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STAR OF THE WEST
PUBLISHED NINETEEN TIMES A YEAR
In the Interest of the BAHAI MOVEMENT
By the BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, 515 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
Publishers: ALBERT R. WINDUST—GERTRUDE BUIKEMA—DR. ZIA M. BAGDADI
Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the postoffice at Chicago, Ill., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
TERMS: $3.00 per year; 20 cents per copy.
Two copies to same name and address, $5.00 per year.
Make Money Orders Payable to BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, P. O. Box 283, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
To personal checks please add sufficient to cover the bank exchange.
Address all communications to BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, P. O. Box 283, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
"Great importance must be given to the development of the STAR OF THE WEST. The circle of its discussion must be widened; in its columns must be published the essential problems pertaining to the Bahai life in all its phases. Its contents must be so universal that even the strangers may subscribe to it. Articles must be published, dealing with the universal principles of the Cause, the writers proving that this Cause takes a vital interest in all the social and religious movements of the age and is conducive to the progress of the world and its inhabitants. In short, the STAR OF THE WEST must promote the aspirations and the ideals that will gather little by little around these general Tablets, bringing into the light of day all the historical, religious and racial knowledge which will be of the utmost value to the Bahai teachers all over the world."
From Unveiling of the Divine Plan.
| Vol. 12 | CONTENTS | No. 5 |
| PAGE | |
Jenabi Fazel and Manucher Khan with the Bahai Friends in Kenosha, Wis. | 98 |
The Conformity of Science and Religion—The Universal Education of the Future | 99 |
| By JENABI FAZEL. | |
The Removal of Race Prejudice | 103 |
| Excerpts from the Words of BAHA'O'LLAH and Abdul-Baha, compiled by M. H. and M. M. | |
The Martyrdom of Mirza Jacoab Motahedi | 104 |
| Recent Letters from Dr. Susan T. Moody and Dr. Habibollah. | |
PERSIAN SECTION—Written by Dr. Zia M. Bagdadi | 112-109 |
| 1. Talk by Abdul-Baha given at the Japanese Church, San Francisco,
California. | |
| Martyrdom of Murshed. Martyrdom of Mirza Kurban Aly. Duties of the Rich and Poor. The Mashreq'ul-Azkar at Kerman, Persia. | |
JENABI FAZEL, AND MANUCHER KHAN WITH THE BAHAI FRIENDS IN KENOSHA, WIS.
"We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations; that all nations shall become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men shall be strengthened, that diversity of religion shall cease and differences of race be annulled. So it shall be; these fruitless strifes; these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the 'Most Great Peace' shall come."—BAHA'O'LLAH.
| Vol. 12 | Nur 1, 77 (June 5, 1921) | No. 5 |
Education of the Future
Address of JENABI FAZEL, delivered at the Bahai Congress, held in the Auditorium Hotel, Chicago, Tuesday evening, April 26th, 1921
Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. Interpreter. Stenographically reported.THE cause of His Holiness, BAHA'O'LLAH, is a movement, a dispensation which includes in it the dreams, the visions, the aspirations and the hopes of the past seers, prophets, thinkers and philosophers, impartially, and with an eye of justice and equanimity.
If a student studies and investigates the realities and the principles of the religion of BAHA'O'LLAH, he will find therein all the truth, all the realities, which are for the betterment and the refinement of character and the development of humanity.
One of the cardinal principles of this blessed dispensation is the conformity of all religious ideals with scientific deductions. If a person ponders over this great principle, he will realize that it has solved one of the greatest problems of the age; it has eradicated the source of many misunderstandings and confusions which were the causes of war and struggle in former ages.
There is no doubt whatsoever that in this universal scheme of things, in this laboratory of nature, there is no more complete, and intricate, and subtle faculty created by God than the brain and its manifold convolutions. The categories, psychological and spiritual, belong to the manifestations of the brain. No matter how you may locate it, whether in the cerebrum or cerebellum, whether in the lower or upper part of the brain—these categories are the most wonderful, the most perfect realization of this great phenomenon called mind or brain.
