CHAPTER IV
ABDUL BAHA ON THE VALUE OF A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
His Excellency ABDUL BAHA, addressed the Paris Esperanto group on February 12, 1913, at a banquet which was accorded him at the Hotel Moderne in that city. M. Bourlet, President of the Paris Esperanto Society, in introducing Abdul Baha, said that one of the principles of the great world religion which he was promulgating, was the establishment of a universal language. (141:1)

There was a deep silence as Abdul Baha arose. His remarks were punctuated by cheers as he walked up and down the banquet hall, stopping to emphasize with frequent gesture. He spoke in Persian, M. Hippolyte Dreyfus of Paris interpreting into French. Here and there one noted that the French translation was undergoing still further interpretation by Esperantists for the benefit of neighbors who did not understand French but knew Esperanto, - the occasion itself offering a noteworthy argument for the imminent need of a universal tongue. ABDUL BAHA said: Human undertakings are divided into two kinds - universal and personal. (141:4)

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