Belief and denial: hearing a call and learning to recognize it

Among the people are those who have heard the Call and turned towards it, and among them are those who heard and turned away, and among them are those who did not hear. Thus has the matter been detailed in a Clear Tablet.

Those who denied the Proof of God and His evidence, and turned towards every distant idolater, have indeed suffered loss.

Regarding the verse of the Gospel about which you wrote, that from context it appears that on the Day of Christ's appearance all souls would hear the call and obey: Know that faith is of two kinds. The first kind is faith through speech and obedience through action, which is by human choice. The second type is existential faith and natural obedience.

His remembrance of His servants hath ever preceded their remembrance of Him, yet not every ear heareth His remembrance, nor doth every heart perceive it.

How many a learned one was prevented, and how many a handmaiden heard and responded and turned unto the Dawning-Place of the manifestation of her Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful!

How many mature ones have been deprived and rejected, and how many suckling babes have drunk the milk of divine recognition from the breast of God's knowledge!

Many were the souls who were occupied day and night in the remembrance of God and who stood fast with utmost diligence in carrying out His commandments and prohibitions; nevertheless their deeds were not accepted. Even as thou didst observe the divines of the age who were occupied in the service of religious laws - most of them did not attain to the word of acceptance. And many were the souls who, at a single call, attained unto the divine "Here am I."

Know this much: that in the station of certitude, doubt has no place. If you say that recognition of this new Revelation has become confused for this servant, then come forth to witness. If you say there is confusion in the revealed verses, then come forth to hear and see. If you say confusion exists in deeds, know that every doer's deeds depend on His command and are contingent on His permission. The station of absolute certainty is sanctified above the doubts and imaginings of the worlds and those who are deluded.

Whosoever among the divines of every age receiveth, in the Day of Reckoning, the testimony of faith from the Source of true knowledge, he verily becometh the recipient of learning, of divine favor, and of the light of true understanding. Otherwise, he is branded as guilty of folly, denial, blasphemy, and oppression.

How many a servant hath heard the call and responded to his Ancient Lord, and how many a one robed in authority hath disdained and waxed proud before God, the Lord of all worlds.

For thirteen hundred years they lamented and, with weakness and supplication, beseeched the Self-Sufficient One for the appearance of the Promised One, and from their pulpits they uttered "May God hasten His advent." But when the Most Great Light dawned from the highest horizon of the world, all turned away, and the cause and reason for their turning away is known and evident. They did what no other people had done. Until now they remain in the graves of heedlessness.

Now Baha'u'llah has appeared, the divine teachings and admonitions have been unveiled, the call of the oneness of humanity has been sounded, the banner of the kingdom of peace is flying, and the tabernacle of love and harmony amongst all mankind has been raised in the very heart of the world and is summoning all people. And yet again some ignorant souls imagine that these divine teachings are without foundation and regard their own imaginations as lofty thoughts. But before long it will become manifest that what He has proclaimed is sound, proven, and compelling, and that all other thoughts are vain and idle.

One raised the cry of "but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets," while another loudly proclaimed "he hath fabricated against God."

Among the people are those who heard the call and responded, turning their faces toward Him Who created earth and heaven, saying "Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to faith, saying 'Believe in your Lord,' so we believed." And among them are those who persisted and said "This is nothing but tales of the ancients."

Should one reflect upon the appearance of the Suns of Truth, it becomes clear and evident that in every age there have been and will be the truthful and the false. Take heed, O ye who possess insight!

Strive thou in every Revelation to be counted among the proofs manifested in that Revelation, that thou mayest be numbered among the proofs of both Command and Creation. For if thou remainest behind, or wert among the proofs of a former Revelation, thou wouldst become as nothing. Witness how in every Revelation many manifestations of divine action appeared, yet in the subsequent Revelation, having failed to take shelter beneath its shade, their deeds were no longer ascribed to God and they all became less than nothing.

Then whosoever believeth not as the Manifestation of Thy Self believeth on that Day is a letter of negation, even though he be among the highest manifestations of affirmation in the Bayan. And whosoever believeth as He believeth is of Thy tree of affirmation, even though he had been of the tree of negation in the Bayan. Thus dost Thou bring forth from the fire whom Thou willest, and cause to enter Paradise whom Thou willest, and bring forth from Paradise whom Thou willest, and cause to enter the fire howsoever Thou willest.

