We sent thee a rosary, as thou didst so wish. Mention G.o.d(94) with this and thus thou mayest be strengthened in spirit and fragrance, in joy and love.
Convey my greeting and praise to thy honorable husband, Mr. ........, the beloved, the precious and honored.
"O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of..."
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of G.o.d!
I received thy letter and was informed of the content of thy speech.
Know thou, verily, Baha" was the Sun of Love and Peace, who shone forth with the Light of Guidance and was a Spirit of Life to all regions. The signs of His effulgence shall appear when the love of G.o.d shall influence the hearts, just as the soul influenceth bodies. The clouds of darkness shall be dispelled from the manifest light of love and peace, and from the abundant bounty of reconciliation and tranquillity.
As to thee: Do not look at thy weakness and impotence; nay, look at the power of thy Lord, which hath surrounded all regions. The sea of forgiveness hath moved and the waves of pardon and beneficence have submerged the people of sin. Be isolated from the grades of self and desire, so that thou mayest succeed in that which behooveth the service of the Kingdom of G.o.d, and that thou mayest be healed from every disease and sickness.
As to the "white dove," it is the Holy Spirit. It shall flutter over thee and over the head of the beloved of G.o.d.
Verily I beseech G.o.d to a.s.sist thee with the spirit of knowledge and enable thee to be good and benevolent to all the people of religions.
"O thou who art advancing toward the Divine..."
O thou who art advancing toward the Divine Kingdom!
What thou hast written was understood and noted. Thou hast asked concerning the station of this servant. The station of this servant is servitude to the Holy Threshold (BAHA"O"LLAH) and I glory and honor in this. Abdul-Baha is the standard of the divine love, the sign of the gift of G.o.d, the servant of the a.s.semblage of the merciful ones, the light of the meeting of the spiritual ones. He is the orb of peace and reconciliation and the light of love in the world of humanity. He is the herald of the Kingdom of the Merciful One and the promulgator of the religion of rect.i.tude and security. This is the station of this servant!
This is the Truth!
I hope through the divine grace that the brilliancy of the love of G.o.d will pervade all regions, and that he will remove warfare and strife from the world of existence. Then the human world will become expressive of the unity of the merciful world, the inferior world will become a clear and purified mirror reflecting the Supreme Concourse, the East and West will embrace each other like unto two longing ones and the North and South will shake hands and clasp each other in the arms like unto two beloved ones.
This is the station of Abdul-Baha.
As to the light thou dost witness: It is not an earthly light (phenomenal); nay, rather, it is a heavenly light. It cannot be seen by the sight; nay, rather, it is perceived by the insight.
As to the resurrection of the body of Christ three days subsequent to His departure: This signified the divine teachings and spiritual religion of His Holiness Christ, which const.i.tute His spiritual body, which is living and perpetual forevermore.
By the "three days" of His death is meant that after the great martyrdom, the penetration of the divine teachings and the spread of the spiritual law became relaxed on account of the crucifixion of Christ. For the disciples were somewhat troubled by the violence of divine tests. But when they became firm, that divine spirit resurrected and that body-which signifies the divine word-arose.
Likewise the address of the angels to the people of Galilee, "That this Christ will return in the same way and that He will descend from heaven,"
is a spiritual address. For when Christ appeared, He came from heaven, although He was outwardly born from the womb of Mary. For He said: "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven."
He said: "I came down from heaven and likewise will go to heaven." By "heaven" is not meant this infinite phenomenal s.p.a.ce, but "heaven"
signifies the world of the divine kingdom which is the supreme station and seat of the Sun of Truth.
To be brief: The mysteries of the Holy Books are many and require explanation and elucidation. I hope thine insight will be so opened that the divine mysteries may become manifest and clear. O thou candle of the love of G.o.d!
I read what thou hast written. Its meanings were spiritual and its contents merciful. It indicated (thy) pure intention and expressed clear brilliancy.
I beg of G.o.d that thou mayest become an a.s.sociate and partner of Abdul-Baha in servitude to the Holy Threshold of Baha", that thou mayest praise me in my pure servitude and summon all to the Most Great Guidance.
"O thou who art advancing toward G.o.d!..."
O thou who art advancing toward G.o.d!
What thou has written was perused. Thou hast written concerning the meeting of His Highness Christ after the crucifixion and that some of the apostles perceived Him but did not recognize Him; but that they did recognize Him after the breaking of bread.
Know thou that the Messianic Spirit and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is always manifest, but capacity and ability (to receive it) is more in some and less in others. After the crucifixion the apostles had not in the beginning the capacity and ability of witnessing the Messianic reality.
For they were agitated. But when they found firmness and steadfastness their inner sight became opened, and they saw the reality of the Messiah as manifest. For the body of Christ was crucified and vanished, but the Spirit of Christ is always pouring upon the contingent world, and is manifest before the insight of the people of a.s.surance.
O thou seeker of the kingdom of G.o.d! If thou wishest thy speech and utterance to take effect in the hardened hearts, be thou severed from all attachment to this world and turn unto the Kingdom of G.o.d. Enkindle the fire of the love of G.o.d in the heart with such intensity that thou mayest become a flame of fire and a luminous lamp of guidance. At that time thy speech will take effect within the hearts, through the confirmation of the Holy Spirit.
"O thou sincere servant of the Lord of the Kingdom!..."
O thou sincere servant of the Lord of the Kingdom!
Thou art favored and accepted in the Threshold of His Highness the Incomparable One, and art beloved and praised in the presence of Abdul-Baha. Thy services in the divine kingdom are evident and registered and the most eminent reward and the most great bounty are destined and in store for thee. The confirmation which hath descended unto thee is conducive to unlimited favor. Therefore, be thou engaged in the glorification of the Forgiving Lord.
"O thou whose heart is filled with the Love of G.o.d!..."
O thou whose heart is filled with the Love of G.o.d!
I was informed of thy longing for meeting (me) and that thy breast is boiling with the love of G.o.d. Blessed are thou for this wish.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Beseech thou G.o.d to be filled with His love and make thy tongue fluent with the glorification of G.o.d.
Verily, I supplicate G.o.d to forgive thy father and to submerge him in the sea of forgiveness and pardon.
Be not grieved at the death of that infant child, for it is placed in trust for thee before thy Lord in His great Kingdom.
Verily G.o.d will bestow upon thee that whereby thy heart shall be rejoiced and thy breast shall be dilated. Verily thy Lord is compa.s.sionate and merciful!