# The Ocean of His Utterances

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Howard Colby Ives, The Ocean of His Utterances, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> The Ocean of His Utterances
> 
> by Howard Colby Ives
> 1963/1977
> 
> An advanced study course in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh
> Using the books of Bahá'u'lláh, Ábdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi
> 
> As compiled by and with the remarks of Howard Colby Ives
> Table of Contents
> Preface to the 1977 Edition..................................................................................1
> INTRODUCTION:................................................................................................2
> BOOK LIST FOR READINGS...............................................................................4
> SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTING THE DEEPENING......................................5
> The Mysteries of God..........................................................................................6
> The Heaven of Significances.............................................................................17
> The Two Natures of Man...................................................................................27
> The True Station of Man....................................................................................41
> Immortality and Eternity..................................................................................51
> Real Life and Death..........................................................................................63
> The Gift of the Holy Spirit.................................................................................75
> The Kingdom of God on Earth..........................................................................83
> The Meeting with God.......................................................................................94
> Prayer and Meditation.....................................................................................101
> The Science of the Love of God........................................................................109
> The Word of God.............................................................................................116
> 
> The first emanation of the Almighty"
> 
> Its importance. Its study. Its effect. Its power.
> 
> "The Word of God is the source of all good, all power and all wisdom."
> 
> Ábdu'l-Bahá
> Preface to the 1977 Edition
> [2017 Re-formatted to PDF document, spell checked, recovered lost text except one portion, notes
> enclosed in [ ] by Ernie Jones]
> 
> In this edition of the Ocean of His Utterances the Readings have been incorporated into the study
> guide so that all of the material is in one continuous text. The quotations from the writings have been
> indented and labeled so that they stand apart from the commentary by Howard Colby Ives. The
> quotations from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh have been typed in script.
> 
> This edition is a retyping of the material typed by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall in 1963 when a copy of
> the study guide was given to her by a friend. In this previous edition all readings were typed in one
> volume, while the remarks by Howard Colby Ives were in another volume. We have proof read all
> quotations against the original texts and have striven for accuracy. Should any questions be raised we
> urge you to go to the source material as the best remedy to doubt. The reading lists have been included
> at the beginning of each chapter for those who wish to refer to the published texts.
> 
> Our gratitude to June Levine and Nicolena Miller whose efforts contributed to this edition.
> 
> Reginald G. Barrow/ Laguna Beach, CA / 1977
> 
> Preface to the 1995 Edition
> 
> This edition of The Ocean of His Utterances has been typed into a word processor, to facilitate the
> reproduction and distribution of this material for classes and communities wishing to use this
> deepening course. It may also be noted that the machine readable editions of the writings, published as
> Refer Twin Manifestations, Refer Ábdu'l-Bahá, and Refer Shoghi Effendi have been used to obtain the
> quotations for the last four chapters, as well as some passages in the earlier chapters. One can identify
> those passages which were extracted, since the identification placed at the end of the passage by the
> Refer software has been retained. Due to the removal of duplicate quotations from the Refer
> databases, the citation at the end of an extracted passage may not be the same as the original citation.
> Passages in Bahá'í World Faith or Gleanings may have come originally from Promulgation of Universal
> Peace or The Kitab-I-Aqdas.
> 
> The typing of chapters one to eight by Nya Luc Leapold in 1992, and the proof reading by the youth
> class of the Douala community in 1995 contributed to this edition. Members of the youth class of
> Douala in 1995 were:
> 
> Adam Ives Barrow Shoghi Ettehadulhagh
> 
> Isaac Grant Barrow Lua F. Fongod
> 
> Payman Bidanjiri Nabil F. Fongod
> 
> Nahal Bushuri Ruhullah F. Fongod
> 
> Anis Ettehadulhagh Vafa Shahidi
> 
> R. G. Barrow/ Douala, Cameroon/ Sept. 1995
> 
> THE OCEAN OF HIS UTTERANCES
> 
> An Advanced Study Course In the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh
> 
> "O peoples of the world! Cast away in my name that transcendeth all other names, the things ye
> possess, and immerse yourselves in this ocean in whose depths lay hidden the pearls of wisdom and of
> utterance, an ocean that surgeth in my name, the All-Merciful." Gl. pg. 33
> 
> INTRODUCTION:
> The object of this course of reading and study, of the holy utterance of the Divine Revelation of this day
> of God, is a very practical and inspiring one. It is simply this, that we may thereby be induced to take
> the first few steps towards the unveiling of the sublime potentialities lying dormant in the true self.
> "An effort is needed that we may annihilate the animal condition that the meaning of the human may
> become manifest." - Seven Valleys.
> 
> In this day, as never before, the true nature of man is revealed, his origin, purpose and destiny
> explained, and the techniques of the steps necessary for the tearing away of the mask of the lower,
> animal self disclosed.,
> 
> That man is composed of two natures, a lower and a higher, has always been recognized to some
> extent. The ancient Greek and Roman mysteries dealt with this enigma; our modern theologies are
> based upon it. Such well-known phrases as `conviction of sin', `conversion', `conquest of self', and
> many others, presuppose its acceptance. '
> 
> But all of these, though marking the deepest aspirations of the race over thousands of years, have been
> marred by human ignorance, superstitions and prejudice. Upon them have been built orders of
> priestcraft, cults of vague, unscientific mysticism and too often organizations of selfish powers and
> cruelty which, in spite of much inherent truth and values, have in the course of the centuries, relegated
> them to comparative oblivion.
> 
> Nevertheless there is a supreme and sublime truth underlying these aspirations and gropings. All of
> the prophets have taught it; many of the words of Jesus Christ implied it "Ye must be perfect even as
> your Father in Heaven is perfect." "Your life is more than meat", "Let the dead bury their dead". "He
> that is born of the spirit is spirit." These are examples-many more could be cited. In fact His whole life
> is a trumpet call for man to slough off the false, transient, delusive self that he may live the true life of
> reality, freedom and eternality.
> 
> But because man, until this Day, has been in the stage of immaturity, the reality of the matter has been
> hidden under parables and symbols. That is to say it has been a mystery hidden from the eye and soul
> of man because he had not attained to the maturity necessary for its understanding and application.
> "God screens us from premature ideas" - though they stare us in the face, we do not see them. But with
> the Manifestation of God, in the perfect Mirror of Bahá'u'lláh, with the example of the Perfect Man,
> 
> Ábdu'l-Bahá, and with the establishment of the Guardianship and the House of Justice which
> pre-supposes the possibility of relatively perfect men to organize and administer the kingdom of God
> on earth, all that has heretofore been 'whispered in closets' is now 'shouted on the housetops', and
> there is 'nothing hidden which is now concealed from the seeking, sincere, severed and self-renouncing
> soul.
> 
> This course of reading and study is designed for those who are intellectually convinced of the truth
> involved in the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, who have accepted him as the Manifestation of God the
> Father foretold by Christ; who wish to probe further into the hidden mysteries of God as revealed in
> utterances, books, tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá, and are willing to pay the price of sacrifice of
> the lower self in order that the true self, the divine self, 'The Self of God, 'may manifest.
> 
> The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is a divine mine whence endless wealth of spiritual realm is to be dug.
> Endless are these tremendous promises to those who fulfill conditions necessary for their attainment.
> 
> IS NOT THE GOAL WORTHY THE STRIVING?
> 
> Can there be anything more important than this wisdom, this solution of all problems of life, so
> overwhelming in this crisis of human destiny? When the portals of true knowledge are opened to us
> should anything deter us from entering? Is any price too great to pay for this understanding which
> makes the path of life clear before us and enables us 'to pass from sorrow to happiness, to return from
> sadness to joy, and changes depression and dejection to gladness and cheerfulness?'
> 
> May the assistance of the invisible attend every sincere heart. The goal set before us is nothing less
> than the eternal life of the spirit; the life of ideal happiness and peace; the life of freedom and love;
> citizenship and service in God's Kingdom on earth and preparation for boundless, ancient and eternal
> life.
> 
> BOOK LIST FOR READINGS
> Title Abbreviation
> Books by Bahá'u'lláh
> Gleanings from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh Gl
> Hidden Words HW
> Kitab-I-Iqan (Book of Certitude) IQAN
> Prayers and Meditations P&M
> 
> Compilations
> Bahá'í Scriptures BS
> Bahá'í World Faith BWF
> The Divine Art of Living DAL
> 
> Books by Ábdu'l-Bahá
> Divine Philosophy DP
> Foundations of world unity FWU
> Promulgation of Universal Peace PUP
> Some Answered Questions SAQ
> Tablets of Ábdu'l-Bahá TAB
> Wisdom of Ábdu'l-Bahá WOA
> 
> Books by Shoghi Effendi
> Bahá'í Administration BA
> The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh DISPEN
> World Order of Bahá'u'lláh WOB
> 
> Notes:
> 
> BS, Bahá'í Scriptures, edited by Horace Holley and published by the Bahá'í Publishing Committee
> 1923, was replaced by publishing the Bahá'í World Faith in 1943.
> 
> Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those in the original citing have been
> retained from the 1922 edition, reprinted as one volume in 1943.
> 
> Citations for extracted quotations may refer to a source other than the source originally cited. This is
> due to the fact that duplicates have been removed from the computer database, and passages in
> Gleanings or Bahá'í World Faith have come from other sources.
> 
> Permission to quote from the above copyrighted books has been granted by the Bahá'í Publishing
> Trust.
> 
> SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTING THE
> DEEPENING
> 
> 1. To avoid wandering off the path of the study course, comments will be welcomed on the readings,
> but will be avoided when directed to the comments.
> 
> 2. A short pause for reflection will be observed after each reading from scriptures or prayers.
> 
> 3. Each participant will read in turn unless for any reason (s)he wishes not to do so. The study outline
> commentary will be read by one individual to assist in identifying them, and to avoid confusion
> between comments and quotations.
> 
> 4. We suggest that each participant review the material and concepts covered between classes, and that
> a short period at the start of each session be devoted to sharing any insights and observations made
> between sessions.
> 
> 5. The reading lists have been compiled into a separate document, so that each student may have one,
> should there not be resources to print the entire deepening for each student.
> 
> The Mysteries of God
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson I
> 
> "Ponder this in thine heart, that the sweet gales of divine knowledge blowing from the meads of mercy,
> may waft upon thee the fragrance of the Beloved's utterances, and cause thy soul to attain the Ridvan
> of understanding." IQAN pg. 149
> 
> With the above quotation in mind, study the following;
> 
> 1 PUP pg. 221-223 Is it not astonishing...in the cause of God (226-228) . 2 PUP pg. 183 He has created
> us. . .encircle you all. (188-189)
> 
> 3 PUP pg. 192 The mysteries of the holy books...unsealed these mysteries. (197)
> 
> 4 PUP pg. 460-461 Furthermore man sees ...there can be no doubt. (464-465)
> 
> 5 WAB pg. 162-3 Bahá'u'lláh says there is a sign...in touch with God.
> 
> 6 PUP pg. 272-4 Even so is the springtime ...favor of the mercy of God. (278-280)
> 
> 7 PUP pg. 86-87 Therefore you must... (89-91) ... within the germinating seed.
> 
> 8 HW P#15, P#16, P#18, P#69.
> 
> 9 PUP pg. 27-28 Human the highest...scientific enlightenment. (29-31)
> 
> 10 IQAN pg. 57-8 God conferred upon that essence...divine power.
> 
> 11 IQAN pg. 175, We have variously...quench their thirst.
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 114-115 Last three paragraphs.
> 
> Please Note: Unless these readings are studied carefully, satisfactory results will be greatly minimized.
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those cited originally from the
> earlier (1922) edition have been retained.
> 
> Is it not astonishing that although man has been created for the knowledge and love of God, for the
> virtues of the human world, for spirituality, heavenly illumination and eternal life, nevertheless, he
> continues ignorant and negligent of all this? Consider how he seeks knowledge of everything except
> knowledge of God. For instance, his utmost desire is to penetrate the mysteries of the lowest strata of
> the earth. Day by day he strives to know what can be found ten meters below the surface, what he can
> discover within the stone, what he can learn by archaeological research in the dust. He puts forth
> arduous labors to fathom terrestrial mysteries but is not at all concerned about knowing the mysteries
> of the Kingdom, traversing the illimitable fields of the eternal world, becoming informed of the divine
> realities, discovering the secrets of God, attaining the knowledge of God, witnessing the splendours of
> 
> the Sun of Truth and realizing the glories of everlasting life. He is unmindful and thoughtless of these.
> How much he is attracted to the mysteries of matter, and how completely unaware he is of the
> mysteries of Divinity! Nay, he is utterly negligent and oblivious of the secrets of Divinity. How great his
> ignorance! How conducive to his degradation! It is as if a kind and loving father had provided a library
> of wonderful books for his son in order that he might be informed of the mysteries of creation, at the
> same time surrounding him with every means of comfort and enjoyment, but the son amuses himself
> with pebbles and playthings, neglectful of all his father's gifts and provision. How ignorant and
> heedless is man! The Father has willed for him eternal glory, and he is content with blindness and
> deprivation. The Father has built for him a royal palace, but he is playing with the dust; prepared for
> him garments of silk, but he prefers to remain unclothed; provided for him delicious foods and fruits,
> while he seeks sustenance in the grasses of the field.
> 
> Praise be to God! You have heard the call of the Kingdom. Your eyes are opened; you have turned to
> God. Your purpose is the good pleasure of God, the understanding of the mysteries of the heart and
> investigation of the realities. Day and night you must strive that you may attain to the significances of
> the heavenly Kingdom, perceive the signs of Divinity, acquire certainty of knowledge and realize that
> this world has a Creator, a Vivifier, a Provider, an Architect -knowing this through proofs and
> evidences and not through susceptibilities, nay, rather, through decisive arguments and real vision -
> that is to say, visualizing it as clearly as the outer eye beholds the sun. In this way may you behold the
> presence of God and attain to the knowledge of the holy, divine Manifestations.
> 
> You must come into the knowledge of the divine Manifestations and Their teachings through proofs
> and evidences. You must unseal the mysteries of the supreme Kingdom and become capable of
> discovering the inner realities of things. Then shall you be the manifestations of the mercy of God and
> true believers, firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages
> 226-228)
> 
> Science is the investigation of the mysteries of the phenomenal world. Religion, the life of the spirit of
> man, is the investigation of the mysteries of the world of Reality, that casual world lying back of
> phenomena of which the outer world is merely a 'sign' - a symbol.
> 
> The scientist accepts this hypothesis unquestioningly although he rarely approaches it from the angle
> which Bahá'u'lláh urges, which is the reason why the scientist tends to a materialistic conception of the
> universe. Yet fundamentally it is the same attitude with both the materialist and the spiritist, for both
> accept the outer, the visible, the phenomenal as indicative, significant, of the inner, the invisible, the
> nominal. Both accept the hidden mystery; the scientist goes after it. He knows, as John Fiske said
> many years ago, that behind all phenomena lies a 'mystery which we can neither solve nor elude.' But
> he does not, for that reason, dismantle his laboratories and cease research. But the tendency of the
> typical religionist is to do that very thing.
> 
> The physician recognizes a 'symptom' and seeks the cause. The astronomer seeking a cause for the
> perturbations of the planet Uranus because he knows there must be a cause, discovers, uncovers, the
> planet Neptune. The Physicist probes again and finds the atom; still hungry for knowledge he probes
> 
> again and finds the electron, and yet again and finds something defying analysis in any physical terms.
> Someone defined it as 'nothing going very fast.' Eddington refers to the materialistic physicist as a
> 'cipher expert'. He adds, 'We may decipher our cryptogram but the result is a message in an unknown
> language!
> 
> How different is the attitude of the typical religionist. He, too often, concludes that in believing
> something he has somehow fulfilled all the requirements which God lays upon his soul. It is as if the
> physician contented himself with believing in the circulation of the blood never probed the corollaries
> of that belief which led to discoveries of bacteria, infection, transfusion of blood, and countless others.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh has brought us back to fundamentals. He tells us that "for everything there is a sign" which
> points God-ward; it is possible to understand those 'signs' and find within every atom an illuminating
> sun that we may "comprehend the essence of these divine mysteries and grasp the purpose of God."
> -Iqan-pg. 57
> 
> It is assured that these mysteries may be probed. We are definitely commanded to investigate them.
> Note the contrast between divine susceptibility and human susceptibility.
> PUP pg. 222
> 
> 'Divine susceptibility emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit and the effulgence of merciful
> attributes.' Human susceptibilities are like the ocean tossed by every wind. Divine susceptibility is like
> its depths, unaffected by surface conditions and is where the divers find pearls. You will probably
> recognize the difference in what people believe to be indicative of the religious and spiritual life. Some
> are apt to base their belief and consequent actions upon superficial things, upon indications rather
> than causes; upon symptoms rather than disease; upon 'signs' rather than upon the divine mystery
> lying behind the sign The do not take seriously Bahá'u'lláh's injunction to' see with the eye of God and
> hear with His ear'. They do not' read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the revealed word of God for
> this Day, nor, in fact, of any revelation. Yet this is unquestionably the Day for the 'independent
> investigation of truth'. Nothing is to be accepted because someone else told us so. And the rewards of
> happiness, wisdom usefulness and eternality of spirit that to neglect it is to deprive ourselves of that
> wisdom, tranquility and detachment which alone can make this transient life understood and bearable.
> 
> READING #2 PUP pg. 183
> 
> ... He has created us in this radiant century, a century longed for and expected by all the sanctified
> souls in past periods. It is a blessed century; it is a blessed day. The philosophers of history have
> agreed that this century is equal to one hundred past centuries. This is true from every standpoint.
> This is the century of science, inventions, discoveries and universal laws. This is the century of the
> revelation of the mysteries of God. This is the century of the effulgence of the rays of the Sun of Truth.
> Therefore, you must render thanks and glorification to God that you were born in this age.
> Furthermore, you have listened to the call of Bahá'u'lláh. Your nostrils are perfumed with the breezes
> of the paradise of Abha. You have caught glimpses of the light from the horizon of the Orient. You were
> asleep; you are awakened. Your ears are attentive; your hearts are informed. You have acquired the
> love of God. You have attained to the knowledge of God. This is the most great bestowal of God. This is
> 
> the breath of the Holy Spirit, and this consists of faith and assurance. This eternal life is the second
> birth; this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. God has destined this station for you all. He has prepared
> this for you. You must appreciate the value of this bounty and engage your time in mentioning and
> thanking the True One. You must live in the utmost happiness. If any trouble or vicissitude comes into
> your lives, if your heart is depressed on account of health, livelihood or vocation, let not these things
> affect you. They should not cause unhappiness, for Bahá'u'lláh has brought you divine happiness. He
> has prepared heavenly food for you; He has destined eternal bounty for you; He has bestowed
> everlasting glory upon you. Therefore, these glad tidings should cause you to soar in the atmosphere of
> joy forever and ever. Render continual thanks unto God so that the confirmations of God may encircle
> you all. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 188-189)
> 
> READING #3 PUP pg 192
> 
> The mysteries of the holy books have become explained in the manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh. Before He
> appeared these mysteries were not understood. Bahá'u'lláh opened and unsealed these mysteries.
> 
> The Bahá'í teachings make all the holy books intelligible to us. We now have scientific meanings
> instead of the old religious terms.
> 
> READING #4 PUP pg. 460
> 
> Furthermore man sees in the world of dreams. He travels in the east he travels in the west, although
> his body is stationary, his body is here. It is that reality in him which makes the journey while the body
> sleeps. There is no doubt that a reality exists other than the outward physical reality. Again for
> instance a person is dead, is buried in the ground. Afterward you see him in the world of dreams and
> speak with him although his body is interred in the earth. Who is the person you see in your dreams,
> talk to and who also speaks with you? This again proves that there is another reality different from the
> physical one which dies and is buried. Thus it is certain that in man there is a 'reality' which is not the
> physical body. Sometime the body becomes weak but that other reality is in its own normal state. The
> body goes to sleep, becomes as one dead but that reality is moving about, comprehending things,
> expressing them and is even conscious of itself.
> 
> This other and inner reality is called the heavenly body, the ethereal form which corresponds to this
> body. This is the conscious reality which discovers the inner meaning of things, for the outer body of
> man does not discover anything. The inner, ethereal reality grasps the mysteries of existence, discovers
> scientific truths and indicates their technical application. It discovers electricity, produces the
> telegraph, the telephone and opens the door to the world of arts. If the outer material body did this,
> the animal would likewise be able to make scientific and wonderful discoveries for the animal shares
> with man all the physical powers and limitations. What then is that power which penetrates the
> realities of existence and which is not to be found in the animal? It is the inner reality which
> comprehends things throws light upon the mysteries of life and being, discovers the heavenly
> kingdom, unseals the mysteries of God and differentiates man from the brute. Of this there can be no
> doubt.
> 
> The study of the mysteries of God and His creation are as necessary, and as productive of practical
> results, as the scientist's study of the mysteries underlying natural phenomenon. Mystery has no
> relation to mysticism, in the sense which that word is generally used and understood. Mysticism a
> word which should not enter Bahá'í terminology, for the experience of God in the soul experienced by
> the mystic should be common place with the Bahá'í's, and only to be experienced by plumbing the
> depths of the teachings.
> 
> READING #5 WAB pg.. 162-163 (Paris Talks, pg. 174-175)
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh says there is a sign (from God) in every phenomenon: the sign of the intellect is
> contemplation and the sign of contemplation is silence, because it is possible for a man to do two
> things at one time - he can not both speak and 'meditate'.
> 
> It is an axiomatic fact; while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind
> you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is
> revealed.
> 
> You can not apply the name 'man' to any being void of this faculty of meditation; without it he would
> be a mere animal, lower than the beast.
> 
> The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs of which
> man knew nothing are unfolded before his view. Through it he receives Divine Inspiration, through it
> receives heavenly food.
> 
> Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries. In that state man abstracts himself, in that
> state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the
> ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things in themselves. To illustrate this, think of
> man as endowed with two kinds of sight; when the power of insight is being used the outward power of
> vision does not see.
> 
> This power of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of things, puts man in
> touch with God.
> 'Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you.' IQAN pg. 8
> 
> Meditate on the word with the mind a blank. This is not reasoning nor speculating. We must have the
> word to concentrate on. Emanation from the Holy Utterance, the word, is creative. How? The creative
> word creates capacity. The Holy Spirit, the Fire of the Burning Bush, burns up all that is not of itself.
> Capacity attracts the Supreme concourse.
> 
> READING #6 PUP pg.. 272-274
> 
> Even so is the spiritual springtime when it comes. When the holy, divine Manifestations or Prophets
> appear in the world, a cycle of radiance, an age of mercy dawns. Everything is renewed. Minds, hearts
> and all human forces are reformed, perfections are quickened, sciences, discoveries and investigations
> are stimulated afresh, and everything appertaining to the virtues of the human world is revitalized.
> 
> Consider this present century of radiance, and compare it with the past centuries. What a vast
> difference exists between them! How minds have developed! How perceptions have deepened! How
> discoveries have increased! What great projects have been accomplished! How many realities have
> become manifest! How many mysteries of creation have been probed and penetrated! What is the
> cause of this? It is through the efficacy of the spiritual springtime in which we are living. Day by day
> the world attains a new bounty. In this radiant century neither the old customs nor the old sciences,
> crafts, laws and regulations have remained. The old political principles are undergoing change, and a
> new body politic is in process of formation. Nevertheless, some whose thoughts are congealed and
> whose souls are bereft of the light of the Sun of Reality seek to arrest this development in the world of
> the minds of men. Is this possible?
> 
> In the unmistakable and universal reformation we are witnessing, when outer conditions of humanity
> are receiving such impetus, when human life is assuming a new aspect, when sciences are stimulated
> afresh, inventions and discoveries increasing, civic laws undergoing change and moralities evidencing
> uplift and betterment, is it possible that spiritual impulses and influences should not be renewed and
> reformed? Naturally, new spiritual thoughts and inclinations must also become manifest. If spirituality
> be not renewed, what fruits come from mere physical reformation? For instance, the body of man may
> improve, the quality of bone and sinew may advance, the hand may develop, other limbs and members
> may increase in excellence, but if the mind fails to develop, of what use is the rest? The important
> factor in human improvement is the mind. In the world of the mind there must needs be development
> and improvement. There must be reformation in the kingdom of the human spirit; otherwise, no result
> will be attained from betterment of the mere physical structure.
> 
> In this new year new fruits must be forthcoming, for that is the provision and intention of spiritual
> reformation. The renewal of the leaf is fruitless. From the reformation of bark or branch no fruit will
> come forth. The renewal of verdure produces nothing. If there be no renewal of fruit from the tree, of
> what avail is the reformation of bark, blossom, branch and trunk? For a fruitless tree is of no special
> value. Similarly, of what avail is the reformation of physical conditions unless they are concomitant
> with spiritual reformations? For the essential reality is the spirit, the foundation is the spirit, the life of
> man is due to the spirit; the happiness, the animus, the radiance, the glory of man - all are due to the
> spirit; and if in the spirit no reformation takes place, there will be no result to human existence.
> Therefore, we must strive with life and heart that the material and physical world may be reformed,
> human perception become keener, the merciful effulgence manifest and the radiance of reality shine.
> Then the star of love shall appear and the world of humanity become illumined. The purpose is that
> the world of existence is dependent for its progress upon reformation; otherwise, it will be as dead.
> Consider: If a new springtime failed to appear, what would be the effect upon this globe, the earth?
> Undoubtedly it would become desolate and life extinct. The earth has need of an annual coming of
> spring. It is necessary that a new bounty should be forthcoming. If it comes not, life would be effaced.
> In the same way the world of spirit needs new life, the world of mind necessitates new animus and
> development, the world of souls a new bounty, the world of morality a reformation, the world of divine
> effulgence ever new bestowals. Were it not for this replenishment, the life of the world would become
> effaced and extinguished. If this room is not ventilated and the air freshened, respiration will cease
> after a length of time. If no rain falls, all life organisms will perish. If new light does not come, the
> darkness of death will envelop the earth. If a new springtime does not arrive, life upon this globe will
> 
> be obliterated.
> 
> Therefore, thoughts must be lofty and ideals uplifted in order that the world of humanity may become
> assisted in new conditions of reform. When this reformation affects every degree, then will come the
> very Day of the Lord of which all the prophets have spoken. That is the Day wherein the whole world
> will be regenerated. Consider: Are the laws of past ages applicable to present human conditions?
> Evidently they are not. For example, the laws of former centuries sanctioned despotic forms of
> government. Are the laws of despotic control fitted for present-day conditions? How could they be
> applied to solve the questions surrounding modern nations? Similarly, we ask: Would the status of
> ancient thought, the crudeness of arts and crafts, the insufficiency of scientific attainment serve us
> today? Would the agricultural methods of the ancients suffice in the twentieth century? Transportation
> in the former ages was restricted to conveyance by animals. How would it provide for human needs
> today? If modes of transportation had not been reformed, the teeming millions now upon the earth
> would die of starvation. Without the railway and the fast- going steamship, the world of the present
> day would be as dead. How could great cities such as New York and London subsist if dependent upon
> ancient means of conveyance? It is also true of other things which have been reformed in proportion to
> the needs of the present time. Had they not been reformed, man could not find subsistence.
> 
> If these material tendencies are in such need of reformation, how much greater the need in the world
> of the human spirit, the world of human thought, perception, virtues and bounties! Is it possible that
> that need has remained stationary while the world has been advancing in every other condition and
> direction? It is impossible.
> 
> Therefore, we must invoke and supplicate God and strive with the utmost effort in order that the world
> of human existence in all its degrees may receive a mighty impulse, complete human happiness be
> attained and the resuscitation of all spirits and emanations be realized through the boundless favor of
> the mercy of God. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 278-280)
> 
> Everything is renewed, minds as well.
> 
> READING #7 PUP pg. 86-87
> Therefore, you must thank God that He has bestowed upon you the blessing of life and existence in the
> human kingdom. Strive diligently to acquire virtues befitting your degree and station. Be as lights of
> the world which cannot be hid and which have no setting in horizons of darkness. Ascend to the zenith
> of an existence which is never beclouded by the fears and forebodings of nonexistence. When man is
> not endowed with inner perception, he is not informed of these important mysteries. The retina of
> outer vision, though sensitive and delicate, may, nevertheless, be a hindrance to the inner eye which
> alone can perceive. The bestowals of God which are manifest in all phenomenal life are sometimes
> hidden by intervening veils of mental and mortal vision which render man spiritually blind and
> incapable, but when those scales are removed and the veils rent asunder, then the great signs of God
> will become visible, and he will witness the eternal light filling the world. The bestowals of God are all
> and always manifest. The promises of heaven are ever present. The favors of God are all- surrounding,
> but should the conscious eye of the soul of man remain veiled and darkened, he will be led to deny
> these universal signs and remain deprived of these manifestations of divine bounty. Therefore, we
> 
> must endeavor with heart and soul in order that the veil covering the eye of inner vision may be
> removed, that we may behold the manifestations of the signs of God, discern His mysterious graces
> and realize that material blessings as compared with spiritual bounties are as nothing. The spiritual
> blessings of God are greatest. When we were in the mineral kingdom, although we were endowed with
> certain gifts and powers, they were not to be compared with the blessings of the human kingdom. In
> the matrix of the mother we were the recipients of endowments and blessings of God, yet these were as
> nothing compared to the powers and graces bestowed upon us after birth into this human world.
> Likewise, if we are born from the matrix of this physical and phenomenal environment into the
> freedom and loftiness of the spiritual life and vision, we shall consider this mortal existence and its
> blessings as worthless by comparison.
> 
> In the spiritual world the divine bestowals are infinite, for in that realm there is neither separation nor
> disintegration, which characterize the world of material existence. Spiritual existence is absolute
> immortality, completeness and unchangeable being. Therefore, we must thank God that He has
> created for us both material blessings and spiritual bestowals. He has given us material gifts and
> spiritual graces, outer sight to view the lights of the sun and inner vision by which we may perceive the
> glory of God. He has designed the outer ear to enjoy the melodies of sound and the inner hearing
> wherewith we may hear the voice of our Creator. We must strive with energies of heart, soul and mind
> to develop and manifest the perfections and virtues latent within the realities of the phenomenal
> world, for the human reality may be compared to a seed. If we sow the seed, a mighty tree appears
> from it. The virtues of the seed are revealed in the tree; it puts forth branches, leaves, blossoms, and
> produces fruits. All these virtues were hidden and potential in the seed. Through the blessing and
> bounty of cultivation these virtues became apparent. Similarly, the merciful God, our Creator, has
> deposited within human realities certain latent and potential virtues. Through education and culture
> these virtues deposited by the loving God will become apparent in the human reality, even as the
> unfoldment of the tree from within the germinating seed. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages
> 89-91)
> 
> Physical sight may be a veil to insight.
> 
> READING #8 HW P15, P16, P18, P69
> 
> O SON OF SPIRIT!
> 
> The time cometh, when the nightingale of holiness will no longer unfold the inner mysteries and ye
> will all be bereft of the celestial melody and of the voice from on high.
> 
> O ESSENCE OF NEGLIGENCE!
> 
> Myriads of mystic tongues find utterance in one speech, and myriads of hidden mysteries are revealed
> in a single melody; yet, alas, there is no ear to hear, nor heart to understand. (Persian Hidden Words,
> pages 15-16)
> 
> O YE DWELLERS IN THE HIGHEST PARADISE!
> 
> Proclaim unto the children of assurance that within the realms of holiness, nigh unto the celestial
> paradise, a new garden hath appeared, round which circle the denizens of the realm on high and the
> immortal dwellers of the exalted paradise. Strive, then, that ye may attain that station, that ye may
> unravel the mysteries of love from its wind-flowers and learn the secret of divine and consummate
> wisdom from its eternal fruits. Solaced are the eyes of them that enter and abide therein! (Persian
> Hidden Words, page 18)
> 
> O CHILDREN OF ADAM!
> 
> Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds
> may be cleansed from the dust of self and hypocrisy and find favor at the court of glory; for ere long the
> assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored One, accept naught but absolute virtue
> and deeds of stainless purity. This is the day-star of wisdom and of divine mystery that hath shone
> above the horizon of the divine will. Blessed are they that turn thereunto. (Persian Hidden Words,
> page 69)
> 
> Life with freewill, on this plane, limits the time for us.
> 
> READING #9 PUP pg. 27-28
> 
> ...human - the highest specialized organism of visible creation, embodying the qualities of the mineral,
> vegetable and animal plus an ideal endowment absolutely absent in the lower kingdoms - the power of
> intellectual investigation into the mysteries of outer phenomena. The outcome of this intellectual
> endowment is science, which is especially characteristic of man. This scientific power investigates and
> apprehends created objects and the laws surrounding them. It is the discoverer of the hidden and
> mysterious secrets of the material universe and is peculiar to man alone. The most noble and
> praiseworthy accomplishment of man, therefore, is scientific knowledge and attainment.
> 
> Science may be likened to a mirror wherein the images of the mysteries of outer phenomena are
> reflected. It brings forth and exhibits to us in the arena of knowledge all the product of the past. It
> links together past and present. The philosophical conclusions of bygone centuries, the teachings of
> the Prophets and wisdom of former sages are crystallized and reproduced in the scientific
> advancement of today. Science is the discoverer of the past. From its premises of past and present we
> deduce conclusions as to the future. Science is the governor of nature and its mysteries, the one agency
> by which man explores the institutions of material creation. All created things are captives of nature
> and subject to its laws. They cannot transgress the control of these laws in one detail or particular. The
> infinite starry worlds and heavenly bodies are nature's obedient subjects. The earth and its myriad
> organisms, all minerals, plants and animals are thralls of its dominion. But man through the exercise
> of his scientific, intellectual power can rise out of this condition, can modify, change and control
> nature according to his own wishes and uses. Science, so to speak, is the breaker of the laws of nature.
> 
> Consider, for example, that man according to natural law should dwell upon the surface of the earth.
> 
> By overcoming this law and restriction, however, he sails in ships over the ocean, mounts to the zenith
> in airplanes and sinks to the depths of the sea in submarines. This is against the fiat of nature and a
> violation of her sovereignty and dominion. Nature's laws and methods, the hidden secrets and
> mysteries of the universe, human inventions and discoveries, all our scientific acquisitions should
> naturally remain concealed and unknown, but man through his intellectual acumen searches them out
> of the plane of the invisible, draws them into the plane of the visible, exposes and explains them. For
> instance, one of the mysteries of nature is electricity. According to nature this force, this energy,
> should remain latent and hidden, but man scientifically breaks through the very laws of nature, arrests
> it and even imprisons it for his use.
> 
> In brief, man through the possession of this ideal endowment of scientific investigation is the most
> noble product of creation, the governor of nature. He takes the sword from nature's hand and uses it
> upon nature's head. According to natural law night is a period of darkness and obscurity, but man by
> utilizing the power of electricity, by wielding this electric sword overcomes the darkness and dispels
> the gloom. Man is superior to nature and makes nature do his bidding. Man is a sensitive being; nature
> is without sensation. Man has memory and reason; nature lacks them. Man is nobler than nature.
> There are powers within him of which nature is devoid. It may be claimed that these powers are from
> nature itself and that man is a part of nature. In answer to this statement we will say that if nature is
> the whole and man is a part of that whole, how could it be possible for a part to possess qualities and
> virtues which are absent in the whole? Undoubtedly the part must be endowed with the same qualities
> and properties as the whole. For example, the hair is a part of the human anatomy. It cannot contain
> elements which are not found in other parts of the body, for in all cases the component elements of the
> body are the same. Therefore, it is manifest and evident that man, although in body a part of nature,
> nevertheless in spirit possesses a power transcending nature; for if he were simply a part of nature and
> limited to material laws, he could possess only the things which nature embodies. God has conferred
> upon and added to man a distinctive power - the faculty of intellectual investigation into the secrets of
> creation, the acquisition of higher knowledge - the greatest virtue of which is scientific enlightenment.
> (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 29-31)
> 
> Man's relation to nature and its laws.
> 
> READING #10 IQAN pg. 57 - 58
> 
> God conferred upon that essence of the spirit, who was known amongst the people as fatherless, the
> glory of Prophethood, and made Him His testimony unto all that are in heaven and earth.
> 
> Behold how contrary are the ways of the Manifestations of God, as ordained by the King of creation, to
> the ways and desires of men. As thou comest to comprehend the essence of these divine mysteries,
> thou wilt grasp the purpose of God, the divine Charmer, the Best-Beloved. Thou wilt regard the words
> and deeds of that almighty Sovereign as one and the same; in such wise that whatsoever thou dost
> behold in His deeds, the same wilt thou find in his sayings, and whatsoever thou dost read in His
> sayings, that wilt thou recognize in His deeds. Thus it is that outwardly such deeds and words are the
> fire of vengeance unto the wicked, and inwardly the waters of mercy unto the righteous. Were the eye
> of the heart to open, it would surly perceive that the words revealed from the heaven of the will of god
> 
> are at one with, and the same as, the deeds that have emanated from the Kingdom of divine power.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh should never be identified with the Essence of Divinity Itself. See Disp. pg 22.
> 
> As to words and deeds, the Manifestation and God are one and the same.
> 
> Reading #11 IQAN pg. 175
> 
> We have variously and repeatedly set forth the meaning of every theme, that perchance every soul,
> whether high or low, may obtain, according to his measure and capacity, his share and portion thereof.
> Should he be unable to comprehend a certain argument, he may, thus, by referring unto another,
> attain his purpose. "That all sorts of men may know where to quench their thirst."
> 
> Everyone, regardless of position, education, class, etc., may understand. 'The understanding of His
> words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon
> human learning ...' IQAN pg 211.
