October 12. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk at Temple Emmanu-El in San Francisco, later published as Address to the Jews and Christians, Muhammadans, and Jews, stating "The century has come when all nations will be unified. The century has come when all the nations shall enjoy international peace. The century has come when all the races and tribes of the world shall do away with racial prejudice and associate fully. The century has arrived when all the natives of the world shall prove to be one home of the human family. Thus may mankind, in its entirety, rest comfortably and in peace under the great and broad tabernacle of the one Lord. "
718. The first bestowal of God in the world of humanity is religion, because religion consists in Divine teachings to men; and most assuredly Divine teachings are preferable to all other sources of instruction.
Religion confers upon man the life everlasting. Religion is a service to the world of morality. Religion guides humanity to the eternal happiness. Religion is the cause of everlasting honor in the world of man.
Religion has ever helped humanity to progress. As a proof thereof, let us first investigate religion from an unbiased standpoint, and let us find out whether religion is the cause of progress and development, or whether it is not; whether or not religion is the impetus which allows man to advance extraordinarily.
Let us investigate independently, that we may not be bound by blind imitations or dogmas, for were we to be bound by blind imitations, then some will believe that religion is a cause of happiness, and others will disagree, saying that religion has been a cause of degradation. Hence, we must first investigate as to this: whether or not religion is the cause of human advancement, and let us give it impartial and thorough research, that no doubt shall linger in our minds.
How can we find this out? That is, how can we discover whether or not religion has been the cause of human progress or retrogression?
We will first investigate the founders of religions -- the prophets. We will review the episodes of their lives, the events prior to their rise, and those subsequent thereto. But we shall not present to you certain tradition which are subject to both credence and refutation. Nay, rather we shall cite certain historical facts provable to all, certain facts and evidences well known throughout the world, which are irrefutable. They are these:
719. Amongst the great prophets was His Holiness Abraham who, being an iconoclast and a herald of the oneness of God, was banished by the people from his native land.
Let us observe right here how religion is an impetus to progress.
His Holiness Abraham founded a family, and this family God blessed, and it was through the religious basis that the house of Abraham made progress and advancement. Through the Divine benediction, noteworthy and famous prophets have issued from the lineage of Abraham. There appeared an Ishmael. There appeared an Isaac. There appeared a Jacob. There appeared a Joseph. There appeared a Moses. There appeared an Aaron. David issued therefrom. There appeared Solomon. The Holy Land was conquered by them and was theirs by right, and the great Solomonic wisdom was established; and this was due to the religion which they founded.
Hence, we learn that religion is the cause of honor, is the cause of advancement, is the cause of civilization, is the cause of the happiness of mankind, even as the episode of Abraham well illustrates this fact and as his family clearly points thereto. Even unto the present time his house is visible and manifest throughout the world.
Let us discover, or consider, the greater phase of it.
720. The children of Israel were in bondage and captivity in the land of Egypt. They were subject to the tyranny and oppression of the Copts. They were in the utmost state of degradation. One Copt conquered or subdued one hundred Septs. They would make use of them as workingmen or laborers.
The children of Israel were then in abject poverty, in the lowest abasement, in the lowest degree of ignorance, the lowest degree of barbarism when, suddenly, His Holiness Moses appeared amongst them.
When His Holiness Moses appeared amongst them, outwardly he was no other than a shepherd, but through the power of religion he exhibited such majesty and grandeur and influence that they continue to be seen. His prophethood was spread throughout the land. His law was the foundation of the law.
He Holiness Moses was single and alone, and this single, lone personage, through the power of religion, rescued all the children of Israel from bondage. He conducted them to the Holy land, and there he founded the great civilization which has become permanent, a civilization and an education which are most noteworthy.
Thereby they attained to the highest pitch of honor and glory. He saved them from their bondage and captivity. He imbued them with qualities which caused them to progress.
721. They proved to be a civilizing people, an educated and a scholarly people. Their philosophy became noteworthy. Their industries became famous. In one word, along all the lines of advancement which characterize a progressive people they achieved progress. They reached such a height that at last they were the ones who established this Solomonic sovereignty, and their sciences and arts reached such a state of comprehensiveness that even the Greek philosophers were wont to journey to Jerusalem, in order to study with the Jews philosophy and the basis of law. According to Oriental history, this is an established fact.
