Know that the garden drew near and the paradise hath been adorned with the
sweet-basils of the knowledge of God. Be, therefore, a gilly-flower of
fragrant smell in the Garden of El-Abha, that, through thy perfumed
breaths, the spirits and hearts be quickened and animated.
O thou friend of Abdul-Baha! I do mention thee now while my heart is
throbbing through the breezes that are blowing from the verdant gardens of
the love of God. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon thee to be purely
sincere, to turn to the holy Kingdom and to generously give the spirit in
the cause of the Lord of Might. Verily, this is no other than an eternal
and everlasting life which hath no end in the world of existence.
"O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!..."
O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!
Thank thou God for that He hath removed from off thine eyes the covering,
made thee to see the signs of the Kingdom of thy Lord, the supreme, filled
for thee the cup of bounty and gave thee to drink the pure wine of
fidelity which He hath promised to the sincere in the holy Books and
Tablets.
O thou my dear! The cup of knowledge is overflowing; blessed are they who
partake in draughts! The fountain of life is issuing forth; blessed are
they who drink! The doors of the Kingdom are opened; O what good news to
those who advance! The garden of paradise is drawn near; O what a pleasure
to those who enter! The dove of holiness is cooing; O what a happiness to
those who hear! The gates of heaven are open; blessed are they who see!
The hosts of angels are standing in battle order; what a joy to those who
gain the victory! The trumpet of life is sounding; how good it is to those
who are awake!
As to thee: Realize the bounty of thy Lord as it is, and thank thou thy
Lord and praise Him for that He hath directed thee to the right path.
"O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the..."
O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the Fragrance of God!
Thy terse and eloquent letter, showing the excess of thine attraction as
caused by the fragrances of god, was read by me.
I, therefore, supplicate God to confirm thy glorious children, Frederick,
Robert and Herbert, to surround them with the glances of His merciful eye,
to direct them to the path of guidance and to make them enter the Ark of
Safety which is cleaving the sea of this contingent world in the midst of
the deluge of tests; that they may become righteous, guiding the people to
the Kingdom of the glorious Lord, the doors of which are open before the
faces of all beings.
I implore Him to appoint thee one of the angels of the Spirit, that thou
mayest blow the spirit of life into the hearts which are good and pure
through the love of God; that He may strengthen the elect in America to
spread the fragrances of God and to reveal the spirit of knowledge to the
hearts which are cheered by the breaths of God.
"O ye dear children!..."
O ye dear children!(280)
Your father is compassionate, clement and merciful unto you and desireth
for you success, prosperity and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon you, dear children, to seek his good
pleasure, to be guided by his guidance, to be drawn by the magnet of the
love of God and be brought up in the lap of the love of God; that ye may
become beautiful branches in the Garden of El-Abha, verdant and watered by
the abundance of the gift of God.
"O thou advancer to the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou advancer to the Kingdom of God!
Shouldst thou come with the whole of thy being to God and be attracted to
the lights of the Kingdom of God and be enkindled by the fire of the love,
of God, then wilt thou see that which thou canst not see today, wilt
comprehend the inner significance of the Word of God and thoroughly
understand the mysteries contained in the holy books.
But as to the Jewish doctors, Christian priests and monks who read those
Books, verily, they know the letter only and they utter the words, as
parrots, without understanding their inner meanings. They comprehend them
not, because they are engrossed in worldly desires and lusts and their
hearts are attached to mundane allurements. Verily, are they not heedless
of God and understand nothing and find not the right path?
"Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the..."
(281) Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the maid-servant of
god, Madam ........., and say:
"Praise be to god! that thy house hath become the nest and the shelter of
the divine birds and thy face is illumined and brightened by the light of
the love of God and thy tongue is loosened in uttering heavenly proofs and
evidences. Therefore, in order to [give] thanks for this bestowal, add,
day by day, to thy love of God and be thou engaged in service."
"O thou seeker of Truth!..."
O thou seeker of Truth!