O Joseph! The Cause is mighty, mighty! Observe how mighty it is when He declareth that the loftiest Tree of affirmation in that Dispensation becometh lower than the most inferior tree of negation. Yet thou hast regarded this mighty Cause as insignificant and hast paid, and continuest to pay, no heed to it.

Whosoever, therefore, denieth not the Primal Point in the vesture of the All-Glorious, and confesseth Him, is numbered, in the sight of God, among the people of abiding life---even though he be the most abject of men. But whosoever turneth away is recorded, in the sight of God, among the people of perdition---even though he be the most exalted of created things.

Thou didst make Thyself known on the Day of Resurrection, whereupon those who recognized among Thy creation attained recognition, and thereby entered Thy paradise, whether they possessed all things or possessed nothing; and those who were veiled among Thy creation remained veiled and entered Thy fire, whether they possessed anything or possessed nothing. … For whoso turneth unto Thee -- even wert Thou to invest him with dominion over all that is on the earth -- Thou wouldst assuredly ordain for him guidance and faith; and if not, then nothing of it shall be his. Likewise, whosoever is veiled from Thee, Thou hast judged him to be without truth and faith, whether Thou hast granted him all things or nothing thereof.

Say: If you believe in Me and My verses, then you shall attain all good, and if you believe not in Me, you have not believed in any of the Messengers, nor are you God-fearing on that Day. And you did not follow the Messengers before, nor were you certain of God.

Whoso turneth away this Day hath in truth turned away from God from time immemorial, and whoso turneth unto Him is reckoned among the sincere ones.

Any soul who today, after hearing this Most Great Cause, hesitates less than a moment is not worthy of mention. … Say: The Will of God is other than your wills, and His way is other than your ways. He walks not in your paths nor follows your desires. He calls those on earth and guides them to His straight path. Whoso turns toward Him has attained all good, and whoso turns away is among the people of the fire in a mighty Book.

Say: God! Then leave the ungodly in the lowest depths of hell. Say: Whoso hesitateth in this Cause, he is of the ungodly in the tablets of mighty glory. And whoso believeth in this Revelation, he is of the believers before God, thy Lord and the Lord of all creatures.

They who have attained unto the verses of God and His recognition - these are they who are numbered among the guided ones in a mighty tablet. And they who have turned away or hesitated - these are among the most lost.

Among the people are those who cling to vain imaginings, turning away from the Self-Subsisting; and among them are those who are veiled by a name from among names, disbelieving in God, the Creator of heaven; and among them are those who hold fast to their desires, heedless of guidance; and among them are those who were attracted by the breezes of revelation in such wise that they turned with steadfast mountains and took the choice wine of life in the name of the All-Merciful, detached from all else, and drank and said: "This, verily, is what was intended in the Books of God, the Most High, the Most Great."

Among the people are those who heard the Call from the Supreme Horizon and turned unto Him, detached from all who are in the heavens and on earth; and among them are those who were content with their own vain imaginings and turned away from the One, the All-Informed.

How many a soul, upon hearing the Call, hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, and how many a soul hath turned away and followed every envious opponent.

Among the people was he who was attracted by the call of God and hastened with his whole being and essence unto the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And among them was he who cast God behind him by following those who disbelieved in God and His signs when He appeared with manifest sovereignty.

Among the people are those who have heard and turned towards it, and among them are those who have turned upon their heels - these are truly among the perishing ones. They cast guidance behind their backs and took up vain desire - thus doth testify the Most Exalted Pen in this wondrous Tablet.

Now observe how inconstant, faithless and unstable some souls are. Shame upon those who believed then disbelieved, drew near then withdrew. These are servants who incline with every wind and are moved by every fancy, supposing themselves to be guided. Nay, by the Lord of the Throne and earth! They worship their desires but know it not. Strange that after beholding the ocean of meanings and its waves, and witnessing the Sun of utterance and its effulgence, one should be deprived thereof and cling to vain desire which is utter nothingness.

Would that you had written to Ahmad himself: "We know not upon which path thou standest, nor which way thou walkest. At times we find thee repentant, penitent and remorseful, and at other times we see thee an unbeliever, a rejecter, a hypocrite and doubter.

Among the people are those who say "We believe in God and His Most Great Remembrance," and God is ever cognizant of His servants in truth. They have disbelieved with their tongues after their souls were convinced, and God hath taught them within their own souls that they are fresh disbelievers in God, the Exalted.

