“The doors of the Kingdom are opened…”

O People! The doors of the Kingdom are opened; the Sun of Truth is shining upon the world; the Fountains of Life are flowing; the Dayspring of Mercy hath appeared; the Greatest and Most Glorious Light is now manifest to illuminate the hearts of men.

Wake up and hear the Voice of God calling from all parts of the Supreme World: "Come unto Me, O ye children of men; come unto Me, O ye who are thirsty, and drink from this sweet Water which is descending in torrents upon all parts of the globe."

Now is the time! Now is the accepted time!

Look ye at the time of Christ:- had the people realized that the Holy Spirit of God was speaking to them through His Divine Mouth, they would not have waited three centuries before accepting Him.

And now is it meet for you that you are sleeping upon the beds of idleness and neglect, while the Father, whose coming Christ foretold, has come among us, and opened the Greatest Door of Bounteous Gifts and Divine Favors?

Let us not be like those in past centuries, who were deaf to His Call, and blind to His Beauty; but let us try and open our eyes, that we may see Him; and open our ears that we may hear Him; and cleanse our hearts that He may come and abide in our temples.

These days are the days of Faith and deeds-not the days of words and lip service: Let us arise from the sleep of negligence, and realize what a great feast is prepared for us; first eating thereof ourselves, then giving unto others who are thirsting for the Water of Knowledge, and hungering for the Bread of Life.

These Great Days ore swiftly passing; and once gone they can never be recalled. So while the Rays of the Sun of Truth are still shining and the Center of the Covenant of God is manifest, let us go forth to work.

‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 15, December 12, 1913)

Extract from a Tablet

Know thou, verily I say unto thee that the conditions of this mortal world, even if it be the kingship of the whole expanse of this globe, is ephemeral. It is an illusion. It is ended in nothing; neither does it contain any results, nor, in the estimation of God, is it equal to the wing of a mosquito.

Where are the kings and the queens? Where are the palaces and their mistresses? Where are the imperial thrones and jewelled crowns? Where are the mighty rulers of Persia, Greece and Rome? Verily, their palaces are in ruin and desolation, their thrones destroyed, and their crowns thrown to the dust.

But the signs of anyone of the maid-servants of God who arose in the diffusion of the Fragrances of God, serving the Kingdom of God, summoning the people to the Word of God, are widely spread eternally and handed down through centuries and cycles; her dawn is ever luminous; her star always shining; her flag continually flying; her station divinely glorified; her crown scintillating; her message living; her fame immortal; her voice resonant, her spirit in the apex of the Kingdom and her effulgence in the horizon of the Realm of Might.

I beg of God to make thee one of these maid-servants.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, quoted in ‘Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab,’ July 24, 1913; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 15, December 12, 1913)

Extract from a Tablet

The glad-tidings of the Kingdom of Abha are effective over the hard stone and resuscitates the dried bones. Like unto the down pouring of the vernal shower, they cause the growth of roses and hyacinths, jasmines and jonquils out of the black soil! Although the inhabitants of that city are submerged in the sea of materialism and it may take some time before they are awakened, yet the Melody of the Kingdom of Abha shall finally quicken them; the Cup of the Love of God will become full to overflowing, impart a wonderful exhilaration and allay the thirst of the thirsty ones. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, quoted in ‘Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab,’ July 24, 1913; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 15, December 12, 1913)

Extract from a Tablet

If thou desirest to be confirmed in the service of the Kingdom of God, live in accord with the Teachings of Baha’u’llah, and that is:—real love for the world of humanity and the utmost of kindness for the believers of God. This real love, like unto the magnetic power, attracts the Divine confirmations.

If a soul calls the people to the Kingdom of God according to the Principles of Baha’u’llah there will be many listeners. First one must teach by deeds; then speak The Word! First one must become thirsty; then the salubrious water be offered. No matter how delicious the water is, one who is not thirsty will not enjoy it. Therefore, make ye an effort so that the people may become thirsty; then cause them to quaff from the Divine Chalice.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet, quoted in ‘Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab,’ July 24, 1913; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 15, December 12, 1913)

Extract from a Tablet to Albert R. Windust, Chicago

That which is the most important of all the affairs in this day is to teach the Cause of God! You must engage in the diffusion of the fragrances of God, so that ye may impart life to the worlds, illumine the dark regions, confer new existence upon these mouldering, dead bodies, make intelligent and mindful these negligent hearts. Thus may they free themselves from this nether world and soar toward the Universe of the Almighty!

