15 April, 1912
At a gathering of Baha’i friends at the home of Mrs. EmorNew York City
Tonight I wish to tell you something of the history of the
Baha’i Revelation.
The Blessed Perfection Baha’u’llah belonged to the royal
family of Persia. From His earliest childhood He became distinguished among His
relatives and friends. "This child," they said, "has
extraordinary power." Not only in wisdom, but in the realm of new
knowledge He was superior to His age and time. All were astonished. Some
remarked, "Such a precocious child will not survive," for it has been
believed that children who are precocious cannot live very long.
Until the Blessed Perfection reached the age of maturity He
had not entered any school. He was not willing to be taught by any teacher.
This fact is well known among the Persians of Tehran. Nevertheless He solved
the difficult problems of all who came and inquired. In short whatever the
meeting, whether scientific gathering or theological discussion, He always
explained the abstruse problems presented to Him.
Until the father of Baha’u’llah passed away He did not seek
after position or political station. All were surprised at this.
Notwithstanding His connection with the government, He would not accept any
position. They remarked: "How is it that a young man so intelligent, so
keen, so perceptive, so subtle, is not a candidate for lucrative appointments;
as a matter of fact, every position is open to Him." The people of Persia
are witnesses to this historical fact.
He was most generous; giving abundantly to the poor. He did not refuse any who asked Him. The doors of His house were open to all. He always had many guests. This generosity was conduce to greater astonishment from the fact that He did not seek position or prominence. In commenting upon this His friends said that all His wealth would be given away, for His expenses were many, while His wealth was becoming limited. All were amazed at His conduct and greatly astonished at His doings. Some remarked, "Why is He not thinking of His own affairs?" Some who were wise declared: “This Personage is connected with another world. He has something sublime within Him that is not evident row, but the day will come when that shall be manifested."
In short, the Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak
one; a shelter for every fearing one; kind to every indigent one; most lenient
to all creatures. He became well known in regard to these qualities before His
Holiness the Báb, appeared.
Then Baha’u’llah declared the Báb's Mission to be true and
promulgated His Teachings. The Báb stated that the greater Manifestation would
take place after Him and called that One, "Him whom God would
manifest," -- saying that nine years afterwards the reality of His own
mission would became apparent. In His Writings He stated that in the ninth year
that Promised One would be known; -- in the ninth year they would attain unto
all good; -- in the ninth year they would attain to all glory; -- in the ninth
year they would advance rapidly. Between Baha’u’llah and the Báb there was
communication privately. The Báb wrote a letter to Him [Baha’u’llah] in which
the name Baha’u’llah was incorporated 360 times.
Then the Báb was martyred. And in the ninth year later, in
the City of Baghdad, Baha’u’llah publicly announced Himself. For the Government
of Persia had decreed that as long as Baha’u’llah remained in Persia the
country would not be in peace; when Baha’u’llah was exiled from Persia, then
Persia would become quiet. On the contrary, when Baha’u’llah was banished from
Persia great tumult arose. The proclamation of His Manifestation was made in
Baghdad, His Mission was declared there. He called His friends together and
spoke to them of God.
Afterward He departed from them alone. Nobody knew just
where He was. Even we were not informed. Two years passed. He lived in the
mountains in caves and grottoes and sometime in the City of Sulaymaniyyih.
Although solitary, secluded and unknown, it became reported
throughout Kurdistan that this was a most remarkable person and exceedingly
well learned; that He was possessed of a great power of attraction and all
Kurdistan was magnetized by His love. Baha’u’llah lived in poverty; even His
robes and clothes were those of the poor. His food was that of the indigent. An
atmosphere of reverence haloed Him as the sun at midday. Everywhere He was
greatly revered.
He left Kurdistan and returned to Baghdad. The guards came
from Sulaymaniyyih. to visit Him. They found Him in His accustomed affluence
and ease and were astonished at the appointments of one who had lived in
seclusion and subsisted as He had done in Kurdistan.
The Government of Persia thought the banishment of Baha’u’llah,
the Blessed Perfection, from Persia would be the extermination of the Cause in
that country. Now they realized that it spread more rapidly. His fame became
more widely circulated, His teachings more pronounced. Then the chiefs of
Persia endeavored to expel Baha’u’llah from Baghdad. He was summoned to
Constantinople. While in Constantinople He was regardless of any restriction.
