Firmness in the Covenant

It behoveth everyone to render thanks unto God for having granted such assurance in this blessed Dispensation, and for having left no cause for wavering. Therefore, all must show forth obedience and submissiveness towards that Centre and turn their entire attention unto him. As to thy speech, it must be confined to this and in no wise exceed it, so that it may foster harmony and ward off discord. The Glory of Glories rest upon thee.

If today this mighty foundation is not made firm and solid, thereafter a hundred thousand breaches will appear in the divine edifice, and the foundation of God's Law will be utterly demolished. The Sun of Truth will be hidden, the shining moon will be concealed, the manifest standard will be overthrown, and the hearts of the believers will be drowned in blood. The Divine Lote-Tree will be uprooted, and the axe will fall upon the garden of the Most Glorious Paradise.

Praise be to God that the believers in America are steadfast but the firmer they are the better, that no one might be able to intrude and introduce disputes, for disputes destroy the foundation of God's Institution.

The beloved of God must be confirmed with such a firmness that if every moment a hundred like Abdul-Baha become the target of arrows, no change should occur in their decision or intention, no transformation in their zeal or attraction to God, and no abatement in their occupation in the service of the Cause of God.

O Ali! Exaltation and elevation today lie in servitude at the Sacred Threshold and in firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of the All-Merciful Lord. Therefore, together with this servant, gird up tight the belt of servitude to the Ancient Beauty, and guide all to firmness and steadfastness in God's Covenant and Faith.

The first condition is firmness in the Covenant of God. For the power of the Covenant will protect the Cause of Baha'u'llah from the doubts of the people of error. It is the fortified fortress of the Cause of God and the firm pillar of the religion of God. Today no power can conserve the oneness of the Baha'i world save the Covenant of God; otherwise differences like unto a most great tempest will encompass the Baha'i world. It is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else.

We have made thee a support for the servants and a mighty bulwark for the lands, by leave of the Ancient God. By God, the Truth! None among the believing men and women will follow thee save those who bear in their necks God's covenant and Our covenant, with pure and unsullied faith.

Should these proofs and arguments not suffice, we offer the explicit text of the Most Holy Book and the Book of the Covenant to any people and ask them, with no preamble, to indicate what these divine texts stipulate. What will they say? Will they say that these texts are meant to be obeyed or to be opposed, to elicit assistance or invite abuse, to arouse opposition or inspire respect and consideration? Have there been in any other Cycle such explicit texts as in the Most Holy Book or in the Book that sealeth His Covenant?

Concerning the friends in Pittsburgh, thou hast written that some misunderstandings have arisen among them. No power can eliminate misunderstandings except that of the Covenant. The power of the Covenant is all-embracing and resolveth all difficulties, for the Pen of Glory hath explicitly declared that whatever misunderstanding may arise should be referred to the Centre of the Covenant. He will resolve every difficulty. Thus no power can dispel misunderstandings among the friends except the Covenant and the Testament of God.

Glorified art Thou, O God! The least of the signs of Thy Kingdom is, under all conditions, sanctified above all description and praise, and every single reality in Thy dominion is exalted beyond the highest tributes of the people of the world; for the very essence of remembrance is wholly removed from the One remembered, and the inner reality of all praise remaineth veiled from the One praised. The signs of Thy dominion, in their very essence, are immeasurably exalted above the reckoning of the exponents of praise, and are sanctified beyond the grasp of them that are endued with understanding. The most eminent of sages have acknowledged their failure in this regard, confessing that their minds can fathom only that which is within the measure of human capacity and commensurate with the power of the birds of mortal thought when soaring in the heights of knowledge.

O my God! Given such clear and evident powerlessness, such plain and manifest poverty in recognizing the least of the signs of Thy dominion in the world of creation, how then can I unloose my tongue to make mention of Thine attributes and to proclaim Thy virtues? How can I speak forth Thy praise and celebrate Thy glory in Thy presence? How can I extol the evidences of being and the realities of existence that are found in the world of allusions and the realm of creation?

I have no recourse but to proclaim: "Hallowed and sanctified art Thou! Immeasurably high, exalted, and glorified art Thou!" and to implore pardon for this sin and transgression of mine‎, which hath filled me with shame before Thy loved ones. For to proclaim Thy sanctity and holiness is naught but to venture to describe Thee and, as such, is an evident sin, a shameful and palpable error.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Hands of Thy Cause, the Daysprings of Thy remembrance and the Dawning-Places of Thy command, and by the coursing of the stars and the burning meteors that rain down upon them that deny Thy manifest Cause and stray from Thy straight Path, to assist Thy loved ones who are firm in Thy Covenant and Testament and steadfast in Thy love and remembrance. Help them attain unto every good Thou hast ordained in Thine all-glorious Kingdom. Thou art, in truth, the Powerful, the Mighty.

That which Jinab-i-Ismu'llah had written was perused. He hath asked for provisions for the journey to the divine Kingdom, and spiritual sustenance for the world to come. As thou well knowest, in this day, such provisions consist in assisting weak souls to become firm and steadfast in the Covenant, diffusing the divine fragrances, protecting the stronghold of the Cause of God, and preserving the distinctive features of His religion. For in the Abha Kingdom there is no greater gift than this, and among the Concourse on high there is no offering more wondrous. It is therefore incumbent upon thee to strive to the utmost, by day and by night, to carry out this important task, so that no breach may be made in the unity of the Word of God, and no divisions may arise in this mighty Covenant and binding Testament. Alas for all whose feet slip and whose hearts waver!

This servant's highest wish and greatest desire hath ever been that we may all gather together beneath the sheltering shadow of the Word of Oneness, wholly forgetful of every vain imagining; that we may search for none other than His Countenance, seek naught but His abode, and commune only with Him. May we, in truth, offer up our lives wholly for His sake, surrender ourselves in His path, and strive to diffuse the sweet savours of the Beloved far and wide.

For many years, Baha'u'llah nurtured these servants in the bosom of His loving-kindness, and trained and educated us through His compassion and unfailing bounty. Even as a tender and loving Teacher, He taught us -- His children--the requisites of courtesy. In the school of God He instructed us, so that after the ascension of His radiant Beauty we might arise to follow the example of the faithful, and strive to serve the Cause of God and glorify His Word. He promised us His confirmations and assured us of His assistance, saying, "Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels."

Praise and thanksgiving be unto the incomparable Lord, Who hath fulfilled His promises and provided all that He had foretold. He hath levelled every rough and rutted road and made smooth every stony path. He hath opened the portals of victory and graced us with the sweet savours of the Holy Spirit. The hosts of His all-glorious Kingdom have rushed forth, and the countless legions of His Company on high have descended with their swords unsheathed. He hath scattered the armies of His foes and defeated the legions of His enemies. Moreover, He hath manifested the signs of His power in all parts of the world and revealed His mighty Cause in every land. The melodies of His holiness have resounded in Europe, and the signs and tokens of His Revelation have been made visible to the Bulgar and the Slav. In America, His lamp hath shed its light upon the darksome night and guided souls from near and far. The fame of His majesty hath been noised abroad throughout Persia, and His servants in Tihran have come to be truly revered to a degree that is without compare in former times.

In the Great City, He hath, in these days, thwarted the proponents of the Evil One and exposed their mischief for all to see. He hath completely extinguished that fire and caused their tale to be erased from memory. Indeed, the gathering of the worst mischief-makers and fiercest calumniators of the Blessed Beauty in such a significant location, their incessant efforts by every means to bring ruin to the Cause of God, and their resorting to all manner of whisperings and machinations posed a grave danger to the Cause and provoked grievous malice against the loved ones of God. They had firmly pledged, one and all, to throw this land into turmoil. Through the intermediary of Jamalu'd-Din-i-Afghani, they had penetrated all the ministerial circles. By the aid of that person, they had even gained access to the private royal quarters. Yahya's son-in-law became the personal secretary of Jamalu'd-Din, and Shaykh Ahmad was among the permanent members of his circle. They uttered every possible calumny and seized upon every possible measure to subvert the Divine Edifice and harm these exiles.

Placing our whole trust in God, we held fast to the cord of resignation, and with sanctified hearts we cleaved tenaciously to patience. At last, a hand emerged from the invisible Realm and tore asunder the veils of hypocrisy and deception of that slanderous band. Their mischief became apparent, their sedition clearly manifest. Their malicious scrolls were revealed, and they were afflicted with the retribution which such behaviour entaileth. They fell into the grip of justice and were sent to Persia. Take heed lest this matter be misunderstood by the common people.

The point is this, that after His ascension, the Ancient Beauty graciously aided His blessed Cause a hundredfold and vouchsafed divine confirmations unto these helpless ones. All praise and glory, all reverence and honour belong unto such a Lord!

In brief, the greatest yearning of this servant is to fulfil this sublime aspiration, which is to serve the Cause of God. At no time have I ever cherished any desire of mine own, nor do I regard myself as having any existence before the signs of His Oneness. But I strive to safeguard the impregnable stronghold of His resplendent Cause. I am apprehensive of any corruption of the Text, of any false interpretation, of all discord and division, lest a thousand years from now such matters arise once more and cause a breach in the one true Faith of God. For such a condition would destroy the very foundation and utterly subvert the cornerstone of the Divine Edifice. We would, one and all, be left hopeless and deprived, outcast and condemned. The dispersion of the gathering of the friends and the scattering of the company of the believers would be so great that each one of them would be lost and forgotten in the wilderness of perdition. Naught would remain of the Temple of the Cause of God but an insignificant name in common histories. We must therefore bend all our energies towards keeping the stronghold of the Cause impregnable and its foundation inviolate.

Thou hast written concerning the holding of gatherings on the occasion of the Day of the Covenant. Nothing greater, more potent, or more momentous can be conceived than the Covenant of God and His Testament! No such thing hath ever occurred in the Dispensations of the past, that an explicit text should be so clearly revealed in such unmistakable language as in the Most Holy Book, a quarter of a century prior to the ascension of its Author; that the Ancient Beauty should nurture and educate all His loved ones through this divine grace; that He should then enter, with His Sublime Pen, into this firmly established and mighty Covenant with them; and that He should mention this Covenant in all His Books and Tablets, encouraging and praising those who hold fast unto it and renouncing those who break it. By what means can the one who hath failed to cling to this firm cord and mighty bond be secured? All the chains and ties of the world would be incapable of binding him fast.

