儿童教育（1）

 《巴哈伊信仰的儿童教育理念》

A.Q. Faizi先生和妻子

从人的内在裡把人的优良本性挖掘出来，加以擦亮，这样教导出来的将是新世代的人类。本文根据本世纪最伟大的导师巴哈欧拉的着作而编撰而成的轮廓性报导，曾推动无数人成为杰出的人物，乃不可多得之作。

A.Q. Faizi讲述       李开璇译

第1部份：缘起

我这儿谈的，只是一个概括性的轮廓。如果你认真阅读巴哈欧拉和阿博都巴哈的着作，你可以把内容自己填上去。

巴哈欧拉和阿博都巴哈的书简没有注明日期，而且写在散乱的纸上。他们并没有写过儿童教育的书。我是从许多不同的地方，把他们的观点综合起来，整理出这套儿童教育的观点。

我曾旅行波斯，有时骑马，有时步行，到处云游。每到一处，我都向当地人查询，有否保存了巴哈伊圣人亲手写的书简。如果有，我就要求他们让我阅读。如此，我收到了好些手稿，我常在夜裡拿出来阅读。有时我把它们重抄，分成不同的部首收集起来。这本书就是这样编成的。

今天我们都在谈儿童教育。这是人类历史上，最美丽的一个课题。可是，没有任何一位先知，曾经全面阐述这个课题。

我要谈的一些事，你起初听起来可能觉得失望。我请你不要抗拒它，因为这些话语，其实来自上天。

为什麽要强调上天的圣言呢？因为，在我们的人生之中，不能没有标准。如果没有了标准，即便是最简单的一宗买卖，也必定不能做好。

当我说，这是上天的话语，我是指这些话源自巴哈欧拉。祂的话就是标准。这是一位创立了人类的殿堂、创生了所有人的大智者。我们应听信于祂，不宜跟随被造者庸俗的语言。

世俗的言论，观念天天改变，理论天天不同。

这是一个麦克风，假如我们随自己的好恶来使用它，可能不到半句钟就给弄坏了。但是，假如你依照制造它的厂商所给的指示来使用，它就正常而耐用。

上帝创造了一个美丽的东西，叫做儿童。这是上天送给我们的最好的礼物。可是，我们却要照自己的方法来训练他们，那就很有可能把它搞砸了。我们的无知，可能把他们带进迷惑的荒野。

要是你细心依照上天的指示，努力塑造他们，你从他们身上，可以发现创造者的神奇。

第2部份：儿童的定义

“儿童是上帝的宝库”

上帝以各种名称来形容人。其中一个是：“人是上天的奇迹”。这个定义是巴哈欧拉下的。你请留意，这可是巴哈伊教育的基础。

巴哈欧拉说，每个人都是一座宝库，上帝在这宝库裡存放着无数的瑰宝。然而，唯有教育，可以把这些宝物取出来，裨益人类。

这观点与时下流行的人性论，有很大的差别。人性论认为，人是由一大把神经线、慾望和情感组成的生物，必须让这些神经、慾望和情感自由发挥其本能，人才觉得舒服，人生才会圆满。

巴哈欧拉否定了这个观点，祂说，你是一个宝库，而我在你的宝库裡存放了一大批金银珠宝。教师、教授、医生这些教育工作者的任务，乃是从人身上，把这些宝物开发出来。

现今教育制度的弊端

可是，唉，我们却看到教师们和专家们，给孩子们的慾望牵着鼻子走。他们不去引导儿童进入人的生活，而是把他们引入兽性裡。要是人们能够理解“每个儿童都是一座上天的宝库”──仅仅这一点就够了──你想，会不会改变这个不良的趋势呢？

巴哈欧拉告诉我们，教育可以通过两种途径来达成，一种是语言，另一种是行为。行为的影响是非常有力的工具，它的作用也很持久。

祂说，所有隐藏在人性内裡的瑰宝，即指天份、才能这些天赋的本领，都可以通过教育，而显现出来。

祂说，适当的教育方法使一颗种籽转为丰收，使一棵幼苗长成大树。

教育者的脑子裡要经常想：人的结构有如这种籽，上天的创造是完美的，祂创造的人是完美的。然后，从这裡，人往一个精神的领域演进。

对于这个课题，我无法在此详谈。但我们不妨咀嚼这句话的意思。上天创造的人是完美的，在这物质阶段，他一切都已准备就绪，可以往首个阶段属于精神的领域演进了。一有机会，马上可以进行。

