Racial Amity

Racial Amity

By Louis G. Gregory

From Bahai Year Book, 1925-1926, Bahai Publishing Trust, Wilmette,
Ill., 1926, pp. 165-169
-Report of an Address given at the First Convention for Amity between
the white and colored races, held at Washington, D. C.
(JET: scanned on April 25, 2006; I have changed some orthography and
added paragraph breaks.)

"All races, tribes, sects and classes share equally in the bounty of
their Heavenly Father. The only real difference lies in the degree of
faithfulness, of obedience to the laws of God. There are some who are
as lighted torches; there are others' who shine as stars in the sky of
humanity. The lovers of mankind, these are the superior men, of
whatever nation, creed or color they may be." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris
Talks, 148)

The new springtime is the spiritual springtime, with the flow of the
light and the love of God, the Divine Unity, into the hearts of
mankind. When the springtime comes, the winter, with its decay,
degradation, and death, has passed away, and we find the sun shines
with brilliancy and splendor, and that clouds of mercy shower their
drops upon humankind. We feel these zephyrs of divine providence waft
upon all. The light of reality gleams. The human heart becomes more
tender and sympathetic to the needs of its fellow beings, and all
these vibrations of love that are transmitted from the Kingdom of God
have their play in the hearts of men and make more certain and real
this thought of brotherhood.

We have our problems to solve in this country, but let us not become
despondent over them, realizing that today the whole world is having
its problems and difficulties. There is no country in the world today
that has not difficulties equaling, if not surpassing, our own. I do
not say this with the suggestion that misery loves company, but in
order that we may not be despondent and think that these difficulties
are hindrances. The divine springtime has appeared and the great
enlightened principles, which are the light and progress of the whole
world of humanity, are set in motion.

These relate to the great peace, the universality of truth, to the
great law that humanity is one, even as God is one, to the elevation
of the station of woman, who must no longer be confined to a limited
life but be everywhere recognized as the equal and helpmeet of man.
These pertain to the universality of education, to the oneness of
language, to the solution of this economic problem which has vexed the
greatest minds of the world and its noblest hearts, and to that
supreme dynamic power, the Holy Spirit of God, whose outpouring upon
the whole world of flesh will make this a world of light, of joy, and
of triumph. "In His Name," as the Herald proclaimed, "In the name of
God, the victor of the most victorious, proclaim! God will assist all
those who arise to serve Him. No one is able to deprive Him of His
majesty, His dominion, His sovereignty; for in the Heavens and the
earth, and in all the realms of God, He is the victorious and the
conqueror!"

If we follow the Creator in all His marvelous work, we shall find that
it is characterized by infinite diversity and variety. Wherever the
human eye moves in creation we see variegated forms. In the mineral
kingdom if you should bring together a number of jewels, the diamond,
the emerald, the ruby, the sapphire, the pearl, you will find that
their combined beauty is greater than any single element.

They enhance each other's value.

Traveling through the far western country one may see thousands of
sheep gathered together in a peaceful fold, one shepherd and one fold.
The fact that some of these sheep are black and others are white does
not make the slightest difference in that community of interest, for
they know each other not by their color but by their kind, and they
love each other in response to that spirit of God which vibrates in
all creation.

One star differs from another in magnitude, but each and all of these
stars contribute to the brilliancy of the heavens. We have heard the
wonderful harmony of an orchestra. We have heard those rich strains.
Have you ever stopped to consider that in an orchestra the words, the
music, the voices, the instruments may be different; and yet exquisite
harmony, under the guidance of a great master, may come from that
orchestra?

The world has had a note of discord for many thousand years, and it
must impress itself upon every reasonable man that war, force, and
violence, are the greatest calamities that afflict the world of
mankind. But now we are striving for the note or harmony. The thought
of harmony, itself, is a happy thought, something that makes the
hearts of men joyful, something that makes their minds flash with the
gems of reality. For our own peace, safety, and salvation, we should
make every effort to bring harmony out of these discordant notes that
have been struck for time and ages throughout the world.

