Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas Part 36

"O thou favored maid-servant in the Threshold of the..."

O thou favored maid-servant in the Threshold of the Almighty!

The letter which thou hast written was perused and its contents were noted. Thou hast written concerning spiritual hearing and insight. The insight (or inner perception) is a correct sight, for it never blundereth.

But the outward sight doth err (or misjudgeth); it seeth the mirage as water, considereth the revolving flame as a circle, imagineth the images reflected in a mirror as a reality and judgeth huge bodies as small ones, from a remote distance. There are many evidences as to the blundering of the sight; but the insight apprehendeth the reality and discovereth the mysteries.

As to the difference between inspiration and imagination: Inspiration is in conformity with the Divine Texts, but imaginations do not conform therewith. A real, spiritual connection between the True One and the servant is a luminous bounty which causeth an ecstatic (or divine) flame, pa.s.sion and attraction. When this connection is secured (or realized) such an ecstasy and happiness become manifest in the heart that man doth fly away (with joy) and uttereth melody and song. Just as the soul bringeth the body in motion, so that spiritual bounty and real connection likewise moveth (or cheereth) the human soul. As to truthful dreams: I beg of G.o.d that thy inner eye (insight) may be so opened that thou mayest thyself differentiate between truthful and untruthful dreams.

Treat thy friends and relatives in general with the utmost kindness and love; (deal in like manner) even with strangers (or outsiders). Convey my great compa.s.sion to the little maid-servant of G.o.d, ......... She must memorize and recite the following commune:

"O loving G.o.d! I am a young child, a suppliant, a..."

"O loving G.o.d! I am a young child, a suppliant, a captive. Be Thou my refuge, my support, my protector. I am in distress: give me the means of tranquillity. I am needy: bestow upon me the treasure of the Kingdom. I am dead: give me the Spirit of Life. I am weak: favor me with power and strength, so that I may be a maid-servant in Thy Threshold, with perfect purity and sanct.i.ty; sacrifice myself unto Thee, be quit of myself and seek Thee, walk in the path of Thy good pleasure, speak Thy secret and witness the signs of Thy Oneness wherever I look. O G.o.d! Make me ablaze, like unto the fire of Thy love, and make me free from attachment to this mortal world, until I find the peace of soul and the rest of conscience.

"Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty! Thou art the Hearer, the Seer!"

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

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

Blessed art thou, for the lights of guidance have shone forth upon thee and the bounty of the Supreme Kingdom hath illumined thy heart. The effect of the Spirit will surely increase within hearts, so souls will grow in advancing toward the Kingdom, the wonderful bounty shall appear from the invisible kingdom, the hidden exalted world, and your powers and firmness will increase in the Cause of G.o.d, the Lofty, the Mighty.

"O thou G.o.dlike person and spiritual friend!..."

O thou G.o.dlike person and spiritual friend!

Verily G.o.d hath, through His bounty and grace, removed the covering from off thine eyes and inspired thee the night in which the Morn of Guidance dawned and the Holy Spirit breathed in the being of "The Exalted, the Supreme"(95) . Ye went out(96), desirous to witness and visit the Lord, and awaited the appearance of the Great Bounty in that brilliant night. Is there any evidence greater than this to the discerning? No, by my Beloved, the ABHA! This is a gift to which ye have been a.s.signed among mankind.

Thank ye G.o.d for this bestowal in which the inspired ones glory in the kingdom of heaven.

As to thee, strengthen thou thy back to spread that Spirit and diffuse that Light and arise to serve the Cause of G.o.d in His vineyard, so that thou mayest be of the first to call in the name of G.o.d and draw nearer unto the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Glorious, the Supreme. Truly, I say unto thee, if thou be steadfast in this Cause and arise with all thy power to promote the Word in those parts, and if thou render thine utmost efforts in breathing the Spirit of Life into the hearts of the righteous, thou wilt find thyself a.s.sisted by the angels of heaven and the hosts of the Supreme Concourse; thou wilt hoist the banner of peace and the sounds of the trumpet will be heard in the tunes of love and union throughout those countries; thou wilt guide people (literally, souls) to the running water of life and lead them to the field of knowledge; thou wilt give them to drink the wine of a.s.surance and quicken them with the fragrances of the Merciful One; thou wilt clothe them with the robes of bestowal and give them to drink the wine of faithfulness in love for Baha', so that they will be awakened from the sleep of selfish desires and behold the signs of their Mighty Lord in this exalted life. This is better for thee than all the glory and dominion of the world.

