The power of the Manifestation: a world made new

From the horizon of this Prison He calleth out to all nations: By God! I have accepted sorrows for the joy of the worlds, and afflictions for the well-being of all who dwell on earth, and imprisonment for the liberation of all on earth from the chains of self and passion.

We say that the purpose underlying the advent of the Kingdom is the edification of the souls of men, the progress of the world of humanity, the manifestation of the love of God, the establishment of fellowship and unity amongst all peoples, the appearance of divine perfections, and the realization of the glory of the human race. This is the purpose of the advent of the Kingdom, and this is its result. Observe, then, how the edifying power of Baha'u'llah hath enlightened the darksome East, transformed voracious beasts into heavenly angels, endowed the ignorant with knowledge, and caused ravening wolves to become as gazelles in the meads of oneness.

Should anyone ask about His physical frame, say: In grievous weakness, yet His spirit is in joy and delight through the love of God. Nothing can sadden Him, as witnesseth he whose sight hath been illumined by the light of recognition and who is numbered among the people of fairness.

That the Manifestations of Divine justice, the Daysprings of heavenly grace, have when they appeared amongst men always been destitute of all earthly dominion and shorn of the means of worldly ascendancy should be attributed to this same principle of separation and distinction which animateth the Divine Purpose. Were the Eternal Essence to manifest all that is latent within Him, were He to shine in the plentitude of His glory, none would be found to question His power or repudiate His truth. Nay, all created things would be so dazzled and thunderstruck by the evidences of His light as to be reduced to utter nothingness.

The might of the world restrained Him not, nor did the opposition of nations deter Him from His remembrance and utterance. The more affliction intensified, the more powerful became His utterance, until He addressed all the monarchs of the earth without veil or covering. His verses encompassed the world, and His evidences illumined receptive hearts and souls like unto the sun.

Even as the visible sun that assisteth, as decreed by God, the true One, the Adored, in the development of all earthly things, such as the trees, the fruits, and colors thereof, the minerals of the earth, and all that may be witnessed in the world of creation, so do the divine Luminaries, by their loving care and educative influence, cause the trees of divine unity, the fruits of His oneness, the leaves of detachment, the blossoms of knowledge and certitude, and the myrtles of wisdom and utterance, to exist and be made manifest. Thus it is that through the rise of these Luminaries of God the world is made new, the waters of everlasting life stream forth, the billows of loving-kindness surge, the clouds of grace are gathered, and the breeze of bounty bloweth upon all created things.

Our meaning is that the universal Educator must be at once a material, a human and a spiritual educator, and, soaring above the world of nature, must be possessed of another power, so that He may assume the station of a divine teacher. Were He not to wield such a celestial power, He would not be able to educate, for He would be imperfect Himself. How then could He foster perfection?

For example, when the Christ was made manifest, the minds of the various contemporary peoples, their views, their emotional attitudes, whether they were Romans, Greeks, Syrians, Israelites, or others, were at variance with one another. But once His universal power was brought to bear, it gradually succeeded, after the lapse of three hundred years, in gathering together all those divergent minds under the protection, and within the governance, of one central Point, all sharing the same spiritual emotions in their hearts.

I told him, consider this present proof that Christ was but one soul, and He called and brought together all the different nations and races under one tent. Is it possible to perform such an achievement through human power? He arose alone and singly. What greater proof do you ask than this?

This young Man, Christ, through an extraordinary power abrogated the ancient Mosaic Law and undertook to reform the morals of the people. He once again laid the foundation of eternal honour for the Israelites---nay, He undertook to rehabilitate the fortunes of the entire human race---and spread abroad teachings that were not reserved for Israel alone but formed the basis for the universal happiness of human society.

Look at the Christ. He was a youth of Israel, not a great and honored man, but born from a poor family. He was so poor that He was born in a manger, yet He changed the conditions of the whole world. What proof could be greater than this that He was from God?

Such opposition and resistance were not simple or trivial. It is as though one were in this day to deny Christ among Christian nations who firmly cling to the Bible, or as though one were--God forbid!--to blaspheme Christ in the papal court, oppose all His followers, and to act thus in the most vehement manner.

In reality, they struck an axe at their own roots and destroyed their own foundation. Those nations and governments were buried in the dust of abasement, while that brilliant star rose from the dawning-place of light with renowned fame, manifest and evident.

Unique, single, with no assistance, no support, no aid and notwithstanding a stammering tongue, he caused the rise of such a lowly, degraded nation to the apogee of spiritual attainment and wisdom. This shows that he was unquestionably confirmed by the divine Holy-Spirit, because from every standpoint this is unparalleled.

This illustrious Being arose with such power as to shake the foundations of the religious laws, customs, manners, morals, and habits of Persia, and instituted a new law, faith, and religion. Though the eminent men of the State, the majority of the people, and the leaders of religion arose one and all to destroy and annihilate Him, He single-handedly withstood them and set all of Persia in motion.

Their influence and power are immeasurable and unlimited. One heavenly Personage has developed many nations. For example, Jesus Christ, single and unassisted, educated the Roman, Greek and Assyrian nations and all of Europe.

By the "Cloud of Mercy," the heat and the light of the Sun, and by the life-giving breeze this divine gardener is strengthened.

Beings receive grace from their outpourings, realities are purified by their manifestations, essences derive lights from their kindled fire, identities acquire mysteries from their abundant effusions. Faces beam, tongues rejoice, ears take delight, eyes are illumined, breasts are expanded - all this from their perfect outpourings and all-encompassing perfections.

Likewise in the world of religion, the power of Baha'u'llah makes manifest the heat of the love of God - that is, the latent power hidden in hearts - and expands the sphere of thoughts, bestows enlightenment, and shows the path of guidance.

In existence there is a sign which We have, in most of the Tablets, designated as ``the Most Great Elixir". Should this sign be present in any soul, all his movements and stillnesses shall prove efficacious and potent in the world.

O true friends of God! The Ancient Beauty and the Most Great Name (may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones) has shone forth and radiated upon all the realms of creation and regions of existence with all names and attributes. He guided the lost ones to the path of guidance, directed the thirsty to the pure spring, the poor to the treasure of wealth, and guided the abased to the summit of glory, the ignorant to the ocean of knowledge, the heedless to the pure fountain of conscience, called the destitute to the flowing treasury, and delivered the helpless from suffering.

Thanks for His manifest Beauty and for His Great Splendor!--for He hath quickened mankind with the spirit of guidance and hath rendered clear the White Path of Gifts, through the arguments which are brilliant and clear to the hearts of the intelligent, and whereby these hearts are moved, enlightened, illuminated and become cognizant of the Mighty Message in this Manifest Day of the Manifestation of the Honorable Station when the mystery of existence flows just as do the souls in the bodies.

Look at His disciples! They were poor and uncultured men. Out of the rough fisherman He made the great Peter, and out of the poor village girl of Magdala He made one who is a power in all the world today.

Among the miracles which distinguish this sacred Dispensation is this, that women have evinced a greater boldness than men when enlisted in the ranks of the Faith.

How many men who counted themselves among the most learned of the learned were seen to be deprived and forbidden from the choice wine and from the Kawthar of the utterance of the Self-Subsisting Lord, while the handmaidens of God attained thereunto.

The lights of His education are radiating even as the sun. See what it has accomplished, how it is developing all humanity so that I, a Persian, have come to this meeting of revered souls upon the American continent and am standing here expounding to you in the greatest love. This is through the training of Baha'u'llah, which can unite and has united these hearts.

This is not possible through human power. This is possible through the dominion of the Kingdom. It is possible through the Breath of the Holy Spirit.

The holding of meetings at which people from the East come to the far West and sit together with you with such love and affection was impossible but through His penetrative power Baha'u'llah has made this easy and has joined the East and the West.

This is through the power of Baha'u'llah and calls for our thankfulness and happiness.

If it be said that Baha'u'llah brought a man from heaven and another from earth and caused them to meet midway between the earth and heaven, do not be surprised. The power of Baha'u'llah makes all difficulties simple.

When the Muslims arrested the leader of the Zoroastrians and flogged him for drinking wine, under the whip he cried, 'O Muhammad of Arabia, what have you done! What an influence you have shown!' Now they must say, 'O Baha'u'llah, what have you done! With what power You have made the proud ones the captives of love and have united the East with the West!'

Thou beholdest how the light of truth hath illumined both East and West, and how the candle of Iran hath shed its radiance upon those distant lands. The power of Baha'u'llah hath set both Orient and Occident in motion. The proof is like unto the sun, and the evidence is clear and manifest. Yet the bat denieth the light of the sun, and the dung beetle fleeth from the fragrance of the rose garden.

The fruits of the tree of being have been and are countless, among them trustworthiness, religiousness, kindliness, mercy, bounty, generosity and grace. It hath been said aforetime that a fruitless tree is fit only for the fire. Now, praise be to God, the trees of this Revelation are adorned with the fruits of love and knowledge.

Today, through the blessing of the Most Holy Name, the world appeareth as paradise itself. Every perceiving one hath his portion and every hearing one his share. They who are possessed of insight have perceived the divine effulgences and have attained to and become aware of that which was promised aforetime in the divine Books.

This is a Day wherein every sick one is healed, every seeker attaineth his goal, every stationary bird taketh flight, every motionless thing is stirred into life, every stammering tongue speaketh forth, and every remote one draweth nigh.

He is indeed the One at Whose appearance the mountains passed away and all things spoke in remembrance of God, the Lord of grandeur and might. Through Him every poor one turned toward the Kingdom of wealth, every bewildered soul toward the lights of guidance, and every thirsty one toward the Kawthar of eternity.

