Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas Part 54

Verily I read thy last letter and gathered from its meanings the mysteries of thy great love. I supplicate to my Lord that He may at every moment increase thy joy and fragrance, thy speech and utterance, thine attraction and enkindlement, and that He may heal thee from the infirmities which have affected thee and weakened thy feeble body, and strengthen thee to guide mankind into the Supreme Kingdom and quicken hearts by the fragrances of the Paradise of Abha, so that thou mayest become a bird warbling upon the twigs of the Tree of Life, with most wonderful melodies and most charming tunes.

"O thou artery pulsating in the body of the world!..."

O thou artery pulsating in the body of the world!

Verily I read thy recent letter which indicated conscious joy and abundant happiness from the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of El-Abha. Know, verily that the feast is the day wherein G.o.d opened thine insight through the Manifest Light, showed thee unto His Great Kingdom and granted to thee to drink from the chalice overflowing with the wine of divine guidance among the maid-servants. Is there a feast more happy and more n.o.ble than this?

No, indeed, by the Lord of Heaven, it is a day wherein the thirsty one attaineth to the Spring from which gusheth forth cool and refreshing water, the lover meeteth his Loved One and the sick one is healed by the remedy of the Physician. Blessed art thou for attaining unto this!

Verily, the people who rejoice in the day of the feast and enjoyed the tree(126) (which) was decorated, following the custom of ancient times, are the people of superst.i.tions. By the Majesty of thy Lord! Were they in the time of Christ, they would turn their backs and would not behold His smiling, glorious face; but today they play in the shallow waters of their superst.i.tions without discretion.

Therefore, thank G.o.d for His having privileged thee to attain nearness to the Blessed Tree which is grown upon the highest Sinai and is set aglow with the fire of G.o.d's love, calling unto responsive listeners. I supplicate G.o.d to heal thee from all troubles and diseases and make thee a sign of guidance and a standard of the Supreme Concourse in those regions and particularly at Green Acre.

"O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Loving Lord!..."

O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Loving Lord!

What thou hast written in recommendation of a number of Christians was perused. Although the presence of these persons will, in these times, cause the revolt of the heedless ones and increase the trouble, yet for your sake we will send them a telegram to Egypt and permit them to come and visit. This is but for thy sake, and Abdul-Baha cannot endure to meet but the people of the Merciful and does not wish to be in union except with the heavenly ones.

O thou chosen maid-servant of G.o.d! It is time for thee to cry aloud and fervently, day and night, not to sit still a moment, not to rest for an instant, but to be always engaged in the commemoration of G.o.d and invite the people with the utmost longing and ecstasy unto the Kingdom of G.o.d.

Raise thou such melodies and harmony in Green Acre that may reach unto the Kingdom of Abha and cause joy and exaltation in the angels of heaven! This matter needs a great enthusiasm (heat or exertion) and a sanct.i.ty and purity like unto a manifest light. Thou knowest what secrets doeth the spirit of Abdul-Baha communicate with thee and what glad-tidings he giveth unto thee! Show forth thy capacity and merit, for without capacity the Gift doth not become manifest.

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

O thou dear maid-servant of G.o.d!

Thy letter was excellent and its contents were perfect and complete. Happy is thy condition for that thou hast not forgotten the time of thy visit(127), nay, at every instant thou hast grown in this thought and art remembering the exhortations of Abdul-Baha and wishing in thy soul to put them thoroughly into practice. Praise be to G.o.d that thou hast kept steadfast with all firmness under the millstone of tests like unto a grain of diamond. Be not grieved; tests lead to the development of holy souls and the ardor of the flame of fire causeth the pure gold to shine and the violence of winds is conducive to the growth and thriving of a firm and well rooted tree.

If the earthen house and mortal dwelling-place was burned,(128) yet I hope that thou mayest build thy nest and abode, like unto the birds of holiness, in the Tree of Life in the Divine Kingdom.***

All the members of the household, especially the Exalted Leaf(129), send most wonderful Abha greetings. The maid-servant of G.o.d, ........, is present here longing for you with the utmost joy and happiness.

As to the catalogue of the book of which thou has written, convey (the following) to the author of that book:

"Although thou hast exerted the utmost endeavors in compiling this book and hast written the life of His Kingdom Christ and His blessed sayings-and this service and labor deserve favor-yet these are events of former times and all that is past is of a different effect. If thou art a hero of the field and a melodious bird in the garden of the Merciful One, speak of the Beauty of Abha, for it is ready and present. consider that the last year's springtime is past and all that thou mayest say or hear (about it) is but a story (or narrative); but appreciate thou this New Year's Spring-which is this present time-hath pitched its tent with the utmost magnificence in the field and plain and hath made the mountain and desert verdant and fresh, hath made the trees to appear pure and fresh, blooming with flowers and blossoms through the vernal bounty and caused them to bring forth pure fruits. Nor all that thou mayest speak of the past springtime, be it even spoken with all excellence and eloquence and in accord with reality, all that will, nevertheless, be a past story.

