Love, unity and fellowship: becoming a friend in deed

Likewise, the greatest inter-relation and communication exists between the sons of men, without which peace, life and existence is entirely impossible. For a soul independent of all the other souls and without receiving assistance from other sources cannot live for the twinkling of an eye; nay, rather, he will become non-existent and reduced to nothingness; especially among the believers of God between whom material and spiritual communication is developed up to the highest point of perfection.

Convey the Most Great, Most Wondrous Greetings to your dear companion, and likewise to the other friends. A friend is one who remains a friend's friend in times of distress and helplessness. Truly he has shown the utmost faithfulness. Know his worth. And greetings be upon you.

Go to see each other and be consoling friends to all. If a friend lives a little distance from the town, go to see him.

The divine friends must be attracted to and enamored of each other and ever be ready and willing to sacrifice their own lives for each other. Should one soul from amongst the believers meet another, it must be as though a thirsty one with parched lips has reached to the fountain of the water of life, or a lover has met his true beloved. For one of the greatest divine wisdoms regarding the appearance of the holy Manifestations is this: The souls may come to know each other and become intimate with each other; the power of the love of God may make all of them the waves of one sea, the flowers of one rose garden, and the stars of one heaven.

Today, the greatest of all things are love, fellowship, unity, harmony, detachment, freedom, sanctification, purity, sacrifice, and the joy of God's loved ones. If perfect fellowship and pure love are not achieved, all these efforts and hardships will be wasted, and all will ultimately suffer evident loss. The purpose of the manifestation of Truth and the rising of the Sun of Reality is the triumph of the light of God's love, so that the darkness of discord and dissension may vanish from the horizons and spiritual unity may appear. All the friends are as one soul, and all names and attributes are expressions of one person.

If there were no cooperation and mutual aid among the realities of things, life would be impossible. This is how the divine will has ordained it. The friends of God must be like a solid structure supporting one another, [in Arabic:] "The believers are like a solid structure, each part strengthening the other."

The unity and harmony of the beloved of GOD constitute the most important affair. Unity and Harmony represent the magnet which will attract the confirmations of GOD.

The Book of God hath been revealed with truth and beareth witness to that which the Wronged One hath witnessed from His glorious station, declaring: Friendship is a sun created by God for the heaven of humanity - through it his station is exalted and his worth becomes manifest among the peoples.

Ours should be the prayer that His blessings may be vouchsafed in still greater abundance, and ours to hold fast to such means as shall ensure a fuller outpouring of His grace and a greater measure of His divine assistance. One of the greatest of these means is the spirit of true fellowship and loving communion amongst the friends. Remember the saying: 'Of all pilgrimages the greatest is to relieve the sorrow-laden heart.'

I have always been and continue to be pleased with you, but now I hope you will become the cause of perfect harmony among the divine friends. Let them care for one another - let the youth show respect and consideration for the elderly, and let the elderly be loving fathers to the youth.

The divine friends are waves of one sea and drops of one river, flowers of one garden and fragrances of one rose garden, stars of one heaven and lamps of one chamber. They must care for one another and be kind to each other.

For at the Threshold of the one true God no act is more meritorious than imparting happiness to the hearts of the friends. Each one of the friends should, most willingly, endeavor to bring happiness, joy and gladness to those with whom he associates. They should withhold neither life nor property, nay rather each should sacrifice his life for the other.

The Baha'i friends in Persia attained such a brotherhood and love that it really became a hindrance in the conduct of material affairs. Each one into whatever house of the friends he went considered himself the owner of the house, so to speak. There was no duality but complete mutuality of interests and love. The visiting friend would have no hesitation in opening the provision box and taking out enough food for his needs. They wore each other's clothes as their own when necessary. If in need of a hat or cloak, they would take and use it. The owner of the clothing would be thankful and grateful that the garment had gone. When he returned home, he would perhaps be told, "So and so was here and took away your coat." He would reply, "Praise be to God! I am so grateful to him. Praise be to God! I am so thankful I have been given this opportunity of showing my love for him." To such an extreme degree this love and fellowship expressed itself that Baha'u'llah commanded that no one should take possession of another's belongings unless presented with them.

Every soul of the beloved ones must adore the other and withhold not his possession and life from them, and by all means he must endeavor to make that other joyous and happy. But that other (the recipient of such love) must also be disinterested and life-sacrificing. Thus may this Sunrise flood the horizons, this melody gladden and make happy all the people, this divine remedy become the panacea for every disease, this Spirit of Reality become the cause of life for every soul.

As long as ye can, strive to set aglow the hearts with love; be attracted to one another and be members of one body.

In good and evil, profit and loss, hardship and ease, all must be partners. God willing, we hope that the breeze of unity will waft from the City of the Lord of all beings and clothe all in the garment of oneness and love and detachment.

The harm to one is harm to all, the good of one is good of all. Let no one utter anything but good about another, and never speak ill. If a shortcoming is found, let there be forgiveness and forbearance, treating the opposite way.

First, you must become united and agreed among yourselves. You must be exceedingly kind and loving toward each other, willing to forfeit life in the pathway of another's happiness. You must be ready to sacrifice your possessions in another's behalf. The rich among you must show compassion toward the poor, and the well-to-do must look after those in distress.

It does make no difference whatsoever, whether it is a question of paying my own debt or the debt of my friend of friends.

People may look upon this subject from a different standpoint but it must make no difference to the Baha'is. We must consider the debt of the believers of God as our own debt. This is the station of unity.

This evening we were speaking of the fellowship and unity of the Persian Baha'is. They can truly be called lovers. For example, if one of the friends of God arrived in their city, all the friends would rejoice and assemble together in a meeting with him. If he were ill, they would care for him; if sad, they would comfort him.

O Baba Khan! Be a kind father to these weak creatures, nay rather to this suckling babe. Nurture them in the embrace of love and feed them from the breast of grace.

I was very pleased and happy with the unity and harmony of the handmaidens of the All-Merciful, especially with the expression "we are all devoted to each other and handmaidens of one another."

The friends of God must sacrifice their lives for the sake of each other - to such an extent that the people may become astonished and exclaim: "What love and amity flow from the hearts of the Baha'is for each other!"

Therefore, Ye should love the friends with all your hearts and souls and offer up your lives for one another. Deny them not any service. Do not consider any hardship to be too difficult. Let each one become the beloved of one and all, and the object of one another's attention. This is the requirement of love and the foundation of amity.

The essential foundation of the Kingdom is love, and it must be established and promoted with the utmost power among the friends until it becomes the cause of establishing the unity of the human world. And this love between the friends must reach such a degree that they become true servants to each other, dedicating their very existence in service to one another, sacrificing their lives in service to each other, offering their own being as a sacrifice for the existence of others.

Rise up in unity and accord to exalt the Cause of the Lord of creation, for divine confirmations are with you and the power of the Holy Spirit sustains you.

But you must show the utmost love and kindness and truthfulness and faithfulness and goodwill toward all, and sacrifice your life in this path, and be a balm for every wound and a remedy for every ill. Be heavenly water for every thirsty one and celestial food from the Lord of Signs for every hungry one. Be a nurse to every sick one and a safe refuge for everyone afflicted with fear and dread.

Consider what a difference exists between his country and thine and what a great effect this Bahai spirit hath manifested that an Oriental sacrificeth his life for an Occidental! What attraction, what love, what relationship is this! Blessed are those who are able to arrive at an understanding of the reality of the power of this love!

The friends must be like this, becoming the lowliest servants to one another, adopting the principle of the oneness of mankind, and walking in the ways of the denizens of the highest paradise.

O thou Jonah swimming in the ocean of amity and fellowship!

To serve the Cause of God in this day is to build the bonds of love amongst the friends of God. Let us all associate with one another with the utmost poverty and selflessness, with evanescence, and radiance of spirit, with meekness and holy humility.

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Let unity and attraction reach such a degree that the friends serve one another and become stirred and proud in humility and submissiveness to each other. Let each consider the other his master, and each person see his friend as the means of reaching the Supreme Friend.

O dear maid servant of GOD, Isabella Brittingham! Strengthen the bond of love and harmony among the maid servants of the Merciful. Lead them to unity, concord, spirituality, meekness and obedience, and to the service of one another.

O Bahram! If thou desirest rest and tranquility, repose beneath the shade of the palm tree of hope, and if thou seekest prosperity, occupy thyself with kindliness toward the human race. The divine teachings today promote love and righteousness, and make fellowship and human welfare as resplendent as the moon, and mankind as brilliant as a shining star.

Fellowship makes every difficulty easy for man. These farmers now, despite such hardships, despite such an arduous life, find it a paradise because of their fellowship.

Man must cultivate fellowship, must establish intimate association.

And if any estrangement occurs between two of the friends, both should be invited and efforts made to reconcile them, and they should consult about charitable and benevolent works so that praiseworthy results may be achieved.

Deal with one another with the utmost love and kindness. Should anyone commit a wrong, forgive him; remind him with perfect love. Be not harsh, neither show pride and arrogance toward one another, for I swear by God these are among the requirements of the heedless soul, and utter heedlessness leads to destruction.

