# Ten Days in the Light of Akka

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Julia M. Grundy, Ten Days in the Light of Akka, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Ten Days in the Light of Akka
> 
> Julia M. Grundy
> 
> 1907
> 
> LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
> 
> Grundy, Julia Margaret Kunkle, 1874.
> 
> Ten days in the light of Akká.
> First published in 1907 under title: Ten days in the light of Acca.
> 
> Includes bibliographical references.
> 
> 1. Bahá'ísm. I. Title.
> 
> BP365.G7 1979 297'.89 79-12177
> 
> ISBN 0-87743-131-0
> 
> CONTENTS
> 
> i.Foreword
> vii
> 
> ii. Introduction
> 3
> 
> 1From the Words of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá
> 5
> 
> 2Love
> 20
> 
> 3Soul and Spirit
> 22
> 
> 4The House Of Justice
> 25
> 
> 5Heaven
> 27
> 
> 6The Manifestation
> 29
> 
> 7Spiritual Development
> 38
> 
> 8Return of the Spirit
> 45
> 
> 9Spiritual Relationship
> 46
> 
> 10Obedience
> 48
> 
> 11Woman in the Bahá'í Revelation
> 52
> 
> 12Mount Carmel And Syria
> 55
> 
> 13The Heavenly Springtime
> 57
> 
> 14Faith
> 59
> 
> 15The Second Coming
> 61
> 
> 16Visit to the Tomb
> 64
> 
> 17Visit to the Ridván
> 67
> 
> 18‘Akká
> 69
> 
> 19In the Household
> 70
> 
> 20Afternoon Before the Feast
> 71
> 
> 21At the Feast
> 72
> 
> 22Heavenly Sustenance
> 77
> 
> 23From Badí‘ulláh
> 79
> 
> 24From the Mother of the Household
> 84
> 
> 25Talks from Mírzá
> Asadu'lláh87
> 
> 26Three Stories Told by Abdu'l-Bahá
> 103
> 
> 27Abdu'l-Bahá's Last Words
> 105
> 
> 28Notes
> 107
> 
> FOREWORD
> 
> Before there were Bahá'í books, pamphlets,
> periodicals—before there were, properly speaking, Bahá'í
> administrative institutions; before ‘Abdu'l-Bahá made His historic voyage
> to America; before Shoghi Effendi transmitted to the English speakers of the
> world his own sensitive and authoritative translations of the Writings central
> to the Bahá'í Faith—there were Bahá'ís in America. On
> what spiritual food did they subsist? As soon as the announcement had been made
> at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893, concerning the spiritual sanctity
> of Bahá‘u'lláh, Americans began to explore the new Revelation. Some
> Persian Bahá'ís came from the Holy Land about that time to give
> lessons in the Bahá'í Faith in New York and Chicago. The first
> pilgrimage to ‘Akká and Haifa, in 1898, was followed by a steady and ever
> increasing stream of Americans intent on hearing the Faith expounded by
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Whom Bahá‘u'lláh had designated Center of the
> Covenant. The pilgrims, on their return to the United States and Canada,
> conveyed their ardor, enkindled at the feet of the Master, to their questing
> compatriots. They did it by word of mouth, by private letter, by widely
> circulated and continually copied and recopied letters, descriptions, journals,
> and accounts that went from hand to hand. Sometimes they published their little
> books and pamphlets; and, when the Bahá'í Publishing Society
> (predecessor of the present Bahá'í Publishing Trust) was established
> in 1902, these travelers' accounts constituted an important part of its
> output.
> But infinitely more important than such publications were the Tablets, or
> letters, that Abdu'l-Bahá sent to the North American pilgrims. He
> maintained a continuous correspondence with the early believers, who welcomed
> the Tablets and eagerly, reverently shared them with their friends—by the
> same means, informal and formal, by which their personal experiences as
> pilgrims had been shared. The Tablets were written in Persian and were
> translated into English either in the Holy Land or in America by Persian
> believers and teachers.
> One of the translators of these Tablets was the Master's grandson, Shoghi
> Effendi, destined by Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament to become the
> Guardian of the Cause of God. There came to be, even before Shoghi Effendi's
> accession to the Guardianship, a strong sense of the difference between
> official, authoritative expressions of the thoughts of Bahá‘u'lláh
> and Abdu'l-Bahá, on the one hand, and the informal reminiscences of
> travelers, on the other—of travelers eager to capture the precious words
> uttered by the Master as He taught the pilgrims—for He always taught; at
> tea, at lunch, on walks, on expeditions of mercy to the poor, He taught by
> deeds as well as words. Every minute of the pilgrims' day was a lesson,
> sometimes concealed to all but the truly sensitive, sometimes apparent to the
> least gifted. Clearly, in the “pilgrims' notes” (as they came to be
> called) there was necessarily involved the fallibility of each pilgrim's memory
> and interpretive capacity. There was a danger that a sentence in a letter,
> dictated in response to a very particular question, might be generalized far
> beyond the case to which it was addressed or that an oral lesson, adapted and
> filtered by the needs of the hearer, become the basis of a doctrine that,
> emanating from Abdu'l-Bahá, would be seen as binding on all believers.
> Precisely this had happened in Islám: the Traditions, or
> Hadíth—that is, the sayings of Muhammad as reported by His
> disciples—had come to represent, for the majority of Muslims, an
> authority second only to that of the Qur'án itself.
> Bahá‘u'lláh Himself had made it clear that, as Shoghi Effendi put
> it in a letter written on his behalf, “only those things that have been
> revealed in the form of Tablets have a binding power over the friends. Hearsays
> may be matters of interest but can in no way claim authority”
> (Bahá'í News, no. 125 [May 1939], 6). Shoghi Effendi was
> particularly vigilant in such matters and repeatedly warned the friends against
> accepting hearsay as binding on anyone except him who had heard the Master with
> his own ears. However that may be, what can be more thrilling, short of the
> immediate experience, than hearing or reading the account in a pilgrim's own
> words of his reception in the loving arms of the Master? Who can tire of the
> description of those penetrating eyes, that warm and merry laughter, the wise
> brow, the wisps of hair escaping from the confining turban? Surely pilgrims'
> notes are not binding on us; they cannot be adduced as proof of anything; they
> cannot provide the basis of a serious, critical analysis of Bahá'í
> teachings—though the temptation to use them so is sometimes nearly
> irresistible!—but the sense of Abdu'l-Bahá's presence, His
> quintessential courtesy, His tenderness, His occasional severity, His powers of
> intellect and concentration—all these are infinitely precious to
> Bahá'ís, every one of whom is in love with the Master.
> 
> In spite of considerable effort of research, we know practically nothing
> about the life of Julia M. Grundy. There are records of John M. Grundy, her
> husband; O. Z. Whitehead, in his chapter on Mr. and Mrs. Howard MacNutt in
> Some Early Bahá'ís of the West, p. 36, mentions Mrs. Grundy as
> having been in their party of pilgrims in 1905—this is certainly the
> pilgrimage of which the present book (published in 1907) is a record. She was
> listed as a Bahá'í in Brooklyn, New York, as late as 1944. After
> that, no further trace. Some reader of this re-edition is bound to know more,
> and we shall be grateful for any more information that may be sent to us.
> This account of Julia Grundy's pilgrimage to ‘Akká tells us more about
> her than we would probably learn from external sources. Ten Days in the
> Light of ‘Akká gives us a glimpse into the life of the Holy Household
> and introduces us not only into the presence of the Center of the Covenant but
> also into that of some other persons of lesser degree—but more of that
> later.
> The central object of this account—which appears to be daily notes
> only slightly organized and barely rewritten for publication—is to enable
> the pilgrim to share with fellow believers the lessons she heard from the lips
> of the Master Himself. At this point we must sound once again the customary
> caveat: “Pilgrims' notes” convey, not the words of
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, but the pilgrim's memory and understanding of those words.
> We must, however, be permitted to inquire as to the degree of reliability of
> these notes. Two indications appear that seem to confer on them a rather high
> degree of accuracy.
> The first has to do with the lack of evident discrimination in presenting
> the lessons, whether of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá or some of the Persians (or Mr.
> MacNutt, for that matter) who happened to be at ‘Akká. Mrs. Grundy makes
> very few observations of her own, contenting herself for the most part with a
> few statements of fact: “‘Abdu'l-Bahá sent for me. I found Him in a
> little room opening from the courtyard. He was sitting upon a raised chair, His
> beautiful face, majestic in repose and strength, turned toward the only window.
> He greeted me joyfully. Both the daughters were present. He said….”
> Yes, her admiration is expressed, but with sobriety and modesty. The sentences
> are short and direct, and except for the chapters “Visit to the
> Tomb” and “Visit to the Ridván” the text consists
> preponderantly of direct quotations. Although the attributes of
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá—His beauty, kindness, and so on, are clearly marked,
> there is no comment or judgment made concerning His words or any other
> speaker's: the quotations stand on their own, without any attempt on the part
> of their self-effacing reporter to influence the reader.
> It would probably be evident to one quite unacquainted with the principles
> of the Bahá'í Faith, solely on the basis of the lessons given by the
> several teachers, that there is a sensible difference between ‘Abdu'l-Bahá
> and all the rest, as to spirituality, intelligence, reason, and sense of
> structure and rhetoric; and among the rest, there is a clear gradation, my
> perception of which I have no intention of imposing upon the reader. The fact
> that those differences leap to the eye is a testimony to the objectivity of the
> reporter.
> Another evidence of accuracy in reporting emerges from the substantively
> exact correspondence of Mrs. Grundy's version of the lessons of
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá with the authorized Writings of the Master that have been
> published since her pilgrimage. Again, comparison with the other teachers
> serves to confirm the author's faithfulness to the text of the lessons spoken
> in her presence.
> However, there are several points of variance between Julia Grundy's
> pilgrims' notes and what we know, from authorized Writings, to be either the
> historical truth of certain events or the doctrine revealed by the principal
> Figures of the Bahá'í Faith.
> For example, the “Mother of the Household” tells (p. 85) the
> story of a dream that Bahá‘u'lláh is supposed to have had when He was
> six years old. His father, according to this version, consulted a dream
> interpreter who explained visions “for the Kings.” If we refer to
> The Dawn-Breakers, p. 119, however, we learn that it was
> Bahá‘u'lláh's father who had the dream—and there is no
> indication that the interpreter was attached to the royal court. A small but
> substantive discrepancy that shows the wisdom of Shoghi Effendi's warning
> against uncritical confidence in pilgrims' notes.
> As to more theoretical—even theological—interpretation, here
> again there are discrepancies between the discourses of the lesser teachers and
> those of the Master. Mírzá Asadu'lláh comes very close to
> implying that ‘Abdu'l-Bahá enjoys direct Revelation: “…His
> Knowledge has descended from the Invisible Source of Knowledge, and the Holy
> Spirit is speaking through Him” (p. 98). Yet ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, far from
> ever making such a claim, is quoted in this book as denying most emphatically
> that He is the returned Christ, in spite of the strong wish of many of His
> disciples to believe so (see pp. 36-37 in the chapter on “The
> Manifestation”). Another indication of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's appreciation
> both of His secondary status compared to that of a Manifestation of God and of
> the importance of that station as commanding the obedience of all who believe
> in the Covenant is clearly delineated in the chapter entitled “The Second
> Coming.” On page 62 He establishes a multiple analogy: Moses : Joshua ::
> Christ : Peter :: Bahá‘u'lláh : ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, adding that this
> last authorization of successorship was, unlike the previous one, written in
> the Manifestation's “own Hand.” One should remark that this is not
> the progressive revelation of the chain of Manifestations; the very different
> proportion John the Baptist : Christ :: the Báb : Bahá‘u'lláh is
> not in question here. That is the difference between the successorship of
> Mírzá Yahyá to the Báb, and the super-session of the
> Báb by Bahá‘u'lláh. Just as Joshua continues the Mosaic era, and
> Peter the Christian era, Subh-i-Azal was supposed to continue the
> Bábí Dispensation; and, just as Christ superseded Moses, and
> Muhammad, Christ, so Bahá‘u'lláh has superseded the Báb.
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, by comparing Himself to Joshua and to Peter, and in denying
> His correspondence to Christ, clearly rules out for Himself the station of
> Manifestation of God.
> It is hard to read the lesson of Badí‘ulláh in the light of
> hindsight and to retain one's objectivity and thus judge Mrs. Grundy's. Our
> hindsight comes from having read Shoghi Effendi's God Passes By, where
> Mírzá Badí‘ulláh and his brother Mírzá
> Díya‘u'lláh are identified as Covenant-breakers of the party of the
> infamous Muhammad-‘Alí. The two brothers vacillated, returned to the
> Bahá'í fold several times, and ultimately chose to rebel against the
> Covenant. Obviously, Badí‘ulláh was undergoing one of his episodes of
> repentance, for he mentions Muhammad-‘Alí with evident disapproval (p.
> 82). It is impossible to read these words today without at least suspecting
> Badí‘ulláh of hypocrisy.
> The mention of Muhammad-‘Alí recalls to the reader that this pilgrimage
> took place in a time of great trouble for the Bahá'ís. The sadness
> that the nefarious activities of the Covenant-breakers occasioned the Master
> breaks through from time to time in this account (pp. 50, 51), but for the most
> part He clearly makes of cheerfulness in adversity a law of conduct. With what
> courage (and foresight!) He proclaims: “If all the world combined against
> Me, I would still possess this power, and all the world could not take it away
> from Me. I can fight with this weapon forever and will always be victorious. It
> is a sword which can never be dulled, a magazine that is always filled.”
> This from the gentle, modest Servant of Bahá shows His other
> side—His firmness in the calm knowledge of His invincible station and of
> the power that will always sustain Him.
> What do we learn about Julia Grundy? Here is the picture that emerges, for
> me at least, for I could be proven quite wrong by one who really knew her: She
> is modest, even fearful, but has the courage of faith. I have the distinct
> impression that ‘Abdu'l-Bahá tried to inspire her with confidence. He
> succeeded, at least to the extent that she could produce this book. She is
> earnest, perhaps lacking in humor; it is odd that she never mentions
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's love of laughter, a characteristic other pilgrims rarely
> fail to observe.
> That this preface threatens to become longer than the book indicates the
> power of these pilgrims' notes to stimulate curiosity, imagination, and
> thought, in spite of their modest mien. They constitute a personal, though not
> intimate, record and, at the same time, a document of considerable historical
> value. In them we hear the voice of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá through the mind and
> heart of a good and simple person and once again appreciate His ability to
> teach anyone right to the limit of his spiritual and intellectual capacity to
> learn.
> 
> Howard Garey
> 
> INTRODUCTION
> 
> I realize that the doors of a new Life are opening within me and that I have
> been awakened as if from a sleep. Now it seems that never again can I go back
> to the life which is so trivial, unsatisfying, and without eternal purpose.
> It is a supreme pleasure to live in an atmosphere which is all Light. Here I
> see about me those who have already laid hold upon Immortality, and viewing
> them I realize that I too am a child of the Kingdom.
> I met ‘Abdu'l-Bahá shortly after our arrival in the Household. He said,
> “Blessed are you that the Word of God has reached you and found your soul
> awake. Blessed it is that the East and the West have met in the Kingdom of God
> as Christ prophesied.” I said, “It is a heavenly privilege to know
> the Truth and become a child of the Kingdom.” He replied, “I hope
> to meet you in the Spiritual Kingdom.” I said, “That will be my
> wish and desire.” He answered, “I will pray for you.”
> 
> FROM THE WORDS OF ‘ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> “Moral life consists in the government of one's self. Immortality is
> government of a human soul by the Divine Will.”
> 
> “The soul is the Sanctuary of God; Reason is His Throne.”
> 
> “Our Actions reveal what we are, no matter what the tongue
> speaks.”
> 
> “Every drop of blood shed in the Cause of God will raise up one
> hundred believers.”
> 
> “Martyrdom is the supreme test of belief. Great martyrs will arise in
> this Cause in the years to come. A believer is sometimes called upon to suffer
> a living martyrdom.”
> 
> “Are miracles performed in this Day?” “Miracles are
> constantly being performed in the material world about us, yet they make but
> little impression. Every Prophet has His own particular Mission and function.
> He does not come merely to perform miracles. People do not trouble themselves
> about the proof of miracles. The function of a physician is not to make a tree
> talk.”
> 
> “Be firm in the West! Let the foundation principles of this Truth
> become deep-rooted. Hold fast until the fullness of Reality comes to you.
> Christ's Teachings were established largely through the firmness of Paul. Many
> calamities will befall the believers, but by loving the Cause of God, it will
> be uplifted in human souls and the believers strengthened. Love one another.
> Live in Unity under the Tent of God. Firmness and Love make Unity. God will
> assist all who serve in this Cause.”
> 
> “Spirit is universal. Man is created in a potential degree of Spirit.
> Growth is from the mental station into the Spiritual, something like the
> development from soldier to Commander. God Himself cannot compel the soul to
> become spiritual. The exercise of a free human will is necessary. We can point
> the way and furnish the example. We should do little things as well as great
> things for the Love of God. We should love people because they are God's
> creatures.”
> 
> “Are the Manifestations sinless?” “Yes, there must be a
> standard of perfection for human example.”
> 
> “Are Manifestations limited?” “They are limited only by
> the capacity of souls to whom They reveal the Word.”
> 
> “What becomes of an undeveloped infant's soul?” “It rests
> with the Mercy of God and through the Eternal Bounty it will not be deprived of
> that Mercy.”
> 
> “Will the Tablets and Utterances of Bahá‘u'lláh be added to
> our Bible?” “No, they are a distinct Revelation of God and will
> form a Book larger than our Bible.”
