firmness in the Covenant of God and His Testament, which was confirmed by
the trace of His Supreme Pen(149), the greatness of which hath been
divulged in all the regions, entered the palaces of kings of which both
rulers and subjects have been informed, and no human being could ever deny
it, even he who turns away and backslides. It came to the imagination of
some children that they are able to abolish this Covenant, the like of
which was not known in the early centuries and the heavenly ages of the
past; and they shall see themselves in evident loss!
But as to you, O ye firm and steadfast, be straightforward in the Cause of
God, let your feet be firm in the Religion of God, and arise with every
effort within your power to render victorious the Covenant of God. By God,
the Truth, you will be assisted by a numerous army, and re-inforced by a
cohort of the angels of God. Pay not the slightest attention to that which
is said by these children, for their statements and sayings are nothing
but confused dreams.
The Star of the Covenant shall shine intensely upon all horizons and
regions, and the violators will be as bats hiding themselves in dark
holes! It is enough humiliation and abasement to them that they have
violated the Covenant of God and contradicted the Appointed Center, and
desired to demolish this solid edifice--which, alas, could not be! By God,
they did not demolish but their own edifice, did not shake but their own
foundations, and did not scatter but their own union, and to them shall
come the news of what they have done!
But as to you, O ye beloved of God, strengthen yourselves by every effort
and arise to serve the Cause of God, for verily the Holy Spirit will
confirm you by the breaths of the True One in all cases and under all
circumstances!
"O thou who art firm in the Covenant!..."
O thou(150) who art firm in the Covenant!
***The prison is like a paradise to Abdul-Baha, the depth of the well is
as the height of the moon--such is my desire in the Path of the Blessed
Beauty! Were it not for the chain, sword and affliction, how should the
people of faithfulness be distinguished from the people of hatred? Nay,
otherwise, they would seem as one. This wound cannot be remedied save by a
host of calamities, and this illness cannot be cured except by the cup of
affliction.
I ask God that I may not repose for a moment, but that, night and day, in
the love of the Blessed Beauty(151)--may my spirit be a sacrifice to Him!--I
may drink from the rosy cup of the blood of the heart.
With every breath do I desire to perceive thousands of afflictions
approaching me from every inhuman one; at one time, to rest in the bottom
of a dungeon; at another, to repose on the chain; and, ultimately, by the
favor and providence of the Blessed Perfection, to roll my face and hair
in my blood.
Therefore, their invitation(152) was not accepted because they invited
departure to that region. Lately, that general letter was requested from
persia, and it was sent thereto.***
"O ye friends of God and daughters of the Kingdom!..."
O ye(153) friends of God and daughters of the Kingdom!
The letter you have written was considered. It caused abundant spirit and
fragrance. It was not a letter, it was a rose-garden. The fragrances of
the flowers of significances were exhaling from that garden and perfumed
the nostrils. It was a proof of unity and oneness and an evidence of love
and freedom.
I became very happy through reading it. I hope that this love and unity
may increase day by day, and its effects may reach other regions. The
purpose of the coming of the Manifestation of the Mount is the unification
of the world of humanity. Therefore, the friends of God and the daughters
of the Kingdom must serve this purpose and become the cause of joy to the
heart of Abdul-Baha. Thus can they bring together under the protection of
the Tent of Oneness the other nations and peoples; make this gloomy world
radiant, this mundane earth a plane of the Kingdom, and the material world
the manifestation of divine signs.
O ye friends and daughters of the Kingdom and leaves of the Blessed Tree!
Endeavor to make that continent the Paradise of Abha, and the West the
East of Lights. This is the hope of Abdul-Baha.
"O ye dwellers of the Kingdom!..."
O ye(154) dwellers of the Kingdom!
Thank ye God that ye have turned your faces toward the Kingdom of Abha,
and are yearning for the outpouring of the Exalted Realm. Ye are accepted
in the Threshold of the True One and are chosen by the Most Great
Guidance!
Ye have asked regarding the word of the "Ransomed Ones". The mystery of
"Ransom" (or Sacrifice) is a most great subject and is inexhaustible.
