Lord of Hosts. In the promised day thou art adoring the beloved
Countenance and thou shalt be aided and confirmed in that which is the
greatest desire of the saints.
The cause of eternal glory to man is faith and certainty and then living
(or acting) according to the behests of His Majesty the Eternal God. My
hope is that thou wilt attain to the three.
As long as thou canst, wish thou the most great peace for all mankind:
Associate with all in perfect love and kindness; hold all dear and count
all friends and familiar ones; know no enemies; imagine no strangers. Thus
mayest thou be a mercy to the people of the world and a source of bounty
to the world of humanity.
"O thou who art waiting for the Appearance of the..."
O thou who art waiting for the Appearance of the Kingdom!
Glad-tidings be unto thee, for the Kingdom of God hath raised its tent and
tabernacle upon the apex of the world, the standard of the Kingdom is
hoisted, the call of the Kingdom is sent forth and the hosts of the
Kingdom have appeared.
Therefore, there are many fortresses and castles of hearts which are
conquered and many regions of spirits which are subdued. The lights of the
Kingdom have shone forth from the horizon of the East and West. Praise be
to God! that thou hast entered therein and hast received manifest
outpouring from the Most Great Beauty.
Although thou art old in age, yet thou art young in spirit and have
freshness and vivacity, vigor and strength, beauty and sweetness. Thank
thou God for this.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
The breeze of Life is wafting from the rose-garden of the Kingdom; become
thou undoubtedly moved thereby. The rays of light are emanating from the
Luminary of regions; become thou unquestionably illumined thereby. Drink
thou as much as thou canst from this overflowing cup of the love of God
and then cause others to drink; take thou a portion from this ocean of
guidance and then suffer others to share.
I hope that God will become thy helper and the outpouring of the manifest
Light will shine in thy heart.
"O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received and i supplicated and implored at the Divine
Kingdom that He may bestow real health to thee, thy husband and thy child
and confirm all of you by the heavenly assistance and grant you happiness
and joy in both worlds!
"O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!..."
O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!
Thank thou God that, through the utterances of Mrs. ........., thou hast
heard of the universe of the Kingdom, thy heart recognized (the Truth),
thine eyes became seeing and thy soul became mindful. Shouldst thou remain
firm and steadfast in faith, the desire of thy heart and soul will become
realized, thou wilt find the utmost joy and wilt be assisted in visiting
the holy Threshold.
"O thou who art uttering the mention of God!..."
O thou who art uttering the mention of God!
Know, that the pure hearts upon which the mysteries of the Kingdom of God
are printed and pictured, are reflectors one upon another and thus the
once can discover the secrets of the other, because such hearts are only
mirrors confronting each other on which the secrets of unity, affinity and
concord are printed and reflected. Accordingly, it would be possible that
a certain servant of the servants of the Merciful might discover a
treasured mystery or a preserved sign, whatever his shortcomings or
defects might be; yet we do indeed rely upon God the Forgiver. I
supplicate Him to deliver us from the pangs of lust and its dangers and
from the destructive conditions of passion.
Verily, I do testify that thine heart is moved by the fragrance of the
love of God, that thy memory is a fountain overflowing with the water of
the knowledge of God. Therefore, finish the poem which thou art composing
and send it here, that through reading it the breast of the believers may
be refreshed and dilated with joy.
"O thou who art kindled by the fire of the Love of God!..."
O thou who art kindled by the fire of the Love of God!
Rejoice through the fragrance of God and be attracted by the melodies of
the holy birds in the garden of the gifts of God! Verily, I, with great
humbleness and submissiveness before the abundance of His mercy, do roll
my face upon the dust to make thee a sign of unity and a gift of mercy,
that thou mayest be, in all aspects and cases, near to the Kingdom of God.
Blessed thou art for this great abundance! Glad-tidings unto thee because
of this manifest light! By the life of God! a single drop of the ocean of
His love is more profitable unto thee than the earth and that which is
thereupon, because this will vanish and perish, but that drop of love will
remain eternally and everlastingly in the worlds of God.
"O thou dear servant of God!..."
O thou dear servant of God!
