Religious renewal: returning to a living source

The sun rose this morning. Shall we say to the sun, 'Go away! We do not need you this morning; you were here yesterday'?

When the season of spring appears in the arena of existence, the whole world is rejuvenated and finds new life. The soul-refreshing breeze is wafted from every direction; the soul-quickening bounty is everywhere; the cloud of mercy showers down its rain, and the sun shines upon everything.

The appearances of the Manifestations of God are the divine springtime.

From the seed of reality religion has grown into a tree which has put forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has fallen into a condition of decay. The leaves and blossoms have withered and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life forces are undiminished, its fruit unequaled, its existence eternal. The seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world.

In the beginning, this tree was full of vitality and laden with blossoms and fruits, but gradually it grew old, spent, and barren, until it entirely withered and decayed. That is why the True Gardener will again plant a tender sapling of the same stock, that it may grow and develop day by day, extend its sheltering shade in this heavenly garden, and yield its prized fruit. So it is with the divine religions: With the passage of time their original precepts are altered, their underlying truth entirely vanishes, their spirit departs, doctrinal innovations spring up, and they become a body without a soul. That is why they are renewed.

We should, therefore, detach ourselves from the external forms and practices of religion. We must realize that these forms and practices, however beautiful, are but garments clothing the warm heart and the living limbs of Divine truth. We must abandon the prejudices of tradition if we would succeed in finding the truth at the core of all religions.

Yet another Hand of the Cause was the revered Mulla 'Ali-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the All-Glorious. Early in life, this illustrious man attended institutions of higher learning and labored diligently, by day and night, until he became thoroughly conversant with the learning of the day, with secular studies, philosophy, and religious jurisprudence. He frequented the gatherings of philosophers, mystics, and Shaykhis, thoughtfully traversing those areas of knowledge, intuitive wisdom, and illumination; but he thirsted after the wellspring of truth, and hungered for the bread that comes down from Heaven. No matter how he strove to perfect himself in those regions of the mind, he was never satisfied; he never reached the goal of his desires; his lips stayed parched; he was confused, perplexed, and felt that he had wandered from his path. The reason was that in all those circles he had found no passion; no joy, no ecstasy; no faintest scent of love. And as he went deeper into the core of those manifold beliefs, he discovered that from the day of the Prophet Muhammad's advent until our own times, innumerable sects have arisen: creeds differing among themselves; disparate opinions, divergent goals, uncounted roads and ways. And he found each one, under some plea or other, claiming to reveal spiritual truth; each one believing that it alone followed the true path--this although the Muhammedic sea could rise in one great tide, and carry all those sects away to the ocean floor. "No cry shalt thou hear from them, nor a whisper even."

Whoso ponders the lessons of history will learn that this sea has lifted up innumerable waves, yet in the end each has dissolved and vanished, like a shadow drifting by. The waves have perished, but the sea lives on. This is why 'Ali Qabl-i-Akbar could never quench his thirst, till the day when he stood on the shore of Truth and cried:

Here is a sea with treasure to the brim;

Its waves toss pearls under the great wind's thong.

Throw off your robe and plunge, nor try to swim,

Pride not yourself on swimming--dive headlong.

Like a fountain, his heart welled and jetted forth; meaning and truth, like soft-flowing crystal waters, began to stream from his lips. At first, with humility, with spiritual poverty, he garnered the new light, and only then he proceeded to shed it abroad. For how well has it been said,

Shall he the gift of life to others bear

Who of life's gift has never had a share?

A teacher must proceed in this way: he must first teach himself, and then others. If he himself still walks the path of carnal appetites and lusts, how can he guide another to the "evident signs" of God?

This honored man was successful in converting a multitude. For the sake of God he cast all caution aside, as he hastened along the ways of love. He became as one frenzied, as a vagrant and one known to be mad. Because of his new Faith, he was mocked at in Tihran by high and low. When he walked through the streets and bazars, the people pointed their fingers at him, calling him a Baha'i. Whenever trouble broke out, he was the one to be arrested first. He was always ready and waiting for this, since it never failed.

Again and again he was bound with chains, jailed, and threatened with the sword. The photograph of this blessed individual, together with that of the great Amin, taken of them in their chains, will serve as an example to whoever has eyes to see. There they sit, those two distinguished men, hung with chains, shackled, yet composed, acquiescent, undisturbed.

Things came to such a pass that in the end whenever there was an uproar Mulla 'Ali would put on his turban, wrap himself in his 'aba and sit waiting, for his enemies to rouse and the farrashes to break in and the guards to carry him off to prison. But observe the power of God! In spite of all this, he was kept safe. "The sign of a knower and lover is this, that you will find him dry in the sea." That is how he was. His life hung by a thread from one moment to the next; the malevolent lay in wait for him; he was known everywhere as a Baha'i--and still he was protected from all harm. He stayed dry in the depths of the sea, cool and safe in the heart of the fire, until the day he died.

