Volume I: Tablets (part 2)

+P 97 of God will be with those believers in that district that they may be successful in their undertaking, for the Cause is great and great; because this is the first Mashrak-el-Azcar in that country and from it the praise of God shall ascend to the Kingdom of Mystery and the tumult of His exaltation and greetings from the whole world shall be heard!

Whosoever arises for the service of this building shall be assisted with a great power from His Supreme Kingdom and upon him spiritual and heavenly blessings shall descend, which shall fill his heart with wonderful consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the glorious and eternal God!

Give my greetings and salutations to thy honorable husband and say to him from me: &Notice the sign which shall soon appear in those regions and then your searching heart shall be assured. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful!&

O thou who art assured by the grace of thy Lord!

I have perused thy excellent letter which shows that thou art turning thy face unto the living, eternal One and grasping the hem of His Grandeur and thy attraction unto the Call of thy Supreme Lord. Well done! Well done! O maid-servant of God, for thou hast believed in the Glorious Beauty (of El-ABHA) and art confirmed in the manifestation of the Kingdom of God, during this time.

It behooveth thee to sever thyself from all desires save thy Lord, the Supreme, expecting no help or aid from anyone in the universe, not even from thy father

+P 98 or children. Resign thyself to God! Content thyself with but little of this world's goods! Verily, economy is a great treasure. If one of thy relations oppress thee, complain not magnificent patience during every calamity and hardship. Verily thy Master is the Lord of Faithfulness! Forgive and overlook the shortcomings which have appeared in that one, for the sake of love and affection. Know that nothing will benefit thee in this life save supplication and invocation unto God, service in His vineyard, and, with a heart full of love, be in constant servitude unto Him.

If thy daily living become difficult, soon (God) thy Lord will bestow upon thee that which shall satisfy thee. Be patient in the time of affliction and trial, endure every difficulty and hardship with dilated heart, attracted spirit and eloquent tongue in remembrance of the Merciful. Verily this is the life of satisfaction, the spiritual existence, heavenly repose, divine benediction and the celestial table! Soon thy Lord will extenuate thy straightened circumstances even in this world.

O thou dear servant of God!

Thy letter was received and its contents noted. As to instructions which thou desirest, they are as follows:

Believe in God; turn unto the Supreme Kingdom; be attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA; remain firm in the Covenant; yearn for ascending unto the heaven of the sun of the universe; be disinterested in the world; be alive with the fragrances of holiness in the Kingdom

+P 99 of the Highest; be a caller to love; kind to the human race; gentle with humanity; interested in all the people of the world; wish for harmony and seek friendship and honesty. Be a healing for every wound, a remedy for every sick, a source of harmony among the people; chant the verses of guidance; pray to God; arise for the guidance of the people; let thy tongue explain and thy face illumine with the glowing of the love of God. Rest not a moment and breathe not a breath of repose until thou becomest a sign of God's love and a banner of God's favor.

O thou who art hoping for the Kingdom!

Thank thou God that He hath guided thee, led thee to the Kingdom of Being, ushered thee under the shade of the bounties of the Lord of Hosts, and that thou hast stepped into the Paradise of ABHA.

Do not grieve on account of the death of thy son, neither sigh nor lament. That nightingale soared upward to the divine rose-garden; that drop returned to the most great ocean of Truth; that foreigner hastened to his native abode; and that ill one found salvation and life eternal.

Why shouldst thou be sad and heartbroken? This separation is temporal; this remoteness and sorrow is counted only by days. Thou shalt find him in the Kingdom of God and thou wilt attain to the everlasting union. Physical companionship is ephemeral, but heavenly association is eternal. Whenever thou rememberest the eternal and never ending union, thou wilt be comforted and blissful.

+P 100 O dear servant of God!

Thy letter hath arrived and the contents have given glad-tidings that the ground for the Temple hath been bought and also told about the meeting which was held concerning the needs for the Temple. From this news great fragrance and joy were produced. Thanks be to God that thou wast helped to establish a meeting for this purpose. I hope that the members of this meeting will become the receivers of the divine benevolence and be aided by the heavenly assistances. But consult with the House of Spirituality of Chicago. Ye must all be perfectly united and harmonious until, through this harmony, ye may perpetually receive help from the Kingdom of God.

Concerning the members of this spiritual meeting, you suggested that they be selected from all the spiritual meetings of the other cities of America. I quite approve and am very much pleased with this plan. This will become the cause of harmony in the Word in all America. Therefore, ask every spiritual meeting in the other cities that they will each select one and send him, and from these selected ones and with those who are selected from the Chicago meetings, establish a new meeting for the provision of the needs of the Temple. If this be established with perfect fragrance and joy, it will produce great results. In this new meeting, especially for the establishment of the Temple, ladies are also to be members.

Give to all the divine friends the glad-tidings of the boundless heavenly blessings and tell them that the glances of the eyes of Providence are upon them and

+P 101 the perfect favor and bounty are descending upon them.

O thou dear maid-servant of God!

Thy letter, concerning the celebration of the anniversary of the declaration of His Holiness the Supreme+F1 -- may my spirit be sacrificed for Him! -- which was held on the land of the Mashrak-el-Azcar+F2 , was read.

The utmost joy was attained, for -- praise be to God! -- the friends of the Merciful passed some time on that day joyous and singing in the land of the Mashrak-el-Azcar and enjoyed commemorating the Lord of the verses with the greatest joy.

That melody was heard by the Supreme Concourse and that rose-song of the nightingale of faithfulness gladdened the people of the rose-garden of ABHA.

I am hopeful that, during the coming Rizwan+F3 , a great feast shall be held in the land of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, a spiritual celebration prepared and the melodies of the violin and the mandoline and hymns in praise and glorification of the Lord of Hosts make all the audience joyous and ecstatic.

A few days ago an epistle was written -- therefore, brevity is considered here.

Treat thy dear daughter, for me, with the utmost kindness and, likewise, the other friends and maid-servants of the Merciful.

O attracted maid-servant of God!

The epistle written (and sent) through Mirza...... was received. The account of the land designated for the

------------------------ 1. The BAB. 2. Site of Temple at Chicago, Ill. 3. April 21, 1909. +P 102 Mashrak-el-Azcar, of your placing therein, in company with Mrs. ........, nine stones and pouring thereon attar, water and olive oil, and of your commemorating the Beauty of ABHA and His Holiness the Supreme+F1 , was all understood.

That land is blessed because it is mentioned by the name of Mashrak-el-Azcar. Surely, the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful in all the cities of America must put forth the utmost of effort in order that the Mashrak-el-Azcar be raised in that land.

I am hopeful through the aids and confirmations of God that the beloved ones and maid-servants of the Merciful may achieve this service.

Express the utmost love and kindliness on behalf of Abdul-Baha to all the beloved and the dear maid-servants of the Merciful, especially Mrs. .......... and thy dear daughter.

O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!

I have considered thy writing, which indicates brightness of heart and the love of God. Blessed art thou for having been thus favored and for having attained to guidance.

You have asked me two questions: "That if the same spirit is manifest in all the Manifestations and Prophets, then what is the distinction or difference between Christ (or rather Jesus) and the other Prophets; also [what is the difference] between Father and Son?"

Know that the human spirit is one, but it manifests

------------------------ 1. The BAB. +P 103 itself in various members of the body in a certain (measure or) form. The human spirit is existent in the sight (eyes); it is also existent in the brain, which is the location of great functions and powers; it is also existent in the heart, which organ is largely connected with the brain or the center of the mind, and the heart, or that center which is connection with the brain, has a distinct and separate function, effect and appearance. In this connection, the hair and nails have no command (nor direct feeling).

Figuratively speaking, the Father is the center of the brain and the Son is the center of the heart; the rest of the Prophets are members and parts. Fatherhood and Prophethood, in this case, are two expressions of the same thing, as man and creature are two names of the same reality. The word "man," however, is greater than the word "creature" because it bears a weightier meaning than the name "creature"; both are the same.

O maid-servant of God! I pray God to confirm thee forever anew. Give greeting to thy dear mother. Superstition hath somewhat overcome her. When the imagined Satan overpowers, let her say: "O Baha-el-ABHA!" She should then turn to the highest Kingdom. Thus will the imagined Satan leave her. [She] has a form of obsession; therefore, you may not heed her sayings.

Cultivate the land and thus, through its fruits, you will obtain benefits. God will relieve you from care (on account) of your mother.

Give your good husband my spiritual greeting. I pray that he may be made a recipient of the divine bounties and attain to the grace of God.

+P 104 O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of Holiness!

Be dilated in thy heart by the gentle breeze which emanates from the garden of Eternal Life and enkindled in the Tree of Sinai in the center of Paradise; so that thou mayest be a pillar of fire and a cloud of light in this age, wherein a drop grows into a large wave of the sea, and a lamp glistens with the light of the dazzling stars, and this is from the power which is manifested by thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful. ***

Be firm in the worship of God, fasting, praying, imploring and invoking unto thy God, the Generous; so that He shall destine to thee the honor of sacrifice in the path of thy Beloved, the Ancient.

I ask God to grant thee thy greatest wish in this wonderful time.

O thou who art cheered through the Fragrances of

God!

When thou desirest and yearnest for meeting in the world of vision; at the time when thou art in perfect fragrance and spirituality, wash thy hands and face, clothe thyself in clean robes, turn toward the court of the Peerless One, offer prayer to Him and lay thy head upon the pillow. When sleep cometh, the doors of revelation shall be opened and all thy desires shall become revealed.

Endeavor to guide thy mother and confirm her in faith; when the heart becometh confident, the imagination of Satan and evil vanisheth away. If the heart becometh absolutely tranquil, suspicion and imagination will entirely pass away.

+P 105 O thou dear maid-servant of God!

Thy letter was read and I am very happy that thou art active and full of life through the spirit of Life and that thou art firm and steadfast in this great Cause.

To enter the Kingdom is easy, but to remain firm and constant is difficult. The planting of trees is easy, but their cultivation and training to strengthen their roots and to make them firm is difficult. Now, as thou art a firm tree, thou shalt certainly grow and send out branches, leaves and blossoms and bear fruits.

These branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits are the souls who may be guided, through the providence of God, by thee. Therefore, thou art confirmed and strengthened.

Some of the friends intended to visit the Holy Land, but hindrances prevented them and they have deferred their coming. You should also remain with your mother and serve her until a suitable time arrives.

Give my greetings and praise to my spiritual friend [thy husband] and gladden him with the joyful tidings of God; also, give the same to the friends of God and His maid-servants.

O thou who has sought shelter in the Impregnable

Cave!

Verily, the glad-tidings of God have encompassed Abdul-Baha from all directions. While his heart is beating with the love of God, he holds a cup full of the knowledge of God in his right hand and wishes to give the seekers to drink of this wine, so that they may, perchance, be exhilarated with this cup, which is overflowing with the signs of God.

+P 106

Be thou rejoiced at these words, because thou wilt partake of this wine which refreshes hearts and souls.

O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God!

Verily, I read thy letter and I besought God to cause thee to promulgate His divine Manifestation, to be rejoiced at the bounty of His Kingdom, to adhere to His Testament, to hold fast to the hem of the robe of His grandeur, to exert thyself in His Cause, to desire the unity of His dearly beloved ones, and the harmony amongst His chosen ones and to endeavor to remove the doubts which are being emanated from deceitful souls.

By the might of my Lord, verily, the Lord will assist only those who will remain firm in His Cause, and desire union, love, humility and submissiveness, and to become separated from aught else save God. Every forehead which is illuminated with these lights will be a lamp of guidance and a star whereby all horizons will be lighted.

Exert thyself with all thy heart and soul and with all strength, so that thou mayest become a sign of firmness and as a banner of the Word of God which may wave on every lofty edifice through the favor of thy Glorious Lord.

As to thy question concerning the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes: This is prophecy regarding the coming of Jesus in that book, the signs and marks of which were fulfilled with the appearance of the Promised One of the Bible+F1 ; but since the Jews did not understand the meaning thereof, so they denied Jesus and --

------------------------ 1. "Bible" signifies the Old Testament; "Gospel" signifies the New

Testament. +P 107 God forbid! -- said that He was the deformed (Antichrist). Then it is said by Jesus in the Gospel, that similar signs would appear in the "last day" -- or in other words -- in the day when Christ will come the second time in this world.

The interpretation of these statements is mentioned in the clearest manner and with the most wonderful proofs in the Book of Ighan+F1 . His honor, Ali-Kuli-Khan, has already translated this Book which will soon be published in America+F2 . Then you will be informed of the explanation and interpretation of these verses and statements as elucidated by the Blessed Perfection. Therefore my interpretation is not necessary.

As to thy question concerning the 54th chapter of Isaiah: This chapter refers to the Exalted Leaf, the mother of Abdul-Baha. As a proof to this it is said: "For more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife." Reflect upon this statement and then upon the following: "And thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited." And truly the humiliation and reproach which she suffered in the path of God is a fact which no one can refute. For the calamities and afflictions mentioned in the whole chapter are such afflictions which she suffered in the path of God, all of which she endured with patience and thanked God therefor and praised Him, because He had enabled her to endure afflictions for the sake of Baha'. During

------------------------ 1. During the time of BAHA'O'LLAH'S residence in Baghdad (the Dwelling of

Peace), men of learning, including Jews, Christians and Mohammedans, visited Him seeking answer to religious and scriptural questions. Such answer He gave in the Book of Ighan, otherwise known as the Book of Explanations and Assurance. It concerns the Reality and Authority of the human Divine "Manifestations." 2. The book was published in 1904. +P 108 all this time, the men and women (nakazeen) persecuted her in an incomparable manner, while she was patient, God-fearing, calm, humble and contented through the favor of her Lord and by the bounty of her Creator.

As to thee -- O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God! -- rise with all thy power to keep firm in the Testament of God, and firmly believe that, verily, all troops are defeated save those of the Testament and all banners are reversed, save that of the Covenant of God, which will wave over all horizons and will overshadow the hosts of spirit, love and peace, while agitated by the breeze of the favor of God. Be thou of the number of this great host and among the vanguard of this great and powerful army.

O thou illumined youth!

Thank thou God, for that the tongues spoke in thy praise and the pends moved with thy love, thy knowledge and thy enkindlement by the fire of the love of God. One of them is the pen of Abdul-Baha. Therefore, be a sign of knowledge, standard of assurance and a light of God, so that thou mayest become strengthened by the breaths of the Holy Spirit in these days.

O thou revered sincere one!