Even Socrates, the Greek philosopher, came to the Holy Land and consorted with the Jewish doctors, studying wisdom or philosophy with them. He studied with them the basis of their belief, and when he returned to Greece he there formulated his basis for Divine unity, and there he advanced his belief in the immortality of the spirit after the dissolution of the body. These verities Socrates learned no doubt from the Jewish doctors with whom he came in contact.
Likewise Hippocrates and many other philosophers used to go to the Holy Land, to Palestine, and there they acquired lessons from the Jewish prophets, studying with them the basis of ethics and morality, returning to their countries with contributions which have made Greece famous.
722. A cause, or a movement, which renders a weak nation, such as the Jews were before, strong and changes them into a mighty and powerful nation; which rescues them from captivity and causes them to attain sovereignty; which transforms their ignorance into knowledge and science, and endows them with an impetus to advance along all degrees of attainment -- this is not merely a theory or a story which I am telling; it is an historical fact which is provable, it is history well established in the world -- makes it evident that religion is the cause of honor to men; that religion is the cause of the sublimity of man.
When we speak of religion we mean the foundation of religion, not the blind imitations, or dogmas, which has crept in afterwards, and which are ever destructive, which are ever the cause of the effacement of a nation, which are ever the cause of hindrance to national progress. Ever, as it is recorded in the Torah, and confirmed in all histories, when the Jews were fettered with imitations of religion, then the wrath of God became manifest.
723. When they had lost the foundations of the law of God, then God sent Nebuchadnezzar, who came and conquered the Holy Land. He killed all the men; he made captive the women and children; he fired all the hamlets and villages. Seventy thousand Jews did Nebuchadnezzar make captive and take with him to Persia. He destroyed the Holy of Holies, the great Temple. In short, he burned the Torah: the Holy Bible was burned through his cause.
Thus we learn that the foundation of the Divine religions is ever the cause of progress; and thus, when it leaves the central axis, the holy foundation becomes destroyed, and as it were beclouded or surrounded by certain blind imitations. Then the reverse takes place: it is a cause of debasement, a cause of degradation.
Even so was the case with the Greek nation when they were the conquerors, and they were followed by the Romans, by whom the Israelites were almost done away.
Under Titus, the Roman emperor, when he was a general of the Roman army, the Holy Land was laid waste and made wilderness, and the Israelites were scattered broadcast in the world, because he also killed their noteworthy men, pillaged their possessions, and made Jerusalem a heap of dust. That was the scattering and dispersion of the Jews, which ever since has continued.
Hence we learn that the foundation of the religion of God, which was laid by His Holiness Moses, was the cause of eternal honor, was the cause of the advancement of the nation, was the cause of the life of the Hebrew people, was the cause of homage paid forever to this notable people. The dogmas, or blind imitations, which later crept in, proved to be the causes of the Israelites’ destruction. They caused the Israelites to be scattered throughout the earth, and to be expelled from their rightful habitation, the Holy Land.
In short, what is the mission of prophets?
724. The mission of the prophets is no other than the advancement or the education of the world of humanity. The prophets are the real teachers or educators. The prophets are the universal instructors.
Should we desire to find out whether or not any of these great souls or prophets has been a prophet, we will investigate the facts of the case, and the line of our investigation will be the question of education. If he has been an educator, if he has really educated a people, if he has trained a nation, causing it to attain to the highest point of knowledge after it had been in the lowest abyss of ignorance, then we are sure that such a one is a prophet; and this is a clear and plain mode of procedure, and irrefutable.
725. We do not have to go to other proofs. We do not have to cite miracles, saying that out of rock water gushed forth, because such a miracle may be denied by others -- they may refute it. We do not need such miracles.
The very deeds of Moses are proofs conclusive concerning his prophethood. We are in need of no further evidences: evidences which are usually refutable. If a man be unbiased, be fair, and investigate reality, he will without doubt bear testimony to the fact that the personage Moses was verily the man of God, a great personage.
Let us not digress. Let us go to the subject. But here I wish you to be very fair in your judgment, setting aside, for the moment, all religious prejudice.
726. All of us should thoroughly investigate or search for verities, because the purpose of the religions of God has been proved to be no other than the education of humanity and the cause of amity and fellowship among men. Therefore I wish to cite this principle: that the foundations of the religions of God are one. They are not multiple, for they are realities. Reality does not admit multiplicity, because every one of the Divine religions is divisible into two departments. One department is concerned with the world of morality, and that is essential. It is concerned with the ethical sublimity of human nature. It is concerned with the advancement of the world of humanity in general. It has to do with the knowledge of God. It has to do with the discovery of the verities of existence. This is the ideal aspect, the essential department. This department is not subject to change or transformation at all. This is one; it is the foundation of all the religions of God. As regard that, all the religions are one and the same.