Should it be thy wish to provide the means of ensuring a firmer adherence to the Covenant, compile thou the words and verses that have been revealed in all the divine Tablets on the subject of the Covenant and the Testament, and, after reading the Book of the Covenant in that gathering, recite those verses, so that the station of the steadfast and the station of those who waver may be made clear. This matter is greater than all others.

O thou who art gladdened by the glad-tidings of God!

In this Most Great and Blessed Century, which is the resplendent sun of former ages and the luminous orb of latter centuries, souls shall arise from the slumber of vain desire who shall shine forth like unto candles in the assemblage of the world with the light of steadfastness, and shall surge like unto an ocean with love for the Blessed Beauty.

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And it is a basic principle of the Law of God that in every Prophetic Mission, He entereth into a Covenant with all believers---a Covenant that endureth until the end of that Mission, until the promised day when the Personage stipulated at the outset of the Mission is made manifest.

O son of Dost Muhammad! The meaning of steadfastness is that the people should become aware and know with absolute certitude that after the Most Great Manifestation they neither were nor are in need of another Manifestation.

[These statements were delivered with such power that everyone present was overwhelmed with awe. The following day, while we were in the presence of Baha'u'llah, Mirza Diya'u'llah [one of His sons] came in to say: 'Aqa [the Master] wishes to know if You will permit us and some of the believers to visit Junaynih.'

O thou daughter of the Kingdom! Thy letter was received. It was like the melody of the divine nightingale, whose song delighteth the hearts. This is because its contents indicated faith, assurance and firmness in the Covenant and the Testament.

The covenant mentioned in the Hidden Words is that Covenant and Testament which was established by the Supreme Pen in the blessed spot of Faran of the love of God, the Dome of Time. And the people of the eternal realm and the Supreme Concourse are those souls who are firm in the Covenant, while all others who follow self and desire are wavering.

O tailor! The garment that fits and adorns the form of the world's body is the robe of the Covenant and the mantle of the pledge of the Beloved of all horizons. For the divine Tailor has cut this garment and the King of Reality has bestowed it.

Thou must be exceedingly alert, and shield the souls from veiled suggestions and secret whisperings. Enable them to be steadfast in the Covenant according to the explicit divine Text, which is a conclusive evidence of the Truth, so that Baha'i unity may be preserved.

In truth this Covenant and Testament of God, this Pact of belief and faithfulness of the Eternal, written by the hand of the Supreme Pen Himself is one of the distinguishing features of this Most Great Cycle. In none of the Dispensations of the past hath such a blessing and bestowal been vouchsafed from the treasuries of God's mercy. … Blessed therefore are those who are firm! Blessed are those who are clinging tenaciously to this mighty Covenant! And all joy to the steadfast that are the recipients of this most great gift.

Therefore, the Book was explicitly and decisively appointed as the Interpreter through clear language in the Kitab-i-Aqdas and the Book of the Covenant.

I swear by the Ancient Beauty - may a hundred souls be sacrificed for His name in every breath - that if today even a fly remains firm in the Covenant and Testament, it will become an eagle soaring in the heights of understanding; if a sparrow remains firm it will become the king of birds and the sovereign of eagles.

In any case, today is the time for firmness and steadfastness, and the moment for holding fast to the sure handle, which is the Book of God's Covenant and Testament and the text of the Most Holy Book: "Whoso holdeth fast unto it is indeed safe, but whoso turneth away is lost."

Know thou that the entire Cause hath reverted to this manifest stronghold and appointed reference.

As for the matter of the Covenant, steadfastness in the Covenant means obedience - that no one should say "my opinion is this," rather they must obey whatever proceeds from the pen and tongue of the Center of the Covenant.

O loving friend! The most praiseworthy station in this Day is constancy in the Covenant of God, the One worshipped by all. For this firmness constitutes a fountain of living waters, an ark of salvation and an impregnable stronghold of faith among the souls; it is a perspicuous light, the most great Instrument, the Supreme Intermediary between the believers and their Lord. This sign symbolises the Divine Mercy and the banner of God's bestowals among men. It is the Mighty Charter and the Shelter of everlasting security in the world.

If any soul wishes to speak in this Cause, they will ask, "Is this a word of your own, or is it by the authority of the Center of the Covenant? If you have the authority of the Center of the Covenant, produce it. Where is the letter from Him? Where is His signature?" If he produces the letter, they will accept it. If he fails to do so, they say, "We cannot accept your words because they emanate from you only and return to you. We have no command from the Blessed Perfection, Baha'u'llah, to obey you.

The Most Glorious Beauty (may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones) thirty years before His ascension guided all to a specific reference point, and repeatedly guided the believers present. Later in the Most Holy Book, with clear text like an impregnable fortress, He guided to the appointed station.

God, exalted be He, says: "Hold fast, all of you together, to the cord of God." Know, O loved ones of God, His chosen ones, His elect and the best of His creation, that holding fast means to grasp and cling with such firmness that no loosening or dissolution follows, and separation between the one holding fast and that which is held fast becomes impossible, until connection is achieved to such a degree that neither weakness nor negligence finds any place.

Indeed you strove boundlessly in establishing the servants upon the Covenant and Testament and became the manifestation of the confirmation and praise of the Blessed Beauty. And when the Covenant is preserved, all breaches will be repaired and ruins restored.

Praise be to God that the divine fragrances are being diffused from that region, and the sweet-scented breeze of steadfastness and firmness is manifest in its brilliance.

The winds of doubt may uproot weak trees, but not the lotuses in the hallowed garden's wilderness. The flood of ambiguous words may sweep away the weak foundations of the people of the veils, but not the lofty palace and mighty barrier of steel.

Now with pure intention and essential nature remain firm and steadfast in God's Cause and hold fast to the divine Covenant and Testament. Read the Book of the Covenant and contemplate the divine Covenant and faith.

O thou who art holding fast to the hem of God's Covenant! Know thou that the Covenant which God took beneath the shade of the Tree of Anisa is the Most Firm Handle and the strongest means and the light of guidance and the sun of the morning.

Firmness in the Covenant is not mere words. If a soul shall utter a word without the sanction of the Covenant, he is not firm. Baha'u'llah appointed a Covenant in order to ward off dissensions, so that no one should give his own opinion, but that the Center should be referred to.

In order to preserve the unity of the Cause and to spread the religion of God Baha'u'llah established this Covenant and Testament.

Say: O people of the Bayan, observe this blessed Word and act according to it. Today is God's Day; the mention of aught else is not permissible. If ye seek verses, He is the Kingdom of verses, and if ye seek proofs, He is the Dawning-Place thereof. By God's life! The Mother Book and the Mother Bayan appeared through Him, speak through Him, and circle round Him. Today all mention and deeds are dependent upon His acceptance and good-pleasure.

Today, the balance of the Cause of God, the protection and preservation of the Religion of God, the well-being of the loved ones of God, the salvation of the servants of God, the safeguarding of the Word of God, and the diffusion of the fragrances of God are all dependent and conditional upon firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of God. Should the slightest weakness and laxity occur, all matters would be disrupted and disordered.

Therefore, your honor in those regions must arise with divine power, spiritual might, steadfastness in the Covenant, divine firmness, spiritual fragrances, and heavenly confirmation, becoming like a wall of steel so that Gog of violation and Magog of commotion cannot make a breach or open a hole to spread their foul odor and cause the weak souls to slip.

The mighty bulwark and impregnable fortress is the firmness and steadfastness of all upon the Most Great Covenant. If the loved ones of God stand firm and show constancy and steadfastness, if they cling and hold fast to the divine Covenant and Testament with all their might, all will remain protected beneath the shade of the Tree, every cloud will be dispersed from the horizon of the Cause, and the brilliant morn of "He shall make it victorious over all religion" will shine forth clearly.

God! O thou who hast sacrificed thy spirit, thy soul, thy life, thy body, thy heart and thy very being in the path of God, who hast striven to exalt the Word of God, and hast arisen to mention God and praise Him among the worlds: Upon thee be the glory of God, His praise, His bounty, His grace and His loving-kindness. May He assist thee with the confirmations of His most glorious Kingdom and aid thee with the assistance of His most exalted Horizon amidst the concourse of creation. He hath made thee His resplendent sign and His waving banner, unfurled upon the lofty tower and glorious palace, and hath revived through the breaths of thy heart those hearts that are filled with the love of God, the Almighty Lord.

That which was inscribed by the pen of attraction was read and recited. In gratitude for the favors of the Blessed Beauty, we opened our lips to thank Him that through His grace and training He hath raised up souls who are firm and steadfast in the Cause of God, who hold fast to the Testament of God, and who cling to the counsels of God. Blessed are they and excellent is their abode!

Your honor must now, through the assistance and power of God, arise with such strength and ardor among the loved ones of God in the lands of God that the flame of the love of God may melt the heart of contingent beings and the lights of the divine morn may illumine and brighten the horizons of all created things. Today the most important of all matters and the greatest of all affairs is to arise to fulfill the divine counsels, to hold fast with utmost firmness to the Covenant and Testament of the All-Merciful, and to stand firm and resolute such that "the blame of the blamer shall not turn you from God" and you may become cutting swords amidst the hosts of the world and piercing arrows in the breasts of all who caw or who desire to create a breach or damage in the fortress of God's Cause, or division and dispersion, or weakness in holding fast to this firm handle which shall never break, according to the clear text of the Book of God and the explicit words of the Tablet of God's Covenant and His mighty Testament.

Know thou that the entire Cause hath returned to this manifest station, and none hath any movement or stillness in the Cause of God except after permission from this known spot. And the glory be upon thee in all conditions.

This is the testament of the Blessed Beauty! This is the content of the Book of the Covenant! Soon you shall see those who waver in manifest loss.

When thou passest by those servants who waver, say: By God, the Truth! The appointed Center is like an impregnable fortress, and the Focal Point of the Covenant is like a mountain firmly established among the horizons, unshaken by the tempests of denial and the storms of pride.

This day is the day of clinging to the Strong Cord and of turning to the Perspicuous Horizon. That means rising to implement the divine testaments and counsels.

I swear by the Educator of the seen and unseen and the Lord of all existence that should a soul arise holding firm to Covenant and Testament of God as is appropriate to this great matter, the company of the angels nigh unto God and the hosts of the All-Loving Lord will confirm him and the power of divine assistance will encompass him.