> 
> “What will be the future of this Revelation?” “Know
> this—that the Revelation of Bahá‘u'lláh is the Word of God.
> There will not be a home which does not contain a believer. Look not at the
> present. Turn your vision upon the future. All the books written concerning the
> History of this Revelation number about fifty volumes. “
> 
> “Will the money of the rich ever be divided among the people without
> revolution or bloodshed?”
> 
> “Will some men amass great fortunes in the future while others remain
> poor?”
> 
> “Will the law prevent this condition of affairs?”
> 
> “It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes
> by the labor of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this
> gradually, naturally, by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by
> war and bloodshed. The ruling power or government cannot treat the rich
> unjustly. To force them to divide their wealth would be unjust. In the future,
> proportionately about three-quarters of the profits will go to the workmen and
> one-quarter to the owner. This condition will prevail in about one century. It
> will certainly come to pass.”
> 
> “The Blessed Perfection has revealed a Tablet called 'Tablet of the
> Spiritual World.' All who read it are filled with an anxious desire to leave
> this world and enter the next condition, so wonderful are the glories of the
> Spiritual Kingdom. In Persia, one man who read this Tablet killed himself. he
> could not wait for the happiness it promised him. Another, a youth of
> Isfahán, could not stand the spiritual food contained in this Tablet, and
> lost his reason.”
> 
> “I once lived in a cave on Mount Carmel. One day I went to the
> Carmelite Monastery and asked to see someone, saying I had a message to
> deliver. They refused to see me or hear my message. I said, 'I will put it in
> writing if you will read it.' They still refused, so I returned to ‘Akká
> in great sadness, walking the whole distance of nine miles.”
> 
> “Everlasting Life is the Bounty of God. It is like the Sea of Reality.
> The believers are the waves of that Sea, one great Sea and a thousand waves as
> one. Again, Everlasting Life is like the rays of the Sun and the believers are
> windows; the Sun which produces the Light is One and the same. Into these
> soul-windows the same Light enters and various things within are illuminated.
> The Kingdom is like a garden. The flowers differ in color and perfume, yet they
> receive growth, beauty, and bounty from the one God and are developed by the
> same Divine Breeze. Truth is like the Light which is always the same. The souls
> of Believers are as mirrors which reflect the Light. Truth is like the light of
> a candle which does not vary, yet the candlestick which holds it may change.
> Each year the rose is the same beautiful flower although it appears in
> different gardens.”
> 
> “What will be the food of the future?” “Fruit and grains.
> The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only
> in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is that which grows out
> of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this
> natural food.”
> 
> “There is no appointed length of life for man. Lengthen your life by
> living according to God's spiritual laws. Then you will live forever. This is
> the true longevity, the real life. The real life is eternal happiness and
> existence in the Knowledge of God.”
> 
> “Jesus was a dyer by trade. He also lived in Egypt 'Out of Egypt have
> I called My Son' (Matt. 2:15; Hos. 11:1) was spoken of Jesus. The
> 5th Gospel which is considered noncanonical gave other history of
> Jesus than is contained in the Gospels of the New Testament. There were fifty
> gospels, but only four were accepted as genuine by the priesthood.”
> 
> “Spirit is the highest and supreme development of the soul. Soul is
> the material or outer self—the Mind. Mind is the action of the Soul's
> powers. The Body is the physical covering or medium in which Mind acts and
> functions. At death everything but Spirit is destroyed and becomes
> extinct.”
> 
> “The Prophets and Holy Men always went into the wilderness to pray.
> Many of them walked upon Mount Carmel and communed with God.”
> 
> “True Religion has nothing to do with human imagination. God's Will is
> independent of human opinion. Personal ideas and mere human prejudice are the
> great obstacles to spiritual growth. For instance, some difference of opinion
> arises between two believers in God. Each expects the Lord to support his view
> of the question. The Word of God is perfect and arbitrary in Its perfection.
> When there is difference of view there is absence of the Spirit. The Word is
> the only Standard of Truth. Discord and disagreement are impossible among those
> who adhere to the Manifestation and sever themselves from human opinion. There
> are no 'heads' in this Cause; all are 'servants.'”
> 
> “If all the world should combine to overthrow the Covenant, it could
> snot succeed. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá loves all no matter how they turn away from
> Him. Whether they love or hate Him, go or come, He never changes in His love
> for them. The Blessed Perfection has left nothing undone. What He ordained can
> never be set aside.”
> 
> “Everything in life ministers to our development. Our lesson is to
> study and learn. Money and difficulties are alike advantages to us. Tests are
> either stumbling blocks or stepping-stones, just as we make them.”
> 
> “The Prophets of the Word could not sin. They possess the power and
> will to violate the Will of God, but the desire to do so is never present in
> them. Knowing the perfect fruit of Oneness, they have no inclination toward
> that which is imperfect. Like beautiful flowers, they do not change in beauty
> even when surrounded by foul conditions.”
> 
> “There are two kinds of suffering, one subtle, the other gross. The
> subtle suffering is hatred, anger, fear, and torment which follow evil actions
> of the soul. The gross suffering is imprisonment, chastisement, and physical
> pain of martyrdom.”
> 
> “At the time of Muhammad, He sanctioned war for the preservation of
> the lives of His followers. The laws of individual justice were confused and
> preliminary in the souls of men. Therefore, the law of general justice of the
> community was revealed by this Prophet. He commanded His followers to carry the
> Religion of God by the sword. When a man is about to take poison, it is right
> to dash the cup from his hand even with extreme violence. It will inflict
> injury but at the same time save his life. There must be a law to prevent the
> wolves from destroying the lambs at such a period of religious history. That is
> why the Shepherd sanctioned such vigorous protection for the sheep. Behind such
> laws of a Manifestation there is always a supreme wisdom.”
> 
> During dinner ‘Abdu'l-Bahá ate entirely with His fingers. After awhile
> He said, “In the East there are many peoples who never use a knife or
> fork. To eat with their fingers is custom among them, just as the Western
> nations have their own peculiar customs. We must each view with respect the
> customs of the other. There is a kind of food which needs neither knife nor
> fork and of which every one may partake with perfect ease and benefit. It is
> the food spiritual. This food brings life and stimulation instead of indolence
> and apathy. It brings peace and content to the one who partakes of it; the more
> food, the more joy and peace. For the Spirit is always eager to furnish
> sustenance to the soul.”
> 
> “Allusion cannot convey what Reality teaches. Christ said, 'What has
> happened in the past will happen again in the future.' The reason of this is
> that all things are under the operation of Divine Law which is the same today,
> yesterday, and forever. By this the spiritual eye may discern that which is
> authentic in the Scriptures.”
> 
> “Sow the seeds of love in the heart and not the seeds of hatred. The
> reflection in the glass proves whether we are laughing or frowning. By our
> actions we reveal what is growing in the heart. Actions are mirrors of the
> soul.”
> 
> “These are precious and wonderful days in ‘Akká. Each day is as a
> year. Your visit cannot be measured merely by the length of time you have been
> here. The real spiritual visit will be after you have gone. Some who remain but
> one day go away filled and enkindled with the Spirit of God. They are like the
> dry wood which bursts into flame as soon as it touches the fire. So it is with
> a lamp; the oil within it responds instantly to the fire and gives forth light.
> The soul which possesses sight can see in a moment, while the blind never see.
> An awakened soul is like a precious pearl in the midst of a load of pebbles
> which have but little value. To some it is given to hear and know the Message
> of Life in a short time, while others hear and receive nothing even though they
> make a long stay in this holy place.”
> 
> “We should not be occupied with our failings and weakness, but concern
> ourselves about the Will of God so that It may flow through us, thereby healing
> these human infirmities.”
> 
> “Faith is not so much what we believe as what we carry out.”
> 
> “In America you have only received a taste of the spiritual food which
> is to come to you. Some will arise to serve the Cause of God in your land who
> will sacrifice themselves entirely. They will be given great power from God
> when they come forth to do His Will. Concentrate the soul upon God so that it
> may become as a fountain pouring out the Water of Life to a thirsty world. Live
> up to the principles of Sacrifice. The world will then become as nothing and be
> without power to attract you away from God. Sacrifice your will to the Will of
> God. The Kingdom is attained by the one who forgets self. Everything becomes
> yours by Renunciation of everything. A lion, wolf, and fox went hunting. They
> captured a wild ass, a gazelle, and a hare. The lion said to the wolf, 'Divide
> the spoil.' The wolf said, 'That is easy; the ass for yourself, the gazelle for
> me, and the hare for the fox.' The lion bit off the wolf's head saying, 'You
> are not a good divider.' Then turning to the fox, he said, 'You divide!' The
> fox said, 'The ass, the gazelle, and the hare are yours!' The lion looking at
> him, said, 'Because you have accounted yourself as nothing, you may take all
> the prey.'”
> 
> “The miracles of Christ were spiritual teachings, not
> literal.”
> 
> “What is true greatness in man?”
> 
> “His spiritual attributes. No one can destroy his spiritual qualities;
> they are from God.”
> 
> “Tests are like fire which purifies.”
> 
> “How will the masses be benefited by this Revelation?”
> 
> “The Revelation of Bahá‘u'lláh contains all the great laws
> and principles of social government. The basis of God's perfect laws is love
> for humanity and help for human needs. If all people followed this Revelation,
> the masses would be immeasurably uplifted and the Cause of God glorified. This
> development of humanity will be gradual, not sudden. It will surely come to
> pass; it is impossible to swim against the current of Niagara. Teaching the
> Truth is like building bridges by which humanity may cross over the current
> which threatens. The world must come to know the Word in Christ. How He was
> mocked, scorned, and laughed at, yet His mission was to uplift the very world
> which refused Him. Realization of this will bring tears to the eyes of those
> who deny Him, cause them to grow silent and thoughtful. Christ is always
> Christ.”
> 
> “What is the best way to benefit humanity?”
> 
> “Guidance to God. What is dearer to man than life? So, therefore,
> leading a soul to Eternal Life is the greatest blessing and benefit you can
> bestow upon that soul.”
> 
> “When does our responsibility cease in giving the Message?”
> 
> “When we give the Message, we develop ourselves. Our own heart is
> opened when we teach the heart of the listener. The more we give, the more we
> get. Therefore, as this is the means of our own development we should never
> cease teaching. Our responsibility remains as long as we have a
> listener.”
> 
> “What is the best thing to do when met by a difficult
> question?”
> 
> “A sincere worker in the Cause of God is always assisted by the Divine
> Spirit when such questions arise. The Truth will flow through you if you stand
> in the right attitude toward the Truth. In the Spiritual Station you will never
> be without the Knowledge necessary to answer a question. With Spiritual food
> the capacity to know increases with the will to serve.”
> 
> “What is sacrifice?”
> 
> “Giving up everything in the Cause of God and following His Will no
> matter where it leads. We must not have desire for anything else but God. We
> must entirely forget self. To be perfected we must give up everything in the
> cause of God, judgment, reason, will, everything. To hold back anything is to
> be imperfect. The thing we hold most dear is the thing to give. This is real
> sacrifice.”
> 
> “Upon which finger should the ring with the Greatest Name be
> worn?”
> 
> “The right hand is the hand of honor. In the East, wearing it upon
> this hand attracts attention and causes comment. But the real place to wear the
> Greatest Name is in the heart.”
> 
> “What is prayer, attitude or word?”
> 
> “Prayer is both attitude and word; it depends upon the soul-condition.
> It is like a song; both words and music make the song. Sometimes the melody
> will move us, sometimes the words.”
> 
> “What will be the future of this Teaching?”
> 
> “Know and realize the greatness of the Cause into which you have
> entered. Look not at the present. The day will come when there will not be a
> house which does not contain a believer in this Revelation. One Book or Tablet
> of the Blessed Perfection is more comprehensive than fifty volumes of the
> world's greatest wisdom. The Books and Words of God have been sealed and the
> meanings locked. All the sacred mysteries were sealed, but now
> Bahá‘u'lláh has broken the seals, revealed the meanings, and we can
> understand the Realities.”
> 
> “My greatest wish is to teach this Message.”
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá said, “I will pray God to assist you. It has often
> happened that one who is not able to teach would be sent forth, and when the
> time came, that one would be found powerful and eloquent. One man of this kind
> in the East has even written a book. Two Jewish children have written a
> beautiful commentary proving the Cause of Christ, Muhammad, and the Blessed
> Perfection. Two unbelievers in the Center of the Covenant have recently
> returned and are serving with zeal in the Vineyard of God.”
> 
> “Belief in this Revelation is a priceless spiritual blessing. Just as
> a child will give up a jewel of great price for a sugarplum, so men will
> exchange the Truth for a treasure of earth. The Báb said, 'One glance from
> the Eye of Him Whom God shall Manifest is worth all the wealth of the world.'
> In this one look we can attain life everlasting, resurrection from the dead,
> and the treasures of Heaven.”
> 
> “The Revelation of Bahá‘u'lláh is not mere history; it is
> the Voice and Will of God. If we guard the seed of Immortality, it will bring
> forth the tree of Eternal Life. This is the true realization of the
> Manifestation's Coming. His Mission is accomplished when we enter the Spiritual
> Kingdom and attain Immortality. God be praised! This is the Spiritual Sight.
> Peter perceived Christ when thousands of Jews saw Him not. Peter reached that
> Station at once. This Knowledge is the glance from the Eye of God. It is more
> precious than all the wealth of the world.”
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá visited us in the afternoon. He said, “Speech is
> necessary and good between soul and soul. Nothing of this world is eternal. The
> highest longing and ambition of some people is to be a king or queen; but at
> the last even the great ones of earth must perish. Even the earthly personality
> of Jesus has come and gone. Only by serving God do we attain everlasting Life.
> All our fame and glory should be in service to Him. This will never perish.
> Live in the Cause of God; this is the Harmony of the Universe. Shine in the
> Horizon of His Will. Life is wasted if not spiritual. Be of the Spirit, not of
> the body. The Light of the body is the eye. The eye of conscience stands
> between the power of knowledge and the spiritual world. Does your soul feel as
> sure of God as your eye is sure of Nature? 'Blessed are the pure in heart; they
> shall see God.' Once I was in prison under the ground and in chains, yet I was
> happy because I was not deprived of spiritual sight. I tell you this so that
> when you hear of my troubles and difficulties in the future, you may know that
> I am spiritually happy. I am showing you the way of true happiness. By
> comparing the future with the past you may understand, no matter what the
> future brings forth. Firmness is the beginning of spiritual happiness. Christ
> appeared in Palestine and was held in contempt because He was from Nazareth.
> Only twelve believed in Him; one deserted Him. There were other believers, but
> they were not strong. They were troubled with doubts and afterward fell away.
> Mary Magdalene held steadfastly to Christ and made others firm. God will assist
> all who are firm in His Cause. Firmness is the beginning of spiritual
> happiness.”
> 
> “Spirituality is the possession of a good, pure heart. When the heart
> is pure, the Spirit enters, and our growth is natural and assured. Everyone is
> better informed of the condition of his own soul than the souls of others. Our
> responsibility to God increases with our years.”
> 
> The “Government is upon the shoulder” of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. He
> bears a burden of human griefs and troubles, yet helps all and is happy; for He
> has cut Himself from the world.
> 
> LOVE
> 
> “How can we love another whose personality is unpleasant?”
> “See how the enemies of Christ persecuted and crucified Him, yet He
> loved them all. Man is like a tree. The tree lives to produce fruit. The fruit
> of man is love. It is easy for us to love a friend or even an animal, but how
> difficult to love one who is without attraction. Yet if the Love of God is
> shining in our hearts, we, like Christ, may see that Love reflected in every
> personality, and love all alike.”
> “What is the difference between universal and individual
> love?”
> “We must love all humanity as the children of God. Even if they kill
> us, we must die with love for them. It is not possible for us to love everybody
> with a personal love, but we must love all humanity alike. Man is capable of
> attaining a supreme station. Through the manifestation of Love God created Man.
> To attain a supreme station man must reflect the Love of God.”
> “There are many stages or kinds of Love. In the beginning God, through
> His Love, created man. Man is the highest product of His Love, and the purpose
> of man's existence is to reflect this Love of God in his soul. But man in his
> egotism and love of self turns away from his Creator and thereby prevents the
> accomplishment of the Divine Plan. The Manifestations appear to show man the
> way to God through Love. By them, man is brought to the condition of severance
> from his egotism and being absorbed into the Ocean of Love Divine. The three
> stages of Love are therefore:
> 1st—God's Love for man.
> 2nd—Man's love for self.
> 3rd—Man's love for God.”
> “There is a profound, a Divine Wisdom in Love. The Light of God shines
> in the eyes when the heart is pure. The home of Religion is the
> heart.”
> 
> SOUL AND SPIRIT
> 
> (Compiled from ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's Teachings)
> 
> Soul is the human will to live temporally.
> Spirit is the Divine Will to live forever.
> Salvation is the quickening of soul into Spirit.
> All souls are alike in essence or quality as created. Owing to environment,
> soul-needs differ; rich and poor, wise and ignorant, etc. Environment has its
> dark side and its light side. Development has its good aspects and bad aspects.
> Sin is the absence of Righteousness. Righteousness is doing the Will of God.
> All souls have a free will to choose or refuse the Will of God. Each soul has
> its station of individuality in which it may develop itself, but a soul cannot
> leave its own station for another station or individuality. Man accomplishes
> his true growth when the soul develops in its own station. His station does not
> change; simply his capacity for knowing God is increased and developed.