During the time of thy visit here the meanings of the words of Christ,
"Let the dead bury their dead," was explained to thee. Those souls who are
not vivified and attracted by the Holy Spirit, are accounted among the
dead, because their souls are deprived of the breath of the Holy Spirit,
and these persons after physical death are in a certain condition, having
feeling and discernment in their environment, but in comparison with the
pure souls who have been vivified by the Holy Spirit, they are as dead and
deprived.
For example: The mineral kingdom in comparison with the vegetable is
lifeless; also the existence of the animal kingdom in comparison with that
of man is death. The meaning is not that the neglectful souls will be
non-existent.
Give my loving greeting to all the servants of God and the sharers of
divinity.
"O thou attracted one!..."
O thou attracted one!
Thy letter was an evidence of the happiness and rejoicing of thy heart and
soul and a proof of knowing the True One and severing thyself from all
else save Him. When thou beholdest with the eye of Truth, then thou wilt
realize that in this world neither known or unknown, neither kind father
or beloved son, mother or sister, help us. No persons assist except the
Benevolent Almighty.
When thou knowest Him, thou art independent from all else. When thou art
attached to His love, then thou art detached from every kith and kin.
O thou attracted one of the Kingdom! Complete thou the study of the art of
music and sacrifice thyself more or less to the Lord of the Kingdom.
The spiritual lily reached [me] in the world of the Merciful and its sweet
fragrance perfumed the nostril.(303) I ask God that thou mayest find a
soul overflowing with glad-tidings, seek a heart of joy and attain to tthe
beautiful ideal! That thou mayest sever thyself from this world and soar
up to the Universe of the Creator!
"O thou beloved maid-servant of God!..."
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and from the rose-garden of its significances
sweet fragrances were inhaled. Thank God that thou hast found guidance,
become knowing, attached thyself to the Lord of the Kingdom and attained
to spiritual attraction.
Thou hast asked permission to come in the presence. If the means are
brought about that traveling may be made with utmost ease, thou hast
permission.
"O thou spiritual leaf who art verdant and well-watered..."
O thou spiritual leaf who art verdant and well-watered by the outpouring
from the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I beseech His Presence, the Mighty and the majestic One, to
enlighten the mind through the lights gleaming from the summit of the
Kingdom, and by which thy tongue shall become eloquent with the
remembrance of the Ever-living One (He who liveth and dieth not), to make
thee a lamp shininng with the lights of knowledge in those far-distant
horizons and vast countries.
Verily, I say unto thee, the Covenant of God and His Alliance is a Lamp
diffusing lights from the Supreme Concourse unto the horizons of the earth
and heaven. Whosoever hath this Divine Lamp before his face, his forehead
shall glisten with manifest light and his speech shall take effect in all
minds and spirits, and God shall assist him by the poser which penetrateth
the essences of things.
"O thou bird of the Garden of God!..."
O thou bird of the Garden of God!
Why art thou sad and sorrowful, disappointed and grieved! Praise be to
God! the eternal bounty is in succession, the divine glory is apparent and
manifest, the display of Providence and light of guidance is glistening
and shining from the Kingdom of Abha and the appearance of the Greatest
Sun is clear and evident. if thou art outwardly far, then thou art near in
spirit, and if thou art absent in body, thou art present in heart and
spirit.
Arise and wash thy body, wear a pure gown, and directing thyself to the
Kingdom of God, supplicate and pray to Him. Sleep in a clean, well
prepared and ventilated place, and ask for appearance (or display) in the
world of vision. Thou wilt have visions which will cause the doors of
doubts to be closed, which will five you new joy, wonderful dilation,
brilliant glory. thou wilt comprehend realities and meanings.
Verily, the bounty of the Kingdom is unlimited and the favors of the Lord
of Majesty are like unto the rains of springtime.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Dost thou remember when Mrs. ......... was talking with thee, what a
cheerful feeling thou felt in thy heart? And what a gladness and rejoicing
thou didst find? Even thy friends were astonished at what was the cause of
this joy. Therefore, follow thou that rejoicing, and continue (saying) the
Greatest Name every morning.
