........ and say, "The sons of the Kingdom are scattered throughout the
whole world, but the ignorant Pharisees have arisen with the utmost hatred
instigating persecutions. They imagine that persecution and suffering will
hinder the promulgation of the Cause; whereas no rampart is able to
obstruct the descent of the waves of the Most Great Sea; no veil can
conceal the rays of the Sun of Truth; no wall can stay the wafting of the
Divine Breeze; and no power is able to resist the Spirit of God. Be ye not
sad nor dejected on account of the disturbance and uproar of the people of
desire and passion. Ere long the symphony of the Kingdom shall silence all
the other noises. Rest ye assured and illumine your house with the lights
of divine commemoration."
Give my greeting to Mr. ........ and announce to him, "Caiaphas and Annas
were the colossal pillars of the Mosaic Dispensation in the day of His
Highness the Spirit; but as they did not acknowledge the Word of God, they
fell from the apex of glory to the bottom of the pit of the greatest
abasement. But Peter was a catcher of fish; as he turned his face toward
the Word of God, the fame of his imperishable, deathless and immortal
glory encircled East and West; and he found in the sovereignty of the
Kingdom, eternal and everlasting majesty. It is the same in these days."
"O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was read with the utmost attention. The poetry was beautiful.
Praise be to God, thou art severed from all else save the Heavenly Father.
Thou hast been of the earth--thou art now of the Kingdom. Thou hast been of
the world--thou art now of the Realm of Might. Thou art spreading the
divine Teachings. Thank thou God, thou art bearing trials in the path of
the Kingdom and art enduring persecutions and sufferings. These
afflictions are conducive to the spiritual development and the descent of
the Holy Spirit.
O thou dear maid-servant of God! I supplicate God that He suffer thee to
become a herald of the Kingdom in all those places, so that thou mayest
proclaim the glad-tidings of the Lord of Hosts.
"O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom..."
O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom of God!
The letter which thou hast written was received. I read it with the utmost
love; thy services became known and thy forbearance in the afflictions
became evident and manifest. Happy is thy condition, for thou art spending
thy days in heralding the Kingdom and art crying, "O ye concourse of men!
Make ye straight the path; walk ye in the direct road!" Thou hast
abandoned ease and accepted thousands of hardships and traveled for the
purpose of promoting the Word of God.
Convey on my behalf love to Mrs. ........ and say, "Praise be to God, thou
art set aglow with the fire of the Love of God and hast arisen in the
service of the Cause of God."
Announce my affection to the maid-servant, ....... and say, "Thank thou
God that thou hast become related to the Kingdom and art an object of the
favors of the Lord of Might."
Gladden the heart of Mrs. ........ by the divine glad-tidings and say, "Be
thou like unto a bird and unweariedly soar upward until thou reachest the
Supreme Apex."
Say thou to Mr. ........, "When engaged in useless service the end is loss
within loss. Therefore, serve thou the Lord of the Kingdom, which in the
end is profit within profit."
Announce my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and her daughter and say,
"Thank ye God that ye have illumined faces with the light of Guidance and
ye have perfumed the nostrils with the holy fragrances of the rose-garden
of the Kingdom of ABHA."
Proclaim the glad-tidings of the bounty of the Almighty to Mrs. ........
and deliver my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and say, "In the
churches turn thy face toward the Kingdom of ABHA and supplicate the help
of the Holy Spirit, and, with a detached heart, begin to talk."
Convey respectful greeting to Mr. and Mrs. ......... and say, "Be ye
thankful to God that your house became the nest of the birds of the divine
garden and the shelter of the flocks of heaven. They sit together, read
the holy Tablets, are engage din the commemoration of the True One and
strive and endeavor to promote the Word of God."
O thou maid-servant of God, Mrs. ..........! Regarding the star with five
points, thou hast made an excellent comparison.
O thou maid-servant of God! If it is possible, change the meeting of every
nineteen days into a feast. ***
O thou maid-servant of God! Those fishes which thou hast seen in the
vision are the souls who are swimming in the sea of this nether world. God
willing, thou wilt bring them out of the nether world, with the net of the
love of God, into the immensity of the kingdom. Those brilliant stars
which thou hast beheld are the children of the Kingdom. That brilliant
crescent is the Cause of God. The appearance of His Highness Christ and
His white robe and resplendent light in His blessed face is the proof of
the power and the promulgation of the Word of God in America.