> Knowledge of God is the only spiritual development. The Power of the
> Manifestations of God is beyond question inasmuch as human development
> invariably follows their Teachings. This development is unmistakably toward a
> higher existence. Every Manifestation teaches the Existence of God. As their
> Power is evident their Knowledge must likewise be true. The soul can prove the
> Existence of God through its intellectual powers, but the true perception of
> God is through the spiritual eye of the soul. This Knowledge transcends mere
> mental proof; it is spiritual Sight; it is Vision. The atheist has intelligence
> of the mere mind. His words denying the existence of God are in reality
> evidence that God exists. The atheist's real station of development is not ours
> to judge or estimate. Spirit is Oneness of vision and Knowledge. The mind has
> many attributes or powers. The Spirit is Conscious Perception. When all the
> powers of the soul work together and are concentrated upon God, the soul has
> its highest employment. Spirit is like the Sun, the Source of all Light, alone
> in Its Station. The mind or soul has many lights, as the stars. The mind or
> soul manifests itself throughout the whole body in perfect harmony. The Spirit
> or Spirit of God manifests Itself throughout the whole body of the universe and
> is in perfect harmony wherever manifest. A wicked soul is the only thing out of
> harmony in the universe. As it does not come into the flow of the Divine Will,
> it is not of the Spirit. This failure of the soul has led man to believe that
> God will give the wicked soul another opportunity by allowing it to return in
> another body and atone for its failure. There is no proof of this outside or
> inside the Holy Book of Scriptures. Whatever is the destiny of the wicked soul
> in the hereafter, we know that its development rests with the Mercy of God. A
> wicked soul, lacking development, is nonexistent spiritually, just as in the
> station of the tree, the stone is nonexistent because the stone lacks the
> powers and development of the tree. Therefore, a soul which continues in a
> condition of non-development through violating the Will of God suffers
> extinction and is spiritually nonexistent. The fields and flowers of the
> Spiritual Realm are pointed out to us by the Manifestations who walk amid their
> glories. It remains for the soul of man to follow them in these paths of
> eternal life, through the exercise of its own human will.
> 
> THE HOUSE OF JUSTICE
> 
> “The House of Justice must be obeyed in all things because it has been
> established by the Blessed Perfection. The Council of Constantine decided many
> things wisely, but its power and influence did not continue because it was not
> established by Christ Himself. It was founded upon the Words of Christ
> interpreted according to the ideas of men. The House of Justice will be
> appointed by the people. It must be obeyed because it is the Law of God
> expressed through the people by their own will and voice.”
> “In this Day we are near to the Source of true Religion and the Law of
> God, before Revelation has been corrupted by the interpretations of men. The
> true believer is the one who follows the Manifestation of God in all things.
> After the Departure of Bahá‘u'lláh we are commanded to obey the House
> of Justice. I myself will obey the House of Justice because it is founded upon
> the Commands of the Blessed Perfection. The Council of Constantine did not
> survive because it was not founded by Christ; but in this Day the House of
> Justice has been established by the Manifestation of God. It is the center of
> true government and must be obeyed in all things. It is the Law of God embodied
> in the people, reflecting His Will and their need and desire, not blindly
> following command.”
> “In war both parties are wrong. Neither Japan nor Russia is fulfilling
> the Law and Will of God.[1] The kings and rulers of
> the world will find their true authority under the rulings of the House of
> Justice. The Law of God will be vested in nineteen men who will compose the
> House of Justice and render decisions. War is never necessary. It is always an
> expense and a calamity, never a great help. God utilizes even the wars of
> nations to carry out His ultimate purposes. The House of Justice will decide
> between kings and kings. All judgment will be from the standpoint of God's
> Laws. Then rich and poor will be alike justly treated. When men are developed
> spiritually, they obey God. The rule of the House of Justice will be the
> dominion of the Spirit of God. Human will brings conditions to a climax in the
> affairs of nations. The only solution and remedy is the administration of God's
> Laws.”
> 
> HEAVEN
> 
> “What is meant by 'Heaven' in the Bible?”
> “Christ said that nothing could ascend into Heaven except that which
> came down from Heaven. He also said, 'I came from Heaven and will return to
> Heaven,' and 'The Son of Man is in Heaven.' He said this while still upon the
> earth and notwithstanding the fact that He had been born of Mary. There is no
> doubt Christ came from Heaven and always was in Heaven, but when He spoke He
> did not mean the literal sky. What then is meant by 'Heaven'? Science proves
> that there is no heaven or sky, but all is limitless space and one universe. In
> this limitless space the heavenly spheres revolve and have their orbits. But
> the 'Heaven' of Christ is that invisible world which is beyond the sight and
> comprehension of mere man. It is the spiritual condition. Therefore, the
> 'Heaven' of Christ is the Will of God. The Sun of that Heaven will never set.
> In it the Moon and Stars are always shining. It is the limitless Kingdom of
> God. It is sanctified from all place. Christ is always there. There Elijah and
> the Holy Prophets live eternally. It is sanctified from all comprehension. The
> Jews were deprived because they could not understand this spiritual
> condition.”
> “The 'heaven' of the material world is something else. It is the sky
> overhead in which the clouds move. This heaven is ‘up' to us and 'down' to
> those upon the other side of the earth, while vice versa their material heaven
> is 'down' to us. In the Heavenly Book it is said that the 'stars will fall from
> heaven.' Where will they fall? Science proves that nearly all the stars are
> larger than the earth. Where will they find room to fall?”
> “When the heart is pure and filled with the light of the Spirit, we
> will know that we are in the true 'Heaven.' Christ came from Heaven, and still
> the Jews are sleeping. The Kingdom of Heaven is within your soul. Let all
> people see that you have the Light, that they may recognize something in you
> which they themselves do not possess.”
> 
> THE MANIFESTATION
> 
> “When you give the Message of this Manifestation many say, 'This is
> nothing new—I prefer the home of my old religious belief which has been
> so serviceable and trustworthy.'”
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá answered:
> “Bahá‘u'lláh is the same Light in a new Lamp. To see, we
> must look at the Light and not at the Lamp. This is Spiritual Sight. The sun is
> one orb, but it has different rising-points on the horizon. One point was
> Jesus, one Moses, one Bahá‘u'lláh, and so on. Therefore, be a lover
> of the 'sun' and worship it, no matter at what point it may arise. If you
> worship the dawning-place, you will fail to see the Sun when it arises in
> another point of the horizon. Many stand at the old point and worship while
> they are losing the Light of the Sun in this Manifestation. True lovers of the
> Sun worship the Sun Itself and not the point of Its rising. They see and know
> the Light. Pray for those who stand worshiping the old rising-point of the Sun,
> spiritually blind to its New Appearance upon the Heavenly Horizon, spiritually
> deprived of Its Light and Bounty. The ministers and clergy do not accept the
> Message on account of their position in the Church. As stars in heaven they
> have become darkened. When the Báb arose and declared His Mission, many of
> the clergy who had occupied positions found it necessary to give them up and
> follow His Teaching.”
> “Many people, likewise, who hear the Message are deprived of its Glory
> because they receive it from one whom they deem less competent to know than
> themselves. The Word of God is revealed according to the degree of Spiritual
> Sight, no matter who the messenger may be. Again, people do not receive the
> Manifestation of God because they are veiled by their imaginations. Imagination
> is one of our greatest powers and a most difficult one to rule. Imagination is
> the father of superstition. For example, two men are dear friends. They love
> each other so much they never wish to be parted. Yet when one of them dies, the
> other through fear dreads to be alone with the one he cared so much for in
> life. His imagination controls him and fills him with fear and horror. We are
> led astray by imagination, even in violation of will and reason. It is our test
> power. We are tested by our ability to control and subdue it. A man imagines he
> is wealthy. Some day real wealth comes to him, but it is never what he imagined
> it would be. Imagination is our greatest misleader. We hold to it until it
> becomes fixed in memory. Then we hold to it the stronger, believing it to be
> fact. It is a great power of the soul but without value unless rightly
> controlled and guided. Through imagination men receive a distorted view of a
> former Manifestation and are prevented from recognizing and accepting the Truth
> and Reality of the present one. They are veiled from the Light and Glory of God
> by imagination. These veils prevent the true Light from entering the soul.
> Therefore, men follow the false light of their imaginations and cling to error
> instead of truth. Thus the Egyptians were veiled from the Light of God in
> Moses. The Jews were veiled from the Glory of Jesus simply because they did not
> know Moses rightly and so were blinded to the one He promised would come after
> Him. Today Jews, Muhammadans, and Christians, not seeing the former
> Manifestation with true vision, are veiled from the Glory of God in
> Bahá‘u'lláh. One of the greatest veils is literal interpretation of
> the prophecies. Again, many refuse the Manifestation in His Day because they do
> not want to walk the hard road of devotion and servitude, but prefer the easy
> road of hereditary belief. Misconception of the Word of God and its meanings is
> another great veil which imagination throws over the soul and by which the
> Light is lost. Also, people inherit their belief from parents and ancestors and
> follow it blindly, too negligent to know and see for themselves. Negligence and
> apathy are heavy 'veils of Glory.' Read Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl's book of
> Bahá'í Proofs, and you will find irresistible evidence of this
> Manifestation.[2] Will is the center or focus of
> human understanding. We must will to know God, just as we must
> will in order to possess the life He has given us. The human will must be
> subdued and trained into the Will of God. It is a great power to have a strong
> will, but a greater power to give that will to God. The will is what we do, the
> understanding is what we know. Will and understanding must be one in the Cause
> of God. Intention brings attainment.”
> “Do the Manifestations differ in degree?”
> “These Supreme Holy Souls are Godlike in their attributes. The
> garments in which they appear are different, but the attributes are the same.
> In their real intrinsic power they show forth the Perfection of God. The
> Reality of God in them never varies; only the garment in which the Primal
> Reality is clothed is different according to the time and place of their
> Appearance and Declaration to the world. One Day it is the garment of Abraham,
> then Moses, then Jesus, then Bahá‘u'lláh. Knowledge of this Oneness
> is true Enlightenment. Some see the garment only and worship the Personality;
> some see the Reality and worship in 'spirit and in Truth.' Some of the Hebrews
> admired the embroidered beauty of the garment of Abraham but were blind to the
> Real Light which shone upon the darkness of the world through Him. Moses was
> denied; Jesus was denied, crucified; all have been denied and persecuted for
> this reason. Men see the garment and are blind to the Reality, worship the
> Personality and do not know the Truth, the Light Itself. Some worship the Tree
> of Life but do not eat of the blessed Fruit of the Tree. Therefore, differences
> and disagreements arise in religious belief. If all would eat of the Fruit
> Itself, they could never disagree. For instance, four men were traveling along
> a road. They possessed a franc between them. One was a Turk, the others
> Persian, Arab, and Greek. They became hungry and wished to buy some grapes, but
> as they did not understand each other's language, none of them could express
> his wish to the others. So they began to quarrel and abuse each other. Finally
> a man came along who knew all four languages. He asked what the trouble was.
> Then he said, 'Give me the money. I will buy each one what he wishes.' So he
> bought grapes, and they were all satisfied. They had disagreed upon a word or
> term only; all meant the same thing. Terms are of no importance. The Fruits of
> the Tree should be our desire. These are the Spiritual 'grapes.' Find the Light
> Itself, and there will be no difference of opinion or belief as to the
> Personality or Degree of the Manifestations of God.”
> “The greatest proof of a Manifestation is the Manifestation Himself.
> We do not have to prove the existence of the sun. The sun is independent of
> proof. He who has sight can see the sun and prove it for himself. It is not
> necessary to seek for other proof. For instance, it is a fixed fact that
> nothing could grow upon the earth without the light of the sun. It is easily
> proved that without the sun's heat and light no animal life could exist. The
> sun's light is indispensable, its heat essential. This is the sun's greatest
> proof. God with all His qualities is independent of all His creatures. Look at
> the Christ. He was a youth of Israel, not a great and honored man, but born
> from a poor family. He was so poor that He was born in a manger, yet He changed
> the conditions of the whole world. What proof could be greater than this that
> He was from God? It is so strong and evident that no one can deny it. Without
> this Light the world could not grow spiritually. The Blessed Perfection came
> from Persia, which is not a prominent nation. The great Prophets did not enter
> school to be taught of men, yet so many things did they manifest that at last
> we must admit that the world is not able to destroy the wisdom of the Prophets
> or grow without them. Everything of God is proof against the people and
> evidence for God. Peter was the greatest of all the disciples. He was the
> 'head' appointed by the Christ, yet he denied the Christ three times. See what
> happened afterward! See what a power of penetration the Word of God possessed!
> How the Truth in Christ grew and spread all over the world! There must be a
> Standard. The Kings of the earth cannot stand against the power of the Word.
> The Light of God will shine, must shine. The great flag of Nero was lowered,
> and Christ's standard raised in its stead. All the kings of earth, all the
> learned men have become subject to the Word and are its worshipers. The Blessed
> Perfection during His own lifetime had one thousand followers who believed in
> Him. Only one proved ungrateful, yet he did not deny Bahá‘u'lláh.
> Many of these followers were martyred with His Name upon their lips. The renown
> of Jesus' Name did not reach outside His own country. We hear nothing of Him
> from the Phoenicians. But the Name of Bahá‘u'lláh reached the whole
> world while He lived. Jesus did not write to any of the rulers of the world.
> Bahá‘u'lláh sent Tablets to all the Kings and rulers of the earth.
> When Napoleon III was in the zenith of his power, the Blessed Perfection wrote
> to him. If we should gather together all that the Christ said, it would be very
> little in amount. But consider the number of Tablets and Books left by the
> Blessed Perfection! Although the Christ was not a great and honored man,
> although He was of such poor and humble condition that He was born in a manger,
> yet He changed the whole world by His Power and Divinity. What proof could be
> greater than this? How can anyone deny His proof! In the same way, the Blessed
> Perfection came from Persia, which is not an important nation of the world. He
> did not go to school, and yet so much Knowledge was manifest in Him that we
> must confess that is impossible to deny His Wisdom and His Divinity. So
> universal were the Bounties of the Blessed Perfection that the very stones and
> trees mourned His Departure. Everything sent from God is proof enough for the
> people of the world to accept and believe. The Manifestations of God are sent
> when most needed. There were Nineteen 'Letters of the Living' who accepted the
> Báb. The Blessed Perfection Himself spread the Báb's Message. Great
> and learned men likewise embraced His Cause. They were Mullás or clergy of
> the Muhammadans. One of them is known as the King of the Martyrs on account of
> his death for this Cause. They were celebrated for their great knowledge and
> learning. The Manifestation of God is proof of Himself, just as the sun is its
> own greatest and sufficient proof. The sun says, 'I am proof.' In the ancient
> times the women of Egypt thought Joseph was an angel. No proof was necessary
> but his own beauty and excellence. The proof was himself. People of sight and
> perception see at a glance what the blind and incapable can never
> see.”
> “Another great proof of a Manifestation is His power to develop souls.
> Miracles are but secondary proofs. Our first and important duty is to ascertain
> if the real Physician has come to heal the Spiritual sickness of the world, to
> learn if the Commander of the hosts of righteousness has appeared, to prove the
> appearance of a true Manifestation of God. If in crossing the ocean everyone on
> board the ship should assume the authority of captain, where would be the
> safety of the ship and its passengers? It would be impossible to reach the
> destination if everybody was Captain. Then after we have found the Captain of
> the ship of Truth, it is our duty to obey Him, submit to His Wisdom, and be
> guided by Him into Eternal Life.”
> “Before each Manifestation a sign appears in both the material and
> spiritual heavens. It is the appearance of a literal star and the rise of a man
> as a Forerunner. The Forerunner announces the Manifestation of the Promised
> One. Before Moses appeared, a messenger came to the Hebrews, bidding them
> prepare for His Manifestation. John the Baptist came before the Christ. The
> Manifestations are greater or less in degree according to the Message they are
> able to reveal. Muhammad was preceded by a Forerunner or Announcer. Before the
> Manifestation of this Day, as it is the full Reality of Revelation, there were
> two Heralds, Ahmad and Kázim. It will be a long time before the rise of
> another Manifestation. The Manifestations are like seas. Some seas, such as the
> Caspian, are alone and separated from all the others; some, like the
> Mediterranean, are connected with the great body of the Ocean itself. The
> Manifestation in Muhammad was like the Caspian, alone and separate. The
> Báb and the Blessed Perfection are as the Mediterranean and the Ocean. The
> Manifestations are as suns in the Heaven of the Divine Will. Sometimes the sun
> and moon are far apart; for instance, in the middle of month they are 180
> degrees from each other. But in the beginning and end of the lunar month they
> are only one degree apart. In the Qur'án Muhammad prophesied that in this
> Day the Sun and Moon will meet in Heaven; that is, the spiritual Sun and Moon
> of this Dispensation will rise together in the form of man. We should thank God
> continually that we live in this Day of a Manifestation of God. This
> Manifestation ended with the Blessed Perfection. The Cycle of the Sun and Moon
> is finished. I am nothing but the Servant of God. Some in America are looking
> for a 'third Christ' or personage. This is only imagination. Some call me
> Christ. This also is imagination. The Cycle of the Blessed Perfection will last
> for a long time. The next manifestation will not be so great as this One. When
> He appears, He will not be an independent One. Do they realize that I make no
> claim for Myself? I have sacrificed everything—My body, My comfort, My
> Station, all—to the Blessed Perfection. Bahá‘u'lláh is the
> consummation of all degrees. He is the Revelation of all Truth and Light.
> Whereas the Revelation of other Prophets had to be spread by the sword,
> Bahá‘u'lláh commanded that we 'must be killed rather than kill.' So
> He was the consummation of all degrees of Revelation which preceded
> Him.”