The sublimity, the grandeur, and the all comprehending powers of man emanate from the mind. If man were minus the functioning powers of the mind, he would be less than the animals, or anything in the animal kingdom, save certain kinds, who manifest greater powers of instinct or characteristics than man.
The intellectual function in man is like a brilliant star or lamp deposited by the hand of the Almighty in the very center of the human being, which functioning power has the quality of revealing and discovering all the secret laws of nature and creation.
It is the manifesting of that mental power which has made possible the revelation of the mysteries of the laws of nature. It is through that intellectual power that sciences, arts, crafts, industries, and all the other instruments and channels of modern civilization, have transformed the world, and have brought to them those elements which have made life livable and comfortable in our modern civilization.
We can liken this intellectual power to a mine in the depth of which there are infinite gems and jewels. From the beginning of creation the world of humanity has been digging and digging so that these jewels and gems, hidden in
the mine of intellect may be displayed. But, how much of it have we brought into display! only, very, very, little. What we have is only a drop, and what is hidden, still, and which we must develop and explore, is like a great infinite, depthless, boundless ocean.
It is beyond a shadow of doubt, that these powers of the mind were undergoing from time immemorial great changes and transformations, and these transformations and metamorphosis lead to the expansion of the intellect, the extension of the domain of knowledge, the bringing into the world of reality those invisible laws of creation.
If we overlook the mind and its manifestations, the results, and the outcomes issuing from the activity of this intelligence, what would be man? What will we be? Only a conglomeration of flesh, muscles, bones and other materials—nothing more.
Consequently this intellectual force is a guide and an unerring companion, an inner prophet, an interior saviour deposited in the nature of man by the hand of God, that leads man from the path of wrong into the highway of righteousness, that teaches him to shun evil and hasten toward good.
In the world of science and knowledge, if we go back into the Dark Ages, medieval history, we find many seemingly scientific hypothesis and theories which were looked upon as realities in those ages; but they are today exploded through new discoveries. How are we going to explain those phenomena? We can explain it by this fact, that those theories, looked upon as realities by our forefathers, were simply efforts of the mind, assertions of man to explain certain unexplained laws, and as man is a curious animal and he desires to know things these were his efforts to find out, and when the time passed and the necessity for those laws was obviated, greater and more perfect laws were born into the world.
The science of astronomy is the greatest illustration. Because, there was a time when the Ptolemaic system was taught in Egypt, later on adopted by the Greeks, and then introduced into Europe—that the earth was the center of the universe and the sun, the stars, the planets, all revolve around this infinitesimal globe of ours. How ridiculous this theory seems to modern mind! And yet, for ages and ages it was taught, and anyone who departed one hair's breadth from this theory was looked upon as a heretic and a dangerous man.
Is there any intelligent being today, who would rise and say that we must still believe in that ancient, exploded theory of astronomy or astrology!
Now, here is one philosophical point that I call your attention to: Just as the sciences of the world evolve and every age has its school of science and philosophy, likewise, hand in hand with science and philosophy goes the development and the evolution of religion. Religion is an index to the science of the day, and science is an index to the religion of the day.
The prophets and the manifestations of God are the teachers in the schools of humanity; just as the teachers in our schools have to teach the children in accord with their receptivity for growth and mental acquisition, likewise, these great prophets taught the children of mankind from age to age in those lessons for which they were adapted, so that they might go through certain classes, receive their certificate, and attain to the higher and the highest classes of perfection.
We are living, today, in a universal age, in an era of universal consciousness, in an age of the discovery of the sciences, the display of imagination, the perfections and the revealment of the mystic laws, and if we study the contents of the seven books of the religions of the past, we find in them certain statements which are not in accord with the deductions of modern science. What are we going to do with them?
Because the priests of religions, the teachers of these sacred books, assert dogmatically that these statements must be taken literally, and not otherwise, and that their outward meanings must be accepted by the people, without any interpretation, we find an increasing number of men and women leaving their churches and religious organizations, disappointed with the kind of teachings that these teachers give and thus avoiding all religions and anything that savors of religion.