The second department, or division, has to do with social transactions, or human conduct under certain special conditions, and is not the essence of reality. This is subject to change and transformation according to the exigency or requirements of the time and place.
To wit: In the time of Noah, certain conditions required that all sea-foods be allowable, or lawful. During the period of the prophethood of Abraham it was considered allowable, because of a special condition, for a man to marry his aunt; even as Sarah was the sister of Abraham’s mother. During the time of Adam it was expedient that a man marry his own sister -- even as Abel, Cain and Seth, the children of Adam married their own sisters, because (so they thought) it was according to the conditions of the time; but in the law of the Torah that practice was abrogated, forbidden. There were certain laws, formerly recognized, which were annulled during the time of Moses. For example, camel’s flesh was accepted as food proper for man during the time of Abraham, but was made unlawful during the time of Jacob.
Such changes and variations in religious teaching have to do with the non-essential affairs of existence. They are not important.
His Holiness Moses lived in the wilderness of Terah, where retribution had to be made a matter of direct action. There were no penitentiaries. There were no means of indirect punishment. Hence, according to the exigency of the time and place, it was a law of God that an eye was to be for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. If a man’s tooth were broken by another man, his tooth would be broken. If a man, for instance, caused the deafness of another, the other would make him deaf. But you cannot do that now. You would not blind a man because he accidentally blinded you. Is it possible to carry such things out?
727. In the Torah there were ten commandments concerning murder. Is it possible to carry these out? Can these ten ordinances concerning the punishment of murderers be carried out?
In modern times conditions are such that even the question of capital punishment -- the one form which some nations have decided to apply in cases of murder -- is a moot question. Wise men are discussing whether it is feasible or not.
Thus, everything that is valid, is valid only for the time. The exigency of that age required that if a man committed theft of so much as one dollar they chopped off his hand, but now you cannot cut off a man’s hand for a thousand dollars. You cannot do it; it is impossible. It was useful for that time, but things are useful only according to the exigencies of the time. Time changes, and when the times change, the laws have to change. But remember, these laws are not of importance -- they are the externalities of religion. The essentials, which are spiritual in character, which have to do with the morality, which have to do with the ethical development of man, which have to do with the faith of man -- they are of the ideal, are necessary and permanent; they have one foundation, and they are not subject to change or variation.
728. Hence, for the fundamental basis of the religion of God there is no change nor variation. That is the basis, the fundamental foundation of religion. That never, never changes.
The basis of the law of Moses His Holiness Christ promulgated. That selfsame foundation of religion was promulgated by Muhammad. All the great prophets have served that foundation. They have served this reality. Hence, the purpose and result of all the prophets have been one and the same. They were the advancement of the body politic. They were the cause of the honor of mankind. They were the Divine civilizations of man, whose foundation is one; and, as we declared before, the proofs establishing the validity of a prophet, the proofs of his inspiration, are, after all, the very deeds of valor and greatness which he performs. If a prophet has proved to be instrumental in the elevation of mankind, undoubtedly his prophethood is valid.
Again I wish you to be very fair in the judgment of these following remarks.
729. At a time when the Israelites had again been put in captivity, at a period when the Roman Empire had dispersed and effaced the Hebrew nation because the law of God had, as it were, passed from amongst them, and the foundations of the religion of God had been destroyed: at such a time as this Jesus Christ appeared amongst them.
When His Holiness Christ appeared amongst the Jews, the first thing he did was to proclaim the validity of the Mosaic mission. He declared that the Torah, the Old Testament, was the Book of God. He declared that all the prophets of Israel were valid and true. He eulogized Moses, and through his commendation the name of Moses was spread throughout the entire world. The fame of Moses, through the Christian movement, was spread broadcast.
Before the rise of Christ it is a fact that in Persia the name of Moses had not been heard. Throughout India they had no knowledge of Judaism, and were it not for the Christianizing of Europe it would not have had the knowledge of the Old Testament which it has. Throughout Europe there was not a copy of the Old Testament. But listen to this and judge it aright: it was through the instrumentality of Christ, it was through the translation of the New Testament -- the little volume of the Gospel -- that the Old Testament, the Torah, was translated into six hundred languages and spread throughout the world at large.
