Land, that is, the country of Palestine. The air is of the utmost
temperance, the plain very spacious, and the fruits of Palestine are seen
in that state in the utmost of freshness and delicacy. When 'Abdu'l-Baha
was traveling and journeying through those states, he found himself in
Palestine, for from every standpoint there was a perfect likeness between
this region and that state. Even the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in some
instances, show perfect resemblance to the shores of the Holy Land--even
the flora of the Holy Land have grown on those shores--the study of which
had led to much speculation and wonder.
3 Likewise, in the state of California and other Western states, wonderful
scenes of the world of nature, which bewilder the minds of men, are
manifest. Lofty mountains, deep canyons, great and majestic waterfalls,
and giant trees are witnessed on all sides, while its soil is in the
utmost fertility and richness. That blessed state is similar to the Holy
Land and that region and that country like unto a delectable paradise, is
in many ways identical with Palestine. Now just as there are natural
resemblances, heavenly resemblances must also be acquired.
4 The lights of the divine traces are manifest in Palestine. The majority
of the Israelitish Prophets raised the call of the Kingdom of God in this
holy ground. Having spread the spiritual teachings, the nostrils of the
spiritually-minded ones became fragrant, the eyes of the illumined souls
became brightened, the ears were thrilled through this song, the hearts
obtained eternal life from the soul-refreshing breeze of the Kingdom of
God and gained supreme illumination from the splendor of the Sun of
Reality. Then from this region the light was spread to Europe, America,
Asia, Africa and Australia.
5 Now California and the other Western States must earn an ideal
similarity with the Holy Land, and from that state and that region the
breaths of the Holy Spirit be diffused to all parts of America and Europe,
that the call of the Kingdom of God may exhilarate and rejoice all the
ears, the divine principles bestow a new life, the different parties may
become one party, the divergent ideas may disappear and revolve around one
unique center, the East and the West of America may embrace each other,
the anthem of the oneness of the world of humanity may confer a new life
upon all the children of men, and the tabernacle of universal peace be
pitched on the apex of America; thus Europe and Africa may become vivified
with the breaths of the Holy Spirit, this world may become another world,
the body politic may attain to a new exhilaration, and just as in the
state of California and other Western States the marvelous scenes of the
world of nature are evident and manifest, the great signs of the Kingdom
of God may also be unveiled so that the body may correspond with the
spirit, the outward world may become a symbol of the inward world, and the
mirror of the earth may become the mirror of the Kingdom, reflecting the
ideal virtues of heaven.
6 During My journey and traveling in those parts, I beheld wonderful
scenes and beautiful panoramas of nature, orchards and rivers; national
parks and general conclaves; deserts, plains, meadows and prairies; and
the grains and fruits of that region greatly attracted My attention; even
to the present moment they are in My mind.
7 Particularly was I greatly pleased with the meetings in San Francisco
and Oakland, the gatherings in Los Angeles, and the believers who came
from the cities of other states. Whenever their faces cross My memory,
immediately infinite happiness is realized.
8 Therefore I hope that the divine teachings like unto the rays of the sun
may be diffused in all the Western States, and the blessed verse of the
Qur'an, "It is a good City and the Lord is the Forgiver!"(17) may become
realized. Likewise, the significance of another Qur'anic verse, "Do ye not
travel through the land?"(18) and of the verse, "Behold the traces of the
Mercy of God!"(19) become revealed in the utmost effulgence.
9 Praise be to God that through the divine bounty and providence, in that
region the field of service is vast, the minds are in the utmost degree of
intelligence and progress, sciences and arts are being promoted, the
hearts like unto mirrors are in the utmost state of purity and
translucency, and the friends of God are in perfect attraction. Therefore
it is hoped that meetings for teaching will be organized and instituted,
and for the diffusion of the fragrances of God wise teachers may be sent
to cities, even to villages.