… O people! If ye believe in Our Remembrance after the Truth hath come unto you with the Book, ye shall be recorded in the Book of the Exalted Ones round about the Gate. And if ye deny God after He hath sent down unto you the Remembrance and this Most Great Book, ye shall be inscribed as followers of the tree of Satan in the Book of the Prison, having shown arrogance against God, the Truth.

Those who believe in the signs of God and follow the ordinance of the Book -- these are the rightly guided. But those who deny the signs of thy Lord and follow their passions -- these are in manifest error.

Among the people are they who were attracted by My call and acted according to what was ordained in My mighty Book, and among them are they who turned away and denied all that hath been revealed from the presence of an ancient Revealer.

We have commanded all to that which profiteth them. Some have turned towards it and some have turned away, and he who turneth away is among the distracted ones.

But the tumult and sedition in Iran allows not the friends to draw a breath, nor leaves the seekers with attention or capacity to hear. "Sedition was dormant; God's curse be upon him who awakened it."

16 On this plane, the traveller meeteth with many a trial and reverse. Now is he lifted up to heaven, now is he cast into the depths. As it hath been said: "Now Thou drawest me to the throne of the realms above, again Thou scorchest me in the fire of hell."

The chalice of tribulation hath ever been reserved for the faithful, and through trials and afflictions are the steadfast distinguished from the doubters.

Rest and comfort and laziness and luxury and negligence and indolence can come from any soul. Indeed, in this arena everyone can show the utmost strength and power. But cooperation and mutual assistance and patience and steadfastness and sacrifice of life is not the work of every soul. This is special to blessed souls, not every ignorant fool and helpless idler.

Ahmad Khan was a fatalist and did not endorse the idea 'These are the armies of God' he said 'I shall never become a party in a league to fight with them. Whenever they reach my village they are welcomed.'

O handmaiden of God! The beginning of the Cause is belief in God, and its end is steadfastness in His love. The barkers are spread abroad like satans.

The Most Exalted Pen declareth: The matter of the world to come hath been, and shall ever be, to turn unto God---glorified be His majesty---to know Him, and to remain steadfast in His Cause. Whoso attaineth unto that which hath been mentioned is, in the Clear Book, numbered and recorded among the people of certitude. Bewilderment, doubt, and the like have no place in this station.

Blessed is he who hath cast away vain imaginings and taken hold of certitude by the command of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Cast aside doubts and idle fancies, and take hold of that which the Lord of all beings hath, out of His all-encompassing grace, sent down for you.

Those who have hesitated are they whom the dust of vain imaginings hath overtaken, whereby they were prevented from the Dayspring of inspiration.

This is the Day wherein the eye of doubt hath been blinded and the vision of certitude hath been gladdened by this Sun which hath shone forth from the horizon of assurance.

Those who doubted are wandering in the wilderness of heedlessness. Those who turned to Him have attained the lights of certitude.

Verily the sincere ones are certain of the meeting with their Lord while the idolaters are in grievous doubt.

Every doubter hath turned away from the ocean, while every assured one hath drunk, praising his Lord, the Bestower, the Bountiful.

Whoso hath quaffed the choice wine of certitude, he is of the people of this utterance, and he who hath been debarred therefrom hath no portion in this perspicuous Book.

Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

… Unto him who hath not believed in God and hath not quaffed the choice wine of certitude belongeth not that which We have revealed in the Book.

And whoso denieth Him hath been deprived of the Salsabil of My love and the Kawthar of My grace and the choice wine of My mercy - that wine by which the sincere ones were attracted and the believers soared unto the atmosphere of My loving-kindness, which none hath known save him whom We have taught through that which was revealed in My Hidden Tablet.

Verily, the righteous have drunk the choice wine of revelation, while the wicked have returned to their abode in the nethermost fire. The sincere ones drink of My choice sealed wine, while the opposers drink of noisome water.

We have bestowed the choice wine of life upon all who dwell in the realm of possibility: some have drunk thereof in Our Name, the Self-Subsisting, while others turned away, following their vain imaginings.

This is a day wherein grace hath encompassed all religions, and the Divine Lott Tree hath called out from the Most Exalted Horizon: 'Verily, there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing.' Whoso hath turned and beheld, he hath attained unto this grace, and whoso hath turned away, he is accounted among the ungodly in My perspicuous Book."

