It is true that 'Abdu'l-Bahá made statements linking the
establishment of the unity of nations to the twentieth century. For example:
'The fifth candle is the unity of nations -- a unity which, in this century,
will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard
themselves as citizens of one common fatherland." And, in The
"Promised Day Is Come", following a similar statement quoted from
"Some Answered Questions", Shoghi Effendi makes this comment:
"This is the stage which the world is now approaching, the stage of world
unity, which, as 'Abdu'l-Bahá assures us, will, in this century, be securely
established."
There is also this statement from a letter written in 1946
to an individual believer on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary:
All we know is that the Lesser and the Most Great Peace will
come -- their exact dates we do not know. The same is true as regards the
possibility of a future war; we cannot state dogmatically it will or will not
take place -- all we know is that mankind must suffer and be punished sufficiently
to make it turn to God.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 29
July 1974; The Compilation of Compilations vol. II)
