Nine speakers,áullá all of them prominent representatives of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, bore eloquent and moving witness to their love and admiration of the pure and noble life which had just drawn to its close. Then the casket was slowly passed to its simple and hallowed resting-place.
Surely here was a fitting tribute to the memory of One Who had labored all His life for unity of religions, of races, of tongues--a tribute, and also a proof, that His lifework had not been in vain, that the ideals of Bahá'u'lláh, which were His inspiration, nay, His very life, were already beginning to permeate the world and to break down the barriers of sect and caste that for centuries had alienated Muslim, Christian, Jew, and the other diverse factions into which the human family has been riven.
The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are very numerous and are mostly in the form of letter to believers and inquirers. A great many of His talks and addresses have also been recorded and many have been published. Of the thousands of pilgrims who have visited Him at Akká and Haifa a large number have written descriptions of their impressions, and many of these records are now available in printed form.
His teachings are thus very completely preserved, and they cover a very wide range of subjects. With many of the problems of both East and West He dealt more fully than His Father had done, giving more detailed applications of the general principles laid down by Bahá'u'lláh. A number of His Writings have not yet been translated into any Western language but enough is already available to give deep and full knowledge of the more important principles of His teaching.
He spoke Persian, Arabic and Turkish. In His Western tours His talks and addresses were always interpreted, obviously losing much of their beauty, eloquence and force in the process, yet such was the power of the Spirit which accompanied His words that all who heard Him were impressed.
The unique station assigned to 'Abdu'l-Bahá by the Blessed Perfection is indicated in the following passage written by the latter:--"When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces towards Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root." And again:--" ... refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock." 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself wrote the following:--"In accordance with the explicit text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh hath made the Center of the Covenant the Interpreter of His Word--a Covenant so firm and mighty that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like."