CHAPTER 9:
THE CHRISTIAN and the BAHA'I
At Christ's Second Coming, some believed, and some didn't (80:1)

The story should be familiar by now: the manner in which mankind's understanding and expectations of God's ways have been thwarted and confounded repeatedly by Providence is perhaps the most constant motif of history and religious experience. This story, repeated in the Bible in various forms, with its greatest and most tragic episode being the rejection of Christ, reveals the truth that unfortunately, throughout the ages, human beings have learned not from pondering on the mistakes of their past, but rather have repeated them. It also reveals the profound truth that in our relationship to God, we human beings, in whatever age we live, are fundamentally the same: God is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and we are but His servants (80:2)

Although, collectively, we have often responded to God's summons in a pitiful manner, we are not bound, as individuals, to learn only through failure. God has endowed all women and men with hearts and minds through which to discern and follow His Will. And now, readers, in this chapter, I appeal both to your hearts and minds, and address you straightforwardly regarding the Second Coming (80:3)

If we have arrived at this point in what seems to be a round about way, if the preceding chapters seem too lengthy, I apologize. I ask you to reflect though, on the subject at hand. Remember the Time of which we are speaking: "the time of harvest" , and the Person about whom we are speaking: the most compelling and peerless Person who ever trod the Earth: Christ Returned (80:4)

The Bible demonstrates that everything, absolutely everything, depends on our approach. Haste is not appropriate when seeking the Lord of History. The majesty of our subject, the Second Coming, requires a more ceremonious approach if we are to render it the proper respect. It is partly for this reason that this chapter has been arrived at by way of a journey through ancient prophecy, as seen through the eyes of our ancestors (80:5)

And now we have arrived at our time, the present, and I ask your further indulgence. If you approach the opinions here expressed with impatience, pride or intolerance, if you refuse to suspend judgment until an open heart, a searching reason, and fair investigation are the basis of your eventual decision, your will have acted in haste (80:6)

If what follows, you find - after fair deliberation - to be a hoax, in investigating it you will have wasted but a little time, and perhaps learned how to save others from such a cruel deception. If, however, you presume, ahead of time, to know the secrets of God's inscrutable wisdom, and therefore fail to investigate, is it not possible that you will have made the same mistake as those gone before us? After all, are we not all subject to error? (80:7)

I ask you then, readers, to give the time, the care, the attention, the patience, the respect that this subject deserves, for no other subject can compare with this. If the theme be false, you will have lost but a few moments. If it is true, however, but you do not investigate, you may have lost what none of us would wish for anyone to lose: reunion with the Prince of Peace (81:1)

INTRODUCTION
In this chapter I will introduce and briefly discuss the claim that the Promised One of all Ages did indeed return during the nineteenth century, and that the building of His Kingdom here on earth is well underway. I will put forward, for your consideration, that at the Coming of their Lord, the Christians have become His seekers, while believers in Him are at this very moment carrying His long awaited message of love and hope to all the peoples of the earth (81:2)

On this theme, I will spend but one chapter, in which I will both introduce and conclude my argument. As in other chapters, I will not be exhaustive in my presentation; I cannot be. The subject is simply too great to be contained here. Rather I present an introduction to the bold claim referred to above (81:3)

This chapter is presented in three parts. The first is a discussion of the possibility and implications that it will be left to the Second Coming to reveal the meaning of the prophecies referring to Christ's return. This part deals essentially with the attitudes and claims of human beings themselves in their attempt to understand God's Word. The second part introduces the claim that His Return has indeed been fulfilled. The third part then gives examples of the kinds of evidence that support this claim (81:4)

A survey, even a cursory one, of the prophecies demonstrating this claim is beyond the scope of this book; the prophecies and their explanations are simply too numerous. Study of the Holy Scriptures by individuals of all religious backgrounds continues to yield a wealth of information and a succession of excellent books on this subject and I commend them to the readers attention . My purpose here is not to bring forward historical evidence in support of this great claim; this has been done elsewhere. My purpose is rather to focus on the possibility that those same obstacles which kept the Jewish people from believing in Christ, could in this day, prevent the seeking soul from recognizing Him at His Return (81:5)

The preceding chapters were written to demonstrate what I have attempted to explain in conversation with Christian friends for many years. Long held assumptions, however, are not questioned upon simply hearing an opinion that states otherwise. Substantial evidence must be brought forward and objectively explored. This is what I have attempted to do in this book. If I have at times stated the obvious, seemed redundant, or delved too much into detail (for all of which I ask your forbearance), it was only in my desire to present systematically what I have always felt was clear evidence that the meaning of the Word of God is entirely up to Him, not us. (82:1)

The purpose in attempting to demonstrate this has always been to allow the individual to consider the great claim that will sooner or later, and as a result of the efforts of His followers, reach the ears of all peoples, and about which each individual on earth will have to make, for his or her self, a choice: whether to recognize and believe or not to recognize and believe the Promised One announced in the sacred scriptures of all peoples (82:2)

The manner of Christ's First Coming was altogether surprising. The claim that He could have already returned is equally so. I ask you, the reader, to investigate this claim and its implications for the peace and wellbeing of the human race (82:3)

PART ONE: Impossible!
It is understandable that a Christian may find it impossible to accept the statement that the Christ could have returned without his or her knowledge. Isn't His Coming, after all, for the sake of Christians? Won't there be great signs at His Coming which all will witness? How then, could He have come and yet the Christians be unaware of it? Won't they immediately recognize Him at His Return? Won't, in fact, the whole world know of His Coming? Understandably, these questions, among many others, instantly come to the minds of Christ's followers when presented with the possibility that His Return could have already been fulfilled (83:1)

Indeed, based upon much of the current interpretation of Christ's own promises regarding His Return, and the promises of the Old Testament, it seems impossible to Christians that Christ should have already returned. It appears clear to them from the statements of the Old and New Testaments, that at the time of Christ's Second Coming, it simply will not be possible for Christ to appear in the world in a way that they are not expecting. They feel they have been given too much guidance in the scriptures for such a thing to happen. Though they may not know all the details of Christ's Second Coming, they are certain they know more than was known at His First Coming. He has already appeared in the world once, they now know Who He is, and they are consciously expecting His Return. They display complete assurance regarding the Second Coming and a widespread consensus: "They will not miss Christ a second time." (83:2)

Thus, for example, the Bible assures Christians that certain signs will accompany Christ's Return. They know, for example, that He will come "in the clouds" , that "every eye shall see Him" , and that He will reign as "King of kings" . They are sure of this because Christ Himself has spoken these promises. These, and the many other references to Christ at His Return, present Christians with that long awaited image of Christ's glorious and triumphant theophany when He will destroy evil and establish an everlasting justice on earth - a justice in which He, Himself, under the authority of God, the Father, will be the sole and visible Ruler (83:3)

Yes, Christians know all this to be true-- beyond the shadow of a doubt. All who believe in the Bible, they feel assured, must accept this because this is what the Word of God has revealed. How then, could anyone refer, as was done above, to the Second Coming as if it had already happened? If the "King of kings" had come, then surely He would be, at this very moment, the prime focus of history. But the world seems to be proceeding as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Haven't the holy words of the Bible obviously been thrown out and rejected in order to advance the spurious claim that Christ has returned? (83:4)

No, the holy words of the Bible have not been thrown out and rejected. We need to remember that, precisely because the words of the Bible are holy and transcendent , no human being in studying them can ever claim to have fully, finally, and adequately comprehended them. It is not within the power or province of human beings to render ultimate and perfect judgments about the relative importance or unimportance of the words of Divine Revelation. Humility is always required regarding any of our interpretations of sacred scripture. The belief that Christ has indeed returned involves discarding not the words of the Bible, but the interpretations of the words of the Bible that various human beings have proposed in the past and the present. The fact that large numbers of Christians - but clearly not all Christians - have believed such interpretations is a serious and weighty consideration that cannot be lightly dismissed, but neither is it in itself a sufficient and adequate guarantee and final proof of the correctness of such interpretations (84:1)

The CLAIM of INTERPRETATION-
At this juncture, it might be helpful to point out an aspect of the Christian understanding of the rejection of Christ at His First Coming which has a significant influence on the assumption that prophecies are given to inform people what to expect and know about Him so that they can recognize Him at His Return (84:2)

We know that there were many different factors that led people to believe or disbelieve in Him. We know, for example, that some attained to the light of faith through Christ's healing powers, and some rejected Him because of fear of His influence. But here I would like to focus on our understanding of the role of prophecy (84:3)

A perspective held by many Christians of the First Coming seems to be that the Jewish people were stubborn, spiritually blind, unduly attached to false interpretations, or for any number of other reasons, unable, or unwilling in any case, to understand the prophecies referring to Him. This inability or unwillingness to understand the prophecies in some measure accounts for their denial of Christ (84:4)

If we consider carefully, however, we see that there is a problem with this perspective, namely, that the prophecies could not be, and indeed were not understood, by anyone before fulfillment and recognition. If misinterpretation of prophecy were a cause of the rejection of Christ, then no one would have accepted Him because it appears that everyone misunderstood the prophecies before the time (1) that Christ actually fulfilled them, and (2) His followers recognized Him as the Messiah. (84:5)

When Christians hold to the perspective that the inability or unwillingness of Jewish people to understand the prophecies accounts in considerable measure for their denial of Christ, they are asserting the possibility, and even more strongly, the probability that prophecies could indeed have been understood before fulfillment. This, in turn, provides the added benefit, of course, that people in this day, can then be presumed to understand prophecies about the Second Coming of Christ. Thus, Christians can feel assured that their prevailing and contemporary interpretations of the Second Coming of Christ are correct. To admit that at the First Coming the prophecies could not be understood before fulfillment and recognition would lead, almost inevitably, to the unsettling realization that current interpretations of the prophecies referring to the Second Coming could also be subject to error (84:6)

In actuality, the glory of the Christians and the failure of the Jewish people resided not in their ability or inability to decipher the prophecies, but rather in their response to His Person. It was He, not the scriptures, that was the focus (85:1)

Yes, those who rejected Christ may have been stubborn, spiritually blind, and unduly attached to false interpretations, but their ultimate failure was that they did not open their hearts and minds to Him. If they had accepted Him, their previous erroneous understanding of the prophecies would have become irrelevant, being simply replaced by the correct interpretation, whatever God had willed it to be. At His Coming, everyone's previous understanding was erroneous, but Christ forgave this. No one was bound, by their past, to failure (85:2)

How could it be otherwise? The prophecies are open for all to see. Their puzzling nature is manifestly obvious. It was Jesus' Being, His Teachings, His Love, His power that shed the light of salvation, not the words of the prophets (85:3)

UNSETTLING ALTERNATIVE-
If it is unsettling to consider the possibility that the purpose of prophecy is not to show us plainly how the Christ is to return, and that we can therefore not be sure that our interpretation of it is correct; it is equally unsettling to consider the alternative (85:4)

You are wondering, of course, what I mean by the above statement. Consider: (85:5)

Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that the Christian view is correct, that God does intend Christians to use prophecy to enable them to recognize Christ at His Return. This view holds that the prophecies are stated in such a way that they fit together in an understandable and sometimes obvious manner, that the events that they foretell are therefore known with a degree of certainty, and that the sequence of these events can be discerned. It assumes that one can figure out what words of the prophecies are to be fulfilled literally, and what words fulfilled figuratively (85:6)

This view of the purpose of prophecy implies that God, wanting to provide His chosen children with a vision of Christ's return so that they will recognize and accept Him, has given clear descriptions of what is to come (85:7)

If, for the sake of argument we assume that this view is correct, we soon find that a problem emerges which raises a number of questions, and these questions prove difficult to answer. The problem is this: Christians themselves do not agree on the meaning of prophecy! (85:8)

What? How can that be? After all that guidance, and all those clear descriptions, they still don't agree? How can they not agree? Didn't God make His description of the Second Coming clear enough? No, surely we cannot blame God. Then is it that people are not smart enough? Do only some people understand? But, couldn't God have made all the Christians understand? Wasn't that the whole point in the first place? (85:9)

Well, whatever the answers to the above questions, the clear reality is that God's descriptions of His Return are certainly not clear. Some denominations believe that He will indeed return in the flesh. Some believe His spirit only will return. And there are those that say that His return has already been fulfilled, while most believe that it is yet to come. Some even point to other Christian denominations as fulfilling prophecies regarding Christ's enemies. The confusion is so prevalent that it is nothing less than common knowledge that Christians do not agree on the details and sequences of events that will take place at Christ's Return (86:1)

There is, however, one point which Christians tend to agree on: they all say that the scriptures point to their particular interpretation (86:2)

This being the current situation, we are then led to a new set of questions: Which of the Christian denominations is the one with the correct interpretation? And how do we know that they have the correct interpretation? Do we ask them if their interpretation is correct? (86:3)

I'm being halfway facetious here, but only halfway. In all seriousness, I put forward this question: Why do not the words of the Bible hold but one meaning for Christ's followers? (86:4)

I'm sure that Christians can explain why there are currently divers and mutually conflicting interpretations regarding the Second Coming. I'm sure also, however, that the answers provided by those holding to these interpretations will themselves be mutually conflicting. If we were then to consider these different explanations, we would simply have ended up on another level of the same argument (86:5)

What does this all mean? If this is the current state of affairs in man's attempt to understand prophecy, what assurance can anyone have in their interpretation? Can we just ignore this situation? Or can we look it squarely in the eye, ponder on it, and realize that these prophecies cannot be understood until Christ returns and fulfills them according to God's plan. If Christians have figured out from prophecy what amounts to completely different interpretations, haven't they in reality, figured out nothing at all? (86:6)

An analogy comes to mind that I would like to share to illustrate my understanding of the situation. I was one time teaching high school chemistry and was preparing an experiment for the class which involved measuring temperature. I opened up a box of about twenty thermometers for this purpose. For this experiment, the students needed to know very accurately the temperature and, therefore, I desired to know the accuracy of the thermometers (86:7)

