O maid-servant of G.o.d! Verily, the weakness of body and its strength do neither harm nor benefit; nay, rather the spirit must be strong through the breath of the Holy Spirit, at this time, so that it may apprehend the consummate wisdom which is deposited in this great age. I beg of G.o.d that He may increase joy and fragrance in thy spirit, give thee power and strength, and that He may help thee at every moment in faith and a.s.surance. Verily my Lord is powerful in all things! Trust thou in the grace of thy Master and ask that which thou wishest from His Name, the Clement, the Merciful.
"O thou who art rejoiced at the Kingdom of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art rejoiced at the Kingdom of G.o.d!
The letter indicating thy great wish to be a maid-servant of the Cause of G.o.d in His wonderful and excellent vineyard, was received.
Thank thou G.o.d that He hath removed the veil and hath manifested unto thee the reality of things until thou hast apprehended that, verily, the world and all of its concerns are but confused dreams and of non-duration.
Verily I beg of G.o.d to grant thy greatest wishes and bestow upon thee the good of this and the world to come.
"O thou herald of the Kingdom!..."
O thou herald of the Kingdom!
Thou wast not alone in the trip that thou didst undertake in various places. The spirit and soul of Abdul-Baha was with thee. Although thou hast been afflicted with many and severe persecutions, hast heard derision, scorn and contempt and observed the opposition of the heedless ones, yet this is conducive to thy glory, that thou hast been made a target for the arrow of opposition in the Path of G.o.d and hast drunk the cup of affliction. Consider this, how many a calamity was submitted to by those sanctified souls in bygone ages and to how many sufferings they were resigned! Thou also must endure dire oppression and ordeals in the Path of ABHA and maintain the feet of steadfastness and firmness. Then thou shalt behold the confirmation of G.o.d surrounding thee. Rejoice thou and be happy that thou hast attained to this station and walked in the footsteps of the holy souls.
Announce on my behalf longing greeting to Mr. ........ and say, "The melody of the Kingdom is that which hath caused the motion of the universe; the musk-diffusing fragrance of the rose-garden of G.o.d is that which hath perfumed the nostrils; and the reflection of the Sun of Truth is that which hath illumined the whole earth. Now is the beginning of illumination! Therefore, the people of darkness imagine that they can oppose (this Revelation); yet, ere long they shall find themselves in loss and consternation! They shall observe that the power of the Word of G.o.d hath subdued East and West. Be thou not sad and dispirited on account of the opposition of the heedless ones. Soon they shall regret sorely.
Reflect thou how the Pharisees persecuted and looked down in contempt upon His Holiness the Christ. The result was that His lamp became ignited, His light began to shine and His followers sparkled like unto the stars from the horizon of existence; and the consequence to the Pharisees was the pangs of remorse and regrets."
Convey, also, greeting to the maid-servant of G.o.d, Mrs. ........ and say, "Thy house is the nest and the shelter of this heavenly bird. Undoubtedly, thou must enkindle the lights of the Kingdom therein."
Likewise convey respectful greeting on my behalf to Mrs. ........ and say, "I ask G.o.d that thy house may become the gathering-place of the spiritual ones and the a.s.sembly of the G.o.dly ones; that the light of Truth may shine therein and make it brilliant and resplendent."
Also convey longing greeting to Mr. ........ and say, "Those souls who, in the time of His Highness Christ, turned their faces toward the Kingdom and quaffed the wine of guidance from the cup of the Word of G.o.d, had their troubles changed into everlasting bliss. No matter how much they heard the rebuke of the heedless ones, observed the censure of the relatives, were afflicted with the injury of the oppressors and thrown into abjection, yet that ignominy finally became eternal glory. Thou must show the utmost love and kindness towards the heedless ones and the oppressors and ask from G.o.d forgiveness and pardon for them, for they are ignorant. If they understood, they would not oppress; nay, rather would they arise (to serve the Cause) with faithfulness."
Announce, also, respectful greeting from me to Mrs. ........ and Mrs.
........ and say, "The sons of the Kingdom are scattered throughout the whole world, but the ignorant Pharisees have arisen with the utmost hatred instigating persecutions. They imagine that persecution and suffering will hinder the promulgation of the Cause; whereas no rampart is able to obstruct the descent of the waves of the Most Great Sea; no veil can conceal the rays of the Sun of Truth; no wall can stay the wafting of the Divine Breeze; and no power is able to resist the Spirit of G.o.d. Be ye not sad nor dejected on account of the disturbance and uproar of the people of desire and pa.s.sion. Ere long the symphony of the Kingdom shall silence all the other noises. Rest ye a.s.sured and illumine your house with the lights of divine commemoration."
