SCANNED BY DUANE TROXEL; NOT SPELLCHECKED OR PROOFREAD THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ONLINE IN THE HOPE THAT A VOLUNTEER WILL PROOFREAD AND FORMAT IT. IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE CONSULT THE STYLE SHEET AT bahai-library.com/editors/style.sheet.html AND THEN WRITE TO JONAH WINTERS. THANK YOU, YOUR HELP IS GREATLY NEEDED! THE BAHA'I REVELATION By THORNTON CHASE "judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God." (I Cor..~:S.) "For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." .(Matt.., 6:27.) "He hath come with His most mighty Power among the nations; turn toward Him, 0 con- course of the good! The Father hath come and that which hath been promised unto you in the Kingdom is accomplished." (Baha'o'llah.) PUBLISHED BY BAHA'I PUBLISHING COMMITTEE NEW YORK, 1928 by NEW YORK CONTENTS. THE GLORY OF THE LORD. Page THE GREAT COMMANDMENT - - - - - - - - 1 -Love's Inspiration - - - - ~ - - - - - - - 1 Man-made Gods - - - - - - - - - - - - I Qualities - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 The Creational Book - - - - - - - - - - - 3 Universal Law - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - 3 The Law of Love - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Man, the Chooser - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 THE WORD OF GOD - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8, 77 The Word Incarnate - - - - - - - - - - 9, 78 The Word Speaker - - - --- - - - - - - 10 The Love of God - - - - - - - - - - - - TheWrath of Man -- - - - - - - - - The Witness of Truth- ~ - - - - - - - - - 12 Believing in Him - - - - - - - - - - - - 12 Immortality - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 "Let there be Light -- - - - - - - - - - - - 14 THE GIFT OF GOD - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16 Origins - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - 16 Moses' Appointment - - - - - - - - - - - 17 Heavenly Schoolmasters - - - - - - - - - - 19 The Word Alone - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 The Evidence of Christ - - - - - - - - - - 21 Pow(j of the Word - - - - -- - - - - - 22 The1)ivine Proof -- - - - - - - - - - - - 23 The Mighty Names - - - - -- - - - ~ - 2,3 SUCCESSION OF DIVINE REVELATIONS - - - - - - - - 2,5 Channelsof Communication - - - - - - - - 2,~ No Dispentsation Final - - - - - - - - - - 20 Signs of llic Times - - - - - - - - - - - 26 Passing of theOld - - - - - - - - - - - - 27 DarIme-ss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28 The Glory of God- - - - - - - - - - - - 2t) TI1E FULLNESS OF TillE- - - - - - - - - - - - - 30 Coming- of the New - - - - - -- - - - - - 30 The Light of the Spirit - - - -- - - - - - - 32 Dangerous Knowledges - - - - - - - - - - 33 "As ABovF~So BELOW -- - - - - - - - - - - - - 34 Light - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - 35 Preparing the Way - - - - - - - - - - - - 36 Unity and Peace - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38 Page THE GOLDEN AGE - - - - - - - - - - 40 School Days - - - - - - - - - - 40 The Day of Fulfilment - - - - - - - - 41 The Burdens of Prophecy - - - - - - - - - 42 Isaiah Eleven - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 42 The Age of Fear - - - - - - - - - - - - 43 The Age of Unity - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 Dawn of the Millennium - - - - - - - - - - 45 Millennial Evidences - - - - - - - - - - - 45 The Manhood of Man - - - - - - - - - - 46 HISTORY THE BAB - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 51 BAIIA'O'LLAH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55 ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59 A Statement - - - - - - 62 TEACHINGS BAHA's DECLARATION - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69 The Appointment - - - - - - - - - - - - 70 The Breeze of the Spirit - - - - - - - - - - 70 WORDS OF BAHA'O'LLAH - - - - - - - - - - - - 72 Purification - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72 Detachment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72 The Tongue - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 73 Kindness - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 74 Eyes, Ears and Hearts - - - - - - - - - - 74 Lighting the Lamp - - - - - - - - - - - - 75 The Ordinances of God - - - - - - - - - - 76 THE WORD OF GOD - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- 77 The Word Incarnate - - - - - - - - - - - 78 The Spirit of Truth - - - - - - - - - - - 79 THE SUPREME PEN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~1 THE DAY OF REVEALING - - - - - - - - - - - - -- ~i Severance - - - - - - - - - - - 82 Ideal Light - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8,j DECLARATION OF GOD'S SINGLENESS - - - - - - - - 8,,1 DECLARATION OF GoD's NIAN11,ESTATIONS 8D Acknowledgment - - - - - - - - - - - - Sure Paths - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8- THE PuiPosi~ or M.,kNIFESTATION - - - - - - - - - (( INSTRUCTION. --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9Z Tablet to Badia - - - - - - - - - f , - - - 98 Tablet to Zia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 99 Page THEHEARTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100 Victory - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 102 Kno'Medge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103 ARTS, CRAFTS AND SCIENCES - - - - - - - - - - - 104 OCCUPATIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1(4 RELIGION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 105 EDUCATION - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - io6 PRECEPTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 107 To CHRISTIANS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 109 THE ULTIMATE CRITERION - - - - - - - - - - - 115 A SALVATION "YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN -- - - - - - - - - - - - 119 Spirit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 119 The Dead - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 120 The Living - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 121 "WHAT SHALL I DO TO BE SAVED? -- - - - - - - - - 122 Faith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 123 Knowledge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 Prayer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 God's Gifts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 123 Obedience - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 126 Colifidence - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 128 The Will - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 128 The Talents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 129 The Primary School - - - - - - - - - - - 130 Man's Spirit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 131 New Birth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 131 THE B-~HAI REVELATION THE RAH,-,i REVELATION IS AN [NVITATION To LOVE GOD - 135 THE BAHAi REVELATION IS AN INviTATION TO OBEDIENCE - 137 The Alpliabet of Love is Obedience - - - - - - 138 THE BAHAr REVELATION IS OF AUTROIZITY - - - - - - 140 THE BAHki REVELATION 1'EACHES TIIE Ri.-LIGION OF LIVING 143 THIS REVELATION IS A CALL TO SACRIFICE - - - - - - 145 THE BAIIAI TEACHING IS AN INVITATION TO SERVICE - - 148 UNIVERSAL Low - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154 THE BAHAt REVELATION is NEEDED - - - - - - - - 158 THE OBJECT OF THE BAHA[ RFVELATION IS UNiTY - - - 165 THE BAHAi REVELATION MAKES ALI. Taims NFw - - - 170 THE REVELAT[ON IS COMPLETE IN ITSELF - - - - - - 175 TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA - - - - - - - - - - - - 178 COMMUNE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 180 0 Earth, Earth, Earth, Hear the Word of the LORD! (jer. 22.29.) Giv,F ear, 0 ye Heavens, and I will speak; and hear, 0 Earth, the Words of My Mouth. My Doctrine shall drop as the rain, Ally Speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the Name of the LORD: ziscribe ye Greatness unto our God. (Deut- 32.1-3-) Hear, all ye People! Hearken, 0 Earth, and all that therein is; and lei the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord front His Holy Temple. For, Behold, the LORD cometh out of His Place! (Micah 1.2.) Hear, 0 Heavens, and give ear 0 Earth: for the LORD hath spoken! (IS. 1.2.) Is not My Word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a haininer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (jer. 413.29.) The 1nointed oY the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalniist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by ~ne, and His Word was in my tongue. (2 Sam. 23-1-) "Man, the most noble and perfect of the creatures, is a mightier evidence and greater expression (of truth) than the other visible thin,~s. The most per- fect, superior and excellent of men are the Manifesta- tions of the;Sun of Truth." (BAIIA)O'LLAI-1.) I "The Sun of Truth is the Word of God, upon which depends the training of the people of the coun- try of thought. It is the Spirit of Reality and the Water of Life. J11 things owe their existence to it. Its manifestation is ever according to the capacity and coloring of the mirror through which it may reflect. For example: Its fight, when cast on the mirrors of the wi'se, gives expression to wisdom; when reflected from the minds of artists it produces manifestations of new and beautiful arts; when it shines through the minds of students it reveals knowledge and unfolds mysteries. ,~"Jll things of the world arise through man and- are manifest in him, through whom they find life and development; and man is dependent for his (Spirit- ual) existence upon the Sun oi the Word of God. ,111 the good names and lofty qualities are of the Word. The Word is the Fire of God, which, glow- ing in the hearts of the people, burns away all things that are not of God. The minds of the lovers are ever aflame with this fire Outwardly it is a burning fire, but inwardly it is calm light. This is the Water which giveth life to all things. ,-' "We beg of God that we may partake of this Life-giving Water of Heaven and quaff from the,, Spiritual Chalice of rest, and thus be free from all that tends to withhold its from approaching His Love. Glory be upon the people of Glory!" (Words of Wisdom. BAHA'O'LLAH.) ""'The Word of God is the storehouse of all good, all power and all wisdom. The illiterate fishers and savage zirabs were thereby enabled to solve such problems as were puzzles to eminent learned men in all the ages. It awakens within its that brilliant in- tuition which makes its independent of all tuition and endows its with an all-embracing power of spiritual understanding. "Many a soul in the ark of philosophy, after fruitless strug, les, was drowned in the sea of con- 1119 flicting theories of cause and effect, while those on board the craft of simplicity reached the shore of the Universal Cause by the aid of favorable winds blowing from the Point of Divine Knowledge. "When man is associated with that transcendent Power emanating from the Word of God, the tree of his being becomes so well rooted in the soil of assurance that it laughs at the violent hurricanes of skepticism which attempt its eradication. For this association df the part with the Whole endows him with the Whole, and this unison of the particular with the Universal makes him all in all." (Abdul- Bab.') can subdue or amalgamate the others. Time and efforts only emphasize this fact. What then? Shall the Word of God, proclaimed through so many of his prophets and messengers, be for naught? Or shall the promise of His appearing to'the world with power, and the consequent union, happiness, know. ledge, peace and prosperity of mankind be accom- plished? The precedent to universal peace, which is the "millennium" promised in all scriptures, is the conscious knowledge of the One God, of His Mes- senger and His Message to men. The Bahai teaching is that God's Word faileth not, that it is accurate and reliable, that the time of its promises is at hand and that His Word, now pro- claimed to the whole world in BAHAVLLAH (The Glory of God), is powerful and able to achieve His Will in the regeneration and union of mankind. "It a new religion, but Religion renewed." Where- is not , I ever it has proceeded it has produced the results fore- told of the "end of the age" and also declared by it- self. It proclaims the immanence of God and His pres- ence with humanity; it penetrates men's hearts and shows them their need of God and the way to find sat- isfaction for that need; it does remove religious differences and dispel religious rancor and doubt; it does bring men into the heart knowledge and con- sciousness of the Love of God and into loving unity with each other, without regard to race or former re- ligion ; it inculcates divine niorals, ethics and charac- teristics and brings man to higher conceptions of 'I I 'v I duty and life than have been his heritage from the churches of various creeds. It spedl,-s with authority, deman . ding that man shall obey the Word, and naught but joy and uplifting is found in that obedience. it calls on man to test its I worth by living its Ordinances, and those laws prove to be the very wine of Life. It comes not to destroy but to fulfil again that which has been fulfilled before and to complete that which has not been completed in the past. It offers itself as the Truth of God to every earnest soul; its followers are already numbered by the millions and are of all the great religious na- tions. If it be truth, wise is he who accepts it; if not-surely duty demands that it be tested and its fallacy proved lest men be led astray. It is but just to say that it is a very "live wire" and he who touches it must be prepared to receive in himself a powerful current of its "electric I ty." The truth of any religion can be proved and con- firmed omly by the heart, by testing its tenets in the life. The Bahai Re~elation is unshaken in the arena -of intellect, but powers of reasoning cannot make final decision concerning sp . iritual truth. One may read or hear it for a lifetime, may listcn to opinions or express thern endIcssly, but no judgment is just, no opinion reliable except that of the personal. living and decision of the heart. It is not a matter of philosoph- ical reasoning, but a question of fact, and facts are demonstrable only by experience. Abdul-Baha was asked, "What is the truth?" He I v I INTRODUCTION The claim of the Bahai (Glorious) Revelation is that it is the Word of God sent to men to remove the antagonism and differences between peoples of various religions and prepare the way for their com- ing together in harmony and love and in an assured knowledge of the Will of God. It proclaims the time of Universal Peace and provides the founda- tion for the Universal Religion-the hope of the ages. It points the way and supplies the means for the unity of mankind in the knowledge and love of Truth tinder the high banners of Justice and Mercy. It is simple, profound, purifying, searching, as is the Word of God always. It is divine in origin, human i~ presentaticin, sane, practical and applicable to life in its every. phase. In belief, it inculcates naught but truth; in action, naught but good; in human relations, naught but loving service. A world-religion is needed, a solvent of religious differences, an enlightener of religious misconceptions, an unifier of peoples in the knowledge of the One God and Father of them all, a platform on which all believers and seekers for God and His truth may meet, from whatever race or training they way [ i 1 come. And that religion must recognize the