…the world of humanity cannot truly advance through mere
physical powers and intellectual attainments. Nay rather, in order that the
world may really and wonderfully advance, the protection of the Holy Spirit is
needed; the Divine Father must assist the human world to attain maturity. The
human body is in need of material force, but the spirit has need of the Holy
Spirit. Were it not for the protection of the Holy Spirit the human world would
be extinguished.
His Holiness Jesus Christ declared "Let the dead bury
the dead." This statement of His Holiness indicates “That which is born of
the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," and
it becomes manifest that the human spirit which is not protected beneath the
Holy Spirit is dead. It is clear that the human spirit is in need of the
resuscitation of the Holy Spirit, otherwise though materially advanced, man
cannot attain frill and complete progress.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (From a talk, June 9,
1912’ Baptist Temple, Philadelphia; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 7, July 13,
1914)