Know thou, verily, the brilliant realities and sanctified spirits are likened to a shining crescent. It has one face turned toward the Sun of Truth, and another face opposite to the contingent world. The journey of this crescent in the heaven of the universe ends in (becoming) a full moon. That is, that face of it which is

+P 109 turned toward the divine world becomes also opposite to the contingent world, and by this, both its merciful and spiritual, as well as contingent, perfections become complete.

O thou servant of God!

Thy letter was received. Thou hast spoken concerning thy lack of ability and capacity. Wert thou without ability and capacity, thou wouldst not have advanced toward the Kingdom of ABHA.

Consider how there are thousands of heedless souls who are asleep, while there is one who is conscious and awake! Even as His Holiness Christ has said, the friends of God are the salt of the earth, and the salt is but a little part of the whole. Undoubtedly the friends of God have been endowed with ability and capacity, on which account this became of the "chosen" and not of the "called."

O thou spiritual friend! This world is a prison for heavenly souls, and this earthly world is but a cage, and not a nest, unto the divine birds. A prisoner who is awake and conscious will certainly seek for freedom, and a mindful bird will certainly wish for deliverance from the cage. When the heart becometh free from attachment unto this world, it will crave for the world of the Kingdom and seek for eternal life.

O thou who are enkindled by the fire of the Love of

God!

Verily, I received thy good and beautiful letter and I found it to be a sign of thy love and an evidence of thy being attracted to the Beauty of El-ABHA. I ask

+P 110 God to make thee a caller to the Kingdom of El-ABHA, in those regions; to give thee a draught of the wine of grace, to attract thee to the center of guidance, to cause thee to ascend unto the Supreme World and to confirm thee by the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, until thou mayest guide the people unto the kingdom of immortality, revive the hearts by the fragrances of God and plant the seed of guidance in the field of the souls, by a help from thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.

As to the wonderful melody whereby thy spirit was revived, verily it is a melody of the melodies of the divine music, which will cause the spirits to ascend unto the Supreme Horizon and will (cause) the mysteries to be unfolded.

O maid-servant of God! Be one of the angels of peace and a saint in the world. Verily thy Lord will cause thee to listen to that wonderful melody, through the spiritual instrument.

Regarding thy visit to this region+F1 , it is not permissible at this time. But when the time comes, permission will be granted thee to present thyself at this Source of Light and Dawning-Point of the love of thy Lord, the Forgiver.

O thou who art made happy by the Fragrances of God!

Verily, I have not forgotten thee and will never forget thee. I supplicate my Lord and thy Lord to make thee a sign of His love among the maid-servants of the Merciful and an overflowing chalice with the wine of His knowledge among the women, so that thou be filled with the love of thy Lord and be severed from aught

------------------------ 1. Acca. +P 111 else save Him. Verily thy Lord is the Generous and the Giver. He will give thee what will dilate thy breast, enlighten thine eyes and attract thee in all conditions and circumstances.

+F1 Convey my love to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........, and say: &Serve God all you can, for this service is eternal and lasting.&

O maid-servant of God!

Thank God for choosing thee, saving thee and granting thee of these great blessings and glorious attainments. Verily, thy Lord shall confirm thee in that which shall surprise the minds, through the glowing of its love and the manifestations of the signs of its favors. It is incumbent upon thee to be pure and holy. It is incumbent upon thee to be severed from all else save thy Lord. Confine thy attention and thoughts to the Cause of thy great Lord and to diffusing His fragrances in that country.

O maid-servant of God! Commune with thy Lord, saying:

O my God! my God! Thanks be to Thee for guiding me unto Thy Kingdom, for opening before my face the door of Thy guidance, enlightening my eyes with beholding Thy signs, and filling my heart with the feelings of Thy love.

O Lord! O Lord! Make me severed from the world and void of its conditions, attracted by the fragrances of Thy holiness among Thy maid-servants,

------------------------ 1. Extract from Tablet. Copy sent in bore no opening line of address. +P 112 free in heart, happy in soul, cheerful in mind, longing for the Kingdom of Thy Beauty, and glowing with the fire of Thy love in the world. Thus may I enkindle the light of guidance in the hearts of Thy servants.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Bestower, the Precious, the Mighty!

O thou who art attracted by the Breath of God!

With all joy I read thy brilliant letter and was informed of its expression and meanings, which showed thine abundant love in God, thy humility before the beloved of God, thine attraction to the fragrances of God and thy firmness in the Testament of God.

I beg of God to make thee promote perfect harmony among the believers of God and pure affection amid the chosen ones of God and make thee [to] cause greatest tranquillity to all the creatures and [to] show kindness towards all the people on the earth, because the bounty of the Merciful God is but pure love, great prosperity and universal peace among the different people in all regions and laying the foundation of great happiness and felicity for all the creatures.

Consequently, O thou who art attracted by the fragrances of God, exert thyself and fail not to infuse affection throughout all hearts and souls; [fail not] to gather all the souls together in the assemblage of union and cheerfulness, so that the beloved of God may become as a levied army of the Supreme Concourse and as a host of salvation descending from the Kingdom of ABHA and conquer the countries of hearts and the cities of souls with their tongues, similar to sharp swords whereby fortresses and castles are conquered.

+P 113

By the Life of God! Verily I love thee with all my heart and pray for thee every eve and morn that the forgiving Lord may enable thee to serve in His excellent vineyard and make thee a sign of His signs, to cause thee to deliver His Cause, diffuse His breath (and I beg of Him) to strengthen thine honorable wife to that which behooveth these days. Verily He is the Giver of Confirmation in all circumstances!

O thou who art assuredly believing in God!

Verily, I read thy brilliant letter and thanked God for that He hath created a maid-servant for Baha', who prays for Abdul-Baha and beg the confirmation and assistance of God in his behalf, because I am earnestly fond of the prayer of the maid-servants of God in my behalf and of their asking the blessing of God for this servant!

I begged of God to ordain all good unto thee for thy praying for Abdul-Baha.

O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God, and looking unto the Day-spring of the lights of God!

I, with the utmost joy and cheerfulness, have perused the contents of thy letter, which shows thy faith in God, thy assurance in the Kingdom of God, the gladness of thy breast in hearing the voice of God and the adherence of thy heart to the word of God.

+P 114

O servant of God! rejoice through the glad-tidings of God, be happy by the wafting of the fragrance of God, and cling to the Kingdom of God in such wise that it makes thee separate thyself from the world and kindle in thy heart the fire of the love of God to such an extent that any one who approaches thee will feel its warmth; and if thou desirest to attain to this station, thou shouldst turn thyself wholly unto God. Perhaps an illumination will descend upon thee by which the fragrances of God will be diffused throughout those regions and districts and thou wilt be a lamp of guidance from which the lights of knowledge will emanate and spread in those far countries and distant lands.

O thou who art imploring God!

I was indeed acquainted with the great misfortunes and afflictions which have befallen thee, but I hope that through the bounty of thy Lord, He may ordain unto thee heavenly fragrance and spirituality, attractive and internal perceptions and incorporeal susceptibilities; that He may grant thee strength after weakness, give thee rest after trouble, bring thee nigh to Him, and make thee a sign of His love among all His maid-servants, and forgive thy father, mother, brother and grandfather their sins.

Verily, He is the Pardoner, the Forgiver.

O visitant of the Resort+F1 of spirits (who are) sincere in the Religion of God!

Blessed is the mother who bore thee and the breast whose milk suckled thee and the bosom wherein thou

------------------------ 1. Acca, Syria -- the Holy Land. +P 115 wert nurtured, because thou hast apprehended the Day of the Lord, hast prepared thyself to enter in unto His kingdom, hast set thy face singly toward His Gracious Countenance, hast believed in the Manifest Light, hast rejoiced in the Abundant Grace, hast responded to the Voice of thy Lord with a sincere and beating heart and hast presented thyself from those regions at the Glorious Threshold and hast marked thy forehead with the pure, holy, fragrant Tomb+F1 , the breaths of whose sanctity are spread abroad throughout the lands as fragrant musk is diffused unto the distant place! Then thank thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement, for this great salvation (or fruition, achievement, or attainment) and exceeding grace!

Now as to what thou askest concerning the spirit and its "return" to this world of humanity and this elemental space: Know that spirit in general is divided into five sorts -- the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and the divine spirit of sanctity.

The vegetable spirit is the virtue augmentative, or growing or vegetative faculty, which results from the admixture of the simple elements, with the co-operation of water, air and heat.

The animal spirit is the virtue perceptive resulting from the admixture and absorption of the vital elements generated in the heart, which apprehend sense impressions.

The human spirit consists of the rational, or logical, reasoning faculty, which apprehends general ideas and things intelligible and perceptible.

------------------------ 1. The Tomb of BAHA'O'LLAH. +P 116

Now these "spirits" are not reckoned as Spirit in the terminology of the Scriptures and the usage of the people of the Truth, inasmuch as the laws governing them are as the laws which govern all phenomenal being (i. e., all existences belonging to the phenomenal or material universe, called "the world of generation and corruption"), in respect to generation, corruption, production, change and reversion, as is clearly indicated in the Gospel where it says: "Let the dead bury their dead;" "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit"; inasmuch as he who would bury these dead was alive with the vegetative, animal and rational human soul, yet did Christ -- to whom be glory! -- declare such dead and devoid of life, in that this person was devoid of the Spirit of Faith, which is of the Kingdom of God.

In brief, for these three spirits there is no restitution or "return," but they are subordinate to reversions and production and corruption.

But the Spirit of Faith which is of the Kingdom (of God) consists of the all-comprehending Grace and the perfect attainment (or salvation, fruition, achievement) and the power of sanctity and the divine effulgence from the Sun of Truth on luminous light-seeking essences from the presence of the divine Unity. And by this Spirit is the life of the spirit of man, when it is fortified thereby, as Christ saith: "That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." And this Spirit hath both restitution and return, inasmuch as it consists of the Light of God and the unconditioned Grace. So, having regard to this state and station. Christ announced that John the Baptist was Elias, who was to come before

+P 117 Christ (Matt. 11:14). And the likeness of this station is as that of lamps kindled (from one another): for these in respect to their glasses and oil-holders, are different, but in respect to their light, One, and in respect to their illumination, One; nay, each one is identical with the other, without imputation of plurality, or diversity or multiplicity or separateness. This is the Truth and beyond the Truth there is only error.

But as to the question of the Trinity, know, O advancer unto God, that in each one of the cycles wherein the Lights have shone forth upon the horizons (i. e., in each prophetic dispensation) and the Forgiving Lord hath revealed Himself on Mount Paran (see Habbakkuk 3:3, etc.) or Mount Sinai, or Mount Seir (see Ezekiel 35), there are necessarily three things: The Giver of the Grace, and the Grace, and the Recipient of the Grace; the Source of the Effulgence, and the Effulgence, and the Recipient of the Effulgence; the Illuminator, and the Illumination, and the Illuminated. Look at the Mosaic cycle: The Lord, and Moses, and the Fire (i. e., the burning bush), the Intermediary; and in the Mohammedan cycle: The Lord, the Apostle (or Messenger, Mohammed), and Gabriel (for, as the Mohammedans believe, Gabriel brought the Revelation from God to Mohammed). Look at the sun and its rays and the heat which results from its rays; the rays and the heart are but two effects of the sun, but inseparable from it; yet the sun is one in its essence, unique in its real identity, single in its attributes, neither is it possible that anything should

+P 118 resemble it. Such is the essence of the Truth concerning the Unity, the real doctrine of the Singularity, the undiluted reality as to the (Divine) Sanctity.

But as to the question concerning the atonement on the part of the Holy Redeemer, I have explained this to thee by word of mouth in a plain and detailed manner, devoid of ambiguities, and I have made it clear to thee as the sun at noonday.

And I ask God to open unto thee the gates, that thou mayest thyself apprehend the true meanings of these mysteries. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the Beneficent, the Merciful!

O thou who art firm in the Covenant!

The means of communication being severed+F1 , your letter of *** was received only in these days. You have made mention of the persons who have lately accepted the Truth. Convey most wonderful ABHA greetings to Mrs. ........ and say: &Thank thou God for thou hast worn a crown studded with gems of the knowledge of God and partaken of the fountain of the Water of Life.& Convey also most wonderful greetings to Mrs. ........ and say: &Thou wast in darkness and thou hast attained the world of lights. Thou was not informed of Almighty God. I hope thou wilt witness signs.&

O thou real friend! Another letter [hath just been] received for thee. Its contents bear upon the cablegram which was sent to prevent publication. By thy dear life, thou wast not meant by it; for numerous publications were seen in newspapers and magazines

------------------------ 1. Interrupted. +P 119 which were not proper. The purpose of that cablegram is this: That each one of the beloved ones of God (believers in general who may wish to publish any writings or articles, etc.) should first send the same to the Holy Land, to be seen (or examined) and then printed. And this matter is general and this (message) was sent equally to America, Persia, India and Turkestan. I have the utmost love for thee and thy family for thou servest me -- how can I be offended at you? Be assured and happy. Convey my greetings to thy sons and also to the maid-servant of God, thy wife.

O thou slave of the Beauty of ABHA!

Thy letter was received. Praise be to God! It indicated thy firmness and steadfastness in the love of God -- therefore, it was the cause of happiness.

Thou hast written regarding the meeting of his honor Mr. ........, his respected wife and daughter. Truly, I say, Mr. ........ is a blessed soul and is engaged in the service of the Cause and his extreme hope is to bring about affinity between the souls and cause the believers to be united and agree. This is also my highest hope. I hope, God willing, this unity and agreement will be established and this imprisoned one, immersed in the sea of trials, become exhilarated and rejoiced. The aim of the appearance of the Blessed Perfection -- may my life be a sacrifice for His beloved ones! -- was the unity and agreement of all the people of the world. Therefore, my utmost desire, firstly, is the accord and union and love of the believers and after that of all the people of the world. Now, if unity and agreement is not established among the believers,

+P 120 I will become heartbroken and the afflictions will leave a greater imprint upon me. But if the fragrance of love and unity among the believers is wafted to my nostrils, every trial will become a mercy, every unhappiness a joy, every difficulty an expansion, every misery a treasure and every hardship a felicity.

Convey on my behalf the utmost love and kindness to the favored maid-servant of God [thy wife], and thy worthy and noble sons.

O thou who art awakened from the sleep of negligence and forgetfulness!