They will be the daysprings of love and the dawning-places of the lights of amity, and will discover the unity of all realities and of illumined souls. They shall hoist the standard of unity and upraise the tent of fellowship. They shall take in their hand the cup of the wine of perfect unity, and, in the assemblage of unity, dance a dance that shall defeat the hosts of disunity.

Therefore, each of the friends must strive with heart and soul to ensure that not even the slightest dust settles upon the mirror of essential unity, and that day by day love, harmony, fellowship, association and kindness may increase among the friends.

I found great joy and delight that praise be to God, through the effort of the friends this discord has ended in unity and this coldness in the warmth of the love of God.

Blessed is the one who arises with strength to remove differences among the loved ones and establish love and affection between them.

… O loved ones of the All-Merciful! Avoid discord, for through it the pure cup of mystical knowledge is sullied among all created things.

We had hoped that you would be the cause of unity and agreement between Jinab-i-Aqa Jamshid Khodadad and Hadrat-i-Aqa Mirza Mahmud. Now it appears this did not happen. I still hope for this from you, and if I did not have hope I would not have referred it to you.

Differences between the friends in any matter whatsoever causes weakness in the Cause of God and leads to the wavering of souls. … Consider that when differences arise, inevitably one party is supported while the other party becomes broken-hearted and sorrowful, and ulterior motives emerge and become a cause of veiling.

… You must have utmost fellowship with each other and strive that if any difference arises, even between two people, to quickly remove it so that its scope does not expand.

My hope is that the friends and handmaidens in America will become united in all matters and never create differences, for discord destroys the divine foundation. If they unite on a matter and it is wrong, it is better than if they differ and are right. For this discord leads to the destruction of the divine foundation, even if one of the two sides is right - yet it causes a thousand wrongs. But if they unite and both sides are wrong, because there is unity, eventually the truth will be revealed and wrong will be transformed to right.

The members who are consulting, however, should behave in the utmost love, harmony and sincerity towards each other. The principle of consultation is one of the most fundamental elements of the divine edifice. Even in their ordinary affairs the individual members of society should consult.

Consultation in affairs is necessary and unity among the loved ones is essential. With harmony and accord and in a spirit of joy and fragrance they must enlighten the people of the earth and arise to reform it.

Now, this matter of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar must itself be implemented in such a manner as to foster unity and concord among the friends. That is to say, ye should first consult together, and thereafter devise a plan. If ye follow these steps, divine confirmations shall continuously be vouchsafed unto you.

Praise be to the Intended One Who, through His sacred will, has bestowed perfect fellowship between the hearts and souls of all people, and from this fellowship complete unity is achieved, and this unity is the most mighty door for the tranquility of nations, and through this unity gathering is made manifest, and gathering is the cause and reason for the rectification of all affairs through consultation, whose decree has been sent down with utmost clarity in the [Divine] Book.

In every matter consult with souls who are assured, tranquil, content and pleasing to God, and act upon that which is found preferable.

The question of coordinating and unifying the two Spiritual Assemblies, that of Chicago and of New York, is of the utmost importance, and once a Spiritual Assembly is duly formed in Washington, these two Assemblies should also establish ties of unity with that Assembly. To sum it up, it is the desire of the Lord God that the loved ones of God and the handmaids of the Merciful in the West should come closer together in harmony and unity as day followeth day, and until this is accomplished, the work will never go forward.

Make the erection of the Temple in America conducive to the unity and oneness of the believers, of the maid-servants and servants of the Merciful, so that in one thought, one aim, they engage themselves in building the Temple.

In all matters, endeavor not to cause grief to any one. Strive firmly to establish unity and harmony. The least difference today may cause great difference in the future.

Rather, all the friends must offer the utmost praise for one another so that it may bring joy to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Otherwise, sorrow will prevail and counsels will involuntarily flow from the pen.

It appeareth, from thine answer to a previous letter, that feelings of affection were being established between thyself and the friends.

Ye must strive with the utmost endeavor to unite souls and bring hearts together. In every place where discord hath arisen between the friends, it hath caused the Cause to be wasted and extinguished the fire of God.

Now they must treat the aforementioned Haji with love and consider his welfare. The purpose is that the fragrance of friendship and unity may be diffused between them.

O Dhabih! With utmost endeavor and diligence, be occupied with unifying hearts and bringing about accord among souls, that perchance the turbid winds may be stilled and the fragrance of love and purity may waft among the loved ones.

Regarding certain matters you had written about - this servant hopes through the grace of the Blessed Beauty that that dust will settle and that discord will disappear. Once again times will become sweet as sugar.

Upon his arrival, the honored Afnans of the Sacred Tree and all the friends must hasten to meet him with the utmost love and respect, and must resort to all means of affection, and never allow any trace of past grievances to cross their minds.

In any case, O my dear one, I ask of you to become, God willing, the cause of removing these pretexts. We are all servants of one threshold and bondsmen at the court of one Lord - we are fellow-servants, promised the best of rewards. Convey to all the divine friends the Most Glorious, Most Wondrous greetings.

In truth, if, God forbid, the slightest dust of disagreement clouds the relationship between two of the friends, others must quickly arise and do their utmost to settle the dispute and reestablish love and unity. Even if one or two days pass with an unresolved difference, it will become firmly rooted and animosity will develop.

"Some of you may have observed that I have not called attention to any of your individual shortcomings. I would suggest to you, that if you shall be similarly considerate in your treatment of each other, it will be greatly conducive to the harmony of your association with each other."

God willing, I hope that the light of unity may shine forth in that land and all may occupy themselves with the remembrance of God upon the carpet of love, fellowship, affection and unity. The very unity of the friends of God hath been and shall ever be the cause of guiding mankind.

The purpose hath ever been and will ever be the unity of the loved ones, for if this matter is not achieved, nothing is achieved.

Arise to manifest the love of God and His Cause among His servants, then reconcile between His loved ones in such wise that We may perceive from them the fragrance of unity. This is the greatest of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Be with each other in utmost love and harmony, even sacrificing your lives for one another. If someone shows any shortcoming, treat them with forgiveness and tolerance. At most, offer a few words of advice with complete humility, and let that advice not be devoid of spirituality and fragrance.

However, if differences of opinion arise there, you should remain completely detached and show love and kindness to all, saying it is better that in such matters we refer to the appointed Center - whatever he says is acceptable and beloved. Be content with just this much. Contention causes division in the Word of God. What I say and write is the duty of all - not a word beyond that is permissible.

Show kindness and practice good conduct. Be gentle and peaceful, and become an intimate companion to every stranger. Counter treachery with faithfulness, respond to anger with kindness, repel wrath with forbearance, allay oppression with justice, and eliminate cruelty through fidelity.

O my dear and loving friends! Good tidings have arrived that the friends have become beautiful in conduct and sweet in disposition, musk-scented and loyal - meaning that harshness has been transformed into kindliness and coldness between them has been changed to warmth. The friends have grown weary of estrangement and have embraced friendship; they have moved beyond separation and have arisen in unity and harmony.

...The believers of God must be kind toward each other; if one commits a mistake the other must forgive. It is not at all befitting to refer their names to a court, and complain against each other. Nay, rather, they must sacrifice their lives for each other. They must loose their tongues in thanksgiving, and not in complaining. This is worthy of the people of Baha.

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Praise be to God that wherever thou art, thou art engaged in service and art rendering servitude to the oneness of the Divine Countenance. I hope that in Shiraz thou wilt be engaged with melody and song, and wilt make the friends intimate companions and confidants of one another, so that this existing discord may disappear and this estrangement may end in unity, for discord and lack of harmony are the cause of bringing low the Cause of God.

However, not a word should be uttered about him that would conflict with love and fellowship, lest two harms result: one, acting contrary to wisdom, and the other, the manifestation of discord.

In reply to Abdul-Husayn's letter, write: Regarding what was mentioned about differences between the friends - all are obligated by the Divine Tablets to demonstrate love, unity, affection and fellowship, which are the cause of exalting the Word of God, and they must act accordingly.

We have desired naught for the servants except love and unity. We beseech God to enable them to achieve what He hath willed for them and draw them nigh unto the Ancient King.

The joy and happiness of the heart of Abdul-Baha depends upon the stability and constancy of the believers. For they must live and act in accord with the divine advices and exhortations and show forth to each other the power of the perfection of love with infinite accord and unity, so that they may become the embodiment of one existence, the waves of one sea, the myrtles of one rose-garden, the rays of one sun, the stars of one horizon, the fruits of one tree and the birds of one meadow.

For the love of God is like an ocean, the believers its waves. All are the waves of one sea. Therefore, each is the representative of all. There is one ray, one reflection, from the sun but through various windows it reflects into the room. The light is one light and the Kingdom is one and all the believers are children of the same Kingdom. All are the letters of one book, the flowers of one garden, and the pearls of one sea.

This is the time of fellowship and unity, and the season of love and harmony. You are all waves of one sea and rays of one lamp, dewdrops of one cloud and meanings of one book, candles of one assembly and fragrant flowers of one garden. Strive as much as you can in love and oneness, and in humility and submissiveness with one another.

