the highest judicial and legislative
levels, respectively, of two of the world's major nations--were victories
of the spirit as important in their way as those won in the teaching
field. They help to open those doors through which Baha'u'llah's healing
influence begins to touch the life of society itself.

XI

The image used by 'Abdu'l-Baha to capture for His hearers the coming
transformation of society was that of light. Unity, He declared, is the
power that illuminates and advances all forms of human endeavour. The age
that was opening would come in the future to be regarded as "the century
of light", because in it universal recognition of the oneness of humankind
would be achieved. With this foundation in place, the process of building
a global society embodying principles of justice will begin.

The vision was enunciated by the Master in several Tablets and addresses.
Its fullest expression occurs in a Tablet addressed by 'Abdu'l-Baha to
Jane Elizabeth Whyte, wife of the former Moderator of the Free Church of
Scotland. Mrs. Whyte was an ardent sympathizer of the Baha'i teachings,
had visited the Master in 'Akka and would later make arrangements for the
particularly warm reception that met Him in Edinburgh. Using the familiar
metaphor of "candles", 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote to Mrs. Whyte:

O honored lady!... Behold how its [unity's] light is now dawning upon the
world's darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political
realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second
candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of
which will erelong be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom
which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion
which is the corner-stone of the foundation itself, and which, by the
power of God, will be revealed in all its splendor. The fifth candle is
the unity of nations--a unity which in this century will be securely
established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as
citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races,
making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The
seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal
tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and
every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of
the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization.(144)

While it