10 The teachers of the Cause must be heavenly, lordly and radiant. They
must be embodied spirit, personified intellect, and arise in service with
the utmost firmness, steadfastness and self-sacrifice. In their journeys
they must not be attached to food and clothing. They must concentrate
their thoughts on the outpourings of the Kingdom of God and beg for the
confirmations of the Holy Spirit. With a divine power, with an attraction
of consciousness, with heavenly glad tidings and celestial holiness they
must perfume the nostrils with the fragrances of the Paradise of Abha.
The following commune is to be read by them every day:
O GOD! O God! This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very
slow--assist him so that he may fly toward the apex of prosperity and
salvation, wing his way with the utmost joy and happiness throughout the
illimitable space, raise his melody in Thy Supreme Name in all the
regions, exhilarate the ears with this call, and brighten the eyes by
beholding the signs of guidance.
O Lord! I am single, alone and lowly. For me there is no support save
Thee, no helper except Thee and no sustainer beside Thee. Confirm me in
Thy service, assist me with the cohorts of Thine angels, make me
victorious in the promotion of Thy Word and suffer me to speak out Thy
wisdom amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the helper of the weak and
the defender of the little ones, and verily Thou art the Powerful, the
Mighty and the Unconstrained.
13: TABLET TO THE BAHA'IS OF CANADA AND GREENLAND
_Revealed on February 21, 1917, in Baha'u'llah's room at the house of
Abbud in Akka, and addressed to the Baha'is of Canada--Newfoundland, Prince
Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba,
Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Mackenzie, Keewatin, Ungava,
Franklin Islands--and Greenland. _
1
_He is God!_
O ye kind friends and the maidservants of the Merciful:
2 In the great Qur'an, God says: "Thou shalt see no difference in the
creatures of God."(20) In other words, He says: From the ideal standpoint,
there is no variation between the creatures of God, because they are all
created by Him. From the above premise, a conclusion is drawn, that there
is no difference between countries. The future of the Dominion of Canada,
however, is very great, and the events connected with it infinitely
glorious. It shall become the object of the glance of providence, and
shall show forth the bounties of the All-Glorious.
3 'Abdu'l-Baha during his journey and sojourn through that Dominion
obtained the utmost joy. Before My departure, many souls warned Me not to
travel to Montreal, saying, the majority of the inhabitants are Catholics,
and are in the utmost fanaticism, that they are submerged in the sea of
imitations, that they have not the capability to hearken to the call of
the Kingdom of God, that the veil of bigotry has so covered the eyes that
they have deprived themselves from beholding the signs of the Most Great
Guidance, and that the dogmas have taken possession of the hearts
entirely, leaving no trace of reality. They asserted that should the Sun
of Reality shine with perfect splendor throughout that Dominion, the dark,
impenetrable clouds of superstitions have so enveloped the horizon that it
would be utterly impossible for anyone to behold its rays.
4 But these stories did not have any effect on the resolution of
'Abdu'l-Baha. He, trusting in God, turned his face toward Montreal. When
he entered that city he observed all the doors open, he found the hearts
in the utmost receptivity and the ideal power of the Kingdom of God
removing every obstacle and obstruction. In the churches and meetings of
that Dominion he called men to the Kingdom of God with the utmost joy, and
scattered such seeds which will be irrigated with the hand of divine
power. Undoubtedly those seeds will grow, becoming green and verdant, and
many rich harvests will be gathered. In the promotion of the divine
principles he found no antagonist and no adversary. The believers he met
in that city were in the utmost spirituality, and attracted with the
fragrances of God. He found that through the effort of the maidservant of
God Mrs. Maxwell a number of the sons and daughters of the Kingdom in that
Dominion were gathered together and associated with each other, increasing
this joyous exhilaration day by day. The time of sojourn was limited to a
number of days, but the results in the future are inexhaustible. When a
farmer comes into the possession of a virgin soil, in a short time he will
bring under cultivation a large field. Therefore I hope that in the future
Montreal may become so stirred, that the melody of the Kingdom may travel
to all parts of the world from that Dominion and the breaths of the Holy
Spirit may spread from that center to the East and the West of America.
