thine insight and to show unto thee His great signs, and to make thee a
banner of guidance, severed from all else save Him, enkindled with the
fire of His love, engaged in His praise and apprehending the realities of
things; so that thou mayest see with thine eyes, hear with thine ears and
not imitate any of the fathers and ancestors; have perception in the
matter of thy Lord, for the people are in dark veils. By God, the True
One, verily the doors of the everlasting paradise are opened before the
faces of the devoted ones and the Tree of Life therein overshadows the
spiritual ones. Happy are those who enter it and are sheltered under its
shadow!
"O thou candle shining by the light of the Love of God!..."
O thou candle shining by the light of the Love of God!
That which thou hast inscribed and conceived of in thy mind was manifest
and clear. The contents indicate spiritual signs and the meanings were
like unto a sweet chalice. I trust in God that thy pure mind may become
reflective of light; thus thou mayest become prepared for the divine
manifestation and attract the light of guidance from the Heavenly Star.
O servant of God! Through the power of God's love the weak become mighty,
the poor become rich, the little bird becomes a great eagle soaring on the
ethereal wave, the tiny plant grows into a great palm tree.
O servant of God! Trials and tests are severe. If thou seekest progress
and advancement in the Kingdom, remain firm and withstand. When it is
possible for thee to visit this land(45) in all fragrance and
spirituality, thou art permitted to come.
If thou canst help the up-building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar in Chicago, it
will be most acceptable.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
I am in the blessed place of the Holy Land and thou art in foreign parts
and I do not see thee with my material eyes, but I see thee with the eyes
of my heart and I remember thee in recalling to thee that which the Christ
promised to the believers, the great blessing and favor, the light of
which illuminates those present and those absent.
O maid-servant of God! Be thou rejoiced because of this good news which
draws (inclines) the sanctified hearts from all worldly conditions and
know thou the value of this great gift (favor) and do not exchange it for
the great sovereignty (of the world), for, verily, the sovereignty of the
world is a mortal rule and follows pride. However, this gift is an eternal
and a divine favor, the light of which illumines the passing of times and
periods.
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I noted thy letter and utterance. God hath accepted thy devotion,
prayer and worship and hath manifested upon thee the lights of His great
favor, ushered thee into His Kingdom, gave thee to drink of the wine of
His love and made thee to hear the melodies of the birds of holiness in
this wonderful day.
Thank God that He enriched thee beyond the delicacies of this mortal world
and caused thee to taste the sweetness of His love in His New Kingdom.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee, since thou hast attained
the knowledge of God and His love, to sacrifice thy spirit and all thy
conditions for the life of the world, bearing every difficulty for the
comfort of the souls, sinking to the depth of the sea of ordeals for the
sake of the love of faithfulness and burning with the fire of torture and
regret like unto a lamp while the light is shining from thee unto the
surroundings.
O maid-servant of God! The mystery of sacrifice is that man should
sacrifice all his conditions for the divine station of God. The station of
God is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, sacrifice, favor, grace and giving
life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His love in the hearts and
arteries. I asked God to make thee a sign of mercy, the banner of kindness
among His maid-servants.
O maid-servant of God! Sing with beautiful melodies in the meetings of the
maid-servants, praising and glorifying thy Supreme Lord.
O maid-servant of God! The human spirit hath an impression and effect in
the world, but the divine Spirit giveth life to the souls and conferreth
eternal life upon those who are attracted to the fragrances of God. This
is the Great Cause from the Kingdom of thy Lord. Be attached to this New
Spirit which hath effective power in the realities of things and creates
new creatures.
O maid-servant of God! forsake every thought, every remembrance and every
praise, while holding to the Word of God. Confine thy interests, thy works
and efforts to the Cause of God. Thus the spirit of power and might will
confirm thee and the manifest light will shine upon thy brow.
"O servant of God!..."
O servant of God!
I was very happy to receive thy letter because it showed thy servitude to
the One God and indicated belief and assurance in the Cause of His
Presence. Thank God that thou art favored with this blessing, that thou
servest the friends of God and thou waitest at the Threshold of the
Merciful. I beg of God that thou mayest be baptized by the baptism of
BAHA'O'LLAH and become free from all the stains of the mortal world and
that thou mayest take delight in the favors of God in the paradise of
unity, and that thou mayest be able to become pleasing to God and mayest
appear with thy face illuminated as a candle in the world of eternity.