O Rustam! This day the signs of bounty are made manifest: He turneth the mote into a sun, and, through the radiance of the effulgent splendours of the Most Great Name, He maketh the drop to become an ocean.

The most perfect and complete antidote hath appeared through the blessing of the Most Great Name, yet most are afflicted with the diseases of ignorance and folly. The Water of Life surgeth before the faces of men, and the Sun of Grace shineth resplendent above their heads, yet all remain veiled save whom our Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, willeth.

Today the Call of the Kingdom is raised. Having listened to it, can we deny its soothing effect? Today the Sun of Reality is shining upon all the regions. Becoming warmed through its rays, is it possible to shut our eyes and say No, No!? Today the breeze of Providence is wafting and the dead bodies of the world, having become quickened through the life-imparting breath, can we negate its effect?

If the world did not have capacity, there would not have been a Revelation. The very fact of Revelation is proof of capacity, from which magnificent results will appear and minerals and plants will be nurtured.

From every direction the doors are closed and the path of deliverance is cut off except through spiritual power and divine confirmations. If they only knew, they would turn to the horizon of the Cause. We do not say they should become believers, but with even a slight inclination and attraction they would receive divine confirmations and heavenly assistance.

Seventhly: The penetration of His Word and the potency of influence must be so great as to humble even his worst enemies.

Today at table let us speak a little of proofs. Had you come to this blessed spot in the days of the manifestation of that most resplendent Light, entered the court of His presence, and beheld His luminous countenance, you would have recognized that His utterance and His beauty were in want of no further proof. How numerous the souls who, upon attaining His presence, became at once confirmed believers, dispensing with any further proof ! Even those who were steeped in the deepest hatred and denial would, upon meeting Baha’u’llah, testify to His greatness, saying, "This is indeed a distinguished man, but how regrettable that he makes such a claim! For whatever else he might say would be acceptable."

Now, since that Luminary of truth has set, all stand in need of proofs, and so we have been occupied with providing rational proofs. Let us mention another, and this undeniable proof should alone suffice any fair-minded soul: It is that this illustrious Being advanced His Cause from within the Most Great Prison, whence His light shone forth, His fame encircled the globe, and the word of His glory reached both East and West. To this day such a thing has never come to pass, if the matter be examined with fairness. But there are certain souls who, even if they were to hear every proof in the world, would not judge fairly! Governments and peoples with all their might failed to resist Him, while He, alone and single-handed, wronged and imprisoned, accomplished whatsoever He had purposed.

I will not mention the miracles of Baha'u'llah, for the hearer might say that these are merely traditions which may or may not be true. Such, too, is the case with the Gospel, where the accounts of the miracles of Christ come down to us from the Apostles and not from other observers, and are denied by the Jews. Were I nonetheless to mention the supernatural feats of Baha'u'llah, they are numerous and unequivocally acknowledged in the East, even by some of the non-believers. But these accounts cannot be a decisive proof and testimony for all, since the hearer might say that they are not factually true, as the followers of other denominations also recount miracles from their leaders. For instance, Hindus recount certain miracles of Brahma. How can we know that those are false and that these are true? If these are reported accounts, so too are those; if these are widely attested, then the same holds true of those. Thus such accounts do not constitute a sufficient proof. Of course, a miracle may be a proof for the eyewitness, but even then he might not be sure whether what he beheld was a true miracle or mere sorcery. Indeed, extraordinary feats have also been attributed to certain magicians.

In brief, our meaning is that many marvellous things appeared from Baha'u'llah, but we do not recount them, for not only do they not constitute a proof and testimony for all mankind, but they are not even a decisive proof for those who witnessed them and who may ascribe them to magic.

Moreover, most of the miracles attributed to the Prophets have an inner meaning. For instance, it is recorded in the Gospel that upon the martyrdom of Christ darkness fell, the earth shook, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, and the dead arose from their graves. If this had outwardly come to pass it would have been a stupendous thing. Such an event would have undoubtedly been recorded in the chronicles of the time and would have seized with dismay the hearts of men. At the very least the soldiers would have removed Christ from the cross or would have fled. But as these events have not been recorded in any history it is evident that they are not to be understood literally but according to their inner meaning. Our purpose is not to deny, but merely to say that these accounts do not constitute a decisive proof, and that they have an inner meaning—nothing more.

Question: Certain miracles have been attributed to Christ. Should these accounts be taken literally or do they have other meanings? For it has been established through sound investigation that the inherent nature of each thing does not change, that all created things are subject to a universal law and organization from which they cannot deviate, and that hence nothing can possibly violate that universal law.

Answer: The Manifestations of God are sources of miraculous deeds and marvellous signs. Any difficult or impossible matter is to Them possible and permitted. For They show forth extraordinary feats through an extraordinary power, and They influence the world of nature through a power that transcends nature. From each one of Them, marvellous things have appeared.

But in the Sacred Scriptures a special terminology is used, and in the sight of the Manifestations of God these marvels and miracles are of no importance, so much so that They do not even wish them to be mentioned. For even if these miracles were considered the greatest of proofs, they would constitute a clear evidence only for those who were present when they took place, not for those who were absent.

For example, were a non-believing seeker to be told of the miracles of Moses and Christ, he would deny them and say: "Miracles have also long been ascribed to certain idols by the testimony of a multitude and recorded in books. Thus the Brahmans have compiled an entire book regarding the miracles of Brahma." The seeker would then ask: "How can we know that the Jews and the Christians speak the truth and that the Brahmans lie? For both are traditions, both are widely attested, and both have been recorded in a book. Each can be viewed as plausible or implausible, as with every other account: If one is true, both must be true; if one is accepted, both must be accepted." Therefore, miracles cannot be a conclusive proof, for even if they are valid proofs for those who were present, they fail to convince those who were not.

However, in the day of God’s Manifestation, they that are endued with insight will find all things pertaining to Him to be miraculous. For these things are distinguished above all else, and this distinction is in itself an absolute miracle. Consider how Christ, alone and single-handed, with no helper or protector, with no legions or armies, and with the utmost meekness, raised aloft the banner of God before all the peoples of the world; how He withstood them; and how at last He subdued them all, even though outwardly He was crucified. Now, this is an absolute miracle which can in no wise be denied. Indeed, the truth of Christ stands in no need of further proof.

These outward miracles are of no importance to the followers of truth. For example, if a blind man is made to see, in the end he will again lose his sight, for he will die and be deprived of all his senses and faculties. Thus, causing the blind to see is of no lasting importance, since the faculty of sight is bound to be lost again in the end. And if a dead body be revived, what is gained thereby, since it must die again? What is important is to bestow true insight and everlasting life, that is, a spiritual and divine life; for this material life will not endure and its existence is tantamount to non-existence. Even as Christ said in reply to one of His disciples: "let the dead bury their dead"; for "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Consider that Christ reckoned as dead those who were nonetheless outwardly and physically alive; for true life is life eternal and true existence is spiritual existence. Thus if the Sacred Scriptures speak of raising the dead, the meaning is that they attained everlasting life; if they say that one who was blind was made to see, the meaning of this seeing is true insight; if they say that one who was deaf was made to hear, the meaning is that he acquired an inner ear and attained spiritual hearing. This is established by the very text of the Gospel where Christ says that they are like those of whom Isaiah once said, They have eyes and see not, they have ears and hear not; and I heal them.

Our meaning is not that the Manifestations of God are unable to perform miracles, for this indeed lies within Their power. But that which is of import and consequence in Their eyes is inner sight, spiritual hearing, and eternal life. Thus, wherever it is recorded in the Sacred Scriptures that such a one was blind and was made to see, the meaning is that he was inwardly blind and gained spiritual insight, or that he was ignorant and found knowledge, or was heedless and became aware, or was earthly and became heavenly.

As this inner sight, hearing, life, and healing are eternal, so are they truly important. Otherwise, what importance, worth, and value can mere animal life and powers possess? Even as an idle fancy, in a few days it will pass. For instance, if an unlit lamp is lighted, it will be extinguished again, but the light of the sun always shines resplendent, and this is what is important.

This is the reality of the situation - no seeker has the right to test. The Sought must test the seeker. The teacher must test the student, not the student the teacher.

How can the influence of their good word over many centuries become the cause of transformation of character, improvement of attributes, refinement of conduct and unity of different peoples?

Again among His signs are the extraordinary things He continually did, the miracles He performed, the wonders appearing from Him without interruption like the streaming down of His clouds--and the acknowledgement, even by unbelievers, of His powerful light.

Mine eyes have witnessed what no eye among all creation hath witnessed, and Mine ears have heard what the ears of men in former ages have not heard. Thy Lord, the All-Informed, bears witness to this.

"Go thou to the people, and tell them: 'Ask whatsoever ye please. Powerful is He to do what He willeth. Nothing whatsoever, be it of the past or of the future, can frustrate His Will.'

In short, before long Baghdad was thrown into turmoil. A group of divines, including Mirza Ali-Naqi, Siyyid Muhammad, Sheikh Abdul-Hussein, and Sheikh Muhammad-Hussein--these mujtahids selected a renowned scholar named Mirza Hasan-i-'Amu and sent him into the presence of the Blessed Beauty. He was granted an audience through Zaynu'l-'Abidin Khan Fakhru'd-Dawlih. First he posed scholarly questions and received sufficient answers. He submitted that regarding the matter of knowledge, it was absolutely certain and no one had any doubts--all the divines acknowledged and were convinced. However, the divines had sent him to witness extraordinary matters that would bring assurance to their hearts.

