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As Dr. Esslemont himself recognized, the Faith entered a new phase of its history after the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha. The result is that the author's views, some of them written prior to 1921, no longer, on certain aspects of the subject, correspond to the evolutionary character of the Faith. His treatment of events and social conditions then existing, moreover, no longer appears fully relevant. Unavoidably, a few errors of fact had entered his text, while his explanation of the stations of the Bab and of 'Abdu'l-Baha have been replaced in the minds of Baha'is by the authoritative interpretations since made by the first Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi
(2:2)
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