ence is essential, so that the foundation of this matter may become
secure, its establishment firm and its edifice strong.

Therefore Baha'u'llah, fifty years ago, expounded this question of
universal peace at a time when He was confined in the fortress of Akka and
was wronged and imprisoned. He wrote about this important matter of
universal peace to all the great sovereigns of the world, and established
it among His friends in the orient. The horizon of the east was in utter
darkness, nations displayed the utmost hatred and enmity towards each
other, religions thirsted for each other's blood, and it was darkness upon
darkness. At such a time Baha'u'llah shone forth like the sun from the
horizon of the east and illumined Persia with the lights of these
teachings.

Among His teachings was the declaration of universal peace. People of
different nations, religions and sects who followed Him came together to
such an extent that remarkable gatherings were instituted consisting of
the various nations and religions of the east. Every soul who entered
these gatherings saw but one nation, one teaching, one pathway, one order,
for the teachings of Baha'u'llah were not limited to the establishment of
universal peace. They embraced many teachings which supplemented and
supported that of universal peace.

Among these teachings was the independent investigation of reality so that
the world of humanity may be saved from the darkness of imitation and
attain to the truth; may tear off and cast away this ragged and outgrown
garment of a thousand years ago and may put on the robe woven in the
utmost purity and holiness in the loom of reality. As reality is one and
cannot admit of multiplicity, therefore different opinions must ultimately
become fused into one.

And among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is the oneness of the world of
humanity; that all human beings are the sheep of God and He is the kind
Shepherd. This Shepherd is kind to all the sheep, because He created them
all, trained them, provided for them and protected them. There is no doubt
that the Shepherd is kind to all the sheep and should there be among these
sheep ignorant ones, they must be educated; if there be children, they
must be trained until they reach maturity; if there be sick ones, they
must be cured. There must be no hatred and enmity, for as by a kind
physician these ignorant, sick ones should be treated.

And among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is that religio