Throughout these years of disturbance and commotion when the world of
humanity was physically and spiritually afflicted, the friends of God
passed the day in rest, ease and comfort. In the western countries only a
few shared in the hardship and affliction of other souls while the mass of
the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful ... have been living
quietly and peacefully. In the Orient every nation became distracted and
every gathering dispersed save the friends of God who remained all
protected and sheltered from every trouble and calamity in the Fort of
Baha'u'llah's protection. Verily this is a divine miracle--that we
helpless, friendless, unprotected, unsupported wanderers in these regions
should be saved amidst the fire of oppression and tyranny. This is God's
miracle.