Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas Part 11

"O thou who art advancing toward G.o.d!..."

O thou who art advancing toward G.o.d!

Verily I read thy letter of wonderful expression and eloquent composition and thanked G.o.d that He hath poured upon thee the bounty of guidance and hath made thy heart a lamp of piety.

Verily I beseech G.o.d, with all humbleness, to remove the covering from thine insight and to show unto thee His great signs, and to make thee a banner of guidance, severed from all else save Him, enkindled with the fire of His love, engaged in His praise and apprehending the realities of things; so that thou mayest see with thine eyes, hear with thine ears and not imitate any of the fathers and ancestors; have perception in the matter of thy Lord, for the people are in dark veils. By G.o.d, the True One, verily the doors of the everlasting paradise are opened before the faces of the devoted ones and the Tree of Life therein overshadows the spiritual ones. Happy are those who enter it and are sheltered under its shadow!

"O thou candle s.h.i.+ning by the light of the Love of G.o.d!..."

O thou candle s.h.i.+ning by the light of the Love of G.o.d!

That which thou hast inscribed and conceived of in thy mind was manifest and clear. The contents indicate spiritual signs and the meanings were like unto a sweet chalice. I trust in G.o.d that thy pure mind may become reflective of light; thus thou mayest become prepared for the divine manifestation and attract the light of guidance from the Heavenly Star.

O servant of G.o.d! Through the power of G.o.d's love the weak become mighty, the poor become rich, the little bird becomes a great eagle soaring on the ethereal wave, the tiny plant grows into a great palm tree.

O servant of G.o.d! Trials and tests are severe. If thou seekest progress and advancement in the Kingdom, remain firm and withstand. When it is possible for thee to visit this land(45) in all fragrance and spirituality, thou art permitted to come.

If thou canst help the up-building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar in Chicago, it will be most acceptable.

"O maid-servant of G.o.d!..."

O maid-servant of G.o.d!

I am in the blessed place of the Holy Land and thou art in foreign parts and I do not see thee with my material eyes, but I see thee with the eyes of my heart and I remember thee in recalling to thee that which the Christ promised to the believers, the great blessing and favor, the light of which illuminates those present and those absent.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! Be thou rejoiced because of this good news which draws (inclines) the sanctified hearts from all worldly conditions and know thou the value of this great gift (favor) and do not exchange it for the great sovereignty (of the world), for, verily, the sovereignty of the world is a mortal rule and follows pride. However, this gift is an eternal and a divine favor, the light of which illumines the pa.s.sing of times and periods.

"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!..."

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of G.o.d!

Verily, I noted thy letter and utterance. G.o.d hath accepted thy devotion, prayer and wors.h.i.+p and hath manifested upon thee the lights of His great favor, ushered thee into His Kingdom, gave thee to drink of the wine of His love and made thee to hear the melodies of the birds of holiness in this wonderful day.

Thank G.o.d that He enriched thee beyond the delicacies of this mortal world and caused thee to taste the sweetness of His love in His New Kingdom.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! It is inc.u.mbent upon thee, since thou hast attained the knowledge of G.o.d and His love, to sacrifice thy spirit and all thy conditions for the life of the world, bearing every difficulty for the comfort of the souls, sinking to the depth of the sea of ordeals for the sake of the love of faithfulness and burning with the fire of torture and regret like unto a lamp while the light is s.h.i.+ning from thee unto the surroundings.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! The mystery of sacrifice is that man should sacrifice all his conditions for the divine station of G.o.d. The station of G.o.d is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, sacrifice, favor, grace and giving life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His love in the hearts and arteries. I asked G.o.d to make thee a sign of mercy, the banner of kindness among His maid-servants.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! Sing with beautiful melodies in the meetings of the maid-servants, praising and glorifying thy Supreme Lord.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! The human spirit hath an impression and effect in the world, but the divine Spirit giveth life to the souls and conferreth eternal life upon those who are attracted to the fragrances of G.o.d. This is the Great Cause from the Kingdom of thy Lord. Be attached to this New Spirit which hath effective power in the realities of things and creates new creatures.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! forsake every thought, every remembrance and every praise, while holding to the Word of G.o.d. Confine thy interests, thy works and efforts to the Cause of G.o.d. Thus the spirit of power and might will confirm thee and the manifest light will s.h.i.+ne upon thy brow.

"O servant of G.o.d!..."

O servant of G.o.d!

I was very happy to receive thy letter because it showed thy servitude to the One G.o.d and indicated belief and a.s.surance in the Cause of His Presence. Thank G.o.d that thou art favored with this blessing, that thou servest the friends of G.o.d and thou waitest at the Threshold of the Merciful. I beg of G.o.d that thou mayest be baptized by the baptism of BAHA'O'LLAH and become free from all the stains of the mortal world and that thou mayest take delight in the favors of G.o.d in the paradise of unity, and that thou mayest be able to become pleasing to G.o.d and mayest appear with thy face illuminated as a candle in the world of eternity.

"O thou spiritual friend!..."

O thou spiritual friend!

Verily, I was informed of the contents of thy letter and increased grat.i.tude unto G.o.d, for that He hath granted the friends clear consciences, pure and holy hearts, attraction unto the Kingdom of G.o.d, enkindlement by the fire of the love and humbleness to G.o.d.

Glad-tidings unto ye for this abundant blessing, sufficient bounties, wide mercy, glorious appearances; therefore, be united in hearts and spirits, strive so that ye may obtain the great favors, attain to the overflowing chalice, perform charity (good deeds), gain the spirit of life, attracted by the fragrance and depend on the Lord of Signs. At that time your faces will be illumined, your souls holy, your hearts severed from this world and attached to the Supreme Concourse, and you will call out with the most loud voice: "Glad-tidings unto us through these divine favors and blessed are we by this heavenly guidance!"

I was glad in heart when I saw thy likeness in the photograph and looked at the resemblance like the reality of thy ident.i.ty and thanked G.o.d witnessing the light of G.o.d in thy beautiful face.

"O thou kind friend!..."

O thou kind friend!

Thy letter was received and its contents considered. Man must, under all conditions, be thankful to G.o.d, the One, for it is said in the blessed text: "If ye be thankful I will increase thee."

Man must seek shelter in the mercy and protection of G.o.d, for he is constantly subject to a hundred thousand dangers. Save for the refuge and protection of the Most High, man is without shelter.

I ask G.o.d to help thy children to gain knowledge, to attain virtues and morals which are the refinements of the reality of man, and to strengthen thee to remain firm.

Convey my respect and greeting to Mr......... and Mrs. ......... I trust in the providence of G.o.d that thou mayest ascertain what is worthy and fitting for Bahais, and that day by day the love of G.o.d may increase in the hearts.