The eastern bird has made its home in the western nest, and the western bird has taken shelter in the eastern nest. It has brought together the Nusayri with the Israelite. What universal sovereignty this is, and what penetrating heavenly power!

Consider what the power of the Covenant has done! It was an impossibility for a Zoroastrian to unite with a Siyyid and a mulla with a Jew. And for these to assemble with a Christian was an absolute impossibility. But the power of the Covenant has even so gathered them that they are accounted as one spirit. Although the bodies are numerous, the spirit is one.

You should love them and consider them as of your own families. Do not look upon them as separated from you. Baha'u'llah has said that all of you are as branches of one tree, leaves of one branch. That is, all the people are of one tree.

Formerly, in Persia it was impossible for Mohamedans, Christians and Jews to be friends and to meet lovingly; but all will make an effort, in order that this love and union may progress.

In light of these blessed utterances and the words of Christ, it is clear and evident that one must associate with souls who are firm in the Covenant and be intimate with the righteous, for an evil companion causes the contagion of evil character, like unto leprosy where it is impossible for one to associate and be intimate with a leper without contracting the disease. This is for protection and preservation.

Consider this passage from the Gospel when Christ's brothers came to Him and said "These are Your brothers." He replied that His brothers were those who believed in God, and He refused to associate and commune with His brothers.

Similarly, Qurratu'l-Ayn, who was renowned throughout all regions, when she believed in God and was attracted to the divine fragrances, detached herself from her two elder sons because they did not believe, and never met with them again, although they were her two capable sons. She would say that all the beloved of God were her sons, but these two were not her sons at all and she was detached from them.

Observe how the divine Gardener cuts off the dry or weak branch from the good tree and grafts the branch of another tree onto it - He both severs and unites. This is why Christ says that they shall come from all regions and enter the Kingdom, while the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out.

O spiritual divine brothers! Brotherhood is of two kinds: physical and spiritual. Physical brotherhood has no significance since it derives from the element of water and clay, not from heart and soul. But spiritual brotherhood is firm and strong since it derives from the essence of the honored spirit and is supremely precious and respected.

O ye two kindly brothers! Praise be to God that ye are brothers both in body and soul, kindred spirits born of one father and one mother, and both servants of the All-Glorious Lord. Your brotherhood is not only of water and clay but also of heart and soul, and thus doth this brotherhood contain all the grades of existence within it.

Therefore there must be divine love and spiritual brotherhood, which are produced by the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Its results are unlimited and eternal, and it never changes. As long as this brotherhood and love exist in a people, their spiritual and physical progress is unlimited. In this brotherhood and love they sacrifice their lives for each other, for this brotherhood and love are coupled with eternal life and know no separation.

But the remarkable thing to wonder at is namely--that in a gathering like this where the friendship or love which binds people together is not racial, patriotic, family, commercial trade interests or political or egotistic nor any of the interests binding people together but a meeting of people wholly due to Divine Influence severed absolutely from the before mentioned influences.

[In the evening of September 28th, Abdu'l-Baha was with a number of assembled guests. He said:]

All of you here are sisters. Bodily relationships may pass; even two sisters may be inimical to each other, but the spiritual relationship is eternal, and brings about mutual love and service.

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Become so intimate with each other that you are viewed as one person and considered as the manifestation of heavenly unity, for the heavenly relationship is so strong that it cannot be dissolved for all eternity.

In this world it is a perfect happiness and in the realm of Heaven it will continue to shine in eternal splendor.

O servant of God! When the Beauty of the All-Merciful shed His luminous rays upon the world of being, that light of reality shone forth in pure hearts. True fellowship, heartfelt love, and eternal brotherhood became manifest and evident, for all were illumined by one light, drew sustenance from one Revelation, and were brightened by the flame of Sinai. This brotherhood is of the Kingdom, divine, heavenly, spiritual, eternal, everlasting.

Give thanks to thy Lord for having aided thee in His love, and that the world did not prevent thee from turning toward the face of God, the Mighty, the Generous, even as My sister was veiled thereby from the Beloved of creation, choosing for herself the ornaments of the world and turning away from the good-pleasure of God, the Object of worship of the knowing ones. Every man who believes in God is My brother, and every woman who turns to the Face is My sister, My handmaiden, and a leaf of My paradise among the believers.

Wherefore must the friends of God, with utter sanctity, with one accord, rise up in the spirit, in unity with one another, to such a degree that they will become even as one being and one soul. On such a plane as this, physical bodies play no part, rather doth the spirit take over and rule; and when its power encompasseth all then is spiritual union achieved.

Be ye to each other as heavenly lovers and divine beloved ones. Spend your life in the paradise of love. Build your nest on the leafy branches of the tree of love. Soar ye in the clear atmosphere of love. Swim ye in the shoreless sea of love. Walk ye in the eternal rose-garden of love. Move ye in the shining rays of the sun of love. Be ye firm and steadfast in the path of love.

Be as brothers seated on thrones, facing one another.

O beloved friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! News of your steadfastness, good intentions, purity of character and desire to serve continually reaches the ears of the yearning ones and becomes the cause of spiritual fragrance.

The world of existence is like an ocean and these determined beings are its waves. Although they have existence and visibility, they are considered non-existent and lost, except for the sacred realities of divine souls. Although they too are determined beings, yet being illumined from the praised station and assisted from the extended shadow, they attain eternal realization in the world of existence and find everlasting determination. This is the meaning of "All things perish save His face."

Therefore those blessed souls must at every moment prostrate themselves in thanksgiving at the Sacred Threshold of the Intended One, engage in praising and glorifying that Unique Being, and arise according to His counsels and advice so that they may become luminous lamps in this dark world and celestial stars in this contingent realm, become divine lights in the horizon of meanings and laughing hundred-petaled roses in the divine garden, become flowers of reality in the gardens of guidance and fish of bounty in the pools of grace, become united and at one with all peoples and nations of the world, both familiar and strange - that is, become loving friends and caring companions.

They should not look upon the hatred, enmity, oppression and harm of souls, but rather turn to the luminous beauty in the divine Kingdom, for that shining moon has illumined the horizons of possibility and the life-giving breeze of that Kind Friend has perfumed East and West. His ocean of bounty has submerged the shores of existence and His sun of grace has brightened both East and West. The outpouring is universal and the grace encompasses the world of creation. True friends must receive from these universal divine bestowals and associate with all who dwell on earth with the utmost justice, fairness, love, unity, truthfulness and faithfulness.

This mighty Dispensation of the Blessed Beauty, may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones, is the Dispensation of gifts and the Cycle of grace - it is manifest, it is a rose garden, and in the gathering of the horizons it is the beauty of the assembly. We hope that the flaws, lapses, errors and shortcomings that occurred in previous cycles will not breach this mighty Dispensation and Cycle of the Generous Beauty, and that the friends will serve their Beloved with utmost sincerity, trustworthiness and good intention, and follow that glorified Exemplar. Faithfulness requires this, truth and purity compel this, faith and certitude command this.

And upon you be greetings and praise.

Consider what wonderful love is this that has been established between us through the Power of His Holiness Baha'u'llah! … But [we] who were Prisoners for 40 yrs have come here and have found so many heartfelt, cordial friends whose love and affection are lasting and not temporary.

Therefore it is made clear to you that this love and amity have been brought into being through an extraordinary power; otherwise it would have been impossible for our hearts to be so cemented together; while from a worldly standpoint, the King of Persia must have been the object of love and estimation.

Therefore, if you want these difficulties removed, there is no solution except faith and certitude. Faith is the cause of harmony. Faith is the cause of love. Faith is the cause of unity and agreement.

My purpose in saying this is this that thou shouldst treat all the servants of God and all the tribes and nationalities of the world whether from the east or the west with the sense of oneness and with the utmost truthfulness and kindliness.

Once these exalted words were heard from the tongue of the Master: the loved ones of God are united as one hand, stand on one foot, and soar on one wing.

For the sincere servants of the Supreme Lord have thousands of commands but one soul, one spirit and one conscience. They are flowers of one garden and waves of one sea, stars of one horizon and lamps of one chamber.

We who are servants at the same Threshold are bound together by bonds of cordial fellowship at all times so that the perfume of one heart can make the other fragrant. We are connected through our mutual attraction to the divine kingdom in such wise that we can expound spiritual mysteries even like the wires of the telegraph!

The All-Merciful Lord has ordained that the blessed countenance of each one should be reflected in the mirror of another's heart, so that, embracing one another, they may demonstrate the utmost oneness and, like the trees in the garden of the Concourse on High, become fruitful in a single paradise.

O ye friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! As far as ye are able, bind fast the cord of fellowship, and from the love of one another be ye filled to overflowing like unto a brimming cup, so that the lamp of essential unity may shine forth through these manifold vessels and cast its rays abroad, and spiritual progress may be achieved for all souls.

Yea, it is incumbent upon all the companions and loved ones to be seated upon the thrones of love and to repose upon the cushions of affection, and to move about in the station of united souls.

Every meeting which is organized for the purpose of unity and concord will be conducive to changing strangers into friends, enemies into associates, and Abdul-Baha will be present in his heart and soul with that meeting.

