To however great a degree the plant may have evolved, it is unable to
understand the animal world; this ignorance is no proof that the animal
does not exist!

The animal, be he never so highly developed, cannot imagine the
intelligence of man, neither can he realize the nature of his soul. But,
again, this does not prove that man is without intellect, or without soul.
It only demonstrates this, that one form of existence is incapable of
comprehending a form superior to itself.

This flower may be unconscious of such a being as man, but the fact of its
ignorance does not prevent the existence of humanity.

In the same way, if materialists do not believe in the existence of the
soul, their unbelief does not prove that there is no such realm as the
world of spirit. The very existence of man's intelligence proves his
immortality; moreover, darkness proves the presence of light, for without
light there would be no shadow. Poverty proves the existence of riches,
for, without riches, how could we measure poverty? Ignorance proves that
knowledge exists, for without knowledge how could there be ignorance?

Therefore the idea of mortality presupposes the existence of
immortality--for if there were no Life Eternal, there would be no way of
measuring the life of this world!

If the spirit were not immortal, how could the Manifestations of God
endure such terrible trials?

Why did Christ Jesus suffer the fearful death on the cross?

Why did Muhammad bear persecutions?

Why did the Bab make the supreme sacrifice and why did Baha'u'llah pass
the years of his life in prison?

Why should all this suffering have been, if not to prove the everlasting
life of the spirit?

Christ suffered, He accepted all His trials because of the immortality of
His spirit. If a man reflects he will understand the spiritual
significance of the law of progress; how all moves from the inferior to
the superior degree.

It is only a man without intelligence who, after considering these things,
can imagine that the great scheme of creation should suddenly cease to
progress, that evolution should come to such an inadequate end!

Materialists who reason in this way, and contend that we are unable to see
the world of spirit, or to perceive the blessings of God, are surely like
the animals who have no understanding; having eyes they see not, ears they
have, but do not hear. And this lack of sight and hearing is a proof of
nothing but their own inferi