Because this is called the Church of Brotherhood, I wish to speak upon the
brotherhood of mankind. There is perfect brotherhood underlying humanity,
for all are servants of one God and belong to one family under the
protection of divine providence. The bond of fraternity exists in humanity
because all are intelligent beings created in the realm of evolutionary
growth. There is brotherhood potential in humanity because all inhabit
this earthly globe under the one canopy of heaven. There is brotherhood
natal in mankind because all are elements of one human society subject to
the necessity of agreement and cooperation. There is brotherhood intended
in humanity because all are waves of one sea, leaves and fruit of one
tree. This is physical fellowship which ensures material happiness in the
human world. The stronger it becomes, the more will mankind advance and
the circle of materiality be enlarged.
The real brotherhood is spiritual, for physical brotherhood is subject to
separation. The wars of the outer world of existence separate humankind,
but in the eternal world of spiritual brotherhood separation is unknown.
Material or physical association is based upon earthly interests, but
divine fellowship owes its existence to the breaths of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual brotherhood may be likened to the light, while the souls of
humankind are as lanterns. The incandescent lamps here are many, yet the
light is one.
At a time in the Orient when even physical brotherhood was not in
existence Baha'u'llah appeared. At first He set forth the principles of
physical brotherhood and afterward founded the spiritual brotherhood. He
breathed such a spirit into the countries of the Orient that various
peoples and warring tribes were blended in unity. Their bestowals and
susceptibilities became one, their purposes one purpose, their desires one
desire to such a degree that they sacrificed themselves for each other,
forfeiting name, possessions and comfort. Their fellowship became
indissoluble. This is eternal, spiritual fellowship, heavenly and divine
brotherhood, which defies dissolution. Material civilization advances
through the physical association of mankind. The progress you observe in
the outer world is founded mainly upon the fraternity of material
interests. Were it not for this physical and mental association,
civilization would not have progressed. Now--praise be to God!--the
indissoluble spiritual association is evident; therefore, it is certain
that divine civilization has been founded, and the world will progress and
advance spiritually. In this radiant century divine knowledge, merciful
attributes and spiritual virtues will attain the highest degree of
advancement. The traces have become manifest in Persia. Souls have
advanced to such a degree as to forfeit life and possessions for each
other. Their spiritual perceptions have developed; their intelligence has
quickened; their souls are awakened. The utmost love has been manifested.
Therefore, it is my hope that spiritual fraternity shall unite the East
and the West and bring about the complete abolition of warfare among
mankind. May it bind together individuals and members of the human family
and be the cause of advancing minds, illuminating hearts and allowing
divine bestowals to encompass us from all directions. May spiritual
susceptibilities set hearts aglow with the message of glad tidings. May
spiritual brotherhood cause rebirth and regeneration, for its creative
quickening emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit and is founded by
the power of God. Surely that which is founded through the divine power of
the Holy Spirit is permanent in its potency and lasting in its effect.
Material brotherhood does not prevent nor remove warfare; it does not
dispel differences among mankind. But spiritual alliance destroys the very
foundation of war, effaces differences entirely, promulgates the oneness
of humanity, revivifies mankind, causes hearts to turn to the Kingdom of
God and baptizes souls with the Holy Spirit. Through this divine
brotherhood the material world will become resplendent with the lights of
Divinity, the mirror of materiality will acquire its lights from heaven,
and justice will be established in the world so that no trace of darkness,
hatred and enmity shall be visible. Humanity shall come within the bounds
of security, the Prophethood of all the Messengers of God shall be
established, Zion shall leap and dance, Jerusalem shall rejoice, the
Mosaic flame shall ignite, the Messianic light shall shine, the world will
become another world, and humanity shall put on another power. This is the
greatest divine bestowal; this is the effulgence of the Kingdom of God;
this is the day of illumination; this is the merciful century. We must
appreciate these things and strive in order that the utmost desire of the
Prophets may now be realized and all the glad tidings be fulfilled. Trust
in the favor of God. Look not at your own capacities, for the divine
bestowal can transform a drop into an ocean; it can make a tiny seed a
lofty tree. Verily, divine bestowals are like the sea, and we are the
fishes of that sea. The fishes must not look at themselves; they must
behold the ocean, which is vast and wonderful. Provision for the
sustenance of all is in this ocean; therefore, the divine bounties
encompass all, and love eternal shines upon all.
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. For example, spiritual advancement may be
likened to the light of the early dawn. Although this dawn light is dim
and pale, a wise man who views the march of the sunrise at its very
beginning can foretell the ascendancy of the sun in its full glory and
effulgence. He knows for a certainty that it is the beginning of its
manifestation and that later it will assume great power and potency.
Again, for example, if he takes a seed and observes that it is sprouting,
he will know assuredly that it will ultimately become a tree. Now is the
beginning of the manifestation of the spiritual power, and inevitably the
potency of its 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. The
Sun of Reality will shine, and all the earth shall put on its beautiful
green carpet. 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 rich will
enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor,
for owing to certain provisions and restrictions they will not be able to
accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor
will be relieved from the stress of want and misery. The rich will enjoy
his palace, and the poor will have his comfortable cottage.
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.
20 May 1912
Talk at Woman's Suffrage Meeting
Metropolitan Temple
Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York