The Blessed Beauty said, "Very well, but the Cause of God is not a plaything for children. As the Qur'an relates from the tongue of the objectors: 'And they say: We will not believe in thee until thou cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us; or thou have a house of gold,' and some said, 'Or thou bring God and the angels face to face with us,' and others said, 'Or thou ascend to heaven, and even then we will not believe in thine ascension until thou bring down for us a book.' In answer to all these He says: 'Say: Glory be to my Lord! Am I aught but a mortal messenger?' However, I say very well, but you must all agree and specify one matter which, if manifested, would leave you with no doubts. Write it down, seal it, and submit it. Then I will send someone to manifest that miracle."

Mirza Hasan-i-'Amu was convinced and said there remained nothing more to say. He forcibly kissed the Blessed Hand.He said there was nothing more to say, forcefully kissed the blessed hand and left, and told the clergy - but the clergy did not accept it, thinking perhaps this person was a magician. No matter how much he said "O mujtahids, you sent me yourselves and this is what you wanted! You have disgraced us!" it was of no use. Everyone knew about this incident.

Every act of the Blessed Beauty constitutes in itself a consummate proof. In one of my early writings I wrote that in the eyes of the possessors of insight the doings of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth have no equal.

Yet, notwithstanding this, His Cause is too great to be established by descent from any other than Himself, and too glorious to be made known through aught beside His own reality. Every lofty lineage hath bowed its neck before the majesty of His sovereignty, and every impregnable claim of noble descent hath been abased before the power of His proof. All are known through Him, while He is known through His own Self unto every discerning and witnessing soul, even as the rising, resplendent, shining sun upon the glorious horizon.

No one entered his presence without becoming awe-stricken by his might. The learned men who approached him were astounded at his knowledge, yet he never attended school nor learned of men. His friends and his family all testify to this, yet his teachings are the soul of this age.

The sun emanates from itself and does not draw its light from other sources. The divine teachers have the innate light; they have knowledge and understanding of all things in the universe; the rest of the world receives its light from them and through them the arts and sciences are revived in each age.

Thou knowest full well that We perused not the books which men possess and We acquired not the learning current amongst them, and yet whenever We desire to quote the sayings of the learned and of the wise, presently there will appear before the face of thy Lord in the form of a tablet all that which hath appeared in the world and is revealed in the Holy Books and Scriptures. Thus do We set down in writing that which the eye perceiveth. Verily His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the heavens.

The Breath of God awakened Him and commanded Him to raise His voice. When He awoke, He arose and called all to God, the Lord of the worlds.

In like manner, spiritual disclosures are of two kinds. One is the visions of the Prophets and the spiritual disclosures of the chosen ones of God. The visions of the Prophets are not dreams but true spiritual disclosures. Thus when they say, "I saw someone in such a form, and I spoke such words, and he gave such a reply", this vision takes place in a state of wakefulness and not in the realm of sleep. It is a spiritual discovery that is expressed in the form of a vision.

But the hidden mysteries of the days to come were revealed to the Prophets, who thus became acquainted with future events and who proclaimed them in turn. This knowledge and proclamation were not the cause of the occurrence of these events.

… The Prophets of God were informed through divine revelation that certain events would come to pass.

Among the conditions indicating his absolute prophethood are the traces of his self, whereto Abu Ja'far, peace be upon him, pointed in his words, saying gloriously: "In the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, were three qualities found in no other: He had no shadow; when he walked a path, if anyone were to pass by it two or three days later they would recognize that He had passed there by His sweet fragrance; and whenever He passed by a stone or a tree, it would prostrate before Him."

My manifestation is My proof, and that which floweth from My pen is the evidence of My Self. Thus was it sent down in truth on that day from the heaven of sublime and exalted glory.

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth from the heaven of mighty and impregnable glory, and hath made them a proof for all who are in the heavens and on earth, for verily He hath power over all things. They are indeed God's proof amidst His creation, His evidence unto His creatures, and His testimony unto all in His kingdom.

God hath perfected His proof, completed His favor, caused the Sun to shine forth, and sent down His signs. His Manifestation is most evident, yet ye have entangled yourselves in the wilderness of doubt, conjecture and allusion.

The path of God is more manifest than the sun, and His proof more perfect than all that exists in creation. He is the Praised One in His deeds, the One to be obeyed in His command, the Dominant One in His sovereignty, and the Manifest One through His signs which have encompassed the horizons.

Verses have been revealed of such magnitude that every soul beholds itself powerless to recount them. The evidences have appeared, and the signs and allusions of the divine Books and heavenly Scriptures have all been fulfilled.

Say: By God! The All-Merciful hath come with such a proof as all who are in the heavens and on earth cannot withstand, did ye but know.

The Book has been revealed, verses are witnessed, and divine commandments and laws are present before all faces.

The verses have encompassed all directions and the Day-Star of proof hath shone forth from the horizon of the Pen of the will of your Lord, the All-Merciful.

The verses have been sent down and the evidences have appeared, and the sealed wine has been unsealed by the finger of God, the Omnipotent, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

We have sent down the Command and expounded the verses that perchance men may ponder upon God's sovereignty and His firm and mighty Cause.

I swear by the light shed from the hearts of them that are nigh and sincere that the Dawning-Place of God's Cause and the Wellspring of His revelation hath appeared in such wise that no one hath any excuse to hesitate or delay.

Say: By God! He hath appeared with all the signs, the recognition of which hath proved beyond the capacity of every person of understanding. On His right hand was the Kingdom of God, then on His left the Dominion of Command, and before Him marched the hosts of a wondrous Revelation.

Although in this Manifestation all signs of power, manifest proofs, wondrous verses, glorious manifestations and divine attributes have appeared - and all this as a grace from Us to all created things - yet henceforth the matter resteth in God's hands, that He may designate what shall be proof for future Manifestations.

Now, the reality of prophethood, which is the Word of God and the state of perfect divine manifestation, has neither beginning nor end, but its radiance varies like that of the sun.

… In the Gospel it is said: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." It follows then that Christ did not attain His Messianic station and His perfections at the moment of His baptism, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove.

The transcendent Word of God is sanctified beyond time. The past, the present and the future are all equal in relation to God. Yesterday, today and tomorrow do not exist in the sun.

Thus the reality of Christ, Who is the Word of God, undoubtedly precedes all created things in essence, in attributes and in distinction. Before appearing in human form, the Word of God was in a state of utmost sanctity and glory, abiding in perfect beauty and splendour in the height of its majesty.

In the Gospel it is explicitly stated that in His first coming, although Christ was born to Mary, He Himself said that He came from heaven. Thus, the meaning of 'heaven' is the greatness of the Cause and eminence and might of the Manifestation of God Who spreads this divine Cause by His heavenly power and divine strength and not through material means.

Man is the sum of Creation, and the Perfect Man is the expression of the complete thought of the Creator -- the Word of God.

In the supernatural kingdom of the Chosen Ones of God, the bearers of spiritual development, there are three stages in the unification of their spirit with the absolute spirit, the breath of life of God. The highest stage represents the prophet, the purest manifestation of the logos. The prophet is an earthly personality for a specific time, full of divine wisdom and of all the pervasive powers of the logos; the prophet recognizes himself as a part of the absolute and is already in his earthly existence sublime over space and time.

The penetration of the preexistent Divine Light through the substance of His soul makes the Prophet the Lord of His epoch and confers upon Him extraordinary powers which go far beyond the nature of ordinary man.

Q. Concerning planets - can a planet be extinguished?

A. Yes, a planet can lose the bounty of God and be destroyed. As man depends on his elements and the brain in particular, so the "Sent Prophets or Manifestations" are like the brain of a planet, they cannot live without the help from this highest source or element of their beings.

By the tree of life is meant the highest degree of the world of existence, that is, the station of the Word of God and His universal Manifestation. That station was indeed well-guarded, until it appeared and shone forth in the supreme revelation of His universal Manifestation.

Salutations, blessings, and welcome to that Universal Reality, that Perfect Word, that Manifest Book, that Splendor which hath dawned in the highest heaven, that Guide of all nations, that Light of the world -- the billowing ocean of Whose abounding grace hath flooded all creation, in such wise that the waves thereof have cast upon the sands of this visible world their shining pearls.

Thou didst make it the center of the sphere of creation and a mighty luminary from which brilliant rays spread to all regions, and a sea whose waves surge across the horizons, and a spring whose clouds pour forth upon hills and mountains and lands, and whose breezes pass over gardens and thickets and meadows and regions until through its effects the temples of beings were renewed and the dead in the depths of graves were brought to life by its fragrances.

The light of Christ was like unto the light of the Sun. He was the center, the reservoir, the power-house of illumination, but others received their light from him.

This is His Most Great Name, His Most Exalted Word, and the Dayspring of His Most Excellent Titles, if ye could understand.

I walk at all times before all who dwell in the realm of possibility. I see and I hear, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."

This is a Day wherein the Word hath appeared in the form of a human being and calleth all unto the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

God made Muhammad and his trustees, God's blessings be upon them, the repositories of His knowledge and related them to Himself due to their mighty station and elevated rank, like the House and the Sacred Mosque. Nothing escapes their knowledge as God willed in the kingdom of names and attributes.

They are the conveyers in creation and legislation.

In the human station there are four principles including the pillars who are the Prophets - their means of conveying is through revelation in the heart and descent of the angel in wakefulness and sleep.

