All the spiritual and social movements existing in the
world, and undoubtedly there are many of them, have some spark of the divine
truth. Their very existence shows that they have something to offer to man and
fulfil some purpose. But what the world needs, at such a critical moment in its
history, is not a mere palliative. It needs a movement that goes deep into its
social and spiritual illness and brings about a complete, fundamental change --
a change that will include in its scope both the social and spiritual reform of
man. But such a movement cannot be inaugurated save by a messenger of God,
revealed by Him for that very object. In similar critical moments that have
punctuated the history of man in the past, a Zoroaster, a Moses, a Christ and a
Muhammad appeared, and in this day, the Baha’is declare, Baha’u’llah has been
revealed.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated February 26, 1933, written on behalf of Shoghi
Effendi to an individual believer; Baha’i News, no. 80, January 1934)