You wrote about the gathering of the loved ones, that it was characterized by the utmost joy and fragrance. This is indeed so, for in the spiritual gatherings, the Blessed Beauty is the witness of the assembly. Surely the utmost joy and fragrance must be attained.

Whensoever a company of people shall gather in a meeting place, shall engage in glorifying God, and shall speak with one another of the mysteries of God, beyond any doubt the breathings of the Holy Spirit will blow gently over them, and each shall receive a share thereof.

He said the one essential, the only thing to do was that the members of the little groups should love each other very much and be devoted friends. The more they loved each other, the more the meetings would attract and draw others, and the more they loved, the more their influence would be felt.

In brief, this is my hope: that the Nineteen Day Feast become the cause of great spiritual solidarity between the friends, that it may bring believers into the bond of unity, and we will then be so united together that love and wisdom will spread from this centre to all parts.

The lights of the All-Glorious Realm, the rays of the Supreme Horizon, will be cast upon such bright assemblages, for these are none other than the Mashriqu'l-Adhkars, the Dawning-Points of God's Remembrance, which must, at the direction of the Most Exalted Pen, be established in every hamlet and city

When these are firmly established, private assemblies shall be abolished.

… These spiritual gatherings must be held with the utmost purity and consecration, so that from the site itself, and its earth and the air about it, one will inhale the fragrant breathings of the Holy Spirit.

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

The friends in every land should gather together with wisdom and utterance in meetings and assemblies to read the verses of God, for the verses kindle the fire of love and ignite its flame. However, they must observe wisdom in all conditions, and gatherings of five to nine persons are sufficient. The locations must also be varied, for if they are held in one place, the heedless will become aware and cause commotion.

If a small number of people gather lovingly together, with absolute purity and sanctity, with their hearts free of the world, experiencing the emotions of the Kingdom and the powerful magnetic forces of the Divine, and being at one in their happy fellowship, that gathering will exert its influence over all the earth. The nature of that band of people, the words they speak, the deeds they do, will unleash the bestowals of Heaven, and provide a foretaste of eternal bliss. The hosts of the Company on high will defend them, and the angels of the Abha Paradise, in continuous succession, will come down to their aid.

You are all met here with one accord, heart drawn to heart, souls overflowing with Divine love, working and longing for the unity of the world.

Verily this assembly is a spiritual one! It is like unto a beautiful perfumed garden! On it the Heavenly Sun sheds the golden rays, and the warmth thereof penetrates and gladdens each waiting heart. The love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, is among you, the Holy Spirit is your help.

Attendance at the gatherings of the friends is specifically to keep them alert, vigilant, loving and attracted to the divine Kingdom.

Should the Spirit of true Love permeate the assemblies of men on earth, they, verily, will grow to become a string of heavenly pearls, a guiding constellation that sheddeth its glory and radiance over all mankind.

Hold meetings and read and chant the heavenly teachings, so that city may be illumined with the light of reality and that country become a veritable paradise by the strength of the Holy Spirit, for this cycle is the cycle of the Glorious Lord and the melody of oneness and solidarity of the world of mankind must reach the ears of the East and West.

On such blessed days, the friends of God must renew their unity and oneness, and must associate with one another in perfect love and kindness, in joy and delight.

O thou real friend! Such entertainments are always necessary, for they cause the increase of love, unity and harmony in the friends of God. Bring you about (such entertainments) by all means!

However, the most important factor is unity and fellowship amongst the friends. As Rumi says: The souls of wolves and dogs are separate from one another, but united are the souls of the lions of God.

O ye friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! Arrange ye a gathering of fellowship, and in that divine assembly raise the melody of praise and glorification. Light ye the candle of the love of God and drink of the wine of the knowledge of God, and sweeten your palate with the honey of affection and unity, that the beauty of the bounty of God may appear in that gathering with utmost charm, grace and sweetness.

Through the bountiful grace of the Blessed Beauty, mayest thou revive the gatherings of the friends and cause the hearts of His loved ones to be united.

Praise be to God that through the Favor and Generosity of Baha'u'llah, although the Believers, like unto the waves of the ocean, are separate in appearance, yet in reality they are united and belong to one sea.

Regarding the question of Green Acre, if a number of the Baha'is go there with the spirit of unity, and calling the people by day and by night to the Kingdom of Abha and giving the Glad-tidings to all the religions and sects and live together with the utmost of good fellowship and show toward each other love and unity, that it may set others to think and wonder - it is very praiseworthy.

When the friends come together with one another in intimate fellowship and unity in the feast, the light of divine unity shines forth and infinite bounties are bestowed.

In the Baha'i feasts the expression of moral sentiments must become very strong and overpouring and the table of divine life be spread. When the material and spiritual feasts are wedded together in love and affection, the child of harmony and peace will be born in the assemblage of the elect.

O handmaid of God, peace must first be established among individuals, until it leadeth in the end to peace among nations. Wherefore, O ye Baha'is, strive ye with all your might to create, through the power of the Word of God, genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds among individuals. This is your task.

Therefore must the loved ones of God become in the world of existence the mercy of the Lord of the Visible and Invisible and the bounty of the King of the Seen and Unseen. They must not look upon disobedience and rebellion, nor gaze upon oppression and enmity. They must purify their sight and observe humankind as the leaves, blossoms and fruits of the tree of creation. They must ever think of conferring good upon someone, of showing love and care and assistance to another. They must see no enemy nor count any as ill-wishers.

Today the one overriding need is unity and harmony among the beloved of the Lord, for they should have among them but one heart and soul and should, so far as in them lieth, unitedly withstand the hostility of all the peoples of the world; they must bring to an end the benighted prejudices of all nations and religions and must make known to every member of the human race that all are the leaves of one branch, the fruits of one bough.

If the friends and relatives are keeping themselves at a distance from thee, be thou not sad, for God is near to thee. Associate thou, as much as thou canst, with the relatives and strangers; display thou loving kindness; show thou forth the utmost patience and resignation. The more they oppose thee, shower thou upon them the greater justice and equity; the more they show hatred and opposition toward thee, challenge thou them with great truthfulness, friendship and reconciliation.

Rancor and hatred beseemeth not the people of truth, even if it be toward those who have gone astray. This is the straight path, the mighty cord, and the command of God, the Just King, the Manifest Truth.

We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations

yet people treat us as they would treat corrupters deserving of imprisonment and banishment...

that all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled

what fault can be found in these things?...

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

O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive to become the manifestations of the love of God, the lamps of divine guidance shining amongst the kindreds of the earth with the light of love and concord.

In one of the Tablets He saith: The friends must be even as the arteries in the body of the world. Therefore must all manifest such deeds and character that the whole world may, by reason thereof, be drawn to them and set in motion. A hundred thousand souls be sacrificed for them that act for the sake of God! Where are they who prefer God before themselves and who act in His path that which conduceth to the progress and love of the peoples of the world?

During such blessed days institutions should be founded that may be of permanent benefit and value to the people so that in their conversations and in history it may become widely known that such a good work was inaugurated on such a feast day.

… With one another they must be in the utmost harmony, love and oneness, clasping hands, engaged in the commemoration of the Blessed Beauty and thinking of the great results that may be obtained on such a blessed day.

His blessed lamentation and cry was ever this: "I have sacrificed Myself for the unity of all who are on earth. O loved ones! Strive that ye may remove the traces of discord from the face of the earth and cause the lights of unity to shine forth resplendent among all people."

I shall ask you a question: Did God create us for love or for enmity? Did He create us for peace or discord? Surely He has created us for love; therefore, we should live in accordance with His will.

We must strive with heart and soul to drink a brimful cup of this heavenly wine, that our words, our deeds, and our conduct may be those of the righteous. We must show forth love and kindliness, and demonstrate, through our faith and sincerity, that we are all servants of His Threshold, and true and steadfast keepers at His door. We must prove ourselves Baha'is in reality, and not merely in words.

To be as one soul in many bodies; for the more we love each other, the nearer we will be to God; but that our love, our unity, our obedience, must not be by confession but of reality.

Therefore it behoveth you to strive with heart and soul so that the human world may shine resplendent, that the basis of hatred and antagonism may be wiped out from the earth and that all mankind may live together in unity and harmony, with the utmost love and fellowship.

The people of Baha must be the cause of uniting all the nations. They must dispel inharmony and dispute. So now we must consider deeply how the Baha'is must really be, what characteristics they must have and what actions they must perform.

And if there is not this love and harmony among Baha'is how can they cause it to appear among the inhabitants of the earth? How can an ill man nurse others? How could a pauper give wealth to others? So the first thing the Baha'is must do is to feel love and unity in their hearts before they can spread it among others.

Among the friends, fellowship and unity become the cause of familiarizing strangers and spread to all, for the divine friends are as the heart of humanity. Whatever shines forth and surges in the heart permeates all members, such that the eye weeps, the lip smiles, and the entire being begins to dance and move.

He forbade us all conflict and strife and commanded us to show love and kindness to all in the world.

The first cause which led to the exaltation of the Blessed Word has been the unity and harmony of the friends. That honored one must hold fast, with both outer and inner tongue, to that which was mentioned, and must cling to unity, which is the greatest cause for the reformation of the world and the refinement of the nations.

