and Testament, as written down by His pen of bounty: 'No doubt every
vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly
declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize
upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the
gathering of the people of Baha.'
In another Tablet He calls on us to understand the intent of every
individual by the course of his speech, and to see through his purpose.
And from the Blessed Beauty: 'Place not your trust in every new arrival,
and believe not every speaker.'
Over and over, in countless Tablets, do we find the like of these
precepts. It is obvious that the purpose behind them is to awaken and warn
the people of Baha, so that the mighty citadel of the Cause will remain
safe and secure from the plottings of those with evil intent, and the
bright lamp of His Word will be shielded from the contrary winds unloosed
by those who follow their evil passions and corrupt desires.
It is irrevocably decreed that whatsoever has been revealed and written
down by the Supreme Pen and the holy hand of 'Abdu'l-Baha will come to
pass and be fully realized in this world, wherefore does it behove the
people of Baha, the souls attracted to His Splendour, to become all eyes
and ears, and to be in body and soul and limbs and members all sagacity
and prudence. Addressing the believers, Christ tells them: 'Be ye harmless
as the submissive dove, and wise as the serpent.'(208)
In this momentous matter there must be no laxity, no inattention, for a
whisper might become an axe laid to the root of the Tree of the Faith--a
word from an ambitious soul could be a spark tossed into the harvest of
the people of Baha. We take refuge with God! May He guard us ever, from
the recklessness of the insistent self.
For the harbouring of an evil purpose is a disease which shuts out the
individual from all the blessings of Heaven, and casts him deep into the
pit of perdition, of utter ruin. The point to make is that anyone, high or
low, rich or poor, learned or unlettered, although to all appearances he
may be a jewel among men, and the fine flower of all that is best--if he
gives utterance to some pronouncement or speaks some word from which can
be detected the scent of self-worship, or a malicious and evil purpose,
his aim is to disintegrate the Word of God and disperse the gathering of
the people of Baha. From such individuals it is a solemn obligation to
turn away; it is an inescapable duty to pay no heed whatever to their
claims.
The clear promises of God, both His tidings of joy and His warnings, are
being fulfilled, and it is inevitable that just as the sweet musk-laden
winds of the Abha Paradise are beginning to blow, and the flames of God's
love to spread, so too must wintry blasts and icy breaths begin to fill
the air. You must therefore exert superhuman powers to guard the Cause of
God, and beg humbly and with a contrite heart for help from the Kingdom on
High.
Although up to now, because of the dictates of wisdom, the Will and
Testament has not been in general circulation, and has been entrusted only
to the Spiritual Assemblies of the various countries, at this time a
photocopy has been made from the Master's original Text, which is in His
own hand, and it will soon be sent out, to increase the spiritual joy of
you who are essences of loyalty and trust, that every individual believer,
every steadfast one in the Covenant who so desires, may read it and make a
copy of it. Upon you be the Glory of the All-Glorious.
79: The tongue of this lowly and grief-stricken ...
(209) The tongue of this lowly and grief-stricken maidservant is powerless
to praise those loved ones of God, and the words uttered by her are wholly
inadequate to pay a worthy tribute to the staunch firmness and constancy,
to the spirit of love, enthusiasm and devotion that those servants of the
Kingdom of God are now manifesting.
Praise be to God that through the unfailing grace of the Beauty of the
All-Glorious and the manifold blessings of 'Abdu'l-Baha each one of them
is radiant as a star and shining like the moon in the plenitude of its
splendour. That glorious Being, the incomparable Best-Beloved, graciously
caused every one of His true servants to become as a brilliant lamp; while
'Abdu'l-Baha, that matchless Beloved, transmuted the hearts of all those
who stand unswervingly firm in His Covenant and Testament into a garden of
roses--a garden embellished with the flowers of true knowledge, faith and
assurance. Such evidences of divine bounty call for thanksgiving, and in
appreciation for this heavenly grace and mercy it is essential to yield
praise and adoration to the Peerless Lord.
