needed.

I ask you all, each one of you, to follow well the light of truth, in the
Holy Teachings, and God will strengthen you by His Holy Spirit so that you
will be enabled to overcome the difficulties, and to destroy the
prejudices which cause separation and hatred amongst the people. Let your
hearts be filled with the great love of God, let it be felt by all; for
every man is a servant of God, and all are entitled to a share of the
Divine Bounty.

Especially to those whose thoughts are material and retrograde show the
utmost love and patience, thereby winning them into the unity of
fellowship by the radiance of your kindness.

If you are faithful to your great work, following the Holy Sun of Truth
without swerving, then will the blessed day of universal brotherhood dawn
on this beautiful city.

THE PITIFUL CAUSES OF WAR, AND THE DUTY OF EVERYONE TO STRIVE FOR PEACE

October 21st

'Abdu'l-Baha said:

I hope you are all happy and well. I am not happy, but very sad. The news
of the Battle of Benghazi grieves my heart. I wonder at the human savagery
that still exists in the world! How is it possible for men to fight from
morning until evening, killing each other, shedding the blood of their
fellow-men: And for what object? To gain possession of a part of the
earth! Even the animals, when they fight, have an immediate and more
reasonable cause for their attacks! How terrible it is that men, who are
of the higher kingdom, can descend to slaying and bringing misery to their
fellow-beings, for the possession of a tract of land!

The highest of created beings fighting to obtain the lowest form of
matter, earth! Land belongs not to one people, but to all people. This
earth is not man's home, but his tomb. It is for their tombs these men are
fighting. There is nothing so horrible in this world as the tomb, the
abode of the decaying bodies of men.

However great the conqueror, however many countries he may reduce to
slavery, he is unable to retain any part of these devastated lands but one
tiny portion--his tomb! If more land is required for the improvement of the
condition of the people, for the spread of civilization (for the
substitution of just laws for brutal customs)--surely it would be possible
to acquire peaceably the necessary extension of territory.

But war is made for the satisfaction of men's ambition; for the sake of
worldly gain to the few, terrible misery is brought to numberless homes,
break