I could have tested the thermometers by comparing their readings with a standard, for example, by placing them all in boiling or freezing water and seeing if they read the known temperatures of these processes. My test of these thermometers, however, was infinitely simpler: I just looked at them. I lined them all up to see whether they all read exactly the same temperature: they didn't (86:8)

Now I knew that their environment was at one temperature, that they, therefore, all had the same input, but they all indicated slightly different temperatures. Anyone would know from this that they were not reliable. Right away it was clear that the process by which they were manufactured, or the materials used in them, or whatever other factors went into making these particular thermometers, were not consistent. They had all "interpreted" the temperature differently (87:1)

If I had only had one of these thermometers, and I had used it to record temperature measurements, I may have assumed that it was accurate. After all, it looked professionally made, and it seemed to behave as a thermometer should. I may have found no reason to doubt its reliability. But knowing that the others whose appearance and performance were similar gave different results changed everything (87:2)

Now, if all of the Christian denominations are using the Word of God as their basis, then why do we get different "readings" from them, different interpretations? Can we continue to trust the process by which we arrive at these interpretations when the results are so visibly inconsistent? What does it take for us to realize that the complete meaning of prophecies is simply not available to us before fulfillment? (87:3)

The word of God is creative; it has the ability to create good in the world through those who follow it. It can influence in the perfect way a multitude of different individuals in different situations if they but open their hearts to its message and obey its commandments: These are not ordinary words. It follows, therefore, that their significance cannot be fully grasped by mere mortals; nor can their meaning be exhausted. The deeper we go in our study of them, the more significant the meaning we find. But the fact remains that what the word of God means to one person may be different than what it means to another (87:4)

Now, I am not implying that since it means different things to different people, we can never agree on its meaning. I'm simply stating that its meaning is great and we, as individuals, each receive only a share of its greatness (87:5)

In speaking with Christian friends, although my understanding of the Second Coming is different than theirs, I do not feel the urge to inform them that their interpretations are wrong. And it is not simply due to common courtesy, which bids us respect the rights of others to express their views, that I do not show disapproval. In all that I have heard from those who are trying to understand what God has decreed for the Return of His Beloved Son, I have genuinely found truth. Each person has understood, to some extent, His Return (87:6)

I believe, however, that the fullest understanding of His Return, can come only after recognition of Him at His Return. And if you reflect at all about the fact that among Christ's followers there are currently many different versions of how Christ will return, only one resolution seems possible to the dilemma presented to us by this disturbing and contradictory set of circumstances: namely, it can only be after the Return has been fulfilled, and Christ has been recognized, that there will be only one interpretation of the prophecies. Hence, Christians, themselves, must agree that fulfillment and recognition are necessary for the Christian world to have a unified vision of Christ's Return (87:7)

A CHANGE of POLICY?-
The Bible gives, as I have attempted to demonstrate, clear evidence that at Christ's First Coming fulfillment and recognition were required in order to understand prophecy. Notwithstanding that this was the case at His First Coming, however, many Christians are certain that God clearly intends prophecies to lead them to Christ at His Second Coming. They will, in fact they are certain, accept Christ, and they will do so in a self-evident, overwhelming manner. This certainty is strikingly similar to that of the Jewish people at the First Coming (88:1)

God, it is true, is free to act in whatever way He wills. The fact that at His First Coming the prophecies could not be understood does not demand that this will be the case for the Second Coming. God is not bound to follow precedent. Whatever is His will, ours is to obey and accept it. If He intends that at His Return, people will have already understood how He should come, so be it (88:2)

But the fact that there is no evidence in the Bible or in the world today that the purpose of prophecy has changed cannot be taken lightly. While God can and does change His Ways of dealing with human beings, it is still the case that God is, more frequently, constant and regular in the Pattern of His dealings with mankind. Human beings, moreover, have shown a consistency of another sort - the notorious tendency, almost endlessly so, of repeating the same particularly grievous error: the error of assuming to know everything about scripture and the ways in which God will interact with humanity (88:3)

The assumption of many Christians that God made the prophecies of the New Testament about the Second Coming of Christ clear, and that they understand the meaning of these prophecies with a certitude that will enable them to recognize and accept Christ when He returns is all too similar to the assumption of the Jewish people that God made the prophecies of the Old Testament clear and that they would understand the meaning of those prophecies with such certitude that they would be able to recognize and accept Christ, the Messiah, at His First Coming. In the First Coming of Christ, the intention and wisdom of God's Will surpassed and confounded the wisdom and understanding of men; why is not the same Pattern likely to repeat itself in the Second Coming of Christ? (88:4)

Surely, the approach to scripture is most fruitful and correct when it is informed more by open inquiry and humble seeking than by dogmatic self-assurance and an inflexible refusal to even consider other viewpoints. The Jewish people were singularly dogmatic and inflexible in their refusal to consider the claims of Christ that He fulfilled their prophecies; they preferred their own confident and certain interpretations of the Old Testament prophecies. It is one thing to examine, patiently and conscientiously, all the evidence in a disputed case before reaching a decision, and quite another matter to cling to a preconceived interpretation, and then refuse to hear, or otherwise dismiss, in cursory fashion, all contrary evidence (88:5)

The Jewish people at the time of Christ's First Coming and many Christians today appear similar in their attitude and approach to prophecy: (1) in their assumption that God has given insight and guidance to themselves only to the exclusion of the rest of humanity; (2) in their unquestioning assurance that God's Will can be completely known by human beings; and (3) in their refusal or fear to engage in open investigation and dialogue with others regarding prophecy and the fulfillment of God's Promised Manifestation to Humanity. (89:1)

Why should we expect the policy of God to change, and the Pattern of God's dealing with humanity to be any different today than in the time of Christ? Why should we imagine the prophecies and the interpreters of prophecies today to be any less confused, perplexed, and subject to erroneous understanding in this time of Christ's Second Coming that at the time of His First Coming? If all Christians did agree on the meaning of prophecy, then certainly things would be different. But they do not agree. Might not this suggest that the purpose of these prophecies really hasn't changed? (89:2)

The Pattern is quite clear at least in one respect: the ways of God and the prophecies of God will continue to surpass and confound the wisdom and understanding of men. Only the humble and pure in heart find any Right Understanding in the Path leading to the Presence of the Promised One (89:3)

PROPHECIES and EVERLASTING LIFE-
At His First Coming, the prophecies did not play the role of leading people to Christ, but rather the same role that they play in this day: that of confirming the faith of those who believe in Him. Prophecies did not lead souls to the Christ because of their very nature: they can appear misleading; their tone can be either literal or symbolic or both with no clue to the seeker as to which instance is operative; they can seemingly state that certain things will surely come to pass when they do not actually come to pass; and they can seem to rule out things which, nevertheless, actually do come to pass. They are expressed in only a few words with little detail, but the mind of man takes the opportunity, often erroneously, to add details. Of course, in all cases, they speak the truth, the absolute truth. Before fulfillment, however, what that truth is, is simply not revealed. A knowledge of the prophecies do not, and can not lead, to the Christ (89:4)

Of course, if the prophecies appear misleading, it is the seeker who is actually misleading himself. If they appear to rule out, or "rule in" certain things, it is nothing but the seeker's assumptions regarding those holy words that has done the "ruling". If the details of the seeker's vision are wrong, the seeker has simply chosen the wrong details. And if, even to this day, the whole manner in which the true meaning of prophecy is revealed seems backwards, then certainly we have simply illuminated a characteristic of the human mind in attempting to understand the Mind of God: it is our thinking that is backwards, not His (89:5)

The Bible begins: "In the beginning God .. " God is first, and all things come afterward. The Bible does not state "In the beginning man .. " Whenever we place ourselves first, place our trust in our own understanding first, or place our own desires first, etc., we have placed ourselves in opposition to the divine order of things. We are not first. We should not wonder therefore, that the meaning of prophecies has been revealed in a way that is diametrically opposed to that which we would like it to be: namely that we can understand it ourselves without divine assistance (89:6)

A pure heart and humble mind were far more important to gaining salvation at the time of Christ than any knowledge of the scriptures. In fact, the greatest barrier to receiving everlasting life, it seems, had absolutely nothing to do with any lack of knowledge of scriptures. Tragically, and rather ironically, it was actually an attitude of pride in one's knowledge of such scriptures, the same attitude that the religious leaders of His time manifested, and which the people followed, that led to the utter loss of the Jewish people in failing to recognize Christ at His First Coming (90:1)

Consider, who was it at the time of Christ that attained unto everlasting life? For the most part they were the poor, the lowly, the sinners who would turn humbly to Him. Knowledge of the scriptures was not a factor. Weakness, ignorance, and lack of capacity did not hinder souls from attaining unto Him. For the child is weak, ignorant, and without capacity, and Christ clearly states that we must become like the child in order to enter the Kingdom. This is not to infer that we are to become ignorant or weak. Christ was referring to the condition of the child's heart and mind. The child's heart is pure, and their mind is free from any pride, for the child knows in its very being that it is weak and utterly dependent on others for its very life. We too must know, that in the presence of God, no matter who we are, no matter what our knowledge, our attainments or our capabilities, we too are as children, weak and ignorant. Like the child, we must know this (90:2)

Even possession by a devil, the scriptures tell us, was not a barrier to Christ's divine love. He simply cast them out (90:3)

No, nothing came between the seeker and his Desire at Christ's First Coming, nothing caused the people to turn away and reject Him, nothing confounded those who had heard His message, except lack of humility and purity of heart - spiritual qualities which the Father has always, and will always desire, for His children (90:4)

The same qualities required of humankind at the First Coming will be required at the Second Coming (90:5)

PART TWO: The Claim that the Promised One Has Come
Christ has come the second time as He did the first time, largely unrecognized and unaccepted by those who should have been most prepared to receive and love Him, but accepted and recognized, as at His First Coming, by the poor and humble in spirit, and the pure in heart. He has come again, just as proclaimed in the New Testament, and He is once again inviting the world to receive Him (91:1)

In the year 1844, in the land of Iran, a religion was born which has grown to be the second-most widespread Faith in the world . The Founder's name is Baha'u'llah, an Arabic title that means "The Glory of God". His claim is that in Him is fulfilled not only the prophecies referring to the Second Coming, but also that He is none other than the One promised to all of the religions of the world. His followers, themselves from all religious backgrounds, regard Him as the long awaited Messiah, and the deliverer of the teachings by which the world will finally attain to the great peace which humankind has for thousands of years longed to see. His followers are actively working in every land towards its establishment (91:2)

Of course, a greater claim than this can hardly be imagined. As in the case of Jesus' claim to be the Christ, it certainly must involve either the salvation of the world, or a great deception. For such a claim to be true, it must certainly be supported by divine testimony. It must withstand the scrutiny of every test. It must answer every question. It must fulfill every promise. In short, it must have the most conclusive proofs demonstrating its validity. And it does (91:3)

Proof, like beauty, however is in the eyes of the beholder. At Christ's First Coming, certainly there were conclusive proofs demonstrating the validity of His claim. God had not fallen short in providing everything people would have needed in order to recognize Him. To an open and unbiased mind, the proofs were overwhelming that He was indeed the Christ. In considering God's justice and mercy, it does not seem possible that He would have withheld from the people testimony that could have led to their salvation. The fact that those who persecuted Christ were punished for their actions speaks to the fact that they must have been given sufficient evidence that He was indeed their Savior, and that therefore they should have recognized Him (91:4)

If anyone can provide testimony of the truth, surely God can. It is axiomatic that His proof must be the greatest proof of all. However, as the New Testament clearly demonstrates, it is equally axiomatic that not even His proof can persuade a mind bent on unbelieving: At Christ's First Coming, some believed, and some didn't. And even after two thousand years, some believe in Him, and some do not. I think it's safe to say that if someone does not want to believe, a choice they are free to make, they will simply never believe (91:5)

So, although the claim of Baha'u'llah can be proved, proof in itself and of itself- even the proof of God - is not conclusive to the listener who does not believe (92:1)

Why is this? Why does not proof cause belief? The purpose of proof is not to force the mind to believe. Christ did not force people to believe in Him. His generation wanted Him to perform miracles on demand, but He would not. If we are forced, where then is our freedom of choice? And if we don't believe by choice, what merit is there in such belief, and why would we be rewarded for it? The purpose of proof is to attract, so that the seeker may begin to open his or her mind and heart to God's message. But faith is not simply based on proofs. It is essentially a spiritual connection one has with his Lord. The mind plays a part, but more importantly, the heart (92:2)

Baha'is are happy to demonstrate the truth of Baha'u'llah's claim, but only engage in such a dialogue if the listener is truly interested. Baha'u'llah exhorts His followers: The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing .. To argue or to push one's beliefs on others is fruitless, and only leads to bad feelings between people. None of us want to be the cause of this. However, if someone is interested in discussing Baha'u'llah's claim, even if the reason is to try to demonstrate to the Baha'i that the claim is false, then the Baha'i is free to present what he or she considers proofs of Baha'u'llah's mission (92:3)

Just as Christ provided divine explanation through His life and teachings of the true meaning of the prophecies referring to Him, Baha'u'llah has done the same for the prophecies referring to the Second Coming. It is through Baha'u'llah's life and teachings that the proofs of His mission and the fulfillment of prophecy are evident. Thus, the proofs of Baha'u'llah's mission require knowledge of the story of His life and His teachings (92:4)

The Christian may object to using the writings of Baha'u'llah, whom he regards as having no authority, in a discussion of the Second Coming, raising the issue that the Bible alone is the repository of God's Word. This is perfectly understandable. The Jews are free to raise the same objection regarding the use of the life of Christ and the New Testament in a discussion of the Coming of the Messiah. None of us want to be unfaithful to what we consider Holy Scripture (92:5)

