Education of children: discovering the treasures within

Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.

You are the children of whom Christ has said, "Of such is the kingdom of God"; and according to the words of Baha'u'llah you are the very lamps or candles of the world of humanity, for your hearts are exceedingly pure and your spirits most sensitive. You are near the source; you have not yet become contaminated. You are the lambs of the heavenly Shepherd. You are as polished mirrors reflecting pure light. … May you become learned in sciences, acquire the arts and crafts, prove to be useful members of human society and assist the progress of human civilization.

Some are imperfect; they must be perfected. The ignorant must be taught, the sick healed, the sleepers awakened. The child must not be oppressed or censured because it is undeveloped; it must be patiently trained.

Whensoever a mother seeth that her child hath done well, let her praise and applaud him and cheer his heart; and if the slightest undesirable trait should manifest itself, let her counsel the child and punish him, and use means based on reason, even a slight verbal chastisement should this be necessary. It is not, however, permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child's character will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse.

Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and loving to animals. If an animal be sick, let the children try to heal it, if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let them quench its thirst, if weary, let them see that it rests.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the eighth leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: Schools must first train the children in the principles of religion, so that the Promise and the Threat recorded in the Books of God may prevent them from the things forbidden and adorn them with the mantle of the commandments; but this in such a measure that it may not injure the children by resulting in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry.

From an early age, encourage children to study every branch of learning and urge them to acquire every art, so that through God's help and grace, the heart of each one may become like a mirror revealing the mysteries of existence and discovering the reality of all things, becoming renowned throughout all regions in sciences, knowledge and crafts. Most assuredly, do not show any negligence or laxity in the education of children. Nurture them with divine characteristics and be confident of the bounty and grace of the Lord God.

O thou handmaid of God! Do thou establish a heavenly school and be thou a teacher in that house of learning. Educate the children in the things of God and, even as pearls, rear them in the heart of the shell of divine guidance.

Strive thou with heart and soul; see to it that the children are raised up to embody the highest perfections of humankind, to such a degree that every one of them will be trained in the use of the mind, in acquiring knowledge, in humility and lowliness, in dignity, in ardour and love.

O thou spiritual teacher! In thy school, instruct thou God’s children in the customs of the Kingdom. Be thou a teacher of love, in a school of unity. Train thou the children of the friends of the Merciful in the rules and ways of His loving-kindness.

It is the hope of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá that those youthful souls in the schoolroom of the deeper knowledge will be tended by one who traineth them to love.

O spiritual counselor!

Teaching young children is like unto gardening in the divine gardens. Children must be made to grow and develop like seedlings beside the stream of knowledge and wisdom, and with the utmost kindness must be nurtured like pearls within the shell of truth and meaning, so that through the bounty of arts and sciences they may grow and develop, becoming fruitful trees bearing sweet fruits of the mysteries of existence and adorning the rose garden and meadow.

They who possess speech and utterance and who are associated with the Truth must, with perfect wisdom, educate the children of earth.

Immature souls must at all times be nurtured with the hands of mercy and kindness until they reach maturity and become aware of what benefits and harms them.

These human creatures are even as children, they are brash and unconcerned. These children must be reared with infinite, loving care, and tenderly fostered in the embraces of mercy, so that they may taste the spiritual honey-sweetness of God's love; that they may become like unto candles shedding their beams across this darksome world, and may clearly perceive what blazing crowns of glory the Most Great Name, the Ancient Beauty, hath set on the brows of His beloved, what bounties He hath bestowed on the hearts of those He holdeth dear, what a love He hath cast into the breasts of humankind, and what treasures of friendship He hath made to appear amongst all men.

Briefly, some are mere children; with the utmost love we must educate them to make them wise. Others are sick and ailing; we must tenderly treat them until they recover. Some have unworthy morals; we must train them toward the standard of true morality.

A child is as a young plant: it will grow in whatever way you train it. If you rear it to be truthful, and kind, and righteous, it will grow straight, it will be fresh and tender, and will flourish. But if not, then from faulty training it will grow bent, and stand awry, and there will be no hope of changing it.

Children are of two kinds: Those capable of distinguishing and those incapable of distinguishing (right and wrong). Now, this child is too young to have the power of distinguishing and his sense or feeling has not yet developed. He should therefore be allowed to remain as he is until he grows older and develops capability and adaptability to training.

[Then it was asked as to the early training of small children, as for instance if it were allowable to punish children? 'Abdu'l-Baha answered:]

If by punishing is meant striking, no, this is very bad for the child. Children should be trained through love.

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

A father may chastise his children, but this chastisement proceedeth from love; whereas the chastisement of others ariseth from enmity. A teacher traineth and reproacheth his pupils, and this proceedeth from love; yet the children are pleased at the teacher’s death. Thus, when they hear that the teacher hath fallen ill, they rejoice and make merry.

If a plant is carefully nurtured by a gardener, it will become good, and produce better fruit. These children must be given a good training from their earliest childhood. They must be given a systematic training which will further their development from day to day, in order that they may receive greater insight, so that their spiritual receptivity be broadened. Beginning in childhood they must receive instruction. They cannot be taught through books. Many elementary sciences must be made clear to them in the nursery; they must learn them in play, in amusement.

As for children, from the age of five they should enter into training, meaning during the days they should be kept in a place where there are teachers, learn manners, and be taught some letters and words and basic reading in the form of play. As is done in some countries where they make letters and words from sweets and give them to the child - for example, they make the shape of alif from candy and its name is alif, and they make ba from candy and its name is ba, and likewise the other letters are given to young children. Children learn letters quickly.

They have established schools that are considered gardens of delight for children, furnished with all manner of toys, or in other words, means for children's joy and exercise, whereby their nerves and muscles are strengthened and active, and they avoid laziness and lassitude, keeping their mental faculties alert and vigorous. Under the supervision and training of male and female teachers, hundreds of children like flocks of blessed birds spend their days in utmost simplicity and purity in play and joy - but in reality they are becoming accustomed to physical and mental exercise and learning good social manners and fellowship.

Here the very foundation of their education must be laid on the solid rock of purity, cleanliness, sanitary observances and physical examinations. The teaching-rooms must be large and airy and perfect sympathy and comradeship be established between the teachers and the pupils.

The more cleanly the pupils are, the better; they should be immaculate. The school must be located in a place where the air is delicate and pure.

… Training in morals and good conduct is far more important than book learning. A child that is cleanly, agreeable, of good character, well-behaved -- even though he be ignorant -- is preferable to a child that is rude, unwashed, ill-natured, and yet becoming deeply versed in all the sciences and arts.

They had arranged their time in such a way that these three months of holiday would not be wasted, and during this period they would study and exercise their bodies to such an extent that they all became physically strong. Barefoot and bareheaded in light clothing, they would run through those forests until they became accustomed to conditions such that if they should find themselves in a desert with no civilization, it would make no difference whatsoever to them - it would be as if they were in a city like any other.

Then this duty performed I went to the school and examined the pupils. Those who were doing well I gave them money or gifts, others I encouraged to push forward. Thus all the students graduated from that school received much praise and scholarships in Damascus and Constantinople.

All people are in need of education. They who are endowed with insight must turn their attention to this momentous matter.

Man is like steel whose essence is hidden - through mention, utterance, counsel and education its essence becomes manifest and evident, but if left to itself, the rust of lustful desires and passions will destroy it.

Human education is of great importance. It is especially necessary to educate the children. They are the young tender trees of God's planting. But the supreme education is Divine Teaching. Through it the most ignorant become wise and the lowest are elevated to the loftiest heights.

Today I am going to speak to you on the object of the appearance of the prophets. It is evident that the world of humanity is in need of educators. As we look at the phenomenal world we observe that growth and development depend upon culture and education.

For example, if a child is deprived of schooling, he will certainly remain ignorant and unlearned, his knowledge limited to his own discoveries. But when he studies sciences and knowledge with a learned teacher, he becomes informed of the discoveries of thousands of souls. Thus education becomes the cause of guidance for the misguided and sight for the blind; it makes the ignorant wise and the worthless noble; it makes the mute speak and the false dawn become the true dawn; it makes a tiny seed become a lofty palm tree and a runaway slave become a triumphant king.

Every child is potentially the light of the world---and at the same time its darkness; wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of primary importance. From his infancy, the child must be nursed at the breast of God’s love, and nurtured in the embrace of His knowledge, that he may radiate light, grow in spirituality, be filled with wisdom and learning, and take on the characteristics of the angelic host.

Through education the ignorant become learned, the cowardly become courageous, the crooked branch becomes straight, the acrid and bitter fruit of the mountains and woods becomes sweet and succulent, and the five-petalled flower puts forth a hundred petals. Through education barbarous nations become civilized and even animals take on human-like manners. Education must be accorded the greatest importance; for just as diseases are highly communicable in the world of bodies, so is character highly communicable in the realm of hearts and spirits.

The Master: "The Blessed Perfection Baha'u'llah has stressed in all His Holy Writings, in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, in the Ishraqat, in the Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih, in the Law?-i-Bisharat etc, in brief in all His glorious Revelations, the necessity for a well-directed educational system for boys and girls, rich and poor.

According to the statement of philosophers the difference in degree of humankind from lowest to highest is due to education. The proofs they advance are these. The civilization of Europe and America is an evidence and outcome of education, whereas the semicivilized and barbarous peoples of Africa bear witness in their condition that they have been deprived of its advantages. Education makes the ignorant wise, the tyrant just, promotes happiness, strengthens the mind, develops the will and makes fruitless trees of humanity fruitful.

