all who heard him were impressed.
Station of 'Abdu'1-Baha.
The unique station assigned to * Abdu'1-Baha by the Blessed Perfection is indicated in the following tablet written by the latter :
" In His Name who shines from the Horizon of Might ! Verily, the Tongue of the Ancient (i.e. Baha'u'Uah, the Tongue of God) gives glad tidings to those who are in the world concerning the Appearance of the Greatest Name, Who takes His Covenant amongst the nations (i.e. c Abdu'1-Baha). Verily, He is Myself ; the shining place of My Identity, the East of My Cause, the Heaven of My Bounty, the Sea of My Will, the Lamp of My Guidance, the Path of My Justice, the Standard of My Law.
"The one who hath turned to Him hath turned to My Face and is illumined through the lights of My Beauty, hath acknowledged My Oneness and confessed, My Singleness.
" The one who hath denied Him hath been deprived of the Salsabil x of my Love, the Kawthar x of My Favour, the Cup of My Mercy and of the wine through which the sincere ones have been attracted and the monotheists have taken flight in the air of My Kindness, which no one hath known ezcept the One to whom I have taught what hath been
1 Salsabil and Kawthar are the names of two rivers in Paradise.
68 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
revealed in My Hidden Tablet." Translated by Mirza Valfyyu 'llah Khan Varqa, of fihran, Persia.
In this tablet the mystic Unity between Baha'u'llah and *Abdu'l-Baha is strikingly affirmed in the words : " He is Myself." The Blessed Perfection spoke in the same way of the Bab. In the Suratu'l-Haykal he says : " Had the Primal Point (Bab) been someone else beside Me y as ye claim, and reached the event of My Appearance, verily, he would never have left Me, but rather we would have had mutual delights with each other in My Days." The tablet dearly indicates that the spirit which animates and inspires 'Abdu'l Baha is that of the Blessed Perfection Himself, and that whatever 'Abdu'1-Baha says or does is to be accepted as of equal authority with the direct utterance of the Manifestation.
* Abdu'1-Baha himself makes no claim to independent prophet- hood. The Revelation he proclaims is that of Baha'u'llah. He is but as the clear mirror reflecting the light of Baha'u'llah the " willing channel " for the transmission to the world of the Holy Spirit emanating from the Manifestation. Many have sought to acclaim him as the returned Christ. With regard to this matter he wrote as follows to some believers in America :
" You have written that there is a difference among the believers concerning the * Second Coming of Christ ' ! Praise be to God ! time and again this question hath arisen, and its answer hath emanated in a clear and irrefutable statement from the pen of Abdul-Baha that what is meant in the prophecies by the ' Lord of Hosts ' and the * Prom- ised Christ' is the Blessed Perfection and His Highness the Supreme (the Bab).
" My name is Abdul-Baha (i.e. Servant of Baha), my qualification is Abdul-Baha, my reality is Abdul-Baha, my praise is Abdul-Baha. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection is my glorious and refulgent diadem and servitude to all the human race is my perpetual religion. Through the bounty and favour of the Blessed Perfection, Abdul-Baha is the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, which is waving from the Supreme Apex ; and through the gift of the Greatest Name, He is the Lamp of Universal Salvation, which is shining with the Love of God. The Herald of the Kingdom is he, so that he may awaken the people of the East and of the West. The voice of Friendship, Uprightness, Truth and Reconciliation is he, so as to cause quickening throughout all regions. No name, no title, no mention, no commendation hath he, nor will ever have, except Abdul-Baha Servant of Baha. This is my longing. This is my greatest yearning. This is my eternal life. This is my everlasting
'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA 69
glory ! . . . Consequently the friends of God must assist and help Abdul- Baha in the Adoration of the True One ; in servitude to the human race ; in the well-being of the human world and in divine love and kindness. . . .
" O ye friends of God ! Abdul-Baha is the Manifestation of Thraldom, and not the ' Christ.' The servant of the human realm is he, and not a ' Chief. 1 Non-existent is he, and not * Existent.' Pure nothingness is he and not the * Eternal Lord.' No one must believe that Abdul-Baha is the ' Second Coming of Christ,' nay, rather he must believe that he is the manifestation of servitude, the mainspring of the unity of the human world, the Herald of the True One with spiritual power throughout all regions, the Commentator of the Book according to the divine text, and the Ransom to each one of the believers of God in this transitory world.
" Print ye this tablet and spread it throughout all countries." Tablets of Abdul-Baha, vol. ii. p. 429.
Exemplar of Baha'i Life.
Baha'u'llah was pre-eminently the Revealer of the Word. His forty years' imprisonment gave him but limited opportunities of intercourse with his fellow-men. To *Abdu'l-Baha, therefore, fell the important task of becoming the exponent of the Revelation, the Doer of the Word, the Great Exemplar of the Baha'i life in actual contact with the world of to-day, in the most diverse phases of its myriad activities. He showed that it is still possible, amid the whirl and rush of modern life, amid the self-love and struggle for material prosperity that everywhere prevail, to live the life of entire devotion to God and to the service of one's fellows, which Christ and Baha'u'llah and all the prophets have demanded of men. Through trial and vicissitudes, calumnies, and treachery on the one hand, and through love and praise, devotion and venera- tion on the other, he stood like a lighthouse founded on a rock, around which wintry tempests rage and the summer ocean plays, his poise and serenity remaining ever steadfast and unshaken. He lived the life of faith, and calls on his followers to live it here and now. He raised amid a warring world the Banner of Unity and Peace, the Standard of a New Era, and he inspires those who rally to his support with the Spirit of the New Day. It is the same Holy Spirit which inspired the Prophets and Saints of old, but it is a new outpouring of that Spirit, suited to the needs of the new time.
CHAPTER V - WHAT IS A BAHA'I ?
" Man must show forth fruits. A fruitless man, in the words of His Holiness the Spirit (i.e. Christ), is like a fruitless tree, and a fruitless tree is fit for fire." BAHA'U'LLAH, in Words of Paradise.
Herbert Spencer once remarked that by no political alchemy is it possible to get golden conduct out of leaden instincts, and it is equally true that by no political alchemy is it possible to make a golden society out of leaden individuals. Baha'u'llah, like all previous prophets, proclaimed this truth and taught that in order to establish the Kingdom of God in the world, it must first be established in the hearts of men. In examining the Baha'i teachings, therefore, we shall commence with the instructions of Baha'u'llah for individual conduct, and try to form a clear picture of what it means to be a Baha'i.
Living the Life.
When asked on one occasion : " What is a Baha'i ? " 'Abdu'l- Baha replied : " To be a Baha'i simply means to love all the world ; to love humanity and try to serve it ; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." On another occasion he defined a Baha'i as " one endowed with all the perfections of man in activity." In one of his London talks he said that a man may be a Baha'i even if he has never heard the name of Baha'u'llah. He added :
" The man who lives the life according to the teachings of Baha'u'llah is already a Baha'i. On the other hand, a man may call himself a Baha'i for fifty years, and if he does not live the life he is not a Baha'i. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one, and a black man may call himself white, yet he deceives no one, not even himself." Abdul Baha in London, p. 109.
70
WHAT IS A BAHA'l? 71
One who does not know God's Messengers, however, is like a plant growing in the shade. Although it knows not the sun, it is, nevertheless, absolutely dependent on it. The great prophets are spiritual suns, and Baha'u'llah is the sun of this " day " in which we live. The suns of former days have warmed and vivified the world, and had those suns not shone, the earth would now be cold and dead, but it is the sunshine of to-day that alone can ripen the fruits which the suns of former days have kissed into life.
Devotion to God.
In order to attain to the Baha'i life in all its fulness, conscious and direct relations with Baha'u'llah are as necessary as is sunshine for the unfolding of the lily or the rose. The Baha'I worships not the human personality of Baha'u'llah, but the Glory of God manifest through that personality. He reverences Christ and Muhammad and all God's former Messengers to mankind, but he recognizes Baha'u'llah as the bearer of God's Message for the new age in which we live, as the Great World-teacher who has come to carry on and consummate the work of his predecessors.
Intellectual assent to a creed does not make a man a Baha'I, not does outward rectitude of conduct. Baha'u'llah requires of his followers whole-hearted and complete devotion. God alone has the right to make such a demand, but Baha'u'llah speaks as the Manifestation of God, and the Revealer of His Will. Previous Manifestations have been equally clear on this point. Christ said : " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." In different words, all the Divine Manifestations have made this same demand from their followers, and the history of religion shows clearly that as long as the demand has been frankly recognized and accepted, religion has flourished, despite all earthly opposition, despite affliction, persecution and martyrdom of the believers. On the other hand, whenever compromise has crept in, and " respectability " has taken the place of complete consecra- tion, then religion has decayed. It has become fashionable, but it has lost its power to save and transform, its power to work
72 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
miracles. True religion has never yet been fashionable. God grant that one day it may become so ; but it is still true, as in the days of Christ, that " Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be who find it." The gateway of spiritual birth, like the gateway of natural birth, admits men only one by one, and without encumbrances. If, in the future, more people succeed in entering that way than in the past, it will not be because of any widening of the gate, but because of a greater disposition on the part of men to make the " great surrender " which God demands ; because long and bitter experience has at last brought them to see the folly of choosing their own way instead of God's way.
Search After Truth.
Baha'u'llah enjoins justice on all his followers and defines it as :
" The freedom of man from superstition and imitation, so that he may discern the Manifestations of God with the eye of Oneness, and consider all affairs with keen sight." Words of Wisdom.
It is necessary that each individual should see and realize for himself the Glory of God manifest in the human temple of Baha'u'- llah, otherwise the Baha'I faith would be for him but a name without meaning. The call of the prophets to mankind has always been that men should open their eyes, not shut them, use their reason, not 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.
He who would be a Baha'I needs to be a fearless seeker after truth, but he should not confine his search to the material plane. His spiritual perceptive powers should be awake as well as his physical. He should use all the faculties God has given him for the acquisition of truth, believing nothing without valid and sufficient reason. If his heart is pure, and his mind free from prejudice, the earnest seeker will not fail to recognize the Divine Glory in whatsoever temple it may become manifest. Baha'u'llah further declares :
WHAT IS A BAHA'I? 73
" Man should know his own self, and know those things that lead to loftiness or to baseness, to shame or to honour, to wealth or to poverty." Tablet of farazat.
" The root of all knowledge is the knowledge of God ; (Glory be to Him!) and this knowledge is impossible save through His Mani- festation." Words of Wisdom.
The Manifestation is the Perfect Man, the great Exemplar for Mankind, the First Fruit of the tree of humanity. Until we know Him we do not know the latent possibilities within ourselves. Christ tells us to consider the lilies how they grow, and declares that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. The lily grows from a very unattractive-looking bulb. If we had never seen a lily in bloom, never gazed on its matchless grace of foliage and flower, how could we know the reality contained in that bulb ? We might dissect it most carefully and examine it most minutely, but we should never discover the dormant beauty which the gardener knows how to awaken. So until we have seen the Glory of God revealed in the Manifestation, we can have no idea of the spiritual beauty latent in our own nature and in that of our fellows. By knowing and loving the Manifestation of God and following His teachings we are enabled, little by little, to realize the potential perfections within ourselves ; then, and not till then, does the meaning and purpose of life and of the universe become apparent to us.
Love of God.
To know the Manifestation of God means also to love him. One is impossible without the other. According to Baha'u'llah, the purpose of man's creation is that he may know God and adore Him. He says in one of his Tablets :
" The cause of the creation of all contingent beings has been love, as it is said in the well-known tradition, ' I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known. Therefore I created the creation in order to be known.' "
And in the Hidden Words he says :
" O son of existence ! Love me that I may love thee. If thou lovest me not, My Love can never reach thee. Know this, O servant.
74 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" O son of the Highest Sight ! I have placed in thee a Spirit from Me that thou mightest be My lover : why hast thou forsaken Me and sought to love another ? "
To be God's lover ! That is the sole object of life for the Baha'L To have God as his closest companion and most intimate friend, his Peerless Beloved, in Whose Presence is fulness of joy ! And to love God means to love everything and everybody, for all are of God. The real Baha'i will be the perfect lover. He will love everyone with a pure heart, fervently. He will hate no one. He will despise no one, for he will have learned to see the Face of the Beloved in every face, and to find His traces everywhere. His love will know no limit of sect, nation, class or race. Baha'u'llah says :
" In former ages it hath been said : c To love one's native land is faith.' But the Tongue of Grandeur hath said in the day of this Manifestation : c Glory is not his who loves his own country, but glory is his who loves his kind/ "Tablet of the World.
And again :
" Blessed is he who prefers his brother before himself ; such an one is of the people of Baha." Words of Paradise.
'Abdu'I-Baha tells us we must be " as one soul in many bodies, for the more we love each other, the nearer we shall be to God." To a Christian minister he said:
" All the prophets were sent, all the books were revealed, that the law of love might be promoted. . . . Let us have love and more love, a love that melts all opposition, a love that conquers all foes, a love that sweeps away all barriers, a love that abounds in charity, large-heartedness, toler- ance and noble striving, a love that triumphs over all obstacles, a bound- less, an irresistible, sweeping love 1 " Diary of Mtrza A^mad Sohrab, June 9, 1914.
Again he says :
" Every soul of the beloved ones must love the others and withhold not his possessions and life from them, and by all means he must endeavour to make the others joyous and happy. But these others must also be disinterested and self-sacrificing. Thus may this Sunrise flood the horizons, this Melody gladden and make happy all the people, this divine Remedy become the panacea for every disease, this Spirit of Truth become the cause of life for every soul." Tablets of Abdul Ba&a, vol. i. p. 147.
WHAT IS A BAHA'I? 75
Severance.
Devotion to God implies also severance from everything that is not of God, severance, that is, from all selfish and worldly, and even other-worldly, desires. The path of God may lie through riches or poverty, health or sickness, through palace or dungeon, rose-garden or torture-chamber. Whichever it be, the Baha'i will learn to accept his lot with " radiant acquiescence." Severance does not mean stolid indifference to one's surroundings or passive resignation to evil conditions ; nor does it mean despising the good things which God has created. The true Baha'i will not be callous, nor apathetic nor ascetic. He will find abundant interest, abundant work and abundant joy in the Path of God, but he will not deviate one hair's breadth from that path in pursuit of pleasure nor hanker after anything that God has denied him. When a man becomes a Baha'i, God's Will becomes his will, for to be at variance with God is the one thing he cannot endure. In the Path of God no terrors can appal, no troubles dismay him. The light of love irradiates his darkest days, transmutes suffering into joy, and martyrdom itself into an ecstasy of bliss. Life is lifted to the heroic plane and death becomes a glad adventure. Baha'u'llah says :
" He that hath in his heart even less than a mustard seed of love for anything beside Me, verily he cannot enter My Kingdom." Suratu'l Haykal.
" O son of humanity ! If thou lovest me, turn away from thyself; if My Will thou seekest, regard not thine own, that thou mayest die in Me and I live in thee."
" O my servant ! Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and escape from the prison of self. Appreciate the value of the time, for thou shalt never see it again, nor shalt thou find a like opportunity." Hidden Words.
Obedience.
Devotion to God involves implicit obedience to His revealed Commands even when the reason for these Commands is not understood. The sailor implicitly obeys his captain's orders, even when he does not know the reason for them, but his acceptance of authority is not blind. He knows full well that the captain has served a thorough probation, and given ample proofs of
76 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
competence as a navigator. Were it not so, he would be foolish indeed to serve under him. So the Baha'I must implicitly obey the Captain of his Salvation, but he will be foolish indeed if he has not first ascertained that this Captain has given ample proofs of trustworthiness. Having received such proofs, however, to refuse obedience would be even greater folly, for only by intelligent and open-eyed obedience to the wise master can we reap the benefits of his wisdom, and acquire this wisdom for ourselves. Be the captain never so wise, if none of the crew obey him how shall the ship reach its port or the sailors learn the art of navigation ? Christ clearly pointed out that obedience is the path of knowledge. He said :
" My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." St. John vii. 16-17.
So Baha'u'llah says :
" Faith in God, and the knowledge of Him, cannot be fully attained except ... by practising all that He hath commanded and all that is revealed in the Book from the Pen of Glory." Tablet of Taja/ftyat.
Implicit obedience is not a popular virtue in these democratic days, and indeed entire submission to the will of any mere man would be disastrous. But the Unity of Humanity can be attained only by complete harmony of each and all with the Divine Will. Unless that Will be clearly revealed, and men abandon all other leaders and obey the Divine Messenger, then conflict and strife will go on, and men will continue to oppose each other, to devote a large part of their energy to frustrating the efforts of their brother men, instead of working harmoniously together for the Glory of God and the common good.
Service.
Devotion to God implies a life of service to our fellow-creatures. We can be of service to God in no other way. If we turn our backs on our fellow-men, we are turning our backs upon God. Christ said, " Inasmuch as ye did it not unto the least of these My brethren, ye did it not unto Me." So Baha'u'llah says :
WHAT IS A BAHA'I? 77
" O son of man ! If thou regardest Mercy, look not to that which benefits thyself; but hold to that which will benefit thy fellow-men. If thou regardest Justice, choose thou for others that which thou choosest for thyself." Words of Paradise.
*Abdu'l-Baha says :
" In the Bahs'I Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are counted as worship. The man who makes a piece of notepaper to the best of his ability, con- scientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fulness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship : to serve man- kind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. A physician ministering to the sick, gently, tenderly, free from prejudice, and believing in the solidarity of the human race, is giving praise." Paris Talks, second edition, p. 164.
Teaching.
The real Baha'i will not only believe in the teachings of Baha'u'llah, but find in them the guide and inspiration of his whole life and joyfully impart to others the knowledge that is the well- spring of his own being. Only thus will he receive in full measure " the power and confirmation of the Spirit." All cannot be eloquent speakers or ready writers, but all can teach by " living the life." Baha'u'llah says :
" The people of Baha" must serve the Lord with wisdom, teach others by their lives, and manifest the Light of God in their deeds. The effect of deeds is in truth more powerful than that of words. . . . The effect of the word spoken by the teacher depends upon his purity of purpose and his severance. Some are content with words, but tie truth of words is tested by deeds and dependent upon life. Deeds reveal the station of the man. The words must be according to what has proceeded from the mouth of the Will of God and is recorded in Tablets." Words of Wisdom.
'The Baha'I will, however, on no account force his ideas on those who do not wish to hear them. He will attract people to the Kingdom of God, not try to drive them into it. He will be like the Good Shepherd who leads his flock, and charms the sheep by his music, rather than like the one who, from behind, urges them on with dog and stick.
Baha'u'llah says in the Hidden Words :
78 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
(C
O son of Dust ! The wise are those who open not their lips unless the7 find listeners, as the cup-bearer never offers a cup unless he finds one who desires. ..."
Again he says, in the Tablet of IshrHqdt :
" O people of BahJ ! Ye are the dawning-places of the Love and daysprings of the Favour of God. Defile not your tongues with cursing or execrating anyone, and guard your eyes from that which is not worthy. Show forth that which ye possess (i.e. Truth). If it be accepted, the aim is attained. If not, to rebuke or interfere with him who rejects is vain. Leave him to himself, and advance towards God, the Protector, the Self-Subsistent. Be not the cause of sorrow, how much less of sedition and strife ! It is hoped that ye may be nurtured in the shade of the tree of Divine Bounty and act as God has willed for you. Ye are all leaves of one tree and drops of one sea."
Courtesy and Reverence.
Baha'u'llah says :
" O people of God ! I exhort you to courtesy. Courtesy is indeed . . . the lord of all virtues. Blessed is he who is adorned with the mantle of Uprightness and illumined with the light of Courtesy. He who is endowed with Courtesy (or Reverence) is endowed with a great station. It is hoped that this wronged One, and all, will attain to it, hold unto it and observe it. This is the Irrefutable Command which hath flowed from the pen of the Greatest Name." Tablet of the World.
Again and again he repeats :
" Let all the nations of the world consort with each other with joy and fragrance. Consort ye, O people, with the people of all religions with joy and fragrance."
'Abdu'1-Baha says in a letter to the Baha'is of America:
" Beware ! Beware ! Lest ye offend any heart ! Beware ! Beware ! Lest ye hurt any soul ! Beware ! Beware ! Lest ye deal unkindly toward any person ! Beware ! Beware ! Lest ye be the cause of hopelessness to any
creature !
" Should one become the cause of grief to any one heart, or of despon- dency to any one soul, it were better to hide oneself in the lowest depths of the earth than to walk upon the earth."
He teaches that as the flower is hidden in the bud, so a spirit from God dwells in the heart of every man, no matter how hard
WHAT IS A BAHA'I? 79
and unlovely his exterior. The true Baha'I will treat every man, therefore, as the gardener tends a rare and beautiful plant. He knows that no impatient interference on his part can open the bud into a blossom ; only God's sunshine can do that, therefore his aim is to bring that life-giving sunshine into all darkened hearts and homes.
Again, *Abdu'l-Baha says :
" Among the teachings of BahaVllah is one requiring man, under all conditions and circumstances, to be forgiving, to love his enemy and to consider an ill-wisher as a well-wisher. Not that one should consider another as an enemy and then put up with him . . . and be forbearing toward him. This is hypocrisy and not real love. Nay, rather, you must see your enemies as friends, your ill-wishers as well-wishers and treat them accordingly. Your love and kindness must be real . . . not merely forbearance, for forbearance, if not of the heart, is hypocrisy." Star of the West, vol. iv. p. 191.
Such counsel appears unintelligible and self-contradictory until we realize that while the outer carnal man may be a hater and ill-wisher, there is in everyone an inner, spiritual nature which is the real man, from whom only love and goodwill can proceed. It is to this real, inner man in each of our neighbours that we m\ist direct our thought and love. When he awakens into activity, the outer man will be transformed and renewed.
The Sin-covering Eye.
On no subject are the Baha'I teachings more imperative and uncompromising than on the requirement to abstain from fault- finding. Christ spoke very strongly on the same subject, but it has now become usual to regard the Sermon on the Mount as embodying " Counsels of Perfection " which the ordinary Christian cannot be expected to live up to. Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l- Baha are at great pains to make clear that on this subject they mean all they say. We read in the Hidden Words :
" O son of man ! Breathe not the sins of any man so long as thou art a sinner. If thou doest contrary to this command thou art not of Me ; to this I bear witness.
" O son of existence ! Attribute not to any soul that which thou desirest not to be attributed to thyself. . . . This is My command to thee ; obey it."
8o BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA 'Abdu'1-Baha tells us :
" To be silent concerning the faults of others, to pray for them, and to help them, through kindness, to correct their faults.
" To look always at the good and not at the bad. If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one ; and if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten.
" Never to allow ourselves to speak one unkind word about another, even though that other be our enemy."
To an American friend he writes :
" The worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting, more especially when it emanates from the tongues of the believers of God. If some means were devised so that the doors of back-biting could be shut eternally, and each one of the believers of God unsealed his lips in praise of others, then the teachings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah would be spread, the hearts illumined, the spirits glorified, and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity." Star of the West, vol. iv. p. 192.
Humility.
While we are commanded to overlook the faults of others, and see their virtues, we are commanded, on the other hand, to find out our own faults and take no account of our virtues. Baha'u'llah says in the Hidden Words :
" Wherefore hast thou forgotten thine own faults and busied thyself with the faults of others ? Whoso doeth this is condemned by Me."
" The tongue is especially for the mention of Me ; stain it not with slander. If the fire of self overcome you, be mindful to remember your own faults, and speak not evil of My creatures, because each one of you is more conscious and better informed of his own self than of My creatures."
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" Let your life be an emanation of the Kingdom of Christ. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. ... In the religion of Baha'u'llah all are servants and maid-servants, brothers and sisters. As soon as one feels a little better than, a little superior to, the rest, he is in a dangerous position, and unless he casts away the seed of such an evil thought, he is not a fit instrument for the service of the Kingdom."
" Dissatisfaction with oneself is a sign of progress. The soul who is satisfied with himself is the manifestation of Satan, and the one who is not contented with himself is the manifestation of the Merciful. If a person has a thousand good qualities he must not look at them ; nay, rather he
WHAT IS A BAHA'I? 81
must strive to find out his own defects and imperfections. . . . However much a man may progress, yet he is imperfect, because there is always a point ahead of him. No sooner does he look up towards that point than he becomes dissatisfied with his own condition, and aspires to attain to that. Praising one's own self is the sign of selfishness." Diary of Mtrza Afymad Sohrab, 1914.
Although we are commanded to recognize and sincerely repent of our sins, the practice of confession to priests or others is definitely forbidden. Baha'u'llah says in the Glad Tidings :
" The sinner, when his heart is free from all save God, must seek for- giveness from God alone. Confession before the servants (i.e. before men) is not permissible, for it is not the means or the cause of Divine Forgiveness. Such confession before the creatures leads to one's humilia- tion and abasement, and God exalted be His Glory does not wish for the humiliation of His servants. Verily He is Compassionate and Bene- ficent. The sinner must, between himself and God, beg for mercy from the Sea of Mercy and implore pardon from the Heaven of Forgiveness."
Truthfulness and Honesty.
Baha'u'llah says in the Tablet of Tarazat :
" Verily, Honesty is the door of tranquillity to all in the world, and the sign of glory from the presence of the Merciful One. Whosoever attains thereto has attained to treasures of wealth and affluence. Honesty is the greatest door to the security and tranquillity of mankind. The stability 'of every affair always depends on it, and the worlds of honour, glory and affluence are illumined by its light. ...
" O people of Baha ! Honesty is the best garment for your temples and the most splendid crown for your heads. Adhere thereto by the Command of the Omnipotent Commander."
Again he says :
" The principle of faith is to lessen words and to increase deeds. He whose words exceed his acts, know verily, that his non-being is better than, his being, his death better than his life." Words of Wisdom.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of mankind. With- out truthfulness, progress and success in all of the worlds are impossible for a soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the other divine qualities will also become realized." Tablets of 'Abdu'l-BahS, vol. ii. p. 459.
6
82 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" Let the light of truth and honesty shine from your faces so that all may know that your word, in business or pleasure, is a word to trust and be sure of. Forget self and work for the whole " (message to the London Baha'is, October 1911).
Self-realization.
Baha'u'llah constantly urges men to realize and give full expression to the perfections latent within them the true inner self as distinguished from the limited outer self, which at best is but the temple, and too often is the prison of the real man. In the Hidden Words he says :
" O son of existence ! By the Hands of Power I have made thee, and by the Fingers of Strength have created thee. I have placed in thee the essence of My Light ; therefore depend upon it, and upon nothing else; for My action is perfect and My command has effect. Doubt this not, and have no uncertainty therein."
" O son of Spirit ! I have created thee rich, why dost thou make tnyself poor ? Noble have I made thee, why dost thou degrade thyself ? Of the essence of knowledge have I manifested thee, why searches! thou for another than Me ? From the clay of Love have I kneaded thee, why seekest thou another ? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, Powerful, Mighty, and Supreme."
" O my servant ! Thou art like a sword of rarest temper and lustre, enclosed in a dark sheath, by reason of which its quality remains con- cealed from the craftsmen. Then come forth from the sheath of self and desire, that thy lustre may gleam forth resplendent and manifest to all the world."
" O my friend ! Thou art the day-star of the Heavens of Holi- ness, let not the defilement of the world eclipse thy splendour. Rend asunder the veil of negligence that, without veil or covering, thou mayest emerge resplendent and array all beings with the robe of life."
The life to which Baha'u'llah calls his followers is surely one of such nobility that in all the vast range of human possibility there is nothing more lofty or beautiful to which man could aspire. Realization of the spiritual self in ourselves means realiza- tion of the sublime truth that we are from God and to Him we shall return. This return to God is the glorious goal of the Baha'I 5 but to attain this goal the only path is that of obedience to His chosen Messengers, and especially to His Messenger for the time in which we live, Baha'u'llah, the prophet of the New Era.
CHAPTER VI - PRAYER
Prayer is a kdder by which everyone may ascend to Heaven." MUHAMMAD.
Conversation with God.
" Prayer," says 'Abdu'1-Baha, " is conversation with God." In order that God may make known His Mind and Will to men, He must speak to them in a language which they can understand, and this He does by the mouths of His Holy Prophets. While these Prophets are alive in the body they speak with men face to face and convey to them the Message of God, and after their death their message continues to reach men's minds through their recorded sayings and writings. But this is not the only way in which God can speak, with men. There is a " language of the Spirit," which is independent of speech or writing, by which God can commune with and inspire those whose hearts are seeking after truth, wherever they are, and whatever their native race or tongue. By this language the Manifestation continues to hold converse with the faithful after his departure from the material world. Christ continued to converse with and inspire His disciples after His crucifixion. In fact He influenced them more powerfully than before ; and with other prophets it has been the same. 'Abdu'l- Baha speaks much of this spiritual language. He says, for instance :
" We should speak in the language of heaven in the language of the spirit for there is a language of the spirit and heart. It is as different from our language as our own language is different from that of the animals, who express themselves only by cries and sounds.
" It is the language of the spirit which, speaks to God. When, in
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prayer, we are freed from all outward things and turn to God, then it is as if in our hearts we hear the voice of God. Without words we speak, we communicate, we converse with God and hear the answer. . . . All of us, when we attain to a truly spiritual condition, can hear the Voice of God " (from a talk reported by Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg).
Baha'u'llah declares that the higher spiritual truths can be communicated only by means of this spiritual language. The spoken or written word is quite inadequate. In a little book called The Seven Valley s^ in which he describes the journey of travellers from the early dwelling to the Divine Home, he says, in speaking of the more advanced stages of the journey :
" The tongue is unable to give an account of these, and utterance falls exceedingly short. The pen is useless in this court, and the ink gives no result but blackness. . . . Heart alone can communicate to heart the state of the knower ; this is not the work of a messenger, nor can it be contained in letters."
The Devotional Attitude.
In order that we may attain the spiritual condition in which conversation with God becomes possible, 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" We must strive to attain to that condition by being separated from all things and from the people of the world and by turning to God alone. It will take some effort on the part of man to attain to that condition, but he must work for it, strive for it. We can attain to it by thinking and caring less for material things and more for the spiritual. The further we go from the one, the nearer we are to the other. The choice is ours.
" Our spiritual perception, our inward sight must be opened, so that we can see the signs and traces of God's Spirit in everything. Everything can reflect to us the light of the Spirit " (from a talk reported by Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg).
Again he says :
" The highest and most elevating state is the state of prayer. Prayer is communion with God. . . . The worshipper must pray with a detached spirit, unconditional surrender of the will, concentrated attention and spiritual passion. . . . Automatic, formal prayers which do not touch the core of the heart are of no avail.
" How sweet, how delicious, how satisfying, how spiritual is prayer in the middle of the night ! While other eyes are closed, the eyes of the worshipper are wide open. While other ears are stopped, the ears of the suppliant are attuned to the subtle music of God. While others
PRAYER 85
are fast asleep, the adorer of the Ideal Beloved is wakeful. All around him there is a rare and delicate silence, calm, magical and subtle and there is the worshipper, communing with nature and the Author of nature." Diary of Mtrza Ahmad Sohrab, September 3, 1914.
Necessity for a Mediator.
According to 'Abdu'1-Baha :
" A mediator is necessary between man and the Creator one who receives the full light of the Divine Splendour and radiates it over the human world, as the earth's atmosphere receives and diffuses the warmth of the sun's rays." Divine Philosophy, p. 8.
" If we wish to pray, we must have some object on which to concen- trate. If we turn to God, we must direct our hearts to a certain centre. If man worships God otherwise than through His Manifestation, he must first form a conception of God, and that conception is created by his own mind. As the finite cannot comprehend the Infinite, so God is not to be comprehended in this fashion. That which man conceives with his own mind he comprehends. That which he can comprehend is not God. . That conception of God which a man forms for himself is but a phantasm, an image, an imagination, an illusion. There is no connection between such a conception and the Supreme Being.
" If a man wishes to know God, he must find Him in the perfect mirror, Christ or Baha'u'llah. In either of these mirrors he will see reflected the Sun of Divinity.
" As we know the physical sun by its splendour, by its light and heat, so we know God, the Spiritual Sun, when He shines forth from the temple of Manifestation, by His attributes of perfection, by the beauty of His qualities and by the splendour of His light" (from a talk to Mr. Percy Woodcock, at 'Akka, 1909).
Again he says :
" Unless the Holy Spirit become intermediary, one cannot attain directly to the bounties of God. Do not overlook the obvious truths, for it is self-evident that a child cannot be instructed without a teacher, and knowledge is one of the bounties of God. The soil is not covered with grass and vegetation without the rain of the cloud ; therefore the cloud is the intermediary between the divine bounties and the soil. . . . The light hath a centre and if one desire to seek it otherwise than from the centre, one can never attain to it. ... Turn thine attention to the days of Christ ; some people imagined that without the Messianic out- pourings it was possible to attain to truth, but this very imagination became the cause of their deprivation." Tablets of"Abdi?l-Bah5, vol. iii.
PP- 59 r 59 2 -
A man who tries to worship God without turning to His
86 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Manifestation is like a man in a dungeon trying through his imagination to revel in the glories of the sunshine.
Prayer Indispensable and Obligatory.
The use of prayer is enjoined upon Baha'Is in no uncertain terms. Baha'u'llah says in the Kitabt? l-dqdas :
" Chant (or recite) the Words of God every morning and evening. The one who neglects this has not been faithful to the Covenant of God and His agreement, and he who turns away from it to-day is of those who have turned away from God. Fear God, O my people ! Let not too much reading (of the Sacred Word) and actions by day or night make you proud. To chant but one verse with joy and gladness is better for you than reading all the Revelations of the Omnipotent God with carelessness. Chant the Tablets of God in such measure that ye be not overtaken with fatigue and depression. Burden not the soul so as to cause exhaustion and languor, but rather refresh it that thus it may soar % on the wings of Revelation to the Dawning-place of proofs. This brings you nearer to God, were ye of those who understand."
'Abdu'1-Baha says to a correspondent :
" O thou spiritual friend ! Know thou that prayer is indispensable and obligatory, and man under no pretext whatever is excused therefrom unless he be mentally unsound or an insurmountable obstacle prevent him." Tablets of l Ab<Ml-Baka, vol. iii. p. 683.
Another correspondent asked : " Why pray ? What is the wisdom thereof, for God has established everything and executes all affairs after the best order therefore, what is the wisdom in beseeching and supplicating and in stating one's wants and seeking help ? "
'Abdu'1-Baha replied :
" Know thou, verily, it is becoming in a weak one to supplicate to the Strong One, and it behoveth a seeker of bounty to beseech the Glorious Bountiful One. When One supplicates to his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty from His Ocean, this supplication brings light to his heart, illumination to his sight, life to his soul and exaltation to his being.
" During thy supplications to God and thy reciting : * Thy Name is my healing,' consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit of the love of God, and thy mind attracted to the Kingdom of God ! By these attractions one's ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is enlarged the water increases, and when the thirst grows the
PRAYER 87
bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man. This is the mystery of supplication and the wisdom of stating one's wants " (from a tablet to an American believer, translated by 'All Qull Kh5n, October 1908).
Prayer the Language of Love.
To another who asked whether prayer was necessary, since presumably God knows the wishes of all hearts, he replied :
" If one friend feels love for another he will wish to say so. Though he knows that the friend is aware that he loves him, he will still wish to say so. ... God knows the wishes of all hearts, but the impulse to pray is a natural one, springing from man's love to God. . . .
" Prayer need not be in words but in thought and attitude. If this love and desire are lacking, it is useless to try and force them. Words without love mean nothing. If a person talks to you as an unpleasant duty, with no love or pleasure in his meeting with you, do you wish to converse with him?" (article in Fortnightly Review, June 1911, by Miss E. S. Stevens).
In another talk he said :
" In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven. . . . When a man falls in love with a human being, it is impossible for him to keep from mentioning the name of his beloved. . How much more difficult is it to keep from mentioning the Name of God when one has come to love Him. . . . The spiritual man finds no delight in anything save in com- memoration of God " (from notes of Miss Alma Robertson and other pilgrims, November and December 1900).
Congregational Prayer.
Regarding the value of United or Congregational Prayer, *Abdu'l-Baha spoke as follows :
" Man may say : ' I can pray to God whenever I wish, when the feelings of my heart are drawn to God ; when I am in the wilderness, when I am in the city, or wherever I may be. Why should I go where others are gathered upon a special day, at a certain hour, to unite my prayers with theirs, when I may not be in a frame of mind for praying ? *
" To think in this way is useless imagination, for where many are gathered together their force is greater. Separate soldiers fighting alone and individually have not the force of a united army. If all the soldiers in this spiritual war gather together, then their united spiritual feelings help each other, and their prayers become acceptable " (from notes taken by Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg).
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Deliverance from Calamities.
