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"Dearly beloved friends! Great as is my love and admiration ..."
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Dearly beloved friends! Great as is my love and admiration
for you, convinced as I am of the paramount share
which you can, and will, undoubtedly have in both the continental
and international spheres of future Bahá'í activity
and service, I feel it nevertheless incumbent upon me to utter,
at this juncture, a word of warning. The glowing tributes,
so repeatedly and deservedly paid to the capacity, the
spirit, the conduct, and the high rank, of the American believers,
both individually and as an organic community,
must, under no circumstances, be confounded with the
characteristics and nature of the people from which God has
raised them up. A sharp distinction between that community
and that people must be made, and resolutely and fearlessly
upheld, if we wish to give due recognition to the
transmuting power of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, in its impact
on the lives and standards of those who have chosen to enlist
under His banner. Otherwise, the supreme and distinguishing
function of His Revelation, which is none other
than the calling into being of a new race of men, will remain
wholly unrecognized and completely obscured.
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How often have the Prophets of God, not excepting
Bahá'u'lláh Himself, chosen to appear, and deliver their
Message in countries and amidst peoples and races, at a time
when they were either fast declining, or had already
touched the lowest depths of moral and spiritual degradation.
The appalling misery and wretchedness to which the
Israelites had sunk, under the debasing and tyrannical rule
of the Pharaohs, in the days preceding their exodus from
Egypt under the leadership of Moses; the decline that had
set in in the religious, the spiritual, the cultural, and the
moral life of the Jewish people, at the time of the appearance
of Jesus Christ; the barbarous cruelty, the gross idolatry
and immorality, which had for so long been the most distressing
features of the tribes of Arabia and brought such
shame upon them when Muhammad arose to proclaim His
Message in their midst; the indescribable state of decadence,
with its attendant corruption, confusion, intolerance, and
oppression, in both the civil and religious life of Persia, so
graphically portrayed by the pen of a considerable number
of scholars, diplomats, and travelers, at the hour of the Revelation
of Bahá'u'lláh--all demonstrate this basic and inescapable
fact. To contend that the innate worthiness, the
high moral standard, the political aptitude, and social attainments
of any race or nation is the reason for the appearance
in its midst of any of these Divine Luminaries would be
an absolute perversion of historical facts, and would
amount to a complete repudiation of the undoubted interpretation
placed upon them, so clearly and emphatically, by
both Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá.
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How great, then, must be the challenge to those who,
belonging to such races and nations, and having responded
to the call which these Prophets have raised, to unreservedly
recognize and courageously testify to this indubitable truth,
that not by reason of any racial superiority, political capacity,
or spiritual virtue which a race or nation might possess,
but rather as a direct consequence of its crying needs, its lamentable
degeneracy, and irremediable perversity, has the
Prophet of God chosen to appear in its midst, and with it as
a lever has lifted the entire human race to a higher and nobler
plane of life and conduct. For it is precisely under such
circumstances, and by such means that the Prophets have,
from time immemorial, chosen and were able to demonstrate
their redemptive power to raise from the depths of
abasement and of misery, the people of their own race and
nation, empowering them to transmit in turn to other races
and nations the saving grace and the energizing influence of
their Revelation.
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In the light of this fundamental principle it should always
be borne in mind, nor can it be sufficiently emphasized,
that the primary reason why the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh
chose to appear in Persia, and to make it the first repository
of their Revelation, was because, of all the peoples and nations
of the civilized world, that race and nation had, as so
often depicted by `Abdu'l-Bahá, sunk to such ignominious
depths, and manifested so great a perversity, as to find no
parallel among its contemporaries. For no more convincing
proof could be adduced demonstrating the regenerating
spirit animating the Revelations proclaimed by the Báb and
Bahá'u'lláh than their power to transform what can be truly
regarded as one of the most backward, the most cowardly,
and perverse of peoples into a race of heroes, fit to effect in
turn a similar revolution in the life of mankind. To have appeared
among a race or nation which by its intrinsic worth
and high attainments seemed to warrant the inestimable
privilege of being made the receptacle of such a Revelation
would in the eyes of an unbelieving world greatly reduce
the efficacy of that Message, and detract from the self-sufficiency
of its omnipotent power. The contrast so strikingly
presented in the pages of Nabíl's Narrative between the
heroism that immortalized the life and deeds of the Dawn-Breakers
and the degeneracy and cowardice of their defamers
and persecutors is in itself a most impressive testimony
to the truth of the Message of Him Who had instilled such a
spirit into the breasts of His disciples. For any believer of
that race to maintain that the excellence of his country and
the innate nobility of its people were the fundamental reasons
for its being singled out as the primary receptacle of the
Revelations of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh would be untenable
in the face of the overwhelming evidence afforded so convincingly
by that Narrative.
