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THE EVERLASTING GLORY of the friends, and the heavenly sublimity of the believers, is to teach the Cause of GOD, to spread the Fragrances of GOD, and to Promote the Word of GOD!
I hope you may become assisted and confirmed therein. Then you will become a member of the congregation of the elect and a light in the Divine Assemblage.
Extract from Tablet revealed by —ABDUL-BAHA
See Book of Daniel, chapt. 12, verse 2
--PHOTO-- BAHAIS OF BOMBAY, INDIA
STAR OF THE WEST
"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 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. V Jalal 1, 70 (April 9, 1914) No. 2
"ONCE THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BAHAI MOVEMENT ARE KNOWN IN INDIA, IT WILL SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE!"
Extracts from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, dated Mount Carmel, January, 1914.
AN INDIAN Mohammedan Prince, who is traveling in the Holy Land with a retinue of servants, called this afternoon on Abdul-Baha. He was accompanied by the English Consul. He asked many questions, to all of which Abdul-Baha gave satisfactory answers. He spoke, with him in detail on the oneness of the world of humanity and the fundamental unity of all the religions. He had heard of the Movement in India, and therefore was delighted to come to the source and see the Man who has freed humanity from dead dogmas and spiritless doctrines." He stayed for more than an hour, and when he left he carried with him the blessing of the spiritual contact, and was imbued with His love of mankind.
In the course of conversation, this Indian Prince invited Abdul-Baha to visit that sect-beridden country and diffuse far and wide the fragrances of the teachings of universal love and fellowship, "India needs these principles of tolerance and liberalism more than any other country in the world. That thickly populated kingdom is a hot-bed of religious prejudices. The sphere of their thoughts is very contracted, and although there are some acute thinkers and practical reformers in their midst, the mass of the community frown at any suggestions or rules which change in the slightest degree their mode of living. The weight of immemorial customs has fallen on their necks like the rusty chains of ages, and while the corroding marks are imprinted on their emaciated bodies, they hug the chains more closely. In order to gain the freedom of their limbs and the suppleness of their bodies, they must throw away these chains of superstitions and dogmas and fraternize cheerfully and joyfully with all the nations of the earth, irrespective of religion and race."
- * * * * * * * *
After a silence, Abdul-Baha said : "The cohorts of the Kingdom of ABHA are engaged in uninterrupted conquest. They are gaining victory after victory. God willing, Mrs. Stannard shall win many signal triumphs in India. Once the Principles of the Bahai Movement are known in India, it will spread all over that country like wildfire. . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Stannard has dedicated her life to the Cause. She knows neither rest nor comfort. She does not sit tranquilly for one moment. Although she has a steady income, yet out of that she gives to the poor and the needy. She entertains no other idea save the service of the Kingdom and the promotion of the Cause. She is assisted by the Confirmations of God. There are certain persons whose ambitions are lofty. They are not satisfied with petty services and small things. They do not soil their wings with water and clay. Their highest aim is to adorn their inner beings with the infinite perfections of the celestial world. Thus the most cherished desire of Mrs. Stannard is to spend the remaining years of her life in the spread of the Cause and service to humanity."
INDIA
The entire area of India is about one-third the size of Europe.
The total population exceeds 300,000,000. In India four times the population of the United States live in a territory only half as large. Of every five persons in the world one lives in the Indian empire.
It is said that eight hundred thousand persons die every month in India.
There are 147 distinct languages in use in India.
There are over 2,300 castes and tribes and 50,000,000 are classified as outcasts.
Nine-tenths of the population live in villages.
There are only twenty-nine cities with 100,000 population or more, and only 2 per cent of the population live in these cities.
One hundred and ninety-one millions of the population are supported by agriculture. India is the largest exporter of rice in the world. Her system of irrigation is first in the world.
India's trade has developed during the last half century from $300,000,000 to over $1,400,000,000.
There are 32,000 miles of railroad in operation carrying 330,000,000 passengers annually at five miles for 1 cent; also there are 72,000 miles of telegraph lines.
"INDIA NEEDS THESE PRINCIPLES OF TOLERATION AND LIBERALISM"
Extracts from an Address delivered by Abdul-Baha in New York city, December 2, 1912. [The complete Address was published in the STAR OF THE WEST, No. 15, Vol. IV]
ALL the teachings which have been given during the past dispensations are to be found in the Revelation of BAHA'O'LLAH; but in addition to those, this Revelation has certain new teachings which are not to be found in any of the religious books of the past.
I shall now refer to some of the new teachings given by BAHA'O'LLAH; as for the rest of them you may obtain them from the Tablets and Books* written by BAHA'O'LLAH:—
Oneness of the World of Humanity
The Oneness of the world of humanity is one of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH, for BAHA'O'LLAH addresses Himself to the world of men, saying, "Ye are all leaves of one tree and the fruits of one arbor." That is, the world of existence is no other than one tree, and the nations or peoples are like unto the different branches or limbs thereof, and human individuals are similar to the fruits and blossoms thereof. Thus BAHA'O'LLAH presented the Oneness of the world of humanity, while in all past religious Books and Epistles, the world of humanity has been divided into two parts: one called the people of the Book, or the Pure Tree, and the other, the Evil Tree. One-half of the people of the world were looked upon as belonging to the faithful, and the other half as belonging to the irreligious and the infidel; one-half of the people were consigned to the mercy of their Creator, and the other half were considered as objects of the wrath of their Maker.
But His Holiness, BAHA'O'LLAH, proclaimed the Oneness of the world of humanity, and this teaching is specialized to the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH, for He submerged all mankind in the Sea of Divine Generosity. At most some of the people are asleep, they need to be awakened; some of them are ill, they need to be healed; some are children, they need to be
- See Tablets and Books entitled: "Hidden Words," "Tablet of Glad-Tidings" "Words of Paradise" "Tablet of Tajalliat," "Kitab-el-Akdas," etc.
trained. In a word: this teaching is a special one of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH.
Independent Investigation of Truth
As to the second teaching which is a new one given by BAHA'O'LLAH, it is the injunction to investigate Truth,—that is, no man should follow blindly his ancestors and forefathers. Nay, each must see with his own eyes, hear with his own ears, and investigate Truth in order that he may find the Truth;—whereas the religion of forefathers and ancestors is based upon blind imitation, while man should investigate the Truth. This again is one of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH.
The Foundations of all Religions is One
The third teaching of BAHA'O'LLAH, which is new for this Day, is that the foundation of all the Religions of God is One, and that Oneness is the Truth, and the Truth is but One, and it cannot be made plural. This teaching is again special to BAHA'O'LLAH.
Religion must be the Cause of Unity
The fourth teaching of BAHA'O'LLAH, which is special for this Day, is that religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and accord amongst men. If religion be the cause of inharmony, or leads to separating men one from the other, and creates conflict amongst them, then irreligion is better than that religion. This again is likewise one of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH.