"O thou spiritual friend!..."
O thou spiritual friend!
Verily, I was informed of the contents of thy letter and increased
gratitude unto God, for that He hath granted the friends clear
consciences, pure and holy hearts, attraction unto the Kingdom of God,
enkindlement by the fire of the love and humbleness to God.
Glad-tidings unto ye for this abundant blessing, sufficient bounties, wide
mercy, glorious appearances; therefore, be united in hearts and spirits,
strive so that ye may obtain the great favors, attain to the overflowing
chalice, perform charity (good deeds), gain the spirit of life, attracted
by the fragrance and depend on the Lord of Signs. At that time your faces
will be illumined, your souls holy, your hearts severed from this world
and attached to the Supreme Concourse, and you will call out with the most
loud voice: "Glad-tidings unto us through these divine favors and blessed
are we by this heavenly guidance!"
I was glad in heart when I saw thy likeness in the photograph and looked
at the resemblance like the reality of thy identity and thanked God
witnessing the light of God in thy beautiful face.
"O thou kind friend!..."
O thou kind friend!
Thy letter was received and its contents considered. Man must, under all
conditions, be thankful to God, the One, for it is said in the blessed
text: "If ye be thankful I will increase thee."
Man must seek shelter in the mercy and protection of God, for he is
constantly subject to a hundred thousand dangers. Save for the refuge and
protection of the Most High, man is without shelter.
I ask God to help thy children to gain knowledge, to attain virtues and
morals which are the refinements of the reality of man, and to strengthen
thee to remain firm.
Convey my respect and greeting to Mr......... and Mrs. ......... I trust
in the providence of God that thou mayest ascertain what is worthy and
fitting for Bahais, and that day by day the love of God may increase in
the hearts.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
Be exceedingly grateful to the maid-servant of God, Mrs......... who
guided thee, led thee to the Kingdom of Glory and invited thee to the
heavenly table, so that thou mayest attain eternal life and enjoy the
happiness of the Kingdom.
Thou didst write: "How can I serve Thee?" The greatest service is thine
own firmness and steadfastness and thy withstanding severe trials when
they come. Through firmness thou wilt perceive the opening of the doors of
grace.
"O thou plant in the garden of the Love of God!..."
O thou plant in the garden of the Love of God!
Open the tongue of praise to the Horizon of ABHA, for having received
light from Him in the age of youth, and for having been planted by Him in
the paradise of glory.
I hope thou shalt be a child of the Kingdom, shalt learn sciences, arts
and significances, may become a full grown tree, fruitful and green in the
vineyard of God and be happy and full of cheer through the showers of the
clouds of paradise.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
I rejoiced to read thy letter, for it indicated thy progress unto the
Kingdom of thy Glorious Lord, thy wish to serve in His vineyard and thy
faith in this Cause which has shed its light upon those regions.
Blessed art thou for having opened the door of thy home unto the people to
come and hear of the Kingdom.
The maid-servant of God remembered thee in her letter, mentioning thy
great joy and progress in the Cause of thy Lord.
Verily, I pray God to make thy home a center for the radiation of light
and the glowing of His love in the hearts of His people. Know that in
every home where God is praised and prayed to, and His Kingdom proclaimed,
that home is a garden of God and a paradise of His happiness.
"O Spiritual Assembly !..."
O Spiritual Assembly(46) !
Everything produces an impression in existence and results in the course
of ages. The (earthly) assemblies established in the different parts of
Europe, Asia and America have no results save the help of the physical and
the mortal life in this lesser world, for the removal of its conditions
and reformation of its customs, and in the end no name will remain
thereof. But every spiritual assembly of solid foundation, good structure
and unwavering constancy will last forever and will send forth its
illumination unto all regions.
Observe the gatherings of the disciples after Christ: Their light is still
shining, their power is still revealing and their trumpets still
resounding throughout the ages. Such is the spiritual meeting.
"O God! Confirm them in the promotion of Thy..."
O God! Confirm them in the promotion of Thy Word among the people and in
strengthening and multiplying Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Bounteous,
the Merciful!
