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TAGS: * `Abdu'l-Bahá; * Báb, The; * Bahá'u'lláh; * Basics; Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era (book); Esslemont; Health and healing; Interfaith dialogue; Introductory; Peace; Prayer; Prophecies; Retrospect and prospect; Unity
Abstract:
The classic introductory text on the Bahá'í Faith focusing on Bahá'í teachings and the lives of the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, and Abdu'l-Bahá.
Notes:
Add or read quotations or links pertaining to this work here.

See also the updated 2006 edition in various formats at bahai.org and bahaiebooks.org.


Baha'u'llah and the New Era

John E. Esslemont

Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1980

originally written or published

1923

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Copyright 1950, 1970, 1976, 1980 by the
National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of the United States


All rights reserved

Library of Congress
Esslemont, John Ebenezer, 1874-1925.
Bahá'u'lláh and the new era.

Bibliography:p.
Includes index.
1. Bahá'ísm. 2. Bahá Ullah, 1817-1892.

I. Title.
BP365.E8 1980 ..................297'.89..................80-24305

First edition, George Allen Unwin Ltd., London, 1923
First revised edition, Bahá'í Publishing Committee, New York, 1937
Second revised edition, Bahá'í Publishing Committee, Wilmette, 1950
Third revised edition, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 1970
Fourth revised paper edition, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 1976
Fourth revised cloth edition, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 1980
Fifth revised paper edition, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, 1980

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

(Click here to jump to a specific page (in a lightly formatted version).)

Preface to 1937 Edition vii
Preface to 1950 Edition ix
Preface to 1970 Edition xi
Introductionxiii
CHAPTER
1 The Glad Tidings 1
2 The Bab: The Forerunner 11
3 Bahá'u'lláh: The Glory of God 23
4 Abdu'l-Bahá: The Servant of Bahá 51
5 What Is a Bahá'í? 71
6 Prayer 88
7 Health and Healing 101
8 Religious Unity 116
9 True Civilization 133
10 The Way to Peace 156
11 Various Ordinances and Teachings 175
12 Religion and Science 197
13 Prophecies Fulfilled by the Bahá'í Movement 211
14 Prophecies of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá 234
15 Retrospect and Prospect 252
  Epilogue 283
 Basic References on the Bahá'í Faith287
 Index289


Click on any of the numbers below to jump to a specific page of Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era:
  0   0b   contents     Preface: 1937  1950  1970     Introduction          1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286

Prefaces to Baha'u'llah and the New Era

Preface to 1937 Edition

With the publication of "Baha'u'llah and the New Era" more than ten years ago, the Bahá'í Faith was given its first well- conceived, thorough exposition by a student of the teachings. Recognizing its value as the most satisfactory introduction to the Cause, Bahá'ís in both East and West have found Dr. Esslemont's book so helpful that it has been translated into some thirty different languages.

As Dr. Esslemont himself recognized, the Faith entered a new phase of its history after the ascension of Abdu'l-Baha. The result is that the author's views, some of them written prior to 1921, no longer, on certain aspects of the subject, correspond to the evolutionary character of the Faith. His treatment of events and social conditions then existing, moreover, no longer appears fully relevant. Unavoidably, a few errors of fact had entered his text, while his explanation of the stations of the Bab and of Abdu'l-Baha have been replaced in the minds of Bahá'ís by the authoritative interpretations since made by the first Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi.

The present edition therefore represents a revision made by the American National Spiritual Assembly, acting under the advice and approval of Shoghi Effendi.

These revisions in no respect alter the original plan of Dr. Esselmont's book, nor affect the major portion of his text. Their purpose has been to amplify the author's discussion in a few passages by the addition of material representing the fuller knowledge available since his lamented death, and newer translations of his quotations from Bahá'í Sacred Writings.
Bahá'í Publishing Committee January, 1937


Preface to 1950 Edition

With this edition the American Bahá'í Publishing Committee takes over copyright and other interests in "Baha'u'llah and the New Era" from Messrs. George Allen Unwin Ltd., of London, England, through whom the late Dr. J. E. Esslemont published his famous book more than twenty years ago. Under arrangement with the British publishers, the Committee has since 1928 brought out eleven printings, in addition to the first American edition imported by Brentano's of New York.