Consider likewise the animals: If an animal is trained it becomes domesticated; whereas man, if he is left without education, becomes like an animal. Indeed, if man is abandoned to the rule of nature, he sinks even lower than the animal, whereas if he is educated he becomes even as an angel.

An uneducated human is an animal, indeed worse than an animal. For example, if children remain in the wilderness and receive no education at all, they will certainly remain ignorant, they will certainly remain unaware of the civilized world. No crafts, no commerce, no agriculture - like the peoples of central Africa who are wild to the utmost. What has distinguished the world of Europe from the world of Africa? Certainly it is education, for the people of Europe are educated while the people of Africa are not educated.

O ye young Baha'i children, ye seekers after true understanding and knowledge! A human being is distinguished from an animal in a number of ways. … Ye must therefore put forth a mighty effort, striving by night and day and resting not for a moment, to acquire an abundant share of all the sciences and arts, that the Divine Image, which shineth out from the Sun of Truth, may illumine the mirror of the hearts of men.

Education and training are the most important issues in the world of existence. Without an educator, little progress can be made in material affairs, still less in spiritual affairs and divine morals. How can humanity find composure and eternal happiness without an educator?

If a child is left to its own natural proclivities, without education, it will embody all human defects. Education makes of man a man.

If man reflects well, he will find how important is the spiritual education of children from an early age. Whatever is impressed upon minds in early life, and in which a child grows and develops for a time, becomes so firmly rooted in his heart that it becomes a second nature. This is especially true after reaching maturity.

The training of children is a great service when they are educated according to divine instruction. The character of children must be trained so they do not become wayward. Children are like fresh branches - a fresh branch can be trained in whatever way one desires. Through training, a crooked branch becomes straight, a wild tree becomes cultivated, a fruitless plant becomes fruitful, an ignorant person becomes wise, a wild bird becomes tame, and fierce beasts become gentle. Training has a profound effect - a tremendous influence.

The prophets are sent to refresh the dead body of the world, to render the dumb, eloquent, to give peace to the troubled, to make illumined the indifferent and to set free from the material world all beings who are its captives. Leave a child to himself and he becomes ill-mannered and thoughtless. He must be shown the path, so that he may become acquainted with the world of the soul - the world of divine gifts.

If you leave children to themselves and provide no training, they will become evil. For example, if one ill-mannered child is among a thousand wise and learned children, after one day with them he will make them ill-mannered.

The first and the most important lesson is the inculcation of morality, the refinement of character, the beautification of the inner man and the cleansing of the heart.

Assuredly, an untutored child who can read is better than one who has acquired all knowledge but has not entered beneath the shadow of a divine educator, for from the latter harm will result while from the former it will not; and if one has received no education but has received divine training, that will yield results.

The teacher of material principles is limited. The philosophers who claimed to be the educators of mankind were at most only able to train themselves. If they educated others, it was within a restricted circle; they failed to bestow general education and development.

A man intellectually may become enabled to educate a few, but general education is imparted to the world of humanity through the prophets of God, because they are the real Instructors of the human race.

He led them out of Egypt into the Holy Land and opened the doors of their advancement into higher civilization. Through His training this oppressed and downtrodden people, slaves and captives of the Pharaohs, established the splendor of the Solomonic sovereignty. This is an example of a universal Teacher, a universal Educator.

Elijah gathered some of the young men and taught them the religion of God in the cave. They became holy souls. Having educated them, he sent them out to teach among the people.

Through education we must free ourselves from these imperfections. The Prophets of God have been sent, the Holy Books have been written, so that man may be made free.

This is the day in which the diffusion of sciences, the training in arts, and the instruction of children - both boys and girls - are amongst the greatest and most fundamental principles of this radiant century and this glorious age.

For in this wondrous Dispensation, after the recognition of the exalted Truth, the greatest excellence of the human world is the acquisition of material and literary sciences and arts. Therefore, the loved ones of God must strive diligently in their studies.

Especially must one be vigilant and strive for the children, that each may become a manifest standard in the divine world and achieve the utmost progress in knowledge, sciences, arts and present-day civilization.

That is to say, they should receive divine education, first in heavenly beliefs, faith and certitude, and in general proofs and conclusive evidences of the truth of God's Cause. This should be taught with utmost facility. For instance, each day the teacher should present one divine topic for the children to discuss among themselves. The children themselves will become extremely enthusiastic, and in a short time even a young child will be able to cite verses and traditions as proof. Secondly, they should be taught manners, character, proper conduct, goodly deeds and actions, reading and writing, algebra, arithmetic, geometry, languages, history, geography, and other beneficial sciences.

Children must first be trained in divine virtues and encouraged and urged to improve their character.

Thereafter, efforts must be made to teach them sciences, crafts and knowledge to the extent possible, for without heavenly virtues and upright character, the mere acquisition of learning and arts will not suffice and will not prevent moral corruption and the harms of self and passion, but rather will become the cause of promoting false thoughts and a means of strengthening personal interests, unless accompanied by divine education.

As for the children, We have commanded that they first be educated in the principles and laws of religion, and afterwards in beneficial sciences, in trade adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness, and in such works as would serve to promote His Cause or give rise to that which would draw the servant nearer to his Lord. We beseech God to assist the children of His loved ones and to adorn them with the ornament of understanding, courtesy, trustworthiness and religiosity.

Everything praiseworthy spreads rapidly. But the children must first be taught religion so that they may be sincere and trustworthy.

Give lessons in divine love to children who are studying, and teach them heavenly teachings, for children and youth require training in character, morals and proper conduct more than they need learning and knowledge.

… Therefore, train the children in Baha'i schools in divine characteristics and guide them to purity and holiness, so that each one may develop an angelic nature and be adorned with the attributes and character of a true Baha'i.

Train the children in such wise that each one may become proficient in all the sciences and arts, both literary and material, and in divine meanings, and may become an adornment to the world of humanity.

It is essential that the children be educated, and their lessons and exercises must be seen to with the greatest of care; for bringing up children in the ways of God is the very foundation of the foundation, and so long as the foundation is not solid, it is useless to build thereon.

The great thing that is necessary to teach children is to be characterized with the attributes of God, and to be good. Their hearts and minds must be prepared to receive truth as soon as they are old enough to be taught anything—but children should not be taught facts and details which they may not speak of openly to their fellows and companions.

Abdu'l-Baha: They should first be taught the reality of religion as a foundation. For instance, in the Catholic Church the child is taught that through some act of the priest the bread and wine of the sacrament become the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. The mind cannot accept this. The child must be taught that this transformation is symbolical of the truth that Christ is the food from heaven, the eating of which produces eternal life.

The instruction of these children is even as the work of a loving gardener who tendeth his young plants in the flowering fields of the All-Glorious. There is no doubt that it will yield the desired results; especially is this true of instruction as to Baha'i obligations and Baha'i conduct, for the little children must needs be made aware in their very heart and soul that "Baha'i" is not just a name but a truth. Every child must be trained in the things of the spirit, so that he may embody all the virtues and become a source of glory to the Cause of God.

O leaf attracted to the Abha Kingdom!

The Sunday school for the children in which the Tablets and Teachings of Baha'u'llah are read, and the Word of God is recited for the children is indeed a blessed thing. Thou must certainly continue this organized activity without cessation, and attach importance to it, so that day by day it may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

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

Instructions concerning the children of the Baha'i Sunday School of Washington, D.C.:

'Abdu'l-Baha said: "In that hour you have to make the children familiar with the prophecies in the Gospels and mentioning the name of God and about this Revelation, that is to say instruct them how to become teachers, so that the Love of God may be established in their hearts while they are young children. They should develop spiritual feelings.

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

Praise be to God, you are engaged in teaching children and educating them, and the children are occupied with reciting clear verses, glad tidings, prayers, Ishraqat, and holy words. I hope that each of these children will become a peerless teacher and a cause of guidance to the people.

As for the youth among the friends, they are saplings in the divine garden. They must certainly strive in their study of teaching, so that they may acquire proficiency in establishing divine proofs and evidences, demonstrating the existence of God and His consummate wisdom, proving divine unity, bringing sufficient and satisfying proof for the reality of revelation, and establishing the truth of all the Prophets and Messengers.

God willing, the children must exert their utmost effort in acquiring knowledge and penmanship. What was sent was seen. We beseech God to grant the capacity that they may perfect the art of calligraphy. Although for some, sufficient penmanship to meet their needs may suffice - and it would be better and more fitting to spend time in beneficial sciences - yet since God, exalted be His glory, hath loved every craft at its most perfect, therefore that which flowed from the Most Exalted Pen was revealed.

It is necessary for children to learn Persian and Arabic and one of the foreign languages - that is, whichever language they or their parents choose.

Teach your children to recite the verses of God at morn and at eventide. God hath prescribed for every father to educate his children, both male and female, in learning and letters, then crafts and professions. Thus have We taught you in Our Most Holy Book which We have sent down from Our hallowed Kingdom.

Teach your children the verses revealed from the heaven of majesty and power, so that, in most melodious tones, they may recite the Tablets of the All-Merciful in the alcoves within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkars.

Teach your children that which hath been sent down from God, that they may recite it in most melodious tones. Thus hath it been ordained in a mighty Book.

