Peace

‘Abdu’l-Bahá returned to the same theme the next day when speaking about the peace conference: Once I wrote the Persian friends that if the workers of peace conferences do not apply in their own lives what they advocate, they are like those wine sellers, who convene and make emphatic speeches regarding the harmfulness of wine and proposing its prohibition. But when they go out of the meeting, they begin again to sell wine and to do what they were doing in the past. Therefore it is necessary for the power of execution in effect to spiritually penetrate the body of the world.

Later, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá encountered a group of young people, to whom he told this story in relation to the effects of the Peace Conference: Once the rats and mice held an important conference on the subject of which was how to make peace with the cat. After a long and heated discussion it was decided that the best thing to do would be to tie a bow around the neck of the cat, so that the rats and mice would be warned of his movements and have time to get Out of his way. This seemed an excellent plan until the question arose as to who should undertake the dangerous job of belling the cat. None of the rats liked the idea and the mice thought they were altogether too weak. So the conference broke up in confusion. Everyone laughed, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with them. After a short pause He added that this is much like these Peace Conferences. Many words, but no one is likely to approach the question of who will bell the Czar of Prussia, the Emperor of Germany, the President of France and the Emperor of Japan. Faces were now more grave. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laughed again: "There is a Divine Club", He said, "which shall break their power in pieces."

On the train from Sacramento to Denver, ‘a salesman came through the cars selling pennants of various schools.’ The Master joked, ‘Tell him to bring the banner of universal peace if he has it. We want a flag under which the whole world may find rest and peace.’ Other passengers heard ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and formed a group in the corridor in order to be able to talk with Him.