好，让我们谈谈他的机会。

确知、挖掘和发现

巴哈欧拉说，一个孩子诞生于一个家庭，等于上天送给这个家庭一个宝库。

而你，原来是上天宝库的一个看守人。家庭、学校和环境，也应儘量在这“儿童的宝库”裡进行开採。

首先，我们必须确认，这个宝库裡隐藏着无数的瑰宝，然后，把它们一一挖掘出来。第三个步骤是，去了解这些宝物的价值，并将它们擦亮。换言之，就是把这些人性的美质从儿童的内裡取出来，让它裨益人类。

孩子虽然由同一对父母所生，但是他们的本质并不都是一样的，每个孩子有他天生的特性和趋向。因每个人都是一个独立的上天的宝库，收藏的宝物也很独特。

巴哈欧拉说，通过适当的教育，可以把这些上天的宝物挖掘出来。适当的教育是一种力量，让我们得以发现及挖掘人的内心世界，及隐藏于其间的天赋才能，并且使这些特性趋予完善。

我们需要付出很大的爱心和耐性，需要对他们的行为作很多的思考，不断擦亮，以致终有一天，上天所赐的能力得以显现出来，那时，他们将充份表现出自己的本性。

每个孩子都有他的使命

在这世界上，每一个孩子都有他独一无二的位置。他有他自己的、独立的灵魂。他们之间有相同之处，但不会一模一样。因此每一个孩子都有他天生的使命，有一个属于他的位置。我们需要把这些找出来。

你读过克雷的讣告吗？伦敦政府要把一个坟场改为街道，克雷便写了一篇讣告。他说，有很多奇珍瑰宝，在未被人发现之前就被埋在这坟场裡。这话的意思是说，多少成人、儿童、少年和妇女，天赋的百宝箱尚未打开，就一命呜呼了。

那年代，生活艰苦，想想那些在工厂裡一天工作20小时的孩子们，有谁关注到他们身上美丽的本性呢？劳累过度往往使他们早死，那些潜藏在他们灵魂裡的瑰宝也就浪费了，这就是克雷的感歎。

有位波斯诗人写道：大地啊，撕开您的胸膛，让我们看看那被人遗忘的千万颗珍珠吧！

因此，我们难道不该看看是些什麽东西隐藏在孩子们的内在裡吗？不该让他们与这上天的恩惠一起成长吗？

再说，每一个儿童都有一项使命；有些儿童是上天特意遣派而来，获得上天特别的眷顾，即使整个世界起来要将他们毁灭，他们总是安全无恙。

记得摩西吧？（法老王）杀了几千个儿童，他以为摩西在裡面，然而，摩西却长在法老王自己的宫殿裡，逃过了劫数。耶稣诞生时，也有数千名儿童被杀害，然而耶稣却安然无恙。

因而，当一个上帝的宗教诞生，即使全世界起来反抗这婴儿期的宗教，它还是不会死亡的，而且总要成长。其他儿童的使命，就是替这上天的先知所带来的宗教，作传播的工作，这点需要搞清楚。

一些错误的观念

今天的哲学书本或小说作品，或那些机器般天天在写书的人所着的文字裡，通篇看不到一点有意义的东西。他们在儿童的脑海裡描绘了一幅人生苍白空虚的景象。童年是一页辛酸史，成长是一场人与生活和大自然可怜的挣扎，老年便只剩下一片无望的空白。这种错误的人生观，是要被摒弃的。

相反的，我们要让孩子们明白，巴哈欧拉的生平和祂的着作，都在告诉我们，儿童和少年时期，是我们机会最大的时期。

在这时期，他们的学习能力和才智最为旺盛，也有最多的时间学习。这是为未来的发展作好准备的时候。到了成年，就不再为学习而挣扎，而是忙着创造了。人生中的许多事，都是这时候成就的，譬如成为杰出的学者、科学家，或圣道上一位伟大的导师，或出色的演说家。

到了成年，所有潜藏在灵魂内裡最可贵的事物都表现出来了，这是争取人生最大成就的时候。当老了，退休了，大家坐在一起，并无悔恨，也不沮丧失意。相反的，回忆过去在拓荒、传教、栽培儿童、搞演奏会、作为伟大的演员、作家、演说家的璀灿岁月，共享彼此过去的荣光，他们的夕阳岁月充满光明和快乐。

这是所有巴哈伊少年应有的人生计划，永远不要接受悲观和虚无主义的人生哲学。有些人之所以悲观厌世，是因为自小在鸦片、酒精、毒品裡长大，把大好青春都浪掷了。然而我们明白生命的价值，也要让我们的儿童明白生命是什麽，每一分每一秒，对他们来说，意义何在。