> 
> SUMMARY:
> 
> There is a 'heavenly science' as well as an earthly science. There is a science of the love of God as well
> as science of the love of earthly things. This science is possible of understanding and of applicability in
> life. The study of this science is what is meant by Ábdu'l-Bahá in His injunction to 'Investigate the
> mysteries.'
> 
> Prayer P&M pg 114-115
> Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I am but one of Thy servants. I have tasted of the
> sweetness of Thy speech, and acknowledged Thy unity and Thy singleness, and
> set my face towards the Source of Thy most excellent names and the Day-Spring
> of Thy transcendent attributes, and wished to be enabled by Thee to immerse
> myself beneath the ocean of Thy oneness and to be submerged by the mighty
> waters of Thy unity.
> 
> Assist me, by Thy strengthening grace, O my Lord, to do what Thou didst will, and withhold not from
> me the things Thou dost possess. So enravish me with the wonders of Thine utterances that the noise
> and distraction of this world may be powerless to deter me from turning unto Thee, and may fail to
> shake my constancy in Thy Cause, or to distract my gaze from the horizon of Thy grace. Aid me, then,
> O my God, to do what pleaseth Thee, and to carry out Thy will. Write down for me, moreover, the good
> of this world and of the world which is to come, and ordain for me a seat of truth in Thy presence.
> Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to rule as Thou pleasest. No God is there but Thee, the
> Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the Most Great.
> 
> All-praise to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the Object of the adoration of the entire creation! (Prayers
> and Meditations, pages 114-115)
> 
> The Heaven of Significances
> ________________________↩________________________
> 
> Lesson II
> Prayer To be selected by the students.
> 
> 1 PUP pg. 455-456 All the text...mysteries of the kingdom. (459-460) 2 HW A#44
> 
> 3 Gl pg. 62-63 So perfect and comprehensive...Hopelessness and failure.
> 
> 4 GL pg. 317-318 All that the sages...Ancient of Days.
> 
> 5 HW A#61
> 
> 6 PUP pg. 325 (331) It is evident...darkness itself.
> 
> 7 PUP pg. 149-150 In the beginning was the word...thousands more. (154-155)
> 
> 8 Gl pg. 195 That which is preeminent...Manifestation in this day.
> 
> 9 PUP pg. 223 (228) The door of divine knowledge...Holy Spirit.
> 
> 10 PUP pg. 12 (14-15) Throughout the universe..fully revealed through them.
> 
> 11 HW A#58
> 
> 12 HW A#59
> 
> 13 IQAN pg. 100-101 Nay, whatever is in the heavens...I am His Mystery.
> 
> 14 IQAN pg. 140 We have demonstrated...fullest adornment.
> 
> 15 IQAN pg. 175-176 This Bird of Heaven..mysteries of His spirit.
> 
> 16 HW A#67
> 
> 17 HW A#81
> 
> 18 HW A#50 & #51
> 
> 19 HW A#52
> 
> 20 HW A#53
> 
> 21 HW P#82
> 
> 22 HW A#62
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 114-115 Last three paragraphs.
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> Prayer
> 
> READING #1 PUP pg. 455-456
> 
> All the texts and teachings of the holy testaments have intrinsic spiritual meanings. They are not to be
> taken literally. I therefore, pray on your behalf that you may be given the power of understanding these
> inner real meanings of the holy scriptures and may become informed of the mysteries deposited in the
> words of the Bible so that you may attain eternal life and that your hearts may be attracted to the
> kingdom of God. May your souls be illumined by the light of the words of God and may you become
> repositories of the mysteries of God, for no comfort is greater and no happiness is sweeter than
> spiritual comprehension of the divine teachings. If a man understands the real meaning of poet's
> verses such as those of Shakespeare, he is pleased and rejoiced. How much greater his joy and pleasure
> when he perceives the reality of the holy scriptures and becomes informed of the mysteries of the
> kingdom!
> 
> 'Words', said Tagore, 'are the ineffectual gestures of the dumb.' It is impossible for man to convey his
> fullest and deepest thought in words, for he is limited, not only by the different connotations which
> others attach to the same words, but also by his own inability to phrase in more or less inflexible
> syllables the finer grades of emotion and description. We do the best we can under the inevitable
> limitations imposed by language. This is the reason why language, as it develops with man's increasing
> desire for self-expression, accumulates a wealth of metaphor and symbolism. He is forced to
> extravagant expressions if he wishes to convey even a hint of the majesty of his thought. He compares
> a butterfly wing to a rainbow; he speaks of the hills clapping their hands; he hears the brook laugh; he
> speaks of the heavenly smile. These words are not intended to be interpreted literally. We do not mean
> exactly what we say but far more and yet far less. Far more if we have capacity and imagination, far
> less if we interpret the words literally. This ability to suggest grandeur, beauty, grace, simplicity and
> many other inexpressible things, is the very essence of poetry, and without such a possibility any
> relation would be absolutely inexpressible. For religion, that is the religious experience, is the entrance
> of the soul and spirit of man into a realm above the world of material experience. And if it is difficult to
> in words the higher emotions, ideals, philosophies, even on the material plane, how utterly impossible
> it becomes to express thoughts which relate to a world far surpassing this one. We are reduced to a
> terminology almost entirely composed of symbols, metaphors, hyperbole, images - by which we seek to
> hint of a beauty, a majesty, a satisfaction beyond anything this world can offer. We see how impossible
> this would be to anyone living and thinking entirely on the material plane. To such a soul words mean
> exactly what they say. Yes, but what do they say? Words in themselves do not reveal the speaker's full
> intent. They can not.
> 
> If it is essential that the chemist, the physicist, the astronomer devise a terminology and a set of
> symbols suitable to his scientific need, a terminology is needed which is a spiritual terminology to
> convey thoughts which 'may change this dark world into a rose garden through the spiritual bounties.'
> 
> The tragic problem facing the Manifestation of God, coming to a world immersed in materiality, is that
> He is forced to use the language of the people, limited by their capacity to understand, limited by their
> consistent mini- interpretation of His meaning, limited by their fixed connotation of such words as
> 'life', 'death', 'sin', 'heaven'; He is forced to use those terms but somehow He must find a way to convey
> meaning and inspiration which applies in a super material, super- worldly sense. In a world of
> darkness and ignorance He speaks of splendor and wisdom. He would teach the grandeur and beauty
> of the world of the spirit.
> 
> If it is difficult, impossible for us to convey a comparatively simple thought how shall even the
> Manifestation of God convey the pure word of God to us? Even a slight conception of the problem
> helps us to realize why the lives of the prophets must always be lives of sacrifice.
> 
> Inner significances of the word, referred to: (IQAN pg. 140)
> 
> 'The Brides of inner meaning stepping from the chambers of words'.
> 
> 'The mystic and wondrous Bride ere this beneath the veiling of utterances.'
> 
> 'Myriads of Mystic tongues find utterance in one speech.' 'Quaff from the tongue of the merciful the
> stream of Divine Mystery.'
> 
> 'Take immortal cups- that thou mayest harken unto the mystic voice calling from the Realm of the
> Invisible.' 'Within every garden they will behold the mystic bride of inner meaning.'
> 
> Understanding is impossible to anyone living and thinking on the material plane. We must adjust to
> spiritual understanding instead of material comprehension.
> 
> READING # 2 - HW - A - #44
> 
> O SON OF THE THRONE! Thy hearing is My hearing, hear thou therewith. Thy sight is My sight, do
> thou see therewith, that in thine inmost soul thou mayest testify unto My exalted sanctity, and I within
> Myself may bear witness unto an exalted station for thee.
> 
> READING #3 -Gl. pg. 62-63
> 
> ... So perfect and comprehensive is His creation that no mind nor heart, however keen or pure, can
> ever grasp the nature of the most insignificant of His creatures; much less fathom the mystery of Him
> Who is the Day Star of Truth, Who is the invisible and unknowable Essence. The conceptions of the
> devoutest of mystics, the attainments of the most accomplished amongst men, the highest praise
> which human tongue or pen can render are all the product of man's finite mind and are conditioned by
> its limitations. Ten thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck upon the Sinai of their search
> at His forbidding voice, "Thou shalt never behold Me!"; whilst a myriad Messengers, each as great as
> Jesus, stand dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction, "Mine Essence thou shalt never
> apprehend!" From time immemorial He hath been veiled in the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self,
> and will everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery of His unknowable Essence.
> Every attempt to attain to an understanding of His inaccessible Reality hath ended in complete
> 
> bewilderment, and every effort to approach His exalted Self and envisage His Essence hath resulted in
> hopelessness and failure. (Gleanings, pages 62-63)
> 
> READING #4 - Gl pg. 317-318
> 
> All that the sages and mystics have said or written have never exceeded, nor can they ever hope to
> exceed, the limitations to which man's finite mind hath been strictly subjected. To whatever heights
> the mind of the most exalted of men may soar, however great the depths which the detached and
> understanding heart can penetrate, such mind and heart can never transcend that which is the
> creature of their own conceptions and the product of their own thoughts. The meditations of the
> profoundest thinker, the devotions of the holiest of saints, the highest expressions of praise from either
> human pen or tongue, are but a reflection of that which hath been created within themselves, through
> the revelation of the Lord, their God. Whoever pondereth this truth in his heart will readily admit that
> there are certain limits which no human being can possibly transgress. Every attempt which, from the
> beginning that hath no beginning, hath been made to visualize and know God is limited by the
> exigencies of His own creation - a creation which He, through the operation of His own Will and for
> the purposes of none other but His own Self, hath called into being. Immeasurably exalted is He above
> the strivings of human mind to grasp His Essence, or of human tongue to describe His mystery. No tie
> of direct intercourse can ever bind Him to the things He hath created, nor can the most abstruse and
> most remote allusions of His creatures do justice to His being. Through His world-pervading Will He
> hath brought into being all created things. He is and hath ever been veiled in the ancient eternity of
> His own exalted and indivisible Essence, and will everlastingly continue to remain concealed in His
> inaccessible majesty and glory. All that is in heaven and all that is in the earth have come to exist at His
> bidding, and by His Will all have stepped out of utter nothingness into the realm of being. How can,
> therefore, the creature which the Word of God hath fashioned comprehend the nature of Him Who is
> the Ancient of Days? (Gleanings, pages 317-318)
> 
> There are certain limits which no human being can possibly transgress. We cannot reach beyond the
> line between the Manifestation and the Primal Emanation - The word - 'seeking is forbidden'. The
> nearest we can get to God is the Primal Emanation - THE WORD - just as the nearest we can get to the
> sun is its rays.
> 
> READING # 5 HW - A - #6
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> Ascend unto My heaven, that thou mayest obtain the joy of reunion, and from the chalice of
> imperishable glory quaff the peerless wine. (Arabic Hidden Words, page 61)
> 
> Why do these personifications of wisdom and love apply the term 'heaven' to this spiritual realm of
> understanding? Because by entrance into this realm we are enabled to breathe an atmosphere of
> Truth, Love and Wisdom which, compared to the world of materiality is as heaven compared to hell, or
> like the world of the cultured man to that of the unborn babe.
> 
> This station is attained through what Ábdu'l-Bahá called the 'second birth'. He speaks of the 'sublimity
> of the world of mankind becoming apparent', 'thus you may attain the highest happiness, the life
> eternal, the glory everlasting, and become manifestations of the bestowals of God.'
> 
> This second birth comes with true recognition of the Revelation of God, brought by His Manifestation
> in the Day of Resurrection. Another means of entering this Heaven of Significances is through an
> ability to read 'The Creational Book.' This is what is meant by 'seeing with the eye of God and hearing
> with His ear.'
> 
> READING #6 -PUP -pg. 325
> 
> It is evident that the holy Manifestations and divine dawning points are necessary, for these blessed
> and glorious Souls are the foremost Teachers and Educators of mankind, and all human souls are
> developed through Them by the bounty of the Holy Spirit of God. During the ministry of Jesus Christ
> in Palestine He was surrounded by people of various nations, including the Jews, all of them living in
> the condition of extreme ignorance, bereft of the Word of God and darkened in consciousness. Christ
> educated these people and quickened them with the life of the Word so that they in turn became the
> instruments of educating the world, illumining the East and the West. Consider the wonderful effect of
> spiritual education and training. By it the fisherman Peter was transformed into the greatest of
> teachers. Spiritual education made the disciples radiant lamps in the darkness of the world and caused
> the Christians of the first and second centuries to become renowned everywhere for their virtues. Even
> philosophers bore testimony to this. Among them was Galen, the physician, who wrote a book upon
> the subject of the progress of the nations. He was a celebrated philosopher of the Greeks, although not
> a Christian. In his book he stated that religious beliefs exercise a tremendous influence upon
> civilization and that the world is in need of such belief. In proof of this, he said, in substance, "In our
> time there is a certain people called Christians, who, though neither philosophers nor scholastically
> trained, are superior to all others as regards their morality. They are perfect in morals. Each one of
> them is like a great philosopher in morals, ethics and turning toward the Kingdom of God." This is
> evidence from the testimony of an intelligent outside observer that spiritual education is the light of
> the world of humanity and that its absence in the world is darkness itself. (Promulgation of Universal
> Peace*, page 331)
> 
> READING #7 PUP pg. 149-150
> 
> ..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This
> statement is brief but replete with the greatest meanings. Its applications are illimitable and beyond
> the power of books or words to contain and express. Heretofore the doctors of theology have not
> expounded it but have restricted it to Jesus as "the Word made flesh," the separation of Jesus from
> God, the Father, and His descent upon the earth. In this way the individualized separation of the
> godhead came to be taught. The essential oneness of Father, Son and Spirit has many meanings and
> constitutes the foundation of Christianity. Today we will merely give a synopsis of explanation. Why
> was Jesus the Word? In the universe of creation all phenomenal beings are as letters. Letters in
> themselves are meaningless and express nothing of thought or ideal - as, for instance, a, b, etc.
> 
> Likewise, all phenomenal beings are without independent meaning. But a word is composed of letters
> and has independent sense and meaning. Therefore, as Christ conveyed the perfect meaning of divine
> reality and embodied independent significance, He was the Word. He was as the station of reality
> compared to the station of metaphor. There is no intrinsic meaning in the leaves of a book, but the
> thought they convey leads you to reflect upon reality. The reality of Jesus was the perfect meaning, the
> Christhood in Him which in the Holy Books is symbolized as the Word. "The Word was with God." The
> Christhood means not the body of Jesus but the perfection of divine virtues manifest in Him.
> Therefore, it is written, "He is God." This does not imply separation from God, even as it is not possible
> to separate the rays of the sun from the sun. The reality of Christ was the embodiment of divine virtues
> and attributes of God. For in Divinity there is no duality. All adjectives, nouns and pronouns in that
> court of sanctity are one; there is neither multiplicity nor division. The intention of this explanation is
> to show that the Words of God have innumerable significances and mysteries of meanings - each one a
> thousand and more. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 154-155)
> 
> READING #8 Gl pg. 195
> 
> That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God
> Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it
> material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread
> which cometh down from Heaven. It is God's supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth,
> the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most
> loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift
> of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day. (Gleanings, page 195)
> 
> READING # 9 - PUP - pg. 223
> 
> he door of divine knowledge has been opened by Bahá'u'lláh, for He has laid the foundation whereby
> man may become acquainted with the verities of heaven and earth and has bestowed the utmost
> confirmation in this day. He is our Teacher and Adviser; He is our Seer and the One clement toward
> us. He has prepared His gifts and vouchsafed His bounties, revealed every admonition and behest,
> prepared for us the means of eternal glory, breathed upon us the life-quickening breaths of the Holy
> Spirit, opened before our faces the doors of the paradise of Abha and caused the lights of the Sun of
> Truth to shine upon us. The clouds of mercy have poured down their precious rain. The sea of favor is
> swelling and surging toward us. The spiritual springtime has come. Infinite bounties and graces have
> appeared. What bestowal is greater than this? We must appreciate the divine generosity and act in
> accordance with the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh so that all good may be stored up for us and in both
> worlds we shall become precious and acceptable to God, attain to everlasting blessings, taste the
> delicacy of the love of God, find the sweetness of the knowledge of God, perceive the heavenly bestowal
> and witness the power of the Holy Spirit. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 228)
> 
> READING # 10 - PUP - pg. 12
> 
> Throughout the universe the divine power is effulgent in endless images and pictures. The world of
> creation, the world of humanity may be likened to the earth itself and the divine power to the sun. This
> Sun has shone upon all mankind. In the endless variety of its reflections the divine Will is manifested.
> Consider how all are recipients of the bounty of the same Sun. At most the difference between them is
> that of degree, for the effulgence is one effulgence, the one light emanating from the Sun. This will
> express the oneness of the world of humanity. The body politic, or the social unity of the human world,
> may be likened to an ocean, and each member, each individual, a wave upon that same ocean. The
> light of the sun becomes apparent in each object according to the capacity of that object. The difference
> is simply one of degree and receptivity. The stone would be a recipient only to a limited extent; another
> created thing might be as a mirror wherein the sun is fully reflected; but the same light shines upon
> both.
> 
> The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined
> and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another,
> be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon
> both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness,
> glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured
> there is no capacity for reflection, although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon
> and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our
> hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which
> may be fully revealed through them. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 14-15)
> 
> READING # 11 - HW - A #58
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I
> may abide.
> 
> Our understanding is according to the purity, cleansing and dusting of the mirror. Our effort is
> important and entails sacrifice of that which forbids us time for study and meditation of the Word.
> 
> READING # 12 - HW - A #59
> 
> O SON OF BEING!
> 
> Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. The spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My
> manifestation.
> 
> The heart is the actual recipient of the spiritual influx, the core of being, one of the aspects of the soul.
> see Gl - pg. 185
> 
> READING #13 IQAN pg. 100-101
> 
> Nay, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation
> within it of the attributes and names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs
> that bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of that most great Light. Methinks, but for the potency
> of that revelation, no being could ever exist. How resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine
> in an atom, and how vast the oceans of wisdom that surge within a drop! To a supreme degree is this
> true of man, who, among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of such gifts, and hath
> been singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in him are potentially revealed all the attributes
> and names of God to a degree that no other created being hath excelled or surpassed. All these names
> and attributes are applicable to him. Even as He hath said: "Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery."
> (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 100-101)
> 
> READING # 14 - Iqan - pg. 140
> 
> ...We have demonstrated that all things are the recipients and revealers of the splendours of that ideal
> King, and that the signs of the revelation of that Sun, the Source of all splendour, exist and are
> manifest in the mirrors of beings. Nay, were man to gaze with the eye of divine and spiritual
> discernment, he will readily recognize that nothing whatsoever can exist without the revelation of the
> splendour of God, the ideal King. Consider how all created things eloquently testify to the revelation of
> that inner Light within them. Behold how within all things the portals of the Ridvan of God are
> opened, that seekers may attain the cities of understanding and wisdom, and enter the gardens of
> knowledge and power. Within every garden they will behold the mystic bride of inner meaning
> enshrined within the chambers of utterance in the utmost grace and fullest adornment. (The
> Kitab-i-Iqan, page 140)
> 
> We are told that it is impossible for man to attain such a station that he will live more or less
> constantly in that realm in which he sees in all things evidence of the power, love, wisdom, beauty and
> guidance of God. He 'walks above the world by the power of the Greatest Name and beholds the
> Mysteries of God and knows that which none knows of.' (who knows not this heaven). This, Ábdu'l-
> Bahá says, is the paradise obtainable in this world. It transforms a sordid existence into a heaven of
> assurance and 'diffuses life with infinite joy'. The word 'heaven' is used with many meanings: 'The
> heaven of wisdom', 'the heaven of understanding', etc.
> 
> READING #15 - Iqan - pg. 175-176
> 
> This Bird of Heaven, now dwelling upon the dust, can, besides these melodies, utter a myriad songs,
> and is able, apart from these utterances, to unfold innumerable mysteries. Every single note of its
> unpronounced utterances is immeasurably exalted above all that hath already been revealed, and
> immensely glorified beyond that which hath streamed from this Pen. Let the future disclose the hour
> when the Brides of inner meaning, will, as decreed by the Will of God, hasten forth, unveiled, out of
> their mystic mansions, and manifest themselves in the ancient realm of being. Nothing whatsoever is
> possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power, and there is none
> 
> other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation,
> and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 175-176)
> 
> Yet revelation is limited by the conditions and capacity of the people.
> 
> READING # 16 HW A#67
> 
> O SON OF BEAUTY!
> 
> By My spirit and by My favor! By My mercy and by My beauty! All that I have revealed unto thee with
> the tongue of power, and have and have written for thee with the pen of might, hath been in
> accordance with the capacity and understanding, not with My state and the melody of My voice.
> 
> 'Tongue of power', 'Pen of Might' - The Reality of the Manifestation speaking and writing.
> 
> READING #17 HW P#81
> 
> O MY SERVANT!
> 
> The basest of men are they that yield no fruit on earth. Such men are verily counted as among the
> dead, nay better are the dead in the sight of God than these idle and worthless souls.
> 
> Importance of the knowledge of the reality of things. 'yield no fruit on earth' -what fruit?
> 
> 'Through it (knowledge of the realities of things) outward civilization progresses'
> 
> SAQ pg. 344
> 
> Therefore, the lowest of men are they who neglect the knowledge of the realities of things, thus make
> no contribution to the progress of civilization.
> 
> READING #18 HW A#50 & A#51
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> If adversity befall thee not in My path, how canst thou walk in the ways of them that are content with
> My pleasure? If trials afflict thee not in thy longing to meet Me, how wilt thou attain the light of thy
> love for My beauty?
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy.
> Hasten thereunto that thou may become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command
> unto thee, do thou observe it.
> 
> Proper attitude toward trials and obstacles.
> 
> READING # 19 HW A#52
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both
> shall pass away and be no more.
> 
> Proper attitude toward success and failure.
> 
> READING #20 HW A#53
> 
> O SON OF BEING!
> 
> If poverty overtake thee, be not sad; for in time the Lord of wealth shall visit thee. Fear not abasement,
> for glory shall one day rest on thee.
> 
> Proper attitude toward wealth and poverty.
> 
> READING #21 HW A#62
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast busied thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings.
> How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thy head from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the
> zenith, haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty. (Arabic Hidden Words, page 62)
> 
> Admonition to waste no more time, inasmuch as immortality begins now.
> 
> SUMMARY:- 'Heaven of significances' - a symbol of that spiritual exaltation, upliftment above
> material thoughts and feelings, perceiving the mysteries of the other world in creation, everything on
> this plane being a shadow of that on the spiritual plane.
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 114-115
> 
> Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I am but one of thy servants. I have tasted of the sweetness of Thy
> speech, and acknowledged Thy singleness, and set my face towards the source of Thy most excellent
> names and the Day- Spring of Thy transcendent attributes, and wish to be enabled by Thee to immerse
> myself beneath the ocean of Thy oneness and to be submerged by the mighty waters of Thy unity.
> Assist me, by thy strengthening grace, O my Lord, to what thou didst will, and withhold not form me
> the things Thou dost possess. So enravish me with wonders of Thine utterances that the noise and
> distraction of this world may be powerless to deter me from turning unto thee, and may fail to shake
> my constancy in Thy cause, or to distract my gaze from the horizon of Thy grace. Aid me, then, O my
> God to do what pleasest Thee, and to carry out Thy will. Write down for me, moreover, the good of this
> world of the world which is to come, ordain for me a seat of truth in thy presence. Potent art Thou to
> do what Thou willest, and to rule as Thou pleasest. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the
> All-Glorious, the Most Great.
> 
> All praise to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the object of the adoration of the entire creation!
> 
> The Two Natures of Man
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson III
> 1 BWF pg. 121 A sign of God.
> 
> 2 BWF pg. 315 Man's Relation to God
> 
> 3 BWF pg. 316-317 Soul, Mind and Spirit
> 
> 4 BWF pg. 318-321 Innate, inherited and acquired character.
> 
> 5 PUP pg. 57 Man has two powers...than the physical body. (60)
> 
> 6 PUP pg. 179-181 Man is submerged...joys of its eternal fruits? (184-186)
> 
> 7 PUP pg. 319-322 It is now the times...the life and love of God. (325-328)
> 
> 8 PUP pg. 411-413 It is evident fact...in the eternal realm. (417-418)
> 
> 9 PUP pg. 220-221 In the beginning of his human life...everlasting existence. (225-226)
> 
> 10 GL pg. 64-66 All praise to the unity of God...light and glory.
> 
> 11 GL pg. 77-78 All praise and glory...shadow of the tree of knowledge. 12 HW P#38
> 
> 13 HW P#39
> 
> 14 BWF pg. 382 Faith and Knowledge.
> 
> 15 GL pg. 206 The purpose underlying....whatsoever He willeth.
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 114-115 LXIX Last 3 paragraphs.
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> READING #1 BWF pg. 121 A Sign of God
> 
> Thou hast asked Me concerning the nature of the soul. Know verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a
> heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind,
> however acute, can ever hope to unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the
> excellence of its creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in
> adoration before Him. If it be faithful to God, it will reflect His light, and will eventually return unto
> Him. If it fail, however, in its allegiance to its creator, it will become a victim to self and passion, and
> will, in the end, sink in their depths.
> 
> Ábdu'l-Bahá summed the matter in these words,
> 
> 'Be it known that to know the reality or essence of the soul of man is impossible, for in order to know a
> thing one must comprehend it, and since a thing cannot comprehend itself, to know oneself is in
> substance, or essence, is impossible. In order to obtain knowledge of any reality, or soul, or man, the
> student must study the manifestations, qualities, names and characteristics of man.'
> 
> Our modern anthropologists and psychologist agree perfectly with this assertion. Nothing is more
> generally acknowledged than the narrow limits of man's mental powers. It is even asserted that he uses
> no more than a fifth of his brain capability. Is it possible then for him, with the active fifth of his
> mentality to grasp the powers of the other four-fifths - to say nothing of the range of his emotional,
> imaginative, and complex physical nature?
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh, in the seven valleys (the valley of unity) points out that man to a degree possesses a quality
> of God in that he is 'the first and the last, the manifest and the hidden' and that outwardly man bears
> witness of the inward mysteries which, as a Divine gift, are deposited in him. So we must begin by
> assuming (with the authority of human science as well as divine revelation) that man, like every other
> phenomenal object, may be known only by his attributes and qualities. As is to be expected, however,
> the wisdom of the Mouthpiece of the Eternal Wisdom is far more enlightening and inspiring than the
> superficial investigations of the human mind. They base their investigations into man's reality and
> potentiality upon his inherent nobility.
> 
> READING #2 BWF pg. 315
> 
> Man's Relation to God The connection between God and the creatures is that of the creator to the
> creation; it is like the connection between the sun and the dark bodies of contingent beings, and is the
> connection between the maker and the things that he has made. The sun in its own essence is
> independent of the bodies which it lights, for its light is in itself and is free and independent of the
> terrestrial globe; so the earth is under the influence of the sun and receives its light, whereas the sun
> and its rays are entirely independent of the earth. But if there were no sun, the earth and all earthly
> beings could not exist.
> The dependence of the creatures upon God is a dependence of emanation - that is to say, creatures
> emanate from God; they do not manifest Him. (1) The relation is that of emanation and not that of
> manifestation. The light of the sun emanates from the sun; it does not manifest it. The appearance
> through emanation is like the appearance of the rays from the luminary of the horizons of the world -
> that is to say, the holy essence of the Sun of Truth is not divided and does not descend to the condition
> of the creatures. In the same way, the globe of the sun does not become divided and does not descend
> to the earth. No, the rays of the sun, which are its bounty, emanate from it and illumine the dark
> bodies.
> 
> But the appearance through manifestation is the manifestation of the branches, leaves, blossoms and
> fruit from the seed; for the seed in its own essence becomes branches and fruits, and its reality enters
> into the branches, the leaves and fruits. This appearance through manifestation would be for God, the
> Most High, simple imperfection; and this is quite impossible, for the implication would be that the
> 
> Absolute Preexistent is qualified with phenomenal attributes. But if this were so, pure independence
> would become mere poverty, and true existence would become nonexistence, and this is impossible.
> 
> Therefore, all creatures emanate from God - that is to say, it is by God that all things are realized, and
> by Him that all beings have attained to existence. The first thing which emanated from God is that
> universal reality, which the ancient philosophers termed the "First Mind," and which the people of
> Baha call the "First Will." This emanation, in that which concerns its action in the world of God, is not
> limited by time or place; it is without beginning or end -beginning and end in relation to God are one.
> The preexistence of God is the preexistence of essence, and also preexistence of time, and the
> phenomenality of contingency is essential and not temporal, as we have already explained one day at
> table. (1)
> 
> Though the "First Mind" is without beginning, it does not become a sharer in the preexistence of God,
> for the existence of the universal reality in relation to the existence of God is nothingness, and it has
> not the power to become an associate of God and like unto Him in preexistence. This subject has been
> before explained.
> 
> The existence of living things signifies composition, and their death, decomposition. But universal
> matter and the elements do not become absolutely annihilated and destroyed. No, their nonexistence
> is simply transformation. For instance, when man is annihilated, he becomes dust; but he does not
> become absolutely nonexistent. He still exists in the shape of dust, but transformation has taken place,
> and this composition is accidentally decomposed. The annihilation of the other beings is the same, for
> existence does not become absolute nonexistence, and absolute nonexistence does not become
> existence. (Some Answered Questions, pages 202-204)
> 
> 'This much can be stated, that the reality of man is a pure and unknown essence constituting a
> depository emanating from the Light of the Ancient Entity' (God) -Bahá'í Scrip. par 742
> 
> READING # 3 BWF pg. 316-317
> 
> Soul, Mind and Spirit
> It has been before explained that spirit is universally divided into five categories: the vegetable spirit,
> the animal spirit, the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and the Holy Spirit.
> 
> The vegetable spirit is the power of growth which is brought about in the seed through the influence of
> other existences.
> 
> The animal spirit is the power of all the senses, which is realized from the composition and mingling of
> elements; when this composition decomposes, the power also perishes and becomes annihilated. It
> may be likened to this lamp: when the oil, wick and fire are combined, it is lighted; and when this
> combination is dissolved - that is to say, when the combined parts are separated from one another -
> the lamp also is extinguished.
> 
> The human spirit which distinguishes man from the animal is the rational soul, and these two names -
> the human spirit and the rational soul - designate one thing. This spirit, which in the terminology of
> the philosophers is the rational soul, embraces all beings, and as far as human ability permits
> 
> discovers the realities of things and becomes cognizant of their peculiarities and effects, and of the
> qualities and properties of beings. But the human spirit, unless assisted by the spirit of faith, does not
> become acquainted with the divine secrets and the heavenly realities. It is like a mirror which,
> although clear, polished and brilliant, is still in need of light. Until a ray of the sun reflects upon it, it
> cannot discover the heavenly secrets.
> 
> But the mind is the power of the human spirit. Spirit is the lamp; mind is the light which shines from
> the lamp. Spirit is the tree, and the mind is the fruit. Mind is the perfection of the spirit and is its
> essential quality, as the sun's rays are the essential necessity of the sun. (Some Answered Questions,
> pages 208-209)
> 
> Soul, the rational being, the rational soul, the human spirit - are one. The pure page of man's
> individuality becomes inscribed during his life's experiences with the record of events which our
> human terminology describes as good and evil. The gradual growth of this ability to distinguish
> between these is one of the meanings of the story of the Garden of Eden, man's expulsion from that
> infantile state of stainless innocence and his eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This
> is an essential experience otherwise man would be a colorless automaton devoid of the power of choice
> and of the will to act on his choice. This power of choice and will to act is the highest function of man
> and is what distinguishes him from the animal.
> 
> Reading #4 BWF pg. 318-321
> 
> Innate, Inherited and Acquired Character
> 
> With regard to the innate character, although the divine creation is purely good, yet the varieties of
> natural qualities in man come from the difference of degree; all are excellent, but they are more or less
> so, according to the degree. So all mankind possess intelligence and capacities, but the intelligence, the
> capacity and the worthiness of men differ. This is evident.
> 
> For example, take a number of children of one family, of one place, of one school, instructed by one
> teacher, reared on the same food, in the same climate, with the same clothing, and studying the same
> lessons - it is certain that among these children some will be clever in the sciences, some will be of
> average ability, and some dull. Hence it is clear that in the original nature there exists a difference of
> degree and varieties of worthiness and capacity. This difference does not imply good or evil but is
> simply a difference of degree. One has the highest degree, another the medium degree, and another the
> lowest degree. So man exists; the animal, the plant and the mineral exist also -but the degrees of these
> four existences vary. What a difference between the existence of man and of the animal! Yet both are
> existences. It is evident that in existence there are differences of degrees.
> 
> The variety of inherited qualities comes from strength and weakness of constitution - that is to say,
> when the two parents are weak, the children will be weak; if they are strong, the children will be
> robust. In the same way, purity of blood has a great effect; for the pure germ is like the superior stock
> which exists in plants and animals. For example, you see that children born from a weak and feeble
> father and mother will naturally have a feeble constitution and weak nerves; they will be afflicted and
> will have neither patience, nor endurance, nor resolution, nor perseverance, and will be hasty; for the
> 
> children inherit the weakness and debility of their parents.
> 
> Besides this, an especial blessing is conferred on some families and some generations. Thus it is an
> especial blessing that from among the descendants of Abraham should have come all the Prophets of
> the children of Israel. This is a blessing that God has granted to this descent: to Moses from His father
> and mother, to Christ from His mother's line; also to Muhammad and the Bab, and to all the Prophets
> and the Holy Manifestations of Israel. The Blessed Beauty (1) is also a lineal descendant of Abraham,
> for Abraham had other sons besides Ishmael and Isaac who in those days migrated to the lands of
> Persia and Afghanistan, and the Blessed Beauty is one of their descendants.
> 
> Hence it is evident that inherited character also exists, and to such a degree that if the characters are
> not in conformity with their origin, although they belong physically to that lineage, spiritually they are
> not considered members of the family, like Canaan, (2) who is not reckoned as being of the race of
> Noah.
> 
> But the difference of the qualities with regard to culture is very great, for education has great influence.
> Through education the ignorant become learned; the cowardly become valiant. Through cultivation
> the crooked branch becomes straight; the acid, bitter fruit of the mountains and woods becomes sweet
> and delicious; and the five petaled flower becomes hundred petaled. Through education savage nations
> become civilized, and even the animals become domesticated. Education must be considered as most
> important, for as diseases in the world of bodies are extremely contagious, so, in the same way,
> qualities of spirit and heart are extremely contagious. Education has a universal influence, and the
> differences caused by it are very great.
> 
> Perhaps someone will say that, since the capacity and worthiness of men differ, therefore, the
> difference of capacity certainly causes the difference of characters. (1)
> 
> But this is not so, for capacity is of two kinds: natural capacity and acquired capacity. The first, which
> is the creation of God, is purely good - in the creation of God there is no evil; but the acquired capacity
> has become the cause of the appearance of evil. For example, God has created all men in such a
> manner and has given them such a constitution and such capacities that they are benefited by sugar
> and honey and harmed and destroyed by poison. This nature and constitution is innate, and God has
> given it equally to all mankind. But man begins little by little to accustom himself to poison by taking a
> small quantity each day, and gradually increasing it, until he reaches such a point that he cannot live
> without a gram of opium every day. The natural capacities are thus completely perverted. Observe how
> much the natural capacity and constitution can be changed, until by different habits and training they
> become entirely perverted. One does not criticize vicious people because of their innate capacities and
> nature, but rather for their acquired capacities and nature.
> 
> In creation there is no evil; all is good. Certain qualities and natures innate in some men and
> apparently blameworthy are not so in reality. For example, from the beginning of his life you can see in
> a nursing child the signs of greed, of anger and of temper. Then, it may be said, good and evil are
> innate in the reality of man, and this is contrary to the pure goodness of nature and creation. The
> answer to this is that greed, which is to ask for something more, is a praiseworthy quality provided that
> it is used suitably. So if a man is greedy to acquire science and knowledge, or to become
> compassionate, generous and just, it is most praiseworthy. If he exercises his anger and wrath against
> 
> the blood thirsty tyrants who are like ferocious beasts, it is very praiseworthy; but if he does not use
> these qualities in a right way, they are blameworthy.
> 
> Then it is evident that in creation and nature evil does not exist at all; but when the natural qualities of
> man are used in an unlawful way, they are blameworthy. So if a rich and generous person gives a sum
> of money to a poor man for his own necessities, and if the poor man spends that sum of money on
> unlawful things, that will be blameworthy. It is the same with all the natural qualities of man, which
> constitute the capital of life; if they be used and displayed in an unlawful way, they become
> blameworthy. Therefore, it is clear that creation is purely good. Consider that the worst of qualities
> and most odious of attributes, which is the foundation of all evil, is lying. No worse or more
> blameworthy quality than this can be imagined to exist; it is the destroyer of all human perfections and
> the cause of innumerable vices. There is no worse characteristic than this; it is the foundation of all
> evils. Notwithstanding all this, if a doctor consoles a sick man by saying, "Thank God you are better,
> and there is hope of your recovery," though these words are contrary to the truth, yet they may become
> the consolation of the patient and the turning point of the illness. This is not blameworthy. (Some
> Answered Questions, pages 212-216)
> 
> Man's characteristics are sharply divided. One group partakes of the animal nature of man, inherited
> from his past. The other partakes of his divine nature inherited from God. Every human being is
> possessed of this dual nature. The distinctive quality which separates him from the rest of creation is
> the power of choice as to which nature he shall cultivate, which he chooses to dominate his life.
