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STAR OF THE WEST
IT HAS been our aim to uplift man, through exalted Words, unto the Supreme Horizon, and to prepare them to hearken unto that which conduces to the sanctifying and purifying of the people of the world from strife and discord resulting from differences in religions or sects.
—BAHA'O'LLAH
O friends! In this day the door of heaven is opened by the key of the godly Name, the ocean of generosity is manifested and is rolling before your faces, and the Sun of Providence is shining and gleaming. Do not be exclusive nor destroy your most precious time through the speech of this or that person. Gird up the loins of endeavor and do your best in training the people of the world. Do not imagine that the Cause of God is a cause of opposition, hatred or wrath. The Sun of Greatness hath said, that which is revealed from the heaven of will in this Supreme Manifestation, is to unite the people with love and friendship toward all. The people of Baha, who have drunk of the pure wine of reality, must associate with all the world with a perfect spirit of joy and fragrance, and remind them of that which is for the benefit of all. This is the Commandment of the wronged One to his saints and sincere ones.
O people of the earth! Make not the religion of God a cause of variance among you. Verily of a truth, it was revealed for the uniting of the whole world. Blessed is he who loves the world simply for the sake of the Face of his Generous Lord. With perfect compassion and mercy have we guided and directed the people of the world to that whereby their souls shall be profited. I declare by the Sun of Truth and which hath shown forth from the highest Horizon of the world, that the people of Bahá had not and have not any aim save the prosperity and reformation of the world and the purifying of the nations.
—BAHA'O'LLAH
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 of religion shall cease and differences of race be annulled. So it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the 'Most Great Peace' shall come."—BAHA'O'LLAH.
Vol. VI Baha 1, 71 (March 21, 1915) No. 1
"My Purpose and Intention is to Remove from Amongst Men this Enmity and this Religous Hatred"
Address by Abdul-Baha at Eighth Street Temple (Jewish Synagogue)
Washington, D. C., November 8, 1912.
From stenographic notes by Mr. Joseph H. Hannen
GOD is One; and the effulgence of God is one; and humanity constitutes the servants of that one God. God is kind to all. He creates them all, He provides for all; and all doth He nurture, and protect. The sun of God shines upon all mankind. The divine cloud pours down upon all. The gentle zephyrs of His mercy blow toward all, and all humanity is submerged in the ocean of God's eternal mercy. God has created mankind from the same progeny in order that His creatures may associate one with the other in good fellowship, that they may exercise love towards each other, that they may live amicably together.
But We have acted contrary to the good pleasure of God. We have been the cause of alienating humanity. We have separated one from the other, arising in opposition towards each other. How many have been the wars which have occurred amongst men! How excessive has been the bloodshed which has taken place amongst men! How numerous have been the homes which have been laid waste! How numberless are the cities which have been ruined. And all of this has been contrary to the good pleasure of God. For God hath willed love for humanity. God is clement to all mankind. God hath ordained amity amongst men.
But most regrettable is the state of difference and dispersion we have created amongst men in the name of religion, imagining that a duty paramount in importance in religion is that of alienating peoples; that our religious duty, as it were, is to shun one another and to consider each other contaminated! In reality, let it be known that the foundations of the Divine Religions are one, and the differences which have occurred are due to the blind imitations. His holiness Abraham Was the founder of reality. His holiness Moses was the founder of reality. His holiness Christ was the founder of reality. His holiness Mohammed was the founder of reality. His holiness Baha'o'llah was the founder of reality. And this is to be proved; it is not simply an assertion.
Let me ask your closest attention for the consideration of this subject: The divine religions—each one of them—are divisible into two divisions. One division is concerned with the essential or spiritual: to wit, faith in God, the acquirement of the virtues which characterize perfect manhood, praiseworthy morals, the acquisition of the bestowals
resulting from divine effulgences; in short, that division which is concerned with the realm of morality or the ethical plane. This is the fundamental aspect of the religion of God, and this is important, because knowledge is of first importance. Man must know God. He must comprehend the oneness of Divinity. He must come to know and to acknowledge the precepts of God, and he must come to the point of knowing for a certainty that the ethical development of humanity is dependent upon religion. Man must get rid of all defects, and seek the acquisition of virtues. Thus may he prove to be the "image and likeness of God." It is recorded in the holy Bible that God stated: "We shall create man after our own image and likeness." It is self-evident that the image and likeness thus mentioned do not apply to the ordinary form and visage of a human being, because the reality of Divinity is not subject to any form or anatomic figure. Nay, rather, by the "image and likeness of God" are meant the attributes and characteristics of God. Even as God is pronounced to be just, man must likewise be just. Even as God loves all men, man must likewise love all humanity. Even as God is kind to all, man must be kind to all his fellowmen. Even as God is loyal and truthful, man must be loyal and truthful. Even as God exercises mercy toward all, man must prove himself to be the manifestation of mercy. In a word, the "image and likeness of God" constitute the virtues of God, and man must ever become the recipient of the effulgences of divine attributes. This signifies the "image and likeness of God." Again, let it be stated that each religion of God is divisible into two divisions or departments. One division is connected with these virtues, and that is the foundation, and this you will find common to all the divine religions. His holiness Abraham promulgated this. His holiness Moses promulgated this. His holiness Christ upheld this standard. In short, all the prophets have promulgated this aspect of religion.