Praise be to God! the essence of severance is manifest from this world and
the star of the love of God is shining, and kindness towards mankind is
clear and evident. These divine gifts became manifest, spread and known in
the world through the teachings of Baha'o'llah. I hope thou mayest
abundantly partake of all there three benefits, so that thou mayest appear
among people in the utmost spirituality and illumination.
"O thou excellent maid-servant of God!..."
O thou excellent maid-servant of God!
Thank thou God that thou hast stepped into the arena of existence in this
glorious age, hast become the manifestor of never-ending outpouring, hast
attained to the most great gift, hast found the season of the divine
springtime, hast perfumed thy nostrils with heavenly flowers, hast
discovered the way to the celestial Kingdom and hast partaken a share from
eternal life.
"O thou daughter of the Kingdom!..."
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thy excellent letter was full of spiritual significance. It was an
indication of the loftiness of thy nature, the grandeur of thy aspiration,
the sincerity of thy aim and the confirmation of the bounty of His
Highness the Single One. Moreover, it proved that thou shalt be purified
and sanctified from attachment to material conditions, be freed from every
restriction and thou shalt dedicate thy life to the spreading of the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom.
Whenever this longing and desire is attained, that maid-servant of God
[i.e., thyself] will become a lighted candle in the assemblage of the
world, receiving the lights of the Kingdom and reflecting them in turn
upon the souls.
This trip thou hast in mind is blessed and acceptable and the cause of the
attainment of everlasting glory in the world of existence, but thou
shouldest have a companion to go with thee. Therefore, start thou with a
firm resolution, pure intention, heavenly glad-tidings, divine gift and
supreme confirmation toward the East, i.e., Japan, China, India, Russia,
Greece, Bulgaria, Roumania, Austria, Germany, France and the English
empires, perchance thou mayest spread the fragrances of God in those parts
and receive the lights of confirmation from the Kingdom of Holiness. But
it is not necessary, for the present, to travel in the Turkish, Egyptian
and Persian territories, for internal troubles make the traveling of women
very difficult. It is hoped, from the eminent bounty and favor of God,
that thou mayest be quickened in such wise, from the fragrances of the
Kingdom of Abha, that thou mayest bestow upon dead souls eternal life.
Convey, on my behalf, respectful greetings to the attracted Miss
........., who is favored and enkindled with the fire of the love of her
Lord. That blessed leaf is mentioned and known in the Kingdom of God.***
As Persia hath many nomadic tribes and they are now(282) rebellious and
insurgent and infesting the highways, the maid-servants of the Merciful
cannot travel there, but men can. However, after that maid-servant hath
traveled in Japan, China, Russia, Germany, France, England, Austria,
Greece, Roumania, Bulgaria and India, perhaps peace and security will be
established in Persia and then thou canst also travel there.
"O thou daughter of the Kingdom!..."
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thank thou God for having found the realm of the Kingdom, become guided by
the lights of the Sun of Reality and guided others.
Endeavor day and night in order to make the negligent souls mindful, to
give life to the dead spirits, to heal the spiritual patients, to make
wise the simple, to inform the uninformed, to make the earthly heavenly,
to draw nigh (unto God) those who are afar and to make the strangers
friends.
This is the magnetic power which attracts the confirmation of God.
"O thou favored maid-servant of the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou favored maid-servant of the Kingdom of God!
The letter, which thou hast written, was received. Its contents evinced
high aspiration and rare magnanimity; and that thou hast the intention to
travel to the far-eastern countries and bear great trouble, so that thou
mayest become the cause of the guidance of the souls and spread the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God. This desire indicateth that the
beloved maid-servant of God hath a very high aim. However, thou mayest
deliver the glad-tidings in the following manner:
"The Promised One of all the nations of the world hath become apparent and
manifest! Each community and religion expecteth the coming of their
Promised One, and His Highness Baha'o'llah is the Promised One of all!
Therefore, the Cause of Baha'o'llah is conductive to harmony, raiseth the
canopy of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity upon the apex of the
contingent beings and unfurleth the ensign of universal brotherhood and
ideal commonwealth upon the summit of the hills and mountains!"