To make this matter plain—the students of religions in the past, from certain statements in their books, gained a conception of Deity which is anthropomorphic, that is, a human being sitting on a throne with a long white beard, with thousands and thousands of angels bowing down before him doing his biddings and singing songs and hallelujahs. This conception is based upon the theocratic or rather despotic Oriental idea that the king was that type, the highest in the government, with all the ministers and courtiers doing obedience or prostrating before him in every way. They got their conception of God from their idea of government.
Now, it is very well, and very good for our ancestors to have believed in this theory, because the signs of the creation inculcated and developed such thought; but what can we do today, when modern sciences have exploded that idea of heaven, that locality where this so-called God was residing? Where is that place? Science comes and tells us that this is an infinite expanse of ether; the more you ascend the more infinite it becomes and thus the place and the position of the ancient heavens are all obliterated.
Similarly, in regard to the question of the creation. It was taught that God created this world in six days; that the time will come when He will repent of His creation and He will destroy it, and all the world must come to an end. Now, the story of geology, and other similiar sciences, tells us that this world has been created millions and millions of years; that it will run according to normal life many more millions of years. How are we going to conform these two principles or ideas?
The ancient theologians tried to find out, or locate, hell. So after much discussion, they came to this conclusion: That it was in the center of the earth—very hot—and it was a square plane, rectangular, all its angles equal to each other and that all the evil souls were thrown in the depth of that fiery lake. Geology has come and exploded this theory.
Now, these material or physical facts of nature, misinterpreted, are miraculous religious ideas without conformity with science and reason. Both these ideas are against scientific principles and must somehow, in this age, be squared, before religion can advance in the consciousness of man.
When an intelligent person presented himself before a priest and asked him questions similiar to those we have propounded in the lecture, about these matters, and asked him to explain the meaning of these things, that they were unreasonable and unscientific—all that that priest or minister had to tell them was, "You have to believe in these things blindly. Faith is the law. You must not search, you must not investigate. These are beyond your conception; just continue to believe and somehow, some day you will find it out." (Laughter.) A rather weak consolation.
This had two evil results: Firstly, a scientific mind would never believe in these metaphysical theological dogmas; and secondly, it drove away many many thousands of students who were open minded and ready to believe, but they could not be convinced because these ministers of religions were unable to explain these ideas and give to these men that religious consolation and trust which are the foundation of life.
You have only to read the development of the history of the religions and find
throughout various ages and cycles that there have been great prophets and great philosophers and scholars who tried to conform religious laws with scientific postulates; but these religious ministers, who were engrained in their fanaticism and dogmatism arose against them and ostracized them, looked upon them as heretics, burned them at the stake and thus throttled the voice of freedom and the development of conscience.
This struggle between science and religion, this conflict between faith and science went on and on, till in the appearance of BAHA'O'LLAH, seventy years ago, he through his divine power, through his supernal majesty, evolved that heavenly plan for the unification of science and religion which will continue throughout all the succeeding ages, with increasing blessings upon mankind.
He stated that God is reality. Religion is likewise reality, and this reality is not against science. If religious idea is against scientific ideas, it is superstition and must be thrown away.
His greatest divine service was to write spiritual interpretations of the religious books of the world explaining their meanings so that they are today in conformity with the scientific conscience of the time.
Poetically and spiritually he said, "the soul of man is like unto a bird." Just as the bird cannot soar toward the apex of heaven, likewise, the bird of the soul cannot soar or fly in the atmosphere of knowledge without two wings—the wing of science and the wing of religion.
Science without religion is similar unto a jewel which is covered with soiled and tattered cloths, or it is like unto a light which is shining through a dark, sooty, glass. Science without religion is likened unto a very beautiful, perfect body, but lifeless; like unto a very clear glass, but lightless.
Here comes in his system of education which is based upon the development of the mind and the heart, of the intellect, of the emotions, so that side by side these two powers, religion and science, may work and advance along the highway of humanity.
Science and religion are likened unto two eyes for the body of mankind; likened unto two pillars for the erection of the palace of human brotherhood and solidarity.
