thou unhappy, although the divine tests are violent, yet are they
conducive to the life of the soul and the heart. The more often the pure
gold is thrown into the furnace of test, the greater will become its
purity and brilliancy and it will acquire a new splendor and brightness. I
hope that thou art thyself in such a position.
Consider thou the lives of the former sanctified souls; what tests have
they not withstood and what persecutions have they not beheld; while they
were surrounded with calamities they increased their firmness and while
they were overwhelmed with tests they manifested more zeal and courage. Be
thou also like unto them.
The utmost favor is shown toward thee and the divine bounties are thy
guide. endeavor thou, as far as thou canst, in order that thou mayest be
like unto a chaste and clear mirror, cleansed and purified from every
dust, so that the outpouring of the rays of the Sun of Truth may descend
and thou mayest illumine those who are around thee. This is my counsel to
thee. I pray always in thy behalf and supplicate for thy confirmation and
assistance, in order that thou mayest become a sign of the Most Great
Bounty and be the cause of the guidance of many souls. If thou art
mindful, seek thou the favor everlasting and the illumination eternal. Do
thou some work, that thou mayest become favored in the Threshold of the
Almighty and a beloved maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection, in the
Kingdom.
His honor ........ hath delivered thy message. I entreat God that thine
utmost hopes and desires may become realized.
Every one in the Holy Household is engaged in thy remembrance and sends
thee their longing greeting.
Convey to ........ my respectful greeting and announce to him: "No matter
how brilliant a receding star is, its light never reaches to this world.
Worship thou the newly ascendant Shining Luminary whose lights are
glittering and whose proof is self-evident. Become thou the cause of
guidance of the person whom thou art respecting. No matter how much
endeavor and effort is shown, a tree which hath been in existence for two
thousand years or more will never bring new and fresh fruits. This is the
truth and there is nothing beyond the truth but manifest error."
"O thou who art favored in the Kingdom of the..."
O thou who art favored in the Kingdom of the almighty!
The letter that thou hast written with the utmost eloquence, compassion,
humility and submission of heart and spiritual emotions, hath been read.
If the people live and act in accord with the General Tablets which are
revealed to the beloved of the East and of the West, this universe will
become another universe and the whole existence of this world will be clad
in another garment. You must encourage and reinforce the beloved of God
and the maid-servants of the Merciful that they may live and act in accord
with the teachings in the General Tablets.
Consider thou how vast is the arena of the Kingdom--it hath environed the
whole world. The splendor of Providence hath encircled all races, nations,
communities and religions; the foundation of foreignness is swept away and
the basis of Oneness is established; love hath become universal and the
spiritual ties are strengthened.***
"O thou favored maid-servant of God!..."
O thou favored maid-servant of God!
The meeting which thou hast formed and therein assembled the faithful (or
believers) together and engaged with them in the commemoration of God,
caused the Supreme Concourse to praise and the angels of heaven to
applaud.
Be thou a cause of unifying hearts as much as thou canst and guide thou
the heedless souls, and in this spiritual springtime perfume thou nostrils
with the sweet fragrances of the rose-garden of the Kingdom. This is
eternal life; this everlasting Glory! And this is a peace which is not
followed by any trouble! All else save this is a plaything of children and
is useless and nonsense!
"O thou who art advancing towards the Shining Orb of..."
O thou who art advancing towards the Shining Orb of the Horizons!
Verily, the East and West have already glittered through the light which
is shining forth from the Horizon of the mercy of thy Lord, the Clement,
the Merciful, but the blind are still in great error.
The Call of God is already raised throughout all concourses of the earth;
but the deaf are still muffled in thick veils. All things have already
uttered the praise of God; but the dumb are still continuing in their
astounding silence.
As to thee: Listen to the Supreme Concourse and hear the call, "Glory be
unto my Lord, the El-Baha!"
"O thou who art spreading the Cause of God!..."
O thou who art spreading the Cause of God!
