…strive earnestly and put forth your greatest endeavor
toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of
brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and
effort on the part of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and
appreciation; from the other kindliness and recognition of equality. Each one
should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement. This
is possible only by conjoining of effort and inclination. Love and unity will
be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of mankind. For the
accomplishment of unity between the colored and whites will be an assurance of
the world's peace. Then racial prejudice, national prejudice, limited
patriotism and religious bias will pass away and remain no longer. I am pleased
to see you at this gathering, white and dark, and I praise God that I have had
this opportunity of seeing you loving each other, for this is the means of the
glory of humanity. This is the means of the good-pleasure of God and of eternal
bliss in His Kingdom. Therefore I pray in your behalf that you may attain to
the fullest of love and that the day may come when all differences between you
may disappear.
(‘Abdu'l-Baha, from a talk, ‘Foundations of World Unity’)
