O ye heavenly souls, sons and daughters of the Kingdom!
God says in the Qur'an: "Take ye hold of the Cord of God, all of you, and
become ye not disunited."
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 Institutes
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.
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 Iran 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!
Consider! When the rain, the heat, the sun and the gentle zephyrs
cooperate with each other, what beautiful gardens are produced! How the
various kinds of hyacinths, flowers, trees and plants associate with each
other and are conducive to the adornment and charm of one another! Hence
the oneness of the bounty of the sun, the oneness of rain and the oneness
of the breeze have so overcome all other considerations, that the variety
of hues, fragrances and tastes have increased the adornment, the
attraction and sweetness of the whole. In a similar manner, when the
divine Collective Center and the outpouring of the Sun of Reality and the
breaths of the Holy Spirit are brought together, the variety of races and
the differences existing between countries will become the cause of the
embellishment, decoration and elegance of the world of humanity.
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."
Therefore, O ye believers of God in the United States and Canada! Select
ye important personages, or that 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
Argentine, 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, Porto 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 of the east,
west and south of South America, such as Trinidad, Falkland Islands,
Galapago 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.
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, they will
unite the East and the West, the North and the South.
Hence the intention must be purified, the effort ennobled and exalted, so
that ye 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.
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 was 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!
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 ye 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 amongst Thy
creatures; nevertheless I have trusted on Thee and have arisen in the
promotion of Thy Teachings amongst Thy strong servants, relying on Thy
power and might!
O Lord! I am a broken-winged bird and desire to soar in this Thy space to
which there is no limit. 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 impotency and assist me with Thy might and
majesty!
O Lord! Should the breaths of the Holy Spirit confirm the weakest of
creatures, he shall attain to the highest station of greatness and shall
possess anything he desireth. Indeed Thou hast assisted Thy servants in
the past, and they were the weakest of Thy creatures, the lowliest of Thy
servants and the most insignificant of those who lived upon the earth; but
through Thy sanction and potency they took precedence over the most
glorious of Thy people and the most noble of Thy mankind. Whereas formerly
they were as moths, they became royal falcons and whereas before they were
as bubbles they became seas. Through Thy bestowal, Thy mercy and Thy most
great favor, they became stars shining in the horizon of guidance, birds
singing in the rose garden of immortality, lions roaring in the forest 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!