Christ’s suffering and rejection: recognition, humility, and forgiving love

Christ suffered in order to teach kindness. "O Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Thus he pardoned his murderers. How merciful he was!

Let us consider His Holiness Jesus Christ: how many trials he accepted along this pathway, how many difficulties and persecutions, even giving up his life. He chose for himself the cross, so that the light of love might shine in the hearts of men, and the various contending nations come into a state of affinity and love, so that love might encompass the hearts of humanity.

These Christian nations wage war against Christ. Any Christian who opposeth the teachings of Christ hath risen in opposition to Him. These swords strike at Christ. These bullets are aimed at Christ.

… Christ so sacrificed Himself and shed His blood that love and fellowship might be established among these hearts, that these souls who have taken shelter under His shadow might find love and fellowship with one another. He sacrificed His life for this, that the bonds of love might be strengthened.

Jesus, Son of Mary - the peace of God and His loving-kindness be upon Him - appeared with clear signs and brilliant evidences, and His purpose was the salvation of mankind. Every fair-minded one beareth witness and every informed one testifieth that He sought naught for Himself and desired nothing save to guide the wayward unto the straight path of God. Yet there befell that Most Holy Beauty that which caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament, and matters became so grievous for Him that God, exalted be His glory, by His supreme Will caused Him to ascend unto the fourth heaven.

The world must come to know the Word in Christ. How He was mocked, scorned, and laughed at, yet His mission was to uplift the very world which refused Him. Realization of this will bring tears to the eyes of those who deny Him, cause them to grow silent and thoughtful. Christ is always Christ.

In the Dispensation of Christ they placed a crown of thorns upon His blessed head; yet today millions fashion His image with a crown of gold and extol Him, though in the days of His life they paid Him no heed whatsoever.

One day His Holiness Christ entered into the Holy of Holies. One of the Pharisees was praying there, and saying: "I thank Thee, O God, that I am strengthened and helped to worship Thee." At the same time another man was praying and asking forgiveness of GOD. Christ said that the Pharisee's praying was not accepted in the Kingdom of GOD, but the prayer of the poor man was accepted.

Only a few were attracted to Him. They were not the kings and rulers of His time. They were not rich and important people. Some of them were catchers of fish. Most of them were ignorant men, not trained in the knowledge of this world.

Verily hath it ever been the way of men that in the days of God, when the Sun is shining resplendent, manifest and evident, they pay no heed thereto, remaining veiled by their selfish desires. Then after Its setting, multitudes newly profess their faith through mere fancy, heedless that the winds of divine tests are ever blowing and the tempests of trials are at all times sent forth from the direction of the All-Merciful, distinguishing particle from particle and hair from hair.

If Christ himself were to appear in these temples, the very pillars of the churches would deny Him, for they adore the imagined church and not the real; they worship the name of Christ and not His reality; like the Jews who expected the advent of the Messiah, but, the imagined Messiah and not the real. Had they been seekers after the real Christ, they would have indeed believed.

What was the cause of the denial of the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake - and what was the reason for the rejection and revilement of the Spirit (Christ)?

Consider those who opposed the Son, when He came unto them with sovereignty and power. How many the Pharisees who were waiting to behold Him, and were lamenting over their separation from Him! And yet, when the fragrance of His coming was wafted over them, and His beauty was unveiled, they turned aside from Him and disputed with Him.

Yet when Christ appeared, He remained a stranger, single and alone; the Messiah came and no one realized it. And so it was that the people went on searching for the Messiah in anticipation of His advent. Christ had come, but the Jewish leaders continued to await the Messiah's appearance---a desire they cherished. But when He came, they were deprived [of Him]; indeed, they rejected Him, saying, "This is not the true Messiah!"

All these people thought they were waiting for Christ and that they were His intimate friends, but later on it was shown that He was quite foreign to them, for when He came they knew Him not. Some used to pray day and night, saying when will that day come, when He will manifest himself? O God! Hasten that day when He shall be on earth. But when He came they did not know Him; they denied Him and were offended at Him.

For example, during the days of Jesus Christ the Jews were expecting the appearance of the Messiah, praying and beseeching God day and night that the Promised One might appear. Why did they reject Him when He did appear? They denied Him absolutely, refused to believe in Him. There was no abuse and persecution which they did not heap upon Him.

Through failure to investigate reality the Jews rejected Jesus Christ. They were expecting His coming; by day and night they mourned and lamented, saying, "O God! Hasten Thou the day of the advent of Christ," expressing most intense longing for the Messiah; but when Christ appeared, they denied and rejected Him, treated Him with arrogant contempt, sentenced Him to death and finally crucified Him.

The Jews anticipated the Messiah, praying and supplicating god for the Holy One. Who when He appeared they rejected, nor did they believe in Him; they persecuted and tormented Him,-they spat on Him, they crowned Him with thorns, and ultimately crucified Him. Why did they crucify Him? Because they did not investigate reality. Had they investigated, they would have believed; but they crucified the Saviour, and freed Barabbas, because they were holding to imitations.

When Christ appeared, the Jews rejected Him, although they were expecting His manifestation and in their temples and synagogues were crying and lamenting, saying, "O God, hasten the coming of the Messiah!" Why did they deny Him when He announced Himself? Because they had followed ancestral forms and interpretations and were blind to the reality of Christ.

In the Bible there are prophecies of the coming of Christ. The Jews still await the coming of the Messiah, and pray to God day and night to hasten His advent.

When Christ came they denounced and slew Him, saying: “This is not the One for whom we wait.

The Jews for a thousand and five hundred years were awaiting the coming, and their utmost desire was to live in the day of the Messiah. … Every night they slept with the hope that in the morning Christ would come, and every calamity which befell them, they were comforted in the thought of the coming of Christ. Nevertheless, when Christ manifested Himself, all of them denied Him. They became haughty and opposed Him; they applied to Him the term of Christ the liar, or, the false Christ; and they arose to kill Him. The very ones who so eagerly awaited His Manifestation made the thorny crown and placed it on His holy head; mocked Him; degraded Him in every way, and finally crucified Him.

For one thousand and five hundred years the Jews prayed and expected the coming of their Messiah, yet when He appeared amongst them with His beautiful Countenance and spiritual laws, what causes induced them to refuse Him and what reasons brought about their deprivation? Why did they negate him, notwithstanding the presence of creational proofs, tangible proofs, emotional proofs, inspirational proofs, intellectual proofs, philosophic proofs and scriptural proofs? Why were they not quickened by the Messianic breaths? Why did they not partake of the sanctifying graces of the Holy Spirit? Why did they arise against him and cried out crucify him crucify him?

When Christ appeared, twenty centuries ago, although the Jews were eagerly awaiting His Coming, and prayed every day, with tears, saying: "O God, hasten the Revelation of the Messiah," yet when the Sun of Truth dawned, they denied Him and rose against Him with the greatest enmity, and eventually crucified that divine Spirit, the Word of God, and named Him Beelzebub, the evil one, as is recorded in the Gospel.

Certain souls from the lineage of the Prophets, from among the Pharisees secluded in the Holy of Holies, who day and night awaited the appearance of the sweet Christ - when the Promised One of the Torah dawned forth, these heedless Pharisees called Christ the Anti-Christ, deemed that beauteous countenance ugly, named Him Beelzebub, and spread this among the people. And to this day they await the future coming of the Promised One of the Torah, expecting the true Christ to come from some unknown place with an army greater than Gog and Magog.

