the
world is darkened and clouds have spread over it.

Baha'u'llah has risen from the eastern horizon. Like the glory of the sun
He has come into the world. He has reflected the reality of divine
religion, dispelled the darkness of imitations, laid the foundation of new
teachings and resuscitated the world.

The first teaching of Baha'u'llah is the investigation of reality. Man
must seek reality himself, forsaking imitations and adherence to mere
hereditary forms. As the nations of the world are following imitations in
lieu of truth and as imitations are many and various, differences of
belief have been productive of strife and warfare. So long as these
imitations remain, the oneness of the world of humanity is impossible.
Therefore, we must investigate reality in order that by its light the
clouds and darkness may be dispelled. Reality is one reality; it does not
admit multiplicity or division. If the nations of the world investigate
reality, they will agree and become united. Many people and sects in
Persia have sought reality through the guidance and teaching of
Baha'u'llah. They have become united and now live in a state of agreement
and love; among them there is no longer the least trace of enmity and
strife.

The Jews were expecting the appearance of the Messiah, looking forward to
it with devotion of heart and soul, but because they were submerged in
imitations, they did not believe in Jesus Christ when He appeared. Finally
they rose against Him even to the extreme of persecution and shedding His
blood. Had they investigated reality, they would have accepted their
promised Messiah. These blind imitations and hereditary prejudices have
invariably become the cause of bitterness and hatred and have filled the
world with darkness and violence of war. Therefore, we must seek the
fundamental truth in order to extricate ourselves from such conditions and
then with illumined faces find the pathway to the Kingdom of God.

The second teaching of Baha'u'llah concerns the unity of mankind. All are
the servants of God and members of one human family. God has created all,
and all are His children. He rears, nourishes, provides for and is kind to
all. Why should we be unjust and unkind? This is the policy of God, the
lights of which have shone throughout the world. His sun bestows its
effulgence unsparingly upon all; His clouds send down rain without
distinction or favor; His breezes refresh the whole earth. It is evident