Thank God for that He hath awakened thee from thy sleep, found thee after thy being lost and quickened thee after thy death. Verily, I beg God to confirm thee by a power by which thou mayest be enabled to worship God and to serve His Cause and to be submissive and lowly before the beloved of God.

Verily, I remember thee in my prayers an din my invocation, beseeching the Heavenly Father, the Lord of Hosts, to confirm thee by a power and cause thee to be firm and to work and serve in the olive garden of God and to be lowly and submissive before His Holy and Exalted Threshold.

O thou fortunate and righteous, sincere and pious!

Thank thou God for that by reason of which the breath of God hath awakened thee and the spirit of God hath quickened thee and raised thee from among the dead with a joyful spirit of life.

In my prayers I supplicate God to bestow upon thee in all cases and aspects an influential and penetrating

+P 121 power that thou mayest be a firm, faithful and successful servant in the garden of El-ABHA, and a skillful laborer in the vineyard of God.

O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of

God!

Verily, I supplicate God to illuminate thy heart through the light which is shining from the Supreme Concourse that His mightiest power may strengthen thee to be firm, steadfast, submissive and lowly before the Kingdom of God, and to be an example of good deeds among the maid-servants of the Merciful. And I beseech Him to make thy breast a clear mirror to reflect the light of the spirit of God.

O thou at whose mention I am rejoiced!

By God, the True One, verily pure hearts are as clear and brilliant mirrors which imprint the one on the other, and hearts discover the secrets of hearts. Therefore, they (hearts) chant the verses of longing and recite the odes of glorification and praise. Consequently, the recourse is to pages of hearts, not pages filled with written lines.

Give my greetings to thy revered wife and announce to her the glad-tidings of a gift from God; and I beg of God to make her a spark from out the fire of His love. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty!

O thou who art assured in God!

Verily we read thy letter and asked for thee confirmation. Verily thy Lord will strengthen thee in

+P 122 great spirituality and cause thy heart to overflow with the gifts of God.

All the servants of the Merciful here convey to thee greetings and praise. ***

O thou who art advanced towards God!

Verily I implore God to cause thee to be a sign of the book of Genesis, declaring His mentionings and His praise among the creatures, with brilliant face, smiling mouth, dilated breast and rejoiced heart, for the manifestation of His evident glory and the appearance of His illumining Beauty from that wonderful horizon.

Surely a day will come when all thy desires will be attained and God will answer all that which thou hast prayed for in thine heart, and I beg of Him to make all that which thou hast longed for long ago very attainable. Then thine heart will be overflowed with joy on account of such a great bounty.

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!

Verily I read thy new letter and was informed of its meanings, which proved thy lowiness to thy Glorious Lord.

Verily we promised thee, by the favor of thy Lord, last year, that thy Lord would grant thee "sight of eyes" (i. e., a son), a blessed birth. Thanks and praise be unto God for that He granted thee a good descendant and dilated thy breast by this great bounty. It is incumbent on thee to offer many thanks to the Merciful Lord for this great favor in the world of humanity. Verily I implore unto God to make him a

+P 123 sign of His Kingdom, illuminated, spiritual and god-like among the children.

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!

Thank God for giving and granting thee "sight of eyes" (i. e., a son) whereby thy bosom becomes dilated and thy heart rejoiced.

Then make his name "Ruhullah" (i. e., the Spirit of God), so that the Spirit of thy Lord, the Merciful of the Merciful, will confirm him.

O maid-servant of God! Know, verily, that the one who bore similar name (i. e., Ruhullah), son of Varga, was martyred in the path of God in the twelfth year of his life. While he was beneath the unsheathed sword he called out "Ya Baha-el-ABHA!" until he was killed in the path of God.

We called thy son by this noble name so that he may have a great station in the Kingdom of God.

O thou sincere servant of the True One!

Thy letter caused joy to the hearts. Its meanings perfumed the nostrils like unto a tender flower and a red rose. The heat of thy longing was felt and thy wish to present thyself to the blessed Threshold was recognized. Happy art thou who hast entered this Supreme Paradise under the shadow of the Tree of Life and hast partaken of the Heavenly Table. This Servant hath also the utmost longing to see thee and hopeth that some day this wish may be attained. But in these days, owing to the sedition of these faithless ones (i. e., violators), coming to this blessed region is (subject to) great caution. Therefore, leave it to some

+P 124 other time and be engaged in diffusing the lights of the Sun of Truth.

Turn thou unto the Kingdom of Oneness and chant thou the verses of Singleness. Be thou invested with a robe, the embroidery of which is purity and sanctity and the woof and warp of which is the spirituality of the Mighty Lord, so that thou mayest inhale the fragrance of the divine rose-garden from the garment of the real Joseph and so divest thyself of the mantle of bodily things that angelhood and ideal spirituality become realized (in thee).

O thou who art firm in the Covenant!

I have seen the letter which thou hast written to Mr. ......... The opinion (expresssed therein) was very agreeable. The Spiritual Meeting of Consultation of New York must be in the utmost union and harmony with the Spiritual Meeting of Consultation of Chicago, and that which they deem advisable to publish, these two Meetings of Consultation must unitedly approve of it and deem its publication advisable. Then the Meeting of Consultation must send one copy thereof to Acca, in order that it may be also approved of here and then returned, and that the it may be printed and published.

That the two Spiritual Meetings of Chicago and New York must be in unity and harmony is very important, and when a Spiritual Meeting may be also organized in Washington in a befitting manner, these two meeting (of Chicago and New York) must be also in unity and harmony with that meeting.

To be brief, it hath been decided by the Desire of

+P 125 God that union and harmony may day by day increase among the friends of God and maid-servants of the Merciful One, in the West. Not until this is realized will the affairs advance by any means whatever! And the greatest means for the union and harmony of all is Spiritual Meetings. This matter is very important and is as a magnet (to attract or) for divine confirmation. If the beauty of this Divine Beloved One -- that is, unity of believers -- does appear in the ornament of the Kingdom of ABHA, it is certain that those countries will, in a short time, become the Paradise of ABHA and the light of Unity (or Oneness) and Singleness will shine upon the whole world from the West. We+F1 are endeavoring with all heart an soul, have no rest night and day, nor a moment of tranquillity, so that we may make the world of humanity the mirror of the divine unity; how much more the beloved of God! And this wish and hope shall appear and shine forth at that time when the true friends of God may arise and act in accord with the teachings of the Beauty of ABHA -- may my life be a sacrifice to His beloved ones! One of the teachings is that love and faithfulness must so prevail in the hearts that men may see the stranger as a friend, the sinner as an intimate fellow, may count enemies as allies, regard foes as loving comrades, call their executioner the giver of life, consider the denier as a believer and the unbeliever as a faithful one -- that is, men must behave in such a manner as may befit the believers, the faithful, the friend and the confidant. If this lamp may shine in a befitting manner in the assemblage of the world you

------------------------ 1. Abdul-Baha himself. +P 126 will find that the regions will become fragrant and the world become a delectable paradise, the surface of the earth will become an excellent garden, the world will become as one home, the different nations will become as one kind, and the peoples and nationalities of the East and West will become as one household. I hope such a day may come and such lights may dawn and such a Countenance may appear in the utmost beauty.

O thou maid-servant of God!

Though thy letter was brief in words, it was ample in significance. It indicated that thy heart is illumined, thine inner sight is open and thine ear of understanding is familiar with the mystery. This is a gift from God, the Independent.

Thine expression of kindness to Miss ........ is very acceptable. Be thou kind to all on the earth, a care-taker (or helper) to every sick person, an open treasure to every indigent one; offer thou salutary water to the athirst; bestow the bread (or food) of life upon the hungered; console thou the helpless, exhort the ignorant and seek forgiveness for the sinner.

If, hereafter, thou mayest write a letter to Miss ........, deliver unto her this my message: &O Miss ........! The Tree of Life is full of blossoms, leave and fruits! -- the shade thereof is a peace to soul and a rest to the consciousness. Whosoever is under this Tree will certainly partake of fruit. But shade trees are many in the forest, which, though fresh and verdant, are, nevertheless, fruitless. This truth shall finally become clear and manifest unto thee.&

Kiss thou the face and hair of Ruhullah on my behalf.

+P 127 O God who art without likeness!

The servant of Thy Kingdom, Mr. ........, reached the Holy Threshold in the utmost of sincerity and longing and sought Thy good will. It is some time that he hath been engaged in the land of America with Thy commemoration and known by Thy commendation. To the beloved he is a cause of joy and to the friends a means of unity and gladness.

O world Creator! For his life -- well done! -- for he is alive with Thy name and thoughtful of Thee night and day. Confer upon him Thy grace that he may daily receive a new life, attain a fresh bounty, offer a new service to Thy Threshold and serve Thy Throne.

Thou art the Giver, the Forgiver and Thou art the Pardoner, the Educator.

O thou servant of Baha'!

Thy visit is accepted and thy name ever mentioned in the presence of Abdul-Baha. I forget thee not for a moment but remember thee always. I seek confirmation and strength from God for thee. Rest thou assured and be happy in the love of Abdul-Baha. Know for a certainty that divine confirmation will arrive and great attainment be made.

O servant of Baha'!

Thy letter written to his honor, Mirza ........, with the enclosed map of the ground of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, hath been seen.

The place is suitable, but if it were possible to have

+P 128 a wider piece of ground, so that the building should stand in the middle, surrounded by a flower garden, it would be better and more pleasing; otherwise, if this is not possible, the building on the present ground is also permissible.

The flowers which Ruhullah picked on the ground of the Mashrak-el-Azcar and thou didst send to me brought with them and exhaled a very sweet fragrance. This fragrance is just as thou didst write, "the fragrance of the rose-garden of the unity of the East and West." I hope that daily these fragrances may become more powerful and more diffused throughout the world.

Thou must hasten to send his honor .... ...... all the writings for which he asked, to Rangoon, India.

An utmost happiness was produced by the news of the good health and safety of the friends of God.

My spiritual beloved, his honor, Mr. ........, is rendering a great service to the Kingdom of ABHA and becoming a means of strong attraction towards, and connection with the world above by making this long tour+F1 and giving the news of the Holy Spot and diffusing the fragrances of the love of God.

As to the calamities and afflictions of Abdul-Baha: These are not calamities, but bounties; they are not afflictions, but gifts; not hardships, but tranquillity; not trouble, but mercy -- and we thank God for this great favor.

O thou who art advancing unto God!

Praise God that He guided thee to the Path of His Kingdom, blessed thee with the word of holiness, and

------------------------ 1. Through the western states. +P 129 illumined thy heart with a light shining in the lofty Kingdom.

O maid-servant of God! Every star hath a setting, but the star of the knowledge of God in the divine heaven; every light shall darken save the light of the guidance of God; every dignity shall vanish away save the glory under the shadow of the Word of God.

Verily, I pray God to make thee firm in this Path; to cause thee to enter the Ark of Safety; and to strengthen thee in becoming humble and meek to the maid-servants of the Merciful, and in overcoming self and passion through the power of God.

O my dear, intimate friend!

Verily, I address thee with such an appellation whereby the hearts of those who are endowed with intelligence, are dilated with joy; because, verily, this is from my heart which is overflowing with the love of God -- and an appellation that proceeds from love will certainly be as a spirit for the souls, as a light to the eyes, as a life to bodies and as a dressing for the hearts and bodies which are wounded and lacerated by the afflictions of this world. Then be consoled by the praise of thy Lord, whenever thou art attacked by grief and sorrow.

O thou candle of the Love of God!

I ask God to grant thee by His favor and grace that which is thy utmost desire; that the closed doors become opened, the uneven roads become even, thy face shine by the love of God, thy sight become brighter

+P 130 by witnessing the signs of God; that thou mayest attain spiritual joy, eternal happiness and heavenly life.

O thou maid-servant of God!

Thank God that thou dost believe in the Greatest Manifestation, art confident in the Word of God and dost hold to the divine teachings. I hope that thou mayest be confirmed to give the Message to thy friends and relatives and guide them also. Be patient and forbearing and treat them with great love and kindness. Surely the attributes of the people of God will have their effect eventually upon the people.

O thou beloved of my heart!

Verily, my soul longs for thee, for the lamp of the love of Baha' is lighted within thy heart and I love to look upon thy face, for it is glittering with the light of guidance among the creatures. Glory be to Him who hath united hearts together! Glory be to Him who hath brought the East and West under the shadow of the Blessed Tree, the root of which is firmly fixed in the earth and the branches of which reach unto the Supreme Concourse!

O thou who art partaking of the Heavenly Food!

Know thou verily the Divine Food is descending from heaven, but only those taste thereof who are directed to the light of guidance, and only those can enjoy it who are endowed with a sound taste. Otherwise every diseased soul disliketh the delicious and merciful food and this is because of the sickness which

+P 131 hath seized him, whereby the El-Zekkum+F1 is sweet (to his taste) while he fleeth from the ripe fruit of the Tree of the Living and Pre-existent God -- and there is no wonder in that.

In a similar way, thou beholdest some women who have abandoned the Testament, and to them the bitterness of discord is sweet. They keep aloof from the Extended Shadow and dwell under the shade of a "black smoke." Alas for them and grief for them! They will surely lament and find themselves in loss. Verily, this is but an evident truth!

O thou tree, developed in the garden of the Love of

God!

Be well watered with the abundant rain falling from the clouds of the Testament of God, that thou mayest bring forth fresh and ripe fruits which are beneficial to the hearts and souls.

O thou spiritual man and merciful being!

I have read thy brilliant letter which showeth the utterance of thy praise upon the Beauty of El-ABHA, the Most Glorious. Blessed thou art! Glad-tidings unto thee for that by reason of which thou hast drunk from the cup which is overflowing with the wine of the love of God, and hast become intoxicated from that pure wine which was given to thee from the hand of Providence in the meeting of the knowledge of God.

Take the cup of sanctity in thy right hand and pass the glass of the Kingdom, in the social meeting -- which

------------------------ 1. El-Zekkum -- a thorny tree so called, which bears fruit like an almond, but extremely bitter. Therefore the tree symbolizes a very sever punishment and bitter remorse for the unbelievers. +P 132 is the wine of the love of God and the sweet, pure, cool water of the knowledge of God -- and give to drink to those who are in attendance, that they may rejoice, be happy and sing the hymns of sanctity and unification, offering their praise to the Supreme Kingdom.

O thou who art attracted to the Holy Fragrances!