You have no quarrel with anyone and engage in no disputes, and are wholly forbidden from conflict. You are not even content with causing the slightest grief, nor do you undertake to hurt anyone's feelings. All your endeavor is to make hearts glad and joyful, to lead souls to the Beloved, and to render service to the human world.

O friends! Be, with heart and soul, well-wishers of all peoples and religions, and faithful servants to government and nation. Be not grieved by anyone, even if they oppress, and be not saddened by any person, even if they commit tyranny and transgression. Be well-wishers to all, whether friend or foe. Serve all with faithfulness, whether stranger or acquaintance.

The aim of the appearance of the Blessed Perfection--may my life be a sacrifice for His beloved ones!--was the unity and agreement of all the people of the world. Therefore, my utmost desire, firstly, is the accord and union and love of the believers and after that of all the people of the world.

O true friend! Now 'Abdu'l-Baha is in the city of Alexandria, occupied with thoughts of the friends, and night and day, in utmost lowliness and supplication, begs for confirmation and success from the threshold of the Lord of the Kingdom - that the friends may become united and agreed with one another, establishing oneness in this mortal world in such wise that every stranger may become a friend, every distant one draw near, and every outsider become an intimate.

In the world of existence there is no harm greater than discord, and no good more beloved than concord.

"If agreement and union obtain in a home, there will be upbuilding and prosperity therein; the honor and virtue of that home consists in its unity and harmony. Enlarge this condition, if the inhabitants of a village should be united, how much this unity and agreement will conduce to the happiness of that village.

With great esteem they welcomed her in Tihran. All the friends are now like brothers and sisters to her - even more than that and kinder. She is well-known as a Baha'i in Tihran and is respected and loved within and without the community.

Time must not be lost, and the purpose of service and assistance is the mention of Truth through wisdom and utterance, that perchance the scattered letters of the world may be gathered together in the temple of a single word, and that word may become the cause of the completion and adornment of the Book of Creation.

O Lord! Illumine their eyes with the light of Thy knowledge and their hearts with the splendor of Thy countenance. Then unite their hearts and their souls that through their unity the people of Thy kingdom may be united.

According to the Teachings of Baha'u'llah be ye as the Mercy of the Almighty to all the people of the world including the enemies.

Your success is conditional upon your desire to achieve unity and fellowship among the friends, of your efforts to realise the utmost harmony and love amongst you. It is dependent upon your attempts to teach the word of God in perfect concord like milk and honey together, so that no trace of estrangement may be detected amongst you.

O friends, know that the believers of God must be the cause of union and love among all mankind, and until they attain to perfect harmony and agreement they will not become the remedy for the healing of this sick world.

Therefore I beg and counsel you to continue in good fellowship and unity, to co-operate with and be kind toward one another, to exalt one another, and to be the means of comfort and ease to one another, in order that other nations may learn from you how great are the fruits of unity, and thus through your influence the peoples of the earth may be united, and agreement be established between all races and religions.

Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly.

… Wouldst thou seek the grace of the Holy Spirit, enter into fellowship with the righteous, for he hath drunk the cup of eternal life at the hands of the immortal Cup-bearer and even as the true morn doth quicken and illumine the hearts of the dead.

He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship of those that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit.

Thou canst best praise Him if thou lovest His loved ones, and dost safeguard and protect His servants from the mischief of the treacherous, that none may any longer oppress them.

Regard the people of the world as dead and seek the fellowship of the living. Whoso hath not breathed the sweet fragrance of the Beloved at this dawntide is indeed accounted among the dead.

You must try to associate with those who will do you good and who will be the cause of your being more awakened, and not with those who will make you negligent of God. … Man must always associate with those from whom he can get light, or be with those to whom he can give light. He must either receive or give instructions. Otherwise, being with people without these two intentions, he is spending his time for nothing, and, by so doing, he is neither gaining nor causing others to gain.

You must keep these words very well.

There are persons with whom you associate and converse whose utterances are life-imparting, joy-giving. The withered and faded are refreshed, the joyless become happy, the extinct become enkindled and the lifeless are quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. … On the other hand there are some persons whose very respiration extinguishes the light of faith; whose conversation weakens firmness and steadfastness in the Cause of God; whose company divert oneis attention from the kingdom of Abha.

Stand firm in the divine Cause and walk with one another in perfect love, purely for the sake of the Beloved. Burn away the veils of self with the fire of oneness, and associate with each other with radiant and joyous faces.

As for my presence in America, this depends on the friends of God achieving such unity and harmony that they become as one soul, so that like a magnet attracting iron, they may draw me to America.

Night and day, I beseech God that He may bestow blessings from the clouds of mercy and the heaven of generosity, and likewise grant fellowship and unity, for most of the world's affairs have depended and depend upon these two.

Whoso desireth to sit with God, let him sit with My loved ones - this is a revelation from One Who is Mighty, All-Knowing. And whoso desireth to inhale the fragrance of the garment, let him inhale it from My chosen ones.

You must know this, that the principle of the divine foundation is love, unison, oneness and the purity of intention. When love is attained, the mystery of truth will then become manifest.

Do not take example from the vicious, do not permit your-selves to be corrupted by the evil-minded. Whenever you who are believers meet with one another, your conversation should not be about worldly things; you should advise each other how to live noble lives, and seek good examples in one another.

Likewise when people of faith associate with material minded people their hearts are depressed too. Therefore whenever you meet the friends of God be very happy; speak about spiritual things so that you may find heavenly susceptibilities. Association of the friends is the greatest of divine bounties.

Tell them that if they would attain nearness to the Blessed Beauty they must love much, for love is everything. America was the first of the western nations to accept the teachings and it should be the leader in spreading knowledge of it throughout the world. Tell them they must prepare for my coming with love. … Tell them love, only love and unity take anyone nigher God, and true teaching is of this."

Now, in Persia the friends have been ready to sacrifice not only possessions and lives, but they have also sacrificed their individual opinions for the sake of the unity of the whole.

Love is like an essence - whatever remains after it is extracted from anything neither nourishes nor avails. We beseech God not to deprive the whole world from the lights of the Sun of His love.

Then I counsel you that ye dispute not in the Cause of God, even should the idolaters unite against you, and be ye in the earth as standards of victory from One wise and self-subsisting.

God willing, thou shouldst in all conditions fix thy gaze upon the All-Glorious and associate and consort with upright souls, illumined hearts and steadfast minds. Thus doth the Beloved counsel thee out of love for thyself.

Well known is it that this Wronged One loveth His friends and their presence is beloved. However, they must observe what is wise for the Cause and what the exigencies of the time require.

Now in gratitude for these favors we must arise to serve the Lord of wondrous attributes and stand firm in the Covenant so that Baha'i unity may remain safe and protected. Consider that by no power is it possible to preserve Baha'i unity except by the power of the Covenant.

O ye beloved of the Lord! Be united, stand ye together, and cleave tenaciously to the Sure Handle of the Covenant. Bend your energies towards exalting the Word of God, so that the light of Truth may envelop the whole of creation and the darkness of hatred and error may be utterly dispelled.

The friends in the East are all united and agreed.

There are none who waver in the East, none who oppose the Covenant of God. There is not a single soul among the Baha'is in Persia who is opposed to the Covenant. They are all steadfast.

The Hands must be united in word and thought, and with perfect love and oneness, arise to spread servitude and exalt this servant's bondage at the Threshold of Oneness. They must promote whatever this servant writes, and in all conditions think only of being interpreters of this servant's tongue.

All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration. This is the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the Pen of this Wronged One to mankind. Wherefore fear ye, O My well-beloved ones? Who is it that can dismay you? A touch of moisture sufficeth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which this perverse generation is moulded. The mere act of your gathering together is enough to scatter the forces of these vain and worthless people.

O beloved of God and His chosen ones! With a heart enkindled by the fire of your love, a breast dilated by your remembrance, an eye gazing toward you, an ear hearkening to your call, tears flowing in longing for your success, and abundant prayers for your prosperity, I address you from this blessed and luminous Spot, and say:

Blessed are ye, O ye who have turned your faces unto Him! Glad tidings be unto you, O ye sincere ones! Blessed are ye, O ye steadfast ones! Glad tidings be unto you, O ye devout ones! Blessed are ye, O ye awakened by the breeze of God! Glad tidings be unto you, O ye quickened by the Spirit of God! Blessed are ye, O ye who have entered the Kingdom of God! Glad tidings be unto you, O ye who are drawn by the fragrances of God!

Verily I supplicate to God to strengthen you by an influential and Divine Power from the Supreme World and to reinforce you in these Days with the Hosts of Inspiration, and the Army of Peace, in such wise that ye may small the scent of Life from the Garment of Joseph (which is the Covenant) that in all times ye may be enlightened by the Lights which are dazzling from the Orb of Effulgence, that they may arise with union and agreement for the purpose of Exalting the Word of God, spreading the Signs of God and hoisting the Standard of God on the tops of the highest hills.

