alized, steadily continue. Such an evolution must persist until such
time when that nation will, through the active and decisive part it will
have played in the organization and the peaceful settlement of the affairs
of mankind, have attained the plenitude of its powers and functions as an
outstanding member, and component part, of a federated world.

The immediate future must, as a result of this steady, this gradual, and
inevitable absorption in the manifold perplexities and problems afflicting
humanity, be dark and oppressive for that nation. The world-shaking ordeal
which Baha'u'llah, as quoted in the foregoing pages, has so graphically
prophesied, may find it swept, to an unprecedented degree, into its
vortex. Out of it it will probably emerge, unlike its reactions to the
last world conflict, consciously determined to seize its opportunity, to
bring the full weight of its influence to bear upon the gigantic problems
that such an ordeal must leave in its wake, and to exorcise forever, in
conjunction with its sister nations of both the East and the West, the
greatest curse which, from time immemorial, has afflicted and degraded the
human race.

Then, and only then, will the American nation, molded and purified in the
crucible of a common war, inured to its rigors, and disciplined by its
lessons, be in a position to raise its voice in the councils of the
nations, itself lay the cornerstone of a universal and enduring peace,
proclaim the solidarity, the unity, and maturity of mankind, and assist in
the establishment of the promised reign of righteousness on earth. Then,
and only then, will the American nation, while the community of the
American believers within its heart is consummating its divinely appointed
mission, be able to fulfill the unspeakably glorious destiny ordained for
it by the Almighty, and immortally enshrined in the writings of
'Abdu'l-Baha. Then, and only then, will the American nation accomplish
"that which will adorn the pages of history," "become the envy of the
world and be blest in both the East and the West."

SHOGHI

December 25, 1938

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE***

CREDITS

June 2006

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Joshua Hutchinson

A WORD FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG

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