As to thy coming at this time to the Blessed Spot (Acca), this is not in accordance with the wisdom revealed in the Tablets. Send unto us some of the traces of thy pen (writings) so that we may see it and pray G.o.d to a.s.sist and render thee successful in everything.

"O thou whose face is illumined with the Light of the..."

O thou whose face is illumined with the Light of the Love of G.o.d!

The answer already hath been delayed, but there is no harm in that. For, verily, my heart is gazing unto thee, my love is constant and permanent for thee and the fragrances of holiness are wafting (over thee) and my spirit is pouring upon thee, and the spiritual communication is extended between us.

O maid-servant of G.o.d! It is inc.u.mbent upon thee to show forth the greatest steadfastness; it is inc.u.mbent upon thee to stand the tests of the Lord! Be thou firm in the love of thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful!***

"O thou who art enkindled with the Fire of the Love..."

O thou who art enkindled with the Fire of the Love of G.o.d!

Thy letter was received and I was informed of the contents. It was a proof of truthfulness and sincerity and an evidence of spiritual feelings.

Consider how the radiance of the light of the Holy Spirit doth illumine the court of the soul, that it bringeth about spiritual discoveries and produceth merciful attachment! The essential meeting is that spiritual attachment (or union) and heartfelt feelings; when this gift becometh manifest, heavenly bounties will be attained and hopes shall be fulfilled.

It is the same as I have written: Thou shalt attain to visit Acca; but now a physical visit (or presence) will lead to interference on the part of the ignorant and cause the tumult and commotion of the unwise. For the present, satisfy thyself with a spiritual union. G.o.d willing, thy coming will be also brought about afterward.

Occupy thyself with the Kingdom as much as thou canst and forget all else save the True One; in order that thou mayest, day by day, find a new power in the Cause of G.o.d and gain a great stability.

"O thou who art advancing toward the Threshold of..."

O thou who art advancing toward the Threshold of Mercifulness!

Verily, I have read the expressions of thy longing for the visit and thy craving to come to this Brilliant Spot. But the violators of the Covenant of G.o.d have stirred up the dust of deception, and besides this, there are numerous obstacles and it is impossible for thee to come in these times.

But verily, I pray my Lord to make this success feasible unto thee in a future time. There is for this a mature wisdom concealed from sight, but it shall appear as clear as the sun in midday.

As to thee, be rejoiced at the glad-tidings of thy Lord and trust in His great gifts, the lights of which have shone forth upon the horizons of hearts and souls, and trust in the a.s.sistance of thy Master, and ask what thou wishest of the gifts of thy Lord, the Unconstrained! Draw nigh unto Him with a pure heart, cheerful face, gazing eye and a joyful spirit and plunge with thy whole being into the sea of the love of G.o.d and forget all else save Him, so that thou mayest be filled with such spiritual sentiments from the kingdom of G.o.d, which will take the reins of desire from thy hands and move thee with the power of thy Lord, just as the wind moveth a mote in the open air as it willeth. At that time we will draw unto each other in spirit, a nearness which will be eternal, everlasting and endless.

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

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

Verily, I considered the meanings of thy beautiful words and found them as a peerless, brilliant pearl, s.h.i.+ning with a l.u.s.ter of the lights of the love of G.o.d. G.o.d shall surely enable thee [to speak] in more eloquent and wonderful words through a confirmation from the Spirit of the gift of G.o.d.***

O maid-servant of G.o.d! Verily, the picture (photograph) is an indication of what is in the heart of man. There are faces which are rejoiced and brilliant like unto the garden of paradise and faces which are dusty and dark and are covered with the dimness of fire.

Verily I beg of G.o.d that He may strengthen thee in whatever matter thou mayest undertake and unto which thou mayest advance.