The names of the Israelitish prophets became household names everywhere. All the nations of the world believed in this, that verily the children of Israel were chosen people of God, that this nation was a Holy nation, that the blessing of God attended this nation, and that all the prophets of God which had issued therefrom were the sources of Divine inspiration, the daysprings of inspiration, and each one of them shone like a star.
Hence, His Holiness Christ really promulgated Judaism, for he was a Jew, and not opposed to Jews. He did not deny the validity of the prophethood of Moses. Nay, he rather promoted it. He did not efface the Torah. Nay, rather did he promulgate it. At most it comes to this: that the portion of that dispensation which had to do with social transactions -- this portion underwent revision, and that fact is not important; but the essential teaching of Moses he virtually promoted. To do this, he left no effort undone.
730. Likewise, with the superlative power and the efficacious Word of God he gathered together most of the nations of the East and the West. This was accomplished at a time when those nations were in the utmost of contention and strife. He ushered all of them into the overshadowing tent of the oneness of humanity. He so educated them that they united and agreed, even so that the Roman, the Greek, the Chaldean, the Assyrian and the Egyptian nations were perfectly blended, and the heavenly civilization was the result. Now, this efficacy of the Word, and this heavenly power, which are extraordinary, prove conclusively the validity of His Holiness Christ. Consider how his heavenly sovereignty is yet permanent and lasting. Verily, this is conclusive proof and manifest evidence.
731. Then we behold, appearing from another horizon, the prophet of Arabia -- Muhammad.
Perchance you do not know that the first proclamation of Muhammad to his tribe was this statement: “Moses was verily a prophet of God, and the Torah is a book of God. Verily, O people, ye must believe in the Torah and in Moses and the prophets. Ye must accept as valid all the prophets of Israel.”
In the Qur’án, the Muhammadan Bible, there are seven statements -- in fact, seven repetitions -- of the episode of Moses, and in all his historical summaries, Muhammad praises Moses.
He states that His Holiness Moses was the greatest prophet of God; that God guided him in the Sahara, or wilderness, of Terah; that through the light of guidance Moses hearkened to the summons of God; that he was the bearer of the Ten Commandments; that all the contemporary nations of the world arose against him; that eventually Moses triumphed over them all, because falsehood is ever defeated by truth.
There are many instances of this kind in Muhammad. I am citing merely a few.
732. Consider that His Holiness Muhammad was born amongst the savage and barbarian nations of Arabia, lived amongst them, and (outwardly) was illiterate and uninformed of the Holy Books of God.
The Arabian nations were in the utmost state of ignorance and barbarism -- to the degree that they buried their daughters alive. They considered this action to be the greatest valor and of the nature of sublimity. Under the Persian and Roman governments they lived in conditions of extreme captivity and bondage. They were scattered throughout the Arabian desert, subject to continuous strife and bloodshed.
When the light of Muhammad dawned, the darkness of ignorance was dispelled from the Arabian desert. Those barbarous nations, in a short space of time, reached a superlative degree of civilization, so that their civilization extended even to Spain, and was established in Baghdád, whence it was transplanted to Europe.
What greater proof than this could there be concerning the prophethood of Muhammad -- unless a man close his eyes to justice and obstinately remain unfair?
Thus the Christians are now believers in Moses. They believe that he was a prophet of God, and they praise him most highly. And the Muhammadans are believers in Moses, praising him most highly, proving his validity; and likewise they believe in His Holiness Christ and praise him highly.
Has harm come to these nations -- the Christians and the Muhammadans -- because they have admitted the validity of Moses and accepted him? No, on the contrary, it proves that in this respect they have been fair minded.
Then what harm is there that the Jewish nation, in turn, should also now praise His Holiness Christ, should also no praise His Holiness Muhammad, and by this humane acceptance and praiseworthy view of the subject do away forever with this enmity and hatred which have divided mankind so many centuries -- that bloodshed shall cease, that this fanaticism shall pass away forever, that all mankind may be united; and this corruption shall cease as soon as that acceptance is established.
The Christians and the Muhammadans admit that Moses was the Interlocutor of God. Why do not you say that Christ was the Word of God? Why do you not say just the few words that will do away with all this sort of thing, and there will be no hatred left, no fanaticism left, no warfare in the Land of Promise, no bloodshed whatever. Then forever will there be peace.