> 
> SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá sent for me. I found Him in a little room opening from the
> courtyard. He was sitting upon a raised chair, His beautiful face, majestic in
> repose and strength, turned toward the only window. He greeted me joyfully.
> Both the daughters were present. He said, “I want you to carry away from
> ‘Akká the joy and peace of the spiritual life.” I answered,
> “It would be impossible for me to be in this atmosphere of Spirit as I
> have been and not receive wonderful benefit.” He continued, “God is
> like the calm and limitless sea. His Bounty is overflowing and illimitable. In
> our physical selves we are like the animals; yet in some ways the animals are
> even higher than men—they are more restful and composed—more
> trustful and reliant upon the Bounty of God—more in the flow of His Will.
> The birds of Mount Carmel are His creatures. They can fly to the highest
> branches of the trees and build their nests. From the treetops the bird can
> enjoy the beautiful view of sea and mountain by its power of sight. All this
> beauty exists for us as well. The Love of God, the Beauty of God is everywhere
> and exists for man if he will but rise to spiritual heights, open his spiritual
> vision, and behold it. Is the king free as the bird is free to fly upward? The
> king's head is often heavy with anxiety and the things of this world which hold
> him down. The true pleasure and happiness depend upon the spiritual perception
> and enjoyment. The powers of mind are the bounties of God given to man to lead
> him toward spiritual happiness. The highest grace in man is to love God. Love
> of God, Knowledge of God is the greatest, the only real happiness, because it
> is Nearness to God. This is the Kingdom of God. To love God is to know Him. To
> know Him is to enter His Kingdom and be near Him. This is what I desire for
> you—that you may walk in this path.”
> I answered, “Now that you have shown me the way, I wish to walk in
> this heavenly path.” He said, “You are near to God, and day by day
> you will progress by the knowledge of God toward spiritual joy. Then you will
> be a source of guidance to others. In you they will now behold another person;
> in fact, everybody will witness the change in your life. You must develop
> spiritual love in yourself and in them. Physical love is very different from
> spiritual love. To awaken spiritual love in others is to attain peace and joy
> for yourself.”
> I said, “I wish to teach this Message of Light and Truth, but I feel
> that my efforts are small and unimportant.” He answered, “The
> mountain is large, but it has no intelligence. The diamond is small, but it is
> filled with light. The elephant produces no melody; the nightingale's song is
> like the music of Heaven. I will pray that you may become the recipient of the
> Bounties of God. You will be filled with power because the Spirit will speak
> through you. You must not bring unhappiness to others. In the future sacrifice
> yourself more and more in the Cause of God. Then the Love of God will grow and
> grow in your heart.” I told Him my regret in leaving the Household where
> everything is in such peace and harmony. He said, “You are always here in
> spirit; you will never be absent now.”
> I asked, “What shall I say to those who state that they are satisfied
> with Christianity and do not need this present Manifestation?” He
> answered, “Let them alone. What would they do if a former king had
> reigned and a new king was now seated upon the throne? They must acknowledge
> the new king, or they are not true subjects of the Kingdom. Last year there was
> a springtime. Can a man say, 'I do not need a new springtime this
> year—the old springtime is enough for me'? No! the new spring must come
> to fill the earth with beauty and brightness. The sun rose this morning. Shall
> we say to the sun, 'Go away! We do not need you this morning; you were here
> yesterday'? If we strive to upbuild this Cause with faith and love in our
> hearts, it will overpower all the science, philosophy, and metaphysics of this
> Day. I Myself am surprised at the wonderful things that are happening. The Word
> of God shows such power and penetration that all will be surprised and
> astonished at Its advance.”
> I said, “I will pray to be assisted and strengthened.” He
> replied, “God will help you in this.” Then He continued, “Do
> everything in your power to help the poor and needy. Serve God in this way. The
> poor are the trust of God. Give the Message to every listening soul. Give them
> whatever they can take of it. In Persia there was a man who could not read or
> write, yet he was the cause of guidance to many great men in this Truth by his
> pure love of God. If you will turn to God, He will turn to you and assist you.
> He will make you eloquent. He will make you irresistible by His Wisdom. The
> tongue speaks from the heart, and if you are sincere, God will speak for you.
> Help and assist others to see this Truth as you do. Be their guide and helper.
> This Message is vital to young and old. In it the young must make more progress
> and bring forth more fruit than the old, just as young and vigorous trees yield
> the most fruit to the gardener. Christ said, 'Ye shall know the tree by its
> fruits,' meaning whether the fruits be good or bad, much or little. Those who
> are born of the Spirit have all the Divine qualities of growth. Without these
> qualities they are nothing but mere men and women; they are not spiritually
> alive; they are without the power of growth. Christ said they were 'dead.' Let
> all your thoughts be upon this so that the believers and others will know that
> you have the Spiritual Spring within your soul and have attained a newness of
> life. This is complete happiness, the only Peace. After awhile you will realize
> that you have been in the Presence of the Blessed Perfection. You are always in
> the Presence of God. Open the windows of your soul so His Presence may
> be within you.”
> “Souls differ in their capacity to receive and manifest the Light of
> the Spirit. The Blessed Perfection said, 'There are as many ways to God as the
> breaths of His Human creatures.' Each soul must develop cording to its
> individual capacity. Peter differed from John, Paul from Barnabas, yet all of
> them were filled with the Light of the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, it follows that as each soul has its own possibility of development, it is
> necessary for each soul to stand alone before God. No one can stand for you in
> the Presence of God in the 'Last Day.' As the soul grows, its capacity
> increases. Capacity is the measure of development. Love is the evidence of
> capacity. When we love humanity as God loves us, we have reached the perfect
> station. Eternal Life is then ours, and this mortal world can give us nothing
> more. Do good each day, if only by speaking a kind word. Knowledge of God is
> attained through Desire and Patience. We must knock at the Door of Truth and
> seek God with earnestness. Ignorance is as much our natural condition as
> Knowledge is our condition of Development. A good conscience is the divinity
> within us that needs to be awakened and which shapes our eternal destiny. All
> souls come into this world through the Bounty of God and have equal right of
> Development. The soul is affected by its hereditary qualities, but no matter
> what its condition, it never loses the possibility of being quickened by the
> Fire of the Spirit of God. One brain may work quicker than another; one soul
> may acquire intelligence easier than another; but the power and presence of the
> Spirit does not depend upon mental capacity. The disciples of Christ were
> humble fishermen, while the learned Pharisees failed to see Him. The soul or
> mental intelligence awakes in the mother's womb. Spirit enters when the
> conscience is quickened and the soul awakes to eternal Realities. Jesus said,
> 'The true worship is to worship God in Spirit and in Truth; for such worshipers
> as these the Spirit seeketh.' Therefore, as all souls have capacity for
> enkindlement by the Spirit and as we may all be assisted by Its Divine Power,
> we must will to receive it.”
> “Some behold in a seed only a hard black substance, while others see
> in it the life principle, a tree, leaves, and fruit. The true believer in
> Bahá‘u'lláh brings forth leaves and fruit, proving that the life
> principle within him has been awakened and quickened. People are not sure of
> this being the Reality and complete Truth. It is bound to be true if we see
> spiritual growth in souls from the Blessed Perfection's planting. Christ spake
> the parable of 'the seed.' The seed contained the Truth. Some of the seed was
> wasted He said—and some that grew up was choked by human teachings. For
> instance, by associating with people who do not believe in God the growth of
> the Spirit is stopped. When we find believers in this condition, we should
> strive to get them into different surroundings and under better influences.
> They need a physician. The most needy are the ones to help first. The 'poor are
> always with us,' Christ said, meaning those who are without the Teachings of
> the Word. They are our charge and responsibility. During the Greek-Turkish war
> the condition of the Turkish soldiers was frightful. The people appointed a
> Commission to raise money for their relief. Many contributed for a while, but
> finally nobody but Myself gave to help them. The soldiers complained that they
> were receiving less and less assistance. The Governor replied to them that all
> they were getting came from the hand of ‘Abbás Effendi and that all other
> donations had ceased. The soldiers showed no gratitude for what they were
> receiving but on the contrary complained bitterly against their benefactors.
> Just so we cry out to God, 'have mercy upon us,' when God is the only Giver of
> Bounty to us. War is a grievous calamity. It begins and ends in disaster. A
> mother has a beautiful boy filled with every grace and promise. He develops
> into manhood, goes to war, and in an instant all his possibilities sand
> usefulness are cut off.”
> 
> RETURN OF THE SPIRIT
> 
> "In the Book of Íqán we can read the Word of God concerning the
> true Reincarnation, which is the Return of the Spiritual Qualities in the
> Servants of God.[3] In the Gospel it is written that
> they asked John the Baptist if he was Elijah and that he answered plainly, 'I
> am not.' Elijah appeared long before Jesus. When the Christ came, He was veiled
> in a cloud from the eyes of the Jews. A voice came out of the cloud saying,
> 'This is my Beloved Son.' Clouds and darkness gradually obscure all the former
> Manifestations. Although they are promised and expected, they are refused
> during their earthly life on account of the spiritual blindness of the people.
> Elijah came but was not recognized in John. It was not the person or entity of
> Elijah but his perfection and qualities which John embodied. The flowers of
> last year will come again this year. We can say they have returned—not the
> actual substance of the former flowers, but their color, perfume, and
> perfection have returned. Some are awaiting the coming of Christ in the clouds
> of heaven. He has already come in the heart if you believe, while those who do
> not believe in the Revelation of Bahá‘u'lláh cannot see Him on
> account of clouds and veils. Many people are going out of the churches
> dissatisfied with religious teaching. It is because they do not see
> spiritually."
> 
> SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP
> 
> At dinner a violent rainstorm swept in from the sea.
> “May we all live in the Sea of Reality and be filled with the Love of
> God. Thank God we are in the Ark of the Covenant. See what great blessings God
> has showered upon us. How many people of Persia looked upon the Blessed
> Perfection, yet they do not know as you know. You have reached this station,
> while they are deprived. There are two kinds of relationship—Physical and
> Spiritual. The highest and greatest is the Spiritual. The physical is of no
> importance. It is very good to possess both in each other.”
> “God be praised! At this table we are joined in Spiritual
> Relationship. We are all of one family because we are under the Shadow of the
> Blessed Perfection. Look at the earth. Of itself it is worthless, yet it can
> reflect the light and heat of the sun. Clouds gather, the rains descend, and
> the earth becomes fruitful. In the same way the Spirit of God gives life to the
> soul of man, and the Breeze of God awakens the soul from its sleep. Peter was
> only a catcher of fishes, yet his attainment was very great. Ananias, the High
> Priest, was much greater in the eyes of the world, yet he was deprived while
> Peter received the Bounty of God.”
> “Spiritual Relationship is the true Family-hood of God's children. The
> Báb had many relatives. He particularly wished that His mother should
> believe in this Revelation and attain. Christ said that His mother Mary was not
> of His Relationship, also that those were His brothers and sisters who were in
> the Kingdom of God.”
> 
> OBEDIENCE
> 
> “Today we will speak about Obedience! The Manifestation of God is a
> perfect example of real obedience. Like Him, we must sacrifice everything;
> every plan, every longing and ideal must be given up completely to the Will of
> God. We must look to God for all we desire, all we attain. The Will of God must
> outwork Its Purposes in us. Our human will must be laid down in sacrifice and
> love. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá has given everything in sacrifice and obedience to the
> Will of God. I am only His Servant, nothing more. All our soul-powers, our
> outward self, our inward self must be consecrated to God in service and
> sacrifice. Even life must be given if necessary. If we have not reached this
> station of nothingness, we have not attained to real obedience to the Will of
> God. A pupil must submit entirely to the will of the teacher. This is true
> Sacrifice—true Obedience.”
> “Real obedience and real sacrifice are identical—absolute
> readiness to follow and perform whatever you are called upon to do in the Cause
> of God. When you really love God, you will be willing to sacrifice everything
> and submit yourself entirely to His Will. Consecrate yourself wholly to Him.
> His Will is everything, His service paramount. If they were to burn Me, kill or
> torture Me—no matter what affliction may descend upon Me, I shall welcome
> it as one welcomes pleasure. These are precious moments in ‘Akká, so
> precious we wish they might never end. How is the Bahá'í Faith
> progressing in America? After you return, the believers will be in a much
> stronger and better condition. But this cannot be unless they see and know he
> Will and Desire of God. I have no wish but His Will. His Will is
> Abdu'l-Bahá. If each human creature had his own will and way, spiritual
> development would be impossible. The soldiers in an army are under the will and
> control of one commander; therefore, they are united and can press on to
> victory. If each soldier carried out his own inclination and desire, there
> would be just that many different intentions and nothing would be accomplished.
> One thousand soldiers under the control of a commander can overthrow and defeat
> any number of disorganized troops. Without a directing will all would be
> conquered and defeated. Be sure, therefore, that if the believers are not
> united in the Will of God they will not be assisted. This is especially
> necessary because all of them are under the Tent of the Covenant in this
> Revelation. There is strength only in unity. Under one Tent there is union and
> harmony. The Covenant of God in this Day of Manifestation is a Lifeboat, an Ark
> of Salvation. All true followers of the Blessed Perfection are sheltered and
> protected in this Ark. Whoever leaves it, trusting in his own will and
> strength, will drown and be destroyed. For the Blessed Perfection left no
> possibility for discord, disagreement, and dissension. The Covenant is like the
> sea, and the believers are as the fishes in the sea. If a fish leaves the
> water, it cannot live. There is nothing to equal, nothing so effective as the
> Covenant of God to bring about and continue Unity. Christ said to Peter, 'Thou
> art the rock upon which I will build My church.' Therefore, all the disciples
> followed Peter, and there was no dissension among them. The Blessed Perfection
> wrote a Testament or Covenant with His Own Pen so that no one who obeys it will
> deny or disobey God. This point is expressed very clearly in the Covenant He
> revealed. Therefore, there can be no possibility, no position of disobedience.
> He knew that Muhammad-‘Alí would disobey the Covenant. By violating the
> Covenant he has become a fallen branch. The Covenant was also written by
> Muhammad-‘Alí's own hand from dictation of the Blessed Perfection who knew
> he would disobey. What cause of union could be greater than the Covenant God
> has revealed through His Manifestation Bahá‘u'lláh? Many of those who
> followed Muhammad-‘Alí are coming back. After the departure of
> Bahá‘u'lláh all the beautiful blossoms upon the Tree of Life were
> destroyed by Muhammad-‘Alí and must now be grown again by the Love of
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. The work and mission of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá are very great. No
> one could express the grief which followed the turning away from the Covenant
> by Muhammad-‘Alí. We should be thankful that the Blessed Perfection,
> foreseeing this action, ordained a Center of the Covenant through which, by
> allegiance and love, we may protect and preserve the Revelation of
> God.”
> 
> At the time Muhammad-‘Alí denied the Covenant and occasioned so much
> grief and suffering, the perfect calmness and spiritual strength of the Holy
> Leaf were most remarkable. The Blessed Perfection devotedly loved
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, and when He appeared, His expression would change from
> gravity to one of great happiness and joy. Before His Ascension, the Blessed
> Perfection, realizing the trouble Muhammad-‘Alí would bring about, would
> say, “Becheveh Áqá!” (“O to be pitied
> Master!”)[4]
> 
> WOMEN IN THE BAHÁ'Í REVELATION
> 
> “Why are women so favored in this Revelation?”
> “Women in Persia were treated badly in former times by the
> Muhammadans. When speaking evil of a man, they would say, 'He is just like a
> woman.' When they wished to lower a man's pride, they would say, 'He is a
> woman, not a man.' In this Day see what great firmness and strength women are
> showing for God. The way to spiritual attainment in this Dispensation will be
> made more and more easy for women, for they are more devoted and zealous in
> this Cause than men. How many women are higher than men in moral and spiritual
> development! How much more eloquent in the Cause of God! Women are held in
> great honor in this Day. In Persia a handsome youth of twenty, son of a
> believer, was despised and oppressed for announcing his belief in this
> Revelation. He was imprisoned. His oppressors offered to release him provided
> he would deny his faith. He still remained steadfast, saying, 'I will give my
> life willingly for my belief.' He came from a very well known and respected
> family. His mother was asked to speak with him, his persecutors thinking her
> influence might induce him to recant and save his life. She told them her words
> would have no effect upon him except to increase his faith. Then she was told
> he would be killed. The Governor sent him word that if he would renounce his
> faith his life would be spared. Still he remained fixed and steadfast. His
> friends pleaded with him, begging him for their sakes to change. Then his
> mother stood up beside him and kissed him, saying, 'Do not be shaken! Do not
> waver! Be firm! Give your life to God! Say nothing that will deny His Cause!
> Glorify it by your death! If you deny or waver, you will no longer be my
> child!' She stood beside him as he was beheaded, pleading with him to the last
> that he might not deny the Truth. In this Dispensation the women will progress
> more rapidly and to a higher station than the men. God will assist
> them.”
> “Qurratu'l-Ayn (literally, 'consolation of the eye') was one of the
> greatest and most heroic women of this Truth. She came from a learned family
> and deeply loved knowledge. If Fátimih, daughter of Muhammad, had been a
> boy and enjoyed greater opportunities, she would have elevated her family and
> become a mighty pillar in the temple of Religion. While Qurratu'l-Ayn was
> visiting her cousin's home, she happened to read a pamphlet explaining the
> Mission of the Báb. She instantly became a believer. Afterward she was
> taught by the Báb Himself and received her name Qurratu'l-Ayn from Him.
> Some say she was taught in Baghdad by the command of the Báb. She was
> independent and absolutely fearless. Upon her return home, her husband refused
> to recognize her, so she left his house. Her uncle was killed in a Mosque for
> his Bábí faith, and for a time she was kept prisoner in his house.