Religion must be in accord with Science and Reason
The fifth teaching of BAHA'O'LLAH, which is new for this Day, is that religion must be in accord with science and reason. If religion is not in conformity with science and reason, then it is superstition. This is one of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH. Down to the present day it has been customary for man to accept a thing because it was called religion,
even though it were not in accord with judgment or human reason.
Equality between Men and Women
The sixth new teaching of BAHA'O'LLAH is the equality between men and women. This is peculiar to the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH, for all other religions placed men above women.
Prejudice of all kinds must be forgotten
The seventh of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH, which is new for this Day, is that prejudice and fanaticism, whether religious, sectarian, sectional, denominational or patriotic,—are destructive of the foundation of the human solidarity, so that man should release himself from such bonds in order that the Oneness of the world of humanity might become manifest.
Universal Peace
The eighth of His teachings is Universal Peace; that all men and nations shall make peace amongst them; that there shall be Universal Peace amongst governments, Universal Peace amongst religions, Universal Peace amongst races, Universal Peace amongst the denizens of all regions. This is one of the special characteristics of the Revelation of BAHA'O'LLAH.
All Mankind should partake of Knowledge and Education
The ninth of these special teachings is that all mankind should partake of both knowledge and education, and this partaking of knowledge and of education is one of the necessities of religion. This again is one of the special characteristics of the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH.
Solution of the Economic Problem
The tenth teaching is the solution of the economic question. For no religious books of the past Prophets speak of the economic question, while the economic problem has been
thoroughly solved in the teachings of BAHA'O'LLAH.
Organization of The House of Justice
The eleventh teaching is the organization called The House of Justice, which is endowed with a political as well as a religious aspect. It embodies both aspects, and it is protected by the Preserving Power of BAHA'O'LLAH Himself. A Universal or World House of Justice shall be organized. That which it orders shall be the Truth in explaining the Commands of BAHA'O'LLAH, and that which the House of Justice ordains concerning the Commands of BAHA'O'LLAH shall be obeyed by all. But that will be the House of Justice organized from amongst the members of the Houses of Justice of the whole world, and all men shall be under the supervision of that House of Justice.
The Center of the Covenant
As to the most Great Characteristic,—and it is a specific teaching of the Revelation of BAHA'O'LLAH and not given by any of the Prophets of the past,—it is the teaching concerning The Center of The Covenant. By giving the teaching concerning The Centre of The Covenant He made provision against all kinds of differences, so that no man should be able to create a new sect. To guard against that state of thing, He entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world, indicating the Person or the Interpreter of His teachings, so that no man should be able to say that he explains a certain teaching in this way, and thus create a sect revolving around his individual understanding of a part of the teachings. Thus the "Book of the Covenant" and the Testament of BAHA'O'LLAH is the means of preventing such a possibility.
In short, the teachings BAHA'O'LLAH are many. Were I to speak you concerning them until morning they would not be exhausted. I have outlined to you some of them. You can read the rest in the Books of BAHA'O'LLAH.
THE WORK IN INDIA.
A LECTURE was delivered by Mrs. Getsinger at the Theosophical Society hall in Surat, on the 22nd of January, on "Purity and Divinity," and on the 19th, she met some important personage and had a lengthy interview with him, and he was very much attracted to the Cause. Dr. and Mrs. Getsinger left Surat on the 24th.
In Bombay they were kept busy meeting people of various creeds, in addition to the public lectures delivered. On the 24th, Mrs. Getsinger spoke for an hour in the Pratana Mandir hall on, "The Bahai Movement—Its Rise and Progress." Mrs. Stannard followed and spoke for ten minutes.
On January 28th, Dr. Getsinger spoke to the students of the Theistic Society here, on "The Uplift of Humanity."
On February 1st, Mrs. Getsinger spoke in the Bahai hall on "The Universal Aspect of
the Bahäi Movement;" on February 4th, she addressed the students of the Theistic Society on "Individual Spiritual Progress," and on the 6th, she spoke in the Theosophical hall, on the "Messengers of God."
On the 7th of February, Mrs. Stannard spoke in the same hall on "The Mission of Religions."
On the 8th, Mrs. Getsinger went to the Ideal Seminary boys' school, distributed prizes to the students and spoke on "Service as an Act of Worship."
Mrs. Stannard left Bombay on the 10th for Madras. There she spent about five days. Through the Editor of The New Reformer, D. Gopaul Chetty, she was invited by the Theistic Society of Madras and the next day she delivered a lecture before the Bramo Somajis in their hall.
Later, Mrs. Stannard went to Calcutta to invite the people to the blessed Table of ABHA.
N. R. Vakil.
[The Theistic Conference of 1913, was held in Karachi, India, December 25th to the 28th, inclusive. Mrs. J. Stannard represented the Bahäi Movement. The following article is reprinted from The Sind Gazette, India, issue of December 30th. It was reproduced in the February issue of The New Reformer, Madras, India.—THE EDITORS.]
WHAT THE BAHAI SAYS TO THE THEIST
Mrs. Stannard at the Karachi Conference—An Interesting Exposition.
From a Correspondent.
AT the meeting in Karachi of the All-India Theistic Conference—the object of which was to assemble representatives of all creeds whose basis is belief in God, with the object of promoting inter-religious union and amity—an address was delivered by Mrs Stannard, the Bahai teacher now touring India, as follows:—
"Personally, I stand for one of the greatest Movements towards unity in spirit and deed that history presents in our day under the name of religion. I allude to the great Persian reformation called the Bahäi Movement. The founder or revealer of its teachings, born in the dawning years of the 19th century, ushered in the spiritual renascence of his most downfallen country and promulgated ethics that stand today a movement of love and wisdom for the universal good.
"His message is spreading rapidly over great areas of land in the Middle East, the Russian borderland, Europe and America.
"The great liberal speech delivered by your venerable President, Dr. Sunderland, was a special pleasure for the hearing of Bahäi souls, for we listened to the perfect expressions of these Bahäi ideals and beliefs grandly echoed by a far Western brother. Today wherever Bahäis are found able to meet adherents to the principles enunciated by your movement, rest assured of the joyful hand-clasp, the glad greeting which only attuned minds can give to one another. Today those who work for the unification of races and religions are the guardians of Truth and Peace. Our platform is your platform, your ideals ours. In standing for union and brotherhood we stand for the greatest force in the world, the irresistible one of love.
Living in a wonderful era in the world's history, we witness the early developments of a new and holy dispensation. Another and higher step in the great spiral of evolution has been entered upon and we are on the threshold of great and glorious human possibilities. Consciousness is being quickened by a truer sense of man's duty to man. The Sun of Truth is piercing through the veils of ignorance and bigotry, and those of us who stand free to express the light within, are almost dazzled by the splendor of what we know must come to advance humanity. Already we feel the heat of the great fire that brotherly love shall ultimately kindle in every clime—and I for one am sure the future is radiant with joy and hope.
"While touching now this happy string I am unable to forget the great ones of the past, the noble army of pioneers in every land and race, often martyrs to great causes! Those leaders towards the higher freedom who prepared the way we now tread in this great tolerant time! All hail! to those unconquerable souls! All hail to those brave ones who sacrificed all for truth and righteousness.