When thou openest thy tongue with such glad-tidings, it will become
conducive to the teaching of others. But this trip is indeed very remote
and unless there are several [teachers], the delivery of the glad-tidings
will not produce the desired results in those parts. Shouldst thou deem it
advisable, thou mayest take a trip to Persia and on thy return pass by
Japan and China. This plan seems much better and more pleasant. Otherwise,
thou mayest act according to thy judgment and it will be acceptable.
The contribution that thou hast made to the Temple is beloved. The Temple
is the most great foundation of the world of humanity and it hath many
branches. Although the Temple is the place of worship, with it is
connected a hospital, pharmacy, pilgrims' house, school for the orphans,
and a university for the study of high sciences. Every Temple is connected
with these five things. I hope that now in America they will build a
Temple and gradually add to it the hospital, school, university, pharmacy
and pilgrims' house with the utmost efficiency and thoroughness. Thou
shouldst make known to the believers these details, so that they may
realize how important the Temple is. The Temple is not only a place for
worship; nay, it is perfect in every way.
O thou beloved maid-servant of God! Didst thou know what station is
destined and appointed, under the protection of His Highness Baha'o'llah,
for those souls who are severed, attracted and teachers of truth,
undoubtedly thou shouldst find the utmost joy and happiness, and, by
reason of exultation and rejoicing, soar toward the heaven of peace,
inasmuch as thou art walking in this road and advancing toward such a
Kingdom.
Regarding the statement that I have written to thee, about dedicating
thyself to the service of the Cause of God, it means this: Center thy
thoughts in the teachings of the Cause, day and night, and act according
to the teachings and behests of His Highness Baha'o'llah. This is not
contrary to marriage. It is possible for thee to be married and be engaged
in the service of the Cause of God. The first does not interfere with the
latter.
Briefly, avail thyself of the opportunity and do not let it slip from thy
grasp; i.e., supplicate God that in this darkened world thou mayest become
an ignited candle and the cause of the guidance of many souls.
"O ye blessed maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!..."
O ye blessed maid-servant(283) of the Beauty of Abha!
If ye have written letters to Abdul-Baha and answers to them are delayed,
know ye of a certainty that untold hindrances have been the cause. Be ye
not unhappy. Praise be to God! that, on account of firmness and
steadfastness in the Cause of God and service to the Word of God,
spiritual letters are continually and uninterruptedly descending from the
Supreme Concourse and the Kingdom of Abha. That holy Messenger is eternal
and perennial and His messages come to the heart successively and the
verses of oneness are read therein. Likewise, this imprisoned one is
greatly attached with his heart and soul to the beloved ones and this very
attachment is the faithful Messenger and the manifest Tablet. Therefore,
my request is this: Should ye send a hundred letters and no answers be
received, do ye not feel at all sad; nay, rather think of this occurrence
as a glorious proof of the power of love, as it will demonstrate that
there is no incumbency (or formality) between us. Were there any
opportunity, undoubtedly answers would be forwarded. In brief, I beg of
God that each one of you become the sign of guidance, a manifest book from
the Supreme Concourse, attracted with the fragrances of God and enkindled
with the fire of the love of God.
"O thou pure and spiritual one!..."
O thou pure and spiritual one!
Turn thou toward God with thy heart beating with His love, devoted to His
praise, gazing toward His Kingdom and seeking help from His Holy Spirit in
a state of ecstasy, rapture, love, yearning, joy and fragrance. God will
assist thee, through a Spirit from His Presence, to heal sickness and
diseases.
"O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!
I have read thy letter of clearest composition. I beg of God to make thee
fluent in tongue, pure in heart, strong in spirit, severed in heart from
all else save God and occupied in the praise of God; to continue in prayer
and supplication unto God, to be humble, meek, spiritual, free from the
earthly world and its concerns and awakened to the Kingdom and its
Manifestation. Verily, thy Lord is powerful in all things!
"O thou who art tranquilized by the Call of the Kingdom..."
O thou who art tranquilized by the Call of the Kingdom at this time!