The second division, which is nonessential, which has to do with the transactions of humanity and is of no great import, that department is accidental and changes according to the exigencies of time and place. It is not fundamental, it is accidental. For example, during the times of Noah, it was expedient that all the sea foods be considered as lawful, and so God commanded Noah to partake of all marine animal life. But during the time of Moses this was not in accordance with the exigencies of the time, therefore a second command was issued which abrogated partly the law, making unlawful certain of the marine foods. During the time of Abraham—upon whom be peace!—it is well known that camel's milk was considered a very lawful and delicious food; likewise the flesh of the camel. But during Jacob's time, because of a certain vow which Jacob rendered, this became unlawful. These are the non-essential affairs.
In the holy Bible there are certain commandments which, according to those bygone times, constituted the very spirit of the age—the very light of that period. For example, according to the law of the Torah, if a man committed theft to the extent of a dollar they cut off his hand; but now is it possible to cut a man's hand off for a theft of a dollar? There are to be found in the Torah ten ordinances concerning murder. Are these effective today? No; times have changed. According to the explicit text of the Bible, if a man should change or break the law of the Sabbath, if he should touch fire on the Sabbath, he must be killed. Today such a law is abrogated. The Torah declares if a man should say an unseemly word of his father, he must be killed. Is this possible of execution now? No, indeed. Times have changed. Likewise during the time of Christ there were certain minor ordinances which were agreeable for those times.
These remarks show conclusively that the foundation of the religion of God remains permanent and lasting. It is that foundation which ensures the progress of the body politic. It is that foundation which ensures the illumination of humanity. It is that foundation which is ever the cause of love amongst men. It is that foundation which works for the unification and loving fellowship of all men, and that never changes and is not subject to transformation. That which is changeable is connected with the accidental, with the non-essentials. It is that part which has to do with the transactions of society.
Let me ask what is the purpose of prophethood? Why hath God sent the prophets? It is self-evident that the prophet is the educator of men, that he is the teacher of the human race. The prophets come to confer general education upon humanity; to give humanity training; to rescue the human race from the abyss of despair and desolation and suffer them to attain to the high apogee of advancement and glory. The people are in darkness; the prophets bring them out of darkness into the realm of light. They are in a state of utter defect; the prophets cause them to become imbued with perfections. The purpose of prophethood is no other than education; it is the guidance of people. Hence we must regard and be on the lookout for the man who is thus qualified; that is to say, any soul who is the educator of men, who is the teacher of the people, he is undoubtedly the prophet of his age.
For example, let us review the episodes connected with his holiness Moses—upon him be peace! His holiness Moses dwelt in Midian at a time when the Children of Israel were in captivity or bondage in the land of Egypt, subjected to tyranny and severe molestation. They were illiterate and uninformed, and they were subject to very severe ordeals and catastrophes. They were in a state of utter helplessness and imperfection, to the extent that it was proverbial that one Copt could overcome ten Septs or Israelites. At such a time as this, and in such circumstances, his holiness Moses appeared, and with a heavenly radiance he shone forth. He came and saved the Children of Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh and released them from captivity. He led them out of the land of Egypt and into the Holy Land. Whereas before they were scattered, he unified them. He educated them; he conferred upon them the blessing of erudition. Whereas before they were captives, he rendered them princes. Whereas before they were ignorant, later on he rendered them wise. Whereas before they were imperfect, he caused them to attain perfection. In a word: From helplessness he led them on and suffered them to attain to the highest plane of courage and valor. And thereby they became renowned throughout the world. At last they attained to that plane whereby they were enabled to establish the Solomonic sovereignty. Through the training of his holiness Moses these captivated Children of Israel became the dominant people amongst the nations. And in all the degrees of attainment and refinement they became famous. They at last reached such a degree that the famous philosophers of Greece journeyed to Jerusalem in order to study with the Israelitish prophets and instructors, and many were the lessons of wisdom and philosophy which they carried with them to Greece. Amongst the philosophers was the famous Socrates. Socrates journeyed to the Holy Land and studied with the Israelitish prophets; he acquired lessons of philosophy from them and learned many of their arts and sciences. After his return to Greece, through the information he had obtained, he founded that system which is known as the Unity of God. The Greek people arose against him, and at last,
(Continued on page six)
STAR OF THE WEST
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Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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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. VI
No. 1
Naurooz Greeting
Allah'o'Abha!
