s most distinguished and worthy--whether man or
woman.

Through the teachings of Baha'u'llah the horizon of the East was made
radiant and glorious. Souls who have hearkened to His words and accepted
His message live together today in complete fellowship and love. They even
offer their lives for each other. They forego and renounce worldly
possessions for one another, each preferring the other to himself. This
has been due to the declaration and foundation of the oneness of the world
of humanity. Today in Persia there are meetings and assemblages wherein
souls who have become illumined by the teachings of
Baha'u'llah--representative Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians,
Buddhists and of the various denominations of each--mingle and conjoin in
perfect fellowship and absolute agreement. A wonderful brotherhood and
love is established among them, and all are united in spirit and service
for international peace. More than twenty thousand Baha'is have given
their lives in martyrdom for the Cause of God. The governments of the East
arose against them, bent upon their extermination. They were killed
relentlessly, but day by day their numbers have increased, day by day they
have multiplied in strength and become more eloquent. They have been
strengthened through the efficacy of a wonderful spiritual power. How
savage and fearful the ferocity of man against his fellowman! Consider
what is taking place now in the Balkans, what blood is being shed. Even
the wild beasts and ferocious animals do not commit such acts. The most
ferocious wolf kills but one sheep a day, and even that for his food. But
now in the Balkans one man destroys ten fellow beings. The commanders of
armies glory in having killed ten thousand men, not for food, nay, rather,
for military control, territorial greed, fame and possession of the dust
of the earth. They kill for national aggrandizement, notwithstanding this
terrestrial globe is but a dark world of grossest matter. It is a world of
sorrow and grief, a world of disappointment and unhappiness, a world of
death. For after all, the earth is but the everlasting graveyard, the
vast, universal cemetery of all mankind. Yet men fight to possess this
graveyard, waging war and battle, killing each other. What ignorance! How
spacious the earth is with room in plenty for all! How thoughtful the
providence which has so allotted that every man may derive his sustenance
from it! The Lord, our Creator, does not ordain