"To them was the burden and heat of the day; to us the softer pastures and time of fruitage! Let us now offer them the incense of remembrance.
"Perhaps Bahais are especially qualified to
utter a word of gratitude for such souls since most of us know something of the desperate and tragic circumstances from which this great Persian message of Love and Unity emerged. Not since the days of early religious persecutions have we a parallel to the awful cruelties to which these Persian Theists were subjected. Appalled, we learn again of man's inhumanity to man. Appalled and awed we have to know that over 20,000 is the roll call of souls crushed and tortured out of existence in Persia. And why, we may ask? Because they preached and practiced exactly what you here in this hall are saying and thinking today unmolested. They died for daring to raise a voice in the interests of liberal religion, for daring to raise the standard of progress and unity. God's noble army of pioneers belonging to that ancient Indo-Iranian race, Babis, or Bahais, perished for the ideals of truth and religious reform. Surely will the eternal Word raise up to their glory and self sacrifice an indestructible monument of love, one which the future races shall acclaim with reverence wherever history shall mention the term Bahäi. 'They were the friends of God and their death hath not been in vain,' may be the inscription.
"One point more of high importance I should crave permission to touch upon before I conclude, viz., the question of woman's advance in our future schemes of progress and unity. Here again can Persian womanhood show that our eastern sisters were equal in every respect to their men when stupendous calls of duty and courage were made. Acts of unparalleled heroism were manifested on the part of wives, sisters, mothers in the Bahäi cause. Rightly, has this new dispensation been designated as the dawn of the woman's era and while in the West she is struggling for economic and constitutional rights, in the East her claims to advance are of the more spiritual order.
"The greatest woman of her day (and ours) was the martyred poetess and philosopher of Persia, Kuratul'Ain, follower of the BAB and co-worker to usher in His gospel.
"She has been frequently styled the 'Joan of Arc' of Persia. Before meeting with a barbarous death at the hands of the ill-wishers, she braved calumny and family ruin in her stand for equal privileges in religious instruction for her sex, and in the emancipation of their lives from the legalized slavery of their position. Her determination to speak upon deep religious themes to hearers of the opposite sex (doctors in theology) brought her, like her sister in earlier Greek times, the wonderful Hypatia, to a savage end. Let the glorious fame of such heroines enable us to realize that the woman too may rise to unexpected heights and she should he helped to utilize her own particular powers for the benefit of the social life. To keep the future mothers of the race in ignorance, ineptitude or bigotry is to stultify and rob man of half his forces for good.
"In these days girl children should receive as much educative attention as boys so that the mind of the mother may be able to help and not hamper the growing minds of her children. This problem of raising the standard of female education on practical lines in the East is one for you here to think out and act upon."
[Editorial in The Sind Gazette, December 24, 1913.]
A rather remarkable visitor to Karachi—far more remarkable than any of the Congress and Conference dignitaries—is Mrs. Stannard, the Bahäi missionary. This gifted lady, who has studied all the religions of the world, and all the philosophies, and has come to the conclusion, not that they are all wrong, but that they are all right, has a new gospel to preach—not her own, but that of her Master, Abdul-Bahä, the head of the Bahäi religious movement.
[From The Bombay Chronicle, February 7, 1914.]
TENETS OK BAHAISM Lectures in Bombay.
TWO more lectures on the teachings and principles of the Bahäi Movement were delivered recently at the Persian Hall in Forbes Street, by Mrs. Stannard and Mrs. Getsinger. Elucidations upon the tenets of the faith as these touch the religious and humanitarian standpoint may be summarized as declaring the essential unity of all religions and the oneness of humanity. Religious, and social unrest generally went together, declared one of the speakers, and so the social teachings laid down by BAHA'O'LLAH, the founder, reveal the rare genius of combining social ethics with religious law.
[Continued on page 26]
STAR OF THE WEST
PUBLISHED NINETEEN TIMES A YEAR
By the BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, 515 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Editorial Staff: ALBERT R. WINDUST — GERTRUDE BUIKEMA — DR. ZIA M. BAGDADI
Honorary Member: MIRZA AHMAD SOHRAB
Terms: $1.50 per year; 15 cents per copy.
Note—Until further notice, distribution in the Orient is through Agents.
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.
TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA.
HE IS GOD!
O thou Star of the West!
Be thou happy! Be thou happy! Shouldst thou continue to remain firm and eternal, ere long, thou shalt 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 shalt become the first paper of the world of humanity. Yet all these depend upon firmness, firmness, firmness!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Vol. V
No. 2
PROGRAM OF ANNUAL CONVENTION: CHICAGO, APRIL 25th-28th
"In Eshkabad, the believers of God made the erection of the Temple conducive to affinity and unity, so that it really became the cause of oneness of the Word. Ye, also, make the erection of the Temple in America conducive to the unity and oneness of the believers—of the maid-servants and servants of the Merciful—so that, with one thought and one aim they engage themselves in the building of the Temple."
Extract from Tablet revealed by Abdul-Baha.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Headquarters—Great Northern Hotel, Dearborn and Jackson Streets, from 9 a. m. to 6 p. m.
Luncheon for active and honorary members of the Executive Board of Bahäi Temple Unity, at the home of Mrs. Corinne True, 5338 Kenmore Avenue, at 12 o'clock; followed by a Reception from 4 to 6 p. m., to delegates, visiting friends and the Chicago Bahäi Assembly.
Feast of El-Rizwan, in the "Noontide Club," corner of Michigan and 12th Street, second floor, at 8 p. m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Morning—An opportunity for the friends to visit the Mashrak-el-Azkar grounds, 11 a. m. Afternoon—A public sacred service, held in St. John's Hall, Masonic Temple at 3 p. m.
MONDAY, APRIL 27
Sessions of the Convention of the Bahäi Temple Unity, held morning and afternoon, in Corinthian hall, Masonic Temple.
Public Meeting—Assembly hall, Northwestern University building, southeast corner Lake and Dearborn streets, second floor, at 8 p. m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28
Sessions of the Convention held morning and afternoon, in Corinthian hall, Masonic Temple.
Public Meeting—Assembly hall, Northwestern University building 8 p. m.
"THE NEW REFORMER."
A letter from N. R. Vakil, of India, states that D. Gopaul Chetty, the editor of The New Reformer, published in Madras, has helped the Cause greatly through publishing articles on the Revelation. It has been suggested that a few friends in different parts, who can afford to do so, subscribe tor the magazine. The subscription is about two dollars per year.
OUR PERSIAN SECTION this issue contains: Talk by Abdul-Baha for a London publication; (2) Tablet to Sheikh Mohei-el-Din; (3) Address by Sheikh Mohei-el-Din; (4) Poetic record of the death of Mirza Abul-Fazl; (5) Significance of Religion; (6) Science and Character; (7) War and Peace.
"THOU SHALT UNFURL THE STANDARD OF SPIRITUALITY IN THE HEAVENLY UNIVERSE!"