How many of the Pharisees were waiting for the appearance of the Spirit ( i.e., Jesus) then were veiled from it.

Say unto thine honored helpmate, thy dear husband: "Thousands of souls, including the great divines and Pharisees among the Jews, were awaiting the Manifestation of Christ, lamenting and weeping and supplicating that the Messiah should soon appear. But when His Holiness Christ came with a beautiful face and sweet utterance and dawned from the day-spring of the contingent world like unto the shining sun, all those souls who awaited Him rejected Him, became afflicted with the sleep of heedlessness, did not wake up by the voice of Christ nor did they gain consciousness.

Convey my greeting and praise to thy respected husband and say to him that the Jews are still expecting Christ and long to see Him in all anticipation and great zeal, while His light was manifested, His beauty shone forth, His call was raised, His trumpet blown, His standard hoisted, and His stars sparkled; but the Pharisees are yet in an amazing slumber, immersed in former traditions, and they make play with the signs of Thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.

Convey my greetings and respect to Mr. and Mrs. MacBean and Mr. and Mrs. Corstin, and say: When Christ established the divine religion in Palestine and lifted the veil, all the Pharisees were drowned in the sea of doubts and did not accept the clear signs. The Jewish rabbis are still bewildered, nay rather, veiled.

O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!

How many men and women awaited the manifestation of the Messiah after Moses? Yet when His beauty shone forth and His face appeared, they (the people) did not recognize Him, but continued to follow the superstitions of the Pharisees, who used to say: "Where is the authority of the Messiah?

O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!

How many men and women awaited the manifestation of the Messiah after Moses? Yet when His beauty shone forth and His face appeared, they (the people) did not recognize Him, but continued to follow the superstitions of the Pharisees, who used to say: "Where is the authority of the Messiah?

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Look to the time of Christ and how they objected to that radiant countenance and denied Him because of doubts that overcame their hearts, and deprived themselves of that mighty grace.

However, when the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen was raised between earth and heaven and the Countenance of the Manifestation appeared manifest and resplendent from the horizon of divine will, all became occupied with their own vain imaginings and turned away from the Sun of Truth, save whom God willed. And fewer still reflected on what caused the Jews to remain in expectation until this day, or what led to the veiling of the Christians.

They are still awaiting the Promised One, even as the Jews awaited before.

Yet those souls who throughout ages and centuries awaited the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai are today veiled and deprived of the ocean of grace. They have abandoned the Book of Certitude and cling to vain imaginings.

They denied Him in Whom they had believed, after having called upon Him at eventide and at dawn, at sunset and at morn.

This is truly the Day of Divine Unity - deprive not yourselves thereof. Reflect upon the people of a former religion: after lamentation, weeping and expectation, they martyred the Lord of all beings, yet to this day they remain unaware of what they have wrought. Heedlessness and pride have so seized those souls that their condition surpasseth description by pen and ink. We beseech God to guide all and deprive them not of the splendors of the Sun of Truth.

Throughout ages and centuries they beseeched and implored from God, glorified be His majesty, to attain the presence of this Day, yet when the horizon of the heaven of Revelation was illumined by Him Who conversed with the Sinai, they did that which caused the eyes of grandeur to weep and the trees of the most exalted Paradise to lament.

Consider those souls who are known and honored by the name of Truth: in the night season and during the day they are occupied with the mention of the Lord of all being, and in mosques and temples they voice His praise; yet when the Ocean of Revelation became manifest and the Promised Beauty emerged from behind the clouds, all clung to their own idle fancies and were debarred from Him. Would that they had been content with this! Nay, they preferred the ornaments of the people to the verses of God, and suspicions and idle fancies to the Sun of knowledge and certitude.

Consider how most of the Jews in the time of Christ were occupied day and night in their places of worship reciting the Torah, yet these very acts prevented them from recognizing the Dayspring of the Cause of the All-Glorious, for all deeds are meant for attaining unto God and His good-pleasure.

Similarly, the Jews were believers in Moses, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The virtues and perfections of Moses became apparent in Jesus Christ most effulgently, but the Jews held to the name Moses, not adoring the virtues and perfections manifest in Him.

When the Sun of Reality was shining from the Mosaic horizon, hearts were attached to that dayspring and bound to it. When the Sun moved from the dayspring of Moses to the brilliant and mighty Christian horizon, the previous community, confined to the Mosaic point, became veiled from the Sun and its lights as their vision did not move with it. This is why you find them in manifest loss. This is the cause of the Jews' veiling from that Promised One and Praiseworthy Light.

Others looked at the dawning point only, and did not perceive that the Sun changed places. For instance, the Jews always looked towards Moses, and when that Sun changed to the dawning place of Christ, they were still looking at the first Orient. So they were veiled. There were others who were the lovers of the light itself. They had recognized the Sun in Moses, and they perceived the greater radiance in the Sun of Christ; while the Jews, who were always looking at the Sun of Moses, were deprived of the beauty of Christ.

But if all had looked only at the dawning points, they would have remained veiled like the Jews when the Sun of Truth appeared from another place.

Take, for example, the people of Moses. They have adored the Mosaic dawning point, and their gaze has been limited to the dawning point of Moses, and because this sun of reality was transferred to the Messianic dawning point and appeared with the greatest effulgence, the Jews still remain deprived of that light of Christ.

Thus, when Jesus Christ came the Jews could not believe that the same light which was in Moses was manifest in Christ.

The Jews were veiled from the Glory of Jesus simply because they did not know Moses rightly and so were blinded to the one He promised would come after Him.

When His Holiness Christ appeared, they (the Jewish people) thought that holy personality intended to take away the eternal honor of Moses. Moses, in the eye of Israel, had no equal. Now, these had never thought that a greater than him (Moses) would appear. So this way of thinking became the cause of their being kept away from the Light of Christ and they were prevented from the precious things of the Holy Spirit, notwithstanding the fact that the greatest friend of Moses was Christ and He made His Holiness Moses great in the eye of the world and made Him to be glorious in the contingent world; whereas, even now, Israel (that is, the Jews) deny His Holiness, the promised Christ, and count Him to be an enemy of His Holiness Moses and of Aaron and David; and they were kept away from the bounties of Christ.

The Jews, however, being blinded by traditional superstitions, or dogmas, believed that Christ was inimical to Moses. They imagined him to be the destroyer of the Mosaic law, whereas His Holiness Christ upheld the standard of Moses.

"O ye Jews, ye believe that Christ was the enemy of Moses. That He has destroyed his edifice, abrogated his law and changed his regulations. If that is the case we shall leave Christ also, because Christ has admitted He is a man of God, a prophet of God, the Bible is a divine book and the Mosaic law is divine. For Him to believe He is a prophet and is divine and at the same time be his enemy, this cannot be so.

Consider Moses, He Who conversed with God. Verily, upon Mount Sinai, Moses entered into a Covenant regarding the Messiah, with all those souls who would live in the day of the Messiah. And those souls, although they appeared many centuries after Moses, were nevertheless---so far as the Covenant, which is outside time, was concerned---present there with Moses. The Jews, however, were heedless of this and remembered it not, and thus they suffered a great and clear loss.