Observe how We have made thee the cause of the creation of all things, as a bounty from Our presence - verily We are the Eternal. Nothing hath been created except through God's bounty, and We have made thee the mirror of that Name as a bounty from Our presence - verily We are the Eternal.

God hath indeed sent down the Book with the Most Great Truth upon His Word, that people might know that God hath preserved fire within a point of snow. We have raised up the Remembrance from before Us in truth, and We have made him mighty before God and exalted above truth.

Say: The Cause of God is greater than what ye have delivered or shall deliver. Say: The Cause of God is mightier than what ye have known or shall know. Therefore seek help from God, place your trust in God, seek protection from God, hold fast to the cord of God, deliver the Cause of God, and triumph over all things through God.

By Him Who made me His primary servant! Had God willed concerning me, He would have manifested a thousand times over such signs as I manifested at the beginning of the Cause from the exalted tokens, for God hath power over all things.

By the life of Him Whom God shall make manifest, that Manifestation is more wondrous than the Manifestation of Muhammad before, but people do not understand nor remember. What God revealed to Muhammad over twenty-three years, if God had wished, He could have revealed to him in two days and two nights.

I, indeed, beg to address Him Whom God shall make manifest, by Thy leave in these words: "Shouldst Thou dismiss the entire company of the followers of the Bayan in the Day of the Latter Resurrection by a mere sign of Thy finger even while still a suckling babe, Thou wouldst indeed be praised in Thy indication.

Every single letter proceeding from Our mouth is endowed with such regenerative power as to enable it to bring into existence a new creation -- a creation the magnitude of which is inscrutable to all save God.

Praised be God Who manifested Himself and uttered a Word whereby all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save certain Letters of the Countenance.

It is in Our power, should We wish it, to enable a speck of floating dust to generate, in less than the twinkling of an eye, suns of infinite, of unimaginable splendour, to cause a dewdrop to develop into vast and numberless oceans, to infuse into every letter such a force as to empower it to unfold all the knowledge of past and future ages.

Say: God hath made the likeness of His Command as the likeness of the sun which God causeth to rise times beyond any one's reckoning save His own, whereupon all are illumined by a single sun; and He causeth it to set times beyond any one's reckoning save His own, whereupon all await it. Say: I am the first whom God created from a beginning that hath no beginning, and made me the Sun of His Manifestation unto all the worlds.

Verses like rain, nay greater, are continually streaming down and descending, encompassing the world.

Magnified is the All-Merciful Who hath, through His Most Exalted Word, attracted all who are in earth and heaven, and guided all through it on a Day wherein the foundations of the cities of names were shaken. He it is Who hath subdued all things through His Most Exalted Pen, and through it hath opened the door of reunion unto all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, and the Dove of the Cause hath warbled upon the branches of the Tree of Eternity.

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses in truth and will continue to send them down as He pleaseth by His command, and verily He hath power over all things. Before Him bow down in adoration all who are in the heavens and on earth, though He is in truth independent of the worship of all creation.

We have built for thee from the iron rods of utterance that which will not be altered by the vicissitudes of time.

Say: By God! He is verily the Sovereign of the Messengers and His Tablet is the Mother of Tablets, and through a single letter from Him was everything created with the ornament of luminous glory.

Through Him were revealed the mysteries of what was and what is to be, through Him did the earth yield up her pearls, and all things were brought forth by His word "Be" and it is. Through Him were ordained the measures of all things and detailed exposition of destiny was set down upon a preserved and mighty tablet.

Through Thee were rent asunder the veils of all created things, through Thee appeared the kingdom of names and attributes, through Thee was every soul guided to the shore of hallowed might, through Thee did the Dove warble upon the branches of eternity, and the Bird of the Throne sing upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree of Glory. Through Thee appeared the Beauty of the Unseen by His Most Exalted Name, through Thee descended every good thing from the dominion of the cloud of mystery to the kingdom of creation, and every grace was inscribed by the Finger of God upon the tablets of destiny.

I testify that through Him the Pen of the Most High was set in motion, and with His remembrance the Scriptures in the kingdom of names were embellished. Through Him Thy fragrances were wafted, and the sweet smell of Thy raiment was shed abroad amongst all the dwellers of the earth and the inmates of heaven.

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh with truth is indeed the One concealed in His Books, mentioned by His tongue, and recorded by His Most Exalted Pen, through Whose movement the Kingdom of Names was manifested.

He is the One through Whom the ocean of utterance has surged before the faces of all religions.

Glorified be He Who has made manifest the Path, sent down the Proof, and caused all things to speak forth with the most exalted call that there is none other God but He, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Through Him My Cause was established, My path was raised up, My balance was set, and that which lay hidden in My preserved Tablet was revealed. Through Him were gladdened the eyes of those who uttered My remembrance, who came with My signs and were made manifest through My clear proofs.

Glorified be He Who hath manifested the Manifestation of His Cause as He pleaseth, and caused Him to speak forth verses whereby all atoms were attracted, that all might be assured that He is the Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

All things are established through My Will, as they were established before, and none comprehend this save those possessed of insight.

Beware lest ye doubt Him by Whose command the seas were made to surge, the trees to bear fruit, the suns to shine, the heavens to be raised up, the mountains to be fixed, and the Dove to warble upon the branches of the Tree of Holiness behind the veils and coverings.

Blessed is He Who hath come with mighty sovereignty, whereby the back of infidelity was broken and living waters gushed forth. He is the One through Whom the seas appeared and the rivers flowed and every lofty mountain was made manifest.

There hath been inscribed by the Most Glorious Pen upon the cheek of all things: "This, verily, is He through a mere sign from Whose eyebrow was created the kingdom of names, and those who abide behind the pavilions of grandeur, and the denizens of the Concourse on High, and the dwellers of the cities of eternity."

By God! Through a movement of His finger all things were drawn unto Him. Thus was the decree ordained, if ye be of them that understand.

Say: Were He to move, with Him would move the hosts of the unseen, then the Concourse on High, then the realities of all worlds.

Then take shelter in the shade of the Tree of Truth, this Youth, Who when He moveth within Himself causeth to move thereby all manifestations of truth and suns of oneness, and when He remaineth still within Himself, the beauty of truth and His temple are established upon an exalted and impregnable throne.

Say: By God! This is He at Whose walking the Kingdom of God walketh behind Him, and the Spirit proclaimeth before Him, and giveth glad tidings unto the people of this Remembrance Who hath appeared in the temple of the Youth.

Say: O people! The Beloved hath appeared in manifest glory, and before Him march the hosts of divine revelation and inspiration, while behind Him advance the hosts of the unseen with upraised standards.

And verily I complain unto God of these servants, for they regard Me according to what is with them and not according to what is with Me, and they measure the Self of God by their own selves and His words by their words. By Him Who is Myself! Were all who are in the heavens and on earth to turn today unto God, He would teach them from the wonders of His knowledge that which would make them independent of all the worlds.

He possesseth a Name which, were He to cast it upon poison, would transform it into the Most Great Antidote.

My hair is My Messenger. It is calling aloud at all times upon the branch of Fire within the hallowed and luminous garden of Paradise, that perchance the inmates of the realm of creation may detach themselves from the world of dust and ascend unto the retreats of nearness -- the Spot where the Fire seeketh illumination from the light of the Countenance of God, the Glorious, the Powerful.

Say: The Holy Spirit hath appeared in a new garment! Say: Verily, the pebbles glorify God in this luminous, white hand! Say: Verily, the Beauty of God hath come forth from behind the veil of light! Wherefore, glorify God, the Sovereign of Sovereigns.

By God! He hath appeared in such wise as to dazzle eyes from beholding His beauty, if ye be of them that see. Say: The mighty oceans have surged from this tempestuous, foam-flecked, billowing, flowing, great Sea, and the heaven hath been raised from this heaven which was elevated in this Glory.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I give praise to Thee, that Thou hast made me able so to reveal Thine utterances, and manifest Thy proofs and Thy testimonies, that every proof hath been made to circle round my will, and every testimony to compass my pleasure.

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is verily the Dawning-Place of revelation and the Rising-Point of inspiration. To this beareth witness My tongue and My wondrous pen.

The Wronged One was silent - the Will of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, caused Him to speak. He was still - the Hand of Divine Grace moved Him, by the command of the Strong, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Great.

The hands of divine bounty have nurtured all mankind, and, through the tongue of the Manifestations of His own Self, have announced unto all who dwell in the worlds the glad-tidings of the appearance of the Most Great Name.

By God! This is the month through which the months were illumined, and wherein appeared the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery, and wherein the call was raised in the highest voice throughout all creation: "The Kingdom belongeth to this Newborn One, through Whom the countenance of all creation did smile, and the trees swayed, and the seas surged, and the mountains took flight, and Paradise spoke forth, and the Rock cried out, and all things proclaimed: 'O concourse of creation! Hasten ye to the dawning-place of the countenance of your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate.'"

And 'Ali came with the truth, and with Him were clear signs, a single letter of which would suffice all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Through Him the valley of Mecca overflowed and the mouth of the Hijaz smiled, and through Him was raised the standard of Truth and lowered the banner of metaphor.

We sent down the Revealer of the Bayan to give glad tidings to all contingent beings of this Day wherein the Rock hath cried out: "The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting!"

But for Him, God's Cause would not have been made manifest in all else, nor would the cock of the Throne have crowed, nor would the Dove have warbled upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree of the Bayan, nor would those brought nigh have been created."

