Chapter 1

The Promulgation of Universal Peace

by 'Abdu'l-Baha

Edition 1, (September 2006)

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CONTENTS

Baha'i Terms of Use TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN 11 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 12 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard MacNutt 935 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York 12 April 1912 Talk at Studio of Miss Phillips 39 West Sixty-seventh Street, New York 13 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Morten 141 East Twenty-first Street, New York 14 April 1912 Talk at Church of the Ascension Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street, New York 14 April 1912 Talk at Union Meeting of Advanced Thought Centers Carnegie Lyceum West Fifty-seventh Street, New York 15 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mountfort Mills 327 West End Avenue, New York 16 April 1912 Talk at Hotel Ansonia to Baha'i Friends of New Jersey Broadway and Seventy-third Street, New York 17 April 1912 Talk at Hotel Ansonia Broadway and Seventy-third Street, New York 17 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 18 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall L. Emery 273 West Ninetieth Street, New York 19 April 1912 Talk at Earl Hall Columbia University, New York 19 April 1912 Talk at Bowery Mission 227 Bowery, New York TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 20 April 1912 Talk at Orient-Occident-Unity Conference Public Library Hall, Washington, D.C. 21 April 1912 Talk at Studio Hall 1219 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C. 21 April 1912 Talk at Universalist Church Thirteenth and L Streets, Washington, D.C. 22 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 23 April 1912 Talk at Howard University Washington, D.C. 23 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 23 April 1912 Talk to Bethel Literary Society Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 24 April 1912 Talk at Children's Reception Studio Hall 1219 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C. 24 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 24 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mrs. Andrew J. Dyer 1937 Thirteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 25 April 1912 Talk to Theosophical Society Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 25 April 1912 Message to Esperantists Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 25 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CHICAGO, WILMETTE, AND EVANSTON 30 April 1912 Talk at Public Meeting Concluding Convention of Baha'i Temple Unity Drill Hall, Masonic Temple, Chicago, Illinois 30 April 1912 Talk at Hull House Chicago, Illinois 30 April 1912 Talk at Fourth Annual Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Handel Hall, Chicago, Illinois 1 May 1912 Talk at Dedication of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Grounds Wilmette, Illinois 2 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 2 May 1912 Talk to Federation of Women's Clubs Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois 2 May 1912 Talk at Baha'i Women's Reception Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois 2 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 2 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 3 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 3 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 4 May 1912 Talk to Theosophical Society Northwestern University Hall, Evanston, Illinois 5 May 1912 Talk at Children's Meeting Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 5 May 1912 Talk at Plymouth Congregational Church 935 East Fiftieth Street Chicago, Illinois 5 May 1912 Talk at All-Souls Church Lincoln Center, Chicago, Illinois TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CLEVELAND 6 May 1912 Talk at Euclid Hall Cleveland, Ohio 6 May 1912 Talk at Sanatorium of Dr. C. M. Swingle Cleveland, Ohio TALK 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN PITTSBURGH 7 May 1912 Talk at Hotel Schenley Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK, MONTCLAIR, AND JERSEY CITY 11 May 1912 Talk at 227 Riverside Drive, New York 12 May 1912 Talk at Unity Church Montclair, New Jersey 12 May 1912 Talk at Meeting of International Peace Forum Grace Methodist Episcopal Church West 104th Street, New York 13 May 1912 Talk at Reception by New York Peace Society Hotel Astor, New York 19 May 1912 Talk at Church of the Divine Paternity Central Park West, New York 19 May 1912 Talk at Brotherhood Church Bergen and Fairview Avenues, Jersey City, New Jersey 20 May 1912 Talk at Woman's Suffrage Meeting Metropolitan Temple Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CAMBRIDGE AND BOSTON 23 May 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Breed 367 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 24 May 1912 Talk at Free Religious Association, or Unitarian Conference Boston, Massachusetts 25 May 1912 Huntington Chambers Boston, Massachusetts TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK AND FANWOOD 26 May 1912 Talk at Mount Morris Baptist Church Fifth Avenue and 126th Street, New York 28 May 1912 Talk at Reception at Metropolitan Temple Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York 29 May 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 30 May 1912 Talk at Theosophical Lodge Broadway and Seventy-ninth Street, New York 31 May 1912 Talk at Town Hall Fanwood, New Jersey 2 June 1912 Talk at Church of the Ascension Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street, New York 8 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN PHILADELPHIA 9 June 1912 Talk at Unitarian Church Fifteenth Street and Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 9 June 1912 Talk at Baptist Temple Broad and Berks Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN 11 June 1912 Talk at Open Committee Meeting Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 11 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 11 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 12 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 15 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 16 June 1912 Talk at Fourth Unitarian Church Beverly Road, Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York 16 June 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard MacNutt 935 