“I have come hither,” He said, “to find that material civilization has…
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When in Bahá'í history
“I have come hither,” He said, “to find that material civilization has progressed greatly, but the spiritual civilization has been left behind. The material civilization is likened unto the glass of a lamp chimney. The spiritual civilization is like the light in that chimney. The material civilization should go hand-in-hand with the spiritual civilization. Material civilization may be likened unto a beautiful body, while spiritual civilization is the spirit that enters the body and gives to it life. With the propelling power of spiritual civilization the result will be greater.
Source: Diary of Juliet Thompson, April 14, 1912
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: materialism).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do you see devotion appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of materialism?
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
For teens
- What is one quality you'd want to carry forward from this account?
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
Reflection
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“I have come hither,” He said, “to find that material civilization has…" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/materialism
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