As they traveled to different regions and eloquently praised Christ, Moses, the Gospel and Torah among other nations, the Jews devised a plan. They pursued them and wherever they reached them would say: "These apostles of Christ consider Moses the Speaker with God and call the Torah God's Book, yet according to the explicit text of the Torah they commit sins and promote falsehoods, for it is clearly stated in the Torah that the Law of Moses will endure forever without any abrogation, and it explicitly states that if anyone breaks the Sabbath, even if supported by miracles, they must be put to death.

When Christ appeared, the Jews pronounced Him an enemy of Moses. Pharisaical rabbis of that age declared Him to be the destroyer of the Mosaic law and the institutes of the Torah. They proclaimed that He would bring great misfortune to the people of Israel, considering Him the violator of the holy Sabbath and destroyer of the Temple of Solomon. Therefore, they turned away from Him.

When the Pharisees said of Christ that He had broken the Sabbath Day, that He had defied the Law of Moses, that He had threatened to destroy the Temple and the Holy City of Jerusalem, and that He deserved to be crucified -- We know that all these slanderous attacks had no result in hindering the spread of the Gospel!

The Jews say that God sent Moses and that he organized the religion of God, and that the other Prophets came to be the instruments to show forth the Bounty of God. So they said the religion was organized by Moses and though they were waiting for someone to come, yet it was not to form a new religion, only to circulate more fully the old one, and therefore the Jews rejected Christ.

In the time of Jesus Christ as they wanted to know Him through the signs designated by the Pharisees, He was veiled from them. One of the signs held by the Jews was that the Messiah should circulate and promote the religion of Moses, but they found Christ doing differently and changing the religion of Moses. They also expected Him to have the Crown of the Jewish Kingdom on His Head. They said it was recorded in the Bible that every Jew would become one of the greatest men in the world. Also that when the Promised One shall appear, all must gather in Jerusalem and circumambulate it.

Become detached from Pharisaical imaginings lest they prevent you from believing in Christ, for the Pharisees, being heedless of the true purpose in the Holy Book and not understanding the meanings of the Torah, attacked Christ. One said "Christ must come from heaven, but this person came from Mary's womb." Another said "He must come from an unknown place, but we know he is from Nazareth." Another said "Where is Christ's sovereignty which we were promised?" Another said "Where is the rod of iron?" Another said "Where is David's throne and Christ's sitting upon it?" Another said "Where is the justice of Christ's days and the companionship of wolf and lamb, leopard and kid, serpent and suckling child?" In short, since they did not understand the meaning of the Holy Book, they rejected the Spirit of God (Christ), objected and shunned Him, nay, adorned Him with the cross and committed the utmost persecution.

Now too the heedless are like the Pharisees and, being unaware of the truth of the Holy Book, they object to and revile the Blessed Beauty. Soon this mighty Cause will illumine the world and transform the furnace of conflict, contention and war into a garden of love, harmony, peace and reconciliation. And upon thee be greetings and praise.

O rose of the garden of Christ! The Pharisees waited years and years for the appearance of Christ, the Beautiful, the Gracious. But when that Promised Lord became manifest and evident, they called that Noble One - God forbid! - an ugly messiah. One cried out "Where is David's throne?", another shouted "Where is the rod of iron?", another began to wail and lament "The Law of God has been abrogated - where is its promotion?", another raised his voice "Where is His glorious sovereignty?", another wandered bewildered "What happened to the praise and glorification of all the peoples of the world on Mount Zion?", and another objected "Where is the fellowship between grazing beasts and predatory animals?"

For they said: 'We are expecting certain conditions at the time of the appearance of the Messiah and unless these conditions are fulfilled it is impossible to believe. It is written that He will come from an unknown place. Thou are from Nazareth. We know Thee and Thy people. According to the explicit text of the Scriptures, the Messiah is to wield a sceptre, a sword. Thou hast not even a staff. The Messiah is to be established on the throne of David. But Thou -- a throne! Thou hast not so much as a mat. The Messiah is to fulfil the Law of Moses, which will be spread throughout the world. Thou hast broken the Mosaic Law.

As these signs did not appear according to their external meaning the Israelites said: " This is not the promised Messiah." Thus, one of these prophecies declared that the Christ would appear sitting on the throne of David; others that his rod would be of iron, that he would conquer the East and the West, that he would vindicate the law of the Old Testament. … But as these signs, in their external meaning, did not come to pass, and as men did not understand the hidden meaning, their sight was veiled.

If the Jews had understood, they would at once have believed in Christ; but they only saw the literal sense, and therefore they denied Him, and arose to oppose His teachings. They said: "Christ come down from Heaven! We know that he was born of Mary; he has not a sword, not even a stick! He does not establish the throne of David. He comes in a desert: he has no home, and no food: he is a wanderer in the land. He has not even a mat."

Had the Jews understood symbology, they would have understood the Christ.

Had reading sufficed, all the Jewish people should have acknowledged Christ but as they lacked understanding of the mysteries and the inner meanings, they were deprived of the bounty of believing in Him.

They interpreted the book in a literal or outward manner and did not find the appearance of Christ to conform to their traditions, imitations and the prevailing customs of their people, so they denied and rejected Him. Hence, they remained heedless and ignorant of divine realities and mysteries.

The Jews read the Old Testament night and day, memorizing its words and texts yet without comprehending a single meaning or inner significance, for had they understood the real meanings of the Old Testament, they would have become believers in Christ, inasmuch as the Old Testament was revealed to prepare His coming. As the Jewish doctors and rabbis did not believe in Christ, it is evident that they were ignorant of the real significance of the Old Testament.

The Jews relied upon revelation as the true test, and they took this to prove Him. And because they believed in revelation, that was the only veil that covered them (kept them from believing). As they were veiled from Christ, they did not understand the revelation of the Bible, but had they believed in the explanations given by Christ, and which were inspired, they would have understood the meanings of these prophesies.

The Jews expected this to be literally interpreted and as it was not, they could not accept Him. Had they purified their hearts through Love, they would have known Him and He would have explained their scriptures to them.

The Jews said Christ was not the Messiah but Antichrist, because one of the signs of the Messiah's coming was the dancing of Mount Zion, which had not yet come to pass. In reality, when Christ appeared, not only Mount Zion but all Palestine danced and rejoiced.

It is not surprising that people said He was a liar and a false Messiah.

Notwithstanding all this, in truth Christ did have sovereignty; but it was not earthly, it was heavenly.

By coming in the Name of the Father, Christ meant He came with the Divine Attributes and Perfections of GOD, but still the Jews did not accept Him though they were waiting for the Promised One to come and establish His Kingdom. They did not see that the prophecy was being fulfilled in Christ, because they were waiting for a great victorious material kingdom to be established on earth, and the Messiah was to be one who possessed endless wealth and sovereign earthly power; while Christ came in a contrary manner to this, and the Jews would only obey and accept according to their desire and the will of man.

V.17: The Jews believed that Christ would come as a great earthly king with authority, and would punish and kill all who did not believe on Him. No! This was not true. He would only come to bring light into the darkness of the world, - to bring eternal life out of death.