The seventy-first year of the Millennium has dawned. It is still the spiritual springtime of the Bahai Dispensation. The divine fragrances are being diffused. If we are not happy at this time, at what other period shall We be happy?
But springtime brings with it violent storms, the flash of lightnings, the roar of thunders, and the downpour of rain. Young plants are almost uprooted.
It is a day of severe trial. Black clouds have covered the whole horizon; yet the spiritual soul rejoices knowing that after the storm, the air will be pure, the ground sweetened, the plants refreshed, the sunshine glorious.
The doors to the Orient are closed. All communication with Abdul-Baha is severed. Europe is war swept. America has severe problems to be solved. "The world is topsy-turvy."
The STAR OF THE WEST feels the storm. It has had to reef its sails. It will refrain from publishing the Persian section for the time being or until the doors of the Orient are opened. The English section, for a few issues, will contain only eight pages.
In the Tablet to the STAR OF THE WEST (see above), Abdul-Baha says: "Be thou happy; but remain firm." This we are endeavoring to do until the sky clears and the STAR becomes "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."
Until then, let us all "Be happy," for at what other season should spiritually minded souls be happy? —The Editors.
"My Purpose and Intention is to Remove from Amongst Men this Enmity and Religous Hatred"
(Continued from page five)
in the presence of the king, he was poisoned. Likewise Hippocrates and many other of the Greek philosophers were wont to go to the Holy Land and study the arts and sciences with the learned Israelitish doctors.
Now, so long as his holiness Moses, through the results of his great mission,
was instrumental in releasing or rescuing the Israelites from a low state of debasement and humiliation and led them to a place of glorification and attainment—he taught them in this fashion, he educated them in this fashion—we have to be fair in our judgment in regard to that marvelous teacher, for he was a man, single and alone. Without a heavenly power, could he have made such a change and brought about such a condition? Could he have suffered a people after their humiliation to be thus exonerated, without a power holy and divine in character? It was no other than a power divine in origin. This is a self-evident proof of prophethood, because the mission of the prophets is no other than the education of the human race, and this personage educated people, human beings, and this proves that he was a mighty prophet amongst the prophets, and that his book is no other than the very book of God. There is no doubt of this at all. This is a rational, a circumstantial proof.
In brief, his holiness Moses—upon whom be peace!—founded the law of God and readjusted the morals of the people of Israel, and this gave them an impetus whereby they advanced along the degrees of human attainments. But after the time of his holiness Moses, and after the Solomonic era, during the time of Jereboam, morality suffered a change. These spiritual perfections ceased to exist. Amongst the Israelites there was a state of corruption. These Mosaic postulates did not exist. Then there was a state of Warfare amongst them, there was contention amongst them. There was strife amongst them. As a result, their unity passed away. The sect of Jereboam declared themselves to be valid, and the followers of Rehoboam declared themselves to be. At last affairs reached such a state that the Children of Israel suffered dispersion and eventually there was a state of degradation to such an extent that they worshipped the golden calf. They went to the city of Tyre, where they expressed their devotions to the calf. Thereupon God sent Elijah, the prophet, and Elijah rescued the people of Israel, and renewed the law of God. He reestablished a new life for the people of Israel.
In short, when change and transformation took place, that oneness and solidarity was followed by dispersion, for then we know, historically, that Nebuchadnezzar appeared, and as a result of that appearing—namely, the coming of Nebuchadnezzar—the greatest suffering obtained amongst the Israelites, the greatest reverses and trials took place amongst them. Seventy thousand of the Israelites were taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, to the land of the Chaldeans. Then the prophets of God reformed or re-established the laws of God, and the people again followed that law. This renewed or re-established their liberty and, according to the ordinances of the king of Persia, there was a return to the holy city, Jerusalem, and the temple of Solomon was built and the Israelitish glory was reinstated. But only for a time did these affairs continue, when again the morality of the people underwent a change, and conditions reached such a degree that the Roman government came and conquered the Holy Land. At last the era of Titus the Emperor appeared. This Roman general, Titus, utterly destroyed the city of Jerusalem and all the villages and hamlets. Homes were pillaged. Many people were killed, and children were taken into captivity. Palestine became a wilderness, a waste, and all the Jews had to flee from the Holy Land. The foundation of his holiness Moses suffered a tremendous change then, because the foundation of his holiness Moses comprised the virtues of humanity. They spelled morality, love amongst mankind, the acquisition of arts and sciences, the spirit of the oneness of humanity. But because the people lost sight of this, these reversals resulted.
