The Master and Lidja Z.
By
We are now committed to going to the annual Esperanto meeting at Silver Bay YMCA resort. I am preparing an illustrated talk based on an address the Master gave in Scotland to a group of Esperantists, the only talk of the Master to Esperantists that I know of which includes both the English and the Esperanto translations. While I am at it, here are some selections from more or less contemporary material on Esperanto in English, first from the Master, then from Lidja Zamenhof, the daughter of the inventor of Esperanto who became a Baha'i and was eventually killed by the Nazis during WWII.
In Star of the West, Vol. 11, p. 287, is a small compilation on the Universal Language. Here is part of that.
In Sept. 1901: Abdu'l-Baha said to some pilgrims,
"The differences between this Revelation and that of Jesus Christ are, that in this cycle all the inhabitants of the world will be gathered into one nation; universal peace will prevail, bloodshed and war will cease; there will be a universal language; union and harmony will reach its highest state."
In December, 1912, Abdu'l-Baha said: "through
While on a visit at
"The tenth principle is the establishment of a universal language so that we will not have to acquire so many languages in the future. In schools they will study two, the mother tongue and the international auxiliary language. The use of an international auxiliary language will become a great means of dispelling the differences between nations."
Address by Abdu'l-Baha at the Esperanto Banquet, given at Hotel Moderns in
In the human world there are two kinds of undertakings, universal and particular. The result of every universal undertaking is infinite, and the outcome of every particular undertaking is finite. In this age all the human problems which create a general interest are universal and their results are likewise universal, for humanity has become interdependent."
Today international laws have great influence, international policies are bringing nations nearer to one another. Therefore it is a general axiom that in the human world every universal affair commands attention, and its results and benefits are limitless; therefore let us say that every universal cause is divine and every special matter is human."
For instance, the universal light is from the sun, therefore it is divine. Special light which is electric and which has illumined this banquet hall is through the invention of man. By this I mean that all the affairs in the world of humanity which are trying to establish solidarity between nations and infuse the spirit of universalism in the hearts are divine. Consequently we can say that the international auxiliary language is one of the greatest virtues of the world of humanity, for such an instrument will remove misunderstandings from amongst the people, and will cement their hearts together. The universal auxiliary language will be the means for each individual in the world of humanity to become enabled to be informed of the scientific accomplishments of all his fellow men.
The basis of knowledge and the excellencies of the world are to teach and be taught. To acquire sciences, and to teach them in turn, depends on language; therefore, when the international auxiliary language becomes universal, it is easily conceivable that the acquirement of knowledge and instruction will likewise become universal.
No doubt you are aware that in the past ages a common language shared by various nations created a spirit of interdependence and solidarity among them. For instance, one thousand three hundred years ago there were very many divergent nationalities in the Orient. There were Copts in
The study of this common language by all made them as one nation. We know very well today that the Assyrians are not Arabs, that the Copts, Syrians, Chaldeans and Egyptians are not Arabs. Each one of these nations belongs to its own sphere of nationality, but, as they all began to study the Arabic language, making it a vehicle of intercommunication, today, they are all considered as one. They are so united that it is impossible to break this indissoluble bond.
Today in
Today the causes of differences in
The purpose of my remarks is, that, in the world of humanity, the greatest influence which will work for unity and harmony among the nations is the teaching of a universal language. Every intelligent man will bear testimony to this, and there is no further need of argument or evidence.
Therefore His Holiness Baha'u'llah wrote about this international language more than forty years ago. He says that as long as an international language is not invented complete union between the various sections of the world will be unrealized, for we observe that misunderstandings keep people from mutual association, and these misunderstandings will not be dispelled except through an international auxiliary language. Generally speaking the whole people of the Orient are not fully informed of the events in the West, neither can the Westerners put themselves in sympathetic touch with the Easterners -- their thoughts are enclosed in a casket -- the international language will be the master key to open it. Were we in possession of this universal language, the Western books could easily be translated into this language, and the Easterners be informed of their contents.
