“The world of creation…is likened unto the earth. The Divine Power might well be likened to the sun”; to polish “the mirrors of our hearts that perchance we may become reflective of that light”; “We must emulate the bounties of God”

I have come from distant lands in order to visit the assemblies and meetings of this clime.

I am greatly pleased with what I see of the assemblies here, for I find in every meeting people gathered loving each other. The bond of union among them is evidenced in this assembly which the Power of God has brought together in faith, unity and concord, engaging in the development of the human world.

Just as here we have a large assemblage of people, men and women of all kinds gathered here collectively, likewise it is my hope that the whole world may be united in one gathering of love. Unity, the gathering of accord and union, is indicative of the loving power of God, for the Reality of Divinity is expressed. It is resplendent through the various bestowals of light upon humanity in this day.

That Divine Power is effulgent in endless images and pictures. The world of creation, or of humanity, is likened unto the earth. The Divine Power might well be likened to the sun. This sun has shone upon all humanity. In these endless images His will is reflected. Consider how all created beings are the recipients of the bounty of the same sun. At most the difference is that of degree, but the effulgence is one effulgence. It is the one light which is emanating from the sun.

All that exists in the world is being enlightened, so that all created objects are the recipients of the bounty of this sun. That expresses the oneness of the world of humanity.

There is no created being which is deprived of the bounty of the Divine Sun. The body politic, or the social unity of the world may be likened to an endless ocean and each member, each individual, is likened to a wave. These waves belong to the same ocean.

Glad tidings in various holy Books about Bahá’u’lláh’s Dispensation; Religious imitations prevent obscure the Light of Reality; Bahá’u’lláh’s epistles to various kings and God’s punishment; ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s release from Turkish prison

New York City, July 5, 1912

You are very welcome,—very welcome, all of you! In the Divine Holy Books there are unmistakable prophecies giving the Glad tidings of a certain Day in which the Promised One of all the Books would appear, a radiant Dispensation be established, the banner of the Most Great Peace and conciliation be hoisted, and the oneness of the world of humanity proclaimed. Among the various nations and peoples of the world no enmity or hatred should remain. All hearts were to be connected one with another. These things are recorded in the Torah or Old Testament, in the Gospel, in the Koran, in the Zend Avesta, in the Books of Buddha and in the Book of Confucius. In brief, all the Holy Books contain these Glad-tidings.

In all of them it is announced that after the world is surrounded by darkness, radiance shall appear. For just as the night, when it becomes excessively dark, precedes the dawn of a new day, so likewise when the darkness of religious apathy and heedlessness overtakes the world, when human souls become negligent of God,—when materialistic ideas overshadow idealism and spirituality,—when nations become submerged in the world of matter and forget God,—at such a time as this shall the Divine Sun shine forth and the Radiant Morn appear.

Consider to what a remarkable extent the spirituality of people has been overcome by materialism, so that spiritual susceptibility seems to have vanished, Divine civilization does not exist, and guidance and knowledge of God no longer remain. All are submerged in the sea of materialism. Although some attend churches and temples for worship and devotion, it is in accordance with the traditions and imitations of their fathers and not for the investigation of Reality. For it is evident they have not found the Reality and are not engaged in Its adoration. They are holding to certain imitations which have descended to them from their fathers and ancestors. They have become accustomed to passing a certain length of time in temple worship and conforming to imitations and ceremonies. The proof of this is that the son of every Jewish father becomes a Jew and not a Christian; the son of every Muhammadan becomes a follower of Islam; the son of every Christian proves to be a Christian; the son of every Zoroastrian is a Zoroastrian, etc., etc. Therefore religious faith and belief is merely a remnant of blind imitations which have descended through fathers and ancestors. Because this man's father was a Jew, he considers himself a Jew; not that he has investigated the Reality and proved satisfactorily to himself that Judaism is right; nay, rather he is aware that his forefathers have followed this course, therefore he has held to it himself.