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
The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh ... should ... be regarded as
signalizing through its advent the coming of age of the entire
human race. It should be viewed not merely as yet another
spiritual revival in the ever-changing fortunes of mankind, not
only as a further stage in a chain of progressive Revelations, nor
even as the culmination of one of a series of recurrent prophetic
cycles, but rather as marking the last and highest stage in the
stupendous evolution of man’s collective life on this planet. The
emergence of a world community, the consciousness of world
citizenship, the founding of a world civilization and culture ...
should ... be regarded, as far as this planetary life is
concerned, as the furthermost limits in the organization of human
society, though man, as an individual, will, nay must indeed as a
result of such a consummation, continue indefinitely to progress
and develop. ...
The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh, implies
the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations,
races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and
in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal
freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are
definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as
far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose
members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately
control the entire resources of all the component nations, and
will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life,
satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and
peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will
carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by,
this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of
the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will ajudicate and
deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes
that may arise between the various elements constituting this
universal system. A mechanism of world intercommunication will be
devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national
hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous
swiftness and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as
the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus towards which
the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its
energizing influences will radiate. A world language will either
be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will
be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an
auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world script, a world
literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights
and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and
understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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