To the maid servant
of God, Mrs. Louise Waite, Los Angeles, California
Upon her be Baha'u'l-Abha!
O thou dear maid servant of Baha’u’llah!
The letter thou hadst written to his honor Mr. Tudor Pole
was perused. It is just what thou hadst written, namely, that the question of
supreme importance centers around the promulgation of divine teachings. This is
conducive to amity among all denominations and races that dwell on earth, nay
rather it links together the East and the West, binds closely together the
North and the South, pitches the pavilion of the oneness of the world of
humanity, lays the foundation of universal peace, emancipates mankind from the
gloom of the world of nature and elevates it to the illumination of the
Kingdom, secures freedom for all the hearts and gladdens the souls with the
glad tidings of God.
As to the question of reincarnation which thou hast
inquired: It is better for thee to refer to the Book of Certainty (Iqan)
revealed through the Supreme Pen, wherein the question is fully treated. This
is the explicit text of the divine utterance and therein thou shalt find that
it has been manifestly declared that by "Return" is meant the return
of human perfections and divine illumination. The Book of Iqan has been
translated and possesses the decisive verdict. Consider and peruse it with the
utmost carefulness.
Concerning the childish activities of some (violators) which
thou hadst written about: Praise be to God, thou hast been able to fulfill
admirably thy mission. Thou hast, armed with the power of the Covenant,
resisted and surmounted these unwise and foolish attempts; thou hast protected
the Cause of God and hast striven to expose and reveal the Truth to the people
of that region. These people are like unto children at every hour they exhibit
a fresh and puerile attempt, but all that is likened to a ripple on the surface
of water. Ere long thou shalt consider that no sign and no trace shall remain
therefrom. The ocean of the Covenant shall send forth a wave and shall disperse
and throw out these foams. Consider thou, at the time of Christ and after Him,
how many childish attempts were made by different persons! What claims they
have advanced and what a multitude have they gathered around themselves! Even
Arius attracted to himself a million and a half followers and strove and
endeavored to sow the seeds of sedition in the Cause of Christ. But eventually
the sea of Christ surged and cast out all the gathering froth and nothing was
left behind save everlasting malediction.
In fine, engage in the promulgation of divine teachings,
that ye may serve in a distinguished manner the oneness of the world of
humanity, may be the means of the propagation of universal peace, that the
world of mankind may reflect, like unto a mirror, the divine Kingdom and that
the lights of the realm on high may shine in the nether world.
Convey, on my behalf, to all the friends and particularly to
thy respected husband, Mr. Waite, the utmost love and kindness.
Upon thee be
Baha'u'l-Abha!
(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha
Abbas
(Translated by Shoghi
Rabbani, March 15th, 1919. Home of ‘Abdu’l- Baha, Haifa, Palestine; Star of the
West, vol. 10, no. 5, June 5, 1919)
