O thou who art baptized by the Spirit of the Love of God!
Be rejoiced with this great bounty and gladdened by this mighty gift!
Verily, thou art from the West and we are from the East, the distance
between is great. Nevertheless, it is as if we were from one native land,
one city, one house and one household. The love of God gathered us all
under the shade of one tent, beneath one banner.
This is from the power of the command of God and His dominion, which
encompasseth all contingent beings and affects the hearts of all existing
things.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
Verily, the Lord of Hosts calleth thee from the absence of existence (or
non-existence) and sayeth:
"Come, O My maid-servant, to My Kingdom!
Come, O My attracted one, unto My Great Paradise!
Come, O My maid-servant, unto My Sublime Heaven!
Come, O My attracted one, unto the place of My Glorious Throne."
Therefore turn, with a heart throbbing and tears flowing, unto the Beauty
of El-Abha, so that thou obtaineth the great favor and drinketh from that
wine, and tasteth the fruits of the Paradise of El-Abha.
"O thou faithful and confident!..."
O thou faithful and confident!
Thanks be to God that thou hast obtained that which was sought by all
prophets and holy souls; namely, the knowledge of God and the love of god.
First, the knowledge; and, second, His unfathomable love. Also the
different members of thy family, who followed thee and who obtained that
which thou didst obtain.
This is a great gift from God and hath no equal; although in this physical
world its greatness is not perceivable, nor its nature clearly known, yet
in the spiritual world it shineth like the sun.
So long as the pearl remaineth hidden at the bottom of the sea, its value
is not known nor its brilliancy and fineness seen, it is only when in the
hands of the expert jeweler that its great beauty becomes revealed.
Thou shouldst be at the utmost height of joy and satisfaction, for thou
art surrounded by the bounties of the Merciful and hast become the object
of the appearance of divine guidance.
In order to give thanks for this great and glorious gift, thou shouldst do
all thou canst to guide His creatures, to give sight to the blind, hearing
to the deaf, life to the dead, and endeavor to turn those who are still
attached to material things in the way which leads to spiritual heights;
to help them to travel in the way of the Kingdom and to walk in the path
that leads to the King of Kings.
Servant and believer in God! Present the greetings of Abdul-Baha to the
faithful maid-servant of God [thy wife] and to thy two revered daughters.
"O thou my dear friend, my associate and companion!..."
O thou my dear friend, my associate and companion!
The times of (our) meeting(189) are still remembered and the sweetness of
thy company is lastingly established in the recess of (my) life.
I pray and implore the threshold of the Lord of the Kingdom always, and
seek for thee His strength and confirmation, saying:
"O Lord of Hosts! Confirm Thine affectionate ........ in Thy servitude,
aid him in the service of Thy Word, open to his face the door of
knowledge, reveal to his heart the realities and significances, and grant
him the ecstasy of the cup of reality, gladden him through the melody of
Thy love, make his night, day, and day, happy!"
In sooth, O dear one! thy services are evident, thy endurance of ordeals
and difficulties well known.
In the organization of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, thou art indeed well
striving. I hope thou wilt attain a great reward, open an eloquent tongue,
raise a wonderful melody in every meeting, draw and paint the images and
forms of the Kingdom in the material world.
Rest assured in the grace of the Lord and be dilated by His infinite
favors.
Convey greetings of reverence to the maid-servant of God [thy wife],
likewise thy revered daughter. I am ever thoughtful of them and will never
forget them.
"O thou spiritual friend!..."
O thou spiritual friend!
Thy services are accepted in the Kingdom of Abha, mentioned in this
merciful Assemblage and the cause of joy and gladness to Abdul-Baha.
Thank God, thou art a believer and an assured one, firm and steadfast; a
truthful servant of the divine Kingdom and an agreeable lover of His
Holiness Baha'o'llah. Thou hast spent thy time in spreading the fragrances
of God and thy possession in the promotion of the Word of God.
Rest assured in the great bounty and bestowal, be attracted by the
fragrances of the Kingdom of Abha. Fatigue not thyself on account of any
difficulty and give not up because of any ordeal. Be not grieved because
of any trial nor hindered by any hindrance.
