As I entered the church this evening, I heard the hymn "Nearer my God, to
Thee." The greatest attainment in the world of humanity is nearness to
God. Every lasting glory, honor, grace and beauty which comes to man comes
through nearness to God. All the Prophets and apostles longed and prayed
for nearness to the Creator. How many nights they passed in sleepless
yearning for this station; how many days they devoted to supplication for
this attainment, seeking ever to draw nigh unto Him! But nearness to God
is not an easy accomplishment. During the time Jesus Christ was upon the
earth mankind sought nearness to God, but in that day no one attained it
save a very few--His disciples. Those blessed souls were confirmed with
divine nearness through the love of God. Divine nearness is dependent upon
attainment to the knowledge of God, upon severance from all else save God.
It is contingent upon self-sacrifice and to be found only through
forfeiting wealth and worldly possessions. It is made possible through the
baptism of water and fire revealed in the Gospels. Water symbolizes the
water of life, which is knowledge, and fire is the fire of the love of
God; therefore, man must be baptized with the water of life, the Holy
Spirit and the fire of the love of the Kingdom. Until he attains these
three degrees, nearness to God is not possible. This is the process by
which the Baha'is of Persia have attained it. They gave their lives for
this station, sacrificed honor, comfort and possessions, hastened with the
utmost joy to the place of martyrdom; their blood was spilled, their
bodies were tortured and destroyed, their homes pillaged, their children
carried into captivity. They endured all these conditions joyfully and
willingly. Through such sacrifice nearness to God is made possible. And be
it known that this nearness is not dependent upon time or place. Nearness
to God is dependent upon purity of the heart and exhilaration of the
spirit through the glad tidings of the Kingdom. Consider how a pure,
well-polished mirror fully reflects the effulgence of the sun, no matter
how distant the sun may be. As soon as the mirror is cleaned and purified,
the sun will manifest itself. The more pure and sanctified the heart of
man becomes, the nearer it draws to God, and the light of the Sun of
Reality is revealed within it. This light sets hearts aglow with the fire
of the love of God, opens in them the doors of knowledge and unseals the
divine mysteries so that spiritual discoveries are made possible. All the
Prophets have drawn near to God through severance. We must emulate those
Holy Souls and renounce our own wishes and desires. We must purify
ourselves from the mire and soil of earthly contact until our hearts
become as mirrors in clearness and the light of the most great guidance
reveals itself in them.
Baha'u'llah proclaims in the Hidden Words that God inspires His servants
and is revealed through them. He says, "Thy heart is My home; sanctify it
for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My
manifestation." Therefore, we learn that nearness to God is possible
through devotion to Him, through entrance into the Kingdom and service to
humanity; it is attained by unity with mankind and through loving-kindness
to all; it is dependent upon investigation of truth, acquisition of
praiseworthy virtues, service in the cause of universal peace and personal
sanctification. In a word, nearness to God necessitates sacrifice of self,
severance and the giving up of all to Him. Nearness is likeness.
Behold how the sun shines upon all creation, but only surfaces that are
pure and polished can reflect its glory and light. The darkened soul has
no portion of the revelation of the glorious effulgence of reality; and
the soil of self, unable to take advantage of that light, does not produce
growth. The eyes of the blind cannot behold the rays of the sun; only pure
eyes with sound and perfect sight can receive them. Green and living trees
can absorb the bounty of the sun; dead roots and withered branches are
destroyed by it. Therefore, man must seek capacity and develop readiness.
As long as he lacks susceptibility to divine influences, he is incapable
of reflecting the light and assimilating its benefits. Sterile soil will
produce nothing, even if the cloud of mercy pours rain upon it a thousand
years. We must make the soil of our hearts receptive and fertile by
tilling in order that the rain of divine mercy may refresh them and bring
forth roses and hyacinths of heavenly planting. We must have perceiving
eyes in order to see the light of the sun. We must cleanse the nostril in
order to scent the fragrances of the divine rose garden. We must render
the ears attentive in order to hear the summons of the supreme Kingdom. No
matter how beautiful the melody, the ear that is deaf cannot hear it,
cannot receive the call of the Supreme Concourse. The nostril that is
clogged with dust cannot inhale the fragrant odors of the blossoms.
Therefore, we must ever strive for capacity and seek readiness. As long as
we lack susceptibility, the beauties and bounties of God cannot penetrate.
Christ spoke a parable in which He said His words were like the seeds of
the sower; some fall upon stony ground, some upon sterile soil, some are
choked by thorns and thistles, but some fall upon the ready, receptive and
fertile ground of human hearts. When seeds are cast upon sterile soil, no
growth follows. Those cast upon stony ground will grow a short time, but
lacking deep roots will wither away. Thorns and thistles destroy others
completely, but the seed cast in good ground brings forth harvest and
fruitage.
In the same way, the words I speak to you here tonight may produce no
effect whatever. Some hearts may be affected, then soon forget; others
owing to superstitious ideas and imaginations may even fail to hear and
understand; but the blessed souls who are attentive to my exhortation and
admonition, listening with the ear of acceptance, allowing my words to
penetrate effectively, will advance day by day toward full fruition, yea
even to the Supreme Concourse. Consider how the parable makes attainment
dependent upon capacity. Unless capacity is developed, the summons of the
Kingdom cannot reach the ear, the light of the Sun of Truth will not be
observed, and the fragrances of the rose garden of inner significance will
be lost. Let us endeavor to attain capacity, susceptibility and worthiness
that we may hear the call of the glad tidings of the Kingdom, become
revivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit, hoist the standard of the
oneness of humanity, establish human brotherhood, and under the protection
of divine grace attain the everlasting and eternal life.
O Thou forgiving God! These servants are turning to Thy kingdom and
seeking Thy grace and bounty. O God! Make their hearts good and pure in
order that they may become worthy of Thy love. Purify and sanctify the
spirits that the light of the Sun of Reality may shine upon them. Purify
and sanctify the eyes that they may perceive Thy light. Purify and
sanctify the ears in order that they may hear the call of Thy kingdom.
O Lord! Verily, we are weak, but Thou art mighty. Verily, we are poor, but
Thou art rich. We are the seekers, and Thou art the One sought. O Lord!
Have compassion upon us and forgive us; bestow upon us such capacity and
receptiveness that we may be worthy of Thy favors and become attracted to
Thy kingdom, that we may drink deep of the water of life, may be enkindled
by the fire of Thy love, and be resuscitated through the breaths of the
Holy Spirit in this radiant century.
O God, my God! Cast upon this gathering the glances of Thy
loving-kindness. Keep safe each and all in Thy custody and under Thy
protection. Send down upon these souls Thy heavenly blessings. Immerse
them in the ocean of Thy mercy and quicken them through the breaths of the
Holy Spirit.
O Lord! Bestow Thy gracious aid and confirmation upon this just
government. This country lieth beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy
protection and this people is in Thy service. O Lord! Confer upon them Thy
heavenly bounty and render the outpourings of Thy grace and favor copious
and abundant. Suffer this esteemed nation to be held in honor and enable
it to be admitted into Thy kingdom.
Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Merciful, and Thou art the
Generous, the Beneficent, the Lord of grace abounding.
28 May 1912
Talk at Reception at Metropolitan Temple
Seventh Avenue and Fourteenth Street, New York