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To a lesser degree this principle must of necessity apply
to the country which has vindicated its right to be regarded
as the cradle of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh. So great a
function, so noble a role, can be regarded as no less inferior
to the part played by those immortal souls who, through
their sublime renunciation and unparalleled deeds, have
been responsible for the birth of the Faith itself. Let not,
therefore, those who are to participate so predominantly in
the birth of that world civilization, which is the direct offspring
of their Faith, imagine for a moment that for some
mysterious purpose or by any reason of inherent excellence
or special merit Bahá'u'lláh has chosen to confer upon their
country and people so great and lasting a distinction. It is
precisely by reason of the patent evils which, notwithstanding
its other admittedly great characteristics and achievements,
an excessive and binding materialism has unfortunately
engendered within it that the Author of their Faith
and the Center of His Covenant have singled it out to become
the standard-bearer of the New World Order envisaged
in their writings. It is by such means as this that Bahá'u'lláh
can best demonstrate to a heedless generation His
almighty power to raise up from the very midst of a people,
immersed in a sea of materialism, a prey to one of the most
virulent and long-standing forms of racial prejudice, and
notorious for its political corruption, lawlessness and laxity
in moral standards, men and women who, as time goes by,
will increasingly exemplify those essential virtues of self-renunciation,
of moral rectitude, of chastity, of indiscriminating
fellowship, of holy discipline, and of spiritual insight
that will fit them for the preponderating share they will
have in calling into being that World Order and that World
Civilization of which their country, no less than the entire
human race, stands in desperate need. Theirs will be the
duty and privilege, in their capacity first as the establishers
of one of the most powerful pillars sustaining the edifice of
the Universal House of Justice, and then as the champion-builders
of that New World Order of which that House is to
be the nucleus and forerunner, to inculcate, demonstrate,
and apply those twin and sorely needed principles of Divine
justice and order--principles to which the political corruption
and the moral license, increasingly staining the society
to which they belong, offer so sad and striking a contrast.
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Observations such as these, however distasteful and
depressing they may be, should not, in the least, blind us to
those virtues and qualities of high intelligence, of youthfulness,
of unbounded initiative, and enterprise which the nation
as a whole so conspicuously displays, and which are
being increasingly reflected by the community of the believers
within it. Upon these virtues and qualities, no less than
upon the elimination of the evils referred to, must depend,
to a very great extent, the ability of that community to lay a
firm foundation for the country's future role in ushering in
the Golden Age of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
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How great, therefore, how staggering the responsibility
that must weigh upon the present generation of the American
believers, at this early stage in their spiritual and administrative
evolution, to weed out, by every means in their
power, those faults, habits, and tendencies which they have
inherited from their own nation, and to cultivate, patiently
and prayerfully, those distinctive qualities and characteristics
that are so indispensable to their effective participation
in the great redemptive work of their Faith. Incapable as yet,
in view of the restricted size of their community and the limited
influence it now wields, of producing any marked effect
on the great mass of their countrymen, let them focus their
attention, for the present, on their own selves, their own individual
needs, their own personal deficiencies and weaknesses,
ever mindful that every intensification of effort on
their part will better equip them for the time when they will
be called upon to eradicate in their turn such evil tendencies
from the lives and the hearts of the entire body of their fellow-citizens.
Nor must they overlook the fact that the World
Order, whose basis they, as the advance-guard of the future
Bahá'í generations of their countrymen, are now laboring to
establish, can never be reared unless and until the generality
of the people to which they belong has been already purged
from the divers ills, whether social or political, that now so
severely afflict it.
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Surveying as a whole the most pressing needs of this
community, attempting to estimate the more serious deficiencies
by which it is being handicapped in the discharge of
its task, and ever bearing in mind the nature of that still
greater task with which it will be forced to wrestle in the
future, I feel it my duty to lay special stress upon, and draw
the special and urgent attention of the entire body of the
American believers, be they young or old, white or colored,
teachers or administrators, veterans or newcomers, to what I
firmly believe are the essential requirements for the success
of the tasks which are now claiming their undivided attention.
Great as is the importance of fashioning the outward
instruments, and of perfecting the administrative agencies,
which they can utilize for the prosecution of their dual task
under the Seven Year Plan; vital and urgent as are the campaigns
which they are initiating, the schemes and projects
which they are devising, and the funds which they are raising,
for the efficient conduct of both the Teaching and Temple
work, the imponderable, the spiritual, factors, which are
bound up with their own individual and inner lives, and
with which are associated their human and social relationships,
are no less urgent and vital, and demand constant
scrutiny, continual self-examination and heart-searching on
their part, lest their value be impaired or their vital necessity
be obscured or forgotten.
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Of these spiritual prerequisites of success, which constitute
the bedrock on which the security of all teaching
plans, Temple projects, and financial schemes, must ultimately
rest, the following stand out as preeminent and vital,
which the members of the American Bahá'í community will
do well to ponder. Upon the extent to which these basic requirements
are met, and the manner in which the American
believers fulfill them in their individual lives, administrative
activities, and social relationships, must depend the measure
of the manifold blessings which the All-Bountiful Possessor
can vouchsafe to them all. These requirements are none
other than a high sense of moral rectitude in their social and
administrative activities, absolute chastity in their individual
lives, and complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings
with peoples of a different race, class, creed, or color.
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The first is specially, though not exclusively, directed to
their elected representatives, whether local, regional, or national,
who, in their capacity as the custodians and members
of the nascent institutions of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, are
shouldering the chief responsibility in laying an unassailable
foundation for that Universal House of Justice which,
as its title implies, is to be the exponent and guardian of that
Divine Justice which can alone insure the security of, and
establish the reign of law and order in, a strangely disordered
world. The second is mainly and directly concerned
with the Bahá'í youth, who can contribute so decisively to
the virility, the purity, and the driving force of the life of the
Bahá'í community, and upon whom must depend the future
orientation of its destiny, and the complete unfoldment of
the potentialities with which God has endowed it. The third
should be the immediate, the universal, and the chief concern
of all and sundry members of the Bahá'í community, of
whatever age, rank, experience, class, or color, as all, with
no exception, must face its challenging implications, and
none can claim, however much he may have progressed
along this line, to have completely discharged the stern responsibilities
which it inculcates.
