I hope that the Balkan War shall come to an end, and that the rights of both belligerents’ be protected and preserved. Otherwise, the flame of this war shall devour the earth - in particular Europe, which is even as an arsenal filled with explosives, and needs only a single spark to utterly obliterate the entire continent. Thus, there is no recourse but to embrace universal peace. This, indeed, is the most pressing issue of the day; I pray God that this peace will be realized.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 24 December 1912, London, England recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)