Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas Part 31

O thou who art quickened by the Divine Fragrances!

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

"O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of G.o.d!..."

O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of G.o.d!

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

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

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

Observe the pages of the universe and discover the traces which appeared!

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

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

Convey my greeting and praise to thy respected husband and say to him that the Jews are still expecting Christ and long to see Him in all antic.i.p.ation and great zeal, while His light was manifested, His beauty shone forth, His call was raised, His trumpet blown, His standard hoisted, and His stars sparkled; but the Pharisees are yet in an amazing slumber, immersed in former traditions, and they make play with the signs of Thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.

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

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

"O thou bright pearl!..."

O thou bright pearl!

Endeavor, and spare no effort, and hasten to the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Lord of the s.h.i.+ning and clear evidences and arguments.

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

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

Convey my greeting and praise to thy honored, n.o.ble-minded husband, for I love him with all that is within me.

"O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of G.o.d! -may..."

O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of G.o.d! -may G.o.d confirm thee!

Verily I read thy letter, which contained expressions like as of "the pure sealed wine," showing what throbs of the thoughts of the love of G.o.d in the mind of that righteous one (thyself) and that which s.h.i.+nes of the lights of the knowledge of G.o.d in the heart of that beloved one.

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

O my beloved one! It is inc.u.mbent upon thee to be firm in the Covenant and to stand up and serve the religion of G.o.d. Verily, this is the magnet of confirmation and a.s.sistance, the attracter of all success and the leader of hosts of gifts.

May G.o.d protect thee from all accidents! May the Glory of ABHA be upon thee!

Convey my greetings to the spiritual leaf, the servant of G.o.d, thy honored wife, the esteemed ........, and say unto her: "Serve in the olive garden of G.o.d, that G.o.d may help thee by those confirmations by which intellects are astounded and the perceptions are cleared."

"O thou who art sincere in the Religion of G.o.d!..."

O thou who art sincere in the Religion of G.o.d!

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

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

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

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

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

Trust in G.o.d and rely on His great bounty, because His bounty is overflowing like the seas, brilliant like unto the lights, flowing like currents of water and raining like the clouds. It is inc.u.mbent upon thee to be humble, lowly and submissive at the appearance of the lights of the gifts of thy Lord, in every instant. Serve the friends of G.o.d under all circ.u.mstances and conditions. This is the station of the spiritual ones; this is the honor of the Bahais; this is the glory of the sincere ones and this is the sovereignty of the unitarians.

"O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!..."

O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!

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

Verily, I love thee with my heart, my spirit and my mind, and a.s.sociate with thee in spirit (and converse with thee) by my innate tongue. I love for thee to arise for that to which I have arisen in servitude to the Sublime and Holy Threshold, turning unto G.o.d, hoping for martyrdom, so that thou mayest attain to the gift, the lights of which glisten in the eternal horizon.(86)