> After being released, she went with a number of believers to a celebration
> outside the city, in a grove near a deserted village. The Blessed Perfection
> was present. It was a meeting filled with faith, love, and rejoicing. In
> speaking to the meeting, she became so inspired she removed the cover from her
> face. Her mother and some of her relatives were present, and her action
> produced a great commotion among them. When the news came to the ears of the
> Muhammadans, their charges and persecutions against her became violent and
> bitter. Finally, she was taken away from her friends and put to death. She died
> a martyr and a heroine. In her impassioned speech she had said, 'What God has
> created pure shall I call impure?' removing her veil as she said it. She spent
> the night before her execution in prayer. Her last wish was that she might be
> strangled instead of decapitated. Once at a wedding all present left the bride
> and gathered around Qurratu'l-Ayn; she was so eloquent and sincere. She knew
> the Blessed Perfection before He declared Himself to be the Manifestation of
> God. In herself she was a revelation to the women of the world. If this
> Revelation had produced only one martyr like Qurratu'l-Ayn, this would be
> sufficient proof in the Cause of God.”
> 
> MOUNT CARMEL AND SYRIA
> 
> “The history of Mount Carmel is holy history. A spiritual atmosphere
> surrounds this 'Mountain of God.' Elijah and Jesus spent part of their precious
> lives upon it. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá loves Mount Carmel and has often visited it,
> sometimes staying overnight in caves which overlook the sea, in prayer and
> communion with God. Syria is the center of the world. The extent and variety of
> its resources, its wonderful fertility and natural advantages will make its
> future history extraordinary. Its possibilities of development are unlimited.
> It is the focus of interest in world history, the site of the Old and New
> Jerusalem. Mount Carmel will be a Mountain of Knowledge, Peace, and Protection
> in the future—the vineyard of God. We will not live to see this in the
> body but will view it spiritually. Mount Carmel will someday be covered with
> great universities and colleges of learning. Then the poor will enjoy the
> highest advantages from the establishment here of free institutions of
> education.”
> “This is the Holy Land from whence all the Prophets and Holy Men came.
> No country in the world has such a bright light of Religion. The Light of God
> has always shone upon the world from this land, and the Religion of God has had
> its Source and Revelation here. It is wonderful even in its physical
> conformation. The Phoenicians came from here. Their great civilizations spread
> from Syria. Abraham came to this land. Here His Teaching became known. The King
> of Salem, Melchizedek, came from this land. All the Prophets had their missions
> here.”
> 
> THE HEAVENLY SPRINGTIME
> 
> “Soon it will be the time of Spring. Already the signs of the flowers
> may be seen upon the mountains and in the valleys. When Spring comes, there is
> a Divine Wisdom in its appearance. God has a special object in renewing the
> earth with its bounty. For the dead earth is again made to blossom so that the
> life of plants and flowers may continue and be reproduced. The trees put forth
> their leaves and are able to bear all kinds of delicious fruits. All the birds
> and animals, everything with soul-life is rejoiced and rejuvenated in the
> coming of Spring. If this does not come to pass, it is not Spring; it may be
> autumn. But it is possible that Spring may come, and yet a tree rooted in bad
> ground will be deprived of its vivifying powers. Or a fruitless tree may not
> bear, although the warm sun and vernal shower are descending upon it. So,
> likewise, an evil soul may derive no benefit, produce no fruit from the Coming
> of a Manifestation of God. The Divine Springtime which brings forth spiritual
> flowers in other souls fails to beautify the soul that is evil. In general,
> however, just as everything is vivified, refreshed, and renewed by the bounty
> of the literal spring, so every soul receives some degree of illumination and
> growth from the Manifestation when He comes. He is the Divine Spring which
> comes after the long winter of death and inaction. The Wisdom of God is seen in
> His Coming. He adorns the soul of man with new Life, Divine Attributes, and
> higher Spiritual qualities. By this the soul is enlightened, illumined. That
> which is dark, gloomy, and forbidding becomes light, hopeful, and productive of
> new growth. So in the Divine Springtime the blind receive sight, the deaf are
> made to hear, the dumb speak, the timid become courageous, and the heedless
> awaken to new realizations. In short, they have become the image of that which
> God planned them to be and which the Heavenly Books promised shall be the true
> station of Man. This is the power, purpose, and virtue of the Heavenly
> Springtime.”
> 
> FAITH
> 
> The question was asked, “What is real Faith?”
> “Faith outwardly means to believe the Message a Manifestation brings
> to the world and accept the fulfillment in Him of that which the Prophets have
> announced. But, in reality, Faith embodies three degrees:—To confess with
> the tongue; to believe in the heart; to give evidence in our actions. These
> three things are essential in true Faith. The important requirement is the Love
> of God in the heart. For instance, we say a lamp gives light. In reality, the
> oil which burns produces the illumination, but the lamp and the chimney are
> necessary before the light can express itself. The Love of God is the light.
> The tongue is the chimney or the medium by which that Love finds expression. It
> also protects the Light. Likewise, the members of the body reflect the inner
> Light by their actions. So the tongue confesses in speech, and the parts of the
> body confess in their actions the Love of God within the soul of a true
> believer. Thus it was that Peter confessed Christ by his tongue and by his
> actions. When the tongue and actions reflect the Love of God, the real
> qualities of man are revealed. Christ said, 'You will know them by their
> fruits,' that is, by their deeds. If a believer shows forth divine qualities,
> we know the true Faith is in his heart. If we do not find evidence of these
> qualities, if he is selfish or wicked, he has not the true kind of Faith. Faith
> is mentioned in the Scriptures as the 'second Birth' or 'Everlasting Life.' In
> this day it is the Spirit of God, the real true belief. Many claim to possess
> the true Faith, but it is rare and when it exists it cannot be destroyed. 'Many
> are called but few are chosen.' Many believe themselves to be courageous, but
> the battlefield of tests and trials will prove whether they have the real
> strength to stand firm. In Persia some believers who claimed to have Faith in
> Bahá‘u'lláh fell away when they were tested. On the other hand, some
> who thought themselves weak, proved to be heroes and martyrs. I pray that you
> who have journeyed from America to visit the Holy Tomb may become as pure glass
> through which the Light of God may shine. Be firm! Be strong! We need to be
> strongly tested in order to prove our Faith to ourselves and to the world.
> Tests are always surrounding us. They are according to the greatness of the
> Cause, just as the size of a wave is according to the sea upon which it
> rises.”
> 
> THE SECOND COMING
> 
> “What is the Second Coming of Christ in this Dispensation?”
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá answered: “In the Book of the Zend-Avesta the
> Zoroastrians are awaiting the Coming of two Manifestations. Also, in the Old
> Testament Scriptures there is the promise of Elijah and Messiah. In the Gospel
> of the New Testament they are expecting the Father and the Second Coming of
> Christ. Likewise, in the Qur'án the Muhammadans have the promise of the
> Imám Mihdí and Christ. In brief, all the Holy Scriptures announce the
> Coming of two Manifestations, and these two Manifestations are the Báb and
> the Blessed Perfection. If you look into the Bible, it is Elias and Christ; in
> the Qur'án it is the Mihdí and Christ. These tidings are the same in
> all the Holy Books, only expressed in different ways—two successive
> Manifestations. And all the Universe is promised these two. We must not search
> for the outer word in Elijah and Christ but look for the Reality. The Blessed
> Perfection said in His Tablets that once He was Abraham, once Moses, once
> Jesus, once Muhammad, and once the Báb. This is explained clearly in the
> 'Book of Íqán,' that is, the meanings and perfection of qualities
> which were once hidden are now revealed in Bahá‘u'lláh. Therefore, we
> can consider Bahá‘u'lláh to be all the Prophets, no matter by what
> Name He chooses to call Himself; for all their meanings, perfection, and
> qualities are manifest in Him. Bahá‘u'lláh is the center of all their
> perfections. For instance, in Moses the world received the Revelation of
> material laws, in Jesus spiritual laws, while in Bahá‘u'lláh we have
> received both material and spiritual laws. The Laws of Moses would cover but
> few pages, and the Teachings of Jesus could be gathered into a small pamphlet.
> The Old Testament contains nothing but material laws; no mention is in it of
> spiritual laws such as we find in the New Testament. In the New Testament there
> are no material laws except the laws of divorce and of the Sabbath. The New
> Testament contains no answers to questions of science. But all knowledge has
> been revealed by the Blessed Perfection in books which if gathered together
> would make many volumes. He has revealed demonstrations in sciences, and He is
> the epitome of all previous Revelations.”
> “Now Moses said that after Him should come Joshua. The Christ said, addressing
> Peter, 'Thou art the Rock, and I will build My temple upon this Rock.' Jesus spoke
> this to Peter by word of mouth. The Blessed Perfection did not appoint His successor
> by statement of tongue, but in the 'Book of Ahd' ('Book of the Covenant'), He
> wrote it with His own Hand, commanding therein that all the branches and relations
> should look toward the Center of the Covenant.[5] Also,
> in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, revealed thirty years before His Ascension, it is mentioned
> in two places.[6] During these thirty years these commands
> of the Blessed Perfection were known and clearly understood by all. Again, in
> a Tablet He refers specifically to this, naming one who would violate His Commands.
> This Tablet was dictated by the Blessed Perfection and written at His Command
> by the hand of Muhammad-‘Alí. Muhammad-‘Alí has made many
> copies of it. Therefore, we cannot deny what it says. If it was not so, Muhammad-‘Alí
> would be able to deny. When he violated the Covenant, he went out from the shadow
> of the Blessed Perfection. Bahá‘u'lláh also said in this Tablet
> mentioned, that if for an instant this one should disobey His Commands, he would
> become a 'fallen branch.' He mentioned this expressly for Muhammad-‘Alí,
> knowing that he would disobey and deny. He left no possibility for anyone to disobey
> or misunderstand what He commanded. If it were not so, Muhammad-‘Alí
> could do many things that would injure. As it is, he has appropriated many papers
> and Tablets written by the Blessed Perfection. It is possible for these writings
> to be altered, as the meanings in Persian are greatly changed by a single dot
> here and there. Before His Ascension, the Blessed Perfection said to me, 'I have
> given You all the papers.' He put them in two satchels and sent them to Me. After
> His Ascension, Muhammad-‘Alí said, 'You had better give me the two satchels
> to take care of.' He took them away and never returned them. He thought the Center
> of the Covenant would be helpless without these papers. But he did not realize
> that My strength is the assistance of the Blessed Perfection. If all the world
> combined against Me, I would still possess this power, and all the world could
> not take it away from Me. I can fight with this weapon forever and will always
> be victorious. It is a sword which can never be dulled, a magazine that is always
> filled.”
> 
> VISIT TO THE TOMB
> 
> In the afternoon we drove to the Tomb of the Blessed Perfection, passing out
> through the narrow gateway of the city and following the road toward the
> Ridván for a short distance. Then a sharp turn to the left toward the
> Lebanons took us more inland and away from the sea. It seemed to a be a holiday
> or festival occasion; a great number of people were seen along the roads and
> highways. Bright colors prevailed in the peasant costumes, natives coming and
> going in picturesque little groups of twos and threes. Some of the Arab girls
> were dressed like the boys, hardly to be distinguished one from the other. They
> wore wide pantaloons of a very bright colored cotton fabric, this costume no
> doubt being cheaper and requiring less material than the voluminous gowns of
> the older women. We drove on through a village of mud huts built very low and
> surrounded by a squalor and filth most unpleasant to foreign eyes and nostrils.
> People and animals were living or rather herding under the same roof. Dogs
> looking like wolves vigilantly guarded these hovels and savagely attacked
> visitors. Here and there upon the filthy ground we saw groups of men sitting
> and lying, intent upon games of cards. The women were busily working. Women and
> donkeys bear the domestic burdens of the East and shoulder the full quota of
> suffering. Altogether, these Arab villagers were wild, almost desperate looking
> creatures. Beyond the villages we drove across a beautiful level plain carpeted
> with red anemones, the Bahá'í flower. Finally, we came to the
> Bahjí, a very large white mansion in which Bahá‘u'lláh lived and
> from which His Spirit passed into the Supreme Concourse. The room was pointed
> out to us as we stopped and looked from the outside. We entered the Tomb, which
> adjoins Bahjí, the “Palace of Joy.” Flowers were growing
> abundantly all around the Sacred Shrine. In the center of the building is a
> court where orange trees and rare plants were growing. We removed our shoes at
> the entrance. The passageways surrounding this court were covered with soft and
> costly Persian rugs. Then we stood at the Tomb itself where the Blessed
> Perfection sleeps. Lamps and beautiful vases were placed about the room, loving
> gifts and tokens from Bahá'í believers in all parts of the world. A
> great slab in the floor marked the place of burial. Here we knelt and prayed
> in solemn silence, communing with the great and glorified Spirit which had
> ascended from earth to the Supreme Horizon. Then we silently withdrew to a
> small side room at the opposite end of the building where some ladies served
> tea and related experiences of other pilgrims and believers who had visited the
> Tomb. Upon the anniversary of the Blessed Perfection's birthday they remain all
> night at the Tomb, chanting and praying without intermission and standing
> throughout the ceremonies. During the last few years ‘Abdu'l-Bahá has not
> been able to attend this holy celebration. After receiving flowers from the
> ladies in attendance we bade them loving good-bye and drove home across the
> flower-carpeted plain, another spiritual visit accomplished, another priceless
> spiritual experience fixed in our memories. Ahead of us mounted upon donkeys
> were a number of elder pilgrims and believers also returning from a visit to
> the Tomb. As they rode along, they looked like the old Jewish prophets and the
> Disciples of Jesus. Among them were Haydar-‘Alí, Mírzá
> Asadu'lláh, and eight or nine others of those faithful devoted souls who
> love God, serve humanity, and follow the Revelation of Bahá‘u'lláh.
> We entered the city, still silent, still wondering, still communing with the
> Glorified Spirit which shed Its Light down upon us from the Supreme
> Concourse.
> 
> VISIT TO THE RIDVÁN
> 
> We went to the Ridván with the holy daughters of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá.
> Driving through the city and passing out the gates we saw the barracks where
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá was once imprisoned. Then along the roadway bordered by fine
> trees we went until well away from the city and its distressing pictures. The
> roads now be-came rough, here and there poor-looking houses of the natives. To
> the right we saw the hill Tel el Fukhar upon which Napoleon I planted his
> batteries and laid siege to ‘Akká in 1799. Unable to overcome it, he
> abandoned the siege, saying, “My fortune has been arrested by a grain of
> sand; were it not for ‘Akká I would have conquered the world.”
> Finally, we came to the Ridván, a beautiful garden filled with palm trees
> and wonderful flowers. The air was redolent of perfume from them. A river, the
> Na'mayn, runs through the garden in two streams, just as the prophecies
> foretold, forming an island upon which an arbor is built. High above the arbor
> tower two great round mulberry trees under the shade of which the Blessed
> Perfection loved to sit. A fountain was playing in the midst of the garden.
> This heavenly spot is in the midst of a desert-like barrenness, an oasis indeed
> amid dry and hostile conditions of nature and humanity—a Paradise upon
> earth, a garden of God—for here in this beautiful consecrated spot
> Bahá‘u'lláh spent His summers. Some day the Ridván will be
> visited by pilgrims from all over the world, just as the Garden of Gethsemane
> is sacred with the memories of Jesus Christ. No one sits in the Manifestation's
> chair under the mulberry trees. These two wonderful trees were leafless when we
> saw them, for it was January, and they are at their best in June. Everywhere
> beautiful odd trees were growing—oranges, lemons, and tangerines ripe and
> waiting to be picked. All kinds of flowers, violets, narcissus, heliotropes,
> roses, and red anemones greeted the eye. In summer golden pheasants fly about
> the Ridván—ducks and waterfowl swim around in the waters which
> quiver and glisten in the shadows from the arbor of leaves overhead
> Abu'l-Qásim, the good old gardener who served the Blessed Perfection
> during His lifetime, took us into the cottage where that Blessed One rested and
> slept. Everything there is holy and sacred to His memory, His chair in the same
> place He left it, and beautiful tributes of love placed about the room. We
> knelt at the foot of the chair while one of the daughters chanted a prayer.
> Then an Arab woman with tattoo marks upon her face served tea and mandarins
> under the single mulberry tree near the cottage. We were indeed upon holy
> ground.
> 
> AKKÁ
> 
> ‘Akká is the home of exiles and prisoners of the Turkish Government. A
> few merchants and bazaars comprise its present meager commerce, although in
> former times it was an important market for Syrian products. It is the
> residence of a governor and various officials. The inhabitants generally are
> poor and wretched, evidences of poverty and squalor everywhere. Haifa has
> absorbed the business vitality of ‘Akká. The city looks like a catacomb
> with the roof lifted up, heavy walls, a labyrinth of passages, narrow streets,
> and dark alleys leading in every direction. But the spiritual atmosphere which
> surrounds us here is unmistakable and uplifting. Here in this unholy yet holy
> place we have been taught that the Peace, Power, and Knowledge of God can only
> be attained by severance from the things of earth and freedom from the
> influences of transitory surroundings. ‘Akká is to us a gateway of
> Heaven.
> 
> IN THE HOUSEHOLD
> 
> We looked again at the faces of the Blessed Perfection and the Báb in
> the inner room. In the Blessed Perfection is the composite of all the Power
> sand Love of the universe. The eyes seemed to scrutinize the very depths of my
> soul. In that Face shines the greatness and majesty of all the Prophets and
> Heavenly Messengers. It is the Face of a Manifestation of God. Mercy and Love
> surround it like a halo. Its Beauty encircles the whole world.
