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| VOL. 22 | AUGUST, 1931 | No. 5 |
THE BAHA'I TEMPLE
of the oneness of the world of humanity: This is the great principle of Bahá'u'lláh. That which will leaven the human world is a love that will insure the abandonment of pride, oppression,
and hatred."—'Abdul-Bahá.
LEADERS of religion, exponents of political theories, governors of human institutions, who at present are witnessing with perplexity and dismay the bankruptcy of their ideas, and the disintegration of their handiwork, would do well to turn their gaze to the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, and to meditate upon the World Order which, lying enshrined in His teachings, is slowly and imperceptibly rising amid the welter and chaos of present-day civilization. They need have no doubt or anxiety regarding the nature, the origin or validity of the institutions which the adherents of the Faith are building up throughout the world. For these lie embedded in the teachings themselves, unadulterated and unobscured by unwarrantable inferences, or unauthorized interpretations of His Word."
| VOL. 22 | AUGUST, 1931 | NO. 5 |
| Page | |
Divine Justice, Abdu’l-Bahá | 147 |
Editorial, Stanwood Cobb | 131 |
The Future Religion, Howard R. Hurlbut | 134 |
The Significant Oneness, Mary Hanford Ford | 140 |
Is Occidental Civilization Doomed? Hasan Balyuzi | 144 |
Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Martha L. Root | 148 |
Questing—A Searching Soul’s’ Pilgrimage, Ruth J. Moffett | 151 |
World Thought and Progress | 157 |
STANWOOD COBB | Editor |
MARIAM HANEY | Associate Editor |
MARGARET B. MCDANIEL | Business Manager |
Great Britain, Mrs. Annie B. Romer; Persia, Mr. A. Samimi; Japan and China, Miss Agnes B. Alexander; Egypt, Mohamed Moustafa Effendi; International, Miss Martha L. Root.
Subscriptions: $3.00 per year; 25 cents a copy. Two copies to same name and address, $5.00 per year. Please send change of address by the middle of the month and be sure to send OLD as well as NEW address. Kindly send all communications and make postoffice orders and checks payable to The Baha'i Magazine, 1112 Shoreham Bldg., Washington, D. C., U. S. A. Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C., under the Act of March 3, 1897. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103 Act of October 3, 1917, authorized September 1, 1922.
THE greatest prize this world holds is the consummation of the Oneness of Humanity. All are the children of God. God is the Creator, the Provider, the Protector of all. He educates all of us, and is compassionate towards men. His grace encompasses all mankind. The sun of God shines upon all mankind. The rain of God falls for all. The gentle breeze of God wafts for all. Humanity at large is sitting around the Divine Table of the Almighty. Why should we engage in strife? Why should we ever engage on the battlefield to kill each other? God is kind, is He not? Why should we be unkind? What is the reason? How are we benefited by being unkind? Today the chief means of dissension amongst the nations is religion, while in reality the religion of God is one. Differences lie in blind imitations which have crept into religion after its foundation.
“Religion is Reality, and reality is one. It does not permit of multiplicity. His Holiness Abraham was the Herald of Reality. His Holiness Moses was the Spreader of Reality. His Holiness Jesus was the Founder of Reality. His Holiness Muhammad was the Spreader and Promulgator of Reality. The Reality of religion is one. Fundamentally there is no difference.
“The Reality of religion consists in the love of God, in the faith of God, in the virtue of humanity, and in the means of communication between the hearts of men.
“The Reality of religion is the oneness of the whole of humanity.”
| VOL. 22 | AUGUST, 1931 | NO. 5 |
extended; minds have taken on a broader range of vision; realities have been unfolded and the secrets of being have been brought into the realm of possibility. What is the spirit of this age? What is its focal point? It is the establishment of universal peace, the establishment of the knowledge that
humanity is one family.”—’Abdu’l-Bahá.WHAT IS THE WORLD? This term, which is so widely used, I doubt if anybody understands. Just what do we mean by “the world”? When the inner earth first began to stir to life in obedience to the solar impulse, at that time the world was just a geographic, planetary object. Certainly this is not what we mean today when we say “the world,” a concept not at all synonymous with “the earth.”
Life sprang up upon the earth and grew and grew until it reached its climax, man. Human beings living upon the earth in widely scattered groups, not yet masters of their planet—here is a more advanced planet than the inert earth we first looked at. Yet this is not what we mean today when we say “the world.”
Communications grew. Caravan trails and sea ways brought distant peoples together. Warfare and conquest consolidated tribes and peoples. Great empires evolved. Each empire became in time a cultural unit. Rome, mistress of land and sea, unifier of nations, builder of a great Mediterranean civilization,—now for the first time we have the term “world” meaning something definite in human society. Rome—that is the world, or so it
seemed to the Romans. And so it seems to us today as we look back on that vast ancient culture which the Romans, after absorbing and assimilating, gave forth to all of Europe.
At the time Rome did not know that across the barrier of deserts and mountain ranges was another world all its own—the Celestial Empire. Here too a great unifying force had been at work for centuries—milleniums perhaps. Here had grown up an indigenous civilization so self-contained, so perfect, that to the Chinese it seemed that the whole world was contained within the Four Seas.
And neither the Romans, nor the Chinese realized that there existed across great stretches of ocean waste another world living its own life, creating its own civilization, passing thru phases of growth and disruption so little known that when later Europeans discovered its existence they called it the “New World” altho it is perhaps the oldest part of the land surface of the planet.
UP TO THIS point, then, there was
not one world upon this planet, but
many worlds of human society. Today,
however, intercommunication—physical,
intellectual, spiritual between the continents and peoples has grown so rapidly toward a psychic unity that now for the first time, when we say “the world” we mean a human society composed of all the educated, intelligent people of the planet.
We say “the world thinks this,” “the world thinks that,” “the world is progressing,” “the world is in economic distress,” and now for the first time we mean by such statements to include all civilized peoples of the planet, the vast majority of mankind.
But even when we use the term world to mean all the peoples of the world, we are using it loosely if we mean to intend a unity effective and real. Such has not yet been achieved upon this planet.
The nations of the world are still far too much divided between themselves by barriers of prejudice, of greed, of misunderstanding, of commercial competition, to make it possible to use the term “world” to mean humanity. There are still many spheres of selfish interest, so to speak, which compose the planetary life.
IN SPITE of this fact, there is
growing before the sight of us all a
super-structure of actual world
unity, a universal culture and a universal
consciousness. This universal
consciousness is struggling with the
provincial, national consciousnesses
and is destined before the century
is out to absorb and supersede all
those more provincial units of society
that make up humanity today.
All men of intelligence and power
of direction in human affairs, are
now beginning to realize that if the national consciousnesses should continue to prevail to the sacrifice of the universal consciousness, humanity would soon extinguish its flame of life in a delirium of war. Therefore the intent and purpose of all leadership today is directed to the end of universal peace, of universal culture, of universal brotherhood upon this planet.
IF WE look ahead then a few decades,
a few centuries, we can conceive
that the term “world” will be
synonymous with all humanity, that
it will imply a human society which
is homogeneous, coherent, unified—not
only culturally but psychically
and spiritually. Then when we say
“the world thinks this”—“the
world thinks that”—it will actually
be true that all humanity is moving
as by one impulse and one aim.
Life would be miraculous in such a dispensation. For if the unity of many small nations into one great empire such as Rome was able to build so mightily for civilization, what will be the result of the psychic unity of all races and peoples upon the planet?
The creative force and effectiveness of humanity will be multiplied, not in arithmetic but in geometric ratio, by the coalescence of all the various minds and temperaments of the world into one strong, coherent force—into one vast psychic unity of culture.
Then we may conceive of the world as having but one soul. The world will be synonymous with planetary life as a whole. It will be a unitary being, multitudinous in its
component parts but one in its spirit and directive force and energy.
THIS IS the golden age, perhaps, of which the poets have dreamed and philosophers philosophied. The golden age of man in his full maturity as the son of God. The planet achieves its final destiny.
What other planets and worlds are achieving, we do not know. Certainly life is evolving elsewhere throughout the universe. Quite probably it is evolving in various planets of our own solar system—evolving in ways unique to each planet. Some day it may be our earthly destiny to merge into a still
greater unity—that of the solar system. The time may indeed come when other planets will join hands with this planet in ways of communication not yet possible to foresee, each planetary society expressing through its own genius the destiny established for it by the Lord of creation, the whole planetary system vibrating to the creative evolving power of the Holy Spirit, the Logos, the Lord of all Being.
But here is a transcendent destiny that is beyond human comprehension. Let us come back to mother earth. It is enough for the present that we strive to make that earth a world.
