Today we are enjoying temperate weather. As there are many strangers
present, we will answer questions.
Question: Are not all Christians Baha'is? Is there any difference?
Answer: When Christians act according to the teachings of Christ, they are
called Baha'is. For the foundations of Christianity and the religion of
Baha'u'llah are one. The foundations of all the divine Prophets and Holy
Books are one. The difference among them is one of terminology only. Each
springtime is identical with the former springtime. The distinction
between them is only one of the calendar--1911, 1912 and so on. The
difference between a Christian and a Baha'i, therefore, is this: There was
a former springtime, and there is a springtime now. No other difference
exists because the foundations are the same. Whoever acts completely in
accordance with the teachings of Christ is a Baha'i. The purpose is the
essential meaning of Christian, not the mere word. The purpose is the sun
itself and not the dawning points. For though the sun is one sun, its
dawning points are many. We must not adore the dawning points but worship
the sun. We must adore the reality of religion and not blindly cling to
the appellation Christianity. The Sun of Reality must be worshiped and
followed. We must seek the fragrance of the rose from whatever bush it is
blooming--whether oriental or western. Be seekers of light, no matter from
which lantern it shines forth. Be not lovers of the lantern. At one time
the light has shone from a lantern in the East, now in the West. If it
comes from North, South, from whatever direction it proceeds, follow the
light. Let me illustrate further. A certain person bestowed a coin upon
five beggars. They resolved to spend it for food. The Englishman said,
"Buy grapes." The Turk wanted uzum, the Arab anab, the Greek stafi'li, the
Persian angur. Not understanding each other's language, they quarreled and
fought. A stranger came along. He was familiar with all five languages. He
said, "Give me the coin; I will buy what you wish." When he brought them
grapes, they were all satisfied. They wanted the same thing but differed
in the term only. Briefly, when reality dawns in the midst of the
religions, all will be unified and reconciled.
Question: Does 'Abdu'l-Baha find Christianity is not lived up to and
carried out in America?
Answer: My meaning is that it should be completely carried out and lived
up to. Man needs eyes, ears, arms, a head, feet and various other members.
When he possesses all and all work together, there is symmetry and
perfection in him. So Christ said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect," meaning that perfection is the
requirement of Christianity. Be the image and likeness of God. This is not
easy. It necessitates the focalization of all heavenly virtues. It
requires that we become recipients of all the perfections of God. Then we
become His image and likeness. For in the Bible it is stated, "Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness." The attainment of this is most
difficult.
When Christ appeared with those marvelous breaths of the Holy Spirit, the
children of Israel said, "We are quite independent of him; we can do
without him and follow Moses; we have a book and in it are found the
teachings of God; what need, therefore, have we of this man?" Christ said
to them, "The book sufficeth you not." It is possible for a man to hold to
a book of medicine and say, "I have no need of a doctor; I will act
according to the book; in it every disease is named, all symptoms are
explained, the diagnosis of each ailment is completely written out, and a
prescription for each malady is furnished; therefore, why do I need a
doctor?" This is sheer ignorance. A physician is needed to prescribe.
Through his skill the principles of the book are correctly and effectively
applied until the patient is restored to health. Christ was a heavenly
Physician. He brought spiritual health and healing into the world.
Baha'u'llah is, likewise, a divine Physician. He has revealed
prescriptions for removing disease from the body politic and has remedied
human conditions by spiritual power.
Therefore, mere knowledge is not sufficient for complete human attainment.
The teachings of the Holy Books need a heavenly power and divine potency
to carry them out. A house is not built by mere acquaintance with the
plans. Money must be forthcoming; volition is necessary to construct it; a
carpenter must be employed in its erection. It is not enough to say, "The
plan and purpose of this house are very good; I will live in it." There
are no walls of protection, there is no roof of shelter in this mere
statement; the house must be actually built before we can live in it.
Briefly, the teachings of the Holy Books need a divine potency to complete
their accomplishment in human hearts. In Persia Baha'u'llah reared and
taught souls, established a bond of affiliation among various peoples and
united divergent religious beliefs to such an extent that twenty thousand
devoted ones sacrificed themselves for the Cause of God in the glorious
unity of martyrdom. No differences whatever remained among these blessed
souls--Christians, Jews, Muslims, Zoroastrians, all blended, unified and
agreed through the potency of His heavenly power, not by mere words, not
by merely saying, "Unity is good, and love is praiseworthy."