> The servants of the Household give their services willingly, so they may be
> near ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. One of them is Sakínih Sultán, whose husband
> was a martyr. It was her husband's mother who said, “What I have given to
> God I will not take back,” throwing the head of her decapitated child at
> her persecutors when they brought her the ghastly trophy. Sakínih
> Sultán and her daughter both serve in the Household in love and devotion.
> She said to me, “May the Light of God always descend upon you! May your
> soul be a pure mirror always reflecting God! Pray for me!” She is indeed
> a glorified soul, a conqueror through Love.
> The ladies of the Household showed us how to cook the Persian pilau. They
> gave us many gifts and presents, everything haloed with words of love.
> 
> AFTERNOON BEFORE THE FEAST
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá came in to see us unexpectedly. He said, “I wish I
> might he with you always, hut unfortunately other things claim My time and keep
> Me sway from you. But My heart is filled with love and the thought of you. The
> important thing is the heart, and that is yours. That heart may he united with
> heart, Spirit with Spirit—this is the real life, the real existence. All
> else is earthly and will pass away. But the Love which is of the Spirit will
> live forever. I wish we might always be together. Tonight there will be a
> Meeting of the believers here. At the table they will be gathered together from
> all parts of the world. This is the reason of My happiness, seeing the East and
> the West joined in the Kingdom of God. May all the believers in the world he so
> joined until the whole world shall come under one rule and all nations be as
> one family. This will surely come to pass.” Then turning to Mr. MacNutt,
> He asked, “What do you say to this?” He answered, “What could
> I say that would add to an already perfect wisdom!” ‘Abdu'l-Bahá
> responded, “May we all be perfected in the Wisdom and Light of the
> Blessed Perfection.” Again to Mr. MacNutt, “Will you speak?”
> He answered, “It is a blessed privilege to listen. I am usually called
> upon to speak, but I love to listen.” ‘Abdu'l-Bahá said, “May
> you always listen, always hear, always speak with the power of the
> Spirit.”
> 
> AT THE FEAST
> 
> Tonight we met ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and a large number of believers from all
> parts of the East at the Feast, or Supper, under the shadow of the Blessed
> Perfection. As we entered the large hall, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá greeted us,
> extending both hands and bidding us, “Welcome! Welcome!” His face
> aglow with light. Then He helped us to our seats and gave us our napkins. As
> the believers came in, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá clasped each one in a loving embrace
> and gave them their places at the table. Then He passed around the table
> anointing each one with attar of rose, sometimes upon the cheek, again upon the
> forehead, or over the heart. Some of the believers kissed His hand or touched
> His garment in loving appreciation. As He walked about, He spoke beautiful
> spiritual words: “This Meeting is through the Love of the Blessed
> Perfection.” “In the sensibility of the heart is this
> realization.” “God is Love!” “May spiritual fragrance
> refresh thy soul as this perfume refreshes the nostrils.” “The
> Beloved of God have gathered together to partake of material and spiritual
> food.” “You are in prison here—My partners in
> imprisonment—prisoners of love—God be praised!”
> The food, pilau, made from Persian rice, was brought in, and
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá served each one, again speaking heavenly words. “This
> is the blessed supper of the Lord, for we have gathered under the shadow of the
> Blessed Perfection.” “We are the lambs of the Blessed Perfection.
> Jesus said to Peter, 'Lovest thou Me—feed My lambs.' Christ said, 'I am
> the Living Bread which came down from Heaven; he who eats of this Bread shall
> live forever.'” “The Heavenly Books prophesy that they shall come
> from the East and the West to sit down in the Kingdom of God.” “In
> the last day all the sheep shall be gathered together.” As He passed
> around the table serving the brethren, He said to Taqí Manshádí,
> who has a particularly dark face, “Eat plentifully dear brother; you are
> pale with hunger.” Throughout the supper, which was very simple in its
> character and appointment, ‘Abdu'l-Bahá was the Servant of the believers.
> This was indeed a spiritual feast where Love reigned. The whole atmosphere was
> Love, Joy, and Peace. Sometimes when American believers are not present at this
> Feast, their places are left vacant in loving memory. After the rice and
> oranges, Mírzá Asadu'lláh introduced Mr. MacNutt saying,
> “He is one of our eloquent American brothers who has great power. God has
> given him the power to attract souls to the Fountain of Life. His words are
> like a magnet. In the midst of his work he has come to visit ‘Akká. We
> have not been brought into this blessed brotherhood of the East and West
> through miracles, but through the Word of the Manifestation of God
> Bahá‘u'lláh. Through His Word the prophecy of Christ has been
> fulfilled, that they should come from the East and the West to sit down at the
> Table of the Lord. Jesus said that the coming of the Son of Man would be as the
> flash of lightning from the East to the West. All the proofs are confirmed here
> tonight.” Mr. MacNutt said, “My spiritual brothers in Al-Abhá!
> The Persian language always seemed difficult to me until I visited the Holy
> Household. Now I find it very easy to understand. For the Persian alphabet
> contains but four letters, and the Persian language has only one word. These
> letters are 'm,' 'h,' 'b,' and 't,' and the word is 'Mahabbat,' which
> means 'love.' For 'Love' is the sum total of the Persian language as I hear it
> spoken in ‘Akká. That is why I am able to understand and speak Persian so
> quickly. The Blessed Perfection in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas recommended that the
> nations of the earth should adopt one language. This was the outer language of
> unity. At the same time He revealed the Divine Message of Unity in the inner
> language of the Spirit. This inner language is understood by His children in
> the East and the West. When the East and West meet in the Kingdom and commune
> in this inner language, the putting together of mere words is an easy matter.
> If men love each other, all the details of unity can be quickly settled upon.
> Business would become a part of Religion and Commerce would be filled with the
> Spirit of God if Love reigned in men's hearts. Religion underlies the laws of
> nations. If we love each other, the Most Great Peace which
> Bahá‘u'lláh promised will come in all hearts and so spread throughout
> the world. Love is the foundation of all unity, for God Himself is Love. Races
> will blend together when the will of man becomes the Will of God. The various
> religious systems are coming closer together. Bahá‘u'lláh stands at
> the meeting of their ways to God. In Him the Muhammadans are going forward to
> meet their promised Imám Mihdí, the Christians to meet Christ, the
> Jews their Messiah, and so on. When they meet Bahá‘u'lláh they meet
> each other as at the top of a mountain. There they find unity because there
> they find Him. There is the widest view, the heavenly horizon. No one but a
> Manifestation of God can unify the religious systems of the world. No law, no
> war, no power of kings could do this. The Kingdom is a real visible Kingdom, a
> real Unity. This cannot be attained from books. It comes from the heart. In
> these Bahá'í faces one can see the image of the Blessed Perfection.
> He is here. I will take back this picture to the American believers. Their
> spirits are here with us at this table of Love. The atmosphere is Love. The
> soul of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá is among us; the glorified Spirit of the Blessed
> Perfection looks down from the Supreme Concourse.
> Alláh-u-Abhá!”
> Mírzá Asadu'lláh said that the rice pudding we had for
> dessert was the same kind which some Muhammadans believe Muhammad ate with God
> when He visited Heaven. Asadu'lláh recalled the difficulty he experienced
> in speaking through an interpreter when he visited America. After the speaking
> was over, a Bahá'í from Persia chanted a Tablet. His voice vibrated
> throughout the hall like the tones of a clear bell. This was indeed a spiritual
> feast where Love reigned and Joy predominated.
> The next morning we were with ‘Abdu'l-Bahá at breakfast.
> “Greetings!” He said, “How are you?” in English. Then
> He spoke of the feast, saying, “I have been taught the lesson of
> servitude and sacrifice in these meetings where the believers come together in
> spiritual joy and fragrance. My heart is touched with pity as I look upon the
> discord and lack of unity among men. But when the people of God, the children
> of the Kingdom, meet together, we find the true peace, the real Unity, and the
> Love of God manifest.” Mrs. MacNutt mentioned the three progressive
> spiritual steps—Obedience as Christ taught; Resignation as Muhammad
> taught; and Renunciation as revealed by Bahá‘u'lláh.
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá said, “I pray that you all may be assisted to attain
> these stations in the Cause of God.” He continued, “The cause of My
> happiness is meeting you here and seeing your faces filled with the Light of
> God. I shall never forget the beautiful meeting last night. You must meet
> together in this way in America. Be true, loyal servants of God. Arise to serve
> His Cause. These are divine meetings, and the Bounties which surround the
> Kingdom of Heaven will descend upon you. The same Spirit of Love and Life which
> fills the Supreme Concourse will fill your meetings. This is a time of trouble
> and testing to all the believers.” Then one of the daughters chanted a
> Tablet most beautifully. The chant was rhythmic yet without form in the melody,
> seeming to follow the words and adapt itself to their expression.
> 
> HEAVENLY SUSTENANCE
> 
> “God has favored us by bringing us together again at His Table. May
> His Mercy and Bounty make night as day and make the Day everlasting! For night
> and day are according to the motions of the earth, but, in relation to the sun,
> day and night do not exist. To the sun, day is everlasting. If we could ascend
> to its station in the heavens, there would be no night because there would be
> no horizon. The earthly things have an existence, though they must perish. All
> creatures have this same existence; all created things must die. The wise man
> sees them as perished. But that which belongs to the Divine Kingdom of Heaven
> is everlasting. The souls of those who are awake and mindful will take heed
> unto this and turn to the Everlasting Kingdom before it is too late. The
> outward and perishable is but the sign of the inward and imperishable. How many
> celebrated people have come and gone since Christ lived! How many kings and
> princes, famous men, and men considered wonderful for their learning have
> arisen and passed away! No sign of them remains, no result, therefore no
> existence. But those humble, meek, and unimportant men who partook of the Cup
> of Christ's Teachings shine forever in the Spiritual Horizon, although they
> were looked upon as having no knowledge. That which is of the Divine Kingdom is
> everlasting; that which belongs to the kingdom of the world will fade away and
> perish.”
> “The Word of God is Love. It has gathered us together to partake of
> material and spiritual food.” He then asked if we were
> “happy.” Speaking to the servant of the Household He said,
> “Why do you bring them food? They do not partake of it.” I
> answered, “We are so filled with Heavenly Food that other food is not
> necessary.” Then He continued, “Many of the people are heedless of
> this Great Day. We are the blessed ones who Know and are acquainted with its
> wonderful significances. Why are they sleeping while you have been awakened?
> You have attained while they are deprived because they will not see. The reason
> of this is mentioned in the Bible—'Many are called, but few are chosen.'
> This is from the Bounty of God. His Mercy has descended upon us although we are
> not worthy.”
> 
> FROM BADÍ‘ULLÁH
> 
> Badí‘ulláh came in during the afternoon. At first he seemed
> somewhat self-conscious, but in a little while the Power came over him and the
> Light shone in his face. Then he forgot self and spoke with fervor and
> eloquence. His theme was “Love and Severance.” He said, “Cut
> yourself from the perishable things of this world. There is a beautiful Persian
> story which tells of the love of Majnún and Laylí. It is mentioned by
> Bahá‘u'lláh in the Tablet of the 'seven Valleys.'[7] Majnún was seen searching everywhere for Laylí
> after she had passed into the Spirit world. The lover, although he knew his
> search was hopeless, continued to seek his beloved even by sifting sand through
> his fingers, proving his devotion and worship. The story of this love teaches
> us that there is a deep hidden wisdom in our trials and disappointments, for
> they prove the quality of our love and devotion to God. Like Majnún, we
> must seek Him everywhere, we must seek Him continually. While seeking for his
> beloved one dark night, Majnún was seen and pursued by a patrol. Just as
> he was about being taken prisoner, Majnún climbed over a high wall and
> jumped down into a garden, falling at the feet of his beloved Laylí, who
> happened to be searching with a candle for a lost ring. When he found himself
> in her presence, he forgot his fears, offered a prayer of thanksgiving, and
> asked God to bless the patrol ho had pursued him. So it is in our search for
> God. At first everything seems difficult. Trials and oppositions beset us on
> every side. But when we find Him, in our love and confidence, we thank Him for
> all the difficulties and troubles we pass through. Our faith and peace have
> been perfected by our search for Him; our enjoyment of His Love is so much
> greater for the obstacles which have beset us on the way. The Prophets and
> Messengers of God live their lives through storms of oppression and tempests of
> hatred and suffering. They are despised and rejected, imprisoned, tortured, and
> martyred. If they did not love God and know to what a Paradise of Love this
> road of thorns was leading them, they could not go on to the end. The soul is
> like gold which must be tried in the fire and in the crucible before it is
> perfected and purified. In the crucible of His Love, all the base metal, all
> the alloy is burned away and disappears, leaving only that which is precious
> and proof against all tests. Outside the soul are innumerable barriers,
> numberless enemies, and hostile pursuers. By the Mercy of God we have been
> permitted to surmount these walls, escape from these pursuers, and fall at the
> feet of our Beloved. Having found Him and His Love, we must be like our Beloved
> and love one another, even blessing our enemies and those who have persecuted
> us. All the Light and Love you have received in ‘Akká will illumine and
> uplift other souls in America if you love them. In our actions we reveal what
> the tongue cannot speak. This is like putting a candle in a dark place so that
> the light may reach many eyes and guide many souls. The real light of the soul
> shines forth to the world in our actions. The most important message for us to
> deliver to the world is the message of Love. Through love we form
> companionship, and by uniting in spiritual companionship we attain power. When
> this magic circle of love, unity, and power is established, our influence
> widens, and the number of our friends will increase. The reality of Love is to
> love others better than we love ourselves, to excel one another in service. To
> do this, all ill feeling must be taken out of the heart. We must remove ill
> feeling entirely from our dispositions. The Blessed Perfection said in one of
> His Tablets that if He knew He had been the cause of sadness to any soul during
> the day, He could not sleep until all that sadness had been taken away by Love.
> If this love and companionship do not exist, our meeting together in the Cause
> of God is impossible and fruitless, for without Unity there is no
> accomplishment. God has said, 'Because I loved thee, therefore I created
> thee.'[8] The elements have been attracted toward
> each other, coerced as it were through affinity for each other. Therefore, in
> their mingling we witness growth and being. The existence of the physical and
> mental Kingdom is through the cohesion of these atoms, and this makes the Life
> of the Spiritual Kingdom possible. For the Spirit, although not of these atoms,
> can only manifest Itself in the mental and physical, and it is by the Life of
> the Spirit in us that the Eternal Life of God is transmitted to humanity. Why
> do we Bahá'ís love one another? Because God wishes us to love the
> creatures of God so that His Purpose may be accomplished in them and in us.
> Then we are the lover, and humanity is the beloved. Majnún and Laylí
> could not be mated because they belonged to opposite and hostile tribes, just
> as Romeo and Juliet came from different families which bitterly hated each
> other. Finally, the love of Majnún grew so strong that he wandered away
> into the wilderness where a dog crossed his path. Weeping, he stopped and
> caressed the creature, for it had once belonged to Laylí. If the earthly
> love was so strong in Majnún, how much stronger should our spiritual love
> be for each other! In everything we must strive to find God. Our love for
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá must bring peace, harmony, and goodwill everywhere among
> ourselves. The foundation of all existence is Love, and the foundation of Love
> is God. What would there be in this world without love? The Blessed Perfection
> said, 'The reason I have suffered all these tribulations is that Love should be
> established among the friends of God.' They asked Majnún, 'Why do you love
> the earth?' 'Because it is dark like Laylí,' he replied. The lover of an
> earthly beloved is most unhappy and yet most interesting to us simply because
> he loves. In the 'seven Valleys' the Blessed Perfection shows that some lovers
> of God must slowly traverse all seven stages of the road toward the Eternal
> Beloved, while others attain in one bound, in one step. Love is the true self
> of the soul, for God Himself is Love.”[9]
> “The sign of a true lover is that his heart must be in perfect accord
> with his actions, or rather that his actions must speak the secrets of his
> heart. Events show that Muhammad-‘Alí has followed his own will and not
> the Will of the Blessed Perfection. A true seeker must seek for the Reality.
> May the Power of God grow so strong within you that the world will become
> aflame with your words and all the people be enkindled with the Fire of the
> Love of God. What the Blessed Perfection has desired and announced will surely
> come to pass. When Love is established in human hearts, war will cease and
> swords be made into plowshares. Then will Peace reign over all nations and
> kingdoms.”
> Question asked Badí‘ulláh: “Was there communication between
> the Báb and Bahá‘u'lláh?” He answered, “Before the
> Báb was martyred, He directed that a large box of books and writings be
> sent to Bahá‘u'lláh. This was less than a year before His death. At
> the age of twenty-five He declared Himself to be the 'Door' or 'Gate' to 'He
> Whom God will make manifest.' He announced Himself to be the Mediator between
> this Promised One and the people of the world. It is said that for a short time
> They were together, but this statement is without authority. I never heard
> Bahá‘u'lláh say that He had seen the Báb. It is not historically
> established that They met, but the sending of the box is a fact of history.
> There were many writings of the Báb in this box; treatises upon the
> Qur'án, etc.; also a paper entitled 'Conjugations in the Name of
> Abhá' in which Bahá‘u'lláh is mentioned cabalistically and
> otherwise three hundred and sixty times. The purpose of this was to announce
> the 'Hidden One,' the 'Manifest One,' to the people and prepare them for His
> Appearance. 'Bahá' means 'Glorious Light' or 'Effulgent Splendor.' The
> Báb knew this was to be His Name when He appeared. He also knew and
> announced the year of the Manifestation of Bahá‘u'lláh, who first
> declared Himself near Baghdád. Thereupon the Name Bahá‘u'lláh
> descended upon Him.”
