The collective writings of the Báb are known as The Bayan. These treat chiefly of the coming of Bahá'u'lláh, containing exhortations to the people calling them to purify themselves and prepare to meet the Promised One that they might be fitted to serve Him.

Bahá'u'lláh wrote many treatises in the form of books and epistles in which He demonstrates the oneness of the spirit of all of the former religious teachings; also treating of the present teachings in its relation to the religions of the past. A number of these writings were in reply to special questions asked by men of learning and were therefore written from various points of thought, Moslem, Jewish, Christian, etc.

The writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá are many and are chiefly in the form of letters or Tablets, explanatory of the spirit and the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. In `Abdu'l-Bahá's life of service to humanity is His method of teaching, through which means He gives life, vigor and a penetrative force to His words. His verbal teachings, much of which is reported and circulated in manuscript and in printed form, consists of explanations, given to various inquirers, regarding the Cause and its doctrines, together with exhortations to the followers and certain principles and truths, the pursuance of which is conducive to the best secular as well as spiritual welfare of mankind.

Eternal life is the state of soul of spiritually quickened man. All souls exist as entities after the separation from the material body. However, from the spiritual standpoint, this mere existence is not "life." Only those souls who are awake to the glory of God can be said to be divinely awake and alive and of the life eternal. This spiritual awakening is from God. It is His gift and greatest bounty to man. By virtue of the truth and spirit revealed to humanity through the Prophets and Manifestations, man's soul is awakened from slumber, and, through in the world, yet he lives in a higher realm from which he receives divine strength and force.

According to the Bahá'í teaching heaven and hell are conditions of the soul. The soul which lives in God is in that divine state called heaven, while one not yet awakened to the glory of God is in a state of darkness, or hell. The coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth has been the one theme of Christ and the Prophets. All have spoken of this epoch in different terminology, but in reality they all spoke of the one great age of divine enlightenment — a time when faith should replace unbelief, and when divine knowledge should replace ignorance and superstition, and the Bahá'í Cause teaches that the world is now in the early dawn of that new day and age.

In addition to the purely spiritual teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, He ordered certain changes in the manners and customs of people, through the observance of which the world in general will be helped both materially and spiritually. He exhorts the Bahá'ís to be tolerant, and in no way to separate themselves from other people, nor denounce those of other beliefs. All men are free to believe as they wish, but all are advised to unite in faith and to lay aside the prejudices and superstitions of past ages. Warfare should be abolished and international questions settled by arbitration. A universal language is favored as a means of bringing people together in unity. Legislation should be representative. The Bahá'ís should be peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Their thought should be humanitarian before all else. Faith without works is not acceptable. One's worship should be supplemented by a pure and useful life in the world. Men and women should marry. Asceticism is discouraged. Monogamy is taught. Harshness and hatred are to be overcome by gentleness and love. Man should not use intoxicants as a beverage. Opium and kindred drug habits are denounced as is also gambling.

Bahá'u'lláh forbade mendicity, slavery, cruelty to animals and many other abuses which our western civilization has already remedied, so it is hardly necessary here to mention them. The following of these ordinances is already producing its good effect in the many Bahá'í centers throughout the world, and good fruits are coming therefrom.

Prayer supplemented by a pure and useful life in this world form the elements of true worship. Faith without works is not acceptable. Every man should have an occupation which conduces to the welfare of humanity, the diligent pursuance of which is in itself an act of worship.

In this Cause there is no priesthood nor clergy. Each soul approaches God in prayer without sacred rite nor ceremony. Temples open to all people of all religions are to be provided for reading, mediation and prayer. These are to be surrounded by hospices, hospitals, asylums, schools, universities, etc., the whole group of buildings to be known as a "Mashriqu'l-Adhkár," which translated from the Arabic literally means "The dawning point of the mentions (of God)." In these institutions is symbolized both the spiritual worship and the humanitarian service as taught by Bahá'u'lláh.