I hope thou wilt become as a rising light and obtain spiritual health--and
spiritual health is conducive to physical health--so that thou mayest be
enabled to liquidate thy debts and be strengthened to attain the blessing
of the Forgiving Lord; that thou mayest become a mirror of truth and
reveal the spiritual brilliancy of the heavenly universe to all eyes,
direct large numbers of people under the shadow of the Powerful Lord and
guide all thy family and relations unto the Greatest Guidance; and that
thou mayest be honored with a visit to the Holy Threshold after having
attained to all these gifts.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Acquire the Persian tongue, so as to learn of the meanings of the divine
words and to know the divine mysteries, to develop an eloquent speech and
to translate the blessed Tablets of Baha'o'llah. The Persian language
shall become noteworthy in this cycle; nay, rather, the people shall study
it in all the world.
"O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!..."
O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!
His Holiness Christ--may my spirit be His sacrifice! --said in the Gospel,
"Many are called, but few chosen." That is, many have been invited to
faith, but few chosen for guidance. Praise be to God that thou wert of the
chosen, realized the Day of the Lord, heard the divine Call and attained
the Light of Reality! Endeavor and make an effort that certain souls may
be trained, of whom His Holiness Christ said, "Ye shall know the tree by
its fruits." That is to say, every soul is known by (his) conduct,
manners, words and deeds. Therefore, we must strive with life and heart
that, day by day, our deeds may be better, our conduct more beautiful and
our forbearance greater. That is, to cultivate love for all the world; to
attain beatific character.
O maid-servant of God! Study Persian and acquire it more day by day, for
by the study of this language great and boundless results are obtained.
Convey greeting and praise to thy revered mother and also to all thy
sisters. I hope that all may become bright as the candle through the light
of the love of God.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Be happy for thou hast found guidance, witnessed the light of Truth and
hearkened unto the exhortations of Abdul-Baha. Though the worth and value
of this gift is not apparent and manifest in this world of mortality, in
the divine world this gift is abundantly radiant and brilliant. Thou shall
of course perceive (or behold) this.
I have not forgotten thee nor will I do so, and I always beg of God that
thou wilt day by day increase in love and that thy heart will become more
illuminated. I was rejoiced with the kindness shown by the dear
maid-servants ........ toward ......... For God hath guided the
maid-servants of the Merciful in order for kindness (to appear) so that
they may become a mercy to all mankind (or all the creatures) and a gift
to the world of humanity.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
The tongues have spoken of thy attraction to God and the pens testified of
thy burning by the fire of the love of God. Indeed the heart of Abdul-Baha
approveth of this, because it feeleth its heat from this distant and
Blessed Spot.
O maid-servant of God! By God, the Truth, the Spirit of Christ from the
Supreme Concourse doth in every time and aspect announce to thee this
great good news.
Be, therefore, a divine bird, proceed to thy native country, spread the
wings of sanctity over those spots and sing and chant and celebrate the
name of thy Lord, that thou mayest gladden the Supreme Concourse and make
the seeking souls hasten unto thee as the moths hasten to the lamp, and
thus illumine that distant country by the light of God.
"O thou bird warbling in the Garden of the Love of..."
O thou bird warbling in the Garden of the Love of God!
Thank God that He hath illumined thine insight, led thee unto the Fire
glowing in the Tree of Man, caused thee to utter His praise among the
creatures and guided certain women to whom thou delivered the Word of God.
O maid-servant of god! Verily thy Lord lighteth the lamp of love in the
heart of whomsoever He chooseth. This is indeed the great happiness. He
confirmeth him in the service of His Supreme Vineyard.
I pray God to confirm the relatives in attaining to the Brilliant Light,
to let the light of insight shine forth to the hearts and sights, to aid
thy friends in being illumined by the light of El-Baha and [being] fed
from the heavenly table, and to make thee empty, void from the thoughts of
the life of this world and filled with the love of thy Lord, ready for His
service, uttering His praise and demonstrating with proofs the appearance
of the Kingdom of God.
"O thou who art conscious!..."
O thou who art conscious!
At last thou didst learn of the path of salvation and didst find the
straight way. Now remain firm that thou mayest attain confirmation and
victory.
