Today there is no greater glory for man than that of service in the cause
of the "Most Great Peace." Peace is light whereas war is darkness. Peace
is life; war is death. Peace is guidance; war is error. Peace is the
foundation of God; war is satanic institution. Peace is the illumination
of the world of humanity; war is the destroyer of human foundations. When
we consider outcomes in the world of existence we find that peace and
fellowship are factors of upbuilding and betterment whereas war and strife
are the causes of destruction and disintegration. All created things are
expressions of the affinity and cohesion of elementary substances, and
non-existence is the absence of their attraction and agreement. Various
elements unite harmoniously in composition but when these elements become
discordant, repelling each other, decomposition and non-existence result.
Everything partakes of this nature and is subject to this principle, for
the creative foundation in all its degrees and kingdoms is an expression
or outcome of love. Consider the restlessness and agitation of the human
world today because of war. Peace is health and construction; war is
disease and dissolution. When the banner of truth is raised, peace becomes
the cause of the welfare and advancement of the human world. In all cycles
and ages war has been a factor of derangement and discomfort whereas peace
and brotherhood have brought security and consideration of human
interests. This distinction is especially pronounced in the present world
conditions, for warfare in former centuries had not attained the degree of
savagery and destructiveness which now characterizes it. If two nations
were at war in olden times, ten or twenty thousand would be sacrificed but
in this century the destruction of one hundred thousand lives in a day is
quite possible. So perfected has the science of killing become and so
efficient the means and instruments of its accomplishment that a whole
nation can be obliterated in a short time. Therefore comparison with the
methods and results of ancient warfare is out of the question.
According to an intrinsic law, all phenomena of being attain to a summit
and degree of consummation, after which a new order and condition is
established. As the instruments and science of war have reached the degree
of thoroughness and proficiency, it is hoped that the transformation of
the human world is at hand and that in the coming centuries all the
energies and inventions of man will be utilized in promoting the interests
of peace and brotherhood. Therefore may this esteemed and worthy society
for the establishment of international peace be confirmed in its sincere
intentions and empowered by God. Then will it hasten the time when the
banner of universal agreement will be raised and international welfare
will be proclaimed and consummated so that the darkness which now
encompasses the world shall pass away.
Sixty years ago His Holiness Baha'u'llah was in Iran. Seventy years ago
His Holiness the Bab appeared there. These two blessed souls devoted their
lives to the foundation of international peace and love among mankind.
They strove with heart and soul to establish the teachings by which
divergent people might be brought together and no strife, rancor or hatred
prevail. His Holiness Baha'u'llah addressing all humanity, said that Adam
the parent of mankind may be likened to the tree of nativity upon which
you are the leaves and blossoms. Inasmuch as your origin was one, you must
now be united and agreed; you must consort with each other in joy and
fragrance. He pronounced prejudice, whether religious, racial, patriotic,
political, the destroyer of the body-politic. He said that man must
recognize the oneness of humanity, for all in origin belong to the same
household and all are servants of the same God. Therefore mankind must
continue in the state of fellowship and love, emulating the institutions
of God and turning away from satanic promptings, for the divine bestowals
bring forth unity and agreement whereas satanic leadings induce hatred and
war.
This remarkable personage was able by these principles to establish a bond
of unity among the differing sects and divergent people of Iran. Those who
followed His teachings no matter from what denomination or faction they
came were conjoined by the ties of love, until now they cooperate and live
together in peace and agreement. They are real brothers and sisters. No
distinctions of class are observed among them and complete harmony
prevails. Daily this bond of affinity is strengthening and their spiritual
fellowship continually develops. In order to insure the progress of
mankind and to establish these principles His Holiness Baha'u'llah
suffered every ordeal and difficulty. His Holiness the Bab became a
martyr, and over twenty thousand men and women sacrificed their lives for
their faith. His Holiness Baha'u'llah was imprisoned and subjected to
severe persecutions. Finally he was exiled from Iran to Mesopotamia; from
Ba_gh_dad He was sent to Constantinople and Adrianople and from thence to
the prison of Akka in Syria. Through all these ordeals He strove day and
night to proclaim the oneness of humanity and promulgate the message of
Universal Peace. From the prison of Akka He addressed the kings and rulers
of the earth in lengthy letters summoning them to international agreement
and explicitly stating that the standard of the "Most Great Peace" would
surely be upraised in the world.
This has come to pass. The powers of earth cannot withstand the privileges
and bestowals which God has ordained for this great and glorious century.
It is a need and exigency of the time. Man can withstand anything except
that which is divinely intended and indicated for the age and its
requirements. Now, praise be to God! in all countries of the world, lovers
of peace are to be found and these principles are being spread among
mankind, especially in this country. Praise be to God! this thought is
prevailing and souls are continually arising as defenders of the oneness
of humanity, endeavoring to assist and establish international peace.
There is no doubt that this wonderful democracy will be able to realize it
and the banner of international agreement will be unfurled here to spread
onward and outward among all the nations of the world. I give thanks to
God that I find you imbued with such susceptibilities and lofty
aspirations and I hope that you will be the means of spreading this light
to all men. Thus may the Sun of Reality shine upon the east and west. The
enveloping clouds shall pass away and the heat of the divine rays will
dispel the mist. The reality of man shall develop and come forth as the
image of God his creator. The thoughts of man shall take such upward
flight that former accomplishments shall appear as the play of
children;--for the ideas and beliefs of the past and the prejudices
regarding race and religion have ever been lowering and destructive to
human evolution. I am most hopeful that in this century these lofty
thoughts shall be conducive to human welfare. Let this century be the sun
of previous centuries the effulgences of which shall last forever, so that
in times to come they shall glorify the twentieth century, saying the
twentieth century was the century of lights, the twentieth century was the
century of life, the twentieth century was the century of international
peace, the twentieth century was the century of divine bestowals and the
twentieth century has left traces which shall last forever.