O thou true friend! Read, in the school of God, the lessons of the spirit,
and learn from love's Teacher the innermost truths. Seek out the secrets
of Heaven, and tell of the overflowing grace and favour of God.
Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of
mankind, this is so only on condition that man's river flow into the
mighty sea, and draw from God's ancient source His inspiration. When this
cometh to pass, then every teacher is as a shoreless ocean, every pupil a
prodigal fountain of knowledge. If, then, the pursuit of knowledge lead to
the beauty of Him Who is the Object of all Knowledge, how excellent that
goal; but if not, a mere drop will perhaps shut a man off from flooding
grace, for with learning cometh arrogance and pride, and it bringeth on
error and indifference to God.
The sciences of today are bridges to reality; if then they lead not to
reality, naught remains but fruitless illusion. By the one true God! If
learning be not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it is nothing
but evident loss.
It is incumbent upon thee to acquire the various branches of knowledge,
and to turn thy face toward the beauty of the Manifest Beauty, that thou
mayest be a sign of saving guidance amongst the peoples of the world, and
a focal centre of understanding in this sphere from which the wise and
their wisdom are shut out, except for those who set foot in the Kingdom of
lights and become informed of the veiled and hidden mystery, the
well-guarded secret.