This is a splendid gathering, a meeting of the maidservants of the
Merciful and the beloved of God. Whenever such gatherings have taken place
in this world, the results have been very great. They have exerted an
influence upon the world of hearts and minds. Wherever a lamp is lighted
in the night, naturally people are attracted and gather around it. When
you see such an assemblage as this, you may know that a light is
illumining the darkness. There are lamps the light of which is limited.
There are lamps the light of which is unlimited. There are lamps which
illumine small places and lamps which illumine the horizons. The lamp of
the guidance of God, wherever lighted, has shed its radiance throughout
the East and the West. Praise be to God! It has been lighted in this
country; day by day its radiance is becoming more resplendent and its
effulgence more widespread. This is not known now, but later on its traces
will become evident. Consider the days of Christ: how the light of
guidance brightened twelve hearts. How limited it seemed, but how
expansive it became afterward and illumined the world! You are not a large
body of people, but because the lamp of guidance has been lighted in your
hearts, the effects will be wonderful in the years to come. It is evident
and manifest that the world will be illumined by this light; therefore,
you must thank God that--praise be to God!--through His grace and favor the
lamp of the most great guidance has been ignited in your hearts, and He
has summoned you to His Kingdom. He has caused the call of the Supreme
Concourse to reach your ears. The doors of heaven have been opened unto
you. The Sun of Reality is shining upon you, the cloud of mercy is pouring
down, and the breezes of providence are wafting through your souls.
Although the bestowal is great and the grace is glorious, yet capacity and
readiness are requisite. Without capacity and readiness the divine bounty
will not become manifest and evident. No matter how much the cloud may
rain, the sun may shine and the breezes blow, the soil that is sterile
will give no growth. The ground that is pure and free from thorns and
thistles receives and produces through the rain of the cloud of mercy. No
matter how much the sun shines, it will have no effect upon the black
rock, but in a pure and polished mirror its lights become resplendent.
Therefore, we must develop capacity in order that the signs of the mercy
of the Lord may be revealed in us. We must endeavor to free the soil of
the hearts from useless weeds and sanctify it from the thorns of worthless
thoughts in order that the cloud of mercy may bestow its power upon us.
The doors of God are open, but we must be ready and fitted to enter. The
ocean of divine providence is surging, but we must be able to swim. The
bestowals of the Almighty are descending from the heaven of grace, but
capacity to receive them is essential. The fountain of divine generosity
is gushing forth, but we must have thirst for the living waters. Unless
there be thirst, the salutary water will not assuage. Unless the soul
hungers, the delicious foods of the heavenly table will not give
sustenance. Unless the eyes of perception be opened, the lights of the sun
will not be witnessed. Until the nostrils are purified, the fragrance of
the divine rose garden will not be inhaled. Unless the heart be filled
with longing, the favors of the Lord will not be evident. Unless a perfect
melody be sung, the ears of the hearers will not be attracted. Therefore,
we must endeavor night and day to purify the hearts from every dross,
sanctify the souls from every restriction and become free from the
discords of the human world. Then the divine bestowals will become evident
in their fullness and glory. If we do not strive and sanctify ourselves
from the defects and evil qualities of human nature, we will not partake
of the bestowals of God. It is as if the sun is shining in its full glory,
but no reflection is forthcoming from hearts that are black as stone. If
an ocean of salubrious water is surging and we be not thirsty, what
benefit do we receive? If the candle be lighted and we have no eyes, what
enjoyment do we obtain from it? If melodious anthems should rise to the
heavens and we are bereft of hearing, what enjoyment can we find?
Therefore, we must endeavor always, cry, supplicate and invoke the Kingdom
of God to grant us full capacity in order that the bestowals of God may
become revealed and manifest in us. And as we attain to these heavenly
bounties, we shall offer thanks unto the threshold of oneness. Then shall
we rejoice in the Lord that in this wonderful century and glorious age,
under the shelter of the Kingdom of God we have enjoyed these bestowals
and will arise in praise and thanksgiving. Therefore, I first exhort
myself and then I entreat you to appreciate this great bestowal, recognize
this most great guidance, accept these bounties of the Lord. You must
endeavor day and night to become worthy of a generous portion of these
gifts and realize full capacity of attainment. Praise be to God! Your
hearts are illumined, your faces are turned toward the Kingdom of God. It
is my hope that all of these degrees may be reached and these friends
attain a station which shall be an example and stimulus for all friends in
the world. May the love of God spread from here onward and outward; may
the knowledge of God be sent broadcast from this place; may spiritual
forces become effective here; may the lights of the Kingdom shine; may
intelligent souls be found here so that with all power they may be
occupied in the service of God, furthering the oneness of the human world
and the cause of the Most Great Peace. May these souls be lighted candles
and fruitful trees; may they be pearls of the shells of providence; may
they be stars of heaven. This is my supplication to God. This is my
request from the Beauty of Abha: that He may submerge all of you in the
ocean of His grace.
(Afterward, speaking of numbers)
Such suppositions regarding lucky or unlucky numbers are purely imaginary.
The superstition concerning thirteen had its origin in the fact that Jesus
Christ was surrounded by twelve disciples and that Judas Iscariot was the
thirteenth member of their gathering. This is the source of the
superstition, but it is purely imaginary. Although Judas was outwardly a
disciple, in reality he was not. Twelve is the original number of
significance and completion. Jacob had twelve sons from whom descended
twelve tribes. The disciples of Jesus were twelve; the Imams of Muhammad
were twelve. The zodiacal signs are twelve; the months of the year are
twelve, etc.
The mysteries of the Holy Books have become explained in the manifestation
of Baha'u'llah. Before He appeared, these mysteries were not understood.
Baha'u'llah opened and unsealed these mysteries. It was my wish to come
here today to have this meeting.
16 June 1912
Talk at Central Congregational Church
Hancock Street, Brooklyn, New York