Bahá'u'lláh and the New EraEsslemont, J. E. (John Ebenezer)
Religion
Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era
Esslemont, J. E. (John Ebenezer)
Bahai Faith; Bahá'u'lláh, 1817-1892
At present it has been made evident and manifest that these
principles are the very life of the world, and the embodiment of
its true spirit. And now, ye, who are the servants of mankind,
should exert yourselves, heart and soul, to free the world from
the darkness of materialism and human prejudice, that it may be
illumined with the light of the City of God.
Praise be to Him, ye are acquainted with the various schools,
institutions and principles of the world; today nothing short of
these divine teachings can assure peace and tranquillity to
mankind. But for these teachings, this darkness shall never
vanish, these chronic diseases shall never be healed; nay, they
shall grow fiercer from day to day. The Balkans will remain
restless, and it condition will aggravate. The vanquished will not
keep still, but will seize every means to kindle anew the flame of
war. Modern universal movements will do their utmost to carry out
their purpose and intentions. The Movement of the Left will
acquire great importance, and its influence will spread.
Wherefore, endeavor that with an illumined heart, a heavenly
spirit, and a divine strength, and aided by His grace, ye may
bestow God’s bountiful gift upon the world ... the gift of comfort
and tranquillity for all mankind.
In a talk given in November 1919, He said:—
Bahá’u’lláh frequently predicted that there would be a period when
irreligion and consequent anarchy would prevail. The chaos will be
due to too great liberty among people who are not ready for it,
and in consequence there will have to be a temporary reversion to
coercive government, in the interests of the people themselves and
in order to prevent disorder and chaos. It is clear that each
nation now wishes complete self-determination and freedom of
action, but some of them are not ready for it. The prevailing
state of the world is one of irreligion, which is bound to result
in anarchy and confusion. I have always said that the peace
proposals following the great war were only a glimmer of the dawn,
and not the sunrise.
Coming of the Kingdom of God
Amid these troublous times, however, the Cause of God will prosper. The
calamities caused by selfish struggle for individual existence, or for
party or sectarian or national gain, will induce the people to turn in
despair to the remedy offered by the Word of God. The more calamities
abound, the more will the people turn to the only true remedy. Bahá’u’lláh
says in his Epistle to the _Sh_áh:—
God hath made afflictions as a morning shower to this green
pasture, and as a wick for His Lamp, whereby earth and heaven are
illumined.... Through affliction hath His Light shone and His
Praise been bright unceasingly; this hath been His method through
past ages and bygone times.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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