In the case of the Jewish person and the Christian person, the Christian would, therefore, be left to prove that Jesus is the Christ using only the Hebrew scriptures - quite a challenging task. I have asked Christian friends whether they can do this - prove that Jesus is the Christ using only the Old Testament. The initial reaction is that it can be done. Upon close examination, however, it really cannot (92:6)

Scriptures DON'T EXPLAIN Themselves-
Consider the prophetic references to Christ found in the Old Testament. Try yourself, if you like, to see if you can find a single one among them which you could use to demonstrate the truth that Jesus is the Christ without making any reference to the New Testament. I, myself, certainly cannot, and I haven't found anyone who can. Although there are hundreds of such references, they require illumination from the New Testament to reveal their proper meaning (92:7)

Remember, if we are to do without the New Testament completely, then we are not allowed to use proofs such as this: "The Hebrew Scriptures state that the Messiah was to be born of a virgin, and Jesus was indeed born of a virgin. This, therefore, is evidence of His fulfilling prophecy." To this, the Jew could respond, "What proof do you have that Jesus was born of a virgin?" Knowledge of the virgin birth is contained in the New Testament only, which the Jews do not regard as truth. If the ground rules of the discussion were to be followed, the story of Christ's birth is inadmissible evidence (93:1)

Another problem, touched on earlier, that the Christian would face, would be that there is essentially no way, based on the words of the Old Testament alone, to understand what should be taken literally and what symbolically. For example, how could a Christian explain to a Jew that in the prophecy of Micah, "Bethlehem" has a literal meaning but "ruler" a symbolic one? If we consider the prophetic references to Christ, we see that they are certainly not self-explanatory (93:2)

A Christian who would require the proof of Baha'u'llah's mission to be based solely upon the Bible is essentially asking the Baha'i to perform what the Christian cannot: namely, to have the scriptures explain themselves. If the Old Testament could explain itself, then the Jews would have known how the Christ was to come. And if the New Testament could explain itself, then the Christians should agree on His Second Coming. Neither is the case, however (93:3)

If the true test of whether or not Jesus is the Christ is based on whether or not He has fulfilled the outward meaning of the scriptures, then certainly everyone must reject Him, because He did not fulfill the prophecies in this way (93:4)

And if the true test of whether or not Baha'u'llah's claim to be the Promised One of all ages is based on whether or not He has fulfilled the outward meaning of the prophecies referring to the Second Coming, then certainly, too, His claim must be false, for neither has He fulfilled prophecies in this way (93:5)

At His First Coming, the Christians were not deceived by the outward meaning of the prophecies. They obviously did not base their faith in their Lord on the literal meaning of the prophecies. At His Second Coming, are they to change the basis of their faith in Him? (93:6)

The heart of the matter is this: what is our faith based upon? How do we know that Jesus is indeed the Christ? (93:7)

Faith explains Scripture, but all Faith itself is a mystery (93:8)

It is easily demonstrated that there is no simple answer to this question. Faith is in many ways a mystery, and mysteries, by definition, do not lend themselves to being fully understood. Upon questioning, we see that one's faith simply cannot be fully explained. If you ask people why they believe, you will get many different answers (93:9)

For example, people might say that they believe that Jesus is the Christ because He was raised from the dead after His crucifixion. The question then becomes "How is it that you believe that He was raised from the dead?" The response may be "It is stated in the Bible, the Word of God." The question then becomes, "How is it that you believe that the Bible is the Word of God?" The response may be "It is evident because of the many truths it contains." The question then becomes, "So, is it that you first believe in the Bible, and then you believe in Jesus because He is written about?" .. and the questioning can continue forever (94:1)

Or, one might say, "I believe that Jesus is the Christ because I can feel His love in my heart, and because I can see how He has blessed my life." The question then becomes, "So, if a person of a non-Christian faith, feels the love of their founder, and sees how he has blessed their life, does this, therefore mean that he is also from God?" (94:2)

When it comes right down to it, we believe for one overwhelming experience or reason, or for a number of experiences and reasons, some of greater and some of lesser value. Each one of us must have had some sort of divine confirmation, some special blessing from God to enable us to believe. And this confirmation is a personal thing that only we ourselves can fully understand. We can tell others our reasons for belief, but the reality of it cannot be conveyed (94:3)

Of course, many aspects of our faith make sense, and can indeed be explained. But in the end, regardless of our personal experiences, we believe in Him because He is our Savior, and our hearts have responded to His divine call. Words cannot contain fully the reality of our faith in Him, neither can they express our love for Him. Such faith and love belong not in the realm of full explanation. Faith remains a mystery, though a partially intelligible, but not irrational mystery (94:4)

God is love, and His creatures respond to that love. Is it not possible, therefore, that at His Second Coming, the peoples of the world may simply respond to that divine love that He will again manifest, regardless of the manner of His Coming? Is this not, in fact, a far more fitting response on the part of God's children, than seeking to test His truth with our own limited knowledge, even as the people did at His First Coming? Is it ours to judge Him Who is, Himself, our Judge? (94:5)

No, certainly not. We know that we cannot judge the Christ. At the same time, however, we cannot just disregard the prophecies that we know refer to His Second Coming. We want to understand what they mean. We want to know that they will all be fulfilled. Although we are not to use the prophecies against the Christ as was done at His First Coming, nevertheless, God has given us minds through which we are to understand things, and surely we want to understand the true meaning of the prophecies referring to the Second Coming (94:6)

UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY-
The understanding of these prophecies can be approached in different ways. A common approach is to assume that they can be understood through our own efforts. Another approach is to assume that their meaning is too great to be understood without divine assistance. If we assume that they can be understood by our own efforts, then we have made the same assumption that those who rejected Him made at His First Coming. In this day is not this assumption the cause of the widely differing interpretations regarding the Second Coming that Christians currently profess? (95:1)

If we assume that the true meaning of prophecy must be revealed then where would that revelation come from if not from the Christ Returned? (95:2)

Just as the Christians claim, and rightly so, that they have been given, through their belief in Christ, the true understanding of the Old Testament prophecies referring to Him, Baha'is claim that through belief in Baha'u'llah, they have been given the true understanding of the prophecies referring to the Second Coming. Baha'is see that the same spirit which enlightened the Christians at the time of Christ has returned to enlighten any and all who accept Him at His Return (95:3)

This is the basis of the Baha'i interpretation of prophecies referring to the Second Coming. In the Baha'i view, Christ has returned, and he has given through His life and teachings the proper interpretation of prophecy. As in the case of the Christians interpreting prophecies referring to the First Coming, Baha'is see that their interpretation is based not on man's efforts, but on the divine explanation given by God's chosen messenger, the Messiah - the Christ of the First and Second Coming (95:4)

An important aspect of Baha'i interpretation is that the prophecies of the Second Coming contain great spiritual and symbolic significance, which, until His Return, could not have been discovered by His followers. As in the case of His First Coming, He, Himself, had to reveal their meaning. Baha'u'llah states that Christ, in referring to His Return, intended none other than the coming of Baha'u'llah; He, Baha'u'llah, would fulfill all those things that Christ promised. With the coming of Baha'u'llah, Christ's divine love, His holiness, and power returned into the world. With His coming, Christ's sacred authority to judge the peoples of the earth returned. And with Baha'u'llah's coming, the exalted spirit of faith returned into the world, a spirit of Faith that thousands have manifested by sacrificing their very lives for His sake (95:5)

Baha'is understand the return of Christ as a return of those qualities which make Him divine and through which everlasting life and salvation is bestowed upon the world. These same qualities have appeared in Baha'u'llah, through whose love of God, innate knowledge, unearthly power, and lifetime of sacrifice for God, they are made manifest (95:6)

Although we have assumed, understandably, that Jesus Himself would come down from the sky upon the clouds, it seems, that just as the return of Elijah was fulfilled by a different individual with a different name though with the same qualities (namely, John the Baptist), so also the Return of Christ in our time has been fulfilled by a different individual with a different name though with the same qualities, namely by the individual whom history and prophecy alike proclaim as Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God. (95:7)

To illustrate this point, I quote below an explanation given by the son of 'Baha'u'llah when asked regarding the meaning of "return". The explanation is rather long, but absolutely essential for understanding the Baha'i view of the Second Coming of Christ. I ask you therefore, to read it carefully (96:1)

We will begin to elucidate it from the Gospel, for there it is plainly said that when John, the son of Zacharias, appeared and gave to men the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, they asked him, "Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?" He replied, "I am not the Messiah." Then they asked him, "Art thou Elijah?" He said, "I am not." These words prove and show that John, the son of Zacharias, was not the promised Elias. But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor Christ said plainly that John, the son of Zacharias, was the promised Elias (96:2)

In chapter 9, verses 11-13, of the Gospel of Mark, it is said: "And they asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him." (96:3)

In chapter 17, verse 13, of Matthew, it is said: "Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist." (96:4)

They asked John the Baptist, "Are you Elias?" He answered, "No, I am not, " although it is said in the Gospel that John was the promised Elias, and Christ also said so clearly. Then if John was Elias, why did he say, "I am not"? And if he was not Elias, why did Christ say that he was? (96:5)

The explanation is this: not the personality, but the reality of the perfections, is meant--that is to say, the same perfections that were in Elias existed in John the Baptist and were exactly realized in him. Therefore, John the Baptist was the promised Elias. In this case not the essence , but the qualities, are regarded. For example, there was a flower last year, and this year there is also a flower; I say the flower of last year has returned. Now, I do not mean that same flower in its exact individuality has come back; but as this flower has the same qualities as that of last year--as it has the same perfume, delicacy, color and form--I say the flower of last year has returned, and this flower is the former flower. When spring comes, we say last year's spring has come back because all that was found in last year's spring exists in this spring. That is why Christ said, "You will see all that happened in the days of the former Prophets." (96:6)

We will give another illustration. The seed of last year is sown, branches and leaves grow forth, blossoms and fruits appear, and all has again returned to seed. When this second seed is planted, a tree will grow from it, and once more those branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits will return, and that tree will appear in perfection. As the beginning was a seed and the end is a seed, we say that the seed has returned. When we look at the substance of the tree, it is another substance, but when we look at the blossoms, leaves and fruits, the same fragrance, delicacy and taste are produced. Therefore, the perfection of the tree has returned a second time (96:7)

In the same way, if we regard the return of the individual, it is another individual; but if we regard the qualities and perfections, the same have returned. Therefore, when Christ said, "This is Elias, " He meant: this person is a manifestation of the bounty, the perfections, the character, the qualities and the virtues of Elias. John the Baptist said, "I am not Elias." Christ considered the qualities, the perfections, the character and the virtues of both, and John regarded his substance and individuality. It is like this lamp: it was here last night, and tonight it is also lighted, and tomorrow night it will also shine. We say that the lamp of this night is the same light as that of last night, and that it has returned. It refers to the light, and not to the oil, the wick or the holder. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions p. 134 (97:1)

So the light and essence of Christ has returned in Baha'u'llah, but not the individuality of Christ (97:2)

And with His Return there has returned something else as well: that same spirit of faith and love and hope, which was breathed into the followers of Christ at His First Coming, and which had to meet face to face with an unbelieving word, has now been breathed into the followers of Baha'u'llah who recognize Him as the Christ Returned. These followers also must meet every day face to face with a world caught off guard, a world created for the Return of the Christ, expecting Him, but not knowing Him. It is a world whose assumptions have made it difficult for many to believe that Christ could have returned in a way so contrary to the expectations of human imagination (97:3)

Divine Prophecy, however, does not need to conform to human imagination; rather, it is human beings who should reflect that human imagination needs to conform itself to divine reality - that divine reality to which prophecy alludes and refers, but of which all prophecy is, after all, only a semblance and shadow (97:4)

The assumptions of human imagination, we should know by now, can never provide completely reliable criteria for the proper understanding of divine revelation and prophecy, nor can one find adequate guidance in even the most favored and esteemed opinions and conceptions of human wisdom, reflection, and scholarship. All human understanding and tradition fail to give us the keys to Divine Prophecy and Revelation. And if we require striking confirmation of this truth, we can hardly do better than examine contemporary assumptions about the Return of Christ, and reflect about the striking similarity of such assumptions to the assumptions about Christ at His First Coming (97:5)

These assumptions, among others, are that His Return will be accompanied by outward signs of His earthly sovereignty, that He will triumph, not suffer, and that, of course, His coming is primarily for His chosen people who shall be exalted above all others - the same assumptions that were made at His First Coming (97:6)

The Suffering of the Chosen Ones of God-
How could He have come a second time and once more suffered and been rejected by man? Wasn't all this supposed to be different at His return? Didn't Christ Himself give clear prophecies regarding His triumph? (98:1)

He did, indeed. The fact is, however, that even at His First Coming, the prophecies seemed to point clearly to an earthly and visibly established sovereignty of the Ruler in Israel during His lifetime here on earth (98:2)

The problem is, of course, our interpretation. At His Second Coming, yes, we must believe that He will come "in the clouds" , but the question is, exactly what does this mean? Yes "every eye shall see Him" , but does this have a literal meaning, or a symbolic one? And yes He will reign as "King of kings" , but are we to assume, as those living at the time of His First Coming assumed, that He will rule as an earthly king? (98:3)

Baha'u'llah has explained that the word of God has many meanings. In fact, it can never be exhausted. Human beings tend to reduce the meanings to one, to something that is immediately and easily understandable - in many cases taking a purely literal meaning of those words. The First Coming has shown us, however, that the literal meaning can be very misleading (98:4)

In His writings, Baha'u'llah has expounded the meaning of some of the prophecies referring to the Second Coming. Regarding the meaning of "clouds", He writes: (99:1)

