"He quite agrees that the dangers facing the modern youth are becoming increasingly grave, and call for immediate solution. But, as experience clearly shows, the remedy to this truly sad and perplexing situation is not to be found in traditional and ecclesiastical religion. The dogmatism of the Church has been discarded once for all. What can control youth and save it from the pitfalls of the cra.s.s materialism of the age is the power of a genuine, constructive and living Faith such as the one revealed to the world by Baha'u'llah. Religion as in the past, is still the world's sole hope, but not that form of religion which our ecclesiastical leaders strive vainly to preach. Divorced from true religion, morals lose their effectiveness and cease to guide and control man's individual and social life. But when true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral progress becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.

"The need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics founded on pure religious faith. Not until these two are rightly combined and brought into full action can there be any hope for the future of the race."

"The world that lies ahead of us after this war is going to be in a terrible condition, and if the believers are going to accomplish their duty and present the Divine Solution to mankind, they must prepare themselves for the great tasks that lie ahead. This particularly applies to Baha'i youth. Young men and women in the Faith must be deep and thoughtful scholars of its teachings, so that they can teach in a way that will convince people that all the problems facing them have a remedy. They must grasp the Administration, so that they can wisely and efficiently administer the ever-growing affairs of the Cause; and they must exemplify the Baha'i way of living. All this is not easy--but the Guardian is always greatly encouraged to see the spirit animating such young believers as yourself. He has high hopes of what your generation will accomplish."

222: YOUTH (REGARDING THE AGE OF FIFTEEN)

"Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Baha'u'llah: This relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the degree of administrative capacity and fitness which is a totally different thing, and is, for the present, fixed at twenty-one."

"Baha'i youth under twenty-one may serve on Committees.

"The question of young Baha'is being permitted to serve on committees other than the Youth Committee has been raised in a number of letters recently, and in considering the matter he felt that Baha'i young people under twenty-one should not be denied the privilege of committee work.

Though they cannot be voting members of Baha'i communities (or exercise the electoral vote at all until they reach that age), and though they cannot, likewise, be elected to a.s.semblies, there is no reason why they should not serve the Cause on various committees as all committees, national or local, are subordinate to a.s.semblies and their members not elected but appointed, and appointed by a.s.semblies. We have many devoted and talented young believers who can be of great a.s.sistance to the Cause even though not yet legally of age."

"This Cause, although it embraces with equal esteem people of all ages, has a special message and mission for the youth of your generation. It is their charter for their future, their hope, their guarantee of better days to come. Therefore the Guardian is especially happy that the young Baha'is are active in the pioneer work."

"The importance of young Baha'is to become thoroughly steeped in every branch of the teachings can not be over-emphasized, as they have great teaching tasks ahead of them to accomplish."

223: BAHa'i YOUTH IN SCHOOL

"The problem with which you are faced is one which concerns and seriously puzzles many of our present-day youth. How to attain spirituality is indeed a question to which every young man and woman must sooner or later try to find a satisfactory answer. It is precisely because no such satisfactory answer has been given or found, that the modern youth finds itself bewildered, and is being consequently carried away by the materialistic forces that are so powerfully undermining the foundations of man's moral and spiritual life.

"Indeed the chief reason for the evils now rampant in society is the lack of spirituality. The materialistic civilization of our age has so much absorbed the energy and interest of mankind that people in general do no longer feel the necessity of raising themselves above the forces and conditions of their daily material existence. There is not sufficient demand for things that we call spiritual to differentiate them from the needs and requirements of our physical existence.

"The universal crisis affecting mankind is, therefore, essentially spiritual in its causes. The spirit of the age, taken on the whole, is irreligious. Man's outlook on life is too crude and materialistic to enable him to elevate himself into the higher realms of the spirit.

"It is this condition, so sadly morbid, into which society has fallen, that religion seeks to improve and transform. For the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling which unites Man with G.o.d. This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer. And this is the reason why Baha'u'llah has so much stressed the importance of worship. It is not sufficient for a believer merely to accept and observe the teachings. He should, in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality which he can acquire chiefly by means of prayer. The Baha'i Faith, like all other Divine Religions, is thus fundamentally mystic in character. Its chief goal is the development of the individual and society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers. It is the soul of man which has first to be fed. And this spiritual nourishment prayer can best provide.

"Laws and inst.i.tutions, as viewed by Baha'u'llah, can become really effective only when our inner spiritual life has been perfected and transformed. Otherwise religion will degenerate into a mere organization, and becomes a dead thing. The believers, particularly the young ones, should therefore fully realize the necessity of praying. For prayer is absolutely indispensable to their inner spiritual development, and this, as already stated, is the very foundation and purpose of the religion of G.o.d."

224: YOUTH, JUNIOR (DO GREAT DEEDS)

"He urges you to make up your minds to do great, great deeds for the Faith; the condition of the world is steadily growing worse, and your generation must provide the saints, heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years. With dedication and will power you can rise to great heights!"

"He appreciates very much the devoted and determined spirit with which you are facing the future and all the Baha'i responsibility it will bring you increasingly. The part of youth is very great; you have the opportunity to really determine to exemplify in word and deed the Teachings of Baha'u'llah, and to show your generation that the New World Order He has brought is a tangible reality in the lives of His followers."