is loving-kindness and beneficence are apparent to
all. In His mercy he provides fully and amply for His creatures and if any
soul sins He does not suspend His bounty. All created things are visible
manifestations of His fatherhood, mercy and heavenly bestowals. Human
brotherhood is likewise as clear and evident as the sun, for all are
servants of one God, belong to one humankind, inhabit the same globe, are
sheltered beneath the overshadowing dome of heaven and submerged in the
sea of divine mercy. Human brotherhood and dependence exist because mutual
helpfulness and cooperation are the two necessary principles underlying
human welfare. This is the physical relationship of mankind. There is
another brotherhood, the spiritual, which is higher, holier and superior
to all others. It is heavenly; it emanates from the breaths of the Holy
Spirit and the effulgence of merciful attributes; it is founded upon
spiritual susceptibilities. This brotherhood is established by the
Manifestations of the Holy One.

The divine Manifestations since the day of Adam have striven to unite
humanity so that all may be accounted as one soul. The function and
purpose of a shepherd is to gather and not disperse his flock. The
prophets of God have been divine shepherds of humanity. They have
established a bond of love and unity among mankind, made scattered peoples
one nation and wandering tribes a mighty kingdom. They have laid the
foundation of the oneness of God and summoned all to universal peace. All
these holy, divine Manifestations are one. They have served one God,
promulgated the same truth, founded the same institutions and reflected
the same light. Their appearances have been successive and correlated;
each one has announced and extolled the one who was to follow and all laid
the foundation of reality. They summoned and invited the people to love
and made the human world a mirror of the Word of God. Therefore the divine
religions they established have one foundation; their teachings, proofs
and evidences are one; in name and form they differ but in reality they
agree and are the same. These holy Manifestations have been as the coming
of springtime in the world. Although the springtime of this year is
designated by another name according to the changing calendar, yet as
regards its life and quickening it is the same as the springtime of last
year. For each spring is the time of a new creation, the effects,
bestowals, perfections and life