Almost all the differences and dissensions existing among the religions of the world were based upon ignorance and misunderstanding of the realities of their books and when BAHA'O'LLAH explained those facts to them and corresponded their religious ideals with scientific or intellectual principles all the differences were removed and a great urge or surge of spiritual life appeared.
BAHA'O'LLAH, consequently, brought to us the essence of religion which is the reality of science and he gave to us the quintessence of signs which is the jewel of religion and thus united and harmonized the religions of the world and removed all signs and theories of conflicts and turmoils.
This is the age of illumination, this is the cycle of light, this is the era of human brotherhood, this is the time for universal peace, and we cannot—and will never—have the realities of these principles until all of us will arise and conform all our religious ideas to scientific principles. Thus these two blessings of God will transform the surface of the earth into the paradise of glory.
The Convention for "Amity between the Colored and White Races," baaed on Heavenly Teachings, held in Washington, D. C., May 19, 20 and 21, prompted us to publish the following compiled from the Words of BAHA'O'LLAH and Abdul-Baha, bearing upon this important matter.—The Editors.
Excerpts from the Holy Utterances of BAHA'O'LLAH and ABDUL-BAHA. Compiled by M. H. and M. M.
From the Utterances of BAHA'O'LLAH.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 shall become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men shall be strengthened; that diversity of religion shall 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. 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 (humanity).
O ye discerning ones of the people! 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. Be the cause of the comfort and the advancement of humanity. This handful of dust, the world, is one home; let it be in unity. Forsake pride; it is a cause of discord. Follow that which tends to harmony.
From the Utterances of ABDUL-BAHA.
O ye dear ones of Abdul-Baha!
In the world of existence 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 united love and kindness, the angels of the Kingdom praise them and the Beauty of BAHA'O'LLAH addresses them: "Blessed are ye! And again, blessed are ye!"
(From a Tablet to Mr. Louis G. Gregory, Washington, D. C.):
O thou wooer of Truth!
Thy letter was received. Its contents indicated thy attainment to the Most Great Guidance. Thank thou God that thou hast attained to such a bounty, discovered the faith of the Kingdom and received the glad-tidings of the universe of the Most High. This divine bestowal is conducive to thy everlasting glory in both worlds.
I hope that thou mayest become the herald of the Kingdom; become the means whereby the white and colored people shall close their eyes to racial differences and behold the reality of humanity—that is the universal unity which is the oneness of the kingdom of the human race, the basic harmony of the world and the appearance of the bounty of the Almighty.
In brief, do thou not look upon thy weak body and thy limited capacity; look thou upon the bounties of the Lord of the Kingdom, for His confirmation is great and His power unparalleled and
(Continued on page 106)
O thou STAR OF THE WEST!
Be thou happy! Be thou happy! Shouldst thou continue to remain firm and eternal, ere long, thou shall become the Star of the East and shalt spread in every country and clime. Thou art the first paper of the Bahais which is organized in the country of America. Although for the present thy subscribers are limited, thy form is small and thy voice weak, yet shouldst thou stand unshakable, become the object of the attention of the friends and the center of the generosity of the leaders of the faith who are firm in the Covenant, in the future thy subscribers will become hosts after hosts like unto the waves of the sea; thy volume will increase, thy arena will become vast and spacious and thy voice and fame will be raised and become world-wide—and at last thou shall become the first paper of the world of humanity. Yet all these depend upon firmness firmness, firmness!
O ye apostles of BAHA'O'LLAH—May my life be a ransom to you!
. . . . Similarly, the Magazine, the STAR OF THE WEST, must be edited in the utmost regularity, but its contents must be the promulgator of the Cause of God—so that both in the East and the West, they may become informed with the most important events.
| Vol. 12 | Nur 1, 77 (June 5, 1921) | No. 5 |
RECENT LETTERS FROM DR. SUSAN I. MOODY
AND DR. HABIBOLLAH.Teheran, Persia, March 21, 1921.
To the STAR OF THE WEST:
I am sending you the original letter of Dr. Habibollah that, as he says, the friends "may know by what means the Cause progresses here."
This is the first Jewish martyr in the Bahai Cause. He sought martyrdom and it was granted.