By God! I have come unto you, O peoples of the earth, to bring you glad tidings of Him Who shall come with the standards of signs and the banners of proofs, Who hath named Himself the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret. I bear witness that He was concealed behind the veil of grandeur throughout all eternity, and when He willed to manifest His Cause, He appeared with a sovereignty that encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth, and uttered that which caused every treacherous one to be shaken and every faithful one to be assured, every fearful and false one to lament and every sincere seeker to rejoice.

He hath stood between heaven and earth with mighty sovereignty, and there hath appeared from Him the proof of 'Ali, then the evidence of Muhammad, then the testimony of the Spirit, then that which was brought by Him Who conversed with God. Beyond all this, He hath appeared with such sovereignty as no eye in all creation hath witnessed the like thereof, nor the eyes of the angels near unto God.

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Whose voice was raised from the Most Exalted Horizon is indeed the One Who conversed upon Sinai, Who is established upon the Throne of Revelation, through Whom the Trump was blown, through Whom the decree of resurrection was fulfilled, and through Whom those that lay in their graves arose.

O thou who gazest toward the horizon of the Revelation! Hearken unto that which the Speaker of the Mount uttereth, Who was promised in the Books of God and mentioned by the tongues of the Messengers. He hath come with the truth, and through Him the pillars of misbelief have quaked, the edifice of unbelief hath been shaken, and the faces of those near unto God have been illumined.

The Mount speaks and says: "Blessed am I in that I have attained unto Him Who conversed with Him Who guided Moses to the path of God, the Lord of all creation."

The treasures have appeared and the mysteries have emerged, inasmuch as He Who conversed on Sinai hath seated Himself upon the throne of Revelation in a spot which God hath made the Dayspring of Light and the Dawning-place of His signs.

Then the trumpet was blown, the graves arose, the herald called out, the spirit was breathed, and the world was adorned with the ornament of knowledge. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who manifested Himself amidst all created things, Who speaks in the kingdom of utterance, and Whose Most Exalted Pen moves at every moment - the Pen through which He has detailed every matter with truth, revealed every mystery with justice, explained every wisdom with grace, and established every decree in His mighty Book.

The throne hath been established and upon it hath been seated the Ancient Beauty, Who hath called out in the most exalted voice among the nations: "Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed."

By God! The Most Great Remembrance calleth aloud amidst the nations, saying: "God hath come, and through Him hath appeared the dawning of the days." He, verily, calleth by His own Self and summoneth the servants unto His most exalted horizon.

The Day of Resurrection hath come, and in it the Self-Subsisting One of Names hath arisen with a sovereignty that encompasseth all who are in the heavens and on earth.

The heaven with the most high call crieth out and saith: The Promised One hath come with a sovereignty that hath conquered the realms of meaning and utterance, and with a power before which no power in the world can stand.

He has appeared in truth with a sovereignty that none can deny save those who have denied God and His chosen ones among the Prophets and Messengers.

… Say: O people of creation! The Creator of all things hath come with mighty sovereignty.

He is the One manifest with the sovereignty of names from the horizon of heaven.

Exalted is He Who hath shone forth upon the Greatest Scene and hath spoken that whereby the mountains were crushed and the moon was cleft asunder.

He Who was treasured in knowledge and concealed from eyes and sight hath come.

… He hath appeared and made manifest whatsoever He desired with a power before which the power of all who are in the heavens and on earth hath proved impotent.

In this Revelation there hath appeared what hath never appeared before nor will appear hereafter. My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to this, as doth that which hath appeared through My firm and mighty Command.

O My Name! By God! Whosoever possesseth vision and a heart will testify that the eye of time hath never witnessed the like of this Manifestation and shall never witness its like throughout the eternity of thy Lord.

And I am, verily, powerful over whatsoever I will. There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Great.

We have manifested that which lay hidden in knowledge and concealed in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds.

He was concealed within God's knowledge and treasured up from time immemorial, and when the appointed hour arrived He appeared through the power of Truth, and toward Him have turned the sincere ones from every direction.

The Promise hath come to pass, and the Promised One calleth aloud before all faces, yet most of the people perceive not.

He is, in truth, the Dawning-Place of divine revelation, the Dayspring of inspiration, the Quickener of bones, and with Him lieth the final word.

Glorified be He Who speaketh the truth and summoneth all unto His Self, the One Who hath dominion over the worlds.

Say: Come forth that thou mayest hear and see that He hath appeared with a sovereignty before which every discerning mystic and every informed scholar hath bowed down.

Say: Do ye dispute with Him Who hath come from the Dayspring of the Cause with power and sovereignty? He hath indeed beheld such signs of His Lord as cannot be described in words.

Know thou that when We found the people immersed in the delusion of ignorance and the intoxication of desire, We lifted the hem of the veil with the fingers of Command less than can be counted. Then arose the clamor of the denizens of Sinai at the station of pause, the veils of the righteous were rent asunder, every known name was struck with awe, and servants who were created by My command rose up against Me and returned to what they were, and thus was Satan veiled from the Self of the All-Merciful.

Praise be to the Beloved Who, by His divine power, rent asunder the dense veils of contingent beings and, despite the opposition of the flies, established Himself unveiled and unhindered upon the throne of "God was, and there was nothing else besides Him."

When the gate of heaven was opened and the Lord of Names appeared, agitation seized all in the realms of creation save those whom the hand of grace had taken hold of.

This is the Day whereon the branches have been scattered, and the mountains have passed away, and the heaven hath been cleft asunder, and the earth hath been rent in twain through the fear of God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O 'Ali! Were We to reveal unto thee what lieth concealed in the treasuries of infallibility, by God, the heaven would be cleft asunder, the earth would be rent, and the hearts of all servants would be convulsed, save whom thy Lord willeth, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Although the divine hand of change and transformation is encompassing and engaged, yet verily We have veiled the people with a mighty veil.

Through Him was revealed that which was concealed, and the Ancient Beauty shone forth amidst the peoples, yet the people remain in a mighty veil.

… Through Him the fragrance of the All-Merciful wafted throughout creation, and the atoms cried out: "Power belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Omnipotent!" Through Him were the veils rent asunder and that which was inscribed on a preserved tablet was made manifest.

That which had never appeared in the world hath appeared, and the divine fragrance hath wafted, and the breeze hath blown, and the Ark hath sailed, yet most of the people perceive not.

And My Most Exalted Pen proclaimeth: "O concourse of creation! The Lord of Names hath come! Turn ye unto Him and be not of them that are far removed." Yet they slumber upon the couch of heedlessness and idle fancies, such that this Call which hath encompassed the world moveth them not - the Call whereby the very rocks cry out: "The Kingdom is God's, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Great!"

All things have testified to the Lord of Names, yet none comprehend this save those possessed of understanding. The Tree hath called out with the loudest cry, yet most of the people hear not.

The seas have borne witness to the Dayspring of Lights, yet the people understand not.

This is a Day wherein the Light hath appeared and the Speaker of Sinai hath spoken, yet most of the people remain sunk in slumber. They have cast away the All-Glorious and taken hold of their vain desires. Verily, they are of the abased ones.

Consider the loftiness of this Cause, its exaltation, its glory and its station, and then observe the baseness of these ignorant people.

This is a Book which calleth aloud in the world and summoneth all peoples to the Most Great Name, whereby the hearts of the Concourse on High were attracted and the hearts of them that denied God, the Creator of heaven, were perturbed.

Today in the Most Great Prison, before the face of the Ancient King, the ocean of reality appeareth manifest and billowing. Were all the peoples of the world to inhale but a trace of the fragrance of His robe, were they to hearken unto but one of the revealed utterances, they would all forsake that which they possess and turn unto that which is with God.

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto the dawning rays of the Sun of true divine unity. The signs of this most exalted station and the manifestations of this most sublime summit are now hidden, due to the weakness of sight. But ere long the Luminary of Will shall emerge from behind the clouds and become manifest.

Should the light of this station, even less than an atom thereof, be shed upon the world, all would exclaim: "This is from God's bounty, the Most High, the Most Great!"

I swear by the Sun of the All-Merciful's utterance that the eye was created for this glorious Day, the ears came into being for these times, the temple existeth for this wondrous Day, and the soul for comprehension of this exalted Cause.

Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the Word of God - verily it is among the most exalted of creation in the Preserved Tablet.

Say: He hath appeared in truth from a glorious horizon. Say: O people! Do ye worship the calf and forsake Him by Whose command the sun hath dawned from the horizon of the name of the Most High, through Whom the Books have been sent down throughout all ages, and through Whom the treasuries of the Cause have appeared from One mighty and powerful?

Every Messenger sent with truth hath testified to Him, and every Prophet hath attained unto this Hidden News. Whoso hath attained unto Him hath attained unto the presence of God, and whoso hath turned away is accounted among the idolaters in the Preserved Tablet.

Say: This is a Day the like of which the eye of creation hath not seen. Abandon what ye possess and turn unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

Verily thy Lord is not prevented by anything from anything. … Such is God's way among His servants and His sovereignty over His creation.

In the Tablet of Wisdom this blessed verse hath been sent down: Look not upon creatures and their works, but rather upon the Truth and His sovereignty. Thus hath the matter been decreed from before God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Therefore He wished to say again, the Manifestation of God is He who doeth whatsoever He Willeth. Why and wherefore do not apply to His ways. It cannot be said or questioned why is this debased one elevated, why that lofty one abased.

Verily, Thou art He Who manifesteth whatsoever He willeth through His Will, and confirmeth whatsoever He desireth through His Purpose, and decreeth whatsoever He pleaseth through His Decree and the sovereignty of His Command.

