Progressive Revelation
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: John Ferraby, Progressive Revelation, London: Bahá'ı́ Publishing Trust, 1954/1966, bahai-library.com.
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PROGRESSIVE
REVELATION

BY
JOHN FERRABY

BAHA'I PUBLISHING TRUST
27 RUTLAND GATE
LONDON,   S.W. 7
"Religion should unite all hearts and cause
wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the
earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and
light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause
of dislike, hatred, division, it were better to be
without it."- 'A1mu'L-BAHA.

©   BAHA' I PUBLISH.ING TRUST
FIRST EDITION 1954
REPRINTED 1961
REVISED EDITION 1966
REPRINTED 1970
THE ONENESS OF RELIGION
Often in the past religion has caused strife.
Sometimes co-religionists have fought about
religious disagreement; sometimes men have
attacked those of a different faith to force
acceptance of their own belief. Still more
often, differences of religion or sect have caused
hatred, division and dislike, without physical
violence. Even to-day there are millions of
people who try to make others unhappy because
they do not approve of their religious beliefs.
Many more contribute to discord by narrow
insistence on their religious view and refusal
to investigate the views of others.
A casual glance at the great religions of the
world is enough, if unprejudiced, to reveal that
they have much in common. All teach that
we should love one another, do good, be sincere,
truthful and law-abiding; that we should seek
out our own shortcomings before we presume
to condemn the faults of others, and that we
should not consider ourselves superior to our
neighbours. Each has a Central Figure, who
is revered above all men and a scripture based
on His teaching. With so much in common,
it is strange that the followers of different
religions should be so antagonistic to each
other's beliefs.
The point has been well made by George
Townshend in his book The Promise of All Ages:
"All the world over, mankind has hon-
oured the spokesmen of God and has
adopted their teachings. It reveres Christ,
Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna, and other High-
Prophets as its greatest leaders. But it has
not looked on them as related to one another.
It has thought of them as rivals, competing
for the homage of the world. It has
imagined that to accept the revelation of one
is to deny the revelation of every other, and
that the votaries of any one High-Prophet
are not loyal to their Lord unless they
esteem him the sole authentic revealer come
from God. It has balanced the High-
Prophets against one another as it were in
scales, so that when one goes up, the others
must go down. . . . Thus the influence of
religion, which ought to have tended to
unify the peoples of the world, has through
a misunderstanding, engendered hostility
and strife. The High-Prophets never spoke
ill of one another; the antagonism originated
with their followers. None affirmed that
his revelation was final or exhaustive."
The followers of the Great Leaders have
caused differences between religions to appear
which had no part in the Message of their
Founders. The Founders preached unity and
concord because, although each revealed His
Message ~n a form suited to the particular
needs of a particular age, their Revelation was
in essence one. Baha'u'llah, the Central Figure
of the Baha'i Faith, explains this in a beautiful
passage:
"Their revelation may be likened unto the
light of the moon that sheddeth its radiance
upon the earth. Though every time it
appeareth it revealeth a fresh measure of its
brightness, yet its inherent splendour can never
diminish, nor can its light suffer extinction.
It is clear and evident, therefore, that any
apparent variation in the intensity oftheir Zig ht
is not inherent in the light itself, but should
rather be attributed to the varying receptivity
of an ever-changing world. Every Prophet
Whom the Almighty and Peerless Creator hath
purposed to send to the peoples of the earth
hath been entrusted with a Message, and
charged to act in a manner that would best
meet the requirements of the age in which He
appeared."
Needs change, and the needs of yesterday
are not the needs of today; laws that were
fitting when mankind was young would not be
