wn by His great predecessors. Moses said:--

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing
follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord
hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him.--Deut. xviii, 22.

Christ put His test just as plainly, and appealed to it in proof of His
own claim. He said:--

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even
so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit.... Wherefore by their fruits ye shall
know them.--Matt. vii, 15-17, 20

In the chapters that follow, we shall endeavor to show whether
Baha'u'llah's claim to Prophethood stands or falls by application of these
tests: whether the things that He had spoken have followed and come to
pass, and whether His fruits have been good or evil; in other words,
whether His prophecies are being fulfilled and His ordinances established,
and whether His lifework has contributed to the education and upliftment
of humanity and the betterment of morals, or the contrary.

Difficulties of Investigation

There are, of course, difficulties in the way of the student who seeks to
get at the truth about this Cause. Like all great moral and spiritual
reformations, the Baha'i Faith has been grossly misrepresented. About the
terrible persecutions and sufferings of Baha'u'llah and His followers,
both friends and enemies are in entire agreement. About the value of the
Movement, however, and the character of its Founders, the statements of
the believers and the accounts of the deniers are utterly at variance. It
is just as in the time of Christ. Concerning the crucifixion of Jesus and
the persecution and martyrdom of His followers both Christian and Jewish
historians are in agreement, but whereas the believers say that Christ
fulfilled and developed the teachings of Moses and the prophets, the
deniers declare that He broke the laws and ordinances and was worthy of
death.

In religion, as in science, truth reveals her mysteries only to the humble
and reverent seeker, who is ready to lay aside every prejudice and
superstition--to sell all that he has, in order that he may buy the "one
pearl of great price." To understand the Baha'i Fa