5 O ye believers of God! Be not concerned with the smallness of your
numbers, neither be oppressed by the multitude of an unbelieving world.
Five grains of wheat will be endued with heavenly blessing, whereas a
thousand tons of tares will yield no results or effect. One fruitful tree
will be conducive to the life of society, whereas a thousand forests of
wild trees offer no fruits. The plain is covered with pebbles, but
precious stones are rare. One pearl is better than a thousand wildernesses
of sand, especially this pearl of great price, which is endowed with
divine blessing. Erelong thousands of other pearls will be born from it.
When that pearl associates and becomes the intimate of the pebbles, they
also all change into pearls.
6 Again I repeat that the future of Canada, whether from a material or a
spiritual standpoint, is very great. Day by day civilization and freedom
shall increase. The clouds of the Kingdom will water the seeds of guidance
which have been sown there. Consequently, rest ye not, seek ye no
composure, attach not yourselves to the luxuries of this ephemeral world,
free yourselves from every attachment, and strive with heart and soul to
become fully established in the Kingdom of God. Gain ye the heavenly
treasures. Day by day become ye more illumined. Draw ye nearer and nearer
unto the threshold of oneness. Become ye the manifestors of spiritual
favors and the dawning-places of infinite lights! If it is possible, send
ye teachers to other portions of Canada; likewise, dispatch ye teachers to
Greenland and the home of the Eskimos.
7 As regards the teachers, they must completely divest themselves from the
old garments and be invested with a new garment. According to the
statement of Christ, they must attain to the station of rebirth--that is,
whereas in the first instance they were born from the womb of the mother,
this time they must be born from the womb of the world of nature. Just as
they are now totally unaware of the experiences of the fetal world, they
must also forget entirely the defects of the world of nature. They must be
baptized with the water of life, the fire of the love of God and the
breaths of the Holy Spirit; be satisfied with little food, but take a
large portion from the heavenly table. They must disengage themselves from
temptation and covetousness, and be filled with the spirit. Through the
effect of their pure breath, they must change the stone into the brilliant
ruby and the shell into pearl. Like unto the cloud of vernal shower, they
must transform the black soil into the rose garden and orchard. They must
make the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the extinguished one enkindled
and set aglow, and the dead quickened.
8 Upon you be greeting and praise!
PRAISE be to Thee, O my God! These are Thy servants who are attracted by
the fragrances of Thy mercifulness, are enkindled by the fire burning in
the tree of Thy singleness, and whose eyes are brightened by beholding the
splendors of the light shining in the Sinai of Thy oneness.
O Lord! Loose their tongues to make mention of Thee amongst Thy people,
suffer them to speak forth Thy praise through Thy grace and
loving-kindness, assist them with the cohorts of Thine angels, strengthen
their loins in Thy service, and make them the signs of Thy guidance
amongst Thy creatures.
Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving,
the All-Merciful.
The spreaders of the fragrances of God should recite this prayer every
morning:
O GOD, my God! Thou beholdest this weak one begging for celestial
strength, this poor one craving Thy heavenly treasures, this thirsty one
longing for the fountain of eternal life, this afflicted one yearning for
Thy promised healing through Thy boundless mercy which Thou hast destined
for Thy chosen servants in Thy kingdom on high.
O Lord! I have no helper save Thee, no shelter besides Thee, and no
sustainer except Thee. Assist me with Thine angels to diffuse Thy holy
fragrances and to spread abroad Thy teachings amongst the choicest of Thy
people.