O servant of Baha! There is a crown upon the head of the people of the Covenant whose pearls are the words of the Most Holy Book, whose precious jewels are the verses of the Book of the Covenant, and whose radiance and effulgence are the bestowals of the Lord God.

But gather ye all beneath the banner of the Covenant, that they may wholly forget their own will and move according to the will of the Center of the Covenant. This is the eternal sovereignty of the loved ones of God. This is the celestial radiance. This is the manifestation of the All-Merciful.

Beware! Beware! Lest ye be shaken: Remain firm even if the people of heaven try to shake you. Firmness in the Covenant is not mere words. The command is explicit.

We must obey the Blessed Beauty. We must never forget His favors and exhortations. If even a breath of egotism is found in us, we shall perish at once.

The protection of the Cause of God and the unity of the people of Baha are dependent on firmness in the Covenant of God and adherence to the writings of the Expounder of the divine verses.

And the covenant and testament that all the Prophets and Messengers had established for the Promised Day of the Blessed Beauty, and for faith and certitude in the Greatest Name, and for attachment to the hem of the Ancient Beauty, became the cause of joy and delight to pure souls.

In the Qur'an, He clearly stated: "Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to such of Our servants as We chose. But there are among them some who wrong their own souls; some who follow a middle course; and some who are, by God's leave, foremost in good deeds." He says that We made inheritors of the Book those souls among Our servants who are the manifestations of "We have chosen", but these manifestations of "We have chosen" are of three kinds: some wrong their own souls, some are moderate, meaning they follow a middle course, and some are foremost in good deeds.

By the decisive divine text, all from beginning to end after the Blessed Ascension are addressed "Turn ye unto Him Whom God hath purposed" and must be turned unto the One explicitly designated.

Praise be to God, that you have a blessed Assembly surnamed by the name of the Center of the Covenant! This is an evidence of your utmost firmness and steadfastness and a proof of your faith and assurance in the Blessed Perfection.

For this divine Covenant is an institution of the Lord.

O thou upright servant of the One True God!

In this Day both uprightness and redemption are to be found in steadfastness in the Covenant of God and in firm obedience to the Testament and Will of the Well-Beloved. For this impregnable stronghold protects the souls of men and this all-encompassing shelter is the means for the tranquillity of spirit, the redemptive life, and the true salvation of the people.

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To-day the vineyard of the kingdom is irrigated by the water of the covenant. The seeds will not grow and develop except by this water.

… The believers must be confirmed in the covenant, and they must know for a certainty that to-day there is no greater necessity than to be confirmed in the covenant of God. That which issues from the Center of the Covenant is the truth, which is unchangeable, and that which issues from his pen is true and everlasting. All contrary thereto is like parasitic growths having no roots. Such growths may live for two days, or five days, or ten days, but at the first breeze they wither.

Whosoever utters a word you must ask: 'Where is the authority of the Center of the Covenant? Show it.' Without this you must not listen to him. If an angel comes down from heaven and has no authority from the Center of the Covenant, you must require his authority.

The glory from Us be upon the people of Baha who have held fast to the Crimson Ark and whom the censure of every denier and deceiver hath not kept from the Path.

Hold fast to the hem of faithfulness with the hands of submission and contentment. This is My counsel to thee and My bidding upon thee.

However, it was noted that such a mighty Cause, such a firm Covenant and ancient Testament of the gracious Lord, will certainly not be without severe tests and trials and a great tempest.

The measure of firmness in the Covenant is praise of the friends, love for the chosen ones, and laudation of the pure ones. And among the signs of violation is speaking ill and backbiting the friends of God....

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May He enable you to hold fast to the hem of grandeur, to hasten towards the field of sacrifice, and to be sheltered beneath the shade of that blessed Tree whose roots are planted firm and whose branches reach unto heaven.

O ye members of the spiritual assembly! Become ye firm and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament to such a degree that your meeting become the expression of one soul and endeavor ye with your hearts and minds so that ye may become the cause of the illumination of this darkened world and that through your efforts the lights of the Kingdom dawn upon this nether sphere.

O ye League of the Covenant! Verily the Abha Beauty made a promise to the beloved who are steadfast in the Covenant, that He would reinforce their strivings with the strongest of supports, and succour them with His triumphant might.

I am likewise longing to gaze upon those illumined faces and converse and associate with those true friends. But the magnetic power which shall draw me to those shores is the union and harmony of the friends, their behavior and conduct in accordance with the teachings of God and the firmness of all in the Covenant and the Testament.

Walk, therefore, with a sure step and engage with the utmost assurance and confidence in the promulgation of the divine fragrances, the glorification of the Word of God and firmness in the Covenant. Rest ye assured that if a soul ariseth in the utmost perseverance and raiseth the Call of the Kingdom and resolutely promulgateth the Covenant, be he an insignificant ant he shall be enabled to drive away the formidable elephant from the arena, and if he be a feeble moth he shall cut to pieces the plumage of the rapacious vulture.

O my God, O Fashioner of names and Creator of heaven! By Thy might and Thy majesty, Thy power and Thy sovereignty, I find no hosts more mighty than the covenant of Thy chosen ones before Thy face and their pledge to aid Thy Cause and exalt Thy Word.

But the witness of all these gifts will only unveil in the assembly of the friends when the Covenant and Testament are preserved and protected. Otherwise: "Hasten to perdition! Hasten to error! Hasten to disappointed hopes! Hasten to despair and extinction! Hasten to severe and impossible torment!"

Whensoever their gaze lighteth upon gatherings of those who are steadfast in the Covenant and Testament, then do they utter their cry, 'Glad tidings! Glad tidings!' Then, exulting, do they lift up their voices, and shout, 'O ye spiritual communion! O ye gathering of God! Blessed are ye! Glad tidings be unto you!

As it was the first general Convention in America, it displayed wonderful influence. The gathering of that illumined Assembly in such a short space of time would have been impossible without the power of the divine Covenant and Testament. But the Covenant has such a great sway that it astonishes the minds.

You have heard with heart and soul the call of the Covenant and Testament, and drunk deeply of the cup of "Am I not?" and have arisen to fulfill the Covenant, sacrificing soul and spirit in the path of the Testament.

The glory of God rest upon thee and upon them that hold fast unto the sure handle of His Will and holy Covenant.

I swear by the Ancient Beauty! Steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of God in this day means that one must sacrifice e one's life for the friends of the All Merciful. Until such a degree of sacrifice is attained one cannot be accounted among those who are faithful to the Covenant. Not a single drop from the ocean of sincerity can be tasted, nor a breath of fragrant air inhaled from the rosegarden of the All Glorious without this level of sacrifice.

Perhaps some corrupt souls may come to America and strive to shake your hearts. You must be firm in the Covenant and Testament like an immovable mountain that is not shaken by the most violent tempest.

Therefore, since your name indicates love from one named after Ali in the Kingdom of Names, it is hoped that you will arise to fulfill what is required by this blessed name and these illustrious characteristics - namely, to spread the divine fragrances and show steadfastness in God's Covenant. And glory be upon you and upon all who remain firm in the Ancient Covenant.

You must be united. You must protect the Cause. Do not let anyone interfere with the Cause of GOD. Be very careful.

Be a runner after truth, a cloud of bounty to the servants of God; be kindly to thy debtors; be a forgiver to the transgressors; be a fulfiller of the Covenant and steadfast in the Cause."

By the might of my Lord, verily, the Lord will assist only those who will remain firm in His Cause, and desire union, love, humility and submissiveness, and to become separated from aught else save God. Every forehead which is illuminated with these lights will be a lamp of guidance and a star whereby all horizons will be lighted.

Verily, I beseech God to illumine thy sight by witnessing the light of hopes and cause thee to speak His praise among the maid-servants, and to make thee steadfast in this path, on which feet have slipped through the power of tests.

This is due to the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom, which have enabled these persons to draw nigh and abide in the Covenant. Today the directing power in the heart of the world is the power of the Covenant. The more the friends stand firm the more shall they be strengthened.

Its perusal indicated thy faith and firmness in the Covenant and the Testament.

… Consider that the words of Mirza Ali Akbar were so effective because he is firm in the Covenant.

A believer in Baha'u'llah is he who is firm in the Covenant. He who is firm in the divine Covenant is a believer, a servant of the believers, a seeker of Baha'i harmony and unity and a promoter of fellowship and amity among the friends of God.

O true friends of the Abha Beauty!

Happy are you who stand firm with this servant in servitude to the Ancient Beauty, and who are intoxicated like a tender sapling from the Kawthar of His favors, and who draw from His ocean of benevolence, who acknowledge His Covenant and Faith, who partake of His flowing treasure, who are the blessing of the righteous and the curse of the wicked, who are the paradise of friends and the fire of strangers, who are the drawn swords of the Covenant and the hosts of the Testament, who are the light of the horizons.

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Therefore, roll up thy sleeves to serve the Covenant, make the hearts firm in the Covenant of the beloved Lord, create harmony and agreement among the believers and impart to them the glad-tidings of the confirmation which they will receive from God if the differences of opinion be removed and if they unite and agree, be firm in spreading the fragrance of God, divulging the traces and chanting the signs of God.

O Lord! Aid them to agreement, keep them away from hypocrisy, preserve them from discord, make them firm in the Covenant, make them attracted to the Luminary of the horizons, and circling around the Day-Star of effulgence.

I supplicate to the Divine Majesty for the establishment of every assembly which hath turned its face towards God; left the scattered desires; abandoned the self and passion; and become firm in the Cause of God as solid mountains, which are not agitated by the winds and violent storms.

O servant of the Sacred Threshold! All these letters which you send are the cause of spirit and fragrance, for they demonstrate firmness in the Covenant and humility and submissiveness among the friends.

O petitioning leaf! They say that women are weaker than men in their creation, nature and virtues. This servant has the firm conviction that not every man is strong nor every woman weak. Those women who are firm in God's Covenant and Testament are the strongest souls and are supported by the hosts of the Kingdom, while vacillating men are weaker than a mosquito or a spider.

O ye flock of the Lord of glory! Blessed are they who have observed the fast during its appointed month, who have gathered together in perfect unity and harmony, have freed themselves from the insinuations of doubt and stood firm in the Covenant, have been graciously enabled to promote the Cause of God, and have arisen with utter self-abnegation for love of Baha'u'llah.

If there is no firmness in the Covenant, this Baha'i oneness will be dissipated and the Baha'i world will be like other worlds, like other religions, and will be subjected to various sects and creeds; and there is no greater injury to the Cause of God than this -- that the Baha'i Cause should be composed of various sects and denominations.