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A rectitude of conduct, an abiding sense of undeviating
justice, unobscured by the demoralizing influences which a
corruption-ridden political life so strikingly manifests; a
chaste, pure, and holy life, unsullied and unclouded by the
indecencies, the vices, the false standards, which an inherently
deficient moral code tolerates, perpetuates, and fosters;
a fraternity freed from that cancerous growth of racial
prejudice, which is eating into the vitals of an already debilitated
society--these are the ideals which the American believers
must, from now on, individually and through concerted
action, strive to promote, in both their private and
public lives, ideals which are the chief propelling forces that
can most effectively accelerate the march of their institutions,
plans, and enterprises, that can guard the honor and
integrity of their Faith, and subdue any obstacles that may
confront it in the future.
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This rectitude of conduct, with its implications of justice,
equity, truthfulness, honesty, fair-mindedness, reliability,
and trustworthiness, must distinguish every phase of the
life of the Bahá'í community. "The companions of God," Bahá'u'lláh
Himself has declared, "are, in this day, the lump that
must leaven the peoples of the world. They must show forth such
trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such deeds
and character that all mankind may profit by their example." "I
swear by Him Who is the Most Great Ocean!" He again affirms,
"Within the very breath of such souls as are pure and sanctified
far-reaching potentialities are hidden. So great are these potentialities
that they exercise their influence upon all created things." "He
is the true servant of God," He, in another passage has written,
"who, in this day, were he to pass through cities of silver and gold,
would not deign to look upon them, and whose heart would remain
pure and undefiled from whatever things can be seen in this world,
be they its goods or its treasures. I swear by the Sun of Truth! The
breath of such a man is endowed with potency, and his words with
attraction." "By Him Who shineth above the Dayspring of sanctity!"
He, still more emphatically, has revealed, "If the whole
earth were to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can be
said to have truly ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude
would deign to regard it, much less to seize and keep it.... They
who dwell within the Tabernacle of God, and are established upon
the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of
hunger, to stretch their hands, and seize unlawfully the property of
their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be. The purpose
of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind
to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to
resignation and submissiveness to the will of God, to forbearance
and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array
every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him
with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds." "We have admonished
all the loved ones of God," He insists, "to take heed lest the
hem of Our sacred vesture be smirched with the mire of unlawful
deeds, or be stained with the dust of reprehensible conduct."
"Cleave unto righteousness, O people of Bahá," He thus exhorts
them, "This, verily, is the commandment which this wronged One
hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained will
for every one of you." "A good character," He explains, "is, verily,
the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples
of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth
the light of the sun and the radiance thereof." "One righteous
act," He, again, has written, "is endowed with a potency that
can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of
heavens. It can tear every bond asunder, and hath the power to
restore the force that hath spent itself and vanished.... Be pure,
O people of God, be pure; be righteous, be righteous.... Say: O
people of God! That which can insure the victory of Him Who is
the Eternal Truth, His hosts and helpers on earth, have been set
down in the sacred Books and Scriptures, and are as clear and
manifest as the sun. These hosts are such righteous deeds, such
conduct and character, as are acceptable in His sight. Whoso ariseth,
in this Day, to aid Our Cause, and summoneth to his assistance
the hosts of a praiseworthy character and upright conduct,
the influence from such an action will, most certainly, be diffused
throughout the whole world." "The betterment of the world," is
yet another statement, "can be accomplished through pure and
goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct." "Be fair
to yourselves and to others," He thus counseleth them, "that
the evidences of justice may be revealed through your deeds among
Our faithful servants." "Equity," He also has written, "is the
most fundamental among human virtues. The evaluation of all
things must needs depend upon it." And again, "Observe equity
in your judgment, ye men of understanding heart! He that is unjust
in his judgment is destitute of the characteristics that distinguish
man's station." "Beautify your tongues, O people," He further
admonishes them, "with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with
the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not
treacherously with anyone. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His
creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people."
"Let your eye be chaste," is yet another counsel, "your hand
faithful, your tongue truthful, and your heart enlightened." "Be an
ornament to the countenance of truth," is yet another admonition,
"a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of
righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of
the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue." "Let
truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning," is still another admonition;
"suffer not yourselves to be deprived of the robe of forbearance
and justice, that the sweet savors of holiness may be
wafted from your hearts upon all created things. Say: Beware, O
people of Bahá, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ
from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest to the
peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth His commandments.
Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions
of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct.
It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from
others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon
the whole earth. Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and
keepeth the precepts prescribed by Him Who is the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise."
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"O army of God!" writes `Abdu'l-Bahá, "Through the protection
and help vouchsafed by the Blessed Beauty--may my life
be a sacrifice to His loved ones--ye must conduct yourselves in
such a manner that ye may stand out distinguished and brilliant as
the sun among other souls. Should any one of you enter a city, he
should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his
faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and
loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the
people of that city may cry out and say: `This man is unquestionably
a Bahá'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals,
his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá'ís.'
Not until ye attain this station can ye be said to have been faithful
to the Covenant and Testament of God." "The most vital duty, in
this day," He, moreover, has written, "is to purify your characters,
to correct your manners, and improve your conduct. The beloved
of the Merciful must show forth such character and conduct
among His creatures, that the fragrance of their holiness may be
shed upon the whole world, and may quicken the dead, inasmuch
as the purpose of the Manifestation of God and the dawning of the
limitless lights of the Invisible is to educate the souls of men, and
refine the character of every living man...." "Truthfulness," He
asserts, "is the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness
progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible
for any soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the
divine qualities will also be acquired."
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Such a rectitude of conduct must manifest itself, with
ever-increasing potency, in every verdict which the elected
representatives of the Bahá'í community, in whatever capacity
they may find themselves, may be called upon to pronounce.