divine elements which underlie all religions and meet each loyal soul upon his own ground without claiming ad- vantage over him, but rather bringing the light of God's Word to shine upon the truths he already has, in order that he may develop into a higher under- standing of Truth itself. The honored scholar and noble man, Max Muller, who had frankly studied the languages and religions o~& Orient, wrote as follows- 'The true religion of the future will be the ful- filment of all the religions of the past, the true religion of humanity, that which in the struggle of history remains as the indestructible portion of all the so- called religions of mankind. There never was a false God, nor was there ever a false religion, unless you call a child a false man. All religions, as far as I know them, had the same purpose; all were links in a chain which connects heaven and earth, and which is held and always was held by One and the Same Hand. All here on earth tends towards right, truth and perfection; nothing here on earth can ever be quite right, quite true, quite perfect-not even Christianity-or what is now called Christianity, so long as it excludes other religions, instead of loving and embracing what is good in each." Tbat "true religion of the future," as 1\/Iax Mul- ler saw it, has already arrived in the Bahai Revcla- tion; but where else is such a religion? With all the glorious efforts and results of Christian mission- ing the recent decades, it has scarcely ary enterprise duri made an impress on Moslems, Zoroastrians, Budd- hists, Brahmans or Jews. It has endeavored to over- throw the religious conceptions of other nations in favor of its own, but it has taught the interpretations of its churches rather than the direct, simple teach- ings of Jesus, placing the word of man in lieu of the Word of God, and therefore it has been powerless to win those peoples wbo believe that they have also received the Divine Word from their ')wn prophets and founders. It is possible that the records of Jesus' words are quite imperfect, but, even so, they have brought com- fort, hope and satisfaction to myriads of human souls, and if only his pure teachings had been presented, with their doctrines exemplified in the lives of the teachers, the whole world might have received thein and loved them; but the peoples will not accept the teachings of a "cult" and its doctors as against their own cults and doctrines. It is necessary for the con- quering of the hea~t of the world that the Word of Jesus shall be renewed and confirmed by a fresh revelation of God's Command, one that comes with declared authority and proves its Right and Source by its vitalizing effect upon the lives of men. There is no religion that has remained pure and undefiled, and consequently there is none of them fit- ted or capable to cause the nations to abandon their own religion to accept it. The known condition of the world's religions is such that not one of them [ Iii ] replied, "Truth is the Word of God, which gives life to humanity. It restores sight to the blind and hear- ing to the deaf; it makes eloquent thosewho are dumb, and living beings out of dead beings; it illuminates the world of the heart and soul; it reduces to nothing- ness the iniquities of the neglectful and erring ones. Beauty, pedection, brilliancy and spirituality of this existence come from or through the Word of God. For all it is the supreme goal, the greatest desire, the cause of life, light, instruction. The road to attain to this Truth is the Love of God. When the light of the Love of God is burning in the mirror of the heart, that flame shows the way and guides to the Kingdom of the Word of God. "As to that which causes the growth of the love of God, know that it is to turn one's self toward God." r vi L L The Glory of the Lord "Hear, 0 Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Jnd thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy inight. Jnd these words, which I command thee this day, Aall be in thine heart: Jnd thou shalt teach thent diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them ,chen thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest tip. Jnd thou shalt bind thent for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Jnd thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates." (Moses. Deut. 6-4-9.) It is related that a certain scribe asked of Jesus- "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the cominandinents is, Hear, 0 Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord: Jnd thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and z,~ilh all thy inind, and with all thy strength: this is the first coinviand- nient. Jnd the second is like, naniely this, Thou shalt lo~:,,e thy neighbor as thyseli. There is none other coinniandinent greater than these." 1\4 a rk 12-29-31.) THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. The first and greatest command- Love's ment, that of love, is recorded alike by Inspiration Moses and Jesus, but how shall it be obeyed? Love is attraction; it cannot be forced or commanded; it must be drawn forth by the lovable. The will may direct love's attention toward an object but can never compel its action. The desirability of the object, the longing for nearness and union with it, these are the inspirers of love. How can man love God, the Infinite, whom no one bath seen? No man can comprehend God or know him as lie is. How can his whole being, heart, soul, mind and strength, be devoted to the love of the Unknown, the Unseen? With all his striving*and searching man cannot find out God. - He can manufacture a god Man-made of his imagination, a creature of his Gods superstition, usually a magnified reflec- tion of himself possessing both his good and bad qualities, but the gods of man's making are not worth his love and devotion; how then shall he obey the great commandment? Although some knowledge of the Beloved is neces- sary for love, does the keeping of the command re- 1 1 quire us to know him as he is in his Essence, his Pre- existence, in order to love him? Man loves many things, but knows not the essence of anything. At the most, he perceives only some of the desirable qualities manifested and he loves either the qualities or, because of them, their unknown essences. If it be some precious,jewel, he admires the brilliancy, luster, hardness, beauty of the gem-its revealed qualities, if it be a flower, it is the freshness, the forms of petals and stamens, the colors, harmony and fragrance, which attract him; or if a hu- Qualities man being, the human qualities, strength, knowledge, power and ability, or weak- ness, sweetness, delicacy, refinement and grace draw forth his love. Yet in no case does he comprehend the reality which is hidden beneath these evident and attractive displays. They are veils of beauty, hiding their parent, essence, while revealing some of its attributes. If we cannot penetrate through the yel- lowness, density and qualities of a piece of gold to know what gold is, how shall we expect to sound the depths of firmaments, the magnitudes of space or mys- teries of littleness to find out God and know what God is? The commands of the Almighty are not sent forth in vain. Although man cannot lift himself above him- self to the heavens of knowledge of the Infinite One, God can reveal to him that information of his beauty which shall cause him to be in man's sight "The One altogether lovely." He, who has placed in us the 2 power to perceive qualities and values, discloses enough of his lovable characteristics to draw to him- self all the love of our beings. In every atom he unfolds his attributes-in sun, star and moon-in dawn, sunset and night-in storm and shine-in crystal, flower and animal-and above all in man, the rnicrocosni, the index 9f existence. The The whole apparent universe is a great Creational "Creational Book," a concourse of mir- Book rors displaying his qualities. All mankind attempts to read this book, but what each finds depends on his point of view which has been formed by previous training and environment. Even in reading a printed book, in listening to music or in viewing a work of art, no two persons see alike; their perceptions are according to their education. So with the book of creation-the ignorant see only the powers manifest- ed in nature and cringe before them, while the more advanced in knowledge appreciate order, beauty, wis- dom and other delightful values therein. In the spirit- ual childhood of man he stands in wonder and awe before that book, staring at its pages, unable to in- terpret them'aright-iiiitil he has learized how, to read. Each step of life is the result of education. In the alphabet of living, man learns that all existence is subject to law. The universe displays order and harmony in every part; the Universal suns and planets, each element and or- Law ganization in the mineral, vegetable and animal worlds, all'are governed by inflexible law; nothing is 3 exempt. Therefore Law is universal and expresses it- self in various definite, reliable actions, severally called laws-such as those of attraction, vibration, inertia, construction (as in crystal, plant and animal), laws of cycles, of ascent and descent, summer and winter, life and death, centripetal and centrifugal laws, etc. This one great la * w of the universe keeps.everything in its place. It binds the particles of rock together; it causes things to fall toward the earth's center in- stead of flying off into space; it holds the suns, moons and planets perfectly in their orbits; it causes like to seek like, and it produces harmony among all material things, so that each fulfils its purpose in existence. Whatever we may call it, cohesion, gravi- The Law tation, motion or force, it is in reality the of Love Law of Love. It is co-eternal with ex- istence; it is the Immanence of God, the expression of the Creator in creation. If this Love of God is so manifest in the kingdoms of matter, how much more must it be toward his higher creature man! The very lowest and most igno- rant of men is far higher in the scale of existence than minerals, vegetables or animals. "If God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not Much more clothe vou, 0 ye of little faith." God is Love, always was Love, always will be Love. He has always loved man. We cannot conceive of any time that God's love has not been shown to him. All nature says to man: "God so loves you that he has 4 made me to serve you and to provide for your needs. Lo, here I am! Do with me as you will." Food and drink, clothing and shelter, flowers and colors, beauty, order, variety, harmony and unity, all things for the welfare and delight of man! If the generous Father so provides for material and mental needs, how much more must his Providence care for the spir- itual necessities 1 AN things are related to other things in a fixed man- ner; nothing is independent or self-subsistent but all are under the over-ruling law which expresses itself in each according to its needs and for its highest de- velopment. Even the laws of decay and disintegra- tion are for an evolution to higher uses, as the rock must be ground to dust before its nobler values may appear in the rose and grape. Man sees these laws of physical life working and expressing in all below and around him, even in his own body and mind; he also perceives that knowledge enables him to grow in wisdom and power. As the government of each king- dom is such thatit pPomotes its best condition, so must there not be laws for man, which shall direct him to his highest possible destiny? The same divine Wis- doni, which cares for the lily and the grass of the field to bring them to their fulness Of use and beauty, must surely provide for the exaltation of humanity to its perfection, and this is above and bevond the realm of ordinarv human faculties. There is a marked and vital difference between man and the kingdoms below him. They arc sinless, 5 knowing neither right nor wrong, unconsciously living the laws of their existence, which are expressed in them, not to them. These laws are expressed also in man, and to him because he is the only being who has the power to oppose nature and to select among her laws which be will serve. Man is endowed with God- like qualities, powers of discrimination and judgment, perceptions of values-of worth and unworth and a free will to decide between them. He has eaten of Man, The the tree of knowledge of good and evil Chooserand can choose either as he will. These superior faculties make him an intelli- gent, choosing, responsible creature, responsible to himself for his attainment or loss. Therefore the generous, loving Law-maker offers to him a clear knowledge of the laws of progress toward his great- est good, in order that man may perceive, learn, obey and become, as it were, a conscious partner with Him in the attainment of a Life Eternal, a nearness and intimacy with the Divine Wisdom and Love, which shalt exalt him into the heavenly condition of "one- ness with God." "Alan is said to be the greatest representative of God, and he is the 'Book of Creation' because all the mysteries of being exist in him. If he comes under the shadow of the Trite Educator and is highl) trained, he becomes the essence of essences, the li~&' of lights, the spirit of spirits; lie becomes the center of the divine appearances, the source of spiritual qiia,'- 6 ities, the rising-place of hea . venly lights, and the re- ceptacle of divine inspirations." (Abdul-Baha.' "Some Answered Questions." P. 273-) The great Law, which enables man to understand the way of Life and to walk therein, is the revealed Word or expression on the human plane of the W.11 of Go . d for the welfare of man. It is the Book of books, the Law of laws, which reveals to man the hidden facts of being and teaches him how to know and love God and also how to understand the les- sons printed on the pages of the universe. It appeals to his heart, is studied and interpreted there, because it is expressed in terms of life. It comes forth from the Arcana of the heavens as the highest Manifes- tation of Truth, the greatest Message to promote the advancement and happiness of man, to guide and light him in the "Right Path." It is the Word of God. 7 THE WORD OF GOD. The doctrine of the Logos, the Word, appears throughout all scriptures and it is concretely stated in the first Chapter of the Gospel of St. John. , 'In the beginning was the TVord, and the ~Ford was with God, and the lFord was God. The same was in the beginning with God. ",411 things were made by him (through The Word) ; and without him was not anything made that was made. "In hini (The Word) was life; and the life was the light of men. ",1nd the light (The Word) shineth in darkness (of ignorance) , and the darkness comprehended it not." "Jnd the Word was inade flesh, and dwelt (liter- ally, tabernacled or pitched his tent) aniong its, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of ihe only begotien of the Fatherj full of grace and truth." "For the law zcas given by Moses, grace and truth canze by Jesus Christ." What was that glory but the manifested Word of the Will of God, shining forth in words of light and illustrated in the holy, selfless life of the Perfect Man, all aflame with the Divine Spirit of God! Is "No man hath. seen God at any time; the only be- o,,oticii Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he (The Incarnate Word) hath declared him." Man, "made after his image," is the highest ex- press'on of God in the world of being. When the Invisible Word, the creative power of God, becomes revealed through a prepared Man and is transmuted through him into the The Word spokeri or written Word, it is incarnated, Incarnate "made flesh," and is visible to man because it has de- scended into his plane of existence. When the same "Hidden Word" enters into the One fitted to receive it and becomes the sole light and power of his life, it is "incarnate," revealing itself through the temple of his body, from which its glory radiates in every word and deed. That body is the throne on which it is seated and from which its proclamations are given. The human instrument of revelation, being then ident'ified with the Word-which is the mani- fested Spirit of God-' is also called The Word or Manifestation, because He is the personification of that Word to.mankind. "The Spirit and the Word inean the divine per- leciions that appeared in the Reality of Christ." "The I-Ioly Reality of the Word of God is in the condition of the pure, fine and shining inirror; the heat, the light, the iniage and likeness, that is to say, the perlections of the Sun of Reality appear in it. That is why Christ says in the Gos cl: The Father p 9 is in the Son; that is to say, the Sun of Reality ap- pears in the mirror." (Abdul-Baha.' "Some An- wered Questions" p. 240.) Man is the word-speaker. He is taught by words; he communicates his ideas, wishes and will, by words; his accomplishments on earth result from his words; he trains the most 'subtle powers to carry his words to the end of the world; he records them on stone, wax, parchment and paper that future generations The Word may not utterly forget him. All this is Speaker that man may understand God's method of communicating his Will and may re- ceive the teaching of his higher attributes by means of the uttered Word. In order that it may reach man it is revealed through human mouth-pieces. "God hath spoken by the mowh of his holy prophets since the world be- gan. " (Acts 3. 