Give my greeting to Mr. ........ and announce to him, "Caiaphas and Annas were the colossal pillars of the Mosaic Dispensation in the day of His Highness the Spirit; but as they did not acknowledge the Word of G.o.d, they fell from the apex of glory to the bottom of the pit of the greatest abas.e.m.e.nt. But Peter was a catcher of fish; as he turned his face toward the Word of G.o.d, the fame of his imperishable, deathless and immortal glory encircled East and West; and he found in the sovereignty of the Kingdom, eternal and everlasting majesty. It is the same in these days."
"O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of G.o.d!
Thy letter was read with the utmost attention. The poetry was beautiful.
Praise be to G.o.d, thou art severed from all else save the Heavenly Father.
Thou hast been of the earth-thou art now of the Kingdom. Thou hast been of the world-thou art now of the Realm of Might. Thou art spreading the divine Teachings. Thank thou G.o.d, thou art bearing trials in the path of the Kingdom and art enduring persecutions and sufferings. These afflictions are conducive to the spiritual development and the descent of the Holy Spirit.
O thou dear maid-servant of G.o.d! I supplicate G.o.d that He suffer thee to become a herald of the Kingdom in all those places, so that thou mayest proclaim the glad-tidings of the Lord of Hosts.
"O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom..."
O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom of G.o.d!
The letter which thou hast written was received. I read it with the utmost love; thy services became known and thy forbearance in the afflictions became evident and manifest. Happy is thy condition, for thou art spending thy days in heralding the Kingdom and art crying, "O ye concourse of men!
Make ye straight the path; walk ye in the direct road!" Thou hast abandoned ease and accepted thousands of hardships and traveled for the purpose of promoting the Word of G.o.d.
Convey on my behalf love to Mrs. ........ and say, "Praise be to G.o.d, thou art set aglow with the fire of the Love of G.o.d and hast arisen in the service of the Cause of G.o.d."
Announce my affection to the maid-servant, ....... and say, "Thank thou G.o.d that thou hast become related to the Kingdom and art an object of the favors of the Lord of Might."
Gladden the heart of Mrs. ........ by the divine glad-tidings and say, "Be thou like unto a bird and unweariedly soar upward until thou reachest the Supreme Apex."
Say thou to Mr. ........, "When engaged in useless service the end is loss within loss. Therefore, serve thou the Lord of the Kingdom, which in the end is profit within profit."
Announce my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and her daughter and say, "Thank ye G.o.d that ye have illumined faces with the light of Guidance and ye have perfumed the nostrils with the holy fragrances of the rose-garden of the Kingdom of ABHA."
Proclaim the glad-tidings of the bounty of the Almighty to Mrs. ........
and deliver my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and say, "In the churches turn thy face toward the Kingdom of ABHA and supplicate the help of the Holy Spirit, and, with a detached heart, begin to talk."
Convey respectful greeting to Mr. and Mrs. ......... and say, "Be ye thankful to G.o.d that your house became the nest of the birds of the divine garden and the shelter of the flocks of heaven. They sit together, read the holy Tablets, are engage din the commemoration of the True One and strive and endeavor to promote the Word of G.o.d."
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d, Mrs. ..........! Regarding the star with five points, thou hast made an excellent comparison.
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d! If it is possible, change the meeting of every nineteen days into a feast. ***
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d! Those fishes which thou hast seen in the vision are the souls who are swimming in the sea of this nether world. G.o.d willing, thou wilt bring them out of the nether world, with the net of the love of G.o.d, into the immensity of the kingdom. Those brilliant stars which thou hast beheld are the children of the Kingdom. That brilliant crescent is the Cause of G.o.d. The appearance of His Highness Christ and His white robe and resplendent light in His blessed face is the proof of the power and the promulgation of the Word of G.o.d in America.
Therefore, it is the same thing which I said: "The night is drawing nigh and then no one can work." Consequently, one must hasten to perform something and show forth exertion.
"Thy letter was received. It became conducive to..."
(108) Thy letter was received. It became conducive to happiness. Up to the present thou hast been serving in the Kingdom of G.o.d and hast been a.s.sisted. I hope that, in the future, thou wilt become a.s.sisted more and serve more. Praise be to G.o.d! Thou art watched by the glances of Providence and art encircled with endless bounties. I hope that, day by day, thou mayest step further, become characterized with a G.o.dlike nature and disposition, manner and morals, in order that thou mayest become the cause of the guidance of many souls and the instrument for the illumination of a region.