O my Lord! Suffer me to be detached from aught else save Thee, to hold
fast to the hem of Thy bounty, to be wholly devoted to Thy Faith, to
remain fast and firm in Thy love and to observe what Thou hast prescribed
in Thy Book.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
14: TABLET TO THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
_Revealed on March 8, 1917, in the summerhouse (Isma'il Aqa's room) at
'Abdu'l-Baha's house in Haifa, and addressed to the Baha'is of the United
States and Canada. _
1
_He is God!_
O ye heavenly souls, sons and daughters of the Kingdom:
2 God says in the Qur'an: "Take ye hold of the Cord of God, all of you,
and become ye not disunited."(21)
3 In the contingent world there are many collective centers which are
conducive to association and unity between the children of men. For
example, patriotism is a collective center; nationalism is a collective
center; identity of interests is a collective center; political alliance
is a collective center; the union of ideals is a collective center, and
the prosperity of the world of humanity is dependent upon the organization
and promotion of the collective centers. Nevertheless, all the above
institutions are, in reality, the matter and not the substance, accidental
and not eternal--temporary and not everlasting. With the appearance of
great revolutions and upheavals, all these collective centers are swept
away. But the Collective Center of the Kingdom, embodying the institutions
and divine teachings, is the eternal Collective Center. It establishes
relationship between the East and the West, organizes the oneness of the
world of humanity, and destroys the foundation of differences. It
overcomes and includes all the other collective centers. Like unto the ray
of the sun, it dispels entirely the darkness encompassing all the regions,
bestows ideal life, and causes the effulgence of divine illumination.
Through the breaths of the Holy Spirit it performs miracles; the Orient
and the Occident embrace each other, the North and South become intimates
and associates, conflicting and contending opinions disappear,
antagonistic aims are brushed aside, the law of the struggle for existence
is abrogated, and the canopy of the oneness of the world of humanity is
raised on the apex of the globe, casting its shade over all the races of
men. Consequently, the real Collective Center is the body of the divine
teachings, which include all the degrees and embrace all the universal
relations and necessary laws of humanity.
4 Consider! The people of the East and the West were in the utmost
strangeness. Now to what a high degree they are acquainted with each other
and united together! How far are the inhabitants of Persia from the
remotest countries of America! And now observe how great has been the
influence of the heavenly power, for the distance of thousands of miles
has become identical with one step! How various nations that have had no
relations or similarity with each other are now united and agreed through
this divine potency! Indeed to God belongs power in the past and in the
future! And verily God is powerful over all things!
5 Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form,
and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one
spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one
sun, this diversity increaseth their charm, and addeth unto their beauty.
How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and
blossoms, the fruits, the branches and the trees of that garden were all
of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth
and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like
manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are
brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the
beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest.
Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and
transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the
divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas, and convictions of the children of
men.
6 Therefore, the believers of God throughout all the republics of America,
through the divine power, must become the cause of the promotion of
heavenly teachings and the establishment of the oneness of humanity. Every
one of the important souls must arise, blowing over all parts of America
the breath of life, conferring upon the people a new spirit, baptizing
them with the fire of the love of God, the water of life, and the breaths
of the Holy Spirit so that the second birth may become realized. For it is
written in the Gospel: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit."(22)
7 Therefore, O ye believers of God in the United States and Canada! Select
ye important personages, or else they by themselves, becoming severed from
rest and composure of the world, may arise and travel throughout Alaska,
the republic of Mexico, and south of Mexico in the Central American
republics, such as Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica,
Panama and Belize; and through the great South American republics, such as
Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, French Guiana, Dutch Guiana, British
Guiana, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile; also in the group of
the West Indies islands, such as Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and
Santo Domingo, and the group of islands of the Lesser Antilles, the
Islands of Bahama and the Islands of Bermuda; likewise to the islands to
the east, west and north of South America, such as Trinidad, Falkland
Islands, Galapagos Islands, Juan Fernandez and Tobago. Visit ye especially
the city of Bahia, on the eastern shore of Brazil. Because in the past
years this city was christened with the name, BAHIA, there is no doubt
that it has been through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
8 Consequently, the believers of God must display the utmost effort,
upraise the divine melody throughout those regions, promulgate the
heavenly teachings and waft over all the spirit of eternal life, so that
those republics may become so illumined with the splendors and the
effulgences of the Sun of Reality that they may become the objects of the
praise and commendation of all other countries. Likewise, ye must give
great attention to the Republic of Panama, for in that point the Occident
and the Orient find each other united through the Panama Canal, and it is
also situated between the two great oceans. That place will become very
important in the future. The teachings, once established there, will unite
the East and the West, the North and the South.