Now, I want you to closely examine the following facts, for they are statements
which are worthy of consideration, because my purpose and intention is to remove from amongst men this enmity and this religious hatred which have fettered men, and to have all the religions unified and agreed. Inasmuch as the hatred and enmity which have obtained amongst the religions are results of misunderstandings, if these misunderstandings shall vanish, all the religions will be unified. For I declare that the foundation of the divine religions is one and the same. It is the oneness of instruction or teaching, and oneness of foundation; but alas!—we have relinquished that foundation and have held tenaciously to certain dogmatic teachings and blind imitation, and this has caused enmity and hatred. This has caused bloodshed. This is verily the cause of alienation amongst men. Hence I wish you to be very fair in the judgment of the following statement:
These were the conditions amongst the people of Israel, when, lo and behold,—his holiness Jesus Christ appeared amongst them. Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew amongst the Jews. He was single; he was alone and unique. He had no assistant. They at once pronounced him to be an enemy of Moses. They declared him to be the destroyer of the Mosaic institutes or laws. But let us examine the facts as they are. Let us investigate reality as it is, and we shall find the exact state of affairs. But for the fair investigation of this question, let us lay aside all that we have heard and thus independently shall we investigate. This personage, Jesus Christ, when he appeared, declared his holiness Moses to have been the prophet of God, and he pronounced all the prophets of Israel to have been the prophets of God. He pronounced the Torah the very book of God, and he enjoined upon all to conform or believe in the Old Testament. During a period of 1500 years it is an historic fact that the kings of the Israelites were unable to spread broadcast the fame of Judaism. In fact, the name and fame of Moses were confined up to that period to the boundary-lines of Palestine, and the Torah was a book well known only in Palestine. But his holiness Christ—through the blessing of the New Testament of Jesus Christ—the Old Testament, the Torah, was translated into six hundred different tongues, and it was spread broadcast in the world. It was through Christianity that the Torah reached Persia. Prior to that time there was no news of such a book as the Torah, but his holiness Christ caused the Torah to be spread everywhere. He caused the name of Moses to be elevated and spread. He was instrumental in publishing broadcast the name and fame of the Israelitish prophets, and he proved to the world that Israel constituted the people of God. Which one of the Israelitish kings were capable of accomplishing this result? Were it not for Jesus Christ, would the Bible, the Torah, have reached this land of America? Would the name of Moses be spread throughout the various parts of the world? Refer to history. For everyone knows that when the time of Christ was at hand, and Christianity was gradually spread, with the onward march of evangelism, with the spread of Christianity there was a spread simultaneously of the Torah and Judaism. Throughout the length and breadth of Persia there was not a single volume of the Old Testament, of the Torah, but Jesus Christ caused it to appear everywhere, to the extent that the holy Bible today is a household book everywhere. Hence it is evident that Christ was a friend of Moses. That he loved his holiness Moses, for had he not loved his holiness Moses he would not have commemorated his name. This is self-evident, that he was his best friend. Therefore the Christians and Jews should exercise the utmost of love towards each other, because Jesus and Moses, the founders of the two, have loved each other. The followers should follow their example.
We have already stated what constitutes a valid proof of prophethood. We find that the very proofs validating the mission of his holiness Moses were virtually advanced by his holiness Christ. His holiness Christ was also a unique and single individual, a member of the revered nation of Israel. But he was able to unite by the power of his word the following nations: The Roman nation, the Greek nation, the Chaldean nation, the Egyptian nation, and the Assyrian nation. He unified them all. Whereas before they were blood-thirsty, they were pillaging the properties of each other, they were taking captive the children of one another, he cemented all of these hostile peoples in a perfect way. He caused all of these to agree and to be well unified. Such colossal effects were the results of the manifestation of one single soul, and this declares conclusively that he was not a person unassisted by God. And now all the Christians do admit that his holiness Moses was a prophet of God. They declare that his book was the book of God. That the prophets of Israel were all prophets true and valid, and that the people of Israel constituted the people of God, and they praise and glorify his holiness Moses. What harm has come from this? I declare: What harm comes from a statement in the very same Way, from the hands of the Jews, that Jesus was also an expression of the Word of God? Have the Christians suffered from their investigation of Moses? Have they suffered at all from it? Have they suffered any loss in their religious enthusiasm, any defect in their religious belief, that they declare his holiness Moses was a prophet of God, that the Torah was a book of God, that all the prophets of the Jews were prophets of God? It is self-evident that no loss comes from that. And now it is time for the Jews to declare that Christ was the Word of God, and then this enmity between two great religions will pass away.