"The importance is the unity of the friends. That is very important. Unity must be made very firm. Whoever has love for Baha'u'llah must give his life for the friends. Love for the friends is love for Baha'u'llah In this Cause there is no danger save the disharmony among the friends.

With perfect faith and assurance they must toil and labor and know of a certainty that the goal is ahead. They shall reach there if they work steadily and firmly.

The Lord of Hosts is reinforcing them.

We counsel thee to love My Afnan who have remained faithful to My Covenant and Testament and who have arisen to serve My Cause, the Mighty, the Great.

O ye who stand firm in the Covenant! Today this title is the most wondrous of melodies, for the power of the Cause of God lies in the Covenant and Testament, and the diffusion of the divine fragrances throughout all regions is through the power of the Testament. Nothing but the Divine Covenant can preserve the unity of the Baha'i world, and naught but steadfastness in the Testament can repel the onslaught of the Covenant-breakers and violators.

They are aware of the harms of the slightest discord and cognizant of the dangers of division in the Word of God, and they strive with heart and soul for unity of word, the penetration of the Cause, firmness in the Covenant and steadfastness in the Testament. The blame of the blamer and the severity of the reviler do not deter them in the path of God. Rather, they remain firm in the explicit Covenant like a solid structure.

Today the sure handle, the greatest means, the ark of salvation, the water of life, the strong rope of God, the manifest Book, the sun of the highest heaven, the preserved tablet, the outstretched parchment, the mighty pillar, and the impregnable barrier of iron is the divine Covenant and Testament.

Today your greatest service is to make souls firm and steadfast in the Covenant and to protect the friends so that Taqi'of and his like do not infiltrate Baha'i gatherings.

As much as you can, make souls firm in the Covenant and Testament, and through this firmness Baha'i unity will be established and different thoughts will be gathered at one point.

The news of your unity and harmony imparted the utmost joy and happiness, I hope that day by day you may increase your love, your self-sacrifice, your firmness in the Covenant and Testament of God; - so that every one of you may become a brilliant proof and an incontrovertible evidence to the validity of the Cause of Baha-ollah...

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This love and affection and oneness and self-sacrifice and burning like a candle and laying down one's life and becoming enkindled with the fire of the love of God are among the decisive proofs of firmness in the Covenant of the sincere friends and agreeing loved ones.

Because the spirit of this age is the Covenant and the Testament of God. It is like the pulsating artery in the body of the world.

Speak in your meetings and assemblages about the Testament and the Covenant, and invite every one to firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant. Know ye this: that if any person is the least doubtful about the Covenant, he is immediately cut off--although he may be the greatest among men. The harmful results of such an event will appear in the future; therefore, give your utmost attention to this question.

It is incumbent to be firm beneath the pavilion of the Covenant, and binding to acknowledge and confess the oneness of the one true God. Day by day increase in steadfastness and firmness, enter the rose-garden of unity, and find repose in the shade of the tree of hope.

Though outwardly you are far from us, in reality you are in our presence, for bonds of unity and oneness and sentiments of purity and detachment exist between us. Through the favors of the peerless Lord, it is hoped that you will ever abide under divine protection and safeguarding, and day by day increase in faith, certitude and steadfastness in the Covenant.

O servant of the Truth! Blessed are those intoxicated at the feast of "Am I not your Lord?" who are drunk from the brimming cup of the Covenant and Testament.

Listen with the ear of understanding to the Abha Kingdom that you may hear that call which says: O friends of Ishqabad! Indeed you made that land the realm of love and arose to fulfill the Covenant. You did not cause pain to the Manifestation of the Covenant and did not strike a blow against the Temple of the Covenant.

The German friends are truly worthy of the favors of the Blessed Beauty, for until now not the slightest trace of discord has been felt from any individual among the German friends. Rather, each one is steadfast and the cause of steadfastness and firmness in others.

My counsel to you is to be firm in the Cause and Love one another. The Tent of the Cause of GOD is supported by two poles: Steadfastness and Love. If you are assisted by these two, be sure that all the Kings and Queens of the earth cannot prevail, and you will indeed be the conquerors.

In these days the most important matters are unity and harmony, holding fast to the Covenant and Testament, and teaching the Cause of the Light of the horizons.

Be ye stars of guidance and steadfastness in this heaven, that through your lights those who are on earth may be illumined.

...One must always search for his own shortcomings so that he may repent at the Threshold of Oneness and become protected and guarded; otherwise, pride and haughtiness will take possession of one's heart, and this will cause deprivation of the Bounties of the Court of Singleness. As thou hast realized thy own shortcomings, rest thou assured that thou art firm in the Covenant and Testament, and in the love of the True One are steadfast and growing....

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Therefore thou must remain so steadfast and firm that even if all who are in the kingdom should arise in opposition, thou wouldst pay no heed. For soon will the clamor of the idolaters rise from all sides with fabricated, false utterances, seeking through every manner of insinuation, deceit and guile to prevent people from approaching the holy divine Stream. Thus must thou regard them all as non-existent and remain steadfast on the path of His Cause.

O beloved of My heart! Strange it is that certain souls cannot distinguish between a foul odor and the fragrance of musk. Consider the people of the Bayan who are now turned away - they walk exactly in the path of the people of the Furqan, yet call themselves people of the Bayan, and with the utmost deceit and guile are occupied in leading holy souls astray.

Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept back from attaining My Court of holiness.

And if this laxity and indolence of the friends of God in the divine Covenant should thus persist, I swear by the Most Holy Threshold - may my spirit be a sacrifice to its dust - that conditions shall worsen beyond this, and the divine foundation shall be completely shaken, and we shall all be caught in the dark pit of eternal rejection.

Blessed art thou for having cast them behind thee and for having turned to God with spirit and fragrance. We have heard thy call and what thou hast composed in remembrance of this Wronged One Who was banished and exiled throughout the lands. By the life of God! We call unto all who are on earth even as We called them before, and We make mention of what We mentioned before all faces. The might of the mighty cannot hinder Us, nor the clamor of the divines, nor the roaring of men. The hosts of the world cannot weaken Us.

O thou name of God! Today the measure of all things and the magnet of divine confirmations is steadfastness in the Covenant of the Glorious Lord. All must be guided to this mighty foundation, for it is the firm structure raised by the Blessed Beauty. The more steadfast any soul is, the more confirmed and successful they shall be.

Today, those souls who are firm in the Covenant soar with the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, while those who waver remain lifeless, silent, and afflicted with a thousand sorrows and pains. For the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom have been cut off from them, they are deprived of the light of the Sun of Truth, and they remain bereft of the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

O Leaf of Oneness! Hold fast unto this Tree lest thou fall when the winds of dissension blow from every malicious deceiver.

Guard ye, with the aid of the one true God—exalted be His glory—the integrity of the station which ye have attained, and cleave to that which shall promote His Cause.

O you who have grasped the hem of Glory! Know that the Tongue of the Unseen from the Most Glorious Kingdom addresses you at this moment saying: "O Mehdi! Keep your feet firm upon the Ancient Covenant and strengthen your heart with the binding Covenant and adorn your ears with the pearls of remembrance of your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

… The Divine Covenant is manifest, the Center of the Covenant exists, the designated Reference and appointed Interpreter is renowned.

O loved ones of God! Seek to hold fast to the Most Great Handle and cling to the hem of the grace of the Most Glorious Beauty. Be so firm and steadfast in the divine Covenant and Testament and the will of the All-Merciful Beauty that the hosts of doubts cannot imagine otherwise and cannot cause division in the Cause of God.

Forget then all these matters and, with the utmost resolve, firmness, and steadfastness in the Covenant of God, and with faithful adherence unto His Testament, strive to exalt His Word.

The angels of holiness intercede for thee in the Abha of Kingdom, and the Concourse on high cry out most loudly unto thee saying: "Well done, well done! O thou who hast been faithful to the covenant, fulfilled completely that which he pledged unto God on the Day of Splendor, and whose cleaving to the Testament of God , and clinging to the hem of the bestowals of the Lord were not affected by the blame of the blamer."

Therefore, purify and sanctify your hearing from the whisperings of doubts of the wavering ones, and through the power of the Most Great Name arise to prove the Most Perfect Covenant of the Ancient Beauty, may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones.

O daughter of the Kingdom! If you desire divine confirmations and heavenly assistance, that the celestial hosts may aid you, remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of Baha'u'llah and be constant in the Covenant and Testament, so that like a mighty foundation you may endure forever. When any created thing remains firm in its own center, great results and mighty effects are produced.

O thou who art turned unto the Most Glorious Kingdom! By God, the True One! Verily the tribes of the Supreme Concourse offer prayers for those who are firm in the Covenant of God, and they aid those servants whom no blame from any blamer can deter from remaining steadfast in the Testament of God. And thou, O thou who hast tasted the sweetness of the honey of the Covenant, turn not thy gaze from the light of the dawning-place.

O handmaiden of God! If thou seekest a sheltering shade, enter beneath the shadow of the Tree of Life. If thou desirest an eternal paradise, establish thyself in the gardens of the Covenant. If thou searchest for the fountain of life, drink from the Salsabil of the Covenant.

I swear by the light of God that supreme good, abundant portion, and ancient glory lie in this.

In the divine kingdom of existence today, there is no matter more important than firmness and steadfastness in God's Covenant and Testament. For through this divine power the mighty fortress of the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting One is preserved and protected, and the station and rank of souls becomes evident.

Through divine power you have made weak souls steadfast, for soon the forces of wavering will attack, the leaves of doubt will spread, and the croaking of every croaker will be raised.

Has the ancient star of the Covenant from the Great Announcement risen, flashed, shone forth and appeared in the clear horizon? Has the Straight Path become evident? Has guidance become distinct from blameworthy error? Has the light of guidance become distinguished from the darkness of remote misguidance? Has the banner of signs been raised upon the highest towers of clear proofs, fluttering in the winds of the firm Covenant - one group receiving glad tidings through the divine breaths, another group turning away their faces and fleeing?

The voices of glorification have been raised from the Kingdom of the Glorious Lord, and the angels of glad-tidings have called out to the people of the Book who are free from misinterpretation: "Blessed are ye for having remained firm! Glad-tidings unto you for having stood fast!

O handmaiden of God! Today chastity and purity consist in steadfastness in God's Covenant. Whosoever is confirmed therein dwells in the shelter of chastity and the stronghold of purity.