21 - Lu. 1- 70), and when the time -arrived for the coming to birth of the Kingdom of God among men, the Incarnate Word was called his "Only begotten," his "Son"-"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who, soever believed on him should not perish, but havc everlasting life." , (John 3- 16.) What wonderful, what beautiful teaching! God was not angry with mankind, as some have taught. How Could they teach so with these words flarning before their eyes? Was not the whole burden of Jesus' teaching-Love, the love of the Father? And 10 that man should love God and love man, his neigh- bor? H~)w could man love an angry The Love God, a wrathful monarch? No! God so of God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, the Incarnate Word, that whosoever accepted him-"believed in him"-should have ever- lastin'g life. That representative of Divine Love, whose whole life was love, was not "given" to sufter anguish in the place of man, n be rejected, scorned and crucified, to bear the deserved punishment of men's sins and thus placate an offended father. Truly The Wrath he suffered all these things because of of -.-~lan the sins of men, but it was through the wrath of man, not of Go& his Father. "God sent not his Son into the world to condenin the world, but that the world through him might be saved." (9:27 3.17.) He never condemned the poor, ignorant sin- ers, "blind. from their birth." He said to them, "Go and sin no more," anj in the very depth of degrada- tion and suffering POUred upon him, he cried, "Father forgive them œor they know not what th~y do." His fatal and awful condemnations were only for the mighty, the "learned," the false guides, the "blind leaders of the blind," the priestly revilers of the Word of God. It is related that the people The Witness pressed upon him to hear the Word of of Truth God (Lu. 5. 1.) because, "Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that pro- ceedeth out of the mouth of the LoRD doth man live." (Deut. 8.3; Matt. 44; Lu. 4.4.) He said: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." What is meant by believing in him if it be not to believe the Word he spoke, the Word of the Father poured forth from his blessed lips for the uplifting of men and to bring all who believed in him into the Believing Kingdom of God, new born, new crea- in Him tures, sons of God and heirs to the glorious bounties of the Kingdom of Heaven? To believe on him meant also to recognize him as the Messenger and Son of the Most High, and that belief followed the acceptance of his Word.` The Word of God is the key to Immortality. It is the bearer of Eternal Life. It is the instructor in knowledge of God, that man may know and love him, may become his son, be one with him as the iron with the magnet and be heir to his Kingdom, "beipi,e born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incor- ruptible, by 'the tFord of God, whiCh liVeth and abideth forewer." (i. Peter 1.23.) When the iron is in the fire it loses its hard, black. cold qualities; being filled with the fire it becomes Soft, fluent, glowing and fiery. It can Immortalitysay, "[ am one with the fire, 1 in the fire, and the fire in ine, 1 and the fire.are one Thus is man who is born of the Spirit; he is 12 a "new creature," transformed because transmuted by the elixir of the Word, which changes the copper of h's nx~ure into the pure gold of another and loftier 1 1 state known as "Eternal Life" or "Immortality," a condition of oneness with the Spirit of God and son- ship to Him. This is the true image or likeness of God. "Behold what manner of love. the Father haih bestowed upcn us, that we should be called the sons of God." "Be- loved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like hini; for we shall see hint as he is." (i. John, 3.2.) This resurrection from a lower to a higher station, this new birth, re- joices the Psalmist when he exclaims, ",Is for me I will behold thy face in riKhtcoiespiess: I shall be satis- fied, when 1 awake, zuith thy like~iess." (Ps. 17.1 S.) This is immortality-not merely continued exist- ence (ev6n the satan~ have that), but an eternal one- ness with Life itself, the True One, "whom to know is life eternal." Jesus said: "This IS the will of my Father, lhatevery one ]hat beholdeth the Son, and be- lieveth on him, should have etern(d lifi,." (John 6.40-) "The Tuords that 1 speak, unto you, they are spirit and they are life." (John 6.63.) Such state- ments fill the New Testament and are in accord with the divine teachings of all time, viz: that the Word of God is the giver of light, the teacher and guide of 13 men to eternal life, the creator of new hearts a right spirits, the revelation of God. In Genesis, the book of creation, it is written: the beeinning God created the heaven and the ear Ind 1 ear;h was without form and void; and da "Let There . ness was upon the face of. the de Be Light!" 4nd the Spirit of God moved upon t face of the waters. Jnd God said (T Word), Let there be light; and there was light." is the same story-not necessarily an account of t creation of physical light, but rather of the real cr tion which occurs to every man in whom a new he is created and a right spirit renewed. He is dead ignorance and chaos; darkness is upon the face of soul, until the Word of God enters into him and sa "Be light!" Then comes a dawning, an awakenir a day-spring, a resurrection within him. He is created, born again, begotten of the Spirit, a son God. It is always accomplished by the Word " 'B -and it is." "By the word of the LORD were the heave made." (PS. 33.6.) His heavens are also created the hearts of those who love and serve him. "T kingdom of heaven is within you." This recogniti of the Word and perception of Light is the first st man takes toward the divine destiny, the heave manhood, which God his Father has made possi for him, and to which he invites him in each one his supreme commands. "God is the LORD who ht 14 showed its light." (PS. 118.27.) "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it ,,,,iveth understanding unto the siMPle." (PS. 119. 130.) " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto iny path." (PS. i 19. 1 oS.) "Lo, all these things worketh God of ten- times with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be'enlightened with the light of the living." (job. 33. 2q.) "And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light." (ReV. 21. 34.) THE GIFT OF GOD. "God loved the world"-not only the Jews at Jerusalem, but all mankind; not only at the time of Jesus but before and since. Always, "since the world began" he has given his Word to all men, at all times, in so far as they were able to receive it. Whence came the wonderful instructions for life in the ancient writings of Enoch, Moses, David and the Psalmists, in the Vedas, the Avesta, the Gathas and Upanishads, in Isaiah and Lao Tse? Were they of Originshuman or divine manufacture? They were always higher than the imagina- tions of men, and they were opposed to his natural desires. When their inner significances and realities are perceived, the oneness of their essentials is so evident there can be no doubt that they originated from a single source. They all had their origins in the Word of God, which in its essence is the same today, yesterday and forever. There is but One God; His Word is ever one and the same. That which is different is not His Word. Each of the great religions bases its teaching, faith, loyalty and existence upon confidence in the word of a single human founder. Each points back to him as the reliable one, the superlative one, the infallible one. But no word is infallible save that of God, and 16 if those great ones were truly reliable, their word must have been the Word of God. The expression of that Word through such prepared human instru- ments has always been the method whereby man has learned the Will of God for his own life. They were the " mouths" of the LORD. That the Almighty God chooses a man to be his representative and his mouthpiece is shown in the interesting account, related in Exodus 3 and 4, Of his appointment of Moses to be the Deliverer of his people Israel. After God called to him out of the burning bush and told him that he was the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He said: "I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou ntayest bring forth )ny people the children of Israel out of Egypt," (God is always trying to bring his children out of the Egypt of darkness and ignorance.) But Moses did not seek such an appointment; he dreaded it and tried. to escape it, although he de- sired to serve God. ",4nd AIoses said unto God, Who anz I, that I should go unto Phar- AT 0 S es, aoh, and tha~t I should brin~r forth the Appoint- children of Israel out of Egypt.?" Then Mont God gave his mighty Name-"I JJTI TH,1 7' 1 J21 1: and he said, Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, 1 1111 heah sent ine unto You." He also gave further instructions to Moses to tell the people how God had appeared unto him and given these com- mands. 17 ",Ind Aloses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto -7ny voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not sent thee." Then the LORD showed him how to manifest signs of pow- er by the symbols of the rod and of the right hand, but still "Aloses said unto the LORD, 0 j,)iy Lord, I ain not eloquent, - neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant, but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." "~Ind the LORD said unto hint, lFho hath inade inan's mouth?" "Have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." Yet Moses could not entirely sever his thought of self and trust the Lord. "Jnd he said, 0 iny Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whont thou shouldest send" How prone we are, even to this day, to decide in our minds whom the LORD shall send as his Representative to man, and how he shall come.) But, after all this, God chose Moses to be his rep- resentative to Israel, and even appointed Aaron his brother to be a mouthpiece for 1\4oses, saying, " I know that he can speak well." ".4nd thou shall speak unto hint, and put words in his niouth: and I z~ill be with thy inouth, and with his niouth, and will teach you -zubat ye shall do. Jnd he shall be thy spokesnian wito the, people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a inouth and THOU SHALT BF TO HIM INSTF.AD OF GOD." Thus God Puts his Word into the mouths of his is Chosen Ones, and thus he appoints a man to be as God unto men. It is by the might of the Word that man is sdVed. The power of God is in the Word, but it saves only him who takes it into his heart that it may spring up there into a fountain of living Water, from which he shall be born into a new Life. In its lower, outer aspect, it is for the advantage of man's present living; it teaches him morals and eth~ ics which are the only source of all true ethical train- ing, but its deeper meanings and instructions are to prepare man for an inner life, widely different and incomparable to this life. Indeed, the best outer life is but death compared to this inner life; it is an old life compared to a new life. ..-- The speech of these Mouthpieces of God was in the language and terminology.of the time and place where it -was given, but the teachings were offered and accepted only up to the degree of capacity in their hearers. In the ages of spiritual infancy man could receive but little of the strength of the Word, and its doctrine was accor'ding to his capacity. First came the laws of fear and obedience; then reverence, jus- tice, -,-,,is(lom. and love were inculcated Ireavenly as mankind progressed in the "Schools SC11001- of the Prophets." Each revealer of the Word was a heavenly schoolmaster and each dis-ine lesson became the foundation for the further teach- ing of a later day. Each manifestor of the com- mands of God referred to the teachings of those be- fore him as witness to his own authority. "For had 19 ye belies-ed Hoses, ye would have belie-ucd nic." (John s. 46.) v""'Age after age, through all history, One has ap- peared, who gave to man the Word of God, divine instruction how to live and what to do to attain a higher and heavenly station, to overcome former con- ditions and rise to' a manner of life which should be permanent, sinless, perfect and valuable. With each one there was no earthly power, no armies, royalty, riches nor honor, but rather poverty, apparent weak- ness, oppression, hatred and rejection. Whatever the The Word I circumstance, time or place, he was, or Alone b . ecame, poor in all things except the riches of the Word which ever went forth from the door of humility and lowliness. It was simply delivered and left to itself without hu- man aid (except the life illustrating it) that it might prove its divine power by its own penetrative, creative and transforming effect upon mankind. At first it entered the hearts of the few, changed their lives, opened their minds to the Truth and Love of God, and then went on from generation to generation, al- tering the destinies of nations, overthrowing dynasti Cs, forming new peoples -and giving life and hope to un- told millions of souls throughout centuries of time. There are men in this day, reputed to be learned, who try to deny that the historical Jesus ever lived. The histories of him are hearsay accounts, writter by unknown authors; not a word of his own writing 20 is in existence as far as known; indeed there is no record that he ever wrote, except with his finger upon the ground (what a wonderful symbol was that, if it be understood!) even as God wrote with his finger upon the tables of stone borne by Moses The Evidence f rom * Sinai. Yet the