t of the World. And
again:--"Blessed is he who prefers his brother before himself; such an one
is of the people of Baha."--Words of Paradise.

'Abdu'l-Baha tells us we must be "as one soul in many bodies, for the more
we love each other, the nearer we shall be to God." To an American
audience He said:--

Likewise the divine religions of the holy Manifestations of God
are in reality one though in name and nomenclature they differ.
Man must be a lover of the light no matter from what day-spring it
may appear. He must be a lover of the rose no matter what soil it
may be growing. He must be a seeker of the truth no matter from
what source it come. Attachment to the lantern is not loving the
light. Attachment to the earth is not befitting but enjoyment of
the rose which develops from the soil is worthy. Devotion to the
tree is profitless but partaking of the fruit is beneficial.
Luscious fruits no matter upon what tree they grow or where they
may be found must be enjoyed. The word of truth no matter which
tongue utters it must be sanctioned. Absolute verities no matter
in what book they be recorded must be accepted. If we harbor
prejudice it will be the cause of deprivation and ignorance. The
strife between religions, nations and races arises from
misunderstanding. If we investigate the religions to discover the
principles underlying their foundations we will find they agree,
for the fundamental reality of them is one and not multiple. By
this means the religionists of the world will reach their point of
unity and reconciliation.

Again He says:--

Every soul of the beloved ones must love the others and withhold
not his possessions and life from them, and by all means he must
endeavor to make the other joyous and happy. But these others must
also be disinterested and self-sacrificing. Thus may this Sunrise
flood the horizons, this Melody gladden and make happy all the
people, this divine Remedy become the panacea for every disease,
this Spirit of Truth become the cause of life for every soul.

Severance

Devotion to God implies also severance from everything that is not of God,
severance, that is, from all selfish and worldly, and ever other-worldly
desires. The path of God may lie through riches or poverty, health or
sickness, through palace or dungeon, rose garden or torture chamber.
Whichever i