The light of truth hath made thine eyes to see, the voice of God hath made thine ears to hear and the lights emanating from the beauty of the Light of the World both made thine heart attracted and astonished. I hope that thou wilt cut thyself from all that is in this world; wilt sever thyself from all desires of this transitory world; wilt attach thy heart entirely to the light of truth and wilt, at all times, rise in the service of truth in the rose-garden of God.

The deriding of the enemy addeth to the joy of the heart and taunting of the ignorant becometh the means of spirituality and fragrance.

Observe that the Pharisees called His Holiness, the sweet and the divine Christ, Beelzebub or the head of evil spirits. This people (the people of the world) are in the depths of ignorance and their reproach and detraction are like praise and congratulation.

I hope that, in the path of the love of God, thou wilt exert thyself exceedingly and thus wilt enjoy life.

The letter which thou hadst written to Mrs. ...... was perused by me. Indeed, its contents were indicative of divine knowledge and showed that thou art really attracted to the Beauty of God. Thou hast very well explained the question of the progress of man in

+P 133 the higher stations and his reaching the life eternal. This explanation is indeed from the confirmation of the Holy Spirit.

O thou who art accepted of God!

Know thou that, verily, the eye of favors is directed to thee and is beholding thee with a divine glance, so that thou mayest, with clear eyes, see the lights of the Kingdom upon the horizon. Remember, at all times, this great favor and thank thy Lord and supplicate to Him every day.

O thou servant of God!

According to what I have heard, thou hast experienced a great financial loss. Do not feel sorry, for thou wilt be compensated. I hope that whatever thou hast lost will come back to thee. But this material loss is not a very grave one; it is for a time and shall pass away. Alhamdallah!+F1 -- that thou hast a share in the Kingdom of God and art receiving gifts from the treasury of the Holy Spirit. Do not feel sorry; do not brood over the loss; do not sit down depressed; do not be silent; but, on the contrary, day and night be engaged in the commemoration of thy Lord in the greatest joy and gladness.

O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of the Deity!

Verily, I have read thy clear letter, and was heartily cheered at its elegant style, because it indicated thy sincerity in the Cause of God, thy hearty adherence

------------------------ 1. Praise be to God! +P 134 to the Word of God, and thy service in the vineyard of God.

O thou maid-servant of God! Be tranquil and know, verily, that indeed, the Holy Ghost in this glorious age teacheth every soul that is sincerely faithful, firm and drawn to the Kingdom of the Great Lord. Verily, I address thee with a heart overflowing with the love of God.

I beg of God to ordain for thee all that which thou desirest and grant thee the honors of meeting, and that thou mayest be a true maid-servant, emptied of all save Him, that thou mayest be apt in serving in His vineyard and in guiding thy two children into His Right Path.

Indeed thou wilt see the teachings of God spread in those regions by the breath of the Holy Spirit, and thou wilt discover the fragrances of the paradise of the Kingdom.

Verily, these glad-tidings are very great for thee, and also for the maid-servants of the Merciful One, and for the men of God in that wide region (i. e., America).

O ye+F1 who are longing for the beauty of El-ABHA!

Verily that Light (i. e., the Light of the Manifestation) shone forth from the horizon of the Manifestation, appeared upon the horizon of existence, and the darkness was changed into light; the Sun of Guidance dawned in the horizon of heaven, whereby the eyes which were looking unto the Kingdom of God were illuminated, the breasts which were filled with God's

------------------------ 1. Husband and wife. +P 135 love were dilated, and the heavenly spirits were attracted by the magnet of the Holy Spirit, so that the hearts became as pure mirrors reflecting the godlike appearances and manifesting the heavenly lights -- except the eyes which were in the veil of imitation of the forefathers (i. e., those who followed the theories of their fathers) were hindered from or veiled from witnessing that brilliant and godlike illumination, and the people held to the superstitions of the Pharisees and neglected the mystery of God and the glad-tidings (recorded) in the Holy Scriptures, which elucidated the appearance of the Lord of Hosts in the promised day.

As to you -- O ye who are attracted to the fragrances of God! -- kneel down and thank God for choosing you to enter His wonderful Kingdom.

How many of the Pharisees were waiting for the appearance of the Spirit (i. e., Jesus) then were veiled from it. But ye have taken away the veil and were guided unto the light, have given up imitating forefathers and directed your eyes to the Sun of Truth, which is shining in the Supreme Horizon. This is a favor to you on the part of your Lord, and a gift for you.

O maid-servant of God!

Thy letter was understood. Thou hast asked, very humbly, for certain things and all were worthy to be coveted. Thou desirest forgiveness of sins; didst ask for great unity and peace; sought nearness to the Threshold of God; hoped to be detached from thine own will, seeking the will of God; prayed for rescue from self-love (or selfishness); hoped for progress in

+P 136 the station of knowledge; desired to serve God; and prayed that thy honorable husband and thy children may be set aglow with the fire of the love of God and may manifest light on their brows through the radiance of the knowledge of God. All these wishes are well worthy of asking. Especially the rescue from self-love. This is a strange trait and means of the destruction of many important souls in the world. If man be imbued with all good qualities but be selfish, all the other virtues will fade or pass away and eventually he will grow worse.

I hope the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful will be entirely freed from selfishness. Should this become their nature, they will indeed become manifestations of great bounties, and the doors of the divine grace will open.

Be thou grateful to Mrs. ........ for having led thee to the Straight Path and guiding thee to the Kingdom of God. If thou shouldst thank her a thousand times an hour, thou wilt fail to thank her sufficiently for the attainment.

***O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!

Know thou that the heart of Abdul-Baha is overflowing with great love for thee, and verily he is night and day invoking and beseeching the Kingdom of God that He may make thee a sign of His mercy among His creatures, a cause of love and harmony and a means of hinging [or a pivot for] every good among the people of all regions, and to make thee announce to the people the opening of the door of the Kingdom.

+P 137 "Verily God will appropriate His mercy unto whom He pleaseth."

O thou servant of God! Turn thy face thoroughly unto God, so that He may make thee to show forth the Greatest Gift and make thee to be a source of those signs which may prove thy proper relationship unto God and the joy of thy heart, through the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, in every moment and instant.

Be thou sure that, verily, thy deceased child is now one of those babes who are suckled in the Kingdom of Life, under the charge of the Beauty of El-ABHA. "Verily, God confirmeth whom He wisheth!"

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!

Verily I read thy excellent letter which contained thy praises of the Supreme Lord. Verily I supplicate God to confirm thee in that which He desireth, to protect thee from conceit and self-exaltation and from selfish concerns, to make thee devoted unto Him and resigned unto Him and to be the means of promoting the divine love amongst the dearly beloved of God. And I beseech Him to preserve thee from the confirmed tests and great trials which break backs and perish souls and to make thee a sign of submissiveness and a standard of meekness, lowliness and humility before the Kingdom of the Mighty and Omnipotent God.

O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!

Verily I noted thy writing and was made glad by thy letter. I pray God to cause thee to attain the

+P 138 bounties of the Kingdom, so that thou mayest arise for the service of the Cause of God and that of the world of humanity -- and (may God's) blessing descend upon thy honorable wife. Verily my Lord is kind unto His servants and is the Generous, the Giver of Bounty!

Know that the return of Christ for a second time doth not mean what the people believe, but, rather, signifieth the One promised to come after Him. He shall come with the Kingdom of God and His power which hath surrounded the world. This power (or reign) is in the world of hearts and spirits and not in that of matter (or bodies). For the material world is not comparable to a single wing of a fly, or rather less in the sight of thy Lord, wert thou of those who know! Verily Christ came with His Kingdom from the beginning which hath no beginning and will come with His Kingdom to the eternity of eternities, inasmuch as in this sense Christ is an expression of the divine reality, the simple essence and heavenly entity which hath no beginning or ending. It hath appearance, arising and manifestation and setting in each of the cycles.

O thou who art marching unto God!

Thy letter was read. Its contents indicated thy devotion to the Horizon of the Living God and thy love for the Promised Perfection. Firmness is, however, a requisite. Thou must remain solid and firm as a great mountain.

Regarding thy revered wife, thou hast written that a warmer place is more suitable than the cold. If this

+P 139 winter thou shouldst go to those regions, it is better. I ask God that thou, thy wife and thy friends may draw nigh unto the Spiritual Beauty.

Rejoice, O maid-servant of God!

-- for that thou hast known God and heard His call and art attracted to His breaths! Then prostrate thyself and kneel down before the gracious Lord, in His great Kingdom, and say:

&My Lord! My Lord! I praise Thee and I thank Thee for that whereby Thou hast favored Thine humble maid-servant, Thy slave beseeching and supplicating Thee, because Thou hast verily guided her unto Thine obvious Kingdom and caused her to hear Thine exalted Call in the contingent world and to behold Thy Signs which prove the appearance of Thy victorious reign over all things. &O my Lord, I dedicate that which is in my womb unto Thee. Then cause it to be a praiseworthy child in Thy Kingdom and a fortunate one by Thy favor and Thy generosity; to develop and to grow up under the charge of Thine education. Verily Thou art the Gracious! Verily Thou art the Lord of Great Favor!&

O thou who art afflicted by a visitation by which thine eyes are overflowing with tears!

Be not grieved and afflicted for this calamity which hath befallen thee; nay, rather, rejoice that God hath favored (thy babe) with His heavenly gifts. Truly, I say unto thee, wert thou informed of that felicity which thy babe hath attained in the worlds of God,

+P 140 thy breast would be dilated and thy soul would be purified. Truly, I say unto thee, thy child will be fostered from the breast of the gift of God in the Exalted Kingdom and will be nursed in the bosom of mercy in the Supreme World of God. Therefore, be filled with delight, for the favor of thy Lord is very great!

I beg of God to pour on thee becoming patience, so that thy heart may be consoled with the fragrance of His mercy and that thy breast may be dilated with His favors, that thou mayest attain to the spiritual states which are lasting forever and ever.

Thou oughtest to bear it with becoming patience. Again, thou oughtest to patiently bear this calamity which hath flowed thine eyes with tears and hath greatly afflicted thee.

O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!

Verily, I read thy beautiful letter, its good composition, and I scented from the garden of its significances the fragrance of God's love. I pray God to confirm thee in the Path, to cause thee to enter the Ark of Safety, to reveal unto thee the signs and manifest to thee the evidences; thus thou mayest be firm in the love of God, steadfast in the religion of God and a growing tree by the bounty of the Kingdom of El-ABHA.

O maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced for God hath made thee a believing maid-servant in His Holy Threshold and a leaf of the leaves of the Tree of Life. If God giveth thee good descendants and a manly son, rest assured in that he will be a good son, looking unto

+P 141 the Supreme Horizon and confident in his soul by the favors of the Lord of the High Heavens.

I supplicate God to make His beloved ones in Cincinnati (O.) glow with the fire of Sinai, imploring unto the Kingdom of El-ABHA, meek and lowly for the sake of God among His beloved, denying self and passion, grasping the rope of piety, so that they may be lamps of guidance in those regions. I pray God to make thee a maid-servant whose garment shall be faithfulness and the crown of her head the love of El-Baha.

Convey greeting and praise from me to thy honorable husband. I ask God to aid him with a strength whereat minds shall amaze in the Cause of the Living God.

O ye+F1 illumined faces! O ye divine souls! and O ye spiritual temples!

Verily, I read your letter which uttered your extreme love and entire attraction to the Kingdom of God, your trust in God, your immersing into the deep seas of the bounties of God and your chanting the verses of thanksgiving to God, because He guided you to His Eternal Kingdom, manifested to you His evident light, descended upon you a heavenly table through His great favor, planted you in His glorious vineyard and caused you to become manifestations of guidance among the people and dawning-points of wisdom among the creatures.

Servants of God! Sanctify the soul and dilate the breast by the promise your Lord gave you, that, verily, He confirms you through the hosts of inspiration.

------------------------ 1. To the Board of Counsel of Kenosha (Wis.). +P 142 Ye will see (the time when) your faces shine as stars in the horizon of guidance and your heads crowned by the crown of success in the Supreme World.

O Thou kind Lord!

These souls are Thy friends and this gathering is longing for Thee. They are captives of the lights of Thy Beauty and ecstatic by Thy musk-scented locks. Their hearts are Thine; they are Thy poor, humble and homeless; they have severed themselves from relative and stranger and have established the relationship of unity with Thee. They have adored Thee. They were sons of earth; Thou hast made them new fruits of the Kingdom. They were plants of the desert of bereavement; Thou hast made them trees of the rose-garden of knowledge. They were silent; Thou hast made them speak. They were extinct; Thou hast lighted them. They were sterile soil; Thou hast made them the rose-garden of significances. They were the children of the world of humanity; Thou hast caused them to attain development and the maturity of the Kingdom!

O kind One! Grant them shelter and security under Thy protection, preserve them from tests and trials, send them invisible help and confer upon them the doubtless bounty, O Thou kind Beloved!

They are the body and Thou art the Life. The body is dependent for its life and freshness upon the Spirit -- therefore they are in need of confirmation and long for the Breaths of the Holy Spirit in this new Cause!

Thou art the Able! Thou art the Giver, the Educator, the Forgiver, the Pardoner and the Light shining from the Invisible Realm!

+P 143 O ye+F1 who are attracted to the Heavenly Kingdom! O ye who are enlightened by the Light of Guidance!

O ye lamps lighted by the Light of Love and

Affection!

Verily, I have read your brilliant letter, which indicated your enkindlement by the fire of the love of God and prayed [for] your entrance into the Kingdom of God.

Blessed ye are, O ye who are firm and steadfast in the Covenant of God!

Blessed ye are, O ye shining stars from the horizon of the love of God!

I supplicate to God to make you the heralds of His mercy, spreaders of the fragrances of His holiness, utterers of His name, servants in His vineyard and dwellers in the Paradise of El-ABHA; so that ye may become signs of guidance, standards of love and divine fruitful trees, cheerfully moved by the breezes of God.

Make firm your feet in the Cause of God; dilate your breasts by the glad-tidings of God and turn to the kingdom of God with pure hearts, sanctified souls, cheerful spirits, brightened eyes and illumined faces. Verily, I say unto you then (when ye become so) the angels of holiness will welcome you by the glad-tidings of God, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O ye+F2 maid-servants of the Merciful! Leaves of the

Tree of Life!

Thank ye the Lord, for He hath removed the covering from off your insight, illuminated your eyes by witnessing the Sun of Truth, purified your souls, and

------------------------ 1. To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly. 2. To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly. +P 144 hath quickened your hearts through the holy fragrances which are being diffused from the garden of the kingdom of His Great Glory!