If ye be truly united, if ye agree to promote that which is the essential purpose, and to show forth an all-unifying love, I swear by Him Who causeth the seed to split and the breeze to waft, so great a light will shine forth from your faces as to reach the highest heavens, the fame of your glory will be noised abroad, the evidences of your preeminence will spread throughout all regions, your power will penetrate the realities of all things, your aims and purposes will exert their influence upon the great and mighty nations, your spirits will encompass the whole world of being, and ye will discover yourselves to be kings in the dominions of the Kingdom, and attired with the glorious crowns of the invisible Realm, and become the marshals of the army of peace, and princes of the forces of light, and stars shining from the horizon of perfection, and brilliant lamps shedding their radiance upon men.

Hasten! Hasten! O ye beloved of the Merciful. Be ye on the alert and hasten, O ye who have sincere thoughts. Be ye on the alert and hasten. O ye seers of the Kingdom of God. Be ye on the alert and hasten, O ye utterrers of the Name of God. Be on the alert and hasten, O ye who are illumined with the Lights of God – to unity, agreement, love and affinity, to have Word, to serve the matter of God, to turn to the Kingdom of God, to be firm in the Covenant of God, to render victorious the Religion of God, to spread the traces of God, and to straightforward in the Cause of God.

That which is essential today in that land is the unity of the friends of God, as well as the observance of wisdom.

This prisoner, despite those calumnies and various persecutions, completely forgot his corruption, oppression and rebellion. Again, I treated him with utmost love and called all the friends to such a degree of love for him that they circumambulated him and kissed his hands and feet.

O respected branch! Today strive with all your powers that the friends of God may achieve the utmost unity and harmony, for this is among the most important obligations, since winds of tests have surrounded the Tree of the Covenant. … By whatever means possible, all must be guided - nay, compelled - to gather beneath the shade of the Word of Unity.

The purpose of these people is to create division in the Cause of God and destroy the unity of the Baha'is, so that in the process they may pursue their selfish desires.

Behold that Abdul-Baha has written a Tablet specially for the purpose, that should anyone ask about his station, it is Abdul-Baha, and no more, that all men may be in unity with each other. There should be no variation. He is always thinking of unity, that all should be one. This is for the sake that there should be harmony among the believers.

Gather ye in the assemblies of fellowship and remember this Prisoner Who hath been afflicted amidst the hypocrites. Gather ye around that Name. Beware lest ye be scattered, for the wolves lurk behind you with great cunning. … Be ye united amongst yourselves, for through unity shall the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, be made manifest, if ye be of those who are endowed with insight.

The assured and confident ones should be seen as patient, silent, dignified and composed. They should not say what is not permitted, nor follow what is not befitting.

Say: O people of God! Ye must needs be so steadfast in the Cause of God that neither the onslaught of the mighty nor their ascendancy may weaken you. Stand ye for God's sake and speak for God's sake.

By God besides Whom there is no other God, if perfect unity and oneness as desired by the Ancient Beauty is not achieved among us, the Most Great Cycle will bear no fruit. Rather, this community will be like previous communities, nay it will be completely effaced.

Today the most important of all matters has been and shall be unity with the loved ones who have drunk from the holy cup of Baha and have settled upon the crimson ark that saileth upon the Most Holy Sea. Walk ye together in perfect fellowship and unity, for through this unity the mighty Cause of the Lord of creation shall become manifest and the foundations of the tyrannical souls shall be demolished and destroyed.

Rather, resolve the differences that have arisen between you and be as brothers firmly established upon the thrones of unity.

"You must all do your best to increase love among the friends, that really and sincerely the friends may all love one another-so that faith in the kingdom may give forth good results, because life in this world depends upon love. The illumination of the world of man depends upon love; the splendour of God depends upon love; tranquillity of heart and soul both depend upon love. Anything besides that is personified imagination. If a friend arrives from another city or state, friends must show him the utmost love so that he may be pleased with coming to the city and meeting the friends."

Say:

"O friends! This is the time for fellowship and harmony. This is the day of oneness and of being everywhere united in speech. For disunity is tantamount to death and destruction, whilst harmony conferreth life and salvation. The glory of the Cause of God and of His loved ones dependeth upon unity and wisdom, whilst disunity, falsehood, and estrangement cannot but lead to the degradation and abasement of both. Wherefore, strive to the utmost of your ability to increase your unity and harmony, that ye may become the manifestations of divine mercy."

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

Say: O loved ones of God in the cities and regions! Know ye that power lieth in unity, and prosperity and success in steadfastness and concord.

O Hasan! Know thou that this Husayn at every moment beholdeth Shimr on His right, then Sinan on His left, then Khawli behind Him, and God is witness to what I say. His only crime was that He called all unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed art thou for having found solace in the company of the loved ones of God and for having associated with them, and this is the way of the sincere ones.

Praise sanctified beyond mention and utterance befitteth the Purpose of all creation, Who from the beginning of the sending forth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones until the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - counseled all to unity and harmony. In truth, this was the purpose of their sending forth, for those united are seen as the manifestation of divine oneness, and from that light of detachment do they shine forth. The cause of the order of the world and the tranquility of nations hath been and ever shall be unity and harmony, as well as the observance of stations among the servants. Blessed is he who hath attained and acted according to what was commanded in the Book.

Today is the day of love and unity, and the day of concord and harmony. Ye must all speak with one word and soar in one atmosphere and dwell beneath the shade of one Tree.

But the fault-finders constantly seek to scatter and disperse the divine sheep and desire the disarray of the party of the All-Merciful, for as long as the sheep are gathered and preserved, protected and blessed under the shadow of the True Shepherd, there is no benefit for any fault-finder and no advantage for any attacker.

… But the intentions and purposes of all must be pure love and absolute harmony, otherwise harm will result and separation will ensue, and the matter will be reversed - the very means of harmony will become the cause of discord.

O educator in the divine school! Among the friends, there does not exist, as there should and ought to, love and affection and togetherness and unity, and this has become a great cause of burning anguish and regret in hearts - that strangers are unified and united while the friends are divided.

Although they kindled the fire of enmity, praise be to God the friends are kind and show the utmost grace and favor.

Unity of the heart between the friends of God attracts the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and capable souls receive the bounty of the divine Mysteries and they become the distributors of the Light...

Inharmony destroys the magnet to attract the Divine Elixir and all become deprived. This is a great loss; therefore, one must study to promote this Unity, which is essential to the life of the believers.

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

Say: O loved ones of God in His lands! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One which hath been raised from the precincts of the Prison. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Great. Be ye united in the Cause of God and His remembrance, and be ye as the fingers of one hand.

They must remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Lord of the Day of Judgment with perfect unity and accord.

O friends of Truth! The people are without fairness and are worshippers of idle fancies. For years they have worshipped and bowed down before the idols of vain imaginings. I beseech the True One, the Mighty, the Powerful, to protect His party and grant them the heavenly water of reality, that all may become intoxicated with the wine of knowledge and occupied with the remembrance of the Peerless Friend.

Blessed are they of insight who today have not been deprived by any veil from the Most Great Vision and who day and night are occupied with uniting hearts and bringing souls together.

Say: O people, fear ye God and differ not among yourselves, lest the hearts of the deniers rejoice thereat. Be as one soul in upholding the Cause, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate, though He is in truth independent of the help of all in the heavens and earth, if ye be of them that are endued with insight.

Beware lest ye differ in the Cause - gather ye on the shore of this Most Great Sea. By My life! Through your unity the pillars of the deniers shall be demolished.

At one time We name friendship an ornament for the temple of man, and at another time a crown for his head and a light for his countenance.

The more that unity, detachment and heartfelt bonds of love increase, the more it brings joy to soul and conscience. The divine friends must today resist the forces of the world with all their spiritual powers. And this resistance cannot be achieved without the manifestation of essential unity and true spirituality.

And strive as much as you can to prevent discord of views arising among the friends, for this is among the greatest blows and causes the effacement of God's Cause and the extinction of individuals. Keep this matter greatly in view, for discord of views is more severe than deadly poison.

You had written that the friends in Tehran are, praise be to God, all at peace. This is due to the blessedness of the divine teachings, for while all peoples and nations today are in utmost distress, trouble and confusion, the friends of God in both East and West are in perfect peace, tranquility and goodwill toward humanity. Previously, all peoples rested in beds of comfort and security while the friends of God had not a moment's peace from the oppression of tyrants and oppressors. Now, through the assistance and favor of the Blessed Beauty, the friends are in peace and security while other peoples are in confusion.

Be ye gladly and joyfully united even as the union of water and wine lest ye be tempted to divide and thy strength vanisheth and ye shall fall as the falling of the stars in the abyss of manifold grief and sorrows. My breast is dilated in as much as it hath come to my knowledge that ye have become one in destiny. This indeed is a praiseworthy thing.

Thou hast written that a Minister has asked Mr. Kinny to hold from time to time the Baha'i meetings in his church. This is very acceptable. Peradventure through your effort this Minister will be changed, be attracted to the light of the Kingdom, attain to another state, seek another power and become the minister of the heavenly ministry and a herald to the appearance of the Lord of Hosts.

The friends of God must be like flowers of one garden adorning one another, and like waves of one sea supporting and assisting one another, and like rays of the Sun of Truth all connected from the center to the circumference.