IT IS several months since the New York Assembly was offered an audience room in the Parish House of St. Mark's Episcopal church, this city, for Sunday afternoon meetings, with the entire freedom of the platform, limited only to constructive methods.
The Center of the Covenant, His Holiness, Abdul-Bahä, was cabled to for counsel, and his cabled reply was: "Accept invitation, Church Episcopal. Hold Sunday afternoon meetings." An immediate acceptance of this invitation followed.
Beautiful meetings are now held there every Sunday afternoon.
Following is a Tablet recently received by our brother Mr. Kinney, through whom this invitation was most unexpectedly tendered to
--PHOTO-- CONGREGATION OF THE SPIRIT "HE IS THE GLORY OF THE MOST GLORIOUS"
EVERY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT HALF-PAST THREE O'CLOCK ST MARK'S IN-THE-BOUWERIE TENTH STREET AND SECOND AVENUE
IN THE UPPER ROOM EAST OF THE CHURCH
READINGS FROM THE WORD SPIRITUAL CONFLUENCES HYMNS AND VOLUNTARIES
NOW THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT, AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. BUT WE ALL, WITH OPEN FACE BEHOLDING AS IN A GLASS THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE CHANGED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY TO GLORY, EVEN AS BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.—II COR. III:17-18
"THIS IS THAT WHICH DESCENDED FROM THE SOURCE OF MAJESTY. THROUGH THE TONGUE OF POWER AND STRENGTH UPON THE PROPHETS OF THE PAST." —HIDDEN WORDS.
the New York Assembly, and who wrote (as well as cabled) of it to the presence of the Center of the Covenant. This Tablet is his reply:
To Mr. Wafa Kinney, New York City.
Upon Him be BAHA'O'LLAH EL-ABHA!
HE IS GOD!
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter was received and its contents perused with the utmost of attention.
Convey infinite love and kindness on my behalf to ..... and say to him: Praise be to God that He hath chosen thee from amongst the ministers so that thou mayst hearken to the call of the Kingdom of God, listen to the heavenly Melody, behold the Light of Reality, act according to the advices of His Holiness the Christ, promulgate the principles of BAHA'O'LLAH, become the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity and be ordained as the high priest of the Church of the Kingdom. All the ministers will be submerged under one of those periodic waves of the earth, leaving behind no name and no trace, but thou shalt unfurl the standard of spirituality in the heavenly universe of Heaven, extolling and magnifying the Lord of mankind with the music of the Kingdom. Thank thou God that thou hast attained to this most great Bestowal.
In short, O thou my Mr. Kinney, O thou my spiritual child! Whatever . . . . . deems advisable concur with him and put in practice, and occupy your time with the diffusion of the Fragrances of God. Announce the utmost kindness to thy respected wife and all the friends.
Up to the present time, as a result of this long journey to America, my constitution was in the utmost state of weakness and feebleness, consequently I could not carry the weight of correspondence. As at the present writing the condition of my nerves is better and materially improved, therefore I am writing thee this epistle.
Upon thee be BAHA EL-ABHA!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, February 23rd, 1914, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Syria.
We ask the prayers of all the friends that through this opened door we may become confirmed to bear the Light of this "Morn of Knowledge, and to turn many hearts to the Holy Fragrance of "the Branch which has branched from the Ancient Root.
Isabella D. Brittingham.
TENETS OF BAHAISM
[Continued from page 23]
The following points dealt with by the lecturers may perhaps be cited as the most noteworthy:—
There shall be no priesthood of the paid or professional order,
Monogamy is enjoined; asceticism or the hermit life in monasteries is forbidden.
Education is to be universal and the rich or childless shall educate the children of the poor.
The female child is to receive equal attention in this matter and equality of the sexes declared.
Work is looked upon as an act of worship, and is to be found for all, for mendicity is forbidden. The words written by the Founder are as follows: "This is the day of deeds. In this day deeds are preferable to words. Deeds reveal the station of the man and he whose words exceed his deeds verily, his non-being is better than his being."
Brotherhood among the Bahäis, we are told, is regarded as absolutely indispensable, irrespective of race, color, or religion, and there must be no pretentious mental attitude, but a real and living philosophy of life. All Moslems, Christians, Jews, or Zoroastrian Bahäis should fraternize as one family, for they practice the two great Bahäi ideals of unity and love.
We learn that all the edicts of BAHA'O'LLAH were laid down and revealed fifty years ago. It is therefore interesting to find that He declared a universal language was to be evolved or chosen as an intermediary agent towards the better understanding of peoples; also that a court of arbitration should be formed on international lines against war—turning the Bahäi attitude of religions amity upon these problems, since they declare that all founders of religions were chosen speakers for the good enlightenment of people.
An argument presented by Abdul-Bahä on this subject when in the West was cited as typical. We are told not to mistake the lamp for the Light. Lamps or light carriers are many and diverse whether in size, quality or form, but light is essentially the same. It varies only according to the degree allowed it by the vehicle of its manifestation, whether as a candle or an electric arc lamp. The world should consider great religious founders or thinkers as light-bearers and what they teach should be the object of worship. The wisdom with which they illumine their time and race should be remembered, not their personalities. Religions degenerate, because it is the invariable tendency in humanity to forget principles enunciated by Founders and worship the material or historic aspect, neglecting the light intended to be used. Light being one, it stands for the analogy of truth, and all religions are woven around identically similar principles.
The Bahäis believe that teachers of these higher orders come under Divine will in times of greatest human needs and have their predestined time and place. Since life may be symbolized as a tree, BAHA'O'LLAH declared humanity to be the leaves, flowers and fruit thereof, and in time humanity will consider it as rationally inconceivable to fight and kill one another as it would be for the leaves and branches of a tree to quarrel with its blossoms and fruit.
The Bahäis consider that the world has entered on a new cycle and that all the teachings of this Persian seer are ultimately destined to work out for the good of the social and spiritual whole. It may perhaps be mentioned that the word or title "BAHA'O'LLAH" means a quality or descriptive term signifying "Glory or Splendor" (of God) and Abdul-Bahä his son as "Servant of the Glory."
A WORD OF APPRECIATION FROM INDIA.
"The STAR OF THE WEST is, indeed, a true nightingale of the Rose-garden of ABHA and its beloved notes vibrate with the messages of the Beloved of all in the heavens and earths. Its contents give one renewed vigor to advance steadfastly on the Path which leads to the glorious realm of ABHA, and the holy words of The Center of The Covenant that it promulgates, keep one always keyed up in the field of service in His Most Beloved Cause . . . . The STAR is awaited as a star of hope and when it arrives, its rays penetrate in the minds of those who await its arrival with expectant hearts."
The Bahäi Assembly of Rangoon. March 16, 1914.
[Page 27]
PAGE 1
VOL V
No. 2
نجم باختر 1329
جلد پنجم . شماره دوم . 9 آپریل .
