page 101
At one time the population of Persia exceeded fifty millions. This has been dissipated partly through civil wars, but predominantly because of the lack of an adequate system of government and the despotism and unbridled authority of provincial and local governors. With the passage of time, not one-fifth of the population has survived, for the governors would select any victim they cared to, however innocent, and vent their wrath on him and destroy him. Or, for a whim, they would make a pet out of some proven mass murderer. Not a soul could speak out, because the governor was in absolute control. Can we say that these things were in conformity with justice or with the laws of God?
Can we maintain that it is contrary to the fundamentals
of the Faith to encourage the acquisition of useful
arts and of general knowledge, to inform oneself as to
the truths of such physical sciences as are beneficial to
man, and to widen the scope of industry and increase
the products of commerce and multiply the nation's
avenues of wealth? Would it conflict with the worship
of God to establish law and order in the cities and organize
the rural districts, to repair the roads and build
railroads and facilitate transportation and travel and
thus increase the people's well-being? Would it be inconsistent
with the Divine commands and prohibitions
if we were to work the abandoned mines which are the
greatest source of the nation's wealth, and to build factories,
from which come the entire people's comfort,
security and affluence? Or to stimulate the creation of