Every day at first light, ye gather the Baha'i children together and teach them the communes and prayers. This is a most praiseworthy act, and bringeth joy to the children's hearts: that they should, at every morn, turn their faces toward the Kingdom and make mention of the Lord and praise His Name, and in the sweetest of voices, chant and recite.

When the years of your children reach the number of eleven, ye shall teach them this science as a bounty from God, that they may be grateful.

Parents must find out as to that calling or profession for the acquisition of which their children show the most aptitude and natural desire - and then they must train them in the same, by engaging their attention in that direction.

The Master said: "You must let the children study that which they like best. If your daughter loves art, she can devote her time to it and surely she will succeed.

Through the educational laws of 'attention' and 'suggestion', encourage and incite the children to characterize themselves with merciful ethics, spiritual qualities, praiseworthy deeds and moral principles. Study well their moods and feelings and through the many pleasurable enterprises direct them into inspiring channels.

… The mothers and fathers must not leave any stone unturned in the thorough education of their children according to their aptitudes and potentialities.

It is for this reason that Baha'Ullah in all this tablets has made it incumbent upon all to study sciences and arts, encouraging everyone in the acquirement of learning and a liberal education for the eternal happiness of mankind lies in these (things).

The ninth admonition is in regard to education. All the children must be educated so that there will not remain one single individual without an education. In cases of inability on the part of the parents through sickness, death, etc., the state must educate the child. In addition to this widespread education, each child must be taught a profession or trade so that each individual member of the body politic will be enabled to earn his own living and at the same time serve the community.

The seventh teaching of Baha'u'llah concerns itself and is in accord with this system of universal education; it is that all the children should study and acquire a profession, that there should not remain a single individual without a profession whereby he can earn his livelihood. Baha'u'llah further declares that through the equipment of science and art the misunderstandings which have prevailed between religion and science will become reconciled.

Inform the near (dear) maid-servant of God [thy wife], who hath organized a school of industry in order that children may learn an industry and chant communes, that this is very agreeable.

In Europe and America music plays an important part in the national and individual life of the nations inhabiting those regions. From the very beginning the educators instill the love of music in the hearts and minds of the children. In their common schools they are taught in a concrete manner the laws of harmony and motion. They memorize many songs and sing them quite unconsciously. Thus when they are grown up they have more or less a cultivated taste for music. If they are not able to play or sing publicly they are at least able to discriminate between the bad and the good music.

O ye handmaids of the Merciful!

The school for girls taketh precedence over the school for boys, for it is incumbent upon the girls of this glorious era to be fully versed in the various branches of knowledge, in sciences and the arts and all the wonders of this pre-eminent time, that they may then educate their children and train them from their earliest days in the ways of perfection.

In the past, they used to prevent girls from learning to read and write. In fact, these things were considered so sinful that should a woman know how to read or write she would not be desirable for marriage. But afterwards, through the influence of the teachings of the Blessed Beauty, the friends of God devoted most of their time to training their children. Now, they have established schools in Persia for teaching girls.

In the world of humanity the most productive and useful member, after all, is woman, for it is woman who educates man, not the reverse. She rears the children; she cares for the home upon which the body politic is founded; she gives birth to mighty leaders. Therefore the right of woman is truly great.

"All children should be educated, but if parents cannot educate both the boys and the girls, then it would be better to educate the girls, for they will be the mothers of the coming generation. This is a radical idea for the East, where I come from, but it is already taking effect there, for the Bahai women of Persia are being educated along with the men.

"Education holds an important place in the new order of things. The education of each child is compulsory. If there is not money enough in a family to educate both the girl and the boy the money must be dedicated to the girl's education, for she is the potential mother. If there are no parents the community must educate the child.

The question of training the children and looking after the orphans is extremely important, but most important of all is the education of girl children, for these girls will one day be mothers, and the mother is the first teacher of the child. In whatever way she reareth the child, so will the child become, and the results of that first training will remain with the individual throughout his entire life, and it would be most difficult to alter them.

O friends! The establishment of girls' schools is among the most important matters and, according to the decisive texts of the All-Forgiving Lord, is of infinite importance and absolute necessity in the view of the people of understanding. For it is the foundation of human education and the basis for the prosperity and success of humanity.

Every possible means of education must be made available to Baha'i children, tender plants of the divine garden, for in this consisteth the illumination of humankind.

… Now must ye widen the scope of your endeavours and draw up plans to establish schools for higher education, so that the City of Love will become the Baha'i focal centre for science and the arts.

… Devote ye particular attention to the school for girls, for the greatness of this wondrous Age will be manifested as a result of progress in the world of women.

This means that you must administer the boys' school with utmost order and establish another school for girls, since the education of girls is also essential for the human world. A time will come when these girls will become mothers and must educate their own children. Certainly if they are knowledgeable, intelligent and aware, they will provide better education and teach more effectively.

And further, those present should concern themselves with every means of training the girl children; with teaching the various branches of knowledge, good behaviour, a proper way of life, the cultivation of a good character, chastity and constancy, perseverance, strength, determination, firmness of purpose; with household management, the education of children, and whatever especially applieth to the needs of girls -- to the end that these girls, reared in the stronghold of all perfections, and with the protection of a goodly character, will, when they themselves become mothers, bring up their children from earliest infancy to have a good character and conduct themselves well.

Now in this greatest of centuries the bounty of the All-Bountiful hath encompassed the girls as well, and many schools have been founded in Persia for the education of girl children -- but what is missing from them is character training, and this despite the fact that such training is more important than instruction, for it is the primary accomplishment of humankind.

… Ye who are the teachers thereof must devote more of your efforts to character training than instruction, and must raise up your girl children to be modest and chaste, of good character and conduct -- and in addition must teach them the various branches of knowledge.

Praised be God that there is now a school of this type in Tihran where young maidens can, through His bounty, receive an education and with all vigour acquire the accomplishments of humankind.

The school for girls is of the utmost importance. You must certainly strive for this.

O handmaiden of God! Services to the divine Threshold are manifold, but the greatest of all services and the most meritorious deed is the education of the children and of the daughters of the friends of God, and the instruction of the orphans and minors of His chosen ones.

As to the education of children, exert every effort to further this; it is of the utmost importance. So too, the education of girls in all the rules of righteous conduct, that they may grow up with a good character and high standards of behaviour. For mothers are the first educators of the child, and every child at the beginning of life is like a fresh and tender branch in his parents’ hands. His father and mother can train him in any way they choose.

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

For instance, when a mother learns to teach the Cause of God and explain divine proofs and evidences, she will also educate and teach all her children.

O thou handmaiden assured in faith!

Under the shelter of the Ancient Beauty and the Great Announcement, let handmaidens be educated and nurtured such that each may praise Him with her own distinct voice and shine forth so brilliantly in the world of creation as to render obsolete the mention of the women of former times.

O Jinab-i-Khodadad Rashid! Regarding this martyr's daughter whom the Persian friends have educated and taught to read - if she could teach at the girls' school in Rahat-Abad without causing agitation among the ignorant ones, it would be very appropriate.

You must give your daughter a Baha'i education, so that she may become an excellent teacher of the Cause. She must receive a spiritual education. Then she will make extraordinary progress.

Religious teachings are essential for the proper development of the mind and the spirit. If religious instruction is not given to the children they will grow heedless and forget moral susceptibilities. They will laugh at all moral obligations.

They should set an example to their fellow-men, manifest a true and sincere love towards each other and educate their children in such a manner as to blazon the fame and glory of their family.

I beseech God that He may enable them to raise an honoured family, for the importance of marriage lieth in the bringing up of a richly blessed family, so that with entire gladness they may, even as candles, illuminate the world.

And when God gives you sweet and lovely children, exert yourselves in their education and training, so that they may become the imperishable flowers of the divine rose-garden, the nightingales of the ideal paradise, the servants of the world of humanity and the fruits of the Tree of Life.

As to thee, have for them an abundant love and exert thine utmost in training them, so that their being may grow through the milk of the love of God, for as much as it is the duty of parents to perfectly and thoroughly train their children.

Those children who, sheltered by the Blessed Tree, have set foot upon the world, those who are cradled in the Faith and are nurtured at the breast of grace -- such must from the beginning receive spiritual training directly from their mothers. That is, the mother must continually call God to mind and make mention of Him, and tell of His greatness, and instill the fear of Him in the child, and rear the child gently, in the way of tenderness, and in extreme cleanliness. Thus from the very beginning of life every child will be refreshed by the gentle wafting of the love of God and will tremble with joy at the sweet scent of heavenly guidance.

The father must always endeavour to educate his son and to acquaint him with the heavenly teachings. He must give him advice and exhort him at all times, teach him praiseworthy conduct and character, enable him to receive training at school and to be instructed in such arts and sciences as are deemed useful and necessary. In brief, let him instil into his mind the virtues and perfections of the world of humanity.

Therefore, first the mothers must train their nursing infants in the cradle of character, for mothers are the first educators, so that when the child reaches maturity, he may be adorned with all praiseworthy qualities and noble attributes. Likewise, according to divine commandments, every child must learn reading and writing and acquire necessary and beneficial sciences, as well as learning a craft or trade. These matters require the utmost effort; negligence and laxity in this regard are not permissible.

The infant, while yet a suckling, must receive Baha'i training, and the loving spirit of Christ and Baha'u'llah must be breathed into him, that he may be reared in accord with the verities of the Gospel and the Most Holy Book.

Know thou the value of this bestowal and instill the love of God together with milk into the heart of thy dear child. That is, from the beginning of his life, ever make mention to him of the Blessed Beauty that he may become a Baha'i child and become spiritual, and receive a share and portion of eternal grace.