After the ascension of Baha'u'llah, Mulla 'Ali continued on, loyal to the Testament of the Light of the World, staunch in the Covenant which he served and heralded. During the lifetime of the Manifestation, his yearning made him hasten to Baha'u'llah, Who received him with grace and favor, and showered blessings upon him. He returned, then, to Iran, where he devoted all his time to serving the Cause. Openly at odds with his tyrannical oppressors, no matter how often they threatened him, he defied them. He was never vanquished. Whatever he had to say, he said. He was one of the Hands of the Cause of God, steadfast, unshakable, not to be moved.

I loved him very much, for he was delightful to converse with, and as a companion second to none. One night, not long ago, I saw him in the world of dreams. Although his frame had always been massive, in the dream world he appeared larger and more corpulent than ever. It seemed as if he had returned from a journey. I said to him, "Jinab, you have grown good and stout." "Yes," he answered, "praise be to God! I have been in places where the air was fresh and sweet, and the water crystal pure; the landscapes were beautiful to look upon, the foods delectable. It all agreed with me, of course, so I am stronger than ever now, and I have recovered the zest of my early youth. The breaths of the All-Merciful blew over me and all my time was spent in telling of God. I have been setting forth His proofs, and teaching His Faith." (The meaning of teaching the Faith in the next world is spreading the sweet savors of holiness; that action is the same as teaching.) We spoke together a little more, and then some people arrived and he disappeared.

His last resting-place is in Tihran. Although his body lies under the earth, his pure spirit lives on, "in the seat of truth, in the presence of the potent King." I long to visit the graves of the friends of God, could this be possible. These are the servants of the Blessed Beauty; in His path they were afflicted; they met with toil and sorrow; they sustained injuries and suffered harm. Upon them be the glory of God, the All-Glorious. Unto them be salutation and praise. Upon them be God's tender mercy, and forgiveness.

"Yes" the Master said, "A thirsty man will run after every fountain, he may drink bitter and stagnant water but at last he will reach to the sweet spring. Now praise be to God that thou hast attained.

The religionists of the world have forsaken the essence of the teaching and hold to the letter. It is as if the students in a college quarrelled and disputed with each other as to which master was the best, instead of attending to the lessons which were given by those masters.

All religions have created traditions that have no connection with the foundation of divine religion, and since these traditions differ, differences lead to disputation and disputation ends in warfare. The blood of the innocent is shed, possessions are pillaged and plundered, and children are left helpless and captive. Religion, which should be the cause of fellowship, becomes the cause of enmity. Religion, which should be as sweet honey, becomes deadly poison. Religion, which should be the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity, becomes the cause of darkness. Religion, which should be the cause of eternal life, has become the cause of death.

But now behold, how they have made the Law of God a cause and pretext for perversity and hatred. How pitiful, how regrettable, that most men are cleaving fast to, and have busied themselves with, the things they possess, and are unaware of, and shut out as by a veil from, the things God possesseth!

But today the first duties of religion are neglected. The first duty and the basis of each religion is the love of God. Love has vanished and hate and animosity have taken its place. Instead of these simple principles we now have dogmas and imitations, and because the dogmas and imitations differ we have constantly strife and war. Fanaticism is the only aim. These fanatics are actually thirsty for their brother's blood, they condemned one another and considered each other unclean.

The divine religions were revealed for love and amity and have brought out harmony among the different peoples and nations. But as time passed dogmas and imitations crept in and caused differences and enmity.

But alas! after their days certain dogmatic imitations crept in, and these imitations caused division. For the imitations which crept in were not reality but were purely superstitious and utterly inimical to the law laid down by the founders. They were distinct from the teachings given by the prophets because they were inimical; therefore they caused enmity and strife and division. In place of the unity which was intended to bind together the religionists, these imitations caused a regrettable separation. Instead of loving fellowship which was to animate then, the spirit of strife and discord animated them.

All these divisions we see on all sides, all these disputes and opposition, are caused because men cling to ritual and outward observances, and forget the simple, underlying truth. It is the outward practices of religion that are so different, and it is they that cause disputes and enmity -- while the reality is always the same, and one.

By the 'law of correspondence' they mean this in a nutshell: On one hand the student reads the Decalogue, the Sermon on the Mount, the verses of the Koran, the gentle exhortations of Budha, the pure ideas of Zoroaster and the moral teachings of Confucius and he finds them lofty, stimulating and inspiring and on other hand he finds the lives and actions of millions of people who call themselves followers of these great world-prophets do not 'correspond' with those exalted advices and as their Teachings have not greatly refined the character of men, therefore they are false and impostors.

The Italians are a generous people, but they have become accustomed to the expression of generosity in words only, and therefore they have been guilty, in their aggressions upon the Turk, of conduct which is utterly atrocious and inexcusable, and such as no civilized nation should tolerate for a moment. This conduct would not have been possible if Italy lad lived the principles of the religion which has guided her for so many years. But, in her policies, this religion has never gone beyond the theatrical coloring of words.

But people's withdrawal from religion is because previous religions have lost their influence and effect - like fruitless trees or shells without kernels. Consider that Christ said if someone wrongs you, respond with kindness, yet now Christ's followers are engaged in warfare day and night, calling it a holy war.

But a few self-seeking people subverted the original aims of the religion of God, changed its pure current and made it an instrument of hatred and rancor and quarrel and sedition.