Briefly it is as follows: The moth is a sacrifice to the candle. The
spring is a sacrifice to the thirsty one. The sincere lover is a sacrifice
to the loved one and the longing one is a sacrifice to the beloved. The
point lies in this: He must wholly forget himself, become a wanderer (in
the Abode of the Beloved) enamoured with His Tresses. He must consign to
oblivion the body and soul, the life, comfort and existence. He must seek
the good pleasure of the True One; desire the Face of the True One; and
walk in the Path of the True One. He must become intoxicated with His Cup,
resigned in His Hand and close the eyes to life and living, in order that
he may shine like unto the Light of Truth from the Horizon of Eternity.
This is the first station of sacrifice.
The second station of sacrifice is as follows: Man must become severed
from the human world, be delivered from the contingent gloominess, the
illumination of mercifulness must shine and radiate in him, the nether
world become as non-existent and the Kingdom become manifest. He must
become like unto the iron thrown within the furnace of fire. The qualities
of iron, such as blackness, coldness and solidity which belong to the
earth disappear and vanish while the characteristics of fire, such as
redness, glowing and heat, which belong to the Kingdom become apparent and
visible. Therefore, iron hath sacrificed its qualities and grades to the
fire, acquiring the virtues of that element.
Likewise, when the souls are released from the fetters of the world, the
imperfections of mankind and that animalistic darkness, and have stepped
into the Realm of Abstraction, have partaken a share from the outpouring
of the Placeless and have acquired lordly perfections, they are the
"ransomed ones" (or the martyrs) of the Sun of Truth, who are hastening to
the altar of heart and soul.
"O Thou Pure God!..."
O Thou Pure God!(155)
Gaze providently at the beloved ones and the dear maid-servants in
Chicago. Confer upon them Thy bounty and grace. Teach them the law of the
Kingdom, burn away the veil of material superstition and light the candle
of Thy love in their hearts!
O God! The clay (or being) of these servants is kneaded with the water of
fidelity and the nature of these maid-servants is adorned with love! They
believe and are assured. they are firm and steadfast; they are kneeling
and worshipping; they are uttering (the Words) and are informed. Render
them confirmed and victorious with the hosts of strength. Aid and gladden
them through the angels of the Kingdom of Abha! At every moment reveal a
new power to them and with every breath confer a great bounty. Thus with a
heavenly power, divine strength, merciful fragrance, supreme light, and
conscious attraction, may they arise to serve Thee, to perfume the East
and the West with the fragrances of holiness, establish the universal
peace, promulgate integrity and honesty, to adore the truth, become a
means of life to the people of the world, a cause of comfort and rest to
them; to help the spiritual meeting, to serve the gathering of the Lord,
to send well-informed souls (teachers) to other regions and climes, to be
self-sacrificing with life and heart, to build the Mashrak-el-Azcar, to
raise the anthem of sanctity to the Supreme Kingdom, to live in perfect
love with one another; nay, rather, to be the cause of rest ot whole
world, to adorn the realm of creation, to destroy the edifice of jealousy
and envy and to establish the law of love and unity, to be truthful
servants of mankind and conscientious well-wishers of the human race!
O God! Thou art the Able, the Powerful! Thou are the Confirmer and the
Helper in all conditions and circumstances!
"O thou whose breast is dilated (with joy) for the Kingdom..."
O thou whose breast is dilated (with joy) for the Kingdom of Truth!
Verily I read thy letter which showed that thine inner heart is attracted
to the Beauty of God and that thou hast entered the Kingdom of God. I beg
of god to make thy feet firm in this right path and to protect thee from
violent tests and form calumnies on the part of every woman who hath, like
unto Judas Iscariot, turned away from the True One and who hath withdrawn
herself and is deprived of the mercy of God.
As to thee, O maid-servant of God! Blessed art thou, for thou hast dealt
with people in goodness and good favor. Do not seek from them any reward
whatever, but seek all grace and beneficence from thy Lord, and even deal
with the people of great oppression in faithfulness, for as much as this
is becoming of the people of Baha'.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
The letter that thou hast written, through his honor Mr. ........, was
received. In reality, there is no happiness in the world of existence for
men except in the splendors of the Light of the Kingdom.