It must be constantly reflected in the business dealings
of all its members, in their domestic lives, in all manner
of employment, and in any service they may, in the future,
render their government or people. It must be exemplified in
the conduct of all Bahá'í electors, when exercising their sacred
rights and functions. It must characterize the attitude of
every loyal believer towards nonacceptance of political
posts, nonidentification with political parties, nonparticipation
in political controversies, and nonmembership in political
organizations and ecclesiastical institutions. It must reveal
itself in the uncompromising adherence of all, whether
young or old, to the clearly enunciated and fundamental
principles laid down by `Abdu'l-Bahá in His addresses, and
to the laws and ordinances revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in His
Most Holy Book. It must be demonstrated in the impartiality
of every defender of the Faith against its enemies, in his fair-mindedness
in recognizing any merits that enemy may possess,
and in his honesty in discharging any obligations he
may have towards him. It must constitute the brightest ornament
of the life, the pursuits, the exertions, and the utterances
of every Bahá'í teacher, whether laboring at home or
abroad, whether in the front ranks of the teaching force, or
occupying a less active and responsible position. It must be
made the hallmark of that numerically small, yet intensely
dynamic and highly responsible body of the elected national
representatives of every Bahá'í community, which constitutes
the sustaining pillar, and the sole instrument for the
election, in every community, of that Universal House
whose very name and title, as ordained by Bahá'u'lláh, symbolizes
that rectitude of conduct which is its highest mission
to safeguard and enforce.
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So great and transcendental is this principle of Divine
justice, a principle that must be regarded as the crowning
distinction of all Local and National Assemblies, in their capacity
as forerunners of the Universal House of Justice, that
Bahá'u'lláh Himself subordinates His personal inclination
and wish to the all-compelling force of its demands and implications.
"God is My witness!" He thus explains, "were it not
contrary to the Law of God, I would have kissed the hand of My
would-be murderer, and would cause him to inherit My earthly
goods. I am restrained, however, by the binding Law laid down in
the Book, and am Myself bereft of all worldly possessions." "Know
thou, of a truth," He significantly affirms, "these great oppressions
that have befallen the world are preparing it for the advent of
the Most Great Justice." "Say," He again asserts, "He hath appeared
with that Justice wherewith mankind hath been adorned,
and yet the people are, for the most part, asleep." "The light of men
is Justice," He moreover states, "Quench it not with the contrary
winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance
of unity among men." "No radiance," He declares, "can
compare with that of justice. The organization of the world and the
tranquillity of mankind depend upon it." "O people of God!" He
exclaims, "That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is upheld
by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are
the sources of life to the world." "Justice and equity," is yet another
assertion, "are two guardians for the protection of man.
They have appeared arrayed in their mighty and sacred names to
maintain the world in uprightness and protect the nations." "Bestir
yourselves, O people," is His emphatic warning, "in anticipation
of the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is now
come. Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import, and be accounted
among the erring." "The day is approaching," He similarly has
written, "when the faithful will behold the daystar of justice shining
in its full splendor from the dayspring of glory." "The shame I
was made to bear," He significantly remarks, "hath uncovered
the glory with which the whole of creation had been invested, and
through the cruelties I have endured, the daystar of justice hath
manifested itself, and shed its splendor upon men." "The world,"
He again has written, "is in great turmoil, and the minds of its
people are in a state of utter confusion. We entreat the Almighty
that He may graciously illuminate them with the glory of His Justice,
and enable them to discover that which will be profitable unto
them at all times and under all conditions." And again, "There
can be no doubt whatever that if the daystar of justice, which the
clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to shed its light upon men,
the face of the earth would be completely transformed."
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"God be praised!" `Abdu'l-Bahá, in His turn, exclaims,
"The sun of justice hath risen above the horizon of Bahá'u'lláh. For
in His Tablets the foundations of such a justice have been laid as
no mind hath, from the beginning of creation, conceived." "The
canopy of existence," He further explains, "resteth upon the pole
of justice, and not of forgiveness, and the life of mankind dependeth
on justice and not on forgiveness."
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Small wonder, therefore, that the Author of the Bahá'í
Revelation should have chosen to associate the name and
title of that House, which is to be the crowning glory of His
administrative institutions, not with forgiveness but with
justice, to have made justice the only basis and the permanent
foundation of His Most Great Peace, and to have proclaimed
it in His Hidden Words as "the best beloved of all
things" in His sight. It is to the American believers, particularly,
that I feel urged to direct this fervent plea to ponder in
their hearts the implications of this moral rectitude, and to
uphold, with heart and soul and uncompromisingly, both
individually and collectively, this sublime standard--a standard
of which justice is so essential and potent an element.
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As to a chaste and holy life, it should be regarded as no
less essential a factor that must contribute its proper share to
the strengthening and vitalization of the Bahá'í community,
upon which must in turn depend the success of any Bahá'í
plan or enterprise. In these days when the forces of irreligion
are weakening the moral fiber, and undermining the
foundations of individual morality, the obligation of chastity
and holiness must claim an increasing share of the attention
of the American believers, both in their individual
capacities and as the responsible custodians of the interests
of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. In the discharge of such an obligation,
to which the special circumstances resulting from an
excessive and enervating materialism now prevailing in
their country lend particular significance, they must play a
conspicuous and predominant role. All of them, be they
men or women, must, at this threatening hour when the
lights of religion are fading out, and its restraints are one by
one being abolished, pause to examine themselves, scrutinize
their conduct, and with characteristic resolution arise to
purge the life of their community of every trace of moral
laxity that might stain the name, or impair the integrity, of
so holy and precious a Faith.
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A chaste and holy life must be made the controlling
principle in the behavior and conduct of all Bahá'ís, both in
their social relations with the members of their own community,
and in their contact with the world at large. It must
adorn and reinforce the ceaseless labors and meritorious exertions
of those whose enviable position is to propagate the
Message, and to administer the affairs, of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
It must be upheld, in all its integrity and implications,
in every phase of the life of those who fill the ranks of that
Faith, whether in their homes, their travels, their clubs, their
societies, their entertainments, their schools, and their universities.