Nourish the children at the breast of the love of God, teach them the praise and attributes of the Intended One, and nurture them in the cradle of the Cause of God until each becomes a luminous child, a divine youth, and a sapling in the garden of the All-Merciful.

O handmaiden of God! Keep those children occupied day and night with the mention of God and make them familiar with the holy fragrances, that they may become signs of bounty and lights of guidance.

Consequently, O thou maid-servant of God, go unto the maid-servant of the Merciful One and tell them from the tongue of Abdul-Baha: "O maid-servants of the Merciful! It is incumbent upon you to train the children from their earliest babyhood! It is incumbent upon you to beautify their morals! It is incumbent upon you to attend to them under all aspects and circumstances, inasmuch as God--glorified and exalted is He!--hath ordained mothers to be the primary trainers of children and infants. This is a great and important affair and a high and exalted position, and it is not allowable to slacken therein at all!"

They must foster them with the milk of the love of God from infancy and rear them in the bosom of His knowledge. They must animate and stimulate them to show forth praiseworthy character and good behaviour and demeanour, so that these saplings of the rose garden of God's bestowals will be infinitely refreshed and beautified in the Abha Paradise with the life-giving breeze of guidance.

If mothers, as they ought and must, rear their children from infancy with spiritual training, divine organization, and physical discipline, this vigilance is service at the Threshold of Oneness, nay rather, worship at the Threshold of the All-Merciful.

… When the child begins to show some sensitivity and understanding, the mother should establish proper conduct and education, and speak of all manner of things, so that in childhood he may learn proper behavior and training, acquire spiritual sensibilities, gain understanding of religious mysteries to the extent possible, and obtain a general knowledge of all physical matters.

Regarding what you wrote about the children, from the beginning children must be raised with divine education and ever be reminded of the remembrance of God so that the love of God may become fixed and established in their nature and mix with their milk. … You must, as much as possible, mention the mention of the All-Merciful in the presence of the children so that the fragrances of the love of God may influence their veins and arteries, and this servant will supplicate with utmost humility, submission, powerlessness and contrition at the Court of the Self-Sufficient, seeking confirmation and assistance.

They should do all in their power to teach good manners, to rectify their conduct and to sanctify their characters, because the educators of children are mothers. If mothers do not establish good behaviour and proper conduct in the beginning, no matter how much effort and volition are at work later, complete result will not be achieved.

Educate her according to the divine precepts that she may become a true Baha'i, and endeavour with all thy heart that she may be born of the Holy Spirit.

My wish is that these children should receive a Baha'i education, so that they may progress both here and in the Kingdom, and rejoice thy heart.

Your child will have extraordinary capacity. It will be a friend of God. Rear it in the teachings of Baha'u'llah. Rest assured your child will be assisted by the divine concourse and through this assistance it will exhibit a universal consciousness -- for this cause encompasses the west and the east and children born under these conditions in this day will have the advantages of the universal illumination. Today some children are called prodigies, but the inheritors of this cause will attain to a degree that the others, even though educated in the best schools and with every advantage, know nothing of.

If her dear daughter Margaret be trained according to the instructions of God, she will grow to be a peerless plant in the garden of the heart. It is incumbent upon the father to choose for his daughter the glory that dieth not. Nevertheless, this is up to him; he may educate her in any way he desireth.

Concerning what thou didst write about the education of children, it is obligatory and essential. If the father has the capacity and means - otherwise "God does not burden any soul beyond its capacity" - the father must strive to the extent possible to educate the child so that he will not be deprived of the gift of knowledge and learning.

The Pen of Glory counselleth everyone regarding the instruction and education of children. Behold that which the Will of God hath revealed upon Our arrival in the Prison City and recorded in the Most Holy Book. Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet.

This is what was revealed for Aqa Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God:

O Muhammad! The Countenance of the Ancient One has turned toward you and makes mention of you, and counsels the party of God regarding the education of children. If a father neglects this mighty command which has been revealed from the Pen of the Lord of Eternity in the Most Holy Book, the right of fatherhood will be forfeited and he will be accounted among the negligent before God.

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The Manifestations of God are likewise in agreement with the view that education exerteth the strongest possible influence on humankind. They affirm, however, that differences in the level of intelligence are innate; and this fact is obvious, and not worth debating. For we see that children of the same age, the same country, the same race, indeed of the same family, and trained by the same individual, still are different as to the degree of their comprehension and intelligence. One will make rapid progress, one will receive instruction only gradually, one will remain at the lowest stage of all.

For no matter how much you may polish a shell, it will not turn into a gleaming pearl, nor can you change a dull pebble into a gem whose pure rays will light the world. Never, through training and cultivation, will the colocynth and the bitter tree1 change into the Tree of Blessedness. That is to say, education cannot alter the inner essence of a man, but it doth exert tremendous influence, and with this power it can bring forth from the individual whatever perfections and capacities are deposited within him. A grain of wheat, when cultivated by the farmer, will yield a whole harvest, and a seed, through the gardener’s care, will grow into a great tree. Thanks to a teacher’s loving efforts, the children of the primary school may reach the highest levels of achievement; indeed, his benefactions may lift some child of small account to an exalted throne. Thus is it clearly demonstrated that by their essential nature, minds vary as to their capacity, while education also playeth a great role and exerteth a powerful effect on their development.

Were there no educator, all souls would remain savage, and were it not for the teacher, the children would be ignorant creatures. It is for this reason that, in this new cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts. Should they neglect this matter, they shall be held responsible and worthy of reproach in the presence of the stern Lord.

This is an unpardonable sin, for they will have left that helpless child to wander in the wilderness of ignorance, making them wretched, afflicted and tormented. Throughout life, that oppressed child will remain captive to ignorance and pride, unlearned and unconscious. Indeed, it would be better if such a child were to depart this world in childhood, for in this case death is better than life, destruction better than salvation, non-existence better than existence, the grave better than a palace, and the narrow confines of the tomb better than a prosperous dwelling. For they will be despised and humiliated among people, sick and ailing before God, ashamed and embarrassed in gatherings, and defeated and condemned by young and old in the field of trial. What misfortune is this, and what eternal degradation!

Therefore, the loved ones of God and the handmaidens of the All-Merciful must educate children with heart and soul, and teach them in the school of virtue and perfection. They must never show any laxity or negligence in this matter. It is certainly better to slay a child than to leave them in ignorance, for that innocent child will become afflicted with various deficiencies, accountable and responsible before God, and condemned and rejected by people. What sin is this, and what error!

The first duty of God's friends and the handmaidens of the All-Merciful is to strive by whatever means possible for the education and training of children, both male and female. Girls are like boys - there is absolutely no difference. Ignorance in both is blameworthy, and lack of education in both types is repugnant. "Are those who know equal with those who know not?" This command is binding for both groups. In fact, if viewed with true insight, the education and training of girls is more necessary than boys, for these daughters will one day become mothers and nurturers of children. The first educator of the child is the mother, for the child is like a fresh green branch - however it is trained it will grow. If trained straight, it grows straight, if crooked then crooked, and it will continue on that path until the end of life. Thus it is proven and evident that an uneducated girl, when she becomes a mother, will be the cause of deprivation, ignorance, lack of knowledge and poor upbringing of many children.

O friends of God and handmaidens of the All-Merciful! Education and learning are obligatory by the decisive text of the Blessed Beauty. Whoever shows negligence will be deprived of this great bounty. Beware! Beware if you show any laxity! You must strive with all your being to educate your children, especially your daughters, and no excuse in this regard is acceptable, so that eternal glory and everlasting exaltation may shine forth like the midday sun in the assemblage of the people of Baha, and the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha may be gladdened and grateful. And upon you be the glory of the Most Glorious!

I give you my advice, and it is this: Train these children with divine exhortations. From their childhood instill in their hearts the love of God so they may manifest in their lives the fear of God and have confidence in the bestowals of God. Teach them to free themselves from human imperfections and to acquire the divine perfections latent in the heart of man.

The fathers and especially the mothers must always think how best they should educate their children; not how to fondle and embrace them and thus spoil them. By every means at their disposal they must knead with their growing bodies, souls, minds and spirits the basic principles of sincerity, love, trustfulness, obedience, true democracy and kindness toward all the races, thus, hereafter the world civilization may flow in one mighty current and the children of the future generation may secure the foundation of human solidarity and good-will.

The children of today are the citizens of tomorrow. The mothers of today inculcate so many material ideas in the minds of their children. They tell to the children in the way of encouragement: 'Study hard and thou shalt become the general of an army.' They do not incite them in the acquirement of the ideal virtues. They do not tell them:- 'Strive that thou mayst become a sincere, a just man; that thou mayst serve faithfully the world of humanity.'

Give great importance to the matter of character. All fathers and mothers must continuously counsel their children and guide them to that which is the cause of eternal glory. From an early age, guide the school children with perfect speeches so that in times of leisure and rest they may engage in eloquent speech and make excellent presentations.

Therefore you who dwell beneath the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary, be confident in His boundless grace that ignorance shall not remain among your people. Rather, the grace of God will bring your child to the station of knowledge and understanding. Strive in their education and do not be hopeless of their progress, for "man receives naught save what he strives for." His honor Hakim has from old been encompassed by great bounty and surely his descendants shall become perfect.

O seeker after confirmation!