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York 16 June 1912 Talk at Central Congregational Church Hancock Street, Brooklyn, New York 17 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 18 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 20 June 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN MONTCLAIR AND WEST ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY 23 June 1912 Talk at Montclair, New Jersey 29 June 1912 Talk at Unity Feast, Outdoors West Englewood, New Jersey TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK 1 July 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 1 July 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 5 July 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 5 July 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 6 July 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 14 July 1912 Talk at All Souls Unitarian Church Fourth Avenue and Twentieth Street, New York 15 July 1912 Talk at Home of Dr. and Mrs. Florian Krug 830 Park Avenue, New York TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN BOSTON 23 July 1912 Talk at Hotel Victoria Boston, Massachusetts 24 July 1912 Talk to Theosophical Society The Kensington Exeter and Boylston Streets, Boston, Massachusetts 25 July 1912 Talk at Hotel Victoria Boston, Massachusetts TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN DUBLIN 5 August 1912 Talk at Dublin Inn Dublin, New Hampshire 6 August 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons Dublin, New Hampshire TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED AT GREEN ACRE 16 August 1912 Talk at Green Acre Eliot, Maine 17 August 1912 Talk at Green Acre Eliot, Maine 17 August 1912 Talk at Green Acre Eliot, Maine 17 August 1912 Talk at Green Acre Eliot, Maine 17 August 1912 Talk at Green Acre Eliot, Maine TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN BOSTON AND MALDEN 25 August 1912 Talk at the New Thought Forum Metaphysical Club Boston, Massachusetts 26 August 1912 Talk at Franklin Square House Boston, Massachusetts 27 August 1912 Talk at Metaphysical Club Boston, Massachusetts 29 August 1912 Talk at Home of Madame Morey 34 Hillside Avenue, Malden, Massachusetts TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN MONTREAL 1 September 1912 Talk at Church of the Messiah Montreal, Canada 1 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland Maxwell 716 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada 1 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland Maxwell 716 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada 2 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland Maxwell 716 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada 5 September 1912 Talk at St. James Methodist Church Montreal, Canada TALK 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CHICAGO 16 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mrs. Corinne True 5338 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois TALK 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN MINNEAPOLIS 20 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. Albert L. Hall 2030 Queen Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota TALK 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN ST. PAUL 20 September 1912 Talk at Home of Dr. and Mrs. Clement Woolson 870 Laurel Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN DENVER 24 September 1912 Talk at Home of Mrs. Roberts Denver, Colorado 25 September 1912 Talk at Second Divine Science Church 3929 West Thirty-eighth Avenue, Denver, Colorado TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN OAKLAND, PALO ALTO, SAN FRANCISCO, AND SACRAMENTO 7 October 1912 Talk to Japanese Young Men's Christian Association Japanese Independent Church, Oakland, California 8 October 1912 Talk at Leland Stanford Junior University Palo Alto, California 10 October 1912 Talk at Open Forum San Francisco, California 12 October 1912 Talk at Temple Emmanu-El 450 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California 25 October 1912 Talk at Hotel Sacramento Sacramento, California 26 October 1912 Talk at Assembly Hall, Hotel Sacramento Sacramento, California TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CHICAGO 31 October 1912 Talk at Hotel Plaza Chicago, Illinois 1 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mrs. Corinne True 5338 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois TALK 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN CINCINNATI 5 November 1912 Talk at Grand Hotel Cincinnati, Ohio TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN WASHINGTON, D. C. 6 November 1912 Talk at Universalist Church Thirteenth and L Streets, NW, Washington, D.C. 7 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 7 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 8 November 1912 Talk at Eighth Street Temple, Synagogue Washington, D. C. 9 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 9 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 9 November 1912 Talk at Baha'i Banquet Rauscher's Hall, Washington, D. C. 10 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Parsons 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 10 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hannen 1252 Eighth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. 10 November 1912 Talk at 1901 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, D. C. TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK 15 November 1912 Talk at Home of Miss Juliet Thompson 48 West Tenth Street, New York 16 November 1912 Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York 17 November 1912 Talk at Genealogical Hall 252 West Fifty-eighth Street, New York 18 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank K. Moxey 575 Riverside Drive, New York 23 November 1912 Talk at Banquet Great Northern Hotel 118 West Fifty-seventh Street, New York 29 November 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 2 December 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 2 December 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 3 December 1912 Talk at Home of Dr. and Mrs. Florian Krug 830 Park Avenue, New York 3 December 1912 Talk to Mr. Kinney's Bible Class 780 West End Avenue, New York 3 December 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York 4 December 1912 Talk to Theosophical Society 2228 Broadway, New York 5 December 1912 Talk on Day of Departure On Board Steamship Celtic, New York

TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED IN NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN

11 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney 780 West End Avenue, New York

Notes by Hooper Harris

How are you? Welcome! Welcome!

After arriving today, although weary with travel, I had the utmost longing and yearning to see you and could not resist this meeting. Now that I have met you, all my weariness has vanished, for your meeting is the cause of spiritual happiness.

I was in Egypt and was not feeling well, but I wished to come to you in America. My friends said, "This is a long journey; the sea is wide; you should remain here." But the more they advised and insisted, the greater became my longing to take this trip, and now I have come to America to meet the friends of God. This long voyage will prove how great is my love for you. There were many troubles and vicissitudes, but, in the thought of meeting you, all these things vanished and were forgotten.

I am greatly pleased with the city of New York. Its harbor entrance, its piers, buildings and broad avenues are magnificent and beautiful. Truly, it is a wonderful city. As New York has made such progress in material civilization, I hope that it may also advance spiritually in the Kingdom and Covenant of God so that the friends here may become the cause of the illumination of America, that this city may become the city of love and that the fragrances of God may be spread from this place to all parts of the world. I have come for this. I pray that you may be manifestations of the love of Baha'u'llah, that each one of you may become like a clear lamp of crystal from which the rays of the bounties of the Blessed Perfection may shine forth to all nations and peoples. This is my highest aspiration.

It was a long, long trip. The more we traveled, the greater seemed the expanse of the sea. The weather was brilliant and fine throughout; there was no storm and no end to the sea.

I am very happy to meet you all here today. Praise be to God that your faces are shining with the love of Baha'u'llah. To behold them is the cause of great spiritual happiness. We have arranged to meet you every day at the homes of the friends.

In the East people were asking me, "Why do you undertake this long voyage? Your body cannot endure such hardships of travel." When it is necessary, my body can endure everything. It has withstood forty years of imprisonment and can still undergo the utmost trials.

I will see you again. Now I will greet each one of you personally. It is my hope that you will all be happy and that we may meet again and again.

12 April 1912 Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard MacNutt 935 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York

Notes by Howard MacNutt

This is a most happy visit. I have crossed the sea from the land of the Orient for the joy of meeting the friends of God. Although I am weary after my long journey, the light of the spirit shining in your faces brings me rest and reward. In this meeting the divine susceptibilities are radiant. This is a spiritual house, the home of the spirit. There is no discord here; all is love and unity. When souls are gathered together in this way, the divine bestowals descend. The purpose of the creation of man is the attainment of the supreme virtues of humanity through descent of the heavenly bestowals. The purpose of man's creation is, therefore, unity and harmony, not discord and separateness. If the atoms which compose the kingdom of the minerals were without affinity for each other, the earth would never have been formed, the universe could not have been created. Because they have affinity for each other, the power of life is able to manifest itself, and the organisms of the phenomenal world become possible. When this attraction or atomic affinity is destroyed, the power of life ceases to manifest; death and nonexistence result.

