and the curse of war be finally
banished from the world.

Limitation of Armaments

'Abdu'l-Baha says:--

By a general agreement all the governments of the world must
disarm simultaneously. It will not do if one lays down its arms
and the others refuse to do so. The nations of the world must
concur with each other concerning this supremely important
subject, so that they may abandon together the deadly weapons of
human slaughter. As long as one nation increases her military and
naval budget other nations will be forced into this crazed
competition through their natural and supposed interests.--Diary of
Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, May 11-14, 1914.

Nonresistence

As a religious body, Baha'is have, at the express command of Baha'u'llah,
entirely abandoned the use of armed force in their own interests, even for
strictly defensive purposes. In Persia many, many thousands of the Babis
and Baha'is have suffered cruel deaths because of their faith. In the
early days of the Cause the Babis on various occasions defended themselves
and their families by the sword, with great courage and bravery.
Baha'u'llah, however, forbade this. 'Abdu'l-Baha writes:--

When Baha'u'llah appeared, He declared that the promulgation of
the truth by such means must on no account be allowed, even for
purposes of self-defense. He abrogated the rule of the sword and
annulled the ordinance of "Holy War." "If ye be slain," said He,
"it is better for you than to slay. It is through the firmness and
assurance of the faithful that the Cause of the Lord must be
diffused. As the faithful, fearless and undaunted, arise with
absolute detachment to exalt the Word of God, and, with eyes
averted from the things of this world, engaged in service for the
Lord's sake and by His power, thereby will they cause the Word of
Truth to triumph. These blessed souls bear witness by their
lifeblood to the truth of the Cause and attest it by the sincerity
of their faith, their devotion and their constancy. The Lord can
avail to diffuse His Cause and to defeat the froward. We desire no
defender but Him, and with our lives in our hands face the foe and
welcome martyrdom." (written by 'Abdu'l-Baha for this book).

Baha'u'llah wrote to one of the persecutors of His cause:--

Gracious God! This people need no weapons of destruction, inasmuch
as they ha