For two thousand years there has been this enmity and religious prejudice between the Christians and the Jews. All this blood has been shed, all these ordeals have been suffered. These few words will make them united. What harm comes from this: That just as the Christians glorify and praise his holiness Moses, likewise the Jews should commemorate his holiness Christ, should declare him as the Word of God and consider him as one of the chosen ones of God?
Now, just a, few words concerning the Koran and the Mohammedans. When his holiness Mohammed appeared, we find that in the Koran he refers to the sayings of Moses in seven different places. He pronounces Moses as the great man of God. As a prophet of great valor; a prophet and possessor of a book, the founder of a law and spirit of God. He said, "Whosoever believes in him is acceptable in the estimation of God, and whosoever shuns him or any of the prophets is rejected of God." Even, in conclusion, the prophet calls upon his own relatives, saying, "Why have ye shunned and not believed in Moses? Why have ye not acknowledged the Torah? Why have ye not believed in the Jewish prophets?" And he in a certain sura mentions the names of twenty-eight prophets of the Israelites, praising each and all of them. To this extent has he offered commendation. Now let us consider the person of Mohammad: The purpose is this: That Mohammed glorified and praised his holiness Moses and confirmed Judaism. Even Mohammed declared that whosoever denies Moses is contaminated, and this is an exposition which you will find stated in the Koran, that if a person denies Moses or any of the prophets, he is contaminated. Even if he repent, his repentance will not be accepted. He pronounced even his own relatives, just because they had denied the prophets, as contaminated, as infidels. He said: "Because you have not believed in Christ, because you have
not believed in Moses, because you have not believed in the Gospels, therefore you are infidels and contaminated." Thus Mohammed, himself, has praised the prophets of the past. He has praised the Torah and Moses and Christ. He appeared amongst the Arabs, who were a people scattered and illiterate, barbarous in nature, thirsting for the blood of each other. He led them aright. He guided them and trained them until the Arabs reached a high state of development. From the lowest degree of ignorance he suffered them to attain to the highest state of attainment, until they were renowned as masters of erudition and philosophy. Thus we see that the proofs applicable to one prophet are equally applicable to another.
In conclusion, since the prophets themselves, the founders, have been loving, and testified of each other, they have praised each one the other, why are we to disagree? Why should we be alienated? They have been kind to one another—and God is One. He is the Shepherd of all, and we all constitute His sheep, hence we should be in the state of love and amity. We should exercise the utmost of good will. Should this not govern; or shall we pronounce anathema on each other, each one praising himself and condemning the others? What result comes from that sort of thing? What use comes from that? Naught but the greatest enmity and hatred, turmoil and rancor, amongst men. Do we not see the amount of blood which is shed in this way?
Praise be to God, you are living in a land of freedom. You are blessed with men of learning, men who are well informed, and are well versed in the study of comparative religions. You realize the need of unity, and you know the great harm which comes from prejudice or superstition. I ask in conclusion, is not good-fellowship preferable for a state of society rather than hatred and enmity? The answer is self-evident. Love and fellowship are the things needed, that will win the good-pleasure of God, and we must ever emulate the good-pleasure of God. We must be united. We must love each other. We must ever praise one another. We must ever give commendation to all the people, thus removing discord and hatred, which has suffered alienation amongst men. Otherwise the same state of affairs will continue, each praising his own people and condemning the others; religious wars will continue, and religious prejudice is the cause of this havoc. This must be done away with, and the way to do it is to investigate the reality which underlies all the religions, and which reality is love of humanity. For God is One and humanity is one, and the prophets have brought the creed of amity.
Words of Abdul-Baha concerning the Mashrak-el-Azkar
(Extract from Tablet to Mrs. Corinne True, Chicago, Illinois)
Now it is hoped that the believers of God may show magnanimity and raise a great sum for the building so that the foundation of the Mashrak-el-Azkar may be laid, and perchance, God willing, the corner stone of the foundation may be laid by the hands of Abdul-Baha.
This confirmation will descend upon the people of America if they will arise and endeavor with great courage to establish union and harmony, so that every trace of difference may be uprooted and they may all become as one heart and one soul.
Convey the wonderful Abha greeting to all the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful.
