O Thou kind God! In the utmost state of humility and submission do we
entreat and supplicate at Thy threshold, seeking Thine endless
confirmations and illimitable assistance. O Thou Lord! Regenerate these
souls, and confer upon them a new life. Animate the spirits, inform the
hearts, open the eyes, and make the ears attentive. From Thine ancient
treasury confer a new being and animus, and from Thy preexistent abode
assist them to attain to new confirmations.
O God! Verily, the world is in need of reformation. Bestow upon it a new
existence. Give it newness of thoughts, and reveal unto it heavenly
sciences. Breathe into it a fresh spirit, and grant unto it a holier and
higher purpose.
O God! Verily, Thou hast made this century radiant, and in it Thou hast
manifested Thy merciful effulgence. Thou hast effaced the darkness of
superstitions and permitted the light of assurance to shine. O God! Grant
that these servants may be acceptable at Thy threshold. Reveal a new
heaven, and spread out a new earth for habitation. Let a new Jerusalem
descend from on high. Bestow new thoughts, new life upon mankind. Endow
souls with new perceptions, and confer upon them new virtues. Verily, Thou
art the Almighty, the Powerful. Thou art the Giver, the Generous.
It is easy to bring human bodies under control. A king can bring under his
rule and authority the bodies of his subjects throughout a whole country.
In former centuries kings and rulers have absolutely dominated millions of
men and have been thereby enabled to carry out whatsoever they desire. If
they willed to bestow happiness and peace, they could do so; and if they
determined to inflict suffering and discomfort, they were equally capable.
If they desired to send men to the field of battle, none could oppose
their authority; and if they decreed their kingdoms should enjoy the bliss
and serenity of immunity from war, this condition prevailed. In a word,
kings and rulers have been able to control millions of human beings and
have exercised that dominion with the utmost despotism and tyranny.
The point is this: that to gain control over physical bodies is an
extremely easy matter, but to bring spirits within the bonds of serenity
is a most arduous undertaking. This is not the work of everybody. It
necessitates a divine and holy potency, the potency of inspiration, the
power of the Holy Spirit. For example, Christ was capable of leading
spirits into that abode of serenity. He was capable of guiding hearts into
that haven of rest. From the day of His manifestation to the present time
He has been resuscitating hearts and quickening spirits. He has exercised
that vivifying influence in the realm of hearts and spirits; therefore,
His resuscitating is everlasting.
In this century of the latter times Baha'u'llah has appeared and so
resuscitated spirits that they have manifested powers more than human.
Thousands of His followers have given their lives; and while under the
sword, shedding their blood, they have proclaimed, "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!"
Such resuscitation is impossible except through a heavenly potency, a
supernatural power, the divine power of the Holy Spirit. Through a natural
and mere human power this is impossible. Therefore, the question arises:
How is this resuscitation to be accomplished?
There are certain means for its accomplishment by which mankind is
regenerated and quickened with a new birth. This is the second birth
mentioned in the heavenly Books. Its accomplishment is through the baptism
of the Holy Spirit. The resuscitation or rebirth of the spirit of man is
through the science of the love of God. It is through the efficacy of the
water of life. This life and quickening is the regeneration of the
phenomenal world. After the coming of the spiritual springtime, the
falling of the vernal showers, the shining of the Sun of Reality, the
blowing of the breezes of perfection, all phenomena become imbued with the
life of a new creation and are reformed in the process of a new genesis.
Reflect upon the material springtime. When winter comes, the trees are
leafless, the fields and meadows withered, the flowers die away into
dustheaps; in prairie, mountain and garden no freshness lingers, no beauty
is visible, no verdure can be seen. Everything is clad in the robe of
death. Wherever you look around, you will find the expression of death and
decay. But when the spring comes, the showers descend, the sun floods the
meadows and plains with light; you will observe creation clad in a new
robe of expression. The showers have made the meadows green and verdant.
The warm breezes have caused the trees to put on their garments of leaves.
They have blossomed and soon will produce new, fresh and delightful
fruits. Everything appears endowed with a newness of life; a new animus
and spirit is everywhere visible. The spring has resuscitated all
phenomena and has adorned the earth with beauty as it willeth.
Even so is the spiritual springtime when it comes. When the holy, divine
Manifestations or Prophets appear in the world, a cycle of radiance, an
age of mercy dawns. Everything is renewed. Minds, hearts and all human
forces are reformed, perfections are quickened, sciences, discoveries and
investigations are stimulated afresh, and everything appertaining to the
virtues of the human world is revitalized. Consider this present century
of radiance, and compare it with the past centuries. What a vast
difference exists between them! How minds have developed! How perceptions
have deepened! How discoveries have increased! What great projects have
been accomplished! How many realities have become manifest! How many
mysteries of creation have been probed and penetrated! What is the cause
of this? It is through the efficacy of the spiritual springtime in which
we are living. Day by day the world attains a new bounty. In this radiant
century neither the old customs nor the old sciences, crafts, laws and
regulations have remained. The old political principles are undergoing
change, and a new body politic is in process of formation. Nevertheless,
some whose thoughts are congealed and whose souls are bereft of the light
of the Sun of Reality seek to arrest this development in the world of the
minds of men. Is this possible?