“ . . . This limitless uniyerse is like the human body all the members of which are connected and linked with one another with the greatest strength. How mach the organs, the members, and the parts of the body of man are intermingled and connected for mutual aid and help, and how mach they influence one another! In the same way the parts of this infinite uniyerse have their members and elements connected with one another and influence one another spiritually and materially . . . Since this connection, this spiritual effect and this influence exists between the members of the body of man, who is only one of many finite beings, certainly between these universal and infinite beings there will also be a spiritual and material connection. Although by existing rules and actual science these connections cannot be discovered, nevertheless their existence between all beings is certain and absolute.”
“As to your question regarding the stars: Know that these brilliant stars are numberless and their existence is not devoid of wisdom both useful and important. Rather they are worlds, as is this world of ours. But they differ in their bodies, by the difference of elements, from this earthly body. They differ in formation. The beings existent upon these bodies are according to their formation.”
The author, in previous chapters published in the May, June and July numbers of this magazine, has developed the idea that the seven days of creation can be taken symbolically representing the seven great world religious as historically manifested, and in the last article particularly showing prophecy as referring to the coming of Bahá’u’lláh and the establishment of the Bahá’i Dispensation. In this article he continues his presentation of these prophecies.
SO much for the Bible prophecy. Now, to turn to the Book of Zoroaster: In the Ninth Vanant Yasht of the Zend-Avesta, there is an even more direct reference. While the time of the rise of Zoroaster is not of great importance, it may be of interest to note that there are wide variants of fixation by different students of chronology. None has fixed the time later than 1500 B. C.: More assign it to 2000 B. C. and a very great many relegate it to the rise of the first pyramid dating back four to five millenia before the dawn of the Christian era.
What is important, however, is that the Light of Divine Truth shone so clearly through Zoroaster that He was enabled to inspire the prophets who came after Him to point more clearly than those of
any other time to the Appearance in the day and age in which we live. Of this, which was designated as “The Mighty Glory”—which is a free translation of the meaning of the Name “Bahá’u’lláh”–the prophet wrote: “This Splendor attaches itself to the hero (who is to arise out of the number) of prophets (called ‘Saoshyanto’) and to his companions, in order to make life everlasting, undecaying, imputrescible, incorruptible, for-ever existing, full of power (at the time) when the dead shall rise again, and the imperishableness of life shall commence, making life lasting by itself.” (That is, by its inherent qualities).
“They will be commissioned to check the influence of the devil which increases at the time when the world is verging toward the end, by restoring truth and faith in religion. The dark period of wretchedness and sin in which they appear is compared to night, and the era of bliss they endeavor to bring about is likened to brilliant day. The first of these prophets is called ‘Hushedar-Mah,’—the ‘moon of Happy Rule.’” Surely, no more apt definition of the soft radiance of illuminating love of the Báb than this could be found. He was empty of every desire for individual recognition, and all of His song was of that One, immeasurably greater
than Himself, “Whom God should make manifest.”
“The second is ‘Hushedar-Bami,’—the Aurora of Happy Rule.”
How richly the glory of the Appearance of Bahá’u’lláh is pictured! The incomparable radiance of the effulgent glory of Light of God burst forth from this Center, Who was Light and the Source of Light, and illumined with its encompassing rays the remote areas of the realms of humanity, announcing in terms of dominant authority the establishment of the Day of God.
“And the third, and greatest, is called ‘Sosyosh.’ He brings a new Nask of the Zend-Avesta, hitherto unknown, and reveals it to man.” This third One is ’Abdu’l-Bahá. It is not for any human to determine the relative greatness of the Manifestations of God.
That understanding is something entirely apart from any intellectual accomplishment, and we may assume that the prophet, looking through the vistas of the oncoming millenia, might well have considered this Appearance in its relation to closeness of communication with the people of this time, just as though we might, to make the argument clear, consider ourselves as the soil upon which the sower casts the seed. By reason of this intimate association of seed-sowing, we might come to consider the near one greater than the great provider of the seed in the granary from whose bounty all things must come. Our understanding could in no wise affect the true condition.
The “New Nask” which ’Abdu’l-Bahá did bring and which has hitherto been entirely unknown, is
the chapter of selfless service universally rendered, which He read. into the heart of humanity through living it in is long life of persecution, exile and imprisonment, as it has never been lived before in the history of the human race. When Zoroaster was asked whence God would come to establish His Kingdom in the earth, He answered “From the Land of Nur.” Bahá’u’lláh was a descendant of the royal house of Persia and was therefore a prince. His estate was the Principality of Nur, which lies midway between the Persian capitol, Tihrán, and the southern arm of the Caspian Sea. His title was Hosein Ali, Prince of Nur. The meaning of the word “Nur” is Light, and as the Bahá came as the great Revealer of Light, the declaration of Zoroaster carries a double significance.
Again, in the Pitakas of Buddha. If you are familiar with Buddhistic literature, you must have formed a deep affection for Ananda the old servitor of the Buddha, who was the closest and most beloved of all the bikshus who followed in the footsteps of the Master. And when, in those last sad hours, the old servitor looked upon the emaciated form of his Lord and was troubled over what lay in store for those of the Faith, he asked “What shall we do, Master, when thou art gone?” And Buddha, looking upon his anxious face with a smile of infinite compassion, answered: “One will come after me who will be possessed of the fullness of all Truth, to point the way to salvation.” Troubled, Ananda queried: “But how shall we know him, Beloved,
when he comes?” And Buddha answered: “He will be known as ‘Maitreyeh,’” which means kindness.
In the early youth of Hosein Ali, by the passing of his father, the responsibility of all the affairs of his great estate fell upon his shoulders. Repeatedly, he had been urged by public officials to take the place in governmental affairs to which his princely rank entitled him, but he had ever turned a deaf ear.
Now, these importunities became more insistent, but he held aloof and as time went on he gave from his wealth so freely to the poor and deprived ones that the officials looked on aghast and cried: “This youth needs a guardian, else he will dissipate all of his rich patrimony!” He was the personification of kindness in his every act of life.
In the writings of the idolatrous religion of Baal, which was founded on the pure Truth revealed by Enoch, there appear references to the “Last Days” which are repeated in the books of the Israelitish prophets, in the Gospel, and in the Qur’án of Muhammad.
It is of these that Bahá’u’lláh in His wonderful Book—the Iqan—devotes fully sixty pages to clear elucidation. The reading is in effect that in the last days the sun shall be darkened and the moon ashamed, the stars fall, etc. You will note mention of Enoch and recall that from the Bible narrative we have small understanding of him, his disappearance being recorded as “Enoch walked with God and was not.” Yet, one of the strangest of the prophecies regarding
the appearance of the Manifestation in the last day, is in connection with the Book of Enoch.
In 1892, Professor Charles, of Oxford University, chanced to read an obscure item in a German publication to the effect that an original Book of Enoch had been discovered in Russia. He had at no time heard mention of a Slavonic Book of Enoch and concluded that it was merely a translation of the Ethiopean Book of Enoch, but being a true student, he had an emissary go to Russia to trace the rumor, and much to his delight discovered an original pseud-epigraph which had been known to the inner circle in Russia for twelve hundred years, but was not a matter of general public knowledge. In this Book, Enoch described his journey to the “Seventh Heaven,” under direction of an appointed guide and at last fell prostrate as there reached him a Voice from the unapproachable Presence, concealed behind His “seventy thousand veils of light.” He gave the Book to his sons, saying that it would be sealed and guarded by two angels until the “time of the end, when the Great Michael shall stand up.”
In scriptural parlance, the term “Michael” means one who is near or like unto God. This describes the station of the Manifestation of God which was Bahá’u’lláh, Who “stood up,” or ascended in 1892, the precise year in which the Book was brought to light. In this Book of Enoch, there is written (Chapter 40, verses 3, 4 and 9): “The holy great one will come from his dwelling.
“And the eternal God will tread
upon the earth (even) on Mount Sinai:
“And behold He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones.”
You perceive the identical mandate as to the “sealing” of the Book As His Books were sealed by the Almighty God, none but He could have the power to unlock the seals, and when the time was to arrive for their revealment the ability to unlock would be one of the convincing proofs of the divine authority of the Messenger.
Bahá’u’lláh, in our time, has unlocked the doors of the chamber of mystery in the Word of God. The whole trouble in the world today and in the past has lain in the egotistic assumption that intellectual capacity enables one to read the meaning of the Word, whereas it is pureness of heart. Because of this attitude, the great diversity of sects and creeds has been evolved in all the schools of religion. The “Seventh Heaven,” to which reference is made in the flight of Enoch, and which corresponds to a like adventure recounted of Muhammad in the traditions of Islam, means his attainment to a complete knowledge of the seven great religions, the term “heaven” meaning religion, so that in his prevision he was given understanding of the culmination of the divine plan.