It is evident that the changes brought about in every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that intervene between the eye of man's understanding and the Divine Luminary which shineth forth from the day spring of the Divine Essence. Consider how men for generations have been blindly imitating their fathers, and have been trained according to such ways and manners as have been laid down by the dictates of their Faith. Were these men, therefore, to discover suddenly that a Man, Who hath been living in their midst, Who, with respect to every human limitation hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every established principle imposed by their Faith--principles by which for centuries they have been disciplined, and every opposer and denier of which they have come to regard as infidel, profligate and wicked, --they would of a certainty be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such things are as "clouds" that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not tasted the Salsabil of detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such men, when acquainted with those circumstances, become so veiled that, without the least question, they pronounce the Manifestation of God as infidel, and sentence Him to death. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 27 (99:2)

It behoveth us, therefore, to make the utmost endeavor, that, by God's invisible assistance, these dark veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder us from beholding the beauty of His shining Countenance, and that we may recognize Him only by His own Self. 99:>Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 27 (99:3)

In His writings, Baha'u'llah also refers to yet other meanings of the word "clouds". In referring to the causes of the rejection of the Promised One, Baha'u'llah speaks of the "clouds of tyranny" , "clouds of oppression, which obscure the day star of justice" , the "intervening clouds" , "the thick clouds of waywardness" , and "the clouds of idle fancy which the foolish ones have conceived" . Furthermore, in referring to the power of God and His blessings, Baha'u'llah speaks of the "clouds of heaven" , "clouds of revelation" , "clouds of His bountiful favor" , "clouds of His limitless grace" , "clouds of Divine glory" , and "the clouds" through which God's "never-failing providence rain down their gifts upon the realities of all created things." (99:4)

Baha'is believe, that He has indeed come again, and that He has once again suffered for the salvation of the world. The sacrifice of Christ, far from being an indication of His weakness or humiliation, is, according to the Bible, the sign of His glory and the cause of the outpouring of God's mercy upon His creatures. That which His followers chose as the sign of His Faith, symbolizing at once His sacrifice and glory, was the cross. It was through His very blood, willingly offered in the path of God that the world was redeemed. The greatness of the gift of His sacrifice is magnified by the fact that despite His being All-Powerful, He Himself never arose to inflict pain on His persecutors who eventually crucified Him. His mission was to sacrifice. And through this sacrifice, all blessings come (99:5)

Baha'u'llah writes of Christ's suffering and the outpouring of this mercy: (99:6)

Reflect how Jesus, the Spirit of God, was, notwithstanding His extreme meekness and perfect tender-heartedness, treated by His enemies. So fierce was the opposition which He, the Essence of Being and Lord of the visible and invisible, had to face, that He had nowhere to lay His head. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 57 (99:7)

Know thou that when the son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit (99:8)

We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified (100:1)

Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, His God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All Praised. We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it was Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85 (100:2)

It was through Christ's suffering that His followers received the blessings of everlasting life. Baha'u'llah also suffered at the hands of the people and government, and was called upon to sacrifice everything in the path of God. Once again, the Holy One of God, come to bestow spiritual life and happiness both in this world and in the next, was feared, rejected, and persecuted by the religious leaders. Baha'u'llah was imprisoned and exiled for forty years under the cruelest conditions. His crime: He claimed that God had fulfilled those ancient promises given to all the peoples of the world (100:3)

BAHA'U'LLAH WRITES:-
The Revelation which, from time immemorial, hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise of all the Prophets of God, and the most cherished Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred Scriptures. Behold how, notwithstanding such an announcement, mankind hath strayed from its path and shut out itself from its glory. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 5 (100:4)

I sorrow not for the burden of My imprisonment. Neither do I grieve over My abasement, or the tribulation I suffer at the hands of Mine enemies. By my life! They are My glory, a glory wherewith God hath adorned His own Self. Would that ye know it! (100:5)

The shame I was made to bear hath uncovered the glory with which the whole of creation had been invested, and through cruelties I have endured, the Day Star of Justice hath manifested itself and shed its splendor upon men. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 100 (100:6)

Say: Tribulation is a horizon unto My Revelation. The day star of grace shineth above it, and sheddeth a light which neither the clouds of men's idle fancy nor the vain imaginations of the aggressor can obscure. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 42 (100:7)

MOVING FORWARD:-
Does this suffering and outward humiliation experienced once again by the Holy One of God, imply that in the Baha'i view history simply repeats itself; that at His Second Coming there has been no more furtherance of God's plan than at His First Coming; that He has returned with no more power or authority than at His first; or that we will not see that peace and justice promised us in God's word at the Second Coming? No. Everything moves forward according to God's will (101:1)

To observe and interpret events with the outer eye of observation and external appearance only is one way to see and understand the world and history; to perceive and interpret events, on the other hand, with the inner eye of insight and discernment is another way, and yields a deeper and more accurate understanding of the world and history as they are (101:2)

Thus, for example, to the outer eye only, a tree, experiencing the winter before its first fruit-bearing season, might seem to have returned to the state of its previous winter - with its leaves fallen, its limbs barren and dormant, and everything about it outwardly dead and lifeless. One, who did not know its potential, seeing with the outer eye only, might think "How futile was its previous growth and flourishing. Now all of its powers and capacity are reduced to nothing, and the promise of life which it held is unfulfilled" However, one acquainted with its true nature would know differently, and realize that the tree, in fact, now possessed a capacity that it not only never possessed previously, but also a capacity and creativity that constituted its true and ultimate inner purpose. Though locked within it and invisible to the outer observer, the tree would possess the power and capacity to bear fruit (101:3)

Now, Baha'u'llah reveals and Baha'is believe that the Second Coming of Christ means simply the Coming of Baha'u'llah Himself and His Revelation. It is not a truth that could have been anticipated beforehand, but one that could only have been revealed by God's appointed and promised Revealer of Truth. To the outer eye of observation and external appearance, however, this interpretation, at first encounter, seems neither credible nor conceivable. To the outer eye, it may appear that the Cause of Baha'u'llah is too insignificant to possibly be identified with or interpreted as identical to the Second Coming of Christ which so many have come to expect will end, or instantly transform forever all life and human history on this planet (101:4)

But when has the outer eye ever been an accurate judge of either nature, history, or prophecy? Although the seemingly dead and barren tree in winter possesses the capacity to yield its first fruit, the outer eye sees nothing but a now lifeless tree. Does the outer eye have any understanding or perception of what that tree will be when it is fully alive, green and blossoming, flourishing, generating shade and protection, and for the first time sustenance for all who seek it? What does the outer eye see but a lifeless form? Does it have any power to perceive the fruit, growing already in silence, in depth and obscurity where all mighty realities are born and nurtured until the hour and time of their outward and public manifestation in the light of suddenly realized awareness and the consciousness of officially acknowledged History? Who, using the outer eye only, can look at the seed and see the mighty tree? Who, using the outer eye only, could have believed that twelve simple men, for the most part uneducated, espousing the Cause of a crucified Jewish carpenter, could possibly have effected in any way whatsoever the world, much less transformed it, completely and irrevocably? As a matter of actual fact, no prominent, public, or official histories - representing as they do the outer eye of social recognition and consciousness - ever acknowledged the existence of Christians or the Cause of Christ until centuries had passed (101:5)

So also then, to the outer eye, it may appear that the Cause of Baha'u'llah is rather insignificant, that the promises it holds of victory and justice for humanity are pure fantasy, that the world is in charge, and not Him. So it appears to the casual observer and the contemporary historian. But in retrospect, how often has contemporary wisdom, especially with respect to the Faith of God, been totally misleading? (102:1)

The Baha'i Faith, though no longer in seed form, is nevertheless still a young tree that has only begun to generate and yield the infinite riches concealed in its abundant scriptures - scriptures revealed in the open historical light of modern history and filled with innumerable clear and effective prescriptions for dealing with the urgent and overwhelming problems of contemporary life on the planet. The Ancient Faith of God, the Tree of Faith, renewed through the Second Coming of Christ in the Person and Revelation of Baha'u'llah, possesses a potential incomparably greater than anything it possessed at the First Coming. For the purpose and mission of the First Coming of Christ was to proclaim and prepare the world for the coming of the Kingdom of God, but the purpose and mission of the Second Coming establish that Kingdom as the mature consummation of human life on this planet. Baha'u'llah came not to prophesy, but to fulfill. The promises of both the Old Testament and those of Christ Himself are, one by one, being fulfilled through His Coming (102:2)

Outwardly a prisoner and an exile, yet He addressed the kings and rulers of His time as servants, and for their disregard of His message, withdrew from them their powers and kingdoms. Since Baha'u'llah's Coming, almost every monarchy in the world has fallen: (102:3)

Ye are but vassals, O kings of the earth! He Who is the King of kings hath appeared, arrayed in His most wondrous glory, and is summoning you unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation; lest the things of this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of heaven. Arise, and serve Him Who is the Desire of all nations, Who hath created you through a word from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time, the emblems of His sovereignty (102:4)

By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish to lay hands on your kingdoms. Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men. Upon them the eyes of Baha are fastened. To this testifieth the Kingdom of Names, could ye but comprehend it. Whoso followeth his Lord, will renounce the world and all that is therein; how much greater, then, must be the detachment of Him Who holdeth so august a station! Forsake your palaces, and haste ye to gain admittance into His Kingdom. This, indeed, will profit you both in this world and in the next. To this testifieth the Lord of the realm on high, did ye but know it. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 211 (102:5)

At the Second Coming, the Faith of Baha'u'llah - despite the assaults which the world has continually launched against it, despite any attempt from within or without to break it apart - the Faith of Baha'u'llah has emerged, unlike the Faith of Christ at His First Coming, with its countless divisions and conflicts, single and united. This is one of the blessings of this age, and is a direct result of Baha'u'llah's mission to unite the world. The Baha'i Faith now represents, and is increasingly recognized as, the most diverse unified body of people on the planet (103:1)

The Great Being saith: O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 215 (103:2)

At the Second Coming of Christ in the Person of Baha'u'llah, His Faith will encompass the entire planet and will bestow upon all peoples the gift of everlasting life and spiritual joy. The Promised Divine Order, with its "government" destined to rest upon His "shoulder", will end the age of war, ushering in a permanent peace that will gather together all nations and peoples into the brotherhood intended by God from the beginning of time for humanity (103:3)

Of the Second Coming of Christ in the Person of Baha'u'llah Isaiah wrote: (103:4)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (103:5)

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7 (103:6)

BAHA'U'LLAH WRITES of HIS APPEARANCE:-
He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendor is revealed. Beware lest thou hesitate or halt. Hasten forth and circumambulate the City of God that hath descended from heaven, the celestial Kaaba round which have circled in adoration the favored of God, the pure in heart, and the company of the most exalted angels. Oh, how I long to announce unto every spot on the surface of the earth, and to carry to each one of its cities, the glad-tidings of this Revelation--a Revelation to which the heart of Sinai hath been attracted, and in whose name the Burning Bush is calling: 'Unto God, the Lord of Lords, belong the kingdoms of earth and heaven.' Verily this is the Day in which both land and sea rejoice at this announcement, the Day for which have been laid up those things which God, through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or heart, hath destined for revelation. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 16 (103:7)

No, history has not repeated itself. At the Second Coming, everything is greater - incomparably greater. The duration of Baha'u'llah's mission and of His suffering, the response of His followers who by the thousands during His lifetime gave their lives for His love, the magnitude of His revelation contained in some one hundred volumes, the manner and potency of His proclamation to the kings and rulers of the world, the opposition which He has stated His Faith will provoke from among all peoples and governments on earth, and the blessings, which it will eventually bestow, as promised in the holy books of all the great world religions, upon those same peoples and governments - all these testify to the transcendence of the Son returned in the Glory of the Father. The Baha'i Faith and The Christian Faith (104:1)

But, of course, this is the Baha'i understanding and interpretation of the Return of Christ. Christians, most Christians, of course, are still waiting for Christ's Return. Baha'is would say that they need wait no longer, that His Faith has been renewed, and that He is inviting all peoples to embrace it (104:2)

From the Baha'i point of view, the relationship of the Baha'i Faith to the Christian Faith, is similar in many ways to the relationship of the Christian Faith to the Jewish Faith. The Christians regard the Hebrew scriptures as the word of God, and revere all of the Jewish prophets, yet they are not Jews. They have accepted Christ as their Savior, and He has founded a new religion. Furthermore, His teachings take precedence over the Hebrew scriptures. In many cases His teachings have raised the standard of faith to which the believer is called. To the Jewish people, the Christians may appear to be unfaithful to the Holy scripture. Christians, however, see that those scriptures are fulfilled through Christ (104:3)

The Baha'is, likewise of course, believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior of the world, yet Baha'is are not Christians. They have accepted Baha'u'llah as the Promised One of all ages, Christ Returned in the glory of the Father, and He has founded a new religion. Today, in the Second Coming - this time for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth - Baha'u'llah's teachings, revealed over a period of forty years, are to Baha'is the repository of those priceless gems of holiness that will transform the world into an earthly paradise. But to Christians, Baha'is may appear unfaithful to the Holy Scriptures, despite the fact that Baha'is believe those scriptures have been fulfilled, and could only have been fulfilled, through the Second Coming of Christ (104:4)

Thus, everything depends on whether a person views and interprets the Second Coming of Christ with the outer eye or the inner eye, and, of course, Baha'is and Christians will disagree with one another over who is employing the outer eye and who the inner eye in their respective interpretations of the Second Coming , even as Christian persons and Jewish persons disagree over the First Coming of Christ. The patterns involved are strikingly similar in both instances (the First and Second Comings), and curiously enough as well, so also are the resistances and roadblocks that human beings employ to deny, diminish, and avoid the meaning and import of Divine Revelation - both for themselves as individuals and for their societies and civilizations. Human beings, after all, have been notoriously late in acknowledging and appreciating the immense bounties conferred upon them by a succession of Divine Revealers in the past; why then should we expect matters to be any different in our place and time in history. (104:5)