Night and day confine thy time to the education of the world of humanity.
Arise to guide the creatures and spend time in promulgating the teachings
of His Holiness Baha'o'llah, so that lives may find glad-tidings, hearts
gladness, the souls eternal life and the minds extraordinary advancement.
In respect to the Mashrak-el-Azcar: Brevity must now be observed; that is,
as much as possible endeavor should be made so that by the assistance of
all the friends and the sincerity of your intentions it may become
instituted and built in Chicago even though it be not possible to build a
most solid, lofty and great (edifice). Whatever is now possible should be
erected.
And the question of giving the glad-tidings (i.e., teachings of this
religion) should be given moment. The holy souls who are free from the
ties of this mortal world and attain the confirmation of the Holy Spirit,
although they live on earth, yet, verily, they are heavenly, illuminated,
spiritual, divine. Such souls must appear and engage, with simplicity,
freedom and purity, in training the public and in guiding all people. If
such souls arise, the Holy Spirit will aid them, the hosts of the heavenly
angels will render them victorious, the bounties of the Kingdom of Abha
will surround them, the ray of the Sun of Truth will shine, the breezes of
the Paradise of Abha will give spirit, the ocean of favors will boil and
the good scent of the fragrances of holiness will perfume the nostrils of
the inhabitants of the world.
By the bounty and grace of the Educator, I hope thou mayest attain to this
providence and bounty!
Convey greeting of reverence of utmost kindness to all thy relations, [thy
wife] and thy respected daughter, and others, and to all the beloved and
the maid-servants of the Merciful.
"O thou my spiritual companion!..."
O thou my spiritual companion!
Two letter have reached me from you, and the contents of both I have
considered. Communication of the beloved of God from all parts of the
world with America, and the correspondence of America with all parts is
most agreeable and the cause of attracting the hearts. Endeavor greatly to
accomplish this important matter and write to all parts.
The beloved of God must, like the roses of the rose-garden, send fragrant
messages from one to another, receive strength from one another, and
co-operate together, by the strength of the Kingdom. There is no greater
means than communion and communication. "Communication is half a meeting."
Send a copy of this letter to all parts and write to them. Thus may the
beloved of God, in every city, send collectively letters to other cities,
especially America. This shall be the means of growth and the cause of
attraction. he souls will be made happy, the spirits revived, the hearts
dilated and the breasts expanded. Convey greetings and longing to all the
beloved of God.
"Honorable Dr. ............"
Honorable Dr. .........
According to what is heard you have received the permission of medication
and the certificate of graduation (diploma) from the College of Medicine.
Now experience is necessary in order to attain skill and proficiency. The
greatest of all these is the confirmation and the strength of His Majesty,
the One (God), through the favor of the Blessed Perfection. I am hopeful
that will also be thine.
For the physician the first qualifications are: Good intentions,
trustworthiness, tenderness, sympathy for the sick, truthfulness,
integrity, and the fear of the Lord.
With life and heart strive thou to be both a spiritual and physical
physician. Thus mayest thou be Ameen and Fareed (Trustworthy and Unique).
Thy honorable father night and day prays, hopes and supplicates that thy
life, like his, may be entirely devoted to the service of the Threshold of
God, that thou remain the servant of the Holy Cause.
"O Spiritual ........!..."
O Spiritual ........!
Thy letter is received; likewise that of Mr. ........ Print soon the
booklet (Mirza Badi Ullah's Epistle to the Bahai world) and spread it
broadcast.
The dear maid-servant of God, ........, is indeed an assured believer;
likewise ........, his honor Mr. ........, and his honor Mr. ......... In
reality they are revered souls. I hope that they will soon arise for the
Mashrak-el-Azcar and thus attain His favor.
All the beloved of God must strive so that this eternal edifice arise. ***
"O thou bearer of the Great-tidings of the Kingdom of..."