"Do thou not abandon that which is ready in the present time until thou mayest gain the result and gather fruits from the garden of thy hopes and wishes. Otherwise, thy book is a book of history-it will be concluded and forgotten. Harken unto me (i.e., take my advice): One single ready drop is better than a sea which is past. More especially, this New Cause is like unto a sea, while all those which are past were like unto rivers."

"O bird without a nest!..."

O bird without a nest!

It is reported thy home and shelter is burnt, thy resting place and habitation is become desolate. Though this news is greatly affecting, yet do not be sorrowful and disheartened, because the birds of the divine gardens have nests on the branches of the Tree of Life. The earthly abode is not worth the attachment of the heart, for this structure will surely be destroyed, but that which is of worth to freed ones (detached from all save G.o.d) is the heavenly palace and the court of Divine Majesty. Thanks be to G.o.d that for each one of the divine freed slaves and the heavenly and dear maid-servants, and indestructible mansion will be erected in the New Kingdom. This mansion will be an everlasting dwelling, an eternal abode and shelter.

There is a hidden wisdom in the burning of the house which before long will be clearly known. Divine attractions and heavenly bounties alone cause happiness to the hearts.

Use your utmost endeavors to dwell in the thought that in Green Acre this year the divine proclamation will be raised to the heavenly zenith and the lights of the supreme guidance will enlighten those regions.

Be sure that heavenly a.s.sistance will be given and that the breeze of the Divine Garden will perfume the nostrils of the inhabitants of the earth.

Some of the weak souls thought that this dear maid-servant of G.o.d was attached to this house and to this perishable world. Now the house is burnt, all will realize that thy attraction is increasing, thy steps are drawing near, thy flag is raised higher and thy condition more excellent.

Show forth such happiness and joy that all will be astonished.

"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of the..."

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of the Kingdom of El-Abha!

I read thy letter which was beautifully composed and which indicated that thy delicate body hath gained rest. I send thee the answer spiritually so that the signs of the address may become manifest in thy heart. Verily thou art with me in spirit at all times. I ask G.o.d to make thee follow my example in establishing the Kingdom of Unity and Peace and building up the Dominion of Love and Faith which was founded by the Beauty of El-Abha.

Rest and repose are necessary for thee in these days; be thou composed in all conditions. Thou art with me under all circ.u.mstances. Then thank G.o.d for His guidance unto thee. He hath made thee drink from a cup overflowing with the wine of His love in the world. I ask G.o.d to make thee the essence of holiness and purity among the maid-servants of the Merciful-thus thou mayest be a brilliant flame in the universe.

All the Illumined Leaves, the maid-servants of G.o.d in this most great prison, convey to thee greeting and praise.

"Inquire after the health of Miss .........., send..."

(130) Inquire after the health of Miss .........., send her my greeting and say: "Many ideas rise up in the human mind; some of them concern truth and some untruth. Among such ideas those which owe their source to the Light of Truth will be realized in the outward world; while others of a different origin vanish, come and go like waves on the sea of imagination and find no realization in the world of existence.

"Similarly, numerous, various meetings and a.s.semblages have been organized during the past ages and bygone centuries. All these produced no result except those a.s.semblages which rendered unmixed service to the Light of Truth; from such a.s.semblages alone great results were realized in the world of existence.

"For instance, consider how many a thousand a.s.semblages-religious, political and literary-have been organized in India, Persia, Turkestan, Chinese countries and, in a word, in every part of Asia. All these gave no result except that a.s.semblage of the disciples of Christ on the mount fifty days after Christ's ascension. all that hath since been effected along the line of diffusing the holy fragrances of Christ, uplifting the Word of G.o.d, spreading the Gospel, training souls and guiding the people, hath been wholly from the result of the effects produced by that a.s.semblage of the disciples. Those effects are continual even in the present time.

"Consequently, if one looks for praiseworthy results and wishes to produce eternal effects, let him make exceeding effort, in order that Green Acre may become an a.s.semblage for the Word of G.o.d and a gathering place for the spiritual ones of the heavenly world.

"The moldered, two-thousand-years-old superst.i.tions of the heedless, ignorant peoples, whether of Asia or Europe, should not be spread in that revered gathering place; for, if such be the case, let it be known for certain that that a.s.semblage will yield no result and will, before long, be forgotten and consigned to oblivion, similar to other meetings of bygone times.

"I beg of G.o.d that that esteemed maid-servant of G.o.d shall be the cause of spreading the Cause of G.o.d, so that the Light of Truth may shine and the world be illumined.