BahÃĄâ•Žuâ•ŽllÃĄh and the New Era - Knowledge Rush

148 Baháâuâlláh and the New Era‘It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his wholoveth the world.’”—Tablet of the World. And again:—“Blessedis he who prefers his brother before himself; such an one is ofthe people of Bahá.”—Words of Paradise.‘Abdu’l-Bahá 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 ofGod are in reality one though in name and nomenclature theydiffer. Man must be a lover of the light no matter from whatday-spring it may appear. He must be a lover of the rose nomatter what soil it may be growing. He must be a seeker of thetruth no matter from what source it come. Attachment to thelantern is not loving the light. Attachment to the earth is notbefitting but enjoyment of the rose which develops from thesoil is worthy. Devotion to the tree is profitless but partakingof the fruit is beneficial. Luscious fruits no matter upon whattree they grow or where they may be found must be enjoyed.The word of truth no matter which tongue utters it must besanctioned. Absolute verities no matter in what book they berecorded must be accepted. If we harbor prejudice it will bethe cause of deprivation and ignorance. The strife between religions,nations and races arises from misunderstanding. If weinvestigate the religions to discover the principles underlyingtheir foundations we will find they agree, for the fundamentalreality of them is one and not multiple. By this means thereligionists of the world will reach their point of unity andreconciliation.Again He says:—Every soul of the beloved ones must love the others andwithhold not his possessions and life from them, and by allmeans he must endeavor to make the other joyous and happy.