In the divine Tablets this word hath repeatedly been revealed - His word, exalted and mighty is He: "The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God, and the end thereof is steadfastness in His Cause." We must, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, beseech the Goal of all creation that He may adorn all with the ornament of steadfastness. Some souls, despite their claims of steadfastness, certitude and assurance, were veiled by a single cawing from the flow of the Most Exalted Pen.

O thou who art assured by the verses of God! Today the greatest of all matters and most important of affairs is firmness in the Covenant and Testament of God and steadfastness in the Covenant of the All-Merciful. If a person were to perform all the deeds of the first and the last and be endowed with all the knowledge of the worlds, yet were to be neglectful of the Covenant for the twinkling of an eye, he would return to the first step.

Today those meanings are steadfastness and firmness upon the Center of the Covenant, for the protection of God's Cause and the preservation of God's religion depend upon it.

He will become humble to the Covenant and lowly to the Testament, and in the station of obedience and submission he will obey all divine commands and submit with heart and soul.

I pull the sails of the ship firmly and fasten the ropes tight. I locate my destination and then by the power of My will I hold the wheel and head out. No matter how strong the storm, no matter how dangerous the threat to the safety of the ship, I do not change course. I do not become agitated or disheartened; I persevere until I reach my goal.

The people of Baha must be educated until they attain unto the Most Great Steadfastness, lest the tempests of doubts and the storms of allusions move them.

O Muhammad ibn Ghulam! The Wronged One desireth to make mention of thee that thou mayest find the fragrance of utterance in the days of the All-Merciful and be of those who are assured. How many were the servants who considered themselves among God's chosen ones and the noblest of creation, yet when the winds of tests moved even as much as the eye of a needle, they broke God's Covenant and joined the hosts of misbelief. After divine recognition, steadfastness is necessary.

The world of being is a tempestuous sea, and the shore of this ocean is the Covenant of the All-Merciful. Therefore, board the celestial ship, unfurl the sails of high endeavor, and with the winds of abundant grace, traverse this surging sea, taking refuge on the shore of the Covenant, so that in the realm of bounty, you may be established upon the throne of the sovereignty of the love of God.

Today the greatest of all affairs is firmness in the Covenant. This Covenant is the Covenant of God. This Testament is the Testament of the Lord of Hosts. If you consider that any soul shows the slightest weakness in the Covenant, undoubtedly counsel him and guide him so that he may become firm.

Today no soul has any station or enjoys any title except the soul who is firm in the Covenant and steadfast in the Testament, who entirely forgets himself and is released from the world.

Strive day and night for the firmness and steadfastness of the friends and exert mighty effort in diffusing the divine fragrances.

When the Tree of the Covenant becomes established in the soil of hearts, all will cease from thought of casting doubts and will hold fast to the hem of the Covenant.

'Neath the shade of the tree of truth, have ye reposed and from the wine of the Covenant have ye drunk your fill and become intoxicated with love for Him who is the Day Star of the world.

Now doth the true Beloved doth call on us from the Unseen Realm. He doth commend you for your staunchness and steadfastness. For ye did stand forth firm of step and resolute of heart among the peoples of the world after His passing.

This is not the day for investigation and questioning, but rather the day for steadfastness and firmness in the Covenant and Testament. If thou art among the heroes of this field, then loosen the reins and let thy tongue speak forth in praise of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Be firm as the immovable mountains and leave aside the doubts of those who deal in allusions. Soon thou shalt find the banner of the Covenant raised high and the sail of the Testament unfurled and visible.

Firmness and steadfastness are, in this day, the greatest of all things. Unless a tree be steadfast, it will not bear fruit; and unless a foundation remain firm, it will not endure. There is no higher virtue in the human world than steadfastness; he who manifesteth it shall become a son of the Kingdom of God, and shall receive the confirmation of the Holy Spirit.

Give my salutations and praise to that assembly who are firm in the Covenant of God, and say:

O ye whom God hath chosen from among those who are called (know ye that many are called but few chosen); upon whom he caused the evident light to descend; whom he guided into the right path and to whom he gave the glad tidings of the great success--ye must be sincere and faithful, ye must follow the ordinances which refer to the Covenant of God, which is the solid edifice.

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Today the winds of doubts have secretly surrounded the Ship of the Covenant and Testament. Soon the armies of doubts will openly spread from all directions. Therefore steadfastness and resistance are necessary and holding fast and clinging are essential.

Therefore give thanks to the Beloved of the worlds that you are steadfast in God's covenant and testament and are acting according to the Most Holy Book of the Lord.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Thy letter was noted. It was evidence of humility and submissiveness and proof of attraction to the Countenance of the Desired One.

The sign of God's endless forgiveness is the Covenant of the All-Merciful. Hold fast and cling unto it.

O Joseph! If thou desirest to become honored in the Egypt of existence, give unto the company of the Hands full measure of the Covenant, and interpret the dream of the Testament in this Day. By God, the True One! Verily, the women of eternity shall honor thee and say: "God forbid! This is no mortal. This is none other than a noble angel."

O two who are enraptured by the Covenant! Until the power of attraction comes into play, firmness and steadfastness do not appear. … Therefore, firmness in the Covenant requires the attractive force of heart and soul.

Praise be to God that the friends in Faran are firm in the Covenant and Testament, especially those two loving friends.

But you must be relief after hardship and the fixed pole of the circle so that whisperings and insinuations of doubts may be completely cut off from those directions.

O servant! Be at rest within thyself, then stand firm in the Cause in such wise that no wind shall move thee and no misbeliever shall cause thee to slip, and purify thy face for God Who hath perfected His favor unto thee and made it to overflow.

Say: O Baqir, O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Faithfulness to the Covenant and Testament beseemeth the sincere ones, the near ones, and the assured ones - not the wood-turners of the earth. No soul is worthy of this most exalted station save he who hath purified his heart and soul through repentance and turning unto God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust.

In gratitude for this divine bestowal remain firm and steadfast in God's Covenant and Testament. Firmness in the Covenant and Testament is servitude at the Sacred Threshold and effacement at the Court of Oneness.

Therefore, arise to fulfill the Covenant and Testament, and strive to spread the virtues and qualities that are the gift of the human world.

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing; He is the All-Seeing, the All-Wise!

If a soul, firm, steadfast, assured and upright be found, and for the sake of God, His love and His good-pleasure arise with perfect constancy like a banner upon the highest heights, and with loudest cry question all things as to what hath befallen the Wronged One in the path of God and what He hath purposed - by the life of God, all will cry out with loudest voice this most exalted Word: He hath come for the salvation of the world and the preservation of the nations, and hath desired naught but the exaltation of their stations and the elevation of their ranks, and hath borne what none hath borne before nor shall bear hereafter.

O Amin! I swear by the Manifest Cause that is evident and visible in the Most Great Prison that the hearing ear which, through the divine bounty, hath been purified from the false tales of the former times and the fabricated stories of the latter days will surely hear this call from all things. In all conditions there hath been revealed from the Pen of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, that which every just one hath testified to and every seeing one hath witnessed, regarding the refinement and purification of souls and the education of the world. Nevertheless, certain souls who claim adherence to the Truth have committed that which causeth the very essence of truth to weep. I swear by the Call that is raised today from the Sinai of divine knowledge that this Wronged One hath suffered at their hands that which hath no equal or likeness, to such extent that they have defiled the pure hem and clouded the luminous Cause. Every hearing one hath heard the lamentation of the divine Tablets and every seeing one hath perceived the sorrows inflicted. Some who claim to love have wrought that which hath left the Tablet and the Pen bewildered and dumbfounded. The sighs of the sincere ascend and the tears of the near ones descend.

In the Persian Hidden Words this most exalted Word was revealed from the Supreme Pen: "O My servant! Barter not the everlasting dominion for a single emanation, nor the sovereignty of the Celestial Paradise for a fleeting desire." The counsels of the past and present bow down, nay prostrate themselves, before God's exhortation in this Most Great Manifestation. Some have become so inflamed with the fire of self and passion that they have astonished the Concourse on High.

Your honor hath repeatedly attained the presence of the Most Holy Court through divine grace and infinite heavenly bounty, and hath repeatedly heard from the Tongue of Grandeur that which was the cause of life and sanctification, and the means of exaltation and purification. Now reflect upon the deeds of certain heedless souls - what was the counsel and what became the deed! O Amin! The treachery and falsehood of that claimant of love was sharper than a sword in striking at the body of the Cause. The tribulations of this Wronged One have been from the deeds of those who claim to love Him. In the past, the tongue of the Wronged One uttered these words: "My affliction is not My imprisonment and what hath descended upon Me from My enemies, but rather the deeds of My loved ones who attribute themselves to Me yet commit that which causeth My heart and My pen to lament." In brief, such utterances have repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen. The deed of the enemy of God and the oppressor brought about in the great city that which had no equal or likeness. That faithless traitor, out of greed for wealth, forsook his ultimate end. The fire of his greed was so aflame that at every moment a new falsehood would appear from him. By the life of God, he forsook what is good and clung to evil. Through his treachery, a grievous blow was dealt to justice. In all conditions, beseech ye God that perchance they may become aware and return.

Today the greatest form of divine piety is firmness in the Covenant, and pure deeds means the conduct, actions and words of true Baha'is that conform to divine counsels and exhortations.

As befitting thanks for such a bounty, stand ye staunch and strong in the Covenant and, following the precepts of God and the holy Law, suckle your children from their infancy with the milk of a universal education, and rear them so that from their earliest days, within their inmost heart, their very nature, a way of life will be firmly established that will conform to the divine Teachings in all things.

Blessed is he who is adorned with the attributes of his Lord - he is of those who fulfilled the Covenant on the Day of Separation.

Every soul that hath remained faithful to the Covenant, even though to outward seeming, unable to read the letters of the alphabet, he should let his thoughts be fixed upon the exaltation of the Word of God and towards the teaching of His Cause.

I swear by that Peerless Beauty, Who is in the Unseen Kingdom, that when the leaves loose their tongues in praise and glorification of the All-Loving Lord, and in teaching the Cause of the Kind Lord, the concourse of the Kingdom and the inmates of the Unseen Realms will give ear, and cry out with exclamations of extreme joy and jubilation.

Glory be upon thee and upon every handmaiden who is steadfast in the Covenant.