این جریده برحسب تاریخ بهائی هر نوزده روز چاپ و توزیع میگردد و در نهایت آزادی در مسائل یگانگی بشر و وحدت ادیان و ترویج صلح عمومی و تربیت اطفال و پیشرفت امر حضرت بهاء الله در اطراف جهان و توضیح حقایق این دین عمومی خواهد نوشت و مقالات مفید که موافق سبک اداره است قبول و نشر خواهد گردید .
صفحه 1- 1
قارئین جریدۀ و ان هاء لندن . هوالله
این آفتاب فلک اثیر را اشراق بر آفاق است و جمیع کائنات ارضیّه بفیض تربیتش در نشو و نما است اگر حرارت و اشراق آفتاب نبود طبقات کرۀ ارض تشکیل نمیشد و معادن کریمه تکوّن نمی یافت و این خاک سیاه قوّۀ انبات نمیجست و عالم نبات پرورش نمی یافت و عالم حیوان نشو و نما نمیکرد جمیع این بخشایش از فیض آفتاب است که آیتی از آیات قدرت حضرت پروردگار است و چون از نقطۀ اعتدال اشراق نماید جهان جهان دیگر گردد و اقلیم حلیۀ خضراء پوشد و جمیع اشجار برگ و شکوفه نماید و ثمر تر و تازه بخشد و در عروق و اعصاب هر ذیروحی خون بحرکت آید حیات جدیدی یابد قوّتی تازه تحصیل کند و همچنین شخص حقیقت که کوکب لامع عقول و ارواح و نفوس است و نیّر اعظم جهان افکار و قلوب مربّی حقیقت نوع انسان است و سبب نشو و نمای ارواح و عقول و نفوس آن کوکب الهی را نیز طلوع و غروبی و نقطّ اعتدالی و خطّ استوائی و بروج متعدّده ئی حال مدّتی است که آن نیّر اعظم افول نموده بود جهان عقول و نفوس تاریک شده بود قوّه نشو و نمای وجدانی بکلیّ مفقود گشته بود اکتشافات عقلی منتهی شده بود .
صفحه 2 -1
الحمدلله صبح حقیقت دمید و انوار آفتاب تابید جمیع کائنات در حرکت است هر دم حیاتی تازه حاصل و هر روز آثاری عجیب باهر باید که خفته گان بیدار شوند و غافلان هوشیار گردند وقت آن است که کوران بینا شوند و کران شنوا گردند و گنگان گویا شوند و مرده ها زنده گردند تا آثار مواهب این قرن عظیم در جهان آشکار شود و سرور یوم عظیم جمیع قلوب را احاطه کند انوار محبّت دل و جان بتابد که ظلمات افکار و قلوب بکلیّ زائل گردد . جانتان خوش باد . عبدالبهاء عبّاس
لوح مبارک بافتخار جناب فضائل مآب آقا شیخ محی الدّین علیه بهاء الله .
مصر جناب شیخ محی الدِّن سنندجی علیه بهاء الله . هوالله
ای شمع محبّت الله مصیبت حضرت ابی الفضائل حتیّ اهل بارگاه قدس را محزون و دلخون نمود نه چنان تأثیری در دل و جان حاصل که بقلم و لسان بیان توان نمود ولکن الحمدلله مثل شماها تلامیذی یادگار گذاشت شبهۀ نیست که شما نیز قدم بقدم پیروی او خواهید نمود و سراج او را روشن خواهید کرد لهذا باید آنجناب در مجمع احبّا و انجمن اصفیا لسانی ناطق و برهانی لامع و انجذابی واضح و بیانی فصیح و نطقی بلیغ ظاهر و آشکار نمائید البّته .
صفحه 1- 2
در هر انجمنی تلاوت آیات و مناجات و اشعار نموده و نطقی در نهایت بلاغت بفرمائید تا جمیع حاضرین بوجد و بشارت آیند و قلوب منجذب گردد و یقین بدانید که تأییدات الهیّه پیاپی میرسد اعتماد من بر تلامذه آن استاد بی نهایت است و علیک البهاء . عبدالبهاء عبّاس .
خطابۀ غرّاء
جناب شیخ محی الدّین در محفل روحانی مصر تلاوت فرمود
اقلّ عباد و و کمترین بندگان آستان من له المجدد الغظمة والکبریائه فانی محی الدّین صبری سنندجی با کمال خضوع و خشوع حضور احبّای الهی و حاضرین محفل روحانی روحی لمحبّتهم الفداء مراتب آتیه را بمناسبت ورود لوح و بیان مبارک که در آن ذکری از کبر مصیبت متصاعد الی الله استاذی مرحوم حضرت ا بوالفضائل است معروض میدارد . اینکه هر چند خطاب لوح مبارک متوجّه بنحو فانی است و لکن فی الحقیقه مفاد و مرجع آن متوجّه بشطر عموم تلامذه حضرت متصاعد الی الله مرحوم ابی الفضائل علیه بهاء الله و روحی لروحه و مقامه الفداء میباشد و از اینکه جمیع ماها هریک بقدر وسعت و فراخور حال و استعداد خود از فضائل و مسائل علمیّه و اطّلاعات تاریخیّه و مقتبس از انوار روحیّۀ آن مرحوم مستفید شده شکیّ و شبهه ئی نیست لهذا بر همه ما ها واجب است حتیّ الامکان قدم بقدم پیروی خدمات جلیلۀ آن مرحوم نموده و بنهایت انقطاع و انجذاب قائم بر خدمت و فانی و جان نثار در طریق محبّت الله باشیم و هریک از فانیان باید بتأییدات غیبیّه جمال ابهی جلّ ذکره و حسن عنایت و توجّهات من اراده الله مانند شمع جمع پر شعله و انوار باشیم و بدل بجوشیم و بجان بکوشیم و به نار محبّت الله هر افسده و پژمرده ئی را بسوزش و خروش آورده و بیخبران را باخبر و غافلان را بنهایت حکمت و موعظۀ حسنه و حسن بیان و مودّت براه عبودیّت رحمان آشنا نمود و باعمال نیکو و کردار پاکیزه و صدق قول و وفا و خلوص تام با هر فردی از افراد عالم معاشر و مصاحب و دوست و صدیق حمیم باشیم و بانامل رأفت و شفقت و مهربانی غبار کدورت .