I know Mirza Yousef Khan, the Bahai teacher, well, for he was connected with the Tarbiat boys school for many years and then had a good position in the Government which, he gave up when the friends in Kermanshah urged him to come and help them in teaching seekers for light. As Kermanshah is now too disturbed for open teaching he has gone on to Bagdad to work there.
Miss Stewart is still en route from Acca, now detained in Hamadan by bad roads and much depth of snow. In Teheran it is snow and rain combined.
In loving service, ever in His Name,
S. I. Moody.
Kermanshah, Persia,
January 27th, 1921.
Allaho'Abha!
Dr. Susan I. Moody.
Dear spiritual sister:—Mr. Fareeborz Lessanos-Sultan gave me your love and greetings. I was thinking of sending you a material present, but I am quite confident that you are much more interested in spiritual matters, so I satisfy myself by writing, in brief, the history of the martyrdom of Mirza Jacoab Motahedi, which by itself is one of the most pathetic events of history—a tragedy which touches every hard-hearted man, how much more a believer who is in full sympathy and firmness as you.
Of course, you have heard of the agitations of the Mohammedans during the last four or five months. They threatened the believers, particularly Mirza Jacoab Motahedi. He was banished, he was cursed, he was imprisoned, etc., but he spiritually withstood them gallantly. He showed a splendid spirit of magnanimity and fearlessness. The governor
chose a policeman to escort him; he refused that, too. Every one of us could see clearly that his life was in great danger and we were always advising him not to live in this town. His words were, "I am not afraid to be killed in the Path of God." Finally on Saturday, the 12th of Jamadi Aval, 1339, while he was walking with his brother Hadji Mirza Yousef, in the streets (at 12 A. M.) he was shot dead by a young terror, who up to the present time is walking freely in the town. Hadji Mirza Yousef had fainted; afterwards he came to my house in a state of absolute collapse. I treated him and he was resuscitated. Had he expressed himself he would also have been killed. His wife was pregnant. Both of them went to Hamadan full of spiritual happiness and firmness in the Cause. Hadji Mirza Yousef was encouraging each and all of us. He said to some of the believers, "Why are you frightened? My brother is killed and not yours; if we do not sacrifice our lives and properties in the path of God, we are not Bahais."
The dead body was carried by the policemen to the police station. There was a crowd of about 5,000, or more, in a great state of agitation—shouting, jeering and cursing. None of the believers could reveal themselves amidst this furious mob. Even the Jews expressed their enmity; they did not allow the body to be buried in the Jewish cemetery.
At the moment when the enemies thought that the limit of humiliation had been reached, Mirza Yousef Khan Quasvini, the Bahai teacher, began teaching the policemen and officers, by telling them that Bahais are quite willing to be martyred; they are not displeased at the Divine Decree. He said that besides this Mirza Jacoab Motahedi had written a petition to Abdul-Baha begging him to accept his martyrdom. He said that today we are not sorry, today we are spiritually in great joy and fragrance and he began chanting the Hidden Words and started with the policeman to Nazmieh.
Mirza Yousef Khan was encompassed by a greater crowd. When he went to Nazmieh he took with him four coolies in order to carry the body to the cemetery. His first words to the chief of police were: "The murderer was mistaken; he ought to have killed me. I am Motahedi. We are men who kiss the hands of their murderers," etc.
When the dead body of the martyr was taken to the house, almost all the inhabitants of the town came to see what was going to happen. People were throwing stones, some were beating the body with sticks, some spat at him, others threw ashes and dust on him, shouting, jeering and cursing. In fact, they did all they could; they even wanted to burn the body. They highly praised the "good act" of the murderer. It was 9 P. M. before Mirza Yousef Khan had washed, dressed and placed him in a clean coffin, put a Bahai ring of the Greatest Name upon his finger, kissed him and chanted loudly the Bahai prayer and buried him near the Jewish cemetery.
Dear sister, I am unable to draw the sketch of what I saw while the policemen were escorting Mirza Yousef Khan in front of the "procession" (the body was taken by two coolies). In fact, he showed a very splendid spirit of firmness and self-sacrifice. Amidst the ferocious mob he was gently smiling and very politely walking, two policemen, with fixed bayonets, in front of him, and two others behind; the mass of people following.