In the unmistakable and universal reformation we are witnessing, when
outer conditions of humanity are receiving such impetus, when human life
is assuming a new aspect, when sciences are stimulated afresh, inventions
and discoveries increasing, civic laws undergoing change and moralities
evidencing uplift and betterment, is it possible that spiritual impulses
and influences should not be renewed and reformed? Naturally, new
spiritual thoughts and inclinations must also become manifest. If
spirituality be not renewed, what fruits come from mere physical
reformation? For instance, the body of man may improve, the quality of
bone and sinew may advance, the hand may develop, other limbs and members
may increase in excellence, but if the mind fails to develop, of what use
is the rest? The important factor in human improvement is the mind. In the
world of the mind there must needs be development and improvement. There
must be reformation in the kingdom of the human spirit; otherwise, no
result will be attained from betterment of the mere physical structure.
In this new year new fruits must be forthcoming, for that is the provision
and intention of spiritual reformation. The renewal of the leaf is
fruitless. From the reformation of bark or branch no fruit will come
forth. The renewal of verdure produces nothing. If there be no renewal of
fruit from the tree, of what avail is the reformation of bark, blossom,
branch and trunk? For a fruitless tree is of no special value. Similarly,
of what avail is the reformation of physical conditions unless they are
concomitant with spiritual reformations? For the essential reality is the
spirit, the foundation is the spirit, the life of man is due to the
spirit; the happiness, the animus, the radiance, the glory of man--all are
due to the spirit; and if in the spirit no reformation takes place, there
will be no result to human existence.
Therefore, we must strive with life and heart that the material and
physical world may be reformed, human perception become keener, the
merciful effulgence manifest and the radiance of reality shine. Then the
star of love shall appear and the world of humanity become illumined. The
purpose is that the world of existence is dependent for its progress upon
reformation; otherwise, it will be as dead. Consider: If a new springtime
failed to appear, what would be the effect upon this globe, the earth?
Undoubtedly it would become desolate and life extinct. The earth has need
of an annual coming of spring. It is necessary that a new bounty should be
forthcoming. If it comes not, life would be effaced. In the same way the
world of spirit needs new life, the world of mind necessitates new animus
and development, the world of souls a new bounty, the world of morality a
reformation, the world of divine effulgence ever new bestowals. Were it
not for this replenishment, the life of the world would become effaced and
extinguished. If this room is not ventilated and the air freshened,
respiration will cease after a length of time. If no rain falls, all life
organisms will perish. If new light does not come, the darkness of death
will envelop the earth. If a new springtime does not arrive, life upon
this globe will be obliterated.
Therefore, thoughts must be lofty and ideals uplifted in order that the
world of humanity may become assisted in new conditions of reform. When
this reformation affects every degree, then will come the very Day of the
Lord of which all the prophets have spoken. That is the Day wherein the
whole world will be regenerated. Consider: Are the laws of past ages
applicable to present human conditions? Evidently they are not. For
example, the laws of former centuries sanctioned despotic forms of
government. Are the laws of despotic control fitted for present-day
conditions? How could they be applied to solve the questions surrounding
modern nations? Similarly, we ask: Would the status of ancient thought,
the crudeness of arts and crafts, the insufficiency of scientific
attainment serve us today? Would the agricultural methods of the ancients
suffice in the twentieth century? Transportation in the former ages was
restricted to conveyance by animals. How would it provide for human needs
today? If modes of transportation had not been reformed, the teeming
millions now upon the earth would die of starvation. Without the railway
and the fast-going steamship, the world of the present day would be as
dead. How could great cities such as New York and London subsist if
dependent upon ancient means of conveyance? It is also true of other
things which have been reformed in proportion to the needs of the present
time. Had they not been reformed, man could not find subsistence.
If these material tendencies are in such need of reformation, how much
greater the need in the world of the human spirit, the world of human
thought, perception, virtues and bounties! Is it possible that that need
has remained stationary while the world has been advancing in every other
condition and direction? It is impossible.
Therefore, we must invoke and supplicate God and strive with the utmost
effort in order that the world of human existence in all its degrees may
receive a mighty impulse, complete human happiness be attained and the
resuscitation of all spirits and emanations be realized through the
boundless favor of the mercy of God.
26 August 1912
Talk at Franklin Square House
Boston, Massachusetts