It is so, likewise, in the spiritual world. That world is the Kingdom of complete attraction and affinity. It is the Kingdom of the One Divine Spirit, the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the affinity and love manifest in this meeting, the divine susceptibilities witnessed here are not of this world but of the world of the Kingdom. When the souls become separated and selfish, the divine bounties do not descend, and the lights of the Supreme Concourse are no longer reflected even though the bodies meet together. A mirror with its back turned to the sun has no power to reflect the sun's effulgence. Praise be to God! The purpose of this assembly is love and unity.

The divine Prophets came to establish the unity of the Kingdom in human hearts. All of them proclaimed the glad tidings of the divine bestowals to the world of mankind. All brought the same message of divine love to the world. Jesus Christ gave His life upon the cross for the unity of mankind. Those who believed in Him likewise sacrificed life, honor, possessions, family, everything, that this human world might be released from the hell of discord, enmity and strife. His foundation was the oneness of humanity. Only a few were attracted to Him. They were not the kings and rulers of His time. They were not rich and important people. Some of them were catchers of fish. Most of them were ignorant men, not trained in the knowledge of this world. One of the greatest of them, Peter, could not remember the days of the week. All of them were men of the least consequence in the eyes of the world. But their hearts were pure and attracted by the fires of the Divine Spirit manifested in Christ. With this small army Christ conquered the world of the East and the West. Kings and nations rose against Him. Philosophers and the greatest men of learning assailed and blasphemed His Cause. All were defeated and overcome, their tongues silenced, their lamps extinguished, their hatred quenched; no trace of them now remains. They have become as nonexistent, while His Kingdom is triumphant and eternal.

The brilliant star of His Cause has ascended to the zenith, while night has enveloped and eclipsed His enemies. His name, beloved and adored by a few disciples, now commands the reverence of kings and nations of the world. His power is eternal; His sovereignty will continue forever, while those who opposed Him are sleeping in the dust, their very names unknown, forgotten. The little army of disciples has become a mighty cohort of millions. The Heavenly Host, the Supreme Concourse are His legions; the Word of God is His sword; the power of God is His victory.

Jesus Christ knew this would come to pass and was content to suffer. His abasement was His glorification; His crown of thorns, a heavenly diadem. When they pressed it upon His blessed head and spat in His beautiful face, they laid the foundation of His everlasting Kingdom. He still reigns, while they and their names have become lost and unknown. He is eternal and glorious; they are nonexistent. They sought to destroy Him, but they destroyed themselves and increased the intensity of His flame by the winds of their opposition.

Through His death and teachings we have entered into His Kingdom. His essential teaching was the unity of mankind and the attainment of supreme human virtues through love. He came to establish the Kingdom of peace and everlasting life. Can you find in His words any justification for discord and enmity? The purpose of His life and the glory of His death were to set mankind free from the sins of strife, war and bloodshed. The great nations of the world boast that their laws and civilization are based upon the religion of Christ. Why then do they make war upon each other? The Kingdom of Christ cannot be upheld by destroying and disobeying it. The banners of His armies cannot lead the forces of Satan. Consider the sad picture of Italy carrying war into Tripoli. If you should announce that Italy was a barbarous nation and not Christian, this would be vehemently denied. But would Christ sanction what they are doing in Tripoli? Is this destruction of human life obedience to His laws and teachings? Where does He command it? Where does He consent to it? He was killed by His enemies; He did not kill. He even loved and prayed for those who hung Him on the cross. Therefore, these wars and cruelties, this bloodshed and sorrow are Antichrist, not Christ. These are the forces of death and Satan, not the hosts of the Supreme Concourse of heaven.