O maid-servant of G.o.d! It is inc.u.mbent upon thee to diffuse the fragrances, it is inc.u.mbent upon thee to promulgate the teachings of G.o.d and it is inc.u.mbent upon thee to breathe the spirit of life into the hearts of the people of those regions, so that thou be a lamp of guidance in the recess of Green Acre. Take the cup of the love of G.o.d in thy right hand and with thy left hand hoist the banner of universal peace, love and affection among the nations of the earth. Call out (saying): "Hasten!
Hasten unto the Great Bounty! Press! Press forward unto the Abundant Mercy! Speed! Speed unto the Manifest Light! Be urgent! Be urgent for the Great Attainment! Verily, by G.o.d the Truth, the doors of the Kingdom are opened, the lights of G.o.d have shown forth and illumined the horizon of the earth! The Lord of Hosts hath descended with the army of lights and angels of heaven and depressed the armies of darkness! He sent His angels to all directions, with a call of the trumpet of realities and meanings, instructions and teachings! Therefore, O people of the earth, appreciate the opportunity, in this new century, wherein the lights have been revealed by the Glorious Lord!"
In regard to the school which tho didst think of and its organization: I ask G.o.d that thou shouldst become confirmed in it with all order and command. But now it is necessary first to organize the Cause of G.o.d in those countries; then, order and preparation. Therefore arise, through a power from G.o.d, in organizing the Cause of G.o.d-that is, the diffusion of the fragrances of G.o.d, promotion of the Word of G.o.d and heralding unto the nations and peoples with a pre-existent power the appearance of the Most Great Sun.
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!
Verily I read thy excellent letter and was dilated through its excellent contents. Know thou that the distance of habitation doth not prevent the rising of the lights, and that time and place only control the bodies and not the spirits which are free from the contingent beings, not (do they control) the realities which are sanctified from the stains of the world.
When the Spirit is breathed in the East, its signs immediately appear in the West and it hath a spiritual dominion which penetrates the pillars of the world.
Then know thou that G.o.d hath not ordained any greater happiness and joy than the removing of the veils by witnessing the Kingdom of G.o.d and presenting oneself in an a.s.sembly which is radiant with merciful emotions which cannot be apprehended by minds and thoughts.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Verily opposition will wax fierce upon thee and denial and unbelief will day by day increase. People will arise to oppression and people will torment thee for thou hast believed in G.o.d, art attracted to the fragrances of G.o.d and hath spoken His praise among the maid-servants. They will execrate, revile, curse and oppress thee with acute tongues. Be not distressed at this; nay, rather continue with an increased firmness and stanchness in the Cause of G.o.d. For through calamity the heart of Abdul-Baha is attracted; through (suffering) oppression the breast of Abdul-Baha is dilated; through enduring afflictions the faithfulness of Abdul-Baha is proven; through imprisonment the soul of Abdul-Baha is cheered; at every moment he wishes to quaff the cup of sacrifice in the path of G.o.d.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Opposition shall surely pa.s.s away, the dark clouds in all regions will be dispelled and the lights of the Covenant shall shine forth. At that time your value shall appear among the nations of the world and tribes and people will arise to praise you. Take warning by the former cycles and the bygone Manifestations.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Verily the Cause is great and great! Regiments and regiments enter therein! Some people must necessarily turn their backs upon it, on account of their lack of sincerity in he Cause of G.o.d and for their selfishness and egotism.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! A pure sea doth not accept a dead body, therefore the waves will necessarily throw the dead finally upon the sh.o.r.es.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! When some souls turn away from the love of G.o.d, there is no harm therein. Did not Judas Iscariot, the chief of the apostles, turn away on account of jealousy for Peter the apostle?
Likewise, some people must necessarily turn away on account of jealousy for others.
As to thee: Consider the predecessors as a warning to posterity and purify thy heart from all else save G.o.d, under all circ.u.mstances. When thou was in Acca we pointed this out to thee.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Whenever sorrows and afflictions grow violent toward thee, remember that which we told thee during thy presence in these lands; then thy sorrows shall be removed and thy heart shall become dilated through the fragrances of G.o.d in these days.
Be thou rejoiced at the glad-tidings of G.o.d! Be as a globe of fire from which the heat of the love of G.o.d will be diffused. Sanctify thyself from the grades of this world, be purified from the superst.i.tions of people and be characterized with spiritual qualities. Be thou a mountain of quiescence, a sign of meekness, a sea of patience, a light of love, a standard of utter separation (from all else save G.o.d), so that thou mayest become everlasting in the Kingdom of G.o.d.
The light shall surely encompa.s.s the maid-servants who are attracted by the fragrances of G.o.d and it will shine forth from their faces upon all regions.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Let thy joy and happiness be increased every moment through the light of G.o.d.
