The Spiritual Assemblies to be established in this Age of
God, this holy century, have, it is indisputable, had neither peer nor likeness
in the cycles gone before. For those assemblages that wielded power were based
on the support of mighty leaders of men, while these Assemblies are based on
the support of the Beauty of Abha. The defenders and patrons of those other
assemblages were either a prince, or a king, or a chief priest, or the mass of
the people. But these Spiritual Assemblies have for their defender, their
supporter, their helper, their inspirer, the omnipotent Lord.
(‘Abdu'l-Baha,
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Baha)