O thou bearer of the Great-tidings of the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter *** was received. It contained the good news of the assemblage
of the beloved ones, of the Meeting of Faithfulness which was held, the
joy and fragrance obtained, the appearance of the lights of the love of
the Beauty of Abha, and the good news that the breasts of the beloved ones
were dilated (with joy). This news caused such joy that our afflictions,
sufferings and calamities were wholly forgotten, a new carpet was spread
and a great joy attained with the utmost exaltation! For Abdul-Baha serves
with all devotion in order that union and affection may be created among
the beloved of God; nay, in the whole of the human world.
My utmost hope and wish is to find that an assemblage hath been arranged
which hath become the cause of love and affection in the world of humanity
which announceth the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of Abha, diffuseth the
fragrances of the love of God, setteth the pillars of the world in motion
through the power of divine guidance, and is quickening the dead through
the spirit of divine knowledge!
O dear friend! The darkness of error hath encompassed the world; it is now
the time to spread the light of guidance. The world hath wholly become the
tomb of the dead; it is now time that it shall be transformed into palaces
of the living. The East and the West have become a thorny desert of
oppression; it is time they should become a rose-garden of faithfulness.
You have written concerning the Feast(190) of Remembrance which you
arranged after the Persian manner, at which Mr. ........ and Mr. ........
engaged in serving the beloved ones like unto Abdul-Baha: This arrangement
of festivities and affection, chanting of Tablets, explaining realities
and significances, and this inculcating of the teachings and exhortations
of Abdul-Baha causeth everlasting life and maketh the hearers as heavenly
angels.
Whenever such an entertainment is arranged through spiritual sentiments,
shining faces and merciful hearts, it is a "Lord's Supper." For the
brilliancy of the Kingdom of Abha will shine and the spirituality of
Abdul-Baha become manifest. This is that "divine table" (or food) of which
mention is made in the prophecies: "On that day they shall gather together
at the divine table"; and "people shall come from the East and West and
arrive in His Kingdom."
Convey loving greetings to his honor ........ and say: "O dear one! The
heart of Abdul-Baha greatly rejoiceth at thy reading of the Tablets and
Words at the meetings of the merciful ones! I beg of God, that in all
assemblages thou mayest cause happiness unto the hearts of the friends and
bestow joy and fragrance!"
Announce to his honor ......... my love and longing (for him) and say:
"That Power which strengthened the apostles is now in full confirmation. I
hope thou wilt receive an abundant portion from that confirmation."
Announce the utmost love from Abdul-Baha to his honor ........ and say: "O
thou friend of my heart! The heavenly food is needed successively; be thou
a server of the food and direct thou the people of the world to present
themselves at that able and guide them to partake thereof."
Convey greetings and respect from Abdul-Baha to the esteemed maid-servant
of God, ........, and say: "Thou art always in our midst and art not
forgotten, even for a moment. I beg the Beauty of Abha for confirmation in
thy behalf. It is some time since, by the dust of calamities and
occupation of mind, the correspondence hath been delayed; but there is no
harm in that. For my heart is engaged in prayer and I beg for confirmation
in thy behalf."
Convey on my behalf, greetings and respect to the invoking maid-servant of
God, ........, and say: "Thank thou God for thou hast arrived at the Holy
City and at the Heavenly Jerusalem and hast found thy way to the Divine
City and entered the Kingdom of Abha!"
O thou real friend! O Mr. ........! Seek not a single minute of rest and
do not keep still. Travel more and more in cities and villages. Bear the
glad-tidings and guide them. Strengthen the beloved (i.e., believers) and
open the eye of perception of the strangers (those who do not believe).
As to chanting supplications in the Oriental tune, this is very agreeable.
His honor ........ must exert his endeavors in this matter.
In reality the friends of God are always present in my society and are
associated with the friends of God in the Sacred Spot; even though they be
in the remotest lands of the earth.
O thou real friend! Such entertainments are always necessary, for they
cause the increase of love, unity and harmony in the friends of God. Bring
about (such entertainments) by all means.
"O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Word of God!..."
O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Word of God!
Praise be to God! upon thy departure from Acca, thou hast been assisted
and rendered successful in serving the Kingdom of God. Accordingly, thou
must offer the utmost thanks to the Threshold of Oneness, for this, thy
journey, was fruitful and this peregrination became the cause of
discovering the mysteries of the Lord of Glory.