O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! It is incumbent upon you to soar up with wings of joy and happiness unto the apex of exultation and gladness; for He hath assigned unto you the greatest guidance in the Day of Resurrection, and hath crowned you with the diadem of glory and divine honor among the women of the whole world, and hath chosen you above the queens of the world for His great bounty.

Verily, the crowns which are on the heads of the noble women -- the queens of the world -- all their bases will be finally broken, their gems scattered away, their luster removed and will become as dispersed dust. But your magnificent crowns are everlastingly brilliant and permanently glorious and mighty and their gems scintillating throughout cycles and ages.

This is the highest gift! This is the greatest bestowal! Thank ye your Lord for this great bounty and favor! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! verily, your Lord, the Supreme, is calling upon you from His Ancient Kingdom and announces unto you such glad-tidings, whereat the hearts of the angels of heaven rejoice.

It is incumbent upon you to strip yourselves of every old garment (i. e., old beliefs and past customs). It is incumbent upon you to be severed from this contemptible earthly world. It is incumbent upon you (to seek after) the Kingdom, in this great Day!

Purify ye your hearts, sanctify your souls and cleanse your spirits; so that ye may attain to this great success.

+P 145 Then ye will become the angels of heaven, will enter among the Supreme Concourse and will permanently abide in the paradise of union (with God), and will be associated with the Beauty of El-ABHA.

O ye+F1 firm, steadfast, and faithful Believers!

Verily, I, from this brilliant and Blessed Spot, speak to you face to face, while ye are in that far distant country, saying: &O people of loyalty, O people of faithfulness, O people who are awakened by the Breath of God, O people who are inhaling the scent of life from the Spirit of God! The path hath become smooth, the way straightened, the carpet of the Kingdom is spread, the Tabernacle hath been elevated upon the Hill of Might, the powers of heaven have been shaken, the corners of the earth have quaked, the sun has been darkened, the moon ceased to give light, the stars have fallen, the nations of the earth have lamented, and the Son of Man hath come upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and He hath sent His angels with the sound of the great trumpet, and no one knows the meaning of these emblems save the wise and informed. &Ye are the angels, if your feet be firm, your spirits rejoiced, your secret thoughts pure, your eyes consoled, your ears opened, your breasts dilated with joy, and your souls gladdened, and if you arise to assist the Covenant, to resist dissension and to be attracted to the Effulgence! Verily, I say unto you that the Word of God has assuredly been explained and has become an evident sign and a strong and solid proof,

------------------------ 1. To the Kenosha assembly. +P 146 and its traces shall be spread in the East and West, and to these all heads shall bow and all souls shall submit and kneel down with their faces to the ground.&

O ye+F1 dear friends and maid-servants of God!

A good fragrance is coming from the rose-garden of Kenosha and a pleasing breeze is blowing from the orchard of the hearts of the friends and maid-servants of the Merciful.

Praise be to God, that town, by the presence of the beloved ones and the maid-servants of the Merciful, hath become a veritable paradise and its space, like unto the heavens, is illuminated with radiant lamps. If this conflagration and attraction continue for a period, Kenosha will soon attain great provisions, will travel with speed through the degrees of existence and make great progress in the orders of the Kingdom.

Therefore, this prisoner implores and supplicates at dawn, seeking strength and confirmation for the beloved of that town. Thus may heavenly confirmation become your associate and the morn of eternal happiness dawn upon ye and the Sun of Reality rise with such brilliancy as to dispel entirely the gloom of ignorance from those horizons.

O ye real friends and dear maid-servants of God! The Lover of the East in perfect love has outstretched His two hands to embrace the beloved of the West and to rejoice in that love and unity.

O ye beloved of God! As long as ye can strive to set aglow the hearts with love, be attracted to one another

------------------------ 1. To the Kenosha assembly. +P 147 and be members of each other. Every soul of the beloved ones must adore the other and withhold not his possession and life from them, and by all means he must endeavor to make that other joyous and happy. But that other (the recipient of such love) must also be disinterested and life-sacrificing. Thus may this Sunrise flood the horizons, this melody gladden and make happy all the people, this divine remedy become the panacea for every disease, this Spirit of Reality become the cause of life for every soul.

O ye friends and maid-servants of the Merciful! It is life-offering, rejoicing, happiness and the manifestation of Divine Favors.

O thou servant who art near and dear to the Glorious

Threshold!

Give thanks to God for having been ushered into His Kingdom, partaken of the heavenly table and the "lord's supper," attained ecstasy by the wine of His love, become enrolled as a soldier for life among the hosts of the Lord, and [for His having] blessed thy head with a crown of great guidance, whose gems and pearls illumine the ages.

Convey the greetings of this imprisoned one to the beloved of God in the spiritual assembly of Kenosha. Say unto them: &The Cause is Great! Great! and the Kingdom of the Majestic Lord overshadoweth heaven and earth. Your spiritual assembly should be a source of joy to the world of humanity and be so illumined with light as to dispel the darkened horizons, withstand the power of tests, remain firm and constant, be not disturbed by ordeals and feel no difficulty in spreading

+P 148 the light of guidance. If ye attain this attitude of firmness, the confirmation of the Divine will verily penetrate the world through your meeting. But this requires disinterestedness in worldly things and devotion to the Kingdom of ABHA, perseverance and effort are requisites and firmness is a necessity. I beg God to illumine the faces of each of you so that they may shine as stars in the high firmament.&

O thou who art turning to the divine Kingdom!

The lengthy epistle was considered. Notwithstanding lack of time and opportunity, on account of exceeding love an answer will be written.

Thank God thou didst become a soldier of life; subdued the domain of hearts with the arms of the love of God and the sword of concord and peace; didst go after the army of the Kingdom of ABHA; followed the Supreme Concourse and by the aid of the Spirit made many conquests.

The merciful assembly of Kenosha hath in reality taken food and provisions from the Kingdom of ABHA and become confirmed by the aid of the Sun of Reality. Therefore, I am hopeful that, day by day, it may advance and progress.

The members of the Spiritual Meeting (the Board of Consultation) must endeavor, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make the souls real Bahais. If they attain this glorious purpose, that country will be illumined and that land will become a veritable paradise, all nations will look to that assembly and from the explanation and exposition thereof receive realities and meanings.

+P 149

O thou servant of Baha'! Always remind the friends of the greatness of the great message.

Convey longing greeting of great love from me to the members of the Meeting of Consultation: * * * Whenever I think of them I find soulful repose and conscious joy.

The feast (supper) [every nineteen days] is very acceptable and will finally produce good results. The beloved and the maid-servants of the Merciful must inaugurate the feast in such wise as to resurrect the feast of the ancients -- namely, the "lord's supper." The attracted maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........, I hope will be inspired so she may become the means of unity among the friends in every city. That meeting for feast for which thou wert preparing and providing, should recur every so often, so that it may prove a means of attracting the confirmation of the Kingdom of ABHA.

Inform the maid-servant of God, who prepared her home as a [temporary] Mashrak-el-Azcar, that this service was accepted in the Kingdom of ABHA.

Inform the near (dear) maid-servant of God [thy wife], who hath organized a school of industry in order that children may learn an industry and chant communes, that this is very agreeable.

O thou servant of God! To look after the sick is one of the greatest duties. Every soul who becomes sick, the other friends should certainly offer the life (of service) in the utmost kindness.

Thou hast asked regarding the naming of children: When thou wishest to name a babe, prepare a meeting

+P 150 therefor; chant the verses and communes, and supplicate and implore the Threshold of Oneness and beg the attainment of guidance for the babe and wish confirmated firmness and constancy; then give the name and enjoy beverage and sweetmeat. This is spiritual baptism.

His honor, Mr. ......, Mrs. ...... and ...... arrived. They were attracted by the fragrances of God and ignited by the fire of the love of God. With a new spirit and fresh life they returned.

O son of the Kingdom! Thy services in the Kingdom of ABHA are evident, well known and accepted. Indeed thou art a truthful servant of the Holy Threshold and a firm caller to the divine Kingdom.

Strive so that the odor of violation cease and all come under the protection of the Covenant.

Remain in and about that town and know that trial is the cause of promotion. But thou must deal with all in the utmost love and do kindness. Although they lift up the head of pride, show thou greater humility and meekness and treat them with the utmost submission and lowliness.

Show the utmost kindness in my behalf to the near maid-servant of God (thy wife).***

O thou attracted maid-servant of God!

This is a blessed address. If thou fulfill its requirements, which are purity of intention, attractive love, insight, discovery of truth and absolute spiritual attitude, thou wilt become entirely free from the physical conditions and wilt soar to the spiritual realms.

+P 151 O servant of God!

The content of thy letter was replete with spiritual feelings and was a source of pleasure and of joy.

Of my freedom thou hast expressed great joy. I am free, although I should remain in prison. All fortresses and castles shall not confine me, and the dungeon cannot bring me under the narrow bondage of the world. The spirit is every soaring, even if the body be in the depths. What can these ignorant creatures do? They might imprison the body, but the spirit they cannot; the spirit will ever soar in the atmosphere of eternal bliss and glory. Therefore, neither the prison is a cause of sorrow, nor freedom from it a source of joy.

When thou findest the way to the Kingdom, the earthly world shall be of no account; and when thou art illumined the darkness will not affect thee -- nay, rather the four corners of the earth will then be radiant and every thorn will become a rose and a rose-garden.

O thou who art near to the Threshold of ABHA!

I have considered what thou hast written to Mirza ...... as well as the letter addressed to me. Thou hast written concerning the publication of some proofs and arguments along with the Hidden Words. Now, since they are published, circulate them among the people. I hope that it may produce beneficial results. Perchance some of the souls who are truth-seekers may get a little information about this Cause.

But afterward, if thou desirest to get the translation of a Tablet from the Blessed Writings, it must be translated

+P 152 by a committee of two Persian translators together with two competent English writers. The Persians should translate, and the writers mould the significance into profound, musical and perfect cast of style in English, and in such wise that the musical sweetness of the original Persian may not be lost. Then the material must be forwarded to me. I will consider the matter and give permission for its publication and circulation. Consequently, rejoice thou that thou hast already become specialized with this permission, that thou hast circulated publications.

In brief, translation is one of the most difficult arts. In both Persian and English utmost proficiency is necessary, that the translator be a writer and use as the vehicle of expression great eloquence and fluency of tongue.

I hope that thou mayest be confirmed with great service in the Cause of God.

Announce to ...... on my behalf longing greeting, and show to him kindness and love with thy whole energy, for he is very dear to me.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant!

The letter which thou hast written to his honor, Mirza ......, was received. Its contents imparted the utmost happiness. Thank God that thou hast crossed the ocean of the East and the West, reached to the Goal of Desire and attained to the visit of the Holy Threshold.

Although the length of thy stay in this Most Great Prison was very short, yet I hope that it may become like unto the oil, which no sooner comes in touch with

+P 153 the fire than it becomes ignited. Therefore, God willing, important results will be the outcome of this visit.

O thou who are firm in the Covenant! Be thou firm in the Cause and be engaged in service. Awaken the souls and make mindful the (heedless) minds. The spiritual outpouring will become uninterrupted and the meetings of heart to heart constant. Rest thou assured upon the favor and bounty of the Beauty of ABHA.

I became very sad upon hearing the news of the death of Mr. ......, but I implored and entreated the Threshold of Oneness and sought mercy in his behalf. Convey my greeting and love to his son and say: &Do thou not lament on account of the death of thy father. Trust thou in God. Rely upon the Kingdom of ABHA. That father of thine hastened to the world of immortality and took a share from the realm of the Merciful and with the utmost joy hath attained to eternal life in the everlasting universe. Walk thou also in the footsteps of thy father and be characterized with his attributes and qualities. Enkindle thou his lamp and fructify his garden, so that thou mayest become his real son and worthy of the favors and gift of the Almighty.&***

O my spiritual beloved!

The days of association and intimacy+F1 are not forgotten and the sweetness of that love and meeting is still tasted in my heart.

Praise be to God! Its signs are apparent and its results manifest. Thank thou God thou wast assisted in teaching the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ......, and

------------------------ 1. When the recipient was in Acca. +P 154 supplicate Him that thou mayest be confirmed in the guidance of innumerable souls. The confirmation of the Kingdom is with thee. Rest thou assured. Loosen thy tongue with the utmost fluency and eloquence and summon the souls to the Kingdom, explain the proofs and give forth the arguments, and instruct the people in the exhortations and advices of God.

I pray in thy behalf and supplicate for thee from the Kingdom of Glory protection and providence.***

+F1 O thou fresh, slender branch saturated with the abundant rain of His bounty!

I ask God to continue the heavenly abundant gifts upon thee and to grant thee more freshness, tenderness and fineness day by day. Verily I say unto thee that man is likened unto a tree. And as the life of a tree and its tenderness and brilliancy depend on the abundant rain descending from the clouds, so also the happiness of man, his pleasure, dignity, loftiness of position and highness of rank depend on the abundant bounty of the Kingdom and the light of the Sun of Truth coming from the horizon of the gift of God.

O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!

Thou shouldst establish a divine and heavenly transaction. By God the Truth! Every divine transaction is eternal and everlasting and giveth the heavenly spirit to the pure hearts attracted to God, enlighteneth the world with the bright shining [light] of love and unity, affinity and agreement. But every worldly transaction,

------------------------ 1. The recipients of the following Tablets, up to and including page 167, are unknown to the Librarian of the House of Spirituality, but have previously been published. +P 155 although it be a gift through which the far and the near be profited, still it is transient and temporary and will not last for ages and its blessings will not extend successively to the righteous people in the ages to come. And as the heavenly abundance and the divine gifts and the omnipotent grace come in these days successively and uninterruptedly, therefore, thou shouldst establish a heavenly edifice to facilitate and level the way before the divine transaction, to carry out the divine order, to gladden the pure hearts of every one, to sanctify thyself from everything but God and to keep aloof from all the worldly things for the Cause of God; to be kindled with the fire of the love of God, to spread the fragrance of God and to expose thyself to the gentle breeze of God.

O my dear! If thou lovest to be happy and pleasant, this is the cup that is full of the wine of glee and delight; and if thou desirest to have the ancient glory, the eternal retinue and the everlasting dominion, thou must look after these gifts which wave in the horizon of bounty with a brilliant light to all sides and regions.

By my life! If thou knowest what thou art commanded and speak openly of it, the dominion is for thee, the Kingdom is for thee and thy shining star will never set, thy brilliant light never sink, thy brimful treasure never be consumed and thy brave army never be deafeated.

