Speaker Prep

Giving a fireside, devotional, or talk? Pick a theme, get a curated brief: relevant stories, key quotes, citations, and recommended sequencing.

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science begins words science-and-religion scientists scripture search searching seeking self self conscious self hatred self pity self-knowledge selfless service shoghi effendi shoghi effendi marriage shoghi effendi premonition death shoghi effendi schedule shrine shrine bab shrine-of-the-bab sick caring sick-caring sightseeing signs silence simple life simplicity sincerity siyah chal siyah chal bahaullahs declaration slaves smoking social-justice solidarity solitude soul south speaking speech speeches spiritual life sports steadfastness stories striving succession sudan suffering suicide sympathy tablets tablets divine plan taxes teaching temples ten-year-crusade tenderness test tests the-covenant thoughts tihran timing training transformation translation travel travel-teaching trials trust trustworthiness truthfulness underground railway unity unity religion universal language universal language heart heart venting virtue vision vocation war watchman wealth wedding abdul baha weddings western-journeys will god willpower wisdom witness women work workaholism worthy writing writings youth

A talk on science

Suggested sequencing: open with a powerful story, deepen with a reflective one, close with one of joyful resolution. Adjust to your audience.

Opening

At Columbia University: A Talk on the Soul

Mahmúd's Diary records 'Abdu'l-Bahá's visit to Columbia University in New York on April 19, 1912. The Master spoke to the assembled faculty and students on the immortality of the soul and the inseparability of scientific investigation from spiritual enlightenment.

Mahmúd's Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání · Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání

Middle

The Discourse at Clark: 'Abdu'l-Bahá at Worcester

Mahmúd's Diary records that on May 22, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the invitation of its president, G. Stanley Hall. He delivered an address to the faculty and students on the order of being and the unity of all truth.

Mahmúd's Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání · Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání

Closing

Two Wings of the Bird of Knowledge: 'Abdu'l-Bahá at Stanford

On October 7, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed the assembled students and faculty of Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto. He took up the great Bahá'í theme of the harmony of science and religion — and warned that the cultivation of one wing without the other could not carry the bird of human progress.

The Promulgation of Universal Peace · 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Click into any story to see the full text with extracted quotes — copy what you need for your talk.

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"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."