The races living side by side need each other. If even two communities
which are near each other cooperate, it works to the commercial
development and the happiness of both. We know the advantage and
benefit which comes through cooperation when it affects two great
nations, even though their ideals and principles and self-interest
differ in every stage of their growth; but, today we need a harmony
which is so universal that it will bind together the hearts of all
these struggling elements which make up creation.

Let us follow the guidance and the wisdom of God!

Have you stopped to observe that the clouds of His mercy shower upon
all the world of humanity; -that the air we breathe is not confined to
one church, or one synagogue, or one mosque, but the universal bounty
of God supports all life and creation? The sunshine, with its great
splendor, is not limited to this class or that class, or this race or
that race, or one nation or another, but it beautifies and glorifies
the whole realm of existence.

God's is the universal bounty and He loves all of His children. He has
provided for them out of that great love. Shall men, therefore,
reverse the purposes of God? Shall we reject the divine wisdom and
initiate a different plan? If the divine plan is one of light, shall
we make ours one of darkness? If the divine plan is one of providence,
shall we devise a plan of greed? If the divine plan is one of
altruism, shall we make ours the plan of selfishness? If the divine
plan is universal tolerance, shall we inaugurate a plan of prejudice
and pride? How can man escape disaster and humiliation if he is so
self-centered and so self-satisfied that he attempts to reverse the
principles of God?

The races living side by side have a common origin and a common
destiny. From God we came and to Him we return, and we have many
things in common. We live in the same favored land; we are warmed by
the same sunshine; we strive for those same virtues and ideals which
adorn and beautify the home; we have the same virtue of patriotism
(and may this embrace the world!); we speak the same language; and,
most significant of all, we profess the same religion.

If we but put our religion into practice, and do not quarrel about its
form, this alone would be sufficient to solve any human problem.

But there is more than this to consider.

In the past the white people of America have done a very noble service
to the colored people of our land, and this is something we should
stop to consider. About the time of the civil war you fought each
other for our freedom. That is one thing which we should not wish to
forget.

The eloquent Senator has referred to the progress made by the colored
people in America as distinguished from their backward condition in
Africa. This, too, is a service which has come to us through you, from
contact with your civilization. This is something that we should
appreciate. This is something that all thoughtful people must
appreciate. On the other hand, if you stop to consider the other side
of the question you may find that there are some services which are
valuable which the black people of America have rendered the white
people.

Lest I, who am outwardly identified with one racial group should be
thought to be claiming too much for my own, I wish to quote to you the
ideas of two distinguished southerners: Passing through the city of
Atlanta a few months ago I saw the statue to the Hon. Henry W. Grady,
a statesman of the New South, and one of its most brilliant advocates,
now passed away. It was this enlightened statesman and friend of men
who declared that one of the greatest mistakes ever made was that this
country did not erect a monument to commemorate the loyalty and
fidelity of black men and women during that awful period of the civil
war.

About a year ago it was my pleasure to listen to an ex-confederate
soldier, Doctor Boags of Florida, a man bowed by the weight of 80
years, who had come from his home in Florida, leaving a sick bed, and
had taken a journey to Washington to speak upon this very question.
The subject which he selected was the golden rule applied to the race
question, and the eloquent speech which he delivered was a vibration
of love. He said more for us, that ex-confederate veteran, than we are
willing, in our most sanguine moments, to claim for ourselves. So I
say to you that these enlightened souls saw the relationships of these
races to each other. It is only by co-operation, mutual appreciation,
and good will that we can get anywhere in the solution of these
problems that vex us.

If this room were filled with darkness we could not remove that
darkness by intensifying the darkness, nor can we remove discord from
the face of the earth by increasing discord. Darkness has no reality.
Darkness is only the absence of light. When the light comes in,
darkness disappears of its own motion. So all the turmoil, and
distress, and hatred in the world are only the absence of this divine,
perfect love.

