mal
has attained the fullest degree of physical felicity. A bird perches upon
the loftiest branch and builds there its nest with consummate beauty and
skill. All the grains and seeds of the meadows are its wealth and food;
all the fresh water of mountain springs and rivers of the plain are for
its enjoyment. Truly, this is the acme of material happiness, to which
even a human creature cannot attain. This is the honor of the animal
kingdom. But the honor of the human kingdom is the attainment of spiritual
happiness in the human world, the acquisition of the knowledge and love of
God. The honor allotted to man is the acquisition of the supreme virtues
of the human world. This is his real happiness and felicity. But if
material happiness and spiritual felicity be conjoined, it will be
"delight upon delight," as the Arabs say. We pray that God will unite the
East and the West in order that these two civilizations may be exchanged
and mutually enjoyed. I am sure it will come to pass, for this is the
radiant century. This is an age for the outpouring of divine mercy upon
the exigency of this new century--the unity of the East and the West. It
will surely be accomplished.

Question: What is the status of woman in the Orient?

Answer: The status of woman in former times was exceedingly deplorable,
for it was the belief of the Orient that it was best for woman to be
ignorant. It was considered preferable that she should not know reading or
writing in order that she might not be informed of events in the world.
Woman was considered to be created for rearing children and attending to
the duties of the household. If she pursued educational courses, it was
deemed contrary to chastity; hence women were made prisoners of the
household. The houses did not even have windows opening upon the outside
world. Baha'u'llah destroyed these ideas and proclaimed the equality of
man and woman. He made woman respected by commanding that all women be
educated, that there be no difference in the education of the two sexes
and that man and woman share the same rights. In the estimation of God
there is no distinction of sex. One whose thought is pure, whose education
is superior, whose scientific attainments are greater, whose deeds of
philanthropy excel, be that one man or woman, white or colored, is
entitled to full rights and recognition; there is no differentiation
whatsoever. Therefore, the status of women in the East has undergone
change. At pr