Arise thou, in unison with his honor [thy husband], to serve with the
utmost devotion and consecrate your time, night and day, to promote the
Word of God, to diffuse the fragrances of God and to guide all the people
of the earth. In the world of existence nothing hath any result, even if
it be dominion over the East and West. But that which hath an immortal
result is servitude in the Holy Threshold, service rendered to the Kingdom
of God and guiding all in the earth. I hope, through the divine grace and
bounty, thou wilt be assisted and strengthened therein.
"O thou who art kindled as a lamp with the Fire of the..."
O thou who art kindled as a lamp with the Fire of the Love of God!
Be thou a fountain flowing with the waters of the mercy of God, a myrtle
perfumed with the fragrances of God and a bird warbling the most wonderful
melodies of the knowledge of God in the garden of faith.
Know thou, verily, the Sun of Truth hath shone forth with the lights of
peace upon all regions. Strife and conflict will surely be removed from
all the nations of the earth. Carnage shall be taken away; fighting,
violence and reviling will be changed into universal reconciliation and
the hosts of tranquillity will pitch their tents in the midst of the
world. Then the awning of the mercy of thy Lord will be hoisted and those
souls who are free from the filth of prejudice, contradictions and
presumption and are filled with a love that imparts affinity, intimacy,
affection, meekness and humbleness will be sheltered under it.
"O thou who art cheerful in heart, by the Fragrances..."
O thou who art cheerful in heart, by the Fragrances of the Merciful!
Verily, I read the verses of thy thanksgiving unto God, for depositing in
thy heart an eternal joy reviving thee by the breath of the Holy spirit to
everlasting life, [for having] cast upon thee the light of guidance and
awakened thee by the breezes of His great mercy. Therefore, thank God for
this. Verily, His bounty to thee is great, great!
Beware not to be sorrowful on account of my confinement; inasmuch as it is
the comfort of my heart, the healing of my breast, the dispeller of my
sorrow and sadness, the cause of my salvation in servitude to the Bounty
of El-Abha.
If thou desirest to pray for me a beneficial prayer, do not ask for the
removal of my imprisonment, but implore God to increase my calamities in
the Path of El-Abha, to make me a sacrifice in His love and give me to
drink the cup of martyrdom by His bounty and grace.
I ask God to confirm thee by the breath of His Holy Spirit, the hosts of
His angels and armies of His strength, so that thou arisest to serve the
vineyard of God and to enlighten the insight of thy revered husband by the
light of the knowledge of the Greatest Name. This is not far from the
bounty of thy Lord.
The maid-servant of Baha', the Exalted Leaf(191), conveys to thee
greetings and praise--likewise the rest of the brilliant leaves(192) .
Regarding the star which appeareth while thou art turned unto God: This is
the spiritual disclosure and the divine impression. Also the fire circle
which appeareth to thine eyes, is a spiritual transfiguration and
[signifieth] the Eternal Grace manifesting itself in the human garment;
because "cloud" signifies the human form (or body), while the "circle of
fire," the divine form, which is manifested in the reality of man.
"O thou who art attracted by the Love of God!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Love of God!
In the Persian tongue has thou written a letter; I was happy to read it.
Praise be to God! This is the dawn of the light of unity between the
Eastern and Western people. In Persia the English language is being
studied widely and in America the Persian tongue is beloved by some dear
souls. In both countries the respective languages are being studied. This
is in itself a proof that the East and the West (literally, place of
sunrise and sunset) shall clasp hands as two families. The standard of
unity shall be raised, and the means of love and friendship will be
accomplished.
Endeavor to complete the study of the Persian--thus mayest thou read the
Tablets of the Blessed Beauty(193) and mayest translate them, and without
the interpreter's aid thou mayest read all my letter to thee.
"O thou dear maid-servant of God!..."
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thank thou the kind Father for that the world of creation was adorned with
the light of His Manifestation and the heart of the universe found comfort
in His mercy, for His infinite mercy whereby He illumined thine heart with
the light of guidance and thy sight with witnessing His radiance to the
extent that thou didst hearken to he call of the Supreme Concourse and
didst turn to the horizon of sanctity. Praise be to Him and to Him be
thanks for this greatest favor and evident attainment!