The meanings of thy words evinced thine abundant attraction and thy
turning unto the Lamp of Lights. Be not grieved on account of lack of
information of the mysteries of this great Cause. If thou keepest firm in
the religion of God, the covering shall be removed for thee and thou shalt
become informed of the allegories and mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
O maid-servants of God! Continue in healing hearts and bodies and seek
healing for sick persons by turning unto the Supreme Kingdom and by
setting the heart upon obtaining healing through the power of the Greatest
Name and by the spirit of the love of God.
Verily, I beg of God to ordain perfect rest and composure for thy revered
daughter.
As to your moving to another city: Meditate thou, perform the ablution and
pray to God before sleeping; and whatever the Merciful One may inspire
unto thee at the time of revelation in a dream, that will be consistent
with obtaining thy wishes. But the greatest motive for the happiness (or
felicity) of that family, both in this world and the next one, is that thy
revered husband and thy dear son-in-law should become believers in the
lights of the Kingdom which have surrounded all regions at this age of
effulgence.
"O thou who art yearning for the Glad-tidings of God!..."
O thou who art yearning for the Glad-tidings of God!
Verily, I was informed of the contents of thy letter which showed that
thine insight is opened, thy heart is purified, that thou art baptized by
the divine water and by the lordly fire and spirit and that thou art born
again from the womb of this mortal world. This is through the grace of thy
Lord, the Clement, the Merciful!
As to the imprisonment of Abdul-Baha: This is his utmost wish, his extreme
joy and this is what refreshes his burning; and I do not long for
deliverance from the depths of this agreeable prison. Verily, this Most
Great Prison is conducive unto the [shining of the] Orb of the
Horizons.(284)
Verily, I beg of God to bless unto thee thy marriage with thy revered
husband, to protect thee under all conditions from the violence of tests
and trials and to make thy feet firm in the Religion of God in this
wonderful (or new) age.
"O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Mrs. ......... became the cause of thy life and suffered thee to inhale of
the rose-garden of the Holy Spirit. Be thou thankful to her and sacrifice
thyself for her, for she became the means of thy guidance and thou hast
become the object of favor and a center of the bounty of God. She was thy
guide to the Kingdom and the cause of eternal life. Supplicate thou also
from God that thou mayest walk in her footsteps and become engaged in the
training and guidance of souls.
Caress on my behalf the beloved maid-servant of God, Miss ........., thy
daughter, and convey to her my respectful greetings.
"O thou dear maid-servant of God!..."
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Praise God! for thou didst hear the call of the
Kingdom, wast awakened, attentive and attained faith in the Lord of Hosts.
His Holiness Christ, addressing the believers, uttereth the following in
the Gospel: "Be awake lest the Son of Man come and find ye asleep!" Now,
thou wast awake, therefore thou didst advance and engage in the service of
the Word of God. Appreciate the value of this attainment, and, like unto a
candle, radiate the light of the love of God in the meeting of the
beloved. Encourage the beloved of God and be a source of joy and gladness
to the Bahais. hold meetings and read and chant the heavenly teachings, so
that city may be illumined with the light of reality and that country
become a veritable paradise by the strength of the Holy Spirit, for this
cycle is the cycle of the Glorious Lord and the melody of oneness and
solidarity of the world of mankind must reach the ears of the East and
West.
Convey greeting of reverence to all the maid-servants of God and His
man-servants.
"O ye friends of this prisoner!..."
O ye friends(285) of this prisoner!
According to what is heard and evident, you have arranged an assembly in
the utmost beauty and a number of you present yourselves in that meeting
with all love and unity and engage in communion (i.e., reading of the
communes), chanting of the verses, spiritual conversation and utterance of
the Kingdom. Blessed are ye for having adorned such a meeting and for
having prepared such a feast! That gathering receiveth bounty from the
Supreme Concourse and that nucleus is under the protection of the Bounty
of Abha.
In thanksgiving for this attainment and confirmation you must strive to
make Boston a fruit-garden(286) and a rose-garden. Verily, this is not
difficult with the Lord.
the beloved of God in this mortal world are each a spiritual trumpet. They
breathe the breath of life and thus confer upon them that are dead in
negligence and ignorance, the life eternal. They are the merciful
physicians who bestow upon the spiritual patients eternal healing.