fitting now. Progress decrees that the form
:1
of religion revealed for an earlier stage of man's
development cannot suit the later stages too.
Under the tuition of each of the Great Edu-
cators humanity advances, so that the next
Manifestation of God comes to men prepared
to hear what before was hidden.
It is as though man ascended through the
classes of a school; each successive teacher
imparts more truths to the child and when he
has digested these he is ready to move to the
next class. The lesson is suited to the child's
stage of progress; there would be no advantage
in giving a sixth-form lesson to a first-form
pupil, rather the too great demand on the
undeveloped soul would cause it to wither and
die. So also the teaching of the Great Edu-
cators is mercifully adapted to the stage · of
development reached by mankind.
The Messenger of God reveals both spiritual
truths, which are eternal, and laws belonging
to a particular age. The spiritual truths are
revealed according to the spiritual development
of the men of that time. Thus Moses said:
"Love thy neighbour as thyself," but only the
rarer spirits in His dispensation realised that
Gentiles also were their neighbours. Jesus
stressed that love should extend beyond the
Jewish race, but still His followers were unable
to grasp fully the oneness of mankind. Only
recently have men progressed enough to regard
the whole human race as one family, without
division of colour, cfass or creed. Baha'u'llah,
coming to a world prepared by the long line of
earlier Messengers of God, could make this a
central feature of His Teaching. All three
Messengers were aware of the truth taught by
Baha'u'llah, but until now man has not been
ready to receive its full force. Knowing the
limitations of the men of His age, Jesus said:
"I have yet many things to say unto you but ye
cannot bear 'them now. Howbeit when He, the
Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you unto
all truth." (John xvi. 12, 13).
Besides such eternal teachings gradually
unfolded to the advancing spirit of man, each
Messenger of God also brings temporary laws
and commands. These may be changed by
the next of God's Messengers. To the Tribes
of Israel wandering in the desert, Moses gave
many laws which Jesus in a later age repealed.
Yet even as He repealed them Jesus proclaimed:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law,
or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to
fulfil." (Matthew v. 17). The truth that
shines through the Law of Moses is revealed
also in the Law of Jesus; but circumstances in
the world had changed and a new law was
needed to fulfil the old.
When the Israelites were in the desert, they
had no prisons and no established home. Had
Moses not ordained strict laws with fearful
punishments, the innocent among Israel would
have been at the mercy of the vicious. Love
and Justice demanded that the hw be strong.
Therefore Moses decreed death as the penalty
for ten separate offences. "An eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth" was in those days a
merciful command, prohibiting excessive pun-
. ishment. Later, when Jesus came, altered
circumstances permitted the law of love to be
expressed in gentler form. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Son
of Baha'u'llah, has explained this in the
following words:
"The practical part of religion deals with
exterior for ms and ceremonies, and with modes
of punishment for certain offences. This
is the material side of the law and guides the
customs and manners of the people. In the
time of Moses, there were ten crimes punishable
by death. When Christ came this was changed;
the old axiom, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth,' was converted into 'Love your
enemies, do good to them that hate you,' the
stern old law being changed into one of love,
mercy and forbearance. In the former days
f)
the punishment for theft was the cutting off of
the right hand; in our time this law could not
be so applied. In this age, a man who curses
his father is allowed to live, when formerly he
u:ould have been put to death. It is therefore
evident that whilst the spiritual law never
alters, the practical rules must change their
application with the necessities of time."
To change these rules, and to give man more
advanced teaching, God sends His Messengers
to walk upon the earth.