He paid no attention to the ministers or clergy.
Then the ministers of Persia made efforts and succeeded in
having Him banished from Constantinople to Adrianople, so that Baha’u’llah
should be kept far distant from Persia and His communication made more
difficult. Nevertheless the Cause still spread.
They said, "We are endeavoring to banish Baha’u’llah
from place to place, but each time the Cause is more extended, His proclamation
is more widely circulated and day by day His lamp is becoming brighter. Its
potency is becoming greater and this is due to the popular cities to which He
has been sent. Therefore it is better to send Him to a penal colony as a
suspect so that all people may know that He is a prisoner; that He is in the
prison of the murderers, robbers and criminals; then in a short time He and His
followers will perish." Therefore the Sultan of Turkey banished Him to the
prison of Akka in Syria.
When Baha’u’llah arrived at the prison of Akka, through the
power of God He was able to hoist His banner. It was first a star. It became a
mighty sun. The fame of the Cause of the Blessed Perfection expanded as far as
the East from the West.
From inside prison walls He wrote epistles to all the kings.
He summoned them to arbitration and the "Most Great Peace." Some of
the kings expressed disdain. One was the Ottoman king. The Emperor Napoleon
Bonaparte III did not reply. Then a second epistle was addressed to him. It
stated:
"I have written you an epistle before summoning you to
the Cause but you heeded it not. You proclaimed once that you were the defender
of the oppressed and it hath become evident that you are not. Nor are you kind
to your own distressed and oppressed people. You act contrary to your own
interests and this pride of yours, which is supported by your commands must
fall. Because of your arrogance God shortly will destroy your sovereignty.
France will flee away from you and a great conquest will take place. The river
Rhine will be a place of lamentations and mourning. The women will bemoan the
loss of their sons."
Such was his arraignment, published and spread. Read it and
consider: One prisoner, single and solitary, without assistant or defender; a
foreigner, a stranger, a prisoner in the fortress of Akka writing such letters
to kings -- writing such a letter to the Emperor of France and the Sultan of
Turkey while He was a prisoner at Akka! Baha’u’llah hoisted His banner in
prison. Refer to history. It has no parallel. No such a thing has ever
transpired before that time nor since; an exile in prison advancing His Cause
and spreading broadcast His Teachings so that eventually He was powerful enough
to conquer the very king who banished Him.
His Cause spread more and more. In short, the Blessed
Perfection was for twenty five years in prison. During all this time He was
subjected to the indignities and revilement of the people. He was subjected to
the persecutions of the people of Persia. They pillaged His properties in
Persia. They put Him in chains in Akka. First, banishment from Persia to
Baghdad; then banishment from Baghdad to Constantinople; then, banishment from
Constantinople to Rumelia; finally, banishment from Rumelia to the most great
prison, Akka.
During His lifetime He was restless every moment. He did not
pass one night in restful sleep. He bore all these ordeals and calamities and
difficulties in order that in the world of humanity a manifestation of
selflessness might become apparent; in order that the "Most Great
Peace" might become a reality; in order that souls might become as the
very angels of heaven; in order that heavenly miracles might become perfected
among men; in order that the faith of humanity might become adequate; in order
that the precious, priceless bestowal of God in the human temple namely the
human mind might develop to its fullest capacity; in order that the children of
men might become likenesses of God, even as it has been stated in the Bible:
"We shall create men in our own image."
To be brief, He bore
all these ordeals and calamities that our hearts might become bright, our
spirits glad, our difficulties replaced by virtues, our ignorance transformed
into knowledge; in order that we might obtain the fruits of humanity and
acquire heavenly grace; although we are upon the earth we may travel in the
Kingdom; although needy we shall receive the treasures of heaven. For this has
He borne these difficulties.
Trust all to God! The lights of God are resplendent. The
Blessed Epistles are spreading. The Blessed Teachings are promulgated in the
East and in the West. You will shortly see that the Blessed Teachings have
established the oneness of the world of humanity. The banner of the "Most
Great Peace" has been unfurled, and The Great Community is at hand.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 9, August 20, 1912)