> 
> READING #5 PUP pg. 57
> 
> Man has two powers; and his development, two aspects. One power is connected with the material
> world, and by it he is capable of material advancement. The other power is spiritual, and through its
> development his inner, potential nature is awakened. These powers are like two wings. Both must be
> developed, for flight is impossible with one wing. Praise be to God! Material advancement has been
> evident in the world, but there is need of spiritual advancement in like proportion. We must strive
> unceasingly and without rest to accomplish the development of the spiritual nature in man, and
> endeavor with tireless energy to advance humanity toward the nobility of its true and intended station.
> For the body of man is accidental; it is of no importance. The time of its disintegration will inevitably
> come. But the spirit of man is essential and, therefore, eternal. It is a divine bounty. It is the effulgence
> of the Sun of Reality and, therefore, of greater importance than the physical body. (Promulgation of
> Universal Peace*, page 60)
> 
> READING #6 PUP pg. 179-181
> 
> Man is submerged in the affairs of this world. His aims, objects and attainments are mortal, whereas
> God desires for him immortal accomplishments. In his heart there is no thought of God. He has
> sacrificed his portion and birthright of divine spirituality. Desire and passion, like two unmanageable
> horses, have wrested the reins of control from him and are galloping madly in the wilderness. This is
> the cause of the degradation of the world of humanity. This is the cause of its retrogression into the
> 
> appetites and passions of the animal kingdom. Instead of divine advancement we find sensual captivity
> and debasement of heavenly virtues of the soul. By devotion to the carnal, mortal world human
> susceptibilities sink to the level of animalism.
> 
> What are the animals' propensities? To eat, drink, wander about and sleep. The thoughts, the minds of
> the animals are confined to these. They are captives in the bonds of these desires. Man becomes a
> prisoner and slave to them when his ultimate desire is no higher than his welfare in this world of the
> senses. Consider how difficult for man is the attainment of pleasures and happiness in this mortal
> world. How easy it is for the animal. Look upon the fields and flowers, prairies, streams, forests and
> mountains. The grazing animals, the birds of the air, the fishes neither toil nor undergo hardships;
> they sow not, nor are they concerned about the reaping; they have no anxiety about business or politics
> - no trouble or worry whatsoever. All the fields and grasses, all the meadows of fruits and grains, all
> the mountain slopes and streams of salubrious water belong to them. They do not labor for their
> livelihood and happiness because everything is provided and made possible for them. If the life of man
> be confined to this physical, material outlook, the animal's life is a hundred times better, easier and
> more productive of comfort and contentment. The animal is nobler, more serene and confident
> because each hour is free from anxiety and worriment; but man, restless and dissatisfied, runs from
> morn till eve, sailing the seas, diving beneath them in submarines, flying aloft in airplanes, delving into
> the lowest strata of the earth to obtain his livelihood - all with the greatest difficulty, anxiety and
> unrest. Therefore, in this respect the animal is nobler, more serene, poised and confident. Consider the
> birds in the forest and jungle: how they build their nests high in the swaying treetops, build them with
> the utmost skill and beauty - swinging, rocking in the morning breezes, drinking the pure, sweet water,
> enjoying the most enchanting views as they fly here and there high overhead, singing joyously - all
> without labor, free from worry, care and forebodings. If man's life be confined to the elemental,
> physical world of enjoyment, one lark is nobler, more admirable than all humanity because its
> livelihood is prepared, its condition complete, its accomplishment perfect and natural.
> 
> But the life of man is not so restricted; it is divine, eternal, not mortal and sensual. For him a spiritual
> existence and livelihood is prepared and ordained in the divine creative plan. His life is intended to be
> a life of spiritual enjoyment to which the animal can never attain. This enjoyment depends upon the
> acquisition of heavenly virtues. The sublimity of man is his attainment of the knowledge of God. The
> bliss of man is the acquiring of heavenly bestowals, which descend upon him in the outflow of the
> bounty of God. The happiness of man is in the fragrance of the love of God. This is the highest pinnacle
> of attainment in the human world. How preferable to the animal and its hopeless kingdom!
> 
> Therefore, consider how base a nature it reveals in man that, notwithstanding the favors showered
> upon him by God, he should lower himself into the animal sphere, be wholly occupied with material
> needs, attached to this mortal realm, imagining that the greatest happiness is to attain wealth in this
> world. How purposeless! How debased is such a nature! God has created man in order that he may be
> a dove of the Kingdom, a heavenly candle, a recipient of eternal life. God has created man in order that
> he may be resuscitated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit and become the light of the world. How
> debased the soul which can find enjoyment in this darkness, occupied with itself, the captive of self
> and passion, wallowing in the mire of the material world! How degraded is such a nature! What an
> ignorance this is! What a blindness! How glorious the station of man who has partaken of the heavenly
> food and built the temple of his everlasting residence in the world of heaven!
> 
> The Manifestations of God have come into the world to free man from these bonds and chains of the
> world of nature. Although They walked upon the earth, They lived in heaven. They were not concerned
> about material sustenance and prosperity of this world. Their bodies were subjected to inconceivable
> distress, but Their spirits ever soared in the highest realms of ecstasy. The purpose of Their coming,
> Their teaching and suffering was the freedom of man from himself. Shall we, therefore, follow in Their
> footsteps, escape from this cage of the body or continue subject to its tyranny? Shall we pursue the
> phantom of a mortal happiness which does not exist or turn toward the tree of life and the joys of its
> eternal fruits? (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 184-186)
> 
> Knowledge through the intelligence of the rational soul, can penetrate mysteries, but it is limited.
> Innate knowledge, to be aware of all mysteries without search or investigation, is a conscious power
> embracing existing realities. This divine intellectual power is the special attribute of the Holy
> Manifestations. A share of this power comes to man through the Manifestation, by the Spirit of Faith.
> 
> How can we gain the Spirit of Faith? We gain faith, not through effort toward it, but through
> worthiness by obedience Instead of seeking qualities we earn them through actions. Faith is not
> through man's effort - it is a bounty of God.
> 
> Faith and acts are different. Not through lack of Faith, but through weakness; man's actions are not
> according to his faith. This strength is gained through effort.
> 
> READING #7 PUP pg. 319-322
> 
> It is now the time in the history of the world for us to strive and give an impetus to the advancement
> and development of inner forces - that is to say, we must arise to service in the world of morality, for
> human morals are in need of readjustment. We must also render service to the world of intellectuality
> in order that the minds of men may increase in power and become keener in perception, assisting the
> intellect of man to attain its supremacy so that the ideal virtues may appear. Before a step is taken in
> this direction we must be able to prove Divinity from the standpoint of reason so that no doubt or
> objection may remain for the rationalist. Afterward, we must be able to prove the existence of the
> bounty of God - that the divine bounty encompasses humanity and that it is transcendental.
> Furthermore, we must demonstrate that the spirit of man is immortal, that it is not subject to
> disintegration and that it comprises the virtues of humanity.
> 
> Material virtues have attained great development, but ideal virtues have been left far behind. If you
> should ask a thousand persons, "What are the proofs of the reality of Divinity?" perhaps not one would
> be able to answer. If you should ask further, "What proofs have you regarding the essence of God?"
> "How do you explain inspiration and revelation?" "What are the evidences of conscious intelligence
> beyond the material universe?" "Can you suggest a plan and method for the betterment of human
> moralities?" "Can you clearly define and differentiate the world of nature and the world of Divinity?" -
> you would receive very little real knowledge and enlightenment upon these questions. This is due to
> the fact that development of the ideal virtues has been neglected. People speak of Divinity, but the
> ideas and beliefs they have of Divinity are, in reality, superstition. Divinity is the effulgence of the Sun
> of Reality, the manifestation of spiritual virtues and ideal powers. The intellectual proofs of Divinity
> are based upon observation and evidence which constitute decisive argument, logically proving the
> 
> reality of Divinity, the effulgence of mercy, the certainty of inspiration and immortality of the spirit.
> This is, in reality, the science of Divinity. Divinity is not what is set forth in dogmas and sermons of the
> church. Ordinarily when the word Divinity is mentioned, it is associated in the minds of the hearers
> with certain formulas and doctrines, whereas it essentially means the wisdom and knowledge of God,
> the effulgence of the Sun of Truth, the revelation of reality and divine philosophy.
> 
> Philosophy is of two kinds: natural and divine. Natural philosophy seeks knowledge of physical verities
> and explains material phenomena, whereas divine philosophy deals with ideal verities and phenomena
> of the spirit. The field and scope of natural philosophy have been greatly enlarged, and its
> accomplishments are most praiseworthy, for it has served humanity. But according to the evidence of
> present world conditions divine philosophy -which has for its object the sublimation of human nature,
> spiritual advancement, heavenly guidance for the development of the human race, attainment to the
> breaths of the Holy Spirit and knowledge of the verities of God - has been outdistanced and neglected.
> Now is the time for us to make an effort and enable it to advance apace with the philosophy of material
> investigation so that awakening of the ideal virtues may progress equally with the unfoldment of the
> natural powers. In the same proportion that the body of man is developing, the spirit of man must be
> strengthened; and just as his outer perceptions have been quickened, his inner intellectual powers
> must be sensitized so that he need not rely wholly upon tradition and human precedent. In divine
> questions we must not depend entirely upon the heritage of tradition and former human experience;
> nay, rather, we must exercise reason, analyze and logically examine the facts presented so that
> confidence will be inspired and faith attained. Then and then only the reality of things will be revealed
> to us. The philosophers of Greece - such as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and others -were devoted to the
> investigation of both natural and spiritual phenomena. In their schools of teaching they discoursed
> upon the world of nature as well as the supernatural world. Today the philosophy and logic of Aristotle
> are known throughout the world. Because they were interested in both natural and divine philosophy,
> furthering the development of the physical world of mankind as well as the intellectual, they rendered
> praiseworthy service to humanity. This was the reason of the triumph and survival of their teachings
> and principles. Man should continue both these lines of research and investigation so that all the
> human virtues, outer and inner, may become possible. The attainment of these virtues, both material
> and ideal, is conditioned upon intelligent investigation of reality, by which investigation the sublimity
> of man and his intellectual progress is accomplished. Forms must be set aside and renounced; reality
> must be sought. We must discover for ourselves where and what reality is. In religious beliefs nations
> and peoples today are imitators of ancestors and forefathers. If a man's father was a Christian, he
> himself is a Christian; a Buddhist is the son of a Buddhist, a Zoroastrian of a Zoroastrian. A gentile or
> an idolater follows the religious footsteps of his father and ancestry. This is absolute imitation. The
> requirement in this day is that man must independently and impartially investigate every form of
> reality.
> 
> The great question appertaining to humanity is religion. The first condition is that man must
> intelligently investigate its foundations. The second condition is that he must admit and acknowledge
> the oneness of the world of humanity. By this means the attainment of true fellowship among mankind
> is assured, and the alienation of races and individuals is prevented. ... The purport of our subject is
> that, just as man is in need of outward education, he is likewise in need of ideal refinement; just as the
> outer sense of sight is necessary to him, he should also possess insight and conscious perception; as he
> 
> needs hearing, at the same time memory is essential; as a body is indispensable to him, likewise a
> mind is requisite; one is a material virtue, the other is ideal. As human creatures fitted and qualified
> with this dual endowment, we must endeavor through the assistance and grace of God and by the
> exercise of our ideal power of intellect to attain all lofty virtues, that we may witness the effulgence of
> the Sun of Reality, reflect the spirit of the Kingdom, behold the manifest evidences of the reality of
> Divinity, comprehend irrefutable proofs of the immortality of the soul, live in conscious at-one-ment
> with the eternal world and become quickened and awake with the life and love of God. (Promulgation
> of Universal Peace*, pages 325-328)
> 
> READING #8 PUP pg. 411-413
> 
> It is an evident fact that the body does not conduct the process of intellection or thought radiation. It is
> only the medium of the grossest sensations. This human body is purely animal in type and, like the
> animal, it is subject only to the grosser sensibilities. It is utterly bereft of ideation or intellection,
> utterly incapable of the processes of reason. The animal perceives what its eye sees and judges what
> the ear hears. It perceives according to its animal senses, the scent of the nostril, the taste of the
> tongue. It comprehends not beyond its sense perceptions. The animal is confined to its feelings and
> sensibilities, a prisoner of the senses. Beyond these, in the finer higher processes of reasoning, the
> animal cannot go. For instance, the animal cannot conceive of the earth whereon it stands as a
> spherical object because the spherical shape of the earth is a matter of conscious reasoning. It is not a
> matter of sense perception. An animal in Europe could not foresee and plan the discovery of America
> as Columbus did. It could not take the globe map of the earth and scan the various continents, saying,
> "This is the eastern hemisphere; there must be another, the western hemisphere." No animal could
> know these things for the reason that they are referable to intellection. The animal cannot become
> aware of the fact that the earth is revolving and the sun stationary. Only processes of reasoning can
> come to this conclusion. The outward eye sees the sun as revolving. It mistakes the stars and the
> planets as moving about the earth. But reason decides their orbit, knows that the earth is moving and
> the other worlds fixed, knows that the sun is the solar center and ever occupies the same place, proves
> that it is the earth which revolves around it. Such conclusions are entirely intellectual, not according to
> the senses.
> Hence, we know that in the human organism there is a center of intellection, a power of intellectual
> operation which is the discoverer of the realities of things. This power can unravel the mysteries of
> phenomena. It can comprehend that which is knowable, not alone the sensible. All the inventions are
> its products. For all of these have been the mysteries of nature. There was a time when the energy of
> electricity was a mystery of nature, but that collective reality which is manifest in man discovered this
> mystery of nature, this latent force. Having discovered it, man brought it into the plane of visibility. All
> the sciences which we now utilize are the products of that wondrous reality. But the animal is deprived
> of its operations. The arts we now enjoy are the expressions of that marvelous reality. The animal is
> bereft of them because these conscious realities are peculiar to the human spirit. All the traces are the
> outcoming of the perfections which comprehend realities. The animal is bereft of these.
> 
> Such evidences prove conclusively that man is possessed of two realities, as it were: a reality connected
> with the senses which is shared in common with the animal, and another reality which is conscious
> 
> and ideal in character. This latter is the collective reality and the discoverer of mysteries. That which
> discovers the realities of things undoubtedly is not of the elemental substances. It is distinct from
> them. For mortality and disintegration are the properties inherent in compositions and are referable to
> things which are subject to sense perceptions, but the collective reality in man, not being so subject, is
> the discoverer of things. Therefore, it is real, eternal and does not have to undergo changes and
> transformations. There are many other proofs concerning this vital subject, but I shall conclude with
> the words of Jesus Christ: "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit" and is acceptable in the Kingdom
> of God. This means that just as in the first birth the fetus comes forth from the matrix of the mother
> into the conditions of the human kingdom, even so the spirit of man must be born out of the matrix of
> naturalism, out of the baser nature, in order that he may comprehend the great things of the Kingdom
> of God. He must be born out of mother earth to find the everlasting life. And this collective reality, or
> spirit, of man, being born out of the world of nature, possessing the attributes of God, will continue to
> live forever in the eternal realm. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 417-418)
> 
> 'Collective reality' means all-embracing reality.
> 
> See SAQ - pg. 228 That which determines man's destiny, which group of qualities he shall decide to
> mold his character around, is his will, or soul. Ábdu'l-Bahá gave a definition of soul: 'when we speak of
> the soul we mean the motive power of this physical body which lives under its entire control in
> accordance with its dictates.' - Divine Philosophy - pg. 120- 121.
> 
> According to the divine terminology soul is will, but 'will' has quite different connotations from these
> generally accepted. The dictionary definition of 'will' is to "resolve upon an action or course; to
> determine to do." In a certain sense there is not an essential difference, the active volition of the
> individual is called upon, but in divine terminology it is summoned to one comprehensive act, not an
> almost infinite series of volitions. This one act is a complete surrender of one's individual will to that of
> the will of the Manifestation of God. By the surrender of will, man automatically makes the choice
> between his animal nature and his divine nature, for the Manifestations of God have come into the
> world, not only to reveal God to man, but also to reveal the true station of man to himself. And in this
> great Revelation He explains, as never before, the technique by which that station is attained.
> 
> READING #9 PUP pg. 220-221
> 
> In the beginning of his human life man was embryonic in the world of the matrix. There he received
> capacity and endowment for the reality of human existence. The forces and powers necessary for this
> world were bestowed upon him in that limited condition. In this world he needed eyes; he received
> them potentially in the other. He needed ears; he obtained them there in readiness and preparation for
> his new existence. The powers requisite in this world were conferred upon him in the world of the
> matrix so that when he entered this realm of real existence he not only possessed all necessary
> functions and powers but found provision for his material sustenance awaiting him.
> 
> Therefore, in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the world
> of the Kingdom must be obtained here. Just as he prepared himself in the world of the matrix by
> acquiring forces necessary in this sphere of existence, so, likewise, the indispensable forces of the
> divine existence must be potentially attained in this world.
> 
> What is he in need of in the Kingdom which transcends the life and limitation of this mortal sphere?
> That world beyond is a world of sanctity and radiance; therefore, it is necessary that in this world he
> should acquire these divine attributes. In that world there is need of spirituality, faith, assurance, the
> knowledge and love of God. These he must attain in this world so that after his ascension from the
> earthly to the heavenly Kingdom he shall find all that is needful in that eternal life ready for him.
> 
> That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore, man has need of illumination here. That is
> a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world of perfections; virtues, or perfections, must be
> acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them.
> That is the Kingdom of everlasting life; it must be attained during this vanishing existence.
> 
> By what means can man acquire these things? How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers?
> First, through the knowledge of God. Second, through the love of God. Third, through faith. Fourth,
> through philanthropic deeds. Fifth, through self-sacrifice. Sixth, through severance from this world.
> Seventh, through sanctity and holiness. Unless he acquires these forces and attains to these
> requirements, he will surely be deprived of the life that is eternal. But if he possesses the knowledge of
> God, becomes ignited through the fire of the love of God, witnesses the great and mighty signs of the
> Kingdom, becomes the cause of love among mankind and lives in the utmost state of sanctity and
> holiness, he shall surely attain to second birth, be baptized by the Holy Spirit and enjoy everlasting
> existence. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 225-226)
> 
> READING #10 GL pg. 64-66
> 
> All praise to the unity of God, and all-honor to Him, the sovereign Lord, the incomparable and allglorious Ruler of the universe, who, from naught, hath brought into being the most refined and subtle
> elements of His creation, and who, rescuing His creatures from the abasement of remoteness and
> perils of ultimate extinction, hath received them into His kingdom of incorruptible glory. Nothing
> short of his all- encompassing grace, His all-pervading mercy, could have possibly achieved it. How
> could it, otherwise, have been possible for sheer nothingness to have acquired itself the worthiness and
> capacity to emerge from its state of non-existence into the realm of being?
> Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of
> His unconstrained and sovereign will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to
> know Him and to love Him - a capacity that must need be regarded as the generating impulse and
> primary purpose underlying the whole of creation... Upon the inmost reality of each and every created
> thing He hath shed the light of one of His names, and made a recipient of the glory of one of his
> attributes. Upon the reality of man however, He hath focused the radiance of all His names, and made
> it a mirror of His own Self. Alone of all created things man hath been singled out for so great a favor,
> so enduring a bounty.
> 
> These energies with which the Day star of Divine bounty and source of heavenly guidance hath
> endowed the reality of man lie, however latent within him even as the flame is hidden within the
> candle and the rays of light are potentially present in the lamp. The radiance of these energies may be
> obscured by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be concealed beneath the dust and dross
> which cover the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted through their own unaided
> 
> efforts, nor can it be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until
> a fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dust is blotted out from the face of the
> mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory.
> 
> READING #11 GL pg. 77-78
> 
> All-praise and glory be to god who, through the power of His might, hath delivered His creation from
> the nakedness of non-existence, and clothed it with the mantle of life. From among all created things
> He hath singled out for His special favor the pure, the gem-like reality of man, and invested it the
> unique capacity of knowing Him and of reflecting the greatness of glory. This twofold distinction
> conferred upon him hath cleansed away from his heart the rust of every vain desire and made him
> worthy of the vesture with which his creature has designed to clothe him. It hath served to rescue his
> soul from the wretchedness of ignorance.
> 
> This robe with which the body and soul of man hath been adorned is the very foundation of his
> well-being and development. Oh, how blessed is the day when, aided by the grace and might of the one
> true God, man will have freed himself from the bondage and corruption of the world and all that is
> therein, and will have attained unto true and abiding rest beneath the shadow of the Tree of
> knowledge!
> 
> READING #12 HW P#38
> 
> O SON OF SPIRIT!
> 
> Burst thy cage asunder, and even as the phoenix of love soars into the firmament of holiness.
> Renounce thyself and, filled with the spirit of mercy, abide in the realm of celestial sanctity.
> 
> READING #13 HW P#39
> 
> O OFFSPRING OF DUST!
> Be not content with the ease of a passing day, and deprive not thyself of everlasting rest. Barter not the
> garden of eternal delight for the dust-heap of a mortal world. Up from thy prison ascend unto the
> glorious meads above, and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight unto the paradise of the placeless.
> 
> READING #14 BWF pg. 382 Faith and knowledge.
> 
> Regarding the 'two wings' of the soul: These signify wings of ascent. One is the wing of knowledge, the
> other of faith, as this is the means of ascent of the human soul to the lofty station of divine perfections.
> 
> Only a brief hint of the technique may be suggested but it is of utmost importance that this hint be
> followed by intensive study of the Creative word and deep meditation.
> 
> The task is to keep polishing this mirror until every trace of the lower self disappears and the true self,
> 
> the reality of man, the 'self of God' manifests itself with radiance and power.
> 
> READING #15 - GL - pg. 206
> 
> The purpose underlying the revelation of every heavenly Book nay, of every divinely-revealed verse, is
> to endure all men with righteousness and understanding, so peace and tranquillity may be firmly
> established amongst them. Whatsoever instilleth assurance into the hearts of men, whatsoever
> exalteth their station or promoteth their contentment, is acceptable in the sight of God. How lofty is
> the station which man, if he but choose to fulfill his high destiny, can attain! To what depths of
> degradation he can sink, depths which the meanest of creatures have never reached! Seize, O friends,
> the chance which this Day offereth you, and deprive not yourselves of the liberal effusions of His grace.
> I beseech God that He may graciously enable every one of you to adorn himself, in this blessed Day,
> with the ornament of pure and holy deeds. He, verily, doeth whatsoever He willeth.
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 114-115
> 
> Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I am but one of Thy servants. I have tasted of the sweetness of Thy
> speech and acknowledged Thy unity and Thy singleness, and set my face towards the source of thy
> most excellent names and the Day-Spring of Thy transcendent attributes, and wished to be enabled by
> Thee to immerse myself beneath the ocean of Thy oneness and to be submerged by the mighty waters
> of Thy unity. Assist me, by Thy strengthening grace, O my Lord, to do what thou didst will, and
> withhold not from me the things thou dost possess. So enravish me with the wonders of Thine
> utterances that the noise and distraction of this world may be powerless to deter me from turning unto
> Thee, and may fail to shake my constancy in Thy Cause, or to distract my gaze from the horizon of thy
> grace. Aid me, then, O my God to do what pleaseth Thee, and to carry out Thy will. Write down for me,
> moreover, the good of this world and of the which is to come, and ordain for me a seat of truth in Thy
> presence. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to rule as Thou pleasest, no god is there but
> Thee, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the Most Great.
> 
> All praise to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the object of the adoration of the entire creation!
> 
> The True Station of Man
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson IV
> The True Station of Man
> 
> Lesson IV
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 324-339 CLXXXIV
> 
> 1 HW A#13
> 
> 2 PUP pg. 296-299 No matter how much... in the Gospels. (302-305)
> 
> 3 BWF pg. 67 O my servants! Could ye apprehend..Divine knowledge. .
> 
> 4 PUP pg. 222-223 You must come... Cause of God. (227-228) [130]
> 
> 5 PUP pg. 220-221 In the beginning...attained in this world. (225-226)
> 
> 6 Gl pg. 214-215 The heights which ...themselves have been created.
> 
> 7 Gl pg. 287 The purpose ... inmost selves.
> 
> 8 Gl pg. 65-66 Having created the world ...reflect its light and glory.
> 
> 9 Gl pg. 185-186 Wonder not...having drawn nigh unto His throne.
> 
> 10 HW P#72,#73
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> PRAYER P & M pg. 324-339
> 
> Since Thou hast, O my God, established thyself upon the throne of Thy transcendent unity, and
> ascended the mercy seat of Thy oneness, it befitteth Thee to blot out from the hearts of all beings
> whatsoever may keep them back from gaining admittance into the sanctuary of Thy Divine mysteries,
> and may shut them out from the tabernacle of Thy Divinity, that all hearts may mirror Thy beauty, and
> may reveal Thee, and that all created things may show forth the token of thy most august sovereignty,
> and shed the splendors of the light of Thy most holy governance, and that all who are in heaven and on
> earth may laud and magnify Thy unity, and give Thee glory, for having manifested Thy self unto them
> through Him who is the Revealer of Thy oneness.
> 
> Divest, the Thy servants, O my God, of the garments of self and desire or grant that the eyes of thy
> people may be lifted up to such heights that they will discern in their desires naught except the stirring
> 
> of the gentle winds of Thine eternal glory, and may recognize in their own selves nothing but the
> revelation of Thy merciful Self, that the earth and all that is therein may be cleansed of whatever is
> alien to Thee, or anything that manifesteth aught save Thy Self. All this can be fulfilled throughout Thy
> dominion by thy word of command, "Be", and it is! Nay, even swifter than this, and yet the people
> understand not.
> 
> Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Beloved! I swear by Thy glory! I recognize this very
> moment that Thou has granted all for which I have supplicated Thee in this blessed night which, as
> decreed by Thee, calleth to remembrance Him who was the Companion of Thy beauty and the
> Beholder of Thy face, ere I had been mentioned by Thee, or called into being within the court of Thy
> holiness. I perceive that Thou hast made all things to be the manifestations of Thy behest, and
> revelations of Thy handiwork, and the repositories of Thy knowledge, and the treasuries of thy
> wisdom. I recognize moreover, that were any of the revelations of Thy names and Thine attributes to
> be withheld, though it be the weight of the grain of mustard seed, from whatsoever hath been created
> by Thy power and begotten by Thy might, the foundations of Thine everlasting handiwork would
> thereby be made incomplete and the gems of Thy Divine wisdom would become imperfect. For the
> letters of negation, no matter how far they may be removed from the holy fragrances of thy knowledge,
> and however forgetful they may become of the wondrous splendors of the dawning light of Thy beauty,
> which are shed from the heaven of Thy majesty, must needs exist in Thy realm, so that the worlds
> which affirm Thee may thereby be exalted.
> 
> Thy might beareth me witness, O my well Beloved! The entire creation hath been called into being to
> exalt Thy triumph and to establish Thine ascendency, and all the bounds that have been set by Thee
> are but the signs of Thy sovereignty, and proclaim the power of Thy might. How great, how very great,
> are the revelations of Thy wondrous power in all things! They are such PUP pg. 296-299 No matter
> how much... in the Gospels. (302-305) that the lowliest among Thy creatures hath been made by Thee
> a manifestation of Thy most august attribute, and the most contemptible token of Thy handiwork hath
> been chosen as a recipient of Thy most mighty name. Poverty as decreed by Thee, hath been made the
> means for the revelation of Thy riches, and abasement a path leading to Thy glory, and sinfulness a
> cause for the exercise of thy forgiveness. By them Thou hast demonstrated that to Thee belong Thy
> most excellent titles, and unto Thee pertain the wonders of thy most exalted attributes.
> Since Thou hast purposed, O my God, to cause all created things to enter into the tabernacle of Thy
> transcendent grace and favor, and to waft over the entire creation the fragrances of the raiment of Thy
> glorious unity, and to look upon all things with the eyes of Thy bounty and thy oneness, I beseech
> Thee, therefore, by thy love, Which Thou has made to be the mainspring of the revelations of Thine
> eternal holiness, and the flame that gloweth within the hearts of such of Thy creatures as yearn
> towards Thee to create, this very moment for those of Thy people who are wholly devoted to Thee, and
> for such of Thy loved ones as love Thee, out of the essence of thy bounty and Thy generosity, and from
> the inmost spirit of Thy grace and Thy glory, Thy paradise of transcendent holiness, and to exalt it
> above everything except thee, and to sanctify it from aught else save Thyself. Create, moreover, within
> it O my God, out of the lights shed by Thy throne, handmaidens who will intone the melodies of Thy
> wondrous and most sweet invention, that they may magnify Thy name with such words as have not
> been heard by any of thy creatures, be they the inmates of Thy heaven or the dwellers of Thine earth,
> nor been comprehended by any of Thy people. unlock, then, the gates of this paradise to the faces of
> 
> Thy loved ones, that haply they may enter them in Thy name, and by the power of Thy sovereignty,
> that thereby the sovereign bounties vouchsafed by Thee unto thy chosen ones and the transcendent
> gifts granted unto Thy trusted ones be perfected, that they may extol thy virtues with such melodies as
> non can either intone or describe, and that none may fail to discern between Thy friends and Thy
> enemies, or to distinguish them that are devoted to Thee from such as stubbornly oppose Thee. Potent
> art Thou to do what Thou willest, and powerful and supreme art Thou over all things.
> 
> Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, O my Beloved, above the strivings of any of Thy creatures
> however learned, to know Thee; exalted, immensely exalted art thou above every human attempt, no
> matter how searching, to describe Thee! For the highest thought of men, however deep their
> contemplation, can never hope to out soar the limitations imposed upon Thy creation, nor ascend
> beyond the state of the contingent world nor break the bounds irrevocably set for it by Thee. How can,
> then, a thing that hath been created by Thy will that overruleth the whole of creation, a thing that is
> itself part of the contingent world, have the power to soar into the holy atmosphere of thy knowledge,
> or reach unto the seat of Thy transcendent power? High, immeasurably high art Thou above the
> endeavors of the evanescent creature to soar unto the throne of Thine eternity or of the poor and
> wretched to attain the summit of Thine all -sufficing glory! From eternity Thou didst Thyself describe
> Thine own Self unto Thy Self, and extol, in Thine own Essence Thine Essence unto Thine Essence. I
> swear by Thy glory, O my Best- Beloved! Who is there besides Thee that can claim to know Thee, and
> who save Thyself can make befitting mention of Thee? Thou art He who, from eternity, abode in His
> realm, in the glory of His transcendent unity, and the splendors of His holy grandeur. Were any one
> except Thee to be deemed worthy of mention, in all the kingdoms of Thy creation, from the highest
> realms of immortality down to the level of this nether world, how could it, then be demonstrated that
> Thou art established upon the throne of Thy unity, and how could the wondrous virtues of Thy oneness
> and Thy singleness be glorified?
> 
> I bear witness, this very moment, to what Thou hast testified for Thine own self, ere Thou hast created
> the heavens and the earth, that Thou art God, and there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast
> from everlasting been potent, through the Manifestations of Thy might, to reveal the signs of Thy
> power and Thou hast ever known, through the Day-Springs of thy knowledge the words of Thy
> wisdom. No one besides Thee has ever been found worthy to be mentioned before the Tabernacle of
> thy unity and none except Thy Self hath proved of himself capable of being praise within the hallowed
> court of Thy oneness.
> 
> Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast revealed Thy favors and Thy bounties; and glory be to
> Thee, that Thou hast manifested the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness and Thy tender mercies. I yield
> Thee such thanks as can direct the steps of the wayward towards the splendors of the morning light of
> Thy guidance, and enable those who yearn towards Thee to attain the seat of the revelation of the
> effulgence of Thy beauty, I yield Thee such thanks as can cause the sick to draw nigh unto waters of
> Thy healing, and can help those who are far from Thee to approach the living fountain of Thy presence.
> I yield thanks as can divest the bodies of Thy servants of the garments of mortality and abasement, and
> attire them in the robes of Thine eternity and Thy glory, and lead the poor unto the shores of Thy
> holiness and all sufficient riches. I yield thee such thanks as can enable the Heavenly Dove to warble
> forth, upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Immortality, her song,: "Verily Thou art God. No God is
> there besides Thee. From eternity Thou hast been exalted above the praise of aught else but Thee, and
> 
> been high above the description of any one except Thyself." I yield Thee such thanks as can cause the
> Nightingale of Glory to pour forth its melody in the highest heaven: " Ali (the Bab), in truth, is Thy
> servant whom Thou has singled out from among Thy Messengers and Thy chosen ones, and made Him
> to be the Manifestation of Thyself and all that pertaineth unto Thee, and that concerneth the revelation
> of Thine attributes and the evidences of Thy names." I yield Thee such thanks as can stir up all things
> to extol Thee, and to glorify Thine Essence, and unloose the tongues of all beings to magnify the
> sovereignty of Thy beauty.
> 
> READING #1 HW #13
> 
> Son of Spirit!
> 
> I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost
> thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment
> from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with
> another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful
> and self-subsisting.
> 
> READING #2 PUP pg. 296-299 No matter how much... in the Gospels. (302-305)
> 
> No matter how much man may acquire material virtues, he will not be able to realize and express the
> highest possibilities of life without spiritual graces. God has created all earthly things under a law of
> progression in material degrees, but He has created man and endowed him with powers of
> advancement toward spiritual and transcendental kingdoms. He has not created material phenomena
> after His own image and likeness, but He has created man after that image and with potential power to
> attain that likeness. He has distinguished man above all other created things. All created things except
> man are captives of nature and the sense world, but in man there has been created an ideal power by
> which he may perceive intellectual or spiritual realities. He has brought forth everything necessary for
> the life of this world, but man is a creation intended for the reflection of divine virtues. Consider that
> the highest type of creation below man is the animal, which is superior to all degrees of life except
> man. Manifestly, the animal has been created for the life of this world. Its highest virtue is to express
> excellence in the material plane of existence. The animal is perfect when its body is healthy and its
> physical senses are whole. When it is characterized by the attributes of physical health, when its
> physical forces are in working order, when food and surrounding conditions minister to its needs, it
> has attained the ultimate perfection of its kingdom. But man does not depend upon these things for his
> virtues. No matter how perfect his health and physical powers, if that is all, he has not yet risen above
> the degree of a perfect animal. Beyond and above this, God has opened the doors of ideal virtues and
> attainments before the face of man. He has created in his being the mysteries of the divine Kingdom.
> He has bestowed upon him the power of intellect so that through the attribute of reason, when fortified
> by the Holy Spirit, he may penetrate and discover ideal realities and become informed of the mysteries
> of the world of significances. As this power to penetrate the ideal knowledges is superhuman,
> supernatural, man becomes the collective center of spiritual as well as material forces so that the
> divine spirit may manifest itself in his being, the effulgences of the Kingdom shine within the
> 
> sanctuary of his heart, the signs of the attributes and perfections of God reveal themselves in a
> newness of life, the everlasting glory and eternal existence be attained, the knowledge of God illumine,
> and the mysteries of the realm of might be unsealed.
> 
> Man is like unto this lamp, but the effulgences of the Kingdom are like the rays of the lamp. Man is like
> unto the glass, but spiritual splendors are like unto the light within the glass. No matter how
> translucent the glass may be, as long as there is no light within, it remains dark. Likewise, man, no
> matter how much he advances in material accomplishments, will remain like the glass without light if
> he is deprived of the spiritual virtues. Material virtues are like unto a perfect body, but this body is in
> need of the spirit. No matter how handsome and perfect the body may be, if it is deprived of the spirit
> and its animus, it is dead. But when that same body is affiliated with the spirit and expressing life,
> perfection and virtue become realized in it. Deprived of the Holy Spirit and its bounties, man is
> spiritually dead
> 
> Children, for instance, no matter how good and pure, no matter how healthy their bodies, are,
> nevertheless, considered imperfect because the power of intellect is not fully manifest in them. When
> the intellectual power fully displays its influences and they attain to the age of maturity, they are
> considered as perfect. Likewise, man, no matter how much he may advance in worldly affairs and
> make progress in material civilization, is imperfect unless he is quickened by the bounties of the Holy
> Spirit; for it is evident that until he receives that divine impetus he is ignorant and deprived. For this
> reason Jesus Christ said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
> kingdom of God.” By this Christ meant that unless man is released from the material world, freed from
> the captivity of materialism and receiving a portion of the bounties of the spiritual world, he shall be
> deprived of the bestowals and favors of the Kingdom of God, and the utmost we can say of him is that
> he is a perfect animal. No one can rightly call him a man. In another place He said, “That which is born
> of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The meaning of this is that if man is a
> captive of nature, he is like unto an animal because he is only a body physically born—that is, he
> belongs to the world of matter and remains subject to the law and control of nature. But if he is
> baptized with the Holy Spirit, if he is freed from the bondage of nature, released from animalistic
> tendencies and advanced in the human realm, he is fitted to enter into the divine Kingdom. The world
> of the Kingdom is the realm of divine bestowals and the bounties of God. It is attainment of the highest
> virtues of humanity; it is nearness to God; it is capacity to receive the bounties of the ancient Lord.
> When man advances to this station, he attains the second birth. Before his first or physical birth man
> was in the world of the matrix. He had no knowledge of this world; his eyes could not see; his ears
> could not hear. When he was born from the world of the matrix, he beheld another world. The sun was
> shining with its splendors, the moon radiant in the heavens, the stars twinkling in the expansive
> firmament, the seas surging, trees verdant and green, all kinds of creatures enjoying life here, infinite
> bounties prepared for him. In the world of the matrix none of these things existed. In that world he
> had no knowledge of this vast range of existence; nay, rather, he would have denied the reality of this
> world. But after his birth he began to open his eyes and behold the wonders of this illimitable universe.