The people are talking very much and want to martyr Mirza Yousef Khan. He does not seem to care. All day long he walks the streets—especially in narrow streets purposely—in order to show to the enemies that the Bahais are not afraid of being killed.
The life of the rest of the friends is
in great danger. Most probably a massacre will take place. Each is visited separately by armed men who tell them to leave the town or else they will be killed. Some of the believers are leaving, others are hidden.
The people are secretly talking much about me. I don’t know what will be my fate. Whatsoever thing may happen in the Path of God, I welcome it with utmost joy. The only thing of which I am afraid is that my children may be brought up without Bahai education Please be good to them.
If you find some interesting points in this letter you are free to write to the believers in America, so that they may be informed by what means the Cause progresses in Persia.
With Bahai love and greetings,
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Habibollah.
incomparable. Rely as much as thou canst upon the True One, and be thou resigned to the Will of God, so that like unto a candle thou mayest be enkindled in the world of humanity, and like unto a star thou mayest shine and gleam from the horizon of Reality and become the cause of the guidance of both races.
Upon thee be Baha-el-Abha!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
(Translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Washington, D. C., Nov. 17, 1909.)
(From a Tablet to Mr. J. H. Harman, Washington, D. C., received at the same time as the foregoing one to Mr. L. G. Gregory):
Ye have written that the colored Bahais have gathered in one meeting with the white believers, destroying the foundation of racial differences and the barriers of color. When a gathering of these two races is brought about, that assemblage will become the magnet of the Supreme Concourse and the confirmation of the Blessed Perfection will surround it.
(From a Tablet to Mrs. Louis Washington of New York City):
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
In thy letter thou hast intimated that thou art colored. In the Kingdom of God no distinction is made as to the color of the skin, whether it be black or white; nay, rather the heart and soul are considered. If the spirit is pure, the face is illumined, although it be black. If the heart is stained, the face is dark and depressed, although it may be of the utmost beauty. The color of the pupils of the eye is black, yet they are the fountains of light.
Although the white color is apparent, yet in it is hidden and concealed seven colors. Therefore whiteness and blackness have no importance; nay, rather the circle of distinction is based upon soul and heart.
(From a Tablet to Mrs. J. H. Hannen):
Praise be to God, that the doors of the Kingdom are opened, the voice of God is raised; no differences remain between the white and the colored races. All of them are favored at the Threshold of the Almighty and all are beloved in the sight of Abdul-Baha.
Upon thee be Baha-el-Abha!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
(From a Tablet to Robert Ferrell):
O thou who art awakened by the Light of Guidance! Praise be to God, that through Mr. and Mrs. Kinney thou didst hear the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God and found eternal life through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. It is hoped that the ensign of the Lord of Hosts may be
raised and unfurled among the colored race and through the effort of the friends the lights of guidance be diffused, so that the accomplishments of the black race may equal those of the white race.
Convey the wonderful Abha greeting to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. Marie Botay, and work with her in the guidance of thy race, and endeavor thou so that thy respected wife may be led by the light of guidance.
Upon thee be greeting and praise!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
(Translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Washington, D. C., April 19, 1910.)
}
(From a Tablet to Charles Mason Remey):
O dear friend!
. . . . . You have written that there were several meetings of joy and happiness—one for white and another for colored people. Praise be to God! As both races are under the protection of the All-Knowing God, therefore, the lamps of unity must be lighted in such a manner in these meetings that no distinction be perceived between the white and colored. Colors are phenomenal, but the realities of men are essence. When there exists unity of the essence, what power has the phenomenal? When the light of reality is shining, what power has the darkness of the unreal? If it be possible, gather together these two races—black and white—into one Assembly. . . . Moreover, by the Will of God, may it be so. This is a great service to humanity.