第3部份：（A）遗传

遗传是不可转移，不可更动的。若有更变，也是微小的变易。因此，让我们尝试把最好的东西传给下一代。那些让自己的生命毁在长时间酗酒、吸毒、赌博的人，将把这些陈腐过时的习惯传给后嗣，他们的孩子又怎能够不迟钝呢？

我们在各方面，包括身体和灵魂，都应保持完全清洁。身体是是上帝的创造，不像这麦克风，是人的制造。麦克风的制造者有给我们使用说明，而创造了这副躯体的上天，则告诉我们，酒精对我们的身体是有害的，毒品的害处更大。

因而，让我们儘量保持清洁和神圣，这样，传给下一代的东西也必定清洁神圣。这就可以实现阿博都巴哈所说的一句话。祂说，将来，巴哈伊将成为科学家、发明家和思想家之中，最顶尖的人物。

这裡有个问题：有些人沉耽于某种不良的活动，然后生下孩子，他们会不会把自己的惩罚传给孩子呢？这是一个困难而微妙的问题。让我先引述《圣经》的简短的回答。

《旧约》有云：如果你犯了一个罪，我将报仇七代。《约翰福音》第九章，有人问耶稣，为什麽这个孩子诞生时如此这般，耶稣说，这是为了显示上帝的意愿，让人明白，神的创造不是一间工厂，老是制造同一个模样的东西。

把生命看作一个单位

在每个事件背后，都有一个意愿。但是要解答像刚才那样的问题，最重要的是，我们必需把生命看作是一个单位，而不是两个。没有所谓现世和彼岸。

当一位母亲怀孕时，一个生命就开始了。这孩子随着一副身躯来到人间。然而，与“永恆”相比，这尘世的生命只是一霎那。它必须依附在某个事物上，也就是一个身体而存在。

生命便是这样起始的，并且不停地成长，到某个程度，身体废弃了，生命却依然向前移进。因此，我们把生命看作是一个单位。

不要以为，我们现世生命中所做的一切，在肉体消亡之后就不复存在。它还是存在的。现世所干的罪过会跟着我们，去到那裡。在那裡，我们将了悟于自己所干的种种罪过。这罪在生育时对孩子构成影响。孩子在这儿受苦，而那个在另一个世界裡的灵魂，要痛苦得多，因为他知道这个罪的形成，完全出自他的无知。

巴哈欧拉写过一篇书简，祂还亲手将它从阿拉伯文译为波斯文。这是祂亲手翻译的两篇书简之一，可见祂多麽重视它，以致不要这翻译的工作假手于人。

祂说：上帝啊，你看这创造物，这个刚被造生的物体。他经过了许多世代，才来到这裡。他从一个人进入第二个人，又到第三个、第四个、第一百个，乃至第一千个，一直沿袭下来。然后，这微小的存在之宝，移置到你们之中一个女僕之身，于是这孩子诞生了。

祂究竟要告诉我们什麽呢？祂要我们明白，这不是一个偶然事件，而是一个属于永恆世界的事物。所有过去世代人所做的种种事，对这个孩子的创生都构成影响。

这是何以有先知的到来，以促使未来的世代，一代好过一代。正如石羽先生(Collis Featherstone) 所说，巴哈欧拉的到来，是为了建立一个新世代的人类，能够了解上天的计划的新生代。他们也使将来的世代更加美好。

现世的苦难不能立即消除

因此，请记住，我们目前所受的苦难，不能马上从我们的生活中消除。我已重复多次，这是一个腐败的文明所带来的苦难。这腐败中的文明，将很快变成一堆朽木。然而，在目前，我们却饱受它扑鼻的臭味所殃及，我们都是它的牺牲品。

最好的音乐是在几百年前，由不朽的音乐匠工所谱写。他们建构了喜爱音乐的感觉，提升了当代人的精神面貌。我们如今再也看不到那类音乐谱写出来。现在的音乐是另一类形，人们竟也乐得如此。

文坛过去出现莎士比亚那样的人物，可是现在我们有什麽呢？看我们的电影和戏剧，没头没尾，没意义，没感染力，没热情，没有提升精神的东西，而人们也是乐得如此。

这是现在的世界的情况，我们在採撷一个腐朽的文明的果实。因此，千万要对巴哈欧拉有耐心，祂不久即将为我们解决这所有的难题。条件是，我们必须做好我们的本份，儘我们的能力去遵从祂。

（未完）

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原文：

 

Talks given on CHILD EDUCATION by HAND OF THE CAUSE OF GOD 

A.Q. Faizi 

O God, guide me, protect me, illumine the lamp of my heart and make me a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful. 