It must be accorded special consideration in the
conduct of the social activities of every Bahá'í summer
school and any other occasions on which Bahá'í community
life is organized and fostered. It must be closely and continually
identified with the mission of the Bahá'í youth, both as
an element in the life of the Bahá'í community, and as a factor
in the future progress and orientation of the youth of
their own country.
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Such a chaste and holy life, with its implications of
modesty, purity, temperance, decency, and clean-mindedness,
involves no less than the exercise of moderation in all
that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic
and literary avocations. It demands daily vigilance in the
control of one's carnal desires and corrupt inclinations. It
calls for the abandonment of a frivolous conduct, with its
excessive attachment to trivial and often misdirected pleasures.
It requires total abstinence from all alcoholic drinks,
from opium, and from similar habit-forming drugs. It condemns
the prostitution of art and of literature, the practices
of nudism and of companionate marriage, infidelity in marital
relationships, and all manner of promiscuity, of easy familiarity,
and of sexual vices. It can tolerate no compromise
with the theories, the standards, the habits, and the excesses
of a decadent age. Nay rather it seeks to demonstrate,
through the dynamic force of its example, the pernicious
character of such theories, the falsity of such standards, the
hollowness of such claims, the perversity of such habits, and
the sacrilegious character of such excesses.
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21 |
"By the righteousness of God!" writes Bahá'u'lláh, "The
world, its vanities and its glory, and whatever delights it can offer,
are all, in the sight of God, as worthless as, nay even more contemptible
than, dust and ashes. Would that the hearts of men could
comprehend it. Wash yourselves thoroughly, O people of Bahá,
from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it.
God Himself beareth Me witness! The things of the earth ill beseem
you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten
your eyes upon this most holy and effulgent Vision." "O ye My
loved ones!" He thus exhorts His followers, "Suffer not the hem
of My sacred vesture to be smirched and mired with the things of
this world, and follow not the promptings of your evil and corrupt
desires." And again, "O ye the beloved of the one true God! Pass
beyond the narrow retreats of your evil and corrupt desires, and
advance into the vast immensity of the realm of God, and abide ye
in the meads of sanctity and of detachment, that the fragrance of
your deeds may lead the whole of mankind to the ocean of God's
unfading glory." "Disencumber yourselves," He thus commands
them, "of all attachment to this world and the vanities thereof.
Beware that ye approach them not, inasmuch as they prompt you
to walk after your own lusts and covetous desires, and hinder you
from entering the straight and glorious Path." "Eschew all manner
of wickedness," is His commandment, "for such things are forbidden
unto you in the Book which none touch except such as God
hath cleansed from every taint of guilt, and numbered among the
purified." "A race of men," is His written promise, "incomparable
in character, shall be raised up which, with the feet of detachment,
will tread under all who are in heaven and on earth, and
will cast the sleeve of holiness over all that hath been created from
water and clay." "The civilization," is His grave warning, "so
often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if
allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil
upon men.... If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific
a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the
restraints of moderation." "He hath chosen out of the whole world
the hearts of His servants," He explains, "and made them each a
seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify them from
every defilement, that the things for which they were created may
be engraven upon them. This indeed is a token of God's bountiful
favor." "Say," He proclaims, "He is not to be numbered with the
people of Bahá who followeth his mundane desires, or fixeth his
heart on things of the earth. He is My true follower who, if he come
to a valley of pure gold will pass straight through it aloof as a
cloud, and will neither turn back, nor pause. Such a man is assuredly
of Me. From his garment the Concourse on high can inhale
the fragrance of sanctity.... And if he met the fairest and most
comely of women, he would not feel his heart seduced by the least
shadow of desire for her beauty. Such an one indeed is the creation
of spotless chastity. Thus instructeth you the Pen of the Ancient of
Days, as bidden by your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful."
"They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations," is yet another
warning, "have erred and dissipated their efforts. They indeed
are of the lost." "It behooveth the people of Bahá," He also
has written, "to die to the world and all that is therein, to be so
detached from all earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may
inhale from their garment the sweet smelling savor of sanctity....
They that have tarnished the fair name of the Cause of God by
following the things of the flesh--these are in palpable error!"
"Purity and chastity," He particularly admonishes, "have been,
and still are, the most great ornaments for the handmaidens of
God. God is My Witness! The brightness of the light of chastity
sheddeth its illumination upon the worlds of the spirit, and its fragrance
is wafted even unto the Most Exalted Paradise." "God," He
again affirms, "hath verily made chastity to be a crown for the
heads of His handmaidens. Great is the blessedness of that handmaiden
that hath attained unto this great station." "We, verily,
have decreed in Our Book," is His assurance, "a goodly and
bountiful reward to whosoever will turn away from wickedness,
and lead a chaste and godly life. He, in truth, is the Great Giver,
the All-Bountiful." "We have sustained the weight of all calamities,"
He testifies, "to sanctify you from all earthly corruption and
ye are yet indifferent.... We, verily, behold your actions. If We
perceive from them the sweet smelling savor of purity and holiness,
We will most certainly bless you. Then will the tongues of the
inmates of Paradise utter your praise and magnify your names
amidst them who have drawn nigh unto God."