صفحه 2- 2
را از صفحات خواطر محزونه فسخ و زائل نموده و قلوب را بحرارت محبّت صرفه بشطر محبوب امکان منصرف و متوجّه داشته و اعظم و اهمّ آمال کلّ باید انشاء الله در ازالۀ اساس بغض و عداوت و تعصّب و بیگانگی و سوء تفاهم و هدم تبیان ضغینه و بغضا در بین عموم انام باشد و روابط الفت و مودّت را بهر نحو بوده ثابت و محکم بداریم و در جلب فوائد مادیّه و معنویّه نسبت بجمیع خلق ساعی و مساعد باشیم الحمدلله حیّ قدیر بقدرت کاملۀ خود همه این راه ها را در نهایت وضوح مبیّن و موضح فرموده و بمفادّ « الیوم کملت لکم دینکم » نقصی نگذاشته و بقوّۀ عظمت و اقتدار موانع سوء تفاهم را از بین برداشته و همه را مهمان خوان بیدریغ انعام و احسان بی پایان خود فرموده و بعلم شناختن خود ما را آگاه و مطلعّ بلم معلمّ فرموده لهذا جائز و شایسته نیست پس از تعلمّ و درک اینگونه انوار و عنایات رحمانیّه خود را بی علم و بی اطّلاع قصور نمائیم و فقدان بعضی از علوم که منبعث از اوهام کدره است آن را موجب جمد و خمود و عدم جدّ و جهد نمائیم و حال اینکه جمیع این علوم و فنون ظاهره در بیداء معرفت الله همه اوهام صرفند و ظنون بحث کسی که در دبستان علم و معرفت الهی متعلمّ شده باشد ابدا شایسته و لائق نیست خود را بصفت جهل و نادانی نسبت دهد نهایت فرق این است هرکس تقوی و پیروی اوامر الهیّه را بیشتر داشته باشد علمش و فهمش و ادراکاتش و فتوحاتش بیشتر است و آیۀ کریمۀ « اتقوا لله و یعلمّکم وانّ اکرمکم عندالله اتقیکم » باز براین مطلب برهانی ساطع و معالم وصول الی الله انقطاع صرف است عما سوی الله و زاد این راه تقوی الله و خشیّة الله بوده و هست مثلا شخصی هر چند دارای علوم و فنون گوناگون بوده باشد ولکن از علم بمعلوم بی بهره و از خشیّة الله فارغ و غافل باشد البّته آن علوم و فنون مثمر نخواهد شد مثل او مثل شجر بزرگ تنومند و لکن از ثمر بی بهره و محروم معلوم است واردین ظلّ آن شجره چندان منتفع و ممتنع نخواهند شد و علتّ غائیّه فنون معرفت الله و تعلمّ دین و آئین صحیح و تهذیب اخلاق و تعدیل صفات و متصفّ بودن باخلاق رحمانیه است و جمیع انبیای الهی علیهم السّلام .
صفحه 1 - 3
معلمّ این سبیل جدید و هادی این طریق مستقیم بوده اند و حدیث شهر و خاتم رسل و هادی سبل علیه الصلوة و السّلام « بعثت لان اعمّ مکارم الاخلاق» برهانی است قاطع و تحصیل این علم بسته به نورانیّت ضمیر و قلب منیر و تحرّی حقیقت و تدبرّ در مسائل معضله الهیّه است نه در قواعد صرفیّه و نحویّه و قیاس منطقیّ و امثالها است باری مقصد این است بر هر نفسی از ماها که درک فضائل مرحوم حضرت ابی الفضائل نموده و بانوار علوم و معارف او منوّر و مستفید شده و فی الحقیقه از تلامذه آن مرحوم محسوبیم لازم و واجب است که قدم بقدم پیروی صفات حمیده و اخلاق مرضیّه و خدمات جلیلۀ عظیمه آن مرحوم نموده و آنا بعد آن در اشتعال و اشتغال و انجذاب بوده و غریق بحر خدمات مانیم بنوعی در این راه نورانی سالک بوده باشیم که هر فرد از افراد فانیان مظهر فضائل و مرکز پر انوار او باشیم و لاشکّ تأییدات غیبیّه و توفیقات سماویّه پیاپی میرسد و نسائم جان بخش رحمان از روضۀ رضوان میوزد و جنود ملاء اعلی مساعد کلّ و نظر کیمیا اثر مولی الوری و فی الختام ارحبوالله تبارک و تعالی ان یؤیدنا و یوفقنا لایحبّه و یرضاه . فی 18 ربیع الاوّل سنه 1332 .
تاریخ صعود ابوالفضائل . از نظم فاضل آقا میرزا محمّد تقی ناظم خراسانی در بندر جز :
« بدیدار بهاواله ابوالفضل . زیاران هرکه بینی به ابوالفضل . ز علمش حکمت و تاریخ ادیان . بگفتند اهل عالم زه ابوالفضل . ز استدلال برهان دلایل . نمودی خصم را سامه ابوالفضل . ز شوق و طلعت محبوبش ابهاء . شد از دنیای دون مکره ابوالفضل . بتاریخ صعودش گفت ناظم . رهید از دام دنیا مه ابوالفضل » .
دیانت
دیانت یعنی چه و لزومیّت آن برای چیست ؟
دین در لغت بمعنی جزاست و در عرق متدیّنین عبارت است از احکام و آداب و قوانین و رسومی که بتوسطّ یکی از انبیاء و مظاهر الهیّه .
صفحه 2 -3
در میان هیئت بشریّه و تفتین و تشریع و تأسیس و توضیح شده باشد از برای حفظ حدود و حقوق و شئون بشریّت و اگرچه همین تعریف ما را مستغنی میدارد و از بیان لزوم آن چه که نفس تعریف مستلزم لزوم است زیرا وظائف انسانیّت بدون یک همچو اساسی اداء نشود و امور دورۀ حیات من دون قانونی چنین اداره نگردد ولی چون این تعریف لزوم اجمالی را حائز است لهذا بطور تفصیل میگوئیم که بر هر ذی درایتی مبرهن است که نوع انسان همیشه محتاج است باری که رادع و زائل باشد و داعی فضائل تا حقیقت انسانیّه از آلایش ذمائم مبرّا گردد و هیئت بشریّه به آرایش محاسن محلیّ شود مدار امور مرتبّ گردد و اخلاق جمهور مهذبّ شود نقائص امکانیّه تخفیف یابد و خصائص انسانیّه تکمیل گردد سحاب تیرۀ ظلم و عدوان متلاشی شود و آفتاب منیر عدل و احسان متساطع گردد و نوع انسان با کمال محبّت و احسان با یکدیگر راه معاشرت پویند و از مجانبت و منافرت سخن نگویند در مشارکت حیات انبازی را ببازی نگیرند و از تعدّی و دست درازی درگذرند و هرگاه تصوّر کنیم که این فضائل بخودی خود از برای انسان حاصل شود و یا آن رذائل بنفسها از اکوان زائل گردد این تصورّی است باطل : « ان کنت تطمع فی حصیدة خالد . هیهات تضرّب فی حدید بارد » بلکه اقبال بشریّه به شرّ بیشتر است تا توجّه او بخیر و انهماک او در شهوات نفسانیّه از مسلمّات اوّلیّه است الا در صورتیکه مانع و رادع از برای او موجود شود و این بس واضح است که مانع و رادعی بهتر و مؤثرّتر از عقائد دینیّه و قواعد الهیّه یافت نمیشود زیرا هر رادعی فقط مؤثرّ در ظواهر امور است نه در بواطن جمهور ولی قوّه قویّه دیانت مؤثرّ در قلب و وجدان است و نافذ در حقیقت و باطن انسان بقسمی که در زوایای خلوت انسان را از فحشاء و سیّئات ممانعت نماید و بفضائل و حسنات دلالت فرماید دیانت است که دارای وعد و وعید است و شامل بیم و امید وعدش قائد حسنات است و وعیدش .