A prayer for children by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 

The Bahá’i Faith and the Education of Children 

CONTENTS

PART 1  THE SOURCE OF THESE TEACHINGS  

Source of Reference.

 

PART 2  THE DIFINITION OF CHILDREN 

Children are Treasure Houses of God.  Present System is faulty.  Know, explore, discover.  Each child has a mission,  False conceptions

PART 3 Section A : HERIDITY 

Unchangeable.  Consider life as one unit, What we suffer now cannot be effaced immediately.

 

Section B :ENVIRONMENT   

Environment has a gravity.  Don’t be deceived by these movements. Stress should be given to Education in the home.  We must prepare our children. 

 

PART 4  PROMISES OF ABDU’L-BAHA

PART 5  EDUCATION, HOME AND SCHOOL 

Education vs. Instruction. Education is preferred to learning.  Learning and Divine Education should go hand in hand. 

 

PART 6 OBLIGATION OF PARENTS

Parents are responsible to God.  Consequences of improper Education . 

PART 7 WHAT TO BEGIN 

Conception.  Spiritual Significance of Breast Feeding.  Hearts of children must be saturated with the love of parents. Keep them with you for five years at home.  

Manners, Kindness, Politeness. Reading and Writing.  Every Child has a capacity.  Divine education and laws.  Teach them to finish what they start. Professions.  Talents. Home life .

 

Part 8 METHODS CF TEACHIIIG 

Never use Force.  Living the life.  Let them feel the love of God.  Tell stories, discuss writings. Say prayer loud in the home.  Husband & wife must support one another.  Abdu’l-Baha’s way of education. Stories of how Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha educated children.  

PART 9 FORBIDDEN ACTIONS

###

PART 1 : The Source of These Teachings 

SOURCE OF REFERENCE 

What I say is in the form of an outline. You will finish this outline and fill the gaps through your own study of the writings of Baha’u’llah and Abdul—Baha. You know, the tablets of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdul—Baha have no dates, and they’re on separate pieces of paper. 

They have not written books about this subject, and all these things that I have said are gathered from perhaps one thousand different places. I have been walking, and promenading, and travelling to different villages of Persia. Wherever I went I asked them, please if you have some original tablets, let me read there, and they brought me. At nights I used to read them and copy whatever was required, under different indexes. That is why we can’t say, for instance, in that book or this. 

THE SOURCE 0F GOD 

Today we will talk about the Education of children, one of the most beautiful subjects in the history of man, but never so completely described by any Prophet. Many of the things that I will tell you may disappoint you at the beginning, but please accept them because they are the words o God. 

Why do I emphasize so much on Words of God? Standard is the most important factor of our life. Without standard the slightest transaction will never take place in the who1e world. Now, when I say this is the Word of God, this is the Word of Baha’u’llah, a very weak person in life, because the moment He declared (His Mission) He was thrown into prison. He had no power to say no. But now He proved that whatever says is the Word of God. Therefore, the ruler (or standard) that He Gives us has the seal and the authority of God. 

Now, somebody who has created this temple of human being, who has created all human beings throughout the world, should tell us what to do with this body, not the man who himself is created. Everyday their ideas are changed. Everyday their theories are changed. 

Yesterday I gave you the example of this microphone. I said if we use this in any way we like, it will be out of order within half an hour. 

But if we work with this according to the instructions that the maker of this has given us, it will work properly. God creates these beautiful things in the name of children. They give us the best gifts of heaven, and then we want to train them in any way we like. It’s wrong! You will lead the children into a wilderness of bewilderment and loss.  

Please try yourselves, try to make the children, and you will find the miracle of creation. 

PART 2 : The Definition of Children 

CHILDREN ARE TREASURE HOUSES OF GOD 

God has addressed man in many different terms. One is that man is the mystery of God. Now please pay attention to this definition of Baha’u’llah which is the basis of Baha’i education. 

Baha’u’llah said, consider every individual as a treasure house in which God has deposited jewels which should be manifested through the process of education, and mankind benefit by them. 

See the vast difference between Baha’i understanding of human nature and what the people today understand to be human nature. This is their understanding of the mystery of man, that man is a bundle of nerves and lusts and desires and passions, and all these things need to find out free channels so that man will be comforted—will have no difficulty in life. 