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22 |
"The drinking of wine," writes `Abdu'l-Bahá, "is, according
to the text of the Most Holy Book, forbidden; for it is the cause
of chronic diseases, weakeneth the nerves, and consumeth the
mind." "Drink ye, O handmaidens of God," Bahá'u'lláh Himself
has affirmed, "the Mystic Wine from the cup of My words. Cast
away, then, from you that which your minds abhor, for it hath
been forbidden unto you in His Tablets and His Scriptures. Beware
lest ye barter away the River that is life indeed for that which the
souls of the pure-hearted detest. Become ye intoxicated with the
wine of the love of God, and not with that which deadeneth your
minds, O ye that adore Him! Verily, it hath been forbidden unto
every believer, whether man or woman. Thus hath the sun of My
commandment shone forth above the horizon of My utterance, that
the handmaidens who believe in Me may be illumined."
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23 |
It must be remembered, however, that the maintenance
of such a high standard of moral conduct is not to be
associated or confused with any form of asceticism, or of excessive
and bigoted puritanism. The standard inculcated by
Bahá'u'lláh seeks, under no circumstances, to deny anyone
the legitimate right and privilege to derive the fullest advantage
and benefit from the manifold joys, beauties, and pleasures
with which the world has been so plentifully enriched
by an All-Loving Creator. "Should a man," Bahá'u'lláh Himself
reassures us, "wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of
the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can
bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to
intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good
thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of
His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good
things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves
from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him,
and be of them that are truly thankful."
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24 |
As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh
a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the
whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded
as constituting the most vital and challenging issue
confronting the Bahá'í community at the present stage of its
evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount
importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose,
the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and
fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates,
invest this problem, which the American believers are still
far from having satisfactorily resolved, with an urgency and
importance that cannot be overestimated. White and Negro,
high and low, young and old, whether newly converted to
the Faith or not, all who stand identified with it must participate
in, and lend their assistance, each according to his or
her capacity, experience, and opportunities, to the common
task of fulfilling the instructions, realizing the hopes, and
following the example, of `Abdu'l-Bahá. Whether colored or
noncolored, neither race has the right, or can conscientiously
claim, to be regarded as absolved from such an obligation, as
having realized such hopes, or having faithfully followed
such an example. A long and thorny road, beset with pitfalls,
still remains untraveled, both by the white and the Negro
exponents of the redeeming Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. On the
distance they cover, and the manner in which they travel
that road, must depend, to an extent which few among
them can imagine, the operation of those intangible influences
which are indispensable to the spiritual triumph of the
American believers and the material success of their newly
launched enterprise.
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25 |
Let them call to mind, fearlessly and determinedly, the
example and conduct of `Abdu'l-Bahá while in their midst.
Let them remember His courage, His genuine love, His informal
and indiscriminating fellowship, His contempt for
and impatience of criticism, tempered by His tact and wisdom.
Let them revive and perpetuate the memory of those
unforgettable and historic episodes and occasions on which
He so strikingly demonstrated His keen sense of justice, His
spontaneous sympathy for the downtrodden, His ever-abiding
sense of the oneness of the human race, His overflowing
love for its members, and His displeasure with
those who dared to flout His wishes, to deride His methods,
to challenge His principles, or to nullify His acts.
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26 |
To discriminate against any race, on the ground of its
being socially backward, politically immature, and numerically
in a minority, is a flagrant violation of the spirit that
animates the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. The consciousness of any
division or cleavage in its ranks is alien to its very purpose,
principles, and ideals. Once its members have fully recognized
the claim of its Author, and, by identifying themselves
with its Administrative Order, accepted unreservedly the
principles and laws embodied in its teachings, every differentiation
of class, creed, or color must automatically be obliterated,
and never be allowed, under any pretext, and however
great the pressure of events or of public opinion, to
reassert itself. If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it
should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favor of
the minority, be it racial or otherwise. Unlike the nations and
peoples of the earth, be they of the East or of the West, democratic
or authoritarian, communist or capitalist, whether belonging
to the Old World or the New, who either ignore,
trample upon, or extirpate, the racial, religious, or political
minorities within the sphere of their jurisdiction, every organized
community enlisted under the banner of Bahá'u'lláh
should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to
nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging
to any faith, race, class, or nation within it. So great and
vital is this principle that in such circumstances, as when an
equal number of ballots have been cast in an election, or
where the qualifications for any office are balanced as between
the various races, faiths or nationalities within the
community, priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the
party representing the minority, and this for no other reason
except to stimulate and encourage it, and afford it an opportunity
to further the interests of the community. In the light
of this principle, and bearing in mind the extreme desirability
of having the minority elements participate and share responsibility
in the conduct of Bahá'í activity, it should be
the duty of every Bahá'í community so to arrange its affairs
that in cases where individuals belonging to the divers minority
elements within it are already qualified and fulfill the
necessary requirements, Bahá'í representative institutions,
be they Assemblies, conventions, conferences, or committees,
may have represented on them as many of these divers
elements, racial or otherwise, as possible. The adoption of
such a course, and faithful adherence to it, would not only
be a source of inspiration and encouragement to those elements
that are numerically small and inadequately represented,
but would demonstrate to the world at large the universality
and representative character of the Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh, and the freedom of His followers from the taint
of those prejudices which have already wrought such havoc
in the domestic affairs, as well as the foreign relationships,
of the nations.
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27 |
Freedom from racial prejudice, in any of its forms,
should, at such a time as this when an increasingly large section
of the human race is falling a victim to its devastating
ferocity, be adopted as the watchword of the entire body of
the American believers, in whichever state they reside, in
whatever circles they move, whatever their age, traditions,
tastes, and habits. It should be consistently demonstrated in
every phase of their activity and life, whether in the Bahá'í
community or outside it, in public or in private, formally as
well as informally, individually as well as in their official capacity
as organized groups, committees and Assemblies. It
should be deliberately cultivated through the various and
everyday opportunities, no matter how insignificant, that
present themselves, whether in their homes, their business
offices, their schools and colleges, their social parties and
recreation grounds, their Bahá'í meetings, conferences, conventions,
summer schools and Assemblies. It should, above
all else, become the keynote of the policy of that august
body which, in its capacity as the national representative,
and the director and coordinator of the affairs of the community,
must set the example, and facilitate the application
of such a vital principle to the lives and activities of those
whose interests it safeguards and represents.