The place of the Appearance is also given by the prophets of Israel. In Jeremiah, the 49th chapter, 38th verse: “And I will set my throne in Elam (Persia) and will destroy from thence the kings and princes, saith the Lord.”
As you have been informed, the
fortressed prison-city of ’Akká (or Achor), on the nose of Mount Carmel, the Zion of God, was selected as the place of imprisonment for Bahá’u’lláh and His followers. This, too, is in fulfilment of prophecy. In Hosea, chapter 2, verse 15, we read: “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope.” Also, in Isaiah, chapter 65, verse 10: “And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.”
The nearness of God in His physical Manifestation in the last days is also given. Turning to Revelation, chapter 21 and verse 3: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying: Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God.”
The repeated references to the “Branch” in the Bible has ever carried a conviction of the exalted station of the one so-called, but until our own time it had never had anything approaching a clear explanation. The sons of Bahá’u’lláh were always referred to as “branches” projected from the Exalted Tree,-the Pre-existent Root, and ’Abdu’l-Bahá, the oldest son, was designated as the “Greatest Branch.” The psalmist David particularly sang of His coming with an insistent adoration and praise. Of Him in the 2nd verse of the 2nd Psalm, we read: “I will make him, my first-born higher than the kings of earth.”
Also, did ’Abdu’l-Bahá fulfill the prophetic utterance in the 26th verse of the 88th Psalm, which reads : “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation,” for it was in the ninth year of the Manifestation of the Báb, which was also the ninth year of the life of ’Abdu’l-Bahá, after His father had been released from that dread dungeon in Tihrán and exiled to Baghdád and there was explaining to ’Abdu’l-Bahá the mystery of the Manifestation that the boy fell at His Father’s feet and with a cry of passionate adoration, called: “I know that Thou art God!”
It will, therefore, be of interest to review the Bible declarations regarding Him: In Zechariah, the third chapter and eighth verse: “Hear now, O Joshua, the High Priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men wondered at; for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.”
And in the sixth chapter, verse 12 and 13: “Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH, and he shall grow out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord * * * And he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne.”
And in Isaiah, the fourth chapter and second verse: “In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious.” And in the eleventh chapter and first verse: “And there shall come forth a root out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
Now, of ’Abdu’l-Bahá, the Manifestation has written: “O Then, my Greatest Branch! Verily, we have ordained thee the guardian of all the creatures and a protection to all those in the heavens and earths, and a fortress to those who believe in God, the One, the Omniscient. I beg of God to protect them by thee, and to reveal to thee that which is the dawning-point of riches to the people of creation, the ocean of generosity to those in the world, and the rising-point of favor to all nations. Verily, He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. I beg of Him to water the earth and all that is in it by thee and that there may spring up from it the flowers of wisdom and revelation and the hyacinths of science and knowledge.”
Has ’Abdu’l-Bahá fulfilled the requirements of the prophetic and other declarations of His station? As early as His ninth year, at the beginning of the dread period of exile, He independently took upon Himself the service of warding off intrusion on His father and the latter, once in speaking of Him, said: “There is only one who is Master and that is ’Abdu’l-Bahá.” The term “Master” applies to Him today throughout the world. This service to His father was the beginning of that feature which characterized all of His wonderful life, which is vastly more important to us to-day, and must so continue throughout the oncoming ages, than any glamour of history or tradition. Yes, even more than the most profound philosophy, or of the unapproachable
tragedy of exile and imprisonment which was His—this exemplification of selfless service. The entire story of ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s life is saturated and permeated with this principle, across which He chose to write the name He bears, whose meaning is the “Servant of Glory.”
It was during the period of the great world war, when the members of the Holy Family and all the followers in the Holy Land carried on under the dread experience of deprivation which was theirs because of being shut off from contact with the outside world and sources of supply, that ’Abdu’l-Bahá had established extensive gardens at Tiberias and from these cared for the needy, even for the poorly fed soldiers of the Turkish army, his oppressors, and afterward when the time of the adjustment of the difficult problems in the Near East confronted the British authorities, it was very largely due to ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s influence and wise counsel that the way was made smooth. In partial recognition of this, Knighthood was bestowed on Abdul-Baha April 17, 1920 by order of King George of England. Even while the Master was carrying on his great work and assisting the Turkish soldiers, their general announced that when he had defeated the British forces and seized the Suez Canal, he would return and hang ’Abdu’l-Bahá. It was then, with a smile inspired by his rich prescience, that ’Abdu’l-Bahá said to him in effect: “When you shall have seized the Suez Canal and returned, ’Abdu’l-Bahá will await you here to be hanged.”
This splendid courage was exemplified
at the time, in 1908, when Abdul Hamid, Sultan of Turkey, had sent a committee to inquisition ’Abdu’l-Bahá and the order had been issued to send Him away from His followers to Feysan in the great desert. An Italian warship in the harbor at Haifa was offered to Him to transport Him to England or other place of safety, but His answer was: “Ali Muhammad, the Báb, did not seek safety in flight: Bahá’u’lláh declined to fly the dangers which beset Him: ’Abdu’l-Bahá will not fly away.” on the day when His exile was to have begun, the Young Turks Party came into power and ’Abdu’l-Bahá and other prisoners were set free, and Abdul Hamid consigned to a dungeon in chains.
The opportunity for His father’s release came toward the close of 1858, when Colonel Arnold Burrowes Kemball, Consul General of Great Britain, at Tihrán, entered into a friendly correspondence with Bahá’u’lláh, offering to make Him a British subject and to place Him under the protection of the British Government. The Consul said to Him if He did not like to live in England He could journey to India and dwell in any spot agreeable to Him. This generous offer was declined. It was ten years later, on August 19, 1868, that witnessed the embarkation of Bahá’u’lláh and His little band of faithful followers in boats from Gallipoli for the Austria-Lloyd steamer which was to take them via Smyrna and Alexandria to that long imprisonment in ’Akká, which ended for the Manifestation in His final passing in 1892, and for ’Abdu’l-Bahá in His first freedom in fifty-six years, in 1908.
“Turn your eyes away from foreignness and gaze unto Oneness, and hold fast unto the means which conduce to the tranquility and security of the people of the whole world. This spanwide world is but one native land and one locality. Abandon that glory which is the cause of discord, and turn unto that which promotes harmony.“—Bahá'u'lláh.
NOWADAYS it is a comparatively easy matter for a traveler–especially if he speaks at least one foreign language—to recognize in theory the oneness of mankind. Nevertheless his affirmation is frequently followed by a declaration of what he finds very objectionable in all races.
It is one thing to accept a statement mentally and quite another to feel it in one’s heart so that thoughts are translated into the world of action. Bahá’u’lláh said:
“Guidance hath ever been in words, and now it is given by deeds. That is, every one must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for in words all partake, whereas such deeds as these are special to Our loved ones. . . .”
Many in the past have been unable to admit the accusation of the customary attitude on the part of some people toward the Hindu,—because they were so accustomed to the feeling of superiority that they were unaware of its expression. With others the conviction of Negro inferiority is so strong a hereditary trait that they are not aware of resenting the Negro in any other capacity than that of belonging to the servant class.
In this day of reality it is not enough to register an intellectual conviction upon any subject. One
must pragmatically feel it and live it.
Few seem to be aware of the extent of the discrimination against the Negro. It is accepted as a rule that the colored and white people should live in different sections and have but slight social relations. As a rule citizens accept the custom and do not reason about it. Recently an intelligent and well to do American woman of New York City said to the writer, “You know I am going to move, Mrs. Ford.”
“How is that?” I replied in surprise, aware that she owned a most attractive home.
“You see” she continued, “the Negroes are invading the locality and it is not agreeable any longer.”
“But are they an ignorant lot of people?” I asked, having in mind a group of highly cultured colored friends whom I knew.
“Oh no,” she answered, “but you know one does not like to put Negroes on one’s calling list.”
“Are they not good neighbors?” I continued. “In my experience Negro neighbors are exceedingly kind.”
She was evidently surprised, and expressed her “hundred per cent” Americanism with decision: “I like Americans best,” she declared.
I laughed again. “But dear lady” I cried, “the Negroes are
Americans as much as you or I. The only pure-blooded Americans are the Indians. All the rest of us from the point of view of the continent are aliens and came over here as an alien group of different races.”
