Now surely, if ever, is the time for us, the chosen ones of Baha'u'llah
and the bearers of His Message to the world, to endeavor by day and by
night, to deepen, first and foremost, the Spirit of His Cause in our own
individual lives, and then labor, and labor incessantly to exemplify in
all our dealings with our fellow-men that noble Spirit of which His
beloved Son 'Abdu'l-Baha has been all the days of His life a true and
unique exponent. The sayings of our beloved Master have been noised
abroad, His name has filled all regions, and the eyes of mankind are now
turned expectant towards His disciples who bear His name and profess His
teachings. Shall we not by our daily life vindicate the high claims of His
teachings, and prove by our services the influence of His undying Spirit?
This surely is our highest privilege, and our most sacred duty.
Let us, with a pure heart, with humility and earnestness, turn afresh to
His counsels and exhortations, and seek from that Source of Celestial
Potency all the guidance, the spirit, the power which we shall need for
the fulfillment of our mission in this life.
Behold, the station to which 'Abdu'l-Baha is now calling His loved ones
from the Realm of Glory:--
"It behooveth the loved ones of God to be enamored of one another and to
sacrifice themselves for their fellow-workers in the Cause. They should
yearn towards one another even as the sore athirst yearneth for the Water
of Life, and the lover burneth to meet his heart's desire."
Such is the sublime, the glorious position He wishes us, and all the
peoples and kindreds on earth, to attain in this world; how much more to
achieve unity and common understanding among ourselves, and then arise to
herald with one voice the coming of the Kingdom and the salvation of
mankind.
With unity of purpose firmly established in our minds, with every trace of
personal animosity banished from our hearts, and with the spirit of
whole-hearted and sustained fellowship kindled in our souls, can we hope
to deliver effectively the Message of Baha'u'llah, and execute faithfully
the various provisions of our Beloved's Will and Testament.
Steadfast in our faith, firm in our union, abounding in our hope, fervent
in our spirit, and selfless in our labors, let us arise and with prayerful
hearts make another and supreme effort to fulfill these last words of our
Beloved, His most cherished desire:
"O ye that stand fast in the Covenant! When the hour cometh that this
wronged and broken winged bird will have taken its flight unto the
Celestial Concourse, when it will have hastened to the Realm of the
Unseen, and its mortal frame will have either been lost or hidden neath
the dust, it is incumbent upon the Afnan that are steadfast in the
Covenant of God and have branched from the Tree of Holiness, the Hands of
the Cause of God (the glory of the Lord rest upon them), and all the
friends and loved ones, one and all, to bestir themselves and arise with
heart and soul and in one accord to diffuse the sweet savors of God, to
teach His Cause and to promote His Faith. It behooveth them not to rest
for a moment, neither to seek repose. They must disperse themselves in
every land, pass by every clime, and travel throughout all regions.
Bestirred, without rest, and steadfast to the end, they must raise in
every land the triumphal cry of Ya-Baha'u'l-Abha, must achieve renown in
the world wherever they go, must burn brightly even as a candle in every
meeting, and must kindle the flame of Divine Love in every assembly; that
the Light of Truth may rise resplendent in the midmost heart of the world,
that throughout the East and throughout the West a vast concourse may
gather under the shadow of the Word of God, that the sweet savors of
Holiness may be diffused, that faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled
with the Divine Spirit and souls be made heavenly. In these days the most
important of all things is the guidance of the nations and the peoples of
the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost importance, for it is the head
corner-stone of the foundation itself. This wronged servant has spent his
days and nights in promoting the Cause, and urging the peoples to service.
He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause of God was noised
abroad in the world, and the Celestial Strains from the Abha Kingdom
roused the East and the West. The beloved of God must also follow the same
example. This is the secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of
servitude to the Threshold of Baha."
We need but glance at the Words of Baha'u'llah and the Epistles of
'Abdu'l-Baha to realize the great privilege of teaching the Cause, its
vital necessity, its supreme urgency, and its wide-reaching effects. These
are the very words of 'Abdu'l-Baha:--
"In these days, the Holy Ones of the Realm of Glory, dwelling in the
all-highest Paradise, yearn to return unto this world, and be of some
service to the Cause of Baha'u'llah and prove their servitude to the
Threshold of Abha beauty."
What a wondrous vision these words unfold to our eyes! How great our
privilege to labor in this Day in the Divine Vineyard! Is it not incumbent
upon us to arise and teach His Cause with such an ardor which no worldly
adversity can quell, nor any measure of success can satiate?