May thy soul be cheered!
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Happiness consists of two kinds; physical and spiritual. The physical
happiness is limited; its utmost duration is one day, one month, one year.
It hath no result. Spiritual happiness is eternal and unfathomable. This
kind of happiness appeareth in one's soul with the love of God and
suffereth one to attain to the virtues and perfections of the world of
humanity. Therefore, endeavor as much as thou art able in order to
illumine the lamp of thy heart by the light of love.
"O thou seeker of the Divine Kingdom!..."
O thou seeker of the Divine Kingdom!
The heavenly doors opened, the hosts of realities and significances rushed
forth, the Lord of Hosts established a heavenly throne and spread the
armies of peace and reconciliation in all parts of the world, in order
that the reign of peace and love may be founded. Now that army is engaged
in [diffusing] virtues throughout all regions.
As to thee: Be thou of God, that thou mayest become a leader of peace and
reconciliation, hoist the banner of love and quicken the souls through the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit.
"O thou who art longing for the Heavenly Kingdom!..."
O thou who art longing for the Heavenly Kingdom!
Mrs. ......... became the guide and directed thee to the path of the
Kingdom and informed thee of my love. Whatever she said is correct. I am
the lamp and the love of God is my light. this light hath become reflected
in the mirrors of hearts. Therefore turn thou unto thy heart, that is,
when it is in the utmost freedom, and behold how the radiance of my love
is manifest in that mirror, and thou art near unto me.
Recite the Greatest Name at every morn, and turn thou unto the Kingdom of
Abha, until thou mayest apprehend my mysteries.
"O thou plant in the Garden of the Kingdom!..."
O thou plant in the Garden of the Kingdom!
God created man in the utmost perfection, for He inscribed the edict of
the divine likeness on his brow. Every excellent person (or soul), if
confirmed by the heavenly bounty, is a plant of the Kingdom and becometh
green and refreshed and putteth forth wonderful blossoms and groweth on
the river bank of the love of God.
"O thou seeker of Truth!..."
O thou seeker of Truth!
Thank thou the maid-servant of God Mrs. ........., for she hath guided
thee to the Divine Kingdom and led thee to the noblest station of the
human world. Appreciate thou her value, and turn thou unto the Word of
God, so that thou mayest be confirmed by the power of the Merciful One,
and attain to that which is wished for by the holy ones.
"O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!..."
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!
The doors of the Ideal Heaven of God are opened and some souls are on the
wing like unto birds of holiness and have attained to the divine Kingdom.
I beg of God that thou wilt become one of those birds and soar up in such
manner that thou mayest astonish all.
"O ye maid-servants of His Majesty, the Lord--daughters..."
O ye maid-servants of His Majesty, the Lord--daughters and sons of the
Kingdom!(304)
The meeting of the Lord's Supper, which you held in the home of Mr. and
Mrs. ......... (was blessed) with the lights of the Beauty of the
Merciful, which shone from the Kingdom of Abha, and Abdul-Baha was present
in spirit and heart although absent in body. That meeting was exceedingly
bright, and as the rose-garden, emitted a pleasant fragrance.
Meetings organized with the utmost holiness and piety, wherein those who
are present engage in the mention and thought of God, and wherein the
verses of Oneness are chanted and the prayers of the Threshold of the Lord
of Verses are offered and the exhortations and counsels of the Blessed
Beauty recited, such meetings are illumined, spiritual, divine and
heavenly. They are the means of training the world of humanity.
I am, night and day, engaged in remembering you, and happy with your
thought, and ask the Lord of the Kingdom for confirmation, that He may
make each one of you a sign of guidance and the means of educating and
guiding other women and men.
The bounty and grace of God in this illumined cycle is like the ocean.
Every instant it surges, reaching the apogee with its waves and inundating
the shores of existence. Therefore, O ye maid-servants of the Merciful and
servants of God, endeavor while this ocean is still surging and this cloud
raining and pouring, to make the surface of the earth feel the reality,
that it may grow the hyacinths, the flowers and frits of concord, peace,
love, faith, realities and significances.
"O seeker of Truth!..."
O seeker of Truth!
