Bahai Faith -- North America; Shoghi, Effendi, 1897-1957 -- Correspondence
“God be praised!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His turn, exclaims, “The sun of justice
hath risen above the horizon of Bahá’u’lláh. For in His Tablets the
foundations of such a justice have been laid as no mind hath, from the
beginning of creation, conceived.” “The canopy of existence,” He further
explains, “resteth upon the pole of justice, and not of forgiveness, and
the life of mankind dependeth on justice and not on forgiveness.”
Small wonder, therefore, that the Author of the Bahá’í Revelation should
have chosen to associate the name and title of that House, which is to be
the crowning glory of His administrative institutions, not with
forgiveness but with justice, to have made justice the only basis and the
permanent foundation of His Most Great Peace, and to have proclaimed it in
His Hidden Words as “the best beloved of all things” in His sight. It is
to the American believers, particularly, that I feel urged to direct this
fervent plea to ponder in their hearts the implications of this moral
rectitude, and to uphold, with heart and soul and uncompromisingly, both
individually and collectively, this sublime standard—a standard of which
justice is so essential and potent an element.
As to a chaste and holy life, it should be regarded as no less essential a
factor that must contribute its proper share to the strengthening and
vitalization of the Bahá’í community, upon which must in turn depend the
success of any Bahá’í plan or enterprise. In these days when the forces of
irreligion are weakening the moral fiber, and undermining the foundations
of individual morality, the obligation of chastity and holiness must claim
an increasing share of the attention of the American believers, both in
their individual capacities and as the responsible custodians of the
interests of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. In the discharge of such an
obligation, to which the special circumstances resulting from an excessive
and enervating materialism now prevailing in their country lend particular
significance, they must play a conspicuous and predominant role. All of
them, be they men or women, must, at this threatening hour when the lights
of religion are fading out, and its restraints are one by one being
abolished, pause to examine themselves, scrutinize their conduct, and with
characteristic resolution arise to purge the life of their community of
every trace of moral laxity that might stain the name, or impair the
integrity, of so holy and precious a Faith.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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