> Similarly, as long as man is in the matrix of the human world, as long as he is the captive of nature, he
> is out of touch and without knowledge of the universe of the Kingdom. If he attains rebirth while in the
> world of nature, he will become informed of the divine world. He will observe that another and a
> higher world exists. Wonderful bounties descend; eternal life awaits; everlasting glory surrounds him.
> 
> All the signs of reality and greatness are there. He will see the lights of God. All these experiences will
> be his when he is born out of the world of nature into the divine world. Therefore, for the perfect man
> there are two kinds of birth: the first, physical birth, is from the matrix of the mother; the second, or
> spiritual birth, is from the world of nature. In both he is without knowledge of the new world of
> existence he is entering. Therefore, rebirth means his release from the captivity of nature, freedom
> from attachment to this mortal and material life. This is the second, or spiritual, birth of which Jesus
> Christ spoke in the Gospels.
> 
> (READING #3 BWF pg. 67
> 
> O My servants!
> 
> Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your
> souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things,and would gain a true
> knowledge of your own selves—a knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own
> Being. Ye would find yourselves independent of all else but Me, and would perceive, with your inner
> and outer eye, and as manifest as the revelation of My effulgent
> 
> Name, the seas of My loving-kindness and bounty moving within you. Suffer not your idle fancies, your
> evil passions, your insincerity and blindness of heart to dim the luster, or stain the sanctity, of so lofty
> a station. Ye are even as the bird which soareth, with the full force of its mighty wings and with
> complete and joyous confidence, through the immensity of the heavens, until, impelled to satisfy its
> hunger, it turneth longingly to the water and clay of the earth below it, and, having been entrapped in
> the mesh of its desire, findeth itself impotent to resume its flight to the realms whence it came.
> Powerless to shake off the burden weighing on its sullied wings, that bird, hitherto animate of the
> heavens, is now forced to seek a dwelling-place upon the dust. Wherefore, O My servants, defile not
> your wings with the clay of waywardness and vain desires, and suffer them not to be stained with the
> dust of envy and hate, that ye may not be hindered from soaring in the heavens of My divine
> knowledge. [GL # 153 CLIII]
> 
> My loving-kindness and bounty moving within you. Suffer not your idle fancies, your evil passions,
> your insincerity and blindness of heart to dim the luster, or stain the sanctity of so lofty a station. Ye
> are even as the bird that soareth, with the full force of its mighty wing and with complete and joyous
> confidence, through the immensity of heavens, until, impelled to satisfy its hunger, it turneth longingly
> to the water and clay of the below it, and, having been entrapped by the mesh of its desire, findeth
> itself impotent to resume its flight to the realms whence it came. Powerless to shake off the burden
> weighing on its sullied wings, that bird hitherto an inmate of the heavens is now forced to seek a
> dwelling place in the dust. Wherefore, O My servants, defile not your wings with the clay of
> waywardness and vain desires, and suffer them not to be stained with the dust of envy and hate, that
> ye may not be hindered from soaring in the heavens of My divine knowledge.
> 
> The unique position held by the believers lies largely in their ability, providing their self-dedication is
> sincere enough and their will strong enough, to visualize themselves in this state of God-likeness, and
> to bend every energy expressing in daily life the outward manifestations 'of those inward mysteries
> which, as a divine gift, are deposited within you.' The uniqueness of their position consists in their
> 
> acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh as the Logos, the Word of God And since He has unequivocally stated that
> man is capable of 'clothing himself with the characteristics of God' and commanded him to do so,
> those who believe in Him are bound to obey Him. … 'You have no excuse to bring before God if you fail
> to live according to His command...' -PUP- pg. 466
> 
> But the effort toward this attainment is not made a matter of blind obedience. Far from it.
> 
> You must come into the knowledge of the divine manifestations and their teachings through proofs
> and evidences. You must unseal the mysteries of the supreme kingdom and become capable of
> discovering the inner realities of things. Then shall you be the manifestations of the mercy of God and
> true believers, firm and steadfast in the cause of God. [PUP #81) p 130]
> 
> The goal is made so supremely attractive; the path marked so plainly and the example of one who
> walked that path and attained that goal is held before us so alluring that an enthusiasm is generated, a
> determination logically evolved and a will strengthened which makes success certain if the seeker is
> steadfast in faith, meditates and prays much, studies the Creative Word daily and gives to others
> constantly the Bread of Life which he has received, for the channel must be kept open or else the
> supply from the reservoir will become clogged.
> 
> READING #4 PUP pg. 222-223 (227-228) [#81 p 130]
> 
> You must come into the knowledge of the divine Manifestations and Their teachings through proofs
> and evidences. You must unseal the mysteries of the supreme Kingdom and become capable of
> discovering the inner realities of things. Then shall you be the manifestations of the mercy of God and
> true believers, firm and steadfast in the Cause of God.
> 
> READING #5 PUP pg. 220-221
> 
> In the beginning of his human life man was embryonic in the world of the matrix. There he received
> capacity and endowment for the reality of human existence. The forces and powers necessary for this
> world were bestowed upon him in that limited condition. In this world he needed eyes; he received
> them potentially in the other. He needed ears; he obtained them there in readiness and preparation for
> his new existence. The powers requisite in this world were bestowed upon him in the world of the
> matrix, so that when he entered this world of real existence he not only possessed all necessary
> functions and powers but found provision for his material sustenance awaiting him.
> 
> Therefore, in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the life of
> the kingdom he must obtain here. Just as he prepared himself in the world of the matrix by acquiring
> forces necessary in this sphere of existence, so likewise the indispensable forces of the divine existence
> must be potentially attained in this world.
> 
> Man's progress throughout all the 'worlds of God' depends upon his developing those spiritual organs
> and characteristics upon the possession of which his full and active life in those worlds is determined.
> The cultivation of the attitude of mind which assumes ones own potential ability to reveal those
> qualities of the Divine which the Creator has deposited within each of us, is the surest way to insure
> 
> their outward manifestation in daily life.
> 
> Another aspect of the unique position occupied by the sincere Bahá'í lies in the fact of his absolute
> conviction of the endless continuation of his individual existence throughout all 'the worlds of God.'
> This will be taken up more exhaustively in the next lesson but it has a direct bearing on man's
> achievement of his true station. For, since he has all eternity in which to make progress in this path,
> the only thing of immediate necessity is to begin.
> 
> Also, we are assured of assistance 'by the invisible powers'. 'Rest thou assured that the Eternal
> Outpourings shall descend upon thee and the confirmations of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh shall encircle
> thee.' Ábdu'l-Bahá Tablets
> 
> READING #6 Gl pg. 214-215
> 
> The heights which, through the most gracious favor of God, mortal man can attain, in this Day, are as
> yet unrevealed to his sight. The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet possess the capacity for
> such a revelation. The day, however, is approaching when the potentialities of so great a favor will, by
> virtue of His behest, be manifested unto men. Though the forces of the nations be arrayed against
> Him, though the kings of the earth be leagued to undermine His Cause, the power of His might shall
> stand unshaken. He, verily, speaketh the truth, and summoneth all mankind to the way of Him who is
> the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.
> 
> All men have been created to carry forward an ever- advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me
> witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are
> forbearance, mercy compassion and loving-kindness towards all people and kindreds of the earth. Say:
> O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him who
> is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every
> land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason
> for which they themselves have created.
> 
> The purpose for which man has been created is to attain the true station of manhood which is nothing
> less than a steadily advancing progress toward likeness to his Creator. This progress and attainment to
> this goal depends entirely upon the will of man. 'All that ye potentially possess can, however, be
> manifested only as a result of your own volition. GL - pg. 144
> 
> READING # 7 Gl pg. 287
> 
> The purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare
> those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves.
> 
> The purpose of the coming of the manifestation of God is to aid us in dispelling the darkness of the
> animal nature in order to reveal man's true nature which is inherently God- like. And also, to develop a
> binding unity amongst such men which shall carry forward the divine civilization, the kingdom of God
> on earth.
> 
> READING #8 Gl pg. 65-66
> 
> Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein He, through the direct operation of
> His unconstrained and sovereign will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to
> know Him and to love Him- a capacity that must need be regarded as the generating impulse and the
> primary purpose underlying the whole of creation... Upon the inmost reality of each and every created
> thing He hath shed the light of one of His names, and made it the recipient of the glory of one of His
> attributes. Upon the reality of man, however, He hath focused the radiance of all His names and
> attributes, and made it the mirror of His own Self. Alone of all created things man hath been singled
> out for so great a favor, so enduring a bounty.
> 
> These energies with which the Day Star of Divine bounty and source of heavenly guidance hath
> endowed the reality of man lie, however, latent within him, even as the flame is hidden within the
> candle and the rays of light are potentially present in the lamp. The radiance of these energies may be
> obscured by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be concealed beneath the dust and dross
> which cover the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted by their own unaided efforts,
> nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until
> fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted from the face of the
> mirror, it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory.
> 
> To return to the statement that a steadfast and unwavering conviction of your personal ability to attain
> to the high station of which you are potentially capable is essential to its success, Ábdu'l-Bahá makes a
> very important statement in speaking of immortality:
> 
> "The conception of annihilation is a factor in human degradation, a cause of human debasement and
> low minds, a source of fear and abjection. It has been conducive to the dispersion and weakening of
> human thought, whereas the realization of existence and continuity has upraised man the sublimity of
> ideals, established the foundation of human progress, and stimulated the development of human
> virtues..." PUP - pg. 86
> 
> This is equally true of the conception of man as primarily influenced by his animal propensities, rather
> than by his divine qualities. In fact, it is true that any concept, firmly and consistently held, effects
> decisively our whole attitude, morals, life, and determines success or failure in every undertaking.
> Nothing will aid so powerfully in stimulating the conviction of our inherent potentialities of relative
> perfection as the constant study and meditation upon the words of Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá, for
> they constantly emphasize the nobility and grandeur of the reality of man. It is our task, then, to hold
> before our minds constantly the picture of ourselves as They paint it.
> 
> We are not necessarily subject to the habits of reaction to the events of daily life which in the pass have
> swayed us. It is quite possible for us to "become free from all the laws of nature." There is no obligation
> for us to allow impatience, worry, pride, fear, or any other of the thousand concepts which have made
> life miserable for us, to any longer effect us.
> 
> READING #9 Gl pg. 185-186
> 
> ... "Wonder not, if my Best- Beloved be closer to me than my own self; wonder at this, that I, despite
> such nearness, should still be so far from Him." ... Considering what God hath revealed, that, "we are
> closer to man than his life-vein," the poet hath, in allusion to this verse, stated that though the
> revelation of my Best-Beloved hath so permeated my being that He is closer to than my life-vein, yet,
> notwithstanding my certitude of its reality and my recognition of my station, I am still so far removed
> from Him. By this , he meaneth that his heart, which is the seat of the All- Merciful and the throne
> wherein abideth the splendor of His revelation, is forgetful of its Creator, hath strayed from His path,
> hath shut out itself from His glory, and is stained with the defilement of earthly desires.
> 
> It should be remembered in this connection that the one true God is in Himself exalted beyond and
> above proximity and remoteness. His reality transcendeth such limitations. His relationship to His
> creatures knoweth no degrees. That some are near and others are far is to be ascribed to the
> Manifestations themselves.
> 
> That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested by
> the holy utterances which we have formerly revealed. Among them is the saying: "Earth and heaven
> cannot contain Me; what can alone contain Me is the heart of him that believeth in Me, and is faithful
> to My Cause." How often hath the human heart, which is the recipient of the light of God and the seat
> of the revelation of the all-Merciful, erred from Him who is the source of that light and the Well spring
> of that revelation. It is the waywardness of the heart that removeth it far from God, and commandeth it
> to remoteness from Him. Those hearts, however, that are aware of His Presence, are close to Him, and
> are to be regarded as having drawn nigh unto His throne.
> 
> The one supreme act of man's will must be focused upon the surrender of his will to the Will of God as
> expressed in the words and example of the Manifestation in this Day.
> 
> Your true nature is not expressed in those qualities and characteristics which you share with the
> animal, but in those which you share with Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá.
> 
> READING #10 HW P#72-73
> O MY SERVANT!
> 
> Thou art even as a finely tempered sword concealed in the darkness of its sheath and its value hidden
> from the artificer's knowledge. Wherefore come forth from the sheath of self and desire that thy worth
> may be made resplendent and manifest unto all the world.
> 
> O MY FRIEND!
> 
> Thou art the day-star of the heaven of My holiness, let not the defilement of the world eclipse thy
> splendor. Rend asunder the veil of heedlessness, that from behind the clouds thou mayest emerge
> resplendent and array all things with the apparel of life.
> 
> Immortality and Eternity
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson V
> Study and meditate upon the following readings:
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 197 -198 CXVI
> 
> 1 HW A#32, #33, #63 -(Note different uses of the word 'Death')
> 
> 2 HW P#44 (Note closing lines)
> 
> 3 HW P#70 -"the realm of being" "the domain of Eternality" "the holy ecstasy" "freed from death"
> 
> 4 HW P#55 "From the well-spring of detachment"
> 
> 5 HW P#58 "The cup of eternal life which quickens the heart of the dead"
> 
> 6 HW A#23 "To the eternal I call thee."
> 
> 7 HW A#64 "My eternity is my creation, I have created it for thee."
> 
> 8 SAQ pg. 234-236 Soul, mind and spirit.
> 
> 9 SAQ pg. 277-279 Relation of soul and spirit to the body man.
> 
> 10 PUP pg. 86 The conception of annihilation ...virtues will cease. (89)
> 
> 11 PUP pg. 234-236 In the world of existence...spirit is the reality. (239-241)
> 
> 12 SAQ pg. 280-282 Whole chapter.
> 
> 13 SAQ pg. 259-262 Whole chapter (note the distinction between immortality and eternality.) Prayer
> P&M pg. 42-43 XXXIII
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 197
> 
> Purify, O my God, the hearts of Thy creatures with the power of Thy sovereignty and might, that Thy
> words may sink deep into them. I know not what is in their hearts, O my God, nor can tell the thoughts
> they think of Thee. Methinks that they imagine that Thy purpose in calling them to Thine all-highest
> horizon is to heighten the glory of Thy majesty and power. For had they been satisfied that Thou
> summonest them to that which will recreate their hearts and immortalize their souls, they would never
> have fled from Thy governance, nor deserted the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness. Clear away, then,
> the sight of Thy creatures, O my God, that they may recognize Him Who showeth forth the Godhead as
> One Who is sanctified from all that pertaineth unto them, and Who, wholly for Thy sake, is
> summoning them to the horizon of Thy unity, at a time when every moment of His life is beset with
> peril. Had His aim been the preservation of His own Self, He would never have left it at the mercy of
> 
> Thy foes.
> 
> I swear by Thy glory! I have accepted to be tried by manifold adversities for no purpose except to
> regenerate all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. Whoso hath loved Thee, can never feel
> attached to his own self, except for the purpose of furthering Thy Cause; and whoso hath recognized
> Thee can recognize naught else except Thee, and can turn to no one save Thee.
> 
> Enable Thy servants, O my God, to discover the things Thou didst desire for them in Thy Kingdom.
> Acquaint them, moreover, with what He Who is the Origin of Thy most excellent titles hath, in His love
> for Thee, been willing to bear for the sake of the regeneration of their souls, that they may haste to
> attain the River that is Life indeed, and turn their faces in the direction of Thy Name, the Most
> Merciful. Abandon them not to themselves, O my God! Draw them, by Thy bountiful favor, to the
> heaven of Thine inspiration. They are but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the ever-
> Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. (Prayers and Meditations, pages 197-199)
> 
> READING #1 HW A#31, 32, 63 (note the different uses of the word 'death')
> 
> O SON OF BEING!
> 
> Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall
> come upon thee and thou shall be called to give account of thy deeds.
> 
> O SON OF THE SUPREME!
> 
> I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore does thou grieve? I made the light to shed on
> thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment
> hath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter
> into My court that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet me. Thus death may not
> come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble.
> Note the different uses of the word 'death'. 'Death unheralded'- physical death - passing into the next
> life. "Death a messenger of joy" - passing into the glorious next life. "May death not come upon thee" -
> spiritual death or remoteness from God.
> 
> READING #2 HW P#44 (note closing lines)
> 
> O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
> 
> Hear no evil and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh nor weep. Speak no evil that thou mayest
> not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear
> great; and wish not abasement for any one, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the
> days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy
> thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal
> 
> frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore
> 
> "mortal frame" - this physical body. "eternal kingdom" - eternality.
> 
> READING #3 HW P#70
> 
> O SON OF WORLDLINESS! Pleasant is the realm of being, wert thou to attain there to; glorious is the
> domain of eternity, shouldst thou pass beyond the world of mortality; sweet is the holy ecstasy if thou
> drinkest of the mystic chalice from the hands of the celestial youth. Shouldst thou attain this station,
> thou wouldst be freed from destruction and death, from toil and sin.
> 
> "freed from destruction and death" - spiritual, not physical.
> 
> READING #4 HW P#55
> 
> O SON OF PASSION!
> 
> Cleanse thyself from the defilement of riches and in perfect peace advance into the realm of poverty;
> that from the wellspring of detachment thou mayest quaff the wine of immortal life.
> 
> READING #5 HW P#56
> 
> O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
> 
> Wouldst thou seek the grace of the Holy Spirit, enter into fellowship with the righteous, for he hath
> drunk from the cup of eternal life at the hands of the immortal Cup-bearer and even as the true morn
> doth quick and illumine the hearts of the dead.
> 
> "cup of eternal life" - the Revelation of God which quickens the hearts of the spiritually dead.
> "immortal Cup- bearer" - God's Manifestation.
> 
> READING #6 HW A#23
> 
> O SON OF THE SUPREME!
> 
> To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away
> from Our desire and seek thine own?
> 
> "To the eternal I call thee" - To eternal life the Manifestation of God calls man.
> 
> READING #7 HW A#64
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> My eternity is My creation, I have created it for thee. Make it the garment of thy temple. My unity is
> 
> My handiwork; I have wrought it for thee; clothe thyself therewith, that thou mayest be to all eternity
> the revelation of My everlasting being. See Gleanings pg, 183.
> 
> The Book of God is wide open, and His Word is summoning mankind unto Him. No more than a mere
> handful, however, hath been found willing to cleave to His Cause, or to become the instruments for its
> promotion. These few have been endued with the Divine Elixir that can, alone, transmute into purest
> gold the dross of the world, and have been empowered to administer the infallible remedy for all the
> ills that afflict the children of men. No man can obtain everlasting life, unless he embraceth the truth
> of this inestimable, this wondrous, and sublime Revelation. (Gleanings, page 183)
> 
> The human spirit is immortal but not eternal without the conscious knowledge of the Manifestation of
> God. "This is life eternal (true existence) to know God through Jesus Christ whom He hath sent."
> -Gospel of John.
> 
> See SAQ pg. 226 But if the human spirit will rejoice and be attracted to the Kingdom of God, if the
> inner sight becomes opened, and the spiritual hearing strengthened, and the spiritual feelings
> predominant, he will see the immortality of the spirit as clearly as he sees the sun, and the glad tidings
> and signs of God will encompass him. (Some Answered Questions, page 226)
> 
> The rather astonishing fact is, however, that the bone of contention and matter of doubt, even among
> the so-called believers in these prophets, is in the reality of this continuation of life, which the
> enlightened ones have always taken for granted. The emphasis is upon quality, temp, nature and route
> of the life lived here and now.
> 
> There is confusion regarding the terms "immortality" and "life eternal" These terms are not only
> distinct in meaning but their connotations are so different as to constitute a radically diverging line of
> thought. It is true that the endless continuance of the individual spirit, as a necessary and axiomatic
> postulate, is essential, for without that the very foundation of being is endangered, but, after all, the
> quality of the continuing life is vastly more important.
> 
> READING #8 SAQ pg. 243-244
> ... spirit is universally divided into five categories: the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human
> spirit, the spirit of faith, and the Holy Spirit.
> 
> The vegetable spirit is the power of growth which is brought about in the seed through the influence of
> other existences.
> 
> The animal spirit is the power of all the senses, which is realized from the composition and mingling of
> elements; when this composition decomposes, the power also perishes and becomes annihilated. It
> may be likened to this lamp: when the oil, wick and fire are combined, it is lighted; and when this
> combination is dissolved - that is to say, when the combined parts are separated from one another -
> the lamp also is extinguished.
> 
> The human spirit which distinguishes man from the animal is the rational soul, and these two names -
> the human spirit and the rational soul - designate one thing. This spirit, which in the terminology of
> the philosophers is the rational soul, embraces all beings, and as far as human ability permits
> 
> discovers the realities of things and becomes cognizant of their peculiarities and effects, and of the
> qualities and properties of beings. But the human spirit, unless assisted by the spirit of faith, does not
> become acquainted with the divine secrets and the heavenly realities. It is like a mirror which,
> although clear, polished and brilliant, is still in need of light. Until a ray of the sun reflects upon it, it
> cannot discover the heavenly secrets.
> 
> But the mind is the power of the human spirit. Spirit is the lamp; mind is the light which shines from
> the lamp. Spirit is the tree, and the mind is the fruit. Mind is the perfection of the spirit and is its
> essential quality, as the sun's rays are the essential necessity of the sun.
> 
> This explanation, though short, is complete; therefore, reflect upon it, and if God wills, you may
> become acquainted with the details. (Some Answered Questions, pages 208-209)
> 
> Soul, Mind and Spirit.
> 
> READING #9 SAQ pg. 277-279
> 
> Some think that the body is the substance and exists by itself, and that the spirit is accidental and
> depends upon the substance of the body, although, on the contrary, the rational soul is the substance,
> and the body depends upon it. If the accident - that is to say, the body - be destroyed, the substance,
> the spirit, remains.
> 
> Second, the rational soul, meaning the human spirit, does not descend into the body - that is to say, it
> does not enter it, for descent and entrance are characteristics of bodies, and the rational soul is exempt
> from this. The spirit never entered this body, so in quitting it, it will not be in need of an abidingplace: no, the spirit is connected with the body, as this light is with this mirror. When the mirror is
> clear and perfect, the light of the lamp will be apparent in it, and when the mirror becomes covered
> with dust or breaks, the light will disappear.
> 
> The rational soul - that is to say, the human spirit -has neither entered this body nor existed through
> it; so after the disintegration of the composition of the body, how should it be in need of a substance
> through which it may exist? On the contrary, the rational soul is the substance through which the body
> exists. The personality of the rational soul is from its beginning; it is not due to the instrumentality of
> the body, but the state and the personality of the rational soul may be strengthened in this world; it
> will make progress and will attain to the degrees of perfection, or it will remain in the lowest abyss of
> ignorance, veiled and deprived from beholding the signs of God.
> 
> The progress of man's spirit in the divine world, after the severance of its connection with the body of
> dust, is through the bounty and grace of the Lord alone, or through the intercession and the sincere
> prayers of other human souls, or through the charities and important good works which are performed
> in its name.
> 
> These infants are under the shadow of the favor of God; and as they have not committed any sin and
> are not soiled with the impurities of the world of nature, they are the centers of the manifestation of
> bounty, and the Eye of Compassion will be turned upon them. (Some Answered Questions, pages
> 239-240)
> 
> Relation of soul and spirit to the body of man.
> 
> READING #10 PUP pg. 86
> 
> The conception of annihilation is a factor in human degradation, a cause of human debasement and
> lowliness, a source of human fear and abjection. It has been conducive to the dispersion and
> weakening of human thought, whereas the realization of existence and continuity has upraised man to
> sublimity of ideals, established the foundations of human progress and stimulated the development of
> heavenly virtues; therefore, it behooves man to abandon thoughts of nonexistence and death, which
> are absolutely imaginary, and see himself ever-living, everlasting in the divine purpose of his creation.
> He must turn away from ideas which degrade the human soul so that day by day and hour by hour he
> may advance upward and higher to spiritual perception of the continuity of the human reality. If he
> dwells upon the thought of nonexistence, he will become utterly incompetent; with weakened
> willpower his ambition for progress will be lessened and the acquisition of human virtues will cease.
> (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 89)
> 
> Thoughts of death are degrading and pure imagination.
> 
> We will consider the proofs as offered in the Bahá'í Revelation on immortality, the meaning of that
> term. We should become so familiar with these proofs, and so filled with unfailing certitude of their
> evidence that we are able without any hesitation to answer any questions on the subject There are four
> main proofs as detailed by Ábdu'l-Bahá but many side-lights offering corroborative evidence.
> 
> First: "The inner and essential reality of man is not composed of elements and therefore cannot be
> decomposed." PUP pg. 410
> 
> Second: No sign (evidence of existence) can come from a non- existent thing. SAQ pg. 261
> 
> Third : The changes or mutilation of the body have no effect upon the spirit of man. PUP pg. 253
> 
> Fourth: Total annihilation is impossible. It is unknown in the world of nature. The body is composed
> of elements subject to decomposition, but this has no relation, but this has no relation to the spirit.
> PUP pg. 84
> This conclusion, that the spirit of man is ever-living and active, is inescapable to the accurate thinker.
> At any rate, all the burden of proof is on those who deny it. All the evidence we have is in its favor.
> 
> READING #11 PUP pg. 234-236
> 
> In the world of existence there is nothing so important as spirit, nothing so essential as the spirit of
> man. The spirit of man is the most noble of phenomena. The spirit of man is the meeting between man
> and God. The spirit of man is the animus of human life and the collective center of all human virtues.
> The spirit of man is the cause of the illumination of this world. The world may be likened to the body;
> man is the spirit of the body, because the light of the world is the human spirit. Man is the life of the
> world, and the life of man is the spirit. The happiness of the world depends upon man, and the
> happiness of man is dependent upon the spirit. The world may be likened to the lamp chimney,
> 
> whereas man is the light. Man himself may be likened to the lamp; his spirit is the light within the
> lamp. Therefore, we will speak of this spirit. The philosophers of the world are divided into two
> classes: materialists, who deny the spirit and its immortality, and the divine philosophers, the wise
> men of God, the true illuminati who believe in the spirit and its continuance hereafter. The ancient
> philosophers taught that man consists simply of the material elements which compose his cellular
> structure and that when this composition is disintegrated the life of man becomes extinct. They
> reasoned that man is body only, and from this elemental composition the organs and their functions,
> the senses, powers and attributes which characterize man have proceeded, and that these disappear
> completely with the physical body. This is practically the statement of all the materialists.
> 
> The divine philosophers proclaim that the spirit of man is ever-living and eternal, and because of the
> objections of the materialists, these wise men of God have advanced rational proofs to support the
> validity of their statement. Inasmuch as the materialistic philosophers deny the Books of God,
> scriptural demonstration is not evidence to them, and materialistic proofs are necessary. Answering
> them, the men of divine knowledge have said that all existing phenomena may be resolved into grades
> or kingdoms, classified progressively as mineral, vegetable, animal and human, each of which
> possesses its degree of function and intelligence. When we consider the mineral, we find that it exists
> and is possessed of the power of affinity or combination. The vegetable possesses the qualities of the
> mineral plus the augmentative virtue or power of growth. It is, therefore, evident that the vegetable
> kingdom is superior to the mineral. The animal kingdom in turn possesses the qualities of the mineral
> and vegetable plus the five senses of perception whereof the kingdoms below it are lacking. Likewise,
> the power of memory inherent in the animal does not exist in the lower kingdoms.
> 
> Just as the animal is more noble than the vegetable and mineral, so man is superior to the animal. The
> animal is bereft of ideality - that is to say, it is a captive of the world of nature and not in touch with
> that which lies within and beyond nature; it is without spiritual susceptibilities, deprived of the
> attractions of consciousness, unconscious of the world of God and incapable of deviating from the law
> of nature. It is different with man. Man is possessed of the emanations of consciousness; he has
> perception, ideality and is capable of discovering the mysteries of the universe. All the industries,
> inventions and facilities surrounding our daily life were at one time hidden secrets of nature, but the
> reality of man penetrated them and made them subject to his purposes. According to nature's laws
> they should have remained latent and hidden; but man, having transcended those laws, discovered
> these mysteries and brought them out of the plane of the invisible into the realm of the known and
> visible. How wonderful is the spirit of man! One of the mysteries of natural phenomena is electricity.
> Man has discovered this illimitable power and made it captive to his uses. How many of nature's
> secrets have been penetrated and revealed! Columbus, while in Spain, discovered America. Man has
> accurately determined that the sun is stationary while the earth revolves about it. The animal cannot
> do this. Man perceives the mirage to be an illusion. This is beyond the power of the animal. The animal
> can only know through sense impressions and cannot grasp intellectual realities. The animal cannot
> conceive of the power of thought. This is an abstract intellectual matter and not limited to the senses.
> The animal is incapable of knowing that the earth is round. In brief, abstract intellectual phenomena
> are human powers. All creation below the kingdom of man is the captive of nature; it cannot deviate in
> the slightest degree from nature's laws. But man wrests the sword of dominion from nature's hand and
> uses it upon nature's head. For example, it is a natural exigency that man should be a dweller upon the
> 
> earth, but the power of the human spirit transcends this limitation, and he soars aloft in airplanes.
> This is contrary to the law and requirement of nature. He sails at high speed upon the ocean and dives
> beneath its surface in submarines. He imprisons the human voice in a phonograph and communicates
> in the twinkling of an eye from East to West. These are things we know to be contrary to the
> limitations of natural law. Man transcends nature, while the mineral, vegetable and animal are
> helplessly subject to it. This can be done only through the power of the spirit, because the spirit is the
> reality. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 239-241)
> 
> But simply to live an endless life has no great attractions in itself. It is the "quality" of that life that
> counts, whatever the plane one is considering. One moment of high endeavor, of pure aspiration, of
> divine understanding, even on this material plane, far outweighs months and years of the routine of
> mere existence.
> 
> READING #12 SAQ pg. 280-282
> 
> You question about eternal life and the entrance into the Kingdom. The outer expression used for the
> Kingdom is heaven; but this is a comparison and similitude, not a reality or fact, for the Kingdom is
> not a material place; it is sanctified from time and place. It is a spiritual world, a divine world, and the
> center of the Sovereignty of God; it is freed from body and that which is corporeal, and it is purified
> and sanctified from the imaginations of the human world. To be limited to place is a property of bodies
> and not of spirits. Place and time surround the body, not the mind and spirit. Observe that the body of
> man is confined to a small place; it covers only two spans of earth. But the spirit and mind of man
> travel to all countries and regions -even through the limitless space of the heavens -surround all that
> exists, and make discoveries in the exalted spheres and infinite distances. This is because the spirit has
> no place; it is placeless; and for the spirit the earth and the heaven are as one since it makes
> discoveries in both. But the body is limited to a place and does not know that which is beyond it.
> 
> For life is of two kinds: that of the body and that of the spirit. The life of the body is material life, but
> the life of the spirit expresses the existence of the Kingdom, which consists in receiving the Spirit of
> God and becoming vivified by the breath of the Holy Spirit. Although the material life has existence, it
> is pure nonexistence and absolute death for the holy saints. So man exists, and this stone also exists,
> but what a difference between the existence of man and that of the stone! Though the stone exists, in
> relation to the existence of man it is nonexistent.
> 
> The meaning of eternal life is the gift of the Holy Spirit, as the flower receives the gift of the season, the
> air, and the breezes of spring. Consider: this flower had life in the beginning like the life of the mineral;
> but by the coming of the season of spring, of the bounty of the clouds of the springtime, and of the heat
> of the glowing sun, it attained to another life of the utmost freshness, delicacy and fragrance. The first
> life of the flower, in comparison to the second life, is death.
> 
> The meaning is that the life of the Kingdom is the life of the spirit, the eternal life, and that it is
> purified from place, like the spirit of man which has no place. For if you examine the human body, you
> will not find a special spot or locality for the spirit, for it has never had a place; it is immaterial. It has a
> connection with the body like that of the sun with this mirror. The sun is not within the mirror, but it
> has a connection with the mirror.
> 
> In the same way the world of the Kingdom is sanctified from everything that can be perceived by the
> eye or by the other senses - hearing, smell, taste or touch. The mind which is in man, the existence of
> which is recognized -where is it in him? If you examine the body with the eye, the ear or the other
> senses, you will not find it; nevertheless, it exists. Therefore, the mind has no place, but it is connected
> with the brain. The Kingdom is also like this. In the same way love has no place, but it is connected
> with the heart; so the Kingdom has no place, but is connected with man.
> 
> Entrance into the Kingdom is through the love of God, through detachment, through holiness and
> chastity, through truthfulness, purity, steadfastness, faithfulness and the sacrifice of life.
> 
> These explanations show that man is immortal and lives eternally. For those who believe in God, who
> have love of God, and faith, life is excellent - that is, it is eternal; but to those souls who are veiled from
> God, although they have life, it is dark, and in comparison with the life of believers it is nonexistence.
> 
> For example, the eye and the nail are living; but the life of the nail in relation to the life of the eye is
> nonexistent. This stone and this man both exist; but the stone in relation to the existence of man is
> nonexistent; it has no being; for when man dies, and his body is destroyed and annihilated, it becomes
> like stone and earth. Therefore, it is clear that although the mineral exists, in relation to man it is
> nonexistent.
> 
> In the same way, the souls who are veiled from God, although they exist in this world and in the world
> after death, are, in comparison with the holy existence of the children of the Kingdom of God,
> nonexisting and separated from God. (Some Answered Questions, pages 241-243)
> 
> Eternal life is here defined by implication. Life of the kingdom is synonymous with Eternal and Life of
> the spirit. Material life is non-existence compared with the life of the kingdom. The kingdom, Heaven,
> Life Eternal has no place but is connected with man.
> 
> READING #13 SAQ pg. 259-262
> 
> Having shown that the spirit of man exists, we must prove its immortality.
> 
> The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine
> religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds: first, the rewards and
> punishments of this life; second, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are
> found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these
> rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, "Act in such a way that you may find
> eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom."
> 
> The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections which adorn the reality of man. For example, he
> was dark and becomes luminous; he was ignorant and becomes wise; he was neglectful and becomes
> vigilant; he was asleep and becomes awakened; he was dead and becomes living; he was blind and
> becomes a seer; he was deaf and becomes a hearer; he was earthly and becomes heavenly; he was
> material and becomes spiritual. Through these rewards he gains spiritual birth and becomes a new
> creature. He becomes the manifestation of the verse in the Gospel where it is said of the disciples that
> they "were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" - that is to
> 
> say, they were delivered from the animal characteristics and qualities which are the characteristics of
> human nature, and they became qualified with the divine characteristics, which are the bounty of God.
> This is the meaning of the second birth. For such people there is no greater torture than being veiled
> from God, and no more severe punishment than sensual vices, dark qualities, lowness of nature,
> engrossment in carnal desires. When they are delivered through the light of faith from the darkness of
> these vices, and become illuminated with the radiance of the sun of reality, and ennobled with all the
> virtues, they esteem this the greatest reward, and they know it to be the true paradise. In the same way
> they consider that the spiritual punishment - that is to say, the torture and punishment of existence - is
> to be subjected to the world of nature; to be veiled from God; to be brutal and ignorant; to fall into
> carnal lusts; to be absorbed in animal frailties; to be characterized with dark qualities, such as
> falsehood, tyranny, cruelty, attachment to the affairs of the world, and being immersed in satanic
> ideas. For them, these are the greatest punishments and tortures.
> 
> Likewise, the rewards of the other world are the eternal life which is clearly mentioned in all the Holy
> Books, the divine perfections, the eternal bounties and everlasting felicity. The rewards of the other
> world are the perfections and the peace obtained in the spiritual worlds after leaving this world, while
> the rewards of this life are the real luminous perfections which are realized in this world, and which
> are the cause of eternal life, for they are the very progress of existence. It is like the man who passes
> from the embryonic world to the state of maturity and becomes the manifestation of these words:
> "Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of Makers." The rewards of the other world are peace,
> the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the
> heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity. In the same way the punishments
> of the other world - that is to say, the torments of the other world -consist in being deprived of the
> special divine blessings and the absolute bounties, and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He
> who is deprived of these divine favors, although he continues after death, is considered as dead by the
> people of truth.
> 
> The logical proof of the immortality of the spirit is this, that no sign can come from a nonexisting thing
> - that is to say, it is impossible that from absolute nonexistence signs should appear - for the signs are
> the consequence of an existence, and the consequence depends upon the existence of the principle. So
> from a nonexisting sun no light can radiate; from a nonexisting sea no waves appear; from a
> nonexisting cloud no rain falls; a nonexisting tree yields no fruit; a nonexisting man neither manifests
> nor produces anything. Therefore, as long as signs of existence appear, they are a proof that the
> possessor of the sign is existent.
> 
> Consider that today the Kingdom of Christ exists. From a nonexisting king how could such a great
> kingdom be manifested? How, from a nonexisting sea, can the waves mount so high? From a
> nonexisting garden, how can such fragrant breezes be wafted? Reflect that no effect, no trace, no
> influence remains of any being after its members are dispersed and its elements are decomposed,
> whether it be a mineral, a vegetable or an animal. There is only the human reality and the spirit of man
> which, after the disintegration of the members, dispersing of the particles, and the destruction of the
> composition, persists and continues to act and to have power.
> 
> This question is extremely subtle: consider it attentively. This is a rational proof which we are giving,
> so that the wise may weigh it in the balance of reason and justice. But if the human spirit will rejoice
> 
> and be attracted to the Kingdom of God, if the inner sight becomes opened, and the spiritual hearing
> strengthened, and the spiritual feelings predominant, he will see the immortality of the spirit as clearly
> as he sees the sun, and the glad tidings and signs of God will encompass him. (Some Answered
> Questions, pages 223-226)
> 
> Trace the distinction between "immortality" and "eternality". Paradise and hell of existence are found
> in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the heavenly spiritual worlds.
