In my talks with the reverend doctors of religion and men of
the peace societies I have spoken the Glad-tidings of Baha’u’llah, but always
according to their varying need and capacity. As capacities differ, the purpose
must be to satisfy the degree of hunger, destroy all possible antagonism and
establish a point of agreement. We cannot induce men to lay down their arms by
fighting with them. War intensifies the spirit of strife. War begets war. We
are peacemakers, not destroyers of peace. Therefore ‘Abdu’l-Baha finds the note
of harmony which vibrates in every human heart. This is our subtle basis. Build
upon it. Follow no other method. Talk about things upon which we agree and say
nothing about things upon which we differ. We must disorganize humanism in
order to construct a spiritual edifice in the world of humanity. This edifice
is heavenly but its foundations are planted in the unity of human hearts. - ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Utterances of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Howard MacNutt; Star of the West, vol. 4,
no. 1, 21 March 1913)