When Jesus Christ appeared, He had no Kingdom, therefore the Jews would not accept Him, for they preferred to dance at the feast of Esther. They did not feel the Holy Fragrance of Jesus Christ, but were waiting for someone to come with a sword and to accomplish great changes in the material world.

The Jews were expecting the appearance of His Holiness Christ, but they were expecting him to come with certain signs.

First: They were expecting him to come from an unknown place. They knew that His Holiness came from Nazareth. This is written in the Bible. They understood that His Holiness would have to come from an unknown place. This they learned from the Books of the Prophets not from their own imaginations.

… For three years he lived under the greatest difficulties.

A Rabbi told me that they expected a Christ that would come and be successful; that he would conquer the world so that they (the Jews) would become wealthy, powerful and predominant over all nations. They want to become governors or generals. They are not expecting a Christ who will make us wretched and miserable.

For the past 1900 years, the Jews have been denying Jesus Christ. One reason they give for doing this is because they say that Jesus went to Jerusalem and there stole the Hidden and Greatest Name of God which was concealed there, - and it was this which gave Him all His power to perform miracles and signs: They themselves had been always looking for this name, without success, but Jesus knew where it was hidden, and took it away. Another reason for their denial of Christ was because they said the prophecies in the Bible about the Messiah, were not literally fulfilled in the Jesus of Nazareth. It was said that the Messiah would be the King of a Kingdom, and they could not see that by this was intended a spiritual kingdom.

Christ is always there. There Elijah and the Holy Prophets live eternally. It is sanctified from all comprehension. The Jews were deprived because they could not understand this spiritual condition.

When the Christ came, He was veiled in a cloud from the eyes of the Jews. A voice came out of the cloud saying, 'This is my Beloved Son.'

Clouds and darkness gradually obscure all the former Manifestations. Although they are promised and expected, they are refused during their earthly life on account of the spiritual blindness of the people.

Others, on the contrary, upon seeing a mirage consider themselves satisfied and display self-sufficiency, like the Children of Israel in the day of the appearance of Christ.

When Jesus Christ appeared, it was the last days of the winter time, when the people, who are the trees of the divine garden, were deprived of their fruits; that is, of their divine characteristics and divine moralities.

Then observe how, when Christ came, the most learned divine of the age pronounced His death sentence, while he who caught fish believed in Him. Thus doth He Who God hath sent inform thee by His binding, mighty Command.

Likewise consider the appearance of Jesus, son of Mary. All the Pharisees among the Jewish clergy denounced that King of existence, and Annas, who was the most learned divine of that age, pronounced the death sentence against Him. Yet Peter, known as Simon, who was but a fisherman on the shores of the sea and had not learned a word of the outward sciences, accepted and believed in Him upon hearing but a single word from that Manifestation of the Divine Cause.

Annas and Caiaphas, who were among the learned of that age, pronounced the death sentence upon His most pure blood, while certain tax collectors were honored with the grace of faith.

Say: Turn not unto the turbans and their size, but remember the days wherein the Spirit came, and the divines turned away from Him while he who caught fish turned towards Him.

After the appearance of that Most Great Luminary, all the Jewish divines turned away, while at first only a few souls who were fishermen turned to the horizon of faith and attained the knowledge of the All-Merciful.

Likewise before Him, consider Jesus son of Mary - after He manifested God's Cause, all Jewish divines denounced Him as an infidel, while some souls who were occupied with fishing attained the honor of faith.

It is even as in the time of the Messiah, when the Pharisees and the pious were left without a portion, while Peter, John and Andrew, given neither to pious worship nor ascetic practice, won the day.

Like Caiaphas and Annas, who were excluded, but Peter succeeded in attaining.

Caiphas was the most learned man of his day and knew the bible by heart, yet he was deprived of knowing Christ because He was only called; while Mary Magdelene, who was ignorant and knew nothing, was chosen and accepted Him.

Contradictors in past prophecies would say, "How can these teachings be true when only fishermen and plain people believe and follow it - where are the learned people - do they believe in you? They said to Jesus, "It is only Peter and such persons who believe in you." And in the Koran we find the people said to Mahomet, "It is only the plain and ignorant men who follow you."

Some thoughtless ones found these utterances of Christ strange, and even mocked them. How could this scattered band of paupers, rejected and spurned by all, ascend to the heights of eternal glory, become illumined and be the cause of enlightenment to East and West? How could a fisherman reach the height of the moon? How could a carpenter become the center of light?

Just as you wrote - in the time of Christ, how many kings, rulers, princes, wealthy ones, queens of the horizons and respected ladies there were. All of them were deprived of that divine Spirit.

In the days of Christ's appearance, the Romans and Greeks imagined that Christ's Cause was specific to the Israelites and that Romans and Greeks were independent of it, for they observed that outwardly Romans and Greeks had perfect civilization and had no need of Christ's teachings. This illusion caused many to remain deprived of Christ's grace.

When Abraham was sent forth, however much He expounded the truth, established the religion of God, disseminated new teachings, and explained the divine mysteries, the Assyrians and the Chaldeans would say, "This is but an idle fancy and an empty tale, a mere figment of the imagination. It will never come to pass." Even more, they called it sheer ignorance and counted themselves among the exponents of reason and understanding. But before long it became clear that what Abraham had proclaimed was indeed the truth, and that it was their own thoughts that were the idle fancies. For after a short time the teachings of Abraham were realized in the world: The Holy Land was given to His descendants; the foundations of the religion of God were established; Isaac and Jacob came into the world; Joseph became ruler in Egypt; Ishmael was blessed and illumined Mount Paran; Moses the Interlocutor appeared, beheld in the desert of Sinai the blazing fire of God in the Burning Bush, rescued the Israelites from their oppression and captivity at the hands of the Egyptians, led them to the Holy Land, and, through His teachings and His religion, which were consonant with the needs of the age, founded a mighty nation. Thus did the deniers fully experience their error, yet they were not chastened or admonished.

On the contrary, when Moses appeared they erred anew, for Pharaoh's people regarded the teachings and the law of Moses as mere fancy and accorded them no importance, considering their own ideas to represent the truth. But after a short time it became clear and evident that what Moses had proclaimed was indeed the truth and had come to pass, that the religion of God had been put into full effect and had secured the honour and advancement of all Israel, and that it was the thoughts and imaginations of the Egyptians that were the idle fancies. This was the second experience and yet the people were still not admonished and awakened, but rather persisted in their ignorance until Jesus appeared with a beauteous countenance and an eloquent tongue, and spread abroad the sweet savours of the rose-garden of divine mysteries and imparted the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The people, notwithstanding their two previous experiences wherein their error had been established, claimed again that the teachings of the glorious Gospel were idle fancies--that they were mere thoughts and imaginations, that they were devoid of all reality, and that they lacked in philosophical substance. "These are but vain and idle thoughts," they would say, "whereas we possess true knowledge and lofty ideas, we have wisdom and discernment, and we know the ways of sound governance." But before long their error was exposed, for what Jesus had said was sound and true: It was heavenly thoughts and divine teachings, whereas the prevailing thoughts of the tribes and nations of the earth were the vain and idle fancies. This was the third error and yet another experience which was later also repeated upon the appearance of Muhammad and the Bab.

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.

They were too entrenched in their sacerdotal authority and surrounded with the unlimited power of Sanhedrin. They reasoned that if they followed Christ, all these worldly pageantry and honor will be slipped out of their hands;- thus they incited the mob to cry: 'Crucify him! Crucify him!'