Mr. Gregory is at present in great happiness. He went to Acca and visited the Holy Threshold and the Supreme Court. He is now, day and night, mingling with the friends of God and Abdul-Baha in joy and gladness. He will return to America very soon, and you, the white people, should then honor and welcome this shining colored man in such a way that all the people will be astonished. . . . . .
Upon you be the Glory of God!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
(Words of Abdul-Baha—copied from notes taken at Acca by Mr. and Mrs. Hannen, February, 1909):
There should be no differentiation between the blacks and the whites. All are the creatures of God. All are created by one God. There is no black and white in the Kingdom of God. The purest heart is the best whether white or black. I had a servant—Esphandiar by name—he was better than a hundred whites. He was so good tempered, so faithful and trustworthy. One would be amazed at his intelligence.
The question of the races is one which is extremely regrettable. For the blacks hate the whites, while the whites distrust the blacks. You must overcome this by showing them that you make no distinction. The end will be very unfortunate for both if the differences are not removed.
(Words of Abdul-Baha—copied from STAR OF THE WEST, August 1, 1912):
Consider the kingdom of the animals; there is no strife among them on account of color or creed. If you select a pigeon from Persia, another from Germany, another from France, America, and so on, you would find them living together in complete union and love. Because one was American, it would not object to its companion from Persia. The birds of white plumage would not shun those of black and brown. They would not notice this difference in color, but would dwell together in peace and harmony. Should we not at least attain to their state and possibility? We have reason; we have consciousness. God has taught us through these channels that we were created for unity and love. The heavenly prophets have revealed the principles of His Will and Word. Let us
live in accord with those principles and thereby live in unity with each other.
(Copied from Ahmad's diary letter, September 28, 1913):
I can never forget the day in Washington when our beloved Abdul-Baha called on the Ambassador of Turkey. He was sitting near the window, watching the number of men and women passing by. At the time a young negro as black as coal passed by. "Did you see that young black negro?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. "I declare by BAHA'O'LLAH that I wish him to become as radiant as the shining sun which is flooding the world with its glorious lights," he said earnestly.
This example will show you how our Beloved is anxious, and how he is working day and night so that all mankind may advance daily along the degrees of spiritual and intellectual activities of the ever marching upward till it attains to the highest station of perfection.
(Copy of a message from Abdul-Baha to Mrs. Botay, sent through Mrs. Carrie Kinney, Acca, 1909):
Give Mrs. Botay my greetings and love and tell her she must greatly endeavor through the assistance of heaven to cast light among the colored people so that they may become as our brothers; no blacks, no whites; both as one. By this means you shall free Americans from all prejudice. Because in the Kingdom of God all are the same, whether black or white. The greater the faith of either, the more acceptable is he in the Kingdom. A faithful colored believer is a child of the Kingdom; while a white unbeliever is deprived. God looks upon hearts; not upon colors. He looks upon qualities; not upon bodies.
(Some words of Abdul-Baha to Mrs. Botay. This is not a verbatim report, but written at once from memory):
Abdul-Baha said to me that the affiliation of the white with the colored people was a great work in the Cause of God; that I must strive, strive to affiliate the hearts. My services were accepted, and that I was assisted and would be assisted. He said the hearts were not affiliated yet, and if this condition between the white and colored people continued much longer, there was great danger.
(From notes of Mrs. Botay from a private interview with Abdul-Baha in New York City, June 17, 1912):
I asked Abdul-Baha if he meant by telling me to affiliate the hearts of the white and colored people, that I must strive to have them meet together in love and fellowship in one meeting place. He replied: "Yes, that is what I mean."
(Excerpt from Address of Abdul-Baha at 1252 Eighth Street, N. W., Washington, D. C., November, 1912):
This is a beautiful assembly. This is a very good assembly. I am very happy that the whites and the colored are together. This is the cause of my happiness, for you are all the servants of one God, and all are brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. In the sight of God there is no white and there is no colored. All are in the sight of God as one. Any one whose heart is better, is dearer to God, whether white or colored, red or yellow. . . . . . Humanity resides in the character. Any one who has a good character, has faith in God and is firm, whose manners are good, whose speech is good, that one is accepted at the Threshold of God, no matter what color he may have.
(To be continued.)
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