The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-09


will be observed by Bahais the world
over as the one hundredth annivers-
ary of the birth Of BAHIA o'llah, great
world teacher whom they believe has
cope in fullfillment of the Books of
all seven Of the Great Systems Of
Religion. Special celebrations will
be held in New York, Chicago. San
Francisco and abroad sessions are an.
nounced in Tokyo. Japan; Shanghai,
China; Bagoon and Mandalay in Bur-
ma; Calcutta and Bombay in India;
in Cairo, Egypt, Paris and London.
Smaller cities and towns will have
evening meetings followed by a sim
pie feast.
Chicago will have weekend con-
vention from November 10th to 18th,
when the theme of the addresses will
be BAHIA o. 'llah's contribution to
world civilization. Sunday morning,
November 11th, service will be held
on the grounds where the first Bahai
temple is to be built, at Wilmette on
Lake Michigan. 1t will be called the
Mashrak-alAzkar, which means "the
dawning point of praises to God"
Money enough to start the building
of this great edifice will be an
nounced at that time. 1t is the only
spiritual edifice in this country which
has been contributed to by adherents
of the seven religions Of the world.
1t will be the first to be open to all
religionists for worship. It is to be
used for prayer and singing. not for
sermons. Other auditoriums on the
grounds will be open for addresses
and talks. In the four corners of the
gardens, which are to be wonderfully
laid out, will be built university,
hospital orphanage and hotels for
travelling Bahais. The central tenn
| pie is to be a nine-sided structure,
distinctly new in architecture,
and for many miles its light will he
seen in every direction. Inside 1t
will also be wonderfully lighted. Cry
stal will form an important part of
the unity of religion; of the accord
Of science and religion and that
words and deeds go together. Monday
November 18th. Chicago will hold a
large convention on Teaching the
Bahai Cause. This is to be attended
by Bahais throughout the Middle
West
The Bahai Revelation is not an or
ganization. The Bahai cause can
never be organized. The Bahai rev.
elation is the spirit Of this age. 1t
is the essence of all the highest
ideals Of this century. The Bahai
cause is an inclusive movement; the
teachings Of all religions and socie-
ties are found here. Christians, Jews,
Buddhists, Muhammadans, Zoroas.
trians. Thcosophists, Freemasons,
Spiritualsts, ETC., find their highest
aims in this cause. Socialists and
, philosophers find their Theories fully
developed in this revelation.
The Cause of BAHIA 'o'llah is the
same as the cause Of Christ. 1t is
the same temple and the same founda
ton. In the coming of Christ the di
vine teachings were given in accord
ance with the infancy of the human
race. The teachings of Baha'ollai
have the same basic principles, bu
are according to the stage of the ma
turnity of the world and the require
|| ments of this illumined age.
|| This Bahai Revelation, which tool
| its rise in Persia in the year 1874
j has today spread throughout tn
II world. This great movement for Sc
Il cial and spiritual reconstruction wa
/ first centered about radium youtl
called the Bah Many European his
torians have described the wonderful
charm of this pure-hearted hero o
i progressive religion who was maj
II tyred in 1850 after six years Of bri
Il ~iiant teaching.
3l After the Bab's martyrdom BAHIA
4 o1lah. Persian noble, led forwar
| the movement. He announced tn
dawn of a new age, an age whe
4 brotherhood and peace should cove
the earth even as the waters cove
the sea. His universal principles
however. were too vast for the lin
Il tied minds of his contemporaries. H
and little band Of followers wer
driven by the reactionary leaders @
81 Persia into exile and prison; and a
last. in 1868, were immured in tn
I desolate barracks of Acca in Syria
II But the prosecutions of man canno
a extinguish the light of Gods hol