October 7, 1912
San Francisco
Among those visiting the Master today was the Mayor of
Berkeley. He questioned the Master about economic issues and received useful
answers. In conclusion ‘Abdu'l-Bahá said:
"We must strive until mankind achieves everlasting felicity.
Laws are needed which can both preserve the ranks of individuals and secure
peace and stability for them because society is like an army, which needs a
general, captains, lieutenants and privates. Not all can be captains nor can
all be soldiers. The grades of responsibility are essential and the differences
of rank a necessity. Just as a family needs old and young, master and mistress,
servants and attendants, likewise society needs organization and structure.
However, all must be part of an order which will ensure that each lives in
complete comfort within his own station. It should not be that the master lives
in comfort while the servant is in pain; that is injustice. Similarly, it is
impossible that all be either servants or masters; then there would be no
order."
The mayor asked, `Will these things be realized soon?' The
Master replied:
"As these laws are in conformity with the demands of the
time, they will unfailingly prevail, although they will be implemented
gradually. Everything can be prevented or resisted except the demands of the
time. The time is ripe for the governments to remedy these ills. Relief must be
brought to the toiling masses. Otherwise, if these ills are allowed to become
chronic, their cure will be difficult and they will precipitate a great
revolution."
The Master then gave an account of the unity and
self-sacrifice of the friends of the East and expounded on various aspects of the
true economic laws, which He had written while in Dublin. The mayor was so
impressed that he could not help expressing his sincere admiration. He then
invited the Master to an important meeting to be held in the city that evening.
Because this meeting had political aims as its objective, the Master tendered
His apologies.
(‘Mahmud
Zarqani, ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)