So, just as the Jewish people were free to raise objections to the claim that Jesus was the Christ, so Christians today are free to raise similar objections to Baha'u'llah's claim. Some of these include: He isn't called Christ; He didn't come from the sky; all eyes did not see Him when He came; Christ is to triumph, yet Baha'u'llah suffered exile and imprisonment during most of His lifetime. And of course, the objections can go on and on (105:1)

What the story of the New Testament shows us, I believe, and what I have tried to demonstrate in this book, is that the basis of all such objections is simply not Biblical. Nowhere in the Bible does it show that first comes understanding of the prophecies, then belief in Him. On the contrary, there is abundant evidence that the reverse is true (105:2)

The ways of God are not the ways of man. Though no one could have predicted it, to the Baha'is, there are once again two worlds: the world that believes in Him, and the world that is seeking after Him (105:3)

Those Who Hear and See, and Those Who Refuse to Hear and See (105:4)

In the previous chapter, I have attempted to illustrate certain principles through which we can understand the relationship of those who sought after the Christ, and those who believed in Him. These principles, as seen through the analogy of sleep and wakefulness, offer us an explanation of many aspects of the phenomenon of the growth of the religion of God (105:5)

Baha'u'llah teaches that these principles are applicable in this day: (105:6)

The peoples of the world are fast asleep. Were they to wake from their slumber, they would hasten with eagerness unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. They would cast away everything they possess, be it all the treasures of the earth, that their Lord may remember them to the extent of addressing to them but one word. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 137 (105:7)

Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner. Arise, and lift up your voices, that haply they that are fast asleep may be awakened. Say: O ye who are as dead! The Hand of Divine bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink your fill. Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 213 (105:8)

In the Baha'i view, the seekers in this day, are all those who are awaiting the Coming of the Messiah. Baha'is, however, believe that He has come, and therefore see themselves as believers. Baha'is therefore, understand that the qualities of those who believed in Him at the First Coming, the Christians, are now applicable to the Baha'is (105:9)

The fact that the Baha'is see themselves as spiritually awakened and the rest of the world as spiritually asleep does not engender in them a sense of superiority, neither does it lead to complacency through a feeling that they have been "saved" and have therefore fulfilled their purpose in life. On the contrary, as in the case of the early Christians, although words cannot express the gratitude to God which fills their hearts, their conscious knowledge of the gift they have been given produces a profound sense of urgency and responsibility to their fellow man. For it is they, themselves, who must awaken the masses of humanity to the light of God's Message; they themselves, who must "teach all nations" . Throughout the history of the Baha'i Faith, Baha'is have sacrificed their lives and their lifetimes to bring the Message of Baha'u'llah to humanity (106:1)

Baha'is believe that Christ has returned, that He has come in a way which no one could have predicted, and that His coming is not only for Christians, but for the salvation of all the peoples of the world. The more we ponder the First Coming of Christ and the response of human beings to it, the more we can understand the Second Coming of Christ and the response of human beings to it (106:2)

As in the case of His First Coming, His followers are able to recognize Him at the Second Coming, but the rest of the world for the most part still fails to recognize and accept the One Promised in their own scriptures (106:3)

Not surprisingly, the more we ponder the First Coming of Christ, the more we realize why humanity has failed to realize the real meaning of the Second Coming, why it has yet to properly acknowledge and appreciate the stupendous Revelation which has been promised it down through the ages and which has now been conferred upon it, but which it so strangely and willfully refuses to accept (106:4)

It would not be the first time, and it probably will not be the last time, that humanity has complained to God and demanded an answer to the problems and perplexities of life, the suffering and the sorrow of the world, and then obstinately refused to listen when God granted the answer (106:5)

PART THREE: The Manifestation Revealed and the Proof Given
As a conclusion to this introduction to the claim that Christ has returned, I present certain kinds of evidence which Baha'is see as confirming their belief in Baha'u'llah. Of course, as stated previously, proof is subjective: proof to one person, may not be proof to another. In fact, "evidence" can "prove" two different things to two different people. Therefore, in presenting this evidence, I make no assertion that it cannot be looked at in a different manner than that of the Baha'is. It is presented here merely to show a Baha'i viewpoint (107:1)

Baha'is see different types of proof or evidence as proclaiming the new Day of God, the Day of Christ's Return. These proofs include, in their order of importance, (1) His saintly life, (2) His sacred teachings, (3) the community of His followers, and (4) fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. These will be examined very briefly here for those who are unacquainted with Baha'u'llah's claim. (107:2)

1. HIS LIFE:-
"I know not how to explain it, were all the sorrows of the world to be crowded into my heart they would, I feel, all vanish, when in the presence of Baha'u'llah. It is as if I had entered Paradise itself." God Passes By, p. 135 (107:3)

With such words, Zaynu'l-Abidin Khan, a prince, and a visitor to Baha'u'llah, then a prisoner in Baghdad, described his meeting with Him. These words witness to the noble spirit, which during His entire life, was felt by those with whom He came in contact. Indeed, it was this same spirit which prompted, to the chagrin of His persecutors, multitudes to follow Him to wherever He was banished, no matter how distant or desolate the destination. In the Person of Baha'u'llah, we learn from eyewitness accounts of His life, there were conspicuous signs of a divine power and love that no human being could ever exhibit (107:4)

Baha'u'llah has said that the greatest proof of the truth of His mission was His own self. Speaking of God as the "Unseen" and Himself as "His Manifestation", He writes: (107:5)

Know thou of a certainty that the Unseen can in no wise incarnate His Essence and reveal it unto men. He is, and hath ever been, immensely exalted beyond all that can either be recounted or perceived. From His retreat of glory His voice is ever proclaiming: "Verily, I am God; there is none other God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I have manifested Myself unto men, and have sent down Him Who is the Day Spring of the signs of Revelation. Through Him I have caused all creation to testify that there is none other God except Him, the Incomparable, the All-Informed, the All-Wise." He Who is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men can never be known except through His Manifestation, and His Manifestation can adduce no greater proof of the truth of His Mission than the proof His own Person. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 49 (107:6)

Many of those who attained the presence of Baha'u'llah needed no other proof of His being the Promised One of God. One who can see needs no proof of the sun's radiance, no explanation of how or why it shines, in order to appreciate its light. And those with spiritual insight could see with their own inner eyes, the inner light radiated by Baha'u'llah (108:1)

But not everyone has spiritual insight. The Bible tells us that although the divine majesty of Jesus of Nazareth was as evident as the sun at noon to those who believed in Him, this same majesty was hidden from those who did not. A bewildering phenomenon, it is, nevertheless, a fundamental reality of Christ's appearance. It is also a sobering reality; for if we consider thoughtfully, we must admit that if we, ourselves, were to have stood in His presence, although He radiated the light of God Himself, there would be no guarantee that we would have seen anything more in His Person than the son of a carpenter. If we had lived in His time, we may have recognized Him, but then again, we may not have (108:2)

Baha'is believe that this same phenomenon has appeared at His Second Coming. In Baha'u'llah, Baha'is see that same majesty which shone in Christ, a majesty which none but the Promised One of God, returned to gather in the harvest, can manifest; a majesty which struck fear into the hearts of the kings and rulers who in their impotent rage lifted their hands to crush His Faith; a majesty which inspired in His believers a "devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain." (108:3)

To the sleeping world, He may have been no more than a prisoner and an exile, but to those who believed in Him, He was their Lord (108:4)

The rare qualities which Baha'u'llah possessed are made evident in the story of His life. And about His life, there is wealth of material written. Having appeared in the nineteenth century, Baha'u'llah was exposed to the full glare of history. Unlike the First Coming, in which only certain essential highlights of Christ's life have been recorded, at His Second Coming, virtually all of the moving episodes and countless details of His eventful life are available to those who wish to know Him (108:5)

There emerge, in the chronicles of His life, certain overriding themes which reveal His hallowed nature. As a child and youth, He was much beloved and admired for His compassion and innate knowledge. The early years of His adulthood were characterized by philanthropic pursuits which demonstrated the abundance of His heart, and which earned Him the title "Father of the Poor". However, upon receiving the revelation from God to commence His holy mission, new themes emerged: among them, His sacrifice and suffering, and His unwavering fortitude in the Cause of God (108:6)

Through all the affliction and hardship which governments and clergy relentlessly inflicted upon Him, in all the situations which presented to Him the real danger of His losing His life, Baha'u'llah never retreated, never sought to hide Himself, never halted. His fearless proclamation of the Message that He had come to deliver was constant (108:7)

What could have been the motive for His actions? (109:1)

If the Message He proclaimed was not the truth, then why would he willingly have submitted to decades of sorrow because of it? If He had not arisen for the love of God, then why would He have not returned to the life of wealth and ease that He was, through His high birth, accustomed to? And if He were not assisted by the power of God, how could He have sustained the loss of everything a normal human being aspires to in this life, while at the same time never sinking into despair, and even boldly proclaiming to the rulers of the earth the rise and victory of His Faith? (109:2)

No, only one thing can explain His life in an understandable manner; His sole motivation was to obey the summons of God: (109:3)

O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me. Baha'u'llah, quoted in The Promised Day is Come, p. 40 (109:4)

Of HIS SUFFERING HE Writes:-
Know ye that trials and tribulations have, from time immemorial, been the lot of the chosen Ones of God .. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 129 (109:5)

Though beset with countless afflictions, We summon the people unto God, the Lord of names. Say, strive ye to attain that which ye have been promised in the Books of God, and walk not in the way of the ignorant. My body hath endured imprisonment that ye may be released from the bondage of self. Set your faces then towards His countenance and follow not the footsteps of every hostile oppressor. Verily, He hath consented to be sorely abased that ye may attain unto glory, and yet, ye are disporting yourselves in the vale of heedlessness. He, in truth, liveth in the most desolate of abodes for your sakes, whilst ye dwell in your palaces. Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 11 (109:6)

One could say about Baha'u'llah, as was said of Christ, that His prime motive for proclaiming Himself to be from God, was for personal gain. However, there is no evidence to support this. His life's story shows that He sacrificed everything in the path of God, and gained nothing of ease or temporal power or wealth, or anything else a self-seeking person would want (110:1)

The deeper we investigate, and the more we study His life, the more evident this becomes (110:2)

2. HIS TEACHINGS-
In addition to the majesty of His Person and the record of His saintly life, another evidence of the truth of Baha'u'llah's mission is His teachings. Baha'u'llah's words constitute, after His Person, the second greatest proof of His mission (110:3)

The teachings delivered by the Christ Returned not only occupy a very high station, but they fulfill a vital purpose. Before presenting some of His teachings here, let us examine for a moment what that station and function are. To do this, I ask you once again to consider the First Coming (110:4)

Consider the performance of "miracles". Many people maintain, either explicitly or implicitly, that the miracles which Christ performed occupy a preeminent position in Christian theology, and constitute the greatest proof of Christ's divinity. Christians generally agree that, at the least, they constitute a great proof. He changed water into wine, caused the lame to walk, and was raised from the dead. No doubt, countless other times, some of these recorded in the New Testament, He performed what only the Son of God could perform (110:5)

Despite this, however, people can deny, if they wish, that Christ performed miracles. They have, in fact, been doing it for centuries. After all, since the time that Jesus left this world, people have not had the opportunity to see for themselves His divine power, and they can therefore question the validity of the stories recorded in the Gospels about Him. The fact that some believe in a miracle is not proof in itself that it really took place. In various cultures and religions, there are miraculous stories told about many people in history. Should these be accepted as true simply because they are believed by some people, or because they are written about in a book? (110:6)

Nevertheless, eyewitnesses to a miraculous phenomenon have a quality of belief in it that is elevated above others who learn about it through the spoken word. In this respect, eyewitnesses to the events in Christ's life had a distinct advantage over others in their faith. They had been transformed by His presence, and had been raised to such heights of certitude that few of their fellow believers of later generations could ever hope to rival or surpass (110:7)

But, remember, the number of such eyewitnesses were relatively few. Only a handful had been given the bounty of seeing with their own eyes Christ's mighty works. His miracles, therefore, cannot be proof for everyone of His divine station, because for the most part, people could not then, and cannot now, see these miracles (110:8)

However, Christ has left us with something that can be seen with our own eyes, something that is available to everyone for examination and scrutiny, something that can be tried and tested, something that is as real and concrete today as it was during His own lifetime: His Word (111:1)

No one who is fair minded can deny that the teachings of Christ, embody the highest, the noblest, the most perfect qualities which God intends for His children. He, the divine Physician, recognized the symptoms of spiritual sickness that had gripped the world, and prescribed the perfect remedy. Christ's teachings are a heavenly cure for any and all who will receive them (111:2)

In the Baha'i view, Christ has thus given to the world of humanity an undeniable proof of His divinity. Who but the Son of God could reveal teachings of such beauty, such wisdom, such transforming power as those which He brought? (111:3)

I cannot attempt, here, an exposition of the great meaning of His teachings. This is far beyond the scope of this book. It is rather for the peoples of the world, through their practice of them, to demonstrate the intended purpose with which God has invested them (111:4)

However, out of love for His teachings, and in a desire to focus our attention, I excerpt here from His sacred words: (111:5)

And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, (111:6)

When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; (111:7)

And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room (111:8)

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee (111:9)

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (111:10)

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee (111:11)

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: (111:12)

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Luke 14:7-14 (111:13)

What a treasure are these words of Christ! To what heights of humility and compassion has the Lord called us in this simple, eternal parable! What a glorious world we would behold were the peoples thereof to take to heart these blessed exhortations! (111:14)

And all this, from words (111:15)