Today there is no greater service to the Kingdom of God than endeavor in uniting the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful One. By all means strive to lay the foundation of love and harmony among all. Should the friends of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful One unite as they should, they will receive the Heavenly Confirmations as successive as spring rain. They may be so united as to surprise the people, even themselves.

O thou son of the Kingdom!

Today, the most important affair and the greatest hope is the unity and concord of the Friends. In every city where the Friends are united, spirituality and illumination is manifest and apparent with infinite power and strength; but where there is a lack of the warmth of love, every one becomes withered, cold, unhappy and deprived. Therefore, endeavour ye with all your heart and soul so that union and concord may be increased, the Word of God promoted and the lights of unity be spread.

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Gird ye up the loins of endeavor, band ye together! Be ye loving towards each other! Banish, banish the nightmare of differences and ill-feeling. Your Maker has created you for love's sake!

That is why there must be much love amongst the believers of God. The friends of God must sacrifice their lives for the sake of each other. Their love for each other must be so great. If such is the case, this Cause has already given its result, but if it does not reach to this degree, this Cause has not produced any result. The fruit of this Tree is Love. The aim of the appearance of all the Manifestations of God, the prophets and the revelation of all the holy books has been to create Love between the hearts.

He said whenever I hear news of discord between the friends, I get a fever from the intensity of being affected, and whenever I hear news of unity and agreement between the friends, even if I am in difficulty and distress, I become happy.

My distress is in this - why should the friends who are themselves reformers of the world fall into discord?

India has a great latent capacity and its divine progress depends upon the faithfulness, unity and spiritual perception of the believers of God.

In another station it is the love of God, glorified be His majesty - that blessing whose measure and station the pillars of the world are powerless to define. It is the cause of fellowship and the source of unity among the servants, and it is that which guideth people to the most exalted horizon.

Keep away from the corrupt, and do not associate with the oppressors and the stubborn. Pass your days with the utmost joy and fragrance, and be intimate companions with the righteous and the believers.

Moreover, I beseech you that in these few remaining days of your life, ye live with one another in utmost kindness and mercy, but resting and reposing in the shade of His special favor, for that is the foundation throughout all cycles and the aim in every age. Hold fast to the glory of His loving-kindness and cling to the cord of His forgiveness.

Be among the concourse of all created things with spirit and fragrance, that they may inhale from you the sweet savors of the Beloved. This, verily, is true victory, were you of those who know. Beware lest there appear from you that which would cause division in the Cause.

Therefore the desire of the Ancient Beauty for His loved ones is that they should stand firm upon a single path, for the discord among the loved ones of God brings joy to the enemies and sorrow to His chosen ones.

Say: Be ye united in the Cause of God and differ not as did the people before you. Fear ye God, O people of understanding!

True unity is to fix one's gaze upon the horizon of the One Manifestation and to be detached and free from all else.

Every word that causes harmony and is the source of unity is loved and acceptable, and without it nothing is acceptable.

Then know thou that this Bird hath taken flight from the branches of Iraq, and this was ordained by the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. Dispute not after Me, but gather ye together around the Cause, for this is what God desired for you in the atomic realm before the creation of the heavens and the earth.

O My Name! The divine counsels of the All-Merciful and the heavenly exhortations of the Lord are recorded and inscribed in every leaf, and the primary purpose hath been and is to extinguish the fire of hatred and animosity, and likewise to elevate and exalt their stations.

O friend! Couldst thou but know with what love and affection I have seized the pen and undertaken to write this missive, thou wouldst leap at once for joy and exclaim with delight: God be praised that I have such a caring and compassionate friend, such a kind companion, who, amidst such sorrows, such endless adversities and afflictions, and such a vortex of tribulations, hath replied with such affection to my letter and called the friends to mind.

Praise be to God, we are gathered together and in every assembly we are like candles, and with one another in utmost fellowship. It is love upon love, night and day in companionship. The friends who travel together are confidants and intimate, embracing and harmonious, night and day occupied with the mention of the Blessed Beauty, in fellowship.

Praise be to God, for thy letter was redolent with the fragrance of musk and thy words were as sweet as honey. It bore testimony to the unity and harmony among the friends, who are one and all engaged, with zeal and attraction, unity and concord, in exalting the Word of God, diffusing His fragrances, and teaching His Cause, none burdened by sorrow.

The more they strive for harmony the more they will make progress; the more they exert efforts for unity the more they will witness the signs of His divine assistance and providence.

… O friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! I adjure you by the sweetness of the Countenance of the Abha Beauty to become as united as the stars of the Pleiades.

Root out the sources of dissension and raise up the foundations of harmony.

O faithful friends and true companions! For some time no sweet fragrance had wafted from that blessed region of Zanjan to the nostrils of the yearning ones, and because of this, sorrow prevailed. Then the promoter of the Word of God and guardian of God's Covenant, Haji Va'iz, hastened to that land. Praise be to God, upon his arrival a new spirit was manifest, some stirring and movement occurred.

O friends of Baha and companions of 'Abdu'l-Baha! When the life-giving fragrance of unity, harmony, fellowship and love from the friends in Khurasan reached the nostrils of this one secluded at the Threshold of the Most Glorious Beauty, it perfumed the mind and musk-scented the brain. The gathering became redolent with musk and the spiritual assembly became joy-inspiring.

The more union and agreement appear amongst the believers of God the greater will be the divine Confirmations, the more uninterrupted will be the descent of the holy blessings from heaven! The friends must love each other with such deep sincerity as to move the hearts of those who come in touch with them.

I beg of God that the results of this amity shall become evident, that it shall lead to spirituality in the world, to impart guidance to all who dwell on this earth. I hope for such results from this gathering that it will not be like other gatherings of people who forget each other as soon as they disperse.

Whenever ye find someone desiring to separate himself from the flock, it is incumbent upon you to treat him with fragrance and kindness and persuade and encourage him, so that this secluded sheep may return to the flock.

O true friend! Thou art ever before mine eyes, and dearly cherished; before my gaze, and highly respected. There is no mightier bond in the world of being than the attachment of the heart. Even a chain of steel hath not the same degree of strength. Praise be to God, that bond between the friends is firm and solid; is binding, capturing, and concentrating the Perspicuous Light; and is day by day becoming firmer and stronger.

In the East the love of the believers is very great, but America has not yet reached this station. It is much better, but they must grow in love for each other.

During the days he was a companion and confidant, he was always thinking of you and in utmost supplication to the realm above, he sought bounty and bestowal for you and begged for divine outpourings.

I too joined in this aim and purpose and made humble entreaties to the Divine Threshold so that eternal grace may descend and from all directions the means of unity and oneness may be provided.

O friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! How sweet is this moment when I am engaged in remembering you and occupied with your mention. At times, from the breezes of the love of the friends, I am like a surging sea, and at times I am a bird soaring on the wing of attachment to the friends.

No obstacle can prevent the heart from remembering the divine loved ones, and no barrier can intervene.

O God! What manner of attachment and connection is this, and what manner of love and fellowship, that like an impregnable fortress of steel stands firm and established.

O spiritual friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! Do not suppose that this heart has any attachment to any flower save the countenance of the friends, or that this soul finds fragrance in any garden save the garden of their character.

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of Sinai! Thou art never forgotten or absent from my thoughts, for thou hast a dwelling place in the inner chamber of my heart.

Lo! they are your brothers and sisters, closer to you than your own kith and kin. They are impelled by the same common ideas -- Brotherhood and Peace. The Love of Baha'u'llah has united their hearts.

in Los Angeles there is the blessed tomb of Mr. Chase.

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My happiness lies in seeing you, for in your faces are apparent the glad tidings of the Abha Kingdom and in your hearts heavenly love and attraction. If outwardly we fail to meet, it does not weaken our real love.

These days, I do not feel very well. My remedy is to hear that the believers love each other. Nay other news makes me sick and unhappy. Let everyone speak to me about love and I will love him more. The friends must be real peacemakers; not stirrers up of strife nor sowers of seeds of discord, nor acting with superiority one over another.

The poet spoke truly when he said that three things are scarce, namely, the demon, the phoenix and the faithful friend. Yes, like the demon and the phoenix, the true friend is rare. But under the shadow of the Word of God, the Blessed Beauty has produced such friends for you.

My hope has always been with the friends in the East, for they are the essence of the Cause and through them the Cause of God has become firmly established in Iran. How is it possible that they would be forgotten for even a moment or fade from memory?

In any case, by whatever means, a way must be found to the heart of the friend. Whatever form it may take is a good form, for your mention, praise be to God, is brought forth.

To be far in body is of no account. To be near in spirit is essential. Seek that from God. When thou hast attained that, thou art always with me.

O thou who art firm! What glad-tiding better than the one which thou hast imparted, to wit, that misunderstanding from among the friends has been eliminated and harmony and concord established! This good news has made everybody hopeful that soon the torch of the Oneness of the world of Humanity may be enkindled in New York.

In truth, today all the friends are present in this Garden of Ridvan in heart and soul as confidants and intimate companions, witnessing and harmonious. Divine grace and bounty has joined hand in hand the friends of East and West, intoxicated them with the wine of the love of God, and brought them to excitement and fervor through the melody of the Concourse on High.