They were the Supreme teachers of monotheism like all the other prophets of God; but the succeeding generations misconstrued their words and in order to further their own selfish interests they fabricated these false doctrines.

To a gentleman who was questioning him, he remarked "The beginnings of all great religions were pure; but priests, taking possession of the minds of the people, filled them with dogmas and superstitions, so that religion became gradually corrupt.

Then He went on: "The world is in prison and bondage through the leaders of religions who have taken the Spirit captive.

Self-seeking preachers and teachers have wandered far from that Real Light. And it is the Light that we now seek in the real truth. Men have wandered far from the teachings of Christ, Buddha, the Jewish prophets and all of the others.

He said - and His word is the truth: By God! The horizon of trustworthiness has darkened, the countenance of friendship has changed, and the hem of faithfulness between earth and heaven has been sullied.

O 'Ali! In the great city the fire of hatred, treachery, calumny, greed, tyranny and corruption blazeth bright. They have taken up faithlessness and cast away trustworthiness in opposition to God and His Cause. Thus have their heedless souls enticed them. They have broken God's Covenant and His Bond, and were not moved by God's counsel and His Word.

Although We have, in the Books, Tablets, Scriptures and Epistles, forbidden conflict, corruption and strife, and have commanded that which leadeth to salvation, nearness unto God, goodly deeds and praiseworthy character, yet glory be to God! Though the Sun of Truth is shining, the ocean of knowledge and wisdom is surging, the rivers of bounty are flowing, and the Sacred and Blessed Tree is speaking, all are found to be veiled save a few, and few of My servants are truly thankful.

The face of the world hath altered. The way of God and the religion of God have ceased to be of any worth in the eyes of men.

Many people are going out of the churches dissatisfied with religious teaching. It is because they do not see spiritually.

It is evident that today the material philosophers have overcome the religionists. The influence exerted by nature and its admirers is by far greater than the influence wielded by religion and its devotees. Because all the religions are submerged in the sea of dogmas and sacerdotal ritualism.

Consequently, the government arose in vehement opposition to them, and declared their hatred for and weariness of religion altogether, deigning to make mention of the subject only to scorn and ridicule it.

This state of affairs can be attributed only to the mistakes made by the leaders of religion, who rather than serve as channels to promote the tenets of the religion of God, instead became the cause of hatred and ruin.

Forms and rituals may be necessary to some people but the primary foundation of divine religion is the knowledge of the Almighty through scientific and reasonable proofs. Now we have forgotten this essential object and have clung to a set of dogmas and creeds which will not help us at all. These ceremonies are like unto the body and the spiritual Teachings like unto the spirit.

Our relationship to God, the Lord, must rest on two basic pillars: willing submission of one's own will to the divine Will, and uprightness. In the latter basic condition we fail, if we try to satisfy our conscience and our longing with empty formalism and dead dogmatism.

Then many ages roll by and the spirit of these words are forgotten; the objects of divine religions are set at naught; ceremonies and traditions [creep] in and the ideals of truth are neglected. Thu[s] religion will become purely sacerdotal, the reality back of the religio[n] is disregarded, superstitions abound, the proclivities of materialism displace all spiritual emotions, the Graces of the Almighty are overlooked and the inclinations of the world of nature are strengthened and reinforced.

We must relinquish all the rituals and forms which have accumulated for the past ages around the Immortal Image of Truth, completely hiding It from our views.

Discarding all the accumulated dogmas and pagan rituals of the past ages we must return to the fountain head of the Teachings of Christ as he uttered them here many generations ago. This is the only way.

Therefore, there is need of turning back to the original foundation. The fundamental principles of the Prophets are correct and true. The imitations and superstitions which have crept in are at wide variance with the original precepts and commands. Baha'u'llah has revoiced and reestablished the quintessence of the teachings of all the Prophets, setting aside the accessories and purifying religion from human interpretation.

The Baha'i message is a call to religious unity and not an invitation to a new religion, not a new path to immortality, God forbid!

It is the ancient path cleared of the debris of imaginations and superstitions of men, of the debris of strife and misunderstanding and is again made a clear path to the sincere seeker, that he may enter therein in assurance, and find that the Word of God is one Word, though the Speakers were many.

Question: "What do the Baha'is teach?"

Answer: "They teach that the internal, spiritual Idea is the same in all the religions, that a unique, general plan underlies the foundation of the past Faiths, that priestcraft has discredited the religion of God, that the palpitating divine Idea is hidden under the encrustation of dead ecclesiasticism, that religion must shuffle off its tattered garments of medieval Ages and put on the robe of Universal precepts of God."

Although the divine teachings are truth and reality, yet with the passage of time thick clouds envelop and obscure them. These clouds are imitations and superstitions; they are not the fundamentals.

Q: What difference is there between the animal and man?

A: The difference between animal and man is this,- That the animal cannot comprehend the teachings of God. The animal does not progress. But these teachings are specialized for man...After ages, thick clouds envelope the sun, and these clouds are the imitations, not the fundamentals. Then again the power of the Sun of Truth dispels the clouds and shines most gloriously. For a long time the Sun of Truth has been clouded. Baha'u'llah scattered the clouds and revealed the foundations of the teachings of God again.