Since thy dear child is taking his examinations, my fervent wish at the divine Threshold is that, by the grace and favour of God, he may meet with success, and that in the future he may go on to study agriculture and master its various branches, practical and theoretical.

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In truth, they conducted themselves well and I was pleased with them. They were always a cause of good mention of you, that such a mother raised these two worthy youth well, nourishing them at the breast of the love of God and nurturing them in the cradle of the knowledge of God.

O seeker after righteous deeds that endure!

Children and grandchildren who, being of noble lineage, are aided by goodly character - that is to say, who are illumined by the effulgences of the Luminary of the horizons - are to be counted among righteous deeds that endure.

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Baha'i mother, (spoken to an Arab lady present) teach your sons the blessing of obedience and the happiness of sacrifice - know, that you may then safely let them travel alone along the road of life!

O ye recipients of the favors of God! In this new and wondrous Age, the unshakable foundation is the teaching of sciences and arts. According to explicit Holy Texts, every child must be taught crafts and arts, to the degree that is needful. Wherefore, in every city and village, schools must be established and every child in that city or village is to engage in study to the necessary degree. It followeth that whatever soul shall offer his aid to bring this about will assuredly be accepted at the heavenly Threshold, and extolled by the Company on high.

O ye who have peace of soul! Among the divine Texts as set forth in the Most Holy Book and also in other Tablets is this: it is incumbent upon the father and mother to train their children both in good conduct and the study of books; study, that is, to the degree required, so that no child, whether girl or boy, will remain illiterate. Should the father fail in his duty he must be compelled to discharge his responsibility, and should he be unable to comply, let the House of Justice take over the education of the children; in no case is a child to be left without an education. This is one of the stringent and inescapable commandments to neglect which would draw down the wrathful indignation of Almighty God.

Children especially must be trained and taught. If the parent cannot afford to do this owing to lack of means, the body politic must make necessary provision for its accomplishment. Through the broadening spirit of education illiteracy will disappear, and misunderstandings due to ignorance will pass away.

All mankind should partake of both knowledge and education, and this partaking of knowledge and of education is one of the necessities of religion. The education of each child is obligatory. If there are no parents, the community must look after the child.

O divine friends! The education of children, both boys and girls, is among the most fundamental principles of this wondrous Cause and mighty Message. According to the sacred law of God, it is obligatory and essential for parents, and even relatives, to educate and teach the child reading and writing.

In the Tablets of Baha'u'llah it is mentioned that if a rich man neglects the duty of educating his children, the House of Justice is authorized to compel him to assist financially and to educate them. But this is a matter for the family of that wealthy man and comes under the jurisdiction of the House of Justice.

In this new and wondrous Cause, the advancement of all branches of knowledge is a fixed and vital principle, and the friends, one and all, are obligated to make every effort toward this end, so that the Cause of the Manifest Light may be spread abroad, and that every child, according to his need, will receive his share of the sciences and arts -- until not even a single peasant's child will be found who is completely devoid of schooling.

It is essential that the fundamentals of knowledge be taught; essential that all should be able to read and write.

The primary, the most urgent requirement is the promotion of education. It is inconceivable that any nation should achieve prosperity and success unless this paramount, this fundamental concern is carried forward. The principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples is ignorance. Today the mass of the people are uninformed even as to ordinary affairs, how much less do they grasp the core of the important problems and complex needs of the time.

And regarding teaching children, know that the most noble of all professions, crafts and occupations is teaching children. If this duty is carried out as it should and must be, universal results will be achieved. One becomes the cause of insight and awareness for many people. And in this blessed matter there is no exception among the people - the children of friends and strangers, foreigners and acquaintances are equal. That is, the perfect human must engage in educating and teaching all.

The perfection of man lies in educating, to the extent possible, the children of the poor and others, treating them like one's own children and making absolutely no distinction between them. Rather, whoever shows more intelligence should receive more attention and education so they may become a source of perfection and promoter of human virtues.

We have named the school "The School of the Unity of Mankind" so that all peoples and groups may send their students to that school and be assured that it is the cause of universal success and prosperity.

Praise be to God, the beloved in the land of Kaf (Kashan) are in utmost harmony and are confirmed in attraction and service. The blessed School of the Oneness of Humanity serves the entire human world, and the Girls' School, like a blessed tree and plant, will surely grow and develop day by day, and the meetings will progress increasingly.

This too is very important, for Baha'i children should be educated in Baha'i schools, not in the schools of others. Moreover, children of other religions should be educated in Baha'i schools with the utmost care, good conduct, and attention. … Children of any religion who are without means should be admitted to this school free of charge and should receive the utmost attention and consideration.

The girl's education is of more importance today than the boy's, for she is the mother of the future race. It is the duty of all to look after the children. Those without children should, if possible, make themselves responsible for the education of a child.

The greatest consideration must be shown towards orphans; they must be taught, trained and educated. The Teachings of Baha'u'llah, especially, must by all means be given to them as far as is possible.

I supplicate God that thou mayest become a kind parent to orphaned children, quickening them with the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, so that they will attain the age of maturity as true servants of the world of humanity and as bright candles in the assemblage of mankind.

Today, at the Threshold of His Holiness Baha'u'llah, there is nobody more favored than thee, because thou art busy in the service of the orphans and in the education of the destitute, helpless children.

As I am eager to learn and have lost my chance in this fashion, therefore I weep.'

… Baha'u'llah teaches him so well that after a few months Azziz will become well-known for his extraordinary intelligence.

How many children are seen in the land without father or mother - if no attention is paid to their education and training they will remain fruitless, and a fruitless soul's death is preferable to its life.

The fourth obligation is the protection and preservation of all the friends in all circumstances and situations, and the administration of general affairs such as the education of children, refinement of character, teaching of beneficial sciences in all aspects, establishment of schools for both males and females, caring for the poor and weak and young and orphans and widows, and devising means of industry and livelihood and improvement of general conditions.

Another is the getting ready of hospitals, dispensaries, home for cripples, schools for educating orphans, etc. It is better for Bahai children to be educated in Bahai schools.

The establishment of charitable assistance for the education of children and support of teachers and students from the Teaching Assembly, as well as sending teachers to various regions, is very appropriate. The members of the assembly should exert their utmost effort and strive with heart and soul so this assembly may be established with utmost perfection.

Regarding the school for the poor, and the formation of a new committee of men and women to organize this momentous undertaking, and the arrangement of examination sessions and the success and prosperity of the children, and likewise the girls' examination committee and the gathering of friends and strangers in these two assemblies in utmost fellowship, love, unity and kindness - all this has brought the greatest joy and delight.

Praise be to God the schools of education were not disrupted through your assistance. The schools of education are of utmost importance and to assist them is an obligation binding upon all.

In truth, poor children are also accepted into the school free of charge, and moreover the friends are attentive to their clothing and sustenance. If possible, please correct this matter to indicate that the Tarbiyat School, praise be to God, has no needs, but if any of the friends voluntarily wishes to provide assistance purely for the connection between America and Iran, there is no harm in that.

If some children are poor, they are accepted into the school free of charge and their needs are provided for. Moreover, the Tarbiyat School is not the only school in Tehran - there are other schools as well.

The purpose is that all should strive with all their powers to ensure that each of the martyrs' survivors lives in the utmost comfort and happiness. Encourage and urge the children to learn crafts, writing and other skills, and strive greatly in their education.

As for the children who found no rest in the cradle of contingent existence and hastened to the vast expanse of that other world, they become manifestations of grace and benevolence and recipients of endless favors. For they did not remain in this way station long enough to become responsible for striving and service - they traversed the stages with utmost speed and passed through this realm like a breeze. The fruit and result of their existence is the favors of the All-Loving Lord and the grace of the Promised Beauty.

As to thy question concerning the death of a child before attaining the age of maturity: although a child be only called to account after reaching maturity, yet some children, even in the days of tender infancy, are suckled at the breast of guidance. Such children are, assuredly, manifestations of the grace and bounties of the All-Glorious.

Now you must give importance to the education of the children - this is what matters to a father. If he does not pursue all means for the education of his sons and daughters, he will be held accountable before God. Therefore, set aside all other thoughts and strive day and night that these children may be educated in divine training. When you do this, the end result will be spirit and fragrance, joy and prosperity in both worlds....

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Strive thine utmost to give his child a Baha'i training so that when he attaineth maturity he may be merciful, illumined and heavenly.

The children of the martyrs of Manshad will, God willing, through thy endeavors, make the utmost progress in reading, writing and crafts.

O Fariburz Parsi! It appears that you are engaged in teaching the daughters of the martyred one. This service of yours is acceptable at the Threshold of Oneness and a cause of drawing near to the Most Great Threshold.

Therefore, children's schools must be perfectly organized, teaching and learning firmly established, and the refinement and improvement of character properly systematized, so that in early childhood divine foundations may be laid in the reality of children and a godly structure raised. Consider this matter of education, refinement, improvement, encouragement and stimulation as most important, for it is the very foundation of divine teaching. God willing, from these divine schools may arise illumined children endowed with the noblest human perfections, who may become the cause of the enlightenment of Iran and indeed the entire world.

It is incumbent upon that Spiritual Assembly, that assemblage of God, to exert every effort to educate the children, so that from infancy they will be trained in Baha'i conduct and the ways of God, and will, even as young plants, thrive and flourish in the soft-flowing waters that are the counsels and admonitions of the Blessed Beauty.

As the children are few in number, it is not possible to have different classes and naturally only one is necessary. Concerning the last question regarding differences among children, act as ye deem advisable.