Baha'u'llah not only proclaimed this unity and love; He established it. As
a heavenly Physician He not only gave prescriptions for these ailments of
discord and hatred but accomplished the actual healing. We may read in a
medical book that a certain form of illness requires such and such a
remedy. While this may be absolutely true, the remedy is useless unless
there be volition and executive force to apply it. Every man in the king's
army can give a command; but when the king speaks, it is carried out. This
one, that one, may say, "Go conquer a country"; but when the king says,
"Go!", the army advances. Therefore, it is evident that the confirmation
of the Holy Spirit and impelling influence of a heavenly power are needed
to accomplish the divine purpose in human hearts and conditions. Jesus
Christ, single, solitary and alone, accomplished what all the kings of the
earth could not have carried out. If all the kingdoms and nations of the
world had combined to effect it, they would have failed.
It is, therefore, evident and proved that an effort must be put forward to
complete the purpose and plan of the teachings of God in order that in
this great Day of days the world may be reformed, souls resuscitated, a
new spirit of life found, hearts become illumined, mankind rescued from
the bondage of nature, saved from the baseness of materialism and attain
spirituality and radiance in attraction toward the divine Kingdom. This is
necessary; this is needful. Mere reading of the Holy Books and texts will
not suffice.
Many years ago in Ba_gh_dad I saw a certain officer sitting upon the
ground. Before him a large paper was placed into which he was sticking
needles tipped with small red and white flags. First he would stick them
into the paper, then thoughtfully pull them out and change their position.
I watched him with curious interest for a long time, then asked, "What are
you doing?" He replied, "I have in mind something which is historically
related of Napoleon I during his war against Austria. One day, it is said,
his secretary found him sitting upon the ground as I am now doing,
sticking needles into a paper before him. His secretary inquired what it
meant. Napoleon answered, 'I am on the battlefield figuring out my next
victory. You see, Italy and Austria are defeated, and France is
triumphant.' In the great campaign which followed, everything came out
just as he said. His army carried his plans to a complete success. Now, I
am doing the same as Napoleon, figuring out a great campaign of military
conquest." I said, "Where is your army? Napoleon had an army already
equipped when he figured out his victory. You have no army. Your forces
exist only on paper. You have no power to conquer countries. First get
ready your army, then sit upon the ground with your needles." We need an
army to attain victory in the spiritual world; mere plans are not
sufficient; ideas and principles are helpless without a divine power to
put them into effect.
Aside from all this, there is need of the stimulus of the joy of glad
tidings in human hearts. Certain spiritual attraction is requisite in
order that hearts may willingly take the step forward in the divine Cause.
We must become attracted to God. The breaths of the Holy Spirit must take
effect. Unless this is so, it is impossible for the teachings of God to
accomplish in us. An ideal power is necessary. The people of America have
remarkably quick perception, intelligence and understanding. Their
thoughts are free and not fettered by the yoke of governmental tyranny.
They should investigate reality and not be occupied with ancestral forms
and imitations. Consider what Christ accomplished. He caused souls to
attain a station where with complete willingness and joy they laid down
their lives. What a power! Thousands of human souls, in the utmost joy
because of their spiritual susceptibilities, were so attracted to God that
they were dispossessed of volition, deprived of will in His path. If they
had been told simply that sacrifice in the path of God was good and
praiseworthy, this would never have happened. They would not have acted.
Christ attracted them, wrested the reins of control from them, and they
went forth in ecstasy to sacrifice themselves.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn was a Persian woman without fame and importance--unknown,
like all other Persian women. When she saw Baha'u'llah, she changed
completely, visibly, and looked within another world. The reins of
volition were taken out of her hands by heavenly attraction. She was so
overcome that physical susceptibilities ceased. Her husband, her sons and
her family arose in the greatest hostility against Baha'u'llah. She became
so attracted to the divine threshold that she forsook everything and went
forth to the plain of Bada_sh_t, no fear in her heart, dauntless,
intrepid, openly proclaiming the message of light which had come to her.
The Persian government stood against her. They made every effort to quiet
her, they imprisoned her in the governor's house, but she continued to
speak. Then she was taken and killed. To her very last breath she spoke
with fervid eloquence and so became famous for her complete attraction in
the path of God. If she had not seen Baha'u'llah, no such effect would
have been produced. She had read and heard the teachings of scriptures all
her life, but the action and enkindlement were missing. All women in
Persia are enveloped in veils in public. So completely covered are they
that even the hand is not visible. This rigid veiling is unspeakable.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn tore off her veils and went forth fearlessly. She was like
a lioness. Her action caused a great turmoil throughout the land of
Persia. So excessive and compulsory is the requirement for veiling in the
East that the people in the West have no idea of the excitement and
indignation produced by the appearance of an unveiled woman.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn lost all thought of herself and was unconscious of fear in
her attraction to God.
Question: Do the Baha'i women go without veils in the East? Answer: It is
not possible for them to do so universally yet, but the conditions are not
nearly so restrictive as they were. The Baha'i men and women meet
together. This is the beginning of woman's emancipation from the thralldom
of centuries. Qurratu'l-'Ayn was really the liberator of all Persian
women.