> 
> FROM THE MOTHER OF THE HOUSEHOLD
> 
> She said, “I regret indeed that I cannot speak your language. You also
> feel your need of Persian. Persian is most important in this Day as it is the
> language of the Word. We will understand each other perfectly in the spiritual
> world. A tradition of Muhammad says, 'Blessed is the one who sleeps one night
> in ‘Akká.' He also said, 'They who rest in ‘Akká shall be honored
> even though they know it not.' Again, 'Blessed is the one who has seen the One
> who is in ‘Akká.' The eyes of the Muhammadans in ‘Akká are
> spiritually closed.”
> Then she read to us in Persian from the Tablet of
> “Ishráqát.”[10] She
> continued, “The House of Justice will be established. Men will watch over
> this House day and night. The people will come to it for protection. They must
> obey its laws and be attentive to its commands. It will be the Sun of Wisdom,
> which will distribute Light to the politics of the whole world. The people of
> wealth, honor, and power must turn to Religion as the evident Light and firm
> fortress of humanity. Our duty is to be kind to everybody and avoid wrongdoing.
> The Light of the world is Religion; without it we live in darkness. The Blessed
> Perfection commanded all the people of the world to establish Peace. The kings
> of the world must unite. They are the dawning-places and rising-places of the
> Will of God. To assist them we must strive to obey the Laws of God. The Wisdom
> of God is revealed in two Lights, the 'sun' and the 'Moon,' just as in the
> material world. One, the 'Moon' is the consolation or the mercy to the world.
> The other, the 'sun,' is the foundation upon which the world must build. What
> shall be our reward and punishment?—we ask. The victorious armies of God
> are made up of good deeds and actions. These are the soldiers of His Army. The
> Commander of the Army is Righteousness and Guidance toward God the True Helper.
> The King must know his subjects and reward or punish them according to their
> merits, so those who are dishonest servants may not receive what the good are
> rightly entitled to. So it is with those who come to ‘Akká.”
> “When the Blessed Perfection was six years of age, He had a vision. He
> saw Himself fall into the sea. In the water His long hair became shining like
> the sun and spread out around Him like a golden net. All the fishes, large and
> small, came swimming toward Him, holding to the strands of His hair. The fishes
> came closer and closer, following Him as He swam through the waters, which were
> shining like the sun. The fishes were countless in number. When He awoke, He
> told His vision to His father who was an important man of Persia. His father
> consulted a wise man named ‘Abdu'l-Karím who interpreted visions for the
> kings. ‘Abdu'l-Karím said, 'Your son will be a great man. The water is
> Knowledge, and the fishes swimming about Him are the people of all nations who
> will come to be taught by His Wisdom. He will be forced away and separated from
> earthly things and will reflect the Light of the Word of God.'”
> “Give the Message whenever you are called, even if it be in China.
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá has often prayed that His conditions might become more severe
> in order that His strength to meet them might be increased. This blessing has
> always followed His prayer. In prayer we must seek for strength to meet
> conditions.”
> “The garment with which God will clothe you when you teach will be an
> armor of protection against all assault. The teachers in this Cause will be as
> planets in the heavens, illuminating the great world of the West. Teaching is
> the crown of action. This was the Crown Jesus bestowed upon His disciples. The
> Blessed Perfection said, 'When the Sun of My Beauty has set, be not disturbed
> nor troubled, for I will see you from the Highest Horizon and help those who
> arise in My Cause.'”
> “All existence is in conformity with Divine Law. This Law is and must
> be universal. It is a natural order and there can be no deviation in its
> action. Man must conform to Divine Law. That which is at variance with the
> Truth and Reality of God cannot stand against the action of Divine Will or Law.
> The Law of God which punishes and destroys is at the same time Eternal Life to
> those who obey It.”
> “It is necessary for the soul to prove the Message and reach a station
> of belief through its own power of judgment. Few can see at once. When the soul
> is firm and steadfast in its Faith, it instantly reflects the Light. Are many
> firm in America? Even the greatest are sometimes weak, Peter for
> instance.”
> “The Báb was a supremely holy soul. He went to school at the age
> of six. His teacher confessed that he could not teach Him—saying, 'He
> knows more than I do.' This same teacher was one of the Báb's most devoted
> followers and was afterward martyred.”
> 
> TALKS FROM MÍRZÁ ASADU'LLÁH
> 
> “Persian is the language of the Word because Bahá‘u'lláh
> revealed Himself in it. God be praised that you have come to ‘Akká! Mr. M.
> is a teacher. It is well that he has come to ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. As a pupil he
> should come to learn how ‘Abdu'l-Bahá teaches. This Revelation is like
> beautiful writing which the teacher sets forth as an example for the devoted
> pupils to copy. It is from God. All who teach must come to learn in order that
> they may give forth Truth to others. Christ's Teachings came forth after His
> Ascension. He was the example. By washing the feet of His disciples, He taught
> them the lesson of Servitude and Love. He set forth His qualities, and they
> followed Him. Every day of your stay in ‘Akká will be as a year. This will
> be evident to you after you have returned to America.' Here
> Asadu'lláh remained silent, not speaking for a long time. Then we asked
> him to talk. He said, ‘It is not difficult for me to talk; that is my
> work. Why is it so? Because I look upon the universe for my knowledge, whereas
> the teachings of science and philosophy are from books, and books are faulty.
> The whole world is my book. Therefore, it is no trouble for me to talk, for I
> simply speak of what I see in this great volume. It would tire my eyes to read
> the books of science, weary my brain to repeat and remember all they say. When
> I read the Book of the Universe, I read the essence of all books. All the
> prophets of God read this Book and were taught in this way. Those who love true
> knowledge know in this manner. When a Prophet appeared bringing a new Message
> of Truth, He was considered crazy. The Prophets are able to speak from
> different standpoints because their knowledge is from God and not from books.
> Where are the books of men? They perish and are destroyed. The Book of God is
> everlasting, imperishable. Messages from God are as points of beginning. They
> are Sources of Light and Knowledge.”
> “In the Persian alphabet you will find points or dots which change and
> form the letters. These letters form words, the words make sentences, and the
> sentences express thoughts. For instance, beginning with the letter ‘Alif' or
> ‘A'; then ‘Alif Bay' or ‘Ab'; and so on by addition of other letters and words
> until the meaning is conveyed. In the first point, in Alif, the meaning was
> hidden, waiting to be revealed. This meaning was not penned until the book and
> its sentences were formed with Alif as a source or first point. So it is with
> the seed and flower. The flower is in the seed and comes from it at maturity.
> Thus words gather together, make a chapter, and the chapters form a book. The
> Prophets from the Point of Oneness with God composed a Holy Book. The world is
> a book. It proceeds from the Point of Oneness. The Báb said, 'I am the
> point of the Book of the World.'”
> “All things are good if we see aright. A flower is beautiful; we
> desire to smell it and possess it. When we see something ugly, we wish to get
> away from it. Once we possess something good, it is always beautiful.
> Therefore, Truth and Righteousness are forever beautiful. The Prophets came
> into the world as living examples so the people might acquire their good
> qualities and perfections. The Ridván is not in its full beauty at this
> season of the year; but when its flowers are in bloom, when you breathe their
> many and varied fragrances which fill the air in summer, when you look upon
> their lovely, glorious faces—you are made happy—all your senses are
> delighted. Your nostrils are saluted by the heavenly odors, your eyes are
> greeted by matchless colors, you taste delicious fruits, you hear the sweet
> song of the birds. All this beauty is for your benefit, intended to make you
> happy. Then why not praise God for the beauty of the garden in which everything
> praises God! But if you go to another place which does not contain these
> beauties, you wish to hurry away immediately, for instance, a swamp infested
> with gnats and mosquitoes. This is only natural. Thus it is with the people of
> God who show forth the Beauty and Graces of God in their attitude toward
> humanity. We long to be with them. We love the beauty of their good qualities.
> They refresh our spiritual senses. We are filled with their beauty. They are
> the flowers and fruits in the Garden of Abhá, Ridván of the Blessed
> Perfection.”
> “Now I will tell you something about an orange. It will encourage you
> as a teacher in this Truth. For each one you teach will be the means of leading
> twenty others into the same pure Light. Out of one seed, by planting, you may
> produce one thousand oranges, the outcome increasing in greater and greater
> proportion. So it is with the Word of God. A teacher drops a seed. The one he
> teaches another, and in the end the outcome of your planting will be one
> thousand believers. If this increase is certain in the vegetable kingdom, how
> much higher and greater the result in the kingdom of men!”
> “Just as the description of ‘Akká by one who has lived here is
> different from your own impressions as you drive through these streets and
> actually see for yourself, so it is with the real disciples of
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. Without knowing the question asked Him, I gather from what
> He says the attitude of the seeker. His words cover every phase of a question.
> A perfect discourse must meet and fill everybody's requirements. To teach
> aright one must wander through the wilderness of human ideas as I have done.
> Then you will learn the secret of teaching by meeting all sorts of people and
> discussing and answering every kind of question. No one loves to teach more
> than I do with my own tongue. But the Truth and Reality of Interpretation must
> be given according to the form of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's Teaching. The one desire
> of a teacher should be to reflect the Truth as a mirror. On the face of the
> listener, the teacher should see what is needed and desired so that he may give
> forth that which will confirm, strengthen, and develop the one taught. That is
> to say, there is a key of knowledge which will unlock any door and enable us to
> enter with the Message of Truth. This may sound difficult, but it is easy to
> prove if you possess it. You must lead the seeker into the right road, then
> progress is straight ahead. In Chicago I taught many ladies. I will now give
> you a beautiful lesson, for you are a comparatively new believer, a new child
> in the Kingdom of Al-Abhá. Human hearts are like mirrors, and their Light
> is the Knowledge of God. If the Light should be dim, the mirror cannot reflect
> the Knowledge of God. But the Light of God is never dim. We can always depend
> upon its standard purity and power. Depend upon the Light, and it will always
> increase in power and illumination for you. The great need is to keep the
> mirror polished and clean and its face always turned toward the Light. When the
> mirror is pure, you will have perfect knowledge, full power, and true Light.
> The more Faith one has in the heart, the more the mirror is kept turned toward
> God and the more fixed the soul becomes upon God. The greater the firmness, the
> greater the understanding. Then the greater the Peace, and so on. If you do not
> grow after you see the Light shining from your words, it is your own neglect
> and failure. The Spirit of man is the cradle of the Lord. In it there comes the
> new birth, the new being which is to live forever. If you teach but a few
> souls, you have attained to spiritual greatness. From each one you will gain a
> hundred spiritual children. You are in the Kingdom. Gratitude and love will
> guide them to you. You will be like a lamp. The souls you have illumed have
> been lighted from your flame. You will be the focus of the rays, the center
> from which they come. Christ taught Peter. Peter planted the seed, and a
> thousand souls arose in the Kingdom of Christ. The Blessed Perfection would
> teach one soul, and from that one a multitude would be raised up. When the
> heart is pure, it will be guided and directed in the Truth, and power to teach
> will be given to you.”
> “Sometimes in America I had no one to translate for me. To speak in
> the language of Love we must have an instrument through which that Love may
> manifest itself. Love lives in the heart, even if one tries to hide it and is
> unwilling to speak it forth. Love in the heart becomes evident and speaks in
> our actions. For instance, suppose I have a strong desire to perform some
> action. Can I do it without the hand to carry out my desire? It is through
> actions that qualities and attributes express themselves. The rose is revealed
> through its color, perfume, and outer beauty. Knowledge is our greatest
> possession, but we cannot give it to others without speech or writing. If we do
> not express it in this way, it remains hidden and unrevealed. Take for instance
> a quality like mercy or generosity. If we do not use the tongue and bring forth
> these attributes, they are hidden, concealed. Therefore, all the human and
> divine qualities become visible through the powers God has given to man and
> through the Powers God Himself possesses. The tongue, the eyes, the ears are
> necessary to perfect man and enable him to express Reality. God created man
> with the intention that man should perfect his powers. If we did not possess
> these qualities and the powers to express them, we could not reflect the Work
> of God. God has said through His Manifestation, 'I have created man, and
> through man My likeness is revealed.' Man can, therefore, attain a very high
> station by reflecting the attributes of God. This power of expression is the
> Spirit.”
> “Independence is man's greatest gift. The knowledge of good and evil
> makes us responsible. Otherwise, we would be as the angels who are the
> messengers of Divine Purpose. So it came to pass that man was made of the dust
> and from the earth he should appear and be developed into a high station. This
> is reflected everywhere in creation. The eyes, ears, all the body of man
> evidence this high purpose.”
> “A child's knowledge does not depend upon the size of a child but upon
> the capacity of its mind. A mountain is very large, but it does not possess
> understanding. A bird is small by comparison, but it has life and the power of
> flight which the mountain has not. Do not look at your own inability and
> shortcomings when you wish to teach this Truth. Look at the Power and Bounty of
> God, which are limitless. When man looks at himself, the view is hopeless
> because he sees no ability and capacity in himself alone. But when he looks at
> the Bounty of God, he is encouraged, strengthened, and feels that nothing is
> too great for his accomplishment. The birds which fly above Mount Carmel can
> reach the upper regions of the atmosphere, inhale the breezes of life, and view
> the beauty which the creatures below cannot enjoy. These are the relative
> positions of the Manifestations of God and humanity. All the fields of the
> earth with their grains and seeds are for the sustenance of the bird, wherein
> he gains his food without sowing or planting. These things are provided by God.
> In the same way man has reasonable sustenance and plea sure, for God's Bounties
> of Love are in man. God wishes that man should enjoy these Bounties, but while
> doing so, fly into the upper regions of the Spirit. There is one Standard, One
> Who is perfect, One, the Manifestation of God. He is infallible; others are
> not. Absolute obedience to Him is necessary. The Judgment of God is His
> Manifestation. The soul must be as a perfect reed so that the Breath of the
> Spirit may blow through it pure and free. Truth is like a lake of pure, living
> water. Our thirst for it should be conscious of nothing but that water. The
> greatness of a man depends upon his soul development, upon his drinking from
> the Waters of Truth. The Manifestation, the Blessed Perfection is a lake. He is
> Truth.”
> “The earth said to the sea, 'I am more excellent than you!' The sea
> replied, 'In what respect art thou more excellent?' The earth answered,
> 'Because the Blessed Perfection lived and walked upon me!' Who can understand
> this? None but those in whom the Eye of the Spirit is opened. In a Tablet,
> Bahá‘u'lláh says that He understood the language of the waves, trees,
> birds, and all living things. How much happier are we who understand the
> Blessed Perfection than those who do not. He knew the Secrets of all living
> things, looked within their mysteries and perfections. In the Day of the
> Resurrection all of the prophets speak, and this is the language of the Spirit.
> Only those who are awakened by the Divine Trumpet can hear and understand. To
> those who are not awakened there is no Resurrection. When we go to sleep, we
> close our windows and lapse into unconsciousness. The morning brings a new day.
> We awaken, return to consciousness, and open our windows. Then the light and
> illumination enter. When a man is really asleep and his soul inactive, we may
> say the tenant of the house is not occupying the house and that the soul is not
> living there. But an active soul is awake and occupying its house. The Universe
> is a vast House, and He Who lives in it is God. Before the Appearance of the
> Blessed Perfection it was as if the Owner of the Universe was asleep. When
> Bahá‘u'lláh came, He opened the windows of the Universal Spirit; a
> New Day dawned, and Light poured down upon us from Heaven. All things reflected
> this New Light of the Morning. Arts, Sciences, and all human intelligence was
> filled with new illumination. The power of the Sun produced new Life
> everywhere. The earth thus awakened was vivified and filled with new energy.
> This is the Light which appears in the human lamp at the time of the Coming of
> a Manifestation. Progress, development, and civilization must inevitably
> follow, just as all mankind receives benefit from a new invention or discovery.
> That is to say all the world awakened when He awakes. When a man is asleep,
> They awake with him. Many people of the world have been awakened by the New
> Daylight, but they do not know from whence it came, nor can they tell you what
> they are in search of. They simply know that a Light has come and disturbed
> their slumber. So they are filled with uncertainty and unhappiness while
> seeking. When they meet the Light of the New Day of God, it is like a man
> having thoughts and hearing statements he does not understand the meaning of.
> You from America have been awakened by the New Day; you have heard the Call of
> God. You are alive and the Spirit vibrates within you. To give you a more
> homely illustration: When dinner is served, all in the house will gather in one
> room to partake of and enjoy the food. A bell is rung to summon us. The Voice
> of Bahá‘u'lláh is a Bell in the center of the Universe, sounding the
> Divine Call to the Heavenly Table where the Feast is spread. Knowledge of these
> things is like collecting precious stones. After you have secured them, do not
> throw them away but preserve them in your Heavenly Crown.”
> “Do the Manifestations retain their individuality in the next
> world?”
> “Man is composed of three elemental conditions—the physical, the
> mental or rational, and the spiritual or potential. The physical begins and
> ends here, the mental or rational begins here, and in our true development has
> no ending. The Spiritual or potential depends upon our will to know God. When
> we become quickened with the Knowledge of the Will of God, we can say we have
> always existed and will never cease to exist because His Will is from
> everlasting to everlasting. These three conditions of man are from the Bounty
> of God and His Gift. All Life is from the Word, which is from the Manifestation
> of His Will. Spirit is born and unifies with Spirit by the power of the Word.
> Spirit is the perfected man and is eternal. The Manifestations are Spirit.
> Christ is in Moses. All the Manifestations have their own mental identity; but
> all are one in the Spiritual. Therefore, as the mental in man's true
> development has no ending, and as the Spiritual which is the Will of God is
> eternal, the identity of the Manifestations must continue in the Supreme
> Horizon. They exist in their own stations forever and eternal.”