We make mention of him who has turned to the Countenance even as We mentioned those who cast away idle fancies and turned toward the horizon of certitude when the All-Merciful came with a sovereignty that encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Therefore hath the Pen of Revelation traced thy name, that its influence may attract thee in such wise as to detach thee from all who are on earth, and that through thee may be detached such servants as wander in the wilderness of error and are debarred from that which their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath desired for them.

We have set forth therein a matter which none hath discovered, and We have turned therein the verses as a remembrance from Our presence unto those who have believed in God and His signs, and have detached themselves from those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and who stood at the station of opposition.

A remembrance from Me unto him who hath loved Me and believed when most of the people have disbelieved, that the fragrance of remembrance may attract him and bring him to a station wherein the whispering of the evil one shall have no effect upon him. … They who have disbelieved in God and His proof have lost, while he who hath turned away from them and faced this Lamp hath gained.

This is Thy servant who hath believed in Thee and loved Thy loved ones and turned away from Thine enemies and walked in the path of certitude until he reached the pivot of journeys and recognized the Manifestation of Thy Chosen Cause.

Blessed art thou for having believed in God and turned away from those who have denied this wondrous Day.

And the glory rest upon thee and upon him who hath turned unto God and detached himself from him who disbelieved and turned away.

Among My servants are those who have believed and turned towards God, and among them are those who have turned away and denied God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And among the handmaidens are those who have heard and turned towards God, and have drunk from the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of their Lord, the Most Merciful, and among them are those who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds.

Among the people are those who have turned away from Us, and among them are those who have turned towards Us and drawn nigh until they attained unto the horizon of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

Those who have turned away from the Countenance, these are in grievous loss. Soon shall they know what hath escaped them in the vicinity of God, whereupon they shall wail and lament, and shall find for themselves no way.

Among the people are those who have turned away and those who have turned towards Him, and he who hath turned and attained hath verily become one of those drawn nigh.

Among the people are those who have denied the proof of God and His Cause, and among them are those who have turned to the Desired One.

Among the people are those who have turned away and denied God's Revelation and His proof, and among them are those who have turned towards His straight path.

We make mention of the servants for the sake of God - among them are those who turned away and those who turned towards Him.

Among the people are those who have rejected the signs of God and His appearance, and among them are those who have hastened unto the Dawning-Place of Revelation with spirit and sweet fragrance. Blessed is the soul that hath spoken the truth, and woe unto him who hath disbelieved in God when He came with His grandeur and sovereignty.

When its rustling was lifted up, among the people some were drawn to it and hastened until they clung fast to it, while others heard and turned away until they disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds.

Whoso turneth unto Him hath attained that whereunto the near ones have attained, and whoso turneth away is accounted among the idolaters in the perspicuous Book.

He who hath taken hold of God's Book with the hand of might is of the people of Baha, and he who hath turned away is among those who have gone astray.

Whoso turneth unto it shall be reckoned among them that are nigh unto God, and whoso turneth away shall be recorded among the opposers in God's Book.

Whoso turns to it has attained what was promised in the Book, and whoso turns away has lost in this world and the next. To this testifies the Lord of Names in this station.

Those who have believed today, they are among the most excellent of creation, and those who have turned away, they are a people who deny.

Blessed is he who hath turned toward Him; woe unto him who hath denied Him and turned away from that which hath been sent down from His presence. Verily he is among the most wretched of creatures.

We have made manifest the Cause and made clear that which was hidden from the servants, and We have favored those who have believed over those who have denied God when He came with manifest sovereignty.

They who have turned away from the Countenance, these have denied God and His sovereignty, and they who have turned towards Him, these are among the people of Paradise in God's Book, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

Whosoever turned towards it and attained unto hearing it, such a soul is recorded with God among the companions of the most exalted Paradise and is inscribed by the Supreme Pen. And whosoever turned away, such a soul is recorded with the Chosen One as being among the people of the Fire.

Therefore, O my God, cause at that time the entire tree and whatsoever shall be its return and abode to be according to what Thou lovest and art pleased with, for whosoever departeth from beneath its shade entereth into the shadow of the fire, as there is naught between negation and affirmation, and whosoever is therein is either in Thy fire or in Thy paradise - around these two do all contingent beings revolve and all created things circle.

