O respected personage! I have read your work, The Gospel of Wealth,(34)
and noted therein truly apposite and sound recommendations for easing the
lot of humankind.
To state the matter briefly, the Teachings of Baha'u'llah advocate
voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of
wealth. For equalization must be imposed from without, while sharing is a
matter of free choice.
Man reacheth perfection through good deeds, voluntarily performed, not
through good deeds the doing of which was forced upon him. And sharing is
a personally chosen righteous act: that is, the rich should extend
assistance to the poor, they should expend their substance for the poor,
but of their own free will, and not because the poor have gained this end
by force. For the harvest of force is turmoil and the ruin of the social
order. On the other hand voluntary sharing, the freely-chosen expending of
one's substance, leadeth to society's comfort and peace. It lighteth up
the world; it bestoweth honour upon humankind.
I have seen the good effects of your own philanthropy in America, in
various universities, peace gatherings, and associations for the promotion
of learning, as I travelled from city to city. Wherefore do I pray on your
behalf that you shall ever be encompassed by the bounties and blessings of
heaven, and shall perform many philanthropic deeds in East and West. Thus
may you gleam as a lighted taper in the Kingdom of God, may attain honour
and everlasting life, and shine out as a bright star on the horizon of
eternity.