His honor Aqa Mirza Ahmad has written from Tehran that for the Tarbiyat School a knowledgeable teacher who is learned and skilled in the English language is needed, because in the Tarbiyat School there is no knowledgeable English-speaking person - they need both knowledge and English language.

Concerning the teacher for the Bombay school - whoever you deem appropriate, who is truly qualified and skilled, perfect in character, and who will not be weakened by India's climate - write to Tehran so that Jinab-i-Amin may send him, and forward the enclosed letter to them. But first correspond with the Bombay friends so that when he arrives they will undertake his livelihood expenses, otherwise matters will become difficult.

As for the matter of the school, this matter is important. Refer to the Department of Education so that specific allocations for that school may be established. I will also write to the Spiritual Assembly to send a complete teacher for that school.

As regards the members of school committee, in reality they are serving with heart and soul and are performing their duties with rejoicing. They put forward extraordinary exertion in the organization and systematization of the school and the instruction of the youth, while all the other believers are assisting and co-operating with them.

My hope is that the Tarbíyat School may be under the protection of the one true God, and may achieve extraordinary progress.

And may all the friends strive that day by day it may attain greater organization and that sciences and arts may spread more abundantly.

Concerning the schools of which you have written: bestow the utmost importance upon the Tarbiyat school. The Hands of the Cause must exert such endeavour in the upbuilding of this school that it may be adorned with the most excellent order---whether in its arrangement, its furnishing, its adornment, its teaching or its instruction---so that, God willing, it may become a school that, like a lamp, shall shed its radiance throughout all Persia.

This school is one of the vital and essential institutions which indeed support and bulwark the edifice of humankind. God willing, it will develop and be perfected along every line. Once this school hath, in every respect, been perfected, once it hath been made to flourish and to surpass all other schools, then, each following the other, more and more schools must be established.

As to the letter of the Minister of Education written to the school principal, the occurrence of this matter should cause increased effort and diligence by the members and teachers of the Tarbiyat School, until it reaches such a state that every wise and knowledgeable person, whether stranger or friend, would desire their children to enter that school. If proper effort is exerted as it should be, that school will undoubtedly, through divine assistance and favor, progress to such a degree that it will surpass all other schools, and in the future will reach such a level that it becomes the foremost school in the world. This depends on the effort of the friends and the sincere will of the loved ones. And upon thee be the Most Glorious Glory.

The matter of the school is most important. Through God's help and favor, it must be established before all that this is the first school of Iran and the students must achieve complete success; otherwise, its non-existence would be better than its existence.

In this day, the diffusion of useful knowledge, the discovery of the material mysteries of existence, the promotion of profitable arts and crafts, and the education of children are all accounted among the greatest bestowals of the Lord of Glory.

The school of Ishkabad has great importance. You who are going there, strive that it may become orderly, so that the children may progress. May they reach such a degree in knowledge and sciences that the fame of this school may reach to the horizons. Great effort is necessary to accomplish this.

Convey my greetings and longing to the friends and say that this school is the cause of fellowship, the cause of love, the cause of children's progress. Every effort must be made so that in that city it becomes a glorious school and all will testify that in this school the children are being educated as they should and ought to be.

You should establish a school in Isfahan or in the villages and become engaged in the education of children. Consider this important matter as one of the most important affairs.

In the realms of knowledge and wisdom, the advancement of the world, and the refinement and tranquility of nations, the education of children holds the foremost rank. Blessed is the one who has arisen to educate children for the sake of God.

For children in their early growth and development enter these schools and receive refinement and education, and like fresh saplings planted by the hand of the Divine Gardener they are educated and acquire human manners and teachings and spiritual characteristics and qualities. And when they bear fruit they produce sweet fruits and send flowers and fragrant herbs to market.

Now you should focus on the diffusion of divine fragrances and on organizing children's schools. Today two things are necessary: one is the diffusion of fragrances, meaning teaching, and the other is the education of children.

People do not know how magnificent a Baha'i school is, otherwise all would yearn for its establishment. A most excellent school, with such spirituality that it would render great service to the realm of knowledge, not merely education. It would render great service to the realm of morality and great service to the realm of truth. It would be the epitome of spirituality.

Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children, young plants of the Abha Paradise, so that these children, fostered by grace in the way of salvation, growing like pearls of divine bounty in the shell of education, will one day bejewel the crown of abiding glory.

...O my handmaiden and my leaf!... Today the education of children and their protection is regarded as the most meritorious of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Though outwardly it may be toilsome, yet it is the cause of eternal rest and has ever been so....

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O servant of the Blessed Beauty!

Blessed art thou, since thou art engaged in rendering a service which will make thy face to shine in the Abha Kingdom, and that is the education and training of children. If one should, in the right way, teach and train the children, he will be performing a service than which none is greater at the sacred Threshold.

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No greater service can be imagined, in this day, than the education and training of Baha'i children as it ought to be done, inasmuch as this service is like unto gardening in the Divine orchard. I fervently hope that ye may be graciously aided to befittingly succeed in this endeavour, so that these children may be trained and nurtured according to the divine Teachings, that each one may grow to become even as a fruitful tree, and become conducive to benefits and good results.

You must attach the greatest importance to the education of children, for this is the foundation of the Law of God and the bedrock of the edifice of His Faith. If it were known how much joy you have imparted through what hath been done for the children, the believers would surely educate all their children in the same way.

O ye two servants at the Holy Threshold!

We have been greatly cheered and refreshed to know that ye have organized meetings for the education of children. Whoso is active in those meetings whether as a teacher of the children or a sponsor, will certainly become the recipient of confirmations from the invisible Realm, and endless bounties will compass him about.

O thou teacher of the children of the Kingdom!

Thou hast undertaken such a service that shouldst thou glory over all the teachers of the world, thou art deserving. For the teachers of the world confer a material education, so that human faculties, physical and ideal, may grow and develop; but thou art bestowing heavenly instruction and the lessons of the Kingdom to the new plans of the divine garden. … From their childhood the children must be given a Baha'i, spiritual and godlike education. Should they be so instructed they will be protected and guarded from every test.

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The teachers of the school must be educators - they must both educate and teach the children. They must teach spiritual qualities and heavenly attributes, so that the children may become like brilliant candles, bestowing the lights of human perfections.

O ye kind friends! Today in the world of existence the Most honorable profession is the promotion of education. Thank ye God that in Hamadan in the school founded by the Baha'is ye have become teachers and Professors.

'Abdu'l-Baha is expecting to hear good news from that school; i.e. that the young fruits of the divine garden are being developed and educated in the college of realities and significances and are graduated in physical and spiritual sciences, that they are opening the eloquent tongues and are discoursing intelligently in every branch of learning so that in oratory they may become ideal magicians.

O divine teachers! You have arisen to render a service that is truly worthy of praise and commendation, for you are educating and training tender saplings in the Garden of Abha. This service excels all other services and this endeavor deserves a thousand praises and glorifications.

O educator in the school! All the people of the earth are like young children and ignorant pupils reciting their lessons. Therefore, sit in the school of knowledge and become a teacher of love.

O servant of Baha, O Muhammad-Baqir! Enroll the children in the divine school and, like a teacher of love, impart to them realities and meanings so that through the celestial power they may attain maturity and receive radiance from the Sun of Reality, and each one may become a teacher of the horizons and be numbered among the people of enlightenment.

Through the training in the Lucid Book, may you provide the children of tender age with the wisdom and understanding of elders; and endow the unwise amidst those advanced in years with the perception and intelligence of the bright and vivid youth.

Teaching in the school of education is service to the Cause of God and brings joy to the heart of 'Abdu'l-Baha. I hope that thou wilt succeed in this service with the utmost effort and likewise engage in the spiritual education and divine character development of these tender plants of the garden of oneness.

In any case, this service that you render - teaching the tender young plants in the garden of the love of God with utmost effort in science and culture, instructing them in spiritual qualities, and teaching them proofs and evidences - is so they may become fresh and graceful saplings of matchless beauty and sweetness in the Abha Paradise, and be educated in such wise as befits association with the Holy Threshold, increasing day by day in sincerity and pure-heartedness, faith and certitude, trustworthiness and piety, steadfastness and truthfulness, humility and submissiveness.

O daughter of the Kingdom!

The day we were your guests and you presented the Baha'i children with their radiant faces was truly a blessed day that will never be forgotten. … I supplicate to the Abha Kingdom that you may ever be the means of giving these children a Baha'i education, so that like saplings in the garden of the Kingdom they may be nurtured by the rain of heaven and each become a fruitful tree.

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The education of the children is one of the most great services. All these children are mine. If they are educated and illuminated, it is as though my own children are so characterized. They will become the servants and the maid-servants of the Cause of God, the gardeners in the Vineyard of [His] Kingdom and the lights of the assemblage of mankind.

Hand which has labored in the Cause of education are ever blessed. I am pleased with your hands. I love such hands very much, because they have worked for the children. May thou become a great educator and guide to humanity!

The education of the children of the friends, who are nurtured in the embrace of the love of God, is among the most important matters and most beloved pursuits, and is the foundation of the divine religion and the greatest obligation of parents, relatives and spiritual companions.

O Husayn! O thou Preceptor! From His Most Great Prison, the countenance of the Ancient of Days is turned towards thee, and He teacheth thee that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of mankind. Blessed is that teacher who shall arise to instruct the children, and to guide the people into the pathways of God, the Bestower, the Well-Beloved.