All things are captive in the grasp of His power and all the wealthy are poor at the threshold of His riches.

Thou art, verily, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and in Thy grasp is the control of names, and in Thy right hand are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest.

The intimations of those who have disbelieved in Thy signs and turned away from Thy proof and denied Thy sovereignty cannot withhold Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Most High, the Omnipotent, the All-Ruling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

That which befalleth Us in God's path is a mercy unto Us, and We accepted it aforetime; otherwise, by Him Who causeth My tongue to speak His praise, We could have subdued all who are on earth with but one word from Him.

Say: Your belief will never increase Us nor will your rejection decrease Us, and all who are in the heavens and earth today are but as a handful of aged clay, save those who have detached themselves from all directions and turned toward the Paradise, the seat of their Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, in this Most Glorious Horizon.

He is the Powerful One Whom the creation of the first and the last cannot prevent from His Will, and Whom the sovereignty and might of the hosts of rulers and ranks of divines cannot hinder.

The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names hath come with a sovereignty that the hosts could not repel, with a might that the power of kings could not weaken, and with a command that caused all who are in the heavens and on earth to soar. He hath stood before the faces of the world and summoned all unto the All-Informed One.

Say: Think ye that the Most Great Ocean can be prevented from its waves, or the Cloud of Grace from its rain, or the Tree of Holiness from its fruits? Nay, by the Lord of the worlds! Nothing can prevent it from what ye possess, and it speaketh the truth from the heaven of eternity in the Most Glorious melody, celebrating His Most Exalted Self, and it feareth no one even if all the peoples of the heavens and earth should oppose it.

Can anything prevent Him from that which He is bidden? Nay, by Him Who commandeth the winds! Can the might of kings frighten Him? Nay, by Him Who alternateth night and day! His likeness is as the sea - can the happenings of time prevent its waves?

What! Believe ye in your hearts that ye possess the power to extinguish the radiance of the Sun, or to eclipse its splendor? Nay, by My life! Ye will never and can never achieve your purpose, though ye summon to your aid all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth.

Say: By the power of My Most Great Name, O peoples of the earth! By God, the Ancient King hath come for the reformation of the world. Beware lest the doubts of your divines debar you from the ocean of your Lord's knowledge, the Mighty, the Powerful. He speaketh naught save that which shall profit you in this world and in the next.

In that which He uttereth He hath had and hath no purpose for Himself; rather, out of pure bounty and infinite mercy doth He summon all to the realm of oneness. He it is Whose loving-kindness hath preceded all things and Whose grace hath encompassed all.

The shame I was made to bear hath uncovered the glory with which the whole of creation had been invested, and through the cruelties I have endured, the Daystar of Justice hath manifested itself, and shed its splendor upon men.

Though ye see Him vanquished, by My life He is the Victor over all who are in the heavens and earth. And though ye see Him subjugated, He is in truth the Subduer.

All necks were laid low before Him, and all heads bowed down to Him; all faces turned humbly towards Him, and all voices were hushed in His presence.

Unto this bear witness the woes which now beset Me, woes the like of which no man hath ever before sustained. My Lord, the All-Knowing, testifieth to the truth of My words. I have summoned the people unto none save God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds, and have endured for love of Him such afflictions as the eye of creation hath never beheld.

But the Bab Himself attached no importance to this uproar and tumult, and, alike on the road and in the castles of Maku and Chihriq, evening and morning, nay, day and night, in extremest rapture and amazement, He would restrict Himself to repeating and meditating on the qualities and attributes of that absent-yet-present, regarded-and-regarding Person of His.

Tribulation shall never prevent Me from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Highest, even as it prevented Me not aforetime. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing.

Say: Tribulation shall not deter Us from that which We have purposed, nor shall destiny prevent Us from that which We have been bidden.

Despite all that hath befallen Him, His tongue speaketh in remembrance of God, His feet move toward the Intended One, His Pen moveth to mention Him, and with His finger He moveth the thread of existence.

Despite the tribulations that surround Me, My Most Exalted Pen hath not ceased, and moveth at all times in celebration of God, the Lord of all names.

Know thou that when We arrived at the prison, We desired to convey unto all the messages of thy Lord, that they might know that tribulations have not deterred Us from the remembrance of God, the Lord of all names, nor have We been frightened by the might of them that oppress.

From the earliest days until now the Self of God hath been in the hands of the enemies--at times imprisoned, at times in chains, and at times led captive from land to land. Yet in all conditions the shrill voice of the Pen was heard and the Call was raised. The heedlessness of the world did not prevent the Ancient Beauty from His purpose.

We have stood before the faces of the world for successive years and called all to the Most Exalted Horizon without veil or covering. The power of the world has not frustrated Me, nor has the might of nations prevented Me.

By God! He hath stood firm in the Cause in such wise that were anyone to ponder thereon, he would cast away all created things and hasten unto the All-Merciful.

Say: He stood between earth and heaven, and nodded His head, and winked His eye, and raised His brow, and caused His garment to shine forth, and raised His sleeve, and moved His lips, and gestured with His hand, saying: O people! Follow Him Who hath come unto you from the Dayspring of the Cause with manifest sovereignty.

He hath come with truth and stood before the faces of the world, speaking as He willeth, such that no thing among all things, nor the might of princes, could prevent Him.

The Promise has come and the Promised One has appeared before the faces of princes and divines, speaking that which God, the Powerful, the Almighty, has commanded Him - such that neither the might of the world weakened Him nor the power of kings and rulers prevented Him.

O Ya'qub! The opposition of the world did not prevent the Most Great Name from proclamation, and the bullets of the peoples' factions did not hold Him back from His purpose. Every fair-minded one hath testified to His power and every person of insight hath become aware. Without any helper or assistant He hath aided His Cause with the Most Exalted Pen.

From the outset, without veil or concealment, He spoke the Most Great Word before the faces of divines and princes. Whence appeared this power, and from what dawning-place shone forth this grandeur? By God's life! It hath appeared above the comprehension and understanding of men.

From the earliest dawn of the Cause until the day of His ascension, the Blessed Beauty, openly and visibly, without any veil or concealment, withstood all the peoples, nations, and rulers of the world and exalted the Word of God. The Tablets to the kings were revealed, and the mystery of adoration was made manifest.

But the Most Great Name, under chains and the sword, arose to conquer East and West. His Cause became effective, His mention prevailed, His call encompassed the world, and His fame reached the Kingdom on high. In prison He had a heavenly palace, and in the pit He reached the height of the moon. What power is greater than this, what might more perfect than this?

Yet these great numbers, instead of being able to dominate Him, could not withstand His wonderful personality and the power and influence of His heavenly Cause. Although they were determined upon extinguishing the light in that most brilliant lantern, they were ultimately defeated and overthrown, and day by day His splendor became more radiant.

In Europe, in the great assemblies talks were given. I spoke to the eminent people. I remember that one day I met one of the members of Parliament. He asked me, 'What is the proof of his holiness Baha'u'llah-- I want it in a concise and useful form.' I said the concise and sufficient proof is that Baha'u'llah in such a prison as Acca, and when under chains, raised His banner. In Teheran He was in prison and under chains. In Acca he was in prison. Under these circumstances he raised it.' When I mentioned this proof he became very silent. I said, 'Just one word more. There is nothing recorded comparable to this. What power is this that from the beginning of the world until today such a thing has not happened.

Yet despite this, in prison and in chains, He withstood all who were on earth - that is, all kings and nations. While under their claws and torment, those Tablets to the Kings were revealed and severe warnings were given. In prison He showed no regard for any government.

In brief, He made His Cause world-conquering while in prison. Under chains He caused the Word of God to reach East and West, raised the banner of the Kingdom, and made His light to shine forth.

While in prison He withstood two despotic kings, and He gained victory over both. In prison He raised His Banner, He spread His Teachings and spiritually defeated two despotic kings. They could not prevent the spread of His Teachings. In brief, while in prison, He raised the Ensign of His Principles. This is impaneled in the history of the world. Such dominion appeared from Him, and such potency manifested from His personality.

Among these, while He was a prisoner in the Most Great Prison, He raised up this mighty Cause and created a great commotion in East and West.

Refer to all history. It has no parallel! No such event has ever taken place before. That a stranger, alone and a prisoner, has succeeded in advancing His Cause, and been enabled to spread broadcast His Teachings, so that, eventually, He was powerful enough to conquer the very king who banished Him.

The heaven beareth witness, and the sun and moon testify, that from the first days until now this Wronged One hath stood before the faces of the world and called out with the most exalted call, in such wise that neither the opposition of rulers nor the tyranny of divines could deter Him from the Will of God.

Say: He hath arisen to promote the Cause of God in such wise that none on earth can turn Him back, nor can the might of any froward oppressor disturb Him.

Neither prison can withhold Him from God, nor can the hosts of earth frighten Him. He is, verily, the Strong, the Trustworthy.

Say: When He entered the Most Great Prison, He proclaimed unto the nations with His most exalted call. To this testifieth what hath been sent down from His Supreme Pen in His preserved Tablet. He is the One Who arose to proclaim the Cause in such wise that the hosts of the world could not deter Him, nor could the ranks of men prevent Him from His firm and wise command.

The more they increased in opposition, the more We increased in manifestation, to spite them. Thus was the matter decreed, if you be of those who hear.

When the appointed time was come, He appeared with the truth and revealed that which was treasured in the knowledge of God and concealed from the eyes of them that are nigh. The affairs of men hindered Him not, nor did the oppression of such as denied the Day of Judgment frighten Him. Nothing escapeth His knowledge. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We manifested might when We were in the depths of abasement, and appeared with power and evident sovereignty. We departed from Iraq in such wise that necks were bowed before the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, until the heedless ones brought Us to the Most Great Prison.