Baha’u’llah says no! You are a treasure house. I have deposited within you jewels And it is incumbent upon the teachers and professors, and. the doctors of education to try to find these things in the children, 

PRESENT SYSTEM IS FAULTY 

And alas, we see even teachers and educators - those who are supposed to be experts in education — go along with the desire of the children, and they lead them to animal life rather than human life. 

Now, if the world understood only this — that each person is a treasure house of God, wouldn’t that eliminate all sorts of prejudices? Then He says to the Baha’is, education can he done in two ways: either by words or by deeds. The most great method is to educate children by deeds, This is what will have eternal influence. 

Baha’u’llah says all these precious talents, capacities, abilities, whatever you may call them concealed in man will be manifested by the proper forces of education. He says through the proper means of education a seed will be changed into a harvest, a small stern into a huge tree. 

The educators must have in mind that man is created in this way that man is in the utmost perfection of physical creation which allows him to enter the first grade of spiritual evolution. I’m sorry we don’t have time to go into detail, but we must think and think upon these things. 

Man has been created in the cause of creation and is in the utmost perfection as far as physical creation is concerned. He is perfect up to here materially. Now, when he reaches here, he is allowed to enter the first grade of spiritual evolution. He is liable to do it; he is ready to do it if we give him chances. 

KNOW, EXPLORE, DISCOVER 

He says; when a child is born into a family, that child. is a treasure house of God given to that family as a gift. You see you are the guardians of this treasure house of God. The family, school and environment must try to explore the child. 

First, we must know that this is a treasure house full of precious stones; second explore; thirds, discover what are the jewels given to the child, then polish these jewels. Bring them out of the mind. After that let the whole humanity benefit by them. 

Even the children who are born in one family (with the) same mother and father do not resemble each other. Each one has a destiny by itself. Each one is a separate treasure house of God, and each one has separate jewels, potentialities, and precious stones. 

Baha’u’llah says, by proper education you will discover these pearls of the gift of God. By proper education you will find a power by which you will dig the inner life of an individual, find its perfections, and drive that individual towards perfection. With a great deal of love and patience, and a great deal of pondering upon the behavior of children, polish them, until such time that those talents given to him or her will be manifested —they will show what they are. 

EACH CHILD HAS A MISSION 

Each child is born unique in his or her own position. The souls of each child is independent of others. There may be some similarities but not total similarities. Therefore each child has a mission in life and a place to fill. We must try to find it. 

Have you read (the) eulogy of Gray? Once they wanted to change a grave yard in London into a street, and Gray composed this eulogy. In this eulogy the central theme is this: How many precious gems are hidden in you without being discovered? (It) means how many, many men, children, young men and women have died without unfolding their treasure homes because of the lack of education, because of the sufferings that the people have. Think of the time when the children had to work in the factories twenty hours. What could they discover in them. They suffered because of these long hours of labor and they died very young. This is what Gray refers to. And a Persian poet says; 0 earth, if we tear your breast how many thousands of unseen pearls are hidden within you. Therefore why shouldn’t we try to discover what is in our children? Let them grow with these benefits and bounties of God. 

Each child has a mission, but those who are especially sent by God will be saved even if the whole world tries to kill them. Remember the story of Moses. Thousands of children were killed because they thought they were Moses, and Moses was brought up in the house of the king — the one who killed all these people. Thousands of children of Israel were killed at the time when Jesus was born and He was safe. Therefore (the) Religion of God when it is born — even if the whole world stands against this infant Child of the Faith the Faith will grow. Other children also have mission to become excellent propagators of such Faiths brought by Prophets of God. Please be sure of this. 

FALSE CONCEPTIONS 

Let’s get rid of the false conceptions of life. You read in many different books of the philosophers of today, of the novelists of today, of these people who have the machinery of writing books every day . And the whole book is meaningless all together. They inculcate in the mind of the children that childhood is misery, manhood is a miserable struggle against life and against nature. And when you get old you have just a hopeless life altogether. 

On the contrary, in the age of Baha’u’llah, and from His Writings — please let the children understand — childhood and youth form the greatest period of opportunity. All opportunities, all powers, all talents are given to the children and youth to learn, and get ready, and prepare themselves for the years which are to come. 

And when they are men and mature; women and mature; this is the time of achievement, not struggle. This is the time that they can achieve in life many different things. They can become the greatest professors; the greatest scientists the greatest teachers of the cause; the greatest speakers. Whatever is in them should be manifested at the age of manhood, and they should make the best of this age. And when they are old; they are retired; they sit together; they are not sorry; they are not in despondency and disappointment. 