The WORDS of the MANIFESTATION of GOD:-
But no, Christ's Words are not like other words. They are the very life of the world. When societies or individuals forget them, the hurt is real and deep and inescapable. Indeed, every problem comes from a turning away from such Words, and every remedy from taking hold of them (112:1)

As further evidence of the majestic heights to which Christ called us, consider this: In the Old Testament we are bidden: "Thou shalt not kill." These four words possess a significance which is beyond our conception. We, who have been given a legacy of war and slaughter for centuries, by a world that has forgotten these words, cannot conceive the joy of the world in a state when these words will have been followed. Oh, what a world that would be! (112:2)

Nevertheless, although these words have the power to bestow untold blessings upon us, blessings which the peoples of the world yearn for, Christ has further lifted the standard of these words to ever loftier heights (112:3)

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (112:4)

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:21-22 (112:5)

In Christ's teachings are found all that is good; all that is holy. To whatever heights we may rise in our attempt to exemplify His holy words, we must all fall infinitely short of Him who embodied them so perfectly: (112:6)

The reality of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, the perfections of Christ all came from heaven. Consequently, by saying He was the bread which came from heaven He meant that the perfections which He showed forth were divine perfections, that the blessings within Him were heavenly gifts and bestowals, that His light was the light of Reality. He said, "If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever." That is to say, whosoever assimilates these divine perfections which are within me will never die; whosoever has a share and partakes of these heavenly bounties I embody will find eternal life; he who takes unto himself these divine lights shall find everlasting life. How manifest the meaning is! How evident! For the soul which acquires divine perfections and seeks heavenly illumination from the teachings of Christ will undoubtedly live eternally. 'Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 450 (112:7)

Anyone who claims to be from God, will no doubt meet the question "What can you do to prove it?" The usual proof sought by people is to request something supernatural - the performance of some physical miracle. This was asked of Christ, who, as we know, did not grant such a request. He did, however, produce an undeniable miracle of a different, and infinitely more meaningful sort (112:8)

In the Baha'i view miracles are indeed proofs from God of a Promised One, and though miracles may be appropriate and required on certain occasions by the Promised Ones of God to heal and confirm people in their faith, nevertheless, we need to remember that whatever miracles the Promised One wishes to perform are up to Him, not us. Moreover, Baha'is believe that the greatest miracle that such a One can perform, is the spiritual awakening of the human heart. Such a transformation from spiritual death to spiritual life is truly supernatural, for no mortal can ever achieve this on his or her own. Baha'is believe that just such a transformation comes through the word of God (113:1)

Baha'is believe that, in this day, the Word of God was revealed through Baha'u'llah. Indeed, they believe that like Christ, He was through the aid of God, all knowing and all powerful. Now that Baha'u'llah has left this world, we no longer have the benefit of attaining His Presence. We cannot see for ourselves His Person, or witness His works. Although we do have a record of His life, which reveals His many wonderful qualities, and in many cases, His divine powers, this cannot be conclusive proof of His divinity. Although I could here recite incidents in His life demonstrating His ability to produce what no human being could produce, anyone could simply say that they were stories made up by people to justify their belief (113:2)

Just as at His First Coming, the people wanted to witness Christ perform miracles before they would believe in Him, so too did the people of Baha'u'llah's time request the same of Him. We get a glimpse of this from the following story which was recorded by Baha'u'llah's son. At the time that this took place, Baha'u'llah had been under house arrest and in exile in the city of Baghdad (113:3)

It often happened that in Baghdad certain Muhammadan ulama , Jewish rabbis and Christians met together with some European scholars, in a blessed reunion: each one had some question to propose, and although they were possessed of varying degrees of culture, they each heard a sufficient and convincing reply, and retired satisfied. Even the Persian ulama who were at Karbila and Najaf chose a wise man whom they sent on a mission to Him; his name was Mulla Hasan Amu. He came into the Holy Presence, and proposed a number of questions on behalf of the ulama, to which Baha'u'llah replied. Then Hasan Amu said, "The ulama recognize without hesitation and confess the knowledge and virtue of Baha'u'llah, and they are unanimously convinced that in all learning he has no peer or equal; and it is also evident that he has never studied or acquired this learning; but still the ulama say, 'We are not contented with this; we do not acknowledge the reality of his mission by virtue of his wisdom and righteousness. Therefore, we ask him to show us a miracle in order to satisfy and tranquilize our hearts.'" (113:4)

Baha'u'llah replied, "Although you have no right to ask this, for God should test His creatures, and they should not test God, still I allow and accept this request. But the Cause of God is not a theatrical display that is presented every hour, of which some new diversion may be asked for every day. If it were thus, the Cause of God would become mere child's play (113:5)

"The ulamas must, therefore, assemble, and, with one accord, choose one miracle, and write that, after the performance of this miracle they will no longer entertain doubts about Me, and that all will acknowledge and confess the truth of My Cause. Let them seal this paper, and bring it to Me. This must be the accepted criterion: if the miracle is performed, no doubt will remain for them; and if not, We shall be convicted of imposture." The learned man, Hasan Amu, rose and replied, "There is no more to be said"; he then kissed the knee of the Blessed One although he was not a believer, and went. He gathered the ulama and gave them the sacred message. They consulted together and said, "This man is an enchanter; perhaps he will perform an enchantment, and then we shall have nothing more to say." Acting on this belief, they did not dare to push the matter further (114:1)

This man, Hasan Amu, mentioned this fact at many meetings. After leaving Karbila he went to Kirmanshah and Tihran and spread a detailed account of it everywhere, laying emphasis on the fear and the withdrawal of the ulama (114:2)

Briefly, all His adversaries in the Orient acknowledged His greatness, grandeur, knowledge and virtue; and though they were His enemies, they always spoke of Him as "the renowned Baha'u'llah." (114:3)

Once again, we see that the people wanted miracles. As in the time of Christ, in the peoples eyes, it was the performance of miracles that constituted irrefutable proof. Baha'is, however, do not place great emphasis on outward miracles. As illustrated in the above story, Baha'u'llah, like Christ, was loath to produce signs and wonders for the entertainment of doubters. Although miracles can constitute a compelling proof for those who witness them, for others they are subject to question, and we read from the above story, and in the New Testament, that even those who witness them, if their purpose is to oppose Him, will not believe (114:4)

Like Christ, Baha'u'llah has given to the world, for all to see, His message, and it is now available for study, for scrutiny, for test. To Baha'is it represents an undeniable proof of His mission (114:5)

One final analogy is in order, to put in perspective what I share here of the teachings of Baha'u'llah. Imagine that someone holds out a small spoon for you to see, and in that spoon is a drop of water. The person offering it to you, for your study, informs you, "This drop is from the Pacific Ocean." Consider, in studying that drop, what could you learn of the ocean from which it came? Could you perceive from it anything of the depths of that great ocean? Could you understand from it its vast extent, or the influence it has on the life of this planet? Could you tell anything of that ocean's beauty or power? (114:6)

No, certainly not. And neither, unfortunately, will you be able from my brief presentation here, to receive more than a drop of the ocean of Baha'u'llah's words. What I present here, you can read in but a few minutes, yet Baha'u'llah's teachings were revealed over a period of forty years. Merely reading them alone, would take years; understanding them, lifetimes. No Baha'i in the world claims to have fully grasped the immensity of the knowledge of Baha'u'llah. In fact, it is one of the foremost truths of the Baha'i Faith, that the Word of God is and will always remain far beyond the ken of the human mind (114:7)

This is not to say, however, that we cannot benefit from the blessings of His words; certainly we can. The plant cannot understand the sun, but derives life continually from it. In the same way, although we cannot fathom completely the word of God, we, nevertheless, according to our striving to understand it and to live in accordance with it, derive spiritual life from its life giving power. Baha'u'llah affirms that to derive the benefits of His word is not only possible, but also a duty: (115:1)

O My servants! My holy, My divinely ordained Revelation may be likened unto an ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable pearls of great price, of surpassing luster. It is the duty of every seeker to bestir himself and strive to attain the shores of this ocean, so that he may, in proportion to the eagerness of his search and the efforts he hath exerted, partake of such benefits as have been preordained in God's irrevocable and hidden Tablets. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 326 (115:2)

I can do no more here than to affirm that this ocean does indeed exist, and is available to anyone who wishes to experience and examine it for themselves (115:3)

Baha'u'llah's writings cover a vast range of subjects concerning both spiritual and temporal facets of life. A mere list of but some of the themes of His writings suffice to impress upon the open mind the comprehensive scope of His knowledge (115:4)

From the transcendence of God to the establishment of peace on earth; from the nature of the soul and life after death to the true meaning of human history and its glorious future; from the necessity and power of prayer to the foundation of divine institutions for the safeguarding of society; from guiding principles for the harmony of religion with science to the proper role of government and the universal education and training of children for civilization to progress - the range of subjects covered in the Baha'i writings is immense and unprecedented, and the subjects themselves are explained with a comprehensive depth and breadth never seen before in human history. Never has so much light been shed upon so many subjects, and never has clearer guidance from God been given regarding them. Guidelines, directions, and fruitful suggestions about human health and nutrition, medicine, agriculture, industrial relations, education, business, the environment, and many other subjects are all set forth and clarified with direct relevance to the spiritual, social and economic welfare of humanity in our time. Baha'u'llah has revealed what constitutes the greatest outpouring of divine revelation the world has ever witnessed. And how could it be otherwise; He has returned in the plentitude of His power (115:5)

Unlike the First Coming of Christ, in which only a limited number of His blessed words were recorded, and these words years after they were spoken, Baha'u'llah wrote with His own hand many of His works. Others He dictated, while in prison, to the followers who had accompanied Him. And for all His writings, He Himself, verified their accuracy. Revealed in both Persian and Arabic, due to the sheer extent of His writings, much of them have yet to be translated into other languages. Portions, however, of His writings are now available in some eight hundred languages, with additional translations becoming available every year (115:6)

Some directed to the heart of man, others intended to guide institutions and governments, these teachings bear on the present and future needs of the entire human family, and are intended to lead humanity to its promised and long awaited age of peace. Baha'u'llah has stated that His purpose is to effect a spiritual transformation in both the individual and society. Without such a transformation, He would not have fulfilled His mission. For the Kingdom of God to be established here on earth, both the individual and society as a whole must take on the qualities of heaven, and abandon the qualities of the world (116:1)

The TRANSFORMATION of the INDIVIDUAL-
Regarding the transformation of the individual, I quote here a few selections from His writings. They by no means are intended to provide the substance of His message on this subject, but rather to convey something of its spirit. The first of the series of selections below is a prayer: (116:2)

Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to abide within the precincts of Thy court, for remoteness from Thee hath well-nigh consumed me. Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the flame of my separation from Thee hath melted my heart within me. Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee. My sighs, O my God, proclaim the bitterness of mine anguish, and the tears I shed attest my love for Thee (116:3)

I beseech Thee, by the praise wherewith Thou praisest Thyself and the glory wherewith Thou glorifiest Thine own Essence, to grant that we may be numbered among them that have recognized Thee and acknowledged Thy sovereignty in Thy days. Help us then to quaff, O my God, from the fingers of mercy the living waters of Thy loving-kindness, that we may utterly forget all else except Thee, and be occupied only with Thy Self (116:4)

Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Prayers and Meditations, p. 30 (116:5)

O SON of SPIRIT!
My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. Arabic Hidden Words, No. 1 (116:6)

O SON of SPIRIT!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes. Arabic Hidden Words, No. 2 (116:7)

O SON of MAN!
Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. Arabic Hidden Words, No. 27 (116:8)

O SON of MAN!
Bestow My wealth upon My poor, that in heaven thou mayest draw from stores of unfading splendor and treasures of imperishable glory. But by My life! To offer up thy soul is a more glorious thing couldst thou but see with Mine eye. Arabic Hidden Words, No. 57 (116:9)

O MY SERVANT!
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more. Persian Hidden Words, No. 40 (117:1)

O COMPANION of MY THRONE!
Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep. Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great; and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore. Persian Hidden Words, No. 44 (117:2)

O BRETHREN!
Be forbearing one with another and set not your affections on things below. Pride not yourselves in your glory, and be not ashamed of abasement. By My beauty! I have created all things from dust, and to dust will I return them again. Persian Hidden Words, No. 48 (117:3)

But, O my brother, when a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error. That seeker must at all times put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence, and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endure a century (117:4)

That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship of those that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he should commune with God, and with all his soul persevere in the quest of his Beloved. He should consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him. He should succour the dispossessed, and never withhold his favour from the destitute. He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to turn him away from the Truth. He should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart should the seeker avoid fellowship with evil doers, and pray for the remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner, at the hour of death, attained to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the celestial Concourse. And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul's ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire. Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 266 (118:1)

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 285 (118:2)

It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of God and render thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon the day-star of wisdom and utterance shineth resplendent. The most despised of men in the sight of God are those who sit idly and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of material means, placing your whole trust in God, the Provider of all means. When anyone occupieth himself in a craft or trade, such occupation itself is regarded in the estimation of God as an act of worship; and this is naught but a token of His infinite and all-pervasive bounty. Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 26 (118:3)

Baha'u'llah writes that the teachings of God must bear fruit in the world. Accordingly, Baha'is endeavor, through prayerful meditation on these teachings and through daily effort to live them, to reflect in their personal lives, the eternal principles they contain. This striving to live in accordance with God's will, can be likened to a spiritual battle, which every person on earth must fight (119:1)

The TRANSFORMATION of SOCIETY-
In addition to teachings directed toward the individual, Baha'u'llah has also revealed laws, principles, and exhortations relating to the divine Order He has come to establish. These teachings regarding society provide another proof of the truth of His mission (119:2)

One fascinating feature of these teachings has been their influence on the world at large. Baha'u'llah has explained this influence by way of analogy in which He has likened His Coming to the appearance of the sun which illuminates the world. At the rising of the sun there is a gradual, not a sudden, increase in the life-giving heat and light which it bestows (119:3)