If thou desirest that god may open thy (spiritual) eye, thou must
supplicate unto God, pray to and commune with Him at midnight, saying:
"O Lord, I have turned my face unto thy Kingdom of Oneness and am drowned
in the sea of Thy mercy! O Lord, enlighten my sight by beholding Thy
lights in this dark night, and make me happy by the wine of Thy love in
this wonderful age! O Lord, make me hear Thy call, and open before my face
the doors of Thy heaven, so that I may see the light of Thy glory (Baha')
and become attracted to Thy beauty!
"Verily, thou art the Giver, the Generous, the Merciful, the Forgiving!"
At that time such signs will appear which will guide thee to the Kingdom
of Thy Lord, the Merciful.
The babe dressed in the white garment that gave thee the jessamine is a
fragrance of the fragrances of God, reared through His love, a sign of His
signs and a breeze of His breezes. It hath a wonderful power and there
shall be for it astonishing states to the minds and spirits. Understand
what I say to thee through the best of symbols.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy writing was considered. Thank God that thou wert fed from the table
which hath descended from heaven. That food is the "I am the bread which
descended from heaven," recorded in the Gospel. That is faith, certainty,
love and knowledge. I ask God that, day by day, thy steps may progress,
that thou mayest grow firmer in the love of God; that unto thee and thy
kindred a blessing of God shall come, and that thou mayest remain
protected and sheltered under all conditions. Thus, may thy weakness be
changed to strength and thy inability to power.
"O ye dear servants of God!...."
O ye(305) dear servants of God!
Your letter received and the contents proved excellent. That which is the
desire of you hearts is the utmost hope of the daughters of the Kingdom;
that is, they wish to sacrifice themselves for the Beauty of Abha(306) and
offer their lives for His Holiness, the Supreme.(307)
In reality, the radiant, pure hearts are the Mashrak-el-Azcar and from
them the voice of supplication and invocation continually reacheth the
Supreme Concourse.
I ask God to make the heart of every one of you a temple of the Divine
Temples and to let the lamp of the great guidance be lighted therein; and
when the hearts find such an attainment, they will certainly exert the
utmost endeavor and energy in the building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar; thus
may the outward express the inward, and the form (or letter) indicate the
meaning (or reality).
"O servant of God!..."
O servant of God!
Give thanks to God, for thou hast come to the Holy Land, visited the
Sacred Threshold, associated with us for a few days and heard the divine
admonitions, which are in the heavenly Books. Now return, behave and act
with perfect firmness, according to the heavenly teachings, in those
regions, in order that you may become the cause by which human perfections
will be attained.
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Give thanks unto God for having revealed unto thee, in visions, the
mysteries of His Kingdom and for having strengthened thee to attain
certain revelations which show thine utmost attraction and constancy unto
this great Cause.
Verily, the three birds are the three holy souls. The one on the right is
His Holiness the great Bab, the one on the left is His Honor the
Khudoos,(308) the glorious soul, and the great bird in the middle is the
Greatest Name.(309) The light shining from the Supreme Horizon is the
Beauty of El-Abha. These birds descended from an infinite height and the
nearer they came to earth the more their majesty and glory became
manifest. All nations were promised by a sure promise and were awaiting
with anxiety and longing the coming of the Promised One. The two birds
accompanying the great bird in the center signifies that the Bab and His
Honor the Khudoos were both under the wings of the Greatest name. As those
birds descended and their shadows extended vertically over the expectants,
as the sun approacheth the zenith at noontide, at this time thou hast seen
a majestic being in the form of man upon the back of the huge bird in the
center. This person in the human form is the "divine station" mentioned in
the Bible: "Let us make man in our image after our likeness." And the
divine lights were reflected from the reality of the Greatest Name.
Although this station is far from the minds and understandings, yet its
lights are apparent, its rays reflected and its brilliancy manifested
throughout the universe.
The white garments signify holy dignity and a station sanctified from
color, i.e., free from the universal conditions and material qualities.
