A woman [Martha Root] brought me the other day a Book. I
spell it with a capital letter because it is a glorious Book of love and
goodness, strength and beauty. She gave it to me because she had learned I was
in grief and sadness and wanted to help... She put it into my hands saying:
"You seem to live up to His teachings." And when I opened the Book I
saw it was the word of ‘Abdu'l-Baha, prophet of love and kindness, and of his
father the great teacher of international good-will and understanding -- of a
religion which links all creeds.
Their writings are a great cry toward peace, reaching beyond
all limits of frontiers, above all dissension about rites and dogmas. It is a
religion based upon the inner spirit of God, upon the great, not-to-be-overcome
verity that God is love, meaning just that. It teaches that all hatreds,
intrigues, suspicions, evil words, all aggressive patriotism even, are outside
the one essential law of God, and that special beliefs are but surface things
whereas the heart that beats with divine love knows no tribe nor race.
It is a wondrous Message that Baha’u’llah and his son
‘Abdu'l-Baha have given us. They have not set it up aggressively, knowing that
the germ of eternal truth which lies at its core cannot but take root and
spread.
There is only one great verity in it: Love, the mainspring
of every energy, tolerance toward each other, desire of understanding each
other, knowing each other, helping each other, forgiving each other.
It is Christ's Message taken up anew, in the same words
almost, but adapted to the thousand years and more difference that lies between
the year one and today. No man could fail to be better because of this Book.
I commend it to you all. If ever the name of Baha’u’llah or
‘Abdu'l-Baha comes to your attention, do not put their writings from you.
Search out their Books, and let their glorious, peace-bringing, love-creating
words and lessons sink into your hearts as they have into mine.
One's busy day may seem too full for religion. Or one may
have a religion that satisfies. But the teachings of these gentle, wise and
kindly men are compatible with all religion, and with no religion.
Seek them, and be the happier.
(From the Toronto Daily Star, May 4, 1926)