Thou has written concerning the acceptance (of this Cause) by some French
people. Make an effort in order that some firm and steadfast souls may
arise in this great Cause from France, and to make that jungle a garden of
God.
Be assured in the favor and grace of God, for each maid-servant of God who
ariseth to serve the Kingdom will undoubtedly be confirmed.
"O thou who art honored and dear!..."
O thou who art honored and dear!
Thy letter was received and was the source of pleasure, for thou hast not
forgotten this imprisoned one and remembered Acca. Although thy days here
were few, as they were pleasant, they will count as years; a real intimacy
between thee and all the family was formed which will not be forgotten in
the passing of the years.
I desire of God that thou wilt be heavenly, angelic and spiritual; and as
a torch, become illumined with the love of God in the kingdom of
existence.
In regard to the question thou askest about the picture of this oppressed
one, say that it was much spread in America: Know that this imprisoned one
never had a picture taken except in youth, and that one also on account of
the command and will of Baha'o'llah, I merely consented so as to obey His
command. Therefore I do not like it to be great spread.
I desire of God, that the traces of the spiritual likeness, which are
attributes and qualities, will remain eternally.
"O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!
In whatsoever matter man wisheth to engage, he must first acquire some
capability and make provisions and preparations therefor. In this day,
whatever soul intendeth to raise the voice of the Kingdom, and to draw
people under the Tree of Life in the ideal paradise, and to invite them to
eternal life, must first be delivered from all attachments, must even shut
his eyes to rest, quietude and to the mortal life of this world.
I hope thou hast abandoned all such (mortal) things, and when thou hast
attained to this great bounty, that is, when thou art delivered from the
attachments of this mortal world, and hast intended to endure all
calamities in the path ofGod--in such wise that reproaches on the part of
the enemy will seem to thee as praise and glorification, and the blame of
the people of hatred will appear like unto admiration and applause, and
the bitterness of afflictions will taste as the honey of favor and all
hardships be as sweetness--then canst thou step into the path of the
Kingdom and become the herald of God.
Consequently, do thou show a steadfast and firm footing in this station,
engage in guiding the people and call them unto the Kingdom; then wilt
thou find how the divine magnet--the power of the Word of God--will attract
the hearts and bestow ecstasy and enthusiasm upon souls!
When thou reachest this station there shall remain no obstacles and no
veil shall intervene, and all that is thy highest wish shall be realized.
Send my greeting to Miss ........ . I hope she may be wholly attracted to
the Kingdom of God.
As to the book that thou intendest to write: When thou hast written it (or
if you write it), send it to the Holy Land (i.e., Acca) to be seen (or
examined) so that thou mayest publish it afterward.
"O thou dear maid-servant of God!..."
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thy faith and certainty became evident. Happy is
thy condition, that in such a day thou hast opened thine eyes and beheld
the light of the Sun of Reality.
Convey reverential greetings to the believing maid-servant of God ........
and say: "Be not grieved and bear the ordeal from thy husband. The meeting
of the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful take the place
of his ignorance. I hope that they may be the cause of joy and happiness
to thee."
"O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
What thou hast written became evident and what thou hast heard from Mirza
........ regarding the necessity of many teachers in America, is true. I
have said so. Indeed, there is need of a thousand teachers, each one
severed from the world, attracted by the Holy Spirit in the Supreme
Concourse and joyful through the Kingdom of God and in perfect sanctity,
holiness and sufficiency.
This matter of teachers requires the greatest condition; that is, they
should never stain themselves with the world, they should not look for the
least pecuniary reward from any soul; nay, rather they should bear the
utmost poverty and with the perfect wealth of nature(156), through the
bounty of God, may they associate with the people. They should seek no
reward nor recompense. Freely have they received, freely should they give.
His Holiness Christ sayeth: "When ye leave the city, clean off from your
shoes the dust thereof." The holiness of the teachers must reach this
degree. Thus may they utter with eloquence, while in ecstasy and great
joy, and guide the people to the manifest light.