The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor
spiritual, but are between the two (systems).(131) The nerve is connected
with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical
relations are normal.
When the material world and the divine world are well co-related, when the
hearts become heavenly and the aspirations grow pure and divine, perfect
connection shall take place. Then shall this power produce a perfect
manifestation. Physical and spiritual diseases will then receive absolute
healing.
The exposition is brief. Ponder and thou shalt understand the meaning.
Although, on account of lack of time, the answer is short, by close
reflection it shall be made long.
"O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
On perusing the contents of thy brilliant letter, I became cognizant of
the secrets of thy heart, which is illumined by the clear light.
Verily, I supplicate my Lord to cause to descend upon thee an abundant
grace of the spirit of His Holiness, that thine eyes may become clear and
thy mind rejoiced by the gift which hath shone over all regions.
Know that the poor people hasten by parties to the Kingdom of God; the
weak become mighty before thy Lord, and the slaves when entering the
shadow of thy Lord attain the station of masters, lords and freed slaves
in the presence of God.
Grieve not because of my confinement, for it is a joy to my heart, a
pleasure to my spirit, a good news to my soul, an utmost desire of my
hope, an intended aim of my aspiration; because it is a confinement in the
path of God, the Lord of the worlds.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
I have read thy letter which indicated thy straightforwardness in the love
of God and thy desire in spreading this brilliant light among the
offspring of the Africans. How good is the intention! And what an
excellent aim this great aim is! Indeed the hearts of the Africans are as
a blank scroll of paper upon which thou canst write any phrase; but thou
must have patience and a heart as firm as a mountain, owing to the
innumerable hardships that may intervene, which could be endured only by
one who surrenders to grievous calamities.
If thou art of the people of this field (race-course) let loose the reins
and rely upon the Merciful, and He will indeed assist thee with the hosts
of the unseen at all times. Use thy utmost power to affiliate the hearts
and, with the whole of thy might, bring the scattered souls into union.***
Look not unto thy weakness, but rely upon thy Lord, and He will then grant
thee all thy desires and reveal to thee the answer without asking.
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Thou hast said aright, that verily, Abdul-Baha looketh to deeds and not to
words. Even as it was said by Christ, "Ye shall know them by their
fruits."
Be not grieved if the affairs are made difficult and troubles have waxed
intense upon thee from all sides! Verily thy Lord changeth the hardships
into facility, troubles into ease and afflictions into greatest composure.
Verily, thy Lord is on the right path!
Tests and trials shall soon arise, blessed are those who endure patiently!
Blessed are those who keep firm! Be patient, that thou mayest be rendered
victorious in thy greatest wishes, and know thou that verily, thou art
with me in the nearness of my Lord, the Supreme!
Verily, this is a glad-tidings unto thee forevermore!
"O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances..."
O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances of God!
I perused thy letter which speaks of thy love to God and thine attraction
to the Beauty of God, and I became cheered in heart by its beautiful
contents. In my previous letter to thee it was my intention to point out
to thee that in the way of exalting the Word of God there are tests and
trials, and in His love there are at all times calamities and afflictions
and sufferings. Therefore, it behooveth one to first ponder over these
calamities and wistfully accept them, then undertake to spread the
fragrances of God and exalt His Word. At that time, whatever may befall
him in the love of God, of reproach, persecution, reviling, abuse, insult,
beating, imprisonment or assassination, will not offend him; rather it
will augment his attraction to the Beauty of God. This was what I intended
previously. Otherwise, woe and misery to the soul which hunts after
comfort, luxury, wealth and affluence, while it is remiss of the mention
of God; because calamity in the path of God is a favor to Abdul-Baha.
In one of the Tablets the Beauty of El-Abha sayeth, "I never passed by a
tree that my heart did not address it, saying, 'Would that thou was cut in
My Name, that upon thee my body should be crucified!'"
This is that which was uttered by the Greatest Name. This is His Path!
This is the evidence of His Great Kingdom!
"O thou who art commemorating the Name of God!..."
