y, love and happiness; for this
century is the century of light. It is not like former centuries. Former
centuries were epochs of oppression. Now human intellects have developed,
and human intelligence has increased. Each soul is investigating reality.
This is not a time when we shall wage war and be hostile toward each
other. We are living at a time when we should enjoy real friendship.

Fifty years ago Baha'u'llah sent Epistles to all the kings and nations of
the world, at a time when there was no mention of international peace. One
of these Epistles was sent by Him to the president of the American
democracy. In these communications He summoned all to international peace
and the oneness of the human world. He summoned mankind to the
fundamentals of the teachings of all the Prophets. Some of the European
kings were arrogant. Among them was Napoleon III. Baha'u'llah wrote a
second Epistle to him, which was published thirty years ago. The context
is this: "O Napoleon! Thou hast become haughty indeed. Thou hast become
proud. Thou hast forgotten God. Thou dost imagine that this majesty is
permanent for thee, that this dominion is abiding for thee. A letter have
we sent unto thee for acceptance with thy greatest love; but, instead,
thou hast shown arrogance. Therefore, God shall uproot the edifice of thy
sovereignty; thy country shall flee away from thee. Thou shalt find
humiliation hastening after thee because thou didst not arise for that
which was enjoined upon thee, whereas that which was a duty incumbent upon
thee was the cause of life to the world. The punishment of God shall soon
be dealt out to thee."

This Epistle was revealed in the year 1869, and after one year the
foundations of the Napoleonic sovereignty were completely uprooted.

Among these Epistles was a very lengthy one to the _Sh_ah of Persia. It
was printed and spread broadcast throughout all the countries. This
Epistle was revealed in the year 1870. In it Baha'u'llah admonished the
_Sh_ah of Persia to be kind to all his subjects, summoning him to dispense
justice, counseling him to make no distinction between the religions,
charging him to deal equally with Jew, Christian, Muslim and Zoroastrian
and to remove the oppression prevailing in his country.

At that time the Jews were greatly oppressed in Persia. Baha'u'llah
especially recommended justice for them, saying that all people are the
servants of God, and in the eye of the government they should be