"O ye two birds warbling in the Garden of Wisdom...."
O ye(47) two birds warbling in the Garden of Wisdom.
Verily, I saw your photographs, whose beauty proved the turning of your
hearts unto the Center of Guidance and the dilation of your breasts by the
appearance of the Kingdom of God. The light of God is verily shining in
the face of the man who is of the Kingdom, spiritual, heavenly, divine and
Bahai. The rest among the people are like animals; nay, they are led
astray from the Path.
Thank God for that He enlightened your faces by the light of guidance,
deposited in your hearts the sign of faith, and made you of the chosen
ones in this new century.
The truth I say unto you! If ye were aware of what God hath destined for
you in the kingdom of His glory, verily ye would rejoice exceedingly and
soar with the wings of joy unto the heights of happiness, crying with the
most loud voice: "Blessings and happiness from this great attainment and
evident bounty."
"O thou handsome child!..."
O thou handsome child!
Thy spiritual father and thy good mother sent me thy radiant picture and I
rejoiced on seeing it. I pray God to illumine thy heart with the light of
the Manifestation, to nurture thee in His mercy so that thou mayest attain
maturity in His love; thy spirit be enlightened with beholding His light
and thy spirit revived by the bounty of the Holy Spirit, so that thou
mayest be a sign of the love of God, speaking in the name of God, joyous
by the favors of God, attaining unto the sea of the mercy of God, and
being baptized with the water of life, the fire of love and the spirit of
attraction.
"O thou blooming rose in the garden of the Love of..."
O thou blooming rose in the garden of the Love of God!
Verily, the heavenly angels address thee from the Supreme Horizon, saying:
"O maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced for God hath chosen thee for His love
and sheltered thee under the shade of His Kingdom, the lights of which
shone forth, the signs of which were manifested, the mysteries of which
were unfolded, the fragrance of which emanated, the waves of which surged,
the causes of which were promulgated, the suns of which appeared, the
moons of which shone and the stars of which sparkled."
Therefore, praise God for that He honored thee with presence in this great
century and new cycle and caused thee to attain this new bounty.
I ask God to send down upon thee a blessing and upon thy family a favor
from His Kingdom.
"O thou who art anticipating the appearance of the Gift..."
O thou who art anticipating the appearance of the Gift of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which indicated that thou hast turned unto the
Blessed Spot, that the Truth (of God) hath revealed itself to thee, that
thy fear is quieted and that thou hast attained to composure, assuredly
believing in this great Cause.
Know thou, verily, there are many veils in which the Truth is enveloped:
gloomy veils; then delicate and transparent veils; then the envelopment of
Light, the sight of which dazzles the eyes, as doth the sun which is
enveloped only in its own light and, as we look at it, the sight is
blinded and eyes are dazzled.
I beg of God to remove all the veilings and familiarize the light with all
eyes, so that man may not be veiled from witnessing the Sun of Truth.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, the tests and trials of God are very great
and very violent. Beseech thou God to protect thee from all doubts and to
guard thee from the interpretations of parabolical(48) verses, as made by
those who know not in what valley they are roving, who speak according to
their own selfish purposes and after their own evil inclinations; who
accept and then reject; who believe in God and then deny Him; and who
appear firm and then backslide: thus thou beholdest these oscillating
daily.
"Leave them to amuse themselves with their own vain discourses," and turn
thou to the light of the Testament, and rejoice at the bounty of the
effulgence, and seek shelter under the shadow of the standard of the
Covenant. Thou wilt soon find it fluttering on the highest summits of
glory, surrounded by the valiant hosts of the angels of heaven and
assisted by spiritual armies of great number that proceed from the Supreme
Concourse.
"O my tender friend!..."
O my tender friend!
Verily, the union between myself and thee is on a solid foundation and a
well made basis. Neither the winds can remove it nor the events of time
annihilate it. It is everlasting and eternal, heavenly, spiritual and
divine, and it is of no end or termination. Consequently be rejoiced at
these words which cheer the hearts of the righteous and the souls of the
pious when hearing them.
"O thou lamp who art illuminated with the light of the..."
O thou lamp who art illuminated with the light of the Love of God!