On the contrary, they remember all the good years of life that they spent in pioneering in teaching; in cultivating the talents of the children; in playing music; in being a great actor; a great writer; a great speaker. They exchange memoirs of their lives together, and they make the sunset of their lives full of light and joy. This is the program of the life of all the youth under the Baha’i Faith. 

Please never accept these fatalistic ideas of life; these pessimistic ideas of life. Those people who have these pessimistic ideas have every right to be so, because they are born and fed with opium; within alcoholic beverages; within drugs; within wasting every moment of their life. But we know the value of life. Even the Baha’i children know what is life for them, what is every minute of their life. Every minute is full of meaning to them. 

 

PART 3 Section A : HEREDITY 

UNCHANGEABLE 

Heredity is unmovable, unchangeable. If it changes, the change will be very, very little. Therefore let’s try to give proper heredity to our children. Those people who spoil their lives in drinking or drugs, or long hours of gambling, and give all these out worn capacities to their generation — of course the children will be retarded. Let’s be absolutely clean in every possible way, soul and body. 

This is something made by God, like this is made by somebody. The owner of this says this is the way to work with it. The maker of this physique says to us that alcohol is detrimental to your body; drugs, more detrimental. Therefore let’s keep ourselves as clean and sacred as possible so that what we give to our children will be also clean. Such children will be the fulfillment of what ‘Abdu’l-Baha said, in future the Baha’is will be at the head of all the scientists, discoverers, and all the great thinkers of the world. 

There is also a question about the parents who had been immersed in many different things and then the child is born. Will he inherit their punishments? It’s a very difficult and detailed question. Briefly speaking I would refer you to the Bible. In the Old Testament it says if you commit a sin I will take revenge seven generations. In John’s Gospel chapter nine, somebody asks Jesus Christ why this child is born in this way. He says so that the will of God, will be shown; so that the people will understand that it’s not like a factory to give one sort of thing out. 

CONSIDER LIFE AS ONE UNIT 

There is a will behind everything. But to solve questions such as this the primal point is that we must consider life as one unit, not, two units. Not life here and life after death, Life starts the moment the child is conceived. The child is born to this world with a body, and for a little while — in comparison with eternity — the life must go on with some physical belonging, the human temple. It starts like this and reaches a place where the body will come down — but the life goes on. 

Therefore it is one unit. Therefore we should not think that what we have done during this physical life will come to an end by physical death. It will be continued. The sins that we commit in this life will be continued with us. It is over there that we realize and understand what sins we have committed. Our sins will react on the birth of our children — on the life of our children. The child suffers here, but the other one who is in the next world suffers more, because there he knows that this suffering is because of his ignorance. 

There is a Tablet by Baha’u’llah — and it is one of the two tablets which Baha’u’llah translated Himself from Arabic into Persian. See how important it is that He didn’t want anybody else to do it. He says: 0 God, You see this creature, this which is created now. He has come down from generation after generation. From one man to the other, to the third, to the fourth, hundredth, and how many thousands of generations coming down. Then this little gem of his existence is transferred into one of Your Maid Servants, and this child is born. 

What does He want to make us understand? He makes us to understand that this is not accidental event. It is something which is belonging to eternity. All the things which the generations past have done influence the creation of this child now. Therefore that is why the Prophets come, to make the life of generations of man better and better. As Collis (Featherstone) has said, Baha’u’llah has come to create a new race of men. A new race of men who will understand the Plan of God — and will make the new generations better. 

WHAT WE SUFFER NOW CAN NOT BE EFFACED IMEDIATELY 

Therefore what we suffer now — please remember — cannot be solved or effaced from our life immediately, now. This is the result, I have repeated many times, of a decaying civilization; a civilization whic1 will be soon totally dead. We are victim to the stinking smell of this corps which is dead now. 

The best music had been created centuries ago by the eternal figures in the world of music. They have created feelings to like music. They have created the spirit of the people of their time. Now that music is no more, There is other music, and the people are happy with it. There has been drama like Shakespeare etc., in the world of literature. 

Now what do we have? Look at the films, at the theatres; there is no beginning, no end, no purpose, no feeling, no enthusiasm, no exaltedness in them! And they are happy with it. This is what is happening in the world today. We are reaping the fruits of this decaying civilization. Please have patience with Baha’u’llah. He will solve all these difficulties in due time on condition that we will do our best to obey what He has done. 

( to be continued)