The education and training of children is among the most meritorious acts
of humankind and draweth down the grace and favour of the All-Merciful,
for education is the indispensable foundation of all human excellence and
alloweth man to work his way to the heights of abiding glory. If a child
be trained from his infancy, he will, through the loving care of the Holy
Gardener, drink in the crystal waters of the spirit and of knowledge, like
a young tree amid the rilling brooks. And certainly he will gather to
himself the bright rays of the Sun of Truth, and through its light and
heat will grow ever fresh and fair in the garden of life.
Therefore must the mentor be a doctor as well: that is, he must, in
instructing the child, remedy its faults; must give him learning, and at
the same time rear him to have a spiritual nature. Let the teacher be a
doctor to the character of the child, thus will he heal the spiritual
ailments of the children of men.
If, in this momentous task, a mighty effort be exerted, the world of
humanity will shine out with other adornings, and shed the fairest light.
Then will this darksome place grow luminous, and this abode of earth turn
into Heaven. The very demons will change to angels then, and wolves to
shepherds of the flock, and the wild-dog pack to gazelles that pasture on
the plains of oneness, and ravening beasts to peaceful herds, and birds of
prey, with talons sharp as knives, to songsters warbling their sweet
native notes.
For the inner reality of man is a demarcation line between the shadow and
the light, a place where the two seas meet;(36) it is the lowest point on
the arc of descent,(37) and therefore is it capable of gaining all the
grades above. With education it can achieve all excellence; devoid of
education it will stay on, at the lowest point of imperfection.
Every child is potentially the light of the world--and at the same time its
darkness; wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of
primary importance. From his infancy, the child must be nursed at the
breast of God's love, and nurtured in the embrace of His knowledge, that
he may radiate light, grow in spirituality, be filled with wisdom and
learning, and take on the characteristics of the angelic host.
Since ye have been assigned to this holy task, ye must therefore exert
every effort to make that school famed in all respects throughout the
world; to make it the cause of exalting the Word of the Lord.