Leave thou the world and abandon the people and turn unto the Kingdom of
thy independent Lord. Beseech Him every morn and eve and supplicate to the
Gate of His Oneness to make thee firm and steadfast in the Testament and
to guard thee from all calamities, with the eye of His protection, and
protect thee from the tests which are (so violent) as the whirlwinds which
uproot trees.
"O thou who hearest and seest in this wonderful Cause!..."
O thou who hearest and seest in this wonderful Cause!
Verily, I read thy interesting letter, its beautiful composition and I
noted its purpose which indicated spiritual aspiration to the Kingdom of
thy Great Lord.
Thank God for guiding thee unto the Straight Path, manifesting unto thee
the Evident Light. He shall give thee a draught of the cup whereby thy
spiritual power will be increased. Thou shalt advance unto the Lofty
Station, acquire heavenly qualities and attain knowledge of the
significances of the words of God in this glorious day.
It is incumbent upon thee to turn wholly unto the Kingdom of God, to enter
entirely into this wonderful Cause, and to make thy thought, remembrance
and effort confined to the education of thy character, the enlightenment
through the Light of ABHA, and to guide the people to the Source of the
mercy of thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful.
Comfort thy mother and endeavor to do what is conducive to the happiness
of her heart. Approach not those who are drowned in the sea of this world,
but rather be enkindled by the fire of the love of God. Be thou such a
flame whereby the hearts may be set aglow.
It is incumbent upon thee to assemble continuously with the beloved of God
and to meet with those whose faces are illumined with the light of the
love of God. Verily, I supplicate to God to make thee sincere in this
love, to illumine thee with the light of His Kingdom, to destine unto thee
the illumination by the light of His attributes, to make thee a sign of
mercy, a bird warbling the verses of unity; that thou mayest be nurtured
in the bosom of His providence, and become a growing tree bearing fruit in
the Paradise of El-ABHA.
Verily, thy Lord confirmeth him whom He willeth, and He is the Forgiving,
the Merciful.
"O thou who art agitated as oceans by the winds blown..."
O thou who art agitated as oceans by the winds blown from the direction of
the Kingdom of God!
Verily I read thy wonderful letter, declaring the grandeur of thy nature
and the excess of thy love and thine attaining the knowledge of God.
Verily its contents were as spiritual meanings poured forth from a heart
throbbing by the spirit of the love of God. I beseech God to confer on
thee, and on thy noble husband, a perfect favor from His Supreme Kingdom,
until your faces may sparkle by its light, among the creatures, and by
which the fame of your love in God may be renowned among the horizons.
By my life, this is a favor for which the angels of heaven and the spirits
of the holy ones are longing in the Supreme World. And (I beg God) to
prepare for you your greatest desire--that is, the attaining (the visit to)
the blessed, perfumed, amber-scented Tomb,(49) diffused in all horizons.
"Verily, I read thy magnificent letter, thy brilliant..."
(50) Verily, I read thy magnificent letter, thy brilliant writing, and
found its meanings as the chanting of the verses of guidance and its
foundation based on righteousness and piety. Verily I beseech God to make
thee a sign of supplication, humbleness and submissiveness unto God, so
that thou mayest commune with thy Lord, in the gloomy hours of night and
in the morn and eve while being enkindled with the fire of the love of
God, attracted to His fragrances of holiness, strengthened by His Spirit,
speaking His praise and bowing down before His Threshold of Sanctity.
Verily, He is the Assister, the Beneficent!
Then know thou that, verily, the hosts of confirmation from the Kingdom of
God will assist every soul who is severed from aught else save God, is
associated with the commemoration of God and is rejoiced at the
glad-tidings of God. Cut thyself from this world and rely on the Supreme
Concourse, so that thou mayest heart the call from the Lofty Apex and thy
face may become illuminated with a light shining forth from the Kingdom of
El-ABHA.
"O thou who art enkindled by the fire of the Love of..."
O thou who art enkindled by the fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I was informed of the text of thy letter, wherein thou praisest
the firm servant of God, Mirza ........ and was rejoiced in heart for the
signs of joy which are manifested in thee in this illustrious day. I ask
God to make thee a sign of guidance, fountain of knowledge and a caller in
His name, the Merciful, so that the hearts may become gladdened by the
mention of God and the souls be led to the Kingdom of God, to this Great
Dwelling Place and Sublime Home.