There are many, however, and the number is increasing who feel that friendship with members of a different continental group is always inspiring. One discovers thus the salient qualities of each variety of humans. The Anglo-Saxon is an instinctive organizer; the Chinese have great capacity and are far-seeing; the Hindu is philosophic; the Norwegian and Russian possessed of natural insight; the Latin phenomenally quick to see and decide; the Negro is especially loving, poetic and psychically sensitive.
Roland Hayes, a colored man who has a superb voice, is a brilliant illustration of how fully genius banishes prejudice, for in his crowded concert audiences, white and black sit together without consciousness of difference, and are equally enthusiastic.
I saw Paul Robeson, a colored man with notable dramatic ability, play Othello in London last summer with such artistic interpretation, and often original conception that his success was always unqualified.
IN NEW YORK we have frequent
social gatherings of colored and
white people, among which was a delightful
Racial Amity Meeting, or
Conference which was largely attended.
In its arrangement the
Bahái Centre of New York City collaborated
with the Urban League of
Harlem, which is a particularly fine
Negro organization. One of the meetings was in the form of a reception at the Bahá’i Centre.
I must not forget to chronicle the reception given some weeks ago also at the Bahá’i Centre, to Mrs. Mary McLean Bethune. The reception was planned by the Travel Club of Harlem, and it so happens that the members of this club are all fair skinned negroes and highly cultured women. Mrs. Bethune herself, who is very dark, was the only one present who looked colored, yet she was unquestionably extremely gifted. As an American woman she ranks high in eloquence, understanding and intelligence, and as President of Bethune Cookman College at Daytona Beach, Florida, and also president of the Woman’s International Society of Colored Women, she labors with ceaseless enthusiasm for the betterment of her race.
A young white woman sat next to me who had never seen colored women of this particularly fine type. Each one, as she entered the room, was noticeable for beautiful manners, exquisite speech and undeniable charm. All these characteristics were exemplified in the chairman, Mrs. Horne. As each one entered my young friend would ask in an awed whisper,
“Is she colored?” and the affirmative response drew from her a sigh of surprise again, showing how deeply her prejudice was being shocked.
We are living in a day when traditions and racial preconceptions must disappear. Bahá’u’lláh says:
“O Children of Men! Know ye not why We created you from one
clay? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it behooveth you to be as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth, and dwell in the same land; that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. This is My counsel to you, O Concourse of Light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.”
NEVER BEFORE could such words
transform life, but their effect is
now manifest in every direction.
Those who watched carefully the
progress of events in India last
year, and the development of the
Round Table Conference in London,
must have been delighted at two results—that
English and Indians
were discussing realities on a basis
of equality never previously attained,
and that on the Indian side of
the Conference the outcast Untouchables
were admitted to the circle.
These “untouchables,” constituting forty-three millions of the citizens of India have never been permitted the slightest contact with other inhabitants of the country. No untouchable can walk on the highways of India; or approach within a certain distance of one of another caste; he cannot even draw water from the village well. For many years Ghandi has been doing all he could to combat this bitter prejudice; and long ago adopted an infant girl from an untouchable
household, who has played her part in the family and been associated with its entire environment.
For the first time the bars were broken, and at the Round Table Dr. Ambedkar, graduate of an English university, untouchable, was present to safeguard the rights of his people in the constitution that is to be drafted. Moreover his presence in London was a complete triumph for his oppressed and suffering group. He was received by all without prejudice, and was publicly entertained at dinner by the Maharajah the Gaekwar of Baroda, who invited as his other guest a distinguished and orthodox Brahman.
A charming book has been recently published, entitled A Marriage to India, in which Mrs. Frieda Das the author describes the eight years of her life in India as the wife of a Brahman who was endeavoring to introduce western methods of agriculture into his country. She makes such a picture of caste discrimination and purely hereditary human prejudice, that though her book contains not a word of criticism, one lays it down with the thought, “Am I hating some one or refusing association with some one through mere family or class, or race tradition? If so, I will stop it!”
The mind creates barriers more powerful than those of iron and stone, and one must sometimes pass through tragedies to understand that the color of the skin is merely a garment which may conceal an ineffaceable beauty of heart and soul. Moreover one discovers that the skin has exquisite attraction in every variety of shade both dark
and light, and the bronze body and face, the Eurasian and quadroon, are often much more fascinating than the dead Caucasian white of the Anglo-Saxon.
’Abdu’l-Bahá states that we should strive “to bring about absolute affiliation between the white and the colored. This variety in color is indeed an ornament. If in a rosegarden all the flowers are unicolored, what beauty may be found therein? Whereas if thou beholdest a garden wherein multicolored flowers bloom, infinite grace and beauty will appear therefrom.
“Likewise if the world of mankind were of one color what preference would it have? Whereas multiplicity of color is an emblem of the “Power of the Merciful. . . .
“‘All mankind are the trees of the divine garden and the Gardener of this orchard is His Most High, the All-Sustainer. The hand of His favor hath planted these trees, irrigated them from the Cloud of Mercy and reared them with the energy of the Sun of Truth. Then there remains no doubt that this Heavenly Farmer (Gardener) is kind to all these plants. This truth cannot be denied. It is shining like unto the sun. This is the Divine Policy and unquestionably it is greater than the human policy. We must follow the Divine Policy.”
A HUNDRED years ago when there
were no railroads, no steamships, aeroplanes; no telegraphs, telephones or radio, all races were necessarily separated from one another. If a man was familiar with the speech of his district that was sufficient for every human contact. Now however he travels hundreds of miles by aeroplane in a few hours and feels the need of a dozen languages.
Bahá’u’lláh looking forward to this period of the world’s history declared that in this day the complex demands of humanity could only be met by an auxiliary language which men must learn; so that whatever his native tongue the universal speech would also be at his command. In the late eighties when invention had broken down the outward barriers of mankind, Dr. Zamenhof created the beautiful Esperanto language, and gave us a means of unlimited communication.
Oneness has at length an intimate means of expression. The walls of ignorant prejudice have no longer a sanctuary, they are ever the last to yield. I shall be able presently to say to my friend Bonon Tagon in the same tone, with the same love, whether he is black, yellow, or white. I shall not think of his color because I shall be so entranced with the light of his soul shining through his eyes, and the noble harmony of his Good Day!
“In the estimation of God 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 matters not what the exterior may be if the heart be pure and white within. God does not behold differences of hue and complexion; He looks at the hearts.”
The author of this article is a student at one of the large Near East Colleges. His analysis of present day world problems is just another evidence that the youth of today are thinking deeply and independently on causes and effects in relation to the body-politic.
I WILL try and answer this question briefly, avoiding a lengthy introduction. Is occidental civilization doomed?
What is Occidental civilization? First let us distinguish between culture and civilization, for there is a difference between the two. One is the spirit and the other the form. One is intangible for practical purposes, and the other is felt and often grossly materialized Culture never dies, it is self perpetuating, but civilizations rise and fall.
Examples may clarify the matter. The spirit of worship is original and eternal with man, but in different ages it takes different forms and finds various manifestations. The ceremonies and rituals which embody the spirit of worship, change with the changes of time, but the spirit is ever-living.
The Roman and the Greek civilizations have long ceased to exist, but their cultures are ever-fresh. Their intellectual works have not died out of our world, but their civilizations have long since passed into oblivion.
The Occidental civilization is based on machines and mass production. Mass production necessitates raw materials in huge amounts and free unrestricted, and unmolested markets for the sale of the finished products. Europe is small, her population large and her natural resources insufficient to
maintain her industries. Markets and resources are to be sought elsewhere. And where are those to be found? In the undeveloped countries of Asia and Africa. And then the result—sometimes a cruel merciless policy called Imperialism.
The natives are not willing to share their wealth with the greedy intruders, and the Powers themselves cannot watch calmly and uninterestedly one another’s acquisitions. The most natural consequence of these antagonisms, is conflict, war and bloodshed. The history of Europe in the last one hundred years is to be read in the light of this dementic search for new markets and new resources. The Great War itself was born out of this quest and struggle. But the hour of the doom of such so-called Imperialism has already struck for there is a slow but sure awakening to the fact that the law of compensation is always operative and when one part of the world suffers, all suffer more or less.
LET US set Imperialism aside for
a while. Look at Europe itself.
The laborer, a human being, a man
like you and I and anybody else, is
turned forcibly into a living machine.
He has no will of his own, no
initiative, no originality, nothing
of the sort. A perfectly mechanical
being. From morning to dusk he
works on one wheel, not to mention
on one screw. Have you seen the picture film, “Metropolis?” How a worker behaved! Quite thoughtless. That is exactly what the ill-used machine makes out of human beings. Poor creatures They are enslaved, and turned into desperate animals sacrificing their lives on the altars of business. Such is the standard set by the civilization of this age.