733. Verily, I now declare unto you that Moses was no other than the Interlocutor of God; that Moses was the most noteworthy prophet of God; that Moses brought the fundamental law of God; that Moses was the founder of the ethical basis which has proved the source of human happiness.
What harm is there in this? Do I lose by saying this to you? And believing it as a Bahá’í? Not at all. On the contrary, as a Bahá’í it benefits, and the founder of the Bahá’í Movement, Bahá’u’lláh, is well pleased with me and confirms me therein. He says: “Well done; you have been fair in your judgment; you have impartially investigated the truth; you have arrived at the conclusion full well; you have believed in a prophet of God, in Moses; you have accepted the Book of God, the Torah.”
Now, inasmuch as it is possible to do away with this prejudice with such a bit of liberalism in the world, why not do it?
Why not do away with this continuous strife? Why not establish a bond which can easily connect the hearts of men? What harm is there in this religion that every one should praise the teacher or the founder of another religion? Even as the other nations praise His Holiness Moses, and admit that Moses was the founder of Judaism, why not have the Hebrews also praise the other great men?
What harm comes from it? None at all. It is no loss to you at all. Nay, rather you thereby contribute to the welfare of mankind. Nay, rather you would be instrumental in establishing the happiness of the world of humanity. Nay, rather the eternal honor of man is dependent on this modern liberalism.
Inasmuch as our God is one, and He has created us all -- He provides for us all, He protects us all, and we acknowledge such a kind and clement Lord -- why should we, His children, His followers, fight one another? Why should we so readily break one another’s hearts?
God is so merciful and kind, and His aim in religion has ever been to establish the bond of unity and affinity!
Praise be to God, the medieval ages of darkness have passed away, and this century of radiance has dawned -- this century wherein the reality of things is becoming evident; this century wherein science has discovered the means to master nature; this century which in its entirety is a service to the world of humanity; this century wherein we have established the foundation of the world of humanity. Is it fitting that we should still linger in our fanaticism and tarry in our prejudice? Is it behooving that we should still be bound with old fables and superstitions, and be handicapped by the superannuated beliefs of dark ages that are past -- again waging religious wars, again fighting one another, still shedding each other’s blood, shunning one another, anathematizing one another? Is it becoming?
Is it not better for us to be most loving to one another? Is it not preferable for us to enjoy fellowship together? And unite and sing anthems of unity towards God, and praise all the prophets in a good and praiseworthy spirit?
734. Then you will observe how the world shall prove to be a paradise and the promised day shall come. That will be the day when the wolves and the sheep shall quaff from the same stream; when, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, the quail and the eagle shall together enjoy the same nest, and the gazelle, or the deer, shall enjoy the same pasture with the lion.
What does this mean?
It means that this fact is symbolic of contending nations -- that religions, which have formerly been as wolves and sheep, divergent creeds, will associate with each other. Notwithstanding their former attitude, they will then, through this liberality, associate with each other in perfect fellowship, in the utmost love.
This is the meaning of the statement of His Holiness Isaiah. Otherwise, you will never come to see a day when this prophecy can literally come to pass; for the wolf will never enjoy the companionship of the sheep, and the lion and the deer will never be seen together -- because the lion and the deer will see each other, but the deer will be within the lion, and the sheep will be ever the prey of the wolf. As you know, the teeth of the lion are carnivorous. It has no molars to enjoy grass. Hence it must eat flesh.
Therefore this prophecy is symbolic of the following condition: when certain nations and races, symbolized or typified by lions and wolves and sheep, amongst whom there is no bond or fellowship or association, will be unified in that day of promise, and will treat each other with the utmost kindness and liberality.
735. In a word: the age is ours when fellowship is to be established.
The century has come when all the nations are to be unified.
The century has come when all the nations shall enjoy international peace.
The century has come when all the races and tribes of the world shall do away with racial prejudice and associate fully.
The century has arrived when all the natives of the world shall prove to be one home of the human family.
Thus may mankind, in its entirety, rest comfortably and in peace under the great and broad tabernacle of the one Lord.
