...humanity is submerged so utterly in imitations, although
the Reality of Divine Religion is ever the same. Most regrettable is it that
superstitions have obscured the Reality, so that the world has become darkened
and the illumination of Religion is not apparent. This darkness is conducive to
differences because dogmas and rites are various and have become the cause of
discord between the religious systems whereas Religion is for the unification
of mankind. Religion is the cause of love amongst men, the cause of amity, the
cause of the acquisition of praiseworthy qualities, but people have become
submerged in the sea of imitation, and holding to these counterfeits, are
utterly negligent of the Reality which unifies and are bereft of the radiance
of Religion. They are holding to superstitions which are a heritage from their
fathers and ancestors. To the extent that these imitations have caused
darkness, they have taken away the light of Religion. That which was meant to
be conducive of life has become conducive of death; that which was an evidence
of knowledge has become a proof of ignorance; that which was a factor in the
sublimity of human nature has proved to be a cause of its degradation.
Therefore, the realm of the religionist has gradually disappeared and become
darkened and the world of the materialist has daily advanced. For that which
the former held to was no other than counterfeit or imitation, while holiness
and sacred Reality of Religion was neglected and discarded.
When the sun sets, it is the time for bats to fly. They soar
because they are birds of the night. As the light of Religion became darkened,
the materialistic birds began to fly. They are the bats of night. As the sun of
religion sets it is their time for activity. The world has been darkened and
clouds have spread over it.
His Holiness Baha’u’llah has appeared from the eastern
horizon. Like unto a sun He has come into the world. He has reflected the
Reality of Divine Religion and dispelled the darkness of imitation, He has laid
down the foundation for new Teachings, and thereby resuscitated the earth.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, June 9, 1912, Baptist Temple, Philadelphia; Star of
the West, vol. 5, no. 7, July 13, 1914)
