A few days ago I
arrived in New York, coming direct from Alexandria. On a former trip I traveled
to Europe, visiting Paris and London. Paris is most beautiful in outward
appearance. The evidences of material civilization there are very great, but
the spiritual civilization is far behind. I found the people of that city
submerged and drowning in a sea of materialism. Their conversations and
discussions were limited to natural and physical phenomena, without mention of
God. I was greatly astonished. Most of the scholars, professors and learned men
proved to be materialists. I said to them, “I am surprised and astonished that
men of such perceptive caliber and evident knowledge should still be captives of
nature, not recognizing the self-evident Reality.”
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk,
15 April, 1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered
by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912’)
