The Sick Must Not Be Neglected

On 9 June 1912 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at the Baptist Temple at Broad and Berks Streets in Philadelphia. The talk is preserved in *The Promulgation of Universal Peace,* and part of it was reprinted in *Bahá'í World Faith,* the 1943 American compilation. In it He set out the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh one by one. The first was the investigation of reality; the second was the unity of mankind.

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"All are the servants of God and members of one human family," He said. "God has created all and all are His children. He rears, nourishes, provides for and is kind to all. Why should we be unjust and unkind?" God's sun, He went on, bestows its effulgence on all; His clouds send down rain "without distinction or favor"; His breezes refresh the whole earth. Then He spoke of how those who fall short are to be treated:

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> It is evident that humankind without exception is sheltered > beneath His mercy and protection. Some are imperfect; they must > be perfected. The ignorant must be taught, the sick healed, the > sleepers awakened. The child must not be oppressed or censured > because it is undeveloped; it must be patiently trained. The sick > must not be neglected because they are ailing; nay, rather, we > must have compassion upon them and bring them healing.

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"Briefly," He continued, "the old conditions of animosity, bigotry and hatred between the religious systems must be dispelled and the new conditions of love, agreement and spiritual brotherhood be established among them."

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He then turned to the third teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, that religion must be "the source of fellowship, the cause of unity and the nearness of God to man."

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*A retelling based on **Bahá'í World Faith** (1943); the talk appears in full in **The Promulgation of Universal Peace** (talk of 9 June 1912). For the fuller account, see the original.*

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