'Abdu'l-Baha: "In childhood it is easy. Whatever a child learns during childhood, it will not forget. There is a proverb in Arabic that says: 'Teaching a child is like carving upon stone. It can never be erased.' A child is like a fresh branch. It is tender. In whatever way you wish you can train it. If you want to keep it straight it can be done. But when it grows up, if you want to straighten it, it cannot be done except through fire."

Do not refuse to teach and educate children in any school, for this Dispensation of the Blessed Beauty is the Dispensation of fellowship, love, kindness and goodwill toward all humanity, service to all mankind, and striving for the progress of all people. Therefore, any servant of God who is a teacher and seeks God's good pleasure should teach and educate children of any nation in whatever school possible.

Since you are engaged in teaching at the Zoroastrian school, this praiseworthy deed is highly acceptable in the sight of God. Now you are occupied in serving all - continue steadfastly, be firm, for the education of children is service to the Court of Oneness. And upon you be glory. God willing, permission for a visit will be given at the proper time.

This matter is of the highest importance, for the children must, from their infancy, be educated according to the rules of God, and their behaviour must be improved and corrected. … Therefore is it essential to train the children in early childhood, and this cannot be accomplished in the schools of others.

There is no benefit in these [secular] schools. In Baha'i schools children learn not only sciences, but also moral rectitude and are well protected. In such schools, however, the teachers must be Baha'is so that children are nourished with divine teachings. Teachers are exceedingly important [in the upbringing of children]. They are like gardeners raising a young plant.

Indeed, in Isfahan the establishment of a school for Baha'i children is obligatory and essential. If the divine friends would make an effort in this matter, it would be a cause of attaining the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful Lord. When children study in other schools to acquire knowledge and skills, they become of the same disposition and character as the ill-mannered ones.

If the school is deficient, it must absolutely be brought to completion, for if students go from this school to other schools, eventually their character and behavior will deteriorate.

Indeed, it is as you wrote - the teachers who came to Iran did not cause the progress and civilization of the Israelites, but rather stripped the youth of the adornment of faith and imbued them with the opinions and thoughts of Voltaire and Darwin.

O two servants of the Threshold of Truth!

According to what has been heard, the Christians intend, whenever they find opportunity and means, to establish a school in Najafabad and teach the children. Although they teach modern sciences, they completely transform the morals of the children to such a degree that they rise up in opposition to their parents, disapprove of their father and mother, and look upon them with contempt, as has been experienced.

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They needlessly drove these helpless ones away from here; at the very least they could have educated the girls. Although they are prejudiced and constantly teach prayers to the children, this is due to ignorance. They are better than others who render no service at all...

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Either establish your own schools or do as we are doing. We have many students in the [Beirut's] University. Last year there were thirty of them. They associate only with themselves [i.e. other Baha'is] and at the time of instructions attend classes. Therefore they are well-protected.

Not only the Europeans look down upon them as members of an inferior race and half-civilized but they (the students) confirm them in this opinion by indulging in questionable pleasures and vices of the European lower society. They hardly do any study. The major part of their lives is spent in the gratification of the appetites, sensuality, dancing halls and theatres, wine drinking, association with undesirable stratum of the community in which they live and leading an insipid, voluptuous and profligate life, ruinous to themselves and the nations alike.

If this college had been a Baha'i college, it would have been excellent, producing accomplished graduates. Now our hope is that although the administrators are not Baha'is, yet accomplished Baha'is will emerge from it.

Perhaps the schools of London and Paris would be preferable, but the children are still young and small and cannot bear separation. Their constitution would be weakened and they would become frightened and distressed. For now it is better that they be educated in their familiar homeland through suitable teachers and educators.

Take your dear child away from those heedless ones, for they are after him to completely lead him astray from the straight path. Keep him with you for a while and educate him as you should, then send him to another school in another place.

In the tenderest years of their youth the pure hearts of boys and girls must be illumined with the Light of the Love of God. Then when they grow up, most astonishing results will be produced, because the maps of their whole lives would be drawn with the hand of the spiritual Educator. A Baha'i child must be trained according to the moral precepts of Baha'u'llah, he must be taught daily of the Love of God; the history of the Movement must be read to him, the love of humanity must be inculcated into every fiber of his being and the universal principles be explained to him in an easy manner as possible devise.

[The Beha'is in Akka have a boys' school. Every Friday the pupils are brought by their teacher to the Master's house, to submit to his inspection exercises which they have prepared in Persian and English penmanship and in translation from Persian into English. I was present on one of these occasions. There were eighteen boys, ranging in age from about six to eighteen years, with intelligent faces and quiet and respectful demeanour, ranged against the wall of the large court. The Master passed down the line inspecting the papers which they held in their hands. Then, pacing up and down before them, and taking as his text this verse written by one of them, "The son of Lot associated with evil persons, whereby his succession to the prophethood was lost," he talked to them somewhat as follows:]

Ponder upon this and understand what it means. One who associates with evil companions loses his reputation and his good name; from being good he becomes bad, from being virtuous he becomes impure, from being holy he becomes depraved. 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. You should speak about spiritual and godly things, in order that your souls may be revived and your minds be made pure. You should think much of your lessons and your writing, which will fit you to be useful men. You should not think of things which will separate you from God.

You are the children of the new time. Your thoughts should always be as to how you may become wise and good. You should seek sagacity and prudence, and to make progress in the right path.

A wise young man ever thinks of and studies those means which are conducive to his progress - mental, intellectual and spiritual. He lets all amusements and recreations go and applies himself to the acquirement of knowledge - thus he may become a useful member of the body politic.

There have been some young men who have been educated through my solicitude and recommendation. While they were going through their studies in the college they would write me most earnest letters that as soon as we finish our terms we will devote all our times in the service of the Cause. But once out of the college they were engaged with their own ideas.

O tender plants of the garden of the Kingdom! Christ - may my soul be a sacrifice unto Him - praised the children, meaning those children who enter the Kingdom are like fresh flowers that have blossomed in the meadow of reality, in the utmost freshness and delicacy.

These are blessed children. They are very illumined. In their faces the rays of the Love of God can be seen. I pray in their behalf- His Highness Christ said, these are the children of the Kingdom. Their hearts are like pure mirrors. They are in utmost cleanliness. When the hearts of the grown people become as pure then the Kingdom of God will come on earth.

I hope that you will be educated as you ought to be and that each of you will become the pride of your family. May God assist you to acquire divine knowledge in the school of the world of humanity.

Although thou art small, yet I hope thou wilt become great in the Kingdom. His Highness Christ says: "Happy is the condition of the children." God willing, thou shalt be one of these children.

O sapling of the rose-garden of divine unity! Though thou art but a young child, yet in the Abha Kingdom thou art great, for thou hast drunk the milk of bounty from the breast of guidance, and been nurtured in the cradle of favors, and art being reared in the embrace of the love of God.

I hope that through the power of the knowledge of God thou wilt attain to maturity and growth, and become a spiritual youth and a merciful young man.

Glory be upon thee and upon them. I convey special greetings and salutations to 'Inayatu'llah. God willing, through divine favor they shall grow up and attain to lofty stations. Every great one was small before the manifestation of His grandeur, except these little ones who are great in the divine Kingdom and whose station is mighty, to such a degree that the Pen of Command and Decree is raised on their behalf.

Blessed art thou, who in thy tender age hast acknowledged the grandeur and majesty of God. Blessed be the mother who nursed thee and fulfilled her duty as was befitting. We beseech God to inscribe for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which beseemeth His generosity, munificence and grace. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

A degree of joy was attained that is beyond words or writing that, praise be to God, the power of the Kingdom of God hath trained such children who, from their early childhood, eagerly wish to acquire Baha'i education that they may, from the period of their childhood, engage in service to the world of humanity.

It is my hope that thou wilt become a child of the Kingdom, wilt study arts, sciences and divine knowledge, mayest turn into a fruitful and flourishing tree in the Vineyard of God and that, through the sprinkling of the clouds of His loving providence, thou mayest appear in the utmost freshness and tender beauty.

O thou, the new tree in the Divine Garden!

The true feelings of heart and soul cannot be explained by what I write, as it is beyond the world of limitation of place, so, it is better to be brief: Know thou, that as you are the only son of that illumined and erudite scholar, the expectant eyes of many, including mine, await and look forward to your becoming the inimitable and fruitful tree of that stream, possessing the merits of both virtue and nobility.

Day by day may you progress until each one becomes a peerless sapling in the divine garden, full of leaves and blossoms and fruits.

These will become very good, because they will receive Baha'i education. They will be reared beneath the shelter of Baha'u'llah. They are just like fresh plants which have been sown in the Garden of Abha. They will be reared through the heat of the Sun of Reality. Assuredly, amongst them will appear souls -- most blessed souls -- each one of whom will be a radiant candle in the world of humanity, souls who will shine from the Eternal Horizon even as stars shine.

...The tender plants in the garden of unity who are studying moral education are under the gaze of favor and in the shadow of the grace and bounty of His Holiness the One. 'Abdu'l-Baha, with utmost supplication and entreaty, beseecheth their progress and advancement in the sublime degrees of the human world. It is hoped that this shall come to pass....

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This news was the cause of great rejoicing; likewise the news of the progress of the children in the Kingdom of God, who with faces luminous and tongues eloquent are familiarizing themselves with the qualities and attributes of the Almighty, is indeed invigorating the soul.