In the same way the books of the East could be translated into that language for the benefit of the Westerners. Thus will the misunderstandings that exist between different religions be dispersed. They bring about warfare and strife, and it is impossible to remove them without this universal language being spread everywhere. I am an Easterner and on this account I know nothing of your thoughts because an international language is not yet in vogue. Likewise you of the West are shut out of my thoughts.
If we had a common language both of us would be informed of the other's thoughts. Consequently the strongest means of universal progress towards the union of East and West is this language.
It will make the whole world one home and will become the greatest impulse for human advancement. It will praise the standard of the oneness of the world of humanity, it will make the earth one universal commonwealth. It will be the cause of love between the children of men. It will cause good fellowship between the various races. Now, praise be to God, that Dr. Zamenhof has invented the Esperanto language. It has all the potential qualities of becoming the international means of communication.
All of us must be grateful and thankful to him for this noble effort, for in this way he has served his fellow men well. He has invented a language which will bestow the greatest benefits on all people. With untiring effort and self sacrifice on the part of its devotees it will become universal. Therefore every one of us must study this language and spread it as far as possible so that day by day it may receive a broader recognition, be accepted by all nations and governments of the world and become a part of the curriculum in all the public schools. I hope that the language of all the future international conferences and congresses will become Esperanto, so that all people may acquire only two languages one their own tongue and the other the international auxiliary language.
Then perfect union will be established between all the people of the world. Consider how difficult it is today to communicate with various nations. If one studies fifty languages one may yet travel through a country and not know the language. I know several languages of the Orient, but do not know the Western tongues. If this international language were in force, having studied it, I should be able to speak it and you would have been directly informed of my thoughts, and a special friendship established between every one of us.
The lack of such a language is now a great barrier.
Therefore I hope that you will make the utmost effort, so that this language of Esperanto may be widely spread.
Send some teachers to
I hope that this language will be promulgated very quickly and the world of humanity finds eternal peace; that all the nations may associate with one another and become as brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers; then each individual member of the body politic will be fully informed of the thoughts of all.
I am extremely grateful to you, and thank you for these lofty aims, for you have gathered at this banquet to further this language.
Your hope is to render a mighty service to the world of humanity, and for this great aim I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart."
Extract from Address of Abdul-Baha to the Theosophical Society of Paris, France, Thursday evening,
We observe that today the means of unity are brought about. This in itself is an evidence that the divine confirmations are with us. One of the principles of the oneness of the world of humanity is the invention of the universal auxiliary language, Esperanto. We observe that this language is spreading daily, and its advocates are increasing. It is indubitable that the universal auxiliary language will become instrumental in wiping away the present misunderstandings, and each individual will be able to be informed of the thought of all humanity.
"Therefore we must all strive to spread among our fellow men this language.
This international auxiliary language will be an introduction to the establishment of the oneness of the world of humanity. The greatest efforts must be displayed in this direction."
Excerpt from Tablet,
"My hope is that the Esperantists may become attracted by these epistles and may consider the magnitude of confirmation bestowed upon the Esperanto Language and may endeavor to translate some of the important Tablets of Baha'u'llah and propagate them all around." (SW, Vol. 11, p. 291)
Esperanto, by Lidja Zamenhof
(SW, Vol. 25, p. 371)
"A universal language shall be adopted and be taught by all the schools and institutions of the world. A committee appointed by national bodies of learning shall select a suitable language to be used as a medium of international communication. All must acquire it. This is one of the great factors in the unification of man." -`Abdu'l-Baha.
When two ants meet they understand one another by the touch. When two spirits meet, they understand one another by means of the language of spirits, the language of heaven, which is as different from every earthly language as the bleating of a goat differs from a Beethoven sonata.
When two men meet, they understand one another by words.
It is often said that the gift of speech is one of the qualities by which man is distinguished from the animal. True, but on account of this very quality man is often also lower than the animal. For a mute fish in the ocean depths understands another fish; the birds of all lands sing in harmony when they meet in winter under the warm southern sun. But where is the harmony among men if their languages are different, if from mouth to ear there travel only the vain sounds of incomprehensible words
The Bible relates that at one time all men had a common language.