صفحه 1 - 4
مانع سیّئات دیانت است که شامل مکافات است و مشتمل مجازات بیم مجازاتش انسان را از خصائل ناپسندیده دور نماید و امید مکافاتش باطوار حمیده مجبور فرماید دیانت است که کافل سعادت بشریّه است و مورث خصائل قدسیّه دیانت است که مؤلف بین قلوب است و منتج نتائج مطلوب کدام قوّه است که ملل مختلفه و اقوام متنوّعه را در بساط واحد مجتمع و مؤتلف نماید جز قوّۀ دیانت « لو انفقت مافی الارض جمیعا ما الفت بین قلوبهم ولکن الله الف بینهم » خلاصه اینکه دیانت بهترین داروی امراض و علل است و خوشترین وسیله اتحاد قبائل و ملل فنعم ما قال النعیم : « جان جاوید روح ایمانست . دین بجسم جهانیان جان است . حصن حفظ و حصار اطمینان . قلعه استوار ایمانست . خسرو ملک ظاهر و باطن . حافظ آشکار و پنهانست . مایه الجمع انفراد بشر . مابه الفضل وحش و حیوانست . مطمئن من آمن بالله . مشمئز من اتکی بسوئه » در این مقام بهترین بیان است آیات کتاب دساتیر در نامۀ شت وحشور زردشت آیۀ 44 پرسدت دوست زیرکی که فرزانگان یونان میگویند دراین جهان پیغمبر چرا باید بکو وخشور از آن باید که مردمان در کار زندگانی و زیست بهم نیازمندند پس ایشان را گزیر نیست از بربستگان و برنهادان که همه بر آن همداستان باشند تا ستم در داد و ستد و ابنازی نشود و دهناد جهان پاید و این بر بستگان از پیش یزدان باید تا همه کسان آنرا چذیرند بدین فرز بود وخشور انگیخته شود ( انتهی) .
و بالجمله از این اشارات معلوم شد که جمعیّت بشریّه را ناگزیر است از قانونی عادلانه که کلّ مایقوم به البشر از سیاسیّات و مدنیّات و تهذیب اخلاق و تعدیل اطوار و ترک عادتا ناشایسته و رفع مضرّات و حفظ حقوق متبادله و حصول صفات کامله طرا بر طبق آن قانون اداره شود و دورۀ زندگانی تا بانجام در تحت آن قانون در .
صفحه 2 – 4
کامل انتظام باشد و حدود انسان در جمیع شئون معیّن و مشخصّ گردد ( بقیّه دارد ) . هیئت تهذیب .
علم و اخلاق
قوله جلّ کبریائه : « لعمرالله سیف الاخلاق و الآداب احدّ من سیف الحدید »
این مسلمّ نزد جمیع حکما است که وقتی عالم به منتهی درجه سعادت ونیک بختی میرسد که شاهد بی مثال اتّحاد بشری جلوه نماید و دیو سیاه چهره اختلاف در پس کوه عدم مختفی گردد و آخرین وسیله از برای تأسیس اساس محکم اتّحاد و تخریب بنیان عالم ویران کن اختلاف همانا دو قوّه است یکی علم و دیگری اخلاق چه علما در میان این دو لازم و ملزم یکدیگر هستند و یا آنکه دو قوّه هستند بیانات شتی و طرق مختلفه در استدلال دارند و پس از تحقیقات زیاد بعلاوه عملیّات و تجربیّات کثیره ایشان را محققّ و مبرهن گشته که هریک از این دو قوّه عظیمه بنفسه مستقل و در تسهیل مرام قائم بالذاتّ و گفته اند علم عبارت است از دانستن و حسن اخلاق سبب صحیح بکار بردن آن که بدین دو شاهد مقصود در عالم بشر جلوه گر شود بالأخره اتفاقی جمیع حکما و علما است که مایه ترقیّ و نجات هر امّت همانا این دو قوّه سابق الذکر است بواسطه علم انسان کشف مکنونات طبیعت کند و حاکم بر طبیعت گردد و خود را از اسارت طبیعت ظالمه نجات دهد و بواسطه صحّت اخلاق بدون اجبار و قهر خارج از پلیس و مستحفظ و فقط از تأثیر ملکات انسانیّه و برکت شرافت وجدانیّه انتظام نوع و تمشیّت امور جمهور دهد پس مسلمّ گشت که خیمۀ نظم عالم بدین دو ستون ثابت و برپا است یکی علم و دیگری اخلاق حسنه و در این قرن عظیم و کور قویم .
صفحه 1 – 5
که آفتاب نصایح و مواعظحضرت بهاء الله عالم را روشن نموده و خوشبختانه این تاج فخر را بر سر این قرن نهاده تکلیف ما بهائیان چنان است که تا بتوانیم عالم را بقوّۀ اخلاق اداره نمائیم و خیمه احکام روحانیّه حضرت بهاء الله را برافرازیم تا سعادت ابدی از برای عالم مهیّا گردد و نعمت سرمدی رخ بگشاید و بهترین وسایل از برای انتشار اوامر آن حضرت همانا تربیت اطفال است چه مسلمّ است این اطفال بزرگ شوند و طفل پرور گردند و نظر باهمیّت تربیت است که حضرت مولی الوری عبدالبهاء میفرمایند « اگر طفل را زنده بگور کنید بهتر از آنست که او را نادان و جاهل گذارید » لذا جمعی از بندگان حضرت بهاء الله در طهران پنج سال قبل همّت گماشته اند که اقلا اطفال بهائیان را در روزهای تعطیل که روز جمعه است به نصائح و مواعظ حضرت بهاء الله تربیت نمایند و خوشبختانه حسن نیّت آنها کار را تراتی داده تا اینکه امروز در طهران اغلب از اطفال بهائیان در روزهای جمعه در مجالس متعدّده به تلاوت آیات و مناجات و صحبت در مطالب اخلاقی مشغولند و تا بحال دو دفعه در مجلس عمومی امتحان داده و نتیجۀ زحمات خود را تقدیم حضور احباب نمودند و حال معلمین آنها در یک مجلس خصوصی هفتۀ یک دفعه ملاقات مینمایند و در ترتیب دروس اخلاقی که از آیات تشکیل یافته مذاکره مینمایندو در یک جلسه امتحان که از جمیع محافل نمایندگان حاضر بودند و امة الله دکتر مودی و دکتر کلاک و مس کیپر حضور داشتند . نصرالله یزدی .
نجم باختر : چون مسئله تربیت اطفال از اهمّ امور است لهذا یکی از الواح مقدّسه که در این خصوص نازل شده بود درج مینماید .
هوالله ای احبّای الهی و اماء رحمانی : جمهور عقلاء بر آنند که تفاوت عقول و آراء از تفاوت تربیت و تعلیم آداب است یعنی عقول در اصل متساوی .