> 
> "He who is deprived of the Divine Favors, although he continues after death (physical) is considered as
> dead (spiritually) by the people of truth. BWF - pg. 325
> 
> To the prophets of God the words" life" and "death" have no relation to the physical body. In
> proportion to the spiritual development of those who have learned from it is also true. When we speak
> of the unborn babe as "alive" we have no mental concept of that "life" in the sense that the adult man
> conceives it. To him the babe is comparatively as one "dead". So to one who knows the full, illumined,
> creative, ecstatic "life" of the world of the spirit, as God's prophets have known it to a supreme degree
> and into which their followers have been ushered, that life of faith which knoweth no death and the
> existence which is crowned by immortality - is the only true life.
> 
> He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. As Jesus said, 'I am come that ye may have Life and have it more
> abundantly.'
> 
> Those who do not know that life, are in comparison with those with those who know it and live it, as
> truly dead. "Resurrection", then, is nothing but that experience of rising from the cage of the mortal
> body into the life of freedom and understanding, a life so much broader and fuller than that
> experienced by those who knew it not, as is the life of the adult compared with the "life" of the unborn
> babe This is the water of everlasting life of which Jesus spoke, the teachings and example of the
> Manifestation of God. This is the "Bread which cometh down from Heaven conferring Everlasting Life"
> of which Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá speak so often.
> 
> This "death" is the "hell", the "outer darkness", the "fire" referred to by all the Prophets of God. These
> terms are used as symbols of that absence from God, that darkness and agony which belongs to the
> immersion in the world of materiality, to describe which language offers no words. The world
> "resurrection" has another meaning, however. It is the trumpet-call of Revelation sounded in the heart
> of the universe, the rise of the Manifestation of God to proclaim His Cause. see IQAN pg. 116
> 
> If it is borne in mind that no fixed meaning can be ascribed to these symbolic words it will help greatly
> to their spiritual understanding. "To every word there are one and seventy meanings." IQAN pg. 225
> 
> Heaven, for instance, has many interpretations. This will be referred to more particularly in the next
> lesson. In the same way "eternality" has many meanings. So far as our experience of it goes it may be
> considered a relative term. Life as we know it is relative. No life is lived to its fullest. So "Eternal Life"
> is an ever-broadening, ever- deepening experience through-out all the worlds of God. Our job is to get
> on that path, the Path of Life.
> 
> Conclusion:
> 
> The Manifestation of God in this Day points out the method, the technique of attainment to that Path,
> how to travel it. The readings suggested give many hints and instructions.
> 
> 1 Keep your on Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá as the perfect example. Study their words and example.
> Immerse yourselves in the Ocean of His Utterances.
> 
> 2 Through prayer and meditation seek to eradicate every atom of the self, which "tempts every
> moment and spreads a new snare at every breath."
> 
> 3 Watch carefully the little things of daily life. Seek, as for hidden treasure, opportunities for
> self-sacrifice.
> 
> These are the instructions we have all received. That life is impossible unless the life temporal is
> carried on constantly with increasing freedom from the attachment and entanglements of selfish
> interests.
> 
> IMMORTALITY we cannot escape.
> 
> ETERNALITY is ours for the taking, but the price we pay is the sacrifice of all that we have for the love
> of the Eternal Beloved.
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 42-43
> 
> Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art He Who by word of His mouth hath revolutionized the entire
> creation, and by a stroke of His pen hath divided Thy servants one from another. I bear witness, O my
> God, through a word spoken by Thee in this Revelation all created things were made to expire, and
> through yet another word all such as Thou didst wish were, by thy grace and bounty, endued with new
> life.
> 
> I render Thee thanks, therefore, and extol Thee, in the name of all them that are dear to Thee, for that
> Thou hast caused them to be born again, by reason of the living waters which have flowed down from
> the mouth of Thy will. Since Thou hast quicken them by Thy bounteousness, O my God, make them
> steadfastly inclined, through Thy graciousness, towards Thy will; and since Thou didst suffer them to
> enter into Thy Tabernacle of thy Cause, grant by Thy grace that they may not be kept back from Thee.
> 
> Real Life and Death
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson VI
> Prayer P&M pg. 160-161 XCVI
> 
> 1 HW A#23, P#58, P#10
> 
> 2 HW A#61 P#7
> 
> 3 IQAN pg. 114-123 When the light ...endeavors will achieve.
> 
> 4 IQAN pg. 22- 23 This wronged one..quickened by the infinite spirit. .
> 
> 5 Gl pg. 195 In that which is preeminent...Manifestation in this Day.
> 
> 6 Gl pg. 31 Arise and proclaim ...resurrection of all mankind.
> 
> 7 Gl pg. 31- 32 This the paradise ...beauty of their Lord.
> 
> 8 Gl pg. 45- 46 Say, is there any doubt ...wine that is life indeed.
> 
> 9 Gl pg. 144-145 Give ear ...rejected the signs of God.
> 
> 10 SAQ pg. 259-261 The rewards of this life...people of truth.
> 
> 11 PUP pg. 297-299 Man is like unto this lamp...will be attained (303-305)
> 
> 12 IQAN pg. 61- 69 And now concerning...... morn of true knowledge.
> 
> 13 IQAN pg. 69- 72 And now with reference...referred to as clouds.
> 
> 14 Gl. pg. 95 From the heaven of God's will...of the All-possessing.
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 42-43 XXXIII
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 160
> 
> XCVI
> 
> Magnified, O Lord my God, be Thy Name, hereby the trees of the garden of Thy Revelation have been
> clad with verdure, and been made to yield the fruits of holiness during this Springtime when the sweet
> savors of Thy favors and blessings have been wafted over all things, and caused them to bring forth
> whatsoever had been preordained for them in the Kingdom of Thine irrevocable decree and the
> Heaven of Thine immutable purpose. I beseech Thee by this very Name not to suffer me to be far from
> the court of Thy holiness, nor debarred from the exalted sanctuary of Thy unity and oneness.
> 
> Ignite, then, O my God, within my breast the fire of Thy love, that its flame may burn up all else except
> my remembrance of Thee, that every trace of corrupt desire may be entirely mortified within me, and
> that naught may remain except the glorification of Thy transcendent and all-glorious Being. This is my
> highest aspiration, mine ardent desire, O Thou Who rulest all things, and in Whose hand is the
> kingdom of the entire creation. Thou, verily, doest what Thou choosest. No God is there beside Thee,
> the Almighty, the All- Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving. (Prayers and Meditations, pages 160-161)
> 
> READING #1 HW A#23, P#58, P#10
> 
> O SON OF THE SUPREME!
> 
> To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away
> from Our desire and seek thine own? (Arabic Hidden Words, page 23)
> 
> O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
> 
> Wouldst thou seek the grace of the Holy Spirit, enter into fellowship with the righteous, for he hath
> drunk the cup of eternal life at the hands of the immortal Cup-bearer and even as the true morn doth
> quicken and illumine the hearts of the dead.
> 
> O SON OF DESIRE!
> 
> Give ear unto this: Never shall mortal eye recognize the everlasting beauty, nor the lifeless heart
> delight in aught but in the withered bloom. For like seeketh like, and taketh pleasure in the company
> of its kind.
> 
> In the first two verses death is contrasted with life. Further light is thrown on the meaning of the first
> quotation by comparison with the third verse - that is just as the lovers of life seek the source of life, so
> those satisfied with death 'seek that which perisheth.''Like seeks like and hath affinity with its kind.'
> 
> READING #2 HW A#61, P#7
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> Ascend unto My heaven, that thou mayest obtain the joy of reunion, and from the chalice of
> imperishable glory quaff the peerless wine.
> 
> O SON OF LOVE!
> 
> Thou art but one step away from the glorious heights above and from the celestial tree of love. Take
> thou one pace and with the next advance into the immortal realm and enter the pavilion of eternity.
> Give ear then to that which hath been revealed by the pen of glory.
> 
> The proximity of the two planes, Life and Death, is indicated and the passing from one to the other
> (from death to life) dependent upon one's own will and effort. "Take that step (of the soul) and enter
> eternity."
> 
> It is very plain that in these verses, as in all the Teachings, not only is the reference to spiritual life and
> 
> death of the body, but of still more importance, still deeper significance, this transformation from
> 'death unto life' may happen at any moment here and now and the way, method, technique by which
> this transformation is accomplished is indicated. "Give ear to that which hath been revealed by the Pen
> of Glory."
> 
> READING #3 IQAN pg. 114-123
> 
> When the light of Qur'anic Revelation was kindled within the chamber of Muhammad's holy heart, He
> passed upon the people the verdict of the Last Day, the verdict of resurrection, of judgment, of life, and
> of death. Thereupon the standards of revolt were hoisted, and the doors of derision opened. Thus hath
> He, the Spirit of God, recorded, as spoken by the infidels: "And if thou shouldst say, `After death ye
> shall surely be raised again,' the infidels will certainly exclaim, `This is nothing but manifest
> sorcery.'"(1) Again He speaketh: "If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is their saying, `What!
> When we have become dust, shall we be restored in a new creation?'"(2) Thus, in another passage, He
> wrathfully exclaimeth: "Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard
> to a new creation!"(3)
> 
> As the commentators of the Qur'an and they that follow the letter thereof misapprehended the inner
> meaning of the words of God and failed to grasp their essential purpose, they sought to demonstrate
> that, according to the rules of grammar, whenever the term "idha" (meaning "if" or "when") precedeth
> the past tense, it invariably hath reference to the future. Later, they were sore perplexed in attempting
> to explain those verses of the Book wherein that term did not actually occur. Even as He hath revealed:
> "And there was a blast on the trumpet, - lo! it is the threatened Day! And every soul is summoned to a
> reckoning, - with him an impeller and a witness."(1) In explaining this and similar verses, they have in
> some cases argued that the term "idha" is implied. In other instances, they have idly contended that
> whereas the Day of Judgment is inevitable, it hath therefore been referred to as an event not of the
> future but of the past. How vain their sophistry! How grievous their blindness! They refuse to
> recognize the trumpet-blast which so explicitly in this text was sounded through the revelation of
> Muhammad. They deprive themselves of the regenerating Spirit of God that breathed into it, and
> foolishly expect to hear the trumpet-sound of the Seraph of God who is but one of His servants! Hath
> not the Seraph himself, the angel of the Judgment Day, and his like been ordained by Muhammad's
> own utterance? Say: What! Will ye give that which is for your good in exchange for that which is evil?
> Wretched is that which ye have falsely exchanged! Surely ye are a people, evil, in grievous loss.
> 
> Nay, by "trumpet" is meant the trumpet-call of Muhammad's Revelation, which was sounded in the
> heart of the universe, and by "resurrection" is meant His own rise to proclaim the Cause of God. He
> bade the erring and wayward arise and speed out of the sepulchers of their bodies, arrayed them with
> the beauteous robe of faith, and quickened them with the breath of a new and wondrous life. Thus at
> the hour when Muhammad, that divine Beauty, purposed to unveil one of the mysteries hidden in the
> symbolic terms "resurrection," "judgment," "paradise," and "hell," Gabriel, the Voice of Inspiration,
> was heard saying: "Erelong will they wag their heads at Thee, and say, `When shall this be?' Say:
> `Perchance it is nigh.'"(1) The implications of this verse alone suffice the peoples of the world, were
> they to ponder it in their hearts. ...
> 
> Thou dost witness today how, notwithstanding the radiant splendor of the Sun of divine knowledge,
> all the people, whether high or low, have clung to the ways of those abject manifestations of the
> Prince of Darkness. They continually appeal to them for aid in unraveling the intricacies of their Faith,
> and, owing to lack of knowledge, they make such replies as can in no wise damage their fame and
> fortune. It is evident that these souls, vile and miserable as the beetle itself, have had no portion of the
> musk-laden breeze of eternity, and have never entered the Ridván of heavenly delight. How, therefore,
> can they impart unto others the imperishable fragrance of holiness? Such is their way, and such will it
> remain forever. Only those will attain to the knowledge of the Word of God that have turned unto Him,
> and repudiated the manifestations of Satan. Thus God hath reaffirmed the law of the day of His
> Revelation, and inscribed it with the pen of power upon the mystic Tablet hidden beneath the veil of
> celestial glory. Wert thou to heed these words, wert thou to ponder their outward and inner meaning
> in thy heart, thou wouldst seize the significance of all the abstruse problems which, in this day, have
> become insuperable barriers between men and the knowledge of the Day of Judgment. Then wilt thou
> have no more questions to perplex thee. We fain would hope that, God willing, thou wilt not return,
> deprived and still athirst, from the shores of the ocean of divine mercy, nor come back destitute from
> the imperishable Sanctuary of thy heart’s desire. Let it now be seen what thy search and endeavors will
> achieve. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 114-123) [26 - 28]
> 
> The "Day of Judgement" has diverse meanings. It is the Day of the Manifestation in which all mankind
> is tested by their recognition, denial or indifference to Him. It is the time when men judge themselves
> whether they are responsive or indifferent to His call and to the heavenly teachings from whatever
> source they come.
> 
> "The abject beetle can never scent the fragrance of holiness" IQAN pg 117
> 
> "That the foulest beetle hath sought the perfume of the musk" IQAN pg 60
> 
> The beetle is supposed to have no olfactory organs, just as the bat is almost blind in daylight. Yet so
> powerful are these 'sweet savors of God' that 'the beetle hath sought the perfume of the musk and the
> bat the light of the sun'.
> 
> READING #4 IQAN pg. 22-24
> 
> This wronged One will cite but one of these instances, thus conferring upon mankind, for the sake of
> God, such bounties as are yet concealed within the treasury of the hidden and sacred Tree, that haply
> mortal men may not remain deprived of their share of the immortal fruit, and attain to a dewdrop of
> the waters of everlasting life which, from Baghdad, the "Abode of Peace," are being vouchsafed unto all
> mankind. We ask for neither meed nor reward. "We nourish your souls for the sake of God; we seek
> from you neither recompense nor thanks."(1) This is the food that conferreth everlasting life upon the
> pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which it is said: "Lord, send down upon
> us Thy bread from heaven."(1) This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it
> ever be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at all seasons from the
> heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: "Seest thou not to what God likeneth a good word? To
> a good tree; its root firmly fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all
> seasons."(2)
> 
> O the pity! that man should deprive himself of this goodly gift, this imperishable bounty, this
> everlasting life. It behooveth him to prize this food that cometh from heaven, that perchance, through
> the wondrous favours of the Sun of Truth, the dead may be brought to life, and withered souls be
> quickened by the infinite Spirit. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 22-23)
> 
> READING #5 Gl pg 195
> 
> That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God
> Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it
> material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread
> which cometh down from Heaven. It is God's supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth,
> the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most
> loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift
> of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day. (Gleanings, page 195)
> 
> The transformation from the lower to a higher form of life, which is so great that the former by
> comparison is like death is symbolized by the term 'resurrection'. The contrast between the two is
> symbolized by the term 'hell and heaven'. The choice which man makes is symbolized by he 'Day of
> judgment'. The path, the 'sirat' (bridge) is the Religion of God, the Revelation.
> 
> READING #6 Gl pg. 31
> 
> Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed
> His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which
> God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet,
> whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind. (Gleanings, page 31)
> 
> READING #7 Gl pg. 31-32
> 
> This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine of utterance hath imprinted the testimony: "He that was
> hidden from the eyes of men is revealed, girded with sovereignty and power!" This is the Paradise, the
> rustling of whose leaves proclaims: "O ye that inhabit the heavens and the earth! There hath appeared
> what hath never previously appeared. He Who, from everlasting, had concealed His Face from the
> sight of creation is now come." From the whispering breeze that wafteth amidst its branches there
> cometh the cry: "He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is made manifest. The Kingdom is God's," while
> from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur: "All eyes are gladdened, for He Whom none hath
> beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered, hath lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the
> countenance of Beauty."
> 
> Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried out
> and shouted: "Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient of
> Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious, the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the
> heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the cup of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your
> 
> fill. Drink with healthy relish, O ye that are the very incarnations of longing, ye who are the
> embodiments of vehement desire!"
> 
> This is the Day whereon He Who is the Revealer of the names of God hath stepped out of the
> Tabernacle of glory, and proclaimed unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth: "Put
> away the cups of Paradise and all the life-giving waters they contain, for lo, the people of Baha have
> entered the blissful abode of the Divine Presence, and quaffed the wine of reunion, from the chalice of
> the beauty of their Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High." (Gleanings, pages 31-32)
> 
> READING #8 Gl pg. 45-46
> 
> Say: Is there any doubt concerning God? Behold how He hath come down from the heaven of His
> grace, girded with power and invested with sovereignty. Is there any doubt concerning His signs?
> Open ye your eyes, and consider His clear evidence. Paradise is on your right hand, and hath been
> brought nigh unto you, while Hell hath been made to blaze. Witness its devouring flame. Haste ye to
> enter into Paradise, as a token of Our mercy unto you, and drink ye from the hands of the All- Merciful
> the Wine that is life indeed.
> 
> Drink with healthy relish, O people of Bahá. Ye are indeed they with whom it shall be well. This is what
> they who have near access to God have attained. This is the flowing water ye were promised in the
> Qur’án, and later in the Bayán, as a recompense from your Lord, the God of Mercy. Blessed
> 
> are they that quaff it. O My servant that hath turned thy face towards Me! Render thanks unto God for
> having sent down unto thee this Tablet in this Prison, that thou mayest remind the people of the days
> of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing. Thus have We established for thee, through the waters
> of Our wisdom and utterance, the foundations of thy belief. This, verily, is the water whereon the
> Throne of thy Lord hath been raised. “His Throne had stood upon the waters.” Ponder this in thine
> heart, that thou mayest comprehend its meaning. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.
> 
> READING #9 Gl pg. 144-145 [#76 LXXVI]
> Give ear, O My servant, unto that which is being sent down unto thee from the Throne of thy Lord, the
> Inaccessible, the Most Great. There is none other God but Him. He hath called into being His
> creatures, that they may know Him, Who is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful. Unto the cities of all
> nations He hath sent His Messengers, Whom He hath commissioned to announce unto men tidings of
> the Paradise of His good pleasure, and to draw them nigh unto the Haven of abiding security, the Seat
> of eternal holiness and transcendent glory.
> 
> Some were guided by the Light of God, gained admittance into the court of His presence, and quaffed,
> from the hand of resignation, the waters of everlasting life, and were accounted of them that have truly
> recognized and believed in Him. Others rebelled against Him, and rejected the signs of God, the Most
> Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
> 
> READING #10 SAQ pg. 259-261 [#60 p 80]
> 
> The ultimate rewards, which consist in life everlasting, have been explicitly recorded in all the
> heavenly Scriptures. They are divine perfections, eternal bounty, and everlasting joy. The ultimate
> rewards are the gifts and perfections that man attains in the spiritual realms after his ascension from
> this world, while the existential rewards are those true and luminous perfections which are attained
> while still abiding in this world, and which are the cause of everlasting life. For the existential rewards
> are the advancement of existence itself and are analogous to the passage of man from the stage of the
> embryo to that of maturity and becoming the embodiment of the verse, [146] “Hallowed be the Lord,
> the most excellent of all creators!” The ultimate rewards consist in spiritual bounties and bestowals,
> such as the manifold gifts of God that are vouchsafed after the ascension of the soul, the attainment of
> the heart’s desire, and reunion with Him in the everlasting realm. Similarly, ultimate retributions and
> punishments consist in being deprived of the special bounties and unfailing bestowals of God and
> sinking to the lowest degrees of existence. And whoso is deprived of these favours, though he continue
> to exist after death, is accounted as dead in the eyes of the people of truth.
> 
> READING #11 PUP pg. 297-299 [#99 p 172-3]
> 
> Man is like unto this lamp, but the effulgences of the Kingdom are like the rays of the lamp. Man is like
> unto the glass, but spiritual splendors are like unto the light within the glass. No matter how
> translucent the glass may be, as long as there is no light within, it remains dark. Likewise, man, no
> matter how much he advances in material accomplishments, will remain like the glass without light if
> he is deprived of the spiritual virtues. Material virtues are like unto a perfect body, but this body is in
> need of the spirit. No matter how handsome and perfect the body may be, if it is deprived of the spirit
> and its animus, it is dead. But when that same body is affiliated with the spirit and expressing life,
> perfection and virtue become realized in it. Deprived of the Holy Spirit and its bounties, man is
> spiritually dead.
> 
> Children, for instance, no matter how good and pure, no matter how healthy their bodies, are,
> nevertheless, considered imperfect because the power of intellect is not fully manifest in them. When
> the intellectual power fully displays its influences and they attain to the age of maturity, they are
> considered as perfect. Likewise, man, no matter how much he may advance in worldly affairs and
> make progress in material civilization, is imperfect unless he is quickened by the bounties of the Holy
> Spirit; for it is evident that until he receives that divine impetus he is ignorant and deprived. For this
> reason Jesus Christ said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
> kingdom of God.” By this Christ meant that unless man is released from the material world, freed from
> the captivity of materialism and receiving a portion of the bounties of the spiritual world, he shall be
> deprived of the bestowals and favors of the Kingdom of God, and the utmost we can say of him is that
> he is a perfect animal. No one can rightly call him a man. In another place He said, “That which is born
> of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The meaning of this is that if man is a
> captive of nature, he is like unto an animal because he is only a body physically born—that is, he
> belongs to the world of matter and remains subject to the law and control of nature. But if he is
> 
> baptized with the Holy Spirit, if he is freed from the bondage of nature, released from animalistic
> tendencies and advanced in the human realm, he is fitted to enter into the divine Kingdom. The world
> of the Kingdom is the realm of divine bestowals and the bounties of God. It is attainment of the highest
> virtues of humanity; it is nearness to God; it is capacity to receive the bounties of the ancient Lord.
> When man advances to this station, he attains the second birth. Before his first or physical birth man
> was in the world of the matrix. He had no knowledge of this world; his eyes could not see; his ears
> could not hear. When he was born from the world of the matrix, he beheld another world. The sun was
> shining with its splendors, the moon radiant in the heavens, the stars twinkling in the expansive
> firmament, the seas surging, trees verdant and green, all kinds of creatures enjoying life here, infinite
> bounties prepared for him. In the world of the matrix none of these things existed. In that world he
> had no knowledge of this vast range of existence; nay, rather, he would have denied the reality of this
> world. But after his birth he began to open his eyes and behold the wonders of this illimitable universe.
> Similarly, as long as man is in the matrix of the human world, as long as he is the captive of nature, he
> is out of touch and without knowledge of the universe of the Kingdom. If he attains rebirth while in the
> world of nature, he will become informed of the divine world. He will observe that another and a
> higher world exists. Wonderful bounties descend; eternal life awaits; everlasting glory surrounds him.
> All the signs of reality and greatness are there. He will see the lights of God. All these experiences will
> be his when he is born out of the world of nature into the divine world. Therefore, for the perfect man
> there are two kinds of birth: the first, physical birth, is from the matrix of the mother; the second, or
> spiritual birth, is from the world of nature. In both he is without knowledge of the new world of
> existence he is entering. Therefore, rebirth means his release from the captivity of nature, freedom
> from attachment to this mortal and material life. This is the second, or spiritual, birth of which Jesus
> Christ spoke in the Gospels.
> 
> The majority of people are captives in the matrix of nature, submerged in the sea of materiality. We
> must pray that they may be reborn, that they may attain insight and spiritual hearing, that they may
> receive the gift of another heart, a new transcendent power, and in the eternal world the unending
> bestowal of divine bounties.
> 
> Today the world of humanity is walking in darkness because it is out of touch with the world of God.
> That is why we do not see the signs of God in the hearts of men. The power of the Holy Spirit has no
> influence. When a divine spiritual illumination becomes manifest in the world of humanity, when
> divine instruction and guidance appear, then enlightenment follows, a new spirit is realized within, a
> new power descends, and a new life is given. It is like the birth from the animal kingdom into the
> kingdom of man. When man acquires these virtues, the oneness of the world of humanity will be
> revealed, the banner of international peace will be upraised, equality between all mankind will be
> realized, and the Orient and Occident will become one. Then will the justice of God become manifest,
> all humanity will appear as the members of one family, and every member of that family will be
> consecrated to cooperation and mutual assistance. The lights of the love of God will shine; eternal
> happiness will be unveiled; everlasting joy and spiritual delight will be attained.
> 
> … announceth Yahya to thee, who shall bear witness unto the Word from God, and a great one and
> chaste."(2) By the term "Word" is meant Jesus, Whose coming Yahya foretold. Moreover, in the
> 
> heavenly Scriptures it is written: "John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and
> saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."(1) By John is meant Yahya.
> 
> Likewise, ere the beauty of Muhammad was unveiled, the signs of the visible heaven were made
> manifest. As to the signs of the invisible heaven, there appeared four men who successively announced
> unto the people the joyful tidings of the rise of that divine Luminary. Ruz-bih, later named Salman,
> was honoured by being in their service. As the end of one of these approached, he would send Ruz-bih
> unto the other, until the fourth who, feeling his death to be nigh, addressed Ruz-bih saying: "O
> Ruz-bih! when thou hast taken up my body and buried it, go to Hijaz for there the Day-star of
> Muhammad will arise. Happy art thou, for thou shalt behold His face!" [REFERENCE NOT FOUND]
> 
> READING #12 IQAN pg. 61- 69 [16]
> 
> And now concerning this wondrous and most exalted Cause. Know thou verily that many an
> astronomer hath announced the appearance of its star in the visible heaven. Likewise, there appeared
> on earth Aḥmad and Káẓim, 51 those twin resplendent lights—may God sanctify their resting-place!
> 
> From all that We have stated it hath become clear and manifest that before the revelation of each of
> the Mirrors reflecting the divine Essence, the signs heralding their advent must needs be revealed in
> the visible heaven as well as in the invisible, wherein is the seat of the sun of knowledge, of the moon of
> wisdom, and of the stars of understanding and utterance. The sign of the invisible heaven must needs
> be revealed in the person of that perfect man who, before each Manifestation appeareth, educateth,
> and prepareth the souls of men for the advent of the divine Luminary, the Light of the unity of God
> amongst men.
> 
> And now, with reference to His words: “And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall
> see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” These words signify
> that in those days men will lament the loss of the Sun of the divine beauty, of the Moon of knowledge,
> and of the Stars of divine wisdom. Thereupon, they will behold the countenance of the promised One,
> the adored Beauty, descending from heaven and riding upon the clouds. By this is meant that the
> divine Beauty will be made manifest from the heaven of the will of God, and will appear in the form of
> the human temple. The term “heaven” denoteth loftiness and exaltation, inasmuch as it is the seat of
> the revelation of those Manifestations of Holiness, the Daysprings of ancient glory. These ancient
> Beings, though delivered from the womb of their mother, have in reality descended from the heaven of
> the will of God. Though they be dwelling on this earth, yet their true habitations are the retreats of
> glory in the realms above. Whilst walking amongst mortals, they soar in the heaven of the divine
> presence. Without feet they tread the path of the spirit, and without wings they rise unto the exalted
> heights of divine unity. With every fleeting breath they cover the immensity of space, and at every
> moment traverse the kingdoms of the visible and the invisible. Upon their thrones is written: “Nothing
> whatsoever keepeth Him from being 52 occupied with any other thing”; and on their seats is inscribed:
> “Verily, His ways differ every day.” They are sent forth through the transcendent power of the Ancient
> of Days, and are raised up by the exalted will of God, the most mighty King. This is what is meant by
> the words: “coming in the clouds of heaven.”
> 
> In the utterances of the divine Luminaries the term “heaven” hath been applied to many and divers
> 
> things; such as the “heaven of Command,” the “heaven of Will,” the “heaven of the divine Purpose,” the
> “heaven of divine Knowledge,” the “heaven of Certitude,” the “heaven of Utterance,” the “heaven of
> Revelation,” the “heaven of Concealment,” and the like. In every instance, He hath given the term
> “heaven” a special meaning, the significance of which is revealed to none save those that have been
> initiated into the divine mysteries, and have drunk from the chalice of immortal life. For example, He
> saith: “The heaven hath sustenance for you, and it containeth that which you are promised”; 53
> whereas it is the earth that yieldeth such sustenance. Likewise, it hath been said: “The names come
> down from heaven”; whereas they proceed out of the mouth of men. Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of
> thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed
> by the all-embracing Word of God made manifest in every Dispensation, and wouldst discover the
> mysteries of divine knowledge. Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment
> those veils of idle learning that are current amongst men, canst thou behold the resplendent morn of
> true knowledge. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 61-69)
> 
> In every instance heaven has a special meaning.
> 
> READING #13 IQAN pg. 69-72
> 
> Know verily that Knowledge is of two kinds: Divine and Satanic. The one welleth out from the fountain
> of divine inspiration; the other is but a reflection of vain and obscure thoughts. The source of the
> former is God Himself; the motive-force of the latter the whisperings of selfish desire. The one is
> guided by the principle: "Fear ye God; God will teach you;"(1) the other is but a confirmation of the
> truth: "Knowledge is the most grievous veil between man and his Creator." The former bringeth forth
> the fruit of patience, of longing desire, of true understanding, and love; whilst the latter can yield
> naught but arrogance, vainglory and conceit. From the sayings of those Masters of holy utterance, Who
> have expounded the meaning of true knowledge, the odour of these dark teachings, which have
> obscured the world, can in no wise be detected. The tree of such teachings can yield no result except
> iniquity and rebellion, and beareth no fruit but hatred and envy. Its fruit is deadly poison; its shadow a
> consuming fire. How well hath it been said: "Cling unto the robe of the Desire of thy heart, and put
> thou away all shame; bid the worldlywise be gone, however great their name."
> The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every
> earthly affection, so that it may discover the hidden meaning of divine inspiration, and become the
> treasury of the mysteries of divine knowledge. Thus hath it been said: "He that treadeth the
> snow-white Path, and followeth in the footsteps of the Crimson Pillar, shall never attain unto his abode
> unless his hands are empty of those worldly things cherished by men." This is the prime requisite of
> whosoever treadeth this path. Ponder thereon, that, with eyes unveiled, thou mayest perceive the truth
> of these words.
> 
> We have digressed from the purpose of Our argument, although whatsoever is mentioned serveth only
> to confirm Our purpose. By God! however great Our desire to be brief, yet We feel We cannot restrain
> Our pen. Notwithstanding all that We have mentioned, how innumerable are the pearls which have
> remained unpierced in the shell of Our heart! How many the huris of inner meaning that are as yet
> concealed within the chambers of divine wisdom! None hath yet approached them; -huris, "whom no
> 
> man nor spirit hath touched before."(1) Notwithstanding all that hath been said, it seemeth as if not
> one letter of Our purpose hath been uttered, nor a single sign divulged concerning Our object. When
> will a faithful seeker be found who will don the garb of pilgrimage, attain the Ka'bih of the heart's
> desire, and, without ear or tongue, discover the mysteries of divine utterance?
> 
> By these luminous, these conclusive, and lucid statements, the meaning of "heaven" in the
> aforementioned verse hath thus been made clear and evident. And now regarding His words, that the
> Son of man shall "come in the clouds of heaven." By the term "clouds" is meant those things that are
> contrary to the ways and desires of men. Even as He hath revealed in the verse already quoted: "As oft
> as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing
> some of being impostors and slaying others."(2) These "clouds" signify, in one sense, the annulment of
> laws, the abrogation of former Dispensations, the repeal of rituals and customs current amongst men,
> the exalting of the illiterate faithful above the learned opposers of the Faith. In another sense, they
> mean the appearance of that immortal Beauty in the image of mortal man, with such human
> limitations as eating and drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and waking, and
> such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men, and cause them to turn away. All such veils are
> symbolically referred to as "clouds." (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 66-72)
> 
> READING #14 Gl pg 95
> 
> From the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating
> the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the
> education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever
> the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent
> down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. (Gleanings, page 95)
> 
> The Teachings are filled with advices, adjurations, commands regarding the life of holy deeds, clothing
> one's self with the attributes of God, living a life of servitude and usefulness, working at one's trade,
> business, art, yet "walking above the world by the power of the Greatest Name.
> 
> It is this practical living of the higher life right in the middle of material distractions and temptations
> which alone proves our resurrection. "By this we know that we have passed from death to life, because
> we love the brethren." -John 3:14
> 
> Great emphasis is laid upon deeds in the teachings, for thus alone is it possible to prove where our
> interests, our true life lies. If we are "the people of insight, of hearing and of heart" we must act like it.
> Ábdu'l-Bahá says it is easy to enter the kingdom of God but very difficult to stay there. This is another
> significance of the Day of Judgement. Every day our sincerity is tested by our deeds. Just as this Day is
> the "DAY of God" and all past "Days" the days of His prophets, so is the station of man in this Day
> higher and more demanding in any former Day.
> 
> The quality of deeds is indicated in innumerable places in the revealed Words for this Day. And by our
> deeds alone may it be demonstrated whether we are dead or alive; in heaven or hell; and have attained
> to the resurrection or not.
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 42-43 XXXIII
> 
> Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art He Who by a word of His mouth hath revolutionized the
> entire creation, and by a stroke of His pen hath divided Thy servants one from another. I bear witness,
> O my God, that through a word spoken by Thee in this Revelation all created things were made to
> expire, and through yet another word all such as Thou didst wish were, by Thy grace and bounty,
> endued with new life.
> 
> I render Thee thanks, therefore, and extol Thee, in the name of all them that are dear to Thee, for that
> Thou hast caused them to be born again, by reason of the living waters which have flowed down out of
> the mouth of Thy will. Since Thou didst quicken them by Thy bounteousness, O my God, make them
> steadfastly inclined, through Thy graciousness, towards Thy will; and since Thou didst suffer them to
> enter into the Tabernacle of Thy Cause, grant by Thy grace that they may not be kept back from Thee.
> 
> Unlock, then, to their hearts, O my God, the portals of Thy knowledge, that they may recognize Thee as
> One Who is far above the reach and ken of the understanding of Thy creatures, and immeasurably
> exalted above the strivings of Thy people to hint at Thy nature, and may not follow every clamorous
> impostor that presumeth to speak in Thy name. Enable them, moreover, O my Lord, to cleave so
> tenaciously to Thy Cause that they may remain unmoved by the perplexing suggestions of them who,
> prompted by their desires, utter what hath been forbidden unto them in Thy Tablets and Thy
> Scriptures.
> 
> Thou art well aware, O my Lord, that I hear the howling of the wolves which appear in Thy servants'
> clothing. Keep safe, therefore, Thy loved ones from their mischief, and enable them to cling steadfastly
> to whatsoever hath been manifested by Thee in this Revelation, which no other Revelation within Thy
> knowledge hath excelled.
> 
> Do Thou destine for them, O my Lord, that which will profit them. Illumine, then, their eyes with the
> light of Thy knowledge, that they may see Thee visibly supreme over all things, and resplendent amidst
> Thy creatures, and victorious over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth. Powerful art
> Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there but Thee, the All- Glorious, Whose help is implored by all
> men.
> Praised be Thou, Who art the Lord of all creation. (Prayers and Meditations, pages 42-43)
> 
> The Gift of the Holy Spirit
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson VII
> 
> "Unless the soul of man is quickened by the breaths of the Holy Spirit... all his powers, efforts and
> accomplishments are in vain. - Star of the West - vol. iv - pg. 210
> 
> Prayer - To be selected by the students.
> 
> 1 HW A#34
> 
> 2 HW A#59
> 
> 3 HW A#63
> 
> 4 HW P#8
> 
> 5 Gl pg. 66 Unto this subtle... substance of God Himself.
> 
> 6 BWF pg. 370 The intermediary.
> 
> 7 BWF pg. 369 Inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
> 
> 8 BWF pg. 258-259 Another unity... acme of good fortune.
> 
> 9 FWU pg. 51 Yet there is a third reality ...shall have no end.
> 
> 10 BWF pg. 368-369 Turn to the Holy spirit.
> 
> 11 PUP pg. 67 Let us now discover ...his intelligence and spirit. (70)
> 
> 12 PUP pg. 326-327 In this second birth...life everlasting. (332-333)
> 
> 13 PUP pg. 314-315 In the world of existence...presence of the Holy Spirit. (320-321)
> 
> 14 PUP pg. 271 The point is this... powers more than human. (277)
> 
> Prayer - To be selected by the students.
> 
> PRAYER
> 
> Unless the soul of man is quickened by the Breaths of the Holy Spirit and becomes vivified by the Life
> of the Supreme Kingdom, all his powers, efforts and accomplishments are in vain... I am summoning
> you to the world of the kingdom... I wish for you Eternal happiness. I am praying to save mankind
> from the bondage of this mortal world. I wish you to escape from this hell of materialism. Be not
> occupied with material things. Have no anxiety about your affairs. You are under the protection of
> Bahá'u'lláh, in His service. Live in the spiritual world as I do. Think of nothing else.
> 
> I wish you to live in the world of the spirit...to see the Divine Reality in everything, to behold the
> 
> illumination of the world of the kingdom beyond and within the gloomy mask of this mortal existence.
> For the world of the kingdom is a world of Lights, a world of happiness, a world of accomplishment,
> the real and eternal world. Ábdu'l-Bahá - star of the west vol.4 pg 210
> 
> READING #1 HW A#34
> 
> O SON OF SPIRIT!
> 
> The spirit of holiness beareth unto thee the joyful tidings of reunion; wherefore dost thou grieve? The
> spirit of power confirmeth thee in His cause; why dost thou veil thyself ? The light of His countenance
> doth lead thee; how canst thou go astray?
> 
> READING #2 HW A#59
> 
> O SON OF BEING!
> 
> Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My
> manifestation.
> 
> READING #3 HW A#63
> 
> O SON OF MAN!