evidence that the of Christ Christ lived in that age of the world, and that he gave such teachings as are recorded, is as certain as the existence of the sun, because there must have been a Speaker of the Words which have lived and proved their divine quality through nineteen cen- turies in every way possible for the mind or heart of man to c onceive. None but a Christ could have con- ceived such a character as the man, Christ Jesus. The proof of the sun is its shining and its eftect on the physical world; the evidence of the Word of God is its educative power and the light of Life, which it kindles in the souls of men, making each heart a li~,Ing flame, never to be quenched. No one, who has felt the clix~r of the,Word penetrating his soul and the fountain of eternal youth springing ur) within him, can ever deny the reality of the Christ and the fact U human i\/lanifestation, the Bearer of the Cup of Life. 7That which distinguishes man from the lower king- doms, that which makes him a man, is the power of the Word of God working in him to will and to do, to create new methods of thinking and doing, to im- plant new ideas which Eiter become ideals toward which he strives, because lie percelves them to be more 21 valuable than his * former knowledges and possessions, and so he grows from childhood to manhood, grows in favor with God and man. Many can bear witness to the power of the Word in their lives. It enters through the brain into the mind of man, and if not rejected it goes Power of deeper, penetrating his heart, piercing the Word througb the shells of self sufficiency and self conceit, and becomes the new motive power of his life. "For the word of God is quick and powcrlul, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and inarrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb- 4- 12.) Sometimes the effect is sudden, in the twinkling of an eye. Sometimes a great grief or disappointment is the cause of his awakening, because such experiences drive man, as it were, to God for relief from despair. He finds in time of sorrow and trial that there is no comforter but God and that consoiation comes through the revealed Word which always invites -the hungry, the thirsty, the weary, to water, food and rest. Therefore the Manifestation of the Word is indeed the Comforter sent by God to those who turn to him. %// It teaches us of the realities of things, what we are an'd what we may be. It tells of the destiny made possible to us by the Love of our Father. It is so plain that no farer in the way need err therein; it is 22 so full that infinite riches reward him who enters its depths. It is the Pearl of great price, the treasure of rnankind,-the guerdon of Immortality, the Path of Eternal Life. Its rewards are love, wisdom, service, bounty and joy. The divine proof, the permanent and rel able evi- dence -of the mission and authority of any one of God's Chosen Manifestations is the eflect of the Word he speaks. Man's word is of little weight, meaning or permanence; it is only for the circum- stance and time; it soon fades and is forgotten, but the Word of God passes not away. It changes the very nature of man; it lives, grows, The Divine spreads in ever widening influence, has Proof depths and mountains of meanings, is exhaustless, boundless, mighty, and rides in triumph over innumerable graves and generations of the works of men. So it is said in the Revelation of St. John that he who went forth conquering and to conquer, riding uporr the white kor~e and followed by the hosts of heaven, he-who was the Lord of hosts, was called: The Word of God. (Rev. 19. 1 1.) Is it not stitEciently evident that the great means for the salvation of men from themselves, for the overcoming of all satanic desires and the attainment of Eternal Life, is the Word of God? All the mighty names surround the The Mighty Word. The one, reelcerning, creating, life-giving Power, the Angel of Light, the King of Righteousness, the Son, the Father, the Manifesta- 23 tion, the Glory of God, his Right Arm, his Holy One, his Redeemer and Saviour, is his Word Incarnate, revealed through the mouths and manifested in the lives of his holy and chosen Ones from the beginning of the world. 24 SUCCESSION OF DIVINE REVELATIONS. Back of all his Rcvealers was the Giver of the Word, the Infinite Love, Wisdom and Generosity. However man may have erred, misinterpreted, strayed or opposed, God has never permitted the channel of communication to be entirely closed, lest Channel., of man should be overwhelmed and des- Comnitinica- troyed in the floods of his own falsities. 6011 When the Word became clouded by the false inter- pretationS of ambitious men, veiled by their desires and errors, so that man was in danger of utter loss and denial of the Holy Word and its Divine Truth; when the waters of life became stained and adulter- ated by filtering through the brains of men, another One appeared and again proclaimed the Word, call- ing on men to repent, to turn from the tales of their past and look to the liew Sun of Revelation shining over the horizon of the world. This is history, not imagination. . We know not what manner of nien preceded the new spiritual cycle of revelation which appeared with Adain, but frorn that time prophet after prophet has proclaimed the Will of God to this and that people. Whenever and wherever "darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people," "the glory of the LORD has -arisen," bringing the dawn of a new 2S dispensation of divine knowledge. The "glory of the LORD" is the revelation of his Word, a shining Sun of wisdom and love, a Day-dawn of enlighten- ment and assurance dispersing the night of ignorance and doubt. Each of these great revealers of God's commands has declared that his dispensation was not final; has instructed his followers to look forward to another coming, to a great and glorious Appearance, whom No all mankind would recognize, while the Dispensation whole world should enter into a para- Final disc of universal knowledge of the One God and world-wide peace in his Kingdom on earth. It was declared that, at the time of the end, in the last day, there should be a revelation of God's Will so clear that the hidden things should become known, so broad that all mankind should accept it. Many signs have been given in the sacred books and tradit;ons and they agree wonderfully, even in terminologies. In that day the old heavens and earth should end like a scroll that is read and finished,- a new heaven and earth appear; the sun should be darkened, the moon turn to blood and the stars fall from heaven-because the citizens of that new City Signs of would have "no need of the sun, neither the Times of the vzoon to shine in it, for the Glory of God did li~hten it, and the Lanib is the light (lainp) thereof." (Rev. 21. 23-) These signs were mentioned by Isaiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Joel, 26 Jesus, Peter and John, as well as by great prophets of other rel , ~gions. Therefore, their fulfillment was not completed in the time of Jesus nor of the Revelations of John. Prophecy is evidently of such a nature that it cannot be understood until after it is fulfilled; other- wise it would be mere foretelling. But when it is comp leted its hidden meanings are disclosed and easy to be comprehended by all who so desire. It was to be a time of trouble, of turmoil, distur- bance and change, a passing away of old doctrines, thoughts and things and the appearance of a new world of ideals and facts; the conditions of warfare, oppression, ignorance and suffering should finally cease and a heavenly kingdom of wisdom, justice, mercy and love should ensue, accompanied by an earthly reign of knowledge, health, hap- piness, service, peace and prosperity. Passing of "The LORD shall be king over all the the Old earth; in that day shall there be one LORD and his naine one." (Zech. i4.9.) "For the earth shall be filled with the knozededge of the glory of the LORD (his Manifcsted Word) as the waters cover the sea." (Hab. 2.14; IS. 11.9.) w'fhe Bahai teaching is that when, in the ending of a great cycle of dispensations and the beginning of an- other, there is an Universal Manifestation of the Will of God, the changes in all things are so great, the neNv conditions so advanced, that the old becomes forgotten and no trace of it remains. Although it is 27 believed that man has existed on earth for immense periods of time, yet there is no record of him previous to Adam, about 7,000 years ago. That was the time of the beginning of this great week of thousands of years now ending and passing in its turn into the Lethe of forgetfulness. Its Sabbath, its final day of peace and rest, has already dawned. v/The recurrence of cycles of spiritual light and darkness is as well established as the succession of days and nights. When the night of troubles and doubts becomes dense, when faith is dangerously shaken, an- other dawn of glorious revelation of God's I'Vord anci Will appears above the Eastern Horizon. This has been the history of mankind from the beginning, and history is now repeating itself. Toward the end of the i Sth Century and in the nineteenth the Darkness world was in deep spiritual darkness. We see the effects of that condition in the fierce greed of men and nations, their oppression over the weak, their craftiness, diplomacy, fear and reli- ance upon the god of force. I In the schools we see the academic result in the wide spread materialism, the scoffing at religion and spiritual ideas, the exalta- tion of man as against God, the dethronement of God from participation in the affairs of men and the doctrines of man's self-sufficiency. Our great univer- sities hesitate not to teach these doctrines of gross materialism and their works on religion are often de- structive rather than constructive. 28 All these are the works of darkness, but God slum-1 bers not, nor sleeps. Afar off in the Orient his Sun has risen with healing in his wings, his Word The Glory has again appeared through BAHAV- of God LLAH, the Glory of God. Even as dark- ness and ignorance have covered the earth, so this Great Light has shone forth with such brilliancy, power and adaptation to the needs of all men, that it is already enlightening the globe, and seekers for Truth, advancing ones from every clime and religion, from Persia, Russia, India, Egypt, China, Germany, France, England and America, are welcoming its beautiful and Life-giving radiance. 2( THE FULLNESS OF TIME. ~/fhe times are full; the days of prophecy are num- bered and the prophecies themselves are being ful- filled before our eyes. Now is one of those remark- able periods of unrest, of change from Coming of the New former to future conditions. No plane of life is exempt; be it material, mental, psychic or spiritual, it is in the throes of a new crea- tion, a new conception, a disclosing of secrets and bringing forth of things new and old. We are al- ready so employed in meeting the new wonders and -adapting ourselves to the new environment, that (with the exception of the workers in archaeological search) we care but little for-the things of past centuries, which are rapidly fading from sight. "For behold, 1 create new heavens aiid,.,t iiezu earth; and the foriner shall not be reinenibered, nor cotne into i7ziiid." (Is. 65.17.) Daniel indicated an hour upon the clock of time in the future history of the Persian Kingdom, and Jesus referred his enquiring disciples to Daniel. 71e Revel- ation of St. John pointed repeatedly to the same dial. N1ahomet proclaimed the same period and all the Scriptures of the world have declared in unison the events of that time of times. Now FULFIL- I[AS ARRIVI.'lD, EXACTLY "ON TINE.'.' .1 C, Those wise figurers, the "MI ites," knew the date accurately and were prepared to meet it, but they misinterpreted the manner of its fulfilment, and , so grieved bitterly that God had not kept his appoint- ment. They looked for a "Coming" not in accord with known laws, forgetting that the laws of n , ature are the laws of God, and that he does not violate his own laws. The "hour" struck exactly at the ap- pointed time, but it came quietly "in the night" and did not sound an alarm of terror in the skies. As soon as its foreword was uttered in the Orient, the Electric Telegraph responded from the Occident and flashed its first great message to the world in the words- '.'What hath God wroughtl" In its very year the astronomers noted the &stur- bance of Uranus and cried: "A new planet is near and about to be revealed !" Two years 1,1ter '\Teptune was seen. In the same year Turkey gave the great Edict of Toleration, permitting the Jews to reside in Palestine, and allowing its subjects to become Christians. That was the be I ginning of the "Return" of the Jews. In the rnolinds of Nineveh, that year, archaeology commenced to disclose the concealed mysteries of the past. All the world began to stir -and awaken to the re- vealing of the hidden powers of earth, air, fire and water. Men searched for realities and, by the un- recognizeci light of the Spirit shining to assist every 31 seeker for truth, they have discovered that which has amazed them. Though wonder piles on wonder, they are yet slow to acknowledge the real cause of The Light this tremendous advance in knowledge. of the Sometimes, in the very act of discovering Spirit the marvelous bounties and benefits of God, they declarc: "There is no God 1" There is nothing so blinding to man as the pride of intellect, the exaltation of success. One may as well deny the influence of the sun in the growing of a tree as to ignore the power of the Spirit, the divine light, in the. growth of scientific knowledge. To him who hath eyes to see, it is a necessity for the existence of man that, in this time of rapid and unique advancement in material knowledges, there must be an equal and balancing progress in spiritual enlightenment. just in the degree that man recedes from the recognition of the actuality, presence and authority of God as an over-ruling Entity and from obedience to his revealed Word, does he become the servant of greed, ambition, cruelty, injustice, oppres- sion and all that tends to degrade him and extinguish his real humanity. With the appearance of each in- vention, note how the hawks of the governments watch to test its adaptability to purposes of war. The intent of the natural man is to rule or ruin, and power wi~hout the fear of God means ruin. ~-~ These dangerous knowledges of means of destruc- tion, in the hands of Godless rulers, foretell the ex- tinction of humanity within a few years, unless the 32 her powers of spirItual knowledges, as expresse the revelation of God's Word, shall enter their nds and hearts and turn their desires to Dangerous tice, rriercy and righteousness, tove of God and man. This is riec- that, but d for sary, not only for this nation an at knowledge, r all the. peoples of the world. Th hich is Possessed by one must 'be open to all; there ust be a brotherhood of nations, not an autocracy f one over all. This is impossible while dlifferent 1 Ions separate and oppose them one to another. el* g* f One God, 11 must come into the acknowledgment o the inter- , One Truth, One Father, and ne Spir t, unity, harmony and brotherhood Of ependence, 1 e one human race. Then only can he menibers of th rity in the great bodY here be health and true prospe politic of the world. 