> “The Blessed Perfection may be likened to a Lamp which illuminates the
> Universe. For instance, suppose three people are in a room, each seeking an
> answer to a different question. Although these questions involve different
> points, the Light of the Blessed Perfection will illumine all of them and
> reveal the answers. So from Him we enjoy the fruit which ripens and grows
> because the rain has come down upon the earth. Therefore, we see by the Light
> which shines from the Mirror of the Blessed Perfection. He reflects the Light
> to the soul, and the soul forthwith has vision. Through Him also we grow to
> understand each other and to know what is in the minds around us. All souls
> have some oil which will produce illumination. All souls will bear fruit. We
> must strive to understand them and recognize what they possess. By studying the
> Word of God and teaching it, we will develop this power of penetrating other
> souls. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá does not ask questions. Each of us in His presence may
> have a different thought or idea upon the subject He is explaining, but before
> He finishes, all our ideas will be met, all our questions answered. When a soul
> displays evil qualities, we are depressed, disappointed, and wish to turn away
> immediately. On the other hand, we seek to associate with one who manifests
> good qualities. The Coming of the Blessed Perfection was to teach us to absorb
> His knowledge and show forth His Bounty, in order that we may be joined
> together in Unity and Love by becoming like Him. His Word is Unity. His
> Perfection is Oneness. This is our goal. This is our standard of perfect
> attainment. The Blessed Perfection revealed a Tablet in which it is said, ‘A
> wicked man asked, ‘What is Paradise?' We answered, ‘Paradise
> is where I live; Hell is where you abide amid disease and horror.' 'The
> effect of a Manifestation is to drive out all that is evil in the soul and
> replace the natural growth of virtues, just as Jesus went about casting out
> devils. An evil soul is like a stony field in which the seeds of beautiful
> flowers have been planted but no growth has followed. God created man perfect
> in powers and possibilities. Therefore, by reflecting the good qualities of God
> the soul will witness this heavenly growth in itself and find rest and peace in
> the knowledge of His Will concerning us. A good man manifests the qualities of
> Heaven, a bad man those of Hell. Heaven is upon the earth because these good
> qualities are witnessed here and now in our lives, Heaven is not above us
> overhead. The condition of perfect happiness is found when we are beside
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. There you are in Heaven. When the heart is pure you cannot
> help being happy. A good soul is like a beautiful rose. Not only do you enjoy
> its beauty but inhale its fragrance and are delighted with every good quality
> it manifests.”
> “In each Word of God there are many meanings, many interpretations.
> These interpretations vary according to the spiritual vision of the teacher.
> The interpretation of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá is always the greatest and most
> complete. Why? Because His Knowledge has descended from the Invisible Source of
> Knowledge, and the Holy Spirit is speaking through Him. Therefore, He has all
> the meanings. When a teacher wishes to explain the Word of God, he does not
> confine himself to one kind of demonstration but uses many according to the
> capacity of the listener. The interpretation of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá is always the
> true form and the best example to follow. He often gives us a spiritual meaning
> and then follows with a material one showing the harmony which exists in the
> application of the Truth of God. For instance, we go into a factory. One goes
> this way, and another that way among the machinery, and when we come out we
> have various explanations and viewpoints to describe what we have seen.
> Again—for instance, in the seed, there are many potentialities hidden,
> and we may speak of whichever one we please. The rain and sunshine produce many
> beautiful colors and fragrances in the flowers. So the Teachings of God and the
> Love of God produce spiritual flowers of all kinds within us according to our
> potentialities. The eye sees the rose; the nose smells its fragrance. There are
> many ways of sensing the same object. Similarly, we can spiritually enjoy the
> beauty and fragrance of the heavenly growth in our own souls and in the souls
> of others. The senses act in harmony, all wishing to express to us in their own
> way and language the beauty of the rose. Everything has speech; everything has
> a language of eloquence and expression. I come into your room. You greet me by
> word and look. I read the same greeting in this vase of flowers upon your
> table. My ears listen to the greeting, my eyes witness it, my nose inhales it.
> The tongue explains. The real speaker is the tongue. For when I enter the room,
> I have something beautiful to tell you—something the ears never listened
> to before. Man is the real tongue of the universe, intended by the Creator to
> express God and set forth His Beauty and Love. The Blessed Perfection embodied
> all the language of existence. All the Knowledge was poured into that one Cup
> from which ‘Abdu'l-Bahá drank. The Prophets of God had veiled this
> Knowledge, sealed the Wine of Inner Significances. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá drained
> this Cup. We must drink from His Teachings. The Blessed Perfection said that
> the ocean spoke in its own language, saying, 'O God! O God! My Beloved!' The
> Blessed Perfection understood the language of the ocean. He heard heaven and
> earth telling the Glory of God. To know as He knew we must understand this
> Language of the Spirit. The Prophets, knowing it, were able to speak to all
> people in their own language, no matter if Jews, Muhammadans, or
> Christians.”
> Mírzá Asadu'lláh came to see us again in the afternoon. We
> mentioned the red anemone which carpets the mountains and fields of Palestine
> at this season of the year. He said, ‘Little by little the flowers will
> be coming. The red anemone, called 'shaqáyiq' and pronounced 'shaqa-yeq'
> by the Persians, is the forerunner of spring. The Lebanons east of Akká,
> where the Blessed Perfection frequently walked, are covered with these
> beautiful, crimson-hearted flowers.”
> “The more you see of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá, the more you will realize the
> inexhaustible fountain of Knowledge within Him. He is the 'Bazaar' of God,
> where everything humanity needs may be found without money and without price.
> In Him there is always something new to learn and possess, always some new
> thought in His words and explanations. What you receive from Him is measured by
> your capacity. The possessions of God are limitless, whereas man's possessions
> are limited even though they be vast and many in number. So man must always
> fall back upon human treasures which are old and mostly worn out. Creation
> never repeats itself. Truth is one, yet its expressions are innumerable; and no
> two things are alike in the Kingdom of God. The Prophets are representations or
> Manifestations of Truth. Truth is fixed, unalterable, whereas everything human
> is changing and unstable. From death to life and from life to death, man comes,
> man goes, never fixed, never permanent. Human life is a point in a circle. If
> you whirl a burning stick around, it makes a circle of fire. Man is a point in
> the circle of life. He always comes back to the starting point in a process
> which is perpetual. Every day he is born anew; every day he dies. The past
> never returns. The future comes toward us inevitably. Childhood cannot
> continue; youth cannot be ours again. The Law of Time is inexorable. With God
> there is but One Reality. There is but One Primal Truth. Teachings may differ,
> but the meaning remains fixed, everlasting. The Prophets renew the Word of God,
> which has been defiled by human interpretation. God has a new splendor every
> day. We see evidence of this in ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. No one can understand the
> real Essence of Truth. When we look at a rose, we can understand its form and
> color but cannot penetrate the Essence of Truth which lies back of its
> creation. Who can surround and know God? This is a proof that the Prophets
> cannot be known in their fullness and completeness, for they come to express
> God to us. How can a human mind encircle God and His Knowledge? When we look
> into a mirror, we see only a part or representation of the Reality Itself. The
> Blessed Perfection has often said in His Tablets that no matter how high the
> mind may soar it cannot comprehend God. That which is in a lower station cannot
> understand the station above it. For instance, the vegetable kingdom cannot
> comprehend the station of the animal; the animal cannot know man; and so on.
> Man progresses perpetually toward the Kingdom of Spirit, which is God and which
> is everlasting. Therefore, as the human mind cannot encircle a Kingdom which is
> everlasting, we cannot completely know the Prophets who appear from that
> Kingdom. They have infinite Knowledge, for like the tides of the sea there is
> limitless volume and force back of them. Therefore, we recognize the
> Manifestations by their perfections and Divine qualities, but we cannot know
> them unless we rise to their Station.”
> “All human accomplishment is mortal; the Divine Will alone is
> immortal. Man is composed of a mortal body and an indestructible Spirit. Good
> qualities are Divine perfections reflected in man. The Prophets come to this
> world to show us the way to Immortality. Good qualities evidence their light;
> bad qualities are as darkness. When man feels the Divine Spark within him,
> these godly graces appear as light in his actions. God is eternal.
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's Teachings aim to develop these heavenly qualities in us so
> that we may become eternal and immortal. The soil of the soul must be made
> ready for the seed and its development; then the fruit appears. As the seed
> increases tenfold, so both good and bad qualities bring forth a corresponding
> increase. The Reality of Spirit cannot be completely understood. We can simply
> know It through Its attributes and good qualities.”
> “The Prophets each had an individual mode of expression. In the outer
> language of their teaching we must understand their terminology in order to
> comprehend their utterance. Moses had His characteristic mode of expression;
> Jesus spoke in parables; Muhammad spoke as if God were speaking. The Prophets
> are like clouds; the Word of God in them is the rain which brings forth fruit
> from a parched and thirsty world. All the Prophets are alike in essence and
> meaning, and all of them are the children of the Blessed Perfection.”
> 
> THREE STORIES TOLD BY ‘ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> “The disciples of Jesus, passing along the road and seeing a dead dog,
> remarked how offensive and disgusting a spectacle it was. Then Christ turning
> to them said, 'Yes, but see how white and beautiful are his teeth'—thus
> teaching that there is some good in everything.”
> “A master had a slave who was completely devoted to him. One day he
> gave the slave a melon which when cut open looked most ripe and delicious. The
> slave ate one piece, then another and another with great relish (the day being
> warm) until nearly the whole melon had disappeared. The master, picking up the
> last slice, tasted it, and found it exceedingly bitter and unpalatable. 'Why it
> is very bitter! Did you not find it so?' he asked the servant. 'Yes, my
> master,' the slave replied, 'it was bitter and unpleasant, but I have tasted so
> much sweetness from thy hand that one bitter melon was not worth
> mentioning.'”
> “A certain king had a subject who, having by a heroic action rescued
> the king from a great peril, was raised to a position of honor in the royal
> court. Here he continued to please the king and finally came to occupy an
> apartment in the palace close to the imperial chambers. The other courtiers of
> the king naturally became very jealous and lost no opportunity of carrying
> tales to the king, seeking to lower his opinion of the fortunate subject. One
> day they reported to the king that this man was unfaithful and dishonorable,
> that each night after everything was quiet in the palace, it was his custom to
> go stealthily to a room in a remote corner of the palace carrying a bundle of
> stolen valuables, which he hid there. The curiosity of the king was aroused. He
> watched and found the report true. Thereupon, he summoned his retinue and next
> evening, when the subject had gone to the room as usual, the king quickly
> followed, knocked upon the door, and demanded entrance. When the door opened,
> nothing was seen in the room but a dilapidated bed, some old clothes, and the
> suspected servant. 'What does this mean?' demanded the king. 'Why do you come
> here like a thief every night, and what do you bring in the bundle you carry?'
> 'O King!' replied the subject, 'thou hast blessed me with every gift and
> kindness, far more indeed than I can ever deserve. By thee I have been raised
> from poverty and lowliness to greatness and honor. Knowing this and fearing I
> may grow negligent and fail to appreciate thy bounty and love, I come here each
> night to pray God that I shall ever remain grateful to thee for thy goodness,
> bringing with me my old peasant clothes, which I put on, and then sleep in the
> humble bed in which I slept when thy love and mercy first lifted me up from my
> lowly state. Thus am I taught gratitude and appreciation of thy loving
> kindness.”
> 
> ‘ABDU'L-BAHÁ'S LAST WORDS
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá sent for me. I went to Him in the little room where He
> writes. He said, “Be strong! Be firm! You are not leaving Me; it is only
> your body that is going away. Your spirit will always be here. I shall always
> see you. There is work for you to do in the West. You must teach your husband
> the Way to God. Then you will both grow spiritually and be one in His Kingdom.
> I hope you may come again to ‘Akká and remain with Me a long time. You
> will always be here in the spirit. Think of this wherever you are, and
> happiness will come to you.” I held His hand a long time, asking that I
> might receive Light and Guidance.
> 
> ALLAH-U-ABHÁ!
> 
> NOTES
> 
> ‘Abdu'l-Bahá is referring to the Russo-Japanese War,
> 1904-05.—ED.
> 
> Abu'l-Fazl, The Bahá'í Proofs: Also A Short Sketch of the
> History and Lives of the Leaders of This Religion, trans.
> Ishtael-ebn-Kalenter (New York: Bahá'í Publishing Committee,
> 1929).—ED.
> 
> Bahá‘u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Iqán: The Book of
> Certitude, trans. Shoghi Effendi, 3d ed. (Wilmette, Ill.: Bahá'í
> Publishing Trust, 1974)—ED.
> 
> Becheveh may be Bíchárih, which means poor.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá‘u'lláh: Revealed
> after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, comp. Research Department of The Universal
> House of Justice, trans. Habíb Taherzadeh and Committee at
> Bahá'í World Centre (Haifa: Bahá'í World
> Centre,1978).—ED.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, A Synopsis and Codification of The
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book of Bahá‘u'lláh, [comp. The
> Universal House of Justice], (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre,
> 1973).—ED.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys,
> trans. Ali-Kuli Khan and Marzieh Gail, 3d rev. ed. (Wilmette, Ill.:
> Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1978), p. 6.—ED.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, The Hidden Words of
> Bahá‘u'lláh, trans. Shoghi Effendi (Wilmette, Ill.:
> Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1939), p. 4.—ED.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, Seven Valleys, pp. 40-41.—ED.
> 
> See Bahá‘u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá‘u'lláh, pp.
> 99-134.—ED.
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views30170 views since posted 2000; last edit 2025-09-30 14:50 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../grundy_ten_days_akka;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
> Inventory #
> TDLA.005 [ABU3203], TDLA.005 [ABU3369], TDLA.005 [ABU3529], TDLA.005 [ABU3601], TDLA.005 [ABU3609], TDLA.005-006 [ABU2905], TDLA.006 [ABU3262], TDLA.006 [ABU3576], TDLA.006 [ABU3596], TDLA.006 [ABU3610], TDLA.006-007 [ABU3548], TDLA.007 [ABU3026], TDLA.007 [ABU3364], TDLA.007-008 [ABU2916], TDLA.008 [ABU2267], TDLA.008 [ABU3082], TDLA.008-009 [ABU3261], TDLA.009 [ABU3181], TDLA.009 [ABU3225], TDLA.009 [ABU3372], TDLA.009 [ABU3486], TDLA.009-010 [ABU2646], TDLA.010 [ABU2880], TDLA.010 [ABU3184], TDLA.010 [ABU3499], TDLA.011 [ABU2396], TDLA.011 [ABU3404], TDLA.011-012 [ABU2642], TDLA.012 [ABU3202], TDLA.012 [ABU3384], TDLA.012-013 [ABU1854], TDLA.013 [ABU3538], TDLA.013 [ABU3597], TDLA.013-014 [ABU1867], TDLA.014 [ABU2368], TDLA.014 [ABU3617], TDLA.014 [ABU3618], TDLA.014 [ABU3644], TDLA.014-015 [ABU3509], TDLA.015 [ABU3054], TDLA.015 [ABU3090], TDLA.015 [ABU3215], TDLA.016 [ABU2877], TDLA.016 [ABU3500], TDLA.016 [ABU3528], TDLA.016-017 [ABU1629], TDLA.017-018 [ABU1469], TDLA.018 [ABU3334], TDLA.020 [ABU2911], TDLA.020-021 [ABU1872], TDLA.022-024 [ABU0744], TDLA.025-026 [ABU1142], TDLA.027-028 [ABU1278], TDLA.029-031 [ABU0468], TDLA.031-037 [ABU0107], TDLA.038-039 [ABU1696], TDLA.039 [ABU2510], TDLA.039 [ABU2917], TDLA.040 [ABU2095], TDLA.041-044 [ABU0321], TDLA.045 [ABU1773], TDLA.046-047 [ABU1627], TDLA.048-051 [ABU0433], TDLA.052-054 [ABU0537], TDLA.055-056 [ABU1699], TDLA.057-058 [ABU1273], TDLA.059-060 [ABU1000], TDLA.061-063 [ABU0466], TDLA.077-078 [ABU1183], TDLA.103 [ABU1346], TDLA.103 [ABU2683], TDLA.103 [ABU3335]
> Language
> English
> Permission
> public domain
> History
> Typed 1999 by Guilda Mickelson; Formatted 2011-06-08 by Jonah Winters; Proofread 1999 by Michelle Reid.
> Share
> 
> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/254
> Citation: ris/254
> 
> select Collection:
> Archives
> Articles
> Articles-unpublished
> Audio
> Bibliographies
> BIC
> Biographies
> Books
> Chronologies
> Compilations
> Compilations-NSA
> Compilations-personal
> Documents
> East-asia
> Encyclopedia
> Essays
> Etc
> Excerpts
> Fiction
> Glossaries
> Guardian
> Histories
> Introductory
> Letters
> Maps
> Music
> Newspapers
> NSA-documents
> NSA-letters
> Personal
> Pilgrims
> Poetry
> Presentations
> Resources
> Reviews
> Scripts
> Software
> Statistics
> Study
> Talks
> Theses
> Transcripts
> Translations
> UHJ-documents
> UHJ-letters
> Video
> Visual
> Writings
> 
> home
> 
> sitemap
> 
> series
> 
> chronology
> 
> search:
> author
> 
> title
> 
> date
> 
> tags
> 
> adv. search
> languages
> 
> inventory
> 
> bibliography
> 
> abbreviations
> 
> links
> 
> about
> 
> contact
> 
> RSS
> 
> new
>
> — *Ten Days in the Light of Akka (Used by permission of the curator)*