… However thus much can be said: His Holiness Christ did not rest for one moment nor did he inhale one breath comfortably. He walked around these shores, through these mountains and across these plains. He had no refuge and no shelter, no home and not even a place to lay his head on.

Christ spent His days in sorrow, sustaining every manner of trial, tribulation, hardship and affliction. Day and night, single and alone, He roamed in the deserts, His food being no more than weeds and barbs of the field. His night's lamps were the stars of the heaven, and in daytime He walked in solitude.

People think he came in order that they might believe in him as the word of God or the son of God. He came, they say, to redeem us through his blood. Christ was not seeking after fame.

Tell her further: Remember the Messiah, and His days on earth, and His abasement, and His tribulations, and how the people paid Him no mind. Remember how the Jews would hold Him up to ridicule, and mock at Him, and address Him with: "Peace be upon thee, King of the Jews! Peace be upon thee, King of Kings!" How they would say that He was mad, and would ask how the Cause of that crucified One could ever spread out to the easts of the world and the wests thereof. None followed Him then, save only a few souls who were fishermen, carpenters, and other plain folk.

Consider that in the days of Christ, glory be to Him, no one gave importance to the guidance of the apostles. They said these were just some fishermen gathered around someone speaking words. Indeed they mocked, even laughing at Christ's blessed person Himself and spitting on that radiant, beautiful, sweet face.

The Jews, who were the lowest and most persecuted of the people of GOD in those days, even thy scorned Him, supposing the Cause of Christ to be of superstition and without foundation. Observe what befell His Holiness! Had they considered His Cause to be of importance, they would have at least refrained from such disrespect.

They considered that Light of Guidance as pitch darkness, and that Prince of Faithfulness as a terrible serpent of unfaithfulness. Even until now they loose their tongues in condemnation of Christ, and with unseemly countenance call that Beautiful and Comely Face "distorted." Yet in the market of the jewelers, that Brilliant Gem has the splendor of a Badakhshan ruby, and in the sight of those endued with insight, that Luminary of Truth displays the radiance of the brilliant sun.

Ponder thou these words of the Spirit Who, addressing the people, proclaimed: "O generation of vipers!" Today the mystery of those blessed words hath been made manifest, for after the appearance and descent of that Luminous Temple from the heaven of divine Will, all turned away from Him and clung to their own idle fancies, save such souls as were endowed with true hearing and true sight.

And on the day of the manifestation of Christ - may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him - the Jewish divines cried out "Woe unto us! This fatherless one claims the support of the Holy Spirit!" And they addressed Mary saying "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman!"

He said that Mary was engaged to Joseph, and Joseph, on the night of their wedding, found that she was with child, and asked her: "What is this?" and she answered. "This is from the Holy Ghost." I told him: "May GOD curse you for what you have said! Christ was the Spirit of the spirits; the Light of the lights; the Mystery of the mysteries; the sun of Truth!"

The Rabbi replied: "The Christians claim that Jesus was the Son of God. Now if that was really so, would we have crucified Him?"

Then Abdul-Baha answered: "The title of sonship is first claimed by the Israelites. There are many references on the Old Testament as to their beings the sons of God. In the Psalms the title of the Son is given to David. Nay, rather, if you read Exodus, Chapter 4, v. 16, Chapter 32, v. 1-23, Chapter 7, v. 1, you will realize that the appellation of 'God' is given to persons and things.

I can only say what Thy servant Jesus - may my spirit be a sacrifice for Him - said when God said: "O Jesus Son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, 'Take me and my mother for two gods beside God?'"

How many were the books written against Him! What calumnies were attributed to Him! How violent were the utterances in the temples against Him! How many the accusations! What hatred and persecution! How they scoffed at Him in derision and contempt! Consider the titles and epithets they bestowed upon His majesty! They even designated Him Beelzebub -- Satan. They said Beelzebub had been captured and crucified. They placed a crown of thorns upon Beelzebub's head and paraded Him through the streets.

Remember what the Pharisees published concerning Jesus, attributed to Him and said about Him and how they oppressed Him until they paraded Him in Jerusalem in such a form as made the angels of sanctity to weep in the Sublime Kingdom. They put on His head a crown of thistles; nay, more, they cast dust in His face--into a face whereby the heaven and the earth is illuminated! They turned their backs upon Him, then bowed and said: "Peace be unto thee, O King of kings! Peace be unto thee, O King of the Jews!"

As the people did not understand the real meaning of these statements in the old prophecies, they could not comprehend the Holy Book, but took the outward meaning, and therefore arose to murder his holiness Jesus Christ, crying out, "We crucify him, we crucify him." They placed a crown of thorns on his head and made him ride a donkey through the streets and bazaars. They mocked and laughed at him, spat in his holy face, and at last shed his pure blood.

They mounted Jesus son of Mary on a donkey, placed a crown of thorns on His head, and paraded Him through the streets and markets. They enacted a Jewish play, as the scriptures are full of these accounts.

They called Christ "Messikh" and made Him ride on a despicable donkey and paraded Him through the streets and markets, and spat on His blessed, beautiful and sweet face, and mocked and ridiculed Him, cursed Him, and finally adorned the cross with Him and hurled a hundred thousand curses, insults and abuse at Him. Now it has become clear that riding on that donkey was nobler than the celestial throne, and that crown of thorns was a brilliant and glorious diadem, and that greatest abasement was the eternal glory of the Supreme Concourse, and that mockery and ridicule was the praise and glorification of the Most Glorious Kingdom.

When they spat in the face of Christ, when they made a mock procession and carried Him around the streets, He felt no humiliation.

But that ever Christ, the beloved Son of God, had been forced to drink of the cup of afflictions, but by this way it became the cause of His power and glory.

Reflect upon Jesus, Son of Mary. The tyranny reached such a pass that God, exalted be His glory, took Him up unto the fourth heaven.

Then after him We sent forth the Spirit (Jesus) and dispatched him unto mankind with a wondrous command. He said: "O people! Believe in Him Who sent me unto you, and be not of the unbelievers." And when his cause grew difficult, We raised him by the sovereignty of might and power unto a heaven of exalted glory.

They pronounced judgment against Him with such injustice that the Holy Spirit lamented, as did the dwellers of the divine pavilions and the inhabitants of the Kingdom.

Then remember when the Spirit came before Him - the Jews rose against Him with such oppression as caused the hearts of the chosen ones to tremble and the livers of the pure ones to melt.

However, the divines and rulers denied Him and rose up against Him, inflicting upon Him that which caused the very atoms of creation to lament and weep at His oppression.

Then remember when the Spirit came with proof from His Lord, the divines opposed Him until they pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused every seeing mystic to lament.

Moses announced the coming of Christ. The Israelites were awaiting him with the greatest impatience and anxiety, but when he came they called him Beelzebub. "The conditions laid down in the Bible for the coming of the expected one were not fulfilled," they said.

… Roman tyranny enveloped the world and they crucified the Christ.

Christ at the time of his death was oppressed; alas after his death and during his lifetime, he was oppressed.

Remember thou the tests during the time of Christ by which the hearts of the brothers of Christ were made to quake, and the heart of the head of the disciples wast stirred up and he traded Christ for few coins.