> 
> The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment
> hath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter
> into My court, that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet Me Thus may death not
> come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble.
> 
> READING #4 HW P#8
> O SON OF GLORY!
> 
> Be swift in the path of holiness, and enter the heaven of communion with Me. Cleanse thy heart with
> the burnish of the spirit, and hasten to the court of the Most High.
> 
> READING #5 Gl pg 66
> 
> ...Unto this subtle, this mysterious and ethereal Being He hath assigned a twofold nature; the physical,
> pertaining to the world of matter, and the spiritual, which is born of the substance of God Himself.
> (Gleanings, page 66)
> 
> READING #6 BWF pg 370
> 
> THE INTERMEDIARY
> 
> Unless the Holy Spirit become intermediary, one cannot attain directly to the bounties of God. Do not
> overlook the obvious truths, for it is a self-evident fact that a child cannot be instructed without a
> teacher, and knowledge is a bounty from the bounties of God. The soil is not covered with grass and
> green without the rain of the cloud; therefore the cloud is the intermediary between the divine
> bounties and the soil. A body doth not develop and grow without the soul; therefore the soul is the
> medium of the spiritual life. (Bahá'í World Faith*, page 370)
> 
> The symbol of the Sun of Reality is the phenomenal sun. The symbol of the cold heart quickened by the
> heat and light of the sun is the phenomenal material world - the soil. The symbol of the Holy Spirit
> which is the medium between the sun of Reality and the cold, animalistic heart of man, the life- giving
> energy, are the rays of the sun. These rays of the sun of Reality are diffused, universal, constant. To
> them is due all that is of value in man, all that distinguishes him from the animal, the world of nature,
> the world of beastly qualities, whether in the realm of the intellect, business, statesmanship, morals or
> religion.
> 
> These Manifestations of God gather these rays and focus them upon the hearts of men (like a burning
> glass) and receptive hearts burst into flame of the Love of God. Unless this happens "all man's power,
> efforts and accomplishments are in vain" because his powers have no spiritual dynamic, his efforts are
> not wisely directed, have no unifying objective and his accomplishments, owing to this lack, are
> uncoordinated, limited to selfish ends and are hence futile and often disastrous.
> 
> READING #7 BWF pg 369
> 
> INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
> 
> I now assure thee, O servant of God, that, if thy mind become empty and pure from every mention and
> thought and thy heart attracted wholly to the Kingdom of God, forget all else besides God and come in
> communion with the Spirit of God, then the Holy Spirit will assist thee with a power which will enable
> thee to penetrate all things, and a Dazzling Spark which enlightens all sides, a Brilliant Flame in the
> zenith of the heavens, will teach thee that which thou dost not know of the facts of the universe and of
> the divine doctrine. Verily, I say unto thee, every soul which ariseth today to guide others to the path of
> safety and infuse in them the Spirit of Life, the Holy Spirit will inspire that soul with evidences, proofs
> and facts and the lights will shine upon it from the Kingdom of God. Do not forget what I have
> conveyed unto thee from the breath of the Spirit. Verily, it is the shining morning and the rosy dawn
> which will impart unto thee the lights, reveal the mysteries and make thee competent in science, and
> through it the pictures of the Supreme World will be printed in thy heart and the facts of the secrets of
> the Kingdom of God will shine before thee. (Bahá'í World Faith*, page 369)
> 
> The evidence of the holy spirit is in the effect upon man's spirit.
> 
> READING #8 BWF pg 258-259
> 
> Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater
> than the unity of mankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to the body, whereas unity from
> the breaths of the Holy Spirit is the spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It creates such a
> condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices for the other, and the utmost desire will be to
> forfeit life and all that pertains to it in behalf of another's good. This is the unity which existed among
> the disciples of Jesus Christ and bound together the Prophets and holy Souls of the past. It is the unity
> which through the influence of the divine spirit is permeating the Bahá'ís so that each offers his life for
> the other and strives with all sincerity to attain his good pleasure. This is the unity which caused
> twenty thousand people in Persia to give their lives in love and devotion to it. It made the Bab the
> target of a thousand arrows and caused Bahá'u'lláh to suffer exile and imprisonment forty years. This
> unity is the very spirit of the body of the world. It is impossible for the body of the world to become
> quickened with life without its vivification. Jesus Christ -may my life be a sacrifice to Him! -
> promulgated this unity among mankind. Every soul who believed in Jesus Christ became revivified
> and resuscitated through this spirit, attained to the zenith of eternal glory, realized the everlasting life,
> experienced the second birth and rose to the acme of good fortune. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*,
> pages 191-192)
> 
> The world of humanity is the body; the Holy Spirit is the animating power of the body. This is
> important. Bahá'u'lláh and all the Manifestations of God in every age teach that the spirit of man may
> be brought under the domination of the Spirit of God focused in His Manifestation. Never before has
> this been so clearly stated and explained as by Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> READING #9 -FWU pg 51
> 
> Yet there is a third reality in man, the spiritual reality. Through its medium one discovers spiritual
> revelations, a celestial faculty which is infinite as regards the intellectual as well as physical realms.
> That power is conferred upon man through the breath of the Holy Spirit. It is an eternal reality, an
> indestructible reality, a reality belonging to the divine, supernatural kingdom; a reality whereby the
> world is illumined, a reality which grants unto man eternal life. This third, spiritual reality it is which
> discovers past events and looks along the vistas of the future. It is the ray of the Sun of Reality. The
> spiritual world is enlightened through it, the whole of the Kingdom is being illumined by it. It enjoys
> the world of beatitude, a world which had not beginning and which shall have no end. (Foundations of
> World Unity*, page 51)
> 
> The spiritual reality of man is acquired through breaths of the Holy Spirit. The path of this attainment
> is the sacrifice of the lower self to the self of God. It is the Path of Detachment from the desires of this
> world and submission to the bondage of the desire of God as expressed in the command of His
> Manifestation. Otherwise we are trying to serve two masters which, Jesus pointed out, is impossible:
> "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
> 
> This dependence of the Gift of the Holy Spirit upon severance and self-sacrifice is insisted upon
> constantly throughout the Creative Word. Moreover, it is fully explained why it should be so. One
> might as well reasonably expect the child, still captive in the matrix, to discover and enter the world of
> 
> man, as to think it possible for man still captive to human standard concepts and desire to be able to
> enter and enjoy the world of spiritual Reality. "They who worship God must worship Him in spirit,"
> said Jesus. That is to say, if you want to know how to worship God you must enter His world, go where
> He is, and "God is Spirit."
> 
> The graphic and practical realization of this as a spiritual law is all important if one would receive the
> Gift and live in the World.
> 
> READING #10 BWF pg 368-369
> 
> TURN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
> 
> Know thou, that letter sent to thee by me, was only because of my perfect love for thee and my pity
> upon thee, for I had the desire that the fragrance of the Holy Spirit, which hath perfumed all regions
> and imbued the entire body of the world with the Spirit of Life, should pass over thee and abide with
> thee. Notwithstanding the high position it occupieth, still, with an eloquent tongue, through which the
> Spirit moveth, hearts are attracted and bosoms burn, it speaketh to the pure hearts and to the good
> and righteous souls in every spot of the earth. This is the powerful Spirit, the dazzling light, the
> brilliant star and the overwhelming and universal abundance. And, from its traces, spread and
> divulged everywhere, thou wilt know and realize its influence and comprehend its radiance. I ask God
> to expose thee to its fragrance, move thee by its breeze, enkindle thee by its coals of fire and illuminate
> thee by its brightness. Turn thyself wholly to it - thus thou shalt be enabled to ascertain its influence
> and power, the strength of its life and the greatness of its confirmation. Verily, I say unto thee, that if
> for the appearance of that Divine Essence thou desirest to have a definite proof, an indisputable
> testimony and a strong, convincing evidence, thou must prepare thyself to make thy heart empty and
> thine eye ready to look only toward the Kingdom of God. Then, at that time, the radiance of that
> widespread effulgence will descend upon thee successively, and that motion rendered thee by the Holy
> Spirit will make thee dispense with any other strong evidence that leadeth to the appearance of this
> Light, because the greatest and strongest proof for showing the abundance of the Spirit to the bodies is
> the very appearance of its power and influence in those bodies. (Bahá'í World Faith*, pages 368-369)
> Ábdu'l-Bahá said: "You must live in the spiritual world constantly, as I do. We are living in the same
> kind of world that He did. It follows that we have no anxiety about our material affairs.
> 
> Severance is the cutting of the umbilical cord which attaches the soul (mind, conciseness, will) to
> limited and ephemeral things and affairs, and sets that conciseness and will free, in an infinitely larger,
> more beautiful and effective world. This is the Glorious liberty of the children of God of which the
> prophets spoke.
> 
> It is impossible to quote exhaustively and enlarge upon this theme as it deserves. A careful study of the
> Creative Word makes clear and justifies the said deductions. A clear understanding of this is necessary
> if that world is to be attained. Progress in that world is then assured. There must be no question as to
> the difficulty of adjusting these commands and advices to the needs of every-day life. We must be able
> to answer satisfactorily the natural questions that arise in minds still attached. It is always the mind
> that is attached. That is why understanding is the first essential. It is impossible to assume for one
> 
> moment that God (His Manifestation) should urge, entreat and command us to live in the world in
> which He has placed us. It is precisely because we have refused that glorious world of His that we have
> made such a shamble, such a tragic failure of this world.
> 
> READING #11 PUP pg 67
> 
> Let us now discover more specifically how he is the image and likeness of God and what is the standard
> or criterion by which he can be measured and estimated. This standard can be no other than the divine
> virtues which are revealed in him. Therefore, every man imbued with divine qualities, who reflects
> heavenly moralities and perfections, who is the expression of ideal and praiseworthy attributes, is,
> verily, in the image and likeness of God. If a man possesses wealth, can we call him an image and
> likeness of God? Or is human honor and notoriety the criterion of divine nearness? Can we apply the
> test of racial color and say that man of a certain hue - white, black, brown, yellow, red - is the true
> image of his Creator? We must conclude that color is not the standard and estimate of judgment and
> that it is of no importance, for color is accidental in nature. The spirit and intelligence of man is
> essential, and that is the manifestation of divine virtues, the merciful bestowals of God, the eternal life
> and baptism through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, be it known that color or race is of no importance. He
> who is the image and likeness of God, who is the manifestation of the bestowals of God, is acceptable at
> the threshold of God -whether his color be white, black or brown; it matters not. Man is not man
> simply because of bodily attributes. The standard of divine measure and judgment is his intelligence
> and spirit.
> 
> Therefore, let this be the only criterion and estimate, for this is the image and likeness of God. A man's
> heart may be pure and white though his outer skin be black; or his heart be dark and sinful though his
> racial color is white. The character and purity of the heart is of all importance. The heart illumined by
> the light of God is nearest and dearest to God, and inasmuch as God has endowed man with such favor
> that he is called the image of God, this is truly a supreme perfection of attainment, a divine station
> which is not to be sacrificed by the mere accident of color. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 70)
> 
> Baptism of the spirit is essential to the intelligence of man.
> 
> READING #12 PUP pg 326-327
> 
> ...In this second birth he attains the world of the Kingdom. There he witnesses and realizes that the
> world of nature is a world of gloom, whereas the Kingdom is a world of radiance; the world of nature is
> a world of defects, the Kingdom is a realm of perfection; the world of nature is a world without
> enlightenment, the Kingdom of spiritual humanity is a heaven of illumination. Great discoveries and
> revelations are now possible for him; he has attained the reality of perception; his circle of
> understanding is illimitably widened; he views the realities of creation, comprehends the divine
> bounties and unseals the mystery of phenomena. This is the station which Christ has interpreted as the
> second birth. He says that just as ye were physically born from the mother into this world, ye must be
> born again from the mother world of nature into the life of the divine Kingdom. May you all attain this
> second, spiritual birth. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
> 
> spirit."
> 
> I pray that the confirmation of God may descend upon you. May you all be born again from this mortal
> world into the realm of the Kingdom. May you clearly witness the signs of God, sense the virtues of the
> divine, attain the eternal bounties and perceive the reality of everlasting life. (Promulgation of
> Universal Peace*, pages 332-333)
> 
> Man's circle of understanding is illimitably widened and the mysteries of phenomena are unsealed.
> "He has attained the reality of perception." He becomes "freed from the sea of materialism."
> 
> READING #13 PUP pg 314-315
> 
> In the world of existence there are various bonds which unite human hearts, but not one of these
> bonds is completely effective. The first and foremost is the bond of family relationship, which is not an
> efficient unity, for how often it happens that disagreement and divergence rend asunder this close tie
> of association. The bond of patriotism may be a means of fellowship and agreement, but oneness of
> native land will not completely cement human hearts; for if we review history, we shall find that people
> of the same race and native land have frequently waged war against each other. Often in civil strife
> they have shed the same racial blood and destroyed the possessions of their own native kind.
> Therefore, this bond is not sufficient. Another means of seeming unity is the bond of political
> association, where governments and rulers have been allied for reasons of intercourse and mutual
> protection, but which agreement and union afterward became subject to change and violent hatred
> even to the extreme of war and bloodshed. It is evident that political oneness is not permanently
> effective.
> 
> The source of perfect unity and love in the world of existence is the bond and oneness of reality. When
> the divine and fundamental reality enters human hearts and lives, it conserves and protects all states
> and conditions of mankind, establishing that intrinsic oneness of the world of humanity which can
> only come into being through the efficacy of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is like unto the life in
> the human body, which blends all differences of parts and members in unity and agreement. Consider
> how numerous are these parts and members, but the oneness of the animating spirit of life unites
> them all in perfect combination. It establishes such a unity in the bodily organism that if any part is
> subjected to injury or becomes diseased, all the other parts and functions sympathetically respond and
> suffer, owing to the perfect oneness existing. Just as the human spirit of life is the cause of
> coordination among the various parts of the human organism, the Holy Spirit is the controlling cause
> of the unity and coordination of mankind. That is to say, the bond or oneness of humanity cannot be
> effectively established save through the power of the Holy Spirit, for the world of humanity is a
> composite body, and the Holy Spirit is the animating principle of its life.
> 
> Therefore, we must strive in order that the power of the Holy Spirit may become effective throughout
> the world of mankind, that it may confer a new quickening life upon the body politic of the nations and
> peoples and that all may be guided to the protection and shelter of the Word of God. Then this human
> world will become angelic, earthly darkness pass away and celestial illumination flood the horizons,
> human defects be effaced and divine virtues become resplendent. This is possible and real, but only
> through the power of the Holy Spirit. Today the greatest need of the world is the animating, unifying
> 
> presence of the Holy Spirit. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 320-321)
> 
> Through the Holy Spirit "Divine fellowship and world unity are attained." The Holy Spirit is the only
> power able to unite humanity.
> 
> READING #14 PUP pg 271
> 
> The point is this: that to gain control over physical bodies is an extremely easy matter, but to bring
> spirits within the bonds of serenity is a most arduous undertaking. This is not the work of everybody.
> It necessitates a divine and holy potency, the potency of inspiration, the power of the Holy Spirit. For
> example, Christ was capable of leading spirits into that abode of serenity. He was capable of guiding
> hearts into that haven of rest. From the day of His manifestation to the present time He has been
> resuscitating hearts and quickening spirits. He has exercised that vivifying influence in the realm of
> hearts and spirits; therefore, His resuscitating is everlasting.
> 
> In this century of the latter times Bahá'u'lláh has appeared and so resuscitated spirits that they have
> manifested powers more than human. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 277)
> 
> That spirit brings us under the bonds of serenity.
> 
> SUMMARY
> 
> By the attainment of the station of severance and self- sacrifice, and entering through this gate into the
> world of the kingdom, the world of the spirit of Holiness, this world into which God has ushered us
> becomes for the first time understandable, correlated, meaningful. Self-sacrifice is found to be a
> treasure. Detachment is discovered to be the path to undreamed of freedom. Loss of anxiety about our
> material affairs has proven to be the touchstone which makes those same affairs far less complicated
> and difficult.
> 
> The Kingdom of God on Earth
> __________________________↩__________________________
> Lesson VIII
> 
> 1 - Gl. pg. 32 This is the Day...the Most High.
> 
> 2 - HW P#18
> 
> 3 - Gl. pg. 31-32 Say: This is...vehement desire!
> 
> 4 - HW A#68
> 
> 5 - PUP pg. 186-187 The unity which is productive ...acme of good fortune (191-192) .
> 
> 6 - WOB pg. 18-22 It behooves us...considerably abated.
> 7 - WOB pg. 64-67 Let them refrain...His blessed Name.
> 
> 8 - Gl. pg. 15 Render thanks...He shed His tears.
> 
> 9 - BA pg. 58-59 We have but to turn ...enduring achievement.
> 
> 10 - WOB - pg. 16-17 I feel it...heaped upon it!
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> In our previous lessons we found that the world of phenomena the contingent world, conceals spiritual
> mysteries, the investigation of which, through the capacity of man to understand the divine teachings,
> leads him to the Heaven of significances. Entrance into this Heaven of Understanding transforms life
> because in that world man deals with all things and events on the plane of spirit, the plane of the
> supreme Concourse, the plane of the Manifestation of God. He is taught and encouraged by the higher
> intelligence of the Supreme World, by the example and Words of the Manifestation of God, and by the
> Power of this Word he tests all things and experiences his spiritual standard. Thus he is raised from
> the "death" of bondage to the world of illusion, the transitory, evanescent world, and comes under the
> bondage of the Holy Spirit, the Cosmic, guiding spirit of the Universe of Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> READING #1 Gl pg. 32
> 
> This is the Day whereon He Who is the Revealer of the names of God hath stepped out of the
> Tabernacle of glory, and proclaimed unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth: "Put
> away the cups of Paradise and all the life-giving waters they contain, for lo, the people of Baha have
> entered the blissful abode of the Divine Presence, and quaffed the wine of reunion, from the chalice of
> the beauty of their Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High." (Gleanings, page 32)
> 
> This transition has become possible only because of the Divine Springtime has come; the revivifying
> spirit, focused in the Manifestation of God, has brought to man's spirit a life-giving power which
> transforms both the outer, phenomenal world, and the inner, dynamic, creative world of man.
> 
> READING #2 HW P#18
> 
> O YE DWELLERS IN THE HIGHEST PARADISE!
> 
> Proclaim unto the children of assurance that within the realms of holiness, nigh unto the celestial
> paradise, a new garden hath appeared, round which circle the denizens of the realm on high and the
> immortal dwellers of the exalted paradise. Strive, then, that ye may attain that station, that ye may
> unravel the mysteries of love from its wind-flowers and learn the secret of divine and consummate
> wisdom from its eternal fruits. Solaced are the eyes of them that enter and abide therein! (Persian
> Hidden Words, page 18)
> 
> This is the "new heaven and the new earth" spoken of by all the prophets. The heaven of past religions
> are rolled together like a scroll and an entirely new outlook spread before the understanding spirit of
> man.
> 
> READING #3 Gl pg.. 31-32
> 
> Say: This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine of utterance hath imprinted the testimony: "He that
> was hidden from the eyes of men is revealed, girded with sovereignty and power!" This is the Paradise,
> the rustling of whose leaves proclaims: "O ye that inhabit the heavens and the earth! There hath
> appeared what hath never previously appeared. He Who, from everlasting, had concealed His Face
> from the sight of creation is now come." From the whispering breeze that wafteth amidst its branches
> there cometh the cry: "He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is made manifest. The Kingdom is God's,"
> while from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur: "All eyes are gladdened, for He Whom none
> hath beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered, hath lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the
> countenance of Beauty."
> Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried out
> and shouted: "Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient of
> Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious, the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the
> heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the cup of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your
> fill. Drink with healthy relish, O ye that are the very incarnations of longing, ye who are the
> embodiments of vehement desire!" (Gleanings, pages 31-32)
> 
> This "New Earth" is the kingdom of God which we were commanded by His Holiness Christ to watch
> for and pray for constantly. The father has come with His Most Mighty Power among the nations. He
> for whose coming we have been praying for 1900 years has appeared in a human Temple with Power
> and Dominion, His Holy angels with Him, and has set up His kingdom on earth The constitution of
> this kingdom is non other than that governing the Supreme Concourse. It is the eternal law of God
> ruling in the higher worlds- all the progressive heavens of spiritual realm. This is what Jesus referred
> 
> to when He taught us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven."
> 
> The kingdom of God on earth is exactly what its name implies. It is a government, a kingdom, the laws
> of which are the codified commands of the Manifestation of God revealed by the vast literature of the
> Word, ad interpreted by the twin institutions of the Guardianship and International House of Justice.
> 
> These laws of the kingdom should be carefully studied. Although the Aqdas is not yet available in
> English, yet the Tablets Ishrakat, Paradise of the world, Tarazat, Glad Tidings and Tajallleyat, as well
> as the two Wills are at hand A working knowledge of their contents is most important if one wishes to
> get a clear picture of what the kingdom in its outer manifestation is like.
> 
> READING #4 HW A#68
> 
> O CHILDREN OF MEN!
> 
> Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the
> other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one
> same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the
> same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the
> signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O
> concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of
> wondrous glory. (Arabic Hidden Words, page 68)
> 
> The working efficiency of the government of the kingdom is carried on through the believers. Its
> citizens are "Those who reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love
> of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most
> exalted beings."
> 
> Through faith in the Manifestation of God ad devoted love for Him they have become so transformed
> as to have entirely put off the old and mortal garment of selfish desires, ignoble aims and narrow
> horizons, and have become clothed with the new and immortal robe of universal love, cosmic vision
> and self-sacrificing decision and dedication to a world encompassing unity and eternal life.
> 
> READING #5 PUP pg. 186-187
> 
> The unity which is productive of unlimited results is first a unity of mankind which recognizes that all
> are sheltered beneath the overshadowing glory of the All-Glorious, that all are servants of one God; for
> all breathe the same atmosphere, live upon the same earth, move beneath the same heavens, receive
> effulgence from the same sun and are under the protection of one God. This is the most great unity,
> and its results are lasting if humanity adheres to it; but mankind has hitherto violated it, adhering to
> sectarian or other limited unities such as racial, patriotic or unity of self-interests; therefore, no great
> results have been forthcoming. Nevertheless, it is certain that the radiance and favors of God are
> encompassing, minds have developed, perceptions have become acute, sciences and arts are
> widespread, and capacity exists for the proclamation and promulgation of the real and ultimate unity
> of mankind, which will bring forth marvellous results. It will reconcile all religions, make warring
> 
> nations loving, cause hostile kings to become friendly and bring peace and happiness to the human
> world. It will cement together the Orient and Occident, remove forever the foundations of war and
> upraise the ensign of the Most Great Peace. These limited unities are, therefore, signs of that great
> unity which will make all the human family one by being productive of the attractions of conscience in
> mankind.
> 
> Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater
> than the unity of mankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to the body, whereas unity from
> the breaths of the Holy Spirit is the spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It creates such a
> condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices for the other, and the utmost desire will be to
> forfeit life and all that pertains to it in behalf of another's good. This is the unity which existed among
> the disciples of Jesus Christ and bound together the Prophets and holy Souls of the past. It is the unity
> which through the influence of the divine spirit is permeating the Bahá'ís so that each offers his life for
> the other and strives with all sincerity to attain his good pleasure. This is the unity which caused
> twenty thousand people in Persia to give their lives in love and devotion to it. It made the Bab the
> target of a thousand arrows and caused Bahá'u'lláh to suffer exile and imprisonment forty years. This
> unity is the very spirit of the body of the world. It is impossible for the body of the world to become
> quickened with life without its vivification. Jesus Christ -may my life be a sacrifice to Him! -
> promulgated this unity among mankind. Every soul who believed in Jesus Christ became revivified
> and resuscitated through this spirit, attained to the zenith of eternal glory, realized the everlasting life,
> experienced the second birth and rose to the acme of good fortune. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*,
> pages 191-192)
> 
> The spirit dominating the government of the least of its citizens to the International House of Justice is
> the Holy spirit - which animates every part and member just as the spirit of the individual unifies and
> animates the human body. The Holy Spirit, then, is the true king of the kingdom of God actually
> functioning as the dominant power in the world of humanity.
> 
> READING #6 WOB pg. 18-22
> 
> It behooves us, dear friends, to endeavor not only to familiarize ourselves with the essential features of
> this supreme Handiwork of Bahá'u'lláh, but also to grasp the fundamental difference existing between
> this world- embracing, divinely-appointed Order and the chief ecclesiastical organizations of the
> world, whether they pertain to the Church of Christ, or to the ordinances of the Muhammadan
> Dispensation.
> 
> For those whose priceless privilege is to guard over, administer the affairs, and advance the interests of
> these Bahá'í institutions will have, sooner or later, to face this searching question: "Where and how
> does this Order established by Bahá'u'lláh, which to outward seeming is but a replica of the institutions
> established in Christianity and Islam, differ from them? Are not the twin institutions of the House of
> Justice and of the Guardianship, the institution of the Hands of the Cause of God, the institution of the
> national and local Assemblies, the institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, but different names for the
> institutions of the Papacy and the Caliphate, with all their attending ecclesiastical orders which the
> Christians and Moslems uphold and advocate? What can possibly be the agency that can safeguard
> 
> these Bahá'í institutions, so strikingly resembling, in some of their features, to those which have been
> reared by the Fathers of the Church and the Apostles of Muhammad, from witnessing the deterioration
> in character, the breach of unity, and the extinction of influence, which have befallen all organized
> religious hierarchies? Why should they not eventually suffer the self-same fate that has overtaken the
> institutions which the successors of Christ and Muhammad have reared?"
> 
> Upon the answer given to these challenging questions will, in a great measure, depend the success of
> the efforts which believers in every land are now exerting for the establishment of God's kingdom upon
> the earth. Few will fail to recognize that the Spirit breathed by Bahá'u'lláh upon the world, and which
> is manifesting itself with varying degrees of intensity through the efforts consciously displayed by His
> avowed supporters and indirectly through certain humanitarian organizations, can never permeate
> and exercise an abiding influence upon mankind unless and until it incarnates itself in a visible Order,
> which would bear His name, wholly identify itself with His principles, and function in conformity with
> His laws. That Bahá'u'lláh in His Book of Aqdas, and later Ábdu'l-Bahá in His Will - a document which
> confirms, supplements, and correlates the provisions of the Aqdas - have set forth in their entirety
> those essential elements for the constitution of the world Bahá'í Commonwealth, no one who has read
> them will deny. According to these divinely-ordained administrative principles, the Dispensation of
> Bahá'u'lláh - the Ark of human salvation -must needs be modeled. From them, all future blessings
> must flow, and upon them its inviolable authority must ultimately rest. For Bahá'u'lláh, we should
> readily recognize, has not only imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not merely
> enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent,
> sound and universal these may be. In addition to these He, as well as Ábdu'l-Bahá after Him, has,
> unlike the Dispensations of the past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of Laws, established
> definite institutions, and provided for the essentials of a Divine Economy. These are destined to be a
> pattern for future society, a supreme instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace, and
> the one agency for the unification of the world, and the proclamation of the reign of righteousness and
> justice upon the earth. Not only have they revealed all the directions required for the practical
> realization of those ideals which the Prophets of God have visualized, and which from time
> immemorial have inflamed the imagination of seers and poets in every age. They have also, in
> unequivocal and emphatic language, appointed those twin institutions of the House of Justice and of
> the Guardianship as their chosen Successors, destined to apply the principles, promulgate the laws,
> protect the institutions, adapt loyally and intelligently the Faith to the requirements of progressive
> society, and consummate the incorruptible inheritance which the Founders of the Faith have
> bequeathed to the world.
> 
> Should we look back upon the past, were we to search out the Gospel and the Qur'an, we will readily
> recognize that neither the Christian nor the Islamic Dispensations can offer a parallel either to the
> system of Divine Economy so thoroughly established by Bahá'u'lláh, or to the safeguards which He has
> provided for its preservation and advancement. Therein, I am profoundly convinced, lies the answer to
> those questions to which I have already referred. None, I feel, will question the fact that the
> fundamental reason why the unity of the Church of Christ was irretrievably shattered, and its influence
> was in the course of time undermined, was that the Edifice which the Fathers of the Church reared
> after the passing of His First Apostle was an Edifice that rested in nowise upon the explicit directions
> of Christ Himself. The authority and features of their administration were wholly inferred, and
> 
> indirectly derived, with more or less justification, from certain vague and fragmentary references
> which they found scattered amongst His utterances as recorded in the Gospel. Not one of the
> sacraments of the Church; not one of the rites and ceremonies which the Christian Fathers have
> elaborately devised and ostentatiously observed; not one of the elements of the severe discipline they
> rigorously imposed upon the primitive Christians; none of these reposed on the direct authority of
> Christ, or emanated from His specific utterances. Not one of these did Christ conceive, none did He
> specifically invest with sufficient authority to either interpret His Word, or to add to what He had not
> specifically enjoined.
> 
> For this reason, in later generations, voices were raised in protest against the self-appointed Authority
> which arrogated to itself privileges and powers which did not emanate from the clear text of the Gospel
> of Jesus Christ, and which constituted a grave departure from the spirit which that Gospel did
> inculcate. They argued with force and justification that the canons promulgated by the Councils of the
> Church were not divinely-appointed laws, but were merely human devices which did not even rest
> upon the actual utterances of Jesus. Their contention centered around the fact that the vague and
> inconclusive words, addressed by Christ to Peter, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
> Church," could never justify the extreme measures, the elaborate ceremonials, the fettering creeds and
> dogmas, with which His successors have gradually burdened and obscured His Faith. Had it been
> possible for the Church Fathers, whose unwarranted authority was thus fiercely assailed from every
> side, to refute the denunciations heaped upon them by quoting specific utterances of Christ regarding
> the future administration of His Church, or the nature of the authority of His Successors, they would
> surely have been capable of quenching the flame of controversy, and preserving the unity of
> Christendom. The Gospel, however, the only repository of the utterances of Christ, afforded no such
> shelter to these harassed leaders of the Church, who found themselves helpless in the face of the
> pitiless onslaught of their enemy, and who eventually had to submit to the forces of schism which
> invaded their ranks.
> 
> In the Muhammadan Revelation, however, although His Faith as compared with that of Christ was, so
> far as the administration of His Dispensation is concerned, more complete and more specific in its
> provisions, yet in the matter of succession, it gave no written, no binding and conclusive instructions
> to those whose mission was to propagate His Cause. For the text of the Qur'an, the ordinances of which
> regarding prayer, fasting, marriage, divorce, inheritance, pilgrimage, and the like, have after the
> revolution of thirteen hundred years remained intact and operative, gives no definite guidance
> regarding the Law of Succession, the source of all the dissensions, the controversies, and schisms
> which have dismembered and discredited Islam.
> 
> Not so with the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Unlike the Dispensation of Christ, unlike the Dispensation of
> Muhammad, unlike all the Dispensations of the past, the apostles of Bahá'u'lláh in every land,
> wherever they labor and toil, have before them in clear, in unequivocal and emphatic language, all the
> laws, the regulations, the principles, the institutions, the guidance, they require for the prosecution
> and consummation of their task. Both in the administrative provisions of the Bahá'í Dispensation, and
> in the matter of succession, as embodied in the twin institutions of the House of Justice and of the
> Guardianship, the followers of Bahá'u'lláh can summon to their aid such irrefutable evidences of
> Divine Guidance that none can resist, that none can belittle or ignore. Therein lies the distinguishing
> feature of the Bahá'í Revelation. Therein lies the strength of the unity of the Faith, of the validity of a
> 
> Revelation that claims not to destroy or belittle previous Revelations, but to connect, unify, and fulfil
> them. This is the reason why Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá have both revealed and even insisted upon
> certain details in connection with the Divine Economy which they have bequeathed to us, their
> followers. This is why such an emphasis has been placed in their Will and Testament upon the powers
> and prerogatives of the ministers of their Faith.
> 
> For nothing short of the explicit directions of their Book, and the surprisingly emphatic language with
> which they have clothed the provisions of their Will, could possibly safeguard the Faith for which they
> have both so gloriously labored all their lives. Nothing short of this could protect it from the heresies
> and calumnies with which denominations, peoples, and governments have endeavored, and will, with
> increasing vigour, endeavor to assail it in future. We should also bear in mind that the distinguishing
> character of the Bahá'í Revelation does not solely consist in the completeness and unquestionable
> validity of the Dispensation which the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá have established. Its
> excellence lies also in the fact that those elements which in past Dispensations have, without the least
> authority from their Founders, been a source of corruption and of incalculable harm to the Faith of
> God, have been strictly excluded by the clear text of Bahá'u'lláh's writings. Those unwarranted
> practices, in connection with the sacrament of baptism, of communion, of confession of sins, of
> asceticism, of priestly domination, of elaborate ceremonials, of holy war and of polygamy, have one
> and all been rigidly suppressed by the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh; whilst the rigidity and rigor of certain
> observances, such as fasting, which are necessary to the devotional life of the individual, have been
> considerably abated. (World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pages 18-22)
> 
> Difference between the Bahá'í Faith and Ecclesiastical Organizations.
> 
> The Holy Spirit is fully revealed in Bahá'u'lláh; active and expressive in the Center of the Covenant,
> Ábdu'l-Bahá, and functions throughout this Day of God, which is not followed by any night, through
> the Guardianship and the International house of Justice; through the National Spiritual Assemblies
> and the Local Spiritual Assemblies and finally through each and every citizen of he Kingdom. This is
> what makes him a citizen. He has drunk from the Cup of Lie (the life of the spirit) passed by the Hand
> of the Divine Cup-bearer. His standards of judgement and action are based on Divine Standards and
> are entirely different and opposed to the standards of those not yet resurrected from the tomb of self.
> The practical application of the principle involved is evident. Just as it is impossible for the adult man
> to adjust his ideas and ideals to the point of view of the unborn child, or to those of a child of five or
> ten years, so it is impossible for the child of the Kingdom to adjust his ideas and ideals to the souls still
> in the dungeon of the matrix of materiality.
> 
> How can those motivated by the Holy Spirit adopt or accept the policies, ideals, motives of those not so
> actuated? Hence the constant and emphatic expressions of Bahá'u'lláh and Ábdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi
> Effendi warning the believers, the citizens of the Kingdom of God, against any close association with
> the policies of the so-called leaders of either religious or political affairs.
> 
> READING #7 WOB pg. 64-67
> 
> Let them refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the political pursuits
> 
> of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of
> parties and factions. In such controversies they should assign no blame, take no side, further no
> design, and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best interests of that world-wide
> Fellowship which it is their aim to guard and foster. Let them beware lest they allow themselves to
> become the tools of unscrupulous politicians, or to be entrapped by the treacherous devices of the
> plotters and the perfidious among their countrymen. Let them so shape their lives and regulate their
> conduct that no charge of secrecy, of fraud, of bribery or of intimidation may, however ill- founded, be
> brought against them. Let them rise above all particularism and partisanship, above the vain disputes,
> the petty calculations, the transient passions that agitate the face, and engage the attention, of a
> changing world. It is their duty to strive to distinguish, as clearly as they possibly can, and if needed
> with the aid of their elected representatives, such posts and functions as are either diplomatic or
> political from those that are purely administrative in character, and which under no circumstances are
> affected by the changes and chances that political activities and party government, in every land, must
> necessarily involve. Let them affirm their unyielding determination to stand, firmly and unreservedly,
> for the way of Bahá'u'lláh, to avoid the entanglements and bickerings inseparable from the pursuits of
> the politician, and to become worthy agencies of that Divine Polity which incarnates God's immutable
> Purpose for all men. It should be made unmistakably clear that such an attitude implies neither the
> slightest indifference to the cause and interests of their own country, nor involves any insubordination
> on their part to the authority of recognized and established governments. Nor does it constitute a
> repudiation of their sacred obligation to promote, in the most effective manner, the best interests of
> their government and people. It indicates the desire cherished by every true and loyal follower of
> Bahá'u'lláh to serve, in an unselfish, unostentatious and patriotic fashion, the highest interests of the
> country to which he belongs, and in a way that would entail no departure from the high standards of
> integrity and truthfulness associated with the teachings of his Faith.
> 
> As the number of the Bahá'í communities in various parts of the world multiplies and their power, as a
> social force, becomes increasingly apparent, they will no doubt find themselves increasingly subjected
> to the pressure which men of authority and influence, in the political domain, will exercise in the hope
> of obtaining the support they require for the advancement of their aims. These communities will,
> moreover, feel a growing need of the good-will and the assistance of their respective governments in
> their efforts to widen the scope, and to consolidate the foundations, of the institutions committed to
> their charge. Let them beware lest, in their eagerness to further the aims of their beloved Cause, they
> should be led unwittingly to bargain with their Faith, to compromise with their essential principles, or
> to sacrifice, in return for any material advantage which their institutions may derive, the integrity of
> their spiritual ideals. Let them proclaim that in whatever country they reside, and however advanced
> their institutions, or profound their desire to enforce the laws, and apply the principles, enunciated by
> Bahá'u'lláh, they will, unhesitatingly, subordinate the operation of such laws and the application of
> such principles to the requirements and legal enactments of their respective governments. Theirs is
> not the purpose, while endeavouring to conduct and perfect the administrative affairs of their Faith, to
> violate, under any circumstances, the provisions of their country's constitution, much less to allow the
> machinery of their administration to supersede the government of their respective countries.