Baha'i children must excel other children in the acquisition of sciences and arts, for they are the recipients of the glance of favor. Whatever other children learn in the course of one year, the tender plants of the paradise of recognition - the Baha'i children - must learn in one month.

O ye candles which have been lighted by the fingers of the Blessed Perfection!

Praise be to God that ye are illumined by the light of knowledge and are earnestly striving to acquire noble virtues. At the threshold of the Abha Beauty ye are regarded with favour and in the school of education ye are suckling babes at the breast of arts and sciences.

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The well-known Persian students of the past were unable to bring about any advancements in their native land, but God grant that you all, on the other hand, will be able to render some service to Persia - that you will study such disciplines as will redound to the rehabilitation of that country, such that you will, upon your return there, become the very means of its revival, and the instrument through which the Cause of God is spread; that you will resolve to rectify the character of all humankind, and promote holiness and sanctity; that your efforts to make progress and bring prosperity will be granted divine confirmations and crowned with heavenly success; and that you will achieve outstanding proficiency in agriculture, industry, and commerce.

O handmaid of God! You are at the beginning of growth and maturity, and in the prime of youth. Therefore, like a sapling of paradise, grow and develop through the outpourings of the cloud of the All-Merciful, and with spiritual freshness and heavenly grace, bring forth sweet fruits, so that those regions may become perfumed with the sweet fragrance of the love of God.

Regarding the education of those two daughters D... and M.... If thou givest true Baha'i education to those two young trees in the garden of Abha, know thou of a certainty that the highest glory, prosperity and success will become ready and prepared for them. This is the cause of everlasting honor.

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He is the Most Holy. O fresh sapling in the garden of God's bounty! Praise be to God, thou hast a kind father and a mother firm in faith and certitude who desire thy protection, safety, preservation and support from every direction, and who seek thy lofty station and exalted character. I beseech God that they may be assisted to raise thee with divine education. What thou hadst sent hath been received.

This education of children is one of many matters. Each beneficial matter that causes the progress of the human world is like an element - a single element does not bestow life, but when elements combine, a being comes into existence.

Bend your minds and wills to the education of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, that haply the dissensions that divide it may, through the power of the Most Great Name, be blotted out from its face, and all mankind become the upholders of one Order, and the inhabitants of one City.

But the children of men are in need of education and civilization, and they require to be polished, till they become bright and shining.

Second: Service to the Cause of Morality, raising the moral tone of the students, inspiring them with the sublimest ideals of ethical refinement, teaching them altruism, inculcating in their lives the beauty of holiness and the excellency of virtue and animating them with the excellences and perfections of the religion of God.

… The mothers in their homes, the teachers in the schools, the Professors in the colleges, the Presidents in the Universities, must instruct these ideals to the young from the cradle up to the age of manhood.

It is most clear and manifest that national affairs will never revolve around their proper axis until the whole people have received instruction, and public thought has been directed to a single end.

Education is the bed-rock of the modern civilization of Europe and America. From childhood the mothers train the minds of their children with noble ideals and make them look at pictures giving them object lessons;- so that in the long run it becomes a second nature to them.

In all circumstances, they must focus their thoughts on educating people so that the nation becomes educated and knowledgeable. When this purpose is achieved, the prosperity of government and people will become manifest and evident.

Until now no significant enlightened souls have appeared in the assemblies of Iran, and if there be any, "the rare is as the non-existent." However, it is understood that in those regions there exist intelligent and capable youth who, if educated in human perfections, would become the cause of Iran's and Iranians' eternal glory....

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The world is dark as pitch-black night from the ignorant ones. The men of the field must kindle such a light that this darkness of error may be transformed into the light of guidance. And souls that are like animals must receive such divine training that they become the source of glory and pride for the tribes of the world.

Although the realm of India is lethargic and in need of the education of souls who are in the utmost weariness and lethargy, yet if they are nurtured through divine education, in a short time they will become alive and attain the utmost joy and expansion.

Today, they who have recognized God must strive mightily to educate heedless souls, that all may attain unto that which God desireth and may arise to aid the Cause through tongue, heart and deeds.

The beloved ones must be educators of souls, nurturing them with spiritual virtues and conscientious attraction. The right of guidance is one of the aspects of education.

In truth, were humanity to be blessed with the education of the true Educator, most of these visible means would be observed to be fruitless.

But if the masses were educated so that knowledge and learning increased day by day, understanding was broadened, perceptions were refined, morals were rectified and manners reformed, in a word, that progress was made with respect to every degree of perfection, then the occurrence of crime would subside.

Experience has shown that crime is less prevalent among civilized peoples--that is, among those who have acquired true civilization.

Convey on behalf of Abdu'l-Baha to thy respected wife my Abha greetings, and say: Kindness, training and education extended to prisoners is exceedingly important. Therefore as thou hast exerted an effort in this, hast awakened some of them, and hast been the cause of the turning of their faces to the divine Kingdom, this praiseworthy deed is highly acceptable.

The duty of educated men, especially university presidents of the nation, is this: To teach in the universities and schools ideas concerning universal peace, so that the student may be so molded that in after years he may help carry to fruition the most useful and human issue of mankind.

You must sow the seeds of Peace in the plastic minds of the children, teach them the victories of Peace, surround them with the lessons of Peace, envelope them with the atmosphere of Peace and inspire their hearts with the glorious achievements of Peace.

O Divine Providence! A gathering is now convened and an assemblage hath united to strive with heart and soul that they may bestow upon the friends a share of the bountiful showers of Thy grace and may, through Thy nurturing power, rear their young children in the bosom of knowledge, make them the pride of the learned, teach them the divine religion, and manifest thereby the bounty of God.

She remained for years, patiently enduring fatigue morning and evening, striving to cultivate the minds of innocent children from noble lineage. Never did she weaken in carrying out what was ordained for her in that distant region. Rather, she persevered night and day, evening and dawn, in serving Your loved ones and teaching the young ones nourished at the breast of Your providence - until her bones weakened, her constitution failed, her body wasted away, and her flesh melted.

Aid him to educate the youth who have grown up in Thy love and been nurtured in the embrace of Thy knowledge and reached maturity through Thy bounty and grace, that he may teach them the proofs of Thy Manifestation, the evidences of Thy Cause, and the signs of Thy dawning, and instruct them in the Book and wisdom until their breasts become receptacles of knowledge, their hearts treasuries of Thy hidden mystery, and their innermost beings fountains of the pure water of Thy preserved secrets.

O Lord! They have arisen and remained steadfast in what You commanded them in Your firm scriptures, scrolls and tablets concerning the teaching, training and education of children who were born in Your days, nursed from the breast of Your love, raised in the cradle of Your care, nurtured in the bosom of Your grace, and brought up in the shelter of Your protection.

O Lord, Lord! Aid the children of this glorious age to delve and plunge into the depths of the ocean of beneficial knowledge. Expand their breasts with the light of sciences, brighten their eyes with rays from the sun of arts, perfume their souls with divine knowledge, illuminate their consciences with lordly mysteries, and gladden their spirits with fragrances wafting from the gardens of the All-Merciful Truth.

… Make them lamps of guidance, stars of the heights, and meteors blazing from the Abha Kingdom.

Make this school of ours the envy of Paradise and a musk-diffusing rose-garden. Make our hearts worthy of Thy boundless grace and our breasts worthy of the realities of divine knowledge.

O thou hyacinth which hast sprung up beside the heavenly stream!

Let thyself be reared in the cradle of the loving providence of God and suck the milk of divine knowledge from the breast of His bounty.

… O Lord! Graciously assist this child to grow and be quickened in the meads of Thy tender affection.

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O Thou pure God! Let these saplings which have sprouted by the stream of Thy guidance become fresh and verdant through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy tender mercy; cause them to be stirred by the gentle winds wafting from the meads of Thy oneness and suffer them to be revived through the rays of the Sun of Reality, that they may continually grow and flourish, and burst into blossoms and fruit.

I supplicate God that these children may be reared under His protection and that they may be nourished by His favor and grace until all, like beautiful flowers in the garden of human hopes and aspirations, shall blossom and become redolent of fragrance.

O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden.

Confirm them in their lessons. Make them successful in their studies; - so that when they reach the age of maturity they may arise in the service of the world of humanity.

O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might and the wondrous signs of Thy greatness. O God! Protect these children, graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity.

It behoveth thee to nurture them at the breast of the love of God, and urge them onward to the things of the spirit -- that they may turn their faces unto God; that their ways may conform to the rules of good conduct and their character be second to none; that they make their own all the graces and praiseworthy qualities of humankind; that they acquire a sound knowledge of the various branches of learning -- so that from the very beginning of life they may become spiritual beings, dwellers in the Kingdom, enamoured of the sweet breaths of holiness, and may receive an education religious, spiritual, and of the Heavenly Realm.

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Even though children's activities have been a part of past Plans, these have fallen short of the need. Spiritual education of children and junior youth are of paramount importance to the further progress of the community. It is therefore imperative that this deficiency be remedied. Institutes must be certain to include in their programmes the training of teachers of children's classes, who can make their services available to local communities.

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The regular holding of Baha'i children's classes should be given high priority. Indeed in many parts of the world this is the first activity in a process of community building, which, if pursued vigorously, gives rise to the other developments. In all this, particular attention needs to be given to the youth, who are often the Faith's most enthusiastic supporters. The establishment of these activities defines a first stage in the process of community development, which, once attained, must be followed by subsequent stages until a community reaches a point where it can formulate its own plans of expansion and consolidation.

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