Although the leaflets prepared by that faithless person,(210) teeming with
falsehood, slander and calumny, proved to be a tempest of trials that
swept over those regions, yet it was powerless to do any harm to trees
that are deep-rooted, firm, and fixed, nor could it inflict damage on
structures that are solid, mighty and strong. The blessed, the potent
spirit of 'Abdu'l-Baha will always protect and shield the holy and
sanctified beings, will assist them, watch over them, and empower them to
remain firm as immovable mountains.
Truly that which you have done is appropriate and the way you have reacted
is highly fitting and proper, because in the Will and Testament primary
emphasis has been laid on guarding and protecting the Cause of God. Thus
it has been revealed: 'O ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest of all
things is the protection of the true Faith of God, the preservation of His
Law, the safeguarding of His Cause and service unto His Word.' Praise be
to God that those blessed and enraptured souls who are enkindled with the
fire of His love have been graciously assisted to preserve and shield the
Faith of God.
You must have glanced at the idle words of that faithless person--words
that are wholly motivated by selfish and personal interests. They are so
futile, senseless and absurd that even the babes of this glorious
Dispensation, rocked in their cradles, would recognize how vain and
preposterous, how impregnated with subtle machinations they are. How much
keener then must be the discernment of those distinguished beings whose
substance of life has been moulded by the gracious and bountiful fingers
of the Blessed Beauty and whose tree of existence has been watered and fed
by the heavenly stream of His favour and providence. Surely those luminous
gems whose nostrils are perfumed by the imperishable fragrance of holiness
and are endued with a keen sense of perception will readily distinguish a
loathsome odour, no matter how slight it may be, from the sweet-scented
breeze blowing from the rose-garden of His Oneness. They will easily
recognize the words of a conceited and malevolent one, though his words be
wrapped up in delicate terms and phrases or take the guise of
fellow-feeling, sympathy and kindly wishes, from the genuine expressions
of truth and sincerity, of devotion, piety and faithfulness.
Indeed, it is true to say that malice will cause one's intelligence and
understanding to fade, and the king of reason to become subservient to the
satanic self and its promptings. Time and again has this matter been put
to proof and the following blessed passage from the Will and Testament
amply demonstrates this significant truth and serves to heighten the sense
of alertness and vigilance. How wondrous is His Word: 'No doubt every
vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly
declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize
upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the
gathering of the people of Baha.'
The essential point is this: praise be to God, the way of His holy Faith
is laid straight, the Edifice of the Law of God is well-founded and
strong. He to whom the people of Baha must turn, the Centre on which the
concourse of the faithful must fix their gaze, the Expounder of the Holy
Writings, the Guardian of the Cause of God, the Chosen Branch, Shoghi
Effendi, has been clearly appointed in conformity with explicit,
conclusive and unmistakable terms. The Religion of God, the laws and
ordinances of God, the blessed teachings, the obligations that are binding
on everyone--all stand clear and manifest even as the sun in its meridian
glory. There is no hidden mystery, no secret that remains concealed. There
is no room for interpretation or argument, no occasion for doubt or
hesitation. The hour for teaching and service is come. It is the time for
unity, harmony, solidarity and high endeavour.
At the blessed Holy Shrines we earnestly pray that divine assistance and
confirmation be vouchsafed to all of us. We continually receive joyous
news of the health and well-being of the Guardian of the Cause of God and
eagerly hope that the night of separation may come to an end, that the
period of bereavement may soon expire and his blessed person may return to
this hallowed Spot with utmost joy and radiance. All the blessed leaves
join this lowly maidservant in sending wondrous expressions of greeting to
those loved ones of God and the handmaids of the Merciful. May the glory
of the All-Glorious rest upon you!
80: The question of Avarih has surely come to ...
(211) The question of Avarih has surely come to your attention. In spite
of the fact that last year, the first time that he visited this sacred
Spot, he was shown the greatest kindness and love, and he was the object
of every consideration and care, and everything was done to help him in
every way; that when he left for Europe, as the reason for his visit was
to teach the Faith, and he was favoured and praised by the Guardian, the
friends in England showed him reverence to what was really an exaggerated
degree, and received him with the warmest hospitality--that is, no one
failed in showing him the utmost regard--still, when he returned to Cairo
and busied himself with publishing his book, as it became apparent later
on, he put the Assembly and the friends at odds, stirred up the mischief
himself and then secretly wrote here and there that there was trouble in
Cairo, and presented the situation so as to further his own ends.