A few years ago in the city of Ashkhabad in Russian Turkestan a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár was built. At present the Bahá'ís throughout the world are uniting in the work of building the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in America, which is to be erected upon the shores of Lake Michigan near the city of Chicago.

Of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár to be built in Chicago, `Abdu'l-Bahá has spoken as follows:

"Now the day has arrived in which the edifice of God, the divine sanctuary, the spiritual temple, shall be erected in America.

"The accessories of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár are numerous. Among them are the school for orphans, the great college for the higher arts, hospital, home for the cripples and hospice. The doors of these places are to be opened to all sects — no differentiations. When these accessories are completed, and, by God's help and aid, the departments full systematized, it will be proved that the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár is to human society a great bounty and a great blessing.

"In brief, through the unlimited bounties of God, I am hopeful that the beloved ones of God in America may be aided and confirmed in founding this might and solid foundation and gradually annex thereto its accessories.

"When these institutions, college, hospital, hospice and establishments for the incurables, university for the study of higher sciences and giving post-graduate courses, and other philanthropic buildings are built, its doors will be opened to all the nations and religions. There will be absolutely no line of demarcation drawn. Its charities will be dispensed irrespective of color or race. Its gates will be flung wide open to mankind; prejudice toward none, love for all. The central building will be devoted to the purpose of prayer and worship. Thus, for the first time, religion will become harmonized with science, and science will be the handmaid of religion, both showering their material and spiritual gifts on all humanity. In this way the people will be lifted out of the quagmires of slothfulness and bigotry."

Through a broad and liberal education along scientific, material and intellectual lines, balanced by a knowledge of man's moral and spiritual duties and relation to God, the Bahá'ís believe that the superstitions of the past will disappear and with them the prejudice and ignorance which have always made for man's limitation. The Bahá'í Movement stand strongly for the freedom and education of women, even going so far as to teach that it is more necessary for parents to educate their girls than their boys. Women being the mothers and the early teachers of the children of the race, it is more necessary that they be educated than men. In the Orient, where the condition of ignorance and general degradation among the women is so widespread, the condition of the Bahá'í women is so far superior to that of the women in general in the countries in which they live as to be one of the clear demonstrations of the awakening of these peoples and their freedom from their former religious institutions which denied educational advantages to women. Particularly in the Moslem countries are the women denied culture and education by the established rule of theology, but now through the dawn of this new day and age all these limitations of the past are disappearing before the light of Truth.

Religious differences have been the chief cause of warfare, while religious sympathy and understanding have always made for peace and prosperity. Prior to the beginning of the Bahá'í Movement, little or nothing was being taught or written about peace, arbitration, universal language, suffrage nor other universal institutions. During the past three-quarters of a century, however, the world has awakened to the necessity for all of these institutions for which the Bahá'í Cause stands; and now the most enlightened people are realizing that the lack of spiritual or religious understanding, with the accompanying lack of moral perception, is the real cause of our human ills and the cataclysmic conditions through which the world is now passing.

While Bahá'u'lláh's teaching was ahead of the world of His day, the world of today is realizing more and more the value of that teaching. The supply and the demand are now meeting, from which better conditions will result.

The Bahá'ís believe in a federation of all the nations, both large and small, and the establishment of a world parliament for the judicial settlement of international disputes. In treating of this matter of peace between the nations, `Abdu'l-Bahá says:

"A tribunal will be under the power of God, and under the protection of all men. Each one must obey the decisions of this tribunal, in order to arrange the difficulties of every nation.

"About fifty years ago in the Book of Aqdas, Bahá'u'lláh commanded the people to establish the Universal Peace and summoned all the nations to the Divine Banquet of international arbitration so that the questions of boundaries, of national honor and property and of vital interests between nations might be decided by an arbitral court of justice.

"Remember these precepts were given more than half a century ago — at that moment no one spoke of universal peace — nor of any of these principles, but Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed them to all the sovereigns of the world. . . . They are the spirit of this age; the light of this age; they are the well-being of this age."