Therefore, it is the same thing which I said: "The night is drawing nigh
and then no one can work." Consequently, one must hasten to perform
something and show forth exertion.
"Thy letter was received. It became conducive to..."
(108) Thy letter was received. It became conducive to happiness. Up to the
present thou hast been serving in the Kingdom of God and hast been
assisted. I hope that, in the future, thou wilt become assisted more and
serve more. Praise be to God! Thou art watched by the glances of
Providence and art encircled with endless bounties. I hope that, day by
day, thou mayest step further, become characterized with a godlike nature
and disposition, manner and morals, in order that thou mayest become the
cause of the guidance of many souls and the instrument for the
illumination of a region.
"O thou beloved maid-servant of God!..."
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
The letter, which thou hast forwarded through Mrs. ........ was received.
Thank thou God that thou art assisted in the thralldom of His Threshold,
art favored in the Kingdom, art heralding the Name of the True One, art
speaking of divine praises, art guiding the souls to the Sun of Truth, art
quickening the dead with the breaths of the Holy Spirit and art
endeavoring with heart and soul to spread the Cause.
Thou hast Mrs. ........ as thy partner and sharer, co-operating with each
other to serve, and hast lied in her house.
Show thou forth love to Mrs. ........ and convey to her greetings on my
behalf. Associate with her and seek her companionship as far as possible,
for it is conducive to the development of you both.
"O thou who art advancing toward God!..."
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Verily, I received thy letter, which showed that thou hast turned unto the
Kingdom of God and advanced toward the Beauty of El-ABHA.
Verily, thy Lord hath chosen thee for His love, elected thee for His
knowledge and selected thee for entering the Paradise of El-ABHA, so that
thou mayest attain to the mightiest bliss and greatest honor: It is no
other than the Light which is shining upon hearts and sights and the
Spirit which is thrilling and flowing within veins and nerves!
Verily, thou hast attained thereto, for thou hast acknowledged the Oneness
of God and His Singleness, and turned unto His Face, the lights of which
are shining from the horizon of the unseen, upon all regions!
"O thou who art attracted to the Call of the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Call of the Kingdom!
Thy letter was presented and I was informed of thy expression. And it was
glorious proof of thine abundant reliance upon the Kingdom of thy Lord and
of thine excessive love for thy great Master.
Know thou, verily, the Kingdom is a magnet of the divine world, and it
attracteth the iron of pure hearts which are capable of the bounties of
the Lord of Might. Blessed art thou, for thou hast turned unto the Lord of
Heaven, thy heart hath relied upon the light of guidance, thou hast
advanced toward the center of righteousness, and thy spirit is cheered by
the bounty of the Supreme Concourse.
Verily, I beseech God to strengthen thee with the Most Great Power, so
that the Spirit may pour upon thee the teachings of the Beauty of El-ABHA,
and to baptize thee with the water of life, the fire of the love of God
and with the spirit of confirmation among the maid-servants.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to supplicate to thy
Lord, to seek His nearness with thy heart, to be submissive and humble
before His maid-servants and to serve His great vineyard.
Forsake the mortal grades (i.e., things of the world) and be engaged in
praising thy Lord; so that His Holy Spirit may assist thee; may make thee
a sign of faith and illumine thy heart with the light of assurance, and
that thou mayest become a sign of peace, a servant of reconciliation, love
and security. Verily, my Merciful Lord is gracious under all aspects!
As to thy question concerning Christ: Know thou, He was perfect in respect
to spirit as well as body. His material (body) was a perfect body in every
respect; none of His material conditions were imperfect at all, inasmuch
as imperfection is contrary to perfection. His heavenly condition was also
a perfect one, comprising all the divine perfections. Reflect thou upon
these words, so that the door of knowledge may be opened before thy face.
Verily, I beseech God to strengthen the assured leaves (or women) whom
thou hast mentioned in thy letter, under all grades, aspects and
circumstances.
"O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter came and I was informed of its wonderful contents. Know thou,
verily, all the doors are closed except the door of the kingdom of God!
All the trees are without fruit except the Tree of Life planted in the
paradise of God! All the winds are disqueting to the souls except the cup
of the love of God! Every benefit vanisheth except the food of heaven. It
is incumbent upon thee to partake thereof.