Therefore let us shed the light of divine love, a real love, upon all
of our fellow beings, a love for the sake of God, a love which has no
limits, no boundaries of race, or country, or clime, or color, or
creed, but is a universal reality of the Sun of Truth shining from the
very Throne of God. Such a love will remove all these questions from
the world and will make us realize our relations to each other as we
realize first of all our relations to God. Without knowing the divine
bounty and the divine love a man cannot know even himself.

I believe that under the providence of God this Nation of ours has a
bright destiny - it may reach it through sorrow, I hope it may achieve
it through joy - and that is, as has been so eloquently expressed by
our noble friend, the nations of the whole earth are looking to
America for peace, for the example of ideal brotherhood.

If they are asking us for bread, shall we give them a stone?

I believe that America, under the inspiration of divine Guidance, will
fulfill the high ideal of this noble destiny by fusing with the fire
of love, into one harmonious brotherhood all the variegated elements
of which this world is composed, and it is incumbent upon each
individual, just insofar as he can, to contribute to this ideal
brotherhood; and not only theorize about such a condition, but put his
thoughts into action; for the wise man today is the man who makes his
knowledge practical.

Speaking about the interrelations between the white and colored
people; some months ago, traveling through the city of Monroe I met a
friend who travels much and uses his eyes. He told me one of his
impressions. He said that if, traveling through a section of the
South, he came into a community and in this community saw nothing but
white people he could immediately form a correct impression by their
general bearing and manners, about the habits of their colored
neighbors. But if, on the other hand, he saw nothing but colored
people of the community, he could also form a very vivid and correct
impression of the habits and manners of the white people.

Now this may seem somewhat far-fetched, but you can see that it is the
logical condition with regard to these civilizations so closely
associated for centuries, that one should be but the reflex of the
other. Therefore, instead of being critical toward our fellow beings,
we can most happily occupy our time by considering what contribution
we can ourselves make to the spirit of peace and brotherhood
throughout the world.

If our thoughts, and our aims, and our ideals are constructive, they
will be supported in this day by divine confirmation and, will bring
this light of peace and brotherhood to all the people of the world.

Let us not for a moment be despondent, for the glorious Sun of Reality
has dawned and the light of that Sun now illumines the whole world. It
is only for us to discover what a great bounty God has provided for
us. "To the state of holiness He calls us!" To the exalted state of
peace and ideal brotherhood he summons us! If we bring the best
treasures of our minds and the noblest resources of our hearts, coming
to the aid of the Lord against the mighty support this happy
condition, He will give to us that inward peace which shall leave its
bright traces in all the realm of existence. It will make us true men
and women; it will make us the torch-bearers of the light of God and
will enable us to transmit a radiance by which the peace and pleasure
and happiness of the whole world of existence will be adorned.

And there is nothing more glorious for man than to realize this bright
destiny. God is with us! We can not fail if we are firm in His
covenant and steadfast in His commands. This gloomy age will pass away
and the radiance of the divine love will penetrate the whole earth,
for as 'Abdu'l-Baha the Great Teacher says,

"There is a mysterious power at work in the hearts which moves the
rocks, which rends the mountains, which creates new spiritual worlds,
which administers all complicated and difficult affairs."

This power will not fail, for it is the vibration that emanates from
the Kingdom of God.

JET, Note: the above is evidently a paraphrase of the following:
"There is a power in this Cause, a mysterious power, far, far, far
away from the ken of men and angels. That invisible power is the
source of all these outward activities. It moves the hearts. It rends
the mountains. It administers the complicated affairs of the Cause. It
inspires the friends. It dashes into a thousand pieces all the forces
of opposition. It creates new spiritual worlds. This is a mystery of
the Kingdom of Abha." (quoted in Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Diary Notes, July
7, 1914, in Baha'i Scriptures, #622, p. 304)

--
John Taylor

badijet@gmail.com