This edition does not displace the text as it has appeared since major revision was made in the book under the direction of the Guardian of the Faith in 1937, as the time has not come for anything like a thorough recasting of the book to make its references to world conditions completely contemporaneous. Dr. Esslemont's work endures as a trustworthy introduction to the history and teachings of the Bahá'í Faith. Its translation into some thirty different languages attests its appeal to students in the East as well as the West.

It should be added that any further revision of the text in the future is subject to approval by Shoghi Effendi. The Committee has no authority to pass upon revisions which may be desired by Bahá'ís of other countries for their particular need.
Bahá'í Publishing Committee December, 1950


Preface to 1970 Edition

Since 1937 no revision has been made to the text of Dr. Esslemont's book, although in 1950 some minor corrections were introduced. On the other hand, the diffusion and development of the Bahá'í Faith since that time have been tremendous, and there has been added to Bahá'í bibliography a rich legacy of incomparable expositions, translations and historical accounts from the pen of Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Faith and the appointed interpreter of its Sacred Writings.

It has therefore been deemed necessary to bring the book up to date in order to maintain its usefulness for modern readers. This has been done with a minimum of alteration to the text, and chiefly by the use of footnotes and of an epilogue giving the current statistics and new developments in the organic unfoldment of the Bahá'í Faith.

Dr. Esslemont's book continues to be one of the most widely used introductory books on the Bahá'í Faith, as evidenced by the fact that since 1937 the number of its translations has increased from thirty to fifty-eight.
Bahá'í Publishing Trust

Introduction


      In December 1914, through a conversation with friends who had met Abdu'l-Bahá, and the loan of a few pamphlets, I first became acquainted with the Bahá'í teachings. I was at once struck by their comprehensiveness, power and beauty. They impressed me as meeting the great needs of the modern world more fully and satisfactorily than any other presentation of religion which I had come across -- an impression which subsequent study has only served to deepen and confirm.
      In seeking for fuller knowledge about the movement I found considerable difficulty in obtaining the literature I wanted, and soon conceived the idea of putting together the gist of what I learned in the form of a book, so that it might be more easily available for others. When communication with Palestine was reopened after the war, I wrote to Abdu'l-Bahá and enclosed a copy of the first nine chapters of the book, which was then almost complete in rough draft. I received a very kind and encouraging reply, and a cordial invitation to visit Him in Haifa and bring the whole of my manuscript with me. The invitation was gladly accepted, and I had the great privilege of spending two and a half months as the guest of Abdu'l-Bahá during the winter of 1919-1920. During this visit Abdu'l-Bahá discussed the book with me on various occasions. He gave several valuable suggestions for its improvement and proposed that, when I had revised the manuscript, He would have the whole of it translated into Persian so that He could read it through and amend or correct it where necessary. The revisal and translation were carried out as suggested, and Abdu'l-Bahá found time, amid His busy life, to correct some three and a half chapters (Chapters I, II, V and part of III) before He passed away. It is a matter of profound regret to met that Abdu'l-Bahá was not able to complete the correction of the manuscript, as the value of the book would thereby have been greatly enhanced. The whole of the manuscript has been carefully revised, however, by a committee of the National Bahá'í Assembly of England1, and its publication approved by that Assembly.
      I am greatly indebted to Miss E. J. Rosenberg, Mrs. Claudia S. Coles, Mirza Lutfu'llah S. Hakim, Messrs. Roy Wilhelm and Mountfort Mills and many other kind friends for valuable help in the preparation of the work.
      As regards the transliteration of Arabic and Persian names and words, the system adopted in this book is that recently recommended by Shoghi Effendi for use throughout the Bahá'í World.
J. E. ESSLEMONT

1 The first publication of Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era was in 1923, and at that time there was a National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of England; however, the name of the institution was subsequently changed in 1930 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles, and more recently to its present designation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom.
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