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O ye respected souls! From the continual imitation of ancient and worn-out ways, the world had grown dark as darksome night. The fundamentals of the divine Teachings had passed from memory; their pith and heart had been totally forgotten, and the people were holding on to husks. The nations had, like tattered garments long outworn, fallen into a pitiful condition.

… The people, therefore, must be set completely free from their old patterns of thought, that all their attention may be focused upon these new principles, for these are the light of this time and the very spirit of this age.

And since this is a luminous age and this century is the century of science, new teachings are necessary, a new illumination is essential, and a new life is required. Minds and souls will not accept old opinions - new thinking is needed and new teachings are necessary that are the spirit of this age and the light of this century.

One thing remains: Do you see today anything remaining among the people of that original foundation which does not change or alter? Rather, it has become forgotten, completely forgotten.

Regarding the matter that traces of these divine teachings existed in previous scriptures - those teachings were promoted and had their effect in their own time. Now they remain in the hands of nations like abrogated verses, having no authority whatsoever.

Observe the Christian nation - today no one acts according to Christ's counsels. Similarly look at Islam - they are entirely heedless of the divine counsels and admonitions in the Quran.

But when those divine Teachings which pertain to the world of morals are forgotten, certain rules and customs arise in their place, proceeding from the world of self. Then that religion becomes the cause of abasement. Now the divine foundation has not remained. The lights of this lamp have set; only the wick and the candlestick remain, and from these no illumination is obtained.

Through these are strengthened the bonds of trust which cannot be broken - bonds which consist in the submersion of hearts in the spring of certitude, in sincerity in religion, and in thirst for truth in a time when the dust that has been stirred up has encompassed both inner and outer vision, when naught remains of religion save traditions unauthorized by God, when the earth has been shaken with its earthquake, when the pillars of the gentle, white Law have been made to tremble, and when they have forsaken this Qur'an.

And when days and nights revolved and matters proceeded and judgments were passed, differences appeared among the divines, and thereby true sayings became mixed with false ones, as ye witness in their words and observe in their deeds. Since the matter is as We have explained to thee, how canst thou distinguish truth from falsehood after they have all differed concerning God's Cause to such extent that thou wilt not find two of them agreed upon a single matter, and in all things they continued to differ?

Such a condition as this is witnessed in this day when the reins of every community have fallen into the grasp of foolish leaders, who lead after their own whims and desire. On their tongue the mention of God hath become an empty name; in their midst His holy Word a dead letter.

… It is unquestionable that in every succeeding Revelation the "sun" and "moon" of the teachings, laws, commandments, and prohibitions which have been established in the preceding Dispensation, and which have overshadowed the people of that age, become darkened, that is, are exhausted, and cease to exert their influence.

Do ye not see how these people comprehend nothing? For every follower of a religion is born into that religion with what it containeth, without insight or understanding. And all religions and their adherents reckon between themselves and God that they are God-fearing, yet were their piety between them and God to be weighed, it would not equal the wing of a gnat - nay, I ask God's forgiveness - the wing of a gnat would disavow any comparison therewith and say: "How can they be equal to me when their falsehood is manifest?"

Most people still know not what Day this is and what Cause this is. They are like sheep - when one goes forth on a path, all the others follow behind it. Observe the very foundation of the religious beliefs of those heedless souls among the followers of the Qur'an who counted themselves the most exalted of creatures and knew themselves greatest of all, yet for ages and centuries followed imaginary words.

O Abu'l-Hasan! The face of the world is changing. For the sake of the religion of God, hardly anything remaineth among the people. They worship the idols of vain imaginings and are heedless of the Truth, exalted be His glory.

How long these withering customs, these stultifying rites! How long these blightening dogmas! How long these barren theological, hair-splitting, useless discussions. We must abandon entirely these things; we must free ourselves from these intolerable burdens; we must shake off our bodies this atrophy and this lethargy; we must come into full possession of all our god-given powers; we must soar toward the infinite altitude of divine Beauty; we must discard these fantastic traditions which have been handed to us as a precious heirlooms from ancestors and forefathers.

The primary cause and reason for the veiling of mankind have been, in the first instance, the divines, who in all ages and centuries have been the foremost cause of these mighty veils.

The lamp of being is surrounded by diverse winds, and the divine sustenance, which is as oil, if cut off, will instantly be extinguished. We beseech God that earthly conditions not deprive them of everlasting favors. All people, learned and ignorant, have awaited this Day, yet when the dawn of the divine Day broke, all were found veiled save a few letters of the Countenance of God, the Self-Subsisting. All veils and preventive coverings have been the divines of the age. Reflect upon what they did in former centuries and what they brought about. Blessed is he who cast them behind his back, turning unto the Supreme Horizon.

O Rajab-'Ali! The world has been encompassed by the smoke of heedlessness - that smoke which was mentioned in the Tablets and about which people would inquire has appeared. These are souls who have arisen to oppose without any cause, and with the utmost deceit and cunning strive to lead poor souls astray. The dust of ignorance, like a disease of the eyes, has prevented them from beholding the effulgent rays of the Sun of Revelation. They have forgotten the counsels of the Most Exalted Pen and have erased the words inscribed in the Crimson Book.