O thou who art nurtured from the breasts of the Kingdom of God, who wert brought up in the lap of the Guidance of God!

I supplicate to God -- exalted and glorified is He! -- with a submissive, imploring and attracted heart unto

+P 156 the Kingdom of God, to assist thee, while still very young and of small age, with that by reason of which the vigorous men and the greatest souls were assisted in attaining perfection. Do not be amazed or astonished at the command of God, according to the ordinances of Christ -- glory be to Him! -- unto the children who have been fostered from the breasts of the bounty of God. I ask God that thou mayest be as one of them. This is glad-tidings emanating from a heart filled by the love of God. Therefore, know its value and station.

O thou spiritual temple whose heart is drawn unto the

Horizon of Certainty!

Verily, I am now in the Assembly of the beloved of God, whose hearts are kindled with a burning, blazing and flaming fire from the fragrance of God, and I have mentioned thee with a heart overflowing with thy love. By my God! It is love which hath surrounded me from all directions and thus I mention thee with a beating heart and with a spirit turned unto the horizon of El-ABHA.

Therefore, thank God for this bounty, the traces of which I hope will be spread, its lights shine and the fragrance of its breath diffused in the whole world of existence forever and ever.

O thou heavenly, brilliant and precious pearl!

I greet thee from this Holy Land with a fragrance from God and I desire that thy heart become animated through the gentle breeze of God, thy bosom dilated with joy by the miracles of the gifts of God, thine eye

+P 157 consoled by seeing the lights of God, thy tongue by uttering the mention of BAHA'O'LLAH, and thy taste to become sweet through the divine table descending from heaven. Verily, I say unto thee that the gifts of thy Lord are encircling thee in a similar way as the spirit encircles the body at the beginning of the amalgamation of the elements and natures in the womb; the power of the spirit begins then to appear in the body gradually and successively according to the preparation and capacity to receive that everlasting abundance. I ask God to help thee that the spirit will carry out its power in thee as desired and wished.

O thou faithful servant of the True One!

I received thy letter and its contents caused the utmost joy and fragrance within me, because it showed thy firmness in the Cause of God and proved thy steadfastness in the love of the Word of God. Its meanings were the mystery of unity and its expression showed thy firm intention in serving the glorious Lord.

I beseech the Threshold of Unity with all humility and supplication to make thee confirmed in His service and to enable thee to be serviceable in the Holy Threshold; that thou mayest not be a moment at rest nor take a breath of composure; nay, rather to pass all thy life in this greatest gift and this supreme favor employed in diffusing the breath of God; that thy sincerity of heart, thy sanctity and purity may increase and that thou mayest become entirely separated from aught else save God. Except a man be purified and sanctified from the soil of his dependence on this world, the spiritual purity will not become manifest in him. The more the mirror is clear and pure the greater will the

+P 158

rays and the bounties of the Sun of Truth show forth from it.

As to those things published in journals against thee: Thou shouldst not be grieved nor sorry therefor, because thousands of journals have written traducing Abdul-Baha, have given false and base accusations and awful calumnies. Notwithstanding these he was neither troubled nor grieved thereby; nay, rather these cause me to exert myself more than usual in the path of God and to drink the cup of sacrifice and to boil in the fire of His love. Man must seek to gain the acceptance of God and not that of the different classes of men. If one is praised and chosen by God, the accusation of all the creatures will cause no loss to him; and if the man is not accepted in the threshold of God, the praise and admiration of all men will be of no use to him.

By all these it is meant that thou must not be sorry and grieved because of these things the papers have written against thee; nay, rather trust in God and be unmoved by either the praise or the false accusations declared by people towards thee, depend entirely on God and exert thyself to serve His holy vineyard. All else save this is but imagination, though it be the praises of all people in thy behalf; because all else is of no result and bears no fruit.

As to thine action against the journal which hath libeled thee: It is not at all best to bring action against them, because there is no profit in doing that; nay, it will lead to more sayings of a similar nature. Under these circumstances silence is best. Thou must not be disappointed, sorry or grieved thereat; God will remove all these difficulties. If thou wilt employ thyself

+P 159 in the service (of the Cause of God) the past losses will be recovered and all the troubles will be settled.

This is the manifest truth.

Send my greeting to the enlightened leaf, the maid-servant of God, thy noble wife.

O thou son of the Kingdom!

Consider the bounty of the Lord and the gifts of thy Creator. He hath chosen thee to love Him and selected thee from among His beings to know Him and distinguished thee particularly with the gift of dazzling light through which the faces of the righteous will shine. Verily I say unto thee that this gift now signifieth a globule and a date stone which shall spring up and grow until it becometh a tree of solid root and the branches thereof will extend to the East and West. Then the tongues shall utter: "This is naught but a great bounty!"

O thou who art rejoicing at the Glad-tidings of God!

Thank thou God for that by reason of which He hath enabled thee to traverse the seas and countries and come safe to a Spot wherein the lights are shining with great brilliancy. Thank Him for the help He rendered thee to visit the pure and Holy Tomb and revolve around it, the fragrance of which hath excelled that of the flowers of the dawn.

Go back to those regions where thy return is expected by those souls who, through the signs of thy Lord, became attracted unto Him, the Unconstrained, and say unto them: &Glad-tidings unto you who are sincere! Glad-tidings unto you who are faithful servants! Verily I have seen the Kingdom of God with its doors open,

+P 160 the garden of El-ABHA with extensive sides and regions, with dazzling lights, rolling seas, verdant and beautiful orchards, overflowing beds, green trees, fresh and bright leaves, perfumed flowers, sweet rivers, gentle breeze, beautiful air, magnificent views, elegant and handsome lips and mouths.&

Tell them that &The suns of the garden of El-ABHA are still shining, the moons rising, the stars brightening, the gifts perpetual, the grace perfect, the glad-tidings spreading, the signs of singleness and oneness are chanted in the cloister of its Godhead and the flags of sanctity are waving above the palaces of its glory. Come here! Come here!&

O thou who art drawn unto God and kindled by the Fire which burned on Mt. Sinai!

Set aside every mention save the mention of God and abandon everything save the divulgence of the Testament, be attracted by the magnet of the Covenant that thou mayest see the triumph of the angels of the King of the Kingdom and the valor of the hosts of the Lord of Might. By the life of the Lord! The Invincible Power will indeed strengthen, the Holy Spirit will speak in thy mouth, the Word of God will be revealed in thy heart, the sound of the trumpet of the Lord will gladden thee, the light of unity will shine from thy brow, the doors of success and prosperity will be opened upon thy face and the secrets of the Holy Books will be unfolded. Then, at that time, thou shalt cry at the top of thy voice, saying: &Blessed I am for this great bounty! Blessed I am for this evident victory! Blessed I am for this power which could not be resisted by the powers of whomsoever is upon the earth!&

+P 161 To him who is looking unto God! O thou who art gazing unto the Center of the Covenant -- may God confirm thee!

I supplicate God, beseech Him and pray to Him that He may deliver the souls from the deluge of tests and kindle the lamp of sincerity in the midst of the hearts. As to thee -- O thou who art sincere in the Cause of God, looking unto the Kingdom of God and uttering the praise of God! -- thank thou Him for that by reason of which He hath made thee wholly faithful in His Cause, kindled thy heart with the fire of the Testament, illumined thy mind with the light and conveyed unto thy spirit the glad-tidings of the breaths of the Holy Spirit in the world of effulgence. Therefore, roll up thy sleeves to serve the Covenant, make the hearts firm in the Covenant of the beloved Lord, create harmony and agreement among the believers and impart to them the glad-tidings of the confirmation which they will receive from God if the differences of opinion be removed and if they unite and agree, be firm in spreading the fragrance of God, divulging the traces and chanting the signs of God. Verily, I send thee good news of the confirmation which thou shalt receive, the like of which was never seen by the eyes in those regions, and of the success, the lights of which will brilliantly shine in those regions -- if thou wilt arise with all thy power to assist the Testament of God and to serve the Covenant of God.

Give all the beloved salutations and praise. El-Baha is upon you all, O people of El-Baha!

+P 162 O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn unto the Holy Fragrance diffused from the Garden of El-ABHA!

Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a success on His part is given unto you. Verily, He shall support you by the angels of His holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts, guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, and give the blessings. Ye have to use every effort in your power and strive earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper. Be not idle, but active and fear not. Look unto those who have been in the former ages -- how they have resisted all nations and suffered all persecutions and afflictions, and how their stars shone, their attacks proved successful, their teachings established, their regions expanded, their hearts gladdened, their ideas cleared and their motives effective. Ye are now in a great station and noble rank and ye shall find yourselves in evident success and prosperity, the like of which the eye of existence never saw in former ages.

El-Baha and salutations be upon every one who is firm in the Covenant, free from dissension, sanctified from deceits and steadfast in the path.

+P 163 O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!

Hearken with the ears of (thy) spirit to the Concourse of El-ABHA, and thou wilt hear, verily, the angels of the Supreme Concourse blessing and praising thee, while saying: &Be thou rejoiced, O thou who hast arisen to serve the Cause of God and to promote the Word of God, and be gladdened at the light of the gift of God!&

By God, the True One, verily, the gifts of God are in such profusion as to rush like a torrent, overflow as a sea, and shower as rain. Gird up thy loins, strengthen thy back, make firm thy feet, and exert thyself in quickening souls, dilating breasts, illumining insights, giving hearing to ears, and attracting hearts. Unseal the jars of the choice wine of the love of God, and give the craving ones to drink from this cup which is overflowing with the knowledge of God.

O my friend, the affection of my heart unto thee cannot be expressed through any interpretation, and I can hardly write it or acknowledge it: Turn with thy breast unto the heart of Abdul-Baha, and then this concealed fact will be disclosed, and the hidden mystery [be] unveiled unto thee.

Verily, I beseech God to make thee a tree with ripened fruits within reach, overshadowing those regions.

It is incumbent upon thee to be meek, to be humble, to be submissive and suppliant before the Threshold of the Merciful. It is incumbent upon thee to serve the beloved of God in that spiritual clime.

Send my greeting and praise to thy revered wife, to

+P 164 thy esteemed daughter and to thy other children. I beg of God to enable all of them to render service to His Cause in His great vineyard.

O thou who hast arisen to render service to the Cause of God in His Great Vineyard!

Verily, I have already written thee several letters, and sent them to thee at different times. Now, I address thee with such words whereby the souls of the proximate ones are rejoiced, and the faces of the sincere ones are cheered.

O my friend, verily the Cause is great and great, and the penetration of the Word of God in the temple (body) of all the regions is similar to the pervasion of the soul in a sound body.

By the life of Baha', verily, the power of the Kingdom of God hath taken hold of the pillars of the world, and hath possessed all the nations. Thou wilt surely find the standards of the Testament waving in all regions, the chanting of the verses of unity raised in exalted assemblies, and the lights of the Sun of Truth and its heat dispersing the thick clouds massed on the horizon. Be rejoiced at this glad-tidings, whereby the hearts of the sincere among the beloved are cheered.

O my friend, isolate all thy faculties and senses from every other mention and thought, and follow the example of Abdul-Baha in servitude to the Holy and Exalted Threshold. Hasten to the field of sacrifice, craving for the most great martyrdom; expend thy life and all of thy grades in love for God and in attraction to the Beauty of El-ABHA.

+P 165

By God, the True One, man should seek only this bounty, inasmuch as it is everlasting, eternal, divine, spiritual, luminous and merciful. Be sanctified from all the universe, and send my greeting and praise to the spiritual leaf, the being who relies upon the grace of her Lord -- the maid-servant of God, thy revered wife, and say unto her that she may address the veiled ones (those blind to the Truth), saying: &Verily, eyes are dazzled by gazing at the sun, and it is impossible to consider it because of the intensity of its rays; and verily the sea cannot be contained in a cup. The weakness of eyes does no harm to the sun, nor the smallness of the cup to the sea.&

Then let her explain to the people, and make known to every questioner, by saying: &Verily, minds are limited, and the splendor of lights is so great as not to be comprehended by (man's) reflective faculties. Ye ought to have the sigh of the heart so that ye may apprehend the reality of the mysteries of God which are deposited behind coverings.&

O thou who hast sought illumination from the Light of the Guidance of God!

Verily I read thy words of thanksgiving to God for that He hath directed thee to His Kingdom, illuminated thine insight with the light of guidance, and baptized thee with the water which hath descended from heaven, with the fire which was ignited in the Sinaitic Tree, and with the Holy Spirit which quickeneth hearts and souls. Then, thank thou God for this gift whereby thy face is shining amid the concourse of Chosen Ones.

+P 166

Know thou, verily, man before reaching (spiritual) maturity passes his days and only apprehends trivial things which are clear on account of their exoteric indications, but when he attains full development, then he grasps the reality of things and their esoteric facts. Every day after maturity is equivalent to one year before it, on account of (man's) perception, understanding apprehension and discoveries.

Now, thou hast reached development and apprehended the degree of maturity: Gaze at the grades of the existence, the realities of beings, the allegories in the epistles of God, and the mysteries in the Old and New Testament. By the life of Baha', the covering will be removed from off thee (i. e., facts will be unfolded to thee), and thou wilt be informed of that which all the philosophers and wise men are unable to apprehend. Verily, this is a gift which God assigns only to such of His chosen servants as He willeth. Verily, thy Lord will inspire thee with the mysteries of God, the Protector, the Self-subsistent.

Verily, I beseech the Lord of Hosts to increase thy faith each day over that of the previous day, to confirm thee through His Holy Spirit, to give thee capacity to partake of the lights of knowledge and wisdom, to make thee a herald of the Covenant in those regions, and to instruct thee in that which thou knowest not; so that thou mayest become a physician for bodies as well as souls, to heal bodies with the medicines which are useful and beneficial for physical (sickness), and to cure hearts and souls with that antidote which quickeneth hearts and souls.

O my friend, it is incumbent upon thee to be severed

+P 167 (from all else save God), to be attracted, to be sincere, and to spend thy life in the path of God. Be thou holy, spiritual, divine, lively, brilliant, godlike, sanctified, pure, with merciful character, firm in the Covenant, fluent and knowing; and gaze toward the Kingdom of El-ABHA with a heart brimming over with the love of God, with tears flowing the commemoration of God, with a face scintillating through the light of God, with a heart sincere to the beloved of God, and with a sword which divides truth from falsehood. By God, the True One, the Spirit of Baha' will assist thee with such strength that all the concourse of the earth will fail (to withstand).