O thou who art commemorating the Name of God!
Verily, I read thy interesting letter and my heart was made happy by its
beautiful contents.
O maid-servant of God! Rest assured in the bounty of thy Lord and place
thy confidence in Him, for He will confirm thee in all aspects and under
all conditions.
Know, verily, that the seed, however virile it may be, however strong the
hand of the sower, however pure the water that watereth it, it is
impossible for it to grow, blossom and bear fruit in a short time; nay a
long period is needed for its development.
So is the Kingdom of God. Consider the seed which was sown by Christ;
verily, it did not blossom until after a long period. Thus it is incumbent
upon thee to be patient in all affairs. Verily thy Lord is powerful,
forgiving, precious and persevering! Depend upon the favor of thy LOrd. He
shall bless thee and protect thee under the shadow of His generosity and
mercy.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
I supplicate and implore my Lord to strengthen thee by the Spirit of Life,
make thee enter the Ark of Safety, and show thee the evident signs; that
the veils of the people of suspicion may be rent asunder and the brilliant
proof of God become manifest to all regions, and thy heart be made a clear
mirror wherein are printed the Lights of the Kingdom of the earth and
heaven.
"O thou who art remembered by Abdul-Baha!..."
O thou who art remembered by Abdul-Baha!
Thy letter which is couched in graceful words hath given me joy and
happiness, for it showeth how thou art controlled by the attraction of the
fragrances of God and how thou art kindled by the flame of fire that
burneth in the Tree of Sinai.
Blessed art thou because of this great bounty and manifest abundance!
Verily, by day and by night I do mention thee and thy daughter who is the
delight of thine eye, and supplicate God to make you both two burning
lamps, shining at the meetings of the maid-servants of God, spreading the
light of knowledge, burning the moth of imaginations and surmise and
removing, through the light of manifest evidences and peremptory proofs,
the darkness of suspicions.
"O thou whose heart is moved by a breeze blowing from..."
O thou whose heart is moved by a breeze blowing from the Garden of
El-Abha!
Thy elegant and terse letter, couched in graceful words, was read by me. I
rejoiced at the fragrances of love, which being scented from the verdant
gardens of the Paradise of El-Abha, have cheerfully moved thee.
O maid-servant of God! Be submissive to thy Lord, humble to His servants
and compliant to his maid-servants. Overcome passions and desires, purify
the heart from remembrance of aught save that of thy Lord, the Precious,
the Gracious, and be controlled by the attraction of the Beauty of God,
that His remembrance may run as the spirit in thy blood veins and limbs,
and thus fill thee with the thoughts of the love of God.
O maid-servant of God! Ignite the fire of love in the hearts which are
remiss of the mention of God that they may become awakened by the breath
of God, and quickened by His Spirit in this Great Day.
"O thou attracted maid-servant of God!..."
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Verily, I bow my face to the dust of the Threshold of El-Baha and to Him
who sitteth on the Throne, I petition as a supplicating captive, begging
Him to make thee to behold His Glorious Face and to purify thine insight
from aught else save Him among the people. Verily, He is the refuge of all
and our Great Protection!
We are all poor at His Door, weak before His Power, lowly at His
Threshold, and we possess the power of neither good nor harm. He is indeed
the Confirmer, the Strengthener, the Benevolent!
Truly hath He opened before our faces the doors of the Kingdom, granted us
the treasures of His mysteries through the divine bounty and He hath
chosen us for His love, for attainment unto His lights, the study of His
teachings, the spreading of His name, the guidance unto His path and
service in His great vineyard. I pray for confirmation in thy behalf and
thou shouldst pray for strength on my part. Thy prayers for me should be
that I may attain martyrdom in His path, that my spirit may be His
sacrifice, and that my blood may be shed for His love.
O maid-servant of God! verily, I long for that cup, which is overflowing
with the bounty of God, as a patient desiring to be healed, as a thirsty
soul seeking water, as the poor in quest of wealth, and as one in
separation yearning after the meeting of the beloved one night and day.