And We departed in such glory as the eyes of them that are nigh unto God had never beheld the like. Thereupon did the eyes of the denizens of Paradise weep, and the dwellers of heaven and earth were thunderstruck.

Praise be unto the Lord of all creation, sanctified from all mention and description, Who, through His complete power and conquering might, hath transformed the prison of 'Akka into the Most Exalted Paradise.

Then from behind them another countenance called out and said: "Can imprisonment be imposed upon the Almighty?"

Say: "Yea, by my Lord, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling!

Everything was plundered in the name of auction, and with each hour the oppression of those cruel people grew more severe. One day there was fear they would storm the sanctuary and forcibly remove the Ancient Beauty. The Most Holy, Most Exalted Being remained seated with such composure, dignity and calm that it was as if these surrounding people were not enemies but had all come with acceptance and devotion to the Truth. God is Most Great in His grandeur, His glory, His tranquility and His power!

Although to all outward appearance the Blessed Perfection was an exile, yet he moved with such power and manifested such majesty!

Yet in spite of all difficulties, he was ever in an exalted state; his face shone continually. He had the presence of a king. One cannot imagine such majesty. One never thought of him as a prisoner - on the contrary, one would have said that he was enjoying the greatest triumph, for he drew his strength from divine power. Minds were exalted on beholding him, and Baha'u'llah never hid himself. He spoke courageously before all.

While Baha Ollah lived in prison He carried Himself with the utmost majesty and independence. Before Him every one was humble. Everyone who presented himself in the presence of Baha Ollah would come out impressed with His spiritual power and authority. Even His enemies bore testimony to this fact.

During fifty years the Manifestation withstood all nations of the earth. Though all nations were against him and contradicted him, they were always submissive and humble before him.

He paid no attention to the ministers and viziers. The Governor-in-Chief of Acca craved to be honored by admission to the presence of Baha'u'llah. For five years this one man, called Zia Pasha, asked Abdul-Baha if he would supplicate the Manifestation to permit him to make this visit, but the Manifestation never granted it. The Blessed Perfection was imprisoned, yet he had that power to refuse anything or to do anything he wished.

Then the Master added the Presence of the Blessed Perfection was awe-inspiring. Those who came into his Presence knelt down against their own will. They could not help themselves. They were awe-struck by the wonderful power and authority which emanated from Him.

So in such a state how can you resist Baha'u'llah Who fears neither kings nor governments, but rather stands against the whole world?"

'My name is Azziz,' he answers. 'Come with me[!] I will be thy teacher.'

Baha'u'llah teaches him so well that after a few months Azziz will become well-known for his extraordinary intelligence. They ask him 'who has been thy teacher?' He naively points out Baha'u'llah.

It was said, "This unknown person is a most remarkable person, is exceedingly learned, is possessed of a tremendous power, and has a colossal force." All Kurdestan was magnetized by his love.

While dictating Tablets to his Secretary at a rapid fire rate, he had papers in his hand writing on some entirely different topic and now and then carry an interesting conversation with those who were present and suddenly he would raise his head and point to us from the window a wonderful, tall, noble tree in a garden far away. One occupation would not prevent him from attending to other things.

It was not until many years after His ascension that they knew who He was, and at the time of His ascension He had only a very few disciples; only a comparatively small following believed His precepts and followed His laws. The ignorant said, 'Who is this individual; He has only a few disciples!' But those who knew said: 'He is the Sun who will shine in the East and in the West, He is the Manifestation who shall give life to the world'.

But, notwithstanding all these afflictions which fell upon Him, He won the victory and subdued all to His Command; His spiritual authority prevailed in the world, and the deniers and those who contradicted Him failed and were frustrated.

Then afterward, the leaf was turned and the combined will of the Roman and Greek emperors and philosophers could not stamp out the Power of Christ. Like a mighty torrent everything was swept before it.

It was from this sure and certain knowledge He spoke, when He said: 'All power is given unto Me, in Heaven and in earth'.

But ponder and consider how, though He be Lord of the Invisible Realm, the rays of His benediction still shine unceasingly upon this nether world.

What a fine memorial they have left behind, which is mentioned in all divine worlds, even in the realm of Lahut. Consider what institutions Moses established for the wavering and troubled children of Israel in this earthly world, that even after three thousand years schools, educational centers and factories have been built for them in Haifa.

The sun shines once through the medium of the mirror and again without it. Now we are looking at the sun which is reflected in the mirror and when the mirror is broken we look at the sun itself. The body is the horse, the soul is the rider and sometimes the rider moves without a mount. But people who do not reflect say that when the soul has left the body it can no longer act. The divine teachers act more powerfully after the detachment of their souls from the body. In his time the Christ was not able to influence many people. Afterward his influence became widespread.

Though the physical eye is deprived of beholding His countenance, the eye of the heart is blessed and seeing. Though outward sight is prevented, inner vision is favored. The light of the sun is not concealed by any veil, and the outpourings of this radiant and brilliant Orb are in no way cut off.

That Light of Truth - its outpouring is all-encompassing and its grace is perfect, whether in the Day of Manifestation or after its setting.

Now the people of truth cry out that the divine light has illumined the horizons and the divine call has reached the ears of East and West from the Tree of Truth.

But with one burning effulgence from the Dawning-Place of the unseen Kingdom, He so dissolved and scattered those dense clouds that minds were amazed.

What can earthly power do against celestial might? And what can contingent darkness accomplish against divine light? This has been tried before.

The fragrances of Thy love have thereby been wafted over Thy cities and have encompassed all the dwellers of Thy realm.

I marvel at the wonders of Thy Revelation, and at the tokens of Thy glory. I recognize, O Thou Who art my heart's Desire, that were fire to be touched by water it would instantly be extinguished, whereas the Fire which Thou didst kindle can never go out, though all the seas of the earth be poured upon it.

As for my power, it is an outpouring from the outpourings of Baha'u'llah. He is my supporter. He is my light of guidance. He is my fire of love.

I swear by the Ancient Beauty, may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones, if but an atom receives the grace of the heat of that Sun, it will set the world of contingent being in motion and will manifest such an appearance in its rays as to become the ornament of the world of creation.

O namesake of 'Abdu'l-Baha! The call of the invisible Kingdom of Abha is raised from on high, and His aid and favor encompass every needy servant. His celestial power is penetrating, and the arteries of the body of the horizons are pulsing.

Say: By God! The breezes of the All-Merciful have wafted from the direction of the All-Glorious, and by them are attracted the hearts of all who have believed and fear God.

The fragrances of the All-Merciful from this Paradise which hath appeared in the temple of man have indeed wafted over all the worlds, and through them are the bodies of all created things revived, and God is, verily, witness unto this.

Although weary, weak and helpless, we are being assisted and supported by the bounties and confirmations of the Blessed Beauty. Who and what are we? These are the rays from the Sun of the Beauty of Abha and the light of the Supreme Horizon. How beautifully the poet says, 'The mosquito, to which thou givest power to fly, becomes a falcon.' Under the shadow of the Blessed Beauty, the atom becomes the sun; the ant becomes a Solomon; the unpopular become popular, and the degraded find eternal glory."

I am a lamp of the love of God and a star of truth and reconciliation.

… This is what I asked of God, and I hope that souls will be educated and arise to fulfill the divine teachings and spread the Spirit of God so that the human world may become the center of divine inspirations and the light of divine perfections may shine in the mirrors of pure hearts.

But all these difficulties and hardships served only to increase their power and accomplishment. Through these privations and persecutions they were severed from the world. Although they walked upon the earth, they lived in Heaven. Deprived of material food they partook of the eternal fruits of Paradise. Homeless and forsaken in this world, they rested upon the Divine Couch of Nearness. Day and night they were unceasingly proclaiming the Call of the Kingdom and establishing the foundations of the Most Great Peace.

If thou knowest what thou art commanded and speak openly of it, the dominion is for thee, the Kingdom is for thee and thy shining star will never set, thy brilliant light never sink, thy brimful treasure never be consumed and thy brave army never be defeated.

By God! If thou wert to arise for the love of God and His servant, God would assist thee against all who are on earth. Verily, there is no God but Him. He aideth whom He willeth through His word "Be," and it is!

By God! Whosoever hath the love of this Youth in his heart, God shall verily render him victorious over all who dwell upon earth and heaven, and verily God shall be the witness thereof. He shall walk upon water as he waketh upon the earth, and shall soar in the realm of the Spirit in the limitless expanse of heaven.

Trusting in God and turning toward the Most Glorious Kingdom, raise the divine standard in Tokyo and cry out: O people! The Sun of Reality has risen and illumined the horizons.

Because of your spiritual receptivity God hath sent me to Stuttgart in order to proclaim the Kingdom of Baha'u'llah.

"I will send thee to America, but I will send thee with such a power as to astonish the people and amaze the beholders. The Favors of the Blessed Perfection will encircle thee and His Graces will descend upon thee incessantly."

Let them raise such a cry of joy that stone and tree and clod will be stirred to motion and trembling, for the outpourings of the Most Great Name are all-encompassing and the favors of the Ancient Beauty are unfailing in this mighty century.

We were with thee when thou didst speak forth this Name whereby the backs of the wicked were broken. Say: O people! Verily He is with whosoever maketh mention of Him and beholdeth whosoever aideth Him through utterance.