O my Lord, my Hope!+F1

Praise be unto Thee, for Thou hast sent down unto us this spiritual table, supreme benefit and heavenly blessing. O our Lord! Strengthen us to partake of this heavenly food, so that its fine essence may run through the pillars of our spiritual being and that we may thereby obtain a celestial power for serving Thy Cause, promulgating Thy signs and adorning Thy vineyard with lofty trees, the fruits whereof shall be near (to gather) and of perfuming fragrances. Verily Thou art the Possessor of great bounty! Verily Thou are the Clement, the Merciful!

O my Lord, my Hope!+F2

Thanks be unto Thee for these foods and benefits. O Lord! Suffer us to ascend to Thy Kingdom and to sit at the tables of thy divine world. Nourish us with

------------------------ 1. May be said before meals. 2. May be said after meals. +P 168 the food of Thy meeting and cause us to attain to the sweetness of beholding Thy beauty, forasmuch as this is the utmost wish, the mightiest gift and the greatest bestowal. O Lord, O Lord! Make this feasible unto us. Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Giver! Verily Thou art the Bestower, the Mighty, the Merciful.

O thou seeker of the True One!

If thou wishest the divine knowledge and recognition, purify thy heart from all beside God, be wholly attracted to the ideal, beloved One; search for and choose Him and apply thyself to rational and authoritative arguments. For arguments are a guide to the path and by this the heart will be turned unto the Sun of Truth. And when the heart is turned unto the Sun, then the eye will be opened and will recognize the Sun through the Sun itself. Then (man) will be in no need of arguments (or proofs), for the Sun is altogether independent, and absolute independence is in need of nothing, and proofs are one of the things (of which absolute independence has no need). Be not like Thomas; be thou like Peter. I hope you will be healed physically, mentally and spiritually.

O maid-servant of God!

Thank God, thy faith increased and thou didst become attached to the Kingdom of the Merciful. Endeavor and supplicate and pray God that, day unto day, thy firmness and steadfastness may grow and that thy countenance may radiate through the light of guidance. Thus shalt thou stand solid as an iron mountain. For firmness attracts the bounty of God and steadfastness is

+P 169 a magnet to receive His strength. Pray thou God for this (attainment), and I will pray to Him to awaken the two people that they may avoid alcoholic drinks.

Hypnotism hath a weak influence over bodies, but hath no result. But the power of the Kingdom of God is great. If thou canst, endeavor to obtain a share of that power.

I ask God to help [thy son] in attaining faith and assurance and in directing himself to the desired One. Although young, he shall attain maturity. May the love of God take root in his heart from his youthful age.

O thou who art a young tree in the Garden of the Love of God!

I supplicate to God that He may develop and flourish thee with the shower of mercy, the heat and light of the Sun of Truth and the soul-imparting breeze of the Paradise of ABHA and to bestow upon thee a great limitless delicacy and freshness.

O thou who art quickened by the Divine Fragrances!

I considered thy letter. Its expression was wonderful and indicated the brilliancy of thy heart and conscience. Be hopeful of the mercy of the Lord of Creation, whose grace is infinite and the sea of whose gift is boundless. I beg of the abundant favor of that Ancient Lord that thou mayest decorate thy spiritual reality (being) with the human perfections, be endowed with a new life, keep steadfast in the Covenant, diffuse the fragrances (i. e., teach the Truth) and deliver the Cause of God.

+P 170 O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of God!

Verily, I read thy letter which contained beautiful meanings and wonderful texts; was informed of thy turning unto God and thy attainment unto the bounty of the Kingdom, which is apparent and manifest by the appearance of God.

O maid-servant of God! Let not thy hands tremble nor thy heart be disturbed, but rather be confident and firm in the love of thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.

O maid-servant of God! Verily, all existence is [a book of] pages and tablets which utter the glad-tidings of the appearance of the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Supreme, the Great.

Observe the pages of the universe and discover the traces which appeared! Hast thou seen or heard in any of the previous centuries or generations that which is manifested in this Glorious Age? If the writings of the previous centuries, the middle centuries and the later centuries, be compared with that which is manifested in this single century, they will not weigh against it! nay, rather, they are as drops of water in comparison with the ocean. Magnified is He, who hath crowned this century with the appearance of His Kingdom!

As to thee, turn unto God with a heart cheerfully swayed by His love and kindled by the fire of His desires, both day and night. The lights of God will appear unto thee, the mysteries of God be unfolded to thee and thy bosom healed by the exhortations uttered by the Supreme Pen.

Convey my greeting and praise to thy respected husband and say to him that the Jews are still expecting

+P 171 Christ and long to see Him in all anticipation and great zeal, while His light was manifested, His beauty shone forth, His call was raised, His trumpet blown, His standard hoisted, and His stars sparkled; but the Pharisees are yet in an amazing slumber, immersed in former traditions, and they make play with the signs of Thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.

Thank God that He guided thee unto the fountain of guidance, gave thee to drink from the cup of affection, summoned thee unto His Supreme Kingdom and chose thee from among those people. This is a favor wholly above comprehension and is not realized by the intellects which are negligent of the Lord of hosts and angels.

O thou friend! Endeavor so that thou mayest ascend to the station which is above the firmaments, near to the Generous Lord who created and made thee.

O thou bright pearl!

Endeavor, and spare no effort, and hasten to the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Lord of the shining and clear evidences and arguments.

Verily, by Truth, every seed cast in this great and magnificent century (period) will be cultivated by God and produce plants through the abundance of the clouds of His mercy, which preceded the postulates, and from which all the existing beings have been awakened and issued, and to which they will return.

Therefore, use thy utmost power to sow and cast those pure seeds, the divine teachings, in the hearts which move and cheer by the fragrance of God.

Convey my greeting and praise to thy honored,

+P 172 noble-minded husband, for I love him with all that is within me.

O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of God! -- may

God confirm thee!

Verily I read thy letter, which contained expressions like as of "the pure sealed wine," showing what throbs of the thoughts of the love of God in the mind of that righteous one (thyself) and that which shines of the lights of the knowledge of God in the heart of that beloved one.

I beseech God to ordain thee as a sign of His great signs, to confirm thee to shine as a light in the lantern of America; to cause thee to be stripped and cut from all positions, to announce the good tidings of God, to diffuse the breaths of God, to speak the praise of God and to turn thy face to the Kingdom of ABHA, to be freed from depending on this world, to be kindled by the fire of the love of God, to be adorned with the ornament of perfection; to be the center of those virtues and characteristics wherewith the inner qualities of man are ornamented, to be confirmed by the breaths of the Holy Ghost, to call on the name of God.

O my beloved one! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm in the Covenant and to stand up and serve the religion of God. Verily, this is the magnet of confirmation and assistance, the attracter of all success and the leader of hosts of gifts.

May God protect thee from all accidents! May the Glory of ABHA be upon thee!

Convey my greetings to the spiritual leaf, the servant of God, thy honored wife, the esteemed ........,

+P 173 and say unto her: &Serve in the olive garden of God, that God may help thee by those confirmations by which intellects are astounded and the perceptions are cleared.&

O thou who art sincere in the Religion of God!

Verily, the maid-servant of God, the assured leaf [thy wife] hath presented herself in the Sacred Spot and is blessed by the pure and holy dust, inhaled the fragrances of God from the meadow of Abdul-Baha. She will soon return unto thee, while being watched over by the glance of the providence of God.

I beseech God to cause thee to partake of the heavenly table, to be firm in the love of God and to transmit His lights in those regions; to make thee severed from all else save Him and to be a servant of His Cause, and to strengthen thee with a power which may penetrate into the reality of things.

O thou who art attracted by the Speech of Abdul-Baha!

Verily I speak unto thee through the tongue of my spirit, from the spiritual direction, and explain for thee the mysteries of the kingdom and the meanings of the sacred, heavenly books. Direct thyself unto the Lord of the Supreme World and loosen thy tongue, so that He shall confirm thee by the spirit of Beyan (i. e., explanation) and breathe into thy mouth the Holy Spirit and move thy tongue with the best meanings and mysteries.

Trust in God and rely on His great bounty, because His bounty is overflowing like the seas, brilliant like unto the lights, flowing like currents of water and raining

+P 174 like the clouds. It is incumbent upon thee to be humble, lowly and submissive at the appearance of the lights of the gifts of thy Lord, in every instant. Serve the friends of God under all circumstances and conditions. This is the station of the spiritual ones; this is the honor of the Bahais; this is the glory of the sincere ones and this is the sovereignty of the unitarians.

O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!

Verily I call thee, from this Spot, with a speech whereby the spirit is breathed into hearts and bodies, and address thee with a calling whereby His clear wine overflows in the fountain of a heart which is consumed by the love of God.

Verily, I love thee with my heart, my spirit and my mind, and associate with thee in spirit (and converse with thee) by my innate tongue. I love for thee to arise for that to which I have arisen in servitude to the Sublime and Holy Threshold, turning unto God, hoping for martyrdom, so that thou mayest attain to the gift, the lights of which glisten in the eternal horizon.+F1

O thou whose heart is overflowing with the love of God!

Verily, I received thy beautiful letter and praised God for kindling the fire of His love in thy heart and cheering thy spirit with the cup of the gift of thy Lord. I ask God to increase thy intoxication with this wine and gladden thy spirit with this great gospel. I wrote letters to those whose names thou didst mention in thy letter. Deliver them with rejoicing face, revived heart, and tongue uttering the name of the Merciful.

------------------------ 1. Eternal world. +P 175 O thou who art confident in the appearance of the Kingdom of God!

Verily I read thy letter, which was beautifully composed and which proved thy great love, the extent of thy knowledge and the illumination of thy sight, by witnessing the signs whereunto the heads bow in reverence and faces show respect.

O beloved! Thank God that He chose thee for His love and elected thy wife for the calling of the appearance of the Kingdom of God. Verily, this is a great favor, and wert thou aware of the results which will follow it in the Kingdom of God, thou wouldst, verily, rejoice exceedingly and wouldst call with loud voice: &Blessed are we for this great favor, and glad-tidings be unto us for this glorious attainment.&

Consider the past, so that thou mayest become informed of the mysteries which shall be disclosed in the future. When the disciples were calling in the name of Christ, the Jews scoffed, scorned and laughed at them. They were saying, "They (i. e., the disciples) are taken with madness, and madness is made an art." They even beat them with whips, threw stones at them, prevented the people from approaching them, and were saying, "This man (Christ) is naught but a sorcerer, blasphemeth God and is possess of a devil."

Then observe how that persecution and scorn were changed to glory, honor and reverence. Ultimately, they (the Jews) honored their sublime stations and acknowledged their loftiness, which was exalted, promoted and glorified in the center of the horizons until it reached the degree of exaggeration in deeds. They

+P 176 made for them likenesses and pictures, decorated with jewels shining in the eyes; they placed these likenesses or pictures in the temples, churches and monasteries built on the tops of the mountains, and worshipped them with respect, glory, majesty and reverence. This is the condition of the neglectful ones who are deprived of the Truth (the Manifestations of God) at the day of their existence among them. After the ascension of their (the prophets') spirits unto the Center of Purity and Piety, then the negligent ones repent and return, making likenesses and pictures according to their own ideas, which do not bear resemblance, and worship the same. This is the station of the ignorant ones who are as animals, following every croaker and shaken by every wind. "Forsake them to play in their shallow waters."

As to thee: Be happy because of what thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful, hath given thee; choosing thee and thy esteemed wife for entrance into His Kingdom, for calling in His name, praising Him in assemblies, gatherings and meetings.

The truth I verily say unto thee, this divine grace cannot be exchanged for the sovereignty of the earth, the east or the west. For that (the worldly kingdom) is naught but dreams, torture to the spirit, trouble for the hearts; its mortality is certain and its destruction a well known fact -- while this spiritual kingdom and divine grace will shine, and it is an ABHA (Glorious) jewel which will glisten on the diadems of great glory in the course of centuries and cycles.

+P 177 O thou who art directed unto God!

Thy revered wife, Mrs. ........, is indeed confirmed by the fragrances of the spirit and rendered victorious by the hosts of the Kingdom. Verily, she hath abandoned comfort and ease; calleth in the name of God in those regions; hath remained firm in God's religion; and no power of test hath shaken her. Rest thou assured! Her light shall shine in the globe of the love of God and her face shall be illumined with the light of God's bounty!

I pray for a heavenly blessing to descend upon the heart of [thy wife], for she arose for the spreading of God's fragrances. I ask God to protect thee and her from the winds of trial. May thy tongue be moved to utter beautiful explanations and may the hearts of the people of Johnstown (N. Y.) become tender, so that they may be guided to the Fountain of the Water of Life and be illumined by the lights shining from the kingdom of heaven.

+F1 Be not in despair, but rather smile by the mercy of thy Lord; and be not sorrowful when meeting with worldly difficulties and depressions, for they pass away -- and thine shall be immortality during ages and centuries, times and cycles.

+F2 Be not sad on account of poverty, nor be sorrowful when the people scorn thee. Remember the poverty of Jesus, the persecution of the Jews to His glorious person and the scorn of Him. Verily, that poverty is the glory of the beginning and the ending. It is a light which hath illumined the heavens and the earth.

------------------------ 1. Following extracts from Tablets as received bore no opening line of address. +P 178 ***O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God! ***Consider not the present state, for it is the time of sowing seeds in that country (America) and, of course, great difficulties are met with, differences and hindrances of the people being severe. Firmness must uphold us. As the servants and the maid-servants of the Merciful stand firmly and persevere, the good see will soon grow and bear the fruit of blessing. Then will spirit and fragrance prevail, and joy and rejoicing come from the heavenly sphere; the sorrows and toils shall be forgotten and the eternal peace and rest appear. I trust, through the bounty of ABHA, that ye may be strengthened to serve and to spread the Word of God.***

The giving .... the ring+F1 of the Greatest Name is very beautiful. The ring should be worn on the small finger of the right hand.

The prayer for forgiveness+F2 is behalf of those who have passed, ignorant, from this world, will be sent as requested.