Among these services was the effort expended on behalf of the teachers, and in India the first person who became the cause of promotion was Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Isma'il who assisted the friends and showed kindness to the wanderers. This righteous deed is confirmed by the grace of the Forgiving Lord and brings forth abundant reward.

The Cause has become very great. Many souls are entering it--souls with different mentalities and degrees of understanding. Complex difficulties constantly rise before us. The administration of the Cause has become most difficult. Conflicting thought and theories attack the Cause from every side. Now consider to what extent the believers in God must become firm and soul-sacrificing. Every one of the friends must become the essence of essences; each one must become a brilliant lamp.

El-Baha and salutations be upon every one who is firm in the Covenant, free from dissension, sanctified from deceits and steadfast in the path.

It is my hope that in His bounty He will soon raise up these souls, that His Cause may be exalted. The lodestone which will attract this grace is staunchness in the Covenant. Render thou thanks unto God that thou art firmest of the firm.

The armies of the Covenant will destroy the straggling bands of lukewarm waverers; verily our hosts shall conquer those who doubt.

And today the most important of all matters is awakening to firmness and steadfastness and holding fast to God's Covenant and Testament, and explaining the power and greatness of this Covenant and Testament and faith.

And greetings be upon you and upon every servant who has turned to the Kingdom of Truth, remained firm in the Covenant, spoken with truthfulness, and turned wholly to the Ancient Lord.

Thou hast now also attained unto the bounty of circumambulating the Spot round which circle the spiritually illumined ones. Thou art firm and steadfast in the Covenant, and hast clung to the hem of the All-Merciful.

O thou who seekest the lights of guidance!

In this great century of the Generous Lord adhere thou to the Pre-existent Covenant and cling to the hem of the Merciful.

… Rely not therefore on thy capacities but in the effusive grace of the All Loving Lord and be firm at all times, be stalwart and serene in the Covenant and Testament.

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While others have forgotten the promotion of God's Cause, set aside service to the Holy Threshold, neglected the exaltation of the Word of God, deemed the acquisition of divine qualities futile, imagined the eternal ancient glory of firmness in the Covenant to be vain fancies, and become occupied day and night with spreading false rumors and disseminating papers of doubt - since the Ascension until now none of the negligent ones has taught even a single soul.

O Lord! This is a servant who has cast off from his temple the tattered garment and donned the new robe, who has detached himself from his spirit, his self, his sleep, his rest, his family, his people, his pleasures, his provisions and his clan, and has made all his prayers and remembrances a single prayer, and his condition in Thy service eternal.

Therefore you must be vigilant day and night lest anyone cause wavering and become the cause of weakness and laxity of hearts in the Cause of God. These thoughtless souls do not realize that weakness in the Covenant causes strength to the nations of the world and weakening of the light.

O ironsmith of love, souls are like cold iron - cast them into the fire of the Covenant. When they glow, make each one a sharp sword. Since you are a servant of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, you are a king and sovereign.

I swear by that illumined countenance and that perfumed nature and that musk-scented hair that His holy outpourings from the Kingdom of the Unseen are like a torrential rain - if any soul, whether male or female, arises firmly faithful to His covenant and testament to spread His fragrances, they will be assisted and confirmed by His heavenly hosts.

O ye beloved of God! This is the age of firmness and steadfastness, the time for unwavering constancy. From one direction the holy fragrances are wafting, and from another, the winds of doubt are blowing. Great are the lights that shine forth from the manifest horizon, and ancient are the mysteries recorded in the glorious Book. The flame of the Covenant doth move the people of all regions, and the eternal dominion is manifest and evident.

Today, after firmness in the Covenant and Testament, the greatest of all matters is the teaching of God's Cause.

Praise be to God that in this cycle of the All-Merciful, the Parsees have won the palm of victory in the arena, have become attracted to the Beloved of the horizons, illumined by the light of dawn, and firm and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament.

Gird up thy loins firmly to serve the Cause and strive to strengthen the weak ones in their firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament. For the divine Covenant is a heavenly trust that the mountains, earth and heavens could not bear - how then can the weak ones bear it?

The conditions of this name are to acquire divine attributes, to diffuse the fragrances of God, to exalt the Word of God, and to remain firm and steadfast in God's Covenant and Testament.

Today firmness in the Covenant is the means of the promotion of the Word of God and conducive to the effect of the word of man. Any explanation which does not accord with the Covenant will have no effect whatever. Therefore, whosoever heralds the Covenant of God, unquestionably he is confirmed. This has been tried a thousand times.

O Khusraw Khan! God willing, you are a servant of the Threshold and are gladdened by the glad-tidings of the All-Merciful.

Under the banner of the Word of Divine Unity may you marshal such hosts as will scatter the ranks of ignorance, the regiment of self and passion, and the armies of violation and cruelty, and serve the Standard of the Covenant.

Today firmness in the covenant of servitude is the means of effectively flinging forth the divine proclamation into all horizons and this firmness is conducive to the power of the word of the teacher; for in this day when one arises to herald the Kingdom of Abha, a magnetic power is produced which attracts the rays of confirmation; the hosts of the supreme concourse will make whosoever is sincere victorious and the power of the Holy Spirit will assist him.

Concerning what was mentioned about the king and other matters, these points have been made contingent upon consultation in God's Book. Consult ye and hold fast unto it.

You will certainly continue to form such gatherings repeatedly so that you and the souls firm and steadfast in the Covenant may speak in these gatherings and awaken the sleeping ones and bring the dead to life.

Despite those letters, how did you come to believe this account and write such a letter? If we are to accept such accounts, matters become difficult. Rather, you should be so assured that if even a thoroughly truthful person were to relate such an account, you would reply that your purpose is to serve the Cause of God, not to praise or criticize individuals.

Now you, with a joyous spirit, an illumined heart, seeing eyes, an eloquent tongue, and a breast dilated by the Covenant and Testament of God, travel to Ishqabad and Samarkand and those regions.

Today the banner of the unity of the Covenant is raised high and the connection between hearts is firm. As much as you are able, expound the mysteries of the Covenant and Testament, that the lights of the Lord of the Covenant may shine forth.

The honorable members of this new Assembly, which has been formed at Washington, must be in perfect steadfastness, because no edifice, without firmness and erectness, lasts long and no tree, without being firmly rooted, becomes ornamented with leaves and fruits.

It is my hope that this Assembly will, with the utmost firmness and steadfastness, arise in service.

Exert thyself with all heart and soul so that it may continue and be stable and constant until blessed results may ensue therefrom, for without firmness and steadfastness no matter shall prove effective in existence.

O thou who in truth art attracted through the Breaths of the Holy Spirit!

I sent to thee a letter few in words and full in its meanings and its mysteries, showing signs of good-tidings. By my life, there are manifested meanings in the mysteries of the words!

At present I address thee in plain language without being veiled, and I say to thee: "Stand up with all thy strength to guide the followers of negligence and blindness, and diffuse the breaths of God in those regions; and set off with all speed to New York and Chicago and call with the loudest voice in the assemblies of the beloved ones and invite them to the Alliance of God; and make them steadfast in the Covenant of God, and bear good-tidings to all the steadfast ones, and inspire all who waver to be firm in the religion of God and to resist all force which is against the Alliance of God. Verily I promise the confirmation of the Holy Spirit to thee in those great assemblies whenever ye argue upon the Covenant of God."

Make souls firm in the Covenant and faith so that you may become a magnet of the light of servitude - the firmer, the more attractive. Observe how the light of recognition has shone forth from the essence of the Covenant upon the horizons of the world.

This, however, is conditioned upon firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant and the Testament, that it should not fall short in its duties, should not fail to live up to its standard and should display a powerful will and perfect steadfastness.

And may the Glory be upon you and upon all who are firm in the Covenant with a firmness that is clearly specified in the Book, not a firmness claimed by every doubting imposter.

Therefore, in thanksgiving for this mighty bounty, we must all arise in such servitude to the Manifest Beauty that the eye of the horizons may be illumined, and the reality of devotion, orientation and supplication become the light of this gathering.

This bashfulness is sufficient proof of sincerity of purpose, nobility of nature, purity of character, and steadfastness in the Covenant of the Most Great Unity....

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O spiritual assembly! You have attained relationship to the Covenant, that you might be confirmed in servitude to the Luminary of the horizons.

… Such is the station of those who are related to the Covenant and drawn to the Luminary of the horizons.

O ye who are steadfast in the Covenant! The initiative you have taken in sending teachers to various regions is most beloved and acceptable, and this is among the greatest services to the Court of the Intended One, for it is the sowing of seeds and the diffusion of divine fragrances.

I beg of the abundant favor of that Ancient Lord, that thou mayest decorate thy spiritual reality (being) with human perfections, be endowed with a new life, keep steadfast in the Covenant, diffuse the fragrances (i.e., teach the Truth) and deliver the Cause of God.

There is no wonder in confessing the appearance of the Kingdom of God, but true wonder consists in good deeds, obedience to the commands and teachings of the True Lord, and firmness in this path, even when the storm is at its height.

News of their unity, harmony, enthusiasm and occupation has brought joy and delight. Those souls who have newly entered the divine law are all mentioned in this divine gathering and will, God willing, become the manifestation of great divine confirmations.

Today the friends of God must strive to remain firm in the Covenant, and this cannot be accomplished through words alone - deeds and conduct are required.

Place thy trust in God and in this Ark of Salvation unfurl the sails of clear evidences, that thou mayest reach the divine shore and attain eternal glory and everlasting felicity.

On the subject of the Covenant, Abdul-Baha said: "Endeavor ye night and day that the banner of the Covenant may wave as it should, in those regions. For in this day, the souls reverberate by the power of the Covenant. They become enlivened by the spirit of the Covenant. They move by the call of the Covenant, otherwise they become depressed and inactive as a body without a soul, a lamp without a light."

O My loved ones! Hold fast unto My commandments. By My life, they are the impregnable fortress for all nations and through them God protecteth you from the insinuations of those who have denied the Day of Judgment.

Stand thou firm in the Cause in such wise that through thee may stand firm those servants who have hesitated and who remain halted in heedlessness around the Path.

Fix your soul upon God. … Be firm in the Heavenly Covenant. Pray for strength. It will be given to you, no matter how difficult the conditions.

