and
enclosed a copy of the first nine chapters of the book, which was then
almost complete in rough draft. I received a very kind and encouraging
reply, and a cordial invitation to visit Him in Haifa and bring the whole
of my manuscript with me. The invitation was gladly accepted, and I had
the great privilege of spending two and a half months as the guest of
'Abdu'l-Baha during the winter of 1919-1920. During this visit
'Abdu'l-Baha discussed the book with me on various occasions. He gave
several valuable suggestions for its improvement and proposed that, when I
had revised the manuscript, He would have the whole of it translated into
Persian so that He could read it through and amend or correct it where
necessary. The revisal and translation were carried out as suggested, and
'Abdu'l-Baha found time, amid His busy life, to correct some three and a
half chapters (Chapters I, II, V and part of III) before He passed away.
It is a matter of profound regret to me that 'Abdu'l-Baha was not able to
complete the correction of the manuscript, as the value of the book would
thereby have been greatly enhanced. The whole of the manuscript has been
carefully revised, however, by a committee of the National Baha'i Assembly
of England, and its publication approved by that Assembly.

I am greatly indebted to Miss E. J. Rosenberg, Mrs. Claudia S. Coles,
Mirza Lutfu'llah S. Hakim, Messrs. Roy Wilhelm and Mountfort Mills and
many other kind friends for valuable help in the preparation of the work.

As regards the transliteration of Arabic and Persian names and words, the
system adopted in this book is that recently recommended by Shoghi Effendi
for use throughout the Baha'i World.

J. E. ESSLEMONT
Fairford, Cults,
By Aberdeen.

CHAPTER 1: THE GLAD TIDINGS

The Promised One of all the peoples of the world hath appeared.
All peoples and communities have been expecting a Revelation, and
He, Baha'u'llah, is the foremost teacher and educator of all
mankind.--'ABDU'L-BAHA.

The Greatest Event in History

If we study the story of the "ascent of man" as recorded in the pages of
history, it becomes evident that the leading factor in human progress is
the advent, from time to time, of men who pass beyond the accepted ideas
of their day and become the discoverers and revealers of truths hitherto
unknown among mankind. The inventor, the pioneer, the genius, the
Prophet--these are the men on whom the transf