"O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I pray God to make thee the sign of guidance among the
maid-servants of the Merciful, to enkindle in thy heart a spark of that
fire which was ignited in the Sinaiatic Tree and to give thee to drink and
overflowing cup from the choice wine of the love of God, until the
intoxication of that wine may so prevail upon thee that thou mayest
thereby forget all else save God, be attracted to the Beauty of God,
glorify thy Lord and sanctify Him during morn and eve.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be severed from the
desires of the world, and it is incumbent upon thee to be attracted to the
Supreme Kingdom. At that time thou wilt become fluent in tongue and thou
wilt speak in most eloquent words through the confimation of the Holy
Spirit. This is that gift which the Lord of Heaven hath promised.
"O thou who dost believe in the Spirit of Christ, in the..."
O thou who dost believe in the Spirit of Christ, in the Kingdom of God!
The body is composed, in truth, of corporeal elements and every
composition is necessarily subject to decomposition; but the spirit is an
essence, simple, pure, spiritual, eternal, perpetual and divine. He who
seeketh Christ from the point of view of His body hath, in truth, debased
Him and hath gone astray from Him; but he who seeketh Christ from the
point of view of His Spirit will grow from day to day in joy, attraction,
zeal, proximity, perception and vision.
Thou hast then to seek the Spirit of Christ in this marvelous day. The
heaven whither Christ ascended is not an infinite space. His heaven is
much rather the kingdom of His Lord, the Munificent. As He said, "The Son
of Man is in heaven." It is known then that His heaven is beyond the
boundaries that surround existence and that He is elevated for the people
who adore.
Pray God to ascend to this heaven, to taste of its food--and know thou that
the people have not understood to this day the mystery of the Holy
Scriptures. They believe that Christ was deprived of His heaven when He
was in this world, that He had fallen from the heights of His elevation
and that later He ascended to this elevated pinnacle--that is to say,
towards the heaven which doth not exist, for there is only space. They
expect that He will descend from this heaven seated upon a cloud. They
believe that there is in the heavens a cloud upon which He will be seated
and by which He will descend; while, in reality, the clouds are vapors
which rise from the earth and which do not descend from the heavens. The
cloud mentioned in the Holy Scriptures is the human body, because it is a
veil for them, like a cloud, which prevents them from seeing the Sun of
Truth which is shining in the horizon of Christ.
I pray God to open before your face the gates of revelation and of vision
in such a way that thou shalt learn the mysteries of God in this known
day.***
"O ye who are considering the Kingdom of your august..."
O ye who are considering the Kingdom of your august Savior!
I know the ardor which enflames you both(132) with the desire to present
yourselves in the Sacred Place and I desire, also, to see you both. But my
Lord hath a supreme wisdom and His wisdom hath required the imprisonment
of Abdul-Baha and the prevention of visits of impassioned friends. It is a
temporary condition that will pass away in the future. In the meantime I
shall remember you in my heart and I love you with a holy affection that
is spiritual, divine, eternal and perpetual; that is founded on the surest
base and on the most durable of foundations. I pray God to remove all the
veils and to illumine your hearts with lights shining from the Supreme
Horizon, in such a manner that the light of guidance shall move before you
and that your hearts shall dilate in perceiving great signs. Turn towards
California with a luminous face, a joyous soul, an attracted heart, an
enlightened spirit, an eloquent speech and a radiant expression. In those
regions God will, through you, become the guide of many people.
"O ye two singing birds in the Garden of Belief!..."
O ye two(133) singing birds in the Garden of Belief!
I have read your letter in which you confess the Unity of God and the
grandeur of His reign, and in which you make known that you have been
attracted by the perfumes of God and that you have bathed in the sea of
knowledge. Thank God for that! I pray God to strengthen your steps in the
straight road, to preserve you from violent tests, in making of you two
green and fruitful trees in His great vineyard, to the end that ye may
arrive at a favor that shall make of you two elected ones in the court of
the august Lord. Appreciate this favor and give thanks to your Savior that
He hath heaped upon you this great kindness.
"O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!