The imaginations and superstitions of the religious systems of the past, are against common sense and science, for these are but the thoughts of men of the ages. The universal basic spiritual truths of religion, upon the contrary, accord with science. When men understand the true principles of religion no conflict will be found between them and the material sciences.

According to the Bahá'í teaching, spirit or life force is of five kinds: vegetable, animal, human, and divinely spiritual life of the soul, and the Infinite unknowable Spirit of God. Man was created man, a species apart and above the vegetable and animal conditions. Through the spiritual influences of the Manifestations of God's Word, or the Prophets, man becomes characterized by the divinely spiritual qualities, and adds to his human nature the spiritual nature, or the life eternal.

The Bahá'ís see true religion itself as a scientific fact, for to them the true philosophy of religion is the statement or the science of the higher spiritual laws of that plain of being known as The Kingdom of God. Through the working of these divine laws and a knowledge thereof, humanity arises from the state of spiritual ignorance which characterizes the so-called "natural" or savage man, and becomes quickened by the process of the higher life. Thus, through a knowledge of the basic principles of religion, and through the wisdom which the living spirit of religion instills into the soul, the true religious man is freed from the thraldom of ignorance and superstition, which imprisons the soul, and he finds ample opportunity and scope for the development of the highest and noblest virtues peculiar to that plane of being known as The Kingdom of God.

One of the greatest obstacles to overcome before universal brotherhood and peace can come is the natural lack of confidence and understanding between the Oriental and occidental peoples. The Orient has always been the source of the world's spiritual inspiration, while in the Occident has appeared the fruition of this inspiration in the form of a highly evolved civilization. Through the Bahá'í teachings this chasm between the East and the West is bridged, and for the first time in history Oriental and Occidental are meeting on a common ground of sympathy and understanding.

Co-operation is the basic principle upon which all institutions should be founded. The co- operation of all for the good of all. Laws should be so regulated that it will be impossible for one man to enrich himself at the expense of another. Through the proper adjustment of political and commercial relations between individuals and nations all will live in harmony, happiness and in plenty.

Bahá'u'lláh arranged for the guidance and the welfare of His cause by appointing `Abdu'l-Bahá "The Center of His Covenant," to whom the people turned for guidance. And `Abdu'l-Bahá arranged that after Him the people should turn to Shoghi Effendi, whom He appointed "The Guardian of the Cause and Head of the House of Justice" — a body of men chosen from the believers because of their spiritual qualifications for wisdom and divine knowledge.

The business affairs of the Bahá'í Movement will then be conducted by these assemblies of consultation. In addition to the local Houses of Justice, there will be a general assembly of consultation composed of representatives from all parts of the world. This will be known as "The Universal House of Justice."

The teaching is given without money and without price. Teachers are usually self-supporting, giving their time and services, the recompense for which is the joy and satisfaction of serving in the cause of Truth, but in rare instances persons of means have been known to provide traveling and living expenses enabling certain speakers and teachers for a time to extend the field of their labors. Teaching consists of first living the principles of the Cause in one's inner life and then speaking to others. Unless a teacher lives the life of which he preaches his words will have no effect upon the hearts of others.

All Bahá'ís are servants of the Cause and are supposed to promulgate the teachings, each in his own sphere — each working according to his ability. Some are able to go about through the world teaching and preaching, while others carry on their religious work in conjunction with their material affairs. The Bahá'ís in no way form a close sect or cult. They do not separate themselves from other people. Their work is ever outward and in the world where they are diffusing spiritual knowledge and serving humanity.

In the following words of `Abdu'l-Bahá He instructs teachers how they should teach:

"The intention of the teacher must be pure, his heart independent, his spirit attracted, his thought at peace, his resolution firm, his magnanimity exalted and in the love of God a shining torch.

"Should he become as such, his sanctified breath will even affect the rock; otherwise there will be no result whatsoever. As long as a soul is not perfected, how can he efface the defects of others?

" Unless he is detached from aught else save God, how can he teach severance to others?"