1918 8 Jan 191- |
President Woodrow Wilson in a speech on war aims and peace terms to the United States Congress outlined his Fourteen Points. It was a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations in order to end World War I.
Wilson was influenced by the Bahá'í teachings in formulating his Fourteen Points, at least three Bahá'í volumes were known to be in the White House. The Hidden Words appears on a 1921 listing of Wilson's private library. Also, a 1916 compilation on peace given the President by a delegation of Washington Bahá'ís 'turned up in general reference at the Library of Congress marked "transfer from the White House"'. In addition, 'Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy (Boston, 1918) was said to have much influenced his thinking. [AY155]
Commenting on the Fourteen Points laid down by the President for the world community, the
Master says that twelve of them derive from principles advocated by Bahá'u'lláh fifty years before, and that these Teachings had been spread worldwide through various publications, thus becoming known to leaders in Europe and America (Persian Tablets, vol. III, p. 312). [AY156-157]
US Office of the Historian.
See also President Wilson and the Bahá'í Connection by Paul Pearsall (1988).
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Woodrow Wilson; Fourteen Points (Woodrow Wilson); History (general); * Principles; * `Abdu'l-Bahá, Writings and talks of; `Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy; Peace; World peace; World War I; War; United States, Presidents; United States (USA); Washington, DC, USA |
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