The beloved Guardian at once laid hold of every possible means to quiet
the dissension in Cairo, but it proved impossible because Avarih, using
all kinds of devices, prevented the reconciliation of the Assembly and the
friends in that city. When the Guardian could endure this no longer and
there was nothing more that he could do, with deep regret he left the Holy
Land. His letter clearly shows how heavy was his heart.
Later, Avarih left Egypt and came again to the Holy Land, and the
interesting thing is that the moment he left, the misunderstandings among
the friends in Cairo disappeared, and Baha'i affairs went forward again in
proper fashion, so that it became perfectly clear that he had been the
cause of the disruption.
From here, too, he began to send out letters, and it would only grieve you
to tell of the falsehoods and calumnies they contained. In Beirut, too,
his talks and his actions were the same, and he spread the word that, God
forbid, there is dissension everywhere. Accordingly, in order to protect
the Cause of God, a telegram was sent to Ba_gh_dad, citing these words of
the Ancient Beauty--exalted be His glory: 'Place not your trust in every
new arrival, and believe not every speaker.' As a result, when he reached
Ba_gh_dad, and wished to stir up mischief there, the friends, with great
dignity and firmness, restrained him, and avoided his company.
The point is that although such talk and such behaviour have no effect and
no importance whatsoever, and do not merit our attention, still this
disloyalty of his in these days of trial and sorrow is such that, unable
to bear the situation any longer, this grieved and helpless one has felt
obliged to set down a brief account of what actually took place.
81: Praise be to God that through His gracious ...
(212) Praise be to God that through His gracious bounty you were enabled
to visit His exalted, His sacred and luminous Threshold, to refresh and
perfume your nostrils with the sweet-scented fragrances of God diffused
from these imperishable, holy Places. This wondrous gift calls for
thanksgiving, and this heavenly bestowal warrants praise and
glorification. And such praise is best expressed when one's pilgrimage,
one's honour at attaining His holy Court and becoming the recipient of His
favours and loving-kindness produce a profound effect and influence upon
every aspect of one's life, upon one's bearing and demeanour, and one's
activities. There is no doubt that it will be so.
82: It is a very long time since we have had any ...
(213) It is a very long time since we have had any news from you and we
are quite longing to have one of your interesting and beautiful letters,
that brings us always comfort because of your sincerity, your love for the
Cause and your constant energy in the work for the Cause. You have ever
been one of the Master's best friends, you are one of the oldest American
believers, one of the firm and enthusiastic workers, and we are always
happy to hear from you. The joy of our hearts is to hear that the friends
are active and sincere in the spreading of the teachings.
We always long to hear about the friends, to know that in America they are
arising with sincere energy to assist our beloved Guardian, to make his
heart happy so that he may return to the Holy Land and again take up, with
renewed vigour, the burdens that are too great when he feels that the
friends are not uniting with him to carry out the instructions of the
Beloved. We know that these instructions and teachings are the balm for
the wounds and ills of the world, and if the friends are not firm, sincere
and united in the principles as given by Baha'u'llah, explained and
amplified by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and do not teach them clearly and keep them
pure and unadulterated, then how can the ills of mankind be alleviated?
All other teachings have failed to eliminate the existing prejudices
between peoples and religions and unite them upon the basis of pure truth,
and now that we have this blessed remedy which is a divine solvent, let us
not be blind or neglectful, but energetically and courageously stand forth
as true heralds of this Divine Remedy.
83: Your short and loving note of June 25th has ...
(214) Your short and loving note of June 25th has been received. Its
contents, though short, gave me and the ladies of the Household great joy,
because they indicate that the dear friends have, with willing efforts,
arisen to strengthen the foundation of love and harmony in their hearts.
This will surely release our beloved Shoghi Effendi from his grief, fill
his dear heart with joy and bring him to us again.