As to thy vision, it is reality itself (it is what hath occurred).
Whatever thou hast seen in the realm of vision is interpreted in the
contraries and opposites, for laughter in the world of vision is weeping,
and weeping, joy and happiness; death is longevity, and dangers, in
certain cases, safety itself. Harm (in this wise) is helpfulness, and
friendship, enmity and hatred. Therefore, thou shalt not kill the lamb;
nay, rather thou shalt be the cause of the spread of His Name; thou shalt
share a portion of His eternal life and attain a share of His infinite
mercy. The impressions of the heart (the painful feelings of the heart),
which were like the blows of a weapon, are interpreted to mean joy and
happiness. I hope that thou mayest attain to all these.
The purport of the study of the Persian tongue is this: That thou mayest
memorize a commune in the Persian and at the time of communion and
supplication, when present in the meeting of the maid-servants of the
Merciful, thou mayest chant it.
The translation of Tablets is acceptable and beloved. If, occasionally,
thou writest a concise, terse and useful article, with the utmost
sweetness, containing the teachings and exhortations of the Blessed
Perfection, verbatim, for the purpose of publishing in the journals of
Denmark, it will be most agreeable. I ask God for strength and
confirmation for thee.
"I ask God that thou mayest find a perceiving eye, an..."
(194) I ask God that thou mayest find a perceiving eye, an attentive ear
and an eloquent tongue; that thou mayest loosen thy tongue in delivering
the Cause of God, promoting the Word of God in that country, educating the
children and training them in the training of God, and in early childhood
enkindling in their hearts the lights of spiritual morals.
Thou hast written that in thine articles for the papers thou hast cited
from the holy Tablets of Tarazat and Tajalliat. It is very agreeable.
Respecting the translating of Miss Barney's book, in which thou hast
engaged thyself, it is very agreeable; but thou must communicate
concerning this with Miss Barney herself. She will assist thee in its
publication and spreading.
I ask God to aid thee by the divine confirmation and engage, night and
day, with the commemoration of God.
Upon thee be Baha El-Abha!
"***O ye real friends of Abdul-Baha!..."
***O ye real friends of Abdul-Baha!
From the gathering of those illuminated faces and flowers of the
rose-garden (of God) in Camp Mineola(195) utmost joy and fragrance (to me)
was the result.
I hope that assembly, like sparkling stars, may shed the lights of love
and unison upon the human world, and become the cause of the happiness and
joy of the inhabitants of the earth; that they may become like unto clear
mirrors reflecting (the rays) of the Sun of Truth, and give the
glad-tidings of the manifestation of the Lord of the Kingdom.
I ask the blessings of God that year after year He may add souls to that
assembly, and in future it may become doubled an hundred-fold.
How blessed it is that this assembly may become firmly established, and it
is sure that the heavenly confirmations will pour down!
"O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!..."
O ye(196) beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!
The detailed letter which you have written was received and it was read
with the greatest attention. From the rose-garden of its significances a
perfumed fragrance reached the nostrils and from its suggestions and
statements traces of sincerity of intention became manifest.
Praise be to God!--that each one of that assembly is like unto a shining
lamp, is ignited by the fire of the love of God, hath closed his eyes to
the world and the inhabitants thereof, hath burned away the veils of
superstitions and hath acquired the treasury of Truth. I have loosened my
tongue to thank God for this gift at the Threshold of Oneness and praised
and glorified the Incomparable God for His bounty, because He assisted
those souls in the service of the Kingdom, and established such an
assembly in New York that it will finally become a cause of the guidance
of that continent.
You have written that there is a difference among the believers concerning
the "Second Coming of Christ." Praise be to God!--time and again this
question hath arisen and its answer hath emanated in a clear and
irrefutable text from the pen of Abdul-Baha that what is meant in the
prophecies by the "Lord of Hosts," the "Promised Christ" is the Blessed
Perfection (Baha'o'llah) and His Highness the Supreme (the Bab). The faith
of everyone must resolve around this palpable and evident text.