Regarding the "two wings" of the soul: These signify wings of ascent. One is the wing of knowledge, the other of faith, as this is the means of the ascent of the human soul to the lofty station of divine perfections.***

O Thou Forgiving Lord!+F3

Although certain souls finished the days of life in ignorance, were estranged and selfish, yet the ocean of Thy forgiveness is, verily, able to redeem and make

------------------------ 1. Ring having stone of this design: 2. See following Tablet. 3. A prayer for the forgiveness of souls who have departed from this world in ignorance of the Truth. +P 179 free the sinners by one of its waves. Thou redeemest whomsoever Thou willest and deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not+F1 ! Shouldst Thou treat justly, we all are sinners and deserve to be deprived; and shouldst Thou observe mercy, every sinner shall be made pure and every stranger shall become a friend. Therefore, forgive and pardon and grant Thy mercy unto all. Thou art the Forgiver, the Light-giver and the Compassionate!

O thou sign of the Love of God!

Be rejoiced that thou hast held the cup of providence in thy hand and drunk the choice wine of guidance, opened thine eye and witnessed the lights of the Kingdom, unstopped thine ear and heard thy voice of the Lord of Hosts.

Be not grieved at the death of thy dear daughter. This divine bird flew away to the rose-garden of the Merciful and that plant of humanity hastened to the garden of the Kingdom of El-ABHA. That drop returned to the Most Great Sea and that ray betook herself to the Most Great Orb. Be happy and thankful because thou wilt see her face shining in the divine Kingdom and wilt find her as a lamp amid an assembly in the spiritual heaven.

O thou who art commemorating the praises of God!

Verily, I read thy letter of elegant expression, for which I supplicate to God to make thee meek, humble

------------------------ 1. "Deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not," refers to the reward and punishment of the souls according to its deeds. There are many instances of this in all the heavenly Scriptures. +P 180 and fit for the effulgence of the light of His love among the maid-servants; and (I beg of God) to make all mankind the children of His mercy! This is the utmost mercy of Abdul-Baha for which he is endeavoring night and day and is summoning all to this fountain which is flowing with the pure water of the gift of God. Verily, I pray God to assembly all mankind in the shadow of the standard of peace and under the tents of love in the Paradise of El-ABHA; so that all of them may become the children of God and His beloved ones. Verily thy Lord is compassionate to the servants who are rightly guided.

As to thee: Appreciate the value of thy father, for he taught thee to await the manifestation of the Light of Lights. Verily he hath inhaled the fragrance of the Paradise of El-ABHA and his nostrils are therewith perfumed. Therefore, he bade thee to anticipate and prepare thyself for the appearance of the Kingdom of God.

O thou dear one!

Blessed art thou, for thou hast entered into the bosom of the training of God and drunk the cup of knowledge while thou art young in age among girls. Thank thou God for that He hath caused thee to taste the sweetness of His love at thy earliest childhood. I beg of God to protect thee from wavering in the Cause of God, to make thee firm in the Covenant of God, to guard thy mother in the stronghold of His great Kingdom and to make thee a girl successful and nurtured from the breast of the love of God, refreshed from the milk of His knowledge in this great day.

+P 181 O thou young in age and great in mind!

[There is] many a young child who is mature and grown up, and many an aged [one] who is ignorant and stupid. Growth and maturity are in intellect and understanding and not in age and duration of life. Verily thou hast know thy Lord while thou art young in age; but there are thousands of women who are heedless of the commemoration of God, veiled from the Kingdom of God and deprived of the bounty of the gift of God. As to thee, thank thy Lord for this great gift. I beg of God to heal thy mother, who is revered in the Kingdom of God.

O my God, my God!

I am a servant attracted to Thee, humbly coming to the door of Thy Oneness and addressing the kingdom of Thy mercy.

Yes, my God, permit that I should be entirely Thine, occupied in thinking of Thee, inflamed by the fire of Thy love and separated from all except Thee, so that I may work in Thy Cause, spread Thy wisdom, transmit Thy knowledge and the joy of knowing Thee.

Yes, my God, I am a flame lighted by the hand of Thy power. Do not permit that it be extinguished by the winds of trials. Increase my love for Thee, my ardor for the Beauty of Thy Oneness, the fire that burneth in me in the Sinai of Thy Singleness, and the eternal life in me, through Thy bounty and grace; for Thou art the Protector, the Watcher, the Pitiful and the Merciful!

+P 182 O thou who art attached to the Beauty of God!

Verily, I was rejoiced when I read thy excellent letter, which portrayed a spiritual attraction and a rejoicing at the (news) of the merciful Kingdom! Know thou verily, the hand of divine Providence hath attracted thee to the Throne of the Kingdom, and the divine glad-tidings hath caused such joy and happiness in thee, that thou hast removed the covering and lifted the veiling from the Countenance of the Divine Beauty, beheld the Brilliant Face through thine insight, and became cognizant of the mysteries of purity and sanctity in this divine Cause!

Now, with a heart overflowing with the love of God, supplicate to God with all joy, and thank thou God for this guidance and this high gift. And know thou, that verily, the vanguards of the gifts of thy Lord shall overtake thee from all sides (parts) when thy feet become firm in the Path.

O thou who art attracted to the Light of Guidance!

Verily, I read the signs of thy thanks to God, for He hath guided thee unto the Path of the Kingdom, dispelled the darkness, caused thee to enter into the light of faith, and awakened thee to the proof and argument. This is through the grace of thy Lord, the Merciful, who hath chosen thee for His knowledge and hath adorned thy head with the crown of His love which is scintillating in the apex of glory and beneficence.

Verily, I beseech the Threshold of Mercifulness to kindle the lamp of light within thy heart, so that thy breast may thereby be dilated and thy soul rejoiced.

+P 183

Thou art present in spirit in a meeting (in Acca) in which the gifts of God are radiating, even though thou art remote in regard to body in the far away land.

As to thy coming here now, this is not in accord with the wisdom revealed in the Gospels. But the time shall come and thou wilt attain to the gifts of thy Lord. But for the present, make thy tongue fluent in praising thy clement Lord at every moment and time, so that thou mayest attain to all good under the shadow of the Lord of Generosity and Beneficence.

O thou who hast gained illumination from the Light of

Guidance!

Verily, I perused thy brilliant letter, which showed that thou hast advanced toward God, thy sight illumined by witnessing the signs of God, thy heart cheered by the sacred and spiritual breeze which is being blown from the garden of the Kingdom of God.

It behooveth thee to spend thy life, body and blood in the path of God, for this mighty gift.

Verily, I inhale the fragrance of faithfulness from the believers of that brilliant and pure city. I beg of God to make His beloved and maid-servants in that city as one band, united in soul, heart and tongue, even as stars assembled in the constellation of Unity, although the distance between them is extensive and the interval infinite.x

O maid-servant of God! Know thou, the first bounty from the True One is love, unity and harmony, and without these all the deeds pass in vain and give no result. Love is the result of the Manifestation and

+P 184 the glorious purpose of the rising of Light on the Mount, in the Sinai of the Forgiving Lord.

It is incumbent upon you (to act) with merciful harmony and spiritual unity, so that the bounties of your Lord may embrace you and make you as waves in this sacred, moving sea. This is seemly of the believing women! This is the spirit of the assured women! This is the light of the peaceful women! This is the ultimate wish of the attracted women!

Verily, I beseech God to illumine thy sight by witnessing the light of hopes and cause thee to speak His praise among the maid-servants, and to make thee steadfast in this path, on which feet have slipped through the power of tests.

And I beg of Him to enable thee to confirm thy parents and make thee a servant in His great vineyard, and cause the consolation of thine eye, thy noble child, to enter the garden of His exalted Kingdom.

O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!

Verily, I read thine excellent letter and was informed of thy turning unto God, thy drawing near unto the lofty holy Threshold, thy drinking from the Fountain of Life and that thine heart hath partaken of the lights of heaven. Verily, I beg of God to ordain for thee in the future to come to this Blessed and White Land, to cause thee to hear the melodies of the Dove and to grant that thou mayest present thyself before the hands of Abdul-Baha.

Exert thyself, O maid-servant of God, that thou mayest guide thy relatives and bring union and accord among the beloved ones and harmony among the maid-servants

+P 185 of God; and that thou mayest become of the myrtles of the Paradise of Oneness and of the trees of the Reality of Singleness.

Every flock of the sheep of God which is protected under the shadow of the Divine Shepherd will not be scattered, but when the sheep are dispersed from the flock, they will necessarily be caught and torn by the wolf.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to flock together! It is incumbent upon you to be united! It is incumbent upon you to expose yourselves to the fragrances of God at every time and moment!

Verily, I am with you when you turn unto God and are attracted to the fragrances of God, and I pray for confirmation, union, harmony and love in your behalf.

Deliver my greetings and praise to the maid-servants of God there.

O thou wonderful leaf of the Tree of the Love of God!

All that thou hast written was perused. It was read from beginning to end, and it caused joy and fragrance. But we write a brief but useful answer, on account of the lack of leisure. Engage thou in commemorating God at every morn and turn unto the Horizon of Mercifulness.

Take some honey, recite "Ya Baha-ul-ABHA," and eat a little thereof for several days. For these thy prevailing diseases are not on account of sins, but they are to make thee detest this world and know that there is no rest and composure in this temporal life.

I beg of God that thou mayest find a cheerful life, cause the increase of the longing of all present in the

+P 186

meetings of the maid-servants of the Merciful One and bring joy and happiness to the handmaidens of God; so that thou mayest diffuse the fragrances and chant the manifest verses. Supplication to God at morn and eve is conducive to the joy of hearts, and prayer cause spirituality and fragrance. Thou shouldst necessarily continue therein.

I beg of God that the closed door may be opened before the face of the friends and that they may be enabled to visit the Holy Threshold.

Trust thou in the divine grace and have hope in the merciful gift. If thou wishest for everlasting joy and happiness, engage thou in delivering (teaching) the Cause of God night and day, for the commemoration of God attracts confirmation and assistance like unto a magnet.

O thou maid-servant of God!

Thy letter was received and thy words produced effect in the hearts. For thy letter showed thy love for the Glorious Lord, proved thy knowledge of His Highness, the Merciful One, and indicated thy effort and exertion in unifying the beloved ones and creating harmony among the chosen ones.

O thou esteemed (or dear) maid-servant of God! All that thou hast looked upon -- even in the dominion of Victoria, the Queen of England -- is but an image on the water and a mirage of phantasms! That which is a reality and is eternal and everlasting is the love of God, is the knowledge of His Highness, the Forgiver, is the spread of the perspicuous religion of God, the

+P 187 uplifting of the Word of God, and the diffusion of the lights of the guidance of God!

I beg of God, that thou and thy revered husband and thy affectionate father will be confirmed by the gift of the Merciful One; and that thy brother will also follow you, in order that he may, through the gems and pearls of the guidance of God, wear a kingly crown on his head.

O thou favored maid-servant of God! I give thee the name Natekah (i. e., Speaker -- gifted with speech; it can also be written &Nategheh), in order that thou mayest find an eloquent speech in teaching (the Truth); that thou mayest kindle the lamp of light in those parts, especially in Baltimore, and bestow joy and happiness upon the hearts through the commemoration of God.

My good pleasure is in this, that thou shouldst devote thy time wholly to teaching (the Truth), so that thou mayest train the souls, illumine the eyes, and make the ears hearing.

O thou bird who art warbling in the Garden of the

Guidance of God!

Verily, I read thy excellent and brilliant letter. It showed how thou hast sought the fire of guidance from the Sinaitic Tree, and art shining by the light of faithfulness of the Supreme Concourse.

Blessed art thou; again, blessed art thou! Glad-tidings be unto thee; again, glad-tidings be unto thee!

Appreciate the worth of this peerless and choice Pearl (of the Truth). By the life of God, verily, this

+P 188 is the most splendid jewel which glitters on the crown of glory, among all the people of the world.

O ye+F1 two doves, flying in the verdant Gardens of the

Kingdom!

Thank ye your Lord for that by reason of which He hath guided you into the Path of Safety, led you unto the Fountain of Life, turned your faces unto the Lord of the evident Signs, and baptized you with the Water of Life, and the everlasting spirit of safety, in this new and glorious century.

Your pictures came to the presence of the servant of God, who is supplicating to His Kingdom that He may cause to descend upon you the heavenly blessings. He was rejoiced by seeing your likenesses, for his spirit is attached to the Spirit. And from the flowers, which were enclosed in your note, he has smelled the scent of the gardens of your hearts, which are ornamented by the flowers of faith and assurance; and I ask God to continue sending upon you the gifts of His merciful benevolence at all times.

O thou who art attracted to the Bounty of El-ABHA!

Verily, I have read thine excellent message, which announced thy praise to thy Supreme Lord, and I have understood thine effort and endeavor in spreading the perfume of guidance and propagating the Supreme Word!

Verily, I implore God to keep thee and thy wife steadfast in such service with which both of your faces may shine in the Concourse of El-ABHA!

------------------------ 1. Husband and wife. +P 189

Indeed, this is the treasure of the Kingdom, which (treasure) ceaseth not; and I beg of Him to cause you (both) to be in no need of the false beauty of the world and to be as two rising stars in the horizon of existence!

O thou messenger in the command of God!

Blessed art thou for guiding ........ unto the Fountain of the Water of Life, caused him to enter the Ark of Safety, demonstrated unto him the manifest signs, and proved to him the elegant proofs. May God reward thee with the best of rewards, in the end and the beginning. Therefore, continue spreading the fragrances of God in this new age, which dawns as the sun with the lights of favors unto the horizon of ages and centuries.***

O thou maid-servant of God!

Be rejoiced at the mercy of God and be delighted by the remembrance of thy Master! Thank thou Him, for He hath removed the veils from thy wight and shown thee a Glorious Face! Blessed art thou, as thou hast sought martyrdom in the Cause of God! Know thou verily, He will strengthen thee to the service of His Cause in His vineyard.

O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of

God!

Thy letter reached me and I noted its beautiful contents. I ask God to augment thy faith, certainty, steadfastness and firmness, that thus thou mayest be a cause

+P 190 for enkindling the fire of the love of God in the hearts of the maid-servants of God.

We sent thee a rosary, as thou didst so wish. Mention God+F1 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

God!

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 God 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 God, and that thou mayest be healed from every disease and sickness.

------------------------ 1. A rosary is generally used in connection with the daily mentioning of the

Greatest Name. +P 191

As to the "white dove," it is the Holy Spirit. It shall flutter over thee and over the head of the beloved of God.

Verily I beseech God to assist 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

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 God, the servant of the assemblage 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 rectitude 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 God 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

+P 192 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 constitute 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 space, 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

+P 193 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 God!

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 God that thou mayest become an associate 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 God!

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,

+P 194 and is manifest before the insight of the people of assurance.

O thou seeker of the kingdom of God! 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 God. Enkindle the fire of the love of God 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!