Observe the religions of the world, how they remain veiled and debarred. Glory be to God! All await the divine days, and at all times they implore and supplicate with the utmost humility and devotion for the meeting with the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Nevertheless, when the Sun of Truth shone forth from the horizon of the world, all remained occupied with their own idle fancies and devoted to the idols of their own selves. They have forsaken the Truth and clung to that which is unseemly.

All the people of the world were waiting and still wait, yet when the Sun of Manifestation shone forth from the horizon of the Mount of Sinai, all turned away save whom thy Lord willed.

O Shaykh! Upon thee be the glory and bounty of God. In the visible world, there hath appeared that which hath bewildered the possessors of wisdom, knowledge, proof and testimony. For twelve hundred years the divines, mystics and worshippers of Iran clung to matters that were not remembered in the sight of God. Glory be to God! Throughout the nights and days, all beseeched and supplicated for the days of His manifestation, yet when the Most Great Luminary shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of eternity, all turned away and denied, save whom God willed.

For one thousand two hundred years and more they said "O Truth" and denounced each other as infidels from their pulpits, and when the lights of the Manifestation shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of divine will, they cursed and reviled Him from all pulpits and issued the verdict for His death.

For twelve hundred years they prided themselves before all the world's peoples with mention of successorship, crying out "O Promised One!" day and night, yet when the blessed Tree grew forth they pronounced it astray and misguided, and afterwards cut it down with the swords of hatred.

When the Gospel was sent down they said: "This was not revealed from the Glorious One," and when Muhammad came with clear signs they said: "These are but fabrications."

Subsequently, thy letter sent from Beirut was received and caused joy. God willing, may all attain to the greatest joy - that is, to what is now manifest and evident from the horizon of the world. All divine Books speak of this most mighty, most holy, most wondrous Day, yet all are found to be veiled. How many trials did the Ancient Beauty endure so that some of the veils of contention and the clouds of glory might be rent asunder.

The Day of God hath come, wherein none is mentioned save Him. Blessed is every one possessed of true knowledge who hath recognized and attained, and woe to them that deny! The Concourse of the Bayan have turned away from Us and opposed Us without any clear proof or illuminating Book. They have denied God's favor after its revelation and rejected this manifest grace.

The weapon of war and shield of the idolaters is the mention of death and detachment from the world, and they have taught this delusion well, such that it hath become imprinted upon thy breast. But the detached ones perceive different fragrances and different scents. Should colocynth claim to be sugar, those with taste will not accept it.

… Ye wrote further that no one, whether from within or without, could doubt that the Bab confirmed Mirza Yahya, in that He wrote to His followers in diverse terms concerning his truth, declaring explicitly and in clear terms for the imitators and common folk that "after Me, he is, and obedience to him is incumbent on all, he is the successor and vicegerent, whatever exists after Me is he." But for those of insight and understanding He revealed other words, saying: "Verily the Cause will end with the Name of Vahid for his revelation is in itself proof and needeth no text."

Strange it is that after the wondrous and exalted waves of the seas of divine favors and the effulgences of the words of the Lord, they are seen to be deprived and kept back from the shore of the sea of oneness by ancient allusions to the worn-out and obsolete notion of succession and the like.

Such is the condition of these people. Therefore it is a pity for one to recall what is in the possession of this sect.

Now regarding what is mentioned, observe for yourself whether it is truth or spoken from desire.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Ye have reached a station wherein We impart unto you that which was revealed in the cycle of the Furqan, that haply ye may turn unto the All-Merciful Who hath appeared in truth with manifest sovereignty. Say: Ye have imagined within yourselves that ye have attained the ultimate goal in the knowledge of your Lord, the Lord of all beings, yet ye deny that which the people of the Furqan have acknowledged. Woe unto you, then destruction be upon you, O company of the heedless!

Yet they were heedless and perverted the words of God from their places, and changed God's favor unto themselves, and altered what We had ordained for them to attain unto a station of mighty glory - to such extent that they ascend the pulpits and make mention of that which God hath not permitted them.

Take what ye are bidden and abandon what the people possess, by the command of God, the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.

By God, nothing among all things shall profit you this Day, nor any name among all names, nor that which ye have clung to of tales and traditions.

Soon will they hasten and say: "Woe unto us for what we have neglected in regard to God, and alas for our attachment to the books of men while turning away from Him Who was the Source of all books and the Dawning-Place of every clear tablet!"

Know thou with clear certainty that the people of Iran have been reared on vain imaginings and have drunk from the breast of idle fancies. Most difficult is it to rend asunder the veil in their sight.

In this day the tastes of men have changed, and their power of perception hath altered. The contrary winds of the world, and its colors, have provoked a cold, and deprived men's nostrils of the sweet savors of Revelation.

The tastes and inclinations of the people of Persia have decidedly changed; religious habits have disappeared and eventually unworthy habits may prevail in Persia. But rest assured the power of the Cause of God shall conquer and waves from this infinite sea shall surge and roll away, casting out upon the shore these foams and verily our legions shall have the victory.

