s to the Sultan of Turkey, Napoleon III, Emperor of France, and to
the other rulers of the world including the President of the United States
are, likewise, current and available. The book containing these Epistles
to the kings was published in India about thirty years ago and is known as
the Suratu'l-Haykal ("Discourse of the Temple"). Whatever is recorded in
these Epistles has happened. Some of the prophecies contained in them came
to pass after two years; others were fulfilled after five, ten and twenty
years. The most important prophecies relative to events transpiring in the
Balkans are being fulfilled at the present time though written long ago.
For instance, in the Epistle which Baha'u'llah addressed to the Sultan of
Turkey, the war and the occurrences of the present day were foretold by
Him. These events were also prophesied in the Tablet He addressed to the
city of Constantinople, even to the details of happenings now being
witnessed in that city.

While addressing these powerful kings and rulers He was a prisoner in a
Turkish dungeon. Consider how marvelous it was for a prisoner under the
eye and control of the Turks to arraign so boldly and severely the very
king who was responsible for His imprisonment. What power this is! What
greatness! Nowhere in history can the record of such a happening be found.
In spite of the iron rule and absolute dominion of these kings, His
function was to withstand them; and so constant and firm was He that He
caused their banners to come down and His own standard to be upraised. For
today the flags of both the Persian and the Ottoman Empires are trailing
in the dust, whereas the ensign of Baha'u'llah is being held aloft in the
world both in the East and in the West. Consider what a mighty power this
is! What a decisive argument! Although a prisoner in a fortress, He paid
no heed to these kings, regarded not their power of life and death, but,
on the contrary, addressed them in plain and fearless language, announcing
explicitly that the time would come when their sovereignty would be
brought low and His own dominion be established.

He said in substance, "Erelong you will find yourselves in manifest loss.
Your sovereignties will be laid waste; your empires will become a
wilderness and a heap of ruins; hosts from without will invade and subdue
your lands; lamentation and mourning will rise from your homes. There will
be no throne; there will be no crown; there will be no palace; th