Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... I sought for her protection and bounty from the Lord of the Kingdom.
Regarding the question of your presence in Acca now, it is not according to wisdom. Postpone this matter to some other time.
"O thou beloved maid-servant of G.o.d!..."
O thou beloved maid-servant of G.o.d!
Thou hast written regarding the death of thy mother. Praise be to G.o.d, she hath attained to the desire of her heart and hath ascended to the Kingdom of Abha!
Happiness dependeth of the spiritual glad-tidings and not upon material means. It is found in the Kingdom of Abha and not in this mortal world.
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d! Become thou not extinguished by the winds of tests, but rather become ignited and be more happy, for then thou wilt become a tried believer.
Guide the maid-servant of G.o.d, Mrs. ........., to the power of the Holy Spirit and say: "Unless the Holy Spirit become intermediary, one cannot attain directly to the bounties of G.o.d. Do not overlook the obvious truths, for it is a self-evident fact that a child cannot be instructed without a teacher, and knowledge is a bounty from the bounties of G.o.d. The soil is not covered with gra.s.s and green without the rain of the cloud; therefore the cloud is the intermediary between the divine bounties and the soil. A body doth not develop and grow without the soul; therefore the soul is the medium of the spiritual life."
Convey respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... and say: "I hope that through the breath of the Holy Spirit the mysteries may become disclosed to thee, for without this channel it is impossible and unattainable. Turn thine attention to the days of His Highness the Christ; some people imagine that without the Messianic outpourings, it is possible to attain to Truth, but this very imagination became the cause of their deprivation."
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d! Whenever thou art desiring to talk and answer questions, turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Abha and beseech for a.s.sistance; then loosen thy tongue. Thou wilt behold at that time how thou art able to answer all the questions!
o thou maid-servant of G.o.d! The aim of the theosophists is to attain to Truth, but the Truth is unattainable except through the favor of the Holy Spirit. The light hath a center and if one desire to seek it otherwise but from the center, he can never attain to it. In this solar system the source of light is the sun and every light is acquired from it; even the lamps of the night are ignited through the sun, for if there were no sun the trees would not grow nor the mines develop, so that the oil be extracted from those trees and mines, and the lamps of the night be lit by it. Is it possible that one attain to the light in this globular sphere without the mediation of the sun? No, by the life of G.o.d! To suppose it, is pure imagination. But the Truth is this: The main source of the lights is the Sun and the rays are shed from it upon all the regions.
"O ye spiritual ones! O ye heavenly ones!..."
O ye(271) spiritual ones! O ye heavenly ones!
The a.s.sembly which you have established in that city is a splendor from the congregation of the Supreme Concourse. I ask from G.o.d that the hearts may be illuminated, the spirits be rejoiced through the most great glad-tidings, the eyes be upraised toward the Supreme Realm and the tongues be loosened in thanksgiving and glorification.
The members of that a.s.sembly are favored in the Threshold of Oneness and are loved and respected by this imprisoned one. They must continue to teach with utmost firmness, be engaged in the mentioning of the True One, read the verses of G.o.d, supplicate toward the Kingdom of eternity, bring about the meetings of consultation,(272) and spread the Word of G.o.d, the spiritual attraction of the love of G.o.d, the increase of the knowledge of G.o.d and the realization of affinity, friendship, unison and n.o.bility.
"O ye servants of the True One and the maid-servants..."
O ye(273) servants of the True One and the maid-servants of the Merciful!
Do not think that ye are forgotten for one moment! Abdul-Baha is at all times remembering you with infinite love and kindness and supplicates a.s.sistance and favor, at the Threshold of Oneness, so that the invisible confirmation may pour down, the divine bounties unveil their countenances, the friends in that region be ignited like unto lamps and the maid-servants of G.o.d shine like stars; in order to illumine that country, to make that clime the "Paradise of perpetual abode" [or heaven], to suffer the people to drink from the wine of guidance, to intoxicate the ones yearning after the Kingdom of Abha, to open spiritual universities, to be instructed in the mysteries of the love of G.o.d by the Heavenly Instructor, to a.s.sociate with each other with the utmost humility and attain to spiritual affinity.