Since my last affectionate appeal to the beloved of God and 'Abdu'l-Baha's
spiritual children, the dear friends in every land have indeed shown a
wonderful spirit which has inspired us all with joy and gratitude. For
their confirmation and success we ardently pray at the Holy Shrines. I
hope and pray that your National Spiritual Assembly will this year be
favoured with divine support and unprecedented prosperity.
84: Your charming letter of June 20th has ...
(215) Your charming letter of June 20th has arrived and with it the
spiritual waves of your love and devotion to the welfare of the Cause of
God and to the prosperity of the dear friends throughout America.
I pray at the Holy Shrine of our beloved Lord, 'Abdu'l-Baha, to favour you
with the realization of the desire of your heart which contributes to the
joy and happiness of the beloved Guardian of the Cause, that is, service
towards the unity of the dear friends and the promulgation of the divine
Teachings which alone can redeem this lifeless world.
I am glad to tell you that the Guardian of the Cause of God is in good
health. The splendid attitude of the beloved friends in the East and the
West and their wonderfully sacrificial efforts in the service of the Cause
have greatly lightened the burden of grief upon his loving heart and so,
he may return to the Holy Land towards the end of summer when his entire
grief, we hope, will be replaced with joy and fragrances which are being
wafted to his dear heart.
85: Your numerous letters written to the ...
(216) Your numerous letters written to the beloved Guardian and myself
have all arrived and brought with them the sweet perfume of your devotion,
sincerity, strong faith and active and beautiful services you are
inexhaustibly rendering to the Cause of God. You should be happy, dear
Baha'i sister in being so wonderfully confirmed in your spiritual life.
The beloved Guardian of the Cause is nowadays in good health and through
the magnificent efforts the friends are exerting in every country to
strengthen and augment their bond of unity and love for one another, his
grief has been lightened and so we have great hope that he will return to
the Holy Land before long. Here he will resume his personal touch with the
friends the world over and will inspire them with his guidance to still
greater activity.
The Ladies of the Holy Family and I are always remembering you dear
friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha and praying for your confirmation and happiness. I
am thankful to all the dear friends who so faithfully and lovingly
responded with their excellent deeds to my affectionate appeal for greater
unity and love. May the Blessed Beauty and 'Abdu'l-Baha reward them richly
and crown their sincere services with great results.
86: From this hallowed Spot I send heavenly ...
(217) From this hallowed Spot I send heavenly greetings to those two
faithful servants of the holy Threshold of the Abha Beauty. Indeed, no
word of compliment could be compared to this expression of praise and
commendation, whereby, thanks be to God, you both have distinguished
yourselves as the devoted servants of His divine Threshold and as the
sincere, the self-sacrificing bond-slaves serving at the door of His
mercifulness. You have always proved yourselves untiring in your noble
efforts and are continually striving with utmost endeavour to discharge
your important and glorious duties. This can be attributed to naught save
to the unfailing bounties of the Abha Beauty and to the invisible aid that
'Abdu'l-Baha has graciously accorded you.
87: In this Day nothing is so important as service. ...
(218) In this Day nothing is so important as service. Did not 'Abdu'l-Baha
voluntarily call Himself the 'Servant' of Baha, manifesting also in His
life the perfections of servitude to God and man?
We, wishing to follow the commands left by Baha'u'llah, spread and lived
by 'Abdu'l-Baha, we can take no greater step toward the Heavenly
Kingdom--can give no greater joy to the present beloved Guardian of the
Cause, Shoghi Effendi--than that of loving service to all mankind.
88: It always cheers my heart to hear from the ...
(219) It always cheers my heart to hear from the dear friends whose hearts
are so full of love and devotion, and desire to serve this Blessed Cause
which has been proclaimed by Baha'u'llah to all the world, so that all
national, racial, and religious prejudices will be abolished, and the
world of humanity recognized as one home, and all men as brothers.