Verily, I beg of God to strengthen thee in these divine gifts, merciful
bestowals and supreme favors. Exert thyself, so that thou mayest
abundantly enjoy this glorious grace.
"O my God! O my God!..."
O my God! O my God!(109)
This is a servant who hath ascended to the Kingdom of Thy Mercifulness;
supplicated to the realm of Thy Might and Singleness; is rejoiced at the
appearance of Thy Kingdom; the effulgence of Thy lights and the spread of
Thy signs. He hath believed in Thy Verses, been overtaken with the ecstasy
of Thy love and with the cheer of Thy affection, until his soul craved to
behold Thy Beauty--and could not (or was unable to) endure the grief and
violence of the fire of separation, hastened unto the Supreme Friend and
betook himself to Thy Threshold of Holiness at the visiting places of
grandeur!
O my Lord! Suffer him to abide in a blessed abode and cause him to enter
into a retreat of faithfulness and favor him to everlastingly dwell in the
heavenly paradise, the precinct of meeting in the shelter of Thy great
mercy!
Verily, thou art the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Powerful, the
Forgiving, the Mighty, the Bestower!
"O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!..."
O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!
How many men and women awaited the manifestation of the Messiah after
Moses? Yet when His beauty shone forth and His face appeared, they (the
people) did not recognize Him, but continued to follow the superstitions
of the Pharisees, who used to say: "Where is the authority of the Messiah?
Where is the throne of David, the Glorious? Where is his iron rod? Where
are his innumerable hosts? Where are his attacking armies? Where are his
angels of heaven? Where do we see justice of government existing among
people and even among beasts and insects? Where is his great majesty?
Where is his power, which shaketh heaven and earth? Is not this a claim of
one who is bewildered and wandering amidst valleys and hills? Doth he not
ride upon as ass, while on his head there is a crown of thorns and he is
despised?"
Indeed, all of the foregoing statements are of the evil opinions which the
Pharisees used to proclaim through every man's tongue. But those who had
listening ears and clear insight, listened not to such misleading
speeches, but realized the Messiah as the rising Sun with His effulgent
face, and that the radiance of His illumination was diffused over the
whole world. They regarded even the ass on which He (Christ) was mounted
as a splendid throne and also the thorns which were upon His head as a
brilliant diadem!
Verily, direct thou thine own self towards His Kingdom, that thou mayest
perceive that His traces and authority continue forever and will never
cease!
"O thou whose heart is empty and pure through the..."
O thou whose heart is empty and pure through the Light of the word of God
shining therein!
I have read thy brilliant letter which proveth thy humbleness before the
Divine Might and thy cheerfulness by the fragrances of God emanating from
the gardens of expressions and facts. I ask God to make thee, thy
relations and kindred attentive to the Merciful Mighty and the Supreme
Kingdom and to illumine their sights and hearts by the light of the
knowledge of God. And [be] thou rejoiced at the mercy of thy Lord and this
great abundance from the Kingdom of Mysteries. Be thou a strong and
fortified refuge and a high cave. This is naught else than to cut thyself
from everything beside God, to be drawn by the fragrances of God and to be
happy and joyful by the gift of God.
"O thou who art shining with the Kingdom's Lights!..."
O thou who art shining with the Kingdom's Lights!
Verily, I am informed of thine earnest desire for the Kingdom of God, thy
sparkling by the love of God and thy longing for the service of the sacred
and effulgent Threshold. I pray God to kindle and light the lamp of
knowledge in the glass of thy heart, so that it may shine upon all parts
of the world and bring thy husband to the life by the Spirit of Life,
assist thee to announce the good news by the illuminating Light, and
remove the covering of thy sight so that thou mayest see God's Beauty and
His Essential Perfection, His astonishing profusion and His appearance to
the hearts and spirits. ***
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy letter *** was received; its contents were very sweet. The sweetness
of the meanings was unlimited. I ask God that thou mayest find rest and
comfort in the shelter of the holy Banner of Peace and Concord; become the
means of spreading the love of God; attain boundless health and security;
grow joyfully, day by day, through the glad-tidings; soar on high through
ecstasy and delight; sings the melody and proclaim the call, "Ya
Baha-ul-ABHA!"
