ere will
be no armies. Nay, rather, all these will be brought low; but the standard
of the Cause of God will be held aloft. Then will you see that hosts and
hosts will enter the Cause of God and that this mighty revelation will be
spread throughout the world." Read the prophecies contained in the
Suratu'l-Haykal and ponder carefully over them.

This is one of the characteristics of Baha'u'llah's message and teachings.
Can you find events and happenings of this kind in any other prophetic
dispensation? If so, in what cycle have similar things taken place? Do you
find such specific prophecies and explicit statements concerning the
future in the Holy Books of the past? We will now compare the teachings of
Baha'u'llah with the Holy Words which have descended in the former cycles.

First among the great principles revealed by Him is that of the
investigation of reality. The meaning is that every individual member of
humankind is exhorted and commanded to set aside superstitious beliefs,
traditions and blind imitation of ancestral forms in religion and
investigate reality for himself. Inasmuch as the fundamental reality is
one, all religions and nations of the world will become one through
investigation of reality. The announcement of this principle is not found
in any of the sacred Books of the past.

A second characteristic principle of the teachings of Baha'u'llah is that
which commands recognition of the oneness of the world of humanity.
Addressing all mankind, He says, "Ye are all the leaves of one tree."
There are no differences or distinctions of race among you in the sight of
God. Nay, rather, all are the servants of God, and all are submerged in
the ocean of His oneness. Not a single soul is bereft. On the contrary,
all are the recipients of the bounties of God. Every human creature has a
portion of His bestowals and a share of the effulgence of His reality. God
is kind to all. Mankind are His sheep, and He is their real Shepherd. No
other scriptures contain such breadth and universality of statement; no
other teachings proclaim this unequivocal principle of the solidarity of
humanity. As regards any possible distinctions, the utmost that
Baha'u'llah says is that conditions among men vary, that some, for
instance, are defective. Therefore, such souls must be educated in order
that they may be brought to the degree of perfection. Some are sick and
ailing; they must be treated and cared for until they are healed. Some