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 15, December 12, 1913)

To Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm

Upon whom be Baha’u’l-Abha

 He is God!

 O thou, my dear son!

Thy letter, dated July 3, 1913, was received. Its contents indicated the firmness and steadfastness of the believers of God and told of the holding of a divine meeting in your radiant, charming country place. Praise be to God, that that day was spent in the utmost joy and happiness. That annual memorial meeting will be the souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, especially when it is passed with infinite delight and gladness. [1]

The confirmation of the Kingdom of Abha sall descend uninterruptedly upon those souls who are firm in The Covenant. Thou hast well observed that every firm one is assisted and aided and every violator is degraded, humiliated and lost. It is very astonishing that people are not admonished. They have observed how Mirza Mohammed Ali, on account of the violation of The Covenant, descended to the lowest degree of humiliation and yet they do not become mindful. They have seen how others through disobedience to the Testament have fallen into a well of degradation, and yet they are not awakened.

This Covenant is The Covenant of His Holiness Baha’u’llah. Now its importance is not known befittingly, but in the future it shall attain to such a degree of importance that if a king violates to the extent of one atom, he shall be cut off immediately.

Consider that during the life of Christ— may my life be a sacrifice to Him! —His Cause had no importance whatsoever; nay, rather the people scoffed and ridiculed Him and according to the Text of the Gospel, they called Him, Beezlebub. Now you can see the importance which it had later.

In short, thank thou God, that—praise be to Him!—in the garden of The Covenant thou art like a fragrant hyacinth and in the congregation of the love of God like an ignited candle.

Convey the wonderful Abha greeting to his honor Mr. Harris and his honor Mr. Hoar and all the believers in God.

Upon thee be Baha’u’l-Abha!

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 14, November 23, 1913)

[1] Refers to a Feast given at West Englewood, N. J., June 29, 1913, by the Bahais of New York city and vicinity, in commemoration of the Feast given by Abdul-Baha on the same date in 1912

To a Christian Minister in Washington, D. C.

He is God!

O respected personage, thou seeker of Reality!

Thy letter was received. It was not a letter but a mirror in which was reflected the images of Reality. Therefore, through its reading and perusal the happiness of the heart was obtained. If the earthly house is destroyed, be thou not sad—may the palace of the Kingdom be upraised!

O thou bird of Reality! If thy terrestrial nest is ruined, be thou not unhappy—the heavenly nest is destined for thee. His Holiness, the Christ, the Holy Manifestations and the apostles possessed no nest whatsoever in this mortal world but in the universe of God, a glorious palace. It is hoped that through the Divine Bestowal, in a lofty station, in the universe of God, a radiant palace may become prepared for thee.

Consider that the palaces of former kings, from the day of Adam to the present time, are destroyed and ravaged by the relentless hand of time, but the towering palace of the believers of God are eternally built and never subject to destruction. Reflect carefully and thou shalt observe that all the foundations are uprooted but the foundation of the apostles of Jesus, which is becoming firmer and loftier day by day.

It is my hope that thou shalt likewise lay the basis of such a lofty palace. The foundation of this palace is to summon the people to the Call of the Kingdom of God; its galleries are the Principles of Baha’u’llah and its decorations the writings of the world of humanity; its radiant lamps are the lights of the Divine Kingdom.

Therefore, strive as much as thou canst to quicken the dead souls, to guide the erring ones, to cause to drink those who are thirsty and invite those who are hungry to sit around the heavenly table and partake of the Divine Food.

Upon thee be Baha’u’l-Abha!

 

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 13, November 4, 1913)

To Doctor M.G. Skinner, Washington, D.C.

He is God!

O thou my doctor!

Thy letter was received. Thou hast written regarding thy aims. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! I hope that you may become confirmed therein, because the worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting; more especially when it emanates from the tongues of the believers of God. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting could be shut eternally and each one of the believers of God unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other, then the teachings of His Holiness Baha’u’llah would be spread, the hearts illuminated, the spirits glorified and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.