> 
> It should also be borne in mind that the very extension of the activities in which we are engaged, and
> the variety of the communities which labor under divers forms of government, so essentially different
> 
> in their standards, policies, and methods, make it absolutely essential for all those who are the
> declared members of any one of these communities to avoid any action that might, by arousing the
> suspicion or exciting the antagonism of any one government, involve their brethren in fresh
> persecutions or complicate the nature of their task. How else, might I ask, could such a far-flung Faith,
> which transcends political and social boundaries, which includes within its pale so great a variety of
> races and nations, which will have to rely increasingly, as it forges ahead, on the good-will and support
> of the diversified and contending governments of the earth - how else could such a Faith succeed in
> preserving its unity, in safeguarding its interests, and in ensuring the steady and peaceful development
> of its institutions?
> 
> Such an attitude, however, is not dictated by considerations of selfish expediency, but is actuated, first
> and foremost, by the broad principle that the followers of Bahá'u'lláh will, under no circumstances,
> suffer themselves to be involved, whether as individuals or in their collective capacities, in matters that
> would entail the slightest departure from the fundamental verities and ideals of their Faith. Neither
> the charges which the uninformed and the malicious may be led to bring against them, nor the
> allurements of honours and rewards, will ever induce them to surrender their trust or to deviate from
> their path. Let their words proclaim, and their conduct testify, that they who follow Bahá'u'lláh, in
> whatever land they reside, are actuated by no selfish ambition, that they neither thirst for power, nor
> mind any wave of unpopularity, of distrust or criticism, which a strict adherence to their standards
> might provoke.
> 
> Difficult and delicate though be our task, the sustaining power of Bahá'u'lláh and of His Divine
> guidance will assuredly assist us if we follow steadfastly in His way, and strive to uphold the integrity
> of His laws. The light of His redeeming grace, which no earthly power can obscure, will if we persevere,
> illuminate our path, as we steer our course amid the snares and pitfalls of a troubled age, and will
> enable us to discharge our duties in a manner that would redound to the glory and the honor of His
> blessed Name. (World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pages 64-67)
> 
> That this presents a problem which each individual believer must settle for himself admits of no doubt.
> Will it not help in the solution of tins problem if it be borne in mind constantly that, as a citizen of the
> kingdom he is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit which in this Great Day of His Manifestation in
> the temple of Man is actively functioning through the Local and National Assemblies and the
> International house of justice.
> 
> The sincere believers, then, should constantly re-orient themselves to this attitude and conviction. We
> are of the New Kingdom. The kingdoms of this world are rapidly disintegrating. Upon the complete
> unity of the believers, their entire submission to the Divine Plan as enunciated in the Creative Word
> and its activity in spreading the Teachings and so enlarging the borders of the Kingdom, depends its
> rapid growth and successful functioning.
> 
> READING #8 GL pg.. 15
> 
> ..."Render thanks unto thy Lord, O Carmel. The fire of thy separation from Me was fast consuming
> thee, when the ocean of My presence surged before thy face, cheering thine eyes and those of all
> creation, and filling with delight all things visible and invisible. Rejoice, for God hath in this Day
> 
> established upon thee His throne, hath made thee the dawning-place of His signs and the day spring of
> the evidences of His Revelation. Well is it with him that circleth around thee, that proclaimeth the
> revelation of thy glory, and recounteth that which the bounty of the Lord thy God hath showered upon
> thee. Seize thou the Chalice of Immortality in the name of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, and give thanks
> unto Him, inasmuch as He, in token of His mercy unto thee, hath turned thy sorrow into gladness, and
> transmuted thy grief into blissful joy. He, verily, loveth the spot which hath been made the seat of His
> throne, which His footsteps have trodden, which hath been honored by His presence, from which He
> raised His call, and upon which He shed His tears. (Gleanings, pages 15-16)
> 
> READING #9 BA pg. 67-68
> 
> We have but to turn our eyes to the world without to realize the fierceness and the magnitude of the
> forces of darkness that are struggling with the dawning light of the Abha Revelation. Nations, though
> exhausted and disillusioned, have seemingly begun to cherish anew the spirit of revenge, of
> domination, and strife. Peoples, convulsed by economic upheavals, are slowly drifting into two great
> opposing camps with all their menace of social chaos, class hatreds, and world-wide ruin. Races,
> alienated more than ever before, are filled with mistrust, humiliation and fear, and seem to prepare
> themselves for a fresh and fateful encounter. Creeds and religions, caught in this whirlpool of conflict
> and passion, appear to gaze with impotence and despair at this spectacle of increasing turmoil. Such is
> the plight of mankind three years after the passing of Him from Whose lips fell unceasingly the sure
> message of a fast-approaching Divine salvation. Are we by our thoughts, our words, our deeds,
> whether individually or collectively, preparing the way? Are we hastening the advent of the Day He so
> often foretold?
> 
> None can deny that the flame of faith and love which His mighty hand kindled in many hearts has,
> despite our bereavement, continued to burn as brightly and steadily as ever before. Who can question
> that His loved ones, both in the East and the West, notwithstanding the insidious strivings of the
> enemies of the Cause, have displayed a spirit of unshakable loyalty worthy of the highest praise? What
> greater perseverance and fortitude than that which His tried and trusted friends have shown in the
> face of untold calamities, intolerable oppression, and incredible restrictions? Such staunchness of
> faith, such an unsullied love, such magnificent loyalty, such heroic constancy, such noble courage,
> however unprecedented and laudable in themselves, cannot alone lead us to the final and complete
> triumph of such a great Cause. Not until the dynamic love we cherish for Him is sufficiently reflected
> in its power and purity in all our dealings with our fellowmen, however remotely connected and
> humble in origin, can we hope to exalt in the eyes of a self-seeking world the genuineness of the
> all-conquering love of God. Not until we live ourselves the life of a true Bahá'í can we hope to
> demonstrate the creative and transforming potency of the Faith we profess. Nothing but the
> abundance of our actions, nothing but the purity of our lives and the integrity of our character, can in
> the last resort establish our claim that the Bahá'í spirit is in this day the sole agency that can translate a
> long cherished ideal into an enduring achievement. (Unfolding Destiny, pages 33-34)
> 
> Menace of Social Chaos. Characteristics of citizens of the kingdom of God
> 
> READING #10 WOB pg. 16-17
> 
> I feel it, however, incumbent upon me by virtue of the responsibility attached to the Guardianship of
> the Faith, to dwell more fully upon the essential character and the distinguishing features of that world
> order as conceived and proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh. I feel impelled, at the present stage of the evolution
> of the Bahá'í Revelation, to state candidly and without any reservation, whatever I regard may tend to
> insure the preservation of the integrity of the nascent institutions of the Faith. I strongly feel the urge
> to elucidate certain facts, which would at once reveal to every fair-minded observer the unique
> character of that Divine Civilization the foundations of which the unerring hand of Bahá'u'lláh has laid,
> and the essential elements of which the Will and Testament of Ábdu'l-Bahá has disclosed. I consider it
> my duty to warn every beginner in the Faith that the promised glories of the Sovereignty which the
> Bahá'í teachings foreshadow, can be revealed only in the fullness of time, that the implications of the
> Aqdas and the Will of Ábdu'l-Bahá, as the twin repositories of the constituent elements of that
> Sovereignty, are too far-reaching for this generation to grasp and fully appreciate. I cannot refrain
> from appealing to them who stand identified with the Faith to disregard the prevailing notions and the
> fleeting fashions of the day, and to realize as never before that the exploded theories and the tottering
> institutions of present-day civilization must needs appear in sharp contrast with those God-given
> institutions which are destined to arise upon their ruin. I pray that they may realize with all their heart
> and soul the ineffable glory of their calling, the overwhelming responsibility of their mission, and the
> astounding immensity of their task.
> 
> For let every earnest upholder of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh realize that the storms which this struggling
> Faith of God must needs encounter, as the process of the disintegration of society advances, shall be
> fierce than any which it has already experienced. Let him be aware that so soon as the full measure of
> the stupendous claim of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh comes to be recognized by those time-honored and
> powerful strongholds of orthodoxy, whose deliberate aim is to maintain their stranglehold over the
> thoughts and consciences of men, this infant Faith will have to contend with enemies more powerful
> and more insidious than the cruellest torture-mongers and the most fanatical clerics who have afflicted
> it in the past. What foes may not in the course of the convulsions that shall seize a dying civilization be
> brought into existence, who will reinforce the indignities which have already been heaped upon it!
> (World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pages 16-17)
> Distinguishing features of Bahá'í World Order.
> 
> 'How pressing and sacred the responsibility that now weighs upon those who are already acquainted
> with the teachings! How glorious the task of those who are called upon to vindicate their truth and
> demonstrate their practicality to the unbelieving world' WOB pg. 24
> 
> 'Ours is the duty to ponder these things in the heart, to strive to widen our vision, and to deepen our
> comprehension of this Cause, and to arise, resolutely and unreservedly, to play our part, however
> small, in this greatest drama of the world's spiritual history.' WOB pg. 26
> 
> The Meeting with God
> ________________________↩________________________
> Lesson IX
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 72-73
> 
> 1 IQAN pg. 99-100 The door of the knowledge...He is I, myself.
> 
> 2 IQAN pg. 98 To every discerning...the world of the visible.
> 
> 3 IQAN pg. 142-143 These Prophets...His all embracing Revelation.
> 
> 4 GL pg. 49-50 As a token of His mercy...hath disbelieved in God.
> 
> 5 IQAN pg. 177-178 Through their appearance ...of the divine being.
> 
> 6 GL pg. 70 The Person of the Manifestation...indivisible and peerless.
> 
> 7 GL pg. 167 The essence of belief...steadfast in their belief.
> 
> 8 GL pg. 165-166 Wert thou to ponder... limited the conception of God.
> 
> 9 HW P#22 Compare with GL pg. 64.
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 32-33 XXVIII
> 
> PRAYER - P&M pg. 72-73
> 
> Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou hearest Thine ardent lovers lamenting in their separation from
> Thee, and such as have recognized Thee wailing because of their remoteness from Thy presence. Open
> Thou outwardly to their faces, O my Lord, the gates of Thy grace, that they may enter them by Thy
> leave and in conformity with Thy will, and may stand before the throne of Thy majesty, and catch the
> accents of Thy voice, and be illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy face.
> 
> Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. None can withstand the power of Thy sovereign might.
> From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to equal Thee, and wilt unto everlasting remain far above
> all thought and every description of Thee. Have mercy, then, upon Thy servants by Thy grace and
> bounty, and suffer them not to be kept back from the shores of the ocean of Thy nearness. If Thou
> abandonest them, who is there to befriend them; and if Thou puttest them far from Thee, who is he
> that can favor them? They have none other Lord beside Thee, none to adore except Thyself. Deal Thou
> generously with them by Thy bountiful grace.
> 
> Thou, in truth, art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. (Prayers and Meditations, pages
> 72-73)
> 
> For the highest and most excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of "attaining unto the
> Presence of God" (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 138)
> 
> Attainment unto the divine Presence is synonymous with Resurrection. See Iqan page 145
> 
> 'The one who reads that which is revealed in this tablet from the direction of the Throne and doubts
> the reality of meeting his Lord, verily, he is of those who deny God, who causeth the mornings to break
> forth!' Bahá'í Scriptures para. 276
> 
> The meeting with God is essentially a merging of the thoughts, ideal purposes, desires, activities and
> will of the lover with the Beloved, of the seeker with the One sought, of the student with the Teacher, of
> man with the Manifestation of God.
> 
> READING #1 IQAN pg. 99-100
> 
> The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source
> of infinite grace, according to His saying: "His grace hath transcended all things; My grace hath
> encompassed them all" hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the
> spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may
> impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His
> imperishable Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these Day-springs of ancient glory are one and all the
> Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose.
> From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of
> their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory.
> They are the Treasuries of divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them
> is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed the light that can never fade. Even as He
> hath said: "There is no distinction whatsoever between Thee and them; except that they are Thy
> servants, and are created of Thee." This is the significance of the tradition: "I am He, Himself, and He
> is I, myself." (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 99-100)
> 
> When the Name of God is mentioned with the connotation of knowing Him, understanding His Word,
> being taught by Him, drawing near unto Him, meeting with Him, etc., or in fact any mention whatever
> of God, it is the Manifestation which is always understood. For the Primal Essence, the First Cause, is
> unknowable.
> 
> 'No one has known Him and no soul has found out His substance.'
> 
> READING #2 Iqan pg. 98
> 
> To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the divine
> Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and
> descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His
> praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled in
> the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight
> of men. "No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision; He is the Subtle, the All-Perceiving."(1)
> 
> No tie of direct intercourse can possibly bind Him to His creatures. He standeth exalted beyond and
> above all separation and union, all proximity and remoteness. No sign can indicate His presence or His
> absence; inasmuch as by a word of His command all that are in heaven and on earth have come to
> exist, and by His wish, which is the Primal Will itself, all have stepped out of utter nothingness into the
> realm of being, the world of the visible. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 98)
> 
> READING #3 IQAN pg. 142-143
> 
> These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable
> attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God.
> Whatsoever is applicable to them is in reality applicable to God, Himself, Who is both the Visible and
> the Invisible. The knowledge of Him, Who is the Origin of all things, and attainment unto Him, are
> impossible save through knowledge of, and attainment unto, these luminous Beings who proceed from
> the Sun of Truth. By attaining, therefore, to the presence of these holy Luminaries, the "Presence of
> God" Himself is attained. From their knowledge, the knowledge of God is revealed, and from the light
> of their countenance, the splendour of the Face of God is made manifest. Through the manifold
> attributes of these Essences of Detachment, Who are both the first and the last, the seen and the
> hidden, it is made evident that He Who is the Sun of Truth is "the First and the Last, the Seen, and the
> Hidden."(1) Likewise the other lofty names and exalted attributes of God. Therefore, whosoever, and in
> whatever Dispensation, hath recognized and attained unto the presence of these glorious, these
> resplendent and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily attained unto the "Presence of God" Himself,
> and entered the city of eternal and immortal life. Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the
> Day of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-embracing Revelation.
> (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 142-143)
> 
> So when one turns his heart towards God in supplication, prayer, meditation or in the slightest
> thought, it should always consciously and determinedly be the Manifestation to Whom he turns.
> 
> READING #4 GL pg. 49-50
> As a token of His mercy, however, and as a proof of His loving-kindness, He hath manifested unto men
> the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the Symbols of His divine unity, and hath ordained the
> knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical with the knowledge of His own Self. Whoso
> recognizeth them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call, hath hearkened to the Voice of
> God, and whoso testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath testified to the truth of God Himself.
> Whoso turneth away from them, hath turned away from God, and whoso disbelieveth in them, hath
> disbelieved in God. (Gleanings, pages 49-50)
> 
> When the meeting with God is spoken of then it is the meeting with the Manifestation of God in His
> human temple which is meant; the acceptance of His words as the Words of God Himself.
> 
> READING #5 IQAN pg. 177-178
> 
> Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance the
> Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these
> Manifestations of the divine Being. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 177-178)
> 
> READING #6 GL pg. 70
> 
> The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in
> truth, is the Day Spring of God's most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted
> Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if they be regarded as identical with His Person, how
> can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is One and Incomparable, that His Essence is
> indivisible and peerless? (Gleanings, page 70)
> 
> In the merging of spirits thus attained, man rises above the realm of material things into the Paradise
> of His meeting and approximates the 'station from which shone forth the dawn of his verses.' (Dawn
> Prayer). It is this meeting to which Bahá'u'lláh refers, 'The station of revelation and vision before the
> Throne of His Grandeur.' (Tablet Ishraqat) Bahá'u'lláh even identifies the Manifestation with the
> Unknowable Essence:
> 
> READING #7 GL pg. 167
> 
> he essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and
> Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same. By this is
> meant that whatever pertaineth to the former, all His acts and doings, whatever He ordaineth or
> forbiddeth, should be considered, in all their aspects, and under all circumstances, and without any
> reservation, as identical with the Will of God Himself. This is the loftiest station to which a true
> believer in the unity of God can ever hope to attain. Blessed is the man that reacheth this station, and
> is of them that are steadfast in their belief. (Gleanings, page 167)
> 
> In fact the mind of man is utterly incapable of dealing with this tremendous subject.
> 
> READING #8 GL pg. 165-166 Wert thou to ponder in thine heart, from now until the end that hath no
> end, and with all the concentrated intelligence and understanding which the greatest minds have
> attained in the past or will attain in the future, this divinely ordained and subtle Reality, this sign of
> the revelation of the All-Abiding, All-Glorious God, thou wilt fail to comprehend its mystery or to
> appraise its virtue. Having recognized thy powerlessness to attain to an adequate understanding of
> that Reality which abideth within thee, thou wilt readily admit the futility of such efforts as may be
> attempted by thee, or by any of the created things, to fathom the mystery of the Living God, the Day
> Star of unfading glory, the Ancient of everlasting days. This confession of helplessness which mature
> contemplation must eventually impel every mind to make is in itself the acme of human
> understanding, and marketh the culmination of man's development.
> 
> Regard thou the one true God as One Who is apart from, and immeasurably exalted above, all created
> things. The whole universe reflecteth His glory, while He is Himself independent of, and transcendeth
> His creatures. This is the true meaning of Divine unity. He Who is the Eternal Truth is the one Power
> Who exerciseth undisputed sovereignty over the world of being, Whose image is reflected in the mirror
> of the entire creation. All existence is dependent upon Him, and from Him is derived the source of the
> sustenance of all things. This is what is meant by Divine unity; this is its fundamental principle.
> 
> Some, deluded by their idle fancies, have conceived all created things as associates and partners of
> God, and imagined themselves to be the exponents of His unity. By Him Who is the one true God!
> Such men have been, and will continue to remain, the victims of blind imitation, and are to be
> numbered with them that have restricted and limited the conception of God. (Gleanings, pages
> 165-166)
> 
> We are warned constantly against making 'partners with God.' It is as if we are being warned not to
> give our imaginations and superstitions free sway. Also, it must be remembered that to our limited
> intelligence and station of the Manifestation is as infinitely removed from our understanding as that of
> the Essence Itself. 'He is a sea upon which no one can sail...' Yet 'Were His servants to know Him as He
> is to be known, they would all sever themselves from everything, and would make themselves subject
> to Him, their King,...' Bahá'í Scripture par. 377-378
> 
> This hastening unto Him, this knowing Him as He may be known, this recognition of His Station as
> the Mouthpiece of the Unknowable Essence, this turning to Him in prayer, thought, meditation is the
> Meeting with God of which He speaks so often and so alluringly. To deny this possibility is to 'deny
> God, Who causeth the mornings to break.'
> 
> It is important that this meeting with God should be practically and vividly realized as an intellectual
> certainty. it is a simple matter after all. When we read Browning, Emerson, Shelly, Plato and some
> great passage strikes us which stirs us to the roots of our being, we enter, according to our capacity
> into the spirit of the author and truly meet him at his best, much more truly meets him than if we
> talked to him in the flesh. For here we associate with his higher self - his real and spiritual self. By that
> 'meeting' we are uplifted into a world of thought and emotion which, compared to our everyday
> material living in truly a heavenly realm. If this is true of an earthly genius what must be the effect
> upon our spirits of a similar meeting with the incarnate Spirit of God.
> 
> The perfect man, according to the terminology of the New Day, is he who enters into this
> companionship with God. It is none of the connotations with which our limited knowledge, our
> unlimited ignorance, associated with the work 'perfection' and 'goodness'. There is none good save
> God. The perfect man is he who unreservedly absolutely, sincerely and self-sacrificingly submits his
> will, his mind, his spirit to the spirit, Will and Law of God as revealed in the Words of His Prophet,
> Bahá'u'lláh. This does not mean that he becomes, in the eyes of his associates, a suddenly transformed
> being, identified with certain qualities that set him above and apart from the common herd. On the
> contrary he is often an abased rather than an exalted man. Nor is he in his own mine exalted to
> anything like his conception of perfection. Rather he is humbled to a condition bordering on
> nothingness.
> 
> His sole claim to perfection (which, of course, he never makes even in his most fleeing thought) is that
> 
> he has attained to the two-fold station of recognition of the Manifestation and obedience to His Law.
> 'Neither is acceptable without the other.' And because of this recognition and absolute obedience his
> character begins to take on the characteristics of God as expressed in the life of Ábdu'l-Bahá. He
> becomes the servant of the Glory of God, which servitude expresses itself in servitude to his fellow
> men. In every literal and practical sense he becomes as assistant of god upon the earth - he qualifies as
> a companion of His Throne.
> 
> This has little relation to what men conventionally call 'goodness'. The servant of God is not intent on
> being 'good'. He is intent only on submerging himself in the Ocean of His Utterances and in obedience
> to His Law. This attitude of subjection to the Will and Law of Bahá'u'lláh tends inevitably to tear away
> the veils of the animalistic ego and thus reveal the divine reality of the true man. The qualities of that
> reality therein manifest themselves as a result of that recognition and obedience. It is the relation of
> the mirror to the sun. How impossible for the mirror to reflect the sun when clouded with the rust or
> covered with a cloth. But take away such impediments and how naturally and surely the mirror
> manifests the attributes of the sun. Obedience to His Law is the polish which effects this.
> 
> 'When actions are habitually and conscientiously adjusted to noble standard with no thought of the
> words that might herald them, then nobility becomes the accent of life. At such a degree of evolution
> one scarcely need try any longer to be good - all acts become the distinctive expression of nobility.'
> Bahá'í Scripture Par. 822
> 
> 'This turning the face towards God is the healing of the body, the mind and the soul. When this
> advancement toward God has become complete, one is able to overcome passion and desire, become
> protected from sin and transgression and be delivered from heedlessness. It will bestow eternal life
> and grant the imperishable gift. Bahá'í Scripture Par. 941
> 
> The supreme the inestimable gift to man in this Day lies in the fact that such a perfect Man has been
> given us as an example of what all servants can follow. Ábdu'l-Bahá is that embodied Perfection. He
> unreservedly acknowledged and obeyed Bahá'u'lláh, His head constantly at the Holy Threshold, His
> face never turned from the Face of God, His mirror never clouded with the rust of self. The goals of
> relative perfection is made clear in the teachings and the Example it provided.
> 
> To dwell on one's unworthiness and imperfections is as great a barrier to attainment as to dwell upon
> one's goodness and worthiness. We are not competent to judge of either. 'We are capable of neither
> good nor harm'. Any consideration of either is a species of egotism which still further clouds the mirror
> of the heart. We are concerned only with the recognition and obedience. The rest follows automatically
> and inevitably, never forgetting that we have all eternity in which to make the complete Journey from
> self to God. Our job is to get on the Path and stick steadfastly. 'Look not upon the creature (either
> oneself or others) look only to the Creator.'
> 
> READING #9 HW P22 (Compare with GL pg. 64)
> 
> O SON OF DESIRE! The learned and the wise have for long years striven and failed to attain the
> presence of the All- Glorious; they have spent their lives in search of Him, yet did not behold the
> beauty of His countenance. Thou without the least effort didst attain thy goal, and without search hast
> 
> obtained the object of thy quest. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst remain so wrapt in the veil of self,
> that thine eyes beheld not the beauty of the Beloved, nor did thy hand touch the hem of His robe. Ye
> that have eyes, behold and wonder. (Persian Hidden Words, page 22)
> 
> PRAYER P&M pg. 32-33
> 
> Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I bear witness that from eternity Thou wert exalted in Thy
> transcendent majesty and might, and wilt to eternity abide in Thy surpassing power and glory. None in
> the kingdoms of earth and heaven can frustrate Thy purpose; none throughout the realms of revelation
> and of creation can prevail against Thee. At Thy command Thou doest what Thou willest, and by the
> power of Thy sovereignty Thou rulest as Thou pleasest.
> 
> I implore Thee, O Thou Who causest the dawn to appear, by Thy Lamp which Thou didst light with the
> fire of Thy love before all that are in heaven and on earth, and whose flame Thou feedest with the fuel
> of Thy wisdom in the kingdom of Thy creation, to make me to be of those who have soared in Thine
> atmosphere, and surrendered their will to Thy decree.
> 
> I am all wretchedness, O my Lord, and Thou art the Most Powerful, the Almighty. Have pity upon me
> by Thy grace and bountiful favor, and graciously aid me to serve Thee and them that are dear to Thee.
> Potent art Thou to do as Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the God of strength, of glory and
> wisdom. (Prayers and Meditations, pages 32-33)
> 
> Prayer and Meditation
> _______________________↩________________________
> Lesson X
> 
> The Ocean of His Utterances Prayer and Meditation
> 
> Prayer P&M pg. 4-5 II
> 
> 1. HW P#79
> 
> 2. HW A#16
> 
> 3. GL pg. 321 Arise therefore ... atone for your past failure.
> 
> 4. PUP pg. 241-242 Spirit has the influence ...it is necessary. (246-247)
> 
> 5. GL pg. 133-134 Know thou, O fruit of My Tree ...the All-Wise.
> 
> 6. WAB pg. 163-164 It is an axiomatic fact ... mysteries of the Spirit. (PT pg. 174-176)
> 
> 7. IQAN pg. 52-53 Were you to ponder ...His realm of glory.
> 
> 8. IQAN pg. 149 Ponder this in thine heart..knowledge and understanding.
> 
> 9. IQAN pg. 181-182 Those words uttered ...in every age.
> 
> 10. IQAN pg. 217 O brother, we should...towards the servants.
> 
> 11. IQAN pg. 238 The wine of renunciation ...needs be observed.
> 
> 12. GL pg. 295 Intone, O My Servant...the Source of power and wisdom.
> 
> PRAYER
> 
> Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have encompassed the entire
> creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that hath illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth,
> and by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created things, and by Thy grace that hath suffused the
> whole universe, to rend asunder the veils that shut me out from Thee, that I may hasten unto the
> Fountain-Head of Thy mighty inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful
> favors, and may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.
> 
> Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy days, and divest me not of
> the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed
> forth from the Paradise (Ridvan) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established,
> that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be
> enlightened, and my steps be made firm.
> 
> Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might, supreme over all things,
> and, through the operation of His will, was able to ordain all things. Nothing whatsoever, whether in
> Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord,
> through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and incline mine ear to the sweet melodies of the
> birds that warble their praise of Thee, amidst the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.
> 
> Thou art the Great Giver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. (Prayers and Meditations,
> pages 4-5)
> 
> 'Man must live in a continual attitude of prayer. His mind an altar, his heart a sanctuary of prayer.'
> DAL pg. 50
> 
> Prayer is an attitude of mind and heart; a deep spiritual passion at times, but a constant attitude,
> expressed in every act and word of life. This may sum up the Bahá'í teachings on this important
> subject. It is essential, however, to bring these teachings before the mind as the commands and advises
> of God given for the purpose of directing us to the Source of Power. The Creative Word revealed from
> God today on this all important subject explains the method, technique, scientific and rational, as well
> as its great importance and resulting power.
> 
> READING #1 HW P#79
> 
> O SON OF DESIRE!
> 
> How long wilt thou soar in the realms of desire? Wings have I bestowed upon thee, that thou mayest
> fly to the realms of mystic holiness and not the regions of satanic fancy. The comb, too, have I given
> thee that thou mayest dress My raven locks, and not lacerate My throat. (Persian Hidden Words, page
> 79)
> 
> Prayer is a means for developing power. This is an aspect of prayer usually entirely overlooked, seldom
> put to practical use and almost never to its full and constant use.
> 
> READING #2 HW A#16
> O SON OF LIGHT!
> 
> Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn
> unto it. (Arabic Hidden Words, page 16)
> 
> The essence of prayer is a conscious nearness to the Manifestation of God. This requires preparation of
> mind and heart. 'Effort should first be made to make attachment to God.' DAL pg. 52
> 
> And when Ábdu'l-Bahá was asked how this attachment was made, He said, 'study listen, try to
> understand.' The soil must be fertilized before the seed is sown. 'The worshipper must pray with
> detached spirit, surrender of the will, concentrated attention and magnetic spiritual passion.' 'The
> preparation for the prayerful attitude is detachment.' DAL pg. 58
> 
> There are three obligatory prayers, the use of which daily is laid upon all true believers as a command
> 
> from God. In the first two, certain postures are indicated. When Ábdu'l-Bahá was asked why these
> postures were necessary, he answered that thus the body is able to partake with the spirit in the
> beneficent results. It is certain that these prayers and postures are commanded by the Manifestation of
> God. Shoghi Effendi has spoken of their importance and reiterated the necessity of obedience. Those
> who over a period of years have obeyed this injunction will testify as to the invaluable results obtained.
> 
> These daily prayers as revealed by the Manifestation of God are not meant to be more than the key
> unlocking the treasure of Power. The worshipper becomes acquainted according to his capacity with
> the mysteries of power; the revealed prayers open to us the doors of the Court of Holiness. 'He hears
> with divine ears and beholds with God- like eyes.' That is the object of prayer - to draw near to the
> divine world and become a 'companion of God.'
> 
> This is why it is so vastly important to obey in every slightest detail the commands of Bahá'u'lláh
> regarding prayer as well as all the other commands. For He alone is able to introduce Man into this
> Realm of the Spirit; put into his hands the reins of Power and educate him in this communion
> regarding the knowledge of the results of human life.
> 
> With this obedience, which covers every detail such as posture, frequency etc., must go an inflexible
> determination of the will. 'Concentrated attention and magnetic spiritual passion.' 'Effort should be
> first made to make attachment of God.' 'The soil must need be fertilized before the seed is sown.' -This
> is to say just as in the search for material things the effort necessary is largely in proportion to their
> value, so in the search for spiritual wealth union with spiritual Power, it is not to be attained without
> supreme effort.
> 
> READING #3 GL pg. 321
> 
> Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls,
> the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the
> paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe
> the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth
> this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain
> unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his
> cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest.
> 
> Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives
> have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that
> which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated
> and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest
> beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?
> (Gleanings, page 321)
> 
> Prayer, then, is plainly an attitude of mind, a conscious and determined direction of the Spirit. In this
> atmosphere,in which the consciousness is turned toward the World of Reality, toward the Supreme
> Concourse, towards God, we cannot refrain from expression in some form. That expression, regardless
> of the form it takes, is prayer. The forms it may take are many. The higher the expression, the less the
> 
> self is evident, the nearer the approach to God.
> 
> The lowest, most selfish form of prayer is supplication. 'True supplication to God must be actuated by
> love for God only.' DAL pg. 53
> 
> The animal human self has no place in the world of the spirit where God dwells. The highest form of
> prayer, considered as a conscious act, is Praise. One can hardly have failed to notice that all the
> revealed prayers echo with praise to God. And all close with affirmations implying man's dependence
> on and love for the Source and Goal of his spiritual being.
> 
> Among other forms which prayer takes are affirmation, communion, servitude, work, radiant
> acquiescence, thankfulness under all conditions. In fact there is hardly a single act of life which is not
> susceptible to transformation by the injection of the attitude of prayer.
> 
> READING #4 PUP pg. 241-242
> 
> Spirit has influence; prayer has spiritual effect. Therefore, we pray, "O God! Heal this sick one!"
> Perchance God will answer. Does it matter who prays? God will answer the prayer of every servant if
> that prayer is urgent. His mercy is vast, illimitable. He answers the prayers of all His servants. He
> answers the prayer of this plant. The plant prays potentially, "O God! Send me rain!" God answers the
> prayer, and the plant grows. God will answer anyone. He answers prayers potentially. Before we were
> born into this world did we not pray, "O God! Give me a mother; give me two fountains of bright milk;
> purify the air for my breathing; grant me rest and comfort; prepare food for my sustenance and
> living"? Did we not pray potentially for these needed blessings before we were created? When we came
> into this world, did we not find our prayers answered? Did we not find mother, father, food, light,
> home and every other necessity and blessing, although we did not actually ask for them? Therefore, it
> is natural that God will give to us when we ask Him. His mercy is all-encircling.
> 
> But we ask for things which the divine wisdom does not desire for us, and there is no answer to our
> prayer. His wisdom does not sanction what we wish. We pray, "O God! Make me wealthy!" If this
> prayer were universally answered, human affairs would be at a standstill. There would be none left to
> work in the streets, none to till the soil, none to build, none to run the trains. Therefore, it is evident
> that it would not be well for us if all prayers were answered. The affairs of the world would be
> interfered with, energies crippled and progress hindered. But whatever we ask for which is in accord
> with divine wisdom, God will answer. Assuredly!
> 
> For instance, a very feeble patient may ask the doctor to give him food which would be positively
> dangerous to his life and condition. He may beg for roast meat. The doctor is kind and wise. He knows
> it would be dangerous to his patient so he refuses to allow it. The doctor is merciful; the patient,
> ignorant. Through the doctor's kindness the patient recovers; his life is saved. Yet the patient may cry
> out that the doctor is unkind, not good, because he refuses to answer his pleading. God is merciful. In
> His mercy He answers the prayers of all His servants when according to His supreme wisdom it is
> necessary. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 246-247)
> 
> READING #5 GL pg. 133-134
> 
> Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and
> predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other
> is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed
> and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change
> will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in
> what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.
> 
> The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.
> 
> God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be
> shielded from its evil consequences.
> 
> Say: O God, my God! Thou hast committed into mine hands a trust from Thee, and hast now according
> to the good-pleasure of Thy Will called it back to Thyself. It is not for me, who am a handmaid of
> Thine, to say, whence is this to me or wherefore hath it happened, inasmuch as Thou art glorified in all
> Thine acts, and art to be obeyed in Thy decree. Thine handmaid, O my Lord, hath set her hopes on Thy
> grace and bounty. Grant that she may obtain that which will draw her nigh unto Thee, and will profit
> her in every world of Thine. Thou art the Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. There is none other God but
> Thee, the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
> 
> Vouchsafe Thy blessings, O Lord, my God, unto them that have quaffed the wine of Thy love before the
> face of men, and, in spite of Thine enemies, have acknowledged Thy unity, testified to Thy oneness,
> and confessed their belief in that which hath made the limbs of the oppressors among Thy creatures to
> quake, and the flesh of the proud ones of the earth to tremble. I bear witness that Thy Sovereignty can
> never perish, nor Thy Will be altered. Ordain for them that have set their faces towards Thee, and for
> Thine handmaids that have held fast by Thy Cord, that which beseemeth the Ocean of Thy bounty and
> the Heaven of Thy grace.
> 
> Thou art He, O God, Who hath proclaimed Himself as the Lord of Wealth, and characterized all that
> serve Him as poor and needy. Even as Thou hast written: "O ye that believe! Ye are but paupers in
> need of God; but God is the All-Possessing, the All-Praised." Having acknowledged my poverty, and
> recognized Thy wealth, suffer me not to be deprived of the glory of Thy riches. Thou art, verily, the
> Supreme Protector, the All- Knowing, the All-Wise. (Gleanings, pages 133-134)
> 
> The continuance in the attitude of prayer inevitably leads to meditation.
> 
> READING #6 WAB (PARIS TALKS) pg. 163-164
> 
> It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of
> mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the
> reality is revealed.
> 
> You cannot apply the name `man' to any being void of this faculty of meditation; without it he would
> be a mere animal, lower than the beasts.
> 
> Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life; through it he receives the breath of the
> Holy Spirit -the bestowal of the Spirit is given in reflection and meditation.
> 
> The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs of which
> man knew nothing are unfolded before his view. Through it he receives Divine inspiration, through it
> he receives heavenly food.
> 
> Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries. In that state man abstracts himself: in that
> state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the
> ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves. To illustrate this, think of
> man as endowed with two kinds of sight; when the power of insight is being used the outward power of
> vision does not see.
> 
> This faculty of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of things, puts man in
> touch with God.
> 
> This faculty brings forth from the invisible plane the sciences and arts. Through the meditative faculty
> inventions are made possible, colossal undertakings are carried out; through it governments can run
> smoothly. Through this faculty man enters into the very Kingdom of God.
> 
> Nevertheless some thoughts are useless to man; they are like waves moving in the sea without result.
> But if the faculty of meditation is bathed in the inner light and characterized with divine attributes, the
> results will be confirmed.
> 
> The meditative faculty is akin to the mirror; if you put it before earthly objects it will reflect them.
> Therefore if the spirit of man is contemplating earthly subjects he will be informed of these.
> 
> But if you turn the mirror of your spirits heavenwards, the heavenly constellations and the rays of the
> Sun of Reality will be reflected in your hearts, and the virtues of the Kingdom will be obtained.
> 
> Therefore let us keep this faculty rightly directed -turning it to the heavenly Sun and not to earthly
> objects -so that we may discover the secrets of the Kingdom, and comprehend the allegories of the
> Bible and the mysteries of the spirit. (Paris Talks*, pages 174-176)
> Immersed in the Oceans of His Utterance, soaring in the atmosphere of His knowledge, working in the
> spirit of servitude, the Valley of Astonishment opens before us. How can we refrain from ecstatic gaze
> upon this world of the spirit. The world to which Bahá'u'lláh compares our material world as to 'the
> pupil in the eye of a dead ant.'