Verily He strengtheneth whom He willeth and aideth whom He pleaseth and loveth him who loveth Him and remembereth in His kingdom him who remembereth Him on His earth.

He that directed himself hither, and attained unto the presence of his Lord, made mention of you before the throne, whence We have made mention of you as a bounty on Our part, and I am the Rememberer, the All-Knowing.

Give praise to the Desired One of the world that distance did not prevent thee from His grace - outwardly thou art far but inwardly near. He is the Kind Bestower. The whole world was brought from nothingness into being for this blessed Day, yet heedlessness and pride have prevented all from hearkening to the call of the Speaker on Sinai.

What greater honor can be imagined than the honor conferred by the Tongue of the Ancient of Days when He calleth to remembrance His loved ones in His Most Great Prison?

This is what the Tongue of the Beloved uttered:

"O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory, My remembrance, and My favor. Praise be to God that thou art mentioned at all times, and the favor of the Truth is directed toward thee. The Wronged One beareth witness that thou hast attained unto that which was revealed from time immemorial in the Books of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Thou didst turn to Him in the early days when the people were in manifest denial.

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O servant! Give thanks to thy Lord for having aided thee to turn towards His Self that dominates the worlds. By My life! Whosoever has today attained the lights of the Countenance, the denizens of the Supreme Concourse make mention of him, and towards him turn the faces of those through whom the clouds pour down rain, the winds blow, and the earth brings forth its vegetation.

This is an epistle from God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise, wherein He maketh mention of the handmaiden of God, the Most Great, whom God hath singled out through His Beloved and made her one of the manifestations of undoubted glory, and given her to drink of the wine of life in the knowledge of His Self, and made her of those endowed with certitude, and honored her with the presence of Him through Whom were opened the gates of Paradise in the name of God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the Most Great, and related her unto Him - and this is a glory than which there existeth none greater in all creation, and God is witness unto what I say and is All-Knowing.

When thou hast closed thine eyes to transgression and opened them with beneficence, there waft over the peoples of all worlds the sweet-scented breezes of holiness, that they may become aware within themselves how God hath preferred them above all creation, made them His companions, honored them with His presence, and sent down unto them the fruits of union from a manifest holy tree, clothed them in the raiment of distinction, preferred them above all that was and shall be, and inscribed their names in preserved tablets of glory.

By the lights of the Sun of inner meanings which hath shone forth from the horizon of the prison, in these days man is able to attain an everlasting station, eternal bounty, and perpetual sustenance. The days are passing, and He Who conversed on Sinai is established upon the throne of Revelation.

Strive, O people of the world, that there may be sent down from the Supreme Pen that which shall preserve your names, your spirits and your stations in a Book which none hath known save God, the Lord of Lords.

Arise and proclaim with wisdom: O concourse of contingent beings! The All-Merciful hath come with proof and evidence, in such wise that neither the clash of the swords of enemies, nor the neighing of the steeds of the mighty ones, nor the croaking of the divines can deter Him.

The attraction of the Chosen One hath seized all lands and the righteous in this noble station - they who believed in God when He came into the world with His mighty and impregnable Kingdom.

When anyone raiseth a call, We answer him, though We have prescribed for every soul that when he heareth, he should say: "Here am I, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!"

We have, with the hands of power, unsealed the choice sealed wine of immortality - drink thou of it in My Name, the All-Powerful.

Arise over the graves in the name of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving! Say: O ye who lie in the tomb! The Promised One hath come, and the Sovereign of existence hath appeared in His mighty glory. How long will ye slumber in the cradle of vain imaginings? Arise at My leave and My call, then drink of the choice wine which floweth from the direction of the Throne through His name, the Mighty, the Generous.

This is the Day whereon the Rock crieth out with the loudest voice: "Hasten with your hearts to the direction of the Beloved, O ye who are endued with understanding!"

By My life! All else will not suffice thee. That which will suffice thee is this Ocean, every drop of which proclaimeth "I am the Enricher of the worlds, the Subduer of the worlds, and the Quickener of the worlds."

Say: On this Day there is no refuge for any soul, no haven for anyone, save beneath My shadow. Thus hath the command been sent down from the heaven of a glorious Name.

I beseech Thee, by Thine own Self and by Him Whom Thou has appointed as the Manifestation of Thine own Being and Thy discriminating Word unto all that are in heaven and on earth, to gather together Thy servants beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy gracious providence.

He is the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I call upon Thee at this time when the accents of the dove of separation are raised from the land of Iraq, and the warbling of the Nightingale of fervent longing is heard from the horizon of the world---at such a time do I call upon Thee, proclaiming: "Thou in truth art God, the King, the Mighty, the Beauteous. From everlasting, O my God, Thou hast been exalted in the supremacy of Thy might, Thy power, and Thy glory, and unto all eternity Thou wilt remain transcendent in the sublimity of Thy grandeur, Thy majesty, and Thy splendour. Every Prophet is filled with consternation when confronted by the manifold evidences of Thy wrath, and every Chosen One standeth dismayed before the revelations of Thy might. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling."

I yield Thee thanks, O my God, in these days when the oppressors amongst Thy people and the rebellious amongst Thy creatures have arrayed themselves against us, and are rejoicing at the adversities which, through the mysterious workings of Thy decree, Thou hast caused to descend upon us as gems from the treasury of Thy providence. Such hath ever been Thy custom with Thy loved ones and Thy practice with Thy chosen servants. I swear by Thy might, O my Beloved, that though others may flee from tribulations suffered in Thy path, I am he who, in his love for Thee, yearneth after every woe and trial. I ask Thee, then, by Thy Name through which the seas of names have surged before the evidences of Thy transcendent oneness, and through which Thou hast been exalted above all creation in the hallowed sovereignty of thy Lordship, to send down whatever afflictions Thou hast destined for Thy loved ones upon this Thy servant, lest there should befall them that which would still the quickness of their love for Thee, or dampen the fervency of their devotion. I am he, O my God, who would ransom with his life and soul whatsoever proceedeth from Thee or befalleth at Thy bidding. To all this shall I be true, through Thy power and Thy might. No God is there but Thee, the Generous, the Subtile, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I ask Thee then, O my God, by the lights of Thy divine unity, and the hidden mysteries of Thine ancient and everlasting Being, to preserve Thy loved ones after I am gone, lest their feet should slip upon Thy path. Gather them then together upon the shore of Thy munificence and bounty, and sever them from all but Thee so that they may stand in fear of no one, nor be overawed by any soul. Open then their eyes, O my God, through the wondrous evidences of Thy might and the sovereign potency of Thy dominion, in order that they may see all things held within Thy grasp, and all matters contained within the palm of Thine omnipotence. I swear by Thy beauty, O Thou my hope, that shouldst Thou cause them to ascend to this most sublime and all-highest station, they would tell of Thee continually, and would so completely return unto Thee that naught could cause them any perturbation, though all who are in heaven and on earth should rise up unitedly against them.

I ask Thee then, O my God, by Thy light which hath illuminated all beings, and by Thy glory which hath irradiated the whole of creation, to remember Thy servant who hath been designated "Jim" in the realms of Thine eternity and the canopy of Thy grandeur. Cause him then, O my God, to hearken unto the holy melodies of Thy tender mercy, that they may draw him away from himself and from whatsoever is not of Thee, and attract him unto the dawning splendours of Thy love and adoration. Potent art Thou to accomplish this through Thy transcendent might.

By Thy right over all created things, than which there exists nothing greater in all creation, and by the manifestation of Thy revelation unto all existence, than which there exists nothing mightier in all invention, from the beginning of Thy primacy that hath no beginning unto the end of Thine ultimacy that hath no end--all circle round Thy Will, prostrate themselves before God through Thy Countenance, worship God through Thy Face, and dwell in the kingdom of the heavens and earth and what lieth between them through Thy decree.

Rejoice thou that the Most Great Ocean hath turned towards thee from this remote station and calleth thee unto God, purely for His sake.

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

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The Holy Manifestations of God are the source of miracles and wonderful signs. To them even the impossible things are possible, and from them most wonderful things appear, but they have an especial mode of expression. To them miracles are of no importance. They do not mention them. If miracles were proofs, it would be for those present, not for those who are absent.... The meaning is not that the Manifestations are not able to perform miracles -- for they are able -- but the meaning is that to them the inward sight, the heavenly hearing, the eternal life, is that which is acceptable; and when it is mentioned in the Holy Books, this is the true meaning.

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"Within the throat of this Youth," is yet another astounding statement, "there lie prisoned accents which, if revealed to mankind to an extent smaller than a needle's eye, would suffice to cause every mountain to crumble, the leaves of the trees to be discolored and their fruits to fall; would compel every head to bow down in worship and every face to turn in adoration towards this omnipotent Ruler Who, at sundry times and in diverse manners, appeareth as a devouring flame, as a billowing ocean, as a radiant light, as the tree which, rooted in the soil of holiness, lifteth its branches and spreadeth out its limbs as far as and beyond the throne of deathless glory."

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"Within the treasury of Our Wisdom there lies unrevealed a knowledge, one word of which, if we chose to divulge it to mankind, would cause every human being to recognize the Manifestation of God and to acknowledge His omniscience, would enable every one to discover the secrets of all the sciences, and to attain so high a station as to find himself wholly independent of all past and future learning. Other knowledges We do as well possess, not a single letter of which We can disclose, nor do We find humanity able to hear even the barest reference to their meaning.

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Should the Ancient Beauty be unveiled in the fullness of His glory mortal eyes would be blinded by the dazzling intensity of His revelation.

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