O maid-servant of God! That call to which thou didst listen is from the
Kingdom of ABHA. Therefore, praise and glorify the Possessor of that Call,
so that the call may be repeated.
As to the interpretation of the vision, it is thus: Ascent from earth to
heaven indicateth growth in the love of God and development in the
knowledge of God. The more thou dost develop, the brighter and more
spacious becometh the pathway to the Kingdom. The building in front of
which thou didst stand is an edifice of divine edifices, a station of the
spiritual stations. I hope that thou mayest attain to that station, also
to other stations which are the other edifices.
I supplicate and implore the Kingdom of ABHA in behalf of thine honored
husband and all the family and the friends in Cincinnati. I pray that the
heavenly blessings may descend, the divine bounties become possible and
that thou mayest become a true caller of the Word of God.
"O thou who art turned to the Kingdom of the Lord, the..."
O thou who art turned to the Kingdom of the Lord, the Forgiving!
With prayers and supplications and with submissive songs of the Texts of
God, I plead to Him to accept thee in His Kingdom; to clothe thee with the
mantle of sanctity; to gloriously cover thee with the veil of abstinence;
to illumine thy brow with the light of singleness; to console thine eyes
with the seeing of the Texts of the Kingdom in the human form; and to make
thee utter the mentioning of Him, rejoicing through His bounty, heralding
His Kingdom with a bright face, whose light will illumine all sides
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
It is incumbent upon thee to turn thyself wholly to the kingdom of God, to
sever thyself from aught else but Him, to be filled by the love of God, to
put on the garment of sanctity and continence, which is free from
worldliness, to [become] transfigured in the mantle of the gifts of the
kingdom of God and to be a great sign among the maid-servants of God; that
the Supreme Concourse may send out through thee a fragrance by which
hearts may be cheered and spirits rested.
Give this Truth to every pliable soul that thou mayest deem ready to
harken unto the voice of God; for this is better unto thee than the earth
and that which is thereupon.
"O thou who art longing to witness the lights from the..."
O thou who art longing to witness the lights from the Beauty of El-ABHA!
Thy letter reached me at this moment and I was rejoiced at thine excellent
words which proved the enkindlement of the fire of the love of God in thy
heart. Be confident in the bounty of thy Lord. Verily He will make thee a
manifest example and an evident proof for the attainment of His Kingdom in
this glorious century. Then the fire of His love will flame in thy heart,
the light of His knowledge will shine in thy face, thy tongue will speak
with eloquent explanation and thy spirit will be attracted unto the
kingdom of knowledge.
O maid-servant of God! The Spirit knoweth the spirit, the Spirit
addresseth the spirit and the Spirit associateth with the spirit.***
"O thou spiritual clarion!..."
O thou spiritual clarion!
The voice of the physical clarion may travel the distance of three miles,
but the harmony of the spiritual Clarion reacheth to the East and the
West. The effect of that is only in the bodies; but the effect of this is
in the spirits. The first proclaimeth the time of prayer; the second
announceth the appearance of the Most Great Resurrection. That hath no
conscious knowledge of its own voice; while this is exhilarated and
rejoiced by its own melody.
How significant and eloquent were those new verses, for they were the
notes of the clarion of the love of God.
Raise thou this call as much as thou canst, and sound and blow this
clarion continually night and day, so that the souls may become quickened
and the people find eternal life.
"O thou dear maid-servant of God!..."
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written hath caused joy and happiness, for it was an
evidence of turning to the Kingdom and of seeking the bounty of heaven. I
ask God to provide means whereby that which is thy utmost hope may be
realized.
Concerning the young Japanese, the answer to his letter is enclosed
herein. Perchance this youth may be the cause of guiding his family and
people.***
"O thou flower of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!..."
O thou flower of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!
The letter which thou hast written was read. Thou hast written regarding
the arrival of the beloved maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........; that she
has lived for eighteen days in your house and become the cause of joy and
fragrance among the believers.
Praise be to God! that thou hast seen the effulgence of the light of the
covenant which hath enlightened all the countries. Invoke thou God that
day by day the splendors of the Orb of regions may become manifest and
evident more and more.
Thou hast asked for permission to present thyself with thy dear husband in
this Blessed Spot. In these days it is not according to wisdom. Postpone
this matter until some other time.
Convey greeting and kindnesses on my behalf to all the maid-servants of
the True One.