The well acquainted ones become as foreigners and the friends as outsiders; the intimate ones become as inveterate enemies and relatives as strangers; it separated even from Christ his own brothers.

In that time no one but a certain few persons believed in Him; and the great one among them was Peter the disciple, who, through the burning of the fire of test and persecution, was in great fear and denied Christ three times; then the Jews who were scoffing persecuting, deriding and laughing at Him, despised Him as though He were a thief, a murderer, or a villain, and committed against Him that which made the hearts lament, distressed the minds, caused tears to flow and the foundations of existence to tremble and shake!

Peter, who was the Rock (of the Christian dispensation), was firm and solid; but, in the moment of Christis deliverance, that Rock quaked a little, until the crowing of the cock was raised.

Consider how in the time of Christ, the Pharisees and those who were first Christians but later deviated, like Judas Iscariot and his companions, [...] how much they cast doubts about the Cause of Christ to make the faithful souls turn away and deviate.

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When the disciples were calling in the name of Christ, the Jews scoffed, scorned and laughed at them. They were saying, "They (i. e., the disciples) are taken with madness, and madness is made an art." They even beat them with whips, threw stones at them, prevented the people from approaching them, and were saying, "This man (Christ) is naught but a sorcerer, blasphemeth God and is possessed of a devil."

Did not the Pharisees rise against Him? Did they not decree the shedding of His blood and the killing of His loved ones and the torment of His chosen ones? Have you not heard of those who innovated and broke His covenant after Him? Have you not learned of those who persecuted Him among the kings, princes, divines and nobles?

When Jesus came the Jews called Him Beelzebub. I have always said that the believers will be blamed for this cause. I promised you this. The Jews prove from the Bible that Jesus was a false prophet, so this is nothing new. It is always so. Let them go to the Rabbi and see what he will say about Jesus.

"When Christ appeared, all the powers tried to uproot His Cause. The governor as well as the people. Twelve times they were massacred. Most of the Christians were killed. Notwithstanding this, it continued to spread.

Christ (may my spirit be sacrificed for Him) had but a few souls under His shadow at the time of His ascension, and after His ascension all the kings of the world, philosophers of nations, tribal sages and religious scholars arose to demean Him. Yet eventually all the exalted banners of the various nations were inverted and Christ's banner waved upon the highest mountains.

Jesus Christ--May my soul be a sacrifice to him--had only a few followers in the time of his departure. Then after his departure all the kings of the world, philosophers of all nations, learned men of all races, and wise men of all creeds, arose to suppress and degrade his cause; but finally, all the standards hoisted by those numerous nations were upset, and the banner of Jesus Christ was fluttering on the loftiest mountain.

During the time of Christ only a few souls believed in Him, but they were so powerful in spirit that none of the learned men among the Israelites could resist and stand against them, and afterward their light illumined the world, their call was raised abroad, their stars twinkled in heaven, their diadem became resplendent, and they are shining with great brilliancy.

During the days of His highness Christ the Jews persecuted and oppressed the Apostles and heaped upon them contumely and scorn, but they overcame and withstood all the rest through firmness and steadfastness. In the same manner you shall at last gain victory and become triumphant, in such wise that all will arise in praise of you and will give you the utmost glorification and commendation. During the Day of His Manifestation His Holiness, the glorious Christ, was called Beelzebub that is, Satan. Consider, now His praise and His glorification are spread all over the world.

You have, undoubtedly read in the gospel how the Jewish Rabbis oppressed and maltreated the apostles. They were scorned and derided at every turn but after awhile they defeated and vanquished and the banner of His Holiness Christ and His Apostles were unfurled.

Reflect thou how the Pharisees persecuted and looked down in contempt upon His Holiness the Christ. The result was that His lamp became ignited, His light began to shine and His followers sparkled like unto the stars from the horizon of existence; and the consequence to the Pharisees was the pangs of remorse and regrets."

Consider what happened after Christ - how many souls arose to create corruption and sedition in His Cause, but in the end they were disappointed and defeated, and Truth raised its banner.

Just the same as in the time of Christ. It has retarded the progress of His Cause, as Arius did. One million and a half souls were his followers even the Emperor at Constantinople.

He gathered all the princes and ministers addressing them, saying: 'What have we done to the Christians?' They said, 'With the utmost power we began to kill and annihilate them.' Then Louis said: What was the use of it, could we annihilate them, could we extinguish this light, could we keep this flag from being upraised? There is no doubt that this flag will be raised, and it will bring down our flag. Now as long as our flag has not come down, let us go under that flag.

The Jews came, raised the standard of rebellion, and in concert with their divines arose to oppose and protest against the Spirit (Jesus). That which they regarded as the cause of the abasement of the people of God, and acted upon accordingly, became the very source of glory, and that which they counted as the means of extinction became the pathway to everlasting life. Thus it was observed that afterwards the kings of the earth gloried and continue to glory in His name.

And before Him, when the Spirit came with God's sovereignty and His command, the Jewish scholars turned away from Him, yet today all kings and sovereigns pride themselves in His Name. Such hath been God's way in the past and in the future, when the Manifestation of the Cause appeared from this luminous horizon.

During the lifetime of His Holiness Christ--May my life be a sacrifice to Him!--the most well-known high priests of the Jews stopped short of faith; but after a little while all their traces disappeared and they became non-existent.

Remember the Day of Jesus, how many thousands of the Pharisees used to scoff at that glorious Lord: Then the necks of the Pharisees were humbled and their heads (made to bow to one of His maidservants, or one of His servants.

If the people curse you, saying they are doing GOD'S service, that curse will be turned for you into a commemoration.

In the days of Christ, Caiaphas was a most learned man and was greatly honored by the people, but now that praise is turned into a curse, while the disciples of Christ and Mary Magdalene, who were all cursed in that time, are now praised and worshiped, and their pictures and statues are now in the churches and healing is asked of them.

The Pharisees, sunk in their idle fancies and imaginings, have been thereby prevented from believing in Him and have been cast out for evermore. Yet, thou, all-praise unto the Lord, hast walked in the footsteps of Peter and hast attained unto perfect faith.

O thou flower of the garden of Christ! At the time when Christ (may my spirit be sacrificed for Him) with a radiant face and graceful beauty unveiled Himself and manifested His heavenly splendor among the Jews, Israel imagined that by virtue of the bounty of the rain of the All-Merciful that land was a rose garden, but it became evident and clear that it was a field of thorns, except for a few souls who, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, appeared like flowers in the utmost freshness and grace - these were the sweet flowers and fragrant herbs of Moses.

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

Christ appeared among the Jews. At first they shunned Him and mocked and derided Him. Later they realized what bounty they had lost. When the people of Europe accepted faith, then they understood what favor had been shown to them, but they had lost it for naught.

His Holiness Christ manifested in these countries, but in the beginning His Cause was spread in Europe and it superseded all other religions, notwithstanding that in Asia there were many religions, such as Zoroastrianism, Judaism, the star-worshippers and idolaters, who are still existing in India. But in Europe and America His Cause overcame all others.

At first, people did not accept Christ's Cause, but later when its intense radiance shone upon the kingdoms of hearts, then they understood. It took three hundred years for His Cause to spread in Europe.

