See how good Baha'u'llah is to us, how great the power of His Word! From
what distant parts of the world He has brought us together in this house
and caused us to meet at this heavenly table, for love has prepared a
feast and bidden 'Abdu'l-Baha to let this entertainment be in His name.
What a union of hearts and what a confirmation of Baha'u'llah between East
and West has been established! How His bounty has embraced all! How His
favors have been perfected for all!
When the Muslims conquered Persia, the chief of the Zoroastrian high
priests went to drink wine. According to Muslim law wine is forbidden, and
he who drinks it must be punished by eighty-one strokes of the whip.
Therefore, the Muslims arrested the high priest and whipped him. At that
time the Arabs were considered very low and degraded by the Persians,
scarcely to be accounted as human beings. As Muhammad was an Arab, the
Persians looked upon Him with disdain; but when the high priest saw the
evidences of a power in Muhammad which controlled these despised people,
he cried out, "O thou Arabian Muhammad, what hast thou done? What hast
thou done which has made thy people arrest the chief high priest of the
Zoroastrians for committing something unlawful in thy religion?" By this
circumstance the prejudice which caused the Zoroastrian to shun the Muslim
had been overcome, for he recognized in what had happened to him the great
influence Muhammad exercised over these people.
Today in this meeting we have an evidence of how Baha'u'llah through the
power of the love of God has exercised a wonderful spiritual influence
throughout the world. From the remotest parts of Persia and the Orient He
has caused men to come to this table to meet with the people of the West
in the utmost love and affection, union and harmony. Behold how the power
of Baha'u'llah has brought the East and West together. And 'Abdu'l-Baha is
standing, serving you. There is neither rod nor blow, whip nor sword; but
the power of the love of God has accomplished this.
In this world we judge a cause or movement by its progress and
development. Some movements appear, manifest a brief period of activity,
then discontinue. Others show forth a greater measure of growth and
strength, but before attaining mature development, weaken, disintegrate
and are lost in oblivion. Neither of these mentioned are progressive and
permanent.
There is still another kind of movement or cause which from a very small,
inconspicuous beginning goes forward with sure and steady progress,
gradually broadening and widening until it has assumed universal
dimensions. The Baha'i Movement is of this nature. For instance, when
Baha'u'llah was exiled from Persia with 'Abdu'l-Baha and the rest of His
family, they traveled the long road from Tihran to Ba_gh_dad, passing
through many towns and villages. During the whole of that journey and
distance they did not meet a single believer in the Cause for which they
had been banished. At that time very little was known about it in any part
of the world. Even in Ba_gh_dad there was but one believer who had been
taught by Baha'u'llah Himself in Persia. Later on, two or three others
appeared. You will see, therefore, that at the beginning the Cause of
Baha'u'llah was almost unknown, but on account of being a divine Movement
it grew and developed with irresistible spiritual power until in this day,
wherever you travel--East or West--and in whatever country you journey, you
will meet Baha'i assemblies and institutions. This is an evidence that the
Baha'is are spreading the blessings of unity and progressive development
throughout the world under the direction of divine guidance and purpose,
while other movements which are only temporary in their activities and
accomplishments have no real, universal significance.
23 April 1912
Talk at Howard University
Washington, D.C.