After some time, they abandoned the religion of their ancestors and the priests became self-centered and dishonest, were steeped in pride and became the source of all kinds of evil. Thus the star of prosperity grew dim and the sapling of hope and desire withered, until the radiant Sun shone forth from the East of Iran and its world-conquering rays reached from East to West and gave life to soul and spirit.

Now men have changed the teaching. If you look at the present practice of the Buddhist religion, you will see that there is little of the Reality left. Many worship idols although their teaching forbids it.

Although the foundation is established, like the foundation of Christ, yet if one travels among the Christians, one sees that they have completely deviated. Likewise the Buddhists have entirely deviated from the path of Buddha.

"If a delegation of Baha'is should go to Japan they will do splendid work, because the Japanese think their own religion is out of date. Even the Mikado realized their religion was out of date, and so he invited representatives from the different religions to Tokyo; from the Moslems, Christians and the Jews. But he did not like what their representatives presented.

China is in need of many good, Baha'i teachers - in order to unshackle their minds from the rusty chains of ancestral traditions.

But, alas! The spiritual leaders of the Christians did not grasp His meaning, so that when the Creeks and Romans became Christians, some of the idolatrous customs were incorporated into Christianity.

Most of the churches used to worship idols. These introduced their idols into the new religion, the bells, candles, etc., in all about twenty one customs were in succession introduced. When they came to the Gospels they did the same. At first these innovations were employed only as symbols, but afterwards were interpreted literally - about 300 years after Christ.

After my return to Alexandria, the Minister of the reception to the then Khedive invited me to his home where I found a number of Pashas and Beys with whom I spoke about religion and the need of reformation and urged the necessity of an entire rehabilitation of the moral codes referring to the Jews as an example of morbid tenacity to the ancient, putrid, antiquated laws of Mishna and a blind following of the Rabbis.

… An old tree, whose very roots are dried up shall never again push forth leaves, blossoms and fruits. Will it ever become verdant by simply asserting that once I was a supple, young tree? Or a foolish dotard, will he ever become rejuvenated by claiming that once I was a strong, powerful athlete?

Consider, likewise, that in the days of John the Baptist the purification of baptism served to awaken and admonish the people and to cause them to repent of all sin and to await the advent of the Kingdom of Christ. But today in Asia, the Catholics and the Orthodox plunge infants into a mixture of water and olive oil, in such wise that some fall ill from this ordeal and tremble and struggle at the time of baptism. Elsewhere the priest sprinkles the baptismal water onto the forehead. But in neither case do these children experience any spiritual feelings. What good then can this do? Other peoples wonder and question why this infant is being plunged into the water, since it confers neither spiritual awareness nor faith nor awakening, but is merely a custom that is being followed.

When, in the beginning of the seventh century of the Christian era, Jerusalem was conquered, the Holy of Holies--that is, the edifice that Solomon had erected--was outwardly preserved, but its outer court was seized and given over to the Gentiles.

"And the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months"; that is, the Gentiles will seize and subdue Jerusalem for forty-two months, or 1,260 days, or--each day being equivalent to a year--1,260 years, which is the duration of the Qur'anic Dispensation.

The Master said this meant the liver of those who went before; that is to say, the religious laws of each preceding prophet are annulled by the succeeding one and are as dry bones. In the time of Christ the commands of Moses were as dry bones, and in this time all previous laws are as dry bones, but which are to be refreshed by the Great River of this time, and are to be clothed with the new sinews of Life by his Revelation. When the Blessed Perfection came, all previous things became as dry bones.

In the spiritual significance, we find that Abel represents the Divine Law or Religion, and Cain the human nature. The Divine Law is present in man and attains a certain development when the human nature overcomes it. A man may take a forest and by skillful attention turn it into a garden. But if it be neglected for a time, it reverts into its former condition. So there is always present the tendency to nullify the action of the Divine Law or Religion. … A man may with the utmost care attend to a garden for a hundred years, but if it be neglected for a single year it will become a wilderness.

When that Sun reaches its zenith it begins to decline, and that summer season of the spirit is followed by autumn. Growth and development are arrested, soft breezes turn into blighting winds, and the season of dearth and want dissipates the vitality and beauty of the gardens, the fields and the bowers. That is, spiritual attractions vanish, divine qualities decay, the radiance of the hearts is dimmed, the spirituality of the souls is dulled, virtues become vices, and sanctity and purity are no more. Of the law of God naught remains but a name, and of the divine teachings naught but an outward form. The foundations of the religion of God are destroyed and annihilated, mere customs and traditions take their place, divisions appear, and steadfastness is changed into perplexity. Spirits die away, hearts wither, and souls languish.

As nature needs a springtime to revive the trees, so the spiritual nature needs a springtime to fill the garden with flowers and fruits. It was through the manifestation of Jesus Christ that this spiritual springtime began. Summer followed with its fruits and, later, autumn came. Winter followed and the trees were naked; that is, the people were without their divine qualities. So again, it became necessary that a new springtime should come.

For instance, in the first beginning of the appearance of Moses was the sprint time of his day. The summer time was when many people had accepted him, believed in him, promulgated his teachings, that his fruit was gathered. Then came the autumn, when his commands first began to be neglected, and the true followers began to fall away, and the true teachings to sink into decay. Then came the winter, when the hearts ceased to turn unto God, where occupied with worldly things entirely, and spiritual death was apparent. Then came the spring time of Christ.