That sameness of language bound and united them and gave them strength. But that strength filled their hearts with pride, and they began to want to reach heaven itself and stand as equals, face to face with God. And the Lord was angry at this arrogance and confounded their tongues. Broken was the bond, gone was the strength of the proud. The grandsons of Adam were scattered throughout the whole earth. Heaven remained closed against them, but there opened instead the way of misunderstanding and strife for long, long ages.
But God, who confounded the proud, did not wish the punishment to last forever. So in the book of Zephaniah shines the promise that when the measure of the blows of fate shall be accomplished, when the whole earth shall be consumed with the flame of the indignation of the Lord, then God will give back one pure language to mankind, so that all may with one voice glorify His Name; so that they may glorify the Name of God, not rise up in pride against Him.
The promise was not vain, for already from time to time on the wings of piety harmonious voices have been raised in one language to heaven.
First, the language of the Ten Commandments, the Hebrew tongue, bound together the seed of
In the same way, the language of the Christian martyrs, slaughtered in crowds in the arenas of
So, too, when the sun sinks to rest from the tops of minarets throughout the whole Muhammadan world the voices ring in one language glorifying the one God and His Prophet.
Every religion has its chosen language, its sacred language, which builds a bridge between the believers and helps them to know one another as brothers. But each of the great Messengers, by whose mouth God spoke to man in times past, had only a limited audience. Modern methods of conquering space did not then exist. A thousand times greater than now were the distances between lands and continents. Each Prophet spoke in fact to one race alone or to limited groups of peoples.
Not so today, in the era of Baha'u'llah. The Baha'i Revelation is not for one race alone, nor for one people or nation. It is for the whole, great, wide world; it speaks to all men, whether black or white, whether dwellers of the desert sands or of the icy north. One common language is necessary so that understanding may reign amongst the many tongued children of men. The acceptance of one international language was proclaimed by Baha'u'llah.
And soon after this divine command was proclaimed by the mouth of Baha'u'llah, in response to the creative power of the Prophet's word appeared Esperanto. It was born, not through pride of the human mind wanting to outdo God, the cause of the confusion of the
How strange, how foolish must have sounded to skeptical ears some seventy years ago the proclamation about the choice of one of the existing languages or the Creation of a New Language. A language is not made in a retort; it is the product of long evolution, the expression of the culture of the respective society.
But with the Divine Will nothing is impossible. Esperanto was born, it is growing and spreading throughout the world.
In many of His addresses encouraged the spread of Esperanto, and expressed the hope that it would bind together men who otherwise could not understand one another.
Baha'is watch the growth of the Esperanto Movement with sympathy and good wishes. Many of them are already Esperantists, but many are only lookers on. This is not enough. For as Christ says, "Not every one who says 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the
We must accept and follow.
Once I met a Baha'i who told me he did not intend to learn Esperanto as he knew four languages and that was enough for him. Unfortunately Polish was not one of the four, and the language which he was speaking I could hardly understand. So that as far as I was concerned, his knowing four languages did not suffice. One day I asked him if he never meant to visit
The International Language is part of the Divine Plan which is given effect in the era of Baha’u’llah. And the creation and spread of Esperanto are proofs of the power of Baha’u’llah’s words.
Esperantists are aware that it is not just a new vocabulary and grammar that they are presenting to the world. They realize their mission of international brotherhood. And when they, the sons of many peoples, gather at the great international congresses, when over their heads waves the green banner, there rises from their breasts the Esperantists hymn, the work of the author of Esperanto, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof.
La Espero Hope
En la mondo venis nova sento, Into the world has come a new feeling,
Tra la mondo iras nova voko, Through the world goes a mighty call,
Per flugiloj de facila vento, On light wind-wings,
Nun de loko flugu gxi al loko, Now may it fly from place to place,
Ne al glavo sangon soifanta, Not to the sword thirsting for blood,
Gxi la homon tiras familion, Does it draw the human family,
Al la mond eterne militanta, To the world eternally at war,
Gxi promesas sanktan harmonion It promises holy harmony,
(SW, Vol. 25, p. 372)
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