# The Glitter of Baha'ism

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: unknown, The Glitter of Baha'ism, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> The Glitter of Bahá'ísm
> 
> [author name unknown]
> 
> published in Literary Digest71:13, p. 30
> 
> New York: 1921-12-24
> 
> 1. Text
> 
> ABDUL BAHA, 'SERVANT OF GOD," and head of the
> Bahaistic doctrine of universal fellowship, is dead, but, as
> the Charleston Gazette observes, "there will be no falling
> off in attendance at the churches devoted to worship of the great
> moralist who was born in Nazareth and whose birthday the world
> is preparing to observe." All religions are said to come from the
> East. Bahaism sprang up in Shiraz, Persia, where the son of a
> wool merchant, a young man of genius called the Bab, in 1844
> broke away from Islam to preach an "all-embracing gospel of
> universal brotherhood." After six years of teaching, the head of
> the new cult suffered martyrdom, and his disciples were persecuted.
> But another man came forth to lead the movement in
> the person of Mirza Hosein Ali of Nour, who, we are told, assumed an
> inspired leadership and proclaimed the doctrine of a
> peaceful reunion of faiths and aspirations. He became known as
> Baha'o'llah, which means the Glory of God. He also is said to
> have been of the fiber of which martyrs are made, and he suffered
> forty years of exile and imprisonment. He was succeeded by his
> son, Abdul Baha Abbas, who has just died. In the meantime,
> says the Boston Transcript, Baha'o'llah's "benevolent, but vague
> and indefinite, doctrine or holy hope of a universal religion which
> shall replace or reconcile all the warring creeds has spread abroad
> through the earth, until its acknowledged followers are found in
> all Christian countries at least." Its devotees, we are told further,
> do not find their acceptance of the Bahaist doctrine to be inconsistent with
> their membership in existing churches. Concerning
> the ideals of the "quietist" cult, the Transcript says:
> 
> It is a melange of Christianity and idealistic Mohammedanism, suffused
> and inspired by a very glowing hope. It contains
> nothing new; it is, in the words of Baha'o'llah, 'an ocean of generosity
> manifested and rolling before your faces.' It is a gorgeous glitter of
> intense benevolence, which derives whatever it
> has of proselyting power from its dramatization in a saintly
> personality. It is the old story of the attempted incarnation of
> an idea — the idea itself being so vaguely generous and noble that
> no one could possibly object to it. Long before the present
> movement for an international organization of peace, Baha'o'llah
> had proclaimed the following as one of its cardinal 'doctrines' —
> that is, aspirations:
> 
> "We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the
> nations. That all nations should become one in faith and all
> men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between
> the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion
> should cease, and differences of race be annulled — what harm is
> there in this? Yet so it shall be: these fruitless strifes, these
> ruinous wars shall pass away, and the "Most Great Peace" shall
> come. Do not you in Europe need this also? Is not this that
> which Christ foretold? Yet do we see your kings and rulers
> lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction
> of the human race, than on that which would conduce to the
> happiness of mankind. These strifes and this bloodshed and
> discord must cease, and all men lie as one kindred and one family.
> Let not a man glory in this, that, he loves his country; let him
> rather glory in this, that he loves his kind."
> 
> 2. Page scans
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views4477 views since posted 2015-03-06; last edit 2024-12-28 16:39 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../glitter_bahaism
> Language
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> Proofread 2015-03-06 by Jonah Winters.
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> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/4515
> Citation: ris/4515
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> — *The Glitter of Baha'ism (Used by permission of the curator)*