Baha'u'llah says that in a similar way His influence will not be sudden, but, nevertheless, will steadily and resistlessly expand and unfold itself, illuminating the hearts and minds of humanity until its full radiance shines upon mankind: (119:4)

Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation hath been vouchsafed unto men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually its warmth and potency increase as it approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light.. . if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men's hearts would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 88 (119:5)

The influence of Baha'u'llah's teachings can be seen in two spheres: the community of His followers (discussed below), and the world at large. His followers, who have recognized Him and striven to put His teachings into action, are illumined directly by His light. Although the rest of the world has not yet perceived the source of the new spirit released in this age, nevertheless, it has been greatly influenced by it. I will illustrate this point by examining more closely one of Baha'u'llah's teachings (119:6)

I once overheard a conversation in which a member of the Baha'i Faith was pointing out to a Christian friend that Baha'u'llah had brought a new teaching: the equality of men and women. The Christian politely observed that the Christian Faith already upholds this teaching, and that, therefore, it is not really new; it had been given before the coming of Baha'u'llah (120:1)

It is true that references to the equality of men and women can be found in the text of the Bible and that it appears that God has always intended that these two should be one another's helpers and companions. Thus, the Christian can assert that in the teachings of the Old and New Testaments, the equality of women and men is revealed (120:2)

A Baha'i would agree with this. Still, Baha'is maintain that this teaching is new. How can this be? (120:3)

It is quite clear that although we may now be able to find in the Bible what seem to be references to the equality of men and women, none of these, however, were correctly interpreted until Baha'u'llah proclaimed, unequivocally, this principle. At His behest, this principle has gradually gained greater and greater acceptance in the world, influencing the minds and hearts of the peoples. Because He has revealed clearly this principle, it will eventually attain complete acceptance and enforcement in the world (120:4)

Until Baha'u'llah's coming, Christian churches, Christian governments, Christian institutions, Christians nations, indeed the Christian world as a whole regarded men as superior to women, and refused to grant them the rights and prerogatives that we now see as theirs. One example out of many can be cited to illustrate this point: it was not until the twentieth century, almost two thousand years after the First Coming, that women were even allowed the right to vote in government elections. And, of course, the vast majority of the candidates for all elected institutions were men (120:5)

Baha'u'llah has said that there is a power in the word of God, a power to influence all of creation. When He revealed these words: "Women and men, have been and will always be, equal in the sight of God" , this was at once a statement of reality, a goal for the human race to achieve, and the source of spiritual energy required for its accomplishment. Having uttered these words, no power in the world could resist their eventual realization. Whether the strongholds of orthodoxy, of whatever culture or religion or government, chose to support or retard the advancement of women, complete equality of the sexes was to be, for God, in this day, had willed it. Just as you cannot stop the sun from rising, the sun of Baha'u'llah's teachings cannot be stayed (120:6)

The significance of the realization of equal opportunity for women in education, employment, service to society, and representation in government, and the concomitant benefits that these changes will confer on the human race are far too great to be discussed here. The Baha'i writings regarding this principle are extensive. I can do no more here than state that this great principle is regarded in the Baha'i writings as an essential prerequisite to the abolition of war, the enlightened and balanced education of future generations, and the upliftment of human civilization as a whole (120:7)

Therefore, surely, God is not pleased that so important an instrument as woman should suffer from want of training in order to attain the perfections desirable and necessary for her great life's work! Divine Justice demands that the rights of both sexes should be equally respected since neither is superior to the other in the eyes of Heaven. Dignity before God depends, not on sex, but on purity and luminosity of heart. Human virtues belong equally to all! 'Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, p. 162 (121:1)

Through the above example, I have attempted to illuminate and explain the deep motivating influence behind the surprising and unprecedented changes that have occurred in the status and rights of women over the past century. Baha'u'llah announced the principle of the equality of men and women at a time in history when it was definitely not accepted by religions or governments, and certainly not by the masses of humanity. Today, however, because the principle of the equality of men and women has gradually gone through various degrees of acceptance due to the constantly increasing influence of Baha'u'llah's spirit in the world, we see that, in many countries, this principle has reached the point of being enforced by law (121:2)

One could argue, of course, that it may simply be a coincidence that Baha'u'llah taught the equality of men and women, and the world is increasingly accepting this truth; perhaps Baha'u'llah had particular foresight in this area, but that doesn't mean that it holds the significance which I purport that it does here. He may have been ahead of His time on this thinking, one might say, but there are many people who are ahead of their time on one thing or another (121:3)

An interesting and weighty fact, however, when brought to light, should suffice to convince anyone that coincidence cannot account for His seeming insight, nor can He be seen as simply a reformer with some good ideas. Not just for one of His teachings, but for the body of them, this same principle is true (121:4)

In 1932, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi, wrote:-. The humanitarian and spiritual principles enunciated decades ago in the darkest East by Baha'u'llah and moulded by Him into a coherent scheme are one after the other being taken by a world unconscious of their source as the marks of progressive civilisation. Dawn Breakers, p. xxxvi (121:5)

If we had been alive during the time of Baha'u'llah, and someone had explained to us His teaching regarding the equality of men and women, most likely we could not have imagined that the world could ever accept it, and we ourselves probably would not have. Certainly no population in the world at the time had. But times change - relentlessly. And the world has, without knowing it, moved closer to Baha'u'llah's vision regarding men and women (121:6)

In the same way, all of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, are in various degrees of acceptance and enforcement, and in all cases, the trend of history, propels humanity closer to alignment with these teachings, and therefore to His vision of the way things will eventually be (122:1)

Consider thoughtfully the following words of Baha'u'llah. They were revealed at a time when their message seemed quite radical, and yet today they form, for many, the hope of humanity: (122:2)

The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquility of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquility of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny. ...The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home. These things are obligatory and absolutely essential. It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 250 (122:3)

Further explaining the significance of this theme, the Baha'i writings state:-
True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns - the shining exemplars of devotion and determination - shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking - the real source of the peace and well-being of all the world - should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must be mobilized to ensure the stability and permanence of this Most Great Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve, with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure. 'Abdu'l-Baha: Secret of Divine Civilization, pp. 64-65 (122:4)

And finally, Baha'u'llah warns the peoples of the world of the consequences of turning a deaf ear to His message:. If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every direction, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you. On that day ye shall have no power to resist Him, and shall recognize your own impotence. Have mercy on yourselves and on those beneath you. Judge ye between them according to the precepts prescribed by God in His most holy and exalted Tablet, a Tablet wherein He hath assigned to each and every thing its settled measure, in which He hath given, with distinctness, an explanation of all things, and which is in itself a monition unto them that believe in Him. Examine Our Cause, inquire into the things that have befallen Us, and decide justly between Us and Our enemies, and be ye of them that act equitably towards their neighbor. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 252 (123:1)

3. The BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL Community-
The pivotal principle revealed by Baha'u'llah is that of the oneness of humankind. All of His teachings revolve around this principle. The influence of this principle upon His followers has been to produce a world embracing community dedicated to the betterment and advancement of the entire human race (123:2)

The Baha'i Faith is now represented by people from all nations, all classes, all religious backgrounds, and every ethnic origin. The vision that sustains the efforts of this community is one of a world united in the bonds of fellowship and love, where every barrier to peaceful life on the planet will have been permanently demolished in the face of God's ancient promises of the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth. A deep conviction in the eventual establishment of a lasting and meaningful peace invests the Baha'i community with the necessary will to labor confidently and unremittingly for the establishment of the unity of mankind despite the sometimes dark and discouraging circumstances and conditions of the immediate present (123:3)

Whereas many people feel that world peace, though a noble goal, cannot be attained regardless of all the efforts made toward it, Baha'is take a diametrically opposed view. They believe that no matter what obstacles may put in the path of peace, it is impossible to prevent the attainment of this goal. It is, in fact, an inevitable stage in the spiritual evolution of the human race. It has been foreordained by a loving Creator for His children, and it is a stage which we are now rapidly approaching (123:4)

The worldwide Baha'i community, the offspring of Baha'u'llah's teachings, possesses a quality which has never before appeared in the world of humanity. It is unique, both with respect to the religious communities of today and those of the past. This quality is unity, and it is, in itself, a proof of the validity of Baha'u'llah's claim that He has been invested with the authority and power to gather all the peoples of the world into the fellowship of God's Kingdom (124:1)

The Baha'i Faith has passed through the first century and a half of its existence and emerged in what most would say is a highly unlikely condition: its unity firmly intact. It has not split into sects, and it has not succumbed to the forces of jealously, of alienation, or of struggles for power which have beset human organizations and religions since the beginning of time. It has not buckled under a horrific persecution, nor has it been influenced by the winds of the changing ideologies it has seen come and go. It has not been polarized by the various regimes under which its members, living in each of the divers countries on the planet, have labored, nor has it been drawn into the following of personalities. Unlike any religion that the world has yet seen, past or present, the Baha'i Faith has maintained its integrity and flexibility and remained a single body of believers with a singular purpose: the spiritualization of the entire human race (124:2)

No force, whether from within or from without, has succeeded in damaging the unity of the worldwide Baha'i community. Its vision of a united humanity surpasses every obstacle (124:3)

The people of the Baha'i community come from diverse social, economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. They live in widely scattered geographical locations, and constitute a veritable cross section of human life on this planet, yet they have preserved their organic unity as a community. It is a living miracle that they are working together, through the process of consultation, for the betterment of all mankind. They strive together daily not to contend, or to compete, or to compromise their differences, but rather to appreciate their differences and work in unity. On most occasions and under most circumstances, they achieve unity in their deliberations and actions. This demonstrates that they have been raised as individuals and as a community above the narrow interests of egotism through their Faith, and been given a vision of humanity as one family. This does not signify the abolition or cessation of human egotism on this worldly plane of existence - and I certainly do not want to imply that Baha'is are not without faults or shortcomings - but it does signify the growth and ascension of humanity's spiritual powers and qualities to the degree that spiritual concerns and guidance will finally, as promised in all the Holy Books, take precedence in the direction of human affairs over the age-long dominance and control of baser human desires as primary motivations for mankind. At the least, this greater maturity of spiritual awareness and cooperation in the world-wide Baha'i community should arouse the earnest curiosity of anyone concerned with the welfare of the human race, especially when they consider that the members of the Baha'i community include, as stated earlier, people of every race, religion, nationality, and ethnic background (124:4)

Unity is inseparable from maturity. Unity requires maturity, and the unity of human life on this planet was not possible until now because mankind as a whole had not matured sufficiently to receive a revelation from God that would enable it to realize its God ordained Unity. The Unity of mankind is implied and taught in all the great religions of history, but only in our time, as ordained by God through the Revelation of the Christ Returned, will its unity be realized. The Central Mission and Purpose of the Baha'i Faith is to bring about the Unity of Mankind. When the Baha'i Teachings speak of the Maturity of Humanity and the Realization In our time of the Unity of Mankind, they are speaking of a process, and not of any one sudden event. Do we, as individuals, become mature all at once? Does it happen, suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, so to speak? Do we cease, all at once, one day, to be children, and the next day become adults? Don't we continue to live many years in the twilight between childhood and Maturity, neither children nor adults but something in between, struggling to understand and adjust to the forces of change within us and to see clearly either ourselves or others because we lack the adequate awareness and calm, clear eyed insight of mature wisdom and guidance? This time in History is the twilight of adolescence and troubled youth from which mankind today is trying to awaken into the God ordained Light of Interdependence and mutual love. We must awaken from the sometimes fruitful, but too often deluded, dream of self conceit and aggrandizement that has characterized the ill advised and obsessive quest for pride, power, and prosperity which has hitherto bewitched, seduced, and entranced humanity into forgetfulness of its own proper nobility, its true purpose, and its God. This maturity of humanity and impending Unity of mankind is a consummation which honors, cherishes, and preserves all the positive achievements and contributions of human beings throughout history, and, as a consummation, is inconceivable and impossible without all that has gone before it. The meaning of the Unity of Mankind from a Baha'i perspective has been clarified and explained both by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith in a communication written in 1931, and again by 'Abdu'l-Baha, through a beautiful analogy, that he related in a public talk : (125:1)

Let there be no misgivings as to the animating purpose of the world-wide Law of Baha'u'llah. Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations of society, it seeks to broaden its basis, to remold its institutions in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing world. It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the evils of excessive centralization are to be avoided. It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than any that has animated the human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It repudiates excessive centralization on one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the other. Its watchword is unity in diversity such as 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself has explained: (125:2)

"Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm and addeth unto their beauty. How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas and convictions of the children of men." World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 41 (125:3)

The Baha'i Community believes that there is a wholeness to the human race (126:1)

Just as in the human body, where different cells and organs perform different functions but are necessary for the life and health of the whole and receive reciprocal benefits from one another, so also in the body of humanity the different peoples of the world - with their different capacities, different susceptibilities, different aspirations - have been destined to serve in various but completely complimentary ways to effect the purpose of God for this day. Each of us is to play our part, according to our God-given talents, in the fullness of life on the planet for the advancement of civilization. Every creature has a place in God's Kingdom on earth (126:2)

BAHA'U'LLAH WRITES:-
All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him Who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 215 (126:3)

The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 213 (126:4)

The unity of the Baha'i community has been preserved throughout its century and a half history primarily by two things: a Center of authority to which the believers have turned for guidance, and the adherence to a set of principles which have removed those things which tend to divide people, while at the same time establishing bonds of affection and mutual cooperation between them. Both the Center of authority and the unifying principles have been ordained by Baha'u'llah Himself (126:5)