A good many authorities allege that mass production in goods, means a mass production in ideas. Who can deny it? Can you really?
The restlessness prevailing in the West, is a sign of decay. The birth of so many “isms” indicates the desperate efforts of a dying order. And why so? Because the divine spark is lost. The standard is not “one for all,” but “one for oneself.” It is the elimination of the weak and the struggle of the strong. And what results—war. The doctrine of “self-sufficiency” which precipitates an impending doom on any civilization, is already accomplishing its destructive work. It is playing havoc and bringing ruin in the form of economic depression. Who or what is to be blamed? A civilization which has outlived its day?
LACK OF FAITH and loss of belief
in God and Man, are the direct results
of occidental civilization. The
way it acts is likely to make man
disavow his trust in any power save
what he feels with his rough senses.
Everything fine and sublime is out
of place in this diabolical maze, called
a civilization. Some people have
begun to believe in a mechanical Nature,
without any mind or intellect
behind it. They have lost every hope, and along with it their faith in God as well as Man.
See how a man caught in this whirlpool thinks and reasons. If there were a God, what the fools call a kind heavenly Father, then why should a civilization, sans Mercy have its way? Why should machine act as a destructive agent, rather than a blessing as it was intended to be? And then follows a revolt-a revolt of unfaith.
The mechanical, unwise and monotonous routine of a purely material civilization, works at the expense of human nerves. We in the East cannot imagine the conditions in the West. Ask a Londoner or a Parisian, and meditate on his reply. Just look at the statistics and then judge for yourself. Insanity is increasing in European centres of business and industry. And crime too. This unemployment business
- is born of what? What has been
the impetus to the flourishing of crime?
Material civilization creates mechanical behavior, crime unfaith, human slavery, merciless competition, economic stress, imperialism and war—all agents of destruction. And therefore it cannot live. Every other civilization taking such a course, has met a terrible death. The Egyptian, the Hebrew, the Chaldean, the Persian, the Greek and Roman civilizations died because of turning into the wrong path.
This most unnatural of all the civilizations has to die. It has to go and something merciful, virtuous and divine shall take its place.
It is beyond the scope of this
article to explain the nature and qualifications of the new world order. But I must sincerely express my heartfelt conviction that the new civilization is that foretold by Bahá’u’lláh. The changes in recent years point clearly to this fact. The more I study the principles laid down by that Divine Educator, the more I become tenacious in my faith and belief.
’Abdu’l-Bahá has given us many concrete teachings regarding material and divine civilization, among them this statement:
“Consider what is this material civilization of the day giving forth? Has it not produced the instruments of warfare and destruction? . . . Instruments and means of human destruction have enormously multiplied in this era of material civilization. But if material civilization shall become organized in conjunction with divine civilization, if the man of moral integrity and intellectual acumen shall unite for human betterment and uplift with the man of spiritual capacity, the happiness and progress of the human race will be assured.”
When we get a glimpse even of the divine civilization of the future, fresh hopes spring anew in the heart, and often do we think of one of Shoghi Effendi’s constructive statements as we see the world in the throes of its new birth:
“But great achievements still await us in this world, and we feel confident that, by His grace and never-failing guidance, we shall now and ever prove ouselves worthy to fulfill his great purpose for mankind. And who can fail to realize the sore need of bleeding humanity, in its present state of uncertainity and peril, for the regenerating spirit of God, manifested this day so powerfully in this Divine Dispensation?
“Four years of unprecedented warfare and world cataclysms, followed by another four years of bitter disappointment and suffering, have stirred deeply the conscience of mankind, and opened the eyes of an unbelieving world to the power of the Spirit that alone can cure its sickness, heal its wounds, and establish the long-promised reign of undisturbed prosperity and peace.”
“The East and the West must unite to give to each other what is lacking. This union will bring about a true civilization where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material. Receiving thus the one from the other, the greatest harmony will prevail, all people will be united, a state of great perfection will be attained, there will be a firm cementing, and this world will become a shining mirror for the reflection of the attributes of God.
“We all-the Eastern with the Western nations—must strive day and night with heart and soul to achieve this high ideal, to cement the unity between all the nations of the earth. Every heart will then be refreshed, all eyes will be opened, the most wonderful power will be given, the happiness of humanity will be assured.”
THE question has been asked “Will the spiritual progress of the world equal and keep pace with material progress in the future?” In a living organism the full measure of its development is not known or realized at the time of its inception or birth. Development and progression imply gradual stages or degrees. . . . Now is the beginning of the manifestation of the power spiritual and inevitably its potency of life forces will assume greater and greater proportions. Therefore this twentieth century is the dawn or beginning of spiritual illumination and it is evident that day by day it will advance. It will reach such a degree that spiritual effulgences will overcome the physical, so that divine susceptibilities will overpower material intelligence and the heavenly light dispel and banish earthly darkness. Divine healing shall purify all ills and the cloud of mercy will pour down its rain. . . .
Among the results of the manifestation of spiritual forces will be that the human world will adapt itself to a new social form, the justice of God will become manifest throughout human affairs and human equality will be universally established. The poor will receive a great bestowal and the rich attain eternal happiness. For although at the present time the rich enjoy the greatest luxury and comfort, they are nevertheless deprived of eternal happiness; for eternal happiness is contingent upon giving and the poor are everywhere in the state of abject need. Through the manifestation of God’s’ great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor. . . .
The essence of the matter is that divine justice will become manifest in human conditions and affairs and all mankind will find comfort and enjoyment in life. It is not meant that all will be equal, for inequality in degree and capacity is a property of nature. Necessarily there will be rich people and also those who will be in want of their livelihood, but in the aggregate community there will be equalization and readjustment of values and interests. In the future there will be no very rich nor extremely poor. There will be an equilibrium of interests, and a condition will be established which will make both rich and poor comfortable and content. This will be an eternal and blessed outcome of the glorious twentieth century which will be realized universally. The significance of it is that the glad-tidings of great joy revealed in the promises of the holy books will be fulfilled. Await ye this consummation.“—’Abdu’l-Bahá.
The writer of this article, having recently returned from a nine years’ world pilgrimage devoted to the promulgation of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, has been speaking through this country during the past few months in many of our leading universities and broadcasting from a great number of American radio stations. At the Souvenir Feast in West Englewood, N. J., herein described she lectured on “Progress of the Bahá’i Movement in Five Continents”. As she also had the good fortune to have been present at the original Feast given by ’Abdu’l-Bahá in 1912, she is especially qualified to narrate this remarkable memorial service at Evergreen Cabin.
It is not only on this anniversary that Evergreen Cabin functions, however, for meetings for Bahá’is and others interested are held several times each week. Visitors come daily to see and to admire. They ask: “Is this edifice a temple, a shrine, or a house of peace?” And “What is the Bahá'i Movement?” A silver-haired lady, Mrs. J. O. Wilhelm, meets many inquirers, answers their questions and explains the Bahá’i principles.
EPOCH making in the spiritual history of the American Continent was the Souvenir of ’Abdu’l-Bahá held on June twenty-seventh, 1931, at “Evergreen Cabin”, West Englewood, New Jersey. It was a notable and unique gathering, Bahá’is coming from many cities. Looking at those groups including several hundred people during the afternoon and evening, one saw with the inner eye the great spirit of several systems of religion blended into one radiant whole. Besides Bahá’is, people attracted to find out what this new universal religion, the Bahá’i Movement, really is, came to hear and to learn.
“Evergreen Cabin” and its environs are beautiful. The capacity of this Cabin is being taxed by the ever increasing attendance and as the years go by it becomes evident that no cabin can be built large enough to house the throngs who will come to these Souvenirs. The building was aglow with soft lights gleaming through pearly, pastel-shaded shells, shells picked up from the shores of the seven seas of the globe. The gardens have immense rocks lifting their mighty heads above the
pools in which they stand; waters rush up through these rocks and splash with rhythmic cadence into the air. They symbolize the living waters of pure religion coming out of the stones of the earth. The birds have built their nests in the pine trees of the gardens, and tilting on the topmost branches add their songs to the music of the afternoon. The pines waft their delicate perfume.
Even the outer, physical features of “Evergreen Cabin” and its garden represent all fatherlands, for stones in the fireplaces and gardens include rare specimens from every country in the world—stones from Persia from the homes and the prisons of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh; stones from Akká, Bahji, Haifa and Mt. Carmal; stones from the great Wall of China, from the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, from emperors’ gardens, and from heroes’ and heroine’s scenes of action; all are a part of these grounds. Just as these historic stones from all countries, sent by friends, show to the visitors that here is a material portion from his fatherland, so also he finds that “Evergreen Cabin”
--PHOTO--
A partial view of the large gathering in attendance at the Annual “Souvenir Feast” at West Englewood, N. J., June 27, 1931
in its inner reality is a home of the spirit of all the religions. The universality of this place impresses every guest.