31 AS ABOVE-SO BELOW." "ill that is in 1he heavens and earth shows forth the Divine Naines and Ittribittes until the traces of the splendor of !hat Sun of Truth are manifest and evident in every atom; so that, without the appear- ance of this splendor, nothing can be honored with this robe of life nor attain to existence in the phenoni- enal world. What suns of knowledges are concealed in an atom! What oceans of wisdom are hidden in a drop! Jitiong the beings man is especially assigned to these robes and chosen for this dignity, for all the Divine Nanies and Ittributes are manifest and evi- dent in hunian appearances in the most perfect and excellent manner. 411 of these Names and .4ttributes have reference to ipzapz." "Everything glorifieth God and praiseth Hini. Some ainong thein know God and mention Hini; sonze mention Hint and do not kiioze,,. Hint." ".411 things express the Divine Names and _4ttri- butes. Each, in proportion to its capacit - y, indicates and points to the Divine Knowledge, until the appear- ances of (His) 111ributes and Names have encom- Passed all the seen and iiiisceii." "0 thou, my friend: I deciare in Triah that if thou 3 dost ponder over these statements thou wilt find doors of Divine IVisdovi and portals of Infinite Know-ledge opened ~elore thy lace." (BAHA'O'LLAH.) "The outward is the expression of the inward,- the earth is the mirror of the Kingdoin; the material sc,or~d corresponds to the spirimal world." (Abdul- Baha'. "Some Answered Questions" P. 3 19-) The Ancient Hermetic proverb, "As above-so be- low," signifies that every physical appearance and ac- tion is an outward shadow or reflection of a spirit- ual condition within or above it. This is a law well known from earliest ages. Whenever there are great changes in the material or mental worlds, they indicate corresponding movements in the inner and spiritual planes. The lower phenomena not only manifest the presence, influence and laws of the higher conditions but are also dependent upon them. The greatest material exemplar of the Spirit of God is fight. If physical light greatly increases on the earth, as it has aone in the last few years, it Sure- ly signifies an intensifying of Spiritual light in the world of mankind. We have come out of the age of candle light into the electric blaze, and it means more than the mere lighting of Light stores and streets. It is converting night into day, even as the night of ignorance and doubt in spiritual matters is hcginning to disappear before the rays of the Spiritual Sun of Rcvclation which has come to the world in this age. "The people that 3S walked in darkness have seen a great light." (Is. 9.2.) ",Irise, shine, for thy light is come and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee." (Is. 6o.i.) Our X-ray discloses the interiors and contents of opaque substances. What a marvel! and how much greater the wonder when we learn that it typifies the penetrating power'of the Spirit, which is now search- ing the hearts and reins of men in this Day of Resur- rection and judgment as never before. The ships in need send silent messages into the air (even as we who pray send forth our supplications to the Unseen) and answering succor comes to cheer and save. By telegraph and telephone we communicate with all the world and overcome all obstacles, little th nk- ing that it means the leveling of mountains, the lifting of valleys, the making of the whole Preparing earth a broad highway for the diffusion the Way of knowledge, because it is the time when the "Glory of the LORD" is revealed and his-Word flashes like the lightning from East to West and around the circle of the earth. "Prepare ye the way of the LORD, inake straight in the desert a highway for our God." "Every valley shall be exalted, and every niountain and hill shall be 7nade low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain." 36 "Jnd the glGry of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh. * shall see it together." (Is- 40- 3-S-) What is that Glory but the Word of God? By the aid of this electricity, the physical servant of the spirit, which furnishes light, heat and motion. annihilating space and time, our ships and trains speed more and more swiftly, lessening distances, bear- ing the products of the whole earth to every part, carrying travelers, missionaries, searchers for knowl- edge, back and forth from nation to nation, bring- ing all peoples into closer acquaintance, making it possible for the Gospel to be preached in all the world and fulfilling prophecy. ",It the tinze of the end, many shall run to and Iro, and knozJedge shall be increascd." (Dan. 12.4-) These things are evident to him who believes the Word of God and seeks his Truth, but greater things are at the door. How shall we interpret the domin- ion over-the air, which seems near at hand? When it is accomplished the correspondence with spiritual flight and knowledge shall become clear and we shall know an uplifting and exaltation of which we now have little conception. As we ascend from earthly attachments and soar in the atmosphere of the Spirit we shall indeed "meet the Lord in the air." The world is smaller today than yesterday and its interests are so commingled that all mankind is con- cerned in the news of today's happenings at every point of the globe. Commercial interests are so m- 37 terwined that a death in China, a quarrel between Sheiks in Morocco, or the arrest of a deserter in France, affects all the money marts of the world with- in the hour. The sensitive nerves of money now reach to the farthest corners of the earth. Has all this wonderful progress no deeper significance than commercial exploftation ? The Word has gone forth from the Throne of God, commanding unity and peace, and mankind is stand- ing at the threshold of that millenium of spiritual knowledge and human harmony which has been promised through the ages. All material processes bring men closer together, all physical discoveries, all mental energies are preparing the way for the great union and world-wide community of human interests when "business" shall be conducted "in the Name of Unity and the Lord." Masters of industry think Peace they are doing these things of themselves for the furtherance of their own little af- fairs and purposes, knowing not that they are instru- ments in the hand of God to open the doors of -op- portUn1tV to all peoples in this Day of his Revealing, that no good thing shall be withheld from any and that the human race may enter into the consummation of peace on earth, good will among men, or, as some of our friends interpret: "Peace on earth among men of good wlll.,~Shall tht axe boast itself against him that he-weth Mercvith?" (Is. io.i 5.) "In very deed for this cause have I made thee stand, for to 38 show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." (Ex. 9.16.) Even the automobiles and electric cars declare the arrival of the "day of his preparation." "The char- iots shall be with flaming torches (literally, fire of steels , ) in the day of his preparation." The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways,- they shall scein like torch- es, they shall run like the lightnings." (Nahum 2-3-) THE GOLDEN AGE. The discoveries of the last half century are suf- ficient to lift man * from a condition of comparative childhood to a manhood of knowledge, and the end School is ' not yet. Looking back a few years, Days within our own lifetimes, we perceive that we were but children; now we think we are wise, but to him, who sees beyond the present, it is evident that whole universities of scientific and spirit- ual learning are opening their doors to us and that we, as Freshmen, have just entered upon the vast course of knowledges, which shall graduate mankind into an era of wisdom, welfare, harmony, peace and pros- perity, such a golden age of Godly and heavenly living as the world has never seen. Who now can smile at prophecy? Its literal ful- filments are crowding upon each other in this Day of God's Manifestation when he is revealing the hid- den things of his treasuries and inviting every lover of Truth to come and feast at the banquet of the Lord. Who can say that his Spirit is not working among men to perfect his promises when, in one day, the peoples of different religions in Turkey suddenly forget their hatred and rush together in embraces, feastings, good will and joy?* Mohammedans, *These events followed the adoption of the Constitution of Turkey, jul Y 24, 1908. 40 Christians and Jews embrace each other, regardless of religious differences. In the streets The Day of of old Jetusalem Jews are seen holding Fulfilment aloft the green banner of Mohammed while Christians applaud, and Mohammedans open the doors of the great Mosque on the site of the Temple of Solomon and welcome Jews into that holy place where no Israelite has been permitted, on pain of death, to stand for many centuries. No longer is it necessary for them to wail against the outer wall of that Sanctuary so sacred to them; the door has been opened, and whether or not it remain so, it is a type of the opening of innumerable doors, the removal of a multitude of barriers that have held apart the members of God's great family, the human race. Never before has the world witnessed miracles like these, although the prophets of old have declared them in language which cannot now be misunder- stood. The Day of Fulfilment is at hand, is here. "The inouth of the P*ord hath sPoken it." (Is. 40. S.), and every atom of existence proclaims it. The subtle electric spark, the particle of radium, all the elements and*powers of the four kingdoms (earth, fire, air, water) and the spirit of man are arising from their lethargy to declare the vital presence of the Spirit of God in overwhelming manifestation. The Old Testament prophecies consist of two great burclens-the condemnation, dispersion and suf- fering of Judah and Israel, and their forgiveness, 41 return and joyful gathering together in the Holy Land. The real fulfilments of prophecy are on the spiritual plane but, in order that even the blind may see, there are literal fulfilments also. Today the The Burdens Jews are coming en masse to Palestine; of Prophecy they are not only filling Jerusalem but are gathering in towns and villages and making efforts to buy the lands. They are rapidly gaining precedence in business affairs, and the won~ derful changes under the Turkish Government seem to be opening the gates for a restoration of their honor and prosperity in the Land of Canaan. The iith Chapter of Isaiah is one of hundreds of references to the present times. Some portion of its promises may be said to have been fulfilled by Christ, but only a portion, and divine prophecy is of such nature that it calls for many fulfilmcnts, even to the time of final culmination. All through, it declares the occurrences of this Day of Revelation (their pres- ence and meaning are evident to the Bahai student) : ( i ) the coming forth of the Rod (The Word), the rod of iron to rule the nations, the sharp sword of his mouth to smite the nations (also Isaiah Rev. 19. 15 : i. 16) - ( 2 ) the appearance Eleven of the Branch to manifest wisdom and knowledge and the Spirit of the Lord (also Jer. 23- 5-6)-(3) the changing of animosity into harmony and the dwelling together of different peoples in peace-(4) the fulness and universality of "the knowledge of the LORD" (also Hab. 2. 14)-(S) 42 the Ensign of Glory standing for the seekers of tru th and the assembling of Israel, Judah and the Gentiles (also ls:'49.22: 59.ig)-(6) the coming together of the remnant of the Lord's people from all parts of the earth-(7) the cessation of envy and enmity against the Jews-(8) their prosperity in the Land of Canaan-(q) the "laying under a ban the tongue of the Egyptian sea"-smiting the river in its seven streams so that men should go over dry shod. What is this river-sea but the Nile, which has been put un- der bond by the great Assuan Dam and highway, one of the engineering wonders of the age? (also Is. 62. 10-12.) Think of the number of prophecies in one chapter alone, and all being fulfilled before our eyes today! Surely, in this time the intelligent stu- dent of prophecy will find richer rewards than ever before, because the proofs of truth are in procession befve him, and it is the time of understanding. 'flitherto the peoples of the world have had little acquaintance or knowledge of each other. Each na- tion, knowing onlv*its own manners, customs and ideas, could see little good in any other. The Age The foreigner was regarded as an enemy of Fear to be feare(l, or overcome. Indeed, the attitude of governments to this day is that of fear. Each new battleship is a signal for the adding of one or more to other fleets. The strong fear a coni- parative diminution of their strength and the weak -are in terror of the strong. But the time of awaken- ing has come and on every side are those who recog- 43 nize the ignorance and -foolishness of such a condition among the reasonable beings, and the volume of their voice is constantly swelling and demanding peace. I :,-This national antagonism is but an extension of the ancient condition when each man's hand was against every other. Then the scattered units joined into the larger individualizations of tribes and the tribes into nations; the first iAtent was self-protection, the sec- ond-aggression. This has been the kindergarten age of man, an age which is now coming to its end. Man has been playing at living, in a sort of rough, competitive game, striving for personal benefit with- out regard to the welfare of others. The result has The Age been that where one gained, many lost Of and mankind as a whole received noth- Unity ing. Now i~ is beginning to be per- ceived that the power of progress lies in unity. It is an age of syndicates and combinations on ever en- larging scales-not only between individuals but be- tween great firms and corporations, and even churches ar; uniting for greater power and usefulness. This centering of scattered forces, this uniting of com- petitors is in direct fulfilment of promise and pro- phecy; it is the preparation for the unity of man and the reign of peace. , --~ Treaties are made between governments for of- fence and defence against enemies; when treaties shall exist between all nations for the conservation of benefits and for mutual helpfulness in the progress and good of all, then shall there be the universal peace 44 and an advance of the whole world to higher, better, happier conditions. In a vague sort of Dawn -of the way the ' * , * Millennium" has been expected Millennium to arrive at some possible future some- time; but it is already at the door. Now, in the amazing increase of knowledges, the breaking down of barriers of ignorance, the widening of corm-fiercial interests, the closer acquaintance of peoples, in brief-in the acknowledged need of Unity, the first rays of that glorious dawn of human sol- idarity, universal welfare and prosperity are appear- ing above the horizon. The practical evidences of this progress are on every hand. The establishment of hosp tals for scientific research,- equipped with the best materials and finest brains; the uses of anaesthet'cs; the war on the white plague, tuberculosis; the improved methods of treat- ing the insane and prisoners; the use of better and safer building materials as steel and concrete; the training of farmers in agriculture, Millennial providing' the means. to make an acre Evidences multiply its productive value, and to clothe the arid plains with grain and fru ts ; the gov- ernment weather prognostications; the forming of democratic constitutions in Empires; the judgments by arbitration; the increase of general education and world-wide influence of the universities, which re- ceive their recruits from all lands and year by year are sending out armies