Verily, the Exalted Leaf and the brilliant Leaves(125) remember thee by night and day. Then know thou, verily the prison is my wonderful paradise in love for Baha"; it is my lofty stronghold, my impregnable mansion and glorious throne. Be not grieved thereat, nay, rather beg of G.o.d to make me quaff the cup of sacrifice in the path of Baha".
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!
I am already informed of the import of thy wonderful letter and the meanings of thine excellent words. I was rejoiced to find how it expressed that thou art devoted to G.o.d, turning unto the Supreme Horizon, enkindled with the fire of the love of G.o.d and attracted to the fragrances of G.o.d.
I beg of G.o.d to increase thy separation from the world, thy supplication before the Kingdom of G.o.d and thy yearning for the Beauty of G.o.d.
What thou hast said (in thy letter) concerning the servant of Baha", the "Mother of the Faithful," is but true. Verily she is purified in soul, enkindled by the fire of the love of G.o.d, hath sincerely turned unto her Master, hath completely faced toward the Kingdom of G.o.d and hath arisen to diffuse His fragrances in all parts and serve His friends with a sincerity and joy unto which the Supreme Concourse beareth witness. She shall surely have a firm and steady footing in the Cause of G.o.d, her face shall shine forth from the Horizon of Loftiness, her fame shall be spread in the Kingdom of G.o.d, and [she] shall have a ringing voice throughout regions, and the lights of her glorious deeds shall beam forth during cycles and ages.
As to ........ and ........, verily the faces of these are as the pupil of the eye; although the pupil is created black, yet it is the source of light. I hope G.o.d will make these black ones the glory of the white ones and as the depositing of the lights of love of G.o.d. And I ask G.o.d to a.s.sist them in all circ.u.mstances, that they may be encompa.s.sed with the favors of their Loving Lord throughout centuries and ages.
As to ........, verily G.o.d hath ordained for her a n.o.ble station. The lights of knowledge shall surely shine forth from her face upon the world.
Verily she is attracted to the word of her Lord, was dilated by hearing the speech of Abdul-Baha at the time of meeting and her eyes became consoled by witnessing the signs of her Mighty Lord.
As to the maid-servant of G.o.d ........: G.o.d hath indeed favored her with an excellent disposition which is like fragrance from a garden of the Merciful and she pa.s.seth her days in serving the Cause of G.o.d. I beg of G.o.d to confirm and a.s.sist her under all aspects and circ.u.mstances.
As to the son of the "Mother of the Faithful": I beg of G.o.d to make his ears attentive, his eyes observing, his heart abounding with the lights of guidance and to make his soul as one of the signs of his Mighty Lord. Pray ye in his behalf night and day that G.o.d may strengthen him in a matter which may shine, beam and glow in the niche of the Kingdom of G.o.d and that He may cause him to arise and a.s.sist the pious ones, to seek bounty from the signs, to gain illumination from the lights, deliver the necks of all men from the chains of superst.i.tion, to feed the needy ones upon the food of the Kingdom of G.o.d and support the weak ones with a penetrative power from the Word of G.o.d. Verily thy Lord is the Confirmer!
"O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of G.o.d!
We have written a clear and efficient answer to ........ out of the love for thee and for her; otherwise Abdul-Baha is free from any other mention than that of G.o.d.
As to thee, be not grieved at anything whatever. There is a right wisdom in whatever happens in this great Cause. Be not grieved if the trash of the world is decreased in thy hands, for thy brilliant heart is a great treasury, inasmuch as every heart which trusts in the grace of its Lord is illumined through the lights of its Creator and it is one of the treasuries of the Kingdom, filled with the wealth of His divine world and heavenly bounties. This is a great wealth!
Deliver my greetings to ........ and announce to him the glad-tidings of G.o.d and say unto him: "This day is the day of soaring and the day of shining. This day is the day of the Ancient Honor, Abundant Wealth, Mighty Dominion and Great Gift. Appreciate thou its value and do not neglect it, so that thou mayest attain to that which was longed for by the holy ones in bygone ages and centuries."
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!
Verily I read thy letter which indicated thy knowledge of the significances of the Revelation of St. John. I ask G.o.d to enlighten thine eyes by witnessing His lights which have illumined the horizon of existence to eternity of eternities. Praise G.o.d that He manifested unto thee the brilliancy of the Sun of Truth which is shining from the Kingdom of El-Abha; and G.o.d made thee look with divine eyes at the reality of revelation. Rest a.s.sured the light of the love of G.o.d will envelope the world with great illumination.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! May G.o.d increase thy glowing with the fire of His love and by a light from the rays of the Sun of the Universe.
O maid-servant of G.o.d! Raise the call at Green Acre, summon all unto the Kingdom of G.o.d whose lights shone forth, fragrances wafted, clouds changed into tears (or drops of rain) and guardians smiled.
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!