What is this “Souvenir of ’Abdu’l-Bahá” when telegrams come from many lands and letters from many cities and guests from various races, nations and religions? Here nineteen years ago on June twenty-eight, 1912, ’Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh and the interpreter of His Teachings, Who was traveling through the United States to promulgate the principles of universal peace, gave a feast in this charming West Englewood place. He honored His friends with an invitation to present themselves in commemoration of His feast, and on that occasion He stated that this
feast marked the real birth of the Bahá’i Cause in America. Later in a Tablet He referred to the gathering as “The Annual Souvenir of ’Abdu’l-Bahá.”
There in the pine-perfumed grove on that beautiful June day, ’Abdu’l-Bahá, Himself the host, smiling joyously, welcomed His friends. He said among other things, “Since the intention of all of you is toward unity and agreement, it is certain that this gathering will be productive of great results. It will be the cause of attracting a New Bounty. This is a New Day and this is a New Hour wherein we have come together; all are turning to the Kingdom of Abhá, seeking the infinite bounties of God.”
“This gathering has no peer or
likeness upon the surface of the earth, for all other gatherings and assemblages are due to some physical basis or material interests. This outward meeting is a prototype of the inner and complete spiritual meeting. . . . Hundreds of thousands of meetings shall be held to commemorate such an assembly as this, and the very words I utter to you on this occasion shall be reiterated by them in the ages to come. Therefore be rejoiced, for you are being sheltered beneath the Providence of God, and be happy and joyous because the bestowals of God are intended for you. Rejoice because the breaths of the Holy Spirit are directed to you.
“Rejoice, for the heavenly table is prepared for you!
“Rejoice, for the angels of heaven are your assistants and helpers!
“Rejoice, for the glance of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá’u’lláh, is directed to you!
“Rejoice, for Bahá’u’lláh is your protector!
“Rejoice, for the Glory Everlasting is destined for you!
“Rejoice, for the Life Everlasting is for you!”
One can but feel that if this Souvenir
--PHOTO--
Photographed near “Evergreen Cabin,” West Englewood, N. J. Some of the members of the National Bahá’i Assembly; and, from left, Mrs. J. O. Wilhelm (mother of Mr. Roy Wilhelm, who is the owner of “Evergreen Cabin” and its beautiful environs); Miss Martha Root, international Bahá'i teacher; Miss Bertha Herklotz, Secretary at “Evergreen Cabin.”
has made such progress in nineteen years, what will it be in nineteen hundred years when these Bahá’i Teachings are understood and lived throughout the world!
“Let us be ready to give our lives, our fortunes, positions, achievements, in order that a new state of existence may be diffused throughout the world. There are fellow-beings who are weaker than we are, let us strengthen them; there are those who are more ignorant, we must teach them; some are as children, help them to develop; many are asleep, awaken them; others are ill, heal them; never despise them. Be kinder to them than to the stronger ones. One must always be kinder to the weak and ill and to the children. Never seek to humiliate your brother.
"‘Bahá’u’lláh is the Sun of Truth: all humanity will be illumined under His protection, and whosoever follows His instructions in this day will feel the potency of His protection.”
"Son of Existence! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this O servant.”–Bahá’u’lláh.
SINCE man first lifted his gaze into the azure sky and wondered,—What is the purpose of life? Why am I here? Why does all life live and move and change?—he has continued to wonder. Philosophers, agnostics and sages have attempted answers but they have not satisfied the inner heart of man, so their theories have drifted away like falling leaves before the autumn breeze.
Slowly throughout the ages each groping, struggling, human being, has been trained by unseen forces, to an unfolding and fuller comprehension of the divine purpose. His feet have traveled through many dark and murky valleys, and been scratched by many brambles, weeping drops of blood along the way. He has drifted about on the grassy plateaus amid the clinging vines, until his understanding becoming quickened, he begins the long climb up the steep and thorny pathway with his eyes shining with the reflection of the Great White Goal beyond.
These familiar lines by an ancient poet vividly picture the pilgrimage of the soul.
- “To every man there openeth
- A way and ways and a way.
- The high soul climbs the high way
- And the low soul gropes the low.
- And in between on the misty flats,
- The rest drift to and fro.
- And in between on the misty flats,
- The rest drift to and fro.
- But to every man there openeth
- A high way and a low.
- And every one decideth
- Which way his soul shall go.”
Shall we follow the quest of one of these souls whom we shall call, Ruhanea? Once upon a time a tiny blue-eyed baby came to live in this world, as a first child in a Christian home among the hills and lakes of Wisconsin. As a wee baby she was alert to all around her, always active except when her devoted mother would tell her stories. She would sit quietly for hours while her mother would tell her Bible stories, asking for them again and again. Then she would gather her family of dolls, nineteen in number (because she was born on the 19th), teaching them the stories she had learned.
Her father being superintendent of the schools for many years, believed in children starting young, so at three years of age, Ruhanea went to Sunday School and was soon teaching the other older children the stories she had taught her dolls. One day her mother heard her singing to her dolls, “One Glory has gone, another has come. Another has come. Another has come!” Her mother, shocked, asked her what she meant. She said, “Why, Mother, don’t you understand? One Glory has gone, another has come.” She never heard such a thought expressed by any one. At five she was sent to kindergarten, which was simply an experiment, in those days, and again taught her family of 19 dolls some of the things that she learned at school.
Because she always had a group about her teaching them something she was given a Sunday School class of children older than herself to teach and she was often gently reproved by the “higher ups” for teaching lessons not in the quarterly but much more interesting correspondences she found in the Bible, applied to their lives, so that the children did not want to miss a lesson.
The years rolled by. Her beautiful mother with high spiritual though orthodox ideals, her stern father, who was judge of the county courts, with his strict though unorthodox ideals, her teachers with their meticulous conformity to custom, all tried to mould this sensitive, loving, idealistic child after his own pattern. She would listen eagerly to all but was seldom satisfied with the answers to her questions. She would find her own answers from the Bible or elsewhere then teach them to her dolls or her twenty months younger brother. This searching while still a young child, caused her to read deeper and more broadly than many of the other children.
When Ruhanea was twelve years of age Rev. Arthur C. Kempton became pastor of the First Baptist Church. Because of his unusually beautiful spirit, clear well organized mind and broad vision, he had a great influence upon this sensitive young child. Ruhanea attended church every Sunday morning and evening for two years, almost with out exception during his pastorate. She always took a little book with her in which she recorded the subject, date and text of the sermon,
the general divisions and the conclusion. She told no one. Some thought she was drawing pictures, as she loved to draw.
One day at the end of two years when she heard the pastor say he wished he had kept a record of some of the subjects of his sermons, Ruhanea timidly gave him the complete record not only of his subjects but the way he had developed them and his conclusion, written in childish hand. He was astonished and delighted and they were fast friends until his untimely death. Walking hand in hand he would often answer satisfactorily her unusual questions.
High school days were happy, busy days filled with the many activities of youth. Ruhanea and her brother started and edited the first high school paper. It seemed to be her path to be the pioneer in many things and to blaze the trail for others to follow, always a difficult and thankless task. She and her brother graduated in three and one half years, thus starting a midyear graduation and opportunity for the first time for postgraduate work in that school. During those high school years her deepest spiritual education was reading where she would find some great truth that touched her soul, then she would teach it to her students, trying to illustrate it in their lives. Always there was the restless urge within her heart to find another gem of truth and share it with some listening ear. She read many books of an uplifting nature and read the Bible completely through seven times consecutively, for which she received a number of awards, and a valuable mental picture, but greatest of all
an added power of comprehension, because of the concentration upon the words of the Prophets rather than what man has said about them.
ONE of the most thrilling experiences
of her life was the years spent
at Oberlin College, in that wonderfully
stimulating intellectual and
spiritual atmosphere. The contact
with great minds like John Henry
Barrows, President of the Parliament
of Religions of the World’s
Fair, and later President of Oberlin
College when she entered; Dr.
Henry King, Dr. Edward Bosworth
with whom she took courses in comprehensive
Bible studies, and many
others, together with association
and fellowship with sincere and
eager students, all had a wholesome
and broadening influence in moulding
the religious drift of her life.
Because her brother wanted to attend the University of Wisconsin, Ruhanea returned home from Oberlin to teach, that her brother might, too, experience college stimulus.