… Now, Praise be to God! turn all your thoughts and devote all your powers to the Divine Covenant.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, then call the people to remembrance in this Most Great Scene, that perchance they may become aware within themselves and perceive within their own beings, and turn unto the Holy Dawning Place, and be of those whom nothing whatsoever in all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth can veil from that which was created between the heavens and the earth, and who find no rest save upon the seat of glory - a station of praised glory.

O faithful friends! If painful events ever occur in the Holy Land, you must absolutely not become disturbed or distressed, perturbed or saddened, for whatever occurs will cause the exaltation of the Word of God and the diffusion of the divine fragrances. Stand firm and engage in serving the Cause of God with the utmost steadfastness. The Holy Land is disturbed by the intense corruption of the Covenant-breakers.

What is most important today is the firmness and steadfastness of all in the Covenant and Testament of God. But not like the steadfastness of some which consists of mere words, like the testimony to the Prophethood of Muhammad by some: "God bears witness that thou art indeed His Messenger, and that the hypocrites are surely liars."

Thou who art neath the shelter of God, and under the shadow of the Tree of His Covenant, why sorrow and repine?

This servant, with all his weakness and frailty, his solitude and loneliness, his outer and inner powerlessness and brokenness, now has many remaining firm in the Covenant - for this divine bounty we must be grateful. But consider the end result: those souls who were under the shadow of the Truth, though despised in the beginning, in the end arose like a clear standard and shone forth like a brilliant star from the ethereal horizon.

Today the most important principle of faith is firmness in the Covenant, because firmness in the Covenant wards off differences. Therefore, you must be firm as mountains.

Observe how someone like Miss Knobloch, since she had utmost firmness in the Covenant, was so successful in Germany, while Ibrahim Kheiralla with all his fame fell into the pit of abasement.

This is the proof of steadfastness, this is the evidence of firmness, and these are the signs of constancy in the Covenant of the Beauty of the Desired One.

Make the souls firm in the covenant and steadfast in their faith. Exhilarate and delight the hearts with the sanctified breezes of the divine Covenant and Testament. This covenant is sheltered under the Tree of Life, and this agreement was established on the Day of Alast ("Am I not your Lord?").

And if they write a letter full of flattery in Aqa Mahdi's name, pay it no heed whatsoever and remain firm and steadfast in the Covenant so that divine confirmations may surround you. What use is Aqa Mahdi to you?

Four letters were received from thee, the last dated April 18, 1919, and all were proofs of firmness in the divine Covenant. Praise be to God that in California the friends are holding fast to the hem of grandeur and are attracted to the Lord of the Most High.

In any case, today it is an absolute obligation upon all the friends to preserve the divine fortress, and defense of the Covenant is mandatory, for the people of hesitation have resorted to means by which the foundation of the Cause of God would be completely undermined and the edifice of the religion of God utterly demolished.

And all know that the Blessed Beauty (may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones) explicitly commanded all, even the leader of the negligent ones, to be obedient.

Even if 'Abdu'l-Baha falls from East to West, or hastens from this world to the next world, no languor should result whatsoever. Rather tumult and rapture should increase and promotion become greater.

"O Ḥafiz, thy duty is to offer prayers." Consider the past: after Christ, the apostles never faltered. Day and night they blew the trumpet until they transformed most nations to the direction of the All-Merciful. You too must be thus firm, steadfast and resolute.

By God! Should all who dwell on earth gather against Me with sharpened swords and piercing spears, thou wouldst find My tongue in that hour speaking His Name and Mine eyes fixed upon His shining and luminous horizon.

O handmaiden of God! Thy letter was presented before the Wronged One, and that which was mentioned therein was brought to the attention of Him Who is present before the Face, until it reached this verse:

"My God! Make me so steadfast in Thy binding Cause That I grow firmer still when raised upon the cross"

I swear by the Sun of the horizon of vision that if the people of the age were to inhale the fragrances of the divine Cause, they would all choose the gallows with a hundred thousand entreaties.

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It is incumbent upon us to raise our hands in supplication to the Kingdom of Mystery and seek forgiveness for all. Convey to the friends in that region the greetings and most glorious salutations of this servant. Night and day I am in constant communion with their remembrance, and am their intimate companion in their memory. In truth, the sweet fragrance of firmness and steadfastness is inhaled with utmost potency from the loved ones of that land. Assuredly this steadfastness attracts divine confirmations and draws forth success.

O God! As Thou hast illumined our hearts with the light of knowing Thee, make us firm in Thy Blessed Covenant.

O God, do Thou make known to all who have believed in the Bayan that if they stand firm in their allegiance to Him, they shall become the treasurers of all good, whereupon they shall expend in the fortification of His Word and the exaltation of His majesty that which Thou hast bestowed upon them through His bounty and conferred upon them through Thy grace, for this is the essence of all Thy creation, since none in all creation can equal Him, nor can any in the realm of invention resemble Him.

Yet, O my God, I was gladdened from another perspective when I saw her steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause and obedience. Blessed is she for having fulfilled Thy promise and not broken the Covenant on this Day of Separation.

Make me firm in the path of faithfulness, assist me to be steadfast in Thy mighty Covenant, and suffer me to be numbered with Thy chosen servants.

… To those that stand fast and firm in Thy Covenant Thou, verily, art gracious and generous.

Illumine their hearts with Thy joyful tidings diffused from Thine all-glorious Station, make firm their steps in Thy Most-Great Covenant and strengthen their loins in Thy firm Testament, by Thy bounty and promised grace, O Gracious and Merciful One! Thou art, verily, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful.

Well is it with him that hath held fast unto Thy firm cord and clung to the hem of Thy resplendent robe!

He aideth the hearts and erecteth the tightly fitting edifice with the iron rod of the power of His Covenant. He maketh the steadfast joyful in that which befalleth them, and confident in the grace of their Lord. And for the vacillating He hath fixed a tearful judgment.

May God bestow upon us a portion of His liberal effusions of His grace and illuminate our faces with the lights of Divine Unity, open our eyes for the Truth and make our words to be divine counsels, so that we become powerful hosts in the impregnable stronghold of the Covenant and safeguard the mighty Mansion of God's Testament, My beloved friends.

O spiritual and goodly leaf! As much as thou art able, hold fast with utmost strength to the Divine Lote-Tree, that an ancient relationship and eternal connection and everlasting realization may be achieved. Take hold of the hem of the Covenant and beseech the Lord of Light for confirmations, that thou mayest remain protected from wavering and anxiety.

And shouldst Thou behold, O my God, any branch, leaf, or fruit upon Me that hath failed to bow down before Him, on the day of His Revelation, cut it off, O My God, from that Tree, for it is not of Me, nor shall it return unto Me.

O Lord! Make firm the feet of Your servant who has called upon You seeking forgiveness, upon Your Covenant and Testament which caused the limbs of every proud oppressor to tremble.

O loved ones of God! Now is the time to be drunk with the cup of the Covenant. Rend your garments in love for the beauty of the All-Merciful. In the banquet of the Covenant seize ye the chalice of divine knowledge.

In whatever land you enter, guide all to firmness and steadfastness in God's Covenant, and likewise to adherence to the contents of the treatise written in response to Aqa Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, upon him be the Glory of God, and most importantly to the implementation of divine worship ordinances such as prayer and fasting with utmost strength.

Then make them firm in Thy Covenant and Testament, make steadfast their feet, strengthen their loins, and fortify their backs in this, such that they will not be shaken by anything, even if all the powers of the world were arrayed against them.

I supplicate to and invoke before the Threshold of Oneness, saying:

"O Thou Creator! Preserve and protect Thou that assembly from grave (or general) tests and keep them firm and constant in the Covenant and Testament. Confer upon them such steadfastness as will enable them to withstand doubts and root out the foundation of calumnious rumors; for some person hath appeared (or arisen) with the utmost falsehood, in those parts, and publisheth false reports in some newspapers."

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O Lord! Make firm the hearts of Thy sanctified handmaidens in Thy Covenant and Testament. And the Glory be upon thee and upon every handmaiden whose feet are firmly established in this mighty Covenant.

We beseech God to assist the handmaidens of the All-Merciful in fulfilling the requirements of the Day of the Covenant and in attaining the results of love for the Luminary of the horizons.

O Lord! Assist the Afnans to serve Thy Cause, enable them to be servants at Thy Threshold, make their faces sincere before Thy Face, make their hearts firm in Thy Covenant, preserve them in the cave of Thy protection and shelter, guard them beneath the shadow of the wing of Thy preservation and safekeeping, and make them a source of prosperity and success among Thy creation, that they may be adorned with the raiment of perfection and shine forth with the lights of steadfastness in the Covenant among Thy loved ones.

O Generous Lord! Make these souls firm in Thy Covenant, steadfast in Thy Testament, attracted to the fragrances of holiness, mindful of the verses of unity.

O my Lord, my Lord! I humble myself before the Divine Lote-Tree and the Throne of the sovereignty of Thy Lordship and the Seat of Thy mercy, beseeching Thee to make firm the footsteps of Thy servant who hath abased himself at the gate of Thy oneness, who is broken before the Kingdom of Thy singleness, who hath clung to the hem of Thy uniqueness, to stand fast in Thy Covenant and Testament.

Today kindness is prayer for firmness on the extended path. We beseech God that, like a suckling babe, thou mayest drink the milk of steadfastness from the breast of the Covenant, and be nurtured in the embrace of firmness and constancy--that thou mayest be a son of the Covenant and of the lineage of the Pact of the Luminary of the horizons.

With utter dread and dismay, with a heart burning and agitated, I supplicate to the Kingdom of God that Thou protect me from the whisperings of the people of doubt and from the misgivings of those who waver in the Covenant. By the life of God! Verily the breaths of the people of lethargy, like the frigid cold of death, strip away life as do the venomous exhalations of serpents.

O Lord! Through his steadfastness, firmness and uprightness, preserve the sanctuary of Thy Cause, the fortress of Thy Faith, Thy radiant Law and Thy most excellent Way, so that he may confirm Thy submissive servants in Thy Covenant and Testament which Thou didst take, through a token from Thy Most Exalted Pen, from all in the kingdom of creation at the primal point of eternity.

I beseech Thee to make us among them that have fulfilled Thy Covenant and have arisen to serve Thy Cause.

I beseech Thee to make me among those who have fulfilled Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, and for whom Thou hast ordained the best of all Thy worlds.

O steadfast one in the Covenant! Truly thou art firm and steadfast, and art diligent in serving the children of the martyrs.