If this be the endeavor, strive with life and heart and guide the people
to he Kingdom of God, lead them to the straight pathway, inform them of
the greatness and magnitude of this Cause and give them the glad-tidings
through the bounty of divine providence and the revelation of the Sun of
Truth in this great age.
Convey my greeting to the advancing maid-servant of God [thy wife], and
say to her: "O maid-servant of God! Seek whilst thou canst the life
eternal and wish for everlasting glory in the divine world."
Embrace twice thy children, and give my greeting to the maid-servant of
God, thy mother.
thy name is Joseph. Let thy title be Bahai.
"O thou child of the Kingdom and firm in the Covenant!..."
O thou child of the Kingdom and firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter, through his honor Mirza ........, was received and thy former
letters also became acceptable and through the contents of those writings
utmost joy and fragrance was produced, for they all evinced faith,
assurance and firmness in the Covenant.
In this day the most vital and momentous matter is steadfastness in the
love of the Manifestor of Light on the Mount of Sinai and endurance of
ordeals and unaccountable calamities in this Cause.
Ere long the seditious people shall arise in that country to deride the
righteous ones and to ridicule the holy ones. Every day they will cast
ignominy and at every moment they will present great persecution. They
shall revile the friends for the sake of the love of Baha; and bring down
upon them contempt and sarcasm; neither do they fall short in creating
torture.
This is the custom and sentence of the people of bygone ages. Undoubtedly
these things must transpire in these days even with a greater intensity.
That is why His Holiness the Christ sayeth: "Everything which hath
happened in the cycles of the former prophets will certainly occur again
in these days." Consider ye! What calumny, slander, cruelty and oppression
were brought down upon the apostles by the Israelites for the sake of
faith and assurance! They unlocked the hands of pillage, persecuted and
tortured those sanctified souls. Therefore, there is no doubt but that you
will become afflicted with trial, calamity and oppression in the path of
the Beauty of Abha. These trials are the essence of bestowal and pure
bounty and the proofs of your acceptance in the Threshold of Oneness.
Consequently, when the fire of trials is ignited, celebrate ye in joy,
dance with overflowing emotions and be ye happy that--praise be to God!--ye
have become the target of contempt in the path of the Beauty of Abha and
are hated by the people of passion and desire.
Thy services in the highway of the Kingdom are accepted, thy toleration of
the troubles is known and manifest and thy eloquent speeches in the
assemblies of believers are heard and appreciated. I hope that through
these services thou mayest become the manifestor of the favors of the Lord
of the Kingdom and recipient of the merciful glances of His Highness the
Magnificent and the Compassionate.
"O thou speaker in the remembrance of God!..."
O thou speaker in the remembrance of God!
Verily I say unto thee, O servant of God! The earth and what is therein
are imaginations or reflections in mirrors or shades; but the bounty of
the Kingdom and the gifts of the invisible world are the thoughts of the
Merciful One, and the lordly radiances are immortal and constant and
unending. Thou must depend upon these! Thou must depend unto these! Thou
must depend upon these!
Be assured with the true assurance that, verily, dependence upon the
Covenant of God is surrounded from all directions by those gifts and the
angel hosts assist it on the right hand and on the left hand, and the
power of the Holy spirit strengthens it in all circumstances and meets it
with signs of splendor in the horizons.
Therefore, confirm the wavering minds in the path of God, and the feeble
souls with the love of God.
"O thou pure soul who art kindled by the fire of the love..."
O thou pure soul who art kindled by the fire of the love of Baha'!
By God, the True One! thy letter created joy and happiness within hearts,
because it was speaking the praise of Baha' and contained words which
showed thy attraction to the light of the Beauty of El-Baha.
Blessed art thou and blessed is thy heart which is longing for the Kingdom
of El-Baha, and that thou art hoping to serve Baha' in His great vineyard
and in His wonderful garden!
I beg of God to favor thee with a power which may encourage thee to
promulgate the Truth and guide the father and sister to the right path. I
beg Him to make thee a herald, in His name, in those regions.
Have resignation and devotion and attraction and make thy heart empty of
aught else save the love of Baha'. This is the state which was coveted by
the near ones and this is a position which was longed for by the holy
souls.
"O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom..."
O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of God!
I supplicate God that thou mayest become like unto Peter, the
"Rock"--unshaken, immovable and strong; be assisted by heavenly
confirmation; be helped to the service of the Cause of God, opening thy
tongue to teach the divine instructions, and living and walking according
to the laws of the Book of Akdas(157) .
Thou hast asked permission to come to our presence: These days are very
difficult. God willing, it will be brought about in the future. I pray to
God that thou mayest enter into such a state that presence and absence may
become equal in thine understanding.
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Thy letter *** was received. Its contents were of the utmost grace, for it
indicated that thou hast become a heavenly, spiritual Bahai; that is, thou
hast found the attractions of heart and art aspiring to associate with the
Holy Fragrances.
Peter, who was the Rock (of the Christian dispensation), was firm and
solid; but, in the moment of Christ's deliverance, that Rock quaked a
little, until the crowing of the cock was raised. I hope that thou wilt
become, in steadfastness, so firm and so solid that thousands of
deliverances would not cause thee to tremble.
This is the New Spirit and the uninterrupted assistance. When this is
attained, the language will become eloquent and the utterance penetrating.
"O thou who hast approached the Kingdom of God and..."
O thou who hast approached the Kingdom of God and hast looked toward the
Center of the Covenant!
Verily, thy namesake, the faithful Joseph, fell surely into grievous
distress through the jealousy of his brethren, who dishonored him; nay,
outraged him, and cast him behind their backs and threw him in a dark
well; they sold him for a paltry price--for a few pence--returning to their
father at eve weeping, and, with his shirt stained with false blood, they
slandered the wolf who was free from blame. The same shall also appear
from these violators. Then interpret this vision: How the conduct of these
former evil-doers agreeth with the course of the succeeding followers of
the great darkness!
Verily, thou who art called by this honorable name, desire to have a
portion in its great successes, to become a cherished one in the Egypt of
the love of God, to possess qualities free from all evil and to become the
source of good deeds.
God assisteth whomsoever He pleaseth with that which He pleaseth. Verily
He is the Mighty and Powerful!
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I received thy letter which spoke of thy extreme love for God, thy
being occupied in the commemoration of God and thy joy in the Spirit of
God.
Verily, I supplicate God to enkindle in thy heart the fire of His love;
and enkindlement the light of which shall affect all regions, so that thy
face may become illumined by the lights of the Spirit and [give forth]
fragrance in the world of possibility. Arise for the service of the Cause
of God in those countries which are vast and spacious, and sing, warbling
beautiful melodies in the Name of thy Lord, the Supreme.
I saw thy photograph among the photographs of the friends, witnessed the
light of guidance glistening in thy face and asked aid and strength for
thee in this great day.
The most important matter in this day is the spreading of the fragrances
of God in those cities. Verily, confirmation will surround thee from all
sides.
This matter is equivalent to thy presence in these regions. Now presence
is not allowable for a certain wisdom which God shall manifest in future
time.
"Verily I approach Thee, O my God, in the darkest hour..."
Verily I approach Thee, O my God, in the darkest hour of this dark night,
and pray Thee with my inmost heart, while I am moving by Thy fragrances,
which are being diffused from Thy Kingdom of Abha, and say(158) :
O my Lord, I have not words enough to praise Thee, nor can the birds of
meditation ever ascend to the Kingdom of Thy sanctity. Thou art, in Thine
entity, sanctified from every praise and commendation, and art purified,
in Thyself, from the thanksgiving of the people of emanation. Thou hast
been eternally in the sanctity of Thyself exalted beyond the comprehension
of the knowing among the Supreme Concourse, and Thou shalt be permanently
in the purity of Thine essence, incomprehensible beyond the knowledge of
the praisers among the dwellers in the exalted Realm of Might!
O my God, O my God, because of Thine incomprehensibility, how can I ever
mention Thee by any praise, or glorify Thee by any commendation! Thou art,
O my God, exalted and sanctified from all praises and glorification, O
Thou, my beloved!