THE SACRIFICE of that which meant
so much to her, that another might
have similar opportunities, was one
of the most valuable lessons for her
soul unfoldment. For of what use
is religion, she reasoned, unless expressed
in practical living and in
self-sacrifice for the best good of
others? This proved a further step
iii the expansion of her consciousness.
Freshly returned from college,
she was soon deep in the many
activities of her home city, as president
of several groups, and organist
of her church, all of which became
avenues of expression for her
growing ideas and ideals, but the
mental inertia of her associates disheartened her.
ONE DAY IN 1907, in looking for a
current event for a club of which she
was Founder President, she read in
her father’s Literary Digest a
long article about Bahá’u’lláh, the
Prophet foretold by all the Bibles
of the World. The article declared
that the One for whom the whole
world was awaiting had appeared
in Persia. That He had established
His proofs and given His Message
to the world, and that He had declared
the principles for the establishment
of the New World Order.
Something stirred deep within the soul of Ruhanea, as a young bird’s first glad awakening call to the first faint glimmer of the rosy dawn. Then her shocked orthodox-trained mind rose in rebellion, but the little bird in her soul had awakened.
She read the article several times with the conclusion that “this is either the greatest blasphemy or the greatest truth of the world to-day. I will find proofs.” After she had given it to the club, she was disappointed, orthodox though she was, that their reactions were either shocked, apathetic, or with the remark, with a tone of finality, “O that is only a newspaper story.” No one seemed to catch a new gleam of light in her spirit. Later she repeated the same current event for the benefit of some new friends present, and this time she was more disappointed, because the reaction then was, “Oh that current event is stale, you gave it before.” She went to the library to search for proof, but the librarian after some search
said, “I am sorry, but that was but a newspaper story.” Ruhanea carried that precious clipping around with her for two years occasionally asking some one about it, usually with the same answer, “O that is only a newspaper story. It cannot possibly be true.”
The year before Ruhanea married, she went to Europe with some of her college friends, visiting thirteen countries, doing everything that a good tourist should do, and seeing everything a tourist should see, but not once did she find a signboard to the path of the New Knowledge she sought. She seemed to be on the “misty flats” wandering aimlessly with the masses, drifting. However because of that one little bird song in her soul, she was vaguely conscious that she was drifting, even though her orthodox-trained mind would continually try to hold her to the past.
Her marriage to a man of keen, philosophical mind, clear, broad vision, and noble, high ideals has been one of the greatest influences of her busy life. They went at once to Chicago to live. Here for nine years they eagerly sought together in the Valley of Search for the answers to many questions. They were earnest students of Christian Science first, then Theosophy, then New Thought, Psychology, Judaism, Buddhism, Muhammadanism, Mysticism, then the ancient Religions with most of their questions not yet satisfactorily answered. In each group where they had so earnestly studied, they found beautiful ideals entirely separated from the program of “living the life”, individually or in relation to society. In each group
they found some that were motivated by a deep unselfish love and universal ideals, but the many seemed to be drifting aimlessly on different plateaus, totally unconcerned about the kind of world they were living in, or what they could do to help society as a whole.
Certain great truths were the inevitable results of all this questing. Slowly had emerged the knowledge that—
1. The same divine precepts and development of the same heavenly qualities are taught in all the Bibles of the world.
2. That the Commandments and the Beatitudes are found in all other Bibles.
3. That the idea that certain precepts or passages could not be matched in any non-Christian Bibles was false.
4. That the seven great world religions and their numerous sects can no longer be called false or pagan any more than a child can be called a false man.
5. That all religions worship God according to the light and understanding they have.
6. That Chinese, Hindu, Muhammadan, Aztec, Christian, all bowing, kneeling or prostrating before an altar,—all have the same yearning, hungering for purer, nobler, more perfect life than they ever before experienced and their worship is accepted by God in the spirit in which it is given.
7. That all the Religions are founded by a Prophet of God, an Abraham, Moses, Krishma, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad.
8. That all foretell a Mighty One, a Promised One, The Everlasting
Father who in the Latter Day will bring the spirit of unity.
One day in the year 1919, a physician said to her, “‘I see by the light in your eyes that you know about Bahá’u’lláh and His Message to the world.” Eagerly she arose and said, “Who? Who is He? What is His Message to the world?” For two hours she asked questions, until he said, “I cannot answer your questions, you ask them too fast, and I cannot answer them anyway. That book ‘Some Answered Questions by ’Abdu’l-Bahá’, will answer a few. She then began an exhaustive study of the available Bahá-i literature. The more she studied, the more compelling, illuminating and convincing it became, as had not been true in all of her other experiences. The unfolding Knowledge gripped her spirit. The actual Words of Bahá’u’lláh were as fire to her soul. No spiritual writing throughout all the study of the Sacred Books had the dynamic, spiritual creative power as had the Words of Bahá’u’lláh. All the Truths she had sought and previously found in other movements reached their fulfillment and climax in this great Message. Then she found the principles He revealed—which were practically unknown at the time of His appearance, 1817, and the announcement of His appearance in 1844—have become the dynamic of the world today. Such a dynamic that the world has made more progress in the acceptance and realization of these principles, than in all previous history, back to the Neanderthal man, 50,000 years ago.
Deeper research revealed to Ruhanea, that the whole earth has become
flooded with a new Spirit. New things are unfolding everywhere. The scientist discovers new laws and facts. The artist beholds new beauties. The physician uses new methods. The student learns new lessons. The philosopher conceives new ideas. The aspirant forms new ideals. Never before has the earth. witnessed such a disclosure of its secrets. All evidencing that “One Great Power which animates and dominates all things, which are but manifestations of its energy.”—Bahá’u’lláh.
Ruhanea also discovered, that not only did Bahá’u’lláh reveal practical, workable principles for the uplift of society, but also the power to bring them into realization. This dynamic is the Spirit of the New Age. As the whole world today is discarding worn out forms, traditions and methods, the search for the new spiritual pattern is progressing among the youth of Islam, Confucianism, Judaism, and even Christianity. Many are catching this New Spirit in the various religious groups, though they are as yet unconscious of the Cause of the New Spirit of Unity and the Great Dynamic back of it, or the meaning of The Everlasting Father, The Glory of God, The Prince of Peace.
In her recent travels about the world, Ruhanea was astonished to find not only how sincerely the followers of Bahá’u’llah live the life individually, but how they are proving themselves to be worthy and well qualified to the degree that they have already become outstanding factors in the building of the New World Order, especially in
Persia, Egypt, Germany, Palestine, England, China, Japan, the United States and Canada.
Therefore Ruhanea became convinced that a New Civilization was becoming established by this New Manifestation, Bahá’u’lláh, Who states, “Concerning the progress of existence and the development of men We have revealed that which is the greatest Door to the training of the people of the world.”
Though the Religious Drift has found its goal in satisfying realization, yet the soul of Ruhanea continues and will ever continue its quest for greater and ever greater understanding of how best to serve in building the New World Order in this world and in all the worlds to come.
She sees the picture of the world today as does Edward Carpenter, the English poet, in these vivid lines:—
- “Slowly out of the ruins of the
- Past,
- Like a young fern-frond uncurling
- out of its own brown litter;
- Out of the litter of a decaying society;
- Out of the confused mass of broken
- down creeds, customs, ideals;
- Out of the distrust, unbelief, dishonesty,
- and fear;
- Out of the cant of commerce,
- The crocodile sympathy of nation
- with nation;
- The despair and unbelief possessing
- all society—
- The rich and poor, the educated and
- the ignorant, the money-lender
- and the wage slave, the artist
- and the washerwoman alike;
- All feel the terrible strain and tension
- of—
- The Modern Problem.
- Out of the litter and muck of
- A decaying world;
- Lo, Even so!
- I see a new life Arise!!!
“Man must cut himself free from all prejudice and from the result of his own imagination so that he may be able to search for Truth unhindered. Truth is one in all religions, and by means of it the unity of the world can be realized. * * * No one Truth can contradict another Truth. . . . Be free from prejudice, so will you love the Sun of Truth from whatsoever point in the horizon it may arise. . . . We must be willing to clear away all that we have previously learned, all that would clog our steps on the way to Truth; we must not shrink if necessary from beginning our education all over again. We must not allow our love for any one religion or any one Personality to so blind our eyes that we become fettered by superstition! When we are freed from all these bonds, seeking with liberated minds, then shall we be able to arrive at our goal.”
“THERE IS NO REASON to believe that one race is by nature so much more intelligent, endowed with greater will power, or emotionally more stable than others that the difference would materially influence its culture.