Now praise be to God that your honor is a sign of the All-Merciful and a banner of endless bounty. And Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the most luminous glory of God, has the utmost joy in your honor and day and night continuously opens his tongue in praise that during the days of imprisonment you showed the utmost assistance, consideration and support.

In times of test you must show forth the power of the Covenant. The end belongs to the God-fearing.

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.

Know this: today the greatest of all matters is obedience to the Center of God's Covenant. The power of the Covenant moves the regions and the spirit of the Covenant brings life. Therefore all the friends must mention the Covenant in all gatherings and meetings and raise the melody of the Covenant.

Nurture ye all that I have planted. Ye are the boughs and fruits of this bountiful tree; ye must reveal its true savour and fragrance and bring forth gem-like fruits. Be not dismayed by the winds of tests, nor shaken by the tempests of trials. Let your roots grow deep in the soil of the Covenant and be nourished by the stream of the Testament of the Day-Star of the world. Hold ye fast unto the firm Cord, and seize the hem of the Covenant of the Lord of all worlds, that ye may become as fresh and graceful boughs that yield sweet fruits.

O thou firm handmaiden who art steadfast in the Covenant and Testament of God! In this day when a leaf amongst the leaves of the Blessed Tree groweth firm in the Covenant, she shall rise above the highest offshoots of the Sacred Tree; and once she ariseth to serve the Cause of God and exalt His Word through the power born of righteousness and the light of Divine Guidance, she shall, even as a shining star, radiate in the firmament of the world.

By God! He is from Me. We beseech God to grant him what befits His grace and sovereignty. Verily, He has power over all things. Let him not be sorrowful - he has not been and will not be forgotten.

Sorrows intensified upon him and the weight of grief bore heavily upon him until he heard the call of the Covenant and the Book of the Testament was recited throughout all regions. Then his breast was dilated, his eyes were consoled, his soul was gladdened, his darkness was dispelled and his pain was lightened.

If all the believers and the maidservants of the Merciful do proclaim their firmness in the Covenant, such steadfastness in the Covenant, like unto a magnet, will draw 'Abduil-Baha to those western regions.

As for Aqa Siavash, he must, in order to prove his gratitude and loyalty, remain steadfast in attending to the affairs of Arbab Jamshid. Separation is not permitted - rather day by day he must increase his efforts.

Convey my greetings to the maid-servant of God Lillian Culting and say to her: O maid-servant of God! I shall never forget you, so do not forget 'Abdu'l-Baha. Rather, remember what He counseled you and the divine advice He gave you, and the proofs of God He explained to you, and the mysteries of the Kingdom He clarified for you through the confirmations of the Spirit of God.

O thou who art steadfast in the Covenant! The letter dated the last day of the month of Dhi'l-Qa'dih hath arrived, its contents charged with firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant of the Wronged One.

The dove of the love of God has returned to the garden of the Covenant, and the moth of attraction has circled back around the divine lamp.

O you who are firm in the Covenant! One who has drunk from the cup of the Covenant and become swift as the wind in the desert of the love of God - what need has such a one for drops of water?

Though outwardly you are distant, praise be to God you are engaged in service and are my partner and associate in servitude at the threshold of the Most Great Name, and are my intimate companion in heart and soul.

Every word that issues from the fountain of sincerity in the Cause of God is like pure water that descends from spring clouds, bestowing freshness upon the heart, delicacy upon the spirit, and glad-tidings upon souls. In truth, for these wanderers in the wilderness of the love of God, there is no solace except the sweet fragrances from the hearts of the loved ones of God, and no respite except beholding the signs of steadfastness and firmness in the Cause of God.

For this firm foundation is the pillar of the Cause and the source of the effects of destiny.

That respected person's actions regarding Aqa Ghulam-Husayn who was tested brought the utmost joy and delight. This deed was purely for the sake of God and exemplifies the meaning of the blessed verse "We feed you only for the sake of God." Surely this tree will bear fruit and these beginnings will yield praiseworthy results.

Indeed it must be so, for when assured souls enter beneath the shade of the divine Sinai of God's Covenant and Testament, their hearts and souls become a supreme paradise and their words and utterances become honey and nectar.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant and steadfast in the Testament! Though outwardly thou art distant and remote, yet in reality thou art present in the gathering and intoxicated with the cup of fellowship.

Since thou art assured in God, attracted to the Kingdom of Abha, and firm in the Covenant, thou art present at the Threshold of the Blessed Beauty--may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones--and immersed in the ocean of favors.

God hath arranged matters that I may be both present and absent, lest the friends in diverse regions grow dispirited. After Me there shall come a period of quietude, then a mighty flame shall burst forth, especially if the friends of God remain firm and steadfast in the Covenant. No terror or fear shall come upon them.

When I became aware of their intentions I was displeased. And Dr. Farid's actions and deeds in America are like the sun at high noon - they need no explanation. Until now, out of supreme kindness I have concealed them, but he himself has exposed himself.

Although there are many veins and nerves in the physical body, the pulsating artery that moves and stirs creation is the power of the Covenant. No other force has such influence, and none but the firm soul is assisted and confirmed. Observe carefully that every soul firm in the Covenant is like a bright candle giving light to all, while every wavering one is disappointed, defeated, extinguished and lifeless - a moving corpse.

God willing, this time that you have returned from the Theosophists to the Baha'is, you will remain firm and steadfast to such a degree that even if all who are on earth were to gather together and wish to cause you to deviate from the path of Baha'u'llah by as much as a hair's breadth, they would be unable to do so.

I beseech God that you may ever be enkindled with the fire of the love of God and attracted to the divine breaths and assisted in goodly deeds and of good conduct and truthful speech and firm in the Covenant and Testament.

You paint spiritual images with utmost skill and love, and those spiritual images are faith, assurance, and firmness in the Covenant and Testament. This is a heavenly painting that will endure forever.

You were and will always be in mind, for the manner and conduct of that steadfast one in the Covenant attracts the hearts.

But what can be done when you only hear news from afar? The intention is not to wail and lament and cry out - for by my Lord, were I to lament, all who dwell on earth and in the heavens would weep upon hearing it - rather, the purpose is to offer an excuse in response to the complaint. We beseech God to cause you to grow with goodly growth and make you a sign of guidance among the people in steadfastness and firmness in God's Covenant and adherence to God's pact....

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You have witnessed the lights of the luminous Beauty from the divine dawning-place, and heard the divine call with your spiritual ears, and have entered beneath the shade of the Word of Divine Unity and have clung to God's Covenant and Testament.

Hold fast to the firm handle in such wise that all the maidservants of the Most Merciful may be moved to yearning, passion, enthusiasm and joy.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Although until now manifold signs of faith and certitude have been evident from thee, and clear proofs of steadfastness and firmness in the Covenant have been manifest, and divine bounties and confirmations have been continually sought - now, praise be to God, thou hast shown the utmost effort, generosity and nobility of character in this matter, purely for the good-pleasure of God.

If the means of comfort are not available in Tehran, return to Shahrud, but with the intention of diffusing the divine fragrances and promoting the Covenant so that the doors of divine confirmation may open.

Do not grieve at separation, for you are present in the gathering through your firmness in the Covenant.

O illumined and pure leaf! Show such steadfastness in firmness in the Covenant and constancy in the Testament that you become the wonder of men and the envy of heroes.

If the Afnans of the Divine Tree, who are specifically charged in the Book of the Covenant, do not protect it, who will?

O grandson of Dakhil and scion of that illustrious man! The time has come for you to shine like the sun and hasten like Bashir with Joseph's garment, bringing light to the eyes of yearning Jacobs.

In the divine Egypt, you must become like Indian parrots breaking sugar, and from the fire of love kindle an Azerbaijani flame in the heart of Azerbaijan, so that it may be proven and established that you are born of the spiritual essence of that glorious Dakhil, not merely separated from the element of water and clay.

Permission is granted thee to marry Mr. William Walis but thou must try with heart and soul to guide him and cause him to enter under the Shade of the Covenant and Testament, so that ye may become united as one soul in two bodies and be engaged in the service of the Kingdom.

Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Glory and render thanks that, praise be to God, thou didst believe in His Holiness the Exalted One, remained protected during the great convulsion, became a believer in the Blessed Beauty, remained steadfast in the Cause of God. Hold fast to the Covenant and Testament so that this mighty bounty may be made complete and thou mayest be gathered, with a radiant countenance, in the assemblage of the Kingdom.

O handmaiden of God! The sign and token of a handmaiden of the Ancient Beauty, and the proof and evidence of firmness in His Covenant and Testament, is that every leaf whose head is adorned with this crown is indeed a radiant queen of the world.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! The noble descendant of divine victory arrived, and from meeting with him and his brothers, the utmost joy and delight was obtained. How excellent are the words: "Why seek the fragrance of the rose from rosewater?" In truth, they possess the utmost courtesy and dignity, and are firm and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament....

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God hath bestowed upon thee good children who are so faithful and pure and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament to the utmost degree.

I beseech God that you may ever be the cause of spirituality and illumination of others, and guide souls to firmness and steadfastness in the Covenant.

Then convey Our remembrance to thy wife who hath believed in her Lord and who hath been faithful to the Covenant, and to thy brother who hath believed in God and who hath been steadfast in the true religion.

Today the pulsating force in the arteries of the body of the world is the spirit of the Covenant, which is the cause of life.

Catalogue reference: AB02880 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Although in the body of the universe there are innumerable nerves, yet the main artery, which pulsates, energizes, and invigorates all beings, is the power of the Covenant. All else is secondary to this. Nobody is assisted and confirmed save that soul who is firm. Consider it well that every soul who is firm in the Covenant is luminous, like unto a candle which emanates its light on those around it. While every wavering soul is an utter failure, frozen, lifeless, dead yet moving. This one proof is sufficient.

Catalogue reference: AB02933 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Mere intellectual understanding of the teachings is not enough. Deep spirituality is essential, and the foundation of true spirituality is steadfastness in the Covenant.

Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified

Baha'is, of course, may seek the views of the House of Justice about its decisions if they feel they have new information or that conditions have changed but in doing so should avoid the temptation to use this as an excuse to evade their obligation to obey and thus deprive themselves of the bounty of full obedience.

Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified

They must be spiritually prepared through prayer and study of the Teachings to obtain a deeper appreciation of the station and purpose of Baha'u'llah and of the basic meaning of His mighty Covenant. Such preparation is at the very core of their striving to effect a transformation in their individual and collective lives.

Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified