Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 187
187 as it were standing on the threshold of unity. I hope that in the near future the grace, of God would take many of them by the hand and place them within the stronghold of unity where there is all peace and safety, and where a man is granted perfect love and perfect fear and perfect knowledge. This is not a mere wish but Almighty God has given me the 'glad tidings which make me entertain this hope. The manifestation of this heavenly ordinance has been brought about in this country so that different people may be the sooner seen gathering into one flock, and that the night of discord and enmity may the sooner changed into the bright morning of peace and concord. That the different people will be ultimately made one nation, is the universal hope of all religious sects. The Christians think that the time is coming when all the nations of the earth will accept the doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus. The Jews entertain the fond hope that their Messiah will soon appear and make them the inheritors of the whole earth and bring the gentiles into the Jewish faith. The Islamic prophecies also give the hope of the advent of a Messiah who would make Islam the predominent and universal religion of the world, and the promised time of advent goes no further than the commencement of the 14th century of Hegira. And at this very moment the Pundits of the Sanatan Dharrn are anxiously waiting for the advent of an avatar who would spread the true faith in the whole world. The Aryas, though they do not believe in any prophecy, share in these uni- versal views and are trying their best to spread the Arya religion in the East as well as in the West. Nor has the Buddhist reli- gion remained behind in this movement, for it is also showing signs of activity and reform. But what is most wonderful of all, and may perhaps excite laughter, is that in this competition of religions for superiority, even the sweeper community is not quite