Nor is there any good reason to believe that the differences between races are so great that the descendants of mixed marriages would be inferior to their parents.
Biologically, there is neither good reason to object to family close inbreeding in healthy groups, nor to intermingling of the principal races. I believe that the present state of our knowledge justifies us to say, that, while individuals differ, biological differences between races are small. * * *
What is happening in America now is the repetition on a larger scale and in a shorter time of what happened in Europe during the centuries when the people of North Europe were not yet firmly attached to the soil. * * *
The high nobility of all parts of Europe can be shown to be of very mixed origin.”—Professor Franz Boas, Opening as President the Summer Session of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.—New York Times.
“NEITHER religion, statesmanship, nor diplomacy having yet been able to prevent war, many of us ask ourselves, “Will it ever be possible to establish permanent peace among the nations of the world?” Some of the world’s deepest students of
the subject answer, “Yes; but only through lasting universal friendship based on confidence, understanding, tolerance and justice.” However, such friendship is not possible until the war instinct which is innate in man and which since the day of his creation has been one of the dominant influences of his existence, has been brought under complete control. As every student of the biology of war knows, all wars, whatever their immediate causes, germinate from the war instinct in man, which, as history shows, when aroused causes him to make scraps of paper out of all peace treaties and other antiwar pacts made when the doves of peace are cooing. Only through the slow processes of education can the war instinct ever be controlled. But the time to educate man is when he is a child. So, we see that the solution of the age-old problem of the abolition of war is to be found only in the education of the childhood of the earth in world friendship founded on confidience, understanding, tolerance and justice. . . .”—Col. James A. Moss, U. S. Army, Retired. Washington Post.
“THE COMING of the Chinese students to the United States constitutes a part of the migration of Chinese students to the western world. The Opium Wars not only broke China’s political and economic isolation, but also disturbed her intellectual complacency. The students began to see that the ancient Chinese culture was not adequate to enable China to struggle for existence during the
modern period. Consequently, they set out to discover the secret power of a modern nation. . . .
“Whether the Chinese students who have studied in America constitute a helpful or harmful influence in China, one may confidently believe that this group has at least contributed to the intelligent mutual understanding between America and China, that it has also acted as a stimulant in the modern Chinese intellectual life, and that it has produced a few leaders for the political and social reconstruction of China.” Chih Meng, Associate Director, China Institute in America. In the Institute of International Education Bulletin.
IF NEGRO business is to succeed, it must become part of the business of the community. This does not mean that the Negro must not patronize his own concerns; but that is only an expedient. There must be found some more secure basis of growth. We can have no separate life in any field of endeavor.
We must not bar the Negro from any field of activity. Don’t hand the Negro education with one hand and withdraw economic opportunity with the other. . . .
There can be no satisfactory life for the Negro except as part of the unified life of the United States. If this is to become so, the problem of race prejudice must be attacked from the top to the bottom. The Negro must be trained for any job, anywhere, and be allowed to do anything anybody else does.
Closing schools of engineering to him will never open the field of engineering to him. Perhaps, in the
upper levels of our economic or industrial life is where it may be easier to break through, and those who do break through can help the masses break through at the bottom. —Dr. Wilt W. Alexander of Atlanta, Georgia, Director of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, in an address at Hampton Institute’s 63rd anniversary.
SACRAMENTO, May 23 (A.P.)—Mme. Ernestine Schumann-Heink, world-famed singer, has rebuked war mothers here because of their protests concerning appearance of foreign-blooded children at a recital marking dedication of a memorial auditorium.
City Manager James Dean told Mme. Schumann-Heink some of the mothers had protested the scheduled appearance last night of Chinese, Japanese, Negro, Portuguese and Italian children on the stage. The women thought such a “melting pot” aggregation was not representative of the American race.
Last night the singer turned her back upon her adult audience and, facing the bank of well-scrubbed black, yellow and white faces, crooned a mother’s lullaby especially for them. Then the children sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with her.
When Mme. Schumann-Heink finished her singing and after the applause died down she stepped to the footlights and said:
“As a war mother I know what it means to suffer. I gave five sons, four to Uncle Sam and one to his old fatherland.
“It is up to the war mothers to teach their children the love of law—and not make a difference between
black or yellow or brown or white skins.
“Don’t make a difference in race or creed. You make war among yourselves—through your children.“—Washington Post.
Excerpts from an address by Miss Hiroe Ishiwata in the International Oratorical Contest, Honolulu, April 10, 1931. Miss Ishiwata is the first Japanese college girl to enter an international contest in a foreign country.
PERHAPS it would not be without significance to speak on this occasion about the Japanese women, their ideals, and the problems they are confronted with to-day.
We have little to say about the upper class women, because they are comparatively few in number and most of them confine their career to the home life. What we are interested in are the women belonging to the middle and the lower classes. Their scope of activity is indeed great. And the women’s problems that confront us now chiefly concern those classes.
From the occupational point of view there are of course a great many varieties of women. The kinds of work they are engaged in are ever increasing. There are about 29 million women in Japan, and out of them about ten million are in occupations of one kind or another. . . .
The number of women who aspire to study the English language is rapidly increasing in recent years. Their end is not only to broaden their own intellectual fields, but to use it as a means of the international purpose for their movements.
A number of girls go to America
and European countries to study and come back with new assurance as well as intellectual power for fighting further for the cause of womanhood in Japan. We love and respect those western countries and are ever ready to welcome everything from them. And why? Because we know that it gives us the essential power for living and teaches us to know ourselves and awake to ourselves.
The best thing we can get from the western civilization is neither the splendid buildings nor the smart style of clothes, but the very sense of democracy. This is very simple to say and has been said thousands of times before. And yet the more we think about it, the more fully we can appreciate it.
It is this spirit that has opened our way to emancipation. It has at least suggested to us the way to our true happiness. It has inspired the doll-like women of the Meiji Era into taking up a new career to do something good of their own will. In fact, considerable changes have already been made by the hands of women.
Let me take an example from the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Japan. Of all the problems confronting the women of Japan today, it is now the focus of keen interests and attention. It is a movement of the new womanhood of modern Japan to become established legally in the full sense of the word as human beings, women and citizens.
It is again a movement of self-awakened women of new Japan to regain their old lost right of freedom, equality, and activity. The movement had gradually developed
first among the minority of self-awakened women, and later, fusing itself deeper and wider until at last it has become very recently a movement more universal in nature. . . .
Not only in the suffrage movement, but in various other ways can be seen the influence of the democratic spirit upon the women’s life in general. . . .
Democracy aims at giving happiness to the mass instead of a selected few. Of course, we still have a lot of things to do and must be ready to undergo many difficulties to realize in our everyday life the true cause of democracy we have
learned from the West. Japan is further on the way to westernization than any other Asiatic country; compared with others she is almost a western country now.
It does not follow, however, that she will lose what she has inherited. No, we remain Japanese at soul, but Japanese of this day well impregnated with American and European influences so that we can understand their ideals and serve to better our international relationship by increasing mutual friendship and good will.—Mid-Pacific Magazine, official organ of The Pan-Pacific Union, Honolulu.
- Hast seen the Light? Know, then, thou hast found peace
- Of body, mind and soul; thy spirit once released
- From out the thraldom of material life
- Lives only on the heights; gone is all strife,
- All hatred, envy, fear, while only love is rife
- Within thee; mysteries are anon to thee revealed
- Which, e’er thy spirit eyes were opened were fast sealed,
- Not only as regards the things of earth,
- But Heaven as well; for e’en in thy rebirth
- Thou art transformed, illumined, potent, free,
- To greet thy Lord and Master, who sees thee
- Not as the miserable, wind-tossed grain of dust thou wert,
- But as a soul transfigured, pure, with heavenly spirit girt,
- Which in the direful battles with thy foes wast hurt
- But never conquered; for upon thy path the Light
- Hast been made manifest to thee—gone is the night!
THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE, being The Addresses of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America, in two volumes. Price, each, $2.50.
BAHÁ’U’LLÁH AND THE NEW ERA, by Dr. J. E. Esslemont, a gifted scientific scholar of England. This is the most comprehensive summary and explanation of the Bahá’í Teachings as yet given in a single volume. Price, $1.00; paper cover, 50 cents.
THE WISDOM TALKS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ in Paris. This series of talks covers a wide range of subjects, and is perhaps the best single volume at a low price in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in His own words the Bahá’í Teaching. Price, paper, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00.
BAHÁ'Í SCRIPTURES. This book, compiled by Horace Holley, is a remarkable compendium of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It contains a vast amount of material and is indexed. This Paper Edition (only ¾-inch thick) Price, $2.50.
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