> 
> READING #7 IQAN pg. 52-53
> 
> Were you to ponder, but for a while, these utterances in your heart, you would surely find the portals
> of understanding unlocked before your face, and would behold all knowledge and the mysteries thereof
> unveiled before your eyes. Such things take place only that the souls of men may develop and be
> delivered from the prison-cage of self and desire. Otherwise, that ideal King hath, throughout eternity,
> been in His Essence independent of the comprehension of all beings, and will continue, for ever, in His
> 
> own Being to be exalted above the adoration of every soul. A single breeze of His affluence doth suffice
> to adorn all mankind with the robe of wealth; and one drop out of the ocean of His bountiful grace is
> enough to confer upon all beings the glory of everlasting life. But inasmuch as the divine Purpose hath
> decreed that the true should be known from the false, and the sun from the shadow, He hath,
> therefore, in every season sent down upon mankind the showers of tests from His realm of glory. (The
> Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 52-53)
> 
> READING #8 IQAN pg. 149
> 
> Ponder this in thine heart, that the sweet gales of divine knowledge, blowing from the meads of mercy,
> may waft upon thee the fragrance of the Beloved's utterance, and cause thy soul to attain the Ridvan of
> understanding. As the wayward of every age have failed to fathom the deeper import of these weighty
> and pregnant utterances, and imagined the answer of the Prophets of God to be irrelevant to the
> questions they asked them, they therefore have attributed ignorance and folly to those Essences of
> knowledge and understanding. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 149)
> 
> READING #9 IQAN pg. 181-182
> 
> Those words uttered by the Luminaries of Truth must needs be pondered, and should their
> significance be not grasped, enlightenment should be sought from the Trustees of the depositories of
> Knowledge, that these may expound their meaning, and unravel their mystery. For it behooveth no
> man to interpret the holy words according to his own imperfect understanding, nor, having found
> them to be contrary to his inclination and desires, to reject and repudiate their truth. For such, today,
> is the manner of the divines and doctors of the age, who occupy the seats of knowledge and learning,
> and who have named ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice. Were these to ask the Light
> of Truth concerning those images which their idle fancy hath carved, and were they to find His answer
> inconsistent with their own conceptions and their own understanding of the Book, they would
> assuredly denounce Him Who is the Mine and Wellhead of all Knowledge as the very negation of
> understanding. Such things have happened in every age. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 181-182)
> And thus meditation, 'all things are merged into nothingness before the Revelations of His Splendor.'
> 
> READING #10 IQAN pg. 217
> 
> O brother, we should open our eyes, meditate upon His Word, and seek the sheltering shadow of the
> Manifestations of God, that perchance we may be warned by the unmistakable counsels of the Book,
> and give heed to the admonitions recorded in the holy Tablets; that we may not cavil at the Revealer of
> the verses, that we may resign ourselves wholly to His Cause, and embrace wholeheartedly His law,
> that haply we may enter the court of His mercy, and dwell upon the shore of His grace. He, verily, is
> merciful, and forgiving towards His servants. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 217)
> 
> READING #11 IQAN pg. 238
> 
> The wine of renunciation must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be
> attained, and the meditation referred to in the words "One hour's reflection is preferable to seventy
> years of pious worship" must needs be observed, (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 238)
> 
> The one path to the effective understanding and application of the Power of prayer is Love. If we truly
> love God (His Manifestation) we will wish to talk to Him. That is prayer. If we have a glimmer even, of
> the universal love so that our consciousness tends more and more to include all humanity in an
> understanding sympathy, that is prayer. If we recognize our work as service performed lovingly for
> others, that is prayer.
> 
> READING #12 GL pg. 295
> 
> Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have
> drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the
> hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the
> scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth,
> and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of
> its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its
> influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the
> Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom. (Gleanings, page 295)
> 
> The Science of the Love of God
> ________________________↩________________________
> _ Lesson XI
> 
> 1. PUP pg. 271 In this century...phenomenal world. (277)
> 
> 2. BS par 790
> 
> 3. GL pg. 205 Illumine your hearts ...souls of all beings.
> 
> 4. GL pg. 260-261 If the learned...hath wronged and forsaken.
> 
> 5. PUP pg. 262-263 'When we observe...conducive to death. (268-269)
> 
> 6. PUP pg. 183 We were not in ...which precedes asking. (188)
> 
> 7. SAQ pg. 130 Faith, which is life eternal...not by effort and striving.
> 
> 8. PUP pg. 183 He has created us...may encircle you all. (188-189)
> 
> 9. DP pg. 139 By heavenly science...human life.
> 
> 10. GL pg. 38 Arise O wayfarer ...righteous be gladdened.
> 
> PRAYER PUP pg. 270 O Thou kind God!... (276) ...the giver, the generous.
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those in the original citing have
> been retained from the 1922 edition, which was reprinted in one volume in 1943.
> 
> Note: BS, Bahá'í Scriptures, edited by Horace Holly and published by the Bahá'í Publishing Committee
> 1923, was replaced by publishing the Bahá'í World Faith in 1943.
> 
> READING #1 PUP pg. 271
> 
> In this century of the latter times Bahá'u'lláh has appeared and so resuscitated spirits that they have
> manifested powers more than human. Thousands of His followers have given their lives; and while
> under the sword, shedding their blood, they have proclaimed, "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!" Such resuscitation
> is impossible except through a heavenly potency, a supernatural power, the divine power of the Holy
> Spirit. Through a natural and mere human power this is impossible. Therefore, the question arises:
> How is this resuscitation to be accomplished?
> 
> There are certain means for its accomplishment by which mankind is regenerated and quickened with
> a new birth. This is the second birth mentioned in the heavenly Books. Its accomplishment is through
> the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The resuscitation or rebirth of the spirit of man is through the science
> of the love of God. It is through the efficacy of the water of life. This life and quickening is the
> 
> regeneration of the phenomenal world. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 277)
> 
> The word science has acquired new connotations. No longer is it confined solely to the field of material
> things, it has extended its scope to include the whole field of men's activities - physical, mental, moral
> and spiritual. Many scientists have indelibly impressed this point of view upon the unprejudiced mind.
> The informed Bahá'í recognizes that it is the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and the divine Spirit of Love and
> Wisdom which He has breathed into the world which are responsible for this breadth of
> understanding. Too long have the meanings of the word 'love' been confined to the realms of emotion
> and sentiment. For the first time in the history of philosophy the phrase, the science of Love has been
> used. It is not too much to say that this is one of the most important discoveries that scientific
> investigation and inspiration has ever uncovered, for it has brought into the field of material research a
> searchlight which illumines the results of man's activities and gives them worth and meaning. In the
> worlds of Ábdu'l-Bahá, it 'reveals the secrets of the degrees of existence and the knowledge of the
> results of human life.' This expansion of the meaning of 'Love' is summarized by summarized by
> Ábdu'l-Bahá.
> 
> READING #2 BS par 790
> 
> Have full assurance that love is the mystery of he appearance of God; that love is the divine aspect of
> God; that love is spiritual grace; that love is the light of the Kingdom; that love is the breath of the Holy
> Spirit in the spirit of man. Love is the cause of the manifestations of truth in the material world. love is
> the essential bond of union which exists between God and all things in their ultimate reality. Love is
> the source of the greatest happiness of the material and spiritual worlds. Love is the light by which
> man is guided in the midst of darkness. Love is the communication between truth and man in the
> realm of consciousness. Love is the means of growth for all who are enlightened.
> 
> Love is the highest law in this great universe of God. Love is the law of order between simple essences,
> whereby they are apportioned and united into compound substances in this world of matter.. Love is
> the essential and magnetic power that organizes the planets and the stars which shine in infinite space.
> Love supplies the impulse to that intense and unceasing meditation which reveals the hidden
> mysteries of the universe.
> Love is the highest honor for all the nations of men. To that people in which God causes love to appear
> the Supreme Concourse, the angles of heaven, and the hosts of the kingdom of the Glorious One make
> salutation. When the hearts of a people are void of this Divine power - the love of God - they will
> descend to the lowest estate of mortals, they will wander in the desert of error, they will fall into the
> slough of despair and there is no deliverance for them. They become like worms which delight in
> grovelling in the earth.
> 
> O friends of God! be ye manifestations of the love of God and lamps of guidance in all horizons,
> shining by the light of love and harmony.
> 
> How beautiful is the shining of this shining!
> 
> Every one of these sublime sentences should be memorized and be the subject for meditation until
> some measure of understanding is achieved.
> 
> READING #3 GL pg. 205
> 
> ...illumine your hearts with the light of His love. This is the key that unlocketh the hearts of men, the
> burnish that shall cleanse the souls of all beings. (Gleanings, page 205)
> 
> The necessity for a clear understanding, a workable knowledge, of what this point of view might mean
> to the individual in his conduct of life, and to society in its attempt to understand the laws which
> govern it, is evident. When the ancient writer of the Book of Proverbs said: 'A soft answer turneth away
> wrath while grievous words stir up anger,' he uttered a scientific truth, that is, a statement susceptible
> of proof through human experience. When Jesus commanded His disciples to guide their relationship
> with men by the formula: 'If thine enemy hunger, feed him and if he thirst give him to drink.' He
> brought that scientific dictum into the field of practical action. Is there any possible doubt that if,
> during the last 1900 years scientific investigation -tested by its application to human affairs - that has
> been applied in the fields of chemistry, biology, etc., the results in terms of human happiness and
> prosperity would have been vastly increased.
> 
> In this Day, owing solely to the broadening of the mind and soul of man through the Breaths of the
> Holy Spirit which Bahá'u'lláh has breathed upon us these gems of eternal Truth which past Prophets
> and sages have planted in the soil of humanity, have grown, blossomed and borne fruit. We have, for
> the first time in history, a clear pathway to true liberty, peace, composure, wisdom, and happiness.
> 
> READING #4 GL pg. 260-261
> 
> If the learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to allow mankind to inhale the fragrance of
> fellowship and love, every understanding heart would apprehend the meaning of true liberty, and
> discover the secret of undisturbed peace and absolute composure. Were the earth to attain this station
> and be illumined with its light it could then be truly said of it: "Thou shall see in it no hollows or rising
> hills."
> 
> The generations that have gone on before you - whither are they fled? And those round whom in life
> circled the fairest and the loveliest of the land, where now are they? Profit by their example, O people,
> and be not of them that are gone astray.
> 
> Others ere long will lay hands on what ye possess, and enter into your habitations. Incline your ears to
> My words, and be not numbered among the foolish.
> 
> For every one of you his paramount duty is to choose for himself that on which no other may infringe
> and none usurp from him. Such a thing - and to this the Almighty is My witness - is the love of God,
> could ye but perceive it.
> 
> Build ye for yourselves such houses as the rain and floods can never destroy, which shall protect you
> from the changes and chances of this life. This is the instruction of Him Whom the world hath
> wronged and forsaken. (Gleanings, pages 260-261)
> 
> The avenue by which the mind and spirit of man, his total consciousness, is led into an appreciation
> 
> and a practical working knowledge of this science is by an immeasurable broadening of his horizon of
> thought and experience. This is only accomplished, and can be accomplished only, by contact with an
> exponent of that broader life. Just as any student must come into mental and spiritual contact with a
> qualified teacher, backed by an utter confidence in his abilities as such in order to attain the desired
> knowledge and abilities, so must the eager student in the pathway of Reality seek, follow, love and
> trust his Teacher and Guide. By Him he is led into a new world of conciseness and he thenceforth
> adjusts his mental, moral, spiritual and even his physical life to these standards. His former standards
> are entirely forgotten.
> 
> The terminology of the Creative word uses the term 'second birth' in describing this tremendous
> experience. No better term could possibly be devised , for just as in the first birth the fetus exchanges
> the dark and narrow room in which he has lived for nine months for the light, expansive, active,
> colorful world of human life, so in the second birth that world of knowledge, experience, expansion
> and color so far in excess of ordinary human life that it is , in actual experience an entirely different
> and vastly greater world.
> 
> It would seem from a careful study of the Creative Word that this aspect of Love is an essential part of
> the Teachings. Love is an emotion, truly, but when applied to the problems of life the methods of
> science need to be used. That is the scope must be extended to our thinking and actions to include its
> activities in the realms of economics, sociology and politics, as well as in the relations of the human
> family.
> 
> READING #5 PUP pg. 262-263 (268-269)
> 
> When we observe the phenomena of the universe, we realize that the axis around which life revolves is
> love, while the axis around which death and destruction revolve is animosity and hatred. Let us view
> the mineral kingdom. Here we see that if attraction did not exist between the atoms, the composite
> substance of matter would not be possible. Every existent phenomenon is composed of elements and
> cellular particles. This is scientifically true and correct. If attraction did not exist between the elements
> and among the cellular particles, the composition of that phenomenon would never have been
> possible. For instance, the stone is an existent phenomenon, a composition of elements. A bond of
> attraction has brought them together, and through this cohesion of ingredients this petrous object has
> been formed. This stone is the lowest degree of phenomena, but nevertheless within it a power of
> attraction is manifest without which the stone could not exist. This power of attraction in the mineral
> world is love, the only expression of love the stone can manifest. Look now upon the next highest stage
> of life, the vegetable kingdom. Here we see that the plant is the result of cohesion among various
> elements, just as the mineral is in its kingdom; but, furthermore, the plant has the power of absorption
> from the earth. This is a higher degree of attraction which differentiates the plant from the mineral. In
> the kingdom of the vegetable this is an expression of love, the highest capacity of expression the
> vegetable possesses. By this power of attraction, or augmentation, the plant grows day by day.
> Therefore, in this kingdom, also, love is the cause of life. If repulsion existed among the elements
> instead of attraction, the result would be disintegration, destruction and nonexistence. Because
> cohesion exists among the elements and cellular attraction is manifest, the plant appears. When this
> attraction is dispelled and the ingredients separate, the plant ceases to exist.
> 
> Then we come to the animal world, which is still higher in degree than the vegetable kingdom. In it the
> power of love makes itself still more manifest. The light of love is more resplendent in the animal
> kingdom because the power of attraction whereby elements cohere and cellular atoms commingle now
> reveals itself in certain emotions and sensibilities which produce instinctive fellowship and
> association. The animals are imbued with kindness and affinity which manifests itself among those of
> the same species.
> 
> Finally, we reach the kingdom of man. Here we find that all the degrees of the mineral, vegetable and
> animal expressions of love are present plus unmistakable attractions of consciousness. That is to say,
> man is the possessor of a degree of attraction which is conscious and spiritual. Here is an
> immeasurable advance. In the human kingdom spiritual susceptibilities come into view, love exercises
> its superlative degree, and this is the cause of human life.
> 
> The proof is clear that in all degrees and kingdoms unity and agreement, love and fellowship are the
> cause of life, whereas dissension, animosity and separation are ever conducive to death. (Promulgation
> of Universal Peace*, pages 268-269)
> 
> That this attitude is foreign to all the preconceived notions of people around us offers no deterrent.
> One might as well expect the unborn babe to react to the stimuli experienced by the five year old child
> as to expect man, still functioning under the stimuli of the lower self, to understand, much less react to
> the stimuli of the twice-born man. This material difference is what denotes the children of the
> Kingdom.
> 
> READING #6 PUP pg. 183 (188)
> 
> We were not in the world of existence, but as soon as we were born, we found everything prepared for
> our needs and comfort without question on our part. He has given us a kind father and compassionate
> mother, provided for us two springs of salubrious milk, pure atmosphere, refreshing water, gentle
> breezes and the sun shining above our heads. In brief, He has supplied all the necessities of life
> although we did not ask for any of these great gifts. With pure mercy and bounty He has prepared this
> great table. It is a mercy which precedes asking. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 188)
> 
> READING #7 SAQ pg. 149
> 
> For faith, which is life eternal, is the sign of bounty, and not the result of justice. The flame of the fire
> of love, in this world of earth and water, comes through the power of attraction and not by effort and
> striving. (Some Answered Questions, page 130)
> 
> The children of the Kingdom - their gaze is fixed upon a New World Order, the moving principle of
> which is the Science of the Love of God.
> 
> READING #8 PUP pg. 183 (188-189)
> 
> He has created us in this radiant century, a century longed for and expected by all the sanctified souls
> 
> in past periods. It is a blessed century; it is a blessed day. The philosophers of history have agreed that
> this century is equal to one hundred past centuries. This is true from every standpoint. This is the
> century of science, inventions, discoveries and universal laws. This is the century of the revelation of
> the mysteries of God. This is the century of the effulgence of the rays of the Sun of Truth. Therefore,
> you must render thanks and glorification to God that you were born in this age. Furthermore, you have
> listened to the call of Bahá'u'lláh. Your nostrils are perfumed with the breezes of the paradise of Abha.
> You have caught glimpses of the light from the horizon of the Orient. You were asleep; you are
> awakened. Your ears are attentive; your hearts are informed. You have acquired the love of God. You
> have attained to the knowledge of God. This is the most great bestowal of God. This is the breath of the
> Holy Spirit, and this consists of faith and assurance. This eternal life is the second birth; this is the
> baptism of the Holy Spirit. God has destined this station for you all. He has prepared this for you. You
> must appreciate the value of this bounty and engage your time in mentioning and thanking the True
> One. You must live in the utmost happiness. If any trouble or vicissitude comes into your lives, if your
> heart is depressed on account of health, livelihood or vocation, let not these things affect you. They
> should not cause unhappiness, for Bahá'u'lláh has brought you divine happiness. He has prepared
> heavenly food for you; He has destined eternal bounty for you; He has bestowed everlasting glory upon
> you. Therefore, these glad tidings should cause you to soar in the atmosphere of joy forever and ever.
> Render continual thanks unto God so that the confirmations of God may encircle you all.
> (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 188-189)
> 
> This is the Kingdom whose citizens are ruled not by the prompting of the lower animal-kingdom self,
> but by the Self of God. This higher self is under the domination of the science of love applied to all his
> thoughts and actions. In the realm of morals this science works out as righteousness; in the realm of
> economics it results in equality of opportunity, philanthropy, social justice, altruism; in the realm of
> politics it inevitably tends to produce world order, world unity, world peace.
> 
> Finally it needs to be emphasized that the doors to the study and understanding of this science have
> been opened by the Manifestation of God. Ábdu'l-Bahá develops this theme in many ways and applies
> this method to all the fields of human thought and action. That within a reasonable span of years we
> shall see this science introduced into our educational systems is beyond doubt.
> 
> READING #9 DP pg. 139
> 
> By heavenly sciences I mean divine philosophy and spiritual teachings; by the songs and fragrances of
> the rose garden I mean the mysteries of the Kingdom of kingdoms, the secrets of the degrees of
> existence and the knowledge of the results of human life.
> 
> Already we may see the beginning of its appreciation, though under many names and in a pitiably
> insignificant measure, in some relations; the psychology of relations between children and parents,
> merchant and customer, etc.
> 
> It is for the Bahá'í to study this science with profound exactness and to assume its reality and
> practicability with the same naturalness and certainty that he does the law of gravity
> 
> 'Let His Love be a storehouse of treasure for your souls.'
> 
> READING #10 GL pg. 38
> 
> Arise, O wayfarer in the path of the Love of God, and aid thou His Cause. Say: Barter not away this
> Youth, O people, for the vanities of this world or the delights of heaven. By the righteousness of the
> one true God! One hair of Him excelleth all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Beware,
> O men, lest ye be tempted to part with Him in exchange for the gold and silver ye possess. Let His love
> be a storehouse of treasure for your souls, on the Day when naught else but Him shall profit you, the
> Day when every pillar shall tremble, when the very skins of men shall creep, when all eyes shall stare
> up with terror. Say: O people! Fear ye God, and turn not away disdainfully from His Revelation. Fall
> prostrate on your faces before God, and celebrate His praise in the daytime and in the night season.
> 
> Let thy soul glow with the flame of this undying Fire that burneth in the midmost heart of the world, in
> such wise that the waters of the universe shall be powerless to cool down its ardor. Make, then,
> mention of thy Lord, that haply the heedless among Our servants may be admonished through thy
> words, and the hearts of the righteous be gladdened. (Gleanings, page 38)
> 
> PRAYER PUP pg. 270 (276)
> 
> O Thou kind God! In the utmost state of humility and submission do we entreat and supplicate at Thy
> threshold, seeking Thine endless confirmations and illimitable assistance. O Thou Lord! Regenerate
> these souls, and confer upon them a new life. Animate the spirits, inform the hearts, open the eyes,
> and make the ears attentive. From Thine ancient treasury confer a new being and animus, and from
> Thy preexistent abode assist them to attain to new confirmations.
> 
> O God! Verily, the world is in need of reformation. Bestow upon it a new existence. Give it newness of
> thoughts, and reveal unto it heavenly sciences. Breathe into it a fresh spirit, and grant unto it a holier
> and higher purpose.
> 
> O God! Verily, Thou hast made this century radiant, and in it Thou hast manifested Thy merciful
> effulgence. Thou hast effaced the darkness of superstitions and permitted the light of assurance to
> shine. O God! Grant that these servants may be acceptable at Thy threshold. Reveal a new heaven, and
> spread out a new earth for habitation. Let a new Jerusalem descend from on high. Bestow new
> thoughts, new life upon mankind. Endow souls with new perceptions, and confer upon them new
> virtues. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. Thou art the Giver, the Generous. (Promulgation
> of Universal Peace*, page 276)
> 
> The Word of God
> ________________________↩________________________
> _Lesson XII
> 
> 1. READING #1 PUP pg. 149 The Books of... (154) ...and eternal truth.
> 
> 2. READING #2 GL pg. 171-172 Certain traditions ...of a corrupt inclination.
> 
> 3. READING #3 GL pg. 171 This is the Day ...may be pleased to reveal .
> 
> 4. READING #4 PUP pg. 308 His revelation of the Word...Prophets of the past. (314)
> 
> 5. READING #5 PUP pg. 148-150 The divine Manifestations...unity of mankind. (154-156)
> 
> 6. READING #6 GL pg. 286-287 Through the power ...spent itself and vanished
> 
> 7. READING #7 GL pg. 141-142 Every word that... apprehend this truth.
> 
> 8. READING #8 IQAN pg. 192 Thus will these mysteries ...if ye know it not."
> 
> 9. READING #9 IQAN pg. 211 The understanding ...and freedom of spirit.
> 
> 10. READING #10 IQAN pg. 254-255 It is evident...meanings we can explain."
> 
> 11. READING #11 IQAN pg. 217 O brother, we should ...towards His servants.
> 
> 12. READING #12 BS par. 54 Glory be unto Thee...the Self-subsistent!
> 
> Note: BS, Bahá'í Scriptures, edited by Horace Holley and published by the Bahá'í Publishing
> Committee 1923, was replaced by publishing the Bahá'í World Faith in 1943.
> 
> Note: Pages for PUP in parentheses are the newer (1982) edition while those originally cited in the
> 1922 edition have been retained.
> 
> READING #1 PUP pg. 149
> 
> The Books of Bahá'u'lláh number more than one hundred. Each one is an evident proof sufficient for
> mankind; each one from foundation to apex proclaims the essential unity of God and humanity, the
> love of God, the abolition of war and the divine standard of peace. Each one also inculcates divine
> morality, the manifestation of lordly graces - in every word a book of meanings. For the Word of God is
> collective wisdom, absolute knowledge and eternal truth. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 154)
> 
> It is essential in this Day that the believers should be armed with certitude when asked to explain the
> terminology he uses. Such a phrase as the 'Word of God' for instance, has connotations carried over
> from past theologies which are entirely foreign and contradictory to the meanings tied up with it in the
> mind of the informed believer.
> 
> READING #2 GL pg. 171-172
> 
> Certain traditions of bygone ages rest on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by
> past generations, and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been
> influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. (Gleanings, page 171)
> 
> This statement is clear and direct, and every student of the evolution of our Bible has long ago come to
> the same conclusion. In the mind of the orthodox Christian, the literal interpretationist, the 'Word of
> God' means everything included in the King James version of the Old and New Testaments, taken at
> their face value, and with equal authority as of divine inspiration. More than this: Included with this is
> a more or less vaguely applied body of tradition, theological dogmas and unscientific exegesis which, in
> the course of centuries has resulted in the division of Christian believers into several hundred sects, all
> based upon this 'Word of God'. In the minds of the Moslem the phrase means all that included in the
> Qur'an and the traditions grown up around it, coupled, as with the Christian, with a vast body of
> exegesis, commentary etc. So it is with the Jewish understanding of 'The Words', limiting it to that
> body of Writings which they believe has descended through their particular Prophet from the Mouth
> and Will of God.
> 
> The most cursory examination of this state of affairs must result in the acknowledgment that the
> original Word of the Prophet of God has become so confused with the words of men that it is all but
> impossible to disentangle one from the other. Any attempt so to disentangle them by scholars,
> theologians and controversialists must, in the very nature of the case, only add further confusion.
> 
> A very different state of affairs is furnished, however, if we have a digest, a summary presentation, of
> all the fundamentals of the teachings of all the Prophets of the past, together with an explanation of
> their meaning adapted to our modern modes of thought and the needs of the times, by One qualified to
> speak with the same authority as the original Mouthpiece of the Divine Word.
> 
> READING #3 GL pg. 171
> This is the Day when the loved ones of God should keep their eyes directed towards His Manifestation,
> and fasten them upon whatsoever that Manifestation may be pleased to reveal. (Gleanings, page 171)
> 
> This is the unassailable position of the informed and sincere believers in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> READING #4 PUP pg. 308
> 
> His revelation of the Word embodies completely the teachings of all the Prophets, expressed in
> principles and precepts applicable to the needs and conditions of the modern world, amplified and
> adapted to present-day questions and critical human problems. That is to say, the words of Bahá'u'lláh
> are the essences of the words of the Prophets of the past. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 314)
> 
> According to the divine terminology the 'Word of God' has two distinct meanings: First, The Logos; the
> Speaker of the Mount; the First Emanation of the Almighty; the Eternal Truth; the Mother Book; the
> 
> Word made Flesh; the Manifestation of God. "The Word of God. All things were made by Him' John 1
> 
> READING #5 PUP pg. 148-150
> 
> The divine Manifestations have been iconoclastic in Their teachings, uprooting error, destroying false
> religious beliefs and summoning mankind anew to the fundamental oneness of God. All of Them have,
> likewise, proclaimed the oneness of the world of humanity. The essential teaching of Moses was the
> law of Sinai, the Ten Commandments. Christ renewed and again revealed the commands of the one
> God and precepts of human action. In Muhammad, although the circle was wider, the intention of His
> teaching was likewise to uplift and unify humanity in the knowledge of the one God. In the Bab the
> circle was again very much enlarged, but the essential teaching was the same. The Books of Bahá'u'lláh
> number more than one hundred. Each one is an evident proof sufficient for mankind; each one from
> foundation to apex proclaims the essential unity of God and humanity, the love of God, the abolition of
> war and the divine standard of peace. Each one also inculcates divine morality, the manifestation of
> lordly graces - in every word a book of meanings. For the Word of God is collective wisdom, absolute
> knowledge and eternal truth. Consider the statement recorded in the first chapter of the book of John:
> "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This statement
> is brief but replete with the greatest meanings. Its applications are illimitable and beyond the power of
> books or words to contain and express. Heretofore the doctors of theology have not expounded it but
> have restricted it to Jesus as "the Word made flesh," the separation of Jesus from God, the Father, and
> His descent upon the earth. In this way the individualized separation of the godhead came to be
> taught.
> 
> The essential oneness of Father, Son and Spirit has many meanings and constitutes the foundation of
> Christianity. Today we will merely give a synopsis of explanation. Why was Jesus the Word?
> 
> In the universe of creation all phenomenal beings are as letters. Letters in themselves are meaningless
> and express nothing of thought or ideal - as, for instance, a, b, etc. Likewise, all phenomenal beings are
> without independent meaning. But a word is composed of letters and has independent sense and
> meaning. Therefore, as Christ conveyed the perfect meaning of divine reality and embodied
> independent significance, He was the Word. He was as the station of reality compared to the station of
> metaphor. There is no intrinsic meaning in the leaves of a book, but the thought they convey leads you
> to reflect upon reality. The reality of Jesus was the perfect meaning, the Christhood in Him which in
> the Holy Books is symbolized as the Word.
> 
> "The Word was with God." The Christhood means not the body of Jesus but the perfection of divine
> virtues manifest in Him. Therefore, it is written, "He is God." This does not imply separation from
> God, even as it is not possible to separate the rays of the sun from the sun. The reality of Christ was the
> embodiment of divine virtues and attributes of God. For in Divinity there is no duality. All adjectives,
> nouns and pronouns in that court of sanctity are one; there is neither multiplicity nor division. The
> intention of this explanation is to show that the Words of God have innumerable significances and
> mysteries of meanings - each one a thousand and more.
> 
> The Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh are many. The precepts and teachings they contain are universal, covering
> every subject. He has revealed scientific explanations ranging throughout all the realms of human
> 
> inquiry and investigation - astronomy, biology, medical science, etc. In the Kitab-i-Iqan He has given
> expositions of the meanings of the Gospel and other heavenly Books. He wrote lengthy Tablets upon
> civilization, sociology and government. Every subject is considered. His Tablets are matchless in
> beauty and profundity. Even His enemies acknowledge the greatness of Bahá'u'lláh, saying He was the
> miracle of humanity. This was their confession although they did not believe in Him. He was eulogized
> by Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Muslims who denied His claim. They frequently said, "He is
> matchless, unique." A Christian poet in the Orient wrote, "Do not believe him a manifestation of God,
> yet his miracles are as great as the sun." Mirza Abu'l-Fadl has mentioned many poems of this kind, and
> there are numerous others. The testimony of His enemies witnessed that He was the "miracle of
> mankind," that He "walked in a special pathway of knowledge" and was "peerless in personality." His
> teachings are universal and the standard for human action. They are not merely theoretical and
> intended to remain in books. They are the principles of action. Results follow action. Mere theory is
> fruitless. Of what use is a book upon medicine if it is never taken from the library shelf? When
> practical activity has been manifested, the teachings of God have borne fruit.
> 
> The great and fundamental teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are the oneness of God and unity of mankind. This
> is the bond of union among Bahá'ís all over the world. They become united among themselves, then
> unite others. It is impossible to unite unless united. Christ said, "Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the
> salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" This proves there were dissensions and lack of
> unity among His followers. Hence His admonition to unity of action.
> 
> Now must we, likewise, bind ourselves together in the utmost unity, be kind and loving to each other,
> sacrificing all our possessions, our honor, yea, even our lives for each other. Then will it be proved that
> we have acted according to the teachings of God, that we have been real believers in the oneness of
> God and unity of mankind. (Promulgation of Universal Peace*, pages 154-156)
> 
> Ábdu'l-Bahá sums it all in His response when asked His belief regarding Christ: 'By this, The Word, we
> mean the all comprehending Reality and the depository of the infinite divine characteristics.' - DP pg.
> 149 The second meaning of this phrase, The Word of God, so far as it relates to man's comprehension
> and the satisfaction of his intellectual and spiritual needs, are those traces left 'the Word made Flesh,'
> that is, written and spoken words as they fell from the lips or pen of the Manifestation of God.
> 
> READING #6 GL pg. 286-287
> 
> Through the power of the words He hath uttered the whole of the human race can be illumined with
> the light of unity, and the remembrance of His Name is able to set on fire the hearts of all men, and
> burn away the veils that intervene between them and His glory. One righteous act is endowed with a
> potency that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of heavens. It can tear
> every bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the force that hath spent itself and vanished....
> (Gleanings, pages 286-287)
> 
> What we have, then, in this Day of Days, is a full and complete digest and explanation of all the Words
> of all the Prophets of the past so reduced and so annotated by the Manifestation of God Himself as to
> 
> be made applicable to every need of man in the conduct of his physical, moral, intellectual and
> spiritual life as to cover every contingency relating to his social, educational, legal and governmental
> exigencies.
> 
> The absolute necessity for the careful and passionate study of this Word is evident. No pains are too
> great, no time is more precious, no meditation too deep that is spent upon this literal Word of God. Is
> it any wonder that Shoghi Effendi says the true believer should spend upwards of two hours every day
> upon its study.
> 
> The Word is creative, rending veils, it creates capacity, as a fire burning pre-conceived ideas - 'an
> effacement of the conjectured' stated the Bab.
> 
> We are reminded that not only have we the Revelation of the Word in this Day but provision has been
> made for its explanation and adoption to all the needs of man in perpetuity. First, through the words
> and writing of Abdu'l- Baha and later through Shoghi Effendi and the International House of Justice
> successive generations have an infallible guide which will enable them to distinguish between truth
> and falsehood and to penetrate all the mysteries of the created world and bring them to light through
> the medium of arts, science.
> 
> READING #7 GL pg. 141-142
> 
> Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can instill new
> life into every human frame, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth. All the wondrous works ye
> behold in this world have been manifested through the operation of His supreme and most exalted
> Will, His wondrous and inflexible Purpose. Through the mere revelation of the word "Fashioner,"
> issuing forth from His lips and proclaiming His attribute to mankind, such power is released as can
> generate, through successive ages, all the manifold arts which the hands of man can produce. This,
> verily, is a certain truth. No sooner is this resplendent word uttered, than its animating energies,
> stirring within all created things, give birth to the means and instruments whereby such arts can be
> produced and perfected. All the wondrous achievements ye now witness are the direct consequences of
> the Revelation of this Name. In the days to come, ye will, verily, behold things of which ye have never
> heard before. Thus hath it been decreed in the Tablets of God, and none can comprehend it except
> them whose sight is sharp. In like manner, the moment the word expressing My attribute "The
> Omniscient" issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and
> limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvellous sciences, and
> will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is the Almighty,
> the All-Knowing. Know thou of a certainty that the Revelation of every other Name is accompanied by
> a similar manifestation of Divine power. Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is
> indeed a mother letter, and every word uttered by Him Who is the Well Spring of Divine Revelation is
> a mother word, and His Tablet a Mother Tablet. Well is it with them that apprehend this truth.
> (Gleanings, pages 141-142)
> 
> With the foregoing in mind, and corroborative quotations could be multiplied almost indefinitely, it is
> evident why Bahá'u'lláh exhorts us to implicit obedience to that Word and speaks so emphatically of its
> Power.
> 
> And yet, nothing greater than these verses hath ever appeared, nor will ever be made manifest in the
> world! (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 207)
> 
> Through the power of the words He hath uttered the whole of the human race can be illumined with
> the light of unity, (Gleanings, page 286)
> 
> Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer,
> breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. (Gleanings,
> pages 92-93)
> 
> Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is a bright and shining portal that discloseth the glories of a
> saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds. (Gleanings, page 96)
> 
> ...the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been
> empowered to accomplish. ... The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with
> the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change. (Gleanings, page 200)
> 
> Can there be a more urgent reason for the intensive study of this word? And for a determined call upon
> our will for its application to life?
> 
> Perhaps a final word as to the methods of study may be helpful. Marginal annotations referring to
> similar passages often explain each other. At times some of these passages may seem contradictory.
> This is because the student has not penetrated deeply enough. Paradoxical statements are inevitable
> when speaking of such heights. Bahá'u'lláh refers to this difficulty many times and speaks of pondering
> in the heart.
> 
> READING #8 IQAN pg. 192
> 
> Thus will these mysteries be unravelled, not by the aid of acquired learning, but solely through the
> assistance of God and the outpourings of His grace. "Ask ye, therefore, of them that have the custody of
> the Scriptures, if ye know it not." Qur'an 6:59 (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 192)
> 
> It is recommended that the seeker ask aid of those more deeply versed in knowledge of these
> mysteries.
> 
> READING #9 IQAN pg. 211
> 
> The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are
> in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul,
> and freedom of spirit. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 211)
> 
> READING #10 IQAN pg. 254-255
> 
> It is evident unto thee that the Birds of Heaven and Doves of Eternity speak a twofold language. One
> language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled; that it may be a
> 
> guiding lamp and a beckoning light whereby wayfarers may attain the heights of holiness, and seekers
> may advance into the realm of eternal reunion. Such are the unveiled traditions and the evident verses
> already mentioned. The other language is veiled and concealed, so that whatever lieth hidden in the
> heart of the malevolent may be made manifest and their innermost being be disclosed. Thus hath
> Sadiq, son of Muhammad, spoken: "God verily will test them and sift them." This is the divine
> standard, this is the Touchstone of God, wherewith He proveth His servants. None apprehendeth the
> meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour
> with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal
> meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded:
> "Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people. And when
> the Qa'im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth." He also saith: "We speak one
> word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain."
> (The Kitab-i-Iqan, pages 254-255)
> 
> It is made quite clear through many forceful and sublime utterances that knowledge of the Word
> through intensive and loving study is a touchstone by which the station, the sincerity, the self-sacrifice
> in the Path of God is tested.
> 
> The Word - its meaning is often difficult, but far from impossible to understand, sufficiently at least to
> guide the wayfarer to his eternal home. Hence God asks: How much patience, fortitude, and
> steadfastness do you bring to Me?
> 
> 11. READING #11 IQAN pg. 217
> 
> O brother, we should open our eyes, meditate upon His Word, and seek the sheltering shadow of the
> Manifestations of God, that perchance we may be warned by the unmistakable counsels of the Book,
> and give heed to the admonitions recorded in the holy Tablets; that we may not cavil at the Revealer of
> the verses, that we may resign ourselves wholly to His Cause, and embrace wholeheartedly His law,
> that haply we may enter the court of His mercy, and dwell upon the shore of His grace. He, verily, is
> merciful, and forgiving towards His servants. (The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 217)
> 
> 12. READING #12 BS par. 54
> 
> Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of the nations, O Thou Who hast become manifest
> in the Greatest Name whereby the pearls of wisdom and utterance have appeared from the shells of the
> great sea of Thy knowledge, and the heavens of divine revelation have been adorned with the light of
> the appearance of the Sun of Thy countenance.
> 
> I beg of Thee, by that Word through which Thy proof was perfected among Thy creatures and Thy
> testimony was fulfilled among Thy servants to strengthen Thy people in that whereby the face of the
> Cause will radiate in Thy dominion, the standards of Thy power will be planted among Thy servants,
> and the banners of Thy guidance will be raised throughout Thy dominions.
> 
> O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope of Thy grace and holding fast unto the hem
> of the mantle of Thy beneficence. Ordain for them that which may draw them nearer unto Thee,
> and withhold them from all else save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and Protector
> of the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a sea moving by Thy
> desire, as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree, shining from the horizon of the heaven of
> Thy Will. Verily Thou art the mighty One Whom neither the power of all the world nor the strength
> of nations can weaken. There is no God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the Protector, the
> Self-Subsistent. (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, pages 33-34)
>
> — *The Ocean of His Utterances (Used by permission of the curator)*