O servant! We behold thee wavering between two paths. Hearken unto the call of thy Lord and say: In the Name of God and by God! Then turn to the right. Thus have We ordained for thee in a Tablet which was mighty in truth. Beware lest thou deprive thyself of that which hath been ordained for thee. Seek thou in the days of thy Lord a way unto Him.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the waters of Thy bounty which flowed from the clouds of Thy mercy and the heaven of Thy favors, whereby Thou didst purify whom Thou didst will from the dust of disobedience, that Thou mayest purify my heart from all doubt and misgiving, that I may detach myself wholly from all else save Thee and turn toward the sanctuary of Thy good-pleasure. O Lord! I have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounty and clung to the hem of the robe of Thy favor and grace. Deprive me not in these days of the fragrant breezes of Thy contentment, nor from hearing the warbling of the Dove of Thy Cause. And distance me not, O my Beloved, from the shore of the ocean of Thy nearness and presence.

Verily Thou art He Who hath ever been God before all things and will be God after all things. Thou didst create all contingent beings through Thy power and sovereignty and didst clothe them with the garment of existence through Thy command and decree. Then Thou didst cast upon them Thy most exalted Word as Thou didst ordain in the heaven of destiny. Thereby were the pillars of Thy servants shaken and their faces were transformed. Thereupon Thou didst raise Thy right hand and didst take the hands of certain of Thy servants through Thy sovereignty and power, according to what their hands had wrought before, and Thou didst leave other servants through Thy constraint and might.

Those whom Thou didst preserve, Thou didst make them helpers of Thy Cause, turning unto Thy face, drawing nigh unto the sanctuary of Thy union and presence, circling round the Kaaba of Thy beauty, and drinking from the choice wine of Thy bounty and gifts in the days wherein the Hidden Mystery and Thy treasured Secret were made manifest, whereby appeared that which had never appeared in creation. Exalted then be this bounty which hath encompassed all worlds! And those whom Thou didst leave, Thou didst make them manifestations of negation and dawning-places of misbelief, and Thou didst make them accursed in this world and the next, deprived of every good thing and far removed from the gardens of nearness and reunion.

Therefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by this power which Thou hast extended over the worlds, that Thou make me not to hesitate in Thy Cause. Strengthen me through Thy sovereignty that I may pass over the Bridge through Thy might and power and bounty and grace, that my face may shine between earth and heaven and I may be mentioned among the Concourse on High as one of the people of Baha. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest and Thou art encompassing all things and knowing and seeing Thy servants.

He is the One at Whose revelation the Kingdom of Utterance appeared amidst all creation, whereupon the Throne was established and the All-Merciful was seated thereon. He spoke the Primal Word, whereby all things between earth and heaven were transformed. Thereupon the near ones, the sincere ones, and the believers turned towards the highest heaven, which is the station of certitude and assurance, while the opposers and the ungodly turned towards the nethermost depths, which is the station of rejection and denial.

Thus doth God distinguish between the fortunate and the wretched, between light and darkness, through a word which hath been differentiated from the Mother of Verses.

The peoples shall differ regarding this Ancient Light, and hatred shall appear among them concerning this Mighty Pillar, that the good may be distinguished from the evil, and light from darkness.

Today two calls are raised: the first is the call of the All-Merciful, and the second is the call of Satan. Those souls who, upon hearing the second call, utter the word "yea" - such souls are deprived of the Kingdom of utterance and the heaven of bounty. They are the manifestations of tyranny and lewdness, and the dawning-places of infidelity and transgression. Blessed are those souls who have attained to the hearing of the first call and have responded with "Here am I, O my God, here am I!"

Those who hearken, who shall abide forever in their paradise, have said: "Our Lord! We have heard one calling to faith, saying 'Believe in your Lord!' and we believed."

As for the deniers, they said: "We hear and we disobey."

He who hath an ear hath heard the call of God, and he who hath not heard is counted among the dead.

How many a servant hath believed, and how many a servant hath turned away - and he who hath turned away is assuredly among the denizens of the graves.

They who have disbelieved - these are the dead. If they find the path of God they take it not for their path, but if they see the path of idle fancy, that is the path they tread.

Were anyone to find the sweetness of the utterance which hath proceeded from the mouth of the All-Merciful, he would abandon the world and all that is therein, turning unto God, the Mighty, the Praised. Think not that they who turned away are alive - nay, they are among the dead. Soon shall they know what hath escaped them, but today they are in a mighty veil.