THE MESSENGERS OF GOD
Froin the beginning that has no beginning
God has manifested Himself through His
Messengers. Through them He causes man
to know Hiin and to love Hiln; through thein
He breathes fresh life into creation. They are
the Educators of humanity, the Source of
progress, the Founders of religion. Alone and
unaided, opposed by the powers of the world,
each one has triumphed over adversity, un-
furled the banner of His Faith and established
His sovereignty over the hearts of Inen. Such
achievements are not possible for created
beings; only Manifestations of God can do
these things.
In former ages the Manifestations did not
explain clearly Their station. Sometimes they
spoke as though They were God Himself; at
others They would admit themselves human.
Their immediate companions perhaps under-
stood the hidden references to Their true
station, but later followers were confused.
These either worshipped them as God or
regarded them only as inspired men. Doc-
trines such as the Trinity were evolved to try
to explain the seeming contradiction of their
station.
We, in this glorious age, are more fortunate.
Baha'u'llah has revealed to us the true meaning
of the paradox in words that are deep, yet
crystal clear. God in His Essence, He ex-
plains, is beyond the understanding of man:
"The door of the knowledge of the Ancient
Being hath ever been, and will continue for
ever to be closed in the face of men. No
man's understanding shall ever gain access
unto His holy court."
Therefore He sends His Messengers to
mediate between His Essence and mankind:
"As a token of His mercy, however, and as a
proof of His loving-kindness, He hath mani-
fested unto men the Day-Stars of His divine
guidance, the Symbols of His divine unity, and
hath ordained the knowledge of these sanctified
Beings to be identical u·ith the knowledge of
His own self."
These Day-Stars of divine guidance owe
their great station to the Holy Spirit with
which God has endowed Them. Because of
it they have direct intercourse with God and
act as channels for the outpouring of His grace.
'Abdu'l-Baha, in explaining how They mediate
between God and man, likens God to the sun
and the Holy Spirit to the rays of the sun
bringing light and life and heat to the earth:
"As the rays of the sun bring the light and
warmth of the sun to the earth, giving life to all
created beings, so do the Manifestations bring
the power of the Holy Spirit from the Divine
Sun of Reality to give light and life to the
souls of men. Behold, there is an inter-
mediary necessary between the sun and the
earth; the sun does not descend to the earth,
neither does the earth ascend to the sun. This
contact is made by the rays of the sun which
bring light and warmth and heat. The Holy
Spirit is the light from the Sun of Truth
bringing, by its infinite power, life and illumi-
nation to all mankind, flooding all souls with
Divine radiance, conveying the blessings of
God's mercy to the whole world. The earth,
without the medium of the warmth and light
of the rays of the sun, could receive no benefits
from the sun. Likewise the Holy Spirit is the
very cause of the life of man."
In another passage He likens the Holy Spirit
to a mirror held to the Face of God, reflecting
it for the eyes of man. To gaze directly on
the Face of God is beyond man's power, but
by turning towards the Holy Spirit he can see
the light of the sun reflected as in a clear
mirror. Therefore Baha'u'llah says:
"Whoso recogniseth them hath recognised
God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call, hath
hearkened to the voice of God, and whoso
testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath
testified to the truth of God Himself. Whoso
turneth away from them, has turned away from
God, and whoso disbelieveth in them, hath
disbelieved in God. Every one of them is the
Way of God that connecteth this world with
the realms above, and the Standard of Truth
unto everyone in the kingdoms of earth and
heaven. They are the Manifestations of God
amidst men, the evidences of His Truth, and
the signs of His glory."
These Mirrors are perfect Beings, who live
perfect lives and give perfect teaching. There
have been many of Them; .MutJ.ammad,
IO
Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Noah,
Zoroaster, Abraham, are examples. Of most
we have now no record, even Their names are
lost to us; but the glory which surrounds the
names of those we know is itself a proof of
Their divine station.
Divine, but not to be identified with the
Essence of God, for that i~ exalted above place
and time; the sun does not come down into the
mirror, nor is the light of the sun the same as
the sun itself. The Manifestations are exalted
above men, but they partake of humanity.
Although possessed of the Holy Spirit, They
have also a human body and a human soul.
This is Their dual station, which mankind has
in past ages found so confusing.
The human station of these Day-Stars of
divine guidance has always been a severe test
for mankind. It causes them to need food and
sleep like other men, to be subject to the ills
and chances of this world and to appear out-
wardly like ordinary human beings.
Baha'u'llab has written:
"As these holy Persons were subject to such
needs and wants, the people were, consequently,
lost in the wilds of misgivings and doubts, and
were afflicted with bewilderment and perplexity.
I[
How, they wondered, could such a person be
send down from God, assert His ascendancy
over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth,
and claim Himself to be the goal of all crea-
tion . . . and yet be subject to such trivial
things."
Sometimes the Manifestations speak in
Their divine station as through with the voice
of God. At others Their words stem from
Their human station. Jesus spoke thus when
He said: "Why callest thou me good? there is
none good but One, that is, God." (Matthew
xix. 17). The parable of Satan tempting Jesus
has been explained by 'Abdu'l-Baha to refer
to the tempting of the Holy Spirit in Jesus by
His human impulses.
The distinctions and differences between the
Messengers of God originate in Their human
station. In Their divine station these Great
Beings are one-one in Their perfection and one
in Their Message. Bah:i'u'llah describes this
unity in words of great beauty:
"If thou wilt observe with discriminating
eyes, thou wilt behold Them all abiding in the
same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven,
seated upon the same throne, uttering the same
speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such
.12
is the unity of those Essences of Being, those
Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable
splendour."
In another place He puts more strongly the
need to recognise Their unity:
"Beware, 0 believers in the Unity of God,
lest ye be tempted to make any distinction
between the Manifestations of His Cause, or
to discriminate against the signs that have
accompanied and proclaimed Their Revelation.
This, indeed, is the true meaning of Divine
Unity."
The word of Jesus is one with the word of
Moses and the word of Buddha with the word
of MuJ:iammad. Eyes directed to the perfec-
tion They share can detect no difference be-
tween these Essences of Being. They may
truly claim in this station to be but one Essence
speaking with but one voice. In contrast, in
Their human station They are subject to the
limitations of the world of creation. All
created things have their own individuality
and are separated one from another. There-
fore Baha'u'llah writes:
"In this respect, each Manifestation of God
hath a distinct individuality, a definitely pre-
scribed mission, a predestined revelation, and
specially designated limitations. Each one of
them is known by a different name, is char-
acterised by a special attribute, fulfils a
definite mission, and is entrusted with a
particular Revelation."
Eyes directed to differences and to the human
personality of the Manifestations of God must
inevitably fail to see Their inner oneness.
Failing in this, men scorn and persecute
Them; so have they always treated God's
Messengers.