Each one must sacrifice his life and possessions to the other and each person be loving to all the inhabitants of the world, rending asunder the curtain of foreignness and consorting with all the people with union and accord. They must be faithful to the traitors and benevolent to the tyrant. They must recognize the enemies as friends, the unknown as known.
These are the advices and exhortations of G.o.d!
O ye friends: O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! In order to thank G.o.d for this most great guidance, consort with all the people with the utmost joy and happiness, so that ye may become the recipients of the glances of Providence.
Become ye not sad on account of any calamity, neither be ye broken hearted by any trials. Be ye firm and steadfast in order that the beloved may become the cup-bearer of the a.s.sembly and the greatest desire become realized.
Blessing be upon ye by the bounty of your Lord the Merciful!
"O my Lord! O my Lord!..."
(274) O my Lord! O my Lord!
(275) I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty! Deliver me from darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness, make me a flower of the rose-garden; suffer me to become the servant of Thy Threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous ones; make me a cause of bounty to the human world and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life!
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer!
"Thou hast written concerning the universal peace,..."
(276) Thou hast written concerning the universal peace, that before long the congress of The Hague will be opened(277) and discussion will be made in regard to the universal peace.
This problem cannot be solved by the congress of The Hague, whose members are the representatives of nations; nay, rather, this graceful beloved will unveil her face in all the regions through the penetrative power of the Word of G.o.d.
The congress of The Hague is as follows: The wine sellers call a meeting so that they may discuss the evils of wine and remove from the world the drinking of wine; yet their own vocation is wine selling.
Nations who are constantly thinking wither of worldly conquest, the expansion of their own dominion or waging war upon their contemporaries, send ministers and representatives to the congress of The Hague to discuss the problem of universal peace and legislative registrations for the prevention of war!
But regarding the universal language: Ere long significance and scientific discussions concerning this matter will arise among the people of discernment and insight and it will produce the desired result.
"O thou who art attracted by the brilliant lights of the..."
O thou who art attracted by the brilliant lights of the Merciful One, shining from the Supreme Kingdom!
I opened thy letter with the greatest happiness and considered the meaning of thine address; but sadness became most intense within me when I learned about the dissensions among the brethren(278) in those countries. By the life of G.o.d! "This is a wonderful thing!"
Verily, the mission of all the prophets, the relation of all the scriptures, the diffusion of the instructions of G.o.d and the descent of His law, were all in order to establish agreement and union and to strengthen love and harmony among nations of different customs and thoughts, of diverse beliefs, doctrines, rites and habits; of various cla.s.ses, tribes and races. So likewise, as thou seest in this beautiful religion, verily, men of different beliefs, creeds and religions, of contrary ideas and thoughts, of various races, languages and natal lands-whether from East, West, North or South-all have entered under the shade of this Blessed Tree, planted, grown and reared in the midst of Paradise, and are formed into a single nation and religion in mutual union and agreement, ready to sacrifice their souls and bodies, each to the other. This harmony is not effected but through the influence of the Word of G.o.d and is circulated and spread in all directions among the believers of G.o.d, who are firm in the Covenant.
The dissensions prevailing in those parts (America) is altogether too surprising and strange; and I entreat G.o.d to purge it out through thy power of unity and oneness and unite the congregations and gather together the dispersed mult.i.tude. verily, He is powerful in all things!
But for thee, leave such matters and disturbances and withdraw from those districts and places and turn thy face sincerely to G.o.d; take His instructions and be expanded through the breaths of G.o.d. The Spirit of G.o.d shall a.s.sist thee and His angels will confirm thee; the life of holiness of G.o.d will be breathed into thy mouth and thou wilt find thyself in a position free from these ideas and thoughts resulting from worldly grades.