I am greatly pleased with the friends in Washington and experience real
happiness in meeting them. Likewise, I am pleased with the friends from
Baltimore, for I have observed that their hearts are attracted to the love
of Baha'u'llah. Their vision is extended toward the Kingdom of Baha. Their
spirits are rejoicing in the glad tidings of Abha. Verily, they are
servants of the Cause of God. All are engaged in service, and the
perfection of their desire is to enter into the Kingdom of Abha and draw
near unto God. For that reason I am very happy and well pleased with them.
I pray for you all. May the favors of the Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah,
encompass you, and may the lights of the Sun of Reality be your
illumination. May you all become united and assured. May you serve the
Cause of God as one single, united force. I give you the glad tidings that
the confirmations of God will descend upon you. Be ye assured of this. Ye
will become illumined. Ye will become conquerors.
But after I leave, some people may arise in opposition, heaping
persecutions upon you in their bitterness, and in the newspapers there may
be articles published against the Cause. Rest ye in the assurance of
firmness. Be well poised and serene, remembering that this is only as the
harmless twittering of sparrows and that it will soon pass away. If such
things do not happen, the fame of the Cause will not become widespread,
and the summons of God will not be heard. Consider the history of the
past. Recall, for instance, the days of Christ and the events subsequent
thereto. How many were the books written against Him! What calumnies were
attributed to Him! How violent were the utterances in the temples against
Him! How many the accusations! What hatred and persecution! How they
scoffed at Him in derision and contempt! Consider the titles and epithets
they bestowed upon His majesty! They even designated Him Beelzebub--Satan.
They said Beelzebub had been captured and crucified. They placed a crown
of thorns upon Beelzebub's head and paraded Him through the streets. This
was the name the Jews bestowed upon Christ; it is written in the Gospel.
There were many other forms of reviling and persecution, spitting in His
beautiful face, cursing and anathematizing, bowing backward toward Him,
saying, "Peace be on thee, thou king of the Jews!" "Peace be on thee, thou
destroyer of the temple!" "Peace be on thee, thou king and pretender who
would restore the temple in three days!" The philosophers of the times,
Romans and Greeks, wrote against Christ. Even the kings wrote books of
abuse, calumny and contempt. One of these kings was a Caesar. He was also
a philosopher. In his book he says, concerning the people of Christ, "The
most degraded of people are the Christians. The most immoral of the people
of this time are the Christians. Jesus of Nazareth has led them astray. O
people! If you wish to know who Jesus is and what Christian means, go and
ask his relatives. Go and ask the Jews who know him. See what a bad person
he is, how degraded he is." There were many similar accounts. But remember
that these statements did not affect the cause of Christianity. On the
contrary, Christianity advanced daily in power and potency.
Day by day the majesty of Christ grew in splendor and effulgence.
Therefore, my purpose is to warn and strengthen you against accusations,
criticisms, revilings and derision in newspaper articles or other
publications. Be not disturbed by them. They are the very confirmation of
the Cause, the very source of upbuilding to the Movement. May God confirm
the day when a score of ministers of the churches may arise and with bared
heads cry at the top of their voices that the Baha'is are misguided. I
would like to see that day, for that is the time when the Cause of God
will spread. Baha'u'llah has pronounced such as these the couriers of the
Cause. They will proclaim from pulpits that the Baha'is are fools, that
they are a wicked and unrighteous people, but be ye steadfast and
unwavering in the Cause of God. They will spread the message of
Baha'u'llah.
His Honor Mirza Abu'l-Fadl has written a treatise answering the criticisms
of a London preacher. Each one of you should have a copy.(1) Read,
memorize and reflect upon it. Then, when accusations and criticisms are
advanced by those unfavorable to the Cause, you will be well armed.