Man must be lofty in endeavor. He must seek to become heavenly and
spiritual, to find the pathway to the threshold of God and become
acceptable in the sight of God. This is eternal glory--to be near to God.
This is eternal sovereignty--to be imbued with the virtues of the human
world. This is boundless blessing--to be entirely sanctified and holy above
every stain and dross.
Consider the human world. See how nations have come and gone. They have
been of all minds and purposes. Some were mere captives of self and
desire, engulfed in the passions of the lower nature. They attained to
wealth, to the comforts of life, to fame. And what was the final outcome?
Utter evanescence and oblivion. Reflect upon this. Look upon it with the
eye of admonition. No trace of them remains, no fruit, no result, no
benefit; they have gone utterly--complete effacement.
Souls have appeared in the world who were pure and undefiled, who have
directed their attention toward God, seeking the reward of God, attaining
nearness to the threshold of God, acceptable in the good pleasure of God.
They have been the lights of guidance and stars of the Supreme Concourse.
Consider these souls, shining like stars in the horizon of sanctity
forevermore.
It must not be implied that one should give up avocation and attainment to
livelihood. On the contrary, in the Cause of Baha'u'llah monasticism and
asceticism are not sanctioned. In this great Cause the light of guidance
is shining and radiant. Baha'u'llah has even said that occupation and
labor are devotion. All humanity must obtain a livelihood by sweat of the
brow and bodily exertion, at the same time seeking to lift the burden of
others, striving to be the source of comfort to souls and facilitating the
means of living. This in itself is devotion to God. Baha'u'llah has
thereby encouraged action and stimulated service. But the energies of the
heart must not be attached to these things; the soul must not be
completely occupied with them. Though the mind is busy, the heart must be
attracted toward the Kingdom of God in order that the virtues of humanity
may be attained from every direction and source.
We have forsaken the path of God; we have given up attention to the divine
Kingdom; we have not severed the heart from worldly attractions; we have
become defiled with qualities which are not praiseworthy in the sight of
God; we are so completely steeped in material issues and tendencies that
we are not partakers of the virtues of humanity.
Little reflection, little admonition is necessary for us to realize the
purpose of our creation. What a heavenly potentiality God has deposited
within us! What a power God has given our spirits! He has endowed us with
a power to penetrate the realities of things; but we must be
self-abnegating, we must have pure spirits, pure intentions, and strive
with heart and soul while in the human world to attain everlasting glory.
I have come for the purpose of admonition and voicing the teachings of
Baha'u'llah. It is my hope that His will and guidance may influence your
spirits, souls and hearts, causing them to become pure, holy, sanctified
and illumined and making you lamps of heavenly illumination to the world.
This is my desire; this is my hope through the assistance of God.
12 June 1912
Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York