For instance, consider the day of Christ, which was the day of the renewal of the Kingdom of God. The people of the world attached no importance to it and did not realize its significance to such an extent that the sepulchre of Christ remained lost and unknown for three hundred years, until the maidservant of God, Helen, the mother of Constantine arrived and discovered the sacred spot.

They gave so little importance to Christ that it is not even known where He was buried - such was their indifference. … It was considered so unimportant that one of the philosophers of that time who wrote a book against Christ says this person Christ never existed and there was no such person - Peter and Paul invented him.

How the Jews and even the Romans refused to have him buried in their cemeteries, and at last he was interred in a dung-hill which they now call Golgotha.

I was thinking that during the days of Christ not one word was written about him. We have at present time in our hands four Gospels, two of these were written 60 years after Christ; but today there are ever so many books written on the Cause, proving its authority and greatness.

Consider that in the days of Christ (may my spirit be sacrificed for Him), they gave no importance to Christ's Cause, rather they mocked and ridiculed Him and according to the text of the Gospel called Him Beelzebub. Now observe what importance it later attained.

Observe how the light of the glorious Gospel shone upon all regions and formed what a mighty nation, though at first it had no importance in the eyes of the Pharisees.

The Master spoke to him about the life of Christ that although in His own day people did not give any attention to him; yet today millions of bells ring out in his name.

Christ Himself cried out, yet they gave no heed; rather, they showed Him the utmost contempt and humiliation. Now they install inanimate metal in His name and hearken endlessly to its sound, hastening toward it.

In the days of Christ He was despised, cursed and rejected, but after 1000 years people came from half around the world to visit some stones upon which tradition says He once sat. how much greater will these days be when they are once known.

His Holiness Christ spent most of His time on the shores of Lake Tiberius, but, alas, none of His sacred fragrances have remained. Sanctified is God! Near the lake's mineral waters, I saw the European pilgrims had prostrated themselves over the shore's pebbles and were kissing them, some weeping profusely.

In the desert, I found a number of Europeans collected and were kissing the stones, I said to them, "What means this kissing of stones?" They replied: " History tells us that one of the disciples of His Holiness, the Christ while travelling these parts sat on one of these stones.

While Christ was walking through the plains of Palestine, although the Holy Spirit dwelt in him -very few were really attracted to him. After his crucifixion only a dozen souls were found who consecrated themselves to the propagation of His Cause. While he lived he was constantly persecuted and could not stay in a village for a few days. His enemies chased him wherever he obtained a resting-place - but now in this very town of Haifa how many churches and institutions they have built in His Name.

this is their station in life.

Christ had a crown but it was made of thorns, while this cardinal wears a crown set with lustrous jewels. Christ had clothes but they were made of old, coarse cloth, while this man's robe is made of the finest brocade of the day. Christ spent His days in sorrow, while this cardinal's days are spent in security and comfort. Christ's home was a desert, while this cardinal's home is a splendid building, like that of a king. Christ's throne was upon a cross, while this man's place of rest is a throne of ease and comfort.

Today the Caesars enter churches in the name of the Lord of creation, yet remain veiled from the Commander, the Founder, and the Intended One. Likewise the queens of the world turn at all times toward the Ancient King, uttering the mention of the Most Great Name, yet when the horizon of the heaven of manifestation was illumined with the lights of His countenance, all were found heedless and remote - even though at all times they had spoken His mention and yearned for His presence.

His Holiness Christ gave his life so that the world of mankind should be saved from darkness. But what a pity mankind is still in darkness. His Holiness Christ tried so much. At the end very few were saved-the disciples and the followers of the disciples.

The Christians have not understood its meaning. They imagine that it means the redemption of sins through the Christian leaders.

Christ went into the Temple of the Jews where He spoke on the teachings of the Torah prohibiting buying and selling in the house of God. Up to the present time Christians glory in this and rejoice over it.

According to the record of three Gospels, His Holiness Jesus Christ went into the Temple of Jerusalem, rebuked the Jews for the degeneracy of their worship into materialistic forms and delivered the Message of Divine Glad-tidings. For nineteen hundred years this has been pointed out by Christians as a most wonderful event, - that His Holiness without opposition from the Jews was permitted to enter their most sacred place of worship and proclaim the Word of God.

If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

This is not the day whereon the high priests can command and exercise their authority. In your Book it is stated that the high priests will, on that Day, lead men far astray, and will prevent them from drawing nigh unto Him. He indeed is a high priest who hath seen the light and hastened unto the way leading to the Beloved.

Thus did the idolaters speak in the time of every Prophet until the days culminated in the Days of God and the Beauty of Eternity shone forth from the horizon of the Most Exalted Name.

Behold then and remember the days of Moses when He came with the truth and called the people unto God, the Mighty, the Gracious. The people opposed Him, save those who drank the choice wine of revelation from the hand of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. The divines rose against Him with rancor and hatred.

Moses showed such kindness toward the children of Israel, yet they worshipped the calf. Now too, the Blessed Beauty has bestowed such a gift upon us as the eye of creation has never seen and has opened doors, yet we are occupied with our own desires and do not appreciate its worth.

They said: "We will not follow one who knoweth not God" - these were the lies that issued from their mouths, would ye but understand. They denied him without right and desired to slay him; then did he depart from them and migrate unto God, as ye read in the Book.

Ponder upon the days of the Seal of Prophets, may the soul of all else but Him be a sacrifice unto Him. All the dwellers of the earth, servants and handmaidens alike, have been brought into being to recognize that Luminary of the horizon of utterance, yet, during the days of His manifestation, all arose in opposition and denial, save a few mentioned souls.

And as for him who said He hath turned away from God, the Lord of lords, say: Consider when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, the servants turned away from Him.

In the days of the Messenger (may my spirit be sacrificed for Him) they also composed and recited many such things, for example: "The elephant, what is the elephant, and what will make you understand what the elephant is - it has a long trunk" - and they would recite this in gatherings and assemblies and call it the Quran. But did this disputation and argument cause the Cause of God to decline? No, by God! Rather it caused the Cause to become stronger.

But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope." the ungodly gloated, for they saw that His Holiness was without issue. Thus the door of gloating was opened and the tongue of hatred moved, until Gabriel descended and recited the aforementioned verse in His presence.

The origin of the current opinion held about his mission and character in the West is based upon false assumptions and prejudiced statements propagated by Christian authors and missionaries.

Behold then remember when the Spirit came, the Jewish divines turned away from Him, and likewise when Muhammad, the Messenger of God, came, the divines of the Gospel denied Him, having followed vain imaginings and idle fancies.

The Christians have never praised so highly the Mohamadan religion nor a Jew has had a good word to say about Christ.

Not one among the former religions, such as the Jews, spoke a word of praise of H.H. Christ, or concerning H.H.Mohammed.

The followers of the Qur'an objected to the Bab--may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him--saying: "Where is the Great Resurrection? Where is the Most Great Catastrophe? Where is the Balance? Where is the extension of the Bridge? Where is the questioning and answering? Where is the reckoning and the Book? Where is the gathering and the resurrection? Where is the rising of those in the graves?

Reflect a while upon the people of the Furqan (Qur'an), who for one thousand two hundred and seventy years unconsciously rejected some while unknowingly accepted others. At last the fruit that appeared from them was that they suspended the Divine Beauty in the air and martyred Him with the bullets of unbelief.

