Through Mírzá Ahmad
Sohráb to his honour, Mr. Albert Smiley, the founder of the Lake Mohonk
Conference on International Arbitration.
May God assist him!
He is God!
O thou great and
respected personage!
The details of the
Conference of Peace and Arbitration which is organized under your presidency
has been read in the papers of the East and the West and the utmost joy and
fragrance was produced; that, praise be to God, in the continent of America,
under the presidency of a glorious personage, the Conference of International
Peace is convened. Today in the world of existence there is no more important
and greater cause than this for it is conducive to the promotion of happiness
in the commonwealth of humanity and is the cause of tranquillity of all the
nations and countries and the prosperity of the individuals of the human
world. What cause is greater than this! It
is evident that it has the utmost importance, nay, rather, it will be the cause
of the illumination of the East and the West and the reason for the
manifestation of the Countenance and the Face of God in the world of humanity
and the appearance of infinite affections. Therefore, although this longing one
has no acquaintance with your honour, but this great cause and this eminent
effort of yours became the cause of my having infinite love for you while
absent. Consequently I am engaged in writing you this epistle.
The matter of international peace was instituted by His Highness, Bahá'u'lláh, sixty years ago in Persia in the year of AD 1851. From that time innumerable epistles and tablets were spread first in Persia and then in other parts of the world, until about fifty years ago He clearly stated this matter of universal peace in the Book of Aqdas and has commanded all the Bahá'ís to serve faithfully with heart and soul in this great cause, give up their possessions and wealth for it and sacrifice their lives in case of necessity. He has taught them to spread the unity of nations and religions and proclaim in all the regions of the world the oneness of the kingdom of humanity. There are different religions in Persia, such as Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and different sects. Through the power of Bahá'u'lláh such affection and love is produced among these various religions that now they are associating with each other with the utmost unity and concord like unto fathers, sons, brothers, mothers and daughters. Whenever they gather in a meeting if a stranger enters in that gathering he is astonished by the love and affection that they manifest. There, is not the slightest sign of difference and separation. Some of the tablets of Bahá'u'lláh concerning this matter are translated in America. Seek, perchance you may find them, then you shall realize what a permanent structure Bahá'u'lláh has raised in this world of existence, the result of which will be the oneness of all humanity. Likewise, innumerable tablets have been written with the pen of this longing one. Ask for them, too; perhaps you may find their translations in America.
To be brief, as His
Highness Bahá'u'lláh in this period of man has planted a fruitful tree in the
garden of the oneness of the human race, and as your honour is engaged in
reality to irrigate this garden, therefore I found it necessary to express my
gratitude and happiness to you, so that your good name may be spread not only
in Persia but throughout all Oriental countries and the people of the East may
remember your name with great respect. I
hope that the principles of international peace and universal reconciliation
may be established firmly among the individual members of humanity and its
fragrance may be spread throughout all the regions.
I beg of you to
accept the expressions of my highest consideration.
(Signed)
'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas
(Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 15,
December 12, 1911)