Congregation Emmanu-el
San Francisco
October 12, 1912
San Francisco
October 12, 1912
Christians, Muhammadans, and Jews
by Abdu'l-Bahá
Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Committee, 1940first written or published 1912-10-12
The greatest bestowal of God in the world of humanity is religion; for assuredly the divine teachings of religion are above all other sources of instruction and development of man. Religion confers upon man eternal life and guides his footsteps in the world of morality. It opens the doors of unending happiness and bestows everlasting honor upon the human kingdom. It has been the basis of all civilization and progress in the history of mankind.We will therefore investigate religion, seeking from an unprejudiced standpoint to discover whether it is the source of illumination, the cause of development and the animating impulse of all human advancement....How shall we determine whether religion has been the cause of human advancement or retrogression?We will first consider the founders of the religions-the prophets-review the story of their lives, compare the conditions preceding their appearance with those subsequent to their departure, following historical records and irrefutable facts instead of relying upon traditionary statements which are open to both acceptance and denial.Among the great prophets was His Holiness Abraham who, being an iconoclast and a herald of the oneness of God, was banished from His native land. He founded a family upon which the blessing of God descended; and it was owing to this religious basis and ordination that the Abrahamic house progressed and advanced. Through the divine benediction, noteworthy and luminous prophets issued form the lineage of His Holiness. There appeared Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David and Solomon....There is another and more significant aspect to this religious impulse and impetus. The children of Israel were in bondage and captivity in the land of Egypt four hundred years. They were in an extreme state of degradation and slavery under the tyranny and oppression of the Egyptians. While they were in the condition of abject poverty, in the lowest degree of abasement, ignorance and servility, His Holiness Moses suddenly appeared among them. Although He was but a shepherd, such majesty, grandeur and efficiency became manifest in Him through the power of religion, that His influence continues to this day. His prophethood was established throughout the land and the law of His Word became the foundation of the laws of the nations. This unique personage, single and alone, rescued the children of Israel from bondage through the power of religious training and discipline. He led them to the Holy Land and founded there a great civilization which has become permanent and renowned and under which these people attained the highest degree of honor and glory. He freed them from bondage and captivity. He imbued them with qualities of progressiveness and capability. They proved to be a civilizing people with instincts toward education and scholastic attainment. Their philosophy became renowned; their industries were celebrated throughout the nations. In all lines of advancement which characterize a progressive people they achieved distinction. In the splendor of the reign of Solomon their sciences and arts advanced to such a degree that even the Greek philosophers journeyed to Jerusalem to sit at the feet of the Hebrew sages and acquire the basis of Israelitish law....When a movement fundamentally religious makes a weak nation strong, changes a nondescript tribal people into a mighty and powerful civilization, rescues them from captivity and elevates them to sovereignty, transforms their ignorance into knowledge and endows them with an impetus of advancement in all degrees of development (this is not theory, but historical fact) it becomes evident that religion is the cause of man's attainment to honor and sublimity.But when we speak of religion we mean the essential foundation or reality of religion, not the dogmas and blind imitations which have gradually encrusted it and which are the cause of the decline and effacement of a nation. These are inevitably destructive and a menace and hindrance to a nation's life, — even as it is recorded in the Torah and confirmed in history that when the Jews became fettered by empty forms and imitations the wrath of God became manifest....What then is the mission of the divine prophets? Their mission is the education and advancement of the world of humanity. They are the real teachers and educators, the universal instructors of mankind. If we wish to discover whether any one of the these great souls or messengers was in reality a prophet of God we must investigate the facts surrounding His life and history; and the first point of our investigation will be the education He bestowed upon mankind. If he has been an educator, if He has really trained a nation or people, causing it to rise from the lowest depths of ignorance to the highest station of knowledge, then we are sure that He was a prophet....Furthermore we will establish the point that the foundations of the religions of God are one foundation. This foundation is not multiple for it is reality itself. Reality does not admit of multiplicity although each of the divine religions is separable into two divines. Once concerns the world of morality and the ethical training of human nature. It is directed to the advancement of the world of humanity in general; it reveals and inculcates the knowledge of God and makes possible the discovery of the verities of life. This is ideal and spiritual teaching, the essential quality of divine religion and not subject to change or transformation. T is the one foundation of all religions of God. Therefore the religions are essentially one and the same.The second classification or division comprises social laws and regulations applicable to human conduct. This is not the essential spiritual quality of religion. The essential ordinances established by a