of the oneness of God in its universality by revealing the identical mission and power in the origin of all the religions. They bring new assurance as to the mercy and love of God for man, and new confirmation of man’s spiritual destiny. The essence of all the Holy Books of the past returns in this Word, stripped of those particular allusions and expressions inevitable under the restrictions of former times. Whoever truly loves any Manifestation of God, whether Muḥammad, Moses, Zoroaster or Christ, will surely turn to Bahá’u’lláh in joyous devotion, as to the only One capable of bringing his most cherished ideals to fruition in this unsettled, dangerous yet glorious age.
Foremost among those who have served the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and increased the proofs of its spiritual truth, is His eldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
It was as a child of eight years that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá began to walk in the path of that Light. From city to city and from prison to prison He accompanied Bahá’u’lláh, taught only by Him, inspired by Him to continue the mission when the physical body of Bahá’u’lláh must at length be no more. Yet, though confinement and oppressive hardship had been His lot for more than fifty years, when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá journeyed through Europe and America there was not one to match the ardor of His humanitarian service, nor the penetration of His mind into the essential problems of human life. His voice most c1earlv sounded the call of religious unity and brotherhood—His warning most courageously foretold the coming World War and pointed out what steps must be taken to avert a complete overthrow of civilization, East and West.
He came not as the representative of any institution, the exponent of any creed, the ambassador of any nation, the defender of any race. Rather did this Personage come as one sent from the very Kingdom of God, and His thoughts, manners, purposes and methods—above all, His intense love for every fellow-man—reflected into humanity the conditions of a higher realm. Though limited human beings cannot honor One from the world of Spirit, nevertheless even according to ordinary standards, such honor was bestowed upon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as no Persian ever received in the Occident during the memory of man.
By reason of the predominance of Greek thought upon modern education in the West, Persia for hundreds of years has been viewed through the eyes of Greek historians and writers, with the result that your Majesty’s nation and people have been victims of instinctive prejudice. By many, Persia would be associated with the idea of complete decadence and corruption, while others would recall the menace of military invasion prevented by the famous victories of Salamis and Marathon. In addition to this burden of prejudice, Persia has also suffered grievously from the antagonism felt by many Christian leaders for every Muslim country. Before ‘Abdu’l-Bahá journeyed to the West, it would have been difficult even to imagine any influence powerful enough to lift this burden from Persia and replace long-established contempt with sympathy and respect.
Persia Honored in the West
But in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Europe and America learned to honor Persia as the source of true wisdom and love. Were the Persian people aware of what He accomplished in their behalf, they would hasten to raise monuments in His name and seek to acquaint themselves with His truth. Instead of that, the Persians, like wolves, are actually tearing to pieces those among them who testify that Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá lived only to serve mankind. One of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh definitely attributes special glory to Persia as the center of devotion for Bahá’ís of all lands. Should not all patriotic Persians appreciate this as the greatest tribute ever paid their land?
The journey undertaken by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá throughout the United States in 1912 assumes year by year a larger mean-