I certainly shall pray specially for you that you may be richly blessed in
your work and service to the Blessed Cause. One soul who becomes entirely
selfless and devoted and filled to overflowing with the spirit of love and
service will do much for the progress of the Cause in whatever locality he
is. Be assured, if you arise to serve, the Beloved Master says Nothing
shall be impossible to you if you have faith. As ye have faith so shall
your powers and blessings be. I convey to you the warm love and Baha'i
greetings of Shoghi Effendi, and all the family, and again assure you of
our earnest prayers that you will be enabled to render much service to the
Kingdom.
89: My heart is always cheered when I meet or ...
(220) My heart is always cheered when I meet or hear from the dear friends
in America, for the Beloved Master spoke so much to us about His visit to
your land, and we feel confident that the teachings of the Blessed
Perfection which He heralded forth have not fallen on barren soil and the
day is not far distant when a rich harvest will be garnered therefrom.
90: At the holy Threshold of the Abha Beauty ...
(221) At the holy Threshold of the Abha Beauty we fervently pray at all
times for outstanding success to attend that exalted body.(222) Indeed, by
virtue of the brilliant achievements won and the distinguished services
rendered by those blessed souls, the heart of this lowly one is filled
with utmost joy and assurance, and there is no doubt that through the
loving-kindness of God this measure of joy and happiness will be
multiplied day by day.
You have asked me about my own knowledge and recollections concerning the
holy Houses in Tihran. Unfortunately, due to my tender age at that time,
those blessed places and quarters have faded from my memory.
Upon you be His glory and praise.
91: O dear sisters, ardent lovers of Baha'u'llah, ...
(223) O dear sisters, ardent lovers of Baha'u'llah, may my soul be offered
up for your devotion, your staunchness, and your steadfastness!
The letter from the honoured members of that spiritual assemblage, telling
of the women of that land, their fervour, their fiery love for God, their
services to His Cause, their unity and mutual kindness and loving
fellowship, their grieving over the departure of the world's Day-Star--has
reached this afflicted one. Reading it, I begged most humbly of our Living
and Eternal Lord, to aid and bless those handmaids at all times and under
all conditions. He is verily the One Who is near to us all, and answers
our prayers.
To us who sorrow here, there is truly no joy in life save only the good
news that the lovers of God and of 'Abdu'l-Baha, may my life be sacrificed
for the Spot which enshrines His holy Dust, are steadfast and firm, and
that those loyal handmaids have girded themselves to serve the Faith, and
casting aside on the pathway of God their ease and comfort, are
proclaiming the Teachings, calling souls to life, and making sure that the
sacred blood of the Primal Point, the afflictions and the captivity of the
Abha Beauty, the anguish of 'Abdu'l-Baha shall through you, men and women
alike, through your steadfastness today, yield goodly fruit for all on
earth to see.
I presented your letter to the Chosen Branch, the Guardian of the Faith,
Shoghi Effendi, and upon reading it he expressed great joy and
satisfaction. He expressed gratitude to the Lord that men and women have
been raised up and are gathered beneath the banner of the Covenant, every
one of whom, in the field of divine knowledge, can put armies of error to
flight. Through souls such as these is God's promise fulfilled: 'We shall
aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of our Cause with the hosts of
the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels.'
92: Your letter, laden with many a graceful ...
(224) Your letter, laden with many a graceful phrase, many a wondrous
inner meaning, has been received. Its perusal brought composure and
tranquillity to my soul and gladness to my heart, inasmuch as from between
its lines I could discern the tokens of your unswerving constancy in God's
Mighty Cause and of your intense devotion to the almighty Lord. I beseech
God to illumine your heart with the light of His love, to unloose your
tongue in magnifying His praise and in extolling His glory, to strengthen
you with so mighty a power that you may vindicate the truth of His Faith
by expounding infallible proofs and conclusive testimonies.
You have told me about your taking part in special gatherings for the
training of Persian and American Baha'i children. Excellent indeed is what
you have done. Rest well assured, O handmaid of God, in the gracious
favour of your Lord. Verily He will sustain you in your efforts for the
advancement of His Cause and in rendering service to the world of
humanity. Exert your utmost endeavour, and expend whatever is dear to you
in this glorious path that you may earn the crown of righteousness,
imperishable and everlasting.