They who are veiled this Day - these have no mention in the Tablets save that they are dead servants. And they who have drunk the living waters - these are the people of Baha, and by them hath the Kingdom of eternity been adorned.

He who hath turned unto Him this Day is assuredly of the people of Baha in the kingdom of creation, and he who hath turned away is verily among the dead.

Blessed be the All-Merciful, through Whom the faces of those who disbelieved were darkened, and the faces of the righteous were illumined.

The faces of those near unto God have been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, while the faces of those who turned away have been darkened by their rejection of this Brilliant Dawn.

Every eye and insight that possessed the power of vision was illumined, while those weak of sight and limited in insight, lacking the power of vision, shut their eyes and, like bats, crept into the cave of darkness.

But a band of bat-like miserable people close their eyes, and while they are immersed in darkness they ask, "Where is the light? Where are the mysteries? Where are the signs?" and thus proclaim their blindness.

O thou who art cheerfully moving by the Fragrances of God!

Know thou verily, that when the Sun of Truth shown forth to the horizons, the eyes of the people of affection were brightened by witnessing thereof, but the blind are in veil and discord, and say: "Where is the Sun of the Horizon?" Leave them in the veils of passions and fathoms of the seas of ignorance, to sink and play.

Those possessed of sight beheld those lights and received their portion from the mysteries of truth, while the blind were deprived, fell into despair, and were rejected and cast out.

Can those who have turned away from the Countenance distinguish between light and darkness? No, by the Lord of creation! They deny the Sun and its sovereignty, the proof and its evidence, and they say that which neither the people of the Furqan nor those who turned away from God in past ages and centuries have said.

How can the lowly worm, whose fortified palace is the depth of earth, know aught of the musk-laden morning breeze? And what effect hath the rose garden of mystical knowledge upon the owl of the ruins of this earthly realm?

The song of the nightingale of the garden is abhorrent to crow and raven, and the melody of the birds of sanctity is detested by the ravens of refuse heaps and ash pits.

It is well known that the sweet fragrance of the rose garden becometh the cause of comfort and assurance to the tested believers, and causeth the melodious nightingale to be stirred with joy - not the oppressive dung beetle nor the shameless crow. Therefore give thanks that thou art a bird of this meadow, and not a crow or raven.

For these are believers, those are deniers; these are luminous, those are in darkness; these are the dawning-places of true love, those are the manifestations of pure dissension.

The hearts of the faithful have been dilated by this all-embracing mercy from the Creator of earth and heaven, while the hearts of the unfaithful have been constricted by this all-encompassing outpouring from the Supreme Kingdom.

One raised the cry of joy while another wailed in despair. One became intoxicated from the divine cup while another withered and languished.

The conscious lovers and vigilant seekers were moved to ecstasy and joy, and in rapture, attraction and gladness, dancing and clapping, they hastened to the altar of love. They sacrificed soul, head and heart, offered their spirits to the Beloved, attained true union, established themselves in the court of Beauty, and were blessed with mighty triumph and abiding delight, achieving high distinction. But the false ones and pretenders remained deprived and at loss, living in regret and weeping over their state. Blind were they raised, deaf were they gathered, until that Sun of Reality was concealed behind the clouds of glory and vanished in the invisible Kingdom.

Blessed is he who hath believed in God, and woe betide him who hath followed vain imaginings after the Sun of Certitude hath shone forth from this manifest Dawn.

This thy servant hath abandoned superstitions, emerged from darkness and hath entered into Thy Light which hath shone forth to the world!

I beseech Thee by this Revelation whereby darkness hath been turned into light, through which the Frequented Fane hath been built, and the Written Tablet revealed, and the Outspread Roll uncovered, to send down upon me and upon them who are in my company that which will enable us to soar into the heavens of Thy transcendent glory, and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have hindered the suspicious from entering into the tabernacle of Thy unity.

Today the accepting and the rejecting appear in two forms. The accepting one saith: "My God, my God! Grant Thy servants a portion from the ocean of awareness, and deprive them not of the effulgent lights of the Luminary of vision. Thou didst desire reunion; the Wronged One too desireth it, but the smoke of heedless hearts hath become an obstacle, and the hatred of souls hath appeared as an impenetrable barrier.