صفحه 2 - 5
است ولی تربیت و تعلیم آداب سبب گردد که عقول متفاوت نشود و ادراکات متباین و این تفاوت در فطرت نیست و بلکه تربیت و تعلیم است و امتیاز ذاتی از برای نفسی نیست لهذا نوع بشر عموما استعداد وصول باعلی المقامات دارند و برهان بر این اقامه نمایند که اهالی مملکتی نظیر افریقا جمیع مانند وحوش ضاریّه و حیوانات بریّه بی عقل و دانشند و کلّ متوحشّ یک نفس دانا و متمدّن در مابین آنان موجود نه و بعکس آن ملاحظه مینمایند که ممالک متمدّنه جمیع اهالی در نهایت آداب و حسن اطوار و تعاون و تعاضد وحدت ادراک و عقل سلیم هستند الا معدودی قلیل پس معلوم و محققّ شد که علوّ و دنوّ عقول و ادراکات از تربیت وتعلیم و عدم آنست شاخ کج به تربیت راست شود و میوۀ برّی جنگلی ثمر بستانی شود و شخص نادان به تعلیم دانا گردد و عالم توحشّ بفیض مربّی دانا جهان تمدّن گردد علیل به طبابت شفا یابد و فقیر به تعلمّ فنّ تجارت غنی شود و تابع بسبب کسب کمالات متبوع عظیم گردد و شخص ذلیل بتربیت مربّی از حضیض خمول باوج رفیع رسد این است برهان آنان انبیاء نیز تصدیق این رأی را میفرمایند که تربیت تأثیر در بشر دارد ولی میفرمایند عقول و ادراکات در اصل فطرت نیز متفاوت است و این امر بدیهی است قابل انکار نه چنانکه ملاحظه مینمائیم اطفالی همسنّ و هموطن و همجنس بلکه از یک خاندان در تحت تربیت یک شخص پرورش یابند با وجود این عقول و ادراکاتشان متفاوت یکی ترقیّ سریع نماید و یکی پرتو تعلیم بطئ گیرد و یکی در نهایت درجۀ تدنیّ ماند خزف هرچه تربیت شود لؤلؤلالانگردد و سنگ سیاه گوهر جهانتاب نشود و حنظل و زقوم بتعلیم و تربیت شجرۀ مبارکه نگردد یعنی تربیت گوهر انسانی را تبدیل نکند ولکن تأثیر کلیّ نماید و بقوّۀ نافذه آنچه در حقیقت انسان از کمالات و استعداد مندمج و مندرج .
صفحه 1 - 6
بعرصۀ ظهور آرد تربیت دهقان حبّه را خرمن کند و همّت باغبان دانه را درخت کهن نماید لطف ادیب اطفال دبستان را باوج رفیع رساند و عنایت مربّی کودک حقیر را بر سریر اثیر نشاند پس واضح و مبرهن گردید که عقول در اصل فطرت متفاوت است و تربیت را نیز حکمی عظیم و تأثیری شدید اگر مربّی نباشد جمیع نفوس وحوش مانند و اگر معلمّ نباشد اطفال کلّ مانند حشرات گردند این است که در کتاب الهی در این دور بدیع تعلیم و تربیت امر اجباری است نه اختیاری یعنی بر پدر و مادر فرض عین است که دختر و پسر را به نهایت همّت تعلیم و تربیت نمایند و از پستان عرفان شیر دهند و در آغوش علوم و معارف پرورش بخشند و اگر در این خصوص قصور کنند در نزد ربّ غیور مأخوذ و مذموم و مدحورند و این گناهی است غیر مغفور زیرا آن طفل بیچاره را آوارۀ صحرای جهالت کنند و بدبخت و گرفتار و معذبّ نمایند ( مادم الحیات ) طفل مظلوم اسیر جهل و غرور و نادان و بی شعور ماند و البّته اگر در سنۀ کودکی از این جهان رحلت نماید بهتر و خوشتر است در این مقام موت بهتر از حیات و هلاکت بهتر از نجات و عدم خوشتر از وجود و قبر بهتر از قصر و تنگنای کور مطمور بهتر از بیت معمور زیرا در نزد خلق خوار و ذلیل و در نزد حقّ سقیم و علیل و در محافل خجل و شرمسار و در میدان امتحان مغلوب و مذموم صغار و کبار این چه بدبختی است و این چه ذلتّ ابدی است پس باید احبّای الهی و اماء رحمانی بجان و دل اطفال را تربیت نمایند و در دبستان فضل و کمال تعلیم فرمایند در این خصوص ابدا فتور نکنند و قصور نخواهند البّته طفل را اگر بکشند بهتر از این است که جاهل بگذارند زیرا طفل معصوم و گرفتار نقائص گوناگون گردد و در نزد حقّ مؤاخذ ومسئول و در نزد خلق مذموم و مردود این چه گناهست و این چه اشتباه اوّل تکلیف یاران الهی .
صفحه 2 – 6
و اماء رحمانی آن است که ( بایّ وجه کان ) در تربیت و تعلیم اطفال از ذکور و اناث کوشند و دختران مانند پسرانند ابدا فرقی نیست جهل هر دو مذموم و نادانی هر دو نوع مبغوض ( و هل یستوی الذیّن یعلمون و لایعلمون ؟ ) در حقّ هر دو قسم امر محتوم اگر بدیدۀ نظر گردد تربیت و تعلیم دختران لازم تر از پسران است زیرا زیرا این بنات وقتی آید که مادر گردند و اولاد پرشور شوند و اوّل مربّی طفل مادر است زیرا طفل مانند شاخۀ سبز و تر هر طور تربیت شود نشو و نما نماید اگر تربیت راست گردد راست شود و اگر کج کج شود و تا نهایت عمر بر آن منهج سلوک نماید پس ثابت و مبرهن شد که دختر بی تعلیم و تربیت چون مادر گردد سبب محرومی و جهل و نادانی و عدم تربیت اطفالی کثیر شود ای یاران الهی و اماء رحمانی تعلیم و تعلمّ بنصّ قاطع جمال مبارک فرض است هرکس قصور نماید از موهبت کبری محروم ماند زنهار زنهار اگر فتور نمائید البّته بجان بکوشید که اطفال خویش را علی الخصوص دختران را تعلیم و تربیت نمائید و هیچ عذری در این مقام مقبول نه تا عزّت ابدیّه و علویّت سرمدیّه در انجمن اهل بها مانند شمس ضحی جلوه و طلوع نماید و قلب عبدالبهاء مسرور و ممنون شود و علیکم بهاء الابهی . ع ع .
صلح و حرب
فی الحقیقه دو نمایش عظیمی در آن واحد در امریکا وقوع یافته از یک جهت ملاحظه میشود که جیوش حرب و اساطیل جنگی ایالات متحّده به سمت مملکت مکسیک دویده شب و روز از افواه توپ و تفنگ آلات جهنمیّه میبارد و از یک جهت نمایندگان بهائیان از جمیع ولایات و جزائر بحر قاصد شیکاغو هستند که علم صلح و یگانگی و وحدت عالم انسانی بلند نمایند . (دکتر ضیاء بغدادی )