of young men trained in mod- ern knowledges; the forming of International Clubs 4S in these great schools in America and Europe, m student represen tatives of all peoples become acqu ed and form bonds of friendship; these adv and a multitude more are all for the service of kind, for his elevation to new conceptions and ods of living, and they all witness the presence power of the Spirit of God. Only from a s that is higher than man can such a host of gI b ~nspired. v c are entering upon a human period wher motives of man shall be reversed, when his pu shall be to serve rather than to be served, to b others, to conserve the interest of the whole r than of the individual self. Instead of oppres greed and selfishness, the motive powers of man The be justice, helpfulness and love. 1 Manhood are the elements of pcace and prosp of Man which are twin brothers born of true evolution. Man is emerging from barba into civilization, from childhood to manhood, darkness to light; he is just now passing out o period of adoleseense, of little wisdom and c. p ride, into a noble maturity of conscious -stre knowledge and manly stability. A great cycle of conditions is closing and we stand upon the th hold of a new age, which is beyond all our pr conjectures in its values to man. In its realit is the Manifestation of God, the Glory of the revealing itself upon the plane of humanity. Preceding and accompanying these confirma A6 ropy,,c~ has appeared the Essence and Crown A of pf estation, the -~Vord of God incarnate. all divine mam from the place fl:)rth at the tinte appointed, it shone laimed and witnessed to the manner proc th, world. declared, in rid prophecy in every age of by history 47 History THE BAB. In the City of Shiraz, Persia, on the evening of Jamali Awal Sth, 1260 A. ff. (the 126oth year of Mohammedan reckoning from the Hejira), which was May 23rd, 1844, A. D., a young man, after- ward known as The Bab, or Gate, began calling upon men torepent, to purify their lives and to prepare to meet-"He whom God shall manifest," who was about to appear to fulfil the words of the prophets and to proclaim the Word of God. His mission was that of an Elias, a John the Baptist proclaiming the coming of one mightier than him and calling upon men to prepare the way for that Coming. The place and time of that declaration correspond- ed exactly with the p1rophecies in Israelitish, Christian and Mohammedan scriptures and traditions. It was in the Persian Kingdom, which was the especial field of Daniel's prophecies; it arose out of Mohammed- anism which power was distinctly foretold as to ap- pear in that former great kingdom of Persia; it was in the Mohammedan year 126o, which corresponded to the "time, times and half a time" named to Daniel as the period "of these wonders" to the time of the end, which same period is referred to in several ways S1 in the Revelation of St. John. It was exactly iooo years from the disappearance of the Twelfth Iman, the "Iman Mahdt," who was to appear at the end of that time to usher in the second coming of Christ upon the earth. The date fulfilment was in accurate accord with many prophecies, and the accompanying "signs" answered so literally to numerous declarations in var- ious scriptures that many men of intellect, as well as those who were learned only in heart knowledge, be- lieved in the Bab. His doctrine spread rapidly through Persia and inspired such spiritual zeal that it aroused the antagonism of the orthodox Ulamas and Doctors of religious law. Great oppression was incited by them.-which finally drove the Babis to fight in self defense of their property and lives. The history of trials and sufferings, battles and martyr- doms, endurance and joy for their faith and love of Truth is authentic and scarcely paralleled in all the world. One who witnessed such martyrdoms wrote: "How many children have become fatherless! How many fathers have become childless! How many mothers have not dared, through fear and dread, to mourn over their slaughtered children! Many were the servants (of God) who at eve were in wealth and opulence and at dawn were beheld in the extreme of poverty and abasement! There is no ground but hath been dyed with th eir blood and no air whereunto their groanings have not arisen ! And, during these 52 few years, the arrows of affliction have rained down without intermission from the clouds of fate. "Yet,. notwithstanding all these visitations and afflictions, the fire of divine love is in such fashion kindled in their hearts that, were they all to be hewn in pieces, they would not forswear the love of the Bel9ved of all the dwellers upon earth; nay, rather with their whole souls do they yearn and hope for what may befall them in the way of God." A European witness (Mr. Ussher) said: "It was enough to be suspected of Babeeism to be at once put to death. No time was lost between appre- hension and execution. Death was the only punish- ment known, the headless bodies lay in the streets for days, the terrified relatives fearing to give them burial, and the dogs fought and growled over the corpses in the deserted thoroughfares." For six years the Bab taught and wrote his instruc- tions, known as the Beyan (Revelation), most of the time in,prison, often "questioned" by the Ulamas, beaten and bastinadued, and finally he was martyred in r85o, at the age Of 30, in the public square of Tabriz. An eye iVitness, not a believer, writes of him at that time: "The Bab kept perfectly silent. His pale and beautiful face surrounded by a black beard, his white and delicate hands, his figure and distin,luished manner, everything in his person and in his dress aroused the sympathy and compassion of the specta- tors." "He had characteristics truly great and noble, 53 and was a man of firm and settled convictions. His moral character was high, and he aimed in his teach- ing to bring all his countrymen into a community, united by intellectual and moral ties." Prof. Ross, of University College, London, wrote: "His wonderful life needs no comment. If ever a life spoke for itself, it is the Bab's with its simplicity, integrity and unsi~erving devotion to the Truth that was born in him." "He felt the Truth in him, and in the proclamation of that "Fruth, he moved neither hand nor foot to spare himself, but unflinchingly sub- mitted to all manner of injustice and persecution, and finally, to an ignominous death." "His influence ? enetrated deeper than their curiosity and their minds; it reached their hearts and inspired them with a spirit of self sacrifice, renunciation and devotion as remark- able and as admirable as his own." BAHA'O'LLAII. IQ 1852-3, nine years after the first declaration of the Bab, BAIIA'O'LLAII, then 35 years of age, a native of the City of Noor (Light) in Persia and an exile to Baghdad in Arabia, began teaching and expound- ing religious doctrines in such a way that it attracted the hearts of many listeners, e5pecially the Babis, and caused bitter opposition from others. As contention grew, he quietly left Baghdad and for two years re- mained alone in seclusion in the mountains of Sarkalu, his whereabouts unknown to all. When he returned to Baghdad the teaching was renewed and in 1863 A. D., nineteen years after the Bab's proclamation, he openly declared his mission as "He whom God shall manifest," for twelve successive days in the Rizwan or garden of the city. At that time he and his followers, now known as B ahais, were removed to Constantinople and soon after to Ad~lanople, where they remained until 1868 A. D. when, under pressure from enemies, they were transported to the political prison of Acca in Syria. Acca is about twenty miles from Nazareth, the home of Jesus, and nine miles from Mt. Carmel, the scene of many scriptural events. Thus was the Bahai Man- ifestation driven by its enemies into the Holy Land, 55 God s Land of Promise. "God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform!" The purpose of this imprisonment was to exter- minate the movement, as it was supposed to be already extinguished in Persia by the killing of all who were known to be affil I ated with I t. Acca was famous for its deadly malarial conditions and prisoners there were usually short'lived. It was said that a bird at- tempting to fly over Acca would drop dead. All but a scattered -and unknown few of the former Babis in Persia had been martyred. There were seventy men, women and children with BAIIA'O'LLAii In that exile, and so secretly were they removed to Acca, so close was the imprisonment there that, for a long time, none of the "friends" in Persia or elsewhere knew what had become of them. BAIIA'O'LLAII was confined alone in the highest room in the prison tower and all of the others were herded together like cattle in a large room in the bar- racks below. They were allowed no communication with persons outside, they were subjected to extreme hunger, vile food and water, mud,-filth and disease; typhoid fever and dysentery broke out aniong them and -all but five were ill. Even sonic of their guzirds were sick. One man only was left to care for them all that man was Abbas Effcndi, the son of Bm[A'- O'LLAii, now known as Abdul-Baha, the Servant of the Gloi-y of God. In spite of the horror, disease, oppression and suffering, these people ]Ived to be re- leased from close imprisonment after I long period, 56 and eventually they were allowed the freedom of the Valley of Acca, reaching from Acca to Haifa, nine miles away. It was during this time of strictest confinement, when each loaf of bread was cut open by the guards to see that it contained no communication, that the long epistles, "Letters to the Kings," were sent from that prison tower to the monarchs of the earth, in- cluding the Pope at Rome, Queen Victoria, Napoleon 111, and the President of the United States, calling upon them to recognize BAIIA'O'LLAR as the Mes- senger of God. It was then, when the Cause seemed to human sight to be extinct and buried beyond pos- sibility, of resurrection, that the most triumphant pwans o f victory were penned by the exiled captive in his silent chamber in the prison tower of Acca. He proclaimed the triumph of the Spirit of God over the whole earth as an accomplished fact, the utter defeat and rout of the hosts of darkness and the victory of the Glory of God (B..x1TA'0'LLA1[), the Word of God, over the hearts. of men throughout the world. Today, millions of happy souls are rejoicing in that Word, devoting their lives to that Cause and proving that the Ward was divine and from the Almighty God, and that the imprisoned man, who suffered that the Word might come to its new birth and maturity among men, was indeed the Manifestation of the Will of God. For forty years BAIIA'O'LLAII taught and wrote, all of that time an exile and much of it in what he 57 called-"the greatest prison." His works are vol- uminous and all are filled with instructions of ex- alted wisdom for both the spiritual and material evolution of man. They parallel the divine teach- ings of all past ages, illumining and showing them forth in wonderful clearness and new beauty. They meet the needs cid the spiritually hungry in every religion and clime; they penetrate the hearts and thrill the souls with divine aspiration and light; they melt away all separatene ss in the fires of love and bring believers from every part of the world into a perfect unity. Prof. Edward G. Browne, Lecturer in Persian to the University of Cambridge, England, who,visited BAHAVLLAH in i8go, said: "The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot des- cribe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul-, power and authority sat on that ample brow, while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which the jet black hair and beard, flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the waist, seemed to belie. No need to ask in whose pres- ence I stood, as I bowed myself before one who Is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain." S8 ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS. Before his departure in May 1892, BAFIAVLLAH appointed his son Abbas Effendi, Abdul-Baha, to be the "Center of the Covenant" of Light, Love and Peace' which he had founded in the Name of God. He commanded all to turn their faces to Abdul-Baha for understanding, tfius making him the authorized Interpreter of his writings. The only claim that Ab- dul-Baha makes for himself is this authority of in- terpretation and that he is Abdul-Baha-the Servant of God in this Revelation. Abdul-Baha Abbas was born in Teheran, Persia, On the evening of May 23rd, 1844, A. D., at the very hour while the Bab was uttering in Shiraz his declaration of the fulness of the times and the com- ing of the Great Revealer. He was not of the family of the Bab, and the Bab could not have known his birth by a1hy material.means. At nine years of age he accompanied his father in the journey of exile to Baghdad, and from that time he shared every hard- ship, suffering _ and imprisonment, ever manifestingr such remarkable wisdom, influence, helpfulness and endurance that he was always called "The Master." He proved his mastership in every emergency, wheth- er of contention, oppression and persecution, or in severest trials and sufferings. Prof. Browne says of his meeting the "Master" in April, 18go: "One more eloquent of speech, more ready of arg- 59 ument, more apt of illustration, more intimately ac- quainted with the sacred books of the Jews, the Christians and the Mohammedans, could, 1 should think, scarcely be found even amongst the eloquent, ready and subtle race to which he belongs. These qualities, combined with a bearing at once majestic and genial, made Te cease to wonder at the influence and esteem which he enjoyed even beyond the circle of his father's followers. About the greatness of this man and his power no one who had seen him could entertain a doubt." The Declaration of the Bab and the birth of Ab- has Effendi in different parts of the kingdom of Persia simultaneously on May 23rd, 1844, were the Forewords of the coming Revelation, the estab- lishment of the "new heaven," the Spiritual King- dom of God upon earth, and the unity of mankind in the universal knowledge of One God and in the peace of obedience to his declared Will. The declaration of telegraphic success, in the words, "What hath God wrotight!"-flashing out in America on the morning of May 24th, 1844, was the material response and foreword of the "new earth" to be created for the physical welfare of man in the millenial age about to appear. The spiritual pro- clamation came frorn'the East; the material answered from the West. That material prophecy has been followed by such a wealth of revealing of the hidden powers and gifts of nature that man is overwhelmed and amazed, and 6o cannot yet comprehend but a small portion of the values already discovered, while he perceives a host of new w6nders pressing upon him. Mr. Thomas A. Edison says: "Scientific discoveries are coming so thick and fast, there are so many of us working like beavers at them, that it is appalling merely to think about- possibilities in the future. Everything, any- thing is possible; the world is a vast storehouse of un- discovered energy." - The spiritual Forewords were followed by such a spiritual resurrection and devotion as the world has not witnessed before, tens of thousands of saints gladly, joyfully suffering every indignity, loss, cruelty and finally martyrdom for their pure faith in the Word of God and their love for him. Then came the Great Revelation, BAITA'O'LLAII, the Glory of God, opening the books of the past, renewing the Word of God, calling all mankind to the table of the Lord descending from the heaven, and laying the foundatioms for the ascent of humanity into a glorious manhood of Godly ki~owledge, salvation and life. And now the Son and Servant, Abdul-Baha, is spreading th;~t divine Word to the farthest corners of the earth, and the advancing ones, the fearless lovers of Truth, those who long for nearness to God and obedience to his Will, are gathering to that Standard of Peace and Love from every religion, land and race. "Glory be upon the people of Glory!" 