8 AGES AND EPOCHS (Define)
"The Faith is divided into three Ages: the Heroic, the Formative, the Golden Age, as has been outlined in His Writings. The Heroic Age closed with the Ascension of Abdu'l- Baha. The Formative Age is divided into epochs. The first epoch lasted 25 years. We are now actually in the second epoch of the Formative Age. How long the Formative Age will last is not known, and there will probably be a number of epochs in it. (3:1)

"The Divine Plan of Abdu'l- Baha is divided into epochs. The first Seven- Year Plan constituted the first stage of the first epoch; the second Seven- Year Plan constitutes the second stage; while the Ten- Year Crusade will constitute the third stage of the first epoch of the Divine Plan. The first epoch of the Divine Plan will conclude with the conclusion of the Ten- Year Crusade." (3:2)

9 ALLAH- U- ABHA (Baha'i Greeting)
"The Baha'is are free to greet each other with Allah- u- Abha when they meet, if they want to, but they should avoid anything which to outsiders, in a western country, might seem like some strange Oriental password. We must be very firm on principles and laws, but very normal and natural in our ways, so as to attract strangers." (3:3)

10 ANNUAL CONVENTION
"I am deeply convinced that if the Annual Convention of the friends in America, as well as the National Spiritual Assembly, desire to become potent instruments for the speedy realization of the Beloved's fondest hopes for the future of that country, they should endeavor, first and foremost, to exemplify, in an increasing degree, to all Baha'is and to the world at large the high ideals of fellowship and service which Baha'u'llah and the beloved Master repeatedly set before them." (3:4)

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