THE RELIGIOUS CYCLE
Manifestations of God are always at first
rejected by those They come to save. They
are imprisoned, exiled, crucified, in a thousand
ways persecuted, by men who profess to believe
in God, but are far from the Court of His
Holiness. In the Day of the Manifestation
only a few pure souls recognise His glory; these
also suffer at the hands of the proud and
worldly. Gradually the power of the Holy
Spirit asserts itself; other souls are attracted
to the sweet melodies of the Divine Nightingale;
the hard clay of men's hearts is softened and
their blind eyes opened to His shining splen-
dour. Through this channel of Divine grace,
the spiritually dead receive life and the leprosy
of unbelief is healed. A miracle occurs which
embraces the whole creation-a miracle far
greater than vitalising a dead body or healing a
physical ill. Spiritual life is given to erring
humanity to raise it from the mud in which it
is always sunk when a Messenger of God is due.

As time passes, more and more people
recognise the Bearer of the Holy Spirit. The
forces of denial wax fierce in their efforts to
resist the Cause of God; but God cannot be
resisted. Opposition crumbles until eventually
the Manifestation of God emerges supreme,
recognised and revered by all save those God
chooses to except. For a time His Faith experi-
ences a Golden Age during which its youthful
vigour has not yet been irretrievably perverted
by its own followers. Then degeneration sets in.
Men still profess to honour the teaching of the
Founder of their religion, but they cease to
obey it. They invent creeds and rituals not
sanctioned by their Leader, to which they pay
more attention than to the revealed word itself.
They quarrel over the meaning of their
acknowledged scripture, form themselves into
sects and parties, preach things in the name of
religion. from which religion recoils. Material-
ism and greed gain possession of the world; the
priesthood becomes a vested interest; selfish-
ness and pride capture the hearts of men;
despair sweeps the surface of the earth,
wrapping men's souls in clouds of darkening
gloom. Then, when men least expect a
saviour, the clouds are parted by the rising
Sun of Glory. The light of the Holy Spirit
shines again upon the earth, bringing promise
of new life.
In 'Abdu'l-Baha's words:
"God leaves not his children comfortless,
but when the darkness of winter overshadows
them, then again He sends His Messengers,
the Prophets, with a renewal of the blessed
spring. The Sun of Truth appears again on
the horizon of the world, shining into the eyes
of those who sleep, awaking them to behold
the glory of a new dawn."
Again the Messenger of God is persecuted
and again He is recognised by a few. Again
He triumphs over adversity and again His
word is established in the hearts of men.
The whole cycle is repeated again and again,
causing mankind each time to advance another
stage on its journey to God. Thus does God
perform His work of creation and thus has it
been since the beginning, and thus will it be
for evermore.
Once in every age this miracle is performed.
We are still close to the time when Baha'u'lliih,
God's Messenger for this age, shed His radiance
on the earth; We are witnessing the birth of
a new day; as 'Abdu'l-Baha has said:

"Now is the dawn; ere long the effulgent
Sun shall rise and station itself in the meridian
of its majesty. Then you shall observe the
effects of the Sun. Then you shall behold
what heavenly illumination has become mani-
fest. Then you shall comprehend that these
are the infinite bestowals of God! Then you
shall see that this world has become another
world."

Mankind has been called to recognise a new
Mirror reflecting the same Eternal Counten-
ance; but it has failed to respond. Men have
rejected the Messenger of God and in doing so
they have denied the Founder of every great
religion. Therefore mankind is experiencing
great turmoil, for the Will of God cannot be
denied. If humanity will not tum to the
Baha'u'lliih without first suffering, then it
must suffer greatly. He has warned:-

"Say, 0 concourse of the heedless! I S'Wear
by God! The promised day is come, the day
l7
when tormenting trials will have surged
above your heads and beneath your feet,
saying: 'Taste ye what your hands have
wrought!' "
But 'Abdu'l-Baha, echoing His Father's
promise, has said:
"Rest ye assured that this darkness shall
be dispelled and these impenetrable clouds
which have darkened the horizon shal lbe
. scattered and the Sun of Reality shall appear
in its full splendour. Its rays shall melt the
icebergs of hatred and differences which have
transformed the moving sea of humanity into
hard frozen immensity. The vices of the
world of nature shall be exchanged into praise-
worthy attributes and the lights of the
excellences of the Divine realm shall appear."
A little while, and the trials will pass, leaving
mankind chastened and turning towards the
Source of its life. Then will the truth become
apparent to which Baha'u'llah calls humanity:
"Verily I say, this is the Day in which
mankind can behold the Face, and hear the
Voice of the Promised One. The Call of
God hath been raised, and the light of His
Countenance hath been lifted up upon men.
It behoveth every man to blot out the trace
of every idle word from the tablet of his heart,
and to gaze, with an open and unbiassed mind,
on the signs of His Revelation, the .proofs of
His Mission, and the tokens of His glory.
Then at last will men befittingly answer this
invitation sent by God:
"The seal of the choice Wine of His
Revelation hath, in this Day, and in his
Name, the Self-Sufficing, been broken. Its
grace is being poured out upon men. Fill
thy cup, and drink it in His Name, the Most
Holy, the All-Praised."

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LS
-- Progressive Revelation (Used by permission of the curator)