After the passing of Baha'u'llah in 1892, the mantle of authority, as ordained by Baha'u'llah Himself, passed to His direct descendants. In 1963, the year that marked the one hundredth anniversary of Baha'u'llah's declaration of His mission, the Baha'is of the world, through their National Spiritual Assemblies, elected the Universal House of Justice which was ordained by Baha'u'llah Himself, and invested by Him with infallible guidance for His community. In this day, it is the Universal House of Justice which constitutes the Center of authority for the Baha'i Community. Problems which arise in the Baha'i community and which cannot be settled by the local or national governing bodies of the Baha'i community are resolved by the Universal House of Justice (127:1)

Baha'u'llah's teachings deal in large part with the social and economic welfare of mankind. They bear directly on the ordering of human affairs and the process and principles required to solve the great problems which confront us. He has given to the Baha'i community a pattern for the furtherance of the best interests of all peoples. One of the main features of this pattern is the use of the process of consultation (127:2)

True consultation - not to be confused with any form of debate or compromise - and the conscious knowledge of the oneness of mankind have enabled the Baha'i community to reach beyond itself in the service of humanity (127:3)

Around the world, local and national Baha'i communities have instituted, as means provide, programs for the improvement of their communities. In developing countries, Baha'is have organized schools, agricultural projects, and programs for public health (127:4)

At the international level, Baha'is consult with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and other international organizations, on matters of global concern such as the advancement of women, poverty, development, the dissolution of family life, drug addiction, and the environment. So high is the international prestige of the Baha'i Faith that at the Earth Summit, held in Rio De Janiero in 1992, the Baha'i Faith was the only religion granted the privilege of addressing the assembled members of that historic gathering (127:5)

Although efforts such as these are a vital part of the work of the Baha'i International Community, these efforts in themselves are not seen as sufficient to end the terrible suffering which exists in the world today. Above all, Baha'is do everything they can - at the local, national, and international levels - to encourage world peace and world unity. It is only when we have peace and unity that the human race can realize the good that has been destined for it (127:6)

4. FULFILLMENT of PROPHECY-
As a fourth and final type of evidence, in addition to the above three categories, I offer here fulfillment of prophecy. As an example of fulfillment of prophecy, I have chosen some prophecies referring to His name. One reason for choosing these is that the name Baha'u'llah is new to everyone, and elicits in many cases the immediate question: How can He be Christ Returned if His name is Baha'u'llah? (127:7)

There are prophecies in the Bible which refer to Baha'u'llah's exiles, to the cities He was sent to, the rivers and seas which He crossed on His way, and to the prisons where He was confined. There are prophecies that refer to His suffering, to the kings and rulers He addressed, and to the kingdoms which fell at His command. And there are prophecies which refer to His holy family, to His followers, and to the teachings He was commissioned by God to deliver. None of these, however will be discussed here. They have been discussed at length, and with wonderful thoroughness, by other authors (128:1)

The question many ask is this: wasn't Jesus, Himself, supposed to return? Well, it certainly seemed that way; the world was not expecting One named Baha'u'llah. Nevertheless, Baha'is regard the Return of Christ as having been fulfilled in Him. Once again, the issue at hand is interpretation (128:2)

Recall that the Old Testament clearly states that Elijah was to be sent by God before the First Coming of Christ. Understandably, people were expecting that this promise was to be fulfilled literally. Indeed, God had given no indication that it would be fulfilled in any other way but literally. Nevertheless, it wasn't (128:3)

Christ explained that the return of Elijah had a symbolic meaning, not a literal one. Return, in this case, signified the return of a person with the same qualities and the same purpose. Christ explained to His disciples that the return of Elijah was fulfilled by a different person, with a different name: John the Baptist. Nevertheless, his return was indeed fulfilled, and Christians recognize this (128:4)

Those who believe in Christ now understand the true meaning of the return of Elijah. In the same sense that Christ signified that the return of Elijah had been fulfilled, Baha'is believe that Christ Himself has returned (128:5)

Baha'is believe that the same divine love and knowledge, the same power, the same holiness - in fact, all the attributes possessed by the Son of God - have returned in the Person of Baha'u'llah. Not only this, Baha'u'llah has come to fulfill those promises which Christ gave regarding His future Return. This is the Baha'i understanding of "return" (128:6)

To further illustrate: Someone may say that the spring has returned, meaning that those qualities of spring - the warmth and sunlight and rain - have returned to again bestow their blessings upon the world of nature. In the physical sense, however, spring does not return; it is rather new every time. The spring of this year is not the spring of last year. The time, the actual raindrops, the particular rays of light - all these are in fact totally different than those of any previous spring. Nevertheless, when someone states that the spring has returned, everyone understands what he or she means. They are talking about the qualities, or attributes of spring, the effect that it has on the environment and the heart of man, not the differentiating characteristics (128:7)

Christ promised that at His Return, He would appear with glory:-
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 16:27 (128:8)

Here the Son of man promises that He will come in the glory of God, His Father. Baha'is understand this to be a reference to the name Baha'u'llah, which, in fact, means "The Glory of God". In the original Arabic the meaning is actually fuller, signifying at once the glory, the light and the splendour of God. Thus, Baha'is see in the name Baha'u'llah, the fulfillment of Christ's promise of His return in Glory (129:1)

Of course, that Elijah can return with a new name is a fact that may be totally irrelevant to Christ's Return. After all, Elijah was but a man; Christ, the Son of God. And certainly I am not attempting here to equate Elijah with Christ. What I am attempting to show is that the same God that promised that Elijah would return has promised that Christ will return. And based on the prophecies which we now know have been fulfilled, we can see that their meaning can be quite unpredicted (129:2)

But even the fact that prophetic language uses symbolism, and that Christ Himself constantly spoke in this way, may hold little weight in asserting that Christ's name could be different at His Return. There is, however, in addition to the above, further evidence in the New Testament, that at Christ's return, He may not be called Jesus, or Christ. Christ's own words shed significant light on the claim that the name Baha'u'llah may indeed be His name at His Return. Besides the fact that Christ said that His return will be in the glory of His Father, he also refers to something quite astounding: His "new name": (129:3)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2:17 (129:4)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:12 (129:5)

There are many images in these words of the Savior. It is not my purpose here to explore their possible meanings, but rather to focus on the promise of the "new name" (129:6)

The promise of the "new name" does not receive much comment in expositions of the Second Coming. It is regarded as quite a minor, often overlooked feature of Christ's Return, and understandably so. Christ is Christ, and His followers are Christians, and why should we believe that these names may change at His Return? Some may, but I've never heard anyone, seriously consider out loud, that Christ may actually come with a new name, or what that new name might be. Is it hidden in the scriptures? Did Christ hint at what it would be? Well, nowhere does Christ state explicitly what His new name will be, but he does say that He will have a new name. Additionally, as in the case of other prophecies, we cannot tell, of course, whether Christ intends that literally He will have a new name, or does He intend that this prophecy has some other meaning. We know that as far as the record of the New Testament reveals, no one referred to Jesus as Immanuel during His lifetime, even though the Old Testament clearly states that He will be called by that name. Therefore, the fact - that there is a reference in scripture that He may have a new name - does not , in itself, ensure that He will have a new name (129:7)

ADDITIONAL Prophetic PROOFS-
There are many other references to the Glory of God in the Bible which Baha'is see as referring to Baha'u'llah. I will here offer a few of these references: (130:1)

Prophecy-
And, behold, the glory of the god of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. Ezekiel 43:2 (130:2)

Commentary-
Baha'u'llah was exiled from His native land, Iran, eventually to the prison city of Akka, in Palestine, now the state of Israel. To Baha'is, His arrival in this city signalized the fulfillment of the long-awaited advent of the Lord of Hosts in the Holy Land. Thus, Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God, did indeed come by way of the east (130:3)

Prophecy-
The prophet Ezekiel also speaks of his visions of the "Glory of the Lord" by the river Chebar:. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face. Ezekiel 3:23 (130:4)

Commentary-
Baha'u'llah was for ten years in exile in what is now Iraq, near the very place where the ancient river Chebar flowed (130:5)

Prophecy-
Isaiah also speaks of the glory of the Lord:-
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our god. Isaiah 35:2 (130:6)

Commentary-
While a prisoner in Palestine, Baha'u'llah was for many years, in the vicinity of the very places mentioned by Isaiah. In fact, on four different occasions, His feet walked that blessed spot, Mount Carmel, in what Baha'is see as fulfillment of Isaiah's words (131:1)

None of this, of course, is proof of the Baha'i claim that He has returned. At the same time, however, given the fact that Christ Himself did refer to His Return in "glory of his Father", and to His "new name", can we rule out the fact that He and His followers will be called by a new name? Can we object that He is not once again called Jesus? Can we say that He must be called Christ? (131:2)

If it is indeed true that Christ has come with a new name, that His name is Baha'u'llah, the "Glory of God", and that His followers are called Baha'is, which means "followers of the Glory", can we say that we were not forewarned in the Bible? (131:3)

Say, O followers of the Son! Have ye shut out yourselves from Me by reason of My Name? Wherefore ponder ye not in your hearts? Day and night ye have been calling upon your Lord, the Omnipotent, but when He came from the heaven of eternity in His great glory, ye turned aside from Him and remained sunk in heedlessness (131:4)

Consider those who rejected the Spirit when He came unto them with manifest dominion. How numerous the Pharisees who had secluded themselves in synagogues in His name, lamenting over their separation from Him, and yet when the portals of reunion were flung open and the divine Luminary shone resplendent from the Dayspring of Beauty, they disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Mighty. They failed to attain His presence, notwithstanding that His advent had been promised them in the Book of Isaiah as well as in the Books of the Prophets and the Messengers. No one from among them turned his face towards the Dayspring of divine bounty except such as were destitute of any power amongst men. And yet, today, every man endowed with power and invested with sovereignty prideth himself on His Name. Moreover, call thou to mind the one who sentenced Jesus to death. He was the most learned of his age in his own country, whilst he who was only a fisherman believed in Him. Take good heed and be of them that observe the warning (131:5)

Consider likewise, how numerous at this time are the monks who have secluded themselves in their churches, calling upon the Spirit, but when He appeared through the power of Truth, they failed to draw nigh unto Him and are numbered with those that have gone far astray. Happy are they that have abandoned them and set their faces towards Him Who is the Desire of all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth (131:6)

They read the Evangel and yet refuse to acknowledge the All-Glorious Lord, notwithstanding that He hath come through the potency of His exalted, His mighty and gracious dominion. We, verily, have come for your sakes, and have borne the misfortunes of the world for your salvation. Flee ye the One Who hath sacrificed His life that ye may be quickened? Fear God, O followers of the Spirit, and walk not in the footsteps of every divine that hath gone far astray. Do ye imagine that He seeketh His own interests, when He hath, at all times, been threatened by the swords of the enemies; or that He seeketh the vanities of the world, after He hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of cities? Be fair in your judgment and follow not the footsteps of the unjust (131:7)

Open the doors of your hearts. He Who is the Spirit verily standeth before them. Wherefore banish ye Him Who hath purposed to draw you nigh unto a Resplendent Spot? Say: We, in truth, have opened unto you the gates of the Kingdom. Will ye bar the doors of your houses in My face? This indeed is naught but a grievous error. He, verily, hath again come down from heaven, even as He came down from it the first time. Beware lest ye dispute that which He proclaimeth, even as the people before you disputed His utterances. Thus instructeth you the True One, could ye but perceive it. Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 9-11 (132:1)

The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Meditate upon this, O ye beloved of God, and let your ears be attentive unto His Word, so that ye may, by His grace and mercy, drink your fill from the crystal waters of constancy, and become as steadfast and immovable as the mountain in His Cause. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 12 (132:2)

With this, fellow traveler, our conversation comes to an end, and with it my argument. Hereafter, I present no further demonstration, no more reasoning, no additional justification that the Second Coming has indeed been fulfilled. I have said all that I wished to say. And if what I have presented here has not been conclusive, then certainly, the reason for this is my own lack of ability in what I have attempted to do. Nevertheless, I have done my best, and rest the case (133:1)

In the following chapter I give a brief essay on the Missions of Christ and Baha'u'llah. In this, I have not attempted to support my statements with additional proofs and prophecies. I present this essay because I have always wanted to share the beauty of their lives, their holiness, their love, and their power, without having to defend, in mid-story, the great truths their lives and their words proclaim. The defense for this has been given, already, in the preceding chapters (133:2)

And in that defense, I have tried to follow Baha'u'llah's own guidance:
If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and good-will. If it be accepted, if it fulfil its purpose, your object is attained. If any one should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 289 (133:3)

In our journey through life, all of us have, in some way, been led to the shores of the ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation. It is up to each one of us to decide from here where that journey will take us (133:4)

I wish you God speed and His unfailing protection on your journey (133:5)

POEM 'HIS HOLINESS'
He spoke these words "Stretch forth thine hand".
He Whose followers as grains of sand
Would reach to every shore on earth
To humbly offer man's rebirth.
The Summons had arrived that Day
And those who witnessed could not say
That they had any cause to falter
For God Himself was at the altar.
The people who had gathered waited
Some filled with love, while others hated:
Eyes opened wide, intent on seeing
The crowd transfixed by Jesus' Being.
Some murmured that He hath a devil
And therefore, He, in sin, doth revel
While others saw the Father's Son
And bowed before His Holy One
The withered man saw in His eyes
What lowliness could not disguise
He had not where to lay His head
Yet this Man could raise from the dead
His hand he lifted as commanded
The verdict soon would be demanded
To crucify this Promised One
Whose Holiness outshone the sun
The crowd then gazed on Christ's perfection
The man was whole, no imperfection
The pure in heart thus gained salvation
The wayward drifted toward damnation
O Jesus, Thou beloved Christ
Who leaveth no one unsufficed
To Thee we lift our withered soul
And pray Thee that Thou make it whole
A Risen Christ His sheep doth call
Lord of the Sabbath, Saviour of all
Who one time tread the Promised Land
Exalted now at God's right Hand (134:1)

End of Quote