|
Thus the year 1870 may be regarded as marking the disruption and decline of Western civilization. (83:2) To Queen Victoria Baha'u'llah revealed that the Gospel prophecies were fulfilled in His advent and He offered her a prayer exquisitely tender in its feeling which she might use in turning to Him as He admonished her to do. He commended her for two measures which had been recently adopted in the spirit of the new age, one the stoppage of the slave-trade, the other the extension of the franchise. He wrote at some length to her on the divine art of government, trading historically the causes of its failure and indicating that it was now in a dangerous condition. (83:3) Through her He sent a reprimand to the kings for refusing the Most Great Peace and urgently advised them to adopt the Lesser Peace which would in some degree better their condition. (83:4) His fourth letter, addressed to Czar Alexander Ii was couched in warm language and He advised the Czar to arise and make known this Cause to the nations of the world. (83:5) It is reported that Queen Victoria, on reading His letter, remarked, "If this is of God, it will stand. Otherwise it can do no harm." But neither she nor any of the other Christian rulers turned to Him, nor paid any heed whatever to His counsels.
(83:6)
|