tricted individual belief. Consider what a vast difference exists
between modern democracy and the old forms of despotism. Under an
autocratic government the opinions of men are not free, and development is
stifled, whereas in democracy, because thought and speech are not
restricted, the greatest progress is witnessed. It is likewise true in the
world of religion. When freedom of conscience, liberty of thought and
right of speech prevail--that is to say, when every man according to his
own idealization may give expression to his beliefs--development and growth
are inevitable. Therefore, this is a blessed church because its pulpit is
open to every religion, the ideals of which may be set forth with openness
and freedom. For this reason I am most grateful to the reverend doctor; I
find him indeed a servant of the oneness of humanity.

The holy Manifestations Who have been the Sources or Founders of the
various religious systems were united and agreed in purpose and teaching.
Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab and
Baha'u'llah are one in spirit and reality. Moreover, each Prophet
fulfilled the promise of the One Who came before Him and, likewise, Each
announced the One Who would follow. Consider how Abraham foretold the
coming of Moses, and Moses embodied the Abrahamic statement. Moses
prophesied the Messianic cycle, and Christ fulfilled the law of Moses. It
is evident, therefore, that the Holy Manifestations Who founded the
religious systems are united and agreed; there is no differentiation
possible in Their mission and teachings; all are reflectors of reality,
and all are promulgators of the religion of God. The divine religion is
reality, and reality is not multiple; it is one. Therefore, the
foundations of the religious systems are one because all proceed from the
indivisible reality; but the followers of these systems have disagreed;
discord, strife and warfare have arisen among them, for they have forsaken
the foundation and held to that which is but imitation and semblance.
Inasmuch as imitations differ, enmity and dissension have resulted. For
example, Jesus Christ--may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him!--laid the
foundation of eternal reality, but after His departure many sects and
divisions appeared in Christianity. What was the cause of this? There is
no doubt that they originated in dogmatic imitations, for the foundations
of Christ were reality itself, in which no divergence exists. When