I hope that the believers of God will shun completely backbiting, each one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting is the cause of Divine wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because the most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding. One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects.

It is related that His Holiness Christ—May my life be a sacrifice to Him! — one day, accompanied by His apostles, passed by the corpse of a dead animal. One of them said: "How putrid has this animal become!" The other exclaimed: "How it is deformed!" A third cried out: "What a stench! How cadaverous looking!" But His Holiness Christ said: "Look at its teeth! How white they are!" Consider, that He did not look at all at the defects of that animal; nay, rather, He searched well until He found the beautiful white teeth. He observed only the whiteness of the teeth and overlooked entirely the deformity of the body, the dissolution of its organs and the bad odor.

This is the attribute of the children of the Kingdom. This is the conduct and the manner of the real Baha’is. I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station.

Upon thee and upon them be Baha’u’l-Abha!

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 11, September 27, 1913)

Portion of a Tablet to Roy C. Wilhelm of New York city

Praise be to God that the New York believers became confirmed in the accomplishment of a great service and held in that city the consultation Convention for the erection of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar. They displayed the utmost of effort until that Convention was inaugurated with infinite perfection. They exercised the greatest of love and kindness towards all the delegates who had come from the different states. They invited and entertained the delegates in their homes. With perfect affection they spread before them the banquet of hospitality. Every one became grateful and happy. This event will adorn an important and blessed page in the Bahai history. ‘Abdu’l-Baha is pleased with every one and supplicates and entreats toward the Kingdom of Baha’u’llah and begs inexhaustible confirmations for the friends.

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 10, September 8, 1913)

Concerning some Covenant-breakers in Chicago

Convey the wonderful Abha greeting to the believers. Chicago, in comparison with the cities of America, was in advance and numerically contained more Bahais, but when the stench (vile odor) of the nakazeen [Covenant-breakers] was spread in that city, there was a stagnation. The Cause in other cities of America is progressing day unto day, but Chicago is stationary. Therefore, strive that the sweet fragrance of the Testament and the Covenant may become diffused, the nostrils of the spiritual ones become perfumed, the banner of Ya Baha’u’l-Abha be unfurled and the tent of the Oneness of the world of humanity be pitched. Then ye shall observe that Chicago has become the Paradise of Abha. These few nakazeen cannot accomplish anything worthwhile. The utmost is this, that they will be the means of the drooping of the believers of God in that city. A person deprived of the spirit of the Covenant is sentenced as dead. The dead surely disintegrate. Therefore, breathe the spirit of the Covenant and the Testament as much as ye can in the hearts, so that the souls may progress day unto day and obtain a new exhilaration.

Upon thee be Baha’u’l-Abha!

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 10, September 8, 1913)

To Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm, New York City

Upon him be Baha’u’l-Abha!

He is God!

O thou my spiritual son!

Thy letter written on ...., 1913, was duly received. Thank God that thou art firm and steadfast in the Cause. Today the magnetic power that attracts the divine confirmation is firmness and steadfastness. The tree whose root is firm will yield luscious fruit. The building whose foundation is solid will stand the rush of torrent and hurricane. The steamer which is built strongly will resist the battling waves. Therefore, thank thou God that thou art aided in firmness and steadfastness. Likewise, thy kind father and mother. I beg from the divine Favors that each one of you may be in the utmost state of firmness and steadfastness like unto a mountain and withstand the attack of all the people of the earth. Then ye shall observe how the divine confirmations shall descend uninterruptedly.

Convey on my behalf respectful greeting to all the believers and the maid-servants of the Merciful who are firm in the Covenant and the Testament.

Upon thee be Baha’u’l-Abha!

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 10, September 8, 1913)

From a Tablet to a believer

O servant of God!

Know thou, verily, the fragrances of the Garden of the Covenant have perfumed all regions, the Standard of the Testament is waving upon the castles of glory, and there is no refuge for those who flee from this strongly fortified Fortress!

Do the people of surmise imagine that there is for them any other retreat than this blessed Region from which the Lights have shone forth, the mysteries have appeared and the signs are being diffused?

O servant of God! Arise to promote the Word of God, to promulgate The Covenant of God, and chant the Verses of God with such power whereby the elements of discord may tremble in those regions!

(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas  (Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 10, September 8, 1913)