"O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of..."
O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Blessed art thou, for thy letter was presented at the Blessed Spot and was
read by Abdul-Baha with a delight and love which is journeying out towards
all directions.
O servant of God! Be thou a sign of guidance, a standard of the Supreme
Concourse and a light shining in the meeting of the maid-servants.
Verily, I beseech my Lord to grant thee thy greatest wishes and to bestow
on thee the privilege of entering into the center of the Kingdom of God;
and to make thee a herald in His name, in that vast and extensive region.
Deliver my greeting and praise to all the maid-servants of God.
"O thou dazzling gem by the light of the Love of God!..."
O thou dazzling gem by the light of the Love of God!
Verily I read thy beautiful, elegant and expressive letter which informed
[me] of thine extreme love for God, which (love) impresseth the souls and
dilateth the breasts and which causeth thy heart to become filled with the
knowledge of God and overflow with the favor of God.
I ask God to make thee a sign of mercy and an exemplar of servitude to the
Sublime Threshold.
Thank God for saving thee from baseness, trouble, selfishness and death,
and [that He] took away the veil from before thine eyes, manifested unto
thee the Beauty of El-ABHA, granted thee healing, planted in thy heart the
seed of love and thereby chose thee from among the maid-servants.
Therefore, endeavor so that thou dedicate (thyself) entirely to God; no
thought or mention should remain in thee save the name of thy Supreme
Lord. Endeavor so that those countries become illumined by the light of
the gift of God.
Embrace the light of thine eyes (thy son) on my behalf in the Kingdom of
God.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and its content read. Thank God that thou wast
guided by the light of guidance and attracted to the Kingdom of ABHA.
Serve God day and night and seek happiness from His name. Although thou
hast met with many difficulties and passed through many trials, yet thou
must thank God that thou didst attain to the light of guidance and
directed thyself to the Kingdom of Glory.
I hope that thou mayest be a cause of guidance to people and that thou
mayest seek absolute spirituality. Train thy dear son in such a manner
that he will attain the illumination of the Kingdom, will become a true
servant of God, a light of love and a radiance of harmony.
"O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of..."
O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Thank thou thy revered friend and thy attracted (spiritual) sister who
hath guided thee to this right path and given thee to drink the choice
wine of knowledge from the cheerful cup. Wert thou duly informed of this
divine bounty, thou wouldst kneel down and prostrate thyself before her
for this great gift. For, verily, thou wert athirst and she was a clear
running fountain. Thank thou God for that He hath favored thee with her
meeting, that thou art benefited by her clouds and sought light from her
lamp. Wert thou to expend all that is in the earth, thou wouldst not
appreciate her due value. Glorified is He who hath enabled her to illumine
thine insight, to purify thy heart, to dilate thy breast and to sanctify
thy soul!
Then know thou, if thy revered husband herald the Kingdom of God among
peoples, he would find the doors of the Kingdom open before his face among
the nations, and then his breath would take effect within the heart of the
world through the breath of the Holy Spirit.
I beg of God to guide him unto that whereunto He hath guided thee, and to
favor him with that with which He hath favored thee. At that time the
lamps of gifts will be enkindled among thy kinsmen and people.
Verily, thy Lord is the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Giver!
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
VOLUME II: PP. 239-484
Frontispiece
Tablets
of
Abdul-Baha Abbas
Volume II
Published by
BAHA'I PUBLISHING SOCIETY
P. O. Box 283
CHICAGO, U. S. A.
First edition: Published at Chicago, May 1915
Second edition: Published at Chicago, February 1919
"It is hoped that wonderful effects will be displayed..."
"It is hoped that wonderful effects will be displayed in the future, that
the friends of God may live and act in accord with the heavenly teachings,
in order that the region of America may become the Paradise of Abha, that
desert and wilderness become the rose-garden of human perfections, the
verses of guidance be read, the melody of "Ya Baha El-Abha!" reach the
Kingdom of Beauty; warfare and bloodshed be removed from among the people,
affinity and love hoist their tent upon the apex of the world, and all
mankind become real friends with one another and each soul respect the
other. Whenever these signs appear, then it will become manifest that the
Tablets have had their effect."
"Abdul-Baha Abbas..."
Abdul-Baha Abbas
"O thou who art attracted by a Breath that passed upon..."