When its outpourings gradually diminish, the trees of existence cease to be verdant and creeping torpor spreads, it will become like winter. The souls will become withered and distressed and the soil of the hearts will become full of thorns and thistles.

When the divine spring is over and the heavenly bounty ceases, the trees of being lie dormant. Lifelessness and stillness prevail over the world of man. People become spiritless and withered. Autumn and winter set in. There exists no flower or greenery, no cheerfulness or mirth, no happiness or joy.

Then the spiritual spring spreads its tent once more.

All the created phenomena are subject to the law of change and transmutation. Youth is followed by old age, a tender plant becomes an old, decrepit tree, dynasties are born, wax strong, reach to the zenith of glory and then totter to the ground.

Likewise every one of the world-religions has been the cause of progress and advancement in its own time, but now they have become like old, very old trees. They do not yield any more luscious fruits.

Some people persist in the unscientific belief that these very old trees will again become young, push forth leaves, blossoms and fruits. This is impossible.

Once upon a time religion was like a comely youth overflowing with vital force. The youth was in the utmost freshness and charm, adorned with infinite virtues and attuned with the music of vigor and health. But now he is stricken with old age. His eyes are dimmed, his ears do not hear, his feet are paralyzed, his hands are weak, his physical forces are exhausted. He is afflicted with senility and dotage.

Convey to ... my respectful greeting and announce to him: "No matter how brilliant a receding star is, its light never reaches to this world. Worship thou the newly ascendant Shining Luminary whose lights are glittering and whose proof is self-evident. Become thou the cause of guidance of the person whom thou art respecting. No matter how much endeavor and effort is shown, a tree which hath been in existence for two thousand years or more will never bring new and fresh fruits. This is the truth and there is nothing beyond the truth but manifest error."

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

The Master said: "They are like unto those souls who say: "We don't like fresh flowers, but we are satisfied with withered and decayed flowers.' Decayed flowers do not have sweet fragrance; their odour is not good; they have no freshness and charm. The fresher the flower the sweeter it is and the more charming. If old and decayed flowers were good, then the Adamic flower would have been sufficient. Every new year needs a new flower; new fruits are necessary, fresh and gentle breezes are needed. Every new day requires new food, you cannot partake of the decayed food of yesterday."

If for a thousand years a man takes food, and nourishes his body, yet if for two or three days that nourishment ceases, his body will become weakened and dispersed. The assistance of food cannot be withheld from man. If this takes place it causes death.

Likewise, the Heavenly Table is ended, the Divine Manifestations are finished and later no Manifestation will appear; that this was the last Revelation; The Divine Sovereignty has come to its final condition and the world of existence is ended?

When a physical dispensary is closed, how greatly do people become alarmed. As soon as they learn of it, all people become distressed, wondering how they will cure their illnesses. The people's peace is entirely disrupted. They become severely anxious.

Yet if the divine dispensary is closed, due to their extreme heedlessness people express joy. What profound negligence this is.

But some of the ignorant ones think that God's dispensation of Grace has come to an end, that His Treasury is exhausted, His Sovereignty terminated, His Spring of Bounties dried up. His creation concluded and the wheels of the chariot of His Everlasting Procession stopped! They believe that after the delightful spring of last year there will not be another joy-creating Spring.

Speaking about the various denominations and sects which now and then crop up amongst the various religions he said:

"They appear and disappear. They have no importance whatsoever in the religious world. They are not based upon a permanent foundation. They are built on the shifting sand of time. The essential verities of the divine religions are changeless. How many sects have sprang up again drowned by the sea of time! They are like unto bubbles which are and yet are not..."

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

One thing necessary for the world of Creation is change; one of the requirements of the essential self or essence is constancy or unchangeableness. It is impossible for any created being not to undergo change. In the same way, religion must undergo change; for religion is a manifested thing in the world and all in this world must undergo change.

The religion of God is one religion, but it must ever be renewed. Moses, for example, was sent forth to man and He established a Law, and the Children of Israel, through that Mosaic Law, were delivered out of their ignorance and came into the light; they were lifted up from their abjectness and attained to a glory that fadeth not. Still, as the long years wore on, that radiance passed by, that splendour set, that bright day turned to night; and once that night grew triply dark, the star of the Messiah dawned, so that again a glory lit the world.

Christ gave new life and effect to the meanings of the ancient law.

Later they deviated from the straight path and turned away from the true way, falling again into their former degradation until the cycle of Christ came.

If these principles had been carefully carried out by the followers of Jesus Christ, then there would be no need for the world to be reawakened. But winter fell upon the hearts of men, and God sent His prophets to shine upon them with the Spring of the Sun of righteousness that they may be again awakened and blossom forth and bear fruit.

It was very long since the coming of a Prophet, and they needed a new one to give them a fresh start!

Every divine religious law was complete for its time. The renewal of the laws of God and the appearance of the Manifestations of the bounties of the Lord in each cycle are necessary.