61 A STATEMENT In the Name of our Lord, BAHA'O'LLAH! God is the One uho inspireth the hearts of His ser- vants with that zchich he willethl HE Is GOD! I testify with my being and identity that verily He is God. There is no God but Him. He hath ever been God, and will be forever more the One, the Self- subsistent, the Eternal. And I testify that verily the Blessed Perfection, His Holiness, BAIIA'O'LLAH, is no other than the Most Great Mani festation-magnified is His Gran- deur and Glory!-who was promised in all the Holy Scriptures, and that the most great Mystery of God, the Branch extended from the Ancient Root, who hath decorated his head with the crown of Servitude and named himself Abdul-Baha (the Servant of Baha), is the Successor of the Blessed Perfection, the Center of his Covenant, and the Aim of his Testa- ment. And I testify that the hands of the Cause of God, bearers of His Ordinances to the servants and preach- ers of His Manifestation in the countries, are the saints of God and His chosen ones. By them the standard of the Cause of God is raised and His Signs 62 are promulgated among the creatures. They are the lamps of God for all in the heaven and upon earth. U-pon them be the Glory of God, His Praise and His Mercy I 0 ye, our brothers, who believe in God and in the Books of all His religions! Know that all of us are unanimously believing in the Ancient Entity, the Eter- nal God; that He is the Creator of all things; that, verily, He hath ever been and will continue to be for- ever. We also believe that the Prophets and the Mani- festations of God were all bearers of the Message of God, and that the Holy Scriptures are His books. Accordingly, our belief and religion is that all the Prophets are of necessity as one light, one reality and as the rays of one sun, even though they may appear to be different each from the other and each as a dif- ferent person talking in a different tongue. There- fore, all their laws and books Must needs be as One Law and' One Book,, even though some of the or- dinances be, in form, contradictory to others; because all of them have spoken on the part of God, the One, the Unit, and all the Ordinances and Laws are also revealed on His part. This assertion is in no need of further rational proof. Now we submit that there are in the Holy Scrip- tures references concerning the most great Manifes- tation, -and other predictions and signs regarding the end of the days. These prophecies are recorded in 63 ~arious texts, both chronological and symbolic . All the nations have awaited the appearance of such signs, and the coming Manifestation of their Promised One, with earnest expectation. Yet, to the present day, the Sun of their hopes has not appeared to them from the horizon of their expectation. As to the hono~able and faithful Bahais, they be- lieve that, verily, the promises and prophecies given in the Holy Scriptures have become fulfilled during the nineteenth century after Christ by the appearance of the Prince of the Universe-the most great BAHAVLLAii, exalted is His Glory! This claim, held by them, is the best tidings to the expectant ones and a great joy to the seekers. But only those car, approve it who are endowed with a pure heart and fortified with the confirmation of God, and who hearken with sincerity to perfect proofs, to decisive and satisfactory arguments. The Bahai people is ready with all power and strength to prove its claim and to unfold the truth of its religion, not through material force, but by spiritual power; not through the strength of this world, but by that of the Kingdom. The Bahais wage war with all the armies of the nations of the world, not with swords and weapons, but through the power of Utterance and the unfoldment of the mys- teries and meanings of the Divine Words. They subdue the cities of hearts, not with assaults of ar- mies of men, but rather by indisputable proofs, by love, compassion and affection. Their sword is the 64 ra Ord or od; their hosts the divine Inspiration; their nks, submissiveness, humbleness, meekness, unsel- fishness..and pure servitude in the presence of every soul, of whatsoever religious nation and toward every being in existence. Their religion is to serve the people in the world; their principle is obedience to government; their teaching is summoning people unto God, the True One; their rewards and recompense come only from God; they freely offer to people the Bread of Life and freely give them the Water of Life. Let him who hungers and thirsts partake freely of their Ta- ble. Verily the doors of heaven are opened by the keys of the Knowledge of His Holiness, BAIIA'O'- LLAH, the paradise of Enlightenment is decorated, the rivers of Inner Significances are flowing, the birds of Sacred Mysteries are soaring around, and the Spiritual Foods are prepared. Blessed are they who eat? Blessed are they who drink! '6sj Teachings TEACHINGS "Baha'o'llah made the utmost efforts to educate his people and incite them to morality, the acquisition of the sciences and arts of all countries, kindly deal- ing with all the nations of the earth, desire for the welfare of all peoples, sociability, concord, obedience, submissiveness, instruction of children (of both sexes equally), production of what is needful for the human race and inauguration of true happiness for man- kind. (T. Al. p. 69.) DECLARATION* "I was asleep on my couch; the Breaths of my Lord, the Merciful, passed over me and awakened me from my sleep, and commanded me to proclaim be- tween earth and heaven. This was not on my part but on His part, and to this bear witness the denizens of the realms of His Power and His Kingdom, and the dwellers in the cities of His Glory, and Himself the Truth. 1 ani not impatient of calamities in His way, nor o~afflictions for His Love and at His good pleasure. God bath rnade afflictions as a morning shower to His green pasture and as a wick for His Lamp whereby heaven and earth are illiimined." *These are tranAations froin 1'cr~iati and Arabic. wilich are very itiliLetiltof the wide differences betmeen Orient arld ocei(it'lit, not olliv in icli~)111~ and fornis of 13ut ill nietliods of th ... Igh t. Thev al- rclat_. to the conci.titions of divine skii)j(.ct~ and are for eartit,t coii~i(ier-itioti rather than inert. "reading," hut tlicy ill be understood by those who stiidy them ilic licart. 69 "The gales of the All-knowing, the All-glorious, passed by me and taught me the knowledge of what hath been. This thing is not from me but from One The who is Mighty and All-knowing. He Appoint- bade me proclaim between the earth and ment heaven, and for this hath there befallen me that whereat the eyes of those who know over- flow with tears. T have not studied these sciences which men possess, nor have I entered the colleges. Inquire of the city wherein I was, that thou mayest be assured that I am not of those who speak falsely. "This is a Leaf which the Breezes of the will of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Extolled, have stirred. Can it be still when the rushing winds blow? No, by the The Breeze Lord of the Names and Attributes! Of the Rather do they move it as they list, for Spirit being belongeth not to nonentity in the presence of the Eternal. His decisive command did come, causing me to speak for His celebration amid the worlds. Verily, I was not save as one dead in the presence of His Command, the hand of thy Lord, the Merciful, turning me. Can any one speak on his own part that for which all men, whether high or low, will contradict him? No, by Him who taught the Pen eternal mysteries, save him who is strengthened by the Mighty and Strong One." (Tab. to King of Persia) "Glory be to Thee, 0 God! Thou knowest that my heart is melted about Thy matter, that my blood 70 bolls in my veins with the fire of Thy Love, and that every drop thereof crieth unto Thee with dumb elo- quence, sdying : 0 Lord Most High! Shed me on the earth in Thy way, that there may grow from it what Thou desirest in Thy Books, but hast concealed from Thy servants save such as have drunk from the Fountain of knowledge from the hands of Thy grace and the Stream of wisdom from the cup of Thy bounty. Thou knowest, 0 God, that in every action I desire nothing save Thy affairs, and that in every utterance I seek naught but Thy celebration; neither doth my Pen move except.1 desire therein Thy good rleasure and the setting forth of what Thou hast en- joined upon me by Thy authority. "Thou seest me, 0 God, confounded in Thine earth; if I tell what Thou hast enjoined on me, Thy creatures turn against me; if I forsake what Thou hast enjoined on me for Thy part, I should be deserving of the scourges of Thy wrath, and far removed from the gardens of Nearness to Thee. No! by- Thy Glory, I advance toward Thy* good pleasure, turning aside from what the souls of Thy servants desire; accept- ing what is ,,~ith Thee and forsaking what would re- move me afar off from the retreats of nearness to Thee and the heights of Thy Glory. By Thy Glory! for Thy Love I flinch not from aught, and for Thy good pleasure I fear not all the afflictions in the world. This is but through Thy Strength and Thy Might, Thy Grace and Thy Favor, not because I am deserving thereof." (Tab. to King of Persia) 71 IVORDS OF BAILl'O'LL-III "When a seeker intends to turn the step of search and journeying into the path of the Knowledge of the King of Pre-existence, he must first cleanse and puri- fy his heart-which is the place of the Purification appearance and emanation of the hidden mysteries of Divinity-from all the gloomy dusts of acquired learnings and from the illu- sions of satanic appearances; and he must cleanse and refine his breast-which is the throne for the accession and establishment of the love of the Eter- nal Beloved." "He must likewise sanctit his heart from attach- .Y 1 ment to water and clay-that is, from all phantasmal forms and spectral images-in such manner that no trace of love or hatred may remain Detachment in the heart, lest that love may cause him to incline toward a direction with- out guidance, or that hatred prevent him from an- other direction; just as in this day, most are bereft of the immortal Face and of the threshold of Mean- ings, because of these two tendencies, and are grazing shepherdless in the deserts of error and oblivion." "He should at all times trust in God, and turn away from the creatures; be severed and detached from the world of dust and united with the Lord of Lords; not preferring his own self before anvonc, but cleansing the tablet of the heart froin pride and vainglory; attaching the heart to patience and self- 72 restraint; observing silence and avoiding useless speech, for the tongue is a smouldering fire and loquacity is a deadly poison. Material fire devours bodies, but the fire of the tongue consumes souls and minds. The effect of the former vanishes in an hour, but the latter continues for a century." (Ig- 1-37-138) "0 people of Baha' ! Ye are dawning-places of the Love and day-springs of the Favor of God. De- file not the tongues with cursing and ex- ecrating anyone and guard your eyes The from that which is not worthy. Show Tongue forth that which ye possess. . . . . Be not the cause of sorrow (to anyone) how much less of sedition and strife." (Ish- 38-) "He should consider backbiting as error and never step into that court, for backbiting extinguishes the brilliant light of the heart and numbs the life of the soul. He should be content with little and free from avarice; profiting by the companionship of the sev- ered ones and regardilig seclusion from haughty and wordly people as a benefit. "At dawn,.he should be engaged in commemora- tions, seeking for that Beloved One with the utmost earnestness and power, consuming heedlessness with the fire of love and praise; passing over all else save God Nvith the swiftness of lightning; bestowing a por- tion LIP011 the &StItUte and not refusing benevolence and favor to the unfortunate. "He should sho%v kindness to the animals; how 73 much more to mankind, and (especially) to the people of the Revelation; refusing not his life for the Be- loved and turning not away from the True One when reproached by the creatures. He should not wish for others what he doth not wish for him- Kindness self, nor say that which he will not ful- fil; keeping aloof from evil doers with all determination 'and asking the forgiveness of God ih their behalf; condoning the sinners and despising them not, for the end is not known . . . . . . In brief, the traveler and seeker should consider all else save God mortal and account all but the Adored One as nothing." (Ighan p. 138-139-) "This Day is the Day of God; God alone is speak- ing in it, and none should be mentioned but Him. "Where are purified eyes of clear insight? Where are the withdrawn and illummed hearts? This Day is the day of eyes, ears and hearts. Beseech God that ye may possess these three, that ye may be withdrawn from the veils and sanctified; because Eyes, Ears a thin veil, the thinnest, may prevent the and Hearts eyes from seeing, the cars from hearing and the heart from understanding. Ponder carefully on this Supreme Word which was revealed previous- ly by the Supreme Pen, '0 children of knowledge: the physical eye will be prevented from seeing the world and what is in it by a very thin lid; then %vhat will be the result if the veil of avarice cover the eye of the heart'." 