To the friends and maidservants of God in the Northeastern States
Upon them be greeting and praise!
O ye heavenly heralds!
These are the days of Naw-Ruz. I am always thinking of those kind friends! I beg for each and all of you confirmations and assistance from the threshold of Oneness, so that those gatherings may become ignited like unto candles in the Republics of America, enkindling the light of the love of God in the hearts; thus the rays of the heavenly teachings may begem and brighten the states of America like the infinitude of immensity with the stars of the most great guidance.
The northeastern states on the shores of the Atlantic—Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York—in some of these states believers are found, but in some of the cities of these states up to this date people are not yet illumined with the lights of the Kingdom and are not aware of the heavenly teachings; therefore, whenever it is possible for each one of you, hasten ye to those cities and shine forth like unto the stars with the light of the most great guidance.
God says in the glorious Koran: "The soil was black and dried. Then we caused the rain to descend upon it and immediately it became green, verdant, and every kind of plant sprouted up luxuriantly." In other words, He says the earth and the soil is black, but when the spring showers descend upon it that black soil is quickened, and variegated flowers are pushed forth. This means the souls of humanity belonging to the world of nature are black like unto the soil. But when the heavenly outpourings descend and the radiant effulgences appear, the hearts are resuscitated, are liberated from the darkness of nature and the flowers of divine mysteries grow and become luxuriant. Consequently man must become the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity and propagate the holy teachings revealed in the sacred books through divine inspiration. It is stated in the blessed Gospel: Travel ye toward the East and toward the West and enlighten the people with the light of the most great guidance, so that they may take a portion and share of the eternal life.
Praise be to God, that the northeastern states are in the
utmost capacity. Because the ground is rich, the rain of the divine outpouring
is descending. Now you must become heavenly farmers and scatter pure seeds in
the prepared soil. The harvest of every other seed is limited, but the bounty
and the blessing of the seed of the divine teachings are unlimited. Throughout
the coming centuries and cycles many harvests will be gathered. Consider the
work of former generations. During the lifetime of his holiness Christ the
believing, firm souls were few and numbered, but the heavenly benedictions
descended so plentifully that in a number of years countless souls entered
under the shade of the Gospel. God has said in the Koran: "One grain will
bring forth seven sheaves, and every sheaf shall contain one hundred
grains." In other words, one grain will become seven hundred; and if God
so wills He will double these also. It has often happened that one blessed soul
has become the cause of the guidance of a nation. Now we must not look at our
own ability and capacity; nay, rather we must behold the favors and bounties of
God in these days, who has made the drop to find the expression of the sea and
the atom the importance of the sun.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas
(Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 10, September 8, 1916)
