1/15/22

Extract from a Tablet to Mr. Howard MacNutt

He is God!

O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!

Thy detailed letter was received. Its contents indicated that thou didst travel in the cities of America and visited the friends of God until thou didst reach the general Convention held in Chicago for the building of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar. In thy letter thou hast written in praise and commendation of the illumination of that Convention.

Truly, I say, the Convention of the Baha’i delegates in Chicago was a heavenly gathering and confirmed by Divine Assistance. The Splendor of the Kingdom of Abha shone forth and the soul-refreshing Breeze wafted from the direction of Providence. It was an Effulgence from the Rays of the Sun of Truth that the friends of God gathered in that illumined Assembly with the utmost love, unity and concord. The intentions of everyone were reinforced by Divine Confirmation, the aim of everyone was service in the Cause of God, servitude in the Threshold of the Almighty and the erection of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar.

The results of that Convention in the future will be far-reaching and most important, and evident signs shall become manifest. As it was the first general Baha’i Convention in America, it displayed wonderful influence. The gathering of that illumined Assembly in such a short space of time would have been impossible without the Power of the Divine Covenant and Testament. But The Covenant has such a great sway that it astonishes the minds. In every region the sign of the Power of the Covenant is apparent and manifest.

For instance: In Persia the fire of revolution blazed in such wise that all communities, government and nation became afflicted with the most severe trials; but the Power of the Covenant protected the Baha’i friends to such a degree that in this turbulent storm no dust fell upon them, except in one locality, which became the cause of the spreading of the Religion of God and the diffusion of the Word of God. Now all the parties in Persia are wondering how the people of Bahá were guarded and protected.

Praise be to God! that in Tehran, and all the provinces of Persia, the Call of God has been raised, the Ensign of the Covenant has been unfurled, the cry of "Ya-Baha’u’l-Abha!" has been heard and the melody of the Kingdom of Abha has been promulgated among the people of intelligence.

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas (Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 4, May 14, 1914)