These people have failed to realize that divine religion is totally opposed to such vain imaginings and blind imitation, and that, in every age, God's religion has been founded upon the advancement of nations and the progress of peoples. Even those secondary teachings which in this day and age seem inappropriate to us were perfectly suited to their own time. It is the changing of these secondary teachings, with the passage of time and in accordance with the circumstances of each era, that conduces to the security and prosperity of all humankind.

This age is a different age and its requirements are different requirements. The laws of the previous age do not suffice for this great century. Therefore, the spiritual laws, that is, the religious branches, must be renewed and divine matters must be made new.

Indeed they have understood the truth well: the teachings of old will not suffice today, will not cure every affliction or heal every wound.

Thus it was necessary that the laws of God also be changed and the reality of divine religions be renewed, for divine teachings had been forgotten and there was nothing left but dogmatic imitation.

For instance, old scientific conceptions are done away with and new conceptions and principles have taken their place; old policies have been rejected and more modern ones have been adopted; old sciences have been totally laid aside and a new and up-to-date conception has been formed; old customs and habits have been forgotten and have given way to more modern ones; new achievements, new discoveries, new investigations and new inventions have amazed and bewildered the mind of men and in short all things have been renewed. Consequently the reality of the religion of God must be also renewed, imitations must be dissipated, the light of Truth must shine resplendently and those Teachings that constitute the spirit of this age must be promulgated- - - the Teachings of His Holiness Bahaullah that are spread broadcast throughout all regions and constitute the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

In this luminous century all matters have been renewed: sciences have been renewed, new arts have appeared, new industries have become manifest, new thoughts have emerged, new discoveries have arisen, new inventions have come forth. In truth, the world of existence has been renewed. Therefore, the foundation of religion must also be renewed.

As everything evolves, so also does religion - as witness the doctrines that are losing their influence today. All religious rites and ceremonies, when adhered to, become the cause of destruction and struggle.

… This is the day when dogmas must be sacrificed in our search for truth. We must leave behind all save what is necessary for the needs of today, nor attach ourselves to any form or ritual which is in opposition to moral evolution.

'First,' said he, 'we must get rid of all glosses, Talmuds, codes of divinity, and clerical law. Get back to the revealed word of God where we can. Christ had the revealed word, so had Mohammed, so had others before them, but - and here's the point - those revelations were for their own day and environment. You cannot always take the literal interpretation of first-century Syria or eighth-century Arabia and say in its application it is true now.'

On that occasion, the blessed Person of `Abdu'l-Baha noted, "The ways of His Holiness the Bab in Bushihr caused many of the old and sterile traditions to be changed."

The Master: 'If there is no change or alteration, then there is no renewal. Not until night falls will a new day dawn. If the religion of Moses had not changed, Christ would not have appeared.'

After a while, that which they had thus received from God was lost; the way was prepared for the return of evil qualities, and the world was oppressed by tyranny.

Then again the rumour of the Light of Reality and the breathing of the Holy Spirit became known.

Similarly, today's relation to previous days is such that after darkness, selfish desires, unworthy deeds, and satanic acts had overtaken the world, and the merciful attributes and divine characteristics of the previous Manifestation were cut off and completely severed, then the true dawn broke and divine lights shone forth, and all these virtues were renewed on this day.

Then they will realize that humanity cannot live without religion. Therefore, they will gather and study the teachings of existing religions to see which religion conforms to the exigencies of the time. That is when the Cause of God will become universal.

Now it is true that the present day religions are like unto dilapidated houses.

The religion of Baha'u'llah is preparing slowly yet assuredly, the materials out of which the Temple of Humanity shall be constructed.

This Wronged One, from the earliest days until now, hath called aloud, with the most exalted summons, both kings and subjects, unto God---glorified be His majesty---seeking thereby but this: that lost honour be restored, and the abased and overturned standards, cast upon the dust, be uplifted once again. … Consider thou: with what power and ascendancy did the people of unity appear in the first days, and into what abasement and weakness are they now fallen! Whither hath that might departed, and from what source hath this feebleness arisen? No aim was intended save the exaltation of the Word of God---and, moreover, the deliverance of His servants.

Baha'u'llah renewed the teachings of the Prophets and proclaimed the foundation of the Religion of God, bringing different peoples into fellowship and uniting different religions.

Today the happiness of all is solely dependent on concord and harmony; therefore all must strive so that the decaying outdated blind imitations may be eradicated and the truth, which consists in the unity of the human race, may be established, so that all people of the East and West may become brothers and sisters, that the illumination emanating from the Kingdom of God may develop all, and that the banner of the unity of the human race may wave on the highest summit of the world.

If the followers of the Lord Christ had continued to follow out these principles with steadfast faithfulness, there would have been no need for a renewal of the Christian Message, no necessity for a re-awakening of His people, for a great and glorious civilization would now be ruling the world and the Kingdom of Heaven would have come on earth.

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Then by degrees these fragrances of heaven were discontinued; the season of winter came upon the world; the beauties of spring vanished; the excellences and perfections passed away; the lights and quickening were no longer evident; the phenomenal world and its materialities conquered everything; the spiritualities of life were lost; the world of existence became life unto a lifeless body; there was no trace of the spring left.

Catalogue reference: ABU1161 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.