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28 |
"O ye discerning ones!" Bahá'u'lláh has written, "Verily,
the words which have descended from the heaven of the Will of
God are the source of unity and harmony for the world. Close your
eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness."
"We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of
the nations," He proclaims, "...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."
"Bahá'u'lláh hath said," writes `Abdu'l-Bahá, "that the various
races of humankind lend a composite harmony and beauty of color
to the whole. Let all associate, therefore, in this great human garden
even as flowers grow and blend together side by side without
discord or disagreement between them." "Bahá'u'lláh," `Abdu'l-Bahá
moreover has said, "once compared the colored people to
the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black
pupil is seen the reflection of that which is before it, and through it
the light of the spirit shineth forth."
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29 |
"God," `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself declares, "maketh no distinction
between the white and the black. If the hearts are pure
both are acceptable unto Him. God is no respecter of persons on
account of either color or race. All colors are acceptable unto Him,
be they white, black, or yellow. Inasmuch as all were created in the
image of God, we must bring ourselves to realize that all embody
divine possibilities." "In the estimation of God," He states, "all
men are equal. There is no distinction or preference for any soul, in
the realm of His justice and equity." "God did not make these divisions,"
He affirms; "these divisions have had their origin in man
himself. Therefore, as they are against the plan and purpose of God
they are false and imaginary." "In the estimation of God," He
again affirms, "there is no distinction of color; all are one in the
color and beauty of servitude to Him. Color is not important; the
heart is all-important. It mattereth not what the exterior may be if
the heart is pure and white within. God doth not behold differences
of hue and complexion. He looketh at the hearts. He whose morals
and virtues are praiseworthy is preferred in the presence of God; he
who is devoted to the Kingdom is most beloved. In the realm of
genesis and creation the question of color is of least importance."
"Throughout the animal kingdom," He explains, "we do not find
the creatures separated because of color. They recognize unity of
species and oneness of kind. If we do not find color distinction
drawn in a kingdom of lower intelligence and reason, how can it be
justified among human beings, especially when we know that all
have come from the same source and belong to the same household?
In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions
of race and color have arisen afterward." "Man is endowed
with superior reasoning power and the faculty of perception"; He
further explains, "he is the manifestation of divine bestowals.
Shall racial ideas prevail and obscure the creative purpose of unity
in his kingdom?" "One of the important questions," He significantly
remarks, "which affect the unity and the solidarity of
mankind is the fellowship and equality of the white and colored
races. Between these two races certain points of agreement and
points of distinction exist which warrant just and mutual consideration.
The points of contact are many.... In this country, the
United States of America, patriotism is common to both races; all
have equal rights to citizenship, speak one language, receive the
blessings of the same civilization, and follow the precepts of the
same religion. In fact numerous points of partnership and agreement
exist between the two races, whereas the one point of distinction
is that of color. Shall this, the least of all distinctions, be allowed
to separate you as races and individuals?" "This variety in
forms and coloring," He stresses, "which is manifest in all the
kingdoms is according to creative Wisdom and hath a divine purpose."
"The diversity in the human family," He claims, "should
be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many
different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord." "If
you meet," is His admonition, "those of a different race and color
from yourself, do not mistrust them, and withdraw yourself into
your shell of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them
kindness." "In the world of being," He testifies, "the meeting is
blessed when the white and colored races meet together with infinite
spiritual love and heavenly harmony. When such meetings are
established, and the participants associate with each other with
perfect love, unity and kindness, the angels of the Kingdom praise
them, and the Beauty of Bahá'u'lláh addresseth them, `Blessed are
ye! Blessed are ye!'" "When a gathering of these two races is
brought about," He likewise asserts, "that assemblage will become
the magnet of the Concourse on high, and the confirmation of
the Blessed Beauty will surround it." "Strive earnestly," He again
exhorts both races, "and put forth your greatest endeavor toward
the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this
bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible
without will and effort on the part of each; from one, expressions
of gratitude and appreciation; from the other, kindliness and
recognition of equality. Each one should endeavor to develop and
assist the other toward mutual advancement.... Love and unity
will be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of
mankind. For the accomplishment of unity between the colored
and white will be an assurance of the world's peace." "I hope," He
thus addresses members of the white race, "that ye may cause
that downtrodden race to become glorious, and to be joined with
the white race, to serve the world of man with the utmost sincerity,
faithfulness, love, and purity. This opposition, enmity, and prejudice
among the white race and the colored cannot be effaced except
through faith, assurance, and the teachings of the Blessed Beauty."
"This question of the union of the white and the black is very important,"
He warns, "for if it is not realized, erelong great difficulties
will arise, and harmful results will follow." "If this matter remaineth
without change," is yet another warning, "enmity will
be increased day by day, and the final result will be hardship and
may end in bloodshed."
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30 |
A tremendous effort is required by both races if their
outlook, their manners, and conduct are to reflect, in this
darkened age, the spirit and teachings of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Casting away once and for all the fallacious doctrine
of racial superiority, with all its attendant evils, confusion,
and miseries, and welcoming and encouraging the intermixture
of races, and tearing down the barriers that now divide
them, they should each endeavor, day and night, to fulfill
their particular responsibilities in the common task which so
urgently faces them. Let them, while each is attempting to
contribute its share to the solution of this perplexing problem,
call to mind the warnings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, and visualize,
while there is yet time, the dire consequences that must
follow if this challenging and unhappy situation that faces
the entire American nation is not definitely remedied.