According to the teaching of the prophets, disease and all other forms of calamity are due to disobedience to the Divine Commands. Even disasters due to floods, hurricanes and earthquakes are attributed by 'Abdu'I-Baha indirectly to this cause. Referring to such he says :
" Events like these happen because of the connection between the parts of the universe, for every small part has connection with every great part, and what affects one affects the other or all the others. On account of this connection, the actions of man have effect. Whenever a promise is broken it causes a commotion. For instance, suppose two nations have a disagreement. It is a difference in ideas only, and not a physical thing; not anything that we can touch or see, yet this disagreement has a physical effect. It causes war, and thousands of men are cut in pieces. So, when man breaks his promise to God, in other words, when he ' breaks the Covenant,' the effect is physical and calamities appear." Daily Lessons Received at Acca, p. 25.
The suffering that follows error is not vindictive, however, but educative and remedial. It is God's Voice proclaiming to man that he has strayed from the right path. If the suffering is terrible, it is only because the danger of wrongdoing is more terrible, for " the wages of sin is death."
Just as calamity is due to disobedience, so deliverance from calamity can be obtained only by obedience. There is no chance or uncertainty about the matter. Turning from God inevitably brings disaster, and turning to God as inevitably brings blessing.
As the whole of humanity is one organism, however, the welfare of each individual depends not only on his own behaviour, but on that of his neighbours. If one does wrong, all suffer in greater or less degree ; while if one does well, all benefit. Each has to bear his neighbour's burdens, to some extent, and the best of man- kind are those who bear the biggest burdens. The saints have always suffered abundantly j the prophets have suffered super- latively. Baha'u'llah says in the Book of Iqan :
" For it is heard how every prophet and his companions have suffered adversities, such as poverty, diseases and contempt; how the heads of their followers were sent as presents in the cities."
This is not because the saints and prophets have merited punish-
PRAYER 89
ment above other men. Nay, they often suffer for the sins of others, and choose to suffer, for the sake of others. Their concern is for the world's welfare, not for their own. The prayer of the true lover of humanity is not that he, as an individual, may escape poverty, ill-health or disaster, but that mankind may be saved from ignorance and error and the ills that inevitably flow from them. If he wishes health or wealth for himself, it is in order that he may serve the Kingdom, and if physical health and wealth are denied him, he accepts his lot with " radiant acquiescence," well knowing that there is a right wisdom in whatever befalls him in the Path of God.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance ; they are sent by the Divine Mercy for our perfecting. When grief and sorrow come, then will a man remember his Father who is in Heaven, who is able to deliver him from his humiliations. The more a man is chastened, the greater is the harvest of spiritual virtues shown forth by him." Paris Talks, p. 45.
At first sight it may seem very unjust that the innocent should suffer for the guilty, but 'Abdu'1-Baha assures us that the injustice is only apparent and that, in the long run, perfect justice prevails. He writes :
"As to the subject of babes and children and weak ones who are afflicted by the hands of the oppressors ... for those souls there is a recompense in another world . . . that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of the Lord is far better than all the comfort of this world and the growth and development appertaining to this place of mortality." Tablets of'Abdu'1-Baha, vol. ii. p. 337.
Prayer and Natural Law.
Many find a difficulty in believing in the efficacy of prayer because they think that answers to prayer would involve arbitrary interference with the laws of nature. An analogy may help to remove this difficulty. If a magnet be held over some iron filings the latter will fly upwards and cling to it, but this involves no interference with the law of gravitation. The force of gravity continues to act on the filings just as before. What has happened is that a superior force has been brought into play another force
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whose action is just as regular and calculable as that of gravity The Baha'i view is that prayer brings into action higher forces, as yet comparatively little known ; but there seems no reason to believe that these forces are more arbitrary in their action than the physical forces. The difference is that they have not yet been fully studied and experimentally investigated, and their action appears mysterious and incalculable because of our ignorance.
Another difficulty which some find perplexing is that prayer seems too feeble a force to produce the great results often claimed for it. Analogy may serve to clear up this difficulty also. A small force, when applied to the sluice-gate of a reservoir, may release and regulate an enormous flow of water-power, or, when applied to the steering-gear of an ocean liner, may control the course of the huge vessel. In the Baha'i view, the power that brings about answers to prayer is the inexhaustible Power of God. The part of the suppliant is only to exert the feeble force necessary to release the flow or determine the course of the Divine Bounty, which is ever ready to serve those who have learned how to draw upon it.
Baha'i Prayers.
Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha have revealed innumerable prayers for the use of their followers at various times and for various purposes. The greatness of conception and depth of spirituality revealed in these utterances must impress every thoughtful student, but only by making their use a regular and important part of one's daily life can their significance be fully appreciated and their power for good realized. Unfortunately, considerations of space prevent our giving more than a very few short specimens of these prayers. For further examples the reader must be referred to works mentioned in the Bibliography.
" O my God ! Make Thy Beauty to be my food and let Thy Presence be my drink. Let my trust be in Thy Will, and my deeds according to Thy Command. Let my service be acceptable to Thee, and my action a praise to Thee. Let my help come only from Thee, and ordain my home to be Thy holy Mansion. Thou art the Precious, the Ever- Present, the Loving." BAHA'U'LLAH.
'* I bear witness, O Lord, my God ! that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to adore Thee. I testify at this moment to my feebleness
PRAYER 91
and to Thy Might, to my poverty and to Thy Wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting!" - BAHA'U'LLAH.
" O my God ! O my God ! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and reveal to them Thy great Purpose. May they follow thy Command- ments and abide in Thy Law. Help them, O God, in their endeavour, and grant them strength to serve Thee. O God ! Leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy Love. Verily, Thou art their Helper and their Lord ! " BAHA'U'LLAH.
"O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the. same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same house- hold. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle ; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty ; all are illumined through^ the light of Thy Providence.
" O God ! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all, Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy.
" O Thou kind Lord ! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.
" O God, Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind.
" O God ! Establish the Most Great Peace.
" Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together.
" O Thou kind Father, God ! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.
" Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One who overlookest the shortcomings of all mankind ! " 'ABDU'L-BAHA.
" O Thou Almighty ! I am a sinner, but Thou art the Forgiver ! I am full of shortcomings, but Thou art the Compassionate ! I am in the darkness of error, but Thou art the Light of Pardon !
" Therefore, O Thou Benevolent God, forgive my sins, grant thy Bestowals, overlook my faults, provide for me a shelter, immerse me in the Fountain of Thy Patience and heal me of all sickness and disease.
" Purify and sanctify me. Give me a portion from the outpouring of holiness, so that sorrow and sadness may vanish, joy and happiness descend, despondency and hopelessness be changed into cheerfulness and trustfulness, and courage take the place of fear.
" Verily Thou art the Forgiver, the Compassionate, and Thou art the Generous, the Beloved ! " 'ABDU'L-BAHA.
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" O Thou Compassionate God ! Bestow upon me a heart which like a mirror may be illumined with the Light of Thy Love ; and inspire me with thoughts which may change the world into a rose garden, through the Spiritual Bounty.
" Thou art the Compassionate, the Merciful, the All-Bountiful ! " 'ABDU'L-BAHA.
Baha'i prayer is not, however, confined to the use of prescribed forms, important as those are. Baha'u'llah teaches that one's whole life should be a prayer, that work done in the right spirit is worship, that every thought, word and deed devoted to the Glory of God and the good of one's fellows is prayer, in the truest sense of the word. 1
1 On the subject of Intercessory Prayer, see Chapter XI, p. 167.
CHAPTER VII - HEALTH AND HEALING
" Turning the face towards God brings healing to the body, the mind and the soul." 'ABDU'L-BAHA.
Body and Soul.
According to the Baha'i teaching the human body serves a temporary purpose in the development of the soul, and, when that purpose has been served, is laid aside ; just as the egg-shell serves a temporary purpose in the development of the chick, and, when that purpose has been served, is broken and discarded. 'Abdu'l- Baha says that the physical body is incapable of immortality, for it is a composite thing, built up of atoms and molecules, and, like all things that are composed, must, in time, become decomposed.
The body should be the servant of the soul, never its master, but it should be a willing, obedient and efficient servant, and should be treated with the consideration which a good servant deserves. If it is not properly treated, disease and disaster result, with injurious consequences to master as well as servant.
Oneness of All Life.
The essential oneness of all the myriad forms and grades of life is one of the fundamental teachings of Baha'u'llah. Our physical health is so linked up with our mental, moral and spiritual health, and also with the individual and social health of our fellow-men, nayj even with the life of the animals and plants, that each of these is affected by the others to a far greater extent than is usually realized.
There is no command of the prophet, therefore, to whatever
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department of life it may primarily refer, which does not concern bodily health. Certain of the teachings, however, have a more direct bearing on physical health than others, and these we may now proceed to examine.
Simple Life.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" How complex is the life of the present age, and how much more complex we are making it daily ! The needs of humanity seem never to come to an end. The more men accumulate, the more they want. There is only one way of freedom, and that is by shutting our eyes to these things that distract the mind. . . . The mind of a contented man is always peaceful and his heart is at rest. He is like a monarch ruling over the whole world How happily such a man helps himself to his frugal meals ! How peacefully he sleeps ! " Diary of MirzS Ahmad Sohrab, September and October 1913, and August 1914.
Animal food is not forbidden, but a simple vegetarian diet is recommended on both humanitarian and hygienic grounds. *Abdu'l-Baha, while allowing that under existing conditions a certain amount of meat in the diet is in some cases necessary or advisable, says :
" The food of the future will be fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural food is that which grows out of the ground." Ten Days in the Light ofAcca, by Julia M. Grundy.
Alcohol and Narcotics.
The use of intoxicants and narcotics, except as remedies in case of illness, is strictly forbidden by Baha'u'llah. 'Abdu'1-Baha writes :
" O friends of God, experience has shown how much the renouncing of tobacco, wine and opium gives health, strength, and intellectual enjoy- ment, penetration of judgment and physical vigour " (see Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, vol. iii, pp. 581-585).
Enjoyments.
The Baha'I teaching is based on moderation not on asceticism. Enjoyment of the good and beautiful things of life, both material and spiritual, is not only encouraged but enjoined. Baha'u'llah
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says : " Deprive not yourselves of that which has been created for you." Again he says : " It is incumbent upon you that exultation and glad tidings be manifest in your faces." *Abdu'l-Baha says :
" All that has been created is for man, who is at the apex of creation, and he must be thankful for the divine bestowals. All material things are for us, so that through our gratitude we may learn to understand life as a divine benefit. If we are disgusted with life we are ingrates, for our material and spiritual existence are the outward evidences of the divine mercy. Therefore we must be happy and spend our time in praises, appreciating all things."- Divine Philosophy, p. 104.
Asked whether the Baha'I prohibition of gambling and lotteries applies to games of every description, 'Abdu'1-Baha replied :
" No, some games are innocent, and if pursued for pastime cause no harm ; but there is danger that pastime may degenerate into waste of time. Waste of time is not acceptable in the Cause of God, but recrea- tion which may improve the bodily powers, as exercise, is desirable." A Heavenly Vista, p. 9.
Cleanliness.
Baha'u'llah says, in the "Book of Aqdas :
" Be the essence of cleanliness among mankind . . . under all cir- cumstances conform yourselves to refined manners ... let no trace of uncleanliness appear on your clothes. . . . Immerse yourselves in pure water ; a water which hath been used is not allowable. . . . Verily we have desired to see you the manifestations of Paradise on earth, so . that there may be diffused from you that whereat the hearts of the favoured ones shall rejoice."
Mlrza 'Abu'1-Fadl, in his book, Baha'j Proofs (p. 89), jx>ints out the extreme importance of these commands, more especially in some parts of the East, where water of the foulest description is often used for household purposes, for bathing and even for drinking, and horribly insanitary conditions abound, causing a vast amount of preventable disease and misery. These conditions, often supposed to be sanctioned by the prevailing religion, can be changed, among Orientals, only by the commandment of one who is believed to have Divine authority. In many parts of the Western hemisphere, too, a wonderful transformation would
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result were cleanliness accepted not only as next to godliness, but as an essential part of godliness.
Effects of Obedience to Prophetic Commands.
The bearing on health of these commands relating to the simple life, hygiene, abstinence from alcohol and opium, etc., is too obvious to call for much comment, although their vital importance is apt to be greatly underestimated. Were they to be generally observed, most of the infectious diseases and a good many others would soon vanish from among men. The amount of illness caused by neglect of simple hygienic precautions and by indulgence in alcohol and opium is prodigious. Moreover, obedience to these commands would not only affect health, but would have an enormous effect for good on character and conduct. Alcohol and opium affect a man's conscience long before they affect his gait or cause obvious bodily disease, so that the moral and spiritual gain from abstinence would be even greater than the physical. With regard to cleanli- ness, 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" External cleanliness, although it is but a physical thing, has great influence upon spirituality. . . . The fact of having a pure and spotless body exercises an influence upon the spirit of man." Tablets of 'Abdtfl Baha, p. 585.
Were the commands of the prophets concerning chastity in sexual relations generally observed, another fertile cause of disease would be eliminated. The loathsome venereal diseases which wreck the health of so many thousands to-day, innocent as well as guilty, babes as well as parents, would very soon be entirely a thing of the past.
Were the commands of the prophets concerning justice, mutual aid, loving one's neighbour as oneself, carried out, how could overcrowding, sweated labour and sordid poverty on the one hand, together with self-indulgence, idleness and sordid luxury on the other, continue to work mental, moral and physical ruin ?
Simple obedience to the hygienic and moral commands of Moses, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad or Baha'u'llah would do more in the way of preventing disease than all the doctors and all the public health regulations in the world have been able to accomplish. In fact, it seems certain that were such obedience
HEALTH AND HEALING 97
general, good health would also become general. Instead of lives being- blighted by disease or cut off in infancy, youth or prime, as so frequently happens now, men would live to a ripe old age, like sound fruits that mature and mellow ere they drop from the bough.
The Prophet as Physician.
We live in a world, however, where from time immemorial obedience to the commands of the prophets has been the exception rather than the rule ; where love of self has been a more prevalent motive than love of God ; where limited and party interests have taken precedence of the interests of humanity as a whole ; where material possessions and sensual pleasures have been preferred to the social and spiritual welfare of mankind. Hence have arisen fierce competition and conflict, oppression and tyranny, extremes of wealth and poverty all those conditions which breed disease, mental and physical. As a consequence, the whole tree of humanity is sick, and every leaf on the tree shares in the general sickness. Even the purest and holiest have to suffer for the sins of others. Healing is needed healing of humanity as a whole, of nations and of individuals. So Baha'u'llah, like his inspired predecessors, not only shows how health is to be maintained, but also how it may be recovered when lost. He comes as the Great Physician, the Healer of the world's sicknesses,, both of body and of mind.
Healing by Material Means.
In the Western world of to-day there is evident a remarkable revival of belief in the efficacy of healing by mental and spiritual means. Indeed many, in their revolt against the materialistic ideas about disease and its treatment which prevailed in the nineteenth century, have gone to the opposite extreme of denying that material remedies or hygienic methods have any value whatever. Baha'u'llah recognizes the value of both material and spiritual remedies. He teaches that the science and art of healing must be developed, encouraged and perfected, so that all means of healing may be used to the best advantage, each in its appropriate sphere.
7
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When members of Baha'u'llah's own family were sick, a professional physician was called in, and this practice is recom- mended to his followers. He says : " Should ye be attacked by illness or disease, consult skilful physicians " (Book of Aqdas}.
This is quite in accordance with the Baha'i attitude towards science and art generally. All sciences and arts which are for the benefit of mankind, even in a material way, are to be esteemed and promoted. Through science man becomes the master of material things ; through ignorance he remains their slave.
Baha'u'llah writes :
" Do not neglect medical treatment when it is necessary, but leave it off when health has been restored. Treat disease through diet, by preference, refraining from the use of drugs ; and if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to a compounded medicament. . . . Abstain from drugs when the health is good, but administer them when necessary " (Tablet to a physician).
In one of his Tablets 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" O seeker after truth ! There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual means. The first way is through the use of material remedies. The second consists in praying to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be used and practised. . . . More- over, they are not incompatible, and you should accept the physical remedies as coming from the mercy and favour of God who has revealed and made manifest medical knowledge, so that His servants may profit by this kind of treatment also." Tablets of l Abdi?l-Baha, vol. iii. p. 587.
He teaches that, were our natural tastes and instincts not vitiated by foolish and unnatural modes of living, they would become reliable guides in the choice both of appropriate diet and of medicinal fruits, herbs and other remedies, as is the case with the wild animals. In an interesting talk on healing, recorded in Some Answered Questions (p. 296), he says in conclusion :
" It is therefore evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments, and fruits ; but as to-day the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature."
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Even when the means of healing are material, the power that heals is really Divine, for the attributes of the herb or mineral are from the Divine Bestowals. " All depends upon God. Medicine is merely an outward form or means by which we obtain heavenly healing."
Healing by Non~material Means.
He teaches that there are also many methods of healing without material means. There is a " contagion of health," as well as a contagion of disease, although the former is very slow and has a small effect, while the latter is often violent and rapid in its action.
Much more powerful effects result from the patient's own mental states, and " suggestion " may play an important part in determining these states. Fear, anger, worry, etc., are very prejudicial to health, while hope, love, joy, etc., are correspondingly beneficial.
Thus Baha'u'llah says :
" Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circum- stances ; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassi- tude. Yield not to grief and sorrow : they cause the greatest misery. Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn the -liver : avoid these two as you would a lion " (Tablet to a physician).
And *Abdu'l-Baha says :
" J7 gi ves us wings. In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener. . . . But when sadness visits us our strength leaves us." Paris Talks, p. 100.
Of another form of mental healing 'Abdu'1-Baha writes that
it results :
" from the entire concentration of the mind of a strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his concentrated faith that a cure will be effected from the spiritual power of the strong person, to such an extent that there will be a cordial connection between the strong person and the invalid. The strong person makes every effort to cure the sick patient and the sick person is confident of receiving a cure. From the effect of these mental impressions an excitement of the nerves is produced, and this impression and this excitement of the nerves will become the cause of recovery of the sick person." Some Answered Questions, p. 294.
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All these methods of healing, however, are limited in their effects, and may fail to effect a cure in severe maladies.
The Power of the Holy Spirit.
The most potent means of healing is the Power of the Holy Spirit.
" This does not depend on contact, nor on sight, nor upon presence. . . . Whether the disease be light or severe, whether there be a contact of bodies or not, whether a personal connection be established between the sick person and the healer or not, this healing takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit." Some Answered Questions, p. 295.
In a talk with Miss Ethel Rosenberg, in October 1904, 'Abdu'l- Baha said :
" The Healing that is by the Power of the Holy Spirit needs no special concentration or contact. It is through the wish or desire and the prayer of the Holy Person. The One who is sick may be in the East and the healer in the West, and they may not have been acquainted with each other, but as soon as that Holy Person turns His heart to God and begins to pray, the sick one is healed. This is a gift belonging to the Holy Manifestations and those who are in the highest station."
Of this nature, apparently, were the works of healing performed by Christ and His apostles, and similar works of healing have been attributed to holy men in all ages. Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l- Baha were gifted with this power, and similar powers are promised to their faithful followers.
Attitude of the Patient.
In order that the power of spiritual healing may be brought fully into operation certain requirements are necessary on the part of the patient, of the healer, of the patient's friends and of the community at large.
On the part of the patient the prime requisite is, turning with all the heart to God, with implicit trust both in His Power and in His Will to do whatever is best. To an American lady, in August 1912, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" All of these ailments will pass away and you will receive perfect physical and spiritual health. . . . Let your heart be confident and
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assured that through the Bounty of BahaVUah, through the Favour of BahaVUah, everything will become pleasant for you. . . . But you must turn your face wholly towards the Abha (All-Glorious) Kingdom, giving perfect attention the same attention that Mary Magdalene gave to His Holiness Christ, and I assure you that you will get physical health and spiritual health. You are worthy. I give you the glad tidings that you are worthy because your heart is pure ... Be confident ! Be happy ! Be rejoiced ! Be hopeful ! . . ."
Although in this particular case 'Abdu'1-Baha guaranteed the attainment of sound physical health, he does not do so in every case, even where there is strong faith on the part of the individual. To a pilgrim at 'Akka he said :
" The prayers which were written for the purpose of healing are both for the spiritual and material healing. If healing is best for the patient, surely it will be granted. For some who are sick, healing would only be the cause of other ills. Thus it is that Wisdom does not decree the answer to some prayers.
" O handmaid of God ! The Power of the Holy Spirit heals both material and spiritual ills." Daily Lessons Received at Acca, p. 95.
Again he writes to one who is ill :
" Verily the Will of God acts sometimes in a way for which mankind is unable to find out the reason. The causes and reasons shall appear. Trust in God and confide in Him, and resign thyself to the Will of God. Verily thy God is affectionate, compassionate and merciful . . . and will cause His Mercy to descend upon thee." Star of the West, vol. viii. p. 232.
He teaches that spiritual health is conducive to physical health, but physical health depends upon many factors, some of which are outside the control of the individual. Even the most exemplary spiritual attitude on the part of the individual, therefore, may not ensure physical health in every case. The holiest men and women sometimes suffer illness.
Nevertheless, the beneficent influence on bodily health which results from a right spiritual attitude is far more potent than is generally imagined, and is sufficient to banish ill-health in a large proportion of cases. 'Abdu'1-Baha wrote to an English lady :
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" You have written about the weakness of your body. I ask from the Bounties of Baha'u'llah that your spirit may become strong, that through the strength of your spirit your body also may be healed."
Again he says :
" God has bestowed upon man such wonderful powers, that he might ever look upward, and receive, among other gifts, healing from His divine Bounty. But alas ! man is not grateful for this supreme good, but sleeps the sleep of negligence, being careless of the great mercy which God has shown towards him, turning his face away from the Light and going on his way in darkness." Paris Talks, p. 16.
The Healer.
The power of spiritual healing is doubtless common to all mankind in greater or less degree, but, just as some men are endowed with exceptional talent for mathematics or music, so others appear to be endowed with exceptional aptitude for healing. These are the people who ought to make the healing art their life-work. Unfortunately, so materialistic has the world become in recent centuries that the very possibility of spiritual healing has to a large extent been lost sight of. Like all other talents the gift of healing has to be recognized, trained and educated in order that it may attain its highest development and power, and there are probably thousands in the world to-day, richly dowered with natural aptitude for healing, in whom this precious gift is lying dormant and inactive. When the potentialities of mental and spiritual treatment are more fully realized, the healing art will be transformed and ennobled and its efficacy immeasurably increased. And when this new knowledge and power in the healer are combined with lively faith and hope on the part of the patient, wonderful results may be looked for.
" In God must be our trust. . There is no God but Him, the Healer, the Knower, the Helper. . . . Nothing in earth or heaven is outside the grasp of God.
" O doctor ! In treating the sick, first mention the name of Thy God, the Possessor of the Day of Judgment, and then use what God hath destined for the healing of His creatures. By My Life ! The doctor who has drunk from the Wine of My Love, his visit is healing, and his breath is mercy and hope. Cling to him for the welfare of the constitution. He is confirmed by God in his treatment.
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" This knowledge (of the healing art) is the most important of all the sciences, for it is the greatest means from God, the Life-giver to the dust, for preserving the bodies of all people, and He has put it in the forefront of all sciences and wisdoms. For this is the day when you must arise for My Victory.
" Say : ' O my God ! Thy Name is my healing, Thy remembrance is my remedy, Thy nearness is my hope, Thy Love my joyous companion and Thy Mercy my healer and helper in this world and in the world to come. Verily Thou art the Giver, the Knower, the Wise.' ... " BAHA'U'LLAH, Tablet to a physician.
'Abdu'1-Baha writes :
" He who is filled with the love of Baha, and forgets all things, the Holy Spirit will be heard from his lips and the spirit of life will fill his heart. . . . Words will issue from his lips in strands of pearls, and all sickness and disease will be healed by the laying on of the hands." Star of the West, vol. viii. p. 233.
" O thou pure and spiritual one ! Turn thou toward God with thy heart beating with His love, devoted to His praise, gazing towards His Kingdom and seeking help from His Holy Spirit in a state of ecstasy, rapture, love, yearning, joy and fragrance. God will assist thee, through a spirit from His Presence, to heal sickness and diseases."
" Continue in healing hearts and bodies and seek healing for sick per- sons by turning unto the Supreme Kingdom and by setting the heart upon obtaining healing through the power of the Greatest Name and by the spirit of the Love of God." Tablets of l Abdtfl-Baha, vol. iii. pp. 628, 629.
How All can Help.
The work of healing the sick, however, is a matter that concerns not the patient and the practitioner only, but everyone. All must help, by sympathy and service, by right living and right thinking, and especially by prayer, for of all remedies prayer is the most potent. " Supplication and prayer on behalf of others," says 'Abdu'1-Baha, " will surely be effective." The friends of the patient have a special responsibility, for their influence, either for good or ill, is most direct and powerful. In how many cases of sickness the issue depends mainly on the ministrations of parents, friends or neighbours of the helpless sufferer !
Even the members of the community at large have an influence in every case of sickness. In individual cases that influence may
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not appear great, yet in the mass the effect is potent. Everyone is affected by the social " atmosphere " in which he lives, by the general prevalence of faith or materialism, of virtue or vice, of cheerfulness or depression ; and each individual has his share in determining the state of that social "atmosphere." It may not be possible for everyone, in the present state of the world, to attain to perfect health, but it is possible for everyone to become a " willing channel " for the health-giving power of the Holy Spirit and thus to exert a healing, helpful influence both on his own body and on all with whom he comes in contact.
Few duties are impressed on Baha'is more repeatedly and emphatically than that of healing the sick, and many beautiful prayers for healing have been revealed both by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha.
The Golden Age.
Baha'u'llah gives the assurance that, through harmonious co-operation of patients, healers and the community in general, and by appropriate use of the various means to health, material, mental and spiritual, the Golden Age may be realized, when, by the Power of God, " all sorrow will be turned into joy, and all disease into health." 'Abdu'1-Baha says that " when the Divine Message is understood, all troubles will vanish." Again he says :
" When the material world and the divine world are well co-related, when the hearts become heavenly and the aspirations pure, perfect con- nection shall take place. Then shall this power produce a perfect mani- festation. Physical and spiritual diseases will then receive absolute healing." Tablets of 'A&du'l-Baha, vol. ii. p. 309.
Right Use of Health.
In concluding this chapter it will be well to recall 'Abdu'l-Baha's teaching as to the right use of physical health. In one of his tablets to the Baha'is of Washington he says :
" If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the Kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy ; and if it be expended to the benefit of the human world in general even though
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it be to their material (or bodily) benefit and be a means of doing good, that is also acceptable. But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits then disease were better than such health ; nay, death itself were pre- ferable to such a life. If thou art desirous of health, wish thou health for serving the Kingdom. I hope that thou mayest attain perfect insight, inflexible resolution, complete health, and spiritual and physical strength in order that thou mayest drink from the fountain of eternal life and be assisted by the spirit of divine confirmation."
CHAPTER VIII - RELIGIOUS UNITY
" O ye people of the world ! The virtue of this most Great Manifestation is that We have effaced from the Book whatever was the cause of differences, corruption and discord, and recorded therein that which leads to Unity, Harmony and Concord. Joy unto those who act in accordance therewith 1 " BAHA'U'LLAH in Tablet of the World.
Sectarianism in the Nineteenth Century.
Never, perhaps, did the world seem further from religious unity than in the nineteenth century. For many centuries had the great religious communities the Zoroastrian, Mosaic, Buddhist, Christian, Muhammadan and others been existing side by side, but instead of blending together into a harmonious whole they had been at constant enmity and strife, each against the others. Not only so, but each had become split up, by division after division, into an increasing number of sects which were often bitterly opposed to each other. Yet Christ had said : " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another," and Muhammad had said : " This your religion is the one religion. . . . To you hath God prescribed the faith which He commanded unto Noah, and which We have revealed unto thee, and which We commanded unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus saying : ' Observe this faith, and be not divided into sects therein I ' " The founder of every one of the great religions had called his followers to love and unity, but in every case the aim of the founder was to a large extent lost sight of in a welter of intolerance and bigotry, formalism and hypocrisy, corruption and misrepresentation, schism and contention. The aggregate number of more or less hostile sects in the world was probably greater at the commencement of the Baha'I era than at any previous period
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in human history. It seemed as if humanity at that time were experimenting with every possible kind of religious belief, with every possible sort of ritual and ceremonial observance, with every possible variety of moral code.
At the same time an increasing number of men were devoting their energies to fearless investigation and critical examination of the laws of nature and the foundations of belief. New scientific knowledge was being rapidly acquired and new solutions were being found for many of the problems of life. The development of inventions such as the steamship and railway, postal system and Press, greatly aided the diffusion of ideas and the fertilizing contact of widely different types of thought and life.
The so-called "conflict between religion and science" became a fierce battle. In the Christian world Biblical criticism combined with physical science to dispute, and to some extent to refute, the authority of the Bible, an authority that for centuries had been the jgenerally accepted basis of belief. A rapidly increasing proportion of the population became sceptical about the teachings of the churches. A large number even of religious priests secretly or openly entertained doubts or reservations regarding the creeds adhered to by their respective denominations.
This ferment and flux of opinion, with increasing recognition of the inadequacy of the old orthodoxies and dogmas, and groping and striving after fuller knowledge and understanding, were not confined to Christian countries, but were manifest, more or less, and in different forms, among the people of all countries and religions.
The Message of Baha'u'llah.
It was when this state of conflict and confusion was at its height, that Baha'u'llah sounded his great trumpet-call to humanity :
"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 strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family " (words spoken to Professor Browne).
It is a glorious message, but how are its proposals to be carried
io8 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
into effect ? Prophets have preached, poets have sung and saints have prayed about these things for thousands of years, but diversities of religion have not ceased nor have strife and bloodshed and discord been annulled. What is there to show that now the miracle is to be accomplished ? Are there any new factors in the situation ? Is not human nature the same as it ever was, and will it not continue to be the same while the world lasts ? If two people want the same thing, or two nations, will they not fight for it in the future as they have done in the past ? If Moses, Buddha, Christ and Muhammad failed to achieve world unity will Baha'u'llah succeed ? If all previous faiths became corrupted and rent asunder into sects will not the Baha'i faith share the same fate ? Let us see what answer the Baha'i teachings give to these and similar questions.
Can Human Nature Change ?
Education and religion are alike based on the assumption that it is possible to change human nature. In fact, it requires but little investigation to show that the one thing we can say with certainty about any living thing is that it cannot keep from changing. Without change there can be no life. Even the mineral cannot resist change, and the higher we go in the scale of being, the more varied, complex, and wonderful do the changes become. More- over, in progress and development among creatures of all grades we find two kinds of change one slow, gradual, often almost imperceptible ; and the other rapid, sudden and dramatic. The latter occur at what are called " critical stages " of development. In the case of minerals we find such critical stages at the melting and boiling points, for example, when the solid suddenly becomes a liquid or the liquid becomes a gas. In the case of plants we see such critical stages when the seed begins to germinate, or the bud bursts into leaf. In the animal world we see the same on every hand, as when the grub suddenly changes into a butterfly, the chick emerges from its shell, or the babe is born from its mother's womb. In the higher life of the soul we often see a similar transformation, when a man is " born again " and his whole being becomes radically changed in its aims, its character and activities. Such critical stages often affect a whole species or
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multitude of species simultaneously, as when ^vegetation of all kinds suddenly bursts into new life in spring-time.
Baha'u'llah declares that just as lesser living things have times of sudden emergence into new and fuller life, so for mankind also a "critical stage," a time of "re-birth," is at hand. Then modes of life which have persisted from the dawn of history up till now will be quickly, irrevocably, altered, and humanity enter on a new phase of life as different from the old as the butterfly is different from the caterpillar, or the bird from the egg. Man- kind as a whole, in the light of new Revelation, will attain to a new vision of truth ; as a whole country is illumined when the sun rises, so that all men see clearly, where but an hour before everything was dark and dim. " This is a new cycle of human power," says 'Abdu'1-Baha. " All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a rose-garden and a paradise." The analogies of nature are all in favour of such a view ; the prophets of old have with one accord foretold the advent of such a glorious day ; the signs of the times show clearly that profound and revolutionary changes in human ideas and institutions are even now in progress. What could be more futile and baseless therefore, than the pessimistic argument that, although all things else change, human nature cannot change ?
First Steps Towards Unity.
As a means of promoting religious unity Baha'u'llah advocates the utmost charity and tolerance, and calls on his followers to " consort with the people of all religions with joy and gladness." In his last Will and Testament he says :
(C
Contention and conflict hath He straitiy forbidden in His book (Kitabi? l-Aq das) ; such is the command of the Lord in this all-highest Revelation a command which he hath exempted from all annulment and arrayed with the adorning of His confirmation.
" O ye. people of the world ! The Religion of God is for the sake of love and union ; make it not the cause of enmity and conflict. . . . The hope is cherished, that the people of Baha shall ever turn unto the Hallowed Word : ' Lo ! All things are of God ! 'the All-Glorious Word that, like unto water, quencheth the fire of hate and rancour which doth smoulder in hearts and breasts. By this one Word shall the diverse sects of the world attain unto the light of real union ; verily the Truth
no BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
He speaketh, and to the Path He leadeth, and He is the Mighty, the Gracious, the Beauteous."
*Abdu'l-Baha says :
" All must abandon prejudices and must even go to each other's churches and mosques, for, in all of these worshipping places, the Name of God is mentioned. Since all gather to worship God, what difference is there? None of them worship Satan. The Muhammadans must go to the churches of the Christians and the Synagogues of the Jews, and vice versa, the others must go to the Muhammadan Mosques. They hold aloof from one another merely because of unfounded prejudices and dogmas. In America I went to the Jewish Synagogues, which are similar to the Christian Churches, and I saw them worshipping God everywhere.
" In many of these places I spoke to them about the original foundations of the divine religions, and I explained to them the proofs of the validity of the divine prophets and of the Holy Manifestations. I encouraged them to do away with blind imitations. All of the leaders must, likewise, go to each other's Churches and speak of the foundation and of the funda- mental principles of the divine religions. In the utmost unity and harmony they must worship God, in the worshipping places of one another, and must abandon fanaticism." Star of the West, vol. k. No, 3, p. 37.
Were even these first steps accomplished and a state of friendly mutual tolerance established between the various religious sects, what a wonderful change would be brought about in the world ! In order that real unity may be achieved, however, something more than this is required. For the disease of sectarianism, tolerance is a valuable palliative, but it is not a radical cure. It does not remove the cause of the trouble.
The Problem of Authority.
The different religious communities have failed to unite in the past, because the adherents of each have regarded the founder of their own community as the one supreme authority, and his law as the divine law. Any prophet who proclaimed a different message was, therefore, regarded as an enemy of the truth. The different sects of each community have separated for similar reasons. The adherents of each have accepted some subordinate authority and regarded some particular version or interpretation of the Founder's Message as the One True Faith, and all others as wrong. It is obvious that while this state of matters exists no
RELIGIOUS UNITY in
true unity is possible. Baha'u'llah, on the other hand, teaches that all the prophets were bearers of authentic messages from God ; that each in his day gave the highest teachings that the people could then receive, and educated men so that they were able to receive further teachings from his successors. He calls on the adherents of each religion, not to deny the Divine Inspiration of their own prophets, but to acknowledge the Divine Inspiration of all other prophets, to see that the teachings of all are essentially in harmony, and are parts of a great plan for the education and the unification of humanity. He calls on the people of all denomina- tions to show their reverence for their prophets by devoting their lives to the accomplishment of that unity for which all the prophets laboured and suffered. In his letter to Queen Victoria he likens the world to a sick man whose malady is aggravated because he has fallen into the hands of unskilful physicians , and he tells how the remedy may be effected :
" That which the Lord hath made to be the wholesome Medicine and the most perfect Remedy is the union of all that dwell on the eartk in one Religion and under one Law, and this cannot be brought about save through a skilful, perfect and inspired physician. By My Life ! This is but truth itself", and all else is but manifest error. Whensoever that most potent Instrument did appear and that Light did shine with its Ancient Splendour, they that did claim to heal intervened between Him and the world, hindering thereby its recovery unto this day."
Progressive Revelation.
A great stumbling-block to many, in the way of religious unity, is the difference between the revelations given by the different prophets. What is commanded by one is forbidden by another ; how then can both be right, how can both be proclaiming the Will of God ? Surely the truth is One, and cannot change. Yes, the Absolute Truth is One and cannot change, but the Absolute Truth is infinitely beyond the present range of human understanding, and our conceptions of it must constantly change. Our earlier, imperfect ideas will be by the Grace of God replaced, as time goes on, by more and more adequate conceptions. Baha'u'llah says, in a tablet to some Persian Baha'is :
" O people ! Words are revealed according to capacity so that the
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beginners may make progress. The milk must be given according to measure so that the babe of the world may enter into the Realm of Grandeur and be established in the Court of Unity."
It is milk that strengthens the babe so that it can digest more solid food later on. To say that because one prophet is right in giving a certain teaching at a certain time, therefore another prophet must be wrong who gives a different teaching at a different time, is like saying that because milk is the best food for the new-born babe, therefore, milk and nothing but milk should be the food of the grown man also, and to give any other diet would be wrong ! *Abdu'l-Baha says :
" Each divine revelation is divided into two parts. The first part is essential and belongs to the eternal world. It is the exposition of Divine truths and essential principles. It is the expression of the Love of God. This is one in all the religions, unchangeable and immutable. The second part is not eternal ; it deals with practical life, transactions and business, and changes according to the evolution of man and the require- ments of the time of each prophet. For example. . . . During the Mosaic period the hand of a person was cut off in punishment of a small theft ; there was a law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but as these laws were not expedient in the time of Christ, they were abro- gated. Likewise divorce had become so universal that there remained no fixed laws of marriage, therefore His Holiness Christ forbade divorce.
" According to the exigencies of the time, His Holiness Moses revealed ten laws for capital punishment. It was impossible at that time to protect the community and to preserve social security without these severe measures, for the children of Israel lived in the wilderness of Tah, where there were no established courts of justice and no penitentiaries. But this code of conduct was not needed in the time of Christ. The history of the second part of religion is unimportant, because it relates to the customs of this life only ; but the foundation of the religion of God is one, and His Holiness Baha'u'Uah has renewed that foundation." Divine Philosophy, second edition, p. 146.
The religion of God is the One Religion, and all the prophets have taught it, but it is a living and a growing thing, not lifeless and unchanging. In the teaching of Moses we see the Bud ; in that of Christ the Flower ; in that of BahaVllah the Fruit. The flower does not destroy the bud, nor does the fruit destroy the flower. It destroys not, but fulfils. The bud scales must
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fall in order that the flower may bloom, and the petals must fall that the fruit may grow and ripen. Were the bud-scales and the petals wrong or useless, then, that they had to be discarded ? Nay, both in their time were right and necessary j without them there could have been no fruit. So it is with the various prophetic teachings j their externals change from age to age, but each revelation is the fulfilment of its predecessors ; they are not separate nor incongruous, but different stages in the life history of the One Religion, which has in turn been revealed as seed, as bud and as flower, and now enters on the stage of fruition.
Infallibility of the Prophets.
Baha'u'llah teaches that everyone endowed with the Station of Prophethood is given sufficient proofs of his Mission, is entitled to claim obedience from all men and has authority to abrogate, alter or add to the teachings of his predecessors. In the Book of Iqan we read :
" It is far from the Bounty of the Bounteous, and remote from the Abundant Mercy, to choose one soul from among all the servants, for the guidance of His creatures, without bestowing upon him sufficient and perfect proofs, and at the same time punishing people for not believing in him. Nay, the Generosity of the King of Existence hath embraced all the contingent beings through the appearance of the Manifestations of Himself. . . ."
" The purpose of every Manifestation is to bring about change and transformation in the regions of the world, publicly and privately, out- wardly and inwardly. For if the aflairs of the world change not, the appearance of Universal Manifestations would be futile."
God is the One infallible Authority, and the Prophets are infallible because their Message is the Message of God given to the world through them. That Message remains valid until it is superseded by a later Message given by the same or another Prophet.
God is the great Physician who alone can rightly diagnose the world's sickness and prescribe the appropriate remedy. The remedy prescribed in one age is no longer suitable in a later age, when the condition of the patient is different. To cling to the old remedy when the physician has ordered new treatment is not
8
ii4 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
to show faith in the physician, but infidelity. It may be a shock to the Jew to be told that some of the remedies for the world's sickness which Moses ordered over three thousand years ago are now out of date and unsuitable ; the Christian may be equally shocked when told that Muhammad had anything necessary or valuable to add to what Jesus prescribed ; and so also the Muslim, when asked to admit that the Bab or BahaVllah had authority to alter the commands of Muhammad ; but according to the Baha'l view, true devotion to God implies reverence to ALL His Prophets, and implicit obedience to His latest Commands, as given by the Prophet for our own age. Only by such devotion can true Unity be attained.
The Supreme Manifestation.
Like all the other prophets, Baha'u'llah states his own Mission in the most unmistakable terms.
In the Lawh-i-jfqdaSy a tablet addressed especially to Christians, he says :
" Surely the Father hath come and hath fulfilled that which you were promised in the Kingdom of God. This is the Word which the Son veiled when He said to those around Him that at that time they could not bear it. But when the stated time was ended, and the Hour, arrived, the Word shone forth from the Horizon of the Will. Beware, O .Con- course of the Son (i.e. Christians) ! Cast it not behind you, but hold thereunto. It is better for you than all that which is before you ! . . . Verily, the Spirit of Truth is come, to guide you into all Truth. Verily, He speaketh not from Himself, nay, but rather from the All-Knowing and Wise. He is the One whom the Son hath glorified. . . . Abandon that which is before you, O people of the earth, and take that which is commanded you by Him who is the Powerful, the Faithful."
And in a letter to the Pope, written from Adrianople in 1 867, he says :
" Beware lest celebration hinder you from the Celebrated and worship hinder you from the Worshipped One ! Behold the Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing ! He hath come to minister to the life of the world, and for the uniting of whatever dwelleth therein. Come, O ye people, to the Dawning Place of Revelation ! Tarry not, even for an hour ! Are ye learned in the Gospel, and yet are unable to see the Lord of Glory?
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" This beseemeth you not, O learned concourse ! Say then, if ye deny this matter, by what proof do you believe in God ? Produce your proof. . . ."
Just as in these letters to Christians he announces the fulfilment of the Gospel promises, so he proclaims also to Muhammadans, Jews, Zoroastrians and the people of other faiths the fulfilment of the promises of their Holy Books. He addresses all men as the sheep of God, who have hitherto been divided into different flocks and sheltered in different folds. His message, he says, is the Voice of God, the Good Shepherd, who has come in the fulness of time to gather His scattered sheep into one flock, removing the barriers between them, " that there may be one fold and One Shepherd."
A New Situation.
The position of Baha'u'llah among the prophets is unprecedented and unique, because the condition of the world at the time of his advent was unprecedented and unique. By a long and chequered process of development in religion, science, art and civilization the world had become ripe for a teaching of Unity. The barriers which in previous centuries had made a world-unity impossible were ready to crumble when Baha'u'llah appeared, and since his birth, in 1817, and more especially since the promulgation of his teachings began, these barriers have been breaking down in most astonishing fashion. Be the explanation what it may, about the fact there can be no doubt.
In the days of previous prophets geographical barriers alone were amply sufficient to prevent world-unity. Now that obstacle has been overcome. For the first time in human history men on opposite sides of the globe are able to communicate with each other quickly and easily. Things done in Europe yesterday are known in every continent of the world to-day, and a speech made in America to-day may be read in Europe, Asia and Africa to-morrow.
Another great obstacle was the language difficulty. Thanks to the study and teaching of foreign languages, that difficulty has already been to a large extent overcome ; and there is every reason to suppose that ere many years an international auxiliary language
n6 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
will be adopted and taught in all the schools of the world. Then this difficulty also will be completely removed.
The third great obstacle was religious prejudice and intolerance. That, too, is disappearing. Men's minds are becoming more open. The education of the people is passing more and more out of the hands of sectarian priests j and new and more liberal ideas can no longer be prevented from penetrating into even the most exclusive and conservative circles.
Baha'u'llah is thus the first of the great prophets whose message has become known within a period of comparatively few years in every quarter of the globe. Within a short time the essential teachings of Baha'u'llah, accurately translated from his own authentic writings, will be directly accessible to every man, woman and child in the world who is able to read.
Fulness of the Baha'i Revelation.
The Baha'i Revelation is unprecedented and unique among the faiths of the world by reason of the fulness and completeness of its authentic records. The recorded words that can with certainty be attributed to Christ, to Moses, to Zoroaster, to Buddha, to Krishna, are very few, and leave many modern questions of great practical importance unanswered. Many of the teachings commonly attributed to these religious founders are of doubtful authenticity, and some are evidently accretions of later date. The Muhammadans possess in the Qur'an, and in a large store of traditions, a much fuller record of the life and teachings of their prophet, but Muhammad himself, though inspired, was illiterate, as were most of his early followers. The methods employed for recording and spreading his teachings were in many respects unsatisfactory, and the authenticity of many of the traditions is very doubtful. As a result, differences of interpretation and conflicting opinions have caused divisions and dissensions in Islam, as in all previous religious communities.
On the other hand, both the Bab and Baha'u'llah wrote copiously and with great eloquence and power. As both were debarred from public speaking and spent most of their lives (after the declaration of their mission) in prison, they devoted a large proportion of their time to writing, with the result that in richness
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of authentic scriptures the Baha'I Revelation is unapproached by any of its predecessors. Clear and full expositions are given of many truths which were but dimly foreshadowed in previous revelations, and the eternal principles of truth, which all the prophets have taught, have been applied to the problems which are facing the world to-day problems of the utmost complexity and difficulty, many of which had not arisen in the days of former prophets. It is evident that this full record of authentic revelation must have a powerful effect in preventing misunderstandings in the future and in clearing up those misunderstandings of the past which have kept the various sects asunder.
The Baha'I Covenant.
The Baha'I Revelation is unprecedented and unique in still another way. Before the death of Baha'u'llah he repeatedly put in writing a Covenant appointing his eldest son 'Abdu'1-Baha, whom he often refers to as "The Branch," or "The Most Great Branch," as the authorized interpreter of the teachings, and declaring that any explanations or interpretations given by him are to be accepted as of equal authority with the words of Baha'u'llah himself. In his Will and Testament he says :
" Reflect upon that which is revealed in my Book, the Aqdas : ' When the Ocean of my Presence hath ebbed, and the Book of my Revelation hath been completed, turn your faces toward Him whom God hath purposed, who hath branched from this Ancient Root ! ' The reference in this blessed verse is to the Most Great Branch."
And in the Tablet of the Branch t in which he explains the station of 'Abdu'1-Baha, he says :
" O people ! Praise ye God for the manifestation of the Branch, for verily it is the most great favour unto you and the most perfect blessing upon you; and through Him every mouldering bone is quickened. Whosoever turns to Him hath surely turned unto God, and whosoever turns away from Him hath turned away from my Beauty, denied my Proof and is .of those who transgress."
After the death of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'1-Baha had abundant opportunities, both in his own home and on his extensive travels, of meeting people from all parts of the world and of all shades of
u8 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
opinion. He heard all their questions, their difficulties arid objections, and gave full explanations which were carefully recorded in writing. During a long series of years 'Abdu'1-Baha continued this work of elucidating the teachings and showing their application to the most varied problems of modern life. Differences of opinion which have arisen among believers have been referred to him and authoritatively settled, and thus the risks of future misunderstandings have been further reduced.
Baha'u'llah further arranged that after the death of 'Abdu'l- Baha an international spiritual assembly (Baytu'l-'Adl), representa- tive of all Baha'Is throughout the world, should be appointed to take charge of the affairs of the Cause, to control and co-ordinate all its activities, prevent divisions and schisms, and preserve the teachings from corruption and misrepresentation. 1
Moreover, Baha'u'llah expressly forbade interpretation of the teachings by anyone but 'Abdu'1-Baha, and after him the Inter- nationa! Baytu'l-'Adl. In the Book of Aqdas he declared that all explanations or interpretations of the sacred texts contrary to the obvious sense thereof are forbidden. In a " thousand or thousands of years " another Manifestation will appear, under the shadow of Baha'u'llah, with clear proofs of His Mission, but until then the words of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha and the decisions of the International Baytu'l-'Adl constitute the authorities to which all believers must turn for guidance. No Baha'I may found a school or sect based on any particular interpretation of the teachings or any supposed divine revelation. Anyone contravening these injunctions is considered a " Covenant-breaker " or " Naqiz."
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" One of the enemies of the Cause is he who endeavours to interpret the words of Baha'u'llah and thereby colours the meaning according to his capacity, and colle'cts around him a following, forming a different sect, promoting his own station, and making a division in the Cause." Star of the West, vol. iii. p. 8.
In another Tablet he writes :
" These people (promoters of schism) are like the froth that gathers on the surface of the sea ; a wave will surge from the ocean of the Covenant
* Regarding the International Baytu'l-'Adl, see Chapter XV, p. 322.
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and through the power of the Abha Kingdom will cast this foam ashore. . . These corrupt thoughts that emanate from personal and evil inten- tions will all vanish, whereas the Covenant of God shall remain stable and secure." Star of the West y vol. x. p. 95.
There is nothing to keep men from forsaking religion if they wish to do so. *Abdu'l-Baha says : " God Himself does not compel the soul to become spiritual. The exercise of the free human will is necessary." The spiritual Covenant, however, clearly makes sectarianism within the Baha'I community quite impossible.
No Professional Priesthood.
One other feature of the Baha'I organization must be specially mentioned, and that is the absence of a professional priesthood. Voluntary contributions towards the expenses of teachers are permitted and many devote their whole time to work for the Cause, but all Baha'Is are expected to share in the work of teaching, etc., according to their opportunity and ability, and there is no special class distinguished from their fellow believers by the exclusive exercise of priestly functions and prerogatives.
In former ages priesthoods were necessary, because people were illiterate and uneducated and were dependent on priests for their religious instruction, for the conduct of religious rites and ceremonies, for the administration of justice, etc. Now, however, times have changed. Education is fast becoming universal, and if the commands of Baha'u'llah are carried out, every boy and girl in the world will receive a sound education. Each individual will then be able to study the Scriptures for himself, to draw the Water of Life for himself, direct from the Fountain-head. Elaborate rites and ceremonies, requiring the services of a special profession or caste, have no place in the Baha'I system ; and the administration of justice is entrusted to the authorities instituted for that purpose.
For a child a teacher is necessary, but the aim of the true teacher is to fit his pupil to do without a teacher ; to see things with his own eyes, hear with his own ears, and understand with his own mind. Just so, in the childhood of the race, the priest is necessary, but his real work is to enable men to do without him :
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to see things divine with their own eyes, hear them with their own ears and understand them with their own minds. Now the priest's work is all but accomplished, and the aim of the Baha'I teaching is to complete that work, to make men independent of all save God, so that they can turn directly to Him, i.e. to His Manifestation. When all turn to one Centre, then there can be no cross-purposes or confusion ; and the nearer all draw to the Centre, the nearer they will draw to each other.
CHAPTER IX - TRUE CIVILIZATION
" O people of God ! Be not occupied with yourselves. Be intent on the betterment of the world and the training of nations." BAHA'U'LLAH.
Religion the Basis of Civilization.
According to the Baha'I view, the problems of human life, individual and social, are so inconceivably complex that the ordinary human intellect is incapable by itself of solving them aright. Only the Omniscient fully knows the purpose of creation and how that purpose may be achieved. Through the prophets He shows to mankind the true goal of human life and the right path of progress ; and the building up of a true civilization depends upon faithful adherence to the guidance of prophetic Revelation. Baha'u'llah says :
" Religion is the greatest instrument for the order of the world and the tranquillity of all existent beings. The weakening of the pillars of religion has encouraged the ignorant and rendered them audacious and arrogant. Truly I say, whatever lowers the lofty station of religion will increase heedlessness in the wicked, and finally result in anarchy. . . .
" Consider the civilization of the people of the Occident how it has occasioned commotion and agitation to the people of the world. Infernal instruments have been devised, and such atrocity is displayed in the destruction of life as has not been seen by the eye of the world, nor heard by the ear of nations. It is impossible to reform these violent, overwhelming evils, except the peoples of the world become united upon a certain issue or under the shadow of One Religion. . . .
" O people of Baha ! Each one of the revealed Commands is a mighty stronghold for the protection of the world." Words of Paradise.
The present state of Europe and of the world in general eloquently confirms the truth of these words written so many
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years ago. Neglect of the prophetic commands and the prevalence of irreligion have been accompanied by disorder and destruction on the most terrible scale, and, without the change of heart and aim which is the essential characteristic of true religion, the reform of society seems an utter impossibility.
Justice.
In the little book of Hidden Words^ in which BahaVllah gives in brief the essence of the prophetic teachings, his first counsel refers to the individual life : " Possess a good, a pure, an enlightened heart." The next indicates the fundamental principle of true social life :
" Justice is loved above all. Neglect it not if thou desirest Me. 87 it thou wilt be strengthened to perceive things with thine own eyes and not by the eyes of men, to know them by thine own knowledge and not by the knowledge of any in the world."
The first essential of social life is that individuals should become capable of discerning the true from the false and right from wrong, and of seeing things in their true proportions. The greatest cause of spiritual and social blindness, and the greatest foe of social progress, is selfishness. Baha'u'llah says :
" 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 covers 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 " (Tablet to some Persian Zoroastrian Baha'ls).
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 neighbour 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. Baha'u'llah says :
" O son of man ! If thou lookest towards mercy, regard not that which, benefits thee, and hold to that which will benefit thy fellow-men. If thou lookest towards justice, choose thou for others what thou choosest for thyself." Wards of Paradise.
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Government.
While stating with the utmost clearness those fundamental principles of social organization which will be the basis of true civilization during the next thousand or thousands of years until another prophet comes with a new Message Baha'u'llah does not lay down hard and fast rules for the details of social life. In a developing society laws must constantly be modified in accordance with the changing requirements of the times, and the system proposed by the founders of the Baha'i Movement is sufficiently elastic to make full provision for this necessity. Baha'u'llali counsels, although he does not definitely enjoin, the form of national government known as " Constitutional Monarchy." In the Glad Tidings he says :
" Although a democratic form of government profits all the people of the world, yet the majesty of kingship is one of the signs of God. We do not wish that the countries of the world should be deprived thereof. If statesmen combine the two into one form, their reward will be great before God."
In discussing the subject on one occasion, when the writer was present, 'Abdu'1-Baha spoke, in substance, as follows :
\
"Despotic government is bad. A republican form of government, as in the United States, is good, but a constitutional form of monarchy is better, because it combines the virtues of both republic and kingdom. A king has a distinction that a president, elected for a period of years, has not. The kingship should pass from father to son. This gives a con- tinuity and stability to the government that is lacking in a republic. When the head of the government is elected every few years, the whole country at the time of the presidential election becomes immersed in political contests and agitation. When the country is in such a state justice will not prevail.
" Q .If the king proves unworthy will the parliament have power to dethrone him ?
"'A. The parliament can dethrone him certainly, and can appoint a new one. In a constitutional monarchy the king has no legislative power. . All aflairs are settled by the cabinet and the parliament.
" Q. If there is a hereditary monarchy should there be a hereditary nobility, too ?
" A. One who'serves his country well should be rewarded by fitting honours, but no one should be able to claim that he must be honoured because his father was, for example, a great general. A person who
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does not serve the nation will have no distinction conferred upon him. He may be respected because of his father's services but, so far as offices are concerned, he will have no preference."
The function of the government is to administer the law with justice and impartiality. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" All men are equal before the law, which must reign absolutely. . . .
" When perfect justice reigns in every country of the Eastern and Western world, then will the earth become a place of beauty. The dignity and equality of every servant of God will be acknowledged ; the ideal of the solidarity of the human race, the true brotherhood of man, will be realized, and the glorious light of the Sun of Truth will illu- mine the souls of all men." Paris Talks, second edition, p. 143.
Political Freedom.
Although advocating as the ideal condition a fully democratic or rather representative form of government, local, national and international, Baha'u'llah teaches that this is possible only when men have attained a sufficiently high degree of individual and social development. Suddenly to grant full self-government to people without education, who are dominated by selfish desires and are in- experienced in the conduct of public affairs, would be disastrous. There is nothing more dangerous than freedom for those who are not fit to use it wisely. Baha'u'llah writes in the "Book of Aqdas :
" We observe that some people seek for freedom and boast over it, but are in obvious ignorance. Freedom, for such, results in confusion, the fire of which cannot be extinguished. Thus warns you the All-Knowing, the Reckoner. Know ye that the manifestations of absolute freedom are the animals. As for man, it is incumbent upon him to be under laws which will protect him from his own ignorance and the injury of the treacherous ones. Freedom causes man to forsake the requirements of courtesy and dignity, and suffers him to be of the vicious. Consider human beings as sheep. There must be a shepherd for them. Verily this is an indubitable certainty. We approve of freedom under certain circumstances and not under others. Say : Freedom consists in following My Commandments, were ye of those who know. If people would follow that which We have revealed from the heaven of Inspiration, they would surely find their souls in complete freedom. ... Say : The freedom which benefits you consists in servitude to the True God, and he who tastes its sweetness will never exchange it for the kingdom of heaven and earth."
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For improving the condition of backward races and nations, the Divine teachings are the sovereign remedy. When both people and politicians learn and adopt these teachings the nations will be freed from all their bonds.
Rulers and Subjects.
Baha'u'llah forbids tyranny and oppression in the most emphatic terms. In Hidden Words he writes :
" O ye oppressors of the earth ! Withdraw your hands from oppression, for I have vowed not to suffer injustice to pass unheeded."
Those entrusted with the framing and administration of laws and regulations must
" hold fast to the rope of Consultation, and decide upon and execute that which is conducive to the people's security, affluence, welfare and tranquillity ; for if matters be arranged otherwise, it will lead to discord and tumult." Tablet of the World.
On the other hand, the people must be law-abiding and loyal to the just government. They must rely on educational methods and on the force of good example, not on violence, for bringing about a better state of affairs in the nation. Baha'u'llah says :
" In every country where any of this community reside, they must behave toward the government of that country with faithfulness, truthful- ness and obedience." Glad Tidings.
" O people of God ! Adorn your temples with the mantle of trust- worthiness and integrity ; then assist your Lord with the hosts of good deeds and good morals. Verily We have forbidden you sedition and strife, in My Books and Epistles, in My Writings and Tablets ; and by this We have desired only your loftiness and exaltation." Tablet of Is&raqat.
Appointment and Promotion.
In making appointments, the only criterion must be fitness for the position. Before this paramount consideration, all others, such as seniority, social or financial status, family connection or personal friendship, must give way. Baha'u'llah says in the Tablet of Ishraqat :
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" The fifth IshrSq (Effulgence) is the knowledge by governments of the condition of the governed, and the conferring of ranks according to desert and merit. Regard to this matter is strictly enjoined upon every chief and ruler, that haply traitors may not usurp the positions of trust- worthy men nor spoilers occupy the seats of guardians."
It needs but little consideration to show that when this principle becomes generally accepted and acted upon, the transformation in our social life will be astounding. When each individual is given the position for which his talents and capabilities specially fit him he will be able to put his heart into his work and become an artist in his profession, with incalculable benefit to himself and the rest of the world.
Economic Problems.
The Baha'I teachings insist in the strongest terms on the need for reform in the economic relations of rich and poor 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" The arrangements of the circumstances of the people must be such that poverty shall disappear, that everyone, as far as possible, according to his rank and position, shall share in comfort and well-being. We see among us men who are overburdened with riches on the one hand, and on the other those unfortunate ones who starve with nothing ; those who possess several stately palaces, and those who have not where to ky their head. . . . This condition of affairs is wrong, and must be remedied. Now the remedy must be carefully undertaken. It cannot be done by bringing to pass absolute equality between men. Equality is a chimera ! It is entirely impracticable. Even if equality could be achieved it could not continue ; and if its existence were possible, the whole order of the world would be destroyed. The Law of Order must always obtain in the world of humanity. Heaven has so decreed in the creation of man. . . . Humanity, like a great army, requires a general, captains, under-officers in their degree, and soldiers, each with their appointed duties. Degrees are absolutely necessary to ensure an orderly organiza- tion. An army could not be composed of generals alone, or of captains only, or of nothing but soldiers without anyone in authority.
" Certainly, some being enormously rich and others lamentably poor, an organization is necessary to control and improve this state of affairs. It is important to limit riches, as it is also of importance to limit poverty. Either extreme is not good. . . . When we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of starvation, it is a sure sign that somewhere we shall find tyranny. Men must bestir themselves in this matter, and no longer
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delay in altering conditions which bring the misery of grinding poverty to a very large number of people.
" The rich must give of their abundance ; they must soften their hearts and cultivate a compassionate intelligence, taking thought for those sad ones who are suffering from lack of the very necessaries of life.
"There must be special laws made, dealing with these extremes oi riches and want. . . . The government of the countries should conform to the Divine Law which gives equal justice to all. ... Not until thij is done will the Law of God be obeyed." Paris Talks, second edition, p. 140.
Public Finance.
*Abdu'l-Baha suggests that each town and village or district should be entrusted as far as possible with the administration of fiscal matters within its own area and should contribute its due proportion for the expenses of the general government. One of the principal sources of revenue should be a graduated income tax. If a man's income does not exceed his necessary expenditure he should not be required to pay any tax, but in all cases where income exceeds the necessary expenditure a tax should be levied, the percentage of tax increasing as the surplus of income over necessary expenditure increases.
On the other hand, if a person, through illness, poor crops, or other cause for which he is. not responsible, is unable to earn an income sufficient to meet his necessary expenses for the year, then what he lacks for the maintenance of himself and his family should be supplied out of public funds.
There will also be other sources of public revenue, e.g. from intestate estates, mines, treasure-trove and voluntary contributions ; while among the expenditures will be grants for the support of the infirm, of orphans, of schools, of the deaf and blind, and for the maintenence of public health. Thus the welfare and comfort of all will be provided for. 1
Voluntary Sharing.
In a letter to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace, written in 1919, 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
1 For further particulars see 'Abdu'l-Baha's published addresses, especially those given in the United States of America.
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" Among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is voluntary sharing of one's property with others among mankind. This voluntary sharing is greater than (legally imposed) equality, and consists in this, that one should not prefer oneself to others, but rather should sacrifice one's life and pro- perty for others. But this should not be introduced by coercion so that it becomes a law which man is compelled to follow. Nay, rather, man should voluntarily and of his own choice sacrifice his property and life for others, and spend willingly for the poor, just as is done in Persia among the Baha'ls."
Work for All.
One of the most important instructions of BahS'u'llah in regard to the economic question is that all must engage in useful work. There must be no drones in the social hive, no able-bodied parasites on society. He says :
" It is enjoined on every one of you to engage in some occupation some art, trade or the like. We have made this your occupation identical with the worship of God, the True One. Reflect, O people, upon the Mercy of God and upon His Favours, then thank Him in morn- ings and evenings.
" Waste not your time in idleness and indolence, and occupy yourselves with that which will profit yourselves and others besides yourselves. Thus hath the matter been decreed in this Tablet, from the Horizon of which the Sun of Wisdom and Divine Utterance is gleaming ! The most despised of men before God is he who sits and begs. Cling unto the rope of means, relying upon God, the Causer of Causes." Glad Tidings.
How much of the energy employed in the business world of to-day is expended simply in cancelling and neutralizing the efforts of other people in useless strife and competition ! And how much in ways that are still more injurious ! Were all to work, and were all work, whether of brain or hand, of a nature profitable to mankind, as Baha'u'llah commands, then the supplies of everything necessary for a healthy, comfortable and noble life would amply suffice for all. There need be no slums, no starva- tion, no destitution, no industrial slavery, no health-destroying drudgery.
The Ethics of Wealth.
According to the Baha'I teachings, riches rightly acquired and rightly used are honourable and praiseworthy. Services
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rendered should be adequately rewarded. Baha'u'llah says in the Tablet of Tarazat :
"The people of Baha must not refuse to discharge the due reward of anyone, and must respect possessors of talent. ... One must speak with justice and recognize the worth of benefits."
With regard to interest on money, Baha'u'llah writes in the Tablet of Ishraqat as follows :
" Most of the people are found to be in need of this matter ; for if no interest be allowed, affairs (business) will be trammelled and obstructed. ... A person is rarely found who would lend money to anyone upon the principle of ' Qard-i-hasan ' (literally ' good loan,' i.e. money advanced without interest and repaid at the pleasure of the borrower). Conse- quently, out of favour to the servants, We have appointed ' profit on money ' to be current, among other business transactions which are in force among people. That is ... it is allowable, lawful and pure to charge interest on money . . . but this matter must be conducted with moderation and justice. The Pen of Glory has withheld itself from laying down its limits, as a Wisdom from His Presence and as a convenience for His servants. We exhort the friends of God to act with fairness and justice, and in such a way that the mercy of His beloved ones, and their compassion, may be manifested toward each other. ...
"The execution of these matters has been placed in charge of the men of the House of Justice, in order that they may act in accordance with the exigencies of the time and with wisdom."
No Industrial Slavery.
In the Book of Aqdas Baha'u'llah forbids slavery, and 'Abdu'l- Baha has explained that not only chattel slavery, but also industrial slavery, is contrary to the law of God. When in the United States in 1912, he said to the American people :
" Between 1860 and 1865 you did a wonderful thing ; you abolished chattel slavery ; but to-day you must do a much more wonderful thing : you must abolish industrial slavery. . . .
" The solution of economic questions will not be brought about by array of capital against labour, and labour against capital, in strife and conflict, but by the voluntary attitude of good-will on both sides. Then a real and lasting justness of conditions will be secured. . . .
" Among the Baha'ls there are no extortionate, mercenary and unjust practices, no rebellious demands, no revolutionary uprisings against exist- ing governments. . .
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130 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labours of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally, by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by war and bloodshed." Star of the West, vol. vii. No. 15, p. 147.
It is by friendly consultation and co-operation, by just co-partnership and profit-sharing, that the interests of both capital and labour will be best served. The harsh weapons of the strike and lock-out are injurious, not only to the trades immediately affected, but to the community as a whole. It is, therefore, the business of the governments to devise means for preventing recourse to such barbarous methods of settling disputes. 'Abdu'1-Baha said at Dublin, New Hampshire, in 1912 :
" Now I want to tell you about the law of God. According to the divine law, employees should not be paid merely by wages. Nay, rather they should be partners in every work. The question of socialization is very difficult. It will not be solved by strikes for wages. All the govern- ments of the world must be united, and organize an assembly, the members of which shall be elected from the parliaments and the noble ones of the nations. These must plan with wisdom and power, so that neither the capitalists suffer enormous losses, nor the labourers become needy. In the utmost moderation they should make the law, then announce to the public that the rights of the working people are to be effectively preserved ; also the rights of the capitalists are to be protected. When such a general law is adopted, by the will of both sides, should a strike occur, all the governments of the world should collectively resist it. Otherwise the work will lead to much destruction, especially in Europe. Terrible things will take place.
" One of the several causes of a universal European war will be this question. The owners of properties, mines and factories, should share their incomes with their employees, and give a fairly certain percentage of their profits to their working-men, in order that the employees should receive, besides their wages, some of the general income of the factory, so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work." Star of the West, vol. viii. No. i, p. 7.
Bequest and Inheritance.
Baha'u'llah states that a person should be free to dispose of his possessions during his lifetime in any way he chooses, and it is incumbent on everyone to write a will stating how his property is to be disposed of after his death When a person dies without
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leaving a will, the value of the property should be estimated and divided in certain stated proportions among seven classes of inheritors, namely, children, wife or husband, father, mother, brothers, sisters and teachers, the share of each diminishing from the first to the last. In the absence of one or more of these classes, the share which would belong to them goes to the public treasury, to be expended on the poor, the fatherless and the widows, or on useful public works. If the deceased has no heirs, then all his property goes to the public treasury.
There is nothing in the law of Baha'u'llah to prevent a man from leaving all his property to one individual if he pleases, but Baha'Is will naturally be influenced, in making their wills, by the model Baha'u'llah has laid down for the case of intestate estates, which ensures distribution of the property among a considerable number of heirs.
Equality of Men and Women.
One of the social principles to which Baha'u'llah attaches great importance is that women should be regarded as the equals of men and should enjoy equal rights and privileges, equal education, and equal opportunities.
The great means on which he relies for bringing about the emancipation of women is universal education. Girls are to receive as good an education as boys. In fact, the education of girls is even more important than that of boys, for in time these 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 be well and wisely educated !
During his Western tours, ' Abdu'I-Baha had frequent occasion to explain the Baha'I teaching on this subject. At a meeting of the Women's Freedom League in London in January 1913, he said :
" Humanity is like a bird with its 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
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age, women must advance and fulfil 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 Baha'u'llah.
" Some scientists have declared that the brains of men weigh more than those of women, and claim this as a proof of man's superiority. Yet when we look around us we see people with small heads, whose brains must weigh little, who show the greatest intelligence and great powers of understanding ; and others with big heads, whose brains must be heavy, and yet they are witless. Therefore the avoirdupois of the brain is no true measure of intelligence or superiority.
" When men bring forward as a second proof of their superiority the assertion that women have not achieved as much as men, they use poor arguments which leave history out of consideration. If they kept them- selves more fully informed historically, they would know that great women have lived and achieved great things in the past, and that there are many living and achieving great things to-day."
Here 'Abdu'1-Baha described the achievements of Zenobia and other great women of the past, concluding with an eloquent tribute to the- fearless Mary Magdalene, whose faith remained firm while that of the apostles was shaken. He continued :
" Amongst the women of our own time is Qurratu'l-'Ayn, the daughter of a Muhammadan priest. At the time of the appearance of the Bab she showed such tremendous courage and power that all who heard her were astonished. She threw aside her veil, despite the immemorial custom of the Persians, and although it was considered impolite to speak with men, this heroic woman carried on controversies with the most learned men, and in every meeting she vanquished them. The Persian Government took her prisoner ; she was stoned in the streets, anathema- tized, exiled from town to town, threatened with death, but she never failed in her determination to work for the freedom of her sisters. She bore persecution and suffering with the greatest heroism ; even in prison she gained converts. To a Persian Minister, in whose house she was imprisoned, she said : ' You can kill me as soon as you like but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.' At last the end of her tragic life came ; she was carried into a garden and strangled. She put on, however, her choicest robes as if she were going to join a bridal party. With such magnanimity and courage she gave her life, startling and thrilling all who saw her. She was truly a great heroine. To-day in Persia, among the Baha'ls, there are women who also show unflinching courage, and who are endowed with great poetic insight. They are most eloquent, and speak before large gatherings of people.
" Women must go on advancing ; they must extend their knowledge of science, literature, history, for the perfection of humanity Ere
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long 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 of eternal glory."
Women and the New Age.
When woman's point of view receives due consideration and woman's will is allowed adequate expression in the arrangement of social affairs, we may expect great advancement in matters which have often been grievously neglected under the old regime of male dominance such matters as health, temperance, peace, and regard for the value of the individual life. Improvements in these respects will have very far-reaching and beneficent effects. ' Abdu'1-Baha says :
" The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the balance is already shifting ; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced." Star of the West, vol. viii. No. 3, p. 4.
Methods of Violence Discarded.
In bringing about the emancipation of women as in other matters, Baha'u'llah counsels his followers to avoid methods of violence. An excellent illustration of the Baha'I method of social reform has been given by the Baha'I women in Persia, Egypt and Syria. In these countries it is customary for Muhammadan women outside their homes to wear a veil covering the face. The Bab indicated that in the New Dispensation women would be relieved from this irksome restraint, but Baha'u'llah counsels his followers, where no important question of morality is involved, to defer to established customs until people become enlightened, rather than scandalize those amongst whom they live, and arouse needless antagonism. The Baha'I women, therefore, although well aware that the antiquated custom of wearing the veil is, for
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enlightened people, unnecessary and inconvenient, yet quietly put up with the inconvenience, rather than rouse a storm of fanatical hatred and rancorous opposition by uncovering their faces in public. This conformity to custom is in no way due to fear, but to an assured confidence in the power of education and in the transforming and life-giving effects of true religion. Baha'Is in these regions are devoting their energies to the education of their children, especially their girls, and to the diffusion and promotion of the Baha'I ideals, well knowing that as the new spiritual life grows and spreads among the people, antiquated customs and prejudices will by and by be shed, as naturally and inevitably as bud-scales are shed in spring when the leaves and flowers expand in the sunshine.
Education.
Education the instruction and guidance of men and the development and training of their innate faculties has been the supreme aim of all the Holy Prophets since the world began, and in the Baha'I teachings the fundamental importance and limitless possibilities of education are proclaimed in the clearest terms. The teacher is the most potent factor in civilization and his work is the highest to which men can aspire. Education begins in the mother's womb and is as unending as the life of the individual. It is a perennial necessity of right living and the foundation of both individual and social welfare. When education on right lines becomes general, humanity will be transformed and the world will become a paradise.
At present a really well educated man is the rarest of phenomena, for nearly everyone has false prejudices, wrong ideals, erroneous conceptions and bad habits drilled into him from babyhood. How few are taught from their earliest childhood to love God with all their hearts and dedicate their lives to Him ; to regard service to humanity as the highest aim of life ; to develop their powers to the best advantage for the general good of all ! Yet surely these are the essential elements of a good education. Mere cramming of the memory with facts about arithmetic, grammar, geography, languages, etc., has comparatively little effect in producing noble and useful lives.
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BahaVllah says that education must be universal :
" It is decreed that every father must educate his sons and daughters in learning and in writing and also in that which hath been ordained in the tablet. He who neglects that which hath been commanded (in this matter), if he be rich, it is incumbent on the trustees of the House of Justice to recover from him the amount required for the education of his children ; otherwise (i.e. if the parent be not capable) the matter shall devolve upon the House of Justice. Verily We have made it (the House of Justice) an asylum for the poor and needy.
" He who educates his son, or any other children, it is as though he hath educated one of My children." Tablet of Iskraqat.
" Men and women must place a part of what they earn by trade, agriculture or other business, in charge of a trustworthy person, to be spent in the education and instruction of the children. That deposit must be invested in the education of the children, under the advice of the trustees (or members) of the House of Justice." Tablet of the World.
Innate Differences of Nature.
In the Baha'I view the child's nature is not like so much wax that can be moulded indifferently to any shape according to the will of the teacher. Nay, each from the first has his own God- given character and individuality which can develop to the best advantage only in a particular way 5 and that way in each case is unique. No two people have exactly the same capabilities and talents, and the true educator will never attempt to force two natures into the same mould. In fact, he will never attempt to force any nature into any mould. Rather he will reverently tend the developing powers of the young nature, encourage and protect them, and supply the nourishment and assistance which they need. His work is like that of a gardener tending different plants. One plant likes the bright sunshine, another the cool shade ; one loves the water's edge and another the dry knoll ; one thrives best on sandy soil and another on rich loam. Each must have its needs appropriately supplied, else its perfections can never be fully revealed. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" The Prophets acknowledge that education hath a great effect upon the human race, but they declare that minds and comprehensions are originally different. We see that certain children of the same age, nativity and race, nay, from the same household, under the tutorship of the same teacher, differ in minds and comprehensions. No matter how the shell
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is educated (or polished) it can never become the radiant pearl. The black stone will not become the world-illuminating gem. The thorn/ cactus can never by training and development become the blessed tree. That is to say, training doth not change the essential nature of the human gem, but it produceth a marvellous effect. By this effective power all that is latent, of virtues and capacities in the human reality, will be revealed." Tablets of 'Abdtfl-Baha, vol. iii. p. 577.
Character Training.
The thing of paramount importance in education is character training. With regard to this, example is more effective than precept, and the lives and characters of the child's parents, teachers and habitual associates are factors of the utmost importance.
The prophets of God are the great educators of mankind, and their counsels and the story of their lives should be instilled into the child's mind as soon as it is able to grasp them. Especially important are the words of the Supreme teacher, Baha'u'llah, who reveals the root-principles on which the civilization of the future must be built up. He says :
"Teach your children what hath been revealed through the Pen of Glory. Instruct them in what hath descended from the heaven of greatness and power. Let them memorize the Tablets of the Merciful and chant them with the most melodious voices in the halls of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar." Star of the West, vol. ix. No. 7, p. 81.
Arts, Sciences, Crafts.
Training in arts, sciences, crafts and useful professions is regarded as important and necessary. Baha'u'llah says :
" Knowledge is like unto wings for the being (of man) and is like a ladder for ascending. To acquire knowledge is incumbent upon all, but of those sciences which may profit the people of the earth, and not such sciences as begin in mere words and end in mere words. The possessors of sciences and arts have a great right among the people of the world. Indeed, the real treasury of man is his knowledge. Knowledge is the means of honour, prosperity, joy, gladness, happiness and exultation." Tablet of Tajalfyat.
Treatment of Criminals.
In a talk on the right method of treating criminals, 'Abdu'l- Baha spoke as follows :
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" The most essential thing is that the people must be educated in such a way that they will avoid and shrink from perpetrating crimes, so that the crime itself will appear to them as the greatest chastisement, the utmost condemnation and torment. Therefore no crimes which require punishment will be committed.
" If someone oppresses, injures and wrongs another, and the wronged man retaliates, this is vengeance, and is censurable. If 'Amr dishonours Zayd, the latter has not the right to dishonour 'Amr ; if he does, this is vengeance, and it is very reprehensible. No, rather he must return good for evil, and not only forgive, but also, if possible, be of service to his oppressor. This conduct is worthy of man, for what advantage does he gain by vengeance ? The two actions are equivalent ; if one action is reprehensible both are reprehensible. The only difference is, that one was committed first, the other later.
" But the community has the right of defence and self-protection ; moreover, the community has no hatred or animosity for the murderer ; it imprisons or punishes him merely for the protection and security of others.
" Thus when Christ said : * Whosoever shall smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also,' it was for the purpose of teaching men not to take personal revenge. He did not mean that if a wolf should fall upon a flock of sheep and wish to destroy it, the wolf should be encouraged to do so. No, if Christ had known that a wolf had entered the fold and was about to destroy the sheep, most certainly he would have pre- vented it. ...
"The constitution of the communities depends upon justice. . . . Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is not that when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault your wives, children and relatives and violate your honour, you should be sub- missive in the presence of these tyrannical foes, and allow them to perform all their cruelties and oppressions. No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two individuals towards each other. If one person assaults another, the injured one should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man. One thing remains to be said : it is that the communities are day and night occupied in making penal laws, and in preparing and organizing instruments and means of punishment. They build prisons, make chains and fetters, arrange places of exile and banishment, and different kinds of hardships and tortures, and think by these means to discipline criminals ; whereas, in reality, they are causing destruction of morals and perversion of characters. The com- munity, on the contrary, ought to strive and endeavour with the utmost zeal and effort to accomplish the education of men, to cause them day by day to progress and to increase in science and knowledge, to acquire virtues, to gain good morals and to avoid vices, so that crimes may not occur." Some Answered Questions, pp. 307312.
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Influence of the Press.
The importance of the Press as a means of diffusing knowledge and educating the people, and its power as a civilizing force, when rightly directed, are fully recognized by Baha'u'llah. He writes :
" In this day the mysteries of this earth are unfolded and visible before the eyes, and the pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world ; they display the doings and actions of the different nations ; they both illustrate them and cause them to be heard. News- papers are as a mirror endowed with hearing, sight and speech ; they are a wonderful phenomenon and a great matter.
" But it behoves the writers and editors thereof to be sanctified from the prejudice of egotism and desire, and to be adorned with the ornament of equity and justice. They must enquire into matters as fully as possible in order that they may be informed of the real facts, and commit the same to writing. Concerning this wronged one, what the newspapers have published has for the most part been devoid of truth. Good speech and truthfulness are, in loftiness of position and rank, like the sun which has risen from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge." Tablet of farazat.
CHAPTER X - THE WAY TO PEACE
" To-day, this servant has assuredly come to vivify the world and to bring into unity all who are on the face of the earth. That which God willeth shall come to pass and thou shalt see the earth even as the Abha (Most Glorious) Paradise." BAHA'U'LLAH, in Tablet to Ra'Js.
Conflict versus Concord.
During the past century scientists have devoted an immense amount of study to the struggle for existence in the plant and animal world, and, amid the perplexities of social life, many have turned for guidance to the principles which have been found to hold good in the lower world of nature. In this way they have come to regard rivalry and conflict as necessities of life, and the ruthless killing out of the weaker members of society as a legitimate or even necessary means of improving the race. Baha'u'llah tells us, on the other hand, that, if we wish to ascend the scale of progress, instead of looking backwards to the animal world, we must direct our gaze forwards and upwards, and must take not the beasts, but the prophets as our guides. The principles of unity, concord and compassion taught by the prophets are the very antithesis of those dominating the animal struggle for self-preserva- tion, and we must choose between them, for they cannot be reconciled. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" In the world of nature the dominant note is the struggle for existence the result of which is the survival of the fittest. The law of the survival of the fittest is the origin of all difficulties. It is the cause of war and strife, hatred and animosity, between human beings. In the world of nature there is tyranny, egoism, aggression, overbearance, usurpation of the rights of others and other blameworthy attributes which are defects of the animal world. Therefore, so long as the requirements of the
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natural world play paramount part among the children of men, success and prosperity are impossible. Nature is warlike, nature is bloodthirsty, nature is tyrannical, for nature is unaware of God the Almighty. That is why these cruel qualities are natural to the animal world.
" Therefore the Lord of mankind, having great love and mercy, has caused the appearance of the prophets and the revelation of the Holy Books, so that through divine education humanity may be released from the corruption of nature and the darkness of ignorance, be confirmed with ideal virtues and spiritual attributes, and become the dawning-place of merciful emotions. . . .
" A hundred thousand times, alas ! that ignorant prejudice, unnatural differences and antagonistic principles are yet displayed by the nations of the world toward one another, thus causing the retardation of general progress. This retrogression comes from the fact that the principles of divine civilization are completely abandoned, and the teachings of the prophets are forgotten." Star of the West, vol. viii. p. 1 5.
The Most Great Peace.
In all ages the prophets of God have foretold the coming of an era of " peace on earth, goodwill among men." As we have already seen Baha'u'llah, in the most glowing and confident terms, confirms these prophecies and declares that their fulfilment is at hand. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" In this marvellous cycle, the earth will be transformed and humanity arrayed in peace and beauty. Disputes, quarrels and murders will be replaced by harmony, truth and concord ; among the nations, peoples, races and countries, love and amity will appear. Co-operation and union will be established, and finally war will be entirely suppressed. ... Uni- versal peace will raise its tent in the centre of the earth and the blessed tree of life will spread to such an extent that it will overshadow the East and the West. Strong and weak, rich and poor, antagonistic sects and hostile nations, which are like the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, the lion and the calf, will act toward each other with the most com- plete love, friendship, justice and fairness. The world will be filled with science, with the knowledge of the reality of the mysteries of beings, and with the knowledge of God." Some Answered Questions, p. 73.
Religious Prejudices.
In order to see clearly how the Most Great Peace may be established, let us first examine the principal causes that have led to war in the past and see how Baha'u'llah proposes to deal with each.
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One of the most fertile causes of war has been religious prejudice. With regard to this the Baha'i teachings show clearly that animosity and conflict between people of different religions and sects have always been due, not to true religion, but to the want of it, and to its replacement by false prejudices, imitations and misrepresentations.
In one of his talks in Paris, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth ; it should give birth to spirituality, and bring light and life to every soul. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division it would be better to be without it, and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act. For it is clear that the purpose of a remedy is to cure, but if the remedy only aggravates the complaint, it had better be left alone. Any religion which is not a cause of love and unity is no religion." Paris Talks, p. 180.
Again he says :
" From the beginning of human history down to the present time various religions of the world have anathematized one another and accused one another of falsity. They have shunned one another most rigidly, exercising mutual animosity and rancour. Consider the history of religious warfare. One of the greatest religious wars, the Crusades, extended over a period of 200 years. Sometimes the Crusaders were successful, killing, pillaging and taking captive the Muhammadan people ; sometimes the Mussulmans were victorious, inflicting bloodshed and ruin in turn upon the invaders.
" So they continued for two centuries, alternately fighting with fury and relaxing with weakness until the European religionists withdrew from the East, leaving ashes of desolation behind them and finding their own nations in a condition of turbulence and upheaval. Yet this was only one of the ' Holy wars.'
"Religious wars have been many. Nine hundred thousand martyrs of the Protestant cause was the record of conflict and difference between that sect of Christian and the Catholics. How many languished in prisons ! How merciless the treatment of captives ! All in the name of religion !
"The Christians and Muhammadans considered the Jews as satanic and the enemies of God. Therefore they cursed and persecuted them. Great numbers of Jews were killed, their houses burnt and pillaged, their children carried into captivity. The Jews in turn regarded the Christians as infidels, and the Muhammadans as enemies and destroyers of the laws of Moses ; therefore they called down vengeance upon them nd curse them even to this day.
" When the light of Baha'u'llah dawned from the East, he proclaimed
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the promise of the oneness of humanity. He addressed all mankind saying : * Ye are all fruits of one tree. There are not two trees, one a tree of divine mercy, the other the tree of Satan.' Therefore we must exercise the utmost love toward one another. We must not consider any people the people of Satan, but know and recognize all as servants of one God. At most it is this : some do not know, they must be guided and trained. Some are ignorant, they must be informed. Some are as children, they must be helped to reach maturity. Some are ailing, their moral condition is bad, they must be treated until their morals are purified. But the sick man is not to be hated because he is sick ; the child must not be shunned because he is a child, the ignorant one is not to be despised because he lacks knowledge. They must be treated, educated, trained and assisted in love. Everything must be done in order that all humanity may live under the shadow of God in the utmost security, in happiness of the highest type." Star of the West, vol. viii. p. 76.
Racial and Patriotic Prejudices.
The Baha'I doctrine of the unity of mankind strikes at the root of another cause of war, namely, racial prejudice. Certain races have assumed themselves to be superior to others and have taken for granted, on the principle of " survival of the fittest," that this superiority gives them the right to exploit for their own advantage, or even to exterminate, weaker races. Many of the blackest pages in the world's history are examples of the pitiless application of this principle. According to the Baha'i view people of every race are of equal value in the sight of God. All have wonderful innate capacities which only require suitable education for their development, and each can play a part, which, instead of impoverishing, will enrich and complete the life of all the other members of the body of humanity. 'Abdu'1-Baha says : -
" Concerning the prejudice of race : it is an illusion, a superstition pure and simple, for God created us all of one race. . . . In the beginning also there were no limits and boundaries between the different lands ; no part of the earth belonged more to one people than to another. In the sight of God there is no difference between the various races. Why should man invent such a prejudice ? How can we uphold war caused by such an illusion ? God has not created men that they should destroy one another. All races, tribes, sects and classes share equally in the bounty of their Heavenly Father.
" The only real difference lies in the degree of faithfulness, of obedience
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to the laws of God. There are some who are as lighted torches j there are others who shine as stars in the sky of humanity.
" The lovers of mankind, these are the superior men, of whatever nation, creed or colour they may be." Paris Talks, p. 136.
Equally mischievous with racial prejudice is political or patriotic prejudice. The time has now come when narrow national patriotisms should be merged in the wider patriotism whose country is the world. Baha'u'llah says :
" In'Tormer ages it hath been said : ' To love one's native land is faith,' but the Tongue of Grandeur hath said in the day of this Manifesta- tion : ' Glory is not his who loves his native land, but Glory is his who loves his kind.' By these exalted words He taught the birds of souls a new flight and efiaced restriction and blind imitation from the Book.*' Tablet of the World.
Territorial Ambitions.
Many are the wars which have been fought over pieces of territory whose possession has been coveted by two or more rival nations. The greed of possession has been as fertile a cause of strife among nations as among individuals. According to the Baha'I view, land rightly belongs not to individual men or individual nations but to humanity as a whole ; nay, rather, it belongs to God alone, and all men are but tenants.
On the occasion of the Battle of Benghazi, *Abdu'l-Baha said :
<C '
The news of the Battle of Benghazi grieves my heart. I wonder at the human savagery that still exists in the world : How is it possible for men to fight from morning till night, killing each other, shedding the blood of their fellow-men ? And for what object ? To gain pos- session of a part of the earth ! Even the animals when they fight have an immediate and more reasonable cause for their attacks. How terrible is it that men who are of the higher kingdom can descend to slaying and .bringing misery to their fellow-beings for the possession of a tract of land the highest of created beings fighting to obtain the lowest form of matter, earth.
"Land belongs not to one people but to all people. The earth is not man's home but his tomb.
" However great the conqueror, however many countries he may reduce to slavery, he is unable to retain any part of these devastated lands but one tiny portion his tomb.
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" If more land is required for the improvement of the condition of the people, for the spread of civilization . . . surely it would be possible to acquire peaceably the necessary extension of territory. But war is made for the satisfaction of men's ambition. For the sake of worldly gain to the few terrible misery is brought to numberless homes, breaking the hearts of hundreds of men and women. . . .
" I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of his heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other's hands. So may all the savagery of men disappear by the mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain. Nothing is impossible to the divine benevolence of God. If you desire with all your heart friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread ; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger until it reaches the minds of all men." Paris Talks, p. 23.
Universal Language.
Having glanced at the principal causes of war and how they may be avoided, we may now proceed to examine certain constructive proposals made by Baha'u'llah with a view to achieving the Most Great Peace.
The first deals with the establishment of a universal auxiliary language. Baha'u'llah refers to this matter in the Book of Aqdas and in many of his Tablets. Thus in the Tablet of Ishraqat he says :
" 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."
About the time when this proposal of Baha'u'llah was first given to the world, there was born in Poland a boy named Ludovic Zamenhof, who was destined to play a leading part in carrying it into effect. Almost from his infancy, the ideal of a universal language became a dominant motive in ZamenhoPs life, and the
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result of his devoted labours was the invention and widespread adoption of the language known as Esperanto, which has now stood the test of over thirty-five years and has proved to be a very satisfactory medium of international intercourse. It has the great advantage that it can be mastered in about a twentieth part of the time required to master such languages as English, French or German. At an Esperanto banquet given in Paris in February 1913, *Abdu'l-Baha said :
" To-day one of the chief causes of the differences in Europe is the diversity of languages. We say this man is a German, the other is an Italian, then we meet an Englishman and then again a Frenchman. Although they belong to the same race, yet language is the greatest barrier between them. Were a universal auxiliary language in operation they would all be considered as one.
" His Holiness Baha'u'llah wrote about this international language more than forty 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 misunderstandings keep people from mutual association, and these misunderstandings will not be dispelled except through an international auxiliary language.
" Generally speaking, the whole people of the Orient are not fully informed of events in the West, neither can the Westerners put themselves in sympathetic touch with the Easterners ; their thoughts are enclosed in a casket the international language will be the master key to open it. Were we in possession of a universal language, the Western books could easily be translated into that language, and the Eastern peoples be informed of their contents. In the same way the books of the East could be translated into that language for the benefit of the people in the West. The greatest means of progress towards the union of East and West will be a common language. It will make the whole world one home and become the strongest impulse 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. It will cause good fellowship between the various races.
. " Now, praise be to God that Dr. Zamenhof has invented the Esperanto language. It has all the potential qualities of becoming the international means of communication. All of us must be grateful and thankful to him for this noble effort ; for in this way he has served his fellow-men well. With untiring effort and self-sacrifice on the part of its devotees Esperanto will become universal. Therefore every one of us must study this language and spread it as far as possible so that day by day it may receive a broader recognition, be accepted by all nations and
10
146 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
governments of the world, and become a part of the curriculum in all the public schools. I hope that Esperanto will be adopted as the language of all the future international conferences and congresses, so that all people need acquire only two languages one their own tongue and the other the international language. Then perfect union will be established between all the people of the world. Consider how difficult it is to-day to com- municate with various nations. If one studies fifty languages one may yet travel through a country and not know the language. Therefore I hope that you will make the utmost effort, so that this language of Esperanto may be widely spread."
While thus encouraging the spread of Esperanto, 'Abdu'1-Baha realized that it would have to be developed, improved and expanded before it could meet all the requirements of a universal language. In one of his London talks he said :
" The love and effort put into Esperanto will not be lost, but no one person can construct a universal language. It must be made by a Council representing all countries, and must contain words from different languages." Abdul Baka in London, p. 95.
The development of the Esperanto language is now proceeding under the guidance of an international " Lingva Komitato," and year by year it is being enriched and its vocabulary enlarged by the addition of roots from various languages.
League of Nations.
Another proposal frequently and powerfully advocated by Baha'u'llah was that a Universal League of Nations should be formed for the maintenance of international peace. In a letter to Queen Victoria, written in 1865, he said :
" O concourse of rulers ! Compose your differences, then will ye no more need a multitude of warriors, nor the equipments thereof, but merely such as to protect therewith your realms and your peoples. ... Be united, O concourse of Sovereigns, for thereby the winds of dissension amongst you will be stilled and the peoples around you find rest. . . . Should one of you arise against another, arise ye, one and all, against him, for this is naught but manifest justice."
In 1875, 'Abdu'1-Baha gave a forecast of the establishment of a Universal League of Nations, which is especially interesting at the present time in view of the strenuous attempts now being made to establish such a league. He wrote :
THE WAY TO PEACE 147
" Yea, the true civilization will raise its banner in the centre of the world when some noble rulers of high ambitions, the bright suns of the world of humanitarian enthusiasm, shall, for the good and happiness of all the human race, step forth with firm resolution and keen strength of mind and hold a conference on the question of universal peace ; when, keeping fast hold of the means of enforcing their views, they shall establish a union of the states of the world, and conclude a definite treaty and strict alliance between them upon conditions not to be evaded. When the whole human race had been consulted through their representatives and invited to corroborate this treaty, which verily would be a treaty of universal peace and would be accounted sacred by all the peoples of the earth, it would be the duty of the united powers of the world to see that this great treaty should be strengthened and should endure.
" In such a universal treaty the limits of the borders and boundaries of every state should be fixed, and the customs and laws of every govern- ment ; all the agreements and affairs of state and arrangements between the various governments should be propounded and settled in due form ; the size of the armaments for each government should likewise be definitely agreed upon, because if in the case of any state there were to be an increase in the preparation for war, it would be a cause for alarm to the other states. The bases of this powerful alliance should be so fixed that, if one of the states afterwards broke any of the articles of it, the rest of the nations of the world would rise up and reduce it to submission. Yea, the whole human race would band its forces together to overthrow that government.
" If so great a remedy should be applied to the sick body of the world, it would certainly be the means of continually and permanently healing its illness by the inculcation of universal moderation" (see Mysterious Forces of Civilization, pp. 134-140).
International Arbitration.
Baha'u'llah also advocated the establishment of an international court of arbitration, so that differences arising between nations might be settled in accordance with justice and reason, instead of by appeal to the ordeal of battle.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration, in August 1911, *Abdu'l-Baha said :
" About fifty years ago in the Book of Aqdas, Baha'u'llah commanded people to establish universal peace and summoned all the nations to the divine banquet of international arbitration, so that the questions of boun- daries, of national honour and property, and of vital interests between nations might be settled by an arbitral court of justice, and that no nation would dare to refuse to abide by the decisions thus arrived at. If any
148 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
quarrel arise between two nations it must be adjudicated by this inter- national court and be arbitrated and decided upon like the judgment rendered by the Judge between two individuals. If at any .time any nation dares to break such a decision, all the other nations must arise to put down this rebellion."
Again, in one of his Paris talks in 1911, he said :
"A supreme tribunal shall be established by the peoples and govern- ments of every nation, composed of members elected from each country and government. The members of this great council shall assemble in unity. All disputes of an international character shall be submitted to this court, its work being to arrange by arbitration everything which otherwise would be a cause of war. The mission of this tribunal would be to prevent war." Paris Talks, p. 145.
During the quarter of a century preceding the establishment of the League of Nations a permanent Court of Arbitration was established at the Hague (1900), and many arbitration treaties were signed, but most of these fell far short of the comprehensive proposals of Baha'u'llah. No arbitration treaty was made between two great Powers in which all matters of dispute were included. Differences affecting "vital interests," "honour" and " independence " were specifically excepted. Not only so, but effective guarantees that nations would abide by the terms of the treaties into which they had entered were lacking. In the Baha'I proposals, on the other hand, questions of boundaries, of national honour and of vital interest are expressly included, and agreements will have the supreme guarantee of the World- League of Nations behind them. Only when these proposals are completely carried out will international arbitration attain the full scope of its beneficent possibilities and the curse of war be finally banished from the world.
Limitation of Armaments.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" By a general agreement all the governments of the world must disarm simultaneously. It will not do if one lays down its arms and the others refuse to do so. The nations of the world must concur with each other concerning this supremely important subject, so that they may abandon together the deadly weapons of human slaughter. As long as one nation
THE WAY TO PEACE 149
increases her military and naval budget other nations will be forced into this crazed competition through their natural and supposed interests." Diary ofMtrza Ahmad Sohrab, May 11-14, I 9 I 4-
Non-resistance.
As a religious body, Baha'is have, at the express command of Baha'u'llah, entirely abandoned the use of armed force in their own interests, even for strictly defensive purposes. In Persia many, many thousands of the Babis and Baha'Is have suffered cruel deaths because of their faith. In the early days of the Movement the Babis on various occasions "defended themselves and their families by the sword, with great courage and bravery. Baha'u'llah, however, forbade this. 'Abdu'1-Baha writes :
"When Baha'u'llah appeared, he declared that the promulgation of the truth by such means must on no account be allowed, even for purposes of self-defence. He abrogated the rule of the sword and annulled the ordinance of * Holy War.' ' If ye be slain,' said he, ' it is better for you than to slay. It is through the firmness and assurance of the faithful that the Cause of the Lord must be diffused. As the faithful, fearless and undaunted, arise with absolute detachment to exalt the Word of God, and, with eyes averted from the things of this world, engage in service for the Lord's sake and by His power, thereby will they cause the Word of Truth to triumph. These blessed souls bear witness by their life-blood to the truth of the Cause and attest it by the sincerity of their faith, their devotion and their constancy. The Lord can avail to diffuse His Cause and to defeat the froward. We desire no defender but Him, and with our lives in our hands face the foe and welcome martyr- dom ' " (written by Abdu'l-Baha for this book).
Baha'u'llah wrote to one of the persecutors of his cause :
"Great God ! This sect has no need of arms. All its efforts tend toward the peace of the world. Its armies are good actions ; its arms, good deeds ; its generals, the fear of God. Happy is he who is equitable.
" By God ! These men, by their patience, their tranquillity, their resignation and their contentment, have become the manifestations of justice. Their submission has reached the point where they let them- selves be killed rather than kill ; and this while these oppressed ones of the earth have submitted to that which hath not been recorded by the histories of the world, and which the eye of the nations hath never seen.
" How could they have endured such terrible misfortunes without stretching forth a hand to preserve themselves ? What was the cause
150 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
of their resignation and their tranquillity ? It was the constant inter- dictions of the Pen of Glory, for these have seized the reins of the com- mandments with the force and power of the Master of the world." L'Epitre au Fits de Loup.
The soundness of Baha'u'llah's non-resistance policy has already been proved by results. For every believer martyred in Persia, the Baha'I faith has received a hundred new believers into its fold, and the glad and dauntless way in which these martyrs cast the crowns of their lives at the feet of their Lord has furnished to the world the clearest proof that they had found a new life for which death has no terrors, a life of ineffable fulness and joy, compared with which the pleasures of earth are but as dust in the balance, and the most fiendish physical tortures but trifles light as air.
Righteous Warfare.
Although Baha'u'llah, like Christ, counsels his followers as individuals and as a religious body to adopt an attitude of non- resistance and forgiveness towards their enemies, he teaches that it is the duty of the community to prevent injustice and oppression. If individuals are persecuted and injured it is right for them to forgive and abstain from retaliation, but it is wrong for a community to allow pillage and murder to continue unchecked within its borders. It is the duty of a good government to prevent wrong- doing and to punish offenders. 1 So also with the community of nations. If one nation oppresses or injures another, it is the duty of all other nations to unite to prevent such oppression. 'Abdu'l- Baha writes :
" It may happen that at a given time warlike and savage tribes may furiously attack the body politic with the intention of carrying on a whole- sale slaughter of its members ; under such a circumstance defence is necessary." Paris Talks y fourth edition, p. 170.
Hitherto the usual practice of mankind has been that if one nation attacked another, the rest of the nations of the world remained neutral, and accepted no responsibility in the matter unless their own interests were directly affected or threatened. The whole burden of defence was left to the nation attacked, however weak and
1 See also section on Treatment of Criminals, p. 137.
THE WAY TO PEACE 151
helpless it might be. The teaching of BahaVllah reverses this position and throws the responsibility of defence not specially on the nation attacked, but on all the others, individually and collectively. As the whole of mankind is one community, an attack on any one nation is an attack on the community, and ought to be dealt with by the community. Were this doctrine generally recognized and acted on, any nation contemplating an aggression on another would know in advance that it would have to reckon with the opposition not of that other nation only, but of the whole of the rest of the world. This knowledge alone would be sufficient to deter even the boldest and most bellicose of nations. When a sufficiently strong league of peace-loving nations is established war will, therefore, become a thing of the past. During the period of transition from the old state of international anarchy to the new state of international solidarity aggressive wars will still be possible, and in these circumstances, military or other coercive action in the cause of international justice, unity and peace may be a positive duty. 'Abdu'1-Baha writes that in such case :
" Even war is sometimes the great foundation of peace, and destroying is the cause of rebuilding . . . this war may be essentially attuned to the melodies of peace ; and then verily this fury is kindness itself, this oppression is the essence of justice and this war is the source of reconcilia- tion. To-day, the true duty of a powerful king is to promote universal peace ; for verily this signifies the freedom of all the people of the world." Mysterious Forces of Civilization.
Unity of East and West.
Another factor which will help in bringing about universal peace is the linking together of the East and the West. The Most Great Peace is no mere cessation of hostilities, but a fertilizing union and cordial co-operation of the hitherto sundered peoples of the earth which will bear much precious fruit. In one of his talks in Paris, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
<( In the past, as in the present, the Spiritual Sun of Truth has always shone from the horizon of the East. In the East Moses arose to lead and teach the people. On the Eastern horizon arose the Lord Christ. Muhammad was sent to an Eastern nation. The Bab arose in the Eastern land of Persia. BahaVllah lived and taught in the East. All the great spiritual teachers arose in the Eastern world.
152 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" But although the Sun of Christ dawned in the East, the radiance thereof was apparent in the West, where the effulgence of its glory was more clearly seen. The divine light of His teaching shone with a greater force in the Western world, where it has made more rapid headway than in the land of its birth.
" In these days the East is in need of material progress and the West is in need of a spiritual ideal. It would be well for the West to rum to the East for illumination, and to give in exchange its scientific knowledge. There must be this interchange of gifts. The East and the West must unite to give to each other what is lacking. This union will bring about true civilization where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material. Receiving thus, the one from the other, the greatest harmony will prevail, all people will be united, a state of great perfection will be attained, there will be a firm cementing, and this world will become a shining mirror for the reflection of the attributes of God.
"We all, the Eastern and the Western nations, must strive day and night, with heart and soul, to achieve this high ideal, to cement the unity between all the nations of the earth. Every heart will then be refreshed, all eyes will be opened, the most wonderful power will be given, the happiness of humanity will be assured. . . . This will be the Paradise which is to come on earth, when all mankind will be gathered together under the Tent of Unity in the Kingdom of Glory." Paris Talks, p. 17.
CHAPTER XI - VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS
" Know thou that in every age and dispensation all divine ordinances are changed and transformed according to the requirement of the time, except the law of Love, which, like a fountain, always flows and is never overtaken by change." BAHA'U'LLAH.
Monastic Life.
Baha'u'llah, like Muhammad, forbids his followers to lead lives of monastic seclusion.
In the Tablet to Napoleon III we read :
" Say : ' O concourse of monks ! Seclude not yourselves in cells and cloisters ; nay, abandon them at My bidding and engage in that which profiteth your souls and the souls of mankind. . . /
" Enter ye into wedlock, that one may rise in your stead, for We have gainsaid impurity and enjoined fidelity upon you. Ye have followed your own ways and cast behind your backs the ways of the Lord. Fear ye the Lord and be not of the foolish. But for man, who would make mention of My name in My land, and how would My qualities and attributes be revealed ? Ponder ye, and be not of them that are veiled and asleep. He that wedded not (i.e. Jesus) found not a place in which to abide, nor shelter wherein to lay His head, and this through that which the hands of treachery had wrought. The sanctity of His soul depended not upon that which ye have known and cherish of idle fancy, but rather upon that which We have. Ask, that ye may know His Station, that transcendeth the imaginings of all that dwell on earth. Blessed are they that know ! "
Does it not seem strange that Christian sects should have instituted the monastic life and celibacy for the clergy, in view of the facts that Christ chose married men for his disciples, and both He Himself and His apostles lived lives of active beneficence,
in close association and familiar intercourse with the people ?
153
154 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA In the Muhammadan Qur'an we read :
" To Jesus the son of Mary We gave the Gospel, and We put into the hearts of those who followed Him kindness and compassion : but as to the monastic life, they invented it themselves. The desire only of pleasing God did We prescribe to them, and this they observed not as it ought to have been observed " (Qur'an, s. Ivii. 27).
Whatever justification there may have been for the monastic life in ancient times and bygone circumstances, Baha'u'llah declares that such justification no longer exists ; and, indeed, it seems obvious that the withdrawal of a large number of the most pious and God-fearing of the population from association with their fellows, and from the duties and responsibilities of parenthood, must result in the spiritual impoverishment of the race.
Marriage.
The Baha'i teachings recommend monogamy, and Baha'u'llah makes marriage conditional on the consent of both parties and of their parents. He says in the Book of Aqdas :
" Verily in the Book of Bayan (the Bab's Revelation) the matter is restricted to the consent of both (bride and bridegroom). As We desired to bring about love and friendship and the unity of the people, therefore We made it conditional upon the consent of the parents also, that enmity and ill-feeling might be avoided."
On this point 'Abdu'1-Baha wrote to an enquirer :
" As to the question of marriage, according to the law of God : First you must select one, and then it depends on the consent of the father and mother. Before your selection they have no right of interference." Tablets of'Abdtfl-Baha, vol. iii. p. 563.
* Abdu'1-Baha says that as a result of this precaution of Baha'u'llah's the strained relations between relatives-in-law which have become proverbial in Christian and Muhammadan countries are almost unknown among the Baha'is, and divorce is also of very rare occurrence. He writes on the subject of matrimony :
" The Baha'I betrothal is the perfect agreement and entire consent of both parties. They must show forth the utmost attention and become informed of one another's character. The firm covenant between them must become an eternal binding, and their intentions must be everlasting affinity, friendship, unity and_life.
VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS 155
" The bridegroom must, before the bridesman and a few others, say : ' Verily, we are content with the Will of God/ and the bride must rejoin : ' Verily, we are satisfied with the Desire of God.'
" The marriage of Baha'is means that the man and woman must become spiritually and physically united, so that they may have eternal unity throughout all the divine worlds, and improve the spiritual life of each other. This is Baha'I matrimony." Tablets of 'Abditl-Baha, vol. ii. p. 325.
Divorce.
In the matter of divorce, as in that of marriage, the instructions of the prophets have varied in accordance with the circumstances of the times. 'Abdu'1-Baha states the Baha'I teaching, with regard to divorce, thus :
" The friends (Baha'is) must strictly refrain from divorce unless some- thing arises which compels them to separate because of their aversion for each other ; in that case, with the knowledge of the Spiritual Assembly, they may decide to separate. They must then be patient and wait one complete year. If during this year harmony is not re-established between them, then their divorce may be realized. . . . The foundation of the Kingdom of God is based upon harmony and love, oneness, relationship and union, not upon differences, especially between husband and wife. If one of these two become the cause of divorce, that one will unquestion- ably fall into great difficulties, will become the victim of formidable calami- ties and experience deep remorse" (Tablet to the Baha'ls of America).
In the matter of divorce, as in other matters Baha'ls will, of course, be bound not only by the Baha'I teaching, but also by the laws of the country in which they live.
The Baha'i Calendar.
Among different peoples and at different times many different methods have been adopted for the measurement of time and fixing of dates, and several different calendars are still in daily use, e.g. the Gregorian in Western Europe, the Julian in many- countries of Eastern Europe, the Hebrew among the Jews, and the Muhammadan in Muslim communities.
The Bab signalized the importance of the dispensation which he came to herald, by inaugurating a new calendar. In this, as in the Gregorian Calendar, the lunar month is abandoned and the solar year is adopted.
156. BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
The Baha'i year consists of 19 months of 19 days each (i.e. 361 days), with the addition of certain " Intercalary Days " (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The Bab named the months after the attributes of God. The Baha'i New Year, like the ancient Persian New Year, is astronomically fixed, commencing at the March equinox (March 2 ist), and the Baha'i era commences with the year of die Bab's declaration (i.e. 1844 A.D., 1260 A.H.).
In the not far distant future it will be necessary that all peoples in the world agree on a common calendar.
It seems, therefore, fitting that the new age of unity should have a new calendar free from the objections and associations which make each of the older calendars unacceptable to large sections of the world's population, and it is difficult to see how any other arrangement could exceed in simplicity and convenience that proposed by the Bab. 1
1 The months in the Baha'i Calendar are as follows :
Month.
 Arabic Name.
 Translation.
 Krst Days.
 ISt
 Baha
 Splendour
 March 2ist
 2nd
 Jalal
 Glory
 April gth
 3rd
 Jamal
 Beauty
 April 28th
 4th
 'Azamat
 Grandeur
 May 1 7th
 5th
 Nu'r
 Light
 June fth
 6th
 Rah mat
 Mercy
 June 24th
 7th
 Kalimat
 Words
 July i 3th
 8th
 Asma'
 Names
 Aug. ist
 9th
 Kamal
 Perfection
 Aug. 20th
 loth
 'Izzat
 Might
 Sept. 8th
 nth
 Mashiyyat
 Will
 Sept. 27th
 1 2th
 'Urn
 Knowledge
 Oct. 1 6th
 1 3th
 Qudrat
 Power ^
 Nov. 4th
 i4th
 Qawl
 Speech ;
 Nov. 23rd
 1 5th
 Masa'il
 Questions
 Dec. 1 2th
 1 6th
 Sharaf
 Honour
 Dec. 3 ist
 1 7th
 Sultan
 Sovereignty
 Jan. i 9th
 1 8th
 Mulk
 Dominion
 Feb. 7th
 Intercalary Days, F
 eb. 26th to March ist,
 inclusive.
 1 9th
 Ula
 Loftiness
 March 2nd
VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS 157
Spiritual Assemblies.
In every centre where Baha'ls exceed nine in number, it is recommended that a " Spiritual Assembly," or Council, should be elected, to guide and co-ordinate the activities of the friends in the district. The following account of the Spiritual Assemblies in the cities of Persia was given to the writer by Jinab-i-Asadu'llah Fadil (Mazindarani), and shows very clearly the Baha'i methods of organization :
" The main duties of the Spiritual Assembly (S.A.) are as follows :
1. To make arrangements for spreading the teachings among the
people by means of meetings, literature, etc.
General meetings, at which non-believers are welcome, are held several times a week for teaching and guiding the people and attracting and strengthening new Baha'ls.
2. To make arrangements for helping the poor and needy, both among
Baha'ls and non-Baha'Is. If one of the friends is in any trouble, domestic, business or spiritual, he may apply to the S.A., who will give him advice and help.
3. To promote education, science and art. The S.A. makes itself
responsible for seeing that every Baha'i child receives a good education.
4. Instruction in the Baha'i Laws. The S.A. appoints competent
teachers to go to the general meetings to expound the laws and exhort the people to obey them. If some of those associating with the friends and professing to be Baha'ls are acting as hypo- crites and not living up to their professions, the S.A. arranges special meetings for those people, and teachers who are wise, firm and experienced explain to them their duties and train them.
5. Collection and administration of funds. No collections are taken
at general meetings and the public is not asked to contribute. The money is given by those who are real Baha'ls. The S.A. keeps a book with the names of contributors and the amounts of their contributions. There are certain times appointed for receiving contributions and giving receipts. Anonymous gifts are frequently given. The S.A. determines how the funds shall be spent, how much shall be devoted to teaching, how much for the relief of the poor, etc.
6. Arrangement of feasts. The S.A. appoints a Committee to superin-
tend feasts. Feasts are held by groups of friends every nine- teen days. The Committee has a book in which the arrange- ments for feasts are recorded. Anyone wishing to give a feast arranges the date, time and place with the Committee. One
158 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
friend may give three feasts a year, another more, another fewer. The committee has a second book in which arrange- ments for hospitality to visiting Baha'Is are recorded. If a feast has been arranged for a certain day, the host is informed how many Baha'1 visitors are in the town. If the host cannot entertain them all, other Baha'is will arrange to do so. Feasts for all the Baha'ls in a town simultaneously occur only on special feast days, such as Nawruz (New Year) and RidvSn.
All the activities of the Baha'is in the district should be subject to the approval of the S.A., which should be the focus from which the Light of the Spirit radiates. If the Spiritual Assembly is not pure and spiritual, the Cause cannot prosper in that town. The friends should realize that they must obey the Spiritual Assembly in all matters relating to the Cause. At every meeting of the SA. a tablet is chanted, in which 'Abdu'1-Bahk explains the various duties of the Assembly.
The Election of the Spiritual Assembly is conducted as follows :
When an election is about to take place, an announcement is sent to all the friends. Experienced Baha'ls explain to the people what qualifications are required in members of the S.A. 'Abdu'1-Baha says that the first requirement is that a member of the SA. should be firm in the Covenant. He should also be experienced in the Cause and sufficiently educated, and his character must be good. People should be elected who will work together in harmony. No one should be elected who would cause disharmony.
The friends elect representatives to the number of, say, 38, as a Selection Committee, and this Committee appoints the Spiritual Assembly, the members of which should number not less than nine. In Persia, the women still have a separate Spiritual Assembly, but 'Abdu'1-Baha says that in the West both men and women should be associated in the same Assembly. Members are elected for a period of two or three years. All retire together at the end of their period of office and a new S.A. is appointed."
Feasts.
The essential joyousness of the Baha'l religion finds expression in numerous feasts and holidays throughout the year.
In a talk on the Feast of Nawruz, in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1912, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" In the sacred laws of God, in every cycle and dispensation there are
VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS 159
blessed feasts, holidays and workless days. On such days all kinds of occupations, commerce, industry, agriculture, etc., should be suspended.
" All should rejoice together, hold general meetings, become as one assembly, so that the national oneness, unity and harmony may be demon- strated in the eyes of all.
"As it is a blessed day it should not be neglected, nor deprived of results by making it a day devoted to the pursuit of mere pleasure.
" During such days institutions should be founded that may be of permanent benefit and value to the people. . . .
" To-day there is no result or fruit greater than guiding the people. Undoubtedly the friends of God, upon such a day, must leave tangible philanthropic or ideal traces that should reach all mankind and not pertain only to the Baha'Is. In this wonderful dispensation, philanthropic affairs are for all humanity without exception, because it is the manifestation of the mercifulness of God. Therefore, my hope is that the friends of God, every one of them, may become as the mercy of God to all mankind."
The Feasts of Nawruz (New Year) and Ridvan, the anniversaries of the birth of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, and of the Bab's declaration (which is also the birthday of 'Abdu'1-Baha), are the great joy-days of the year for Baha'Is. In Persia they are celebrated by picnics or festal gatherings at which music, the chanting of verses and tablets, and short addresses suitable to the occasion are contributed by those present. The intercalary days between the i8th and iQth months (i.e. February 26th to March ist inclusive) are specially devoted to hospitality to friends, the giving of presents, ministering to the poor and sick, etc.
The anniversaries of the martyrdom of the Bab and the departure of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha are celebrated with solemnity by appropriate meetings and discourses, the chanting of prayers and tablets.
Fast.
The nineteenth month, following immediately on the hospitality of the intercalary days, is the month of the fast. During nineteen days the fast is observed by abstaining from both food and drink from sunrise to sunset. As the month of the fast ends at the March equinox, the fast always falls in the same season, namely, spring in the northern, and autumn in the southern, hemisphere ; never in the extreme heat of summer nor in the extreme cold of winter, when hardship would be likely to result. At that season,
160 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
moreover, the interval between sunrise and sunset is approxi- mately the same all over the habitable portion of the globe, namely, from about 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fast is not binding on children and invalids, on travellers, or on those who are too old or too weak (including women who are with child or have babes at the breast). There is much evidence to show that a periodical fast such as is enjoined by the Baha'I teachings is beneficial as a measure of physical hygiene but just as the reality of the Baha'I feast does not lie in the consumption of physical food, but in the com- memoration of God, which is our spiritual food, so the reality of the Baha'I fast does not consist in abstention from physical food, although that may help in the purification of the body, but in the abstention from the desires and lusts of the flesh, and in severance from all save God. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" Fasting is a symbol. Fasting signifies abstinence from lust. Physical fasting is a symbol of that abstinence, and is a reminder ; that is, just as a person abstains from physical appetites, he is to abstain from self- appetites and self-desires. But mere abstention from food has no effect on the spirit. It is only a symbol, a reminder. Otherwise it is of no importance. Fasting for this purpose does not mean entire abstinence from food. The golden rule as to food is, do not take too much or too little. Moderation is necessary. There is a sect in India who practise extreme abstinence, and gradually reduce their food until they exist on almost nothing. But their intelligence suffers. A man is not fit to do service for God with brains or body if he is weakened by lack of food. He cannot see clearly " (quoted by Miss E. S. Stevens in Fortnightly Review, June 1911).
Meetings.
'Abdu'1-Baha attaches the greatest importance to regular meetings of the believers for united worship, for the exposition and study of the teachings and for consultation regarding the progress of the Movement. In one of his tablets he ,says :
" It hath been decided by the Desire of God that union and harmony , may day by day increase among the friends of God and the handmaids of the Merciful. Not until this is realized will the affairs advance by any means whatever ! And the greatest means for the union and harmony of all are Spiritual Meetings. This matter is very important and is as a magnet to attract divine confirmation." Tablets of 'Abdu'I-Baha, vol. i. p. 125.
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In the spiritual meetings of Baha'is contentious argument and the discussion of political or worldly affairs must be avoided ; the sole aim of the believers should be to teach and learn Divine Truth, to have their hearts filled with Divine Love, to attain more perfect obedience to the Divine Will, and to promote the coming of the Kingdom of God. In an address given at New York in 1912, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" The Baha'i meeting must be the meeting of the Celestial Concourse. It must be illumined by the Lights of the Celestial Concourse. The hearts must be as mirrors wherein the Lights of the Sun of Truth, shall be revealed. Every bosom must be as a telegraph station : one terminal of the wire shall be in the bosom of the soul, the other in the Celestial Concourse, so that messages may be exchanged between them. In this way from the Abha Kingdom inspiration shall flow and in all discussions harmony shall prevail. . . . The more agreement, unity and love prevail among you, the more shall the confirmations of God assist you, and the help and aid of the Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah, support you."
In one of his Tablets he said :
" In these meetings outside conversation must be entirely avoided, and the gathering must be confined to chanting the verses and reading the words, and to matters which concern the Cause of God, such as explaining proofs, adducing clear and manifest evidences, and tracing the signs of the Beloved One of the creatures. Those who attend the meeting must, before entering, be arrayed with the utmost cleanliness and turn to the Abha Kingdom, and then enter the meeting with all meekness and humbleness ; and while the tablets are being read, must be quiet and silent ; and if one wishes to speak he must do so with all courtesy, with the satisfaction and permission of those present, and do it with eloquence and fluency."
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. 1
Baha'u'llah left instructions that temples of worship should be built by his followers in every country and city. To these temples he gave the name of *' Mashriqu'l-Adhkar," which means " Dawning Place of God's Praise." The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is to be a nine-sided building surmounted by a dome, and as beautiful as possible in design and workmanship. It is to stand in a large garden adorned with fountains, trees and flowers, surrounded by a number of accessory buildings devoted to
* Pronounced Azkar; II
162 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
educational, charitable and social purposes, so that the worship of God in the temple may always be closely associated with reverent delight in the beauties of nature and of art, and with practical work for the amelioration of social conditions. 1
In Persia, up till the present, Baha'Is have been debarred from building temples for public worship, and so the first great Mashriqu'l-Adhkar was built in Ishqabad, Russia. The second will be at Wilmette, on the lake-shore near Chicago, U.S.A. A beautiful site has been secured, plans have been approved, the architect being Mr. Louis Bourgeois, and the construction is now in progress. In various tablets referring to this " Mother- Temple " of the West, 'Abdu'1-Baha writes as follows :
" Praise be to God, that, at this moment, from every country in the world, according to their various means, contributions are continually being sent toward the fund of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in America. ... From the day of Adam until now, such a thing has never been witnessed by man, that from the furthermost country of Asia contributions were forwarded to America. This is through the power of the Covenant of God. Verily this is a cause of astonishment for the people of per- ception. It is hoped that the believers of God may show magnanimity and raise a great sum for the building. ... I want everyone left free to act as he wills. If anyone wishes to put money into other things, let him do so. Do not interfere with him in any way, but be assured the most important thing at this time is the building of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
" The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar must have nine sides, doors, fountains, paths, gateways, columns and gardens, with ground floor, galleries and domes, and in design and construction must be beautiful. The mystery of the edifice is great, and cannot be unveiled yet, but its erection is the most important undertaking of this day. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar has important accessories, which are accounted of the basic foundations. These are : school for orphan children, hospital and dispensary for the poor, home for the incapable, college for the higher scientific education,
1 In connection with the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar it is interesting to recall Tennyson's lines :
" I dreamed
That stone by stone I reared a sacred fane, A temple, neither Pagod, Mosque nor Church, But loftier, simpler, always open-doored To every breath from heaven, and Truth and Peace And Love and Justice came and dwelt therein."
Akbar's Dream, 1892..
VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS 163
and hospice. In every city a great Mashriqu'l-Adhkar must be founded after this order. In the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar services will be held every morning. There will be no organ in the Temple. In buildings near by, festivals, services, conventions, public meetings and spiritual gatherings will be held, but in the Temple the chanting and singing will be unaccom- panied. Open ye the gates of the Temple to all mankind.
" When these institutions, college, hospital, hospice and establishment for the incurables, university for the study of higher sciences, giving post- graduate courses, and other philanthropic buildings are built, the doors will be opened to all the nations and religions. There will be absolutely no line of demarcation drawn. Its charities will be dispensed irrespective of colour or race. Its gates will be flung wide open to mankind ; prejudice towards none, love for all. The central building will be devoted to the purpose of prayer and worship. Thus . . . religion will become harmonized with science, and science will be the handmaid of religion, both showering their material and spiritual gifts on all humanity."
Life After Death.
Baha'u'llah tells us that the life in the flesh is but the embryonic stage of our existence, and that escape from the body is like a new birth through which the human spirit enters on a fuller, freer life. He writes :
" Know that the spirit will ascend after its departure until it enters the presence of God, in a form which will be everlasting as the perpetuity of the Kingdom of God, His Sovereignty, His Power and His Might ; and from it will appear the traces of God, His Qualities, providences and favours. The Hand of the Divine Bounty will cause the spirit to enter into a station which cannot be comprehended by expres- sion nor be explained by all the creatures of existence. Blessing be upon the spirit that departs from the body purified from the doubts and super- stitions of the nations. Verily it moves in the atmosphere of God's Holy Will and enters into the Supreme Paradise. All the angels of the Supreme Paradise attend and surround it, and it will have fellowship with all the prophets of God and His saints, and speak with them, and tell them what happened to it in the Cause of God, the Lord of the Universe.
" If any one could realize what hath been ordained in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, he would immediately yearn with a. great longing for that immutable, exalted, holy and glorious station. As to the form (of the spirit) it cannot be described, nor is there any necessity to explain it ; only some things need to be known ; messengers came only to guide the creatures to the straight path of God, and in order that people may be trained.
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" By the Self of God, the rays of those (ascended) spirits are the cause of the development of the people and the elevation of the nations. They are the leaven of existence. The spirits were and are for ever superior to us, and the difference between this (earthly) kingdom and the other is like the difference between the embryonic world and this world " (Tablet translated by 'All Quli Khan about 1903).
Similarly 'Abdu'1-Baha writes :
" The mysteries of which man is heedless in the earthly world, those will he discover in the heavenly world, and there will he be informed of the secrets of the truth ; how much more will he recognize or discover persons with whom he has been associated. Undoubtedly the holy souls who find a pure eye and are favoured with insight will, in the kingdom of lights, be acquainted with all mysteries, and will seek the bounty of witnessing the reality of every great soul. They will even manifestly behold the Beauty of God in that world. Likewise will they find all the friends of God, both those of the former and recent times, present in the heavenly assemblage.
" The difference and distinction between men will naturally become realized after their departure from this mortal world. But this dis- tinction is not in respect to place, but in respect to the soul and conscience. For the Kingdom of God is sanctified (or free) from time and place ; it is another world and another universe. And know thou for a certainty that in the divine worlds the spiritual beloved ones will recognize one another, and will seek union with each other, but a spiritual union. Like- wise a love that one may have entertained for anyone will not be forgotten in the world of the Kingdom, nor wilt thou forget there the life that thou hadst in the material world." Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bah a, vol. i. p. 204.
*
Heaven and Hell.
Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha regard the descriptions of Heaven and Hell given in some of the older religious writings as symbolic, like the Biblical story , of the Creation, and not as literally true. According to them, Heaven is the state of perfection, and Hell that of imperfection; Heaven is harmony with God's will and with our fellows, and Hell is the want of such harmony ; Heaven is the condition of spiritual life, and Hell that of spiritual death. A man may be either in Heaven or in Hell while still in the body. The joys of Heaven are spiritual joys, and the pains of, Hell consist in the deprivation of these joys.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
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" When men are delivered through the light of faith from the darkness of vices, and become illuminated with the radiance of the sun of Truth, and ennobled with all the virtues, they esteem this to be the greatest reward and they know it to be the true paradise. In the same way they consider that the spiritual punishment is to be subjected to the world of nature, to be veiled from God, to be brutal and ignorant, to fall into carnal lusts, to be absorbed in animal frailties, to be characterized with dark qualities . . . these are the greatest punishments and tortures.
" The rewards of the other world are the perfections and the peace obtained in the spiritual worlds after leaving this world . . . the spiritual favours, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity. In the same way, the punishments of the other world consist in being deprived of the special divine blessings and the absolute bounties and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He who is deprived of these divine favours, although he continues after death, is considered as dead by the people of truth.
"The wealth of the other world is nearness to God. Consequently it is certain that those who are near the Divine Court are allowed to inter- cede, and this intercession is approved by God. It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed ; that is to say, they may be the object of pardon through the Bounty of God, not through His Justice ; for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved. As we have power to pray for these souls here, so likewise we shall possess the same power in the other world, which is the Kingdom of God. Therefore in that world also they can make progress. As here they can receive light by their own supplications, there also can they plead for forgiveness, and receive light through entreaties and supplications.
" Both befoie and after putting off this material form, there is progress in perfection, but not in state. There is no other being higher than a perfect man. Man when he has reached that state can still make progress in perfections but not in state, because there is no state higher than that of a perfect man to which he can transfer himself. He only progresses in the state of humanity, for the human perfections are infinite. Thus, however learned a man may be we can imagine one more learned. Hence, as the perfections of humanity are endless, man can also make progress in perfections after leaving this world." Some Answered Questions, pp. 259-274.
Oneness of the Two Worlds.
The unity of humanity as taught by Baha'u'llah refers not only to men still in the flesh, but to all human beings, whether embodied or disembodied. Not only all men now living on the earth, but all in the spiritual world as well, are parts of one and the same
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organism and these two parts are intimately dependent, one on the other. Spiritual communion one with the other, far from being impossible or unnatural, is constant and inevitable. Those whose spiritual faculties are as yet undeveloped are unconscious of this vital connection, but as one's faculties develop, communication with those beyond the veil gradually becomes more conscious and definite. To the prophets and saints this spiritual communion is as familar and real as are ordinary vision and conversation to the rest of mankind. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" The visions of the prophets are not dreams ; no, they are spiritual discoveries and have reality. They say, for example : ' I saw a person in a certain form, and I said such a thing, and he gave me such an answer.' This vision is in the world of wakefulness, and not in that of sleep ; it is a spiritual discovery.
" Among spiritual souls, there are spiritual understandings, discoveries, a communion which is purified from imagination and fancy, an associa- tion which is sanctified from time and place. So it is written in the gospel that on Mount Tabor Moses and Elias came to Christ, and it is evident that this was not a material meeting. It was a spiritual condi- tion." Communications such as these "are real, and produce wonderful effects in the minds and thoughts of men, and cause their hearts to be attracted." Some Answered Questions, pp. 290292.
While admitting the reality of " supernormal " psychic faculties he deprecates attempts to force their development prematurely. These faculties will unfold naturally when the right time comes, if we only follow the path of spiritual progress which the prophets have traced for us. He says :
" To tamper with psychic forces while in this world interferes with the condition of the soul in the world to come. These forces are ,real, but, normally, are not active on this plane. The child in the womb has its eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc., but they are not in activity. The whole purpose of life in the material world is the coming forth into the world of Reality, where those forces will become active. They belong to that world " (from Miss Buckton's notes, revised by 'Abdu'l-Baha).
Intercourse with spirits of the departed ought not to be sought for its own sake, nor in order to gratify idle curiosity. It is both a privilege and duty, however, for those on one side of the veil
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to love and help and pray for those on the other. Prayers for the dead are enjoined on Baha'is. 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
'" The grace of effective intercession is one of the perfections belonging to advanced souls, as well as to the Manifestations of God. Jesus Christ had the power of interceding for the forgiveness of His enemies when on earth, and He certainly has this power now. 'Abdu'1-Baha never men- tions the name of a dead person without saying, ' May God forgive him ! * or words to that effect. Followers of the prophets have also this power of praying for the forgiveness of souls. Therefore we may not think that any souls are condemned to a stationary condition of suffering or loss arising from absolute ignorance of God. The power of effective inter- cession for them always exists. . . .
." The rich in the other world can help the poor, as the rich can help the poor here. In every world all are the creatures of God. They are always dependent on Him. They are not independent and can never be so. While they are needful of God, the more they supplicate, the richer they become. What is their merchandise, their wealth ? In the other world what is help and assistance ? It is intercession. Un- developed souls must gain progress at first through the supplications of the spiritually rich ; afterwards they can progress through their own supplications " (talk to Miss E. J. Rosenberg in 1904).
Again he says :
" Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you." 'Abdrfl-Baka in London, p. 97.
Asked whether it was possible through faith and love to bring the New Revelation to the knowledge of those who have departed from this life without hearing of it, 'Abdu'1-Baha replied :
" Yes, surely ! since sincere prayer always has its effect, and it has a great influence in the other world. We are never cut off from those who are there. The real and genuine influence is not in this world but in that other." Notes of Mary Handford Ford : Paris, 1911.
On the other hand, Baha'u'llah writes :
" He who lives according to what was ordained for him the Celestial Concourse, and the people of the Supreme Paradise, and those who are dwelling in the Dome of Greatness will pray for him, by a Command from God, the Dearest and the Praiseworthy " (Tablet translated by 'Ali Qull Khan).
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When 'Abdu'1-Baha was asked how it was that the heart often turns with instinctive appeal to some friend who has passed into the next life, he answered :
"It is a law of God's creation that the weak should lean upon the strong. Those to whom you turn may be mediators of God's Power to you, even as when on earth, but it is the One Holy Spirit which strengthens all men." 'Abdu'l-Baka in London, p. 97.
The Non-existence of Evil.
According to the Baha'I philosophy it follows from, the doctrine of the unity of God that there can be no such thing as positive evil. There can only be one Infinite. If there were .any other power in the universe outside of or opposed to the One, then the One would not be infinite. Just as darkness is but the absence or lesser degree of light, so evil is but the absence or lesser degree of good the undeveloped state. A bad man is a man with the higher side of his nature still undeveloped. If he is selfish, the evil is not in his love of self all love, even self-love, is good, is divine. The evil is that he has such a poor, inadequate, misguided love of self and such a lack of love for others and for God. He looks upon himself as only a superior sort of animal, and foolishly pampers his lower nature as he might pamper a pet dog r-with worse results in his own case than in. that of the dog.
In one of his letters 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" As to thy remark, that 'Abdu'l-Baha" hath said to some of the believers that evil never exists, nay rather, it is a non-existent thing, this is but truth, inasmuch as the greatest evil is man's going astray and being veiled from truth. Error is lack of guidance ; darkness is absence of light ; ignorance is lack of knowledge ; falsehood is lack of truthfulness ; blind- ness is lack of sight ; and deafness is lack of hearing. Therefore, error, blindness, deafness and ignorance are non-existent things."
Again he says :
" In creation there is no evil ; all is good. Certain qualities and natures innate in some men and apparently blameworthy .are not so in reality. For example, from the beginning of his life you may see in a nursing child the signs of desire, of anger and of temper. Then it may be said that good and evil are innate in the reality of man, and this is contrary to the pure goodness of nature and creation. The answer is that desire, which is to ask for something more, is a praiseworthy quality
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if used suitably. If a man has the desire to acquire science and knowledge, or to become compassionate, generous and just, it is most praiseworthy. So if he exercises anger and wrath against the bloodthirsty tyrants who are like ferocious beasts it is very praiseworthy ; but if he does not use these qualities in a right way, it is blameworthy. ... It is the same with all the natural qualities of man, which constitute the capital of life ; if they be used and displayed in an unlawful way, they become blame- worthy. Therefore it is clear that creation is purely good." Some Answered Questions, p. 250.
Evil is always lack of life. If the lower side of man's nature is disproportionately developed, the remedy is not less life for that side, but more life for the higher side, so that the balance may be restored. " I am come," said Christ, " that ye may have life and that ye may have it more abundantly." That is what we all need life, more life, the life that is life indeed ! Baha'u'llah's message is the same as Christ's. " To-day," he says, " this servant has assuredly come to vivify the world " ({Tablet to Rafts), and to his followers he says : " Come, that we may make you the vivifiers of the world " (Tablet to the Pope).
CHAPTER XII - RELIGION AND SCIENCE
" 'All, 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." 'ABDU'L-BAHA, in Paris Talks,
Conflict Due to Error.
One of the fundamental teachings of Baha'u'llah is that true science and true religion must always be in harmony. Truth is one, and whenever conflict appears it is due, not to truth, but to error. Between so-called science and so-called religion there have been fierce conflicts all down the ages, but looking back on these conflicts in the light of fuller truth we can trace them every time to ignorance, prejudice, vanity, greed, narrow-mindedness, intolerance, obstinacy or something of the kind something foreign to the true spirit of both science and religion, for the spirit of both is one. As Huxley tells us, " The great deeds of philosophers have been less the fruit of their intellect than the direction of that intellect by an eminently religious tone of mind. Truth has yielded herself rather to their patience, their love, their single- heartedness and self-denial than to their logical acumen." Boole^ the mathematician, assures us that "geometric induction is essentially a process of .prayer an appeal from the finite mind to the Infinite for light on finite concerns." The great prophets of religion and science have never denounced each other. It is the unworthy followers of these great world-teachers wor- shippers of the letter but not of the spirit of their teaching who
have always been the persecutors of the later prophets and the
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bitterest opponents of progress. They have studied the light of the particular revelation which they hold sacred, and have defined its properties and peculiarities as seen by their limited vision, with the utmost care and precision. That is for them the one true light. If God in His infinite bounty sends fuller light from another quarter, and the torch of inspiration burns brighter than before from a new torch-holder, instead of welcoming the new light and worshipping with renewed gratitude the Father of all lights they are angry and alarmed. This new light does not correspond with their definitions. It has not the orthodox colour, and does not shine from the orthodox place, therefore it must at all costs be extinguished lest it lead men astray into the paths of heresy ! Many enemies of the prophets are of this type blind leaders of the blind, who oppose new and fuller truth in the supposed interests of what they believe to be the truth. Others are of baser sort and are moved by selfish interests to fight against truth, or else block the path of progress by reason of spiritual deadness and inertia.
Persecution of Prophets.
The great prophets of religion have always been, at their coming, despised and rejected of men. Both they and their early followers have given their backs to the smiters and sacrificed their possessions and their lives in the path of God. Even in our own times this has been so. Since 1844 A.D., many thousands of the Babis and Baha'Is in Persia have suffered cruel deaths for their faith, and many more have borne imprisonment, exile, poverty and degradation. The latest of the great religions has been " baptized in blood " more than its predecessors, and martyrdoms have continued down to the last decade. With the prophets of science the same thing has happened. Giordano Bruno was burned as a heretic in 1600 A.D. for teaching, amongst other things, that the earth moved around the sun. A few years later the veteran philosopher Galileo had to abjure the same doctrine on his knees in order to escape a similar fate. In later times, Darwin and the pioneers of modern geology were vehemently denounced for daring to dispute the teaching of Holy Writ that the world was made in six days, and less than six thousand years ago ! The opposition to new scientific truth has not all come from the Church, how-
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ever. The orthodox in science have been just as hostile to progress as the orthodox in religion. Columbus was laughed to scorn by the so-called scientists of his day, who proved to their own satisfaction that if ships did succeed in getting down to the Antipodes over the side of the globe, it would be absolutely impossible for them to get up again ! Galvani, the pioneer of electrical science, was scoffed at by his learned colleagues, and called the " frogs' dancing master." Harvey, who discovered the circulation of the blood, was ridiculed and persecuted by his professional brethren on account of his heresy and driven from his lecture chair. When Stephenson invented his locomotive engine, European mathematicians of the time, instead of opening their eyes and studying the facts, continued for years to prove to their own satisfaction that an engine on smooth rails could never pull a load, as the wheels would simply slip round and the train make no progress. To examples like these one might add indefinitely, both from ancient and modern history, and even from our own times. Dr. Zamenhof, the inventor of Esperanto, had to battle for his wonderful international language against the same sort of ridicule, contempt, and stupid opposition which greeted Columbus, Galvani, and Stephenson. Even Esperanto, which was given to the world so recently as 1887, has had its martyrs.
The Dawn of Reconciliation.
In the last half century or so, however, a change has come over the spirit of the times, a New Light of Truth has arisen which has already made the controversies of last century seem strangely out of date. Where are now the boastful materialists and dogmatic atheists who, only a few short years ago, were threatening to drive religion out of the world ? And where are the preachers who so confidently consigned those who did not accept their dogmas to the fires of hell and the tortures of the damned ? Echoes of their clamour we may still hear, but their day is fast declining and their doctrines are being discredited. We can see now that the doctrines around which their controversies waxed most bitter were neither true science nor true religion. What scientist in the light of modern psychical research could still maintain that " brain secretes thought as the liver secretes bile " ? Or that
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decay of the body is necessarily accompanied by decay of the soul ? We now see that thought to be really free must soar to the realms of psychical and spiritual phenomena and not be confined to the material only. We realize that what we now know about nature is but as a drop in the ocean compared with what remains to be discovered. We therefore freely admit the possibility of miracles, not indeed in the sense of the breaking of nature's laws, but as manifestations of the operation of subtle forces which are still unknown to us, as electricity and X-rays were to our ancestors. On the other hand, who amongst our leading religious teachers would still declare that it is necessary to salvation to believe that the world was made in six days, or that the description of the plagues of Egypt as given in the Book of Exodus is literally true, or that the sun stood still in the heavens (i.e. that the earth stopped its rotation) to let Joshua pursue his enemies, or that if a man accept not the creed of St. Athanasius, " without doubt he shall perish everlastingly " ? Such beliefs may still be repeated in form, but who accepts them in their literal sense and without reservation ? Their hold on people's hearts and minds has gone or is fast going. The religious world owes a debt of gratitude to the men of science who helped to tear such worn-out creeds and dogmas to tatters and allowed the truth to step forth free. But the scientific world owes an even heavier debt to the real saints and mystics who, through good report and ill, held to the vital truths of spiritual experience and demonstrated to an incredulous world that the life is more than meat and the unseen greater than the seen. These scientists and saints were like the mountain-peaks which caught the first rays of the rising sun and reflected them to the lower-world, but now the sun has risen and its rays are illuminating the world. In the teachings of Baha'u'llah we have a glorious revelation of truth which satisfies both heart and mind, in which religion and science are at one.
Search after Truth.
Complete harmony with science is evident in the Baha'I teachings regarding the way in which we must seek the truth. Man must cut himself free from all prejudice so that he may search after truth unhindered.
i 7 4 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" In order to find truth we must give up our prejudices, our own small trivial notions ; an open receptive mind is essential. If our chalice is full of self, there is no room in it for the water of life. The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles in the path towards unity, and unity is essential if we would reach Truth, for Truth is one. . . .
" No one truth can contradict another truth. Light is good in what- soever lamp it is burning ! A rose is beautiful in whatsoever garden it may bloom ! A star has the same radiance if it shines from the East or from the West ! Be free from prejudice ; so will you love the Sun of Truth from whatever point in the horizon it may arise. You will realize that if the Divine Light of Truth shone in Jesus Christ, it also shone in Moses and Buddha. This is what is meant by the search after truth.
" It also means that we must be willing to clear away all that we have previously learned, all that would clog our steps on the way to Truth ; we must not shrink, if necessary, from beginning our education all over again. We must not allow our love for any one religion or any one personality so to blind our eyes that we become fettered by superstition. When we are freed from all these bonds, seeking with liberated minds, then shall we be able to arrive at our goal." Paris Talks, p. 126.
True Agnosticism.
The Baha'I teaching is at one with science and philosophy in declaring the essential nature of God to be entirely beyond human comprehension. As emphatically as Huxley and Spencer teach that the nature of the Great First Cause is unknowable, does Baha'u'llah teach that " God comprehends all j he cannot be comprehended." To knowledge of the Divine essence " the way is barred and the road is impassable," for how can the finite comprehend the Infinite; how can a drop contain the ocean or a mote dancing in the sunbeam embrace the universe ? Yet the whole universe is eloquent of God. In each drop of water are hidden oceans of meaning, and in each mote is concealed a whole universe of significances, reaching far beyond the ken of the most learned scientist. The chemist and physicist pursuing their researches into the nature of matter, have passed from masses to molecules, from molecules to atoms, from atoms to electrons and ether, but at every step the difficulties of the research increase till the most profound intellect can penetrate no further, and can
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but bow in silent awe before the unknown Infinite which remains ever shrouded in inscrutable mystery.
" Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies. I hold you here, root and all in my hand,
Little flower, but if I could understand What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is." TENNYSON.
If the flower in the crannied wall, if even a single atom of matter, presents mysteries which the most profound intellect cannot solve, how is it possible for man to comprehend the universe ? How dare he pretend to define or describe the Infinite cause of all things ? All theological speculations about the nature of God's essence are thus swept aside as foolish and futile.
Knowledge of God.
But if the essence is unknowable, the manifestations of its bounty are everywhere apparent. If the first cause cannot be conceived, its effects appeal to our every faculty. Just as knowledge of a painter's pictures gives to the connoisseur a true knowledge of the artist, so knowledge of the universe in any of its aspects knowledge of nature or of human nature, of things visible or of things invisible- is knowledge of God's handiwork, and gives to the seeker for Divine truth a real knowledge of His Glory.
" The heavens declare the Glory of God ; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge." Ps. xix.
The Divine Manifestations.
All things manifest the bounty of God with greater or less clearness, as all material objects exposed to the sun reflect its light in greater or less degree. A heap of soot reflects a little, a stone reflects more, a piece of chalk more still, but in none of these reflections can we trace the form and colour of the glorious orb. A perfect mirror, however, reflects the sun's very form and colour, so that looking into it is like looking at the sun itself. So it is
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with the way in which things speak to us of God. The stone can tell us something of the Divine attributes, the flower can tell us more, the animal with its marvellous senses, instincts and power of movement, more still. In the lowest of our fellow- men we can trace wonderful faculties which tell of a wonderful Creator. In the poet, the saint, the genius, we find a higher revelation still, but the great prophets and founders of religions are the perfect mirrors by which the love and wisdom of God are reflected to the rest of mankind. Other men's mirrors are dulled by the stains and the dust of selfishness and prejudice, but these are pure and without blemish wholly devoted to the Will of God. Thus they become the greatest educators of mankind. The Divine teachings and the Power of the Holy Spirit proceeding through them have been and are the cause of the progress of humanity, for God helps men through other men. Each man who is higher in the ascent of life is the means of helping those who are lower, and those who are the highest of all are the helpers of all mankind. It is as if all men were connected together by elastic cords. If a man rises a little above the general level of his fellows, the cords tighten. His former companions tend to draw him back, but with an equal force he draws them upwards. The higher he gets, the more he feels the weight of the whole world pulling him back, and the more dependent he is on the divine support, which reaches him through the few who are still above him. Highest of all are the great Prophets and Saviours, the Divine " Manifestations " those perfect men who were each, in their day, without peer or companion, and bore the burden of the whole world, supported by God alone. " The burden of our sins was upon Him " was true of each of them. Each was the " Way, the Truth and the Life " to His followers. Each was the channel of God's bounty to every heart that would receive it. Each had his part to play in the great divine plan for the upliftment of humanity.
Creation.
Baha'u'llah teaches that the universe is without beginning in time. It is a perpetual emanation from the Great First Cause. The Creator always had His creation and always will have*.
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Worlds and systems may come and go, but the universe remains. All things that undergo composition, in time undergo decomposi- tion, but the component elements remain. The creation of a world, a daisy or a human body is not " making something out of nothing," it is rather a bringing together of elements which before were scattered, a making visible of something which before was hidden. By and by the elements will again be scattered, the form will disappear, but nothing is really lost or annihilated; ever new combinations and forms arise from the ruins of the old. BahaVllah confirms the scientists who claim, not six thousand, but millions and billions of years for the history of the earth's creation. The evolution theory does not deny creative power. It only tries to describe the method of its manifestation, and the wonderful story of the material universe which the astronomer, the geologist, the physicist and the biologist are gradually unfolding to our gaze is, rightly appreciated, far more capable of evoking the deepest reverence and worship than the crude and bald account of creation given in the Hebrew Scriptures. The old account in the Book of Genesis had, however, the advantage of indicating by a few bold strokes of symbolism the essential spiritual meanings of the story, as a master painter may, by a few strokes of the brush, convey expressions which the mere plodder with the most laborious attention to details may utterly fail to portray. If the material details blind us to the spiritual meaning then we should be better without them, but if we have once firmly grasped the essential meaning of the whole scheme, then knowledge of the details will give our conception a wonderful added richness and splendour and make it a magnificent picture instead of a mere sketch plan.
'Abdii'1-Baha says :
" Know that it is one of the most abstruse spiritual truths that the world of existence, that is to say, this endless universe, has no beginning. ... Know that a Creator without a creature is impossible, a provider without those provided for cannot be conceived ; for all the divine names and attributes demand the existence of beings. If we could imagine a time when no being existed, this imagination would be the denial of the Divinity of God. Moreover, absolute non-existence cannot become existence. If the beings, were absolutely non-existent, existence would not have come into being. Therefore, as the Essence of Unity, that is, the existence
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of God, is everlasting and eternal and has neither beginning nor end, it is certain that this world of existence has also neither beginning nor end. Yes, it may be that one of the parts of the universe, one of the globes, for example, may come into existence, or may be disintegrated, but the other globes are still existing. As each globe has a beginning, necessarily it has an end, because every composition, collective or particular, must of necessity become decomposed ; the only difference is that some are quickly decomposed and others more slowly, but it is impossible that a composed thing should not eventually be decomposed." Some Answered Questions, p. 209.
The Descent of Man.
Baha'u'llah also confirms the biologist who finds for the Body of man a history reaching back in the development of the species through millions of years. Starting from a very simple, apparently insignificant form, the human body is pictured as developing stage by stage, in the course of untold generations, becoming more and more complex, and better and better organized until the man of the present day is reached. Each individual human body develops through such a series of stages, from a tiny round speck of jelly-like matter to the fully developed man. If this is true of the individual, as nobody denies, why should we consider it derogatory to human dignity to admit a similar development for the species ? This is a very different thing from claiming that man is descended from a monkey. The human embryo may at one time resemble a fish with gill-slits and tail, but it is not a fish. It is a human embryo. So the human species may at various stages of its long development have resembled to the outward eye various species of lower animals, but it was still the human species, possessing the mysterious latent power of developing into man as we know him to-day, nay, more, of developing in the future, we trust, into something far higher still.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" It is clear that this terrestrial globe in its present form did not come into existence all at once, but gradually passed through different phases until it became adorned with its present perfection. . . . Man in the beginning of his existence and in the womb of the earth, like the embryo in the womb of the mother, gradually grew and developed, and passed from one form to another, until he appeared with this beauty and per- fection, this force and this power. It is certain that in the beginning
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he had not this loveliness and grace and elegance, and that he only by degrees attained this shape, this form, this beauty and this grace. . . . Man's existence on this earth, from the beginning until it reaches this stage, form and condition, necessarily lasts a long time ... but from the beginning of man's existence he is a distinct species. . . . Admitting that the traces of organs which have disappeared actually exist (in the human body), this is not a proof of the impermanence apd the non-origi- nality of the species. At the most it proves that the form and fashion and the organs of man have progressed. Man was always a distinct species, a man, not an animal." Some Answered Questions, pp. 211-214.
Of the story of Adam and Eve he says :
" If we take this story in its apparent meaning, according to the inter- pretation of the masses, it is indeed extraordinary. The intelligence cannot accept it, affirm it, or imagine it ; for such arrangements, such details, such speeches and reproaches are far from being those of an intelli- gent man, how much less of the Divinity that Divinity who has organized this infinite universe in the most perfect form, and its innumerable inhabi- tants with absolute system, strength and perfection. . . .
" Therefore the story of Adam and Eve who ate from the tree, and their expulsion from Paradise, must be thought of simply as a symbol. It contains divine mysteries and universal meanings, and it is capable of marvellous explanations." Some Answered Questions, p. 140.
Body and Soul.
The Baha'i teachings with regard to body and soul, and the life after death, are quite in harmony with the results of psychical research. They teach, as we have seen, that death is but a new birth the escape from the prison of the body into a larger life, and that progress in the after-life is limitless.
A large body of scientific evidence has gradually been accumulating which in the opinion of impartial but highly critical investigators is amply sufficient to establish beyond all question the fact of a life after death of the continued life and activity of the conscious "soul" after the dissolution of the material body. As F. W. H. Myers says in his Human Personality^ a work which summarizes many of the investigations of the Psychical Research Society :
" Observation, experiment, inference, have led many enquirers, of whom I am one, to a belief in direct or telepathic intercommunication, not between the minds of men still on earth only, but between minds or
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spirits still on earth and spirits departed. Such a discovery opens the door also to revelation. . . .
" We have shown that amid much deception and self-deception, fraud and illusion, veritable manifestations do reach us from beyond the grave. . . .
" By discovery and by revelation certain theses have been provision- ally established with regard to such departed souls as we have been able to encounter. First and chiefly, I, at least, see ground to believe that their state is one of endless evolution in wisdom and in love. Their loves of earth persist, and most of all, those highest loves which find their outlet in adoration and worship. . . . Evil to them seems less a terrible than a slavish thing. It is embodied in no mighty Potentate ; rather it forms an isolating madness from which higher spirits strive to free the distorted soul. There needs no chastisement of fire ; self- knowledge is man's punishment and his reward ; self-knowledge and the nearness or the aloofness of companion souls. For in that world love is actually self-preservation ; the Communion of Saints not only adorns but constitutes the Life Everlasting. Nay, from the laws of telepathy it follows that that communion is valid to us here and now. Even now the love of souls departed makes answer to our invocations. Even now our loving memory love is itself a prayer supports and strengthens those delivered spirits upon their upward way."
The measure of agreement between this view, which is founded on careful scientific research, and that of the Baha'i teachings, is truly remarkable.
Unity of Mankind.
" Ye are all fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch, the flowers of one garden." That is one of the most characteristic sayings of Baha'u'llah, and another is like it : " Glory is not his who loves his own country, but glory is his who loves his kind." Unity unity of mankind, and of all created beings in God is the main theme of his teaching. Here again the harmony between true religion and science is evident. With every advance in science the oneness of the universe and the inter-dependence of its parts has become more clearly evident. The astronomer's domain is inseparably bound up with the physicist's, and the physicist's with the chemist's, the chemist's with the biologist's, the biologist's with the psychologist's, and so on. Every new discovery in one field of research throws new light on other fields. Just as physical science has shown that every particle of matter
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in the universe attracts and influences every other particle, no matter how minute or how distant, so psychical science is finding that every soul in the universe affects and influences every other soul. Prince Kropotkin, in his book on Mutual Aid, shows most clearly that even among the lower animals, mutual aid is absolutely necessary to continued life, while in the case of man, the progress of civilization depends on the increasing substitution of mutual aid for mutual enmity. " Each for all and all for each " is the only principle on which a community can prosper.
The Era of Unity.
All the signs of the times indicate that we are at the dawn of a new era in the history of mankind. Hitherto the young eagle of humanity has clung to the old eyrie in the solid rock of selfishness and materialism. Its attempts to use its wings have been timid and tentative. It has had restless longings for something still unattained. More and more it has been chafing in the confine- ment of the old dogmas and orthodoxies. But now the era of confinement is at an end, and it can launch on the wings of faith and reason into the higher realms of spiritual love and truth. It will no longer be earth-bound as it was before its wings had grown, but will soar at will to the regions of wide outlook and glorious freedom. One thing is necessary, however, if its flight is to be sure and steady. It wings must not only be strong, but they must act in perfect harmony and co-ordination. As 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" It cannot fly with one wing alone. If it tries to fly with the wing of religion alone it will land in the slough of superstition, and if it tries to fly with the wing of science alone it will end in the dreary bog of materialism." Paris Talks, p. 132.
Perfect harmony between religion and science is the sine qua nan 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 mankind and in radiant acquiescence to the Will of God as revealed in the progress of evolution and the teachings of the prophets, then and not till then, shall the Kingdom of God come and His Will be done on earth as it is in
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Heaven ; then and not till then shall the Most Great Peace shed its blessings on the world.
"When religion," says 'Abdu'1-Baha, "shorn of its superstitions, traditions and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then there will be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world, which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles, and then will mankind be united in the power of the love of God." Paris Talks, p. 135.
CHAPTER XIII - PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY THE BAHA'I MOVEMENT
" As to the Manifestation of the Greatest Name (Baha'u'Uah) : This is He whom God promised in all His Books and Scriptures, such as the Bible, the Gospels and the Qur'an." 'ABDU'L-BAHA.
Interpretation of Prophecy.
The interpretation of prophecy is notoriously difficult, and on no subject do the opinions of the learned differ more widely. This is not to be wondered at, for, according to the revealed writings themselves, many of the prophecies were given in such a form that they could not be fully understood until the fulfilment came, and even then, only by those who were pure in heart and free from prejudice. Thus at the end of Daniel's visions the seer was told :
" But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end : many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased . . . and I heard, but I understood not : then said I, ' O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things ? ' and he said, ' Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the time.' " Daniel xii. 4-10.
If God sealed up the prophecies until the appointed time, and did not fully reveal the interpretation even to the prophets who uttered them, we may expect that none but the appointed Messenger of God will be able to break the seal and disclose the meanings concealed in the casket of the prophetic parables. Reflection
on the history of prophecies and their misinterpretation in previous
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ages and dispensations, combined with the solemn warnings of the prophets themselves, should render us very chary of accepting the speculations of theologians as to the real meaning of these utterances and the manner of their fulfilment. On the other hand, when someone appears who claims to fulfil the prophecies, it is important that we examine his claim with open, unprejudiced minds. Should he be an impostor, the fraud will soon be discovered and no harm will be done, but woe to all who carelessly turn God's Messenger from the door because He comes in an unexpected form or time.
The life and utterances of Baha'u'llah testify that he is the Promised One of all the Holy Books, who has power to break the seals of the prophecies and to pour forth the " Sealed choice wine " of the divine mysteries. Let us hasten, then, to hear his explanations and to re-examine in their light the familiar but often mysterious words spoken by the prophets of old.
The Coming of the Lord.
The " Coming of the Lord " in the " last days " is the one " far-off divine event " to which all the prophets look forward, about which their most glorious songs are sung. Now what is meant by the " Coming of the Lord " ? Surely God is at all times with His creatures, in all, through all, and over all ; " Closer is He than breathing, nearer than hands and feet." Yes, but men cannot see or hear God immanent and transcendent, cannot realize His Presence, until He reveals Himself through a visible form and talks to them in human language. For the revelation of His higher attributes, God has always made use of a human instru- ment. Each of the prophets was a mediator through whom God visited and spoke to His people. Jesus was such a mediator, and the Christians have rightly regarded His appearance as a coming of God. In Him they saw the Face of God and through His lips they heard the Voice of God. Baha'u'llah tells us that the " Coming " of the Lord of Hosts, the Everlasting Father, the Maker and Redeemer of the world, which, according to all the prophets, is to take place at " the time of the end," means no other than His manifestation in a human temple, as He manifested through the temple of Jesus of Nazareth, only this time with a
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fuller and more glorious revelation, for which Jesus and all the former prophets came to prepare men's hearts and minds.
Prophecies about Christ.
Through failing to understand the meaning of the prophecies about the dominion of the Messiah, the Jews rejected Christ. *Abdu'l-Baha says :
" The Jews still await the coming of the Messiah, and pray to God day and night to hasten His advent. When Jesus came they denounced and slew Him, saying : ' This is not the One for whom we wait. Behold when the Messiah shall come, signs and wonders shall testify that He is in truth the Christ. The Messiah will arise out of an unknown city. He shall sit upon the throne of David, and behold He shall come with a sword of steel, and with a sceptre of iron shall he rule. He shall fulfil the Law of the Prophets. He shall conquer the East and the West, and shall glorify His chosen people the Jews. He shall bring with Him a reign of Peace during which even the animals shall cease to be at enmity with man. For behold the wolf and the lamb shall drink from the same spring, and all God's creatures shall be at rest. . . .'
" Thus the Jews thought and spoke, for they did not understand the Scriptures nor the glorious truths that were contained in them. The letter they knew by heart, but of the life-giving Spirit they understood not a word.
"Hearken, and I will show you the meaning thereof: Although Christ came from Nazareth, which was a known place, He came also from Heaven. His body was bom of Mary, but His Spirit came from Heaven. The sword He carried was the sword of His tongue, with which He divided the good from the evil, the true from the false, the faithful from the unfaithful, and the light from the darkness. His Word was indeed a sharp sword ! The throne upon which He sat is the Eternal Throne from which Christ reigns for ever, a heavenly throne, not an earthly one, for the things of earth pass away but heavenly things pass not away. He re-interpreted and completed the Law of Moses and fulfilled Jthe Law of the Prophets. His Word conquered the East and the West. His Kingdom is Everlasting. He exalted those Jews who recognized Him. They were men and women of humble birth, but contact with Him made them great and gave them everlasting dignity. The animals who were to live with one another signified the different sects and races, who, once having been at war, were now to dwell in love and charity, drinking together the Water of Life from Christ the Eternal Spring." Paris Talks, p. 48.
Most Christians accept these interpretations of the Messianic
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prophecies as applied to Christ ; but with regard to similar prophecies about the latter-day Messiah, many of them take up the same attitude as the Jews, expecting a miraculous display on the material plane which will fulfil the very letter of the prophecies.
Prophecies about the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
According to the Baha'I interpretation, the prophecies which speak of " the time of the end," the " last days," the coming of the " Lord of Hosts," of the " Everlasting Father," refer especially, not to the advent of Jesus Christ, but to that of Baha'u'llah. Take for instance, the well-known prophecy in Isaiah :
te
' The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light ; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. . . . For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood ; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder : and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." Isa. ix. 27.
This is one of the prophecies that has often been regarded as referring to Christ, and much of it may quite fairly be thus applied, but a little examination will show how much more fully and aptly it applies to Baha'u'llah. Christ has, indeed, been a light-bringer and Saviour, but for nearly two thousand years since His advent the great majority of the people of the earth have continued to walk in darkness, and the children of Israel and many others of God's children have continued to groan under the rod of the oppressor. On the other hand, during the first few decades of the Baha'I era, the light of truth has illumined the east and the west, the gospel of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man has been carried into all countries of the world, the great military autocracies have been overthrown, and a League of
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Nations has been born which brings hope of speedy relief to all the downtrodden and oppressed nationalities of the world. The great war which has just convulsed the world, with its unprecedented use of fire-arms, liquid fire, incendiary bombs and fuel for engines, has indeed been " with burning and fuel of fire." Baha'u'llah, by dealing at great length in his writings with questions of government and administration, and showing how they may best be solved, has " taken the government upon his shoulders " in a way that Christ never did. With regard to the titles " Everlasting Father," " Prince of Peace," Baha'u'llah repeatedly refers to himself as the manifestation of the Father, of whom Christ and Isaiah spoke, whereas Christ always referred to himself as the Son ; and Baha'u'llah declares that his mission is to establish peace on earth, while Christ said : " I came not to send peace but a sword," and as a matter of fact during the whole of the Christian era wars and sectarian strifes have abounded.
The Glory of God.
The title " Baha'u'llah " is the Arabic for " Glory of God," and this very title is frequently used by the Hebrew prophets for the Promised One who is to appear in the last daysj Thus in the 40th chapter of Isaiah we read :
" Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accom- plished, that her iniquity is pardoned ; for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilder- ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain : and the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."
Like the former prophecy, this has also been partly fulfilled in the advent of Christ and His forerunner, John the Baptist ; but only partly, for in the days of Christ the warfare of Jerusalem was not accomplished ; many centuries of bitter trial and humilia- tion were yet in store for her. With the advent of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, however, the more complete fulfilment is beginning
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to appear, for even already brighter days have dawned for Jerusalem, and her prospects of a peaceful and glorious future seem now to be reasonably assured.
Other prophecies speak of the Redeemer of Israel, the Glory of the Lord, as coming to the Holy Land from the East, from the rising of the sun. Now Baha'u'llah appeared in Persia, which is eastward from Palestine, toward the rising of the sun, and he came to the Holy Land, where he spent the last twenty-four years of his life. Had he come there as a free man, people might have' 4 said that it was the trick of an impostor in order to conform to the prophecies ; but he came as an exile and prisoner. He was sent there by the Shah of Persia and the Sultan of Turkey, who can hardly be suspected of any design to furnish arguments in favour of Baha'u'llah's claim to be the " Glory of God " whose coming the prophets foretold.
The Day of God.
The word " Day " in such phrases as " Day of God " and " Last Day " is interpreted as meaning " Dispensation." Each of the great religion-founders has his " Day." Each is like a sun. His teachings have their dawn, their truth gradually illumines more and more the minds and hearts of the people until they attain the zenith of their influence. Then they gradually become obscured, misrepresented and corrupted, and darkness overshadows the earth until the sun of a new day arises. The day of the Supreme Manifestation of God is the Last Day, because it is a day that shall never end, and shall not be overtaken by night. His sun shall never set, but shall illumine the souls of men both in this world and in the world to come. In reality none of the spiritual suns ever set. The suns of Moses, of Christ, of Muhammad, and all the other prophets are still shining in Heaven with undiminished lustre. But earth-born clouds have concealed their radiance from the people of earth. The Supreme Sun of Baha'u'llah will finally disperse these dark clouds, so that the people of all religions will rejoice in the light of all the prophets, and with one accord worship the one God whose light all the prophets have mirrored forth.
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Prophecies about 'Abdu'l-Baha.
In the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah, are several references to a man called the Branch. These have often been taken by Christians as applying to Christ, but are regarded by Baha'Is as referring especially to 'Abdu'1-Baha. It is a usual custom in Persia to call the eldest son of the family "the greatest branch," and 'Abdu'1-Baha, as the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, is commonly known among the Baha'Is under this tide. Baha'u'llah, in his writings, frequently refers to himself as the Tree, or the Root, and to 'Abdu'1-Baha as the Branch. 'Abdu'1-Baha himself writes :
" 'Abdu'1-BahS is the Centre of the Covenant of God, the Branch which is subservient to the Tree. The essential is the Tree, the founda- tion is the Tree and the universal reality is the Tree." Star of the West, vol. viii. No. 17, p. 325.
The longest Bible prophecy about the Branch is in the nth chapter of Isaiah :
" And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his roots : and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord . . . righteous- ness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid j and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together ; and a little child shall lead them. . . . They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. . . . And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."
'Abdu'1-Baha remarks about this and other prophecies of the Branch :
" One of the great events which is to occur in the day of the mani- festation of that incomparable Branch, is the hoisting of the standard of God among all nations, meaning that all the nations and tribes will come
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under the shadow of this divine Banner, which is no other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become a single nation. The antagonism of faiths and religions, the hostilities of races and peoples, and the patriotic differ- ences, will be eradicated from among them. All will become one religion, one faith, one race, and one single people, and will dwell in one native land, which is the terrestrial globe. Universal peace and concord will be realized between all the nations. The incomparable Branch will gather together all Israel signifying also that in this cycle the Jewish people who are scattered to lie east and west, south and north, will be assembled together in the Holy Land.
" Now see : these events did not take place in the Christian cycle, for the nations did not come under the one standard which is the divine Branch. But in this cycle of the Lord of Hosts all the nations and peoples will enter under the shadow of this flag. In the same way, Israel, scattered all over the world, was not reassembled in the Holy Land in the Christian cycle ; but in the beginning of the cycle of Baha'u'llah this divine promise, as is clearly stated in all the books of the prophets, has begun to be mani- fest. You can see that from all parts of the world tribes of Jews are coming to the Holy Land ; they live in villages and lands which they make their own, and day by day they are increasing to such an extent that all Palestine will become their home." Some Answered Questions, p. 75.
Since the above was written, Palestine has passed out of the hands of the Turks, and the " Allied and Associated Powers " have endorsed the policy of re-establishing a national home for the Jews in Palestine.
Since the great war we have also had the establishment of the League of Nations, and an international congress for the purpose of arranging simultaneous reduction of armaments. These are great advances towards the fulfilment of the part of the prophecy referring to international peace.
The Day of Judgment.
Christ spoke much in parables about a great Day of Judgment, when " the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father j and shall reward every man according to his works " (Matt. xvi. 27). He compares this Day to the time of harvest, when the tares are burned and the wheat gathered into barns :
" So shall it be at the end of the world (consummation of the age). The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out
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of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity ; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnash- ing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Matt. xiii. 40-43.
The phrase " end of the world " used in the Authorized Version of the Bible in this and similar passages has led many to suppose that when the Day of Judgment comes, the earth will suddenly be destroyed, but this is evidently a mistake. The true translation of the phrase appears to be " the consummation or end of the age." Christ teaches that the Kingdom of the Father is to be established on earth, as well as in Heaven. He teaches us to pray : *' Thy Kingdom come j Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." In the parable of the Vineyard, when the Father, the Lord of the Vineyard, comes to destroy the wicked husbandmen, he does not destroy the vineyard (the world) also, but lets it out to other husbandmen, who will render Him the fruits in their season. The earth is not to be destroyed, but to be renewed and regenerated. Christ speaks of that day on another occasion as " the regenera- tion, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his Glory." St. Peter speaks of it as " the times of refreshing," " the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the world began." The Day of Judgment of which Christ speaks is evidently identical with the coming of the Lord of Hosts, the Father, which was prophesied by Isaiah and the other Old Testament prophets ; a time of terrible punishment for the wicked, but a time in which justice shall be established and righteousness rule, on earth as in heaven.
In the Baha'I interpretation, the coming of each Manifestation of God is a Day of Judgment, but the coming of the supreme Manifestation of BahaVllah is the great Day of Judgment for the World-cycle in which we are living. The trumpet-blast of which Christ and Muhammad and many other prophets speak is the call of the Manifestation, which is sounded for all who are in heaven and on earth the embodied and the disembodied. The meeting with God, through His Manifesta- tion, is, for those who desire to meet Him, the gateway to the Paradise of knowing and loving Him, and living in love
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with all His creatures. Those, on the other hand, who prefer their own way to God's way, as revealed by the Manifestation, thereby consign themselves to the Hell of selfishness, error and enmity.
The Great Resurrection.
The Day of Judgment is also the Day of Resurrection, of the raising of the dead. St. Paul in his First Epistle to the Corinthians says :
" Behold I show you a mystery ; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortality must put on immortality." i Cor. v. 5154.
As to the meaning of these passages about the raising of the dead, Baha'u'llah writes in the Book of Iqan :
" By the words ' life ' and ' death/ recorded in the Boots, is meant life through faith, and death through unbelief. It is owing to the lack of comprehension of this meaning that in every Manifestation the generality of people refused to believe, were not directed by the Sun of Guidance, and did not follow the Eternal Beauty. . . . Jesus said : ' Ye must be bom again,* and in another place He said : ' Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God ; that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is bom of spirit is spirit ' (John iii. 6). The interpretation of this is that whosoever is not quickened by the water of divine knowledge and by the Holy Spirit of Jesus is not fitted to enter the Supreme Kingdom. . . . The essence of the meaning is that those servants who are born of and quickened by the spirit and breath of the appearances of holiness in every Manifestation, to them can be attributed life, resurrection, and entrance into the Paradise of Divine Love; while to others is ascribed death, heedlessness, and entrance into the fire of unbelief and Divine Wrath. . . . Were ye to taste a little of the clear water of Divine Knowledge, ye would know that the real life is the life of the heart and not the life of the body ; for both animals and men share in the life of the body ; but the real life is assigned to possessors of brilliant souls who drink from the ocean of faith and partake of the fruit of assurance. This life is not followed by death, nor this immortality by mortality ; as it is said : * A true believer is alive both in this world and the world to come.' If by ' life ' be meant the outward life of the body, it is evident that death overtakes that." (Pp. 80-85.)
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According to the Baha'l teaching the Resurrection has nothing to do with the gross physical body. That body, once dead, is done with. It becomes decomposed and its atoms will never be recomposed into the same body.
Resurrection is the birth of the individual to spiritual life, through the gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed through the Manifesta- tion of God. The grave from which he arises is the grave of ignorance and negligence of God. The sleep from which he awakens is the dormant spiritual condition in which many await the dawn of the Day of God. This dawn illumines all who have lived on the face of the earth, whether they are in the body or out of the body, but those who are spiritually blind cannot perceive it. The Day of Resurrection is not a day of twenty-four hours, but an era which has now begun and will last as long as the present world-cycle continues. The morning star of that day is the Bab ; its sun is the supreme Manifestation of Baha'u'llah, and its moon is 'Abdu'1-Baha a star, a sun and a moon which will know no setting, and will continue to shine in the spiritual world when all traces of the present civilisation will have been wiped off the surface of the globe.
Return of Christ.
In many of His conversations Christ speaks of the future Manifestation of God in the third person, but in others the first person is used. He says : " I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself" (John xiv. 2). In the first chapter of Acts we read that the disciples were told, at the ascension of Jesus : " This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Because of these and similar sayings, many Christians expect that when the Son of Man comes *' in the clouds of heaven and with great glory" they shall see in bodily form the very Jesus who walked the streets of Jerusalem two thousand years ago, and bled and suffered on the cross. They expect to be able to thrust their fingers into the prints of the nails on his hands and feet, and their hands into the spear-wound in his side. But surely a little reflection on Christ's own words would dissipate such an idea. The Jews
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of Christ's time had just such ideas about the return of Elias, but Jesus explained their error, showing that the prophecy that " Elias must first come " was fulfilled, not by the return of the person and body of the former Elias, but in the person of John the Baptist, who came " in the spirit and power of Elias." *' And if ye will receive it," said Christ, " this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." The " return " of Elias, therefore, meant the appearance of another person, born of other parents, but inspired by God with the same spirit and power. These words of Jesus may surely be taken to imply that the return of Christ will, in like manner, be accomplished by the appearance of another person, born of another mother, but showing forth the Spirit and Power of God even as Christ did. Baha'u'llah explains that the " coming again " of Christ was fulfilled in the advent of the Bab and in his own coming. He says :
" If the sun of to-day say, ' I am the sun of yesterday ! ' it is true ; and yet if, according to daily sequence, it say, * I am other than the sun of yesterday,' this is also true. Likewise consider the days : if it be said that all the days are the same, it is correct and true ; and if it be said that according to name and designation they differ from each other, this also is true, as thou seest. For though they are the same, yet in each one there is a name, quality and designation which is different from the other. By the same method and explanation, understand the stations of separation, difference and oneness of the Holy Manifestations, so that thou mayest comprehend the interpretations of the Words of the Creator of the Names and Attributes, concerning separation and union." Book of Ighan, p. 15.
'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" Know that the return of Christ for a second time doth not mean what the people believe, but rather signifieth the One promised to come after Him. He shall come with the Kingdom of God and His Power which hath surrounded the world. This dominion is in the world of hearts and spirits, and not in that of matter ; for the material world is not comparable to a single wing of a fly, in the sight of the Lord, wert thou of those who know ! Verily Christ came with His Kingdom from the beginning which hath no beginning, and will come with His Kingdom to the eternity of eternities, inasmuch as in this sense ' Christ ' is an expres- sion of the Divine Reality, the simple Essence and heavenly Entity, which hath, no beginning nor ending. It hath appearance, arising, manifestation and setting in each of the cycles." Tablets of l Abdu'l-Baha t vo\.\. p. 138.
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The Time of the End.
Christ and his apostles mentioned many signs which would distinguish the times of the " Return " of the Son of Man in the glory of the Father. Christ said :
" And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. . . . For these be the days of ven- geance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled ... for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations ; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled" Luke xxi. 2024.
Again He said :
" Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, ' I am Christ ' ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars : see that ye be not troubled : for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be famines arid pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you ; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come" Matt. xxiv. 4-14.
In these two passages Christ foretold in plain terms, without veil or covering, the things that must come to pass before the coming of the Son of Man. During the centuries that have elapsed since Christ spoke, every one of these signs has been fulfilled. In the last part of each passage he mentions an event that shall mark the time of the coming in one case the ending of the Jewish exile and the restoration of Jerusalem, and in the other the preaching of the gospel in all the world. It is startling to find that both of these signs are being literally fulfilled in our own times. If these parts of the prophecy are as true as the rest, it follows that we must be living now in the " time of the end " of which Christ spoke.
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Muhammad also mentions certain signs which will persist until the Day of Resurrection. In the Qur'an we read : .
" When Allah said : ' O Jesus ! Verily I will cause thee to die, and exalt thee towards me, and clear thee of the charges of those who dis- believe, and will place those who follow thee (i.e. Christians) above those who disbelieve (Jews and others) until the Day of Resurrection ; then to Me shall be your return, so I will decide between you concerning that in which you differed.' " Surat iii. 54.
"'The Hand of God,' say the Jews, 'is chained up.' Their own hands shall be chained up and for that which they have said shall they be cursed. Nay ! outstretched are both His hands ! At His own pleasure doth He bestow gifts. That which hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord will surely increase the rebellion and unbelief of many of them ; and We have put enmity and hatred between them that shall last until the Day of Resurrection. Oft as they kindle a beacon fire for war shall God quench it." Surat v. 69.
" And of those who say, ' We are Christians,' have We accepted the Covenant. But they too have forgotten a part of what they were taught ; wherefore We have stirred up enmity and hatred among them that shall last until the Day of Resurrection ; and in the end will God tell them of their doings." Surat v. 17.
These words also have been literally fulfilled in the subjection of the Jews to Christian (and Muslim) peoples, and in the sectarianism and strife which have divided both Jews and Christians among themselves during all the centuries since Muhammad spoke. Only since the commencement of the Baha'I era (the Day of Resurrection) have signs of the approaching end of these conditions made their appearance.
Signs in Heaven and Earth.
In the Hebrew, Christian, Muhammadan and many other Scriptures, there is a remarkable similarity in the description of the signs which are to accompany the coming of the Prom- ised One.
In the Book of Joel we read :
" And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. For behold, in those days, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them into the
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valley of Jehoshaphat (Jehovah judgeth) and will plead with them there . . . multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision : for the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem ; and the heavens and the earth shall shake : but the Lord will be the strength of his people."
Christ says :
" Immediately after the tribulations of those days shall the sun be darkened, and tie moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken : and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven : and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matt. xxiv. 29, 30.
In the Qur'an we read :
" When the sun shall be shrouded, And when the stars shall fall,
And when the mountains are made to pass away . . . And when the leaves of the Book shall be unrolled, And when the heaven shall be uncovered, And when hell shall be made to blaze." Surat Ixxxi.
In the Book of Iqan Baha'u'llah explains that these prophecies about the sun, moon and stars, the heavens and the earth, are symbolical and are not to be understood merely in the literal sense. The prophets were primarily concerned with spiritual, not with material, things ; with spiritual, not with physical, light. When they mention the sun, in connection with the Day of Judgment, they refer to the Sun of Righteousness. The sun is the supreme source of light, so Moses was a sun for the Hebrews, Christ for the Christians, and Muhammad for the Muslims. When the prophets speak of the sun being darkened, what is meant is that the pure teachings of these spiritual Suns have become obscured by misrepresentation, misunderstanding and prejudice, so that the people are in spiritual darkness. The moon and stars are the lesser sources of illumination, the religious leaders and teachers, who should guide and inspire the people. When it is said that the moon shall not give her light or shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, it is indicated that the leaders of the churches shall become debased, engaging in strife
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and contention, and the priests shall become worldly-minded, concerned about earthly instead of heavenly things.
The meaning of these prophecies is not exhausted by one explanation, however, and there are other senses in which these symbols can be interpreted. Baha'u'llah says that in another sense the words " sun," " moon," and " stars " are applied to the ordinances and instructions enacted in every religion. As in every subsequent Manifestation the ceremonies, forms, customs and instructions of the preceding Manifestation are changed in accordance with the requirements of the times, so, in this sense the sun and moon are changed and the stars dispersed.
In many cases the literal fulfilment of these prophecies in the outward sense would be absurd or impossible ; for example, the moon being turned into blood or the stars falling upon the earth. The least of the visible stars is many thousand times larger than the earth, and were one to fall on the earth there would be no earth left for another to fall on ! In other cases, however, there is a material as well as a spiritual fulfilment. For example, the Holy Land did literally become desert and desolate during many centuries, as foretold by the prophets, but already, in the Day of Resurrection, it is beginning to "rejoice and blossom as the rose," as Isaiah foretold. Prosperous colonies are being started, the land is being irrigated and cultivated, and vineyards, olive groves and gardens are flourishing where half a century ago there was only sandy waste. Doubtless when men beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks, wildernesses and deserts in all parts of the world will be reclaimed ; the scorching winds and sandstorms that blow from these deserts, and make life in their neighbourhood well-nigh intolerable, will be things of the past ; the climate of the whole earth will become milder and more equable ; cities will no longer defile the air with smoke and poisonous fumes, and even in the outward, material sense there will be " new heavens and a new earth."
Manner of Coining.
As to the manner of His coming at the end of the age, Christ said :
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" And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet . . . then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations : and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats."-^- Matt. xxiv. xxv.
Regarding these and similar passages BahaVllah writes in the Book of Iqan :
" The purpose of the word ' heaven ' is none other than to denote the exaltation and loftiness which is the station of the appearance of those Daysprings of Holiness and Dawning-places of Pre-existence. Although these Ancient Beings outwardly appear from the wombs of mothers, yet in reality they descend from the Heaven of Command ; and although they dwell upon the earth, yet they recline upon the couch of Significances ; and while walking upon the earth, they soar in the skies of Nearness. They journey in the land of Spirit without motion of foot, and fly upward to the summit of Oneness without wing. . . .
'* By * cloud ' is meant things contrary to the egotism and desire of men, as mentioned in the verse : ' Ye therefore, whenever a messenger comes to you with that which your souls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse some of imposture and slay others ' (Qur'an S. n). Such clouds are, for instance, the changing of ordinances, substitution of laws, removal of customary rules and ceremonies, and the pre-eminence of common people who become believers over the learned who deny ; like- wise also the appearance of that Eternal Beauty in accordance with human limitations, such as eating, drinking, poverty, riches, glory, abasement, sleeping, waking and similar things which cause people to doubt, and hinder them from accepting the Manifestation.
"As clouds prevent the eyes of men from viewing the phenomenal sun, so the above conditions hinder the people from apprehending that Ideal Sun. ... As these Temples of Holiness were subject to outward indigence and adversity and also to natural and bodily necessities, such as hunger, thirst, and incidental happenings, the people would become bewildered in Saharas of doubt and suspicion and in deserts of imagina- tion and perplexity, wondering : ' How could one come from God, claim predominance over all in the earth, and ascribe to Himself the motive of the creation of beings . . . and yet be afflicted by such trifling matters ? ' For it is heard how every Prophet and his companions suffered adversities such as poverty, diseases and contempt; how the heads of their followers were sent as presents in the cities ; how they were prevented from that whereunto they were commanded, and each of them suffered by the hand of the enemies of religion, to such an extent that the latter inflicted upon them whatever they desired. . . .
" The Lord of Might hath made all these conditions which are con-
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trary to impure souls and opposed to the desire of people, as a test and standard by which He tries His servants and distinguishes the righteous from the wicked, the believer from the denier. . . .
" As to His saying : ' And will send His angels,' etc., these ' angels ' are souls who through spiritual power have burned human qualities by the fire of Divine Love and become characterized with the attributes of the Exalted ones and Cherubim. . . .
" As the people of Jesus did not attain to these meanings, and these signs did not outwardly come to pass as they and their divines under- stood, they have not believed in the Holy Manifestations from that day until the present ; therefore they have been deprived of the sacred boun- ties and veiled from the wonderful Words of Eternity. This is the condition of these servants in this Day of Resurrection. They have not even understood that if in any age the signs of a Manifestation were to appear in the phenomenal world in conformity with that which is recorded in the traditions, no one would dare to deny or oppose them, nor could the pious and the unjust, the sinner and the righteous be dis- tinguished. Be just ; for instance, if these statements recorded in the Gospel should be literally fulfilled, and Angels descend with Jesus the Son of Mary from the phenomenal heaven in a cloud, who would dare to deny, and who would be able to reject or dispute ? Nay, rather, such agitation would suddenly seize upon the people of the world that they would not be able to speak a word, much less to deny or accept." Book of Ighan, pp. 44-58.
According to the above explanation, the coming of the Son of Man, in lowly human form, born of a woman, poor, uneducated, oppressed and set at naught by the great ones of the earth this manner of coming is the very touchstone by which He judges the people of earth and separates them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Those whose spiritual eyes are opened can see through these clouds and rejoice in the " power and great glory," the very glory of God which He comes to reveal ; the others, whose eyes are still holden by prejudice and error, can see but the dark clouds and continue to grope in gloom, deprived of the blessed sunshine.
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me : and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in. . But who may abide the day of his coming ? And who shall stand when he appeareth ? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. . . . For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven ; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble. . . . But unto you that
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fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in his wings." Mai. iii. iv.
NOTE. The subject of fulfilment of prophecy is such an extensive one that many volumes would be required for its adequate exposition. All that can be done within the limits of a single chapter is to indicate the main outlines of the Baha'l interpretations. The detailed Apocalypses revealed by Daniel and St. John have been left untouched. Readers will find certain chapters of these dealt with in Some Answered Questions (see Bibliography). In the Book of IgAan, by Baha'u'Uah, Bah(?i Proofs, by Mlrza Abu'1-Fadl, and in many of the Tablets of Baha'u'Uah and 'Abdu'1-Baha" further explanations of prophecies may be found.
CHAPTER XIV - PROPHECIES OF BAHA'U'LLAH AND 'ABDU'L-BAHA
" And if thou shalt say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken ? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deut. xviii. 22.
Creative Power of God's Word.
God, and God alone, has the power to do whatever He wills, and the greatest proof of a Manifestation of God is the creative power of His word its effectiveness to change and transform all human affairs and to triumph over all human opposition. Through the word of the prophets God announces His will, and the immediate or subsequent fulfilment of that word is the clearest proof of the prophet's claim and of the genuineness of his inspiration.
** For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and retumeth not thither, but watereth. the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, so that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater : so shall my Word be that goeth out of my mouth ; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it." Isa. Iv. 10, n.
When the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus with the question : " Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another ? " the answer of Jesus was simply to point to the effects wrought by His words :
" Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see : the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed
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and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Matt. xi. 46.
Let us now see what evidence there is to show whether the words of Baha'u'llah have this creative power which is distinctive of the word of God. Baha'u'llah commanded the abandonment of alcohol as a beverage, and ever since, the total abstinence move- ment has been making phenomenal progress throughout the world ; vested and other interests in the liquor traffic are still very strong, but they are tottering and falling before the irresistible advance of temperance. Baha'u'llah commanded the adoption of representative government, and ever since, in one country after another, the control of legislation has passed more and more into the hands of the elected representatives of the people ; the great military autocracies have collapsed in the most dramatic fashion, and there seems not the slightest prospect that they will ever be revived. He commanded limitation of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and ever since, legislation for the establishment of a minimum subsistence level and for graduated taxation of wealth have become more and more widely adopted. He commanded the abolition of both chattel and economic slavery, and ever since, the emancipation of the workers and their progress towards a position of partnership in industry have been steady and irresistible. He commanded equal rights and privileges for men and women, and ever since, the bonds by which women have been bound for ages have been snapping, and woman has fast been securing her rightful place as the equal and partner of man. He commanded the adoption of a universal language, and already Esperanto has been invented for the purpose, and is speedily securing world- wide recognition. He commanded the formation of a Universal League of Nations, and already surprising and substantial progress has been made towards the realization of such a League, while the conviction of its necessity is becoming general. He com- manded the settlement of disputes between nations by an inter- national arbitration court, and ever since, international arbitration has been more and more frequently resorted to, and its scope progressively widened. He commanded simultaneous reduction of armaments by agreement between the various Powers, and
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already a beginning has been made in that direction. He com- manded universal education, and ever since, the countries of the world have, one after another, been adopting compulsory education and gradually raising their educational standards. These instances might be multiplied and elaborated, but we do not know of a single instance in which it can be shown that a command of Baha'u'llah has remained without effect in the world. Surely the evidence is irresistible that Baha'u'llah is a true revealer and exponent of the Divine Creative Will.
A study of the more detailed prophecies of Baha'u'llah and their fulfilment will give powerful corroborative evidence. Of these prophecies we shall now proceed to give a few examples, about the authenticity of which there can be no dispute. They were widely published and known before their fulfilment came about. The letters which he sent to the crowned heads of the world, in which many of these prophecies occur, were compiled in a book (Suratrfl Haykal} which was first published in Bombay over forty years ago. Several editions have since been published. We shall also give some examples of noteworthy prophecies by *Abdu'l-Baha.
Napoleon III.
In the year 1869 Baha'u'llah wrote to Napoleon III, rebuking him for his lust of war and for the contempt with which he had treated a former letter from Baha'u'llah. The epistle contains the following stern warning :
"Thy doings shall throw thy kingdom into confusion, sovereignty shall pass from thy hands, to requite thee for thy deeds, and thus thou shalt find thyself in grievous loss. Convulsions shall seize all peoples in yonder land, unless thou dost arise in this Cause and in this straight path follow the Spirit. Hath thy pomp made thee vain-glorious ? By my life ! It shall not endure, nay, it shall pass away, unless thou dost cling unto this strong cord. We behold abasement hastening upon thy heels and thou art yet of them that are heedless."
Needless to say, Napoleon, who was then at the zenith of his power, paid no heed to this warning. In the following year he went to war with Prussia, firmly convinced that his troops could easily gain Berlin ; but the tragedy foretold by Baha'u'llah over- whelmed him. He was defeated at Saarbruck, at Weissenburg,
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at Metz, and finally in the crushing catastrophe at Sedan. He was then carried prisoner to Prussia, and came to a miserable end in England two years later.
Germany.
Baha'u'llah later gave an equally solemn warning to the conquerors of Napoleon, which also fell on deaf ears and received a terrible fulfilment. In the Book of Aqdas t which was begun in Adrianople, and finished in the early years of Baha'u'llah's imprisonment in 'Akka, he addressed the Emperor of Germany as follows :
ee
O King of Berlin ! . . . Recollect the one who was greater than th.ee in station (i.e. Napoleon III) and whose position was higher than thine. Where is he ? And where are his possessions ? Be admonished, and be not of those who sleep. He cast the Tablet of God behind him, when We informed him of what had befallen Us from the hosts of oppression, and thus disgrace beset him from all sides until he returned to the dust in great loss. O King, think deeply concerning him, as well as about those like unto th.ee, those who conquered cities, and ruled over the servants of God and God brought them down from palaces to graves. Be warned, and be of those who are mindful. . . .
" O Banks of the River Rhine ! We have seen you drenched in gore because the swords of retribution were drawn against you and you shall have another turn. And we hear the lamentations of Berlin, although it be to-day in manifest glory."
During the period of German successes in the Great War of 1914-18, and especially during the last great German offensive in the spring of 1918, this well-known prophecy was extensively quoted by the opponents of the Baha'I Movement in Persia, in order to discredit Baha'u'llah ; but when the forward sweep of the victorious Germans was suddenly transformed into crushing, overwhelming disaster, the efforts of these enemies of the Baha'I Cause recoiled on themselves, and the notoriety which they had given to the prophecy became a powerful means of enhancing the reputation of Baha'u'llah.
Persia.
In the Book of jfqdas written when the tyrannical Muzaffaru'd- Dln Shah was at the height of his power, Baha'u'llah blesses the
206 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
city of Tihran, which is the capital of Persia, and his own birth- place, and says of it :
" O Land of Ta (Tihran) ! Be not sorrowful from any cause. God hath made thee the Dawning Place of the Joy of the world. If He will, He will bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice and gather together the sheep of God which have been scattered by the wolves. Verily he will treat the people of Baha with joy and gladness. Lo, he is of the essence of the people in the sight of God. . . .
" Rejoice, for God hath made thee a Horizon of Light, because in thee was bom the Dawning Place of the Manifestation. . . . Soon affairs will be changed in thee and a republic of men shall rule over thee. Verily thy Lord is the Wise, the Encompasser. Be assured of the Provi- dence of thy Lord. Verily the Countenance of Grace will not cease to behold thee with the Eyes of Love. Soon peace will overtake thee after commotion (confusion or chaos). Thus it hath been decreed in the Book of Wonders."
So far, Persia has only begun to emerge from the period of confusion foretold by Baha'u'llah, but already constitutional government has been started, and signs are not lacking that a brighter era is at hand.
Turkey.
To the Sultan of Turkey and his Prime Minister 'All Pasha, Baha'u'llah then (in 1868) confined in a Turkish prison, addressed some of his most solemn, grave warnings. To the Sultan he wrote from the Barracks at 'Akka :
" O thou who considerest thyself the greatest of all men . . . ere long thy name shall be forgotten and thou shalt find thyself in great loss. According to thy opinion, this Quickener of the world and its Peace- maker is culpable and seditious. What crime have the women, children and suffering babes committed to merit thy wrath, oppression and hate ? You have persecuted a number of souls who have shown no opposition in your country, and who have instigated no revolution against the govern- ment ; nay, rather, by day and by night they have been peacefully engaged in the mentioning of God. You have pillaged their properties, and through your tyrannical acts, all that they had was taken from them. . . . Before God, a handful of dust is greater than your kingdom, glory, sovereignty and dominion, and should He desire, He would scatter you as the sand of the desert. Ere long His wrath shall overtake thee, revolu- ions shall appear in your midst and your countries will be divided !
BAHA'I PROPHECIES 207
Then you will weep and lament and nowhere will you find help and pro- tection. ... Be ye watchful, for the wrath of God is prepared, and ere long ye shall behold that which is written by the Pen of Command " (see Star of the West, vol. ii. p. 3).
And to 'All Pasha he wrote :
" O Ra'is (chief) Thou hast committed that which made Muhammad, the prophet of God, groan in the Supreme Paradise. The world hath made thee proud, so much so that thou hast turned away from the Face through whose Light the people of the Celestial Concourse were illu- mined. Soon thou shalt find thyself in evident loss. Thou didst unite with the Ruler of Persia for doing Me harm, although I had come to you from the Dawning Place of the Almighty, the Great, with a Cause which refreshed the eyes of the favoured ones of God. . . .
" Didst thou think that thou couldst put out the fire which God hath enkindled in the Universe ? No ! I declare by His True Soul, wert thou of those who understand. More than that, by what thou hast done its blaze and flame have been increased. Soon it will encompass the world and its inhabitants. . . . Soon the Land of Mystery (i.e. Adrianople) and others will be changed and will pass out of the hands of the King, and commotions shall appear, lamentations shall arise, cor- ruption shall appear in the districts and aflairs will be in confusion because of what hath happened to those captives (Baha'u'Uah and his companions) ' from the hosts of oppression. The command will change and the con- ditions will become grievous to such an extent that the sands will be moaning on the desolate hills, the trees will be weeping on the mountains, and blood shall be flowing from all things, and the people shall be seen in great distress. ...
"Thus hath the matter been decreed on the part of the Designer, the Wise, whose Command the hosts of heaven and earth could not with- stand, nor could all the kings and rulers withhold Him from that which He willeth. Calamities are the oil for this Lamp, and through them its Light increaseth, were ye of those who know ! All oppositions dis- played by the oppressors are indeed as heralds to this matter, and by them the Appearance of God and His Cause have become widely spread among the people of the world."
Again in the Book of Aqdas he wrote :
" O Point which liest on the shore of the two seas (i.e. Constantinople) ! The throne of injustice hath been fixed in thee, and in thee hath been kindled the fire of hatred in such wise that the Supreme Host lament thereat, and those who circle around the Lofty Throne. We behold in thee the foolish ruling over the wise, and the darkness exalting itself over the Light, and, verily, thou art in evident pride. Hath thine out- ward adornment rendered thee proud ? Soon thou shalt perish, by the
208 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Lord of Creation ! and thy daughters and widows and those peoples that are within thee shall lament. Thus doth the Wise, the All-Knowing prophesy to thee."
The successive calamities which have befallen this once-great empire since the publication of these warnings have furnished an eloquent commentary on their prophetic significance.
America.
In the Book of Aqdas> written about fifty years ago, Baha'u'llah appealed to America as follows :
" O Rulers of America, Presidents, and Governors of the Republic therein. . . . Hear the call from the Dawning Place on High : There is no God but Me, the Speaker and the Omniscient : Bind up the broken limb with the hands of justice, and break the sound limb of the oppressor with the rod of the Command of your Lord, the Ruler, the Wise ! "
'Abdu'1-Baha in his addresses in America and elsewhere frequently expressed the hope, the prayer and the assurance that the banner of international peace would be first raised in America. At Cincinatti, Ohio, on November 5, 1912, he said :
" America is a noble nation, a standard bearer of peace throughout the world, shedding her light to all regions. Other nations are not un- trammelled and free of intrigues like the United States, and are unable to bring about Universal Peace. But America, thank God, is at peace with all the world, and is worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and International Peace. When the summons to International Peace is raised by America, all the rest of the world will cry : * Yes, we accept.' The nations of every clime will join in adopting the teachings of Baha'u'llah, revealed over fifty years ago. In His Epistles He asked the parliaments of the world to send their best and wisest men to an international world-parliament that should decide all questions between the peoples and establish peace . . . then we shall have the Parlia- ment of Man of which the prophets have dreamed." Star of the West, vol. vi. p. 8 1.
The appeals of Baha'u'llah and *Abdul-Baha have already been responded to, in large measure, by the United States of America, and in no country of the world have the Baha'i teachings met with readier acceptance. The role assigned to America, of summoning the nations to international peace, has as yet, however, been only partially played, and Baha'Is are awaiting with interest the develop- ments which the future has in store.
BAHA'I [PROPHECIES 209
The Great War.
Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha on many occasions foretold with surprising accuracy the coming of the Great War of 1914-18. At Sacramento, California, on October 26, 1912, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" To-day the European continent is like an arsenal. It is a storehouse of explosives, ready for just a spark, and one spark could set aflame the whole of Europe, particularly at this time, when the Balkan question is before the world."
In many of his addresses in America and Europe he gave similar warnings. In another address in California in October 1912 he said :
" We are on the eve of the Battle of Armageddon referred to in the sixteenth chapter of Revelations. The time is two years hence, when only a spark will set aflame the whole of Europe.
"The social unrest in all countries, the growing religious scepticism antecedent to the millennium, and already here, will set aflame the whole of Europe as is prophesied in the Book of Daniel and in the Book (Reve- lation) of John.
"By 1917 kingdoms will fall and cataclysms will rock the earth." (Reported by Mrs. Corinne True in The North Shore Review, Septem- ber 26, 1914, Chicago, U.S.A.)
On the eve of the great conflict he said :
" A general mel^e of the civilized nations is in sight. A tremendous conflict is at hand. The world is at the threshold of a most tragic struggle. . . . Vast armies millions of men are being mobilized and stationed at their frontiers. They are being prepared for the fearful contest. The slightest friction will bring them into a terrific crash, and there will be a conflagration, the like of which is not recorded in the past history of mankind " (at Haifa, August 3, 1914). Star of the West, vol. v. p. 163.
Social Troubles After the War.
Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha also foretold a period of great social upheaval, conflict and calamity as an inevitable result of the irreligion and prejudices, the ignorance and superstition, prevalent throughout the world. The great international military conflict was but one phase of this upheaval. In a talk given
14
210 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
in November 1919, at which the writer was present, 'Abdu'l- Baha said :
" After this war we hope that humanity will become awakened and will realize that there is no remedy for the world's sickness except the Heavenly Teachings. For this war has become the cause of hatred. For instance, the Germans will not forget, the Austrians will not forget, the Bulgarians will not forget, the Turks will not forget. From one side there will arise the tumult of the socialists, from another the storm of the Bolshevists, from another the demands of labour, from another the antagonisms of nations, from another religious hatred, from another racial prejudice. It is clear what will happen. All of these are like dynamite. One day they will explode unless the Banner of Universal Peace be raised according to the Divine Teachings. But according to the Divine Teachings the Banner of Universal Peace must be raised by the Power of the Word of God. The oneness of humanity must be established by the Power of the Holy Spirit. No matter how the politicians strive, their efforts cannot bring peace. Unaided human power is of no avail.
" Q. Is the banner of universal peace going to be raised after this war ?
" A. Not now. We cannot abolish war with war ; it is like trying to cleanse a bloodstain with blood. The nations of the world are like fighting-cocks. They fight, fight, fight, until they are exhausted. Then they stop and make peace. After they have rested awhile they go at it again !
" Q. What about labour troubles throughout the world ?
" A. They will become worse. For a time the workers may be pacified by concessions of increased wages, shorter hours, etc., but they will presently make greater demands. Ultimately they will go so far as to take possession of factories, etc., telling the owners : * We shall give you a certain sum annually, say, one-tenth of the profits ! ' Times will become very difficult and troublesome. There will be hardships for both capital and labour and a world shortage of production."
In another talk a few days later he said :
" Baha'u'llah frequently predicted that there would be a period when irreligion and consequent anarchy would prevail. The chaos will be due to too great liberty among people who are not ready for it, and in consequence there will have to be a temporary reversion to coercive government, in the interests of the people themselves and in order to prevent disorder and chaos.
" It is clear that each nation now wishes complete self-determination and freedom of action, but some of them are not ready for it. The pre- vailing state of the world is one of irreligion, which is bound to result in anarchy and confusion. I have always said that the peace proposals
BAHA'I PROPHECIES 211
following the great War were only a glimmer of the dawn, and not the
sunrise."
Coming of the Kingdom of God.
Amid these troublous times, however, the Cause of God will prosper. The calamities caused by the selfish struggle for individual existence, or for party or sectarian or national gain, will induce the people to turn in despair to the remedy offered by the Word of God. The more calamities abound, the more will the people turn to the only true remedy. Baha'u'llah says in his Epistle to the Shah :
" God hath made afflictions as a morning shower to this green pasture, and as a wick for His Lamp, whereby earth and heaven are illumined. . . . Through affliction hath His Light shone and His Praise been bright un- ceasingly ; this hath been His method through past ages and bygone times."
Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha predict in the most confident terms the speedy triumph of spirituality over materiality and the consequent establishment of the Most Great Peace. 'Abdu'l- Baha wrote in 1904 :
"Know this, that hardships and misfortunes shall increase day by day, and the people shall be distressed. The doors of joy and happiness shall be closed on all sides. Terrible wars shall happen. Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people from every direction until they are obliged to turn to God. Then the lights of great happiness shall enlighten the horizons, so that the cry of Ya Baha'il-Abha ! ' may arise on all sides." (Tablet to L.D.B. quoted in Compilation on War and Peace, p. 187.)
When asked, in February 1914, whether any of the Great Powers would become believers, he replied :
"All the people of the world will become believers. Should you compare the beginning of the Cause with its position to-day, you would see what a quick influence the Word of God has, and now the Cause of God has encompassed the world. . . . Unquestionably, all will come under the shadow of the Cause of God." Star of the West, vol. ix. p. 31.
He declares that this consummation is near at hand and will come about during the present century. In an address to Theosophists in February 1913, he said :
212 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
" This Century is the Century of the Sun of Truth. This century is the Century of the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth." Star of the West, vol. iz. p. 7.
In the last two verses of the Book of Daniel occur the cryptic words :
" Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days. But go thy way till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."
Many have been the attempts of learned students to solve the problem of the significance of these words. In a table-talk at which the writer was present, 'Abdu'1-Baha said :
" These 1,3 3 5 days mean 1,335 so ^ ar 7 ears ^ rom tne Hijrat." (Flight of Muhammad from Medina to Mecca, marking the beginning of the Muhammadan era.)
As the Hijrat occurred in 622 A.D., the date referred to is, therefore, 1957 (i.e. 622 + I 5 335) A - D - Asked : " What shall we see at the end of the 1,335 days ? " he replied :
" Universal Peace will be firmly established, a Universal language promoted. Misunderstandings will pass away. The Baha'l Cause will be promulgated in all parts and the oneness of mankind established. It will be most glorious ! "
'Akka and Haifa.
Mirza Ahmad Sohrab records in his diary the following prophecy about 'Akka and Haifa uttered by 'Abdu'1-Baha while seated by the window of one of the Baha'l Pilgrim Homes at Haifa on February 14, 1914 :
" The view from the Pilgrim Home is very attractive, especially as it faces the Blessed Tomb of Baha'u'llah. In the future the distance between 'Akka and Haifa will be built up, and the two cities will join and clasp hands, becoming the two terminal sections of one mighty metropolis. As I look now over this scene, I see so clearly that it will become one of the first emporiums of the world. This great semi-circular bay will be transformed into the finest harbour, wherein the ships of all nations will seek shelter and refuge. The great vessels of all peoples will come to this port, bringing on their decks thousands and thousands of men and women from every part of the globe. The mountain and the plain will be dotted with the most modern buildings and palaces. Industries
BAHA'I PROPHECIES 213
will be established and various institutions of philanthropic nature will be founded. The flowers of civilization and culture from all nations will be brought here to blend their fragrances together and blaze the way for the brotherhood of man. Wonderful gardens, orchards, groves and parks will be. laid out on all sides. At night the great city will be lighted by electricity. The entire harbour from *Akka to Haifa will be one path of illumination. Powerful searchlights will be placed on both sides of Mount Carmel to guide the steamers. Mount Carmel itself, from top to bottom, will be submerged in a sea of lights. A person stand- ing on the summit of Mount Carmel, and the passengers of the steamers coming to it, will look upon the most sublime and majestic spectacle of the whole world.
" From every part of the mountain the symphony of * Ya Baha'il- Abha ! ' will be raised, and before the daybreak soul-entrancing music accompanied by melodious voices will be uplifted towards the throne of the Almighty.
" Indeed, God's ways are mysterious and unsearchable. What out- ward relation exists between Shiraz and Tihran, Baghdad and Constanti- nople, Adrianople and 'Akka and Haifa ? God worked patiently, step by step, through these various cities, according to His own definite and eternal plan, so that the prophecies and predictions as foretold by the prophets might be fulfilled. This golden thread of promise concerning the Messianic Millennium runs through the Bible, and it was so destined that God in His own good time would cause its appearance. Not even a single word will be left meaningless and unfulfilled."
CHAPTER XV - RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT
" I bear witness, O friends, that the Bounty is complete, the Argument affirmed, the Proof made manifest and the Evidence established. Let it now be seen what your endeavours in the path of detachment will show forth. In this wise hath the Divine Favour been fulfilled unto you and unto them that are in Heaven and on earth. All praise to God, the Lord of all worlds." Hidden Words of BAHA'U'LLAH.
Progress of the Movement.
Unfortunately it is impossible, within the space at our disposal, to describe in detail the progress of the Baha'i Movement through- out the world. Many chapters might be devoted to this fascinating subject, and many thrilling stories related about the pioneers and martyrs of the Cause, but a very brief summary must suffice.
In Persia the early believers in this revelation met with the I utmost opposition, persecution and cruelty at the hands of their I fellow-countrymen, but they faced all calamities and ordeals with sublime heroism, firmness and patience. Their baptism was in their own blood, for many thousands of them perished as martyrs ; while thousands more were beaten, imprisoned, stripped of their I possessions, driven from their homes or otherwise ill-treated. \ For sixty years or more anyone in Persia who dared to own I allegiance to the Bab or Baha'u'llah did so at the risk of | his property, his freedom and even of his life. Yet this deter- ; mined and ferocious opposition could no more check the progress of the Movement than a cloud of dust could keep
the sun from rising.
214
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 215
\ From one end of Persia to the other Baha'is are now to be found in almost every city, town and village, and even amongst the nomad tribes. In some villages the whole population is Baha'I and in other places a large proportion of the inhabitants are believers. Recruited from many and diverse sects, which were bitterly hostile to each other, they now form a great fellowship of friends Who acknowledge brotherhood, not only with each other, but with all men everywhere, who are working for the unification and upliftment of humanity, for the removal of all prejudices and conflict, and for the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the world.
What miracle could be greater than this ? Only one, and that the accomplishment throughout the entire world of the task to which these men have set themselves. And signs are not lacking that this greater miracle, too, is in progress.
In Turkestan, in America, in India and Burmah, Baha'is are already to be numbered by the thousand, while in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and France Baha'I centres have been established and the range of their spiritual activities is rapidly extending. In some of these countries there are one or more monthly magazines devoted to the Cause, and in a number of them there are regular annual congresses attended by representatives of all the Baha'is in the country. Japan also has a monthly Baha'I magazine published in Japanese and Esperanto. In many other countries of the world, east and west, believers are to be found a mere sprinkling of the population as yet, but exerting an influence out of proportion to their numbers. The Movement is showing an astonishing vitality, and is spreading, like leaven, through the lump of humanity, transforming humanity as it spreads.
Jinab-i-Avarih writes :
" As to the numbers of the Baha'is at the present time, no exact figures can be given, as the Movement is growing so rapidly that day by day, nay, even hour by hour, the Cause is progressing and all the members of the Movement are engaged in spreading its teachings. It can safely be said, however, that whereas at the time of the passing away of Baha'u'llah his followers probably numbered less than one million, both Eastern and Western writers about the movement, including even opponents of
216 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
the JBaha'l Cause, now admit that the number of Baha'is throughout the world is to be reckoned in millions. 1
The only real test as to whether a man is a Baha'i or not is whether he "lives the life" as taught by Baha'u'llah and the " Centre of the Covenant " ; and the only way in which the real success of the Movement can be gauged is, not by the number of its professed adherents, but by the way in which its principles are permeating and changing the world. That the world, since the advent of Baha'u'llah, has been changing incomparably faster than it ever did before, none can deny. That this phenomenal progress is taking place, to a marvellous extent, along the lines laid down by Baha'u'llah more than half a century ago, must also be evident, we think, to every fair-minded reader of the fore- going chapters. That one who so clearly anticipated and so powerfully advocated these changes must have been a factor of some importance in bringing them about is surely, therefore, an entirely reasonable conclusion. Readers who have some acquaintance with the phenomena of telepathy, or knowledge of the dynamic power of prayer, will have no difficulty in conceding also that one endowed with the spiritual power which Baha'u'llah so abundantly showed could not fail to exert a potent influence on people of sympathetic and receptive minds, no matter in what part of the world they lived, or whether they had ever heard of his existence.
Prophethood of Bab and Baha'u'llah.
The more we study the lives and teachings of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, the more impossible does it seem to find any explana-
1 Lord Curzon, in his book, Persia and the Persian Question, published in 1892, the year of Baha'u'llah's death, writes :
" The lowest estimate places the present number of Babis in Persia at half a million. I am disposed to think, from conversations with persons well qualified to judge, that the total is nearer one million. They are to be found in every walk of life, from the ministers and nobles of the Court to the scavenger or the groom, not the least arena of their activity being the Mussulman priesthood itself. . . .
" If Babism continues to grow at its present rate of progression, a time may conceivably come when it will oust Mohammedanism from the field in Persia. This, I think, it would be unlikely to do, did it appear upon the ground under the flag of a hostile faith. But since its recruits are won from the best soldiers of the garrison whom it is attacking, there is greater reason to believe that it may ultimately prevail." (Vol. i. pp. 499-502.)
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 217
t\on of their greatness, except that of Divine Inspiration. They were reared in an atmosphere of fanaticism and bigotry. They had only the most elementary education. They had no contact with Western culture. They had no political or financial power to back them. They asked nothing from men, and received little but injustice and oppression. The great ones of earth ignored or opposed them. They were scourged and tortured, imprisoned and subjected to direst calamities in the fulfilment of their mission. They were alone against the world, having no help but that of God, yet already their triumph is manifest and magnificent.
The grandeur and sublimity of their ideals, the nobility and self-sacrifice of their lives, their dauntless courage and conviction, their amazing wisdom and knowledge, their grasp of the needs of both Eastern and Western peoples, the comprehensiveness and adequacy of their teachings, their power to inspire whole-hearted devotion and enthusiasm in their followers, the penetration and potency of their influence, the progress of the Movement they founded surely these constitute proofs of prophethood as convincing as any which the history of religion can show.
A Glorious Prospect.
The Baha'I glad tidings disclose a vision of the Bounty of God and of the future progress of humanity, which is surely the greatest and most glorious Revelation ever given to mankind, the development and fulfilment of all previous Revelations. Its purpose is nothing less than the regeneration of mankind and the creation of " new heavens and a new earth." It is the same task to which Christ and all the prophets have devoted their lives, and between these great teachers there is no rivalry. It is not by this Manifestation or by that, but by all together, that the task will be accomplished.
As 'Abdu'1-Baha says :
" It is not necessary to lower Abraham to raise Jesus. It is not necessary to lower Jesus to proclaim Baha'u'Uah. We must welcome the Truth of God wherever we behold it. The essence of the question is that all these great Messengers came to raise the Divine Standard of Perfections. All of them shine as orbs in the same heaven of the Divine Will. All of them give Light to the world." Star of the West, vol. iii. No. 8, p. 8.
2i 8 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
The task is God's, and God calls not only the prophets but all mankind to be His co-workers in this creative process. If we refuse His invitation, we shall not hinder the work from going on, for what God wills shall surely come to pass. If we fail to play our part He can raise up other instruments to perform His purpose ; but we shall miss the real aim and object of our own lives. At-one-ment with God becoming His lovers, His servants, the willing channels and mediums of His Creative Power, so that we are conscious of no life within us but His Divine and abundant Life that, according to the Baha'i teaching, is the ineffable and glorious consummation of human existence.
Humanity, however, is sound at heart, for it is made " in the image and likeness of God," and when at last it sees the truth, it will not persist in the paths of folly* Baha'u'llah assures us that ere long the call of God will be generally accepted, and mankind as a whole will turn to righteousness and obedience. " All sorrow will then be turned into joy, and all disease into health," and the kingdoms of this world shall become " the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. xi. 15). Not only those on earth, but all in the heavens and on the earth, shall become one in God and rejoice eternally in Him.
Renewal of Religion.
The state of the world to-day surely affords ample evidence that, with rare exceptions, people of all religions need to be re-awakened to the real meaning of their religion ; and that re-awakening is an important part of the work of Baha'u'llah. He comes to make Christians better Christians, to make Muslims real Muslims, to make all men true to the spirit that inspired their prophets. He also fulfils the promise made by all these prophets, of a more glorious Manifestation which was to appear in the " Fulness of Time " to crown and consummate their labours. He gives a fuller unfolding of spiritual truths than his predecessors, and reveals the Will of God with regard to all the problems of individual and social life that confront us in the world to-day. He gives a universal teaching which affords a firm foundation on which a new and better civilization can be built up, a teaching
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 219
adapted to the needs of the world in the new era which is now commencing.
Need for New Revelation.
The unification of the world of humanity, the welding together of the world's different religions, the reconciliation of Religion and Science, the establishment of Universal Peace, of International Arbitration, of an International House of Justice, of an Inter- national Language, the Emancipation of Women, Universal Education, the abolition not only of Chattel Slavery, but of Industrial Slavery, the Organization of Humanity as a single whole, with due regard to the rights and liberties of each individual these are problems of gigantic magnitude and stupendous difficulty in relation to which Christians, Muhammadans and adherents of other religions have held and still hold the most diverse and often violently opposed views, but Baha'u'llah has revealed clearly defined principles, the general adoption of which would obviously make the world a paradise.
Truth is for All.
Many are quite ready to admit that the Baha'i teachings would be a splendid thing for Persia and for the East, but imagine that for the nations of the West they are unnecessary or unsuitable. To one who mentioned such a view, 'Abdu'1-Baha replied :
" As to the meaning of the cause of Baha'u'llah, whatever has to do with the universal good is divine, and whatever is divine is for the uni- versal good. If it be true, it is for all ; if not, it is for no one ; therefore a divine cause of universal good cannot be limited to either the East or the West, for the radiance of the Sun of Truth illumines both the East and the West, and it makes its heat felt in the South and in die North there is no difference between one Pole and another. At the time of the Manifestation of Christ, the Romans and Greeks thought His Cause was especially for the Jews. They thought they had a perfect civiliza- tion and nothing to learn from Christ's teachings, and by this false supposi- tion many were deprived of His Grace. Likewise know that the principles of Christianity and the Commandments of Baha'u'llah are identical and that their paths are the same. Every day there is progress ; there was a time when this divine institution (of progressive revelation) was in embryo, then new-born, then a child, then an intellectual youth;
220 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
but to-day it is resplendent with beauty and shining with the greatest brilliancy.
" Happy is he who penetrates the mystery and takes his place in the world of the illumined ones."
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
The New Phase.
With the passing of its beloved leader, 'Abdu'1-Baha, the Baha'I Movement entered on a new phase of its history. It had grown to such an extent that more systematic organization was needed, in order to co-ordinate the activities of the friends in all parts of the world and bring about greater unity and efficiency. The plan of organization had already been outlined by Baha'u'llah, but was more fully described in the last Will and Testament of 'Abdu'1-Baha. The three principal elements in the plan are :
1. "The Guardian of the Cause of God,"
2. " The Hands of the Cause of God," and
3. "The Spiritual Assemblies, Local, National and International."
The Guardian of the Cause of God.
'Abdu'1-Baha appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to the responsible position of " Guardian of the Cause " (Vallyi- Amru'llah). Shoghi Effendi is the eldest son of Zialyyih Khanum, the eldest daughter of 'Abdu'1-Baha. His father, Mirza Hadl, is a relative of the Bab (although not a direct descendant, as the Bab's only child died in infancy). Shoghi Effendi was twenty- five years of age, and was studying at Balliol College, Oxford, at the time of his grandfather's passing. The announcement of his appointment is made in 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will as follows :
" O my loving friends ! After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Branches and Twigs of the Sacred Lote- Tree (i.e. the relatives of the Bab and Baha'u'llah), the Hands of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abha Beauty, to turn unto Shoghi Effendi the youthful Branch, branched from the Two Hallowed and Sacred Lote-Trees (Bab and Baha'u'llah) and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness, as He is the Sign of God, the Chosen Branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 221
whom all the Branches, the Twigs, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He is the expounder of the Words of God, and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants. . . .
"The sacred and youthful Branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the Universal Assembly (Baytu'l-'Adl) to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abha Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness the Exalted One. May my life be offered up for them both ! Whatso- ever they decide is of God. . . .
" O ye beloved of the Lord ! It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own lifetime him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge, wisdom and learning. Thus, should the firs*t-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words, * The child is the secret essence of its sire,' that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian), and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must the Guardian of the Cause choose another Branch to succeed him.
" The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the important services of the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God. The election of these nine must be carried, either unanimously or by majority, from the company of the Hands of the Cause of God, and these, whether unanimously or by a majority vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor. This assent must be given in suchwise that the assenting and dissenting voices may not be distinguished (i.e. by secret ballot)."
" Hands of the Cause of God."
During his own lifetime Baha'u'llah appointed four tried and trusted friends to assist in .directing and promoting the work of the Movement, and gave them the title of Ayachyl-Amnfllah (lit. " Hands of the Cause of God "). Of these, three have passed away and only one remains. 'Abdu'1-Baha makes provision in his Will for the establishment of a permanent body of workers to serve the Cause and help the Guardian of the Cause, who shall bear the same title. He writes :
" O friends ! the Hands of the Cause of God must be nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Cause of God. . . . The obligation of the Hands of the Cause of God is to diffuse the Divine Fragrances,
222 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
to edify the souls of men and to be, at all times and under all circumstances, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.
" This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the direction of the Guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually urge them to strive and endeavour to the utmost of their ability to diffuse the sweet savours of God, and to guide all the people of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that causeth all the universe to be illumined."
Spiritual Assemblies.
The local spiritual assemblies of the Baha'I Movement have been described in a previous chapter and are already at work in many parts of the world. Besides these, however, Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha have provided for the establishment of national and international spiritual assemblies. 'Abdu'1-Baha writes in his Will :
" And now, concerning the Assembly (Bay tu 'I-' Adi) which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God, and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's Faith, and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this assembly is meant the Universal Assembly : that is, in each country a secondary Assembly must be instituted, and these secondary Assemblies must elect the members of the Universal one.
" Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved, and the Guardian of the Cause is its sacred head and the distinguished member, for life, of that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. . . . This Assembly enacteth the laws and the executive enforceth them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body, so that, through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the founda- tion of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
" Unto the Most Holy Book everyone must turn, and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal Assembly. , That which this body, either unanimously or by a majority, doth carry, that is verily the truth and the purpose of God Himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice, and turned away from the Lord of the Covenant.
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 223
" It is incumbent upon the members (of the Universal Assembly) to gather in a certain place and deliberate upon all problems which have caused difference, questions that are obscure, and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book. Whatsoever they decide has the same effect as the Text itself. And inasmuch as this Assembly hath power to enact laws that are not expressly recorded in the Book, and bear upon daily transactions, so also it hath power to repeal the same. Thus, for example, the Assembly enacteth to-day a certain law and enforceth it, and a hundred years hence, circumstances having changed and the condi- tions being altered, another Assembly will then have power, according to the exigencies of the time, to alter that law. This it can do, because that law formeth no part of the Divine Explicit Text. The Assembly is both the initiator and the abrogator of its own laws."
Further Extracts from Testament of 'Abdu'1-Baha.
In view of the momentous importance of the Last Will and Testament of *Abdu'l-Baha, the gravity of the issues it raises and the profound wisdom underlying its provisions, we feel that it would be inadvisable, for the present, to undertake any commentary on its contents. We give, however, as a fitting close to this out- line of the Baha'I Movement, a few further extracts, which vividly portray the spirit and leading principles which animated and guided 'Abdu'1-Baha and are transmitted as a rich heritage to his faithful followers :
" O ye beloved of the Lord ! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in nowise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindli- ness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and loving-kindness that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them.
" For universality is of God and all limitations are earthly."
" Wherefore, O my loving friends ! Consort with all the peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness, upright- ness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness ; that all the world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the grace of Baha ; that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancour may vanish from the world, and the darkness of estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you, show your fidelity unto them ; should they be unjust
224 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
towards you, show justice towards them ; should they keep aloof from you, attract them to yourselves ; should they show their enmity, be friendly towards them ; should they poison your lives, sweeten their souls ; should they inflict a wound upon you, be a salve to their sores. Such are the attributes of the sincere ! Such are the attributes of the truthful ! "
" O ye beloved of the Lord ! It is incumbent upon you to be submis- sive to all Monarchs that are just, and show your fidelity to every righteous King. Serve ye the Sovereigns of the world with utmost truthfulness and loyalty. Show obedience to them and be their well-wishers. Without their leave and permission do not meddle with political affairs ; for disloyalty to the just Sovereign is disloyalty to God Himself. This is my counsel and die commandment of God unto you. Well is it with them that act accordingly."
" Lord ! Thou seest all things weeping me, and my kindred rejoicing in my woes. By thy glory, O my God ! even amongst my enemies, some have lamented my troubles and my distress, and of the envious ones a number have shed tears because of my cares, my exile and my afflictions. They did this because they found naught in me but affection and care, and witnessed naught but kindliness and mercy. As they saw me swept into the flood of tribulation and adversity, and exposed even as a target to the arrows of fate, their hearts were moved with compassion, tears came to their eyes, and they testified, declaring : ' The Lord is our witness ; naught have we seen in him but faithfulness, generosity and extreme compassion.' The Covenant-breakers, foreboders of evil, waxed fiercer in their rancour, rejoiced as I fell a victim to the most grievous ordeal, bestirred themselves against me, and made merry over the heart-rending happenings around me."
" I call upon Thee, O Lord my God ! with my tongue and with all my heart, not to requite them for their cruelty and their wrong deeds, their craft and their mischief, for they are foolish and ignoble, and know not what they do. They discern not good from evil, neither do they distinguish right from wrong, nor justice from injustice. They follow their own desires and walk in the footsteps of the most imperfect and foolish amongst them. O my Lord ! have mercy upon them, shield them from all afflictions in these troubled times, and grant that all trials and hardships may be the lot of this, Thy servant, that has fallen into this darksome pit. Single me out for every woe and make me a sacrifice for all Thy loved ones ! O Lord, Most High ! May my soul, my life, my being, my spirit, my all, be offered up for them ! O God, my God, lowly, suppliant and fallen upon my face, I beseech Thee, with all the ardour of my invoca- tion, to pardon whomsoever hath hurt me, to forgive him that hath con- spired against me and offended me, and to wash away the misdeeds of
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT 225
them that have wrought injustice upon me. Vouchsafe unto them Thy goodly gifts ; give them joy, relieve them from sorrow, grant them peace and prosperity ; give them Thy bliss and pour upon them Thy bounty. Thou art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Help in peril, the Self-Sub- sisting."
"The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves of self and pas- sion, and with absolute detachment scattered far and wide, calling the peoples of the world to the Divine Guidance, till at last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth, and even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that Beloved One of God. Finally hi various lands they suffered glorious martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps."
" O God, my God ! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have declared conclu- sively Thy proofs unto Thy loved ones, and set forth clearly all things unto them, that they may watch over Thy faith, guard Thy straight Path and protect Thy resplendent Law. Thou art verily the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!"
FINIS.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
For the convenience of students who wish to make a further study of the subject a list of books in English and French (by no means com- plete) is appended.
[All the works marked * are obtainable from the Bahai Publishing Society, 508 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Many of them are obtainable also from Burnside, Ltd., Beaconsfield Terrace Road, W. Ken- sington, London W. 14.]
TRANSLATIONS OF WORKS OF BAHA'U'LLAH.
* Hidden Words, from Arabic and Persian originals, with selected prayers
of Baha'u'llah and explanatory notes. 102 pages.
*Tke Book of Ighan (Kitabu'1-Iqan). Contains explanations of sacred scriptures, shows how the search after truth must be pursued, and explains the nature of the " Sovereignty " of the Divine manifestations. 190 pages.
* Tablets of Baha'o'llah. Comprising: Tablet of Tarazat, Tablet
of the World, Words of Paradise, Tablet of Tajalilyat, The Glad Tidings, Tablet of Ishraqat. 137 pages.
* Three Tablets of Baha'o'llah. Comprising : Tablet of the Branch,
Kitabu'l-'Ahd (The Will and Testament of Baha'u'llah) and Lawh- i-Aqdas (A Message to Christians). 32 pages.
*The Seven P 'alleys. An exposition of the stages through which the traveller journeys in his search after truth. 56 pages.
Le Livre de la Certitude (Kitabu'1-Iqan). Trad. Frangaise par Hippolyt Dreyfus. Paris: Ernest Leroux. 1904. 212 pages.
L'Epitre au Fits dv. Loop. Trad. Francaise par Hippolyte Dreyfus. Paris: Librairie Honore Champion. 1913. 185 pages.
227
228 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
TRANSLATIONS OF WRITINGS AND TALKS' OF ABDU'L-BAHA.
*Some Answered Questions. Compiled by Laura Clifford Barney. Table Talks of Abdu'1-Baha in answer to questions put by the com- piler and others. London : Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. 1 344 pages.
* Tablets of Abdu'1-Baha. Vols. i, ii, iii, Letters of Abdu'1-Baha to various
correspondents, chiefly American. Unclassified. About 238 pages each volume.
* Talks by Abdul Baha Given in Paris. Fourth Edition. London:
G. Bell & Sons, Ltd. 1920. 171 pages.
* Abdul Eaha in London. Addresses and notes of conversations. London.
1912. 134 pages.
*Divine Philosophy. Compiled by Isabel Frazer Chamberlain. Talks by Abdul Baha delivered in Europe. 184 pages.
* Mysterious Forces of Civilization. Written by Abdul Baha in 1875,
and addressed to friends in Persia. Deals with problems of civiliza- tion. Advocates Universal League of Nations. Translated by Mirza Johanna Dawud. London : Cope & Fenwick. 1 1910. 242 pages.
Les Lefons de Saint-Jean d'Acre. By Laura Clifford Barney. French version of Some Answered Questions. Paris : Ernest Leroui. 1908.
* The Promulgation of Universal Peace. The first volume of the American
Addresses of Abdul Baha, with introduction by Howard MacNutt. Bahai Publishing Society, Chicago. $2.50.
BOOKS ABOUT THE BAHA'l MOVEMENT.
*The Bahai Movement : Its History, Teachings and Institutions. By Charles Mason Remey. 115 pages.
A Traveller's Narrative. Written to illustrate the Episode of the Bab. Translated by Prof. E. G. Browne. Cambridge University Press. 1891. 425 pages.
*The Bahai Revelation. By Thornton Chase. Contains a compilation of the teachings of Baha'u'Uah classified according to the subjects, 178 pages.
1 Former publishers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 229
*The Eakai Proofs. By Mirza Abul Fazl Gulpaygan, a great Oriental scholar, and disciple of Baha'u'llah. Contains short biographical sketches of the Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'1-Baha, and a convincing statement of the arguments for the truth of the Baha'i Revelation. 288 pages.
*The Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi (<Abdu'l-Baha). By Myrom Phelps. Embodies a detailed historical narrative supplied by the sister of 'Abdu'1-Baha. 243 pages.
*The Universal Religion : Bahaism. By Hippolyte Dreyfus. A short account of the rise of the Baha'i Movement with a discussion of its social import. London : Cope & Fenwick. 1 1909. 175 pages.
The Modern Social Religion. By Horace Holley. London and Toronto : Sidgwick & Jackson, Ltd. 1913. 223 pages.
The Splendour of God. By Eric Hammond. Published in the " Wisdom of the East " Series. London: John Murray. 1911. 124 pages.
The Oriental Rose, or The Teachings of Abdul Eaha. By Mary Handford Ford. Broadway Publishing Co., New York, 1910. 213 pages.
The Reconciliation of Races and Religions. By Thos. Kelly Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D. London : Adam & Charles Black. 1914. 214 pages.
God's Heroes. A Drama in five Acts. By Laura Clifford Barney. The central figure of the drama is Qurratu'l 'Ayn, the illustrious woman disciple of the Bab, who was martyred in 1852. London : Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd. 1910. 106 pages.
Bakai, the Spirit of the Age. By Horace Holley. An introduction to the Bahai Movement from the point of view of Western science and spiritual aspirations. New York : Brentano's. London : Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd.
^Lectures of Jenabe Faze/. Five little volumes of addresses given by Jenabe Fazel Mazandarani in Seattle, U.S.A., in 1921.
*The Dream of God. A Poem. By Albert Durrant Watson. 40 pages.
*The Passing of Abdu'l-Baha. By Lady Blomfield and Shoghi Effendi. 32 pages.
Unity Triumphant. By Elizabeth Herrick. An Introduction to the Baha'i Teachings, and Testimony of Faith in the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. Illustrated. 222 pages. London : Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd. 1923.
Brief Account of the Bahai Movement. By G. Palgrave Simpson. 32 pages. Burnside, Ltd., 9 Beaconsfield Terrace Road, W. Ken- sington.
1 Former publishers.
230 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
*
ACCOUNTS OF VISITS TO <AKKA.
*In Galilee. By Thornton Chase. 84 pages.
* Daily Lessons Received at Acca, January 1908. By Helen S. Goodall
and Ella Goodall Cooper (California). 101 pages.
* Ten Days In the Light of Ace a. By Mrs. Julia M. Grundy. 1 1 1 pages.
* Glimpses of Abdul Eaha. By " Roy " and M.J.M. 16 pages.
* Table Talks with Abdul Eaha. By Mr. and Mrs. George T. Winter-
burn. 32 pages.
*A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca. By Mary L. Lucas. 42 pages.
*Flowers from the Rose Garden of Acca. By Mrs. Finch and Misses Knobloch. 40 pages.
* Table Talks Taken in Acca in 1907. By Arthur S. Agnew. 24 pages. *An Early Pilgrimage. By Mrs. Mary Maxwell. 34 pages.
* Unity Through Love. By Howard Macnutt. 32 pages.
BAHA'I PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS.
Star of the West. In English and Persian. Now in its I4th year. The back numbers of this magazine, which can be had bound in annual volumes, contain a wealth of information about the history and teachings of the Movement. Published twelve times a year by the Publications Committee of the Bahai Temple Unity. Address : Bahai News Service, P.O. Box 283, Chicago, 111., U.SA.
Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom. Issued Quarterly. Editor and Publisher : Ella M. Robarts, 75 Revere Street, Boston. Mass., U.S.A.
Bahai News. In English and Persian. Edited and Published every month in the interest of the Bahai Movement from India, by Prof. Pritam Singh, M.A., Murree Road, Rawalpindi.
Sonne der Wahrheit. Organ of the German Bahai Bund. Published monthly. Verlag des Deutschen Bahai-Bundes, Stuttgart, Holder- linstrasse 35.
Khurskid-ikh^avar (*' Sun of the East "), published monthly in Persian at Ishqabad, Turkistan.
Star of the East. In Japanese and Esperanto. Published monthly at Tokyo, Japan.
INDEX
'Abbas Effendi, see 'Abdu'1-Baha 'Abbas.
'Abdu'1-Baha 'Abbas: birth and childhood, 53 ; youth, 54 ; mar- riage, 55 ; as centre of Covenant, 57 ; imprisonment, 55, 57 ; characteristics, 58 ; Western tours,
60 ; return to Holy Land, 61 ; during -war-time, 63 ; knight- hood, 64 ; last years, 64 ; passing, 65 ; funeral, 66 j writings and addresses, 66 ; station, 67 j as exemplar, 69 ; prophecies re- garding, 189 ; prophecies by, 203.
'Abdu'l-^amld, imprisonment of, 60. Acca, Acre, see 'Akka. Acquiescence, radiant, in Divine
Will, 75.
Adam and Eve, story of, 179. Afflictions, value of, 39, 88, 89,
207, 211 ; of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 224. After-death states, 163, 179. Agnosticism, true, 174. 'Akka, imprisonment of Baha'is in,
39 ; prophecy regarding, 212. Alcohol as beverage forbidden, 94, 203. 'All Pasha, letter to, 207. America, 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to,
6 1 ; prophecies regarding, 208 ; and international peace, 208.
Angels, 200.
Appointment and promotion, 125. Arbitration, international, 147, 203. Armageddon, battle of, 209. Armaments, limitation of, 148, 203. Arts and crafts, importance of, 77,
136. Asceticism forbidden, 75, 95.
Assemblies, spiritual ; local, 157 ;
national, 222 ; international, 118
222.
At-one-ment with God, 218. Authority, religious, no.
Bab : birth and early life, 21 ; declaration, 22 ; claims, 24 ; rejection by Shl'ahs, 24 ; mar- tyrdom, 25 ; tomb, 26 ; writings, 27 ; teachings, 28, 29 ; triumph, 29.
Babhood, meaning of, 23.
Babls ; persecution, 25 ; majority become Baha'is, 37 ; remainder exiled to Cyprus, 37.
Backbiting forbidden, 79, 80.
Badi', martyrdom of, 38.
Baghdad, Baha'u'llah in, 33.
Baha'i ? What is a, 70, 82.
Baha'u'llah : birth and early life, 31 ; imprisoned as Babl, 32, 33 ; exile to Baghdad, 33 ; two years in wilderness, 34 ; opposition of Mullas, 35 ; declaration at Rid- van, 36 ; at Constantinople and Adrianople, 37 ; at 'Akka, 39 j prison - gates opened, 40 ; at Mazra'ih, 41 ; at Bahjf, 43 j passing, 44 ; prophethood, 45, 203, 216 ; mission, 15 ; tomb, 27 ; prophecie* by, 202.
Bahjl, Baha'u'llah at, 43.
Bayan (Revelation of Bab), 28, 50.
Baytu'l-'Adl, national, 222 ; inter- national, 118, 222.
Bequest and inheritance, 130.
231
232 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Bible, quotations from, 17, 18, 71, 72, 76, 175, 183, 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 196,
197, 199, 200, 202, 212.
Birth-pangs of new era, 12. Blessed Beauty, Blessed Perfection
(titles of Baha'u'llah), 41, 42, 57. Body : incapable of immortality, 93 ;
resurrection of, 24, 28; 193 j and
soul, 93, 179.
Boole, quotation from, 170. Branch, Greatest, 56, 117, 189 ; Man
called the, 189. Browne, Prof. E. G., 43, 50. Bruno, Giordano, burned as heretic,
171.
Calamities, due to dis'obedience, 88 5 deliverance from, 88.
Calendar, Baha'r, 25, 155.
Capital and Labour, 129, 130.
Captain of Salvation, 76.
Carlyle, quotations from, n, 13.
Carmel, Baha'u'llah on, 43 ; prophecy regarding, 212.
Celestial concourse, 161, 167.
Celibacy of clergy, 153.
Centre of the Covenant, 56, 189.
Century, eighteenth compared with nineteenth, 13 ; eighteenth, Car- lyle on, 13 ; of establishment of the Kingdom of God, 212.
Changing world, 12.
Character-training, 136.
Chastity and health, 96.
Christ : prophecies concerning, 15, 185 ; return of, 68, 193, 195 ; disciples of, 225.
Christians in Persia, 21.
Civilization, true, 121 j religion the basis of, 121.
Cleanliness, importance of, 95, 96.
Clouds, Son of Man coming in, 199.
Columbus ridiculed by contem- poraries, 172.
Coming of the Lord, 184.
Commissions of investigation, Tur- kish, 59.
Confession of sins, Si.
Conflict, v. concord, 139 j forbidden, 109, 125 ; due to error, 197.
Consultation, necessity for, 125.
Contagion of health, 99. Conversation with God, 83. Co-partnership of employers and
employed, 130. Courtesy enjoined, 78. Covenant, Baha'l, 117 ; Centre of,
56, 189.
Crafts, importance of, 77, 136. Creation, 176 ; Biblical account of,
177.
Creeds and dogmas, outworn, 173. Criminals, treatment of, 136. Crusades and " Holy Wars," 141. Curzon, Lord, quotation from, 216
(footnote). Cycle, new, 109 ; World-, the
present, 191, 193. Cyprus, Babls sent to, 37.
Darwin as heretic, 171.
Day of the Lord, Day of God, 12, 49, 188.
Dead, raising of, 24, 192.
Death-pangs of old era, 12.
Declaration of Bab, 22 ; of Baha'- u'llah, 36, 49.
Democracy, 123 ; Democratic gov- ernment, 122.
Descent of man, 178.
Despotic government, 122, 123.
Devotion to God, 71 ; devotional attitude, 84.
Dispensations, prophetic, i38.
Divinity of manifestations, 46.
Divorce, 155.
Dogmas, outworn, 173.
East and West, unity of, 151.
Economic problems, 126.
Edinburgh, 'Abdu'1-Baha in, 61.
Education : Baha'l views on, 134 ; should be universal, 135 ; organiza- tion of, 157.
Educational methods, reliance on, 125, 131, 134.
Educator of mankind, 12.
Elias, return of, 194.
Emancipation of women, 131.
Emotions, and mental states, effect on health, 99.
End, time of the, 195 ; " End of the world," 190.
INDEX
233
Enemies, Abdu'l-Baha's prayer for
his, 224 $ treatment of, 79, 223. England, 'Abdu'1-Baha in, 61. Enjoyments, teachings regarding, 94. Equality, economic, a chimera, 126 ;
of men and women, 131, 203. Era, new, 109 ; birth-pangs of, 12 ;
old, death-pangs of, 12. Esperanto, 61, 145, 172. Evil, non-existence of, 168 ; Myers
on, 1 80.
Evolution and creation, 177, 178. Exemplar, 'Abdu'1-Baha as, 69 j
manifestation as, 73. Expenditure, public, 127.
Fast, Baha'i, 159 ; fasting, value of, 160.
Fault-finding forbidden, 79,
Feasts, Baha'r, 157, 158.
Finance, public, 127 ; Baha'i, 157.
Freedom, dangers of, 124, 210.
Funds, Baha'i, collection and admin- istration of, 157.
Galileo as heretic, 171. Galvani, opposition to, 172. Gambling, forbidden, 95. Germany, 'Abdu'1-Baha in, 61 ;
prophecy regarding, 205. Glad tidings, Baha'i, n. Glory of God, 31, 187. Golden age foretold, 104. Government, Baha'i views on, 123. Graves, opening of, at Resurrection,
24, 193.
Greatest event in history, n. Guardian of the cause of God, 220
Haifa, war-time at, 63 ; British occupation of, 64 ; prophecy regarding, 212.
Hands of the cause of God, 221.
Harvey, opposition to, 172.
Healer, spiritual, qualifications of, 102.
Healing, art of, 97 ; by material means, 97 j by non-material means, 99 5 mental, 99 ; spiritual, 100, 102 ; how all can help in, 103 .
Health, and healing, 93 ; spiritual, conducive to physical, 101 ; right use of, 104.
Heaven, teachings regarding, 28, 164. Hell, teachings regarding, 28, 164. He whom God shall make manifest, 28. Hidden words, writing of, 36. Holley, Horace, quotation from, 57. Holy Spirit, healing power of, 100. Honesty enjoined, 81. Hospitality, 158, 159. Human nature, possibility of chang-
ing, 108. Humility, of Baha'u'llah, 47 ; en-
joined, 80.
Huxley, quotations from, 170, 174. Hygienic commands, 946.
Idleness and indolence forbidden, Imams, Imam Mihdi, 24. Imprisonment, of Bab, 24 ; of
Baha'u'llah, 33, 39 ; of 'Abdu'l-
Baha, 55, 57, 59. Infallibity, of prophets, 113. Inheritance and bequest, 130. Innate differences of nature, 135. Instincts, natural, 98. Interest on money, legitimacy of, 129. Interpretation of Baha'i teachings,
118 j of prophecies, 183. Intoxicants, prohibition of, 94, 203.
Jabir, quotation of, 25.
Jews, in Persia, 21 ; return of, to
Palestine, 190, 195. Jinab-i-Avarih, 6, 22 (footnote), 55. Judgment, Day of, 15, 190, 200. Justice, 122, 124.
Kindliness enjoined, 223. King of Kings, Baha'u'llah as, 42. Kingdom of God, coming of, 211. Kings, Baha'u'llah's letters to, 38 ;
loyalty to just, 224. Kingship, advantages of, 123. Knighthood of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 64. Knowledge, of Baha'u'llah, 35, 50 ;
importance of, 136 ; of God, 73,
.175- Krishna, 12.
Labour troubles after Great War, 2 10. Land, ownership of, 143, 144. Language, of spirit, 83 ; Universal, need for, 144, 203.
234 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Languages used by Baha'u'llah, 50 ; by 'Abdu'1-Baha, 67.
Latter-day teacher, prophecies re- garding, 17.
League of Nations, Universal, 146, 151, 203.
Letters of the Living, 23.
Life after death, 163, 179.
London, 'Abdu'1-Baha in, 61.
Lord of Hosts, 186.
Lotteries forbidden, 95.
Love of God, 29, 73.
Loyalty to just Governments, 125,224.
Magdalene, Mary, 101, 132.
Mahdi. See Mihdl.
Manifestation of God, as exemplar,
73 ; as light-bringer, 14, 188 ;
the Supreme, 114; after 1,000
years, 118.
Manifestations, Divine, 175. Marriage, of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 55 ;
Baha'l teachings on, 154. Martyrdom, of Bab, 25 ; of Babls
and Baha'ls, 25, 171, 214 ; of
Badl', 38 ; longing of 'Abdu'l-
Baha for, 54, 60 ; of Esperantists,
172.
Marshiqu'l-Adhkar, 161. Mazra'ih, Baha'u'llah at, 41. Mecca, declaration of Bab at, 23. Mediator, necessity for, 85 } prophet
as, 184 ; Jesus as, 184. Medical treatment, use of, 98. Meetings, Baha'l, 160. Mental healing, 99. Message of Baha'u'llah, 107. Messiah, prophecies regarding, 15,
185.
Mihdl, 24. Mind-healing, 99. Mission, of Bab, 28 ; of Baha'u'llah,
48.
Monarchy, constitutional, recom- mended, 123. Monastic life, forbidden, 153 ;
Muhammad on, 154. Moses, his test of prophethood, 17 ;
Mosaic legislation, 112. Muhammad, on prayer, 83 ; on
monastic life, 154. See also
Qur'an.
Muhammadan sects, 20 (footnote), 21.
Mullas, opposition of, 35.
Munlrih Khanum, wife of 'Abdu'I-
Baha, 56.
Myers, F. W. H., quotation from, 179. " Mystery of God," 54.
Napoleon III, prophecy regarding,
204; letter to, 153. Narcotics, prohibition of, 94. Nawruz, Feast of, 158, 159. New phase of Baha'l Movement, 220. Nobility, hereditary, 123. Non-existence of evil, 168. Non-resistance to violence, 51, 137,
149, 223 ; Christ's teaching on,
137- Nuqtiyi-ula (Primal Point), 24.
Obedience to prophets, 75 ; effects of,
96. Oneness, of all life, 93 ; of mankind,
142 ; of the two worlds, 165. Order, law of, in social organization,
126. Organization of Baha'l Movement,
118, 119, 157, 220. Orthodoxy versus progress, 171.
Palestine, coming of Baha'u'llah to, 39, 188 ; as national home for Jews, 190.
Paradise, teaching regarding, 28, 164.
Patriotism, and world-patriotism, 142.
Peace : International, 208, 210 ; Most Great, 49, 140, 211 ; way to, 139 ; religion the basis of, 139.
Persecution, of Babls, 25, 171 ; of prophets, of Baha'ls, 171.
Persia, ancient, 20 ; in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, 20 ; prophecy regarding, 205.
Physician, prophet as, 97 ; pro- fessional, 98 ; God, the great, 113.
Point, Primal, 24.
Poverty, abolition of, 126-30.
Prayer : 83 ; indispensable and obligatory, 86 $ the language of love, 87 ; congregational, 87 ; for deliverance, 88 ; and natural law, 89 ; answers to, 89, 90 ; for health, 1013 ; for dead, 167 ;
INDEX
235
examples of Baha'i, 90-2 ; inter- cessory, 165, 167.
Prejudices, religious, no, 140 ; racial and patriotic, 142 ; must be -abandoned, 174.
Press, influence of, 138. Priesthood, absence of professional,
119.
Profit-sharing recommended, 130. Progress of Baha'i Movement, 214 ;
prophecy regarding, 211. Promised One, n, 24, 49. Promises, fulfilment of prophetic,
114, 115, 218. Promotion by merit, 125. Prophecies, fulfilled by Baha'l
Movement, 183, 186 ; of Baha.'-
u'llah and 'Abdu'1-Baha, 202 ;
about Christ, 15, 185 ; interpre- tation of, 17, 183. Prophet, importance of, 12 ; as
Hght-bringer, 14 ; as physician, 97. Prophets, opposition to, 170, 171 ;
harmony between, 170, 217, 218. Prophethood, proofs of, 17, 18, 202 ;
of Bab, 29, 216 ; of Baha'u'llah,
45, 203, 216.
Prospect, glorious, for humanity, 217 Psychic faculties, 166 ; psychical
research, 179.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn, 132, 228. Qur'an, quotations from, 45, 106, 154, 196, 197, 199.
Racial prejudice, 142. Reconciliation of religion and science,
172 et seq.
Religion, renewal of, 218. Religion-founders, importance of, 12. Religious prejudices, 140 ; religious
wars, 141. Representative government, 122, 123 ;
representative assemblies, Baha'i,
118, 157, 222. Resurrection, 28 ; the Great, 192 ;
Day of, 14 ; of body, 24, 28, 193. Return, of Christ, 68, 193 j of Elias,
194 ; of prophets, 194. Revelation, birthplace of new, 20 ;
need for new, 219 ; progressive,
in j Baha'i, fulness of, 116.
Reverence enjoined, 78.
Riches, limitation of, 126 ; ethics
of, 128. Ridv&n, Baha'u'llah's declaration at
36 ; feast of, 37 j Garden of, near
'Akka, 43. Rulers and subjects, 125.
Schism, prevention of, 118.
Science, importance of, 77, 98, 136 j and religion, 107, 170, 181.
Script, need for a universal, 144.
Search after truth, 18, 19, 72, 173.
Second Coming of Christ, 68, 193, 195, 198.
Sectarianism, in Persia, 21 ; in nine- teenth century, 106 ; cure for, 110 j prevention of, in Baha'i Movement, 118.
Self-government, local, national and international, 124.
Service, life of, 76.
Servitude, of Divine Manifestations, 45 ; of Baha'u'llah, 47 ; of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 68.
Severance from all save God, 75.
Sexes, equality of, 131, 203.
Shah, attempted assassination of, 32 5 letter to, 38.
Sharing, voluntary, of wealth, 127, 130.
Shaykhls, 23.
Shl'ahs, 23, 24, 37.
Shoghi Effendi, 6, 220.
Signs of end of age, 196.
Simple life advocated, 94.
Sin-covering eye, 79.
Sir 'Abdu'1-Baha 'Abbas, K.B.E., 64.
Slavery, chattel and industrial, for- bidden, 129, 203.
Social unrest after Great War, 209.
Spencer, Herbert, 70, 174.
Spirit, the Baha'i, 51 ; communion,. 166.
Spiritual healing, 100 ; spiritual assemblies, 118, 157, 222.
Spread of Baha'i Movement, 211,2 14*
Spring-time, spiritual, 14.
Stephenson and steam engine, 172.
Strikes, avoidance of, 130.
Subh-i-Azal, 34, 37, 57.
Suffrage, women's, 133.
236 BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA
Sufferings, vicarious, 88, 89.
Suggestion, healing by, 99.
Sun of Righteousness, 12, 14, 188,
197.
Survival of fittest, 139, 142. Sultan of Turkey, imprisonment of,
60 ; letter to, 206.
Tabriz, martyrdom of Bab at, 26. Taxation, methods of, 127. Teaching, importance of, 77, 134. Telepathy, 179, 216. Tennyson, quotations from, 162
(footnote), 174. Territorial ambitions, 143. Tests of prophethood, Christ's, 18 ;
Moses', 17. Tihran, 31,53; prophecy regarding,
206.
Tolerance enjoined, 109, no. Tomb, of Bab, 26, 57 ; of Baha'-
u'-llah, 27.
Traditions, Muhammadan, 25, 116. Translations, imperfection of, 19. Tribunal, international, 148, 208. Trust in God, healing value of,
100. Truth, search after, 18, 19, 72, 173 ;
is for all, 219. Truthfulness enjoined, 8r. Turkey, prophecies regarding, 206. Turkish committee of investigation,
59- Tyranny forbidden, 125.
Unity, of mankind, 48, 180 ; religious, 106 et seq. ; of religion and science, 181 ; meetings as means to, 160 ; of East and West, 151 ; era of, i8r.
Veiling of women, 153. "Venereal diseases, prevention of, 96. Vicarious suffering, 88, 89. Victoria, Queen, letter to, in, 146. Vineyard, Christ's parable of, 49, 191. Violence, methods of, to be avoided,
125, 133. Visions, reality of, 166.
War : religious, 141 ; racial and
national, 142 ; territorial, 143 ;
righteous, 150 ; defensive, 150 j
prophecies regarding the Great,
209.
Wealth, ethics of, 128. West and East, unity of, 151. Will and testament, of Baha'u'Uah,
44 ; of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 220 j duty
of making, 130. Women, emancipation of, 29, 131 ;
and the New Age, 133. Word, creative power of God's, 202 j
of prophet, 202 ; of Baha'u'llah,
efficacy of, 203. Work, for all, 128 j as worship, 77,
128. World-unity, obstacles in way of,
115, 180.
World-parliament, 208. Writing, a universal form needed, 144. Writings, of Bab, 27 j of Baha'u'llah,
47, 49 ; of 'Abdu'1-Baha, 66.
Yahya, Mlrza, 33, 37. Young Turks, 60.
Zamenhof, founder of Esperanto,
144, 145, 172. Zoroaster, 12, 20, 48. Zoroastrians, 21.
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Contents of this File

PREFATORY NOTE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I - THE GLAD TIDINGS
The Greatest Event in History.
The Changing World.
The Sun of Righteousness.
The Mission of Baha'u'llah.
Fulfilment of Prophecies.
Proofs of Prophethood.
Difficulties of Investigation.
Aim of Book.
CHAPTER II - BAB : THE FORERUNNER
Birthplace of the New Revelation.
Declaration.
Spread of the Babi Movement.
Claims of Bab.
Persecution Increases.
Tomb on Mount Carmel.
Writings of Bab.
He Whom God shall Make Manifest.
Resurrection, Paradise and Hell.
Social and Ethical Teachings.
Passion and Triumph.
CHAPTER III - BAHA'U'LLAH : THE GLORY OF GOD
Birth and Early Life.
Imprisoned as Babi.
Exile to Baghdad.
Two Years in the Wilderness.
Opposition of Mullas.
Declaration at Ridvan, 1 near Baghdad.
Constantinople and Adrianople.
Letters to Kings.
Imprisonment in 'Akka.
Restrictions Relaxed.
Prison Gates Opened.
Life at Bahji.
Ascension.
Prophethood of Baha'u'llah.
His Mission.
His Writings.
The Baha'i Spirit.
CHAPTER IV - 'ABDU'L-BAHA : THE SERVANT OF BAHA
Birth and Childhood.
Youth.
Marriage.
Centre of the Covenant.
Strict Imprisonment Renewed.
Turkish Commissions of Investigation.
Western Tours.
Return to Holy Land.
War Time at Haifa.
Sir 'Abdu'l~Baha Abbas, K.B.E.
Last Years.
The Passing of *Abdu'lBaha.
Writings and Addresses.
Station of 'Abdu'1-Baha.
Exemplar of Baha'i Life.
CHAPTER V - WHAT IS A BAHA'I ?
Living the Life.
Devotion to God.
Search After Truth.
Love of God.
Severance.
Obedience.
Service.
Teaching.
Courtesy and Reverence.
The Sin-covering Eye.
Humility.
Truthfulness and Honesty.
Self-realization.
CHAPTER VI - PRAYER
Conversation with God.
The Devotional Attitude.
Necessity for a Mediator.
Prayer Indispensable and Obligatory.
Prayer the Language of Love.
Congregational Prayer.
Deliverance from Calamities.
Prayer and Natural Law.
Baha'i Prayers.
CHAPTER VII - HEALTH AND HEALING
Body and Soul.
Oneness of All Life.
Simple Life.
Alcohol and Narcotics.
Enjoyments.
Cleanliness.
Effects of Obedience to Prophetic Commands.
The Prophet as Physician.
Healing by Material Means.
Healing by Non~material Means.
The Power of the Holy Spirit.
Attitude of the Patient.
The Healer.
How All can Help.
The Golden Age.
Right Use of Health.
CHAPTER VIII - RELIGIOUS UNITY
Sectarianism in the Nineteenth Century.
The Message of Baha'u'llah.
Can Human Nature Change ?
First Steps Towards Unity.
The Problem of Authority.
Progressive Revelation.
Infallibility of the Prophets.
The Supreme Manifestation.
A New Situation.
Fulness of the Baha'i Revelation.
The Baha'I Covenant.
No Professional Priesthood.
CHAPTER IX - TRUE CIVILIZATION
Religion the Basis of Civilization.
Justice.
Government.
Political Freedom.
Rulers and Subjects.
Appointment and Promotion.
Economic Problems.
Public Finance.
Voluntary Sharing.
Work for All.
The Ethics of Wealth.
No Industrial Slavery.
Bequest and Inheritance.
Equality of Men and Women.
Women and the New Age.
Methods of Violence Discarded.
Education.
Innate Differences of Nature.
Character Training.
Arts, Sciences, Crafts.
Treatment of Criminals.
Influence of the Press.
CHAPTER X - THE WAY TO PEACE
Conflict versus Concord.
The Most Great Peace.
Religious Prejudices.
Racial and Patriotic Prejudices.
Territorial Ambitions.
Universal Language.
League of Nations.
International Arbitration.
Limitation of Armaments.
Non-resistance.
Righteous Warfare.
Unity of East and West.
CHAPTER XI - VARIOUS ORDINANCES AND TEACHINGS
Monastic Life.
Marriage.
Divorce.
The Baha'i Calendar.
Spiritual Assemblies.
Feasts.
Fast.
Meetings.
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. 1
Life After Death.
Heaven and Hell.
Oneness of the Two Worlds.
The Non-existence of Evil.
CHAPTER XII - RELIGION AND SCIENCE
Conflict Due to Error.
Persecution of Prophets.
The Dawn of Reconciliation.
Search after Truth.
True Agnosticism.
Knowledge of God.
The Divine Manifestations.
Creation.
The Descent of Man.
Body and Soul.
Unity of Mankind.
The Era of Unity.
CHAPTER XIII - PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY THE BAHA'I MOVEMENT
Interpretation of Prophecy.
The Coming of the Lord.
Prophecies about Christ.
Prophecies about the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
The Glory of God.
The Day of God.
Prophecies about 'Abdu'l-Baha.
The Day of Judgment.
The Great Resurrection.
Return of Christ.
The Time of the End.
Signs in Heaven and Earth.
Manner of Coining.
CHAPTER XIV - PROPHECIES OF BAHA'U'LLAH AND 'ABDU'L-BAHA
Creative Power of God's Word.
Napoleon III.
Germany.
Persia.
Turkey.
America.
The Great War.
Social Troubles After the War.
Coming of the Kingdom of God.
'Akka and Haifa.
CHAPTER XV - RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT
Progress of the Movement.
Prophethood of Bab and Baha'u'llah.
A Glorious Prospect.
Renewal of Religion.
Need for New Revelation.
Truth is for All.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
The New Phase.
The Guardian of the Cause of God.
" Hands of the Cause of God."
Spiritual Assemblies.
Further Extracts from Testament of 'Abdu'1-Baha.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
TRANSLATIONS OF WORKS OF BAHA'U'LLAH.
TRANSLATIONS OF WRITINGS AND TALKS' OF ABDU'L-BAHA.
BOOKS ABOUT THE BAHA'l MOVEMENT.
ACCOUNTS OF VISITS TO <AKKA.
BAHA'I PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS.
INDEX
Contents of this File