The city of Boston hath great preparation (literally, readiness), but the
endeavor of the righteous is needed and the efforts and strivings of the
free are necessary. For unless the seed is sown, the bounty and blessing
will not be attained; until the tree be planted, the fresh fruit will not
be produced; unless the candle contact with fire, it will not ignite; and
until a light dawn, the darkness will not vanish. Therefore, the beloved
of God must sow the seeds and plant the fresh plants in that garden. They
must ignite the extinguished candles so that the purpose may be attained
and the beloved intent unveil its face.
In the spirit of humility and supplication do I beg and implore at the
Divine Threshold and seek for you assistance and providence.
"O thou near servant to the Threshold of God!..."
O thou near servant to the Threshold of God!
Thy letter was received and thy desire became known. Thou wishest to serve
the Threshold of God. I wish for thee the same. Therefore, copy the
Tablets and spread them among the beloved. The meanings of those leaves
are the spiritual table, the heavenly blessing and the means for the life
eternal.
Thou hast written concerning the organization of a council for the
building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar. This news brought much spirit and
fragrance, for the nine delegates, sent by the various assemblies,
gathered in that meeting and consulted concerning the building of the
Mashrak-el-Azcar.
The Mashrak-el-Azcar is the most important matter and the greatest divine
institute. Consider how the first institute of His Holiness Moses, after
His exodus from Egypt, was the "Tent of Martyrdom" which He raised and
which was the traveling Temple. It was a tent which they pitched in the
desert, wherever they aobde, and worshipped in it. Likewise, after His
Holiness Christ--may the spirit of the world be a sacrifice to Him! --the
first institute by the disciples was a Temple. They planned a church in
every country. Consider the Gospel (read it) and the importance of the
Mashrak-el-Azcar will become evident.
In fine, I hope that all the beloved of God, collectively, in the
continent of America, men and women, will strive night and day until the
Mashrak-el-Azcar be erected in the utmost solidity and beauty.
"O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Thy likeness (photograph) was seen. The Sun of the Kingdom hath shed a
light on thee, so thy likeness is made radiant and thy face happy.
Beneath the photograph the word "faithfully" was inscribed which indicated
that thine heart is attracted to faithfulness and that thou seekest
faithfulness. No attribute is more commmendable than faithfulness. It is
of the greatest of the virtues in the world of humanity. I hope that thou
mayest be faithful to the Lord of the Kingdom, be attracted to His Beauty,
serve in His Threshold and strive in His vineyard.
"O ye two merciful assemblies!..."
O ye two merciful assemblies!(287)
Praise be to God! that through the outpouring of guidance, India is
rapidly becoming a Rose-garden of Abha, for many souls have lately
embraced the truth and are in the utmost attraction and enkindlement.
Forward ye, as soon as ye can, a few copies of every Tablet and epistle
which is translated into the English and the books which are written by
the believers, in this language, to the merciful assembly of Bombay and to
his honor ......... in Rangoon.
O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha! At this moment when danger is
threatening to surround all directions, Abdul-Baha is attracted to the
fragrances of the Kingdom of Abha and with infinite joy and happiness is
begging providence and favor from the Threshold of Oneness in your behalf.
Now is the time of firmness and resolution and the moment of steadfastness
and constancy and the period of showing forth divine power by the strength
of proof, the solidity of argument, the eloquence of utterance and the
grandeur of spirit!
"O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the Love of..."
O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the Love of God!
The letter was received. Thou hast commended the meeting held at the home
of Miss ......... In reality it was a goodly meeting. Although I was
absent in body, yet in life and heart I was present.
it is as thou hast written: Thy services at Green Acre were accepted in
the Kingdom of Abha. Every year a number of the beloved ones and the
maid-sevants of the Merciful must go to Green Acre and raise the divine
call there. The more who go, the better.
Convey greeting of reverence to the dear maid-servant of God, Mrs.
......... I pray for her and wish her the joy, the happiness, the
tranquility of the godly.