O Rulers of America and the Presidents of the Republics therein .. Give ear unto that which hath been raised from the Dayspring of Grandeur: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Lord of Utterance, the All- Knowing. Bind ye the broken with the hands of justice, and crush the oppressor who flourisheth with the rod of the commandments of your Lord, the Ordainer, the All- Wise. - Kitab-i-Aqdas (154:2)

'Abdu'l-Baha in His addresses in America and elsewhere frequently expressed the hope, the prayer and the assurance that the banner of international peace would be first raised in America. At Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 5, 1912, He said: - (154:3)

America is a noble nation, the standard- bearer of peace throughout the world, shedding light to all regions. Foreign nations are not untrammeled and free from intrigues and complications like the United States; therefore, they are not able to bring about universal harmony. But America - praise be to God! - is at peace with all the world and is worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and international agreement. When this is done, the rest of the world will accept. All nations will join in adopting the teachings of Baha'u'llah revealed more than fifty years ago. In His Epistles He asked the parliaments of the world to send their wisest and best men to an international world conference which should decide all questions between the peoples and establish universal peace... This would be the highest court of appeal, and the parliament of man so long dreamed of by poets and idealists would be realized (154:4)

The appeals of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha have already been responded to, in a large measure, by the United States of America, and in no country of the world have the Baha'i teachings met with readier acceptance. The role assigned to America, of summoning the nations to international peace, has as yet, however, been only partially played, and Baha'is are awaiting with interest the developments which the future has in store.2 (154:5)

The Great War
Both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha on many occasions foretold with surprising accuracy the coming of the Great War of 1914 - 1918. At Sacramento, California, on October 26, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha said: - "The European continent is like an arsenal, a storehouse of explosives ready for ignition, and one spark will set the whole of Europe aflame, particularly at this time when the Balkan question is before the world." (154:6)

In many of His addresses in America and Europe He gave similar warning. In another address in California in October 1912 He said: - (154:7)

Get Next Page