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23 April 1912 |
Today I am most happy, for I see here a gathering of the servants
of God. I see white and black sitting together. There are no whites
and blacks before God. All colors are one, and that is the color of
servitude to God. Scent and color are not important. The heart is
important. If the heart is pure, white or black or any color makes no
difference. God does not look at colors; He looks at the hearts. He
whose heart is pure is better. He whose character is better is more
pleasing. He who turns more to the Abhá Kingdom is more advanced.
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In the realm of existence colors are of no importance. Observe
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in the mineral kingdom colors are not the cause of discord. In the
vegetable kingdom the colors of multicolored flowers are not the
cause of discord. Rather, colors are the cause of the adornment of
the garden because a single color has no appeal; but when you observe
many-colored flowers, there is charm and display.
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The world of humanity, too, is like a garden, and humankind are
like the many-colored flowers. Therefore, different colors constitute
an adornment. In the same way, there are many colors in the
realm of animals. Doves are of many colors; nevertheless, they
live in utmost harmony. They never look at color; instead, they
look at the species. How often white doves fly with black ones. In
the same way, other birds and varicolored animals never look at
color; they look at the species.
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Now ponder this: Animals, despite the fact that they lack reason
and understanding, do not make colors the cause of conflict. Why
should man, who has reason, create conflict? This is wholly unworthy
of him. Especially white and black are the descendants of
the same Adam; they belong to one household. In origin they were
one; they were the same color. Adam was of one color. Eve had
one color. All humanity is descended from them. Therefore, in
origin they are one. These colors developed later due to climates
and regions; they have no significance whatsoever. Therefore,
today I am very happy that white and black have gathered together
in this meeting. I hope this coming together and harmony reaches
such a degree that no distinctions shall remain between them, and
they shall be together in the utmost harmony and love.
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But I wish to say one thing in order that the blacks may become
grateful to the whites and the whites become loving toward the
blacks. If you go to Africa and see the blacks of Africa, you will
realize how much progress you have made. Praise be to God! You
are like the whites; there are no great distinctions left. But the
blacks of Africa are treated as servants. The first proclamation of
emancipation for the blacks was made by the whites of America.
How they fought and sacrificed until they freed the blacks! Then it
spread to other places. The blacks of Africa were in complete bondage,
but your emancipation led to their freedom also—that is, the
European states emulated the Americans, and the emancipation
proclamation became universal. It was for your sake that the
whites of America made such an effort. Were it not for this effort,
universal emancipation would not have been proclaimed.
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Therefore, you must be very grateful to the whites of America,
and the whites must become very loving toward you so that you
may progress in all human grades. Strive jointly to make extraordinary
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progress and mix together completely. In short, you must be
very thankful to the whites who were the cause of your freedom in
America. Had you not been freed, other blacks would not have
been freed either. Now—praise be to God!—everyone is free and
lives in tranquillity. I pray that you attain to such a degree of good
character and behavior that the names of black and white shall
vanish. All shall be called human, just as the name for a flight of
doves is dove. They are not called black and white. Likewise with
other birds.
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I hope that you attain to such a high degree—and this is impossible
except through love. You must try to create love between
yourselves; and this love does not come about unless you are
grateful to the whites, and the whites are loving toward you, and
endeavor to promote your advancement and enhance your honor.
This will be the cause of love. Differences between black and
white will be completely obliterated; indeed, ethnic and national
differences will all disappear.
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I am very happy to see you and thank God that this meeting is
composed of people of both races and that both are gathered in
perfect love and harmony. I hope this becomes the example of universal
harmony and love until no title remains except that of humanity.
Such a title demonstrates the perfection of the human
world and is the cause of eternal glory and human happiness. I pray
that you be with one another in utmost harmony and love and strive
to enable each other to live in comfort.
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