9 Hence the intention must be purified, the effort ennobled and exalted,
so that you may establish affinity between the hearts of the world of
humanity. This glorious aim will not become realized save through the
promotion of divine teachings which are the foundations of the holy
religions.
10 Consider how the religions of God served the world of humanity! How the
religion of Torah became conducive to the glory and honor and progress of
the Israelitish nation! How the breaths of the Holy Spirit of His Holiness
Christ created affinity and unity between divergent communities and
quarreling families! How the sacred power of His Holiness Muhammad became
the means of uniting and harmonizing the contentious tribes and the
different clans of Peninsular Arabia--to such an extent that one thousand
tribes were welded into one tribe; strife and discord were done away with;
all of them unitedly and with one accord strove in advancing the cause of
culture and civilization, and thus were freed from the lowest degree of
degradation, soaring toward the height of everlasting glory! Is it
possible to find a greater Collective Center in the phenomenal world than
this? In comparison to this divine Collective Center, the national
collective center, the patriotic collective center, the political
collective center and the cultural and intellectual collective center are
like child's play!
11 Now strive ye that the Collective Center of the sacred religions--for
the inculcation of which all the Prophets were manifested and which is no
other than the spirit of the divine teachings--be spread in all parts of
America, so that each one of you may shine forth from the horizon of
reality like unto the morning star, divine illumination may overcome the
darkness of nature, and the world of humanity may become enlightened. This
is the most great work! Should you become confirmed therein, this world
will become another world, the surface of the earth will become the
delectable paradise, and eternal Institutions be founded.
Let whosoever travels to different parts to teach, peruse over mountain,
desert, land and sea this supplication:
O GOD! O God! Thou seest my weakness, lowliness and humility before Thy
creatures; nevertheless, I have trusted in Thee and have arisen in the
promotion of Thy teachings among Thy strong servants, relying on Thy power
and might.
O Lord! I am a broken-winged bird and desire to soar in Thy limitless
space. How is it possible for me to do this save through Thy providence
and grace, Thy confirmation and assistance.
O Lord! Have pity on my weakness, and strengthen me with Thy power. O
Lord! Have pity on my impotence, and assist me with Thy might and majesty.
O Lord! Should the breath of the Holy Spirit confirm the weakest of
creatures, he would attain all to which he aspireth and would possess
anything he desireth. Indeed, Thou hast assisted Thy servants in the past
and, though they were the weakest of Thy creatures, the lowliest of Thy
servants and the most insignificant of those who lived upon the earth,
through Thy sanction and potency they took precedence over the most
glorious of Thy people and the most noble of mankind. Whereas formerly
they were as moths, they became as royal falcons, and whereas before they
were as brooks, they became as seas, through Thy bestowal and Thy mercy.
They became, through Thy most great favor, stars shining on the horizon of
guidance, birds singing in the rose gardens of immortality, lions roaring
in the forests of knowledge and wisdom, and whales swimming in the oceans
of life.
Verily, Thou art the Clement, the Powerful, the Mighty, and the Most
Merciful of the merciful.
FOOTNOTES
1 Qur'an 22:5.
2 Cf. Mark 16:15.
3 Cf. Qur'an 2:261.
4 Qur'an 1:6.
5 Cf. Mark 16:15.
6 Cf. Matthew 13:23.
7 Qur'an 2:257.
8 Cf. Mark 16:15.
9 Qur'an 39:69.
10 Cf. Mark 16:15.
11 Cf. Matthew 5:3.
12 Qur'an 28:5.
13 Cf. Matthew 10:14.
14 Qur'an 24:35.
15 Qur'an 1:6.
16 Qur'an 2:105, 3:74.
17 Qur'an 34:15.
18 Qur'an 30:9, 40:82, 47:10.
19 Qur'an 30:50.
20 Qur'an 67:3.
21 Qur'an 3:103.