That luminous countenance, manifested in beauty, signifieth that the
divine lights shone forth from the human form, which were reflected and
descended upon thee, dazzling the eyes of those who were perceiving it as
the sun dazzles the eyes of those who try to look upon it. That divine
form manifested itself in America and entered the great Temple which shall
soon be constructed therein. this glorious Temple resembles the Oriental
edifices and soon thou wilt see it erected there with a most solid
foundation and strongest basis. That divine face will beam upon numberless
souls who will enter this Temple.
Regarding the table laid in that magnificent house: This is the heavenly
table of divine knowledge, love and eternal life. As to the people
gathered there, they are the beloved of God and His chosen ones whose
faces shine with wonderful and heavenly beauty. The woman sitting at the
side of the Temple is the law of God, which will soon dispel all veils and
its beauty will appear, after which it shall be established forever and
ever. The stamped coins presented to the woman sitting in that honored
station, are the good deeds and actions of the beloved of God and His
maid-servants, submitted with praise, greetings and great thanksgiving
unto that holy law. The beautiful woman is blessed by being touched by
that Merciful Being the glory of whose blessing shall suffuse the
universe. Then the Merciful Being returned to His station, mounting the
bird and ascended to the Supreme Horizon in the infinite realm.
This vision showeth that thou, O confirmed and attracted one, by the
breezes of God will soon be acquainted with the ancient mysteries, for the
Manifest Light will appear to thee. The vision also signifieth that a
Mashrak-el-Azcar will soon be established in America. The cries of
supplication and invocation will be raised to the Highest Kingdom
therefrom and, verily, the people will enter into the religion of God by
troops with great enthusiasm and attraction.
Concerning thy vision of the angels surrounding the great white throne:
This "throne" is the body of the Greatest name. The beautiful and glorious
person riding upon the white horse is the Greatest Name and the white
horse means also His glorious body. The herald who proclaimed the written
names is Abdul-Baha who announceth the names of those who deserve
salvation and are firm in the Covenant of God, and thou art one of those
people, the people of salvation. Be thankful for this great favor.
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, thy coming, at this time, unto this shining, blessed Holy Land is
not consistent with wisdom, but when the (proper) time cometh, we shall
give thee permission to come to this Spot of Light. Thank thou God for
that the love of God hath pervaded thee and seized the reins from thy
hands. This spiritual love shall surely pervade all regions.
As to the human souls (or individuals): Unless they acquire the light,
they are unable to shine upon other individuals. But when a man ariseth to
expound the arguments of God and invite people to enter in the religion of
God, and when he uttereth those argumments and advanceth consummate proofs
concerning the appearance of the great Kingdom, then intense love shall
become manifest in his heart. This love causeth the development of this
spirit by the grace of the beneficent Lord. Consider, O maid-servant of
God, the bearer who brought the garment of Joseph to Jacob. That messenger
was the bearer of the garment, but he could not inhale the fragrance of
Joseph. But Jacob, whose nostrils were pure, inhaled the fragrances of
Joseph from a long distance.
It may be that man can guide a blessed, holy soul into the Kingdom of God
while he, himself, is deprived therof. Consider Judas Iscariot: He invited
others, while he, himself, was deprived of the Kingdom of God. But in
spiritual training (or development) it is impossible for an imperfect one
to perfect another or train another unless he first conquers his own self
and desire and becomes purified from selfish impurities in order to become
capable of merciful slendors. When he acquires divine bounties, then he is
able to train another. An ignorant man hath no power to teach a seeker (of
knowledge) and a poor man hath no power to succor a needy one.
Consequently, be thou assured that, verily, man needs to wish for eternal
life and then confer the same upon another. These human perfections and
merciful bounties are that peace which was promised and spoken of by
Christ.
Then know thou that, verily, the people of Baha' must need be
distinguished from others in all respects, until they become the lamps of
the True One among the creatures and the stars of guidance shining from
the Supreme Concourse.
Then know thou, verily, that Luminous Man, the lights of whose Face dazzle
the eyes and before whom thou knelt down when thou sawest His light, is
the Greatest Name, the Ancient Light, the Honorable Temple!
"O thou sincere servant of Baha'o'llah!..."
O thou sincere servant of Baha'o'llah!