The purpose is that I have the utmost love for you, and I hope through the favors of the Most Great Name that day by day these bonds will become stronger and the divine friends will show love to one another and become so enkindled with the fire of the love of God that they become the pulsating force in the veins and arteries of the world, and become outpouring clouds upon the plains and deserts of the heart and soul of the world.

Be assured that whenever facilities become available and the path becomes free of fear and danger, and the friends remain in complete unity and harmony, I will hasten to Ishqabad and create excitement in those regions.

Therefore this page should be considered a musk-perfumed missive, and the fragrance of this prisoner's heartfelt love should be inhaled from it. If a vessel of musk appears, the nostrils of all present become perfumed; likewise I hope this writing will be the cause of joy to all the friends and handmaidens of the Most Merciful.

O my spiritual friend! The letter you wrote dated August 13, 1906 was received and its reading brought joy, for it indicated the unity and oneness of the western friends, as praise be to God, through the signing of those two letters, all achieved a fresh love and unity. I beseech God that day by day you may increase this unity and harmony.

It cannot be that I should be immersed in the ocean of tribulations and sorrows while thou art not plunged therein. Whatever there is, we are together - companions, sharing the same condition, working together, and walking the same path.

In truth, in all existence there is no honey sweeter than the love of the divine friends for one another, especially to the taste of 'Abdu'l-Baha. I swear by the Beauty of Baha and the Spirit of the Exalted One that when it is heard that two friends are, as they should be, one spirit and one heart and one thought and one purpose and one movement, and in the utmost fellowship, the heart is stirred - how much more if all become thus!

In any case, I am so filled with spirit and fragrance in mentioning the loved ones of the All-Merciful that weariness, tedium and exhaustion completely vanish, even were I to be occupied and engaged in writing from morning till midnight, and to write continuously.

My thoughts are turned towards you, and my heart leaps within me at your mention. Could ye know how my soul glows with your love, so great a happiness would flood your hearts as to cause you to become enamored with each other.

Observe the divine connections, that one from Kurdistan makes a request for a letter to be written to the friends in Turkistan from 'Abdu'l-Baha in Syria. What fellowship is this, what love is this, what bounty is this, and what blessing!

With all thy heart and soul be thou a sincere friend and a loving companion unto all, and show forth such deeds as are worthy of the divine Threshold.

Through association and fellowship with you, each one will attain, like a meadow from the companionship of dewdrops, an indescribable freshness and grace. All will smile like goblets and weep like wine-flasks, become like blossoming flowers and, like nightingales, harmonize in song and melody.

Tell the friends that whenever I receive news that they are in harmony so that their hearts are overflowing with love for one another, that they are a comfort to one another, and that they have devoted their time to serving mankind without any exception, then my health improves more and more.

The letter adorned with the ink of love, which is in truth the cause and reason for, and manifestation of, the unity of the servants in the Cause of the Lord of creation, became the source of joy and gladness and the cause of delight and felicity.

In truth, letters have been and are half of meeting and encounter. In any case, they are the cause of gladness and the source of joy. The remembrance of friends brings happiness to the Friend, especially if that remembrance is for the sake of God.

The world of love requires at all times the mention and praise of the loved ones, especially those saplings that have been nurtured in the shade of mercy, have been raised up, and are sustained by the fresh wine. Such souls should be mentioned by a pure tongue, and a sanctified heart should express love for them.

God willing, the fire of the love of God which is deposited in thy verses will become the cause of ascension and the reason for motion, and will unite the friends with the friends.

Inspire them, O my Lord, with a sense of their own powerlessness before Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self, and teach them to recognize the poverty of their own nature in the face of the manifold tokens of Thy self-sufficiency and riches, that they may gather together round Thy Cause, and cling to the hem of Thy mercy, and cleave to the cord of the good-pleasure of Thy will.

O Lord! Unite all that is scattered and unify all that is divided and mend all that is torn, and gather Thy loved ones in assemblies of remembrance and praise, and admit Thy servants into gatherings of light and glory, and make them a single tongue speaking Thy praise and attributes among the concourse of creation, steadfast in Thy covenants among the people, humble, submissive, proclaiming, devoted, and supplicating to Thy Most Glorious Kingdom, beseeching Thy most exalted horizon.

Lay hold on Thine adversaries by the power of Thy sovereignty, and assemble Thy loved ones beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, that they may stand before Thy throne, and catch the accents of Thy voice, and gaze on Thy beauty, and discover the power of Thy might.

We beseech Him, exalted be He, to gather us upon one carpet and in one place where we may hear and speak.

I ask God that thou mayest, in that region, make the friends to be companions and associates to one another and enable all to be gathered together and strengthened through unity, harmony and love. Thus may they, through companionship and fellowship, become enthralled and enkindled, be filled with joy and exultation, and increase in love and attachment.

O servant of God! The fellowship of friends brings about spirit and fragrance, and the love of brethren induces joy in heart and soul, especially spiritual brethren and mystical friends. As much as thou canst, associate with souls from whose heart-gardens thou canst inhale the sweet fragrance of the love of God, and from whose luminous foreheads thou canst behold the manifest light.

The Day is approaching when God shall bring the faithful together. In truth no God is there other than Him.

Then gather them, O my Lord, in the paradise of Thy love and the city of Thy affection. Then erase from their hearts the signs of difference and from their souls the tokens of variation, in such wise that they may remember Thee with one tongue and worship Thee in one form, and become as one soul and one spirit.

I beseech Thee, O God, O my God, at this moment, by Him Whom Thou hast made a treasure for all created things, a shelter for all existence, and a fortress for all who dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven, to send down upon our hearts the love of Thy loved ones and the affection of Thy chosen ones, that we may become pure mirrors, holy crystals, and luminous lamps, reflecting the wonders of the pure camphor of Thy countenance and proclaiming the gleamings of the cloud of might of Thy presence, that we may be as one servant and one soul in the earth, all prostrating before the sovereign of Thy majesty and submitting to the king of Thy beauty, for we are all Thy servants and within Thy grasp. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Luminous, the Beloved.

The friends of God must be like bouquets of roses, disseminating their sweet fragrances from one to another. They must assist each other so that in the powers of the Kingdom co-operation and reciprocity be obtained.

They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is, who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all attain unto real union in the world that dieth not.

In any case, though outwardly we are distant and separated, and in burning anguish from the fire of separation, yet as we are intoxicated from the same wine and delighted and joyous from the favors of the Forgiving Lord, we are immersed in one sea and wandering in one desert, birds of one rose garden and fish of one ocean. Therefore we are intimate companions and confidants, of one breath and one voice.

Glory be to God! What grace and bounty is this that is specially bestowed upon the servants of the Divine Unity - that though one is in the East and one in the West, in reality they are present in one gathering and intimate companions in the feast of love and fellowship.

O servant of God! Though outwardly you are in Shin while we are in Sin - that is, in the province of Syria - in reality we are under the shade of one Tree and are blessed by one Fruit.

You will never forget him, may you ever pray for him, be ever respectful to his family, and be a source of comfort to them. As many times as possible--at least once a year--you should make it a point to visit his tomb, for his spirit will be exhilarated through the loyalty of the friends, and in the world of God will it be happy.

The friends of God must be kind to one another, whether it be in life or death.

As to ye who are friends of that bird of the meadow of guidance, ye must, after her, have such unison, love, association and unity that it may make things better and more favorable than they were during her days.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! In this corporeal world, despite the separation of bodies, friends remain friends and intimate with each other. In the eternal world, then, which is the world of divine unity and heavenly oneness, friendship and spiritual intimacy are naturally among the essential requisites of that sanctified world....

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For association with these loved ones is, before God, more beloved than all else. I swear by God that to gaze upon these faces is greater and more acceptable than seventy years of worship, for until a soul is created from a wondrous drop of the clay of divine love and the water of His affection, and becomes detached from all who are in the heavens and the earth, it shall never be capable of entering this blessed Ark and this Ship of sublime glory.

Blessed is the soul that, even as it lieth down to sleep, hath a heart shining with love for all the peoples of the world.

The spirit of love and unity among the friends in discussing, arranging and carrying out the activities of the Faith in the Haziratu'l-Quds, will become as a magnet which will attract to them divine bounties.

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In every cycle and dispensation, the feast hath been favoured and loved, and the spreading of a table for the lovers of God hath been considered a praiseworthy act. This is especially the case today, in this dispensation beyond compare, this most generous of ages, when it is highly acclaimed, for it is truly accounted among such gatherings as are held to worship and glorify God. Here the holy verses, the heavenly odes and laudations are intoned, and the heart is quickened, and carried away from itself.

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We hear that thou hast in mind to embellish thy house from time to time with a meeting of Baha'is, where some among them will engage in glorifying the All-Glorious Lord... Know that shouldst thou bring this about, that house of earth will become a house of heaven, and that fabric of stone a congress of the spirit.

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If a man has frequent intercourse with others, either in the way of conversation, entertainment, or simple familiarity, he must either become like them, or change them to his own fashion. A live coal placed next a dead one will either kindle that or be quenched by it. (Epictetus, The Golden Sayings XCIX)

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