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31 |
Let the white make a supreme effort in their resolve to
contribute their share to the solution of this problem, to
abandon once for all their usually inherent and at times subconscious
sense of superiority, to correct their tendency
towards revealing a patronizing attitude towards the members
of the other race, to persuade them through their intimate,
spontaneous and informal association with them of
the genuineness of their friendship and the sincerity of their
intentions, and to master their impatience of any lack of responsiveness
on the part of a people who have received, for
so long a period, such grievous and slow-healing wounds.
Let the Negroes, through a corresponding effort on their
part, show by every means in their power the warmth of
their response, their readiness to forget the past, and their
ability to wipe out every trace of suspicion that may still linger
in their hearts and minds. Let neither think that the solution
of so vast a problem is a matter that exclusively concerns
the other. Let neither think that such a problem can
either easily or immediately be resolved. Let neither think
that they can wait confidently for the solution of this problem
until the initiative has been taken, and the favorable circumstances
created, by agencies that stand outside the orbit
of their Faith. Let neither think that anything short of genuine
love, extreme patience, true humility, consummate tact,
sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent,
and prayerful effort, can succeed in blotting out the stain
which this patent evil has left on the fair name of their common
country. Let them rather believe, and be firmly convinced,
that on their mutual understanding, their amity, and
sustained cooperation, must depend, more than on any other
force or organization operating outside the circle of their
Faith, the deflection of that dangerous course so greatly
feared by `Abdu'l-Bahá, and the materialization of the
hopes He cherished for their joint contribution to the fulfillment
of that country's glorious destiny.
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32 |
Dearly beloved friends! A rectitude of conduct which,
in all its manifestations, offers a striking contrast to the deceitfulness
and corruption that characterize the political life
of the nation and of the parties and factions that compose it;
a holiness and chastity that are diametrically opposed to the
moral laxity and licentiousness which defile the character of
a not inconsiderable proportion of its citizens; an interracial
fellowship completely purged from the curse of racial prejudice
which stigmatizes the vast majority of its people--these
are the weapons which the American believers can and
must wield in their double crusade, first to regenerate the
inward life of their own community, and next to assail the
long-standing evils that have entrenched themselves in the
life of their nation. The perfection of such weapons, the
wise and effective utilization of every one of them, more
than the furtherance of any particular plan, or the devising
of any special scheme, or the accumulation of any amount
of material resources, can prepare them for the time when
the Hand of Destiny will have directed them to assist in creating
and in bringing into operation that World Order which
is now incubating within the worldwide administrative institutions
of their Faith.
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33 |
In the conduct of this twofold crusade the valiant warriors
struggling in the name and for the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh
must, of necessity, encounter stiff resistance, and suffer
many a setback. Their own instincts, no less than the fury of
conservative forces, the opposition of vested interests, and
the objections of a corrupt and pleasure-seeking generation,
must be reckoned with, resolutely resisted, and completely
overcome. As their defensive measures for the impending
struggle are organized and extended, storms of abuse and
ridicule, and campaigns of condemnation and misrepresentation,
may be unloosed against them. Their Faith, they may
soon find, has been assaulted, their motives misconstrued,
their aims defamed, their aspirations derided, their institutions
scorned, their influence belittled, their authority undermined,
and their Cause, at times, deserted by a few who
will either be incapable of appreciating the nature of their
ideals, or unwilling to bear the brunt of the mounting criticisms
which such a contest is sure to involve. "Because of
`Abdu'l-Bahá," the beloved Master has prophesied, "many a
test will be visited upon you. Troubles will befall you, and suffering
afflict you."
|
34 |
Let not, however, the invincible army of Bahá'u'lláh,
who in the West, and at one of its potential storm centers is
to fight, in His name and for His sake, one of its fiercest and
most glorious battles, be afraid of any criticism that might be
directed against it. Let it not be deterred by any condemnation
with which the tongue of the slanderer may seek to
debase its motives. Let it not recoil before the threatening
advance of the forces of fanaticism, of orthodoxy, of corruption,
and of prejudice that may be leagued against it. The
voice of criticism is a voice that indirectly reinforces the
proclamation of its Cause. Unpopularity but serves to throw
into greater relief the contrast between it and its adversaries,
while ostracism is itself the magnetic power that must eventually
win over to its camp the most vociferous and inveterate
amongst its foes. Already in the land where the greatest
battles of the Faith have been fought, and its most rapacious
enemies have lived, the march of events, the slow yet steady
infiltration of its ideals, and the fulfillment of its prophecies,
have resulted not only in disarming and in transforming the
character of some of its most redoubtable enemies, but also
in securing their firm and unreserved allegiance to its
Founders. So complete a transformation, so startling a reversal
of attitude, can only be effected if that chosen vehicle
which is designed to carry the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to the
hungry, the restless, and unshepherded multitudes is itself
thoroughly cleansed from the defilements which it seeks to
remove.
|
35 |
It is upon you, therefore, my best-beloved friends, that
I wish to impress not only the urgency and imperative necessity
of your holy task, but also the limitless possibilities
which it possesses of raising to such an exalted level not
only the life and activities of your own community, but the
motives and standards that govern the relationships existing
among the people to which you belong. Undismayed by the
formidable nature of this task, you will, I am confident,
meet as befits you the challenge of these times, so fraught
with peril, so full of corruption, and yet so pregnant with
the promise of a future so bright that no previous age in the
annals of mankind can rival its glory.
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