74 "Blessing be upon the soul who hastened to the ocean of the Mercy of his Lord, the ear which heard the cry of the Supreme Pen, the eye which saw His wonderful Verses, and the tongue which pronounced His most beautiful praise!" "Shouldst thou turn thy face toward all the things of this world and listen with a spiritual ear, thou wilt hear them exclaim- 'The Ancient hath come! The Lord of the Most Great Glory hath appeared!' "When the lamp of search, effort, longing, fervor, love, rapture, attraction and devotion is enkindled in the heart, and the breeze of love blows from the direction of Unity, the darkness of error, doubt and uncertainty will be dispelled Lighting the and the I ghts of knowledge and assur- Lamp ance w 11 encompass all the pillars of existence. Then the ideal Herald will dawn as the true morn from the Divine City with spiritual glad-tidings and awaken the heart,.soul and spirit from the sleep of negligence with the trumpet of Ktiowledge. Then the favors and confirmations of the eternal Holy Spirit will impart such a new life that one will find himself the possessor of a new eye, . a new car, a new heart and a new mind, and will dircct his attention to the clear, universal signs and to the hidden individual secrets. With the new eye of God he w 11 see a door open in every atom for attainment to the stations of positive knowledge, certain truth and evident light, -and will perceive in all things the mysteries of the splendor of Oneness 7S Every atom and object will direct him to the Beloved and to the Desired One. He will become so discern- ing that he will distinguish truth from falsehood as the sun from shadow." (Ig- 139- -'40-) "If any one with a pure heart and clear intelligence thinks about that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen, he will at once say with the tongue of honesty that now the truth is evident. "Beware lest the matters of this world prevent thee from coming to the Owner of Names. By the Life of God! that which is upon the earth shall van- ish, and naught else remain save what hath been re- vealed from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, the Precious." (Tablet.) "By Him who caused all else to pronounce the praise of Himself, the world and what is seen therein -to the one who hath clear insight-will never be equal to one word of the Words of God, because the former is forever and ever transitory and evanescent, but the Word of God is eternal and everlasting, as is the eternity of the Names and Attributes. "By the Sun of the Horizon! If all the world were of gold and silver, the soul, which is really growing in the Kingdom -of- -faith-f---,A--i-ll--nc-,-er- turn-- The toward it. If any one findeth the Ordinancessweetness of that wh , ch hath been men- of God tioned, then he will not act against the Ordinances of God, and will turn to nothing but God. 76 so, lie wilt see with a clear insight the evanescense of the material world and his heart will adhere to the everl~sting Kingdom. "God manifested Himself to teach the people truth, sincerity, religion, faith, submission, reconciliation, compassion, courtesy, prudence and piety, and to adorn themselves with the garments of good qualities and holy deeds. Say, 0 people: be merciful and do not desecrate the holy ordinances of God with your impure suppositions, evil thoughts and delusions. We ask God to lead all people to the Truth, to assist them that they may return to him, and to strengthen them to serve his Cause, to spread his Words and to ,-let according to the Ordinances of their Ancient Master." 711[1,11 WORD oF (1,01) "Hearken unto the exhortations of the Unique Friend with the ear of the soul. 0 people of God! the Word of God like unto a tree: planting 11 ground n;iust be the hearts of the people; cultivate it through the river of'Wisdom and Utterance, so that its roots may become firm and its branches surpass the firmame~t." (Tab. Of IF. 3-1.) "Heark-en to the Voice of ' the Compassionate Coun- sellor, which is raised without veil or covering before -the- faces of kings and subjects, and invite all the people of the world to the Lord of Pre-existence. This is that Word, from the horizon of which the Orb of Grace is shining and gleaming!" (Tar. M.) 77 - Ll t- Y L e vv ord or thy Lord, the Shining Splendor. It is softer than the east wind, and hath appeared in the form of Man, and by it God hath quickened His advancing servants. In the inner part of this Word there is a water whereby God hath purified the hearts of those who came unto Him, and who were negligent in mentioning aught else save Him, and thus He brought them nigh to the Outlook of His Great Name. We have caused the water to descend upon the dead, and they arose, looking toward the shining and brilliant Beauty of God. "The heart of the world is aglow with the Word of God. It is pitiable should ye not avail yourselves of this warmth." (Tablet) "The Word which the Most Faithful (God) wrote hath appeared. It hath indeed descended into the form of Man in this time. Blessed The Word is the Lord who is the Father! He hath Incarnate come with His most mighty Power among the nations: turn toward Him, 0 concourse of the good! The Father hath come, and that which hath been promised unto you in the Kingdom is accomplished. This is a Word which was con- cealed behind the veil of Might, and when the prom- ised time came it shone forth from the horizon of the (Divine) Will with manifest signs." "Consider how great is the value and how para- mount the importance of the Verses (The Word) in 78 which God hath completed His perfect argument, con- summate proof, dominant power and penetrating will. In the declaration of His proof, that King of Unity hath not conjoined anything with them, for among proofs and evidences Verses are like unto the sun, while all others are as stars. To the people they are everlqsting proof, fixed argument, and shining light from the presence of that Ideal King. No excellence equals them and nothing precedes them. They are the treasury of divine pearls and the depository of the mysteries of Unity. They are the strong thread, the firm rope, the most secure handle and inextinguishable light. Through them flows the river of the Divine Knowledges and bursts the fire of the consummate Wisdom of the Eternal. This is a fire from which two effects proceed at the same time; it creates the heat of love within the people of faith, and produces the cold of heedlessness within the people of hatred. 0 friend, we must not depart from the command of God, bUttcquiesce and submit to that which he hath appointed to be His Proof." (Ig- 146. 147-) "Verily, the Spirit of Truth hath come, to guide you into all -Truth. Verily, He speaketh not unto you from himself, nay, but rather from before the All-knowing and Wise. Say: He is the The Spirit One whom the Son hath glorified, and of Truth hath upraised His Command. Abandon that which is before You, 0 people of the earth, and take that which is cornmanded you from before the 79 Powerful, the Faithful. Purify your ears and turn your minds to hear the sweet Call which bath arisen from the direction of Sinai, the abode of your Most Glorious Lord. Verily, He attracts you unto a station wherein you will behold the Lights of the Face, which hath sl:ione forth from this brilliant Horizon." "Say: Verily He bath surely shone forth from the direction of the Orient, and His Signs have appeared in the Occident. Think thereupon, 0 people, and be not like unto those who neglected the Remembrancer when He came unto them from before the Mighty, the Laudable. Awake by the Breezes of God! Verily, they have blown in the world. Blessing to whosoever bath found their fragrance and is of the assured." "Blessed is whosoever is illumined by the Sun of My Word. Blessed is whosoever adorned his head with the wreath of My Love." "Blessed is he who was assured in My Word and stood up among the dead for NIv Remembrance." "Blessed is he who cut himself from all other than Me, and soared in the ether of My Love, entered My Kingdom and perceived the dominions of My Might, drank the Kawther (fountain) of My Favor and the Salsabil (stream) of My Grace, was apprised of My Com- mand and of whatsoever was hidden in the treasuries of My-Words, and shone forth from the horizon of Inner Significances in My Commemoration and My Praise. Verily, he is of Mine. May ',,Iy Mercy, Grace, Favor and Glory be unto him!" (La-zch-El- Jkdas.) 80 THE SUPREME PEN "Praise be to God! The True One-exalted is His Glor'y!-hath opened the doors of the minds and souls through the key of the Supreme Pen. Every one of the revealed Verses is a manifest door to the appearance of spiritual virtues and holy deeds." (Tab'. o/ IF. 27-) "Through the motion of the Supreme Pen a new life of significances is breathed into the body of words by the command of the Ideal Commander, and the effects thereof are visible and manifest in all the things of the world." (Tab. oi IV. 23-) "The Supreme Pen s that Pen, from the treasury of which the gems of Wisdom and Utterance and the arts of all the world have appeared and become manifest." (Ish. ii.) "We exhort them to equity, justice, trustworthiness and honesty and to that by reason of which the Word of God, a". well as their own stat ons, shall be exalted among men; and I an~ the One who adviseth in Truth, whereunto testifieth He from whose Pen the running water of Mercy and from whose Utterance the FOLin- tain of Life bath flowed for the people of the world. Exalted is this Most Great Bounty and glorious is this manifest Gift!" (ff. of P. 65.) TITT,' DAY OP lel,,'VEALING "This is the Day wherein the Speaker of the Mount is established upon the Throne of Manifestation, and 81 the people have resurrected before God, the Lord of the creatures. This is the Day wherein the earth bath revealed her news and uncovered her treasures, the seas their pearls, the 'tree' its fruits, the sun its effulgence, the moons their lights; the heaven its stars, the 'hour' its tokens, the 'resurrection' its ma- jesty, the 'pens' th.eir traces and the spirits their arcana. Blessed is whosoever knoweth Him!" (Ish. ii.) "Shouldst thou make the mirror of the heart pure and clear from the dust of prejudice, thou wilt corn- pre-hend all the symbols in the sayings of the perfect Word of Divinity in every Manifesta- Severance tion and be informed of the mysteries of Knowledge. But, unless thou destroy- est with the fire of Severance the veils of learning, which are conventional among the servants, thou wilt not attain to the brilliant morn of the Ideal Knowl- edge." (Ig- 4q.) "In this Day a great banquet is celebrated in the Supreme Concourse; for all that was promised in the Divine Books hath appeared. This is the Day of the Most Great Rejoicing! All MUSt direct them- selves to the court of Nearness with the utmost joy, happiness, exultation and gladness, and deliver them- selves from the fire of remoteness." (fF. of P. 60.) "Joy unto him who, in this Day, casts away that which is possessed by the peol)lc and holds fast to that which is commanded on the part of God, the 82 King of Names and the Creator of things." (W. of P. 72.) "If th1d spiritual and divine eye of man be opened, he will see that nothing exists without the appear- ance of the splendor of that Ideal King. For thou dost perceive that all contigent and cre- Ideal ated thi , ngs express the manifestation and Light emanation of that Ideal Light, and dost behold the doors of the Divine Rizwan (Paradise) opened in all things for seekers to enter the cities of Intelligence and Wisdom, and attained ones to pass into the gardens of Knowledge and Power. In every garden the bride of significances is seen seated in the chambers of words with full adornment and grace." (Ig. 99.) DECLARATION OF GOD'S SINGLENESS "God singly and alone abideth in His own place which is holy above space and time, mention and ut- terance, sign, description -and definition, height and depth." * (T. N. i4~.) "We bear witness that there is no God but Him; everlastingly He was, and there was nothing beside Hirn; everlastingly He will be, even as He hath been. Exalted is the iWerciful One above this-that the hearts of the people of wisdom should ascend.unto the comprehension of His Nature, or that the under- standing of such as inhabit the worlds should rise to the knowledge of His Essence. Holy is He above the knowledge of all save Himself, and exempt is He 83 from the comprehension of what is beside Him; verily, in Eternity of Eternities was He independent of the worlds." (T. N. 397.) ', It is evident to the possessors of Knowledge and illumined minds that the Unseen Divinity and Essence of Oneness hath been holy beyond emanation and ap- pearance, ascent qnd descent, ingress and egress; is exalted above the praise of every praiser and the com- prehension of every comprehender. He hath been and is everlastingly hidden in His Own Essence and will be eternally concealed from eyes and sights in His Own Entity. 'The sight comprehendeth Him not, but He comprehendeth the sight; He is the Gracious, the Wise'." (Ig. 6q.) "God, in His Essence, is sanctified above ascent or descent, entrance or exit. He bath been, and will be everlastingly independent of (or free from) the at- tributes of the creatures; no one hath known Him, and on soul hath found out His Substance. All the sages are bewildered in the valley of His Knowledge, and all the saints are perplexed in their endeavor to comprehend His Essence. He is purified from being comprehended by all men of comprehension, and is ex- alted above the knowing of men of knowledge." (Pers. S. F. 2q.) "The True One is sanctified above all, (but) His Signs are manifest in all things. The signs are from Him-not He Himself-and all of them are record- ed and visible in the volume of the world. The plan 84 of the world is a great book; every one endowed with perception can grasp (therefrom.) that which shall enable him to attain to the Right Path and the 'Great Message.' "Consider the rays of the sun; its lights have en- compassed the world, but these splendors are from it and from its manifestations; they are through it- self but are not itself ( i. e., its essence or substance). Whatever is seen on the earth is expressive of His power, knowledge and grace; while He (God) is sanctified from all. His Holiness Christ says: 'Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.' " (IF. of P. ,16.) DEWLARATION OP GOD'S HA-VIFE~NTATIOYS "All my limbs testify that there is no God but Him, and that those whom He quickened with the Tr-uth and sent for (men's) guidance are the Manifesta- tions of His Most Comely Names, the Day-springs of His Supreme Attributes and the recipients of His revelation in the realm of creation; by whom the standard of the (faith of the) Unity is set tip, and the sign of renunciation becomes apparent; and by whorn every soul taketh a course towards the Lord of the Throne." (T. N. 397-) "Man, the most noble and perfect of the creatures, is a mightier evidence and greater expression than the other visible things. The most perfect, superior and excellent of men are the Manifestations of the Sun 8, of Truth." "These Holy Temples are the Eternal Primal Mirrors which express the Invisible of the Invisibles and all His Names and Attributes, such as Knowledge, Power, Dominion, Grandeur, Mercy, Wisdom, Glory, Generosity and Beneficence." (Ig. 72.) "I testify, 0 my God, that this is a Day wherein Thy proof hath be en completed and Thy evidence be- came manifest; Thy Signs have descended; Thy To- kens have shone forth; Thy Face hath gleamed; Thy Argument been perfected; Thy Mercy hath preceded the beings, and the Sun of Thy Bounty hath shone in such wise that Thou hast made known the Manifesta- tion of Thyself, the treasury of Thy Science and the Day-spring of Thy Greatness and Might. He is the One, whose Covenant Thou hast administered to who- soever is created in the kingdoms of heaven and earth, in the realms of Command and Creation." "I testify that by Him the Supreme Pen hath moved, by His mention the Tablets have been adorned in the Kingdom of Names, by Him Thy Breezes have spread and the fragrances of Thy Garment have been diffused between the earth and heaven." (Tablet) "I testify that, verily, there is no God save Him! and He who hath come is verily the Hidden Mystery, the Concealed Secret, the Most Great Book for the nations, and the Heaven of Beneficence to the world. He is the Mighty Sign among mankind and the Dawn- ing-place of Highcst Attributes in the Nvorld of eman- 86 ation. Through Him hath appeared that which was concealed from all eternity and was hidden from men of discernment. Verily, He is the One whose Mani- festation was announced by the Books of God in former and later times. "Whoever acknowledges Him, His signs and His evidences, hath verily acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered before the crea- tion of heaven and earth and before the Acknowledg- appearance of the Kingdom of Names . ment Through him the sea of Knowledge hath moved among mankind and the running water of Wisdom hath flowed from the presence of God, the King of Days. Blessed is the discerning one who witnessed and perceived, the hearing one who heard His sweet voice, and the hand that took hold of the Book through the power of its Lord, t