In these days, in a letter this servant was writing in response to His Holiness the beloved Aqa Mirza Haydar-'Ali, upon him be Baha'u'llah's glory, this most exalted Word was revealed from the tongue of the Lord of creation, exalted be His majesty: "Time and again it was heard that the nobles would flee from the Word of His Holiness the Qa'im, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him, and the company of divines would be bewildered and perplexed as to what that Word might be. And now they have fled before even hearing it, and are unaware.

Reflect a while on the affairs of the previous community. For thirteen hundred years, ranks upon ranks of divines appeared and occupied themselves with mentioning and speaking of the Intended One from pulpits. Yet when the Divine Lote-Tree grew from the blessed and holy ground, all attempted to cut it down, and finally there befell the Essence of Being that which caused the eyes of grandeur to weep.

Throughout the ages and centuries, one of the sects that considered itself the most exalted of all creation and the most pious of all servants - namely the Shi'ih sect - was found, at the appearance of the divine Touchstone, to be the most evil and the most lost of all peoples.

For twelve hundred years and more, not a single one of the divines became aware of that Essence of Being in the loins. They attained not a drop from the ocean of knowledge. They took mere fancy for certitude and sheer conjecture for knowledge. They were enslaved by vain imaginings while counting themselves among the people of divine unity. On the Day of Reckoning, the fruit of the deeds of those heedless souls was that they pronounced sentence against the Lord of all worlds and martyred Him.

For one thousand two hundred years they considered themselves, in their own estimation, the most learned and knowledgeable in the world, and at all times they were engaged in mentioning the Promised One. Yet when the Sun of Truth shed its radiance and the horizon of the world became illumined, they became like clouds that intervened and prevented its rays. Finally they issued the decree for His death, as you have all heard and seen.

For one thousand two hundred years they cried "O Truth!" but when the rays of the Sun of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of manifestation, they confronted it with sword and spear, pronounced death sentence upon His most pure blood, and martyred Him.

For twelve hundred years they cried "O Truth!", yet when the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the Heaven of Sinai, they advanced with sword and spear, pronounced the death sentence against His most pure blood, and martyred Him.

In past ages and centuries the previous party was occupied with suspicions and vain imaginings, and the fruits of the deeds of those heedless souls was that they passed judgment against the Lord of the world and martyred Him.

They have slain the family of the Messenger, imagining that they were helping the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Loving, even as the Jews supposed when they rose up against the Spirit.

Remember when the Most High came unto them with manifest authority, bearing a conclusive proof from His Lord, the Bestower, the Honored, the Gracious. He sent unto the leaders of the people the angels of the Cause with an illuminating Book. They entered their presence with a mighty and glorious Tablet. Among them were those who turned away and took not the Tablet, and those who took it and looked upon it as one in a swoon, saying "These are but tales of the ancients." And among them were those who took the Tablet with one hand and gave it less attention than can be reckoned, then cast it upon the ground, being among those who showed arrogance toward God Who created and fashioned them.

Say: The Jews claimed that the hand of God is chained up, and likewise do the peoples of latter days say what they said. Say: Woe betide you for what ye utter!

Among them are those who turned away from God and objected to Him, uttering that which even the Jews did not utter when the Spirit came with manifest sovereignty.

They perpetrated that which neither Jews nor Christians nor any other peoples of the world had perpetrated.

They returned to their abode and joined those who had preceded them among Our idolatrous servants. Thus doth God render void the deeds of those who have made a jest of the Cause within themselves and who were in grave doubt and schism.

How many were the divines and the learned and the jurisprudents who longed for the presence of God, yet after His manifestation remained deprived thereof, while thou didst drink from the choice wine of reunion and didst attain unto the kingdom of meeting.

There were explanations about how nations were veiled and clarification of the signs of the Day of Manifestation - that like the Jews, Christians too are afflicted with vain imaginings and imitations, such that they are still waiting for stars to fall from heaven, even though each star is many times larger than the earth.

In the Gospel it is said that all the prophets have been without honour in their own country and homeland. Indeed, such is the case. Christ hath likewise said that many shall come from the East and from the West and enter the kingdom of heaven, whilst the children of the kingdom shall forsake it.

"The Jewish rabbis have always tried to convince the people that their religion is the true one, that they are the chosen nation by being descendants of Abraham, and that they are the only people who can enter the Kingdom.

But the Jewish inhabitants of Tiberias are very orthodox, living strictly according to their Mosaic Laws, and very well satisfied with their own limitations and ignorance. They have not even the faintest desire of spiritual development and divine enlightenment.

"O Esmael!" he said at last "Through the power of God I have been able to prove the divine station of Christ to thousands Jews in America but I have been unable to do the same to one Jew in the Holy land. What can I do with thee? They are the real Israel; they are free from prejudices but thou art so different. Nothing can shake thy faith in the Mishna and the Rabbis, although they have fooled thee several times. If Moses descend from heaven today these Jews will be the first people to persecute and crucify him as they did centuries ago."

Israel still has the blindfold of blindness, the wrapping of deafness around its senses, it is still in its totality a raging, insensible Saul. Israel is great in its egoism, in its self-delusion, in its egocentric direction, but if we believe in the Holy Books (Bible, Qur'an) the Saul may become a Paul one day, and the summons to the chosen people will be realized entirely, but the time, the hour, are known only to God the All-Highest.

Should the Jews find Christ there, they would kill Him again in the same way that Jesus was killed. They sing and pray and supplicate for the coming of the Messiah, and when He came they martyred Him. They would do it again. They are still weeping.

At one time in France the Jews were used as targets by the noblemen when they practiced to become marksmen. All this blood need not have been shed had the Jews been willing to accept Jesus, even as the Christians had accepted Moses and all the other prophets of Israel. If the Jews would make this admission to-day future strife would be avoided and religious peace would prevail between them and the Christians.

The Jews would not accept Christ, but, because they see their Bible prophecies literally fulfilled, they are becoming believers in great numbers.

'Abdu'l-Baha: "Those of the Jews who become believers have much love for Christ. To the Jews we explain the reality of Christ. … I said: 'Thou hast no right to hate me for this man was a Jew and I made him believe in Christ and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. I made him believe in the Heavenly Father.

I asked 'Formerly he was a Jew and disliked Christ but now through the Guidance of God he has become a believer in him and worships him.'

Consider with what knowledge His holiness Baha'u'llah hath favored the Baha'is, that if they are given the whole world they will not deny Christ.

After the martyrdom of Christ, among her [Mary Magdalen's] services was that she met with the Roman Emperor, and that meeting took place at a time when Pilate and Herod had realized that the Jews had falsely instigated Christ's execution and that Jesus was innocent, and therefore they were setting upon the Jews.

Similarly in the time of His Holiness, Christ whatever the disciples were explaining, the Pharisees did not understand. This is why, as it is palpably written in the Gospel, He (Christ) says that they have ears, but they do not hear and they have eyes, but they do not see.

The day will, however, come when they will both see and hear.

The love that she hath shown you, its value is not known at present, but after departing from this transient world, its value will become known and evident in the divine Kingdom, and even in this mortal world its value shall appear in future. In the days of Christ, guidance had no importance whatever to the deniers; now consider how much importance it hath gained.