America and Europe have advanced to the utmost in terms of material civilization; day by day, they continue to make material progress. My hope, however, is that divine civilization shall likewise be established in these countries - a civilization whose foundation was laid by the prophets of God, whose success depends on the realm of saintly character and spiritual education, and whose existence shall be the cause of spiritual advancements in the world of humanity.
- '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)