As to the four stations which I refer to in the divine treatise: I ask God
to open the door before thy face, that thou mayest enter therein, that
thou mayest attain to its lights and become informed of its mysteries. I
shall not give a detailed explanation thereof, on account of the great
work (i.e., because of the exceeding press of business).
Regarding the treatise (or pamphlet) which thou didst compile in proof of
the appearance of the Kingdom of God--thou didst well! I shall read it at a
leisure time, and ask God to aide thee in compiling other useful writings
in demonstration of God.
As to organization of other meetings for the maid-servants of the
Merciful, for the spread of the fragrances of God; this is the best deed
and most complete action. I ask God to strengthen thee in this matter so
that you may organize many gatherings for the spread of the teachings of
God. Thus the Lord of Hosts will confirm you by armies of the Supreme
Concourse and hosts of the angels of heaven. Verily it is the army of
inspiration and the hosts of benediction.
"O thou who art marching onward to God!..."
O thou who art marching onward to God!
I have read thy beautiful letter which contained delicate meanings, and I
am made glad by its contents which expressed spiritual feelings. I have
prayed to God to send down upon thee a blessing from the Kingdom of Heaven
and thus make thy heart beat with joy in the love of God, and make thee
meek and humble before the good maid-servants of God, and pure and holy in
His Kingdom.***
"O thou who art submissive and humble before the..."
O thou who art submissive and humble before the Holy Threshold!
Know thou, verily, submissiveness is the good quality of the maid-servants
of God, and humility is the character of the God-fearing leaves(51) who
have sprung forth from the Tree of Mercifulness.
Thou oughtest to be characterized with these, that thou mayest be an
example for the maid-servants of the Merciful and a leader of the leaves
who are moved by the winds of the love of God. Abandon the concerns of
mankind and be naturalized with the attributes of the angels of the
Supreme Concourse, because these angels humble themselves to the lowest
thing of the things despite their honor, glory, the loftiness of station
and the greatness of their might. This is seemly to the unitarian women
and an honor for those women who are surely believing in God! This is the
consolation of the heart of the God-fearing women, and this is a
tranquility to the soul of those women who are attracted to the fragrances
of the Lord of Signs!
"O thou whose heart is soaring in the sky of the love of..."
O thou whose heart is soaring in the sky of the love of God!
Praise be unto Him whose light hath risen, whose appearance hath become
exalted, whose signs are promulgated and whose evidences are fulfilled.
The tongue of the realities of all things hath uttered: "Glory be to my
God, the El-Baha!" Thanks for His manifest Beauty and for His Great
Splendor! --for He hath quickened mankind with the spirit of guidance and
hath rendered clear the White Path of Gifts, through the arguments which
are brilliant and clear to the hearts of the intelligent and thereby these
hearts are moved, enlightened, illuminated and become cognizant of the
Mighty Message(52) in this Manifest Day of the Manifestation of the
Honorable Station(53) when the mystery of existence flows just as do the
souls in the bodies.
"O my God! O my God!..."
O my God! O my God!
This, Thy servant, hath advanced toward Thee and is passionately wandering
in the desert of Thy love and is walking in the path of Thy service, is
expecting Thy favors, hoping for Thy bounty, depending upon Thy Kingdom
and intoxicated by the wine of Thy gift.
O my God! Increase his fervor in Thy affection, his constancy in Thy
praise and his ardor in Thy love.
Verily, Thou art the Generous and endued with great bounty. There is no
God save Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful!
"O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!
I received thy letter and considered its wonderful expressions and found
therein facts which show thine approach toward God, thy passionate love of
the Beauty of God, thy cheerfulness in the Cause of God and thy turning
unto the Center of the Testament, for that thou art brightened through the
light of the effulgence.
Then praise God for that He hath made thee to show the light of guidance,
to lay hold on the hem of the robe of greatness and to be attracted by the
breaths of the Supreme Concourse. This is a matter which will satisfy thee
from aught else save God and make thee above all needs and will cause thee
to acquire an immortal wealth. Then thank God for this heavenly bounty on
which the life of spirit depends entirely in all the worlds.
"O ye two birds in the open-space of the Love of God!..."
O ye(54) two birds in the open-space of the Love of God!