Manifestation of God are spiritual; they concern moralities, the ethical development of man and faith in God. They are ideal and necessarily permanent; expressions of the one foundation and not amenable to change or transformation. Therefore the fundamental basis of the revealed religion of God is immutable, unchanging throughout the centuries, not subject to the varying conditions of the human world.Christ ratified and proclaimed the foundation of the law of Moses. Muhammad and all the prophets have revoiced that same foundation of reality. Therefore the purposes and accomplishments of the divine messengers have been one and the same....At the time when the Israelites had been dispersed by the power of the Roman empire and the national life of the Hebrew people had been effaced by their conquerors, — when the law of God had seemingly passed from them and the foundation of the religion of God was apparently destroyed, — Jesus Christ appeared. When His Holiness arose among the Jews, the first thing He did was to proclaim the validity of the Manifestation of Moses. He declared that the Torah, the Old Testament was the Book of God and that all the prophets of Israel were valid and true. He extolled the mission of Moses and through His proclamation the name of Moses was spread throughout the world. Through Christianity the greatness of Moses became known among all nations. It is a fact that before the appearance of Christ, the name of Moses had not been heard in Persia. In India they had no knowledge of Judaism and it was only through the Christianizing of Europe that the teachings of the Old Testament became spread in that region. Throughout Europe there was not a copy of the Old Testament; but consider this carefully and judge it aright; — through the instrumentality of Christ, through the translation of the New Testament, the little volume of the gospel, the Old Testament, the Torah has been translated into six hundred languages and spread everywhere in the world. The names of the Hebrew prophets became household words among the nations, who believed that the children of Israel were verily the chosen people of God, a holy nation under the especial blessing and protection of God, and that therefore the prophets who had arisen in Israel were the day-springs of revelation and brilliant stars in the heaven of the will of God.Therefore His Holiness Christ really promulgated Judaism for He was Jew and not opposed to the Jews. He did not deny the prophethood of Moses; on the contrary He proclaimed and ratified it. He did not invalidate the Torah; He spread its teachings. That portion of the ordinances of Moses which concerned transactions and unimportant conditions underwent transformation but the essential teachings of Moses were revoiced and confirmed by Christ without change. He left nothing unfinished or incomplete. Likewise through the supreme efficacy and power of the word of God he united most of the nations of the east and the west....From another horizon we see Muhammad the prophet of Arabia appearing. You may not know that the first address of Muhammad to His tribe was the statement "Verily Moses was a prophet of God and the Torah is a book of God. Verily, O ye people, ye must believe in the Torah, in Moses and the prophets. Ye must accept all the prophets of Israel as valid." In the Qur'an, the Muhammadan Bible, there are seven statements or repetitions of the Mosaic narrative, and in all the historic accounts Moses is praised....Today the Christians are believers in Moses, accept Him as a prophet of God and praise Him most highly. The Muhammadans are likewise believers in Moses, accept the validity of His prophethood, at the same time believing in Christ. Could it be said that the acceptance of Moses by the Christians and Muhammadans has been harmful and detrimental to those people: on the contrary it has been beneficial to them, proving that they have been fair-minded and just. What harm could result to the Jewish people, then, if they in return should accept His Holiness Christ and acknowledge the validity of the prophethood of His Holiness Muhammad? By this acceptance and praiseworthy attitude the enmity and hatred which have afflicted mankind so many centuries would be dispelled, fanaticism and bloodshed pass away and the world be blessed by unity and agreement. Christians and Muhammadans believe and admit that Moses was the Interlocutor of God. Why do you not say that Christ was the Word of God? Why do you not speak these few words that will do away with all this difficulty? Then there will be no hatred and fanaticism, no more warfare and bloodshed in the Land of Promise. Then there will be peace among you forever....Praise be to God! The medieval ages of darkness have passed away and this century of radiance has dawned, — this century wherein science is penetrating the mysteries of the universe, the oneness of the world of humanity is being established and service to mankind is the paramount motive of all existence. Shall we remain steeped in our fanaticisms and cling to our prejudices? Is it fitting that we should still be bound and restricted by ancient fables and superstitions of the past; be handicapped by superannuated beliefs and the ignorances of the dark ages, waging religions wars, fighting and shedding blood, shunning and anathematizing each other? Is this becoming? Is it not better for us to be loving and considerate toward each other? Is it not preferable to enjoy fellowship and unity; join in anthems of praise to the most high God and extol all His prophets in the spirit of acceptance and true vision: Then indeed this world will become a paradise and the promised Day of God will dawn....The age has dawned when human fellowship will become a reality. The century has come when all religions will be unified. The dispensation is at hand when all nations shall enjoy the blessings of International Peace. The cycle has arrived when racial prejudice will be abandoned by tribes and peoples of the world....
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